A ship that is sure to be a regular caller for years to come arrived in Halifax for the first time today, September 11. Bearing the name McAsphalt Advantage, it is a state of the art bitumen tanker, especially built to keep the cargo heated to maintain its liquid state.
Built by the Wuhu Shipyard Co Ltd in China, it is a dual fuel ship of 12,534 gt, 12,917 dwt. It was delivered to McAsphalt Transportation Ltd just a year ago and was registered in Canada in November of 2024. Aside from an inaugural visit to its home port of Hamilton, ON, it has been idle in Montreal until August 30 of this year when it made another trip to Hamilton ca. September 1. Once loaded it headed down the Seaway directly for Halifax.
McAsphalt has its own marine terminal and storage tanks in Eastern Passage where the ship docked today. The company also provides shipments to General Liquids Canada which has its terminal nearby in Eisner's Cove. Both facilities store and provide asphalt for road construction. McAsphalt is part of the Colas Group which also includes Miller Group and several other paving companies. General Liquids is owned by the Municipal Group, a road construction company and competitor in the paving business. Both asphalt terminals also have rail access.
After hiring tugs and barges for some time, McAsphalt started its own fleet when it acquired the tug Tusker in 1979 and used to tow and push barges starting in 1980.
After a few adventurous years, they acquired a larger tug and formed one of the first Canadian flag ITBs (Integrated Tug and Barge) where the tug remains connected to the barge at all times with a flexible coupler allowing for some independant movement.
That tug, renamed Everlast (ex Bilbino) in 1996, is still running, with its barge Norman McLeod, although now largely confined to the Great Lakes. It seems likely to live up to its name.
A second, more modern combination, built to order for ocean conditions in 2008 is the tug Leo A. McArthur (ex Victorious) and barge John J. Carrick which are regular callers in Halifax.
It is as yet undetermined if the older units will be retired, or if the McAsphalt Advantage signals an increase in the volume of business for McAsphalt. The company does have competition from Transport Desgagnés which has at least one tanker dedicated to the carriage of asphalt, but the Damia Desgagnés appears to work exclusively in Quebec.
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