Naval Large Tugs Update: Preparing for the Future
By: A/SLt Mary Long, CFB Halifax Public Affairs
The King’s Harbour Master (KHM) team at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax is making major strides with its new Naval Large Tug. Training is heavily underway for the crew of Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel (CFAV) Canso, following a successful first cold move with His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Robert Hampton Gray on July 23. While this milestone was completed under expert supervision, the inaugural crew is now finishing its final, KHM-specific transition checklists, with full training completion expected by early September 2026.
Operating CFAV Canso requires a highly skilled, four-person crew consisting of a Master, Chief Engineer, and two Deckhands, which expands to six members for coastal tows. Training has been a large, multi-phase effort including manufacturer indoctrination, hands-on contact training at CFB Esquimalt where the first two Naval Large Tugs were received in 2024, advanced simulation training, and at-sea mentorship.
Looking to the future, a second Naval Large Tug, CFAV Stella Maris, is on track to arrive in Halifax before Christmas 2026. Until then, the KHM team will be exceptionally busy as it continues bringing Canso online while working to prepare Stella Maris’ crew; the aspirational goal is for Stella Maris’ immediate transition into operational service. To guarantee continuous operational capacity while navigating these new logistical complexities, KHM is looking to take a slow, deliberate approach to retiring the existing Glen-class tugs, but the final divestment plan has yet to be finalized.
For more information on the Naval Large Tug project, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/services/acquisitions/defence-marine/national-shipbuilding-strategy/projects/small-vessels/naval-large-tugs.html
Meet the team and the tug (video)
