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Comment by sutoor | Hacker News Reader

Interestingly, the SS Arthur M. Anderson which was 10mi behind the Fitz when it went down, is still in use 70 years since launch and currently in Lake Huron.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/mmsi:3669720...

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Lakers seem to have unusually long lives for ships because of the unique nature of the cargo carried, and the lack of salt water. As far as I can tell, many are retired because metal fatigue reasons, or an ship that cannot be upgraded to diesel propulsion.

What will put them out of service in fairly short order is salt exposure from carrying salt.

Cargill has a big salt mine in Cleveland that extends several miles under Lake Erie[0]. I don't know where else they're mining it, but it gets shipped in lakers, and it's pretty rough on them for obvious reasons.

I toured the Mather[1] some years back (take the below decks and engineering tour if they're offering it), and the guide made a point that the fact that the Mather hadn't carried salt was a big factor in how well-preserved she is. Carrying salt is apparently the last stop before the ship breakers for a lot of lake steamers.

[0] http://www.rockthelake.com/buzz/2017/12/cargill-salt-mine-cl...

[1] https://greatscience.com/explore/exhibits/william-g-mather-s...

Fun fact: I went to school with the CEO of Cargill's kid. Huge douchebag

Edit: Just looked it up and he hasn't been CEO since 2013

The world's largest salt mine is underneath Lake Huron near Goderich, Ontario. I believe lakers pick up loads of salt there as well.

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