US News
In a significant move in March, the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson made an historic port visit to Vietnam, the first by an American carrier since the end of the Vietnam War in 1973.
The carrier took part in multi-national exercises under the auspices of the Pacific Partnership mission which includes co-operation with Canadian, British, French, Peruvian, Japanese and Australian forces in the region.
The American organisation DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) handed over the first prototype of what the US Navy hopes will be an autonomous sub hunting surface ship on 30 January. Sea Hunter is the result of the US Navy’s Anti Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) program and is likely to create a whole new class of naval vessels that could remain at sea for months at a time without humans onboard. Sea Hunter is a trimaran hulled vessel with a displacement of 140 tons and capable of speeds up to 27 knots. As a prototype, the vessel carries no weapons, but is capable of carrying out surveillance over a large ocean territory.
German News
The German Navy recalled the latest class of frigates after they failed first of class sea trials and had to be sent back to the shipbuilders. Baden-Wurttemberg class ships are designed to replace the 1980’s era Bremen class in service. Sadly, the ship is the first vessel ever to be refused to be accepted by the German Navy from its shipbuilders following the discovery of a large number of faults and problems.
Around ninety percent of the systems onboard the frigate are new as well as the computer software designed to control them. The Atlas Naval Combat System, built by Atlas Electronik GmbH of Bremen, has reportedly, been particularly troublesome. Furthermore, the ship lists to starboard slightly and is overweight and its propulsion systems cannot get the ship to its designed top speed.
Indian News
The third of a planned class of six French designed Scorpene class attack submarines for the Indian Navy, Karanj, was launched on January 31.
The submarine was built by Mazagon Dock Limited and the ceremony was performed by Reena Lanba, wife of the Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba.
South Korean News
The first of the new FFX-II class guided missile frigates Daegu was delivered on 1 February.
At 122 metres long the new frigate was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. She is the first of eight such vessels on order and is an enlarged version of the earlier Incheon (FFX-I) class ships that entered service from 2013.
Two loaded tankers were set on fire after being attacked with limpet mines in international waters in the Gulf of
The last of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s famous Tyne class lifeboats was launched for the last time at her
The largest combination container, roll-on, roll-off ship ever built in the United States was formerly named in a ceremony at
The United States is to invest $292.7mn in the country’s ports through a new Port Infrastructure Development Programme.
The first marine export facility for propane in Canada has been officially opened.
The Panama Canal plans to modify its tolls structure for all types of ships “to better serve the global maritime
The largest LNG tanker to use the Panama Canal since it was expanded less that three years ago passed through
The Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen KK (K Line) aims to cut ship greenhouse gas emissions with automated power kites.
The Japanese shipping line Ocean Network Express (ONE) was due to start an enhanced North Sea Baltic Service with Russia
The Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Russian university on co-operation
The first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has left Shell’s floating LNG facility Prelude some 475kms north-east of Broome
Following two-ship trials, augmented reality (AR) navigation systems are to be installed on 21 very large crude oil carriers (VLCCs)
US News
The US Navy has unveiled its plans for the purchase of a new frigate known as FFG(X).
UK News The fourth member of the new Dreadnought class of nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines will bear the name
American News The contract for the construction of LPD30, the first Flight II Landing Platform Dock of the San Antonio
American News The future frigate program for the US Navy is getting fully underway and some idea of the urgency
TMore and more, I am reading reports that say the media, and the public too, are well aware of the
Irish Continental Group has entered into a bareboat hire purchase agreement for the sale of its 1987-built Oscar Wilde to
I include a fine poster and artist’s image of the famed Macbrayne paddler Columba.
To the North East Coast and arriving at Aberdeen for the first time for many months, I witnessed a passenger
Last month I commented on the new setting of the classic collection of mainly steam boats held at Windermere.
The Danish Maritime Museum had the schooner Bonavista built on the island of Aero at Marstal and this year they
I was in Montrose on the Norwegian National Day, 17 May, when its independent constitution from Sweden was confirmed in
When I first arrived in Aberdeen in 1968, I couldn’t believe my luck.
Most of the rivers flowing into the Thames had their own barge type.
For some time Victory, the 110gun ship of the line, has had trouble with dry rot and is in danger
With the training of seafarers being so important to safety at sea, and in particular navigation equipment and bridge procedures,
I feel there are probably many readers, like me, who feel a shiver down their spine when they think of
For more than 35 years, it has been my immense privilege to be a local Isle of Man committee member
The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) has announced that it will provide immediate funding to support efforts to “Save The
The construction of Viking Glory is proceeding on schedule.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines were proud to have played its part in hosting 250 D-Day veterans.
If you have ever wondered what qualities a Captain of a cruise vessel might need to have listed on his
With 25 projects underway, business is booming for Amels, the Dutch luxury yacht builder.
Andrea Bocelli, the blind Italian tenor and song writer whose work spans both popular music and classical opera is a
