New and Renewed

 New

 Another new auto carrier arrived at Autoport today, October 4. This time it is the Lake Qaraqun, the latest in a series of a dozen or more"Eco Friendly" Lake class ships built by China Merchants Heavy Industry in Yizheng, China. 

With several efficiency characteristics, it can also use shore power (where available) and is dual-fuel powered by LNG. The 71,706 gt, 19,166 dwt ship has a capacity of just over 7,000 CEU and was delivered last year to Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS). In addition to the usual stern ramp it is also equipped with a side ramp. After off loading cars at Autoport it is due to move to Pier 9C to discharge some RoRo cargo.

 Lake Qaraqun was formed in 1959 when a reservoir was created by damming the Litani River in the Baqaa Valley of Lebanon.

 

Renewed 1

The cruise ship Carnival Venezia arrived mid-morning at Pier 22.  

The ship carries the unmistakable "ash can" type funnel carried by ships of Costa Crociere (Costa Cruises) of Italy. In 2000 Costa became a subsidiary of Carnival Corp and is still operated under the Costa brand name. The ship was built by Fincantieri, Monfalcone in 2018 and measures 135,225 gt with a capacity of 5260 passengers maximum (4208 double occupancy) with 1278 crew.

Renewed 2

The Icelandic company Eimskip makes weekly calls in Halifax on its Green Line service linking Reykjavik, Argentia, NL, Halifax and Portland, ME. Today's caller was the Pictor a small container ship of 10,965 gt, 12,640 dwt and with a capacity of 925 TEU.

The ship has been a regular caller here and has now changed its name for the third time. When it was built for the German owners Jungerhans in 2009 by Naval Gijon in Spain it was named Pictor J. In 2020 it was renamed Pictor then in 2021 it became the Vivienne Sheri D.  

That new name represented the interests of the Dorenkamp company  from Ontario that had plans to operate a container line from Europe to the Great Lakes. It intended to start up the line when the charter to Eimskip ended. However that project appears to have been cancelled, and the ship reverted to the name Pictor some time in July, and may still be under Jungerhans ownership.

 

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Costa by Carnival - are we having fun yet

 The newly rebranded and renamed Carnival Venezia arrived in Halifax this morning, June 11. The elegant ship is on its first voyage since its transition from Costa Crociere (a Carnival Cruise Lines brand) to Costa by Carnival, a new hybrid brand, with the sub-title "Carnival Fun Italian Style".

The ship was built by Fincantieri Monfalcone as Costa Venezia and entered service in May 2019, catering to the Chinese market and operating out of Shanghai. The major shakeup in the cruise industry due to COVID caused Carnival to re-think its marketing and so transferred the Costa Venezia and Costa Firenze to the new Costa by Carnival brand.

Costa Venezia entered refit at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain in March 2023 and was handed over March 22 with the new name Carnival Venezia. The ship's hull was repainted in the new Carnival "swoop" livery introduced last year, but retains the "trademark" ashcan funnel of Costa Crociere. The "Carnival Fun Italian Style" sobriquet is also inscribed on the hull.

 The Vista class ship measures 135,225 gt with a passenger capacity of 4,208 (double occupancy), 5260 maximum and crew of 1,278. It began its current trip in Barcelona, May 29 calling in Malaga, Gibraltar, Lisbon and Ponta Delgada. On arrival in New York, its new base of operations, there will be a naming ceremony on June 14, with the ship's "godfather" [!] Jay Leno  as sponsor.

The ship will make Caribbean tours out of Manhattan, but will use Port Canaveral as base during the winter. 

Addendum:

The economical three week refit and transfer to "Costa by Carnival", saw the removal of the "Costa" name from the large illuminated billboard beneath the funnel.

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