The Columbia Star began her career on the Great Lakes in Sturgeon Bay, WI on November 8, 1980. She was actually the property of a subsidiary of Oglebay Norton Co - called Columbia Transportation Division, which was later disolved. The "Star" is outwardly a copy of her sister-ship, the Oglebay Norton with a GM powerplant consisting of 4 Diesels generating 14,400 hp, and both bow and stern thrusters. Boatnerd.com lists her as having a 260 foot self-unloading boom.

Her recent shipping seasons have mostly been devoted to hauling Western Coal from Superior, WS to power plants in the lower lakes.