Akademik Ioffe - in the news

 The sometime arctic "expedition" type cruise ship Akademik Ioffe made the news again earlier this month when it was detained by authorities in Skagen, Denmark. The ship, built in 1989 is owned by the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Russia, and spends most of its time as a research vessel. However it was refitted to carry passengers - in somewhat spartan conditions - and chartered for several years by One Ocean Expeditions of British Columbia. It made the headlines in 2018 when it ran aground in the arctic and its passengers were evacuated to CCGS Pierre Raadisson.

In 2019 the Russian owners abruptly, and unilaterally, cancelled the charter to One Ocean which resulted in legal action. Seemingly Danish courts have responded to an application to seize the vessel in relation to this matter, which they did on November 2.

You will find numerous references to the ship in previous Shipfax posts under Akademik Ioffe

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Akademik Sergey Vavilov

The research / expedition / cruise ship Akedemik Sergey Vavilov arrived this morning. It is not listed in the cruise ship schedule for Halifax, but does make yearly visits as it is repositioning from its summer arctic cruises to its winter antarctic cruises.

 Akademik Sergey Vavilov this morning.


Built in 1988 by Hollming, Rauma, Finland, it measures 6344 grt, and is a near sister to Akademik Ioffe, built a year later by the same yard. Akademik Ioffe made the headlines this summer when it went aground in the arctic. Fortunately for all, although the ship was holed, it was possible to evacuate the passengers and non-essential crew safely. In fact Akademik Sergey Vavilov was in the same area and was able to respond and take those people aboard. Akademik Ioffe arrived in Méchins, QC today for drydocking.

 Akademik Ioffe on an earlier visit to Halifax.

Both ships are ice strengthened to Lloyd's Ice Class 1-A and are owned by a Russian research facility, but their cruising is organized by One Ocean Expeditions of Vancouver. A third ship, and quite a different one, RCGS Resolute will be joining the One Ocean roster later this year. It was built in 1991 (One Ocean says 1993) by the same Rauma yard, is ice class 1AS and can carry 146 passengers.

Welders are busy patching up Hanseatic in 1996.

 As the Hanseatic it has its own history of grounding in the arctic, following a memorable incident in 1996 on King William Island. It was refloated and proceeded to Halifax where its punctured fuel tanks were patched. It was built as Society Adventurer, but was renamed in 1992. Its new name will include the initials of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Although now wearing HAPAG colours, Hanseatic carried the Bolten funnel mark in the 1990s.It weill adopt One Ocean livery when it is handed over in November.

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Viking Invasion - updated

The three Norwegian icebreaking tug/suppliers purchased by the Canadian government arrived in Quebec today. They sailed in company up the St.Lawrence this morning, in and out of fog for much of the way.

Thor Viking upbound on the St.Lawrence this morning, found a clear patch off my place.

The lead vessel, Balder Viking was barely visible from my vantage points, with only its mast top showing. The second, Vidar Viking revealed itself somewhat, while passing between Ile-aux-Coudres and St-Joseph-de-la-Rive.

and the third, Thor Viking did show itself again as it passed through billowing fog,

Thor Viking  has a container on deck, probably carrying spares and other gear.

On August 10, the Canadian government announced that it had purchased the the three sister vessels from the ailing Norwegian company Viking Supply Ships AS and had awarded a $610mn contract* to Davie Quebec to refit the boats for service with the Canadian Coast Guard, thus protecting 200 jobs at their Levis, QC shipyard.

The 13,440kW vessels, built in 2000-2001 are classed as Ice-10/ARC 7, Icebreaker, Anchor Handling Tug Suppliers and are intended to fill the large gap in the CCG's icebreaking capability until new ships are built. The current aging fleet is scheduled for mid-life refits in turn, reducing the CCG's arctic and St.Lawrence capabilities.

The Viking ships left Landskrona, Sweden on the day of the government announcement. In the same announcement Ottawa revealed that it will permit Davie to bid on future Coast Guard and RCN contracts, even though it is not included in the national shipbuilding strategy program.

Quebec is in the early stages of a provincial election where the sitting Liberals are fighting an uphill battle. The federal Liberals, in power in Ottawa, may get more credit for making this deal happen, but it will be interesting to see how the arrival plays out in the press, if not the voter's minds.

As for the national shipbuilding program, one of the two designated shipyards, Seaspan, is supposed to build the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent replacement, but neither it nor Irving Shipbuilding (Halifax Shipyard)  have the capability of building needed Coast Guard icebreaker replacements unless they interrupt their navy and other government work, or add capacity. When Davie has the capability immediately available, it seems entirely reasonable that they should be eligible for the work.

It does bring into question what use the navy's Arctic Offshore Patrol vessels will be. Halifax Shipyard is building the half dozen of these vessels that the previous federal government decided it needed to protect arctic sovereignty (seasonally). Pundits claim the ships are too light for icebreaking and to heavy for patrol work, so it seems unlikely that they will be of much help to the CCG except in case of emergency.

Emergencies do happen. The grounding of the research / cruise ship Akademik Ioffe last week in the high arctic, required the evacuation of passengers, their luggage and non-essential crew. Fortunately conditions were not dire, the ship was not in peril and CCGS Pierre Radisson was near enough to be of assistance. That may not always be the case unless the CCG can increase its presence.

Update:
The fog cleared by the time the trio arrived off Quebec City later in the day August 27 where they conducted a "sail past"  off the Coast Guard Agency. CCG helo(s) filmed the arrival and there was considerable French language media coverage.

Meanwhile at the same CCG dock the heavy icebreaker CCGS Des Groseilliers and the light icebreaker CCGS Martha L. Black are in the midst of Vessel Life Extensions (VLE) underlining the need for fleet upgrades. Also the heavy icebreaker CCGS Terry Fox sailed from the Port Weller Dry Dock in St.Catharines, ON (it was downbound August 28). 

* The $610 mn contract with Davie includes the approximate $353.5 mn purchase price of the ships. One ship will be available for winter 2018-2019 and the other two for summer 2019.

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Ships named for people

Two ships named for people arrived in Halifax today. Most ocean going ships are not named for people (with the exception of some well known passenger ships) so it is is always interesting to find out who the people were.


First arriving was Akadenik Ioffe one of two Russian oceanographic/passenger ships operated by One Ocean Expeditions for arctic expedition cruises in Canada this summer. Akademik Ioffe was built in 1985 by Hollming in Rauma, Finland and is owned an operated by the Shirshov Institute. It carries 96 passengers, 65 crew and 10 Zodiacs, and is fitted with stabilizers. Its four northern cruises this summer out of Iqaluit and Resolute will cover much of the eastern arctic and end in Greenland. For this the ship received a coasting license as did sister Akademik Sergey Vavilov which will conduct similar cruises.

 Akademik Ioffe at pier 27 - not a usual pier for cruise ships- taking on stores. The shadow from the grain gallery at pier 28 falls across its bridge.

Akademik Ioffe is named for a leading Physicist of the Soviet era, Abram Fedorovich Ioffe (1880-1960) , a student of Roentgen (credited with development of  the X-ray)  and an early developer of the basis of radar. His many other achievement lead to Lenin and Stalin medals, but his Jewish ancestry (he converted to Lutheranism as an adult ) lead to a demotion. Nevertheless he is well remembered as a pioneer in many areas of physics.

The is not listed in the Port of Halifax cruise ships statistics because it is one a positioning voyage, and is here for stores. Its first of four cruises in the Canadian arctic depart from Iqaluit July 25.

The second caller named for a person is a more familiar visitor to Halifax. Radcliffe R. Latimer  is here to load gypsum, but must wait at anchor until the CSL Tacoma finishes loading tonight.
The ship was built in 1978 by Collingwood Shipayrd as Algobay a "Nova Scotia class" self-unloading bulk carrier. Built to maximum allowable St. Lawrence Seaway size, it was also designed to make Atlantic coastal voyages.  In 1990 it was reflagged Liberian and chartered to Atlantic Beltships, then  after a 1994-1997 charter to CSL as Atlantic Trader under Liberian flag, it returned to Canada and resumed services as Algobay until 2002 when it was laid up in Toronto.

In early 2008 it underwent extensive strengthening and was towed to China where an entire new forebody (to revised and larger Seaway dimensions), engines and generators were installed. It returned to Canada in time for the 2010 season.

In 2012 the ship was renamed Radcliffe R. Latimer in honour of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Algoma Central Corp. Mr. Latimer retired in 2010 after a distinguished business career with, among others CN Rail, Trans Canada Pipeline, and Prudential Assurance. He lead the growth of Algoma Central Marine to the largest Canadian Great Lakes shipping company, it diversification into tankers and its fleet renewal program has seen many new ships added to the fleet. Born in 1933 in Florance, ON he now resides in Toronto.     

Expeditions and Cruises

Mixed in among the numerous large cruise ships visiting Halifax each fall are several small, specialist cruisers, offering a variety of unique experience or "off the beaten track" cruises. These range from the fairly utilitarian to the height of luxury, and today's arrivals highlight these differences.
1. Akademik Ioffe and its sister ship Akademik Sergey Vavilov are considered to be among the finest of the expedition class vessels, for their ability to go into the highest latitudes (both Arctic and Antarctic) and for the scientific and exploration facilities provided. Accommodations may be somewhat spartan compared to hi-luxe ships, but they nevertheless have proven very popular over the years. The Vavilov works out of Spitsbergen in the eastern arctic, and Ioffe works in the Canadian arctic.
This year, as in past years, Akademik Ioffe received a coasting license for a cruise from Resolute to Kugluktuk and a return cruise from Kugluktuk to Iqaluit starting August 3. These cruises took the ship deep into what is known as the Northwest Passage.
Built in Finland in 1989, Akademik Ioffe is ice capable, stabilized, and designed for quiet running. It was built as a research ship, with passenger work an afterthought, and thus does not have the appearance of a typical cruise ship.

2. By contrast Le Boréal looks every inch the luxury cruise ship that it is. As mentioned in the post below it goes to out of the way ports that larger ships do not visit, and it is equipped with small boats for expedition type experiences. However it provides all the luxuries too.

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