Need Infomation for Shipspotting in Antwerpen

[Galadriel]

Hi there,
Next weekend we want to head up to Antwerpen for a bit of shipspotting. I found some hints here in the forum for the best places but the thread is already two years old. It was written the best places to come closest to the ships are: Waalsorden and Ternuezen. Are there any other places anybody could advise? Are there any places where you can park a RV (small) with view over the water ( best of course closest to the shipping route :-D  ;-) )
Is it possible to drive directly into the harbour of Antwerpen or are there any custom regulations?  We are most interested in big container ships and car carriers.
Thanks for your help!

Galadriel

[Fred Vloo]

Terneuzen:
http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=walsoorden&sll=52.22399,5.170999&sspn=0.300325,0.477219&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Walsoorden,+Hulst,+Zeeland&ll=51.343561,3.809209&spn=0.002393,0.003728&t=h&z=18

Copy complete link into your webbrouwser.

[Fred Vloo]

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=walsoorden&sll=51.343561,3.809209&sspn=0.002393,0.003728&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Walsoorden,+Hulst,+Zeeland&ll=51.381707,4.035429&spn=0.001195,0.001864&t=h&z=19

Cheers Fred

[Dave van Spronsen]

I have been there two weaks ago,
At the locks in Antwerp you can park your car and shipspotting
In the morning hours you can stay at Riland close to Antwerp or go to Terneuzen,
Walsoorden is the best place you can also stay in your car but go to walsoorden around 14.00 until it get dark with the sun you can fantastic pics
If you want a special ship just watch the pilot list at www.loodswezen.be.
There you can decide if you want to Antwerp or Terneuzen both places you can shipspot from your car
For Antwerp contact Stevo  www.stevo.be .
He knows the best places around Antwerp.

Regards,

dave

[stevo]

Hey Galadriel,

As from tomorrow I will be in holiday, so I will try to help you.
A good place in Antwerp harbour is at the Berendrechtlocks.

http://maps.google.be/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=berendrechtsluis&sll=50.805935,4.432983&sspn=5.172883,14.27124&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Berendrechtsluis&z=15

both sides of the lock have their charmes. Please note when an MSC is entering the lock 60% an MSC is leaving Antwerp.

Another good place (driving 15 km) is bath if you take the "Grensweg"

http://maps.google.be/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=bath&sll=51.377339,4.248587&sspn=0.004989,0.013937&ie=UTF8&hq=bath&hnear=&ll=51.390101,4.229221&spn=0.038563,0.111494&z=14

Walsoorden and Terneuzen are also ok. Best place of all is Terneuzen because then you see vessels passing by to Antwerp/Gent.
You can park your car their also.Search for the 'Nieuw Neuzenweg"

http://maps.google.be/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=terneuzen&sll=51.390101,4.229221&sspn=0.038563,0.111494&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Terneuzen,+Zeeland,+Nederland&ll=51.343112,3.804713&spn=0.004993,0.013937&z=17

[Galadriel]

Good morning everybody,
Thank you so much for your help! I marked all the places down in my MapPoint and we will go there at the described times with the best lights to get some good shots.
We just moved our trip up to  two weekends later. I think we can put one or two days more at the weekend than.
I have got another question. We have been to Rotterdam two weeks ago and we stood at the Hoek van Holland at the Konigin Emma Boulevard. The place was nice so far as we could sit in front of the RV with our cameras directly by the water and we took some nice shots of some bulkers and smaller Containerships and made some lovely nightshots with big ships in the sunset.
But unluckily the Europort is just too far away there :-(  :-(  and the ( for us) really interesting big ships are not coming along  that part of the harbour where we stood. Is there a better place closer to the Europort where you coming closer to the big ships? We were not sure if we could drive onto the other site of the Canal.
Thanks again and have a nice day! And to Stevo : Enjoy your holidays!
Galadriel

[Gerolf Drebes]

Hi Galadriel,
I go to Antwerp every year since 1988.
In addition to the informations of the others I go as well with the car through the port despite the fact that more and more of the locks are closed now (in 1988 everything was open except on container berth).  But I think about 50% of the ship in the port are "drivable". Some of the Schelde container berth you can see from the road (at Barentdrechtlock and at Lillo).
Anyway I wish you good luck and nice shipspotting.
Gerolf

[Dave van Spronsen]

Hi,

About Rotterdam
If you go to Maassluis take the ferrie to Rozenburg in 5 min you reach the Calantcanaal
If you want to make pictures of the tankers do it in the morning, best sunlight on the tankers,
Than you can go to the Landtong just the end of the the road there you can take pictures of the Bulkers (berthed at the eecv).best time also morning hours.
Then drive to the Maaslvlakte about 20 min drive from the Landtong.
At the maaslvlakte you can spot every vessels that passing on his way to Europoort or city terminals.
At the end of the day you can go to the containerterminal Amazoneharbour
Thats the place where all the containerships berthed the only problem are the bunkertankers.
You can stay at the Maasvlakte from 10.00 until it gets dark best sunlight.

Regards,

Dave

[Galadriel]

Thanks Gerolf, we will drive it, definetly!!! And thank you very much Dave for the Rotterdam Hints.I wrote all places down  in my map and as well the route over the ferry. Great that its possible to go over there.
Is the comming and going in the Europort depending on high and low tide or is the canal digged out deep enough that the big ships can move whenever they want?
We have been very lucky two weeks ago at the Hoek van Holland. We just arrived when the Edith Maersk was going out. (We like the Maersk ships as well..and its always a big event to see one of the big E

[Fred Vloo]

hi Galadriel,
Go to the Markweg:
http://maps.google.nl/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Hilversum,+Noord-Holland&ll=51.961199,4.093072&spn=0.005857,0.009667&t=h&z=17
(copy/paste the whole link into your browser)

At the end of the road you see a little roundabout, there you find a small road to the right. It is allowed to enter, on the left you can see the pilottenders berth, go to the end, to the  left and to the right again. Here you have the best place to see the big boxships, coming towards you and turn into the Europahaven or pass to the Amazonehaven. Also the big bulkers for the Mississippihaven pass here and the big tankers for the 8th petroleumharbour. The Beerkanaal has a depth of 23 metres. Only the biggest ships with a draft of 20+ metres come in with high tide. Be sure to visit this place.
Have fun
Fred

[Dave van Spronsen]

Only the big Tankers and Bulkers are depending on the tide,
But in morning hours in the Calantcanaal you can see the VLCC berthed you can take some good pics
example
http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/thumbs/rw/1095679_800/Ship+Photo+FRONT+CHAMPION.jpg
This picture is taken in the Calandcanaal

Mostly when you are at the Maasvlakte you can see the yellow pilot helicopter then you know that a big one will come
About E class they are not depending on the tide
The schedule is now Arrive at Thursday around 9.00 and 10.00
And on Friday the E class will leave again around 11.00
Only watch the schedule good because there are two vessels in the same route as the E class in 9 weaks we have 7 Eclass and Maersk Algol and Gjertrud Maersk if you want to see the E class watch the Maersk website,

Regards,

Dave

[Galadriel]

Hello back,
Have been some days on the road, just came back.
Thank you another time Dave and Fred. The places I marked down in my MapPoint and Navisystem. And the hint with the Maersk Website is great. Never thought to look there for the timetable of the big E

[Galadriel]

Hi guys,

Just back from my trip to Rotterdam.
I have to thank you a lot..... This harbor is just fantastic! Could spend weeks there!!!!
I  spent two full days in the Europort. I took the ferry to Rozenburg and found all places which you were advising. And we had a great time watching the Vessels getting in and out and moving and getting loaded up at the different harbors.
The full automated system in the Amazon harbor was very, very  interesting to watch. ( Just got a stiff neck from viewing trough the binoculars  over the Bunker Tankers berthed on my side of the harbor ;-)
I have never seen this full automated bridges before.
I have been on the Bus tour in the Bremerhaven Container Terminal lately  but they still using  the van carriers there.

One afternoon we spend at the Maasvlakte viewing point, seeing all the ships coming in and going out.  At Thursday morning we spend the whole morning at the end of the Markweg...(my favorite Place)
Parked the Camper directly under the Radar Station beside of the Pilots. Wasn

[Dave van Spronsen]

Hi,

When there is no wind the E class will come with out tugboats,
The same for the Anna Maersk or other Maersk vessels,
I think i have seen you two at the Markweg
I was there also hunting the Emma Maers.

Regards

[Fred Vloo]

Hi Galadriel,
Good to hear you had a nice time. Did not know you were interested in automated container handling. Next time I will show you another very nice lokation to watch this process.
Emma Mearsk and her sisters only enter without tugs if the weather permits.
Cheers Fred