CCGS Samuel Risley from the Lakes

The Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic region is down two ships, with CCGS Ann Harvey in repairs from a grounding in April and CCGS Earl Grey in mid-life refit in Quebec. CCGS Edward Cornwallis has been sent to Labrador for buoy work that would normally be done by the Ann Harvey, leaving Halifax short.
Therefore the Great Lakes based CCGS Samuel Risley has been sent in to assist and it arrived at the Bedford Institute CCG base today.

Tied up together with CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent and CCGS Hudson at BIO this evening. One hundred and thirty years represented in just three ships.

A type 1050 class vessel, it is ostensibly a sister ship of CCGS Earl Grey, but is different in many respects. While Earl Grey was built in Pictou, NS the Risley was built by Vito Steel Boat+Barge Construction Ltd in Delta, BC. Each ship has four main engines geared to twin controllable pitch props, and water jet thrusters fore and aft.While the Earl Grey has Deutz engines totaling 8836 bhp (which are being replaced in the current refit) the Risley has Wartsilas totaling 8644 bhp. Both ships are classed as light duty icebreakers, and the Risley is very busy in winter breaking ice and clearing ports in the United States and Canada as part of the joint efforts of the CCG and USCG.

Built in the style of  offshore supply ships, they have the working deck aft, with low freeboard .They also carry a 15 tonne SWL Liebherr deck crane for buoy work.

The Risley has spent most of its time in fresh water. Aside from its delivery trip in 1985 via Panama, Norfolk, VA and Pictou, NS it had one refit in salt water at Shelburne, NS in October/November 2004. It was initially based in Thunder Bay, ON but now calls Parry Sound, ON its home port. In winter it ranges from Port Colborne to Sault Ste.Marie for icebreaking work, and during the ice free part of the year, extends its range to Lake Superior..

At thirty years of age the ship is a juvenile compared to its dock mates at BIO this evening. Louis St. Laurent (which will be sailing soon for the north) was built in 1967 and  Hudson in 1963.

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