Navibulgar’s newest laker-size vessel Verila makes first visit to the Great Lakes/Seaway
MONTREAL, QC – Arriving in Montreal early on August 24 was the saltwater visitor Verila (IMO 9905734), built in 2022 in China for the Navigation Maritime Bulgare or Navibulgar fleet of Bulgaria.
Verila is on its first trip to the Great Lakes/Seaway, and before arriving in Montreal, the ship delivered cargo to Trois Rivieres, QC, arriving there on August 21 and departing on August 23. It is next headed to Hamilton next to unload steel and was expected to arrive sometime on August 25.
Verila is also one of eight new laker-sized vessels built in China for Navibulgar since 2021. The first two ships of the series, each built in 2021, are the Bogdan IMO 9905710 and Kom IMO 9905708. Perelik IMO 9905722 was built in 2022. Each of the three vessels are 189.98 meters in length and about 23.800 meters in width. The three are replacing older ships in the fleet that once held the names Bogdan, Kom and Perelik, all of which since have been sold. The newer Bogdan, Kom and Perelik have also all made visits and appearances in the Great Lakes/Seaway system.
In addition to Verila, a sistership, Vezhen IMO 9937270 is also expected to make a first inland visit sometime later this year. Vezhen was built in 2022. Three more laker-sized vessels for the Navibulgar fleet are all being built in China, with one of them expected to be delivered in 2022, while two others are due in 2023.
Denny Dushane
Another new cruise ship to make its Great Lakes debut with more due in September
MONTREAL, QC – Another new cruise ship will soon be making its debut cruising the Great Lakes this season. Expected to arrive in Montreal around August 24Le Dumont d’Urville IMO 9814052, built in 2019. She is 131.5 meters in length and has a beam of 18 meters wide. The Le Dumont d’Urville is registered in France and is also a twin is to another French passenger vessel, Le Champlain IMO 9814038, which first visited the Great Lakes/Seaway in 2019. Le Champlain is also expected to return to the Great Lakes/Seaway for cruising sometime in September.
Additinally, another new Frenchcruise ship, Le Bellot IMO 9852418, will also be making its first visit sometime in September. The Le Bellot is also a twin to the Le Dumont d’Urville and the Le Champlain. Le Bellot was built in 2020.
Thus far, there have been five foreign-flagged cruise ships that have made appearances cruising the Great Lakes this year. They are the Viking Octantis IMO 9863194 of Norway and the largest of them, along with the Ocean Navigator IMO 9213131 formerly the Victory II and her sistership the Ocean Voyager IMO 9213129 formerly the Victory I.
Ocean Explorer IMO 9883194, built in 2021, made its first visit on the Great Lakes earlier in 2022 and is expected back again sometime later in September. It is registered in the Bahamas as well. Pearl Mist IMO 9412701 and registered in the Marshall Islands returned to the Great Lakes for cruising this year after having last visited in 2019
Finally, the Hamburg IMO 9138329, built in 1997 as the c. Columbus and registered in the Bahamas, is also expected to return sometime in September.
Denny Dushane
OBITUARY: Boatnerd volunteer George Wharton
George Wharton of Strathroy, Ontario, age 70, passed away August 25 after a long battle with COVID-19. He was a former member of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit Board of Directors and was an early supporter of boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/, writing many of the vessel histories for the site. He also enjoyed compiling vessel engine data for the book Know Your Ships. He was a retired over-the-road tractor trailer driver, a former transportation analyst at 3M and studied social sciences at The University of Western Ontario. He is survived by his wife Darlene. Funeral services will be private.
