CSL Welland was the first vessel to arrive in the Port of Thunder Bay to take on a load of grain on Tuesday, March 27, receiving the Top Hat Honour.
CSL Welland Captain Wilson Walters and Chief Engineer Jean-Louis Girard received welcoming remarks and tokens of appreciation for opening up the navigation season from the Port of Thunder Bay, the City of Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce.
The CSL Welland holds the record for the largest single shipment of grain loaded in the Port of Thunder Bay. On August 16, 2016 the vessel departed the Port with 31,064 metric tonnes of grain.
The first ship of the season to arrive at the Port of Goderich was CSL Laurentien, which sailed in during daylights hours with no wind and no ice on March 25, 2018. The vessel took a load of grain to the Goderich Elevators.
Captain Joe Pero signed the traditional top hat Monday morning.
CSL Laurentien’s arrival is the earliest since the Canadian Progress arrived on March 17 in 2011.