Ford Motor Company's association with marine shipping dates back to World War I when the U. S. government funded expansion of facilities at Ford's plant on the banks of the Rouge River outside Dearborn, Michigan. Ford produced anti-submarine ships and after the war converted the docks, boat slip, and large construction buildings into production facilities for automobiles and trucks. In 1924, Ford took delivery of the state-of-the-art M/S Henry Ford II and M/S Benson Ford ore carriers to ensure consistent and reliable movement of raw materials into company plants and finished cars, trucks, and tractors, and established the company's Marine Department at the Rouge River offices. In 1925-1926, Ford expanded the fleet with the addition of 18 barges, tugs, and smaller coastal freighters reconditioned as part of a massive salvage program. During World War II, the U. S. government leased Ford ships to aid the war effort, losing five ships to enemy action. The Ford Fleet reached its peak in the 1950s and 1960s with over 30 tugs, barges, freighters, and ore carriers operating thoughout the Great Lakes and along the Atlantic seacoast. Throughout the 1970s, Ford downsized the fleet and marine operations until 1989 when the M/S Henry Ford II, the last active carrier in the fleet, was decommissioned and towed to long-term storage near Toledo, Ohio.
From the description of Marine Operations (Ford Motor Company) records series, 1924-1978 (bulk 1924-1948) (The Henry Ford). WorldCat record id: 85892339
