Messages

1

Shipping News and information / Re: Marine Traffic revamp

« on: November 30, 2023, 07:14:06 AM »

The new layout doesn't bother me - like all change you get used to it.
My only complaint is that I am only getting a 3/4 page view . They want money before I can have 'full page' back. Bad luck them.

2

Shipping News and information / Re: Longest Ships name

« on: August 24, 2023, 11:41:59 PM »

Hello,
According to Miramar, the longest name in 2020  was from a Mexican naval vessel :
CAPITAN DE FRAGATA PEDRO SAINZ DE BARANDA BORREYRO
Regards,
Yvon

I can't find any record of such a ship in places such as this f'rinstance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_of_the_Mexican_Navy
What often happens is that while that is the name of the person for whom the ship was named the actual name of the ship will be a shortened version - in this case 'Sainz de Baranda' - Borreyro being his mother's maiden name. Think of ships such as HMS Nelson or HMS Anson

The longest historical name I can think of was 'Flight Lieutenant Vassiliades RAF' a greek wartime standard , and the shortest was 'Ra'.

3

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: New Category: Lighthouses

« on: August 04, 2023, 01:50:51 AM »

Hi Csaba, yes I made that comment, and as I said the emphasis is on "house", what ever that may be. In the case of the photo to which I made a comment all of the tower and the surrounding building could have been in the shot, but too much of the sea or the countryside will go at the expense of the clarity of the subject itself.
Your remark about the Faro Niebla which clearly is part of a larger building is useful, because that shows a way to define the limits of what we want to see. Personally I would say that the fort could be in the shot, perhaps not in its entirety but still parts of it could be useful.

(PS: Have your issues been addressed that you posted earlier about portrait shots?)

Warning!!! Pedantic post follows
The 'house' in lighthouse refers to the house that the light lives in, same as a henhouse is a house where hens live.
About the only lighthouses that have accomodation for lighthouse keepers within the tower or as an integral part of the tower are ones on isolated rocks and similar. Taking the Deal Island light that I posted, while a very isolated light the three keepers lived in cottages out of sight to the right of the tower.
Faro Niebla is a free standing light with no attached buildings, it is however in the grounds of the old fort.

4

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: New Category: Lighthouses

« on: August 03, 2023, 02:30:40 AM »

There is a comment about a recent lighthouse https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3604378 saying that 'we would like to have the lighthouse in close up, rather than to show how its fits in the environment.'
I would disagree - a close up is a very clinical thing- a shot showing the surroundings is far nicer.

F'rinstance I think my two shots  -  of Faro Fairway and Faro Delgada - are far better than my shot of Faro Niebla. The latter would have been vastly improved with a bit of the fort somewhere in the frame.

5

Help and Advice / Re: Why are my photos so 'soft'.

« on: May 27, 2021, 11:59:50 PM »

Many thanks for all the replies.

It seems that 'it is what it is'.

My photos pre about 2005 are all scanned from either slides ( colour) or prints ( B & W).

What I have been doing prior to posting here is minor editing in the 'Photo' software on the Mac. Nothing dramatic.... a bit of a crop and horizon straightening plus - quite often - a little 'lightening' as many seem a bit dark and also a touch of 'edge sharpening' although they all seem sharp enough on the laptop.

Cheers,
Frank

6

Help and Advice / Why are my photos so 'soft'.

« on: May 27, 2021, 08:11:56 AM »

When posted they invariably look 'soft' yet are nice and sharp when viewed as 'full screen' or 'original.

I have a Macbook Pro with a Retina screen that they look plenty sharp on and export as JPEG, quality 'High', size 'Large'.

This is the latest example.. http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=3298534

Cheers,
Frank

7

Shipping News and information / Re: Suez Canal blockage by Ever Given

« on: March 27, 2021, 12:39:15 AM »

This exchange of opinions is getting very interesting, let's see what in my opinion I made it very general, so let's see it from another perspective, as I see it as a hull and machinery inspector and damage adjuster for insurers and P&I Clubs apart from my experience in navigation.
.......

Regards

Tomi.

I think that , like the 500,000 ton tanker,  they have pushed the envelope just a little bit too far with these ships.
That doesn't seem to have stopped them building them however...

8

Shipping News and information / Re: Suez Canal blockage by Ever Given

« on: March 27, 2021, 12:36:26 AM »

They used Chinooks on the Anro Asia when she was aground in 1981.. took off about 50 boxes.
https://bribieislandhistory.blogspot.com/2019/10/anroasia1981.html

Did it make a difference ? Probably not.
What was the box weight?
Possibly 20 footers full of soft toys...dunno...

9

Shipping News and information / Re: Cargo ships from Hong Kong to Australia in 1981

« on: March 26, 2021, 09:26:38 PM »

   While it is correct that the history and reach of B & S is global and complicated https://www.swire.com/ourjourney/tablet/en/index.php China Navigation  was along with Jardine Mathesons  one of the two most upmarket shipping companies based in Hong Kong. Lesser mortals worked for the 'outside' companies such as Yick Fung and Ocean Tramps.

Officers ( UK , Aust and NZ ) were employed out of Hong Kong with Hong Kong conditions.  Crews were Hong Kong chinese. Ships - esp in the early post war years after they quit mainland China and before they became involved in the Pacific Rim trades to PNG etc - traded out of Hong Kong.
They had some ships involved in the cross trades within the cross trades..... Anshun after coming off the Hong Kong - Australia  liner trade was on the Hadj from Malaysia to Jeddah in the season and went latter day 'blackbirding' around the SW Pacific for the rest of the year.... picking up contract labour from the out islands and taking them to Christmas and Ocean Islands to work for the Phosphate Commision.
https://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/cnc.shtml

Interesting photo in that first link of an ex ANL 'B' boat in Taikoo Dock......

10

Shipping News and information / Re: Suez Canal blockage by Ever Given

« on: March 26, 2021, 02:03:25 AM »

Tomislav,
The big difference between Suez, which dates from 1869, and Panama is that Suez is a sea level canal with no locks. They have been constantly widening, deeping, and more recently duplicating, it since it was built.
Frank

11

Shipping News and information / Re: Suez Canal blockage by Ever Given

« on: March 25, 2021, 12:08:23 AM »

Nothing new under the sun..
http://www.canalzoners.co.uk/Incidents/El%20Firdan%20Bridge%20Crash.htm

Not sure what Stavros would have thought about being described as Arri's brother in law....

Ever Given's   bulbous bow is well into the bank.... dig that out and clear a bit under her port bow and she will be on her way....

The canal isn't duplicated at that point so the canal is well and truly closed to through traffic just now.
No south bound traffic below the Bitter Lakes so the only ships 'proper stuck' are the few astern of Ever Given.

12

Shipping News and information / Re: Cargo ships from Hong Kong to Australia in 1981

« on: March 19, 2021, 08:29:16 PM »

British flag.... port of registry of CNco ships was London despite being a Hong Kong company. I'm pretty sure Asian Pearl was the one with CNco manning.

13

Shipping News and information / Re: Cargo ships from Hong Kong to Australia in 1981

« on: March 15, 2021, 08:32:08 PM »

Asian Pearl and Asian Jade were...if my memory serves... owned by Cnina Navigation, Hong Kong and manned with British,Australian and NZ officers, Chinese crew.
The Australian officer's union... the Merchant Service Guild... stuck on a blue and one of the two ended up with Australian officers and chinese crew., the Australian officers being in the employ of E&A/Eastern and Australian.
That occured when they were first introduced... not sure who manned which ship.

14

Shipping News and information / Re: Cargo ships from Hong Kong to Australia in 1981

« on: March 13, 2021, 04:01:14 AM »

Most ships in that trade actually went to Australian east coast ports.
The main ones running to Fremantle were the Norwegian 'Bakke' boats... some photos here https://www.theage.com.au/national/queensland/trouble-in-paradise-covid-leaves-a-cloud-hanging-over-the-tropics-20210312-p57a3g.html
and also  http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=163646

Running to the east coast.... China Navigation aka CNCo aka China Nav aka Butterfield and Swire is the obvious choice.
In the early seventies OOCL ( Orient Overseas Container Line ) entered the trade, not sure how long they stayed.
Another company  to consider would be Nedlloyd .
By 1981 containerisation was pretty well established.
Cheers,
Frank

15

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: 'Forbidden'.... why is it so?

« on: March 11, 2021, 07:19:13 AM »

As if by magic.... with no intervention at all on my part... life is back to normal... another great unsolved mystery of the sea...