Maritime News Archives - Page 6 of 32

Navy Ship Can’t Meet Mission Requirments, U.S. Report Finds

U.S. Navy leaders were warned last year that a $37 billion program to build Littoral Combat Ships can’t meet its promised mission because the vessels are too lightly manned and armed, according to a confidential report.

“This review highlights the gap between ship capabilities and the missions the Navy will need LCS to execute,” said the report prepared last year for the Navy by Rear Admiral Samuel Perez. “Failure to adequately address LCS requirements and capabilities will result in a large number of ships that are ill-suited to execute” regional commanders’ warfighting needs. (more…)

Royal Caribbean plans a third ship for Port Canaveral

PORT CANAVERAL — Port Canaveral expects Royal Caribbean International to announce that it is basing a third ship at the port in the winter of 2014-15, as the cruise line tests the waters for expanded service from Brevard County's seaport. Port interim Chief Executive Officer John Walsh said an official announcement from Royal Caribbean is expected in about two weeks that the cruise line will have another ship at Port Canaveral, joining the Enchantment of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas for part of the year. (more…)

Boomerang Rocket Ship: Shoot It Up But its a no go!

We're in McGregor, Texas, surrounded by farms (and the ghost of Johnny Cash). There, on a launch pad, is a 10-story rocket ready to take off. Its engines ignite. Up it goes, higher, then higher, then higher still, until at 820 feet, something weird happens. It stops moving, hovers in the sky for about 15 seconds as if wondering what to do next. The wind is blowing, (you can see the smoke blowing off in one direction, so there's definitely a breeze up there) but it doesn't wobble, doesn't tilt, it just hangs there like a candle in the sky, and then, suddenly, it switches direction, and looking down, you can see it heading unerringly for a pinpoint spot on the ground below. It's going back to the exact spot where it began, hits its mark, "legs extended" and turns itself off, like a shy student going back to his seat in a classroom. (more…)

Tourists recovering after swimming for 14 hours when ship sinks in Caribbean

The fishing trip off the rugged north coast of St. Lucia was supposed to last all day, but about four hours into the journey, the boat's electric system crackled and popped. Dan Suski, a 30-year-old business owner and information technology expert from San Francisco, had been wrestling a 200-pound marlin in rough seas with help from his sister, Kate Suski, a 39-year-old architect from Seattle. It was around noon April 21. He was still trying to reel in the fish when water rushed into the cabin and flooded the engine room, prompting the captain to radio for help as he yelled out their coordinates. (more…)

Navy Ship Collides into Trawler and sends 6 B.C. to Hospital

Six people were taken to hospital with minor injuries after a Royal Canadian Navy frigate and a U.S. fishing trawler collided near Canadian Forces Base Estimable on Vancouver Island. CFB Estimable harbor area Navy officials said the incident involving HMCS Winnipeg happened around 8 a.m. PT Tuesday at the jetty that CFB Estimable uses for mooring. According to an eyewitness, at about 8:20 a.m. the American Dynasty trawler was leaving a big ship repair dock attached to the base. The ship was being led out by two tugs when something went wrong. Eyewitness Larry Edwards, who has an office that overlooks the scene, said it appeared the fishing vessel went forward when it should have gone backwards. "They were backing it out in the harbor and as they were sort of swiveling the bow around, this thing sort of shot forward and slammed into the bow of the Canadian navy vessel," Edwards said. "It hit hard. The wall of water that came up, it went over the bow of the n…

Cargo Ship To Carry Rocket for Test Launch

A company contracted by NASA to deliver supplies to the International Space Station has successfully launched a rocket in a test of its ability to send a cargo ship aloft. The unmanned Antares rocket blasted off Sunday from Wallops Island on Virginia's Eastern Shore. About 10 minutes after the launch, Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles declared the test a success after observing a practice payload reach orbit and safely separate from the rocket. (more…)

Carnival Ecstasy Cruise Ship Hit with Power Failure!

A power failure shut down hotel services and propulsion on the Carnival Ecstasy on Wednesday night as it was approaching its homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla., after a five-day cruise. The problem lasted for 12 minutes, said Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen. About 2,500 passengers were on board at the time. “The cause of the power failure was a mechanical issue that was fixed on Wednesday evening,” Gulliksen told NBC News. “The ship arrived in Port Canaveral as scheduled on Thursday morning and departed on another cruise that afternoon.” (more…)

Antarctica: Chinese Ship on Fire 97 Saved

A Chinese factory fishing ship caught fire Wednesday just off the coast of Antarctica and 97 crew members were rescued by a nearby Norwegian vessel as Chile's military mobilized to prevent any environmental damage.

The crew members abandoned the burning Kai Xin and were taken aboard the Juvel about 34 miles (55 kilometers) from Chile's Bernardo O'Higgins research base near the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula, Chilean officials said.

The ship was not immediately at risk of sinking, and nearby vessels could tow it away from the Antarctic coast if necessary, officials said. (more…)

The U.S. Navy Names There High Speed Vessel the USNS Trenton

The U.S. Navy will name a joint high-speed vessel the USNS Trenton, making it the nation's fourth ship named after the capital city. The vessel is expected to be operational in winter 2014, the Navy said. It will be capable of transporting more than 300 troops and more than 600 short tons and will serve in various support capacities or on humanitarian missions. "Trenton displays American values of community, perseverance and resourcefulness at their very best," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a news release. "I chose to name the joint high-speed vessel after Trenton to honor those values and the men and women of the city as well as the state of New Jersey." (more…)

Arctic patrol ships can’t handle northern waters

The Harper government needs to deep-six its plan for Arctic patrol vessels, a costly $3.1 billion program that will produce “compromised” ships ill-suited to patrol northern waters — or elsewhere, a new report says. Just months after the government was forced to restart its process to buy new fighter jets, the Conservatives are being urged to press to reset on another major military procurement — their politically charged plan for navy ships for Arctic operations. (more…)