Nord Ling back with new name

 A ship that has changed name twice since it was last here tied up at Pier 9C this morning, January 6, from Jacksonville, FL. 

 The Nord Ling has the familiar profile of a series of ten ships built by the Honda Shipyard in Saiki, Japan. Of relatively modest dimensions of 13,110 gt and 16,953 dwt and fitted with two 50 tonne capacity cranes (that can work in tandem for 100 tonne lifts) it is a general cargo ship with moveable tween decks. [Honda is the family name of thr shipyard founders and is not connected with the automobile manufacturers.]

Orginally named Thorco Luna when built in 2014, it was in Halifax in May 2017 to be fitted with racks to carry fibreoptic sub sea cable. 

Some cable rack material on trailers at Pier 9C in 2017.

In 2021 it was renamed Glen Grant and in 2024 it became Nord Ling.  Several of its "Thorco L..." sister ships have also gone through several name changes, some with "Franbo" prefixes. And several have been in Halifax to be fitted with cable racks. In fact another sister, the Nord Logos (ex Ultra Durban, ex Franbo Logos, ex Thorco Logos) arrived December 29 and has been anchored in Bedford Basin, in sight of Pier 9C. (See yesterday's post.) It has also been here before (as Thorco Logos) in 2016 and 2017.

Thorco Shipping A/S was a large Danish operator, founded in 2003. At one time it had more than seventy ships in its fleet. Financial difficulties arose, amid fraud charges (later dismissed) and the company was acquired by NORDEN Projects and Parcelling in 2023.  NORDEN operates a tanker pool and also pools project cargo ships for a number of owners.

Nord Logos' owner appears to be Franbo Lines, based in Taiwan, currently with a fleet of 17 ships, including five ex "Thorco L..." ships.

Nord Ling appears to be owned by Hosei, a Japanese joint venture between three companies with about 15 ships in its corral. All are similar, with two former "Thorco Ls" in the mix,

No matter the owners, these ships seem to be favoured as cable carriers, and I expect that is why they are both here. Nord Logos arrived from Portsmouth, NH, where fibreoptic cable is Manufactured.

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