Damens for Strait of Canso

There is more information now on the three new tugs to be based in Point Tupper, NS on the Strait of Canso. An announcement was made last November that there would be new tugs, https://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2024/11/three-green-tugs-for-strait.html but some of the details have changed so perhaps a new deal, has been reached with new players.

Tug services on the Strait of Canso were originally provided by Smit+Cory International to berth VLCCs at the Gulf Oil facility there and the refinery in Come-by-Chance Newfoundland. Smit+Cory then established Eastern Canada Towing Ltd (ECTUG) and took over tug operations in Baie-Comeu and Sept-Iles, Quebec, and in Halifax that had been operated by Foundation Maritime, and later by it successor MIL Tug. 

Atlantic Towing Ltd, an arm of J.D.Irving Ltd of Saint John, NB won the contract for tug services at Point Tupper with Nu-Star, operators of what had become an oil storage facility. Tugs also served the several other industries in the Strait of Canso area and the Port of Sydney.

The Smit+Cory parent company evolved over time and eventually ECTUG was taken over by Svitzer, a tug operating arm of Maersk. Svitzer Canada then did a deal with Atlantic Towing Ltd (ATL) to form a Joint Venture, with ATL operating tugs in Halifax and Svitzer in Point Tupper.

 The most recent change had the Point Tupper oil facility become Everwind with plans to build green hydogen and ammonia fuel production operations.

In November the announcement stated that existing tugs might be converted to alternate fuel, but as I suggested this did not seem to make sense due to their age. Now an Everwind press release states quite clearly that the three existing tugs Point Chebucto 1992:4000 bhp, Svitzer Montreal 2004: 5072 bhp and Svitzer Bedford 2005: 4895 bhp )all owned by Svitzer) will be replaced by three new Damen built tugs to be delivered this year. The Dutch company Damen, builds tugs to standard designs and sells from stock or custom outfits to owner's needs. Most of its tugs now come from their shipyard in Vietnam, but some work may be done in the Netherlands. (Damen builds other ships also and has 50 shipyards and related companies world wide).

One of the new tugs will be a Damen type 3212 (32m long) of 80 tonnes Bollard Pull, and the other two will be Damen type 2513 (25m long) of 65 tonnes bollard pull.  A price tag of $50 mn has been quoted.

Operation of the tugs will be by what Everwind describes as a "owned locally" company named Point Tupper Marine Services. It appears then that once the current JV contract with Svitzer and ATL expires in August it will not be renewed and the new company will take over with the new tugs.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the three current tugs as Svitzer has no other operations in Canada to absorb them. One or two other tug operators in Eastern Canada might be potential purchasers. 

 The Point Chebucto ready to launch by Halifax-Dartmouth Industries Ltd. (The Halifax Shipyard was under lease to J.D. Irving Ltd at the time and would bought in 1994.)

 In 1994 Svitzer was "de-merged" from A.P.Møller-Maersk and listed as its own entity, Svitzer Group A/S, on the Nasdaq Copenhagen stock exchange. Maersk also sold its Maerk Supply ship company and its oil field interests. The A.P.Møller family trusts may have purchased shares in the new Svitzer Group, as an investment, but with no connection to A.P.Møller-Maersk.

 Svitzer remains the world's largest tug company with 446 vessels in 143 ports.  

Caucedo,in Halifax fore trials.

Svitzer Montreal was built by East Isle Shipyard in Georgetown, PE as Caucedo for owners in the Dominican Republic. It was acquired by Svitzer and renamed Svitzer Caucedo in 2018 and Svitzer Montreal the same year. After Svitzer's unsuccesful effort to break into the Montreal harbour towing market, it was refitted in Halifax then sent to the Strait of Canso.

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Three Green Tugs for the Strait

Canada's Federal Government announced on October 26 a $22.5 million funding package for the Everwind Fuels green hydrogen project in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia. Included along with terminal upgrades, fuel loading arms and pipelines to handle ammonia, the investment includes three tugs.

Press releases indicate that Svitzer will "buy" three tugs.

Previous reports in September stated that Svitzer had committed to procuring or retrofitting one tug to use ammonia fuel. It would be the world's first tug to use green hydrogen derived ammonia fuel.  

Today's announcement does not contain enough money to "buy" three new tugs along with all the other work proposed at Everwind. It also seems unlikely that the current three tugs at Point Tupper could or would be retrofitted. In view of their age it would not seem to be a sensible investment. Therefore Svitzer will likely be financing the construction of new tugs and amortize the cost over the term of a new contract.

According to my records Svitzer has until August 2025 left on the present contract with Everwind, so I assume that the current tugs will be replaced as part of a new contract. Point Chebucto (4100bhp, 61 tonne BP) dates from 1993, Svitzer Montreal (5072 bhp, 66 tonne BP) from 2004 and Svitzer Bedford (4895 bhp ca.60 tonne BP) from 2005. That is not particularly long in the tooth for tugs, but they are to the low end of current power standards.

Tugs are in much demand these days and shipyards are busy, so it is unlikely that any of the major tug builders can come up with three ammonia fueled ice class tugs in less than a year. I assume the contract will thus be extended for at least another five years beyond August 2025.

Svitzer and its predecessor, Eastern Canada Towing Ltd has provided tug services in Point Tupper, NS under the title of Point Tupper Towing. The company is a partnership with Atlantic Towing Ltd (ATL) with Svitzer providing the tugs and their management and operation. They also send tugs to Sydney, NS and Sheet Harour as needed.

A similar joint venture called Halifax Marine Towing has ATL providing tugs and their managment in the port of Halifax. The companies also co-operate on tug services in Sheet Harbour, NS providing a tug from either Halifax or Point Tupper depending on availability but only when needed. Recently ATL's Atlantic Willow and Svitzer's Point Chebucto provided ship assist in Sydney when an offshore power module as offloaded from a heavy cargo ship to a crane ship.

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Call out for Wijsmuller tug

A group in Ijmuiden, Netherlands is looking for an old Wijsmuller tug to restore. They want to bring it back to Ijmuiden to pay tribute to the famous tugboat company. They have their aim set on four potential tugs in various parts of the world, all in dubious condition at this point. However based on the experience with other old Dutch tugs that have been restored, they may be on to a good thing.

We did not see many Wijsmuller tugs in Halifax, but in the fall of 1978 and again in 1980, Bureau Wijsmuller, as it was known then, based a tug in Halifax on standby for salvage work. They used the old Purdy's Wharf as their salvage station, but I don't think they got any business and the Wijsmuller logo was not seen in Halifax again until 2000.

Jacob van Heemskerk was stationed here in 1978. Built in 1964 it was a single screw (with nozzle) tug of 3550 bhp. It was sold to the Philippines in 1981, renamed Hurricane II and broken up in Manila in 1995.

 The slightly smaller Noord-Holland was stationed here in the autumn of 1980. Built in 1965 as a single screw tug of 2950 bhp, it was re-engined in 1970, had a nozzle added in 1971 and re-engined again in 1975 to 4200 bhp. It was sold in 1984 becoming Sierra and in 1989 it was sold again and renamed Asetec. It was sold at auction in 2001 and a rather cryptic note in Lloyd's 2013 says "whereabouts unknown."

On January 14, 2000 Wijsmuller stunned the tug world by buying the Cory Towage Group from Ocean Group plc, and thus Eastern Canada Towing (ECTUG) became a Wijsmuller company. The tugs were gradually repainted, with white superstructure, red visor, blue funnel with white stripe and black cap, blue mast and trim and  the "global link" logo prominently displayed.

By summer 2000 Point Chebucto was repainted except for the winch. Two Wijsmuller logos appeared on the bridge front.

Point Halifax in full Wijsmuller colours.

Point Valiant's winch remained in black paint.

Pointe Sept-Iles had its line reels painted blue, and a section of deck painted blue aft.

It was well into the year 2000 by the time this scheme was completed on most of the ECTUG fleet. In fact the smaller tugs were not completely repainted when in 2001 Svitzer, in another stunning move, swallowed Wijsmuller and the repainting started again!. First to go was the Wijsmuller logo, and the Svitzer cross appeared on the white stripe of the funnels, but it took a long time to completely repaint the tugs again.

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Busy in Halifax

This afternoon Point Chebucto comes alongside Zim Istanbul, stern first, to make up for berthing the ship at Halterm. The pilot wanted the tug as far aft as possible, but did not want the tug's stern to fall under the ship's cutaway.

The port was very busy and windy this morning. With only four tugs available, Svitzer and Atlantic Towing were kept busy from about 0630 to 1130. Here Point Chebucto returns to base after spending all morning berthing ships.

Atlantic Fir and Point Chebucto had just berthed the Undine at Autoport. It was the third and fourth berthing for each tug (respectively) for the morning. Atlantic Larch and Point Valiant had just unberthed the tanker North Point, which was the third and fourth jobs for each of them as well.