MV Paul R. Tregurtha is a Great Lakes-based bulk carrier freighter. She is the current Queen of the Lakes, an unofficial but widely recognized title given to the longest vessel active on the Great Lakes. Launched as MV William J. De Lancey, she was the last of the thirteen "thousand footers" to enter service on the Great Lakes, and was also the last Great Lakes vessel built at the American Ship Building Company yard in Lorain, Ohio. The MV Paul R. Tregurtha is the current flagship for the Interlake Steamship Company. Construction The Interlake Steamship Company was given a contract in 1979 by its customer Republic Steel, to transport iron ore from Lake Superior ports to their steel mill at Indiana Harbor, or to their transshipment terminal at Lorain. Designed by the American Ship Building Company to fulfill two briefs: Bulk carrier Executive passenger transportation With the second brief in mind, she was one of the first freighters with full air conditioning, elevators, and luxurious décor. Built in two parts, her keel was laid down on July 12, 1979, at the American Ship Building Company yard in Toledo, Ohio. On completion, the forward section was towed to their yard in Lorain, Ohio where it was mated with the stern portion. The completed hull No. 909 has a total length of . Stephens-Adamson designed a loop belt elevator system, that feeds a stern mounted discharge boom that can be swung 100 degrees to port or starboard. Capable of unloading at a rate of 10,000 long tons of iron ore per hour, or 6,000 net tons of coal per hour, the total system displaces 14,497 tons. Formally launched on February 4, 1981, the vessel was christened on April 25, 1981, as MV William J. De Lancey, named in honor of Republic Steel's chairman who participated in the launch. In 1990 she received her current name. Paul R. Tregurtha, born 1935, was the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Company's Board. Operations MV William J. De Lancey departed Lorain on her maiden voyage on May 10, 1981, sailing in ballast to Silver Bay, Minnesota, to load of iron ore pellets. She arrived back in Lorain on May 16, 1981. She holds a number of cargo records: August 7, 1982: load at Escanaba, Michigan, for Indiana Harbor July 20, 1983: broke the Lorain port record delivering of iron ore pellets from Escanaba. She then established