Boatnerd Discussion Forum

[i]Arctic[/i] arrived at Duluth 28 April 1980. It was also downbould at the Soo 27 May 1979, but no indication it had sailed from Duluth., so I assume Thunder Bay. That craft had some good power for the day, MAN 14-cylinder MAN 14V52/55, 14750-bhp. The Canada Trust Company owned it under mortgage while Canarctic Shipping Co., Ltd., operated it under bareboat charter, that a consortium composed of Transport Canada (51% ownership), Federal Navigation, Upper Lakes, and Canada Steamship, the latter its manager (the private operators each having 16.5% ownership). The Royal Trust Company initially financed the vessel. Upon leaving Toledo after loading grain at The Andersons on its maiden voyage, 13 June 1978, towed by GLTCo's [i]Pennsylvania[/i] and [i]Tennessee[/i], it hit the Cherry Street bridge hard leading to a court case that lasted until April 1982. In response to Mac Mackay, the vessel's first master was Captain Gilbert Lacey of CSL. [i]Arctic[/i] arrived at Aliaga 16 April 2021 for demolition. See its arrival here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shipbreaking/posts/10165349633098943/

[quote="Mac Mackay" post_id=17337 time=1307991598 user_id=642]
The ship was built at Port Weller Dry Dock in 1978 and extensively rebuilt at the same yard in 1985-86.
[/quote]

Can anyone recall the name of the 1978 maiden voyage of MV Arctic’s Captain and crew?

Loaded several times with mid-distillate in Nanticoke in the mid 80's. Believe she had RO-RO capability too.

she was converted a few years late to an OBO ore bulk oil so she's versatile if getting a bit long in the tooth now

I was a member of the Arctic's 1st. crew. After sea trials on Lake Ontario we went to Toledo and loaded corn for Antwerp, Belgium. I believe the Arctic was the first ice breaking bulk carrier in the world. It was built by a consortium ( I believe called Canarctic) of Fednav, CSL, and Upper Lakes Shipping for the purpose of transporting lead zinc concentrate from Nanisivik on Baffin Island to Antwerp Belgium.

I don't know if archives of the St. Catharines, ON newspaper are available for 1978 but if they are there should be lots of material about this ship.

The ship was built at Port Weller Dry Dock in 1978 and extensively rebuilt at the same yard in 1985-86.

The Artic was also in PWD in the early eighties.

Photographer's notes and the ship's year of build indicate this picture was taken in either 1978 or 1979.

I know shes been in T Bay for repairs and loads also in Toledo to load grain

Yes. She has been on several voyages through the Northwest Passage.

It looks like it has an ice breaking bow. Hence the name?

I recently came across this picture of Fednav's Arctic arriving in Duluth, Minnesota. Does anyone know when the Arctic made this trip and was this the only trip the Arctic ever made to the Great Lakes?