Boats On The Bosphorous: January 2016

Welcome

We'll periodically post images of vessels that drift past our perch on the Bosphorous. If you are a new arrival, the Bosphorous is the waterway (straits) that divides Europe from Asia and cuts right through the middle of Istanbul. You could swim from Europe to Asia (or vice versa) in about 30 minutes - if you could survive the boat traffic and/or the pollution.

The blog's perch is about half way up (or down) the Bosphorous - not the city's most supreme view. Yet, it's not too high, not too low - good enough to afford a decent view. Then again, anything better in terms of view will cost you upward of a million. Dollars. No... more. Much more. This view is free.

The aim here is to provide regular images and - where possible - further details regarding boat traffic between the Black Sea, the Marmara and points beyond.

It's not CIA - although they used to maintain a prominent viewing location (and probably still do) - The transit through the Bosphorous is Russia's traditional outlet to the world's oceans - most other Russian outlets ice over in the winter. But, there is no hidden blog agenda, no intent to spy. This is just our view and publicly available data related to those views: Boats on the Water. Passing by. Happened to catch them ....

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Yasa Falcon

10 minutes later ... more snow coming down. For a few minutes.
Bosphorous weather changes from minute to minute.

Name: Yasa Falcon
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Marshall Islands
Date: 23 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter snow, getting serious

Clipper Mars

Name: Clipper Mars
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: tanker
Flags: Norway
Date: 23 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter snow headed our way - again

Baltimore

10 minutes later, more snow and less visibility.
We went out to catch some boats because the sunlight was so nice.
Check out Nermin Telli (next post) to see what happened to the weather in such as short time - kind of typical of the Bosphorous.
The "pilot on board" flag is nicely visible in the close-up of the bridge/stern.

Name: Baltimore
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Marshall Islands, pilot on board
Date: 23 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter snow coming on

Nermin Telli

Name: Nermin Telli
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: tanker
Flags: Turkey
Date: 23 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter snow

Friday, January 22, 2016

151

Again, like 127, there was no traffic data to help identify this vessel - clearly military/navy and likely Russian, considering the locale and the current state of affairs.
Our research indicates that it might be Azov, headed ... you make a guess.
Notice the collection of "sailors" both on the front part of the deck as well as on the "poop" - lots of orange jackets.
Also note the rear landing platform.

Name: 151 (Azov?)
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: Navy Landing
Flags: Russia
Date: 22 Jan 2016
Weather: light snow coming in

127

There was no data from the regular Bosphorous traffic blogs about 127 or 151.
Research about the flag flying prominently indicates that this is Russian navy landing boat 127
Notice the rear "landing" platform.

Name: 127
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: navy landing ship
Flags: Russia
Date: 22 Jan 2016
Weather: light snow coming on

Mega

Name: Mega
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Moldova
Date: 22 Jan 2016
Weather: light snow starting

Dubai Glamour

Name: Dubai Glamour
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: tanker
Flags: Marshall Islands
Date: 22 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter snow, getting serious

Sider Luck

The pilot on board flag is fairly obvious in the stern/aft shot and she's riding high enough to show that she must be empty.

Name: Sider Luck
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Panama
Date: 22 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter snow, getting serious

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Afanasiy Matsushenko

Name: Afanasiy Matyushenko
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Ukraine
Date: 20 Jan 2016
Weather: pleasant foggy winter

Haci Emine Ana

Name: Haci Emine Ana
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: un-known
Flags: Turkey
Date: 20 Jan 2016
Weather: pleasant mildly foggy winter

Federal Adi

Name: Federal Adi
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Belize
Date: 20 Jan 2016
Weather: misty water level fog @ winter

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Minerva Symphony

After a couple of days of limited visibility (snow), we saw this rather large thing coming our way - thanks to the Bosphorous Live site
You can see the Greek flag pretty clearly (last image).
If you want a lesson in the Greek alphabet, check out the 4th image, stern view with the writing (out of Peiraias)

Name: Minerva Symphony
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: oil tanker
Flags: Greece
Date: 19 Jan 2016
Weather: after some snow

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Altair (& H Kemal Kaptan)

We got Altair and then Altair with H Kemal Kaptan coming alongside.

Name: Altair
Name: H Kemal Kaptan
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: cargo
Flags: Sierra Leone
(Kemal Kaptan is Turkish cargo)
Date: 16 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter drizzle

Murgash

We've seen a Murgash passing by before, but that appears to be a different Murgash: Murgash Comanche.

Name: Murgash
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: bulk carrier
Flags: Malta
Date: 16 Jan 2016
Weather: light winter drizzle

Cape Mayor

Name: Cape Mayor
Heading: North/Black Sea
Type: container
Flags: Marshall Islands
Date: 16 Jan 2016
Weather: Warm winter drizzle

Friday, January 15, 2016

MSC Alessia

The home port of Hamburg is fairly visible just above the rather prominent rudder.

Name: MSC Alessia
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: container
Flags: Germany
Date: 14 Jan 2016
Weather: pleasant winter

GT Star

Do you see the man on the deck just under the mast? Looks like he is hoisting something.
There also appears to be a "pilot on board" flag there.
Further, the coast guard leading the way is the same Kurtarma 3 that we included some time back.
Name: GT Star
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: tanker
Flags: Philippines
Date: 14 Jan 2016
Weather: pleasant winter

Ulus Prime

The yellow flag might ought to mean that there are no health problems on board and that the vessel requests clearance.

Name: Ulus Prime
Heading: South/Sea of Marmara
Type: cargo
Flags: Russia
Date: 14 Jan 2016
Weather: pleasant winter