Various naval units pass the Malta-Sicily straits like other ships and to mention some –
New Year started with an interesting Russian Navy Vessel – SB 565 PROFESSOR NIKOLAY MURU, a 2014 built and June 2015 commissioned rescue ship on passage from Astrakhan, East Russia bound to West Russia stopping for few days off Pantelleria, Italy with a Kilo Class Submarine of which passed Gibraltar on Wednesday 13th January, 2021.

On Monday 18th January, 2021 around 0328 hrs the Spanish Navy Alvaro de Bazan Class Frigate F 105 ESPS CRISTOBAL COLON passed 35 nautical miles off Valletta, Malta bearing the name as NATO WARSHIP F 105.

Below images are while she’s leaving Catania, Sicily back to 24th February, 2020 –






On Tuesday 19th January, 2021 around 0350 hrs the German Navy Elbe Class Support Ship A 514 FGS WERRA passed 41 nautical miles off Valletta, Malta bearing the name as NATO WARSHIP A 514.

Images below are of FGS WERRA A 514 leaving Grand Harbour, Malta on 23rd September, 2016 –








Later in the afternoon around 1435 hrs the Russian Navy Altay Class ( Project 160 ) 1967 built tanker KOLA passed 30.5 nautical miles off Valletta, Malta.

Below images are of her sister RFS YEL’NYA leaving Grand Harbour, Malta back to 25th September, 2013 –








On Saturday 23rd January, 2021 around 0955 hrs the Russian navy ocean salvage tug NIKOLAY CHIKER escorting the Admiral Gorshkov Class Frigate RFS ADMIRAL KASATONOV 431 passed by Malta/Sicily straits. The frigate was on her maiden deployment having left the homeport of Severomorsk on 30th December, 2020.

Both ships visited Algeria on Monday 18th – https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/20211201553-PzqRc.html
On Tuesday 26th January, 2021 at 1021 hrs the German Navy Brandenburg Class Frigate FGS BRANDEBURG F 215 was spotted passing by Malta/Sicily straits bearing the name as NATO WARSHIP F 215. She was at Souda Bay Naval Base, Crete in the weekend.

Image below is of FGS BRANDEBURG F 215 entering Grand Harbour, Malta back to 2nd May, 2004.

On Friday 29th January, 2021 afternoon the Henry J Kaiser class replenishment ship T-AO 201 USNS PATUXENT operated by the Military Sealift Command to support US Navy ships was spotted passing by 27.9 nautical miles off Malta.

Images below are during her departure from Grand Harbour, Malta back to 20th September, 2004.



Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com

Published – Monday 1st February 2021