German Liner in Docks

Storm 10

Lovely German liner "Bremen" arrived in the docks this evening, also in is a Belgian Navy Tug. Well worth a look pity about the weather.

vulcan57

Nice liner this one and a very interesting history. In 2001, in a S. Atlantic storm she was hit by a rogue wave that badly damaged her and smashed through one of the Bridge windows and left her adrift for almost two hours. She was featured in the documentary 'Wave Killers'. She also found an uncharted Island while sailing in the Antarctic in 2003 and the island was named Bremeninsel after her in 2004. In 2006 she ran the North West Passage using satellite imaging to find a way through the ice. Not bad for a 22 year old ship !









Also in port, as Storm10 mentioned, is the BNS Belgica, a Belgium Research Vessel, manned by the Belgium Naval Component.

Rob A. Bank

She is on a rather pricey 16 day 'expedition' from Hamburg to Reykjavik from 31.05.2012 – 16.06.2012, described thus:

In the Wild West

Zodiac excursions to remote islands. Walks across mystic sites. Hikes through fertile bogs and visits to traditional pubs - look forward to a very special expedition premiere which takes you to Europe's most picturesque outposts. Here, where nature is still wild and pristine, every day is surprisingly different. And always overwhelming.

I never noticed any 'fertile bogs' on the hike between the docks and Quay Street !



The webcam on the ship recorded her entrance, turn and mooring at Galway docks.

On her way to Tory Island now and you can follow her voyage through the ship webcam here.

I don't think she's from Germany. Seemingly they're flying the flag of the Bahamas? But I could be wrong on that. Managed to watch it docking, with the help of the pilot boat. I'm amazed at how powerful that little boat seems to be.

connemara man

Great pics
Isnt that two liners in a few weeks? I dont remember this many liners in town.

Storm 10

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't think she's from Germany. Seemingly they're flying the flag of the Bahamas? But I could be wrong on that. Managed to watch it docking, with the help of the pilot boat. I'm amazed at how powerful that little boat seems to be.

She is registered in the Bahamas but is German owned and operated by one of the biggest shipping companies in the World Hapag Lloyd,

There was a bigger one from the same company here a few years ago called Europa she anchored off as she was to big to dock

Pics of her here: http://galwayships.com/passenger_ships/index.html

Chicken1

connemara man wrote: »

Great pics
Isnt that two liners in a few weeks? I dont remember this many liners in town.

Six more to come yet according to this website, July, August, and September

Link: http://galwayships.com/movements/index.html

vulcan57

The BNS Belgica is a oceangraphic survey vessel doing a survey of cold water ecosystems. Found this on marine.ie


Belgium BNS Belgica Cold-water coral ecosystems from the Moira Mounds Belgica Mound 01/06/2012 08/06/2012 No berth available

This is what is leaving to do today

Belgium BNS Belgica High-resolution seismic study with multibeam & coring at the Goban Spur and Whittard Canyon. Goban Spur 10/06/2012 18/06/2012 Observer Confirmed

Storm 10

A French Navy tug "Malabar" has just docked now must be in for the match

Rob A. Bank

vulcan57 wrote: »

The BNS Belgica is a oceangraphic survey vessel doing a survey of cold water ecosystems. Found this on marine.ie

Belgium BNS Belgica Cold-water coral ecosystems from the Moira Mounds Belgica Mound 01/06/2012 08/06/2012 No berth available

This is what is leaving to do today

Belgium BNS Belgica High-resolution seismic study with multibeam & coring at the Goban Spur and Whittard Canyon. Goban Spur 10/06/2012 18/06/2012 Observer Confirmed

The Moya Mounds and the Belgica Mound are in Irish territory in the north-west of the Porcupine Seabight.

Good to see an observer from the Marine institute aboard as the Belgians survey our territory. The Whittard Canyon is a huge canyon system that spans Irish, UK and French waters along the Atlantic margin to the south east of the Goban Spur, as shown in the map below.

It is more than twice as deep as the US 'Grand Canyon', lying in deep waters 400km south of Mizen Head. Marine scientists have found a deep-water habitat teeming with exotic life forms, due to fast currents of surface water flowing into the Atlantic Abyss.



BTW, Ireland became the 3rd largest country in the EU after the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS ) in 1996. We have exclusive rights to oil, gas, mineral and wind & wave energy and all natural resources of the seabed for an area 10 times bigger than Ireland. Ireland has now one of the largest seabed territories in Europe at 650,000 km².

The type of cutting edge oceangraphic scientific work being done by the survey vessels and the Irish Marine Institute in Oranmore is well illustrated in the following YouTube videos.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=033_7A35xls
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMAvkZMnWZo
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzIllSXL514
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QwKyGucaXk

Enjoy