Weather Woes

High winds again today brought port traffic to a near standstill. The only arrival was the supplier Atlantic Kingfisher.  Since it was built here in 2002, it has been based in Newfoundland and was back only once in March 2006.

Since it tied up at pier 9 I assume it will be fitted for some cable work, likely the fibrepotic repair on the St.Lawrence River off Forestville. IT Intrepid was originally lined up to do the work, but is has since sailed for the Caribbean.

The tanker STI Wembley moved from Irving Oil Woodside to Bedford Basin anchorage during the highest winds, then moved back later this afternoon. The tanker Acadian was due to take its place but has remained at sea.

Several container ships, including Zim Monaco and Zim Shanghai were due, but have been delayed, and Atlantic Cartier will now arrive tomorrow.

A couple of other interesting craft are also making there way along the coast, although they may not be calling in Halifax.

Océan Traverse Nord, a trailing suction hopper dredge had been working on the Borden, PE - Cape Tormentine, NB power cable project. When it completed that work it headed for Charlottetown for Christmas, then Sydney, NS for New Year, thus avoiding a couple of storms. Then on January 2 it left for Mulgrave, NS, arriving yesterday in time to miss the current blow. It has over-wintered in Mulgrave before, but may also be headed south.

Océan Traverse Nord is built with a hull that hinges lengthwise, allowing it to dump its cargo of dredge spoil. The superstructure remains on an even keel throughout the process. 

Built in 2012 it has worked on the St.Lawrence River, Great Lakes and the Caribbean. It called in Halifax in 2013 on its was to Dos Bocas, Mexico.

Another craft from the St.Lawrence is also making its way south. Arca 1 departed Sorel, QC December 31, over-nighted in Quebec City then made a direct run to Havre-Aubert in the Magdelan Islands.

Arca laid up in Sorel last August.

Built in 1963 by Port Weller  Dry Dock as Imperial Lachine it served the Port of Montreal as a bunkering tanker. When Imperial Oil sold its fleet of full sized tankers in 1997, it had Imperial Lachine towed to Halifax to layup with their other bunkering tanker Imperial Dartmouth, neither of which was included in the sale. However in the spring of 1998 it returned to Montreal and resumed duties until 2002. It was then sold to McKeil Marine and renamed Josee M (unofficially). The next year it was towed to Hamilton, ON, renamed Murex then towed back to Montreal under Shell Canada ownership and renamed Arca. It was laid up for sale in 2014.

Ownership was transferred to Heddle Marine Service Inc c/o McKeil Marine until autumn 2016  when it was finally sold to new owners in the Dominican Republic. They renamed it Arca 1 early in December.

Due to its fairly delicate outdrive propulsion system, I expect the ship to travel in good weather only, hop-skipping to convenient sheltered ports. It is expected to stop  in Shelburne, NS, possibly for drydocking.

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Océan Traverse Nord - Part 2

The Canadian dredge Océan Traverse Nord sailed again this afternoon. (It only arrived last night,went alongside for 0800 this morning, and sailed at 1600). Its destination is Dos Bocas, Mexico, a small port in the Gulf of Mexico where it has a dredging contract.

1. Océan Traverse Nord outbound this afternoon.

The ship was met this morning by a truck with some equipment, so that is apparently the reason for its visit in Halifax. (It is a ten hour non-stop truck drive from Quebec City versus a couple of days for the ship, so it was easy for the truck to catch up for a last minute delivery).

2. Truck from Quebec.

3. and 4. From the starboard side showing the trailing suction pipe and the bow discharge line.

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Océan Traverse Nord - surprise visitor

The dredge Océan Traverse Nord arrived last evening in a surprise (to me) visit to Halifax.This morning it moved from anchor to pier 27.

 Built by Industrie Océan Inc at Ile-aux-Coudres in 2012, the ship is a split hopper trailing suction dredge.  It has a 500mm suction pipe and can dredge 5500 cubic meters per hour. It can unload by a bow mounted discharge to a pipeline or by "rainbowing" or can unload by dumping. To dump, the hull is hinged along the centre line and opens to allow the spoil to drop out the bottom. A system of rollers and hydraulics keeps the superstructure level when the hull splits.


The dredge was built for along term contract to maintain the North Traverse and other channels on the St.Lawrence River. After entering service in the summer of 2012 it has also worked in the Magdalen Islands and on Lake Erie. It laid up last winter at Mulgrave, but it appears that it may have some work lined up for this fall and winter.

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