French Aircraft Carrier - Bearn

 

Date of Issue: Nov 07, 2022

The stamp depicts Hunter Dewoitine and Aircraft Carrier Bearn.

The image of the Dewoitine and Bearn were printed using intaglio, and the rest of the design by offset printing.

As a ship theme collector, the aircraft carrier caught my attention.

Béarn, named for the historic province of Béarn, was an aircraft carrier converted from an incomplete

Normandie-class battleship for the Marine nationale (French Navy) during the 1920s. The only aircraft carrier France produced until after World War II, the ship played a minor role in early stages of the war, training in home waters and conducting pilot training.

The ship's flight deck was 180 meters (590 ft 7 in) long and it had a maximum width of 27 meters (88 ft 7 in). The deck itself was composed of two overlapping 12-millimeter (0.47 in) plates covered by 50–70 millimeters (2.0–2.8 in) of African teak.

The ship was designed with two hangar decks, of which only the upper 124-meter-long (406 ft 10 in) hangar could be used for aircraft operations as the lower hangar was dedicated to workshops and aircraft assembly and storage facilities.

The above image matches the design on the stamp.

Click here to know more about the aircraft carrier Bearn.

Text Source: Wikipedia
Image Source: wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com

China 2024 Shipbuilding Industry in China

 Date of Issue: April 23, 2024

The above mini sheet comprises two sets of 4 stamps depicting various vessels, a testament to growing China's Shipbuilding Industry.

Chinese Aircraft Carrier - Shandong:

Shandong is a Chinese aircraft carrier that was launched on 26 April 2017 for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of the People's Republic of China. It is the country's first domestically built aircraft carrier.  

Shandong was constructed by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry, part of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, in Dalian, Liaoning province, China.

The carrier was commissioned on 17 December 2019 at Sanya, Hainan by Central Military Commission chairman Xi Jinping and was officially named Shandong.

It is capabe of carrying up to 30 aircrafts.

Click here to know more about Shandong.

Chinese Destroyer - Nanchang (101)

Nanchang (101) is a Type 055 destroyer of the People's Liberation Army Navy. She is the lead ship of the class and laid down in December 2014 at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.  She was commissioned on 12 January 2020. When launched, Nanchang was among the largest post-Second World War warships launched in East Asia. She is equipped with wide range of armaments including short-range SAM 24-cell launcher, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, land-attach cruise missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, anti-ship ballistic missiles and can carry 2 medium-lift helicopters.

Click here to know more about Nanchang (101)

Adora Magic City - China's first large-scale cruise ship

It was built by a joint venture between China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) and Carnival, an American cruise operator. 

It has 15 decks and can accommodate up to 5,246 passengers and 1,292 crew members.  The ship has 2,125 cabins.The ship's launch is a milestone in China's shipbuilding industry.

CMA CGM Jacques Saade

The world's largest container vessel powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) as well as fuel oil.

It was named and handed over by its Chinese manufacturers to its French buyer in Changxing Island in Shanghai on Tuesday, proving that China's shipbuilding industry has moved from following others to "leading the pack" in terms of large container ship manufacturing.

With a deck as large as 23,978 square meters, roughly equivalent to the size of three and a half standard soccer fields, the world's largest and most advanced dual-fuel container ship can be loaded with 23,000 TEUs at a single time.

Text Source: Wikipedia, globaltimes.cn

Cuba Coast Guard - Mirando al Mar

Date of Issue: February 11, 2017

The Border Troops (part of Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces) of the Republic of Cuba are de facto both a border guard and a coast guard force, and all new officers are commissioned from the Granma Naval Academy. It is a branch that ensures the protection of the state borders and territorial waters.

Depicted on the stamp is a fast patrol boat with number 091. Could not get much information online. If anyone could share more information to be published, I would be grateful.

 

2nd Award for my Blog - Silver Medal at Kalanchiam@79°E, Thanjavur

Latest Award for my blog - Won a silver medal at Kalanchiam@79°E - District Level Philatelic Exhibition organized by India Post, Central Region, Tamilnadu held at Tamil University, Thanjavur on October 8 & 9, 2024.

INS Nirupak (J20) - Decommissioning - Special Cover - 1985-2024 - Visakhapatnam

INS Nirupak (J20) - Decommissioning Ceremony (1985-2024)

Date of Issue: January 29, 2024

A special cover was issued during decomissioning ceremony to honor 38 years of service to the nation. Issued by India Post, Visakhapatnam Region, sponsored by Eastern Naval Command, Govt. of India.

INS Nirupak was built by GRSE, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata and commissioned into the Indian navy at Visakhapatnam naval base in 1985 under Eastern Naval Command.

The primary tasks of INS Nirupak include hydrographic surveys, nautical chart preparation, cartography & training. The ship also has disaster relief capabilities because it can operate as a hospital.

Nirupak's achievements are etched in awards like the prestigious Admiral Jal Cursetji Rolling Trophy for best survey ship, which it bagged in 1994, 1995, 2005, and 2009. Beyond charting the seas, the ship served with distinction in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. Notably, it played a critical role as a hospital ship during Operation Gambhir, providing vital relief to Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami.

The meaning of the name 'Nirupak’ is one who is an indicator. The crest design depicts the Indian Ocean and an imaginary dial of a Navigational Geographic Grid, with concentric circles being divided by the eight compass points. The entire image is shown on a Bluish Grey background.

As Nirupak sails into history, it leaves behind a rich legacy of maritime excellence. Its 38 years of service stand as a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Indian Navy and its commitment to ensuring safe and secure oceans for all.

Text Source: Wikipedia, Deccan Chronicle, Indian Navy FB page.

Click Here to see other special covers of Indian Navy Ships in my collection.

Postcard from Lithuania - Lithuanian Maritime History

Thanks to Lithuanian Postcrossing user myjoy63 / Eddie for this stamp sent on picture postcard.

This stamp issued in 17.07.2023, designed by A.S.Kazdailis.

The stamp features a wind rose (graphical charts that characterize the speed and direction of winds at a location) and a sable. A wind rose is a star-shaped figure whose rays indicate the direction of the wind. Usually, these are 32 geographical directions, to which sometimes the names of the winds of that area are listed.

Here is the front side of the postcard I received, depicting a bottle showpiece with tall ships race stamp, Baltic 2009 - which is already explained in this post - Click here

Text Source: Wopa-Plus.com
Click Here to see other picture postcards I have received.