American Fortitude

[dwrozeboom]

On Environment Canada website you can see that they have ice more than 20 cm/8 in thick in the St Lawrence river by Quebec City.
There are many lay up berths in Montreal but the port website is updated every day showing it is expected at section 52 (not a layup berth). So someone is still expecting that it will go father than Montreal this year.

[amateur operater]

Jarrett M is nearing CIP Midlake, at 1800, heading for Hamilton.

[Wawatam]

AIS shows that the Jarrett M has left Sainte-Catherine and is heading to Hamilton.

Is the Fortitude still tied up near the St. Catherine lock?

Does anyone know?

[Guest]

It is very strange to have a ship destined for scrap to leave the lakes at this time of the year. Is this the latest this has ever been attempted?

[Wawatam]

Transport Canada has placed the whole adventure under arrest, there are issues with the McKeil tugs as well as apparently 50 tons of bunker still on-board the Fortitude, that will have to be removed before the journey to Brownsville can proceed.

In the meantime, Eileen MacAllister, has given-up and moved-on to other business. Ice is forming in the river, I would expect either a spring tow out or back up to port Colborne but it is my opinion that they will not go beyond Montreal this year.

Bruno's assessment appears to be right on.
AIS still shows the tug Jarrett M, stopped near the Cote St Catherine lock. I assume the Fortitude is still with her. I've got to believe that Transport Canada doesn't want another repeat of the Canadian Miner fiasco and the tow will be postponed.

Does anyone have any new info on the status of the tow?

[cpfan]

I see the tug Evans McKeil is in Hamilton, Is the American Fortitude there also?

I believe that the Fortitude is a bit west of the "Cote St Catherine" Lock with the tug "Jarrett M".

Steve

[Denny]

No, as the Evans McKeil was in the Seaway a few days ago for Hamilton and "was not listed as having the American Fortitude on the Seaway's website."

[hayhugh3]

I see the tug Evans McKeil is in Hamilton, Is the American Fortitude there also?

[Holubecois]

When the American Fortitude arrives in Texas, what prevents the conversion to a articulated tug/barge. Everything is operational.

Well she's missing various parts from her engine room (according to ex Columbia guys) and the hydraulic thing on her boom is also gone. So she'd need a repower and replacement of the missing parts. I honestly hope they sell her back to the Great Lakes intact, like what happened with Algocen.

Conversion into a articulated barge would not require a repowering, and if there are in fact items missing from her engine room such a condition would not present much of a problem in such a rebuilding. Although possibly pricey, the hydraulic cylinder on the ships unloading equipment would be a minimal investment compared the overall cost of a conversion and thus would not be much of a factor. Unfortunately, however, I believe we have seen the last of the fine ship on the lakes.

As a side note, would there be much of a use for this type of conversion in the coastal or Mississippii River trade?

That's true, for some reason I was imagining a different kind of conversion and forgot about the barge part, hah. Oops.

[Guest]

When the American Fortitude arrives in Texas, what prevents the conversion to a articulated tug/barge. Everything is operational.

Well she's missing various parts from her engine room (according to ex Columbia guys) and the hydraulic thing on her boom is also gone. So she'd need a repower and replacement of the missing parts. I honestly hope they sell her back to the Great Lakes intact, like what happened with Algocen.

Conversion into a articulated barge would not require a repowering, and if there are in fact items missing from her engine room such a condition would not present much of a problem in such a rebuilding. Although possibly pricey, the hydraulic cylinder on the ships unloading equipment would be a minimal investment compared the overall cost of a conversion and thus would not be much of a factor. Unfortunately, however, I believe we have seen the last of the fine ship on the lakes.

As a side note, would there be much of a use for this type of conversion in the coastal or Mississippii River trade?

[Holubecois]

When the American Fortitude arrives in Texas, what prevents the conversion to a articulated tug/barge. Everything is operational.

Well she's missing various parts from her engine room (according to ex Columbia guys) and the hydraulic thing on her boom is also gone. So she'd need a repower and replacement of the missing parts. I honestly hope they sell her back to the Great Lakes intact, like what happened with Algocen.

[Nighthunter]

When the American Fortitude arrives in Texas, what prevents the conversion to a articulated tug/barge. Everything is operational.

[guest 2]

Mckeil tugs may be of age but they are kept in excellent condition

[Guest]

Transport Canada has placed the whole adventure under arrest, there are issues with the McKeil tugs as well as apparently 50 tons of bunker still on-board the Fortitude, that will have to be removed before the journey to Brownsville can proceed.

In the meantime, Eileen MacAllister, has given-up and moved-on to other business. Ice is forming in the river, I would expect either a spring tow out or back up to port Colborne but it is my opinion that they will not go beyond Montreal this year.

Not surprised about the McKeil tugs. They're running a lot of tired iron.

[Guest1]

Who owns the Fortitude now? Is it the scrapers or ASC?

[Bruno]

Transport Canada has placed the whole adventure under arrest, there are issues with the McKeil tugs as well as apparently 50 tons of bunker still on-board the Fortitude, that will have to be removed before the journey to Brownsville can proceed.

In the meantime, Eileen MacAllister, has given-up and moved-on to other business. Ice is forming in the river, I would expect either a spring tow out or back up to port Colborne but it is my opinion that they will not go beyond Montreal this year.

[hayhugh2]

Tug Eileen McAllister is downbound below Quebec City, light boat (Speed 13Kn's).

[Mac Mackay]

I see on AIS that Eileen McAllister is tied up in Quebec City, giving a destination of Brownsville. From that I take it that the ship will continue on to Quebec City, after stopping in Montreal, before handing over to the McAllister.
There have been high winds all over eastern Canada for the last two days, so that may explain the delay.

[John Britton]

Does anyone know why the tow has been stopped?S

[hayhugh2]

Tug and tow (American Fortitude) at present (1600) in the South Shore Canal which goes just to the south of Montreal.