MSC Kim - end of chapter one

 The container ship MSC Kim sailed from Halifax in the late evening of March 5, bound for Montreal. It had been at PSA Halifax for a few hours to decant some cargo to reduce the ship's draft to meet St.Lawrence River restrictions. It is regular practice of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) ships to call in Halifax en route to or from Montreal to off load from or top up to ocean draft. This visit was no different, see Shipfax March 5

The ship was making its way across the Gulf of St.Lawrence in the early hours of March 7 when it had a main engine breakdown 40 nautical miles south of Anticosti Island and 66 nautical miles east of Percé. The ship began to drift in high winds and by today (March 10) it was reported to be 50 nautical miles off Port au Port, NL, still without the use of its main engine.

In the meantime, the ship's owners scrambled to develop a salvage plan. Details have not been released as the whether this was a Lloyd's Open Form (No Cure No Pay) salvage contract, or a more basic towing contract. However in view of the potential of the situation, the Canadian Coast Guard would have the responsibility to oversee and grant approval for any operation.

The CCGS Terry Fox icebreaker was the nearest large CCG asset and it was dispatched to Stephenville, NL where Atlantic Towing Ltd had some powerful tugs laid up. ATL rounded up a crew and quickly mobilized the 16,000 hp anchor handling tug/supplier Atlantic Kingfisher from cold layup. According to reports the Terry Fox provided fuel to the tug then broke out the ice in the bay to allow the tug to sail. It was able to reach the ship and rig a tow in matter of a few hours.

Latest reports on the evening of March 10 have tug and tow due in Sydney harbour in the early afternoon of March 11. CCGS Terry Fox will likely be escorting the pair. The tug Atlantic Spruce out of Saint John, which had just towed the CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752 from Shelburne to Halifax, was also sent on to Sydney to assist.

The tug Atlantic Kingfisher was built by Halifax Shipyard in 2002 and was named for the avian emblem of the old City of Halifax which also appears in the middle of the coat of arms and flag of the Halifax Regional Municipality (formed in 1996). (It is apparently a symbol of industry.)

 Ironically, at 23,200 bhp, the Terry Fox is one of the most powerful tugs ever built in Canada, but as a CCG ship it is not equipped or mandated to tow except in dire emergency. Civilian craft are expected to make commercial arrangments for towing. Canada operates no Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) on Canada's east coast. A sister ship of Atlantic Kingfisher, the Atlantic Eagle and a similar vessel Atlantic Raven, are contracted as ETVs on the west coast. That controversial contract has been extended but expires in Novemeber of this year (2022.)

CCGS Terry Fox, one of Canada's two big icebreakers, was built as a tug supplier.

Good bye to Deep Panuke

 The topsides structure of the Deep Panuke gas installation left Halifax today on the BOA Barge 34 towed by the tug Atlantic Kestrel, assisted by Atlantic Kingfisher and Atlantic Larch. The destination is indeed Sheet Harbour, NS, where the structure will be demolished.

I mistakenly stated in a prior post that the topside structure was lifted off by the crane barge Thialf. In fact the topside, which is  equipped with jack-up legs, was lowered onto the barge. Presumably when it reaches Sheet Harbour a reverse process will occur and the barge will be "slid out" from under.

.

Weather Woes

High winds again today brought port traffic to a near standstill. The only arrival was the supplier Atlantic Kingfisher.  Since it was built here in 2002, it has been based in Newfoundland and was back only once in March 2006.

Since it tied up at pier 9 I assume it will be fitted for some cable work, likely the fibrepotic repair on the St.Lawrence River off Forestville. IT Intrepid was originally lined up to do the work, but is has since sailed for the Caribbean.

The tanker STI Wembley moved from Irving Oil Woodside to Bedford Basin anchorage during the highest winds, then moved back later this afternoon. The tanker Acadian was due to take its place but has remained at sea.

Several container ships, including Zim Monaco and Zim Shanghai were due, but have been delayed, and Atlantic Cartier will now arrive tomorrow.

A couple of other interesting craft are also making there way along the coast, although they may not be calling in Halifax.

Océan Traverse Nord, a trailing suction hopper dredge had been working on the Borden, PE - Cape Tormentine, NB power cable project. When it completed that work it headed for Charlottetown for Christmas, then Sydney, NS for New Year, thus avoiding a couple of storms. Then on January 2 it left for Mulgrave, NS, arriving yesterday in time to miss the current blow. It has over-wintered in Mulgrave before, but may also be headed south.

Océan Traverse Nord is built with a hull that hinges lengthwise, allowing it to dump its cargo of dredge spoil. The superstructure remains on an even keel throughout the process. 

Built in 2012 it has worked on the St.Lawrence River, Great Lakes and the Caribbean. It called in Halifax in 2013 on its was to Dos Bocas, Mexico.

Another craft from the St.Lawrence is also making its way south. Arca 1 departed Sorel, QC December 31, over-nighted in Quebec City then made a direct run to Havre-Aubert in the Magdelan Islands.

Arca laid up in Sorel last August.

Built in 1963 by Port Weller  Dry Dock as Imperial Lachine it served the Port of Montreal as a bunkering tanker. When Imperial Oil sold its fleet of full sized tankers in 1997, it had Imperial Lachine towed to Halifax to layup with their other bunkering tanker Imperial Dartmouth, neither of which was included in the sale. However in the spring of 1998 it returned to Montreal and resumed duties until 2002. It was then sold to McKeil Marine and renamed Josee M (unofficially). The next year it was towed to Hamilton, ON, renamed Murex then towed back to Montreal under Shell Canada ownership and renamed Arca. It was laid up for sale in 2014.

Ownership was transferred to Heddle Marine Service Inc c/o McKeil Marine until autumn 2016  when it was finally sold to new owners in the Dominican Republic. They renamed it Arca 1 early in December.

Due to its fairly delicate outdrive propulsion system, I expect the ship to travel in good weather only, hop-skipping to convenient sheltered ports. It is expected to stop  in Shelburne, NS, possibly for drydocking.

.