Shipping Lines - Springtime tidy-up of my harbour files reveals quite a few surprises

One such location is the unlikely state of Bangladesh. The Western Marine Services group, situated in the major city of Chittagong, a port once famous for the export of raw jute and gunnies to Dundee in days gone by. This was the birthplace in 2012 of the 5,235-ton deadweight, 99-metres in length, general purpose cargo ship Aceromar which called at Montrose earlier this year.

This is a new name as a source of ships calling at the Angus seaport. The Western Marine group was established around the turn of the century and is the country’s leading builder of cargo vessels although the origins of the company could go back to 1994. As with similar maritime organisations they began with ship repair, progressing to shipbuilding, thus having gained experience at first hand in the maritime sector.

Also in the early part of the year was noted the container feeder ship Duygo registered at Port Vila, flying the Vanuatu flag about the same time as the Elenora which was sailing under the state flag of Portugal. The latter vessel was built in Spain in the same shipyard as the replacement tender Pole Star for the Northern Lighthouse Board, due for completion later this year.

Other vessels making an appearance and working cargo on the North Quay, were Meike B, seen on two occasions, built in Wuhan, China in 2013, being 2,558-ton deadweight and 99 metres in length.

A traditional red-hulled Dutch vessel Lady Anneke built in the Groningen ship yard at Waterhuizen in The Netherlands called in briefly. Of 3,718-ton deadweight and 88 metres in length and completed in 2012, she brightened up the scenery at the North Quay during her stay in port.

Montrose’s long-standing timber trade was further enhanced with the loading of the Haugesund-registered cargo ship Norvind within the past few weeks having arrived shortly after the Aland. In this instance she was reported as departing for Holla, a port in her homeland.

Fitted with her own loading/discharging equipment she had a fast turn round alongside the North Quay. Making enquiries as to her origins, she was built by the Zaliv shipyard at Kerch in eastern Crimea several years prior to the invasion and occupation by Russian forces.

During an intermittent spell of misty weather, there was the appearance of the 78-metres long dredger UKD Orca, arriving in the South Esk estuary and departing for the Humber. She is described as a hopper dredger due to her capability of carrying dredged spoil from the navigation channel etc. Registered at Cardiff, she was built by Dutch shipbuilders Barkmeier Stroobos in 2010.

Regarding the hard working and dedicated volunteer workforce of the veteran Montrose-built steam tug Kerne, now based on the Mersey. Maintenance work has continued in fair weather and foul. The visit from an official from the National Historic Ships was successfully completed