Messages

1

Shipping News and information / Re: Mv Ben Varrey (imo 8507365)

« on: November 06, 2016, 06:50:12 PM »

Its certainly a very tough situation out there for owners, look at the collapse of Hanjin.  Just this week we hear that Flinter and Abis are in trouble with most of the fleet now laid up :-(

2

Shipping News and information / Re: Mv Ben Varrey (imo 8507365)

« on: November 06, 2016, 10:30:51 AM »

I think that's highly unlikely, the fleet has diminished down to just 4 vessels (Falcon, Eagle, Pluto and Ben Maye)

Swift and Martin were sold earlier in the year to be converted for fish farm use.

3

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: Taking of Photographs in public areas at Goole.

« on: November 06, 2016, 10:23:31 AM »

Interesting thread and also related to incidents at ABP Kings Lynn a few months back.  To me its totally way over the top with the alleged fencing being erected at Goole to deter spotters/photographers.

What next some sort of special screen to be fitted to pleasure boat windows blocking out ships in port ?  or maybe a camera jammer that disables all cameras within a 10 mile zone.

Ports and harbours SHOULD be embracing the spotters/enthusiasts as the unpaid security of the port, if they see any suspicious activity then its likely to have been photographed with the images being made readily available to security/police etc.  Lets face it a spotter will know if something is not quite right even more so than joe public and I dare say even more than these pumped up security plebs who seem to don a hi viz and think they are mad max !!

I also held photo permits for all the Humber ports which like may were revoked In the wake of 9/11, I applied again post July 2004 but despite several letters back and forth they were not prepared to budge even when I pointed out that photographers/spotters would work with them and that it would simply end up with more unknown people simply taking photos through fences and lurking around perimeters but they threw the H&S card into the mix.

So in closing you are most likely to get aggro from sleepy Goole photographing small coasters but however Mr Terrorist can quite easily rock up at Immingham/Stallingboro and get access onto the foreshore where tankers can be seen a couple of hundred metres away, sling out a fishing rod and that will guarantee that you have no aggro whatsoever !!!!!

4

Trip reports / Re: Kings Lynn and Wisbech

« on: July 28, 2016, 01:12:35 PM »

Whilst you are down this way maybe also stop by at Port Sutton Bridge, there is a viewing area right opposite the port and photography is best from that side from first light up until around 12.30hrs.  Thereafter the sun is starting to make photography difficult unless you cross over to the other side for any ship movements.  Basically follow New Road until it brings you back alongside the river and access is pretty much available for the whole stretch from the port right up to the lighthouses.

5

Shipping News and information / Re: Coaster "RAIDER" around 200 tons.

« on: August 14, 2015, 10:12:19 PM »

Seen her a few times as the Anglian Trader which she traded as for around 8 years under W. Fieldgate & Sons of Colchester (as managers) but owners were R Kermath and Geoff Baker.

IMO 6609133
Built in 1966 at the Hoogezand yard in Holland

Raider 1990-present
Anglian Trader 1982-1990
Lee James 1978-1982
Sheena K 1966-1978

Reportedly still in service but I cannot find any movement of her via AIS

6

Site related news, functions and modules / Re: Standing Down

« on: June 29, 2015, 12:38:20 PM »

I really cannot believe all that I am reading, sure I do not post much on here but I read lots !!

With all the atrocities going on in the world it saddens me why a group of enthusiasts/photographers/spotters feel the need to treat each other this way.

Shipspotting.com or backstabbing.com ??

7

Shipping News and information / Re: Photography Ban in Kings Lynn port.

« on: March 26, 2015, 01:01:30 PM »

I recall a few years ago at Kings Lynn several twitchers having their collars felt as they watched/photographed a pair of peregrine falcons that had nested on top of the grain silo, they blatantly parked where they should not have done and then partly blocked dock gates etc so I can see why ABP were less than pleased.

Lynn docks is not the easiest place to get photos due to heaps of woodchips and stacks of timber etc, anything loading woodchips is virtually impossible unless its on the middle berth in Bentinck dock which can easily be photographed from the small swing bridge that passes over the canal (part of Crossbank Road) that links the 2 docks.  Likewise anything on the silos can also be photographed from Crossbank Road.

As mentioned previously permits were issued for photography but following the implementation of ISPS and like many other ports they were withdrawn.

Whilst security is something that concerns us all in my view a certain slice of common sense needs to be applied, there are people who are crane enthusiasts, material handler enthusiasts, old Victorian engineering enthusiasts, twitchers, street photographers etc etc who all encounter some sort of aggro whilst enjoying their interests.

Pre ISPS there was little (if any) information published on the net about ship movements, the only way you would find out on the Humber is by spotting whats at anchor off Cleethorpes or asking the lock master at Immingham what was expected.  Now all this information plus more is widely available on the net.

8

Shipping News and information / Re: Photography Ban in Kings Lynn port.

« on: March 21, 2015, 01:49:05 PM »

There was a similar incident a few years back with a railway buff:- http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/local/this-may-look-boring-but-you-cannot-take-this-picture-1-2489174

This is what the MET has to say about it:- http://content.met.police.uk/Site/photographyadvice

Basically if captain clipboard comes along and has a go then ask him to quote which rules you are breaking, if they are unable to then advise them that you are more than happy to speak to the police about the matter and prove that you are not up to anything sinister.

Don't get into an argument with them just keep cool and stand up for your rights.

Personally if you have a DSLR around your neck taking photos then its hardly as if you can be labelled as a terrorist, how many people walk around with a mobile phone in their breast pocket making a video as they walk ??  How many of these people are stopped.  Likewise dash cams are becoming more common in trucks, are these turned off on entry to dock estates ??

Google earth/street view has made it much easier for terrorists to plan attacks from the comfort of their caves, google street view has given them the option to walk the path with zero risk. 

In my opinion removing photo permits has made it worse for port operators as they previously had a system of control for al persons visiting ports for the purpose of photography, now they have people photographing on the perimeters, through fences, from high vantage points etc etc and 90% of those people they have no idea of their identity.

9

Help and Advice / Re: m/v Anne, IMO 7924334

« on: October 27, 2014, 08:01:08 PM »

She was definitely Haren/Ems in 1989 when seen at Wisbech.

10

Shipping News and information / Re: UK shortsea ship owners??

« on: October 27, 2014, 07:43:23 PM »

Exe Shipping - Devon
Torbulk - Grimsby
J Prior - Colchester
Rix & Co - Hull
James Fisher - Barrow in Furness

Regards

Darren

11

Shipping News and information / Re: Delwaide Dock Antwerpen

« on: May 30, 2014, 11:48:08 AM »

I agree with what Derek says, the trade to the bulk terminal seems to have vanished.

There used to be a good vantage point for photography looking across to the bulk terminal from a small gravel track that veered off to the left of the Blauwhoefstraat.  You could drive parallel to the Kanaldok and end up at the entrance to the Delwaide Dock.

I guess like many other places this is most likely to be enclosed in a ring of steel now.

Regards

Darren

12

Help and Advice / Re: VOLEX (Coaster)

« on: May 26, 2014, 11:08:58 AM »

Hi Gordon,

The vessel was the VELOX

IMO 9224104

Sd Soton 22/5 bnd Terneuzen

B Rgds.

13

Shipping News and information / Re: Felixstowe Arrivals & Departures

« on: March 09, 2014, 10:17:08 AM »

Or of course you could just go old school and listen to the VHF radio with your chips and tea to hand !

14

Shipping News and information / Sea Breeze in trouble off The Lizard

« on: March 09, 2014, 10:14:58 AM »

The Sea Breeze (Ex Sea Hawk) is reportedly in difficulties off The Lizard after taking on water in her engine room, reports indicate all crew are off safe after the pumps landed on the vessel could not cope with the ingress of water.

The tug VORTEX is currently en route to the vessel.

Many of us will be familiar with this Damen Combi coaster as the Mindfull later becoing the Christa K and Sea Hawk (Unter Torbulk) before changing to Sea Breeze in July 2013.

Lets hope this lady can be salvaged.

15

Scale Models / Re: RC Ben-My-Chree 6

« on: January 30, 2014, 12:20:19 PM »

Morning,

The only RoRo kits that I have seen are from a well known UK company called Deans Marine.

http://www.deansmarine.co.uk/shop/index.php/cPath/10_20

Depends if you want an exact replica of your named vessel or just a RoRo model.

Hope this helps.

Darren