CARDIFF Sun 8th May 2011

Another arrival, plus a tug that we don't normally see on this side of the Bristol Channel took the number of vessels in Cardiff today to 9 - probably the highest number for a couple of years.  There were the 3 tugs - HT Cutlass, HT Scimitar and Portgarth (see below) 2 sand dredgers - Arco Dart and Welsh Piper, 3 coasters - Dinteldijk, Melas and Stadum and 1 bulk carrier - Behcet C (see below)

Name                                   Flag                 Year      Tonnage       LOA       Beam
BEHCET C                         Panama            2009        22259dwt     149          24

Behcet C

The Turkish owned, Panamanian flagged Behcet C arrived from Ghent this morning. She is loading scrap at the EMR berth in the Roath Dock - 22,000 tons should make a bit of  dent in that mountain of scrap.  Interestingly, on the other side of the dock the coaster Stadum is unloading scrap that she had loaded in Kings Lynn.  The price of scrap is high at the moment, there must be a lot wheeling and dealing amongst the dealers, moving the stuff around the country to get the best price.  Or, a dealer maybe has to 'buy in' in order to fulfil a contract.  Scrap is often loaded here and taken to Liverpool!


PORTGARTH                       UK                1995         262gt             31              10

Portgarth

Usually based at Royal Portbury, Portgarth arrived from Swansea this morning to assist with the berthing on Behcet C.  She is seen here departing on the evening tide bound for Portbury.