Bunkering – Tugboat MUSTANG at Malta – 26.12.2023
One of the Dutch built tugs trading around – MUSTANG called again at Grand Harbour, Malta while on transit from Greece to Las Palmas, Canary Islands. She passed breakwaters at 0734 hrs berthing at Deep Water Quay (DWQ) 4 Wharf. Few minutes later road tankers from MZ Fuels starting bunkering operations. MUSTANG was built in […]
Ship Repair – Conservation Ship SEA EAGLE at Bezzina Ship Repair Yard (BSRY) – 2023
Bezzina Ship Repair Yard (BSRY) is a complete Ship and Yacht repair facility for vessels of steel, aluminium, CRP and wood. It is a privately family owned and situated at Coal Wharf, Grand Harbour inner side. An interesting vessel calling at the yard during March 2023 was the 1986 built vessel SEA EAGLE homeported at […]
Port State Control – Australia Bans Dutch Ship
Australia is continuing to move forward with a “crackdown on poor performers in the maritime industry,” announced the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) issuing a ban to a Dutch flagged (NLD) general cargo ship, the second such action of 2023. This is part of an effort in which the safety authority has taken action against […]
Local Shipping – 1939 built tug SABU
One of the Dutch built vessels serving around the Maltese Islands was the 1939 built 21.67 metre single screw tug SABU. During the Golden Days all tugs were named by taking the first letters of the owner’s name, Salvatore (SA), and the first letter of his surname, Bezzina (B) and then adding a vowel infact […]
Valletta Cruise Port – Cruise Liner BOLETTE maiden call – 13.11.2021
The third former Holland America Line cruise liner to call at Malta within few days was the 2000 built liner BOLETTE that passed Grand Harbour breakwaters at 0713 hrs coming from Cartagena, Spain. She was built in 2000 by Fincantieri at Trieste, Italy as yard no Venice 6052 for Holland America Line (HAL) – AMSTERDAM of […]
Malta Naval Visits – BNS LEOPOLD I – 06.05.2021
The second naval unit to visit the Maltese Islands during 2021 was the Karel Doorman Class Frigate F 930 LEOPOLD I of the Marine Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. She was here on Thursday 6th May coming from Abu Dhabi passing breakwaters at 1014 hrs. Prior to 29th March 2007, the ship was known as HNLMS KAREL DOORMAN F […]
Heavy Lift Vessels – HAPPY RIVER
One of the Happy R type that forms part of BigLift Shipping, one of the world’s leading heavy lift shipping companies is the 1997 built vessel HAPPY RIVER. Back to June 2019. She was built in the Netherlands by IHC Merwede Scheepswerf and homeported at Amsterdam, Netherlands (NLD Flag). She’s equipped with 2 strong, 400 […]
Yachting – LADY E + LADY S maiden call at Malta – May 2019.
The Feadship 2019 built 93 metre superyacht LADY S entered Valletta, Malta last Sunday 5th May for a 48 hour maiden call leaving Tuesday 7th May in the afternoon bound to Genoa, Italy. Her mooring was at the Grand Harbour Marina arriving from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Homeported at George Town, flying a Cayman Islands (CYM) […]
YACHTING – CONVERSION of GIGANT In 1974 an ice strengthened 73 metres rescue tug GIGANT was built by IHC Vershure, Amsterdam at the Netherlands to support the Warsaw Pact Fishing Fleet. Back in 2006 she was converted at the same shipyard as an expedition yacht flying the Panama (PAN) flag. Below are images of the vessel entering […]
