Venture to the northernmost point of the Halifax boardwalk and you’ll see it: Tucked in behind the gates of the HMC Dockyard and painted in white and blue is a military vessel which, as foreign ships go, is a rather unusual one to find in Halifax Harbour. The SD Victoria offshore support vessel has been stationed in Halifax for the past week. It came in from Portsmouth, UK on Dec. 27.
The ship is operated by British defence contractor Serco Marine Services as a training and support vessel for the Royal Navy. According to the company’s vague descriptions, it’s primarily involved in the “transportation of personnel and military equipment and diving support operations.” But if you believe the Daily Express, the ship has been rumoured to be involved in the Royal Navy’s special forces units.
That’s not to suggest the ship’s here on a top-secret mission: Other countries’ naval vessels—including the US Navy and Royal Navy’s fleets—will occasionally take part in joint exercises with the Canadian Navy. And it’s not the first Halifax visit for the Victoria, either—it spent several days here in Feb. 2022.
In an emailed statement to The Coast, a Royal Navy spokesperson says the ship is in town for “a routine visit,” adding, “I am afraid we won’t comment on her future programme.” (A wee bit secretive, aren’t we?) Even still, it’s more revealing than Serco’s statement: “SD Victoria is under UK government contract whilst alongside CFB Halifax. No further information will be provided with regards to her port visit.”
So: Is James Bond aboard? That’s for you to decide.
Let’s take a look at what else is coming in and out of port, shall we?
Monday, January 1
In the words of Bono, all is quiet on New Year’s Day. And since there are no ship comings and goings to talk about, here’s a bit of U2 trivia: When the Irish band was forming the idea for the song that would become one of its biggest hits and a member of Rolling Stone’s “500 greatest songs of all time,”—no, not the album you can’t seem to delete from your iPhone; the one that came earlier—U2’s mononymous frontman was thinking of Polish solidarity leader Lech Wasela standing in the snow and leading a workers’ strike. The more you know.
Tuesday, January 2
Congratulations, ONE Wren: The Japanese-built container ship was the first large vessel to arrive in Halifax in 2024. It docked at the South End Container Terminal after wrapping an 18-day voyage from Suez, Egypt. (The arrival came five days later than planned.) The 139,335-tonne ship is already on the move: It left Halifax early Wednesday morning for New York City.
Silver honours go to the MOL Experience container ship, which berthed at Halifax’s Fairview Cove Terminal just after 6am. It finished a 16-day Atlantic crossing from Antwerp, Belgium—an arrival that came even later than the ONE Wren, at 12 days behind schedule. Like the Wren, it’s now en route from Halifax to New York.
Third place goes to the Thermopylae car carrier, which reached the Richmond Terminals just afer 7am. The ship came nearly 10 days behind schedule from Southampton, UK. (Guess what? It’s also headed to New York.)
Three more ships rounded out Tuesday’s arrivals: The Athina III bulk carrier, Harbour Pioneer oil tanker and Atlantic Sail container ship. The Athina III arrived in Halifax just before 11am, inbound from Quebec City. It’s berthed at the South End Container Terminal and set to depart again on Saturday—though its next destination isn’t yet listed. The Harbour Pioneer arrived from New York and left early Wednesday for Montreal. The Atlantic Sail, meanwhile, came in a little before 5pm from Norfolk, Virginia. It left Halifax early Wednesday morning for Liverpool, UK. Cheerio.
Wednesday, January 3
January frost has you fantasizing about warmer climes? You could do far worse than escaping to Paranaguá, Brazil. The coastal city calls for highs of 27 and 29 degrees and partial sun this weekend—perfect caipirinha weather. But if December’s holiday spending left a container ship-sized hole in your bank account—hey, that’d be me!—take comfort: We’ve got our own Paranagua right here. The CMA CGM Paranagua container ship arrived early this morning from Montreal. And while it didn’t bring any sunshine with it, if you squint juuuuust enough, you, too, can imagine yourself on a tropical beach instead of a frozen, wind-blasted peninsula.
Elsewhere in Halifax Harbour, the Morning Christina car carrier arrived at CN’s Autoport from Gothenburg, Sweden. The EUKOR-operated ship is currently three days behind its schedule and leaves later Wednesday for New York. The Algoscotia oil tanker is also due to arrive around 7pm from Corner Brook, NL. It will depart again on Friday for Sydney.
Thursday, January 4
The second-busiest day of the week comes Thursday, with the arrival of five ships—including three container ships and one ro-ro/cargo carrier.
First up is the NYK Meteor container ship. The Japanese-owned ship is due at the Fairview Cove Terminal around 5am from Antwerp. It’s set to depart again late Thursday night for Port Everglades, Florida.
Not too far behind it, the 294-metre-long MSC Leandra V container ship is expected at the South End Container Terminal around 7am. The ship left Sines, Portugal on Dec. 28 and will sail onward from Halifax to Montreal.
The Skogafoss container ship is slated to arrive at the South End Container Terminal from Portland, Maine. It’s currently wrapping a six-day voyage from Reykjavik, Iceland. After it berths in Halifax, it will leave for Argentia, NL.
Finally, the Oceanex Sanderling ro-ro/cargo carrier continues its usual route into 2024. It’s due early Thursday morning from St. John’s, NL, where it will return after its Halifax visit.
Friday, January 5
The northernmost part in all of Canada is a 990,000-square-kilometre Arctic archipelago known as the Qikiqtaaluk Region. It is among the least densely populated, most remote regions you’ll find anywhere in the country—ringed seals outnumber people at a ratio of roughly 79 to one. It is a land of mountains and fjords, caribou and bowhead whales. For the roughly 15,000 Inuit and 3,800 settlers who call it home, it is a place of long, cold winters and summers of midnight sun.
The region’s namesake, the Qikiqtaaluk W. oil tanker, is due to arrive at the Imperial Oil Terminal on an appropriately chilly evening, with a forecast of -6C when it berths in Dartmouth around 6pm. The crude oil carrier is currently en route from Port Colborne, Ont., and will head onward to St. John’s, NL on Sunday.
Elsewhere in the harbour, the Nolhan Ava ro-ro/cargo carrier will leave its post near the MacKay Bridge for Argentia, NL.
Saturday, January 6
The Acadian oil tanker is expected to berth at the Irving Oil Terminal. The ship arrives from Saint John, NB, where it will return on Sunday.
Sunday, January 7
No comings and goings to share. All is quiet, it seems, on Jan. 7, too.
