A bit of everything

 The Port of Halifax carries out many types of business from containers and RoRo, to break bulk and bulk, but also as a conveniently located ice free and sheltered harbour just off the North Atlantic Great Circle route, it welcomes ships that have had misadventures and need a place to make repairs and get straightnend out again.

Today, January 4, saw ships of most of these categories:

Conti Courage arrived from India via Suez, with recent stops in Haifa and Valencia on MSC's Indus Express service. Built in 2005 as Hatsu Service by Samsung Shipbuilding + Heavy Industry Co, Geoje, it was renamed by Conti Lines in 2017. The 90,449 gt, 106,984 dwt ship has a capacity of 8084 TEU including 700 reefers. The ship is a first time caller in Halifax, and tied up at PSA Atlantic Hub, Southend Terminal.

A regular caller in Halifax on THE Alliance's EC5 route, the Hyundai Faith arrived at PSA Fairview Cove and experienced very calm conditions in Bedford Basin.

 Hyundai Faith is a 8562 TEU ship built in 2008 by Hyundai Samho. At 94,511 gt, 98,967 dwt, it is among the largest pure container ships to call at Fairview Cove. (The ACL Con Ros are larger)

Roll on Roll Off is very big part of the port's business and it consists of two types of cargo. One is automobiles, most of which are imports from Europe to CN Rails's Autoport facility in Eastern Passage. (Cars are also imported and exported at Fairview Cove, with a few exports at the deep water piers.) (Cars are also shipped to Newfoundland from Autoport.)

Today's caller at Autoport is the car carrier Asian Dynasty.

The 55,719 gt, 21,224 dwt ship is among the smaller auto carriers with a capacity of 6,450 CEU. Built in 1999 by Hyundai, Ulsan in operates for Eukor Car Carriers, and is managed by Wilhelmsen Ship Management (Korea) Ltd. 

Yesterday the ship was at Pier 9C  where it off loaded a large consignment of industrial vehicles and machinery before moving to Autoport last evening..

Unlike most Eukor ships it is registered in Korea and carries its name both in Korean and English on the bow and stern. Signage above the ship's stern ramp declares a SWL of 150 tons. (Korea uses the metric system.)

The Transport Desgagnés general cargo ship Rosaire A. Desgagnés arrived at daybreak this morning and requested anchorage in the lower harbour. The ship normally spends half the year on northern supply work, then in winter it is chartered out to Briese Schiffahrts to operate internationally under Barbados flag, and with an international crew. That appears to be the pattern again this year, with the ship transferring from Canadian to Barbados registry in early December in Montreal and sailing to El Ferrol, Spain. The reason for its return to Canada is unclear. (I have a theory, that someone needs a heavy lift, but it would involve returning the ships to Canadian flag).

The ship was built in 2007 by Jiangzhou Union, Ruichang, China as part of a large order for the German company Beluga. A 9611 gt, 12,776 dwt vessel it is equipped with two 120 tonne SWL cranes that can work in unison for a 240 tonne lift. When the Beluga company failed, also in 2007, the ship, which was named Beluga Fortification, and two sisters, Beluga Festivity and Beluga Freedom were aquired by Transport Desgagnés. The latter two became the Sedna Desgagnés and Zelada Desgagnés. respectively.

"Casualties" are rare sights in Halifax these days, but today's arrival is a first in many months. It will be subject of a following post.

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Taking Turns at Fairview Cove

 As Hyundai Faith was finishing up cargo work this morning March 15 at Fairview Cove the NYK Demeter was inbound from sea to to take its place.

Tugs are preparing to make up to the 8566 TEU Hyundai Faith at Fairivew Cove.

Hyundai Faith arrived yesterday March 14 [see previous post] westbound, on THE Alliance's EC5 service. (stated port rotation is: Laem Chabang, Cai Mep, Singapore, Colombo, Halifax, New York, Savannah, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Halifax, Jebel Ali, Singapore, Laem Chabang = 84 days) However the line is skipping eastbound Halfax calls on this service.

NYK Demeter is eastbound on THE Alliance's AL5 service (Southampton, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Halifax, Port Everglades, Cartagena, Panama, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Vancouver, Oakland, Los Angeles, Panama, Cartagena, Caucedo, Halifax, Southampton = 77 days.)

NYK Demeter passes Halifax Shipyard where the third RCN Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel is fitting out. To be named Max Bernays, it was launched in October 2021.

NYK Demeter was built in 2007 by Hyundai, Ulsan, and is a 55,487 gt, 65,965 DWT ship with a capacity of 4922 TEU.

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Hyundai Faith - a tight squeeze

 One of the regular callers on THE Alliance's EC5 service is the Hyundai Faith. It's arrival today March 14 is its fourth visit since joining the rotation in June 2021. It is a big ship for the Narrows and is always an impressive sight whether coming or going.

In the Narrows northbound the ship has one tug on each side and one aft- Atlantic Oak to port, Atlantic Fir to starboard and Atlantic Beaver astern.

Tugs keep the ship in line for the bridges, then turn the ship, once it reaches Bedford Basin, to back in to the Fairview Cove container terminal.

The ship was built by Hyundai Samho in 2008 and is a 94,511 gt, 98,967 dwt vessel with a capacity of 8566 TEU.

Owners HMM (formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine) were orginally refused full membership in THE Alliance until they resolved their finanace crisis. The Korea Development Bank stepped in and bailed out the company in 2016. It had always been their intention to sell the renamed HMM and there is now speculation that a sale may be iminent.

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More Weather, More Boxes

 Thursday's heavy snow vanished over night Saturday / Sunday (December 11-12) as another storm blew through with thunder, lightning, wind and heavy rain. Snow removal is a huge headache for container terminals, and it is a time consuming and costly operation to clear and dispose of the white stuff. However when rain washes it away for you, operations can get back to normal very quickly.

PSA Halifax was wall to wall with three ships alongside Sunday morning December 12. MSCLeigh took the centre berth with Eimskip's Vivienne Sheri D at Pier 41 (right in photo) and ZIM's feeder Taipei Trader at Pier 42 (left in photo).

MSC Leigh arrived from Montreal December 11 to top off  before setting out for Valencia and Barcelona on MSC's Canada Express 2 service.

Built in 2006 by Daewoo Mangala the ship was launched as Buxtime but was delivered as MSC Leigh. It is a 50,963 gt, 63,411 dwt ship with a capacity of 4884 TEU including 560 reefers.

Things were also busy at Fairview Cove, with NYK Constellation arriving in the morning of December 11, and sailing mid-morning today, Sunday December 12.

NYK Constellation outbound with the pilot boat Capt. E.T. Rogers in attendance, bound for Southampton.

NYK Constellation is on THE Alliance's North Europe - North America AL5 service, eastbound. The ship was built by Hyundai Ulsan in 2007 and is a 55,534 gt, 65,919 dwt vessel with a capacity of 4922 TEU including 330 reefers.

As soon as the NYK Constellation was clear of the berth, the Hyundai Faith began to move in. It had arrived late yesterday afternoon, December 11 and spent the night at anchor in Bedford Basin.

The HMM ship (Hyundai Merchant Marine rebranded itself as HMM in 2020) was built by - wait for it - Hyundai, Samho in 2008. The 95,681 gt, 98,967 dwt ship has a capacity of 8562 TEU. It is on THE Alliance's EC5 Asia-North America run and arrived directly from Singapore.

 

All was quiet in the rest of the harbour, but was considerably brightened in the "grey ship" zone, where HMCS Montreal was showing off its new, bright blue, anti-fouling hull paint.

 

The ship is perched on the Syncrolift, an elevator - like platform that was built to lift ships (including submarines) out of the water, using banks of electric motors (the light blue objects), all carefully synchronised as to speed. The facility is being upgraded to increase its capacity for the future drydockings of new frigates (not yet built), but it does not have the capability of lifting the very heavy Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels. They will have to be drydocked in Newfoundland or Quebec, or on a semi-submersible barge.

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Fog Delays

 The famous Halifax fog - more common in the early summer, descended on the port today September 10 and delayed ship movements, particularly in the Narrows. While at sea ships can navigate reasonably well with radar and satellite, but in the confines of the harbour they must rely on visibility, even with experienced pilots on board.

Higher than normal sea temperatures off Nova Scotia are to blame for the fog, but some pleasant onshore breezes coupled with rising tides bring the fog into the harbour, reducing visibility to a few yards at worst.

Two large container ships, one outbound and one inbound for Cerescorp's terminal at Fairview Cove were delayed by the arrival of the fog.

Three inbound naval vessels remained largely invisible in the Narrows until they emerged into clearer  conditions in Bedford Basin. HMCS Kingston, Summerside and Moncton are spending time in more sheltered waters as Hurricane Larry passes offshore en route to Newfoundland.

HMCS Kingston slides out of the fog.

Canadian naval vessels are painted the same colour as Halifax fog, but become more visible in clear conditions. HMCS Summerside once into the Basin stood out from the shoreline.

Hyundai Faith the largest of the ships to navigate through the Narrows of Halifax harbour was able to enter port early in the morning when visibility was still tolerable. However by the time the ship was ready to sail, conditions had deteriorated significantly. At the pilot's discretion, the ship went to anchor in Bedford Basin until conditions improved.

The pilot boat Scotia Pilot heads out to disembark the pilot from the Hyundai Faith. The ship moved off the dock and anchored in Bedford Basin to await clearing in the Narrows. (The Basin was much clearer).

Hyundai Faith is a 8562 TEU ship built in 2008 by Hyundai Samho. At 94,511 gt, 98,967 dwt, it may be the largest pure container ship to call at Fairview Cove. (The ACL Con Ros are larger)

The inbound Hella opted to anchor in the lower harbour. It was able to get underway again by mid-afternoon and berth safely at Fairview Cove. Hyundai Faith, by then requiring tug assistance to turn and get underway sailed as soon as the tugs were freed up from the Hella.

Built in 2011 by Hyundai Samho the Hella is a 59,307 gt, 71,429 dwt ship with a capacity of 5100 TEU (some sources say 5605 TEU). It carried the name MOL Gateway until July of this year, presumably on a ten year charter.  Owners B. Schulte (Peter Doehle managers), renamed the ship on completion of that charter but the ship has not been repainted. It may now be on charter to HAPAG-Lloyd, but is nevertheless operating on THE Alliance's service, but is unscheduled, perhaps picking up empties?

Bright sunshine bathed the port in the late afternoon as the fog gradually retreated offshore.

The tug Atlantic Fir accompanied the Hyundai Faith through the Narrows, and has just been released to return to base.

The arriving Selfoss took the western channel inbound, allowing Hyundai Faith to take the straighter eastern channel as it made its way out. It was soon swallowed up in the fog. Its exhaust gas scrubber was emitting a constant stream of water vapour unto the near 100% relative humidity ambient air.

Selfoss serves Eimskip, the Iceland shipping company on its Green Line between Iceland and Portland, ME via Halifax, Argentia (and St.Anthony on demand). By comparison it has a TEU capacity of 698. Many of those are reefers as fish is the primary export from Iceland and perishables a major import.

Built by Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Co, Fuzhou, China in 2008, as Sophia, the ship was acquired and renamed by Eimskip in 2017. It has two 40 tonne SWL cranes.

HMCS Moncton wearing its commemorative Battle of the Atlantic disruptive paint scheme, could not deceive anyone by its presence in Bedford Basin in the early evening. When fog was well offshore,the setting sun was blazing down on the ship.

HMCS Moncton anchored in Bedford Basin with the CCG headquarters building the the background (adjacent to the Bedford Institute to the right).

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Hyundai Faith

 A new to us ship on THE Alliance's EC5 service arrived in Halifax June 11. Hyundai Faith is a 95,681 gt, 98,967 dwt vessel built in 2008 by Hyundai Samho, with a capacity of 8562 TEU. It is among the largest container ships to pass beneath the harbour bridges. (Passing the A.Murray MacKay bridge in the photo below.)

The ship has limited its air draft by eliminating or reducing masts and other devices above the navigating bridge top.

The HMM (formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine) logo appears on the housing of the exhaust gas scrubber, which appears to have been installed after the ship was built,

HMM Co Ltd is now a fully fledged member of THE Alliance with HAPAG-Lloyd, ONE and Yang Ming. When THE Alliance was formed in 2017 Hyundai Merchant Marine was on very shaky financial ground and was only allowed to participate by means of slot charters. However by 2020, after posting to a large contingency fund that would guarantee operation of the company's ships in case of bankruptcy, the US Federal Maritime Commission granted membership. At about the same time the company rebranded itself as HMM Co Ltd.

The company recently added to its 75 strong fleet with a pair of ships, each exceeding 23,000 TEU.