Atlantic Superior

Atlantic Superior was a self-unloading bulk carrier owned and operated by Canada Steamship Lines (CSL).^[1] The ship was constructed in 1981, launching in 1982 and was the first self-unloading vessel designed, for ocean service, built for CSL.^[2] In 1997 the vessel was operated on behalf of National Gypsum Company as M.H. Baker III. In 2003, the ship returned to her former name Atlantic Superior. She was sold for scrap and broken up at Xinhui by Jiangmen Zhong Xin Shipbreaking in 2015.^[3]

Atlantic Superior using her self-unloading boom in Brunswick, Georgia in 1984
History
Name	Atlantic Superior
Owner	Canada Steamship Lines
Operator	Canada Steamship Lines National Gypsum Company
Builder	Collingwood Shipbuilding, Collingwood, Ontario
Yard number	222
Launched	9 November 1981
Completed	28 June 1982
Identification	IMO number: 7927805 Callsign: C6AW3
Fate	Broken up at Xinhui 8 March 2015 by Jiangmen Zhong Xin Shipbreaking
General characteristics
Type	Self-unloading bulk carrier
Tonnage	24,638 GRT 38,510 DWT
Length	222.5 m (730 ft 0 in) oa. 216.9 m (711 ft 7 in) pp.
Beam	23.2 m (76 ft 1 in)
Draught	10.39 m (34 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	1 shaft, diesel engine
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Capacity	38,771 m^3 (1,369,200 cu ft)

Design and description

Atlantic Superior had a gross register tonnage of 24,638 tons and a deadweight tonnage of 38,510. The ship was 222.5 metres (730 ft 0 in) long overall and 216.9 metres (711 ft 7 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 23.2 metres (76 ft 1 in). The ship was powered by a diesel engine driving one shaft. This gave Atlantic Superior a maximum speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).^[3] The ship had a draught of 10.39 metres (34 ft 1 in).^[4]

The ship had five holds and had a total capacity including hatches of 38,771 cubic metres (1,369,200 cu ft). The ship could discharge her contents via a 79.55-metre (261.0 ft) boom. The boom could elevate 19.96 metres (65.5 ft) from level and had a total height of 38.5 metres (126 ft). The boom could swing in a 180° arc and sat 35.4 metres (116 ft) from the stern of the ship. The discharge rate was 4,000 tonnes per hour for coal and 5,500 tonnes per hour for ores.^[4]

Service history

Atlantic Superior was laid down by Collingwood Shipbuilding at Collingwood, Ontario and launched on 9 November 1981. The ship was completed on 28 June 1982.^[3] On 30 September 1982, in her first year of service, the vessel ran aground on Seven Isle Shoal in the lower reaches of the St. Lawrence River.^[5] She ran aground at 4 am in foggy conditions while en route to Quebec City.^[5][6] She was carrying a load of wheat from Thunder Bay, Ontario. 2,000 tons of wheat had to be removed before three tugs were able to free her from the shoal on 1 October 1982.^[7]

In 1994 CSL shifted the vessel to the Pacific Ocean.^[2] In 1997 the vessel was moved back to the Atlantic Ocean, was renamed M.H. Baker III, and started operating for the National Gypsum Company. CSL continued to own the vessel, and operated it on behalf of National Gypsum under a long-term contract. She was renamed Atlantic Superior in 2003, and CSL operated her on the Great Lakes for several years. CSL operated her largely on the Atlantic Ocean again, making occasional voyages to the Great Lakes.^[8][9]

References

1. Brennan, Pat (5 January 2010). "Sisters cook up a storm in Tremblant". Toronto Star. Retrieved 18 April 2016. All three came home from the sea to open Creperie Catherine in a 60-year-old mountain cabin that seats 40 customers. Lorraine was the cook aboard the cement carrier Stephen B. Roman that regularly steams into Toronto harbour with a load of cement to keep the city growing. Francois was third mate on the salty Atlantic Superior, an ocean-going freighter operated by Canada Steamship Lines.
2. Wharton, George. . Boatnerd.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
3. "Atlantic Superior (7927805)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
4. "Atlantic Superior" (PDF). cslships.com. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
5. "Laker grinds into shoal after missing buoy". Ottawa Citizen. 30 September 1982. p. 5. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
6. "Tugs fail to free grounded lake freighter". Ottawa Citizen. 1 October 1982. p. 3. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
7. "Freighter afloat again". Ottawa Citizen. 1 October 1982. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
8. "Atlantic Superior Departs". Halifax Shipping News. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2016. Atlantic Superior left Pier 26 this morning where she spent the winter, and headed for National Gypsum in the Basin.
9. "Atlantic Superior". Duluth Shipping News. Retrieved 18 April 2016. The Atlantic Superior arrives Duluth on April 25, 2013 to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources.