The Voice of America reports that the Indian navy freed the hijacked MV Ruen cargo ship in Somalia’s Puntland region Saturday after a 24-hour standoff and shootout, and it has detained 35 pirates, according to Puntland Ports Minister Ahmed Yasin Salah. … Continue reading
Category Archives: Ships
Last week, the National Park Service announced that its archeologists have identified the remains of HMS Tyger, an 18th-century British warship, within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park, off the south coast of Florida. Built in 1647, the fourth-rate, … Continue reading
On St. Patrick’s Day, a repost about another Irish saint, St. Brendan the Navigator, and the adventurer who sought to replicate his epic voyage. Who was the first European to sail to North America? According to Irish tradition, it was … Continue reading
In August, we posted about the Pyxis Ocean, an 80,000 DWT bulk carrier, fitted with two WindWings®, a pioneering rigid wing technology, that had set sail on its maiden voyage from China to Brazil. Now, six months later, Cargill announced the … Continue reading
During Women’s History Month, it is good to remember and to honor Admiral Grace Hopper. Grace Hopper was a pioneering computer scientist and a United States Navy Rear Admiral. Hopper received a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in mathematics from … Continue reading
Ukraine is a nation without a navy and yet has succeeded in wreaking havoc on the Russian Black Sea Fleet using high-tech sea drones and anti-ship missiles. The Ukrainians have continued to sink Russian warships, as recently as last week, … Continue reading
A Houthi missile attack killed three seafarers on M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned, bulk carrier while transiting the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The deaths are the first merchant mariner fatalities reported since the Iran-aligned … Continue reading
A drone video of the 110-year-old battleship USS Texas being refloated following repairs and refurbishment on the drydock at the Gulf Copper Shipyard in Galveston. The Texas is the oldest remaining dreadnought battleship and only one of six surviving ships to … Continue reading
A red traditional Faroese knit sweater was recently found in a stash of 19th-century letters at the British National Archives in their Prize Papers collection. The sweater, or jumper in British parlance, handknitted in vibrantly colored fine wool, was intended … Continue reading
On Sunday, February 18th, anti-ship ballistic missiles, launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen, struck the MV Rubymar, a 32,211 DWT, Belize-flagged, UK-owned, and Lebanese-operated bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The attack caused sufficient … Continue reading
On the first day of Women’s History Month, it is worth remembering Eleanor Creesy, the navigator of the clipper ship Flying Cloud, who with her husband, Captain Josiah Creesy, set world sailing records for the fastest passage between New York … Continue reading
Today, the 29th of February, is Leap Day, which seems to be a perfect opportunity to celebrate both February’s Black History Month and March’s Women’s History Month. As such, it is a good time to honor the memory of Raye … 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 these ships, at least 52 were men of color. In honor of Black History Month, here is an updated … 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 Cuffe was born on Cuttyhunk Island, MA on January … Continue reading
The Hornblower Group; a diversified ferry, cruise, marine hospitality, and services organization; has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing is expected to help cut the company’s debt load by $720 million. The company enters bankruptcy with assets of up … Continue reading
Happy Washington’s birthday, or close to Washington’s birthday, at any rate. Since 1879, the third Monday in February has been celebrated as a federal holiday in the United States in honor of the Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to … Continue reading
On Sunday evening, anti-ship ballistic missiles, launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen, struck the MV Rubymar, a 32,211 DWT, Belize-flagged, UK-owned, and Lebanese-operated bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The attack caused sufficient damage … Continue reading
Newsweek reports that Ukraine’s latest strike on Russia’s naval forces in the Black Sea was inspired by World War II submarine tactics, according to one Ukrainian military expert, as the Kremlin counts the cost of yet surprise maritime attack. Ivan … Continue reading
In August 2022, we posted that British divers had located the wreck of the USS Jacob Jones in over 100 meters of water, 40 miles off the Isles of Scilly. The ship, a Tucker Class destroyer, was sunk during World … Continue reading
Today is the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 20th, 1809. He is know for rising from poverty, working as a rail splitter, and as a self-taught country lawyer before being elected as a congressman and ultimately as president. … Continue reading