Saturday - seeing stars

The ship Nica sailed this afternoon after discharging her cargo of nickel from Cuba (see yesterday's post). The ship belongs to the Lingenberg fleet of Albert Hauschild which specializes in smallish container feeder types. However Nica carries a pair of 40 tonne cranes, and can also carry general cargo, including the bagged nickel.

 

 Built in 2003 by Jinling Shipyard, Nanjing, it is one of a large number of similar feeder ships.
The ship is returning to Moa, Cuba, for Nirint Lines, perhaps for more of the same cargo.
 
There were a pair of NYK ship movements today - hence the "seeing stars". Arriving for Autoport, the Eridanus Leader passed the awaiting Adriatic Highway (from rival K-Line) still anchored offshore - it will not come in until late tomorrow.

Built in 2010 by Shin Kurushima, Toyohashi, Eridanus Leader measures 59,501 grt, 18,056 dwt.

The other NYK Line ship in port was NYK Rigel, on its regular rotation for the G6 Alliance. Built in 2009 Hyundai, Samho, the ship has a capacity of 4922 TEU (including 330 reefers) on 55,487 grt, 66,051 dwt.

It was pictured yesterday anchored off port.

Also in was Zim San Francisco, 50.963 gt, 63,355 dwt. Built in 2010 by Daewoo, Okpo, the 4884 TEU (including 560 reefers) stubbornly remained alongside so that I could not get a picture of it underway.
 

When the ship was built, its deadweight tonnage was listed as 50,963. This was increased dramatically to the current figure, when it was  determined that the deck load could be increased in height.
The ship is owned by an investment syndicate and managed by Niderelbe Schiffahrts GmbH + Co KG.

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The Passing Parade

In the space of an hour there were six ships passing the same point in Halifax harbour. This unusual event came late this afternoon.

First along was the Stadt Cadiz returning from (I am presuming) successful sea trails after engine repairs. As reported yesterday, the ship then went to anchor in Bedford Basin to await orders. The ship's place in the Maersk - CMA/CGM service is to be taken by EM KEA ex Cape Egmont, ex Cap Norte, a ship built in 2007 by Stoc. Szczecinska Nowa in Poland. The ship took its present name in April of this year. A gearless container ship of 3108 TEU, owned by Eurobulk Ltd of Athens, the former Hamburg-Sud ship is capable of 22 knots.

Shortly after HMCS Charlottetown came storming in. It did not reduce speed as it neared Ives Knoll and made a high speed sweep into number one anchorage and east of George's Island.

The reason for this rapid arrival was the outbound Dalian Express which needed most of the channel for its departure.

As soon as it was past Zim Luanda sailed from Halterm.

Meanwhile HMCS Glace Bay was making its way in.

It was then that it was possible to see three container ships all at once.

The inbound Zim San Francisco took the main channel inbound to Halterm as Zim Luanda used the western deep water channel, as it headed to sea.

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