More USCG

Last week's visit of the USCGC Eagle was followed up today, July 23, with a somewhat smaller, but much newer, member of the service. USCGC Melvin Bell WPC 1155 is the sixth Sentinel class Fast Response cutter to be based in Boston and the 55th boat of the class to be built.

Delivered by Bollinger Shipyard of Louisiana on November 16, 2023 (other sources say it was accepted November 20) at Key West, FL, it arrived in Boston January 6, 2024. It was commissioned March 29, 2024 in New London, CT.

The Sentinel design evolved from the Damen STAN Patrol 4608 as configured for the USCG with the capability to carry a 26 ft cutter boat. The number of such vessels to be built for the USCG has steadily increased since the first order and now stands at 64.

.

Catching Up and an Explanation

On Monday July 15, 2024 my aged computer began to show distressing behaviour and had to go to the repair shop. After a week in "drydock" and a new hard drive it is back in operation, but with almost a week's worth of Halifax shipping activity to catch up on.

I have therefore summarized the high points of the past several days:

Tuesday July 16, 2024

The United States flag tug Stephen Dann arrived from New York with the 2,652 gt, 4,850 dwt barge J.G.Burke in tow.

The barge has been here before. The first time it was in 2008 under the name Weeks 246 as a flat deck barge. It was back again in 2017 after being rebuilt as a semi-submersible caisson launch barge. It was then used as a build platform for the cells for the new NJ Jetty for the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels at HMC Dockyard. The units were built on the barge's deck, then floated off and sunk in position at the Dockyard.

The barge's owner, Weeks Marine, is the parent of McNally Construction Inc, now part of the Kiewit organization. As a US flag vessel it required a coasting license for the 2017 work, but I do not see any application for it this time round, when it will be used to build and launch cells for the new Halifax Shipyard fitting out berth.

The tug Stephen Dann works for Dann Ocean Towing Inc of Tampa, FL and is well known along the east coast of the United States.

Built in 1999 by Bollinger Shipyards in Lockeport, LA as Crosby Knight it is a twin screw 3600 bhp vessel, acquired in 2016 by Dann and renamed. They may also have added the "bird house" elevated wheelhouse. The tug sailed again the same day for New York (area).

Also in port at the same time, and always a joy to see, was Nova Scotia's own Bluenose II. The much rebuilt replica lives up to the saying "if you own an old wooden boat, you will eventually own a new wooden boat."

    Wednesday July 17, 2024

 The cruise ship Silver Shadow arrived at Pier 23 and was greeted by Coast Guard boats and a truck carrying a large (and apparently brand new) oil boom, which was soon deployed.

I think this was an exercise, as there was no sign of a sheen on the water, and no absorbent material or pumper trucks in evidence.

Thursday July 18, 2024

The USCGC Eagle moved from anchorage (it arrived July 17) to Pier 20 on departure of the cruise ship Volendam (fleet mate Zuilderdam sailed from Pier 22 right afterwards.)

It was assisted to its berth by the two navy "pup" tugs Granville and Listerville both suitably bearded with white duck to preserve Eagle's paint.

Eagle sailed on Sunday, July 21.

Friday July 19, 2024

 There was a newcomer on MSC's Canada Express 2 service, arriving from Montreal en route to the UK. The MSC Mia Summer II is quite a small ship by current standards, and elderly - even for MSC.

Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Kiel turned out the ship in 1999 as ADCL Scarlett [ADCL = Abu Dhabi Container Line] but it was renamed Buckinghamshire in 2000 and became MSC Mia Summer II in 2005. A 25,719 gt, 18,779 dwt ship it has a capacity of 1658 TEU, well below the 2,000 mark implied by the "II" in its name.

Of note: it is an "open top" type ship, with no hatch covers required. The hold area is sheltered to a degree by the raised freeboard. Numerous restrictions as to stability, firefighting snd carriage of dangerous goods apply to this type of ship and at least so far, the safety record had been good.

Saturday July 20, 2024

Not to be outdone ZIM had a really new ship on their ZCA service from the Med. ZIM Condor  was delivered in April of this year by Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard Co Ltd in Zhoushan. It is a 49,877 gt, 62,999 dwt ship with a capacity of 5315 TEU [nominal; 3845 TEU at 14 tonnes] with 1,000 reefer points.

The new tug Atlantic Maple took up an unusual forward escort position, operating in reverse mode, as the ship returned to sea in the Narrows later in the day. Nevertheless the ship still had to send warning whistles to a heedless sail boat in its path.

The second tug Atlantic Cedar provided the stern tethered escort.

Sunday July 21, 2024 - see Monday

Monday July 22, 2024

Among the several morning arrivals was the unusually named DreAMBoat. The capitalized letters in the middle of the name represent the initials of the owner, Arthur Morris Blank, co-founder of the Home Depot big box store chain. (Compare to the July post of another store owner's boat.) Mr. Blank also owns the Atlanta Falcons football team, and a soccer team.

At a reported cost of $180 million Oceanco of Alblasserdam, Netherlands built the 2946 gt ship to accommodate 14 guests and up to 27 crew along with "hangars" for a 10.8m limo tender and 10.5m sport tender.  

Moving within the harbour, from Imperial Oil (where it arrived Sunday from Antwerp) was the tanker Eli Knutsen.

It is one of two sister tankers purchased by Algoma Tankers, and announced in January of this year. Both were to be chartered back to Knutsen OAS Shipping of Sweden until later in the year. The "intermediate epoxy" chemical and product tanker was built in 2010 by Jiangnan Shipyard Group in Shanghai and measures 11,889 gt,m 16,544 dwt. The ship is still flying the Malta flag, but is carrying the Algoma "bear" funnel mark and is likely to be registered in Canada soon.

 Its sister ship Liv Knutsen is still trading in western Europe, but is also expected in Canada this year. No new names have been announced yet, and for the meantime the Eli Knutsen is at anchor in Bedford Basin. (Fleet mate Algoluna, the former Birgit Knutsen, took its place at ImperialOil.)

.

 

 

Hapag-Maersk - Gemini Cooperation Agreement

 The plan for Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to work together under the Gemini Cooperation Agreement has run aground - at least temporarily, but has not yet been written off as a total loss.

The lines' application to the United States Federal Maritime Commission was rejected July12. The regulator may review a revised submission with more information. Other major world regulators will also have to approve the plan before it can be implemented.

The Gemini Caooperation Agreement would see the two lines join forces when the current 2M Alliance of Maersk and MSC expires, and THE Alliance (Hapag-Lloyd, HMM, Yang Ming and ONE) expires, both in February 2025. However the Agreement was to take effect this week in order to allow for the necessary preliminary work.

The plan will see a major shakeup as the two former competitors withdraw from competing services and realign. Yesterday (July 14) the NYK Demeter sailed from Halifax with the usual large number of Hapag-Loyd, UASC and CSAV boxes. The ship operates for THE Alliance, as  NYK Line is a partner in ONE (Ocean Network Express). The potential loss of Hapag-Lloyd related cargo may well see the collapse of THE Alliance as the other lines my find it difficult to maintain service.

With the ports of Halifax (and partner CN Rail) and Saint John (with the newly merged CPKC) vying for the realigned services, the fallout for Halifax may be quite significant. However to the credit of the FEC, the lines must show some benefit to customers, not just an improvement in their own operating ratios before regulatory approval is granted. 

.

Paving the way

 It is paving season in Nova Scotia, and the demand for asphalt must be at its peak. Last week Miller McAsphalt (the Canadian subsidiary of Colas, the multi-national from France) brought in a full cargo of asphalt on its articulated tug / barge Leo A. McArthur / Johnn J. Carrick [ see post from July 7 ]. That cargo came from the Great Lakes, possibly Hamilton, ON.

Today, July 15, they received another consignment, this time on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Asphalt Carrier.

 The ship was built in 2010  by Kraljevica Shipyard in Croatia. It is a 6292 gt, 9,230 dwt tanker equipped with a large boiler plant and heating system to keep asphalt in a liquid state.

The Asphalt Carrier is a caller in Saint John, NB where it loads asphalt for US and Caribbean ports.  This time however it is bringing asphalt. Its last port is given as Providence, but that is usually a discharge port. Before that it was in Willemstad (June 13 to 26) a more likely source of the product. From an examination of the plimsoll marks on the ship's hull, I believe it was not fully laden on arrival here.

.

Twelve more

 Mounting criticism from NATO allies that Canada is not living up to its commitment to the alliance revolves around Canada's failure to meet the figure of 2% of GDP dedicated to defence spending. At the recent NATO meeting in Washington, the Canadian government reiterated its intention to increase spending to that level - over the long term.

Details on how this will achieved are scant, but the Minister of Defence has announced that Canada will be acquiring up to twelve conventionally powered, under-ice capable submarines. Called the Canadian Patrol Submarine Program (CPSP) the process will begin with a search for potential bidders. It is understood that the boats will not be built in Canada, but will come form establish constructors elsewhere in the world.

The project will presumably also require a massive infrastructure upgrade to provide bases and refit capabilities for such a large number of boats. Neither of the two HMC Dockyards, Halifax nor Esquimalt, currently has the space for that many subs, particularly as new large destroyers and supply ships will be added to the fleet in the interim.

Today, July 14, saw Canada's sole east coast submarine, HMCS Windsor move to Bedford Basin for some trials. It is one of four Victoria class subs in the RCN, purchased in 1994 from the Royal Navy's stock of decommissioned Upholder class boats of 1980s vintage. The other three are currently based in Esquimalt.

 

HMCS Windsor ex Unicorn, July 14, 2024.

The subs have been maintenance heavy and have had life extensions that will only see them to the mid 2030s. It is questionable if new subs can be delivered on that timetable. Six year refit intervals may see lmore arge expenditures if they RCN needs to keep them in service for another cycle.

.

Tankers with a difference

 There were two tankers in Halifax today, July 12, but they did not follow the usual routine and tie up at Imperial Oil or Irving Oil.

The larger of the two ships, the Silver Zoe, arrived in the wee hours of the morning and anchored in number three anchorage in the lower harbour. 

The ship's last port was Amsterdam, and it was reported outbound at the Ijmuiden sea lock on June 30. Tracing the ship's movements back to mid-May, it has been in Durban, Carteya Guadarranque, Spain, Augusta Italy, and Hamburg before arriving in Amsterdam June 26. I suspect that the ship was in the far east earlier in the year and if so, it would require clearance from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency before it is allowed to dock in Canada. Inpsectors would need determine that the ship is free of invasive species before proceeding.

By 1300 hrs this afternoon the ship was cleared to leave the anchorage and move to Pier 9C. The tugs Atlantic Oak (astern) and Atlantic Beaver (alongside) shepherded the ship through the Narrows to Bedford Basin then assisted it in turning round. It then entered the Narrows again and moved alongside Pier 9C bow south.

A typical Long Range 1 tanker, built by Hyundai, Mipo in 2015 it measures 29,327 gt, 49,635 dwt. Irving Oil has a terminal in Amsterdam and frequently sources refined products from there. Ships chartered by Irving Oil sometimes refuel in Halifax, and Pier 9C has easy access for tanker trucks. However I did not see any trucks waiting for the ship, so it may have docked for some other reason such as engine servicing.  

According to AIS reports the ship is headed for Quebec, so may have been diverted from Irving Oil.

The second tanker arrived at the pilot station at 0900 hrs and anchored in the lower harbour at anchorage number one. This anchorage is considered to be for short term visitors  such as ships requiring CFIA inspection. However the Linus P has been in Canadian waters already this summer, so would not normally require invasive species inspection.

From late May the ship has been in Houston, Port au Prince, Houston, New Orleans, Come-by-Chance (June 3-5), St.Croix, Port au Prince and again Houston (July 2-4) and is next due in Come-by-Chance July 14.

Although similar in appearance, and a 2016 product of Hyundai Mipo,Ulsan, the Linus P is significantly smaller than the other visitor at 17,858 gt, 25,161 dwt.

From what little information I can find about the ship's operators, Sterling Ocean Chemical Tankers, it appears that they are descended from Alterna Capital Partners, and have a fleet of about ten tankers on voyage charters, The ships are named for renowned scientists, in this case the two-time Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Linus Pauling (1901 - 1994).[ See the Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Pauling ]

.

 

MSC Levina III

 The container ship MSC Levina III arrived this morning, July 11, on the Canada Expresss service from Montreal for London, Antwerp and Le Havre. The ship will take on cargo here that could not be loaded in Montreal due to draft restrictions on the St.Lawrence River.

The much traveled ship is working on its seventh name, having previously sailed for all the major container lines at one time or another over its 18 year career (so far).

Built in 2006 by Hyundai Mipo, Ulsan, it is a 28,616 gt, 39,359 dwt ship with a capacity of 2824 TEU. It was originally named Santa Balbina, presumably for charter to Hamburg Süd, but was almost immediately reanmed Maersk Jackson. It carried that name until 2011 when it reverted to Santa Balbina. From 2014 to 2018 it was named Satie then CMA CGM Pointe du Diamant in 2018 and again Satie in 2019. As of June 1 of this year it became MSC Levina III. Up until that time it appears to have been owned by Claus-Peter Offen interests of Germany.

The Roman numeral "III" in the ship's name represents the ship's capacity class, which is 2000 to 3000 TEU. With so many ships in the MSC fleet, thue use of the Roman numeral makes it easy to know the ship's size at a glance. The company's container fleet now exceeds 800 ships with a capacity in excess of 5.5 mn TEU, representing nearly 20% of the world's container capacity.

.