The Story Of Fast Eddie’s Uncertain Future In Superior
Every time I drive to work over the Blatnik Bridge, I glance over to the right side of the bridge and look down at the SS Edward L. Ryerson. It's a beautiful boat, and it's been called the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing freighter ever built for the Great Lakes. But, sadly, it's been docked since 2009. Why is that?
The Edward L. Ryerson was built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1960. It was built almost exclusively for hauling iron ore. It set speed and tonnage records within its first year of service. The freighter reached a top speed of 19 mph, which gave it the name "Fast Eddie."
The Ryerson had several points in its history when it was docked and temporarily out of service. Since the freighter is primarily used for iron ore, if steel prices are low and the iron ore market is down, it's not needed. Also, the Laker is one of the last non-self-unloading ships. Many ports don't have the necessary equipment to unload it.
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Because of this, the Ryerson has been sitting at Frasier Shipyards in Superior since 2009. That's 15 years ago, and it may never sail again. In order for this ship to be put back in service, we would need a boom in the steel market and more iron ore being shipped. Our region wouldn't definitely benefit from this, considering mines have been idled on the Iron Range.
There was some speculation in 2023 that the Ryerson would be put back in service. It even moved to the shipyard for work. Check out this video from my friend Vibe With Mike!