Océan Stevns back to Canadian flag

The Groupe Océan tug Océan Stevns may be headed back to Canada. The tug was registered in Quebec City May 21 after a period of bareboat charter to an Océan subsidiary, Ocean J Towing Ltd, in Jamaica. At time of writing the tug is still in Kingston, Jamaica and there is no ETA for Canada.

The tug was reflagged in early 2018 to St. Vincent and the the Grenadines and in July 2018 it stopped in Halifax for a few days, then sailed July15 for Kingston, Jamaica. Océan had a ten year contract for tug services in Kingston and both Océan Stevns and Océan Taiga were sent south for the contract. They were later joined by Océan Kingston Pride ex Bogaçay IX, acquired for the contract from its Turkish builder/owners. It is a RAmparts 2400 SX design with 6,298 bhp and 80 tonne bollard pull.

Business was not as brisk in Kingston as expected, and apparently three tugs were not needed. Earlier this year Oceran J faced criticism from port users when it raised its rates, less than a year into the contract.

Océan in Canada may also be a bit stretched as the summer comes on and two tugs are needed for the Baffinland work. When the Océan Stevns left Halifax I also speculated that it was underpowered for today's large ships and predicted that it would be back in Canada in less than five years. See: http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2018/07/groupe-ocean-goes-north-and-south.html


Océan Stevns was built in 2003 as Stevns Ocean by Industries Océan in Ile-aux-Coudres for Stevns Multi Ships of Denmark. It is powered by two MaK main engines totaling 5,000 bhp, driving two Aquamaster stern drives.

In 2013 it came back to Canada on charter with option to buy, along with sister tug Stevns Arctic. Those options were exercised and the tugs were renamed Océan Stevns and Océan Arctique. Initially used at Sept-Iles, QC, the tugs have also worked in Quebec City.

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Groupe Océan goes north and south - with 4 updates

When Groupe Océan took over Svitzer's Montreal operation last year, they also got the two tugs Svitzer was using for the Baffinland Iron Mines operation in the far north. The tugs completed their 2017 season, returned to Quebec and were handed over to Océan in October.

Svitzer Njal was renamed Océan Clovis T. and Svitzer Nerthus became Océan Raynald T and I expected both tugs would resume  their roles again this year, but apparently Océan Clovis T. has found a niche in Quebec City.

 Océan Clovis T.  off Quebec with several Desgagnés ships in the background, including their most recent, the former Jan which was in the process of renaming Miena Desgagnés.

 

 Tucked in to its berth at Quebec, behind Océan Arctique and Océan Tundra.

 
Océan Raynald T. has sailed for the north, but it will be the turn of Océan K. Rusby to work with it this year. Built to essentially the same spec, Océan K. Rusby is a 5000 bhp ASD, but is four years older, built in 2005. It also has a high ice spec and is equipped with fire fighting gear.

The reason the Rusby was given the task this year may be apparent from a close look at the photos. Note the yellow tipped pilot boarding gangways fitted on Rusby, Arctique and Tundra. Working from the top of the deck house allows pilots to board well clear of any ice that may be built up closer to water level  - a useful feature in heavy conditions.

Océan K.Rusby returning to its berth in Bassin Louise.

However Océan Clovis T.  did make a strange trip toward Sept-Iles in mid-June and returned to Quebec, so perhaps there was some other reason for it to remain in the Quebec.

Meanwhile the second tug assigned to their new Jamaica operation (there are supposed to be three according to press releases) will arrive in Halifax later this evening - in thick fog and likely after dusk.

Océan Stevns has had a strange six months or more, spending some of the time idle in Port Hawksbury under foreign flag on "bareboat" charter. However it then moved to St.John's NL for drydocking. This was apparently the only nearby available drydock, since Océan's own shipyard is full up.

Océan Stevns was built in 2002 as Stevns Océan for Nordane Shipping of Denmark. Builders were the Industrie Océan shipyard in Ile-aux-Coudres, but the yard became financially over extended and was closed. Ownership was reformed and the yard re-opened later under Groupe Océan ownership. Stevns Arctic lay partially built at the time and in 2004 it was launched then Atlantic Teak towed it to Halifax where it was completed by Halifax Shipyard in 2005 - the only ship to be "unlaunched" by the yard - it was hauled up the slipway into the old building hall, then re-launched after completion.

In 2013 Groupe Océan brought Stevns Océan and sister tug Stevns Arctic back to Canada  under a charter with purchase option. The tugs were re-registered and re-named becoming the current Océan Stevns and Océan Arctique and the purchase option taken up.

The morning after its return from Denmark, Stevns Océan waits its turn at Ile-aux-Coudres while its sister tug undergoes drydocking and survey at the yard where they were built.

If the pattern of the past two Groupe Océan calls in Halifax is followed, Océan Stevns will spend a few days storing and fueling before heading south. I will add any photos I am lucky enough to get as Updates to this post.

Looking at Kingston Harbour Jamaica on AIS, Océan Taiga is tied up adjacent to two Columbia flag tugs from Intertug. Both appear to be Rob Allen design ASDs. One, called Capidahl is a 5,432 bhp, 75 tonne BP ASD built in 2009 by Sanmar. The other, named Sirocco is a Chinese built ASD dating from 2013 likely around 4500 bhp to 5,000 bhp. Océan is unlikely to find an idle tug of equal capability in its existing fleet, so perhaps they will service the three tug contract using one of the Intertug boats. 

To my mind it would be a shame to lose Océan Taiga to a long term Jamaica bareboat contract, since it is built for work in the Canadian arctic, and except for its great power, it is wasted in the tropics. I didn't think Océan had a surplus of operational tugs, but apparently they do since they are keeping some of their old dogs working. - see a subsequent post.  

Update#1: 
Groupe Océan has a acquired a nearly new tug to service the Kingston contract. The Robert Allen designed RAmparts 2400SX was built in Turkey by Sanmar in 2015 as Bogacay IX. Sanmar builds tugs to own account but sells them on to meet short delivery requirements of clients. The 80 tonne BP ASD is powered by a pair of Cats totaling 6300 bhp, and is equipped for firefighting. Renamed Ocean Kingston Pride, the tug is currently in Istanbul, fyling the Jamaica flag.

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Update#2:

Some alongside views of Océan Stevns turn  up a few points of interest.

 A number of fenders and tires are lashed down on deck and the towing winch is tarped.

 While the St.Vincent and the Grenadines registry is often considered an interim one,  someone made certain this was a more long term arrangement, by making up cast metal "Kingstown". This may not have to be changed to "Kingston" when it arrives in Jamaica.

  There did not appear to be much activity on board, but some servicing was underway, since a technician van was parked at the foot of the gangway. Just above that gangway is the pilot boarding gangway, similar to that on other tugs, as noted above.

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Update #3

2018-07-14 This afternoon Océan Stevns made a one hour trials trip to Bedford Basin and returned to pier 9B.

Whatever adjustments were made must have been acceptable as the tug has ordered a pilot for 1800 departure tomorrow.  

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Update#4

It was goodbye to Océan Stevns at 12800 this afternoon as the tug got away from pier 9B for Kingston, Jamaica, giving an ETA of July 25.

The Jamaica contract is for ten years, and it will be interesting to see if this tug ever returns to Canada. My opinion? Despite its seakeeping ability and extra accommodations for a larger crew, in a very few years 5,000 bhp will not be enough for the larger ships now coming in to service and 85 to 100t BP will be demanded. Therefore the  tug will be back within 5 years or less. 

Note the Quebec City type pilot boarding gangways are still fitted, and Quebec has only been painted out not burned off under the ship's name.

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Océan Taiga and other Groupe Océan news bits - plus Addenda

The "super tug" Océan Taiga put in a surprise appearance in Halifax today. The second of two tugs of the TundRA 3600 class built at Industrie Océan for parent company Groupe Océan, it is an 8,000 bhp, 110 tonne bollard pull Lloyd's Ice Class 1A Super F.S. What that means is that it and near sister tug Océan Tundra are the most powerful conventional tugs in eastern Canada, and that they could  work in the high arctic, year round without icebreaker assistance.

The two were envisioned to serve the Baffinland Iron mine but as things turned out that project was delayed, and development plans changed, and so the tugs were not needed - at least on the original schedule.


Océan Tundra was completed in 2013 and construction of Océan Taiga was intentionally slowed down and it was not completed until 2016. Although there is some tanker escort work on the St.Lawrence where their 14 knot free running speed might be of use, there is little demand for tugs of their power and capability in the area.

Océan Taiga has a pair of small containers lashed down on deck.

That is why Océan Taiga is arriving in Halifax. It has been chartered out bareboat to undisclosed owners, who apparently need the tugs power, but not likely its arctic capabilities. The tug is flying the Jamaica flag.

Addendum #1: Océan decided to announce - after I made this post- that they had signed a ten year contract for three tugs for Kingston, Jamaica, in the New Port West section of the harbour. The contract is to start the end of June. The press release does not name the tugs. It also mentions "personnell" will also be sent, but that 40 jobs will be created locally in Jamaica. It also states that the contract is with the Port of Kingston.
Had I known all this before the tug arrived in Halifax I would have reported it.
All I had to go on was The Department of Transport web site, which says that the tug Océan Taiga is bareboat chartered out. It has certainly been reflagged to Jamaica, and therefore I stand by my previous statement that the tug(s) are chartered to an unknown Jamaican entity. According to other sources this is "Ocean J Towing Ltd".  The tug remains owned by Océan Remorquage Québec Inc.

The same* Jamaican owners of the Hercule, formerly Océan Hercule completed delivery of their tug last month. However there has been no movement on Océan Delta, believed to be bought by the same owners, and still lying in Sorel-tracy, QC.

*Addendum #2: The listed owner of the Hercule is West Indies Petroleum Ltd, as previously reported, with managers listed as "Blue Ocean Marine Ltd". Do you detect a similarity?


After acquiring the Cargill owned, Svitzer-managed Pointe Comeau, Océan has renamed it Océan Comeau. It has now left for Quebec City as its replacement has gone to work in the port of Baie-Comeau. That tug, the former Océan Cartier has been renamed l'Anse du Moulin [translated: mill cove] and ownership transferred to Cargill Limited. Océan Remorquage Baie-Comeau Inc manages the tug for Cargill.

Océan Stevns is bareboat chartered out under St.Vincent and the Grenadines flag. It spent the winter in Port Hawksbury, then sailed for St.John's, NL at the end of May. Its intentions are something of a mystery.

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Atlantic Bear - fourth tug for Halifax, (and other news) - see Update

As ships grow larger and business picks up in Halifax demand for tug services also increases. Halifax Marine Towing Ltd is the only large tug provider in the port. It is a joint venture between Atlantic Towing Limited and Svitzer Canada, with Atlantic Towing providing the tugs since 2010.

It has made do with three tugs up until recently, but in mid 2017 it brought in a fourth tug temporarily, then in December made it a full time arrangement. [see Update at bottom of page]

 Atlantic Bear

The current fourth tug is Atlantic Bear a 5,432 bhp tug built in 2008 by East Isle Shipyard in Georgetown, PE for Atlantic Reyser Ltd. One of three terminal tugs to serve a new LNG import facility near Saint John, NB it was specially built for harsh conditions and work in exposed areas. It has additional fendering and delivers 70 tonnes bollard pull.

With the downturn in LNG imports, the sister tugs Atlantic Beaver and Spitfire III are now assigned to general duties in Saint John and the third tug is not needed there.

The three other tugs in Halifax are Atlantic Oak and Atlantic Fir, of 2004 and 2005, both 5050 bhp, 68 tonnes bollard pull and Atlantic Willow 1998, 4,000 bhp, 50 tonne bollard pull. All have firefighting equipment.

 Atlantic Willow

Other Tug News

*   Atlantic Towing Ltd and Svitzer Canada are also partners in Point Tupper Towing, with Svitzer providing tugs primarily for the NuStar Energy terminal in Point Tupper, but also serving the other port facilities in the Strait of Canso. This year PTT also added a fourth tug. Svitzer Montreal joined the other Svitzer tugs, Point Chebucto, Point Valiant and Svitzer Bedford. The move allowed Point Chebucto to go to Lunenburg for an extended refit (now completed).

*   Interestingly Groupe Océan has stationed Océan Stevns in nearby Port Hawksbury. It arrived in mid-December, shortly before the Canso Canal closed for the season. What plans they may have for a single tug there remain to be seen, but it has apparently found some docking work. The tug was built in 2002 by Industrie Océan in Ile-aux-Coudres as Stevns Ocean and exported to Denmark. It is a 5,000 bhp ocean going tug, and was brought back to Canada in 2013. Update: Océan Stevns has a barge tow for the Caribbean and is waiting out weather to continue south.

Update:
No sooner had I filed this post than Atlantic Towing Ltd sent Atlantic Bear back to Saint John on January 2 and replaced it in Halifax with Atlantic Spruce. This is certainly a step backward in terms of power. It rates at only 4,000 bhp and 50 tonnes bollard pull. Built in 1997, it is the second oldest of the ASD tugs in the Atlantic Towing fleet.

 Atlantic Spruce working in Halifax on a previous occasion. 4,000 bhp tugs no longer perfrom tethered escort service in Halifax, that is now done by the 5,000 bhp tugs.

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