Last Call for the Zaandam

As the 2023 cruise season reaches its peak in September - October it is unusual to see a ship make its last call in Halifax as early as September 29. Holland-America's Zaandam is the exception as it arrived today. Not only is this the ship's last visit of this season, it is also likely its last visit of any season. 

I hear that the ship, the most frequent caller in 2023 now with 19 visits, will be replaced in 2024 by a sister ship the Volendam which will transfer from the west coast  and Alaska market. That ship, although one year older - it was built in 1999 - has virtually the same passenger capacity of 1432 and a crew size ranging from 615 to 647. Fincantieri, Margerha built the ships, and two more sisters, Amsterdam and Rotterdam - all of which have called here from time to time. Holland America has always prided itself in fine looking ships, and these are no exception. They have also remained popular without resorting to garish graphics and overwrought theme park and mid-way features.

Zaandam began calling in Halifax April 29, 2019 and has been a regular ever since.

 Holland-America Line celebrated its 150th anniversary this year. The Zaandam and fleet mate Zuiderdam hosted celebration events during their calls in Halifax.

Next year's caller, the Volendam, was the last of Holland America's ships to be refitted for shore power connection which it used in Vancouver for the first time on September 27. Many ports, including Halifax, have shore power available (and some make the connection mandatory). It means that ships do not have to use their engines to generate power for the large non-propulsion related "hotel load" while in port. 

Using shore power reduces air pollution in the immediate area of the ship, but in the case of Nova Scotia, which still generates the vast majority of its of power from burning coal and gas, it merely moves the problem elsewhere. The added load of a small town (or two or three) every day during cruise season to Nova Scotia's power generation load for the benefit of a few tourists seems perverse to me. I predict a day of reckoning for the cruise industry within a very few years.

So far however protests in Europe have not dampened the demand for cruises, and Halifax continues to have near record or record years for total visitors.

In 2019 the Zaandam replaced the Maasdam another good looking Italian built ship, coming from Fincantieri Monfalcone in 1993. It was a 55,451 gt vessel with a capacity of 1258 passengers and 580 crew.

 After it stopped calling in Halifax it was sold in 2020 to a company called Seajets and renamed Aegean Myth but was laid up and never sailed for them. In 2022 a new operator Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFT) purchased the ship. They sent it off to Damen's shipyard in Brest for a major makeover starting in October 2022. The ship emerged in June  of this year, with passenger capacity reduced to 1000 and a crew of 560. It was to spend this summer cruising between Le Havre and the British Isles and Belgium then moving to the Mediterranean for this coming winter. It is due to go to the Caribbean and South America next year. The ship will be catering to French travellers.

That Maasdam was the second HAL ship of the line to visit Halifax. In the days of transatlantic passenger travel a 1952 version brought many immigrants to Canada through Pier 21.

Built by Wilton-Fijenoord in the Netherlands in 1952, the ship is shown arriving in Halifax with the assistance of Foundation Maritime tugs in the late 1950s or early 1960s. (Not my photo)

From 1968 to 1988, renamed Stefan Batory,  it continued in service for Polish Ocean Lines, but that is another story.

The Stefan Batory ex Maasdam on the St.Lawrence River - familiar territory for HAL ships in the passenger liner and cruise eras.

When the Zaandam sails this afternoon (the pilot is ordered for 1530) there will likely be a prolonged whistle salute from the ship. A customary end of season thank you for the port's hospitality, the salute is one of the nicer seagoing traditions.

 

September 29, 2023.

.

Long Weekend - Assignment 2

What could have been a serious incident was averted today more by luck than good planning.

The cruise ship Maasdam arrived this morning and tied up at pier 22 on one its regular visits.

Maasdam gliding in to port this morning.

 

Soon after tying up it was joined by the tug Gulf Spray with its scow and motorboat, used to remove garbage and recyclables. The barge tied up on the waterside of the ship and the transfer got underway. Normally the barge (or sometimes more than one barge) remain beside the ship all day, along with the motorboat. The tug usually does not remain.

Gulf Spray sets out from the old Coast Guard base in Dartmouth to pier 22 to remove refuse from the Maasdam. The motorboat and barge remain alongside for most of the day.

Late in the afternoon the CCGS G.Peddle S.C. entered port and raced up the west side of George's Island, paying no heed to the barge alongside, leaving a significant wake, which tore into the barge tossing it about madly.

By the time CCGS G. Peddle S.C. reached the Narrows it was travelling at a sensible speed.

Fortunately the barge and motorboat crews were alert and took precautions, and there were no parted lines nor injuries.

This incident raises two questions:
1. Is the CCG immune to the harbour speed rules?  There was no emergency which would have caused the G.Peddle to exceed the safe speed in the harbour.
Who was on watch on the G.Peddle that could not have seen the barge alongside the cruise ship or would have been so unaware that there was likely to be a barge alongside?
The only objective as I could see was that  the G.Peddle was in "hurry home" mode.

2. Who was on watch at Halifax Traffic? Surely an attentive watchstander at Halifax Traffic would have noted the G.Peddle's speed and been aware that it was bearing down on the barge.
I do not know if the barge had asked for a "low wake" notice - if they did, then Halifax Traffic was really asleep on the job. But even if they didn't, Halifax Traffic should have alerted the G.Peddle to the effect that there was a barge alongside.

There is a great reluctance by Halifax Traffic (and most VTS services) to interfere with the ship's master's conduct - but if there had been an injury or damage, I think Halifax Traffic would have been found to have a duty beyond that of a spectator like me. I could see a potential disaster about to happen but had no power to stop it. Halifax Traffic did have that power.

.

Another Busy Day

It was a three cruise ship day (Maasdam, Seven Seas Navigator and Regal Princess) and three merchant ships working at the deep water piers.

Algoma Mariner will complete unloading its grain cargo this evening and will sail at midnight..

Torino made a stopover at pier 31 en route to Autoport. It unloaded a score of timber harvesting trucks and other oversize cargo.

The ship's particulars were given here on its last call May 28.

Meanwhile at pier 28, BBC Maple Lea arrived with an unsual deck cargo of several yachts. They do not appear to be for Halifax however, since the cargo being unloaded is coming from a hold. Numerous large crates and several metal fabrications were quickly off loaded to a dozen or so trucks.

BBC Maple Lea is one of those ubiquitous former Beluga ships. Built as Beluga Flirtation in 2007. When Beluga collapsed, it became Thorco Horizon in 2001, then Maple Lea in 2012. It received its current name in June of this year. Qingshan, Wuhan, China turned out the ship and fitted it with a pair of 120 tonne cranes that can combine for a 240 tonne lift. The ship itself measures 9611 grt, 12,719 dwt. [See Footnote 1]

 Later this evening some cargo will be off loaded to the barge NT 1509 which arrived in tow of the tug Keewatin October 8 see: Tugfax


Meanwhile there were two tankers at Imperial Oil:

STI Seneca is a nearly new tanker, emerging from the Hyundai Mipo yard in Ulsan in June of this year. Of typical handy size it measures 29,785 grt, 49,990 dwt.Owners Scorpio Tankers are based in Monaco. Tye operate more than 75 owned tankers, totaling in excess of 4.9 mn dwt. They operate another 17 tankers of more than 1mn dwt and have several more on order. More on them here: Scorpiotankers.com

At the number 3 dock next astern, is the Irving charter East Coast ex Nor'Easter. Also a product of Hyundai, Mipo, but in 2005, it now sports an exhaust scrubber (previously covered here .)

Last arrival, at dusk, was the tanker Acacia Noir. The appropriately named ship is carrying a cargo of asphalt for McAsphalt Industries. It used the western channel inbound, giving the straighter eastern channel to the outbound Maasdam, and thus a rare starboard to starboard passing.

One of the smallest tankers to visit Halifax at 3,923 grt, 5,895 dwt Acacia Noir was built in 2004 by Selah Makina in Tuzla, Turkey. It is operated by Wisby Tankers AB of Lidkoping, Sweden. Built as Mar Paula, the ship took its present name in September this year. Its last port was Paulsboro, NJ, home of the independent PBF Energy refinery.

Footnote 1

On February 17, 2013 the ship, then called Maple Lea had mechanical problems off Cape Breton and was taken in tow. It then became stuck in ice. While breaking ice around the ship CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent "made contact" and both ships sustained hull damage. The owners took action in the Federal Court against the Crown. I have not heard if the matter has been resolved.

Bunkers, Passengers and a New Name

It was active in Halifax today with ships arriving and departing at all hours.
Arriving for bunkers, Vectis Falcon showed off her unusual bow.
 

Owned Carisbrooke Shipping of the UK, but built by Jiangsu Yangzijiang in China, the 6190 grt, 8555 dwt general cargo ship boasts better seakeeping and fuel economy with the innovative bow form and other green features. http://www.carisbrookeshipping.net/Vectis-Falcon.aspx.

Also with a distinctive bow, Havelstern sailed after bunkering.

The Canadian flag, former German ship has an icebreaking bow, and sees extensive use in the high north during the shipping season there. Based in Newfoundland, it is owned by Coastal Shipping Ltd, part of the Woodward Group.,


There were hardy passengers from cruise ships in Halifax today too. With cooler fall temperatures and rougher weather, it has been quite an experience for some.

Pearl Mist is off schedule due to weather, and has adjusted its port call rotation and dates as a result. It is in a day Halifax early, and will stay overnight. but sailed this evening.

 
Maasdam is on schedule, but met high winds and ten foot seas on its trip down from Sydney last night. It should have a pleasanter night tonight on its way to New York if conditions in the harbour are any indication..

Melfi Lines' caller today is Tasman Strait. This is its first call here with that name since it was applied last month. When it first called here in May it was bearing the name  Ocean Emerald see also http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2014/05/ocean-emerald-for-melfi.html

.

Celebrity overniter

Another unusual sight today was Celebrity Summit sailing and Maasdam arriving.

Celebrity Summit was due to sail at 1745 yesterday to make way for Royal Princess, but instead went out to number one anchorage in the lower harbour. At about 2230, with assistance of the tug Atlantic Oak, the ship moved in to pier 33-34 for repairs. Once repairs were completed Port State Control (aka Transport Canada or delegated class society) cleared the ship to sail this morning at 0700.
Once outbound, a passing was arranged with the inbound Maasdam, with Celebrity Summit taking the deep water, western channel.

.

Box Trader and Maasdam - a contrast

It was a dead calm, sunny morning as the container ship Box Trader and the cruise ship Maasdam arrived. Box Trader was in the lead, headed for Fairview Cove for Hapag-Lloyd, and Maasdam for pier 21.

It is another different ship for Hapag-Lloyd,  and unlike most container ships these days, it was built in Germany. Builder Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft's Gaarden yard turned the ship out in 2010. It has a container capacity of 3,476 TEU (including 500 reefer plugs) and at 36,087 grt, 42,483 dwt, is much smaller than the usual ships on the Hapag-Loyd service. The ship normally operates on the North Europe/Southern US and Gulf of Mexico "GMX" service, so perhaps it is diverting this time to carry a backlog due to a cancellation or delay of another ship..

 The ship is owned by Allseas Marine SA of Athens and is registered in Monrovia, Liberia.

Tugs Atlantic Larch and Atlantic Oak met the ship just off pier 20 as it passed up west of George's Island.

Coming inbound west of George's Island allowed the overtaking Maasdam to sail east and north of the island and slide in to pier 21 port side too, heading seaward.

 The beautiful weather did  not last, with showers, rain and fog returning by noon time.  Maasdam's passengers proably didn't spend much time on deck when the ship sailed later in the afternoon.

Things cleared off a bit when Box Trader sailed early in the evening. Again it passed west of George's Island, this time giving the inbound tanker Acadian lots of room to turn in toward Imperial Oil.

.

Seabourn Sojourn - tight squeeze for pier 23

1. Atlantic Oak comes alongside to add to the scuff marks on the ship's hull.

High winds in the Maritimes today have caused numerous delays and cancellations in ferry services and cruise ship visits.
On the Cabot Strait, the Marine Atlantic ferries are toed up for 24 hours. On the Northunberland Strait some crossings were cancelled, and in Charlottetown three cruise ship visits were scrubbed after winds in excess off 45 knots were expected in the harbour approaches. The three ships due today were Celebrity Summit, Maasdam and Regatta, but all called off their visits.
In Halifax things appeared to be more or less normal with Carnival Glory and Emerald Princess tying up on schedule.
The only wrinkle appears to have been with Seabourn Soujourn which called for the tug Atlantic Oak to assist it into pier 23. The combination of gusty high winds, and Emerald Princess's bow overhanging the end of pier 22 made for a tight squeeze, and a tug was called as a precaution.
Seabourn Sojourn made its inaugural call in Halifax in September 2011. Built in 2010 it carries 450 passengers.

2. A tight squeeze at pier 23, with high winds meant for a cautious approach.

[drive by shot, through car window]

Maasdam - back again

The Maasdam is back again this year. As the most regular cruise ship to call in Halifax for many years, it has become a familiar sight, but it is still a fine looking ship. Built in 1993 it is now among the mid-sized ships on the cruise scene, amongst the behemoth's that are twice this ship's gross tonnage of 55,451 and passenger capacity of 1,266.The ship's arrival today would normally be the start of the Halifax cruise season, had it not been for the two April visitors in commemoration of the loss of the Titanic.

Visit 7 of 20 for Maasdam

1. Maasdam passes Meagher's Beach on her way in.

2. Past "the Beach" the ship creates some ripples on a windless day.

By my count this is the seventh visit this season for Maasdam. The 55,575 gross tons ship, built in 1993 has been the most frequent visitor each year for several years, with this moderately sized cruise ship. It is schedule to make a total of twenty calls before the end of the cruise season.

Good weather has beeen at a bit of a premium this year, so its arrival on glass calm seas today with brilliant sun, was worth noting.

Operators Holland America Line go way back with Halifax to the days of passenger liners and immigrant ships, but HAL is now part of the Carnival conglomerate.

Maasdam - straighten up and fly right

1. Maasdam - most frequent caller again, but his time with a tilt.

2. Maasdam approaches Halterm where Atlantic Larch is standing by (and standing straight)

3. Maasdam sails off to sea, still leaning to one side.

Halifax's most frequent caller for the 2010 season will be Maasdam again this year. The 55,575 gross tons ship, built in 1993 and flying the flag of the Netherlands is in port almost every week.

Today there was something a little different however- a list to starboard.

It was noticeable when she was alongside and must certainly be noticeable on board, although it is only a degree or so.

Lets hope they get her ballasted properly before too long or she will acquire a reputation.