AIS Satellite Tracking (our members are watching!)

[Twynkle]

Hello Hollihedge
There's an interesting site called marinetraffic (via google), then go to Dubai, then enlarge over Port Rashid -there you can see when Costa classica's in!  Costa Victoria sometimes visits too...

[Chris]

Here it is:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815

[Twynkle]

This link was where I found her yesterday - hope that we won't have to make do with just this all summer long...maybe someone really helpful in Cunard  or maybe Bert might post us updates??

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?level0=100#

[Twynkle]

Thank you everyone for keeping this thread alive!

This link is the best I could do this morning - the contrast between this satellite view and photographs is extraordinary - Think QE2 looks a bit sort of 'skeletal' from here - hope she is OK!

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815


'Zoom' is essential! There are 2 unmarked ships - it looks as if the one on the right is beneath cranes, the one on the left is QE2 - alongside the long quay, on the right side of the harbour!

[hollihedge]

Thanks Rosie - yes, I can see her!!

[Twynkle]

Interesting...for weeks the QE2 has not been flagged on the Marine Traffic map.

Today she is marked by a blue flag again, and it would appear that she is the ship beneath the cranes... except I don't think she is!

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815

[Mauretania1907]

You will have to tell me where to look, I have never seen this satellite imaging before. And I am not sure what QE2 looks like from above and from space. I saw a ship leaving the port, a freighter I think. How I wish it were our Queen escaping!

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

Oh gosh - so do I! "Let's put her to sea"!

BUT I must be realistic!

Cheers!

[Mauretania1907]

I've had another look. There is a big fat cruise ship in port, however she is not at the same dock. There is a large ship under the cranes, and a ship in darkness behind her, but I cannot tell whether this is QE2. Can someone have another look and tell me if I spy her or not.

[Mauretania1907]

I have been looking at WWW.marinetraffic, and I think I spot something funny. I looked at the map of Sydney Harbour and guess who is snuggled up to the cruise terminal there. None other than our Lady!!! So, I think the Dubai part map is also out of date. The ship under the cranes is definitely a box-boat, the skeletal ship behind her is a freighter of some sort, Not QE2, if you want a lovely view from above, go to Sydney. However, I have discovered they have Millenium in Auckland today (sun 15 march) and so she is, according to my port guide. But Millenium is represented by a little square, and QE2 is not represented at all in Dubai. If she is in sight of a ship moored at Dubai's cruise terminal, she possibly would be at a berth ahead of the cruise terminal, which is plainly visible, with a big fat cruise ship alongside. No wonder I could not spot her. So who has another satellite site which we could use to spy, since the friendly Costa ships are sailing away for a few months. I think I have figured the marine traffic site out, they represent ships by little symbols according to type and move them into and out of their maps of ports as they arrive and depart - am I on the right beam here?

[Twynkle]

The Marine Traffic site is the place I can find - I wonder whether someone at Marine Matters might be of helping pointing us in the right direction for a better site?
I haven't time to do it right now, and if anyone else does find any better way of 'keeping in touch with The QE2 - please let us know!

[Twynkle]

Still no new images of QE2 in Mina Rashid.

There was no usual blue arrow marking her on the AIS website this morning, however it looks as if she is still there!

It's evident that it's the cranes that are mobile.
It would seem that QE2 has not been moved since her arrival. She is still 'parked' alonside the turn in the road!

One gangway is clearly visible.

There are no other cruise ships with webcams in the area, although there are a considerable number of oil tankers...

[Chris]

And she continues to sit there, waiting for her fate to be decided:

[Twynkle]

About the current AIS map - there's no passenger ship sign inside the Port Mina Rashid harbour
however, I think the outline of a ship that looks exactly like QE2 is still there alongside, on the satellite map.

[Chris]

About the current AIS map - there's no passenger ship sign inside the Port Mina Rashid harbour
however, I think the outline of a ship that looks exactly like QE2 is still there alongside, on the satellite map.

Hi Rosie,

The satellite map is from Google Maps and I think it is a few years old. There is no image of QE2 there.

Coincidentally - QE2 is visible in Sydney Harbour via Google Maps - click here to see her when ever you're missing her... http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sydney+harbour&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=56.685438,78.486328&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.859226,151.211915&spn=0.006575,0.009581&t=h&z=17

[Twynkle]

Hi Chris

Thanks for pointing that out - about it being a  satellite  map 'powered by google'.

That's curious, about the possibility of the 'satellite' part of the site being out of date
 - as it calls itself 'Live', can be refreshed etc -
and it's the same map as used by Lloyds!

This is the link I use - is it the same as the one you refer to?
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815
There's a ship there, the stern is by the corner of the road - I thought that this was QE2!

putting  GBTT into sailwx.info etc didn't help either!
(a site run by volunteer sailors)

About the report above re. dry docking for QE2
There have been no further reports:
if anyone can verify this story, that would be good!

[RMS Queen Elizabeth 2]

About the current AIS map - there's no passenger ship sign inside the Port Mina Rashid harbour
however, I think the outline of a ship that looks exactly like QE2 is still there alongside, on the satellite map.

Hi Rosie,

The satellite map is from Google Maps and I think it is a few years old. There is no image of QE2 there.

Coincidentally - QE2 is visible in Sydney Harbour via Google Maps - click here to see her when ever you're missing her... http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sydney+harbour&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=56.685438,78.486328&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.859226,151.211915&spn=0.006575,0.009581&t=h&z=17

I love that image of her at Sydney. She looks as though shes an Hotel docked there like Queen Mary. She looks at home there.

[Chris]

She's on the move!!!!

[Chris]

Can't believe my luck to check AIS and see her moving!!

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815

[MrT]

Fantastic!! At a stately 1.4 knots - do you think she's uder tow?  There is another ship showing on a similar course??

Who'd have thought it.

Alex...

[Chris]

Alex! Finally someone replied I was going stir crazy!!

I think she's under her own power - the other ship is too far away.

[Chris]

Another pic below.

She must be so glad to be away from that pier!!

[singlemalt]

Chris - very well spotted!

Saw it 2 mins after you posted and been glued to AIS 
There goes my afternoon......!

Have now changed the title and got a few screencaps too up on flickr.

[Chris]

Thank you

Was getting very worried there that you may all miss out on seeing it "live".

Alex - I see the tug now when zoomed in on the map. Perhaps she is being assisted.

[Chris]

This one shows her route and the tugs route - seems she made the departure herself and got assistance into the Drydock area.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Well caught, Chris!! Lucky thing that you were at your computer and watching for us 

Under her own steam and with tug assistance too -- she must be enjoying the familiar feeling!

Hope someone catches a photo somewhere...

[Chris]

Quick thanks also to Rosie - it was her comment re: Google Maps that got me onto AIS where I got the wonderful surprise to see QE2 at sea

[Twynkle]

Chris - you are STAR!

Thank you - I'd checked an hour earlier - there were no sign of tugs then
She's really moving -

Well Done QE2 - WOW !!!!

[ancoaster78]

Thanks Chris and well spotted, been watching live here too since I got your message earlier this pm!

Am meant to be finishing DIY in my bathroom, but now im saved! 

[Chris]

She's berthed now:

[Muppet]

SHE's on the move!!!!

Amazing, just happened to drop in & be able to watch this.... but 

[Twynkle]

24.7.2009

Eight months, less two days since arriving in Port Mina Rashid, Dubai

!6.35 BST - Tug's just leaving
                QE2 now berthed in Dry Dock!

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815#

(Chris - sorry - I can't do 'cut and paste' from the AIS satellite screen !)

[Twynkle]

It looks as if QE2 is surrounded now by oil tankers and container vessels, her new neighbours!
With the site well enlarged, it's possible to see  a fair amount of activity in the Dry Dock area
No 'labels' now on the site, so 'fraid it's not possible to identify any other ships.

[pete cain]

Dear Rosie, (am up & running wih 6 of my 9 engines operating)I've finally been able to access the satellite link thanks to your posted info, however when you zoom in as far as is possible that vessel doesn't look at all like QE2, unless they've taken a deck off & you can see inside...Please tell me I'm looking at  the wrong  image, or being stupid here??

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815

[Avariel]

Dear Rosie, (am up & running wih 6 of my 9 engines operating)I've finally been able to access the satellite link thanks to your posted info, however when you zoom in as far as is possible that vessel doesn't look at all like QE2, unless they've taken a deck off & you can see inside...Please tell me I'm looking at  the wrong  image, or being stupid here??

The images in the AIS website use static Google satellite images - so the image could be old. So the vessel you saw is not QE2 at all, just some other random ship.

[Twynkle]

Pete - The image of QE2 -
Sorry if I've been misleading you...
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815

Making sure that you tick/ click on 'show ships names' first
Then  click on the Map tab  - top left
then zoom down to the dry dock - This is left of the harbour where QE2 used to be
(btw her ghost is still there as an outline - or was, last Thursday!)

Then click on satellite - top left tab
And Our QE2 is 7th along from the right - bang in the middle of the dry dock!

I've no idea what Satellites can see -
but I think QE2 is the big ship that's got a small (Royal, of course!) blue marker -
You can't see funnel or bridge wings for example....BUT
the swimming pool on her stern seems to be visible!

None of the ships have any other clearly definable details
However, the oil tankers, and to a lesser extent, the container ships are easier to see!

Hope it works for you, this time!!


Otherwise - please might it be possible for someone to do a screen grab, like Chris did last week??

[Bob C.]

Here's Rosie's image from the AIS site satellite photo.  Its an old image and not the QE2 but at least this gives an idea of where she is geographically.

[Rob Lightbody]

Just as a FYI, the images used in all these online services, are usually at least months old, if not years.  This goes for all the online satellite photo sites. as far as I'm aware.  You'd have to be in the military to get something up to date I think!  On Google Earth, for instance, QE2 and QM2 can be seen in various ports at the same time!

[pete cain]

Rosie,you wern't misleading me I was just playing catchup, the AIS was definately showing her in a different place, I've just seen her (all lit up I think) just where you said she'd be, (might have a new computer , still got a 60yr old brain, pete c.......

[Twynkle]

That's good, Pete!
It sounds as if you and your new computerisor are getting on almost as well as we are!!
Please send it my regards!

[Twynkle]

Things are looking a little strange in the Dry Dock!

A ship definitely marked QE2 is currently being tugged out, at 0.2 knots
This is not the same ship that's been labelled QE2 for the past week!
Not the same berth either.

Probably wrong name and wrong ship today!

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815


Hmm. Half an hour later - looks as if QE2 marker is now back in what is probably the correct place!

[citrail]

I'm watching Dubai right now and it looks like she's moving out of the drydock heading 49' 2 knots. 

[Twynkle]

Hello citrail

The same thing happened to a ship wrongly named yesterday evening (last post under July news)

On this AIS site   http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?&zoom=13&centerx=55.27395&centery=25.26815
It would seem that QE2's still in situ, but without her royal blue marker!

[Chris]

AT 3:30 BST the ship appears to be within the Dubai DD Facility however, it does seem as if she has moved positions to an ordinary pier.

See here:

[Jem]

I took this image on 1st Aug. Today cannot find her on marinetraffic.com

Cheers
Jem.

[Chris]

Interesting shot - she was a bit all over the place there!

[Bob C.]

Given QE2's size and the restricted maneuvering space in that area, I think what we are seeing are false indications of movement due to AIS signal error and/or GPS interpretation.  AIS is not designed for pinpoint accuracy and sometimes when the GPS calibrates itself or is in the process of adding or dropping a satellite, the position will momentarily hiccup as seen in the above photo. 

[Chris]

I think I'd have to agree with you Bob!

[Jem]

Given QE2's size and the restricted maneuvering space in that area, I think what we are seeing are false indications of movement due to AIS signal error and/or GPS interpretation.  AIS is not designed for pinpoint accuracy and sometimes when the GPS calibrates itself or is in the process of adding or dropping a satellite, the position will momentarily hiccup as seen in the above photo. 

Thanks for that. As you say it is a tight space to move in for QE2's size.

[citrail]

I watched this on Saturday afternoon, it showed "QE2" leaving the drydock, turning very slowly to the right, then heading down the topside of the docks and mooring where there is a large tanker pictured in the satelite image.
The whole process took just over an hour, the only thing that makes me question whether it was QE2 or not was the fact that there were no tugs anywhere to be seen.

[Twynkle]

Citrail
Thank you!
It's interesting news about Saturday's possible 'happening'.
Was it the Marine Traffic AIS site that you were watching?
For much of the past 3 days there seems to have been ships looking exactly as if they are moving,
yet whenever I return to the same site, they are still in the same position...Hmm.
Some ships have markers, while  others including QE2 have either become oil tankers or nameless!

btw - just wondering, has anyone tried the Fairplay AIS site?

[Jem]

Is she out of dry dock by now and back at the berth where she was at Port Rashid or is the inspection not over?

MarineTraffic does not report her anywhere in Dubai. Has her Satcom been switched off?

Here's an image I captured 5 minutes ago, so she is still there, for now.

Cheers
Jeremy.

[Mr B]

Monitor screen shot at 12.30pm today:

[Mr B]

Note: The satellite image is not a current one, the ship with the blue box is NOT Queen Elizabeth 2 !

It does however point to her being berthed outside the drydock as of 13.00hrs today.

[citrail]

Tonight the AIS website shows here as back at her original berth where she arrived last year.

[citrail]

Tonight the AIS website shows here as back at her original berth where she arrived last year.

This seems to be confirmed by member "InDubai" in his post in another thread.

[QE2 DXB]

Yes, this is confirmed

QE2 is most definately back in Port Rashid

[citrail]

Is this the new designation for the QE2?

The maritime AIS site is today showing this vessel with no further info availabe moored where QE2 is/was moored yesterday

I suspect the move to SA is really on!

[Concorde_QE2]

Is this the new designation for the QE2?

The maritime AIS site is today showing this vessel with no further info availabe moored where QE2 is/was moored yesterday

I suspect the move to SA is really on!

Some times the Satcom is on and some times it is off. She is not always reporting to satellites obviously.
I look every day. At some time today she was not visible at another time of the day she may be visible again.

[pjswansea]

There are obviously strong financial reasons why the ship was re-registered - I bet it is a lot cheaper than registering her in the UK.


I'm surprised that the ship wasn't registered in the UAE - after all she is a government-owned vessel for all intents and purposes!

I hope they keep the big Southampton letters on the vessel and just paint over them  that way they can be restored at a later date.