Winter's end - The final voyage of the M/V OS35.
During the cold winter of 2023, the bulk carrier OS35 was scrapped in the port of Amsterdam, at one of the few green shipbreaking yards in the world.
This ship, which sank in 2022 after a collision near Gibraltar, found its final destination here. A year later, it was salvaged by a Dutch salvage company from Vijfhuizen called Koole Contractors.
The OS35's colossal propeller and stern rise from the water like monuments, symbolising the end of a maritime voyage. The snowflakes propelled by the wind emphasised the impressive, almost timeless atmosphere of the moment.
This photo, taken under winter conditions, shows not only the physical dismantling of a ship, but also its strength, technology and respect for it.
This shot is included in Friso Kooijman's photo book Saltwater People, an ode to the people and stories of the maritime world. The book brings to the fore the invisible world of sailors, shipbuilders and ports, showing the beauty and power of life on and around the water.
It is an image that remains, just like the memory of OS35 and all the ships that pass.
Born and raised in Zaanstreek (near the windmills :-) ) in The Netherlands, I developed my photography skills at the streets of Amsterdam and during my documentary about "people that believe in a God".
People are always part of my photos, either as main subject or to support to..
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