THUNDER BAY -- There won't be a top-hat ceremony to celebrate the milestone, but the first ocean-going vessel of the shipping season has arrived in Thunder Bay.
The MV Tufty, which arrived on Friday morning at the Richardson Main elevator, is the first salty in port for 2020.
Normally a ceremony is held to honour the ship's captain, in this case, Denys Bushuyev. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, strict measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the infection in order to allow for the movement and supplies to consumers.
The Tufty is loading a shipment of amber durum grain, which is destined for Italy. Demand continues to grow as consumers stockpiling staple foods during lockdowns.
The ship is owned by Montreal-based Canfornav, one of the largest ocean-going companies sailing the Great Lakes.
