Other activity (post number 2)

 There was enough activity in Halifax harbour today, November 12, to warrant two Shipfax posts. The first noted the enforced end to labour strikes in the ports of Vancouver, Montreal and Quebec City. 

This is the second post, and covers two movements in the port of Halifax.

BBC Regalia

The multi-purpose and heavy lift tween-decker BBC Regalia arrived after a very long trip from China. The ship left Minhang port on October 6 and crossed the Pacific, arriving in Panama November 1, clearing the Panama Canal November 5. It then sailed directly for Halifax and headed inbound for the PSA Fairview Cove container terminal.

 The ship is carrying a number of cylindrical objects, as yet unidentified, on deck (and likely more below) and a small number of containers. It is unusual for project cargo such as this to be unloaded at PSA Fairview Cove, particularly when they are accommodating so many diverted containers from Montreal. However space at Pier 9C is also at a premium - see previous posts - due to a previous shipment of wind turbine towers.

The BBC Regalia was built in China by Wuhu Xinlian in Wuhu. Measuring 14,859 gt, 17,907 dwt it carries three 80 tonne SWL cranes that can operate in pairs for 150 tonne lifts. It has the usual portable tween decks and is also rated for 1054 TEU with 144 reefer plugs.

The ship was originally named Safmarine Saguta and was owned by Safmarine Container Lines. It was renamed Thorco Royal in 2016 then BBC Regalia in 2019. The South African Marine Corporation (a.k.a. Safmarine) was owned by Maersk from 1999, but not merged into Maersk until 2020. The ship was sold to investors in 2015 and then acquired by Briese Schiffahrts (BBC Chartering) affiliates in 2021.

Caisson #1

The construction of the new pier at Halifax Shipyard is proceeding on two fronts. From the land side, quantities of crushed stone and armour rock have been arriving by truck and placed along the shore line by. McNally Construction's crane barges have been dredging out contaminents and placing material, preparing the harbour bottom for new pier cribs.

Meanwhile at the IEL Pier (or perhaps officially the Develop Nova Scotia Pier) at Woodside on the Dartmouth side of the harbour, McNally is building the concrete cribs aboard the semi-submersible barge J.G.Burke. [See my July 22 post.] (The barge was re-registered from US to Canada on October 11.) The first crib was floated off in the past week or so and tethered alongside the dock.

Today the tugs Atlantic Oak and Atlantic Cedar moved the unit from Woodside to the Shipyard. Unofficially named "Caisson # 1, the structure was afloat on an even keel and was jockeyed into position over the newly prepared gravel mattress where it will be settled into place. 

 

The cells will then be filled with more rock and the topsides structures of deck and cope wall will be installed. 

The Angus L. Macdonald bridge is an ideal vantage point for ship photography given the right conditions. Now that the offending construction crane (see previous post) is coming down, it is unlikely there will be any further interruptions. 

Today the big crane was being dismantled by a bigger crane.

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