(Above) Sable Sea being cold moved to pier 9. She was moved to Halterm last week, presumbaly to free up pier space for the cable ships.
(Below) Pilot boat APA No.1 tied up perpendicular to the dock. they appered to be working on her exhaust.
Turkish flagged, built in 2002, she was formerly the Eternal Confidence. As she appears to be loaded, she is likely waiting on weather, or for supplies/bunkers.
For the second time in recent memory, the JMSDF is on a world training tour, and making a stop in Halifax. The JMSDF undertakes to tours to give crews extended sea time. The three vessels arrived yesterday, and moved to the dockyard this morning. The ships Kashima, Shirayuki and Isoyuki will be in Halifax until Thursday, July 11.
(Above) JS SHIRAYUKI in the Anchorage this morning prior to moving to the dockyard. JS KASHIMA had already moved, but was here on the last trip August 2011.
The three-day port visit from the force’s Training Squadron is part of a five-month, 18-country tour fostering intercontinental goodwill.
As a part of the visit, local residents and media are invited to experience Japanese culture through world-class performances by the Squadron’s drum band at Grand Parade Square at 4 p.m. on July 9. Ship tours will be available to the public from 1:30-3:30 p.m. July 8-9 at Her Majesty’s Canadian Dockyard Halifax.
The province has received business plans from three companies interested in operating a ferry in Yarmouth. The deadline for proposals was Thursday, July 4. The companies that made submissions are Balearia Caribbean, Ltd., P and O Ferries and STM/Quest. STM/Quest also bid on the last ferry rfp (details of that bid Here) Balearia Caribbean is owned by spanish company Balearia – who operates ferries from florida to the Bahmas, and Gibralter to Africa. P&O Ferries, operates several vessels in the English Channel and Irish sea, and is a european contemporary to Marine Atlantic.
A team of representatives from the Nova Scotia International Ferry Partnership and government departments will evaluate the plans as quickly as possible. The plans will be assessed based on criteria similar to the request for proposals. Criteria include financial stability, a management structure with expertise and a history of managing successful ferry services, and tourism and marketing experience.
The ferry partnership continues to play a key role by providing expert advice, promoting the opportunity, contacting companies, acting as a local contact and now evaluating plans.
You can view the Request for Proposals Here (PDF)
it looks like Halifax Regular Italy Express, has returned from a work period, and has returned to her pre Hapag Llyoyd name of OOCL Vancouver.
Hapag-Lloyd and OOCL operate a shared service to Halifax. Some OOCL Vessels on the service were operated by Hapag-Lloyd and therefore took Hapag-Llyod “express” names. Presumably the charters ended, and this may be part of the reson why some vessels aggined to the new G6 service made early appearances.
Another First Caller for Halifax, OOCL Netherlands called on the PAX service. SHe was built in 1997. Hapag Lloyds London Express is still at the pier.
The French Cable ship Rene Descartes arrived in halifax for pier 9 today. She was last in Halifax in March of 2012. As a pure cable layer, she does not perform repair work.
