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34m sailing yacht ZEMI is christened at her launch by Baltic Yachts

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Written by Rachel Kelly

After a 2-year build period 33.5m (110’) sailing yacht ZEMI was launched as a Baltic 110 from the shipyard in Finland . The ceremony was attended by the delighted new owner and his family who followed tradition and broke a champagne bottle over her keel as she hit the water.

Sailing yacht ZEMI launches

Also in attendance were the project manager, representatives from build team and other Baltic Yacht dignitaries. Executive Vice President Henry Hawkins had this to say, “Whenever we launch a yacht to join the Baltic family, it’s fair to say the thoughts of many members of our staff sail away with her, celebrating the conclusion of another unique build and wishing her and her owner fantastic sailing.”

Her striking metallic bronze hull contrasts dramatically with the teak decks and superstructure style, described as ‘classic aggressive’ by the owner’s representative. Her vertical coachroof windows and streamlined, low-level superstructure are distinctive features as is her teak-clad main cockpit which can be converted into a sizable sun lounging area and protected by a fold-down hood and full-length removable bimini.

Sailing yacht ZEMI ready for launch

Her interior is the work of award-winning Swedish architect Martin-Löf who has applied his minimalist style with the use of sustainable materials including walnut and limestone veneer to reduce weight. There is an abundance of natural light from long salon port windows and coachroof skylights plus thoughtful lighting design which includes lanterns made from Japanese rice paper and walnut edging.

As well as her multitude of headsail options, the owner has opted for a zero-emissions electric propulsion system using a 247kW Danfoss motor to drive the propeller. A bank of lithium-ion batteries is changed by two 129kw gensets and supply all the domestic, hydraulic and rig handling equipment.

Sailing yacht ZEMI

Following her sea trials she will begin a global adventure which is scheduled to include Norway , Iceland , Scotland , the Canaries, an Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean – where she will compete – followed by passage through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific .

We wish sailing yacht ZEMI and her owner good luck on their world tour.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "34m sailing yacht ZEMI is christened at her launch by Baltic Yachts".

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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Perseverance,’ One of the Most Sustainable Sailing Superyachts on the Water

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Standing out from the crowd with a metallic-bronze hull, the neo-classic fast cruising cutter was commissioned by an experienced owner who returned to Dykstra Naval Architects following the success of his previous yacht, a Dykstra 60. This time, he wanted to undertake longer passages in comfort but without compromising on speed.

The owner chartered a collection of sailing yachts to iron out his wish list, including a larger yacht with excellent sailing characteristics, ease of maintenance and power-saving systems. With 65 feet of extra length, Perseverance delivers. Plus it has a luxurious interior by deVosdeVries Design and a double cockpit deck layout. The yacht is also equipped with a high-aspect rudder and lifting keel to enhance sailing capabilities. “The goal for the owner was to have a classic sloop with clean deck equipment to make it easy to handle when sailing,” Tommy Johansson, project manager at Baltic Yachts , told Robb Report during a tour of the boat. “So, the yacht can set and furl its sails via push buttons for easy short-handed cruising.”

Perseverance bears many of the traditional hallmarks for which Dykstra is known, including a straight stem, distinctive deep bulwarks and truncated counter. Its deck house, skinned in teak, has individual rectangular windows that provide classic appeal. Like the timber caprail, the wood is treated with oil rather than varnish to reduce maintenance and steer away from a high-gloss finish. The center cockpit—one of the owner’s favorite places on board—is shaded by a mini hardtop that can be lowered to protect the seating and dining area against salt spray when not in use. Inside, light-gray oak, maple and leather-stitched details create a gentleman’s club-meets-industrial-chic ambience. Subtle LED lighting gives a modern touch. The main salon is light and airy, with high ceilings that provide decent headroom and knurled hardware in a dark-matte vintage patina.

Perseverance sleeps eight guests in four cabins, comprising a master suite, one VIP cabin and two twins. They are all fitted with sensors that monitor the interior temperature based on guest occupancy. When not in use, the temperature automatically adjusts to save on energy.

The yacht has cruised extensively since her delivery last year, already clocking 10,000 nautical miles at an average speed of 20 knots. Building a yacht with sustainable credentials was a key prerequisite for the owner. Perseverance ’s diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system can regenerate 20 to 25 kilowatts while under way at 12 to 14 knots, recharging the batteries in 4.5 hours, which then provide up to nine hours of silent running at anchor.

“It means the yacht can head out for a day’s sailing and return to the marina without using its engines,” says Johansson. “In fact, the owner has done that already, enjoying nine hours of silent cruising with only the batteries powering the hotel load.”

Perseverance is now in the Caribbean, with the owner making the most of his easy sailer by spending as much time at the wheel as possible.

Check out more photos of Perseverance here .

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By SuperyachtNews 05 Jan 2022

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Baltic Yachts’ innovation creates the most sustainable sailing vessels

It all starts with the fundamentals...the little things that bring down consumption, reducing the amount of power and number of batteries required….

The proliferation of hybrid-electric propulsion in the superyacht sector is evolving at a pace. The sailing superyacht sector has led the way with innovative designs for a generation. However, as Henry Hawkins, executive vice president at Baltic Yachts, outlines, truly innovative yacht designs need to stay grounded. And, try as the industry might, “You can’t change physics; the energy has to come from somewhere.” 

The pragmatic approach that Baltic Yachts has pioneered addresses the reality of each problem and solves each on its merits. The answer is not always glamorous and sometimes not what a conventional yard would suggest. Having a battery bank and electrical propulsion is great, but where does the power come from? And, crucially, how can the vessel be more efficient with its energy generation and usage? The Baltic Yachts philosophy, as with its overall approach to the sustainability of its construction and operations, is to make the necessary incremental changes.

It all starts with the fundamentals. “The hull shape is going to be drawn by the naval architect, which in our case will always be based around the sailing performance of the boat,” says Hawkins. From there, the team gets to work to make the yacht as energy-efficient and, by extension, as low emission and sustainable as possible.

“What runs all the time?” asks Hawkins. “Take the air conditioning/ventilation and the fridge freezers; this is what we must not take our eyes off when talking about low- to zero-emission vessels. At Baltic Yachts, we are always looking to make these systems as efficient as possible, for example taking the heat generated from the air conditioning compressors and reusing the heat to the fan coils or to dry the air. These are the small things that will be beneficial in reducing the energy needs of the yacht in the long run.”

Further expanding on the Baltic Yachts approach, Hawkins highlights another on-board innovation: “On our latest launch, the seawater cooling is run by a centralised system with one pump rather than by many individual pumps running 24/7, without a reason. So it’s all those little things that then bring down the overall consumption, reducing the amount of power and therefore the number of batteries required to sustain the yacht.” This central pump is temperature- controlled and runs on demand only.  

While at sea, power generation is an exciting development for the sailing-yacht sector. Hawkins and Kim Kolam, senior electrical engineer at Baltic Yachts, feel that the industry needs to stay grounded with apparent benefits. Most sailing yachts, even the most highly used, are at sea for only a fraction of the time they are on the water. Their capacity for power generation is therefore limited. Kolam explains that designing a shaft and propeller system that suits power generation can sacrifice its general efficiency and offset any potential net energy consumption savings. A more practical solution may be an entirely separate system for charging, leaving the propulsion system perfectly balanced for purpose.  

Hawkins and the team at Baltic Yachts have had almost 50 years of experience honing their designs, and see a pivotal area as holding the key to keeping the momentum for a decarbonised yachting future: “If you don’t get client buy-in, it won’t change. It’s not something that we can invest in as a company over and over again without having the clients coming with us.”

By addressing each of the individual energy-efficiency considerations by developing in-house and partner technological innovations, Baltic Yachts is creating the most streamlined and operationally sustainable sailing yachts on the market. As battery technology and electric drive trains evolve, Baltic Yachts will have the most efficient sailing yachts to ingenerate each in a custom project – matched to a discerning next generation of superyacht owners.

Main image caption: Baltic 68 Café Racer – with zero emissions from its two 15kW electric engines, hydrogeneration while sailing, solar panels and 30 per cent reduction in power consumption from AC.

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The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection takes delivery of Ilma

448-guest superyacht switches hands from shipyard to owner/operator.

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The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection took delivery of its second ultra-luxury superyacht, Ilma , on Friday at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint- Nazaire, France. After two years of construction , the delivery ceremony marked the final build milestone, celebrated with several maritime traditions, including the changing of flags on board the yacht and a celebratory toast on top of Ilma’s expansive pool deck.

The delivery ceremony was attended by company leadership from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, including Jim Murren , Executive Chairman and CEO, and Ernesto Fara , President and CFO, along with representatives from Chantiers de l’Atlantique, including Laurent Castaing , General Manager, and Arnaud Le Joncour , Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Project Director. Also in attendance was Captain Steve MacBeath and over 350 of the yacht’s Ladies and Gentlemen, who will participate in a series of preparation voyages before welcoming guests for Ilma ’s maiden voyage from Monte Carlo on 2 September 2024.

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“Today marks the culmination of a shared vision and the relentless pursuit of excellence, a testament to the craftsmanship and dedication of all those involved,” said Jim Murren, Executive Chairman and CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection . “We are deeply grateful to the exceptional teams here at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, whose hard work and passion have brought this vision to life.”

“ Ilma represents a collaboration of two likeminded organisations committed to excellence, offering the best in both hospitality and shipbuilding,” said Arnaud Le Joncour, SVP Sales and Marketing of Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Program Director .

“The design and construction of Ilma has been a distinctive project for Chantiers de l’Atlantique that has elevated the highest luxury standards in terms of guest experience, technical innovation, and craftsmanship. We are incredibly proud to deliver an ultra-luxury cruise product that achieves both elegance and performance.”

Named after the Maltese word for “water,” Ilma measures 241 metres and accommodate up to 448 guests across its 224 suites. Each suite features floor-to-ceiling windows and a private terrace. With one of the highest space ratios at sea, Ilma includes two new, spacious upper category suites offering ample outdoor space to lounge and soak in the enchanting scenery.

Harmoniously blending contemporary craftsmanship with a relaxed ambiance, Ilma showcases refined interior finishes envisioned by renowned London-based architectural and design firm AD Associates and award-winning lighting designer DPA . The yacht’s exteriors reflect the vision of Helsinki-based design studio, Aivan , drawing inspiration from the graceful aesthetics of private yacht design. Continuing to bring the legendary service of The Ritz-Carlton to sea, the yacht boasts one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios in the luxury cruising category, providing nearly one staff member for every guest.

In addition to unparalleled accommodations, Ilma features five restaurants, seven bars, a wine vault, and signature spaces such as an expanded Marina with a mezzanine feature and The Ritz-Carlton Spa® with 11 treatment rooms. The yacht’s amenities include three distinct fitness spaces and a dynamic pool and entertainment area on Deck 10. A reimagined onboard destination is the Beach House , a vibrant Pan-Latin restaurant and global beach-house inspired lounge space conceptualised with Toronto-based luxury design firm Chapi Chapo Design, which will transport guests to a waterfront haven with 180-degree views.

Reaffirming The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s commitment to implementing more sustainable practices, Ilma features four dual-fuel engines utilising liquefied natural gas (LNG) as its main fuel source. Additionally, Ilma is equipped with the latest in energy efficiency measures and advanced water treatment systems, with the goal of minimising environmental impact.

Ilma will build on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s vision of reimagining luxury cruising, offering travellers more opportunities to enjoy the highly tailored itineraries for which the company is recognised. Ilma will join the company’s inaugural yacht, Evima , in sailing to iconic yachting destinations and hidden gems throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

In the summer of 2025, Ilma will explore the North and Baltic Seas of Northern Europe, offering guests the opportunity to discover dynamic cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Reykjavík, and more.

More on the superyacht and its itineraries can be accessed at ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com/yachts/ilma

Lead image, from left are: Ernesto Fara , President and Chief Financial Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection; Pascal Favreau , Ship Erection Manager of the project, Chantiers de l’Atlantique; Sebastien Le Boulluec , Senior Project Manager of the project, Chantiers de l’Atlantique;

Jim Murren , Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection; Laurent Castaing , General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique; Steve MacBeath , Captain of Ilma, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Arnaud Le Joncour , Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Program Director

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Russian fighter jets over Baltic Sea prompt response by 2 newest NATO members

NATO jets intercepted two Russian fighter jets July 15, 2024, which an alliance statement said were flying with no transponder and no coordination with civilian air traffic control over international waters close to NATO territory. (Facebook/NATO Allied Air Command/Swedish air force)

STUTTGART, Germany — Two fighter planes flying from Russia’s military hub in Kaliningrad were intercepted over the Baltic Sea this week by allied quick reaction aircraft, according to NATO.

Pilots from NATO’s two newest members, Finland and Sweden, scrambled Monday when air operations centers tracked the Russian planes, NATO said Tuesday.

Both NATO’s Combined Air Operations Center in Germany and similar centers in Sweden and Finland were monitoring the flight path of the Russian fighters.

“These (airplanes) were not on a flight plan, not in radio contact with civilian air traffic control and did not use a transponder signal as customary under international aviation rules,” NATO’s air command said in a statement.

NATO did not specify the models of the Russian aircraft.

The operation highlights how Finland and Sweden have integrated into NATO’s military operations, and the alliance’s missile defense plans and air policing strategy.

The Nordic allies also have forged closer ties with the United States, with both countries now part of the U.S. National Guard’s State Partnership Program, which assigns countries to various American states to foster military cooperation.

For NATO, enhancements to the readiness of its air defenses have been a priority over the past year.

At the alliance’s summit last week in Washington, members agreed on a new rotational model. It provides additional forces that can be transferred around alliance territory on short notice to safeguard airspace.

“In the short term, NATO will rotate modern air defense systems across the eastern flank to strengthen its deterrence posture, while over the medium term, it will improve surveillance, interceptors and command and control systems,” Maj. Gen. Matt Van Wagenen, deputy chief of staff for operations at NATO’s military headquarters, said in a separate Monday statement.

The U.S. is planning over the next two years to deploy to Germany long-range artillery units, Tomahawks and other hypersonic weapon systems under development.

The moves, announced during the NATO summit, involve episodic deployments that will eventually lead to the basing of such forces in Europe, the White House said.

Moscow has lashed out in response to the decision.

“Europe is a target for our missiles, our country is a target for U.S. missiles in Europe,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday. “We have enough capacity to contain these missiles, but the potential victims are the capitals of these countries.”

On Russian state television, other politicians and talking heads made similar threats, singling out U.S. bases in Europe as potential targets for missiles launched from Kaliningrad, a military exclave situated between Poland and Lithuania.

Since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, military saber rattling directed at NATO has become commonplace from a Kremlin furious over the alliance’s backing of Ukraine.

previous coverage

• Allies should be ‘very worried’ about Russia for years to come, EUCOM deputy chief says
• US Navy missile defense site in Poland is mission-ready, NATO says
• US hypersonic weapons, Tomahawk units to be based in Germany, White House announces during NATO summit

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Clarence Thomas' Yacht Trip to Russia Raises Questions

A letter from two Senate Democrats alleging that U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose a yacht trip to Russia has raised questions about the Court's longest-serving member.

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden sent the letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on July 3 accusing Thomas of failing to disclose gifts from billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow and asking Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate the matter.

Whitehouse is chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts and Wyden serves as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. The senators' list of "likely undisclosed gifts and income" from Crow and his affiliated companies to Thomas included a 2003 yacht trip to Russia and a private helicopter flight to a palace in St. Petersburg, the home town of Russian President Vladimir Putin .

The claims come as Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced on Wednesday that she had introduced articles of impeachment against Thomas and fellow conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito .

In a move separate to the senators' letter, Ocasio-Cortez has accused Thomas and Alito of failing to disclose gifts and reimbursements and refusing to recuse themselves in cases in which they had conflicts of interest.

Thomas, the Court's most senior conservative, has been facing calls to resign for months—and efforts to impeach him—over his relationship with Crow and luxury trips he received from the billionaire GOP donor.

Newsweek has reached out to the Supreme Court via email for comment.

Commentators on social media site X, formerly Twitter , raised questions about Thomas' reported visit to Russia in posts on Wednesday.

"Clarence Thomas took secret unreported trips to Russia aboard a yacht and to one of Putin's palaces — in 2003," wrote lawyer and legal commentator Tristan Snell.

"That feels important somehow. Maybe — hear me out here — just maybe, we should launch a full and thorough investigation into Thomas and his Kremlin connection," Snell added.

Journalist and lawyer Seth Abramson wrote: "Clarence Thomas possibly meeting secretly with Kremlin officials in Russia and then committing felony Tax Fraud to cover it up is just another major breaking news story media has no time to cover because Biden cleared his throat a few extra times 12 days ago."

"America is screwed," Abramson added.

There was no suggestion in the senators' letter that Thomas met with any Russian officials during his visit to the country.

Olga Lautman, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) highlighted a report from The Daily Beast on the senators' report.

"Hold on! WTH is a U.S. supreme court justice taking yacht trips and helicopter rides to Russia?" Lautman wrote on X .

"Before Kanye West went to Russia, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas did it on Harlan Crow's dime and took a lovely helicopter ride to the palace in Putin's hometown," wrote Grant Stern, executive editor of political organization Occupy Democrats .

"YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!" Stern said.

In their letter to Garland, Whitehouse and Wyden argued that the evidence against Thomas "warrants criminal investigation." They also accuse him of never paying taxes on a more than $267,000 loan forgiven by another wealthy business owner, Anthony Welters.

"Appointment of a Special Counsel would serve the public interest," the Democrats wrote. "The public must have confidence that the judiciary and the Department of Justice execute their responsibilities fairly, impartially, and without respect to political expedience or partisan interests."

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• Service & Refit
• Baltic Yachts Rendezvous

HALF A CENTURY OF WORLD CLASS YACHT BUILDING

28 june 2023.

In just five decades Baltic Yachts has evolved from respected series production boat builder to the world’s best composite custom yacht manufacturer, the go-to yard for innovation, performance and a hand-crafted finish second to none.

Baltic Yachts has become firmly established as one of the best superyacht builders in the world, renowned for its comprehensive knowledge of advanced composite building materials and its skilled workers’ ability to innovate with the latest materials and technology.

The company has achieved this in just 50 years and celebrations are now underway to mark its foundation and recognise its success through the 566 boats it has built.

In the modern era, names like Visione, Nilaya, Hetairos, Pink Gin, Nikata, WinWin, Perseverance and Canova dominate the world’s regatta podiums and awards ceremonies and with the company’s latest launches, including the Baltic 110 Zemi and the ground-breaking, Baltic 111 Custom, it maintains its dominance at the leading edge of superyacht sailing technology.

The significance of Queen Anne

As Baltic Yachts prepares to celebrate its foundation in Bosund in 1973, with a party for 500 including our workers, local partners and international guests at its Jakobstad headquarters, it’s appropriate that the very first yacht it built, the C&C-designed Baltic 46 Diva, now Queen Anne, will also be in attendance along with her owner and the owners and friends of the recently launched Baltic 110 Zemi. Queen Anne underwent a refit in Bosund, the place of her birth, and with a new engine, freshly painted topsides, new hatches, a refurbished teak deck and updated instrumentation, is almost as good as new.

Baltic 46 Queen Anne (originally named Diva) – the first ever Baltic yacht

Her presence is doubly significant because she not only demonstrates the sustainability of yachts Baltic built 50 years ago, using what was then the latest boat building technology like balsa sandwich construction, unidirectional glass fibre and tank tested design, but she also illustrates the story of Baltic’s foundation.

In the beginning…

In 1973, superyachting, the genre with which we are familiar today, was non-existent, but series production boat building was really getting into its stride. One of its leading proponents, Nautor Swan, based in Jakobstad, was successfully building yachts for a growing global market and had established an enviable reputation.

Despite this, a small group of the company’s young boat builders had devised ways of building boats lighter and stiffer to improve performance. They tried to convince their managers at Nautor it was the way ahead, but their ideas fell on deaf ears.

Convinced their theories would work, five young men, Per-Göran ‘PG’ Johansson, Tor Hinders, Nils Luoma, Ingmar Sundelin and Jan-Erik Nyfelt struck out on their own, setting up Baltic Yachts in the small village of Bosund just north of Jakobstad.

The first shed in the pine forest outside the village of Bosund

Generations of skilled workers

Why Bosund? It is no coincidence that modern yacht building of the highest standard continues to thrive in the area of Finland known as Ostrobothnia. Generations of skilled wood-workers built warships and trading vessels as long ago as the 16 th Century, supporting Finland and Sweden’s vast fleets of ships which travelled the world. Seafaring was part of the local population’s DNA and plentiful local timber made the area a natural choice for ship building.

In many ways those traditions are still very much in evidence and in 1973 the most important resource for the fledgling Baltic Yachts was a skilled local workforce. The Baltic Yachts Family came into being and now aged 50 is very much alive and well!

It was a tough winter start, snow falling relentlessly as the new company built its first boatshed. But their first model, the ambitious 46-footer Diva already described, reflected everything Baltic’s founders stood for – she was comparatively light, stiff and fast and was selected for the Canadian Admiral’s Cup team in 1975.

Boom time at the Hamburg Boat Show

The Hamburg Boat Show was a key outlet for Baltic in the early days with 15 sales in 1975 followed by 26 the following year. Although series production was the business model which underpinned Baltic’s early success, there were already signs of customisation and in Thomas Friese’s C&C-designed Baltic 42 Tina I-Punkt it was all-embracing. She was an out and out racing yacht designed to the IOR (International Offshore Rule) to fit the so-called Two Ton rating band (I.O.R. Rating under 32ft) which was particularly popular and successful at the time in the USA and in Europe. This heavily customised yacht was a sign of things to come.

But even PG and his team couldn’t have foreseen the phenomenal success of the Baltic 39 which sold out at its premiere in Hamburg in 1977 and went on to become the company’s most successful design in terms of numbers, with 74 sold. Her designers, Cuthbertson and Cassian (C&C) and their chief naval architect, the late Rob Ball, had impressed PG Johansson because of their use of VPP (velocity prediction program) computer calculations and other advanced design techniques which mirrored PG’s own belief in improving yachts with modern methods.

Baltic 39 – our first major commercial success

The International Offshore Rule resulted in yachts which, like the Baltic 39, were particularly fast upwind, but like many racing yachts of this era, were fully fitted out and made excellent family cruising yachts too. Combined with the quality of build these were very effective selling points.

The Hollming era

In the late 1970s the new company was dealt a body blow by the global oil crisis and sought a new owner. The giant ship builder Hollming Oy believed in Baltic’s approach and provided the resources to support its rapid growth, fund the development of new models and build a sales organisation. Baltic Yachts would remain part of Hollming for 12 years and during this period was famously asked by its owner to assist in the development of a secret Russian submarine by providing input for its composite shell structure. Despite some political controversy over the project, it was a productive exercise, the vacuum-infused, epoxy resin technology directly benefitting the build of the Baltic 43 Bully.

Expansion, masts and Midnight Sun

A combination of factors in the late 70s and early 80s saw Baltic advance dramatically as carbon fibre was first used. The new Baltic 51 showcased many of the technical developments the company had evolved using computer aided design and engineering. And in Bosund a new building hall was opened, vastly increasing production capacity and enabling much larger yachts to be built.  All sorts of innovation was in evidence, including pneumatically-powered cradles which would allow yachts to be moved effortlessly across the super-smooth floors of the new facility.

Baltic’s policy of drilling down into design and developing its own specification and checks for construction was not only beneficial for the quality of its yachts, but also impressed clients who were increasingly keen to get involved to learn how their yachts were built. They were actively encouraged to visit the yard to see their yacht under construction, something some other builders discouraged.

Baltic’s approach to design enabled the company to start building its own masts around 1980, their black anodised finish becoming a hallmark. The ability to build on site and on time greatly assisted production.

Baltic Yachts mast production (first picture) and Baltic 80 Midnight Sun (second picture), one of the first large, fully composite racing yachts in the world

By the 1980s there were clear signs that clients were looking at bigger and faster yachts with the associated need for complete customisation. The Baltic 80 Midnight Sun was the first fully composite racing yacht in the world, built as an IOR maxi for a Swedish owner who wanted to move on from successful Admiral’s Cup campaigns. Built using a super-light end grain balsa core in her hull she was quick upwind and enjoyed success on the maxi circuit before being converted into a luxury cruising yacht.

Lisbeth Staffans takes the helm

A need to return to their core business forced the Hollming Group to dispose of Baltic Yachts in 1990 which led to a management and employee buyout which saw 34 managers and workers including PG Johansson and Jan Erik Nyfelt immediately becoming owners of the business. The existing marketing manager Lisbeth Staffans (picture below) became managing director.

Her style of management, driven by straightforward communication, honesty and transparency across the business, plus strict financial controls, returned the yard to profitability. Lisbeth Staffans led the company for 18 years during which time Baltic Yachts went from strength to strength and took it to the cusp of the game changing era of modern superyachting.

One of the first genuine multi-role supersailing yachts which took part in the increasingly popular superyacht regattas springing up in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, was Anny, an 87ft all-carbon yacht from the board of judel/vrolijk. The German naval architect had already designed numerous Baltic production models prefacing a future in which they would become key, especially in larger superyachts.

With her lifting keel, extensive hydraulic systems and tender garage, Anny could be regularly seen at the front of superyacht racing fleets, particularly in Palma de Mallorca. She remained successful for many years.

Demand for the dual-role superyacht

The burgeoning superyacht regatta scene, many of the new ones trying to emulate the success of the St Barths Bucket in the Caribbean, offered a new dimension to ownership with many demanding a genuine dual-role yacht, one equally at home on the race course as crossing oceans and visiting the world’s remotest cruising grounds. This provided a great opportunity for builders of large sailing yachts, one which Baltic grasped with enthusiasm.

Anny was followed in the later 1990s by the Bill Dixon designed Vittfarne and the Baltic 70 Loftari, the former a classic looking yacht above the waterline with a high-performance underwater shape and the latter with an entirely pre-preg carbon and Nomex interior which demonstrated how large amounts of weight could be saved by building ultra-lightweight interiors.

Baltic 70 Loftfari was the first yacht with a fully fitted interior built entirely in prepreg carbon and Nomex

Baltic Yachts has built a number of motor yachts and while it cannot be regarded as a regular part of its portfolio a lot of information was gained about sound deadening which transferred to sailing yachts to great effect. The Raymond Hunt-designed M48 Far Niente and her slightly larger sistership Ben Nevis were powerful seagoing motor yachts delivered in the late 90s. Baltic later built the Mani Frers-designed M78 Bill and Me, a stylish offshore motor yacht.

Baltic at the leading edge of technology

By the turn of the century advances in technology were gaining even greater pace, exemplified by the Baltic 78 Super Baltic 5 which sported a canting rather than lifting keel, an additional benefit of which was virtually no loss of internal space, as the hydraulic canting mechanism was contained almost entirely beneath the cabin sole.

High-tech cruiser-racer Baltic 78 Super Baltic 5

At the yard the company installed a 5m X 3m lamination press which meant they could custom build composite parts like bulkheads and interior components to its own specification ensuring that weight savings could be made without compromising strength or durability.

Iconic Visione

And then, in 2002, an iconic commission was secured to build the extraordinary and technically advanced Baltic 147 Visione. With naval architecture by Reichel Pugh and all the design and engineering capacity at Baltic Yachts coming to the fore, Visione became a marker by which many subsequent performance superyachts were judged. Even today, 22 years after her launch, she is still capable of winning.

To say Visione was ahead of her time is an understatement. She remains a development project to this day, and has been updated and used as a testbed for a multitude of new ideas and technological breakthroughs. In a way she fired the starting gun for the race to build new superyachts, a plethora of which followed from Baltic driven by technology which made them easier to sail, faster, more competitive and more fun!

Baltic 147 Visione (first picture) and Baltic 141 Canica (second picture)

The first genuine supercruiser was the 141ft Canica, a complex yacht using all the advanced composite building experience accumulated by Baltic’s design engineers resulting in a yacht displacing half that of a typical 140-footer – and there was no compromise on comfort. She was the first yacht with a Siemens PLC computer control system and to reduce vibration and noise levels her entire accommodation was set on shock absorbers so that, in effect, it ‘floated’ within the hull shell.

A waterside home in Jakobstad

Ten years into the new century Baltic Yachts realised its dream of its own waterside premises. The Jakobstad yard was a state-of-the-art building which enabled larger yachts to be built and reduced the complex and expensive trucking operation from Bosund 23km away. It also provided deep water access for yachts returning to Finland for a refit.

Baltic Yachts waterfront facility in Jakobstad

This development went hand in hand with the yard becoming the first of its type in the world to achieve ISO standards in quality, environment and occupational health and safety. Baltic Yachts was also awarded full DNV GL certification giving customers peace of mind over the performance of all aspects of the building operation.

2010 saw the launch of the highly successful Reichel/Pugh designed Baltic 112 Nilaya, which epitomised the superyacht racer/cruiser genre many owners sought. The yacht won almost every regatta she entered benefitting from grand prix pedigree design combined with Baltic’s exacting engineering and build standards designed to save weight. In short, Nilaya was an all-round winner.

The Professor provides stability and vision

Shortly into the new decade, new owners for the company were sought as the shareholding staff began to retire. In March 2013 Professor Hans Georg Näder, a keen yachtsman and a Baltic customer acquired an 80 per cent stake in the company through his family-owned prosthetics company Ottobock.

Professor Hans Georg Näder and PG during the christening of Baltic 175 Pink Gin

Professor Näder’s enthusiasm and vision was a shot in the arm for the company and he eventually increased his stake to become sole owner ensuring Baltic Yachts’ financial independence and solvency. He also appointed Henry Hawkins as Executive Vice President, a former yacht captain who brought a wealth of sailing knowledge and industry contacts to Baltic.

A presence in Palma – superyachting’s service capital

Not long afterwards, the first moves to establish a Service and Refit base in Palma de Mallorca got underway. Service and the need to look after everyone in what had now become a large Baltic Family became high on the company’s agenda. Today, the Palma operation is a vital part of Baltic Yachts providing refit, modifications and almost any service requirement in the heart of the western Mediterranean’s superyacht action.

For the next 12 years a succession of remarkable yachts was launched, many of which became award winners while others dominated the superyacht race courses of the world. Hetairos remains one of the most spectacular modern sailing yachts ever launched, her neo-classic styling hiding a phenomenal performance made possible by full carbon composite construction and a massive ketch rig with a mizzen sailplan almost as powerful as the main. An enormous lifting keel and a cassette style lifting rudder were examples of the advanced engineering required to make this yacht a success.

The Baltic 115 Nikata was a highly successful, stylish multi-role superyacht taking part in the RORC’s iconic Fastnet and Caribbean 600 races and the Middle Sea Race while providing a superb platform in cruising mode. At 130ft My Song was a study in exterior and interior design and as much at home on the race course as crossing oceans, while the Javier Jaudennes designed WinWin accumulated almost as much silverware as Nilaya.

A mix of Pink Gins

A string of Pink Gins built by Baltic saw the latest iteration, Pink Gin VI, launch in 2017. She is still the largest carbon fibre sloop in the world and notable for some advanced structural engineering which enables two large fold-down platforms to be set into her topsides, the forward one providing the owner’s cabin with a magnificent private balcony and swimming platform.

Baltic 175 Pink Gin – the largest full carbon sloop in the world

By 2018, technical advances in sailing were moving at such a pace that design features normally seen on much more performance-orientated yachts were now being considered at superyacht scale. Baltic Yachts’ ability to meet the challenges these design innovations set made it a natural choice for customers looking for something special.

First foil-assisted superyacht

In the Baltic 142 Canova, the world saw the first foil-assisted superyacht using a Dynamic Stability System (DSS) sliding foil set athwartships in a cassette beneath the owner’s cabin. When deployed to leeward the 9m long foil provided lift to reduce heel and also dampen pitching motion.

Baltic 142 Canova – the first ocean cruising superyacht with a DSS foil

  The yacht was also one of the first to be fitted with an electric propulsion motor, large banks of lithium-ion batteries and the ability to charge them using her free-wheeling propeller while sailing. This reduced the use of internal combustion engines for propulsion and charging, cut emissions and took a large step towards improving the ‘green’ credentials of superyachts.

The move to power yachts with electric motors, big battery banks and the propeller-driven hydrogeneration developed by Baltic Yachts and its partners, has rapidly gained pace in recent years although in 2020 the company launched the Baltic 146 Path which opted for a conventional drive train. This yacht’s construction was complicated by the devastating COVID pandemic but she was launched to schedule and kept the company going over a difficult two-year period.

Apart from her sheer size – the third largest yacht by volume built by Baltic – Path had a remarkable combined deck saloon and covered cockpit the hardtop ‘bimni’ for which was also a landing for the largest array of solar panels ever seen on a sailing yacht.

Testbed for technology

Two smaller semi-production yachts were also gaining in popularity at this time. The Baltic 68 Café Racer was conceived as a testbed for sustainable build materials and rig technology designed to make a high-performance yacht easier to sail for a short-handed crew. Naturally grown flax instead of carbon was used as a reinforcement in 50per cent of the hull and deck mouldings, a swept spreader Marstrom rig and Doyle Sails’ Structured Luff technology were used to improve performance and simplify sailing, while cork decks and twin electric motors all combined to provide a glimpse of what, in the future, might be the norm.

Baltic 68 Café Racer Pink Gin Verde – hull number one in our latest semi-custom series

The third Baltic 67PC, Freedom, was launched last year, a different take on a series production hull designed to speed up build time and control costs. The 67 also provides an opportunity for highly efficient shorthanded, long-distance sailing and offers a multitude of interior layouts and finishes.

Modern classics are occasionally commissioned, their looks often belying the use of the very latest in superyachting technology. The Baltic 117 Perseverance is no exception, her elegant lines, straight stem, long counter and deep bulwarks giving the impression of a vessel from another era. But she has electric propulsion, hydro-generation, optimised pump technology and her superlight hull and easy to manage rig make her a very potent sailing yacht.

Luxury world class cruiser – Baltic 110 Zemi

Epitome of the modern superyacht

Just launched and available for viewing at Baltic Yachts’ Anniversary party is the stunning looking Baltic 110 Zemi, the second yacht built by the company to a Malcolm McKeon design. Her metallic bronze hull is complemented by a stunning teak deck and superstructure while her systems represent the very latest in superyacht design and engineering. She is the epitome of a fast, luxurious world class cruiser with serious racing potential.

Baltic 111 Custom – in a class of her own

It is perhaps entirely appropriate that Baltic Yachts’ 50 th Anniversary Party coincides with the near completion of the most extreme yacht the company has ever built.

Her, aesthetics, control systems, rig, generating and propulsion systems use the most advanced engineering, building and design techniques available in yachting.

Baltic Yachts was chosen to build this ultra-lightweight yacht because her owner believed it has the track record, design and engineering ability and, above all, highly skilled workforce to meet the immense challenges Baltic 111 Custom sets.

What a birthday present!

MORE ABOUT US

BALTIC 110 ZEMI IS CHRISTENED BY HER OWNERS AS SHE TAKES TO THE WATER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JAKOBSTAD

A two-year build period culminated in the naming and launching of the Baltic 110 Zemi in Finland last week when...

50 years of determination, innovation and quality

In 2023, Baltic Yachts celebrates its anniversary as a luxury yacht builder ...

We’re constantly updating our website to bring you news of launchings, new commissions and Baltic inspired innovation.

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Sobyanin claims the drone was heading towards central Moscow.

The Mayor also said emergency services were at work at the crash site but no casualties or damage to infrastructure have been reported.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports.

Since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces have targeted Russian military, logistics, and infrastructure sites in the occupied territories and within Russia.

Today's drone report comes just hours after Ukraine's alleged drone attack was intercepted over the Bogorodskoye municipal district in Moscow Oblast.

While claims of Ukrainian attacks within Russian territory have increased since summer 2023, Kyiv rarely comments on these reports.

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NATO leaders are descending on Washington. Here’s what to know

The Associated Press

July 8, 2024, 3:15 PM

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WASHINGTON (AP) — NATO leaders meet this week for a summit commemorating the 75th anniversary of the military alliance , which has never been larger and more focused but is also facing potentially existential threats from outside and within.

If Russia’s war in Ukraine , challenges posed by an increasingly aggressive China, and the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza weren’t enough, some key members’ commitment to defend their allies is coming under question.

There is deep uncertainty over President Joe Biden’s ability to beat his predecessor, NATO skeptic Donald Trump , in November to lead the most powerful member of the alliance.

While Biden’s political troubles are stirring concerns at home and abroad, countries in Europe are facing their own issues with a rise of far-right populism, particularly in France and Hungary, threatening what had been a bedrock pillar of post-World War II security and stability.

Here’s what to watch for at the three-day summit:

All eyes on Biden

Reeling from his disastrous June 27 debate performance and struggling to hold his reelection campaign together, Biden says people should look to his interactions at the NATO summit for proof that he is still strong and vigorous enough to lead.

Diplomats and analysts say they will be watching closely — although NATO leaders accept they have no control over American elections and are unlikely to weigh in publicly.

“The outcome of the November election matters enormously for NATO and pretty much all heads of state and government in the alliance feel the same way, even if they refuse to discuss it,” said Jeff Rathke, president of the American-German Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

The prospect of Trump returning to the White House has alarmed many in Europe who fear he may reduce U.S. commitments to NATO or Ukraine — or pull them completely.

“There is nothing that Biden’s NATO counterparts can do to affect that outcome, so they are in the uncomfortable position of being observers to a process that is critical to the alliance but over which they have no control,” Rathke said.

Biden, who has taken credit for strengthening NATO and resisting Russian President Vladimir Putin, said his confidence and competence would be on display.

But he will be under tremendous pressure to quell growing concern that he is not up to the job, as either de facto head of NATO or commander in chief of the alliance’s most important member.

“The unpredictability of what (Trump) might do and how quickly in office he might do it, leaves people on edge,” Rathke said. “It would be a significant jolt to NATO if he were to win.”

But it’s also not all about Joe

As much as the spotlight will be on Biden, 31 other leaders have a voice in NATO decision-making. The summit will be British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first appearance on the world stage just days after winning a resounding victory in elections.

Starmer also is scheduled to have his first face-to-face meeting with Biden on Wednesday at the White House.

Although the new British prime minister has signaled continued strong support for both NATO and Ukraine, gains made by far-right parties, as well as left-wing groups opposed to Western support for Israel’s war in Gaza, may dilute London’s influence.

Of more concern is turmoil in France, where President Emmanuel Macron’s government is facing political uncertainty after left-wing parties united to beat a surging far right in legislative elections but still didn’t win a majority in parliament. The far-right party, which is skeptical of NATO, greatly increased the number of seats it holds.

And there are Hungary and Turkey, the last two NATO members to hold out on allowing the newest members, Finland and Sweden, to join the alliance. Viktor Orban of Hungary raised alarm bells by visiting Russia last week for talks with Putin, and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains on good terms with the Kremlin.

NATO’s future

In many respects, the alliance has never looked stronger. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, NATO gained those two members, bringing the total to 32. At the same time, Eastern and Central European members closer to Russia’s borders — the Baltic states, Poland and the Czech Republic — have stepped up support for Ukraine and NATO as an institution.

But NATO is fragile. Its policies must be made by unanimous consensus, and political upheaval in capitals hinders future decision-making. NATO leaders are expected once again to reaffirm their “open door” policy — that membership is open to any country meeting the requirements. But Ukraine won’t see its hoped-for invitation this week.

“In some ways, this NATO summit is coming as sort of the best of times and the worst of times. The best of times, in the sense that the alliance knows what it’s about,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“But it’s also sort of the worst of times — obviously because of the war in Ukraine, challenges of ramping up European defense spending, concerns about the reliability of the United States,” he said.

Defense spending has been one of Trump’s biggest complaints about NATO, and he has repeatedly suggested that the U.S. wouldn’t defend countries that don’t meet the agreed-upon goal of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense.

NATO officials have championed a significant increase — to 23 — in the number of allies meeting that commitment. Several more are expected to say they’re meeting that standard during the summit.

Keeping up support for Ukraine

Many NATO allies in the past year have signed their own security agreements with Ukraine to provide long-term guarantees of assistance for Kyiv to defend itself from Russia and prevent possible future attacks.

Russia made significant battlefield gains over the past several months during congressional delays in approving U.S. military aid. Those have been overcome, and a new multibillion-dollar package is expected to be announced this week.

But Ukraine’s goal is joining NATO, placing it under the alliance’s Article 5 collective security umbrella that obligates other members to come to its defense if attacked.

Membership is highly unlikely while the conflict rages. However, the allies plan to present Ukraine with a “bridge” to membership that would further lay out next steps.

In the meantime, countries are expected to pledge new military and economic support. Billions of dollars have already been sent to Ukraine, and officials say more is coming. Outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that contributions of roughly $43 billion per year should be the baseline moving ahead.

During a visit to the Pentagon on Monday, Stoltenberg said the week’s focus will be on securing additional defense commitments and trying to get the war in Ukraine to an end.

“At the summit we will make decisions to further strengthen our support for Ukraine, and the Russians understand that they will not be able to wait us out,” the NATO chief said. “They need to sit down and accept a solution where Ukraine remains a sovereign nation.”

Don’t forget about China

NATO allies also are focused on threats posed by China, including persistent disinformation campaigns aimed at sowing doubts in democratic systems. And they have repeatedly complained that Chinese sales of some tools and technology have allowed Moscow to rebuild Russia’s defense industrial base to wage war in Ukraine.

The U.S., in particular, has called out China for pursuing policies that threaten European security as Beijing seeks broader commercial relations with the countries of Europe.

For the third year in a row, leaders or top officials from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea will attend the NATO summit for discussions on how to deal with Chinese threats in the South China Sea and beyond.

Tara Copp contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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To place an obituary, please include the information from the obituary checklist below in an email to [email protected] . There is no option to place them through our website. Feel free to contact our obituary desk at 651-228-5263 with any questions.

General Information:

• Your full name,
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World News | Widespread global tech outage disrupts flights,…

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Today's Paper

• Government & Politics
• Environment

World News | Widespread global tech outage disrupts flights, banks, hospitals and media outlets

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A global technology outage caused by a faulty software update grounded flights, knocked banks and media outlets offline, and disrupted hospitals, small businesses and other services on Friday, highlighting the fragility of a digitized world dependent on just a handful of providers.

The trouble with the update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and affecting computers running Microsoft Windows was not a hacking incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologized and said a fix was on the way.

But hours later, the disruptions continued — and escalated.

Long lines formed at airports in the U.S., Europe and Asia as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services at a time when many travelers are heading away on summer vacations. Hospitals and doctors’ offices had problems with their appointment systems, and cancelled non-urgent surgeries. Several TV stations in the U.S. were also prevented from airing local news early Friday.

Saskia Oettinghaus, a member of the German Olympic diving team, was among those stuck at the Berlin Airport.

“We are on our way to Paris for the Olympic Games and now we are at a standstill here for the time being,” Oettinghaus said.

Other athletes and spectators traveling to Paris were delayed, as were their uniforms and accreditations, but Games organizers said disruptions were limited and didn’t affect ticketing or the torch relay.

A disturbing reminder of vulnerability

“This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core internet infrastructure,” said Ciaran Martin, a professor at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government and former Head of Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre.

Cyber expert James Bore said real harm would be caused by the outage because systems people have come to rely on at critical times are not going to be available. Hospitals, for example, will struggle to sort out appointments and those who need care may not get it — and it will lead to deaths, he said.

“All of these systems are running the same software,” Bore said. “We’ve made all of these tools so widespread that when things inevitably go wrong — and they will, as we’ve seen — they go wrong at a huge scale.”

The head of Germany’s IT security agency, Claudia Plattner, said that “the problems will last some time — we can’t expect a very quick solution.” A forecast for when exactly all systems will be up and running is difficult, but “it won’t be hours,” she added.

Microsoft spokesperson Frank X. Shaw confirmed in an emailed statement that “a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of Windows systems globally.” Earlier, the company had posted on the social media platform X that it was working to “alleviate impact” and that they were “observing a positive trend in service availability.”

During an interview on NBC’s “Today Show” Friday, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologized for the outage, saying the company was “deeply sorry for the impact that we’ve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this, including our companies.”

“We know what the issue is” and are working to remediate it, Kurtz said.

“It was only the Microsoft operating system” that was affected, though it didn’t happen on every Microsoft Windows system, he said.

The Austin, Texas-based company’s shares were down nearly 10% in early trading Friday.

A recording playing on its customer service line said, “CrowdStrike is aware of the reports of crashes on Microsoft ports related to the Falcon sensor,” referring to one of its products used to block online attacks.

Broadcasters go dark, surgeries delayed, ‘blue screens of death’

Meanwhile, governments and companies across the world scrambled to respond.

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the outage and his team has been touch with the company and other impacted entities.

New Zealand’s acting prime minister, David Seymour, said on X that officials in the country were “moving at pace to understand the potential impacts,” adding that he had no information indicating it was a cybersecurity threat.

The issue was causing “inconvenience” for the public and businesses, he added.

On the Milan stock exchange, the FTSE MIB index of blue-chip Italian stocks could not be compiled for an hour, though trading continued.

Major delays reported at airports grew on Friday morning, with most attributing the problems in booking systems of individual airlines.

In the U.S., airlines United, American and Delta said that at least some flights were resuming after severe disruptions, though delays would persist.

Airlines and railways in the U.K. were also affected, with longer than usual waiting times.

In Germany, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport halted flights for several hours due to difficulties in checking in passengers, while landings at Zurich airport were suspended and flights in Hungary, Italy and Turkey disrupted.

The Dutch carrier KLM said it had been “forced to suspend most” of its operations.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport warned that the outage was having a “major impact on flights” to and from the busy European hub. The chaotic morning coincided with one of the busiest days of the year for Schiphol.

Widespread problems were reported at Australian airports, where lines grew and some passengers were stranded as online check-in services and self-service booths were disabled — although flights were still operating. Meanwhile, passengers stood in long lines at Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci airport after flights were cancelled following a global power outage.

In New England, the outage led to delays at airports and for some hospitals to cancel appointments.

At Mass General Brigham, the largest health care system in Massachusetts, all scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits were cancelled Friday because of the outage, according to a spokesperson. Emergency departments remain open and care for patients in the hospital has not been impacted.

Australia is particularly affected by outages

While the outages were being experienced worldwide, Australia appeared to be severely affected by the issue. Disruption reported on the site DownDetector included the banks NAB, Commonwealth and Bendigo, and the airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, as well as internet and phone providers such as Telstra.

National news outlets — including public broadcaster ABC and Sky News Australia — were unable to broadcast on their TV and radio channels for hours. Some news anchors went on air online from dark offices, in front of computers showing “blue screens of death.”

Hospitals in several countries also reported problems.

Britain’s National Health Service said the outage caused problems at most doctors’ offices across England. NHS England said in a statement said the glitch was affecting the appointment and patient record system used across the public health system.

Some hospitals in northern Germany canceled all elective surgery scheduled for Friday, but emergency care was unaffected.

Shipping was disrupted too: A major container hub in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Poland, the Baltic Hub, said it was battling problems resulting from the global system outage.

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