Thunder Bay port welcomes first ships of season

The Port of Thunder Bay is celebrating the start of the 2012 shipping season.

Three boats have arrived in the port to pick up cargos.

The Thunder Bay Port Authority said the MV Tim S. Dool docked first a ship owned by Algoma Central Corporation. The boat tied is tied up at Mission Terminals and is expected to pick up 25,000 tonnes of durum wheat.

Captain Donald Anderson and Chief Engineer Euvgueni Ananiev were recognized at a traditional "top hat ceremony" at the port authority offices Tuesday afternoon.

The other vessels that arrived in Thunder Bay Tuesday were the Kaministiqua and the Pineglen.

Another boat, Algoma Olympic, wintered in Thunder Bay and is currently being loaded with grain.