Boatnerd Discussion Forum

CSL Spirit will be loading larger vessels in Sept Iles Bay, makes more sense, as she is able to carry 70,000 tonnes compared to the Atlantic Superior 27,000 tonnes, it would take half the trips to load a 168,000 tonnes vessels, and less time.

Guest wrote:Superior will be on the lakes next year, Spirit will be in Sept Iles.

Makes sense. CSL appears to have the contract for the new coal movement from Superior to Quebec City for transshipment to northern Europe. They did 300,000 tons of that business this season, next season that total is supposed to increase to 1.5 million tons. That makes for about 50 more trips down the Seaway for them to come up with in 2012.

Superior will be on the lakes next year, Spirit will be in Sept Iles.

BigB wrote:CSL Spirit is far too large for the St. Lawrence Seaway. She has a capacity of over 70,000 tons according to the CSL website.

CSL Spirit could haul from Havre St Pierre, Quebec, to Quebec Iron and Titanium, (QIT) Sorel Tracy. or help load larger vessels at Sept Iles.

CSL Spirit has been flagged Canadian as of Nov. 18. 2011, registered in Quebec.

Guest wrote:What does VSL stand for in VSL Centurion?

My guess is it stands for the company name "Vanguard Shipping LTD".

The VSL in VSL Centurion stands for the company that owns her which would be Vanguard Shipping Limited. Their website can be found here at www.vanshipltd.com however, it hasn't been updated since 2010 though.

Vanguard Shipping Ltd.

What does VSL stand for in VSL Centurion?

Word is Atlantic Superior is going for steel work in Halifax this winter and then will be flagged for deep sea use.

For the moment, both of them will be working in Sept-Iles bay to increase the iron ore shipment.

Whats happening to the Atlantic Superior

She is supposed to work in Sept-Iles, to take over the Atlantic Superior.

CSL Spirit is far too large for the St. Lawrence Seaway. She has a capacity of over 70,000 tons according to the CSL website.

I was just checking out the SIU of Canada Facebook page and they posted it on there November 7th.

I can't see it, it's one of their newer ones and most efficient. I could possibly see one of the fore body class vessels taking on a Canadian flag/crew. The Spirit is an overall "newer" vessel overall than the forebody class (which were built on existing mid eighties single hull tankers). The Spirit has the same unloading system as the Sheila Ann, and one of the Oldendorff carriers, and since that technology hasn't been in need on the lakes (or internationally since they only built three of them) since, I can't see the demand for a vessel of that type for east coast/gulf trades.

However, possible runs for the spirit? It could take over for the Superior for Sept-Illes transfers (or add tonnage for it). It could take over for the other "Atlantic's" in the NF stone run that they are presently doing (the Huron is back on the lakes, the Erie is still doing it). Either reason would bring more Seaway capable tonnage back on the lakes. CSL could have also secured a new contract that requires a large Canadian flagged ship that would provide them enough reason to reflag it as well.

With out any firm knowledge that it's going to be reflagged, there could be endless possible speculation as to what trades it could be used for.

Just heard from an SIU member that CSL is bringing the CSL Spirit under Canadian flag. Anyone else hear anything about this? It is too big to come up the seaway so where will it operate?