Wednesday, January 29, 2025

A perennial post card from Halifax has the usual spaces for address and message on the reverse, but the image side is completely white or slightly grey with  "Welcome to Halifax - fog capital of the world" or a similar thought. (Halifax is not the fog capital of the world, although it could be a contender.)

Today, January 29, a similar card could be sent but with a greeting from the "White Out Capital". A heavy snow fall caused icy roads, fender benders, early school closings and a very likely drop off in retail activity. 

It was not to be a busy day in the harbour in any case, so port activity may only have been slowed a bit. There was only one arrival from sea, the ConRo ship Oceanex Sanderling on its weekly arrival from St.John's and only two scheduled departures: the container ship Ophelia (see yesterday's post) and the coastal tanker Algotitan.

A "through the fence" view of the Algotitan at pier 25 on January 28. Erosion of its anti-fouling hull paint looks unsightly, but is normal - particularly when the ship has been operating in ice.

 The Algotitan is a fairly recent addition to the Algoma Tankers fleet. It arrived in Halifax late in 2022 with the name Chantaco. After renaming and registration in Canada it sailed with its first cargo on January 30, 2023.

It has been a regular caller in Halifax carrying product for Imperial Oil, and its details were covered here on its last call January 8-10. After tank washing slops were discharged at Pier 9C it sailed for Montreal. It loaded in Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel, QC, and returned to Halifax January 24. It off loaded some product at Imperial Oil then moved over to Pier 25, in ballast on January 26. (Sainte-Victoire is the location of the Kildare Service ULC facility, which stores and blends heavy fuels, marine fuels and liquid asphalt in addtion to crude oil.)

The Algotitan is due to sail this evening - still in ballast. Its destination, is Quebec City.

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