Century-old James Whalen tugboat set to be raised from river after sinking earlier this year

Work to lift the submerged James Whalen tugboat from the Kaministiquia River is set to begin later this week.

The century-old tugboat, which the city has owned and kept moored along the river for nearly 30 years, took on water and then sank earlier this year.

The city had put out a request for proposals to raise the ship, with a contract worth nearly $800,000 awarded last month to carry out the work.

Cory Halvorsen, the city's manager of parks and open spaces, said rigging was put in place last week to prepare the tugboat to be hoisted by cranes.

But he said those cranes, which are being brought to Thunder Bay onboard a barge, were delayed by heavy winds this weekend during their trip across the Great Lakes.

The barge had been expected to arrive on Tuesday, but it is now likely to arrive late on Wednesday.

Halvorsen said the timelines now would have the barge anchored and positioned on Thursday, with the lift taking place on Friday. Once it has been lifted to the surface, the tugboat will be pumped out so it can once again float, he added.

"At that point the plan is to transport the tugboat up the Kam River to Paterson dock, where it will be stored there temporarily," Halvorsen said.

The city has an option for the tubgoat to be stored at that location for one to two years, Halvorsen added.

Before the tugboat's sinking, the Lakehead Transportation Museum Society had lobbied the city to have the ship moved to its waterfront site where the Alexander Henry — a decommissioned icebreaker — is located.