Inbound to Ellesmere Port was the product tanker Ternland (IMO 9121699, GT 6534, 1996) whilst General Cargo Ship and regular visitor to Liverpool Ben Varrey (IMO 8507365, T 997, 1986) was heading out to sea on route to Drogheda. Transiting the river from Ellesmere Port to Liverpool Docks was the tanker Whitchampion (IMO 9252280, GT 2965, 2003) whilst waiting to gain entry to Cammel Lairds basin was the offshore constructon vessel Friedrich Ernestine (IMO 9578256, GT 11730, 2011) under assistance from the tugs Smit Sandon and Smit Barbados.
The new ships I saw were both spotted whilst driving into the city centre. Bulk Carrier Graig Rotterdam (IMO 9602186, GT 24187, 2012) was moored in the Seaforth basin along the river wall whilst Dutch registered dredger Johanis de Rijke (IMO 9098986, 2007) was in the main docks.
I took the above photograph on my way home from my phone just as the light was fading. These are all vessels which have been working widening and deepening the channel over the last month or so.
Closest to the camera is the cargo ship Goliath (IMO 8714669, GT 6037, 1988) which seems to be slotted into a platform? followed by the dredgers Johan Van Veen (IMO 9098971, GT 869, 2007) and Johanis de Rijke (IMO 9098986, GT 869, 2007).
Today I am in Salford, on my way into work I saw the sun rise which for a change was quite spectacular the whole horizon being a wash of red, orange and purple. The radio did warn that we were going to get heavy rain from 11am and they were not wrong, at 11.52 it started raining and it does not look like stopping until well into the night.
I am back in Liverpool Friday afternoon, hopefully some new ships will be in port in good positions to allow me to take photographs.