The country’s last coal-powered passenger steamship could soon ditch the coal for a carbon-neutral fuel source to travel across Lake Michigan.
In 1953, the S.S. Badger began transporting passengers and vehicles across the lake between Michigan and Wisconsin.
"We take cars, buses, semis, passengers from Ludington, Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and we travel from mid-May to late October," Sara Spore, the ship's general manager said.
In its early years the ship was primarily used to transport goods, vehicles and rail cars across the lake. After taking a brief pause from 1990-1992, the ship's new owner, the Lake Michigan Carferry Service, began offering leisure traveling experiences.
From May to early June, the ship does one crossing every day. On June 10, the ship will begin offering passengers two trips per day.
Now, the Badger's operators say they are in the early stages of moving towards alternative fuel sources to power the vessel. Spore says they are considering using diesel or electric power.
"We don't have a set plan yet. We're just looking at we're exploring all of our options," she said. "They’re really looking at how to make this more environmentally-friendly, carbon-neutral."
By 2050, the entire maritime industry expects to be completely carbon-neutral. The Badger was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
