Victorious - First From the Lakes

Time was when the first visitor from the Great Lakes each spring was a grain ship from the Lakehead.  This year is different, with the first visitor a tug and tanker barge combination.

The articulated tug / barge Victorious / John J. Carrick arrived this morning in blustery conditions straight from the Great Lakes. They passed down through the St.Lawrence Seaway March 24-25, the opening day of the waterway following the winter shut down.

McAsphalt Industries, owners of the pair have a terminal in Eastern Passage at the former Dook's Dock with storage tanks for asphalt, bunker C and heavy fuel. McAsphalt is part of the Miller Group, which also owns Sterling Fuels, the provider of marine fuels to ships in Halifax.

The tug Victorious, 1299 grt, 5300 bhp, was built by Penglai Bohai shipyard in Shandong, China, which also built the 6916 grt barge John J.Carrick in 2008. The pair are connected by means of the Articouple connection system which allows the tug to adjust its position within the barge notch depending on the barge's draft. The tug is also free to pitch independently but does not roll. Although fitted with towing gear, the tug remains tethered in the barge notch in virtually any conditions.

The tug/barge spend most of their time shuttling up and down through the Seaway but also make extended trips to Saint John, NB and Newfoundland depending on demand. 

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