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.

Maersk Penang from Saturday

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Saturday was the first workday of the new year, and a busy day at Pier 41/42 ZIM Savannah spent the Day at 41, with Maersk Penang tieing up just after 7am. When she sailed, around 2pm, Her spot was Taken by CMA-CGM Bianca who worked well into the night. (Bottom: CMA-CGM Bianca backing into pier 42. (Provided Photo))

Fairview Cove was also busy, with Allise P and Rio Blackwater Occupying the East and West Births Respectively.

2015 in Review

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2015 was another eventful year at the Port of Halifax

Incidents

Australian Spirit was towed to Portugal for repairs. Harefield also spent Considerable time at pier 9 waiting for a new rudder part after sustaining Ice Damage. She was Joined at Pier 9 by the Stadt Caditz who suffered engine troubles and also needed parts. Ex RCN Research vessel Cormorant took a List in Bridgewater, and Ex Sea Shepard Conservation Society vessel Farley Mowat sunk. Also worth a mention was the March Crash of AC624 at Halifax Airport.

New Ships

Svitzer Won the contract for tugs at Port Cartier, and imported Aussie Immigrants. They also won a contract for and imported Svitzer Nerthus And Njal.  The Former Greek Ferry, Canada 2014 became the Fundy Rose went on trials and in the summer took her place as the replacement for Princess of Acadia. The New Halifax Transit Ferry Craig Blake was delivered and went into service in the spring.

The much delayed Bluenose II – was finally open to the public  and sailed on her own. And the 2 new CCGS Hero class boats for the west coast sailed there under there own power.

Harbour Works

The New Hibernia Atlantic Express Cable was laid. Irving demolished and began reconstructing their wharf in woodside, and The Bridge Commissions’ big lift got under way, with the arrival of Barges
removal of the walkways, and the replacement of the first sections.

The Kings Wharf Harbour Taxi went into service.

Navy News

2015 saw visits from numerous foreign Naval vessels including the Submarine USS Virginia and the third LCS USS Milwaukee. US Coast guard Cutters USCGC Campbell  USCGC Bristol Bay  USCGC Morrow Bay and the First visit for a National Security Cutter USCGC James. French Rocket tracking ship FS MONGE  also stopped in avoiding weather. The PCTC Glovis Century tied up at pier 9 and unloaded Cars. This was to reduce her draft to load  a military cargo in Montreal. She picked up the cars on the way back.

Bigger Ships

CMA-CGM and the Oceans 3 Alliance add a stop in Halifax. This Service is responsible for setting the biggest Ship record, first with the CMA-CGM Vivaldi  , which lost to Hapag Llyods Budapest Express and Colombo Express Finally regaining it with the Arrival of the  USAC ZAMZAM

Retirements

The RCN Paid off HMCS Iroquois on may 1,The Nova Dock was sold, Cut in two, and towed to Tampa Florida. and ACL began retiring and scrapping their conro vessels as the new series come online. The First, Atlantic Star arrives the first week of January.

HH Emilia for repairs.

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 Due today is the HH Emilia –  On arrival, she is set to discharge all her containers due to engine troubles. presumably this will be picked up by the next Maersk vessel.

The ship is part of the Vespucci Service,  Asia and the US East Coast via Panama. The port rotation is Qindao – Ningbo – Shanghai -(Panama)- Cartagena – Savannah – Charleston – Norfolk – New York – Norfolk – Charleston  – Savannah – Qingdao, so the ship came north to offload.

This is the second time a CMA-CGM Ship has failed in Halifax – The Stadt Cadiz spent time at Pier 9B in May sorting out engine troubles. She also unloaded all her cans.

If the Ship looks Familer, she is the Ex Dresden Express –  sold by Hapag Llyod earlier this year. – Hapag-Llyod is disposing of her class – either selling or scrapping the vessels.

Correction: I Originally posted that the ship was filling CMA-CGM’s slot on the weekly Maersk Service. this was incorrect, as now noted above.

New Caller At Fairview

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Word is the Bahri, the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia Has switched terminals and will now be calling at Fairview Cove. Yesterdays Stop of Bahri Janzan was the first.

I Suspected that as ships get larger, the smaller vessels would call at Fairview Cove, to leave space at Halterm on Piers 41/42 but Bahri Typically calls at pier 30

The Shot below provided by a Longshoreman.