After my recent posts describing the SC and HX eastbound convoy systems, I received an email that said, in effect, “What was the big deal about loosing one ship out a 50-ship convoy? With an average loss rate of between 0.6% (for HX convoys) and 2.1% (for SC convoys), surely […]
convoy
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After my post describing the ‘slow’ SC convoys, I received many requests for information about the other series of east-bound convoys, the ‘fast’ HX series, which many Canadian warships escorted during the Second World War in the Atlantic. Here is some analysis about them. The first convoy, HX-1, was a […]
Using the term ‘Battle’ for the protracted struggle in the Atlantic during the Second World War diminishes the importance of this important series of campaigns that spanned the entire war. I prefer to call is The Atlantic War, as a counter to the often used term The Pacific War. As […]
*Moderator's Note: This article was original published in The Nova Scotian on 01 May 2011. On 16 April, I had the opportunity to speak with a number of veterans at the Battle of Atlantic Annual Admiral Desmond Piers Dinner. Before the dinner, the veterans held a sombre ceremony to commemorate […]
AFP News Services have reported Somali pirates were able to capture the Bulgarian chemical tanker MV Panega (IMO number 8511586, 5,846 DWT, built in 1986) on Tuesday, 11 May. The crew of 15, all of whom are Bulgarians, have been taken hostage. The ship was enroute from the Red Sea […]
The Hong Kong Shipowners’ Association (HKSOA) has released what is described as “a furious statement” condemning the current organizational construct and tactical practices employed by naval forces to prevent piratical activities off the Horn of Africa. They accuse the international community of “tolerating piracy instead of eliminating attacks” and “sending […]
In my post on 7 December, entitled “Whether to Protect the Sea or Protect the Ships,” I argued that efforts to create defended lanes are a “misguided effort at sea control” and that history has shown repeatedly that they are based on a flawed operational concept. I did not realize […]
The capture by pirates of another super tanker, the Greek-owner MV Maran Centurus, approximately 800 nm off the coast of Somalia was reported this week by the BBC. The BBC report quotes Somalia analyst at the International Crisis Group think-tank Rashid Abdi as saying “the world's navies has made little […]