Titan-Micoperi Presents Plan to Raise Costa Concordia

Representatives of Titan-Micoperi presented their plans to raise the Costa Concordia from where she sank after running aground off the island of Gilgio last January.  Titan-Micoperi is the consortium of Titan Salvage, the Crowley-owned specialist marine salvage company, and Italian marine contractor Micoperi, which … Continue reading

Collisions at Sea and Allisions in Port – Navy Ships Collide in the Pacifc & Stena Ferry Wrecks a Container Terminal

It has been a busy couple of days for ship collisions and allisions.  Yesterday, the USS Essex, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, collided with the USNS Yukon, a Navy Oiler, during underway replenishment operations about 120 miles off the coast of Southern California. In Poland, … Continue reading

Pirates Days on the Embarcadero in San Diego

Aargh. Once again, the junk food of maritime events, another “pirate” festival.  This one is being sponsored by one of my favorite museums, the Maritime Museum of San Diego — home to the 1863 iron windjammer, Star of India, the world’s oldest active … Continue reading

New Directions in the War on Piracy – EU Airstrike in Somalia and a Private Navy in the Gulf of Aden

In March, the European Union Naval Force was authorized to attack Somali pirates in coastal waters and ashore. On Tuesday, EU naval forces and attack helicopters launched their first onshore raid on a suspected pirate supply center in Handulle village, about 18 kilometers (11 … Continue reading

Republican Convention Security to Train on the SS American Victory in Tampa

The museum ship SS American Victory will host the FBI, Transportation Security Administration and a half-dozen other law enforcement agencies in bomb detection and disposal training exercises later this month in preparation for the Republican National Convention to be held in … Continue reading

Remembering Robert Smalls – Slave, Captain of the Planter, First Black Captain in the US Navy & Congressman

One hundred and fifty years ago today, Robert Smalls, a 23 year old mulatto slave, who served as the pilot of the Confederate armed transport, CSS Planter,  led eight fellow slaves in an audacious flight to freedom.  They seized the CSS Planter, steamed … Continue reading

Holey Hull Plates! Newly Delivered USCGC Stratton Docking for Repairs

The USCGC Stratton is the Coast Guard’s newest cutter.  Built at  Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss., she was acquired by the Coast Guard on September 2, 2011 and officially commissioned on  March 31, 2012.  Roughly a month after the 418′ foot … Continue reading

Stepping the Masts on the Boston Tea Party Ship Beaver

We recently posted on “Pouring the Ballast on the Boston Tea Party Ship Beaver.” A follow up video on stepping the masts: Stepping the Masts in Boston [iframe: width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/Tokg1YDEVYg” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen] Thanks to Tom Russell of the  Traditional … Continue reading

Update: $17 Million Settlement in Duck Boat Tragedy Lawsuit

A settlement has been reached in the civil lawsuit over the deaths of two Hungarian tourists and other passenger injuries when  a barge pushed by a K-Sea tug, Caribbean Sea, struck the disabled “Duck boat” DUKW 34 at anchor in … Continue reading

South China Sea – Is the Cold War Between China and its Neighbors Heating Up?

Last month we posted about a stand-off between Chinese fishing vessels and Philippine Coast Guard ships at Scarborough Shoal in the South China  Sea.  Both nations claim sovereignty over the area. Even the island name is in contention. The Philipines refers to Scarborough Shoal as Panatag … Continue reading

Nominate An Unsung Hero in the Sailing Community for Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award

Sailing and sipping single malt scotch are among two of my favorite activities, (though not necessarily at the same time.)   It does seem fitting that Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and US Sailing have partnered to introduce the inaugural Old … Continue reading