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  1. Home
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  3. March
  4. 16
  5. Scapa Flow

Events on March 16 in history

Scapa Flow
1940Mar, 16

First person killed (James Isbister) in a German bombing raid on the UK in World War II during a raid on Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands.

Scapa Flow (; from Old Norse Skalpaflói 'bay of the long isthmus') is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. Its sheltered waters have played an important role in travel, trade and conflict throughout the centuries. Vikings anchored their longships in Scapa Flow more than a thousand years ago. It was the United Kingdom's chief naval base during the First and Second World Wars, but the facility was closed in 1956.

Scapa Flow has a shallow sandy bottom not deeper than 60 metres (200 ft) and most of it is about 30 m (100 ft) deep; it is one of the great natural harbours and anchorages of the world, with sufficient space to hold a number of navies. The harbour has an area of 324.5 square kilometres (125.3 sq mi) and contains just under 1 billion cubic metres of water.

Since the scuttling of the German fleet after World War I, its wrecks and their marine habitats form an internationally acclaimed diving location.

Scapa Flow hosts an oil port, the Flotta Oil Terminal. In good weather, its roadstead (water of moderate conditions) allows ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil product. The world's first ship-to-ship transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) took place in Scapa Flow in 2007 transferring 132,000m³ of LNG. This occurred in 2007 by Excelerate Energy between the vessels Excalibur and Excelsior.


References

  • Scapa Flow
  • Orkney Islands

Choose Another Date

Events on 1940

  • 17May

    Brussels

    World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium.
  • 12Jun

    Erwin Rommel

    World War II: Thirteen thousand British and French troops surrender to Major General Erwin Rommel at Saint-Valery-en-Caux.
  • 5Jul

    Vichy France

    World War II: The United Kingdom and the Vichy France government break off diplomatic relations.
  • 10Jul

    Vichy France

    World War II: The Vichy government is established in France.
  • 11Jul

    Vichy France

    World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Prime Minister of France.

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