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Launch Day - AOPV 434 Frédérick Rolette
Time was when launch day at a shipyard was a festive occasion. Dignitaries gathered on a special elevated stand - sometimes with a band in attendance. The sponsor - also known as the godmother -...
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Queen Mary 2
Durng cruise season (generally May to the end of October) the arrival and departure of the Queen Mary attracts scores of people to the waterfront. File photo 2015-07-10Last night (December 9) the ship...
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After the Storm
A major storm swept through Atlantic Canada yesterday (Monday, December 11). It was not a winter storm per se as temperatures rocketed up to 14C (57F). Although there was rain with the storm, washing...
View ArticleEmergency Towing Vessel
I have not addressed the topic of an east coast emergency towing vessel (ETV) in a long while. Due to an unfortunate coincidence of geography, I was reminded to raise it again.The bulk carrier Genco...
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Round Up and Update
Activity in Halifax Harbour has been a bit thin over the past couple of days, and with the hours of daylight nearing their minimum, it has been a challenge to catch the most interesting ships.CAM CGM...
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Algoma meetup
Algoma tankers seldom spend long in port, and then usually only at Imperial Oil's number 3 dock to load or unload product. Today, December 17, saw two Algoma tankers in port at the same time for a few...
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C.T.M.A. Vacancier - off to scrap
The veteran passenger / ferry C.T.M.A. Vacançier has been sold for scrap to India. Details are sketchy so far (will it be towed or sail on its own - how about the Red Sea?) but the ship's Canadian...
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Delays and Diversions
A series of slow moving storms, consisting of high winds and heavy rain have plagued shipping schedules in the region over the past few weeks. The most recent one which arrived in the Halifax area...
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Working the Backlog
When pilotage operations resumed early this morning (Friday, December 22) after the latest storm had passed and sea conditions moderated, there was a major backlog of shipping to accommodate. Most of...
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Pre-Holiday
To avoid being in port over Christmas, the race was onto get as many ships as possible in and out of port today (December 23). The term "Christmas" as far as the port is concerned, starts December 24...
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Good bye
It is the end of the line today (December 23, 2023) for the research trawler CCGS Alfred Needler as it was towed out of Halifax by the tug Lois M en route to the scrap yard. Built in 1981 by Ferguson...
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Beat the Rush
Like last minute shoppers, ships continued to hurry in and out of port today (December 24) as they did yesterday. Some of the ships had lost time due the recent storms and had to stand by or anchor...
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Still Green - Always Magenta
Still GreenThe combined fleets of Wallenius Lines and Wilh. Wilhelmsen have been operating their auto carriers jointly as Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean (WWO) since 2019. (They began to work...
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Imperial Imports
Despite several recent loads from its refineries in Ontario (see recent posts on Algocanada and Kivalliq W.) Imperial Oil is also bringing in product from Texas. Yesterday (December 26) saw the...
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Kopit Hopson 1752 makes a move
The CCGS Kopit Hopson 1752 made a move today (December 28), but it was not without assistance - nor was it very far.The buoy tender / light icebreaker was built by Marine Industries Ltd in Sorel, QC...
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Another storm day
Another storm passed over the region today with high winds and rain. Pilotage operations were suspended until mid-afternoon, with several ships standing by offshore waiting to enter port and some in...
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Mystery Bulker, Mystery Move
Shipfaxnever claims to be all-knowing, and this is especially evident today, December 30, when there are events in the harbour that were not at first evident to our all-seeing eye.Event #1 First was...
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Mystery 1 - solved
As for yesterday's (December 30, 2023) Mysteries, thanks to a reader, Mystery #1 has been solved.The bulk carrier Seahope put into Halifax for bunkers. Hardly surprising as the ship had sailed from...
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Waiting
New Year's Day is a holiday, and there is usually no work in the port and January 1, 2024 was no exception, with only two commercial vessels in the harbour, and both idle.At Pier 42 the Tropical...
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Arrivals of Note (and Footnote)
Among the arrivals in Halifax today, January 2, 2024, there were some notable ones.The tanker Harbour Pioneer was noteworthy on a couple ofcounts. Firrst was that it arrived at Irving Oil's Woodside...
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