Depending on what one reads, the oil spill associated with the grounding of the MV Rena on Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga, New Zealand is either a “small leak” or a “looming environmental disaster.” Conceivably, depending on the integrity of the ship’s hull, both … Continue reading
Category Archives: Ships
The Liberian flagged container ship, MV Rena, ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga, New Zealand yesterday, flooding two cargo holds. The ship is loaded with approximately 2,100 containers and has around 1,700 tonnes of heavy fuel. There has been no spillage of … Continue reading
Next month, the Russian nuclear submarine, Nerpa, will be delivered to the Indian Navy, which has leased the submarine for a reported $900 million from the Russians for ten years with an option to buy. The delivery of the new nuclear sub … Continue reading
The evacuation of British troops and civilians from France in 1940 did not end with Dunkirk. Several weeks later, on June 17, 1940, the British Cunard liner Lancastria was loaded to capacity with troops and civilians off the French port of St. Nazaire, when she … Continue reading
There is a certain magic to drydocks. They give you the ability to take in the whole ship in almost a single look and provide the one chance to get the bottom clean and whatever needs fixing below the waterline … Continue reading
What is it about ships being towed to the scrap yard? The MT Phoenix under tow, on her way to the scrap yard last July broke her towing cable and drifted ashore on Salt Rocks in Sheffield Beach, South Africa. She … Continue reading
Last March we posted that the U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet, the oldest commissioned Coast Guard cutter, was being sold in an online auction. The ship was reportedly sold to an unidentified buyer. The ship has now been put up for auction on … Continue reading
We recently posted that Transportation Safety Board of Canada has concluded that poor training played a role in the knockdown and capsizing of SV Concordia. The official Marine Investigation Report examines the events leading up to the capsize in some detail. It … Continue reading
In February 2010, the sail training ship Concordia sank off the coast of Brazil. At the time, the captain said that the ship was hit by a “microburst,” also known as a white squall, a violet storm which struck the … Continue reading
The Iranian state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported Tuesday, that Adm. Habibollah Sayari of the Iranian Navy announced that Iran would be sending ships near US waters. Iran is also planning to send ships to the Gulf of Aden to … Continue reading
Just over a week ago we posted about the hijacking of the product tanker 45,000 DWT tanker, Mattheos I, with a crew of 23, off Benin in the Gulf of Guinea. Last Saturday, the ship and crew was released. No ransom … Continue reading
What is interesting about this story is how it has been reported. Here is what we know: The fishing boat, Donets, ran into the Russian nuclear submarine, Svyatoy Georgiy Pobedonosets (St. George the Victor,) in the Avachino Bay on the … Continue reading
Updates on three previous posts: On Monday, Able Seaman Ryan Donovan was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to murdering a senior officer on board the HMS Astute last April. Submariner’s grudge turned proud day into tragedy British tourist Judith Tebbutt, … Continue reading
If you think that you are having a bad Monday morning, consider the plight of the master of the container ship MSC Luciana. The ship was bound from Antwerp to Felixstowe when it ran aground on a sand bar in the Westerschelde, … Continue reading
Earlier this week the 45,000 DWT tanker, Mattheos I, with a crew of 23, was hijacked off Benin in the Gulf of Guinea. According to the IMB Piracy Center, this year there have been 19 pirate attacks on ships in the Gulf of Guinea … Continue reading