In this issue

CRUISE
Israel-Gaza war impacts Med cruises, Costa Atlantica reactivated after four years, and Mein Schiff Relax named. William Mayes

NORTHERN LINKS
The vital links from the Scottish mainland to Orkney and Shetland, with NorthLink Ferries now running the network. Russell Plummer

STENA VISION
On board the former Baltic ferry Stena Vision, new to the Rosslare-Cherbourg route, and a look at Stena’s fleet changes. Richard Seville

PROPULSION REVOLUTION

Jim Shaw summarises the efforts being made by the world’s shipping industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships, and how these efforts are reshaping marine propulsion and vessel design in light of new IMO 2020 regulations.

7 mins

THE HISTORIC FERRY BORE

Thomas Rinaldi profiles the historic motor ship Bore, now a combination museum and hotel ship docked permanently in Turku, originally built in 1960 by Oskarshamn shipyard in Sweden as the car/passenger ferry Bore for the Steamship Company Bore.

7 mins

On duty from the Thames to Mesopotamia

Russell Plummer recalls the contribution made by excursion ships and ferry paddle steamers, large and small, during the two World Wars.

7 mins

Space Ships

Patrick Boniface describes the ocean ships that recovered the space ships involved in the Apollo and Skylab missions of the 1960s and 1970s.

7 mins

Hebridean Isles West Coast Stalwart

Marking her 35th anniversary in 2020, Caledonian MacBrayne’s long-serving stalwart Hebridean Isles can be found as one of two regular vessels serving Islay on Scotland’s west coast. Mark Nicolson looks at a vessel which is a popular sight wherever she goes, with her name appropriately reflecting the areas served by CalMac.

4 mins

Spirit Of Discovery

Saga Cruises’ first new cruise ship in its history, Spirit of Discovery, made her debut in July. William Mayes went on board to assess the facilities on the new ship, which is arguably the most significant new cruise ship for Britain since Oriana of 1995.

5 mins

Bravo!

Memories of the decrepit-looking cargo ship Bravoaltona arriving at Avonmouth in September 1976, and an awareness of a fleet of former Dutch ships with names commencing Bravo, led Malcolm Cranfield to research two different Greek-owned fleets.

3 mins

The World's Biggest Ships

A decade and a half ago Ships Monthly reported on the world’s biggest ships and most have continued to grow, as Jim Shaw reports.

9 mins

ACL G4 Class Profile Of The New G4 Class Of Con-ros 

Matt Davies goes behind the scenes on Atlantic Container Line’s new G4 ships, which are the largest con-ros in the world.

2 mins

A Great British Ship

SS Great Britain is a ship worthy of the name ‘Great’. When launched in 1843, she was the biggest ship in the world, had an iron hull and was fitted with a steam-powered propeller. James Hendrie describes her career, which ended with her being placed on display in Bristol, the city where she was built.

6 mins

Ship of the Month Barfleur

Barfleur fresh from her 2015 overhaul in Santander, where the twin funnels were enlarged to accept new exhaust scrubbers.

5 mins

A Palace on the Seas

During her career, HM Yacht Britannia sailed over a million miles, visited 135 different countries, and docked in around 600 ports. James Hendrie looks back at the famous ship’s career on the 20th anniversary of her departure from service.

6 mins

HMS Hermes - A Ship Of Many Lives

Conrad Waters looks back over the career of the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes, which served two navies in a variety of roles.

6 mins

Queen Elizabeth - A Carrier For The 21st Century

Conrad Waters assesses the Royal Navy’s newest – and largest – aircraft carrier, and its progress towards delivery and entry into service.

6 mins

Remembering The Battleship - Queen Elizabeth

As the new HMS Queen Elizabeth is being readied to enter service, Paul Brown recalls the previous warship of the name, a battleship which saw action in both world wars.

7 mins

IRMA Causes Serious Disruption

Apart from the loss of life and destruction caused to island communities in the Caribbean region by Hurricanes Irma and Maria

1 min

The Ship That Could Not Be Sold

The story of the 1928-built ship Glen Strathallan is one of private indulgence, national service and public benefaction, as Stephen Brown explains.

4 mins

A View From The Bridge

Patrick Boniface talks to Iain ‘Archie’ Boyd, master of the tug/utility vessel Voe Vanguard.

2 mins

Military Provides Relief

The UK and Netherlands governments have each diverted major naval assets from NATO tasking to assist with humanitarian relief efforts in their jurisdictions in the Caribbean after the region was devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

1 min

Chinese Classics

Malcolm Cranfield looks at Chinese shipowning in the post-war era, when international trade and fleet expansion were facilitated by the use of offshore companies and flags of convenience.

4 mins

Khrushchev's Ship

Jim Shaw recalls a voyage he made on the 44-year-old classic liner Baltika in 1984, which regularly called at Tilbury.

7 mins

Ark Royal

Dene Bebbington looks back at some of the aircraft carriers which carried on the illustrious name of Ark Royal.

7 mins

Read all stories from Ships Monthly

Ships Monthly Magazine Description:

Britain's best-selling monthly magazine for ship lovers. Ships Monthly is read by enthusiasts all over the world. Ships Monthly provides enthusiasts with an insightful and balanced view of the fast-changing world of deep sea and coastal shipping.