General Shipping – 3 out of 4 ships seen for the first time in few hours at Malta – 17.04.2024
The predominant wind direction is the Northwest, for the reason that the Maltese Islands lie in the westerly trade wind zone. An analysis shows that the windiest months of the year are between early October and late February, when gale force winds are quite common. During Week 16 of this year – 2024 strong wind was […]
Dredging – GRANE R dredging inner part of Grand Harbour – August 2022
After nearly a month anchored at Bunkering Area 3, the 2010 built DP 2 multi purpose offshore vessel GRANE R entered Grand Harbour on Friday 12th August originally coming from Viana do Castelo at Portugal of which she passed breakwaters at 0839hrs. Transport Malta issued Local Notice to Mariners no 136 regarding the dredging works […]
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – 230 m bulker PAN UNITY with rescued souls at Malta – 28.12.2021
On Tuesday 28th December, 2021 the 2012 built 230 metre bulker PAN UNITY arrived at Bunkering Area 4 (Sheltered Area in North Westerly Wind) for rendezvous position taking place of the 141 m tanker FOREST PARK which completed uplifting bunkers and her bunkering tanker SCOT MUNCHEN. She had rescued souls aboard that were in distress […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – Ropax CRUISE BONARIA from 09.12 to 13.12.2021
The 21 year old lady CRUISE BONARIA called the third time in 2 years at Palumbo Malta Shipyard with this time entering Grand Harbour, Malta on Thursday 9th December at 1246 hrs coming from Livorno, Italy but she was anchored at Bunkering Area 3. There were several VHF Exchanges between Valletta VTS and the vessel’s […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – Tanker STENA PENGUIN from 08.09 to 15.09.2021
One of the Croatian built tankers from Stena Tankers seen in Malta was the 2010 built oil product tanker STENA PENGUIN which entered Malta on Wednesday 8th September coming from Algeciras, Spain passing breakwaters at 1435 hrs bound to Palumbo Malta Shipyard Dock 6. She was built at Brodosplit in Sprit, Croatia as yard no […]
Bunkering – 400 metre containership EVER GIVEN at Malta – 15.08.2021
On Sunday 15th August the 399.94 metres long container ship EVER GIVEN called at Malta for uplifting bunkers at Bunkering Area 3 east on her way to drydocking in the Far East. She left Harwich anchorage, UK on Friday 6th August after inspection was made by Leask Marine (Orkney) on behalf of American Bureau of Shipping […]
Local Shipping – Bunkering Tanker VANNA (1980 built)
One of the Go Fuels tanker that was used for bunkering purposes was the 1980 built VANNA. She was built in Germany by Busumer Schiffsweerft at Busum as the chemical/oil products tanker HELGA ESSBERGER built for John T. Essberger, the pioneer of purpose-built parcel tankers and today is one of Europe’s leading operators of such tankers, […]
RoRo Vessels – JOLLY EXPRESS
An interesting roro vessels operating in the Mediterranean Sea is the 1999 built JOLLY EXPRESS. Seen for the first time in November, 2020 where she uplifted bunkers at Bunkering Area 3 East, Malta she’s operating between Tunis, Naples and Gioia Tauro of which she’s calling at Malta Freeport too. She was built at South Korea […]
Cruise Liner News – MSC SEASIDE with positive COVID-19 case – 07.06.2021
The 2017 built Seaside Class cruise liner MSC SEASIDE which was planned to enter Grand Harbour, Malta on Monday 7th June, 2021 was refused to enter the country after a passenger tested positive for COVID-19. In fact during the normal procedure of calling 2 hours before the actual eta she was instructed by Valletta VTS […]
Heavy Lift – TASMANIC WINTER loading RTG’s in Malta to Cameroon – April 2021
On the third week of April, 2021 the 2012 built MPP TASMANIC WINTER entered Marsaxlokk Harbour to berth at Malta Freeport Terminal 1 West Quay. Her port of call reason was to load 5 RTG’S (Rubber Tyre Gantry Crane) as a deck cargo but due to strong wing operations took long. In fact she was […]
