Category: Blog posts

La Suprema

Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), originally a project of the well-known Grimaldi shipowning dynasty, first entered the competitive trade on Italy’s west coast in 1993 with the delivery of the Majestic,…

Continue Reading La Suprema

Apollon: the good, the bad and the ugly

Despite her regrettable demise, one cannot hide from the fact that the Apollon was in rather ropey condition in her final few years. However, if one overlooked the exploding toilets…

Continue Reading Apollon: the good, the bad and the ugly

Mediterranean Massacre – Part Two

After the recent cull of Southern Europe’s elderly ferry fleet, which ships will be next? There remain plenty of veterans out there, and the list below is a bit of…

Continue Reading Mediterranean Massacre – Part Two

George Behrend

The railway author George Behrend died in July. Behrend was one of my heroes, one of the greatest of transport authors, whose obsession with noting every small detail on his…

Continue Reading George Behrend

The Great Ports: An evening in Olbia

Olbia, the primary port of Sardinia, features one of the greatest concentrations of large overnight ferries in Europe – alongside other Mediterranean megaports such as Piraeus, Genoa and, during rush…

Continue Reading The Great Ports: An evening in Olbia

Moroccan Ferry Racing

The Contenders A crossing on a grey day out of Tangier Med provides a perfect opportunity for two vintage ferries to see who can be first beneath the shadow of…

Continue Reading Moroccan Ferry Racing

Pont l’Abbe / Moby Corse

In 2006 Brittany Ferries somewhat unexpectedly chartered the long-serving Duke of Scandinavia (ex-Dana Anglia) from DFDS with Brittany’s Val de Loire heading in the opposite direction. With minimal refurbishment, the…

Continue Reading Pont l’Abbe / Moby Corse

Maintaining Ancona

A whole day in port – time for the crew to take a breather and relax in advance of another packed sailing in the evening? Not so for the crew…

Continue Reading Maintaining Ancona

Blog admin

Note that you can now follow this blog via Google Friend Connect by following the link on the bottom of the right-hand sidebar. Meanwhile, Bruce Peter’s new blog has been…

Continue Reading Blog admin

Smokin’ in the Sun

The peak season for Southern Europe’s ferry fleets is in full swing with chartered, elderly and seasonal tonnage pressed into service alongside the regular ships to cope with the seasonal…

Continue Reading Smokin’ in the Sun