BLACK PRINCE outbound

Making good progress this evening as she heads down the channel and out to sea, BLACK PRINCE was sailing today on her second cruise of the season from Greenock, this time bound for Gibraltar and the Mediterranean. She is due back at Greenock in three weeks time.

PETUJA outbound

Finally able to get alongside Ocean Terminal this morning once ENCOUNTER had sailed, PETUJA didn't waste any time working cargo, as she was underway within just a couple of hours on her weekly DFDS Suardiaz service to northern Spain.

GRACE RITCHIE - 70-002

The privately-owned former lifeboat GRACE RITCHIE was seen this afternoon heading from her base at Largs Marina to the Holy Loch. This fine-looking craft was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders using a £57,000 legacy from a Miss Grace Paterson Ritchie, after whom the lifeboat was named at a ceremony at Wemyss Bay pier in 1965. Some details of her career can be found here, while an article about a rescue she took part in while based at Scapa in the Orkneys is described here.

MARY CHRISTINA

A trim little coaster, MARY CHRISTINA, arrived at Glasgow a few days ago with a cargo of wind turbine components, which she discharged at King George V Dock. MARY CHRISTINA is Dutch built and owned, having been constructed at Barkmeijer Stroobos in 1998, and when new she was named SIROCCO, receiving her current name in 2004. She is registered in the Netherlands Antilles, is 87.85 metres long, and has a deadweight of 3,155 tonnes. She is managed by Wagenborg Shipping. Passing her is the police launch STRATHCLYDE. On completion of her cargo discharge, MARY CHRISTINA loaded scrap steel at Shieldhall, and now appears to be heading for Spain.

ENCOUNTER

Making her regular Friday appearance this afternoon, the Dutch container ship ENCOUNTER had to anchor at the Tail o' the Bank, joining PETUJA, seen in the distance in this view. Greenock's Ocean Terminal was busy today, with four container ships all requiring a berth. First to arrive this morning was VEGA STOCKHOLM, which berthed on arrival. She was followed upfirth by PETUJA, which anchored while MERIWA berthed a little later on. Last to arrive was ENCOUNTER, which went alongside once MERIWA and VEGA STOCKHOLM had sailed. This evening, PETUJA remains at anchor.

KASTOR

Passing Cloch Point this afternoon, the Liberian-flagged KASTOR is a new ship belonging to the Wessels Reederei GmbH, and operated by Arkon Shipping. Like her sister ARGOS, named on the same day in August 2007, KASTOR was built at the Slovenska Lodenice shipyard at Komarno, and is of their 'Rhein-M' class. Second of a class of twelve ships of this type to be delivered, and 87.9 metres in length, this 3,675 tonne deadweight coaster has arrived to load scrap metal.

VEGA

Escorted by the Ministry of Defence Police launch JAMES DALTON, the Danish coaster VEGA was seen this morning as she sailed from Faslane for Plymouth, presumably with a military cargo on board. VEGA, which arrived in the Gareloch early yesterday morning from Campbeltown, was built in 1975 and originally named NINA BRES. A product of the JJ Sietas shipyard at Hamburg, VEGA is a typical general cargo coaster of 75.52 metres and 2,374 tonnes deadweight. The helicopter in this view is Rescue 177 from HMS GANNET, the Naval Air Station at Prestwick, which was exercising with HMS TYNE off Kilcreggan.

CAROLYN CHOUEST and NR-1

After spending a week at Faslane, the United States Navy Military Sealift Command's submarine support vessel CAROLYN CHOUEST, together with the small nuclear submarine NR-1, sailed this afternoon. Both vessels are seen as they headed past the entrance of the Holy Loch.

As she is only capable of operating at speeds of up to 5 knots using her turbo-electric drive, NR-1 is towed wherever she goes, although she is manned by a crew of eleven - three officers and eight enlisted men. She is capable, when necessary, of spending up to thirty days submerged, thanks to her nuclear power plant.

The final view shows the duo setting off down the main channel, and out to sea. As well as her own civilian crew of 15, CAROLYN CHOUEST carries a support crew for NR-1, all of whom are submarine trained.

Joint Warrior 081 - European Ships

The Portuguese frigate VASCO DE GAMA (F330) was built at Hamburg to the German MEKO 200 design by Blohm and Voss, and entered service with the Portuguese Navy in 1991. With a displacement of 3,200 tonnes, she is 115.9 metres in length, and has combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion, giving a speed of 32 knots. Her main armament comprises 1 100 mm Mod68 CADAM polyvalent gun, 1 Phalanx CIWS 20 mm Vulcan anti-ship missile defence system, Sea Sparrow surface-to-air and Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, and 2 triple 12.75" Mk46 torpedo tubes. She also operates 2 Super Lynx Mk.95 helicopters.

One of the numerous 'Tripartite' type of minehunter found with the Belgian, Dutch, French, Indonesian, Pakistani and Latvian Navies, the French ship ANDROMÈDE (M643) is a member of their 'Éridan' class which numbers 13 ships. In the distance, HMS BULWARK can be seen at the Tail o' the Bank.

With one of the longest names bestowed on a serving warship, the German frigate MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN (F218) dates from 1996 and is a member of the 'Brandenburg' class. Built by Bremer-Vulkan she is 4,700 tonnes and 138.9 metres long. Also propelled by CODOG machinery, she has a speed of 29 knots. Her main armament consists of 1 x 76mm gun, Exocet and Sea Sparrow missiles, and 2 twin torpedo tubes. She can carry 2 Sea Lunx helicopters.

With her British courtesy ensign showing clearly as she heads out on exercise, the Turkish frigate GEMLIK (F492) was shown lying at Garelochhead already. Of 3,700 tonnes, she is 135.5 metres in length and is driven at up to 29 knots by gas turbines. She is armed with 1 76mm gun forward, Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, 1 20mm Phalanx CIWS, and 2 triple torpedo tubes.

Joint Warrior 081 - UK and US Ships

Making a return this morning, the British assault ship BULWARK (L15) passed McInroy's Point inward bound for the Tail o' the Bank, where she spent the day working with her landing craft.

Late this afternoon, BULWARK completed her operations and proceeded out to sea to work with the other units in JW081. She is seen here with Kilcreggan in the background.

One of the American destroyers taking part in the exercise is the 'Arleigh Burke' (Flight 1) class ship DONALD COOK (DDG75). Her full load displacement is 8,900 tons, and this 505 ft long ship was commissioned in 1998. Gas turbines give her a speed in excess of 30 knots. She carries a 127mm gun mounted forward, a variety of missile systems including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon, and is also fitted with 2 Phalanx anti-missile systems. She also has 2 triple torpedo tubes, and can embark a helicopter.

One of the British submarines taking part is HMS SUPERB, one of the two remaining members of the 'S' class boats still in commission. They can readily be identified from the similar 'T' class vessels by their shorter rudder.

Another American surface ship taking part is the guided missile cruiser ANZIO (CG68). Built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, ANZIO joined the US Navy in 1992, and is 567 feet in length. Her displacement is 9,600 tons, and her gas turbine machinery will give her a speed of more than 30 knots. Like DONALD COOK (above), she carries Tomahawk and Harpoon missile systems, and she is also fitted with two 5 inch guns forward. Two triple torpedo tubes are fitted, as are 2 Phalanx CIWS. She can carry 2 Sikorsky Seahawk helicopters.

Iberian Visitors

Three of the naval vessels which had been berthed at King George V Dock came down the river this morning, and anchored at the Tail o' the Bank. Two ships, the Spanish frigate BLAS DE LEZO (F103) and the Portuguese frigate VASCO DE GAMA (F330) are seen in this view. USS NICHOLAS was the other ship. Two German warships remain at Glasgow tonight.

HMS BULWARK - L15 outbound

After having a few days alongside at Glen Mallan, the Royal Navy amphibious assault ship BULWARK sailed late this afternoon. She is seen passing the entrance of the Holy Loch as she made her way downfirth, an early departure for the Joint Warrior 081 exercise. Her large flight deck is clearly visible, as are two of her landing craft. As BULWARK plays host to 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines, she wears the Combined Operations badge on her after funnel.

LEESWIG

Arriving this afternoon, the German coaster LEESWIG was seen as she passed Lunderston Bay heading for the Bravo anchorage, before making her way upriver to Glasgow to discharge. LEESWIG was built on the Volga River at Rybinsk in 1996 as FRIEDA, taking her present name in 2007. Operated by Meerpahl and Meyer, this little ship is an 88.0 metre coaster of 4,515 tonnes deadweight.