Mignon

 The auto carrier Mignon made a double stop in Halifax today, first at Autoport to offload automobiles, then at Pier 9C for machinery. Classed as a Large Car and Truck Carrier (LCTC), three of its cargo decks, numbers 4, 6 and 8, are strengthened for heavy units. The three decks immediately above them are hoistable to allow for extra height cargo. Deck number 6 is the main cargo loading deck.

 The wind turbine tower sections that arrived last month are still stored on Pier 9C. 

[see the October 19 post]

The ship was built in 1999 by Daewoo Heavy Industries in Okpo, South Korea. Along with four sister ships it was lengthened in 2005 by Hyundai Vinashin in Ninh Hoa, Vietnam by the insertion of a new 28m midsection. The "elongation", as some websites call it, resulted in an increase in overall length from 199m to 227m. The corresponding increase in tonnage was 57,018 to 67,264 gt and 14,841 to 28,126 dwt. Car capacity thus increased from about 5,800 to 7,300 RT43.  

The ship's 125 tonne capacity stern ramp is skewed 27 degrees to starboard off the centre line and serves deck 6. The small side ramp, serving deck 7, is perpendicular to the ship's centre line.

 At Pier 9C the ship offloaded a variety of machinery.

The ship is operating on Wallenius Wilhelmsen's transatlantic route and arrived from Goteborg, Sweden and is carrying the usual array of forestry, mining, farming and other wheeled and unwheeled machinery. It will be sailing on to New York. As a Wallenius ship, it was once painted green and white. Due to the 2005 elongation, the large banner lettering on the ship's side is off centre.

.

Wall to Wall Cars

Although Autoport has few walls, the title is indicative of the current situation in Eastern Passage. The facility is stuffed with cars, mostly European, and more are on the way.

California Highway has its ramp up and is preparing  to sail from at Autoport.

 Less than 24 hours after yesterday's photo, the ship is outbound again.

As mentioned yesterday, California Highway arrived in the afternoon and in a little less than 24 hours sailed again, depositing an unknown number of autos and perhaps other vehicles. All the shoreside space was jammed and there were cars as far as the eye could see in the hinterlands behind. It is also understood that other vacant land nearby is also in use. A normal unloading schedule wold be about 8 to 12 hours, so the extra time was likely needed to ferry cars to remote destinations in the port.

Arriving on the Halifax side at noon time another ship, Mignon, spent a few hours at pier 31 offloading some machinery, but was ready and waiting to move over to Autoport as soon as the berth was clear again.

Mignon is owned by Wallenius Lines AB of Sweden abd was built in 1999 by Daewoo Heavy Industres, Okpo, South Korea. Originally it measured 57,018 grt, 14,841 dwt. In 2005 it was taken in hand by Hyundai-Vinashin Shipyard Co Ltd in Ninh Hoa, Vietnam and lengthened 29 meters by inserting a new section amidships. This 12 deck structure increased tonnages to 67,264 grt, 28,126 dwt and the car carrying capacity from about 3,000 to 7,194 units (Lane length increased from 5700m to 6840m).

.