PRINCESS NADIA

The oil/bulk ore carrier PRINCESS NADIA was still discharging her cargo of coal at Hunterston late this afternoon. Built in Korea in 1987 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, she was originally named CHICKASAW, and operated for Hong Kong owners. Of 152,238 tonnes deadweight, she is 280.14 metres overall, and is operated by Ultrapetrol (Bahamas) Ltd. Her managers are Ravenscroft Ship Management, an American company.

STAR OPTIMANA

The latest member of the Star Shipping fleet to call at Greenock arrived this afternoon. STAR OPTIMANA, built by Oshima Shipbuilding in Japan, and completed in October 2003, sailed from Vancouver on 12th April, and passed through the Panama Canal on the 24th. She and her sisterships are amongst the largest cargo ships able to use the Canal. 199 metres in length, STAR OPTIMANA has a deadweight of 50,470 tonnes, and as well as palletised cargoes of wood products including woodpulp, she can carry up to 2,286 TEU containers. Like her sister STAR OSAKANA, this ship is registered in Singapore and is owned by Masterbulk Pte, a subsidiary of the Norwegian Westfal-Larsen company. Svitzer's WARRIOR III was made fast alongside to assist turning STAR OPTIMANA before she berthed, while Sir Arnold Clark's yacht DRUM can be seen in the distance off Helensburgh.

PHAROS

Fresh from the Garvel repair yard at Greenock where she received her guarantee drydocking, PHAROS set sail this afternoon to resume duty for the Northern Lighthouse Board. Seen passing Cloch Lighthouse, she was heading for Lamlash Bay. The little tug TIOGA B is heading upriver in the background.

FS LION - A755

Also visiting Glasgow was FS LION, a training ship belonging to the French Navy, and based at Brest. Built at Lorient, this vessel was the last of eight similar ships and was commissioned in 1983. At 335 tonnes displacement, she is 43 metres in length.

FS THÉTIS - A785

After a few days in King George V Dock, the French Mine Countermeasures War Experimental Ship THÉTIS sailed this morning, together with FS LION. THÉTIS, which was built at Lorient, joined the French Navy in 1988 and is a 900-tonne displacement ship of 59 metres length. Designed for evaluating different types of mine detection equipment, she can also be used as a minelayer. THÉTIS is based at Brest.

ARKLOW RALLY

ARKLOW RALLY, operated by the Dutch division of Arklow Shipping, arrived at the 'Bravo' anchorage early this morning, dropping anchor shortly after CLARA K. left for Shieldhall. ARKLOW RALLY was built at Lemmer in Holland by Scheepswerf Bijlsma in 2002, the first of three similar ships for Arklow. Her deadweight is 4,400 tonnes, and she is 89.95 metres long. She later moved upriver to load scrap metal at Diesel Wharf.

CLARA K.

Another coaster, in for scrap, arrived this afternoon. This ship, CLARA K., anchored at the 'Bravo' anchorage and is now awaiting a berth upriver. Dutch owned and registered, CLARA K. is one of a number of similar ships all of which are operated by Alstership and managed by the Management Facilities Group. One of her sisters - KARL-JACOB K. - was on the Clyde just a couple of days ago, also loading scrap for Spain.

VELAZQUEZ

The third arrival, just a few minutes later, was another container ship heading for Ocean Terminal, VELAZQUEZ, working on one of MacAndrews' two services from the UK to the Iberian peninsula. Inward from Liverpool and Dublin, she sailed this afternoon for Rotterdam, Lisbon and Leixoes. MERIWA, also running on the MacAndrews charters, arrived a bit later and anchored at the Tail o' the Bank until this afternoon.

JASON

Second arrival today was JASON, a 3,740 tonne deadweight coaster only delivered to Wessels a few months ago from the same shipyard as ARGOS and KASTOR. JASON is the third ship of the class to have visited the Clyde recently, arriving this morning from Silloth, and heading upriver this afternoon to Renfrew to load scrap metal.

JUPITER

Hard on the heels of VEGA STOCKHOLM were two other visitors, both seen coming up the main channel towards Cloch point, with the CalMac car ferry JUPITER making her way from Dunoon to Gourock. JUPITER will soon be due to visit the Garvel Drydock for her annual Passenger Certificate renewal - the dock is currently occupied by WAVERLEY, which returned from her weekend's sailings out of Oban on Tuesday.