It's important to make the "vroom, vroom" noises while you're watching too...

After I had seen Helsinki (yes, every bit of it) I settled back in the ship for an adult beverage and foot relief. I got to watching the freighter berthed next to us load and unload containers. Only too cool.




I tried to figure out the latching mechanism at the cormers of the the containers. It's pretty pathetic but I was hypnotized. The straddle cranes that tender the loading cranes are really slick as well. The wheels track together so they can turn down narrow aisles and straddle trucks.




Then there must be some honkin' piece of software with wireless readouts making sure the right container is in the right place. It's pretty easy to see how "The Box" revolutionized shipping and made our China import addiction possible.

Anyway, I'll probably travel thousands of miles and see centuries of history and culture, and 5 years from now remember only these giant port machines.

My grandson would love this...