Canada Seek to contain Oil Spill
Authorities are building a new containment boom to fight an oil spill in a major western Canadian river, officials said on Saturday, after the spill breached a previous barrier and threatened the drinking water of several communities along the coast. The city of North Battleford, which draws its drinking water in part from the North Saskatchewan River, shut its supply intake on Friday and switched to using ground water, provincial officials said in a telephone conference with reporters. Some 1,572 barrels of heavy oil and diluent leaked from Husky Energy Inc's Saskatchewan Gathering System pipeline on Thursday, flowing into the river. The Calgary-based company has shut the line, stopping the leak, and has been working to contain the spill.
Rand Takes Delivery of Newest Self-Unloader
Bulk freight shipper Rand Logistics, Inc. has taken delivery of its newest Canadian self-unloading vessel, increasing its fleet to 16 ships, including 10 Canadian flagged and six U.S. flagged vessels. According to Rand, the new vessel will have the largest carrying capacity of any existing river class self-unloader and is anticipated to be the most efficient vessel of its class on the Great Lakes. “This vessel is the first new river class self-unloader to be introduced into Great Lakes service in over 40 years and will arrive in Canada in approximately 45 days,” said Scott Bravener, President of Rand's Lower Lakes Towing subsidiary.
Rand Acquires Tanker for Conversion
Rand Logistics, Inc. has announced the acquisition of a Danish flagged chemical tanker that will be converted to a Canadian flagged river class self-unloader vessel. The new vessel will support recent new long-term contract awards which begin in April 2015. The acquisition and conversion of this vessel is consistent with Rand's strategy of remaining the leader in both the U.S. and Canadian river class markets on the Great Lakes and reaffirms the company's commitment to support the growth of its customers. "We have secured substantial long-term, contractual new business beginning in April 2015 for our Canadian flagged operations," commented Scott Bravener President of Lower Lakes Towing.
