Snowy going - Updated

Last night's heavy wet snow was clinging to surfaces today as ships went about their business.

USCG Campbell sailed too early for me to catch (I had to shovel myself out first) but I did see USS Jason Dunham leaving for sea.

There appeared to be lots of snow left on deck - perhaps they don't carry shovels as standard equipment.

I hope that crew on the forepeak know how to bring the anchor home. It wouldn't do to have it unsecured once out at sea.

The Canadian bulker Ferbec sailed this morning for Havre-St-Pierre. It arrived March 13 for reflagging back to Canadian at the end of a winter season sailing under the Barbados flag.

 Winter doesn't appear to be quite over yet with lots of snow sticking to the tug Atlantic Bear.

Mining has resumed for the season at the RioTinto Alcan mine at Lac Tio, north of Havre St-Pierre. Ferbec operates a constant shuttle from Havre-St-Pierre to the smelter in Sorel-Tracy on a dedicated service each year until late fall.

There was another snowy scene at the Seaview Park boat launch just north of the MacKay bridge.

RMI Marine's "Tidal Runner" [officially C16286NB] an aluminum hulled workboat / landing craft was standing by at the end of the slip, with no evidence of anyone aboard. It was later noted to be doing "unmanned vessel trials" in Bedford Basin.
I am assuming that this did not mean that it was being navigated by women*. Instead I believe it was being operated remotely from some other location. Since the maneuvers took place near the Defence Research and Development barge, perhaps it was doing the trials for that government agency.  

Update:
An "Unmanned" craft identified as C Cat 3 110 with British flag has been tracked by AIS in Bedford Basin. For further details see: https://www.asvglobal.com/product/c-cat-3/

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*Some of the Halifax ferries, at least one Dockyard tug {altough not currentlyt} , one ATL civilian tug and one tour boat in season, are regularly in command of women, with several female crew members on particularly navy and Coast Guard, but civilian also.
Rather than using the term "unmanned" I prefer to use autonomous, which seems to be the term favoured by industry. There have been numerous demonstrations of this technology - most recently a boat in Boston went through a variety of movements and used its firefighting equipment while controlled from New Orleans, 1500 miles away .
In 2018 the first remotely controlled long distance tow saw the tug Giano towing a 10,000 dwt loaded barge from Palermo, Sicily to Genoa. Remote controllers in Naples operated the tug for 264 nautical miles of the 430 nautical mile trip. 

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Friday and Saturday Round Up

A fist time caller Friday was Glen Canyon Bridge another of the many K-Line ships we are seeing now with the new service THE Alliance that has replaced the G6 Alliance. Although HAPAG-Lloyd is a primary partner in the service, their ships are not included in the various strings that call here.

Three cranes work the ship Friday evening.

Glen Canyon Bridge is a 2006 Hyundai Ulsan built ship of 68,570 grt, 71,291 dwt with a capacity of 5624 TE (including 600 reefers).

Today's arrival at Fairview Cove is Berlin Bridge another K-Line ship on THE Alliance service, this one on the AL6, Transatlantic run.

 

Only one crane in operation to work the smaller, more lightly loaded ship.

The Hong Kong flag ship is owned by Seaspan International and chartered to K-Line. It was built in 2011 by Samsung, Koje and measures 46,444 grt, 58,200 dwt, and carries 4526 TEU.

Today at the other end of the port CMA CGM brought in another first time caller, CMA CGM Pelleas on its Columbus loop. The ship dates from 2008 when it was built by Hyundai, Ulsan. At 111,249 grt, 120,854 dwt it has a capacity of 9658 TEU including 700 reefers.

Two tugs alongside are in position to turn the ship to tie up at Halterm, starboard side to.

 
Although a few hundred boxes short of the 10,000 TEU figure, it is still a large ship. It is owned by the Claus Peter Ofen group of Germany and was renamed Pelleas between 2010 and 2014 only, as it served some other service than CMA CGM.

After the July 1 - July 4 United States Navy presence of an aircraft carrier and three accompanying vessels, this week there was a lone USN ship. Arriving Thursday USS  Jason Dunham sailed this afternoon.

An Arleigh Burke class ship it is designated DDG-109 and is homeported in Norfolk, VA.

Halifax is a way point and a destination for all sorts of pleasure craft, from small sailing vessels to large super yachts. The latter usually attract considerable attention (and speculation about the owner). Today's arrival Sycara V registered in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, is certainly a super yacht. Built in 2010 by Nobiskrug in Germany, the 1566 grt vessel can accommodate 14 (not including crew) and is equipped with all imaginable amenities.

Sycara V has been for sale for some time with a sale price originally quoted in the euro 75 mn range, but now reduced to Euro 62.5mn (around $US 71.6mn). If that is too rich for your blood you can charter it for $US 671,000 per week. 

Tied up at Salter's wharf, boardwalkers were able to get a close up look.

Roll Out continued...
Following today's restricted open house in which hundreds visited Halifax Shipyard ( and tying up traffic for a mile) workers rolled out mega-block #3 of the future HMCS Harry De Wolf. By late afternoon they had it aligned with mega-block #2.

 

 

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