Russian Naval Blockade of Ukraine Called Attack on Global Food Supply

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds to a bloody stalemate, the Russian navy is effectively blockading the northern Black Sea, cutting off maritime trade at Ukrainian ports, in what world leaders call a deliberate attack on the global food … Continue reading

Update: The Weather Window That Never Opened, Sails of Change Postpones Jules Verne Attempt

In November we posted about the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change (ex-Spindrift 2) and its crew of 11, waiting to set off from La Trinité-sur-Mer, in southwest Brittany, on their latest attempt to claim the Jules Verne Trophy. To win the trophy, they … Continue reading

Descendants of the Clotilda, the Last Slave Ship, Commemorate Discovery of the Wreck

For several years, we have followed the search for and the ultimate discovery of the schooner Clotilda, believed to be the last ship to carry enslaved Africans to the United States. Now, descendants of the survivors are commemorating the discovery … Continue reading

Amazon, Ikea, and Other Cargo Owners Pledge to Use Zero Carbon Ocean Shipping by 2040

Nine major shippers including Amazon, Ikea and Unilever have signed an “ambition statement” to pledge to only move cargo on ships using zero-carbon fuel by 2040.  This pledge is part of a new initiative by the non-profit Aspen Insititute called … Continue reading

FSO Safer — Environmental Disaster Waiting to Happen in the Red Sea off Yemen

For several years, the FSO Safer, a floating oil storage and offloading vessel, moored in the Red Sea north of the Yemeni city of Al Hudaydah, may be an environmental disaster waiting to happen. The ship has been held as … Continue reading

Container Ship Port Backlog Breaking Both Ends of the Supply Chain

The Marine Exchange of Southern California reports a new record for congestion in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. As of Monday, of 140 ships in the ports, 85 are container ships. Only 31 containerships are alongside the … Continue reading

MS Satoshi, Attempt to “Seastead” on a Bitcoin Cruise Ship Fails, Not Surprisingly

The Guardian recently published “The disastrous voyage of Satoshi, the world’s first cryptocurrency cruise ship.” Thanks to Joan Druett for pointing it out. In 2020, three cryptocurrency enthusiasts bought a pandemic-bargain cruise ship with plans to create a libertarian utopia, … Continue reading

Götheborg & Expedition 2022 — Sailing for Asia in April

Götheborg of Sweden, a full-sized replica of a Swedish East Indiaman, sailed home today from Stockholm to her homeport in preparation for a voyage to Asia in April of next year.   The nearly 60-meter (197-feet) long East Indiaman is billed … Continue reading

Little Enthusiasm for Proposed UK Flagship, Even the Royals Don’t Like It

Last month, we posted that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the construction of a new national flagship intended to promote British businesses around the world. So far the proposal to replace the royal yacht Britannia, has been greeted … Continue reading

Last Ditch Appeal to Save the Tall Ship Falls of Clyde from Scrapping or Scuttling

Supporters in Scotland are mounting a last-ditch effort to save the Falls of Clyde from scrapping or scuttling in Hawaii. The Falls of Clyde, launched in 1878 in Port Glasgow, Scotland, is the only remaining iron-hulled four-masted full-rigged ship and … Continue reading

Historic Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey To Begin New Chapter With Mass. Maritime

The schooner Ernestina-Morrissey, ex Ernestina, ex Effie M. Morrissey, will soon begin a new chapter in her long and storied career as a sail training vessel for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The schooner was built in 1894 at the James … Continue reading

Women’s History Month — Eleanor Creesy, Navigator of the Clipper Ship Flying Cloud

On the last day of Women’s History Month, it is worthwhile remembering Eleanor Creesy, the navigator of the clipper ship Flying Cloud, who with her husband, Captain Josiah Creesy, set world sailing records for the fastest passage between New York … Continue reading

George Bass, Father of Underwater Archaeology, Dies at 88

George Bass died earlier this month at the age of 88. He was an American archaeologist, often referred to as the “father of underwater archeology”. He co-directed the first expedition to entirely excavate an ancient shipwreck at Cape Gelidonya in … Continue reading