The Mists of Time

CMA CGM Orfeo spent the afternoon in number one anchorage, most of the time barely visible in a thick mist.  Fortunately the camera sees better than I do, and it was possible to get a photo as it was getting underway to move to pier 41.

Tugs have gathered alongside the ship to move it to pier 41.

Not too many years ago the George's Island fog signal would have been operating, giving Halifax a minute by minute reminder of the foggy conditions. However complaints from hotel guests resulted in the demise of the horn. Its shed still stands at the foot of the lighthouse.

The main  reason for the move was that before tying up the ship had to undergo an inspection for the presence of Asian Gypsy mother larvae, since it was recently in one of the countries where the pest originates. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is tasked with preventing the moth from proliferating in Canada where it is especially harmful to our native trees.

Once at anchor the ship awaited the departure of the Zim Vancouver so that it could have all of pier 41-42 to itself, and presumably all four of Halterm's big cranes.

CMA CGM Orfeo dates from 2008 when it was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries at their Ulsan shipyard in South Korea. It is a 111,249gt, 120,892 dwt ship with a carrying capacity of 9658 TEU, including 700 reefers.  Its keel was laid as Santa Laetitia but it was launched as CMA CGM Orfeo and delivered to owners Rederi GP Offen for long term charter to CMA CGM.

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I saw three ships come sailing in

Despite the obscurity of the reference to ships, the Christmas carol "I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day in the morning" has been a favourite for many years. As some spoil sport observed, Bethlehem is 20 miles from navigable water, and to see even one ship would require extraordinary visual acuity.

Sharp vision was not necessary this Christmas morning as three ships did indeed come 'sailing" in, although none were secure before noon.

Picking up its pilot at 1100hrs (AST) the self-unloading bulker Algoma Integrity (ex Gypsum Integrity) made its way through to Bedford Basin anchorage.

The ship will wait at least a day before it moves to National Gypsum to load. The ship has become a regular recently making one or two calls a month.

There was a stiff northerly breeze blowing and when the pilot boat returned it was bathed in spray.

A little behind the scheduled 1130 hrs at the pilot station, as it moved from an outer anchorage,, CMA CGM Orfeo had plenty of time since it was not to tie up at Halterm before 1300 hrs. The tug Atlantic Bear met the ship well out and tucked in astern as tethered escort. Atlantic Fir also went past the Beach to take up position on the port bow, ready to turn the ship to back into berth 41 at Halterm.

The ship is carrying boxes from all the partners in the Columbus JAX service: CMA CGM / APL, COSCO and Evergreen. As mentioned yesterday, the ship is chartered from Claus-Peter Offen interests, and that company's symbol is posted below the bridge, even with the top row of containers (Santa's gloved hand added by me).

Last in, and self piloted, was Oceanex Sanderling returning from its weekly trip to St.John's.  It tied up at pier 36, filling the last berth at Halterm. (Asian Sun is still at pier 42 - see yesterday's post.)

On deck is one of Canadian Tire's 53 foot containers. These are not normally "seagoing" since they do not fit normal container ship cellular cargo bays, but Sanderling can accommodate them either on skeleton trailers or lift on/ lift off.
The ship will off load tomorrow, then move to pier 34 for maintenance. Its next scheduled sailing is not posted online, so may well be in 2019.

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Christmas Eve

The day before Christmas can be a busy one in the port, since Christmas Day and Boxing Day are 'no work' days for longshoremen. Ships do not wish to sit idle in port for two days, so they try to get their work done and get away to sea.

There are several ships working to get away today. The sister ships Asian Moon and Asian Sun are in port - but for different lines. Asian Moon is busy unloading its nickel concentrate cargo at pier 31 (regrettably no longer photographable due to Halterm expansion) for Nirint Lines. It will sail late morning.

And arriving appropriately at sunrise this morning was Asian Sun for Tropical Shipping.
 

There is no posted sailing time for it, so it may be here over Christmas.

Meanwhile the CMA CGM Orfeo anchored offshore early this morning. The 11,249 gt, 120,986 dwt ship was originally due yesterday, and is now slated to arrive in port tomorrow. Linehandlers (members of the Longshoremen's union) will get a hefty paycheck to tie the ship up if in fact it does berth on Christmas Day.

Built in 2008 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Ulsan, the ship has a capacity of 9658 TEU, including 700 reefers. Normally these CMA CGM ships called on Saturdays, but for the last month they have been in port on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

Also due at Halterm tomorrow, Oceanex Sanderling will berth at pier 36. It often takes time off over Christmas.

ACL's Atlantic Sail departed late morning. At first it was into a dead calm and gloomy Bedford Basin.

By the time the ship cleared the Narrows there was bright sun as the ship passed west of George's Island bound for Liverpool.

Also sailing this morning was Atlantic Huron. The CSLer has a load of gypsum for Cote-Ste-Catherine, QC.

With the St.Lawrence Seaway set to close December 31, it is expected that the ship will just manage to unload then move to Montreal for winter layup. Last year it laid up there from January 14 to March 17.

Last winter Radcliffe R. Latimer laid up in Halifax from January 6 to March 18. This year it sailed from Halifax December 14 with a load of gypsum.

It reached Goderich, ON on Lake Huron, loaded salt and sailed yesterday for Johnstown, ON, just above the Iroquois lock. It is also likely to leave the Lakes before the close of the season.

The oil docks normally work on Christmas, as their shore workers are not members of the ILA. Irving Oil's Acadian is due this evening, so may be in port Christmas Day. So far there are no scheduled arrivals at Imperial Oil.

Also arriving today, Troms Sirius from Bay Bulls, NL. It accompanied the oil rig West Aquarius when it completed work on BP's (unsuccessful) exploration well on the Scotian Slope.

 
It likely has equipment to land from the rig, and then will probably layup as it has no other scheduled work. Fleetmate Lundstrom Tide is already laid up at The Cove. Both vessels, on charter from Tidewater to Horizon, will likely be unemployed for a time.

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