Los Angeles Express-waits at anchor before docking

1. Los Angeles Express at number one anchorage.

The post-Panamax container ship Los Angeles Express arrived this morning and anchored in the harbour. She weighed anchor about 1130 and berthed at Fairview Cove for 1300. I do not think this was an airdraft issue. Although she did transit the Narrows at low tide, she had over 5 meters of airdraft clearance under the bridges (the Halifax tidal range is only 3 meters).

2. Transiting the Narrows - the stern tug is on a slack line on the starboard quarter. The ship has very low signal masts to decrease air draft. One radar is on a lowered mast, which would be raised when at sea.

3. The ship has plugs for 550 reefer containers. The white boxes on her after deck are all reefers.

It was more likely an issue of work start time for longshoremen. Since she arrived at the pilot station at about 0730hrs, she would not have tied up at Fairview Cove until 0900. Since the longshoremen's work day starts at 0730, they would have been paid for sitting around. There is certainly a cost to having a big ship sitting an anchor, paying fees, taking another pilot, etc., but these must still be less than paying several gangs of longshoremen for no work, and possibly incurring other overtime charges.
The ship is due to sail at 2230 hrs- meaning exactly 1 1/2 days of work.
Los Angeles Express is among the largest class of container ships to call in Halifax, measuring 75,590 gross tons, 85,930 deadweight tons and rated at 6,750 TEUs. She is owned by Northern Magnum Schiffs of Germany.