The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.

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This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Freak waves smashed into a cruise ship [ 705 ]

Cruise Passenger: Rogue Waves Were 'Terrifying'

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Fox News

Louis Majesty cruise ship.

BARCELONA, Spain ,March 4 ,2010 — Freak waves that smashed into a Mediterranean cruise ship flooded people's cabins, broke windows in a restaurant and terrified many travelers in an ordeal that claimed two lives, a passenger said Thursday.

Claude Cremex, 73, of Marseille, France said he was in his cabin resting because of the rough seas when the walls of water hit the Cypriot-owned Louis Majesty, which was carrying 1,350 passengers and 580 crewmembers off the coast of northeastern Spain.

The company Louis Cruise Lines said the ship was struck Wednesday by three "abnormally high" waves up to 26 feet high that broke glass windshields in the forward section.

Two people died and six were slightly hurt, according to the Greek coast guard and Spanish officials.

SLIDESHOW: Freak Wave Turns Deadly.

VIDEO: Rogue Wave Caught on Tape

Cremex said he did not see the waves himself but later viewed the damage.

"It was spectacular," he told The Associated Press as the ship sat docked at Barcelona's port with passengers sunning themselves on deck the day after the accident.

"A lot of water came in. Many cabins were flooded," said Cremex, who was traveling with his wife. "Many people were very frightened."

Louis Cruise Lines was not reachable early Thursday to say what the company will do now with the ship and passengers.

The ship's exact original itinerary was not entirely clear, either.

The Spanish news agency Europa Press said it had set sail from the southeastern Spanish port of Cartagena Wednesday, en route to Genoa, Italy. It had planned to stop in Barcelona but skipped it because of bad weather, but ultimately docked there after the waves hit, the agency said.

An official with the Spanish Interior Ministry office in Barcelona said the passengers disembarked Thursday morning so inspectors could examine the ship.

Louis Cruise Lines' Web site says the ship is 680 feet long, and features 10 passenger decks and 732 staterooms along with various bars, pools, restaurants and shops.

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