Bulk Newport clean

The Bulk Newport is due to sail this evening with its newly cleaned hull (underwater) . The ship has been anchored in Bedford Basin since Friday evening, with the dive tender Lady Georgina nearby or alongside.

The hull is noticeably cleaner starting a few feet above the waterline compared to its appearance on Friday Remotely controlled machinery does some of this dreary work these days, however I noticed navy divers cleaning Sackville's hull by hand last week. (Fortunately they didn't poke any holes in the reportedly paper thin skin.)

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Saturday Round Up

Saturday began and ended (for me) with the arrival adn departure of MSC Meraviglia, the giant lead ship of MSC Cruises Vista Project class. The 171,589 grt behemoth can carry 4,500 passengers and 1,536 crew stacked in 15 decks.

Built in 2017 by Chantier de l'Atlantique in St-Nazaire, it lacks the grace and distinction of other big ships, granted it is a full 25,000 grt or so larger than, for example, Queen Mary 2.

It tied up at pier 21-22, turning and backing in unaided,  leaving just enough room for Viking Sun at pier 20.

On departure a bit of low level light improved the looks somewhat as the ship sailed for New York.

Saturday provided a bit of a break in traffic along the waterfront allowing a quick snap of HMCS Moncton MM 708 in its commemorative paint scheme. 2019 marks the 80th anniversary of the declarations that began World War II. As in World War I navies tried a variety of camouflage schemes to make ships difficult to target at sea. Much thought, experiment and even science went into developing the schemes, which had mixed results at best. Often called dazzle, they were intended to confuse the human eye from a distance, particularly naval gunnery and U-boats.
The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest running campaign of the war waged right through to the end, with extremely heavy losses on all sides. The advent of radar may have meant the end of camo for ships as a defensive mechanism.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the battle of the Atlantic in 2020, Moncton, on the east coast and HMCS Regina on the west coast will wear what is correctly termed Admiralty disruptive pattern paint scheme for about a year. They will participate in several events in 2020, as wide spread as the Great Lakes and Hawaii. (Disruptive paint schemes would be inherently different for Atlantic and Pacific deployments due to differences in atmospherics and thus the colour of the seas. It will be interesting to see if that is the case with the current commemoration.)

Many of my photos are taken from a position not far from the location of the wartime Halifax Harbour gates, and within sight and sound of some of those losses.

The English language portion of one of several memorial plaques in Halifax.

Preparations are underway to start sea trials for the next new ship to join the RCN. AOPS 1 (Harry DeWolf) is expected to leave Halifax Shipyard mid-month to make way for the "launch" of the AOPS 2 (Margaret Brooke). That ship will be transferred to the semi-submersible Boa Barge 37, floated off in Bedford Basin and returned to the shipyard for fitting out.

AOPS 1 in the water, and AOPS 2 almost ready to take its place.

In Bedford Basin it appears that the bulk carrier Bulk Newport may be getting a hull cleaning below the waterline. The diving tender Lady Georgina could be seen in the area of the ship this morning.
With its hatches cracked open, the ship appears to be getting an inside cleaning too.

On the Dartmouth side of the Basin, I can now acknowledge that my recent comment about Hydra Mariner (ex Cape Mira, Geo. T. Davie, 1963) was incorrect (based on info received on the internet). The old side trawler is still at anchor in the same spot in Navy Island Cove that it has occupied for ten years. One of several side trawlers languishing in backwaters of Nova Scotia, it has not been abandoned however, so is likely to be there for some time yet. As I stated in my September 27 post: http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2019/09/waterfront.html
 there are few reminders of Halifax's history as a fishing port, this vessel is one, but is well hidden.

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Bulker to Anchor

The Supramax bulk carrier Bulk Newport anchored in Bedford Basin this evening (October 4) after a day long stay at pier 27. The 29,862 gt, 52,587 dwt ship is a 2003 product of the Kamasashi shipyard in Toyohashi, where it was built as the oddly named Doric Samurai. In 2009 it became Royal Phoenix and took its present name in 2013. Its owners are listed as Bulk Phoenix Ltd, but beneficial owners are the Panagaea Logistics Solutions Ltd, a Bermuda Corporation that operates the ship under the Phoenix Bulk Carrier (US) LLC label and based in the unlikely port of Newport, RI (hence the ship's name.)

The ferry Vincent Coleman on the Woodside run from Halifax arranged a tight port to port passing as Bulk Newport headed for Bedford Basin from pier 27.

Panagaea is also the parent of Nordic Bulk Carriers out of Copenhagen and Singapore, and has become well known for its operations in Northwest and Northeast Passages. Several of its ships have loaded at the Baffinland port of Milne Inlet this summer, transporting iron ore to Europe (by conventional transatlantic route.) In 2018 two if its ships sailed via the Northern Sea Route (North East Passage) from Milne Inlet, south of Greenland, then north of Iceland, and north of Russia of the far east (Pacific) port of Nakhodka. In 2013 one of its ships also carried a cargo of coal from Vancouver to Finland via the Northwest Passage.
The company also operates American Bulk Carriers.

Bulk Newport's last port was listed as Port Alfred, likely with a cargo of bauxite or alumina. The ships four cranes are fitted for grabs, and at least one is visible on deck. There has been no explanation for why the ship berthed at pier 27 then moved to anchorage.

Panagea also owns (indirectly through Phoenix Bulk Carriers) the Canadian flag barge Miss Nora G. Pearl, stationed near Baie Verte, NL and used by Anaconda's Point Rousse gold mine operation. The 8098 gt 16,322 dwt barge was built in 1979 by Todd Shipyards Inc in Galveston, TX. The barge is used as a dock where waste rock (overburden) from the mine is crushed and exported to Charleston, South Carolina. Approximately 10 mn tonnes is to be shipped over the lifetime of the mine, reducing the cost of the mine.
Perhaps the ship will be heading there next.

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Sir William Alexander in refit

CCGS Sir William Alexander was to have been in refit in July and August as per published schedules. However I have observed that its crane has been removed, whether for repair or replacement, so the vessel remains out of service. CCGS Earl Grey and Edward Cornwallis may also be in refit at the Bedford Institute, but CCGS George R. Pearkes appears to be operational.

Sir William Alexander with crane removed.

Sir William's crane was not original equipment to the ship, but was installed in 1998, mounted on the main deck forward, replacing the original derrick that had not performed properly since new. Sister ship Edward Cornwallis retains the derrick, making it easy to distinguish between the two ships. They are also the only ships of their class with a three a deck superstructure. Other ships of the Martha L. Black class have four decks.

George R. Pearkes on the right has an additional deck compared to Edward Cornwallis (left).

Near my home, in Victoria Park in Halifax, a stone cairn commemorates Sir William Alexander, (1567-1640) First Earl of Stirling:

Erected by the North British [i.e. Scottish] Society in 1957, containing stones from Alexander's home castle, it carries a bronze plaque recognizing the poet, statesman and colonizer as the founder of Nova Scotia. At the time, that also included present day New Brunswick and much of the state of Maine. When the territory was returned to the French in 1632, Alexander was reduced to poverty. He never set foot in Nova Scotia, although his son (of the same name) spent a winter at Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal).

A confidant and Secretary of state to King James I of England / James VI of Scotland, Sir William Alexander (the elder) was also named Viscount of Canada.

CCGS Sir William Alexander is the second ship of the name. The first, launched in 1959 by Halifax Shipyards,  served until 1989, the last two years as William when teething problems delayed delivery of its replacement.
The following is extracted from my post of November 12, 2014:

SIR WILLIAM ALEXANDER (i)

One of the finest ships ever built by Halifax Shipyards, it was launched December 13, 1959 and served with distinction until July of 1989. Its service was memorable enough that its replacement received the same name- as much in recognition of the man who had Nova Scotia as an idea, as for the ship itself. The ship was built to the proven pattern established by the Edward Cornwallis (i) as a light icebreaker buoy tender.

 The prototype steamer Edward Cornwallis and the evolved, diesel version Sir William Alexander

Longer and narrower, but to perform the same basic work, Sir William Alexander was the epitome of the Canadian Coast Guard light icebreaker and buoy tender. The winch control room below the bridge and derrick mounted to to the superstructure was dropped in subsequent ships.

Powered by four Fairbanks Morse engines of 1333 bhp each, driving two electric motor it delivered 4250 shp to two controllable pitch props.

Built with a helicopter deck, the telescoping hangar was added later. In 1970 it was host to a Bell 206 A/B the standard CCG 'copter of the day.

The ship's most famous exploit was in rescuing the crew of the tanker Kurdistan in ice in the Cabot Strait in March 1979 when the tanker broke in two. Sir William Alexander assisted in escorting the ship to the Strait of Canso where it was pumped out and patched up for towing to a repair yard.

 

Sir William Alexander tied up at the eastern approach wall to the Canso Canal, standing by salvage operations. The DPW boat Maces Bay is ferrying people out to the Kurdistan, which is anchored beneath Cape Porcupine with a McAllister salvage barge alongside.

Renamed William in 1987 she was kept in service until July 1989 due to delivery problems with her namesake replacement.

In April 1987 William had the rare responsibility of lifting navigation aids in Halifax harbour when flow ice from the Gulf of St.Lawrence blew in. It had to navigate in heavy ice, but was not required to break the ice, since it had already broken up on its way south. Note her bridge wings had been plated in during a previous refit.

 
When finally laid up she became H-22, in February 1990. After sale to Bahamian owners she languished in Halifax until 1992, then moved to Pointe-de-Chêne, NB for another year. Finally she became the Belize flag Pilar del Caribe. When drugs were found aboard in Kingston, Jamaica in 1995 authorities seized the ship. Before it could be sold for scrap it parted its lines and blew ashore. Beyond salvage it was left on the beach at Bull Bay where it became local landmark.

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Tanker departs from the norm

Although the tanker Celsius Ravenna is a quite standard MidRange1 type,  it distinguished itself somewhat by departing from the usual tanker routes. In recent months tankers arriving at Imperial Oil's Dartmouth facility have come from Antwerp and those calling at Irving Oil have come from Amsterdam. Celsius Ravenna instead arrived October 1 from Amsterdam and docked at Imperial Oil.
There are many petroleum facilities in Amsterdam, in addition to the blending facility operated by Irving Oil, so there is no reason to think that there is any connection  with Irving Oil in this case.

Celsius Ravenna sailed this afternoon in ballast for Rotterdam.

Celsius Ravenna was built by Onomichi Zosen in 2010 as a 26,914 gt, 47,366 dwt tanker named Unique Developer. As on January 1 this year it changed name and management. Previously operating in the Norient Pool it is now operating for the full service Danish shipowning company Celsius Shipping.

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Five ships - no Mac [corrected]

With five cruise ships in port today, and thousands of visitors clogging the waterfront, I apologize that I was not too enthusiastic about mixing in with the crowds. Veendam, Zuiderdam, Regal Princess,and Fram are all familiar. The fifth ship, Riviera maybe less so, but with fading light again a factor I did not go to see it sail at 1800. However I can recommend today's issue of Halifax Shipping News which also has a series of photos taken aboard Asterix
 See: https://blog.halifaxshippingnews.ca/

For those interested in the Halterm extension, McNally continues to bring fill by barge from pier 9C to pier 42. The fill, from the port's stockpile in Fairview Cove, is dumped on the harbour bottom them clamshelled into the open cells of the cribs. Two crane barges are at work on this sort of reverse dredging.

The tug Mister Joe with one of the two dump scows (this one is Pitts No.12, a split hull type) running a shuttle from pier 9C to pier 42. The small tug J.F.Whalen helps to position the scow on arrival, where the fill is dumped on the bottom.

Two cranes clamshell the fill from the bottom into the open crib cells. The barge on the left is Idus Atwell and on the right Derrick No.4.

Yesterday workers were setting up a hopper and conveyor system at the end of pier 42.

Today I noted that the conveyor system has started working to place material in the crib cells too. That material is arriving by dump truck (through city traffic) and fed to the conveyor system. It appears to be a high quality gravel.

Today, while one of the cranes is clamshelling fill from the harbour bottom, the conveyor is placing gravel.For more on the tugs and barges, see past posts on Tugfax.

Correction:

I  got the names of the October 2 cruise ships wrong (all except one). In fact the ships in port on October 2 were: 
Serenade of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Silver Wind, Norwegian Escape and Fram, and I did see the last one of these sail.

I must underline that I did not travel to Norway to see this.

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Sapphire Anniversary

On October 1, 2002, welders working on a cruise ship at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan accidentally ignited combustible furniture in the cabin above where they were working. The fire took 19 hours to extinguish and destroyed an estimated 70% of the nearly completed ship. One of two identical ships under construction in the shipyard, it was to be called Diamond Princess. In order to reduce the impact on the Princess Cruises schedule the two ships exchanged names, and the fire ravaged vessel was renamed Sapphire Princess.

With four cruise ships in port today, pier space was at a premium, and Sapphire Princess had to tie up at the embarrassingly inadequate pier 31. Passengers had to to be bused in and out of the area for their own safety.

The ship was in Halifax today on the anniversary of the fire. There were no lives lost and more than a thousand workers evacuated safely, but a major rebuild was needed. The entire superstructure from the bridge to the engine casing was removed and replaced, and the interior fittings were redone. replaced.

The ship measuring 115,875 gt was one of the largest cruise ships in the world when completed, with a capacity of 2,670 passengers and 1,100 crew.

Also in Halifax today was the Norwegian Gem at pier 20-21, exhibiting the previously mentioned "hull art". Its head lines were lead out to the bollard on the Tall Ship Quay because the rest of the sea wall, piers 21-22 was occupied by Anthem of the Seas. Pier 23 was to be occupied (see below) the fourth ship, Star Pride ,was relegated to the even worse pier 34-35. (If the Port's master plan to fill in the cambers comes to fruition, those berths will no longer be available and no alternatives have been suggested for cruise ships.)

On arrival this morning Anthem of the Seas's glass enclosed pod, called the North Star appeared to be near its maximum altitude of 300 ft above sea level. As the ship drew closer however the device was lowered, well out of harm's way from curious military helicopters in the neighbourhood.

Early this afternoon the naval auxiliary oiler replenishment ship Asterix moved with civilian tug assistance from HMC Dockyard to pier 23 where it will be in place for the DEFSEC Atlantic military showcase. In past years it has been Canada's naval memorial Sackville alongside the annual event.

I missed the first arrival September 16 of Tropic Lissette the second new ship on Tropical Shipping's service. It returned today, taking up the slot formerly occupied by Bomar Rebecca and complimenting sister ship Tropic Hope which arrived here for the first time in January.

The 15,215 gt, 20,313 dwt ship has a capacity of 1100 TEU, including 200 reefers and carries a pair of 45 tonne cranes. It was built in China by Guangzhou Wenchong.

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