She eventually appeared at Fawley at 1240. Naturally, all the white sails appeared as if by magic but, for once, didn't interfere too badly with the subject.
Malik Al Ashtar facts: 141077 GT; year of build: 2012; IMO number: 9525900; flag: Malta.
Click for largest size and better quality.
NYK Altair and Cassiopeia Leader were on their way in, so there was a bit of a rush on!
Liverpool have got their own way regarding becoming a turnaround cruise port. They have to now pay back the public money they used to build their terminal but, unfortunately, they are allowed to pay it back in instalments. However, nothing has been said about the £8.8 million of EU money they had - which Liverpool have not offered to repay - which they really should repay. The thoroughly-discredited Labour government bent over backwards to accommodate the north of England, usually at the expense of the south, but the current ConDem coalition are no better. If this isn't giving Liverpool an unfair advantage over those ports which have built up their business with their own and private money, then I don't know what it is.
That said, it is going to be interesting to see what happens now. They have their eyes on what they consider the big prize, Cunard, but Cunard have already knocked them back.
