Arco Dart at Appledore

 23.10.07 ((may have paid other visit but not seen)

Oldenburg

 Ceased passenger runs to Lundy for 2007 and presently waiting to be slipped at Appledore for maintenance

Kathleen & May

 In drydock at Gloucester doing repairs to bearing on the propeller shaft. Returned to  Bideford 15^th November

Bristol Channel Observations

17.10.07 at  17.50 hrs ro ro vessel ‘Grande Italia’ 12594 tons d.w. Owners, Grimaldi Line of Italy inward bound for Portbury

18.10.07 at 17.35 hrs bulk carrier ‘Blue Bay’ app. 17500 tons d.w. Owners, Blue Bay Maritime Greece outward bound from Barry having sailed at approx 11.15 hrs

21.10.07 at 14.30 hrs tanker ‘Aktor’ app. 25000 tons d.w. Owners, Nuse Shipping Malta, inward bound for Avonmouth with molasses; on 23.10.07 at 12.05 hrs, outward bound having sailed at 07.04 hrs

21.10.07 at 16.20 hrs, bulk carrier’ Isolda’ app 27000 tons d.w., Owners Isolda Shipping Cyprus inward bound for Portbury

21.10.07 at 16.58 hrs roro vessel ‘Grande Napoli’ 14900 tons d.w Owners, Grimaldi Line of Italy ; however not sporting ‘ Grimaldi ‘on her side like other vessels of the fleet. On  time charter to another operator, NYK, of Japan. On 23.10.07 at 13.00 hrs outward bound from Portbury having sailed at 10.06 hrs

21.10.07 at 1615 hrs vehicle carrier’ Caribbean Highway’ app. 14000 tons d.w. Owners, Kawasaki  Kisen K.K.Line of Japan ,outward bound from Portbury, having sailed at 14.04 hrs passing the ‘Grand Napoli’ south of Lundy.

21.10.07 During the late evening and unseen due to darkness, the largest vehicle carrier in the world the ‘Wallenius Wilhelmsen ‘vessel Fidelio passed inward for Portbury on her maiden voyage; the vessel was completed in September this year and capable of carrying 8000 units ;  her sister the ‘Faust’ has been in the Bristol Channel earlier this year.

22.1007 at 17.45 hrs bulk carrier ‘Yeoman Bank’ 24870 tons d.w. Owners, V. Ships Group of Monaco inward bound for Portbury

1.11.07 at 17.10 hrs coaster’ Celtic Forester’ app 3000 tons d.w. Owners, Charles Willie of Cardiff outward bound from Newport

3.111.07 at 16.25 hrs coaster ‘Baltyskiy ‘110  2554 tons.d.w owners, North Western Shipping Joint Stock of Russia  inward bound for Avonmouth

7.11.07 at 17.00 hrs cable ship ‘Leon Thevenin’ 5887 tons gross  Owners,  France Telecom  inward bound for Avonmouth.

11.11.07 @ !6.00 hrs bulk carrier’ Abkhazia ‘app 28000 tons d.w. Owners, Strrlka Shipping of St Vincent & Grenadines inward bound for Newport

12.11.07 at 08.05 hrs coaster’ Arklow Rival’ app 4500 tons d.w. Owners Arklow Shipping Eire inward bound for Sharpness.12.11.07 at 08.40 hrs cement carrier coaster’ Cembay’ app 4500 tons d.w. Owners, Cembay Schiffahrtsges Germany inward bound for Newport12.11.07 at 11.30 hrs coaster’ Frit Tide ‘approx 3000 tons d.w. Owners Kopervik Ship Management Norway inward bound for Avonmouth

12.11.07 at 13.15 hrs two ships together ;  the first one was the’ See-Stern ‘approx 3000 tons d.w. Owners See-Transit Schiffahrt  bound for Newport, and the second one was the tanker ‘Sara’ approx 6000 tons d.w. Owners Sara Netherlands bound for Portbury

12.11.07 at 13.25 hrs the tanker ‘Navigo ‘16500 tons d.w. Owners Dondso Tank of Sweden; vessel has been on time charter to Brostrom Gothenburg since 1992, now inward bound for Cardiff

This is my final report for 2007. I wish to take this opportunity to thank Capt Hoad for answering all my silly questions,  Michael the crane driver ,AIS  computer,Equasis France and Edward Nightingale Lynton for his daily shipping report on movements up and down the channel.  Finally  to all the readers for their kind remarks on my efforts to make the shipping scene in Bideford a  little more interesting.  P.S.   Please don’t park on the Quay whilst ships are unloading .        Norman

Regards

Norman