Colour Choices - Part Two

 Due to the length of the previous post I decided make two posts on the subject of colours. This post might well have been titled Part O.N.E. for it includes the arrival of another one of the Ocean Network Express ships painted in their unique magenta hull colour.

ONE Hangzhou Bay has called here before, but still draws attention - which was surely part of the reason for the colour choice. Its first visit with its current name and hull colour was on June 28, 2021. Working for The Alliance on the EC5 service, the 9120 TEU ship is among the largest ships to transit the Narrows and berth at Fairview Cove.

With three escort ugs, Atlantic Cedar (starboard side) Atlantic Oak (port side) and Atlantic Fir (on a stern line) the ship glided under the MacKay bridge with ease. It is worth noting how clean the hull looks. Despite just more than a year in servce, the paint is remarkably free of scuffs and streaks.

Meanwhile at the other end of the harbour Grande Baltimora was sailing from Autoport, showing somewhat more wear and tear..

The ship carries the bright yellow hull paint of Grimaldi Lines - in this case looking a bit seedy compared to newer ships. Built in 2007 by Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing, China, the Pure Truck and Car Carrier is a 62,134 gt, 18,447 dwt ship with a capacity of 6700 cars. 

Grimaldi's yellow ships are familiar sights in the Mediterranaean and various African ports where the bright sun makes them really shine. The Grimaldi Group also owns the Atlantic Container Line, which uses a more sombre dark blue hull colour, perhaps a more practical choice.

Viewed from Shearwater, the ship passes PSA Halifax outbound for sea.

 

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Arrivals

There were three arrivals of interest today. The early bird at 0600 hrs was the container feeder Ilios on ZIM's Canada Feeder Express service.The ship appears on ZIM's schedule for the next several weeks. It is taking up the slot vacated by Tampa Trader and recently filled by spot charters.

The ship is not exactly a stranger to Halifax, having called here starting January 8, 2017 under the name Vega Omega when it inaugurated Tropical Shipping's Halifax service after relocating from Saint John, NB.  See previous post (and better picture) here.

The ship was built in 2006 by Qingshan Shipyard in Wuhan, China. It measures 9940 gt, 13,639 dwt with a capacity of 1118 TEU (including 220 reefers) and carries two 45 tonne capacity cranes. It started life as Surinam River but was quickly renamed Eagle 2 then in 2008: Vento Di Maestrale, 2011: Surinam River, 2012: Vento Di Levante, 2014: Vega Omega, 2019: Ilios.

Another ship with many renames also arrived. MSC Annick has had seven previous names and has operated for several major container lines. Another of MSC's older ships, it was built in 1998 by Hyundai, Ulsan. A 40,306 gt, 52,329 dwt vessel it has a relatively modest (published) capacity of 3987 TEU. When the ship sails overnight it will  be loaded to a more efficient saltwater draft for its transatlantic crossing. (It also appears to be scrubber equipped - see previous post)

Arriving from Montreal to top up, MSC Annick is operating at freshwater draft.

 The ship has carried the names 1998: Mare Superum, 98: Elbe Bridge, 2004: P+O Nedlloyd Cartagena, 2005: Maersk Tirana, 2006: Dalian Express, 2006: Maersk Tirana, 2009: Mare Superum, 2013: MSC Annick.

According to some reports MSC may have recently overtaken Maersk Line as the largest container shipping line in terms of carrying capacity. Both lines have container capacity of just over 4 million TEUs. Maersk, with more than 700 ships has about 100 more than MSC.

The colorful Grande Baltimora arrived for Autoport late this afternoon.

The ship has a 6700 CEU capacity. Built in 2017 by Jinling Shpiyard in China, it is a 62,134 gt, 13,447 dwt vessel, equipped with a 150 tonne capacity stern ramp. Owners, the Grimaldi Group, of Italy, are in the midst of a major expansion with new PCTCs and CONROs under construction in China. They are also the parent company of Atlantic Container Line (ACL) a mainstay of the port of Halifax.

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Grimaldi twofer

There were two Grimaldi ships in Halifax today, albeit briefly. As Atlantic Sail was inbound for Cerescorp's Fairview Cove terminal, Grande Baltimora was clearing Autoport for sea.

The tethered escort tug Atlantic Oak keeps Atlantic Sail  company as it approaches the MacKay bridge. Once the ship reaches Bedford Basin the tug will help the ship to turn to back into its berth. 1611 hrs

Atlantic Sail was arriving on the eastbound leg of its  transatlantic crossing for Atlantic Container Line (owned by the Grimaldi Group.) Built in 2016 in China it is one of five ships maintaining weekly calls eastward and westward for ACL. The ship will sail later for Liverpool, where it is registered.

Grande Baltimora is rounding Ives Knoll on its way outbound from Eastern Passage for sea. 
1636 hrs.

Built in 2017, also in China, and flying the Italian flag and with a capacity of 6700 cars, it works for Grimaldi Lines, but is owned by Grimaldi Euromed SpA a major car carrier and ferry operator in the Mediterranean. The ship is an occasional caller in Halifax. 

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