I think having general thread on a forum like “Shipyard News” is a poor practice. Do you have an example of some forums that use that method? Because I know plenty where the policy is to start a new thread of a different topic.
This thread is a good example. The title is “Icebreakers” but the topic of the OP is a general question as to why a thread was closed. So now two discussions are intermingled, three really if you count the post about the Aurora Australis being retired.