Svitzer Caucedo - another shoe drops

May 29, 2016, 5:41 pm

≪ Previous: Secunda now 100 per cent Siem

Returning to Halifax today from the International Tug and Salvage Conference ITS 2016 in Boston, I was interested to see the tug Svitzer Caucedo alongside the Svitzer Canada dock.

A well worn looking Svitzer Caucedo alongside the Svitzer Canada dock.

The tug only took this name in April. Originally it was Caucedo, built in 2004 by East Isle Shipyard in Georgetown, PEI (hull number 79) for Remolcadores Domincanos of the Dominican Republic. That company has formed a joint venture with Svitzer Americas, to establish a widespread Caribbean base of operations.

Remolcadores Dominicanos has just taken delivery of two state of the at Damen ATD 2412 tugs, built by the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Viet Nam. ATD denotes Azimuthing Tractor Tug - meaning that the thrusters are mounted forward, rather than aft in the case of an ASD (Azimuthing Stern Drive). The other added feature of the new Damen type is twin skegs aft, as well as a very short but plump hull, which can work equally well over bow or stern.

A similar tug depicted in this model at the Damen stand at ITS 2016 shows the twin skegs and twin azimuthing drives, mounted forward in tractor fashion.

For more on the ATD 2412 see: Damen.com/en/ranges/atd-tug/atd-tug-2412

With delivery of these newer type tugs, the "conventional" ASD Caucedo has apparently proven to be at least partially surplus to current needs in the DR.

Since Svitzer established an operation in Montreal, it has stated that two more tugs would be joing the three already in place. My speculation was for an ice class type from the Danish fleet. However it seems that perhaps Caucedo is a "summer tug" to be used when the the ice class Svitzer Nerthus and Svitzer Njal go north to Baffinland for the July - October season.

Svitzer Caucedo is making its second visist to Halifax. The first time was in May 12-22, 2004 when it was in port for finishing touches on its delivery trip.

As built, the tug was fitted with a pair of V-16 Caterpillars giving 5,072 bhp, but was fitted with neither a towing winch nor firefighting gear.

Remolcadores Dominicanos also operates two other Georgetown built ASDs. Malena is a sister of Caucedo, also built in 2004. The third tug is Ocoa built in 2002 as Atlantic Oak (i) but sold to RemDom in 2003. (Atlantic Towing had the tug built for service in Halifax, but delayed the start up for a year, and built another tug to the same spec.)
Ocoa is fully fitted with towing winch and firefighting gear, and is a sister to the current Atlantic Oak, based in Halifax. It alos has the capability of working in northern waters. Perhaps one of those will also be on the way back to Canada?

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Eastern Tug Roundup

June 12, 2016, 6:45 pm

≫ Next: Svitzer Montreal takes shape

≪ Previous: Svitzer Caucedo - another shoe drops

A recent circuit through Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia gave me a chance to see tugs in a variety of ports:

Quebec
Ile-aux-Coudres is the place to be to see tugs in the springtime. May 22 was no exception. At Industrie Océan, work is still proceeding on the new super tug Océan Taiga . Construction has been slowed due to lack of immediate demand for the 8,000 bhp, 100t BP ice class tug, but delivery is anticipated this year.

Its immense size is apparent when compared to its fleet mate Avantage. The 2160 bhp single screw tug, the former Belgian Sealion until 1977, was built in 1969, and is in for a refit.

Rénard Polaire, Horizon Polaire and Ours Polaire rest in the mud at low tide.

Meanwhile in the marina three GFFM Leclerc tugs are already for work, with other members of the fleet dispersed to various areas on bareboat charters.

Lumaaq and Pivut are lined up for launch at the next high tide.

Kingoak, Ullurriaq and Ullakut will be next.

At Leclerc's yard at the foot of the island the Desgagnés lighterage tugs were all ready to go back in the water. They will be heading north as soon as Desgagnés' ships return from their winter work.

New Brunswick
It was a quiet Sunday morning May 29 in Saint John and most of Atlantic Towing's local fleet were at rest at their base, tied up Mediterranean fashion at their floating jetty.

Atlantic Spruce (left) with Atlantic Beaver, Spitfire III and Atlantic Bear.

One tug was on duty at Canaport with the tanker Eliza at the monobuoy. Atlantic Cedar is a 5,050 bhp ASD built in 2005. It keeps a stern line on the tanker while it is offloading in strong tidal currents.

Coho is out of the notch of the barge Penn No.81 while loading at Irving Oil.

The US flag tug Coho was loading at Irving Oil for another trip to US ports. I had seen it two days earlier in Boston unloading its previous cargo.

Coho was also out of the notch in Boston. Built in 2008, the 4,000 bhp tug has a single elevated wheelhouse 51 feet above the water. Original owners Penn Maritime sold out to Kirby Petroleum in 2012. It seems to be on a regular shuttle for Irving Oil.

Nova Scotia
At Comeau's Marine Railway in Meteghan, Lady Comeau was just finishing up a refit. A few days later it was in Meteghan River assisting in the launch of the new Halifax harbour ferry Viola Desmond.

At Shelburne workers were taking advantage of a Sunday morning to blast the hull of the Atlantic Beech. The 1969 built, 2250 bhp tug is refitting before taking up its summer duties in Hudson Bay. Fleet mate Atlantic Elm has completed a similar refit and is on its way to work.

Although not a tug, the offshore crane and diving support vessel Toisa Pegasus is in long term layup at Shelburne, which may last a year. Suspicion is that the ship may be used to recover the lost drilling riser from Stena Icemax off Nova Scotia, but this has not been confirmed,

Miss Jenna is the former Hercules, Cavalier and originally, Listerville.

Miss Katherine was built in 1959 as the DPW tug Enmore. It was named T.A.2 until 2005.

It was also a quiet day in Mahone Bay where the ex RCN Ville class ''pup'' tug Miss Jenna was resting alongside. Her fleet mate Miss Katherine was peeking out of a shelter where it is still in the process of a rebuild.

Plainsville puts on a happy face at the Canadian Maritime Engineering shipyard in Sambro.

Another ex navy ''pup'' was hauled out at Sambro June 4. Plainsville is operated by the shipyard itself to assist in drydocking and other work.

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Svitzer Montreal takes shape

June 13, 2016, 4:27 pm

≫ Next: Boston Tugs - Part 1

≪ Previous: Eastern Tug Roundup

Crews are hard at work transforming Svitzer Caucedo for service in Montreal. On June 10 Transport Canada registered the tug as Svitzer Montreal.

The old name came off today, and the new one should appear soon.

Work is also underway on chain pads for fendering.

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Boston Tugs - Part 1

June 14, 2016, 7:25 pm

≫ Next: Boston Tugs - Part 2

≪ Previous: Svitzer Montreal takes shape

Boston has always been a great place to see tugs of all sorts, from big to small and new to old. A recent visit, after many years, confirmed this opinion.

Boston Towing + Transportation, part of the Reinauer Transportation Companies LLC, provides most of the harbour towing work, and operates a fleet of some modern and some traditional tugs.

Justice is a Robert Allan RA3000 design ASD tug with FiFi 1 capability. It is powered by two MTU engines of 5,400 bhp driving Rolls Royce CPPs giving 65 tons bollard pull. It uses the main engines to power the fire pumps.
Built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp of Tacoma, WA in 2009 for offshore LNG terminal work (that contract ended in 2012) it is now the largest harbour tug and is used for tethered escort work, and carries winches fore and aft.

Freedom was built in 2003 by Washburn + Doughty of East Boothbay, ME, and is a 4400 bhp ASD tug, powered by Caterpillar main engines with separate fire pump engines. It delivers 55 tons BP through its fixed pitch Rolls Royce thrusters. It is also fitted with winches fore and aft. A sister Liberty is built to the same specifications.

The classic H.J.Reinauer dates from 1979 when it was built by Jakobson Shipyard, Oyster Bay, NY as Rowe for Boston Towboat. When Boston Fuel Transportation acquired Boston Towboat in 1985 it was given its present name. The tug is powered by a 16 cylinder, 2,000 bhp EMD driving a single prop in a fixed nozzle. It still sees service, and is maintained, like all BTT tugs, in pristine condition.

Vincent D. Tibbetts Jr was built in 1972 by Southern Shipbuilding of Slidell, LA. It is a twin screw tug of 3,000 bhp powered by 2 - 12 cylinder EMDs. Originally named Daley it was also renamed in 1985.
Sister Harold A. Reinauer II is the former Cabot. Both see regular use as ship berthing tugs.

A typical tanker arrival, such as Irving Oil's East Coast has Liberty standing off the starboard bow with Harold A. Reinauer II tied on at the port bow and Justice as tethered stern escort. A bascule bridge passage and tight turns are needed to see the ship to its berth in Chelsea Creek.

Although taken in 1987, there would be little visible difference if this picture had been taken this year.

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Boston Tugs - Part 2

June 15, 2016, 5:35 pm

≫ Next: Boston Tugs - Part 3

≪ Previous: Boston Tugs - Part 1

Boston harbour is home to several veteran tugs - some still working, some restored and some apparently awaiting some unknown future.

The prime classic tug in Boston has to be the Luna. Built in 1930 it is said to be the first (and at this point only remaining) wooden hulled, diesel electric ship-docking tug. (The first diesel electric tug was built in 1924 for the Pennsylvania Railroad for barge service in New York harbour.)
Powered comes from a pair of 6 cyl. Winton diesels of 380 bhp each, connected to two General Electric DC generators of 250 kW each. Through a pair of exciters and a deadfront switchboard, power is delivered to a single, shaft mounted GE motor of 600 hp driving the single screw.

The ship's wooden hull was built by M.M.Davis Shipbuilding Co of Solomon's MD, and outfitted by Bethlehem Steel Shipyard in East Boston and Boston Tow Boat's own shops.
After front line service with Boston Tow Boat it was eventually retired in 1979 and languished until the Luna Preservation Society took control in 1985. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989, restoration has proceeded ever since. A full hull restoration took place in East Boothbay, ME in 2000. The restoration is at such an advanced state now that plans are in place for a new berth in Charleston Naval Shipyard and it is expected to be open to the public this year.

Among the in-service tugs, there are still a number of older vessels.

Ocean King dates from 1950 when it was built by RTC Shipbuilding of Camden, NJ for Baker Whiteley Towing Co of Baltimore, MD. McAllister Bros took over the company in 1980 and the 1800 bhp single screw tug became the David McAllister. The re-organized McAllister Towing and Transportation renamed it Resolute in 1997 and sold it in 2011 to its current owners, Patriot Marine LLC of Winthrop, MA.
They renamed it Ocean King recalling an older tug of the same name, which also worked out of Boston for many years for Farrel Ocean Services, and towed as far as Newfoundland on occasion.

Built in1945, the previous Ocean King was still going strong in 1993, still without direct engine control from the wheelhouse - it was a "bell boat". It is reputed to be still in existence, now registered in Las Vegas as a pleasure craft.

Another tug currently registered as a pleasure craft is the venerable Gaspee.

Dating from before 1940 when its unfinished hull was acquired by the Providence Steamboat Co, from Russell Erie Basin, Brooklyn, the big old single screw tug was powered by a 1440 bhp Nelseco engine. It was re-engined in 1960 with a 16 cylinder Fairbanks Morse of 1800 bhp, acquiring a shorter stack in the process.

In its pristine green livery with Providence Steamboat Co, the tug was an impressive sight sporting huge rope puddings on the bow and rails.

Providence operated the tug until 2004 when it was acquired by private owners

Another pair of older tugs came into view, perhaps not as old the previous ones, but they appear to be working still. Both are owned by Burnham Associates of Salem, MA, a dredging and marine construction company.

Natick has carried the same name since built in 1961 and delivered to the US Navy by Jakobson Shipbuilding of Oytser Bay, NY. They had completed a hull started by Southern Shipbuilding of Slidell, LA. Given the pennant number YTB-760, it was the lead tug of a class of eight large harbour tugs.
From 1961 to 1964 it served in Norfolk VA, from 1964 to 1967 at Holy Loch, Scotland and then followed a number of years in La Maddalena, Italy.
It was stricken from the Navy list in 2003 and sold in 2005 to Burnham.
The single screw tug is powered by a 1200 bhp engine, likely a Fairbanks Morse.

Fleet mate Aegean Sea is slightly newer, built in 1962 by Equitable Shipyard in Madisonville, LA.
As Bronx 4 until 1979 it worked for Bronx Towing Line of New York, then passed through Hudson River Towing Co until 1987 as H.R.4, then Barker Marine Ltd as John C. Barker until 1989, and Disch Construction Corp of Summit, NJ as Jersey Coast until 1994.
Roehrig Maritime Co of Staten Island bought the tug and gave it the name Francis E. Roehrig. In 2004 they sent it to Atlantic Drydock in Jacksonville, FL where its 1300 bhp (total) Cats were replaced with two 1200 bhp Cats, providing 2400 bhp to its twin screws.
The Roehrig company was sold to K-Sea Transportation in 2006 and the tug became Aegean Sea. When K-Sea was sold to Kirby, Kirby assigned the tug to River Associates, which they then sold to Vane Brothers. Vane sold the tug on to Burnham, the current owner in 2013.

Several more antiques languish in the backwaters of Boston harbour awaiting a savior or the torch.
Easter Towboat Corporation are the owners of what is believed to be the New Jersey (ex Cross Harbour 1) painted in their colours, but for sale since at least 2008.
Eastern also owns the Cynthia Nicole which was acquired as the Cynthia Moran in 2006, but is as yet unpainted.

Cynthia Nicole, New Jersey and the workboat Heidi at ET's base.

Another tug, with a blue house, is hidden forward of the Cynthia.

There may be more, but they are for another time.

↧

Boston Tugs - Part 3

June 18, 2016, 4:23 pm

≫ Next: Point Vim - another visit

≪ Previous: Boston Tugs - Part 2

To round up the photos of my Boston visit, it is time to take a look at some of the smaller tugs and workboats around the harbour, plus some other sightings.

Boston Towing and Transportation operates some smaller boats for line handling and other chores. As usual with smaller craft, there is a shortage of data.

Brian dates from 1956 and is a 40 footer built by Gladding Hearn as Dave White for Perini Corp. Boston Fuel Transportation acquired the boat and renamed it Eastern Point II. When Reinauer took control in 1985 it became Brian. [Eastern Towboat's Heidi pictured in Part 2 has a similar history]

Murray, also dates from 1956, and is listed as belonging to Chelsea Fuel Transportation Inc., which is part of Reinauer / BTT.

C.White Marine Inc of Danvers, MA operates the pusher Merit, built in 2000. I was fortunate to get the 25 footer both pushing and free running.

It is always great to see a tug with a flying bridge.

I spotted a couple of very basic pusher craft too:

Bumper is operated by Harbor Fuels LLC and dates from 2012.

A similar craft is the Mantis built in 1965 and operated by Burnham Associates. [See Aegean Sea and Natick in Part 2]. It has a deck mounted package propulsion unit - possibly a M+T Harbormaster.

There are also a few Offshore Supply Vessels working around Boston, although most have taken on second lives.

The traditional Gulf of Mexico mud boat J.W.Powell started life in 1965 at American Marine Corp in New Orleans as State Point. Fitted with a pair of 12 cyl Cats its 3,060 bhp soon made it obsolete as an anchor handling tug/supplier. It fell in to the drug trade and after capture by the USCG it entered into government research service after 1984 as Polaris, then on charter work after 2001 when SDI-Brooks Inc acquired the boat and renamed it J.W.Powell. It now appears to be awaiting an assignment for current owners CAJ LLC.

A pair of sleek suppliers built by Raymond + Associates of Bayou Le Batre, AL belong to Boston Harbour Cruises. However they tend to the company's commercial division working in marine construction and supporting the Northeast Gateway offshore natural gas terminal among other duties.

Warren Jr. was built in 2013,

and Scarlett Isabella in 2009.

Sea Hunter is now a deep water salvage and recovery vessel, operating the unmanned sub DSH-1. It was built in 1978 by Halter Marine of Lockport, LA as Florence A for Oil+Gas Rental Services Inc. Its was equipped with a pair of reconditioned V-16 GM EMD engines built originally in 1956. In 1994 it joined the Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc [HOSS] fleet as H.O.S. Gallant Fox, and in 1996 as HOSS was merged into Tidewaterit was renamed Gallant Fox. Sea Hunters LP acquired the vessel in 2008 and it has since engaged in cargo recovery at depths up to 1,000 ft of water.

As I reported in the June 12 post, I spotted the articulated tug barge combo Coho / Penn No.81 in Boston on May 27 and again in Saint John May 29. There was another Kirby combo in Boston , Weddell Sea and DBL 63.

The tug was built in 2007 by Seaboats Inc of Fall River, MA for Tugs Unlimited of Portsmouth, RI as Scott C. Powered by a pair of Cats for 4500 bhp, the tug has a conventional wheelhouse and an elevated one.

In 2011 K-Sea Operating Partners LLC acquired the tug, but in turn K-Sea was acquired by Kirby, and the tug became the Weddell Sea.

No report on Boston would be complete without mentioning the Boston Fire Department's Marine Division.
Pride of that fleet is "Marine 1", John S. Damrell, a 70 foot aluminum high speed craft, built in 2011 by MetalCraft Marine of Kingston, ON. The fireboat specialists outfitted the boat with 12,000 gpm at 450 feet pumping capacity and Hamilton water jets for a 40 knot top speed.

Also alongside Burrough's Wharf are BFD's Marine 2, an Armstrong aluminum catamaran commissioned this year, with 500 gpm /40 gal AR-AFFF and Marine 3, the 30ft Ribcraft dive boat Capt. John Kenney.

John S. Damrell replaced the veteran Firefighter, built in 1972 with 6,000 gpm pumping capacity.

Digging deep into the files I find Firefighter putting on a show in 1988.

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Point Vim - another visit

June 22, 2016, 4:50 pm

≫ Next: Erie and Ontario - unplanned visit

≪ Previous: Boston Tugs - Part 3

One of my old favourites, Point Vim (ex Foundation Vim) put in another brief appearance in Halifax and sailed today. It first went to pier 9B with the barge NT 1032 where it loaded some steel frames.

Looking very ship shape at pier 9B yesterday.

It then moved around the corner to the Fairview Cove container terminal and loaded a large transformer on a multi-wheel dolly. The steel frames it loaded yesterday will be part of a ramp structure to unload the dolly.

It got away smartly from Fairview Cove this afternoon in bright sunshine, but once into the lower harbour was soon engulfed in dense fog.

Making very good speed entering the Narrows in a stiff head wind.

No smoke and a nice Fairbanks Morse engine sound.

The ABB transformer on its transporter dolly with ramp gear stowed aft.

Of interest, former sister tug Molly M.1 (ex Point Vigour, Foundation Vigour) is downbound on the St.Lawrence with another barge, another multi-wheel dolly and a truck tractor. I suppose the two tugs will rendez-vous somewhere, and have a reunion. (Davis Shipping, operator of Point Vim, and Nadro, operators of Molly M.1 often work together for McKeil Marine).

The twins were built in 1962 and spent many years working together in Halifax harbour. I miss them.

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Erie and Ontario - unplanned visit

June 27, 2016, 1:26 pm

≫ Next: Atlantic Cedar in , Svitzer Montreal out, Erie and Ontario too, and another still here.

≪ Previous: Point Vim - another visit

Two tugs made an unplanned visit to Halifax today for medical assistance. En route from the US east coast to the Great Lakes, the Erie had the Ontario in tow when they diverted from their planned route.

The tow line is shortened up as the pair make their way inbound in choppy seas and a stiff breeze.

Both tugs were bought last year by The Great Lakes Towing Company of Cleveland, OH after lengthy careers with the US Navy and McAllister Towing and Transportation of New York.

All Erie's hands are on deck to walk the tow line forward.

Erie was built in 1971 by Petersen Builders of Sturgeon Bay WI as YTB 810, Anoka and was based in Norfolk, VA. In 2001 McAllister bought the tug and renamed it Missy McAllister.

Ontario has no crew aboard and still wears McAllister colours, although the grey bow fenders are remnants of navy days.

Ontario dates from 1964 when it was built by Mobile Ship Repair in Mobile AB as YTB-770 Dahloega and was also based in Norfolk until 2001. Under McAllister ownership it was renamed Jeffrey K. McAllister.

The two were brought together quite nicely without tangling their house mounted high fenders, another naval artifact.

Both tugs are of the large Natickclass single screw ship berthing tugs. Erie is rated at 2,400 bhp and Ontario at 2,000 bhp. The engines are likely Fairbanks Morse.

Underway again, the pair headed for pier 27.

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Atlantic Cedar in , Svitzer Montreal out, Erie and Ontario too, and another still here.

July 2, 2016, 5:35 pm

≫ Next: Taking a break

≪ Previous: Erie and Ontario - unplanned visit

Atlantic Towing Ltd has brought in the Atlantic Cedar for harbour work, joining the Atlantic Oak and Atlantic Willow. It replaces Atlantic Fir which has gone to Pictou, NS for a towing job. Built in 2005 it is a sister to the Fir and the Oak, rated at 66 tonnes bollard pull, 5,050 bhp with a towing winch and stern roller and fully equipped for firefighting.

Atlantic Cedar in the Narrows awaiting the bulker CSL Métis.

Traditionally Atlantic Towing Ltd named its inland /river tugs after coniferous trees and salt water tugs after deciduous. Since discontinuing Saint John River work, the company now makes no distinction in naming.

Atlantic Willow rewinds her winch while waiting for Maersk Palermo to depart Halterm this afternoon. After the ship released the tug it was sent a head to chase an un-heeding catamaran sailing vessel that was in the channel.

Atlantic Oak has beenereleased by the Maersk Palermo and heads back to base as the fog rolls in (again).

Getting under way this evening Svitzer Montreal headed off to its new home port. The former Svitzer Caucedo was built in 2004 as Caucedo for Remolcadores Dominicanos by East Isle Shipyard, builders of all the above Atlantic Towing tugs. It is rated at 5072 bhp and has no towing winch..

Svitzer Montreal is about to disappear into the fog as it departs outbound for Montreal.

The tug arrived in Halifax in late May, underwent an in-water refit and was renamed June 10. The tug joins Svitzer Cartier in Montreal and will cover that port when Svitzer Njal and Svitzer Nerthus head north to Baffinland for the summer.

The pair of Great Lakes Towing Company tugs, Erie and Ontario sailed early yesterday morning. They must have been away from the dock at first light, because by the time I was aware of their departure, they were well offshore. [See previous post of June 27]

Despite published reports that the tug was demolished the old Craig Trans is still very much in existence. Granted it has been sold twice for demolition, but it has not budged from the dock in Wright's Cove, Burnside.

(July 1, 2016 photo)

[Looking across Bedford Basin, the Rockingham rail yard stretches along the western shore.]

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Taking a break

July 3, 2016, 4:27 am

≫ Next: Halifax Tugger has a new job

≪ Previous: Atlantic Cedar in , Svitzer Montreal out, Erie and Ontario too, and another still here.

Tugfax and Shipfaxwill be taking a summer break. There will be no regular posts until September, and then there may be a format change.

Gulf Spray prepares to take some scows in tow this morning and head from pier 9 to pier 22 to relieve the cruise ship Queen Mary 2 of some of its accumulated waste.

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Halifax Tugger has a new job

September 10, 2016, 6:13 pm

≫ Next: Maersk Nexus

≪ Previous: Taking a break

More or less picking up where I left off :

The small tug Halifax Tugger has been seen for past few days working on new job, handling the refuse scow for cruise ships. It has apparently taken over from Gulf Spray which has remained idle. Halifax Tugger works in a push mode, whereas the classic Gulf Spray used the more unwieldy tow line.

With companion Harbour Runner, which is used in docking the barge, Halifax Tugger works its way to its Pier 9A base to offload refuse from a cruise ship.

Halifax Tugger previously was kept very busy working with the barges used in replacing the Macdonald bridge deck, but those barges have returned to Quebec.

Halifax Tugger (background, left), Captain Jim (middle) and Belle-D. (foreground) with the barge Halcrane carrying a new bridge deck section.

The barges, Océan Abyss and Halcrane were picked up by Océan Echo II in August and towed in tandem up the St.Lawrence. They were met off Ile-aux-Coudres by another Groupe Océan tug, Océan Yvan Desgagnés and towed on individually to Quebec City.

Océan Echo II with its tow trudging up the St.Lawrence against the tide, doing about 3 knots.

Halifax Tugger dates from 2011 when it was built as Cercle Poliare by GFFM Leclerc at Ile-aux-Coudres, QC. The twin screw, 520 bhp 30 footer was used by Leclerc in their rental business, to assist with northern supply lighterage and construction activity until 2015 when RMI Marine acquired the tug and gave it a new name. As a vessel of less than 15 tons the names are unofficial, and it is registered by number.

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Maersk Nexus

September 11, 2016, 4:16 pm

≫ Next: Ryan Leet - please say it ain't so

≪ Previous: Halifax Tugger has a new job

The supplier Maersk Nexus has been working out of Halifax for the last few weeks,. Since Maersk Supply Service Canada's base is in Newfoundland Maersk suppliers are here rarely.

Today it took on fuel at pier 9 from the Wilson pipeline and when completed, backed up to pier 9c. Yesterday it loaded bulk cargo from Shaw resources trucks, indicating to me that it is supporting drilling, and thus must be working for Shell.

One of a pair built by Asenav in Chile, it and its sister Maersk Nomad are 10,445 bhp PSVs of the Ulstein UT 745 CDL class. It was delivered in 2010.

Before moving back to pier 9c, Maersk Nexus waited for the arrival of Skandi Flora which is supporting Shell's drilling program in the Shelburne Basin. Managed by Mathers, it and Breaux Tide, operated by Atlantic Towing, are working under coasting licenses as foreign ships. The licenses have now been extended for another year as Shell is about to start a second exploratory well.

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Ryan Leet - please say it ain't so

October 4, 2016, 4:08 pm

≫ Next: Pacific Hickory - return visit

≪ Previous: Maersk Nexus

After nearly a year laid up in Sydney, NS, Ryan Leet, one of Canada's only truly ocean going tugs, has apparently been sold. Although its Canadian registry remains open, international sources indicates "owners unknown" a sure sign that something is afoot.

If that were not bad enough, those same sources list "Malta Towage Ltd" as managers. This is perhaps the most ominous sign of all. Malta Towage Ltd is not to be confused with several other reputable companies with similar names. Instead it is linked to Britannia Shipping of the UK and a notorious Irish criminal convicted of various crimes and misdemeanours in the US and the UK and under suspicion of others in Portugal and Spain. The individual has acted as broker in the sale of several ships that were later arrested for drug smuggling, but has always been acquitted of actual involvment. A recent ship sale he arranged has been barred by a court in Malta when they discovered that he owned both the buying and selling companies, the sale price was well below market value and that the sale would have deprived entitled creditors to a share of the proceeds.

Ryan Leet's (ex Salvor Commander-90, Abeille Provence-87) history has been recounted here before, so I will await further developments before re-hashing it. If I have reported the sale correctly, no good could be expected to come out of it for the tug, bringing a distinguished career to a potentially ruinous end.

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Pacific Hickory - return visit

October 13, 2016, 6:18 pm

≫ Next: Change Day at Atlantic Towing

≪ Previous: Ryan Leet - please say it ain't so

Arguably the finest tug ever built on the east coast of Canada is returning to familiar waters after an extended absence. Some speculation surrounds the arrival of Pacific Hickory in Montreal (ETA October 23), but it is likely that it will be towing a former Great Lakes ship to the scrappers in Turkey. This is a bit of a comedown from some prestigious salvage and long distance tows by the same tug over its long history.

As built, the tug was painted with a buff crow's nest and white bulwarks on the forecastle deck.

Built by Saint John Shipbuilding and Dry Dock in 1973 as the Irving Miami, the tug was designed to tow massive newsprint barges from Saint John, NB to US east coast ports. Its elevated crow's nest was used when the tug was pushing the barges in estuaries and rivers to give visibility over the huge deckhouses.
Between assignments Irving Miami was also available to J.D.Irving's Atlantic Towing for other work including handling Irving Oil barges and the odd salvage and contract tows.

The tug had an enclosed winch house and carried the "Irving" symbol on its funnels

At 140 feet long x 38' wide a depth of 21'-3" and draft of 18' and 880 grt it was certainly capable of just about any seagoing assignment. Its twin 20 cylinder GM engines developed 7200 bhp for a bollard pull of 100 tons and an advertised speed of 15 knots.

The paper barges were more like floating warehouses. They had problems keeping the cargo dry however and were eventually put to other uses.

In the long run the barges proved unsuitable for newsprint but the tug was kept busy with other assignments. It did still tow the big barges as they were converted to carry other forest products and general freight, but it was frequently used with Irving Oil tank barges.

Here with the tank barge Irving Sealion, Irving Miami is in the notch using face wires. It has also lost the buff colour except on its funnels and the white gunwale.

In 1989 Irving Miami was paired up with a self-unloading barge the Capt. Edward V. Smith (the former laker Adam E. Cornelius). Conversion of the barge by Halifax Shipyard involved removing the engines and building a stern notch for a tug. The original ship's wheelhouse was retained for navigation. That assignment lasted for year, but replacement Arctic Nanook only lasted a year and Irving Miami was back in the notch in early 1990, but gave up the job to Magdelan Sea later in the year.

When the J.D.Irving group of companies moved away from Irving Oil part of the Irving conglomerate the tug became available for other work and as part of a fleet-wide renaming became the Atlantic Hickory in 1995. Irving tugs were historically named for trees, with softwood (coniferous) names for inland tugs and hardwood (deciduous) names for coastal and seagoing tugs.

Little had changed when the tug was renamed Atlantic Hickory except for some tiny face pads just below the name and a number of tires.

Fitted somewhat snuggly in the stern notch, the tug relied on winch tension to keep itself in line with the barge. It also required a watchman in the forward bridge to con the combination.

Also in 1995 the tug was paired up again with the barge which had since been sold and renamed Seabarge One. The barge was renamed Sarah Spencer the next year and the assignment lasted until 1999 when the owners purchased the tug Jane Ann IV and fitted it and the barge with an articulation coupling system. They also installed a system so that the tug could be controlled from the barge's bridge. Atlantic Hickory had relied on old fashioned face wires, and voice commands, which was less than ideal in the Seaway locks.

Rigged for pushing, the tug had plenty of power, but less than ideal control in tight quarters.

Atlantic Hickory was once again available to Atlantic Towing and undertook a number of assignments including work with the original barges in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Following a major refit over the winter of 2003-04 the tug was once again paired with a barge it was built to handle and assigned to work in the Caribbean.

The tug was set up to tow the barge at sea, but its high wheelhouse was essential in confined waters. During the last refit it lost its conventional lifeboats in davits and rewceived an FRC in a cradle. No doubt other improvements were made, as the tug had been continually maintained at the owner's shipyards.

Finally in 2006 the tug's registry was transferred to Dominica and in 2007 it was sold to Vancouver, BC-based Pacific Offshore Services Inc where it was renamed Pacific Hickory. Since then the tug has traded world wide with countless long haul barge and rig tows. It has also towed between the far east and Europe with barges stacked high with loads of inland barge hulls. These tows have necessitated transits around the Cape of Good Hope.

Now the tug is returning to Canadian waters - albeit briefly - as it is still proving useful to its owners despite what would be considered an advanced age for any other tug.

There are numerous photos of Pacific Hickory on line and a Google search for images will be rewarding. There are also a few You Tube videos.
They show numerous changes, including funnel extensions and the adsence of a cross bar between them. It also appears that the crowsnest windows have been plated over, altough these may only be storm shutters. The tug has acquired at least one deck crane and a walkway round the bridge. Some of these additions were likely made during a 2007 refit, but other are newer. Commercial managers Seabridge Marine Services have published a spec sheet: seabridgemarine.com/fleet-pdf/

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Change Day at Atlantic Towing

October 20, 2016, 6:21 pm

≫ Next: Northern Shakeup - NTCL

≪ Previous: Pacific Hickory - return visit

For a short time today there were five tugs alongside Atlantic Towing Ltd's dock at Woodside. One tug was only in port briefly - Atlantic Hemlock.

Atlantic Hemlock has begun to shorten up the tow, which is trailing its buoyed insurance line.

With the Hemlock on the hip, the barge makes its way stern first toward pier 6.

The veteran tug, built in 1996 is the oldest of the modern ASD tugs in the fleet. It arrived this afternoon towing the barge Atlantic Sealion. The once notorious Irving Whale, the barge is back from a summer's work in Chesterfield Inlet, running the supply shuttle to Baker Lake. Since the tugs that were working in the north returned to Belledune, I am assuming that is where Atlantic Hemlock picked up the tow. After a short spell at Woodside it set out for Saint John.

Hemlock features the tapered sides to the deck house. A feature of the original Robert Allen design, it was eliminated in later tugs in the series.

Also sailing this afternoon was Atlantic Larch.It had been in Halifax to fill in for Atlantic Willow while it was on the slip in Shelburne. Willow is now back with a nice new paint job and will be ready to work. When Larch left Halifax earlier this year, when it was replaced by the more powerful Atlantic Fir, it was fitted with a large Sat dome from the Fir, but this has now been removed, altough the tripoid mast is till in place.

Larch and Hemlock are fitted with towing winches, but no fire fighting gear, and are considered "outside tugs" meaning that they are available for coastal work.

Atlantic Hemlock away from the dock (far right)

Atlantic Larch (far left) readying to go.

Atlantic Willow (inside the pier), Atlantic Fir (centre left) and Atlantic Oak (centre right) are the regular Halifax tugs.

There is a sixth tug at Woodside, although it is not in the water.

Irving Chestnut, after several years laid up at pier 9 in Halifax, was in the way and was lifted out at Woodside this summer. Built in 1953 as the US Army T-Boat T-497 it is assigned to Atlantic Towing's subsidiary Harbour Development Ltd, and was used a general purpose tug / workboat / crew boat. A sister boat Irving Hazelnut (ex T-435) is still operating as a dredge tender.

With a third unit Irving Walnut (ex T-425) which may have been scrapped by now, the trio were called

the "Nut Boats" and worked Saint John Harbour and the Canaport offshore tanker buoy before being signed over to the dredging fleet. They are the last of the Atlantic boats to still carry the "Irving" name - the rest of the fleet was renamed in 1996-1998.

How long the Chestnut will sit until she is broken up or refitted is anyone's guess.

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Northern Shakeup - NTCL

October 25, 2016, 5:34 pm

≫ Next: Maersk big blue pull

≪ Previous: Change Day at Atlantic Towing

Northern Transportation Co Ltd, the huge Mackenzie River based tug and barge operator was placed in creditor protection in April. After years of losing money, the parent company could no longer support NTCL and finally surrendered to the inevitable.
NTCL was allowed to complete many of its 2016 summer supply commitments, but when those were done the operation has been mothballed until it can be sold off in whole or in part.
The company's court appointed monitor identified some "non-core" assets that could be sold off piece meal without reducing the value of NTCLs base assets which include a slew of tugs and barges and support facilities. NTCL has been the principal, if not sole, provider of transportation services to scores of northern communities, and its loss would be a major blow to much of the Nunavut region.
The company has been a financial cripple for many years, and many of the vessels in its once mammoth fleet have been laid up and virtually abandoned. The monitor identified 158 vessels (tugs and barges) of which 77 are abandoned, out of class or scrap. Even this number may not identify all vessels, since there may be more in remote places that have not been listed yet.
In an attempt to diversify its operations the company set up in Newfoundland and at various times had up to four tugs, a tanker and several barges working there. Sometimes they worked independently, but were also under charter to Atlantic Towing Ltd and others for extended periods. Some of those have now been sold as "non-core".

These include the two tug / suppliers Alex Gordon and Jim Kilabuk, the tug Keewatin and a dozen barges, some of which are in the eastern and western arctic.

Keewatin was last in Halifax in October 2015, but after that visit went back to Mount Carmel, NL where I believe it has been laid up ever since.

The 3375 bhp triple screw shallow draft tug was built in 1974. It was upgraded in 2011 to bring it back into compliance.

Jim Kilabuk was here in April 2015 while repositioning to Tuktoyaktuk in the western Arctic via the Panama Canal. It was reported to be operational in the summer of 2015, but was not used in 2016.

Built as Canmar Supplier IV in 1975, the 7200 bhp tug was renamed briefly Pernell J. in 1995 for its delivery trip via Panama to Halifax where is was refitted and renamed. It has worked back and forth from the east coast to the Beaufort Sea.

Alex Gordon has a similar history. Built in 1975 as Canmar Supplier III it was renamed Lamar J in 1995 for its delivery to Halifax and refit and renaming.

The tug was laid up in St.John's for a time, but was towed to Mount Carmel, NL in August 2015 by Keewatin. It has also been repainted red since I last saw it.

All three of these vessels have now been sold to RJG Construction of St.John's. That company is a civil, marine construction and dredging firm, and it is unclear what use it will be making of the tugs.

Also laid up in Mount Carmel is the tug Michael Amos. Built in 1984 as Arctic Nanabush for use in the Beaufort Sea it was sold in 1993 and operated as Britoil 7 until 2001, Seaways 4 until 2007 and Sea Biscuit I until 2009. NTCL bought the 6400 bhp tug from layup in Dubai, and sailed it to Canada under Panama flag as Michael Amos. After hard years of foreign offshore work the cost to bring it up to a Canadian standard proved to be prohibitive and it is questionable if it will ever see use.

Among the many barges identified as "non-core" most have been sold to eastern Canada owners.
NT 1802, NT 1803, and NT 1804 have been sold to Les Barges de Matane Inc. An offshoot of Construction CEG Inc, the barges will be used to transport CEG's prefabricated buildings from Matane to the far north.
NT 803, NT 804, NT 1526 and NT 1801 are now owned by RJG Construction of St.John's.
NT 1511 was already on charter to Desgagnés Transarctick and has now been purchased.
NT 811, NT 1509, NT 1524 and NT 1527 have been acquired by TMO Océan Inc. Only the first named is currently in Newfoundland - the rest are still in Nunavut.

It can be inferred from the posted documents, that a single owner may be planning to take over the re-usable assets and resume service in 2017, but it is far from certain how that can be accomplished.

For those interested in NTCL's Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act process refer to:
http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/services/insolvency-assignments/ntcl.html

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Maersk big blue pull

October 27, 2016, 4:38 pm

≫ Next: Westport Ferry - new home, new colour

≪ Previous: Northern Shakeup - NTCL

Maersk Supply Service Canada Ltd , the Canadian branch of the huge Danish shipping firm has a major contract coming up in the spring and summer of 2017. Kvaerner Kiewit, the contractor for the Gravity Base Structure (GBS) for the Hebron oil field, has awarded the tow out contract to Maersk Canada.
The gravity base, with various topsides to be attached, is being assembled in Bull Arm, Trinity Bay, NL. When it is ready to be positioned it will be towed 340 km out to sea to the Jeanne d'Arc Basin and settled on the sea bed.
This major operation, including pre-positioning and post-positioning will require nine tugs with a combined bollard pull of 1720 tonnes. The work must be done in a narrow weather window of 20 to 30 days, between April 1 and September 30.
To ensure smooth and seamless operation, several more than nine tugs must be available in case of breakdowns or other reasons. There will also be escort and similar duties during the tow.

Although Maersk has a Canadian fleet of nine, most of those vessels are under-powered for this job and contracted for other work, so would not be available in any event. Therefore Maersk has called on its international fleet and applied for 13 coasting licenses to allow foreign tugs to work in Canadian waters temporarily. Maersk will have two of its Canadian tugs ready for the project and some number of the 13 also to ensure nine operational tugs at any given moment during the contract.

The array of tugs will consist of 6 tow out vessels with a combined bollard pull of 1,020 tonnes - two of which must be 170 tonnes and the others 150 tonnes. It also requires 3 trailing tugs of 170 tonne bollard pull each. If any tug has a BP in excess of 245 tonnes it must be equipped with a load limiter.

Maersk has considerable experience in this type of work, including the Hibernia Gravity Base tow out in 1997 when it provided 10 large anchor handling tugs. They also list a dozen or more tow outs requiring 3 to 8 tugs, but this one is surely the largest they have tackled in terms of shear horsepower / bollard pull. One of Maersk's selling points was that all their tugs are under common management.

The Canadian flag anchor handling tugs designated for the project are Maersk Cutter and Maersk Clipper. Interestingly one of the proposed foreign vessels, Maersk Beater is still listed as Canadian registered. It has apparently been chartered back to the parent and is "non-duty paid".

Maersk Cutter is one of the Canadian tugs that may be used on the tow out project.

The foreign tugs listed in the applications are:
Maersk Advancer, Maersk Assister, Maersk Battler, Maersk Beater, Maersk Laser, Maersk Lifter, Maersk Tackler, Maersk Tracer, Maersk Starfish #1, Maersk Starfish #2, Maersk Starfish #3 and Maersk Starfish #4.
The last four named are in fact not the actual names of vessels, but members of the "Starfish" class - a new class of six tugs currently under construction for Maersk. The first was launched in June 2016. See http://www.maersk.com/en/hardware/2016/06/the-next-generation-of-offshore-support-vessels
It is expected that at least four of these will be available by next spring, but at the time of the coasting license application, Maersk had not yet announced all their names.

Maersk won the job against ten other bidders. Those bidders were: Atlantic Towing Ltd, Oceanex Bourbon LP, DOF Subsea Canada Corp, Fairmount Marine BV, Farstad Shipping SA, POSH Terasea Offshore PE, Solstad Shipping AS, UOS United Offshore Support, Viking Supply Ships AS, and Secunda Canada LP (owned by Siem Offshore).

The work certainly comes at an opportune time for Maersk, as it would to almost any of the offshore tug supply companies. All are hurting in various degrees due to low oil prices and deep cuts in exploration. Maersk Canada's Danish parent has introduced major cuts and re-organized its offshore fleet. Several of the bidders are experiencing major hardships and a number of far-east and some Norwegian companies have failed outright. The North Sea and Brazil are among the areas hardest hit, but the problem is world-wide.
Tidewater is teetering on the edge of Chapter 11 in the US, and others can't be far behind. Even those with long term contracts have experienced early terminations and hundreds of tugs, suppliers and support vessels are laid up around the world.

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Westport Ferry - new home, new colour

October 29, 2016, 4:05 pm

≫ Next: ETV on the horizon

≪ Previous: Maersk big blue pull

A workboat that has received mention in these posts before has a new home. Westport Ferry, long a fixture in Dominion Diving's fleet was sold this summer to a private owner in Purcell's Cove, and now calls that inlet its home. To signify its new ownership, its hull is now painted red.

Built in 1965 by St. Marys Bay Industries Ltd in Meteghan, NS, it was the last wooden hull and the longest standing member of Dominion Diving's fleet, having been acquired by Dominion's original owners in 1978.
I featured the boat here in 2014: http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/2014/05/westport-ferry-harbour-stalwart.html

Little has changed in the interim, except that when I saw it in early September, it was obviously on a pleasure run - something it never did for Dominion Diving! So my assumption is that it was sold in August.

In the intervening month it has acquired its red hull paint and is now moored in Purcell's Cove, at the mouht of the Northwest Arm.

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ETV on the horizon

November 7, 2016, 6:21 pm

≫ Next: Tugs for sale - surprise listing

≪ Previous: Westport Ferry - new home, new colour

In simultaneous announcements across the country, the Prime Minister (in Vancouver), the Minister of Fisheries (in St.John's), the Minister of the Environment (in Halifax) and the Minister of Transport (in Ottawa) unveiled Canada's new $1.5 bn Oceans Protection Plan.

Among the many features in the 5 year plan, the Canadian Coast Guard will lease two "large vessels capable of towing commercial vessels and large container ships" [who writes this stuff?] and the Coast Guard will equip (four) of its major vessels with towing capability by installing "towing kits".

So what will this mean?
The British Columbia government requested three large rescue / towing vessels - they will get one.
These blogs suggested three to five on the east coast - we will get one.
The arctic will get none - unless you count the "towing kits " - sounds like something you rent from U-Haul for the weekend!

With 500 offshore support vessels laid up world wide and 100 in the North Sea alone, they shouldn't have any trouble finding a suitable vessel to lease. In fact they might look no farther than Maersk Canada which has the 150 tonne bollard pull under employed Maerk Cutter and it sister Maersk Clipper.These 15,000 bhp state of the art vessels may even exceed what is available on the world market. One on each coast would be a vast improvement on the present situation where have only vessels of opportunity, with no mission specific training. They would be wonderful for deep sea work but will be stretched very thin over a wide geographic area.

Last year the Maersk Cutter was used for a cable repair job - way under utlilized for its capabilities.

By leasing of course the government will get civilian tug crews, who may know something about towing. Canada's offshore vessels have towed oil rigs, FPSOs, icebergs and are used to close quarters work with oil rigs and fixed platforms.

The Canadian Coast Guard on the other hand has always been averse to towing and in fact refuse to do it except in case of direst emergency. So let us hope that these "tow kits" include a user handbook. Incidentally, CCGS Terry Fox should need no "tow kit" - it was equipped for anchor handling and towing when purchased by the CCG. Why it wasn't mentioned in the announcement is a mystery.

The leases may start as soon as the 2017 fiscal year (i.e. after April 1, 2017) and can't come soon enough.

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Tugs for sale - surprise listing

November 15, 2016, 7:01 pm

≫ Next: Maersk Chancellor arrived in Aliaga

≪ Previous: ETV on the horizon

Thanks to Towingline * I have learned that two Canadian-built tugs have been put up for sale in Denmark. It is explained that they are coming off a five year charter and have apparently been replaced by newer tugs.
This comes as a bit of a surprise, since I assumed that Canadian owners would have snapped them up, or at least been in line to acquire them.

The tugs in question were the last two tugs of seven built by Eastisle Shipyard in Georgetown PEI for Danish owners Nordane Shipping. They were part of a series of more than 30 of similar design, and were, at least from my impression, among the best. At 5,000 bhp, 70 plus tonnes bollard pull and ice class firefighting ASD tugs, they should be in demand. Four of the earlier Nordane tugs, have come back to Canada and two each are serving Svitzer and RioTinto Alcan. Groupe Océan also repatriated two other Nordane tugs of a different class, built elswehere.

Christening day for Stevns Battler in Halifax.

Built as Stevns Breaker and Stevns Battler these two passed to Svitzer control in 2010 as Svitzer Nabi and Svitzer Nari. The former spent a year as Svitzer Hutton for a temporary reassignment to the UK in 2012. Svitzer Euromed currently owns the tugs as far as I know, and I am surprised that they are not being transferred to Svitzer Canada's fleet.

Stevns Battler on the way to Bedford Basin for trials.

Both Groupe Océan and Atlantic Towing Ltd (who started the Eastisle sereis at their parent company's yard) have several similar class tugs in their fleets now, so these would seem to be a natural fit for them too.

I could speculate on why none of these operators are grabbing these tugs, but that's all it would be:
Speculation 1: Atlantic Towing has enough tugs to do the work they have - I actually think they could find work for one more if they got it for the right price, and maybe two. The ice class would be an appealing feature I would think.
Speculation 2: Groupe Océan has too many tugs, particularly with delivery of Océan Taiga, and as they near the end of their work in Newfoundland. - but they also have many older tugs that could stand replacement.

Speculation 3: Then there is Arcellor Mittal which needs to replace its two tugs at Port-Cartier - but they really need Voith-Schneiders for their constricted port.
Speculation 4: McKeil has just upgraded to some big tugs with more ocean going capability - I agree with that, andl also they have a raft of older idle tugs, but are apparently in no hurry to scrap or replace them, since thet can meet the need with their newer tugs.
Speculation 5: Svitzer has an odd lot of tugs and could consider replacing at least two of them to have a consistent fleet of similar, even interchangeable, tugs, with a bit more power and capability - apparently that is not the case, and maybe, just maybe, they don't want these two to fall into a competitor's hands, so maybe are offering them for sale on a restericted basis.
All speculation.

* If you don't know about Towingline it is a relliable source of worldwide tug, towing and workboat info. To reach the site, use the link in the left hand column.

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