Topics

1

Shipping News and information / Queen Elizabeth cruise

« on: December 23, 2014, 06:43:52 PM »

According to the BBC, Queen Elizabeth has just spent 4 days going around in circles in the English Channel as she was unable to berth in Amsterdam, due to high winds.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-30586835
Maybe they just don't try hard enough these days?
During the Korean War, my Dad was 3 days late getting from Portsmouth to Den Helder on HMS Skye.
They had sailed just as the Admiralty issued a "no sailing" order for Portsmouth due to a sever storm coming up the Channel. But the Captain had arranged for his wife to be at Dover Castle and he wanted to wave!
My Dad was one of only 3 crew (of a total complement of 40!)who were not sea sick and, despite being a bunting tosser, he spent a couple of days up to his thighs in a mixture of coal dust and sea water, keeping the boiler going.
They don't make them like that any more!

2

Shipping News and information / Pride of Calais; Grand exit

« on: February 01, 2014, 05:51:24 AM »

I don't know if any of you have seen this but a video has emerged of the Pride of Calais making a dramatic arrival at the breakers yard in Turkey:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25993771
Nice!
Kelvin

3

Shipping News and information / BBC TV programme on conatiners/containerisation

« on: August 05, 2013, 11:07:14 PM »

I just finished watching an interesting programme on BBC4 about the advent of the container business and the state of play today.
A very good programme with some good footage of shipping and docks from the 1960s.
For UK members, it may be available on iPlayer soon.

4

Shipping News and information / Southampton, World's fastest turnaround

« on: August 03, 2013, 08:26:30 AM »

It would appear, from the Southampton VTS schedule Santa Bettina will discharge, re-load and depart in the space of zero minutes tomorrow.
Not only that, but it appears during the turn round, they will be filling the ship with helium.
Well, it does say Arrival at berth 206 11:59
Depart berth 6 11:59
Draught on arrival 11.20 m
Draught on departure 5 m.
It might be worth making a trip to see this spectacular feat.
On the other hand, I suspect the scheduled times actually translate to:
Arrival berth 6 sometime 4th August
Departure berth 206 sometime 4th August.
Draught; don't ask
I see they are also going for one of the amazing "stack 'em up' moves as CMA CGM Vela is due on berth 6 at 10:00.
Good old VTS!
Kelvin

5

Shipping News and information / UK government getting sillier

« on: July 26, 2013, 11:11:40 AM »

It was announced today that 4 of the Royal Navy's old Type 22 frigates have been sold for scrap for the princely sum (not!) of

6

Shipping News and information / Race to the bottom

« on: July 05, 2013, 04:47:15 PM »

Some months ago, there was a discussion on London Gateway's recruitment practices etc.
(I can't find the original thread; didn't get deleted, did it?).
Today I see that ship owners are taking on the EU in a fight over the proposed "Ports Directive".
Unions and UK Major Ports Group are worried that what the ship owners want from the EU is a modification that would allow ship owners to "use their own crews" to load/unload vessels.
It is unclear if this means the ships' crews or their own locally hired shore based crews.
Now the latter is a prescription for "zero hour" contracts, the scourge of a civilised planet! It also smacks of the big problems that major UK ports suffered from in the 1960s when stevedore gangs were hired on a daily basis and if your face didn't fit, you didn't get any work.
Marks & Spencers apparently have still not committed to using London Gateway as they are signatories to the Ethical Trading Initiative which commits members to upholding fair labour standards.
So, they haven't got long now; who is going to load and unload ships at this terminal?

7

Shipping News and information / Swanland Sinking

« on: June 12, 2013, 01:17:04 PM »

The Marine Investigation Branch have released their report on the sinking of Swanland IMO 7607431 in 2011.
The report says "money saving measures" resulted in poor maintenance in the 2 years leading to the accident.
The full MAIB report is here:
http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/2013/swanland.cfm

8

Shipping News and information / Costa Concordia Captain

« on: May 19, 2013, 08:39:41 AM »

Is this man mad or was he on a different ship in a different place?
The Captain claims he saved the lives of 4,000 people by his actions and that the media have got it all wrong.
The story is headlined here on the home page under Latest News. And the direct link is:
http://maritime-connector.com/news/general/captain-calls-for-new-investigation-into-cruise-wreck/

9

Shipping News and information / Ark Royal

« on: May 16, 2013, 05:56:58 AM »

It would seem time is up for Ark Royal.
She was sold for scrap last year and has been sitting in Portsmouth since then.
Today's (16th May) movements schedule for Portsmouth shows a bit of shuffling about of Ark Royal, moving from one berth to another and the arrival of the tug Christos XXIII, the same tug that took RFA Fort George to the scrapyard at the beginning of the year.
Christos XXIII is due to berth on the jetty adjacent to Ark Royal.
So I guess that is that then!

10

Shipping News and information / A Ship Tunnel!

« on: April 19, 2013, 08:34:53 AM »

Apparently, authorities in Norway are considering building a tunnel for ships:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22157079
Now that would be interesting!

11

Shipping News and information / Lomax

« on: March 30, 2013, 02:21:55 PM »

Hurrah!
At last, Lomax has appeared on the VTS list, due at midnight tonight. Well, 23:59 actually, which is VTS speak for "sometime, we are not yet certain".

12

Shipping News and information / Qingdao Tower

« on: March 30, 2013, 08:35:02 AM »

Does anyone know what is going on with the box boat Qingdao Tower (previously Westphalia Express)?
It arrived in Southampton 8 March and has sat at 40 berth since then.
It is planned to move it on 2nd April to berth 109 with no apparent plans to actually sail the vessel anywhere.
I don't suppose they are going to add it to the heap on berth 109 (massive pile of scrap steel)? Only kidding!

13

Shipping News and information / USS Guardian update

« on: March 29, 2013, 06:56:11 AM »

Yesterday, they removed the bow section of the Guardian. Some great photos here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299808/USS-Guardian-Wooden-ship-stuck-reef-Philippines-dismantled.html
Local news in the Philippines says they expect the whole wreck to be gone by Monday.

14

Shipping News and information / Danio aground

« on: March 16, 2013, 12:34:42 PM »

Danio, IMO 9218533 is reported to run aground today off the Farne Islands.
The local RNLI report the ship is in an awkward position for tugs but an attempt to refloat the vessel will be made on the next high tide.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-21813072

15

Shipping News and information / USS Guardian update

« on: March 12, 2013, 12:51:44 PM »

You couldn't make it up.
USS guardian, currently being reduced to a parts list, has been formally decommissioned in a ceremony in Japan.
Some of the words used in the speeches beggar belief:
"Today, we honor the service of our ship and of your service to our nation" quote from the C.O.
or this:
"I am particularly proud to be here amongst the Guardian crew, who performed heroically, guarded by their namesake, to save each other,". Quote from the Admiral in charge of the whole bang shoot.
"To save each other ...." and was the unspoken follow on "and bugger the locals"?
Or am I being cynical?
http://www.navy.mil/search/print.asp?story_id=72529&VIRIN=&imagetype=1