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Maersk Chancellor arrived in Aliaga
The Maersk Canada tug/supplier Maersk Chancellor arrived in Aliaga, Turkey November 16 to be scrapped. Its Canadian registry was closed November 15, as Maersk pares down its supplier fleet world...
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Océan Taiga joins the fleet
On October 28 Groupe Océan took delivery of the Océan Taiga the second of a pair of 8,000 bhp tugs built by Industrie Océan at Ile-aux-Coudres, QC.It and sister Océan Tundra completed in 2013, are by...
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Trinity Sea - on trials UPDATED
After an idle week or two at the old Coast Guard base in Dartmouth the tug supplier Trinity Sea got underway again this morning and to the deepwater piers for trials, which appear to have included...
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Panuke Sea - up for sale
Tugfax got a little mixed up with the last post and it is in fact Panuke Sea that is for sale.Neftegaz 14 arrived in Halifax under its own power.Although it started out as a Neftegaz tug / supplier, it...
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Big Move at Halifax Shipyard
Atlantic Towing Ltd's new suppliers swapped places at pier 8 this morning. Both Atlantic Griffon and Atlantic Shrike are nearing completion, but did not use their own engines. The three harbour tugs...
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NTCL update
Based on recent court filings it seems likely that Northern Transportation Co Ltd (NTCL) will make an assignment into bankruptcy shortly after December 15.While the company has been in creditor...
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Breaux Tide finished
It appears that the supplier Breaux Tide is leaving Nova Scotia waters for another assignment. The boat was one of two Tidewater vessels engaged to support Shell's exploration program with the drill...
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Tug Change
Two of the regular Halifax tugs sailed today to be replaced by two from Saint John.Atlantic Willow is southbound - maybe for refit in Shelburne, while Atlantic Fir is northbound in the direction of...
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Pair of Tugs Passing Halifax
A pair of veteran US tugs are passing Halifax this evening (December 7) en route to the Great Lakes. The sister tugs were built by Gulfport Shipbuilding Corp in Port Arthur, Texas for Gulf Coast...
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Pacific Hickory - update (corrected)
It turns out that the Pacific Hickory's recent Canadian visit was also its last. As reported here the tug arrived in Montreal in November October 22 to tow out the laker Atlantic Erie.See:...
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Tugs at work, tug at rest
Harbour tugs get to work in all kinds of weather from hot to cold, wet to dry, calm to windy, but the worst must be the frigid winters when spray freezes to steel.This morning, although the wind had...
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Maersk Bonavista gone to breakers
An offshore tug, best remembered as Maersk Bonavista has now been sold to breakers in Chittagong, Bangladesh. It was built however as Bonavista Bay for Husky Bow Valley, and served under that name from...
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
My favourite tug, the Point Halifax, was delivered in late 1986 - the same year that Shipfaxbegan as a newsletter.It was sold to McKeil Marine in 2012 and renamed Leonard M.It was the first ASD tug in...
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NTCL - 11th hour deal
A last minute deal, filed only two days before NTCL (Northern Transportation Co Ltd) would be declared bankrupt, has apparently given some reassurance that northern Canadian communities may be supplied...
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Famous names my vanish
There are now scores of famous tug owning company names that have disappeared as the gradual consolidation of the tug industry continues. Even such well known companies such as Smit have not been...
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Atlantic Kingfisher - back to its roots
Atlantic Towing Ltd's supplier Atlantic Kingfisher returned to its roots in Halifax January 4 . The ship was built by Halifax Shipyard and launched September 7, 2002 and it was registered in Halifax...
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St.Lawrence Shakeup
Canadian tug owners, although business competitors, have also co-operated with each other from time to time when needed. These more or less amicable arrangements have seemed strained on the St.Lawrence...
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Atlantic Griffon starts sea trials
(file photo taken in November)There is not much to add to the title of this post. The vessel went to sea today, after a compass swing, and returned this evening. It will go to Bedfrod Basin tomoorow...
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Atlantic Griffon BP test
Having completed several sessions of sea trials off Halifax, Atlantic Griffon moved on to pier 26 to conduct bollard pull tests.Positioned well off the end of pier 26 (out of the picture on the far...
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Feast or Famine in the Offshore and more on Bollard Pull
After an active year or two for offshore supply vessels, Halifax has now entered another drought, which shows little sign of improvement in the near term. As with the rest of the world, oil exploration...
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