Granville - multi-tasking

Following the retirement of the Canadian navy's Halifax fireboat Firebird, it is now the job of the HMC Dockyard tugs to perform security patrols to the Defence Research and Development Agency barge in Bedford Basin.

The pups normally work with their masts struck since they are frequently in an out of places where it would be an obstruction.

CNAV Granville is seen storming along on return from that patrol this morning. The three Halifax based Ville class "pup" tugs assist in ship berthing, do barge movements within the dockyard and three other installations around the harbour. They also tow and tend oil booms and fenders and myriad other chores.
Unlike its Halifax sisters Listerville and Merrickville, Granville has changed its name since it was built. It started life as Marysville, but that was too easily confused with Merrickville over the radio, and so was changed to Parksville. There was another pup tug with the same name in Esquimalt, so in 1993 it was renamed again, becoming Granville.
All three were built in 1974 and have 365 bhp driving a single screw, in a nozzle, delivering 7.5 tonnes bollard pull.     

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