Container ship crew combat loneliness with karaoke

Crew members on giant container ships crossing the world are singing karaoke to combat homesickness and loneliness. A recent BBC programme offers rare access to one of these super-sized ships – and the sounds onboard.

Nathan, Valiente (the ship’s cook) and Ariel (able-seaman) sing 'Sailing' (Sara Jane Hall)

Long dark corridor in the Maribo Maersk's interior (Sara Jane Hall)

Ariel Valiente and Nathan after their karaoke competition in the Crew Room (Sara Jane Hall)

Loading the Maribo Maersk (Sara Jane Hall)

The Maribo Maersk's deck from Monkey Island during daylight hours with 7 cranes working continuously (Sara Jane Hall)

Looking down into the hold of the Maribo Maersk (Sara Jane Hall)

There are two vast engine rooms on board the Maribo Maersk which is over 400 metres long (Sara Jane Hall)

Richard Scott checks out 'Container Ship Karaoke'.

Access is tightly restricted to the super-sized, heavily automated, vessels which deliver to us most of the stuff we eat, use and wear – so 'Container Ship Karaoke' is a glimpse into a hidden world we hardly ever get to hear about.

The programme's presenter Nathaniel Mann is a musician and a member of the English folk band Dead Rat Orchestra whe grew up near a big container port in south-east England.

He takes great pleasure in capturing all of the noises and sounds you'd encounter there, too, including one memorable sequence when the whole 400-metre long ship turns into a giant musical instrument.

Richard Scott discovered 'Container Ship Karaoke' on the BBC Radio 3 podcast Between The Ears.

It is produced by Sara Jane Hall.