In previous issues, we have commented upon the fire damage sustained by ALGOSOO this spring. The repair contract was let to Port Weller Dry Docks, and the ship was towed from Port Colborne to the Welland dock, where the work is to be done, on Thursday, April 3rd.

The 1986 navigation season promises to be a busy one in respect of the final voyages of various lakers to the shipbreakers. The first major scrap sale of the year took place on the London market on April 18th, when ULS International Inc. sold four of its vessels to unidentified buyers via London brokers, the price involved being $1,193,000 (U.S.) for delivery at Sorel. The ships involved are the 1958-built FRANK A. SHERMAN; the WHEAT KING, (a) LLANDAFF (6l), which was built in 1953 and converted from a tanker in 1961, then lengthened in 1976; RED WING, which was built in 1960 using the adapted aft power section of the 1944-built tanker IMPERIAL EDMONTON, and the 1949-built MELDRUM BAY, (a) COVERDALE (73), (b) GEORGE HINDMAN (IV)(79), which had not been operated by ULS since her purchase from the defunct Q & O fleet. It is interesting to note that MELDRUM BAY had originally been purchased by ULS to be scrapped at Port Colborne with OUTARDE and LAC STE-ANNE, but now seems destined to go overseas. It is also surprising that the 1959-built ULS straight-decker SEAWAY QUEEN is not involved in the sale, even though observers had expected her to be sold for scrap in the near future. All four of the vessels included in the sale are presently laid up at Toronto.

The Can-Coast Marine Inc. tanker COASTAL CANADA, (a) B. A. PEERLESS (69), (b) GULF CANADA (84), is this year sporting new stack colours. Her funnel is now black with a white maple leaf, on which is superimposed a red 'C'. The steam-powered tanker headed into the lakes as soon as the Seaway opened.

Groupe Desgagnes is at last taking steps to rename more of its former Q & O vessels. Before she departed Toronto on her first trip this spring, NEW YORK NEWS was renamed (c) STELLA DESGAGNES. She ran into trouble on her first voyage when she hit the breakwater near the Government House elevator at Port Colborne on April 5. FRANQUELIN was towed to drydock at Whitby from Toronto on April 4, and on re-entering service she was to be renamed (c) GENEVIEVE DESGAGNES. CHICAGO TRIBUNE, which wintered at Thunder Bay, ran briefly, then laid up at Toronto (as did CATHERINE DESGAGNES), and it was said that she would become (c) DUCY DESGAGNES when she re-entered service. It had earlier been thought that there was work for GOLDEN HIND this spring, but this was not to be and she has remained in lay-up at Toronto. GOLDEN HIND will not be renamed unless cargoes can be found for her.

A World Ship Society report (March 1986) indicates that SEACORAL, (a) THUNTANK (6)(72), (b) ANTERIORITY (75), (c) TEXACO WARRIOR (II)(84), (d) TRADER (85), has been sold by Waterose Marine Ltd., Cyprus, to Brenda Shipping Co. Ltd., St. Vincent, and has been renamed (f) TALIA II.

When they were sold for scrap last summer, it first was said that SENATOR OF CANADA and QUEDOC would be heading to Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, but a subsequent report (originating with the crew of the tug that took them out to sea) indicated that they were going to Caracas, Venezuela. In fact, both lakers wound up at Curacao, and by mid-March the SENATOR was half-gone there.

For a number of years, the American Steamship Company self-unloader SHARON, (a) ARCHERS HOPE (57), (b) JOSEPH S. YOUNG (I)(69), (c) H. LEE WHITE (I)(74), has been lying idle at Monroe, Michigan. On April 18, 1986, Great Lakes Towing Company tugs took her to the Frog Pond at Toledo, where she was moored alongside WILLIAM G. MATHER and McKEE SONS.

By early April, Marine Salvage Ltd. had begun the scrapping of the 61-year-old PHILIP D. BLOCK at Ramey's Bend, thus ending speculation that the BLOCK would be resold to overseas breakers.

After two apparently successful years, Newman Harbour Terminals has dropped its charter of the package freighter JENSEN STAR, (a) FRENCH RIVER (82), allegedly as a result of corporate difficulties. Nevertheless, Arnone Transport of Thunder Bay (whose Len Arnone managed Newman's Thunder Bay office) is making arrangements to operate the service, retaining Newman's former staff, and it appears that JENSEN STAR will be back on the route in 1986.

At last, the Toledo City Council has come to its senses, and on April 22 approved spending $80,000 to help purchase WILLIS B. BOYER, (a) COL. JAMES M. SCHOONMAKER (69), for use as a marine museum, with an additional $47,000 being committed by private sources (including the Boyer family). The City will later be asked for $70,000 for renovating the ship, with up to $90,000 coming from other sources. "Friends of the WILLIS B. BOYER", a non-profit corporation, has been created to operate the project. City contributions will be contingent upon the drawing up of a suitable ownership contract and the obtaining of adequate liability insurance.

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