Dominion Warrior

The versatile Dominion Warrior added another arrow to its quiver today as it took over towing responsibility for the dump scow Pitts No.12.

The dump scow job would normally be done by the tug Mister Joe but it is towing the crane barge Idus Atwell to Point Tupper / Port Hawksbury (with the small tug Whitby on deck.) That leaves only the tug J.F.Whalen in Halifax, and in view of today's windy conditions, it would not likely be up to the job of wrangling the dump scow.

The job involves hauling the loaded scow from one end of the port to the other and dumping its rock cargo on the harbour bottom. The rock is then bucketed, by crane barge, into the cells of the concrete cribs that have been sunk in place to extend pier C.

Dominion Warrior was acquired in 2018 and is a twin screw 1200 bhp Multicat with 25 tonnes bollard pull.  Built in 2007 by Dodewaard Shipyard BV in the Netherlands as Coastal Warrior, it is a multi-purpose vessel of a type that has proven quite popular in Euorpe, but is still relatively rare in Canada. In addition to towing and pushing, it can carry deck cargo, including containers, up to 100 tonnes, has a 30 tonne deck crane and 50 tonne winch, all combined on a shallow draft hull of 21.5m x 9m x 2m draft,  that allows for beach landings.

It only takes a few seconds for the split hull scow to drop its load. McNally has two more dump scows in Halifax but both are bottom door types and much more laborious to work. 

Even with the light scow on the hip there is excellent visibility from the Dominion Warrior's bridge.

Once today's high winds subside the crane barge Derrick #4 will be back on the job filling the cells of the pier extension.

Derrick #4 with the tug J.F.Whelan alongside at pier 42 with its clamshell bucket at the ready.

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