On Saturday 11th July, 2020 around 1600 hrs the 2004 built general cargo ship FLORENCE SPIRIT collided with the 2010 built heavy lifter ALANIS at the Welland Canal.
The Transportation Safety Board are investigating the collision on the Welland Canal during what should have been a routine manoeuvre.
ALANIS was heading up the canal toward Duluth, Minnesota loaded with wind turbine parts. She was built in 2010 in China as the BELUGA MODIFICATION until April 2010 and trading till May 2011 as BELUGA FAITH. Then renamed ALINA trading until 2020 and renamed to her current name and changed hull colour from Blue to Red.

FLORENCE SPIRIT loaded with coal was heading down to Quebec, Canada. She was built in 2004 in Japan as the ARKLOW WILLOW trading till July 2016.

No one was injured, and there was no oil spill or other environmental impact. So far it has resulted that the FLORENCE SPIRIT suffered a steering failure and was going to charge into the lock system and cause huge amounts of damage. So ALANIS was instructed to collide and push the vessel ashore to make her stop safely. The damage to the ships would be much cheaper and easier to fix then the entire lock system being damaged and out of order for many boats since it’s a huge shipping channel.
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Published – Monday 13th July, 2020