Drug Bust – Spanish police seize $114 Million in cocaine from Livestock Carrier ORION V – 26.01.2023
On Thursday 26th January, 2023 Spanish Police seized 4.5 tonnes of cocaine with an estimated street value of €105 Million ($114 Million) after raiding the livestock carrier ORION V off the Canary Islands. The Police arrested the 28 crew members on the Togo flag (TGO) ship, which had been trailed from Colombia in an operation […]
Fishing Vessels – Maltese Fishing Support Workboat GANG PIL LEE
One of the Spanish built vessels trading in Malta is the 2002 built 25.23 metres long fishing support workboat GANG PIL LEE. She was built at Astilleros Nodosa at Marin Shipyard, Spain as yard number 247 and named as AJD 1 for the Maltese Blue Fin Tuna farming Venture AJD Tuna that was established in […]
Delivery – CHANNEL CHIEFTAIN VII arrive at Malta – 11.03.2022
On Friday 11th March, 2022 at 1411 hrs the 2003 built GBR flag 27.70 metres workboat CHANNEL CHIEFTAIN VII passed breakwaters during her delivery voyage from Weymouth, UK to Malta. She was built in Spain by Mercurio Plastics Shipyard at Cartagena as HERMANOS ALBA TERCERO homeported at Cartagena, Spain for the Fuentes Group for the […]
Fishing Vessels – SLEBECH
One of the fishing vessels that used to be in Malta was the 1974 built longliner SLEBECH. She was built in Spain by Astilleros Del Atlantico at Santander as BETI DONOSTI for the Spanish based Fishing Company – Laurak Bat Fisheries and then she was sold to Betty Fisheries in 1980 and renamed SLEBECH homeported […]
Malta Naval Visits – ESPS PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS R 11 – 16 to 17.03.2021
The only Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola) Aircraft Carrier that visited Malta so far is ESPS PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS R 11. She entered Grand Harbour, Malta on Friday 16th March, 2007 around 0835 hrs piloted with the late harbour pilot Austin Vella. She was assisted by Tug Malta twin screw tugs FELICA and MARI. She berthed […]
Cable Layer – TENEO
One of the most interesting Spanish built ships around the world is the 1992 built Cable Layer TENEO. She was built in Vigo, Spain by Astilleros Barreras for the Spanish Company – TE Connectivity Subcom based in Madrid Spain. First time in Malta she was seen back in May/June 2005 where she took bunkers and […]
Sailing – 1992 built carrack replica NAO VICTORIA at Malta – 22.08.2020
NAO VICTORIA was a Spanish carrack and the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world. NAO VICTORIA was part of a Spanish expedition commanded by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, and after his death during the voyage, by Juan Sebastián Elcano. The expedition began on 10th August 1519 with five ships. However, she was the only ship to complete the voyage, returning on 6th September 1522. On Saturday […]
Breaking Up – Cruise Liner MONARCH – 22.07.2020
On Saturday 11th July, 2020 the cruise liner MONARCH left Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta at 1946 hrs during her last voyage bound to breakers at Aliaga, Turkey. She entered Marsaxlokk Harbour on Friday 10th July morning after several days drifting outside territorial waters (otw) for stripping and discharging of 400 pallets full of all valuable items […]
Coronavirus – Ropax EL VENIZELOS hit by COVID-19 – 10.04.2020
Earlier this month more than 120 positive cases of COVID-19 amongst the 383 crew of the Anek Line’s ropax EL. VENIZELOS was officially confirmed. EL VENIZELOS underway to Malta around 25 nautical miles back to 11th October, 2017 She was going to serve as a floating hotel for Navantia shipyard workers in Cadiz, who had […]
Cruise Liners – Don Juan
One of the passenger ships that used to call at Valletta during the nineties was the Spanish owned DON JUAN homeported at Panama (PAN). She was built in 1967 by Union Naval Valencia SA (UNV) at Valencia in Spain as Yard 94. Her launch took place on September 29th, 1966, and on July 24th, 1967 […]
