Vietnam - startlingly clean hull

Vietnam Express sailed this afternoon with a surprisingly clean hull. The ship must have just come out of the shipyard, because there was scarcely a mark on it. A few tug scuffs on the stern and a bit of wave action forward was it. A beautiful sight.
Despite its Hapag-Lloyd sounding name, the ship still displays its OOCL colours and banner. It is actually owned by Nissen Kaiun of Imabari, Japan. It is a post-Panamax ship of 66,462 gross tons, 5888 TEU (including 586 reefers) built in 2007 as OOCL Italy and renamed in 2010.
The re-naming to H-L pattern was apparently to give H-L some of its own presence in the joint service with OOCL,  since H-L is not contributing any post-Panamax ships to the rotation.

CFAV Quest, a view from the dark side

The strange bi-coloured paint scheme on CFAV Quest is still in place, but looking decidedly shabby. The ship has moved to Jetty Lima on the Dartmouth side of the harbour, at the berth recently vacated by the submarine Ojibwa.
Quest's port side was painted gray last year as part of RIMPASSE (Radar Infrared electro-Magnetic Pressure Acoustic Ship Signature Experiments) also known as Infrared Signature trials. As part of the work the ship was also rigged with removable side curtains, a hull cooling piping system, a degaussing loop, and its mast was modified. The ship is operated by the Queen's Harbour Master at HMC Dockyard, with a civilian crew, for Defence Research and Development Canada. More often associated with acoustical signature trials, DRDC participated in the NATO, German/Dutch RIMPASSE with Quest crossing the Atlantic from August to October of 2011.
Although a design has been prepared for a replacement, the 1969-built Quest will  remain in service for some time to come.
In fact there has been a major investment in the ship over the past couple of years to correct a long standing stability/safety issue. New water tight bulkheads were fitted within the ship and hull sponsons fitted toward the stern of the ship at deck level. Other equipment was removed, including oceanographic kit.

CFAV Quest 2012-06-14

The ship was built by Burrard Dry Dock in Vancouver in 1968 and commissioned in 1969 as a hydrographic research vessel (hence the white colour.) Nevertheless it has long been assigned to the RCN for operation as a research vessel. It is powered by four Fairbanks Morse diesel engines driving two GE electric motors through twin screws. It is known as a "quiet ship", used to test innovations to reduce its acoustical signature and avoid enemy detection.

Thor Omega - miniature supplier

The small supplier Thor Omega anchored in #2 anchorage this morning to take bunkers. Operated by Thor P/F of Hosvik, Faeroe Islands, the boat is operating under a Canadian coastal license. That is, it is permitted to operate in Canadian waters, because no Canadian ship was available to do the work.

Its work is to supply fuel and stores to the seismic research vessel Geco Caribbean conducting  a survey in the Flemish Pass area off the Grand Banks. The license is good for the period of May 15 to October 15.
It could be that the heavy fuel oil or marine gas oil is not immediately available in St.John's and therefore the vessel came to Halifax. Built in 2008 it has special tanks for carrying fuel, and is in fact a small tanker. In addition it can carry deck cargo. It measures 1061 gross tons and 1575 deadweight.
A former fleet mate from Thor P/F is doing similar work for new owners Atlantic Towing Ltd. Now called Atlantic Birch II it is supplying another seismic boat in waters between Canada and Greenland. (Since it is now a Canadian flagged vessel it does not need a coasting license).[SEE ADDENDUM]
Seismic vessels are expensive to operate and send most of their data out by satellite for analysis elsewhere, so it is cheaper to keep them on station and supply fuel and stores to them.
Thor Omega's owners advertise their web site on the ship's side: http://www.thor.fo/.
ADDENDUM:-see comment following- Atlantic Birch II was removed from the Canadian Register on June 6 and is presently in Saint John, NB.

Heather Knutsen-too big for Halifax Harbour?

The handsome tanker Heather Knutsen has been occupying a prominent spot in Halifax harbour since Friday. One of Canada’s largest tankers (80,918 gross tons, 148,644 deadweight tonnes) it was built in 2005 by Samsung Heavy Industries in Koje as a shuttle tanker for the White Rose project off Newfoundland. It is on a ten year charter to Husky Oil Operations by owners Knutsen Boyelaster VI KS of Haugesund, Norway and operated by Canship Ugland of St.John’s.

1. Heather Knutsen at anchor, bow south.

With the White Rose floating production and storage ship off station, the ship has been tramping oil from other from other sources. After unloading at Imperial Oil last Monday to Wednesday (June 11-13 ) it proceeded to the outer anchorages where there is lots of room for a ship of its size.

On Friday June 15 however it returned to port. Some minor maintenance work is apparently going on, since I have seen the tug/workboat Halmar shuttling back and forth with technicians or spare parts.

When a ship of this size comes into Halifax to anchor for a few hours to take bunkers, it is usually assigned to anchorage number one south of George’s Island. This is a short term deepwater anchorage but cannot be used for long periods because it impedes traffic going into Imperial Oil and Autoport and the upper harbour.

For longer term periods, the anchorages north of George’s Island are suitable for most ships, but a ship this size would also impede traffic if anchored too far north. The only spot for it therefore is just north of George’s, square on the ferry track between Woodside and Halifax. When the ship swings at anchor, with a north/south heading, all is well, but if the wind shifts, and the ship moves to an east/west position. There is just enough room for traffic to pass ahead and astern of the ship.

3. With bows east, and the tug/workboat Halmar alongside.
Anchoring in Bedford Basin is another possibility, but only if the ship can get under the bridges. I don’t know the air draft of this ship, but it may be an issue

Pier space is also at a premium, but would also be an option if there was no commercial traffic at those piers. This was certainly the case last week, when all the piers that were long enough for the ship were already occupied. Also the cost of using a pier, and the cost of tugs to get the ship alongside would be dollars the operators would rather not spend.

4. bows heading south of east, the ship allows for easy passage of traffic.

So is the ship too big for Halifax harbour? I would say no, but only because it is the only ship of its size currently in the port. There is no room for another of its size unless it was able to go to Bedford Basin.
 
 

5. Seen from under the Macdonald bridge, the ship dwarfs George's Island, the only other obstruction in the lower harbour.

Tuvaq - convincing icebreaker

The Coastal Shipping tanker Tuvaq made one if its rare calls in Halifax - the third visit by a Woodward tanker in the last week or so. It anchored this afternoon for bunkers.

Built in 1977 by the Werft Nobiskrug in Rendsburg, Germany for Neste O/Y of Finland, it is an icebreaking tanker, intended for the harshest conditions of the Baltic. Originally named Tiira it was acquired by the Woodward Group in late 2002 and renamed.
It has also proven itself in the Canadian arctic with numerous forays into the far north  and winter service in the St.Lawrence. It was here first in  February 2004 at Ultramar.
Originally powered by two V-12 MaK engines generating 15,600 bhp it was re-engined with two Wartsilsa 6 cylinder engines in 1997, this time giving 15,908 bhp on a single controllable pitch screw. For a ship of 11,290 gross tons/ 15,954 deadweight tonnes, this is about twice the power of a comparable non-icebreaking tanker.
Its impressive bow gives it a distinctive and powerful look.

HMCS Halifax

HMCS Halifax returned to HMC Dockyard yesterday after her FELEX refit at Halifax Shipyards.
The 18 month (scheduled) refit, estimated to cost $549mn for the Halifax class frigates involves a huge modernisation that will allow the frigates to last until replacements are built.
With recent rumblings from Ottawa that the Canadian military's procurement package may be cut back, this mid-life refit may have to last longer than planned.
As Halifax is the first and oldest ship in the class, it will be the first to go when its time is up, but that not be until later than originally expected.

Work on the ship is not complete from my understanding-only the shipyard portion. More equipment upgrades/replacements will be performed at HMC Dockyard. Then come all the workups required to get the ship back into service.

That sinking feeling

Workers from McNally Construction completed forming and pouring the first crib for the Pier 9C extension yesterday, and today moved the crib into position. It will gradually sink into place this evening as air is expelled from its flotation chambers. Mooring points on shore and on the barges Canadian Argosy and Derrick No.3 will ensure that the crib remains in position while it slowly settles into place.

By early evening the crib was settled on the bottom and the crew packed up for the night.