Canadian Coast Guard Deploys Repurposed Icebreaker CCGS Judy LaMarsh to Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway
The Canadian Coast Guard has introduced the CCGS Judy LaMarsh, a repurposed light icebreaker, into service. Acquired in 2021 for C$45.2 million (US$36.6 million), the vessel will be homeported in Prescott, Ontario. Its primary responsibilities include icebreaking and buoy tending operations across the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River in Ontario and Quebec. This marks the first time in over three decades that an additional large vessel has joined the Great Lakes region for the Canadian Coast Guard. The ship, originally built in 2010 as a shallow-draught icebreaking tug, previously operated in the Caspian Sea oil fields as a commercial firefighting tug, providing services such as icebreaking, towing, pushing supply barges, and standing by for firefighting and oil spill cleanup. The vessel underwent conversion at Newdock in St. John’s, which included refurbishment of its propulsion, communication, and navigation systems, as well as upgrades to workspaces, accommodation facilities, and the installation o...
