Musketeer Fury – Tender Panther – Margarita – Vortice – Norfolk – Samuel de Champlain
1975-Present
Articulated Tugboat, Bludworth Coupler; Paired with Barge Innovation
Specs
Build Information
Year Built: 1975
Builder: Mangone Shipyard, Houston, TX
Hull #120
Registry: U.S. 1077852
IMO #7433799
Laid Down: 1975
Launch Date: 1975
Commissioned: 1976
Paired Barges:
- Innovation [2006-Present]
Construction
The Samuel de Champlain was built in 1975 by Mangone Shipyard of Houston, Texas, as the large harbor tugboat Musketeer Fury for Bernhard Hansen AS of Norway.
She was later rebuilt in 2006 and equipped with a Bludworth-Style Articulated Tug-Barge Connection system and paired with the cement barge Innovation.
Modifications
- Rebuilt, Sea Force Marine, Norfolk, Virginia, 1998.
- Upper pilothouse added, Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, 2005.
- Bludworth ATB connection system installed, Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, 2005.
General Stats
Length Overall [Combined Tug & Barge]: 544′
Length Overall [Tug]: 140’02”
Breadth: 39’02”
Depth: 20′
Vessel Type: Articulated Tugboat
Propellers: 2
Rudders: 2
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: General Motors Electro-Motive Division, Chicago, IL
Engine Model: EMD 20-645-E5
Number of Engines: 2
Rated HP: 7,200 BHP
History
Lineage
Musketeer Fury – 1976-1978
Owner: Bernhard Hansen AS, Norway
Operator: Bernhard Hansen AS
Flag: Norway
Home Port: —
Tender Panther – 1978-1979
Owner: —
Operator: —
Flag: —
Home Port: —
Margarita – 1979-1983
Owner: —
Operator: —
Flag: —
Home Port: —
Vortice – 1983-1996
Owner: —
Operator: —
Flag: Italy
Home Port: —
Vortice – 1996-1998
Owner: McKeil Marine LTD., Burlington, ON
Operator: —
Flag: Canada
Home Port: —
Norfolk – 1998-2005
Owner: Sea Force Marine, Norfolk, VA
Operator: —
Flag: United States
Home Port: Norfolk, VA
Samuel de Champlain – 2006-Present
Owner: American Transport Leasing, Muskegon, MI [Under cargo charter to Holcim]
Operator: Andrie, Inc., Muskegon, MI
Flag: United States
Home Port: Cleveland, OH
Fate
The Samuel de Champlain remains in service today, pushing the barge Innovation.
Her Story
The Samuel de Champlain was built in 1975 by Mangone Shipyard of Houston, Texas, as the large harbor tugboat Musketeer Fury for Bernhard Hansen AS of Norway. She was completed and entered service in 1976.
In 1978, Bernhard Hansen sold the tug, and she was renamed Tender Panther. She was sold again in 1979, being renamed Margarita. In 1983, Margarita was sold Italian and renamed Vortice.
Vortice suffered a major fire while off of the Azores in 1993. The burnt out hull was laid up at Trieste, Italy, until 1996 when it was sold to McKeil Marine of Burlington, Ontario. The hull was towed across the Atlantic to McKeil’s facilities in Hamilton, Ontario. She remained in layup. In 1998, the tug was sold once again to Sea Force Marine of Norfolk, Virginia, who took her down to Norfolk where she was rebuilt and renamed Norfolk. She never saw service under that name, remaining in layup until 2005 when she was sold to American Transport Leasing.
Norfolk was brought back to the Great Lakes in July 2005 and taken to Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where an upper pilothouse was added and she was fitted with a Bludworth style articulated tug-barge system to be paired with the new cement barge Innovation, being constructed at the shipyard at the time. Norfolk was renamed Samuel de Champlain in early 2006, and was paired with her barge in May 2006. The pair entered service on June 3, 2006, departing Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for Alpena, Michigan, to load cement.
The Innovation / Samuel de Champlain continue to serve Holcim cement, being operated and managed by Andrie, Inc. of Muskegon, Michigan.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on November 3, 2020
Gallery
Sources
Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2016, Harbor House Publishers, 2016. Pp. 6.9.
Pennock, Isaac. “Samuel de Champlain”. Great Lakes Tugs & Workboats. N.d. Accessed 6 October 2020. <https://gltugs.wordpress.com/samuel-de-champlain/>
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