Atlantic Hemlock assists the exProtecteur into her berth in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.


10


ATLANTIC TOWING


ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL


Atlantic T owing was recently


awarded the towing contract portion of a $39 million scrapping contract that


had two retired naval ships, HMSC Protecteur and HMSC


Algonquin (now exProtecteur and exAlgonquin) towed from Esquimalt, British Columbia to Liverpool, Nova Scotia.


Towing Two Naval Ships to Their Final Destination


The two vessels met the end of their career pretty close to one another through ill- fated misfortunes. While taking part in towing exercises, the Algonquin and Protecteur collided into one another while on route to Hawaii on August 30th, 2013. The majority of the damage was sustained to the Algonquin and unfortunately it was determined that it would be too costly to repair, thus sealing her fate. Not long after on February 20th, 2014, Protecteur suffered an engine room fire and breakdown 340 nautical miles northeast of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The damage was extensive and because of such, the vessel would be retired.


R.J. MacIssac (RJMI), a contracting company specializing in marine construction projects, including excavation and demolition, was awarded the contract by the Department of National Defence (DND). RJMI then awarded the towing contracts to Atlantic Towing, who asked long-time partner, Foss Maritime, to complete the Pacific portion of tow. Competition for the tender was steep, with five scrapping companies bidding for the work. The Protecteur arrived in Liverpool on March 23rd, 2016, following a 7,600 nautical mile journey and the Algonquin arrived on June 27th, 2016.


Measuring 171 meters, Protecteur was built by Saint John Shipbuilding and Dry Docks and was commissioned on August 30th, 1969. Protecteur’s primary role was to deliver supplies to deployed ships. Three hundred sixty five men and women served on the Protecteur. There were 27 officers aboard the ship and a total of 45 crew members who were part of the air detachment that flew three CH-124 Sea King helicopters off the back of the vessel. The ship also served in times of war, including in the Persian Gulf region, multi-national naval exercises. She was decommissioned at a farewell ceremony on May 14th, 2015.


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