Activity in Halifax Harbour has been a bit thin over the past couple of days, and with the hours of daylight nearing their minimum, it has been a challenge to catch the most interesting ships.
CAM CGM Zephyr arrived this morning, December 16, on the Columbus JAX service. Its route from Colombo, via Suez took it through the Red Sea, apparently without incident. Both Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd ships have been attacked off Yemen, and Maersk specifically, and perhaps others have begun to re-route ships via the Cape of Good Hope.
The CMA CGM Zephyr dates from 2021 when it was completed by Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Shipbuilding, A 154,995 gt, 156,198 dwt ship, it has a "maximum theoretical capacity" of 15,536 TEU. Exactly what that means is open to discussion, but most sources agree that it is in the 15,000 TEU+ category. The ship has an advanced air quality system, but again this is vague, and it only means that its scrubber is capable of running in closed loop mode. (Removing particulate and storing it on board until it can be sent ashore for recycling.) It may also run in open loop mode - washing the material into the sea - which is a controversial technique and banned in many places.
At nearby Pier 27 the Ayita is discharging a cargo of rail from Poland for CN (the Canadian National Railway). It arrived from Szczecin on December 14.
I had no better luck photoing the ship when it was here under a previous name March 4, 2016, also with a load of rail.
The 7813 gt, 10,385 dwt ship with a pair of 80 tonne SWL cranes, was built in 2004 by Damen with the hull built at their Galati, Romania yard, and the work completed at Hoogezand, Netherlands. It started life as the Ile de Molene but was renamed in the same year Ile De Batz and also in 2004 S. Pacific. In 2010 it became Batz and in 2012 BBC Chile. In 2015 it took the name Onego Batz and it was under that name that it called in Halifax. Later in 2016 it changed its name to BF Ayita and kept that name until May of this year when it changed to Ayita with a quick flick of the brush. The ship is still chartered to Onego however.
Unfortunately the view of Pier 27-28 is becoming more and more constricted as time goes by. The new PSA Halifax Gateway maintenance and operations building at Pier 29 has been under construction for some time. With the steel frame now in place cladding has been installed on the south section.
Although the use of old containers is a novel approach to cladding, there are two problems. The first is that it effectively blocks the view of Pier 28 (just the top of the grain gallery is visible above the roof) and the second is the future maintenance issue as the paint weathers. I doubt that ZIM will want to ante up for re-painting their former seacan. I hope the designers know how to detail a properly vented and draining cavity wall (to be built from the inside out!), as otherwise I give this one about five years before replacement will be necessary.
Arriving at Autoport this morning was the familiar caller Taipan, 57,692 gt, 21,021 dwt, built in 2006 by Gdynia Stozcnia, with a capacity of 6500 RT43 size cars, and a 150 tonne capacity stern ramp.
The reliable Roseway leads the way toward Autoport to take headlines to the buoy as the tugs Atlantic Willow and Atlantic Beaver assist in the turns.
Once off the dock, the tugs turn the ship to tie up starboard side to the jetty.
This is the ship's third visit this year, with calls on May 11, 2023 and June 13, 2023. As reported then, the ship had also called on September 28, 2019 but on that visit it was wearing Wilhelmsen red/oranage hull paint.
Also as reported the ship was launched as Morning Countess, apparently for EUKOR (which is owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen) but was delivered as Taipan. I wonder if it had EUKOR colours when launched.
Activity at Richmond Terminal yesterday saw arrival of the cable ship IT Integrity at Pier 9C, where it refueled, then moved to the IT International Telecom marine base at Pier 9A.
Built in 2001, its hull came from Aker Tulcea and it was completed by Soviknes Verft, Sovik. The 2244 gt, 3200 dwt supplier was named Highland Fortress and worked for several Tidewater operations in Europe until 2020 when IT acquired the ship and converted it for cable work (including laying, repair, plough burying and ROV splicing).
Its most recent port was Port Alberni, British Columbia, sailing from there November 12, and transiting the Panama Canal December 1-3. I assume the ship was working on Google's Topaz fibreoptic cable that runs from Port Alberni to Ibaraki and Mie, Japan.
Genco Endeavour Update
Late this evening (December 16) the Genco Endeavour appears underway on AIS at normal speed from its position off Sctarie Island. It may be a on a trial trip as it sailed northwest bound in Cabot Strait, then turned on a southeast bound course. It is still giving Sydney for destination, (As usual many ship's AIS stations give Sydney, Australia for Sydney, Nova Scotia.) The ship had been stationary for most of the week effecting engine repairs [see yesterday's post] . One report had the tug Atlantic Elm ferrying a part from the ship to shore. (It is more likely that a new part was ferried from shore out to the ship.) In any event the tug is still standing by off Main-à-Dieu. Also, and perhaps coincidentally, the slightly more powerful tug Lois M is underway from Sydney Harbour with a destination of Sydney given. Perhaps there will be a rendez-vous to disembark a technician? Revision: the tug is headed for Halifax.
As far as I can tell no high powered towing vessel appears to be in the vicinity or headed in the direciotn of the ship.
With more bad weather coming Sunday and Monday, it would be good news if the ship has been repaired and can be on its way.
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