TS Stefan Batory- Polish Ocean Lines (SS Maasdam)

 

The TS Stefan Batory was a gas-powered steam turbine driven ocean liner built in Holland in 1952 under the name of SS Maasdam, initially used to service the Dutch East Indies by the Holland America Line. Tonnage: 15,024 BRT; Length: 153.4 m (503 ft); Width: 21.0 m (69 ft); Height: 21.0 m (69 ft).; Speed: 16.5 knots; Passengers: 39 1st class, 734 tourist class; Crew: 336. She was bought from Holland in 1968 and began service as a Polish ocean liner in April 1969, renamed after a king of Poland, Stefan Batory (1533-1586). After TS Stefan Batory was refitted she became the flagship of the Polish Ocean Lines, and she remained in service until 1988. She was the last regularly scheduled transatlantic liner. Here is an image of a stamp depicting the Stefan Batory, issued by Poland on January 30, 1971.

SS Zion - Israel -post-World War II

 

As part of Germany's post-World War II reparations to Israel, Deutsche Werft in Hamburg constructed the SS Zion for ZIM Lines in 1956. Together with her sister ship, Israel, she ran the Haifa to New York route.
The Zion was 152 metres long, 9855 grammes, and 312 passengers in two classes when it was built. She was propelled by steam turbines through a single screw at a speed of 19 knots.

Above is a picture of a stamp featuring SS Zion that Israel released on January 27, 1958. It was created by Israeli sculptor, painter, and graphic designer Miriam Karoly (1926–1994).

SS Normandie - Ocean Liner

 

SS Normandie was an ocean liner built in Saint-Nazaire, France for the French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. She entered service in 1935 as the largest and fastest passenger ship afloat; she is still the most powerful steam turbo-electric-propelled passenger ship ever built. Here is an image of a stamp depicting SS Normandie, issued by France on June 7, 1935, Scott No. 300, Yvert & Tellier No. 299. Just look at that mighty bow wave!

Shipwrecks in the waters off the Isle of Man

 

Isle of Man Post Office presents six stories of the most notorious and significant shipwrecks in the waters off the Isle of Man over a period of almost five-hundred years.

Many hundreds of ships have met their final fate around the coast of the Isle of Man. The Island’s central location in the Irish Sea and proximity to major shipping routes have been factors in centuries of losses.

This six stamp collection, tells the story of six iconic shipwrecks of the Isle of Man.  Four stamps feature archival imagery courtesy of Manx National Heritage, with the older Shipwrecks (The Racehorse and Sancta Catalina), being represented through original artworks by local artist Paul Parker.  

Patache Sancta Catalina - The Spanish Head Armada Wreck 1588

Folk tradition says a Spanish Armada galleon was wrecked in the south of the Island at Spanish Head. People native to Rushen parish are said to have certain Spanish features after survivors married local women, and even today the term ‘Spaniard’ is often heard as a colloquial term for a Manx person from Rushen. 

HMS Brig Racehorse - The Skerranes, Langness 14th December 1822

HMS Racehorse was bound for Douglas to collect the crew of the cutter Vigilant when she struck Langness. Two boats were launched from the Racehorse to seek local help. Despite rough seas, one local boat made several journeys to the wreck. However, on the final journey back to Castletown a large wave swamped the boat drowning five naval crew and three local men.

Brig Lily - Kitterland in the Calf Sound 27th December 1852

The Lily, bound for southwest Africa, with a general cargo, including 61 tons of gunpowder, was caught off the Calf of Man in a storm and driven ashore on Kitterland in the Calf Sound killing five of her crew. Early the next day a salvage party observed smoke coming from the wreck. Carpenters cut a hole in the deck to extinguish the fire. As soon as air entered the hold there was a huge explosion which killed 29 men.

Barque Thorne - Port Jack, Onchan 25th January 1890

The Manx version of Whisky Galore! Heavy seas burst open the ship’s main hatch, and cargo, including whisky and brandy in casks, floated out. The police and customs officials were at hand to try and prevent pilfering, but many individuals still managed to obtain large quantities of spirits, leading to amazing scenes of public drunkenness.

Steamship Clan MacMaster - The Calf Sound 30th September 1923

During dense fog the Clan MacMaster struck the Thousla Rock in the Calf Sound whilst on a voyage from Glasgow for the Far East via Liverpool. She was carrying a general cargo consisting mainly of motorcars, sewing machines, machinery, coal and cotton. She is the largest ship to have been wrecked on the Manx coast. Many homes in the south of the Isle of Man proudly owned a brand new Singer sewing machine after the wreck!

Steam Trawler Cevic - Ballure, Ramsey 26th June 1927

At 3am the second engineer got into the small boat moored alongside the Cevic, to row ashore to collect four men. The rope attaching it to the trawler snapped, and he was cast adrift. His crew mates feared that he would be in great danger in the rough seas. They weighed anchor and attempted to reach the small boat, but failed and the Cevic ran aground on rocks below Ballure on Ramsey South Beach.

Adrian Corkill

Maritime historian Adrian Corkill has been researching shipwrecks in the seas around the Isle of Man for over thirty years. He has built up a database of more than 1,800 shipwrecks and published five books covering several shipwreck topics.

He also explored many shipwreck sites first hand during his scuba diving career which led to the positive identification of a number of shipwrecks and to the discovery of several previously unknown shipwrecks. Adrian is currently working with Manx National Heritage to create the maritime section of the Isle of Man Historic Environment Record from his research.

Paul Parker

Paul was born on the Isle of Man in 1957. He is, for the most part, a self-taught artist. His work is mainly landscape paintings. But also motorcycle racing themes. These are realistic, in a loose impressionistic style. Details being inferred, not defined. He has had many one-person shows on the Island, the first being in 1980. The latest to be held in the Manx Museum this year (2022). He works in watercolour, acrylic and pastel. The subject suggests the medium used. His work is about light and atmosphere. The message, if there is one: "I liked this, and I thought you might too.” A chance to see the world through another's eyes. It's that simple.

Illustrations     Paul Parker
Text                 Adrian Corkill
Printer             bpost
Process            Offset lithography
Colours            4
Paper                PVA gummed 110 gms
Perforations     11.5 per 2cms
Stamp Size       40 x 30 mm
Format             Sheets of 20
Stamp Set         6
Date of Issue     12th October 2022
Limited Editions     Presentation Pack 1100; First Day Cover 1500

Sagar Samrat - Drill Ship

 

Sagar Samrat is a drill-ship, a merchant vessel designed for use in exploratory offshore drilling of new oil and gas wells or for scientific drilling purposes. It was the first rig that drilled the first well offshore in 1974.

Here are five things you need to know about Sagar Samrat:

•   It is located at Bombay High, 176 kilometers off the coast of Mumbai.
•  It is managed by Oils and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
• Sagar Samrat has a drilling depth of 18,000 feet (5,486 metre) and ONGC has plans to convert the rig to take over oil production duties replacing Bombay High north platform.
• In 1960s, after India's industrialisation overdrive, the energy requirement rocketed and, during 1964-67, a Russian oil exploration team operating from the seismic exploration vessel Akademik Arkhangelsky discovered India's largest oil and gas field which was named Bombay High. After a major fire accident in July 2005, the north platform was lost hence Sagar Samrat is being turned over to Bombay High operations.
• Sagar Samrat has been in service for 32 years. The rig has drilled 125 wells and has been associated with 14 major discoveries adding more than 3 billion tonnes of oil and gas reserves.
  

INSV Mhadei -Sagar Parikrama (circum navigation by sea)

 

Length 17.1 meter

Length of Waterline 14.40 meter

Beam 5 meter

Displacement 23 tons

Draft 2.7 mtrs

Material Wood Core Fibreglass

Height of Mast 21 mtrs from the waterline

Design By Van De Stadt

INSV Mhadei made history by successfully completing the 'Sagar Parikrama' project for the Indian Navy, a Goa built yacht manufactured by Aquarius Fiberglas Pvt Ltd. Commander  Dilip Donde became the first Indian to sail solo and circumnavigate the world. Goa has a special meaning for the boat and its crew, not only because it was built on the island of Diwar, but also because it gets its name from the ancient name of the Mandvi River.

The Sagar Parikrama program, which literally means 'circumnavigation by sea' in Hindi, is the Indian Navy's first solo circumnavigation operation. This ambitious project was conceived and overseen by V Adm (Retd) MP Awati, his VrC himself an avid sailor and receiving active support from the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defense. After researching various yacht designs, the Indian Navy focused on the Vandestadt Tonga 56 and the contract went to Aquarius Fiberglas Pvt Ltd. The boat was completed 13 months later and underwent intensive sea trials in the Arabian Sea off Goa. The boat proved to be, in the words of Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, 'a suitable boat for round-the-world trips without major drawbacks'.

Mhadei is a 56 foot sloop with a displacement of 23 tons of wood core fiberglass construction, equipped with all the necessary navigation and communication equipment for a solo circumnavigation. The boat has her suite of 8 sails, consisting of 2 mainsails, 2 genoas, 1 staysail each, 1 storm her pegs, and 2 genakers. She is also equipped with the latest communication and navigation equipment and is equipped for paperless navigation, internet broadband and worldwide telephony. During her voyage of more than 21,000 miles, the ship stopped at only four of her ports: Fremantle, Christchurch, the Falkland Islands and Cape Town. She was valued in all ports for its strong and sturdy build. Soloist Commander Dilip Donde praises the boat. "You can only think of sailing around the world when you have a strong ship and Madei lives up to your expectations."

 The boat was flagged in Mumbai on 19 August 2009 and after a successful voyage she returned to Mumbai on 19 May 2010.

TRISHNA Yacht India Stamp

  

 

Built in 1970 at the OY Nautors Ab shipyard in Pietarsaari, Finland, she was designed by Sparkman and Stevens as a Swan-class ship. She weighs 10.5 tons, she is 36.6 feet long, 10.9 feet wide and 6.1 feet draft.

In 1985 she was sold to India's Sapper Adventure Foundation and renamed TRISHNA, which in Hindi means the urge to satisfy a deep-seated desire. From 1985 to 1987 she was used for circumnavigation from India and was boarded by Indian Navy personnel. She sailed west via the Panama Canal (course shown on stamp).

 She has since completed two more of her long trips. From 1994 she returned to Singapore from Bombay in 1995 and from 1996 she returned to Muscat from Bombay in 1997 she returned to Salalah Ramahe. During the year 1000 she made another voyage from Mumbai to Singapore and visited many ports during her voyage to and from Singapore.