Author Archives: Peter Ziobrowski

The Death of the Herald.

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The Chronicle Herald news room employees went on strike today, in advance of management raming through the changes they demanded. In doing so, they have lost the one last thing that was keeping the paper alive. What Follows below is not directed at the actual (now Striking) content creators at the Herald. They do fine work. (I’ve even talked to a few of them about stories http://blog.halifaxshippingnews.ca/p/media.html) No this is directed at Management of the Company.

I used to be a subscriber to the Herald. I like paper – there’s something about reading print that is much more enjoyable then the screen. As a 35 y/o IT professional, that probably makes me some kind of oddity – It also makes me a member of a prime target market for the Herald. But sadly the content I wanted disappeared in the first round of layoffs in 2009. That’s when I canceled my subscription. I could read wire stories for free, and in a more timely manner elsewhere, so absent a value-add opinions and news room, why would I continue subscribing.

Since then, the Herald’s content has gotten thinner, and more advertorial. Real stories often are simply cut up press releases – I Cut up press releases – but I run this blog off the side of my desk in my spare time. I try to be informative, entertaining and factual, but I’ll be the first to admit this site lacks production quality. That’s fine for a blogger – but not a paper of record. slow news days aside, Im sure just as much news worthy stuff happens today as it did in 2008 – there are just fewer people to cover it in any detail – and that shows.

Chronicle Herald, You missed the boat. In the internet age, quality local content is king. You had the quality, but you squandered it through successive rounds of layoffs. A strong regional newsroom, Independent from regional and national corporate interest was your greatest strength. You should have leveraged that to become the dominant content creators and distributors in Eastern Canada but you let that slip away.

Betting the farm on free weekly’s isn’t going to do it either – Just as regularly as one is thrown on my door step, I promptly recycle it – as is, unopened. it is a product without value, that frankly I would rather not receive,  and it is just a matter of time before your advertisers realize there is no value to them. You still get my eyes online, which are marketable eyes to advertisers on your website, but they are likely soon gone, now with the decimation of your news room.

Chronicle Herald, without your newsroom, You have sunk to the level of this blog. I’m Quite Proud of this blog, but I’m not evaluated on, nor due I claim the standards of a professional news organization.  Nope scratch that. if you cant produce news with professional journalists in house, and only bet on advertorial content, then you are no better then a spammy clickbate site.

CSL Reliance – New name for an Old Face

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The Bulker Barkald, recently made a run from Halifax to Philidephia. While in the City of brothery love,  She took a new name – CSL Reliance, but Maintained her Bahamas registry. She returned to National Gypsum yesterday with her new Identity.

She was built in Oshima, Japan in 2002 she was owned by the Torvald Klaveness Group of Oslo. Until November 2015 when CSL purchased her and Trilium Class vessel Balto. Both ships operates in the CSL International pool with ships of CSL Americas, Oldendorff Carriers, Marbulk Shipping Inc and Algoma Shipping Inc.

Under similar deals at the same time, Marbulk, which is owned 50/50 by CSL and Algoma, Purchased Balder (now Venture)  and Algoma  purchased Balchen (Now Algoma Vision) and Baldock (Now Algoma Value) from the Torvald Klaveness Group

Svitzer Nerthus and Njal Return

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The Svitzer Tugs Nerthus and Njal Returned from Milne Inlet on Bafin Island. they arrived in Halifax in June, and Sailed to Baffin Island in July. They have now likely returned to wait out the winter before returning to work up north. (the mine works all year, but only ships product July to October)

See Previous Stories From June and July,

Atlantic Star – Teething Issues

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Atlantic Stars first Atlantic Crossing was Apparently a little rough.
On Arrival in Halifax, It was discovered that the RO-RO ramp would not lower.

No word on a Cause, but she is spending the night.

I Should Note, that A few Issues are to be expected on the first trip, of a new ship, of  a new Design.

UPDATE:
The ramp was down  when I drove by this morning, so all appears to be good now.

Maiden Call, on maiden Voyage of Atlantic Star

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ACL’s New Ship Atlantic Star made her first Appearance in Halifax Today. A Con-RO, the RO-RO cargo is kept centered, and containers are stored on either side. (and Above)  She is loaded right to the bow, and features a blunt nose. She also took 2 tugs – g3 vessels usually took none.

ACL Sent me the following Release:

Fritz B. King, Managing Director of Atlantic Container Line said “he is proud to see ACL’s innovative design that increases capacity without significantly changing the footprint of the previous vessels.” The “Atlantic Star” joined the company’s transatlantic service in December. The remaining four G4 vessels will be delivered during the first half of 2016. “ACL’s new fleet represents a clear commitment by our parent company, Grimaldi Group, to our clients that ACL’s unique product brand and service level will remain a strong force in markets for years to come.”

ACL provides a portfolio of five weekly transatlantic sailings covering ports in Europe, the United States and Canada. ACL’s main Container/RORO Service calls weekly at Baltimore, Norfolk, New York and Halifax, Liverpool, Antwerp, Hamburg and Gothenburg. In addition to this service, ACL provides four additional pure container strings covering 15 ports in Europe and North America.

In 2014, the company held a company-wide contest to name the new vessels, over 5,000 names were received. The “Atlantic Star” and her sister ships, “Atlantic Sail, Sea, Atlantic Sky and Atlantic Sun” were submitted and named by Halifax’s own Andrea Cox, who is a Customer Service Representative at our Halifax Customer Service Center.

The G4s are bigger, greener and more efficient than their predecessors. The container capacity is more than doubled at 3800 TEUs, plus 28,900 square meters of RORO space and a car capacity of 1300+ vehicles. The RORO ramps are wider and shallower and the RORO decks are higher (up to 7.4 meters) with fewer columns, enabling much easier loading and discharge of oversized cargo. Emissions per TEU are reduced by 65%. The fleet continues to employ cell-guides on deck, a feature that will allow ACL to extend its enviable record: ACL ships have never lost a container over the side during the last 30 years.