Local Shipping – Passenger Ship LA VALETTE

One of the first from 3 German Customs Patrol Craft donated to Malta to be part of the 1st Maritime Battery of the Armed Forces of Malta, now known as Maritime Squadron was the 1952 built 29 metre craft BRUNSBUTTEL who arrived in Malta as deck cargo with 2 others (nowadays both broken up) aboard […]

Broken Up – Salvage Tug SALVAGE TITAN – December 2022

One of the famous Dutch built ocean going salvage tug SALVAGE TITAN was broken up at Kaohsiung, Taiwan last December 2022. She was built by Verolme Shipyard – Heusen; Netherlands with yard number 934 for Smit International Rotterdam as SMIT NEW YORK. Below image is while she was berthed at the old Medserv Base at […]

Broken Up – Tug CHRISTOS XXII – 2021

The 1972 built single hull oceangoing salvage tug CHRISTOS XXII was broken up at Aliaga, Turkey during December 2021. She was built at H.H. Bodewes at Millingen in the Netherlands as yard number 702 named as SMIT ENTERPRISE for Smit International (Antilles) BV with 43.53 metres length overall (loa) and a beam of 10.62 metres […]

Broken Up – Greenpeace Ship ESPERANZA – 21.02.2002

After 2 decades the Greenpeace ship ESPERANZA has arrived at the port of Gijon, in Spain on Saturday 12th February, 2002 for recycling procedures by DDR Vessels XXI, one of the 2 companies specialised in ship recycling authorised by the EU. She was built in Poland by Stocznia Polnocna at Gdansk as yard number B98/04 […]

Heavy Lift – BBC OPAL loaded at Malta – 30/01 to 13/02.2022

The second BBC-14K-800A class of BBC Chartering Fleet to call at Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta within 12 months was the 2011 built ship BBC OPAL. She entered on Sunday 30th January at 2212 hrs berthing at the Medserv Base coming from China via Suez Canal. She was loaded with windmill blades. She was built by the […]

Offshore News – 7 Solstad Vessels Sold For Scrapping – 05.10.2021

Solstad Offshore has sold seven older vessels for green recycling in Norway (Green Yard Feda and Green Yard Kleven) as part of the company’s rescue plan, which involves a divestment of 37 ships. The seven vessels are – FAR SOVEREIGN built by Langsten Slip & Batbyggeri, Norway as yard number 122 in 1999. Homeport is […]

Tankers – Chemical/Oil Product Tanker TROODOS

One of the Japanese built tankers in the world seen offshore Malta was the 1979 built GEO flag and Cypriot owned tanker TROODOS. She was built in Japan by Shin Kochi Jyuko K.K. in 1979 as HAKKO MINERVA with yard no 1306 for Hakko Shoun KK & Daiichi Shoun KK trading until 1985 with Japanese […]

Offshore – HAMAL sold and left Europe – 20.05.2021

On Thursday 20th May, 2021 the 2002 built Italian offshore tug/supply ship HAMAL left Grand Harbour for the last time at 1532 hrs with her new name as TEJA. Back to Wednesday 3rd February, 2021 at 2110 hrs she passed by 43.7 nautical miles offshore Malta underway to Constanta, Romania from Santa Cruz de Tenerife towing […]

Offshore – Vantage Drilling to manage Oil Exploration Units for Seadrill Partners – 22.03.2021

Vantage Drilling International has entered into an agreement with Seadrill Partners which will see Vantage will provide management , operating and marketing services to Seadrill Partners. The agreement relates to drill ships WEST CAPELLA and WEST POLARIS and the semi-submersible drilling rigs (ssdr) WEST LEO and WEST SIRIUS. Seadrill Partners is currently being reorganised after filing […]

Tugboat – Singapore Built THOR SERVER

One of the Faroe Islands operated vessel that was a regular visitor in Malta was the tug THOR SERVER that was used as a guard/chase boat with seismic operations. She was built in 1978 by Marine Builders Pte Ltd at Singapore as yard number 1016 named as AL JUBAIL VIII trading until 1985 where she […]