Dalian Express gets away

Hapag-Lloyd's Dalian Express finally got away from Fairview Cove at 0600 today. The ship arrived on Friday January 3 but had to wait out the day's blizzard, and the snow clearing operations which followed.  

It kept its escort tug Atlantic Oak until it was well down into the main harbour, and slowed to a stop to let it go at 0730 just as the sun was about to rise.

Meanwhile at the Svitzer Canada wharf the launch Halmar was disembarking the pilot and ice adviser from the tanker North Contender which had just arrived at anchor. Halmar, operated by Dominion Diving, is contracted to fetch and carry pilots when the duty pilot boat is otherwise engaged. The pilot boat was outbound to stay ahead of the Dalian Express.

As I observed yesterday, the regular pilot boat Chebucto Pilot is out of service and the back-up boat A.P.A. No.20 is working.

• Dalian Express was built in 2001 as Hamburg Express. A post-Panamax container ship of  88,493 grt, 100,006 dwt, it has a capacity of 7506 TEU (including 2700 reefers) and acquired its present name in 2011. Its first call in Halifax was on May 27, 2013. 

• Halmar was built by Halifax Shipyards in 1960 as a workboat for use in the main shipyard and at Dartmouth Marine Slips. It was sold to Dominion Diving in 1992 and rebuilt by them in 2009.

• A.P.A. No.20  was built in 1974 by Breton Marine of Point Tupper, NS and has worked in Halifax and Placentia Bay over the years.

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