Federal Dee - updated

Ships from Fednav are only occasional callers in Halifax these days, but were once regulars. The Montreal based company is probably the largest user of the St.Lawrence Seaway system, with a constant stream of ships trading into the Great Lakes on their Federal Atlantic Lakes (FALL Line) service. With official closing of the Seaway locks for the season on January 1, and substantial ice build up on the St.Lawrence River it is perhaps not unusual that a Fednav ship requiring servicing would call in Halifax where there is no ice. 

Today's (January 2) arrival is the much travelled Federal Dee coming to rest at #4 anchorage in the lower harbour.

It was soon attended to by the workboat Allen Clipper for some underwater work.

The ship was built in 2018 by Oshima Shipbuilding in Saikai, Japan as one of a series ice class 1C ships of 20,763 gt, 34,564 dwt, equipped with four 35 tonne SWL cranes. Built for Fednav ownership and commercial management, the Federal Dee is under the technical management  of Anglo-Eastern Ship Management.

It is interesting to trace the ship's movement over the past several months. It arrived on the Geat Lakes in late May and unloaded at Oshawa, Hamilton, Port Colborne and Windsor, sailing outbound from Montreal June 20. I have not traced the ship during July, but it was reported in Greece in early August, then passed through the Suez Canal to Saudi Arabia and on to Somalia by the end of August. 

It was next reported at Richards Bay, South Africa from November 2 to 10. While there it loaded a cargo of 19,651,004 kg of titania chloride slag likely in bulk. It was then reported off Cape Town November 23 and Santa Cruz de Tenerife November 27. It arrived at Trois-Rivières, QC December 8 where it unloaded some cargo and sailed December 14. It made its way up through the Seaway to arrive in Ashtabula, OH on December 19 where it unloaded the rest of its cargo at Kinder Morgan's Pinney dock. Sailing December 21 it cleared the Welland Canal December 22. but was held up in western Lake Ontario December 23-25 by the huge blizzard. Underway again December 26 it was downbound in the Seaway December 27. It went to anchor off St-Zotique December 27 and 28 awaiting ice clearing operations in the South Shore Canal - the Beauharnois to St-Lambert section of the Seaway - finally passing Montreal December 29. It did not stop again until reaching Halifax.

The ship appears to be in ballast, and so far has not indicated its next port of call. Update On departure the ship gave Sao Luis, Brazil as destination. The port has a large aluminum smelter (60% owned by Alcoa) and an iron pelletizing operation run by Vale.

Underwater work could include hull cleaning, prop adjustment or maintenance of through-hull fittings, all of which can be carried out in Halifax while the ship remains afloat. The boat Allen Clipper carries  machinery on its deck which appears to be used for hull cleaning.

 

The Allen Clipper was buiilt by Atkinson's Harbour Craft, South Side, Cape Sable Island in 1989 and operates out of Eastern Passage. It shares lines with many traditional inshore fishing vessels known as "Cape Islanders". As with modern versions of the craft its hull is FRP built on a mould.

 

 

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