Different Strokes - updated

 Shipping activity in Halifax is usually fairly predictable. Even though there are frequent "new to Halifax" ships, most arrivals are scheduled, and there are many returnees as ships cycle through Halifax on rotation. However as noted in the April 14 post, container ships can now be assigned to available berths since both container terminals are under the common management of PSA. Lines that were once regular callers at one terminal may now be calling at the other terminal to suit the size of ships or to prevent delays when one terminal is busy.

Today, April 15, saw the first assignment of a Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) ship to PSA Fairview Cove. MSC ships have been handled by PSA Atlantic Gateway, southend terminal, but that pier was working  the Ultra sized CMA CGM Panama (see previous post). With the Fairview Cove berths free of ships it made sense to send MSC Anahita to the Bedford Basin facility where it could be handled more expeditiously.

 All three cranes were working on the ship at Fairview Cove.

 The MSC Anahita was built in 2006 as the Greenwich Bridge by Hyundai, Ulsan for charter to K-Line. The 68,570 gt, 71,270 dwt ship has a capacity of 5624 TEU, including 600 reefers. It was acquired by MSC and renamed in 2021 and is assigned to the Turkey and Greece service via Barcelona, Valencia, and the Sines, Portugal hub.

On completion of its stay at PSA Fairview Cove the MSC Anahita sailed for Boston just at dusk, and showing lots of reserve capacity, judging from the ship's draft.

 

There was another "unusual" caller on March 15: the Ocean Pearl arrived at Gold Bond Gypsum.

 The ship is a 29,829 gt, 51,758 dwt geared general cargo / bulker, built in 2009 by Oshima Shipbuilding in Saikai, Japan. An open hatch type, with box shaped holds, it carries four 30 tonne SWL cranes and grabs (which reduce crane capacity to 24 tonnes SWL). It started life as the Ocean Falcon, became the Ocean Friend in 2009 and Ocean Pearl in 2017. It is known to load aggregates at Auld's Cove on the Strait of Canso, and to carry coal.

CSL Americas has the contract to carry gypsum from Gold Bond, using belt conveyor type self-unloaders, so the arrival of this ship is very unusual. There must be either an increase in demand for gypsum or a shortage of available ships to bring this ship to Halifax.

  The ship carries its own grabs, which are secured on deck between the hatches.

The Ocean Pearl is operated (indirectly) by the Westport, CT based SMT Shipping (USA) LLC, with ties to Poland and Cyprus. SMT ships were once well known in Halifax. Several of its bulkers have loaded gypsum in Halifax over the years, but they have not been seen here recently. (The last references I have on Shipfax are in 2011 and 2012.)

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