Big Move to Make Room

 Two large offshore inatallation vessels have been languishing in Halifax since August and September respectively. The Connector arrived August 30 and the Symphony on September 6. Aside from some DP trials the ships have scarcely moved from Pier 9A. They have been seen to take fuel and stores, but otherwise have been idle. Both are owned by the big Belgian dredging and marine construction outfit Jan de Nul and are registered in Luxembourg. They are reportedly contracted to work on the Vineyard Wind project off Massachusetts but that work has been put off until February at the earliest.

Today the Symphony moved from Pier 9A to Pier 25-26 to make room at the berth for the IT Integrity cable ship arriving tomorrow and IT Infinity, IT International Telecom's recently rebuilt cable ship, en route from Norway and due January 5.

 The Symphony dates from 2011 when construction was completed by Bergen Group at Laksevaag. The hull was built by Stocznia Gdansk in Poland and fitted out in Norway. It is equipped for offshore trenching and other support work and has accommodaiton for 105 persons. It carries a special trenching ROV, and a 150 tonne sea crane. Registering an impressive 11,324 gt and 6500 dwt, it has two 4200 kW main engines and an array of thrusters for DP2 Dynamic Positioning. In addition to the large open after deck it also has a helicoper landing deck forward. A large gantry on the port side is used to handle the ROV.

The ship was originally called Fugro Symphony, was renamed Global Symphony in 2017 and became Symphony in 2022. 

Fleet mate Connector remains at Pier 9B. It did move to Bedford Basin for DP trials November 12.

It appeared to have a cable "tank" on deck and numerous cargo containers. It also has an odd "bulge" feature on the hull.

The Connector was completed by Soviknes on a hull built by STX Tulcea in Romania. It is a 20,190 gt, 11,000 dwt ship also with impressive specs. Classed as a Deepwater, Multi-Purpose Flex-lay, it has one 400 tonne crane and a second 50 - 100 tonne crane It has facilities to support two ROVs and accommodation for 140 persons. It also has a helicopter landing pad and rates DP3 for Dynamic Positioning. Its 23,405 kW engines can drive the ship at 15 knots, Originally named  AMV Connector, it was renamed Lewek Connector in 2012. In 2018 it was acquired by the Jan De Nul Group becoming Connector.

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