CSL Niagara Christened

The largest-ever Canadian ship built for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence was blessed at a ceremony last June at the Lake Ontario entrance to the Welland Canal at Port Weller Drydocks. The vessel is the newest member of the Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) fleet, and the first of a trio of ships to be constructed by Port Weller as part of a $100 million fleet reinvestment program by CSL. Measuring 740 x 78 x 48, the newbuild required more than 6,000 tons of steel. This grand project also included the construction of a new hull, which was joined to the engine room portion of the J.W. McGiffin. Featuring the most advanced self-unloading system available, the Niagara is the premiere ship to be built to the St. Lawrence Seaway's new maximum-size allowances.