2023

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for January 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Arctic Sunrise ~ departing Poole - September 2022  

Our Images of the Month evoke the season of “GreenPeace & Goodwill” together with winter weather’s "Arctic Sunrise" on a New Year. The images captured by ~Ships~Dorset~ photographer Don Williams in September recall warm sunny days and the visit of Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise to Poole. The ship was designed and built in 1975 as a Class 1A1 icebreaker at the Vaagen Verft yard in Kyrksæterøra, Norway and used in seal hunting. After a period being used by the French government, Greenpeace purchased the ship in 1995 when she took her first trip to the North Sea to document oil pollution from offshore installations at the beginning of her worldwide adventures for her current owners.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for January 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Arctic Sunrise ~ departing Poole - September 2022  

When Arctic Sunrise called at Poole she had recently returned from a joint operation between Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace Espana in the North Atlantic where the ship and the activists onboard had confiscated over 30 Km of longline from two Spanish longline fishing vessels. The ship is powered by a single MaK marine diesel engine generating 2,150hp via a single shaft and controllable pitch propeller, supported by two 400hp bow thrusters.

Key Dimensions for Artic Sunrise ... Gross Tonnage = 949 ... Length = 50m ... Beam = 12m … Speed = 13 knots … Crew = 16 ... registered in Amsterdam.  

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for February 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Schillplate ~ arriving Poole - January 2023  

The Briese Shipping B.V. , headquartered in Scheemda, Netherlands was founded in 1996 and currently operate a fleet of 14 vessels. Their selection of ship types allow the company to handle a variety of projects and cargoes including container traffic, bulk cargo and heavy lifts up to 700tons ... although in the case of Schillplate visiting Poole in January, this modest short sea trader only has an onboard gantry crane to lift 11 tons!

Schillplate arrived 28th January with timber for unloading at South Quay. Her arrival was recorded by Ray Sexton and Darryl Morrell photographed the ship berthed.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for February 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Schillplate ~ alongside at Poole - January 2023  

Schillplate was built at the Lilama-Lisemco yards in Vietnam and has been in service since 2009. After discharging her cargo at Poole the ship lingered at anchor off Swanage  where she was last spotted on the 2nd February. 

Key Dimensions for Schillplate ... Gross Tonnage = 2,400 ... Length = 86m ... Beam = 12m ... Service Speed = 13 knots ... Hold dimensions = 59m x 10.2m x 8.45m(height) ... Grain capacity c175,500 cu.ft. ... Container capacity 138 TEU (102 in hold + 36 on hatches) ... registered in Poland.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for March 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Rebecca ~ at anchor Weymouth Bay - February 2023  

Weymouth Bay anchorage hosted an unusual “environmentally responsible” vessel for eleven days in February when the cable recovery ship Rebecca arrived from the Spanish port of Ceuta on 2nd February 2023. Thankfully, the crew of Coastline Cruises’ Enchantress were able to capture these two images before she departed on February 13th to undertake cable operations in the Channel and ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Pall Dallaway posted them for us.  

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for March 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Rebecca ~ at anchor Weymouth Bay - February 2023  

In 2014, the 2008 built Rebecca was converted into a cable recovery ship to recover redundant submarine telecommunications cable by installing a double bow roller, cable winch, tensioner system and 5 cable tanks within her cargo hold to store the recovered cable. Owner operator Subsea Environmental Services (SES), is a privately owned, environmental marine services company based in New York and founded in 2013. As new technology makes older systems redundant “out of service” subsea cables present a significant opportunity for recycling as their constituent materials include ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals and plastics … all of the highest quality … and worth efficiently recycling. The 27,000 km of outdated and retired submarine cable removed from the ocean floor by SES's Rebecca in recent years represents over 45,000 metric tons of man-made material re-introduced into the global supply chain.

Key Dimensions for Rebecca ... Gross Tonnage = 3,442 ... Length = 100m ... Beam = 14m ... Service Speed = 12 knots ... Hold dimensions = 70m x 12m … Cable capacity c4,000 cu.m. ... Registered in Netherlands … Homeport Rotterdam. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for April 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ MN Pelican ~ inbound to Poole - January 2023  

We’ve appreciated the constancy of MN Pelican sailing between Poole and Bilbao over the past seven years and recently we’ve been waiting to catch a glimpse of her new wing sail. Thanks to Ray Sexton and his new Instant_Wanderer identity we can enjoy a recent arrival with the sail “stowed away” and in a second image (further below) MN Pelican “sets sail” with her new wing sail (unusually - we presume) deployed as she departs Poole on the 22nd March.

Shipowner Compagnie Maritime Nantaise currently have a seven ship fleet. Brittany Ferries has chartered MN Pelican from them since 2016 and for the majority of that time the ship has undertaken two round trips per week on their Poole/Bilbao/Poole service.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for April 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ MN Pelican ~ "sets sail" from Poole - March 2023  

In October 2022 the base was installed immediately forward of MN Pelican's funnel to take the Michelin WISAMO inflatable, retractable, automated wing sail. The WISAMO project can be fitted on both merchant ships and pleasure craft. The system is the product of a collaborative venture between Michelin and two Swiss inventors. The inflatable wing sail harnesses the wind as a free, universal and inexhaustible source of propulsion enabling the ship to reduce its fuel consumption.

Key Dimensions for MN Pelican ... Gross Tonnage = 12,076 ... Length = 155m ... Beam = 23m ... Service Speed = 19 knots … Capacity c100 freight units … registered in France … Built 1999 - in service with Brittany Ferries since 2016. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for May 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Rauma ~ at South Quay, Port of Poole - April 2023  

The “double-ender” Rauma spent 9 days in Poole during April … considerably less time than the 6 months she spent in Bergen under detention recently! Rauma arrived in Poole from Eemshaven on 17th April and berthed on South Quay where Joseph Lambert was on hand to take these two images. The first image was taken from what would be the the Starboard bow when Rauma was ocean-going and shows one set of “goalposts” and and a clear view through the superstructure. The second image was taken from what would be the Starboard quarter showing the second set of “goalposts” (see below).  In October 2020 Fjord1 put Rauma up for sale ... and having been laid up in Kristiansund for over a year, she was sold to a Mexican transport company in February 2022. Whilst on a planned delivery voyage in September 2022, Rauma was detained at Bergen by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate due to a number of crewing and seaworthiness issues. When eventually released on 5th April 2023 Rauma left Bergen bound for Mexico. Following a service call at Eemshaven and the further service call at Poole, Rauma departed Poole 26th April bound for Tenerife continuing her delivery voyage. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for May 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Rauma ~ at South Quay, Port of Poole - April 2023  

Rauma was built in 1988 at the Trønderverftet shipyard at Hommelvik in Norway and has been owned & operated by Fjord1 and its predecessors (council-owned ferry operators). From 1988 until 2002 she sailed on the Molde–Vestnes service and from 2007 until 2011 on the Festøya–Solavågen route. From 2002 until 2007 and since 2011 she took up various relief duties and reserve fleet assignments.  During the first thirty years of her career in Norwegian coastal ferry operations the goalpost structures (see above text and images) supported moveable “hanging car decks” allowing double-deck car carrying during peak tourist seasons and full height freight capability at other times.

Key Dimensions for Rauma ... Gross Tonnage = 1.393 ... Length = 82m ... Beam = 14m ... Service Speed = 12 knots ... Capacity = 73 passenger car equivalent & 246 passengers … Built in 1988 … Port of registry 1988-2022 Molde, Norway.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for June 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Kalaat Beni Hammed ~ at South Quay, Poole - May 2023  

On 8th May the Tank Landing Ship Kalaat Beni Hammed arrived in Poole to collect a helicopter. Berthed at South Quay, Darryl Morrell’s first image shows the helicopter (packed for shipping) being loaded the following day … plus a great aerial view of the ship! The vessel remained in port for a few days and Darryl's second super image shows the ship departing Poole on the 12th with a dozen of the ship’s company on the foredeck. Kalaat Beni Hammed was built by Brooke Marine at their Lowestoft shipyard and entered service with the Algerian Navy in 1984. After thirty years, the ship underwent a 15 month modernisation and service life extension refit at Navantia’s shipyard in Ferrol, North West Spain, returning to service in September 2015. Coincidentally, her flight deck lighting was installed by Poole-based Aeronautical & General Instruments (now Trident Maritime Systems) during the refit.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for June 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Kalaat Beni Hammed ~ departing Poole - May 2023  

Kalaat Beni Hammed is one of two amphibious logistics ships built in the UK for the Algerian Navy in the 1980s. Her sister ship Kalaat Beni Rached was built at Vosper Thorneycroft’s Woolston yard in Southampton. They feature a bow ramp to land vehicles ashore, a large internal vehicle storage area with stern ramp, flight deck for operating heavy helicopters, plus troop and cargo carrying capabilities.

Key Dimensions for Kalaat Beni Hammed (pennant number 472) … Displacement Tonnage = 2,130 ... Length = 93m … Hold dimensions 75m x 7.4m … Ramps = 18m bow & 5m stern … Capacity = 650 tons of cargo; 240 troops; 81 crew … Built in 1984.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for July 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Reggedijk ~ alongside at Poole - June 2023  

Reggedijk arrived in Poole on 5th June 2023 to load barley - was photographed by Kev Mitchell on 6th - and sailed on the afternoon of 7th June for Bilbao. It did not arrive at its berth to discharge in Bilbao until 19th June! Initially, having reached the north coast of Spain, Reggedijk anchored off Pasajes and spent a couple of days alongside there before shifting to Bilbao anchorage on 17th June - eventually berthing 2 days later. Thanks to Kev for his two super shots of Reggedijk loading at Port of Poole.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for July 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Reggedijk ~ alongside at Poole - June 2023  

Reggedijk is one of the 18 ships in the fleet of SCG - Shipping Company Groningen. Dutch company SCG, was formed at the end of 2016 by a merger of three shipping companies set up in the mid-nineties - Navigia, Feederlines and Thorco Shipping.

Key Dimensions for Reggedijk … Built in 2011 at the Chowgule Shipyard in Goa, India … Gross Tonnage = 2,980 ... Length = 90m ... Beam = 14m  ... Grain capacity c202,000 cu.ft. … registered at Groningen in Netherlands.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for August 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Regal Princess ~ departing Portland - June 2023  

Regal Princess has been a frequent visitor to Portland this year. Second of the “Royal-Class" cruise ship (sister to Royal Princess), she was ordered in February 2010 from Fincantieri and constructed at their shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. After entering service in 2014, Regal Princess sailed Caribbean itineraries during winter months and cruised the Baltic during the summer season. In summer 2020, she was scheduled to operate her first season based in the UK however, due to the Covid pandemic, all British Isles voyages were cancelled. In summer 2021, Regal Princess returned to Europe and homeported in Southampton … again, this year, British Isles cruises remain popular. During a call in June ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Peter Harriman captured the ship departing and earlier the same day Weymouth & Portland Boat Trips posted a shot of the ship alongside the Deep Water Berth at Portland Port UK. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for August 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Regal Princess ~ alongside at Portland - June 2023  

81% of the 1,780 passenger cabins on Regal Princess have a balcony and the ship has a further 750 crew cabins … but every possible additional berth would have to be in use to reach the 5,600 passenger certificate. 

Regal Princess is powered by four Wärtsilä Diesels producing total installed power of 62 Megawatts with main propulsion via two propellers, each driven by 18MW electric motors enabling the 22 knots service speed.   

Key Dimensions of Regal Princess … Gross Tonnage = 142,700 … Length = 330m … Beam = 38m … Draft = 9m … 19 accessible decks … Total Installed Power = 62 MW … Service speed = 22 knots … Capacity for 3,560 passengers and 1,350 crew.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for September 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Condor Islander ~ alongside at Poole - August 2023  

Condor’s latest vessel was built at the Volharding Shipyards in Netherlands as MV Dueodde. Her sister ship, MV Hammerodde (now Stena Vinga), was built at the same yard and the pair entered service with Bornholmertrafikken in 2005 operating routes linking Bornholm with the Danish mainland. In 2010 Dueodde was sold for service in New Zealand and renamed MV Straitsman where she remained until this year when the ship was purchased for the Condor Ferries fleet following investment and loan support by States of Guernsey intended to increase the resilience of the Island's lifeline sea links with the UK, France and Jersey. Two super images of the renamed Condor Islander by regular ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Darryl Morrell allow us to get a close-up view of the new arrival. The first photo shows Condor Islander during her berthing trials on 4th August and the second image shows her shifting lay-by berths within Port of Poole on 15th August. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for Sept. 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Condor Islander ~ manoeuvring at Poole - August 2023  

On her return to the Northern Hemisphere - and after several weeks dry docking & refitting at the El Astillero shipyard in the north of Spain - Condor Islander arrived in the Channel Islands for berthing trials at the end of July. Then followed berthing trials in St. Malo, Portsmouth and Poole. After most of August laid-up in Poole Condor Islander sailed round to Southampton onto the Empress Dock linkspan for a couple of days. Passenger facilities continue to be refurbished before the new ship enters Condor service in October.

Key Dimensions of Condor Islander  … Gross Tonnage = 13,900 … Length = 125m … Beam = 24m … Draft = 6m  … Total Installed Power = 9MW from 2x MaK diesel engines  … Service speed = 19 knots … Capacity for 400 passengers and 1,250 lane metres of vehicle traffic. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for October 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ PS Waverley ~ Poole Harbour inbound - September 2023  

Waverley returned to the Dorset Coast in September 2023 and included excursions from Poole and Swanage with some sailings as far west as Durdle Door. Built in 1946 for Firth of Clyde and Loch Long services, PS Waverley is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world. Bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in 1974, she has been restored to her 1947 appearance and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast. Since 2003, Waverley has been listed in the National Historic Fleet by National Historic Ships UK as "a vessel of pre-eminent national importance”. Regular ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Darryl Morrell captured the ship’s return to Poole Harbour on the evening of 6th September and his second super photo shows the vessel alongside Poole Quay the previous night. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for October 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ PS Waverley ~ alongside Poole Quay - September 2023  

Waverley was built at the shipyard of A&J Inglis of Glasgow and is powered by a triple-expansion marine steam engine built by Rankin & Blackmore at their Eagle Foundry in Greenock, achieving a trial speed of 18.4 knots. To this day one of the key attractions for passengers is watching this engine from passageways on either side of the engine room.

Key Dimensions of PS Waverley  … Gross Tonnage = 693 … Length = 73m … Beam = 17.5m … Draft = 1.9m  … Total Installed Power = 1,566 kW  … Service speed = 14 knots … Capacity for 925 passengers. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for November 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Fri River ~ manoeuvring at Port of Poole - October 2023  

On 22nd October ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Darryl Morrell was on hand to take this super photograph of Fri River as she started going astern to berth on Bulwark Quay in Poole. Two days later as the ship completed loading barley our contributor Kev Mitchell took a rather poignant photo on the very day Fri River's sister ship was involved in a collision in the North Sea with the loss of 5 crew members and the vessel. Sister ship "Verity" was owned by Cowes, IoW based Faversham Ships who are also owners of "Trinity" which serves Alderney Shipping on their Channel Seaways service from Poole. A timely reminder that our community of ships & shipping enthusiasts can only appreciate the ships we see thanks to all those that serve at sea.      

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for November 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Fri River ~ alongside Bulwark Quay, Poole - Oct. 2023

Fri River has undergone a few name changes since the ship was built in 2000 at the Tille Shipyard at Kootstertille in the Netherlands. Her previous name was "Velox", at which time she was under the same ownership as her lost sister ship "Verity". Since 2018 Fri River has been owned and managed by Kopervik Shipping AS - part of a group managing a short sea shipping fleet from businesses in Norway and Poland.   

Key Dimensions of Fri River  … Gross Tonnage = 2,548 … Length = 91m … Beam = 14m … Draft = 5m  … Total Installed Power = 1,950 kW with controllable pitch propellers … Service speed = 11 knots … Grain capacity 5,196 cu.m  

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for December 2023 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ HMS Cattistock ~ alongside Poole Quay - November 2023  

HMS Cattistock is one of the Royal Navy’s Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessels and represented the navy in Poole over the weekend of remembrance in November. The naming of the ship is associated with a village in the west of Dorset, north of Dorchester and is the third Royal Navy ship to carry the name. Launched in 1981, HMS Cattistock’s role is to detect and destroy mines and other seabed anomalies. Powered by 2 diesel engines she is of GRP construction with a minimal magnetic signature to safeguard her from magnetic mines. ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Ray Sexton was on hand during the weekend and took these two great photographs of the ship alongside Poole Quay. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for December 2023 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ HMS Cattistock ~ alongside Poole Quay - November 2023

HMS Cattistock was ordered in January 1979 from builder Vosper Thornycroft’s Woolston Shipyard in Southampton and commissioned in March 1982 with Pennant Number M31. Of the 13 Hunt Class mine hunters built between 1978 and 1988, six remain in active service with the Royal Navy, with the remaining seven in worthwhile roles elsewhere. 

Key Dimensions of HMS Cattistock … Displacement Tonnage = 750 … Length = 60m … Beam = 10m … Draft = 2.2m  … Speed = 17 knots … Ship’s Complement = 48 (5 officers & 43 ratings)