Marine Recycling Corporation in Port Colborne Ont. has won the contract to dispose of the former HMCS Preserver and CFAV Quest. The contract is worth $12.6 million. The ships will be towed to Port Colborne to be scrapped.
Preserver was decomisioned earlier this year. CFAV Quest was mothballed in 2014.
Since sinking and being re-floated in June 2015, the Farley Mowat has languished at the pier in Shelburne. Court Orders to remove the vessel went unanswered, resulting in her Owner Tracy Dodds being imprisoned for contempt of court for failing to remove the vessel. In 2016 he was given a May 31 deadline to move the vessel, or face $10,000 in fines or 20 days in jail. He was arrested in August 4 2016, and served his time.
The federal government has announced they will now issue a contract to remove and scrap the vessel, and then attempt to recover the funds from Dodds, under the Polluter Pays Principal. In the end – the taxpayer will be left holding the bag, as the feds also will attempt to recover the $815,000 cost to refloat Farley Mowat – the money likely doesnt exist. Not included in the cost are thousands of dollars in unpaid berthage fees, and additional lost revenue from vessels not being able to tie up, because of the Presence of the Ship.
Dodds also owned the Craig Trans, which racked up over $100,000 in bertage fees in Dartmouth Cove, and Numerous other vessels around the province.
The Dutch two masted topsail schooner Wylde Swan will arrive at Tall Ships Quay (in front of the Nova Scotia Power Headquarters) tomorrow morning. She is scheduled to pick up her pilot at 0800. She sails on the 17th.
I have heard a few rumblings that the US Navy is sending an Aircraft carrier to Halifax at the end of the month. The most Detailed claim i have heard is that it is the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and She will anchor in Anchorage 1.
Aircraft carriers never travel alone, and the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Currently consists of the Ticonderoga Class Cruiser USS Normandy, and Destroyer Squadron 26; USS Stout, USS Mcfaul, USS Oscar Austin, USS Roosevelt, USS Mason, and USS Nitze. These are AEGIS and Arliegh Burke class Destroyers, though the entire squadron doesn’t always travel with the carrier.
I am unsure when the last carrier was in Halifax, but there hasen’t been one Since at least 2008*
*The Royal Navy sent the Arc Royal to the Fleet Review in 2010. Also present was the USS Wasp, which is an amphibious Assault ship, flightdeck not withstanding.
UPDATE: Found photos of the USS Theodore Roosevelt with the USS Essex together in 2015.
ARABIAN GULF (Aug. 28, 2015) The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) transits alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the region. (U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Brown/Released)
Saturday brought the Arrival of 2 training ships. The First, The Italian Navy sail training vessel Amerigo Vespucci. Named after an Italian explorer the vessel is a full rigged three-masted steel hull 270.34 ft long, width of 15.5 m 51 ft. She has a draught of about seven metres (23 ft). She was built in 1930/31 and the design was inspired by the style of large late 18th century 74-cannon ships of the line. She is home-ported in La Spezia. I believe she was last in Halifax in 2000.
She will be open for tours at Pier 20 today 1600 – 1830 and 2030 to 2200, and tomorrow 1030-1200 and 1530-1700
The Second training Vessel is the TS State of Maine, which belongs to the Maine Maritime Academy. Built in 1990, she is the ex USNS Tanner (T-AGS-40) and was laid up following an engine room fire in 1993. In 1996 she began conversion to the training ship, and went on her first voyage in 1997. She is tied up at pier 23, and is not open to the public.
(Above) CMA-CGM Elbe at Pier 41. Another of the Same Class of 9400TEU Vessels CMA-CGM has been using on their Columbus Loop.
(Below) YM ENLIGHTENMENT was last nights call to Fairview Cove. Running a Short Service, she will call once a month, and was last here May 15th.
(below) The products tanker Sichem Challenge Put in for bunkers Sunday afternoon. A small tanker, shes not much larger then the Algoma Dartmouth.
The Halifax Joint Rescue Coordination Center is reporting Multiple sailing vessels are in trouble in the mid-Atlantic that were participating in trans-Atlantic races. The Royal Western Yacht Club’s original single-handed and two-handed transatlantic races (OSTAR2017 and TWOSTAR2017) are from Plymouth, UK to Newport, Rhode Island.
JRCC reports At least one vessel is demasted, with others having rigging and or hull damage. Conditions in the area are difficult with 50-70kt winds and 10-15 meter seas (Sea State 8 / 9)
CC-130 Hercules and a CP-140 Aurora aircraft from 14 Wing Greenwood, as well as HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN, CCGS Pearkes, CCGS Cygnus and 2 civilian tankers are proceeding to the area. JRCC is coordinating additional assistance from other Atlantic marine rescue centers, including a P3 Orion aircraft from Portugal.
Photos are from the May29th Race Start via twitter.
Updates to follow as known.
UPDATE:
Locations of the Vessels from OStar telemetry. You can see live positions at http://yb.tl/rwyc_transat2017
Update 15:47: 3 vessels triggered emergency beacons just after midnight. 2 are single handed, and the third has a crew of 2. They were 1600nm east of Newfoundland around noon today.
UPDATE 10:48
JRCC is reporting one vessel has motored out of the storm area and is no longer in danger. 2 crew have been rescued by a merchant ship, and the Queen Mary II is on its way to the third.
Additionally a 4th vessel is taking on water 250nm off Newfoundland
UPDATE 06/12 0900: 5 rescues were completed over the weekend.
As 0f 1700 June 10th, the original 3 distress calls were resolved. ALP Forward Rescued 2 Sailors from 1 vessel, The Queen Mary II rescued one from a second vessel and the single sailor on the third vessel was able to motor out of the storm area and was no longer in distress. Merchant Ships MSC Anzou, Labrador and Federal Kushiro provided additional assistance.
The sailor on the 4th Vessel, off Newfoundland was rescued by Thor Magni, with a PAL aircraft overhead.
Yesterday a 406 EPIRB was detected 350nm South East of Newfoundland. The sailor reported keel damage and that he was taking on water. After refueling at the White Rose Platform, a Cormorant helicopter rescued the sailor and flew him to St john’s
may 27th Arrival of Itea on the ATA Service – one of the last calls for G6
NYK Terra May 29th Call on EC5
PCTC Onyx Arrow at Autoport.
YM Movement Is Today’s Caller at Fairview cove. I caught her waiting to tie up on her May 21st stop over. Unlike other YM Vessels so far, Shes running on the EC5 Service, and is the first Yang-Ming vessel to make a repeat call (now on the return trip)
