First AOPS off to a Good Start at Shipyard.

Global News Today Showed the following Images from Irving Shipbuilding of the First AOPS Under Construction.

Noon Hour Traffic

 NYK Rumina inbound for Fairview Cove. She met Maersk Cutter (Below) sailing from Pier 9 outside the narrows.

BBC Haren

Jones Tide returns

 

I finally caught one of these suppliers up close and not tied up at the pier.

Ningbo Express

Ningbo Express took the Western Channel through the inner harbour, as the Skogafoss was outbound from Pier 42.

British Merlin Arrives - Svitzer Nerthus gets a Job

The Disabled Tanker British Merlin arrived after midnight this morning, and took to anchorage 1. She was towed to port by Maersk Cutter, and Helped to Anchor by Altantic Oak and Willow.

Once she took up anchor, Svitzer Nerthus went along side to provide propulsion if needed.

British Merlin suffered from an engine failure enroute from Whiffen Head NL to Philidephia.

Goodwood and Tosca

The PCTC Goodwood departed Autoport over the noon hour, Her place was promptly taken by Tosca, who moved from pier 31.

Recent Incidents

ShipSpotting.com

© jack2

The MSC Monica Grounded Thursday in the St.Lawrence between Trois Rivers and Quebec. Sailing from Montreal for Saint John New Brunswick, She apparentl suffered from a Rudder failure and drifted off course.

She was refloated, by tugs OCEAN TUNDRA, OCEAN BRAVO, and OCEAN ROSS GAUDRAULT and tied up in Quebec Yesterday.


The Oil tanker British Merlin, suffered an Engine failure sailing form Whiffen Head NL to Philadelphia PA. She is currently under tow by the Anchor Handling tug Maersk Cutter, and is due in Halifax tomorrow.

British Merlin is Owned by BP and has British registry. More to follow on both these stories.

Dinkeldiep @ Pier 42

The Current holder of the St. Pierre run.

Milo for Montreal

The Tanker Milo Arrived Jan 17th. She is reportedly bound for Montreal where she will take on bunkering duties for Shell. She will likely be Canadianized, and renamed here before sailing to Montreal.

Update: She sailed tonight, for Montreal, maintaining her Name and Belize registry.

The Death of the Herald.

The Chronicle Herald news room employees went on strike today, in advance of management raming through the changes they demanded. In doing so, they have lost the one last thing that was keeping the paper alive. What Follows below is not directed at the actual (now Striking) content creators at the Herald. They do fine work. (I've even talked to a few of them about stories http://blog.halifaxshippingnews.ca/p/media.html) No this is directed at Management of the Company.

I used to be a subscriber to the Herald. I like paper - there's something about reading print that is much more enjoyable then the screen. As a 35 y/o IT professional, that probably makes me some kind of oddity - It also makes me a member of a prime target market for the Herald. But sadly the content I wanted disappeared in the first round of layoffs in 2009. That's when I canceled my subscription. I could read wire stories for free, and in a more timely manner elsewhere, so absent a value-add opinions and news room, why would I continue subscribing.

Since then, the Herald's content has gotten thinner, and more advertorial. Real stories often are simply cut up press releases - I Cut up press releases - but I run this blog off the side of my desk in my spare time. I try to be informative, entertaining and factual, but I'll be the first to admit this site lacks production quality. That's fine for a blogger - but not a paper of record. slow news days aside, Im sure just as much news worthy stuff happens today as it did in 2008 - there are just fewer people to cover it in any detail - and that shows.

Chronicle Herald, You missed the boat. In the internet age, quality local content is king. You had the quality, but you squandered it through successive rounds of layoffs. A strong regional newsroom, Independent from regional and national corporate interest was your greatest strength. You should have leveraged that to become the dominant content creators and distributors in Eastern Canada but you let that slip away.

Betting the farm on free weekly's isn't going to do it either - Just as regularly as one is thrown on my door step, I promptly recycle it - as is, unopened. it is a product without value, that frankly I would rather not receive,  and it is just a matter of time before your advertisers realize there is no value to them. You still get my eyes online, which are marketable eyes to advertisers on your website, but they are likely soon gone, now with the decimation of your news room.

Chronicle Herald, without your newsroom, You have sunk to the level of this blog. I'm Quite Proud of this blog, but I'm not evaluated on, nor due I claim the standards of a professional news organization.  Nope scratch that. if you cant produce news with professional journalists in house, and only bet on advertorial content, then you are no better then a spammy clickbate site.

CSL Reliance - New name for an Old Face

The Bulker Barkald, recently made a run from Halifax to Philidephia. While in the City of brothery love,  She took a new name - CSL Reliance, but Maintained her Bahamas registry. She returned to National Gypsum yesterday with her new Identity.

She was built in Oshima, Japan in 2002 she was owned by the Torvald Klaveness Group of Oslo. Until November 2015 when CSL purchased her and Trilium Class vessel Balto. Both ships operates in the CSL International pool with ships of CSL Americas, Oldendorff Carriers, Marbulk Shipping Inc and Algoma Shipping Inc.

Under similar deals at the same time, Marbulk, which is owned 50/50 by CSL and Algoma, Purchased Balder (now Venture)  and Algoma  purchased Balchen (Now Algoma Vision) and Baldock (Now Algoma Value) from the Torvald Klaveness Group

ZIM Haifa at pier 42

ZIM Haida working pier 42 today.

Atlantic Star on Return Trip

This trip she went west of Georges Island, leading to nice closeups.

Svitzer Nerthus and Njal Return

The Svitzer Tugs Nerthus and Njal Returned from Milne Inlet on Bafin Island. they arrived in Halifax in June, and Sailed to Baffin Island in July. They have now likely returned to wait out the winter before returning to work up north. (the mine works all year, but only ships product July to October)

See Previous Stories From June and July,

Port Closed due to Weather

Due to Wind, All Ship Movements have stopped.

Atlantic Runner, Em Kea, and Afrodate are all circling. Several Suppliers and the Algoma Dartmouth have sheltered at pier 9, or at anchor in the BAsin.

CSl Atlas Riding the Hook

CSL Atlas Arrived last week, took bunkers and has been sitting At anchor in the basin since then.
She is likely awaiting orders..

As part of CSL's International Fleet, she is Foreign registered in the Bahamas.

Atlantic Star - Teething Issues

Atlantic Stars first Atlantic Crossing was Apparently a little rough.
On Arrival in Halifax, It was discovered that the RO-RO ramp would not lower.

No word on a Cause, but she is spending the night.

I Should Note, that A few Issues are to be expected on the first trip, of a new ship, of  a new Design.

UPDATE:
The ramp was down  when I drove by this morning, so all appears to be good now.

Maiden Call, on maiden Voyage of Atlantic Star

ACL's New Ship Atlantic Star made her first Appearance in Halifax Today. A Con-RO, the RO-RO cargo is kept centered, and containers are stored on either side. (and Above)  She is loaded right to the bow, and features a blunt nose. She also took 2 tugs - g3 vessels usually took none.

ACL Sent me the following Release:

Fritz B. King, Managing Director of Atlantic Container Line said “he is proud to see ACL’s innovative design that increases capacity without significantly changing the footprint of the previous vessels.” The “Atlantic Star” joined the company’s transatlantic service in December. The remaining four G4 vessels will be delivered during the first half of 2016. “ACL’s new fleet represents a clear commitment by our parent company, Grimaldi Group, to our clients that ACL’s unique product brand and service level will remain a strong force in markets for years to come.”

ACL provides a portfolio of five weekly transatlantic sailings covering ports in Europe, the United States and Canada. ACL’s main Container/RORO Service calls weekly at Baltimore, Norfolk, New York and Halifax, Liverpool, Antwerp, Hamburg and Gothenburg. In addition to this service, ACL provides four additional pure container strings covering 15 ports in Europe and North America.

In 2014, the company held a company-wide contest to name the new vessels, over 5,000 names were received. The “Atlantic Star” and her sister ships, “Atlantic Sail, Sea, Atlantic Sky and Atlantic Sun” were submitted and named by Halifax’s own Andrea Cox, who is a Customer Service Representative at our Halifax Customer Service Center.

The G4s are bigger, greener and more efficient than their predecessors. The container capacity is more than doubled at 3800 TEUs, plus 28,900 square meters of RORO space and a car capacity of 1300+ vehicles. The RORO ramps are wider and shallower and the RORO decks are higher (up to 7.4 meters) with fewer columns, enabling much easier loading and discharge of oversized cargo. Emissions per TEU are reduced by 65%. The fleet continues to employ cell-guides on deck, a feature that will allow ACL to extend its enviable record: ACL ships have never lost a container over the side during the last 30 years.

Paganino from Autoport

The PCTC Paganino Sailed from Autoport over the noon hour.

Travestern hangs on the hook

Woodward group tanker Travestern arrived and took bunkers over the weekend. She remains at anchor, likely awaiting her next assignment. Her ice breaking Bow is clearly visible, and she appears unladen

Maersk Penang from Saturday

Saturday was the first workday of the new year, and a busy day at Pier 41/42 ZIM Savannah spent the Day at 41, with Maersk Penang tieing up just after 7am. When she sailed, around 2pm, Her spot was Taken by CMA-CGM Bianca who worked well into the night. (Bottom: CMA-CGM Bianca backing into pier 42. (Provided Photo))

Fairview Cove was also busy, with Allise P and Rio Blackwater Occupying the East and West Births Respectively.

2015 in Review

2015 was another eventful year at the Port of Halifax

Incidents

Australian Spirit was towed to Portugal for repairs. Harefield also spent Considerable time at pier 9 waiting for a new rudder part after sustaining Ice Damage. She was Joined at Pier 9 by the Stadt Caditz who suffered engine troubles and also needed parts. Ex RCN Research vessel Cormorant took a List in Bridgewater, and Ex Sea Shepard Conservation Society vessel Farley Mowat sunk. Also worth a mention was the March Crash of AC624 at Halifax Airport.

New Ships

Svitzer Won the contract for tugs at Port Cartier, and imported Aussie Immigrants. They also won a contract for and imported Svitzer Nerthus And Njal.  The Former Greek Ferry, Canada 2014 became the Fundy Rose went on trials and in the summer took her place as the replacement for Princess of Acadia. The New Halifax Transit Ferry Craig Blake was delivered and went into service in the spring.

The much delayed Bluenose II - was finally open to the public  and sailed on her own. And the 2 new CCGS Hero class boats for the west coast sailed there under there own power.

Harbour Works

The New Hibernia Atlantic Express Cable was laid. Irving demolished and began reconstructing their wharf in woodside, and The Bridge Commissions' big lift got under way, with the arrival of Barges
removal of the walkways, and the replacement of the first sections.


The Kings Wharf Harbour Taxi went into service.

Navy News

2015 saw visits from numerous foreign Naval vessels including the Submarine USS Virginia and the third LCS USS Milwaukee. US Coast guard Cutters USCGC Campbell  USCGC Bristol Bay  USCGC Morrow Bay and the First visit for a National Security Cutter USCGC James. French Rocket tracking ship FS MONGE  also stopped in avoiding weather. The PCTC Glovis Century tied up at pier 9 and unloaded Cars. This was to reduce her draft to load  a military cargo in Montreal. She picked up the cars on the way back.

Bigger Ships

CMA-CGM and the Oceans 3 Alliance add a stop in Halifax. This Service is responsible for setting the biggest Ship record, first with the CMA-CGM Vivaldi  , which lost to Hapag Llyods Budapest Express and Colombo Express Finally regaining it with the Arrival of the  USAC ZAMZAM

Retirements

The RCN Paid off HMCS Iroquois on may 1,The Nova Dock was sold, Cut in two, and towed to Tampa Florida. and ACL began retiring and scrapping their conro vessels as the new series come online. The First, Atlantic Star arrives the first week of January.

First Ship Of the Year

The First Ship to enter the Port of Halifax in 2016 was the Atlantic Condor at 7:16 this morning.

The Last Departure of 2015 was Zim San Francisco, who sailed at 21:00 last night.