Southampton
June 17, 2022
HM 196. Southampton, where I touched just the tip of an iceberg.
Steven Masters is HM to one of the largest ports in the UK... Photo 2 shows the extent of his harbour limits and from their Ops Room, Steve's VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) team controls oil tankers, container ships, cargo vessels and cruise liners over 268 sq miles of water.
The sheer number of ships is one aspect, but when you add the complexity of the tides (Southampton has a "Double High Water" twice a day), the zig zag shape of the entrance channels (thanks to the drying Bramble Bank) and the logistics of turning around two million cruise passengers each year - the complications of the job are mind boggling. £71bn of goods are handled in Southampton, but I think it is the variety of ships that makes Southampton special.
Dominating the skyline, and with fog horns that bray loudly each time they depart, are the vast cruise liners. When each one docks, 6,000 passengers are turned around before it sails just 12 hours later. Before becoming HM, Steve was Head of Operations for Disney Cruise Line for 12 years, so he is something of an expert.
At Fawley, in Southampton water, the largest oil tankers in the world arrive to discharge, for it is where 20% of all the UK's oil is refined. In total contrast Southampton is leading the way in providing "zero carbon emission berths". Basically providing enough renewable electricity to power a ship while in dock, so they can turn off their engines and generators. (Change really is happening in the maritime industry, with the first fully electric, self berthing, autonomous (zero crew) cargo ship being launched in Norway earlier this year.)
If all of this was not enough of a challenge, Steve also dealt with the hijacking of the cargo ship Nave Andromeda in 2020, it has to be said.....with a little help from the SBS. As every HM tells me - you never know what today will bring!
Thanks Steve for a great insight into one of the most famous harbours in the world and as I found out, not just famous as the departure point of The Titanic!
Steven Masters is HM to one of the largest ports in the UK... Photo 2 shows the extent of his harbour limits and from their Ops Room, Steve's VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) team controls oil tankers, container ships, cargo vessels and cruise liners over 268 sq miles of water.
The sheer number of ships is one aspect, but when you add the complexity of the tides (Southampton has a "Double High Water" twice a day), the zig zag shape of the entrance channels (thanks to the drying Bramble Bank) and the logistics of turning around two million cruise passengers each year - the complications of the job are mind boggling. £71bn of goods are handled in Southampton, but I think it is the variety of ships that makes Southampton special.
Dominating the skyline, and with fog horns that bray loudly each time they depart, are the vast cruise liners. When each one docks, 6,000 passengers are turned around before it sails just 12 hours later. Before becoming HM, Steve was Head of Operations for Disney Cruise Line for 12 years, so he is something of an expert.
At Fawley, in Southampton water, the largest oil tankers in the world arrive to discharge, for it is where 20% of all the UK's oil is refined. In total contrast Southampton is leading the way in providing "zero carbon emission berths". Basically providing enough renewable electricity to power a ship while in dock, so they can turn off their engines and generators. (Change really is happening in the maritime industry, with the first fully electric, self berthing, autonomous (zero crew) cargo ship being launched in Norway earlier this year.)
If all of this was not enough of a challenge, Steve also dealt with the hijacking of the cargo ship Nave Andromeda in 2020, it has to be said.....with a little help from the SBS. As every HM tells me - you never know what today will bring!
Thanks Steve for a great insight into one of the most famous harbours in the world and as I found out, not just famous as the departure point of The Titanic!