(Above) Maersk Elliot tied up at IOL. Maersk Tankers are not a comon site, though there offshore vessels and container ships make regular appearances.
(Below) AlgoScotia Waits at anchor. She is Sister to AlgoNova, Who reported a fire yesterday morning.
The official launch of the SmartATLANTIC Herring Cove Buoy website took place today in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
This new website provides real-time data from the inshore weather buoy that was originally deployed in the waters off Herring Cove, Nova Scotia on November 7, 2013. The data includes high resolution weather and wave forecasting for the Halifax Port Authority and will be used for education and scientific research.
Its has the ability to provide real-time weather and directional wave information online for shipping operations and recreational boaters. With accurate data, shipping companies will have additional information to safely navigate their vessels through the waterways leading into the Port of Halifax. This technology improves the port’s reliability, and supports better planning and more efficient operations by shippers and others using it.
Find the Buoy Data at http://www.smartatlantic.ca/Halifax/buoy.php
the Herald reports that a fire occurred on the AlgoNova 9am this morning, 83km North of Gaspe. JRCC Dispatched a helo and a C-130 from Greenwood, to the Honuedo Straight.
AlgoNova departed Halifax on Friday. Another Commercial Vessel and a CCGS Ship were also standing by to render assistance.
AlgoNova was built in 2008. She was Bound for Quebec.
UPDATE: Tug Ocean Arctique underway to offer assistance and possibly escort to Sydney.
UPDATE: No Additional News, However identical twin vessel Algo Canada suffered an explosion in 2009 after tanks were improperly vented using a procedure that was valid for Algoscotia, but not Algocanada due to differing equipment designs. TSB Report can be found Here
UPDATE: 21 January 2014 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Sydney, Nova Scotia, to investigate a fire that occurred on board the tanker vessel Algonova. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
the bulker Tundra arrived friday at pier 27. She was mostly obscured by fog. SHe was last here in 2012, arriving late after running aground off Sorel. PQ.
The CCGS A. LeBlanc is now showing a Sunday morning Launch on the ports website. It would appear that the stop work order has now been lifted.
UPDATE:
Perhaps not. I learned last night that tomorrows launch has again been Canceled.
Algoma Central Corporation has entered into an agreement with Sterling Fuels Limited to continue marine fuel delivery services using its bunkering vessel, Algoma Dartmouth, in the Port of Halifax and surrounding area. This new arrangement will be effective upon the expiry of current agreements for fuel delivery services on January 18, 2014.
Algoma brought the Algoma Dartmouth to Halifax harbour in 2009 to provide marine delivery services within the Harbour for marine fuels produced at the Dartmouth Refinery. With the closure of this refinery in September, 2013, the existing source of supply for marine bunker and intermediate marine fuel blends ended.
Marine fuel customers will continue to see the same Algoma team on the Algoma Dartmouth. “This vessel and crew have a distinguished track record in their performance and service since 2009. We are very pleased to keep this team together to continue to meet the Halifax area marine fuelling requirements,” said Mr. Smith.
From Sterling Fuels Release – it would appear that they are charting the vessel and the crew from Algoma. A Sterling sister company already operates the McAsphalt dock in Eastern passage near Autoport, so presumably Sterling will be importing fuel to a tank there. Sterling is also related to the Miller Group, who provide road construction and waste disposal services in HRM.
Sterling is a Bunkering provider in the Great Lakes region.
UPDATE: Apparently the McAshpalt owned Tug/barge combo Victorious / John J.Carrick are on their way to Halifax with bunker product from Quebec.
UPDATE: Victorious / John J.Carrickare due on the 23rd to the McAshphalt Dock in Eastern Passage. If Algoma Dartmouth ties up there, we will know the plan.
you may remember at the end of December, a crack was discovered in the deck of the container vessel MSC Monterey, and her passengers evacuated. the ship then took shelter in St. Mary’s Bay Newfoundland,. She Sailed for Boston today, with an eta of the 15th.
Inspection and ultrasound reveled the crack was simply a failed defective weld, and could have a final and complete repair made on site. The original plan called for the installation of stiffeners, to re-inforce the ship so it could make a shipyard. This is no longer necessary.
The repair was delayed by wether for several days. the crack did not grow, and no pollutants were released.
After a call for submissions, narrowing those submissions down to a finalist list of five and over 12,000 individuals picking their favorite name for the new harbour ferry, we have a winner. The name of the new harbour ferry will be Christopher Stannix. This option recived 61% of the vote
A reservist with the Halifax-based Princess Louise Fusiliers, Stannix had achieved the rank of master corporal but accepted a demotion to corporal in order to go to Afghanistan. In April 2007, at age 24, Stannix was killed by a roadside bomb while patrolling in Kandahar, Afganistan.
Once the new vessel is received, Metro Transit will organize a ceremony to commemorate its launch and more details on that will be available in the coming weeks. Currently, the new harbour ferry name sits with Transport Canada for final approvals, which are expected to be received shortly.
Past ferries have been named for Military Men. The First Steam powered Ferry, Sir C. Ogle, was named after Charles Ogle, then the Commander of the North Atlantic Station. Boxer was also Named after Captain Boxer, of a Royal Navy Ship that rendered assistance to the Steam Boat Company
the Third of January brought the closing date for A notice of proposed procurement, Designed to find out what may be available for immediate purchase to replace the Digby St. Johns ferry Princess of Acadia.
On June 24th, 2013 the Government of Canada announced its intention to invest in a replacement vessel for the federally-owned MV Princess of Acadia. Traveling the 70 kilometers between St-John, New-Brunswick and Digby, Nova Scotia, the MV Princess of Acadia, operates on a year-round basis carrying passenger and commercial traffic.
The process to find a replacement vessel for the MV Princess of Acadia involves the identification and review of suitable candidate vessels from all over the world, including Canada. After completing various reviews, Canada will select and purchase a vessel which best meets its requirements. Once the vessel has been purchased by Canada, the modifications and refit of the selected vessel will be competed amongst Canadian shipyards in accordance with the Canadian Shipbuilding Policy.
The Procurement has an aggressive timeline, with the notice now closed, vessels available will be evaluated with Selection of the most suitable vessel occurring by May 31, 2014. the Timeline also lists Delivery of the replacement vessel to Canada July 31, 2014; Modification and refit of the selected vessel to be completed December 31, 2014;and Training of the operating crew completed by February 28, 2015 allowing for delivery of an operational vessel to the operator by March 31, 2015.
Also Announced on the 24th was the re-engining of Holiday Island. That contract was awarded to Cores Worldwide of Elmsdale NS. That firm has done considerable engin work on Canadian Cogerent Vessels, Including Edward Cornwallis, Sir William Alexander, Firebird, CFAV Quest and Others
The past week saw HMCS Charlottetown move from the graving dock to the machine shop wharf. HMCS St.Johns took her place in the graving dock shortly after.
Halifax and Fredericton are complete and running trials, Montreal is tied up at the dockyard being kitted out prior to trials.
Photo Above by Adm. Newton, Via Twitter.
