Former Military – Former USCG vessel into a new role as an Anti Piracy Patrol Craft THE JUDGE at Malta – 2010
International security specialist Pilgrims Group has further increased its ability to provide safe passage for clients working in West African waters by acquiring a former US Coast Guard cutter. Named THE JUDGE she’s the former United States Coast Guard Point Class Cutter POINT MONROE WPB-82353 was one of 79 , 82 foot Patrol Craft and […]
Gaza-Israel War – Gaza Freedom Flotilla ship NAVAREN at Malta – August 2024
One of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Vessel – HANDALA calling all VTS worldwide as NAVAREN including on her AIS System called at Malta on Tuesday 13th August passing breakwaters at 1104 hrs. Built in 1968 at Hemnesberget, Norway as the 18 metre Norwegian fishing vessel NAVARN with radio call sign as LATQ she was […]
BFT Season 2024 – First Moroccan fishing vessel at Malta – 27.05.2024
On Monday 27th May, 2024 the first Moroccan fishing vessel to enter Grand Harbour, Malta was the Spanish built purse seiner MIMOUNA 1 bearing fishing matricola as 12-122 with radio call sign as CNA 6020 passing breakwaters at 0837 hrs. She was built by Astafersa at Ferrol, Spain as the Spanish Purse Seiner AITA FRAXKU […]
BFT Season 2024 – 4 Turkish Purse Seiners at Valletta, Malta – 25.05.2024
The eastern bluefin (BFT) migration has supported valuable fisheries in the Mediterranean since antiquity. Initially based on hand lines and beach seines, these fisheries were dominated after the 16th century by tuna cages placed in the path of migrating tuna. After the expansion of purse seines and longlines in the Atlantic (in the 1950s) and […]
Casualty – Fishing Vessel KAPITAN LOBANOV sunk after missile hit with fatalities – 19.03.2024
The 1977 built RUS flag and owned fishing vessel KAPITAN LOBANOV sunk last Tuesday 19th March with 3 crew members killed and 4 others with injuries after she was accidentally struck by a missile fired from a Russian Navy ship in the Baltic Sea off Russia’s Kaliningrad region Around 1100 hrs Kalin grad time her crew […]
Piracy – 2 Fishing Vessels freed following Somali pirate hijackings – January 2024
2 fishing vessels, a Sri Lankan and an Iranian one are reported to have been freed following hijackings by Somali pirates. Seychelles forces rescued a Sri Lankan fishing boat on Monday, according to President Wavel Ramkalawan’s office. Meanwhile, the Indian Navy said it had freed an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel. The attacks on the vessels by […]
Maiden Call – Yuan Yu 709, Yuan Yu 710 and Yuan Yu 717 – 05.11.2023
An interesting flotilla made up of 10 Chinese Bottom Trawlers made history in the Maltese Islands as being the first ever Chinese Fishing Vessels especially Bottom Trawlers to enter Grand Harbour, Malta. First one to pass breakwater (0741 hrs)was the 2021 built 28.61 metres Bottom Trawler YUAN YU 709 built at Huanghai Shipbuilding Co Ltd […]
Fishing Vessels – Italian purse seiner S. RAFFAELE
One of the Italian purse seiner that used to be seen during the Blue Fin Tuna (BFT) Season was the 1974 built S.RAFFAELE which on radio vhf she was called as SAN RAFFAELE. She was built at Cantieri Navali Codecasa at Viareggio with yard number F23 as S.RAFFAELE for Cooperativa S. Michele based at Cetara, […]
Casualties – Algerian Purse Seiner YOUNES II sank – April, 2018
On Tuesday 3rd April, 2018, the Algerian tuna purse seiner YOUNES II launched an SOS message to her sister YOUNES I, of which she did not assist her for unknown reasons. YOUNES I was able to return to the Tunisian coast to berth in Bizerte, unlike her sistership YOUNES II which disappeared 20 miles north […]
Casualties – Investigation Report Ready of Fatal Collision Off Puerto Rico – July 2023
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Atlantic Area has taken final action on its investigation involving the deadly collision between a U.S. Coast Guard cutter and a small fishing vessel off Puerto Rico last year. The collision took place on Monday 8th August, 2022, around 1345 hrs , approximately 4 miles northeast of Dorado, Puerto Rico, […]
