Weather Watch 3

 The forecast for a relatively fast moving storm proved to be correct, and by late this morning (March 24) the rain had let up and the winds died down. Sea conditions at the pilot station improved as a result and the several delayed arrivals lined up outside for pilots. Then tanker Acadian was first and proceeded to Irving Oil's Woodside terminal.

As they were standing off further out to sea it took some time for the container ships to reach the pilot boarding area off Chebucto Head. In turn were Atlantic Star from Norfolk for PSA Fairview Cove.

 (File photo from a previous visit July 12, 2023)

It was followed in an hour by MSC Cornelia from Sines, Portugal for Pier 41 at PSA Halifax Atlantic Gateway. Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing delivered the ship in 2010. The 54,182 gt, 63,069 dwt vessel has a capacity of 5089 TEU. Originally named RHL Fiducia, it was renamed Cornelia I in 2016 and became MSC Cornelia in 2021. It has a capacity of 5089 TEU including 385 reefer points. The ship is working the Canada Express 2 route and is due in Montreal March 29.

The next arrival was also for PSA Halifax Atlantic Gateway, and so stood by in the Middle Ground area until the MSC Cornelia had time to get alongside, then, with tugs, moved in to Pier 42.

The familiar EM Kea has been calling in Halifax on the Maersk / CMA CGM St.Lawrence River service since 2015. The ship calls on the eastbound leg from Montreal to Bremerhaven. (Ships on the route sometimes bypass Halifax to make up schedule time.)

Built in 2007 by Stocznia Sczecinska Nowa, in Poland, EM Kea is a 35,874 gt, 41,850 dwt ship with a capacity of 3108 TEU. Built as Cap Norte it was renamed Cape Egmont in 2012 and became EM Kea in 2015, the same year it began to call in Halifax. 

In yesterday's post I mentioned the installation of "wind shields". The EM Kea has had such a turtle back structure over its foredeck for as long  as it has been calling in Halifax. It certainly appears capable of deflecting seas and preventing damage to deck cargo.

The EM Kea is now a veteran of transatlantic trade, but how much longer it will be calling in Halifax may be a question. With Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd participating in competing St.Lawrence River alliances, their proposed Gemini Cooperation, to take effect in February 2025, may mean some changes, in the current arrangements.

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