Beverly M 1

The McKeil tug Beverly M1 tied up at the Svitzer Canada dock December 7. I missed the arrival, but
there is a great shot on Halifax Shipping News.

The former Eastern Canada Towing [ECTUG] and before that Foundation Maritime dock has been very quiet since Svitzer assigned its tugs to Point Tupper, with only the occasional visitor, so it was good to see a tug there again.

Back in 1958 Foundation Maritime ran harbour tugs, a salvage fleet, ocean tugs and had a marine construction and repair yard. Although barely recognizable today, the main wharf and the secondary wharf with the old salvage shed still stands in the midst of a rejuvenated Halifax waterfront.

Beverly M 1 was built by Imamura Zosen , Kure, Japan in 1993 for Hong Kong Salvage + Towage as Shek O, and that name is still visible on the wheelhouse. The McKeil crew has modified the letters HK to McK [not visible in this photo] and kept "Salvage + Towage" . Even though the company's official name is Evans McKeil Workboats, it is commonly known as McKeil Marine.From its main base in Hamilton, ON it also has operations in Quebec, Newfoundland and has now established a base in Sydney, NS.

Following completion in 1992 the 4,000 bhp tug worked in Hong Kong, but in 2004 was transferred to sister company Swire Pacific Offshore and was renamed Hunter for two years, before reverting to Shek O. In 2008 it was became Swire Pacific's Pacific Typhoon. A very capable tug, it is fitted for ocean towing and has a massive towing winch. It is a ASD tug, with Niigata stern drives, and is also equipped to work over the bow for ship berthing.

When McKeil acquired the tug in 2013 it was for work in Newfoundland, but it has been in and out of Halifax several times.

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