Red Sea Crisis – British bulker RUBYMAR sinks – 02.03.2024
The BLZ flag bulker RUBYMAR loaded with around 21, 000 tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said Saturday, the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. When […]
Malta Naval Visits – February 2024
Friday 2nd February. Year 2024 was started with an interesting naval movement and the maiden call of the French Navy Mistral Class Amphibious Assault & Command Ship (Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement / BPC) FS DIXMUDE L 9015. She passed breakwaters at 0817 hrs coming from Egypt after she was being used as a […]
Naval News – Turkish Navy decommissions TCG SOKULLU MEHMET PASA A 577 – 24.02.2024
On Saturday 24th February, the Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri) or Turkish Navy announced that the Rhein class training ship TCG SOKULLU MEHMET PASA A 577 will be decommissioned. She was built in Schlichting Shipyard in Travemunde, Germany as FGS DONAU A 69 and commissioned to the German Navy on 23rd May 1964 after she […]
Harbour Facilities – Ras Hanzir Project, Malta – 29.02.2024
During Q 4 of the year 2020 it was announced that a new wharf for cargo will be built at the Ras Ħanżir area, part of Grand Harbour , a project that will cost €65 million, partially funded by the EU Cohesion Fund. The Planning Authority File No : PA/08472/19 with ERA Reference EA/00042/19 is […]
Tanker News – US Imposes Sanctions on Russia’s Leading Tanker Company Sovcomflot – 23.02.2024
Last Friday 23rd February, the United States of America (USA) has imposed sanctions on Russia’s leading tanker group SOVCOMFLOT (SCF) of which Washington seeks to reduce Russia’s revenues from oil sales it can use to support the invasion of Ukraine, the Treasury Department stated. Russia is one of the world’s top oil exporters and the […]
Maiden Call – UT 745 design supply ship SAR MARINER at Malta – February, 2024.
The first British ordered supply vessel to be built to DNV’s new environmental class was the UT 745 design offshore supply vessel NORTH MARINER nicknamed as a class of her own. Designed and built at Simek AS, Flekkefjord in Norway for Gulf Offshore NS Ltd, Scotland. Her ship class was Det Norske Veritas’ main class […]
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Crossing in the Mediterranean Sea finish as a tragedy – 23.02.2024
On Friday 23rd February, 2024 the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) Operations Centre based at Luqa Barracks received a phone call around 1045 hrs stating that around 3-5 miles east of Malta there was a boat with immigrants heading to shore. Immediately AFM notified the aircraft that was airborne to go to the area and […]
Red Sea Crisis – British bulker RUBYMAR has not sunk – 22.02.2024
Last Monday 19th February,2024 the Houthi fighters claimed to have sunk the bulk carrier RUBYMAR. It would have been the most significant incident since attacks on ships began in November. The Houthis had earlier said the vessel was in danger of sinking after claiming the attack that took place in the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb […]
Icebreaker – German Research Icebreaker POLARSTERN
One of the German Government Ships is the 1982 built German research icebreaker POLARSTERN (meaning Pole Star) of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany. She was built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel and Nobiskrug in Rendsburg as yard 707 with keel laid down on 22nd September 1981, launched on 6th January, […]
Destination Gozo – SEA CLOUD II off Gozo – 15.05.2017
One of the passenger ships that from time to time anchor off Mgarr Harbour, Gozo and transferring passengers to shore and back to the ship apart from Comino Charters etc is the 2001 built sailing passenger ship SEA CLOUD II. Unlike the SEA CLOUD , she is a newbuilding, built at the Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros […]
