Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Name: Walschiff
  • Registry: Germany (foreign-flag “salties” operating under temporary registration in Great Lakes trade)
  • Official Number: not found in U.S. records, as foreign-registered
  • Year Built: 1952
  • Hull Material: Steel
  • Length: Approx. 75 m (246 ft)
  • Beam: Approx. 11 m (36 ft)
  • Depth: Approx. 5.5 m (18 ft)
  • Tonnage: Approx. 1,200 GRT (based on sister designs; no precise registration available)
  • Date Lost: 2 October 1952
  • Cargo: 325 metric tons (358 short tons) of sheet steel
  • Final Location: near the Detroit River, Michigan

Vessel Type

Steel-hulled foreign-flagged “salties” (ocean-going freighters) were entering Great Lakes service in growing numbers by 1952 thanks to the St. Lawrence route. The Walschiff was a modern diesel-propelled general cargo ship built in Europe, operating under charter to move manufactured goods, including steel.

Description

A single-screw, steel-hulled motor vessel with a central pilothouse and twin masts, the Walschiff was typical of early 1950s coastal traders adapted for Great Lakes service. Designed to carry steel, grain, and breakbulk cargo, she had cargo holds fitted with steel hatches and a flush Deck arrangement.

History

Construction and Service
The Walschiff was built in 1952 in West Germany, part of the postwar European merchant fleet expansion, and entered the Great Lakes under charter to deliver European-made sheet steel to U.S. and Canadian ports.

Final Voyage and Collision
On 2 October 1952, while navigating downbound in the Detroit River carrying a cargo of sheet steel (325 metric tons), the Walschiff collided with the large Ore Carrier Pioneer (U.S. Official Number 203941) in a confusion of passing signals. The Pioneer rammed the Walschiff amidships, causing catastrophic flooding.

One crew member of the Walschiff was killed in the collision. The remainder of the crew managed to abandon ship safely, though some suffered injuries.

Final Disposition

The Walschiff sank in the Detroit River following the collision. She was later refloated by salvage crews and declared a constructive Total Loss. The cargo of sheet steel was recovered, and the Hull was scrapped soon afterward.

Located By & Date Found

No “rediscovery” applies, as the vessel was raised soon after the sinking in 1952.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Walschiff is an instructive case of the challenges faced by foreign-flagged salties adapting to tight Great Lakes navigation. A confusion of whistle signals in a congested river led to a fatal collision with the large U.S. Ore Carrier Pioneer, highlighting how even advanced steel vessels could meet disaster in these busy waterways.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Keywords: Walschiff, 1952 ship collision, Detroit River, Pioneer, saltie, sheet steel cargo, foreign-flag vessel, Great Lakes accidents
  • Categories: 20th Century Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Collisions, Steel-Hulled Freighters, Detroit River
  • Glossary: salties, collision, constructive Total Loss, breakbulk cargo, salvage

If you’d like, I can help you track down contemporary newspaper coverage or collision hearing records from the Coast Guard — just say yes.