Historical Site News

Oresund Dry Docks: The Biggest Shipyard in SwedenWhile shipbuilding and ship repair has largely exited the European stage for Far East locales, shipyards such as Oresund Dry Docks in Landskrona, Sweden, maintain a healthy workload. Magnus Malmström, Oresund Dry Docks’ Sales Manager said in a recent interview with Maritime Reporter that Oresund is the largest yard left in Sweden, dedicated to conversion and repair, since 1915. While it was involved in the newbuild business to the 1980s, its business today is dominated by passenger, RoPax and tanker repair and conversion business.

Research and recovery of historic shipwrecks experts Seafarer Exploration Corporation says that Seafarer's Quest, LLC has successfully been granted a three year research permit for the shipwreck site south of Cape Canaveral from the Florida Bureau of Archaeology Research. "We are so excited about this site!" exclaimed Kyle Kennedy, CEO of Seafarer. "The complexities of this particular permit dictated a much longer time horizon, but hopefully good things come to those who wait. The long awaited issuance of this permit allows Seafarer to begin the investigation, research and archaeological excavation of this very exciting historical site. There have already been several artifacts discovered, some solid silver and a pistol with a visible date of 1709 and the name of the maker," he added.

By Chief Journalist Milinda D. The ex-USS Oriskany (CVA 34), the last Essex-class aircraft carrier in the fleet’s inactive ship inventory, served the Navy for more then 25 years, maintaining a powerful presence during the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict. Decommissioned September 1976, the ship is ready to do more sea time, only this time beneath the surface, serving as an artificial reef. “Artificial reefing benefits the economical environment of the respective state receiving the ship by relieving stress on the natural reef,” said Capt. Lawrence M. Jones Jr., program manager for the Inactive Ships Program Office, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

The Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin is scheduled to set the historic "Francis Scott Key" buoy off of Fort McHenry, Md., near the Key Bridge Monday, June 5, 2006. The buoy marks the spot where the ship carrying Francis Scott Key, the author of the Star Spangled Banner, was anchored during the bombardment of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. Each year the buoy is set in the spring marking the historic location of the event and then removed in the fall. Park Rangers from Ft. McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and members of the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society and others will join the James Rankin wearing period uniforms and clothing, and provide a narrative of the events that occurred on that historic day.