PortsToronto Assistant Manager of Harbour Operations Helen Oel “crowns” Captain Dorde Perovic of the MV Chestnut during the Port of Toronto’s 161st annual Top Hat Ceremony. (CNW Group/PortsToronto)

Some watch for the first robin to signify the arrival of Spring. In the Port of Toronto, Canada, the coming of spring has been marked by the arrival of the first ocean-going ship of the season; an arrival that has been celebrated for the last 161 years by the crowning of the ship’s captain with a top hat. This year, PortsToronto “crowned” Captain Dorde Perovic of the MV Chestnut with an antique top hat – first presented in the spring of 1861– at the annual Top Hat Ceremony.

As reported by Yahoo, appropriate precautions were taken to ensure that this longstanding tradition could safely take place given ongoing, albeit reduced, public health restrictions. Captain Dorde Perovic participated in the ceremony from the bridge of the MV Chestnut while PortsToronto Assistant Manager of Harbour Operations, Helen Oel, remained on the dock wall.

The Top Hat Ceremony is a 161-year old tradition at the Port of Toronto, marking the annual opening of a vital marine gateway that provides Canadian and international businesses with a convenient, sustainable and cost-effective way to bring goods into the heart of the city,” said Geoffrey Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, PortsToronto. “Traditions such as these are a reminder of the longstanding resilience of our marine shipping industry, which has maintained the delivery of goods to many key sectors in the Greater Toronto Area and will continue to do so throughout the 2022 shipping season and beyond.”

The Port of Toronto’s first Harbour Master, Hugh Richardson, initiated the idea to entice ships to bring building materials into the harbour as early as possible each year, allowing Toronto—then a burgeoning city—to start its building season. The first ship was given $100 in a briefcase, and the top hat, which served as the “key to the city” for a 24-hour period enabling the captain and crew to eat and drink for free.

Originally begun as a celebration of the first ship to enter the harbour each year, the annual tradition now celebrates the arrival of the first ocean-going ship of the season, also known as a “saltie.” This year the first ship was the MV Chestnut, which arrived in the Port of Toronto from Maceio, Brazil with 19,000 metric tonnes of sugar for the Redpath Refinery. The annual ceremony also celebrates the commencement of the 2022 shipping season.

Thanks to DD Dobs for contributing to this post.