J. W. Westcott II explained

J. W. Westcott II is a boat known for its delivery of mail to ships while they are underway. It operates out of Detroit, Michigan, and is the only floating ZIP Code in the United States.^[1]

History

The Westcott company was established in 1874 by Captain John Ward Westcott, who ferried supplies (and by 1895 the mail) to passing ships via rowboat.^[2]

Operation

Any mail addressed to members of ships' crews on vessels transiting the Detroit River can be delivered to them via J. W. Westcott II by being addressed "Vessel Name, Marine Post Office, Detroit, Michigan, 48222." The US postal zip code 48222 is exclusive to the floating post office and its ship addressees;, the boat has a contract with the US Postal Service through 2021. The mail is delivered to the appropriate ships (mainly lake freighters) as they transit the Detroit River, utilizing ropes and buckets.^[1]

Sinking

On 23 October 2001, J. W. Westcott II sank in the deep water under the Ambassador Bridge while caught in the wake of Norwegian oil tanker MT Sidsel Knutsen. The captain and one other crew member were killed; the two passengers, both pilots, were rescued. J. W. Westcott II was later salvaged, refurbished and returned to service.^{[3] [4]}

Further reading

Book: Bergel, Colin. Mail by the pail. Wayne State University Press. Illustrated by Mark Koenig. 2000. 0814328903. Detroit. 44313231.

External links

• J. W. Westcott Co. website
• Web site: Westcott Co. Home Page . 10 April 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110417013540/http://www.jwwestcott.com/ . 17 April 2011.
• Web site: Images of J. W. Westcott II . 10 April 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110525234938/http://www.boatnerd.com/westcott/mbtnnw.htm . 25 May 2011.

Notes and References

1. News: A Mail Boat Stays Afloat. 20 August 2016. Tyler. Kelly. The New York Times. 20 August 2016.
2. Web site: J. W. Westcott Company. Hebert. Jim. 1999-03-31. Westcott Co.. https://web.archive.org/web/20110427163623/http://continuouswave.com/boats/westcott/. 27 April 2011. dead. 10 April 2011.
3. News: Two killed in sinking of mail boat J.W. Westcott II in Detroit River. Feb–Mar 2002. Professional Mariner. 10 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111005232923/http://www.professionalmariner.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=420C4D38DC9C4E3A903315CDDC65AD72&nm=Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications::Article&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=AA0FB00BAFF14834BF7CCC98B729771D. 2011-10-05. dead.
4. Report of the Capsizing and Sinking of the M/V J. W. Westcott II in the Detroit River on October 23, 2001 With the Loss of Two Lives . 2002-10-07. United States Coast Guard. 2019-06-09.