Innehållsförteckning för November 2024 från Ships Monthly

CARGO VESSEL The Maltese-flagged cargo ship Ruby has recently been in the news due to significant damage sustained during a voyage in August. The ship, carrying around 20,000 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, encountered a storm shortly after departing the Kola Peninsula in Russia, which caused the vessel to run aground, resulting in cracks in the hull and damage to the propeller and rudder. Due to the hazardous nature of the ship’s cargo, several ports refused her entry. Norway and Sweden were among the first countries to deny access, citing the potential risks associated with the ammonium nitrate on board. When the ship arrived off Bergen she was reported as being ‘not under command’, indicating that the captain had limited manoeuvrability. The cargo is particularly dangerous because ammonium nitrate…

SCOTLAND The Cal Mac network has faced significant disruptions throughout 2024 due to problems with several older ships, particularly Caledonian Isles, which typically serves the busy Arran route. After recent sea trials following repairs, new issues were discovered with the ship, preventing her from returning to service as planned. To address the service gaps, the Route Prioritization Matrix was used to develop a deployment plan that saw Hebridean Isles from Islay moved to operate the Ardrossan-Brodick service. This provided Arran with a two-vessel service However, there are a couple of limitations with Hebridean Isles: crew accommodation is limited due to water damage, requiring the sourcing of onshore accommodations, and there is a weight restriction in place due to an issue with the stern ramp, meaning commercial customers will need to…

PEMBROKE ROUTE On 14 September the much-travelled ferry Isle of Inisheer (ex-Ciudad de Mahón, Zurbaran, Northern Merchant) took up service on the Pembroke Dock to Rosslare route, taking the place temporarily of Isle of Innisfree, and becoming the fourth vessel change on this route this year. Inisheer was moved from the Dover-Calais route to cover Innisfree’s scheduled overhaul. Berthing trials were undertaken on 13 September and she took over the next day. In 2021 Inisheer was acquired by Irish Ferries, who have operated her on the Dover-Calais since 2022. Isle of Innisfree is at Dunkirk for her maintenance work, and is expected to return to the Pembroke-Rosslare route. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL • t > 01959 541444 • e >…

ST HELENA The former Royal Mail Ship, St Helena (6,767gt), currently operating as a racing hub, has been placed on the market. Built in 1990, this 105m-long vessel was crucial in connecting the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena with the world, transporting passengers and cargo until the island’s airport opened in 2018 and the ship was withdrawn. After a brief period as a floating armoury in the Gulf of Oman under the name MNG Tahiti, she reverted to her original name in 2019 and was converted into a mothership for the motor racing series Extreme E. The refit included accommodation for 215 passengers, with 63 guest cabins, and 29 crew cabins, with the holds used to house the racing cars. Marketed by Eggar Forrester, the vessel, which is…

VILLA VIE RESIDENCES After numerous false starts, Villa Vie Residences’ ship Odyssey finally departed Belfast on 3 October, having been stranded there since April, for Brest. The ship was meant to be undertaking a round-the-world cruise, but after failing a series of safety checks over the course of the summer, she was unable to depart as planned. The company was offering a new concept that allows guests to live on board. The ship was delayed with rudder and gearbox problems, and new rudder stocks had to be manufactured, with future residents waiting for a revised sailing date. The company paid for their accommodation and travel. She was floated out of the dock on 24 July and moved to the ship repair quay on 2 August, but her planned departure date…

JMSDF The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces’ (JMSDF) JS Kaga (DDH 184) is to carry out F-35B developmental flight tests off the US west coast. Like her sistership JS Izumo, the ‘helicopter destroyer’ is being converted to operate the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter jets, with a squared-off and reinforced flight deck, the application of heat-resistant coatings and the installation of aircraft guidance systems. The trials, supported by the US Navy, are designed to determine the ship’s and crew’s ability to operate fixed-wing aircraft from an aircraft carrier flight deck for the first time since World War II. The Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to procure 42 F-35Bs to operate from the ships from around 2027, by which time both ships will have been modified to operate them. The…

COMPANY NEWS The world’s eighth largest container carrier, HMM, is planning on investing around $17.5 billion by 2030 as it expands its fleet and bulk cargo operations, at a time when its market share is just three per cent. The company’s aim is to ‘secure an operational fleet’ of 130 vessels with a capacity of 1.55 million TEU, significantly more than the current capacity of 868,000TEU. The rise to a million TEU is expected to be achieved by the in-hand orders for new shipping, with the first of a new class having been accepted for service in January 2024. HMM is also said to be active in the secondhand ship market. Part of HMM’s strategy to increase its market share is to spend $1.2 billion on containers, which globally have…

BUSSARD With the cost of coal very high in 2023, the Dampfer Bussard Association took the decision to limit the number of trips offered for the 2024 season by their coal-fired buoy tender Bussard to just 16 operating days, sailing from Kiel on a variety of afternoon and evening cruises and scheduling just one day trip between Kiel and Flensburg. Bussard was built at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg in 1906 for the Royal Hydraulic Engineering Inspectorate in Flensburg, initially based at Sonderburg, and from 1919 continuously at Kiel, tendering buoys as well as the lightship Fehmarnbelt. She was withdrawn in 1979 and handed over to the Kiel Maritime Museum. The Dampfer Bussard Association was founded to look after the ship and, after repairs and renovation, the ship has been…

DANIEL ADAMSON The tug/tender Daniel Adamson celebrated the 20th anniversary of her preservation with an evening of celebration and gratitude on 5 September aboard the Art Deco steamship at her berth at Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge, Cheshire. The event brought together supporters, volunteers and partners to commemorate two decades of dedication and hard work to save the ship from being scrapped. Daniel Adamson was built as Ralph Brocklebank for the Shropshire Union Canal and Railway Co in 1903. She passed to the Manchester Ship Canal Co in 1921 and had her passenger accommodation upgraded in 1936, at which time she was renamed Daniel Adamson. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL • t > 01959 541444 • e > sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

Ocean Albatros is a small expedition cruise ship operated by Albatros Expeditions. Launched in June 2023, she is designed for polar exploration, offering voyages to destinations such as the Antarctica and the Arctic. The ship is the sixth member of the Infinity class series, known for its advanced technology and environmental sustainability. Development of the Infinity class began in May 2017, when Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, based in Ulsteinvik, Ulstein in Norway, announced that it had been awarded a contract by China Merchants Group (CMG), China for the construction of an expedition cruise vessel for SunStone Ships, part of the Sunstone Maritime Group based in Copenhagen. The contract included options for up nine vessels, but this was later reduced to seven. The new ship was the result of the…

The ship’s main entrance is on Deck 4. Each deck is named after a female explorer/pioneer who has links to regions visited by the ship. Deck 3 is named after Doctor Lois Jones, an American geochemist and expedition leader. Here cabins 301-326 offer Category D, Porthole staterooms; Category F, Porthole Triple staterooms; and Category G, Porthole single staterooms. Deck 4 Amelia Earhart Deck (American aviator) houses cabins 401-438, Category C, Balcony staterooms; Category B, Balcony suites; and the Freydis Suite. Deck 6 Hanna Resvoll Deck (Norwegian biologist/explorer) has cabins 611-640. These are 27 Category C Balcony staterooms and two Category B, Balcony Suites. The uppermost deck for accommodation is Deck 7, Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir Deck, named after the Icelandic explorer. Here can be found cabins 703-718, which are Category A, Junior…

After Queen Mary left her home port of Southampton on 27 May 1936, she called at Cherbourg in France to embark passengers from Europe. She then made her maiden crossing of the North Atlantic, arriving in New York on 1 June. The reception she received was reportedly the most boisterous and enthusiastic in the port’s history. Many people hoped the new liner would make a record-breaking crossing and gain the Blue Riband, held for 22 years, until 1929, by RMS Mauretania. The Blue Riband, or Hales Trophy as it also became known from 1935, was an unofficial accolade given to the liner which achieved the fastest North Atlantic crossing. In May 1936 the holder was Normandie, of the French CGT line, which had won the race to become the world’s…

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David Booth, Master Mariner, Macclesfield writes: According to Richard M. Jones’ article (SM, Aug), the tanker Exxon Valdez was ‘sold and changed hands a number of times’. However she continued to operate, after repairs, as Exxon Mediterranean and loaded at the RAS ISA Terminal in North Yemen at least four times. I was there and on three occasions was the pilot/mooring master. As is usual for tankers at sea berths, I stayed on board for the whole operation. My notes show that the pilot went on board on 22 June 1991, and the vessel anchored at 05:36 on 23 June so that Marib crude was loaded, totalling 1,033,775 barrels or 133,574 tonnes. She left on 24 June for Trieste.…

SUN PRINCESS In-depth looks at the impressive new Sphere class cruise ship Sun Princess, which made her debut at Southampton in September, prior to her inaugural season in the Med and Caribbean. PLUS CALEDONIAN ISLES Looking back at the career of the long-serving ferry Caledonian Isles, which has been in service on the Arran link since August 1993, CalMac’s busiest route. SUBMARINE HMS OXLEY The tragic incident in 1939 which saw one Royal Navy submarine firing on another with fatal consequences. MEYER WERFT The German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has a long tradition of shipbuilding and is well known for its many cruise ships, but which has recently faced financial difficulties. CLAN LINE CLASSICS Many Clan Liners were requisitioned during World War II for government service, and 31 of them were…

WAVERLEY The world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, Waverley, returned to the south coast during September as part of her sailing programme as National Historic Ships UK flagship of the year. The 1947-built paddler arrived alongside Poole Town Quay on 9 September (pictured) at the end of a cruise from Southampton, and sailed the following morning for Yarmouth after bunkering. Poor sea conditions prevented a return to Poole that evening, so instead the cruise was terminated at Southampton. This meant the sailing from Poole the next morning was cancelled, and Waverley instead sailed empty to Swanage. Future visits to Yarmouth by Waverley were suspended due to the condition of the pier, with Isle of Wight calls being initially changed to Ryde. However, the piers at both Ryde and Portsmouth Harbour Station…

FERRY NEWS Technology group Wärtsilä will upgrade the exhaust treatment system on board four vessels in Norwegian operator Color Line’s fleet. Wärtsilä will add close-looped functionality to the ships’ current open-loop scrubbers, enabling the ships to operate at maximum efficiency, safely and in the most environmentally sustainable way possible. As the drive for energy efficiency and emissions reductions becomes more urgent, ship owners and operators, such as Color Line, are seeking way to optimise vessel performance and reach sustainability targets. The upgrade to a hybrid scrubber system on board these ships will ensure Color Line remain compliant with tightening regulations. Wärtsilä’s hybrid scrubber systems feature the latest exhaust cleaning technology to minimise sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions. The upgrade will be carried out on two large ro-pax and two high-speed ro-pax…

NEWBUILD Orient Overseas Container Line Co Ltd (OOCL) marked the naming ceremony of OOCL Portugal, the 12th of its 24,188TEU eco-friendly container ships, at the Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co Ltd (NACKS) shipyard. The event was attended by Mrs Laura Liang Aron, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai, who was invited to name the new vessel. During the ceremony, Michael Xu, Director and Member of the Executive Committee of OOCL, commented: ‘The naming of our final 24,188TEU new vessel signifies a significant milestone in the advancement of OOCL. The introduction of this series of mega vessels has not only enhanced operational safety but also provided us with the benefits of energy efficiency and economies of scale, enabling OOCL to deliver more environmentally friendly services.’…

BRITTANY FERRIES The leading French operator began selling tickets for 2025 sailings to France and Spain in August and on the first day almost 7,000 bookings were made, an 18 per cent increase on the first day figures from the previous year. Up to 98 cross-Channel sailings will be offered each week. Next year’s highlight will be the debut of two new LNG-powered cruise ferries built in China at the Jinling Weihai Yard. The new Saint-Malo debuts first, starting sailings from Portsmouth to St Malo on 12 February, replacing Bretagne (1989/24,534gt). Saint-Malo’s sistership, Guillaume de Normandie, will not be far behind, with a scheduled debut between Portsmouth and Ouistreham, making three crossings a day from 18 April, taking the place of the long-serving Normandie (1992) and running opposite Mont St…

CAL MAC Two of the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet have been identified as the ‘most likely’ to be released from service when new vessels enter service. The operator is awaiting the delivery of Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa from the Port Glasgow shipyard, with a further four ships currently being built in Turkey. CalMac has already carried out an initial assessment of vessel deployment when it will have received the six new ferries, and identified Isle of Lewis (6,753gt), which entered service in July 1995, and Isle of Mull (4,719gt), dating from 1988, as being the main candidates for disposal. Isle of Lewis, which was launched from Ferguson Shipbuilders, originally served on the Ullapool-Stornoway route. She was moved onto the Oban-Castlebay run in 2016. Isle of Mull is another being slated…

CHANNEL After increasing capacity on its Zeebrugge-Tilbury freight operation by bringing in the 32,770gt Longstone (see SM, Oct), built in Japan during 2019 as Maria Grazia Onorato, P&O Ferries also plan to operate sistership Lismore (2018/32,936gt), originally Alf Pollak, after her present charter to DFDS ends in 2025. Longstone brings a 50 per cent capacity increase over previous route vessels, and she is able to take as many as 346 freight units in 4,076 lane metres space. Peter Hebbelthwaite, P&O’s chief executive, said the vessel acquisitions were in response to growing demand, adding: ‘This long-term investment is the first part of expansion plans for the network. Boosting capacity between Tilbury and the Continent will give our customers even greater access to London and its transport connections.’ WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com •…

EXPLORA On 12 September the second ship for Explora Journeys, Explora II, was delivered at Fincantieri’s Sestrei Ponente shipyard. On the same day the coin ceremony and keel-laying for Explora III took place, and steel-cutting for Explora IV began. The Explora fleet, eventually to consist of six similar ships, is an offshoot of MSC Cruises, in theory based on the MSC Yacht Club concept, but extended to cover the complete ship. The first two ships have a gross tonnage of around 64,000 and carry 922 passengers. The later ships are slightly larger, at 70,000gt, and are fuelled by LNG, or in the case of V and VI, a combination of LNG and hydrogen When the naming ceremony for Explora II takes place, her godmother will be the environmentalist and champion…

GERMAN NAVY As the German Navy methodically develops plans for a new class of Anti-Air Warfare frigates to replace the F124 Sachsen class, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and the NVL Group (formerly known as Lürssen Werft) has taken the initiative by announcing a joint venture to promote their for-export MEKO A-400 AMD design as a contender to meet the forthcoming requirement. Displacing around 10,000 tonnes, the MEKO A-400 design is considerably larger than that of the TKMS/NVL F125 class frigates, which are currently the largest in the world. Their size can accommodate 64 cells for the Mk 41 VLS, and two quadruple box launchers for the Naval Strike Missile, which is double the capacity of the Sachsen class. The German Navy intends to build up to six F127 AAW frigates equipped…

ROYAL NAVY The future HMS Cardiff (F89) has joined first-of-class Glasgow (F88) at Scotstoun for fitting out. The second of eight City class frigates being built for the Royal Navy arrived under tow after being transported on a semi-submersible barge from BAE Systems’ other Glasgow shipyard at Govan to the deep waters of nearby Glenmallan, where floating off took place. The float-off process is considered a more efficient and lower risk way for a ship to enter the water, compared to traditional dynamic launches where ships were slid down a slipway into the water. The process was first used for the launch of HMS Glasgow, in November 2022, and five River class Offshore Patrol Vessels, which were also built in Glasgow. The lethargic Type 26 programme is set to speed…

NEWBUILD In late August COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co Ltd and COSCO Shipping Container Lines Co Ltd signed a contract in Shanghai for the construction of a dozen 14,000TEU dual-fuel methanol-fuelled container ships, emphasising the company’s efforts to implement green and low-carbon development and build an environmentally-friendly fleet while reducing the impact of daily operations on the environment and ecology to achieve long-term sustainable development. The new generation of ship has been developed jointly by COSCO Shipping Lines, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry and the China Shipbuilding and Ocean Engineering Design and Research Institute. Measuring 335.9m by 51m, they have an invisible bulb bow and stern energy-saving device, among many innovative and advanced technological features.…

LEEUWIN II The 332.7m-long container ship Maersk Shekou (94,407gt) struck the tall ship Leeuwin II, as well as part of the museum building next to her, while the boxboat was berthing at Fremantle at 06:30 on Friday 30 August, causing considerable damage to both ship and building. The 55m sail training ship’s masts and rigging were wiped out, but fortunately her hull was left undamaged. According to the Fremantle Ports, the bow of Maersk Shekou struck Leeuwin, and the stern of the vessel caused some damage to A Berth and the WA Maritime Museum roof. Two nightwatchmen aboard at the time were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The cause of the accident is being investigated, but it was reported that the container ship, which suffered a serious fire in…

FALLS OF CLYDE The nonprofit Scottish heritage group Falls of Clyde International is working to save and rebuild this historic vessel, which has been docked at Honolulu Harbour for decades, impounded by the state since 2016 and in urgent need of a new home and investment. The State Department of Transportation released an environmental assessment in June, which looked at the possibilities of dismantling the ship in a dry dock, sinking her at sea or transferring ownership to a third party, who will take her away after making the necessary repairs. The ship has already been delisted from the state and national registers of historic places. The heritage group has worked with the state for almost a decade in an attempt to return the ship to her native Glasgow, and…

NEWBUILD The new Construction Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) Olympic Boreas was delivered to Olympic by Ulstein Verft on 25 July. The vessel is the first of two sister vessels, based on the Ulstein SX222 design by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. With hulls built by the Crist yard in Poland, they were ordered in 2022 and are among the first Twin X-Stern vessels operating in the offshore energy market. The second of the vessels, Olympic Notos, was launched on 21 August. CSOVs play a crucial role in the offshore wind industry, particularly during the construction and maintenance phases of wind farms. The specialised vessels are designed to support the installation, commissioning and maintenance of offshore wind turbines, ensuring they operate efficiently, and Olympic Boreas brings the latest technology to this…

Although the Infinity class vessels are all designed around the same basic platform, each is customised to accommodate different guest numbers and public space configurations. Each has accommodation for up to 199 passengers and a crew of 101, and is certified Ice Class 1A for polar cruising and SOLAS1, which includes a Safe Return to Port passport. The seven ships in the class are as follows: GREG MORTIMER • Delivered on 20 August 2019 and chartered to Aurora Expeditions. OCEAN EXPLORER • Delivered in 2021 and chartered to Quark Expeditions. OCEAN VICTORY • Delivered in 2021 and chartered to Alma Cruceros/Albatros Expeditions. SYLVIA EARLE • Chartered to Aurora Expeditions, carries a maximum of 130 passengers. OCEAN ODYSSEY • Delivered in 2022 and chartered to Vantage Cruise Line, which went into…

In 2024 the US Military Sea Lift Command, the American equivalent of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, celebrated its 75th anniversary. It operates one of the world’s largest fleets of ships and these are tasked with a wide range of roles in support of the US Navy in particular and the US military in general. These roles range from providing fuel and supplies to warships at sea, to prepositioning missions where goods, stores and personnel are delivered around the world, to wherever they are needed, and sometimes at extremely short notice. WORLD WAR II Since the inception of the US Navy there has been a requirement for ships to undertake supply missions across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Initially an ad hoc arrangement was in place whereby commercial ships were…

After using Aker Finnyards for a successful freight vessel, Cotentin, which was delivered in 2007, Brittany Ferries returned to the Helsinki builders in 2008 for what turned out to be a highly successful enlarged passenger ferry version of the design for service as Armorique, which was given the name of the attractive North-western coastal region of France with its National Park. The 29,468gt Armorique was built at a cost of €110 million. She was ordered on 19 January 2006, the keel was laid on 14 March 2008 and, with work progressing quickly, she was launched on 16 August 2008. She undertook her sea trials in December 2008, and was delivered during January 2009. She was formally delivered to BAI SA Bretagne-Angleterre-Irlande (Brittany Ferries) on 26 January 2009 and two days…

Bank Line remembered I enjoyed the article about Bank Line’s White Ships (SM, Sep) and in particular the excellent photographs. In 1956 I was one of four apprentices on Ivybank, a Bank Line Liberty ship, in Calcutta’s Kidderpore Dock, moored alongside one of the ‘white ships’, Inchanga. We were summoned to the wheelhouse, where the Captain said that, as Inchanga only had one apprentice, one of us had to transfer to her, and asked was there a volunteer? The problem was that, as the ‘white ships’ were permanently on the Indian-African Line service, anyone transferring to them could pretty well guarantee being away from home for two years. And so, while we were all attracted by this offer, the long time away meant that nobody volunteered, and so one lad…

■ The mystery ship is featured on the Yachtworld International website and is a former Italian tug, now described as an ‘express cruiser’. She is offered for sale by Media Ship International in Italy, and measures 22.57m by 5.62m. She was built in 1969 by Cantieri Navale Pellegrino in Naples. Her cruising speed is said to be nine knots and her name is Procida, after an island in the Bay of Naples. She seems to have been up for sale since at least March 2020. Arthur W. Sales, Bishopton ■ Regarding the mystery tug in Palermo, I can only fill in part of the mystery. She was put up for sale by MediaShip in Italy and her last name was Procida, callsign Isha. As Procida she already was registered as…

PORT NEWS The shipping company Maersk has deployed its latest and largest methanol-powered ship on the transoceanic weekly route between the Port of Gothenburg and Asia. As a result, the Port of Gothenburg now has two methanol-powered container ships which call regularly. The newly completed Antonia Maersk, with a cargo capacity of 16,592TEU, was christened in Aarhus in August and is now in service on the AE5/Albatross route, which is part of the 2M shipping alliance. The weekly service between Gothenburg and Asia is an important part of the Scandinavian import and export industry. Antonia Maersk currently operates to ports in Southeast Asia, and represents Gothenburg’s continued implementation of green shipping services, enhancing Sweden-based customers’ ability to reduce their transport emissions. Before 2027 a further 20 methanol-powered ships are set…

FINLAND-UK Finnish shipping company Finnlines has launch a new service from Finland to England operated by three hybrid roll-on roll-off vessels. The freight service is part of the company’s strategy to improve its route network, and will link Finland with London Medway in Sheerness, with further connections available to Belgium, Spain and Ireland. The first arrivals took place on 23 September. The three Finneco class hybrid roro ships each have a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres, equivalent to around 400 trailers. They are due to call at London Medway once a week. The ships are claimed to ensure lower CO2 emissions per transported cargo unit. To reduce emissions, the vessels are equipped with technologies such as Silverstream’s air lubrication, Corvus’ high-powered battery bank, and solar panels. The three ships,…

VEHICLE CARRIERS Wallenius Marine’s new vehicle carrier Future Way (see SM, Oct, p.6), based on the Sleipner design concept, was christened in Emden, Germany on 23 September. With an advanced hydro- and aerodynamic design, Future Way contributes to reducing emissions, energy use and environmental impact. She is the first of two car carriers that will go on charter for Volkswagen between Europe and North America. The Sleipner concept was developed by Wallenius Marine and Danish design firm Knud E. Hansen to improve the operations of Pure Car and Truck Carriers. The vessel’s cargo capacity is equivalent to 6,500 cars, which are loaded and unloaded efficiently through an innovative centre ramp system consisting of a long ramp serving all decks. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding,…

ROYAL CARIBBEAN In September, due to propulsion problems, Royal Caribbean’s new cruise ship, the 248,663gt Icon of the Seas, currently the world’s largest cruise ship and the largest passenger ship ever built, has had the itineraries of two cruises adjusted. The calls at St Thomas were missed, but she had an extended call at the company’s island Perfect Day at CocoCay. The cruise due to depart from Miami on 28 September was cancelled in order to allow the required maintenance to be completed at Freeport. Icon of the Seas was delivered late last year and entered service in January 2024. The second ship in the Icon class, Star of the Seas, will begin operating in mid-2025, sailing in the Caribbean from Port Canaveral. A milestone was reached on 21 September,…

SHIPBUILDING The future of German shipbuilder Jos. L. Meyer, better known as Meyer Werft, based in Papenburg, is now secure following its recent short-term financial difficulties. Between them, the German Federal Government and the State of Lower Saxony have injected €400 million, and will each offer up to €1 billion in loan guarantees in order to finance the current order book. Ultimately, the aim is to return the yard to private hands, with the Meyer family having the first option to buy back the business, which it has owned for almost 230 years, and which now employs 3,000 people. A further 17,000 rely on sub-contract work from the yard. The latest ship to leave the yard was Disney Treasure, which made her way along the River Ems to Eemshaven on…

US NAVY USS New Jersey (SSN 796) was commissioned at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, in her namesake state, on 14 September. The 23rd Virginia class vessel is notable as the first ever submarine to be designed from the outset to operate with a mixed gender crew. The changes made to integrate female sailors mainly focuses on separate sleeping and washing arrangements, but also includes less obvious modifications such as the installation of steps to help access triple-high bunks and stacked laundry facilities. Some overhead valves have also been lowered and made easier to turn. The milestone comes 14 years after the US Navy first allowed women to join the submarine service. Since then, more than 700 female sailors are now serving on 38 nuclear-powered attack (SSN), ballistic missile…

US NAVY The US Navy has awarded a US$6.75 billion fixed price, block buy contract to General Dynamics NASSCO for the procurement of up to eight more John Lewis class (TAO-205) Fleet Replenishment Oilers. The use of the block buy approach is calculated to save US$491 million compared to ordering the ships through annual contracts. The same method was used to order the first six vessels in 2016. NASSCO now has contract options for up to 17 of the planned 20 support ships that are intended to replace Henry J. Kaiser class (T-AO-187) tankers. To date, USN Ships John Lewis (T-AO-205), Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) and Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-207) have been delivered, but none have yet become operational as they undergo operational testing and evaluation. The new order comes at…

CONTAINER INDUSTRY From February 2025 THE Alliance, which includes container operators Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM and Yang Ming, will be rebranded as the Premier Alliance. This signifies a continued commitment to providing comprehensive coverage on the main East-West trade lanes, specifically from Asia to North America, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Middle East. This strategic move follows Hapag-Lloyd’s departure from THE Alliance to join forces with Maersk, creating the Gemini Cooperation. Meanwhile, MSC, which is ending its 2M partnership with Maersk in January 2025, has entered into a slot exchange programme with the Premier Alliance, focusing on the Asia to Europe corridor. The operational cooperation agreement for the Premier Alliance is set to be employed for five years, with those involved claiming this will ensure stability and enhanced…

LARGE TANKERS Norway’s Höegh Autoliners has continued to offload older tonnage, as the 19-year-old vehicle carrier Höegh New York leaves the fleet, with the company looking toward newbuildings about to enter service. The Oslo-based company is moving on the 2005-built Höegh New York to an undisclosed buyer for $60.6 million, with the 6,500CEU due to change hands in the first quarter of 2025. Höegh Autoliners previously sold a couple of 2006-built sister vessels, Höegh Chiba and Höegh Kobe, in separate deals worth $120 million in total. The company has invested about $1.2 billion in a dozen multi-fuel and net zero carbon-ready 9,100CEU ships, which are due for delivery between 2024 and 2027. The first newbuild in the series, Höegh Aurora, was promoted as the world’s largest and most environmentally-friendly car…

SHORTSEA SHIPPING Spliethoff Group has acquired the Dutch multipurpose operator ForestWave Navigation, making it the seventh business unit of the Amsterdam-based company. This acquisition expands Spliethoff’s fleet to over 140 ships. Founded in 2003, ForestWave Navigation operates 30 multipurpose vessels ranging from 5,000dwt to 12,500dwt. The company is active in shortsea and worldwide ocean transportation, primarily in European waters and the Atlantic basin. Their services include chartering, ship management, project development, and the purchase and sale of vessels. This strategic alliance allows ForestWave to maintain its identity and independent operations while benefiting from Spliethoff’s broader logistic solutions. WATERFRONT • www.shipsmonthly.com • The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL • t > 01959 541444 • e > sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

YAVARI The gunboat Yavari on Lake Titicaca in Peru has been put up for sale. Commissioned by the Peruvian Government, she was built by Thames Ironworks of Blackwall, along with a sistership Yapura, and shipped out to Peru in pieces in 1862, aboard the steamer Mayola. These parts were then transported by mule trains over the Andes to Lake Titicaca, which stands at an altitude of 12,500ft. Launched in 1870, she served the Peruvian Navy for only five years before being sold to private interests serving the region, carrying passengers and cargo up to the 1950s. In 1982 Yavari was acquired by Meriel Larken, who found that the high altitude and fresh water had preserved the ship’s iron hull, so set up a project to restore the vessel.…

GALLIA Instead of being included in the usual roster of sailings between Lucerne and Flüelen with calls at piers along the way, the paddle steamer Gallia is scheduled to operate a new service called ‘Legends of Lake Lucerne’ in 2025, targeted at a more moneyed clientele. There will be just 65 passengers aboard, paying a premium fare of almost £500 per head. The four-hour cruise is set to leave Lucerne at 09:45 and return at 14:00 every day during the season, and guests will be served a five-course lunch, including wines, with the selected dishes representing sustainable produce from the region. There will also be a programme telling the historical and cultural history of the Lake Lucerne region. Much emphasis is being placed on the quiet atmosphere with so few…

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HMS Cardiff passing Queen Mary 2 at Greenock on 5 September. The iconic Cunard ocean liner was making her first visit to the Inverclyde cruise port since 2015 as part of a British Isles cruise. She is one of two Cunard vessels to visit the newly revamped port during 2024, following the brand-new Queen Anne, which made two calls earlier in the summer. Cardiff is the second of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare ships on order for the Royal Navy, with the ships being built at two sites in Glasgow. The Type 26 frigate was being moved back up the River Clyde to the BAE Systems’ shipyard at Scotstoun for fitting out after being floated off at Glenmallan jetty, in the deep waters of Loch Long.…

The previous Brittany Ferries vessel to carry the name Armorique was built at Le Havre in 1972 to serve Da-No Line in Scandinavia as Terje Vigen and was bought in 1976 by Brittany Ferries for their service between St Malo and Portsmouth. Immediately recognisable, with twin funnels side by side and well aft and a gross tonnage of 8,781, she served other Brittany Ferries routes, including the launch of Rosslare-St Malo sailings. She also undertook charters, one of which involved transporting French Army troops during the first Gulf War. She then spent the winter of 1998-89 operating for British Channel Islands Ferries on routes to Guernsey and Jersey from Weymouth. Sold by Brittany Ferries during December 1993, she went to the Far East and saw service with several owners, including…

The years running up to the outbreak of World War II saw the Royal Navy scrambling to make good a significant deficit in warship numbers. As conflict became more and more likely, it was increasingly clear that existing strength was insufficient to meet the likely challenges ahead. Nowhere was this deficiency more apparent than with respect to destroyers, the traditional ‘maids of all work’ of navies around the world. Against this backdrop, the British Admiralty looked for new ways to expand its destroyer flotillas. One potential solution was to create a new type of smaller destroyer that would complement the larger types being built for service with the navy’s frontline fleets. These new escort destroyers would release their ‘fleet’ counterparts for their primary role, undertaking the wide range of convoy…

letter of the month In the drive to improve vessels’ efficiency and reduce emissions, we are a seeing a vast number of devices and systems applied to ships: rigid sails, rotors, kites, air-lubricated hulls and smoother paints, as well as improved hull, propeller and rudder designs, and now, with engine developments involving diverse fuels, we can add variable compression ratios. The list seems almost endless and, with each offering improvements of two, five, seven per cent, or more, one is left wondering that, if all could be applied to one vessel, it would not actually require any fuel at all. More seriously, I wonder if there is a potential problem with availability and delivery of the new fuels now coming into use. We have LNG becoming quite well established and…

This month’s mystery is two for the price of one. This photo was taken from on board a vessel named Prince Charles, looking towards another passenger vessel, with no name visible. So which ships are they? For which company did they operate? And where was the photo taken? Send your answers with details and any extra information, including a postal address, by email or post to: sm.ed@kelsey.co.uk; by post to Mystery Ship, Ships Monthly, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Kent ME18 6AL. Emails preferred.…