How Windy Was It

Very high winds earlier in the week forced many ships to remain in port and even dredging off Halterm was suspended for for Tuesday and Wednesday. Conditions improved by Friday and some ships decided to sail, others opted to wait until today, but then winds picked up again. However but it was business as usual.

The cruise ship Fram must have changed its itinerary a couple of times after arriving 12 hours late on Wednesday. It was supposed to sail later then same day, then yesterday, but finally got underway today.

Tucked in out of the wind at pier 24, the ship had an extended stay in Halifax.

Another departure after a short stay in port was the schooner Avontuur.  It arrived in Halifax Tuesday (see previous post) May 14 and off loaded a part cargo of fair trade coffee beans.

Getting away early this evening, the vessel made a maneuver that is rarely seen today. Berthed bow in at pier 25, the ship turned in camber using a spring line from the starboard quarter.
 

(The spring line ran to a bollard on shore, that appears just off the ship's stern in this photo)

Once turned about 180 degrees, the line was let go and the ship moved out quite smartly under power, destination Horta, Azores.

Arrivals seem unhindered by today's weather, but precautions were taken.

Glen Canyon Bridge took its stern escort tug Spitfire III well before reaching the lower harbour and had the tug Atlantic Oak on its port side until rounding George's Island. It then stood round to the starboard for the bridge passages and the Narrows. A fair amount of spray was in evidence.

Geln Canyon Bridge, still wearing K-Line colours, is now part of ONE ( Ocean Network Express) the amalgam of the three primary Japanese container lines. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan in 2006 it is a 68,750 gt, 71,291 dwt ship of 5624 TEU (including 600 reefer) capacity.

Happily in shelter for the weekend were three herring seiners. The familiar Sealife II, Morning Star and Lady Melissa are the usual scouts sent out to find the spring migratory herring run.

Also sitting calmly in the harbour discharging its cargo at Imperial Oil is the Koean tanker DL Rose

Although the vast majority of MidRange tankers were built in Korea, we don't often see them owned and flagged from that country. DL Rose is the rare exception. Built by SPP Shipbuilding Co in Tongyeong in 2007  it is owned by the Daelim Corporation. Management is by Wilhelmsen SM's Indonesia operation. It is of typical MR size, 39,990 gt, 49,997 dwt. It also exhibits its name in Korean lettering on the bow, just above the name in English. Its last port was Antwerp.

Arriving early this morning at Autoport was a new to me autocarrier. Morning Celine belongs to the Eukor fleet and was built in 2009 by Imabari Zosen in Marugame, Japan. At noon it moved over to pier 31 to offload some  other RoRo cargo.
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Tugs Atlantic Fir and Atlantic Bear have accompanied the ship from Autoport and are preparing to turn it to back in to pier 31. They are in the lee of the north wind.

After unloading some heavy cargo at pier 31, using the ship's 100 tonne capacity stern ramp, the ship sailed early this evening.

With the tourist season now in full swing the tour boats are back in business, including Kawartha Spirit returning from a Northwest Arm tour butting right into the headwind.

What ever happened to the plan to rename the boat something more appropriate to Halifax?

Quiet on the eastern front

It was a quiet day on the waterfront - if you don't count herring seiners - which I do. There were six. All arrived this morning and it was a major traffic jam at pier 24 as they unloaded and some took on ice.
Aside from the four boats that have been here regularly, the Tasha Marie finally made an appearance.
Built in 1979 by John Manly Shipyard in Vancouver as Cindy H, it is owned by the intriguingly named Turpentine Seiners Ltd of Wedgeport, NS.

Tasha Marie tucked in at Queen's Wharf after unloading then returned to pier 24 to take on ice. 

The skull and cross bones on the right was part of a waterfront event, not associated with this boat.

Also arriving for the first time this year was Sealife II. It is now owned by Comeau's Seafoods Ltd of Saulnierviulle and sports the company's blue hull colour, but it was always a red hull before that.

Sealife II rounds up to come alongside the Tall Ships Quay.

Built in 1970 by Ferguson Industries in Pictou, NS, it is a sister to Lady Janice II, which started life as Sealife No.1 in the same yard in the same year. Sea Life Fisheries (1988) Ltd is a division of Comeau's Seafoods, however it was a previous company that owned these boats during the original herring boom. 

Comeau's is a large business and also has a ship repair facility in Saulnierville Meteghan, which includes a marine railway [edited]. When I was there last November, Sealife II was on the cradle.

Most of the other comings and goings of the day took place in pouring rain, which is my excuse for not taking photos.

However the air cleared off somewhat for the late afternoon arrival of the "off again/on again" Canadian ship Qamutik. The ship dates from 1994 when it was built by Friesian Welgelegen at Harlingen, Netherlands for Spliethoff's. Named Edisongracht, it traded for them until 2008 when an arrangement was made with Umialarak Transportation for seasonal service to do northern supply work in Canada.  To be managed by Transport Qamutik In (Logistec) it would return to Spliethoff's for the remaining eight months of the year. 

It was renamed Qamutik (translation: ice sled, also known as komatik) for the summers of 2008 and 2009. reverting to Edisongracht each fall. In 2010 it became Qamutik permanently, and is now bareboat chartered back to Spliethoff's in the off season without change of name.

 Amongst its deck load of containers, the ship is also carrying a shrink wrapped pleasure craft. Spleithoff's has a large business in transporting yachts.

Its arrival today was under the Dutch flag, but it is due in Valleyfield, QC, its loading terminal, later this month where it will hoist the Canadian flag again and sail June 21 for the north.

Still wearing Spliethoff's funnel marking and flying the Netherlands flag. Note the stern anchor, fitted for compliance with St.Lawrence Seaway rules, but also for anchoring in the north where there are no permanent harbours, and cargo must be lightered ashore.

The ship measures 8448 grt, 12,754 dwt and carries three 60 tonne cranes and can carry 730 TEU. It berthed at pier 9c where it will offload some containers.

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