Ukraine Crisis – Russian Navy building up around Ukraine – 21.02.2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow does not want a war in Europe amid rising tensions over Ukraine but demanded that the issue of Kyiv’s relationship with NATO be resolved in its entirety immediately. Speaking at a joint news conference on Tuesday 15th February, 2022 after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Putin said Russia had […]
Naval News – NATO Allies start Neptune Strike 22 Maritime Exercise – 24.01.2022
Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and U.S. Sixth Fleet (SIXTHFLT) began the 12 day maritime exercise “Neptune Strike ’22” on Monday January 24th in the Mediterranean Sea amid fears of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The USS HARRY S. TRUMAN aircraft carrier, along with her carrier strike group and air wing are the […]
Passenger Ships – PALOMA I
One of the Polish built ships originally bound for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was the 1980 built ferry DMITRIY SHOSTAKOVICH from a Class of 7 as Project B492/B493 by Stocznia Szczecinska im Adolfa Warskiego Warskiego in Szczecin, Poland. She was the lead of her class which she was named for the Soviet era Russian composer […]
Cruise Liner News – MSC LIRICA to homeport in Piraeus, Greece in Summer 2022
The 2003 built liner MSC LIRICA will use Piraeus, Greece as homeport during Summer 2022. She was originally scheduled to sail from Venice but now she will offer a newly designed 7 night itinerary with 28 sailings between April and October 2022 calling Kusadasi at Turkey; Haifa at Israel; Limassol at Cyprus and the Greek […]
Greek Shipping – Festival Cruises Liner MISTRAL
Festival Cruises (known as First European Cruises or First Choice Cruises in North America) was a Greece based cruise line that operated between 1994 and 2004. It was founded in 1992 by the Greek entrepreneur George Poulides using second-hand ships. The company acquired three newbuilt ships between 1999 and 2002, but was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2004. Festival Cruises acquired their first […]
Malta Naval Visits – USS RAMAGE DDG 61 – 12-16.07.1999
On Monday 12th July,1999 the 16th Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyer (Flight I Class) USS RAMAGE with pennant number DDG 61 entered Grand Harbour, Malta assisted by 2 tugs – KATRIN & LIENI berthing starboard side alongside at Pinto 4 & 5 wharves part of VISET ( now Valletta Cruise Port). The ship is […]
RoRo Vessels – JOLLY EXPRESS
An interesting roro vessels operating in the Mediterranean Sea is the 1999 built JOLLY EXPRESS. Seen for the first time in November, 2020 where she uplifted bunkers at Bunkering Area 3 East, Malta she’s operating between Tunis, Naples and Gioia Tauro of which she’s calling at Malta Freeport too. She was built at South Korea […]
RoRo Vessels – ALEXANDERHAVEN
The first ship from a Class of 22 known as Project Neva 1607 and 16073 ( The project was developed at the Baltsudoproekt Central Design Bureau ) built for USSR owners and 2 for Jadranska Plovidba, Yugoslavia in Leningrad, USSR was the 1979 built roro ship IVAN SKURIDIN. Built as yard 821 at the A. Zhdanov […]
Haifa Port – June 2021 Movements
The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel’s three major international seaports, the others being the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. It has a natural deep water harbor, which operates all year long, and serves both passenger and merchant ships. It is one of the largest ports in the eastern Mediterranean in terms of freight volume and […]
CMA CGM News – Cargo from/to North Europe to/from the Mediterranean & Black Sea from 01.06.2021
Considering current steady volumes amplified with substantially increased system costs, CMA CGM revises its Peak Season Surcharge: This PSS will apply as follows: Origin/Destination : From/to all North/West European ports to/from the Mediterranean (including all Morocco ports) & Black Sea Cargo : all types Amounts USD 300/EUR 300/GBP 300 per 20′ | USD 600/EUR 600/GBP 600 per 40′ […]
