Thanks to its strategic location just off the North Atlantic Great Circle Route, Halifax has been a convenient port of refuge for centuries. However the number of casualties arriving in port has declined over the years as ships have become safer and navigation aids such as radar have reduced the numbers of collisions and groundings. That the port is ice free also means that ships can call in Halifax no matter the time of year.
Today (January 4) marked the arrival of a damaged ship in tow - the first in many months. The bulk and general cargo ship Ale has had a difficult few months in Canadian waters, although its first trip went off well in the spring.
Built in 2012 by Taizhou Shinfu Engineering Co in Taizhou, China, the 13,579 gt, 17,074 dwt ship, equipped with three 30 tonne SWL cranes, was named Raba by Polska Zegluga Morska PP, "Polsteam", and was a Great Lakes caller under that name. It was aquired by Oslo Venture Pte Ltd and renamed in 2021, and continued its Great Lakes trading this year.
The ship arrived in Canadian waters in late May and made its way up the St.Lawrence Seaway system May 26 arriving in Chicago to unload on May 30. It then sailed for Thunder Bay where it loaded June 6-7 then sailed out of the Seaway Jun 11, passing Montreal June 12. I picked up its trail again in late August when it sailed from Italy, passing Gibraltar August 31. It apparently stopped in Safi, Morocco from August 31 to September 2, then made for Long Pond, Newfoundland.
On September 14, while backing into the harbour, the ship found bottom and incurred hull, rudder and prop damage. After re-anchoring the ship was boomed off when a light sheen was detected in the water. On September 30 the tugs Atlantic Fir and Atlantic Larch sailed from Halifax for Long Pond and on October 4 had the ship in tow for the Verreault Shipyard in Méchins, QC [the shipyard was recently acquired from the Verreault family by Groupe Océan but has not changed its name.]
The ship entered Verreault's large graving dock on October 10 where it was determined that temporary repairs could be made that would allow the ship to be towed to Europe for permanent repairs.The Italian tug Kamarina was engaged for the tow, and it sailed from Rotterdam November 29, reaching Méchins December 12.
While leaving the drydock on December 17 the Ale found the bottom again. It was freed * with the assistance of shipyard tugs and the tug l'Anse du Moulin from Baie Comeau - and it was towed across the river to the sheltered harbour of Baie-Comeau where it was prepped for the ocean tow. (Kamarina sailed over to Baie-Comeau on Decmber 23.)
Kamarina, with Ale in tow sailed from Baie-Comeau December 27, destined for Setubal, Portugal, but apparently encountered some adverse conditions in the gulf where one penant of the tow line parted. Since it was not possible to reconnect the tow while underway, and with ice building in the Gulf, it was decided (or ordered) to re-route to Halifax.
Tug and tow arrived off Halifax last night and with the assistance of three harbour tugs, made fast at Pier 9C. Although the Ale has crew aboard, and operational auxiliary power, it is not able to use its main engine and may be difficult to steer.
Today it was possible to see the ship and the towing arrangements.
The anchors had been stoppered off and the anchor chains re-rigged through fairleads, port and starboard. The two sections were then lead forward and yoked together with what is termed a fishplate, connecting with a single wire to the tug's towing winch. Also a light weight emergency line was rigged from the centre fairlead in the bow, looped along the side of the ship (shows in white) and connected to an insurance line to be towed astern and buoyed at the end with a float. In case of the entire main towline parting, the tug can grapple the insurance line and retrieve the light weight emergency line which is connected to a heavy secondary tow line stowed on deck forward.
A file photo of a fish plate - fully rigged - may assist in deciphering the above description:
A close up view shows several people forward working on deck, and heavy chafe marks on the hull where the anchor chain was rubbing from its fairlead. The anchor line is hanging over side from its fairlead (above the "A").
It appears to be a text book exaple of how to rig a tow, but nothing is 100% weather proof.
The tug Kamarina, dating from 2010 when it was built by Rosetti, Ravenna, is a 8,518 bhp, 123 tonne Bollard Pull anchor handling tug supplier, operated by the large Italian operator Augustea.
What with all the machinery unloaded at Pier 9C yesterday by Asian Destiny (see previous post) it was not possible to get a full view of the tug.
The Ale as Raba has had previous grounding experience. On July 5, 2018 it went agound shortly after leaving Liebaja, Latvia. In that incident there was no leak and no serious damage. However its several years of service to the Great Lakes was apparently free of incident.
*2023-01-05 Revision I have received comment that the ship did not touch bottom at Méchins. This clearly conflicts with a previous report . It appears that shipyard tugs may have lost control of the ship due to high wind while waiting for the tug l'Anse du Moulin to arrive from Baie-Comeau. Therefore in the interest of correct information, I will await reliable news and have crossed out the "found bottom again" statement.
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