Random Ships 89

I’ve done dense traffic posts, and actually this is one.

The 3-mile strait can get quite busy.

 

Petroleum and all other goods, manufactured and raw, transit.

Key word here is busy.

 

Sometimes large vessels seem to be on a collision course, but that’s just trompe-l’œil ….

Yesterday, at one point it was unusually busy.  Count the tugs and larger vessels here? I count three ships and at least six identifiable tugboats when I blow this photo up.

There’s plenty of room in that 1000′ waterway.

All photos, WVD.

Random Ships 87

The Kill Van Kull is a relatively narrow strait, but skill and experience allows passing like this to occur routinely.   Zim Tarragona (856′ x 106′) and CMA CGM Tosca (1096′ x 140′) need to mind the physics in this passage.

MSC Toronto (1065′ x 140′) heads into Port Elizabeth with another container ship not far behind.

MOL Courage (1036′ x 150′) heads for sea.  She seems to have shed the false AIS signal that accompanied her last trip.

Chacabuco (905′ x 31′)  heads toward the container port.  Years ago, I met this vessel in Brazil.  The name comes from a region in Argentina.

 

Ever Lasting (1098′ x 160′)  heads for the next port.

YM Evolution (849′ x 122′) comes in.

The past few years, she’s been a regular here.

Ever Front, (1095′ x 157′) and the newest vessel in this post, heads for the next port.

 

Taipei Trader (485′ x 76′) does a regular shuttle run.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

Small Craft 27

I caught this small open boat eastbound on the KVK.

She passed Ernest Campbell.  Clearly by her markings, she’s a survey vessel. 

Between traffic, they seemed to focus their work near the transition between the KVK and the ConHook Range . . .

returning to their area of interest, as I said, between traffic.

Work completed, they headed back west

from where they’d first come. 

That might be a cold job with minimal protection for employees of Aqua Survey Inc.  in

a crowded waterway . . .!

All photos, WVD.

It appears that Aqua-Survey Inc. (ASI) has another boat called RV Tesla, which I’d love to see.  I caught R. E. Hayes here over 10 years ago, also an ASI boat.

Assists 10

Tightrope?

 

This ULCV shows 17 containers across.

It’s a bit surprising to see a Moran 6000 on starboard bow, also on a “tight rope.”

YM Evolution . . . without counting the rows of containers, does it look less beamy?

It is  . . . 15 across.  By contrast, CMA CGM Amerigo Vespucci, the other day here, carries 20 across.

All photos, WVD.

 

Names 41

Port Shanghai just happens these days to be in a berth on Staten Island

discharging salt from Chile.

I know what this says, but I can’t claim to read it until I study Greek.

Thor Integrity I CAN read, but

until I know Thai, I can’t vouch for “Thor Integrity” being a translation.

Chinese is a common language in the sixth boro,

 

and it’s interesting which writing systems do not appear here . . .  too many to name.

All photos, WVD.

Random Ships 76

Lest someone think all container ships built these days or calling in the sixth boro are ULCVs, consider YM Evolution.  She was launched less than 10 years ago and has a teu capacity less than 5000.  The company is based in Taiwan.

I’ve seen Ebony Ray before, but this is the first time I post a photo.  She was launched in 2008 and is part of the Ace Tankers fleet. 

Nord Chesapeake (2016) needed to be lightened before she proceeded up river to Coeymans.  Note the USCGC Katherine Walker in the distance?

Cronus Leader is an NYK RORO.  To see the “insides” of a vessel like this, click here. For a NYTimes article on cat/truck/etc. ships, click here. For more on this vessel and other “vehicle carriers”, click here.

Denak Voyager is a regular calling in the sixth boro.  She moves scrap metals primarily from here to Turkey these days.

I would never have expected a juice carrier like Orange Sun to be a regular in world ports, but New York has very few orange groves, and given the thirst folks like me have for the juice, juice carriers bring the supply.

 

 

And finally, New Ability is an example of the crude oil carriers that call here.  Since I took this photo, she has departed the sixth boro for Mexico, likely to load more crude.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

A Party

. . . as in  boarding party, which might never be pleasant for anyone, but it goes with the enterprise.

YM Evolution was coming in the other day with New Jersey to port, and

 

lots of coasties descending starboard.

 

When I say lots, I mean two

boats

full.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who although unrelated, is recalling that sojourn that a container ship spent in Philly earlier this year.  Meanwhile,  MSC Gayane has been bailed out and is currently in Chile…

Here are some of the rules for boarding.  And no doubt, some of you have seen this dramatic boarding of a sub on the high seas.