Veterans soldier on

 A couple of veteran tugs are hard at work in Halifax these days despite their great age and hard use. Both are small boats used for dredging and marine construction, and are forever shoving and towing scows.

Oshawa is the older of the two, built in 1969 at Whitby, ON by first owners McNamara Construction. I have taken scores of pictures of this tug going back over the years, in fact back to 1983 when I saw it first.

Pulling the dredge Harold M and an unidentified scow after a day's work.

Aside from a few label changes for ownership, the tug has changed very little from its days working first for McNamara, then Cartier (in the photo) and now McNally.

Doing essentially the same thing this afternoon, nudging an aged scow.

A "cousin" tug, also built by McNamara, but in 1978 is named for the company's home port. Whitby has also recently arrived in Halifax and is also working with scows.

These boats have a lot of life left in them, so should be going strong for many years to come.

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The Narrows - the place to be

For a short stretch of time this morning [ 9:47 -10:21 AST], the Narrows was the place to be to see some tug and workboat activity.

Siem Commander arrived to tie up at pier 9C south.

Since joining Secunda Marine from parent Siem in July, the boat has been kept busy replacing Trinity Sea on Secunda's Exxon Mobil contract. That work involves decommissioning the Sable Offshore Energy Project gas installations. The seven platforms will all be removed and the 22 wells capped by the end of next year.

Dominion Diving's general duty workboat Halmar was returning from Bedford Basin after delivering a pilot to the anchored bulk carrier Salarium. The self-unloader was moving to National Gypsum on departure of the Algoma Verity [see Shipfax].

Also returning from the Basin, the Dockyard tug Glenside completed a security patrol to Birch Cove. Although the research barge is not there now, a flat deck barge has been moored in its position, and requires periodic checking.

Glenside is showing some rust on her strongback / stern rail from some recent towing work.

The tug Mister Joe returned from pier 42 with the split hull hopper barge Pitts No.12 after delivering another load of ballast rock.

J.F.Whalen came out to assist the barge alongside as the outbound Algoma Verity was fast approaching the Narrows.

McNally's work on extending pier 42 southward is nearing completion with the cribs almost completely ballasted. The Port has also let the contract for the cope walls, and McNally is beginning to pack up some of its plant.

The tug Whitby has been loaded aboard the crane barge Idus Atwell both of which were brought in from the Great Lakes last spring for this project.

Although it is a research vessel, the CCGS M.Perley is certainly a workboat. Built by Meridien Maritime Reparation Inc in Matane, QC in 2012, the 210 grt vessel is used for nearshore fisheries research and usually lays up for the winter at the BIO in Dartmouth.

The vessel's specs are outlined at: https://inter-j01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fdat/vessels/vessel-details/120

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New Tugs in Town

With construction of the southend container pier extension moving into the second phase, McNally International Inc has mobilized additional plant for the work.

Phase 1 dredging started in January and was completed by May 22. The crane barge Derrick No.4 conducted the dredging using the dump scows S.11 and S.12. The tug Mister Joe was on hand for the start of the work, and the smaller tugs Oshawa and J.F. Whelan carried through.

There is now the rock mattress to place, using the dump scows to transfer the material from pier 9C to pier 42.

The second phase is to build concrete caissons that will form the base of the new pier. McNally has brought in two more barges, the Idus Atwell, equipped with a crane and the semi-submersible barge Beaver Neptune as a construction platform for the caissons. There have also been numerous sectional scow components of the Argonyn class. McNally has ten of these 50 ft x 9 ft truckable units that can be linked together in various configurations to form a single floating platform.

The barge Idus Atwell had to be towed from Point Anne, ON (near Belleville) to Halifax, a ten day trip assigned to to  the veteran tug Sandra Mary. Built in 1962 as hull number 1205 by Russel Brothers in Owen Sound, ON, its original name was Flo Cooper when it was built for C.A.Pitts Construction. McNally acquired and renamed the 900 bhp tug in 2000. In 1993 its registration was transferred to Charlottetown, PE when it was working on the Confederation Bridge project.

Russel Brother's "Steelcraft" trade name appears on the original builder's plate still in place aboard Sandra Mary

It is similar in design to another McNally tug, Mister Joe built in 1964. The latter was re-assigned from Phase 1 work earlier this spring and is no longer in Halifax. In fact AIS signals say that it is in Lake Champlain. This I find hard to believe, so will await other reports.

After arriving in Halifax May 18, Sandra Mary sailed on May 25 for Point Tupper, presumably towing Oshawa and returned with the Beaver Neptune and the tug Whitby. Built in 1978 at the port of the same name by original owners McNamara Construction, it is rated at 475 bhp.

Sandra Mary and Whitby tied up at pier 9 between assignments.

All of these tugs have worked in Halifax on many projects over the years, and it is always interesting to see them again.

Idus Atwell set up just off the end of pier 42 for placement of the rock mattress.

 (McNally built the extension in 2013.)

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Taking a break

 Whitby is finished for the day and returns to base.

Tugfax also will be taking a break for the next ten days or so to attend ITS 2016. 

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Whitby takes a break, and gives a history lesson

The hardworking tug Whitby is taking a break from its labours, this time at pier 9A. Usually when the McNally Marine tug is idle it has moored in Turple's Cove (just south of the MacKay bridge, next to BIO) with its scows.

A jaunty little 475 bhp tug, built in 1978, it is tied up to the crane barge Derrick No.4 with two dump scows Pitts No.1 and Pitts No.2.

The ratchet technology that raises and lowers the bottom dumping doors on Pitts No.1 is as old as the hills, but still gets the job done.

The assortment of names used by the McNally Marine fleet gives a floating history of the Canadian dredging and marine construction business.

A huge price fixing scandal in the 1970s saw several of the old line companies liquidated to pay hefty fines. Many of their officers were convicted of conspiracy and  sentenced to jail. And new jurisprudence was made when it was determined that company officers can be the "directing mind" behind the corporation which can also be found responsible for his actions.

The dredging and construction equipment was scattered about and picked up by others and eventually found its way to McNally (which was not involved in the collusion racket.)

Whitby, ON was the home base of McNamara Construction. A major player in the scandal, it was re-organized after the convictions as McNamara Corporation of Newfoundland, the first listed owners of the tug of the same name. Whitby afterwards passed through former McNamara subsidiary and successor company Cartier Construction Inc. before McNally bought them out.

 
C.A.Pitts and his company Pitts International Inc were also implicated in the scandal, and had a large fleet. They were the owners of the dump scows Pitts No.1 and Pitts No.2, both built in 1962 by Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd in Kingston, ON. McNally eventually acquired both scows when they acquired Pitts.

Derrick No.4 was built in 1963 by Marine Industries Ltd of Sorel, one of the firms in volved in the price fixing and kickback scheme through their ownership of J.P.Porter + Company and its subsidiary Richelieu Dredging. The first owner of the crane barge was likely Marine Industries Ltd, who named it C-304, but it passed on to Dufresne Construction in 1966 becoming their M-28. In 1972 Canadian Dredge and Dock Co Ltd purchased the barge and the next year renamed it Derrick No.4 .  CD+D was eventually acquired by McNally.

The only McNally acquisition not represented in this photo is Beaver Marine, but the company also has remnants of that company's plant in its fleet too.

For more on the dredging business stay tuned to Shipfax over the next few days.

nb 1960s era ads from trade publications Canadain Ports and Shipping Directory and Canadian Ports and Seaway Directory

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Whitby to the rescue

When the ferry Princess of Acadia lost power on November 7, it was making its approach to the Digby, NS terminal and ran aground by the stern, not far away. The ship regained power and was able to berth at the dock two hours later. After several days of diver surveys, investigation and perhaps repairs, the ship was able to sail again on November 10.
Nowhere in the media coverage I saw, was the name of the tug Whitby mentioned, but it was on the scene and appeared in several media photos, alongside the ship's stern as it finally reached the dock. Normally the nearest tug to Digby is in Saint John, NB - several hours steaming time away.
Granted Whitby is not powerful, (474 bhp) if it figured in the "ungrounding" or was used as a precaution while the ship finally reached its berth I do not know, but its presence was fortuitous. Its owners, McNally Construction Ltd are finishing up work at the Digby terminal and it was only by chance that the tug was in the neighbourhood.
Built in 1978 for McNamara Construction, the tug worked in Halifax on the Halterm extension in 2010-2011 and left Halifax for Digby aboard the Canadian Argosy March ,11, 2013..

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Sandra Mary - will try again

1. Engine humming at full speed, Sandra Mary pulls the Canadian Argosy past the Tall Ships Quay this morning.

Sandra Mary set out this morning for Digby towing the big derrick scow Canadian Argosy. However when they got outside conditions were too severe to make headway and they returned to port.
Owners McNally Construction, have been trying to get the rig to Digby for a week now, but conditions have just been too rough. High seas and headwinds would make progress nil, not to mention risking damage to the derrick and gear.
They may try again tomorrow.

2. Sandra Mary is a product of the famed Russel Bros shipyard in Owen Sound, ON, and is a proper little tug of traditional design.

3. The tug is fitted with a towing winch and has cutaway rails at the stern.

4. The tug/workboat Whitby is cradled on the deck and secured with braces for the sea trip.

5. The flotilla returns to pier 9 this afternoon.

Changing of the Guard at pier 9 C

As work at pier 9c shifts from dredging to pier construction, there was a change of contractors and tugs were at work.
Harbour Development Ltd completed the dredging April 30 and their Atlantic Tamarack shifted all the scows and dredge from pier 9c to pier 7. (See also Shipfax) In order to get all the craft sorted out in the right order, Tamarack moved Swellmaster out of the way them back into place. Atlantic Tamarack has been handling most of the dredging scow work, although Swellmaster did some of the early work.Now that their part of the contract has been completed, the tugs and plant will be doing maintenance until the next jobs come along. Most dredging is done in the late summer and fall because spring run off (freshet) is continuing to deposit silt in places such as Saint John.

1. Atlantic Tamarack goes about its business while Atlantic Willow stands by for the ferry Highlanders to leave drydock.

2. Tamarack had to move Swellmaster twice to get all the plant arranged at pier 7.

On May 1 McNally Construction Inc took over the site and Mister Joe arrived with the tug Whitby and pile driving scow Derrick No.3 Ever on the move, Mister Joe returned almost immediately to Port Hawksbury, leaving Whitby here. McNallly's Carl M. has been here all winter and idle at pier 9 with other plant that was working on the pier c contract.



3. Mister Joe arrives on May 1 with Derrick No.3 on the hip. Whitby is hidden behind the scow.

4. Mister Joe departs light tug for Port Hawksbury.

Mister Joe, Beaver Kay and Whitby - oldies but goodies

1. Mister Joe gets underway from pier 9 towing Beaver Kay.

2. On deck is Whitby, much in need of hull cleaning.

3. The barge is on a short tow line until clear of the harbour.

4. Beaver Kay was built as YD 251 a steam derrick for the naval dockyard. What looks like a gun tub as the top of the derrick was a fire monitor. Photo October 10, 1995 at pier 35.

After a hard summer's work the various dredging and marine construction fleets are getting ready to go into the barn for the winter.

This morning the tug Mister Joe sailed form Halifax towing the Beaver Kay with Whitby on deck. Yesterday a crane was offloaded from the Beaver Kay and positioned on the new pier C extension at Halterm where it will continue the work from the land side. Whitby was also working steadily on the pier C project, but will not be needed now.

These vessels all belong to McNally Construction Inc, which, since July is a wholly owned subsidiary of Weeks Marine, Inc of Cranford, New Jersey.

Mister Joe started life as the Churchill River in 1964 at Russel-Hipwell Engines in Owen Sound ON. Built for the Hudson Bay Company it worked for them in the far north until sold to work on the Hibernia project. It moved to Beaver Marine in 1997 and was renamed when Beaver was integrated into McNally. It is a twin screw tug of 750 bhp.

Whitby was built in 1978 by and for McNamara Construction. McNally took over that operation and the tug has worked all over eastern Canada. It is also twin screw with 474 bhp.

The senior citizen in the bunch is Beaver Kay. Built in 1953 by Geo. T. Davie & Sons Ltd in Lauzon, QC, it was the steam crane YD 251 and worked in the HMC Dockyard in Halifax until 1995. Beaver marine acquired it in that year and removed the crane derrick and all the steam machinery, leaving a small portion of the deck house. It was registered for the first time in Halifax December 17, 1996 and named Beaver Kay. It is a very wide (115 feet long x 60 feet wide) and stable hull, and makes a good working platform for some very big cranes for dredging, pile driving and other work.

The little flotilla is headed for Point Tupper where McNally has its maintenance base. Whitby needs a good shave and a haircut, and there is work to do on Beaver Kay too. Mister Joe usually keeps running until December.

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More small tug work

1. Carl M. works with the spud scow Canadian Argosy.

2. Whitby follows.

No big tug news to report at the moment, but the small tugs are keeping busy in Halifax. McNally Marine's Carl M. and fleet mate Whitby continue to attend construction scows at the Halterm extension project.

Both tugs trace there existance to McNamara Construction, long defunct, builders of the orginal Halterm container terminal IN 1969-70.

Carl M. was built in 1957 by Russel-Hipwell in Owen Sound, ON as Louis M. She was renamed in 1975, and rates 465 bhp.

Whitby dates from 1978 and has 474 horses at her command. She was built by McNamara's own forces in her namesake port.

Both tugs are truckable, and their wheelhouses are removable.

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Little Tug, Big Tow

Whitby tows the dredge Canadian Argosy northbound this morning. The tug Carl M is on the other side and will provide assistance to get alongside at pier 9.

During the past week the Liebherr dredging crane was offloaded at the ramp at pier 36 and this Bermingham pile driving crane was driven on. They will continue working at the Halterm, pier C extension.

Tugs at Rest

Sunday morning saw the tugs Whitby and Carl M at pier 24 with the dredge Canadian Argosy and the dump scow FDJV 2. A big blow the night before had called a halt to dredging operations off the Halterm container pier, and so it was a day for rest and repairs.

The two tugs are in 24 hour a day operation moving the dredge from position to position and taking the scow to the dump site. Whitby is the more powerful tug and it does most of the heavy work while Carl M shifts the empty scow, runs back and forth to shore and assists in dredge moves.

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It's back to work we go

Yesterday's storm called a temporary halt to dredging off Halterm. But this morning it was back to work for the tug Whitby towing the dredge Canadian Argosy back to the work site. They took overnight refuge at McNally Construction's base at pier 9. Winter dredging is possible in Halifax where the harbour never freezes over. Despite sometimes cold air temperatures and bone chilling wind, the work goes on.

McNally brings in reinforcements

1. S-12, FDJV3, Canadian Argosy, Whitby and Beaver Delta II at pier 9C, Sunday afternoon.

2. Carl M. on a the dredge scow, whose official name is VM/S 87.

3. Whitby swings around Mister Joe, Saturday morning.

4. Whitby secures a fender with Beaver Kay and Beaver Spartan in the background.

McNally Construction has brought in more equipment for the Halterm extension project. They now have another small tug, Carl M. and the dredge scow VM/S 87, to assist in the work. These were towed from Sorel via the Strait of Canso by the tug Mister Joe, arriving Halifax December 9. A crane will be loaded aboard VM/S 87 next week. (The barge owes its name to the Voie Maritime St-Laurent, a.k.a. the St.Lawrence Seaway, for which it was built as S.L.S. 87 in 1958 at Collingwood, ON.) Carl M. dates back to 1957 when it was built as Louis M. A single screw tug of 465 bhp, it acquired its present name in 1975. The M stood for McNamara, the original owners. It was built by Russel-Hipwell in Owen Sound.

On Saturday, to make room for the arrival of another ship, the barges were moved at pier 9 by Whitby, which has been tending the dredge Canadian Argosy. The scows Beaver Kay and Beaver Spartan were moved north, with Mister Joe moved as a dead ship to the outside of the fleet. VM/S 87 and the dredge Harold M. were moved south. The latter will also have a crane moved aboard next week.

Whitby returned to the Halterm site after these moves and later on Saturday night moved Canadian Argosy and the dump scows S-12 and FDJV3 to pier 9C to shelter from Monday's coming storm.The tug Beaver Delta II assisted in this move, but it will be lifted out next week and replaced by Carl M.

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McNally activity at Halterm

1. Canadian Argosy at work off Halterm.

2. Beaver Delta II (left) sports a new coat of paint.

3. Whitby makes a shore run.

Dredging activity off the Halterm container pier continues, night and day. The tugs Beaver Delta II and Whitby are attending the dredge Canadian Argosy. Whitby is doing most of the work, moving the dump scows to the dump site, and Beaver Delta II assists in moving the dredge and running back and forth to shore and swapping empty scows.

The excellent weather over the past week end allowed for a little painting on Delta II so she now looks quite respectable.

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