Let it Blow (x 3)

 The weather outside is frightful, but at least it was not snowing in Halifax (unlike northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, where there was heavy snow) today December 13. But it was the wind that probably accounted for today's relative dearth of shipping activity in the harbour.

The coastal tanker Algocanada was straining at its anchor in #4 anchorage in the lower harbour.

Although there were few whitecaps to tell of high wind, the bar taught anchor chain was the giveaway as Algocanada bides its time at anchor.

 The ship arrived Thursday December 8 from Sarnia but anchored awaiting its turn at Imperial Oil. (It had to wait for the Gaia Desgagnés which arrived from Lévis, also on December 8 and sailed on December 10, and the Algoscotia which arrived December 10 from CornerBrook.

 Gaia Desgagnés, a rare visitor, sailed from Halifax with cargo for CornerBrook.

On Monday (December 12) when the Algoscotia sailed, it was Algocanada's turn at Imperial Oil, but  later the same evening it moved out to anchor again.  With the winds predicted to die down the ship is expected to move back to Imperial Oil tonight.

The only container ship in Halifax was the ZIM Luanda but high winds may have have slowed or stalled crane operations.

 Built in 2009 by Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy Industry in Koje, it is a 40,030 gt, 50,697 dwt ship with a capacity of 4253 TEU. It has been a regular caller for many years on ZIM's Zim Container Atlantic (ZCA) service. It is not schduled to sail until tomorrow morning.

The only real indication of the high winds and rough conditions was a bit of splash at the bow of CCGS Jean Goodwill as it returned to its BIO base from SAR patrol.

 The ship was the only Canadian Coast Guard all weather ship available in Halifax for the past few weeks as several ships are in refit and others have been relocated to cover for them.

Noteworthy however is CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752 [See December 2 post] which has moved from Irving Shipbuilding's Woodside facility to the BIO base. Whether the ship is fully commissioned yet or not is unknown, but it must be close if it has been handed over to the CCG.

After such multi-year VLE refits, the ship must be stored, equipment must be tuned and crew must be oriented - a process that could take weeks.

.

.