Launched April 28, 1981 as the lake bulk carrier Lake Wabush, this Seaway sized vessel was built by Collingwood Shipyards, Collingwood, ON for Nipigon Transports Ltd. She is powered by 2 Krupp MAK model 6M552AK 5,100 b.h.p. diesel engines burning intermediate grade 180 fuel driving an 18 foot controllable pitch propeller through a gear reduction box giving her a rated service speed of 17.3 m.p.h. Her power can be controlled either directly from the bridge or from the engine room. She is equipped with a 1,000 horsepower bow thruster. Her 17 hatches feed into 6 holds where she can carry 26,500 tons at maximum Seaway draft of 26 feet and is capable of carrying 30,590 tons at her maximum mid-summer draft of 29 feet 2 inches. The vessel's capacities include 238 tons of fuel oil, 213 tons of diesel oil, 72 tons of potable water and 16,618 tons of water ballast.

Nipigon Transports Ltd. was jointly owned by the grain firm Cargill and Hanna Mining. It was considered a sister fleet to another Canadian fleet Carryore Ltd. which was jointly (but not equally) owned by National Steel, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, Armco Steel, Hanna Mining, and Wheeling Pittsburgh. Hanna acquired the outstanding Cargill shares of Nipigon Transports in 1985. As part of the Nipigon fleet, Lake Wabush's activity was focused around the grain and iron ore trades. She was the first straight-decker built at Collingwood since the Algocen (2) in 1968. On her maiden voyage from Thunder Bay, ON; she carried a record 1,024,383 bushels of wheat to Baie Comeau, QC. On her return trip to the Great Lakes, she carried a record 27,878 tons of iron ore from Sept Isles, QC to Cleveland, OH. Later in 1981, the Lake Wabush loaded a record 1,099,000 bushels of corn. This cargo record still stands.

Lake Wabush was one of three vessels acquired by Algoma Central Corp., Sault Ste. Marie, ON from Hanna Mining on March 27, 1986. She was renamed Capt. Henry Jackman in 1987. Algoma named the vessel after Captain Henry Jackman; who, with his brother Frank, commanded and owned several Lake Ontario schooners sailing in the grain trades during the 1850-1870 time period. A series of misfortunes led to financial difficulties in the late 1870's. Capt. Jackman died December 2, 1882. The other vessels acquired by Algoma as part of the transaction with Hanna were the Lake Manitoba (renamed Algomarine 1987) and the Lake Nipigon (renamed Algonorth 1987). The beginning of the 1990 season saw the Capt. Henry Jackman sail under the management of Seaway Bulk Carriers (partnership of Algoma Central and Upper Lakes Group).

During the winter of 1995/96, the Capt. Henry Jackman was converted to a self-unloading bulk carrier by Port Weller Dry Docks, St. Catherines, ON. Her self-unloading equipment consists of a single belt gravity system with a loop belt elevator feeding a 260 foot stern-mounted discharge boom that can be swung 90 degrees to port or starboard and discharge at a rate of up to 5,440 tons per hour. The system includes mass flow basket-type unloading gates with plastic linings and vibrators throughout.

The Capt. Henry Jackman currently sails under the management of Seaway Marine Transport, St. Catherines, ON (partnership of Algoma Central and Upper Lakes Group). As part of this fleet, her cargo could include coal/coke, aggregates, slag, iron ore/oxides, salt, fertilizers, grain products, gypsum, quartzite, or sand.

The Capt. Henry Jackman's 2000 navigation season was extended well into early 2001 when she and her fleet mate Algowest were engaged in carrying salt cargoes from Goderich and Windsor, ON to various Great Lakes ports. She did not start her winter lay-up in Sarnia, ON until February 15, 2001. It was a short lay-up as she departed Sarnia to start her 2001 navigation season April 1, 2001 to load salt in Goderich for Milwaukee, WI. The vessel is a frequent visitor to the Welland Canal.

Written by George Wharton.