Two for MSC

PSA Halifax's Atlantic Gateway container terminal hosted two MSC ships today (August 14). The first, MSC Aldebran II arrived early this morning and tied up at Pier 42. Heavy rain early in the day may have slowed cargo work, but the weather cleared by late morning, and by late afternoon only one crane was needed to finish off the work.

MSC Aldebran II was built by Stoc. Szczecinska Nowa in Szczecin in 2008, and as usual with Polish ships it has an attractive design. Raked fairings set off the after side of the superstructure and a "turtle back" encloses the fore deck. First named Cala Pigaletta, it was renamed MSC Andes in 2009, then Aldebaran in 2010. It took its present name in March of this year. The 32,903 gt, 37,274 dwt ship has a capacity of 2784 TEU including 432 reefers. It also carries three 45 tonne cranes, which were swung out during cargo operations. The ship is en route from Mediterranean ports and Sines, Portugal for Montreal on MSC's Canex2 service.

The second arrival was in late afternoon and MSC Rita tied up at Pier 41. The ship was built for MSC in 2005 by Hanjin Heavy Industry and Construction in Busan, South Korea and has carried the same name since new. 

 The tug Atlantic Fir has taken up a position forward and the escort tug Atlantic Oak has a line astern as they prepare to turn the ship and back into the berth.

A ship of 89,954 gt and 104,849 dwt, it has a capacity of 8089 TEU including 550 reefers. As with most ships on the Indus 2 service from North India, it appears to be heavily loaded.

MSC has quickly become one of the the major customers in the Port of Halifax, and so it will not be unusual to see two of the company's ships in port at once.

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