Presever to the scrappers

FILED REMOTELY

File photo: Preserver in use as a fuel shuttle, relied on tugs to move it between the HMC Dockyard and Imperial Oil after it was withdrawn from seagoing in 2014.

Although I was not in Halifax to see it go, I followed yesterday's departure of the decommissioned HMCS Preserver on the internet.

The tug Lois M of McKeil Marine got underway on schedule at 1030 hrs, and with assistance of the Dockyard tugs Glenevis and Glenbrook they were soon off the berth. The latter tug was tethered aft as stern escort.

Once out to the Middle Ground area, inside Meagher's Beach, the ship pilot disembarked to Scotia Pilot while the pilot assigned to the tug remained on board until reaching the pilot station.
By this morning the tow was making good progress and was off Guysboro.

The ship was sold to Marine Recycling Corporation of Port Colborne, ON, and there was idle speculation that the ship would be towed to the Great Lakes to be broken up. This was never in the cards. Although the ship could fit into the Seaway locks, it would have been an expensive proposition to tow it all the way to the Welland Canal. There would also be the question of the many delays caused to commercial shipping with such an ungainly tow.

Despite protestations in the press that they are not in the ship scrapping business, Heddle Marine of Hamilton, ON, a company associated with McKeil Marine, was instrumental in having the ship broken up in Nova Scotia. McKeil and Heddle have leased the Sydport area in Point Edward, NS as a ship repair and staging base, with an option to purchase the entire facility. They have apparently sub-leased some of the space to MRC and that is where Preserver will be broken up.

MRC has also acquired the retired ferry Princess of Acadia, the research vessel Quest (and possibly the destroyer Athabaskan) all of which will also be cut up at the facility. Heddle was contracted by the federal government to provide shipkeeping services when the ferry was retired and laid up  at Sydport.

MRC will undoubtedly use the facilities of Heddle Marine to assist in the initial dismantling and removal of recyclables and re-usables from Preserver and the other ships. There is still a plan to remove the marine re-fueling gear from Preserver for re-use by the RCN.

File photo: Preserver in its role as a floating gas station allowed RCN ships to refuel within the Dockyard until permanent fueling facilities could be arranged after Imperial Oil shut down its refinery and became a deport only.

The last of the Canadian Navy's supply ships, Preserver was laid down built in Saint John, NB in 1967, launched in 1969 and commissioned in 1970. It is ironic that its arrival date in Sydney harbour will be very close to the anniversary date of August 7, 1970.

It was removed from seagoing service in 2014 with corrosion, electrical issues and other problems, and finally decommissioned  October 21, 2016. Its disposal for scrap has very rapid by Canadian standards, which is partly explained by the fact that instead of the RCN's own forces removing re-usables, the MRC/Heddle operation will do that work.

Preserver's twin fleet mate Protecteur has been scrapped by R.J.MacIsaac in Liverpool, NS which has left the RCN in an awkward position of being unable to refuel its own ships at sea.

The fueler to be named Asterix Resolute is expected  to come into service this fall. It was recently unveiled at Davie in Lauzon, QC. A converted container ship hull, that ship has been contracted to serve the RCN until 2021 (at the earliest) when the RCN takes delivery of the second of two Queenston class fleet replenishment ships. It is not clear at this point how the fueling gear will be transferred to the Asterix  Resolute, but if it is done, McKeil / Heddle have lots of tugs and barges to do the work.

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Quebec Report #2

More ideal weather and tides = more photos.

First up this morning was the tanker Las Cuevas from Norfolk for Quebec City in ballast.

Built in 2000 by Minami Nippon, in Usuki, Japan, the ship measures 27,955 grt, 45,299 dwt. It flies the British flag - now a flag of convenience (how times have changed).

It was followed not long after by Montreal Express doing a strong 20 knots as it stretched to follow the tide. Although bearing a HAPAG-Lloyd name, it is a lease from Sea Spirit Leasing Ltd and also flies the flag of Great Britain.

The ship is in itself a bit a of a history lesson, as it was built in 2003 as Canmar Spirit following the naming style of the successful Canada Maritime (a joint venture of CP Ships and Cie Maritime Belge, although CP had bought pout CMB in 1993). In 2005 the Canmar brand was dropped and CP Ships renamed it CP Spirit. Through several acquisitions, CP had become the 7th largest container line. But that position seems to be a curse, and it was swallowed up  by TUI AG and merged into HAPAG-Lloyd in 2005, and in 2006 the ship acquired its current name.
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering built the ship in Okpo, to carry 4402 TEU (including 311 reefers) on 55,994 grt, 47,840 dwt and it was intended for year-round St.Lawrence River service.

Following up at a more sedate speed, Reestborg is bound for Trois-Rivières from Vlaardingen, Netherlands. The ship features a reverse camber bow, and a very small superstructure for a ship with a surprisingly large tonnage of 14,141 grt, 23,249 dwt.

Downbound, mid-river is Dara Desgagnés.

Reestborg was built for Royal Wagenborg by Ferus Smit at the Leer Shipyard in 2013.


Once the tide had crested it was time fir the downbounds. To avoid upbound traffic, most downbounds stick to mid-channel or even use the south channel from time to time, however with no other ships in the area Alkyonis opted for the north shore to gain a little from the tidal backwash.

Just above the number two crane is the Morin Shoal buoy, marking a seamount in mid-river. 

The telephoto lens shortens the distance considerably.

A comparatively new bulker of 23,2676 grt, 37,418 dwt, Alkyonis was built in 2016 by Imabari Zosen, in Imabari, Japan and is mostly used to carry coal. Its next port is listed as Norfolk, VA.

Rounding up the day with the incoming tide was another container ship, MSC Rochelle. It flies the Liberian flag, and as is common with many MSC ships on the transatlantic route, it has a long history.

Built in 1997 by Hyundai, Ulsan, it was originally Pugwash Senator named in honor of the Nova Scotia village where Cyrus Eaton founded the Pugwash Thinkers Conferences.  Senator Line was a German company, in which Hanjin acquired a majority ownership in 1997, with Laiesz in the minority. Laeisz was once the owner of the famous Flying P line of clipper ships, and all its ships were named with the the letter P. Although becoming a major container line Hanjin-Senator was also a victim of the curse of 7. Even though it was the 7th largest container line, it ceased trading in 2002.

In 2007 the ship found other charters and became CSAV Appennini, 2012: Pugwash, 2013: MSC Curitiba, 2014: Pugwash and in the same year MSC Rochelle.

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Quebec Report #1

Having established a reliable internet connection in Quebec I am now able to post at will. I won't be posting every day, but today's superb weather made for some good photo opportunities.

There were many ships in the river today, and with an incoming tide late in the afternoon, lighting was ideal. At my location about 90 miles northeast of Quebec City, most ships time their upbound trips to take advantage of a knot or two of rising tide. This may not seem like a lot, but the alternative is to fight a falling tide, which can be considerably stronger, especially at pinch points like Ile-aux-Coudres and Quebec City.

First upbound that I caught was NCC Noor, a 29,163 grt, 45,565 dwt mid-range tanker of the National Chemical Carriers fleet of Saudi Arabia, now part of the "Bahri" brand. Nevertheless it flies the Panama flag.
 

It was built in 2011 by SLS Shipbuilding Co in Tongyeong, South Korea.

Next along was the Wagenborg ship Aragonborg. Its destination was the nearby wharf at Pointe-au-Pic, where it will be paper for export to Europe. Royal Wagenborg is one of the prime forest product carriers.

It was built in 2010 by Hudong-Zhonghua in Shanghai and measures 11,885 grt, 17,294 dwt. It has moveable tween decks and three 60 tonne cranes. After a few days loading paper from the Resolute mill in Clermont, it will sail to Baie-Comeau to take on more.

A few minutes later it was another mid-range tanker BW Osprey, 290,768 grt, 49,999 dwt, built in 2015 by SPP Shipbuilding Co in Goseong, South Korea.

The distinctive hull colours of BW Tankers from Singapore certainly sets them out from the rest. BW apparently stands for Bergesen Worldwide, a name adopted by World Wide Shipping (of Hong Kong) when it acquired Bergesen of Norway. It is presently has the world's largest fleet of VLCCs.

The last upbound in daylight was Algoma Integrity. After a lengthy winter layup in Montreal it has only recently resumed service carrying iron ore from Port-Cartier to Contrecouer in a constant  shuttle service.

The former Gypsum Integrity to 2015t it was built in 2009 to sail from Hantsport, NS, but that was a short-lived job. After US Gypsum shut down its mine nearby the ship was chartered out and eventually sold.
 Built in Rio de Janeiro by EISA-Ilha it measures 33,047 grt, 47,701 dwt.

To watch for

Watch for the Atlantic Pilotage Authority's new pilot boats. As mentioned in a previous post, crews are putting the boats through their paces before they go into service.

This morning the Nova Pilot was on trials at pier 23. Expect to see them accompanying ships out to the pilot station, but not actually boarding pilots. Nova Pilot and Scotia Pilot will replace the venerable A.P.A.No.1 in Halifax and be available to replace other boats as they go in for refits.

A.P.A.No.1 (left) will be replaced. The new boats have heated decks and rails which will make it safer for pilots in freezing spray conditions. Chebucto Pilot (right) was built with heated decks and rails, but they have not functioned properly. (February 14, 2017 photo)

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Off Watch and thank you

 Veendam outbound in the main channel, Reykjafoss (Eimskip) inbound in the western channel, Fritz Reuter (Melfi) oubound in the western channel and Vega Omega (Tropical) outbound in the main channel.

Shipfax will be going off watch, as far as Halifax Harbour is concerned, for the next few weeks. Periodic reports may follow, but they will be few and far between and may be filed from far away places.

Thanks to everyone who came to my exhibition, which is now closed. Thanks also for the many kind comments. If you missed it, I hope to have an online version sometime this fall.

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Themis ramps it down

The large autocarrier Themis made its first call in Halifax today, on a very gloomy morning. It stopped first at pier 31 to unload some wheeled machinery and in the afternoon moved to Autoport to unload cars.

As soon as the ship was made fast it began to lower its giant stern ramp.

Built in 2016 by Hyundai Samho, the ship has a capacity of 8,000 cars, but can carry a variety of RoRo cargo too. Its 320 tonne capacity stern ramp allows for some very heavy loads. The ship is owned by Toda Shipping and managed by MMS Co Ltd. It sails for Wilhelmsen Lines under the Wallenius Wilhelmsen banner. Its gross tonnage is 75,283 with a deadweight tonnage of 23,786.

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Atlantic Conveyor - finale

This may be my final posting on the Atlantic Conveyor except perhaps for a report that she has headed for the scrap yard. Her arrival today is likely her last westbound trip, and since I will be away when she makes the return eastbound call next week, today was also my last chance to see the ship.
As the last Atlantic Container Liners (ACL) G3 in operation it is worth repeating some of the history that I have recounted before.

 Atlantic Conveyor passes Meagher's Beach this moring, to be joined by its escort tug Spitfire III.

The ship was launched July 12, 1984 at Swan Hunter on the Waalsend-Neptune yard on the Tyne and made her maiden call  in Halifax February 1, 1985. Named Atlantic Conveyor by her owners, Cunard Steam Ship Co Ltd, she was was the second ship to carry that name.  The first Atlantic Conveyor was also a product of Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd from their Walker yard in Newcastle in 1970. It was one of the second generation (G2) series built for service with ACL and was a regular Halifax caller. 

The first Atlantic Conveyor taking water at the pier 36 RoRo ramp. This was its regular berth until the Halterm container terminal was completed.

A steam turbine ship, it needed to replenish its fresh water supply from time to time..

It served ACL until 1982 when it was requistioned by the UK Minister of Defence for service in the Falklands War. Fitted out to carry military supplies, it was not armed. On May 26, 1982 it was struck by two exocet missiles from Argentinian aircraft. Unspent propellant ignited a fire that gutted the ship, killing twelve including the ship's long time master, Capt. Ian North, well known in Halifax. The seven helicopters that were on board were also destroyed and many other supplies. Prince Andrew witnessed the strike and was first on scene in his helicopter to lift off survivors. It sank a few days later in tow.
 

 A few months before lenghtening, Atlantic Conveyor arrives in Halifax.

 The second Atlantic Conveyor arrived at Scott Lithgow Ltd in Greenock, Scotland July 14, 1987 and was lengthened 42m (to 291.92m) , increasing its capacity substantially. RoRo capacity was increased by 3570m2, containers by 336 TEU (to 2908) , cars by 500 units, and its engine increased by 3,670 bhp (to 27,398 bhp) . That engine, a massive 6 cylinder B+W was built under license by John G. Kincaid, also in Greenock. The ship was already distinguished by the turtleback cowl over its forepeak - unique amongst all the ACL G3s. All the other G3s were lengthened by Hyundai Mipo.

 

The lengthened Atlantic Conveyor passes the Novadock floating drydock at Halifax Shipyard, monopolizing the Narrows.

Through the various re-arrangements of ownership of ACL, Atlantic Conveyor has at various times flown the British and Bahamas flags, but since 2003 it has flown the Swedish flag, as ownership is vested in Atlantic Container Lines AB, which in turn is owned by the Grimaldi Group.

Outbound this evening after 32 years.

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