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ANTWERP (IMO: 9375848) Northfleet. River Thames. UK.

Antwerp is a General Cargo that was built in 2008 (14 years ago) Sailing under the flag of Antigua Barbuda.
Carrying capacity is 3600 t DWT. Draught 5.2 meters. Length overall (LOA) 88.24 meters. Width 12.5 meters.

GARDENIA K (IMO: 9675559) Northfleet. River Thames. UK.

GARDENIA K is a Bulk Carrier that was built in 2014 (8 years ago). Sailing under the flag of Marshall Is.
Carrying capacity 38067 t DWT. Draught 6.6 meters. Length overall (LOA) 179.97 meters. Width 29.8 meters.
Front tug is Craigleith. Rear tug is Svitzer Thames.

GRANDE NAPOLI (IMO: 9247924) River Thames. Tilbury. Essex. UK.

GRANDE NAPOLI is a Vehicles Carrier that was built in 2003 (19 years ago). Sailing under the flag of Italy.
Carrying capacity 14565 t DWT. Draught 7.3 meters. Length overall (LOA) 196.4 meters. Width 31.1 meters.

GRANDE NIGERIA. Ro-Ro/Container Carrier. Tilbury docks. River Thames. UK.
Image made from 8 portrait orientated shots stitched in PS. I was too close and using my 100-400L with a 1.4X tele convertor.

GRANDE NIGERIA (IMO: 9246580) is a Ro-Ro/Container Carrier built 2003 (19 years ago). Sailing under the flag of Italy.
Carrying capacity 56738 Gross Tons. Draught 8.3 meters. Length overall (LOA) 213.88 meters. Width 32.25 meters.

Brand new LNG (liquified natural gas) tanker "Orion Sea", coming into Port of Corpus Christi for it's very first load (with the dolphin 'welcoming committee' in the foreground).

dougsmithsatx wrote in post #19377696
Brand new LNG (liquified natural gas) tanker "Orion Sea", coming into Port of Corpus Christi for it's very first load (with the dolphin 'welcoming committee' in the foreground).

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Nice picture Doug. Just spotted the Dolphin. I was looking for the name of the tug. One of our local Thames tugs is SD Dolphin.

SD DOLPHIN (IMO: 9631034) Built in 2013 (9 years ago). Sailing under the flag of Malta.
Carrying capacity is 200 t DWT. Draught 5.6 meters. Length overall (LOA) 32.7 meters. Width is 12.82 meters.

Ray.Petri wrote in post #19377791
Nice picture Doug. Just spotted the Dolphin. I was looking for the name of the tug. One of our local Thames tugs is SD Dolphin.

SD DOLPHIN (IMO: 9631034) Built in 2013 (9 years ago). Sailing under the flag of Malta.
Carrying capacity is 200 t DWT. Draught 5.6 meters. Length overall (LOA) 32.7 meters. Width is 12.82 meters.

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Just curious - are they still able to use a foreign flag in purely British waters after Brexit ? ( I know you don’t want to make a Maltese cross … )

NixEre wrote in post #19377931
Just curious - are they still able to use a foreign flag in purely British waters after Brexit ? ( I know you don’t want to make a Maltese cross … )

Nothing new - I spent a couple of years making the Maltese cross - Just joking, they were very nice people - they tolerated me.
Re those flags of convenience and Brexit - I dunno the answer but I noticed very little altered after Brexit except that trade across the borders for domestic buying became less easy and I might soon need a passport to enter Ireland, as, it seems, they might put a border down the middle of the North Sea. You couldn't make it up I just know you are trying get me on my soap box, Nic!

Why do ships use flags of convenience?
Vessels registered under flags of convenience can often cut operating costs or avoid the regulations of the owner's country. To achieve that, a ship owner will find a country with an open registry, or a nation that allows registration of vessels owned by foreign entities.

Ships register overseas to save boatloads of money on labour. For a ship to fly the Stars and Stripes it must be owned and crewed by Americans, making it subject to U.S. labour laws, including the minimum wage.

Just a small wind up. I used to work for P&O a long time ago - but on the shore side of the cargo division (GCD). I was sad to see the behaviour of the ferry guys recently - but I know the story behind it is even sadder. Oh well back to the photos.

Tug. Nautical subject.
Can anyone offer comment, date or history on this one? Please respond if you have any ideas.

From a glass lantern slide. More questions than answers on this one!
A challenge for the cameras of that period - slow plates - unpredictable ISO - camera bobbing about on a boat whilst taking a picture of another boat bobbing about. (Today no problem - ISO 800 - 1/1000 sec. - f5.6)
The camera could have been a Brownie Box.
Not sure of date but scanned from a group of slides taken c1900-30'ish in the Liverpool area. The tug might have been used to tow the Grand Fleet out of harbour - we might never know - feel free to weave your own story around it.
My only guess is it could be on the River Mersey.

Photo from Ray.Petri's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (1150469)

Ray.Petri wrote in post #19377791
Nice picture Doug. Just spotted the Dolphin. I was looking for the name of the tug. One of our local Thames tugs is SD Dolphin.

SD DOLPHIN (IMO: 9631034) Built in 2013 (9 years ago). Sailing under the flag of Malta.
Carrying capacity is 200 t DWT. Draught 5.6 meters. Length overall (LOA) 32.7 meters. Width is 12.82 meters.

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forum: Transportation

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The three tugs sent to guide the Orion Sea through the Aransas Pass were named for small communities along Corpus Christi Bay (Aransas, Gregory & Portland). They look to be from the same tug builder as the SD Dolphin. They are flagged as U.S. watercraft, but showing ownership from a Louisiana home port. Maybe better state taxes for the service company if not Texas based?

dougsmithsatx wrote in post #19378337
The three tugs sent to guide the Orion Sea through the Aransas Pass were named for small communities along Corpus Christi Bay (Aransas, Gregory & Portland). They look to be from the same tug builder as the SD Dolphin. They are flagged as U.S. watercraft, but showing ownership from a Louisiana home port. Maybe better state taxes for the service company if not Texas based?

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Hi Doug - I have looked at your tugs on the various marine sites and it seems that they are probably made to a similar/identical generic design.
Details I extracted are below. SD Dolphin was made in the Netherlands and yours in Tampa. Florida.


Name: SD DOLPHIN IMO: 9631034
Vessel Type - Generic: Tug
Builder: DAMEN SHIPYARD GORINCHEM


Name: CC GREGORY IMO: 9824100
Vessel Type - Generic: Tug
Builder TAMPA SHIP
Yard TAMPA


Name: CC PORTLAND IMO: 9824112
Vessel Type - Generic: Tug
Classification Society: AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING
Builder TAMPA SHIP
Yard TAMPA