Weekend catch up

Yesterday's weather meant that today was a catch up day for several ships, and for Shipfax too.

The tanker Acadian made it into port last evening, and apparently has not resolved the engine problems it had last week. It tied up at pier 27, not at the Irving Oil Woodside terminal.

The Nirint Lines charter Atlantic Pioneer arrived after dark last evening and worked its nickel cargo all


 day today. It has called here with three different names, Atlantic Pioneer, Ongeo Pioneer and now Atlantic Pioneer. I have covered the ship before and the interesting connection one of the those names has with Halifax:

http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2011/03/federal-pioneer-fourth.html
http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2015/11/bumper-to-bumper-at-piers-27-and-28-and.html

The 9034 TEU container ship UASC Zamzam arrived this morning (it would normally have called on a Saturday) and sailed late this afternoon. It held the record for largest container ship to call in Halifax for a brief time this year, but was soon eclipsed by CMA CGM Tage at 9365 TEU - both running for the CMA CGM Columbus Loop service, with COSCO. Owners of UASC (United Arab Shipping Company) saw an opportunity to cash in and  sold the line to Hapag-Lloyd for $5.6 bn earlier this year. It is expected that OOCL will join this loop and UASC will exit early in the new year.

As UASC Zamzam was leaving, the Panama flag auto carrier Oregon Highway was arriving. It was due yesterday, but held off until today.The Panama flag ship, built in 2007 by Toyohashi Ship Building in Japan, measures 57,147 grt, but only 17,699 deadweight.

Meanwhile at anchor, with divers working, Energy Panther made its second call in Halifax in as many weeks. It appears to be in ballast.

There was also an exodus of offshore suppliers today, with Siem Hanne and Scotian Sea sailing.

I normally cover tug, supply and workboats in my Tugfax.

I also recognize that I have been neglecting the Royal Canadian Navy of late. That is not intentional.

I have not mentioned that HMCS Iroquois weill be scrapped in Liverpool. That is not news now, but it is a a sad end to plans that Sorel-Tracy had to use the ship to interpret their lengthy shipbuilding history. It is amazing to think that a ship that so recently been decommissioned was in such deplorable condition that it was not safe to use for public display.

I hope that HMCS Athabaskan is in better condition. It certainly still looked impressive, when it arrived and made a graceful turned around George's Island and put out to sea again last Monday.

I also failed to mention that HMCS Preserver paid off officially October 21. No mention has been made of where it will be scrapped, but there has been talk that some of its cargo transfer gear might be transplanted onto HMCS Queenston, the "interim" supply ship under conversion at Davie Quebec. It was also reported that the gear from HMCS Protecteur would be used, but I have heard no more on that topic. It seems to me however that any such equipment would be easier to relocate directly ship to ship.

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