New and Renewed

 New

 Another new auto carrier arrived at Autoport today, October 4. This time it is the Lake Qaraqun, the latest in a series of a dozen or more"Eco Friendly" Lake class ships built by China Merchants Heavy Industry in Yizheng, China. 

With several efficiency characteristics, it can also use shore power (where available) and is dual-fuel powered by LNG. The 71,706 gt, 19,166 dwt ship has a capacity of just over 7,000 CEU and was delivered last year to Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS). In addition to the usual stern ramp it is also equipped with a side ramp. After off loading cars at Autoport it is due to move to Pier 9C to discharge some RoRo cargo.

 Lake Qaraqun was formed in 1959 when a reservoir was created by damming the Litani River in the Baqaa Valley of Lebanon.

 

Renewed 1

The cruise ship Carnival Venezia arrived mid-morning at Pier 22.  

The ship carries the unmistakable "ash can" type funnel carried by ships of Costa Crociere (Costa Cruises) of Italy. In 2000 Costa became a subsidiary of Carnival Corp and is still operated under the Costa brand name. The ship was built by Fincantieri, Monfalcone in 2018 and measures 135,225 gt with a capacity of 5260 passengers maximum (4208 double occupancy) with 1278 crew.

Renewed 2

The Icelandic company Eimskip makes weekly calls in Halifax on its Green Line service linking Reykjavik, Argentia, NL, Halifax and Portland, ME. Today's caller was the Pictor a small container ship of 10,965 gt, 12,640 dwt and with a capacity of 925 TEU.

The ship has been a regular caller here and has now changed its name for the third time. When it was built for the German owners Jungerhans in 2009 by Naval Gijon in Spain it was named Pictor J. In 2020 it was renamed Pictor then in 2021 it became the Vivienne Sheri D.  

That new name represented the interests of the Dorenkamp company  from Ontario that had plans to operate a container line from Europe to the Great Lakes. It intended to start up the line when the charter to Eimskip ended. However that project appears to have been cancelled, and the ship reverted to the name Pictor some time in July, and may still be under Jungerhans ownership.

 

. 

 

  
 

New Name Times Two

 Two ships arrived in Halifax September 13 wearing new names. Both ships have been calling in Halifax for some time under their previous names, so they are familiar to the port.

First to arrive was the Netherlands flag Trinitas arriving from Cuba for Nirint Shipping BV. The ship was a regular in Halifax under the name Hollandia with cargoes of nickel sulfide from Moa, Cuba as back haul cargo on Nirint's Netherlands and Spain to Cuba container and generals service.

Built as Trinitas in 2007, with the hull by Damen Okean, Mykolayiv and completed by Damen Hoogezand, Foxhol, the ship was delivered as Nirint Hollandia. It was renamed Hollandia in 2012, but remained on Nirint service. It started to call in Halifax in 2014.

It is a 8,999 gt, 12,016 dwt vessel with a container capacity of 684 TEU, including 80 reefer plugs on deck. It uses a pair of 80 tonne SWL cranes to handle cargo, which in the case of the nickel concentrates is in bulk bags. It has movable tween decks and ventilated box shaped holds, so is an adaptable multi-purpose vessel capable of carrying bulk cargoes.

The ship was renamed Trinitas again in 2019, but had not called in Halifax under that name until now. Normally a name change while under charter indicates a change of owners, but this ship is still owned by a single ship company called JW Danser + PJ Danser of Delfzijl, Netherlands and managed by Wagenborg. The ship is not shown on future Nirint schedules so may be reassigned soon.

The second renamed ship is now called Vivienne Sheri D. While still carrying the Antigua and Barbuda flag, it has reportedly been sold to the Doornekamp Shipping of Odessa, ON. They have just started a container service from Europe to the Great Lakes and will include a feeder service out of Halifax. Their first ship Peyton Lynn C is currently on the Great Lakes after inaugurating a service with Spliethoff's Cleveland-Europe Express. The ship will also call at Doornekamp's home port of Picton, ON. Its calls here in Halifax will more likely be in the winter when the Seaway is closed to traffic.

Vivienne Sheri D has been so recently renamed that it has no name on the bows yet (too difficult to reach I guess) but only on the stern. A 10,905 gt vessel built in 2009 by Naval Gijon, Spain, it measures 12,640 dwt with a container capacity of 925 TEU including 200 reefers. Classed as a container feeder it has no cargo cranes.

Better known as Pictor J until 2020 and Pictor since earlier this year, it has been working on Eimskip's Green Line from Reykjavik, Argentia, Halifax, Portland, Maine and return since 2019. Eimskip also operates the ship as a New England feeder for such lines as CMA CGM. That may be supplemented by Doornekamp's feeder service.

According to media reports Doornekamp will keep the ship on the Eimskip charter for up to two years, but plan to place it on the Cleveland-Europe Express eventually.

.

Morning Activity

 With the harbour activity shut down most of the day yesterday due to high winds, there were several ship movements after dark, and some catching up this morning. The early morning arrival was Pictor for Eimskip. The former Pictor J until last year is inbound from Iceland and heading for Portland, ME. For details see previous post: http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2021/01/pictor-catching-up-with-eimskip.html

Pictor at the extended section of Pier 42, PSA Halifax.

Finally arriving at Autoport this morning, Siem Confucius had been loitering offshore since at least March 27, when I first noticed the ship's AIS signal. The ship never anchored but ranged up and down along the cost, sometimes drifting, sometimes hove to, and when weather was bad, steaming upwind.

As the tugs Atlantic Willow and Atlantic Oak prepare to make up at bow and stern (respectively) of Siem Confucius, the container ship MSC Annick is visible on the horizon returning to anchorage.

Siem Confucius was not alone outside the port limits. The container ship MSC Annick, which had been at anchor put out to sea during the high winds and also hove to or steamed back and forth. It returned to anchorage this morning. As with several MSC ships recently it has spend prolonged periods off Halifax.[see previous posts] .

Siem Confucius has called in Halifax before: http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2020/06/siem-confucious-revolutionary-car.html

 .

Pictor - catching up with Eimskip

 With one of their ships out of service, the Icelandic shipping company Eimskip has responded by transferring ships and chartering in tonnage to meet schedules. On December 27 Lagsarfoss lost power and was towed back to Reykjavik, arriving December 30. Since then EF Ava has been transferred back to the Green Line (which serves Argentia, Halifax and Portland, Maine). This has allowed the line to catch up with the lost trip.

Today's arrival in Halifax is the regular caller Pictor, which began working for Eimskip on their Green Line in May 2019. At that time its name was Pictor J. That changed in August 2020 when it appears that the ship was sold by a one ship company manged by Jungerhans to Pictor Atlantic Feeder AG, managed by F+L Schiffahrts.

The ship was built in 2009 by the Naval Gijon shipyard in Spain, measuring 10,965 gt, 12,640 dwt. It is a gearless container ship with a capacity of 925 TEU including 200 reefers. That large reefer capacity is needed due to the large quantity of fish exported by Iceland.

The ship is due to sail this afternoon for Portland. 

.