MV American Century is a very large diesel-powered Lake freighter owned and operated by the American Steamship Company.

The ship is 1,000 feet (304.8 m) long and 105 feet (32 m) wide, with a carrying capacity of 80,900 tons (at midsummer draft), either coal or iron ore.

The ship was built for Oglebay Norton Corporation in 1981 and named Columbia Star.

The name Columbia was selected for the brig Columbia that sailed through the St. Mary's Falls Canal carrying the first load of iron ore shipped through the canal.

American Century made its first voyage in May 1981 to on-load iron ore in Silver Bay, Minnesota.