A look back at some of my favourite photos and notable vessels of 2021.
The penultimate arrival of PRIDE OF BRUGES from Europoort, the route she had been built for.
INNOVATION working at Hull. Later in the year renamed SVITZER ELEANOR.
Early morning light on OCEAN RESOLUTION in Albert dock.
FINNMASTER arriving late at King George dock on her regular Sunday arrival. Later in the year she spent some time in King George dock having suffered an engine room fire while manoeuvring to sail.
MTS INDUS passing King George dock inward.
ISA passes Paull inward to load a cargo of scrap metal.
PLATO passes Paull bound upriver.
PIRIN outward from King George dock.
HEIMDAL R passes inward for Alexandra dock. A former ORSV converted to a dredger.
JOLYN outward bound from upriver.
BULKER BEE 20 passes Paull inward with a cargo of cement.
TORPO outward bound from upriver.
HEIMDAL R at the spoil ground. A laborious process, dredging off Werner quay, spoil dropped on deck, off to the deposit where the spoil was then grabbed off the deck to be dumped.
ELSA ESSBERGER inward for King George dock.
On a breezy day, SAMSKIP HOFFELL inwards for King George dock.
The Sietas built LINK STAR passes Paull inward for King George dock.
Also for King George dock, the ATLANTIC TONJER passes Paull.
ESKE approaches Alexandra dock.
Fresh from drydock, SVITZER MONARCH outward from Albert dock.
PUTFORD ACHIEVER heads inward for drydock at MMS.
A recent renaming at the time, MAINTAL passes inward.
The YDD built RIVER TRADER passes Paull outward.
In April, Bev and I finally got married at Barcaldine Castle near Oban. We had our honeymoon in Oban.
The Hessle built LOCH STRIVEN entering Oban bay.
LORD OF THE ISLES approaches Oban.
The fish processing/carrier AQUA SCOTIA arriving Oban.
A former standby vessel, SIMON PRINCESS departs Oban.
ISLE OF MULL pulls away from the terminal for Craignure.
The live fish carrier VIKING SAGA heads away from the North pier.
The HAVILAH inwards to the North pier.
CORUISK arrives from Craignure, taken from McCaigs tower.
LORD OF THE ISLES powering out of the bay…
… and CLANSMAN powers in.
HAVGULL makes an approach to North pier.
LOCH FYNE arriving in Mallaig.
OCEAN AQUILA arriving at the North pier.
CLANSMAN catches the setting sunlight as she arrives from Colonsay.
We also had a trip on The Jacobite as part of our honeymoon.
Sunset on our last evening in Oban.
The Sietas built REGINE outward from King George dock having brought in wind turbine towers from Vietnam.
GRANDE RIVIERE outward from Saltend.
Also outward from Saltend, the CHEMICAL SAILOR.
ROTRA MARE inward for Alexandra dock. At the end of the year she was being lengthened to cater for longer blades being manufactured at Hull.
ZEALAND ZARIA outward having discharged a cargo of cement.
GT VICTORY passes Paull inward for Hull.
PULLMAN passes King George dock outward from Alexandra dock.
WILSON GOOLE inwards for upriver.
One of the years highlights and two rare evening visits for the ALTENAVI arriving and sailing.
A new Gardline vessel, OCEAN GEOGRAPH moving between Alexandra and King George docks. She has since been repainted in Gardline colours.
The unusually named BREADBOX WARTHOG berthed at Hartlepool.
SUVOROVSKIY PROSPECT berthed on the Tees.
ALFA BALTICA outward from the Tees.
Also outward, CANSU Y bound for Hull.
The Sietas built VANQUISH arriving on the Tees…
…as A2B LEADER sails, also built by Sietas.
WATCHFUL berthed in Hartlepool marina.
Another older vessel, the KLEVSTRAND has made several visits to Goole this year.
MANISA KATE passes King George dock for Albert dock to load a cargo of scrap metal.
VITALITY passes Paull inward.
SEA CHALLENGER passes Paull outward with another four wind turbines for installation at sea.
Fresh from drydock, the Scottish fishery research vessel ALBA NA MARA heads homeward.
A long distance view of HATCHE arriving at Killingholme.
WILSON ONEGA outward from King George dock.
LADY HARRIET passes Paull inward.
SMARAGD passing Chowderness inward…
… followed by FAST SAM…
… HAV GROUPER…
… BIMI…
… and finally H&S FAIRNESS.
On a very foggy morning, ACTA AURIGA passes Paull outward from King George dock.
The survey vessel VIGILANT heading in to Albert dock. It is believed she has been sold.
ARKLOW ACCORD inward for King George dock.
YARA NAUMA outward from Saltend on one of her regular visits.
The cement carrier AALBORG WHITE outward from Goole.
KIRKELLA returning to King George dock to offload her catch.
RIX MERLIN outward passing her birth place.
Another regular, NABUCCO sails from Saltend for Antwerp.
STAR BONAIRE inward to King George dock.
BEAUTRITON arriving off King George dock to load for the Caribbean.
Another vintage vessel arriving King George dock, the WILSON ROSS.
ALREK outward from King George dock.
THARSIS inward for Goole. Since this photo she has been fitted with folding sails.
The third of the three sisters to be caught, YARA SELA outward from Saltend.
LADY IRINA passes Paull inward.
WILSON SKY outward from New Holland dock.
OPTIMAR passes King George dock bound for Albert dock.
The Sietas built SANDNES outward from King George dock…
… as the MTM ANTWERP arrives.
CARONI PLAIN approaching Saltend.
The small Exeter registered cement carrier RONEZ inward for William Wright dock.
WILSON LUGA passes Paull inward.
SEA INSTALLER passes Paull outward for the Hornsea wind farm 2.
At the end of September I managed a few days up at Aberdeen. FS ARENDAL arrives early morning.
The weather changed a bit as VERDI arrived.
SEA-CARGO EXPRESS had an early sailing.
The day started to brighten as GRAMPIAN DYNASTY arrived.
ANZORAS enters port from the anchorage to load scrap.
SKANDI CALEDONIA arrives off the entrance.
NORMAND SUPRA arrives late afternoon.
Regular THUN BLYTH arrives from Immingham.
Next days starts grey then wet, DESPINA arriving just before the rain comes.
BEN NEVIS heads out to spend a few days at anchor.
Missed coming in, the HIGHLAND PRINCE caught moving berths.
FAR SPICA heads out of the port.
At the end of the afternoon HERMIT POWER departs catching a little sunlight.
First movement the next day was the Whitby built HAVARA, having loaded fish food.
NS IONA arrives early morning.
Next in was the survey vessel KOMMANDOR…
… followed by SHANNON FISHER, inward from Immingham.
Early afternoon as GRAMPIAN SOVEREIGN approaches the entrance.
NORSEA FIGHTER outward with the pilot boat ready to take the pilot off.
The impressive ISLAND VALIANT was next to arrive.
ANZORAS sailing bound for Spain with scrap.
ENERGY DUCHESS arrives from Peterhead.
Late afternoon and KOMMANDOR sails in heavy rain.
Another early morning arrival, STRIL ODIN.
VOS VALIANT heads out after a spell in drydock.
Fishery research vessel SCOTIA in the sun.
HERMIT THUNDER arrives with a busy anchorage behind.
SOLVIK SUPPLIER arriving.
TROMS CAPELLA heads out for sea trials.
When the movements and weather get together the entrance to Aberdeen harbour is a great location, as can be seen with the next few photos.
Always a bright sight, ESVAGT CHASTINE enters port after running trials off the coast.
TROMS LYRA arriving…
… followed by VOS PARTNER…
… followed by EDDA FRAM…
… then SCOTIAN SENTINEL.
TROMS CAPELLA returns from her trials.
On the last morning in Aberdeen it was forecast rain – and that’s what we got.
MMA PINNACLE arrives in the gloom, fortunately she had been delayed a short time.
ISLAND DEFENDER was inward a short way astern of her.
FASTNET SENTINEL followed her.
Berthed in port, SKANDI SKANSEN was the last photo taken.
A surprise visitor to Hull, the Russian research/survey vessel AKADEMIK NEMCHINOV outward bound very slowly.
Having brought in wind turbine towers from Vietnam, the Sietas built FRAUKE passes Paull outward.
Another regular in to Hull for stores/crew change, the WIND INNOVATION heads back out to the wind farms.
Gardline’s OCEAN RESOLUTION outward from King George dock.
A new visitor to Riverside quay, the YED PRIOR was converted from a container ship to a dredger.
SMS acquired another new tug, the LLOYDSMAN seen here in very early morning photos.
FREYA inward from Zeebrugge – now running solo as ELISABETH has moved to another route.
Scottish Marine’s JURA outward from Albert dock.
KOMMANDOR passes King George dock inward to Alexandra dock.
HAVGULL enters Oban bay at speed…
…closely followed by SETTLER.
On the last day of the year, ISLE OF ARRAN arrives and departs Oban in the rain.