2020

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for December 2020 ~ ~  Boats on Ships calling at Poole 

When does a boat become a ship? … the answer I have always given is “boats have life-rafts … ships have life-boats” … so here are some boats with their own ships!     If you set up a website in mid-2020 … and you then decide to have an “Image of the Month” feature … what do you do when you spot Barry Quince’s two excellent photographs of ships in Poole Harbour that were taken before the website was launched?   Answer … feature them in December when we need to be reminded that it is sometimes possible to take great photos after 4pm!  

Eemslift Hendrika entered service under a former name in 2015, is 112m long with a 17m beam and has a gross tonnage of 5,460. As a purpose built Heavy Load Carrier, she has been seen in Poole a few times engaged in yacht transport … this image is from July 2020.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for December 2020 ~ ~  Boats on Ships calling at Poole ... 2 of 2 ... 

For general cargo ship Nova, carrying any kind of deck cargo is unusual … and a yacht very unusual. Nova was built in 2004, has a gross tonnage of 7,767 and a length of 146m. Seen here entering Poole Harbour in June 2020. ... ... 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for November 2020 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Two Marellas with a Britannia ~ Weymouth Bay

For much of the summer, three of TUI’s Marella Cruises fleet were anchored together off the Dorset coast. In our first image Marella Discovery and Marella Explorer occupy the foreground with P&O’s Britannia (GT143,730/Y2015) and Portland Port forming a backdrop. On the left, Marella Discovery (GT69,130/Y1996) built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Saint Nazaire for RCI Cruises as Splendour of the Seas, transferring to TUI in 2016. On the right, Marella Explorer (GT76,552/Y1996) built by Meyer Werft, Papenburg for Celebrity Cruises as Galaxy, transferring to TUI in 2009 and joining the Marella fleet in 2018. As the autumn unfolds this pair continue to grace our shores.

Images of the Month for November 2020 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Three Marellas with a Queen ~ Weymouth Bay

Three of the Marella fleet are dwarfed, in this second image, by Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 (GT149,215/Y2004), all at anchor in Weymouth Bay earlier this summer before “Explorer 2” moved to layover in Holland. On the left, Marella Explorer 2 (GT71,545/Y1995) built by Meyer Werft, Papenburg for Celebrity Cruises as Century. Confusingly Century (Marella Explorer 2), was built as the lead ship of the Century Class and the later Galaxy (Marella Explorer) is 12m longer. Tucked under QM2’s port quarter is “Discovery” and ahead of QM2 is “Explorer” against the Isle of Portland background. That just begs the question, where is “Discovery 2”, fourth ship of the quartet? Most of the summer and now into the autumn Marella Discovery 2 is laid up in Zadar, Croatia.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for October 2020 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Celebrity Apex & Jewel of the Seas ~ Poole Bay

The last week of September 2020 saw the largest gathering of Royal Carribean Group ships in Europe recorded - and it all happened in Poole Bay, Dorset. 2 of the 5 ships. Celebrity Apex (GT130,818/Y2020) was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire, completed earlier this year and yet to enter passenger service. Jewel of the Seas (GT90,090/Y2004) - the final ship of the "Radiance Class" built at Meyer Werft, Papenburg - the most natural light I have experienced on a cruise ship!

Images of the Month for October 2020 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Anthem of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas & Allure of the Seas ~ Poole Bay

3 more of the 5 ships. Anthem of the Seas (GT168,666/Y2015) - after delivery from Meyer Werft, homeport for her first summer in Europe was Southampton for the 2nd ship of RCI’s “Quantum Class”. Explorer of the Seas (GT138,194/Y2000) was built in Turku, Finland as the second ship of RCI’s "Voyager Class" - ice rink, two deck open internal promenade and more innovations. Allure of the Seas (GT225,282/Y2010) is the 4th largest passenger ship in the world - the three with higher gross tonnages all being sister "Oasis Class" cruise ships with Royal Caribbean International. This was the week when tonnage in Poole Bay exceeded Weymouth!

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for September 2020 ~ ~ Empress of the Seas & Majesty of the Seas ~                                ~ Calling at Southampton ~ 
Which ships will Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd (RCCL) send to scrap in the current crisis? Following the restructuring (financial administration) of Pullmantur Cruises in June, their ships were returned to RCCL. Sovereign & Monarch were both beached at the Aliaga scrapyard in Turkey during the last week of July. Horizon sailed to Greece and all indications are - she is to be scrapped.  Who could be next? The two oldest ships remaining in the RCCL fleet - Empress of the Seas (1990; gross tonnage 48,563) and Majesty of the Seas (1992; 74,077) - have been in Southampton & Dorset waters much of the summer until Empress sailed south to Greece in late July and is now anchored in Souda Bay, Crete. Majesty of the Seas departed UK waters bound for Malta on 24th August. Royal Caribbean Group continue to reassure enquirers that neither ship is to be scrapped. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Image of the Month for August 2020 ~ ~  Valiant ~ Swash Channel outbound ~ Poole Harbour 

Alderney Shipping Group’s MV Valiant, which has been moving freight between Poole, Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney for about eight years undertook her last rotation in March 2020. Valiant, at nearly 30 years old, had a difficult winter with the weather.