Tropical Surprise and Mystery Guest

The container ship Vega Fynen arrived today from Palm Beach, FL, quite obviously for Tropical Shipping, since most of  the containers on deck carried that line's prominent word mark. However the ship is not one of the regular Tropical callers, nor is this the regular day for Tropical ships (they sail on Mondays).

Today's blustery conditions created lots of spray for the outbound pilot boat.

It seems that the ship is here to replenish the stock of empty containers or taking away unused empties. It is so lightly loaded it does not appear to be carrying much cargo.

Built in 2006 by Kouan Shipbuilding Industry Co in China, it is a 9957 gt, 13,742 dwt vessel with a capacity of 1118 TEU. It also carries a pair of 45 tonne cranes. It is owned Vega Reederei, and managed by the Friedrich Dauber group of Hamburg.

As  Vega Fynen tied up at pier 41, another odd ship was working boxes at pier 42, largely hidden from view. Hansa Meersburg owned the Hamburg owners Leonhardt + Blumberg, is a somewhat larger ship of 18,327 gt, 23,387 dwt. It has a capacity of 1740 TEU and carries two 40 tonne cranes. 

Barely visible behind boxes and cranes, Hansa Meersburg unloads at pier 41.

The ship does not show up on anyone's schedule. However since it arrived from New York, I have guessed, by process of elimination, that it is working for ZIM on its east coast feeder service. If I hear otherwise I will update this post.

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CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell - heading west

CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell sailed from St.John's, NL on Monday, October 28. The ship has been transferred to the west coast as part of the longer term SAR ship replacement program. Normally based in St.John's it has worked out of Halifax from time to time over the years particularly for the fall opening of lobster season when there may be extra calls for search and rescue.

Once it reaches Victoria, BC the Grenfell will replace CCGS Bartlett until new ships are delivered.

Sir Wilfred Grenfell was built in 1985 by Marystown Shipyard as an offshore support vessel and converted for CCG Search and Rescue. The vessel it will replace, CCGS Bartlett, was built in 1969 by Marine Industries Ltd in Sorel, QC as a medium endurance multi-task vessel. A Provo Wallis class vessel it was refitted in 1988 by Halifax Shipyard and again in 2010 by Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver. That refit was to give the ship ten more years of service, which will soon be up.

Both ships carry names that are well known in Newfoundland. Capt. Bob Bartlett, a native of Brigus, had a fleeting connection with Victoria - see https://www.victoriaharbourhistory.com/harbour-stories/explorers/archibald-menzies-2/  but is better known for his arctic exploits.

Sir Wilfred Grenfell, born in England, was a medical missionary to Newfoundland. His work in providing medical and later vocational aid to Newfoundlanders, Labradorians and Innu from his base in St.Anthony is legendary. The Wikipedia entry probably does not do justice but provides a brief overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Grenfell.

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Cruise Finale

The 2019 cruise season came one big step closer to the end today with Anthem of the Seas. The ship is the last large ship to call this year, with only two small ships yet to come, Silver Wind (295 passengers) on November 3 and Riviera (1250 passengers) on November 6.

Anthem of the Seas with a capacity of 4180 (double occupancy) is a Quantum class ship, the third largest class of ship currently in service. Only MSC's Meraviglia and Royal Caribbean's Oasis classes are larger.

It is a drizzly and windy day for the hardy travelers that decided to go ashore, but there are some attractions right at hand such as Canada's immigration museum at pier 21.

Many of the other attractions have already closed for the year.

Canada's naval memorial, Sackville returned to its winter home in HMC Dockyard last week.

Most of the waterfront's floating docks have been put in storage for the winter, but some attractions such as the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Acadia remain open.

I did see a Harbour Hopper running on Monday, but none since.

With shorter daylight hours as we return to Atlantic Standard Time over the coming weekend, Shipfax will also be shifting emphasis slightly to the more commercial or governmental shipping activities until spring. Illustrations may also be more from the past than the present.

Hoewever I will still be watching the harbour.

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Ocean Seeker - update

Pennecon Marine Base of Bay Bulls, NL acquired the former RCMP patrol vessel Murray in August. Renamed Ocean Seeker in September, it has been tied up the Cove in Dartmouth, but I did see it underway this morning.

Built by A.F.Theriault + Son Ltd in Meteghan River, NS in 2003, it is an aluminum hulled catamaran. Powered by two 1000 bhp Caterpillar engines through Arneson drives it had a cruising speed of 26 knots and a maximum speed of 36 knots.

The boat had been n cold layup at Shearwater  since November 2015 according to the GC Surplus site. Nevertheless, it fetched $524, 424 in the sale.

As the company name implies, the Pennecon Marine Base services various marine interests, but primarily offshore petroleum with docks and warehouses. Several small craft work form there, but it is not clear what role Ocean Seeker will perform.

Update:
Digging into the shoebox I turned up the following taken during Tall Ships 2009 when RCMP Murray was still in commission:

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The swings and roundabouts

The tanker BW Raven may be glad to see the last of Halifax after an extended visit. The ship is due to sail early this afternoon after several moves to anchorage, Imperial Oil and pier 31. Back at anchor this morning it was swinging round with the tide as harbour traffic goes about its business.

At number 5 anchorage in the lower harbour the ship has the former Coast Guard base, now called The Cove, as a backdrop.

The tug Mister Joe with the split hull hopper barge Pitts No.12 heads southbound with another load of fill for the pier 42 extension.

Standing by off the BW Raven Dominion Diving's Roseway appears to be waiting to disembark someone from the tanker.

At the Cove the suppliers Trinity Sea and Burin Sea await an uncertain fate. Trinity Sea has been laid up since August and Burin Sea arrived this week. The two former Russian suppliers, rebuilt by Secunda Marine may be looking at permanent retirement.

Also alongside the Cove is the research vessel LeeWay Odyssey. It is the former CGS Cape Harrison and Louis M. Lauzier and now calls The Cove its home base. See also:
http://shipfax.blogspot.com/search?q=leeway+odyssey

Both photos taken through window glass, hence the somewhat foggy appearance.

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Short Days, getting shorter

As the days get shorter, it may be time to break out the tripod for some night shots and time exposures. In the meantime however, I am making do with the cell phone, which takes photos in surprising low light, and compensates well for hot (bright) spots.

 Both of today's cruise ships sailed after dark. Seabourn Quest at 2030 and Seven Seas Navigator at 2230.

After they sail there is only one more scheduled cruise ship visit. Anthem of the Seas is due October 31 to close the season. Victory I showed up for a time on the pilotage schedule for the morning of October 30, but by passed Halifax during the evening of October 29 en route from Charlottetown to Portland. That call never appeared on the official Cruise Halifax schedule.

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Business as Usual

As the cruise season winds down, today was the last big day, with four ships in port.

It was pretty much wall to wall ships at the seawall and finger piers.

From south to north (left to right in the picture above):
pier 31: Caribbean Princess
pier 23: Silver Whisper
pier 22: Regal Princess
pier 20: AIDAdiva

Regal Princess was last to leave this afternoon and sounded its mournful "Love Boat" goodbye whistle several times. If you haven't heard it go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWQlAglh9NI
It does sound somewhat more tuneful in reality, and much louder up close.

Still at pier 28 HC Svea-Kim (blue hull) resumed  unloading rails, but the tanker BW Raven had to vacate pier 31 and went back out to anchor (again).

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When Puze sailed, giving Rotterdam as its next port,

it was back to number 3 oil dock for BW Raven.

Clearly there was some sort of problem with the ship or its cargo to make it move within the port so many times.

There was also activity at both container terminals.

Atlantic Sun called at Cerescorp Fairview Cove on the westbound leg of its trip and Halterm had Pengalia for Eimskip, eastbound from US ports for Iceland via Argentia, NL.

Built in 2008 by the Sainty (Jiangdu) Corp in Jiangdu* (formerly shown as Yangzhou) it is a 7545 gt, 8268 dwt vessel with a capacity of 698 TEU (incluing 120 reefers). Eimskip also charters the Skogafoss, built by the same yard in 2008 with the same gt, but a dwt of 8210 tonnes. It has the same container capacity, but is fitted with two 60 tonne cranes.

Pengalia flies the Cyprus flag and is managed by Marlow. Skogafoss built as Ice Bird has just recently been purchased by Ernst Russ (part of Zeaborn) and will continue its charter to Eimskip, with management shifting from Briese to Zeaborn.

The builders of these ships, Sainty Marine, part of Jiangsu* Guoxin Group, a state owned company, claimed the distinction of being the first publicly listed Chinese company to declare bankruptcy. It has since been liquidated and its former president was sentenced to 18 years in prison for fraud.

* Jiangdu is a district within Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, in central eastern China.

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