The cruise ship MS Maud was returning to the UK from a 14 night Northern Lights cruise when it was caught in a severe storm in the North Sea. During the storm, the ship was struck by a rogue wave, … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Norway
Here is a post suitable for Halloween. It is not a ghost story but rather the tale of two mysterious skeletons found in a Viking ship discovered in a large burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tønsberg in Vestfold … Continue reading
This afternoon, sailing south from Ålesund bound for Haugesund, on Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord, I noticed something unusual. The ship was pitching and rolling. The motion was gentle but evident. On the previous twelve or so days of the voyage to … Continue reading
Have cruise ships worn out their welcome? Increasingly, port cities around the world are banning or regulating cruise ship dockings and operations in their coastal waters. Amsterdam has become only the most recent to do so. The BBC reports that … Continue reading
In 2019, we posted about fishermen off the coast of Norway who encountered a beluga whale wearing a harness that read “Equipment of St. Petersburg. Researchers think the beluga may be a Russian spy in training. There was speculation that … Continue reading
Two new ferries, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, have or will soon enter service. In Norway, the MF Hydra, the first liquid hydrogen fuel cell powered ferry entered regular service at the end of March. MF Hydra sails on the … Continue reading
In August we posted Yara Birkeland, Crewless Electric Container Ship, First Voyage by Year’s End. We noted that if all went according to plan, the ship would make its first journey between two Norwegian towns before the end of the … Continue reading
The Daily Scandinavian reported that last March the world’s largest all-electric ferry went into full operation on the 5.67 nautical mile route between the two Norwegian cities of Moss and Horten, on Norway’s busiest ferry route. The new ferry, named … Continue reading
An update to a post from 2017: Norway’s Stad Peninsula divides the Norwegian Sea to the north and the North Sea to the south. The seas, winds, currents, and weather are extremely dangerous for any ship attempting to round the … Continue reading
Sea-Cargo now has bragging rights to the claim that their 12,251 gross tonne ro-ro, SC Connector, is “Norway’s largest sailing vessel.” The ship was recently refit with two rotor sails by Norsepower and battery banks from Norwegian Electric Systems. The … Continue reading
Two days ago, NPR reported: “Fisherman off the coast of Norway encountered a beluga whale with “Equipment of St. Petersburg” inscribed on its harness. Researchers think the beluga may be a Russian spy in training.” There was speculation that the … Continue reading
The cruise ship Viking Sky is now underway bound for the port of Molde, Norway, accompanied by a tug and support vessels. Prior to getting underway, 479 passengers were evacuated by helicopters, leaving 436 passengers and 458 crew members onboard. … Continue reading
According to Norwegian authorities, roughly 1,300 people are being evacuated from the cruise ship Viking Sky. The ship suffered engine problems and sent out a distress call and was drifting toward shore in high winds and rough seas off the … Continue reading
Today’s Google Doodle commemorates the 156th birthday of Fridtjof Nansen — arctic explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Nansen seems particularly relevant in these times as the polar ice cap continues to melt and as refugee … Continue reading
Norway’s Stad Peninsula divides the Norwegian Sea to the north and the North Sea to the south. The seas, winds, currents and weather are extremely dangerous for any ship attempting to round the peninsula. Now, Norway intends to bore through … Continue reading
The replica Viking longship Draken Harald Hårfagre successfully crossed the Atlantic and made it to the the Pepsi Tall Ships Chicago 2016 festival, which took place this weekend, despite challenges associated with paying Great lakes pilotage fees. Building a replica … Continue reading
We recently posted about the possibility of purchasing a custom Viking longship from the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark. If that doesn’t fit your budget, or if you don’t want to have to line up thirty to one hundred able bodied … Continue reading
In early July, the 114-foot long Draken Harald Hårfagre, the largest Viking replica ever built, was sailing across the North Sea, from Haugesund in Norway. Three days out, in high seas, the ship’s mast failed and went over the side. No one … Continue reading
Yesterday, we posted about the Moby Dick Marathon NYC, which begins tonight. It is not as one reader suggested a porn event but rather the first-ever marathon-style reading in New York City of Herman Melville’s classic American novel, Moby-Dick. Fittingly … Continue reading
For only 105 million Norwegian krona (thats € 14 million or roughly US$17.5 million) you too can own an Arctic submarine base. Norway’s Olavsvern Naval Base just outside the city of Tromsø, has been on the market since January 2011, but for the last … Continue reading