Louis S. St-Laurent - Comes Close [see Update]

 Having completed its latest refit at Chantier Davie Canada Inc in Lévis, QC a few days ago, the icebreaker CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent is en route to its home base of St.John's, NL to prepare for another season in the far north.

Canada's largest icebraker was originally based in Halifax and had numerous refits here, including the extensive rebuild 1988 - 1993 when it was re-engined and received a new longer bow. Halifax no longer has drydocking availability due to naval refit commitments, and Davie is now the ship's caregiver.

March 4, 1970 the one year old ship is squeezed into the Graving Dock at Halifax Shipyard. That dock is now in perpetual use for naval refits.

 After the major rebuild, ths ship displays a new bow, new cargo handling gear and a crane replacing its landing craft gantry amongst numerous other mods. It had lost the white bulwarks some time before.

In the early 2000s its home base was transferred to Newfoundland (supposedly Argentia) for political reasons, and so it was a bit of a surprise when it was observed via satellite signal making a "right turn" at Cape North yesterday and heading for Halifax. 

This afternoon, June 18, about forty miles short of Halifax, the ship reversed course and set off for Newfoundland. I am assuming the diversion to the Halifax area was to board a helicopter. In any event the ship will not be seen here this time round. 

Its notable "Manhatttan crease on the starboard side. aft of midships gangway, is a reminder of its arctic history. That history in ice extended even to Halifax when drift ice packed into Halifax harbour in April 1987 and "The Louie" was called in to make a path for shipping. The memorable channel clearing for the Atlantic Cartier won't soon beforgotten.

The CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent in its original configuration off Ives Knoll after loosening up the drift ice for the Atlantic Cartier to sail.

 

UPDATE:

It turns out that the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent may jusat have been waiting for a clear berth, and was just loitering of Halifax until Wednesday June 19 . See new post for June 15.

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Remember When

 It was March 27, 1987 when ice began to "invade" Halifax harbour. After blocking the entrance to the port for several day, chunks of ice started to work their way inside. 

 

 The RCN's reserve training trawler / gate vessel Porte St. Jean was not bothered by a few "ice cubes".

At first a few interant chunks did not cause much concern, and ships were able to go about their business as usual. However the ice continued to build and  by April 1 was packed in solid.

Priding itself as "ice-free", Halifax had some 'splainin' to do, and it was this: The ice did not originate in Halifax, but came from the Gulf of St.Lawrence and had blown and drifted out into the ocean. Currents and onshore wind then moved it down along the coast and into Halifax. The ice was heavily broken up but well compacted, and continued to build in. 

Although it does not need breaking, drift-ice is difficult to navigate through because of pressure. Wind "grabs" the rough surface and moves the ice, and packs it when it hits an obstacle such as the shore or a ship. Tidal forces only exacerbate the effect. If ships are at light draft, the ice can damage propellors.

The sight of drift ice in Halifax is very rare - this was the first time since 1960 - as was the sight of the CCGS William (ex Sir William Alexander (i))  going out to lift harbour buoys so that they would not be carried away.

 

(The new Sir William Alexander was removed from service due to a defective derrick system, and its predecessor of the same name was re-commissioned from layup. It was built by Halifax Shipyards in 1959 and was one of the finest ships in the fleet. It was renamed William when it was laid up pending sale. It was less tan 30 years old and still in good condition.)

 CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent was also called in to work in its home port for the first time, to clear tracks for ships.

Several regular callers were able to make their way surprisingly well, even though they rarely if ever had to navigate in ice.

Atlantic Cartier even made its way west of George's Island outbound past the iconic lighthouse.

Ships tied up in port were jammed in  by ice in the cambers between piers. In places the ice rafted up to 2 meters deep.

Common Venture was at Pier 28 for a cargo of grain.

Ships tied up at sea walls were at risk of being forced off the dock by ice working in between ship and pier. The force of the wind and tide-driven ice was strong enough to part lines. Tugs were called to flush the ice away, and ships were constantly adjusting their lines.

The tug Point Vigour stood by astern of the USSR ship Elton at Pier 21 for more than 24 hours, flushing ice away from the seawall and the ship's propellor. A crew man stood by on shore, with his signature fur hat on, to tend to the ship's lines and gangway if needed. The Elton was in port to load flour for Cuba and was very lightly ballasted, with some prop blades exposed.

A number of fishing vessels were caught in port too - some were small wooden inshore boats, but others were large foreign vessels. Their captains did not want to sail through 10 kilometers or more of ice to reach clear water offshore.

 The East German factory trawler Ludwig Renn, out of Rostock, tied up at Pier 30-31 for the duration.

The pilot boat was too fragile to operate in ice and so the tugs Point Valiant and Point Carroll were deputised. Sometimes they could not work themselves in alongside ships, so pilots actually walked across the ice to embark. The ice was at its heaviest April 1 and 2.

By April 3 most of the ice had moved back out to sea thanks to a wind shift, but remnants remained for some time. Shipping returned to normal.

 Wallenius Line's weird autocarrier Aida, converted in 1980 from a bulk carrier, made its way through some small patches of ice to reach Autoport April 4. The ship was scrapped in December of 1987.

 Harbour ferry service, which was cancelled, did not resume until April 6. At least one daring soul had in the meantime walked (or clampered) across the harbour on the ice.

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Four down - one to go

As I was taking a photo of ACL's G4 ship Atlantic Sail leaving Halifax yesterday, another event was unfolding on the other side of the Atlantic. The G3 ACL ship Atlantic Cartier was sailing from Hamburg bound for Alang, India. It has a date with the scrappers on August 18.

That leaves only one G3 ACL ship still in service, Atlantic Conveyor, which left Liverpool on the same day July 16,  and is due in Halifax July 24 on the westbound leg of what is likely to be its last trip.

The five third generation ships, regular callers in Halifax for thirty years, have almost become part of the landscape. (That is why one of them has been featured on the masthead of this blog).

Atlantic Cartier - named from the French explorer out of Saint Malo, who first visited what is now Canada, in 1535- was aptly named by its original owners Cie Generale Transatlantique when it was built in 1985 by Chantier du Nord et de la Mediterranée in Dunkerque. It has soldiered on through lengthening and various incidents including a serious fire, and the evolution of the original ACL owners to today's Grimaldi Group. It was due to be replaced a year ago, so has certainly been on borrowed time.

 

Among the ship's more memorable calls in Halifax was in April 1987 when it steamed out through drift ice, without the assistance of CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, which has standing by just in case.

 Its last call in Halifax was June 30 - July 1, 2017.

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Sunday follow up

As I mentioned yesterday the tanker Emergy Panther moved from anchor to Irving Oil Woodside - signalling an interesting development. Irving Oil is now importing refined product for local distribution.

 Energy Panther at Irving Woodside

One of Irving's own tankers, Acadian inaugurated the facility, then surprisingly moved to Imperial Oil where it may have discharged some product - another surprise, since product exchange between the two companies was thought to be at and end.

 Acadia sailing this afternoon

Acadian sailed yesterday, but was back in port last night. It sailed again this afternoon after rectifying some problem with its exhaust system. All four of the (chartered) Irving tankers had exhaust gas scrubber systems installed, allowing them to meet new pollution regulations while still burning heavy fuel.

 There was another tanker arrival today, but it was not to deliver or pick up cargo, Malmo docked at pier 27 to take on fuel delivered by truck. Not your typical product tanker, Malmo is smaller than most at 13,472 grt and 19,932 dwt, indicating that it is more likely to carry exotic chemicals. Its tanks are lined with an advance polymer coating called Marine Line 784, which permits it to carry food grade cargoes.

 Malmo at pier 27.

One of  series of similar ships built in 2008 by the Soli Shipyard in Kocaeli, Golucuk, Izmit, Turkey, it is operated by Empire Chemical Tankers of Piraeus and registered in Malta. Its last port was given as Paulsboro, NJ, one of the many refinery ports near Philadelphia. The ship appears to be in ballast, and this may be its last port before setting out on a transatlantic crossing.


The cruise ship Sirena was to sail this afternoon, but that has now been put off until midnight. High wind have apparently played havoc with the ship's schedule. In the interests of passenger comfort, they have decided to wait for better conditions.
Other ships may also have been delayed by weather. The autocarrier Tosca was due at Autoport today, but it has held off until tomorrow.

There was ConRo activity today, with ACL's veteran Atlantic Cartier arriving from Europe and the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia's Bahri Jazan arriving from Houston on its return toward home. The two ships passed each other in the Middle Ground area south of Point Pleasant.

Atlantic Cartier has just cleared the MacKay bridge outbound and catches a last slant of sun.

Bahri Jazan also enjoying some sun inbound.

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Week's roundup

Several events were worthy of note in Halifax harbour this week (although I missed some of them).

The Irving Oil terminal in Woodside was recommissioned this week with the arrival of Acadian. The pier and all the lines running over and undergound to tanks high on the hill behind the terminal have been rebuilt in the past two years. 

Acadian at the Woodside terminal on September 21.

Irving had shared pier facilities with next door neighbour Imperial Oil for several years, but when Imperial ceased refining at that location and began importing all product, their two piers became too congested for Irving's liking. Irving thus rebuilt their old terminal for their own use. A pipeline connecting Esso to Irving's tanks was probably also removed.

HMCS St.John's was elevated on the HMC Dockyard synchrolift for some needed maintenance.

This is the first ship, other than a submarine, to be lifted in a long time.

Speaking of maintenance, Atlantic Container Line's new G4 LoRos are experiencing teething problems. Atlantic Sail has been anchored in Bedford Basin since Thursday September 22 with undisclosed mechanical problems. It has been restricted from sailing by Transport Canada until it has a clean bill of health.

For a time there was a tug alongside, indicating that its main propulsion engines were out of commission. This is the second delayed ACL recently, with G3 Atlantic Cartier hung up in port for several days awaiting parts earlier this month.

Atlantic Cartier sailing without indcident on September 22.

The cruise ship Arcadia was only one of 18 cruise ship visits in the last seven days as the season is in full swing.

Built in 2004 by Fincantieri, Porto Maghera, the ship was originally ordered by Holland America as a Vista class ship, but was transferred to Cunard, to be named Queen Victoria. However shortly before launch, parent company Carnival transferred it to P+O and it became Arcadia. The 84,342 grt ship has a capacity of 1952 regular passengers, but can carry 2388 maximum (the latter figure is used by the Port of Halifax, but I doubt she was carrying that many.)
The ship has been refitted twice, losing the traditional P&O buff colour on its funnel in the process and getting an exploded version of the union flag on her bow. The unfortunate implications of a such a design are too obvious to comment on here.

In 2014 the ship still had its traditional P+O funnel colour, even though the funnel was a Cunard style, less the cowl.

Despite the blue funnel, the ship has kept its attractive red boot topping.

The ship stood out at pier 31, with about 15m of its bow projecting out into the stream.

The expected arrival of Disney Magic at pier 31 tomorrow meant that Nirint Line's usual berth was occupied.

Helga arrived late Saturday night and berthed at pier 27. The 8999 gert, 12,944 dwt ship, was built in 2009 by Damen Yichang and completed by Damen Gorinchen, for Dutch owners Van Dijk Rederij of Westerbroek. Built as Helga, it was renamed Kent Atlas in 2010, Helga in 2012, Clipper Avalon in 2013, Thorco Tribute in 2014 and  reverted to Helga again in 2015.

Today's arrival for Hapag-Lloyd, Ningbo Express, was not deeply loaded, but had an ample quantity of containers aft of the superstructure. Many of these are likely to be empties, heading back to the far east. The 7506 TEU ship, built as Hong Kong Express in 2002 by Hyundai, Ulsan measures 88,493 grt and 100,016 dwt. It received its current name in 2012.

It was met by the tugs Atlantic Larch (filling in for Atlantic Willow which is getting some maintenance) and Atlantic Oak for its trip in to Fairview Cove. 

 The tugs turn the ship off Fairview Cove, where filing continues, presumably to enabel eventaul expension of the pier. Even though doubts have been expressed about the ability of Fairview Cove to continue serving large ships, Shipfax believes it will continue to serve ships up to and beyond the size of Ningbo Express.

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Challenging afternoon

Strong winds persisted into the afternoon and evening as cold air continued to pump in.

The regular caller Frtiz Reuter  arrived on its 16th trip for Melfi Line and tied up at pier 42.

Atlantic Larch begins to push Fritz Reuter around to back in to pier 41 in a stiff breeze.

The next three callers were presented with a number of challenges, particularly since they were all due at the pilot station at 1600.
 
First in was OOCL Washington, which required the services of all three tugs to tie up at pier 41. Both the car carrier  Dignity Ace and the ConRo Atlantic Cartier took their pilots, then returned outbound to delay their arrivals until the tugs were freed up.

Yesterday's mirages were nothing compared to today's as OOCL Washington (right of centre) and Dignity Ace (left) approach the pilot station. Air temperature was -7C but water temperature remains a balmy 0C.

Dignity Ace then made its "re-entry", when the tugs Atlantic Larch and Atlantic Willow were available to take it in to Autoport. However once at Autoport the tugs could not hold the ship alongside in the high winds, and it left Eastern Passage for number one anchorage. Its anchor would not hold there, so it opted to head out to sea and try again in the morning. High sided ships like auto carriers are notorious for their sail effect, and must be handled with great care in windy conditions.

Meanwhile Atlantic Cartier took the tug Atlantic Oak as stern escort through the Narrows to Bedford Basin. Once there it had to await Atlantic Willow before it could get alongside Fairview Cove. The ship is also high sided and subject to windage too, but was able to dock safely eventually.

Dignity Ace is a first time caller, and at 6697 car capacity, it is the biggest ship in the MOL ACE car carrier fleet of 120 or so ships. It was built in 2010 by Hyundai Mipo, Ulsan, and measures 58,767 grt, 20,589 dwt. Flying the Bahamas flag, it is owned by Ray Car Carriers of Douglas, Isle of Man, and is on long term charter to Mitsui OSK Lines Auto Carrier Express.

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BIG Changes

It is a time of big changes in Halifax's port and on many other fronts.

To pick up where I left off, the veteran ferry Princess of Acadia was laid up in Saint John after its replacement Fundy Rose came into service. After de-storing by operators Bay Ferries, and their corporate symbols were painted over, it was handed over to owner, the Minister of Transport.

Saint John is not an ideal layup port, due to its high tides, requiring a lot of line tending. On September 11, it arrived in Halifax where it tied up at the old Coast Guard base in Dartmouth. That unused facility is still government property, so presumably there are no berthing fees, and Halifax's feeble tides require very little line tending.

  

Still handsome, but looking bare without its Bay Ferries markings, and still wearing storm shields over the lounge windows, Princess of Acadia awaits its fate. A sale for scrap is almost certain, but it may take a while.

 Halifax Shipyard finally rid itself of the decommissioned Novadock floating drydock. Its Canada registry was closed August 18 and it has been renamed F.D. Novadock under an undisclosed foreign flag, likely St.Vincent and the Grenadines. As reported in Halifax Shipping News, a flotilla of McKeil tugs moved the dock to the IEL pier in Dartmouth, where it has since been cut into two sections.

Novadock was originally built in two sections (not the same two sections which it now appears) by Marine Industries Ltd in Sorel and Ferguson Industries in Pictou, for the government of Nova Scotia. It was intended to bring Panamax ships to Halifax for repairs. It certainly did that, and when Irving Shipbuilding took over the yard, they also gained ownership of the Novadock.

Following award of the  National Shipbuilding contract for naval vessels, Halifax Shipyard rapidly lost  interest in ship repair in Halifax. (Irving Shipbuilding Inc still operates its smaller repair yard in Shelburne.)
With demolition of its older facilities and during construction of the new assembly building, the yard had no facilities available for ship repair anyway. The Novadock will not be replaced per se, but a new launching dock will be required for the new construction. No announcement has been made on where it will be procured or when.

With Novadock gone from the Shipyard, the full extent of the mammoth new building is revealed in all its splendour.

Steel has now been cut for the first hull under the new shipbuilding program and the first module is underway.

More work remains to the roll out area to the north, where the new Pier 6 cope wall is now under construction, and work has started on the huge roll out pad.

Changes are also underway at the Angus L. Macdonald bridge where the deck replacement project is about to begin in earnest.

Atlantic Cartier [see below] passes beneath the bridge, denuded of its walkway and bike lane and fitted with a traveler for the work, the bridge is ready for its first new deck section starting next weekend.

 The Cherubini dock is all set up to transport the sections with their giant crane and chartered barges.

Atlantic Container Line has started the process of retiring its G3 ships, with Atlantic Concert the first to go. It arrived off the Bhavnagar anchorage in India September 5. The first new G4 ship, Atlantic Star, was registered in England September 1. It is still at the shipyard Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai, but is due for imminent delivery, followed every two months by is four sisters.

ACL'S schedule still shows Atlantic Concert's next call in Halifax on October 18, so that is the likely arrival date for the first new ship.

A sight soon to be no more, Atlantic Cartier  clear of the Narrows and heading on a course to pass east of George's Island.

More big ships are coming. Ships of the size of  Ningbo Express and OOCL Southampton are joined by CMA CGM ships as lines try to increase efficiency and as the "superships" displace the merely big or not so big on the main trade routes.

Some other changes noted after my return from my August vacation:

McNally Marine has started work on the new HMC Dockyard Jetty under the Macdonald bridge, to accommodate the Arctic Offshore patrol vessels.

Work continues on the new Irving Oil dock in Woodside, also by McNally. Irving Oil has taken delivery of the refurbished Acadian now fitted with an exhaust gas scrubber, just like sister East Coast, both under Canadian flag. As soon as the new dock is completed, Irving ships will  no longer call at the Esso docks.

Of the Marshall Islands pair of the Irving quartet, Great Eastern has now gone to Gibraltar for its similar refit and New England has a Canadian coasting license until September 26.

The navy has revealed the desperate condition of the Athabaskan (no surprise) but it has gone to sea again in recent days.

With no operational supply ship to support its fleet, the RCN is turning to Davie to rebuild a container ship as an interim supplier. Preserver is now a floating feul depot in the Dockyard, no longer moving under its own power when it shifts from one berth to another.

There are other changes too, but perhaps the more relevant here is the upcoming change to Shipfax as I transition to a more relaxed format, but more on that later.

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Sunday activity

Two ACL ships passed in the harbour, with Atlantic Cartier sailing after Atlantic Compass entered Bedford Basin.

Atlantic Cartier passes the Halifax ferry wharf outbound.

Atlantic Compass has turned and begun to back in to Fairview Cove east. There are two tugs on the ship's port side.

I have photographed these ships countless times, but since their replacements will be along later this year, I am taking the opportunity to get in a few last shorts in different conditions and from different angles.  This morning was definitely in the gloomy category.

The other arrival at Fairview Cove today was Herma P for Hapag-Lloyd. This is the second of the Stefan Patjens fleet to call in Halifax after completing Maersk charters last year.

Herma P at Fairview Cove

Built in Ulsan, South Korea in 2006 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, the 53,481 grt, 53,88 dwt ship has a capacity of 5041 TEU. It sailed as Maersk Dryden until July of last year when it reverted to its owners Stefan Patjens Reederei of Germany.
Sister ship Allise P called here February 17 and March 10. It is the former Maersk Dubrovnik. There are two moire sister ships, Serena P ex Maersk Drummond and Kaethe P ex Maersk Drury in the Patjens fleet. All four ships were launched with their current names, less the letter "P" but took the Maersk names on delivery.


Still at anchor, the tanker Sloman Hermes appears now to be awaiting a berth, since it has not taken bunkers yet.

After yesterday's gloomy morning photo, this afternoon there was sun.

I did not make the long drive to Autoport, so my only view of Opal Ace will be this one, which also includes the Valero oil tanks in Eastern Passage.

(Their is some vertical exaggeration due to air/water conditions.)

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