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Paddling off
Tugfaxwill be paddling off on my annual summer break for a few weeks. It is possible that there will be some remote posts, but they will be rare.Thank you for your support, additions and corrections,...
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Océan Cartier
The latest Groupe Océan acquisition, Océan Cartier, remains in Quebec City undergoing maintenance. Since acquiring the tug from Svitzer Canada, when that company pulled out of Montreal, the tug has...
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Old Navy Tugs
Canada's five Glen class tugs continue to serve, although based on the July report they will be replaced in record setting time by 2020. This date is one of several questionable aspects in what is...
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Mister Joe on the move
McNally Construction's hard working tug Mister Joe made a brief visit to Halifax today. First job was to move the crane barge Canadian Argosy (951 grt, built 1978 Collingwood), from its anchorage near...
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Hornbeck Offshore in Halifax
The first Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc (HOS) ship to call in Halifax tied up at Pier 9 C on Saturday September 9. HOS Red Dawn was the first of a series of supply boats in the HOSMAX 300 class and...
View ArticleFire at Port Cartier
The tug Brochu suffered a fire at Port-Cartier, QC in mid-September and was removed from service. With its sister tug Vachon it was to be retired September 30 when Groupe Ocean is due to take over tug...
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Landlocked tug
Construction of foundations for the Queen's Marque project on the Halifax waterfront is taking place below sea level. In order to carry out the work a seawall has been built out of sheet piles to keep...
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Ocean renames two
Groupe Océan has renamed two tugs it acquired earlier this year from Svitzer. The two tugs completed their obligations with Svitzer at the end of last month and returned from Milne Inlet, Baffin Island...
View ArticleTwo more for Océan and a transfer
Groupe Océan has finalized the acquistion of the two ArcelorMittal tugs based at Port-Cartier, QC. Brochu and Vachon were purpose built for Port Cartier in 1972 and were among the first Voith-Schneider...
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Groupe Océan veteran sold
Groupe Océan has old one of its older tugs. Océan Hercule was sold November 1 to Jamaican owners and renamed Hercule at Sorel-Tracy, QC. The tug has been based at that port for several years since...
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Océan Delta sold and other deployments
Another of Groupe Océan's veteran tugs has been sold. Océan Delta has apparently gone to the same buyers that acquired Océan Hercule. Océan Delta is still in Quebec City, but its Canadian registry was...
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Christmas
Tugfax will be taking a break over Christmas.The delightfully named Point Vim and Point Vigour were built in 1962 as Foundation Vim and Foundation Vigour, part of a series of six identical tugs. They...
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Boxing Day cleanup
December 26, Boxing Day, is a holiday for most people in Halifax, and a day to clean up after Christmas. Shipping began to move again after a fierce windstorm that left many without power. Gusts up to...
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New name for McAsphalt tug
Making its way from the Great Lakes to Halifax for the first time this year, an articulated tug/barge arrived at the McAsphalt jetty in Eastern Passage this afternoon. As of January this year the tug...
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Atlantic Bear - fourth tug for Halifax, (and other news)
As ships grow larger and business picks up in Halifax demand for tug services also increases. Halifax Marine Towing Ltd is the only large tug provider in the port. It is a joint venture between...
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Tug changes in Goderich
Groupe Océan has assigned the tug Escorte to the port of Goderich, ON. Situated on Lake Huron the port sees about 250 ships a year. Most of those ships load salt at the Sifto Salt mine, located in...
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Horizon Star makes it Halifax debut
Horizon Maritime Services Ltd (of Halifax and St. John's) has been involved in crewing and other services related to the offshore sector since it was founded in 2015. It has recently expanded into ship...
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Winter tow for Mister Joe
Winter towing is fraught with issues, not the least of which is freezing spray. Even if temperatures moderate, weather is still the major issue, particularly with small tugs on coastal voyages.McNally...
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Atlantic Tern
Things have been quiet in the tug business recently. There are tugs in Halifax, but just the usual ones, and nothing out of the way to report except for some freezing spray.This morning the smallest...
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Conditions Vary
Winter in the North Atlantic is noted for high winds, frigid temperatures and notorious freezing spray.This winter has been a bit of an exception with prolonged periods of mild air temperatures, well...
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