After sitting idle for years, the Arthur M. Anderson - one of the most famous freighters on the Great Lakes - will be prepped for a return to service, its owners said this week.

The Anderson is a favorite among ship enthusiasts, and earned its place in Great Lakes lore when its captain and crew stayed in contact with the Edmund Fitzgerald during a violent Lake Superior storm in 1975 that sent the latter freighter to its doom. It was the last ship to have radio contact with the Fitzgerald’s captain. The Anderson’s crew was also the first to turn around and lead the search for the Fitzgerald’s crew after it sank. No survivors were found.

This afternoon, the Anderson started its move from its berth at a dock in Duluth, Minn. A video below shared by Paul Scinocca shows the move. The freighter is headed to the Fraser Shipyards for drydocking and work to meet the requirements of the five-year survey certification, according to the Duluth News Tribune.

Mitch Koslow, vice president of Anderson owner Key Lakes Inc., told the news site that an improved shipping economy means more cargo needs to be moved, prompting the freighter’s return to service. The freighter has been docked since the end of the 2016 shipping season.

To read more of this story, read a transcript of radio transmissions between the Anderson and the Fitzgerald and see related reporting, follow this link to the mlive.com website.  https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/04/freighter-arthur-m-anderson-famous-for-edmund-fitzgerald-search-t...