Livestock Carrier OCEAN DROVER

As we crossed over Victoria Bridge in Fremantle, Western Australia, my wife said 'hey look, there's a cruise ship'. And I said 'no, I think its a car-carrier'. As we got a closer look from the opposite wharf, we could see that the OCEAN DROVER was neither and wondered what is she? I then said, 'you know, I think I saw a ship like this on the  'Mighty Ships' and it was hauling cattle'. Sure enough, this was her, only then her name was BECRUX and she is the largest custom-built livestock carrier in the world. Built for Italy's 'Siba Ships' in 2002 by Uljanik Plovidba in Pula, Croatia, the OCEAN DROVER can carry 20,000 heads of cattle or 60,000 sheep from Australia to destinations all over Asia and the Middle East. Purchased in 2009 by Wellard Rural Exports, the 591' DROVER currently flies the flag of Singapore and if you search for Fremantle, Australia on Google Earth and zoom in on North Quay, you will see truckloads of cattle (or sheep) being loaded onto the OCEAN DROVER. COOL!! c):-o Or you can download the season one episode on the BECRUX on the Discovery Channels website. It's your dime. c):-D

Meanwhile, you've got to hand it to the Fremantle Port Authority for doing an excellent job to make visitors feel welcome. Most ports are fenced off with few vantage points to take pictures or even look at docked ship. Everything here is clean, maintained and there's public art everywhere. Just like this sculpture who allowed me to get photographed with on the Art & Culture Trail entitled 'Southern Crossings', depicts all who have disembarked from ships in Fremantle. I came by plane and felt right at home.