New Tug Workboat for the Port of Quebec

1 and 2 Le Cageux at its own slip in the Inner Bassin Louise at Quebec City, 2011-08-05.

As reported on July 25, the Administration Portuaire de Quebec sold its former tug /workboat Beaupré to a numbered company in Matane. http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/07/russel-tug-changes-hands.html

That company may be associated with Meridien Maritime Reparation, builder of the port's new workboat Le Cageux, which I spotted for the first time on August 5. The new boat is equipped with a roomy deck house, wide open working deck aft deck, open stern, deck crane and other features more suited to its chores in the Port of Quebec. Some of this work would be associated with maintaining fenders at the various piers, and perhaps some buoy work, barge handling and towing. The new craft measures 24.20 gross tons, is 13.01m long, 4.91m breadth and 2.36m deep. It is a twin screw vessel, with a total of 420kW of power.

It resembles a miniature offshore supply vessel, with many similar features. I could not see a tow hook or towing bitts from my vantage point.

"Cageux" in translation can mean timber cribwork, or pier.