Comments (Newest First):

 

Post 5512

  Sea News, Dover

The long range picture above was taken on Wednesday evening from yours truly's 'observation tower'. A beautiful evening it was. Well its not often you see the situation like this...some pretty good clarity above there and even the oul camera did its bit. Makes a change for sure from that extended period of damp foggy weather recently, when all you could see was the glass of wine at the end of your arm..

That's the Varne Lightship above there in mid channel, and in the far far distance is the town of Boulogne with the magnificent Cathedral at the top of the hill. Must get over there again soon...

Of course over in Boulogne you can see these guys below swimming about. Yes indeed..hold on to your hat its a mean looking shark. But be not alarmed, no not at all, as these sharks are not out in the open sea but safely held within the confines of Nausicaa over there. This picture was taken at Nausicaa there a few years back.
Don't go dangling yer toes in his particular pool..


Many thanks Andrew, good to hear from you as always and once again glad to get the extra info.

Nice collection of Maersk Connector below Mike and nice shot from Ramsgate too. Great stuff all round! Yes Ben got a very good one above.

Yes indeed Patrick...a big swimming event yesterday. Well done with those colourful shots. Glad you were able to get those.

PaulB

Sunday, 17 June 2018 - 06:53

 

Post 5511

  Patrick, Marine Parade

BLDSA (British Long Distant Swimming Association) ''Champion of Champions' Event held in Dover Harbour today.







Saturday, 16 June 2018 - 18:34

 

Post 5510

  Mike J., Dover

Superb photo of MAERSK CONNECTOR by Ben !
Here’s a few pix of her arrival on Friday morning - she’s involved with the ‘Nemo Link’ project with a power cable being laid between Pegwell Bay & Zeebrugge & is in port for a few days.




Poaching Sarah’s patch again !
The very smart Marine Society/Sea Cadets training vessel TS JACK PECHEY at Ramsgate on Tuesday, named after a major benefactor.






Saturday, 16 June 2018 - 10:14

 

Post 5509

  Andrew, Broadstairs

Thank you Paul for your excellent photos of RMS RUHRORT departing Dover for Rotterdam after loading a cargo of grain. I thought I ought to put it on record as it used to be an important, locally grown, export trade from the Granville dock It is good to see that the trade continues despite having to load and clear away the dust between the cruise terminals.

Saturday, 16 June 2018 - 08:29

 

Post 5508

  Sea News, Dover

Some shots now of general cargo ship RMS Ruhrort as she begins to make her way back to Rotterdam, accompanied below there in the pictures by the Pilot boat as she exits the harbour. She spent a couple of days here in the port ...not entirely sure what her cargo was but at a wild guess it was probably more vital equipment for the DWDR as it pushes forward. Ah - just had an update from Mike. RMS Ruhrort was in Dover to load grain.





Well done Mike - a nice collection below there of the all new fascinating Tug Innovation.

PaulB

Saturday, 16 June 2018 - 06:01

 

Post 5507

  Mike J., Dover

Dutch tug INNOVATION making her way back to the Tug Haven soon after Paul’s photos.
She had arrived from Southampton about 0700 & had just been out to sea on a PR trip.




She is brand new & is on tour as a ‘demonstrator’ for a new design of tug [‘Reverse stern drive 2513’ class ] from the big Dutch shipbuilder/ship repairer DAMEN [who now operate the former Arnos yard in Dunkirk, often visited by Dover’s ferries].

The INNOVATION has been in the Mediterranean & is now working her back to the Netherlands with further calls planned in Belgium & Denmark.

A marine journalist friend of mine visited her in Southampton & seemed to enjoy the experience -

. . . . .we had a presentation, tour and trip down to Netley including some very violent high-speed manoeuvring which they only carried out once the master and crew could see everyone firmly holding on !
It was needed as it was a roller-coaster ride, amazing amount of power ! . . . . . .

Sounds like fun.

Paul caught her returning from the demonstration trip mid-morning.
She left Dover about midday, headed for Rotterdam.

A very low spring tide this morning, with the INNOVATION visible in the distance amongst the other tugs.






Friday, 15 June 2018 - 01:47

 

Post 5506

  Sea News, Dover

Mike tipped me off about this modern new tug called Innovation... due to arrive in the port sometime soon...so I kept my eye out for it and here she is in rough wild weather this morning. Hot enough for June ?...I don't think so.





As you can see she has an unusual saucer like shape. A modern design from the Dutch shipbuilder Damen. Well I hope you can see fairly clearly anyway...the conditions were rough and blustery and that was just for yours truly holding the camera.
Twas wild out there...

This weather isn't in the script

PB

See todays earlier post below....

Thursday, 14 June 2018 - 15:31

 

Post 5505

  Sea News, Dover

Yesterday Wednesday we had a beautifully tranquil morning (its much fresher today Thursday)...gazing out from the 'observation tower' yours truly noticed two...what I thought were Border Force vessels .. so I hastily grabbed the camera but by then the leading craft was a bit too far away. The second one was captured though and that's her above. Not Border Force at all but the Royal Navy patrol vessel P167 HMS Exploit. Buildings on the French coast just visible there in the background.

Roughly at the same time this racing yacht came through, its from The Netherlands and there she goes looking good with the considerable potential for speed...name Boudraggon.
Ships that pass in the..ermmm...daylight..

Roll on Spike... by the way that's the small lighthouse at the west end of the breakwater featured in the pictures today.

Glad you are still enjoying the Sea News pages Vic. But sorry to hear you were in hospital with your leg. Yes indeed the NHS doctors and nurses are the best and they will look after you for sure, my daughter is a doctor in the NHS and yours truly has seen close hand the hours and dedication they put in. Yes a couple of days away is good for recovery.


PaulB

Thursday, 14 June 2018 - 06:08

 

Post 5504

  vic matcham, dover

Great shots of a great sailing ship and of the working at the Western end of the port.I have just had some surgery done to my leg at Margate I was well looked after like always, the NHS is very good and very good staff .Anyway we are looking to go away soon for just a few days.I am looking forward to seeing the Royal Port of DOVOR when all the work is done,but till then I will keep logging to the very good photos of the Doverforum sea news page which is the best. Thank you.

Wednesday, 13 June 2018 - 10:55

 

Post 5503

  Sea News, Dover

Yes indeed Barent Zanen is back with us and already in action bringing more sand in, as Patrick says, from the Thames Estuary. I took that shot above almost at the same time as Mike did further below (4983)... Mike was coming at it of course from the directly opposite angle, amazed he is not in the background of that picture above there. Also in picture is the newly arrived workboat/tug .. Kim. An evening shot, taken soon after Barent's arrival. In the far background you can see the magnificent Sea Cloud II as she sails off into the sunset ( well there wasn't much of a sunset but I couldn't resist that one!).

Another picture below of the DWDR operations as it powers forward. This time we have super tug ISA guiding the dredging platform Nordic Giant, while in the background one of the loaded Wadden barges heads off to the designated dropzone. Another evening shot.



Well done Patrick, some nice shots below there. Great work

PaulB

Wednesday, 13 June 2018 - 06:44

 

Post 5502

  Patrick, Marine Parade

As Mike J reported yesterday our favourite dredger - 'Barent Zanen' is back taking sand from the Thames dredging ground to pipe into the DWDR infill area.

Here on arrival at Dover the crew can be seen 'up front' preparing to connect to the floating pipeline.



Tuesday, 12 June 2018 - 23:15

 

Post 5501

  Patrick, Marine Parade

A couple more pictures of the special cruise barque - 'Sea Cloud II' - departing Dover yesterday en route to Portsmouth





Tuesday, 12 June 2018 - 12:05

 

Post 5500

  Sea News, Dover

Latest News from DFDS plus the Sea Cloud arrival...

DFDS COMPLETES MAJOR ACQUISITION AND SUBSTANTIAL FLEET INVESTMENT
_________________________________________________________________________

Following a successful first quarter in 2018, ferry operator DFDS has acquired the Turkish shipping company U.N. Ro-Ro and unveiled a substantial ship investment programme to drive continued growth in both trade and travel.

"I am very pleased to announce that on 7 June 2018, the deal was completed and U.N. Ro-Ro and its strong Mediterranean shipping network became a part of DFDS," said Niels Smedegaard, CEO & President of DFDS.

"Trade between the EU and Turkey has been booming for a long time and the future prospects are very encouraging for seaborne transportation, which bypasses border controls and road congestion in several countries" continued Smedegaard. "Together, we will be able to offer our customers a unique service, with U.N. Ro-Ro being strong in the Turkish and Mediterranean markets, and DFDS having a very efficient network in Northern Europe."

U.N. Ro-Ro operates five freight ferry routes connecting Turkey with Trieste in Italy and Toulon in France, with 12 freight ferries and its own port terminals in Istanbul and Trieste. In Europe, the company also offers intermodal solutions to and from other European markets. The company has an annual revenue of EUR 240 million and more than 500 employees.

In addition to this, DFDS has engaged in a substantial fleet renewal programme with seven ships on order. The programme began last year when two new ro-ro ferries were delivered from the Flensburg shipyard in Germany for services between Rotterdam and the UK. Furthermore, DFDS has ordered four ro-ro vessels from the Chinese Jinling Shipyard. The ships will be the largest in DFDS’ history with space for 450 trailers and will be deployed from 2019 in their ro-ro freight markets. This includes the North Sea, where trade and other markets are expected to grow in the future, despite Brexit.

DFDS is also investing in two ro-pax ships to cater for growing volumes in its Baltic route network from 2021. With 4,100 metres of lanes for cargo and capacity for 600 passengers, the ro-pax ships will be considerably larger than the current ships on the Baltic routes.

Additionally, DFDS has signed an agreement for the charter of a new ship for the English Channel, where the business operates two routes between Dover and France. The ship will replace the older Calais Seaways to provide far greater capacity, with space for 140 trailers compared to the current 80.

"I am really looking forward to getting this fantastic ship to boost the business on the Channel" says Kasper Moos, VP and Head of DFDS’ Eastern and Western Channel services. "This new ship gives us excellent opportunities to develop our business and will enable us to continue servicing our customers on a modern fleet in the future."

"With these investments, DFDS will be increasing its capacity and expanding its network to be in a strong position to take advantage of the economic growth we expect in Turkey, in the EU, and even in the UK after Brexit. This will enable us to be more efficient and contribute even more to customer growth in the future, for the benefit of trade and jobs," stated Niels Smedegaard, CEO of DFDS.

For more information, visit www.dfds.com.

ENDS


Many thanks to the team at DFDS for all the info above. Great news there for these changing times..

* *

Also yesterday was a very exciting day here at the Port of Dover with the arrival of the super elegant Sea CLoud II...what a fab ship. Chocolate box images now of her colourful early morning arrival ...




Here's one from a past visit below taken by one of the Port powerladies...



Ah some great pictures below there Mike. Man on the Spot. Great captures with the Castle behind. Ah yes we would love to see the ship under full sail. Maybe one day soon...



PaulB




Tuesday, 12 June 2018 - 06:42

 

Post 5499

  Mike J., Dover

The elegant SEA CLOUD 2 sailing at 1700 on Monday.
She looks good, but would have looked better with sails set !
No sign of them being set as she headed out to sea, bound for Portsmouth.



WULF 7 assisted SEA CLOUD’s departure,


The BARENT ZANEN is back in town.
Here she is, connected to the floating pipeline & about to start discharging, with the KIM in attendance.
An hour later she was returning to her dredging grounds in the southern North Sea, east of Harwich.





Tuesday, 12 June 2018 - 00:03

 

Post 5498

  Sea News, Dover

This is the magnificent Celebrity Silhouette passing us by on Friday evening in grand elegant style. A large ship for sure and heading along the coast in blazing sunshine to Southampton. We don't have her full itinerary but there she goes .. and looking good...
She came in here to the Port of Dover on previous occasions...here is a shot below of her departing the Port in 2015...


Also don't miss todays other post below.
Will have more pictures of the fabulous Sea Cloud II in the morning all being well... working on those as we speak.

PB

Monday, 11 June 2018 - 17:38

 

Post 5497

  Sea News, Dover

Regatta: This was a very quiet event, no pre-publicity that we knew of here anyway, but obviously well known in rowing circles as there were lots of crews taking part. We just have a small amount of pictures here just to mark the occasion. Top shot above there shows the competitive teams racing hard...while below we have a couple of longer distance pix of the beach at various stages during the event.

The event took place on Saturday.

The shot below isn't terribly exciting, in fact it could possibly work as a cure for insomnia if you stare at it long enough...however it marks an occasion for us here on Sea News so we can let everyone know that the Dover 9 daily berthing/docking arrangements seem to be back in full swing. The pier has been out of action for some time.


* *

It is potentially a grim prospect - but Charlie has an optimistic take on things below here ...



How traffic and trade can flow freely after Brexit
_____________________________________________

Dear Mr Boland,

Up to 10,000 trucks pass through the Port of Dover every day. Line them all up and you get 180 kilometres of lorries. Enough to queue all the way up the M20 and round the M25. This grim picture is every motorist’s idea of hell. And that’s before you take the Channel Tunnel, which is the same again.

This is why we’ve got to keep trade flowing freely across the border post-Brexit. That means building resilient roads – dualling the A2 all the way to Dover and opening up more lorry parking facilities.

Whether we were leaving Europe or not, it’s investment we desperately need anyway. This past Bank Holiday weekend, we had queues of lorries stretching back along the A20 to the Roundhill Tunnels. We’re a victim of our own success. Dover is still the best and most popular way of getting to Europe for tourists and truckers. And it’s going to get busier.

Over the next 10 years a huge £6 billion is being spent on the Lower Thames Crossing. To take pressure off Dartford, two three-lane tunnels are being dug under the Thames to link the M25 near North Ockendon, Essex, with the A2 near Shorne, Kent.

In order for this scheme to be a success it is vital the A2 is dualled. The previous Labour government axed plans for this essential infrastructure – but we’ve been working relentlessly to get the scheme back on the table. The new Thames Crossing opens in 2027. By 2030, freight traffic at Dover is set to have risen 40%. A single carriageway is simply inadequate.

The Port of Dover say that if the A2 was fully dualled, a second ‘Dover TAP’ scheme could be used on this route. Like the current A20 TAP, it would involve queueing lorries in the left-hand lane when there are delays at the port. They say this would cost less than the £250 million quoted for the axed Stanford lorry park plan.

Yet this alone is not enough. I’m deeply concerned that a new A2 Dover TAP – along with the proposed Operation Brock ‘contraflow’ on the M20 – would turn the roads to Dover into one long rolling lorry park. Our town would be cut off from the rest of Kent. And everyone knows what a battle it was to sort out the A20 TAP scheme.

That’s why it’s just common sense to build more lorry parking facilities, like at the Stop 24 services off junction 11 on the M20. Brenley Corner on the A2 is another option. And we need a wider network of lorry parks up and down the country.

Combined, Dover and Eurotunnel handle 30% of the UK’s trade in goods – around £210 billion. So this isn’t just a local issue. This is a national priority. It’s high time we had real investment in East Kent’s roads – and I will keep fighting for it.


Charlie Elphicke MP for DOVER and DEAL

* *

Like it Del ... a birdland in the sky with lots of fish n chips...delish !
- Very tempting - Im going there but not anytime soon.


Well done Harald, excellent pictures from Rotterdam below there.
Really good to see those. Rotterdam pictures always welcome.


Sea Cloud II approaching....looking fab...


PaulB


Monday, 11 June 2018 - 06:16

 

Post 5496

  Del Styan, Norwich

Love your Gull shots - I hope Oscar went to that great birdhouse in the sky where every day is full of fish - and maybe the odd chip.
And well done Patrick for scaling the Heights to give us such good photos.

Sunday, 10 June 2018 - 23:05

 

Post 5495

  Harald Boot, Tholen, The Netherlands

The Spirit of Britain at Damen Verolme in Rotterdam yesterday. I wonder if they will change the logo now.




Sunday, 10 June 2018 - 11:09

 

Post 5494

  Sea News, Dover

A large rowing regatta was on yesterday here in the Port of Dover...we may have pictures of that to come, still to be sorted, but this one above is not from the regatta but taken a few days earlier. It shows a group of youngsters powering along out there in their canoes/kayaks. It was a much larger group than shown, say 20 to 25 all together and impressively looking good. Just managed to capture a small section of them above there.

Was searching now for a bit of frivolity for a sunday morning...and for some reason the gulls came to mind. Some from the archives here and some new.
The first shot shows 'Oscar' .. that's what my daughter called him as he lived up here alongside us on the dizzy heights of the 'observation tower' for years and years, but sadly now passed on.

Below we have your standard 2.1 gull family... basking on the beach.


And below the more unusual black winged variety...variety is the spice of life, so they say... and here we are.



Ahhh very nice shots below there Patrick. I can picture you now, the intrepid explorer extraordinaire making his way through the undergrowth and overgrowth to get those pictures.. great stuff!


PaulB

Sunday, 10 June 2018 - 08:13

 

Post 5493

  Patrick, Marine Parade

A slightly different view of the DWDR work. Yours truly edged through thorny undergrowth near the top of the Grand Shaft to get these shots through a convenient gap in the tree-line just enough to frame and capture these views.





Saturday, 9 June 2018 - 14:50