▁supply ▁iron ▁ore ▁from ▁Lake ▁Super ior ▁to ▁steel ▁found ries , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Commission ▁had ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁L 6 ▁L akers ▁ship ▁built . ▁The ▁Mar itime ▁Commission ▁ordered ▁ten ▁Great ▁L akes ▁Bul k ▁Car riers ▁of ▁the ▁L 6 - S - B 1 ▁type . ▁The ▁L 6 - S - B 1 ▁was ▁design ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 - cy l inder ▁triple ▁expansion ▁steam ▁engines . ▁The ▁L 6 - S - A 1 ▁used ▁a ▁l ent z ▁ 4 - zy l inder ▁comp ound ▁engines . ▁All ▁L 6 ▁ships ▁were ▁coal ▁burning ▁and ▁delivered ▁between ▁May ▁and ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁L 6 - S - B 1 ▁was ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁US ▁Mar itime ▁Commission ▁under ▁US MC ▁contract ▁MC c - 1 8 3 4 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁at ▁the ▁River ▁Rou ge ▁yard . ▁Each ▁L 6 ▁ship ▁cost ▁$ 2 . 2 6 5 ▁million . ▁The ▁first ▁L 6 - S - B 1 ▁was ▁the ▁SS ▁Ad ir ond ack / Rich ard ▁J . ▁Re iss , ▁h ull ▁ 2 9 0 , ▁ke el ▁was ▁laid ▁on ▁March ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁launched ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁ships ▁are ▁often ▁called ▁the ▁Class ▁Lake ▁Bul k ▁Fre ighter ▁now . ▁ ▁Spec ifications ▁Dim ensions : ▁ 6 2 0 ▁feet