Sperm Whale Killed by Ship in Strait of Gibraltar

Yesterday, we posted about the sinking of the British sailing yacht Bonhomme William last week, following an attack by orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar. Fortunately, the crew were rescued without injury.  Two days later, a sperm whale encountered a … Continue reading

Robert L. Allen, Chronicler and Champion of Black Sailors in Port Chicago Disaster & Mutiny, Dies at 82

Robert L. Allen, who definitively told the story of 50 Black sailors who were convicted of conspiracy to commit mutiny for refusing to continue to load munitions onto cargo ships after explosions had blown apart two ships at a California … Continue reading

Update : Hawai‘i Issues New Bids to Remove Historic Windjammer Falls of Clyde From Honolulu Harbor

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to permanently remove the historic ship Falls of Clyde from Honolulu Harbor, where it has languished since 2008. Bids must be submitted by September 25, 2024. The … Continue reading

Scott & Shackleton’s Antarctic Ship Discovery Now Has a “Digital Twin”

RRS Discovery is a barque-rigged auxiliary steamship built for Antarctic research. She was the last traditional wooden three-masted ship to be built in the United Kingdom. Her first mission was the British National Antarctic Expedition, carrying Robert Falcon Scott and … Continue reading

Update: Shackleton’s Ship Endurance Given Extra Protection

In March of 2022, we posted about the discovery of the remarkably intact remains of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance, which was crushed by pack ice and sank off Antarctica in 1915. Using undersea drones, the shipwreck was located 10,000 … Continue reading

Russian Replica Frigate Shtandart Banned From Brest Maritime Festival

A few days before one of the world’s largest maritime gatherings, the crew of the Russian sailing ship Shtandart learned that it would not be able to participate in the Brest festivities due to the extension of European sanctions due … Continue reading

Iranian Destroyer Sahand Capsizes at Dock in Bandar Abbas

The Iranian Moudge-class destroyer Sahand capsized and sank in shallow water while undergoing dockside repairs in its home port of Bandar Abbas. The 1,300-tonne ship, commissioned in 2018, is one of the newest Iranian-built warships, fitted with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air … Continue reading

Happy 4th of July – A Toast to Madeira, the Wine of the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Riots

An updated repost fitting for the day. Happy 4th of July!  Those of us in the United States celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776. Immediately after declaring independence from Great Britain, the representatives in the Continental Congress drank a toast … Continue reading

IMO Arctic Heavy Fuel Ban Goes into Effect, With Major Loopholes Until 2029

As of July 1, a ban on heavy fuel oil (HFO) for ships has come into effect in Arctic waters.  The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) ban on HFO, however, includes significant loopholes that will allow the vast majority of … Continue reading

The Future of Naval Drones — Sleek Ukrainian Magura V5 or Massive US Manta Ray?

The Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drones have proven to be fast, deadly, and cheap.  As we posted last August, Ukrainian naval drones are redefining warfare in the Black Sea; quite an accomplishment for a beleaguered nation that almost wholly lacks … Continue reading

Four Columbian Suspects Rescued & Arrested Off Spanish Coast After Scuttling Intercepted Narco Sub

Spanish Customs has intercepted another semi-submersible transoceanic “narco sub” off the Atlantic coast of Spain, rescuing and arresting four suspects, who scuttled their vessel as authorities approached. On June 24, the Spanish Customs Surveillance Service and the US DEA detected … Continue reading

Newly Discovered Bronze Age Shipwreck, the Oldest Yet Found in Deep Water

Last July, a routine oil and gas survey discovered hundreds of intact amphorae – ancient storage jars – believed to be 3,300 years old, in a shipwreck located 90km (56 miles) off the northern coast of Israel on the sea … Continue reading

Wildfire on Greek Island Hydra Allegedly Sparked by Fireworks From Superyacht; Crew Arrested

The BBC reports that 13 crew members of the superyacht, Persephoni,  have been arrested following a wildfire on the Greek island of Hydra, that authorities allege was sparked by fireworks launched from the yacht. Friday’s blaze burnt through 300 acres … Continue reading

Cruise Ship Insignia Rescues 68 Migrants Adrift off the Spanish Canary Islands

The cruise ship Insignia rescued 68 migrants adrift off the Spanish Canary Islands on Wednesday, Spain’s maritime rescue agency said in a statement on X.  The bulk carrier Philipp Oldendorff spotted the migrant boat adrift roughly 440 nautical miles, or … Continue reading