The Sinking of the Kursk – Ten Years Later

The Russian Oscar-II class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine Kursk sank ten years ago yesterday with a loss of all aboard.  One hundred and sixteen crew members and two weapons experts died in what is believed to have been the explosion of a faulty torpedo.  At 154m … Continue reading

The Sinking of the MSC Chitra: Port Re-opens while the Finger-pointing Intensifies

The containership MSC Chitra and the bulk carrier Khalijia 3 collided near Mumbai, India on Saturday, resulting in the sinking of the  MSC Chitra, a significant oil spill and the loss of at least 200 containers in the ship channel which … Continue reading

Joan Baez, Smokey Robinson, Beach Boys Start Queen Mary’s First Outdoor Concert Series – Aug. 13

Folk music legend Joan Baez and special guest Roger McGuinn will kick off the first of the “Summer Concert Series at the Queen Mary” this Friday, August 13th,  as part of the summer-long 2010 Long Beach Sea Festival.  This will … Continue reading

The Sapphire Princess and the Already Dead Whales

An update to our previous post – the Sapphire Princess cruise ship, which was found to have impaled a female humpback whale on her bulbous bow last week, probably did not kill the whale.  A necropsy finished this week suggests that the whale was already dead.  This is … Continue reading

Nina and Pinta Replicas Visiting Hudson, Wisconsin

Replicas of two of Christopher Columbus’ ships, the Nina and Pinta, will be visiting Hudson, Wisconsin. The ships will be open to visitors at the Hudson Docks from Friday, Aug. 6, through Monday, Aug. 16. Columbus Ship Replicas Come To Wisconsin The “Nina” was … Continue reading

2010 Salem Maritime Festival Aug. 6-7

The Salem Maritime Festival starts this Friday.  The tall ship Friendship of Salem will be joined in port by Schooner Thomas E. Lannon and Schooner Fame of Salem.   The Friendship is a replica of an 1797 East Indiaman.    The Thomas E. Lannon is … Continue reading

What Happened to the VLCC M. Star? Al Qaeda Group Claims Attack, Doubts Persist

Over the last week, there have been no shortage of theories and often contradictory claims about what caused the damage to the hull and deck house of the MOL tanker M. Star while transiting the Straits of Hormuz.   The initial … Continue reading

Barquentine Gazela Returns To Sea

Philadelphia’s tall ship, the barquentine Gazela has returned to to sea after five years of being limited to protected water sailing due to a damaged rudder.  With a new rudder, the turn-of-the-century Portuguese-built barquentine set sail from Philadelphia bound where she … Continue reading