Steamer Alpena completes 81st year of service
The longest running vessel in service on the Great Lakes, the steamship Alpena, just completed its 81st overall year of service.
Originally built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works Corporation in 1942 as an iron ore carrier for World War II, its first name was Leon Fraser as part of five sister ships.
“At the end of the day, in the scenario of the Alpena, originally called the Leon Fraser, it was being built as an ore carrier, so that ship and its sister ships, would all have very very similar characteristics and hull design to them,” said Special Collections Librarian Don La Barre.
Built in River Rouge, Michigan, the Leon Fraser launched on February 28, 1942. The ship spent 43 years under the ownership of Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, and after a brief stint with Spitzer Marine Limited, was sold to Inland Lakes Transportation in 1989, where it became a cement carrier.
“It would have been sold over, converted over to them and Inland Lakes Management would be operating the ship itself for the purposes of Lafarge’s demands for cement,” said La Barre.
Since then it has been making cement deliveries all throughout the Great Lakes and docking at Lafarge. It finished up its season on January 21st, and should return to service in just a couple months when the weather gets warmer and it can more easily move through the water.
“It’s had an incredibly long history and an important history from the efforts of WWII, to kind of, you know, like you said before, one of the longest running bulk freighters in the area for 80+ years,” said La Barre.
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Transport Canada invests $22M for improvements for the Welland Canal
Transport Canada announced an investment of up to $22.7 million to support improvements for the Welland Canal under the National Trade Corridors Fund.
“Investing in the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure to improve the quality and the efficiency of our supply chains is crucial to Canada’s economic success and sustainable development. Our government’s investment in the Niagara region will help ensure that the supply chains here in Ontario and throughout our country remain efficient and reliable for future generations,” said Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport.
The $45.3 million project will support the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of three wharves located at the Welland Canal in Port Colborne, Ontario. The project aims to revive these wharves, which are currently out-of-service, to support operations and increase capacity of the trade corridor.
“This announcement brings the world to Port Colborne – a game changer for Niagara. The dynamic resources of the Niagara Region are being rediscovered as we chart our future economic path. New business and new opportunities are being created on once-abandoned lands along the Welland Canal and today our government is taking a bold step in strengthening the Niagara Ports Trade Corridor while also opening the door to an expansion of Niagara’s world class tourism market,” said Vance Badawey, MP for Niagara Centre.
“The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation welcomes this support from the National Trade Corridors Fund. We look forward to working with all partners to bring these wharves back into service with the goal of adding more fluidity to Canada’s supply chain and strengthening our connection to global markets. Once the work is completed, capacity to handle freight will increase by a million tonnes per year and new marine shipping opportunities will be created for Canadian exporters, along with a dock for cruise ships and the possibility of reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” said Terence Bowles, president and CEO, The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.
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M/V BROUWERSGRACHT delivered
M/V BROUWERSGRACHT – the first of two Spliethoff DP2 B-type vessels – has been handed over from Fuzhou Mawei shipyard to Spliethoff Group on 1 February 2023. Sister vessel M/V BLOEMGRACHT will be delivered in about three months’ time.
The Spliethoff DP2 B-type vessels are the next generation offshore supply vessels with a number of versatile characteristics that makes them unique in the market.
These state-of-the-art vessels combine the intake of a multi-purpose vessel with a superior DP2 station keeping ability, making them ideal for supplying large volumes and weights of cargo directly offshore. To obtain fast, safe and efficient loading and discharge of pipes both on and offshore, the vessels are equipped with a removable automated pipe handling gantry crane.
Besides, the vessels are equipped with two Huisman 500 mt Heavy Lift Mast cranes, making them also suitable for heavy lift transportation and offshore installation.
To meet the strict regulations as regards to SOx and NOx emissions, the propulsion and power generation systems are equipped with scrubbers and SCR-systems. This, combined with the fuel-efficient character of the vessels, make them environmentally friendly, fitting well in Spliethoff Group’s continuous drive for greener operations.
With 12,500 mt deadweight, an open top notation, two tween deck levels and some 5,900 m2 of total deck space, the large underdeck intake of a general cargo vessel and the station-keeping capabilities of a supply vessel are combined in these two unrivalled ships.
M/V BROUWERSGRACHT and M/V BLOEMGRACHT are already booked for their first challenging pipe supply and offshore installation jobs until April 2024, giving them the chance to do what they are designed for right from the start.
Both vessels will be technically and commercially operated by Spliethoff Group sister companies Spliethoff and BigLift Shipping, providing customers with engineered and tailor-made solutions in the various project phases.
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