Japanese News
It has been a particularly busy period for the Japanese with a number of new vessels being accepted into service.
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force continues to add new vessels to its already impressive fleet. On 7 March, the first Asahi (25DD) class guided missile destroyer (pictured) was commissioned into service at a ceremony held at Nagasaki Prefecture. JS Asahi was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and has a length of 151 metres she will be followed by another three vessels of the same class. The class are armed with launchers for the Type 90 anti ship missile and the RIM-162B Evolved Sea Sparrow for anti aircraft duties. Additionally, each ship has a Mk 45 series 127mm naval gun, a pair of Mk15 Phalanx 20mm close in weapons systems and six 324mm torpedo tubes for Mk 46 lightweight anti submarine torpedoes.
Another addition to the Japanese fleet is the ninth Soryu class diesel electric submarine JS Seiryu, which was delivered from the shipyard of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at Kobe.
The submarine rescue ship JS Chiyoda was accepted from Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding on 20 March. The new ship is 128 metres long and is the first such vessel to be inducted into the Japanese fleet. She will be based with the submarines of Submarine Flotilla 2 at Yokosuka.
Finally, the second of three Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels, JS Hirado, was commissioned into service on 16 March in Kanagawa Prefecture.
New Zealand News
HMNZS Te Kaha, one of two Meko 200 class frigates of the Royal New Zealand Navy arrived at the Canadian Naval Base of Equimalt on 6 March to undertake a series of systems upgrades undertaken by Lockheed Martin Canada.
The frigate will receive extensive updates to its surveillance, self defence and combat capabilities including a brand new combat information system. The New Zealand government hopes that this refit and a similar one planned for her sister ship HMNZS Te Mana will extend the life of the frigates to beyond 2030.
Indian News
The Indian Government inked a deal with Russia for the construction of four new improved Krivak III class frigates.
The contract, said to be worth, 200 billion Indian Rupees (US$3.08 billion) will see the fi rst pair built in Russia at the Yantar Shipyard, with the second pair constructed at India’s Goa Shipyard Limited under the terms of a technology transfer arrangement.
US News
On Saturday 17 March, the US Navy commissioned the latest addition to their submarine fleet when the Virginia class nuclear attack submarine USS Colorado was formally commissioned into service.
The ceremony took place at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. The submarine is the 15th member of the class that is gradually replacing the elderly Los Angeles class submarines in service with the US Navy.
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
Tougher new penalties for the misuse of laser devices has been welcomed.
Shortly after noon on July 14, the new polar research ship Sir David Attenborough was launched at the Birkenhead shipyard
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
What is claimed to be the largest container ship to be built in the United States was named at a
In mid-June, the US Coast Guard carried out a special survey to see if a fully-laden tanker sunk by a
The BC Ferries’ Spirit of British Columbia returned to service on June 6 after a major mid-life upgrade which included
The South Korean company Shinil Group said it has found the wreck of a Russian cruiser that was sunk 113
The first liquefied natural gas import terminal in New South Wales, Australia, is to be built at Port Kembla by
The first of the magenta-coloured container ships of the Ocean Network Express (ONE) entered service in May.
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,
Wightlink’s new £30million flagship Victoria of Wight sailed from the Cemre shipyard in Yalova, Turkey on 16 July for the
The Greek ferry sector was in the news during the wildfire tragedy that swept the coastal area near Athens during
In the last issue of Sea Breezes, I wrote of the breathtaking development of Irish Sea ferry operations over the
Condor Ferries has faced some speculation in recent months as its owner, Macquarie European Investment Fund 2, winds down and
The delivery of Irish Ferries’ new €144 million cruise ferry W.B. Yeats from German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) has been
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.
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 my long-ago deep sea days with Blue Funnel, Avonmouth was an occasional port of call before heading to our
More positive news from Peel Ports Group.
I was delighted to hear that in the Queen’s Honours List, published at the beginning of June 2018, the Merseyside
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
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The season begins with Southampton, now celebrating its 50th year which, following the demise of the London Boat Show becomes
