The first ship to arrive in Halifax in 2022, the Dallas Express, crept into Halifax this morning, January 2, in dense fog, with its horn sounding at regular intervals all the way to Bedford Basin.
It ran through a thin patch just off Halifax Shipyard allowing for a partial photo from the south corner of Pier 9. (The camera saw more than I did, so a little editing brought out a bit more detail.)(The slight ripple on the surface of the water is the incoming tide - something rarely seen like this.)
I photographed the ship in the same location, but on a clear day, in 2012 see Shipfax March 29, 2012
Although the ship is listed as "unscheduled" on the Port's website, Hapag-Lloyd shows it on the AL5 (Atlantic Loop 5). It has only just joined the AL5 however, since it made a Transpacific crossing earlier in the fall. Tracing the ship's movements shows that it is in the midst of a round the world trip.
Sailing from Los Angeles, September 26, 2021, it called in Oakland September 27-29. It was next reported in Shanghai October 30-31, Singapore November 8-9, Colombo November 13, Suez Canal November 23, Piraeus December 7-8, Rotterdam December 16-17, Hamburg December 18-21 Rotterdam again December 22-23 and Antwerp December 23-25.
The ship's location for most of October is not recorded, but I suspect it might have been drydocked, possibly in Shanghai, since its hull is fairly freshly painted, and quite free of rust stains or tug smudges. Drydocking would also make sense if it was about to join a new service, and costs are very much lower in China.
The AL5 service will take the ship down the east coast and through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles, Oakland and Seattle then returning via Panama, Cartagena, Caucedo, Dominican Republic, and Halifax to Southampton, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp. However with the lengthy delays in LA/LB and Oakland that routing may change.
As reported in the 2012 post the ship was then recently renamed, having originally carried the name Tokyo Express for a short time, then later in 2000 renamed Antwerpen Express. The 54,437 gt, 67,145 dwt ship was built in 2000 by Hyundai, Ulsan, and has a capacity of 4890 TEU (including 370 reefers).
The ship had a ghostly appearance this morning as it passed under the A. Murray MacKay bridge, which seemed to disappear about mid-span.
No comments:
Post a Comment