Cans, Cars, Trials and a Sub - updated

Today December 2 was one of those days when the Port of Halifax was "firing on all cylinders" so to speak, with a wide variety of shipping activity.

In the container realm it was a return visit from CMA CGM A. Lincoln, a 141,950 gt, 148,992 dwt ship, built by Hyundai HI, Ulsan in 2017, with a capacity of 14,414 TEU. For a brief time in 2020 it held the record as largest ship to call in Halifax, but was later deposed by CMA CGM Marco Polo, the current title holder. Once again the ship eluded an underway photo due to its early morning arrival. It was still impressive however once it was alongside at Pier 41.

I did manage to capture it before it docked on June 29, 2021.

PSA Halifax also had the Eimskip charter Vivienne Sheri D at Pier 42 and Oceanex Sanderling at Pier 36.

At Autoport it was the Wallenius Wilhelmsen autocarrier Don Quijote [note the spelling] arriving from Zeebrugge.

 Built originally in 1998 by Daewoo HI, Okpo, it was lengthened 8.6 m (28.2 ft) in 2006 by Hyundai Vinashin in Vietnam, thus increasing its tonnages from 56,893 gt, 14,927 dwt to 67,141 gt, 28,142 dwt and its capacity of cars from 5,873 to 7,200 (RT43). It has a 125 tonne capacity stern ramp and 13 car decks.

After some evolutions off the IEL dock the CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752 put out to sea for trials.

The ship is nearing completion of a Vessel Life Extension refit which began at Irving Shipbuilding Inc's (ISI) Shelburne Ship Repair facility. When ISI sold the yard to Mersey Seafoods earlier this year, the ship was towed to Halifax for completion of the work alongside ISI's Woodside facility.

The most obvious aspect of the refit work was installation of a hydraulic crane replacing the original goal post mast and derrick from 1986 when the ship was built by Marine Industries Ltd in (Sorel) Tracy, QC. Sister ship Sir William Alexander was refitted with a crane early in its career when the derrick system malfunctioned. Although the cranes are different, the two ships will now appear similar, and will have similar capabilities.

 A significant aspect of the refit was the renaming of the ship to recognize the Peace and Friendship Treaty signed in 1752 by Kopit, the leader of the Mi'kmaq nation, and Governor Peregrine Hopson, governor of Nova Scotia. The new name replaces the orginal name Edward Cornwallis, the now discredited founder of Halifax and governor of Nova Scotia, and was selected in conusultation between the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and First Nations.

 Completion of the VLE project will be timely as the Sir William Alexander has been sent to Newfoundland and Labrador to fill in for the CCGS George A. Pearkes which has gone to its own VLE at Heddle Marine in Hamilton, ON. This leaves Nova Scotia well short of full strenght as CCGS Earl Grey has been in refit in St.John's since September. CCGS Jean Goodwill was the only large, all-weather ship available for SAR standby for the opening of the lobster season this week.

While all this activity was taking place a United States Navy submarine arrived and docked at Navy Jetty Alpha, at Shearwater. As usual with such arrivals, the boat's name was not given*. Two Canadian Navy ships, HMCS Moncton and HMCS Glace Bay arrived at the same time.

RCN tugs and small craft shepherded the "United States Navy Unit" to its berth.

A large party of sailors eventually appeared on deck - probably happy to breath some fresh air.

* Update: Later report - the name of the sub was reported to be USS Delaware.

.