An item reported the loss on 18 November of the British cargo ship Nestlea, Tonnage 4,274 tons, loaded with margarine, underway from Takoradi, Gold Coast [Ghana] to the United Kingdom sunk when bombed by aircraft on the position 48 miles south west of Fastnet. Part of convoy. Two boatloads with survivors were sailing landwards.
Source
National Archive UK. CAB-66-13-37.
An item reported the loss on 15 November of the British cargo ship Kohinur, tonnage 5,168 tons, underway from Glasgow, Scotland to Takoradi, Gold Coast [Ghana] sunk by a submarine on the position 220 miles south of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Not part of a convoy. Of the crew 35 men were landed at Freetown.
Source
National Archive UK. CAB-66-13-37.
Protectorate of the German Empire between 1884-1914 which was etsablished with creating two seperate protectorates. Invaded by British and French military forces after the First World War broke out (29 July 1914) on7 August and placed under military rule. Divided by the United Kingdom and France in two seperative administrative zones which was formalised in 1922 under a League of Nations mandate with creating British Togoland bordering the Gold Coast (integrated in Ghana in 1957) and French Togoland 2/3 of the land including Lomé bordering Dahomey (integrated in the Republic of Togo in 1960.
Lumit Naval Base, Malaysia January 2026
Ordered in 1964, laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders, Scotstoun, Scotland with yard number 2284 as the frigate annex presidential yacht Black Star for Ghana in 1965, but due to a coup order cancelled in February 1966, launched on 29 December 1966, completed in June 1968, laid up whating for a buyer, taken over by the British Navy in 1971, commissioned as HMS Mermaid F76 on 16 May 1973, sold to Malaysia in April 1977, renamed Hang Tuah, later converted into a training ship, decommissioned in 2018 and became a museumship.
Article and photos republished with our thanks to Big Lift Shipping
This week, our Happy Sky successfully completed the transport of seven historic German Navy missile speedboats – Schnellboote, Type 143A Gepard class – from Kiel, Germany to Aliaga, Turkey. The vessels were loaded in early August and have now reached their final destination, where they will be dismantled.The seven boats, all identical and commissioned between 1983 and 1984, are part of a series of ten vessels that were decommissioned in 2015 and 2016. One of their sister ships, the ex-S71 Gepard, has been preserved and is on display at the naval museum in Wilhelmshaven, Germany since 2016. The vessels transported were the ex-S72 Puma, ex-S73 Hermelin, ex-S75 Zobel, ex-S76 Frettchen, ex-S78 Ozelot, ex-S79 Wiesel, and ex-S80 Hyäne. Each vessel weighs approximately 330 metric tonnes, measures 58 metres in length, 7.90 metres in width, and stands at an estimated height of 9.3 metres. Two of the boats were stowed in the hold, while the remaining five were secured on deck. In order to accommodate three boats next to each other the weather deck of the Happy Sky was extended by the use of the vessels’ tweendeck hatch covers. Each boat had a slightly different centre of gravity, influenced by its age and maintenance history.A wide range of equipment was mobilised for the operation, including A-frames, cut-to-shape dunnage, lifting beams, chains featuring BigLift’s new speed lashing system, and heavy load platforms (HLPs) . Due to the limited and outdated technical data available, the rigging was selected with sufficient contingency, resulting in a heavier setup than usual. As of 1 September, all vessels have arrived at their final berth – never to sail again.
An item reported that the state owned Ghana Fishing Corporation possessed 8 trawlers and another 12 trawlers ordered. A second Japanese built 235 feet 1,850 gross tons stern trawler was already delivered. Ghana ordered the building in Japan of several fishing vessels including 2-1,200 ton deadweight fish carriers for around 16 million US dollars.
An item reported that in October 1964 the at Kiev, Soviet Union built trawler Sushion was handed over to the state owned Ghana Fishing Corporation. Length 176 feet, 644 tons gross tonnage and maximum storage capacity of 140 metric tons of fish.
An item reported that the Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) would provide 4 trainers and special equipment for a maritime school to be established at Tema, Ghana. The local government was responsible for buildings, part of the equipment and part of the operating costs. After three years the school was to be handed over to local authorities at Tema.
An item reported that the first of seven large stern trawlers to be built in Norway was accepted by Ghana on the in West Norway located shipyard. With a lenght of 231 feet had she a deep freeze daily capacity of 24 tons fish and 35,000 cubic feet refrigerated storage space. The diesels with a horsepower of 1,960 bhp and reversible screws allowed a speed of 14.5 knots. Fuel bunker capacity 60 days. Another 4 trawlers were already launched. 17 Ghanaians were during 11 months starting middle October 1964 trained at Oslo as engineers. The Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) participated in training enginers and deck officers.
An item reported that Ghana was expanding her fishing fleet ambitiously. Except for 12 vessels from Japan, were 6-1,800 ton trawlers from Norway, 2-500 ton trawlers from the United Kingdom and 18 trawlers (10-60 ton, 8-200 tons) from the Soviet Union ordered. Earlier were 2 stern trawlers from the United Kingdom and 3-1,000 ton side trawlers from the Soviet Union purchased, all in service with technical support (15 Russians and 3 British).
An item reported that Ghana contracted in February 1964 a Japanese fishing company for delivering 10-1,850 ton trawlers and 2-1,850 ton fishing carriers. In July were arrangements made for technical support for operating the vessels. This agreement was to be formalized in August. In the same month was the first vessel to be handed over which came with 50 Japanese including captain and engineer. The second vessel was end 1964 to be completed, the third in June 1965 and by 1967 were all vessels to have be delivered.
An item reported that the Ghana Fishing Corporation ordered totally 40 trawlers by shipyards in Norway, United Kingdom and Japan. Norway agreed further more to train Ghanian fishermen.
