Ambassador sold

1. Ambassador clears the MacKay bridge in May 2012.

The self-unloading bulker Ambassador has been sold. A frequent caller in Halifax since the 1980s, it  carried many cargoes of gypsum and even brought in cargoes of coal.
Built by Port Weller Dry Dock in 1983 it was originally called Canadian Ambassador, and as I pointed out in May, she still had those letters on her bow, but they had been long since painted over. See http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2012/05/ambassador-takes-another-load-of-gypsum.html
Built by Upper Lakes Shipping to transit the St.Lawrence Seaway locks, the ship was also built for ocean service. In 1986  it was renamed Ambassador  reflagged to Vanuatu and has been trading world wide ever since, except for one brief return to the Lakes on charter to Algoma Central Marine in 2000. For that charter it was renamed Algosea at Halifax Shipyards April 13, 2000, but reverted to previous name and flag again December 21, 2000 at Trois-Rivières, QC, and called in Halifax January 7, 2001 for bunkers.
In inrternational service it was owned by Marbulk Canada Inc., but operated out of Beverly, MA as part of the CSL International pool. Upper Lakes Group sold a half interest in Marbulk to Algoma in 1997 and CSL bought ULG's 50% in 2000.

The ship has lead a largely incident free life.
One serious event occurred December 14, 1994 at Belledune, NB. While unloading phosphate rock, an overheated roller bearing ignited the unloading conveyor belt causing extensive damage to the unloading system, its casing, destroying 25% of the accommodation and causing extensive smoke and water damage elsewhere. Firefighters flooded the unloading tunnel to extinguish the fire, and only a spring loaded water tight door saved the ship.
On July 12, 2006 it made "heavy contact" with the Canso Canal and received damage to its ballast tanks.
The ship had a major refit at Halifax Shipyard from June to September 1998, and had other repairs there in 1999.
In 2003 it received a major refit at Gdansk Shipyard in Poland, with upgrades to its unloading system.
Aside from its numerous visits to Halifax to load gypsum, it brought in cargoes of coal in February 2000, December 2002 and October 2003, unloading  onto pier 9D.

2. Unloading 24,000 tonnes of coal at pier 9-D, destined for Canada Cement/Lafarge at Brookfield, NS.

3. The ship's shallow draft allowed to come close to shore to unload. Tugs assisted it in moving along the pier face. On the left of the picture is the abutment of the MacKay bridge.

It also made several visits over the years to take on bunker fuel.
With the slowdown in the US economy following 2008 the ships visits have been fewer and fewer. My last photo was taken when she sailed on May 8, 2012.

Ambassador can unload at up to 5,500 tonnes per hour, depending on the cargo. Its boom is 76m long and can swing out 90 degrees to the ship and can luff (raise) 15 degrees. Its hold capacity is 36,542 cubic meters. Gross tonnage: 24,094 and deadweight of 37,263 tonnes.
Its new owners, Caraka Tirta Pratama Pt of Djakarta, have renamed the ship Pramudita and it now flies the flag of Indonesia. 
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