Remember the Oceanic

 In looking back through my files I note a significant tug arrival in Halifax on December 7, 1982. It was a different scene 40 years ago - large tugs were still used to tow ships and oil rigs, and the arrival of the German tug Oceanic towing the semi-submersible ODR John Shaw was not particulary unsual.

(n.b. the date on the above photo is incorrect, it should read 1982-12-07)

Assisted by harbour tugs Point Vigour (c), Point Vibert (r) and supplier Seaforth Highlander and Seaforth Jarl (one of which - far right) the oil rig would be secured at Woodside.

When built in 1969 the Oceanic and its sister tug the Arctic were rated at 14,640 ihp (12,800 bhp) and were the most powerful tugs in the world. They were certainly among the most impressive, as everything sbout them spoke of power and sea-keeping ability. They were built for double duty as salvage tugs and as long distance ocean towing tugs. Their great power could also propel them at 20 knots in order to rush to the scene of an emergency.

 

With the oil rig secured at Woodside, the tug remained in port until December 18, 1982.

 

This was not the tug's first call in Halifax. It was also in port in August 1969 when it was virtually brand new (it had been delivered in June), and had towed an oil rig from Europe to Sable Island.

Owners Bugsier sold the tug to Turkish owners in 2013 and it was renamed Osman Khan and again in 2015 Orka Sultan. It returned to its original name Oceanic in 2016 and although spotted from time to time in the Mediterranean it was also reported in 2019 bound for Ghana. Its DNV classification was withdrawn in 2016 and surveys are long overdue.

 

Some of the above is a repeat of an October 26, 2012 Tugfax post: http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2012/10/worlds-most-powerful-tug-for-time.html

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