Fishing Vessel – Cypriot LOUCAS

One of the Cypriot fishing vessels that used to be seen at Malta was the 2002 bult trawler LOUCAS with fishing matricola as CYP 232. She was built in Egypt in 2002 with metal hull and entered service in 2004. In November 2006 she was forced to enter Valletta for Board & Search by the […]
AFM – Air Wing SAR Demo at Open Day in Gozo – 02.10.2010

Commemorating its 40th anniversary, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) held its first Open Day at Gozo at Mgarr Harbour. Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono and Acting President Anton Tabone, who visited the Open Day had the opportunity to meet Gozitan AFM personnel. They were shown around by AFM commander Brigadier Martin G. Xuereb and Colonel […]
Local Shipping – Passenger Ship LA VALETTE

One of the first from 3 German Customs Patrol Craft donated to Malta to be part of the 1st Maritime Battery of the Armed Forces of Malta, now known as Maritime Squadron was the 1952 built 29 metre craft BRUNSBUTTEL who arrived in Malta as deck cargo with 2 others (nowadays both broken up) aboard […]
Malta Naval Visits – March 2023

Thursday 2nd March The Russian Navy Project 160 Altay Class Medium seagoing oil products tanker RFS KOLA passed 25.9 nautical miles off Valletta proceeding to East Mediterranean at 2103 hrs. This wasn’t her first passer by move but the first one for 2023. Friday 3rd March The operated Military Sealift Command of the US Navy […]
Maritime Accident – Virtu Gozo High Speed Craft SAN FRANGISK – 30.03.2023

On Thursday 30th March the High Speed Craft SAN FRANGISK had to abort the 1645 hrs voyage just outside Mgarr Harbour breakwater due to an exhaust problem in the engine room that caused a thick smoke. As a precaution all passengers were evacuated onto smaller craft including Galaxy Charters Malta Boat CHIKO. At no time […]
AFM – Arrival of P 71 , largest Patrol Vessel for Malta – 07.11.2022

On Monday 7th November, 2022 at 0751 hrs the 74.8 metres Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) P 71 as C 890 entered Grand Harbour, Malta during her delivery voyage coming from Chioggia, Italy. She berthed port side alongside at Ras Hanzir Dolphins (RHD). With a full load displacement of over 2,000 tonnes, 74.8 metres as length […]
Dredging – Haywharf Dredging – July/August 2022

During July and August 2022 Dredging Operations of Inert Material was carried out at the AFM Maritime Squadron Base at Haywharf at Marsamxett Harbour with the Ports & Yachting Directorate of Transport Malta issued Local Notice of Mariners – 091 dated 21st June, 2022 and Amendment – 118 dated 14th July 2022 . Vessels engaged […]
AFM – Clearing Fort St.Angelo Bastions – 16.09.1994

During the annual Clean Up the World Campaign, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) always take part. Back to September 1994 , 62 AFM Personnel of the 1st Regiment Charlie Company embarked on a 3 day exercise which included abseiling clearing weeds, shrubs on the bastion walls. The President at that time Dr. Ugo Mifsud […]
AFM – Limpet Mines removed from Palestine Liberation Organization yacht ANGEL – 21.08.1987

After the Lebanon War the Israeli government was rather confident to secure the last strategic peace with the northern neighbour. To the Israeli Navy, Hezbollah at first was no enemy. The terrorists acted only in Lebanon and ashore of which they had no boats at their disposal and no move to carry out terror attacks […]
Port Closure – Delays in Disembarking Passengers from High Speed Craft JEAN DE LA VALETTE – 30.04.2022

Over 700 passengers were left stranded out at sea for more than two hours last Saturday 30th April due to a delay in re opening the Grand Harbour following a fireworks show. The delay was caused by a setback in the clearing of barges and lighters used for the fireworks display, which marked the finale of […]