New Tamarack cement carrier heads for Great Lakes

The new cement carrier Tamarack (IMO: 1037153) left The Netherlands Monday night with an ETA for Montreal on the 18th. She will replace the Sunnanvik, which has been operating on the Great Lakes since April 2024 for Cyprus-based Eureka Shipping, a joint venture with Montreal’s CSL Group.

   Tamarack is registered to Eureka Shipping Co. Canada Ltd., Ottawa, ON.

   Her hull was built at China Shipbuilding’s yard in Nantong, China, and launched in October 2024. Construction was completed at Holland Shipyard Group in the Netherlands.

   The 12,500-ton ship, which measures 403 x 75 feet, features a diesel-electric propulsion system consisting of four generator sets, modern, fuel-efficient engines capable of operating on HVO biofuel and advanced cargo handling equipment to reduce power usage during loading and unloading operations.

   The Tamarack’s design includes two rudder propellers that provide full-circle thrust, improving docking and harbour manoeuvres. The vessel is outfitted with LED lighting and state-of-the-art cargo handling systems that lower overall energy consumption. To reduce operational noise, the ship has been fitted with extensive noise insulation and silencers. Moreover, the vessel is prepared for shore power connectivity, enabling zero-emission operations in ports as infrastructure evolves.

   The new Tamarack marks the return of a historic name to the Great Lakes. The U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender Tamarack (WAGL 248) was built in 1934 for the U.S. Lighthouse Service and later operated by the Coast Guard. It served in Detroit and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, before being transferred to the U.S. Navy during World War II for submarine rescue and training. After the war, it returned to buoy tending before being decommissioned in 1970 and sold off lakes.