Big load - small load

 Non-containerized cargo comes in all sizes, and ships are built to accommodate a wide variety of loads - or specific types of loads. Autocarriers and tankers are examples of the latter, and the ubiquitous multi-purpose general cargo ship is increasingly common for the former, as they are able to carry many types of break bulk cargo. Then there are ships that fit into a category of their own.

An interesting multi-purpose type made a call in Halifax today, June 20. The Atlantic arrived from Belfast, Northern Ireland with aircraft components. These oversize parts arrive on a regular basis on tramp ships, engaged on a one time basis, as opposed to those that might call repeatedly or on a fixed chedule.

 The Dutch flagged ship operates for Global Seatrade. Construction was started by the Partner Stocznia in Police, Poland and completed in 2011 by Shipkits in Groningen. It is of typical open-hatch, tween deck design but is built to a very high ice class, with shallow draft, and a pair of 120 tonne SWL capacity cranes that can combine for a 240 tonne lift. It has a travelling gantry on deck for hatch lifting.

 As expected from a Polish designed ship, it is quite stylish, with a raked funnel. The reverse counter transom surmounts a very large ice knife.

 At the other end of the size scale, the Mighty Servant 1 made a return call to Halifax this morning after an absence of 35 years. As might be expected of a specialized semi-submersible, heavy load carrier, its owners want to get the most out of a very big investment, and will keep it going as long as possible.

 

On this trip, from Lindø, Denmark to Newport, RI, it is carrying two huge, pre-assembled, wind generator mono-piles, but it was built to carry entire oil rigs or floating drydocks. Originally built in 1983 by Oshima Shipbuilding it was rebuilt in 1998 by lengthening 40 meters to 190.0 meters and widening by 10 meters to 50 meters. Its new, and current, tonnages are therefore 29,193 gt, 40,910 dwt.

 On a previous visit in March 1990, the ship had a very different load:

 The Canadian tanker Imperial Acadia had been badly damaged below the waterline in a storm while berthed in St-Pierre January 30, 1990. The ship would likely have been declared a total loss but the Mighty Servant 1 (in its initial 19,954 gt / 23,670 dwt configuration) loaded the ship and brought it to Halifax where it was repaired by Halifax Shipyard and returned to service. 

In its original configuration the Mighty Servant 1 was equipped with a heavy lift derrick forward, but that was apparently removed in the rebuild.

.