Naval News – Russian Navy Intelligence Ship (AGI) RFS KILDIN on fire off Syria – 23.01.2025

On Thursday 23rd January, 2025 the Russian Navy Intelligence ship RFS KILDIN suffered an engine room fire while loitering off Syria’s coast last week. The incident was observed by French naval forces on Thursday but not reported until Monday. According to French radio station RFI, she was spotted in Syrian territorial waters around 20 nautical […]
Casualty – US Sanctioned Russian ro/ro ship URSA MAJOR sinks in the Mediterranean Sea – 23.12.2024

On Monday 23rd December, 2024 before midday a distress call by ro/ro ship URSA MAJOR was being transmitted stating that the ship is in trouble after an engine room explosion and with restricted manoeuvrability and we are going to try to repair it with the vessel listing badly. URSA MAJOR was in the same area […]
Aerial Photography – Heavy Load Carrier TERN loaded with 2 dredgers – 29.06.2015

On Monday 29th June 2015, the 1982 built NLD flag semi-submersible heavy load carrier TERN was photographed from the air by MALTA SHIP PHOTOS offshore Malta. TERN was loaded with 2 dredgers – STEPAN DEMESHEV a 1988 built Russian Bucket Ladder Dredger and the Belgian 1970 built Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (THSD) VLAANDEREN XVIII being shipped to their new owner Mercator Lines, […]
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 […]
Russia-Ukraine War – Russian Navy Patrol Ship RFS SERGEY KOTOV destroyed – 05.03.2024

The Russian Navy Project 22160 Patrol Ship RFS SERGEY KOTOV (Russian: Сергей Котов) was attacked by Ukrainian forces using MAGURA V5 maritime drones, with Ukrainian intelligence claiming on 5th March 2024 the ship was sunk. As a result of the attack by Magura V5 naval drones, the RFS SERGEY KOTOV suffered damage to the stern, […]
Russia-Ukraine War – Another Russian Navy Warship Gone – 01.02.2024

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) stated that last Thursday 1st February, 2024 its operatives sunk a Russian Navy Tarantul Class Missile Corvette RFS IVANOVETS 854 from the Black Sea Fleet overnight off of occupied Crimea. Ukraine used six Magura V5 maritime suicide drones to sink the naval vessel as per Ukraine’s intelligence chief. Each of these […]
Russia-Ukraine War – Russian Navy board a cargo ship in Black Sea after refusing to stop – August 2023

Last Tuesday 15th August, Russia released a video footage showing an armed naval inspection unit boarding a cargo ship in the southwestern Black Sea on Sunday 13th and questioning the captain about why the ship had not stopped when demanded to by a Russian warship. Russia said that it fired warning shots with automatic weapons at the […]
Casualties – Disabled YANNIS P towed to Kaliningrad – August 2023

The 2010 built crude oil tanker YANNIS P which was loaded with crude oil from India to Russia was towed to Kaliningrad after she had engine problems and had to anchor 12 miles off Rugen, Germany for more than 2 weeks. The captain of the tanker confirmed that the towing should commence on Monday 14th […]
Russia-Ukraine War – Turkish ships, backed by NATO Aircraft, call in Ukraine – July 2023

Turkey, which has been central to getting grain exports through the Black Sea over the past year, looks like it is working new ways to ensure some of the foodstuff gets out of the war-torn country. Last month Russia decided to walk away from a shipping pact with Ukraine, an agreement that had been fostered with […]
Libyan Uprising – 397 evacuees from Libya by ferry SVETI STEFAN II arrive at Malta – 02.03.2011

Known as the Nurse of the Mediterranean, Malta played an important role during both world wars and when something around the world is happening. During the Libyan Uprising that started on Thursday 17th February, 2011 Malta opened widely her transportation hubs both sea and air and evacuees from Libya started to embark on ships and […]