Giant ship Blue Marlin. MV "Blue Marlin" - a vessel that carries ships This rod must be equipped with

Photographer Doug Perrin, who is the winner of the Photographer of the Year award Wildlife British Museum of Natural History, took some wonderful underwater photos off the coast of Baja California in Mexico.

The first photo is amazing in how the photographer managed to get close to the blue marlin as he baits the poor sardine onto his nose before popping it into his mouth.

The blue marlin (Pacific Blue Marlin) was first described in 1802 as separate species, belonging to the marlin family. There is still debate in scientific circles about the membership of some subspecies in the class of blue marlin, mainly based on some small distinctive features. But this is unlikely to be of great importance for the sports fisherman.

Regarding big fishing - blue or blue marlin, this is one of the largest bony fish known to science, having an elongated upper jaw in the form of a pike. In the Latin name Makaira nigricans, the first word comes from machaera, which means "sword". Indeed, this long sword or spear, very durable, sharp and round in diameter, is used by him when hunting, and also serves to cut through water when moving, increasing his speed characteristics.

Marlins are predators that feed in surface waters and are capable of making long migrations in search of food in a short period of time. Blue marlin is a passionate hunter. Its prey is mainly small tuna and squid. Its menu is also complemented by other sea animals, such as lobsters, crabs and sea turtles. Many professional hunters have repeatedly noted the fact that, even without being hungry, blue marlin attacks its prey simply for the sake of the hunting process. Therefore, if a marlin suddenly appears near the boat, in most cases it attacks the offered bait.

Its habitat is not tied to the coast. Marlins are found both in the shelf zone of continents and islands, and in the open ocean thousands of kilometers from the coast.

The body structure of the blue marlin allows it to gain incredible speed in the water, which gives it the ability to hunt even flying fish that are inaccessible to most predators. The elongated upper jaw and folding fins create a hydrodynamic body shape that allows it to accelerate to 100 km/h or more, which, combined with the size and strength of the blue marlin, puts it at the very top of the ocean food chain. It is not without reason that some nationalities use the word “king” in defining this fish. In appearance, it is probably difficult to find a more beautiful fish. A bright blue or light blue back, a shiny silver belly, a sickle-shaped tail and lower fins that look like airplane fenders - all this creates a unique, elite image of this fast and very strong fish.

Blue marlin can reach a length of more than 4 meters and weigh about a ton. In the book of records International Association Fishermen IGFA registered specimens of 636 kg in Atlantic Ocean and 624 kg in Tikhoy. The rules for entering caught fish into this book are very strict, so not all records are included in official reports.

In the press and fishing analytics, you can find evidence of the capture of trophies that exceed in weight those appearing in official statistics, supported only by eyewitness accounts and photographs. But this information can also be trusted, because due to the huge range of its habitat, we most likely have no idea what size blue marlin can reach somewhere in the middle Pacific Ocean, where fishing boats and large fishing vessels simply do not go.

In most countries, blue marlin fishing is governed by local laws that govern the release of all fish caught. The fisherman usually only has a photograph or video clip left in memory of this trophy. At the same time, if marlin is nevertheless taken as a catch, many fishermen manage to try dishes prepared according to local recipes. Basically, it is cooked on the grill and the gastronomic value of its meat in terms of the balance of proteins and fats, as well as its special taste, is highly appreciated by gourmets.

Marlin hunting has become a special class of fishing that has thousands of fans around the world. For this, people sometimes fly thousands of kilometers and sail the oceans on fishing boats for weeks. Among the famous fans of this fishing are the writer E. Hemingway, who dedicated his famous novel “The Old Man and the Sea” to the blue marlin, as well as the Cuban leader Fidel Castro. According to rumors, in Cuban waters no one has yet defeated the famous “Commandante” in terms of the number and weight of marlin caught.

Among trophy fishermen there is a concept called “Grand Slam”. This is a kind of fishing gradation, akin to the assignment of a “black belt” in karate. In order to get it, you need to catch a certain set of fish at a time specified by the rules and record your catch in one of the specialized clubs of the International Fishing Association IGFA. So, in order to get this gradation in the Offshore Grand Slam club, you need to catch blue marlin, black marlin and sailfish in one day of fishing at sea.

In various clubs that gravitate towards certain geographical latitudes and different seas and oceans, the set of fish species may differ, but blue marlin will always come first, as a symbol of real sea fishing. And this is no coincidence. The culmination of the hunt for blue marlin is a spectacular fishing with jumps, mind-blowing “candles” and other acrobatic somersaults. The fight can last for hours and its ending can never be known in advance. A beautiful and powerful fish always fights to the last, allowing the angler to fully experience all the delights and excitement of sea fishing in the Big Game class.

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When it becomes necessary to transport a large number of ships (provided they themselves are not yet ready for launch), move a giant oil platform (for example, British Petroleum's Thunder Horse PDQ) or bring a damaged military missile ship to port (for example , such as the US Navy ship USS Cole), the unique ship “MV Blue Marlin” will come to the rescue.

1. The Blue Marlin is a semi-submersible transport ship.

2. Such sea vessels fairly limited specialization.

3. Semi-submersible transport ships designed to move large, heavy cargo, for example, they can transport sections of offshore platforms and oil platforms, submarines, cranes, ships, berths, and so on. The Blue Marlin has 38 cabins that can comfortably accommodate 60 people. gym, sauna and swimming pool.

4. The Blue Marlin has its own twin, the MV Black Marlin. Both vessels have been owned by Offshore Heavy Transport, a specialized shipping company based in Oslo, Norway, since they were built in April 2000 and November 1999, respectively. On July 6, 2001, both vessels were purchased by Dockwise Shipping from the Netherlands.

7. HISTORY

The US Navy used the Blue Marlin to transport the destroyer USS Cole back to the United States after the ship was damaged in an al-Qaeda suicide attack in Aden, one of the ports. In the second half of 2003, the Blue Marlin underwent a refurbishment that increased capacity and added two retractable thrusters to improve maneuverability.

9. The ship re-entered service in January 2004. Following the improvements, the Blue Marlin delivered the 60,000 ton Thunder Horse PDQ oil platform to Corpus Christi, Texas.
In July 2005, the Blue Marlin transported the Snohvit oil refinery from the construction site in Cadiz to Hammerfest, a journey that lasted eleven days. This transportation became the basis of one of the plots of the television show "Extreme Engineering" on the Discovery Channel television channel, as well as the TV show "Mega Movers", which aired on the History Channel.
In November 2005, the Blue Marlin departed Corpus Christi, Texas to move a sea-based X-band radar to Adak, Alaska, via the southern tip South America and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The ship arrived at Pearl Harbor on January 9, 2006, having traveled 15,000 miles. In January 2007, the Blue Marlin was hired to transport two jack-up drilling rigs, Rowan Gorilla VI and GlobalSantaFe Galaxy II, from Halifax to the North Sea.

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12. Specifications of the Blue Marlin vessel:
Initial specifications.
Length: 217 meters (712 ft);
Length between perpendiculars: 206.5 meters (677 ft);
Maximum width: 42 meters (138 ft);
Side height: 13.3 meters (44 ft);
Summer load line draft: 10 m (33 ft);
Load capacity: 56,000 metric tons;
Dive depth on deck: 10 meters (33 ft);
Free deck length: 178.2 and 157.2 meters (585 or 516 ft);
Free deck area: more than 7215 square meters (77660 square feet);
Main engine power: 12640 kW;
Thruster power: 2000 kW;
Cruising speed: 14.5 knots
Cruising range: 25,000 nm
Occupancy: 55 people
Place of construction: CSBC, Kaohsiung

13. After 2004 (after improvements)
Depth: 13.3 meters (44 ft);
Maximum draft when leaving port: 10 meters (33 ft);
Maximum dive draft: 29.3 meters (96 ft);
Deck area: 63 × 178.2 meters (207 × 584.6 ft);
Total deck area: 11,227 square meters (120,850 sq ft);
Propulsion output: 4500 kW each.

When the need arises to transport a large number of ships, move a giant oil platform, or bring a damaged warship home, the giant Blue Marlin will become an indispensable assistant.

We have already mentioned it in the selection of the largest ships. The Blue Marlin is a semi-submersible heavy lift vessel designed to transport very large drilling rigs, ships and other cargo. The ship is equipped with 38 cabins to accommodate 60 people, a warm-up room, a sauna and special floatation facilities.

The Blue Marlin and her twin the Black Marlin are part of the heavy lift class. They belong to a company from Oslo - Offshore Heavy Transport. Built in April 2000 and November 1999 respectively.

The US Navy hired Blue Marlin to bring the USS Cole Wuyekschnuk to the United States after it was damaged by an Al Qaeda suicide attack while anchored in the port of Aden, Yemen. During the last revision in 2003, the vessel's load-bearing capacity was increased, as well as maneuverability and stability.

The vessel re-entered service in January 2004. Following these improvements, Blue Marlin delivered the 60,000 ton Thunder Horse PDQ oil platform to Corpus Christi, Texas.

In July 2005, Blue Marlin moved the Snehvit gas refinery from its construction site in Cadiz in 11 days. This transport was featured on the Extreme Engineering TV Show on the Discovery Channel, as well as on the Mega Movers program on the History Channel.

In November 2005, the ship left Corpus Christi, Texas, to move the massive X-Group maritime radar to Adak, Alaska. The ship reached Pearl Harbor on January 9, 2006, having traveled 15,000 miles. In January 2007, Marlin was hired to move two drilling rigs from Halifax Harbor to the North Sea.

7,5

“In general, the hotel is not bad, although a little old. BUT there are problems."

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Rest
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Family with small children

7 nights stay

1) The hotel has CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH LIGHT, there is often NO LIGHT! They turn off during the day for an hour or two, turn off in the evening at 22:00 and until the morning until 6:30. This is a real problem and it’s very annoying! During blackouts, you can’t charge your equipment, or wi-fi doesn’t work, you can’t read a book, and just going to the toilet is a problem - because it’s dark like in a cave at night. The lights are turned off and on by the hotel owner: that is, if he goes to bed at 10 p.m., then the guests should too. I went to the reception with this question - they told me about the fire in the hotel and problems with the generator and how expensive it was... I asked to turn off the lights at least at 24, not at 22 o'clock - they nodded and still turned it off at 22... In general, it’s like in a camp - the hotel has its own regime! Keep this in mind. 2) A couple of times there were problems with turning off the water. There are still some minor drawbacks that didn’t bother me, but just keep this in mind: 3) In the rooms there is a design solution on the walls in the form of holes, there are no nets on them and mosquitoes fly into the room through them. 4) The tulle over the beds and the towels in the room and beach are very old, washed out and with holes. 5) The floors in the room are not washed, the socks immediately turned black. 6) There is no kettle, slippers, hair conditioner or TV in the room (in case this is important to someone). 7) I didn’t dare get into the pool, because the water in it was full of leaves and looked dirty. 8) There are almost no other restaurants within walking distance.

Israel

20 marks “helpful review”

8,8

Very good

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Solo traveler
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5 nights stay

Sent from phone

Salt water in the tap. But the lack of normal water supply is a problem along the entire coast of East Africa.

The hotel is located on the first line in the best part of Diani Beach. The food in the restaurant is very tasty. The choice of dishes is small but exceptionally skillfully prepared.

8,8

Very good

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Length of stay: July 2019

Russia

34 marks “helpful review”

7,9

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Pair

The hotel fully corresponds to its category (3*). The staff is very polite. The rooms, of course, should be taken with ocean views - quite large, with large verandas and balconies. The room has a hairdryer, air conditioning, kettle. The bed has a net, but there were no mosquitoes. Cleaning is daily, towels are changed daily, gel and shampoo is added every other day. There are ants in the rooms - they always give sprays for treatment. The doors and windows to the veranda must be closed very well - the monkeys masterfully open all the doors, steal everything, the staff chases the monkeys. The beach and the hotel area are excellent, sun loungers and beach towels are always available, you can swim all day (and at low tide). Restaurant: we were on FB. The food is delicious, sometimes you have to wait longer, not always all items are in stock. On FB, an order can consist of 3 dishes (lunch - soup or salad + main course + dessert; dinner - salad + main course + dessert, drinks all for an additional fee). WI-FI in the rooms is weak.

For relaxation - we recommend! Feature (does not apply to the hotel) - there are a sufficient number of surfers on the beach, most follow safety rules, not swimming into the swimming zone, but there are a few individuals who violate water safety rules. It’s good that surfers are on the water only when there is wind.

Russia

Salt water in the tap. But the lack of normal water supply is a problem along the entire coast of East Africa.

4,2

Group

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11 night stay
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Sometimes sky surfers disturb swimmers.

Nice beach. The food is very tasty. Security.

Salt water in the tap. But the lack of normal water supply is a problem along the entire coast of East Africa.

Length of stay: February 2019

9,6

5 marks “helpful review”

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Rest

"Disgusting Blue Marlin!"

. Travelers with friends.

Length of stay: November 2018

Salt water in the tap. But the lack of normal water supply is a problem along the entire coast of East Africa.

25 marks “helpful review”

7,1

4 nights stay

The rooms are gloomy and not comfortable (they are brighter and more comfortable in the photo), it feels like you are in a cave. There is very little light. Most of the furniture seems to be carved in stone, generally not for everyone. If you spend little time in the room, it will do just fine. There is no TV, which is very sad because the hotel is quiet and a TV would be great entertainment. The hotel is very small, located a few steps from the beach (you can swim without paying attention to the tides). Hotel restaurant with delicious cuisine (we still remember the dishes) We took full board

Length of stay: November 2018

Salt water in the tap. But the lack of normal water supply is a problem along the entire coast of East Africa.

Length of stay: February 2019

7,5

and just ate too much because it’s impossible to resist! Lobster in tomato sauce, luxurious tuna, chowder with lobster, shrimp, octopus 🐙, fresh juices for breakfast. There is no buffet system, you need to choose items from the menu (lunch dinner: salad or soup, main course and dessert).Excellent cocktails based on natural fresh juices. Price quality. + the most important plus is the kitchen and the swimming ocean + a beautiful beach 🏖 The Russian-speaking owner of the hotel (from Bulgaria), a very pleasant Masai warrior, guarding the hotel from scourge fights and monkeys.

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Length of stay: July 2019
"We had a good time"

. 8 nights stay Sometimes the wait for the order was very long, especially during lunch. We regretted that we chose to eat 3 times a day, it is better to take 2 times, and have fruit for lunch or go to another cafe. But while waiting, you can admire the ocean - the view is stunning. All drinks (except breakfast) must be paid additionally. When we arrived a few days ago there was breakfast"

We liked! A cozy small hotel - there are not many guests, which was a plus for us (but there are no public events, entertainment, sports, dancing, like in neighboring hotels). You can walk from your room to the beach very quickly. The ocean and the beach are gorgeous, I liked the ebb and flow of the tide, the view is always different - sometimes it’s like a picture of paradise, sometimes the ocean is gone, but cool shells remain. We never stepped on anything or got hurt, even if the water was cloudy due to the tide (but there may be algae in the water). We took the full board - it was very tasty, in 9 days we barely had time to try the entire variety of the menu. The banana split dessert with passion fruit is simply amazing. The portions are huge. We ordered a massage - it was very high quality, we would have taken more, but we were already leaving (but they do it on the street - it’s better to do a massage in the evening). Sometimes there are monkeys running around in the hotel - you don’t need to feed them, but you need to close the windows in your room, they are smart and can climb in. They climbed in and ate bananas. The staff is friendly, the coolest guy in the restaurant is Simon (Simon is the best!). There is also a very friendly Maasai working on the territory, but I never found out his name. I read bad reviews about the pool. Yes, small. But! It doesn’t blow when it’s no longer possible to lie by the ocean. Deep - you can dive. Two lights at night and warm water - nice. And the coolest thing is that you can swim even at night, if it’s not closed for cleaning (for us, it was only closed once late in the evening - usually early in the morning). There are scourge fights, we went with them for cheaper excursions. But if you immediately say that you don’t need anything, they will leave you behind. There's a great kite school nearby! We didn't learn anything, but we took a body board to ride the waves. In the states, every child has such a board - it’s fun.

Construction at the hotel. They didn't warn me. They knocked and sawed all day long.

Location

Length of stay: March 2018

It is difficult to surprise ordinary people today with automotive technology, but most people have no idea what incredible machines are in the service of humanity today. Rocket technology is very far from everyday life, private jets are not yet widespread, and people know even less about ships. Meanwhile, among them there are more than interesting specimens. One of them is the semi-submersible cargo ship Blue Marlin, which was created in the Netherlands.

The first floating giants Marlin appeared back in 2001, and two years later the ships were seriously modernized and adapted for large cargoes.

The Blue Marlin has everything for a comfortable stay: a gym, a sauna, a swimming pool, and at the same time the ship can transport drilling platforms and destroyers.

In order to load an object onto the deck, Blue Marlin goes under water, turning its own deck into a kind of “floating dock” that itself fits the cargo.

The characteristics of the vessel are impressive. The ship's displacement is 91,238 tons. The width of the vessel is 79 meters, length - 275 meters, and draft - 9.5 meters. The Blue Marlin's cruising speed is 12.9 knots.

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