ShipSpotting.com Forum

Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: libertyshiplad on October 08, 2016, 10:10:33 AM

Title: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: libertyshiplad on October 08, 2016, 10:10:33 AM

Tug westbound in the English Channel this morning,anyone know her destination?

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: Ian Thomas on October 08, 2016, 10:49:00 AM

According to her AIS signal heading for Rotterdam.

Ian

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: davidships on October 08, 2016, 10:58:29 AM

I think the question is "where is she really going?", having just spent six months at Rotterdam.  We can assume that she is not planning to arrive in Rotterdam at "10.30 on 8 March 2017", the exact anniversary of her last arrival there!

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: Ian Thomas on October 08, 2016, 11:19:30 AM

Sorry I posted a bit too quick this morning, there was a short note on tugspotters months ago that she would be heading to Canada and onto China but that never materialised so will have to wait and see what happens next.

Ian

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: Ian Thomas on October 09, 2016, 11:21:41 AM

Yes she is now heading to Montreal with an ETA of 23rd October.

Ian

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: libertyshiplad on October 10, 2016, 07:18:38 PM

Thanks Ian for replies.
She certainly gets around for her age.Any ideas if for any specific reason she has that "crows nest",it's a bit unusual isn't it ?
Colin

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: Mac Mackay on October 11, 2016, 12:57:32 AM

The crow's nest was installed to improve visibility when she was pushing The large newsprint barges. She was built to tow the barges from Saint John, New Brunswick, to various ports, including Miami (thus her orginal name Irving Miami), but she pushed the barges whern she got to the ports, which were usually inland on rivers where towing was impractical if not impossible.
She also pushed Irving Oil barges from a stern notch, and the bird's nest was used regularly when moving around in ports.

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: libertyshiplad on October 12, 2016, 07:52:20 PM

Thanks Mac for that interesting information.

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: Mac Mackay on October 15, 2016, 12:36:41 AM

I notice in recent photos that the windows in the crowsnest appear to be plated over. These may just be storm shields, however. If they have decommissioned the crowsnest it may be because it is seldom used anymore, and I guess it was easier to blank out the windows than it would be to cut off the whole tower and disturb the tug's balance.
Some early photos with the crowsnest in use on my blog Tugfax - date October 13,2016.

Title: Re: "Pacific Hickory"
Post by: miraflores on October 16, 2016, 02:12:24 PM

http://oi65.tinypic.com/2vmh848.jpg