Afternoon Activity

There was a good deal of activity all at the same time later in the afternoon with departures and an arrival.

Algoterra sailed from Imperial Oil. It is giving Quebec City as its destination, so may be going for another shuttle run. [see previous post.]

The autocaarier Tortugas was sailing from Autoport, with its place to be taken by Graceful Leader. The two ships met in the number one anchorage area where there was room to pass.

Such are the vagaries of international shipping that the nationalities of builders and operators bear no connection to each other.
Graceful Leader was built in 2007 by Stoc. Gdynia in Poland. The 57,692 grt, 20,986 dwt ship operates on a charter the Japanese company NYK Line.
Tortugas a 61,321 grt, 19,628 dwt ship dates from 2006 and Mitsubishi HI in Nagasaki. It is chartered to Wilhelmsen, a Norwegian company.

Also sailing this afternoon was CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent (which I missed) headed back to the Gulf of St.Lawrence, and CCGS Sir William Alexander, which does not appear to have taken fuel from Edward Cornwallis. (see yesterday's post). It headed southeast.

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New Names for Halifax

A new to Halifax container ships arrived early this morning. Northern Guard sailing for THE Alliance is eastbound, and did not call here westbound, so may have picked up the spot in the rotation by starting in the US.

From its somewhat shabby appearance, it appears that the ship may have been laid up for time or employed on short spot market charters.

The ship was built in 2008 by Hyundai Mipo, Ulsan with a 4294 TEU (including 400 reefers) capacity. At 41,835 gt, 53,870 dwt, it is now considered to be an uneconomic type. Too large to be a feeder ship and too small for most major routes, it has been displaced by larger ships. From 2008 until 2013 it sailed for Hamburg-Sud as Cap Graham. The ship wears the funnel markings of Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt, one of many owners now tied into the V-Ships conglomerate, which provides technical management for more than 2200 ships. Commercially, the ship is managed by Blue Net Chartering a broker for more than 270 container vessels, all German owned.

By late afternoon it was a waiting game for the NYK Line autocarrier Graceful Leader, as it sat in the lower harbour awaiting the berth at Autoport.

Graceful Leader, with tugs alongside, remained stationary in the lower harbour for nearly an hour.

Part of the Ray Car Carriers fleet, the ship was built in 2007 by Stocznia Gdynia in Poland. The 57,692 gt, 20,986 dwt ship has a capacity of about 6,000 cars.

Meanwhile the Eukor car carrier Morning Cecilie had delayed its original departure time. Once it was well underway Graceful Leader was able to move into the berth at Autoport.

Morning Cecilie finally underway.

Morning Cecilie dates from 2008 when it was built by Imabari Zosen in Marugame, Japan. It is a 60,875 gt, 22,699 dwt vessel with a car capacity of 6502.

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Louis, Maria, Graceful Leader, CSL Tacoma - playing catchup

After a foggy morning yesterday, then no harbour movements later, today was catch up day.

CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent at BIO.  Pardon the utility lines, but normal photo vantage points are blocked by new fences and old snow and ice.

CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent was tied up at the Bedford Institute pier and this evening it took bunkers. Both the Louis and the Henry Larsen that was in earlier in the week probably took stores, had minor repairs and maybe even had crew changes , taking a few days off from ice breaking activities in the Gulf.

Back at pier 25, Sarah Desgagnés resumes winter maintenance.

The tanker Sarah Desgagnés arrived last Saturday with cargo and after unloading at Imperial Oil, moved over to pier 25. The ship was in for a week earlier in the year for maintenance, but went back to work. Presumably it will continue from where it left off. Last time there were divers working under the ship.

Another odd view of Autoport thanks to snow and ice banks at the normal vantage points.

The autocarrier Graceful Leader sailed late this afternoon after finally being able to complete unloading. It arrived Tuesday, but with icy conditions persisting at Autoport, disembarking cars have to be moved to backup storage areas, taking much longer to unload.

I may never get used to the bluff bow of the new Trillium class CSL ships.

CSL Tacoma sailed early this afternoon with a part load of gypsum. It probably loaded to permissible draft at National Gypsum. It arrived early yesterday morning, so delays due to frozen material likely held up what would normally have been a 12 hour operation.

Unaccustomed visitor to pier 27.

To round off, the supplier Atlantic Condor was over on the Halifax side this afternoon. It uses the Mobil dock in Dartmouth to work cargo and supplies for offshore.When not working it usually ties up at the IEL dock, but space there is a t premium because the tanker Algonova is also in for a maintenance period.

Not photographed, but worth mentioning, HMCS Preserver made a cold move to Imperial Oil today to take fuel.

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Graceful Leader heads upwind - awaits Oceanex Sanderling

The autocarrier Graceful Leader arrived this afternoon for Autoport, and remained in the lower harbour until Oceanex Sanderling left Autport and cleared Eastern Passage. Due to high winds, Graceful Leader, with the help of the tugs Atlantic Oak and Atlantic Larch, headed bow up in to the wind very close to the Halifax shore and fell slowly back, and with the wind's help swung around for her turn, passing Oceanex Sanderling off Imperial Oil. The tanker Elka Angelique which still appeared to be in ballast, was tied up at Imperial Oil dock 4.

Built by Gdynia Shipyard in Poland in 2007, the Bahamas flag ship is operated by Ray Car Carriers, Douglas, Isle of Man. It is on charter to NYK Lines, the world's largest autocarrier fleet, with more than 100 such ships. About half  the fleet are owned ships and half on long term charter.

Oceanex Sanderling, fresh out of refit at Halifax Shipyard, returned to pier 34 yesterday. There it was reconnected with a portion of its stern ramp that was left on the pier for repairs. This morning it moved to Autoport to load cars for Newfoundland and this afternoon moved to pier 41 to load containers.

 

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