Merchant Ships: Various
Clyde
2020
Introduction
**Page Under Construction**
As of this year any non-military nautical traffic photographed on the Clyde, including Fisheries Protection and Border Agency vessels, will be listed on a single Merchant Shipping page. A combination of less ships coming upriver to Clydebank or the Glasgow city docks, currently further reduced as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, and less opportunity for me to get out and snap any vessels that do appear, means that it`s no longer worthwhile creating individual pages each year for bulk carriers, tankers, container and general cargo ships etc. The vessels will be listed in chronological order with the most recent entry at the bottom of the page.
My first `ship shot` of 2020 was the Bulk Carrier Sebat, heading downriver on her way out to sea on 15 April after calling at Shieldhall, Glasgow.
If and when I get the time, I plan to redo pages from previous years to include all merchant types together, but meantime here are links to my bulk carrier pages, some of which are incomplete. Entries relating to ships in other categories can be found via the search box.
April
Sebat
I snapped the Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier Sebat (IMO: 9151383) from Newshot Island at Erskine on the afternoon of Wednesday 15 April 2020 as she made her way out to sea after a visit to Shieldhall. The bulker had left the town of Dernice, Turkey, on March 21 and sailed via Istanbul to Liverpool then north to the Clyde with soda ash after part discharging her cargo on the Mersey. Derince`s port is one of the few ports in Turkey under government control, in its case operated by Turkish State Railways.
I very rarely see anyone on the fields at Newshot Island and as it`s only a few minutes walk from home, it`s an ideal location for a bit of daily exercise during the pandemic lockdown. Although Glasgow Airport`s Runway 23 was operational, there was absolutely no traffic whatsoever, the scanner was dead, and the sky above was devoid of contrails from high-flying jets - very unusual on such a clear day, especially at this time of year.
Sebat was built in Japan in 1997. Her carrying capacity is 18,315 tonnes DWT and her current draught is reported to be 5.2 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is just under 150 metres. Previous names are Sir Henry and Rubin Lark and she is currently owned and managed by Hellas Marine Services, Athens.
As can be seen it looks as though only some of the vessel`s crew are wearing face masks. There is still some debate as to whether these types of masks offer protection from the Coronavirus, although they may prevent an infected person from passing it on. A couple of Roe Deer (below left) bounded off in the distance as Sebat sailed past.
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After heading down the Firth, the ship dropped anchor off the southern end of Arran to await further orders.
Murray Star
On Tuesday 21 April, after spending just over a week anchored in Brodick Bay, Maltese-flagged tanker Murray Star (IMO 9527635) finally made her way to the Clydebank Oil Terminal at Rothesay Dock. The day before, for the first time ever, US oil prices turned negative after oil producers ran out of space to store the oversupply of crude left by the Coronavirus crisis triggering an historic market collapse which left oil traders reeling. The price of US crude crashed from $18 a barrel to -$38 in a matter of hours, as rising stockpiles forced oil producers to pay buyers to take away the barrels they couldn`t store!
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Murray Star`s details are: Gross tonnage 8,581 tons (DWT 13,019 tons); Year of build 2011; Builder 21st Century Shipbuilding of Tongyoung, South Korea. She is currently owned and managed by Rigel Schiffahrt of Bremen, Germany. The Kilpatrick Hills were still very much ablaze due to a wildfire which had broken out almost 24 hours previously. Gale force winds had escalated the situation to such an extent that on Monday evening the Fire Service abandoned their efforts to contain the blaze until morning. Towering flames on the ridge, even more dramatic against the clear night sky, could be seen from miles away.
The blaze continued throughout Tuesday with the smoke plumes being blown well beyond Dumbarton. Bell 212 G-BIGB appeared over my house late afternoon. The large all-white chopper, which dates from 1977, had been brought in to assist with the fire-fighting operation, possibly transporting personnel as well as acting as an `eye-in-the-sky`.
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On this occasion Greenock-based tug Battler led the way for Murray Star with Ayton Cross bringing up the rear.
The tanker had sailed from Kalundborg which is located about 68 miles (110 km) west of the Danish capital Copenhagen on the island of Zealand. The municipal self-governing port port plays a central role in the town's economy. Facilities include a container terminal and Statoil Refining Denmark operates the country`s largest oil refinery on the harbour with a capacity of 6.6 million tons of oil products per annum. As of 2015, the port is being expanded with a new west harbour on the south side of the Asnæs peninsula.
Newshot Island hasn`t been an actual island for many, many decades. In years gone by, when shipping on the Clyde was at its peak, there was a constant battle to keep the riverbed free of silt and sand and the area around Newshot Island was particularly troublesome. During dredging operations, numerous wooden mud punts were filled and towed further downriver to dump the spoil. Many were abandoned and can still be found, scattered along the muddy stretch of riverbank at Newshot alongside several wrecks which were towed here and dumped after they were damaged in a serious fire at Kingston Dock in Glasgow in 1914.
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The punts, along with the larger vessels, are fully exposed at low tide. In addition to wooden schooners, there`s this steel-hulled craft which experts believe could possibly be the world`s first purpose-built diving-bell boat. The pillar at the stern supported a crane which lowered and raised the necessary equipment.
I took a walk out to the wrecks several years ago, on a day when the tide was exceptionally low. The whole area can be extremely hazardous underfoot with hidden channels and very soft sand and mud, even in fine weather. Warning signs discourage exploration and although I have wandered over the adjacent fields on many occasions, Newshot Island should be avoided during storms or flood conditions, especially during high spring tides. |
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FPV Minna & FPV Hirta
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's Patrol Vessel Minna is seen here passing Newshot island en route to Glasgow`s KGV Dock on the morning of Sunday 26 April 2020. MPV Minna was built at Ferguson's Shipyard, Port Glasgow, and was launched in 2003. She is 42 metres in length, has a gross tonnage of 781, and normally operates with a crew of 15. With a top speed of 14 knots she is used mainly for inshore enforcement tasks.
Riverbank erosion is an ongoing problem on the Upper Clyde, particularly between Erskine and Renfrew and it`s not just stretches of soft, sandy banking being undercut. Sizeable lengths of the stone embankment and concrete supports beside the Riverside Walkway west of Park Quay near Erskine`s Riverside Shopping Centre, have crumbled or been swept into the water over the years. Given the current financial situation repairs will likely be a very low priority.
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Scotland has its own non-military Fisheries Protection unit, but the rest of UK waters are the responsibility of the Royal Navy. The Fishery Protection Squadron is the RN`s oldest front-line squadron - even Admiral Lord Nelson served in it. Originally, the squadron was based on the coast of North America, Iceland and the UK, patrolling much of the North Atlantic against French and American incursions.
Over the past hundred years it has been slimmed down to follow a more policing-oriented approach, dealing mainly with infringements by civilian fishermen. Despite this, it still has a strong military role, as evidenced in its role in the Cod Wars of the 1960s-70s. With a small headquarters staff based at Portsmouth, the FPS currently utilises a number of River-class offshore patrol vessels and a helicopter. |
The FPS not only carries out inspections of all fishing boats in UK waters but can act as an arbitrator between rival vessels when disputes arise. Access for foreign fishing boats following the Brexit transition period is still under discussion but overfishing by non-British vessels has always been an emotive and politically sensitive issue. Regaining control of Britain’s rich fishing waters was a major factor for many Brexit campaigners before the country formally left the EU, but many British fishing communities rely heavily on selling to EU markets, particularly for shellfish. Although the majority of Scots voted to remain in the EU, Scotland’s fishing industry overwhelmingly voted for Brexit in June 2016 so the UK could take back control of its waters.
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The water level was fairly low when Minna and Hirta sailed upriver, exposing a small stretch of beach just west of the old John Brown`s Shipyard, the company responsible for many of the world`s most famous ships. I noticed small sections of thick chain, most of which were still anchored to algae-covered rocks, amongst the pebbles and debris.
No doubt this side of the river here was once a busy place, especially in the days leading up to a launch, when support craft and smaller vessels such as safety boats would be standing by. The chains may have been among those used to help slow ships being launched, or secure them after they came to rest in the river, once the huge slipway drag chains on the opposite bank had done their work.
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I didn`t wait to catch Brufjell which was following on about 20 minutes behind. The St. Vincent-flagged coaster was delivering soda ash from Liepaja, Latvia, which was off loaded at Shieldhall. She made a quick turnaround and left the following morning. Her next port of call was Ballangen in Norway.
Around lunchtime on Tuesday 28 April, Hirta, (below) sailed upriver to berth alongside Minna at the KGV.
May 2020
Eeborg
Superb weather greeted Netherlands-flagged cargo ship Eeborg (IMO Number: 9568328) when she sailed upriver on Wednesday 6 May. Built in 2012 by Dutch firm Niestern Sander Delfzijl, she is currently owned and managed by Wagenborg Shipping. On this occasion Eeborg was delivering agricultural products which were discharged at Shieldhall.
The Fire & Rescue Service`s boat St Mungo 2 motored past rippling the water just before the lead tug Ayton Cross sailed into view round the Dalmuir bend.
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Eeborg is 145 metres in length with a Gross tonnage of 7,680 tons. (DWT 12,000 tons).
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Skylark, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Sedge Warbler were all active in or around the Newshot Island reed bed but proved a challenge to photograph.
These were my best Sedge Warbler shots.
Numerous Orange-tip butterflies were flitting around an isolated clump of flowers in the breeze, landing only briefly.
FPV Hirta
Late morning on Tuesday 19 May, FPV Hirta of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency was en route to the King George V Dock at Glasgow again. Just before I nipped over to Newshot Island to catch her, I saw the police helicopter from the house, circling in the area of the Erskine Bridge, obviously in response to a call out. As I made my way out to the very tip of the island, a call from Bowling Coastguard heard over the scanner confirmed that there was a report of a body in the water. The crew of the Fisheries Protection vessel were asked to keep a lookout.
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Given the location, it`s likely that the emergency services were in attendance following the report of a jumper from the bridge. In any case, it`s a reminder that many emotionally disturbed, and often desperate people suffering from mental illness throughout the UK are unable to access appropriate care during the current Coronavirus crisis, sometimes with tragic consequences. The Erskine Bridge became notorious as a suicide spot but it was only after two young teenage girls, absconders from a nearby secure unit, plunged to their deaths hand-in-hand in October 2009, that long-overdue plans were put in place to upgrade the barriers. Although the new structures are not totally insurmountable, their addition has drastically cut down the number of these sad incidents.
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The water level was fairly high and a few cormorants were roosting on or beside the dilapidated wooden gantry which may have once held a navigation light. A pair of Red-breasted Merganser, or perhaps Goosander, were drifting close-in to shore but disappeared as Hirta approached.
An unidentified helicopter using a `Pipeline` call-sign crossed the Clyde at the Erskine Bridge and continued over the airport, routing for Inverkip. Another Fisheries Protection Vessel, Minna left the KGV mid-afternoon and headed back out to sea.
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"Ah knew ah should`ve insisted oan a Macaw, but the guy in the pet shoap said this wan wiz a stoatin` talker!"
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Mila
On Wednesday 20 May, I caught general cargo ship Mila (IMO: 9501681) from the roadside as she passed the Newshot island reed bed at Erskine. Her deck was stacked with wind turbine blades, the first such cargo I`d seen destined for Glasgow for a few years. They used to be fairly frequent. Her latest voyage had originated in Izmir, Turkey, and I believe the components were picked up at Ceuta, Spain. Mila was built in 2013 and currently sails under the flag of Antigua Barbuda. Her carrying capacity is 8,227t DWT and her current draught is reported to be 6.9 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is 128.95 meters and her width is 16.61 meters.
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BBC Georgia
BBC Georgia arrived from Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday 28 May during a spell of superb summer weather. This vessel is also designated a General Cargo Ship but, with a DWT 12,796 tons (Gross tonnage 9,625 tons) is considerably larger than Mila featured in the previous entry. Like Mila, she flies the national colours of Antigua Barbuda. BBC Georgia dates from 2008, a product of SANFU (fortunately not SNAFU!) Ship Engineering, at Taizhou, Central Jiangsu, China. German operator Bockstiegel Reederei of Emden currently own and manage the vessel.
I snapped BBC Georgia from the fields above Longhaugh Point near Bishopton as she made her way upriver to the King George V Dock but I`m unaware as to whether she was carrying cargo. It was a quick turnaround and she left the next day in the late afternoon sunshine, showing Panama as her next port of call.
June
On 19 May, BBC News reported that three cruise ships from the Azamara Line were due to be moored in Glasgow amid a dispute related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Peel Ports initially planned to receive a number of vessels from different companies with skeleton crews for short-term berths at Greenock`s Ocean Terminal and at Glasgow`s King George V Dock, but Inverclyde Council strongly opposed the move. The Council feared added pressure on an already stretched health service as Inverclyde was at that time the worst-hit area in Scotland for deaths involving Coronavirus. However Peel Ports maintained there was a strict, well-established protocol in place, and that there was no reason to treat cruise ships with minimal crews any differently to cargo vessels. Even so, in light of mounting local unease, Peel Ports agreed to cancel their plans to berth cruise ships at Greenock.
With cruise programmes suspended for the foreseeable future, several other ships were laid-up on the Forth due to lack of demand including the Black Watch, Braemar and Balmoral. Even two of P&O`s Dover - Calais car ferries Pride of Burgundy and Pride of Canterbury ended up at Leith. On 22 June, Norwegian cruise ships Viking Sky, Viking Sea and Viking Sun arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, to lay-up there.
With cruise programmes suspended for the foreseeable future, several other ships were laid-up on the Forth due to lack of demand including the Black Watch, Braemar and Balmoral. Even two of P&O`s Dover - Calais car ferries Pride of Burgundy and Pride of Canterbury ended up at Leith. On 22 June, Norwegian cruise ships Viking Sky, Viking Sea and Viking Sun arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, to lay-up there.
Azamara Pursuit
The first of the Azamara cruise ships to arrive on the Clyde for lay-up was Azamara Pursuit, which made her way upriver to the KGV Dock on Monday 1 June. She had been due to berth around 09:00 hrs, which coincided with the first high tide of the day. My plan was to head along to Gourock early to get some initial shots of the ship with Arran as a backdrop but my vision may have been a bit blurry so, taking the lead from Prime Minister Boris Johnson`s Chief Adviser Dominic Cummings, I had a quick run down to Carlisle and back first to check my eyesight. It was a 220 mile round trip but it confirmed that I was okay to drive along the coast to get my photos!
The ship has undergone several owners and name changes since being built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at their shipyard in St. Nazaire, France in 2001. Originally built as the last of eight 'R' class ships for Renaissance Cruises, Azamara Pursuit was first known as R Eight, and entered service that year, however, almost immediately Renaissance ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy. The vessel was seized by creditors and laid up in Marseilles, France.
She returned to service in 2003, this time as the sole cruise ship in Swan Hellenic's fleet. She became Minerva II, after both the Roman goddess and the company's previous vessel, Minerva. Minerva II completed her final voyage with Swan Hellenic in April 2007, and was transferred by the parent company to Princess Cruises. She was renamed Royal Princess. On 18 June 2009, a major fire broke out in her engine room while off the coast of Egypt on a 12-day Holy Land cruise and as result the ship was temporarily withdrawn from service.
Royal Princess was subsequently transferred to the P&O Cruises fleet and was renamed Adonia. In March 2013, two of the ship's passengers, believed to be a man in his 70s and a woman in her 50s, were shot in Bridgetown, Barbados, on her 2013 world cruise. Both were taken to hospital after the incident and additional support was provided by the ship's staff and medical team.
After completing a major refit in 2016, Adonia became involved in a new project transporting travellers who wanted to work alongside local communities to assist in areas such as education, the environment and economic development. She sailed out of Miami to the Dominican Republic and Cuba on an alternating weekly basis. On 2 May 2016, Adonia docked in the port of Havana, becoming the first ship belonging to a U.S. cruise line that had sailed from the U.S. to Cuba in over 50 years. In November 2016, these voyages were discontinued and Adonia returned to Carnival’s P&O Cruises fleet. Thereafter followed another transfer of ownership, this time to her current operator Azamara. Following yet another name change, Azamara Pursuit underwent a substantial refit at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, bringing her decor and image into line with Azamara's other ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest.
She returned to service in 2003, this time as the sole cruise ship in Swan Hellenic's fleet. She became Minerva II, after both the Roman goddess and the company's previous vessel, Minerva. Minerva II completed her final voyage with Swan Hellenic in April 2007, and was transferred by the parent company to Princess Cruises. She was renamed Royal Princess. On 18 June 2009, a major fire broke out in her engine room while off the coast of Egypt on a 12-day Holy Land cruise and as result the ship was temporarily withdrawn from service.
Royal Princess was subsequently transferred to the P&O Cruises fleet and was renamed Adonia. In March 2013, two of the ship's passengers, believed to be a man in his 70s and a woman in her 50s, were shot in Bridgetown, Barbados, on her 2013 world cruise. Both were taken to hospital after the incident and additional support was provided by the ship's staff and medical team.
After completing a major refit in 2016, Adonia became involved in a new project transporting travellers who wanted to work alongside local communities to assist in areas such as education, the environment and economic development. She sailed out of Miami to the Dominican Republic and Cuba on an alternating weekly basis. On 2 May 2016, Adonia docked in the port of Havana, becoming the first ship belonging to a U.S. cruise line that had sailed from the U.S. to Cuba in over 50 years. In November 2016, these voyages were discontinued and Adonia returned to Carnival’s P&O Cruises fleet. Thereafter followed another transfer of ownership, this time to her current operator Azamara. Following yet another name change, Azamara Pursuit underwent a substantial refit at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, bringing her decor and image into line with Azamara's other ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest.
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Her first cruise under Azamara Club Cruises took place on 13 August 2018. I took the following shot of sister ship Azamara Quest from my hotel room in Sorrento, Italy in 2017. Nautica is alongside.
On 2 March 2020, Azamara Pursuit left Buenos Aires, Argentina, on a cruise that was scheduled to end in Lima, Peru, on 23 March. Carrying 675 passengers and 389 crew members, it left Ushuaia, Argentina, on 8 March 2020. It was then denied landing at Puerto Chacabuco, Chile, after Chilean authorities said that it was carrying suspected cases of the coronavirus. However, the company said that it had confirmed that there were no positive coronavirus cases on board. From Chile, the `Pursuit began sailing to Miami, via the Panama Canal, with all passengers and crew still on board. |
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By 24 March, she was off the coast of Ecuador, and finally arrived in Miami on 29 March; no passengers had become ill from the coronavirus. They were subsequently off loaded and the ship sailed across the Atlantic with only the crew on board.
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The vessel is pictured above passing the Cloch en route to Greenock.
Next, a brief stop at Lyle Hill, an outstanding and easily accessible vantage point. Tugs Ayton Cross and Svitzer Milford met the `Pursuit at the the Tail of the Bank and escorted her all the way upriver to Glasgow.
I had hoped to catch her again from the Erskine Bridge but the Dumbarton (west) side was closed to pedestrians and cyclists so I walked out to the tip of Newshot Island from the house. With last month setting the record for the sunniest May since records began, and the sunniest in Scotland since 1955, the ground was very dry and any long-lasting pools had completely evaporated.
The preceding days had been quite breezy but the wind had dropped considerably enabling a decent reflection to form all along this stretch.
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A very Happy Crew - possibly due to the fact that with no passengers on board they now have complete use of the facilities!
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Above images © Travel Weekly.
A few Gannets flew past at the Cloch and along at Erskine there were lots of Skylark, plus a few Cormorants, Mute Swans and a Magpie chick.
The last shots of the Azamara Pursuit were taken as she approached the Titan Crane at Clydebank.
Peak Bordeaux
Wednesday 10 June 2020 saw the first heavy rain of the month, but there was a respite for a couple of hours around midday when Peak Bordeaux (IMO: 9545039) sailed past the Riverside Walkway beside Erskine`s Bridgewater Shopping Centre. The vessel had reached this point sailing from Aveiro, Portugal, on a voyage lasting 4 days.
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Most of the Clyde between the Erskine Bridge and Glasgow City Centre is steeply banked with concrete protection along both sides of the river. Erosion, especially between the Erskine Bridge Hotel and the Cart confluence has been a problem for years causing the edge of the Riverside Walkway to crumble and fall into the water. Patch up operations take place periodically and I saw the latest efforts when I went down to snap this inbound vessel. Geese overwinter here in their hundreds but these overflying birds were an unexpected sighting at this time of year.
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This general cargo ship was built in 2011 and is presently sailing under the flag of Netherlands. Her carrying capacity is 3,931 t DWT and her current draught is reported to be 4.4 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is just under 90 meters with a width of 14.056 meters. Gross Tonnage: 2,978. (DWT: 3,931 t). She is just under 90 metres in length. After offloading her cargo at Glasgow`s KGV, Peak Bordeaux left light for Invergordon on the afternoon of June 12.
Oceanic
Oceanic (IMO:9624550) arrived upriver on Friday 12 June, having brought a deck full of wind turbine blades from Izmir in Turkey. This general cargo vessel dates from 2012, a product of the Partner Shipyard at Szczecin in Poland. Her original name was Ocean which she kept until receiving her current identity in 2018. Currently sailing under the flag of Netherlands, her vital statistics are: gross tonnage is 2,989 tons; Deadweight 3,000 tons; Length 92 m and Breadth 14 metres. Oceanic is owned and managed by Global Seatrade, a company based in Urk, a municipality and town in the Flevoland province in the central Netherlands. She left Glasgow for her next next port, Gedynia located on Gdańsk Bay in Poland, on the morning of June 15.
Transwind
On Sunday 14 June 2020, I went down to the old Erskine Harbour just east of the bridge to catch this one. It was another overcast day and there was no else around. The rain stayed off and there would have likely been a decent reflection were it not for a slight breeze. Two swans added to the ripples.
Ayton Cross and Svitzer Milford provided escort.
Transwind (IMO: 9537472) was built in 2009 and is currently sailing under the flag of Portugal. Her former names were Sanna and Skagen. A product of Zhejiang Haifeng Shipbuilding, Linhai, China, she is 147 metres in length with a Gross tonnage of 11,927 tons (16, 807 tons DWT). On this occasion she was delivering agricultural products and had sailed here from Derince in Turkey via Londonderry.
Cembay
Tuesday 16 June 2020: Cembay is a familiar sight on the Upper Clyde having transported cement to and from Glasgow city docks for many years. This time it was heading for the KGV to unload a supply from Belfast. Built by the Slip shipyard at Rybinsk in Russia, but completed by Peters at Wewelsfleth in Germany in 1997, Cembay began life as a conventional coaster named Borneo but was almost immediately renamed Gutshof. By 1999 she had reverted to her original name.
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In 2005, she was acquired by her present German owners and converted in Poland to become a specialised cement carrier, placed under the management of the Briese group, and renamed Cembay. As such, she now has a deadweight of 4,216 tonnes and is 88.2 metres in length. The same company operates similar vessels, all of which have visited the Clyde over the years.
After leaving Glasgow, Cembay`s next port of call was Santander in northern Spain.
Azamara Quest
Azamara Quest sailed upriver on the second high tide of Friday 19 June, which unfortunately for photographers coincided with sundown. This wouldn`t necessarily have been a problem on one of the longest days of the year but overcast skies made it a dull affair. Even so, I haven`t seen the Erskine / Clydebank stretch of the Clyde as busy with sightseers since the Commonwealth games Flotilla passed by en route to the City Centre six years ago.
Around the same time that the `Quest approached Braehead, the last of the trio, Azamara Journey, originally due at Glasgow on Monday 22 June, was off northern Portugal. Like her predecessors, she would have to be deep-cleaned on arrival at the KGV and this gave the reception committee time to prepare.
The water level when the big ship passed Newshot Island was almost high enough to cover all of the sand forming the inner pool of the reed bed but Oystercatchers had begun to gather at the far end to feed on an exposed area in the fading light...
Eems Dover, Azamara Journey and Garrion Owl
Wednesday 24 June 2020 was a fairly busy day on the Clyde with coaster Eems Dover and cruise ship Azamara Journey arriving at Glasgow`s King George V Dock, plus American Supply Ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) departing the MOD depot at Loch Striven. Bro Distributor was bound for Clydebank but joined her sister Bro Developer and two other larger tankers, Frankopan and Sloman Helios in Brodick Bay to await a slot, the latter three bound for the Finnart Oil Terminal on Loch Long. Tug Garrion Owl sailed upriver behind the `Journey, heading for the Clyde Boatyard at Rothesay Dock.
Eems Dover (IMO: 9613630) was delivering wind turbine components from Rostock, Germany.
Eems Dover was built in 2012 by Shipkits - Groningen, Netherlands and currently sailing under the flag of that country. Formerly known as Eems Doves#X, Eems and Abis Dover, the vessel has a gross tonnage is 5198 tons. She is now owned and managed by Abis Shipping, Harlingen.
The arrival of the last of the three cruise ships destined for Glasgow was well publicised and combined with fine weather the event became a major attraction. Most of the publicly accessible vantage points were well attended, the most popular soon becoming congested, and as it was unlikely that all spectators would exercise the recommended social distancing, I decided to head for the Kilpatrick Hills. Normally on a sunny day shots of the Clyde have to be taken directly into the sun from here but the sky was partially overcast. It was very warm but heat haze wasn`t a problem either. I had my chosen spot to myself and was able to monitor the `Journey`s journey from Longhaugh Point at Bishopton all the way to the entrance to the KGV.
Another of the R-class cruise ships, Azamara Journey was built in 2000 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire for Renaissance Cruises as R Six. After the bankruptcy of Renaissance Cruises, she sailed for Pullmantur Cruises who renamed her Blue Star in 2003 and then Blue Dream in 2005. When last in service she had a capacity of 694 passengers (double occupancy), plus 390 crew members. Her Gross register tonnage is 30,277 tons.
Approaching the Erskine Bridge. As the west (Dumbarton) side was closed to pedestrians and cyclists due to maintenance work, only a couple of people opted to stand on the Glasgow side and watch her sailing away towards the city.
Above: Eems Dover passing the crowded Braehead walkway. The first two Azamara-line cruise ships tower above the IKEA store which only opened a couple of days before and would likely be just as busy! The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, at the forefront of Glasgow`s fight against the Coronavirus is in the background.
A packed stretch of the Clyde Riverside Walkway beside Erskine`s Bridgewater Shopping Centre. Most of the publicly accessible vantage points were congested and not all spectators would be exercising recommended social distancing. As can be seen on the left hand side of the shot, work to repair the badly eroded embankment here has resumed following some easing of the lockdown restrictions.
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I took the above views of the ongoing work a few days later.
The Azamara Journey heading for lay-up with her sisters at the KGV, plus a Virgin A330 and numerous BA Airbuses in long term storage at nearby Glasgow Airport, act as a small reminder of the catastrophic impact that the pandemic has had on the travel / leisure industry worldwide, with worse yet to come.
Erskine`s Garnieland Road which overlooks Newshot Island was another popular viewpoint.
Above: Eems Dover slowly heads into the KGV to berth. HMS Spey (P234), the last of five River-class Batch 2 Patrol Vessels to be built on the Clyde for the Royal Navy, can be seen bottom right. She was launched on 19 June 2019 further upriver at Govan and is currently being fitted out at BAE Systems` Scotstoun yard. She is due to be commissioned next year.
Following on behind the cruise ship and unconnected with her arrival was MV Garrion Owl which had sailed up from Girvan, South Ayrshire. This wee tug, previously named RM Listrac of tsmgroup.eu, was recently sold to Offshore Workboats Ltd (OWL) of Glasgow and given her current identity. She has a bollard pull of 20 tons provided by Deutz M528 @ 1060-hp. Garrion Owl departed Bordeaux on Friday 22 May 2020 and arrived at Girvan on the 25th, making the 750 mile trip in 75 hours at an average speed of 10 knots. Thereafter she was slipped, surveyed and painted as well as having an autopilot fitted.
HC Eva Marie
Yet another batch of wind turbine towers was brought to Glasgow on a very blustery Monday 29 June, this time by HC Eva Marie (IMO:9369071). Had the weather been better, I`d have went down to Erskine Harbour and caught her coming under the bridge but I decided to stay dry in the car and settle for a quick snap as she passed Newshot Island.
HC Eva Marie dates from 2007 and since being built by the Damen Shipyard at Gorinchem in the Netherlands, she has undergone several name changes: originally sailing as Yepa, this was changed to Maxima within a couple of months. Then it was Nordana Maxima before reverting to Maxima, a name which she kept until receiving her current identity in November 2013.
Like many of the cargo ships that visit the Clyde, she flies the colours of Antigua & Barbuda. She is currently owned and managed by IMM Shipping Management of Ahrensburg, Germany. She has a Gross Tonnage of 7,878 tons (DWT 11,104 tons). Her length overall (LOA) is 145.63 meters and her width is 18.25 meters.
July
Annelise Theresa
It was pouring down with rain on the morning of Saturday 4 July when Danish-flagged oil/chemical tanker Annelise Theresa made her way upriver to Rothesay Dock. She was delivering grades from the Port of Plymouth on England`s south coast. A product of Mingde Heavy Industry, Nantong, China, she dates from 2009 and is currently on the strength of Herning Shipping of Denmark. Due to the adverse weather, it was another shot from inside the car as she passed Newshot Island.
Cembay returns
Glasgow International has seen an increase in military training flights during the lockdown although Prestwick Airport continues to attract the vast majority of military flights, whether with regard to training, repositioning across the Atlantic or aircraft on delivery. Having already photographed Cembay just last month I wasn`t going to bother when she sailed upriver to the KGV Dock again on Tuesday 7 July. A chance glance at flight tracking website adsbexchange.com, however, revealed that I`d just missed a NATO E-3 Sentry which had made a go-around of Runway 23 a few minutes before. Then a German Air Force Global 5000 VIP transport called up requesting permission to do a couple of similar manoeuvres so I headed across Newshot Island opposite the Titan Crane to catch it close in.
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The sky was overcast but heat haze spoiled shots of the jet and distant views of Cembay which coincidentally appeared soon after the Global`s second pass. The fields were quite colourful with masses of buttercup-like flowers and thistles in bloom attracting numerous two-toned smokey brown coloured butterflies. Seven Cormorants flew down river together while I was waiting for the coaster to reach my vantage point. Pied Wagtails were hopping over the exposed sand and seaweed covered rocks catching insects.
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As per the previous occasion Cembay was on a cement run from Belfast. She left light for Dunkirk the following afternoon.
Atlantic Twin
Monday 13 July 2020: The oil / chemical tanker Atlantic Twin (IMO: 9341328) sailed under the Erskine Bridge around 18:00 hrs on the final stage of her journey to deliver grades to the Rothesay Dock Oil Terminal at Clydebank. Local tug Battler had went ahead and was in position beside the Titan Crane, ready to assist with manoeuvres. Svitzer Anglegarth was tied on at the stern.
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Flights at Glasgow Airport had begun to pick up with KLM operating two Boeing 737 flights per day and easyJet back in action on a limited basis.
I hadn`t seen Atlantic Twin before. She dates from 2008, a product of the Norwegian Vard Brevik shipyard. She currently flies the flag of Gibraltar and on this occasion she had sailed from Mongstad.
The tanker`s former identities were Atlep4IC Twin (2017, Gibraltar), B (2017, Gibraltar), Maasen (2013, Norway), and Marida Notos (2008). She is owned and managed by Peters Carl F. of Hamburg. Stats are: Gross tonnage 10,549 tons (Deadweight 15,212 tons), Length 149 m.
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These shots were taken from the Riverside Walkway at Erskine, near the Bridgewater Shopping Centre, and for much of the year the adjacent fields are occupied by a stud of Clydesdales which, in between sampling lots of carrots and assorted munchies from the locals, keep the grass well-trimmed. The hungry horses haven`t appeared yet, possibly due to circumstances connected with the recent lockdown, so they`ve got a lot of work to do when they finally do appear.
Amke
Overcast morning / Newshot Island / had been at the B1 anchorage in the Firth off Greenock since the 12th awaiting a slot. Wind Turbine / / Tuesday 14 July 2020, Amke (IMO: 9374387) // Description AMKE is a General cargo vessel built in 2006 by SANFU SHIP ENGINEERING - TAIZHOU JIANGSU, CHINA. Currently sailing under the flag of Portugal. Formerly also known as Amke (2017, Gibraltar) AMHD4 (2017, Gibraltar) and Strandplate (2006). Her gross tonnage is 5,232 tons (Deadweight 6,425 tons). Length 115 m / Breadth 16 m // Owner / manager Briese Schiffahrt, Leer, Germany. (to edit)* Amke has visited the Clyde many time over the years. On this occasion her voyage originated in Taranto, Italy.
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Cemvale and Ham 316
August means dredging time on the Upper Clyde but this year, rather than name?? which has been tasked with the clean-up over the past Few years, Ham 316 arrived on the 5th. The Dutch-flagged suction dredger was ably assisted by tug Afon Cefni etc which had sailed up from Holyhead in Wales. etc*
On date?* // Cemvale on the Belfast cement run etc // old Erskine Harbour, just east of the bridge etc. Still morning / excellent reflection which lasted until Cemvale`s wake which was running just a few hundred metres ahead of the Ham`. etc*
August ^?
Waverley
Saturday 22 August
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To be continued...