American Transport Asks Title XI On $17-Million Barge Conversion Work

American Transport, Inc. of Chicago has applied to the Maritime Administration for Title XI mortgage guarantee to aid in financing the conversion of four Great Lakes freighters into unmanned roll-on/ roll-off barges.

The vessels are the Champlain and Cadillac, both built in 1943; the Willis B. Royer, built in 1911; and the William P. Snyder Jr., built in 1912. Their present carrying capacities range from 15,000 to 16,750 dwt. The vessels would be converted at the Merce Industries, Inc. shipyard in Toledo, Ohio, with the first barge scheduled for delivery in April 1985.

The requested guarantee is for $12,847,000, or 75 percent of the estimated $17,130,000 cost of the conversion project. The owner of the vessels will be a limited partnership, still to be formed. In its application, American Transport said it might consider new construction instead of the conversion if feasible from a price standpoint.

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First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.