X-PRESS MAKALU heading south

After waiting out some stormy weather X-Press Makalu sailed this afternoon for Mariel, Cuba.

After the ship had loaded its cargo on Thursday it went to anchorage number 13 well north in the Bedford Basin. There it waited out the storm that was traveling up the US east coast, passing south of Halifax on Saturday.

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Near Normal

Shipping took on the look of normal activity today despite some major uncertainties resulting from the spread of the Covid-19 virus and delays caused by the now ended rail blockades.

Maersk Patras several days off schedule (it would normally have called on Saturday) made its visit to PSA Halifax.

Maersk Patras is one of four ships that maintain the Canada Atlantic Express service (Bremerhaven-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Montreal-Halifax)  in association with CMA CGM.

Also arriving the autocarrier Glovis Symphony.

Built in 2014 by Hyundai Samho, the 64,546 gt, 20,056 dwt ship operates for Hyundai Glovis. It has a capacity of 6,692 AEU (Auto Equivalent Units) or 7,353 R/T (compact cars). Rail blockades have resulted in a sizeable backlog in Autoport.

X-Press Makalu also arrived but anchored on the lower harbour. It will move to PSA Halifax tomorrow for Melfi Marine, en route to Cuba. With prior stops in Italy and Spain in mid-February it likely was not subject to any quarantine measures. Could that be why the CBSA was taking such an interest in it this afternoon, sending a launch out for an inspection?

The ship is due to move to PSA Halifax in the morning. It may take away the last of a colourful cargo that has been on the docks all winter. Trucks for Cuba's fruit and nectar distribution company La Estsancia (loosely translated as the ranch) have been awaiting transport since December. (Some left on last month's Melfi call.)

A Quebec company that specializes in reconditioning and exporting trucks has prepared a number of tractors and semi-trailers in La Estancia's colourful green. Since Melfi does not have a RoRo capability, the vehicles have been strapped down to container flats. Most appeared to be low mileage units returned off lease.

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Let it Blow

Continuing bursts of high winds have been playing havoc with schedules. Gusts were down from the early week's 100 kph to 70 kph last night and weakening today, so ships began to arrive and depart again.

There was lots of splashing this morning as ships arrived in Bedford Basin, facing into northerly winds.

Budapest Bridge arriving at Fairview Cove. 

CSL Tacoma arrived for National Gypsum.

Things were calmer this afternoon at the south end as winds continued to die down.

Mister Joe dumped the split hull scow Pitts No.12 without much fuss at the Pier 42 extension.

X-Press Makalu sailed and 

Tropic Hope arrived to take its place at pier 42 as the pilot boat heads outbound. 
(APL Houston occupied Pier 41 from before sunrise until after sunset.) 

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New and not new

There was one new ship to Halifax today, and several return callers.
New to Halifax ship is the X-Press Makalu making its first voyage for Melfi Lines.

Built in 2008 by Stocznia Gdanska/Gdynia, it is a 2714 TEU ship with three 45 tonne capacity cranes. Built originally for the Peter Doehle company it was built as Arelia but immediately renamed Maruba Victory until 2010 when it became Arelia again. In 2013 it joined X-Press Feeders and took it present name. X-Press Feeders bills itself as the world's largest common carrier, with more than 110 ships of all sizes, and all chartered out to various shipping lines. The 32,161 gt, 38,629 dwt ship will load and sail tomorrow for Cuba.

Among the return callers is the tanker Elka Angelique, from Amsterdam for Irving Oil.

When it was here in 2013 it loaded some remainder cargo from the old Imperial Oil refinery.
http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2013/10/elka-angelique-arrives-to-load.html

At Autoport MSC Cristiana has been here many times. However since its first visit in 2016 it has received a new paint scheme.

http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2016/02/msc-cristiana-something-different-for.html

Speaking of paint schemes, Wilhelmsen's Themis continues to fade. Built in 2016 by Hyundai Samho, the 75,283 gt, 23,783 dwt car carrier has a capacity of 8,000 cars. It is also one of the HERO class of environmentally advanced ships.

The normally bright Wilhelmsen red/orange colour is now only visible on some touched up areas near the waterline. This is surprising in a barely three year old ship.
Themis unloaded cars at Autoport yesterday and moved to pier 31 this morning to off load some other RoRo cargo.

Due to sail sometime tonight the French cable ship Ile d'Aix has been loading (or maybe unloading?) cable at 9B IT Telecom.

Cable is fed to or from IT Telecom's warehouse by means of a conveyor bridge, through a hatch in the ship's side.

Built in 1992 by Far-East Levingston (Keppel Fels) in Singapore, the 12,384 gt, 8,373 dwt ship has some of the classic cable ship lines with bow sheaves. Many new cable ships work only over the stern, but this ship maintains the traditional function.

The ship made the headlines last year after a lube oil spill in Halifax Harbour.

http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2018/06/ile-daix-back.html

It's last assignment as far as I can tell was in the Irish Sea where it was doing early work for a new cable linking the US to Europe.

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