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)
I had a question about the work taking place at Pier 9. McNally construction currently is building a new Quay to serve as a Home base for the new AOPS vessels under construction at Halifax Shipyards. The dredging work was completed over the winter, and they are now pouring the blocks that make of the Quay.
The blocks are individually slipformed on a semi-submersible barge, then floated off when complete, towed to their final location and sunk into position. the blocks are hollow, and will be filled with rock, and the whole area will then be backfilled, and paved over.
A completed block, tied up at Pier 9
A new block, just underway.
The whole process hasen’t changed much in close to 100 years – this is the same method used to construct the Ocean Terminals almost 100 years ago
One Final Note: Why is it a Quay?
The Tug Craig Trans Left Halifax Last night, under tow of the Dominion Victory.
The Tug Arrived in Halifax in Dec 2012, the crew having run out of food and Water 3 days prior to Arrival and was detained after inspectors found a number of Deficiencies. The 1944 built tug was on its way to Montreal to tow a ship to the scrappers. The mission to seafarers worked to repatriate the Honduran crew, while The tugs owner was less then supportive.
The Tug was to be sold at Auction, June 15th 2013, but Failed to attract a buyer. It then appears to have fallen into the hands of Dubious local vessel scrapper Tracy Dodds, who then tried to sell it on Auto Trader. The Tug has languished at the Scunda Wharf in the Basin Ever Since.
UPDATE – June 5th:
Thanks to Shipfax, we know the Craig Trans was towed to Marie Joseph on the eastern shore. (About 175 km NE of Halifax, Past Ecum Secum. This Port is also home to the MV Caruso, Ex CCGS Sir Charles Tupper which is partially scrapped, after being towed to Marie Joseph after a Fire at the former Dartmouth Marine Slips.
One other note, which I neglected to include in the original post, was that the Craig trans was bound to tow the Kathryn Spirit from Beauharnois, on the south shore of Montreal for scrap in Mexico. the ship was towed to Beauharnois intending for it to be scrapped there, but local environmental concerns caused the company to sell the ship to Mexican interests. Since the tug hired to tow her was detained in Halifax, The Kathryn Spirit has languished their since, and having developed a list, is now being scrapped where she sits, at taxpayer expense.
The Sailing vessel Sorca, has been lost, while on her way to Bermuda. The Sorca was a regular caller in Halifax, and requested assistance after she began to take on water 155nm SE of Halifax. The Joint Rescue Coordination center dispatched a Hercules and a cormorant helicopter. The 4 Sailors aboard the Sorca were rescued by the Onego Capri. the Cormorant then hoisted the crew and brought them to Halifax airport.
Sorca was built in 1978 in Lunenburg
The us navy submarine USS Minnesota arrived Friday for the weekend. The US Navy traditionally sends a ship north for the Memorial Day weekend to commemorate American troops buried on dead and island from the war of 1812.
The boat is scheduled to sail tommorow morning
Atlantic Cartier continues to sail, along with Atlantic Conveyor, and have scheduled stops into at least July. Monday brings the Maiden Call of Atlantic Sky, which was accepted from the builders at the end of March. This means 4/5 of the new g4 vessels are in operation, with Atlantic Sun still not accepted from the builders. The first vessel, Atlantic Star was recently drydocked, and it appears the second – Atlantic Sail may be undergoing work at the moment.
Cartier and Conveyor will continue on, until Atlantic Sun comes into service, and the Drydockings finish.
the last caller in the rotation on the AL6 service, Brotonne Bridge sailed today just after noon. built in 2010, she is owned by Vancouver’s Seaspan, and is on long term charter to K-Line.
YM Enlightenment made the 4th call for Yang Ming last night, and tied up at Fairview cove. Once she was finished at the terminal she went to anchor in the basin to wait for weather to improve. She’s scheduled to sail this morning at 11:30
