Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation in Canada for the delivery of a Stan Tug 1706 ICE. The new tug will provide icebreaking capability on Lake Simcoe in southern Ontario, allowing the community’s ferry service to operate earlier in the spring and later into the winter season, Damen said in a press release.
According to Damen, the community decided to pursue the purchase after observing one of the company’s tugs in operation nearby. The ferry between Georgina Island and Virginia Beach on the mainland serves as a critical link for residents and supplies throughout the year.
The Stan Tug 1706 ICE is designed to improve mobility and logistics in the remote Lake Simcoe region, where severe winter conditions often limit access. With its reinforced hull and icebreaking capability, the tug will enable safe and reliable transportation during months when the lake is typically impassable, Damen said.
Following hull construction in Poland, Damen will complete outfitting at its facilities in the Netherlands. The vessel is scheduled for delivery to Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, near Montreal, in September 2026 before the seasonal closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway. From there, the tug will make its way to Lake Simcoe via the Trent-Severn Waterway before that system also closes for the winter.
The name of the tug has not yet been announced but will be chosen by one of the community’s elders in the Anishinaabemowin (Southern Ojibway) language to reflect its cultural significance.
“We are pleased to support the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation with a vessel that will help to maintain ferry operations in harsh winter conditions,” said Damen sales manager Americas Dominique Smit. “It is an honour to contribute to the community’s connectivity and resilience, and we look forward to a long lasting relationship.”
