Spectacular welcome for new lifeboat
The new 16m Tamar lifeboat Helen Comrie arrived at her Orkney station of Longhope on Hoy on 14 October to an amazing welcoming which included no fewer than four lifeboats. Helen Comrie had stayed overnight at Scrabster on the last leg of her journey north to Orkney, and passed Cantick Head lighthouse on Hoy accompanied by Severns Beth Sell and The Will from the Thurso and Stromness stations respectively. The former lifeboat Thomas McCunn was specially launched for the historic occasion.

New Liverpool service
A weekly freight ro-ro service from Liverpool to Leizoes, near Oporto, opened in late September with new Portuguese company Searoad employing the 12-driver, 1,403 lane metre Baltic Eager. Northbound departures take place on Saturdays with a return sailing from Liverpool Brocklebank Dock each Tuesday. Shareholders include Transnautica, Portcargo, Transportes Sardao and Garland, and Searoad may make an application for funding under the European Union's Marco Polo project and are looking to expand through companies with influence in Southampton and Zeebrugge. The 14,738gt Baltic Eager, built in Finland in 1979 and most recently running in the Baltic for Trans Russia Express, is owned by Callaghan Overseas and operated by Jay Management of Greece.

Fleet date for frigate
HMS Richmond has rejoined the fleet after a major refit lasting nearly 18 months. Most significant amongst the 44 enhancements was the installation of the new 2087 towed array sonar and 4.5-inch Mk.8 MoD 1 gun, each involving a considerable amount of structural alterations. The Type 23 frigate also received the latest sub-surface torpedo defence system and enhanced aviation facilities to accommodate the Merlin helicopter.

Naval base opened
Plymouth Navy Days were held on 26-28 August, the bank holiday weekend, with thousands of people flocking to Devonport Naval Base to see warships from both the Royal Navy and overseas. The show is the biggest public event in the service's calendar and gave the public the chance to climb aboard warships and see how the Navy's sailors, submariners and Royal Marines live and work.

Port expansion in the east
Expansion at several east coast ports is planned to take place over the coming months as various ports look to increase their range of services. By the end of the year, work is due to start on Great Yarmouth's outer harbour in Norfolk. The £43.5m project at the southern end of the town will create a new container terminal, roll-on roll-off berths, bulk cargo traffic handling, and services for passenger ferries to the continent.

Cal Mac prepares for tendering
Caledonian MacBrayne was restructured on 1 October to allow participation in the tendering process demanded under European Commission rules for Clyde and Hebridean services it currently provides. As a clear legal separation is necessary between the company owning vessels and ports, and that running the services, a new company, CalMac Ferries Ltd, has been set up as operator while Caledonian MacBrayne continues as vessel owner.

Drift from ferry travel halted
Ferry companies look to be halting the drift of passengers to low cost airlines. Figures released by the Passenger Shipping Association estimate that 35 million passenger journeys will be made from British ports to Continental Europe and Ireland by the end of the year, a figure matching 2005 levels and one making more encouraging reading for the operators after a period of decline.

Monarch Classic Cruises
The virtual monopoly by Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines of Pireaus-based Greek Islands cruises is being challenged by Majestic Cruises, which has launched Monarch Classic Cruises to market two vessels next summer. The Majestic-owned veteran Ocean Monarch (1955/15,833gt), which was hastily reactivated at the start of this year's season to replace the arrested Aegean I (1973/11,563gt), will be joined by Blue Monarch (1966/11,429gt), the former World Renaissance of Royal Olympic, acquired at auction in April 2005 by Argentinian tanker operator Ultrapetrol and managed by Ravenscroft Holdings, under the banner of Elysian Cruises.

RCI acquires Pullmantur
Rumours that Carnival Corporation were about to pounce on Pullmantur were well and truly quashed in August when Royal Caribbean announced it had purchased Spain's largest cruise and tour operator for EUR430 million (US$550.7 million), and assumed Pullmantur's debt of EUR270 million ($345.8 million). Subject to Spanish Government approval, the deal should be finalised by the end of the year.

Funchal returns down under
Classic International's Funchal (1961/9,563gt) will again be returning to Australian waters this month and plans have already been announced for her fourth season during winter 2007-8. The 550-passenger vessel was scheduled to depart Lisbon on 6 November and arrive in Fremantle on 15 December after a 39-night voyage. She will then undertake a series of cruises from the Australian port through to April, when she sails on a 23-night 'Bay of Bengal' cruise round trip from Singapore, visiting Thailand, Myanmar, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. On 14 April 2007, Funchal repositions from Fremantle to Harwich with a 36-night cruise.

Appeal to unlock funds for the Queen
The paddle steamer Medway Queen is being dismantled at her berth in Damhead Creek on the Medway. This is good news, however, because it is the first stage in the long road towards her eventual restoration, made possible by the award of a £1.86 million Heritage Lottery Grant.

Rejuvenated Robin
Ten years ago the future looked bleak for Robin, the last remaining British steam coaster. She had been restored as part of the Maritime Trust's ship collection at St Katharine's Dock in London but, when the collection was dispersed, she was laid up in the West India Dock. The years took their toll and she fell into disrepair. Today, however, she is in immaculate condition and proof that historic ships can be restored and maintained if the task is approached with determination and imagination.

Christian Radich in top form
The Norwegian full-rigger Christian Radich was the winner of this year's 50th anniversary Tall Ships' Race from Torbay to Lisbon, starting on 10 July.


All these stories and more can be found in the December issue of SHIPS MONTHLY.