Pilot Boat Changes

The Atlantic Pilotage Authority has made another change in pilot boat assignments in Halifax as its fleet of boats goes through refits. The Captain A.G.Soppit (see October 13 post) has returned to its normal post in Saint John, NB.

Its place has been taken by Captain E.T.Rogers, also normally based in Saint John, but fresh from refit in Meteghan. The Rogers was built in 2012 by Abco Industries in Lunenburg as Chebucto Pilot for service in Halifax.  Captain A.G. Soppitt was built to the same design and APA chose to group similar boats in the same ports for operational familiarity and maintenance.  Chebucto Pilot went to Saint John and was renamed.

The usual Halifax pilot boat Scotia Pilot is presumably still in refit, and for now the Rogers shares duties with the Nova Pilot.

The pilot boats have moved from the north to the south side of the former Foundation / ECTUG / Svitzer pier, giving room for a floating landing stage. The Province of Nova Scotia purchased the dock and the adjacent former salvage dock to the south which I expect will be demolished as an eyesore. Both piers are old timber pile construction and would need extensive repairs if they were to be re-purposed.

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Basin for Orders

Anchorage in Bedford Basin is not only a refuge from foul weather by also a convenient location to await orders. Shipowners, working through brokers and other channels seek the best deal for the ship's next cargo, and sometimes the ship must stand by until a deal is reached. Other times, the ship is not due in its next port for a time and Bedford Basin is a good spot to wait. Something similar may be case for the tanker BW Raven According to the operator's web site, the ship is due for survey November 30, 2019, and may be seeking a cargo going in the direction of the shipyard, or it just may be waiting so as not to arrive early.

BW Raven approaches the chosen anchorage in Bedford Basin.

Operator of the ship is the large Hafnia Pool, based in Singapore. The ship is part of the huge BW Group of more than 400 ships, including bulkers, offshore storage units (FPSOs), gas tankers, crude oil tankers and the world's largest fleet of product tankers.

BW Raven was built in 2015 by SPP Shipbuilding Co in Goseong, South Korea to typical MidRange tanker specifications of 29,751 gt, 49,999 dwt. Its cargo tanks are coated with chemically resistant  phenolic epoxy, allowing it to carry a variety of cargoes including the refined petroleum products it delivered to Imperial Oil. The ship arrived October 17 after a day's delay due to weather.

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Normal Comings and Goings

Seven Seas Navigator, arrived this morning and tied up at its usual berth at pier 23. To make the tight turn into the camber, the pilot used the tug Atlantic Oak to assist.

The ship has a somewhat unusual early history. It was originally laid down by the Admiralty Shipyard in Leningrad, USSR, as a satellite tracking ship, in 1988, and launched in 1991. To be named Akademik Nikolay Pilyugin. Caught up in collapse of the Soviet Union, the ship languished unfinished until 1998 when Radisson Seven Seas Cruises bought the hull. They had the T. Mariotti yard near Genoa build the superstructure and complete the ship for 490 passengers and 340 crew in 1999. Due to its relatively small size of 28,550 gt, almost all the cabins are outside with verandah.

Now operating as Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the company carried out a major refit to all public areas and suites in 2016.

The tanker Ardmore Sealifter arrived yesterday from Amsterdam for Irving Oil and was well along unloading this afternoon.

Built in 2008 by Onomichi Zosen, it is one of 26 or so ships in the Ardmore fleet of MidRange tankers, and measures 26,900 gt, 47,472 dwt. Its original name was Pacific Innovator but was renamed in 2014 when it joined the Ardmore pool. The bulkhead markings on its hull are still bright white from a July drydocking.

Arriving this morning at Ceres, Fairview Cove, the regular caller MOL Paramount also looked particularly neat and tidy as it transited the Narrows.

Dating from 2005 when it was built by Koyo Dockyard, it is a 71,902 gt, 72,968 dwt ship with a capacity of 6350 TEU , including 500 reefers. Industry wide slow steaming probably means that it never achieves its published maximum speed of 26 knots. The huge diameter exhaust pipe in the funnel leads from a 62,920 kW (84,377 bhp) MAN-B+W main engine.

Atlantic Bear is the tethered escort for braking and steering as they approach the Mac Kay bridge.

MOL Paramount is, at least for the time being, still maintaining its MOL identity despite the merged container interests of MOL, K-Line and NYK Line in Ocean Network Express. I am not looking forward to the day when it adopts the ONE hull color to match the ONE containers.

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Laker for Scrap

The Shipfax header says "and beyond" and this post, at least in part, deals with Halifax and well beyond.

When it was built in 1959 in Manitowoc, WI, the laker Adam E. Cornelius was one of the new breed of US post-war ships. At 666'-3" length overall x 72' breadth , it was well short of the 735' x 75' maximum allowed by the brand new St.Lawrence Seaway, but it was able to access some ports that the big ships could not, such as its home port of Buffalo, NY. At Seaway draft ship could carry about 20,000 (short) tons of cargo, and about 21,700 tons on the open lakes.
Owners American Steamship Co were pioneers of self-unloader technology and they employed the latest type in this ship, with a 250 foot boom that swung out 120 degrees from the ship's centreline. They were not so daring when it came to propulsion however, but stayed with proven steam technology. The ship could travel as far east as Sept-Iles, QC for cargo, but was not built for sea service.

Eventually the ship proved to be too small and uneconomical to operate and it was laid up in 1985. In 1988 the ship was sold to the newly formed Keybulk Transport Inc of Montreal. It was towed to Halifax by the Secunda Marine tug/supplier Triumph Sea. Halifax-Dartmouth Industries (as Halifax Shipyards was then known) converted the ship to a barge.

Adam E. Cornelius arrived in Halifax in January 1989.

By removing a portion of the stern, and most of the engine room (leaving space for some diesel generators), the shipyard formed a pushing notch to fit a tug. The typical Great Lakes wheelhouse forward was left as a conning position, but control of the barge would be from the tug.

On completion of the work, the barge was renamed Capt Edward V.Smith and it was paired with the tug Irving Miami (later renamed Atlantic Hickory) using conventional face wires. The combination saw service on the Great Lakes and on the east coast, carrying grain, salt, and other bulk cargoes, including even iron ore. Various other tugs including Arctic Nanook, Atlantic Cedar and  Magdalen Sea also towed / pushed the barge, in coastal work.

Irving Miami, later renamed Atlantic Hickory pushed the barge from a "padded" stern notch, connected by face wires.

In 1991 the barge was placed under Secunda management and renamed  Sea Barge One. However Keybulk went out of business, and in 1992 the barge was sold by court ordered auction to low bidder Transport Desgagnes. Their tenure was particularly short, and in 1993 owners became Halifax Grain Elevator Ltd.

In 1996 the barge was renamed Sarah Spencer.  The arrangement with Atlantic Hickory was not particularly successful in the Seaway locks, because was a far from rigid connection. Other shippers complained to the Seaway that they held up the progress of conventional ships. Conning the tug by VHF radio from the barge must have been a nightmare. In fact another tug was employed to tow them on occasion.

In 2000 Secunda provided the tug Tignish Sea for conversion to a pusher, with a proper, Bark River coupling system, to keep the tug rigid in the notch. The tug was converted in Halifax, with final installation of the pistons, and modifications to the barge made on the Lakes.

Renamed Jane Ann IV, the former Tignish Sea , leaves Halifax after conversion in October 2000.

See Tugfax for more on this:  http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2018/10/jane-ann-iv-offered-for-scrap.html

In this new arrangement the tug was controlled remotely from the barge's bridge via communication cable. The tug was pinned to the barge and could pitch, but not roll independently. The locking pistons on the tug would be adjusted to suit the barge's draft, using a series of  perforations in a ladder formation, on the sides of the notch.

The rigid connection was more successful in the Seaway locks.

In 2006 tug and barge were sold to TGL Holdings of Plymouth, MI, but retained Canadian registration. The combination operated until 2008 when they went into intermittent, then long term layup, shifting between Toledo and Detroit.

The tug was scrapped earlier this year and on Friday October 18, the Sarah Spencer left Toledo in tow for Port Colborne, ON to be broken up as well. Conducting the tow are the tugs Ohio  and the McKeil tug Molly M 1 (ex Point Vigour, ex Foundation Vigour), a former Halifax based tug that assisted the barge many times over the years.

Several other tug/barge combinations have been built or converted on the Great Lakes, using old Lake ship hulls, but this is the only one (so far) with a Halifax connection.

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Storm Warnings

All week forecasters had been predicting a storm for today, so it came as no surprise that very high winds with the usual driving rain prevailed most of the day. Cruise lines are particularly aware of weather, and plan well advance with a "Plan B". Several ships deviated from their itineraries and sought shelter where they could.

Regal Princess from Saint John, NB made a U-turn and headed for New York.

Pilotage operations were suspended in Halifax this morning and will not resume until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Late evening departure times were scrubbed and ships were obliged to remain in port. Seabourn Quest, Veendam and Celebrity Summit (which had all managed to get tie up this morning - with tug assistance)  added an unaccustomed glow to the waterfront this evening with deck lights ablaze.

Some commercial traffic was also forced to hold off, including the container ship Jennifer Schepers for ZIM and the tankers Ardmore Sealifter. for Irving Oil and  BW Raven for Imperial Oil. The ConRo Atlantic Sun is also stuck here over night.

In view of these conditions Shipfax suspended outdoor operations and thus have no current photos to illustrate any of the above. However, consulting the photo archive department the publisher submits the following as a follow up to yesterday's post on harbour craft:

Louisiana Star is a 500 passenger day trip boat operated in - of all places - Hamburg, Germany. Built in 1999 it is powered by two Schottel rudder propellors. As Google translate so aptly puts it, it is modeled on an American "tailwheel steamer" and the wheel "serves only the optics."

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No to Oceanex

The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled against Oceanex in its latest attempt to force Marine Atlantic to charge commercial rates. Oceanex has  long held that the Crown Corporation has an unfair advantage over Oceanex for Newfoundland freight because it charges less than cost. Oceanex, contends that as a private company it must recoup costs in order to stay in business and to reinvest in its fleet.

This battle has been fought before, and both sides have had victories, dating back for many years to  when Canadian National Railway, then a crown corporation, operated the Gulf service. The Canadian Transportation Commission found it guilty of predatory (non-compensatory) pricing, through its Terra Transport operation on at least two occasions.

Oceanex formed in 1991, brought together the Montreal/ Newfoundland and Halifax/ Newfoundland services of ACE (Atlantic Container Express) and ASL (Atlantic Searoute Limited) respectively. Original equal share owners Clarke (then owned by Newfoundland Capital), CSL (then owned in part by Fednav), Fednav and A. Harvey took the company public in 1998. Since 2007 the company has been privately owned.

The Montreal service continues year round with two modern ships.

Oceanex Avalon  built in 2005 by J.J.Sietas, Neuenfelde, Germany is a container only ship.

Oceanex Connaigra built in 2013 by Flensburger is a Con-Ro, that has been used on the Halifax run to cover refits.

The Halifax / St.John's weekly service is maintained by the now venerable Oceanex Sanderling.

Built in 1977 by Sasebo Heavy Industries, the 21,849 gt, 15,195 dwt CoRo can carry 1127 TEU. Originally named Rauenfels it was renamed 80: Essen, 82: Kongsfjord, 83: Onno, 87: ASL Sanderling, 08: Oceanex Sanderling.

A particularly fine ship, Oceanex Sanderling has served the route exceptionally well, but is overdue for replacement. Oceanex's Chairman (and reportedly principal if not sole owner) has been adamant that the noncompetitive environment with Marine Atlantic precludes that.

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Small Craft - Part 1

This blog normally concentrates on larger ships that come and go in Halifax. However there are numerous small craft that work in the harbour and are often overlooked. These includes, work boats,  Navy, Coast Guard and research small craft.

Harbour tour boats are kept busy this time of year, not only with cruise ship passengers, but also the many "fall foliage" bus tour visitors and late season tourists who came after the summer rush.

Most of the boats have been here for many years, but some are relative newcomers.

Murphy's

Longtime tour boat operators Murphy's, founded by the Murphy family, was sold and in 2014 merged with the Ambassatours Gray Line bus operators. In September 2019 it was announced that Ambassatours has sold its bus operations to Coach Atlantic of Prince Edward Island, operators Maritime Bus. Murphy's, which also includes restaurants and shops, was apparently not part of the deal.

The longest serving vessel in the fleet is Harbour Queen One, the faux-Mississippi paddlewheeler is typical of similar craft operating in many ports of the world. They are out of keeping everywhere - except New Orleans, where they actually have a real one!

Another Murphy veteran the Summer Bay was retired at the end of last season and is reported to be for sale.

Back in Halifax this year after spending last summer in Saint John, NB, Theodore Too does nor seem particularly busy, but does put in an appearance at special events.

Acquired two years ago from Ontario operators, Kawartha Spirit has still not been renamed with a more local moniker. I suggest that it be named Haligonian IV as it is fourth in line of direct succession from the first tour boat operated by Murphy's.

Murphy's headquarters at the Cable Wharf is crowded with their fleet.

Murphy's also operate the stylish Peggys Cove Express built on lobster boat lines and providing very fast service and nature cruises. Its hull was painted blue in past years, but is now white in line with the rest of the fleet.

The amphibious Harbour Hoppers (there are upwards of five) are ever present in the harbour and on the streets - enough said. A Hopper was stationed in Sydney, NS last year but has not returned this year.

The "Tall Ship" Silva operates under sail or bare poles depending on conditions and continues to be popular.

Winstar

Winstar Cruise operates from Alderney Landing in Dartmouth and caters to Asian visitors with seafood meals and service in Chinese. The boat was new to Halifax last year. See previous post: http://shipfax.blogspot.com/2018/07/new-halifax-tour-boat.html

Others

There are other smaller boats in the harbour tour and Northwest Arm tour business. This is a boat I have seen only once and unable to identify by name. Vessels under 15 gross tons are not necessarily registered by name, but by number. However they commonly have unofficial names. They are also required to display the registration number. They can also be registered by name. If so the name is to be displayed.
The operators have a web site: https://halifaxharbourtours.ca

The 60 minute tour for six people, is billed as quietly "all electric" in a classy thirties "European river boat" style replica. The 30 footer is new this year and runs from Purdy's Wharf.


The Cameron Brothers of Stewiacke, NS built the schooner Katie Belle themselves and brought it to Halifax in 2016 with the intention of operating harbour tours, but the boat has remained idle in Mill Cove again this year.

Several boat operators in Eastern Passage offer fishing trips outside the harbour, but that is the subject of a future post.

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