Labrador Mornings Cindy Wall interviewed Dave Chaulk, a principal with CAI-Nunatsiavut Marine, this morning. No audio up yet, but if it does pop up I will link it.

Main topic was the troubles with the freighter Dutch Runner.

Mr. Chaulk seems to have a genuine concern for the problems and expressed a keen interest in solving the issues.

Some should have been foreseen, like the height of the vessel in relation to the height of the docking faculties in each community. To be fair this may not been in Mr. Chaulks mandate; it is definitely in the provincial minister of transports mandate. Cindy said she will try getting hold of the minister for his comments.

Then again there is room for caution in Mr. Chaulks comments. Like when he said the Dutch Runner was more suitable for heavy cargos like steel and such. In all the blurbs and available photos on the owners site ‘Great lakes Feeder Lines’ it shows many containers [sea-cans], larger than those used on the Labrador though.

So the bottom line is they are going to attempt to weigh the vessel down with a full load of fuel and ballast in containers for the next run. Plus send fork lifts and drop trailers into each community.

My birdie tells me that the fork lifts will not be suitable for the conditions on the coast, time will tell.

Speaking of Cindy Wall; oh Cindy is retiring this week. Cindy started at CBC HV_GB in 1978, the year I first visited Labrador.

We will miss her cheery voice and bubbly persona for sure, best of luck for the future Cindy.