MSC Switch

 Ships of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) are known to call in Halifax for a variety of reasons, including lightering off cargo to reduce draft for the St.Lawrence River. When I saw the ship early this afternoon it was off loading containers.

On previous vidits the ship has called at PSA Atlantic Gateway. All berths were open at that terminal today, March 20, so its visit to PSA Fairview Cove in Bedford Basin is unusual. It also used the west berth (which has the RoRo ramp, and larger crane), leaving the east berth and the two smaller cranes for the Atlantic Sea. 

 

MSC Kim at Fairview Cove on a foggy March 20, 2025.

The MSC Kim is on the Mediterranean Canada route. Its last port was Sines, Portugal and it is due in Montreal March 24.

ACL's G4 ships do not need special shore facilities for RoRo. They carry a long, slewed ramp that can reach over the dock cope wall. 

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ACL

 The North Atlantic container business has fared well over the years - even when other container routes were suffering. From December 2022 until March 2023 people have noted Atlantic Container Line (ACL) ships with less than maximum deck loads. However today (April 8) the Atlantic Sea arrived from Liverpool with a healthy number of boxes on deck, and lots of rust streaks from heavy use.

I managed to wedge the ship in between the George's Island lighthouse (left) and the Maugher's Beach lighthouse (way in the right background) as it made its way inbound, passing west of George's Island (See recent posts on the subject of trade levels and of shipping channels in Halifax harbour.)

There was a bit better view of the deck load as the ship sailed under the A. Murray MacKay bridge.

Once clear in Bedford Basin, the tug Atlantic Fir went to work to turn the ship for docking at the PSA Fairview Cove terminal.

The five ACL Fourth Generation ConRos have a container capacity of 3800 TEUs. Containers are stowed on deck forward and aft, but below deck forward of the superstructure only. The below deck space from the superstructure to the stern consists of RoRo decks for 1300 autos (or other RoRo freight) and space for the engine room and exhaust uptakes.

The ships were built by Hudong-Zhongua in Shanghai in 2015-17, and come in at 100,430 gt, with dwt ranging from 55,547 to 56,700.

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ACL Meets

 The Atlantic Container Line has been serving Halifax since 1969 with a weekly container and RoRo route from North Europe to the east coast of Canada and the United States and return. The five 100,430 gt sister ships currently maintaining the operation are the fourth generation of vessels running what is acknowledged to be one of the most gruelling year round lines.  Thye are also the world's largeat combination container  / RoRo ships.

The ships usually call in Halifax both east and westbound, although they may bypass from time to time. There is some slack built into the schedule, and once in a while eastbound and westbound ships will meet in Halifax. Such a meet occurred August 10 with the ships passing each other in Bedford Basin.

Atlantic Sail arrived westbound en route to New York. Always an impressive sight, these ships are especially interesting as they fill the Narrows en route to the PSA Fairview Cove terminal.

Just passing Pier 9C, the Atlantic Sail is lined up to pass beneath the A. Murray MacKay bridge.

Tethered escort tug Atlantic Fir is exerting some rudder assist.

As Atlantic Sail cleared the Narrows, Atlantic Sea with its own escort tug Atlantic Oak was setting its course for the Narrows, having left the inbound lots of room.

 Atlantic Sea stood well off in the Basin after clearing PSA Fairview Cove.

Once there was a clear run, Atlantic Sea made its way toward the Narrows with the tug helping to line it up for mid-span.

Atlantic Sea headed eastbound and is due in Hamburg August 17.

One item of note was the presence of what appear to be orange tarps on the starboard boat deck ventilators on the the Atlantic Sail. Perhaps they are covering some damage caused by an errant container during loading or unloading.

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Atlantic Sea to Pier C

 In an unprecedented move today the Atlantic Container Line ship Atlantic Sea moved from PSA Fairview Cove to PSA Atlantic Hub, the southend terminal (Pier C), tying up at berth 41, under the big cranes and at the RoRo ramp.

 Atlantic Sea coming up west of George's Island this afternoon in thin drizzle. The ferry, likely Rita Joe, crosses from Halifax to Woodside in the background.

The ship is on its westbound voyage out of Liverpool, UK and arrived in Halifax early this morning June 14. At 1630 hrs ADT this afternoon it began its move and was secure alongside at shortly after 1800 hrs. It used a tug while getting away from Fairview, and as required while transiting the Narrows, but did not use a tug at Pier C. 

There has been considerable talk that the Fairvew Terminal is plugged with containers and has no more room, and that CN has locomotive and container car shortages and is unable to move boxes out quickly enough to clear the terminal and the railyards. The southend Atlantic Hub apparently has more room. There was likely room to unload and load RoRo cargo at Fairview however, since that takes up less space.

Atlantic Container Lines has been a user of Fairview Cove exclusively and its current G4 ships have never berthed elsewhere as far as I can recall. 

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ACL cuts the cord

In a series of strongly worded statements the two top leaders of Atlantic Container Line threatened to, then indeed did, cut Halifax out of its transatlantic shipping schedules today, diverting all traffic to US ports. The move was in response to a rail blockade between Montreal and Toronto that has resulted in CN largely halting all rail operations east of Toronto. The blockade is in sympathy with protests over the proposed routing of a gas pipeline through indigenous territory in British Columbia.

As the Port of Halifax's oldest container customer, ACL also offers RoRo service which includes oversize cargo such as aircraft components.

Fuselages and tail structures built in Ireland are shipped via Liverpool, UK to Halifax then trucked to Quebec. 

Starting even before Halifax's first container terminal was completed, ACL now runs its fourth generation of ConRo ships. The ownership of the line has evolved from a consortium of traditional shipping companies from the UK, France, Holland and Sweden to its present position as a wholly owned Grimaldi Group subsidiary.

One of the magnificent  "S" class of first generation ACL ships, Atlantic Saga unloads at a barely recognizable pier 36. It belonged to ACL partner Swedish America Line. Built in 1967, it was broken up in 1987.

ACL also serves New York and it is thought that most of the cargo that was worked through Halifax can be handled by US railways or trucks.

The G4s are the largest ConRos in the world and are also an impressive sight.

There was some train activity in Dartmouth today, with autoracks and open gons. However Autoport has issued layoff notices and all its tracks are full of racks waiting resumption of rail service. There should be no reason why gypsum trains can't keep moving but apparently CN feels it is being targeted and any activity could result in more protests.

Some sources say ships of other container lines and autocarriers will continue to call in Halifax, but is seems certain there will be a huge drop off in cargo handled.

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Atlantic Sea - problems

Atlantic Container Line is still having trouble with its new China built ConRos. The latest to encounter a problem is Atlantic Sea, the third in the series of five, and completed in 2016 by Hudong-Zhenghua in Shanghai.

Despite being sponsored by Princess Anne in Liverpool the ship has been troubled with mechanical issues. On Christmas Eve 2016 it was held overnight in Bedford Basin and its March 26, 2017 sailing from Halifax was delayed. It also lost an anchor sometime in 2016. The only good luckk it has had was on October 5, 2017. Despite being in an unscheduled drydocking at Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, it was not struck by a shipyard crane that toppled over in high winds and narrowly missed the ship.

Atlantic Sea peaks out from the east berth at Fairview Cove, idled by some unidentified problem.

The latest misfortune has held the ship in port in Halifax since Monday, with no departure time scheduled yet. Losing that many days on the tightly run transatlantic schedule must be resulting in a lot of hair loss for someone.

Probably unrelated, but ACL has announced that it will concentrate its office functions in Virginia Beach and close its Halifax office, with a  loss of 15 jobs. Cost cutting is all the rage these days in the shipping world, where competition is intense. ACL is now a part of the Grimaldi Group, but began calling Halifax in 1969. Then it was the joint venture of several prominent shipping companies - some of which are now only memories: Wallenius Lines, Swedish American Line, Rederi AB Transatlantic and Holland America (in 1965) joined by Cunard and Cie Generale Transatlantique in 1967. 

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Basin Views a Priority

As far as picture taking is concerned, Bedford Basin was the action centre Friday evening.

Priority, a new to Halifax container ship berthed at Fairview Cove for THE Alliance. Also in port was the Atlantic Sea and in a rare occurrence it appeared that all four cranes were at work. Two cranes for each ship. The smallest crane was apparently able to work on the forward container cells of the Atlantic Sea. Usually this crane is too small to work most ships.

Priority is the former MOL Priority built in 2002 by IHI, Kure. The 74,701 grt, 74,453 dwt ship has a capacity of 6402 TEU including 500 reefers. Danaos took over the ship and renamed it in 2014 and it now flies the Malta flag.

At BIO the DFO ship Teleost sailed after a brief stay in port, and Cape Roger took a few turns in the Basin following an alongside refit. Also at BIO for the past couple of weeks is Alfred Needler. All are normally based in Newfoundland.

And although no ships are scheduled for National Gypsum in the near future, there is certainly an adequate stockpile built up.

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Atlantic Sea

The ConRo Atlantic Sea made one of its regular appearances in Halifax this morning, arriving in port just at sunrise. Once it picked up its escort tug off Halterm, it made its way through the harbour to the Narrows and on to Cerescorp at Fairview Cove.

Atlantic Sea squeezes past the Atlantic Condor at pier 9C as it approaches the A. Murray MacKay.  bridge. Tethered escort tug Atlantic Oak is in position and will assist the ship to turn once it reaches Bedford Basin. (0727 hrs ADT).

Delivered in July 2016 by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, the ship had its initial teething problems, but has settled into the weekly transatlantic ACL service. While in drydock at Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, October 5, 2017, one of the drydock cranes blew down, just missing the ship. At 100,430 grt, 56,700 dwt, it and its four sisters are the largest ConRo (Container + Roll On / Roll Off) vessels in existence.

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2017 - a slow start

There was not a great deal of traffic in the port yesterday, nor today, which most people took as a holiday.
Mitiq completed its work at Fairview Cove and sailed mid-morning - obviously in ballast and for Trois-Rivières, QC.

 
Atlantic Huron arrived in ballast, and tied up at pier 25-26. Most Canadian Great Lakes ships go into a form of hibernation called winter layup, but for many it is a time of intense maintenance and repair work, sometimes extending over several months.

The tanker Ridgebury Cindy A after returning to Imperial Oil December 30, tied up at number 3 dock, then today went out to anchor. It did not appear to take bunkers and is due to sail at midnight, very much in ballast.

A new arrival at Irving Oil's Woodside terminal is the handymax tanker STI Wembley, part of the Scorpio Tankers Pool, headquartered in Monaco and arrived from Ijmuiden, Netherlands.

Built by Hyundai, Mipo in 2014 it measures 24,162 grt, 38,734 dwt and looks quite different from the usual Korean built mid-range tankers. It is an ice class vessel with a full width bridge structure. This is the second overseas arrival At the Irving terminal, both have been from the Netherlands. The first was Energy Panther which delivered a partial cargo October 22.


Also arriving, but too late for a photo,  Atlantic Sea is still missing its starboard anchor.

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Christmas Eve action

There has been a big rush over the past few days to clear cargo before the Christmas holiday. Both container terminals have been very busy, but Halterm cleared its last customer this morning when CMA CGM Altaviva sailed at daybreak. Oceanex Sanderling sailed from Autoport this morning too.  The bulk carrier Eider arrived and sailed over night from pier 28 where it took a quick top off load of grain en route from the Great Lakes.

The action then shifted farther north.

Federal Swift comes to anchor against a backdrop of idle cranes at Halterm.

The bulk carrier Federal Swift arrived from Baie-Comeau for bunkers and anchored in the lower harbour. The ship was built in 2012 by Zhejiang Ouhua Shipbuilding Co in Zhonshan, China. A ship of 24,196 grt, 37,140 dwt, it is in ballast likely having delivered bauxite or alumina to Baie-Comeau. The ship carries four 30 tonne cranes and grab buckets to handle such cargoes.

Fairview Cove was also busy over the last few days. Agios Minas cleared over night and Tokyo Express arrived, but I must have put the curse on Atlantic Sea, because it was forced out to anchor early last evening with mechanical issues. It was joined later by NYK Rumina which will be anchored until December 26 before it moves in to Fairview Cove.

A regular caller for the G6 Alliance NYK Rumina will be anchored for a couple of days.

The 55,534 grt, 65,981 dwt ship has a capacity of 4922 TEU (including 330 reefers) and was built in 2010 by Hyundai Samho.

A late morning arrival, Fritz Reuter went directly to anchor in Bedford Basin where it will remain until December 27 before moving to Halterm.

This is the ship's 25th voyage for Melfi Marine, trading between Europe and Cuba. The 18,840 grt, 23,732 dwt ship has a capacity of 1732 TEU (including 379 reefers) and carries a pair of 45 tonne cranes  for ports without container cranes. Its first visit to Halifax was December 8, 2013.
Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard Co Ltd produced the ship as Maruba Zonda in 2006, but it was renamed on delivery to Norddeutsche Reederei Schulte of Hamburg.

It was followed by the supplier Skandi Flora for pier 9C. It will not be needed over Christmas while the drill ship Stena IceMAX suspends drilling for maintenance.

Skandi Flora was built in 2009 by STX Norway Offshore AS in Trondheim for DOF Rederi AS of Storebo, Norway. It is operated for DOF Subsea Canada Corp by Mathers Logistics of Halifax under a coasting license as a non-duty paid Canadian flag vessel and was registered in Halifax September 3, 2015.
The 4469 grt, 5005 dwt ship will be finishing up its work soon as Shell has announced they will stop drilling in the Shelburne Basin on completion of the current well.


Once the two inbounds were safely out of the way, Tokyo Express was able to move through the Narrows for sea.

Tokyo Express eases by pier 9A where IT Intrepid is lingering for the finishing touches to a refit. It should be sailing for a cable repair job on the St.Lawrence River after re-fueling next week. 

HAPAG-Lloyd's Tokyo Express came out of the Hyundai Heavy shipyard in Ulsan in 2000. At 54,465 grt, 67,145 dwt, with a capacity of 4890 TEU (including 370 reefers) it is among that endangered species of (formerly) Panamax ships that are no longer considered efficient carriers. Ships of its size are going to scrap
at a record rate as the industry tries to shed itself of unprofitable tonnage.

Atlantic Sea followed on its heals.

ACL's third (of five) new G4 class ships, Atlantic Sea was delivered in the summer of 2016. The Shanghai built ships have all been experiencing teething problems as new-builds are wont to do, but this one had been more or less trouble free. However it was restricted to port by Transport Canada from yesterday until late this morning due to some mechanical problem. It was allowed to sail, even though it is missing its starboard anchor. It may not be that easy to find an anchor for a 100,430 grt, 56,700 dwt ship on short notice, and ships usually don't carry spares.

The loss of an anchor is usually the result of defective chain. It can be a serious matter when a chain fails, and that is why chain manufacturing is such a highly specialised process. See this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY2JqGTvPh8

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One way traffic in the Narrows

 As the name implies, the Narows is not wide enough for two large ships to pass.

The shadow of the A.Murray MacKay bridge falls across the Mary as it makes its way toward Bedford Basin. Tug Atlantic Willow has made fast forward and Atlantic Fir is tethered aft.

With the container ship Mary arriving for HAPAG-Lloyd this afternoon, the ConRo Atlantic Sea stood by in Bedford Basin waiting. It was only a matter of a few minutes, and Atlantic Sea was underway again. You could almost feel the Atlantic Sea panting to get underway.
 

Late afternoon sun lights up the Mary as it makes it turn around Seaview Point, and Atlantic Sea has already powered up to go.

Mary has been here before for H-L, beginning in September on their AZX service.It was built by Hyundai Samho in 2013 and is a post (old) Panamax ship of 71,021 grt, 80,274 dwt with a capacity of 6900 TEU including 800 reefers.  It is operated by Technomar of Athens and  flies the Marshall Islands flag.

Atlantic Sea heads for the Narrows as the sun sets. Escort tug Atlantic Oak is in position astern, but not visible.

Atlantic Sea, the third of ACL's new G4 class ships, made its first call here August 21 but was not officially christened until October 20 when Princess Anne was the sponsor in Liverpool, England.

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More of the same, a newby and some old stuff

More of the same

It was five cruise ships today, but much fewer passengers, and two of them were small and one was a hold over.

Disney Magic (2400 passengers) remained in port all night and only sailed this afternoon, giving its passengers a second look around Halifax or shore excursions farther afield.

The extra day gave the ship time to take on fuel and perform some other chores.

 Algoma Dartmouth delivers fuel on the port side and platform lift works from the dock side, and as always the painter attends to the ship's name.

Disney Magic is certainly one of the most striking looking cruise ships.

Zuiderdam (1916 passengers) and Crystal Serenity (1080 passengers) also spent the day in port.

 Zuiderdam is free of the decorative excesses of some other lines and has a remarkably clear upper deck.

Pearl Mist arrived at pier 23 on her final visit of the season. The Halifax-built ship sailed mid-afternoon. With a capacity for 210 passengers, it has a gross tonnage of 5109 grt.

Pearl Mist sailed for Lunenburg, where it will spend the night.

Victory I arrived at pier 24 and sailed mid-afternoon for Yarmouth. It has a capacity of 210 to 215 passengers.

 The ship was a late addition to the cruise schedule after its previous operators went bankrupt after a collision with the end wall of a Seaway lock last year. The former Saint Laurent was hastily re-branded and went back into service. It spent the summer on the Great Lakes from July, with cruises from Chicago, Toronto and Montreal. 

Built as the Cape May Light in 2001 it also carried the name Sea Voyager from 2009 to 2015. Last year's planned cruises from Florida to Cuba were cancelled but are scheduled for this winter. 

A newby

Atlantic Sea is the third of ACL's new G4 ConRos. It tied up at Fairview Cove early this morning and sailed late this evening.

The 100,430 grt ship is registered in Liverpool. UK, where it will be welcomed October 10 for a christening ceremony. The sponsor will be Princess Anne. 

Some oldies 

I have been mentioning that Shipfax was started in 1986, and that is the same year that two active Canadian Coast Guard ships were built. In the background of the Atlantic Sea photo above is CCGS Earl Grey, built by Pictou Industries in Pictou, NS. It entered service in June 1986. The ship received a nine month $11mn+ Vessel Life Extension refit at Davie Quebec and returned to Halifax in January of this year.

Also recently refitted is CCGS Edward Cornwallis. It had a $2.6mn re-do at Newdock, St.John's a year ago. It arrived this afternoon.

Built by Marine Industries Ltd in Sorel, QC, it arrived in Halifax for the first time August 21, 1986, with a firetug greeting. It did not enter service immediately due to engine and derrick problems and first set sail in December, but returned to port with electrical problems. It still had issues in January and February of 1987 but those were apparently worked out by March when it was at work icebreaking in the Gulf of St.Lawrence as far north as Blanc Sablon.

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