Tougher new penalties for the misuse of laser devices has been welcomed.
Under new laws brought in on July 10, anyone shining or directing a laser at ships, aircraft or road vehicles could face a prison sentence of up to five years, an unlimited fine or both. The previous fine was £2,500.
At the start of Maritime Safety Week in July, the Port of Southampton’s Harbourmaster Captain Phil Buckley (pictured) said: “Anything that improves safety on the water has to be welcomed. We have had incidents in the port when vessels have been targeted by lasers. People who shine lasers are putting lives at risk and we welcome this timely intervention.”
Lee Gallacher was serving as a crew member on one of the port’s patrol vessels when he experienced just how dangerous lasers can be. He said: “It was back in October, 2017, and we were escorting a large car ship when suddenly, the whole wheelhouse was lit up. It’s human instinct to look for the source of the light and that’s when I was caught by a couple of flashes.” Lee has now made a full recovery.
Photographs of lifeboats dating from the turn of the 20th Century are the centrepiece of a new RNLI exhibition that
The vehicle carrier Makassar Highway, 17,735gt, of the Japanese company K Line, ran aground off the Swedish coast on the
The trailing suction hopper dredger UKD Orca, 3,087gt, of UK Dredging, of Cardiff, arrived at Ipswich in August for its
The next generation of port technologies that will help to keep the British industry trading are being jointly developed by
One of the largest barges ever handled at Lowestoft was safely moved out of the port early in July on
The first offshore cleaning system was to be installed last month in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch located halfway between
At the end of July, the new container/roll on-roll off cargo ship El Coqui, 36,796gt, of the Crowley Maritime Corp,
This month, a new floating clean-up system to tackle what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch was due
On Oct 1, the Panama Canal Authority will lift its daylight and encounter bans on LNG vessels to offer more
China is the world’s leading international shipping nation, according to a new report presented at a Hamburg trade fair on
The proposed joint demonstration project by four Japanese organisations relating to the safety of vessels’ auto berthing and un-berthing has
A new record for crossing the Northern Sea Route was set up in July by the icebreaking LNG carrier Christophe
The South Korean company Shinil Group said it has found the wreck of a Russian cruiser that was sunk 113
British News The assault ship HMS Albion, at time of writing, had just completed a five day visit to Tokyo
British News The latest survey vessel to join the Royal Navy was commissioned into service at her homeport of Devonport
British News The first four of Britain’s next generation F-35 Lightning supersonic fighter jets touched down in the United Kingdom
Russian News
Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, will be refitted to prolong the warship’s operational life.
British News Ahead of the American led missile strikes against suspected chemical weapon manufacturing plants in Syria in early April,
A country well used to tragedy, saw another, on Lake Victoria in September.
In response to growing market demand, Stena Line has upped freight capacity on the popular Belfast – Liverpool route.
Brittany Ferries has celebrated the second milestone in the build of its next ship Honfleur with the keeling laying - the
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley has announced that the Incat 91 wave piercing catamaran Incat 046, otherwise known
On the north east coast of England, it was Sunderland’s proud claim that more ships had been built here than
At the end of May, a Tall Ships fleet met at Liverpool.
The organisers of the charter barges working from Ipswich are worried by plans to build a road bridge across the
Two German schooners based at Hamburg are regularly making voyages under sail with general cargoes across the Atlantic.
Thanks to Orkney Image Library for this view of the RFA Pearleaf.
A recent addition to my book collection is Sea Change, a commentary on the battle for the Falkland Islands and
I was interested to learn that Marine engineering specialist SeaKing has recently completed extensive upgrade work on three shortsea ferries
In my ‘Message From the Bridge’ in August’s edition of Sea Breezes, I mentioned the burgeoning cruise market in the
In my Message From The Bridge in the August edition of Sea Breezes I highlighted the Firth of Forth.
In the past I have been fortunate in that I have been on a cruise to a number of the
An exciting opportunity for an owner looking to build one of the finest explorer yacht projects available has presented itself.
Behind the construction of every great yacht there is a story and in the building of Meira, it is one
A keel-laying ceremony was held on June 20 2017 for Hanseatic Nature, the first of two expedition cruise ships being
Loved and hated in equal measure by those who exhibit at the Cannes Yachting Festival, as it is correctly known,
