Scrimshaw – a unique maritime art

Scrimshaw is an art form that is considered by some to be the only art form that originated in America, since the art of Scrimshaw was first practiced by sailors working on whaling ships out of New England. Although it … Continue reading →

Bunker fuel and maritime fuel oil standards

Bunker fuel is technically any type of fuel oil used aboard ships. It gets its name from the containers on ships and in ports that it is stored in; in the days of steam they were coal bunkers but now they are bunker fuel … Continue reading →

Greek fire – a secret weapon

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In a world where new warfare technology is adopted so quickly by so many nations, it’s hard to imagine that the method of creating a weapon as devastating as Greek Fire would be lost to the passage of time. But … Continue reading →

Cargo vessel size classifications – what do they really mean

Cargo shipping is a low margin business model that requires vessels to be fully loaded in order to sustain profitable operations. When a ship is in the design phase it is almost always structured in a specific classification of naval architecture and … Continue reading →

Territorial Waters – the political geography of the oceans

The control and ownership of the oceans has long been a controversial topic. Since ancient empires began to sail and trade over the seas, command of coastal areas has been important to governments. However, it wasn’t until the twentieth century … Continue reading →

Measuring a ship’s speed – then and now

Today, sea navigators measure their ship’s speed using modern GPS (Global Positioning System) driven devices. Global Positioning System or GPS is a network of man-made Earth satellites, currently over 24 satellites, that constantly send radio signals to the surface of … Continue reading →

Ironclad BAP Huáscar

Built in 1864-66 at Laird’s in Birkenhead, England, and launched on October 7 1865, the Huáscar was an advanced turret ship custom made for export to Perú. She was one of the few ironclads of her generation to actually engage in naval … Continue reading →

Dromon

The most important warship of the Byzantine navy from the 5th to 12th centuries AD, dromon was highly agile and maneuverable but also dangerously equipped for battle. It had two banks of oars employing 200 rowers, in addition to a battering ram on the prow, and enough … Continue reading →

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

It remains, and probably will for a very long time to come, the largest naval battle in history, in terms both of tonnage displaced, and area traversed. By any measurement, the Battle for Leyte Gulf was the greatest naval battle … Continue reading →

Turtle – America’s Revolutionary submarine

Submarines were first built by Dutch inventor Cornelius van Drebel in the early 17th century, but it was not until 150 years later that they were first used in naval combat.  David Bushnell, an American inventor, began building underwater mines … Continue reading →