At a christening ceremony at Quebec City on June 29, 2009, Transport Desgagnés Inc. formally introduced their latest two additions to the fleet. These were the Beluga E/F 240 sisterships Sedna Desgagnés and Zelada Desgagnés. These heavy-lift, multi-purpose dry cargo vessels are strengthened for heavy cargoes and equipped to carry containers. Both are classed for worldwide trading and also fitted for work into and out of the Great Lakes.

The motor vessel Zelada Desgagnés (C833381) was built at the Quinshan Shipyard (Wuhan), Hubei, China, as Beluga Freedom. The ship had an overall length of 455 feet, 10 inches, a breadth of 68 feet, 10 inches and a molded depth of 36 feet, 1 inch. Tonnage was calculated at 9,611 gross and 4,260 net registered tons. The ship is equipped with three cargo holds that have tween deck pontoons that can also be used as bulkheads. Each hold is served by one cargo hatch. Two 180 metric ton capacity, electro-hydraulic cranes are mounted on the port side.

The ship was designed for 665 TEU when carrying containers or 12,638 metric tons at a mid-summer draft of 26 feet, 3 inches. There is a total of 524,634 cubic feet of cargo space. Power is supplied by a six-cylinder MAK-6M43 diesel engine that develops 7,345 brake horsepower. The ship is equipped with bow thrusters and electrical power is supplied by three 395 kilowatt generators and a 750 kilowatt shaft generator as well as a 99 kilowatt emergency diesel generator. The vessel was designed for a service speed of 15.5 knots and will consume approximately 23 metric tons of fuel per day under normal full load conditions.

In July 2009, Zelada Desgagnés departed the St. Lawrence for her first summer supply voyage to the Canadian Arctic. All went well until August 31 when the ship went aground near Puvirnituq and suffered bottom damage. After being released, the ship proceeded to Inukjuaq for temporary repairs and then completed the voyage. Drydocking and permanent repairs were carried out at Halifax at the end of the northern trip. The vessel departed the Scotiadock floating drydock at the Halifax shipyard on December 9, 2009, before returning to service.

Adapted with permission from “The Desgagnes Fleet” by Buck Longhurst, Mac Mackay, Skip Gillham