Casualty – USNS BIG HORN T-AO 198 towed to Oman , disable after running aground – 25.09.2024
The only US Navy replenishment ship serving the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group (CSG) , deployed in the Middle East in support of Israel amid its ongoing war with Hamas and soaring tension between other Iran-backed groups, USNS BIG HORN T-AO 198 ran aground last Monday 23 rd September, 2024 off the coast of Oman damaging […]
Malta Naval Visits – August 2024
Contrary to the month of July, August was an interesting month indeed, starting with an interesting Russian Navy Replenishment tanker RFS AKADEMIK PASHIN that passed in the Malta/Sicily Channel on Friday 2nd August. Tuesday 6th August. The Italian Navy (Marina Militare Italiana) ocean ketch , a sail training yacht ITS ORSA MAGGIORE A 5323 anchored […]
Naval News – 2021 commissioned ITS VULCANO at Sicily – 31.07.2023
The Italian Navy replacement for the Stromboli Class replenishment oiler (AOR) along with her current being build sistership, the ITS VULCANO A 5335 was spotted anchored at Augusta, Sicily. ITS VULCANO was built by Fincantieri with yard number 6259. The stern section was built at the Riva Trigoso Naval Shipyard while her bow section was […]
Naval News – US Navy Reveals Ships Facing Potential Decommissioning in 2023 -April 2022
The U.S. Navy released the names of the 24 ships it hopes to decommission in fiscal 2023, eight of which have reached the end of their planned service life and 16 of which would be retired early to save money on ships that the service views as not worth their rising costs. USNS JOHN LENTHALL […]
Naval News – Final Days of HMAS SIRIUS O 266 – 22.11.2021
HMAS SIRIUS O 266 the former Greek tanker DELOS built in 2004 and purchased by the Royal Australian Navy and converted into a fleet replenishment vessel is in her final days prior to decommissioning in December 2021. DELOS was built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea as one from 6 of her class being built for the Greek Shipping Company Tsakos. She […]
Casualties – Iranian Navy Replenishment Tanker caught fire and sank – 02.06.2021
The largest ship in the Iranian navy IRIS KHARG 431 caught fire and later sank in unclear circumstances today, Wednesday 2nd June in the Gulf of Oman. The fire blaze started around 0225 hrs according to the Fars News Agency with efforts to save the ship failed and she sank off the Iranian port of […]
Passers By – Naval Units during January 2021
Various naval units pass the Malta-Sicily straits like other ships and to mention some – New Year started with an interesting Russian Navy Vessel – SB 565 PROFESSOR NIKOLAY MURU, a 2014 built and June 2015 commissioned rescue ship on passage from Astrakhan, East Russia bound to West Russia stopping for few days off Pantelleria, […]
Iran Tensions – Panama Confirms Tanker Seized by Iran Was Smuggling Oil – 21.07.2019
Panama’s Maritime Administration (AMP) condemned Sunday the use of Panamanian flagged (PAN) ships for illicit acts, confirming that the tanker RIAH seized by Iran was in fact smuggling oil. Last week the tanker RIAH, stopped transmitting its location on Saturday while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. Her last known location was in Iranian waters. “We […]
Naval News – Royal Australian Navy longest serving ship HMAS SUCCESS final voyage – June 2019
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) longest serving ship, HMAS SUCCESS OR 304 , has completed her final voyage after 33 years’ service to Australia. HMAS SUCCESS a Durance class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ship built by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company in Sydney, Australia, during the 1980s, she is the only ship of the class […]
Malta Naval Visits – USNS JOHN LENTHALL T-AO 189 – 07.04 – 29.04.2004
USNS JOHN LENTHALL T-AO 189 is a replenishment ship of the United States Navy. She was launched on 9th August 1986 and entered service on 25th July 1987. She entered Valletta on Wednesday 7th April 2004 berthing starboard side alongside to Parlatorio Wharf, Malta Drydocks. It was her second call to Malta, the first one […]
