Photos and story by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
LUDINGTON, Mich. — The MV Northern Venture made its 2025 debut to the Port of Ludington Monday morning, Aug. 4. The ship was delivering road aggregate to the Reith-Riley Construction Ludington dock. This was the second vessel to visit the dock in the same number of days. On Sunday evening the tug/barge Defiance/Astabula made a delivery (see that story and photos here).
The Canadian-flagged Northern Venture was built in 1998 at Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Hirosima, Japan. It was originally named Asia Cement No. 7 and operated on the oceans. From 2000 to 2023 it was named Da Shen. McKeil Marine acquired the ship in 2022 and brought it to the Great Lakes following refitting in China. It was then renamed Northern Venture, making its Great Lakes debut in 2024.
The Northern Venture features four cargo holds sloped at 50 degrees with large gates to improve cargo flow. It’s self-discharging machinery consists of 40 hydraulic gates, two tunnel conveyors, two transfer conveyors to loop belt elevator and a 260 foot discharge boom.
It is 508.5 feet long, 72 feet wide and has a depth of 41.34 feet. Its diesel engines operate a single screw and are capable of 8,130 hp.
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