Mixed Bag

 There was a little bit of everything in the Port of Halifax today (August 29) - with tankers, passenger ships, container ships and both Canadian and United States naval vessels.

The Marshall Islands flagged Midnight Glory arrived this morning from Houston, TX and anchored in the lower harbour. Built in 2020 by the Hyundai Mipo yard in Ulsan, it is a 29,649 gt, 50,324 dwt midrange chemical / product tanker.

As the pilot disembarks to the pilot boat Capt E.T.Rogers, the cruise ships Norwegian Escape (left) and Norwegian Pearl (right) form a backdrop. If the tanker is headed for Imperial Oil, it must wait its turn because the berth is still occupied by the Rita M (see August 27 post) and appears to be nearly unloaded.

 

In the early evening the East Coast arrived from Saint John at Irving Oil's Woodside terminal with more product for local consumption.

 I missed the arrival this early morning of the USS Oscar Austin an Areliegh Burke class destroyer, pennant number DDG 79. I will try for later.

Meanwhile this morning Max Bernays AOPV 432 was conducting more post acceptance trials. It was delivered by Irving Shipbuilding Inc's Halifax Shipyard to the RCN in September 2022, and is expected to sail for Esquimault, BC before year end.

 Max Bernays is the third Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Harry DeWolf class, and will be the first to be based on the West Coast.

Mediterranean Shipping Company's INDUSA line from the west coast of India via the Mediterranean to the US East Coast was represented today by rhe MSC Beijing. The ship was built in 2005 by Hanjin Heavy Industry + Construction Co in Busan. With tonnages of 91,023 gt, and 105,035 dwt it has a capacity of 8069 TEU including 620 reefers.

On sailing it made a long plume of water vapour in the high humidity evening air.  The ship was retrofitted with an exhaust gas scrubber, which appears to have been installed to port of the orginal funnel structure so as not to sacrifice cargo carrying space. [See the tanker East Coast, photo above, with scrubber fitted aft of the funnel.]

While the MSC Beijing was finishing up at Pier 42 the ONE Blue Jay arrrived and squeezed in at Pier 41.

 The 14,026 TEU ship used three tugs to slow and turn the ship and assist it to back in to the berth.

 

To round out the grab bag, there was one other ship to note, the Oceanex Sanderling which arrived from St.John's this morning and docked first at Autoport. 

 

It then moved to Bedford Basin anchorage for the night and will move to the PSA Fairview Cove Container Terminal tomorrow. Oceanex has relocated its activities to Fairview Cove from the South End Terminal (SECT) as part of a rationalization that also saw ZIM move to Fairview Cove, Transport St-Pierre et Miquelon to move from Fairview Cove to the SECT and some shuffling of other services depending on size of ships.

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Bow for AOPS 4

The megablock bow section for the fourth Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship has now been rolled out of the Assembly Hall at Halifax Shipyards and wheeled into position.

The fourth ship in the series is to be named HMCS William Hall AOPV 433 once it is commissioned into the RCN.

With the bow now aligned with the rest of the ship, the "attachement" process of welding the sections together will not take long, so there may be a launch later this year.

 The third Arctic Offshore Patrol ship, AOPS 3 the future HMCS Max Bernays AOPV 432 has already had its first sea trials, and is alongside the shipyard completing fit out. HMCS Margaret Brooke AOPV 431 is in "post-acceptance trials" and is expected to commission this fall and HMCS Harry DeWolf AOPV 430 is fully commissioned. 

The latter two were due to participate in the annual Operation Nanook exercises in northern waters this summer. However HMCS Harry DeWolf remains in port due to deficiencies in its fire suppression system. The RCN says its participation is "delayed". The other participants in the exercise sailed from Halifax on August 2.

Construction started on AOPS 5 in June. AOPS 6 and the two ships for the Canadian Coast Guard are still in the planning stages.

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Margaret Brooke starts sea trials

 The second Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel built by Halifax Shipyard began sea trials this afternoon. With the tugs Atlantic Willow and Atlantic Oak alongside the ship headed to Bedford Basin first for 3.5 hours of adjustments before putting out to sea.

AOPV2, as it is currently called, will be named HMCS Margaret Brooke when it is commissioned by the RCN later this year. It is already wearing its pennant number 431.

The first vessel of the class, HMCS Harry DeWolf AOPV 430 has recently been in southern waters, in the vicinity of Bermuda, after previously carrying out cold weather operations during the winter.

The third AOPV, to be named Max Bernays is still on the hardstand at Halifax Shipyard, minus its bow. The first two megablocks were rolled out January 22 and 23. The bow was expected to be joined in "the spring" of 2021 and a float out planned for November 2021. 

There was a general shutdown and reduced activity for several months in 2020 due to COVID, but the shipyard seems to be working full out these days, with night and weekend work. 

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AOPS #3 Roll Out

 Another milestone was reached January 22 and 23 as Halifax Shipyard rolled out two of the three mega blocks for the third Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship. 

The internal fittings of the ship are in an advanced state before the roll out.

The be named HMCS Max Bernays AOPV 432 the ship will be fully assembled on dry land before it is floated out by semi-submersible barge.

Despite a significant snowfall on Friday January 22, the roll out seems to have gone off  well.

It will join AOPS#1, HMCS Harry DeWolf AOPV 430 currently in post acceptance trials with the RCN.  AOPS#2 to become HMCS Margaret Brooke AOPV 431, is still alongside the fit out berth at Halifax Shipyard (directly behind in the photo above -gangway visible to the left) but has had engine run ups in preparation for sea trials.

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