The American Courage

After a couple of years of boatwatching, it's always fun when I catch a ship that I haven't photographed before.  Tonight's first ship is one of those.

 I would have sworn I've gotten a picture of the American Courage before but I might be confusing her with some of her American Steamship sisters.  She certainly looks like she could be another ship.

 The American Courage was born in 1979 as Oglebay Norton's Fred R. White.  After the construction of the 1000 footers, it was determined that there was still a need for smaller ships and construction was begun after too many of those were jettisoned.

 This class of ships was known as the "river" ships and would be used to deliver cargo in the narrow windy rivers that the larger ships couldn't visit.  In some cases they would act as shuttles between the larger ships in places where they could reach and the factories were the cargo needed to be.

 The Fred R. White would be a sister ship to the Sam Laud and Buffalo.  She is 636 feet long and can carry 23,800 tons of cargo.

 She is powered by two diesel engines with a combined horsepower of 7200 horsepower.

 In 2006, the Oglebay Norton Company sold her to American Steamship.  At that time, she was renamed the American Courage.

 I think my favorite of these types of ships is the Great Republic (although I'll like her better when she gets her proper colors).

 Here she is passing the whiskey plant.

 Another shot as she passes upbound.

A final shot as she passes the end of Belle Isle.  If I had situated myself on the other side of Belle Isle, I could have caught her passing my next ship.