Tugboat – 1938 built tug BLANKENBURG

One of the L. Smit & Co NV (Smit International) tugs that was founded in 1842 still afloat after 80 years since she was built was the 1938 built tugboat BLANKENBURG. She was built in 1938 at L. Smit & Zn in Kinderdijk, Netherlands as yard number 886 with 28.95m long and 6.38m beam and […]

Cable Layer – CERTAMEN

The world’s first icebreaking cable repair ship built was the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) ship CCGS JOHN CABOT  named after John Cabot, a Venetian explorer from the Age of Exploration of which was built in Montreal, Canada and commissioned on 31st May 1965. During 1996 she was decommissioned, refitted for more service and acquired by the […]

Ferry – 2009 built ropax GNV SEALAND seen again at Malta – May 2024

The Bari homeported ropax GNV SEALAND was seen again in 2024 for few calls replacing a chartered roro while she was drydocked on the route Palermo-Malta-Palermo. She was last here last year (2023) at Palumbo Malta Shipyard to install the scrubber system and drydocking. Below are images while she was berthed at Parlatorio Wharf. More […]

BFT Season 2024 – French & Libyan Purse Seiners at Malta – 18-21.04.2024

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 […]

Towage – Tug CHRISTOS LV towing Pipe Layer SEMINOLE at Malta – 28/29.03.2024

On Thursday 28th March, 2024 the 2007 built tug CHRISTOS LV towing the 135m long pipe layer SEMINOLE was seen approaching within territorial waters (wtw) bound to Bunkering Area 1 for uplifting bunkers and crew change at 2338 hrs. CHRISTOS LV is not a new face in Malta though she never called under Greek ownership. […]

Towage – MACISTONE towing 2 former GDF Corrubia Class Patrol Craft – 04.03.2021

It is not the first time that former Italian law Enforcement marine units are seen in Maltese Territorial Waters and back to March, 2021, two former Guardia Di Finanza (GDF) Corrubia Class Patrol Craft were towed/brought to Malta by the 1982 built Italian flag and owned tugboat MACISTONE for further service as an Anti Piracy […]

Tankers – Oil Product Tanker MERSEY SPIRIT

One of the Turkish built tankers trading around is the 1996 built 76.6 m long oil products tanker MERSEY SPIRIT. She’s a former Danish tanker from the Herning Shipping A/S  of which in Malta we still have one from 2 operating with a local shipping company. She was built at Rota Shipyard at Tuzla, Turkey […]

ConRo News – Grimaldi’s Hybrid RoRo ECO BARCELONA at Malta – 02.01.2024

The second ship from a class of twelve hybrid vessels of the innovative Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class the ECO BARCELONA entered Grand Harbour, Malta during her maiden call on Tuesday 2nd January, 2024 passing breakwaters at 0804 coming from Genoa, Italy. She’s replacing the 2011 built ropax EUROCARGO VENEZIA which at the moment is at […]

RoRo Vessels – Linea Messina ship JOLLY INDACO

One of the Soviet Union (USSR) built vessels that used to call at Malta was the 1989 built ro/ro vessel JOLLY INDACO owned by Linea Messina, Italy. She was built at Severnaya Verf Shipbuilding Yard at Saint Petersburg as yard number 843 as the Project 16071 ro/ro ship for Baltic Sea Shipping, USSR as S.KIROV […]

Cruise Liner – CORINTHIAN

One of the famous (Batch 1) Renaissance cruise liners still around the world in the cruise line industry is the 1990 built MLT flag CORINTHIAN. She was launched in 1990, built by Cantiere Navale Ferrari-Signani in La Spezia, Italy and was operated by Renaissance Cruises  as the RENAISSANCE IV. Above image is of RENAISSANCE FOUR […]