ONE Mackinac

The ONE Mackinac arrived today, June 25, direct from Colombo on the Premier Alliance EC3 service. This is the first time it has called in Halifax as far as I know. It has joined several of NYK's former "bridge" ships on the Premier Alliance's Asia - East Coast service through Halifax.

As usual for ships of its size it used two escort tugs tethered astern. They swung the ship to port to take up the western deep water channel, then back again to the main channel.

 

 It made its way in toward the South End Container Terminal, and tied up at Pier 41.

 Imabari Zosen built the ship at Mihara in 2015, and it was delivered as the Mackinac Bridge. The 153,453 gt, 146,867 dwt ship has a capacity of 13,870 (or 13,900) TEU, with 800 reefer points. It was renamed in 2020 and "re-decorated" from NYK colours to those of the Ocean Network Express.

The ship was originally named for the Mackinac Bridge that crosses the Mackinac Strait joining the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the Lower Peninsula or main body of the state. (The last letter in the name is silent, and the word is pronounced Mackinaw). When it opened in 1957, the bridge replaced a ferry, and greatly improved the flow of truck traffic from Southern Ontario to Western Canada. Trucks crossing from Sarnia, ON to Port Huron, MI were then able to avoid delays due to the ferry schedule. The alternative trip north of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior was more gruelling before the completion of the Trans Canada Highway. It is now a shorter route. (A seasonal ferry from Tobermory, ON to Manitoulin Island is a good cut off for cars, but cannot carry many big trucks.)

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