Big Tug, Big Tow

The 15,500 bhp tug Avalon Sea got underway this afternoon towing the barge BOA Barge 37. The tug was built in 2016 by Remontowna Gdanska in Poland and is equipped for a variety of tasks including anchor handling, ice management and standby.

At first the tug, towing the semi-submersible barge BOA Barge 37, headed from its Pier 9C berth to Bedford Basin where there was more room to turn.

With assistance from Atlantic Fir (stern) Atlantic Willow ( starboard quarter) and Atlantic Oak the tow was turned in about 40 acres or less.

The tow was then straightened out for passage under the MacKay bridge.

Destination is Mulgrave, NS where the barge will be used to carry a new crane to Argentia, NL where it will be stored until next year for installation on the Hibernia gravity base oil production and storage centre. The crane was to have been installed this year by the crane ship Thialf but time ran out for a variety of reasons, including COVID-19.

Boa Bison en route Halifax

The "monster" tug Boa Bison sailed from Rotterdam April 3 bound for Halifax. It has in tow the semi-submersible Boa Barge 37 .

The 7,328 grt anchor handling tug / supplier was built in 2014 and its two Wartsila main engines develop 26,969 bhp giving a 275 tonne bollard pull. Used mainly in the North Sea oil patch, the tug has been laid up for two years for lack of activity in that sector. It has been recommissioned for this tow, but it is unknown where it will go after reaching Halifax about April 17.
 

The 15,185 grt, 29,500 dwt heavy lift semi-sub barge will be delivered to Halifax Shipyard and the Royal Canadian Navy for a four year contract to float out the new Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels under construction in Halifax, and as a general purpose drydock.

Specifications and drawings of both tug and barge are available on Boa's web site:  http://www.boa.no

 Thanks to pilot Hans Hoffman for supplying these photos, taken after he disembarked from the tug off Rotterdam.

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