Built in 1962 for Foundation Maritime the tug Foundation Viking was one of six identical tugs built by Davie in Lauzon. When Eastern Canada Towing Ltd took over in 1973, the tug was renamed Point Viking. After working in and out of Halifax for many years it was then based in Port Hawksbury for a time until sold to Newfoundland owners for use in Stephenville.
In 2008 they sold the tug to Construction Polaris Inc of l'Ancienne-Lorette, QC. It has been assigned to their marine division, Polnav Transport Maritime and based at Natashquan, QC.
Polaris is a major civil engineering construction company, with considerable work on the Lower North Shore of the St.Lawrence where there a few roads. The tug is used to haul construction material and equipment to remote sites, and generally works between Sept-Iles and the Labrador border in season.
Point Viking is a single screw tug of 1,000 bhp, powered by a single Fairbanks-Morse engine.
In the photos it is seen working in Halifax harbour in 1979. At that time tugs worked with tow lines over the stern, using a quick release towing hook. They used ship's lines for unberthing. It took two deck hands to handle the ship's line. The ship dropped its line over and the ship's crew hook it then attach a heaving line to pull it aboard and connect to the towing hook. Once the ship is off the dock and clear, the hook will be dropped and the line will slide over the tug's stern to be recovered by the ship.
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