The Future of Naval Drones — Sleek Ukrainian Magura V5 or Massive US Manta Ray?

The Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drones have proven to be fast, deadly, and cheap.  As we posted last August, Ukrainian naval drones are redefining warfare in the Black Sea; quite an accomplishment for a beleaguered nation that almost wholly lacks … Continue reading

Four Columbian Suspects Rescued & Arrested Off Spanish Coast After Scuttling Intercepted Narco Sub

Spanish Customs has intercepted another semi-submersible transoceanic “narco sub” off the Atlantic coast of Spain, rescuing and arresting four suspects, who scuttled their vessel as authorities approached. On June 24, the Spanish Customs Surveillance Service and the US DEA detected … Continue reading

Newly Discovered Bronze Age Shipwreck, the Oldest Yet Found in Deep Water

Last July, a routine oil and gas survey discovered hundreds of intact amphorae – ancient storage jars – believed to be 3,300 years old, in a shipwreck located 90km (56 miles) off the northern coast of Israel on the sea … Continue reading

Wildfire on Greek Island Hydra Allegedly Sparked by Fireworks From Superyacht; Crew Arrested

The BBC reports that 13 crew members of the superyacht, Persephoni,  have been arrested following a wildfire on the Greek island of Hydra, that authorities allege was sparked by fireworks launched from the yacht. Friday’s blaze burnt through 300 acres … Continue reading

Two Beluga Whales Rescued From Ukraine Arrive in Spain

CNN reports that two beluga whales have been rescued from the besieged city of Kharkiv in Ukraine and taken to an aquarium in Valencia, Spain, in a complex operation. A multinational team involving marine mammal care experts from Oceanogràfic de Valencia, the largest oceanarium … Continue reading

Cruise Ship Insignia Rescues 68 Migrants Adrift off the Spanish Canary Islands

The cruise ship Insignia rescued 68 migrants adrift off the Spanish Canary Islands on Wednesday, Spain’s maritime rescue agency said in a statement on X.  The bulk carrier Philipp Oldendorff spotted the migrant boat adrift roughly 440 nautical miles, or … Continue reading

Scientists Decoding Sperm Whale Language, Appears Closer to Human Communication Than Realized

Recently, researchers have used machine learning to decode a “sperm whale phonetic alphabet,” revealing sophisticated structures in sperm whale communication akin to human phonetics and communication systems in other animal species.  For centuries, sailors have heard the sounds made by … Continue reading

Happy Juneteenth — When Emancipation Arrived by Steamship

Happy Juneteenth! Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth is also the newest Federal holiday. The legislation was signed into law by President Biden in 2020. The holiday commemorates when emancipation … Continue reading

The Composite Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Moves to Final Home in Port Adelaide

Sometimes the final miles can take the longest to travel. A full decade after being carried by heavy-lift ship over 10,000 nautical miles from Scotland to her namesake port city, City of Adelaide, the oldest surviving composite clipper ship in … Continue reading

Search For Mystery Artist Behind HMS Raleigh Training Base Mural

A striking painting of the Falklands War has prompted a search to find the artist behind it. Recently, Jon Rickman-Dawson, facilities manager for HMS Raleigh, a training establishment for new recruits to the Royal Navy, discovered an unusual mural hidden … Continue reading

Congratulations to Hirotsugu Kimura, Youngest Japanese to Circumnavigate Solo Non-Stop

Japan Today reports that 24 year old, Hirotsugu Kimura, has become the youngest Japanese to complete a solo voyage around the world on a sailboat without making any port calls or receiving supplies; breaking a thirty-year-old record. Kimura, a former Maritime … Continue reading

In Show of Force, Russian Warships Arrive In Havana, Cuba

On Wednesday four Russian naval vessels; a nuclear-powered submarine, a frigate, an oil tanker, and a rescue tug; arrived in Cuba for military drills. The vessels’ visit has been seen as a show of force amid Moscow’s tensions with the … Continue reading

One Hundred Eighty Nine Dead or Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Yemen

At least 49 people from the Horn of Africa have died and 140 are missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Yemen, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). Among the dead were six children and … Continue reading

Three Bitten in Two Shark Attacks on Florida Gulf Coast Within Hours of Each Other

A woman was attacked by a shark on Friday afternoon while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Watersound Beach in Walton County, Florida. The victim, a woman in her 40s, sustained critical injuries on her midsection and left arm, … Continue reading

Throttle Stuck at Full Ahead on Container Ship MSC Michigan VII in Charleston Harbor, Bridge Shutdown

On Wednesday morning at 11:46 a.m. the container ship MSC Michigan VII departed the North Charleston Container Terminal in Charleston, South Carolina, with its engine set to “dead slow ahead” as it moved down the Cooper River toward the Arthur … Continue reading

On the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, Remembering Andrew Jackson Higgins and the Higgins Boat

I am aware of only one man who was praised by both Eisenhower and Hitler. A repost on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. General Dwight David Eisenhower said “Andrew Higgins … is the man who won the war for us. … Continue reading

Latest “Fat Leonard” Bribery Case Falls Apart

A federal judge dismissed the most recent felony convictions of five retired military officers who had admitted to accepting bribes from Leonard Francis, a Malaysian contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard,” in one of the biggest corruption scandals in Navy history. The … Continue reading