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| The Riga pulled into port this morning (April 17, 2017) and is now loading wheat at Riverland Ag. Above, she slowly moved into the slip at Riverland Ag after coming under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. I was a little confused about the ship when her arrival was first announced. Someone told me she was formerly called Flinter Aland. I knew well a ship from Holland called Flinterland from prior trips here so i was a bit puzzled. This ship was launched as the Flinter Aland in 2011 by a company also called Flinter Aland. That company declared bankruptcy in Holland in December, 2016, hence the new name from a company that bought her sometime before or after the bankruptcy. Look closely behind the name Riga on her stern and you will notice her prior name, Flinter Aland, has been painted over and her new name added on top. Click the pic below to see a larger version and check out other pictures i took of the ship this morning on her ship page. |
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One name on top of another
April 17, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Flinterland on her way
August 29, 2008 by Leave a Comment
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| The Flinterland departed Duluth on Thursday afternoon with a ship full of blades. Most every available space in its two cargo holds and up on deck, see above, was filled with wind turbine blades going to Brazil. I am assured that the boat is very seaworthy but it doesn’t look like it when you consider it is going into the Atlantic Ocean and then turning right for Brazil. Along the way, they will be sailing right into the waters that kick up hurricanes this time of year. I am assured this is not a problem but wind turbine blades are built to catch wind and with that many blades on deck to catch the wind, it would seem like they could fly down to Brazil. They have several private services that watch the weather closely and send them advisories that include updated tracks they should follow to avoid difficult weather. They are also advised where the ship should go to wait out a storm, and I assume it tells them when to go to those places in time to get there. Photo taken on August 28, 2008 |
| *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 08-29-2008 |
Flinterland gets assist from cranes 1 & 2
August 28, 2008 by Leave a Comment
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| A lot of boats arrived in Duluth yesterday and that means a lot of boats will be departing Duluth today. The Dutch flagged Flinterland is one of those boats. It arrived at sunrise on Wednesday and began to load wind turbine blades for Brazil at 8 am. Above, you see the Port Terminal’s two gantry cranes loading one blade into the cargo hold of the ship while a truck brings the next blade to be loaded into position. The last blades will be loaded onto the deck of the ship and that will make for a pretty picture when it departs, probably later today. Photo taken on August 27, 2008 |
| *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 08-28-2008 |