Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Guest wrote: September 27, 2023, 4:50 pm Is the Joseph H. Thompson Jr. also set to be dismantled? Can that vessel operate independently from the barge?

Thompson Jr had a major overhaul, renamed Dirk Vanenkevort and pushes the Michigan Trader. So a little bit of the Marine Robin/Joseph H Thompson will continue to sail on

Guest wrote: September 27, 2023, 4:50 pm Is the Joseph H. Thompson Jr. also set to be dismantled? Can that vessel operate independently from the barge?

This is what Boatnerd's news story said.

"Her tug, Laura L. VanEnkevort, is expected to move the Thompson to the scrapyard, after which the tug will be laid up."

Is the Joseph H. Thompson Jr. also set to be dismantled? Can that vessel operate independently from the barge?

The items loaded were VTB's hardware and were loaded into containers onboard the vessel. ILA has no authoriztion to board the vessel and do this work. They don't help the crew with their personal stuff when it come to getting on or off the vessel at crew change do they? VTB did as I understand it hire a crane from the port to remove the containers and load them onto tractor trailers.

So are they removing equipment from the boat for use as spare parts?

Ship's crews and shipyards have always done this work.

why would vtb employees remove cargo from the thompson? dont blame the ILA its their job. if VTB wasnt so cheap why didnt they truck it? looks good on VTB trying to get around the ILA perhaps the ILA local in niagara region should picket the thompson also.

why is vtb not using ila members to unload, not pellets but surplus equipment. vtb is a non union company so why try to skirt the ila. perhaps some help from the uaw will think vts otherwise. strength in unity

Ok but they aren’t unloading cargo. They’re stripping their ship of privately owned property. As far as I know vanekvort is SIU crewed. At least they were in the past. 🤷🏼‍♂️.

Apparently the longshoreman's union, which does cargo handling operations in the port.

Why would a union picket the boat? That makes no sense. It’s apparently going to scrap. They think somehow they will save the vessel and their jobs?🤦🏼‍♂️

Guest wrote: September 25, 2023, 12:32 pm Victory/JT is now in Lake Erie and headed east.

Laura is in Cleveland with the JT. Local union is picketing vessel. VTB employees are trying to unload their equipment.

Victory/JT is now in Lake Erie and headed east.

AIS has the Laura L VanEnkvort in the St. Clair river with a destination of Cleveland? Any guesses?

ashland69 wrote: September 24, 2023, 2:37 pm What's all this about the Joe Thompson due at MRC? Sold for scrap? Is there a planned replacement? And, what happens to the tug? Haven't heard a thing anywhere!

Check Boatnerd news.

What's all this about the Joe Thompson due at MRC? Sold for scrap? Is there a planned replacement? And, what happens to the tug? Haven't heard a thing anywhere!

I just checked the ABSRecord Database and the load line and class certificates were issued on September 20 and expire on October 1st of this year for the Joseph H. Thompson.

According to the MyAlgomaManitoulinNow website, the Norisle will be leaving Manitowaning next week: https://www.myalgomamanitoulinnow.com/5 ... -recycled/

with the thompson having an eta of sept 28th at MRC where does the ss norisle fit in the sceme of things? acording to boatnerd its suppose to be towed to MRC in sept. october is coming up soon. oh well that gives the blough rumors a break.....for a while.