Cyprus: German frigate "Brandenburg" (F 215) - Operation "UNIFIL" (March 24 - July 24)

Under the command of frigate captain Andreas Scheiba, the crew of the german frigate "Brandenburg" departed from Wilhelmshaven, Germany in March 2024 to support maritime surveillance off the Lebanese coast and train the Lebanese navy as part of the UNIFIL mission (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon). Numerous maneuvers took place with international partners. The covers below show port calls of the frigate in Limassol, Cyprus, in Spain (too bad no postmark on the cover) and from the arrival back in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

  

Stamps:

Euromed 2023 - "Mediterranean Festival" - Issued: 10-07-2023

Refugee Fund Tax Stamp 2023

 

EUROPA 2023 - "Peace - the highest value of humanity" - Issued: 09-05-2023

Stamps:

Sights in Germany - "Der Brocken" - Issued: 01-03-2024

Definitives - "Flowers" - Issued: 18-12-2018

Picture of the Ship:

 

Source: https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/einsaetze-bundeswehr/unifil-fregatte-mtf-5780552

 

Germany: RV "Elisabeth Mann Borgese"

The Elisabeth Mann Borgese is a German research vessel named after the renowned marine law expert and environmentalist Elisabeth Mann Borgese. Operated by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, this ship is primarily used for scientific exploration of the Baltic Sea. Equipped with advanced technology, it supports research in marine biology, chemistry, and geology, contributing significantly to our understanding of marine ecosystems. Launched in 2012, the vessel plays a crucial role in environmental monitoring and the sustainable management of marine resources.

To note on this cover a stamp commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Elisabeth Mann Borgese issued in 2018 (3,70 € face value) was used. On the left you can also see on the bottom the current ship postmark and a postmark of the managing company Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG Research.

Stamp:

The 100th Anniversary of Elisabeth Mann Borgese - Issued: 12-04-2018

 

Picture of the Ship:

Source: https://briese-research.de/research-department/research-vessels/rv-elisabeth-mann-borgese

 

Germany: Brig "Roald Amundsen" Baltic Sea Journey 2024 (May - August 2024)

Roald Amundsen (often abbreviated 'Roald'; named in honor of Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen), originally named 'Vilm', is a German steel-ship built on the Elbe River in 1952. Having worked in different areas, she was refitted in 1992 to 1993 as a brig (two-masted square-rigged sailing ship) and now serves as a sail training ship. During summer, she usually operates in the Baltic Sea, and usually embarks for journeys to farther destinations for winter, including several trans-Atlantic crossings. 

This cover documents the start of the Baltic Sea journey of 2024 in Emden (Day Postmark Emden 03-05-2024), as can be seen from the small postmark on the left bottom "Auslaufen Emden" (= departure Emden). During its journey, the ship will call at several ports, for example in Sweden, Poland and Estonia. I hope to show some of them here.

Stamps:

Sights in Germany - "The Brocken" - Issued: 01-03-2024

Definitives "Flowers - Cardamine pratensis" - Issued: 18-12-2018

UPDATE September 2024:

Recently I received two other covers with nice stamps and postmark from the post calls in Mariehamn, Aland and Szczecin, Poland.

Stamp:

EUROPA 2016 - "Think Green" (from a set of 2) - Issued: 09-05-2016

Stamps:

European Universities Games in Lodz - Issued: 15-07-2022

The 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the Commission of National Education - Issued: 14-10-2023

 

Picture of the Ship:

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen_(ship)#/media/File:Roald_Amundsen_Kiel2007_1.jpg

Djibouti: German frigate "Hessen" (F 221) - Operation "EUNAVFOR Aspides" (February - April/May 2024)

In February 2024, the frigate "Hessen" departed from the port of Wilhelmshaven for the Red Sea with about 240 people on board in order to assist the EU mission Aspides, which aims to protect shipping from Houthi attacks. This letter was carried on board of the ship and was mailed during the harbour stay in Djibouti. On the left you can see the cachet which was used for this operation.

Stamp:

Monument of the Unknown Soldier - Issued: 18-04-2004

Picture of the Ship:

Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessen_(Schiff,_2006)#/media/Datei:FGS_Hessen-2012-2.jpg

Cyprus: First foreign Mission of the german frigate "Baden-Württemberg" - "UNIFIL" (October 23 - Janaury 24)

On Friday, 20 October 2023, the german navy frigate "Baden-Württemberg" left her home port of Wilhelmshaven, Germany with the crew "Delta" to take part in the mandated foreign mission "UNIFIL" (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) off the Lebanese coast. Blue helmets from the UNIFIL mission have been working for peace between Lebanon and Israel since 1978. This makes the mission one of the oldest peacekeeping operations of the United Nations (UN). In January 2024 the mission ended. I'm very happy to receive the cover below sent from Limassol, Cyprus with a nice Cachet from the mission. 

Stamps:

Football - FIFA World Cup 2018 - Issued: 28-03-2018

Refugee Fund Tax Stamp 2018

Picture of the Ship:

Source: www.bundeswehr.de

 

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on Expedition PS136

The Polarstern expedition PS136 started on 22 May 2023 in Bremerhaven, Grmany and led to the Fram Strait between Greenland and the Svalbard archipelago. The expedition wanted to contribute to various large national and international research and infrastructure projects (FRAM, MUSE, iFOODis, HiAOOS, ICOS-D, SIOS) as well as to the new research programme „Changing Earth – Sustaining our Future” („Erde im Wandel – Unsere Zukunft nachhaltig gestalten”) of the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). The cruise ended on 19 June 2023 in Tromsø, Norway.

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/57718/1/Expeditionsprogramme_PS136.pdf 

To note, the Alfred Wegener Institute will no longer process collectors mail send to the Polarstern due to the "ever-increasing workload". This is very sad news for any Polarmail collector.

Stamp:

Definitive Issue - "Flowers" - Issued: 03-01-2005

Germany: 90th Anniversary of the steam Ice-Breaker "Stettin" + Season-ending 2023

The "Stettin" is a steam icebreaker built by the shipyard "Stettiner Oderwerke" in 1933. The economy of the city of Stettin (now: "Szczecin") strongly depended on the free access of ships to and from the Baltic Sea. Therefore, icebreakers were used to keep the shipping channels free from ice during the winter. From 1933 to 1945, Stettin was used in German Navy ("Kriegsmarine") service on the Oder River between Stettin and Swinemünde, as well as on the Baltic Sea. From 1945 on, she was used by the waterway and navigation authorities in Hamburg on the river Elbe. In 1981, Stettin was slated to be scrapped due to uneconomic costs. However, with the establishment of a development association, thousands of working hours, and support by generous sponsors, the ship was saved. Today, she is a technical culture monument. Her homeport is the museum port of Oevelgoenne in Hamburg, Germany. During summertime, Stettin cruises with invited guests on occasions like "Hamburg port birthday," "Hansesail Rostock," and "Kieler Woche," and is also used as a charter vessel.  (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Stettin_(1933) 

On this cover you can see a special personalised stamp showing a picture of the ship, a special postmark from its 90th Anniversary and on left a cachet postmark for the season-ending of cruises in 2023.

 

Stamp:

Personalised stamp "Ice Breaker Stettin" - Issued: unknwon

 

Spain: Spanish Antarctic Research Station "Gabriel de Castilla" + BIO Hesperides

Gabriel de Castilla Base is a Spanish research station located on Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The station was constructed in late 1989. The station is named for Gabriel de Castilla, a 17th century Spanish navigator and according to some reports the first person to sight the mainland of Antarctica. BIO Hespérides (see my other cover) (A-33), is a Spanish polar research vessel. She was built in 1990, by Bazán Shipyards of Cartagena, Spain. Hespérides is used to service the research bases in Antarctica.

Stamp:

The 50th Anniversary of the Faculty of Computer Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid - Issued: 18-10-2021

Germany: “Tag der Bundeswehr - German Military Day" 2023 in Wilhelmshaven

The "Tag der Bundeswehr" is an anual open-door event at several locationas of the german federal defence. I was able to get some covers from the Event at the naval base in Wilhelmshaven.

Stamp:

World of Letters - Issued: 02-12-2021

The cover above also got a blue cachet of the German Navy frigate "Baden-Württemberg"

Stamp:

World of Letters - Issued: 02-12-2021

The cover above got a black cachet, which commemorates the 175th Anniversary of the german naval military forces.

To note that both covers were delivered by "Feldpost", which is the German military mail service.

Both Covers also got this green cachet below on the backside, which indicates “Tag der Bundeswehr" ("German Military Day"), the city "Wilhemshaven" and the date 17.06.2023

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on Expedition PS129

The expedition PS129 of the German research vessel Polarstern wanted to provide contributions to scientific projects encompassing physical oceanography, marine biology and marine chemistry, with the aim to investigate the water masses of the Weddell Sea and adjacent oceanic regions, and the ecological and chemical cycles within the regions. The expedition was another continuation of the long-term time series work in the framework of Hybrid Antarctic Float Observation System (HAFOS). The Polarstern  departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on 3 March 2022, taking a route across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica and back, and ended on 28 April 2022 in Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/55571/1/Expeditionsprogramm_PS129.pdf

Stamps:

The Dangers of Climate Change - The Forest is Climate Protection - Issued: 07-10-2021

Definitive Series "Flowers" 0.10ct - Issued: 08-06-2017

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on Expedition PS127

RV Polarstern departed 5 December 2021 from Bremerhaven, Germany and arrived on 4 January 2022 in Cape Town (South Africa) with a planned port-call in-between in Las Palmas (Canary Islands) 16 December 2021, on the expedition PS127. During the Expedition physical, biological and chemical seawater parameters as well as atmospheric measurement parameters have been measured. Also Training on hydroacoustic measurement systems have been conducted. Latest developed and newly installed measurement systems have also been tested.

 

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/54871/1/PS127_Expeditionsprogramm.pdf

Stamp:

The Lorelei - Issued: 01-10-2020

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS113

The cruise leg PS113 coincided with the return voyage of Polarstern after finishing her Antarctic research season 2017/18. PS113 started on the evening of 08 May (2018), delayed by one day due to the somewhat difficult arrangements at the harbour of Punta Arenas, Chile. Tailwinds and a strong tidal current setting towards the Atlantic in the Strait of Magellan, but helped us to regain part of the lost ship time right at the beginning of the cruise. As planned, an intermediate port call at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, took place on 03 June for the exchange of personnel. According to schedule PS113 ended in Bremerhaven early on 11 June 2018.

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/48505/1/BzPM_0724_2018.pdf  

Stamp:

Baby-Animals (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2018

France: T.A.A.F. - Dumont-d’Urville Station - L’Astrolabe

The Dumont d'Urville Station (French: Base antarctique Dumont-d'Urville) is a French scientific station in Antarctica on Île des Pétrels, archipelago of Pointe-Géologie in Adélie Land. It is named after explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, whose expedition landed on Débarquement Rock in the Dumoulin Islands at the northeast end of the archipelago on January 21, 1840. It is operated by the "French Polar Institute Paul-Émile Victor", a joint operation of French public and para-public agencies.

This cover was carried by the french Icebreaker L’Astrolabe as you can see by the blue cancellation in the middle of the cover. The L’Astrolabe is used to bring personnel and supplies to the Dumont d'Urville Station.

Stamps:
Mawson's Huts - Issued: 02-01-2013
Logos of French South and Antarctic Territory - Year 2015 - Issued: 19-03-2015

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS117

Polarstern Expedition  PS117 focusses on providing contributions to scientific projects encompassing physical oceanography, marine biology and meteorology, with the general aim to better understanding  of  the  evolution of  the Weddell  Sea water  masses and the ecological and chemical cycles of the Weddell Sea. In addition to the immediate scientific program, this expedition also serves to resupply the German Neumayer Station, Antarctica to support the multifaceted scientific activities originating from there.

To realize these aims the Polarstern departed on 15th December 2018 from Cape Town, South Africa and crossed the Southern Ocean to Antarctica and back, to finally end on 7 February 2019 in Punta Arenas, Chile.

I'm very happy to receive this nice Cover with an extra Cachet Postmark from this Expedition.

Stamps:
Definitves "Eranthis hyemalis" - Issued: 08-06-2017
Stamp Day - The 150th Anniversary of the North German Postal District - Issued: 13-09-2018

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS107-ARK-XXXI/2

The Polarstern expedition PS107 to the Arctic (Tromsø – Tromsø) started on 23 July 2017 and led particularly to study areas in the central and eastern Fram Strait. With this expedition it contributed to various large national and international research and infrastructure projects (e.g. INTAROS, FRAM, SIOS, OceanSITES) as well as to the research programme PACES-II (Polar Regions and Coasts in the changing Earth System) of the Alfred-Wegener- Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI). The cruise ended on 19 August 2017 in Tromsø, Norway.

Note the signature on the cover, I'm not sure from who it is, but I suspect its from the Chief Scientist of this Expedition Ingo Schewe.

Stamp:
EUROPA "Castles" - Issued: 11-05-2017

Germany: Search and Rescue Vessels of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS)

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (German: Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger - DGzRS) is responsible for Search and Rescue in German territorial waters in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, including the Exclusive Economic Zone. The headquarters and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre of the Society are located in Bremen, Germany. It was founded in Kiel on 29 May 1865. It owns 61 lifeboats at 54 stations which are operated by 185 employed crew members and 800 volunteers.

The DGzRS operates 59 vessels on 54 stations in the North Sea and Baltic. 20 of which are seagoing cruisers (German: Seenotrettungskreuzer) between 20 m and 46 m of length and 39 vessels are classified as inshore lifeboats (German: Seenotrettungsboote). A feature of the cruisers is that all but the 20-m class carry a fully equipped small lifeboat on deck which can quickly be released through a gate in the aft for conducting operations in shallow waters.

In this Post I'd like to show you some Covers from my collection with Ship-Cancellations and/or Cachets of these Cruisers and Lifeboats.


1. SK Bernhard Gruben

This is a 23.1-m class Cruiser. It's homeport is Norderney, which is one of the seven East Frisian Islands off the North Sea coast of Germany. As you can see from the Cachet this Cruiser got a small but fully equipped lifeboat on Deck. The Cruiser was built in 1997 and was named after Bernhard Gruben, a foreman, who died in accident in 1st January 1995.

2. SK Anneliese Kramer

This is a 28-m class Cruiser. It's homeport is Cuxhaven. This is a very new Cruiser, which was built in 2017 and it also got a lifeboat on Deck. The Cruiser was named after Anneliese Kramer, who donated much of her fortune to DGzRS after she died.

3. SRB Secretarius

This is a small 9,5/10,1-m class Boat and also one of the newest. It's homeport is the East Frisian Island Langeoog. The Ship Commissioning Ceremony was held on 12th August 2017 in Berne, Germany. On the Cover you can see the Cachet for this Ceremony. The Boat was named after the Organisator of the so-called "Bremer Eiswette", which is an annual bet since 1829 if the River Weser in Bremen is frozen on the 6th of January or not.

Spain: Cover from B.I.O. Hesperides

BIO Hespérides (A-33), is a Spanish polar research vessel. It was built in 1990, by Bazán Shipyards of Cartagena (Spain). Hespérides is used to service the research bases in Antarctica, mainly the Spanish Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base, as well as to perform research voyages. It is operated by the Spanish Navy and the responsible of the scientific equipment is the Spanish National Research Council.

The Ship departed from its base in Cartagena back in December 2016 for its 30th Antarctic campaign. Throughout this campaign 17 scientific research projects took place. Many of these projects were related to research on climate change and global warming. It arrived back in Cartagena in the End of May 2017.

Stamp:
The 30th Anniversary of Spain as Member State of the European Union - Issued: 07-07-2016

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on The Expedition PS 99 from Bremerhaven to Tromsø

Yesterday I got this great cover. It comes from the Research Vessel and Icebreaker Polarstern. It is the most important resource for German polar research and the flagship of the Alfred Wegener Institute. Commissioned on 9 December 1982, the Polarstern has since logged more than 1.5 million nautical miles, or roughly 2.7 million kilometres (as of 2014). Today she’s one of the world’s most advanced and versatile polar research ships in the world.

The RV Polarstern expedition PS99 to the Arctic started on 13 June 2016 in Bremerhaven and led to study areas northwest of Bear Island, south of Spitsbergen and in the central and eastern Fram Strait. The cruise ended on 16 July 2016 in Tromsø (Norway).

Stamp:
The 100th Anniversary of the Awarding of the Title of Professor tio Rachel Hirsch (1870-1953) - Issued: 02-11-2013


Thanks to the Crew of RV Polarstern for this great cover!