The Line Up

 Today, Monday ,June 24 saw several familiar faces as far as shipping goes, with some a new comer too. Since most are well known I will skip the details here, but the ship's names will form links to previous posts.

The first arrival was the bi-weekly caller Tropic Hope for Tropical Shipping at Pier 42. It was followed soon after by the auto carrier Lake Taupo at Autoport.

 As with previous calls the Lake Taupo is eastbound from Veracruz, Mexico to Emden, Germany for Volkswagen.

There were two cruise ships today, the regular Volendam  is en route from Boston and Bar Harbour to Sydney, NS and on to the St.Lawrence.

 The other cruiser was the Viking Mars on its first call. Built by Fincantieri, Ancona in 2022 the 47,842 gt ship has 464 cabins for up to 930 passengers with 456 crew. It boasts a child-free experience (no one under 18 is allowed) with no amusement park type features. It is en route from New York for l'Anse aux Meadows, Greenland and Iceland.

 

Outbound this evening the Viking Saturn meets the Kawartha Spirit returning from a tour of the Northwest Arm.

Like its sister ship Viking Star that was here June 22 it is a very fine looking ship (by current standards). 

Another container ship arrival today was the EM Kea eastbound on the CMA CGM / Maersk transatlantic service from Montreal to Bremerhaven.

 Built in 2007 by Stocznia Sczecinska Nowa, in Poland, it is a 35,874 gt, 41,850 dwt ship with a capacity of 3108 TEU. Built as Cap Norte it was renamed Cape Egmont in 2012 and became EM Kea in 2015, the same year it joined this rotation. 

Another arrival was the tanker Pyxis Theta from Antwerp for Imperial Oil. No photo was possible so I will try again tomorrow.

Odd man out of the mix was the non-commercial vessel HMCS Harry DeWolf AOPV 430 returning to port after some naval activity.

 Name ship of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship program it was built by Irving Shipbuilding Inc at Halifax Shipyard and commissioned June 26, 2011. Numerous arctic programs are planned for this year, and the ship is likely to be heading north fairly soon.

 

.

Bow for AOPS 4

The megablock bow section for the fourth Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship has now been rolled out of the Assembly Hall at Halifax Shipyards and wheeled into position.

The fourth ship in the series is to be named HMCS William Hall AOPV 433 once it is commissioned into the RCN.

With the bow now aligned with the rest of the ship, the "attachement" process of welding the sections together will not take long, so there may be a launch later this year.

 The third Arctic Offshore Patrol ship, AOPS 3 the future HMCS Max Bernays AOPV 432 has already had its first sea trials, and is alongside the shipyard completing fit out. HMCS Margaret Brooke AOPV 431 is in "post-acceptance trials" and is expected to commission this fall and HMCS Harry DeWolf AOPV 430 is fully commissioned. 

The latter two were due to participate in the annual Operation Nanook exercises in northern waters this summer. However HMCS Harry DeWolf remains in port due to deficiencies in its fire suppression system. The RCN says its participation is "delayed". The other participants in the exercise sailed from Halifax on August 2.

Construction started on AOPS 5 in June. AOPS 6 and the two ships for the Canadian Coast Guard are still in the planning stages.

.

Cranes and Flags - no coincidence

 The first Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel AOPV 430, the future HMCS Harry DeWolf was tied up this evening at is berth at HMCS Dockyard, with a backdrop of construction cranes on the Halifax skyline.

Construction cranes are one sign of the fast growing Halifax economy, due for the most part to the Halifax Shipyard contract to build the six plus two AOP ships. Thousands of well paid shipyard jobs and countless spin offs - such as construction of the very pier where the ship is tied up, have fueled a massive uptick in activity of all sorts. 

The future frigate program added on top makes for a thirty year or more steady infusion of money into the city and region. Coupled with a COVID induced real estate boom (houses selling sight unseen for premiums over asking price in bidding wars) Halifax looks to be a boom town for some time to come.

Harry DeWolf was delivered to the RCN in July 2020 and has undergone all sorts of post acceptance trials including cold weather and refueling at sea. It refueled at Irving Oil yesterday, so some more sea time is in the works. The display of flags this evening must mean commissioning is also on the horizon.

.

Harry Dewolf to builders sea trials

Following on yesterday's harbour trials in Bedford Basin the first Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship AOPS#1 set out on sea trials today.  Using the name Harry Dewolf although far from being officially commissioned with that name, the ship got under way from Halifax Shipyard, with no name or pennant number displayed. The 430 was painted on its hull even before launch, but has now quietly vanished.

The period of builders trials will apparently now extend into the new year and will be a period of feverish activity for Irving Shipbuilding leading up to handover to the RCN sometime in the first quarter of 2020.

The overly optimistic delivery dates for the ship have been extended from the original estimate of late 2018. As lead ship of its class, there is every reason to expect delays and extensions, but having reached the builders sea trials stage, there must be some light at the end of the tunnel.

Today's builder's trial will be an all day affair, but extended multi-day trials will be necessary before the ship is handed over to RCN for its own trials and commissioning.

.

October-November Launch for AOPV 2

Irving Shipbuilding Inc has applied for a coasting license to use the semi-submersible Boa Barge 37 to launch the second of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels. The license period is from October 18 to November 19, 2019.

Halifax Shipyard has no floating drydock anymore, and has instead chartered the big Norwegian barge for use as a launch platform. As a foreign flag vessel, it is required to have a coasting license to work in Canadian waters. Coasting licenses may be issued by the government of Canada if no suitable Canadian vessel is available.

AOPV #2, the future HMCS Margaret Brooke is currently assembling on the hard stand at pier 6 -8 while AOPV #1 (future HMCS Harry DeWolf) is fitting out alongside. It was launched from the same barge  in September 2018. The barge has the capacity to lift the ship, along with its cradles and the 232 line axle SPMTs used to transport the ship from land to the barge. The estimated weight is 7,129.5 metric tonnes.

Although no statement has been made about last year's launch I think there were ballasting issues, as the barge did not submerge evenly. It will be interesting to see if this year's launch goes differently.

Last year's launch of AOPV #1 in Bedford Basin.

.

Harry DeWolf - we have lift off

The future HMCS Harry DeWolf - still known as AOPS1, was lifted off the ground today by multi-wheel transporters.

The blue cradles support the ship, but the red transporters carry the weight as the cradles are raised off the ground.

 
This is in preparation for tonight or tomorrow's move onto the barge Boa Barge 37. On Saturday morning the barge, with ship aboard, will be moved to Bedford Basin anchorage for the "launch" , or more properly "float off".

The ship will them be moved back to the shipyard for continued fitting out. With the hard stand area free, it is expected that AOPS 2 will very soon move out from the Assembly Hall.

.

Harry DeWolf takes shape

After nearly six months the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship Harry DeWolf finally has a bow. Two major mega blocks for the ship were rolled out and connected at Halifax Shipyard in July. Block #1, the icebreaking bow section, remained in the assembly hall until this past week when it was rolled out to the hardstand.

The sign says"Small Parts Laydown Area" - the ship's bow was one of three "mega blocks" which make up the ship - not exactly small parts.

This morning crews were carrying out final alignments. Using multi-wheeled motorized carriers from Fagioli Canada (partners with J.D.Irving)  the bow was sidled into place so that welding can begin.

The frst two mega blocks went together in far nicer weather in July.

.

Harry DeWolf - roll out coming

Halifax Shipyard indicated some time ago that the roll out of Harry DeWolf will be happening in July. Now with warm weather upon us, the overhead doors at the Shipyard allow for the occasional peak at what we may be seeing soon.

Several bow bulwark components have arrived on the dock from Woodside and  the centre mega block module that carries the ship's bridge is visible from time to time. The bow and stern blocks are under construction on the adjacent bay on the right.

The ship is the first in the six ship Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOP) contract. The last ship is due to be delivered by 2022.

.