Hebron Sea - scrapped

1. Hebron Sea in its prime.

The tug/supplier Hebron Sea has been scrapped. Its Canadian register was closed June 5, 2012 and it arrived in Grenaa, Denmark on June 16 to be broken up by Fornaes ApS. I suspect the ship was briefly registered in some flag of convenience nation for the delivery trip.
Built in 1975 by BV Schps v/h H.H.Bodewes, Millingen a/d Rijn, Netherlands it was very similar to the large Smit-Lloyd fleet of anchor handling tug suppliers. It was fitted with Alpha diesels generating 8,480 bhp. Built for the George Wimpey company, a large British based international construction firm it was named Wimpey Seatiger and employed in the North Sea.

2. In the colours of Wimpey Marine, at pier 9c in Halifax.

It was then transferred to Wimpey Marine Canada Ltd and placed under the management of Wimpey Sable Marine, a Canadian partnership that seems to have consisted mostly of prominent lawyers.

3. At pier 28 in Halifax.

In 1987 the ship was sold to Zapata Offshore and renamed Tuna Service

In 1991 Secunda Marine acquired the ship and it arrived in Halifax again, renamed Hebron Sea. It was not used much over the first winter, but did manage a salvage job when it arrived Halifax March 14, 1992 towing the Yugoslavian ship Ulcinj with ice damage.
During the fall of 1992 it was sent to Pictou, NS for major modifications which included lengthening, widening and rebuilding the deck house. In May 1994 the ship was brought back to Halifax for completion, following what is understood to have been a dispute with Pictou Industries Ltd.

4. Hauled out on the slip at Pictou ready for conversion.

5. The hull has been cut and pulled apart, and shell plating removed on the after portion. The wheelhouse has also been removed for rebuilding.

In its new form it was 12 meters longer and tonnage was increased from 1356 gross to 1963 gross. Its working deck was also wider, and a transition section tapered into the old hull under the funnels.

6. After rebuild, there is new aft-facing bridge, and the wheelhouse has been repositioned, and accommodation added.

In 1996 the ship's registry was changed to Barbados and it worked internationally, stopping in Halifax in August 1996 en route Cape Town, via the US to Hull, UK.
In 1998 it returned to Canadian flag and following a refit went to work with the crane Saipem 7000 on  Sable gas. Since then it worked consistently in Nova Scotia, usually on the Sable gas projects.
In late 2010 the ship was laid up in Pictou following what was reported to be a blown engine.
Secunda Marine meanwhile had been through an ownership change to McDermott International then to knew private investors in 2011. With that change Hebron Sea was owned by 3260813 Nova Scotia Ltd, with Secunda Marine Canada LP as managers.

7. In original form as Hebron Sea (The hull is blue, but the colour has been lost in the negative.)

8. After conversion. Wheelhouse moved aft and raised and extended, and new accommodaiton added above deck house. Note also the extreme tumblehome below the funnels where the transition is made to the wider working deck.