Atlantic Huron - back on the job

The crew clears dust from the ship's deck as it leaves Bedford Basin bound for Montreal.

The CSL self unloader Atlantic Huron made a quick turn around in Halifax this weekend. The ship arrived Friday morning with a load of grains from Thunder Bay and completed unloading last evening. It then shifted to National Gypsum where it took on a cargo for Montreal and sailed this afternoon.

This has been a regular routine for the ship for several years. The grain is for domestic use in milling and animal feed and the gypsum will be used in the production of building products.

Built in 1984 by Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd in Collingwood, ON, as a gearless bulker called Prairie Harvest, it was converted to self-unloader at Port Weller Dry Dock in 1989 and became Atlantic Huron. From 1994 to 1997 it carried the name Melvin H. Baker II while on contract with National Gypsum, running out of their Dartmouth facility. It was also flagged out to the Bahamas from 1990 to 1992. It returned to its current name in 1997

Then in 2002 it went to the Port Weller Dry Dock again for rebuilding of its cargo section to take advantage of new Seaway regulations which allowed slightly wider ships. The widening (which can be seen on the hull where it steps out below the main deck) increased its carrying capacity by more than 2,000 tonnes.