Straightdecker ALGOMA QUEBECOIS (Revisited)

The wind was howling real good when I snapped the bow and stern sections of the 730' straight deck bulk carrier ALGOMA QUEBECOIS which was sitting proud and high in the water at Hamilton, Ontario's Pier 4 earlier this month. Launched in 1963 for Papachristidis Co. of Montreal as QUEBECOIS, she was sold to Upper Lake Shipping of Toronto in 1972 along with other fleet mates including her sistership MONTREALAIS (http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2012/08/straight-deck-algoma-montrealais.html).
Both ships continued to sail with their original names until they were sold to Algoma Central in 2012, who re-registered each ship with the the parent name 'ALGOMA' added to the names that they sailed with for almost 50 years.

Despite proving their usefulness for all those year, the sailing days for both steam powered classic straightdeckers would soon come to an end, as Algoma Central introduced their built in China, fuel efficient Equinox-class gearless bulk carriers as part of their fleet renewal program.     

Photo by Nathan Attard

Photo by Nathan Attard

The ALGOMA QUEBECOIS scrap-tow from Toronto, arrived at the International Marine Salvage dock in PortColborne on November 21, 2013. Dismantling the then nameless straightdecker was well on it way when my friend, Nathan Attard snapped these photos of her during the early winter months of 2014. As the she continued to be broken apart, piece by piece thoughout 2014, her strong Canadian-made steel would go on to be used to build other products, thereby allowing all kinds of Canadian companies to grow and progress.

Photo by Nathan Attard

Photo by Nathan Attard

As for ALGOMA MONTREALAIS, a late shipping season opening  and a glut on prairie grain needing to get to market, allowed her to continue to sail thoughout 2014 despite her being powered by a less efficient steam turbine engine. However in May 2015, she was renamed MONT, and scrap-towed to Turkey where she was dismantled. What will be, will be.