Thorco Logos finally sails

A ship that has spent most of the time since November 4, 2017 in Halifax finally sailed today. The Thorco Logos first arrived at Pier 9C where it was fitted with cable racks (also known as tanks). It took until about November 12 to install the partially prefabricated structure in its hold and the ship then went to anchor in Bedford Basin. (see Shipfax 2017-11-05 )

On December 12 it returned to Pier 9C for stores but was back at anchor on the 14th. It remained there until January 3 when it went to sea before the "weather bomb" storm. As a light ship, it was unwise to remain at anchor in the Basin during very high winds.  It was due to return to port January 7, but this was put off until January 9 when it  came in to Pier 9C. Welders were back at work in the ship's hold, suggesting that there was some damage to the cable tanks from being tossed around in the storm. On completion of the repairs it returned to anchor in the Basin on January 13.

The ship got underway this afternoon, giving Portsmouth, NH as its destination. Newington, NH, just upriver from Portsmouth, is the home of Tyco Electronics Integrated Cable Systems LLC, manufacturers of fibreoptic cable. Ships often fit out in Halifax to carry the cable, and usually wait here until the cable is ready to load. Few linger here as long as Thorco Logos.
Once the ship loads the cable, it may return to Halifax to await the cable laying project to get underway. One cable project planned for this summer is 150 lm of fibreoptic to interconnect the French Islands of Grand Miquelon and St-Pierre and link to the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland at Lamaline and Fortune. Alcatal Submarine Networks has applied for Canadian coasting licenses to use the French cable ship Ile De Sein for the work, starting in May. About 30% of the work will be in Canadian waters.

.

Richmond Terminals, Pier 9

Activity at Richmond Terminals today included the cargo ship Thorco Logos. The Panama flag ship arrived yesterday and almost immediately began loading the components for cable storage. Crews in the holds began to assemble the pre-fabricated shapes into large circular racks (called tanks in the cable world).
This is the third ship from Thorco Shipping of Hellerup, Denmark to be fitted out similarly at Pier 9C in the last year. Thorco Liva was here from October 31 to November 15, 2016. It went to Portsmouth /  Newington, NH to load the cable and returned  to anchor in Bedford Basin January 9 to 22, 2017 then sailed to deliver its cargo. Thorco Luna was at Pier 9 from May 15 to 31, 2017.

 Thorco Logos (the "s" is barely visible) at Pier 9 C

The three ships are sisters, all built by Honda Heavy Industries in Saiki, Japan. Thorco Logos was built in 2015 and is a 13,100 grt, 16,970 dwt general cargo ships, with box shaped holds and removable tween decks. It is fitted with a pair of 50 tonne cranes.

Trinity Sea with Thorco Logos in the back ground.

Meanwhile at Pier 9B the supplier Trinity Sea was waiting standing by for work, which will start tomorrow. It, and sister vessel Burin Sea have been contracted by ExxonMobil to assist the jack-up rig Noble Regina Allen.The rig will be working for up to two years plugging and abandoning 22 gas wells off Sable Island.


The rig is due in Halifax Monday November 6 from Invergordon, Scotland, aboard the heavy load carrier Forte. The ship is semi-submersible, and will float off the rig in the harbour sometime in the next few days. Should I be fortunate enough to get photos of that ship and its cargo, they will be posted here.

.