Shotline Diving

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E.M. Ford (Presque Isle)(1898)

Explore the remarkable story of the E.M. Ford, a cement carrier that faced a dramatic sinking and was salvaged back to service.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: E.M. Ford (formerly Presque Isle)
  • Type: Bulk self-unloading cement carrier; originally an ore-and-coal steamer
  • Year Built: 1898
  • Builder: Cleveland Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio
  • Dimensions: Length 428 ft (130.4 m); Beam 50 ft (15.2 m); Depth of hold variable
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Location: Slip 1, Milwaukee Outer Harbor, Wisconsin
  • Official Number: Not specified

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A robust early-20th-century lake freighter repurposed mid-century into a self-unloading cement ship, powered by a rare quadruple-expansion steam engine.

Description

Built in 1898, lengthened and refitted in 1915 for Cleveland-Cliffs, then converted in 1955–56 to transport powdered cement. She measured 428 ft × 50 ft, capable of hauling huge cement loads. Notable features included an arched hull design and a spacious pilothouse for crew comfort.

History

  • Original Career: Entered service with ore and coal cargoes in 1898 (as Presque Isle).
  • 1915 Rebuild: Hull length and capacity expanded via arched construction at Great Lakes Engineering Works.
  • Cement Conversion: Purchased in 1955 by Huron Portland Cement (Alpena, MI), converted and renamed E.M. Ford by 1956.
  • Collision Incident: On maiden cement service, steering failure led to collision and sinking of A.M. Byers in the St. Clair River; she received bow repairs and continued operations.
  • Regular Service: Carried powdered cement across Great Lakes until late 1979; notable for transit through Welland Canal and multiple ports.

Significant Incidents

On 24 December 1979, while docked with 7,000 tons of cement, gale-force winds and 13 ft waves broke her free. She was supported by lines but battered against the berth, punching a hole in her bow and fracturing her hull. She gradually sank within the slip on Christmas Day.

Final Disposition

Salvage operations followed: she was refloated on 20 January 1980, then moved to inner harbor, where divers removed thousands of tons of hardened cement before temporary repairs were staged. By early March, she was towed to Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay for full overhaul. Returned to active service that August.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not a lost wreck—no underwater site. Her location and condition were tracked throughout salvage and repair.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”e-m-ford-presque-isle1898″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]

The E.M. Ford’s Christmas Eve 1979 sinking at Milwaukee stands as a remarkable testament to Great Lakes shipping resilience. Built in 1898, magnificently rebuilt and converted in the mid-20th century, she endured a severe gauge, sank under the weight of cement, and was returned to service within months. Divers faced the challenge of removing massive amounts of cement—a singular recovery feat on the Lakes. Eventually laid up and repurposed for storage before final scrapping in 2011.

Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Vessel Name: E.M. Ford (formerly Presque Isle)
  • Official Number: Not specified
  • Vessel Type: Bulk self-unloading cement carrier; originally an ore-and-coal steamer
  • Build Year: 1898 (as Presque Isle)
  • Builder: Cleveland Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, Ohio
  • Dimensions: Length 428 ft (130.4 m); Beam 50 ft (15.2 m)
  • Depth at Incident: Sunk at dock (depth variable)
  • Location of Incident: Slip 1, Milwaukee Outer Harbor, Wisconsin
  • Date of Incident: 24 December 1979 (Christmas Eve storm gale)
  • Final Status: Sunk at berth; later refloated, repaired, returned to service (vos.noaa.gov, mccotterenergy.com, facebook.com, greatlakesships.wordpress.com)

VESSEL TYPE

A robust early-20th-century lake freighter repurposed mid-century into a self-unloading cement ship, powered by a rare quadruple-expansion steam engine.

DESCRIPTION

Built in 1898, lengthened and refitted in 1915 for Cleveland-Cliffs, then converted in 1955–56 to transport powdered cement. She measured 428 ft × 50 ft, capable of hauling huge cement loads. Notable features included an arched hull design and a spacious pilothouse for crew comfort (vos.noaa.gov, mccotterenergy.com).

HISTORY

  • Original Career: Entered service with ore and coal cargoes in 1898 (as Presque Isle).
  • 1915 Rebuild: Hull length and capacity expanded via arched construction at Great Lakes Engineering Works (mccotterenergy.com).
  • Cement Conversion: Purchased in 1955 by Huron Portland Cement (Alpena, MI), converted and renamed E.M. Ford by 1956 (mccotterenergy.com).
  • Collision Incident: On maiden cement service, steering failure led to collision and sinking of A.M. Byers in the St. Clair River; she received bow repairs and continued operations (mccotterenergy.com).
  • Regular Service: Carried powdered cement across Great Lakes until late 1979; notable for transit through Welland Canal and multiple ports (vos.noaa.gov).

INCIDENT & FINAL DISPOSITION

On 24 December 1979, while docked with 7,000 tons of cement, gale-force winds and 13 ft waves broke her free. She was supported by lines but battered against the berth, punching a hole in her bow and fracturing her hull. She gradually sank within the slip on Christmas Day (mccotterenergy.com).

Salvage operations followed: she was refloated on 20 January 1980, then moved to inner harbor, where divers removed thousands of tons of hardened cement before temporary repairs were staged. By early March, she was towed to Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay for full overhaul. Returned to active service that August (mccotterenergy.com).

LOCATED BY & DATE FOUND

Not a lost wreck—no underwater site. Her location and condition were tracked throughout salvage and repair.

NOTICES TO MARINERS & ADVISORIES

The incident occurred dockside in a maintained harbor; no navigational hazards resulted offshore. No Notices to Mariners recorded.

RESOURCES & LINKS

  • McCotter Energy History: Excellent overview of December 1979 incident, rescue, salvage, and litigation (mccotterenergy.com).
  • NOAA Mariners Weather Log (Apr 2006): Technical summary—including engine details, recovery timeline, and post-salvage ownership (vos.noaa.gov).
  • Great Lakes Ships blog: Contextualized the sinking and refit within her service history (greatlakesships.wordpress.com).
  • Wisconsin Marine Historical Society Facebook: Community-sourced detail on sinking and cement cleanout (facebook.com).
  • Video documentary: Cement Boat features the E.M. Ford incident (youtube.com).

E.M. Ford Cement Boat Documentary (Airworthy Productions)

Conclusion

The E.M. Ford’s Christmas Eve 1979 sinking at Milwaukee stands as a remarkable testament to Great Lakes shipping resilience. Built in 1898, magnificently rebuilt and converted in the mid-20th century, she endured a severe gauge, sank under the weight of cement, and was returned to service within months. Divers faced the challenge of removing massive amounts of cement—a singular recovery feat on the Lakes. Eventually laid up and repurposed for storage before final scrapping in 2011 .

Keywords & Glossary

E.M. Ford; Presque Isle; cement carrier; quadruple-expansion steam engine; 1979 Milwaukee sinking; Great Lakes salvage.

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