Messages

1

Shipping News and information / Re: Thames Refinery

« on: August 14, 2013, 06:30:41 PM »

PLA site has been corrected. It is now showing as due for Thames Refinery  Outer


Laurie

2

Shipping News and information / Thames Refinery

« on: August 14, 2013, 08:27:08 AM »

I notice that the PLA site shows Blessing SW is due on 19 August ( 4.45. sunk Pilot). For Thames Refinery Inner berth. as this is a 17968 grt, 29747 dot I think this must be for the Outer Berth. I don't think it would make onto the Inner one!

Laurie

3

Help and Advice / Re: Spotting at Gravesend

« on: January 01, 2013, 05:51:11 PM »

A popular place for ship photography is at The Shore to the west of Gravesend (look on the google map). If you drive down Burch Road from London Road there is car parking space just before the junction with the Shore. Another spot is just to the East of this , if you look on the map it is at Thames way where there is a trading estate with various large retail outlets and the usual parking. The river wall is adjacent to the car park and is opposite Tilbury landing stage. The PLA website gives arrival and departure times, although the arrival times are a little misleading as these are the times  at ,for example Sunk pilot and arrival at Gravesend is usually ,I think about 4 hours later . You can also get arrival/departure times for Northfleet Hope Container terminal from                         http://www.londoncontainerterminal.com/Vessel_Schedule.asp 
Obviously there is always tug activity when large vessels arrive / leave

Laurie 

4

Shipping News and information / Cross Channel Ferry Collision

« on: October 28, 2012, 01:44:12 PM »

According to BBC teletext today:
P&O ferry Pride of Burgundy hit MY Ferry Berlioz outside Calais at 11.30 local time on Saturday.P&O spokesman said that its ferry had been blown onto the other vessel as the ship left the port.There were no passengers on the Berlioz. None of the 200 passengers on the Pride of Burgundy was injured and they were transferred to another vessel.

Laurie

5

Shipping News and information / Re: Seafrance

« on: November 15, 2011, 10:26:02 PM »

I see the PLA website has P&Os European Seaway , presently laid up in Tilbury, is due to sail for Dover tomorrow evening.

Laurie

6

Shipping News and information / Seafrance

« on: November 15, 2011, 08:04:33 PM »

I see that Seafrance have suspended all operations from 04.00 today, 15 November.According to their statement the suspesion will last for 48 hours and is pending the decision of the Court of Commerce on 16 November

Laurie

7

Shipping News and information / Re: Sheringham wind farm

« on: August 18, 2011, 06:09:19 PM »

Not sure where the installation vessels are working from, but the maintenance base is Wells next the Sea

Laurie

8

Shipping News and information / Re: Katharina S in trouble on Thames

« on: January 08, 2011, 05:03:23 PM »

When I was at Gravesend on 20 August 2010 the Stanford was at Tilbury Landing Stage. She then moved to assist the containership Vecht Trader leaving Northfleet Hope. I was told by another enthusiast, that these tugs had a contract for one  ( or possibly more) of the regular services form the container terminal although this is the only time I have seen one used.After assisting, the tug followed the ship downriver, presumably returning to Coryton

Laurie

9

Shipping News and information / Ship on fire in English Channel

« on: December 24, 2010, 09:16:35 PM »

According to BBC news Kent
3 casualties have been airlifted to hospital in Margate from a cargo vessel on fire in the English Channel, 18 miles off Dover.Dover and Ramsgate lifeboats were called on Friday afternoon. Dover Coastguard have said the 92m (302ft) vessel with a crew of 14, had lost power and dropped anchor. The ship was not named

Laurie

10

Shipping News and information / Re: Laid Up Ships

« on: August 20, 2010, 03:10:49 PM »

Not too sure whether they have been there long enough to be classified as laid up but Martin has been at Erith since 30 July. According to to PLA website Ardent has been there since 14 August but I can recall seeing it on AIS for a few days before it appeared on PLA site


Laurie

11

Shipping News and information / St Catherine

« on: May 31, 2010, 04:43:50 PM »

As I recall ,Wightlinks St Catherine (which has been laid up at Hythe for some time now) was reported sold to a european owner a few months ago since when nothing further has been heard. I visit the Comar systems ais site fairly regularly and she has not even appeared on there, presumably as the ais has been switched off. However today she is again showing at Hythe with the information Destination Portsmouth ETD 14.10 04/06/2010. . There is no report of any movement on the Southampton vts site but does anyone have any information?. Why have they switched the ais on again after all this time, and is she sailing  to her new owners on 4th June, if so why via Portsmouth. Is it just because they have switched the ais back on for some reasonand have to show something. I can't believe she is to return to service as she would need some sort of drydocking and refit (at Southampton?) first.
Any ideas?

Laurie

12

Help and Advice / Re: Help with ship seen at Felixstowe

« on: February 14, 2010, 11:20:15 AM »

A useful site is www.havenais.com/index.php covering the Harwich and Felixstowe area which has live ais maps as well as a history section listing vessels in port on previous dates

Laurie

13

Shipping News and information / Re: THAMESPORT & TILBURY CONTAINER PORT

« on: December 11, 2009, 11:43:43 PM »

I have no knowledge of any views of Tilbury container terminal from the North side of the river.It can be viewed from a distance  from the south side . If you are using public transport get off at Northfleet  bus garage and walk down Fountain walk opposite the garage. On the left is a residents private car park which can be accessed up some steps. from herer you have an end on view of the terminal and also the docks. A short distance along the road towards Gravesend is Birch Road and if you go down there you can get beside the river where other enthusiasts often congregate if there are to be any shipping movements. Anything going to or from the container terminal goes past here. You can check times on the Tilbury container website and alsio the PLA website ( but arrival times show the time , I think , when the pilot boards at for exampl e the sunk pilot so are about 4 hours early).If you have a car turn left  out of Birch Road and you can get nearer the terminal but I am not sure how close you can get or what sort of views you get of the terminal.

Thamesport is not easy to observe from the south side of the Medway but very distant views can be had from Riverside Country park  or further along Lower Rainham Road.On the North side I dont think you can get access to the terminal and views of the ships  are rather obstructed.
Laurie

14

Shipping News and information / Re: MARGARET HILL

« on: December 04, 2009, 09:29:17 PM »

Re vessels seen today. If you go to www.ais-live.co.uk   or to www.solentwaters.co.uk  then main menu then ais maps and radar you can get live positions of ships in the area. there is also a historic sectin where you can get details of ships positions at hourly intervals for approx the past 3 weeks so you should be able to identify the tanker you saw plus anything else you have seen recently. the site also has a section with items of local news.


Laurie

15

Shipping News and information / Wightlink vessel Caedmon

« on: February 13, 2009, 06:54:58 PM »

I notice Southampton vts shows the Wightlink ferry Caedmon due to sail tomorrow (14 Feb) destination shown as world so presumably she has been sold

Laurie