US tugs (yes plural) on the move

US Tug 1

What was expected to be a short stay in Halifax for the tug Genesis Victory (see previous post) turned into a bit of a marathon as weather systems kept wandering through the region making conditions unfavourable, particularly in the Cabot Strait and eastern Gulf of St.Lawrence.
There was also ice in the Sydney Bight (enough to trap the big Marine Atlantic ferry Highlanders for a time) but the northern side of the Strait was blown quite clear.
It was not until Sunday April 9 that calm conditions prevailed and Genesis Victory ex Huron Service got under way for sea, towing its barge GM6506 directly from the Bedford Basin anchorage.

Genesis Victory underway in the Basin early Sunday morning heading for sea. It was very calm, and the barge tracks well, so it was not necessary to push it from the notch while leaving harbour.

 The tug and barge remained at anchor from March 26 until April 1 when they went in to pier 9c for the day - likely for supplies, such as water. It went back to anchor that evening then put in a pilot order for Saturday April 8, but that was cancelled after the pilot was aboard due to late received weather forecast with high winds over night. By Sunday however it was good to go and they headed for the Great Lakes - finally.

Tow line bar taught, the tug glides through the Narrows in near dead calm conditions. Her twin EMDs were purring nicely as she made the bend at Tuft's Cove.

US Tug 2 

It was a much briefer stay for the  traditional US style tug Thomas. It arrived this morning with the barge J.G.Burke and was underway again this evening back to New York.

Built in 1976 as Ocean Voyager by McDermott Shipyards Inc in New Iberia, LA the tug was acquired by Weeks Marine Inc in 1986 and renamed. Powered by a pair of GM EMDs totaling 4,000 bhp it has a tiny bird's nest type conning post atop a spindly mast. it is also fitted with a substantial towing winch and is obviously used for barge work with (count 'em) 27 aircraft type tire fenders, and big bow and stern fenders.  On its last visit to Halifax in October 2008, it had the barge Weeks 246 in tow, and loaded steel bridge fabrications at the Cherubini Metal Works pier in Eisner's Cove. 

There will be more on its tow, the barge J.G.Burke in future posts. The barge was built specifically as a building platform for concrete pier cribs. The cribs will be slipformed in place on the barge, which will then submerge to float them off. Weeks is the parent company of McNally, who will build the six 45m x 20m cribs for the new navy jetty for Arctic Offshore Patrol ships (AOPS). Work on the jetty began last year, but shut down from January until the last week of March.
As a US flag vessel, the Burke has been granted a coasting license, good from March 1 to August 31 of this year to build the cribs (also known as caissons).

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Genesis Victory - bound for the Lakes

With the opening of the St.Lawrence Seaway this week for another season, the tug Genesis Victory out of New York is headed for the Great Lakes again. The tug with its tank barge GM 6506 has been a regular on the Great Lakes, spending most of the summer there and leaving in the fall. Last year it was not until April 19 that it passed up through the Seaway locks leaving again October 22.

Anchored in Bedford Basin, the barge's towing bridle can be seen draped over the bow. The tug tows the barge in the conventional manner when at sea.

The tug was built in 1981 by Halter Marine of Lockport, LA as Eric Candies and was renamed Huron Spirit in 2005 when acquired by Hornbeck Marine.  It was modified with the addition of an elevated wheelhouse and other gear when it was paired with Energy 6506 a 5778 grt/ 4499 dwt tank barge, built in 2007 by Bollinger Fabricators Inc. The tug is a twin screw, powered by GM EMD engines totaling 3,000 bhp.
 

 Genesis Victory is secured in the shallow notch of the barge, using  face wires.

 
Hornbeck sold its fleet to Genesis Marine Co of Houston in 2013, but the tug did not become Genesis Victory until 2015.   The barge was renamed GM 6506. Their Great Lakes work seems to be on Lake Michigan, working out of Whiting, IN.

The tug and barge usually use the Canso Canal to reach the Gulf St.Lawrence, but since that facility will be closed for renovations until May, they may be waiting for better weather before proceeding on their trip around Cape North. An anchorage in Bedford Basin is generally used for stays longer than a day.

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