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British supertug Lloydsman
Deep-sea British tugs were certainly rare sights in Halifax. Dutch and German companies had the edge on big deep sea tugs, but there was one large British tug that showed up here. That was in 1977 and...
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Former Dutch Tugs in Halfax
Two former Dutch tugs made visits to Halifax - one short and one prolonged, but they had similar histories. Afon Goch in Holyhead Towing colours, tied up at ECTUG with the barge Mulus 4.The first...
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French Tugs - Part 1
French tugs were almost as rare as British tugs in the Halifax area. Aside from the Ryan Leet (the former Abeille Provence) and Magdalen Sea (ex Abeille Normandie, since sold) acquired by Secunda...
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French Tugs - Part 2
The second French commercial tug that I can recall seeing in Canada was not in Halifax, but in Point Edward, NS on Sydney harbour.It was built in 1959 by Industrie Navale Meccaniche Affini [I.N.M.A.]...
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Snowy tugs
Despite a record snow fall in the city of Halifax, to a depth of nearly a meter, with streets impassable and many services suspended, work in the harbour continues. But even the tugs are covered with...
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French tugs - Part 3
Since I have only very few, or very poor photos of the remaining French tugs I wanted to mention, I will lump them together and provide some links to see more.FOUNDATION VIGILANTProbably the best known...
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Lois M and a BIG barge
Last night the tug Lois M arrived in Halifax towing the barge Nunavut Spirit and tied up at pier 9B.The tug belongs to McKeil Workboats Ltd (a.k.a. McKeil Marine) of Hamilton, ON, but is registered in...
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Svitzer Wombi, future Svitzer Cartier arrives
It has been some time since a Svitzer tug tied up at the Svitzer dock in Halifax. Since Svitzer and Atlantic Towing Ltd formed their partnership for tug service in Halifax, all tug work here has been...
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Lois M moves big barge, with a little help from a friend
With preparation work completed on the deck of the barge Nunavut Spirit, it was ready to move from pier 9B this afternoon. The tug Lois M that brought the barge in on March 27 still had its heavy...
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Svitzer Cartier registered in Canada
The latest addition to Svitzer Canada's fleet , Svitzer Cartier was officially registered in Canada today. The port of registry is Halifax, where Svitzer's head office is located. A press release from...
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Svitzer Cartier - another update
The protective box over the winch has been removed, revealing the massive Karmoy unit that will be used in ship berthing. The box turns out to have been more than just a shelter, it was also insulated...
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Svitzer Cartier- what more can be said
Since a new tug is a rare thing in eastern Canada these days, perhpas I can be forgiven for making mention of the tug again! New tires on top of fenders, but can't somebody do something about those...
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Svitzer Cartier sails
After completing trials, including a bollard pull test, Svitzer Cartier sailed this morning for the Verreault shipyard in Les Méchins, QC. After a brief stint at the yard for underwater survey (usually...
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May C - gets a spa treatrment
It is said that 75% or more of an iceberg is underwater and invisible. The percentage may not be as high with a tug, but there is generally more underwater than you would think. Such was the case today...
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Russians towing Canadians - Part 1
The subject of decommissioned warships has been a topic on Shipfaxrecently. The unfortunate reality is that these ships eventually need to be disposed of. Most of the Canadian warshsips decommissioned...
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Russians towing Canadians - Part 2
For a Canadian warship, the ultimate indignity, as I called it in Shipfax, was to be towed to the scrap yard by a Russian tug. The Canadian navy (as with all NATO navies) played "cat and mouse" with...
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Jim Kilabuk - heading west (again)
The veteran tug/supplier Jim Kilabuk at pier 9c thins morning. The berth should be a familiar one to the vessel that has worked out of Halifax off an on since its first arrival in these waters almost...
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Maersk Placentia - sold on
Maersk Placentia with water cannon on bow.Another of the former Husky-Bow Valley tug/suppliers has been sold. This time it is Maersk Placentia, built by Bel-Aire Shipyard in North Vancouver in 1983 as...
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Hamal - former Halifax visitor achieves notoriety
A tug that visited Halifax only once, and then only for two days, has achieved notoriety. Hamal was arrested off Scotland April 23 in the largest cocaine bust in UK history. Initial reports indicate...
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J.F.Whalen - back to work
The tug J.F.Whelan was back at work this morning after sitting out the winter at the Nova Scotia Power Corp dock at Tuft's Cove. For most of the winter, it was sitting on the deck of the crane barge...
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