Military Nostalgia – JDS ARIAKE DD 183

The Fletcher Class Destroyer named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher was the largest destroyer class ordered. It was also one of the most successful and popular with their crews. Compared to earlier classes built for the United States Navy, the Fletchers carried a significant increase in lethal firepower, including anti-aircraft (AA) weapons and increased Armor plating; this contributed to greater displacement and overall […]

Ukraine Crisis – Ships Shelled in Black Sea – Feb 2022

The Black Sea is a critical region for agricultural traders and oil traders alike. Ukraine and Russia together account for more than a quarter of the global trade in wheat and about a fifth of corn. That trade was thrown into chaos after Ukraine’s ports closed in the wake of Russia’s invasion. With Russia invasion […]

Offshore News – 33 metre supply vessel DOT 1

A Japanese Built Crewboat that used to be homeported at Valletta and owned by a Maltese Shipping Group, was seen renamed as DOT 1 berthed and loading for Libya for the first time on Tuesday 13th July, 2021. She was built in 1980 by Yokohama Yacht at Yokohama, Japan being the second commercial vessel built […]

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 […]

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 […]

Malta Drydocks – 237 m Ore Bulk Oil (OBO) MARINE STAR – April 1991

On Friday 19th April the 1973 built ore bulk oil (obo) carrier MARINE STAR entered Grand Harbour, Malta berthing at the Tank Cleaning Farm (TCF) Facilities. She was built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at Yokohama as yard no 934 named as ETERNAL LIGHT with Sanko Line, Japan. She was 237.70 metres as length […]

Wood Chip Carrier – 1995 built WORLD SWAN

Wood Chip Carrier is designed for carrying wood chips for paper. Unlike normal bulkers (for coal, iron ore, grain, etc.), vessels carrying a low specific gravity of chips are measured in terms of cargo hold capacity rather than deadweight capacity. This vessel is equipped with cranes, hoppers and belt conveyors for enabling efficient unloading of […]

Reefer – TUNA PRINCESS

One of the reefers involved in BlueFin Tuna Procedures is the 2005 built Japanese owned refrigerated (reefer) cargo ship TUNA PRINCESS. She was built in Japan by Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation at Shimonoseki in 2005 for Shinko Kaiun (Mitsubishi Reefers) homeported at Port Vila (VUT Flag) and during that year we saw her anchored at the […]