How can I find out when big container ships scheduled to dock at Southampton

[10FingersOnTheFender]

I've not long developed a fascination with container shipping.

I'd like to go to Rotterdam and Hamburg next year.

But in the meantime maybe I could go and see big container ships docking at Southampton. Anyone got any tips? How can I find out as far as possible in advance when certain big ships are due to dock there?

What an amazing view, Lost. New Zealand?

Sure is 😁 It's getting dark now so all the lights are sparkling...

That looks like the Wellington and the Cook Strait Ferry Lost? Ferry to Picton, then small boat to Ship Cove and cycle The Queen Charlotte Track back to Picton. Wonderful jaunt.

Bit further south, Norland. Lyttelton. The boat was a small cruise ship; today there's a South Korean icebreaker headed to the Ross Sea...

Lying in bed in Southampton listening to the fog horns this morning. Only the ferries close at hand though so must be them.

Wow, who knew? Boats are cool.

BouleBaker

I was too, its great isn't it? They were going the other evening too. I'm tempted to get a gigantic horn and join in the chat 😁

my DP was piloting a ship departing this evening and the captain (who is notoriously not v good but owns the ship ) did the 'wrong' horn signal. DP v exasperated/grumpy, thinks it makes him look bad!

That made me giggle bendywindy. On the bridge going “no it’s two short blasts and one long you idiot. Now everyone thinks we’re turning left”

What have I just read

Love it.

This thread is the best thing ever. It's made my morning!

I love sitting in IKEA and watching the ships!

Drove into Portsmouth atbthe weekend and ds and I marvelled at the piles of containers.

Goodness! I started reading this thread slightly open mouthed but now that I’ve reached the end I believe I am a convert. I really want to go to the Ikea in Southampton and watch container ships while I munch my Swedish meatballs.

—I’m even wondering about a sixty day journey to the Cape. Are those prices for a return trip?—

I do love the shipping news and my new year’s resolution was going to be to learn what the heck they are talking about.

Here's a light pamphlet on the shipping forecast for you CircleofWillis

www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/assets/mohippo/pdf/3/3/fact_sheet_no._8.pdf

OMG I thought I was the only person who found containers fascinating 😀 - hooray I’m not as weird as I thought!

Thank you Boule!

In another life, DH was a gardener. One of his regular gigs was inside a cargo ship, the crew had made a garden inside with trees and beds, hidden on a lower deck (which was exposed to light somehow). It sounded absolutely amazing. This was the days before smart phones and he never thought to take his camera.

Since then I've always wanted to travel on one!

Wow never knew this! Also added to my bucket list!

I love the idea of a garden on a cargo ship!

I was studying import export, really cool stuff. Lots of documentaries on youtube from national geographic

Started reading this thread and was but hey you've all sucked me into a world I knew nothing about who needs scented candles
I now have an obsession with marinetracker and have lost many hours there.
I am so jealous of all of you who live near the coast, here the only bodies of water I have access to are the local nature reserve (gravel pits) and the reservoir that feeds Sheffield.

Q. Would I be unreasonable to insist to DH that we relocate?

I only came on to suggest Marchwood too. My family would sometimes go but I found it boring.

John Lewis cafe has views like IKEA. If you drive into Southampton from Redbridge way/millbrook tou can see them all stacked ready to go.

@bendywindy (or indeed anyone else?) can you explain to me what a pilot does versus what a captain does? How do the practicalities of their job on the ship differ?