Europe’s leading marina operator, MDL Marinas is delighted to announce it has joined forces with French marina operator, Sagemor to offer unparalleled cruising opportunities for its annual berth holders from 1st April 2013. This completely unique package sees MDL’s annual berth holders join “Passeport Escales” to gain access to free visitor nights at an additional 54 marinas on the North-West coast of France – all within their annual berthing fee.

This deal, which was signed at the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show, sees MDL’s Freedom Berthing network grow to 70 marinas in the UK, France, Spain and Italy, opening up the largest cruising network offered by any European marina operator - reaffirming MDL’s clear market leader position. 

The island of St Helena in the south Atlantic, now boasts ‘World Class’ moorings, following an eight month project resulting in a high quality and robust mooring field, and marking the development of the island as a base for travelling yachts as well as a yachting destination.

With 23 moorings currently in place and a further two to be installed shortly, the moorings are situated on the western side of James’ Bay and have been professionally designed and specified by marine engineers.

Designed to accommodate yachts of up to 50 tonnes and 60ft LOA, the moorings are based on trot moorings with a long central spine of over 500 metres of heavy ground chain, crossed by a further nine ground chains of varying lengths. 

Travellers can set sail for a bygone era in style aboard the RMS St Helena, one of the world’s last working royal mail ships, which has undergone an extensive re-fit to offer increased capacity and an enhanced voyage experience.

Not just a passenger vessel, this working liner acts as the lifeline to the remote island of St Helena in the South Atlantic, sharing a fascinating glimpse into the leisured travel of days gone by. The refresh, carried out in dry dock in Cape Town, includes the addition of seven cabins affording 17 extra berths, and an improved gym with new equipment. 

Three people are confirmed dead after a cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground off Italy.

There were scenes of panic as the Costa Concordia hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio and listed about 20 degrees.

At least 40 people have not yet been accounted for, Italian officials say, but they caution that the passenger list may not be fully up to date.

A Norwegian Cruise Line ship docked in Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal laden with two dead bodies on Friday after returning from Bermuda.

Among the dead on the Norwegian Dawn was a 23-year-old man who died on the ship on Thursday, and a 67-year-old woman who, according to NCL, passed after succumbing to a chronic health ailment.  Both passengers died in the ship’s medical center, and the names of the deceased have not been released.

Massachusetts State Police detectives were investigating the deaths and seen searching for clues in the cabin of the 23-year-old man.