With arrival of summer in northern Canada, the annual sealift is underway with ships, tugs and barges heading to arctic ports that are inaccessible for six to eight months of the year. The Canadian Coast Guard is also moving ships northward to assist.
Departing Halifax today, July 1, for Iqaluit was CCGS Jean Goodwill in its first season of northern operations for the CCG. (It completed ice trials in the Gulf of St.Lawrence earlier this year.)
The former Balder Viking was built in 2000 as an icebreaking offshore tug/supplier. Acquired by the CCG with two sister vessels in 2018, it has completed most of the upgrades required to make it fully serviceable for the expected 15 to 25 years until new ships can be built. The 18,000 bhp vessel was built by Havyard Lervik, Norway and was refitted by Davie Shipbuilding. It arrived in Halifax November 27, 2020.
It is the second of the three ships to enter service following CCGS Molly Kool ex Vidar Viking. The third ship is CCGS Vincent Massey ex Tor Viking II which will be handed over by Davie on completion of its full refit.
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