Number of greener vessels on the rise

November 13, 2013

	Oceanex has taken delivery of the Oceanex Connaigra, Canada’s largest Con/Ro ship – a hybrid container and roll-on/roll-off vessel. The new ship arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in October. With a total 13,700 square metres of available space and deadweight of 19,300 tons, the Oceanex Connaigra is designed to carry containers ranging 20 to 53 feet in length, as well as trucks, trailers, automobiles and oversized cargo. Classified a “clean ship” by DNV, the Oceanex Connaigra already meets the stricter environmental regulations scheduled to take effect in 2015.
	The Algoma Equinox set sail from China on October 1st. She is expected to arrive in Canada by the end of November. The Algoma Equinox is the first in a series of eight Equinox Class vessels being built at the Nantong Mingde shipyard. The Equinox Class ships have been designed to improve fuel efficiency by 45% and optimize all performance aspects to minimize the ship’s environmental impact. A fully integrated exhaust gas scrubber will remove 97% of all sulphur oxides emissions. This is the first IMO-approved, integrated scrubber on a Great Lakes-St. Lawrence vessel.
	The Société des traversiers du Québec commissioned the MV Peter Fraser for the L’Isle-Verte ? Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs crossing in late October. This is the first ferry in Canada to be equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system. Its use of battery power is at the forefront of green technologies. Built by the Forillon shipyard in Gaspé, the ferry can accommodate 70 passengers, 12 cars and dozens of bicycles. It has a passenger lounge on the main deck and a glass roof observation deck with a panoramic view.
	Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) held a celebration October 7th to salute the maiden voyage of the fourth newly built Trillium Class laker, the MV Baie Comeau, to her namesake city. During her first voyage to the City of Baie Comeau, she discharged grain loaded from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Like all Trillium Class vessels, the Baie Comeau represents the next generation of self-unloaders. Employing leading-edge technology, she is designed to provide overall operational efficiency. To achieve her dual objectives to meet customers’ evolving needs and protect the environment, she uses less fuel, releases significantly fewer emissions, and minimizes cargo residue.
	Ocean will christen its newest vessel on December 13th at the Port of Quebec. The TundRA 100 is the most powerful harbour tug ever built in Canada. Its hull is treated with an Ecospeed coating from Hydrex – a highly resistant, non-toxic and long-enduring substance that enables Ocean to reduce its environmental footprint. The boat will spend the winter in Quebec City, after which it will be entered into North Shore service as a harbour and escort tug. The new tug was first successfully put into water October 18th at the shipyard in l’Ilse-aux-Coudres.