deckhouse is occupied by self unloading equipment and the engines). Stewart J. Cort started life in Mississippi as Hull 1173, consisting of only the bow and stern sections (and appropriately nicknamed "Stubby"). From there, she was sailed to Erie, Pennsylvania, where she was cut in half and an additional 800+ feet of hull were added. Another interesting 1000-footer is Presque Isle, an integrated tug and barge combination. Presque Isle is the largest tug / barge composite in the world. All of the 1000-footers are U.S. vessels. The Canadian fleet needs to travel to and from its major cities along the St. Lawrence Seaway, so the largest length for the Canadian vessels is (Seawaymax-size). The reason for this standard length is the Welland Canal, which bypasses the Niagara Falls. The locks here are roughly long, which limits the maximum length of the vessels for safety reasons. Another reason for the lack of larger Canadian vessels is legislative in nature. Larger ships on the lakes are generally used to transport American-mined ore bound for American mills. Because of the Jones Act, Canadian ships cannot carry ore from American mines to American mills; ergo larger Canadian ships are not needed. More common are lake boats in the classes, because of the limitations of the Welland Canal. These vessels vary greatly in configuration and cargo capacity, being capable of hauling between 10,000 and 40,000 tons per trip depending on the individual boat. These smaller boats can serve smaller harbors around the lakes which have irregular need for their services. The latest major vessel built for bulk cargoes on the lakes is the articulated tug/barge combination Ken Boothe Sr./Lakes Contender. The 740-foot barge Lakes Contender and the tug Ken Boothe Sr. entered service in 2012. List of 1000-footers on the lakes Bulk freighters (self-unloaders) () () () () () Most powerful engines on the Great Lakes. () First standard construction 1000-footer () ( × ) Largest vessel on Great Lakes () First 1000-footer on the lakes () () () Highest cargo capacity () Tug/barge combination (ITB) ( × ) Only 1000-foot tug/barge unit Design Because these vessels must traverse the locks of the Great Lakes Waterway, they all have features in common, and their appearance differs from similarly sized ocean-going freighters. For instance, they are narrower and generally longer. An early variation of the type (designed by Alexander McDougall and built from 1887 through 1898)