This afternoon at Port Chalmers in Dunedin we saw this heavily laden container ship in port. I’ve been fascinated by containers for years. So many containers, loaded with all sorts of goods, being dispatched all over the globe! Many years ago I worked in the office of a tannery in Auckland and part of my work was supervising the loading of containers and making transport arrangements. I loved seeing the swing-lift trucks coming into the yard with empty containers or leaving with full ones. Their final destination might be Korea, Japan or Italy.
The only time I’ve ever accepted a ride with a stranger was when I lived in the port town of Lyttelton and was waiting for a bus in order to get to work in Christchurch. The driver of a swing-lift truck with a container on-board stopped and asked me if I’d like a ride. No hesitation – I was up in the cab in a shot! I felt like all my Christmases had come at once sitting up in that huge cab, going through the Lyttelton tunnel and on into the city 🙂
Today I didn’t have my cellphone handy so I asked Nigel to take photos.
Port Chalmers, Dunedin, New Zealand. Taken by Nigel on Monday 09 July 2018
Isn’t it amazing that ships venture out on to the high seas with a huge load of containers piled high like this?
This morning we were at Larnach Castle. It was really rainy but since the main objective of our visit was the Ballroom Cafe it didn’t matter so much! Nigel has already done a post with some nice photos at Tea, scones and fire at Larnach Castle
Text by Liz and Photos by Nigel; Exploring Colour (2018)
These container ships are fascinating, along with all the gear to load and unload them. Your “accepting a ride from a stranger” story made me chuckle. Probably a good thing you didn’t make a habit of it.
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Definitely not a good idea in NZ!
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I have never lived close to a port big enough to process barges with containers, but find them fascinating, too. I was amazed to learn that not a few of these containers get lost during rough weather, and I can’t imagine what all might land at the bottom of the sea. Another formerly pristine place we manage to litter.
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They are fascinating! Yes, containers getting lost overboard doesn’t bear thinking about. It does happen at times though. From an ecological point-of-view its terrible of course. Because some of them don’t sink – and float just under the surface – some lost containers are very dangerous. An invisible menace out there. Despite all this I can’t help being fascinated by container traffic and the logistics involved!
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I can relate, Liz. We live with contradictions all the time.
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Well put Tanja. Its so true and I often feel very conflicted about things. I hadn’t really thought about it though!
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I saw plenty of containers in Auckland while visiting the sky tower. It was great to see the busy harbour from above!
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You have to wonder how they don’t turn turtle in heavy seas. I wonder if they lose many.
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I don’t know what proportion of containers get lost to the ocean but I’ve read that they’re a serious hazard as they can float just under the surface.
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I feel for those poor folk waiting for a container that never turns up.
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Absolutely. And also for any boats or ships that ram into these unseen hazards.
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Wow! Makes me feel like a weenie little bug. 🙂
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Everything at the port is so big; the straddle carriers that carry the containers around are enormous!
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Wow! This is huge! I wonder how it swims!
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Hahaha, that’s a very good question Pepix, how indeed?
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😀
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