Casualties – Vehicle Carrier FELICITY ACE fire – 16.02.2022

On Wednesday 16th February, 2022 the 2005 built 200 metres long vehicle carrier carrying various cargo including 1,100 Porsches and 189 Bentleys amongst nearly 4,000 vehicles caught fire about 200 miles from Terceira Island in the Azores. The Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguese) airlifted the 22 crew members which abandoned the ship and survived. Meanwhile the […]
Tugboat – 1958 built tug BEAUFORT SPIRIT

One of the British built tugs trading in the United Kingdom (UK) Area seen in Malta was the 1958 built tug BEAUFORT SPIRIT. She was built by Henry Lobb at Leith, Scotland as yard number 467 launched on 3rd April 1958 and completed during May the same year of which she was delivered to Leith […]
Towing Assistance – TUGRA required tug after dragging anchor and rudder malfunction – 01.02.2022

On Tuesday 1st February, 2022 around 1420 hrs the 80 metre general cargo ship TUGRA reported to Valletta VTS that she’s dragging anchor and Not In Command and requested a tugboat for assistance. TUGRA radio officer advised both bunkering tankers ENDO SIROCCO and SANTA MARIA regarding the situation. At 1440 hrs the anchored bunkering tanker […]
Casualties – Cargo Ship KALELI ANA aground – 19.12.2021
On Sunday 19th December the 1976 built 101 metre Cargo Ship KALELI ANA ran aground while loaded with 6,554 tons of corn from Reni, Ukraine on her way to Famagusta, Cyprus. The accident occurred on the left bank of the Sulinsky Canal, Romania due to a problem of the steering system. Regular shipping traffic continued […]
Casualties – Turkish Cargo Ship GOKBEL sinks – 28.12.2014

On the morning of Sunday 28th December, 2014 around 0830 hrs the 2011 built Turkish general cargo ship GOKBEL with 11 crew collided with the 1991 built general cargo ship LADY AZIZA and sank in poor visibility just a mile from the Italian Adriatic port of Ravenna. Guardia Costiera (Italian Coast Guard) Capitano Di Vascello […]
Beirut Blast – More ammonium nitrate found at Beirut Port – 03.09.2020

The Lebanese army found another 4.35 tonnes of explosive ammonium nitrate on Thursday 3rd September near the entrance to Beirut port, one month on from the deadly blast caused by 2,750 tonnes of the same substance that ripped apart much of the city and killed 191 persons. The military said in a statement on Thursday that army […]
Harbour Facilities – Bunkering Area 4 on 08.09.2019

Although Area 4 is not situated inside a harbour, it is still monitored by Valletta VTS managed by Transport Malta. Bunkering on a ship can be of fuel oil, sludge, diesel oil, cargo etc with fuel or diesel oil requires utmost care and alertness to prevent any kind of fire accident or oil spill. BUNKERING AREA 4 is […]