# UK layup locations?



## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

With cruising now at total standstill, there are several hundred floating hotels looking for somewhere to park. Seems that P&O, Cunard and Marella are using Southampton berths at present, plus three P&Os in Dover. Still seems space free at Southampton, but does anyone know just how many more Dover could take? I presume its cheaper than Southampton because P&O got in there quick.
CMV and Saga seem to have plumped for Tilbury, which is also housing one Viking, but ( if I'm to believe Marine Traffic) all the offshore vessels that were laid up there seem to have cleared out. Are they freeing up berths for bigger vessels?
Fred Olsen's fleet is swinging round the hook in the Firth of Forth together with another Viking. 
Anyone know any other cruise ships parked up around our coasts?
I presume that the next tranche of layups will be vehicle carriers, followed by surplus container tonnage. I checked the River Fal today on Marine Traffic , and two smallish Portugese car carriers are there already. I'm guessing that a lot of today's vessels will be just too big for the Fal, though. I wonder if we will see container layups on the Clyde again, or up in Loch Long.
Being locked-down and unable to go and see any REAL ships, I seem to be spending more and more time on Marine Traffic! I notice that there is a growing collection of bulkers plus a car carrier in the Port Talbot anchorage - does anyone know if they are layups or just waiting for berths?


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## the brit (Jan 31, 2010)

Daily Mail article do they think Wales is going to be overtaken, do they not understand bugger all.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ssive-cargo-ships-oil-tanker-Welsh-coast.html
what mystery there is a pandemic occurring.


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## Bob S (Jul 12, 2004)

Steve Hodges said:


> CMV and Saga seem to have plumped for Tilbury, which is also housing one Viking, but ( if I'm to believe Marine Traffic) all the offshore vessels that were laid up there seem to have cleared out. Are they freeing up berths for bigger vessels?


I think there is problems with marine traffic showing all vessels, the PLA website still shows all three offshore vessels in dock
https://www.pla.co.uk/Port-Trade/Ship-movements/Ship-movements?flag=4

CMV's Marco Polo is laid up in Avonmouth and also worthy of note are the growing number of tankers off Southwold


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

I'll go for...... "they not understand bugger all."


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

the brit said:


> Daily Mail article do they think Wales is going to be overtaken, do they not understand bugger all.
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ssive-cargo-ships-oil-tanker-Welsh-coast.html
> what mystery there is a pandemic occurring.


Straight to comments, click on best rated - That is where the real reporting is to be found, and the odd fact for good measure.


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Re the cruise ships at Southampton. 
There was a suggestion that a Cunard ship and a P&O ship were going to Portland. All that has happened is that the odd ship has anchored in Weymouth Bay for a day or two and then gone back to Southampton. 
Allure of the Seas is doing its own thing and drifting between Southampton and the Irish Sea and back again.


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Bob S said:


> I think there is problems with marine traffic showing all vessels, the PLA website still shows all three offshore vessels in dock
> https://www.pla.co.uk/Port-Trade/Ship-movements/Ship-movements?flag=4
> 
> CMV's Marco Polo is laid up in Avonmouth and also worthy of note are the growing number of tankers off Southwold


Southwold is the location of choice for oil cargo speculators to keep their floating storage units until the price is right. It's also a popular trans shipment location.


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Mad Landsman said:


> Re the cruise ships at Southampton.
> There was a suggestion that a Cunard ship and a P&O ship were going to Portland. All that has happened is that the odd ship has anchored in Weymouth Bay for a day or two and then gone back to Southampton.
> Allure of the Seas is doing its own thing and drifting between Southampton and the Irish Sea and back again.


Portland has the highest port fees anywhere along the south coast, so it won't be the first choice for any operator looking for a cheap berth/anchorage at the moment.


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Orbitaman said:


> Portland has the highest port fees anywhere along the south coast, so it won't be the first choice for any operator looking for a cheap berth/anchorage at the moment.


Thanks, that fits with the reputation that they have gained locally.


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Orbitaman said:


> Southwold is the location of choice for oil cargo speculators to keep their floating storage units until the price is right. It's also a popular trans shipment location.


I didn't realise they did trans shipment off Southwold. Can anyone tell me which authority is responsible for the anchorage?


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## dannic (Mar 10, 2013)

Steve Hodges said:


> I didn't realise they did trans shipment off Southwold. Can anyone tell me which authority is responsible for the anchorage?



think they will be outside 12 mile limit so no problem. Mate of mine was there for about two contracts with Shell about 10 years ago. Reasoning is it is a quick run over to Rotterdam but not as busy with traffic.

Dannic.


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Can SN members offer me some further enlightenment please? When I'm using the Marine Traffic website to see what's happening around the coasts, I can see in the anchorages vessels marked as a square to show they are anchored, but also others marked as vectors as if they are underway, but indicating very low speed. I had always assumed that this was some GPS anomaly, caused by vessels swinging on their anchors due to wind and/or tide. Now I'm wondering if these vessels are not anchored, but just drifting with engines on standby or dead slow. The only reason I (as a former engineer) can think of for doing that would be that you pay some sort of harbour dues if actually anchored. Perhaps someone can explain - I might as well learn something while I'm stuck indoors!


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## Harry Bonning (Nov 13, 2019)

*Marie Traffic v Boat Watch*



Steve Hodges said:


> With cruising now at total standstill, there are several hundred floating hotels looking for somewhere to park. Seems that P&O, Cunard and Marella are using Southampton berths at present, plus three P&Os in Dover. Still seems space free at Southampton, but does anyone know just how many more Dover could take? I presume its cheaper than Southampton because P&O got in there quick.
> CMV and Saga seem to have plumped for Tilbury, which is also housing one Viking, but ( if I'm to believe Marine Traffic) all the offshore vessels that were laid up there seem to have cleared out. Are they freeing up berths for bigger vessels?
> Fred Olsen's fleet is swinging round the hook in the Firth of Forth together with another Viking.
> Anyone know any other cruise ships parked up around our coasts?
> ...


In our part of the world (Gulf of Thailand - Koh Samui) I find Boat Watch far more reliable than Marine Traffic which frequently will not pick up ships I can see in front of me whereas they are clearly shown on Boat Watch.


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## skilly57 (Mar 11, 2008)

Seems to be a bunch of larger cruise ships gathering in Manila Bay. 6 There already six (including 3 x Princess, plus Queen Elizabeth), and the Ruby Princess is on her way there from Port Kembla after being ordered out of Australia, with 200+ supposedly-mild cases of coronavirus onboard among the crew.


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## Old Se Dog (May 21, 2015)

*cruise ships and other lay ups*

it is interesting to note the shipping - cruise and others that are having to find a " berth " - my attached image is of a few cruise ships that were outside fort lauderdale recently - and yesterday i saw a google map of the amount of tankers that are not moving due to glut of oil as a direct imapct of the covid 19 virus


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Does anyone know if the Portugese car carriers laid up in the River Fal are still there? They either cleared out or have turned off their GPS.


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## Day Sailor (Nov 9, 2014)

In other news:
A large jack-up rig has moored at the old Olau Terminal at Sheerness and NtoMs advises that another is due in August.
I hope Medway Ports and Sheerness Council have done their diligence and the rigs don't get abandoned there leaving locals to pick up the tab.


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