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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Atlantic Bear - fourth tug for Halifax, (and other news) - see Update

As ships grow larger and business picks up in Halifax demand for tug services also increases. Halifax Marine Towing Ltd is the only large tug provider in the port. It is a joint venture between Atlantic Towing Limited and Svitzer Canada, with Atlantic Towing providing the tugs since 2010.

It has made do with three tugs up until recently, but in mid 2017 it brought in a fourth tug temporarily, then in December made it a full time arrangement. [see Update at bottom of page]

 Atlantic Bear

The current fourth tug is Atlantic Bear a 5,432 bhp tug built in 2008 by East Isle Shipyard in Georgetown, PE for Atlantic Reyser Ltd. One of three terminal tugs to serve a new LNG import facility near Saint John, NB it was specially built for harsh conditions and work in exposed areas. It has additional fendering and delivers 70 tonnes bollard pull.

With the downturn in LNG imports, the sister tugs Atlantic Beaver and Spitfire III are now assigned to general duties in Saint John and the third tug is not needed there.

The three other tugs in Halifax are Atlantic Oak and Atlantic Fir, of 2004 and 2005, both 5050 bhp, 68 tonnes bollard pull and Atlantic Willow 1998, 4,000 bhp, 50 tonne bollard pull. All have firefighting equipment.

 Atlantic Willow

Other Tug News

*   Atlantic Towing Ltd and Svitzer Canada are also partners in Point Tupper Towing, with Svitzer providing tugs primarily for the NuStar Energy terminal in Point Tupper, but also serving the other port facilities in the Strait of Canso. This year PTT also added a fourth tug. Svitzer Montreal joined the other Svitzer tugs, Point Chebucto, Point Valiant and Svitzer Bedford. The move allowed Point Chebucto to go to Lunenburg for an extended refit (now completed).

*   Interestingly Groupe Océan has stationed Océan Stevns in nearby Port Hawksbury. It arrived in mid-December, shortly before the Canso Canal closed for the season. What plans they may have for a single tug there remain to be seen, but it has apparently found some docking work. The tug was built in 2002 by Industrie Océan in Ile-aux-Coudres as Stevns Ocean and exported to Denmark. It is a 5,000 bhp ocean going tug, and was brought back to Canada in 2013. Update: Océan Stevns has a barge tow for the Caribbean and is waiting out weather to continue south.

Update:
No sooner had I filed this post than Atlantic Towing Ltd sent Atlantic Bear back to Saint John on January 2 and replaced it in Halifax with Atlantic Spruce. This is certainly a step backward in terms of power. It rates at only 4,000 bhp and 50 tonnes bollard pull. Built in 1997, it is the second oldest of the ASD tugs in the Atlantic Towing fleet.

 Atlantic Spruce working in Halifax on a previous occasion. 4,000 bhp tugs no longer perfrom tethered escort service in Halifax, that is now done by the 5,000 bhp tugs.

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Quebec Shakeup [amended]

See addendum at the end of this article

A major shakeup in the Quebec tug scene can be summarized as "Svitzer out / Ocean in".
Svitzer Canada, part of the multi-national tug operator, a subsidiary of the giant AP Moller-Maersk shipping conglomerate has opted to discontinue its short lived four tug Montreal operation, selling most of its local assets to Groupe Océan.


Ocean had been the sole operator in the Port of Montreal since acquiring the former McAllister business. It appears now that loyalty to Océan was strong enough that Svitzer could not gain traction.

Svitzer Montréal refitting in Halifax shortly before taking up station in Montreal in the spring of 2016. The tug was transferred from Svitzer's operation in the Dominican Republic.

When Svitzer moved in last year, it was largely on the basis of having longstanding relationships with Algoma and CSL and of course to service Maersk Lines one weekly container ship. Whether parent company Maersk's financial belt tightening was a factor or not, there apparently was not enough business to sustain the operation.


Svitzer operated its service in Montreal initially with two tugs, which did double duty, by spending the summer in the high arctic at the Baffinland iron port at Milne Inlet, serving the Mary River mine. Océan originally had the Baffinland contract, and built two 8,000 bhp super tugs, Océan Tundra and Océan Taiga especially for the work, which was expected to extend to year round. When the Baffinland project stalled and ArcelorMittal gained control of the project in 2011 Svitzer wound up with the tug contract. The completed Océan Tundra found some work as an escort tug out of Quebec City, but construction of Océan Taiga was slowed down and only completed in 2016 due to a lack of demand for the vessels.

Svitzer Nerthus and Svitzer Njal after fitting out in Halifax, are almost ready to sail for their first season at Milne Inlet.

Svitzer Njal and Svitzer Nerthus were brought back to Canada by Svitzer in 2016, but at 5,000 bhp, they would only be able to work seasonally in the far north (July - October). As ice class tugs however, they are quite suitable for year round work in Montreal. They will be fulfilling the Baffinland contract this summer too, but at the end of the season they will become Océan tugs.

Baffinland had originally planned a year round rail line operating to a port on Steensby Inlet, which would be accessible to larger ships and presumably require larger tugs for year round service. It now seems they will build the rail line to Milne River instead, replacing the present 100km tote road for trucks. This will allow the mine to reach its 12 mn tonnes per year shipping target. They also plan to bring in ships of up to capesize, which will also require larger tugs.

Of the four Montreal based tugs, only Svitzer Cartier was not built by Eastisle Shipyard in Georgetown, PE. The Chinese built tug is the only Voith-Schneider tug in the lot.

Svitzer acquired two more tugs for Quebec work. Svitzer Cartier, a Chinese built V-S tug initially arrived to provide additional tug service for Port-Cartier, where ArcelorMittal has a major iron ore and grain port, and two aging V-S tugs of its own.  Svitzer Cartier apparently did not work out well at Port-Cartier and was transferred to Montreal. Its fate is unknown at this time, but may be acquired by Océan. (see Addendum)


Océan has now also acquired the tug contract for Port-Cartier and will be moving two of its tugs there later in the year, replacing the ArcelorMittal owned tugs Brochu and Vachon. V-S tugs, they were adept at working in the tight confines of Port-Cartier, but Océan has no V-S tugs of comparable power, so it will interesting to know what tugs they will be using. They will have several tugs coming back from Newfoundland now that the Hebron gravity base project is complete.


Earlier this year Océan was awarded the operating contract for the V-S tug Pointe-Comeau, based in Baie-Comeau, and owned by Cargill Grain. The tug was under Svitzer (and previously Eastern Canada Towing) management since it was built in 1977. In fact predecessor copmay Foundation Maritime managed the Cargill owned Foundation Vibert from when it was built in 1961. It became Point Vibert under ECTUG management until replaced by Pointe-Comeau. 


The fourth Montreal tug, Svitzer Montreal (ex Caucedo) at 4500 bhp ASD will be sold to Océan and could be used in any one of several ports served by Océan. Three of the four tugs should be a good fit in the Océan stable, since they were built by Eastisle in Georgetown, PE to the same basic design as eight of Océan's tugs. (see Addendum)


Océan now has a tight lock on all St.Lawrence River ports, as the exclusive tug operator with tugs based in Sept-Iles, Port Cartier, Baie-Comeau, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Sorel and Montreal.

(In 2012 Océan won the Iron Ore Company of Canada contract at Sept-Iles held by Svitzer and predecessors since the 1950s. It also bought ECTUG's two Sept-Iles icebreaking tugs.)

Océan also operates tugs on the Great Lakes to serve Hamilton, Toronto and Oshawa and a small tug in the port of Goderich.


Business prospects for the port of Montreal in particular appear to be on the upswing, as the port shows increased container and tanker traffic. The St.Lawrence River can now accommodate much larger ships. although draft restriction still apply.

Svitzer is now reduced back to three tugs at Point Tupper, NS: Point Chebucto, Point Valiant and Svitzer Bedford. The rather surprising move to Montreal was a bit unusual for Svitzer, a company noted for negotiating long term terminal contracts, rather than speculative ventures into unknown territory.

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Addenda:
 Since posting this blog more information has come to light.
1. Océan is not acquiring Svitzer Montréal The tug is not ice rated (it was built for the Dominican Republic) and thus will be re-assigned by Svitzer.
2. Océan has indeed acquired the Svitzer Cartier and will  be sending it to Ile-aux-Coudres for refit by Industrie Océan. This leads me to assume that it will assigned to Port-Cartier. At 5400 bhp it would certainly provide more power than the two 3600 bhp tugs in place there.
3.Océan will be supporting the Port-Cartier contract with two V-S tugs. Unknown at present what those tugs will be, however:
Océan has one other V-S tug:  Océan A. Simard ex Alexis Simard, 3290 bhp. It has been working on the Hebron project in Newfoundland, and seems a likely candidate for Port-Cartier.
At present Océan Arctique is supplementing the two ArcelorMittal tugs in Port-Cartier and will presumably remain there.

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St.Lawrence Shakeup

Canadian tug owners, although business competitors, have also co-operated with each other from time to time when needed. These more or less amicable arrangements have seemed strained on the St.Lawrence River however. Groupe Océan and Svitzer Canada are now vying for the same work and are ''duking it out'' in several ports. I wouldn't call it a war, but there have been several skirmishes and a couple of battles.

The first, and perhaps most surprising was the battle of Sept-Iles. Océan outbid Svitzer for the Iron Ore Company of Canada contract in Sept-Iles, long the turf of Svitzer, going back through Eastern Canada Towing, and MIL Tug to Foundation Maritime. In the 1950s Foundation stationed tugs in the port as it was developing into the iron ore hub of Canada. The Foundation Victor (1956) and Foundation Valour (1958) were built to work in the port, with their high wheelhouses to see the decks of bulk ore carriers.

Foundation Victor was built to work in Sept-Iles in the summer and Halifax in the winter. From its  high wheelhouse the master had a clear of the the decks of bulk carriers.

The second generation Pointe-aux-Basques (1972) and Pointe-Marguerite (replaced by Pointe-Sept-Iles in 1980) 4300 bhp twin screw tugs with ice breaking bows, were also built for the port.

Pointe-Sept Iles also had a high wheelhouse, even though bulkers had become much larger. It was also ice class as the port had become a year round operation.

It was a major surprise when Océan won the contract away from Svitzer in 2012, but they had already established a presence in Sept-Iles Bay working the other side of the harbour at Pointe-Noire. Océan ended up buying both of Svitzer's Sept-Iles tugs and bringing two Canadian built tugs back from Denmark. A major downturn in iron ore production in Labrador and in Quebec has reduced the shipping in Sept-Iles Bay, but Océan has Océan Arctique and Océan Sept-Iles (ex Pointe-Sept-Iles) stationed there.

Svitzer Cartier was brought in to work at Port Cartier, but its contract was not renewed. It now works in Montreal.

In 2015 Svitzer brought in Svitzer Cartier (ex Svitzer Wombi, Hai Gang 107) a Chinese built 5400 bhp VS tractor to assist ArcelorMittal's two VS tugs in Port-Cartier. That service was short lived, and late last year Océan announced that it had formalized an agreement whereby Océan Arctique would come in from nearby Sept-Iles to assist as needed.

Stevns Arctic about to be re-launched after completion at Halifax Shipyard. The tug worked in Europe until Groupe Océan brought it back to Canada and renamed it Océan Arctique.

ArcelorMittal's Brochu and Vachon - both 1972, 3600bhp VS are ideal for working the tight confines of Port-Cartier, but there is more work there than two tugs can handle thanks to continued iron ore cargo and grain exports. It will be interesting to see if an ASD can cut it in that port.

What really broke the truce, if any, however was Svitzer's combined move into Montreal and Baffin Island.

Montreal had been the turf of McAllister Towing since the 1950s, when the New York based company established a Canadian branch run by Donal McAllister. It consolidated a slightly rag tag operation of old steam tugs when the St.Lawrence Seaway opened also taking in Pyke Salvage of Kingston, ON. When Groupe Océan took over the former McAllistewr operation, and again modernized the fleet, they had the port to themselves.

Océan also had the contract for the Baffinland iron mine project and built the 8,000 bhp super-ice clas tugs Océan Tundra and Océan Taiga for the work. They also built smaller tugs and acquired barges to build the port and provide lighterage services there. However when the project was delayed, ArcelorMittal ended up in control and awarded a new tug contract to Svitzer.

Svitzer Nerthus and Svitzer Njal, both Canadian-built ice class 5,000 bhp ASDs built in 2009 were brought back from Denmark for the seasonal arctic work, then assigned to Montreal in winter. Now joined by Svitzer Cartier and Svitzer Montréal they are eating into Océan's work  Rumours persist that Svitzer may bring in more two tugs for that port.

The latest salvo appeared this month when Océan announced that they had been awarded management of the tug Pointe-Comeau by Cargill Grain Co Ltd in Baie-Comeau. Despite its name, the tug has always been owned by Cargill, but has been managed since it was built in 1977 by Eastern Canada Towing  (which became Svitzer.) Even its predecessor tug Foundation Vibert was built in 1961 for Cargill Grain and was managed by Foundation, then MIL, then ECTUG, even being renamed Point Vibert while under Cargill ownership and ECTUG management.

Purchased by ECTUG and reassigned to Halifax after being replaced by Pointe-Comeau, Point Vibert's skipper had a good view of the lines up to the bulker's deck. It was one of the few twin screw tugs in the fleet, but that feature helped it in the tight confines of Baie-Comeau.

Pointe-Comeau in ECTUG colours, came to Halifax for drydocking in 1998.

Pointe-Comeau has been covered in these pages before, but to repeat, it was built by Marystown Shipyard in Newfoundland in 1977.  A 3600 bhp Voith Schneider tug, it is well suited for the tight confines of Baie-Comeau's aluminum, grain and paper company piers.

Pointe-Comeau now in Svitzer colours has been stationed at Baie-Comeau since built, and has always been owned by the Cargill Grain Co. Ltd.

Now we enter the speculation stage. When RioTintoAlcan replaced its tugs in La Baie with ASDs, their Alexis Simard, a 3290 bhp VS tug, built in 1980 was orphaned. Groupe Océan, which had been providing supplementary tug service in La Baie, took over the tug in 2011 and renamed it Océan A. Simard. They stationed it in Baie-Comeau for a time, going head to head with Pointe-Comeau. That did not pan out, and for the plast few years the tug has been working in Newfoundland on the Hebron Gravity base project. With that project coming to an end, it will again be looking for work.  (As will other Océan tugs)
If there are VS tugs needed in Port Cartier and in Baie-Comeau, it will be interesting to see where Océan A.Simard ends up. 

Océan A. Simard will be re-assigned when its work in Newfoundland is completed.

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Svitzer Montreal takes shape

Crews are hard at work transforming Svitzer Caucedo for service in Montreal. On June 10 Transport Canada registered the tug as Svitzer Montreal.

The old name came off today, and the new one should appear soon.

Work is also underway on chain pads for fendering.

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