A couple of cargo ships had a front row seat for the eruption of the Mount Tavurvur volcano on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea on August 29, 2014. The eruption was so large that it sent lava and ash shooting thousands of feet into the air and produced a massive shockwave that could just about knock a person off their feet.
The Tavurvur volcano is located adjacent to the Port of Rabaul, hence the cargo ship at anchor.
The eruption also scattered ash across the island of New Britain, as you can see in these before and after shots from NASA:
