NAZLAB News – AFM Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) P 71 – December 2022

On Monday 19th December 2022, the leading vessel of the Maritime Squadron of Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), the P 71, an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) which was two years past her delivery deadline was seen entering the floating dock NAZLAB for immediate repairs. The 74.8 metres P 71 an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) was […]
Maritime Accident – Cruise Liner SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY caught up in storm with 100 souls injured – November 2023

Around 100 souls were injured when the cruise liner SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY was caught up in a storm and veered dramatically during a safety manoeuvre. Most of the injuries were described as minor by cruise company Saga, but five people were taken to hospital when the ship docked in Portsmouth on Monday 6th November. One […]
Research/Survey Vessel – BERGEN SURVEYOR

One of the converted fishing vessels that used to be around was the 1972 built BERGEN SURVEYOR. Above and timeline image is back to April, 2011 while leaving Aberdeen, Scotland. She was built in 1972 in Lowestoft (United Kingdom) by Brooke Marine as the fishing trawler SUB SURVEYOR I with red hull trading until 1982. […]
Maiden Call – Yuan Yu 718, Yuan Yu 719, Yuan Yu 720 and Yuan Yu 721.

The third and last batch from the 10 Chinese Bottom Trawlers calling at Malta entered on Monday 6th November, 2023, making them the first ever Bottom Trawlers to call at Malta, First Chinese fishing vessels to call inside Grand Harbour since we had within territorial waters (wtw) and 6 sisterships on their maiden call in […]
Deck Cargo – Gala with Hydrofoil aboard – 23.11.2022

A rare Kometa type hydrofoil built in Georgia was spotted in Malta during Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23 rd November, 2023 on the interesting Japanese built ship GALA. The general cargo ship GALA was built in Japan by Kyokuyo Zosen K.K. at Chofu with Hull No 455 as the Swiss Container Lines Vessel SCL BERN […]
Maiden Call – Yuan Yu 711; Yuan Yu 712 and Yuan Yu 716 – 06.11.2023

The second batch from the 10 Chinese Bottom Trawlers calling at Malta entered on Monday 6th November, 2023. First to pass breakwater (0741 hrs)was the 2021 built 28.61 metres Bottom Trawler YUAN YU 712 built at Huanghai Shipbuilding Co Ltd in Weihai, China completed on 11th August,2021. With Radio Callsign as BZV5D and homeported at Qin […]
Maiden Call – Yuan Yu 709, Yuan Yu 710 and Yuan Yu 717 – 05.11.2023

An interesting flotilla made up of 10 Chinese Bottom Trawlers made history in the Maltese Islands as being the first ever Chinese Fishing Vessels especially Bottom Trawlers to enter Grand Harbour, Malta. First one to pass breakwater (0741 hrs)was the 2021 built 28.61 metres Bottom Trawler YUAN YU 709 built at Huanghai Shipbuilding Co Ltd […]
Vehicle Carriers – HOEGH BANGKOK sale and HOEGH JACKSONVILLE purchase – October 2023

Norwegian roll-on/roll-off shipping company Höegh Autoliners ASA has recently reached an agreement for the sale of the 2007 built car carrier HOEGH BANGKOK. She was built in Croatia by Uljanik Shipyard at Pula with 6,500 CEU as cargo capacity and 100 metric tons of ramp capacity. The vessel will be sold for a price of […]
Naval News – HMS CORNWALL F 99 arrived at the breakers today 10 years ago – 30.10.2023

Today 30th October, 10 years ago the former Royal Navy Batch 3 Type 22 Class frigate HMS CORNWALL F 99 arrived at Swansea Drydocks for demolition after in July 2013 she was sold and towed from Portsmouth on 24th October, 2013 Laid down at the shipyard of Yarrow Shipbuilders on 14 th December 1983, launched […]
Gaza-Israel War – Cruise ship CROWN IRIS with 1,300 evacuees from Israel to Cyprus – 13.10.2023

Following the 2023 Yom Kippur attack by Hamas on Southern Israel on Saturday 7th October around 1,300 souls arrived in Larnaca, Cyprus, on Friday 13th October from Haifa, Israel, on board the cruise ship CROWN IRIS. The passengers were able to fly home on planes from Larnaca Airport if they desired mostly German citizens wanting […]