The impact of Russian sanctions is spreading across the shipping industry. Yesterday, Britain announced that Russian ships would be banned from UK ports as part of a new package of sanctions against Russia. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that he … Continue reading
Category Archives: Lore of the Sea
A Ukrainian marine engineer was detained after attempting to sink the Lady Anastasia, a 48-meter-long $7 million superyacht owned by Russian oligarch and arms tycoon, Alexander Mijeev. The attempt took place on Saturday at Port Adriano in Mallorca. The 55-year-old … Continue reading
Over nearly three centuries of whaling, some 175,000 men went to sea in 2,700 ships. Of the 2,500 masters who captained whaling ships, at least 63 were men of color. Many of the 63 sailed from the US East Coast, … Continue reading
France seized a Russian-flagged ro/ro cargo ship, Baltic Leader, on Saturday, in the English Channel, in accordance with recent sanctions put in place following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ship was bound for St. Petersburg, Russia, but was diverted … Continue reading
Reuters is reporting that Russian warships shelled Millennial Spirit, a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker, and Namura Queen, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship due to load grain near Odessa port in the Black Sea on Friday, one day after Russia began a full-scale invasion … Continue reading
During Black History Month, it is worthwhile to remember early African-American shipmasters. Who was the first? That is hard to say. Paul Cuffe is a good candidate. An updated repost. Paul Cuffee was born on Cuttyhunk Island, MA on January … Continue reading
John Henry Turpin was one of the first Black Chief Petty Officers to serve in the United States Navy. He was also a survivor of two naval disasters — the catastrophic explosions of the USS Maine in 1898, and USS Bennington in … Continue reading
The Golden Thirteen, a wonderful bit of history from the Naval History and Heritage Command: In January 1944, there were nearly 100,000 Black Sailors in the United States Navy, but none were officers. That would change when a group of … Continue reading
Reuters is reporting that the fire, which swept through the car carrier Felicity Ace carrying thousands of luxury cars, leaving it adrift off Portugal’s Azores islands has lost its intensity, probably because there is little left to burn, a port … Continue reading
Hugh Mulzak served as the first Black Liberty ship captain in World War II. When offered the command, he refused to sail with a segregated crew. An updated repost in honor of Black History Month. Born in 1886 on Union … Continue reading
This has been a bad week for shipboard fires. The car carrier Felicity Ace caught fire Wednesday in the Atlantic, off the Azores, and is still burning and adrift, awaiting salvage tugs. Fortunately, the 22 person crew was evacuated safely. … Continue reading
A repost in honor of Black History Month. William Tillman was one of the first black heroes of the American Civil War. He was not a soldier but rather a 27-year-old cook-steward on the schooner S.J. Waring. On July 7, … Continue reading
The car carrier Felicity Ace caught fire yesterday in the Atlantic Ocean, 90 miles southwest of the Azores. The Portuguese Navy and four merchant ships in the area responded to the car carrier’s distress call. The crew of 22 were … Continue reading
Britain’s new polar expedition ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, encountered particularly difficult sea ice conditions during a resupply mission as part of the research ship’s first polar expedition. It was assisted in its attempt to deliver the supplies to support … Continue reading
Born a slave, Harriet Tubman escaped and would become a leading “conductor” on the “Underground Railroad” which helped slaves escape from bondage in the South to freedom in the North and in Canada, prior to the Civil War. Nicknamed “Moses,” she … Continue reading