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~_ HISTORY OF USS GREAT LAKES FLEET, INC. USS Great Lakes Fleet, Inc., operator of the largest number of bulk carriers on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways, has played prominent and colorful role durin pits 80°. ear history in the saga of this greatest ofall inland waterways—the nation’ s Fourth Seacoast. In the years 1901 to 1981, the vessel eae ing the familiar silver and blac! at Lakes Fleet insignia have transporte raggering total of more than one billion See ioe of ore from the upper end of the Lakes to the furnaces s of millions of ross tons ore. This A movement has accounted for ore than 80 percent of its business, with limestone hee in the past, coal, as the other two main factors. During the Fleet’ 's history, other bulk modities such as pit iron, scrap turnings, cone clinkers, salt, flue dust and coke have been carried for United States Steel in the Silver Stackers. Grain has also been moved in Fleet Also, from 1964 to 1974 the ie operated a crane ship, the Steamer Cr. transportation of steel and pis When the Fleet mee ary the 1981 shipping season, it began operations with 24 of its bulk none of which date back to the S. pany became the ine: OF the Great Lakes ore-carrying subsidiat f the vowel total, seven ns are self ay ners in the stone carryin Although eng ee. smaller in number than te. original carriers, the Fleet is greater onnage. There were 112 units in the original —69 steamers an arges, with a combined registered gross tonnage of 532, The carrying capacity of the present ore vessels is 529,284 gross tons whi let vessel in the lim added 82, 190 D gross tons 10 the Fleet’s ore represented 000