Monthly Archives: November 2012

RCN & USN Joint Task Group Exercise

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Four of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships from the Atlantic Fleet will be participating in a joint international exercise with the United States Navy from November 19 to December 14, off the East Coasts of Canada and United States called Task Group Exercise 6-12.

Royal Canadian Navy will work with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to combine the Task Group Exercise with the NORAD Air Defence Exercise Amalgam Dart to further enhance interoperability and effectiveness between the Royal Canadian Navy and NORAD. The high tempo training will provide valuable experience to our sailors in a wide range of at-sea evolutions, to include navigation and seamanship, helicopter operations, and warfare exercises. Furthermore, Amalgam Dart will provide an excellent opportunity to train in ship-to-air and air-to-air defence.

Units participating in Task Group Exercise 6-12 and Amalgam Dart are Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Iroquois, Preserver, Ville de Quebec and St. John’s. The ships will be joined by Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft and personnel from 12 Wing Shearwater, 14 Wing Greenwood, 17 Wing Winnipeg, 3 Wing Bagotville, and 22 Wing North Bay to include CH-124 Sea King helicopters, CF-18 fighters and a CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft.

Athabaskan in need of a tow

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The Government of Canada Issued a tender on Merx to have HMCS Athabaskan towed back to Halifax. She departed in the March for Port Weller Dry Dock for a Maintinance period. It looks like the work will not be complete in time for the closing of the seaway Dec 30th, So the Government wants her towed back to Halifax.

From Merx:
Requirement:
To TOW Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Athabaskan from St.
Catharines, Ontario (Port Weller) to HMC Dockyard Halifax, Nova
Scotia in accordance with the provided Technical Statement of
Requirement dated October 30, 2012.

Specifications:
Vessel Displacement:
5000 Long Tons   
Overall Length
426 feet 130 meters.
Breath
50 feet 15.25 meters.
Draft
17 feet 5.2 meters.

Destination:
The TOW is from St. Catharines, Ontario (Port Weller) to HMC
Dockyard Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Work Period:
The beginning of the towing period will be between December 1,
2012 and before the closure of the St-Lawrence Seaway 2012
navigational season.

MV Miner Staying Put for Now

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Reports are that the Bennington Group, who was contracted to remove the M/V Miner from Scaterie island has pulled out. The Miner was being towed to Turkey for scrapping when the tow line parted and she ran aground. Given the closesness to winter, Miner will likely remain where she is at least until the spring.

The CEO of Bennington repededly complained that any metals of value had been removed from the ship, and sited burocracy for delays.

I Suspect the real reason for the pull out is that Bennington realized it would cost more to Scrap the ship then the scrap was worth, and now want to cut their losses.

CBC News Reported

The head of the company contracted to salvage the MV Miner said he is walking away from the project.
Abe Shah, of the New York-based Bennington Group, said he met with officials from Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday.
Shah demanded the province cover his insurance and equipment going forward.
He said he was refused, and said he has decided to walk away from the salvage project for good.

Shah said he has spent more than $300,000 on the project. He said he plans to sue the province for compensation.
On Oct. 29, the province lifted a stop-work order on the project after reviewing safety plans. At the time, the head of the Bennington Group, said he was ready to turn his back on the salvage because of continuous delays.

The MV Miner has been stuck off Cape Breton’s coast for more than a year. It was en route to Turkey when the towline snapped and it ran aground.

Halifax Shipyards Announces Enginerring firm for yard upgrades.

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ISI Anounced today that enginering for 300 million in yard upgrades would be done by Hatch Mott MacDonald Engineering. HMM designed Saint John Shipyard’s buildings and infrastructure; they have also managed and designed marine projects at the Fairview Cove Container Terminal, Department of National Defence Halifax, and Eastern Passage Autoport.

Hatch Mott MacDonald has 40 employees – primarily engineers and specialists – in Nova Scotia today.  With this contract, the company expects to grow to about 65 engineers and specialists to complete the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy yard modernization plans at Halifax Shipyard.

The program presents significant challenges to ISI and the consulting team.  In order to meet delivery, schedule, and financial obligations, ISI must prepare their facility to achieve the goal of beginning production of the first set of vessels in late 2013, and provide a quality product in the most efficient manner possible.  This will require extensive facility modernization including new buildings, building renovations, new marine infrastructure, a new ship erection platform, and extensive site works.

For More See ISI’s release or HMM’s 

Fredericton and Montreal FELEX Update

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HMCS Montreal in the graving dock:

Montreal Does not Appear to be getting the Extensions on the Back of the Hanger, which I belive are for LFSR Domes, Which are part of the Command and control fit on 2 of the Boats. (Halifax and Fredericton have them)

HMCS Fredricton being kitted out at the Machine Shop Wharf

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