CSL Metis - gone south

 The self-unloading bulker CSL Metis has been an occasional caller in Halifax to load gypsum for the United States, but not recently. Its last call here that I recorded was in October 2023. It is also a sometime caller at Auld's Cove on the Strait of Canso to load aggregates, also for US ports. 

Although it is now a self-unloading bulk carrier, that is the result of an extensive rebuilding. Starting life as the tanker Berge Helene in 1981 at the Mitsui Chiba shipyard it carried the names Lagovan Sinamaica from 1981 to 1993, Sinamaica from 1993 to 2000 and Ektoras from 2000 to 2007 and briefly Ektora in 2007. A 31,849 gt, 61,403 dwt ship, it was rendered obsolete when double hulls became mandatory for tankers. Its mechanicals and accommodations were still in good condition however, and CSL acquired the ship on favourable terms. They contracted Chengxi Shipyard to fabricate a new forebody (cargo section and bow), with bulbous bow and self-unloading apparatus, which was joined to the stern section in a mere 53 days with completion in October 2007. It then became a 43,022 gt, 69,304 dwt ship and increased in length from 222.3m to 245.0m. It is registered in the Bahamas and works in the CSL Americas self-unloader pool. It is a bit too large to take a full load at Gold Bond Gypsum in Halifax, so is more often employed in the aggregates and coal trades.

A regular assignment in 2024 was with coal, loaded in Norfolk for transshipment to large bulk carriers anchored in the Chedabucto Bay. In 2024 it topped off the Alba, NSU Obelisk and Juno Horizon all in the 90,000 dwt to 107,000 dwt range, which are too large to load to full draft in Norfolk. Currently the NSU Obelisk has been anchored in Chedabucto Bay since January 18 and NSU Welfare since December 7, 2024. I am assuming the CSL Metis transhipped to one of them before coming to Halifax.

Arriving February 26 the ship went directly to anchor in Bedford Basin. 

Instead of moving in to load gyspum today as I expected, the ship put out sea giving a destination of Richards Bay, South Africa, a notable coal port, but well off the usual routes for ships in the CSL Pool.

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Gypsum in Demand

 There seems to be a large demand for gypsum - with three ships in Halifax to carry away some of the material. It is usually the sign of a strong economy when there is demand for gypsum as it is used in building construction materials, steel making and other manufacturing.

As reported on April 15 the bulker Ocean Pearl arrived to load at Gold Bond. Due to its arrangement with many large hatch covers, it is a slow ship to load, as the travelling loader must be worked in and out around the covers. The usual self-unloading ships also have stacking hatch covers for quicker loading.

This morning, April 17, the ship was still loading with the traveller working well forward. A pilot has been ordered for 1700 to depart for sea with a destination of Tampa, FL.

Meanwhile the Canadian flag CSL self-unloader Baie St. Paul arrived yesterday, April 16, and anchoraged in the lower harbour awaiting its turn to load.

 The Baie St. Paul, like many Canadian ships that work the Great Lakes, was laid up from January 14 to March 12. When it left its layup berth in Montreal it proceeded up the Seaway system and the Great Lakes to Thunder Bay. Returning downbound it arrived in Montreal April 11. It unloaded its cargo (assumed to be grain) and sailed April 13 for Halifax.

When the Ocean Pearl sails this afternoon, the Baie St. Paul will move to the Gold Bond dock to load for Hamilton, ON. The Baie St. Paul is a member of the Trillium class of Lakers, and was built in 2012 by the Chengxi Shipyard in Jiangyin, China. It is strengthened for coastal voyages and is a regular caller in Halifax.

This morning, April 17, the CSL Metis arrived and went to anchor in Bedford Basin to wait its turn to load.

Although it is now a self-unloading bulk carrier, that is the result of an extensive rebuilding. Starting life as the tanker Berge Helene in 1981 at the Mitsui Chiba shipyard it carried the names Lagovan Sinamaica from 1981 to 1993, Sinamaica from 1993 to 2000 and Ektoras from 2000 to 2007 and briefly Ektora in 2007. A 31,849 gt, 61,403 dwt ship, it was rendered obsolete when double hulls became mandatory for tankers. Its mechanicals and accommodations were still in good condition however, and CSL acquired the ship on favourable terms. They contracted Chengxi Shipyard to fabricate a new forebody (cargo section and bow), complete with self-unloading apparatus, which was joined to the stern section in a mere 53 days with completion in October 2007. It then became a 43,022 gt, 69,304 dwt ship and increased in length from 222.3m to 245.0m. It is registered in the Bahamas and works in the CSL Americas self-unloader pool of fifteen ships.

It is rare that we see two CSLers in port at the same time - one from the domestic Canada Steamship Lines fleet in traditional red hull colour - and one from the CSL Americas foreign flag fleet in black.

The CSL Metis arrived from Baltimore, which may also be its destinaiton as several recent gypsum loads have gone there. Other Gold Bond destinations are Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville and Tampa.

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A Saturday Sampling

There was such a variety of activity in Halifax that shipwatchers could have spent the entire day keeping track of it all.  Perhaps I can be excused for missing some of it - real life does intrude from time to time.

The early morning sun posed a challenge to catch the arrival of Atlantic Huron without deep shadows on the Halifax side. As the ship came up harbour it had to sweep out an around HMC Dockyard's  so called Force Protection Barrier. (More implied than real in winter, most of the floating fence is removed to prevent weather damage.) As the ship then swung back on course to pass under the Macdonald bridge, there was a chance to see the sunny side.

Some of HMC Dockyard's security fence - mostly the anchor buoys - shows on the right side of the photo. In the background the tanker Citrine finally unloads at Imperial Oil after idling at anchor in Bedford Basin since April 14.

The veteran Atlantic Huron has been threatened with retirement several times in recent years, but after a winter layup and drydocking it is back in service once again. Built in 1984 as a conventional gearless bulk carrier, it was converted to a self-unloader in 1989 and was rebuilt in 2003 by widening its hull 3 feet.

Citrine finally moved in the early hours of the morning. After a week at anchor, there was finally room in Imperial Oil's storage tanks for its cargo.

A second CSLer arrived later in the day, also destined for National Gypsum, and passed up west of George's Island permitting a close view on its way to anchor in Bedford Basin.

A regular in Halifax now, CSL Metis has been mentioned here often before. On its last visit April 12, it took a major bite out of the gypsum stockpile in Dartmouth, which has since been replenished.

Vanishing gypsum.

The reason that CSL Metis passed west of George's Island this afternoon was the presence of the loaded crude oil tanker Cap Lara in number one anchorage, effectively blocking the eastern channel.

The 81,324 grt, 158,826 dwt Greek tanker, built in 2007 by Samsung, Koje, is en route to Quebec City with its cargo, but put in to Halifax for Asian gypsy moth clearance by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

It's rare to see a crude tanker now that we don't have a refinery anymore, so its arrival was a bit of a treat. The ship apparently passed the test and sailed at about 1800hrs.

Another unexpected arrival was the heavy lift ship Palau.

Operated by Harren Ship Management's Combi-Lift fleet, the Malta flagged 11,473 grt, 9,962 dwt ship is fitted with two massive 450 tonne derricks capable of a 900 tonne combined lift. It has its bridge and accommodation forward to allow for unobstructed visibility when carrying large loads. The ship was built in 2010 by Taizhou Kouan Shipbuilding Co in Taizhou, China.

Secured on deck is this massive spreader rated at 850 tonnes (the spreader's own weight must be figured into the combined lift capacity)

Once alongside pier 25 the ship shifted its ballast box forward to allow for work on its rudder.
The ship is fitted with a Becker rudder, which is a rudder with a steerable flap on the trailing edge to improve maneuverability. That flap has malfunctioned, and the tug Atlantic Oak was called upon to provide steering assistance as the ship made its way into port.
See: http://www.becker-marine-systems.com/03_products/products_becker_flap.html

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Gypsum Upswing

With the US economy on the rise there is an increased demand for gypsum. It is not exactly a boom time, but there seems to be more product moving out of the National Gypsum facility in Wright's Cove theses days.
The most frequent ship recently has been CSL Metis, which arrived this morning.

CSL Metis swings east around George's Island as the pilot boat Chebucto Pilot comes in west of the island. That is Energy Progress unloading at Imperial Oil.

Arrival time was coordinated to allow the tugs Belle D (towing) and Halifax Tugger (pushing) the McNally crane barge Derrick #4 to clear the Narrows. The barge had been spudded down in Turples Cove near the MacKay bridge, and was moving to the Woodside area. McNally has at least four tugs in port right now, but they were all busy with other work, so they called in RMI Marine to do the shift.

CSL Metis with Atlantic Willow in company, crosses the ferry track heading for the Narrows.

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CSL Pool Update

CSL Metis got underway from pier 26 to National Gypsum this morning on completion of its maintenance work.

 As it did so, more details emerged about the CSL / Algoma deal to purchase the five Klaveness self-unloaders.

CSL Americas will take over  Balto (which is built to CSL Trillium standard) and  Barkald.

Balto - arriving Halifax for gypsum

Barkald - waiting to load gypsum Halifax


Algoma Shipping will take over Balchen and Baldock.

Baldock - unloading coal at Point Tupper, NS

Marbulk (a 50/50 CSL/ Algoma operation ) will take over Balder.

Balder - sailing from Halifax with gypsum

Name changes can be expected as well as funnel markings. Perhaps the latter will get the golden seahorse, which we have been kissing in Halifax lately. See Shipfax nelvana-end-of-road.html:

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Big Tanker, Big Bulker

The bulk carrier CSL Metis arrived on November 8 for some maintenance at pier 26. The former tanker, built in 1981 was converted to a self-unloader in 2007 and has been in Halifax before, but never for cargo. At 43,022 grt, 69,305 dwt it is too big to take a full load of load gypsum here. Its usual port of call is on the Strait of Canso to load aggregates.

The ship's forebody dates from 2007, but the after section containing engines and accommodation is original. On November 9 divers were working under the stern, and the ship was ballasted down by the bow a bit to reveal much of the rudder and prop nozzle.

Today I was surprised to a see a conference going on inside the nozzle. A raft was tethered around the prop shaft so some work could be done in the open air. No need for a drydock (see previous post) when the work can be done this way.

Also in port today the crude tanker Advantage Anthem took bunkers in number one anchorage. It took no escort tug in or out, so despite being fairly low in the water, it must be in ballast. [ I have since learned that the ship had a cargo of heavy fuel oil, loaded at the Valéro refinery in Lévis, QC].  It then sailed for New York.

The ship was built in 2011 by Samsung, Koje, South Korea as Power and measures 61,336 grt, 116,087 dwt. Earlier this year it was renamed by new Swiss based owners Advantage Tankers LLC. It is still operated by a Turkish company with Shell Western Supply and Trading of Barbados as commercial operators.

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CSL Metis underway after refit

The self-unloading bulker CSL Metis sailed this morning for Mobile, AB after a lengthy refit period alongside pier 25-26.

CSL Metis on March 12.

 

The ship was ready to sail a couple of days ago, but held off due to stormy weather. Its departure this morning was delayed for a few minutes until HMCS Athabaskan passed the pier. The ship then went to a position south of George's Island to do a compass swing before heading for sea.
For more on CSL Metis see: 
http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2013/12/csl-metis-interesting-ship-no-visibility.html

CSL Metis - Interesting ship - visibility improved

 It is a distressing fact that at this time of year, interesting ships arrive in Halifax in the evening or in snow storms, when there is no visibility and no chance for a photo. Such was the case Monday afternoon when the CSL Metis arrived at National Gypsum. This is the first time I have seen this ship in Halifax, so I was pleased that the weather cleared off enough today to get a photo.

 1. CSL Metis lines up for the Narrows (viewed from the Halifax side of the harbour). It is not fully loaded due to the restricted draft at the National Gypsum pier.

There are also lots of photos on line, since the ship is a frequent caller in the Strait of Canso and has been well photographed there:   http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/7926162/vessel:CSL_METIS

CSL Americas, the former CSL International, also publishes a spec sheet and photo of the ship on their web site:  http://www.cslships.com/en/csl-americas/fleet/vessels-and-specs/csl-metis

Canada Steamship Lines,  founded through the amalagamation of a number of St.Lawrence River and Great Lakes companies, became a world leader in self-unloader technology, based on its experience building and operating such ships in its domestic fleet. Since than it has expanded to Europe and AustralAsia, as well as deep sea shippping in North America, outside of the Great Lakes.

Faced with a growing demand for self-discharging bulk carriers in 2007 the company opted to purchase a suitable ship and rebuild it to their needs. The crude oil tanker Ektora ex Ektoras -07, Sinamaica-00, Lagovan Sinamaica-93, Berge Helen -81 was selected. It was built in 1981 by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co Ltd in Ichihara, Japan with a good quality engine (B+W built under license by Mitsui). As a single skin/double bottom tanker, it was rendered obsolete by new double hull regulations. Therefore it could be acquired at low cost, since it was otherwise headed to the scrap yard even though it was in good condition. As a tanker it measured 32,514 gross tons, 61,403 deadweight.

At the same time CSL ordered an entirely new forebody, complete with up to date self-unloading gear from Chengxi Shipyard in China.In a remarkably short time (after fabricating the hull modules it was assembled in only 53 days on the slipway) the forebody was launched on April 16, 2007 and soon after melded to the after section of the tanker to form CSL Metis. The completed ship sailed from the shipyard on October 29, 2007. (Chengxi has also been contracted to built several new ships for CSL, so this was a bit of a dry run for them.)

 2. The new forebody was joined to the existing stern on a line just aft of the bridge wing. The new portion is also deeper than the older tanker forebody was, and so there is a "step up" forward of the superstructure.

 
The "new" ship measures 43,022 gross tons and 69,350 deadweight tonnes.  It loaded coal in Indonesia, in November 2007, arrived in New York in mid-December and arrived at Auld's Cove, NS in January 2008 for its first load of stone.Since then the ship has been a regular in Nova Scotia waters with coal inbound and loading return cargoes of aggregate in the Strait of Canso. I have never seen it in Halifax up until now, but I understand it may have been here in the summer when I was away.

3. Once in the Narrows, the ship sails unescorted outbound (viewed from the Dartmouth side).

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