CRT Express

CRT Express is the new name assigned to the former Dutch tug Meander when it was registered in Quebec City June 27. Built in 2006 by Gebr. Kooiman NV in Zwijndrecht it was acquired in May of this year by CRT Construction Inc of Lévis, QC and arrived in Quebec City under its own power on June 13.


With a pair of Mitsubishi main engines of 1278 bhp each, it is also fitted with a bow thruster, deck crane and towing winch with a bollard pull of 30.3 tonnes.

CRT Construction has a contract with Hydro-Québec and the tug will tow cargo barges between Chisasibi and Inukjuak on the east coast of Hudson's Bay. It sailed from Quebec City early in the morning of August 10 to pick up the barge JMC 185.



I was fortunate enough to get to Ile-aux-Coudres in time to see the pickup.




The barge was brought out to the waiting tug as soon as the tide had risen enough to free the barge from the muddy bottom where it was moored just west of the ferry dock.





The GFFM Leclerc tugs Beluga Polaire and Eclipse Polaire [see following post] shepherded the barge out to the stream. It was quickly connected and the tow was underway for Cacouna, QC, where it will be loaded for the trip north.