Outbound bulkers

Two bulkers sailed today, reflecting the different types of vessel in this trade. First to sail was the Danish Nordkap 40,066 gross, 77,229 deadweight, built 2002. A sister to Nordpol (see: http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2011/03/third-bulker.html) a Kamsarmax bauxite carrier under charter to Rio Tinto-Alcan. It is fitted with cranes and clamshell buckets. The time it takes to unload this ship is considerable, but in view of the distance from the point of orgin of the cargo (Africa or South America) it is more economical to use a conventional bulk carrier. The ship was in port for bunkers, and anchored in Bedford Basin, and sailed at noon time. The second was the familiar Ambassador 24,094 gross tons, 37, 263 deadweight tonnes, built in 1983. It is a Seaway size self-unloader. Owned by Marbulk Canada Inc (50% Algoma, 50% CSL) it flies the flag of Vanuatu and works in the CSL International pool of self-unloaders. It is a regular here for gypsum. In view of the relatively short hops that it makes between ports, it makes sense to be able to unload rapidly and make more trips in a given period of time. Ambassador seems to have taken up the role of Georgia S., but it is a more versatile ship. It can carry a variety of cargoes including coal and stone and due to is slewing boom that can stretch out over a wide arc it can deposit cargo in most ports. .

Moscow University, end of spring break

After hanging around off Halifax for three weeks the tanker Moscow University finally tied up at Imperial Oil today. Initial delays were probably due to refinery issues regarding processing of this ship's particular cargo. During that time it had to put back to sea at least once due to severe weather. The rest of the time it remained at anchor off Chebucto Head. It appeared to be on the horizon from Halifax.

Then there were weather delays. The ship was supposed to come in yesterday, but visibility was below the 1/2 mile that Imperial Oil requires for such ships.

So finally it is alongside.

As the name suggests, the ship is owned by Russian interests, and managed by Unicom, their large Cyprus based operating entity. Nevertheless the ship is registered in Liberia. It was built in 1999 and is listed as 56,076 gross tons and 106,474 deadweight tonnes, placing it in the average size range for crude carriers calling in Halifax.

In the photo its escort tug has been released from its position astern and two tugs are pushing it against the dock as the final lines are secured.

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Fairlane to the next job

Ater unloading the tug Fjord Éternité in Bedford Basin at noon time April 5 (see Tugfax), Fairlane moved on to pier 27 to load locomotives.

The temporary crib for the tug can be seen on deck.

Fairlane heavy lift

1. Fairlane sails up the harbour, with her unusual deckload.

2. Heading into the Basin, the yellow ballast pontoons, and the lifting spreaders are visible on deck.

3. At dusk, one spreader has already been rigged, while the stern crane has lowered the pontoons into the water.

The Dutch heavy lifter Fairlane arrived today carrying the tug Fjord Éternité on deck. Sailing out of Svenborg, Denmark, March 23, where the tug had been stationed, the ship made a good crossing, It was originally due April 2, but likely slowed down to avoid a passing storm late last week.

Fairlane and sister Jumbo Vision are the two members of the H 800 class of versatile heavy lifters operated by Jumbo Shipping BV. See more on their web site:

http://www.jumboshipping.nl/

With two 400 tonne capacity cranes, the ship has a combined lifting capacity of 800 tonnes, and can make short work of a tug! Built in 2001 in Turkey, the ship measures 7971 gross tons and 7051 deadweight tonnes. It is specially strengthened for heavy cargoes, and can be grounded.

The ship sailed up in to Bedford Basin and anchored, and by dusk the forward spreader had already been rigged and some of the securing lines had been slacked off. The large yellow ballast pontoons on its after deck had been lowered into the water using slots in the ship's hull. When partially filled with water, the pontoons act as external ballast counterweights when lifting.

Once the tug is off loaded (see more on Tugfax) the ship will shift to pier 31 to load locomotives for export to Europe.

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What is going on with Quest?

1. On Sunday Quest lies in the Dockyard, with a white funnel and new sponson on the stern. Not visible - the mystery black paint on her port side.

2. Quest prepares for haul out at Aecon-Fabco in Pictou. Unattractive plating on her superstructure was added in the 1997-99 refit.

3. Alongside at Pictou - this side of the ship was not tampered with, and the sponson has not appeared yet.

4. As built, Quest had a variety of square and round deadlights and an open side deck. In this photo her flying bridge has tarps rigged to provide some shelter.

The research vessel CFAV Quest AGOR 172 is attached to the Royal Canadian Navy and carries on research for Defence Research and Development Canada.

There was concern last summer when she had to be tied up for unspecified deficiencies. See:

http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2010/07/cfav-quest.html

However the ship was towed off to Pictou for a major refit, including about a month hauled out on the slip. When she returned to Halifax late in the year she was tied up for a while at Jetty Lima, in Dartmouth. She has now moved to the Dockyard, and here is where the mystery begins.

Soon after arriving in the dockyard, her " funnel" (a large structure combining her crows nest and signal mast, etc.,) which has always been a buff colour, was repainted white. She has also acquired a sponson near the stern on the starboard side.

It now appears that the entire starboard side of the ship has been painted black - the mystery deepens!

The ship was built in 1968 by Burrard Dry Dock in Vancouver, and was commissioned in 1969. It is powered by 4 Fairbanks Morse diesels, driving 2 General Electric propulsion motors, and displaces 2130 tons. The pennant letters AGOR signify an auxiliary vessel (civilian crew) for hydrographic and oceanographic research.

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Leif Ericson - Leif the unlucky?

1. Atlantic Fir has the bow line and Atlantic Willow the stern as they haul Leif Ericson up the harbour this afternoon.

2. Once clear of the Angus L. Macdonald bridge, they line up for the Novadock.

3. With the ship snuggled into the drydock, the tugs prepare to let go.

Leif Ericson, in port since January 4 for a major refit, emerged from drydock March 9, for final fitting out at Woodside. That move was made as a cold move - the ship' engines were not used.

She has been scheduled to leave port several days, but today, she headed back into drydock, also a cold move - no engines. She is powered by a pair of normally reliable Wartsila engines, but there is obviously something amiss. Stay tuned.

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Princess of Acadia good for another year?

Princess of Acadia has completed her refit at Halifax Shipyard: 1. As of 8 am she was still high and dry in the Novadock , with anchor chains out.

2. She clears the dock at 7 pm promptly. Her own crew will paint the upperworks, but the hull is newly repainted.

3. Her lines are still elegant, as she fires up her thruster. Her funnel discs have been removed, and her crew will have to reinstate those too.

4. A very sharp turn, with very little heel.

5. Heading out of the Narrows, the low sun shows a few dings in the hull. One notable one, high, near the stern., but she still looks great.

Included in the long list of ships that need to be replaced is Princess of Acadia. Built in 1971 by the much lamented Saint John Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co Ltd, it replaced a ship of the same name on the 45 mile Digby, NS to Saint John NB run for Canadian Pacific Railway. Designed to carry 650 passengers and a combination of 159 autos/ 40 trailers, 7 tractors, the ship has done yeoman service under two owners and three managers.

In 1974 the ship was taken over by the Minister of Transport, and management assigned to CP. That lasted only until 1976 when management shifted to CN Marine, which was spun off as Marine Atlantic.

Bay Ferries took over management in 1997.

The service has been on life support for the last few years, with the governments stepping in at the last minute to provide emergency funding to keep the service going until a replacement ship arrives.

So far no replacement ship has been announced. Maybe during the current election someone will have to step up to the plate. No doubt they will announce a foreign purchase (again) because they failed to make plans in time to build in Canada.

Today's departure was delayed by high winds, and reduced visibility in snow squalls, but at 7 pm the ship stormed out of the dock - all on its own, without tugs- made a sharp turn to starboard , with her bow thruster going full tilt and her twin screws thrashing, and headed out to sea.

As a legacy of her railroad ownership days, she is still powered by her original four GM (V-16) 16-645-E5 engines, of 2875 bhp each. These were interchangeable with railway locomotive engines of the time, and can be endlessly rebuilt with ease. They drive twin screws with controllable pitch props at 18 knots+ cruising speed.

Lloyd's Register gives her passenger capacity as 641 unberthed, with 7 cabins and 9 berths. These later are VIP only as I understand it. Theses numbers do not include quarters for a crew of 28. Lloyd's also gives vehicle capacity as 155 cars, 36 "lorries." These are loaded by means of bow and stern doors.

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