the Canadian Navy will grace St. George's Harbour, local shipping agents report.

First into port was the US Navy's Perry class frigate McInerney , which sailed into Dockyard Tuesday morning to take on oil before heading out yesterday, John S Darrell's Saleem Talbot said.

The Canadian Navy's HMCS Winnipeg meanwhile pulls into Ordnance Island in St.

George's on Sunday for a few days of shore leave.

The 440-foot, 3922-tonne Halifax class frigate will be sailing in from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and sets sail for Plymouth, England, on March 19.

The HMCS Cormorant also gets set to depart following a month of research dives on the Bermuda platform and the Challenger and Argus Banks.

This weekend will be the last chance for the public to tour the 245-foot research support vessel before she heads back to Halifax, said Mr. Talbot.

Upon her return to Nova Scotia the Cormorant will be de-commissioned.

Early next week four US Navy ocean-going minesweepers sail into Bermuda waters to take on fuel at Dockyard, said Mr. Talbot.

The USS Blackhawk , Devastator , Scout , and Avenger , each measuring 225 feet, arrive on Monday morning and are expected to anchor overnight to await the arrival of the USS Inchon , an Iwojima-class assault helicopter carrier.

The Inchon , at 602 feet with a crew complement up to 2,000, is due in at Dockyard Tuesday, March 18. The battle group, destination unknown, is expected to sail out on Tuesday, said Mr. Talbot.

John S. Darrell also reported the arrival of the 486-foot cement ship MV Jui Ho , which pulled into Dockyard yesterday to off-load its cargo at the commercial dock.

Meyer Agency's Steven Paynter meanwhile reports the Somers Isle earlier this week sailed into port a day and a half behind schedule.

She ran into engine trouble about 220 miles southwest of Bermuda and repairs had to be made at sea, said Mr. Paynter.

Once in port the Somers Isle unloaded 91 containers of dry cargo, ten reefers, five pleasure boats, and miscellaneous loose cargo of steel and pipe. She sailed back to Fernandina Beach, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon.

The Bermuda Islander arrived on schedule Monday morning and off-loaded a cargo of 104 containers, including eight reefers, and two power generators. She sailed for Salem, New Jersey, later that day.

Bermuda Harbour Radio reports the Nigerian-registered oil tanker Astral called into Bermuda waters earlier this week to collect engine parts. She was bound for Philadelphia with a cargo of Nigerian crude oil when engine problems set in.

She dropped anchor about 8 kilometres south of the Island while a pilot boat delivered the parts.

The Oleander also called in for its regular stopover on Sunday, unloading 131 containers of general cargo, including 31 reefers, Glennis Dickinson of Container Ship Management told Docksider.

She also dropped off one dump truck, one office trailer, two cars, and two maffis of iron rails and ships' gear.