CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V.

 It will be a sad end for the CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V. On November 17, 2018 vandals cut mooring lines while the ship was drydocked at Sambro, NS. The ship slipped off its cradle and partially capsized, with most internal spaces flooded.

The vessel was quickly righted but the damage was done, with estimates of up to $11 million to replace wiring and major components and repair the other damage. The government issued various contracts to stablize the ship and prepare it for rebuild, but in the end it was found to be too expensive.

In August 2024 the Coast Guard issued an RFP to dismantle the ship It has now been announced that Marine Recycling Corp's proposal to transport, break up and recycle was accepted for the sum of $412,467.25. The scrapping will take place at the company's yard at Edwardsville, NS (in Sydney Harbour). (MRC is based in Port Colborne, ON and has a larger facility there.)

After the vessel was righted it was partially cocooned while assessment was taking place.

 The CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V. was the sixth Hero class patrol vessel built by Halifax Shipyard. It was launched September 13, 2013, completed October 26, 2013 and commissioned in 2014.

Built to a modified Damen design, the Hero boats were the last ships to be launched on the slipway at Halifax Shipyard.

Immediately after launch the ship was towed to Pier 9B for final fitting out.

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Nord Ling back with new name

 A ship that has changed name twice since it was last here tied up at Pier 9C this morning, January 6, from Jacksonville, FL. 

 The Nord Ling has the familiar profile of a series of ten ships built by the Honda Shipyard in Saiki, Japan. Of relatively modest dimensions of 13,110 gt and 16,953 dwt and fitted with two 50 tonne capacity cranes (that can work in tandem for 100 tonne lifts) it is a general cargo ship with moveable tween decks. [Honda is the family name of thr shipyard founders and is not connected with the automobile manufacturers.]

Orginally named Thorco Luna when built in 2014, it was in Halifax in May 2017 to be fitted with racks to carry fibreoptic sub sea cable. 

Some cable rack material on trailers at Pier 9C in 2017.

In 2021 it was renamed Glen Grant and in 2024 it became Nord Ling.  Several of its "Thorco L..." sister ships have also gone through several name changes, some with "Franbo" prefixes. And several have been in Halifax to be fitted with cable racks. In fact another sister, the Nord Logos (ex Ultra Durban, ex Franbo Logos, ex Thorco Logos) arrived December 29 and has been anchored in Bedford Basin, in sight of Pier 9C. (See yesterday's post.) It has also been here before (as Thorco Logos) in 2016 and 2017.

Thorco Shipping A/S was a large Danish operator, founded in 2003. At one time it had more than seventy ships in its fleet. Financial difficulties arose, amid fraud charges (later dismissed) and the company was acquired by NORDEN Projects and Parcelling in 2023.  NORDEN operates a tanker pool and also pools project cargo ships for a number of owners.

Nord Logos' owner appears to be Franbo Lines, based in Taiwan, currently with a fleet of 17 ships, including five ex "Thorco L..." ships.

Nord Ling appears to be owned by Hosei, a Japanese joint venture between three companies with about 15 ships in its corral. All are similar, with two former "Thorco Ls" in the mix,

No matter the owners, these ships seem to be favoured as cable carriers, and I expect that is why they are both here. Nord Logos arrived from Portsmouth, NH, where fibreoptic cable is Manufactured.

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Connector - gone south

 The offshore construction ship Connector sailed from Halifax today, January 4, after a lengthy stay in port. It is destined for Boston, presumably to be closer to the Vineyard Wind project.

The ship arrived in Halifax September 3 and aside from a brief Dynamic Positioning trial in Bedford Basin in November it has been idle ever since. Its details were given here December 23, 2024 when fleet mate Symphony shifted layup berths.

A year ago it was reported that the Connector would be working on the Hornsea 3 wind farm off the Yorkshore coast starting in January 2025. It would be laying sub-sea power transmission cables for the Danish company Ørsted. However it appears that the ship will be working for Ørsted on the Vineyard Wind project instead. Work on that project is resuming after a five month suspension after a wind vane collapsed. A large power substation will be established to send power ashore via a high capacity sub-sea cable.

As Connector sailed this morning the cable ship IT Intrepid moved from anchorage in Bedford Basin to Pier 9C - likely to refuel. In the background the ship Nord Logos awaits its next asssignment. The ship has been used to carry fibre optic cable, and its last port of call is recorded as Portsmouth (Newington) NH, site of the Sub Com cable factory.

 

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IT Infinity - another transformation

 The cable ship IT Infinity returned to Halifax today, January 3, after a major refit in Norway. The former offshore supplier is now a state of the art vessel, fitted with the systems and equipment to lay and repair subsea communication cable. 

 This is not the ship's first conversion, but is certainly the most extensive. Its construction started at the Aker Tulcea shipyard in Romania and was completed in 2008 by Vaard Brattvaag in Norway. Built to the Skipsteknisk ST-216L design of offshore supplier, it measured 4277 gt, 4867 dwt. It is powered by four Caterpillar main engines driving two CP azipods, and has two tunnel thrusters forward and a retractable thruster forward. It also had a large open working deck with numerous reefer points, and below deck tanks for brine, potable water, drill water, oils, drybulk and drilling mud. The two deck cranes had capacities 4 tonnes and 1.5 tonnes. Accommodation was provided for 28 persons plus a hospital berth. It is also Ice Rated to DNV 1B and equipped with navigational equipment for DP2 dynamic positioning.

It worked in the North Sea under the name Volstad Princess and in 2017 became the Standard Princess. It carried that name until 2021 when it was acquired by IT International Telecom and arrived in Halifax November 8, 2022.

IT International Telecom took the ship in hand at their Pier 9A marine base in Halifax and installed a variety of package and containerised work shops and other gear to equip the ship for undersea cable maintenance and repair.

 

Although based in Halifax, and registered in Barbados, the ship was widely deployed. IT International Telecom is independant of carriers and  provides planning, design, route survey and clearance and construction and maintenance of marine networks globally.

In February 2024 the Vard shipyard in Brattvaag, Norway was awarded the contract to refit the ship to a higher standard and to modernize existing systems. The work was completed with sea trials in November and the ship sailed from Rognan, Norway, December 18.

The list of improvements and upgrades is quite impressive, but includes new accommodations for 32, and new electrical and HVAC. It took 550 tonnes of new steel to construct the new cable stowage, two new drum engines, and facilities for fibreoptic cable resting and jointing. Housing is also provided for the MD3 cable plough system and the ROV and a 60 tonne capacity stern mounted gantry for deployment. There is also a large new structure on the stern, replacing the ramp shown in the earlier photo.

In order to make space at Pier 9A this morning the ship's fleet mate, the veteran IT Intrepid moved to anchorage in Bedford Basin.

A classic design, the ship was built by Swan Hunter, Wallsend UK in 1989 as the Sir Eric Sharp. It has the traditional sheaves on the bow but a slightly more modern profile than its predecessors. IT International Telecom renamed the ship in 2005, and it continues to provide valuable service.

 

The Lord Kelvin, built by Swan Hunter in 2016 was based in Halifax until 1966.

Oberon - takes the ribbon

 As a year round port Halifax rarely celebrates the first arrival of the year. (Such ports as Montreal and Quebec City historically celebrate first arrivals dating back to the days when they were blocked by ice for four or more months of the year. Now that there are ice classed ships, and icebreaking services, the first arrivals usually make port on January 1 and the significance is largely traditional.) 

If Halifax were to celebrate the first arrival of the year 2025 it would recognize the Large Car and Truck Carrier Oberon of Wallenius Wilhelmen Ocean which arrived at noon time and docked at Pier 9C to discharge RoRo cargo.

There were still traces of early fog as the ship made its way up the Narrows to turn in Bedford Basin, with the tugs Atlantic Cedar (forward) and Atlantic Fir (aft) tethered to inset hull bollards.

The ship was built in 2008 by Daewoo Shipbuilding + Marine Engineering in Okpo, South Korea. Registering 71,673 gt and 30,143 dwt, it has a capacity of 7620 RT43 autos. Five of its car decks are hoistable for oversize cargo and it has a 320 tonne capacity stern ramp. It also has a smaller starboard side ramp.

The ship was built for Wallenius Lines and was named for a mythical character, the "elf-king" in the Weber opera of the same name. It was delivered in traditional Wallenius green hull paint, as shown on November 30, 2016 when it tied up at Pier 27.

 Wallenius Lines was founded in 1934 by Olof Wallenius and based in Stockholm. It is now owned by Rederi AB Soya and is also an investor in RoRo shipping in the Baltic. Wilh. Wilhelmsen, dates from 1861 and is Norwegian. The two lines increasingly cooperated from 1999 and in 2017 formed Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean (WWO) to operate its shipping fleet. The ships then gradually adopted a common colour scheme. Wilhelmsen also has many other related activities such as logistics, third party crewing and ship management services and own or have interest in other auto carrier fleets such as EUKOR and American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC). WWO is the third largest auto carrier company after MOL and NYK and list a fleet of 53 ships directly owned, but sources now say they control about 160 ships.

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Clear Sailing

 After two days of intense fog (and the melting off of about 10 cm of snow left over from Christmas), today, December 31, there was a clear view of harbour activity.

Yesterday's arrival, the Coastal Shipping Ltd tanker Kitikmeot W., moved off Imperial Oil's number 3 dock and anchored in the lower harbour. This will be a short term position and I expect the ship will move again early in the New Year. 

It appears to have offloaded most, if not all of its cargo, so it will be interesting to see where it is headed next. Some of its fleet mates trade internationally over the winter. (Sister ship Kivalliq W. is in the Gulf of St. Lawrence en route to Rotterdam. Another sister, Qikiqtaaluk W. sailed from Halifax December 27 and arrived in St.John's December 29. Another sister ship Tuvaq W. currently in St.John's has been reflagged to the Marsall Islands.) This ship has been reflagged to Marshall Islands most years for about five to six months - usually December / January to May/June.

So far at least, the Canadian port of registry, St.John's, has not been painted over but there is a light blue space available for Majuro when the time comes.

Kitikmeot W, was built in 2010 by Icdas in Biga, Turkey and measures 13,097 grt, 19,983 dwt. It sailed as Icdas-09 until acquired by Coastal Shipping in 2108. It is rated Ice Class 1A by DNV. Halifax was its first port in Canada when it arrived May 8, 2018. [see my post from that date]

 It has since operated on Coastal's usual routes to the Woodward Group's home port of Goose Bay, NL, its operational base of Lewisporte, NL and many far north outposts with only seasonal access by sea. It has sourced petroleum products in several ports, mostly from Imperial Oil facilities.

On its current voyage the ship loaded in Sarnia, ON, December 21 to 23, having entered the St.Lawrence Seaway from Montreal on December 16 and exiting again December 26.

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Back to Work

 After the Christmas break things begin to get back to normal. Ships put out  to sea, terminals open up and before long there is a return to routine, perhaps even to clear an accumulated backlog.

That has certainly been the case in the Port of Halifax with considerable activity yesterday and today (December 27 and 28)

Two of the three ships anchored in Bedford Basin sailed today - heading in opposite directions. The Boskalis fleet mates Forte and Triumph, in port since December 15 and 16 respectively, ordered pilots for 0830hrs and 0915 hrs AST. That meant the pilot boat only had to make one trip out to Bedford Basin - a one half hour round trip at best.

The Foundation Pilot is the newest pilot boat in service in Halifax, completed this year by the Armon Shipyard in Puerto de Vega, Spain. The 60.54 gt boat arrived in Halifax May 25, 2024 as deck cargo on the Acadia Desgagnés. [see post of that date.]

First away was the Forte heading for Newport News in ballast. The ship shows very little freeboard, even as light ship, and must sometimes see its deck awash at sea.

Triumph followed soon after, heading for St.George's Bay, Newfoundland, (not St.George's Bermuda as AIS would have it.)[The crew member who programmed the AIS will be in for a shock when they arrive in wintery Newfoundland!] The large bay on the southwest coast of the island of Newfoundland is the location of the Port of Stephenville (formerly Port Harmon) where the former military port has become a staging area for offshore wind projects.

The Triumph's deck cargo of wind turbine towers, will be unloaded and stored in Stephenville for transfer to an installation vessel. Work has resumed on the Vineyard Wind project off Massachusetts after a five month shutdown when one of the (Canadian made) wind blades shattered and fell (in pieces) into the sea. The blade failure was traced to faulty adhesive which was not picked up by QA at GE's factory in Gaspé, QC. Existing blades may have been replaced and new testing procedures have been instituted.

Also in Bedford Basin in was the second ship in two days to load at Gold Bond Gypsum. CSL Spirit loaded and sailed for Tampa December 26 and fleet mate CSL Tacoma arrived this morning.

CSL Tacoma is a regular in Halifax and since its last call November 1 delivered its gypsum cargo to Wilmington, North Carolina, November 9 then proceeded to Puerto Drummond, Colombia to load coal November 14 to 15. I'm not sure why it stopped in Baltimore Decmber 11-12, but it then sailed to Belledune, NB where it unloaded the coal.

The CSL Tacoma, 43,691 gt, 71,405 dwt was built in 2013 by Changxi Shipyard in Jiangyin, China and is a Trillium class self-unloader. It can discharge at 4,250 tonnes per hour of coal, 4,500 tph of gypsum, 5,000 tph aggregates and 6,000 tph iron ore.

The oil terminals in Halifax usually work right through holidays and that was certainly yhe case with Imperial Oil this year. The Canadian tanker Qikiqtaaluk W arrived December 24 with product from Sarnia and sailed early December 27 (sorry no photo). Its place at number 3 dock was almost immediately taken by the Malta flagged Aegea from anchorage off Halifax with product cargo from Antwerp.

SLS Shipbuilding Co in Tongyeong, South Korea built the ship as the Mare Di Venezia in 2008. The 29,683 gt, 51,371 dwt Medium Range tanker was renamed in 2018 when it changed hands from Gestioni Armatoriali SRL to Chandris Hellas.

There was also container ship activity, but that may be for another post.

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