Out for a spin in the Basin

1. Ryan Leet has large davits on her starboard side to accommodate a shipping container for divers or a rescue boat. She is showing a little hull chafe from lying alongside all winter.

Ryan Leet was out for a brief trip to Bedford Basin this morning. This raises hopes that the tug, which has been laid up most of the winter, will return to service soon.

Canada's most attractive tug (and most powerful if you don't include a number of tug/suppliers) has long been a favourite.

Built in 1977 (Lloyd's says 1978) by Beliard-Murdoch in Ostend as Abeille Provence, she and sister Abeille Normandie were stationed on the English Channel as dedicated salvage tugs. As ships grew in size, bigger tugs were brought on and the pair were sold to Venezuela in 1987. They were renamed Salvor Commander and Salvor General, but did not see much action. Secunda Marine picked them up in 1990 and brought them to Canada. They were refitted in Pictou and renamed Ryan Leet and Magdelan Sea.

Originally fitted with SACM engines, Ryan Leet was re-powered in 1995 with two V-20 GM-EMDs, giving 8,850 bhp. She was also fitted with a drop down azimuthing bow thruster of 550 bhp (which can be used to propel the vessel when on standby.)

Magdelan Sea kept her original engines (and had a lot of spare parts from Ryan Leet), but was sold in 2004 becoming Zouros Hellas. She was renamed Tsavliris Hellas in 2007 and has earned her keep as a station salvage vessel, usually in South Africa.

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