Full House container traffic, not to mention more cars and product tankers

There were four container ships in port on Saturday and three more on Sunday, making for a very full house.

Saturday's arrivals for Fairview Cove were Herma P for Hapag-Lloyd on the G-6 service and Atlantic Compass for ACL.

The big Lift project, to replace the roadway of the Angus L. Macdonald bridge got underway on Saturday, with the first old section lowered to a barge and continued on Sunday with the raising of the first new section. In all 46 sections will be replaced in this way, working across the centre span of the bridge. There were no ship traffic restrictions this weekend (except the cautionary for ships to make a low wake in the area). As the project continues however, there will be over night stoppages for harbour traffic. The process of roadway replacement will take until 2017 and will be done in this way to allow for normal bridge traffic during the day.

 The first new section of roadway was lifted into place on Sunday. It was hoisted from a barge by the yellow gantry unit.

See also Tugfax: http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/2015/10/big-lift-small-tugs.html


Meanwhile on Saturday at Halterm EM Kea (under charter to CMA CGM) made another call for the Maersk /CMA CGM transatlantic service. First time caller UASC Zamzam called on the other CMA CGM far east service operated jointly with United Arab Shipping Co (UASC) and China Shipping Container Line (CSCL) called Ocean Three.

 UASC Zamzam was here for the first time. Renamed this year from Asiatic Summer it is a 94,784 grt, 112,171 dwt ship with a capacity of 9034 TEU - the largest yet to visit Halifax. It flies the Singapore flag for owners Asiatic Lloyd and was built in 2014 by Hyundai Samho.
It arrived and sailed in the dark.
 
 On Sunday Fairview Cove was full again with NYK Demeter and NYK Rumina  Halterm had 'only' Berlin Express on its east bound call. [The later ship has eluded my camera on several occasions, including today.]

 
Autoport was chock a block once again, with Pleiades Spirit on Saturday, Grande Napoli early Sunday and Hoegh Bangkok later, staying until Monday.

Pleiades Spirit was built in 2008 by Toyohashi Shipbuilding and measures 60,330 grt, 17,424 dwt. It is owned by Mizuho Sangyo and flies the flag of Panama. It is operated by World Wide Marine but its commercial activities are managed by Nissan.

Product tanker traffic was busy too, with BW Panther arriving Friday, STI Seneca sailing Saturday, via anchorage, and Star I  arriving Sunday.

STI Seneca stopped at anchorage for a few hours to pump out something into containment units on a Dominion Diving barge, with tug Roseway in attendance.

Diehards got in some of their last sailing on Saturday as BW Panther  occupies number 4 berth and Algoma Dartmouth uses number 3 berth at Imperial Oil.

BW Panther was launched by SPP Shipbuilding Co of Goseong, South Korea in 2014 as Elandra Panther, but was renamed on delivery to BW Maritime of Singapore. It has typical handysize dimensions of 29,737 grt, 49,999 dwt.

If that wasn't enough the offshore supply boats seemed to be busy with all three Shell charters gearing up for work, as the drill ship Stena Icemax is finally on its way toward the Shelburne Basin to begin drilling for Shell Oil. The ship is off Florida now and will be in position in a few days. It not expected to call in Halifax.

See also Tugfax for more on the suppliers.

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Sunday activity

Two ACL ships passed in the harbour, with Atlantic Cartier sailing after Atlantic Compass entered Bedford Basin.

Atlantic Cartier passes the Halifax ferry wharf outbound.

Atlantic Compass has turned and begun to back in to Fairview Cove east. There are two tugs on the ship's port side.

I have photographed these ships countless times, but since their replacements will be along later this year, I am taking the opportunity to get in a few last shorts in different conditions and from different angles.  This morning was definitely in the gloomy category.

The other arrival at Fairview Cove today was Herma P for Hapag-Lloyd. This is the second of the Stefan Patjens fleet to call in Halifax after completing Maersk charters last year.

Herma P at Fairview Cove

Built in Ulsan, South Korea in 2006 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, the 53,481 grt, 53,88 dwt ship has a capacity of 5041 TEU. It sailed as Maersk Dryden until July of last year when it reverted to its owners Stefan Patjens Reederei of Germany.
Sister ship Allise P called here February 17 and March 10. It is the former Maersk Dubrovnik. There are two moire sister ships, Serena P ex Maersk Drummond and Kaethe P ex Maersk Drury in the Patjens fleet. All four ships were launched with their current names, less the letter "P" but took the Maersk names on delivery.


Still at anchor, the tanker Sloman Hermes appears now to be awaiting a berth, since it has not taken bunkers yet.

After yesterday's gloomy morning photo, this afternoon there was sun.

I did not make the long drive to Autoport, so my only view of Opal Ace will be this one, which also includes the Valero oil tanks in Eastern Passage.

(Their is some vertical exaggeration due to air/water conditions.)

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