A few years ago we had the opportunity to travel by cargo ship.
Our journey aboard a container / cargo ship started in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Our freighter, named the Atacama was waiting for us. The Atacama was scheduled between Valparaiso Chile and Hamburg Germany. In between several ports were visited. It took us in total 30 days aboard this ship to go from Europe to Latin America.
See our next YouTube video to get an impression of our cabin accommodation aboard the Atacama.
During our first stage we sailed from Rotterdam to Hamburg on one of the busiest nautical routes of the world at the North sea. The mode of travel is fantastic, an unique experience. We arrived at the port of Hamburg at night which was spectacular. At night at such a tall ship, maybe 8 or even 10 apartment stores high, little people walking along the quays of Hamburg, you feel majestic. You are so high and the people on the quay were so small. In Hamburg we could disembark and were able to spend a day in Hamburg, which was fun. We had brought our bike, so we were very mobile whenever we set foot on the ground. There is only little public transport at the port, so our bike was very handy.
At every port there is a lot to see. Repositories for thousands of containers, very impressive. Crazy monster like trucks on wheels lift the containers and move them around. What is also interesting are all the other cargo ships that are there and that are loaded or unloaded.
The entire trip was very educational. Besides a lot of reading books and learning Spanish with the Chilean crew, we were invited by the captain to go to the bridge, the engine room, the front deck, the sun roof deck, the forecastle, the mess and of course our private apartment, including a living room, fridge, television, hifi stereo set, toilet, shower and double bed.
Our goal was to sail to South America in 30 days. From the very beginning till the far end you experience how it is real to travel. Aboard the ship you are travelling, enjoying the journey. Such a boat trip is an experience, not at all like travelling by plane. You experience what is like to be a sailor. You can witness what they do, how they spend their days. You get a glimpse behind the scenes of the deep sea.
Please click at the hyperlink below for more photographs and stories from our diary:
container ship travel
container ship travel
