H.J. Lawson, a new 76-foot-long tug, arrived in Montreal April 24 enroute to Sault Ste. Marie, MI, on its delivery trip. Built by Conrad Shipyard, she will enter service for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District. She is named in honor of Harold J. Lawson (1934–2018), a highly respected engineer who dedicated 30 years of his career to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.This new tug is the sister of the R.J. Pearce, also constructed by Conrad Shipyard, delivered in December 2025. She was named in honor of Ronald J. Pearce, a longtime employee who served at the Soo Locks for 35 years. Both tugs are built to ABS Ice Class C0 standards, specifically for the Great Lakes to support critical maritime infrastructure at the Soo Locks and along the St. Marys River.
H.J. Lawson leaving Morgan City, LA, for the Soo. [John Krueger]
