What caught my eye: March 2025

Norway set to introduce zero-emission requirements for World Heritage fjords

This is the first of three stories I have chosen to highlight this month, all of which originate from Norway.

For some years, Norway has been at the forefront of driving the decarbonisation agenda and this can be seen in many of their groundbreaking products.

But in many ways perhaps this story is the most striking and boldest illustration so far. I learned that the Norwegian government has Continue reading “What caught my eye: March 2025”

What caught my eye: February 2025

Prince William set to help with the abandoned boats crises in England

In recent years, IIMS has published a number of articles about the growing problem of what to do with end-of-life boats and the challenges of recycling them. It remains a thorny subject.

But now it seems the problem comes with the seal of Royal approval. I have read that none other than Prince William, a future King of England, and his Duchy of Cornwall have pledged to address the issue of abandoned boats in rivers and harbours in England’s west country. Continue reading “What caught my eye: February 2025”

What caught my eye: December 2024

Fishing is world’s most dangerous occupation, says global survey

When I read this story in December 2024 despite the report coming out in October, it did not shock me, but it certainly saddened me. I guess we all know the inherent dangers that fishers the world over face. So, I read that a global safety charity is calling for urgent change and investment after its latest report named fishing as the world’s most dangerous occupation.

A quarter of fishers (26 per cent) have been harmed on the job in the last two years, according to Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s latest World Risk Poll report. Yet, data from the report shows that more than nearly three quarters (73 per cent) have never received any safety training. The figure makes fishing one of the industries with the lowest rates of training in the world. Continue reading “What caught my eye: December 2024”

What caught my eye: October 2024

Major new artwork unveiled on Sheffield & Tinsley Canal

The first artwork on water by Alex Chinneck, the sculpture celebrates Sheffield’s historic waterways and industrial heritage. It takes the form of a full-size canal boat, whose body behaves in an extraordinary way, performing a six metre-high, gravity-defying, loop-the-loop.

An artist renowned for the ambition and scale of his public artworks, Chinneck has previously made multi-storey buildings bend, melt, Continue reading “What caught my eye: October 2024”

What caught my eye: September 2024

Commercial sail power is back with a bang – who would have thought it?

It seems we have gone full circle. Cargo ships powered by sail were lost to us a century or more ago, and to the current generation such vessels are regarded as outmoded transportation from a bygone era. But now they are back, more sophisticated and sustainable than ever. Recently I read about the Anemos, which has claimed the title of the world’s largest sailing cargo ship as she made her inaugural voyage from Concarneau, South Brittany, France. Continue reading “What caught my eye: September 2024”

What caught my eye: August 2024

Iconic Greek island shipwreck at risk of disappearing

Image credit Wikipedia
Image credit Wikipedia

Like most other people, I hanker after a bit of nostalgia and this story took me back in time to a memorable holiday in the Greek islands. I was fortunate enough to visit the island of Zakynthos about 30 years ago. We took a boat trip out to Navagio Beach to view the iconic, badly rusted wreck of MV Panagiotis. My overwhelming memory was jumping from the side of the boat into the clear blue Ionian waters to swim the 50 metres to the shore fighting against a strong tide – and all to see a rusted, decaying hulk! The MV Panagiotis, which ran Continue reading “What caught my eye: August 2024”

What caught my eye: July 2024

An Englishman’s home is his fort

The three Palmerston forts in The Solent off the UK’s south coast are iconic structures known to many, dating back to 1859 when they were built to counter the threat of invasion by the French. For me they are a familiar sight, but I have never had the opportunity to land on these extraordinary structures – only admire them from afar with extreme curiosity.

But knowing they had been for sale for a number of years unsuccessfully, Continue reading “What caught my eye: July 2024”

What caught my eye: June 2024

Be aware (and beware) that some lithium battery safety cases are not fit for purpose

If you follow my scribblings on a semi regular basis, you will know that the subject of lithium battery fires is one that concerns me greatly and is a topic I have written a great deal about. A recent performance test conducted by Yachting Pages on some of the leading safety cases revealed some startling and concerning findings.

With more than 1,000 lithium battery fires reported around the world every week, lithium battery safety cases are of paramount Continue reading “What caught my eye: June 2024”

What caught my eye: April 2024

Floating art gallery to sail around the Mediterranean

I am rarely surprised by the ingenuity of people these days when most things seem possible, but this idea struck me as being visionary and worthy of a mention. An original concept, Art Explora is billed as the world’s first museum boat, which plans to sail across the world’s oceans with a self-stated mission to bring visitors innovative artistic and cultural experiences. It is the inspiration of its entrepreneurial founder and patron Frédéric Jousset. Art Explora is a large catamaran that can host up to 2,000 gallery visitors on board each day free of charge. Continue reading “What caught my eye: April 2024”

What caught my eye: February 2024

A fishing boat with a Second World War secret
Margot Benstock (left) and Irene Weiss (right) in front of Thor
Margot Benstock (left) and Irene Weiss (right) in front of Thor

Some reading this will know why this story struck a chord with me. A 34-foot wooden fishing boat named Thor, which was used to help Jews out of Denmark during World War II, will soon be on display at the Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.

After Denmark was invaded by Germany in 1940, the Danish government resisted any anti-Jewish laws. But in the fall of 1943, the Germans announced that all Danish Jews would be deported. Over the next couple of days, the Danish resistance movement, with the help Continue reading “What caught my eye: February 2024”

What caught my eye: January 2024

Ouch! Brand new superyacht crashes through door of Lürssen dry dock
Photo Credit: buten un binnen
Photo credit: buten un binnen

Things clearly went awry recently at the Lürssen shipyard in Bremen resulting in the shipbuilder unveiling project Ali Baba ahead of schedule due to an accident. A technical glitch in the dock gate was said to be the culprit as it forced water out of the dock, thereby pushing the nose of the 140m yacht into the dock curtain.

“Damage occurred to the dock door in the dry dock at the Lürssen site in Aumund, Bremen,” Lürssen said in a statement. Continue reading “What caught my eye: January 2024”

What caught my eye: December 2023

Group of five tourists takes an early bath in Venice whilst taking selfies

If you thought taking selfies was without risk, this bizarre story proves otherwise. Have you ever wondered about the dangers of taking a selfie on an unstable vessel for example? Well, here is one such incident. Fortunately, on this occasion, nobody was seriously injured, but it could have been far worse.

A group of five tourists, from China apparently, had an unscheduled trip into the cold winter waters of the Venice canal system in early Continue reading “What caught my eye: December 2023”

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