Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.



SMS Markgraf

MSW Crew-member Jan Klarbæk [MRMOX] spruces up the ICM Markgraf, in this "On Display" feature.




Greek authorities recognized two vessels were captured by pirates
Source: RIA Novosti

Somali pirates hijacked the second ship in a day which is a Greek dry cargo ship, said representative of Greek Coast Guard in the interview to RIA Novosti.

According to her, cargo vessel Navios Apollon with Philippine and Greek crewmen aboard was captured on Monday 240 miles northeast Seychelles.

Greek authorities have recently confirmed they had received information about hijacking of British chemical tanker St. James Park.

According to Greek Coast Guard, dry cargo ship Navios Apollon sailed under Panama flag from Florida (USA) to India with the cargo of fertilizers; there were 19 crewmembers on board including Greek shipmaster and 18 Filipino sailors.

26 crewmen are on board of British chemical tanker St. James Park captured by pirates same day. The citizenship of the crew is uncertain yet, said the source in Greek Coast Guard.

France Press has previously reported referring to Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of Seafarers' Assistance Program, that there were Russians on board the vessel.


How to Buy a Submarine: Defining and Building Australia's Future Fleet
Source: Australian Strategic Policy Institute

The Australian Defence White Paper announced that the future submarine fleet would consist of at least twelve submarines that would be able to perform a wide range of missions and carry a varied array of weapons and sensors. As described, the resultant boats are likely to be the largest, most complex and, at $3 billion each, the most expensive conventional submarines ever built.

This report examines Australia’s options for acquisition of its future submarine fleet.
The industrial capacity and capability to produce these vessels does not exist in Australia at the moment. By the time construction commences, it will be over fifteen years since the last Collins class submarine was launched. Hard-earned lessons from that process will need to be re-learned in many cases and the necessary engineering and construction skills will have to be built up to the required level.

Managing all of the issues that are bound to arise will require a project structure and staff with the appropriate expertise and experience. This paper surveys the complexities that have to be negotiated and suggests a way ahead that makes best use of the resources available to government, owner of the country’s only firm with experience of submarine design and construction in the form of ASC.




USS Block Island Association

Today’s website is USS Block Island Association. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1863 - CSS Alabama sinks USS Hatteras off Galveston.
1900 - The gunboat Princeton takes possession of the Batan Islands in the northern Philippines.
1944 - Aircraft from USS Block Island (CVE 21) lead the first aircraft rocket attack on a German submarine.


Photo of the Day



USS Block Island (CVE-21) shortly after leaving Norfolk, October 15, 1943, on her first anti-submarine cruise, with aircraft from Composite Squadron 1 (VC-1) on deck—9 FM-1 Wildcats (forward) and 12 TBF-1C Avengers.

Gator