Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation in Canada. The agreement covers the delivery of a Stan Tug 1706 ICE.
The community will use the tug to break ice on Lake Simcoe. This will keep its ferry service running longer each year, both earlier in spring and later into winter.
Georgina Island is located in Southern Ontario. Harsh winters often disrupt the ferry link to Virginia Beach on the mainland. The new tug will secure transport and improve supply lines for the remote community.
Damen will build the hull in Poland and complete outfitting in the Netherlands. Delivery is scheduled for September 2026 at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, near Montreal, before the St. Lawrence Seaway closes for the season. The vessel will then travel to Lake Simcoe via the Trent-Severn Waterway.
The tug will receive a name chosen by an elder in the Anishinaabemowin (Southern Ojibway) language.
“This vessel will help the community maintain ferry operations in harsh winter conditions,” said Dominique Smit, Damen Sales Manager Americas. “We are honoured to support their connectivity and resilience.”
