Caption: In ballast for Thunder Bay on a fine fall morning, the Gordon C. Leitch passes the beautiful skyline of Detroit. On February 25, 2011, a formal statement was issued announcing the sale of the privately owned Upper Lakes Shipping fleet and their associated interest in Seaway Marine Transport to Algoma Central Corporation. Former Upper Lakes Chairman of the Board, company spokesman and owner John D. ("Jack") Leitch stated "It is with some regret and sadness that I tell you that we have decided to sell the vessels of Upper Lakes Shipping and our interest in Seaway Marine Transport to Algoma Central Corporation. A definitive agreement has been signed and the deal is anticipated to close in about a month. By the end of this season the proud logo on the funnels of Upper Lakes vessels would no longer be seen on the Great Lakes or along the St. Lawrence River." Jack further states "For 80 years we have been a part of the Canadian landscape and of the fabric of the Canadian economy." The Upper Lakes Shipping fleet would take its place in modern Canadian Great Lakes history as having been a prominent player in the economic development of the regions served by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway system. On April 15, 2011, Algoma announced that Gordon C. Leitch would retain her current name. The Gordon C. Leitch operated for Algoma throughout the 2011 season remaining in her ULS livery which continued to fuel rumors of her impending demise. She departed Hamilton on December 13 bound for Toledo OH to take on a partial load of grain, proceeding to Goderich to complete loading. This load, which proved to be her last, was partially discharged in Montreal with the remainder in Port Cartier. Afterwards she returned to Montreal for winter layup arriving there on December 28, 2011, berthing alongside the Algocape. Both vessels failed to fit out for the 2012 season and by June 12 they had been sold for scrap and had their Canadian registries closed. With her name shortened to DON for her last voyage, stack markings painted over and a homeport of Freetown (Sierra Leone) lettered on the stern, the Leitch was pulled from Montreal on August 15 by the deep sea tug Centaurus with Florence M on the stern, bound for Aliaga Turkey. The former Ralph Misener was beached there on September 10, and subsequently broken up. Thanks to Boatnerd.com for the additional information.

Photographer:	Earl Minnis (more) (contact)
Date:	10/14/2007 (search)
Company:	Upper Lakes Shipping (search)
Ship Type:	Bulk Carrier (search)
Propulsion:	Diesel (search)
Year Built:	1968 (search)
Country:	Canada (search)
Length/Width:	730,75' 00"
Registry	St. Catharines, Ontario (search)
Ship Name:	Gordon C. Leitch (search)

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