FALCON outbound

The Gibraltar-flagged tanker FALCON sailed from Rothesay Dock today, having discharged another cargo of fuel at the NuStar oil terminal. FALCON, which was heading for Milford Haven, is seen passing the Ashton Buoy.

SEA TROJAN and barge

A small tug was noted this morning, bringing a barge to Greenock. She was the former harbour tug SEA TROJAN, built in 1962 by the John Lewis and Sons yard for Aberdeen Harbour Board.

After leaving the barge at Greenock, SEA TROJAN, which is now owned by Heysham Boat Charter Ltd, left immediately for Liverpool. SEA TROJAN is 26.85 metres long, and 177 gross tons. She retains her original 6 cylinder National oil engine, which gives her a bollard pull of 14.5 tonnes.

GRAND PRINCESS inbound

A view of the aft end of Princess Cruises' GRAND PRINCESS as she headed upriver this morning to Greenock on her third visit to the Clyde this summer. In common with several other ships in the company's fleet, across the stern, several feet above the waterline, is 'Skywalkers Nightclub'. Many of the cabins on this ship have balconies, which can be seen protruding over the numerous lifeboats and tenders the ship carries. GRAND PRINCESS is due to make one final visit to Greenock this year, on August 23.

AASLI inbound

Arriving again from Glensanda, the Norwegian coaster AASLI was able to proceed straight to Glasgow this afternoon, and is seen passing McInroy's Point having just embarked her pilot from the Clydeport cutter MOUNT STUART, seen speeding back to Greenock. AASLI is just one of three Aasen Shipping vessels on the Clyde this evening; AASFJORD arrived tonight from Port Talbot with a cargo of cement, while AASHEIM is presently loading coal at Hunterston, for shipment to Manisty.

c. COLUMBUS

Catching some early evening sun as she makes her way down the Clyde past Inverkip today, Hapag-Lloyd's c. COLUMBUS is the second of the comany's cruise ships to have visited the Clyde this year. Smaller than her fleetmate EUROPA, which was anchored off Ayr a month ago, c. COLUMBUS was built by MTW Schiffswerft at Wismar, being completed in June 1997. Just 114.13 metres long, she is 14,903 gross tons, and has accommodation for up to 423 passengers. Her dimensions allow her to sail through the locks in the Great Lakes area of the USA and Canada, including the St Lawrence Seaway and the Welland Canal. c. COLUMBUS is currently on a cruise that started from, and will finish at, Cuxhaven, sailing around the British Isles. Her arrival this morning was from Stornoway, and her next port is Dublin.

SD IMPULSE - A344

SD IMPLUSE steams purposefully past McInroy's Point this afternoon as she heads for Campbeltown in company with SD DEXTEROUS to assist berthing the MoD chartered tanker MAERSK RAPIER. SD IMPULSE now wears the red funnel colours that have been adopted by Serco-Denholm for the former RMAS ships.

At Anchor

Another view of APOLLO CONDOR, which lay at the 'Bravo' anchorage until this afternoon before heading upriver to Glasgow with her cargo of cement. In this view, APOLLO CONDOR almost appears to have gained a new addition in the form of an excavator, belonging of course to AASLI which arrived this morning. She too had to anchor while she awaited an improvement in visibility on the river before being allowed to proceed to Clydebank, where she will discharge her cargo of aggregates from Glensanda.

HMS EXPLOIT - P176

One of the 'Archer' Class Fast Training Boats spent last night in the Clyde Marina at Ardrossan. HMS EXPLOIT, which is home to Birmingham University Royal Navy Unit, was built in1988 by Vosper Thorneycroft. EXPLOIT was recently in Stornoway, attending the Sail Hebrides Maritime Festival in company with another of the University training boats.

WAVERLEY

Usually on a Sunday, the paddle steamer WAVERLEY gives a popular cruise from the Upper Firth to Lochranza, but today she was on a private charter to what seemed to be a very select group of passengers. With only around a dozen aboard, she cruised from Greenock around Bute, sailing in glorious sunshine via the east coast of the island and north about through the West Kyle. She returned to Greenock mid-afternoon, and as seen here, was dressed fore and aft for her special sailing.

AGDASH outbound

Outbound for Amsterdam this afternoon with a cargo of clean oils, the Palmali tanker AGDASH has become a fairly regular sight on the Clyde. After spending a few days lying at anchor in Irvine Bay, she moved to Finnart early on Saturday morning.

APOLLO CONDOR

One of four similar vessels in the Apollo Shipping fleet - her sisters are APOLLO EAGLE, FALCON and HAWK, all of which have been seen previously on the Clyde - arrived today with a cargo of cement from Germany. She was built as ALICE BOLTEN in 1972, by the Van der Giessen-de Noord shipyard at Alblasserdam in the Netherlands. The following year she was renamed BAUCIS, and in 1988 she became ENDURANCE. A further name change took place in 1990, when she became LINDE II. In 1993 she was given a major rebuild, like her sisters underwent too, and emerged from the Spanish yard carrying out the work as ROSALI. Following another refit in 1997, she took her present name in 2001. APOLLO CONDOR is now 101.17 metres in length, with a deadweight of 6,341 tonnes.

DONG-A HERMES

The first ship to arrive at Hunterston with a cargo of coal since the recent shutdown for repairs to the unloaders, was seen this afternoon as she rounded the north end of Great Cumbrae and made her way at a sedate pace toward the deepwater terminal. DONG-A HERMES, which now flies the South Korean flag, was built in 1992 in Italy, being completed as MARIA REBECCA. In 1996, she was renamed BULKTIRRENO, and in 2003 became CAPTAIN VANGELIS L. She took her present name earlier this year when she was acquired by her current owners. DONG-A HERMES is 278.2 metres long, and has a deadweight of 146,115 tonnes. She is seen with the CalMac ferry LOCH SHIRA passing en route to Largs, and the tugs AYTON CROSS and SVITZER MALLAIG in attendance. WARRIOR III also gave a hand berthing the ship - she was waiting a little further down the Hunterston Channel.

SCOT VENTURE

Outbound this morning from Glasgow's King George V Dock, where she had loaded a cargo of round timber, SCOT VENTURE was seen as she headed down the firth past Lunderston Bay. Built in 2002 at the Tille Shipyard in the Netherlands, the 3,330 tonne deadweight coaster, which is 89.98 metres in length, was sailing for Hallstavik in Sweden. SCOT VENTURE has been seen previously at Sandbank, on a visit to the Clyde last September.

Greenock Ocean Terminal

Two ships at Greenock Ocean Terminal this evening both of which sailed later for Rotterdam. Closest is LYSBRIS, one of the DFDS Lys Line vessels which call regularly at Greenock with paper from Scandinavia. Berthed stern to stern with her is the containership HELGALAND, a newcomer to the Clyde this month, and which paid her first visit to Greenock two weeks ago. She is running on the MacAndrews UK/Europe/Portugal service, and is a Sietas Type 172 ship, one of eight built in 2003, which included her running mate VELAZQUEZ. HELGALAND, which was launched as HELGA, flies the Red Ensign, like a number of similar German-owned ships taking advantage of the UK's Tonnage Tax regime. She has a deadweight of 8,622 tonnes, and the 137.5 metre long ship can carry up to 822 TEUs.

SATURN

CalMac's 1978-built SATURN was back up-Firth this evening, following a breakdown earlier today of the Rothesay ferry BUTE. As both BUTE and ARGYLE are lying at Rothesay tonight, and in view of the weather conditions, it was decided to berth SATURN at Wemyss Bay when she arrived there tonight after completing her day's duties as the secondary Arran ferry. SATURN will take over BUTE's sailing on Thursday morning, remaining on the Upper Firth until BUTE returns to service.

KYLES

One of the other exhibits belonging to the Scottish Maritime Museum does, however, appear to be having some attention given to her. She is the Paisley-built coaster KYLES, a product of the John Fullerton shipyard and dating from 1872. As such, she is considered to be the oldest Clydebuilt vessel still afloat in the UK, although she was taken out of the water after SPARTAN had vacated the slip a few months ago. KYLES was originally steam driven, but was converted to diesel power in 1953. She served a number of owners over the years, in a variety of roles, and was acquired by the Museum in the early 1980s. She was purchased and restored to 1953 condition, and from 1999 was on display at the Museum's Braehead location. KYLES is, like many of the UK's elderly ships, listed on the Register of Historic Vessels. Surprisingly, throughout her long life, she has always carried the same name.

CARRICK

Having been in the 'care' of the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine since 1992, the hull of the former Glasgow RNVR clubhouse CARRICK has been sitting on the slip which was originally part of the Ayrshire Dockyard awaiting restoration. However, as her condition has substantially deteriorated with the passage of time, her future appears to be very bleak indeed. She was built as CITY OF ADELAIDE on the River Wear in 1864, and started life carrying passengers and cargo to Australia, returning with wool, wheat and copper. After a variety of other careers, she became the drill ship for the Clyde Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, based in the Great Harbour. After the Second World War she moved to Glasgow, and was a well known sight for several years as she sat at Custom House Quay. As one of the two last remaining composite ships, the other being CUTTY SARK, she is historically significant, but was threatened in 2007 with demolition. Since then, moves have been made to try to secure a future for the 144-year old ship, with an attempt to remove her to Australia for preservation even under discussion. Regardless, it really does appear that time is running out fast for this historic vessel.

SPARTAN

Seen entering the River Irvine this afternoon, the preserved puffer SPARTAN was returning to the Scottish Maritime Museum from her weekend sojourn at the Glasgow River Festival. However, as the lower picture reveals, she was actually under tow, and power was today being provided by Taylor and Taylor's tug RED COUNTESS.

The pair are seen again moments later as they passed through the bridge crossing the River Irvine to the now defunct 'Big Idea' science centre. RED COUNTESS was used during the Glasgow River Festival to assist WAVERLEY to turn in the confines of the river channel at Glasgow, as NORNA was preventing her from using the Princes Dock entrance as usual. The tug later returned to her usual berth at Troon.

LYSHAV

Arriving this afternoon, LYSHAV was seen as she passed Cloch Point with the Arran hills prominent on the skyline. The Norwegian-flagged ship was arriving on the Lys Line's Irish service from Scandinavia with a cargo of paper, and later sailed for Drogheda, a few miles north of Dublin in eastern Ireland. LYS HAV is DFDS Lys Line's smallest ship at 3,040 tonnes deadweight, with a length of 85.0 metres. She was built in Sweden in 1985.

Glasgow River Festival - 2

Lying at Stobcross Quay, now the highest navigable point on the Clyde for any but the smallest vessels, the minehunters QUORN (inb oard) and MIDDLETON were representing the Royal Navy, with the Northern Lighthouse Board's POLE STAR also open to the public.

To get to their berths below the Finnieston crane, the ships had to pass through the Millennium Bridge and Bell's Bridge. POLE STAR sailed late on Sunday evening, heading back to her Oban base. MIDDLETON was one of the two 'Hunt' class ships built on the Clyde by Yarrow Shipbuilders, more recently known as BAE Systems Scotstoun. QUORN, like the rest, was built by Vosper Thorneycroft at Woolton. Both builders have now formed a merged company, known as BVT Surface Fleet, to build the Navy's two new aircraft carriers.

Offering short cruises down the Clyde past Govan were Clyde Marine's KENILWORTH and THE SECOND SNARK. The latter is seen here departing from Plantation Quay and about to pass Glasgow's own 'Tall Ship', GLENLEE. THE SECOND SNARK celebrated the 70th anniversary of her launch a few weeks ago, having been built by Denny at Dumbarton for their own use as a tug and to tender to new ships running their trials on the Clyde. She spent some years on the Firth of Forth, having used the Caledonian Canal to travel east, and again to return to the Clyde when she was purchased by Munro's in 1969.

One of the smaller vessels on display was not far from her original home. The preserved passenger ferry No. 8 (she has no other official name) was built at Renfrew in 1951, and after a spell at Govan was employed on the Kelvinhaugh ferry across the Clyde just a few yards downstream. She was withdrawn in 1980 and sold to the Forth and Clyde Canal Society, for whom she sailed from Kirkintilloch for a number of years. More recently, she returned to the Clyde, having been taken over by the Clyde Maritime Trust, owners of the GLENLEE. No. 8 now spends most of her time berthed alongside GLENLEE, but does make the occasional special sailing.

Glasgow River Festival - 1

Some of the vessels attending the Glasgow River Festival are seen in this, and the following post. SPARTAN, which has recently been given a major refurbishment at Irvine, is the last remaining vessel built at the Hays shipyard at Kirkintilloch, on the Forth and Clyde Canal, once a prolific builder of puffers. Originally steam driven, she was built in 1942 as VIC 18 for the Admiralty, and was purchased by Hays, who also operated puffers themselves, after the war ended. Like many other VIC type vessels, she was later converted to diesel power, and given improved accommodation for her crew. As built, her profile would have been simlar to that of VIC 32. SPARTAN now belongs to the Scottish Maritime Museum.

Berthed beside SPARTAN was the Dutch three-masted schooner LOTH LORIEN, an interesting old ship built in 1907 as a Norwegian ketch-rigged herring lugger. She lay neglected from 1944 until a new owner from Holland took her over in 1989, and restored her. Measuring 37.6 metres in length, and 48 metres including her bowsprit, she has been adapted for cruising and can now carry parties of up to 90 people on day cruises, or she can accommodate 34 passengers in luxurious cabins for longer sailings.

In the former Princes Dock, the former Fleetwood trawler JACINTA was berthed, and like many of the ships present, was open to the public. Many of her crew are former fishermen, and they explained how she was operated, visitors being able to view much of interest aboard JACINTA, now preserved as a museum ship dedicated to the harsh working life of a deep sea fisherman.

Also berthed in Princes Dock was the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's NORNA, also open to the public. NORNA, built in 1987, is normally based at Greenock and is a regular sight on the Clyde as she heads out on patrol.

NORWEGIAN JADE

Although Norwegian Cruise Line ships have visited the Clyde in the past, this is the first time that their NORWEGIAN JADE has called at Greenock. Completed as PRIDE OF HAWAII by the Meyer Werft shipyard at Papenburg in Germany in 2006, she was initially used in the American markets before being transferred to Europe, and renamed in the spring of this year. NORWEGIAN JADE is currently the largest ship in her owner's present fleet, and has a gross tonnage of 93,558 tons. She is 294.14 metres long, and is halfway through a cruise around the British Isles and Northern Europe. Traces of her previous incarnation can still be seen in the shape of the red and yellow blossoms on her white paintwork in the gallery deck running across her aft end. She originally had similar decorations painted on her hull where the pale green design now adorns her bows.

ALSERBACH

Seen departing this afternoon, the Dutch coaster ALSERBACH was heading for Bilbao with a cargo of scrap metal for recycling. She entered service in 1997 as CLAUDIA ISABELL, her hull having being built at the Rybinsk shipyard on the River Volga, and completed by Schiffswerft Hugo Peters at Weselsfleth. She is 88.2 metres in length and her deadweight is 4,490 tonnes. She is operated by the Dutch company Management Facilities Group.

WILLOWGARTH

As the Svitzer Clyde tug fleet is currently just two strong - SVITZER MALLAIG and WARRIOR III - to help berthing the tanker NAROVA at Finnart, the tug WILLOWGARTH was brought over from Belfast, and SD-IMPULSE was also used for the manoeuvre. WILLOWGARTH is no stanger to the Clyde, having been used on the river many times before. She was built in 1989 by Richards at Lowestoft, and is 31.6 metres long. The 392 gross ton tug has a bollard pull of 45 tonnes, and is driven by two Ruston main engines driving Niigata azimuthing propellers. WILLOWGARTH was seen through the rain as she passed Cloch Point on her way back to Belfast.

NAROVA and WAVERLEY

A tanker that had been lying off Irvine for a few days made her way up the firth today and was seen passing Dunoon as WAVERLEY sailed for Rothesay on her short afternoon cruise. The tanker, NAROVA, is owned by a Greek company, Cavodoro Shipping, and has a deadweight of 143,895 tonnes. She has an overall length of 274.3 metres, and was built in 1992 by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) at their shipyard at Chiba, in Japan.

JACINTA

One of the interesting vessels visiting the Clyde this weekend to take part in the Glasgow River Festival is the former stern trawler JACINTA. She was built in 1972 by Clelands Shipbuilders at Wallsend-upon-Tyne for Fleetwood owners J Marr and Son. She is 151 feet long, and has a gross tonnage of 599 tons. Following a number of highly successful years of fishing off the coasts of Iceland and Greenland, JACINTA was moved to a new base at Hull, from which she achieved the accolade of top earning British trawler in 1986, and again in 1994. However, in 1994 she sustained serious damage to her English Electric main engine, and was laid up. The following year saw her being sold for preservation, and after the princely sum of £1 was handed over, she left Hull under tow for her old home at Fleetwood. In 2001, a replacement engine was fitted, and she has since toured around the UK on courtesy visits.

PETUJA outbound

Seen sailing this afternoon, PETUJA is still operating on the weekly DFDS Suardiaz Line UK-Spain service. This week she sailed directly from Avonmouth to Greenock rather than calling at Dublin on her way north. Instead, she was heading for the Irish capital on the southbound leg of this sailing, before continuing on to Bilbao.

VELAZQUEZ inbound

Well laden today, although judging by her draft it appears that she was carrying a number of empty containers, the British-flagged, but German-owned, container ship VELAZQUEZ was seen arriving this afternoon from Liverpool on her usual MacAndrews sailing.

SAMOS SKY

Built at Leningrad in 1981 by Baltiyskiy Zavod, SAMOS SKY was originally named PREMNITZ and was part of the East German merchant fleet. By 1997, she had been renamed SAMOS SKY, and was sailing for Safe Seaways Ltd, who still own her now. Carrying a cargo of animal feed, she had previously done a part discharge at Belfast before heading up the Clyde this morning to Shieldhall. The 38,250 tonne deadweight ship, which has an overall length of 199.80 metres, is wearing the funnel colours of her charterers, Rudolf A Oetker, part of the Hamburg Süd group.

HMS WALNEY - M104

Little else appeared to moving on the Clyde this morning, but HMS WALNEY was noted exercising in lower Loch Long, and at one point the 'Sandown' class minehunter briefly entered the mouth of the Holy Loch, as seen here with Strone Point in the background. She later returned to Loch Long.

FJORDTANK

Another tanker seen leaving the Clyde today was the much smaller vessel FJORDTANK, which after spending yesterday in Brodick Bay, moved early this morning to Garelochhead to deliver a cargo of fuel to the Clyde Naval Base. Built in 1986 in Japan, FJORDTANK was originally named YAMABISHI MARU No. 21, before becoming TRITON IV in 1999. She took her current name two years later. A small vessel of 1,116 tonnes deadweight, she has an overall length of 64.50 metres. She is now operated by Sea Tank Chartering, on behalf of her Norwegian owners, Fjord Tankers. She flies the Panamanian ensign, and was heading for Antwerp this evening.

AGSU

The newest ship delivered to the Palmali Group from the Krasnoye Sormovo Shipyard on the River Volga is AGSU, the third Project 19619 tanker in a series of five being built for the company. Handed over in May, AGSU was seen today sailing from Finnart where she had loaded product for Le Havre. Like her sisters AGDASH and MASALLI, she is 150.15 metres overall and has a deadweight of 13,030 tonnes.

Trident sub inbound

One of the four Ballistic Submarines (SSBN) belonging to the Royal Navy was out in the Firth today undergoing some exercises. Judging by some of the missing panels on her hull, this particular vessel does not appear to be HMS VICTORIOUS, which returned to Faslane early yesterday morning following a £270 million refit at Devonport, which lasted over three years.

CUMBRIAN FISHER inbound

Passing Greenock Esplanade this evening, the products tanker CUMBRIAN FISHER was seen as she made her way upriver to Rothesay Dock to discharge her cargo of fuel from Amsterdam. Owned by a company based in the Marshall Islands, she is chartered to, and operated by, James Fisher Everard Ltd. CUMBRIAN FISHER was built by the Samho Shipbuilding Co in South Korea, and was handed over in December 2004. The 127.2 metre long ship has a deadweight of 12,923 tonnes. She has a Canadian master, and British and Polish officers, with a Filipino crew, and is a sister ship of CLYDE FISHER, a vessel that has featured here a number of times.

CHRISTOS

Heading upriver this afternoon, the bulk carrier CHRISTOS was carrying a cargo of animal feed to be discharged at Shieldhall. She was built in 1983 in Japan as RUTH VENTURE, then was renamed POOJA then years later, and almost immediately JAG RADHIKA. At that time, she was a member of the Great Eastern Shipping Co fleet, and flew the Indian flag. 188.4 metres long, she has a deadweight of 41,502 tonnes, and became CHRISTOS in 2002. She is now registered in the Cayman Islands. She is operated by Allseas Marine SA, a Greek company which manages a large fleet of tankers and bulk carriers worldwide.

ARTEMIS

ARTEMIS, seen at Hatston Pier at Kirkwall in Orkney at the beginning of last week while I was on holiday there, now wears the standard P&O yellow funnel, but otherwise presents a similar profile to the one she came out of the builders yard with in 1984, when built as ROYAL PRINCESS.

Yesterday's ClydeSights: ROYAL PRINCESS

One of the Clyde's regular visitors for many years was Princess Cruises' ROYAL PRINCESS, which each summer called at Greenock while on cruises around the British Isles. She was built in Finland in 1984 and was the first large cruiseship to feature all outside cabins. Following delivery, ROYAL PRINCESS spent several years sailing in North American waters, before returning to Europe in the 1990s. She has an overall length of 230.61 metres, and a gross tonnage of 44,588 tons. In 2005 she was transferred to the parent P&O Cruises fleet, and following a refit in Germany, emerged as ARTEMIS. She can accommodate up to 1,260 passengers.

Yesterday's ClydeSights: POINT GILBERT

Based at the James watt Dock for a number of years, the tug POINT GILBERT is seen here leaving the dock in May 2004. Built by Richard Dunston at their Hessle shipyard on the Humber, she dated from 1972 and joined the Cory tug fleet when new. Later she served in Canada, and after a major refit in 1988, she was fitted with a retractable Aquamaster azimuthing propulsion unit forward. POINT GILBERT joined the Clyde tug fleet around 2002. After moving to work in other UK ports, she was laid up after suffering from machinery failure. In 2005 she was sold to Belgian owners, and since 2007 has flown the Russian flag, and is now renamed GANGUT.

Yesterday's ClydeSights: HMS GLASGOW - D88

After a farewell visit to her adopted home, the Type 42 destroyer GLASGOW was seen in October 2004 as she headed away from Yorkhill Basin, itself now consigned to history. GLASGOW was built by Swan Hunter, and commissioned into naval service in 1977. GLASGOW was the first RN warship to enter the Falkland Islands Exclusion Zone in May 1982, and shortly afterwards she was the unfortunate recipient of an Argentinian bomb, which passed clear through her after engine room. After three days of repairs, she was fighting fit again, and rejoined the front-line. GLASGOW was decommissioned in 2005 and remains at Portsmouth awaiting disposal.

Yesterday's ClydeSights: CHARLES DARWIN

Over the years, the Natural Environment Research Council's ship CHARLES DARWIN was no stranger to the Clyde, and was often seen heading upriver to Glasgow. She was built at Appledore in 1985, and for twenty years undertook oceanographic, geological and geophysical survey work worldwide. She was replaced in 2006 by a new ship, and sold to Gardline Shipping of Great Yarmouth, being renamed OCEAN RESEARCHER.

Yesterday's ClydeSights: CERVANTES

Much missed from the Clyde, the German containership CERVANTES ran for many years on the MacAndrews service from the UK to northern Spain, carrying two or three passengers on many of her sailings. Launched as REGIA, she carried the name PORTLAND BAY for a two-year charter to P&O Containers, reverting to her original name on its completion. In 1997, she became CERVANTES for a charter to MacAndrews. Following her replacement on that service in 2005, she was renamed PERCEIVER. She was built in 1994 by JJ Sietas, and had a deadweight of 6,449 tonnes. This 117.01 metre long ship could carry up to 538 TEU, small by today's standards.

Yesterday's ClydeSights: CARONIA

Paying a visit to Greenock in September 2003 was Cunard Lines' CARONIA. Now a member of the Saga fleet, she started life in 1973 as Norwegian America Lines' VISTAFJORD, carrying up to 850 passengers across the North Atlantic. In 1980 she, together with her 'sister' SAGAFJORD, passed to Norwegian American Cruises, joining the Cunard fleet three years later. She retained her original name until 1999, when she became CARONIA. Sold to Saga Cruises in 2003, she remained on charter to Cunard for two more years, before becoming SAGA RUBY. Of 24,492 gross tons, this attractive ship is 191.08 metres long, and was built at the Swan Hunter shipyard on Tyneside.