Comings and Goings, United Breeze, Prisco Irina and updates

Taking the pedestrian approach to harbour watching today, a stroll along the boardwalk was rewarding. Despite mountains of snow, the sun was warm and the footing was good.(Getting to and from the waterfront was a different matter-many sidewalks were down to one foot wide).

United Breeze in number one anchorage, with Tosca still at Autoport.

This morning's arrival was the big bulker United Breeze in number one anchorage for bunkers. That accomplished by 1340 hrs or so it made ready to sail, doing a clockwise turn to head outbound.
 

Turning to starboard, the ship shows off its 45m width. (It is 288.93m length overall)

Built in 2012 by Imabari Zosen in Saijo, Japan, the ship measures 92,752 grt, 191,325 dwt. NS United Kaiun Kaisha of Tokyo operates the ship.The ship is operated by NS United K.K. of Tokyo, the company formed in 2010 by the merger of Nippon Steel Shipping and Shinwa K.K. another large carrier.

Outbound for the main channel.

The inbound Prisco Irina has exited the western channel and joins the main channel after passing the outbound. 

In the foreground the workboat Waterworks I tends its barge at the Tall Ship Quay.

As it was outbound the product tanker Prisco Irina was inbound, timed so that the big ship could take the main channel, and the smaller ship the western channel, making in effect an unusual starboard to starboard meet in the Middle Ground area. The western channel is deeper, but requires the ship to make a dogleg turn. The main channel is a nearly straight run, and therefore easier for the larger ship.

Prisco Irina is another product of STX Corp, Jinhae and measures 29,967 grt, 50,923 dwt. It features the full width bridge of an ice class vessel. It is operated by Prisco Singapore Pte Ltd for Hermine Shipping Ld of Limassol, and flies the Cyprus flag.
For more on Prisco and a detailed spec sheet for the ship see: http://www.prisco.com.sg/our-fleet/

 Prisco Irina is headed for Imperial Oil, but will have to wait for tomorrow's departure of Seavictory.

Seavictory at number 4 dock, and Algoma Dartmouth at number 3 dock, Imperial Oil. A snow covered George's Island protrudes at left.

Updates of previous posts:
Harefield actually did arrive last night and made a stately progression up the harbour at 3 knots. It had two tugs in attendance from the pilot station and was joined by a third tug in the main harbour before entering the Narrows. All this hints at an ice damaged rudder, but I have yet to make it to pier 9c to see for myself.

Redhead is due to sail this evening, indicating that prop repairs were successful. This would mean that the bent blade or blades were straightened by hydraulic press. (Trimming is a last resort) Props are made of malleable/ductile material such as manganese bronze and bend rather than shear off. Good news for ships in ice - they can also be straightened again by specialists such as All-Sea Atlantic Ltd. The company has been active in Halifax for half a dozen years, but their work goes largely unheralded. For some reason shipowners are not keen on publicizing bent props.  More on this another time.

Opal Ace and Tosca As pictured above, Tosca was still at Autoport today, no doubt struggling to unload its cars to clear storage. Opal Ace, which was scheduled for Thursday, March 19, has been pacing back and forth out at sea, and is now due Saturday March 22 after Tosca sails.

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Harbour Watching - live

Always committed to reporting on the activities of Halifax Harbour, Shipfax took life in hand and walked to the waterfront today. Harbour business had returned to normal, even if the landside conditions were still a challenge.

The ferries were running again today. They did not run yesterday - not due to any navigational issues, but simply because Halifax transit cancelled all bus operations, and people were encouraged to stay at home. Most offices and businesses were closed, and it was dangerous to be outdoors during near blizzard conditions.

Dartmouth III at the Halifax dock, still carrying a load of snow around the upper deck.

Update on Movements:
The autocarrier Opal Ace did not arrive this morning, allowing Tosca to move over to Autoport as planned.
[see Tosca in the background in one of today's Tugfax photos]

Redhead was thus able to move to pier 27 at noon time:

 

Redhead met the tugs Atlantic Larch (bow) and Atlantic Willow (stern) off the Cable Wharf, then made a wide swing east around George's Island to align with pier 27. From the position of the tugs, the ship would be berthing stern in, to provide shelter for work on the prop.

Harefield will now be arriving Friday March 20.

Algonova got away from the IEL dock after maintenance.

BBC Vermont also sailed from pier 9c.

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Redhead reaches Halifax

The Canadian Forest Navigation (CanForNav) bulker Redhead finally reached Halifax today. I imagine there was considerable relief in the crew to be out of the ice.

The ship was reported March 1 to be drifting in ice in the Gulf of St.Lawrence, outbound in ballast from Belledune, NB. Its position was given as 220 n.mi. SE of Port Cartier, making me wonder if it was intending to reach that port.

There has been lots of press coverage about severe ice delaying ferry traffic in the Gulf and Cabot Strait, but little mention of merchant shipping, which has been similarly delayed and even damaged in ice. It has taken the ship more than two weeks to reach Halifax, indicating frequent delays and slow running.

On arrival today the ship headed for Bedford Basin anchorage where it was to be met by divers for propeller repairs. Whatever they found, it was later decided to move the ship to pier 9c 27 for the repairs.

Propellers are particularly susceptible to ice damage, even in ships built for ice conditions such as this one. A prominent ice knife overhangs the rudder to protect it when backing in ice, but props remain vulnerable. Depending on the damage, the prop can usually be repaired underwater by shaving the damaged blade and balancing the others to match it. However it may require more repair or replacement, necessitating removal, which would be one reason for moving to pier 9c 27.

Tianjin Xingang shipyard in Tianjin, China built the 22,792 grt, 37,193 dwt ship in 2004. It is equipped with four 40 tonne cranes, strengthened for navigation in ice and specially fitted for the St.Lawrence Seaway.
For the latter, it carries a stern anchor, has short, retractable bridge wings, and special roller fairleads. Flagged in Hong Kong, it is owned by the happily named Pretty Rainbow Shipping SA, part of Parakou Shipping Ltd of Cyprus and is on long term charter to Canfornav. As with all Canfornav ships, it is named for a species of duck.

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