YM's fourth and updates

The AL1 transatlantic service of THE Alliance, consisting of four ships, all belonging to Yang Ming Line, has now completed an entire cycle, with all four ships making an appearance in Halifax. The first ship, YM Essence arrived April 23, and the fourth arrived today: YM Enlightenment.

Atlantic Oak (on the stern) and Spitfire III shepherd YM Enlightenment through the Narrows.

Built in 2015 by China Shipbuilding Corp in Kaohsiung, it is a sister ship to the other three, with a 4662 TEU capacity on 47,952 grt, 56,500 DWT.  The ships normally arrive in Halifax on Sunday. It is registered in Liberia, as is YM Express. The other two, YM Evolution and YM Essence are registered in Taiwan.

Update: The barge Atlantic Sealion made its trip from Woodside to the Halifax Shipyard this morning, where a number of cradles and components for the first Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel were unloaded at pier 8. [see also yesterday's post.]

A banner on the barge's gunwale says "Proudly Building Ships for Canada" and features the Canadian and Nova Scotia flags and the Irving Shipbuilding logo. The tug Atlantic Willow handled the move and the return later in the day to the IEL dock.

Update:  For the past week or two, we have had a "guest" pilot boat working in Halifax harbour. The Fundy Pilot. As the name suggests it is normally based in Saint John, NB, but came to Halifax initially for refit at the CME shipyard in Sambro. Once the refit was completed it took over duties from the Chebucto Pilot while it has its own refit.

Built in 1983 by the well known US pilot boat builders, Gladding-Hearn in Somerset, MA, the 17.5 kn boat is backed up by the APA No.1 dating from 1977.

Somewhat dwarfed by APA No.1 at the pilot dock, Fundy Pilot was en route to her refit when this photo was taken in March. APA No.1 takes its design origins from Gulf of Mexico crew boats, whereas Fundy Pilot is an evolutionary step in the Gladding-Hearn repertoire of scores of pilot boats.

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CMA ties the record and Woodside moves

The 9,365 TEU CMA CGM Loire arrived this morning, tying the record for largest container ship to call in Halifax. Sister ship CMA CGM Tage set the record May 28, 2016 when it arrived for the first time.  We have not surpassed the 10,000 TEU ship yet, but that will happen this summer according to the Port of Halifax.

Early risers caught sight of the CMA CGM Loire in number one anchorage, where it under went Asian Gypsy Moth inspection.

CMA CGM Loire was built in 2015 by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company and measures 95,263 grt, 112,279 dwt. It also features the split superstructure of the larger ships. With the accommodation block moved forward for visibility, there is no superstructure aft except the engine casing and funnel.

 The true bulk of the ship could best be appreciated from the Dartmouth side of the harbour. The ship carries some container stacks eight high.

The bridge structure is thin and very high.

There is no superstructure aft, and only a funnel and engine room casing.

Early this afternoon the ship moved alongside pier 41 at Halterm aloowing for a close up look.

Meanwhile in Dartmouth, it was a busy day at the Industrial Estates pier. The Woodside annex of the Halifax Shipyard has been busy fabricating hull cradles to be used to support the various hull components of ships under construction. 

A giant Manitowoc crane was busy this morning lifting the cradles aboard the venerable barge Atlantic Sealion (once known as the Irving Whale, it spent 26 years on the bottom of the Gulf of St.Lawrence before it was raised in 1996.)

The Shipyard is also using the Woodside facility to fabricate complex bow and other shapes for the current program of Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships. The first bow was wheeled out this morning on a transporter and loaded aboard the Sealion.
 

Other shapes followed, and soon after the moves, the rail line to Autoport was re-opened, as it had been closed all day to allow the transporter to cross the tracks.

Tomorrow the cargo will be transported to Halifax Shipyard and landed at pier 8.

 In due course the bow components will be connected to the well advanced hull of the first AOPV, to be named HMCS Harry De Wolf.


Also in Woodside, Irving Oil welcomed the tanker NS Pride

A puff of smoke on the starboard side is from an accompanying tug making fast.

Built in 2006 by the ShinA Shipbuilding Company of Tongyeong, South Korea, it is a ship of 25,467 grt, 40,000 dwt and is operated by  SCF Management Services Dubai.
ShinaA Shipbuilding was one of the victims of the global financial crisis and was declared bankrupt in 2015 and liquidated in 2016.

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Atlantic Sealion for drydock.

1. Atlantic Sealion ex ATL 2701 lying at Port Hawksbury November 12, 2010, showing some more recent signs of wear and tear.

2. ATL 2701 leaving Halifax March 20, 2001 bound for refit in Shelburne. She had been patched up and internally cleansed in drydock in 1996, but not repaired.

3. Irving Whale at pier 7, September 21, 1996 after her drydocking.

4. Irving Whale arrives on the Boa Barge 10 August 7, 1996. Stern damage, including punctures and bent skegs, was likely incurred when she hit the bottom in 1970.

It was a return visit to Halifax for the barge Atlantic Sealion this evening, when it arrived in tow of the tug Point Halifax. The tug [see Tugfax for more] returned directly to Port Hawksbury after handing off the tow to the tugs Atlantic Oak and Atlantic Larch, who wrangled the barge into the Novadock floating drydock.

Built by Saint John Dry Dock in 1966 as a tanker barge, it gained notoriety on September 7, 1970, when it sank off Prince Edward Ialand. If you guessed that her original name was Irving Whale - you win a prize! She sat on the bottom of the Gulf of St.Lawrence for 26 years, and reportedly oozed bunker C until it became imperative to raise her, at taxpayers expense. After a first attempt in 1995, she was raised in 1996 and arrived in Halifax on August 7 on a submersible barge. After refloating in Bedford Basin she was towed to Halifax Shipyard by the tugs Point Halifax and Point Vim, where she was drydocked to seal her hull and remove other pollutants.

It surprised many to learn, after the multi-million dollar effort to raise her, that she still belonged to J.D.Irving Ltd, who took possession.

The barge was renamed ATL 2701 and was laid up until March 2001 when she was towed out to Shelburne by Altantic Elm. There she was refitted for wood chip service to run from Nova Scotia to Saint John, NB. Since that service ended she has been used in a variety of barge services based out of Port Hawksbury.

Her most notable trip was the November -December 2007 load of pipe racks from Dartmouth to Toronto in tow of Ocean Delta. She got caught in very bad weather and ice and was delayed all along the way, requiring icebreaker assistance out of Quebec City . She reached Prescott, Ontario where McKiel tugs took her over and delivered her to Toronto December 26. She had to over winter in Toronto and was towed out to Quebec City in the spring of 2008.

In 2009, as part of a general renaming policy within Atlantic Towing, she was given the name Atlantic Sealion. This theme continues one started by Irving when barges were named after sea mammals and fish. There was an Irving Sealion at one time, and that mammal was picked this time rather than reverting to the whale.

Because she was preserved in the frigid water of the Gulf for over a quarter of a century, she really looks more like a twenty year old barge than a forty-four year old. The Shelburne refit was extensive as well, adding raised side walls and new deck equipment.

Tonight's arrival was in the dark, so no photos, but I found a few in the file.

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