Tanker News – Captain Joseph Hazelwood, Former Master of the Exxon Valdez, Passes Away – July 2022

Captain Joseph Jeffrey Hazelwood, the Master of the crude oil tanker EXXON VALDEZ when she ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound near Valdez, Alaska on 24th March 1989, has passed away at the age of 75. The EXXON VALDEZ spill is the second largest in U.S. waters, after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, in […]
Virtu Ferries – MARIA DOLORES with His Holiness Pope Francis – 02.04.2022

On Saturday 2nd April, 2022 His Holiness Pope Francis during his Apostolic visit to Malta crossed to the sister island of Gozo by the High Speed Craft MARIA DOLORES. After leaving the Apostolic Nunciature, Rabat , Malta the entourage proceeded to DWQ 5 to board the Virtu Ferries High Speed Craft MARIA DOLORES to cross […]
AFM – Live GUNEX – November 2021
Between Monday 15th and Friday 19th November 2021 the Maritime Squadron conducted a live gunnery firing practice involving maritime assets from Pembroke Ranges (LMD-1). The Ports & Yachting Directorate issued Notice to Mariners – NtM 38 dated 5th November, 2021. On Monday 15th November the Emer Class OPV P 62 was seen in the area […]
Casualties – MFA 384 PEPPINA at Marsalforn Bay, Gozo – 13.11.2021
On Saturday 13th November, 2021 thanks to Alldive Ltd Personnel together with TugMalta Personnel saved the 12.65 metre fishing vessel MFA 384 PEPPINA from sinking though her stern was already underwater at Marsalforn Bay, Gozo. Normally MFA 384 PEPPINA is moored at the Menqa in Marsalforn Bay of which last June she was spotted there […]
Ferry – 1980 built SHERBATSKIY
One of the last remaining ships built for Townsend Thoresen for the Dover – Calais route as the PRIDE OF FREE ENTERPRISE was scrapped in December 2015 and was seen as SHERBATSKIY. She was launched on 31st May 1980 by Schichau Unterweser AG, Germany as yard number 2281 as PRIDE OF FREE ENTERPRISE for Townsend Thoresen […]
High Speed Craft News – Ponte Ferries Cancel their Voyages to start – 06.08.2021

Ponte Ferries stated that it has been forced to delay the launch of her ferry service to Sicily due to a last-minute legal challenge with Sicilian authorities by “a competing operator”, which objected to her use of the Augusta Port. Virtu Ferries, which has been operating a Malta-Sicily service for the past 30 years, responded immediately […]
Fishing Vessels – SLEBECH

One of the fishing vessels that used to be in Malta was the 1974 built longliner SLEBECH. She was built in Spain by Astilleros Del Atlantico at Santander as BETI DONOSTI for the Spanish based Fishing Company – Laurak Bat Fisheries and then she was sold to Betty Fisheries in 1980 and renamed SLEBECH homeported […]
Local Shipping – Submersible Exploration Ship U BOAT NAVIGATOR.

One of the converted fishing vessels around is the 2008 built U BOAT NAVIGATOR. She was built at Cinar Tersanecilik Ltd, Gemlik in Turkey as the fishing vessel ESAT KOCALI and in 2012 she was converted after being acquired by the submarine pilots and expert diving instructors father-and-son duo Eugene and Dmitry Tomashov. In fact […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – ATLANTIC NORTH – 17.02 – 22.03.2021
On Wednesday 17th February, 2021 the 2002 built container ship ATLANTIC NORTH entered Grand Harbour, Malta bound to Factory Wharf at Palumbo Malta Shipyard. On Saturday 20th February she was spotted afloat in Dock 4 with bow afloat repairs. She was involved in an accident in Bejaia, Algeria back to last 5th December 2020 when […]
Accidents – Yacht DARNICE III distress call at Malta – 03.09.2020

On Thursday 3rd September, 2020 the 1984 built 60 metre superyacht DARNICE III called Valletta VTS stating that while she’s underway to Tunisia from Turkey. water ingress is coming into her hull while she’s around 4 miles east off Grand Harbour, Malta. She was built by Benetti on Italy delivered to her owner in 1984 […]