White and Bright at Foundation

 Perhaps not what you were expecting from the title (no it is not a refrigerator) the Super Yacht My Lady arrived in Halifax September 12 from the Newport, RI area and tied up at the Foundation Dock*.

Built in 1994 by Hakvoort in Monnickdam, Netherlands the 658 gt vessel can accommodate ten guests in six staterooms and a crew of fourteen. It was first named Lady Marina but was renamed Lady M. in 1998, Lady M II in 2010 and My Lady in 2019. It measures 49.99m length and 9.3m breadth and has a 6,000 mile range.

As with most yachts of this class it has many other features some of which are summarized at:

Yacht Charter Fleet

* The Foundation Dock is the name applied to a newly built pier. It is in the same location as the pier used by the legendary tug and salvage company Foundation Maritime and its successors MIL Tug, Eastern Canada Towing Ltd (ECTUG) and Svitzer Canada. The pier is lined with floating stages (seasonally) and is part of a redeveloped board walk and wharf area completed earlier this summer. It has now been re-purposed to cater to pleasure craft and tour boats exclusively.

The area is quite unrecognizable from its Foundation Maritime days as this late 1950s or early 1960 photo shows:

White arrows point to the old Foundation pier. The eight storey white building in the centre mid ground is the Ralston building, also demolished in the past year. The large graveled area in the photo below is its former site.

My Lady, partly concealed by a tree, at the Foundation wharf, 2021 version.

The black arrows point to the same location as the white arrows in the upper photo.

The intersection of Lower Water Street and Salter Street at far right in the colour photo is under the watermark in the black and white photo.

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New Name Times Two

 Two ships arrived in Halifax September 13 wearing new names. Both ships have been calling in Halifax for some time under their previous names, so they are familiar to the port.

First to arrive was the Netherlands flag Trinitas arriving from Cuba for Nirint Shipping BV. The ship was a regular in Halifax under the name Hollandia with cargoes of nickel sulfide from Moa, Cuba as back haul cargo on Nirint's Netherlands and Spain to Cuba container and generals service.

Built as Trinitas in 2007, with the hull by Damen Okean, Mykolayiv and completed by Damen Hoogezand, Foxhol, the ship was delivered as Nirint Hollandia. It was renamed Hollandia in 2012, but remained on Nirint service. It started to call in Halifax in 2014.

It is a 8,999 gt, 12,016 dwt vessel with a container capacity of 684 TEU, including 80 reefer plugs on deck. It uses a pair of 80 tonne SWL cranes to handle cargo, which in the case of the nickel concentrates is in bulk bags. It has movable tween decks and ventilated box shaped holds, so is an adaptable multi-purpose vessel capable of carrying bulk cargoes.

The ship was renamed Trinitas again in 2019, but had not called in Halifax under that name until now. Normally a name change while under charter indicates a change of owners, but this ship is still owned by a single ship company called JW Danser + PJ Danser of Delfzijl, Netherlands and managed by Wagenborg. The ship is not shown on future Nirint schedules so may be reassigned soon.

The second renamed ship is now called Vivienne Sheri D. While still carrying the Antigua and Barbuda flag, it has reportedly been sold to the Doornekamp Shipping of Odessa, ON. They have just started a container service from Europe to the Great Lakes and will include a feeder service out of Halifax. Their first ship Peyton Lynn C is currently on the Great Lakes after inaugurating a service with Spliethoff's Cleveland-Europe Express. The ship will also call at Doornekamp's home port of Picton, ON. Its calls here in Halifax will more likely be in the winter when the Seaway is closed to traffic.

Vivienne Sheri D has been so recently renamed that it has no name on the bows yet (too difficult to reach I guess) but only on the stern. A 10,905 gt vessel built in 2009 by Naval Gijon, Spain, it measures 12,640 dwt with a container capacity of 925 TEU including 200 reefers. Classed as a container feeder it has no cargo cranes.

Better known as Pictor J until 2020 and Pictor since earlier this year, it has been working on Eimskip's Green Line from Reykjavik, Argentia, Halifax, Portland, Maine and return since 2019. Eimskip also operates the ship as a New England feeder for such lines as CMA CGM. That may be supplemented by Doornekamp's feeder service.

According to media reports Doornekamp will keep the ship on the Eimskip charter for up to two years, but plan to place it on the Cleveland-Europe Express eventually.

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MSC Maria Clara

Over the past few years the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has been on a major ship buying spree. The company already had the second largest container ship fleet in the world, but with an estimated capacity of more than 4 million TEU it is within 106,000 TEU of overtaking Maersk - long the largest operator.

Although MSC has more than 40 new ships on order, totaling 720,000 TEU, it is not content to wait until 2022 to take delivery from the shipyards. Instead it is "hoovering" up ships at an incredible rate - buying ships sight unseen, ships that are already on charter to other lines, and older ships at well above market price estimates. Even ships from the Chinese domestic trade, which normally are never sold on have gone for record prices.

Shipping companies are making massive profits these days, so MSC apparently feels it can afford this daring program. It has already doubled its fleet size in the last eight years, but buying some seventy ships of more than 300,000 TEU in the last year alone is quite startling. MSC has also been noted over the years for operating older ships than average, so buying up "used" ships seemingly does not worry them.

Today, September 12, marked the arrival in Halifax of one of these "used" ships, which joined the MSC fleet this summer. Built in 2004 by Hanjin Heavy Industry and Construction Co, Ulsan it is typical of the older tonnage, which was once thought to be unprofitable to operated. The 54,214 gt, 68,150 dwt ship, with a capacity of 5060 TEU, including 454 reefers, started life on charter to Maersk as Maersk Douala. It called in Halifax under that name in the same year. In 2009 it became Charlotte C. Rickmers in 2014 and was renamed Charlotte briefly the same year before becoming Augusta Kontor. It called in Halifax regularly under than name in 2014 and 2015 under charter to HAPAG-Lloyd.

Augusta Kontor outbound from Halifax May 14, 2015 on charter to HAPAG-Lloyd.

In 2017 the ship was renamed again as August then Long Chang then Zhong Gu Zhe Jiang. It would nornmally have remained in Chinese domestic trade until the end of its useful life, but instead it was swept up in the buying spree.

MSC renamed the ship Maersk Maria Clara effective June 1, 2021 and the ship has now taken up a slot in one of MSC's North American routes. After clearing the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's examination for Limantra Dispar the ship left for Montreal. One interesting note - the ship sailed from Liverpool September 25 and arrived in Canada via the Strait of Belle Isle, but had to to divert all the way down the west coast of Newfoundland and the Cabot Strait to Halifax for CFIA clearance. It may have chosen the northern great circle route to stay north of Hurricane Larry, but it was still a long detour.

MSC Maria Clara, loaded to St.Lawrence River draft, arriving in Halifax September 12 under a third name.

 

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Delays, Stays and Make Ways

 The passing of Hurricane Larry, well offshore from Nova Scotia, but making a direct hit on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland September 11 caused wild weather and sea conditions over a large area. Several ships steered wide of the storm, delaying their arrival or remained in port or returned to port. 

Among the delayed arrivals was EM Kea on its regular run from Montreal to northern Europe on the Maersk./CMA CGM service. It would normally arrive in Halifax on a Saturday, but instead steamed slowly across the Gulf of St.Lawrence, missing some of the worst conditions, and arrived today (Sunday instead.) This did not pose a problem for PSA Halifax, with only one other ship to handle.

EM Kea at PSA Halifax pier 42 had two cranes while MSC Veronique at Pier 41 got three.

Opting to stay in port, Oceanex Sanderling did not make its usual Friday (September 10) departure for St.John's (scheduled arrival September 12) but instead remained in Halifax. After a time at anchor it moved to Pier 9B, perhaps to give the crew some shore leave. Update: Later reported the ship had a stack fire shortly after sailing October 10 and returned to port.

Conditions remain somewhat chaotic in Newfoundland with damage ashore and power outages, so no new departure date has been set for the ship, but also a  hint that the ship may be here for more than a day or two.

Returning to port, smaller naval vessels that were participating in Operation Cutlass Shield 2021, avoided the severe conditions, and instead exercised in Bedford Basin yesterday. This morning they sailed again, accompanied by the fishing trawler Patrick and William*, which appears to have been hired to work with the operation. HMCS Summerside and HMCS Moncton sailed while HMCS Kingston remained in Bedford Basin.

Lead by HMCS Montreal, the small flotilla sails out the main channel while the container ship MSC Maria Clara takes the western channel and hoots for some pleasure craft to clear the way.

MSC Maria Clara arrived to anchor in the lower harbour for Canadain Food Inspection Agency clearance. The ship, which has only recently been acquired as part of MSC's ship buying binge, was no doubt in Asian ports recently and needs to be inspected for Limantria Dispar larvae. No stranger to Halifax in its varied career, the ship deserves a post all of its own, which I will file later.

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* Footnote

Patrick and William showed up in port September 3.

Built by Glovertown Marine Ltd in 2001 as Katrina Charlene it was renamed in 2019 by RS Marine Ltd of St.John's. 

Fog Delays

 The famous Halifax fog - more common in the early summer, descended on the port today September 10 and delayed ship movements, particularly in the Narrows. While at sea ships can navigate reasonably well with radar and satellite, but in the confines of the harbour they must rely on visibility, even with experienced pilots on board.

Higher than normal sea temperatures off Nova Scotia are to blame for the fog, but some pleasant onshore breezes coupled with rising tides bring the fog into the harbour, reducing visibility to a few yards at worst.

Two large container ships, one outbound and one inbound for Cerescorp's terminal at Fairview Cove were delayed by the arrival of the fog.

Three inbound naval vessels remained largely invisible in the Narrows until they emerged into clearer  conditions in Bedford Basin. HMCS Kingston, Summerside and Moncton are spending time in more sheltered waters as Hurricane Larry passes offshore en route to Newfoundland.

HMCS Kingston slides out of the fog.

Canadian naval vessels are painted the same colour as Halifax fog, but become more visible in clear conditions. HMCS Summerside once into the Basin stood out from the shoreline.

Hyundai Faith the largest of the ships to navigate through the Narrows of Halifax harbour was able to enter port early in the morning when visibility was still tolerable. However by the time the ship was ready to sail, conditions had deteriorated significantly. At the pilot's discretion, the ship went to anchor in Bedford Basin until conditions improved.

The pilot boat Scotia Pilot heads out to disembark the pilot from the Hyundai Faith. The ship moved off the dock and anchored in Bedford Basin to await clearing in the Narrows. (The Basin was much clearer).

Hyundai Faith is a 8562 TEU ship built in 2008 by Hyundai Samho. At 94,511 gt, 98,967 dwt, it may be the largest pure container ship to call at Fairview Cove. (The ACL Con Ros are larger)

The inbound Hella opted to anchor in the lower harbour. It was able to get underway again by mid-afternoon and berth safely at Fairview Cove. Hyundai Faith, by then requiring tug assistance to turn and get underway sailed as soon as the tugs were freed up from the Hella.

Built in 2011 by Hyundai Samho the Hella is a 59,307 gt, 71,429 dwt ship with a capacity of 5100 TEU (some sources say 5605 TEU). It carried the name MOL Gateway until July of this year, presumably on a ten year charter.  Owners B. Schulte (Peter Doehle managers), renamed the ship on completion of that charter but the ship has not been repainted. It may now be on charter to HAPAG-Lloyd, but is nevertheless operating on THE Alliance's service, but is unscheduled, perhaps picking up empties?

Bright sunshine bathed the port in the late afternoon as the fog gradually retreated offshore.

The tug Atlantic Fir accompanied the Hyundai Faith through the Narrows, and has just been released to return to base.

The arriving Selfoss took the western channel inbound, allowing Hyundai Faith to take the straighter eastern channel as it made its way out. It was soon swallowed up in the fog. Its exhaust gas scrubber was emitting a constant stream of water vapour unto the near 100% relative humidity ambient air.

Selfoss serves Eimskip, the Iceland shipping company on its Green Line between Iceland and Portland, ME via Halifax, Argentia (and St.Anthony on demand). By comparison it has a TEU capacity of 698. Many of those are reefers as fish is the primary export from Iceland and perishables a major import.

Built by Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Co, Fuzhou, China in 2008, as Sophia, the ship was acquired and renamed by Eimskip in 2017. It has two 40 tonne SWL cranes.

HMCS Moncton wearing its commemorative Battle of the Atlantic disruptive paint scheme, could not deceive anyone by its presence in Bedford Basin in the early evening. When fog was well offshore,the setting sun was blazing down on the ship.

HMCS Moncton anchored in Bedford Basin with the CCG headquarters building the the background (adjacent to the Bedford Institute to the right).

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Big Arrival, Not so big Departure

 Today's (September 9) big arrival, despite rain and fog, was CMA CGM Mexico another of 15,000 TEU class ships making regular calls in Halifax.

With Atlantic Fir forward and Atlantic Beaver aft, the ship makes ready to turn off PSA Halifax and back into the berth. (It is amazing what a camera can see with a little computer magic).

Built in 2019 by Hyundai, Samho, CMA CGM Mexico is a 149,314 gt, 157,076 dwt vessel. It appears to be almost fully loaded to its 15,000+TEU capacity. The ship is only slightly smaller than the 16,000+ TEU Explorer class, such as CMA CGM Marco Polo, the largest ship to call in Halifax.

The camera also helped to improve visibility of another ship, which I was lucky to see at all as it sailed into the fog and rain.

Isabelita is a 32,297 gt, 58,470 dwt bulker, built in 2010 by Tsuneishi Daishan, and equipped with four cranes. It is owned by the Ugland company and is carried on the Norwegian International register. (Ugland is well known name in Canada as a partner in managing several tugs, tankers and bulkers through Canship Ugland. Since 1997 the joint venture between the J.J.Ugland Companies and Knutsen OAS shipping, both from Norway, has been based in Newfoundland.)

The Isabelita was in port for only a few hours, perhaps for a Canadian Food Inspection Agency certification. Its last port, Nemrut, Turkey, is noted for its fertilizer exports. The ship also made a brief stop in Greece, but only at an offshore anchorage. It is bound for Quebec.

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No Pilot - No Problem?

 It appears that the offshore tug/supplier Horizon Arctic sailed from Halifax last night,September 8 -9, without a pilot, when one was required by law. I understand that a pilot was ordered on short notice, but the ship sailed while the pilot was actually on the dock, but had not boarded yet.

Horizon Arctic at the C.O.V.E. dock in Dartmouth.

With exceptions for some smaller vessels, ships arriving and sailing from Halifax require the services of a licensed pilot or a pilotage certificate holder. In some cases the master of a ship has qualified for a pilotage certificate, but these are usually only issued for ships that are in and out of port on a regular basis. As of today there may only be one or two such persons. Licensed pilots are master mariners who through examination, experience and an apprentice program, acquire specialized local knowledge as well as ship handling skills and other specialized knowledge. 

Halifax is a compulsory pilotage area and the Atlantic Pilotage Authority (APA) provides and manages the provision of a number of licensed pilots for the port. Failure to use a pilot in a compulsory pilotage area can result in serious consequences for the master and owner of the ship under the Pilotage Act and the Canada Shipping Act. Wide powers are granted to enforce the Pilotage Act. Waivers are granted under special circumstances for ships to sail without pilots, but these are highly circumscribed. One such circumstance would be if the ship is engaged in rescue operations.

I understand that Horizon Arctic was called out to respond to a ship in trouble in the St.Lawrence, Newfoundland area of the Burin Peninsula. With Hurricane Larry bearing down on Newfoundland this weekend there was certainly some urgency in the situation, but it could hardly be called a rescue operation. SAR resources are located much closer to the scene.

Pilots are dispatched through a central office in Halifax for all of Atlantic Canada. There is a requirement to reserve the services of a pilot several hours in advance of departure. This allows adequate time for a pilot to report for duty and the pilot boat to go out to meet an arriving ship. It also ensures that pilots have adequate rest times between assignments and that there are sufficient pilots on duty to handle the traffic. However some pilots are available on short notice, and apparently there was an available pilot in this case who lived nearby, and was dispatched to the ship.

It will be interesting to see how this matter is resolved as pilots are charged with the safe navigation in the harbour, and are relied upon by other port users and the public. 

Horizon Arctic is a 8143 gt vessel, built in 2016 as Bourbon Arctic and acquired by Horizon Maritime in 2019 and registered in St.John's early in 2020. It recently arrived in Halifax after hosting the OceanGate Expedition to the Titanic using a crewed submersible.

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