Malta Naval Visits – RFA ARGUS A 135 – 23-25.11.2022
On Wednesday 23rd November, 2022 the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Role 3 Casualty Treatment/Aviation Training Ship RFA ARGUS A 135 passed Grand Harbour, Malta breakwaters at 1026 hrs after embarking pilot at Marsaxlokk Harbour Pilot Station 2 Bravo due to heavy swell off Grand Harbour (OGH) during her maiden call. She was originally built as […]
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 […]
Former Military – HOLMWOOD at Malta – 2007-2011.
The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS) was a British Government agency which ran a variety of auxiliary vessels for Her Majesty’s Naval Service including Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) from 1976 to 2008. One of the former Clovelly Class Fleet Tender HOLMWOOD ex RMAS HOLMWOOD A 1772 was seen in Malta in 2007 moored at Manoel Island Marina. She was […]
Bunkering – MSC BRIDGE – 12.01.2020
On Sunday 12th January 2020 the 1998 built ro/ro ship MSC BRIDGE completed bunkering at Area 3 East by Go Fuels bunkering tanker LEYONA at 1136 hrs. She was built in Italy by Esercizio Cantieri at Viareggio as STENA AUSONIA. Between 1998 and 2002 she was chartered to Britain’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary renamed RFA SEA CENTURION A […]
Navy Ships – Aviation Training Ship RFA ARGUS A 135
RFA ARGUS A 135 is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary operated by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) under the Blue Ensign. Formerly the Italian built container ship CONTENDER BEZANT ( 28 November 1980 launched by Cantieri Navali Breda S.A, Marghera Yard, Venice as Yard Nr: 293 named CONTENDER BEZANT for Contender 2 Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd, Managers) Hamilton, Bermuda. The […]
Breaking Up – RFA BLACK ROVER A 273 and RFA GOLD ROVER A 271 – August 2019
During the month of August 2019 , the last 2 from a class of 5 British small fleet tankers serving with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) did their last voyage, this time towed to the breakers in Aliaga at Turkey. Tenders for what became 5 ships were invited in 1967. Problems with the original propulsion […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – RFA WAVE KNIGHT A 389 – 24.07.2019 to 01.08.2019
On Wednesday 24th July, 2019 at 1144 hrs the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Class Fleet Tanker RFA WAVE KNIGHT A 389 entered Valletta for the first time assisted by local tugs LIENI and SEA SALVOR after she was cleared to enter both from authorities and from the chemist that tested the vessel as Gas […]
Naval News – RFA TIDESURGE A 138 commissioned – 20.02.2019
The Royal Navy formally welcomed RFA TIDESURGE A 138 her newest fleet replenishment tanker, in a ceremony at Greenock’s Ocean Terminal on Wednesday, February 20th. She’s a Tide Class Replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The 39,000-tonne vessel is the third of a planned four TIDE Class Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) […]
Naval News – Ex-RFA GOLD ROVER A 271 – September 2018
RFA GOLD ROVER A 271 was a small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and one of five Rover class ships that were all built at the Swan Hunter Shipyard based on Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England. She was commissioned on 22 nd March 1974. From 10 July 1974 until 30 September 1974 she stood […]
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship FORT AUSTIN fire at Birkenhead, UK Fire erupted on upper deck of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA FORT AUSTIN A 386 on Aug 15, at Cammel Laird Dock, Birkenhead. Fire was quickly extinguished by reportedly, firefighting engines, while all 60 ship’s personnel were evacuated. Fire estimated as not serious, though […]
