Launch of the future HMCS William Hall

The fourth of six new AOPVs to be built for the Royal Canadian Navy, the future HMCS William Hall, was launched by Irving Shipbuilding on Sunday. I caught her being towed back to the shipyard after launching. Halifax Shipping News has photos of the actual launch process.

Only a week before, the ship was still on land and looking like she wasn't going anywhere fast.

Two slightly modified additional ships (making a total of eight) will be built for the Canadian Coast Guard, once the ships for the Navy are complete.

Future HMCS MAX BERNAYS

(Note: A previous version of this blog post incorrectly indicated that the WILLIAM HALL was rolled out, however, it is actually the MAX BERNAYS. The keel for the WILLIAM HALL was laid recently, hence my confusion on the subject. The quickest way to find the answer to something is to post the incorrect answer on the internet.)

The future HMCS WILLIAM HALL MAX BERNAYS is taking shape at the Halifax Shipyard, with the stern and midships sections having rolled out of the building hall within the last few months, and having recently been joined together. MAX BERNAYS will be the third Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) to enter service in the Royal Canadian Navy. The first, HARRY DEWOLF, is currently undergoing sea trials and has recently operated in ice off Baffin Island. She will commission into the RCN later this year.

The arrangement of the building yard, storage for snow, ship's cradles, and high fencing does not make for easy photography, but one manages.

The opening for the port stabilizer can be seen just to the right of the yellow debris chute - it is retracted into the hull, as it would be when the ship is operating in ice or coming alongside. Icebreaking hulls are not known for great handling in rough sea conditions, and these stabilizers will help to make the ships a little more comfortable and prevent excessive rolling.

Photography from the ferry at dusk is similarly not easy, as it is taken from a distance at high ISO levels, but it can certainly be pretty. I need to find a better vantage point for this sort of night time image.

For those interested, I have a two-part article on these ships coming out in the April and May editions of Warships International Fleet Review magazine, and these articles greatly benefitted from an interview with the commander of HMCS HARRY DEWOLF.

Vole au Vent

Vole au Vent is a jackup heavy lift ship built in 2013, and currently flagged in Luxembourg. It was in Halifax this past week to collect components for an offshore wind farm being installed of the coast of the US. More detailed information is available on Shipfax and Halifax Shipping News. 

Vole au Vent jacked up at Woodside on her four spuds. The ship carrying the windmill components, Bigroll Beaufort, can be seen to the left. 

Support columns and windmill blades are still onboard Bigroll Beaufort in this image.

Bigroll Beaufort to the left and Vole au Vent to the right at Woodside.

When not jacked up on her spuds, Vole au Vent is a self propelled ship, and has multiple thrusters for station keeping.

A close-up showing Vole au Vent's helicopter landing pad, bridge superstructure, and three large box thrusters.

One detail in particular that I found interesting is that her large Liebherr crane appears to be built _around_ the aft starboard spud, suggesting to me it might be a custom design for this ship.

The Liebherr crane is built around one of the spuds used to raise the ship.

Vole au Vent left port a few days ago, with only a portion of the windmill components onboard - suggesting she will be back to pick up the rest.

Heerema's Hermod going for scrap

In 1999 and 2003, Halifax was visited by two large semi-submersible crane platforms in support of the Sable Offshore project, Saipem 7000 and Heerema's Hermod respectively. The former is the younger of the two (completed in 1987), has the heavier lift cranes (two 7,100 tonne models), and is still in service. Hermod, completed in 1979, has recently been sent for scrap.

Hermod, with her two cranes of 5,000 and 4,000 short ton capacities, was in port around April 12, 2003. She transported and installed the jacket(s) (support legs) for the Alma platform, in 67 metres of water depth. At the time, the daily rate to hire Hermod was reported to be in excess of $150,000 per day.

Hermod with McNab's Island in the background.

Hermod is the younger sister of Balder (completed 1978), which is still in service with Heerema.

Hermod, with two offshore supply vessels alongside.

Hermod surrounded by vessels in Halifax.

Hermod ready to be towed out. That's Fenwick Tower in the background under the two cranes.

To replace Hermod, Heerema is building the world's largest semi-submersible crane platform, the Sleipnir, with two 10,000 tonne cranes for a total capacity of 20,000 tonnes. 

As an aside, these four images were scanned from film negatives, and they aren't cleaned up as well as they could be. In addition, there was a spot of dust in the scanner that caused an overexposed line to appear in the center of each photo - best visible in the first image.

Atlantic Griffin begins sea trials (Updated)

Atlantic Towing's new offshore support vessel (OSV) Atlantic Griffin began sea trials yesterday, heading out during mid-day sometime, and returning after dark. She headed out again this morning,  just as fleet-sister Atlantic Condor was returning to port, and I managed to get a few shots of her as the sun came up.

Atlantic Griffin departing this morning just as Atlantic Condor was returning to port. This is a good contrast between the newer design of Griffin to the not-so-much older Condor.

Designed by Damen and built at their yard in Galatz, Romania, she is designated as a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) 5000. The upper portion of the forward superstructure was separated from the rest of the hull, and the two parts were shipped to Halifax and assembly was completed at Halifax Shipyards. Sistership Atlantic Shrike is also completing in Halifax, and will presumably begin her own sea trials soon.

The lines of this new Damen design are fairly revolutionary, at least in these parts. Her hull certainly seemed to be cutting through the water with little fuss, though to be fair she wasn't going very fast.

Atlantic Griffin in front of Purdy's Wharf.

Atlantic Griffin approaches the lighthouse on George's Island.

There was a nice sky this morning, although the orange and reds in the sky made it difficult to selectively highlight the orange of Atlantic Griffin's hull.

Chebucto Pilot following Atlantic Griffin out this morning.

Atlantic Griffin returning last night.

I include this photo of Atlantic Griffin not because it is very good, but because I was surprised I was able to take it at all. I took this from the ferry, a moving platform, just before 7pm and it was dark enough that all my eyes could make out were the lights on the ship. I set my camera's ISO to 25,000, opened up the aperture to f4, and did my best to hold the camera steady - and was rewarded with an image of the entire tug, orange hull and all, and not just the lights. Camera technology has come a long way in the last 10 years.

Update:

According to Tugfax, Atlantic Griffin was performing a bollard test on January 20, see seen in the following photos.

Atlantic Griffin bollard pull test at Pier 26.

Atlantic Griffin bollard pull test at Pier 26.

Atlantic Griffin bollard pull test at Pier 26.

Atlantic Condor:

Atlantic Condor herself has also been in and out a fair bit lately.

Atlantic Condor taken just last week on January 13th, again with the George's Island lighthouse to the left.

Atlantic Condor passes in front of the Navy's Tribute Tower, the new Junior Ranks Mess and Accommodation.

Unlike her two newer fleet sisters, Atlantic Condor was build right here in Halifax, and was launched back in October of 2010. Here are some images from her launching.

The day prior to the launch, October 30, 2010, some of the smaller tugs such as Atlantic Larch put on a bit of a show.

This image of Atlantic Oak is one of my favourites.

The remainder of the images here were taken October 31, 2010, the actual day of the launch. Atlantic Condor was one of the last vessels launched from the old launch ways from which other fleet mates, the Coast Guard inshore patrol vessels, the MCDVs, and many other ships were launched over the years. 

Atlantic Condor has just started to slide down the ways, her bows meeting the water for the first time.

Here she really has her feet wet, with only her running gear and rudders still out of the water.

Once fully afloat, she was herded into place by her smaller fleet sisters. 

Atlantic Condor has been quite busy ever since, and one presumes that the newer Atlantic Griffin and Atlantic Shrike will be kept similarly busy.