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Episode 3

Episode 3 of 10

Documentary following life on the English Channel. A mammoth cargo freighter makes its way through the channel's hazards to Southampton in thick fog.

We follow the crew and pilots on a mammoth cargo freighter as it makes its way through the channel's hazards to Southampton in thick fog. Ninety-five per cent of everything we buy comes to us via sea and the cargo ships that bring us everything from TVs to fresh fruit and veg are getting ever larger. At 368 metres long, the APL Merlion is 62 metres bigger than London's tallest building, the Shard. Getting this mammoth beast safely into port in poor visibility is no mean feat.

It's one of the many challenges faced on a daily basis by the team in Vessel Traffic Services in Southampton, who help to park up huge cruise liners as well as massive freighters like this. One of the UK's busiest ports, Southampton handles almost 40 million tonnes of freight and also has 1.7 million cruise passengers passing through it every year.

We also follow a team of swimmers who are hoping to raise money for a children's intensive care unit by swimming to France and back again. But the thick fog in the Channel could put their whole attempt in jeopardy.

45 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Series Producer Rebecca Nunn
Director Amber Comerford
Director George Vernon
Production Company Ricochet

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