Tighter marine fuel sulfur limits will spark changes by both refiners and vessel operators
The sulfur content of transportation fuels has been declining for many years as a result of increasingly stringent regulations. In the United States, federal and state regulations limit the amount of sulfur present in motor gasoline, diesel fuel, and heating oil.
New international regulations limiting sulfur in fuels for ocean-going vessels, set to take effect in 2020, have further implications for both refiners and vessel operators at a time of high uncertainty in future crude oil prices, which will be a major factor in their operational decisions. Keep reading on Today in Energy; US Energy Information Administration
Available Now: Our ever-popular Lighthouses’ calendar made up from entries submitted to our annual Lighthouse Photography Competition, the calendar features shots of some of our most famous lighthouses. web store
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond, known as Trinity House, is a private corporation governed under a Royal Charter with three core functions: it is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, responsible for the provision and maintenance of navigational aids, such as lighthouses, lightvessels, buoys, and maritime radio/satellite communication systems.
Trinity House is also an official deep sea pilotage authority, providing expert navigators for ships trading in Northern European waters. It is also a maritime charity, dispersing funds for the welfare of retired seamen, the training of young cadets and the promotion of safety at sea. more
The headquarters of the corporation is the present Trinity House, which was designed by architect Samuel Wyatt and built in 1796. It has a suite of five state rooms with views over Trinity Square, The Tower of London and the River Thames.
The Corporation came into being in 1514 by Royal Charter granted by Henry VIII, as a result of a petition put forward on 19 March 1513 by a guild of Deptford-based mariners. They were troubled by the poor conduct of unregulated pilots on the Thames and asked the king for license to regulate pilotage.
The name of the guild derives from St. Clement, (one of) the patron saint(s) of mariners. According to tradition, Clement was imprisoned under the Emperor Trajan; during this time he is recorded to have led a ministry among fellow prisoners. Thereafter he was executed by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea. more
Official history blog of the Corporation of Trinity House (inactive)
Follow Trinity House on Twitter: @trinityhouse_uk
How Did The Hugest Whales End Up With Baleen Instead Of Teeth?
In the middle of On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin took a moment to note down one of the natural mysteries that dogged him most. “The Greenland whale is one of the most wonderful animals in the world,” he wrote, “and the baleen, or whalebone, one of its greatest peculiarities.“
He goes on to wonder, on paper, why in the world this strange structure ended up the way it did. Why do whales have these huge rows of hairy protrusions, rather than some more common eating apparatus, like teeth or a beak?
Thanks to new research from the Museums Victoria and Monash University—and a 25 million year old fossil whale named Alfred, dug up in in Washington State—we’re now slightly closer to an answer. keep reading on Atlas Obscura
C.1910 Location not known. Viney’s steam motor lorry is captured hauling a flat engineless barge manufactured by the Lytham Shipbuilding & Engineering Company. This firm had a famous and long history of building unusual sea and river craft including the famous steam boat that featured in the film African Queen (1951).
The firm began with Richard Smith, who had set up a shipbuilding company at the Ashton Quays in Preston circa 1860… more
“Merry Christmas!” “Happy Birthday!” “Happy Anniversary!” “Congratulations!” “Go away!” Say it with signal flags!
Festive full set of 26 letters, 8.5″ x 8.5″, beautifully printed on card stock. Two holes for stringing: string included. Display randomly to dress your galley or berth, office or home, only $15.00
Nautical Tradition honored: Holiday Greeting Card, boxed set of 10; only $25.
Muchmuch More on Bowsprite’s Etsy page
Carnage and Heroism: Memories of 1956 Bush Terminal Explosion
Sixty years ago, the pier belonging to the Luckenbach Steamship Company was the largest in New York Harbor: one-third of a mile long and 175 feet wide. On Dec. 3, 1956, the flagship dock of the Bush Terminal cargo shipping complex, at the end of 35th Street in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park, was the site of one of the largest explosions in New York City history. Ten people were killed and 247 were injured — many when the accompanying shock wave shattered glass up to a mile away. Investigators estimated the loss of property to be in excess of $10 million. keep reading on The New York Times
The Sinking of the Kowloon Bridge, 25 Years Ago Today – the World’s Largest Wreck
Twenty five years ago today (December 3rd), the ore-bulk-oil carrier MV Kowloon Bridge sank off the coast of West Cork with a cargo of 165,000 tons of iron ore and 2,000 tons of bunker oil, becoming the world’s largest shipwreck by tonnage. The Kowloon Bridge was bound from Quebec, Canada to the River Clyde in Scotland when she started to develop structural cracking on the main deck during a storm. keep reading on Old Salt Blog
see also: A B A N D O N E D • Ships & Submarines on Pinterest
Celestial Cartography Is in the Midst of a Dramatic Upgrade
The Gaia spacecraft, launched in late 2013 by the European Space Agency, is on a five-year mission to chart the heavens in unprecedented detail—and the first set of coordinates has been released. By the end of Gaia’s run, it will have pinpointed the positions of approximately one billion stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies with a resolution so high it can spot objects as small as five microarcseconds—roughly half the size of a dime sitting on the moon as seen from Earth. Its billion-pixel camera will also record each star’s distance and two-dimensional velocity, providing a fresh understanding of our galactic neighborhood. keep reading
These prints featured depictions of mythical giant catfish (namazu) who, according to popular legend, caused earthquakes by thrashing about in their underground lairs.
The depiction of this namazu conjures up images of Commodore Perry’s black ships, which arrived in Japan in 1853 and eventually forced the country to open its ports to Western commerce. more on Pink Tentacle
Late in the Great Siege of Gibraltar, the longest siege ever endured by British forces, the Spanish and French decided on a massive push to overwhelm British defences and seize the rock. The Grand Assault, as it would come to be known, involved tens of thousands of sailors and soldiers tackling the British fortifications and ships in an all out blitz. keep reading
The paddlesteamer Patris (built in 1860 in London) had a tonnage of 641 tons and a length of 66 metres, and was a proud and substantial in her time. On February 21st, 1868, while on a voyage with passengers from Piraeus to Syra, Patris struck a reef at Koundouros Bay, Kea island in bad visibility. She broke in two pieces the next day and sank in deeper waters. There were no casualties. Almost 150 years later, she sits in a depth between 30 and 50 meters; her remains standing strong against the elements.
