The Canadian Coast Guard has officially welcomed the CCGS Judy LaMarsh into its fleet, marking the first addition of a large vessel to its Great Lakes operations in more than three decades. Based in Prescott, Ontario, the light icebreaker will support icebreaking and buoy tending across the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River in Ontario and Quebec.
The Coast Guard said the additional capacity is intended to strengthen year-round operations across one of Canada’s busiest maritime regions, where keeping shipping lanes open through winter is critical to commercial traffic and communities on both sides of the border.
“The Great Lakes are vital to Canada’s economy, our communities and our security,” National Defence Minister David McGuinty said. “With the CCGS Judy LaMarsh, we are strengthening the Canadian Coast Guard’s ability to keep these waters safe and open year-round.”
The vessel was built in Romania in 2010 and originally operated on the Caspian Sea as the Mangystau-2, a commercial firefighting tug registered in Turkmenistan.
Original Article from gCaptain | Written by Mike Schuler
