Send Off

 As the cruise season draws to a close - there is only one more ship scheduled - it was also time to see the last of a ship that made five calls in Halifax in 2025.

The Seabourn Sojourn made its first call in Halifax this year on September 10 when it berthed stern-in at Pier 23...  

...and was back again September 19, docking at the same berth, but this time bow-in...

 The ship was built in 2010 by T.Mariotti in Genoa as a "Mega Yacht" of 32,346 gt. It has 225 staterooms and can accommodate 458 passengers and 330 crew. 

It arrived  on its last visit November 4 on an eleven day cruise from Montreal to Miami. It remained in port over night, likely due to bad weather, and sailed yesterday afternoon November 5.

 An unofficial low altitude flyover by a pair of military helicopters saw the ship off for what may be its last ever Halifax call. It will make its last cruise for Seabourn Cruise Line in May 2026 in the Caribbean and will then be handed over to Mitsui Ocean Cruises for short term cruises in Japanese waters starting in September 2026. 

 Mitsui also operates the Mitsui Fuji the former Seabourn Odyssey and this ship is to be renamed Mitsui Sakura. (Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossom, the national flower of Japan. It can also mean the ornamental cherry tree itself.)

The last scheduled ship of the 2025 Halifax cruise season is the AIDAdiva due November 19. 

. 

Shelter or Not

  The confluence of two low pressure storm centres off Cape Breton today, November 4, is bringing heavy rain, which the region needs badly, but also some less desirable very high winds and rough seas. Regional ferry services between Saint John, NB and Digby, NS; Caribou, NS and Wood Islands PE; and North Sydney, NS and Port aux Basques, NL have all had cancellations or delays. In an unusual move Bay Ferries advanced the departure time of the Fundy Rose from Saint John this morning by three hours to get a crossing in ahead of the bad weather.

Other ships depending on their destination, opted to remain in port or to bypass a port or to take shelter until conditions improved. Some ships rerouted to take a southern sweep to pass behind the north easterly moving storm (technically an extratropical cyclone).

 Last evening the cement carrier NACCArgonaut en route from Providence, RI to Port Daniel, QC, and in ballast, put in to Halifax rather than being caught out in the Gulf of St.Lawrence. The ship tied up at Pier 26.

The Canadian flag ship was built by Kyukyo Shipyard Corp in Shimonoseki in 2003, as a gearless bulk carrier named Arklow Wave. In 2017 - 2018 it was rebuilt as a cement carrier with a pneumatic self-unloading system. Nova Algoma Cement Carriers renamed the ship NACC Toronto briefly but later in 2018 changed its name to NACC Argonaut after Toronto's professional football team, the Argonauts. Its tonnages are now 9255 gt, 13,977 dwt, or 12,576 dwt in summer freshwater.

Two fleet mates the NACC Providence and NACC New Yorker, opted to shelter deep in St. Margaret's Bay (to the southwest of Halifax) off Queensland and Mill Cove respectively.
 

After closing out the cruise season in previous ports, the Allura opted not to call in Halifax this morning (November 4),  instead continuing southbound to Boston. Two other cruise ships did decide to call.

The Victory 1 arrived mid-day from the Great Lakes via Charlottetown and the Strait of Canso.

 The former Cape May Light, built in 2001 by Atlantic Marine in Jacksonville, FL, has been in Halifax previously under several of its former names: Sea Voyager, Saint Laurent and Ocean Voyager. It can carry up to 210 passengers in 105 suites and has a crew of 61. Its "retro" look is supposed to recall the grand inland passengers ships of the early 20th century. It has a substantial rub rail and fenders to prevent damage while transiting the St.Lawrence Seaway locks (and the Canso lock, which was built to the same dimensions.)

Due later today is the Seabourn Sojourn. It will remain in port until tomorrow afternoon.

One ship that opted to depart today was the container ship MSC Yang R, a first time caller here on the Canada Express route from Malaga, Sines, Antwerp and Le Havre, it is bound for Montreal. Since it will be following in the storm's wake, so to speak, it may do some slow steaming to avoid catching up.

A product of Samsung Shipbuilding & Heavy Industry Co Ltd in Geoje in 2002 it sailed initially under the name Cap San Rafael. In 2012 it was renamed  Cap Doukato until 2017 when it became the Doukato and in the same year took the name Xin Feng Yang Zi Jiang which it carried until 2021 when it was acquired by MSC and got its present name. A 40,085 gt, 51,059 dwt ship, it has a capacity of 3739 TEU with 800 reefer plugs.

On sailing today, the ship appeared very lightly loaded, having off loaded enough cargo here to reduce its draft here to suit St.Lawrence River conditions.

The container ship ZIM Atlantic arrived yesterday and remains in port until early tomorrow morning (November 5).

.

 

Single, Double and Quad and one offshore

 Today, September 19, saw a single caller at Autoport, and was a double day for MSC ships and a four ship day for cruise ships - and there is a bonus.

 

Single 

Autoport's ship was a first time caller, the Cadwell a new ship, just entering service in July. The 69,250 gt, 19,160 dwt Pure Car and Truck Carrier, with a capacity of 7,000 CEU, was built by CIMC Yantai Raffles Offshore Ltd in Yantai, China. It features an advanced dual fuel system and is the ninth in a ten ship "state of the art" order by Zodiac Maritime Ltd. Unusually for newer PCTCs it also has a side ramp, positioned well aft of midships.

As with many of Zodiac's ships it is named after a British race source. In this case one that is used mostly for motorbike racing, Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire. It is on long term charter and is serving Wallenius Wilhelmsen's transatlantic service from North Europe ports of Bremerhaven, Zeebrugge and Goteborg.
 

Double 

MSC Salina III arrived this morning on the Canada Express service from North Europe and as it sailed from PSA Atlantic Hub this afternoon it met the inbound MSC England which was heading for PSA Fairview Cove.

The MSC Salina III is a recent addition to the MSC fleet taking its present name as of July 1, and still carrying the colour scheme of previous operators. Built in 2009 by Guangzhou Wenchong as Cape Mele it was renamed POS Sydney in 2010 then Cape Male again in 2011. It is a 35,878 gt, 41,411 dwt ship with a capacity of 2758 TEU. It also carries four cargo cranes - three forward of the house and one aft.

 I saw the ship on August 10, upbound on the St.Lawrcnce River off La Malbaie at a speed of about 19 knots. The ship is operating on the Canada Express service and is  now outbound from Montreal for Le Havre, and was stopping in Halifax to top off. 

The inbound MSC England serves the Med-Canadian route and was arriving from MSC's Sines, Portugal hub. It will offload sufficient cargo to reduce its draft to suit St.Lawrence River restrictions.
 

A 39,812 gt, 51,020 dwt ship, built on 2001 by Hyundai, Ulsan, has as its capacity 4132 TEU with 500 reefer points. It has been retrofitted with an exhaust gas scrubber system, and trails the distinctive plume of water vapour.

I also saw this ship on the St.Lawrence, August 14, downbound in the south channel off Kamouraska, also at good speed.

Quadruple 

Four cruise ships arrived today with ships berthing at Pier 20, 22 and 23 and the fourth ship landing passengers  in tenders from an anchorage in mid-harbour. 

The  anchored ship was Holland America's Volendam from Montreal, Quebec City, and Charlottetown, bound for Eastport, Maine.

 

The ship used at least three of its own tenders (numbers 9, 10 and 12 by my count), delivering passengers to the landing stage at Pier 24.

 

Meanwhile at the adjacent Pier 23 the Seabourn Sojourn was decanting refuse to a barge, handled by the tug Mighty Edge. The Radiance of the Seas was an early morning arrival at Pier 22 and the Norwegian Getaway was an early afternoon arrival at Pier 22.(no images of those on this call.) 

 There was one more ship of note, although so far it has not actually entered the port. The Croatian flag AP Revelin was noted off the coast several days ago giving an ETA for Halifax of September 17. The 25,494 gt, 38,785 dwt ship is a handysize bulker built in 2016 by Qinshan in Wuhan, China. The ship rendez-voused instead with the United States flag tug Ezra Sol and with the assistance of the Halifax-based tug Atlantic Maple took up anchorage in the outer anchorage, outside the harbour limits (and outside the pilotage zone) on September 18.

The AP Revelin hull down on the horizon viewed from Shore Road, Eastern Passage. The elevated wheelhouse of the tug Ezra Sol can just be seen between the two pairs of cranes. The ship's last port was Port Allen, LA (near Baton Rouge) and the tug came out of Norfolk. 

It seems likely that the ship was in need of repairs which would require disabling the main engine, thus having a tug alongside for security. In case repairs are not succesful, towing the ship might be required and the 6,000 bhp tug would be right there. [There is no Canadian tug with that power in this region, and the local 4,000 to 5,000 bhp tugs are fully committed to harbour work and would not be available for extended standby duties.]

The tug Ezra Sol was built in 2002 by Main Iron Works in Houma, LA, and is powered by three Cummins main engines driving three screws. Originally named O.J.Cenac it became the O.J. in 2008, Copper Mountain in 2013 and Ezra Sol in 2023  when acquired by Seaward Marine Corp of Norfolk.

.

 

Busy Day

 It was a busy day in the Port of Halifax today, September 10, with activity at almost every facility - and with multiple moves at some of them. Shipfax is still only able to be in one place at a time, so this report must be less than exhaustive.

Autoport had an early arrival, the Morning Cello -(I believe a first time caller).  Built in 2007 by Hyundai Samho it is a 57,542 gt, 21,055 dwt ship with a capacity of 6500 CEU. Arriving from Bremerhaven, Goteborg, Zeebrugge and Southampton it is heading for New York.

 

There was activity at the two oil terminals, with a ship alongside and another waiting at both.

At Irving Oil it was the colourful Gulf Muttrah which arrived from Amsterdam unloading refined product on September 8.

 

A 29,535 gt, 46,556 dwt ship, it was built at Hyundai Mipo, Ulsan in 2009.

Yesterday's arrival, the Canadian flagged Algoma East Coast is at anchor in the lower harbour awaiting its turn at the berth.

 

At Imperial Oil, the Ocean Nisa completed offloading product from Antwerp. It arrived September 7 and this afternoon, September 10, moved to Pier 9B to refuel from trucks.  It was escorted to Bedford Basin and turned to come back into the Narrows and tied up starboard side to the pier.

 

 

Big tankers are rare sights in Bedford Basin, but this move may be because there were no berths available in the Ocean Terminals, in the south end of the harbour. Refueling would usually happen at Pier 27, but the Nirint ship Gotland was unloading its regular cargo of nickel sulfides from Cuba at that berth.

Awaiting its turn at Imperial Oil, the coastal tanker Algoscotia took up a position in anchorage number 2. It moved to Imperial's dock #3 soon after Ocean Nisa moved off.

 

Number 2 anchorage is to the north of Macnab's Island, between Ives Knoll and Indian Point, and is rarely used except for ships waiting for Imperial Oil and then only for short term since it may obstruct the entrance to EasternPassage for large ships. 

Inbound for Fairview Cove was a first time caller for ZIM's ZCA (Mediterranean - North America) service. Carmel I is quite apparently a charter from the large Greek owner Navios.

 Built in 2010 by Hyunda HIC-Phil in Subic, Philippines,  it is a 40,741 gt, 52,382 dwt vessel with a capacity of 4330 TEU. It was built as Bermuda but was renamed APL Bahrain on delivery and in 2014 became Bermuda again then ZIM Carmel in 2022 and Carmel I in 2023.

Tugs Atlantic Willow at the bow and Altantic Cedar tethered astern shepherded the ship through the Narrows. And while the Ocean Nisa was turning well to the north, the Cedar provided braking and assisted the turn toward PSA Fairview Cove.
 

 The cruise ships Liberty of  the Seas and Seabourn Sojourn added to the mix, 

 

( I missed the Island Princess).

The Canadian Coast Guard lifeboat Hare Bay made its way into port from its station in Sambro, then met a little slop on the way out. 

CCGS Earl Grey also sailed toward the south shore for navaids work.

 
 Also in port was the Lars D at Pier 42 for Melfi:

 

... and sailing from the C.O.V.E for sea trials was the Singapore flag multi-purpose offshore support vessel  Armada 78 02. It returned later in the day.

 

.

Seabourn Sojourn - Seabourn's flagship has medical emergency

1. Seabourn Sjourn off pier 20 at 1904 hrs ADT.

Seabourn Sojourn had cleared pier 20 at 1900 hrs outbound for sea when a medical emergency was declared at about 1925 hours when the ship was off Meagher's Beach. From a speed of 14.5 knots, the ship slowed and turned in the channel off Herring Cove to return to port and dock at pier 21. (It had been tied up at pier 20 during the day). [see later update if further info becomes available.]

Flagship of the Seabourn fleet (another of the many Carnival affiliates) the ship was built in 2010 by the A.Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy (which is also known as a yacht builder). At the very top end of cruise ships, it accommodates 450 passengers in a variety of luxury suites. Its first visit to Halifax was on September 25, 2011, and has made annual return trips.

2. Seabourn Sojourn was tied up at pier 20 all day. In this photo she is just getting ready to leave. The pilot boat A.P.A.No.1 is outbound for her, and the tanker Alpine Loyalty is in the outer anchorages.

On this trip it is destined for Charlottetown and will proceed on to Montreal, with several way points. It will then do a lengthy re-positioning trip to Fort Lauderdale (with many stops along the way) for winter cruising. 

Update: A passenger was disembarked to an ambulance and the ship departed at 2040 hrs.

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]

Large Cruise Ship Day

As some Maritimers say, it was a large day (meaning beautiful, sunny and warm.)
It was also a large day for the Port of Halifax, with four cruise ships in port and about 10,000 extra people on the streets of town (passengers and crews included.)
Some of the ships were large too, but the interesting thing was that of the four, three were on their inaugural visits to Halifax.
1. Seabourn Sojourn, built in 2010, with a modest capacity of 450 passengers, arriving for the first time in Halifax this afternoon. It will stay in port over night.

2. Silver Whisper, built in 2001, backs out in to the stream and is dwarfed by the two big ships. Built in 2001 it is the smallest ship today, with a capacity of 382.

3. The one they all came out to see, Cunard's Queen Elizaberth is just a year old and claims a passsenger capacity of 2,092. It measures 90,901 gross tons.

4. Although it was built in 2007, Emerald Princess is also making its first call in Halifax. At 113,561 gross tons, it was the largest ship in port today. It sailed at dusk, making an impressive sight.

.