Two helicopters from the Royal Navy and the RAF rescued the seven crew of the German-operated cargo ship Carrier, 1,587gt, which went aground in stormy weather in North Wales on Apr 3.

The Carrier, of Reederei Erwin Strahlmann, of Brunsbuttel, which had arrived from Belfast, had loaded a cargo of limestone at Raynes Jetty, Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, when she was swept onto the nearby sea defences in a strong gale Force 9 at around 2015.

The ninth member of the Virginia class nuclear attack submarine fleet, USS Mississippi, successfully completed her first sea trials in mid April before returning to her builders’ shipyard at Electric Boat in Connecticut.

The boat is expected to be handed over to the US Navy later his autumn.

Brisbane was the site of an unusual Anzac Day commemoration on 25th April with P&O Cruises’ Pacific Dawn wearing a giant Australian flag over her side as she hosted a dawn service at the Forgacs Cairncross Dockyard at Morningside.

In recognition of the service and sacrifice of Australians and New Zealanders at war, the 40 metre by 20 metre Australian flag was draped from Pacific Dawn’s starboard side for the service and was clearly visible across Brisbane River.

The 100th anniversary of the loss of the White Star liner Titanic has been much in the news lately and of course the ‘Titanic Belfast’ visitor experience was opened on 30th March 2012.

The building itself is quite something and startingly modern.