Self Unloader ALGOSOO

It was on one of those hot and hazy days last summer when we snapped these pics of the 730' self unloader ALGOSOO making good time pushing water out on Lac St. Frances on her way upbound to Snell Lock. Built by Collingwood Shipyards and launched in 1974, the ALGOSOO was the last traditional straight deck style built on the Great Lakes and instead of having her self unloader equipment and boom situated immediately behind the ship wheelhouse like most straight deck self unloaders, the SOO's are located near her aft accommodations quarters. Good luck trying to grab a few extra Zzzz's while unloading such cargoes as coal, coke, aggregates, slang, iron ore, salt, fertilizers, sand and even grain products.

From Skip Gillham's and Alfred Sagon-King's book: "CANADIAN FLEETS Along The Seaway"

Port Colborne's fire department had to come aboard the ALGOSOO in 1986 and 1998 to extinguish fires that caused extensive damage to her self unloader conveyor belts on both occasions. No need for any fire crews last summer as she went smokin' by us near Lancaster, Ontario.