Ships do pass in daylight

 Ships passing in the night - it does happen, but it also happens in the daylight as it did this afternoon with the departing container ship Macao Strait meeting the inbound auto carrier Felicity Ace. The ships arranged a conventional port to port passage with Macao Strait taking the western or deep water channel, passing close under York Redoubt at Ferguson's Cove.

Macao Strait, is sailing for Melfi Marine and is en route to Cuba, as it has been doing since November 6, 2014. This is the clip that accompanied that visit:

"Melfi Lines ships change in and out frequently, so a first timer is not a rarity. Today's arrival Macao Strait is on its first voyage for Melfi from Europe to Cuba. The 21,108 grt, 25,903 dwt ship is a product of the Taizhou Kouan Shipbuidling Co in Taizhou, China in 2008. It is equipped with a pair of 40 tonne cranes and has a capacity of 1795 TEU of which 319 may be refrigerated. It is owned by the German company of Carsten Rehder and has changed names six times in its short life. It started off as Macao Strait but was soon renamed Niledutch Qingdao for a charter. When that ended in 2011 it reverted to its original name and in 2012 became BG Freight Atlantic. That only lasted to 2103 when it reverted again briefly, before becoming Vento di Ponente. It assumed its original name again earlier this year. It is registered in the Portuguese offshore registry in Madeira."

Most Melfi Marine charters are of shorter duration, but today's trip is Voyage 37. Its running mate, X-Pres Irazu started with Melfi in January, and is due here again March 16 on Voyage 2. A third ship, Imedghassen [see previous posts] that was due to join the Melfi service remains tied up at Pier 9C. It is  reported that the ship has air compressor problems, which prevent it from starting and reversing its engine.

Once Macao Strait had disembarked its pilot it proceeded to the outer anchorage area where it appears to have conducted a compass swing, allowing an adjuster to calibrate the ship's compass. The launch RMI Seafox then rendez-voused with the ship, presumably to disembark the adjuster.

Taking the eastern channel this afternoon the Japanese owned Felicity Ace, inbound from Emden, Germany, was meet by the tugs Atlantic Willow (bow) and Atlantic Fir (stern) once it was inside Maugher's Beach.

The ship is operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)  and as with all their auto carriers, it has an "Ace" name [for Auto Carrier Express]. The ship was built by the Shin Kurushima Dockyard Co Ltd's Onishi shipyard in Japan. The 60,118 gt, 17,738 dwt ship has a capacity of 5232 CEU (Car Equivalent Units).

In mid-2020 MOL began a drastic fleet reduction by returning charters, scrapping older ships and laying up others in response to economic conditions. Some 40 ships were to be pared, representing about 5% of the fleet. However auto carriers seem to have fared worse than other sectors, with no recovery to 2019 levels expected until 2023. MOL also operates bulk carriers, tankers and container ships.

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Oriental action in south end: Asian Moon, Macao Strait, then to the Alps

Most of today's harbour activity was concentrated in the south end. Two of the ships had decidedly oriental names, but Caribbean connections.

At pier 42 Macao Strait was in port for Melfi Lines. The ship has been a regular since November 2014, and is now on its 11th trip to Cuba.

The ship is owned by Carsten Rehder of Hamburg, but registered in Madeira, a Portuguese offshore registry. It was built in 2008 by Taizhou Kouan in Taizhou, China. Its two 40 tonne cranes are swung out over the port side while it is in Halifax where shore side crane do the work of loading and unloading conrtainers. The 21,018 grt, 25,903 dwt ship has a container capacity of 1795 TEU, including 319 reefers.
The ship sailed from Naples March 30, with stops at Livorno April 1, Genoa April 2, Barcelona April 5, Valencia April 6, Lisbon April 9. It is due to sail tomorrow destined for Mariel, Cuba April 24.

At pier 31 Asian Moon is in port from Cuba, for Nirint Lines. It arrived at about midnight last night with another load of nickel sulfides. It was last here September 8, 2015 with a similar cargo.

The ship was launched as Alianca Inca in 2006, but was renamed Asian Moon on delivery by Jiangdong Shipyard in China. The 9956 grt, 13,670 dwt ship can carry 1118 TEU and has two 45 tonne cargo cranes.

The third ship has a more Alpine name, although with an unfortunate connection to Halifax. The ship Mont Blanc and the Belgian relief ship Imo collided in Halifax in December 6, 1917 resulting in the Halifax explosion.

NB A recent book by Janet Maybee, "Aftershock: The Halifax Explosion and the Persecution of Pilot Frances Mackay" [Nimbus] goes a long way toward clearing the name of Mont Blanc's harbour pilot who was unfairly blamed for the accident.
The book has been nominated for two Atlantic Book Awards. The author will be presenting a talk on myths and truths about the Halifax explosion at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on Sunday April 24 at 2 pm.

BBC Mont Blanc was a late afternoon arival. The 8255 grt, 9363 dwt ship dates from 2011 when it was built by Tianjin Xingang in Tianjin, China. With a nominal container capacity of 660 TEU, it is more often used for general cargo and heavy lifts using its two 350 tonne capacity cranes, which can work in combination for a 700 tonne lift.

The ship took two tugs in order to squeeze into pier 30 just ahead of Asian Moon. Its cargo appears to be more equipment for the new McInnis Cement plant in Port Daniel, QC. The Bombardier Corporation project has been using Halifax to deliver large steel fabrications that are then trucked to the plant site. http://cimentmcinnis.com/en/

BBC Mont Blanc is registered in Antigua for Briese Schiffahrts, operators of BBC Chartering.

Tomorrow will be a busy one at pier 30 and 31 with both ships working.

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Halterm berths big ships

Halterm was the hot spot in the harbour today with four ships working. With only three available berths, that took some doing. Oceanex Sanderling was occupying pier 36 and remained there all day.
Zim Constanza arrived late morning and tied up at pier 42.
Macao Strait (Melfi Lines) arrived Monday and was at pier 41. As with its fleet mate from last week, Tasman Strait, the ship was waiting for rail cargo, and at noon time it moved out to harbour anchorage. That left pier 41 clear for the arrival later this afternoon of Ernest Hemingway (Zim).

Partially loaded Macao Strait waits at anchor.

Macao Strait made its first visit for Melfi on November 8, 2014 and is chartered from Carsten Rehder of Hamburg.

Still in Maersk blue, but loaded for Zim.

Ernest Hemingway made its first call for Zim on July 10, 2014. Owned by Norddeutsche Reederei, it is still wearing the colours of Maersk Line, where it was chartered as Maersk Davenport from 2005 to 2013.

Meanwhile at Imperial Oil the tanker Seamuse sailed this morning and its place was soon taken by Kourion Built in 2012 by SPP Shipbuilding Co of Sacheon, South Korea, it is a handysize tanker of 29,930 grt, 50,290 dwt. It is operated by World Tankers Management of Singapore, but flies the Panama flag.
The ship anchored for a few hours in the inner harbour awaiting its turn.

Passing the foot of Sackville Street, Kourion leaves anchorage for Imperial Oil.

One of the great things about Halifax is the glimpses of ships from odd vantage points. Unfortunately new buildings are going up to block many of these views.

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Tankers in waiting, a first timer and a no show, among other things

There is nothing new about tankers in waiting in Halifax. It seems to be the rule now that product tankers arrive, wait their time at Imperial Oil and sail - most never to be seen here again. Except there is a minor twist on today's list.

Valle Bianca tugs at its anchor line in a stiff breeze in Bedford Basin.

Valle Bianca, Italian owned and flagged, predictably built in South Korea in 2007, measures 29,996 grt, 50,633 dwt. Builders are listed as SPP Shipbuilding Co, Tongyeong - a new one on me. It is anchored in Bedford Basin until Esso is ready for it.

East Coast, also Korean built, has been flying the Canadian flag since October 6, when Irving Oil needed another ship for domestic work. It is on long term charter from Vroon and previously flew the Marshal Islands flag as Nor'Easter. http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2014/10/noreaster-blows-in-to-east-coast.html

 East Coast comes to anchor this afternoon in the lower harbour.

This is not the first time it has been in Halifax with its new name, but when it was here October 16, the fog was too thick to see it, let alone take a picture. It is here for bunkers, but may have to wait until the wind dies down before Algoma Dartmouth comes alongside. It is interesting that the ship would bunker with fuel other than Irving's own, but I understand that the Saint John terminal is very busy importing crude and exporting product due to work on the Canaport buoy, where the crude is normally unloaded. Some crude tankers are even going into the LNG terminal to unload.  A shuttle has also been set up with the Afrodite and  Great Eastern pressed into service as lighters to transfer crude from anchored ships to the refinery terminal. 

 The letter "N" below the funnel  distinguishes the ship from its three sisters.

I wondered in my previous post if the ship would have its letter "N" replaced with an "E" - that has not happened yet. Perhaps uniquely in a tanker fleet, each ship carries the first letter of its name on its superstructure. Since all four of the ships are identical, this is likely a means of identifying them visually when the name isn't visible.
There is a credible rumour that Irving Oil will be acquiring a fifth charter tanker which will be named Nor'Easter.

Atlantic Larch on the port bow, and Atlantic Willow on the starboard quarter (not visible) get set to turn Macao Strait in the stream off Halterm.One tug could do the job if there was no wind.

Melfi Lines ships change in and out frequently, so a first timer is not a rarity. Today's arrival Macao Strait is on its first voyage for Melfi from Europe to Cuba. The 21,108 grt, 25,903 dwt ship is a product of the Taizhou Kouan Shipbuidling Co in Taizhou, China in 2008. It is equipped with a pair of 40 tonne cranes and has a capacity of 1795 TEU of which 319 may be refrigerated. It is owned by the German company of Carsten Rehder and has changed names six times in its short life. It started off as Macao Strait but was soon renamed Niledutch Qingdao for a charter. When that ended in 2011 it reverted to its original name and in 2012 became BG Freight Atlantic. That only lasted to 2103 when it reverted again briefly, before becoming Vento di Ponente. It assumed its original name again earlier this year. It is registered in the Portuguese offshore registry in Madeira.


What was to be the last cruise ship of the 2014 season arrived off Halifax early this morning, but opted to keep on going. There were very high winds and seas at the time, and perhaps that is why it kept going. In any event it continued on its merry way at all of 12 knots until late this afternoon when it struck out across the Gulf of Maine and picked up its pace to 13 knots. This cruising speed may have been to give its passengers a more pleasant ride - I hope so, because it might have been unpleasant out there otherwise.

 Legend of the Seas on a more placid day when it did arrive as scheduled in September.

Legend of the Seas was to be the finalist in the 2014 cruise season, but that distinction now reverts to yesterday's visitor Hamburg. This was the first year for this Legend to call in Halifax - see also: http://shipfax.blogspot.ca/2014/09/legend-arrives.html

Seas had flattened, making it possible for the pilot to disembark safely when Fusion sailed this afternoon, but it was still breezy.

The wind was severe enough that the St-Pierre RoRo ship Fusion remained in port last night and waited until noon today to sail. Also the cargo ship Clipper Helvetia that was supposed to come up from Liverpool, NS this morning remained there.

High winds also forced the cancellation of the ferry services between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia and Newfoundland today. Also the Bay of Fundy service between Digby, NS and Saint John, NB was to resume today, but did not. The ferry Princess of Acadia passed Halifax last night en route from its repairs at the Verreault shipyard in Méchins, but it hove too off Yarmouth for the night due to wind and sea conditions.
The winds are headed for Newfoundland and Oceanex's Oceanex Avalon opted to go north about on its departure from St.John's yesterday. Instead of heading south, then through the Cabot Strait to the Gulf as usual, it set a course for the Strait of Belle Isle and will sail through the Mingan Passage, north of Anticosti Island on its way to Montreal.. Such a rerouting is not unheard of, but only occurs in the most severe conditions.

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