He's been through a lot, recently rescuing sailors.

In recent days, for the first time in the home port, since construction. It was built in split shipyard, for split shipping company and took the name of his hometown.

If it may be added, the signed reporter then - back in 1998 - escorted him out of the City Port with a big report in Slobodna Dalmacija.

Here we welcomed him 24 years later. The north port link. He didn't complain or hide his wrinkles. His time has blushed and dashed his blue face, but the uprights are still being held back by cranes.

There's spinach beef for lunch. At 11:30. It's navy! The day before the soup and the corpse. Kogo can easily go to the cave now. Twice the meat in a day, boasts barb. That's a drop. Zeljko Susic, 68, commander of "Split".

Lovable Rabljanin, from Banjol. That we're going to point it out to him. To Banjol! Since the end of last year, he retired. Listen to this: 45 years, nine months and seven days of service. Mainly on the former famous Rijeka "Jugolinija" and split "Jadroplov".

The crew laughs. Blue troughs, were teeth. All together: 21 at No. Domestic sailors, you can see it right away.

It is also profitable for the company when they are in the Adriatic: lower maintenance costs, repairers in Croatia and the like.

A lucrative business appeared, as hit during the time-honored "Split", barba says. For the next five years, with the possibility of extension, it will transport scrap metal from domestic ports - Split, Pločenska and Rijeka - to a Turkish steelworks in the city of Iskenderun. On the border with Syria.

The charterer of the boat is the Zagreb company "Cios" which collects secondary raw materials throughout Croatia, the region and Europe, drags them to the mentioned ports and takes them for a meltdown. It's a business of transporting 500,000 tons a year, which is exactly tailor-made for our ship.

A small part is loaded in Ploče, a large one in Split's North Port. All together, 24,500 tons. Because at the moment it is a scrap that is lighter but more extensive. Otherwise, the "Split" hatch can fit 42,500 tons. On the way back from Turkey, bulk carrier will pick up a new scrap in Rijeka.

Two trips to Turkey and back a month could be made, depending on waiting for berths or anchorages. One-way navigation is available for four and a half (Split) up to five days (Rijeka).

In the end, but by no means least, it was also the turn of the rescue of seafarers from a sunken Italian tugboat in the middle of the Adriatic, on May 18th, spring.

We wrote in detail at the time and spoke to the captain from Banjol by satellite phone about the drama at sea. Mirita Blue Ribbon! Now the opportunity arose to see the brave crew and barba in Split.

There was praise from all sides. There was also an interview with the secretary of the commission for the award of the Blue Ribbon, a recognition for outstanding efforts in rescue at sea, and we are waiting for another interview in Rijeka. We'll see if we deserve it! And Giuseppe nan hasn't checked in yet, it's nan's thirsty and hopefully father, it's been two and a half months. We're waiting for him. He's born again that night!

It's the only surviving seaman from the tugboat "Franco P." Petralia. Master. It is unclear what happened: it is only known that the tugboat sank very quickly, in 15 minutes. At 800 meters deep in the southern Adriatic. In international waters, 40 or 45 miles from Dubrovnik and Bari. There were a total of six crew members on the nearly half-century-old tugboat. Three bodies were later recovered, and two engineers disappeared.

RESCUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ADRIATIC

"Split" was first in position that night: he led a major rescue operation joined by many other ships and planes, including Croatian ships, he rescued the Italian commander and earned the praise of the Italian and Croatian rescue services.

Our people did an excellent job: the ship "Danče", dubrovnik port authority, found and boarded the drownings, our Coast Guard participated, our pilatus flies. In italians, nissan just sees such a hearty engagement. And we got our company's award. Monetary! It was my first rescue in 45 years of navigation - says Barba.