Maritime History of the Great Lakes

Scanner, v. 35, no. 2 (November 2002), p. 3

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3. Marine News - cont'd . Even if no vessel yet has been put in service especially to take care of the PROSPECTOR'S missed cargoes, a number of Canadian bulkers have been reactivated this autumn despite the poor prairie grain harvest. Some of them already have been mentioned in previous issues. The 1963-built CANADIAN PRO­ VIDER, (a) MURRAY BAY (iii)(94), which had been idle at Hamilton since last autumn, went back into service on October 6th. Also returning to service early in October were the Algoma Central 1971-built bulker ALGONORTH, (a) TEMPLE BAR (76), (b) LAKE NIPIGON (84), (c) LAKETON (ii)(86), (d) LAKE NIPI­ GON (87), and her 1965-built fleetmate ALGOSOUND, (a) DON-DE-DIEU (67), (b) V. W. SCULLY (87), both of which had been laid up at Montreal. ALGOSOUND had not operated since the 2000 season. It is said that this may well be the last year of service for CANADIAN PROVIDER, and that she may follow her fleetmate CANADIAN VOYAGER to an overseas scrapyard. Still idle at Toronto (along with SEAWAY QUEEN, CANADIAN MARINER and ALGO­ ISLE) is CANADIAN VENTURE which, as reported previously, has been acquired by International Marine Salvage Inc., of Port Colborne. It earlier had been reported that she would be towed to the firm's scrapyard early in October, but the tow may not happen until next spring. The problem is that there sim­ ply is no space at this time at the scrapyard to moor another scrap hull. Over the coming winter, the 1984-built C. S. L. seIf-unloader ATLANTIC HURON (ii), (a) PRAIRIE HARVEST (89), (b) ATLANTIC HURON (ii)(94), (c) MELVIN H. BAKER II (97), will have her hull widened at Port Weller Dry Docks. This will greatly increase her cargo capacity and her life expectancy but will make her just as ugly as the other lakers which have been "bustled" or "hipped" in recent years. Meanwhile, it would appear that JEAN PARISIEN, the last of C. S. L . 's four original stemwinder self-unloaders, will remain idle in 2003 as the sections for a new are built for her at Port Weller. It has been suggested that, to take the place of JEAN PARISIEN when she is idle, the 1982-built M. H. BAKER III, (a) ATLANTIC SUPERIOR (97), may be brought back from the east coast gypsum trade in which she has been serving. Canfornav, of Montreal, is rapidly becoming a major player in the operation of salt-water vessels into the Great Lakes. The company has a number of ships under charter but in 2001 entered the ship-owning business by ordering six 27, 000 dwt "laker bulkers" from the Wuhu Shipyard in China while almost simultaneously taking three Shanghai newbuildings on long-term charter from Harren & Partner, of Germany. GREENWING and BLUEWING already are in service, and CINNAMON WING should be in operation by the end of November. FREEWING and MANDARIN will be running early in 2003, while the as-yet-unnamed sixth ship will be ready for service during the summer of 2003. The three vessels ordered by Harren & Partner should be ready for service in February and July of 2003, and February of 2004. These newbuildings will put Canfornav solidly in second place behind Fednav Limited in the Great Lakes import-export mar­ ket. Many observers wish, however, that these two major Canadian operators would place their vessels under Canadian registry. The dismantling of vessels at Canadian scrapyards seems to be proceeding quickly. At Sault Ste. Marie, Purvis crews have cut up about 75% of VANDOC (ii), with the cutting having started at her stern and proceeded up to the No. 1 cargo hold by late October. At Port Colborne, cutting on the sterns of COMEAUDOC and ALGOGULF began early in October. In earlier issues, we mentioned the engine problems of the tug EVERLAST, which led to the McKeil tug SALVOR handling the barge NORMAN McLEOD for several months until replacement engine parts could be obtained. Now SALVOR has stepped in to help yet another troubled barge operation. In late Septem­ ber, the McKeil tug WILLIAM J. MOORE, which normally handles the jet-fuel barge McCLEARY'S SPIRIT, suffered extensive damage to one of her engines whilst upbound in the Seaway. SALVOR was sent to bring the tow to Hamilton, and since then has been handling the barge herself. We have no word as to when the MOORE will be repaired and ready to resume her usual duties.

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