Great Lakes Shipyard building ice-ready tug for service at Niagara power station

摘要

One of the most unusual boat-handling tasks in the Great Lakes region is the annual creation and dismantling of the massive ice boom that protects the Niagara Power Project. The same two tugboats responsible for that cold-weather job in Buffalo, N.Y., have now put in a combined 80-plus years of service. In recognition of the vessels' condition and the fact that they have exceeded their service lives, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) last year hired Great Lakes Shipyard to build a pair of replacement tugs. The first of the new boats, Daniel Joncaire Ⅱ, will be delivered in September from the Cleveland yard. NYPA is using the opportunity to add modern improvements that will enhance the pair's ability to do their work effectively and safely. They will be ice-strengthened, with elevated pilothouses and modified workstations for better visibility.