HMCS Athabaskan - off to refit

A decidedly shabby HMCS Athabaskan sailed this afternoon for refit at the Seaway Marine & Industrial Inc [corrected -see comment] shipyard at St. Catharines (Port Weller) ON.

Although in need of a shave and a haircut, the ship will obviously be getting more than two bits worth of work. The $21.7mn contract is to be completed by autumn, so that the ship will be able to leave the Great Lakes before freeze-up closes the St.Lawrence Seaway.

Before sailing, local Dockyard forces removed obsolete radars and other weapon systems-giving the ship a very stripped down and bare look.

The St. Lawrence Seaway opens for business again this year on March 22, so Athabaskan will be arriving at Port Weller when the yard releases the ships it has worked on over the winter.

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More Poles for Eire

Frisian Spring tied up at pier 31 for another load of timber utility poles bound for Ireland. The ship had to dawdle off the pier for a while until the cruise ship Norwegian Jewel cleared the berth.

The poles have been coming in by rail except for eight truck loads that arrived this week. The poles come from Eugene, Oregon and are bound for Drogheda, Ireland.

Frisian Spring was built by Port Weller Dry Dock in St.Catharines, ON (hull no.81) The yard lost money on the job and was forced into bankruptcy when it was unable to complete subsequent orders for sister ships.