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.

VEGA STOCKHOLM

The usual Friday morning rush for the berths at Greenock Ocean Terminal took place again today, with VEGA STOCKHOLM being the first arrival again. The Monrovian-registered 698-TEU ship was inbound from Dublin, and sailed later this afternoon for Belfast, on the Southampton-Irish Sea Express (SIX) service of Orient Overseas Container Lines.

AASFJORD outbound

Heading for Port Talbot, and another cement cargo, the Norwegian coaster AASFJORD had just discharged a similar cargo at Glasgow in the past couple of days. The thirty-year old ship was given an extensive rebuild in 1998, when her original cargo handling gear - derricks forward and aft - was replaced with the present Hitachi excavator.

DUBAI LEGEND

After lying off Irvine for a few days, the 112,661 tonne deadweight tanker DUBAI LEGEND finally moved upfirth this afternoon to Finnart. Built in South Korea by Samho Heavy Industries, when completed in 2002 she was named OINOUSSIAN SPIRIT and was a member of the Teekay fleet. In 2006, she was sold to a company based in St Vincent & The Grenadines, with managers in Dubai, and renamed DUBAI LEGEND. Commercial operation of this 249.97 metre long ship is entrusted to Sigma Tankers, a company which operates a fleet of Aframax tankers on behalf of the parent Heidmar Group.

BRUISER

Powering past McInroy's Point this morning, Clyde Marine Service's Damen Stantug 1907 BRUISER was heading for Hunterston to assist three larger tugs - SVITZER MALLAIG, WARRIOR III and KINDEACE - berthing a bulk carrier. BRUISER was needed as AYTON CROSS is currently serving elsewhere.

STEN ODIN outbound

Outward bound for Kalunburg in Denmark, the Norwegian products tanker STEN ODIN sailed from Rothesay Dock, Clydebank, at midday today. She is seen here as she headed the channel towards Cloch Point after a relatively lengthy visit to the Clyde, having arrived on Saturday morning.

HMS LEDBURY - M30

Exercising in Lower Loch Long and the Ardmore Channel today, the 'Hunt' class mine countermeasures ship LEDBURY, built like most of the class at Vosper Thorneycroft's Woolston shipyard and commissioned in June 1981. Second ship of the class, she had the dubious reputation of having been the Navy's most expensive warship per metre length at the time of her construction, costing £65 million. An early deployment was to the Falkland Islands, for mine clearance operations following the cessation of hostilities there. Following a maintenance period, she paid a visit to London where she was one of the main attractions at an ocean technology conference. Following that, she lowered the Fishery Protection Squadron pennant for the last time on a 'Hunt' class ship - such duties are now carried out by TYNE and her sisters. LEDBURY is now preparing to rejoin other NATO minehunters on a European deployment.

VIC 32

'More steam, Macphail!' Judging by the smoke coming from her coal-fired boiler, that might just have been the order given as the preserved steam-driven puffer VIC 32 headed down the Clyde this morning. She was starting another of her short cruises today, having lain overnight in the James Watt Dock.

HMS NORTHUMBERLAND - F238

Paying a quick visit to Loch Long today, the Type 23 'Duke' class anti-submarine frigate NORTHUMBERLAND arrived early this morning, and sailed for sea again this afternoon. Built, as her name might imply, on the Tyne by Swan Hunter, she joined the Royal Navy in November 1994, and has just completed an extensive maintenance period which included upgrades to her navigation systems, steering gear, and sonar. During the next few weeks, NORTHUMBERLAND will be undergoing operational sea training. She is due to remain in commission with the Navy until 2022.

HMS BANGOR - M109

HMS BANGOR was exercising again today in the Upper Firth, but sailed late this afternoon out through the Cumbrae Gap, and by this evening was sitting off the approaches to the Clyde. BANGOR is one of the eight 'Sandown' class of single role mine hunters, all of which have been based at Faslane since June 2006. Her 30mm Oerlikon gun, seen clearly on the foredeck, has a range of 10km and can fire up to 650 rounds per minute.

B.G. ROTTERDAM outbound

Heading past Cloch Point and down the Firth this afternoon was the container ship B.G. ROTTERDAM, on her BG Freight Lines service to Southampton. She had arrived earlier today once again from Rotterdam, Felixstowe and Belfast. Her first visit to the river was illustrated here a little over a week ago.

NORDSTERN outbound

Few movements on the Clyde today, other than regular ferry traffic, but one ship which was noted putting out to sea was NORDSTERN, also captured yesterday loading at Renfrew. NORDSTERN sailed today for Seville in south-west Spain.

LAMYRA

Seen sailing from Hunterston yesterday afternoon was the bulk carrier LAMYRA, a Greek ship dating from 1983. She was built at Yokohama in Japan by Nippon Kokan KK, and is now operated by Andriaki Shipping. At 224.54 metres in length, she has a deadweight of 64,879 tonnes. Her main engine is a six-cylinder Sulzer diesel , producing 14,300 bhp.

TIOGA B

Having spent the past few weeks working on bed-levelling duties in the upper river, where W D MEDWAY II had been dredging, the small tug TIOGA B has lain over the weekend in the Victoria Harbour at Greenock while she awaits her next job. TIOGA B, built in Holland by Delta Shipyards at Sliedrecht in 1981 was named GRAY DELTA when new, and at that time was owned by Felixarc Marine of Felixstowe. In 1991 she joined the Klyne Tugs fleet, and was renamed ANGLIAN MAID. Since 1995, she has been owned by Bay Towage & Salvage of Barrow-in-Furness, who gave her her present name. In 1997, she was given a major refit, and two years later was further refurbished, including the installation of her stern roller to allow her to undertake dredging work. Since then, TIOGA B has been used extensively around the UK. At 38 tons gross, this 15.93 metre tug has an 11 tonne bollard pull.

STEN ODIN

No stranger to Clydebank, the Norwegian products tanker STEN ODIN arrived on the Clyde yesterday, and was noted this evening having completed her cargo discharge. She was shown at the same berth on an earlier visit in March.

NORDSTERN

Unusually, this coaster has berthed stern-first at Christie and Sons' scrapyard at Renfrew, and although the tide was low when this picture was taken, NORDSTERN appears to be afloat and on an even keel, suggesting that silting is confined to the east berth. NORDSTERN is managed by Wessels Shipping on behalf of Arkon Shipping, her operators, although like most of these typical small coasters, she is owned by a one-ship company. Built by Slovenske Lodenice at Komarno, this 'Rhein' type ship was completed in September 1994. She is 87.76 metres overall, and has a deadweight of 3,702 tonnes. As well as carrying bulk cargoes, these ships occasionally carry containers - up to 176 TEU can be accommodated on board.