# Navy supply ship out of refit in Halifax - late and over budget



## Navalsnpr (17 Jan 2005)

Courtsey of National Post

*Navy supply ship out of refit in Halifax - late and over budget*

Murray Brewster 
Canadian Press 

Sunday, January 16, 2005

HALIFAX (CP) - The refit of Canada's only military supply ship on the East Coast has taken longer and will be more expensive than first thought, says the federal Defence Department. 

HMCS Preserver went into a Halifax drydock almost a year ago for its first refurbishment in six years. 

It was supposed to be ready in late November at a cost of $18 million. 

Preserver is now expected to rejoin the navy Jan. 21 - two months behind schedule, said Defence Department spokesman Jeremy Sales, in an interview from Ottawa. 

Sales said equipment inspections showed the 34-year-old vessel needed more work than originally expected. 

In addition, the ship's regular five-year refit cycle was delayed a year due to the navy's involvement in the U.S.-led war on terrorism. 

"So it was six years between refits, and there's a number of things that had to be done," said Sales. 

One of the developments during the refit was the discovery of asbestos in a large turbine on the aging steam ship. 

Four workers were dismantling the turbine near the engine room Feb. 12, 2004, when they found 10 bolts securing the machinery were wrapped with twine-like cords of asbestos. 

The once-popular fire insulator has been linked to a variety of health problems, especially if it is disturbed or cut. 

Special health and safety procedures were introduced to handle the asbestos, and none of the workers reported any ill effects. 

Sales couldn't say how much more expensive the refit will end up being. 

"Based on traditional refits, rising costs could represent 30 to 35 per cent of the value of a contract and that is the case here," he said. 

The final tally won't be available until Preserver is returned to the navy. 

The refurbishment was ordered even though the federal government has promised to replace Preserver and its sister ship based on the West Coast. 

The plan was mentioned in the last federal budget, but has yet to move forward. 

© The Canadian Press 2005


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## Navalsnpr (17 Jan 2005)

Once again ammunition to support the procurement of replacement AOR's


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## Ex-Dragoon (17 Jan 2005)

Won't happen soon enough if you ask me. Replacements should have been tendered the same time as the CPFs were ordered.


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## Navalsnpr (17 Jan 2005)

Ex-Dragoon, we will probably both be out before we see the replacements!!


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## Cloud Cover (18 Jan 2005)

Navalsnpr said:
			
		

> Courtsey of National Post
> 
> *Navy supply ship out of refit in Halifax - late and over budget*
> 
> ...



I'm a little confused by this statement. Is he stating that refits go up in costs about 30 percent each cycle, or is he saying that it is "traditional"  that a refit costs 30 percent more than the value of  the original contract awarded.  I suspect it's the latter, but that seems a little high, even for government work.


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## buckahed (18 Jan 2005)

The figures are low balled on the initial contract because no one really knows how much work will be needed untill you get the ship opened up. In the case of the AOR's, the shipyard probably charged 10 % extra for cleanup and disposal of the cockroaches.


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## Ex-Dragoon (18 Jan 2005)

Not to mention the asbestos they found that could have added up the price.


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## Navalsnpr (18 Jan 2005)

Ex-Dragoon said:
			
		

> Not to mention the asbestos they found that could have added up the price.


I think that would have been the prime suspect for the delay.


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## STONEY (6 Feb 2005)

A ship going into refit is a lot like taking your car into Midas for a $69 brake job.  You just know ,your not going to get away without paying a lot more than that.


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## Navalsnpr (8 Feb 2005)

*Smoky cloud covers downtown*
Restarting Preserver's engines blamed for haze 

Courtesy of the Chronicle Herald 

By JENNIFER STEWART / Staff Reporter 






Concerns about air quality were pouring in as fast as thick plumes of smoke were pouring out of HMCS Preserver on Monday morning. 

The Canadian navy supply ship, which has been docked at the Halifax Shipyard since January of last year, began spewing large clouds of smoke at about 8:30 a.m. as workers restarted her dormant engines. 

Motorists and pedestrians alike reported seeing or smelling the smoke in the air throughout the day. 

One Dartmouth man, who asked not to be named, said he noticed a "thick fog or haze" hanging over downtown Halifax even before his car reached the Macdonald bridge. 

"I thought it was strange because it was not really a foggy day, so to speak. It was nice and sunny," the man said. 

"I thought maybe it was a warehouse on fire. Then I saw it was coming out of this grey navy ship, this really thick grey smoke." 

The man described the cloud as having a "burnt oil kind of smell." 

"I still feel dizzy from it," he said. He also claims to have suffered a headache, nausea, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. 

"It felt just like breathing fumes from the exhaust of a car, like sticking your mouth right on the muffler." 

When contacted Monday afternoon, a spokeswoman for the Canadian navy had no explanation for the smoke. She said HMCS Preserver is in the care of Halifax Shipyard. 

Mary Keith, spokeswoman for J. D. Irving Ltd., which owns Halifax Shipyard, said the vessel was undergoing a series of tests as part of its refit. 

"My understanding is they are in the process this week of conducting testing trials on the boilers as they undertake the startup of the vessel," Ms. Keith said Monday from her New Brunswick office. "That's all I know." 

She said it should have been primarily steam that was emitted from the ship, but it's possible there was smoke as well. 

The Dartmouth man had no doubt it was smoke. He was so concerned he visited the Ecology Action Centre to see what they could tell him. 

"He came in here to voice his concern and he was really ambitious," said Anne Warburton, who works at the Halifax centre. "I was very proud of him. It was quite inspiring to see." 

Ms. Warburton said this isn't the first time she's heard of such emissions from vessels in Halifax Harbour. 

That made the Dartmouth man wonder even more why these incidents continue to happen. 

"Why wouldn't they shut down the engine once they realized what was happening?" the man said. "I think whoever caused that, somebody should be held accountable." 

The penalty for smoke being released from a ship contrary to the Air Pollution Regulations as stated by Transport Canada is a fine of up to $500, a jail term of up to six months, or both. 

However, there is no indication that those who were operating the Preserver at the time the smoke was released were in violation of those regulations. 

"We don't see this type of thing happening very often," said Michael Hingston, an air quality engineer with Environment Canada. "So I'm assuming it's some sort of little malfunction that they'll fix. 

"I mean, it happens. . . . You look into it and see what happened and why it happened and prevent it from happening again." 

Mr. Hingston explained that the smoke that was being released into the air would have about the same composition as the emissions from other diesel-powered machines. 

"Ships, in general, they're burning the same type of fuels as people would burn, whether it's hospitals, universities, the Tufts Cove power plant," Mr. Hingston said. 

"A lot of them are burning heavy fuel oil. Some of the ships are burning somewhat cleaner diesel fuel oil that wouldn't be much different to what is burning in a diesel automobile or truck. 

"When you get an incident like this, it's the same as if your next-door neighbour has a smoky wood stove, and it ended up in your backyard, and you're breathing it." 

Mr. Hingston said he was waiting for a full report from Halifax Shipyard on the incident. 

HMCS Preserver, commissioned in 1970, is one of two Protecteur-class auxiliary oiler replenishment ships operated by the Canadian navy. 

The 172-metre vessel provides ammunition, fuel, stores, provisions and helicopter support for destroyers and frigates at sea and is able to support three destroyers for about two months.


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## Good2Golf (8 Feb 2005)

On the plus side, maybe the ship's Captain won't be able to play, "Turn off the TACAN and run away from the Sea King" anymore? ;D


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## Navalsnpr (9 Feb 2005)

At least with this article being posted in the news would mean that the ship is close to having her refit completed!!


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## Slim (9 Feb 2005)

> "Why wouldn't they shut down the engine once they realized what was happening?" the man said. "I think whoever caused that, somebody should be held accountable



This guy reminds me of people who buy houses along the flight path to the airport and then complain about the noise...
 :
Slim


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## buckahed (9 Feb 2005)

The paper can't be bothered to assign the story to a reporter that knows the difference between engines and boilers and ends up printing a piece that makes them look like complete morons to any sailor.  

It's not like the Halifax dockyards have been doing low power firings to dry out and warm through boilers for about the last 150 years  is it?


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## Ex-Dragoon (9 Feb 2005)

The guy that complained is probably one of those idiots who is willing to sue over everything. I expect him to try and take the Navy and HSL to court any day now.


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## Slim (9 Feb 2005)

Certain members of the press will do stuff like this on a slow news day just to see what sort of reaction they get...Unethical if you ask my opinion...


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## Navalsnpr (13 Feb 2005)

Most news agencies could be classified as tabloids this day an age!!


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## Bruce Monkhouse (13 Feb 2005)

Quote from Slim,
_This guy reminds me of people who buy houses along the flight path to the airport and then complain about the noise..._

....off-topic but couldn't resist, my favourite is the city dwellers who buy a lot severed off from a farm..........just what exactly DID you think they put on the field to help things grow? :


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## JohnnyCanuck (15 Mar 2005)

Having served onboard the Preservers Sister ship the Protecteur for a few years and having seen the "smoke" coming from PRE on the day in question I can say, with some confidence that what the PRE was doing that morning was quite normal for an AOR on start up.  It just breaks my heart that the citizens of this country apparently hate us so much that any time we so much as fart in the wrong direction they "go up one side of us and then down the other".  When will this country get it's pride in it's forces back.  I want to be able to wear this uniform with pride and not feel embarrased when I tell people what I do for this country.  I am a proud member of this Canadian Force why arent Canadians?


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## Navalsnpr (23 Mar 2005)

Quick update.....

_ticker tape noise in the background..._

The tanker is out of HSL and is back in the Dockyard. Also it appears she went across the harbor for a drink of gas today!!


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## winchable (23 Mar 2005)

3 Cheers lads!


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## Tpr.Orange (23 Mar 2005)

JohnnyCanuck said:
			
		

> Having served onboard the Preservers Sister ship the Protecteur for a few years and having seen the "smoke" coming from PRE on the day in question I can say, with some confidence that what the PRE was doing that morning was quite normal for an AOR on start up.   It just breaks my heart that the citizens of this country apparently hate us so much that any time we so much as fart in the wrong direction they "go up one side of us and then down the other".   When will this country get it's pride in it's forces back.   I want to be able to wear this uniform with pride and not feel embarrased when I tell people what I do for this country.   I am a proud member of this Canadian Force why arent Canadians?



I still take pride in my uniform and what i do for this country... F*ck what other people think. I do it for my country, including the people who look at you like your a wierdo because you wear a uniform. You ask why aren't Canadians, because they have been blessed that they dont live in extreme poverty, or in a war time. Because they are uneducated as to what the military does, and because they aren't mature enough to wrap their heads around what we do and why we do it.


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## daniel h. (24 Mar 2005)

JohnnyCanuck said:
			
		

> Having served onboard the Preservers Sister ship the Protecteur for a few years and having seen the "smoke" coming from PRE on the day in question I can say, with some confidence that what the PRE was doing that morning was quite normal for an AOR on start up.   It just breaks my heart that the citizens of this country apparently hate us so much that any time we so much as fart in the wrong direction they "go up one side of us and then down the other".   When will this country get it's pride in it's forces back.   I want to be able to wear this uniform with pride and not feel embarrased when I tell people what I do for this country.   I am a proud member of this Canadian Force why arent Canadians?




To answer your question, most people are poorly educated about this country. Most people know nothing military. Every Canadians government has given us phony pacifism and mukticulturalism for the last 40 years, so this is the mess we're in as a result. 

Most Canadians live in big cities, where the concept of "Canadian identity" is very watered down where it ever existed. Not to say people in cities like Toronto and Vancouver don't care, young people care especially, they simply have to put up with the multiculturalism, colonialism and pacifism that they never voted for.


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## Sundborg (27 Mar 2005)

Does anyone know how many civies work on the AOR's?  I heard a little while ago that the munber of civies that will be working on our ships will be likely to climb in the future.


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## Navalsnpr (27 Mar 2005)

The AOR's are RegF ships and do not have any Civilian Staff onboard.

There are members of the Maintenance Facility that are civilians that do go onboard to preform maintenance and trials, but they do not belong to the Ship's Company


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