Bulkers – 142 metre QUEEN SARA at Malta – May 2022.

An interesting Bulgarian built bulker, the QUEEN SARA was spotted inside the Grand Harbour, Malta both on Wednesday 4th and Saturday 7th May, 2022 berthed at Magazine Wharf, part of Valletta Gateway Terminals (VGT). She was built in Bulgaria by Varna Shipyard AD, in Varna for the Bulgarian National Line – Navigation Maritime Bulgare (Navibulgar […]

Livestock Ships – SHORTHORN EXPRESS

One of the 14 Vroon Livestock owned ships around is the 1998 built SHORTHORN EXPRESS. She was built in the Netherlands by Van Diepen Shipyard at Waterhuizen in 1998 with 5 decks and 3,841 m² cattle and sheep gross pen area with 570m² as deck space fodder with a length overall of 116.59 metres and […]

MBL News – Cruise Liner VIKING SUN at Valletta Cruise Port – 31.01.2021

On Sunday 31st January, 2021 the 228 metres long cruise liner VIKING SUN entered Grand Harbour, Malta around 0700 hrs assisted by 2 local tugs for uplifting bunkers by BALLUTA BAY and technical stop. She was built in 2017 by Fincantieri at Ancona, Italy of which she was delivered to Viking Ocean Cruises on 25th […]

Ship of the Week – LOGOS II – 1988-2008

One of the few bookships around the world was the LOGOS II. She was built at Union Naval Levante SA at Valencia Spain in 1968 as ANTONIO LAZARO for Compañía Trasmediterránea. The ship was designed to operate a ferry service to Morocco, carrying 400 berthed and 200 deck class passengers. She also had a cargo hold forward and […]

Bunkering – Damen built ship MARAS -08.01.2020

On Wednesday 8th January, 2020 around 0800 hrs the 2007 Dutch built vessel MARAS entered Grand Harbour berthing at Pinto 2 Wharf, Valletta Cruise Port for bunkering operations by Cassar Fuels road tankers. She arrived from Trieste, Italy and departed to Newport, Wales. MARAS was built by Damen Shipyard Bergum at Bergum in Netherlands as the KARINA […]

Valletta Cruise Port – 5 Passenger Ship Calls – 20.09.2019

Return of the busy Fridays occured on Friday 20th September when 5 ships called at Valletta Cruise Port. In fact earlier cruise preparations including earlier consultation with the Chief Pilot, the following berthing arrangements were made – 1st – MEIN SCHIFF 5 (ETA – 0530 hrs) Pinto 1 & 2 (Stern to Bollard 12.5) She was […]

Harbour Facilities – Bunkering Area 4 on 08.09.2019

Although Area 4 is not situated inside a harbour, it is still monitored by Valletta VTS managed by Transport Malta. Bunkering on a ship can be of fuel oil, sludge, diesel oil, cargo etc with fuel or diesel oil requires utmost care and alertness to prevent any kind of fire accident or oil spill. BUNKERING AREA 4 is […]

Harbour Facilities – Oiltanking Malta

Oiltanking Malta Ltd, was incorporated in 1989 and started her operations in 1992. The company is owned 55% by Oiltanking GmbH of Hamburg and 45% by 3i Investment. Oiltanking GmbH is one of the world’s largest providers of independent tank storage for crude oil, petroleum products, and related liquids as well as liquid chemicals, gases and […]

Local Shipping – BALLUTA BAY

The British Everard company had a tradition of naming her ships with the name ending in ITY of which back on 21st January 2007 the oil products tanker ALLURITY was seen entering Valletta, Malta berthing at Flagstone Wharf inner. She was built in 1981 by Clelands at North Tyneside in UK as SHELL MARKETER trading […]

BUNKER CALL – RoRo GRANDE ANGOLA at Malta – 21.03.2018. On Wednesday 21st March, 2018 the Grimaldi Lines ro/ro ship GRANDE ANGOLA loaded with vehicles entered Valletta (GrandHarbour), Malta for a bunker call by the Valletta Bunkers bunkering tanker SALINA BAY receiving 300 tons of fuel oil since Weather Conditions were extremely bad outside at […]