Erie Trader - From Black to Red, Wearing New Colors in 2023

This is the articulated tug-and-barge combination of the Clyde S. Van Enkevort (tug) and Erie Trader (barge) seen departing Superior, Wisconsin on the evening of May 4, 2023. She had loaded taconite (iron ore) pellets at the Burlington Northern dock and was now bound for Toledo, Ohio.

If the Erie Trader and the Clyde S. Van Enkevort look a little different this year, it's because the black hull paint they've sported since 2012 was changed over to red paint during the winter 2023 layup, when she went into dry dock in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for her 5-year inspection. She originally wore black paint because of their lease to American Steamship from 2012 to 2017. With the lease over and the black paint starting to show its age, boatnerds speculated she would adopt the red scheme that her fleet mates already carry. Now all four of the tug-barge combos operated by Van Enkevort Tug and Barge finally share similar colors.

The lighting conditions for this video were less-than-ideal, so the footage is not up to the standard that I try to achieve. But I figured this video was still worth sharing as it gives us our first glimpse of a familiar vessel wearing a new color scheme. If you need a reminder of what the Erie Trader looked like with her previous paint scheme, check out this video from January of this year, not long before she went to dry dock for her new paint: https://youtu.be/1QNS18EYj5k

As the Erie Trader made her way onto Lake Superior, we caught sight of the Canada Steamship Lines ship Oakglen preparing to make her way in harbor to take up the position at the BN dock that had just been vacated... getting her own load of taconite pellets.

The 740-foot barge Erie Trader began her life in April 2012 as the Lakes Contender, while the 135-foot tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort began her life as the Ken Booth Sr. in February 2011. Both were built at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair in Erie, Pennsylvania. They were specifically designed to work with each other and not mate with any other tugs or barges. Both are owned by VanEnkevort Tug and Barge of Escanaba, Michigan. They were leased by the American Steamship Company until 2017, when the lease ended and their operation went to VanEnkevort Tug and Barge. At the time the lease expired, they obtained their current names... though observant viewers will spot the old name on the bow of the Erie Trader in the metalwork. The Erie Trader can carry 38,500 tons of cargo and has a 1000-horsepower diesel-driven bow thruster that helps her maneuver in port. The Clyde S. VanEnkevort is powered by twin 5,400 HP MaK diesel engines driving two controllable pitch propellers.

Note: Any odd clanking sounds you hear at the beginning of this video were from smelt fishermen casting (and retrieving) their nets off of pier at the Superior entry.

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