Costa Concordia – the Inchino, Costa Management & the Web

The dangerous practice of the “inchino,” Italian for “bow” and often translated as “salute,”  appears to be widespread and not limited to Costa.  The “inchino” is performed by sailing a ship close to an island or port and blowing the ship’s horn, figuratively bowing … Continue reading

Costa Concordia Update: Death Toll Rises, Sanctuary Threatened, Salvage Options Considered

The death toll from the sinking of the Costa Concordia has risen to thirteen as divers discovered another body of a woman wearing a life jacket in a submerged passageway.   Eight of the thirteen victims have now been identified according to Italian officials. Four of the … Continue reading

Setting Square Sails on the Star of India

A well done video by the Maritime Museum of San Diego shot on the 1863 built iron windjammer Star of India.  Thanks to the Tall Ship Morgenster for pointing it out on Facebook. Setting square sails [iframe: width=”480″ height=”360″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/c97N5Ht_jkY” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen] … Continue reading

Nome Fuel Unloaded, USCG Healy and Russian Tanker Renda Must Now Get Out

After spending the better part of a month getting to Nome, Alaska to deliver an emergency supply of fuel to last the winter, the ice-strengthened Russian tanker Renda has finally off-loaded its cargo – 1.3 million gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline … Continue reading

Costa Concordia – One Week Later, What Do We Know? Not Very Much!

One week ago, the Costa Concordia grounded off the island of Giglio.    Eleven passengers or crew are confirmed dead. Twenty four people are missing.  The ship itself has sunk in shallow water having rolled 80 degrees on its side.  What else do we … Continue reading

Gianni Scerni, President of RINA, Resigns – Was Critical of Costa Management in Newspaper Interview

Shortly after Costa Crociere chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi blamed the grounding of the Costa Concordia on an ”inexplicable” error by the captain, Gianni Scerni, the president of RINA, sat down for an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX.  RINA, Registro … Continue reading

Three Italian Captains – the Costa Concordia and the Andrea Doria

Reuters reports that Italy is enthralled by the tale of the “two captains,”  while on CNN another Italian captain, from another ship and another time, is remembered – In Andrea Doria wreck, a captain who shone. … Continue reading

The Clipper Ship City of Adelaide Ready by March for Transport to Australia

Last October, we posted about the shipping cradle that had been fabricated in Australia and shipped to Scotland which will be used to transport the oldest composite clipper ship, the City of Adelaide,  back to her namesake city in South … Continue reading

Coverage of the Costa Concordia Tragedy – Unfortunate Juxtapositions

As the tragedy of the Costa Concordia plays out, newspapers still need to sell ads.  Recently some of the juxtapositions have been, well, unfortunate. (Click on any of the thumbnails below for a larger image.) Italy’s Il Gazzettino featured a … Continue reading

Update: Costa Concordia – Body Count Rises to 11, 24 Still Missing, Shocking Recording of Coast Guard Ordering Captain Back to Ship

Divers searching the wreck of the Costa Concordia have found five more bodies in the submerged section of the ship.  All were wearing life jackets and are believed to be passengers.  The number of missing, which had been as low … Continue reading

The Costa Concordia’s Fatal Salute – “Inexplicable Error” or “Nice Tradition”?

The Costa Concordia “Saluting” Giglio Last August In a recent press conference, Costa Crociere chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi blamed the grounding of the Costa Concordia on an “inexplicable” error by the captain.  Mr Foschi said: “This route was put in … Continue reading

USCG Icebreaking Cutter Healy – A Fleet of One

The United States has something like eleven aircraft carriers, fifty nine destroyers, thirty frigates, seventy nine submarines, thirty amphibious assault ships as well as numerous minesweepers patrol craft and supply ships.  The navy’s battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined.   Quite a … Continue reading

Update: Costa Concordia – Three More Bodies Found, Death Toll Rises to Six (Updated 1/16/12)

The Italian Coast Guard announced that the bodies of two elderly people were found in a flooded restaurant and the body of one passenger was located in a passageway on the Costa Concordia, raising the confirmed deaths from the grounding and sinking of the ship to six. … Continue reading