Latest Events

This page shows the 100 latest events.

What/When	Ship
News Event Tuesday, November 19, 2024 @ 1300	GLEN SANNOX (2024- Ro-ro ferry of Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock, Scotland)	Own Page
Caledonian MacBrayne's new ferry GLEN SANNOX is now approved to carry passengers
Ship's location Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Ships agent Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock, Scotland
From BBC Scotland online news 19 November 2024   Glen Sannox gets green light to carry passengers   Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, Glen Sannox is currently moored at the Inchgreen quay in Greenock Published 27 minutes ago The new CalMac ferry being built at the nationalised Ferguson shipyard has been approved to carry passengers. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Lloyds Register have now issued the final regulatory certificates for MV Glen Sannox, the shipyard confirmed. A formal handover is now expected imminently, but CalMac will need several weeks of crew familiarisation trials before the ship carries its first passengers to Arran. The dual-fuel ship was originally due for delivery in May 2018, but the build has been hit by design struggles and disputes over rising costs. Was LNG fuel a bad choice for Scotand's new ferries? Published 20 April More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland The interim chief executive of Ferguson Marine, John Petticrew, gave the latest update in a letter , externalto MSPs on Holyrood's net zero, energy and transport committee. He wrote: "We are delighted to share that MV Glen Sannox has now obtained full regulatory approval, including its passenger certification. "Subject to the completion of the required legal and contractual processes, the vessel will be officially transferred to its new owners, CMAL. "Control of the vessel will then be handed to CalMac who require six-and-a-half weeks for operational readiness and annual recertification activities. Glen Sannox is the second largest vessel ever built for CalMac, and the first UK-built ferry capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
News Event Monday, November 18, 2024 @ 1042	HEBRIDEAN ISLES (1985- Ro-ro ferry 85m long of Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock)	Own Page
HEBRIDEAN ISLES passes Braehead for King George V Dock, Glasgow to lay up pending scrapping
Ship's location Passing Braehead Shopping Centre, River Clyde, Glasgow .... escorted by tug SVITZER MILFORD Port of Registry Glasgow Sailing for Berth 6, King George V Dock, Shieldhall, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 3,040 Cargo carried on arrival Light ship = no cargo on board Ships agent Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock, Scotland
The elevated observation platform at Braehead Centre's esplanade walkway was packed with around 15 photographers, all intent to record HEBRIDEAN ISLES (escorted astern by tug SVITZER MILFORD) as she passed on her way upriver to lay up at berth 6 King George V Dock pending being sold for demolition.       There was a nice touch.   The commotion and clamour of continuous clicking of countless cameras was drowned out by a long blast of HEBRIDEAN ISLES horn as she passed the flock of photographers, no doubt as an acknowledgment for their support and attendance.
News Event Saturday, July 1, 1950 @ 1200 The actual date and time are unknown and details shown here are our best estimate		Own Page
Famagusta (Cyprus) in 1950
Ship's location Famagusta (Cyprus) in 1950
Image contributed by Chris Hillier (London)
News Event Wednesday, July 1, 1964 @ 1200 The actual date and time are unknown and details shown here are our best estimate	BARADINE (1963-1968 General cargo ship of P & O Lines, London : 1976 scrapped at Gadani Beach, Karachi, Pakistan))	Own Page
P & O cargo liner BARADINE at the buoys at Steamer Point, Aden in 1964
Ship's location Aden (a Crown Colony of UK until 1967 : in 1967 became People's Republic of South Yemen) Port of Registry London (UK)
Image contributed by Chris Hillier (London)
News Event Monday, May 19, 1958 @ 1700	PACIFIC FORTUNE (1948 - 1965 general cargo liner 500 feet long of Furness Withy Line, London)	Own Page
PACIFIC FORTUNE closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Pacific Coast of North America
Ship's location Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London Sailing for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver Ships agent Furness Withy & Co. Ltd., 19 St Vincent Place, Glasgow Tel. CENtral 8193
News Event Wednesday, November 13, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	MINNA (2003- Marine Protection Vessel 47m overall of Marine Protection of Scottish Government : she concentrates on inshore fisheries)	Own Page
Fishery Patrol Vessel MINNA at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 781
Contributed by Robert McManus   HIRTA (on the left) and MINNA (on the right) at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (Scotland, UK)   HIRTA   MINNA
News Event Wednesday, November 13, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	HIRTA (2008- Fishing Support Vessel 84.02m overall of Marine Protection, Scottish Government)	Own Page
Fishery Patrol Vessel HIRTA at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK)
Contributed by Robert McManus   HIRTA (on the left) and MINNA (on the right) at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (Scotland, UK)   HIRTA   MINNA
News Event Tuesday, May 28, 1957 @ 1900	BLOEMFONTEIN CASTLE (1950-1959 Passenger Liner 595 feet 181.2m overall 739 passengers in single class of Union Castle Line, London : 1989 scrapped)	Own Page
Farewell Dinner Menu on BLOEMFONTEIN CASTLE on passage, voyage 32, from Cape Town to London
Vessel Master Captain J. E R. Wilford. R.D. Port of Registry London (England, UK) Sailing for London (England, UK) via Walvis Bay (Namibia) and Las Palmas (Gran Canaria, Spain) Gross Tonnage 18,400 Sailed from berth Cape Town (South Africa) Deadweght Tonnage 10,750 Outward cargo Passengers
The ship is named after Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State in South Africa.
News Event Monday, April 4, 1960 @ 2300	ORCADES (1948-1962 Passenger liner of Orient Line, then 1962-1973 of P & O Line, London)	Own Page
ORCADES leaves Melbourne (Australia) for UK
Ship's location Outer West Berth, Station Pier, Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) Port of Registry London Outward cargo Passengers Ships agent Orient Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., 356 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia Tel 67 9921
Contributed by Bill Crabtree (Melbourne, Australia)
News Event Wednesday, November 13, 2024 @ 1152	BITER (1982-2023 Tug of Clyde Marine Services, Greenock)	Own Page
Safety breakdown on tug BITER led to deaths of crew when vessel sank at Greenock
Ship's location Off Custom House Quay, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Home Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports Girting and capsize of tug Biter with the loss of two lives while assisting passenger vessel Hebridean Princess   Location: Off Greenock, Scotland. From: Marine Accident Investigation Branch Published 13 November 2024 Vessel type: Merchant vessel 100 gross tons or over Report type: Investigation report Date of occurrence: 24 February 2023 Contents  Accident Investigation Report 17/2024  Summary  Safety issues  Recommendations  Related publications Photograph credit Accident Investigation Report 17/2024 Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened, subsequent actions taken and recommendations: MAIB investigation report 17-2024: Biter and Hebridean Princess Summary At about 1527 on 24 February 2023, the twin screw conventional tug Biter girted and capsized off Greenock, Scotland while attached to the stern of the passenger vessel Hebridean Princess, which was making its approach to James Watt Dock. Biter’s two crew were unable to escape from the capsized vessel and lost their lives. Safety issues the marine pilot’s training had not prepared them to work with conventional tugs master/pilot and pilot/tug exchanges were incomplete and, with no shared understanding of the plan, the passenger vessel’s master and the tug masters were unable to challenge the pilot’s intentions the passenger vessel’s speed placed significant load on the tug’s lines and almost certainly caused the gob rope to render the tug’s gob rope did not prevent it being girted the tug’s rapid capsize meant the crew had insufficient time to release its towlines an open hatch compromised the tug’s watertight integrity and limited the crew’s chance of survival Statement from the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents Recommendations Recommendations (2024/157 to 2024/166) have been made to Clyde Marine Services Limited, the tug’s owners, to: review its safety management system and risk assessments to provide clear guidance on the rigging of the gob rope; the safe speed to conduct key manoeuvres; and, to adopt a recognised training scheme for its tug masters. Recommendations have also been made to: Clydeport Operations Limited to commission an independent review of its marine pilot training and to risk assess and review its pilot grade limits and tug matrix. Recommendations have also been made to professional associations representing pilots, harbourmasters, and tug owners to develop appropriate guidance on the safety issues raised in this report. From BBC Scotland Online News 13 November 2024 Safety breakdown led to Greenock tug crew deaths Image source,Police Scotland/Facebook Image caption, Ian Catterson and George Taft drowned when the MV Biter capsized Published 13 November 2024, 11:52 GMT Updated 3 hours ago The deaths of two men when a tugboat capsized on the Clyde near Greenock was caused by a "breakdown" in safety procedures, an accident report has found. George Taft, 65, and Ian Catterson, 73, drowned in February last year when MV Biter capsized while assisting the small cruise ship Hebridean Princess. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said that the speed of the ship almost certainly caused an "essential" safety rope to break. Fourteen safety issues directly contributed to the accident, including there being "no shared understanding" of a plan between the two boats. Andrew Moll, the chief inspector of Marine Accidents, said it was a "cruel lesson of how rapidly things can go dreadfully wrong". He said: "In less than 10 seconds the tug capsized, and two experienced seafarers lost their lives, because of a breakdown of the systems that should have kept them safe." Clyde Marine Services, the tug’s owner, has been ordered to review its safety management system and risk assessments, and adopt a recognised training scheme for tug masters. Port operator Clydeport has also been asked to commission an independent review of the training provided to its ship pilots. Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, Fourteen safety issues were found to have contributed to the accident The MAIB report said MV Biter and another tug had been assisting Hebridean Princess at Custom House Quay when it was asked to operate behind the ship. It found that when MV Biter began to manoeuvre behind the Hebridean Princess the ship’s speed exceeded industry guidelines. The load on the tug's towlines was also between two and five times more than Clydeport's recommended speed range. This caused a "significant load" to be transferred which was "almost certainly" a factor in the capsizing. The MAIB also found an open hatch "compromised" the tug’s watertight integrity and limited the crew’s chance of survival. Mr Moll added: “Small conventional tugs remain an essential part of UK port operations. "However, the vulnerabilities of these vessels must be understood by those that operate and control them. “Harbour authorities, ship and tug masters, and pilots should collectively own this risk." Image source,MAIB Image caption, MV Biter capsized while attempting to manoeuvre behind a ship The MAIB said the speed of Hebridean Princess placed excessive load on the MV Biter's gob rope - which secures the towline to prevent capsizing - and caused this to break. The report also highlighted that the cruise ship's master and tug masters did not have a "shared understanding" of the plan of the Clydeport pilot, who was onboard controlling Hebridean Princess at the time. It was unclear whether anyone understood that there were "extreme risks" associated with MV Biter’s manoeuvre behind the cruise ship. It found the pilot had not worked with tugs like Biter before and "did not understand" what the tug would be doing on the manoeuvre. Failure to discuss the plan meant that no-one challenged his intentions. Image source,MAIB Image caption, Hebridean Princess was being towed on the Clyde near Greenock The sinking sparked a major search operation for Mr Taft, from Greenock, and Mr Catterson, 73, from Millport, on 24 February last year. Their bodies were recovered in the Clyde a day after the incident. Clyde Marine Services said it would take time to "review and consider" the MAIB report. A spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the families affected and Clyde Marine Services will continue to cooperate fully with ongoing official investigations.” Clydeport said it would consider the recommendations "in detail". Port director Jim McSporran added: “Our deepest sympathy goes to the families, friends and colleagues of the two men who died in this tragic incident. "The health, safety and the welfare of our employees and the third parties we work with is, and always will be, our number one priority.”
News Event Monday, June 11, 1962 @ 1920	POINTSMAN ( 1956 - Steam Coastal tanker, speed 7 knots, 233 feet long of Helmsman Shipping Company / C Rowbotham & Sons (Management) Ltd, London)	Own Page
POINTSMAN arrives in Ardrossan Harbour with a cargo of fuel oil from Heysham (England)
Vessel Master D Hunt Port of Registry London (England, U.K.) Arrived from Heysham (England, UK) Net Tonnage 547 Arrived in berth Ardrossan Harbour, (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 1,174 Draught aft on arrival 15 feet 6 inches Cargo carried on arrival Fuel Oil Ships agent T L Duff, Montgomerie Street, Ardrossan
News Event Monday, January 11, 1960 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CAPE RODNEY (1946-1963 General cargo ship 136m overall of Lyle Shipping Co., Glasgow : 1971 scrapped at Shanghai, China)	Own Page
CAPE RODNEY at San Francisco (California, USA) from Los Angeles (California, USA)
Ship's location San Francisco (California, USA) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Arrived from Los Angeles (California, USA) Gross Tonnage 6,939 Deadweght Tonnage 9,550
News Event Monday, January 11, 1960 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CITY OF OXFORD (1948-1976 General cargo liner 463 feet long of Ellerman City Line, Glasgow)	Own Page
CITY OF OXFORD at Durban (South Africa) for London (England, UK)
Ship's location Durban (South Africa) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, U.K.) Sailing for London (England, UK) Gross Tonnage 7,593
News Event Sunday, January 10, 1960 @ 1800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CITY OF WELLINGTON (1956-1978 General cargo ship of Ellerman Lines, London : 1979 Scrapped Taiwan)	Own Page
CITY OF WELLINGTON left Liverpool (England, UK) for Japan
Sailing for Japan Port of Registry London (England, UK) Sailed from berth Liverpool (England, UK) Deadweght Tonnage 10,768
News Event Sunday, January 10, 1960 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CLAN BUCHANAN ( 1946 - 1962 Cargo Liner 490 feet long of Clan Line, Glasgow)	Own Page
CLAN BUCHANAN at Takoradi (Ghana, West Africa) from Glasgow (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Takoradi (Ghana, West Africa) Port of Registry Glasgow Arrived from Glasgow (Scotland, UK)
News Event Wednesday, August 23, 1967 @ 1700	INISHOWEN HEAD (1945-1962 General cargo ship of Ulster Steamship Company / Head Line / Lord Line (After 1917) / Head-Donaldson Line, Belfast)	Own Page
INISHOWEN HEAD closes Glasgow for receiving cargo for Montreal, Toronto and Hamilton (all Canada)
Ship's location Centre Basin, Prince's Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Belfast (Northern Ireland) Sailing for Montreal, Toronto and Hamilton (all in Canada) Gross Tonnage 5,294 Ships agent Donaldson Line Ltd., 14 St. Vincent Place, Glasgow Tel. Central 3901
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1138	DMS POPPY (in 2024 Admiralty Pilot Boat 16.5m overall of Serco Marine Services, London)	Own Page
Admiralty Pilot Boat DMS POPPY passing West Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Passing West Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK) Arrived from HMNB (= His Majesty's Naval Base) Faslane (Gare Loch, Scotland, UK) Sailing for Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK)
These images were taken in heavy rain, and DMS POPPY is based at the Naval Base at Faslane, Gare Loch, Scotland.
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1105	CORUISK (2003- Ro-ro ferry 65m long of Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock)	Own Page
In heavy rain CORUISK at Wemyss Bay loading passengers and vehicles for Rothesay
Ship's location Wemyss Bay Pier (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow Sailing for Rothesay (Isle of Bute, Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 1,559 Outward cargo Passengers and vehicles Ships agent Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock (Scotland, UK)
It was raining heavily and CORUISK was temporarily serving on the Wemyss Bay-Rothesay service as replacement for BUTE which was receiving annual maintainance at Garvel Drydock, Greenock.
News Event Monday, April 1, 1957 @ 1700	KANTARA ( 1947 - 1972 General cargo ship 366 feet overall of Moss Hutchison Line, Liverpool)	Own Page
KANTARA closes at Glasgow for receiving cargo for Limassol, Famagusta, Tel Aviv and Haifa
Ship's location Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Liverpool Sailing for Limassol, Famagusta, Tel Aviv and Haifa Outward cargo General cargo Ships agent Moss Hutchison Line Ltd., 91 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, C.2. Tel. CENtral 6643
News Event Monday, June 19, 1967 @ 1500 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	NEVASA (1956-1962 Troopship then laid up then 1964-1975 Educational cruise ship of British India Steam Navigation, London : Scrapped Taiwan in 1975)	Own Page
NEVASA scheduled to leave Greenock on a "Schools Cruise" with about 1,100 schoolchildren
Ship's location Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK) Outward cargo About 1,100 schoolchildren from Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 20,527
News Event Friday, November 8, 2024 @ 1000	WILSON ELBE (2007- General cargo ship IMO 9060675 : 82.37m overall of Wilson Shipowning As - Bergen, Norway)	Own Page
WILSON ELBE discharging a cargo of Limestone at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Berth 3, Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Bridgetown (Barbados) Arrived from Galway (Eire / Ireland) Net Tonnage 844 Cargo carried on arrival Limestone Gross Tonnage 1,589 Deadweght Tonnage 2,687
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Friday, November 8, 2024 @ 1000	CASPER OWL (in 2024 Workboat of Offshore Workboats Ltd, Dock Street , Clydebank, Scotland, UK)	Own Page
Workboat CASPER OWL at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK)
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Friday, November 8, 2024 @ 1000	ERNE (2009- Oil / Chemical Tanker IMO 8383072 : 117m overall of Besiktas Shipping, Istanbul, Turkey)	Own Page
Tanker ERNE at Rothesay Dock Fuel Terminal, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Rothesay Dock Fuel Terminal, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Valletta (Malta) Arrived from Milford Haven (Wales, UK) Net Tonnage 3,194 Cargo carried on arrival Grades of oil Gross Tonnage 6,674 Deadweght Tonnage 10,303
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Friday, November 8, 2024 @ 1000	MEDWIN OWL (in 2024 Tug / workboat of Offshore Workboats Ltd., Clydebank, Scotland, UK)	Own Page
MEDWIN OWL at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Clyde Boatyard, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Greenock (Scotland, UK) Ships agent Offshore Workboats Ltd., Clyde Boatyard, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, G81 1LX, UK Tel: 0141 941 3366
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Friday, September 5, 1969 @ 0800		Own Page
A 1969 advert by Scottish Ship Management for Officers and Cadets to serve on bulk carriers
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1150	FEDERAL KIVALINA (2000- Bulk carrier IMO 9205885 : 199.99m overall :Owner: Federal Oceans Ltd c/o Fednav Ltd , Bureau 3500, 1000, rue de la Gauchetiere O, Montreal QC H3B 4W5, Canada)	Own Page
FEDERAL KIVALINA passes Greenock on her way upriver to Riverside Quay, Shieldhall, Glasgow
Ship's location Passing West Quay, Greenock, Firth of Clyde, Scotland, U.K. Port of Registry Majuro (Marshall Islands : country of more than 1,200 islands and atolls in Central Pacific Ocean) Arrived from Port Weller (St. Catharines, Niagra, Ontario, Canada). Gross Tonnage 20,659 Sailing for Riverside Quay, Shieldhall, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Deadweght Tonnage 36,563
It was a dull, misty and murky morning when FEDERAL KIVALINA passed Greenock on her way up the River Clyde to Glasgow.   The sky was fully overcast with a blanket of thick dark grey clouds and, of course, it was raining, mostly light rain but often heavy.    Three tugs were in attendance.   Ahead were SVITZER MILFORD and ANGLEGARTH and, at the stern, was SVITZER WARDEN.   Indeed the first image shows SVITZER MILFORD, which was leading the procession, being drenched in the deluge of heavy rain.       Therefore a severe scarcity of sunshine stopped any chance of superb snapshots of the passing of the bulker.  That's what you call heavy rain.   And then the weather God smiled and stopped the rain and allowed the sun to make an appearance.   Better late than never.
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1210	CLYDE (in 2024 Catamaran type Police boat of Police Scotland)	Own Page
Police boat CLYDE passes West Quay, Greenock and heading for James Watt Dock Marina
Ship's location Passing West Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Sailing for James Watt Dock Marina, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Police boat CLYDE emerges in a heavy downpour of rain
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1255	SOLVIK (2022- Cement carrier IMO 9944089 : 89.97m overall and co-owned by CSL and SMT as part of the Eureka Shipping joint venture)	Own Page
SOLVIK passes Custom House Quay, Greenock on her way upriver to King George V Dock, Glasgow
Ship's location Passing Custom House Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Limassol (Cyprus) Arrived from Gijon (Spain / Espana) Net Tonnage 988 Sailing for Berth 4 King George V Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 2,658 Cargo carried on arrival Cement Deadweght Tonnage 4,250.80
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1348	GANTOCK (in 2022 : Pilot vessel of Peel Ports, Glasgow)	Own Page
Pilot Boat GANTOCK at Dales Marine Services, James Watt Dock, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Dales Marine Services, James Watt Dock, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Greenock Ships agent Clyde Pilots : Peel Ports, 16 Robertson Street, Glasgow C.2,
In the background can be seen the twin funnels (stacks) of Caledonian MacBrayne's ro-ro ferry BUTE in the Garvel Drydock, Greenock.    BUTE and her sister ship ARGYLL are normally serving on the Wemyss Bay - Rothesay service in the Firth of Clyde.
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1340	SOUND OF SHUNA (2003- Roro ferry 49.95m of Western Ferries, Hunters Quay, Scotland)	Own Page
SOUND OF SHUNA passing Custom House Quay, Greenock for Dales, James Watt Dock, Greenock
Ship's location Passing Custom House Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Sailing for Dales Marine Services, James Watt Dock, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 489 Cargo carried on arrival Light ship = no vehicles or passengers on board Deadweght Tonnage 229 Ships agent Western Ferries (Clyde) Limited, Hunter's Quay, Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland, UK
And at 13:47 arrived at Dales Marine Services, James Watt Dock, Greenock
News Event Saturday, November 6, 2021 @ 1417	MINNA (2003- Marine Protection Vessel 47m overall of Marine Protection of Scottish Government : she concentrates on inshore fisheries)	Own Page
MINNA passing Custom House Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland) on passage to Clydebank
Ship's location Passing Custom House Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK) Sailing for 1 West Quay, Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 781
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1434	SD OMAGH (In 2024 Personnel Transfer Vessel of Serco Denholm / Serco Marine Services, London)	Own Page
SD OMAGH passing Custom House Quay, Greenock, inbound for Great Harbour, Greenock
Ship's location Passing Custom House Quay, Greenock, inbound for Great Harbour, Greenock Port of Registry London (England, UK) Arrived from Largs (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Sailing for Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK)
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1459	SIR JOHN MURRAY (2004- Coastal waters survey vessel 24m overall of Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Stirling, Scotland, UK)	Own Page
SIR JOHN MURRAY outbound passing Custom House Quay, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Outbound passing Custom House Quay, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Arrived from Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Outward cargo Light ship = no cargo on board
News Event Wednesday, November 6, 2024 @ 1800		Own Page
Scottish Government Minister warns west coast islanders will face a difficult winter with ferries
From BBC Scotland online news 6 November 2024     Islanders face a difficult winter, warns minister   Image caption, Fiona Hyslop said the ferry network faced a difficult and challenging winter Calum Watson BBC Scotland News Published 2 minutes ago Islanders are facing a "challenging and difficult" winter because of potential disruption to ferry services, Scotland's transport minister has warned. Fiona Hyslop said Caledonian MacBrayne was under intense pressure because of a lack of available vessels - but that she was pushing the ferry operator to consider "all options" to maintain lifeline services. She was responding to an urgent question from one of her own backbenchers after it emerged the main Arran ferry MV Caledonian Isles may be out of action all winter. Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene accused of the SNP of having a "brass neck" for blaming CalMac for problems it had created through years of underinvestment. Hyslop told MSPs the latest delay to the return of Caledonian Isles - which has been out of action since January - was "deeply frustrating and concerning". "Ministers and officials continue to push CalMac to ensure all options to expedite repairs are being considered," she said. She said CalMac was now looking at what it meant in terms of vessel redeployment across the entire west coast ferry network. Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, New problems with MV Caledonian Isles were found when it went into dry dock at Greenock She said three options had been shared with island communities before route changes are announced next week. But CalMac had to balance the importance of the busy Arran route with the need to maintain lifeline services elsewhere, she added. "That's the difficult balancing act in what is going to be a challenging and difficult winter," she said. "We thought that last winter would be the period that would have caused most issue, and we should have seen at least the Glen Sannox vessel in by now." 'Out of options' Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene accused the SNP of having a "brass neck", saying the the government was ultimately to blame for the problems, rather than CalMac. "Let me tell you where the failures lie in this entire ferry scandal - it's right there on the SNP front benches," he said. "That is the reason - the lack of investment, the lack of progress in new vessels. I haven't heard a single solution from the minister today on what CalMac is going to do to address this situation. "The are completely out of vessels and they are completely out of options." Hyslop said that was untrue, and that CalMac still had options to maintain services.   Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, MV Caledonian Isles has been out of action since it went for annual maintenance in January The west coast ferry operator is facing a perfect storm of problems as it tries to plan a winter schedule without two of the 10 major vessels it normally relies on. MV Caledonian Isles has been out of action since serious corrosion was discovered during annual maintenance in January, which required the removal of all its engines while repair work was carried out The 31-year-old ship returned from the Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside last month, but before it could carry passengers again, a new gearbox fault was detected which required several more weeks to fix. On Tuesday, CalMac revealed more problems had been discovered which could put the ship out of action until late March. Another large ferry, Hebridean Isles, will be retired later this month because it is no longer considered feasible to get it through its mandatory five-year survey The long-delayed Arran ferry Glen Sannox, being built at the Ferguson shipyard, is three weeks past its latest delivery date. Image source,Stephen Lipton Image caption, A new ferry Glen Sannox, pictured during its final sea trials, will serve the Arran route but a final delivery date is still awaited Once delivered, CalMac will need six-and-a-half weeks of crew familiarisation trials plus an already-booked annual overhaul in December before it becomes operational. Several other vessels will have to be withdrawn from service for their scheduled winter maintenance work in the coming months. The arrival of the first of four new large ferries being built in Turkey has also been delayed until March next year. A plan to charter an extra large vessel, MV Ben-My-Chree, from the Isle of Man Steam Package Company was dashed last week when the ship was unable to berth safely at Brodick harbour on Arran. 'Auld Trooper' CalMac is currently maintaining ferry services to Arran using the Ferguson-built MV Isle of Arran - nicknamed the "Auld Trooper" because it is 40 years old - and a catamaran MV Alfred which is being chartered at a cost of £1m per month. Government-owned CaMac used to add a new large vessel to its fleet every two or three years, but since 2007 the role of ferries procurement has been the responsibility of a different state-owned company, CMAL. Since then only two large vessels have been delivered, MV Finlaggan in 2011 and MV Loch Seaforth in 2015. Glen Sannox and a sister ship Glen Rosa were both meant to be delivered in 2018. But design challenges and a bitter dispute between CMAL and the former Ferguson shipyard owner over costs resulted in the firm going bust and being nationalised. Much of the CalMac fleet is now beyond its expected service life. Fiona Hyslop pointed out that six new large vessels are under construction - including Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa which are both earmarked for the Arran route. CMAL has also begun the procurement process to replace seven small ferries, with the contract expected to be awarded next March.
News Event Friday, November 5, 2021 @ 1617	CALEDONIAN ISLES (1993- Passenger and vehicle ferry 308 feet 94m long of Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock)	Own Page
Arran's main ferry CALEDONIAN ISLES may be out of service until late March 2025
Port of Registry Glasgow (UK) Gross Tonnage 5,221
From BBC Scotland online news 5 November 2024 Arran's main ferry could be out of service until late March Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, The MV Caledonian Isles could be out of service for over a year Published 5 November 2024, 16:17 GMT Updated 28 minutes ago The main Arran ferry - which has been out of action since February - may not return to service until next March, CalMac has confirmed. The ferry usually operates on the Ardrossan-Brodick route, but it was taken out of service earlier this year when significant repairs had to be carried out. CalMac said new problems had been uncovered on MV Caledonian Isles while the ship was in dry dock. No new date has been confirmed yet for its return to service, but the ferry operator warned that in a worst-case scenario it could miss the entire winter season. It was originally due to return to service in September but a new gearbox fault was detected, which knocked its return date to mid-November. However, CalMac has now said the ship's stern tube bearings and eight steel frames need repaired or replaced. It said the ship's return date could not be confirmed yet, as there was uncertainty around the availability to dock and the extent of the work required. The ferry operator warned that the MV Caledonian Isles could remain out of service until the end of the winter timetable in late March. CalMac will consult with island communities later this week on a revised vessel deployment plan for winter. 'Challenging winter' CalMac’s interim chief executive Duncan Mackison said the planned work was progressing well, but the the latest issues "eliminated any chance of a return to service in the short-term". He said: “We are in no doubt about the current challenges facing the network and the people who rely on it. We anticipated a challenging winter, and that is exactly what we’re seeing play out. "Any decisions we take around the service off the back of this news will cause disruption in places, and we will now consult with communities to get their valuable input into that service plan. “Our recent efforts to add resilience to the service, such as through trialling third-party vessels and by bringing forward the drydock work for MV Caledonian Isles, will continue. We will leave no stone unturned as we try to meet the needs of the island communities we serve.” CalMac now faces a winter season without two of the 10 major vessels it normally relies on to maintain services. The MV Hebridean Isles is due to be withdrawn from service later this month as it needs recertification and repair work is not economical. Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, The issues with the MV Caledonian Isles were discovered while it was in dry dock at Greenock. The long-delayed Glen Sannox was due to be handed over last month, but some issues that arose during acceptance trials resulted in another delay. Once delivered, CalMac will carry out crew familiarisation trials and the ship will not carry passengers until January at the earliest. Other vessels will also be out of service for scheduled winter maintenance. The last time CalMac received a new large ship from ferries procurement company CMAL was in 2015, and many of its ships are now well beyond their expected service life. Last week CalMac looked into chartering MV Ben-My-Chree from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, but berthing trials on the Arran route were unsuccessful. The ship managed to berth at both Troon and Brodick but safety margins at Brodick were too tight to proceed with the charter plan. Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene said the latest MV Caledonian Isles delay was "yet another devastating blow for the residents of Arran and CalMac ferry users". “The SNP’s incompetence has left betrayed islanders with an ever-ageing vessel which is undergoing yet more lengthy repairs, whilst the new Glen Sannox is still nowhere to be seen," he said. “The continued absence of the Caledonian Isles will now impact the entire ferry network and, with the MV Hebridean Isles on its way to the scrap heap, there is simply no spare capacity in the network." CalMac has a winter deployment plan in place through until Friday 15 November and the new plan will take effect from Saturday 16 November. It will be published by Wednesday 13 November.
News Event Monday, November 4, 2024 @ 1310	SLOTERGRACHT (2000- General cargo ship IMO 9197947 : 168.14m overall of Spliiethoff Bevrachtingskantoor, Amsterdam)ERDAM, NETHERLANDS)	Own Page
SLOTERGRACHT leaves Greenock Ocean Terminal (Scotland, UK) for La Pallice (Bay of Biscay, France)
Sailing for La Pallice (Bay of Biscay, France) Port of Registry Amsterdam (Netherlands) Sailed from berth East end, Greenock Ocean Terminal (Scotland, UK) ... assisted by tug SVITZER MILFORD Gross Tonnage 16,641 Outward cargo Paper reels and sailing yachs and motor cruisers Deadweght Tonnage 21,402
4 November 2024 at 13:10 hours Greenock (Scotland, UK) Let's start with the weather.    It was a grey and gloomy day with a blanket of light cloud covering the sky.  Occasionally, very occasionally, a weak and watery sun could be seen through a hole in the clouds.    It was not cold, and also not warm, but if you were outdoors it would be prudent to wear a thick sweater or jacket or coat.    A very light wind from the east south east caused a slight ripple on the water and visibility continually changed from heavy rain near Argyll to light rain and misty conditions off Greenock.    The old year was coming to it's Autumnal end and the new year would soon arrive.  But arriving today was the Mediterranean Shipping Company container ship MSC JOY carrying a cargo of containers from Liverpool (England, UK).    She was scheduled to arrive at the east end of Greenock Ocean Terminal (= the container terminal) and had met the first of two tugs, SVITZER WARDEN, off Gourock, and the tug's line was attached through the aft centre lead of the container ship.    But there was a problem.   The Netherlands cargo ship SLOTERGRACHT was occupying the berth which MSC JOY was to use.  SLOTERGRACHT should have left about 45 minutes earlier and her tug SVITZER MILFORD was attached and ready.    Meanwhile MSC JOY and her tug loitered off Gourock, moving slowly towards the Ocean Terminal.    And then SLOTERGRACHT was ready to leave, and tug SVITZER MILFORD pulled her astern off the berth and canted her at Number 1 buoy to face outwards, and the cargo ship let go the tug and started for La Pallice, in the Bay of Biscay, France.   Outbound SLOTERGRACHT can be seen passing the inbound MSC JOY.    SVITZER MILFORD then turned her attention to the nearing MSC JOY off Greenock Esplanade and the two tugs quickly berthed the container ship at the Ocean Terminal.   In light drizzly rain tug SVITZER MILFORD pulls SLOTERGRACHT astern from her berth at east Greenock Container Terminal   Tug SVITZER MILFORD begins canting SLOTERGRACHT to starboard, turning her to face outward for her passage to France     SLOTERGRACHT (in the distance) and heading outbound passes the inbound container ship MSC JOY   SLOTERGRACHT was heading outbound and passing the town of Kilcreggan on the north shore when a heavy shower of rain errupted around her, and so ruined the ....what would have been ... a really nice image.   Such is life.
News Event Monday, November 4, 2024 @ 1350	MSC JOY (2010- Container ship IMO 9039250 : 202.4m overall of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co - Geneva, Switzerland)	Own Page
MSC JOY approaches Greenock Ocean Terminal (Scotland, UK) with containers from Liverpool
Arrived from Liverpool (England, UK) Port of Registry Panama Cargo carried on arrival Containers Gross Tonnage 30,567 Deadweght Tonnage 31,160
4 November 2024 at 13:50 hours Greenock (Scotland, UK) Let's start with the weather.    It was a grey and gloomy day with a blanket of light cloud covering the sky.  Occasionally, very occasionally, a weak and watery sun could be seen through a hole in the clouds.    It was not cold, and also not warm, but if you were outdoors it would be prudent to wear a thick sweater or jacket or coat.    A very light wind from the east south east caused a slight ripple on the water and visibility continually changed from heavy rain near Argyll to light rain and misty conditions off Greenock.    The old year was coming to it's Autumnal end and the new year would soon arrive.  But arriving today was the Mediterranean Shipping Company container ship MSC JOY carrying a cargo of containers from Liverpool (England, UK).    She was scheduled to arrive at the east end of Greenock Ocean Terminal (= the container terminal) and had met the first of two tugs, SVITZER WARDEN, off Gourock, and the tug's line was attached through the aft centre lead of the container ship.    But there was a problem.   The Netherlands cargo ship SLOTERGRACHT was occupying the berth which MSC JOY was to use.  SLOTERGRACHT should have left about 45 minutes earlier and her tug SVITZER MILFORD was attached and ready.    Meanwhile MSC JOY and her tug loitered off Gourock, moving slowly towards the Ocean Terminal.    And then SLOTERGRACHT was ready to leave, and tug SVITZER MILFORD pulled her astern off the berth and canted her at Number 1 buoy to face outwards, and the cargo ship let go the tug and started for La Pallice, in the Bay of Biscay, France.   Outbound SLOTERGRACHT can be seen passing the inbound MSC JOY.    SVITZER MILFORD then turned her attention to the nearing MSC JOY off Greenock Esplanade and the two tugs quickly berthed the container ship at the Ocean Terminal.    In a rain shower MSC JOY and the tug SVITZER WARDEN approach Greenock Ocean Terminal    MSC JOY (on the left) and the outbound SLOTERGRACHT (on the right)   MSC JOY approaching Greenock Ocean Terminal
News Event Saturday, July 10, 1948 @ 1200 The actual date and time are unknown and details shown here are our best estimate		Own Page
Aerial view of Rothesay Dock, Clydebank, Scotland in 1948
News Event Wednesday, December 6, 1961 @ 1715	ONDO (1956-1961 General cargo ship 425 feet of Elder Dempster Lines Ltd., Liverpool : 1961 sank)	Own Page
Elder Dempster's ONDO aground on sandbank near Brunsbuttelkoog locks at Kiel Canal, Germany
Arrived from Sapele (Nigeria) Port of Registry Liverpool (England, UK) Sailing for Riga (Latvia, in the Baltic Sea) via the Keil Canal (Germany) Gross Tonnage 5,435 Cargo carried on arrival Cocoa Beans
On 6th December 1961 while on voyage Sapele, Nigeria to Riga with a cargo of cocoa beans, she was approaching the Brunsbuttelkoog locks at the entrance to the Kiel Canal.    At 1715 as the Cuxhaven pilot boat was approaching the ship in force 10 winds, she capsized.    In an effort to avoid the men in the water, the captain of the Ondo stopped the engines and the ship was blown onto the sandbank near Elbe No.2 lightship.    The pilot and the boat's crew were lost.     Ondo was lightened but could not be refloated and despite several later salvage attempts was eventually abandoned.
News Event Saturday, January 14, 1967 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SCYTHIA (1964-1969 Refrigerated / General cargo ship IMO 6420927 : 457 feet long of North Western Line (Mersey) Ltd / Cunard Brocklebank Ltd., Liverpool : 1986 scrapped)	Own Page
Cunard Line cargo liner SCYTHIA due at Liverpool from New York (USA)
Ship's location Liverpool (England, UK) Port of Registry Liverpool (England, UK) Arrived from New York (U.S.A.) Net Tonnage 2,829 Gross Tonnage 5,837 Deadweght Tonnage 7,662
Contributed image
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	QUEEN ELIZABETH (1940-1946 Troopship then 1946-1968 passenger liner of Cunard Line, Liverpool)	Own Page
Cunard Liner QUEEN ELIZABETH on cruise at Port of Spain (Capital of Trinidad and Tobago)
Ship's location Port of Spain (Capital of Trinidad and Tobago) Port of Registry Liverpool (England, UK) Cargo carried on arrival Passengers Gross Tonnage 83,673
Contributed image
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	ANDANIA (1960-1969 Refrigerated / General cargo liner 490 feet long of Cunard Line)	Own Page
Cunard Line cargo liner ANDANIA from Baltimore (Maryland, USA) at Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA)
Ship's location Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA) Port of Registry Liverpool Arrived from Baltimore (Maryland, USA) Gross Tonnage 7,004 Deadweght Tonnage 9,560
Contributed image
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CARMANIA (1962-1973 Dual purpose Passenger liner / Cruise liner IMO 5064324 : formerly SAXONIA 1954-1963 : 608 feet 185m of Cunard Line : 117 1st class, 764 tourist class passengers)	Own Page
CARMANIA on a cruise and at Nassau (Capital and largest city of the Bahamas)
Ship's location Nassau (Capital and largest city of the Bahamas : situated on New Providence Island) Port of Registry Southampton (England, UK) Gross Tonnage 21,370
Postcard of RMS Saxonia
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BENARMIN (1963-1972 General cargo liner 550 feet long of William Thomson's Ben Line, Leith)	Own Page
BENARMIN at Rotterdam (Netherlands) for Hull (England, UK)
Ship's location Rotterdam (Netherlands) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland) Sailing for Hull (England, UK) Net Tonnage 6,486 Gross Tonnage 11,362 Deadweght Tonnage 13,015
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 0800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BENLARIG (1961-1969 General cargo ship of William Thomson Ben Line, Edinburgh)	Own Page
BENLARIG at Manila (Philippines) for Rejang (Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia)
Ship's location Manila (Philippines) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK) Sailing for Rejang (Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia)
News Event Thursday, January 12, 1967 @ 1800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BENLAWERS (1944-1968 General cargo ship 475 feet long of Ben Line / William Thomson Company, Edinburgh)	Own Page
BENLAWERS left Le Havre (France) for Rotterdam (Netherlands)
Sailing for Rotterdam (Netherlands) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK) Sailed from berth Le Havre (France) Net Tonnage 4,646 Gross Tonnage 7,804
News Event Thursday, January 12, 1967 @ 1800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BENMHOR (1952-1973 General cargo ship of William Thomson's Ben Line, Edinburgh : 1973 Scrapped)	Own Page
BENMHOR left Hamburg (Germany) for Hull (England, UK)
Sailing for Hull (England, UK) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK) Sailed from berth Hamburg (Germany) Gross Tonnage 7,755
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 1800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BENNEVIS (1959-1973 General cargo liner of Ben Line, Edinburgh)	Own Page
BENNEVIS outward bound left Penang (Malaysia) for Hong Kong
Sailing for Hong Kong Port of Registry Leith (Scotland) Sailed from berth Penang (Malaysia) Gross Tonnage 7,591
News Event Wednesday, January 11, 1967 @ 1800 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BENALDER (1949-1968 General cargo liner 475 feet long of Ben Line / William Thomson & Company, Edinburgh)	Own Page
BENALDER homeward bound left Penang (Malaysia) for Aden (Yemen)
Sailing for Aden (Yemen : 1839-1967 was a colony of Britain : 1967 British forces departed : became independent) Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK) Sailed from berth Penang (Malaysia) Net Tonnage 4,665 Gross Tonnage 7,877
News Event Thursday, February 16, 1961 @ 1230 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CHURNI (1961- Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger IMO 5072515 : 372 feet 113.42m overall for Calcutta Port Commissioners, India)	Own Page
Clyde gives a Hindu wedding style launch of dredger CHURNI for Calcutta Port Commissioners (India)
Ship's location Simons-Lobnitz Ltd. Shipyard, Renfrew (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Calcutta (India) Gross Tonnage 4,582
News Event Tuesday, March 31, 1970 @ 0800	CITY OF BIRMINGHAM (1949 - 1971 General cargo Liner 481 feet long of Ellerman Line, London)	Own Page
Ellerman's CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, CITY OF KARACHI and CITY OF GUILDFORD at Birkenhead
Ship's location East Float,Birkenhead (England, UK) Port of Registry London Gross Tonnage 7,492
From Ellerman's Company magazine "On Shore and Afloat" of March 1970 showing three Ellerman cargo liners loading outwards at East Float, Birkenhead (England, UK)
News Event Thursday, September 10, 1959 @ 1510	CLAN MACKINNON (1946-1961 General cargo ship 449 feet long of Clan Line / Houston Line, Glasgow)	Own Page
CLAN MACKINNON arrives in King George V Dock, Glasgow with general cargo
Arrived from Chittagong (East Pakistan = in 1971 known as Bangladesh) via Bremen (Germany) Port of Registry Glasgow Arrived in berth 7 / 8 King George V Dock, Glasgow : with her head south Gross Tonnage 7,373 Sailing for Colombo (Ceylon = since 1972 known as Sri Lanka) via Swansea (Wales, UK) Sailed from berth 7 / 8 King George V Dock, Glasgow : with her head south Draught forward on arrival 9 feet Draught aft on arrival 15 feet 3 inches Cargo carried on arrival General cargo Commenced discharge of inward cargo 10 September at 1750 Stevedore discharging inward cargo Renfrew Stevedoring Co. Ltd., King George V Dock, Glasgow S.W.1. Tel. GOVan 2241 Completed discharge of inward cargo 14 September at 1400 Commened loading outward cargo 11 September at 0800 Outward cargo General cargo 850 tons Stevedore loading outward cargo Renfrew Stevedoring Co. Ltd., King George V Dock, Glasgow S.W.1. Tel. GOVan 2241 Completed loading outward cargo 15 September at 1000 Draught forward on sailing 10 feet 6 inches Draught aft on sailing 17 feet 5 inches Vessel bunkered Bunkered (refuelled) 550 tons of fuel oil at 1155 on 11 September from oiler CLANITY Ships agent Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd., / Clan Line Ltd., 109 Hope Street, Glasgow Tel CENtral 7050 Sailed 1210 on 15 September for Colombo (Ceylon : now known as Sri Lanka) via Swansea (Wales, UK)
News Event Thursday, October 31, 2024 @ 1905	BEN-MY-CHREE (1998- Ro-Pax ferry 125.2m 411 feet overall of Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Ltd., Douglas)	Own Page
Caledonian MacBrayne's plan to charter BEN-MY-CHREE is abandoned after trials
Port of Registry Douglas (Isle of Man, UK)
From BBC Scotland online news 31 October 2024   CalMac's plan to charter extra ferry abandoned after trials Image source,Manxscenes Image caption, Ben-My-Chree, pictured in Douglas harbour Calum Watson BBC News Published 31 October 2024, 19:05 GMT Updated 1 hour ago A plan to charter a large ship from the Isle of Man to help relieve pressure on Scotland's west coast ferry services this winter has been abandoned. Ferry operator CalMac carried out a berthing trial with MV Ben-My-Chree on its Arran route but confirmed it had been unsuccessful. The ship, which is owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, managed to berth at both Troon and Brodick but safety margins at Brodick were too tight to proceed with the charter plan. CalMac had hoped to hire the ship to improve resilience this winter when a number of its large ferries could be out of service for repairs or scheduled maintenance. CalMac to trial Isle of Man ferry on Arran route Published 3 days ago More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland Ben-My-Chree - which means "girl of my heart" in the Manx language - is currently used as a back-up vessel for Isle of Man ferry services after a new ship, the Manxman, arrived last year. The 125m (410ft) ship is available for charter to other operators subject to a service agreement which means it can be recalled with four days' notice in emergencies. But Ben-My-Chree, which is wider than CalMac ships that normally operate on the Arran route, had some difficulty berthing at Brodick. CalMac's interim chief executive Duncan Mackison said: "Whilst the vessel berthed successfully, we were at the very edge of the limits it was safe to operate to, and we’d be relying on completely benign conditions to berth regularly. "Given the conditions at this time of year it is not safe, or sensible, for the service to try and operate this way. "Preliminary work indicated the vessel may be suitable for Troon-Brodick and eliminated all other routes. But the only way we could know with certainty was to carry out these trials." CalMac said there was "no immediate negative impact" on it services as a result of the trials not working out, and it would continue to explore options for chartering extra ferry capacity. Challenging winter CalMac has said it faces a very challenging winter, and a charter of Ben-My-Chree would have freed up a vessel from the Arran route to maintain services elsewhere. The main Arran ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, has been out of action since February and repairs to a new fault with a gearbox are expected to take at least another fortnight. MV Hebridean Isles is due to be retired next month as it needs recertification and it is not considered feasible to maintain the ship any longer. Other large vessels in the CalMac fleet will also have to be withdrawn for scheduled annual maintenance over the winter. The dual-fuel ship Glen Sannox, being built at the Ferguson shipyard, was due to be handed over two weeks ago, but a revised delivery date has yet to be confirmed. The first of four new ferries being built in Turkey has also been delayed and will not arrive until next February. The last time a new large ship was provided to CalMac by ferries procurement firm CMAL was in 2015, when Loch Seaforth was delivered. Many of the ships in the CalMac fleet are now well beyond their expected service life. In some cases they are so old that spare parts are no longer available and have to be specially manufactured.
News Event Thursday, October 31, 2024 @ 0845	BEN-MY-CHREE (1998- Ro-Pax ferry 125.2m 411 feet overall of Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Ltd., Douglas)	Own Page
Caledonian MacBrayne's chartered BEN-MY-CHREE arrives at Troon for berthing trials
Ship's location Arriving at Port of Troon (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Douglas (Isle of Man, UK) Cargo carried on arrival Light ship = no cargo on board
News Event Saturday, December 14, 1968 @ 1200 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	S. A. VICTORY (in 1968 General cargo ship of South African Marine Corporation, Cape Town, South Africa)	Own Page
Allegation that S. A.VICTORY damaged tug FLYING DEMON whilst berthing at Prince's Dock, Glasgow
Ship's location 19 Prince's Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Kaapstad (Pronounced kapstet : Afrikaans for "Cape Town" : Cape Town, South Africa) Ships agent F. W. Allan & Ker Ltd., 95 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, C. 2. Tel. CENtral 0925 / 8
News Event Monday, May 1, 1967 @ 0000	CALTEX LIVERPOOL (1952-1967 Oil Tanker of Overseas Tankship Ltd, London, 1964 transferred to Australian registry, managed by Howard Smith Ltd, 1967 sold to Texaco Ltd, London renamed Texaco Glasgow.)	Own Page
CALTEX LIVERPOOL at 1 Kurnell, Caltex Fuel Terminal, Botany Bay (Australia)
Ship's location 1 Kurnell, Caltex Fuel Terminal, Botany Bay (13km 8 miles south of Sydney, NSW, Australia) Port of Registry London (England, UK) .. in 1964 transferred to Australian registry Ships agent Howard Smith Gross Tonnage 11,814
Botany Bay is an open oceanic embayment, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 13 km (8 mi) south of the Sydney central business district.
News Event Tuesday, October 29, 2024 @ 0955	SPIRIT OF TASMANIA 1V (in 2024 Cruise liner 212m 695 feet of TT-Line, Australia)	Own Page
New Australian cruise liner SPIRIT OF TASMANIA 1V to be mothballed at Port of Leith (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Port of Leith (near Edinburgh, Firth of Forth, Scotland, UK)
From BBC Scotland online news 29 October 2024   Huge Australian 'fiasco' ship to be mothballed in Edinburgh   Image source,TT-Line Image caption, Spirit of Tasmania IV has to be moved from a Finnish shipyard because it could be damaged by pack ice Calum Watson BBC News Published 29 October 2024, 09:55 GMT Updated 3 hours ago A huge newly-constructed ship is to be mothballed in Edinburgh as result of a "ferries fiasco" on the other side of the world. The 212m-long (695ft) Spirit of Tasmania IV will be stored at Port of Leith because it is too large to fit the existing berths in the Australian city of Devonport. The ferry has been built at a shipyard in Finland but it has to be moved out before winter because it could be damaged by pack ice. A new berth to accommodate the ship in the island state of Tasmania will not be ready until late 2026 or 2027. The ship - and its sister vessel Spirit of Tasmania V, which is still being built - had previously been described as a "game changer" for Tasmania's tourism industry. But construction delays, rising costs and the problems with upgrading existing infrastructure have turned it into the state's biggest political scandal in a decade. Australian media have described it as a "fiasco" and "debacle" while opposition leader Dean Winter called it the "biggest infrastructure stuff-up", external in the state's history. The cost of building the two LNG dual-fuel ships has risen by A$94m (£47.5m) from A$850m (£430m) when the contract was signed in 2021 - while port upgrade costs, originally estimated at A$90m (£45.5m), have more than quadrupled. Both the ferry company TT-Line and ports firm TasPorts are state-owned, and in August the infrastructure minister, Michael Ferguson, and TT-line chairman, Mike Grainger, both resigned. In recent days it has emerged that the berth in Devonport - that was supposed to be built by now - would not be completed until October 2026 at the earliest. More stories from Edinburgh, Fife & East More stories from Scotland TT-Line chief executive Bernard Dwyer said with pack ice expected in the Finnish shipyard town of Rauma in late November, it was important to move Spirit of Tasmania IV to another location. "To ensure the vessel’s safety and preservation, we will temporarily relocate it to Leith, Scotland, where conditions are more suitable," he said. "This move is necessary, as the vessel is not designed for the extremely low ambient temperatures anticipated in Rauma." He said the firm was looking into whether it might be possible to lease out the vessel. But it is understood that more work would be required before that could happen because the original construction deal involved some final fitting out work being completed in Australia. The size of the ships means it is unlikely they could be used in Scotland, despite the west coast ferry operator CalMac being in desperate need of new vessels. Image source,Transport Scotland Image caption, A visualisation of the planned Ardrossan redevelopment which has stalled because of disagreement over costs. The story has a number of parallels with Scotland's own "ferries fiasco" where state-owned ferries company CMAL ordered ships that were too large to fit existing infrastructure. The LNG dual-fuel ships Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, still being built at Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow, are meant to sail from Ardrossan to Arran but are unable to use the mainland port because of delays to a planned redevelopment. Then Transport Minister Humza Yousaf announced the Ardrossan upgrade in 2018, but deadlock between its private owner Peel Ports, the local council and the Scottish government over costs means there is as yet no timescale for the work. Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa will instead have to sail from Troon initially, meaning a 20-minute longer journey and fewer daily sailings, and there will be no dedicated fast refuelling facilities for the LNG.
News Event Tuesday, October 29, 2024 @ 0925		Own Page
Teenager rescued from water after going overboard from ferry in Firth of Clyde near Gourock
Ship's location Firth of Clyde (Scotland, UK) between McInroy's Point, Gourock and Hunter's Quay
From BBC Scotland online news 29 October 2024 Teenager rescued from water after going overboard from ferry   Image source,Google Image caption, Emergency services were called to McInroy Point ferry terminal at about 09:05 Published 29 October 2024, 13:46 GMT Updated 3 hours ago A teenager has been taken to hospital after being rescued from the Firth of Clyde after going overboard from a ferry near Gourock. Police Scotland were called after a report of a male youth falling from a Western Ferries service between Gourock and Dunoon at about 09:25. Western Ferries confirmed an incident occurred on board one of their ferries which resulted in services being suspended for a short time. The boy was rescued by a police boat and taken to Inverclyde Royal Infirmary. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “About 09:25 on Tuesday, 29 October we were called to a report of concern for a male youth who had gone overboard from a ferry near to Gourock. “Emergency services attended and he was recovered from the water." A large emergency service presence was visible at the scene with members of the Coastguard, RNLI, a Police Scotland vessel and an ambulance in attendance. The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter also offered support. Two Caledonian MacBrayne vessels and a yacht were also diverted to the area to provide assistance. Western Ferries managing director, Gordon Ross, thanked those who attended the scene and confirmed their service has returned to normal.
News Event Thursday, July 28, 1955 @ 2015	PACIFIC NORTHWEST (1954-1971 General and refrigerated cargo liner 501 feet long of Furness Withy & Co. Ltd., London : Scrapped 1974)	Own Page
PACIFIC NORTHWEST arrives at Meadowside Quay, Glasgow with 650 tons of general cargo
Arrived from Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) via Liverpool (England, UK) Port of Registry London (U.K.) Arrived in berth 1 Meadowside Quay, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Net Tonnage 5,529 Sailing for Manchester (England, UK) Gross Tonnage 9,442 Sailed from berth 1 Meadowside Quay, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Deadweght Tonnage 11,410 Draught forward on arrival 20 feet 3 inches Draught aft on arrival 21 feet 10 inches Cargo carried on arrival General cargo 650 tons Commenced discharge of inward cargo 30 July at 0800 Stevedore discharging inward cargo Clutha Stevedoring Co. Ltd., Prince's Dock, Glasgow, SW1 Tel. IBRox 1233 Completed discharge of inward cargo 2 August at 2100 Outward cargo Part of same inward general cargo Draught forward on sailing 19 feet Draught aft on sailing 21 feet 6 inches Ships agent Furness Withy & Co. Ltd., 19 St Vincent Place, Glasgow Tel. CENtral 8193 Sailed 0940 on 3 August for Manchester (England, UK)
News Event Monday, October 15, 1956 @ 2015		Own Page
Anchor Line of Glasgow, invitation to Dinner Dance at Central Hotel, Glasgow
News Event Monday, October 28, 2024 @ 1600	BEN-MY-CHREE (1998- Ro-Pax ferry 125.2m 411 feet overall of Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Ltd., Douglas)	Own Page
Caledonian MacBrayne to trial Isle of Man ferry BEN-MY-CHREE on the Arran route
Port of Registry Douglas (Isle of Man, UK)
From BBC Scotland online news 28 October 2024   CalMac to trial Isle of Man ferry on Arran route   Image source,Manxscenes Image caption, MV Ben-My-Chree is currently used as a back-up vessel for the Isle of Man Calum Watson BBC News Published 28 October 2024 Scotland's west coast ferry operator CalMac is to conduct trials of a large ferry from the Isle of Man on its Arran route with a view to possibly chartering the vessel. MV Ben-My-Chree, owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, is currently used as a back-up vessel after a new ship the Manxman entered service last year. The ship is due to arrive to Scotland later this week for berthing trials at Troon on the mainland and Brodick on Arran. CalMac said it was working on back-up plans as it faces a difficult winter with some vessels out of service and others undergoing scheduled maintenance. Ben-my-Chree could be hired out to other islands Published 14 February Further delay to return of Arran's troubled main ferry Published 8 October CalMac interim chief executive Duncan Mackison said: "We are being proactive in identifying options to add resilience and capacity to the network during what will continue to be a challenging winter. "This vessel is larger than those currently serving Arran and would add capacity to that service whilst freeing up a vessel to move elsewhere. "This is just a trial, and a full charter will be subject to agreement from multiple parties. Should this be reached, we will review and publish a plan on wider vessel deployment." Ben-My-Chree - which means "girl of my heart" in the Manx language - is 125m (410ft) long and wider than the CalMac vessels that normally serve the Arran route. Since its launch in 1998 it has primarily served the Heynsham-Douglas route, but was replaced by MV Manxman late last year. A service agreement means it must remain available as a back-up vessel for Isle of Man services at certain times of the year. Winter pressures CalMac is anticipating a difficult winter season and is looking at options to maintain services. The main Arran ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, has been out of action since February and repairs to a new fault with a gearbox are expected to take at least another fortnight. MV Hebridean Isles is due to be retired next month as it needs recertification and it is not economical to maintain the ship any longer. The dual-fuel ship Glen Sannox, being built at the Ferguson shipyard, was due to be handed over two weeks ago, but a revised delivery date has yet to be confirmed. CalMac will then have to carry out crew familiarisation trials and the new ship is booked in for two weeks of annual maintenance inspections in December, so Glen Sannox is unlikely to be in service before January. Other large vessels in the CalMac fleet will also have to be withdrawn for scheduled annual maintenance over the winter. CalMac is already chartering one vessel, the catamaran Alfred, to maintain services to Arran, at a cost believed to be £1m per month. The state-owned ferry operator has only received one new large vessel, the Loch Seaforth, in the past decade, and many of its 10 largest ships are now beyond their expected service life.
News Event Thursday, June 7, 1990 @ 1000 The actual date and time are unknown and details shown here are our best estimatec	TYPHOO ATLANTIC CHALLENGER (in 1990 a strange scarlet coloured steel bottle shaped boat 37 feet 11.28m overall engine and sail powered of Tom McClean)	Own Page
TYPHOO ATLANTIC CHALLENGER bottle shaped boat sailed from New York to Falmouth (England)
Ship's location Underwater Centre, Fort William (Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK)
Contributed by Robert McManus ships and boats, travel by sea Sailing the Atlantic in a bottle   Sitting outside the Underwater Centre in Fort William is a strange bottle-shaped scarlet boat. This 37 ft steel vessel is the record-breaking Typhoo Atlantic Challenger designed by former Scottish SAS adventurer Tom McClean. In 1990, Tom McClean launched himself from New York in this unusual vessel powered by engine and sail for his fifth solo Atlantic crossing, reaching Falmouth 37 days later, making him the first person ever do the journey in a bottle! The boat was very stable, but only travelled at 3.5 knots. “The main problem was the winds blowing the wrong way,” said McClean, who did not get much chance to enjoy the use the oak four-poster bed he had installed inside: “because of the movement of the craft, I had to sleep sideways in it to stop falling off, so I only slept about 90 minutes each night." McClean used the trip to raise over £700 000 for the British charity ‘National Children’s Home’. McClean's previous voyages on the 2,950-mile route including solo crossing by rowing boat in 1969 and 1987 and in the then world's smallest yacht, only 7 feet 9 inches long, in 1982, a feat he repeated in 1983 with a yacht two feet shorter!
News Event Thursday, October 24, 2024 @ 1645	STAR HARMONY (2011- IMO 9284520 : Bulk Carrier 189m 620 feet overall of Dekoil - Athens, Greece))	Own Page
STAR HARMONY leaves King George V Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) with scrap metal for Liverpool
Ship's location River Clyde, leaving King George V Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) assisted by three Svitzer tugs Port of Registry Panama (= Panama City, Panama) Arrived from Bordeaux (France) Gross Tonnage 29,352 Arrived in berth 10 King George V Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Deadweght Tonnage 52,980 Sailing for Liverpool (England, UK) Sailed from berth 10 King George V Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Cargo carried on arrival Light ship = no cargo on board Outward cargo Scrap metal
15:50 hours.   Could this be the River Nile in Egypt with two Pyramids, maybe for King Tutenkhamun and Queen Cleopatra, in the distance ? And maybe not.   October 2024 in the River Clyde at Glasgow, the tugs SVITZER MILFORD and ANGLEGARTH head upriver for King George V Dock to sail the bulk carrier STAR HARMONY.   Between the tugs are the prominent composite mainmasts of the two Type 26 Frigates HMS GLASGOW and HMS CARDIFF, being fitted out for the British Royal Navy at the BAe Systems yard at Elderslie, Glasgow.   Tug SVITZER MILFORD   Tug ANGLEGARTH   Tugs SVITZER MILFORD and ANGLEGARTH pass the giant Braehead Shopping Mall on their way upriver to STAR HARMONY at King George V Dock, Glasgow.   The tall yellow-coloured hammerhead crane in the distance is the last relic of the once busy Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., Clydeholm Shipyard at Whiteinch in Glasgow.   16:35   Bulk carrier STAR HARMONY, towed by tugs ANGLEGARTH, SVITZER MILFORD and SVITZER WARDEN, comes slowly astern from berth 10 King George V Dock, Glasgow, and is canted (= turned) off the Dock entrance to now face downriver in the River Clyde.   16:49   STAR HARMONY is now facing downriver, and tug ANGLEGARTH leads the convoy with tug SVITZER WARDEN, sailing astern and towing at the bow of the bulk carrier.   Tug SVITZER MILFORD is towing at the stern but at the moment was out of sight.    At the extreme right of the image is the bulk carrier AGIA MONI at the Riverside Quay, Shieldhall, Glasgow.   Tug SVITZER WARDEN is going astern down the River whilst towing the bulk carrier STAR HARMONY.   16:55    SVITZER WARDEN and STAR HARMONY, with SVITZER MILFORD at the stern of the bulk carrier   16:56   STAR HARMONY whilst passing Braehead Retail Centre.   Superstructure of STAR HARMONY     16:57 hours   Tug SVITZER MILFORD towing at stern of STAR HARMONY   16:57 hours     STAR HARMONY in River Clyde at Glasgow starting on her passage to Liverpool (England, UK)
News Event Monday, February 5, 1951 @ 2200	CIRCASSIA ( 1937 - 1966 Passenger and cargo liner 483 feet long of Anchor Line, Glasgow)	Own Page
Anchor Line's CIRCASSIA on passage to India stands by a ship in distress in the Bay of Biscay
Ship's location About 300 miles from Cape Finisterre (Northern Spain) Port of Registry Glasgow Vessel Master Captain J M Brown Sailing for Bombay (since 1995 known as Mumbai, India : as name Bombay was an unwanted memory of British rule) Sailed from berth Liverpool (England, UK) Outward cargo 300 passengers and general cargo
News Event Friday, May 9, 1969 @ 1000		Own Page
In 1969 Glen Line, London advertised for Chief Engineers for Straits Steamship Co. Ltd., Singapore
News Event Sunday, August 10, 1986 @ 1700 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	BRITANNIA (1953-2003 Royal Yacht 413 feet long of Royal Navy, London)	Own Page
British Royal Yacht BRITANNIA carrying the Queen and Prince Phillip leaves Rothesay Dock, Clydebank
Ship's location Leaving Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Admiralty, London Gross Tonnage 3,990
Contributed by Robert McManus Royal Yacht Britannia leaving Rothesay Dock in August 1986. The Queen and Prince Phillip were visiting Clydebank to participate in celebrations for the Clydebank Burgh Centenary year.
News Event Friday, July 1, 1955 @ 1420	HANNINGTON COURT (1954-1963 General cargo ship 476 feet overall : Official Number 186168 : of Court Line, managed by Haldin & Co. Ltd., London : 1976 scrapped at Bombay, India)	Own Page
HANNINGTON COURT arrives in Glasgow with 5,678 tons of wheat from Fremantle (Western Australia)
Arrived from Fremantle (Western Australia) via Liverpool (England, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK) Arrived in berth 2 Meadowside Quay, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Net Tonnage 3,467 Sailing for Number 3 Govan Drydock, Glasgow Gross Tonnage 6,266 Sailed from berth 2 Meadowside Quay, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Draught forward on arrival 17 feet 8 inches Draught aft on arrival 22 feet 6 inches Cargo carried on arrival 5,678 tons of wheat Commenced discharge of inward cargo 1500 on 1 July Stevedore discharging inward cargo Clyde Navigation Trust, 16 Robertson Street, Glasgow, G2 8DS (Scotland, UK) Completed discharge of inward cargo 1500 on 7 July Outward cargo Light ship = no cargo on board Draught forward on sailing 9 feet 6 inches Draught aft on sailing 12 feet Sailed 1230 on 8 July left Meadowside Quay for Number 3 Govan Drydock, Glasgow
News Event Wednesday, August 3, 1966 @ 1836	IRISH COAST ( 1952-1968 Passenger and cargo vessel 340 feet long of Coast Lines, Liverpool)	Own Page
Coast Line's IRISH COAST leaves Glasgow on an overnight sailing to Dublin (Ireland)
Sailing for Dublin (Ireland) Port of Registry Liverpool Sailed from berth Lancefield Quay, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Outward cargo 58 tons of cargo, 14 cars and 437 passengers Draught forward on sailing 14 feet Draught aft on sailing 15 feet 10 inches Master of vessel on sailing Captain James MacKinnon Ships agent Burns & Laird Lines, 52 Robertson Street, Glasgow, C. 2. Tel. CENtral 9650
News Event Saturday, August 21, 2021 @ 1100 The actual date and time are unknown and details shown here are our best estimate	CASPER OWL (in 2024 Workboat of Offshore Workboats Ltd, Dock Street , Clydebank, Scotland, UK)	Own Page
Workboat CASPER OWL tows Floating Head structure from Rothesay Dock, Clydebank to Glasgow
Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK)
From Glasgow Times 23 August 2021
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SVITZER MILFORD (2004- Shiphandling tug IMO 9292876 of Svitzer Marine, Middlesbrough, UK)	Own Page
SVITZER MILFORD at Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Milford Haven (Wales, UK) Ships agent Svitzer Marine Ltd., Greenock (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 384 Deadweght Tonnage 226
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SD ORONSAY (2008- Personnel transfer vessel 27m overall of Serco Denholm, London)	Own Page
Personnel transfer vessel SD ORONSAY at Great Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK) Gross Tonnage 199 Deadweght Tonnage 109
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SD OILMAN (2009- IMO 9533452 : Dumb = non-propelled : unmanned tank barge 30.42metres of Serco Marine Services, London)	Own Page
Unmanned and non-propelled tank barge SD OILMAN at Great Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK)
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SD ANGELINE (2016- IMO: 9648544 Utility support vessel 25m overall of Serco Marine Services, London)	Own Page
Utility vessel SD ANGELINE at Great Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK) Gross Tonnage 200 Deadweght Tonnage 620
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SD OMAGH (In 2024 Personnel Transfer Vessel of Serco Denholm / Serco Marine Services, London)	Own Page
SD OMAGH at Great Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK)
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SVITZER HAWK (2008- Tug 31m overall of Svitzer Towage)	Own Page
SVITZER HAWK at Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Bristol (England, UK) Ships agent Svitzer Marine Ltd., Greenock (Scotland, UK) Deadweght Tonnage 249 tonnes
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	GLEN SANNOX (2024- Ro-ro ferry of Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock, Scotland)	Own Page
New ship GLEN SANNOX at Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK) during builders / acceptance trials
Ship's location Inchgreen Wall, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Ships agent Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow (Scotland, UK) ....... Shipbuilders of GLEN SANNOX
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	ROVER (1964- IMO 305194 : Motor 80-passenger tender 19.8m overall of Clyde Marine Services Ltd., Greenock)	Own Page
Passenger tender ROVER at Custom House Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Custom House Quay, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Greenock (Scotland, UK) Net Tonnage 23 Gross Tonnage 48
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CMS BOXER (2019- Towing, pushing and fire-fighting tug / workboat 21.2m overall of Clyde Marine Services Ltd., Victoria Harbour, Greenock)	Own Page
Tug CMS BOXER at her owners office at Victoria Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Victoria Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK) ... at her owners office Port of Registry Greenock (Scotland, UK) Ships agent Clyde Marine Services, Victoria Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 149
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	SD 1710 U (1980- at least 2024 Sullage / oil separator barge 31m overall of Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service / Serco Denholm / Serco Marine Services, London)	Own Page
Unmanned Sullage / Oil Separator Barge SD 1710 U at Great Harbour, Greenock (Scotland, UK)
Ship's location Great Harbour, Greenock (Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry London (England, UK) Gross Tonnage 242
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, September 20, 2007 @ 1300 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 (1969-2008 Passenger Liner of Cunard Line, London)	Own Page
QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 at Greenock (Scotland) to celebrate 40 years since being launched at Clydebank
Ship's location Greenock Ocean Terminal, Greenock, Firth of Clyde (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 65,863 Cargo carried on arrival Passengers
This wonderfully nostalgic image was contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, August 12, 1954 @ 0425	STIRLINGSHIRE (1946 - 1966 general dry-cargo vessel 448 feet long of Scottish Shire Line / Houston Line : 1966 scrapped at Bruges, Belgium)	Own Page
STIRLINGSHIRE arrives at Merklands Quay, Glasgow with 970 tons of oranges from South Africa
Arrived from South Africa via Liverpool (England, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Arrived in berth Merklands Quay, Glasgow, with her head east Net Tonnage 4030 Sailing for King George V Dock, Glasgow Gross Tonnage 7006 Sailed from berth Merklands Quay, Glasgow, with her head east Deadweght Tonnage 8,834 Draught forward on arrival 13 feet 5 inches Draught aft on arrival 17 feet 7 inches Cargo carried on arrival 970 tons of oranges Commenced discharge of inward cargo 12 August at 0800 Stevedore discharging inward cargo Renfrew Stevedoring Co. Ltd., King George V Dock, Glasgow S.W.1. Tel. GOVan 2241 Completed discharge of inward cargo 1450 on 15 August Outward cargo Light ship = no cargo on board Draught forward on sailing 9 feet 11 inches Draught aft on sailing 17 feet 5 inches Ships agent Cayzer, Irvine & Co. Ltd., Shed No. 8, King George V Dock, Glasgow, SW1. Telephone GOVan 2733 Sailed 2130 on 15 August shifting from Merklands Quay to King George V Dock, Glasgow
A general cargo vessel, completed in 1945 as EMPIRE FALKLAND for the Ministry of War Transport, London, and managed by Turnbull Martin & Company (Glasgow) Length overall 448 feet and beam 56 feet and draught 26 feet In 1946 was acquired by Scottish Shire Line and renamed STIRLINGSHIRE and in 1960 was transferred to Houston Line Ltd. 1966 scrapped Bruges (Belgium)
News Event Tuesday, October 15, 2024 @ 1228	CAROLIN G. (2019- General cargo ship IMO 9462500 : 88.60m overall of Gerdes Bereederungs Und Verwaltungs Gmbh - Haren Ems, Germany)	Own Page
CAROLIN G. at Ayr (Scotland) with a cargo of fertiliser from Terneuzen (Netherlands)
Ship's location Berth 3 River Berth, Port of Ayr, Ayr (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry St John's (Antigua and Barbuda) Arrived from Terneuzen (Netherlands) Gross Tonnage 2,545 Cargo carried on arrival Fertilisers
News Event Tuesday, October 15, 2024 @ 1238	ARKLOW VIEW (2016- General Cargo IMO: 9772539 : 86.93m overall of Arklow Shipping, Ireland)	Own Page
ARKLOW VIEW at Ayr, Scotland, discharging a cargo of coal from Ventspils (Baltic Sea, Latvia)
Ship's location Berth 14, Port of Ayr, Ayr (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Rotterdam (The Netherlands) Arrived from Ventspils (on the Baltic Sea, Latvia) Gross Tonnage 2,999 Cargo carried on arrival Coal
News Event Wednesday, October 16, 2024 @ 0835	FRI GDANSK (2021- General cargo ship IMO 9344502 : 89.99m overall of Kopervik Ship Management AS / Høyergruppen AS)	Own Page
FRI GDANSK at 3 River berth, Port of Ayr (Scotland) with a cargo of fertiliser from Gdansk (Poland)
Ship's location 3 River berth, Port of Ayr, Ayr (Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Kopervik (Norway) Arrived from Gdansk (Poland)... left Gdansk at 23:56 on 8 October Gross Tonnage 2,999 Cargo carried on arrival Fertiliser
FRI GDANSK was formerly ARKLOW RULER (2006-2021) Apologies for the poor images : weather was quite unpleasant, being very dull, the sky completely overcast with heavy grey clouds, and persistent light rain.
News Event Tuesday, May 8, 1962 @ 0500	PEARL (1953 - 1972 General cargo coaster 212 feet long of Gem Line / William Robertson, Glasgow : 1983 scrapped in Pakistan)	Own Page
PEARL arrives in Ardrossan Harbour from Londonderry to bunker (= refuel) with fuel oil
Arrived from Londonderry (Northern Ireland, UK) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, U.K.) Arrived in berth Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland, UK) Net Tonnage 528 Master of vessel on arrival Campbell Gross Tonnage 1,093 Draught aft on arrival 10 feet 10 inches (3.3m) Deadweght Tonnage 1,350 Cargo carried on arrival Light ship = no cargo on board Ships agent R. L. Alpine & Co. Ltd., Winton Buildings, Ardrossan (Scotland, UK) Tel. Ardrossan 65 / 66
News Event Monday, October 14, 2024 @ 1500		Own Page
Ferry fares in Scotland to increase by 10% next year
From BBC Scotland online news 14 October 2024 Ferry fares in Scotland to increase by 10% next year   Image caption, The increase will take effect from 1 January in the Northern Isles and from March on west coast routes Published 2 hours ago  114 Comments Ferry fares in Scotland will increase by 10% from next year, the Scottish government has confirmed. The rise will take effect from 1 January 2025 on the Northern Isles network and from 28 March on the west coast. CalMac's services in the west have been under particular pressure due to ageing vessels, with the main Arran ferry out of action for most of the year. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said a fare freeze in place this year had cost £10m and it would be "too challenging to continue". She said fares were frozen for 2023-24 instead of a 9.1% inflationary increase to help people and businesses during the cost of living crisis and recovery from the Covid pandemic. But in a letter to Holyrood's net zero, energy and transport committee, external she said: "Reluctantly, we are having to raise ferry fares in the coming year by 10%, bringing fare levels back to around what they would have been had fares not been frozen in 2023-24. "This means, in real terms, fares have broadly increased in line with inflation over time. "That will help to partially recover the previous freeze, address some of the significant budget pressures and allow the continued support of the ferries network in future years."   Pressure on services Ferry services remain under pressure, with the long-delayed new CalMac ferry Glen Sannox expected to face another short delay before it is delivered. The Ferguson Marine shipyard has said the ship's final acceptance trials were an "overall success", external but some issues that arose meant details of a revised handover date would be given shortly. That means ship will probably not carry passengers until January because CalMac plans to carry out 6.5 weeks of crew familiarisation, and the vessel is booked into dry dock for a fortnight in December to begin its annual maintenance cycle. Image source,Christopher Brindle Image caption, Glen Sannox faces another short delay before it is handed over, although sea trials have been an "overall success" Its sister ship Glen Rosa is still under construction in Port Glasgow, and due for delivery next September. Both ships were originally meant to be delivered in 2018, but have faced repeated design challenges and other issues. Four other new CalMac vessels being built in Turkey have also seen delays, with delivery of the first one now put back by a further two months to next March., external The state-owned ferry operator faces a challenging period as it tries to maintain services over winter, when vessels need to be withdrawn for annual maintenance. The current main Arran ferry Caledonian Isles has been out of action for repairs since February, with a new fault delaying its return to mid-November, while another vessel, Hebridean Isles, is due for retirement next month. Scottish Conservative transport spokesperson Sue Webber said the fares announcement "will feel like a slap in the face" to island communities. "Those reliant on CalMac for lifeline ferries have endured a sub-standard service for years due to the SNP's incompetent procurement of new vessels," she said. "The transport secretary says these rises are necessary - but they wouldn't have been had the SNP not wasted hundreds of millions of pounds on two new vessels which have still to carry a single passenger several years after they were due to come into service."
News Event Thursday, May 3, 1962 @ 1500	CABOURNE (1931-1968 IMO Number: 505700 coastal general cargo ship of Coastal Carriers Ltd.)	Own Page
CABOURNE arrives in Ardrossan Harbour from Port Glasgow
Vessel Master J Smith Port of Registry Grimsby (England, UK) Arrived from Port Glasgow (situated adjacent to Greenock, Firth of Clyde,Scotland, UK) Net Tonnage 262 Arrived in berth Ardrossan Harbour (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 528 Draught aft on arrival 9 feet Cargo carried on arrival Light ship = no cargo on board Ships agent R. L. Alpine & Co. Ltd., Winton Buildings, Ardrossan (Scotland, UK) Tel. Ardrossan 65 / 66
News Event Saturday, October 12, 2024 @ 0200	MSC VIRTUOSA (2021- Meraviglia-Plus-class Cruise Liner carrying 6,334 passengers : 331m 1,087feet overall of MSC Cruises)	Own Page
Woman dies after going overboard from cruise ship MSC VIRTUOSA in the English Channel
Ship's location North of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney (Channel Islands, English Channel) Port of Registry Valletta (Malta) Arrived from Cartagena (Spain) Gross Tonnage 181,541 Sailing for Southampton (England, UK) Cargo carried on arrival Passengers
From BBC South West online news 12 October 2024   Woman dies after going overboard from cruise ship   Image source,Getty Images Image caption, MSC Virtuosa has accommodation for more than 6,300 passengers Jonathan Morris BBC News, South West Elliot Ball BBC News, South West Published 12 October 2024, 12:24 BST Updated 42 minutes ago A woman has died after she went overboard from a cruise ship near the Channel Islands, say rescue services. An alert was sent out at about 02:00 BST for a search for the woman in her 20s north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney. The French search and rescue service said the casualty from the MSC Virtuosa was winched from the sea by a helicopter crew and was later pronounced dead by doctors. One passenger told the BBC an alarm rang three times to signal a person had gone overboard. Image source,Channel Islands Air Search Image caption, A casualty from the MSC Virtuosa was located by a French helicopter crew The passenger, who only wanted to be called Neil, said those on board were asked to pray for their fellow passenger. "I went up along with lots of other passengers to have a look," he said. "About half an hour later the cruise director told us they were looking for a missing passenger so we would be delayed into Southampton." The ship's owner MSC Cruises said in a statement: "A guest on board MSC Virtuosa went overboard on 12 October, while the ship was sailing to Southampton. "The body was later recovered with the involvement of the authorities. "We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time. "Out of respect for their privacy, we will not be providing further details." The investigation into the death is being led by French police. A plane from Channel Islands Air Search was sent to the scene from Guernsey, along with lifeboat crews from Alderney and France and the French helicopter crew based near Cherbourg. Image caption, The casualty was winched from the north of Les Casquets Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said officers were assisting with inquiries. "It has been reported that the woman went overboard the MSC Virtuosa during the early hours... and subsequently died," the force said. The Maltese-flagged cruise ship is 331m (1,086ft) long and 43m (141ft) wide, according to MarineTraffic, external, with accommodation for up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew. The vessel is 19 decks tall, according to MSC, external, and was built in France in 2020. It is currently berthed at Southampton docks, having arrived at about 08:00 from Cartagena Port in Spain.   History Malta Name MSC Virtuosa Owner MSC Cruises Operator MSC Cruises Port of registry Valletta,  Malta Ordered 1 February 2016 Builder Chantiers de l’Atlantique Cost €800 million (2016) Yard number H34 Laid down 27 February 2019 Launched 29 November 2019 Sponsored by Sophia Loren Christened 27 November 2021 Acquired 1 February 2021 In service 2021–present Identification Call sign: 9HA5209 IMO number: 9803625 MMSI number: 215610000 General characteristics Class and type Meraviglia Plus-class cruise ship Tonnage 181,541 GT Length 331.43 m (1,087.4 ft) Beam 43 m (141.1 ft) (moulded) 50 m (164.0 ft) (max) Height 64.9 m (213 ft) Decks 16 Speed 22.3 kt (21,900 long tons; 24,600 short tons) Capacity 4,842 (double occupancy) 6,334 (maximum capacity) Crew 1,704
News Event Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 1215 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	CHALLENGER OF LEITH (2007- Workboat 15m overall of Coastworks Operations Ltd., Fairlie, Scotland)	Own Page
CHALLENGER OF LEITH assisting in construction of new sheds at BAe Systems Shipyard, Govan, Glasgow
Ship's location River Clyde at Glasgow (Scotland, UK) at BAe Systems Shipyard, Govan, Glasgow Port of Registry Leith (Scotland, UK)
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 1115 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	F S FLAMANT (1996- Flamant-class type OPV54 patrol vessel Pennant no. P676 : 54m overall of the French Navy))	Own Page
F S FLAMANT at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (Scotland, UK) on military operations / goodwill visit
Ship's location Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry French Navy (France) Arrived from Sea
Image contributed by Robert McManus The Flamant-class patrol vessel are a series of three Type OPV54 patrol boats of the French Navy used for fishery monitoring, search and rescue, and patrolling France's exclusive economic zone out to 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi).   For those who are absolutely thirsty for knowledge the ship's name FLAMANT means Flamingo. Class overview Builders Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie, Cherbourg Operators French Navy In commission 1996–present Completed 3 Active 3 General characteristics [1] Type Patrol boat Displacement 300 tonnes (295 long tons) standard 477 tonnes (469 long tons) full load Length 54 m (177 ft 2 in) o/a Beam 10 m (32 ft 10 in) Draught 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) Propulsion 2 × 3,050 hp (2,274 kW) Deutz-MWM TBD 620 V16 diesel engines 2 × 930 hp (694 kW) Deutz-MWM TBD234 V12 diesel engines 2 × variable-pitch propellers Speed 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) Range 4,500 nmi (8,300 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h) Boats & landing craft carried 1 × 6.7 m (22 ft) Zodiac "Hurricane" RHIB Complement 21 (3 officers and 18 men) Armament 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns
News Event Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 1100 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	WILSON PALMA (i2009- Multi-purpose dry cargo ship / General cargo ship 89.5m overall of Wilson ASA, Damsgårdsveien 135 5160 Laksevåg, Norway)	Own Page
WILSON PALMA at Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (Scotland) with a cargo of limestone from Galway (Ireland)
Ship's location Rothesay Dock, Clydebank (River Clyde, Scotland, UK) Port of Registry Mo i Rana (Norway) Arrived from Galway (Eire / Ireland) Net Tonnage 1,558 Cargo carried on arrival Limestone Gross Tonnage 2,956 Deadweght Tonnage 4,597
Image contributed by Robert McManus
News Event Wednesday, April 21, 2021 @ 1200 The date is correct but time is unknown and the time shown here is only our best estimate	AZAMARA JOURNEY (2000 - Cruise Liner of Azamara Club Cruises)	Own Page
AZAMARA JOURNEY, AZAMARA PURSUIT and AZAMARA QUEST laid up at Glasgow
Ship's location King George V Dock, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Gross Tonnage 30,277
This wonderful image, contributed by Robert McManus, shows three liners of Azamara Club Cruises, AZAMARA JOURNEY (nearest the camera) and AZAMARA QUEST and AZAMARA PURSUIT, all laid-up at King George V Dock, Shieldhall, Glasgow.  The ships were idle because of the travel ban due to the worldwide Covid pandemic, and Robert, with his camera, has captured the stillness, lifelessness and silence of a camaraderie of modern cruise liners without passengers and nowhere to go.
News Event Wednesday, October 9, 2024 @ 1645	KADRI (1995 - Multi-purpose dry cargo carrier / general cargo ship 99.87m overall of Hansa Shipping, Tallinn, Estonia)	Own Page
KADRI passes Custom House Quay, Greenock outbound from Glasgow to Copenhagen (= Kobenhavn, Denmark)
Sailing for Copenhagen (= Kobenhavn, Denmark) Port of Registry St John's (Antigua and Barbuda) Sailed from berth Riverside Quay, Shieldhall, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Net Tonnage 1,744 Outward cargo Refuse --- derived fuel Gross Tonnage 3,117 Deadweght Tonnage 4,955
News Event Tuesday, October 8, 2024 @ 1600	CALEDONIAN ISLES (1993- Passenger and vehicle ferry 308 feet 94m long of Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock)	Own Page
Further delay to return of Arran's troubled main ferry CALEDONIAN ISLES
Port of Registry Glasgow (UK) Gross Tonnage 5,221
From BBC Scotland online news 8 October 2024 Further delay to return of Arran's troubled main ferry   Image source,CalMac Published 8 October 2024 A ferry that has been out of action for nine months due to a string of repairs will not return until at least mid-November, CalMac has said. MV Caledonian Isles usually operates on Arran's Ardrossan-Brodick route, but has been out of service since January when significant repairs had to be carried out. It was due to return in September but a new gearbox fault was detected, prompting the latest delay. CalMac has extended a temporary plan to cover routes, but warned its imminent annual maintenance schedule would see boats unavailable for a record periods of time. The plan has included restoring a previous cancelled service to and from South Uist. 'Perfect storm' for ferries During the original overhaul of the Caledonian Isles, all four of its engines had to be removed. It was originally thought the gearbox issue would take 10 days to fix, but will now take almost two months. CalMac's interim chief executive Duncan Mackison said the ferry operator had anticipated a difficult winter and it was "shaping up to be just that". He said: "The combination of MV Caledonian Isles ongoing technical issues and the start of this year’s maintenance window has created a perfect storm for ferry services." CalMac said it was likely to hold regular reviews of where vessels are deployed. Mr Mackinson said: "Our priority is to keep communities on the network informed of our plans, and meet service demands wherever we can. "However, it is in inevitable there will be some disruption and on behalf of CalMac I apologise for that." The first of four new ferries being built in Turkey has also been further delayed. MV Isle of Islay had been expected to be delivered in mid October, but that date has been pushed back to mid February after previously being delayed until the end of this year.
News Event Tuesday, October 8, 2024 @ 1430		Own Page
What was the television programme this year about Western Isles in Scotland and the CalMac ferries ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   What was the television programme this year about the Western Isles in Scotland and the CalMac ferries ?     Email from Paul and Dominique (London) 7 October 2024      We spent two months this summer travelling throughout the Western Isles and the CalMac ferries and loved every minute of it.    Do you know what programme it was ?   Douglas replies,    I think the programme you mean was the BBC Scotland series of eight programmes called ISLAND CROSSINGS, and all can be viewed on BBC IPlayer for about the next year.   Douglas -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News Event Friday, February 18, 1955 @ 0800 The date shown is as timetabled and the time shown is our best estimste	TRINIDAD (in 1955 General cargo ship of Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Lysaker, Norway)	Own Page
TRINIDAD expected to arrive at Madras then leave eastbound for Calcutta (India)
Ship's location Madras (= since 1996 renamed as Chennai : Tamil Nadu, India) Port of Registry Norway Sailing for Eastbound for Calcutta (India) Net Tonnage 3,929 Gross Tonnage 6,838 Deadweght Tonnage 9,064
The city of Madras was officially renamed Chennai on July 17, 1996 by the state government of Tamil Nadu. The name change was part of a nationwide trend to use less Anglicized names and to remove the last vestiges of British colonialism in the state.  From Indian Express (Madras Edition) 16 February 1955
News Event Wednesday, February 16, 1955 @ 0800 The date shown is as timetabled and the time shown is our best estimste	CLAN ANGUS (1945-1956 then 1959 - 1962 general cargo liner 446 feet long of Clan Line Steamers, Glasgow : 1962 Scrapped)	Own Page
CLAN ANGUS expected to arrive at Madras then leave eastbound for Chittagong (East Pakistan)
Ship's location Madras (= since 1996 renamed as Chennai : Tamil Nadu, India) Port of Registry Glasgow Sailing for Eastbound for Chittagong (East Pakistan : in 1971 the country was renamed Bangladesh) Gross Tonnage 7,030
The city of Madras was officially renamed Chennai on July 17, 1996 by the state government of Tamil Nadu. The name change was part of a nationwide trend to use less Anglicized names and to remove the last vestiges of British colonialism in the state.  In 1971, East Pakistan declared independence from Pakistan and became the nation of Bangladesh.  From Indian Express (Madras Edition) 16 February 1955
News Event Tuesday, February 15, 1955 @ 0800 The date shown is as timetabled and the time shown is our best estimste	CITY OF CAPETOWN (1937- General cargo ship of Ellerman Lines, London)	Own Page
CITY OF CAPETOWN expected to arrive at Madras to load cargo eastbound for USA via Calcutta (India)
Ship's location Madras (= since 1996 renamed as Chennai : Tamil Nadu, India) Port of Registry London (UK) Sailing for Eastbound for USA via Calcutta (India) Gross Tonnage 8,046
The city of Madras was officially renamed Chennai on July 17, 1996 by the state government of Tamil Nadu. The name change was part of a nationwide trend to use less Anglicized names and to remove the last vestiges of British colonialism in the state.  From Indian Express (Madras Edition) 16 February 1955
News Event Tuesday, February 15, 1955 @ 0800 The date shown is as timetabled and the time shown is our best estimste	EXMOUTH (1948-1959 General cargo ship / freighter of American Export Line, New York, USA : 1976 Scrapped. Kearney, New Jersey, USA)	Own Page
EXMOUTH expected to arrive at Madras (India) to load cargo eastbound for USA via Calcutta (India)
Ship's location Madras (= since 1996 renamed as Chennai : Tamil Nadu, India) Port of Registry New York (USA) Sailing for Eastbound for USA via Calcutta (India)
The city of Madras was officially renamed Chennai on July 17, 1996 by the state government of Tamil Nadu. The name change was part of a nationwide trend to use less Anglicized names and to remove the last vestiges of British colonialism in the state.  From Indian Express (Madras Edition) 16 February 1955
News Event Tuesday, February 15, 1955 @ 0800 The date shown is as timetabled and the time shown is our best estimste	EASTBANK (1947-1965 General cargo ship 444 feet overall of Bank Line / Andrew Weir & Co. Ltd., Glasgow : 1980 scrapped at La Spezia, Italy)	Own Page
EASTBANK expected to arrive at Madras to load cargo for East and South Africa via Calcutta (India)
Ship's location Madras (= since 1996 renamed as Chennai : Tamil Nadu, India) Port of Registry Glasgow (Scotland, UK) Sailing for Eastbound for East and South Africa via Calcutta (India) Net Tonnage 3,516 Gross Tonnage 5,947 Deadweght Tonnage 9,325
The city of Madras was officially renamed Chennai on July 17, 1996 by the state government of Tamil Nadu. The name change was part of a nationwide trend to use less Anglicized names and to remove the last vestiges of British colonialism in the state.  From Indian Express (Madras Edition) 16 February 1955

Latest Comments

This shows the 100 latest comments.

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AT PRINCE'S DOCK, GLASGOW  ... WHAT WAS WRC   

On 25 March 1966, RAVNEFJELL at 30 Prince's Dock, Glasgow loaded 2 lifts by WRC, total 48 tons 10 hundredweights.   What was WRC ?????

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E-mail from Nelson (Liverpool)        16 June 2024

 

   I am interested in your latest Clan Line item about CLAN ROSS at Birkenhead in 1958.

  Does anyone know the address of the Cayzer Irvine and Clan Line office in Liverpool in 1958 ?

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Any information please on 

   motor launch / cruiser PIONEER at Glasgow Riverside Museum

  and

  the unknown workboat at Govan Pontoon, Glasgow

these vessels may have been involved in the construction of the new Govan Bridge in January 2024.

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CLAN MACKINNON at New York in March 1954

  Yes, Clan Line's CLAN MACKINNON arrived in New York (USA) from London in March 1954.   This is well outwith the usual Clan Line trading areas.   Any suggestions as to why CLAN MACKINNON would be in New York  ?

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Harrison Line memories : the song Matilda by Harry Belafonte

 

Contributed by Jim (Birkenhead)  28 April 2024

 

I spent many enjoyable years with Harrison Line of Liverpool.

 

One of the memories when on the West Indies run was when in the Caribbean and in the ship’s crew mess or over the ship’s loudspeakers music was played.  

Harry Belafonte was always enjoyed, and when he sang Matilda, Coconut woman  and island in the sun all over the ship the crew would accompany him, singing out loudly, especially the word Matilda .   It it was amazing to hear everyone blasting out Matilda  at the top of their voices.

 

A few years after leaving Harrison’s I was at Bidston Dock and met an old shipmate from TACTICIAN and ADVENTURER.  He was walking his dog.  It’s name was Matilda.

 

A question for everyone, for something that has puzzled me was in Belafonte's song Matilda, who was Matilda and what was her story.    Does anyone know?

 

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AHMADU BELLO  (1963-1981) of Nigerian National Line

Contributed by J. (Engineer, London)  by e-mail 22 April 2024

   Does anyone remember AHMADU BELLO (1963-1981) a general cargo ship of Nigerian National Line : a frequent visitor to London, Birkenhead, Glasgow and Tees Dock.

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Walter Runciman / Moor Line’s CRAGMOOR

 

E-mail received 26 August 2022

I was staggered to read about Moor Line’s CRAGMOOR in your Latest Entries.   My father sailed in that ship in 1961-62.  Mostly a Newcastle and Sunderland crew.    Have you the details of those times.

 Name is not shown, by request.

 Douglas replies :    Yes, I’ve got the details from the Chief Officers Log Books.   There’s an awful lot in the books, maybe 100 large pages or so and masses of daily detail.   Let me know on CONTACT US what you actually want and I’ll see what can be done.  Thanks for your message.

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Does anyone remember Hogarth’s BARON FORBES which was

scrapped in 1953

and

Tracing a discharge book left aboard in 1959.

 E-mail 13 November 2020

From Murdo MacPherson

 Does anybody remember the rent boat BARON FORBES an old

ex-german ship the worst ship I sailed in she was scrapped

in 1953,  forecastle accommodation one trip was enough

The captain Mcphail was strict
ps I left my discharge book on an Everard ship in Goole

in 1959 got any ideas how I can trace it

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Isthmian Steamship Lines of USA

E-mail October 10  2020 

 From Bobby Ford  (USA)

Do you have anything about Isthmian Steamship Lines,

or anyone remember them, who did freighter service

from India and Far East in 1950 / 60’s.

   Any memories of the "STEEL" boats  ?

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What do you want (or not want) on this website ?

    It is the time of year to ask you, the readers, what you want  -  or

do not want  -  on this website.

    More of this, or less of that, or maybe something new ?

    Please let us know what you want, so that we can try to provide the material which is of interest to YOU.

    Also we are always interested in receiving material from our readers.   So, wherever you are in the world, how about sending

stories, images or items to put in the website ?

 Thank you.  11 August 2020

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Information needed on Cunard Line's ASCANIA (1911-1918)

10th August 2020    E-mail from a viewer. 

Cunard Lines ASCANIA  (1911-1918)

 I am wondering if you might have more information and pictures

on the Vessel Ascania - Shipping line Cunard 1911-1918

Master - SGS Mihal.

This is a ship that my grandfather travelled from Southampton,

England to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1914.

Please any information would help.

Thank You

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Where did the Royal Navy families from H.M.S.MAIDSTONE stay in Rothesay ?

Port of Registry Admiralty (Royal Navy, London)

Where did the Royal Navy families stay in Rothesay ?   E-mail 03 June 2020 from Helen G (Glasgow)      As a young girl in 1960s my parents and I often visited my aunt in Rothesay …(Isle of Bute, Firth of Clyde,)    It was exciting to see a big Royal Navy ship, I remember her name was MAIDSTONE, and she was anchored in the bay.    There was always submarines about her and sailors in uniform in the town.    My aunt used to tell that some sailors and their families stayed in “Navy Houses” in Rothesay.   Does anyone know where the houses were ?  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Song about the Clyde and the musical band on Glasgow excursion steamers in 1950s / 60s

 

Email from Margaret Rose (nee Wilson)   May 31 2020 Montreal  

 

In the early 1960s my family emigrated from Scotland to Montreal(Canada).

   Dad always used to tell of sailing down the Clyde from

Glasgow on excursion steamers and there was a musical

band aboard which played Scottish tunes to entertain

passengers.

   A favourite song was something about the Clyde.   I know

it’s a long shot but does anyone know the name of the

song and the band ?

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Lightship ALBATROSS built at Robbs Shipyard, Leith in 1927

E-Mail from a viewer   31 May 2020

Hello- I wonder if anyone can please help. I am researching a lightship built at Robbs shipyard in 1927. Her name is Albatross and I believe she was built in yard 30. I would dearly love to see her build plans but I know that is a massive ask. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

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Cruise ships may be laid up in the Clyde

 

22 May 2020

1353

 

From Jimmy Johnston (Paisley)

 

   In the news they are talking about laying up idle cruise liners in the Clyde.   Where in the Clyde or even in Scotland could be good places to put these big ships.

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e-mail from Tommy Robertson   (Dumbarton)

21 May 2020

 

Elder Dempster / Blue Funnel ship scrapped at Dalmuir (Glasgow) around 1980

 

Does anyone know the name of the Alfred Holt Blue Funnel

ship that was scrapped at the Arnott Young yard at Dalmuir. 

  She was definitely a Blue Funnel job but had the Elder

Dempster buff funnel.

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Paddle Steamers at Pusser River, Chalna, Bangladesh

 

E-mail 23 March 2020 from N.L. of Cardiff, Wales

 

   I was looking at your item on the WAVERLEY which calls herself the “Last seagoing paddle steamer in the World.”

  It reminded me of the last time I was at Chalna (Pusser River, Bangladesh) in early 1980s where there were many largish paddle steamers about 300 feet (100 metres) long chugging around.  

   I never thought of what they were doing, maybe bringing the gangs of workers to the anchorage to load Jute (who remembers the biting Jute Flies) onto the ships, or maybe taking passengers to some place downriver.

   But these were big working paddle steamers.   Does anyone else remember them ?

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Why was Irish Lights Tender IERNE registered in Liverpool ?

 19 March 2020 @ 1057

J R of Birkenhead e-mails :

   I read your item about the IERNE, a lights tender owned by the Commissioners of Irish Lights, Dublin, Ireland.  

   Why was she registered in Liverpool and not Dublin ? and what was her eventual fate ?

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Maclay and McIntyre of Glasgow ships DOMIRA and KASSANGA and a ship LYNFIELD of Stockton on Tees

A viewer e-mails 

   I am particularly looking for some information about a Glasgow Tramp Shipping Co called Maclay and Mc intyre and 2 ships of there's Domira sold 1919 and Kassanga bought 1911 sunk 1917. 

 Also a ship called Lynfield belonging to a shipping co called Field from Stockton on Tees 

Can anyone help ?

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Stewardesses and Nurse on Burns & Lairds IRISH COAST in 1966

 2019-12-29

By e-mail

Does anyone remember the Stewardesses (usually student school-teachers who were working during the summer holidays) and the Nurse who worked on Burns & Lairds IRISH COAST in 1966.

Mary D.

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Old Mississippi – type passenger steamer in Sydney (Australia)

Jim Middleton (London) e-mails

29 December 2019

 The BBC news today showed the wild fires at Sydney and the smoke at Sydney Harbour.

   I was surprised to see in the news report, in the background, an old Mississippi type passenger steamer, with two tall abreast funnels (stacks) passing under the Harbour Bridge.

   Can anyone give details of this vessel and its route and timetable ?

   Thanks, JM.

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CLAN FRASER and a rope across the dock at Glasgow

 4 November 2019

Jim McGoogan e-mails :

   Your article of CLAN FRASER of 8^th January 1964 says a rope was put across King George V Dock, Glasgow while the ship was making an engine trial.

   Why put a rope across the dock and where would the rope be attached to the ship and also attached to the dock ?

 

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Glasgow shipping line Maclay and Mcintyre and ship pictures of DOMIRA 2 and LYNFIELD.

A reader asks for any information on Glasgow shipping line Maclay and Mcintyre and ship pictures of DOMIRA 2 and LYNFIELD.    Can anyone help ? 14 September 2019 ====================================================================

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Where is the “Chapman Anchorage” ???

   Robbie Keen (Carlisle, England) emails:

 I see in the entry for BENWYVIS that she

was in “Chapman Anchorage.”   Where is

Chapman Anchorage and what would she

 be doing there ???

Robbie.  31 August 2019

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Teak fronts on the front of ship's bridges

By Eric S.     8th July 2019

Many cargo vessels and tankers built as late as the 1950s had

teak fronts to their bridges, even though the rest of their

superstructures was steel. Why was this so? Was the teak

front at these late dates merely a design feature, or an echo

of past practice, perhaps, or were there practical reasons?

All comments are welcome.

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Can anyone identify this cap badge ?

Samms of Nantwich e-mails:    07 July 2019

 I saw this officer’s cap at a flea market.   Can

 

anyone identify the cap badge ? 

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What shipping Companies served Calcutta, Chalna, Chittagong and Rangoon and what problems did the Monsoon rains and storms cause to the ships ?

By e-mail from R.S. (London)  2 July 2019

    There was a programme on television the other evening

about the Monsoon in the Bay of Bengal.   I was a North

Atlantic man and never ventured to the Far East.

   I wondered what difficulties would be experienced by

ships during the Monsoon season’s heavy rainfall and

swollen rivers and storms.

    And also, I can only think of maybe 3 shipping

companies which regularly traded to the area – Calcutta,

Chalna, Chittagong, Rangoon.   What other companies

were there ?

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Where did this ship come from in Sweden ???

Haltst…….. ?????

January 2020 and Bryn Wayt e-mails

A chap was asking where ship came from: the spelling was incorrect using Haltstwik on the 'docket'.

The origin of the ship must have been HALLSTAVIK in Sweden.

The place was/is famous for it paper-mill, hence the ships cargo bound for Belfast.
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallstavik

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U.S. Navy supply ships calling at Fairlie (Firth of Clyde)

From Alan and Jean, (Fairlie, Firth of Clyde, Scotland)

20 May 2019  @ 1540

    We were very interested in your mention of U.S.S. YELLOWSTONE

at Tail-of-the Bank.

   It reminded us in 1960s, 1970s and 1980s when U.S. Navy

supply ships were common callers at the Navy jetty at Fairlie,

bringing stores for the Holy Loch vessels, and the stores

were taken from Fairlie to Holy Loch in the Ross & Marshall

lighters and small coasters.

   The U.S. ships were quite colourful (colorful) with their

grey hulls and their funnels (stacks) painted grey with yellow

and blue bands.

   Our favourite, her name began with M, not quite sure but

could be MARSHFIELD or MARSHLAND ….. or something like

that, was obviously a WW2 type but always immaculate

 and a frequent caller.

   Does anyone else remember these ships calling at

the Clyde ?

 

Alan and Jean.

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Clyde Navigation Trust launches NEWARK, GARMOYLE and DUNGLASS

 

 14 March 2019   @ 1239

Richard Danielson e-mails

 The Clyde Navigation Trust harbour launches: Newark, Garmoyle and Dunglass have had little written about them. 

I have a photo showing two of them (which two I cannot tell) giving a tow to the Duchess of Hamilton to help her turn at Bridge Wharf in 1969. 

Please ask anyone who knows about the work of the launches to get in touch with me by email.

THANK YOU.
Richard Danielson. 

 

Admin Note :

   For safety and security of our readers we do not normally show e-mail addresses.    Any reply to this interesting question should be made to our “CONTACT US” and we will forward the message to Richard.

 

20 March 2019  @ 1604

 

Jim Howie  (Partick, Glasgow)

 

   I am replying to Richard’s query about the small boats at Glasgow.

   Sorry to disappoint you Richard but there was a small but bulky booklet produced possibly about 50 years ago that described in great detail all the Clyde Navigation Trust / Clyde Port Authority vessels.   I did have a copy but it’s been lost.

  

In 1960’s the Clyde Trust / Authority had quite a few vessels.

6 Dredgers : CESSNOCK, CRAIGIEHALL, ELDERSLIE, LENNOX 11, ROSSLYN and SIR WILLIAM H. RAEBURN.

12 Hopper Barges.

1 Dumb grab hopper barge.

1 Tug CLYDE.

4 high-level Vehicular Ferryboats : FINNIESTON, GOVAN and WHITEINCH.  The remaining one was a spare in case of breakdowns.

3 chain-operated ferries : RENFREW and ERSKINE.  The remaining one was a spare in case of breakdowns.

11 passenger ferryboats.

1 60-ton floating crane NEWSHOT.

1 Diving Bell barge.

2 Divers’ motor boats.

1 Oil Separating Barge PLOVER

3 motor launches NEWARK, GARMOYLE and DUNGLASS.

1 Hydrographic Survey launch CRANNOG.

And a number of very small rope boats which were used in the docks and piers to bring the mooring ropes from ships to the pawls on the dockside.

 

I think CRANNOG did an awful lot of the surveying for the placement for both Finnart and Hunterston jetties.

And around mid 1990s NEWARK was fitted with an A-frame at the stern and spent a week in Ardrossan Harbour dragging the bottom of Eglinton Dock to clear all debris prior to the construction of the Marina in the dock.

   The motor launches normally berthed at the Trust / Authority workshops at Renfrew although at odd times they laid alongside the dredgers and hoppers in Queen’s Dock.

 

   If you would care to put the photograph on this site I have a friend who may be able to identify the boats in question.

 

Jim Howie.

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Looking for images / photos of BALLYGALLY HEAD of 1950s

 23 January 2019  1011

Joseph McGurk Jr. e-mails

Hi, I am looking for any photos of the tramp steam ship, BALLYGALLY HEAD, I think

there were two built, one in the late 1800s and the other in the mid 1950s

   I would appreciate if you could find any as it would make my father very happy as

he sailed on her

   Thank you, regards Joseph mc gurk jr

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Renfrew Harbour, Firth of Clyde, around 1980

    January 2019 : Robert Orr contributed this image of Clyde Navigation Trust / Clyde Port Authority HOPPER No. 25 at their wharf at their workshops at Renfrew Harbour around 1980.

 

   Does anyone have any idea what the other ships are ?

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The advert for paddle steamer EAGLE 111 in 1937

 6th  January 2019.

   James Barrowman (Brighton, England) e-mails :

I am an enthusiast for paddle steamers and read your item on EAGLE 111.

   The advertisement shows the ship departing from Glasgow (Bridge Wharf) s. s.

   Assuming that s.s. does not mean Steam Ship, can anyone help with what s.s. means ?

   Thanks, Jim Barrowman.

7^th January 2019 

   J.S. (Pollokshaws, Glasgow) replies :

The River Clyde runs generally east to west through

the centre of Glasgow and essentially divides the city

into two halves, the  “North Side” and the “South Side.”

   In the past and even today people talk of coming

from or living in the South Side.

   Up to around 1970’s passenger excursion steamers

and cross-channel to Ireland steamers left Broomielaw,

Anderston Quay and Lancefield Quay on the North Side

and in the summer months left Bridge Wharf on the

South Side (hence S.S.) on excursions “Doon the Watter”

= Down the Water = sailing down the River Clyde to

Clyde piers such as Dunoon and Rothesay and

Tighnabruaich.

   The advert mentions the steamer calling at Govan

 Wharf and Renfrew to pick up passengers.

   Today Govan Wharf is only recognisable by a derelict

and ruined few baulks of timber.   It was situated on the

South Bank essentially between the Govan Drydocks

(now also derelict) and the Bae Shipyard (formerly Fairfields

yard) and beside the playing field between Wanlock Street

and Dunvegan Street, Govan.   Up to the 1960s the

small Govan Passenger Ferry used to ply from near

Govan Wharf across the river to the east end of Meadowside

Quay

   It was news to me that excursion steamers stopped

at Renfrew.   I have no idea where the stop was located.

   Perhaps someone can help.

 

Ref The advert for paddle steamer EAGLE 111 in 1937.

12 January 2019   Robert Orr replies :

The steamer berth at Renfrew was on the river bank at 'The Green' in

Renfrew and as far as I'm aware was destroyed during the 'Clydebank

Blitz' in 1941, (this being air attacks on the town of Clydebank on the

opposite bank of the Clyde, home amongst other things to John Browns

shipyard). If you go to Google maps and search Clyde Street Renfrew

the bollards for mooring ropes are still visible at the edge of the Green.

The Scania Yard visible in street view was the start of the land

 

occupied by Simons and Lobnitz shipyards in Renfrew.

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Questions about Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel Line in 1960's

10 December 2018   Geoff in Australia e-mails :

I was on the Ulysses which traded between the Far East,mainly Indonesia and the East Coast and Gulf of the US.I understand it was a route which belonged to the Indra Line which Holts acquired in 1915. I believe that it may have been incorporated into a round the world service later.My time was during the late 50s and ended in 1960.

Crews during my time consisted of Europeans on deck and Chinese in the engine room, and catering,on ships trading from Liverpool. The Ulysses had Malays on deck and Chinese in the engine room,I cant remember who were the catering staff.

Gunung Djati was the name of the leading Javanese Haji and Islamic missionary.

 

With regards to crewing, the Dutch arm of Blue Funnel had all Chinese crews with Dutch officers, certainly in the 1950s.

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Ellerman’s CITY OF EXETER at Plymouth in 1958    

I was quite surprised to read that CITY OF EXETER called

at Plymouth in 1958.   Was Plymouth a normal call for Ellerman

African service passenger liners?

   Jim Hesketh, Liverpool 

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12 November 2018

 

TWEED, a 1959-built 112 foot water carrier of

Furness Withy, Port of Spain, Trinidad

 James R. (Avonmouth, England) e-mails :

    Looking at your list of ships I was surprised to see

TWEED of Furness Withy, a 112 foot water tanker at

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

   Anyone have information on this ship ?

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Can anyone name this British coaster ?

 

05 November 2018

Billy Fullarton writes :

  I took this photograph in 1970s or 1980s at Ardrossan

Harbour, Scotland.   Can anyone name this coaster. ?

 

   I think her name ends in SOUND.

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British & Irish KILKENNY in 1935

Does anyone have details of this ship in 1935 ???

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Ben Line carried a Naval tug from Trincomali to Gan ???

     I was with Brocklebank’s and sometimes called at

Gan Island in the Indian Ocean to discharge stores for

the RAF overside to landing craft in the lagoon.

   Talking to someone he said that he was on a Ben ship

which carried a small naval tug from Trincomali in

Ceylon to Gan, around late 1960s.

   Anyone know about this ?

    J.S., (Wallasey)

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Questions about Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel Line in 1960's

Jim J. of Liverpool e-mails :

   Around 1966 I was on a Royal Mail or Pacific Steam ship

in Houston / New Orleans area and saw an Alfred Holt Blue

Funnel ship there.

   Can anyone enlighten me as to why a Blue Funnel would

be in the Gulf of Mexico ?

   Also in conversation someone told of Blue Funnel having

Chinese crews on deck and catering.   I had always thought

that Blueys had British crews.   Someone please tell me

what is correct.

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Deck cadets Critchley and Doherty on RAMON DE LARRINAGA in 1965

 22 May 2018

 Alan Rutherford e-mails :

   Interested in whereabouts of other deck cadet officers Critchley and Doherty from RAMON DE LARRINAGA in 1965 ?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 

  

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   Looking for information on some British ships around 1950-1954

 Ian Rae e-mails  ....  4 March 2018 @ 1221

 Great website.

I am trying to find information on some of the voyages my late brother -in-law made.
Blairdevon-this was his first trip, signed on 30 April paid off 12 June 1950.This was a fairly ancient coal burner.Dont know owner
Tahsinia-20Jun-13 Oct 1950-to Bombay
Saxon (?) Star-28 Sep -25 April 1952-(paid off Manchester)
Camerionia9 Jun to 10 Sep 1952
Empire Halladale-a troopship-23 Oct 1952 -paid off Birkenhead 22 Jan 1953
Retainer 6 Feb-31 Oct 1953-paid off Antwerp
Cortona 15 Dec 1953-19 Jan 1954

Thereafter he sailed out of London and latterly on Manchester Liners
When I tried your search the year 1951 was missing

Regards,
Ian Rae

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Can anyone identify this USN lapel badge ?

     Dominique and her husband from Lyons (France) were on vacation in Spain and bought this lapel badge in a street market in Tarragona (near Barcelona).

   Can anyone identify the badge ?

2018-02-18 @ 1320

 

19 May 2018

Hello Douglas,

It's Bryn (Wayt) here - you helped me with the Austerland cargo vessel last year. Thanks again.

This message is about the image of the USN "Anchor pin".
There are loads on eBay just type in "US Navy Petty Officer gold tie pin" 

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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First ship was CHARLTON MIRA of Charlton Steam Shipping Company, London

Bill Steel e-mails

Charlton Mira was my first ship. Built in Sunderland at Bartram's yard. Doxford 670LB4 diesel oil engine. She had two scotch boilers and steam auxiliaries. Lovely vessel but would roll on wet grass.

17 February 2018 @ 2307

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 What is the difference between Agents / General Agents and Freight Brokers ?

    Jim Harrison  (Brighton, England) e-mails :

 I am using the India Steamship Company sailing notice as a simple example, but my question actually can also relate to many other shipping companies.

   The India Company shows that intending shippers can contact the U.K. General Agents Stelp & Leighton or the U.K. Freight Brokers J. H. Wackerbarth.

   My question is : what is the difference between using Agents / General Agents and Freight Brokers ?

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   German cargo ship MILLERNTOR in 1954

 

    In January 1954 the cargo ship MILLERNTOR, registered in Hamburg, 2,787 nett tons and Master T. Goldsweer, arrived at Ardrossan Harbour, Scotland, with a cargo of Iron Ore from Narvik (Norway).

 

   After unloading she left Ardrossan returning to Narvik.

 

Does anyone have any information or details of MILLERNTOR ?

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" If sufficient inducement "

 James Bridges (Canterbury, England) e-mails –

   Many of your sailing notices show that a ship will go to a port “if sufficient inducement.”      What exactly is “if sufficient inducement ?”

“ If sufficient inducement “

 

23 January 2019 at 2113

 Geoff  (Australia)  e-mails :

 

James Bridges (Canterbury, England) e-mails –

 “Many of your sailing notices show that a ship will go to a port “if

sufficient inducement.” What exactly is “if sufficient inducement ? “

My understanding of "sufficient inducement" meant if there was

 enough cargo to be lifted to be commercially viable. ”

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Was she “ LAIRDS OAK “ or “ LAIRDSOAK ” ?

   Robert Bothwell (Glasgow) e-mails :

I have always had an affection for Burns & Laird Lines of Glasgow and refer to your entry of their coaster LAIRDS OAK in 1954.

   The Ships in Focus book shows her name as LAIRDSOAK but the accompanying photograph clearly shows the name LAIRDS OAK.

   I know it’s a bit pedantic but what was her name, LAIRDS OAK or was it LAIRDSOAK ?  

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Harbour oilers CLYDE ENTERPRISE and CLYDE VENTURE in late 1960’s

 

   Does anyone have details of these two oilers which were working in the Clyde in late 1960’s ?

 

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Coaster BALLYCASTLE in 1953

 

In 1953 the coaster BALLYCASTLE of John Kelly, Belfast, was at Ardrossan Harbour loading a cargo of coke for Londonderry.   Does anyone have details of this ship ?

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   Carebeka's coaster RIAN in 1953

 

 In December 1953 the Carebeka’s Groningen registered coaster RIAN arrived at Ardrossan Harbour from Hamburg.

 

   The handwriting in the Harbour Log-book is not easy to read.   The master’s name could be Cloinga or Eloinga : can any Netherlands reader tell what the name is ?

 

   Also the cargo is shown as  “M of Potash” …. What is “M of Potash” ???

  

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Details needed of Van Nievelt, Goudriaan's ALPHERAT in 1954

When the Blue Star Line cargo ship PARAGUAY STAR was leaving Montevideo for Buenos Aires her docking bridge fouled the housed port anchor of the Dutch cargo ship ALPHERAT.

   The docking bridge sustained displaced and buckled bridge rails and started deck plank caulking.   Repairs at Buenos Aires cost 5,850 Argentinian Pesos.

   PARAGUAY STAR. a passenger and cargo liner of 10,722 gross tons, was on passage from Liverpool for Buenos Aires and ALPHERAT is a passenger and cargo ship of Rotterdam South America Line (Rotterdam-Zuid Amerika Lijn) and operated by Van Nievelt, Goudriaan & Co. Stoomvaart Maatschappij, Rotterdam.   ALPHERAT is well known for carrying Jewish emigrants from Rotterdam to South America.

Additional note :

Can anyone supply details of ALPHERAT ?

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Norwegian Tanker RAILA in 1953

 

   Does anyone have details of the Tanker RAILA, registered in Oslo, which was working around the British coast in 1953 ?

 

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Elder Dempster services from USA and Canada and Calcutta to Africa.

 Fred from Formby (Merseyside, England, writes

 

“ I was surprised to read in the Elder Dempster Lines entry of 27^th May 1957 that they did sailings from U.S.A. and Canada to West Africa, also Canada to South Africa and also Calcutta to West Africa.

 

Can someone tell something about these services ? ”

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CHANTALA  (Worcester Park, Surrey) writes :

British India Steam Navigation handbook for Hindustani for Navigating Officers and Deck Cadets

   In 1965 when joining BI as a Deck Cadet a necessary handbook was for issuing commands in the Hindustani Language.

   All I can remember now is “Asti aria kurro”

   Does anyone still have the book and can scan or photograph a few pages to show the commands ?

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Sailings from Glasgow Bridge Wharf in April, May and June 1968 to Rothesay and Tighnabruaich.

 

      Thank you so very much for putting in the sailings from Bridge Wharf in Glasgow that I asked for.   Anne G., Isle of Bute

  

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British Army Tank Landing Craft LCT 4086 and her base at Cairnryan in 1954

 

   Tank Landing Craft LCT 4086 of the British Army’s Royal Army Service Corps arrived at Ardrossan Dockyard in February 1954.   Anyone have details of this vessel and of her life and also details of her base at Cairnryan (which is near Stranraer in south-west Scotland)

  

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Anchor Line advertisement of 1871

    I did laugh on seeing the wonderful Handyside and Henderson address of their office in Londonderry as 96 ½ Foyle Street.

   If anyone is in Londonderry can they please, please take a photograph of that building and post it on this site.

Thank you.

Still laughing

Fred of Formby, Merseyside, England.

11 June 2018  Bryn Wayt replies that the building has been demolished and modern housing has been built on its site

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German cargo ship RUHR in 1953

 

  On 15^th December 1953 the German cargo ship RUHR, registered in Hamburg and 1,725 nett tons, Captain Ekelman, brought a cargo of scrap metal from Halifax (Canada) to Ardrossan Harbour.

 

   Has anyone got any details of this ship ?

 

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British coaster J B KEE in 1957

 

 Fred of Formby (Merseyside, England) writes :

 

   I have put in a short article about J B KEE making a distress call on 4^th November 1957.

 

   Anyone have details of this ship ?

 

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Which Donaldson Line ship collided with a Cunard Liner in 1960’s in Quebec or Montreal ?

 

 Bas Buma (Rotterdam) e-mails ….. translated by Google

 

   Does anyone remember in 1960’s when a Donaldson cargo ship collided with a Cunard passenger liner, maybe CARINTHIA or SYLVANIA at Quebec or Montreal?   My memory is not good now.

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At what time did Union Castle mailships leave South Africa for U.K. ?

 

 Jim Allbright (London) e-mails :

 

   I thoroughly enjoy reading your “Conducting their business in Great Waters” articles as they remind me of places and ships of long, long ago.

 

   Something which I have always pondered – Union Castle passenger liners left Southampton at 4pm on Thursdays for South Africa, --- but did they have a set time, say 4pm when sailing from, for example Cape Town or Durban, when returning to U.K. ?

 

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SUNBEAR of Saguenay Terminals.

 

   In 1962 Saguenay had chartered a general cargo ship named SUNBEAR.   Does anyone have details of this vessel ?

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Can anyone identify or help with a cargo ship AUSTERLAND around 1955-1960 ? === ship is now firmly believed to be AUSTRALIND 

Captain Bryn Wayt writes :

 My father fitted a T/V to a ship that visited the Clyde around the years 1955-60 and I accompanied my him to assist - I was young and have only a limited memory of the event.
The 'Master' invited us both to sail with him "around the world" - so my guess was it was a long-range merchant vessel. It was NOT a "liner" but more of an "ocean freighter".
The name that sticks in my limited memory bank is the "AUSTERLAND".
I've tried various sources to find her, but have not been successful.
I was born and bred in Glasgow, but I was not acquainted with the Dock in which the ship was anchored to narrow the search.
It was there for at least a week, as the "Master" visited my father's shop and asked for a T/V to be fitted in his vessel.
It took a little time to gather the required bits and bobs to accommodate the order that's why I say a week all told in dock.
Anybody who can give me a clue where to look would be thanked in customer fashion.

James Jeffries replies :

   I saw the message from Captain Wayt and I don’t know off-hand of AUSTERLAND but the name makes me think of AUSTRALIND of the Australind Steam Shipping Company / Bethell, Gwyn & Trinder Anderson & Company, London.

    AUSTRALIND was a 7,214 gross ton tramp cargo ship and was built in 1944 by William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, for Australind,  and in 1959 was sold to Argus Steam Ship Company, Liberia and renamed PORTALON.

   In 1972 she was scrapped in Santander, Spain.

However it’s an interesting problem and I’ll start looking for an AUSTERLAND

 

Billy MacAulay (Moderator and Senior Member) writes :

   I have never heard of AUSTERLAND, but as Jim says AUSTRALIND is a possibility as Trinder Anderson vessels were visitors – though not too frequently – to Glasgow - and AUSTRALIND was in Govan Drydock, Glasgow around 1954.

   But I will also look for AUSTERLAND and being a cargo ship will search at Queen’s and Prince’s Docks and surroundings.   It will take some time as there is a lot to plough through.

  

 

  

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   Why was LADY McGOWAN IN Loch Riddon ?

 

 The small I.C.I. explosives carrying coaster LADY McGOWAN was in Loch Riddon on 29 November 1953.

 

   Loch Riddon is a small Loch situated near Tighnabruaich in the Kyles of Bute, a lonely and sparsely populated hilly area off the main area known as Firth of Clyde, Scotland.

 

   Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions as to the reason why LADY McGOWAN would be in this unusual locality ?

  

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John Kelly's coaster BALLYCLARE in late 1953.

   In our entries for this ship it is difficult to read the Master's name... possibly Capt. Crab.   Anyone know if this is correct ?

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Small boat sailor writes from Inverkip :

 

 

 

   I see that motor launches P.D.1 and 8641 passed King George V Dock, Glasgow in January 1967.   Their names vaguely ring a bell in my memory but I don’t remember anything about them.

 

   Does anyone know anything of these two launches ?

 

Just a guess could P.D.1 refer to the launch being the mooring rope boat in Prince’s Dock ?

 

   Sandy

  

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Mystery of CVC in Prince’s Dock area of Glasgow

   In 1958 the Clyde Shipping Company’s coaster PLADDA

 was listed as berthed in CVC in Prince’s Dock

 area in Glasgow.

   Does anyone know where CVC was ?

Jim Sloan replies : CVC was Clyde Vila Crane on the quay around berth 81 Plantation Quay, Glasgow

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Pacific Steam Navigation’s KENUTA at Puna in 1957

 

Tom Hayworth e-mails :

 

Your homepage shows KENUTA at Puna in 1957.   Where is Puna ?

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Ben Line’s Far-East coaster BENVEG in 1957

 

Leith Man e-mails

I was very surprised to see your entry for BENVEG in January 1957

for BENVEG as I had never heard of her.

 

Anyone have any more information please ?

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SPRINGFIELD QUAY, GLASGOW

Harry Cochrane e-mails :and conveniently close to the city centre. With restaurants, casino, bingo, bowling, cinema and hotel, everything you need is at The Quay.

For a good few years what was Springfield Quay in Glasgow has been redeveloped into an entertainment area with a cinema, hotel, casino and restaurants.   There was always a big sign at the entrance reading "SPRINGFIELD QUAY" but now the sign has been removed and replaced with a much smaller and more modern one saying "THE QUAY"

It's sad to have the last of the great Glasgow dockside quayside names disappear from public view.

aand conveniently close to the city centre. With restaurants, casino, bingo, bowling, cinema and hotel, everything you need is at The Quay.nd conveniently close to the city centre. With restaurants, casino, bingo, bowling, cinema and hotel, everything you need is at The Quay.

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MYSTERY SHIP PORTHOLE  From Michael Irwin (michaelj87836@gmail.com) When: 16 September 2016 15:09 Can show name?  Can show email?  Can show message?  I have a very short video posted on youtube of a porthole that I am trying to identify. It is more than likely WW1 era. Glass window is 14" in diameter and the entire assembly weighs 132 lbs. The name of the youtube video is Mystery Ship Porthole and I will leave a link. Thanks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbgNppQ8XWM ............................................................................................................................................

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LASHERCIA ..... A Spanish coaster in 1962

   Does anyone have information on LASHERCIA which was trading around the Irish Sea and Liverpool in 1962 ?

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Clyde Navigation Trust launches GARMOYLE and DUNGLASS

Jim Allison writes : I see from arrivals and sailings that the Clyde Navigation Trust launches GARMOYLE and DUNGLASS were busy on the River, even in the middle of the night.  What was their occupation ?

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Carrickfergus (Northern Ireland) in January 1963.

From Sean R  (Larne, Northern Ireland)

   Thanks very much for showing the ships bringing explosives from Irvine to Carrickfergus in January 1963.   After 53 years I've now found out the two ships in the photographs, CASCADE the Dutch coaster and LADY ANSTRUTHER of ICI.    Sean R.

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   What do you want  (or don't want)  on this website  ?

   With new Administrators and Contributors now helping with this website, it is probably a good time to find out what you, the viewers, want to see and read about.

   So, what do you want -  or don't want  -  on this website ?   Should there be more of this  ....... or less of that   ....... or maybe something entirely new  ?

   Please use the "Contact us" button and tell the team in as much detail as possible so that we can try to provide items which are of interest to you.

   Thank you. 

 

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Netherlands coaster MADO in 1963

   In January 1963 the Groningen registered coaster MADO was at Irvine, Scotland, having arrived with a cargo of 200 tons of fertilizer from Rotterdam.   Does anyone have any information or details of this ship

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CARGOES FOR BEIRA BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT ONLY

I see from the sailing notices (such as in SYDNEY STAR) that cargoes for Beira in East Africa are often accepted by special arrangement only.  Why by special arrangement ?

  Charlie and Misty Fennelly, New Jersey. U.S.A.

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Holland America cargo ship DUIVENDYK

Holland America cargo ship DUIVENDYK was at Glasgow from August 27 1959 to September 2 1959 loading scrap metal for Japan.   Does anyone have any information about this vessel.

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Information needed on cargo ship KORBACH in 1958

 

KORBACH was closing for receiving cargo in Glasgow on 25 July 1958 and loading for the Great Lakes, Detroit and Chicago.    She was probably on a charter by Anchor Line or Head Line or Cunard Line.

 

Does anyone have any information on KORBACH ?

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“Conducting their business in Great Waters” series

Just to say how much we enjoy reading your “Conducting their business in Great Waters” series.   Really good to read of BENDORAN at Zamboanga and DURBAN CASTLE at St. Helena Island and British India’s KENYA at Zanzibar. And Misty appreciates the diary of Donaldson Line's LETITIA that you included for her.  This is the only website that brings the voyages to life.   Even the kids read it and are sure learning their world geography.   Charlie and Misty Fennelly,  New Jersey. U.S.A (Misty was born in Canada and her family were Pilots on Saint Lawrence)

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WHERE IS " PULO BOKOM "

On 5th January 1957 Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel CALCHAS was at Pulo Bokom.   It's not on Wikipedia.   Where is Pulo Bokom ?

"Hydatina" of Croydon, England, writes :

Pulau Bukom, also known as Pulau Bukum, is a small island belonging to Singapore that is located about five kilometres to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore. The size of Pulau Bukom is about 1.45 km².   Royal Dutch Shell Group had a refinery there which I visited a number of times on Shell U.K. Tankers.

Note : The event for CALCHAS has been amended accordingly.

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A question about Alfred Holt and the King George V Dock in Glasgow

Jim Alison e-mails :   Your event of 25th August 1958 tells that Blue Funnel's PELEUS loaded a 6-ton lift by "Holt's crane".   Did Alfred Holt have a company crane at Glasgow, or could it be the ship's own derrick that was used. ?

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CLAN MACINTOSH and help needed on the origin of three launches loaded at Glasgow.

On 9th July 1958 CLAN MACINTOSH loaded 3 launches by her own gear at Glasgow.   The launches came from "Mechano / Medano.   Please have a look at the image, which has been enlarged, and see if you can throw some light on the launches.

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Scottish motor coaster PIBROCH built in 1956 by Scott & Sons of Bowling

Does anyone have details of her owners and employment after being sold by Scottish Malt Distillers Company ?

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CAN YOU HELP  The oilers "Invertest, Apexity and Clanity" are noted as daily supplying bunker fuel oil to vessels. Have you any images or information on these three ships. ? 

A. Manson replies: Apexity and Clanity were owned by F.T Everard later taken over by Fisher.

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CAN YOU HELP   Ore ships at General Terminus Quay .....when leaving, they left Terminus Quay astern.... where were they turned, to go downriver ahead.  Did they turn in Princes Dock...or at Yorkhill Basin...or at King George V Dock ?

  A. Manson replies "Ore carriers leaving General Terminus Quay were canted at Princes Dock ; the area inside the entrance was known as the Canting Basin."

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CAN YOU HELP   Glasgow fire-boat "St. Mungo"    Billy and Terry Kelly noted that Glasgow had a fire-boat named "St. Mungo" operated by Glasgow Fire Service, moored at Yorkhill Quay at the entrance to Queens Dock,  and crewed by firemen based in Yorkhill Fire Station (just across the road from Yorkhill Quay.)  Does anyone have a photograph of "St. Mungo" ?

A. Manson replies :Photographs and history the early and latter St. Mungo Fireboats can be seen by going on website "St. Mungo Fireboat"

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CAN YOU HELP    Blue funnel liner "Pyrrhus" is shown as arriving on 16th July 1958 (see the image) at berth 3 King George V Dock, head South, bow 5 1/2 ...something...into berth 4.   Any idea what the 5 1/2 something is ?

Ref. "Pyrrhus Berthing. The large timber or metal doors on the dockside of the cargo sheds are referred to as Blinds. There may six or seven of these so the bow or stern of a vessel may be sited in a position relative to the blinds.

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CAN YOU HELP   The coaster "Salling" arrived at KG5 on 16th July 1958 from " G.at ? " (see the image)  Can anyone hazard a guess what the place "G....at" is ?

A Manson replies "Destination of "Salling" could possibly have Ghent, Belgium."

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CAN YOU HELP.   Princes Dock logbook shows these vessels arriving, but the writing is hard to read.   Can you make out the names?

          

Click on these images to enlarge them

First is maybe.... Cruzeiro Do Sul

Below it is maybe.... Templar

Further down is maybe... Kaduna ...or Kadura

Further down maybe... La Manche

Just below that ......Barbanihalis (or something)

Still further down..... Prins W J or G Frerderick

And also on that page for 28th June at 2045 arrives "Somme" at berth 65 annexe.   I had never heard of "65 annexe"     Can anyone enlighten me? 

A Manson replies "berth 65 Plantation was an Annex abutting on the West end of Mavisbank Quay."    and Kaduna was owned by Paddy Henderson, vessels trading to Burma and associated areas.

Prinz Willem 1V and Prinz W J Fredrick were owned by Dutch Company Oranje Lijn and traded to, and spent some time in the Great Lakes.

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CAN YOU HELP   What is the name of this ship?  Is it Sunnarhav or Sunnanhav.  She arrived in Glasgow on 6th July 1965.  Just to allow continuity of entering details, the ship is listed in events as being "Sunnanhav" unless otherwise corrected.

A Manson replies : "Sunnanhan" could possibly have been owned by Saguenay Terminals who prefixed several of their ships names by "Sun"

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CAN YOU HELP   The vessel "Mango" or "Manyo" arrived at Princes Dock from Ardrossan on 14th July 1965, draft 5' 10" forard and 12' 8" aft, which would be the draft of a coaster.  But the logbook shows her sailing on 18th July for Three Rivers (Canada) draft forard 17' 07" and aft 19' 06"   Any thoughts or information on this vessel would be welcome. 

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THANKS FOR THE MEMORY   Mrs  Margaret Buckner e-mails from Canada.

"I was browsing and chanced on your website, and was astonished to discover mention of the Donaldson ships taking passengers from Princes Dock to Montreal.   I was a little girl in 1960 when my folks emigrated from Kirkintilloch to Canada on Laurentia, and it was a very rough crossing, but was calm when we passed Newfoundland.  The mention of "Laurentia" brought the memories flooding back, having been forgotten for 50 years. Thanks for bringing back the memory.

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CAN YOU HELP   : This interesting little advert was in the 23rd June 1906 issue of "Largs and Millport Weekly News"   Note the early start for the days sailing, and the unusual name "Bute 4"     Any information on the firm or the vessels?   Click on the image to enlarge it to full size.

     

A Manson replies: For full history on SS Bute suggest Logging on" SS Bute at Greenock" With information regarding builders of same and SS Kyle then follow Princess Alice Disaster where all will be revealed re ultimate fate of Vessel. 

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CAN YOU HELP  : The vessel "Cedric" arrived at KG5 on 10th October 1967. It's difficult to decipher where she came from.  Any suggestions?  Click on the image to enlarge it.

A Manson writes : 
The "Cedric" which arrived at KG5 dock 10th October 1967 would have come from Napier, New Zealand, where she would have loaded refrigerated cargo, e.g. lamb, butter, etc. This was a regular run for vessels belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company.

A Manson writes :

Ref. the "Cedric" The port referred to is Napier New Zealand.

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CAN YOU HELP   This vessel "Stern" or "Stein" arrived KG5.   Is the name "Stern" or "Stein"    Click on the image to enlarge it.

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CAN YOU HELP   : What is the name of this 1967 arrival.  Click on the image to enlarge it.

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CAN YOU HELP  : Falcon Reefer arrived from USA and Newfoundland.   Which was the USA port concerned?   Click on the image to enlarge it.

A MANSON replies: Gloucester Massachusetts USA is on of America's oldest Ports.

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CAN YOU HELP  : Harrison's "Statesman" in Jan 1968 at Shieldhall Riverside Quay conducted an engine test.   What is the word after the test.  Click on the image to enlarge it.

A Manson writes :

Ref. the engine test on "Statesman" at Riverside Shieldhall . The engines would have been run on slow speed. Vessels having such must be securely moored probably with insurance wires as an added precaution .

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