Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Could it happen here

 After the horrific bridge collapse in Baltimore March 24, 2024 the question must be asked, could it happen here in Halifax? An investigation will eventually determine exactly what caused the container ship Dali to lose power and strike the Frances Scott Key bridge. What is known, and recorded so vividly on video, is that the impact caused a catastrophic collapse of several spans of the bridge, throwing vehicles and people into the water, with many dead and missing.

Aside from the tragic loss of life, the economic impact of such a disaster is almost inconcievable.

Power failures, fires and blackouts on ships are more common that one may think, and when they occur the ship loses the ability to slow (by reversing propellor or pitch) and to steer. Losing electrical power also shuts down lighting, navigation aids such as radar and radio communication on the ship itself and with shore.

When disasters like the Key bridge occur agencies the world over review their safety policies and there will no doubt be changes in many places. However as it stands in Halifax there are several safety measures already in place and protocols for ships passing under our two harbour bridges.

1. Bridge Structure

Bridges are built to support themselves but not to withstand impacts like ship strikes. In March 1982 the jack-up oil rig the Zapata Scotian, designed to drill in 200 feet of water, was mounted on a large barge in Halifax. High winds caused the barge's mooring lines to part and the barge, with rig on deck, began to drift up the harbour. Navy tugs scrambled, and secured the rig only 30 meters from the Dartmouth ferry terminal, where it would have run aground. An official spokeperson stated that the rig was "never a danger" to the Angus L. Macdonald bridge, which was clearly untrue. Anyone with two eyes could see that its jack-up legs would never fit under the Macdonald bridge.

 Compare the size of the tug to the rig, on its barge at Pier 23. (Trivia: Zapata Petroleum Corporation was founded by future U.S. President George H.W. Bush)

Following this incident rock islands were built around the abutments of both bridges. These structures were to stop ships before they reach the bridge structure.

A rock island surrounds the Dartmouth abutment (above at right) of the A. Murray MacKay bridge. The Halifax abutment (left in photo) is on shore and has gravel around the base extending out into the harbour (photo below) but is far out of the shipping channel and in shallow water in any event.

 

2. Air Draft*

There is concern that ships may be too "tall" to fit beneath the bridges. Ships must therefore submit their "air draft" before receiving permission to pass the bridges. Communication is through the Coast Guard's Vessel Traffic Management System (MCTS) and the Halifax Port Authority. Sensors on the bridge monitor the clearance height, which varies with the state of the tide. (The ship's air draft varies with the amount of "keel draft", and some ships must strike (meaning lower) their signal mast(s) to reduce air draft.)

The clearance calculation is made for each ship passage and the amount of clearance is then transmitted back to the ship by VHF radio and permission (if granted) is given to pass under the bridges. There are visual markers on the bridge so that the harbour pilot can see the exact centre (and highest point) of the span, and the two sides of the channel, as there is a slight arch to the bridge deck of both bridges. There is to be a minumum clearance of 1.36 meters between ship and bridge.

 A yellow placard marks high point at the centre of the bridge Macdonald bridge.

 *The above is a very much simplified version of the harbour regulations. A detailed description of the required procedures can be found in the Port of Halifax "Port Information Guide"posted on the Port's web site at: https://www.portofhalifax.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HPA-PortInformationGuide-January2024-1.pdf

3. Use of Tugs

Large ships are most effective out at sea. Once in port they tend to be ungainly. They do not steer well at slow speed and are subject to wind pressure (particularly high sided ships like container ships and auto carriers) and they can perform unpredictably in shallow and narrow waters. They also take a long time to stop. They do not have "brakes", but must reverse their propellors (or the pitch of the propellor), which work most effectively in the forward direction and poorly in the reverse direction.

Tugs are employed to assist ships in port, both in coming alongside at terminals, but also in maintaining course in the outer "approach" channels and in transiting the Narrows. They can redirect ships, or slow and stop them by pulling on a stern line.

Port regulations are quite strict on the use of tugs in the port, particularly in the Narrows where the two harbour bridges are located, so I will not decribe the requirements in detail except to say that ships require one or more tugs, depending on the size of the ship, with specific requirements for container ships. The harbour pilots have ultimate discretion in the number of tugs and may exceed the minimum number required based on conditions.

Again there is more detail in the "Port Information Guide"; https://www.portofhalifax.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HPA-PortInformationGuide-January2024-1.pdf


 The container ship NYK Remus with tugs, passes the A. Murray MacKay bridge heading for Bedford Basin, in dead calm conditions and at nearly high tide.

4. Conditions and Situations

The Port of Halifax has had its own experience with catastrophe. The collision of two ships in the Narrows on December 6, 1917 and subsequent fire and explosion levelled the northern portion of the city and caused the deaths of at least 1,800 people, with 9,000 injured, many more homeless and unmeasurable property damage. Haligonians are very aware of this event event more than a century later, and many will be feeling deep sympathy for our neighbours to the south.

The Port of Halifax regulations now set out how ships are to meet (large ships are not permitted to meet in the Narrows) and with better communications the harbour is a much safer place than it was.

Traffic in the Narrows for high sided ships may be restricted in high wind conditions, and deep draft ships may also be restricted depending on the state of the tide.

And yet.....

Ships continue to experience blackouts, power loss and steering failure, with disturbing regularity. Some container lines (even well known ones) continue to operate ships past their "best before date" [usually 25 years] or fail to provide adequate  maintenance.  Older ships, like older cars, can be unpredictable and equipment failures due simply to wear, tear and fatigue will occur perhaps without warning.

A ship that caught fire on the St.Lawrence River recently threatened to run aground as it lost control of its engine and steering. That ship, the MSC Sao Paulo V is due in Halifax later this week (in tow - its engine is not operational) and will have to be towed to Europe - with all its cargo. [see also companion blog Tugfax] The cost to the ship owner and the cargo owners and insurers will be high, but would it have been predictable that a 26 year old ship might be a liability?

A systems blackout occured in Halifax last year when a ship lost power as it approached the Angus L. Macdonald bridge as it arrived from sea. The pilot on board followed the protocol and transmitted a "Pan Pan" (emergency) radio message which instructed the bridge to stop traffic. From what I hear someone on the bridge decided that it was not an emergancy and elected not to follow the protocol. That is unfortunate, but after today's Baltimore disaster, one hopes, is unlikely to recur.

5. Halifax and Baltimore

Some ships that call in Halifax also call in Baltimore. This includes auto carriers and container ships (notably ACL). Baltimore is also the destination for gypsum mined in Nova Scotia and exported through Halifax by Gold Bond Gypsum. All these will find work arounds but there is not expected to be any specific effect on the business of the Port of Halifax.

It seems unlikely that Halifax can be of assistance to the Port of Baltimore because there are several nearer ports that can handle diverted traffic. However it seems likely that it will be a very long time before the Port of Baltimore will be able to return to anything like normal operation and there will be changes in trade routes, maybe permanent ones, in Baltimore and elsewhere.

6. The Answer

The Port of Halifax will certainly be reviewing its procedures in consultation with users and other regulators and authorities, here and world wide, and changes may be on the way. I expect that there will be more restrictions on traffic through the Narrows, and non-container ships, like gypsum carriers, may require tug escorts while inbound and outbound. (The Algoma Vision sailed this morning for Tampa and did not use an escort tug.)

So the simple answer to the question "Could it happen here?" is a conditional yes. There are many safeguards in place, likely to be strengthened now, so the likelihood of it happening here is slight and probably even less so as time goes on due to a heightened awareness of the dangers.

As the world expresses sympathy to those experiencing what was once an inconceivable loss, perhaps more safeguards will be instituted here in Halifax and elswhere to try to reduce the risk of a recurrence even more. 

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Monday, March 25, 2024

Toledo

 The Pure Car and Ttuck Carrier (PCTC) Toledo called at Autoport today, March 25.

 

The ship has been here many times since new in 2005 and the last visit was in 2022. Although its most recent ports have been the usual ones for the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean transatlantic service, it seems that the ship may have been reassigned from the Pacific to Europe (via Suez) route.

It departed Yokohama January 20 and made directly for the Panama Canal, transiting February 11-12, then proceeding to Savannah February 17-18, Brunswick February 18-20, Philadelphia February 23, and Baltimore February 24-26. It then crossed the Atlantic to Zeebrugge Mar 7-10, Goteborg March 11-12, Bremerhaven March 13-15 and Southampton March 16-17.

With the current conditions in the Red Sea area few ships are risking the Suez route from Asia to Europe with many passing south about the Cape of Good Hope. It now seems that the danger zone is extending farther south into the Indian Ocean and some ships, such as this one, with voyages originating in the far east, appear to be taking the Panama Canal route instead. Recent limitations on Panama Canal transits due to low water levels appear to be easing, but there are still backlogs and long waits for some ships.

Toledo's first visit to Halifax was December 15, 2005 when it was quite new, having been delivered in February 2005 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki. A 61,321 (now revised to 61,482) gt, 21,965 dwt vessel it has capacity for 6,354 cars and works over a 237 tonne capacity stern ramp. As delivered it was painted in the orange and white livery of Willhelm Wilhelmsen and carried a traditional "T" name*. Since then it has been repainted in the blue over grey scheme adopted by the joint fleet of Wallenius Lines and Wilhelm Wilhelmsen.

On its November 17, 2015 call the ship was still wearing the Wilhelmsen orange hull paint.

 The ship sailed this afternoon for New York and will soon complete a round the world transit in somewhat less than the proverbial 80 days. (It was 65 days out of Yokohama when it sailed today.)

Demand for auto carriers is such that very few are being retired. This ship, nearing twenty years of age, can be expected to run for several more years.  (Its next major survey is due January 31, 2025).

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* It is interesting to speculate on which Toledo the ship is named for. The one in Spain seems more likely than the one in Ohio (which itself is named for the one in Spain). Toledo, Ohio is a major port on Lake Erie, and is now accessible from the Atlantic once again with the opening of the St.Lawrence Seaway for the season. But not for ships the size of this Toledo (it is too wide). 

Toledo, Ohio did export automobiles overseas at one time however. Jeeps (then owned by the American Motors Corp) were built in Toledo, and Fednav had two RoRo ships, built in Canada in 1972 and 1973, to carry paper products and automobiles. The ships were were sized to trade to the Great Lakes and did carry Jeeps. They also called in Halifax in the early days of Autoport. In later life with the United States Military Sealift Command, at least one of the ships carried Abrams tanks from Toledo to Germany.

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Sunday, March 24, 2024

MSC SaoPaulo V - update

 A quick recap and update on the MSC Sao Paulo V.

As previously reported  on  March 5 through  March 9  (with updates) the fire damaged MSC Sao Paulo V was towed to Quebec City for damage survey. Since Quebec City has no facilities for unloading or storing containers it became a quesiton as to what would become of the ship's cargo. I have no confirmation on this, but it is likely that General Average was declared and all cargo owners will have to contribute to a general fund before their cargo can be released. In the meantime the ship will have to be unloaded and its entire cargo impounded.

It has now been confirmed that the ship was been towed out of Quebec City March 22 and is bound for Halifax. The Quebec City based Océan Taïga is towing and the Océan Raynald T has a line astern. This morning, March 24, AIS showed the tugs and tow in the lee of the land off Cap Trinité between Baie-Comeau and Sept-Iles, in high winds. Later in the day they were well underway again at 6.6 knots with an ETA in Halifax of March 28.

Meanwhile the big Dutch tug ALP Sweeper departed Ponta Delgada, Portugal March 19 for Halifax and is due March 26. It is expected to tow the ship away - destination as yet unknown. It is fairly certain that the ship will be completely unloaded in Halifax before going. It then depends on the condition of the ship whether it will be repaired or sent to the scrappers. Prospects for a ship built in 1998 do not appear favourable after an engine room fire that spread to accommodations.

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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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Weather Watch 2

 As predicted a storm with heavy rain and high winds moved across the region today, Sunday March 24. Pilot operations in Halifax were suspended in the morning as wind gusted up to 90 kph. The Atlantic Pilotage Authority will review conditions at 1200 ADT to determine if it is safe to resume operations.

In the meantime there was an early morning call out for a pilot to re-anchor the tanker CB Pacific in Bedford Basin. The ship was dragging its anchor which was perhaps not unexpected as the Basin sea bottom is not great holding ground. As far as I can tell no tug was needed to resecure the wandering ship. The pilot boat Scotia Pilot took the pilot out to the ship.

The CB Pacific at anchor in calm conditions yesterday, March 23. A trot buoy to the left in the photo is used to anchor Royal Canadian Navy ships on trials. The red buoy on the right may belong to a pleasure boater.

The container ship ZIM Pacific did arrive before pilot boardings were halted, and it appears that one of the berthing tugs was kept alongside for a time after the ship was tied up at PSA Fairview Cove. MOL Experience (see yesterday's post) was able to sail in the early morning.

The arriving Atlantic Star, EM Kea and MSC Cornelia all stood by at sea awaiting improved conditions. 

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Saturday, March 23, 2024

Weather Watch

 With another bout of bad weather on the way some ships are taking precautions. 

Yesterday's move (see March 22 post) of the tanker CB Pacific from Irving Oil's Woodside terminal to an anchorage in Bedford Basin was perhaps a bit early as the high winds are not due until tonight (March 23-24). 

Once at anchor it was easier to see the ship's "windshield" installed over the foredeck to protect deck fittings and to streamline the ship.

Some ships have been built with this feature (and I think this is one) but some owners are retrofitting ships with shields , particularly container ships, to protect deck cargo from boarding seas, but also tankers that have exposed piping on deck.

The coastal tanker Algoscotia arrived this afternoon from Sydney and tied up at Imperial Oil, but it has scheduled a move to anchor over night. Imperial's dock number 3 consists of a jetty and dolphins and mooring buoys. Although it has been upgraded recently, ships do not remain alongside in bad weather. 

Also planning to move is the bulker Algoma Vision. It will be leaving the Gold Bond Gypsum dock for an anchorage in Bedford Basin. (See yesterday's post).

Loading operations are still underway at Pier 9C for BBC Topaz (see previous posts) which is taking on a cargo of pipe. Lifting of the cargo would certainly be curtailed in high winds. Crew members were renewing hatch seals today with Algoma Vision in the background.

 So far unfazed by weather the MOL Experience made its way in to PSA Fairview Cove late this afternoon.

Built by Hyundai, Ulsan in 2007, it is a 54,098 gt, 62,953 dwt ship with a capacity of 4803 TEU including 330 reefers. It carried the name APL Experience from 2008 to 2010. The ship is expected to sail during the night, perhaps before the weather worsens.

The ship operates on THE Alliance's AL5 service for partner Ocean Network Express (ONE) the Japanese container line consortium. The number of Hapag-Lloyd and UASC containers on deck is evidence of how important a partner Hapag-Lloyd is in THE Alliance. When Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk's new Gemini Cooperation comes into effect in February 2025, Hapag-Lloyd will leave THE Alliance. The remining partners HMM (former Hyundai Merchant Marine) Yang Ming and ONE will certainly have a major adjustment to make.

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Friday, March 22, 2024

Ship Shape

 Ships rust. That is a fact of life for steel ships in a salt environment. Good coatings on well prepared surfaces can go a long time without major interventions, but eventually re-coating is necessary. Sailors overside touching up paint is a rare sight these days (with the possible exception of some cruise ships) and so painting is generally left until the ship is in drydock. Then the old paint is "blasted" off with an abrasive or high pressure water (silica sand is no longer allowed in most juridictions). The substrate can then be prepared properly and primed before re-coating.

Rust streaked paint is not necessarily a sign of poor maintenenace, but is more likely a sign of hard work and normal deterioration.

A newly painted ship is an impressive sight simply because wear and tear sets in almost immediately and the inevitable scuff marks from tugs and shore fenders are soon acquired.

That is perhaps why I noted some particular contrasts in the harbour today, March 22.

The self-unloading bulk carrier Algoma Vision was something of a vision as it appeared in almost pristine condition as it made its way inbound to Gold Bond Gyspum.

The ship was delivered in 2013 by Chengxi Jiangyin, China as the Balchen. With sister ship Balto it was built to CSL International's Trillium class design of ocean self-unloaders. It measured 43,691 gt, 71,348 dwt. Owned by the Torvald Klaveness company of Norway, it worked in the CSL self-unloader pool with three Trillium sister ships owned by CSL. In 2016 Klaveness left the CSL Pool and its several ships were acquired by the CSL Pool partners. CSL acquired the Balto, renaming it CSL Tarantau and Algoma, already a partner in the pool, acquired the Balchen and renaming it Algoma Vision.

The Balchen was originally painted in Klaveness orange, and continued to carry that hull colour for a time after it was acquired by Algoma, but the paint was in very poor condition and Algoma had it repainted in their deep blue colour.

From September 16 to December 21, 2023 the ship was in Tuzla, Turkey where it had its ten year survey and a thorough reconditioning that included new hull paint. It seems to have been a top quality job with only a few stains showing from deck washdown.

By coincidence the Algoma Vision arrived in time to take the place of its sister ship CSL Tacoma which sailed with another load for Portsmouth, NH. 

CSL Tacoma looks quite tidy too having also been repainted recently. Some stains from washdown are all that show on its hull. Due to its size, the ship cannot take a full load at Gold Bond's Dartmouth dock. Instead it usually loads to maximum allowable draft. Even so it looked a tad light as it sailed late this afternoon.

A ship that showed a bit more weathering was on the move this afternoon.

The CB Pacific is relatively new, dating from 2020 when it was built by Jiangsu New Hantong, Yangzhong, China. it is a 27,250 gt, 37,787 dwt tanker from the smaller end of the MR Range.

The ship arrived from New York yesterday, March 21 and after discharging at Irving Oil's Woodside terminal it moved to long term anchorage in Bedford Basin. (Imperial Oil Esso's terminal is right next door to Irving Oil and tanks from both companies appear in most photos from the Halifax side.)

As a four year old ship, it is not due for a drydocking until 2025 and its paint will likely receive considerable attention at that time. Some Chinese shipyards are not noted for the quality of their paint applications, but they can usually count on five years without serious deterioration to the hull steel. 

A ship that showed more rust streaking sailed this afrernoon, FD Contre-Maître L'Her is painted in miltary grey, so will show rust streaks from hawse pipes and scuppers more than some other colours. It has also been at sea on patrol for some time and has little time for attention. Naval ships might be among the few that do send the crew over over side to paint - given time and suitable conditions. (Some present day paint formulations allow for winter application. Cold paint on cold steel used to be forbidden.) See also rather long footnote.

 It did seem to take a rather long time to get away. They may have been trying to "spring" off the dock, but then the standby tug Atlantic Oak came in to keep the ship alongside in the stiff north wind that was trying to blow the ship off the dock. One tug amidships was not the answer, as it provided an unwanted fulcrum, drawing the ships lines dangerously bar taught forward or aft (from what I could see.)

As all the other civilian tugs in the harbour were working elsewhere, one of the navy's own tugs, Glenside, was called in, although in the end it was not used. 

Visting ships from foreign navies use civilian harbour pilots in Halifax. They also use civilian tugs too as both pilots and tugs "speak the same language", using commonly understood commands with pilots knowing the characteristics of the civilian tugs and their capabilities. Canadian navy ships do not use civilian pilots, and their masters and naval berthing pilots have their own common language and their tugs (which are Voith-Schneider, unlike the civilian ASD tugs) have very different handling characters. Although navy tugs are available in emergencies it is rare to see them in use with non RCN ships - even in standby - like today.

The RCN is in process of replacing these Glen class tugs. Two new tugs for Esquimalt are in Quebec City awaiting "dry delivery" and the two for Halifax are under construction at Industrie Océan in Ile-aux-Coudres, QC. The new tugs are ASD (Azimuthing Stern Drive) types.
 
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FOOTNOTE As mentioned in my previous post March 16 the vessel is called an aviso, a term that was new to me. Thanks to Royal United Services Institue (Nova Scotia) I can provide some clarification on that word, quote (italics mine):

"A number of European navies keep 'guardships', usually frigates, deployed throughout the globe for the security of related areas (can be read as territories, protectorates and former colonies).  Often the French ships are avisos.  At about the time of Gulf War I, a US/NATO fleet decided to invite guardships in the Caribbean into a major carrier battle group exercise.  The French Navy guardship was an aviso.  Seeking a translation and appreciation of an aviso's capabilities and roles, fleet staff learned that aviso seemed to hark back to dispatch vessels of sailing times (aviso = advice = dispatch?).  It wouldn't be the first modern type of ship with the name of an earlier type; there are, for example, sloop and corvette.  These are useful types of vessels, to deploy on missions when a more capable frigate or destroyer would be too much capability and expense.  Part of a 'balanced navy.'  Canada's Kingston-class serve as that, and they should be replaced by a similar, second tier or second rate to use terms of other nations, ships."

 It is certainly admirable (no pun) that terminology from another era is used for present day purposes. A clean up is required however to purge our vocabulary of such undesirable terms as "tall ships" [which you will rarely see used in this blog as it is not a nautical term]. Nevertheless I do use "ship" to mean many kinds of vessel, not just re square rig type, and "sail" to mean depart even when no sails are involved. What are the chances that the RCN would chose "aviso" as a more or less bilingual term, for the Kingston replacements?

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