What's next for Ville tugs

 The Royal Canadian Navy's tugs are considered to be auxiliairies, and are not commsssioned as naval vessels. They operate with civilian crews under the direction of the King's (formerly Queen's) Harbour Master. They work in and around HMC Dockyards in Halifax and Esquimalt, BC, but can also make longer trips to assist other naval vessels, tow vessels to refits at distant shipyards.

The Navy is in the process of replacing the current fleet of Glen class tugs - regrettably losing the "Glen" prefix for its larger tugs. The Glen naming scheme began during World War II when a small fleet of 500 bhp (+ OR -) wood and steel tugs were built for naval use. See my post from May 8, 2013

The last of those Glens in naval service were replaced in the late 1970s with the current Glens - three of which are based  in Halifax. The first replacement for the Halifax Glens, named Canso, has been undergoing trials in Quebec City and will be delivered soon. The second, to be named Stella Maris, will arrive from the Industrie Océan Shipyard in 2026. Two of the new tugs were delivered to the west coast in August 2024. There will only be two new tugs for Halifax. They will replace the three Glens and a previously retired fire float.

All of the above  is background to the focus of this post which are the Ville class of small "pup" tugs. There are three of these based in Halifax as well and they can be seen doing all sorts of activities such as security patrols, fender moves, small barge moves, ship berthing - usually with Glens, but sometimes solo. They date from 1974 and are modestly powered at 365 bhp with a 7.5 ton bollard pull (when new).

 The Merrickville underway March 15, 2025.

The Granville moving fenders for a visiting ship.
 

As with their larger fleet mates, the Villes take their names from a previous generation of World War II tugs - see my post of February 18, 2012 - and numerous other posts over the years. 

Sadly the three Villes working in Halifax the Granville , Listerville and Merrickville are, I hear,  in deplorable condition. However no announcement has been made about replacements. For the past few days the Listerville has been tied up at Dominion Diving's yard in Dartmouth Cove. Although it does look slightly forlorn, it may be possible to give it a refit to squeeze a bit more work out of it.

The Listerville alongside Dominion Diving's Dominion Victory, December 4, 2025.

Several Canadian civilian owners have recently acquired new tugs of this size (but with more power) most of them built in Canada too. So it would seem reasonable that several Canadian yards with recent small tug deliveries, could provide tugs of "off the shelf" design quickly without going through the usual agonizingly slow and over spec'd process. 

If and when replacements arrive, lets hope that the "Ville" naming tradition will be followed.

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Villes at 50

 The Canadian Navy's three Ville class tugs based in Halifax, Granville, Listerville and Merrickville  have now put in 50 years of service and are still going strong. Built in 1974 by Georgetown Shipyard in Prince Edward Island, they are 365 bhp Cat powered with a single screw in a nozzle. At 45 feet long they are of a very convenient size for working in the confines of the HMC Dockyard. They also can be seen at other Navy installations in the harbour, most often in ship handling with the larger Glen class tugs. They also perform regular security patrols and other odd jobs such as fender placement.

Granville YTL 594 and Merrickville YTL 593 with fenders, and bibs, after undocking a visiting naval ship in the port. Their signal masts are struck for close in work.

 As non-commissioned auxiliary vessels working under the direction of the Master Attendant in the King's Harbour Master's office, they are civilian crewed, but carry the usual naval pennant designation YTL (Yard Tug Little). They are referred to as CNAV, Canadian Naval Auxiliary Vessels.

CNAV Merrickville YTL 593 in the Narrows March 15, 2025.

 They are so well maintained that there is no hint of their age. However at only a modest 7.5 tons bollard pull they may be under powered for the Navy's newer and much larger ships which are in the works. As craft that work only within the confines of the harbour, and for short trips, there would be an opportunity for electric / battery powered craft. 

The Navy's slightly newer Glen class tugs, built in 1976, are being replaced, but I have not heard of replacement plans for the Villes, familiarly called "pups". They in turn replaced a series of earlier 45 foot "Pups", also with "Ville" names, that were built during World War II.

 The war-built Merrickville served civilian owners for several more years after Navy duty.

 The current Villes are heavily fendered below the waterline for work with submarines.

 Listerville YTL 592 hauled out for maintenance.

 The recent visit to Halifax of the French submarine FS Tourville (coincidentally) saw a pair of our Villes in close attendance.

 

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Pups at Work

The Queen's Harbour Master directs a fleet of six tugs in Halifax harbour. Of these, three are small tugs of the Ville class. They range the length and width of the harbour doing various jobs of work for the Navy. Known as "pups" because they are small and tireless, they are most useful in small corners.

One of their tasks today was unberthing the Portuguese naval training vessel Sagres from pier 24. After assisting the barque out into the stream they returned to pier 24 to recover three fenders and return them to HMC Dockyard. They were still wearing their canvas bibs to ensure that they did not mar the white paint of the ship.

It isn't often that I get to see them working up close:

Granville comes in to pick up a fender.

 Merrickville backs away with a fender on its hip.

 

 Merrickville gets underway.

Granville turns smartly with its two fenders.

Both tugs underway back to HMC Dockyard.

Despite the white water caused by the fenders, the tugs leave surprisingly little wake as the pass west of George's Island. (Note the Coast Guard helicopter next to the lighthouse.).

Sagres did a turn in the harbour before heading for sea. Not a scratch on her hull from her visit.

The three Halifax based pups were built in 1974 in Georgetown, PE and are powered with a 365 bhp Cat engine driving a single screw in a steerable Kort nozzle. They are 45 tons displacement and 64 feet long. Despite their age the tugs are in pristine condition.

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Ville tugs keep on trucking

The Canadian Navy has expressed interest in replacing its Glen class harbour tugs, with more powerful 4,000 bhp ASDs, but I have heard notiung on replacement of their Ville class "Pup" tugs.
These little work horses do a variety of jobs in the HMC Dockyard and are quite adequate despite their modest size and horsepower.

1. Merrickville on security rounds today, heading for the DRDC barge in Bedford Basin.

The 365 bhp tugs with single screw and steerable nozzles produce a bollard pull of 7.5 tons from their Cat engines. However they are able to work up under the overhangs of light displacement warships and are very useful. They also perform countless moves of light scows and barges in the Dockyard every day. 

Commemorating the names of wartime built Pup tugs, built by Russel Brothers in Owen Sound, they are almost as old as those tugs were when they were replaced.  The original Villes were built 1942-45 and retired when the new Villes were built in 1974.

2. Still Life With Tug - Parksville ready to be sent out for refit in 1971. The first generation Villes were built inland by Russel Brothers in Owen Sound, ON, and shipped all over Canada by rail.

http://stevebriggs.netfirms.com/osmrm/xmerrickville.html

3. When retired from Dockyard service the Villes were sold for civilian use or transferred to other duties, such as the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal and the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour in Kingston, ON. Mannville got a fresh coat of paint before leaving Halifax for the last time.

Navy tugs at work

Canada's navy tugs are crewed by civilians, and operated by the Queen's Harbour Master. As Canadian Navy (Forces?) Auxiliary Vessels they are dedicated to navy work. This morning they were at work moving HMCS St.John's  from HMC Dockyard to pier 21.
Granville was in the lead with a tow line:

Next was Listerville under the bridge with a bow line:

Proving the power from the stern is Glenbrook:

Bringing up the rear was Merrickville with two Yokohama type fenders. While the other tugs turned the ship, the fenders were installed on the pier face:

Later in the morning other Dockyard small craft placed a containment boom around the ship.
Meanwhile the tug Glenside was inbound towing HMCS Shawinigan from refit in Shelburne, NS.

Milk moustaches for pups

The navy's pup tugs Listerville and Merrickville put on their milk moustaches, or if you prefer, their bibs, yesterday to assist a special guest.
The white sheets were to prevent any unwelcome black scrub marks on the pristine hull of USCG Eagle.

1. Listerville plows up the harbour on her way to the Cable Wharf.

2. She nosed up to Eagle's hull, right at the red hull stripe, which is reflected on the bib.

3. Parksville with its bib on, stands by waiting for orders.

See Shipfax for a photo of Eagle after she cleared the dock.

Pup tugs - gofers of the Dockyard

1. Granville on security round, returns from Bedford Basin 2012-02-17.

2. Listerville northbound in the Narrows in 1991 still carries rope fenders.

3. Merrickville in 1990 has the original bow pudding made by Dockyard riggers. When the old hands retired the art of rope work was lost.

4. The original World War II Merrickville hauled out a Purdy Bros. for a refit in 1971.

The Ville class "Pup" tugs are indispensable around HMC Dockyard in Halifax. As Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessels, they carry civilian crews, but they are always doing navy work. I caught Granville yesterday as it was returning from a security round in Bedford Basin. But it could just as easily be seen docking a warship or handling a scow or a fender.

Scores of the original Ville class pup tugs were built by Russel Brothers in Owen Sound, ON for the RCN during World War II. Most were built in 1944-45 and the ones that the navy kept lasted to 1974 on this coast. (One remained in the CFA on the west coast until the 1990s.)

The current version was built in 1974 and looks to outlast the war-built pups.

There are three pups in Halifax, Granville (ex Marysville), Listerville and Merrickville. Of 365 bhp the have a bollard pull of 7.5 tonnes and are single screw with a steering nozzle.

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Pups at play

In a very stiff northerly breeze, it wasn't exactly child's play to dock the visiting USCG Eagle this morning [see also Shipfax]. However the two navy Ville class tugs Granville and Merrickville were up to the job, and made it look easy.

Both tugs were wearing white "bibs" over their bow fenders, and made up well out in the stream. They had to push to keep the ship up into the wind, and to keep it alongside until lines were secure.Built in 1974 the tugs are rated at 7.5 tonnes bollard pull, with 365 bhp.

As Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessels (CFAV) they are manned by civilian crews and work under the direction of the Queen's Harbour Master at HMC Dockyard.

Merrickville assists Glenbrook with Kingston tow

1. Tow made up and heading out into a stiff head wind.

2. Merrickville standing by the tow, with the deck crew back on board.

3. Glenbrook with the tow line.

As reported on Shipfax the CFAV Glenbrook towed the HMCS Kingston out of Halifax today. The pup tug Merrickville assisted in the tow, by taking the deck crew off and standing by until the tow was well underway.

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