NYK Diana rates a double escort

When NYK Diana arrived this afternoon the fog outside the harbour was so thick that the ship had to be lead in part of the way by the pilot boat before the pilot could board. That is not unheard of, but is fairly rare. Once inside the harbour the fog had cleared and the sun was blazing brightly. Then came the next unsual thing.

 
Large ships transiting the Narrows are now required to have a stern tethered escort tug. (Or more than one depending on wind, but there was negligible wind today). That job is assigned to the Atlantic Oak, a 5,000 bhp ASD (azimuthing stern drive) tug. However when NYK Diana arrived, Atlantic Oak was occupied berthing the previous arrival, Oakland Express. The other two tugs, Atlantic Larch and Atlantic Willow while they are also ASD tugs, they rate 4,000 bhp. Each tug put a line up astern of NYK Diana and assisted the tug through the Narrows. This is the first time I have ever seen this, but it may have happened before.

Oddly, after Atlantic Oak completed its work with Oakland Express, and it had headed back to base, it was through the Narrows and almost at the Macdonald bridge, when it turned around and came back to Fairview Cove to assist the berthing. It wasn't possible to see why this was needed.

NYK Diana was built in 2008 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Ulsan and carries 4922 TEU on 55,534 grt, 65,976 dwt. It operates under the Panama flag for NYK Ship Management of Singapore, and calls in Halifax for the G6 Alliance.

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