Schooner Regina Maris Chartered by 36 Climate Activists to Travel to Chilean Conference

Following the example of Greta Thunberg, who traveled to a UN climate conference by sail in August, 36 young climate change activists set sail from Amsterdam on October 2, bound for COP25 – the United Nations Climate Conference.  Rather than … Continue reading

North Korea Developing Ballistic Missile Submarine, Tests Sub-Launched Missile

North Korea appears to be aggressively developing the capacity to deploy a ballistic missile submarine even as it purports to continue to negotiate denuclearization with the current administration. Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that North Korea successfully tested a new … Continue reading

Three Rescued from Tug Bourbon Rhode Lost in Hurricane Lorenzo, Eleven Missing

Three sailors have been rescued from a lifeboat following the sinking of the 164′ tug supply boat Bourbon Rhode in Hurricane Lorenzo. The remaining eleven crew members are missing. The tug had sent a distress signal on Thursday and a … Continue reading

Dutch Shipowner Investing in New Ventifoil Wind-Assist Technology

Van Dam Shipping, based in Spijk, Netherlands, has signed a contract for the installation of an eConowind propulsion system on its 3,600 DWT general cargo vessel Ankie. At first glance, two vertical structures in the graphic of the ship look … Continue reading

A Look at McLean’s Clipper Ships — the Fastest Cargo Ships in the World

The recent activation by TRANSCOM of 28 cargo ships, makes it a good time to take a look back at eight iconic shps from the 1970s still in service today.  When I was a young student of naval architecture at … Continue reading

Update: Ex-Presidential Yacht Sequoia Bound for Restoration in Maine

Back in 2016, we posted about a new owner for the ex-presidential yacht Sequoia, which had been sitting, deteriorating in a boatyard in Deltaville, VA. Now, three years later, the 104′ long motor vessel has been loaded aboard a barge to … Continue reading

US Navy Deploys Carrier Group (Without a Carrier) & Activates 28 Ready Reserve Cargo Ships

Four ships from the Navy’s carrier Harry S. Truman Strike Group are deploying from the East Coast this week. Notably, the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman is not one of the ships being deployed as it is still undergoing repairs for … Continue reading

Crossing the Arctic Circle — An Unexpected Line Crossing Baptism

When crossing the Equator for the first time, sailors have traditionally undergone a “line-crossing ceremony” which often includes being dunked in the ocean three times. Recently, on my first northern line crossing, I inadvertently presided over my own unexpected dunking, … Continue reading

Shakespeare at Sea — Hamlet on the Red Dragon

Here is a wholly random question. When and where was William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet first performed on shipboard?   The first recorded shipboard performance of Hamlet, and one of the earlier performances anywhere, was in September 1607 on the East India Company … Continue reading

Update: Akademik Lomonosov — Russia’s First Floating Nuclear Power Plant Sets Sail

In May of last year, we posted about the Russians’ first floating nuclear power plant, “Akademik Lomonosov — Floating Chernobyl or Nuclear Titanic?.” At the time, the barge-mounted power plant was essentially completed but needed to be loaded with fuel. … Continue reading

Cruise Lines Donating Millions for Bahamas Dorian Disaster Relief

The cruise industry in the Caribbean is donating to help the Bahamian victims of Hurricane Dorian. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Caribbean and Disney have all pledged millions in hurricane relief. Royal Caribbean is committing $1 million to Dorian disaster relief, … Continue reading

Dive Boat Disaster — 34 Feared Dead in Catastrophic Fire Off Santa Cruz Island

A horrific fire broke on the commercial scuba diving vessel, Conception, off Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands of California, early on Monday morning. Thirty-four people are believed to have died in the fire. Five of six crew members … Continue reading