Ships in the Sound - 3 - Cargo Ships

We wouldn't normally expect to see very large ships in the restricted, often crowded waters of the Sound of Mull, but we frequently see giant, self-loading bulk carriers like this one, the Yeoman Bridge. They are en route to the Glensanda super-quarry at the south end of the Sound, and they carry their cargoes of aggregate to ports all over the UK and Europe.

With a length of 250m, and capable of carrying almost 100,000 tonnes of cargo, she's owned by the Foster Yeoman company; more about her here. Her sister ship, the Yeoman Bontrup, caught fire spectacularly while berthed at Glensanda in July 2010, exclusive Diary pictures here.

With the Yeoman Bontrup away in the Netherlands where she's being assessed to determine whether she's worth repairing after the fire, we've been seeing some different bulk carriers. This is the Vestnes, completed in 2009 but, at 30,000grt, much smaller than the Yeoman boats. The conveyor belt used for loading and unloading can be seen stowed fore and aft along the deck.

This is the Lys Foss, a Norwegian registered general cargo ship of length 100m and some 4,000grt. She went aground on Auliston Point, opposite Kilchoan, in May 2001, story here, but was later re-floated and repaired. In this picture she's passing the entrance to Bloody Bay on the northeast coast of Mull.

The Eendracht is another example of a modern cargo ship seen in the Sound. In this picture she carries four bulky cylindrical objects stowed on deck, possibly parts of giant wind turbines.