Set Sail

New Cruise Ship to Ply Yangtze River

According to a report on www.chinadaily.com.cn, a new cruise ship will soon set sail to the Yangtze River's Three Gorges Dam. The "Yangtze River No. 2," a 139-m, six-storey cruise ship, will embark on its maiden voyage from the southwestern Chongqing Municipality to the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei's Yichang City on August 29, www.chinadaily.com.cn reported, citing an official of Changjiang (Yangtze) Cruise Overseas Travel Co., the operator of the ship. Yangtze River No. 2, the third luxury cruise ship to set sail this year, is dubbed the largest river cruise ship. It can accommodate up to 452 people and has a swimming pool, a theater as well as luxury suites equivalent to a five-star hotel. Last year, a reported record of 310,000 people toured the Yangtze on luxury cruise ships, with projections of 450,000 to set sail this year. (Source: www.chinadaily.com.cn)

New NCL Ship Sets Sail in Hawaii

The AP has reported that NCL’s latest ship, Pride of Hawaii, has set sail in Hawaii. The Pride of Hawaii, the largest, most expensive U.S.-flagged luxury liner launched its scheduled service of weeklong voyages around the islands this week. This vessel completes Norwegian Cruise Lines' $1.4b plan to bring three new vessels to the islands. The new ship is the last in a series of U.S. cruise ships — joining the 1,900-passenger Pride of Aloha and the 2

Israel Warns it Will Stop Aid Flotilla

According to the Washington Post, the Israeli military served notice on June 16 that it will stop a flotilla of aid ships that is expected to set sail for the Gaza Strip this month and warned that if soldiers are met with violence, there could be casualties among the activists on board.   Source: The Washington Post  

China's First Deepwater LNG Pipe-Layer Sets Sail

China's first 3,000 m deepwater pipe laying crane vessel 'Hai Yang Shi You 201; set sail for South China Sea operations China Rongsheng Heavy Industries Group has collaborated with China National Offshore Oil Corporation (“CNOOC”) to complete construction of a 3,000-meter deepwater pipe laying crane vessel (“DPV”) “HAI YANG SHI YOU 201.” The vessel has set sail for the “Liwan 3-1” gas field in the South China Sea today and will prepare for pipe

Fairmount Sherpa Delivers Rig in Egypt

Fairmount Marine’s tug Fairmount Sherpa has towed the semi-submersible drilling rig Noble Paul Romano from the Gulf of Mexico to Egypt. The tow was over a distance of close to 8,000 miles. When contracted by Noble Drilling the Fairmount Sherpa just has completed the installation of FPSO Skarv, offshore Norway. Fairmount Sherpa was mobilized first to Rotterdam for supplies and bunkers before it sailed to Jamaica for a rendez-vous with Noble Paul Romano

Celebrity Completes Refurb

Celebrity Cruises Line's Century sets sail following a $55m makeover that began just five weeks ago. Designed to incorporate a variety of Celebrity's Millennium-class attributes, the revitalization of Century is the line's most extensive refurbishment to-date, and the largest cruise ship modification completed by Fincantieri's Palermo, Italy, shipyard. A total of 314 new verandas have been added to the ship - a first, for an existing cruise ship - along with 14 new suites

Viking Ship Lift Uses Modulift

Modulift, a modular spreader system has been utilized by Meade Crane Services Ltd. to assist in the transportation of the replica Viking ship, the Sea Stallion of Glendalough, to the National Museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin. Due to restricted access to the Museum, the operation involved lifting the 10-ton Viking ship over the top of the museums buildings, with the help of two Modulift spreaders. After setting sail from its home in Denmark, the Sea Stallion arrived in Dublin Docks

This Day in Naval History: July 14

On July 14, 1813, LT John M. Gamble became the first marine to command a ship in battle. Forty years later, Commodore Matthew Perry held his first meeting with the Japanese in Uraga, Japan, and would go on to establish economic tries between the US and Asia. In 1882, sailors and marines from four U.S. ships landed in Alexandria, Egypt, and helped restore order. U.S. warships bombarded Kamaishi, Japan, on this day in 1945; and in 1950, U.S

Pacific Naval Exercise Fleet 2,000-Personnel Strong Sets Sail

Fifteen ships with about 2,000 Defence personnel from seven Pacific nations set sail from Darwin Harbour for the military training Exercise Kakadu. Maritime elements from Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand will focus on aspects of maritime warfare common to all the forces involved.  Over the 19 days of exercising, from 29 August to 14 September, graduated training activities and weapons practices are being conducted

Duncan: Final Type 45 Destroyer on Sea Trials

DUNCAN, the sixth and final Type 45 destroyer built by BAE Systems, has today set sail from the company’s Scotstoun shipyard on the Clyde to embark on her second stage sea trials off the west coast of Scotland. During the next 19 days at sea, DUNCAN will undertake an extensive program of trials, including final testing of the ship’s power and propulsion, combat systems, navigational and communications equipment ahead of her handover to the Royal Navy in March next year.