The L6 ships were built by two companies: American Ship Building Company, in the case of the type L6-S-A1 models, of which 6 were built; and Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ashtabula, Ohio/ Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan, in the case of the type L6-S-B1, which produced 10 ships.

To supply iron ore from Lake Superior to steel foundries, the United States Commission had a series of L6 Lakers ship built.

The Maritime Commission ordered ten Great Lakes Bulk Carriers of the L6-S-B1 type.

[1] L6-S-B1 was built for the US Maritime Commission under USMC contract MCc-1834 in 1943 at the River Rouge yard.

The first L6-S-B1 was the SS Adirondack/Richard J. Reiss, hull 290, keel was laid on March 9, 1942 and launched on September 19, 1942.