The Port of Halifax can accommodate ships of virtually all sizes, and today, June 12, saw a range of ships, from small to large.
The multi-purpose general cargo type ship has become a common dight in ports around the world. Because container ships can only handle containers, there are many types of cargo that do not fit into standardsize containers and that still need transportation by sea. The multi-purpose type had been developed to handle such cargos. The usually have cranes to work their cargo, and can handle some containers if needed.
This morning's arrival, the Sloman Dispatcher is such a multi-purpose, tween deck type, but with the added capability of handling heavy lifts and heavy loads. It arrived from Belfast, and off loaded aircraft components at Pier 9C.
Because of all the wind turbine tower sections on the pier, it was not possible to see the cargo from the road. There was also a better view of the ship when it sailed early in the afternoon for Las Palmas.The ship was built in 2012 by Jiangzhou Union Shipbuilding in Ruichang, China. Construction of the ship followed the Beluga E/F, F-300 design. It was laid down before the German company Beluga Shipping was declared insolvent in 2011, so was likely ordered by Beluga. However it was delivered as Sloman Dispatcher to another German shipping company Sloman Neptun.It is a 9611 gt, 12,624 dwt ship with two 150 tonne SWL cranes that can combine for a 300 tonne lift. The ship can carry 657 TEU (326 in the hold and 331 on deck) and has 25 reefer points. The ship was renamed Sun Dispatcher for a time betweeen 2016 and 2017.
A mid-afternoon arrival was also on the small end of the scale, the chemical tanker T Procyon. Obviously well laden, it anchored for examination by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency before proceeding further into Canadian waters - likely on the St.Lawrence River.
The ship was built by Rushan Shipbuilding, in China and measures 12,112 gt, 19,101 dwt. It was orginally ordered in 2012 by Marnavi of Italy as "Attilio Ievoli", but due to late delivery by the shipyard, it (and three sister ships) were abandoned by the owners. The shipyard kept possession and renamed the ship "Long Shun". Rushan was declared bankkrupt in 2018 and the ships were sold at auction in 2019. It seems likely that the ships were incomplete at the time, and were then completed by another shipyard, Jiangsu Yangzijiang. Current owners, associated with Lynx Shipping Pte Ltd, and Seacon Ship Management renamed the ship T Procyon in 2021.
Its movements in recent months are not completely clear, but it was reported in Saudi Arabia in late April, transited the Suez Canal April 30 and called in several ports in Turkey in early May, then Varna, Bulgaria May 19 to 21. It was reported in Sevastopol and Istanbul on May 22 - depending on the source - then Gibraltar May 31.
A ship that has always been in the hands of solvent owers as far as I know, weighs in at the top end of the size scale. The CMA CGM J.Adams was built in 2017 by Hyundai, Ulsan, and has tonnages of 141,950 gross and 148,425 dwt with a capacity of 14,414 TEU.
.