ALGOSCOTIA & ALGOMA DARTMOUTH

The port bunkering tanker ALGOMA DARTMOUTH secures alongside the refined products tanker ALGOSCOTIA in the Bedford Basin,Halifax on December 17th 2009. The former took over the harbour bunkering duties from the NT DARTMOUTH (ex IMPERIAL DARTMOUTH) earlier this year.

ALGOSCOTIA:IMO No 9273222.Built 2004 Jiangnan Shipyard,Shanghai,China.

GRT 13,352 tonsLOA 148.8 LPP 138.8 B 23.8 D epth 12.8(m).

Mach: Diesel single shaft 6,300Kw=15knots.

Owners: Algoma Tankers,Canada.

Flag: Canada Port: Halifax,Nova Scotia

Call Sign:VAAP.

ALGOMA DARTMOUTH:IMO No 9327516.Previously named Samistal Due (21,07.09),Clipper Bardolino (08).

Type: Chemical/products/Bunkering Tanker.

Built in 2007 by Yardimci Turkter Shipyard,Tuzla Bay,Turkey.

GRT 2,999 tons.DWT 3,569 tons.Net Tonnage:1,125 tons.

LOA 90.5m LPP 85.8m B 14.6m Depth 7.6m D:5.5m.

Machinery: Twin shaft/diesels. Speed 12 knots.

Manager:Algoma Tankers,St Catherines,Ontario,Canada.

Registered owner SAMISTAL SHIPPING LTD-MTA, Malta .

Flag:CanadaPort:Halifax,Nova Scotia.

Call Sign:CFK9211

HMCS ATHABASKAN DDG282

Home for the Christmas season HMCS ATHABASKAN secured alongside at HMC Dockyard,Halifax on the 19th December 2009.

Crude oil tanker UNITED STAR

A recent caller at IOL Dartmouth refinery was the80,569GRT crude tanker UNITED STAR.

Built by Samsung,Koje,S.Korea in 1992.LOA 274m LPP 264m Beam 48.2m..Photo date 19.12.09.

POINT HALIFAX back on duty

Eastern Canada Towing Ltd's tug POINT HALIFAX has returned to the Port and along with the return of Svitzer Bedford (over Christmas) from repairs following her E/R fire the full complement of Eastern Canada's fleet is back to strength.Photo on Dec 19th 2009.

New 50K DWT products tanker MERSINI

The new Panamanian flagged products tanker MERSINI arrived at Halifax on 16th December and proceeded to anchor in the Bedford Basin (lower photo) and on the 17th weighed anchor and proceeded out of the Basin to the Imperial Oil refinery to load product (top photo).
Built in 2009 by Hyundai,Mipo Dockyard for Mersini Shipping Co Ltd,London,U.K.
The vessel was completed in July and is managed by World Tankers U.K. Ltd,London.
Dimensions: LOA 183.3m LPP 174.0m Beam 32.2m Depth 19.1m
DWT 49,997 tons. Gross Tonnage:29,433 tons.
IMO No: 9405899.
Flag:Panama
Call Sign:3FYS3

STEVNS ICEFLOWER

The brand spanking new tug STEVNS ICEFLOWER built by Irving Shipbuilding Inc at their EastIsle Shipyard,Georgetown P.E.I. and just arriving at Halifax prior to commissioning for her Danish owners,shown here condusting trials in the Bedford Basin early on 13th December 2009.

OCEAN SALVAGE TUG 'RYAN LEET'

Ocean salvage tug RYAN LEET at Halifax,Nova Scotia on 4th December 2009 assisting the Jack-up rig ROWAN GORILLA III.This was a scheduled departure for the Scotian Shelf by the rig,but was subsequently aborted and as at 12th December is still firmly planted in Dartmouth Cove.
IMO No:7518977
MMSI: 316262000 .
Built 1977.
Builder:Beliard-Murdoch B.V.,Ostend,Belgium.
Former name SALVOR COMANDER.
Gross Tonnage:1,473 tons.Net Tonnage:442 tons.
DWT:2,646 tons.
LOA 66.76 LPP 61.02 Beam 13.0 Depth 6.54 Draught 5.7( Meters).
Machinery: Twin screw /diesels:9,600 BHP.
Speed: 16.0 knots.
Owner: J. Ray McDermottCanada Ltd,Dartmouth,Nova Scotia.
Ship Mrgr:J.Ray McDermott Canada Ltd.,Dartmouth,Nova Scotia.
Flag:Canada
Port: Halifax,Nova Scotia.
Call Sign: VOQY.
© Capnken 2009.

OOCL CHINA

Containership OOCL CHINA inbound for the Fairview Cove terminal in the Bedford Basin,Halifax,Nova Scotia on 9th December 2009.The Orient Overseas Container Line serves the East Coast of North America and the Far East via Suez calling at Halifax on both the Eastward and Westward crossing of the Atlantic.

Vessel Type: Dry cargo container ship.

IMO No 9108178.

Built 1996 by Samsung Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries,CoLtd,Koje,S.Korea..

GRT 66,046 tons.

DWT 67,637 tons.

Net Tonnage:30,540 tons.

LOA 276m Beam 40m Depth 24.3m.

Capacity: 5,344 teu.Reefers:442 teu.

Machinery: Main Engine: Sulzer Mod. 12RTB4C-UG delivering 49,325KW.Speed 24.9 knots. Auxiliary gens: 3 X 2,100KWs.

Mngr: Orient Overseas Container Lines.

Flag:Hong Kong,China

Call Sign: VRWE7

AFRICAN AZALEA

Bulk carrier AFRICAN AZALEA anchoring East of Georges Island,Halifax Harbour for bunkers on December 4th 2009. With the position of Halifax on the Atlantic Great Circle route and having a major refinery ,a large number of ships enter the Port for bunkers.

HOECHST EXPRESS

Containership HOECHST EXPRESS inbound at Halifax passing George's Island on December 4th 2009.One of the large Hapag-Lloyd vessels employed on the PAX service serving North Europe,East and West Coasts of North America and the Far East via Panama.These ships call at Halifax on both their East and West crossings of the North Atlantic.
IMO No:8902565.
Built by Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Ltd,S.Korea in 1991.
GRT 53,833 tons.;DWT: 67,684 tons.
LOA 294 B 32.3 D(max) 13.5m.
Container Capacity:4,639 TEU with 452 reefers.
Machinery: Single shaft/diesel B&W Mod. 9K90MC at 31,000 KW.
Speed: 23 knots.
Owner/Manager: Hapag Lloyd AG,Hamburg,Germany.
Flag:Germany
Call Sign: DHER

ATLANTIC CARTIER

Long time caller to Halifax,Atlantic Container Line's big Ro-Ro/Container vessel ATLANTIC CARTIER appears to have developed thruster problems with two Eastern Canada Towing Ltd tugs Point Chebucto and Point Valiant providing assistance in berthing at Fairview Cove terminal on December 7th 2009..Normally these handy ships don't need tugs when berthing or departing.

HMCS SACKVILLE K181

HMCS SACKVILLE K181 alongside the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic wharf,Halifax,Nova Scotia on October 21st 2009 just prior to moving to her Winter berth at HMC Dockyard.
Built in 1941 by Saint John Shipbuilding and Drydock Company,Saint John,New Brunswick.
Specifications (As at 1944-45):
Type: Corvette,Flower Class,1939-40 RCN Programme.
Displacement:1,085/1,350 tons.
LOA 205 ft, LPP 190 ft,Beam 33 ft Draught 13 ft.
Machinery: Single shaft reciprocating,vertical triple expansion steam (4cyld),I.H.P. 2,750 HP,Speed 16 knots.
Arm: 1 X 4in,1 X 2pdr.Pom Pom,2 X 20mm. Depth Charges,Hedgehog A.T.W.
Crew:85.
HMCS Sackville is the property of The Canadian Naval Memorial Trust.

HMCS TERRA NOVA DDE 259

Decommissioned Restigouche Class destroyer HMCS TERRA NOVA DDE259 left Halifax on 20th November 2009 under tow to join her sister HMCS GATINEAU DDE236 at Pictou,Nova Scotia to be dismantled.This will leave only HMCS FRASER DDH233 at present at Jetty NN in the Bedford Basin as the last surviving example of the RCN's Canadian designed and built destroyer escorts, (20 ships). Hopefully, Fraser will be tidied up for next years 100th Anniversary of RCN/Canadian Navy celebrations.

HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 259) was a Restigouche-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and later the Canadian Forces from 1959-1997. She was the sixth ship of her class and the first Canadian war ship to bear the name HMCS Terra Nova. The ship honours the Terra Nova River in Newfoundland as well as an earlier civilian ship the Terra Nova, which gained fame during a scientific exploration voyage to Antarctica. Both the river and the Antarctic (symbolized by a penguin) are featured on the ship’s crest.

HMCS Terra Nova was laid down on June 11, 1953, at Victoria Machinery Depot Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia, and launched on June 21, 1955. She was commissioned into the RCN on June 6, 1959, with the pennant number 259. After being paid off in 1997, Terra Nova appeared, cast as an American destroyer, in the movie K-19: The Widowmaker.

CFAV SECHELT YDT 610

CFAV SECHELT YDT 610 conducting diving operations off Sherwood Point,Bedford Basin,Halifax on November 12th 2009.LOA 108 ft Beam 33.5 ftDisplacement: 291 tons.Type: Diving TenderOwner: Canadian Government,Navy. Call Sign:CGSE

GATINEAU and TERRA NOVA to be dismantled.

Retired Restigouche Class DDE's HMCS Gatineau DDE236 and Terra Nova DDE259 are to be dismantled at Pictou,Nova Scotia according to a news release yesterday,after a plan to sink them as dive sites in the Great Lakes/St Lawerance fell through.These are the last of the Restigouch/Mackenzie Class DDE's extant. The only intact remaining ship of the twenty DDEs built during the 50's and 6o's is HMCS Fraser DDE/DDH 233 awaiting her fate at Jetty NN,CFAD. Hopefully she won't meet the same fate as her consorts ,or the Avro Arrow!

The Great Northern Diver (LOON).

Since the 1970s the Loon population in the Basin/Harbour areas of Halifax has increased dramatically,probably as a result of the ban on DDT in the 60's.The Basin is home to several large 'famlies' which nest in the Birch Cove Lakes,marshlands areas adjacent to the Basin. A healthy population also nests on McNab's Island around the salt lagoons. Photo shot in the Basin Sept 21st 2009.

MAUGHERS BEACH LIGHT,McNABS ISLAND

Maughers Beach Light,McNab's Island,Halifax,Nova Scotia.This is my first attempt at a Blog. The site will be used to report various marine related happenings in the Halifax/Nova Scotia/Canada region. Stay tuned. Cheers,Ken