The originally Belgian spire “Catherine II” is very much still in its original state. For sixty years, the riveted steel freighter carried all kinds of cargo through Holland, France and Germany. The dimensions of a spire ensure that the ship can still pass precisely through the small locks in France.

These days you don’t have to. The Catharina II is retired, but still sailing. But no more freight and exclusively in the Netherlands. To make maneuvering such a ship of nearly 40 meters in length a bit easier, the “Catharina II” now also has a propeller in the nose of the ship. A head screw is officially called that. That one is telescopic and can rotate 360 degrees around. Pretty handy in narrow waters.

By the way, the name “Catherine” is derived from the Greek word “Catharos” meaning “the beautiful” or “the pure.