While many out there seldom notice the tiny speck of steel at the base of docking supertankers, some of us connoisseurs harbor a benign obsession
Curiosities
Did the Titanic Help Sink the Eastland?
When the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, the outraged public demanded tectonic shifts in the shipping industry. One such development was the 1915 Seamen’s Act
Kommuna – How the Oldest Ship in the Russian Navy Outlived Two Empires
A major problem with early submarines was that diving underwater was often easier than floating back to the surface. And since oxygen supply on board
Chinese Junks: Emperors of the East
The Age of Sail – those three glorious centuries of European domination of the oceans – are considered by many on my side of the
Monitor Novgorod – the Tsar’s Pancake-Warship
The late 19th century was an age of vigorous experimentation, with enough talent and money spent on extravagant naval innovations to make our modern shipbuilders
Knapp’s Roller Boat: The Most Bizarre Vessel on Lake Ontario
Anyone who has watched a logrolling competition must have wondered how such heavy logs can stay afloat, with people sprinting on top. The same phenomenon
Weddings at Sea: Everything You Need to (And Didn’t) Know
Valentine’s Day is a busy time for lovebirds, wedding-planners, and (most recently) cruise lines. Stretching their flags of convenience to the maximum, popular brands like
The Northeast Passage: A Silk Road That Never Was
There is a reason why the Arctic passage to China is less known than the Silk Road: it never came into existence. But not for
Fighting for Life: The Controversy of Livestock Carriers
In 2002, the Uljanik Shipyard in Croatia completed an unusual project – the largest livestock carrier in the world, MV Becrux. But in line with
Orange Juice Tankers: How Your Breakfast Sails the Seas
More than 205 meters long and 35 meters wide, she sails from São Paulo to the USA, the Netherlands, and Japan with 37,000 tons of