Loch Shira

On a cold but colourful winters evening,Loch Shira departs Millport for Largs

Royal Marines Ribs

Taken on the 9 Jan 2005,they probably came from Faslane submarine base as there was no navy ships anchored in the Clyde.

Silver Constellation

The bulk carrier Silver Constellation was held on November 7 2008 after being targeted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for a mandatory expanded port state control inspection at Hunterston, part of the Clydeport complex, where the ship discharged a cargo of coal. Her condition was so bad that the inspection abandoned and the Marshall Islands-registered vessel detained.


For the full story click HERE

Constellation

Constellation seen leaving Greenock on the 20 July 2006.

GTS Celebrity Constellation is a Millennium class cruise ship of Celebrity Cruises. She is the co-flagship of the Celebrity fleet, along with Century-class ship Century. She was originally named Constellation, but renamed in May 2007. Her three sister ships are the Celebrity Infinity, Summit, and Millennium.

She was built at the Chantier de L'Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France. The ship boasts a COGAS power plant of gas turbines and a steam turbine providing up to 60 Megawatts for the electric systems and two 19 MW Rolls-Royce/Alstom MerMaid azimuth thrusters for propulsion. In 2007, she was refitted with the addition of a diesel engine as a fuel-saving measure. The ship can run on any combination of the gas turbines or diesel. In port, she generates electrical power from the diesel.

AMT Discoverer

A barge being towed by two Svitzer tugs to Ferguson's shipbuilders for repair.

RRS Discovery

The scientific research ship RRS Discovery seen off the coast of Millport,she had been collecting supplies fron KGV dock in Glasgow.
For more information about the ship click HERE

HMS Mersey

Seen off the coast of Gourock on the 5 December 08,she seemed to be testing her anchor.She headed back to Faslane after about half an hour.



The three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) of which Mersey is one,are employed in the Fishery Protection role primarily, with the capacity to operate in other areas. The Fishery Protection Role includes undertaking patrols in English, Welsh and Northern Ireland waters enforcing UK and EU fisheries legislation. Two man teams conduct boardings of fishing vessels inspecting net sizes, weight of catches, fish sizes, composure of catches and the vessel's logbook and licence.

The River Class were built by Vosper Thorneycroft (UK) Ltd (VT) in Southampton under an innovative arrangement. The ships are leased to the Royal Navy under a five-year agreement which includes VT taking responsibility for maintenance and support during the period. This is the first time the Royal Navy has procured ships under such an agreement. At the end of the time, the MoD can either extend the charter, purchase outright or return the ships to VT. The flexibility and efficiency of this VT design enabled the Navy to replace five Island Class Patrol Vessels with the three River Class vessels.

In operational terms, one of the major innovations is a large working cargo deck that allows the ships to be equipped with specific facilities for a particular role, such as disaster relief, anti-pollution, fire fighting, rescue work or interception of other vessels. A heavy crane with capacity for 25 tonnes is therefore fitted to handle standard containers.

This working deck is also large enough to permit the transport of smaller craft such as oil spill recovery tractors, an LCVP (a landing craft for transhipment of cargo inland by river) and a variety of wheeled and tracked light vehicles.

Info courtesy of Royal Navy.