Storm Delays

 The latest storm to pass through the Atlantic region has resulted in numerous delays to shipping including Halifax. On Sunday (March 10) into Monday (March 11) high winds and driving rain brought arrivals and departures to a halt as swells built in and created a significant storm surge. Rough conditions prevailed through Monday and pilotage operations were suspended.

The Mauger's Beach spit was awash for much of the day with surf also breaking over Thrumcap and other shoals.

At time of writing, late Monday afternoon, the Atlantic Pilotage Authority informed that conditions would be reviewed on Tuesday morning March 12 at 0600 hrs ADT, and pilotage operaitons would not be resumed before then.

The bulk carrier CSL Tacoma, inbound for Gold Bond Gypsum, met the pilot boat at the pilot station at 0800 hrs ADT on Monday March 11, but did not embark a pilot, and put back to sea. It will now try for Tuesday morning to enter port if conditions permit.

The container ship CMA CGM Paranagua arrived earlier and was able to board a pilot and made its way in to Pier 42. Due to high wind cargo operations were slow during the day, and it was still loading late afternoon. The ship will remain alongside over night.

 

CMA CGM Paranagua at Pier 42 has its own cranes swung out to permit shore crane acces.

The ship is sailing on the joint CMA CGM / Maersk North Atlantic service, CAE / SL1, and is on the eastbound leg en route from Montreal to Bremerhaven. It is a 35,881 gt, 41,801 dwt ship with a capacity of 3108 TEU, including 500 reefers and is equipped with three 45 tonne SWL cargo cranes. It was built by Szczecinska Nowa in  Szczecin, Poland in 2005 and has the stylish superstructure featured by ships from that shipyard.

Originally named Cosima by the Peter Doehle organization, it was renamed Norasia Atlas in 2005, and Letavia briefly during 2006 becoming Emirates Freedom to 2009 when it was again named Letavia until 2021. CMA CGM then acquired the ship and it took its present name, and was placed under the management of NSB Niederelbe.

Yesterday's arrival ONE Grus appears to have completed cargo work -the cranes are up-  and was scheduled to sail over night but will also have to remain in port until pilots are able to disembark safely. 

 

Yes there is a ship under that pile of containers. ONE Grus appears to be loaded to near capacity of 16,026 TEU. The 146,694 gt, 138,611 dwt ship was built by Japan Marine United in Kure in 2019.

Ships subject to windage because of high freeboard or deck cargo, such as Ultra size container ships and auto carriers are particularly difficult to manage in high winds. One auto carrier, Höegh Transporter, will remain offshore until tomorrow as will the container ship Erving. More details on them when they arrive.

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Back on Watch

After a week away from Halifax, Shipfax is back on watch. (More on my Quebec trip in later posts)

The autocarrier Hoegh Transporter arrived at noon time today. Although it was built as far back as 1999 I had never seen the ship before. Originally it was named HUAL Transporter for then owners Hoegh-Ugland Autoliners. The ship came from Stocznia Gdynia in Poland and measures 57,757 grt, 21,400 dwt with a capacity of 6500 CEU.

Hoegh bought out Ugland's 50% of the joint venture in 2000 but the ship was not renamed renamed Hoegh Transporter until 2007. Since 2008 A.P.Moller (Maersk) has held a minority share in Hoegh Autoliners.


HMCS Windsor sailed early this afternoon. It had only returned to port June 20th after a five month deployment to the Mediterranean with NATO.

According to press info at that time it had largely been used for training with other navies, but also did patrol and tracking work. It has a crew of 59.Canada's small fleet of four subs will be kept running until the 2030s with major refits planned as a cheaper alternative to replacement.

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