Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 7201

  Sea News, Dover

Just catching up on a couple of recent brief visits. AIDAsol was back in with us again at the weekend...she is on another short cruise...while below we have Hurtigruten's Maud. Maud running a busy schedule of exciting Scandi visits....
Maud.

We are also hearing reports that the ever lingering Pride of Kent has been cleared to resume services. We understand it was her 4th assessment...but it looks like she's now got the all-clear. Still positioned at the old cargo terminal as we speak.

" The Pride of Kent has been released from detention and can commence operations when P&O Ferries are ready." The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

Tuesday, 10 May 2022 - 05:58

 

Post 7200

  Sea News, Dover

We talked about the Border Force 'windy sisters' for much of last week so now its good to have a picture showing them both in action at the same time. One heading out from the Port for another 'hard day at the office' and one returning. That's Typhoon closer to us and a returning Hurricane further back...very busy times indeed as you know.

Another bit of news over the weekend...well, the Port of Dover Community Regatta is returning here once again. Its very popular, hugely popular, and of course FREE which is very helpful in these difficult times for the purse, Thousands come to see all the exhibits and the action. Its returning on August 6 after a 3 year lay off due to the pandemic. We will have more on this as things develop...



Monday, 9 May 2022 - 07:03

 

Post 7199

  Sea News, Dover

Border Force Searcher again... although we have used one of those pictures earlier in the week (see further below) we were meant to include both pictures together, so here we are now correcting that.... it looked like a quieter day out there yesterday, but like they say 'there's never a dull moment', well hardly ever...

Friday, 6 May 2022 - 07:14

 

Post 7198

  Sea News, Dover

Border Force Typhoon:
We featured Border Force Typhoon further down the page and here she is in the thick of the action already. as you can see above there, escorting more migrants safely into the Port of Dover, after yet another hazardous journey across the busy Channel for them. It's been a very busy period once again, (we wont mention Rwanda) obviously with the better weather its kind of an "all systems go". Lots of Border Force activity out there....

Pondering wistfully.....Typhoon doesn't have the full BF markings yet as seen on its windy twin Hurricane....


Thursday, 5 May 2022 - 06:12

 

Post 7197

  Sea News, Dover

BORDER FORCE VALIANT
Zooming in....
Migrants brought ashore by the Border Force:
Some pictures above there of the Border Force in operation on 'Manic Monday' May 2nd. The day was very hectic with transgressors aplenty, proving somewhat that the Rwanda threat from our very own HMG is not deterring anybody.....we had numerous Border Force craft in action...the vessel above is Valiant as you can see, also in fast operation were the recently featured BF Typhoon and BF Hurricane (see further below)...as were the smaller BF patrol boats, and all the while we had helicopters whirring above us.
As with many others, we would like to see a safe solution found for the migrants.

Wednesday, 4 May 2022 - 07:42

 

Post 7196

  Sea News, Dover

AIDAsol
AIDAsol arriving here with us in Dover yesterday morning Monday May 2... time of shot approx 08.30...the fourth AIDA super cruise ship to call in as many weeks. See more below page and over. She is on a 4 day short cruise from Hamburg...calling Ijmuiden and Dover.

A very busy day in Dover yesterday re the Border Force/Migrant situation...much activity. We will have pictures soon...

Tuesday, 3 May 2022 - 07:02

 

Post 7195

  Sea News, Dover

Border Force Searcher above...
Several hundred migrants, we understand, made the trip across the channel yesterday Sunday despite the threat of Rwanda looming... a hugely unpopular policy by all accounts....but given some good weather then the migrant crossing situation may well go on..Rwanda or not..

We realised later when talking about the BF Hurricane yesterday that the pictures we had were lost in the enforced changeover...this section now being used was thankfully rebuilt again after our hacking experience and the pictures we used in our temporary location at top of page were lost, but its all back to normal now.....all fixed...
so here we are again.. Border Force Hurricane ....

BF Hurricane...we will have more in due course
this relates to yesterdays post see below..



Monday, 2 May 2022 - 07:29

 

Post 7194

  Sea News, Dover

Border Force...it looks like Border Force have a new addition to their working fleet and here she is...
well its not one we've seen before anyway. Very similar to BF Hurricane which we have featured previously... its Border Force Typhoon..

Border Force Typhoon, photographed early yesterday morning Saturday in grey conditions as she approached the Port of Dover. The weather brightened up later in the day but not in time for our shots of the Typhoon..

Its...Mayday...in the nicest sense of the word ...

Sunday, 1 May 2022 - 07:03

 

Post 7193

  Sea News, Dover

Just harking back a couple if days now to Wednesday and post 7189 below which features Duzgit Harmony. Well, some more hopefully enjoyable pictures now of Duzgit Harmony...you can see her above there as she approaches the Spirit of Britain in the bright sunshine Wednesday....Duzgit, a chemical tanker, is about to help ready the P&O ferry for its return to active service....

Another pic of Duzgit Harmony below from an earlier time...
Duzgit Harmony.

P&O's Spirit of Britain is back in service now after a slow start, carrying just a few trucks early on...but things have picked up. Her cross-channel trips seem fewer...a quieter schedule perhaps... she is the only P&O vessel operating between Dover and Calais at this time.

Saturday, 30 April 2022 - 06:19

 

Post 7192

  Sea News, Dover

Below we have a picture of the Spirit of Discovery leaving us again...this time setting off from Dover on a Baltic 15 day cruise with many highlights...Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen and of course many more....in former times it probably would have called in to St Petersburg too but not nowadays for obvious reasons...dont go there!
The Spirit of Discovery pictured on Wednesday evening as she paused briefly just outside Port....
further Spirit of Discovery pictures down page....
and you can always find anything in our Search Engine just above...

Friday, 29 April 2022 - 06:16

 

Post 7191

  Sea News, Dover

Isle of Inisheer
We promised a picture of the new addition to the Irish Ferries channel fleet and there it is...yes the Isle of Inisheer... picture taken yesterday morning Wednesday and since arrival the new ferry has been a busy busy bee...lots of trucks being carried all day. Its a smaller ferry but has an attractive different look...good for us photographers.

The situation with the P&O ferry Spirit of Britain is rather odd, all day yesterday Wednesday it made several runs to Calais but it appeared to be empty...still on 'trial runs' by the look of it, despite reports to the contrary in the national media.

UPDATE: P&O's Spirit of Britain coming into Port of Dover with a number of trucks onboard...time of this update 09.45 Thursday...So it looks like the P&O freight transporting has begun again in earnest. Will check further...



Thursday, 28 April 2022 - 06:51

 

Post 7190

  Sea News, Dover

Mein Schiff 3
Some fading light late evening postcard pictures there of the fab Mein Schiff 3 as she leaves Dover to continue her 7 day round trip cruise from Bremerhaven ...highlighting calls to Dover, Le Havre, Rotterdam....

Pictures taken late evening the 26th

Wednesday, 27 April 2022 - 20:09

 

Post 7189

  Sea News, Dover

P&O's Spirit of Britain may be back in working action today Wednesday but we will confirm that later.. she is no longer at pier Dover9 so she may be working. The picture above shows the ferry, bow inwards, at Dover9 yesterday Tuesday about to take bunkering services from a familiar 'face' .... bunker ship Duzgit Harmony ... afterwards she took another channel run..."sea trials" .. so all the signs indicate the Spirit is readying for action.

The pic below shows the small but delightfully formed Deutschland arriving with us here in Dover on Monday...at 4.30pm approx...a late in the day arrival for a short stay..

Deutschland on a flying visit...
she is on a 10 day round trip from Bremerhaven..majoring on Rouen, Honfleur, Antwerp plus...
We will have pix of the impressive giant Mein Schiff 3 following soon..
Spirit of Discovery back in with us today....
Also the new Irish Ferry (no 3) Isle of Inisheer also delivering trucks/freight this morning....so, lots happening...

UPDATE: the Spirit of Britain did a straight run from Calais this morning..arriving at the Port of Dover at 10am precisely.
She did NOT appear to be carrying any freight. Nothing emerged. So it looks like an empty ship.
There was much media talk about her back with freight today, but not so far ...
they may take vehicles on the return journey but there is no queue at this time..10.38am.


Wednesday, 27 April 2022 - 06:30

 

Post 7188

  Sea News, Dover

P&O's Spirit of Britain back in 'empty' action above on Monday afternoon (yesterday)...we presume on another 'sea trial' ... Yes picture was taken at 5pm yesterday just after she re-entered the Port of Dover. There is much talk of her resuming services this week but once again we have to wait and see on that one....

Below we have another shot of the Viking Venus arriving with us on Sunday....
Viking Venus

The smaller cruise Deutschland slipped in and out of Port yesterday
while today we have Mein Schiff 3 in port...a big one for sure ...



Tuesday, 26 April 2022 - 06:04

 

Post 7187

  Sea News, Dover

Viking Venus
Viking Venus was in with us again yesterday (Sunday 24). here she is arriving early morn...in fact at 07.30 exactly. Nice ship for sure. Venus is on a long cruise to Stockholm going up the Irish Sea route with many stops...first stop after Dover.. Dun Laoghaire Dublin, very nice, know it well...

Hurtigruten's Maud was also in Port yesterday. Always good to see Maud.

Below we see one of the Irish Ferries .. unfortunately at the time doing its bit for pollution. What ever the problem was it was soon fixed...we saw her again later in day and all was normal....whatever normal is...

Isle of Inishmore

A caption on the BBC website at the weekend, beneath a picture, says that P&O's Spirit of Britain has resumed services to Calais. This is wrong...it hasn't. She rejoined Dover9 at 8.08 pm Saturday night, after sea trials, and has remained there since...unmoved...

The recent picture below shows Spirit of Britain at Dover9...that's the current location...as we write at 07.30 Monday morning.



Monday, 25 April 2022 - 07:30

 

Post 7186

  Sea News, Dover

Further to the post below....

P&O's Spirit of Britain carried out trials in the channel for most of the day yesterday...she returned to her usual workaday operating slot on berth Dover9 last night at just a tad past 8pm...where she remains this morning at the time of writing 7am.

Sunday, 24 April 2022 - 07:05

 

Post 7185

  Sea News, Dover

Is this the return of P&O ??
picture taken a few moments ago as I write 07.30 Saturday...much activity...


Spirit of Britain, Pride of Kent...
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency have said..." The Spirit of Britain has been released from detention...."
so we wait and see.

Saturday, 23 April 2022 - 07:34

 

Post 7184

  Sea News, Dover

The Spirit of Discovery at Cruise Terminal 2 Port of Dover
The Spirit of Discovery:
When you see a ship in its natural surroundings at Port, it gives you a sense of the scale of the things...Spirit of Discovery, quite large, dominating its immediate surroundings. In the foreground there you can see one of the craft of the Maritime Skills Academy..we think it is anyway,
Maritime Skills Academy below...extra shot from a former time...training in the harbour at Port of Dover.
Maritime Skills Academy

Later in the day we see the Spirit of Discovery moving off...
Another one off to the captivating Fjords of Norway...pictures of the Spirit taken on Wednesday April 20.

See also the Royal Navy below : HMS Tyne

Friday, 22 April 2022 - 06:55

 

Post 7182

  Sea News, Dover

As promised, the extra picture of HMS Tyne above there. The migrant crossings continue apace, fueled by the good weather, so both Royal Navy and Border Force will continue to be busy.. the picture was taken on Tuesday morning as Tyne passed the Port of Dover...


Thursday, 21 April 2022 - 07:05

 

Post 7181

  Sea News, Dover

HMS Tyne: Yesterday we got a better opportunity for a picture or two of HMS Tyne as she passed the Port and then lingered. The picture above was taken at 07.20 yesterday morning Tuesday April 19...quite exciting, all after the recent Easter celebrations ( frustrations! ) came to an abrupt halt...the schools were back... the politicians were back..

...It was still misty but just that bit clearer, that looks like DFDS ferry Cote d'Opale in the background there... We might have a close up of Tyne to follow..working on it..

Two cruise ships in today Spirit of Discovery and Viking Venus...

Wednesday, 20 April 2022 - 07:15