The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Atlantic Huron arrives at scrap yard
On Monday morning, the Canada Steamship Lines’ Atlantic Huron arrived in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia, under her own power, where she will be scrapped.
Sheet Harbour is emerging as a center for responsible ship recycling in Canada, with local company R.J. MacIsaac Construction handling the dismantling of vessels like the former CCGS Hudson, MV Holiday Island, and Deep Panuke PFC, focusing on safe, environmentally compliant practices that maximize local economic impact and follow international standards for hazardous material management, setting a new example for the industry.
James R. Barker is first winter arrival at Sturgeon Bay
James R. Barker is first vessel to arrive for winter layup at Sturgeon Bay, WI. Tugs Jimmy L and Donald Sarter assisted her with the spin at Sherwood Point (the big boats need to turn around and back into the yard, six miles).
Rosann Hollinger
Seaway update: Upbound traffic resumes at Beauharnois Lock
After several days of delays caused by heavy ice and one-way downbound traffic, upbound movement has finally resumed at the Beauharnois Locks.
Tanker Algonova was first to make the passage, now en route to Sarnia. Following closely behind, tug Wilf Seymour and barge Alouette Spirit also underway, heading upbound to Hamilton.
With freezing conditions causing repeated issues in the lock chambers and requiring slow, staggered transits for downbound vessels, this progress marks a significant shift in momentum.
The Seaway will now close Jan. 8.
[Janey Anderson]
Big CCGS icebreaker Vincent Massey on her way to Lake Superior
The Canadian Coast Guard medium icebreaker Vincent Massey is headed to Thunder Bay, ON, after a working to free vessels from ice in the St. Lawrence Seaway the past few weeks.
Sunday evening she was stopped, perhaps for the night, above Port Huron. Monday found her at Sarnia, moored next to Samuel Risley.
The CCGS Vincent Massey is a 274’-long Canadian Coast Guard medium icebreaker, an Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel, acquired as part of a program to supplement the fleet while new ships are built. It provides icebreaking, search and rescue, and environmental response in Eastern Canada. Originally built as the Tor Viking, she entered Canadian service in 2022/2023 and is based in Québec City.
Vincent Massey has four medium-speed diesel engines geared to two controllable pitch propellers in nozzles. She has two eight-cylinder MaK 8M32 and two six-cylinder MaK 6M32 diesel engines rated at 3,840 kW (5,150 hp) and 2,880 kW (3,860 hp) each. With a total propulsion power of 13,440 kW (18,020 hp), she can achieve a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) in open water and break 1-metre (3.3 ft) ice at a continuous speed of 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph). In addition, she has two bow thrusters (one fixed, one retractable and azimuthing) and one transverse stern thruster for maneuvering and dynamic positioning.
