2025

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for January 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Idunn ~ arriving at Port of Poole - December 2024  

During the afternoon of 14th December 2024 the 130m general cargo ship Idunn arrived at Poole's South Quay to load 7,000 tons of Purbeck ball clay. In recent years this trade has been handled by the fleet of Charles M Willie using ships such as Celtic Commander and Celtic Mariner - regular callers at the Port of Poole and significantly smaller in scale than December’s arrival. Idunn is the largest ship recorded at Poole loading clay (according to two of our most experienced contributors) yet all the loading was undertaken by a single grab crane! Larger ships may required different cargo handling. Idunn’s arrival was capture by regular ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Kev Mitchell including these two super images.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for January 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Idunn ~ arriving at Port of Poole - December 2024  

Idunn was built in 2012 by the Ben Kien Shipyard in Vietnam as a multipurpose dry cargo ship equipped for carriage of containers and strengthened for heavy cargo. The vessel is equipped with 2 cranes mounted on the starboard side, each of about 80 metric tonnes lifting capacity with a reach of 18m (a reach of 28 metres can be made if capacity is reduced to 50 tonnes). When Idunn's two cranes are worked in tandem, heavy lifts of up to 160 tonnes can be handled. Propulsion is delivered via a 4,000 KW controllable pitch propeller and the ship has a 500KW bowthruster.

Key Dimensions for Idunn … Gross Tonnage = 6,580 …Length = 130m … Beam = 17m … Deadweight Tonnage = 9,290 … Grain capacity = 11,000 cubic metres … Container capacity = 640 TEU … Max. Service Speed 14 knots ... in service since 2012.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for February 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Hartland Point ~ at anchor in Poole Bay - January 2025  

When our ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Frazer Hockey took these super photographs, the Hartland Point was anchored in Poole Bay on the 12th January ... and there was a lot of activity at Marchwood Military Port near Southampton! Hartland Point, together with sister-ships Eddystone and Hurst Point are involved in moving equipment to Eastern Europe participating in NATO exercise Steadfast Dart 2025 being held in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania. The United Kingdom is providing the largest contribution of forces to the exercise with over 2,600 personnel and 730 vehicles deploying to NATO’s eastern flank for the Alliance’s principal exercise of the year. These ships are well suited to such tasks with a straight stern ramp 16m long & 17m wide (with 12 independently operated "fingers" enabling the ship to operate at narrow link-spans) ... internal ramps to all cargo decks ... and a side ramp on the starboard side. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for February 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Hartland Point ~ at anchor in Poole Bay - January 2025  

The Point Class of six roll-on/roll-off sealift ships were originally procured under a Private Finance Initiative for use as naval auxiliaries to the British armed forces. Two of the ships have since been released, leaving four available including Hartland Point. The four ships are operated by Foreland Shipping Limited, established in 1999 to build, commission and operate these specialised vessels in the UK Strategic Sealift Service. Foreland Shipping is part of the Hadley Shipping Group. Hartland Point was built by Harland & Wolff at their Belfast yard in 2002. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has a 22-year charter from Foreland Shipping who own, operate and crew the ships, utilising them as merchant vessels when they are not required for military service.

Key Dimensions for Hartland Point … Gross Tonnage = 23,335 … Length = 193m … Beam = 26m … Deadweight Tonnage = c9,900 … Ro-Ro Lane Metres = 2620m providing trailer capacity of c160 … OR … Container capacity = c410 TEU … Max. Service Speed 18 knots ... in service since 2002.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for March 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Douwent ~ at South Quay, Poole - February 2025  

On the 18th February, the Liberian flagged Douwent arrived in Poole from Aalst - located on the River Dender 19 miles northwest of Brussels in Belgium. Her cargo of bricks was unloaded at South Quay where ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Maksymilian Michalczewski captured these two super images on 18th February  just before light stated to fade … Douwent departed on the 22nd for Amsterdam.  

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for March 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Douwent ~ at South Quay, Poole - February 2025  

Completed as “Torpe” in November 1987 by Ferus Smit, Westerbroek for Dutch owners, she went to H. Steenstra as “Douwe S” in 1993. In 2005 she was sold to D&H Freight Management, based in Newent, Gloucestershire and renamed “Douwent” and registered in the UK. She hoisted the Liberian flag in 2013 when her owners became Douwent Marine Ltd. and spent time on charter to Scotline of Romford. Now 37 years old - still going strong!  

Key Dimensions for Douwent … Gross Tonnage = 1,311 …Length = 79m … Beam = 11m … Deadweight Tonnage = 1,996 … Hold Dimensions = L55m x B9.4m x  D5.2m … Grain Capacity = 2,660 cu. m ... in service since 1987.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for April 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Arklow Valour ~ alongside at Poole - March 2025  

On the 20th March, Ships Dorset contributor Ray Sexton captured two super images of Arklow Valour, recently arrived from Cork … and one of the Arklow fleet flying the Dutch flag. One shot off the Port Bow … and another off the Port Quarter … all angles covered! Arklow Valour is one of the 19 vessels built for Arklow at the Royal Bodewes shipyard at Hoogezand in the Netherlands, who delivered the 5,150 deadweight tonnage minibulker / general cargo ship to the owners in the early weeks of 2017. After a short call at Poole loading aggregates, Arklow Valour sailed at noon, the same day as these photos, for Plymouth.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for April 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Arklow Valour ~ alongside at Poole - March 2025  

Arklow Shipping Limited came into existence in 1966 taking management of a 7 ship fleet, previously with different owner/operators. In nearly 60 years since, Arklow Shipping has bought, sold and built ships … with steady expansion the fleet currently stands at 61 ships with gross tonnages between 3,000 and 23,000. The company’s head office has always been in County Wicklow, Ireland, but in the intervening years the fleet expansion and European clientele benefitted by setting up a Netherlands branch office in 1989. Two thirds of the fleet are now registered in Ireland … the rest of the ships in Netherlands … Arklow Valour - the later.

Key Dimensions for Arklow Valour … Gross Tonnage = 2,999 … Length = 87m … Beam = 15m … Deadweight Tonnage = 5,150 … Service Speed = 12 knots … Hold Dimensions = L60m x B12.4m x D8.6m … Grain Capacity = 6,260 cu. m ... in service since 2017. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for May 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Levante Jet ~ arriving into Poole - April 2025  

All change for Channel Island ferry services! Levante Jet arrived at Portland on 7th April from Algeciras, Spain in preparation for DFDS’s new Poole-Jersey service. In Portland she joined fleet-mate Tarifa Jet still preparing for Jersey-St Malo service. On 16th April Levante Jet moved around to Poole where Ships Dorset contributor Darryl Morrell captured her maiden arrival. Having opened the new Jersey route for DFDS a day later, Darryl then presented us with Starboard view alongside at Poole. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for May 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Levante Jet ~ alongside at Poole - April 2025  

Following her completion by Incat Australia as “Incat 068” she saw service in Japan until 2020. From 2021 to early 2025 as Levente Jet she operated on the Ceuta-Algeciras route for FRS. Following DFDS’s successful bid for the Jersey ferry contract, it was announced that the vessel would be reflagged to the UK and based at Poole.

Key Dimensions for Levante Jet … Gross Tonnage = 5,337 … Length = 85m … Beam = 26m … Service Speed = c30 knots … Passenger capacity = 692 … Car capacity = 151 … Powered via 4x 20 cylinder water-jets producing 22,600kW ... in service since 2015.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for June 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Clarity ~ alongside at Poole - May 2025  

In mid-May there were some short-term changes at Channel Seaways. The company operates regular twice-weekly services between Poole and the Channel Islands - principally with their regular vessel Trinity chartered from Isle of Wight managed Faversham Ships who own a fleet of eight vessels. So whilst Trinity was away for maintenance another of the Faversham fleet - Clarity - stepped in to provide Channel Seaways’ services. Ships Dorset contributor Oliver Lee Park took these two photographs shortly after Clarity arrived in Poole. 

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for June 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Clarity ~ alongside at Poole - May 2025  

Trinity and Clarity were spotted berthed together in Poole on 15th May … but by 19th May Trinity was entering dry-dock in Hull for her planned overhaul. Meanwhile, in Poole Clarity had picked up the regular Channel Seaways services. The ship is a “Damen Combi Freighter 3850” design - built and launched at the Dutch shipyard in 2011 as Calypso. Ownership passed to Faversham Ships in 2022. when the ship took the name Clarity.  

Key Dimensions for Clarity … Gross Tonnage = 2,545 …Length = 89m … Beam = 13m … Deadweight Tonnage = 3,800 … Service Speed = 10 knots … Hold Dimensions = L63m x B10m x D8.4m … Grain Capacity = 5,250 cu. m …  Container Capacity = 188TEU … in service since 2011.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for July 2025 ~ 1 & 2 of3 ~ ~ Carnival Miracle ~ arriving at Portland - June 2025  

On the 7th June at Portland, Carnival Miracle was making the final call of a nine-day cruise to France, Spain and Portugal before returning to Dover. It was an opportunity to recognise and thank three regular Ships Dorset contributors - Peter Harriman (approaching), Justyn Ayton (berthing) and Paul Dallaway (alongside) - with three images rather than our “usual” two! Paul points out that the last time he photographed Carnival Cruises' ships was in 2020 when several ships were laid up in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for July 2025 ~ 3of3 ~ ~ Carnival Miracle ~ alongside at Portland - June 2025  

Carnival Corporation built six “Spirit Class” cruise ships with Kvaerner Masa at their Helsinki Shipyard between 2000 and 2004 … two for their Costa Cruises brand and four with Carnival Cruises. Carnival Miracle was the final ship in the series and has spent twenty years based, primarily, in North America and the Caribbean. In 2025 she is based out of Dover for four months and the Mediterranean for three months before a winter in Florida.  

Key Dimensions of Carnival Miracle … Gross Tonnage = 88,500 … Length = 294m … Beam = 32m … Draft = 8m … 12 accessible decks … Total Installed Power = 62 MW … Service speed = 22 knots … Capacity for 2,124 passengers and 930 crew … in service 2004.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for August 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Armada 8601 ~ alongside at Portland - July 2025  

Houston-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity has took delivery of their first 86-meter ammonia-ready Armada robotic vessel from Vard Vung Tau shipyard of Vietnam at the end of 2024. Armada 8601 is the first unit in a series of six 86-meter multi-purpose offshore vessels ordered in early 2022 ... the newbuilds are designed to be operated from shore and eventually utilise green ammonia as fuel. This new class of vessels will be home to the company’s Ocean Drills and newly-designed electrical work class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), allowing the ship and onboard equipment to undertake bigger and more complex seabed projects.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for August 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Armada 8601 ~ alongside at Portland - July 2025  

An interesting hi-tech vessel captured by Paul Dallaway during her prolonged stay at Portland in June & July. Operations can be run from shore bases and the ship runs on Hybrid Propulsion System. These images by Ships Dorset contributor who had to apply some editing to the bow in the first image to remove obstructions from his vantage point. 

Key Dimensions of Armada 8601 … Gross Tonnage = 2,570 … Length = 86m … Beam = 16m … Draft = 5m … Deck Area = 750sq.m … Deck Load = 1050T … Economic speed = 10 knots …21-35 days endurance depending on payload … in service 2025.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for September 2025 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Hebridean Princess ~ alongside at Poole - August 2025  

Hebridean Princess has been using Portland as turnaround port throughout August 2025, initially week-long cruises around the Channel Islands, then for Channel Ports cruises. On the evening of 16th, Hebridean Princess sailed just 15 miles east along the Dorset coast from Portland and anchored over night in Worbarrow Bay at Lulworth. The following morning, she sailed into Poole and berthed at South Quay around 11.00 where Ships Dorset contributor Kev Mitchell was on hand to capture these two super images. When the ship departed Poole at 20.00 that evening she cruised across Poole Bay, entered the Solent via the Needles Channel reaching the Yarmouth anchorage around 21.30 … on the morning of 18th Hebridean Princess sailed to Cowes, anchored for a couple of hours, then sailed into Portsmouth … an intriguing “routine” that makes for interesting small ship cruising!

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for September 2025 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Hebridean Princess ~ alongside at Poole - August 2025  

Hebridean Princess was built in 1964 as the RMS Columba for Scotland’s Western Isles ferry services. After 25 years under MacBrayne operational management, she was acquired by Hebridean Island Cruises and underwent extensive re-modelling to transform a 870 passenger / 50 car (hoist loaded) ferry into a 48 passenger luxury cruise ship. The ship was chartered twice by the late Queen Elizabeth for Scottish Island cruising to celebrate her 80th & 84th birthdays. Today, aboard Hebridean Princess, there are 38 members of crew looking after just 48 guests - with many repeat passengers.

Key Dimensions of Hebridean Princess … Gross Tonnage = 2,110 … Length = 72m … Beam = 14m … Draft = 3m … Service speed = 12 knots … Capacity for 48 passengers and 38 crew … built 1964 / in cruising service 1989