Agawa Canyon

The keel was laid for this mid-size Great Lakes self-unloading bulk carrier on January 28, 1970 at Collingwood Shipyards of Collingwood, ON as their hull # 195. Built at an approximate net cost of $6.7 million CN including a Canadian Government subsidy ($8.6 million less subsidy set at 22%), the vessel was launched August 27, 1970 as the Agawa Canyon for Algoma Central Railway - Marine Division of Sault Ste. Marie, ON. The Agawa Canyon was named after the scenic gorge and canyon of the same name located north of Sault Ste. Marie, ON. She is the third of four similarly designed vessels built by Collingwood Shipyards for Algoma Central. The first was the Roy A. Jodrey, launched in 1965, sinking in the St. Lawrence River in 1974. The second was the Algorail launched in 1967 and the fourth, the Algoway launched in 1972; both still in service with Algoma.

Fate
The Agawa Canyon saw continued service through the 2009 navigation season when on December 22, 2009 the vessel entered winter lay-up in Montreal, QC at Sec. 56. This pier is often used by ships that have reached the end of their careers and are often headed for scrapping. On September 18, 2010, the Agawa Canyon was towed from port headed for scrapping in Aliaga, Turkey with the ocean tug Sirocco (owned by ITC, Heemstede, Netherlands) on the bow that would pull the Canyon on the tow lasting 30 or more days. Nadro Marine tug Vigilant 1 was the steering tug on the stern for that portion of the tow through the St. Lawrence River. The Agawa Canyon was the first of three veteran Seaway Marine vessels to leave Montreal for the Aliaga scrap yard in the fall of 2010, the others following being the Canadian Prospector and the Algoisle.