Memorial Day Visitor

Monday May 29 was Memorial Day in the United States. As usual there was a United States military presence in Halifax, to  commemorate U.S. war dead. This year it was a color guard from a United States Navy submarine that did the honors.

All US subs are nuclear powered, and restricted to the Shearwater jetty in Eastern Passage (known to the RCN as November Alpha). The sub sailed this morning.

There are several sites in Halifax where US service persons are buried, including Deadman's Island in the Northwest Arm and Holy Cross Cemetery.

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What's in a name

As a self- proclaimed connoisseur of ship's names, I do like to see a ship that shows some originality in its name. Today I managed a bit of a double header.

First was the bulk carrier Desert Serenity, arriving fully laden from Baie Comeau. The ship tied up at pier 31 and was met by at least one fuel truck. It also appears to have taken on a couple of containers on deck (most unusual for a bulk carrier).

Built in 2008 by Kouan Shipbuilding Co in Taizhou, China, it was launched as Serenade. However it was renamed on delivery with the pleasantly evocative name Desert Serenity. The 31,091 grt, 53,280 dwt bulker is fitted with four cranes and is operated by The Greek owned, Marshal Islands based Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd. Their fleet has several ships with the "Desert" prefix.

While arriving it passed a lobster boat, tending traps (the season closes in the Halifax area May 31.) Named Hurtin' Unit it was built in 2008 by Wedgeport Fibreglass Ltd. It is 12m long and 27.44 grt with a 200 bhp engine.

While difficult to see in a distant photo, Desert Serenity's hatches are tarped over. However the tarps did not appear to be in great condition, so perhaps that may have something to do with why it called in Halifax. It's destination is listed as Lagos, Nigeria.

Harbour Spot Check

With intermittent fog and drizzle, there were a few opportunities for spot checks on the harbour over the weekend.

At Irving Woodside the Vroon tanker Iver Exact arrived Friday and sailed later the same day.

The Dutch company Vroon, active in tankers and the offshore, distinguish their ships with a large letter "V" near the bow.

Built by Hyundai Mipo, Ulsan in 2007 the 29,456 grt, 46,858 dwt product tanker is a slightly larger version of Irving Oil's chartered fleet, which are also owned by Vroon (known now as Iver Ships BV) and under long term charter.

On Saturday CMA CGM brought in another of its split superstructure ships, APL Danube. The ship was built as CMA CGM Danube in 2014 by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co and at 95,263 grt, 112,560 dwt, it has a capacity of 9,365 TEU (including 1458 reefers).

 Monopolizing number one anchorage for a few hours, APL Danube had to undergo Asian Gypsy Moth inspection before tying up at pier 41. The ship's last port of call before Halifax was Colombo, Sri Lanka.

In 2016 the ship was renamed NileDutch Orca for service with the family owned NileDutch, which as the name suggests operates between Europe and Africa, although its concentration is more on West Africa than it once was. It also serves North America and Asia. Earlier this year, the sip was reassigned to the Columbus JAX service and was renamed APL Danube. APL (American President Lines) is owned by CMA CGM through APL's parent company Neptune Orient Lines, acquired by CMA CGM in 2016. NOL and APL will retain their identity to a degree for a time.


Also new this weekend was NYK Terra, filling a slot on THE Alliance's service.  Built in 2008 by Hyundai Heavy Industry, Ulsan it is a 76,928 grt, 80,282 dwt ship.

The tug Spitfire III has a line up on the port bow and Atlantic Oak (not visible)  is on the stern as NYK Terra passes under the A. Murray MacKay bridge outbound.

With a capacity of 6661 TEU (including 460 reefers) it is about equal in size to the OOCL ships that used to call on the G6 service, which THE Alliance has supplanted.

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Atlantic Sky

The long awaited fourth ship in the ACL fourth generation (G4) series made its first call in Halifax today. Under typically gloomy May skies, Atlantic Sky was in and out of port in less than 12 hours, working both containers and RoRo cargo.
Driving rain deterred this photographer from catching her arrival, but things had improved somewhat for the departure.

Atlantic Sky is clear of Fairview Cove and is lining up for the Narrows with assistance of the tug Spitfire III.

Built by Hudong-Zhonghua in Shangai the 100,430 grt, 55,828 dwt ship made an impressive sight as it glided out through the Narrows.

Despite the gloom and mist, the ship's white paint was almost glowing. 

Note the unusual rubbing strakes on the ship's side. These are protection when using the Gladstone lock in Liverpool to reach the Seaforth Dock. The ship is 37.6m wide and the lock is 40m, so some scraping is likely to occur!

This ship, and the fifth member of the series were due to be delivered before the end of 2016. However both ships were held in the shipyard - possibly to deal with issues experienced by the first three ships of the group. Atlantic Sky conducted sea trails in July 2016, but it was not until March 22 of this year that owners Atlantic Container AB (part of the Grimaldi Group) accepted delivery.

The fifth and last ship Atlantic Sun conducted sea trials in November, but has not been delivered yet, and as a result the two veteran third Generation (G3) ships Atlantic Cartier and Atlantic Conveyor are carrying on into this summer. The first G4 ships are apparently still experiencing issues, and early drydockings for them may extend the lives of the G3s into the fall.

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Long Weekend - Assignment 2

What could have been a serious incident was averted today more by luck than good planning.

The cruise ship Maasdam arrived this morning and tied up at pier 22 on one its regular visits.

Maasdam gliding in to port this morning.

 

Soon after tying up it was joined by the tug Gulf Spray with its scow and motorboat, used to remove garbage and recyclables. The barge tied up on the waterside of the ship and the transfer got underway. Normally the barge (or sometimes more than one barge) remain beside the ship all day, along with the motorboat. The tug usually does not remain.

Gulf Spray sets out from the old Coast Guard base in Dartmouth to pier 22 to remove refuse from the Maasdam. The motorboat and barge remain alongside for most of the day.

Late in the afternoon the CCGS G.Peddle S.C. entered port and raced up the west side of George's Island, paying no heed to the barge alongside, leaving a significant wake, which tore into the barge tossing it about madly.

By the time CCGS G. Peddle S.C. reached the Narrows it was travelling at a sensible speed.

Fortunately the barge and motorboat crews were alert and took precautions, and there were no parted lines nor injuries.

This incident raises two questions:
1. Is the CCG immune to the harbour speed rules?  There was no emergency which would have caused the G.Peddle to exceed the safe speed in the harbour.
Who was on watch on the G.Peddle that could not have seen the barge alongside the cruise ship or would have been so unaware that there was likely to be a barge alongside?
The only objective as I could see was that  the G.Peddle was in "hurry home" mode.

2. Who was on watch at Halifax Traffic? Surely an attentive watchstander at Halifax Traffic would have noted the G.Peddle's speed and been aware that it was bearing down on the barge.
I do not know if the barge had asked for a "low wake" notice - if they did, then Halifax Traffic was really asleep on the job. But even if they didn't, Halifax Traffic should have alerted the G.Peddle to the effect that there was a barge alongside.

There is a great reluctance by Halifax Traffic (and most VTS services) to interfere with the ship's master's conduct - but if there had been an injury or damage, I think Halifax Traffic would have been found to have a duty beyond that of a spectator like me. I could see a potential disaster about to happen but had no power to stop it. Halifax Traffic did have that power.

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Long Weekend Assignment - Part 1

The Victoria Day weekend - a Canadian holiday to commemorate the birthday of Queen Victoria (May 24) - involves little celebration of that notable empress, because it generally marks the first weekend of summer. This year's weekend was no exception, including some summer like weather on Friday with record high temperates for the date, but it was a much cooler Saturday with stiff a stiff breeze off the ocean.

Friday saw another new to us K-Line ship, Brotonne Bridge another member of the same class of ships serving THE Alliance AL6 service (also Zim's ZCI).

Samsung SB+HI Co Ltd delivered the 46,444 grt, 58,200 dwt ship in 2010. With a capacity  of 4526 TEU it is operated by Seaspan on a 12 year charter (with two three year options) to K-Line.

Another new to Halifax ship showed up on Saturday. YM Movement is also on THE Alliance service, but this time the EC5 run.

The ship dates from 2013 when it was built by Koyo Dockyard Co in Mihara, Japan. It rates 6258 TEU on 71,821 grt, 72,370 dwt.

Arriving Thursday, the Radcliffe R. Latimer discharged its grain cargo from Thunder Bay at pier 25. On Friday night it moved to National Gypsum to load and is due to sail overnight Saturday/Sunday.

Named for a now retired President of Algoma Corp, the ship is the former Algobay built in 1978 by Collingwood Shipbuilding for Great Lakes and ocean work, called the "Nova Scotia class".  After a three stint under the Liberian flag, from 1990 to 1993 it then had a three year charter from 1994 to 1997 to CSL as Atlantic Trader, after which reverted to its original name.
It was laid up in 2002 but in 2007 Algoma announced it would be rebuilt in China. With its engine and self-unloading boom and other gear removed it was towed from Hamilton, ON (May 13, 2008) to Shanghai, China (September 7, 2008) then to Jiangyin 100 miles upstream.
The forward part of the ship was removed and broken up and the superstructure attached to a new self-unloading cargo body.
It returned to North America via the Panama Canal, arriving in Portland, ME, December 30, 2009 where it wintered over, entering service in 2010. Its first load out of Halifax was September 11 of that year.
Since then it has been a infrequent caller, but with the closure of US Gypsum's facility in Little Narrows, NS, we can expect to see it more frequently.

Also in port is the general cargo ship Thorco Luna at pier 9c. It arrived off Halifax in early May and entered port May 15 (in less than ideal photographic conditions.) At pier 9c it is being fitted with cable racks.

The ship was built by Honda Heavy Industries Ltd [no relation to the car] in Saiki, Japan, in 2014, one of ten ships of the same class for the Danish Thorco Shipping. Sister ship Thorco Liva was here in October last year, also to be fitted to carry cable.
Measuring 13,110 grt, 16,953 dwt, it carries a pair of 50 tonne cranes that can work in tandem.

As the crew closes the forward hatch, several portable tween decks are stacked forward. Note also the yellow 100 tonne spreader on deck behind the forward crane (right in line with the base of the transmission tower). 

Another sign of spring - is the annual arrival of the herring fleet. Four seiners appeared on the waterfront over the past few days.

Left to right: Morning Star, Lady Janice II, and Lady Melissa. The fourth, Dual Venture was also in port and possibly another - not visible due to waterfront congestion.

And as a bonus to the May 7    post, Ningbo Express sailed today on the eastbound (return) leg of its trip - this time in clear weather. It sailed just in time to allow YM Movement to dock, and this time it was Atlantic Cartier at the east end of Fairview Cove yesterday and Itea today.

assignment to be continued..........

RHL for TA4

Maersk and CMA CGM operate the TA4 service jointly from Antwerp, Rotterdam and Bremerhaven to Montreal and Halifax and back. As noted, of late they are using replacement ships as Maersk Pembroke had a broken crankshaft (or camshaft). With no ship last week on the usual Saturday, or sometimes Sunday, it was apparent that they had called in another replacement from the spot market. (Last month the Louis S was a late arrival substitute on April 24.)

The ship that finally arrived in Halifax today was RHL Agilitas. Flying the Liberian flag it is a modest sized ship of 18,480 grt, 23,665 dwt with a capacity of 1732 TEU. It is also fitted with two 40 tonne cranes.

The ship was built as Wilhelm Busch in 2007 by Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard Co Ltd of Guangzhou, China but was renamed on delivery by Reederei Hamburger Lloyd (hence the "RHL"). 
In this age of 20,000 TEU mega ships, a ship of this size looks puny, but one needs to remember that the first fully cellular container ships to call in Halifax carried barely 1,500 TEU! and they were thought to be huge at the time.

Dart Europe built in 1970 was a 33,400 grt, 28,484 dwt ship with a capacity of 1556 TEU. It was 759'-8" x 110'-6" and had a 29,000 shp Sulzer engine to make 21 knots.
RHL Agilitias measures  about 567' x 90' and can do 20 knots, on a very much smaller engine.

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