Carbon Dating Pinpoints Year of Norse L’Anse aux Meadows Newfoundland Settlement

In 1960, the archaeological remains of Norse buildings were discovered at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. Until recently the settlement date was estimated within about a sixty-year span around 1000 CE. On Wednesday, scientists published a study in the journal … Continue reading

USS Constitution, Oldest Commissioned Vessel Afloat, Sets Topsails in Boston Harbor Cruise

The USS Constitution left its berth in the Charleston Navy Yard last Friday for a short cruise in Boston Harbor. CBS Boston reports that the ship fired a 21-gun salute while carrying 120 newly-trained Navy sailors. The sailors were recently selected … Continue reading

Water’s Soul — A Serene, New Face on New York Harbor

On Thursday, Water’s Soul, an 80-foot tall sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa was dedicated on the Hudson River in Jersey City. Located directly across the river from Lower Manhattan, Water’s Soul depicts the serene face of a young woman … Continue reading

USS Bonhomme Richard’s Destruction by Fire ‘Completely Preventable,’ Navy Finds

Following an investigation of the fire that destroyed the US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard, Admiral Bill Lescher, the Navy’s No. 2 officer said, “The loss of this ship was completely preventable.” USNI News reported that a cascade … Continue reading

Amazon, Ikea, and Other Cargo Owners Pledge to Use Zero Carbon Ocean Shipping by 2040

Nine major shippers including Amazon, Ikea and Unilever have signed an “ambition statement” to pledge to only move cargo on ships using zero-carbon fuel by 2040.  This pledge is part of a new initiative by the non-profit Aspen Insititute called … Continue reading

Brazilian Sail Training Ship Cisne Branco Strikes Bridge Off Guayaquil, Ecuador

While under tow in the Guayas River, near Guayaquil, Ecuador, the 250′ long Brazilian sail training ship Cisne Branco was carried sideways in the current into a pedestrian bridge that connects Guayaquil to Santay Island. The sailing ship damaged its … Continue reading

Update: US Coast Guard Identifies Container Ship MSC Danit in California Pipeline Dragging

In early October, a crack in a pipeline off the coast of Huntington Beach, California spilled some 3,000 barrels (126,000 gallons) of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean. On Saturday, the US Coast Guard announced that it had determined that … Continue reading

The Nasty, Beautiful, Yet Rarely Deadly Portuguese Man o’ War

Alaric Bond was kind enough to pass along an article from the Eastbourne Herald titled, Killer ‘jellyfish’ which can grow to 160ft long are washing up on Britain’s beaches. While more common in tropical waters, Portuguese man o’ wars have … Continue reading

FSO Safer — Environmental Disaster Waiting to Happen in the Red Sea off Yemen

For several years, the FSO Safer, a floating oil storage and offloading vessel, moored in the Red Sea north of the Yemeni city of Al Hudaydah, may be an environmental disaster waiting to happen. The ship has been held as … Continue reading

Wreck of Legendary Cutter USS Bear Identified Off Cape Sable

The wreck of the legendary cutter USS Bear was recently identified off Cape Sable. The wreck was located in 2019 but it was only in August of this year that a team of experts looking at the evidence came to … Continue reading

Last Conventionally Powered Carriers, Kitty Hawk & John F. Kennedy, Sold For a Penny Each

The decommissioned supercarriers USS Kitty Hawk and the USS John F. Kennedy have finally been sold for scrap for a modest one cent each to a Texas breaking yard. The last carriers to be powered by fuel oil, the ships … Continue reading

Scientists Identify New Type of Transient Orca Off Pacific West Coast

Another reminder of how little we know and understand about orca whales. Scientists have identified a new type of orca, also known as killer whales, off the US and Canadian Pacific West Coast. Termed ‘outer coast transient whales,‘ the newly … Continue reading

Sub Secrets in a Peanut Butter Sandwich — FBI Arrests Navy Engineer for Espionage

Half of a peanut butter sandwich in a plastic bag was left at an agreed location in West Virginia by a Navy nuclear engineer. Inside the sandwich, wrapped in plastic, was a 16 GB memory card containing detailed secret information … Continue reading

Swedish East Indiaman Götheborg : A New Journey Begins – Asia Expedition

As we posted in September, the replica Swedish East Indiaman Götheborg is preparing to sail for Asia in April of 2022. The expedition is intended to promote and open new trade opportunities for Swedish and Asian companies. The nearly 60-meter … Continue reading

Bristol Holds First Sea Shanty Festival in Brunel Square

On Sunday, October 10, from noon to 6PM, Bristol, England will host its first sea shanty festival with ten shanty crews performing on outdoor stages on the city’s harborside. Classicalmusic.com reports that crews will perform in Brunel Square beside the … Continue reading

Submarine USS Connecticut Collides With Underwater Object in South China Sea

Yesterday, the US Navy Pacific Fleet announced that the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut struck an object in international waters while submerged on the afternoon of Oct. 2. While the announcement did not identify where the collision took place, reports … Continue reading

San Diego’s Foxtrot-Class Sub B-39 Heading to Scrap Yard

For the last 15 years, the Soviet-era Foxtrot-class diesel-electric submarine B-39 has been a museum ship at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Now, with its outer hull deteriorating, the museum has decided to scrap the retired attack submarine.  Stars … Continue reading

California Oil Spill — Possibly a Ship’s Anchor & an Ignored Oil Low-Pressure Alarm

We have posted about the ongoing port congestion that has resulted in as many as 70 ships being anchored off the Southern Californian coast waiting for berths. While no one knows for certain what caused the pipeline rupture that leaked … Continue reading