Dredging – Second Call for GRANE R at Valletta – 02 – 04.09.2022

Infrastructure Malta has commenced dredging works to help improve safety and navigability inside Grand Harbour using the  the 2010 built DP 2 multi purpose offshore vessel GRANE R that entered Grand Harbour on Friday 2nd September at 0640 hrs. The project aims to remove tonnes of silt and other sediment from the seabed in the […]

Casualties – Yacht MY SAGA sinks offshore Catanzaro, Italy – 20.08.2022

On Saturday 20th August the Port Authority of Crotone VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) received a distress call from the 39.4 metre motor yacht MY SAGA that she was taking water ingress at her stern while on passage from Gallipoli to Milazzo. Immediately VTS advised Guardia Costiera (Italian Coast Guard) who dispatched CP 321 and a Romanian […]

Livestock Ships – GANADO EXPRESS and SHORTHORN EXPRESS at Malta – 08.08.2022

On Monday 8th August , the 135 metre livestock carrier GANADO EXPRESS and the 117 metres SHORTHORN EXPRESS entered Grand Harbour berthing alongside each other at MMH. First to enter was the 2013 built GANADO EXPRESS at 0859 hrs with 2 tugs assisting. She was built at China by COSCO Guangdong Shipyard at Dongguan with […]

Casualties – CHEM P salvage update – 22.04.2022

While the tanker CHEM P is Within Territorial Waters (WTW) of Malta awaiting various permissions to complete her voyage here are the latest movements – Sunday 17th April, 2022 On Easter Sunday she shifted back to waiting area from Bunkering Area 6. Monday 18th April, 2022 Various SITREP calls from VTS to CHEM P was […]

Tugboat News – AMERSTROOM at Malta again – 2022.

One of the Dutch Companies that repairs at Malta is Van Wijngaarden Marine Services that offers worldwide maritime services. Lately we saw once again the 2013 built Eurotug 2308 26.68 metre tug AMERSTROOM entering Marsamxett Harbour, Malta on 26th March, 2022 at 1655 hrs coming from Abu Qir, Egypt. She berthed at Manoel Island Yacht […]

Casualties – Ship XELO sank after running aground off Tunisia – 16.04.2022

On Friday 15th April, 2022 the 1977 built 59 metre ship XELO issued distress signal reporting water ingress, flooded engine room, after she ran aground at the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia . All 7 crew (2 Azerbaijanis, 4 Turkish and Georgian captain ) were reportedly rescued and hospitalised for checks and currently in a hotel. […]

State Visit – Pope Francis at Gozo – 02.04.2022

Malta welcomed His Holiness Pope Francis during his Apostolic visit to the country from Saturday 2nd April to Sunday 3rd April of which on Saturday 2nd April he visited the sister island of Gozo. The island of Gozo was wearing Holy Week dress and Vatican City Flags mounted on road roundabouts, balconies, roof flagpoles etc […]

Casualties – CHEM P salvage update – 31.03.2022

The refloating of ships stranded or sunk in exposed waters is called offshore salvage. In this type of salvage, vessels are exposed to waves, currents and weather and are the most vulnerable and difficult to work on. They also tend to deteriorate more rapidly than such vessels in protected harbours. Offshore salvage may provide only a short window […]

Virtu Ferries – MARIA DOLORES at Mgarr Harbour, Gozo – 22.03.2022.

Two years after the largest catamaran operating in the Mediterranean and the second largest in the world SAINT JOHN PAUL II entered Mgarr Harbour, Gozo last Monday 2nd March, 2020 it was the turn for the Austal built 68.4 metres long High Speed Craft MARIA DOLORES to enter Mgarr Harbour, preparations for the Pope Francis Apostolic Visit […]

Casualties – CHEM P salvage update – 26.03.2022

A week after the saga of the tanker CHEM P that happened last Saturday 19th March (Public Holiday in Malta) on Saturday 26th March, 2022 (Election Day at Malta) it was the turn that the 59.25 metre offshore tug/supply ship OPAL take over. She arrived at OPL Malta on Wednesday 23rd March around 0647 hrs. […]