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Sea Pictures from Dover.

Sailing Ships just off Dover: Europa above and De Gallant below...


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Post 4129
  Del Styan, Norwich
Hiring out commercial hovercraft eh? I could think of a use for them. Perhaps a commercial service to Calais?


Friday, 14 April 2017 - 23:08
 
Post 4128
  Mike J., Dover
A few days ago the KREEFT was working close inshore showing her versatility - instead of using her ‘water injection’ equipment for breaking up heavy mud & silt she was using a small grab to delicately pick up seabed debris.
The KREEFT had a barge tied up alongside & the debris was unloaded onto a large filter with waterjets, to clean the debris & to check for anything interesting, with always the chance that there might be unexploded items from the last war which might have been picked up by the grab, also other debris, coins, shopping trolleys etc. . . . .
All she found while I was watching was a sunken baulk of timber.




The big dredger CAUSEWAY arrived Thursday morning & was soon put to work after a brief call at Cruise-2 & spent Thursday night at anchor in the bay.

Regarding the crew boat GRUMPY [post 3649] I looked up the website for the owners NORTHERN RIB HIRE rather hoping that that the rest of their fleet were called DOC, GRUMPY, BASHFUL etc. from Snow White’s gang but sadly I was disappointed with most of their fleet being called after types of wind.
I’ve never heard of a wind called GRUMPY so there must be a story behind the name.
An interesting website, they also hire out commercial hovercraft.


Friday, 14 April 2017 - 11:08
 
Post 4127
  Sea News, Dover
CONGESTION!
  

New Lower Thames Crossings to cut congestion and create thousands of jobs.
Preferred route for a new Lower Thames Crossing and A13 widening announced.
__________________________________________________________________

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has this week announced the preferred route for a new Lower Thames Crossing that could create more than 6,000 jobs and boost the economy by more than £8 billion.

The new crossing will create a new link between the A2 and the M25 and reduce the burden on the busy Dartford Crossing. The Lower Thames Crossing is expected to carry 4.5 million heavy goods vehicles in its first year.

This investment in our roads can help transform the growth potential of our country and improve people’s journeys to and around the south-east.

The planned route will run from the M25 near North Ockendon, cross the A13 at Orsett before crossing under the Thames east of Tilbury and Gravesend. A new link road will then take traffic to the A2 near Shorne, close to where the route becomes the M2.

This route was identified by the majority of nearly 47,000 respondents to a consultation on a new Lower Thames Crossing as the best solution for reducing traffic and congestion at the Dartford Crossing and for boosting the economy by improving links to London and the Channel ports.

A further £10 million will be used to improve traffic flow at and around the existing crossing as well as studying ways to further tackle congestion. This will include a wide-ranging investigation into options to cut ‘rat-running’ through Dartford and Thurrock.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

"We are making the big decisions for Britain. The new Lower Thames Crossing, and other improvements in and around Dartford and Thurrock announced today, will further strengthen our economy while also creating thousands of jobs.

Our £23 billion investment into our roads is already making a difference, with schemes being completed across the country, including the M1 Catthorpe junction and A556 at Knutsford, cutting journey times for millions of motorists.
The schemes announced today not only show we are taking decisions, we are planning upgrades and we are completing roads – making the lives of millions of motorists better. "

In addition to the Lower Thames Crossing, the government is investing a further £66 million to widen the A13 Stanford-le-Hope bypass from 2 to 3 lanes. This will help create more than 4,000 jobs and unlock the development of hundreds of new houses, and improve links to Tilbury and new London Gateway ports. This investment is part of a £78.85 million Thurrock Council project scheduled to be complete by the end of 2019.

Christian Brodie, Chairman of South East Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
"This is excellent news for Kent and Essex and will have a significant economic impact. The investments announced will strengthen the resilience of our UK and European connections – imperative as we now move towards Brexit.

However, the benefits go far beyond Kent and Essex. With the current Dartford Crossing already operating at capacity and freight traffic continuing to grow, the new crossing will also support the government’s wider economic aspirations for the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine. "

  
Tim Waggott, Port of Dover Chief Executive, said:

"The Port of Dover handles up to £119 billion of trade or 17% of the UK’s trade in goods and is vital to the UK’s trading relationship with Europe - our largest and nearest trading partner. Half of its freight traffic is heading beyond London to support economic activity in the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse government priority areas. With freight traffic through Dover growing by a third in only 4 years and with a forecast 40% growth in freight traffic by the end of the next decade, it is essential that traffic fluidity is maintained and enhanced on this key trade corridor connecting the rest of the UK with mainland Europe.

The Lower Thames Crossing is an essential ingredient of the strategic infrastructure mix required to deliver national economic prosperity. The port fully supports today’s announcement by the government and warmly welcomes its commitment to keep the nation’s traffic and trade moving."

This announcement comes weeks after a number of road improvements were opened to traffic and Highways England started consulting on further nationwide upgrades.


ENDS


Major announcement above there from HMG. Smiley
 
A picture now of the departing Esmeralda. Following along from Ed's picture of the ship early morning, here she is just before departure the same night...Wednesday at 8PM sharp. Night pictures are notoriously difficult but there was just enough light in the sky still to help with the picture this time around..even at 8PM. She was off to Vlissingen. PaulB.
   


Smiley

Friday, 14 April 2017 - 06:45
 
Post 4126
  Sea News, Dover
What a great story Ed - love that one. I remember all that very well re Gordon Brown. Vic has the right idea there.SmileySmiley
Enjoy your time off in Blackpool.

Thursday, 13 April 2017 - 16:09
 
Post 4125
  vic matcham , dovor
what a great car and it went only for a song ,tell you what I will do I will buy it off you for 3songs so just think how much you have made in just 24 hours.SmileySmileySmiley

Thursday, 13 April 2017 - 15:12
 
Post 4124
  Ed Connell, Blackpool
Esmeralda at the DCT yesterday morning.


I left my ship and went home to Blackpool yesterday lunchtime. Cadged a lift to Dover Priory with one of our motormen who owns a gleaming Jaguar in immaculate condition. Crew joining by car go across to Dunkerque and park their cars ashore there then bring them back onboard when they are due to go back on leave. This Jaguar was flogged off by the government for a song and is the one that Gordon Brown used as his official car, complete with bulletproof windows and Kevlar armour.



I sat in the back seat which is the very seat where Gordon Brown made his notorious comment about Gillian Duffy being a bigoted woman, not realising that his microphone was still relaying his comments to the outside world!


Thursday, 13 April 2017 - 14:02
 
Post 4123
  Sea News, Dover
Some pictures now of Saga Pearl II departing on Tuesday evening around about 1700 hours...the conditions were a tad fresher as you can see. The pictures sadly are a wee bit grey. In the foreground on the first shot is workhorse Kreeft dredging/drilling away helping the new developments to power forward...
  


The picture  below is from earlier in the day...in the foreground the now familiar Sospan Dau which seems to be working 24 hours a day, and at mid range the MP40 dredging platform and of course the Saga Pearl II bringing up the rear. 
 

Good to see Grumpy there Mike...not that any of us could be described in that way..Nosirree Bob!Smiley
Yes I saw Patricia in the distance. Great stuff!
Smiley

Smiley EXTRA NOTE: Just to add a note about the recent balloon spectacular.... you will remember the picture of the approaching balloon as it passed over Dover Grammar School for Boys (post 3634)...well yes the pilot of that balloon Bertrand Roset contacted me yesterday from France saying how himself and his balloonist friends enjoyed the pictures on Sea News. They were particularly interested in the shots of the balloon that came uncomfortably close to ditching here in the harbour ( see 3626 and 3629 ) I sent them in return a few pix so that they can re-live the experience. Bonjour la belle France !

I had a stab at some French there...
Hopefully it wasn't too awful.

PaulB

Thursday, 13 April 2017 - 06:58
 
Post 4122
  Mike J., Dover
Carrying on with Paul’s DWDR ‘new arrivals’ theme the crew boat GRUMPY [honest !] was in the Tidal Basin on Wednesday afternoon.




The MP40 was loading into the WADDEN 4 & just along the coast, off Samphire Hoe, THV PATRICIA spent the day at anchor.






One for the SEA FRANCE enthusiasts - in the window of a Gift Shoppe in Cannon Street in Dover I noticed ‘I Love Dover’ coffee mugs with a picture of Dover Castle & either the SEAFRANCE RODIN or the BERLIOZ.


Wednesday, 12 April 2017 - 23:47
 
Post 4121
  Sea News, Dover
And now more DWDR action, with new vessels arriving the pace is hotting up...the work is already going on through the night, so far silently.. Smiley
The day before yesterday and you can see things are very busy, Piccadilly Circus springs to mind, In the picture above there you can see both 'spoil removing' barges Wadden 1 and Wadden 4. In the distance/background you can see the arriving Tug Meander towing a crane platform, not sure if this platform has a name at the moment. Just out of shot and here we are on cue below... Afon Goch going out to join the party. Also busy busy in the picture is the pilot boat and way beyond in the far distance.. well that's the Varne Lightvessel.
   
Above and below we have the tug Meander once again but in closer proximity now.... towing the crane hosting platform into Port.
Incidentally that peak on the blue horizon is the Cathedral in Boulogne...lovely place.
 

Thanks to Mike and Ed for the posts below
Thanks for that info Mike
and
Great pictures Ed.. terrific items once again.

Don't miss those posts below.Smiley

PS: will have pictures of the departing Saga Pearl II in due course...living and departing alongside all the working vessels.

Wednesday, 12 April 2017 - 06:47
 
Post 4120
  Mike J., Dover
The sailing vessels are probably heading for the Festival of Sail at Greenwich over the Easter weekend.
A pal reported seeing the BLUE CLIPPER [Ed's post 3620] heading up the Thames at Gravesend on Saturday.

Some of them are heading for Canada via Lisbon after the 'event'

Wednesday, 12 April 2017 - 00:04
 
Post 4119
  Ed Connell, Dover Strait
Tall ship passing Dover at noon.


Eye of the Wind off the French coast this afternoon.


LNG carrier Umm al Amad departing Dunkerque West.


Tuesday, 11 April 2017 - 23:04
 
Post 4118
  Sea News, Dover
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: This beautiful French sailing vessel called FS Etoile sailed by this morning about 10am or thereabouts. She cut quite a dash as she sailed east while the great but handsome beast in the background ambled by in the opposite direction. Name of the beast? CMA CMG Andromeda...the Andromeda strain.. it was a strain trying to fit the great beast into the picture.
Smiley
 

We will have more pictures of DWDR related arrivals in the morning so watch for those. See also the earlier post below.

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 - 14:58
 
Post 4117
  Sea News, Dover
The latest pic of the DWDR action above...in the foreground there you can see dredger platform Kreeft working hard in the harbour a couple of misty evenings ago as the sun began to sink in the west, and in the background you can see Sospan Dau winding her weary way homeward after a long day back and forth taking spoil to the designated zone.

Yes as per Colette's list and rather surprisingly the Braemar left us yesterday morning just after 9am...in early off early...off she went to Southampton engaging in a sharp right turn as she left the western harbour exit... see below.
   
   
You can also see one of the barges that are too-ing and fro-ing all day above there...Wadden 1.
For more detail on the DWDR working vessels see 3639.

And now one of the Castle through the tangled woods for those missing Dover further afield...   


Thanks Vic, nice work by all the teamsters, yes I imagine its much easier in nice weather.
Great coverage from Dunkerque Ed...fascinating to see all the goings on there. Nice shot across the bows of the Dover Seaways. Smiley

PS: Sheesh! the Saga Pearl has come right by under my nose and I missed it..strewth! Smiley PB

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 - 07:14
 
Post 4116
  Ed Connell, Dover Strait
Unusual yacht in the Dunkerque fairway.



Monday, 10 April 2017 - 23:24
 
Post 4115
  Ed Connell, Dover Strait
LNG carriers must be like buses, you wait for ever then two come along at once. Today sees the Umm al Amad alongside at the Dunkerque West terminal. They bring the stuff from Qatar.





Monday, 10 April 2017 - 12:03
 
Post 4114
  vic matcham , dover
Sorry wrong wording ,it should read NOT SO GOOD WEATHERSmiley

Monday, 10 April 2017 - 11:47
 
Post 4113
  vic matcham , dovor
Great photos of all the work being done and it is great working on big jobs like this out side in the sun and good weather like this, but I mostly done it in the cold and winter weeks so so good then.SmileySmileySmileySmiley

Monday, 10 April 2017 - 11:45
 
Post 4112
  Sea News, Dover




Vessel arrivals pave way for another milestone in Port development
_______________________________________________________

Specialist vessels have started to arrive at the Port of Dover for the commencement of harbour dredging for the Port’s flagship Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) development, which will enhance essential port capacity and kick-start local regeneration.

The DWDR Principal Contractor, a joint venture between VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster (VSBW), has mobilised various items of floating equipment which has begun arriving in Dover to undertake initial harbour dredging to remove soft sediment.

The first vessel to arrive was the ‘Kreeft’, a self-propelled crane barge which is fitted with bespoke attachments for the identification and removal of obstructions.

Dredging vessels include two trailing suction hopper dredgers, the 1,500m³ capacity ‘Sospan Dau’ and one of the 4,500m3 Causeway class vessels. These will dredge, remove and relocate soft sediment to the designated offshore licensed disposal area.

Harder material will be dredged with the ‘MP40’ backhoe dredger, which will transfer dredged material to the 800m³ self-discharging split hopper barges ‘Wadden 1’ and ‘Wadden 4’ for removal to the disposal area. The trailer dredgers and split hoppers will be steaming regularly between the Port and the disposal area ahead of the initial piling programme.

Harbour dredging is a standard practice within the Port industry usually undertaken as part of harbour maintenance and prior to major marine civil engineering developments. To facilitate these operations, there will be other support vessels such as tugs and survey vessels operating within the harbour.

Stuart Eckersley, Project Director for VSBW, stated: "Starting the main dredging activities marks an important milestone for the project. We will be seeing a range of specialist vessels operating in the harbour from Boskalis Westminster’s extensive dredging fleet."

Approximately one million cubic metres of silt, gravel and chalk will be removed from the harbour to allow for the creation of a purpose-built cargo and logistics facility, a new marina and a transformed waterfront at Europe’s busiest ferry Port.

Jack Goodhew, General Manager – Special Projects, Port of Dover, said: "The start of the preparatory dredging works for DWDR is another visible sign of our commitment to deliver this strategic infrastructure development, identified by the Government in its National Infrastructure Delivery Plan as a priority for port capacity investment."

The Port expects to welcome up to twenty different VSBW vessels over the next eight weeks as it enters the harbour dredging phase this month prior to piling commencing.

ENDS



 

Many thanks to the guys at the Port as ever for the info and images above.
A great overall view at the top there
and I think that also might be the RIB Mike was mentioning earlier having regretted missing it...Hercules.

Great DWDR work from Ed and Mike below. Great stuff!
That's a stunner of the Atlantic Klipper arriving Ed - love that one.

A cracking selection too from Ramsgate from our roving correspondent Sarah H...
I see they named that particular lifeboat after you Sarah....
Smiley

Smiley


PS: Braemar is in with us today as per Colette's notes.

Monday, 10 April 2017 - 06:38
 
Post 4111
  Mike J., Dover
Ed & I must have been thinking alike !
Another round-up of DWDR operations over the last few days -


Dredger KREEFT, she can 'water inject' pumping water at high pressure to break up heavy silt or mud deposits before normal dredging.
She can also 'grab' dredge & has a work barge alongside.

Suction dredger SOSPAN DAU swinging after dredging along the Prince of Wales Pier.
Also the big 'back hoe' dredging barge MP40 loading into one of the two hopper barges WEDDEL 1 & WEDDEL 4.
Launch SMIT STOUR is in attendance, probably acting as a crew boat taxi service.

Preparations for the demolition of the Dunkirk Jetty, the approach wall to the one-time train ferry dock.
I was told by one of the Contractor's engineers who was also photographing up at St.Martin's Battery the jetty will be cut up into large blocks & removed by a large floating crane which is expected to be arriving shortly.

KREEFT starting to work, soon the white water will turn muddy as the hard silt is broken up & pumped to the surface & allowed to settle for later removal.
The top surface of the POW pier & the hoverport looks to have been removed, exposing the top of the shuttering which will probably be trimmed to meet the new surface level.

It'd be good if DHB would issue more frequent updates on the work being carried out as many folk are interested in the progress.





Sunday, 9 April 2017 - 16:19
 
Post 4110
  Ed Connell, Dover Strait
DWDR roundup today.






Sunday, 9 April 2017 - 13:10
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