Taking Turns

 Both Autoport and Pier 27 had two ships scheduled today, so, sensibly, they took turns.

Autoport

The early morning arrival at Autoport was the Palmela, eastbound from New York. As noted when it was here December 3, 2024 - December 4, 2024 it has a capacity of 5,080 CEU, as compared to most of the car boats we see here that are in the 6500 to 7500 CEU range.

 

 

Built in 2000 by Shin Kurushima Dock Yard Co Ltd in Onishi, Japan, it comes in at 55,926 gt, 20,581 dwt.  It is a fairly typical ship with a couple of exceptions. In addition to the usual stern ramp (rated at 80 tonnes capacity) the ship has two small side ramps - one on each side. The newest auto carrriers don't have side ramps anymore, and having two is most unusual.

The Palmela's counterclockwise routing had the ship sailing from Tsuneishi, Japan on February 4, then calling in Hitachinaka, Yokohama, then Kando February 14-15. It was next reported in Brunswick, GA March 14-15, Dundalk (Baltimore) March 18 - 19 and New York March 20.

Until recently there was high demand for auto carriers, and that may still be the case depending on origin and destination, so the occasional "oddball" caller can be expected. On completion of its stay at Autoport, the ship sailed for Cristobal, Panama the usual staging area for Panama Canal transits.

A more typical arrival was the next inbound, Wallenius Wilhelmsen's Tarifa on the usual transatlantic route from Bremerhaven, Goteborg and Zeebrugge March 14-15. In addition to automobiles, the ship also has RoRo cargo such as wheeled machinery for construction, mining and forestry. which will be off loaded first at Pier 9C.

The ship went first to Bedford Basin, where it turned, 

 

then came back to the Narrows, passing under the A. Murray MacKay bridge for the second time...

 

...to tie up starboard side to the pier.

Built in 2007 by Stocznia Gdynia in Poland, the ship was launched as Tarifa but renamed Morning Charisma on delivery for EUKOR, but was soon renamed Tarifa. The 57,692 gt, 21,120 dwt ship has a capacity of 6400 RT43 cars. Its stern ramp has a capacity of 150 tonnes and the small side ramp is rated for 22 tonnes. The ship has 13 decks, including four hoistable decks for larger RoRo cargo.

The ship was built orginally for charter to Eukor, but was delivered to Eukor's parent company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean, and carries a traditional Wilhelmsen "T" name. The ship is under long term charter from a single ship company and the management of Stamco Ship Management of Piraeus, Greece.

On February 6 the ship was reported in Durban, South Africa, sailing February 7 for Luanda, Tema, Abidjan and Dakar, arriving in Vigo March 3 and Zeebrugge March 6 to 8 before slotting in to the Transatlantic route.  

Once it had completed the unloading of RoRo cargo it then moved to Autoport (which by then was vacated by the Palmela) to off load cars.

 

Pier 27

 
 At Pier 27 the Onego Glomma left off unloading steel rail and moved out to anchor to free up the berth.

The morning sun highlighted a feature of the ship, not previously noted here on Saturday  March 21. The ship's mid-body, with its box shape holds, is sponsoned out from the fore and aft sections. This is done to provide space for the cranes on the starboard side, and walkways on both sides, outside the hatch coamings. The hatches are the full width of the hold without overhang. (The hull is double skin.)

Several crew members were working on deck to secure the hatches, but I don't know what the forward crane was doing. They appeared to be moving some gear tubs possibly containing material for handling the rail cargo. The ship is due to move back to Pier 27 this evening, but will probably not resume unloading before tomorrow.

 The Onego Glooma moved to allow the visit of a ship from another Dutch company. Nirint Shipping's Ijsselborg, a ship with similar characteristics, but slightly larger.

The Ijsselborg has been a regular caller in Halifax with nickel concentrate from Cuba, but difficult to see at the Pier 27 berth. On sailing today at dusk it was more visible.

 

Built in 2010, its hull came from the Damen Yichang shipyard in China. It was completed and fitted out at Damen's home yard in Gorinchem, Netherlands to a Damen standard design "Combi Freighter 12000" of 8,999 gt, 12,016 dwt. A multi-purpose dry cargo ship with moveable 'tween decks it has two hatches and two box shaped holds. It is also rated as Finnish Swedish Ice Class 1A and carries two 80 tonne SWL cranes that can work in combination for 160 tonne lifts. It has a container capacity of 686 TEU with 80 reefer plugs.

The ship was built as Ijsselborg, but renamed Onego Houston for a short time in 2011 then reverted to Ijsselborg. In 2012 it was renamed Clipper Alba then in 2015 became Nordana Saran, finally settling on Ijsselborg again in 2015. Wearing the colours and name style of the large Dutch company Royal Wagenborg it is actually owned by Rederij Smith BV with commercial managment in the hands of Royal Wagenborg and in turn chartered to Nirint.

The ship's recent movements remain something of a mystery, After calling in Halifax January 6 to 8 it arrived in Rotterdam January 17 and sailed January 18. It visited Villagarcia, Spain January 21-22 and Mariel Cuba February 7 to 10. It called in Halifax again February 21-22. It then departed from the regular route by arriving in Kingston, Jamaica March 2, sailing the next day for Halifax and arriving March 11. Its  movements between March 12 and today (March 24) are not available on any of the regular ship movement web sites. 

Its destination is again given as Moa, Cuba, and what it loaded or unloaded in Haifax is also not known. It does have two containers on deck, but it would not have taken all day to load them.

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