Somali pirates seize Danish family including three children in Indian Ocean

Danish authorities are reporting that  Somali pirates have hijacked a Danish sailboat with four adults and three children aboard. Danish family’s sailboat hijacked in Indian Ocean The Danish Foreign Ministry said the ship sent a distress signal on Thursday. On board was a … Continue reading

Maersk Triple E Class Ships – the VLCCS of Container shipping?

In the late 60s, the first VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carrier) were initially referred to as Malaccamax tankers, as they were the largest tankers that could navigate through the Straits of Malacca.  Maersk Line has recently ordered ten Malaccamax container … Continue reading

Queenly Rendezvous All Over – Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Mary

Carnival Cruise Lines seems to be working the “Rendezvous Circuit” for all its worth with the three Queens of its subsidiary, Cunard Line.    Last month we posted about the   “Royal Rendezvous” in New York harbor –  “Cunard Takes Manhattan … Continue reading

Iranian Navy Ships Dock in Syria and US Chartered Ferry Finally Reaches Malta

On Tuesday, we posted about the first northbound transit by two Iranian Navy ships through the Suez Canal since 1979.  Yesterday these ships docked in Syria on a training mission.  Thanks to Phil Leon for passing the article along. Iran … Continue reading

Founder and First Seaport Museum President Calls for Resignations

Peter Stanford, a founder and first president of the South Street Seaport Museum has written a letter calling for the resignation of the museum’s current chairman, Frank J. Sciame,  and its president, Mary Pelzer.  The museum recently laid of most of its … Continue reading

Off Antarctica, Hope Fades for Crew of Yacht Berserk

The called themselves the Wild Vikings.  They were to be the “new generation of explorers.”  From their website: The crew onboard Berserk II wish to pick up the old Norsemen traditions opposed to todays so called “civilized” and often artificial … Continue reading

Weekend Round-up – Chicago Maritime Festival, New England Boat Show, and Big U Fundraiser

For a late winter weekend, this one is busy with maritime events.   The Chicago Maritime Festival this weekend sounds fantastic.  “Daytime activities include maritime history, lighthouses, shipwrecks, model boats for kids, life raft demonstrations, marine art, songs for younger sailors, knot tying and … Continue reading

Pirates Kill American Hostages on SV Quest

The US Central Command announced this morning that four Americans aboard the hijacked sailing vessel Quest were shot and killed by pirates at approximately 1 a.m. EST today.  The victims were Jean and Scott Adam, the owners of the yacht,  and Phyllis … Continue reading

Update ; Hijacked SV Quest Split from Group; Now Trailed by US Navy

We are learning more about the hijacked SV Quest, seized by pirates off Oman last Friday.   The sailing yacht, reportedly with Americans Scott and Jean Adam, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle aboard, had been sailing with the Oz-Med section of … Continue reading