Highlights: Huron Spirit bulks McKeil fleet in Great Lakes
“Hwy H2O HIGHLIGHTS†focuses on our member ports and companies throughout the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System with stories that highlight innovative and interesting cargo movements; changes and improvements that ports and companies are making to create greater opportunity, and/or member insights on the latest market trends.
Highlights: Huron Spirit bulks McKeil fleet in Great Lakes
At McKeil Marine, customer centred solutions are an integral part of daily activity. We approach each cargo movement and every service with a focus on efficiently delivering on our promise of innovative marine solutions. Since 1956 we’ve pushed the boundaries, becoming one of the foremost marine service providers in Canada. Customizable cargo and project solutions are available throughout the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, East Coast and the Canadian Arctic.
Fleet growth has been primarily driven by the introduction of purpose-built assets deployed into choice markets. One of the newest barges to join the fleet is the Huron Spirit, set to begin trading in the upper Great Lakes supporting the aggregate trade throughout Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Her 150 foot self-unloading boom and ability to access shallow draft docks allows for new cargo handling capabilities where they had previously not existed furthering inherent tug and barge versatility and manoeuvring.
McKeil concentrates business efforts on two main areas; the transportation of dry and liquid bulk, project cargoes, heavy equipment and other general cargo and the delivery of project services. Project services encompass marine construction, project management, engineering support, equipment rentals, ship docking and ship assist, towing, temporary dock facilities and cargo transfer.
The versatile tug and barge fleet is supported by a skilled sailing and shore-based crew, naval architects and engineers combining to customize services for each customer and cargo application. A tremendous example of this is the long established relationship with Aluminerie Alouette which sees a dedicated McKeil barge transport aluminum ingots and sows to several St. Lawrence and Great Lakes ports. These multi-year contract relationships are a testament to mutually beneficial services and an approach that yields benefits for all parties.
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