Wall to Wall Cars

Although Autoport has few walls, the title is indicative of the current situation in Eastern Passage. The facility is stuffed with cars, mostly European, and more are on the way.

California Highway has its ramp up and is preparing  to sail from at Autoport.

 Less than 24 hours after yesterday's photo, the ship is outbound again.

As mentioned yesterday, California Highway arrived in the afternoon and in a little less than 24 hours sailed again, depositing an unknown number of autos and perhaps other vehicles. All the shoreside space was jammed and there were cars as far as the eye could see in the hinterlands behind. It is also understood that other vacant land nearby is also in use. A normal unloading schedule wold be about 8 to 12 hours, so the extra time was likely needed to ferry cars to remote destinations in the port.

Arriving on the Halifax side at noon time another ship, Mignon, spent a few hours at pier 31 offloading some machinery, but was ready and waiting to move over to Autoport as soon as the berth was clear again.

Mignon is owned by Wallenius Lines AB of Sweden abd was built in 1999 by Daewoo Heavy Industres, Okpo, South Korea. Originally it measured 57,018 grt, 14,841 dwt. In 2005 it was taken in hand by Hyundai-Vinashin Shipyard Co Ltd in Ninh Hoa, Vietnam and lengthened 29 meters by inserting a new section amidships. This 12 deck structure increased tonnages to 67,264 grt, 28,126 dwt and the car carrying capacity from about 3,000 to 7,194 units (Lane length increased from 5700m to 6840m).

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