MANITOWOC, Wis. (WBAY) – SS Badger’s motorboat has a new owner.
Interlake Holding Company has announced the acquisition of Lake Michigan Car Ferry Company and Pere Marquette Shipping Company. The acquisition includes the SS Badger and the Pere Marquette 41.
“This is an exciting day for us and we are delighted to welcome new employees into our Interlake family, new vessel lines in our Great Lakes operations and new customers and loads in our portfolio of businesses,” said Mark W. Barker, president of Interlake Holding.
The SS Badger motorboat transports passengers from Manitowoc, Wis., To Ludington, Michigan, and back. It’s a 60-hour journey across Lake Michigan.
The families that own Interlake Holding Company also own Seastreak, a fleet of passenger boats in New York Harbor and other places on the east coast.
“Car bans in Ludington have been an icon and important economic driver for the community for more than 100 years. When the Badger service ended in November 1990, many employees and local citizens believed that the era of motorboat service was over. The rebirth of the Badger in 1992 was an important milestone in maritime history on the Great Lakes. Now, 29 years later, another milestone has been reached with the sale of the company to a highly qualified new owner who will expand the Badger’s legacy in the future for both the port cities of Ludington and Manitowoc, ”said LMC and Tug-Barge . Executive Vice President Don Clingan.
The SS Badger is a national historic landmark.
The SS Badger season resumes in May.
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