MV Lyttelton
L-R: Ventura, Arcadia, Aurora and Oriana line the western docks in Southampton under unseasonally grey summer skies
Outbound Azura, built specifically for the UK cruise market, gets up speed as she approaches Calshot Castle at the southern end of Southampton Water
Bridge was built in 1955 engineers had to ensure it was high enough for sugar laden ships to pass under it. As ships have increased in size their arrivals now have to be carefully planned around tides to ensure a safe 'air draft' under the bridge. The tonnage of raw sugar carried on the MV Lyttelton is nearly 1300 tonnes greater than any previous consignment, and is significantly larger than the typical cargo of about 27,500 tonnes.
MIGHT IS RIGHT
When will some folk learn that when at sea, especially in a harbour, 'Might is Right' and that they should stay clear? Here we have the FV Sea Urchin making a beeline for her berth in Auckland's Viaduct. Is he not looking at the big blue containership coming out from Fergusson?! Not listening to his radio? Not using his eyes until given a wake up call by the master on the ships horn? To the skipper in charge of Sea Urchin: no, the master of the big blue ship did not have to give way to you!
A GRAND EVENT
Australian marine photographer Andrew Makinnon, a regular contributor to Auckland-based website www.Seapixonline.com, is currently working on the waters of the Solent off the south coast of England. This has given him some wonderful opportunities to turn his camera on the plethora of cruise ships arriving and departing the port of Southampton.
Sea Urchin FOG SHROUDS MAIDEN VOYAGE
Introduced to the Wallenius Wilhelmsen fleet late last year, the 265m Parsifal, named after a Wagnerian opera, was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan with 138,000 cubic metres of cargo space.
She has six fixed and three moveable decks so she can be configured to accommodate all cargo sizes such as automobiles, trucks and excavation and agricultural equipment.
His arrival in the UK proved fortuitous as within days P&O Cruises 175th anniversary celebration on July 3, with 'The Grand Event', a never-before gathering of the company's entire fleet of seven cruise ships: Arcadia, Oriana, Aurora, Oceana, Azura, Ventura, and Adonia in port simultaneously. Sadly the weather, despite being the middle of summer, was dire and the flying displays by the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic team scheduled for the fleet's arrival and departure were cancelled due to the abnormally low cloud base and heavy rain. Not one to be deterred by weather, Andrew frequents the often inclement waters of Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, when at home, he made sure he at least had a few pictures to remember the event by. Unfortunately Andrew had not yet departed for the UK when Cunard also had the Diamond Jubilee celebratory gathering of their three Queens, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth at the port. However, luckily, this auspicious gathering occurred again on July 14, when Andrew was well positioned to get two lovely shots of the three iconic ships together as they departed in daylight.
Anyone wanting to contact Andrew about these or any others in his vast library, can email Andrew via his website at www.aquamanships.com.
Her owners claim her to be the most fuel-efficient vessel in their fleet due to her optimised hull form which includes a streamlined rudder and a duck-tail at her stern. Her advanced turbo generator produces electricity from waste, exhaust and heat. These features combine to reduce her emissions per cargo unit by 10-15 percent. She is sister ship to Tonsberg which has visited Auckland a number of times. Anyone hoping to see Parsifal on her maiden arrival in Auckland were, however disappointed. She was barely visible through the fog which we have been seeing with increasing frequency recently.
September/October 2012 Professional Skipper 69
