Big Tow, Little Tow

 The last two days in Halifax have seen the extremes of towing operations - big and little.

First the big tow:

BOA Barge 34 carrying the topsides structure from the decommissioned Deep Panuke gas field, departed this morning, December 12.

The tug Atlantic Kestrel took the lead and was later joined by Atlantic Kingfisher. Assistance getting away from the dock was provided by Atlantic Hemlock and Atlantic Larch (the latter also accompanied the tow) with Atlantic Elm going on ahead to Sheet Harbour.

Atlantic Kestrel has been standing y at Pier 9C, except for a refueling move, waiting for this project.

Atlantic Kingfisher is a UT-722L type tug / supplier, built by Halifax Shipyard in 2002.

Then the little tow:

The McNally Construction tug Mister Joe sailed yesterday, December 11, bound for Port Hawksbury, NS towing an unidentified dump scow.

The classic tug, built as the Churchill River by Russel Brothers of Owen Sound, ON in 1964 has been well cared for, including rebuilding with new engines and a new wheelhouse built to original plans. It travels widely in eastern Canada, following the company's marine construction projects. 

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No More Offshore

 Offshore petroleum activity off Nova Scotia has ceased now that the last of the Deep Panuke structures have been removed and most of the material has gone to the UK for scrap. There is no more offshore gas production, and no more oil. There is also no exploration underway.

There is some activity off Newfoundland, but even that has been reduced with the Terra Nova field offline.

Therefore many offshore support vessels are out of work and laid up. Most are in Newfoundland, but there are three idle boats in Halifax.

At Pier 9c Atlantic Kestrel has been idle since the crane rig Thialf returned to Europe.

Built by Jaya SB+E, Singapore in 2012 Atlantic Kestrel is a powerful tug of 16,000 bhp.

Meanwhile Secunda (parent company is Siem of Kristiansand, Norway) has two vessels laid up at the COVE docks in Dartmouth.

Siem Commander (red hull) dates from 2008 when it was built as Stril Commander. The hull was built by Cemre Altinova, Turkey and completed by Havyard Liervik in Norway. It was transferred from Norway in 2019.

Siem Hanne (blue hull) was completed in 2007 by Aker Yards, Aukra, Norway on a hull started by the Aker Tulcea shipyard in Turkey. It was brought to Canada in 2016.

Secunda Marine also has its Venture Sea idle after its towing contract in Baffin Bay late last month. On its return the ship went directly to Shelburne, NS (for repairs?) and hasn't been back to Halifax since.

The veteran Secunda tug was built in 1998 by Halter Marine Inc in Pascagoula, MS. It is rated at 12,280 bhp.

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Bylgia

A contract to remove the Sable Offshore gas platforms 120 miles off Halifax  was awarded to Heerema Marine Contractors of the Netherlands. To carry out the work they mobilized their gigantic floating crane rig Thialf. The rig sailed from Rotterdam February 27 and made its stately way across the Atlantic, arriving off Halifax April 4.

The tug/supplier Atlantic Kestrel standing by the Thialf off Halifax.

Accompanying the rig is Heerema's large tug Bylgia. Built in 2013 by Astilleros Armon in Vigo, Spain, it has main engines developing in excess of 16,000 bhp and delivering 180 tonnes bollard pull. The 72m x 18m vessel has a large range and can sail from Rotterdam to Cape Town without refueling.

After standing by the rig until today Bylgia put into pier 9B in Halifax.

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Mariner Sea - out, Atlantic Kestrel - in, Maersk Beater-in,

The latest changes in the offshore tug/supplier business have seen a couple of additions and one deletion from the roster of the three main players in the Atlantic region.
Secunda Marine have sold Mariner Sea to as yet undisclosed Nigerian buyers:

Built in Norway in 1979 as a supplier/dive support ship, it carried the names Sulair-89, TNT Puma-90, Toisa Puma-95, Coastal Connector -02 until acquired from Tyco by Secunda late in 2002. It had been been partially converted to a cable ship, with a large deck house:

Soon after arrival in Halifax in January 2003 it was dispatched to the Verreault Navigation shipyard in Les Méchins, QC, and converted back to a supplier, with tankage for fuel, drill water, mud and for deck cargo. It went into service in May 2003 on charter to Encana as a supplier. Its tonnage was then listed at 2,904.:

Since then it has been in and out of Canadian and Barbados registries, and was most recently idle at pier 9.

Meanwhile Maersk Canada, which seems to have become Maersk Eastern Canada (have they got west coast plan?) brought Maersk Beater under Canadian flag in October, and based it in St.John's. It is a very big vessel at 4,363 gross tons, built in 1997 in Norway and is rated at 14,800 kW (approx. 20,000 bhp).I haven't seen the vessel in person, but for photos go to : http://wwwshipshots.blogspot.ca/2012/11/maersk-beater.html

Atlantic Towing has also registered its newest tug/supplier as Atlantic Kestrel on November 27. Built as Jaya Supreme in Singapore, it is also very big, at 6,206 gross tons, and highly sophisticated. It has numerous new and up to date features, including DP2 (dynamic positioning) and ice rated as DNV Ice-1a, meaning it can travel through ice already broken by an ice breaker, and can work near the arctic circle. It has 12,000 kW (about 16,000 bhp) at its disposal and is fitted with a very big anchor handling winch. It also has numerous environmental and crew comfort features, making it "state of the art"- to use a worn out phrase.
To see its launch, and a swarm of tiny little tugs go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McyjCv42u8k
There are lots of other articles and photos on the web as Jaya Supreme, e.g.: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/logistic/jaya-holdings-delivers-jaya-supreme-a-tug-supply-vessel-to-atlantic-towing-limited/