Freighter Frenzy Is Back
It’s March and freighter madness is in the air. That can mean only one thing. Our annual Freighter Frenzy tournament is back. It’s your chance to vote for your favorite freighter in the hopes it’ll be crowned Champion of the Great Lakes!
This year, our bracket consists of 32 lakers each bringing a high level of pedigree with them. From the Queen of the Lakes to the long distance workhorses traveling across the world into Lake Superior, you’ll find a wide variety of freighters represented in our field of 32.
This year’s contest includes past champions such as the Wilfred Sykes and Arthur M. Anderson, last year’s champion, the mighty James R. Barker, and more.
Will we see a new champion? Does the Barker have enough dog in it to bark up the votes needed to repeat? Anything can happen during Freighter Frenzy.
Follow the action. Vote. Cheer for your favorite freighter. Talk a little smack (with all due respect, of course.) Share your bracket on your favorite social platforms with #FreighterFrenzy. It’s all part of the fun!
Join us for Freighter Frenzy 2026 – where the real Great Lakes Madness happens!
Voting
The time has come to cast your vote to determine which ship will advance in the 2026 tournament. Vote wisely so your favorite ships sale on to the next round. You can only vote once per contest. Rounds 1 and 2 will have polling available for 24 hours. Rounds 3, 4 and 5 will have 48 hours per contest.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
Champions of the Great Lakes
So far, four freighters have earned the coveted crown of “Champion of the Great Lakes.” The Wilfred Sykes, the Arthur M. Anderson, the Edmund Fitzgerald, and the James R. Barker. The Sykes went back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. The James R. Barker is our most recent champion. Over the course of the history of Freighter Frenzy, the Arthur M. Anderson has secured the most votes with 1,278 votes.
As much as Freighter Frenzy is about celebrating the history of Great Lakes shipping, it’s just as much about celebrating the history of the tournament itself. This is a list of the 10 most voted for freighters since the competition began in 2020.
- Arthur M. Anderson — 1,278
- Paul R. Tregurtha — 1,077
- Edmund Fitzgerald — 813
- Wilfred Sykes — 736
- Lee A. Tregurtha — 681
- James R. Barker — 613
- Stewart J. Cort — 606
- Alpena — 579
- Edwin H. Gott — 442
- Presque Isle — 409
Want to see more freighters make the tournament? Our dream is having a 64-freighter tournament one day. Be sure to send us pics of your favorite freighters to use in the tournament by submitting here or hash tagging #FreighterFrenzy on social media.
