Eight combi container / breakbulk ships made up the rotation. Perhaps the most interesting of these from the visual aspect were the 1979-built, "C"-class twins, HOEGH CAIRN (IMO number: 7729215) and HOEGH CLIPPER (IMO number: 7729203). Cargo handling gear comprised 2 x 25 t cranes together with 2 x 25 t and 8 x 12 t derricks. Built in the same year and at the same yard - Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Kobe, Japan - were two of the "M"-class general cargo / forest products ships, the HOEGH MIRANDA (IMO number: 7715965) and HOEGH MINERVA (IMO number: 7715953). These were equipped with two mobile 38 t gantry cranes. When HOEGH CAIRN was sold in 1996, a third earlier-build (1977), "M"-class ship, the HOEGH MARLIN (IMO number: 7516565) took her place.

Completing the rotation were the four newer "D"-class ships, HOEGH DENE (IMO number: 8126575), HOEGH DRAKE (IMO number: 8126587) and HOEGH DYKE (IMO number: 8126599) - all three built by Oy Wartsila Ab, Finland - and the odd ship out! - the HOEGH DUKE (IMO number: 8201612), built by Swan Hunter at Wallsend-on-Tyne, U.K. The four ships were completed in 1984 and were fitted with 4 cargo handling cranes and a mobile gantry that served the midships container tiers and holds.

I'm not sure when Hoegh Lines sold off the service (probably around 2000). Many of the ships were acquired by Egon Oldendorff who, I believe, continued the route until it was purchased in 2004, together with the "D"-class ships by China Navigation Co., a part of the John Swire Group of companies. China Navigation, headquartered in Hong Kong, continues the service to this day employing the four ships whose names began "INDOTRANS" when first purchased, but now bear the prefix "PACIFIC" (see below).

HISTORY AND SPECIFICATIONS:

"C" - class:
Gross tonnage: 23,239 (24,938 dwt). Length (o.a.): 183.0 m, breadth: 27.3 m, draught: 11.6 m.
Main engine: MAN K8SZ 70/125 8 cyl oil engine. Power: 11,187 kW. Speed: 18.5 knots. Containers: 914 teu.

HOEGH CAIRN: subsequent names - HOEGH CAIRN-96, RICKMERS TIANJIN-03, SEA EMPRESS-04.
Current name: PERSIA. Owner (Manager): Astral Navigation Ltd. (Qeshm Bonyard Ship Management Co., Tehran, Iran). Flag: Belize.
HOEGH CLIPPER: subsequent names - HOEGH CLIPPER-97, RICKMERS HOUSTON-03.
Current name: HOUSTON. Owner (Manager): Vittorio Bogazzi & Figli SpA, Italy (Bnavi Shipmanagement Srl, Marina di Carrara, Italy). Flag: Cayman Islands (George Town).

"D" - class:
Gross tonnage: 30,150 except DUKE - 30,061 (41,600 except DUKE - 41,949 dwt).
Length (o.a.): 197.6 m, breadth: 32.3 m.
Main engine: 5 cyl oil engine. Power: 10,672 kW. Speed: 16.5 knots. Containers: 1,656 teu.

HOEGH DENE: subsequent names - HOEGH DENE-00, GITTA OLDENDORFF-04, INDOTRANS JAVA-06. Current name: PACIFIC JAVA.
HOEGH DRAKE: subsequent names - HOEGH DRAKE-00, INGRID OLDENDORFF-04, INDOTRANS FLORES-06. Current name: PACIFIC FLORES.
HOEGH DYKE: subsequent names - HOEGH DYKE-01, ALBERT OLDENDORFF-04, INDOTRANS CELEBES-06. Current name: PACIFIC CELEBES.
HOEGH DUKE: subsequent names - HOEGH DUKE-01, EDWARD OLDENDORFF-04, INDOTRANS MAKASSAR-06. Current name: PACIFIC MAKASSAR.
All four ships are owned and managed by China Navigation. Flag: Hong Kong.

"M" - class:
Gross tonnage: 30,995 except MARLIN - 30,931 (44,016 except MARLIN - 45,065 dwt).
Length (o.a.): 200.5 m, breadth: 30.8 m, draught: 11.6 m.
Main engine: MAN K8SZ 70/125 8 cyl oil engine. Power: 11,187 kW. Speed: 15.2 knots. Containers: 1,708 teu.

HOEGH MARLIN: Former/subsequent names - HOEGH MARLIN-87, STAR MARLIN-91, HOEGH MARLIN-04.
Current name: SAGA MARLIN. Owner (Manager): Marlin Shipping Ltd., Marshall Islands (SMT Shipmanagement and Transport Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus). Flag: Bahamas.
HOEGH MINERVA: Former/subsequent names - HOEGH MINERVA-87, STAR MINERVA-90, HOEGH MINERVA-01, MAX OLDENDORFF-03, HOEGH MINERVA-05
Current name: SAGA MINERVA. Owner (Manager): Minerva Shipping Ltd., Cyprus (SMT Shipmanagement and Transport Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus). Flag: Bahamas.
HOEGH MIRANDA: Former/subsequent names - HOEGH MIRANDA-87, STAR MIRANDA-89, HOEGH MIRANDA-01, AUGUST OLDENDORFF-03, HOEGH MIRANDA-05.
Current name: SAGA MIRANDA. Owner (Manager): Miranda Shipping Ltd., Marshall Islands (SMT Shipmanagement and Transport Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus). Flag: Bahamas.

Photographs of many of these ships when under subsequent ownership can be found at shipspotting.com

Please note that last month's ships, including updated information on the TOXOTIS, can be found here.

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FEBRUARY 2007:

This month's featured ships were both built in Spain in the 1970s and called at Halifax in 1995 in the twilight of their careers.

  

Left: Crude oil tanker CASTILLO DE MONTEARAGON. Right: Panamax bulk carrier TOXOTIS . These photos are clickable for larger images.

CASTILLO DE MONTEARAGON doesn't look quite right for an oil tanker of her era. In fact, as seen in the accompanying photo, she appears to be somewhat of a hybrid - and she is, or rather, was!

She was built in 1977 by Empresa Nacional "Bazan" de C.N.M. at El Ferrol as one of two 173,000 dwt sister-ships for Empresa Nacional Elcano de la Marina Mercante S.A. (ENE). Power was provided by two, Bazan-Kawasaki steam turbines which gave a speed of 17 knots. Evidently, the owners were not entirely happy with her (operating costs?) and returned her to the original yard in September, 1983, where the aftpart was removed and swapped with that of the new, motor-driven bulker, CASTILLO DE LOPERA. The stern of the tanker was then welded to the forepart of the bulk carrier. Interestingly, the boilers of the now turbine-driven bulker were fed with pulverised coal rather than fuel oil, apparently reducing fuel costs appreciably. (As an aside! - I wonder which IMO number takes precedence when surgery of this nature makes a new ship from two halves of existing vessels?).

She was in collision with the Greek Tanker, PATMOS in the Straits of Messina in March, 1985, but otherwise seems to have had a relatively uneventful career until shortly after I saw and photographed her in December, 1995. At the time she was flying the Portuguese flag, port of registry Madeira, and was managed by RNV Transportes Maritimos Madeira Ltda.

It seems that her fate was already settled at the end of 1995, A month later she arrived at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Ulsan, where again she was surgically operated upon - this time her stern being transplanted with the aft part of yet another company bulker, the CASTILLO DE LA LUZ. In March of 1996 she was towed from Ulsan to Chittagong where she was beached on April 21 to be broken up.

CASTILLIO DE MONTEARAGON - Particulars (as seen in 1995):
Tonnages: 92,288 gt; 173,056 dwt. Dimensions: loa: 287.7 m Beam: 46.1 m. Main engine: 6 cyl motor, 17,370 kW, speed: 14.0 knots.

TOXOTIS The first syllable of the name of this ship aptly describes the billowing emissions from the stack as this aging bulker heads for the Halifax Shipyard! When seen in May, 1995, the vessel was apparently without owners or managers. At least, none appeared in Lloyd's Register at the time and the flag was St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

A recent internet search revealed that she was one of two 75,000 dwt, Panamax bulk carriers built for the British and Commonwealth Shipping Co. by Astilleros Espanoles S.A., Bilbao, in 1975. She was originally named KING GEORGE and her sister was the KING WILLIAM. I haven't been able to find too much information other than that she was laid up in the Clyde for a period in the 1970s and was subsequently sold and renamed WHITE before becoming the TOXOTIS. Her story ends in 1997 when she arrived at the Alang beaches to be scrapped.

UPDATE: Mac Mackay has been able to provide further information. She arrived in Halifax with a hull fracture, 80 feet from the bow on the port side (visible in the photo) which was fixed while she was in port. From March, 1992, until May 1994 she was laid up in Genoa having been named ATLANTICO (Italian flag) from 1982 to 1993. She then became the WHITE under Maltese flag in 1993. and then TOXOTIS (Italian flag - owners unknown) in 1994. As mentioned above, when seen arriving Halifax in 1995, she was flagged in St. Vincent and Grenadines.

TOXOTIS - Particulars (as seen in 1995):
Tonnages: 42,291 gt; 79,493 dwt. Dimensions: loa: 256.2 m Beam: 32.3 m. Main engine: 9 cyl motor, 17,320 kW, speed: 16.0 knots.

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JANUARY 2007:

This month's "what became of them?" ships features a pair of small Danish-owned, multipurpose vessels, the CHRISTINA C (IMO number: 8616623) and the ELISABETH (IMO number: 8813037). They traded between Halifax and the French islands of St. Pierre et Miquelon in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the 1990s, operated by SPM Container Line. I believe both of them also operated a feeder service to Portland and Boston in between weekly voyages to the islands - ELISABETH certainly did! The smaller CHRISTINA C was replaced by the latter ship towards the end of 1994 as trade increased. ELISABETH was in turn replaced by a somewhat bigger ship of similar type, also managed by Orion - the LISBETH C (2,881 gt / 1993) in 1997.

   
Far left: CHRISTINA C. Next three photos right: ELISABETH. These photos are clickable for larger images.

Both were managed by Orion - Rederierne A/S of Copenhagen and were built in Denmark by Orskov Christensen Staalskibsvaerft A/S of Frederikshavn. CHRISTINA C was completed in January, 1988, and the slightly larger ELISABETH in March, 1990. At the time they were classed as Ro-Ro general cargo / container ships with stern ramps and the rather unusual arrangement of bridge and accommodation forward, engines aft.

Details when in local services:
CHRISTINA C - Owner: Rederiet Christina A/S. Tonnages: 1,814 gt (1,748 dwt). TEU: 150, Cranes: 1. Dimensions: length (oa): 85.36 m beam: 14.0 m draught: 3.66 m. Main engines: 2, MAN-B&W Alpha 6 cyl 4-stroke diesels; power: 1,620 kW; twin controllable pitch screws, service speed: 13.5 knots.

ELISABETH - Owner: Rederiet Elisabeth A/S, Tonnages: 2,761 gt (2,177 dwt). TEU: 276, cranes: 2 (1 x 27 mt, 1 X 40 mt). Dimensions: length (oa): 91.5 m beam: 16.8 m draught: 4.25 m. Main engines: 2. MaK 6 cyl 4-stroke diesels; power: 2,400 kW; twin controllable pitch screws, service speed 12.0 knots.

Subsequent history:
Interestingly, both ships were converted to livestock carriers for trade between Australasia and Asia - presumably transporting sheep from Australia and New Zealand to Muslim countries. They have a very different appearance now. CHRISTINA C, renamed FINOLA in 1994, looks very much like a mini-vehicles carrier (see recent photo at FINOLA). [Note: you will need to enter the name Finola in the search window]. ELISABETH, after briefly becoming the LISE E in 1997, was converted in 1998 with 3 extra decks and was renamed SAHIWAL EXPRESS. She could now easily be mistaken for a small cruise ship at distance (see photo and details at SAHIWAL EXPRESS).

FINOLA operates for CORRAL Line of Denmark. Flag: Danish International Register (Egernsund). SAHIWAL EXPRESS is registered in the Philippines (Manila) and is in service for Vroon B.V., Breskens, Netherlands.

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DECEMBER 2006:

HAAPSALU and JURIS AVOTS

Beginning this month is what I intend will become a regular feature - at least for the winter months - focussing on some of the ships that regularly called at Halifax 10 to 15 years ago and what has become of them since. As happens in the shipping industry, shipping lines deploy newer and often larger vessels to established services as trade patterns alter, thereby displacing older, smaller vessels, the owners of which then have to find new opportunities to pay for their upkeep. The two ships featured this month are sister-ships that were once the backbone of Atlantic Ro-Ro Carrier's service connecting Baltic States' ports with the east coast of the U.S. - and Halifax upon inducement. At that time they were named HAAPSALU (IMO number: 8623975) and JURIS AVOTS (IMO number: 8226519).

  
Left to Right: Estonian Shipping's HAAPSALU and Latvian Shipping's JURIS AVOTS. These photos are clickable for larger images.

Both were built by the Zhdanov Shipyard in what was then Leningrad, USSR, being constructed as bow-loading, Ro-Ro general cargo ships. JURIS AVOTS was originally named YURI AVOT, a name she was to carry until 1991. She was completed in 1983 and HAAPSALU (previous names unknown) in 1985. At the time I photographed them, HAAPSALU was owned by the Estonian Shipping Company and was registered in Tallinn. JURIS AVOTS belonged to the Latvian Shipping Co. and was registered in Riga.

The ships changed services in the late 1990s. HAAPSALU was sold and became the JULIANAHAVEN for Van Uden Maritime of Rotterdam and now operates on the Vanuden Ro-Ro service: a service with sailings every 10 days from Moerdijk, Antwerp, Sheerness and Hamburg to Malta,Tunis, Lattakia, Mersin, Gemlik, Limassol, Alexandria, Beirut, Tripoli, Tyr, Piraeus and Thessaloniki. JURIS AVOTS was renamed TELO, still under Latvian ownership (Juris Avots Shipping. Managers: LSC Shipmanagement SIA, Riga), and operates the Barcelona - Marseilles - Algiers Ro-Ro service for Compagnie Europeenne de Transport Automobile par Mer (CETAM) - evidently a car ferry service across the Mediterranean.

Details of these ships:
Tonnages: 9,489 gt - HAAPSALU (9,479 gt - JURIS AVOTS); 5,500 dwt
Dimensions: Length oa: 152.7 m Breadth: 19.2 m Draught: 6.58 m
Main engine: 5 cyl, 2-stroke B & W-type diesel by Brynsk Machinery. Power: 4,489 kW Speed: 16.5 knots

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