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This is the amazing footage of a 12,000 tonne ship being guided into the heart of Grimsby docks like a thread on the eye of a needle.

The time-lapse video was captured by the Humber Pilots whose expertise help thousands of ships negotiate the river and its ports and docks.

With a bird’s eye view from the bridge, the film shows the car transporter Autopremier sailing up the Humber before making a tight turn and through the narrow entrance to Grimsby docks past the iconic Dock Tower.

(Image: Humber Pilots)

It then navigates through the Royal Dock and a stretch of the River Freshney before making a reverse turn in Alexandra Dock alongside the A180 near Westgate roundabout.

The ship was carrying around 800 cars destined for sale around the UK. Each cargo of new cars is worth more than £20m.

As it prepares to dock, the video reveals the Autopremier is being followed into the dock by a second car transporter, the 9,000 tonne Main Highway.

(Image: Humber Pilots)

Grimsby, along with Immingham, have become Britain’s leading ports for importing cars with more than 800,000 passing through Humber ports every year. Grimsby alone handles 500,000 vehicles a year.

The Humber also handles 16 per cent of the UK’s maritime trade with 100 services to Europe a weekend 40,000 shipping movements annually.

(Image: uecc.com)

Thanks to Philip Bent and his colleagues at the Humber Pilots for the footage.