Boa Bison and Boa Barge 37 arrived this morning for the shipyard. The Tug took bunkers, and is expected to sail this afternoon. The barge is on long term charter to the shipyard, for use as a lunching platform for the AOPS vessels currently under construction.
Update: Boa Bison sailed for Bergen Norway at 6pm.
Thanks to Mac over at Shipfax, We now know that the Halifax Shipyard has chartered the BoaBarge 37 for a period of 4 years. the Barge will be used to launch the AOPS vessels currently under construction. The barge departed Rotterdam yesterday under tow of the Boa Bison, and is Due April 17.
The plan for ship launches is to move the ship onto the barge, tow the barge to the Basin, and submerge it, floating the new AOPS off.
Photos from Boa.
The Tug Craig Trans Left Halifax Last night, under tow of the Dominion Victory.
The Tug Arrived in Halifax in Dec 2012, the crew having run out of food and Water 3 days prior to Arrival and was detained after inspectors found a number of Deficiencies. The 1944 built tug was on its way to Montreal to tow a ship to the scrappers. The mission to seafarers worked to repatriate the Honduran crew, while The tugs owner was less then supportive.
The Tug was to be sold at Auction, June 15th 2013, but Failed to attract a buyer. It then appears to have fallen into the hands of Dubious local vessel scrapper Tracy Dodds, who then tried to sell it on Auto Trader. The Tug has languished at the Scunda Wharf in the Basin Ever Since.
UPDATE – June 5th:
Thanks to Shipfax, we know the Craig Trans was towed to Marie Joseph on the eastern shore. (About 175 km NE of Halifax, Past Ecum Secum. This Port is also home to the MV Caruso, Ex CCGS Sir Charles Tupper which is partially scrapped, after being towed to Marie Joseph after a Fire at the former Dartmouth Marine Slips.
One other note, which I neglected to include in the original post, was that the Craig trans was bound to tow the Kathryn Spirit from Beauharnois, on the south shore of Montreal for scrap in Mexico. the ship was towed to Beauharnois intending for it to be scrapped there, but local environmental concerns caused the company to sell the ship to Mexican interests. Since the tug hired to tow her was detained in Halifax, The Kathryn Spirit has languished their since, and having developed a list, is now being scrapped where she sits, at taxpayer expense.
Appearing to be loaded, and arriving from Texas, the Articulated Tug and barge Genesis Victory / GW6506 likely is waiting in the basin to offload at one of the terminals in Halifax. there are currently 6 Oil terminals in the Port. the First is the Tufts Cove Power plant, the Second is Wilson’s Fuel at Pier 9.
Irving has revamped their wharf at woodside, and is now accepting their own product. Imperial oil is still operating their terminal on the refinery site, McAsphalt industries operates a wharf in eastern passage to accept liquid asphalt products, and Valero has their wharf in Eastern Passage.
The Thorco Crown was successfully towed to Sydney by Svitzer Bedford, and tied up last night. The vessel was sailing of Newfoundland, when she suffered an Engine room Fire and lost power. Thorco Crown is 3 years old. Svitzer has 3 tugs based in the port Hawksbury area. After the Thorco Crown Lost power, the CCGS William Alexander was able to take her under tow.
The USCG Icebreaking tug Bristol Bay sailed for the great lakes today. these tugs seem to seasonally rotate between the Atlantic coast in summer, and the lakes in winter. Bristol Bay had been tied up at Tall Ships Quay, next to Nova Scotia Power.
Former Halifax based tug point vim made a return appearance tucking in at Fairview cove. Formerly based at ectug, she was sold and now works out of Newfoundland, but retained her former name and colours.
She sailed at 3:30
Canadianization is well underway to the former Svitzer Caucedo, which took her new name late last week. Once work is complete, she will be stationed in Montreal.
The Tug Svitzer Caucedo showed up in Halifax today. If it looks familiar, it was built at the east isle shipyard in Georgetown PEI in 2003, and is of the same design as Atlantic Towings Halifax Tugs and Svitzers Nerthus and Njal, which are now working the port of Montreal. Its likely that this tug will be Canadianized here, and move on to Montreal.
Svitzer Caucedo currently is registered in the British Virgin Islands, and appers to have previously been operating as Caucedo in the Dominican Republic.
The Svitzer Tugs Nerthus and Njal Returned from Milne Inlet on Bafin Island. they arrived in Halifax in June, and Sailed to Baffin Island in July. They have now likely returned to wait out the winter before returning to work up north. (the mine works all year, but only ships product July to October)
See Previous Stories From June and July,
