Eileen McAllister - Mission Scrubbed

Eileen McAllister is returning home to the US after her planned tow out was scrubbed. The tug had arrived in Quebec City prepared to tow the old Great Lakes bulker American Fortitude ex Courtney Burton, ex Ernest T. Weir to Brownsville, TX for scrapping.
Due to the condition of the ship itself, and some issues with the tow, its progress down the Seaway was halted by Transport Canada at Côte-Ste-Catherine, above Montreal.
The veteran bulker was built in 1953 and converted to a self-unloader in 1980, but had been laid up in Toledo, OH since 2008. The Canadian tugs Evans McKeil, on the bow and Jarrett M ex Atomic on the stern, towed the ship down through through the Welland Canal and most of the Seaway until it was stopped. The indeterminate delay resulted in McAllister Towing opting to recall Eileen McAllister. (She had arrived from Norfolk, VA.)

It is late in the season, with ice forming and recent experiences with HMCS Athabaskan and Miner probably lead to wisdom prevailing.

Eillen McAllister, in bright Houston sunshine, shows off her heavy hull fendering, similar to the railroad tugs of New York.

Eileen McAllister was in Halifax in August 2012 and towed out the old floating drydock Scotiadock II, also for scrap. Built in 1977 by Main Iron Works in Houma, LA, the 4300 bhp tug is of traditional US design. Like most tugs from that builder it is of extremely durable construction, and its GM EMD engines are famed for their longevity.

 Eileen McAllister steams smartly into Halifax August 1, 2012 with company pennant flying.

The next day she makes her way outbound, with tow rigged, complete with gog line. 

Her tow was an old floating drydock.

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