MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227) Table Bay, Cape Town
MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227): Maritime Observation in Table Bay
Discover MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227), its maritime history and the role of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town's MOS vessel observations. |
| MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227) Table Bay, Cape Town |
Photographer's Note: MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database.
Ship Spotting Photography Training Cape Town
MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227)
Maritime observation around Cape Town provides opportunities to connect photography with vessel identification, geographical context and structured research. Each passing ship becomes a potential subject for the Maritime Observation System (MOS) developed within Vernon Chalmers Photography.The observation of MARIANNA I (IMO 9162227) adds another vessel to this developing maritime record. The V&A Waterfront provides the geographical reference point for this essay, connecting the photographed vessel with the wider harbour environment and the shipping activity associated with the Port of Cape Town.
The value of such an observation extends beyond the photograph itself. A vessel's appearance provides the starting point for identifying its physical characteristics, investigating its maritime history and connecting the resulting information to a structured archive.
MARIANNA I is particularly interesting because its IMO number connects the observation to a vessel with a documented history of name changes. This creates an additional research dimension: the relationship between the name recorded at the time of observation and the vessel's persistent international identity.
Within MOS, the objective is to preserve that distinction while building a reliable photographic and documentary record of maritime activity in Table Bay.
The V&A Waterfront as a Maritime Reference Point
The V&A Waterfront occupies an important position within Cape Town's harbour environment. Its recognisable waterfront, surrounding infrastructure and relationship with the port make it a useful geographical reference for maritime observation.
For the MOS project, the Waterfront complements other established reference points around Table Bay, including Milnerton Lighthouse, Mouille Point Lighthouse, the lighthouse at Robben Island and Robben Island itself. Together, these locations help establish a broader geographical framework for observing vessel movements and documenting maritime activity.
The V&A Waterfront has a particular role because it connects the photographic observation with Cape Town's established harbour landscape. It provides a familiar point of reference from which the relationship between shipping, port infrastructure and the surrounding coastline can be considered.
A geographical reference must nevertheless be distinguished from a verified navigational position. A photograph may establish a vessel's appearance and its visual relationship with identifiable features, but its precise position, course and speed require supporting evidence, such as appropriately timed Automatic Identification System (AIS) records.
This distinction is fundamental to the MOS approach. The photograph provides visual evidence, the geographical reference establishes context, and maritime tracking information can help verify the vessel's movement.
The result is a more informative record than a photograph accompanied only by a ship's name.
V&A Waterfront Cape Town PhotographyThe MARIANNA I (IMO: 9162227, MMSI: 636020349) is a container ship sailing under the flag of Liberia.
Vessel Particulars
- Vessel Type: Container Ship
- Flag: Liberia
- Call Sign: D5YU6
- Year Built: 1998
- Length Overall (LOA): ~299.9 to 300 meters
- Beam (Width): ~42.8 to 43 meters
- Gross Tonnage (GT): 80,942
- Deadweight (DWT): ~88,669 to 94,769 tonnes
- Draught: 11.5m to 13.3m
MARIANNA I: Vessel Identity and Maritime History
MARIANNA I is identified by IMO number 9162227. Published vessel records classify it as a container ship built in 1998, with an overall length of approximately 300 metres, a beam of approximately 42.8 metres and a gross tonnage of 80,942. <a href="https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/details/9162227">VesselFinder's vessel particulars</a> provide a reference for these specifications.
The IMO number is especially important because vessel names can change over time. Maritime databases associate IMO 9162227 with the former name MARIANNA I and the subsequent name MAERSK KIMI. ShipSpotting records also document photographs of the vessel under both names. <a href="https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3664072">The ShipSpotting vessel record</a> provides an example of this historical association.
For the MOS archive, this creates a practical requirement: the vessel should be identified through its IMO number rather than relying exclusively on the name displayed in a photograph or tracking service.
Names remain essential for publication, recognition and searching. However, the IMO number provides the consistent identifier through which observations made at different times can be connected to the same vessel.
This is particularly relevant when researching older photographs, historical vessel movements or changes in a ship's commercial identity. An image labelled MARIANNA I and another labelled MAERSK KIMI may belong to the same vessel even though their displayed names differ.
The distinction also helps prevent duplicate entries in the developing Table Bay Vessel Register. Rather than creating separate permanent vessel records for every historical name, MOS can maintain one vessel identity and associate its documented names with that record.
Maritime Observation System
Container Shipping and the Maritime Environment
Container ships form an important part of modern international maritime transport. Their movements connect ports, shipping services and commercial supply chains across different regions.
The scale of a large container vessel influences how it is photographed from a distant coastal position. A ship approaching or departing Cape Town may appear relatively small in the frame despite its substantial dimensions. The photographer must balance focal length, framing and atmospheric conditions to preserve sufficient detail for identification.
The vessel's physical characteristics also contribute to its photographic identity. Its hull profile, bridge position, container arrangement and other visible features can help distinguish it from ships of comparable size.
These visual characteristics should be treated as supporting evidence rather than substitutes for formal identification. Similar vessels can share design features, while container arrangements may change between voyages. The IMO number and corroborating vessel information remain the more reliable basis for establishing identity.
The MARIANNA I observation therefore belongs to two related areas of interest: the photographic documentation of a large commercial vessel and the investigation of its identity within the wider maritime information environment.
Table Bay Maritime Environment Through Photography
Photography as Documentary Evidence
Maritime photography is often approached primarily as a visual activity. A vessel is identified, framed and photographed, and the resulting image becomes part of a personal or published collection.
The MOS approach extends this process by treating the photograph as a documentary record that can be connected to additional information.
The image preserves the visible appearance of the vessel at the time of observation. Its associated metadata can establish the capture date and time, camera equipment and photographic circumstances. Vessel records can then provide the relevant identity and technical particulars.
Where available, AIS data adds another layer by providing information about the vessel's reported position and movement. The value of this information depends on its timestamp, coverage and reliability, and it should not be assumed that a current tracking position establishes the ship's position when an earlier photograph was captured.
The relationship between these information sources is particularly important when the vessel has operated under different names.
For example, a photograph may have been recorded under the name MARIANNA I while a later database search returns MAERSK KIMI. Matching the IMO number makes it possible to connect the records without treating them as separate ships.
This approach supports the broader purpose of MOS: transforming individual photographic encounters into a structured body of maritime knowledge.
The Table Bay, Cape Town Lighthouse Triangle
Applying the Seven Stages of MOS
The MARIANNA I observation can be incorporated into the established MOS workflow.
OBSERVE establishes the initial encounter with the vessel within the Table Bay maritime environment, using the V&A Waterfront as the geographical reference point.
PHOTOGRAPH preserves the vessel's visible characteristics through the original image and its associated photographic metadata.
IDENTIFY establishes the vessel's identity through IMO 9162227, taking account of the name recorded at the time of observation.
INVESTIGATE examines vessel particulars, historical names and available maritime records. Where relevant, appropriately dated AIS information can help establish the vessel's movement and relationship with the port.
DOCUMENT records the observation date, location, photographic circumstances, vessel name and supporting identification information.
ARCHIVE connects the photograph, vessel identity, research references and published essay while maintaining a consistent vessel record.
INTERPRET considers what the observation contributes to understanding maritime activity around Cape Town and how it relates to the developing photographic and research archive.
These stages provide a repeatable process. Each vessel can be investigated individually while contributing to a larger record of maritime observations around Table Bay.
The Table Bay Vessel Register and Intelligent Database Integration
The MARIANNA I observation also illustrates why the Table Bay Vessel Register needs to function as more than a list of ship names and IMO numbers.
A vessel may appear in several photographs, under different names and at different locations. Each observation may contain distinct information about the vessel's appearance, geographical setting or movement.
Maintaining these details as separate but connected records makes it possible to revisit and extend the research without duplicating the vessel's identity.
Within the developing MOS / IDI / Access Research project, Intelligent Database Integration (IDI) will provide the conceptual link between vessel identities, observation events, photographs and supporting research references.
Microsoft Access can provide the relational database environment in which these records are connected. A permanent vessel record can be linked to multiple observations, while each observation can be associated with its original photographs and relevant sources.
For MARIANNA I, the historical relationship with MAERSK KIMI demonstrates the value of this structure. The IMO number provides the link between the vessel's identity and its historical names, while individual photographs retain their original observation details.
This arrangement will support more consistent searching, cross-referencing and future analysis as the maritime archive expands.
The purpose is not to replace the published essays or the Table Bay Vessel Register. It is to establish a structured research environment in which the information contained in those resources can be related, verified and developed further.
Conclusion: One Vessel, Multiple Layers of Evidence
The MARIANNA I observation contributes another subject to the developing maritime record of Vernon Chalmers Photography. The V&A Waterfront provides the geographical reference, while the vessel's IMO number establishes a persistent identity through which its historical names and photographic records can be connected.
The observation demonstrates the relationship between photography, maritime identification and structured documentation. A photograph records what was visible; vessel particulars establish technical context; historical records explain changes in naming; and appropriately dated tracking information can help establish the circumstances of a particular encounter.
Together, these elements support a more comprehensive approach to maritime observation than image collection alone.
For MOS, each vessel represents an opportunity to build knowledge through a consistent process of observation, photography, identification, investigation, documentation, archiving and interpretation.
MARIANNA I therefore becomes part of a growing record of maritime activity around Table Bay and the Port of Cape Town. Its value lies not only in the individual photograph, but also in the connections that can be established between the image, the vessel's identity, the geographical setting and the wider maritime research project.
As the Table Bay Vessel Register and the MOS / IDI / Access Research project develop, these connections will provide the foundation for a more integrated and searchable maritime archive.
Photographic Equipment
Cameras: Canon EOS 6D Mark II
Lenses: Canon EF 100-4008mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Photographic Genre: Maritime Photography / Ship Spotting
Post Processing: Adobe Lightroom Classic Version 15
Lighthouse Reference Points
Maritime Location: Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
