MN News in General

[Pelican]

Darwin200 — Retracing the Voyage of HMS Beagle on 105-Year-Old Dutch Schooner Oosterschelde

Almost 200 years ago, Charles Darwin set sail from Plymouth, UK, as a naturalist on HMS Beagle on an epic voyage that would prove pivotal in the development of his theories of evolution.

This week, the 105-year-old Dutch schooner Oosterschelde set sail from Plymouth on a two-year voyage to train and inspire a new generation of naturalists by tracing the voyage of HMS Beagle. On the 40,000 nautical mile voyage, the schooner will call at 32 ports around the globe and will serve as a floating laboratory on the sea and in port in the project called Darwin200. The project seeks to harness the legacy of Charles Darwin’s passion for natural history to engage worldwide audiences and advance global conservation.

“Charles Darwin was only 22 when he set sail from Plymouth on his life-changing voyage in 1831 aboard HMS Beagle, famously saying that it was by far the most important event in his life, determining his whole career,” Darwin200 founder and mission director Stewart McPherson said in a statement. “We wanted to create a similarly transformative experience for members of the public and 200 of the world’s brightest young environmentalists, who have the potential to be the STEM and conservation leaders of tomorrow and the catalysts to change the future of planet Earth for the better.”

In addition to helping to train young environmentalists, the project hopes to create the world’s most exciting classroom to reconnect global audiences with nature, science and conservation. They also plan to undertake five research projects tackling many of the world’s most critical environmental problems to engage global audiences in practical solutions.
Continues at - https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/08/dar ... more-60795

[DaveH]

Caught her on the local TV News but didn't go down to the Barbican to see her , she sailed early Tuesday morning on the tide , a very impressive sight . Hope she finds friendly winds and calm seas .

DaveH

[Pelican]

Panamax Meets Pana-Drought — Drought Restrictions In Canal Cause Delays and 200 Ship Backlog

See - https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/08/pan ... more-60810

[Pelican]

Panamax Meets Pana-Drought — Drought Restrictions In Canal Cause Delays and 200 Ship Backlog

See - https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/08/pan ... more-60810

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... rices.html

The Panama Canal has different levels because the Pacific Ocean is higher than the Atlantic Ocean Ships crossing from one side to the other have to move through the canal from east to west or west to east, but they also have to travel vertically as much as 26 meters above sea level to cross the terrain of Panama.

[Pelican]

Update: Canopée, Ro-Ro “Rocket Ship,” for European Space Agency Ready to Set Sail

In 2021, we posted about the start of construction of a sail-assisted cargo ship, built to carry Ariane 6 rockets for the European Space Agency (ESA). Now, the ro-ro cargo ship, Canopée, has completed sea trials and is ready to begin commercial service carrying launcher parts from European ports to the Pariacabo port in Kourou, French Guiana.

In addition to diesel propulsion, the 121-meter long Canopée is equipped with four 30-meter high Oceanwings, automated and reefable soft wingsails.
Continues at - https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/08/upd ... more-60823

[Pelican]

Harland Wolff plc announces proposals to build & operate 2 ferries on Penzance to Isles of Scilly ferry route and inter-island vessel commencing spring 2025.

Govt has allocated £48M 'levelling up' funding for these vessels. To replace MV Scillonian III built at Appledore in 1977.

See - https://www.harland-wolff.com/news/harl ... y-ferries/

[Pelican]

Tweet from - First Sea Lord

Today is Merchant Navy Day.
Delighted to be flying the Red Ensign from my flagship, HMS VICTORY, in support of all our merchant seafarers who do so much to keep the economy of our maritime nation flowing and our coastal waters safe.
See - https://twitter.com/FirstSeaLord/status ... 3932665287

[Pelican]

Ferguson ferry design 'more complex' than warships

The design of the two long-delayed ferries being built on the Clyde has proved more complex than the Navy's latest warships, MSPs have been told.

The project at Ferguson Marine has run years late and is more than three-and-a-half times over its original budget.

Chief executive David Tydeman accepted that "lots of mistakes" and "simple errors" were made during construction.

And he said squeezing components into the ferries was more challenging than the design of the new Type 26 frigates.

Continues at - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... s-67207303

[Pelican]

Update: Sailing Past the Future Stad Ship Tunnel on MS Trollfjord

Norway is now scheduled to begin construction in 2024 of the world’s largest ship tunnel to create a bypass for ocean-going ships, as well as coastal ferries, freighters, and fishing vessels. The tunnel will be 1,700 meters long by 50 meters high and 37 meters wide and is expected to cost more than 2.7bn kroner ($325m). Final cost estimates will be developed by 2024. The tunnel is expected to be completed around 2030.

See - https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/10/upd ... more-60961

[Pelican]

Update — El Nino Drought Results in Further Shipping Cuts to Panama Canal Transits

In August, we posted Panamax Meets Pana-Drought — Drought Restrictions In Canal Cause Delays and 200 Ship Backlog. A record drought associated with the naturally occurring El Nino climate pattern has resulted in one of the country’s driest years in over 70 years. In July, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reduced the average daily transit capacity in the canal to 32 vessels per day from 38.

Now, transit slots will be cut to 25 per day starting November 3 and will be gradually reduced further over the next three months to 18 slots on February 1, The cuts are anticipated to only worsen supply chain shortages. The Panama Canal handles an estimated 5 percent of seaborne trade.

Continues at - https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/11/upd ... -transits/