MFO charters

 The Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans has once again turned to private industry to provide research capability. With their own ships unavailable due to refits or retirements (see previous posts on CCGS Alfred Needler) the department is continuing needed research but with hired ships. They have recently signed a new three year deal to charter ships, thus ensuring consistent and reliable reports on fish stocks.

Mersey Venture at pier 9 on February 22, 2023.

As it did in 2018 and 2020 the DFO has turned to Mersey Seafoods of Liverpool, NS to charter their Mersey Venture, which is usually idle at this time of year.

See Shipfax  for March 19, 2018 and December 5, 2020.

 Mersey Venture 2020-12-05

From my observation it appears that the ship has made two trips to George's Bank so far this winter, to conduct surveys normally carried out by the now retiredAlfred Needler. DFO's new ship Capt Jacques Cartier has also gone to George's Bank this week.

CCGS Capt Jacques Cartier 2022-03-09)

 

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Return Engagements

ONE update

 As predicted back in November the container ship ONE Maxim returned to Halifax on THE Alliance's EC5 service. Previous arrivals and departures under cover of darkness precluded the desired "underway" photos of the ship under this name. (There is something unsatisfying about a photo of a ship tied up.)

The ship did arrive this morning. Although not in full sunshine, its magenta hull paint does not require much light to appear bright.

As recounted November 22, 2020 the ship is the former MOL Maxim renamed and repainted earlier in 2020 during a refit. Other ships of MOL's M class are getting similar treatment, but there are still some members of the ten ship class with their original names, such as MOL Maestro due next week. THE Alliance is upping the size of ships on the EC5 and it may be the last one we see. [It is still scheduled into August]

In fact some of the new EC5  ships will be too big to reach Cerescorp's Fairview Cove terminal and will instead be handled by PSA Halifax, starting in July. That the two "rival" terminals would be  assisting each other is not unprecedented, but does add more fuel to rumours that PSA may be in line to purchase the Fairview Cove facility from NYK and rationalize operations.

CCG Update

CCGS Molly Kool returned to Halifax again this morning. It has been carrying out SAR duties in the region "on loan" from Newfoundland, to cover off refits. CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752 (ex Edward Cornwallis) will now be in refit until July and Cape Roger is starting a six month Vessel Life Extension. Sister ship Jean Goodwill is expected to be in refit until the end of June. It still remains to be seen if Captain Molly Kool will be returning to Davie for more upgrades. So far it does not seem that the ship has helicopter capability, which was to be one of the features of the conversion.

 

Departing (and returning) today for more sea trials, was CCGS Capt Jacques Cartier. According to press reports several deficiencies turned up in the first sea trials, delaying its entry into service - not to mention COVID related issues for suppliers and crews. Delays in refitting CCGS Alfred Needler have also meant that the new ship could not complete comparative testing. No date has been suggested for when Capt Jacques Cartier will be in full service. It was delivered from Seaspan to Halifax in November 2019.

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Teleost Troubles

 The fisheries research trawler CCGS Teleost was making its way inbound to tie up alongside the Bedford Institute this morning, March 7, when it developed "issues" with its controllable pitch propeller (CPP). The principal of a CPP is that the angle (or pitch) of the prop blades can be adjusted remotely from the ship's bridge, to move the ship forward, in reverse, or to exert no thrust - effectively in neutral, but without having to reverse the engine. 

CCGS Teleost backing out into Bedford Basin this morning.

Apparently the hydraulic mechanism became stuck in reverse pitch, and the ship was not able to move forward. Instead it backed out into Bedford Basin and anchored while repairs could be made.

The Teleost was built by Langsten Slip, Tomrefjord, Norway in 1988 as the fishing factory / trawler Atlantic Champion. The Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans acquired the ship in 1993 and converted it for research, with the addition of labs and accommodation for scientists in addition to the ship's crew. It entered service in 1996, named Teleost after a species of spiny fish, and based in St.John's. As per CCGS policy it can also be  multi-tasked for Search and Rescue.

The last of three new fisheries research ships, CCGS John Cabot, arrived in St.John's, NL February 7 of this year. The second ship, CCGS Capt Jacques Cartier arrived at BIO just one year ago, on March 6, 2020. These ships were supposed to replace CCGS Alfred Needler and Teleost.

CCGS Capt Jacques Cartier was delivered a year ago, but has spent most of the time alongside.

The first ship, CCGS Sir John Franklin was delivered in 2019 and is based on the west coast. All three ships were built by Seaspan Shipyard, Vancouver under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

By my reckoning Teleost should be preparing to decommission as CCGS John Cabot is due to enter full service this spring.

However Teleost was to be drydocked in January/ February and Alfred Needler is now in drydock in St.John's. This may mean that they will be in service for at least some time to come.

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