the Heavy lift ship GPO Grace returned to Halifax this afternoon and took to the Inner Anchorage. the ship is loaded with Vineyard Wind’s third load of Monopiles and transition Pieces.
Fleet Mate GPO Sapphire has been tied up at Woodside for a few weeks.
The Crew there seem to have gotten comfortable,Note the turf and the swimming pool on the bridge wing.
The GPO Grace arrived on Saturday with Piles and transition pieces for the Vineyard Wind 1 project. The ship brought 6 sets, and tied up next to Orion.
On Monday the ship moved to anchor having transferred one pile and transition piece to the Orion.
No other movements are listed for either ship, so its unclear if Orion will load more Segments before sailing for installation
The Offshore installation Vessel Orion arrived at the IEL Dock at woodside overnight. The Giant Main crane is rated for 5000tons. The ship joined the DEME Fleet in April 2022. if the ship looks familiar, it suffered a dramatic crane failure during testing in 2020, which went viral.
The Ship is Here to install Piles and Transition pieces for the Vineyard Wind 1 project off Martha’s Vineyard. The Piles and Transition pieces were manufactured in Spain by Windar Renovables. The pieces were then moved to the Port of Avilés, where they were loaded aboard the GPO Grace for Transport to Halifax. The Pieces are due on May 11th or 12th.
Vineyard 1 will consist of 62 GE wind turbines spaced 1 nautical mile apart. The surrounding area has also been leased to other Offshore wind developers who will be deploying Additional GE as well as Siemens turbines.
Orion will also be deployed for the installation of 176 foundations at the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm in the US. That project installed two trial turbines in 2020, and was staged out of Halifax. Bigroll Beaufort , arrived with components for 2 complete wind turbines. the Installation vessel Vole au Vent completed the installation off the Virginia Coast. The Fall Pipe vessel Adhemar De Saint-Venant also took part in the project.
For comparison, the Crane on Vole aux Vent is rated for 1500 tons. That ship also uses jack up legs when working.
The Port of Argentia Newfoundland has won a large contract to be a staging area for a US Offshore wind farm – though the client hasen’t been disclosed, its likely the Virgina Project.
Oh, and if you havent seen the video, here is the 2020 Failure of the Crane:
UPDATE 03/05:
Orion took bunkers from the North Altantic Kairos yesterday. Poor weather precluded photos of the operation, but the North Atlantic Kairos came alongside the vessel.
I attempted to Fly the Drone today, but the on and off rain interfered with the operation. the Orion looks to be setting up a sizable ground operation at IEL.
(Above) Drone View from the transit terminal lot. Lots of folks pulling in to look at the Orion. (Below) View through the fence from the Woodside terminal drop off area.
The products tanker North Atlantic Kairos took to the anchorage on arrival from Come By Chance Newfoundland. North Atlantic operates as a distributor for Fuel Products. The ship is scheduled to spend Tuesday at IEL, which is currently occupied by the Offshore Construction Vessel Orion. It seems likely the tanker will be bunkering the Oriorn.
If the North Atlantic Kairos looks familiar, it is a twin of the Algoma Dartmouth, which served as a bunkering tanker in Halifax until November 2018, when it moved to Saint John on a Charter to Irving.
North Atlantic Refining, was the operator of the Come by Chance refinery. the company was sold, and the refinery was recently converted to produce biofuel diesel, and is Operated by Braya Renewable fuels
The general cargo ship BBC Kwiatkowski arrived last night for Woodside.
typically this is wharf is used by offshore vessels, so its possible she is delivering a Cargo destined for an offshore project.
Photos to follow, if the weather clears.
The Eimskip Container ship Skogafoss at Woodside. She is still undergoing a 12 day Maintinance period, and arrived on May 31st, so her work period appears to be nearing Completion. She took bunkers from Algoma Dartmouth Yesterday.
UPDATE: she sailed for Argentia NF at 2100
The Eimskip vessel Skogafoss arrived for a 12 day drydock and work period. She has likely been tied up at woodside, as the Digby/St. John ferry Princess of Acadia is due today at 11 for Emegency repairs, requireing a schedule adjustment.
Thanks to BayFerryMan for the Princess of Acadia Tip
PSS Chumel Left just after 13:00 today. The photo was taken around 12:30 just before she left.
Under repair at Woodside Industries, the Accommodation platform was previously under repair in the Mobile river when it slipped off a barge during hurricane katrina, and floated downstream until it got stuck under a bridge.
