A World War One U-boat propeller was handed back to the German Navy on August 31 following a joint operation between the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Historic England and North Wales Police. The propeller was formally handed over onboard FGS Bonn, a German replenishment ship which is currently
The Philippine Navy’s (PN) frigate, which ran aground last week in the South China Sea, has been successfully refloated. BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) was towed from Half Moon Shoal in the evening hours of September 3, an official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was cited by the Philippine N
The Croatian Navy has sent the first contingent of troops to participate in the NATO maritime security operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean Sea. A ceremony for the navy’s warship, RTOP-41 Vukovar, and her crew of 50, was held in Split on September 3, Croatian defense ministry said in a statem
Gisborne has been chosen as the honorary homeport for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) newly purchased dive and hydrographic vessel. In late August, the country’s government approved the purchase of the 85-meter Edda Fonn, a 15-year-old survey and light construction vessel. The ship will replace
The Canadian Coast Guard is nearing the mid-way point of its 2018 Arctic operational season, which runs into November. All seven scheduled vessels have been deployed to the Arctic, the last being the CCGS Terry Fox, which departed Montreal on August 27 to conduct icebreaking assistance in the Northw
The Royal Canadian Navy and the Tunisian Navy vessels conducted a passing exercise (PASSEX) in late August. On August 20, 2018, Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Québec departed Tunis, Tunisia. With the Northern African coastline in the background, it engaged in the exercise with FBB La Galite and PB J
On August 29, 2018, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)’s JS Akebono and the Spanish Navy’s ESPS Castilla conducted a passage exercise (PASSEX) in the Gulf of Aden. JS Akebono (DD-108) and ESPS Castilla (L52) are flagships under the command of Combined Task Force (CTF151) and the European
Austal USA has delivered its ninth Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) to the US Navy. The future USS Charleston (LCS 18) is the third Austal designed and built LCS delivered to the navy this year and will be the fourteenth to enter the fleet. The newbuilding completed its acceptance trial
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) fleet of simulation trainers is planned to undergo a major upgrade and expansion, the country’s defense minister said. Christopher Pyne, Minister for Defense, announced on August 31 the investment worth more than A$80 million. A new bridge simulation trainer will be
The US Ronald Reagan Strike Group and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Escort Flotilla 4 Battle Group, participated in bilateral training on August 31 while underway in the South China Sea. During the training, units from the two maritime forces sailed in formation, participated in replenishment-a
Royal Navy’s mine clearance divers have successfully disposed of a Second World War bomb. The operation was carried out off the coast of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, on August 31. The WWII German bomb had been caught up in nets put out by fishermen in that area. After being called to the scene, the navy s
Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has selected Optimarin to supply ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) for nine offshore patrol cutters (OPC) to be built at its Panama City, FL shipyard. The agreement with ESG will see the Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS) fitted in the new OPCs, designed to support
America’s military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) reached the midpoint in the construction of the future nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), following the installation of one of the largest units on the ship. Weighing approximately 905 metric tons, the unit is
Australian shipbuilder ASC has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the country’s Defence Science and Technology (DST) to further collaborate in the submarine-related technologies. Commenting on the new agreement, Stuart Whiley, ASC CEO, said: “I’m delighted to secure ASC’s continued collab
