An ill wind

 It may have been an ill wind that blew through Halifax Harbour (and Atlantic Canada) this morning (November 14) because it certainly played havoc with ship schedules and does not appear to have brought benefit to anyone.

Both Northumberland Strait and Cabot Strait ferries cancelled their crossings today and in Halifax three ships that were due to dock went to anchor instead.

Tropical Lissette and Lagarfoss were to have tied up at the South End terminal this morning. Due to the high winds they anchored near each other in the lower harbour and it was not until 1500 that Lagaross got underway and 1600 for Tropical Lissette to move to their intended berths at piers 41 and 42 respectively. 

Lagarfoss is on Eimskip's Green Line service, departing Rekjavik November 8 and headed next for Portland, ME.

Tropical Lissette operates for Tropical Shipping and departed St.Croix, VI November 9. It's next scheduled port is Palm Beach,

It is interesting that these ships, sailing from opposite directions meet in Halifax. Both Eimskip and Tropical are large users of refrigerated containers (which are usually painted white).

The third ship that went to anchor instead of docking was the first time caller Neptune Koper arriving from Emden for Autoport.

Built in 2004 by Uljanik, Pula, Croatia, it is relatively small for an autocarrier at 44,408 gt, 14,650 dwt. However it does have a respectable capacity of 5,380 CEU. Orginally named Grande Lagos for Grimaldi Lines, it was acquired by Norwegian Car Carriers in 2010 and renamed NOCC Kattegat. Current owners Neptune Lines of Piraeus, Greece, acquired the ship in 2021 and renamed it for the Slovenian port of Koper. They placed the ship on a weekly service between Turkish ports, Piraeus and Koper, however that has obviously changed. The ship's latest itinerary was Gemlik, Turkey October 15-16; Sète, France October 20-21; Valencia, Spain October 22-23; Vlissingen, Netherlands October 27-30; and Emden October 30-November 3.

The Neptune Koper anchored in number one anchorage, where it twirled around for much of the day. It finally moved to Autoport in the late afternoon. The ship may be substituting for a Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean visit which was listed as a "blank sailing" on the Port's schedule.

One ship that did berth on arrival was the NYK Nebula which embarked its pilot at 1500 at the pilot station. By the time it reached the inner harbour about an hour later, the extreme gusts had died down and it was able to transit the Narrows (with tug escort) for PSA Fairview Cove. 

Meanwhile in Bedford Basin the Maersk Idaho remained at anchor. There is nothing quite like bright sun on a Maersk hull.

At Imperial Oil it was the coastal tanker Algoscotia which arrived last night from Nanticoke.

 

The ship secured at the newly upgraded moorings at Imperial Oil's dock number 3. The facility was rebuilt to allow ships to remain alongside in high winds. Judging by all the lines out they were taking no chances even so. It was unusual that the ship berthed bows south - they usually tie up bows north.

(That is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic's ship CSS Acadia in the background.)

The RRS James Cook arrived in Halifax Friday November 11 and tied up at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. The Royal Research Ship is operated by the Natural Environment Research Council.

Completed by Flekkefjord in Norway in 2007 on a hull built by Crist in Gdansk, the 5401 gt ship has conducted numerous research missions in the North Atlantic. (It was last in Halifax on September 27.)

Today it loaded some gear at Pier 9C and sailed in the early evening.

With the retired CCGS Hudson in the background, shore cranes load some gear on the James Cook.

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