M/V Baldock and M/T Jurkalne

    The self unloading bulk carrier Baldock rounded Eddy Point about 1340 h. inbound on the trait of Canso heading to the martin Marietta Materials loading dock at Aulds Cove to take on a cargo of construction aggregates that will be unloaded in Mobile Alabama.
       APA pilot Capt. Elias Dorey was in command on the bridge and directed the tugs Svitzer Bedford and Point Valiant in the docking manouvers.

       Meanwhile the tanker Jurkalne was spotted by this correspondent at the Nustar berth One discharging its cargo.

  Stormy weather and most especially the high winds lately has been affecting vessel traffic again here in the Strait area but at about 1645h the 52,620 dwt oil products tanker Jurkalne was finally docked at Nustar Ocean Berth One.An attempt the previous night was aborted due to the nasty weather.The tanker is expected to be in port about 24 hours.

  Also waiting to come in is the self-unloading bulk carrier Baldock which has also been on weather watch and is destined for the Martin Marietta Quarry dock at Aulds Cove when conditions permit..

A bright sunny day made watching the European Spirit depart a bit of a pleasure.The vessel got off the Nustar dock about 1445 hours with APA pilot Chuck MacDonald directing the operation from the bridge.The tugs Svitzer Bedford,Point Valiant and Point Chebucto all paticipated in the manouver and all 3 provided escort til the ship had gotten past Eddy Point.The vessel was headed to New York and had 700,000 barrels of crude oil onboard.

PIONEER & EUROPEAN SPIRIT

Bulk Carrier PIONEER unloading coal at the Point Tupper Generating Station Pier.

Information courtesy of  Maritime Connector
http://maritime-connector.com/ship/pioneer-7925613/

IMO number 7925613
Name of the ship PIONEER
Type of ship BULK CARRIER
MMSI 576048000
Gross tonnage 24113 tons
DWT 37448 tons
Year of build 1981
Builder SEAWAY MARINE & INDUSTRIAL - ST.CATHARINES, CANADA
Flag VANUATU
Home port PORT VILA
Class society LLOYD´S SHIPPING REGISTER
Manager & owner: CSL INTERNATIONAL - BEVERLY MA, U.S.A.
Former names: CANADIAN PIONEER (not yet confirmed)

MT EUROPEAN SPIRIT

TEE KAY Shipping's EUROPEAN SPIRIT at Berth # 1 at Point Tupper, Nova Scotia.

Information courtesy of  Maritime Connector
http://maritime-connector.com/ship/european-spirit-9247429/

IMO number 9247429
Name of the ship EUROPEAN SPIRIT
Type of ship CRUDE OIL TANKER
MMSI 311499000
Gross tonnage 79668 tons
DWT 151848 tons
Year of build 2003Builder
HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES - ULSAN, SOUTH KOREA
Flag BAHAMAS
Home port NASSAU
Class society DET NORSKE VERITAS
Manager & owner TEEKAY MARINE GLASGOW - GLASGOW, U.K.

Ships were moving today in the Strait

    The weather was a bit overcast,cool and gloomy around our body of water but there was lots of activity to keep ship watchers moving.The plan at Superport marine Services this morning was to put their newly built tug Strait Raven into cold waters of Port Hawkesbury Harbour.High water was at 0900hrs but the trailer holding the tug was cranky and needed a bit of encouragement to get it to move.I stuck around for a bit and got a few photos from a few different angles.On my return tp Port Hawkesbury the pilot vessel Strait Eagle was out of the water and the new tug was tied alongside the dock at Superport Marine for some finishing work.Rumor has it that the new tug will put to work in Newfoundland.
    Tanker traffic was brisk from noon on today when the oil products tanker BW Rhine departed for sea from Nustar  and the crude oil tanker European Spirit came in from its anchorage in Chedabucto Bay escorted and docked at Nustar by the tugs Svitzer Bedford ,Point Chebucto and Point Valiant.

     The cape sized bulk carrier Sivota is at anchor in Chedabucto Bay and if the weather holds out will be getting topped up by the self-unloader CSL Acadian..

Better weather for sailing.

The bright sun and a significant drop in the winds that ummeled our region since Friday night were cause for celebration as vessel traffic got underway at around 0800h when the Arctic Endurance departed mulgrave for sea.At 0900h the tanker Americas Spirit with pilot Captain Elias Dorey on the bridge departed the Nustar Ocean Terminal for sea .

The next vessel to be brought in was the 76000 dwt oil products tanker that docked at the Nustar Ocean Berth One .Pilot on board was capt. Scott MacDonald and he was assisted by the tugs Svitzer Bedford and Point Chebucto..Superport Marine Services vessels Wikit and Strait Rider carried dock crew to handle lines and towed lines from the bow and stern of the tanker..

       The pilot vessel on duty was the Strait Falcon.Capt Melvin Brushett was the helmsman today.

Americas Spirits sunny arrival...

The 256 meter x46 meter crude oil tanker Americas Spirit arrived at the pilot station at1030h this morning heading into the Nustar Terminal at Point Tupper .The tugs Point Chebucto freshly out of drydock and the Svitzer Bedford were dispatched to assist the vessels journey co-ordinated by APA pilot Tony Pierce..
      The linesboats Wikit and Strait Rider towed the lines to the waiting dock crew and the vessel is now loading cargo.