Casualties – Ferry COSSYRA on fire after leaving Lampedusa – 29.09.2023
On Friday 29th September, 2023 around 2340 hrs a fire broke out in the engine room on the 1980 built ITA flag and owned ferry COSSYRA, off Linosa Island whilst sailing from Lampedusa to Porto Empedocle, with 177 souls on board, including 150 passengers (83 of them were migrants) and 27 crew members. After the […]
Fishing Vessel – Cypriot LOUCAS
One of the Cypriot fishing vessels that used to be seen at Malta was the 2002 bult trawler LOUCAS with fishing matricola as CYP 232. She was built in Egypt in 2002 with metal hull and entered service in 2004. In November 2006 she was forced to enter Valletta for Board & Search by the […]
Malta Naval Visits – March 2023
Thursday 2nd March The Russian Navy Project 160 Altay Class Medium seagoing oil products tanker RFS KOLA passed 25.9 nautical miles off Valletta proceeding to East Mediterranean at 2103 hrs. This wasn’t her first passer by move but the first one for 2023. Friday 3rd March The operated Military Sealift Command of the US Navy […]
Malta Naval Visits – February 2023
Naval Visits for the year 2023 started from February – Saturday 4th to Tuesday 7th February The First Naval Ship was the Italian Navy Gaeta Class Minehunter ITS VIAREGGIO M 5559 that entered at 0924 hrs. She was seen for the first time in Malta back to 2001 when she was only 5 years old. […]
AFM – Arrival of P 71 , largest Patrol Vessel for Malta – 07.11.2022
On Monday 7th November, 2022 at 0751 hrs the 74.8 metres Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) P 71 as C 890 entered Grand Harbour, Malta during her delivery voyage coming from Chioggia, Italy. She berthed port side alongside at Ras Hanzir Dolphins (RHD). With a full load displacement of over 2,000 tonnes, 74.8 metres as length […]
Russia-Ukraine War – Ukrainian Navy destroy Russian Navy RFS VASILY BYKOV 368 – 07.03.2022
On Monday 7th March 2022 the Ukrainian Navy had hit the 2018 commissioned Stealth Patrol Ship RFS VASILY BYKOV 368 with rocket artillery off the coast of Odessa, reportedly heavily damaged. She’s the first ship of her Class (6) as Project 22160. She participated in the attack on Snake Island on 24th February 2022 during the first day of […]
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 […]
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 […]
Malta Naval Visits – ROS REGINA MARIA F 222 19-21.09.2021
One of the Fourteen built Type 22 Class frigates for the Royal Navy entered Grand Harbour, Malta on Sunday 19th September at 0952 hrs as ROS REGINA MARIA F 222 with the Romanian Navy. Originally as HMS LONDON F 95 (ex-BLOODHOUND) she was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited (YSL) in Glasgow, Scotland. She was ordered […]
Maltese Fishing Vessels – 1971 built CARMELA
One of the North Sea Standby Safety Vessel that was bought locally in Malta was the 1971 built steel hulled CARMELA. She was brought to Malta early 90’s as CAM SPRITE sporting black hull and was based at Mgarr Harbour, Gozo. She was built in UK by W. R. Cunis Ltd., Woolwich as FARID with […]
