Seaspan Commander (II)

This vessel saw service in the South Pacific during the Second World War. After the Second World War this vessel was laid up for 19 years at Oakland CA USA. Mark Mackenzie (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 19/06/2019) stated "Harold Luft supervised her refit when Gulf of Georgia Towing acquired her from the US to tow the Sedco 135 drill rig up to Haida Gwaii.

He told me this vessel was also sent to the east coast and used for a couple of years towing barges up to Baffin island (not an ice-classed vessel) before coming back to the west coast." Her conversion was designed by Derek S. Cove Ltd. This vessel was sponsored in 1966 by Mrs. Joan Byrn, wife of J.S. Byrn, President of Gulf of Georgia Towing Co. Ltd. John Anderson (Email to Nauticapedia 16/02/2022) stated "In 1974 towed a derrick barge from San Francisco to Trinidad; ran light to Houston, Texas, towed barge with rig gear to Trinidad, then ran light to Panama for crew change. At Panama collected 2 barges brought down by Seaspan Sovereign - these went to Nunivak, Baffin Island and Montreal, then crew change at Stevenville, Newfoundland. Towed barge around NL, PEI and NS delivering pulpwood to linerboard mill at Stevenville NL Canada. Light to Jacksonville, Florida and lay-up.

In 1975 - run light to New Orleans, P/U flat barge loaded with dredge plant - to Yabucoa, Puerto Rico - P/U more dredge gear plus a small derrick barge; then tandem tow to Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Light back to Panama (where I left); think this vessel continued to Houston and returned to BC shortly after. I subsequently made a number of trips on her towing the log barge Swiftsure Prince on the BC coast, occasionally the chemical barge Metlakatla. The last I heard of the tug this vessel was laid-up in the Fraser River pending scrap in 2019."