Although I was in Quebec this summer I was some distance away from any major ports, and as a result did not see much large tug activity. However I did see numerous small tugs,
Groupe Océan operates harbour tugs up and down the St.Lawrence but also has a large marine construction and dredging plant, not to mention their shipbuilding operation.
Among the dredging projects are the annual maintenance dredging at the ferry terminals in Rivière-du-Loup and at Ile-aux-Coudres. On September 8 the tug Océan Aqua arrived off St-Louis, Ile-aux-Coudres with the dredge Océan Basque 2, the dump scows Grande Ourse and Petite Ourse and the tug / workboat Océan Albatros. Despite a very stiff wind from the west they spudded down a short distance from the ferry dock.
The Océan Aqua was built by Damen Hardenxveld-Giessendam, Netherlands, in 2003 and aquired by Océan in 2022. It is twin screw tug of 1440 bhp.
The Océan Albatros carried the name Qimu to 2018 and was built in 2008 by Chantier naval Forillon in Gaspé. It is a 700 bhp twin screw vessel.
It is heavily fendered forward and has prominent lifting straps, permitting it to be lifted out for transport.
The Industrie Océan shipyard at Ile-aux-Coudres has delivered two tugs to the Royal Canadian Navy for use in Esquimalt, BC and is building two more for Halifax. The work is mostly carried out indoors so I was lucky to see a superstructure on the dock. The component was likely built at Océan's facility in the Port of Quebec and delivered to Ile-aux-Coudres by barge.
No trip to Ile-aux-Coudres would be complete without a look in at the GFFM Leclerc facility at the east end of the island. At this time of the year many of its rental tug fleet are at work in the far north on lighterage duty, but there were still three tugs at their shipyard.
The Ours Polaire and Pivert Polaire await assignment, and the Vent Polaire appears fresh from refit. Meanwhille at the "Port de Refuge" basin four Desgagnés and Leclerc tugs were standing by for the next trip north.
From left to right: the Silak, Lumaak, Glacier Polaire and Beluga Polaire.
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