Wood Framing Replaced on US Brig NIAGARA at Great Lakes Shipyard

Cleveland, Ohio. - Erie, Pennsylvania’s Flagship, the US Brig NIAGARA, arrived at Great Lakes Shipyard yesterday to replace framing in the bow. The work on the NIAGARA at Great Lakes Shipyard will include replacing three frames and will take approximately four weeks.

In September of last year, the NIAGARA spent two weeks in the Great Lakes Shipyard’s drydock for out of water surveying, hull cleaning and painting, propeller inspection, and other routine maintenance.

Owned and maintained by the PA Historical and Museum Commission, an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Flagship NIAGARA is a reconstruction of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s ship that led the Battle of Lake Erie victory on September 10, 1813. The bicentennial celebration of Commodore Perry and the NIAGARA’s Battle of Lake Erie victory will take place in September, 2013.

Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Towing Company, operates a full-service shipyard specializing in new construction, repairs, and modifications of all types of vessels and barges. The Shipyard is currently undergoing a major expansion that includes a new state-of-the-art 770-ton Marine Travelift; the largest on the Great Lakes, second largest in the Western Hemisphere, and the third largest in the World. The yard facilities also include a 300-ton floating dry dock, which is being used for the NIAGARA. Recent projects include the upgrading thrusters on Interlake Steamship Company’s tug, Dorothy Ann; construction and delivery of a workboat for the Port of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and a contract with SEACOR Holdings, Inc. to build two tugs.

In addition to the Shipyard, The Great Lakes Towing Company operates the largest fleet of tugs on the Great Lakes serving 40 ports and has been in continuous business since 1899. To learn more about the company and its shipyard, visit www.thegreatlakesgroup.com.