March - in like a lamb

Today, March 1, was a very bright, very spring-like day with temperatures edging above zero Celsius. A brisk sea breeze brought a light mist and a healthy dose of ozone. With lots of shipping activity, the only frustration was the glare from the sun.

An early morning arrival (before daylight) was the Orinoco for Melfi Lines The ship made its debut here November 24, 2024 from Mariel, Cuba and is bound for Europe. By the time I caught the ship at PSA Halifax Pier 42 it had its hatches open and was digging deep for cargo.

Built in 2010 by Fujian Shipbuilding Co in Fuzhou, the 9994 gt, 12,306 dwt ship has a capacity of 880 TEU and carries two cranes of unknown capacity. The ship was launched as E.R. Helsinki but completed as Friesdijk. It was renamed X-press Tajumulco in 2013 and became the Orinoco in 2020. 

There were several morning departures which meant some skilful coordination so that ships could meet in convenient places.

The self-unloading bulker CSL Tarantau sailed from Gold Bond Gypsum for Portsmouth, NH. 

 

Falling in behind was the auto carier Themis which had arrived yesterday at Autoport and moved to Pier 9C last evening. It completed unloading RoRo cargo thhs morning.

 

As it was lifting its stern ramp to prepare for sea I noted the crew deploying a small gangway (bottom right in the photo). This was perhaps to be used to board the pilot instead of the usual gangway closer to midships.

Built in 2016 by Hyundai Samho, it is a 75,283 gt, 23,786 dwt ship with a capacity for 8,000 RT43 size cars and has a 320 tonne capacity stern ramp. As with many newer autocarriers, it has no side ramp. It is also fitted with an exhaust gas scrubber, and is emitting water vapour from its scrubber vent.

 Themis took the main channel outbound, leaving the western deep water channel for the next arrival, the much larger APL Sentosa inbound for Pier 41 at PSA Halifax Atlantic Gateway.

APL Sentosa is a 151,015 gt, 150,936 dwt (or 150,166 dwt from other sources) vessel. At 13,892 TEU. It falls well shy of the current Halifax record for container capacity which is 16,020 TEU by my reckoning.

There was other activity in the harbour with several comings and goings, but the next ship of interest was the Smoke a large bulk carrier.

The ship arrived off Halifax February 25 from Sept-Iles, QC and took up a position in the outer anchorages. Early this afternoon it embarked two pilots (due to its size and an unidentified malfunction) and moved in to #1 anchorage in the lower harbour.

 

The impressive ship was built in 2001 by IHI Kure (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, now Japan United) and measures 84,448 gt and 170,085 dwt. The largest size of dry cargo ship, it is classed as 'Capesize' meaning that it is too large for the Panama and Suez Canals and must travel via the Cape of Good Hope of Cape Horn to carry iron ore from the Atlantic to Asia. Its dimensions are 289.6m x 45.0m (950 ft x 147.6 ft) [In journalese parlance that is more thsn three footsball fields long and a half a football field from bridge wing to bridge wing.]

Once secure at anchor Dominion Diving's Dominion Rumbler came alongside, likely with a technician or a diver.

The ship's destination is so far undeclared, but will be entered here when known.

 .