Three Rescued from Tug Bourbon Rhode Lost in Hurricane Lorenzo, Eleven Missing

Three sailors have been rescued from a lifeboat following the sinking of the 164′ tug supply boat Bourbon Rhode in Hurricane Lorenzo. The remaining eleven crew members are missing. The tug had sent a distress signal on Thursday and a … Continue reading

Dutch Shipowner Investing in New Ventifoil Wind-Assist Technology

Van Dam Shipping, based in Spijk, Netherlands, has signed a contract for the installation of an eConowind propulsion system on its 3,600 DWT general cargo vessel Ankie. At first glance, two vertical structures in the graphic of the ship look … Continue reading

UN Report: Oceans Getting Hotter & Sea Levels Rising Faster

A disturbing new report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concludes that the rate at which the world’s oceans are heating up is accelerating and that sea levels are rising more quickly than previous predictions. The Special Report … Continue reading

A Look at McLean’s Clipper Ships — the Fastest Cargo Ships in the World

The recent activation by TRANSCOM of 28 cargo ships, makes it a good time to take a look back at eight iconic shps from the 1970s still in service today.  When I was a young student of naval architecture at … Continue reading

Update: Ex-Presidential Yacht Sequoia Bound for Restoration in Maine

Back in 2016, we posted about a new owner for the ex-presidential yacht Sequoia, which had been sitting, deteriorating in a boatyard in Deltaville, VA. Now, three years later, the 104′ long motor vessel has been loaded aboard a barge to … Continue reading

America’s Cup Gets Interesting — Two Very Different AC75s

The 36th America’s Cup Races, featuring foiling monohulls, is still 18 months away but are beginning to look very interesting.  Two very different AC75 contenders have taken to the water recently — The New York Yacht Club Team American Magic‘s … Continue reading

“Meet Us Don’t Eat Us” — Tourists to Iceland Support Both Whale Watching and Whaling

Paradoxically, whale watching by tourists to Iceland is booming. At the same time, the primary economic support for the hunting of whales by Icelandic whalers are also tourists to the island. Iceland is the largest whale watching destination in Europe. … Continue reading

Sarah Thomas, Cancer Survivor, Swims English Channel Four Times Non-Stop

In November 2017, Sarah Thomas, a marathon swimmer from Colorado, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation to fight the disease. One of the ways she coped was by continuing to swim. … Continue reading

US Navy Deploys Carrier Group (Without a Carrier) & Activates 28 Ready Reserve Cargo Ships

Four ships from the Navy’s carrier Harry S. Truman Strike Group are deploying from the East Coast this week. Notably, the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman is not one of the ships being deployed as it is still undergoing repairs for … Continue reading

Crossing the Arctic Circle — An Unexpected Line Crossing Baptism

When crossing the Equator for the first time, sailors have traditionally undergone a “line-crossing ceremony” which often includes being dunked in the ocean three times. Recently, on my first northern line crossing, I inadvertently presided over my own unexpected dunking, … Continue reading

Update: Akademik Lomonosov — Russia’s First Floating Nuclear Power Plant Sets Sail

In May of last year, we posted about the Russians’ first floating nuclear power plant, “Akademik Lomonosov — Floating Chernobyl or Nuclear Titanic?.” At the time, the barge-mounted power plant was essentially completed but needed to be loaded with fuel. … Continue reading