The first US freighter to be built in over 35 years was formally christened this week. Interlake Steamship Company's Mark W. Barker is the newest, most efficient, and most maneuverable vessel on the Great Lakes. During a media tour Wednesday, Interlake Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic Brenden O'Connor says the Mark W. Barker has been in the works for several years. "We started discussions with the principal partner Cargill back in 2015," said O'Connor. He says the vessel was designed with salt in mind, a commodity that has traditionally been hauled in older Canadian-flagged ships. It can also carry sand, stone, iron ore, and even bulkier commodities not typically moved by freighter. "There could be (steel) coils, there could be finished and unfinished steel products," said O'Connor, adding that it will not replace any current Interlake vessel. "We're not cannibalizing our other business by bringing this capacity in."