The Interlake Steamship Company

What The Interlake Steamship Company does

The Interlake Steamship Company is a family-owned marine bulk cargo transportation operator founded in 1883 and headquartered in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. The company operates a U.S.-flag fleet of 11 commercial self-unloading bulk carriers on the Great Lakes, delivering more than 20 million tons of essential raw materials annually across more than 700 lake crossings per shipping season. Its cargo portfolio centers on iron ore, coal, limestone/flux stone, salt, and aggregates, serving primarily steelmakers (ArcelorMittal, the broader American steel industry), power generation companies, construction and aggregate users, mining suppliers (Cliffs Natural Resources), and state/municipal road maintenance entities. The fleet includes nine Great Lakes freighters, a tug-barge unit, and — as of 2022 — the M/V Mark W. Barker, the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier built in nearly 40 years, a 639-foot River-Class vessel jointly engineered with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Bay Engineering.

Revenue is generated through direct B2B freight contracts with industrial customers on a per-tonnage basis (transaction-fee model). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated individually with anchor industrial buyers under long-term arrangements. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-customer enterprise sales; the company has no consumer-facing products and operates entirely within the eight Great Lakes states. The company employs approximately 400 people, referred to internally as "company family members," and is led by second-generation family executives James R. Barker (Chairman) and Mark W. Barker (President).

The company's strategic positioning rests on three pillars: (1) regulatory moat from Jones Act-compliant U.S.-flag operations, (2) capital-intensive scale barriers, demonstrated by over $100 million in fleet modernization including exhaust gas scrubbers and a newbuild vessel, and (3) environmental stewardship, including being the first U.S. Great Lakes shipowner to join the Green Marine certification program. In December 2020, the family-controlled holding entity expanded through the asset acquisition of Pere Marquette Shipping Company and Lake Michigan Car Ferry Company, forming Interlake Maritime Services to manage the enlarged portfolio that now also includes the S.S. Badger passenger-and-car ferry and an additional tug-barge unit.

Name

The Interlake Steamship Company

Legal name

The Interlake Steamship Company

Website

https://interlake-steamship.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Interlake Steamship Company is a family-owned U.S.-flag Great Lakes bulk carrier founded in 1883, operating 11 self-unloading vessels to transport iron ore, coal, stone, and salt for steelmakers, power generators, construction firms, and road maintenance entities across the Great Lakes region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Great Lakes Marine Bulk Cargo Transportation

NAICS

Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (4831), Coastal and Great Lakes Freight Transportation (483113), Marine Cargo Handling (48832)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Bulk Transloading & Intermodal Bulk Transfer Facilities (Rail/Truck/Conveyor/Barge) (TLAHABAN)

Keywords

• Great Lakes shipping
• Bulk cargo transportation
• Marine freight services
• Self-unloading bulk carriers
• Raw material logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Middleburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Bulk Cargo Transportation Services: Transportation of essential raw materials (iron ore, coal, stone, salt) for steel, construction, and power generation industries across the Great Lakes. Revenue generated through freight contracts with major industrial customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Interlake Steamship Company operates a fleet of 11 self-unloading bulk carriers that transport essential raw materials — iron ore, coal, stone, and salt — across the five Great Lakes. The company serves industrial customers including steelmakers, power generation companies, aggregate suppliers, and government road maintenance entities under direct freight contracts, delivering more than 20 million tons of cargo and completing 700+ lake crossings per shipping season.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Great Lakes Bulk Cargo Transportation Services Direct B2B bulk cargo transportation of iron ore, coal, stone, and salt across the five Great Lakes using a fleet of 11 self-unloading bulk carriers. Serves steelmakers, power generation companies, aggregate suppliers, and government road maintenance entities under direct freight contracts, delivering more than 20 million tons of cargo per season across 700+ lake crossings.
• M/V Mark W. Barker River-Class Bulk Transportation Service Transportation service operated via the M/V Mark W. Barker, a 639-foot River-Class self-unloading bulk carrier equipped with advanced vessel and unloading systems automation, EPA Tier 4 / IMO Tier III certified EMD engines, controllable pitch propeller (Kongsberg), MacGregor cargo handling systems, and unique cargo hold arrangement for handling difficult cargoes. Serves industrial customers including ArcelorMittal at the Cleveland plant via the Cuyahoga River.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 million tons of essential cargoes delivered per season
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Fincantieri Bay ShipbuildingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019Historic partnership to build the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier in nearly 40 years. The 639-foot M/V Mark W. Barker was constructed at their Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin shipyard. Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has also handled four repowers, five exhaust gas scrubber installations, and regular maintenance on Interlake vessels.
• Green MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2017Interlake became the first U.S. Great Lakes shipowner to join Green Marine, the North American environmental certification program for maritime operators, demonstrating commitment to sustainability and emissions reduction.
• American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)majorTechnology or IntegrationMajor project partner for the M/V Mark W. Barker newbuild, providing classification and certification services.
• EMD Engines / CaterpillarmajorTechnology or IntegrationMajor project partner providing engines for the new M/V Mark W. Barker - two 16-cylinder Electro-Motive Diesel engines producing 7,800 shaft horsepower, EPA Tier 4 and IMO Tier III certified.
• ArcelorMittalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteel supplier for the project - first plate of steel used in M/V Mark W. Barker ceremony was sourced from ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor steelworks. Primary customer for iron ore transport; Interlake delivers raw materials that support ArcelorMittal's steelmaking operations.
• KongsbergmajorTechnology or IntegrationMajor project partner providing controllable pitch propeller for the M/V Mark W. Barker.
• MacGregormajorTechnology or IntegrationMajor project partner providing cargo handling and unloading systems for the M/V Mark W. Barker.
• Bay Engineering (BEI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint designer of the bulk carrier along with Interlake and Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, providing advanced vessel and unloading systems automation.
• Lufkin (GE Company)majorTechnology or IntegrationMajor project partner for the M/V Mark W. Barker newbuild.
• EMS-Tech, Inc.majorTechnology or IntegrationMajor project partner for the M/V Mark W. Barker newbuild.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Grand River Navigation: U.S.-flag Great Lakes bulk carrier operating self-unloading vessels for steel, power, and aggregate customers. Operates in the same Jones Act framework and competes head-to-head for the same industrial freight pool.
• Rand Logistics: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway bulk shipper (formerly Lower Lakes Towing / Rand) operating self-unloading bulk carriers and tankers. Overlaps with Interlake on short-sea Great Lakes bulk routes and Jones Act-constrained cargoes.
• American Steamship Company: Operates one of the largest U.S.-flag self-unloading bulk fleets on the Great Lakes, transporting iron ore, coal, limestone, and salt for steel, power, and construction customers - directly comparable vessel mix, cargoes, and customer base to Interlake.
• Key Lakes Inc. Privately held Great Lakes tug-and-barge operator moving dry bulk cargoes (limestone, coal, aggregates) under U.S. flag. Comparable mid-size competitor using articulated tug-barge units, often competing with Interlake for similar industrial customers.
• Purvis Marine: U.S.-flag tug and barge operator on the Great Lakes and inland waterways moving dry bulk commodities for steel, aggregate, and agricultural customers. Comparable Jones Act platform with similar industrial shipper relationships.
• USS Great Lakes Fleet: Captive Great Lakes shipping arm of Cleveland-Cliffs, transporting iron ore and fluxstone between Lake Superior mines and integrated steel mills. Closest direct competitor to Interlake on iron ore routes, with overlapping customers and Jones Act U.S.-flag fleet.
• Inland Lakes Management: Operator of Great Lakes / inland self-unloading bulk vessels transporting similar dry-bulk raw materials. Directly comparable in vessel type, cargo mix, and customer base to Interlake's self-unloading freighters.

Others

• The Great Lakes Towing Company: Harbor tug and barge services operator on the Great Lakes providing vessel assist, ice-breaking, and short-sea barge transport. Ecosystem participant rather than direct bulk competitor, but operates in the same ports and waterways as Interlake.

Regional players

• Algoma Central Corporation: Canadian-flag Great Lakes / St. Lawrence bulk carrier with self-unloading fleet serving steel, grain, and aggregate customers. Operates the same waterways with similar vessels but is restricted from Jones Act U.S. domestic trades - a regional peer whose economics are tightly linked to Interlake's market.

Broad incumbents

• CSL Group: World's largest operator of self-unloading vessels, with significant Great Lakes and global ocean self-unloader fleet serving iron ore, coal, and aggregates. A broader incumbent whose Great Lakes presence competes with Interlake while its global footprint dwarfs it.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-interlake-steamship-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Interlake Steamship Company