The sand carrier Hong Hai 16, which capsized off the Philippines' Occidental Mindoro province on April 15, 2025. Nine of the vessel's 25-strong crew were killed in the incident.Philippine Coast Guard
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr has ordered that a thorough investigation be conducted to determine whether sand from the Philippines' coastal areas is being used illegally in a number of land reclamation projects undertaken by foreign companies.
Mr Marcos' order for an investigation came following the submission of intelligence reports stating that a number of Chinese companies have been conducting dredging and reclamation activities in Manila Bay and other coastal areas in the country.
The President also emphasised that any local officials who will be found to be partly responsible for the illegal dredging will be held accountable.
The Chinese-led dredging operations have drawn criticism from local fishers and environmental groups, which claimed that the activities have resulted in environmental damage and depletion of fish stocks in some of the northern provinces.
In provinces farther south such as Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, local officials claimed that dredging being carried out in coastal areas was for flood control.
Chinese-operated dredgers and dredging support vessels have been involved in a number of maritime accidents in Philippine waters. Some of these accidents have even resulted in loss of life.
On April 28, 2023, a Chinese-operated dredger registered to Sierra Leone collided with a tanker off Corregidor Island in Cavite province. The dredger later capsized and two of the crew were killed while three others have gone missing.
Earlier this year, the sand carrier Hong Hai 16 capsized off Occidental Mindoro. Nine of the vessel's 25-strong crew were killed.
特別民間法人「日本小型船舶検査機構（JCI）の仕事をした事がないので、実際の状況はよくわからない。船の検査と言っても、小型船（20トン未満）から何十万トン（国際トン数）の船があり、料金は違う。検査する船が遠くにある場合、検査する時間よりも検査する場所に行く時間の方が長くなる事はあるのではないかと思う。そのような場合、どのように請求しているのだろうか？検査する仕事の問題は、検査を受ける側が規則を理解していない、又は、規則を満足しようと考えていないのに検査を受ける場合がある。問題があったから、検査を通さない場合、追加料金なのか、同じ金額を請求するのか良く知らない。検査する船が事務所から遠くにある場合、検査する時間よりも移動時間の方が長くなる。確認作業と言っても、船の場所まで行くまでは時間がかかる。リモートにすれば良いと考える人はいると思うが、性善説で考えれば可能だが、現実は性善説をベースにすると違反が増えると思う。別の業界だが「愛知の盗難アルファード、タイに密輸出未遂の疑い パキスタン人の男再逮捕 04/21/25（カナロコ by 神奈川新聞）」には「４台は同年６～７月に愛知県内で盗まれた車両で、虚偽申請した車体番号が記されたプレートが溶接されていた。通関業者には申請車両をコンテナに積み込む作業を収めた資料が添付されていたといい、同年８月１日に同税関の検査で申告と異なることが判明した。」と書かれている。どうように他の船の写真を取って送ることは出来る。
検査する船はいろいろあるし、経験と知識がある人は船を見るだけでいろいろな問題を疑う事が出来るので、現場での検査は重要だと思う。知識と経験がない、又は、やる気がない人が検査するのであれば、経験と知識がある人が、携帯電話を通して動画を見る方が良い場合はある可能性はあると思うけど。
特別民間法人「日本小型船舶検査機構（JCI）の職員の給料がどのくらいなのか知らないが、安いのではないだろうか？もっと大きな船を検査できるのであれば、大きな船を検査する組織で働いた方が給料は良いと思う。
内航船に関して船員不足問題がある。船員不足だけでなく、海運及び造船関係の労働者不足があるのではないかと思う。造船業界は下り坂なので、就職したのでがまんして働いている人や慣れているから、同じ仕事を継続する人はいると思うが、新入社員として造船を選ぶ人は減っていると思う。実際に、造船所の数は減っている、又は、体力のない造船所は倒産か、吸収されている。一部の仕事を除いては学歴よりも、実際に経験を通して学んでいるかが重要だと思うので、人が足りないから採用しても戦力になる可能性は低い。経験と知識が重要な部分では、これらが欠けていれば、本来の目的は達成できない。時間を２倍かけても問題を見つけられない事はある。時間をかければ経験をカバーできない部分はある。もちろん、そうでない仕事はある。
外航船のサブスタンダード船、又は、サブスタンダード船と疑われる船はインチキの結果だ。酷い旗国と検査会社の子供だ。つまり、この２つの組織が、インチキで協力する形で本来は運航できない船が運航できるようになる。どちらかがまともに機能すれば、サブスタンダード船が消滅するかはわからないが、現在よりも、隻数は減るはずである。国際条約が存在し、満足すべき項目が条約に記載されても、インチキ、又は、問題を見逃すのが売りになっているので規則を満足する必要はない。（サブスタンダード船の写真）
日本の話ではないが、日本人の人でも知っている人は知っている船の名前は 韓国客船 Sewolだろう。
韓国客船 Sewol沈没事故、Korean Register clarifies some reports on Stellar Daisy 02/13/19 （Insurance Marine News）、Former shipping executive ordered arrested over Stellar Daisy sinking 01/28/19 （Baird Maritime）の「A South Korean court has ordered the arrest of a former executive of a local shipping company whose vessel sank in the South Atlantic along with its entire crew of 24 in 2017.・・・Charges were originally filed by the Korea Coast Guard against the five individuals for making illegal modifications to the vessel, incorrect inspection by KR, and forgery of documents that attested to the thickness of the vessel’s steel plate conducted by thickness measurement technicians from a private company.」
上記を考えれば、検査や安全は簡単には安全レベルには達しないと言う事だろうと思う。
現実と現状を知らなければ、対応や判断で間違った選択する可能性がある。規則を厳しくしてもチェックが甘ければ結果で期待は出来ない。下記のケースが良い例だろう。日本では、ＰＳＣ（ポート・ステート・コントロール：国土交通省職員）が外国籍船の検査と呼ばれるチェックを行っている。このようなレベルのチェックで良いのなら、同じような問題はまた起きるであろう。
外航船のサブスタンダード船、又は、サブスタンダード船と疑われる船はインチキの結果だ。酷い旗国と検査会社の子供だ。つまり、この２つの組織が、インチキで協力する形で本来は運航できない船が運航できるようになる。どちらかがまともに機能すれば、サブスタンダード船が消滅するかはわからないが、現在よりも、隻数は減るはずである。国際条約が存在し、満足すべき項目が条約に記載されても、インチキ、又は、問題を見逃すのが売りになっているので規則を満足する必要はない。（サブスタンダード船の写真）
日本の話ではないが、日本人の人でも知っている人は知っている船の名前は 韓国客船 Sewolだろう。
韓国客船 Sewol沈没事故、Korean Register clarifies some reports on Stellar Daisy 02/13/19 （Insurance Marine News）、Former shipping executive ordered arrested over Stellar Daisy sinking 01/28/19 （Baird Maritime）の「A South Korean court has ordered the arrest of a former executive of a local shipping company whose vessel sank in the South Atlantic along with its entire crew of 24 in 2017.・・・Charges were originally filed by the Korea Coast Guard against the five individuals for making illegal modifications to the vessel, incorrect inspection by KR, and forgery of documents that attested to the thickness of the vessel’s steel plate conducted by thickness measurement technicians from a private company.」
上記を考えれば、検査や安全は簡単には安全レベルには達しないと言う事だろうと思う。
日本政府は外国人や外国人労働者を安易に受け入れているが、理論的に考えるように上手くいかず、外国人問題は悪化しているだろう。最近では、ドイツ人船長と話す機会はなくなったが、昔は、首相が安易に安い労働力だと外国人や難民を受け入れるから、治安が悪くなって夜の外出が危険になったと文句を言っていた。日本はそこまで治安は悪化していないが、将来はそのようになるかもしれない。
Mark Deogrades, a safety officer at the MV Hong Hai 16. Photo courtesy of Marimar Deogrades
MANILA -- At their home in Cainta, Rizal, Marimar Deogrades patiently waits for updates from Occidental Mindoro, where the number of bodies being recovered from the capsized MV Hong Hai 16 continues to rise.
Her husband, Mark Deogrades, a 32-year-old safety officer of the vessel, is among those still missing.
“Tuwing mag-aala-singko or mag-aalasais ano na po nila kakain daw, doon daw sa kabina nila bababa, kaya ang expected ko po wala siya sa cabin,” said Marimar.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard report, the MV Hong Hai 16 capsized around 5:00 p.m. on Holy Tuesday.
Marimar wishes to go to the incident command post in Barangay Malawaan, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, but she doesn’t have the strength, as she is undergoing dialysis.
“Bilang dialysis patient po, hindi po ako makatulog ng maayos. Kalalabas ko lang po ng ospital gawa ng tinaasan po ako ng BP, muntik na po ako magcollapse kahapon,” said Marimar.
Mark and Marimar have two children, aged 8 and 2 years old. Now, all she can do is pray that her husband will be found.
“Siya lang po bumubuhay sa amin tapos hindi pa siya makita ngayon, ang tagal-tagal na. Sana po ngayong araw makita na po lahat, bangkay ba o buhay , kung pupuwede po huwag na sila titigil gawa po hindi na po kami makatulog. Isip kami ng isip kung anon a ba nangyari sa kanila,” Marimar said through tears.
As of this Sunday, the death toll from the MV Hong Hai 16 tragedy has reached nine.
Two bodies were recovered inside the vessel by the Special Operations Group Southern Tagalog and Technical Wreck Divers of the Coast Guard Special Operations Force.
Around 9:17 a.m., one body was found in cargo hold no. 1, while the second was found around 3:10 p.m. in the cargo hold monitoring room.
But the recovered bodies are almost unrecognizable.
The search for the remaining two missing crew members will continue on Monday.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Sunday it is looking at the possible filing of administrative cases against the shipowner of MV Hong Hai 16, which capsized in the waters off Occidental Mindoro on April 15.
PCG deputy spokesperson Commander Michael John Encina, however, stressed that they are still focusing on the search and recovery operations following the fatal incident, and on mitigating the possible oil spill from the vessel.
“Diyan muna tayo nakatuon before we interject or before we proceed dito naman sa administrative cases na posible naman din po nating i-file against dito sa may-ari once na ma-prove natin upon our conduct of the investigation, na may mga possible administrative charges na pwedeng ibigay sa kanila,” Encina said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(Let's focus on that first before we interject or before we proceed with the administrative cases that we can file against the owner once proven in the investigation.)
The Coast Guard earlier issued a demand letter to the owner of MV Hong Hai 16 to ensure full cooperation in the ongoing response operations off the coast of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro.
Nine crew members reportedly died due to the incident, while four others remain missing, said Encina.
The cause of the incident has also yet to be determined, but the PCG official emphasized that they are not discounting the possibility of a stability problem in the vessel.
So far, Encina reiterated that there were no signs of an oil spill in the surrounding waters where the ship overturned.
“Sa ngayon po, wala pa pong nai-report sa atin na may nakita na ‘yung ating response team on the field. And even the coastal communities, we are also in coordination dito sa ating mga coastal barangays na kapag sila ay may mga nakikitang [oil spill],” he said.
(So far, there have been no reports given to us regarding any oil spill. We are also in coordination with the coastal barangays to inform us if they notice oil spills.)
The Marine Environmental Protection Enforcement Response Group – Southern Tagalog earlier deployed 10 segments or 250 meters of oil spill boom to mitigate possible oil spill resulting from the capsizing. —RF, GMA Integrated News
On the evening of April 15, the 144 meter long, 20421 dwt dredger Hong Hai 16 (IMO: 8665870) capsized in the Mindoro Strait off Barangay Malawaan, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. The Hong Hai 16 had lost stability while dredging a short distance off the coast.
A video caught the vessel listing heavily to port before it suddenly rolled over in less than a minute. Of the 25 crew on board the sand dredger, 14 crew were able to escape and found in the water near the hull.
The Philippine Coast Guard arrived on scene and began a search and rescue operation looking for the missing crew. The initial search found the body of one crew member. Divers were brought to the site and began searching within the Hong Hai 16‘s compartments. Divers would find 3 more bodies trapped inside the vessel. The Coast Guard states there is some hope the missing crew members may be found alive possibly in the engine room.
Photo: x.com
An oil sheen was spotted around the overturned Hong Hai 16. The Coast Guard deployed booms around the stern off the hull to contain the pollution.
Photo: gmanetwork.com
HONG HAI 16 (IMO:8665870)は中国の Chaohu Shunfeng Shipbuildingで建造されたようだ。以前に似たような船が衝突で転覆しているから、規則を満足しているかも知れないが復原性に関してあまり良い結果でない船である可能性は高いと思う。下記の動画をみると波もない状態でゆっくりと転覆してる。復原性が悪いと推測する人が多くいても不思議ではないと思う。
まともな調査は行われるのかな？死亡した船員は生き返らないし、復原性が悪いと判明したら他の同型船に影響するのでお金で手打ちかな？
The upturned hull of the dredger Hong Hai 16, April 16 (PCG)
Rescuers are attempting to find survivors after the capsizing of a Chinese-operated sand carrier off the coast of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro.
The sand carrier Hong Hai 16 was operating off Barangay Malawaan on Tuesday morning in moderate seas. At about 0520 hours, the vessel capsized; the cause of the casualty is still under investigation.
The vessel had 25 crewmembers. Fourteen have been rescued alive by first responders, including six Philippine nationals and eight Chinese seafarers. Two crewmembers have been confirmed dead and nine remain missing, including three Chinese and six Philippine nationals.
Images courtesy PCG
PCG Special Operations Group Southern Tagalog has dispatched a team of divers with cutting gear to help access the ship. The capsized vessel is floating keel up with an even trim, and is partially submerged. The PCG hopes that some crewmembers may have survived in the engine room.
“The PCG remains on-scene and fully committed to ensuring the safety of all individuals involved, while also preparing for any potential environmental impact,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan visited the scene on Tuesday for an aerial and site inspection, and in a statement he said that he had urged the response teams to make every effort to save any survivors.
A similarly named Chinese dredging vessel capsized and floated hull-up for days in Manila Bay in May 2023.
The upturned hull of the dredger Hong Hai 16, April 16 (PCG)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has launched a search and rescue operation for 10 missing crew members aboard a Chinese vessel that capsized off Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday.
In a report on Wednesday, the PCG said that Motor Vessel Hong Hai 16, a sand carrier vessel, capsized in the waters of Barangay Malaawan around 5:20 p.m. under moderate sea conditions. The ship had 25 crew members: 13 Filipinos and 12 Chinese.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing, including underwater assessments and preparation for diving operations and cutting work by the Coast Guard Special Operations Group Southern Tagalog,” the agency said.
“Per initial visual assessment, the vessel remains upright but partially submerged, with possible trapped personnel in the engine room,” it added.
Of the 10 missing crew members, seven are Filipinos, while three are Chinese.
Before launching another search and rescue operation, the PCG said they have rescued 14 crew members—six Filipinos and eight Chinese—while one Chinese was found dead.
In preparation for possible environmental hazards, the PCG said its personnel coordinated with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in case there is a need to install oil spill containment booms.
A Belize-registered dredger named KSE Hitachi sank while moored off Tuas, Singapore, on 14 April 2025.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) received the alert around 1:30 pm and responded immediately.
There were no people on board the dredger when the incident occurred, and no injuries have been reported.
Despite the sinking, port operations in the area continue as normal.
MPA has issued a navigational broadcast to warn nearby vessels to avoid the site for safety reasons.
The dredger’s company is in the process of arranging salvage efforts to recover the sunken vessel.
Additionally, MPA has deployed three patrol crafts to monitor the situation and support any required actions.
An investigation has been launched to find out what led to the sinking of the vessel.
Reference: MPA
1,336 回視聴 2024/02/15 #大型船舶
Huihang Shipping 管理のゼネラルカーゴ JOYO 6 が関門海峡を西航、韓国へ向かいました。中古と思われる高級車を満載していて韓国経由でロシアへ輸出しているのではないかとの疑いが拭えません。船としても怪しさ満載で(笑)、ベリーズ船籍で船級がPanama Maritime Documentation Services、船齢が28年、ファンネルが一色で塗りつぶされてる、等です。そもそもゼネラルカーゴにクレーンで搭載した高級車をむき出しで並べていることこそがまず怪しいです(笑)
The Huihang Shipping Co Ltd managed general cargo ship JOYO 6 sailed the Kanmon Strait.
JOYO 6
Flag: Belize
IMO: 9088419
MMSI: 312243000
Callsign: V3OJ6
Type: General Cargo
Dimensions: 104 m x 19 m
DWT: 8,240 tons
GT: 6,635 tons
Built: 1996
Filmed date: 2024/1/21
Camera: SONY α6400
TAMRON B061S 18-300mm
MBN News. 2.39M subscribers. Indonesian Captain Jailed for Secretly Sailing to North Korea to Sell Pig Offal [MBN News 7]の動画をみると船のスタンプにぼかしが入れられているがIMO:8904795ではないかと思われる。
A satellite image of a cargo vessel that allegedly illegally carried 450 tons of meat to the port of Wonsan, North Korea on March 5 [KOREA COAST GUARD]
South Korean authorities have arrested the captain of a foreign cargo vessel on charges of illegally attempting to deliver hundreds of tons of meat to North Korea, in what officials described as a serious violation of inter-Korean trade laws.
According to the Coast Guard on Tuesday, a cargo vessel owned by a Taiwan-based company departed from Busan Port on Feb. 9 and entered North Korean territorial waters via the East Sea.
The ship remained docked at the port of Wonsan Port in North Korea until March 5. The vessel was reportedly carrying 450 tons of frozen meat products, including cattle and pig intestines and chicken feet.
The captain, an Indonesian national in his 50s, was taken into custody by the South Korean Coast Guard and referred to prosecutors. Authorities suspect he attempted to sell the meat to North Korean buyers during his time in Wonsan.
Although the meat was still on board at the time of the vessel's interception, the captain claimed he was merely following company orders to travel to Wonsan and was unaware of any specific transaction details.
Under South Korean law, any form of transport traveling between South and North Korea — regardless of foreign ownership — requires prior approval from the Unification Ministry. However, the cargo vessel allegedly misreported its destination when departing Busan, in an apparent attempt to conceal its true course.
The ship used a similar tactic when returning to Busan for refueling on March 8, again listing its previous port of departure as an unspecified offshore area.
The Coast Guard also found that the captain had switched off the ship's Automatic Identification System (AIS), a device used to track a vessel's position, while sailing through North Korean waters. The AIS was turned back on only upon reentering South Korean waters.
While the ship did not meet the criteria to be flagged as a “vessel of interest” — a designation for ships with prior violations or suspected of espionage — the Coast Guard confirmed its activity through satellite imagery showing the vessel docked in Wonsan.
Including the captain, eight Indonesian nationals, were on board at the time of arrest. The Taiwan-based shipping company that owns the vessel has also been booked on related charges.
Authorities said that no evidence of espionage was found.
However, a Coast Guard official said “even if a ship is foreign-registered, unauthorized travel to and from North Korea, and providing false declarations about port entries and exits, can pose serious national security risks.”
“We will strengthen monitoring and enforcement measures against maritime security violations,” the official added.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
Authorities uncover 1 ton of cocaine valued at 341 million USD in major drug bust
In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, South Korean authorities have seized approximately 1 ton of cocaine hidden aboard a foreign cargo ship, marking the largest drug seizure by volume in the nation's history. The operation took place on April 2, 2025, at a port in Gangneung, located in Gangwon Province, where about 90 personnel from the Donghae Regional Coast Guard and Seoul Regional Customs were deployed to search the vessel.
The cargo ship, flying the Norwegian flag, was reportedly on a journey that began in Mexico, passing through Ecuador, Panama, and China before docking in South Korea. The authorities acted on a tip-off from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which led them to investigate the ship.
Upon searching the vessel, officials discovered 50 boxes, each containing approximately 20 kg of cocaine, cleverly concealed within the ship's cargo. The estimated market value of the seized cocaine is around 500 billion won, equivalent to approximately 341.7 million USD. This operation is a significant milestone in South Korea's ongoing battle against drug trafficking.
As part of their investigation, South Korean authorities are scrutinizing the ship's captain and crew to ascertain the origin and intended destination of the illicit drugs. Additionally, they are collaborating with the FBI and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to expand their inquiry into potential links with international drug trafficking organizations.
The implications of this seizure are vast, highlighting not only the scale of drug trafficking operations that can reach South Korea but also the international collaboration required to combat such crimes. The cooperation between U.S. and South Korean authorities underscores a shared commitment to tackling the global drug trade.
This incident comes amid a broader context of rising drug-related activities in the region. Authorities have noted an uptick in the trafficking of various narcotics, prompting increased vigilance and enforcement efforts. The successful seizure of this substantial quantity of cocaine serves as a reminder of the persistent challenges faced by law enforcement agencies.
Moreover, the operation sheds light on the complexities involved in tracking and intercepting drug shipments that traverse multiple countries. The route taken by the cargo ship—from Mexico to South Korea—illustrates the extensive networks utilized by traffickers to evade detection and deliver drugs to markets.
The South Korean government has been proactive in enhancing its maritime security measures to address the growing threats posed by drug trafficking. This includes bolstering the capabilities of the Coast Guard and Customs Service, as well as fostering international partnerships to improve intelligence sharing and operational coordination.
In addition to the cocaine seizure, recent operations have also targeted other substances, reflecting a comprehensive approach to drug enforcement. For instance, authorities have recently arrested 16 individuals, including seven from China and Taiwan, and confiscated 1.4 tons of ketamine along with 80 tons of chemicals used in drug production.
This multifaceted strategy highlights the interconnected nature of drug trafficking, where various substances are often linked to broader criminal enterprises. The ongoing efforts by South Korean authorities aim to dismantle these networks and reduce the availability of drugs within the country.
The seizure of this cocaine shipment is not just a victory for South Korean law enforcement; it serves as a crucial step in the fight against drug trafficking on a global scale. As countries continue to grapple with the complexities of drug-related issues, the need for cooperation and robust enforcement strategies becomes increasingly apparent.
As investigations proceed, the spotlight remains on the international drug trade and the efforts to combat it. The collaboration between South Korean authorities and U.S. agencies exemplifies the importance of a united front in addressing the challenges posed by drug trafficking.
In conclusion, the recent seizure of cocaine aboard a foreign cargo ship is a landmark event in South Korea's ongoing battle against drugs. It underscores the critical need for vigilance, international cooperation, and comprehensive strategies to combat the pervasive threat of drug trafficking.
By: Jacob Lazaro
MANILA, Philippines — The government will provide legal assistance to the Filipino seafarers onboard the cargo vessel that was found to be carrying two tons of suspected cocaine in South Korea, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported on Tuesday that there were 20 Filipinos, including the ship captain, on MV Lunita.
Article continues after this
It docked in Okgye, South Korea, on April 4. The drugs were found by local authorities during an inspection.
According to reports, over 50 boxes of suspected cocaine were found hidden in a compartment within the engine room. The ship had traveled from Mexico to Ecuador, Panama and China before reaching Seoul.
Pinoy sailors held in Korea after drugs found in ship
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac —Photo by RTVM via the official Facebook page of the Department of Migrant Workers
MANILA, Philippines — The government will provide legal assistance to the Filipino seafarers onboard the cargo vessel that was found to be carrying two tons of suspected cocaine in South Korea, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported on Tuesday that there were 20 Filipinos, including the ship captain, on MV Lunita.
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It docked in Okgye, South Korea, on April 4. The drugs were found by local authorities during an inspection.
According to reports, over 50 boxes of suspected cocaine were found hidden in a compartment within the engine room. The ship had traveled from Mexico to Ecuador, Panama and China before reaching Seoul.
While it has yet to determine if the Filipinos were involved in the smuggling of drugs, the DMW, which said it has started coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and South Korean authorities on the matter, will provide them with a lawyer.
Pinoy sailors held in Korea after drugs found in ship
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac —Photo by RTVM via the official Facebook page of the Department of Migrant Workers
MANILA, Philippines — The government will provide legal assistance to the Filipino seafarers onboard the cargo vessel that was found to be carrying two tons of suspected cocaine in South Korea, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reported on Tuesday that there were 20 Filipinos, including the ship captain, on MV Lunita.
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It docked in Okgye, South Korea, on April 4. The drugs were found by local authorities during an inspection.
According to reports, over 50 boxes of suspected cocaine were found hidden in a compartment within the engine room. The ship had traveled from Mexico to Ecuador, Panama and China before reaching Seoul.
While it has yet to determine if the Filipinos were involved in the smuggling of drugs, the DMW, which said it has started coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and South Korean authorities on the matter, will provide them with a lawyer.
Cacdac said the ship’s company, JJ Ugland Companies, has already sent a lawyer to the Filipino crew.
“This is already included in the investigation—who may be involved, if any of the crew members are included, what the details are, where they were or their locations, and the involvement of each crew member on board,” he said in an interview with GMA’s Unang Balita.
“But as of now, of course, they are entitled to their defense, to be presumed innocent. We are providing the necessary legal counsel in tandem with the one provided by the ship owner,” Cacdac added.
Following reports of cable breakage and to strengthen the safety of Taiwan’s waters and key infrastructure, ships from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are now required to go through longer port visit application processes to the island with the paperwork expected to take up to a month per vessel visit. Ships also flying the flags of Cameroon, Tanzania, Mongolia, Togo and Sierra Leone are also required to fill in the extra filings, many of which will be screened by Taiwanese security officials before being passed on to Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Administration.
Like in the Baltic, Taiwan has faced multiple attacks on its subsea infrastructure in recent months, largely from merchant ships dragging their anchors.
The island blacklisted 52 Chinese-owned ships in January while Taiwan’s National Security Bureau has said ships which have previously been found to misreport information will be put on a list of ships for priority inspection at ports.
Moreover, if these ships enter within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan’s coast and are close to where undersea cables are, the coast guard will be dispatched to board them and investigate.
A ship accused at the end of February of damaging cables off Taiwan had a simple way of changing identity.
The Togo-flagged Hongtai 68 was able to change its name many times as the crews simply replaced three steel plates (pictured) at its stern and on its bow whereby it has also recently traded as the Hongtai 58 and Shanmei 7.
The captain of the vessel – dubbed in local media as the ‘thousand faces ship’ – had on an earlier occasion been caught entering Taiwan with false documents.
This photo taken on March 30, 2025 shows the grounded Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2 near Nevelsk, Russia. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
NEVELSK, Russia, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Russian authorities are actively advancing rescue efforts for the Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2, which ran aground near Nevelsk, on Russia's Sakhalin Island, the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok said on Sunday.
A Chinese task force recently arrived in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast to consult with local Russian government officials and rescue agencies to coordinate the ship's salvage operation, according to the consulate.
Both sides have signed a letter of intent regarding oil removal, with further efforts underway to draft the next phase of the rescue plan.
Staff from the Chinese consulate boarded the vessel after it ran aground to visit the crew. As of now, all 20 crew members are in good health, maintaining smooth communication with the outside world and having sufficient supplies of food and drinking water.
The Chinese cargo ship "Anyang-2" ran aground near the Port of Nevelsk on Sakhalin Island in the early hours of February 9 following a severe storm. The vessel was carrying approximately 50 tons of diesel and 700 tons of heavy fuel oil. No pollution has been detected in the surrounding waters following the incident, according to Sakhalin's governor.
This photo taken on March 30, 2025 shows the grounded Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2 near Nevelsk, Russia. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
Stricken container ship Solong has been towed to the port of Aberdeen
A container ship involved in a crash with a US oil tanker in the North Sea has been towed to Aberdeen.
Portuguese vessel Solong was towed to Scotland for "safe berthing" after it crashed into the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate off the East Yorkshire coast on 10 March.
Rescuers saved 36 crew members off both ships. One sailor - named as Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38 - remains missing and is presumed dead.
The Solong's Russian captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with gross negligence manslaughter and is due to stand trial in January 2026.
Stricken container ship Solong has been towed to the port of Aberdeen. Pic: PA
The Solong was still burning a week after it collided with the fuel tanker, whose crew were praised as "heroic" for triggering a crucial firefighting system before abandoning ship.
Only one of the Stena Immaculate's cargo tanks containing jet fuel was damaged, according to Crowley, the maritime company managing the ship.
The Solong was accompanied by a vessel with counter-pollution measures as it arrived at the Port of Aberdeen at around 7am on Friday.
This photo taken on March 30, 2025 shows the grounded Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2 near Nevelsk, Russia. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
A spokesperson for Ernt Russ, the company that owns Solong, said the fire-stricken ship will be "fully assessed by specialist marine assessors and insurers" in Aberdeen.
Chief coastguard Paddy O'Callaghan said: "Salvage of the Solong has progressed to enable its relocation to the Port of Aberdeen for safe berthing.
"The Stena Immaculate remains in a stable condition with salvage ongoing."
Following the collision, thousands of plastic pellets used in plastics production, known as nurdles, were released from ruptured containers on the Solong and began washing up on beaches on the Norfolk coast.
According to conservationists, the nurdles are not toxic but can harm animals if ingested.
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council said it had begun removing the nurdles, focusing initially on the stretch of beaches between Holme-next-the-Sea and Old Hunstanton.
Mr O'Callaghan added: "HM Coastguard continues to support local authorities which are leading the onshore response to pollution, including plastic nurdles, in Norfolk and Lincolnshire.
"HM Coastguard will continue to keep the overall situation under close review."
Barbados-flagged bulk carrier MJ Pinar was hit by Russian missiles at the port of Odesa yesterday evening with four crew killed, and another injured. The dead crew hailed from Syria and Ukraine.
The handysize vessel was loading a cargo of wheat when it was struck with images showing the ship’s port side badly charred.
The attack comes at a time when Russia and Ukraine are reported to be closing on a temporary ceasefire deal.
Ukraine said yesterday it is ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia proposed by the US, after a day of US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia.
LONDON -- A man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter after a cargo ship collided with an anchored oil tanker Monday in the North Sea, police said.
The Portuguese container ship Solong struck the U.S.-flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate while the tanker was anchored on the U.K.'s eastern coast near Hull, England, with both vessels catching on fire, officials said Monday.
Thirty-six people between the two ships were safely brought to shore, the U.K. coast guard said.
One of the Solong's crew members remains missing in the wake of the collision, according to Ernst Russ, the manager of the container vessel.
The search for the missing crew member was unsuccessful and has ended, the U.K. coast guard said in an update Monday night. The missing person is believed to be dead, U.K. Transport Minister Mike Kane told the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Humberside police said they began a criminal investigation into the collision and have arrested a 59-year-old man following the "conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the Solong."
"The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst enquiries are underway, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident," Humberside Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson said in a statement.
Police did not release any additional details on the suspect, including his name or connection to the incident.
The suspect is not a member of the Stena Immaculate crew nor a mariner with Crowley, the manager of the ship, a Crowley spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.
Fires burning on board the two vessels appeared in aerial footage to have been largely put out a day after the collision, although a shipping official said it would be "premature" to say the fire on the tanker had been extinguished.
"There will be an investigation," Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby, said Tuesday. "With all the technology that these vessels have, there's no way it should have happened."
The Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel at the time, with at least one cargo tank rupturing in the collision and resulting in multiple explosions onboard, according to Crowley.
Both ships sustained significant damage and were abandoned by their crews.
The British coast guard said in a statement on Tuesday that the two ships had been separated and that an "exclusion zone" had been put in place within a kilometer of the ships.
"Safety vessels and other vessels with firefighting capabilities are still on scene with more arriving today," the coast guard said.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is investigating the cause of the collision.
Kane told the House Commons on Tuesday that officials with the agency are on-site to survey the two vessels and will report back to him with official findings.
No pollution had been reported yet, Kane said.
"As it currently stands, no sign of pollution from vessels is observed at this time," he said. "But monitoring is in place and should that change, assets in place will be provided as needed."
Russia claims to have sunk a cargo vessel carrying weapons and military equipment bound for Ukraine on Saturday, March 1.
Russian Telegram war channel Talipov Online said Moscow’s forces unleashed two Iskander-M missiles targeting Panama-flagged container ship MSC Levante F at the port of Odesa.
The vessel, seen carrying yellow and red containers, reportedly made a stop in Turkey to load British sea drones and other weapons from the UK’s NATO base before heading to Ukraine.
“The container ship was struck as it prepared to unload,” the Telegram channel claimed. “After the strike detonations began, the cargo was completely destroyed, the ship sank.”
Ukrainian authorities confirmed that two port workers were injured in the strike, which also damaged port infrastructure.
However, despite the claim, Russia has yet to provide evidence that MSC Levante F was indeed sunk.
Kyiv’s Response
Odesa Governor Oleg Kiper confirmed that there was a missile strike on a cargo vessel docked at the Odesa port.
However, he said the strike only “damaged” the civilian ship, which is owned by a Swiss-based shipping company.
Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction, rejected Russia’s claim, asserting that the vessel was carrying “completely civilian cargo.”
He also revealed that a second ship was hit in the attack.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 20 foreign merchant ships have been targeted by Russian strikes, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This will be a rather short article on to establish some of the basic facts of the case and where information could be found. It was reported by various news outlets that a Togo-flagged cargo ship operated by a Chinese crew was allegedly caught severing a submarine cable between Taiwan and Penghu Islands (see RFA report).
When I started the investigation, I was searching for information with “Hong Tai 58” as the keywords. However, when I try to search for the vessel on www.myshiptracking.com, I realised that there are two ships which are almost identically named save for the fact of letter spacing.
There is firstly the “Hong Tai 58” rendered in the exact form which news reports mentioned (see below and link).
However, the registration detail records it to be a Chinese-flagged vessel rather than a Togo – which was reported by news outlets. The last known location was mentions to be in Haikou in Hainan island as at 21 Feb 25. It’s unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity. (MMSI) number was 413485270. The dimensions of the ship was recorded to be 110 x 19 m.
However, there is a “Hongtai58” which was Togo-flagged and the last location was in Anping, Taiwan (see below and link). This vessel matches the details of what was reported on the captured vessel.
The dimensions of the ship was 90 x 40 m and the MMSI was 671756000. Could the two ships be one and the same? It’s not impossible though at this point we cannot establish this just using open source. It could be that the vessel was somehow able to register two or more MMSI. The difference in dimensions between the two ship registrations could also be intentional to give the impression that they are two different ships. In fact, the open source data on ship dimensions might be wildly inaccurate in the case of “Hongtai58”. I managed to find another database, Maritime Optima, which showed its dimensions to be 78 x 12 m.
Unfortunately, aside from what I found above, I did not manage to find anything else. I tried to find establish the ownership of the vessel but no openly available data is available.
I will update this article as more data is found or becomes available.
Update 1
According to report by 4c Offshore, the IMO number used by Hongtai58 correspond with that of another ship, the Jinlong 389. We see that in the Maritime Optima record found earlier that Hongtai58 had the IMO 8357069.
Checking this number on vesselfinder.com, we are able to verify this finding.
The report mentioned that Jinlong 389 was owned by a company called, “Dongguan Jinlong Shipping Co”. I could not find a website for this company but I found a company with a Chinese name corresponding to what was reported. There were some details of the company, “东莞市金龙航运有限公司” (Dongguan City Jinlong Shipping Private Limited), on third party Chinese websites on shipping companies (link to one such website).
The contact person was named as Jiang Huating (江华亭).
The Coast Guard intercepted and detained a "Hong Tai" cargo ship suspected of damaging one of Taiwan's submarine cables. (Photo: CNA)
A Togolese cargo ship with a Chinese crew is suspected of having something to do with damage to the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable.
Coast Guard personnel carefully boarded a “Hong Tai” freighter that had been loitering around Taiwan’s southwestern coast since Saturday evening in order to investigate whether it is related to the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 cable break. The Togolese vessel carried a “flag of convenience,” meaning it flies the flag of a country other than the country of ownership, and was crewed by eight Chinese nationals.
The ship dropped anchor in the wee hours of Tuesday morning about six miles northwest of Jiangjun Fishing Harbor. After the Tainan fleet branch of the Coast Guard broadcasted a warning, it began sailing northwest. At about 3:24 a.m., Chunghwa Telecom reported that the submarine cable had been disconnected. Tainan Coast Guard boat 10079 was dispatched and escorted the vessel to Anping Port around noon.
Was it an accident, or was it intentional? Given the shady background of the ship, authorities are not ruling out the possibility of grey-zone warfare. After all, this is not the first time undersea telecommunications cables around Taiwan have been suspiciously damaged. A similar incident occurred just last month off the northern coast.
Considering how crucial this infrastructure is to cross-continent data traffic, keeping undersea cables stable is a matter of national security.
Taiwan's coast guard officers prepare to board the Togolese-registered vessel "Hong Tai." Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) A Togolese-registered vessel and its Chinese crew have been detained after a submarine communications cable linking Taiwan and Penghu was severed Tuesday.
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said it dispatched the PP-10079 patrol and rescue vessel at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to monitor the "Hong Tai" freighter, which was anchored 6 nautical miles northwest of Jiangjun Fishing Port in Tainan.
The CGA said it immediately issued broadcasts ordering the vessel to leave.
At around 3 a.m., the CGA received a report from the partially state-owned Chunghwa Telecom informing it that the "Taiwan-Penghu No. 3" submarine fiber optic cable had been severed.
The CGA said that it then began attempting to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage.
However, due to the difference in height between the two vessels preventing CGA personnel from boarding the Hong Tai, the CGA said it had to send the Cijin offshore patrol vessel and the PP-10059 patrol vessel to the scene to assist with boarding and detention.
The Hong Tai, which the CGA said was funded by "Chinese capital," was later brought to Anping Harbor where it and its eight crew, all Chinese nationals, were detained, pending investigation by Tainan district prosecutors.
When PP-10079 radioed the freighter, its crew said the ship's name was "Hong Tai 168," which contradicted the name shown by its Automatic Identification System "Hong Tai 58," the CGA said.
The CGA added that the ship's name would be verified by an upcoming investigation.
According to the CGA, the freighter had been loitering near the broken cable at a distance of about 925 meters from the cable since 7 p.m. on Feb. 22.
Coast guard vessels sail near the Togolese-flagged ship Hong Tai off the coast of Tainan today.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
Communications transmitted by the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 Cable have been rerouted to other cables to ensure no disruption, Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said.
The CGA said Tuesday's incident may be "gray zone" activity by China, adding it would work closely with prosecutors to get to the bottom of the incident.
Gray zone activity refers to actions that fall between traditional notions of war and peace. These activities typically involve ambiguous or nontraditional methods that aim to achieve strategic objectives without overtly crossing the threshold into open conflict.
船尾の国旗が畳まれているのか、風でポールに巻き付いているのか判断できないが、トーゴ籍船の国旗にも見える。M/V"SHAN MEI 7"で検索しても出てこない。無国籍船か、幽霊船なのか、待っていれば追加の情報が出てくるだろう。見た感じ国際トン数で2000トンから3000トンのようなので、AIS:船舶自動識別装置は国際条約で要求される。また、ISMコードとISPS(国際保安)コードにも国際条約で適合する事が要求されるはず。この船舶に証書を発給した検査会社が存在するのなら、会社名と検査官の名前を公表してほしい。Report links Panama flag with illegal North Korean shipments 05/24/19 (Splash247)の記事ではPanama Maritime Documentation Services (PMDS)と呼ばれるパナマから承認されている検査会社と検査官達の不正である。また、International Maritime Survey Association (IMSA)と呼ばれるモンゴルから承認されている検査会社と検査官が不正に関わっていた事が明らかになっている。
船舶が登録される旗国に責任があるが、検査会社と検査官にも責任があると思う。徹底的にこのような事件を調査して公表しないと、問題は解決されない。
An undersea cable to Penghu County has been severed, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said today, with a Chinese-funded ship suspected of being responsible.
It comes just a month after a Chinese ship was suspected of severing an undersea cable north of Keelung Harbor.
The National Communications and Cyber Security Center received a report at 3:03am today from Chunghwa Telecom that the No. 3 cable from Taiwan to Penghu was severed 14.7km off the coast of Tainan, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said.
The vessel Hong Tai suspected of severing an undersea cable to Penghu County is pictured in an undated photograph. The name on the hull, Shan Mei, does not match its identification.
Photo copied by Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) upon receiving a report from Chunghwa Telecom began to monitor the Togolese-flagged Hong Tai (宏泰) freighter anchored near the cable, the CGA said in a news release.
The ship was in the area from Saturday at about 7:10pm to around the time when Chunghwa Telecom reported that the cable had been severed, it said.
When the CGA received another report at 3am that the cable had been severed and that external force could have been responsible, it said it stopped the vessel and called for reinforcements.
Coast guard vessels sail near the Togolese-flagged ship Hong Tai off the coast of Tainan today.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
Undersea cable to Penghu severed, Chinese-funded ship suspected
By Lery Hiciano / Staff writer, with CNA
An undersea cable to Penghu County has been severed, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said today, with a Chinese-funded ship suspected of being responsible.
It comes just a month after a Chinese ship was suspected of severing an undersea cable north of Keelung Harbor.
The National Communications and Cyber Security Center received a report at 3:03am today from Chunghwa Telecom that the No. 3 cable from Taiwan to Penghu was severed 14.7km off the coast of Tainan, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said.
The vessel Hong Tai suspected of severing an undersea cable to Penghu County is pictured in an undated photograph. The name on the hull, Shan Mei, does not match its identification.
Photo copied by Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) upon receiving a report from Chunghwa Telecom began to monitor the Togolese-flagged Hong Tai (宏泰) freighter anchored near the cable, the CGA said in a news release.
The ship was in the area from Saturday at about 7:10pm to around the time when Chunghwa Telecom reported that the cable had been severed, it said.
When the CGA received another report at 3am that the cable had been severed and that external force could have been responsible, it said it stopped the vessel and called for reinforcements.
Coast guard vessels sail near the Togolese-flagged ship Hong Tai off the coast of Tainan today.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
Although coast guard personnel could not board and inspect the ship due to a difference in height, it was escorted back to port in Tainan, where prosecutors have started their investigation after detaining the crew, it said.
Despite flying Togo’s flag, Hong Tai is Chinese-owned and all eight crew members on board are Chinese, the CGA said.
Furthermore, the ship’s automatic identification system name does not match what it identified itself as over the radio or what is written on the hull, the CGA said.
After the cable was severed, the digital ministry ordered the company to redirect traffic to other cables connecting Taiwan’s main island to its offshore islands.
The company was also instructed to add the cable to its repair schedule, coordinating with a repair vessel currently in Kaohsiung working to fix the previously damaged Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 and No. 3 cables.
Those two cables are expected to be fully completed by the end of this month and next month, respectively, with the cable connecting Penghu to be fixed afterward, the ministry said.
The ministry has submitted a report to the Executive Yuan labeling Taiwan’s undersea cables as critical infrastructure.
It also said it would move to strengthen Taiwan’s resilience to such issues by establishing more monitoring stations and subsidizing telecom operators’ capacity to repair cables and invest in backup communication infrastructure such as microwave systems.
Photos from the Canadian Coast Guard show box ship MSC Baltic III grounded near shore with a helicopter attending the scene (source: Canadian Coast Guard/X)
by Jamey Bergman
Weather conditions have hampered initial salvage operations for box ship MSC Baltic III, which lost power and grounded on Canada’s east coast
A box ship that grounded in Canada’s easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador after a ’full power blackout’ was reported on board had its first visual assessment a little more than 48 hours after the vessel’s crew sounded a mayday alert to the Canadian Coast Guard.
Weather conditions have hampered operations at the scene of the vessel’s grounding, some 12 nautical miles from the Bay of Islands on the western side of Newfoundland Island.
The Canadian Coast Guard said an additional vessel, CCGS Ann Harvey, arrived on scene on 17 February.
"Weather hampered activity in the early part of the day. When weather improved, a fast rescue craft was launched for a visual assessment of the vessel. No pollution was observed," the coast guard said.
The coast guard said privately held shipowner MSC "continues to be co-poperative and responsive" in response operations for the stricken vessel.
"We have been advised that the vessel contains approximately 470 containers, over half of which are empty. The others contain items such as food, lumber and paper supplies. We are still trying to confirm the amount of diesel on board," the Canadian Coast Guard said.
The coast guard has established a 2 nautical mile airspace restriction for drone operators around the site of the vessel grounding, with coast guard helicopters still conducting overflight operations in the area to monitor the vessel.
All 20 crew from MSC Baltic III were airlifted to safety by coast guard helicopter shortly after the crew reported a blackout on board the vessel on 15 February.
As weather cleared, the Canadian Coast Guard was able to make an initial visual assessment of MSC Baltic III, finding no observable pollution (source: Canadian Coast Guard/X)
7 February
An MSC box ship has grounded after the crew reported the vessel had suffered a "full power blackout" near the coast of Canada’s easternmost provinces.
"On Saturday morning, 15 February, the [Canadian] Marine Communications and Traffic Services in Port aux Basques received a mayday from the cargo ship MSC Baltic III located approximately 12 nautical miles outside the entrance to Bay of Islands, NL. The vessel reported a loss of power," the Canadian Coast Guard reported. The acronym NL refers to Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador provinces on the country’s eastern coast.
The vessel lost power in a storm with high winds, reportedly gusting to 120 km per hour, and what the coast guard termed ’unfavourable’ sea conditions, which can be seen in a video of the grounded vessel below.
"The vessel was unable to secure an anchor and ran aground in Wild Cove west of Lark Harbour. There were 20 people on board. All crew have been safely airlifted from the vessel by a Cormorant helicopter," the coast guard said in its initial report.
According to the Halifax, Nova Scotia Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the vessel’s crew alerted authorities to "a full power blackout on a cargo vessel drifting towards the shore of Newfoundland".
"Thanks to 103 and 413 SAR Squadrons’ swift response, all 20 crew were airlifted to safety," the Halifax JRCC reported on its X social media feed.
The coast guard has continued to report on the vessel, giving daily updates in what is still considered an ’active incident’. "With the crew rescued, the focus shifts to assisting with the salvage effort, and marine environmental and hazards response," the organisation said.
The coast guard said weather in the area continues to be a factor as it carries on its work to assess the vessel and formulate a response. In addition to establishing an emergency zone around the incident area of two nautical miles to allow operational access to the vessel, Canadian Coast Guard crews and Eastern Canada Response Corporation representatives are establishing a response staging area in Lark Harbour, NL.
"Additional Canadian Coast Guard crews and equipment are en route. CCGS Jean Goodwill will transit to the site from Canso, NS [Nova Scotia], as weather permits and CCGS Henry Larsen is standing by in Corner Brook, NL to facilitate operations," the coast guard said.
The coast guard said the privately owned container shipping giant MSC, which owns MSC Baltic III, has been "co-operating and responsive, and a team from the salvage company contracted by the owner is expected in the area ... to assess the situation".
The governor of the Sakhalin Region, Valery Limarenko, stated that he had a "stable assumption" that the owner of the Chinese cargo ship with oil products An Yang 2, which ran aground near the port of Nevelsk, would leave it on the coast. He noted that the region faced the same problem in 2021.
"Three years ago, we had the same Chinese vessel washed ashore in the Kholmsky district, directly near the port of Kholmsky. And it was not disposed of by the Chinese owners, there was no appeal to us. We had to take the disposal completely on ourselves. <> I have a firm assumption that they will abandon the ship because it has significant damage, and I assume that its repair is impossible in the conditions in which we are now," Limarenko said in a video posted on the Telegram channel.
The governor recalled that in December 2021, the Chinese cargo ship Xing Yuan sank off the coast of Sakhalin under the flag of Sierra Leone. The Chinese owners of the bulk carrier refused to take measures to dispose of the vessel. Then the government of the Sakhalin Region took over this work. The complex of measures to remove the vessel from customs control was completed in December 2023, it was the first such practice in the Russia.
"We believe that we should not allow such a situation a second time. Therefore, we are contacting the Chinese Foreign Ministry. We appeal to the Chinese shipowner to cooperate with us. We are ready to offer all kinds of services in order to make it comfortable for the crew, and so that it would be possible to organize work on the utilization of hydrocarbons and on towing or recycling of the ship," Limarenko emphasized.
It is also reported that the chairman of the government of the Sakhalin region, Alexei Belik, reported to the governor that the shipowner's contact had already been found. Negotiations with him should take place in the near future.
"We will not wait until the storm capsizes the ship and all this remains with us on the shore. We should not wait for this. Make every effort so that the captain of the vessel comes out with constructive proposals for interaction, for example, on a boom, on exploring the vessel with the help of divers and other things," Limarenko said.
As EADaily reported, there are 20 crew members — Chinese citizens - on board the An Yang 2 cargo carrier. The press service of the regional government noted that the Chinese vessel is loaded with coal, fuel oil and engine oil.
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged suezmax Koala experienced several explosions in its engine room before preparing to sail but Russian authorities said there was no damage to its cargo tanks
Koala is still at berth at Ust-Luga and reportedly suffered limited damage, Russian officials confirmed.
Source: Alexander Drozdenko via Telegram
A DARK fleet* tanker was rocked by several explosions in its engine room on Sunday, February 9, while at berth at the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga.
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged, 164,533 dwt crude oil tanker Koala (IMO: 9234642) is on Lloyd’s List Intelligence’s dark fleet watchlist and arrived at Ust-Luga on February 6.
At around 0200 hrs on February 9 three explosions “thundered” in the tanker’s engine room, a Lloyd’s List Intelligence casualty report said.
The vessel’s crew of 24 managed to get ashore without injury, but Koala ran aground at its stern as a result of the incident and the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situation installed booms around the vessel.
Koala was loaded with 130,000 tonnes of fuel oil, immediately sparking concerns of an environmental incident in the Gulf of Finland.
But the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport of Russia (Rosmorrechflot) said there had been no damage to the tanker’s cargo holds and no oil had leaked, state news agency TASS reported.
Governor of Leningrad Oblast Alexander Drozdenko said on Telegram that the incident as a “man-made incident” that occurred during engine start up. He added there was no threat of an oil spill and that there had been no casualties.
But Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said his government was “closely following” the news and said Finland had increased its oil spill readiness response as a result of the incident.
Baltic states have expressed concern about the potential for an oil spill form a dark fleet tanker before. Swedish foreign minister said Russia “doesn’t care one bit” about the potential for a big oil spill, while Finland’s alternate permanent secretary to the International Maritime Organization said Finland, Sweden and Estonia had warned a meeting at the European Maritime Safety Agency of a “catastrophe waiting for happen” from a dark fleet oil spill.
The Nordic-Baltic 8 countries began asking dark fleet tankers for proof of insurance in late December 2024, and along with the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland said they would take “coordinated steps to disrupt and deter Russia’s shadow fleet”.
In the latest effort to bolster efforts against Russia’s dark fleet, Denmark’s minister of business and industry, Morten Bødskov, held a meeting with Danish maritime organisations to discuss how the industry could strengthen the enforcement of sanctions against Russia.
Danish Shipping deputy chief executive Jacob Clasen said, “Danish shipping companies have already very clearly chosen to be on the right side of history” and had chosen to go “beyond the sanctions and opt out of sailing to Russia”.
* Lloyd’s List defines a tanker as part of the dark fleet if it is aged 15 years or over, anonymously owned and/or has a corporate structure designed to obfuscate beneficial ownership discovery, solely deployed in sanctioned oil trades, and engaged in one or more of the deceptive shipping practices outlined in US State Department guidance issued in May 2020. The figures exclude tankers tracked to government-controlled shipping entities such as Russia’s Sovcomflot, or Iran’s National Iranian Tanker Co, and those already sanctioned.
A view of the unmaneuverable oil tanker "Eventin" off the coast of the island of Ruegen. The oil tanker, which flies the flag of Panama, drifted for several hours in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Ruegen, unable to maneuver - German emergency services secured the ship in the afternoon. Stefan Sauer/dpa
A loaded oil tanker that lost the ability to manoeuvre in the Baltic Sea near the German island of Rügen has been towed to the city harbour of Sassnitz.
The stricken tanker Eventin, loaded with 99,000 tons of oil, was being held in place about five kilometres off the coast by two tugboats on Sunday.
The vessel will remain there until a decision is made on next steps, a spokesperson for Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME) said. The ship is watertight and poses no danger to the environment, the CCME added.
The Eventin, which was built in 2006 and is sailing under a Panamanian flag, was en route from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to Egypt's Port Said, according to the ship tracking platform Vesselfinder.
The ship is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" used to export oil despite heavy sanctions on the country, according to a list of Russian-linked vessels compiled by the environmental advocacy organization Greenpeace.
The European Union and Britain, among others, have imposed sanctions on Russia's oil industry in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ships in the "shadow fleet" are often outdated and in poor operating condition.
The Eventin suffered an engine failure on Friday and was drifting in the Baltic Sea before being secured, according to CCME. The cause of the engine failure remained initially unclear.
Germany's maritime authorities released pictures of the Eventin tanker and their tugboats carrying out the rescue operation
Malu Cursino
German authorities have said an oil tanker stuck in German waters belongs to Russia's "shadow fleet", which Berlin says is used to avoid sanctions.
Germany's maritime authorities (CCME) said on Friday that the Panamanian-flagged ship, known as Eventin, had lost power and steering, meaning tugboats were deployed to secure the vessel.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock blamed Moscow, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of "circumventing" sanctions and threatening European security by "ruthlessly deploying a fleet of rusty tankers".
Russia, which previously declined to respond to accusations that it uses a shadow fleet, has not yet commented on this incident.
The Eventin, carrying almost 100,000 tonnes of oil, was adrift and 'unable to manoeuver' in the Baltic Sea (Handout)
Handout/Havariekommando/AFP
Germany was battling Saturday to secure a heavily loaded tanker stranded off its northern coast, towing the stricken ship that it said was part of Russia's sanctions-busting "shadow fleet" away from shore to avert an oil spill.
The 274-metre-long Eventin was sailing from Russia to Egypt with almost 100,000 tonnes of oil on board when its engine failed and it lost the ability to manoeuvre overnight Thursday to Friday, according to Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies.
As the vessel drifted in coastal waters Friday, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock slammed Russia's use of "dilapidated oil tankers" to avoid sanctions on its oil exports, calling it a threat to European security.
Three tugs have linked up with the Eventin and are attempting to steer it northeast, away from the coast and toward a "safer" area where there is "more sea space", the command said.
On Saturday morning it said the Eventin and the accompanying tugs were "still north of (the island of) Ruegen and moving eastwards".
The whole convoy was "travelling slowly" at a rate of about 1-2 knots, or 2.5 km/h, to safer waters northeast of Ruegen's Cape Arkona, the commando said.
It added that there were winds of 6 to 7 on the Beaufort scale in the area and that "stormy gusts" were expected to continue, while waves were around 2.5 metres (eight feet) high.
"Once the position has been reached the convoy will wait out the strong winds," the statement said.
No oil leaks were detected by several surveillance overflights, authorities said Friday.
- 'Rusty tankers'-
Although the tanker was navigating under the Panamanian flag, the German foreign ministry linked it to Russia's "shadow fleet" used to avoid Western sanctions on its oil exports over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Baerbock said that "by ruthlessly deploying a fleet of rusty tankers, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is not only circumventing the sanctions, but is also willingly accepting that tourism on the Baltic Sea will come to a standstill" in the event of an accident.
An engine room fire on board the Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel Panoria injured four crew members and left the ship disabled off Taiwan’s southern coast on Saturday evening.
Among the injured, one crew member suffered severe burns, while three others had minor injuries.
The fire broke out at around 5:00 p.m. when the vessel, a 50,000 dwt bulker, sailed 23 nautical miles southwest of Oluanpi, Taiwan’s southernmost point.
Although the crew managed to extinguish the fire, the ship lost power, and the captain requested immediate evacuation for all 21 crew members.
The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (CGA) dispatched five response vessels to the scene after receiving the distress call, but waves reaching 12 feet made ship-to-ship transfers impossible.
A helicopter from the Ministry of National Defense arrived at around 7:00 p.m. and airlifted the four injured crew members to Kaohsiung International Airport. They were later transferred to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The remaining 17 crew members stayed on board due to the challenging sea conditions. On Sunday morning, the tugboat Salvage Rigger, flagged in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, set off to tow the disabled ship to safety.
The tug was accompanied by coast guard vessels to ensure safe passage. The ship was expected to reach the Port of Kaohsiung by noon Sunday with the 17 uninjured crew members still on board.
The Panoria, built in 2008 and operated by a Greek company, has faced safety issues in the past. Its last two port state control inspections France and Indonesia- revealed 19 deficiencies, including problems with the fire pumps and firefighting equipment.
Just two months ago, the ship was detained in Indonesia due to deficiencies in its firefighting systems, sewage treatment, and oil filtering equipment.
These issues were reportedly addressed in a follow-up inspection before the vessel’s departure.
The CGA reported that its Anping-class patrol vessel was the first to reach the scene at around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Despite efforts made to approach the Panoria, high waves made direct transfer unsafe.
The Maritime and Port Bureau’s Southern Maritime Affairs Center coordinated the tugboat’s deployment to assist in towing the ship.
The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (TCGA) reports that a fire ignited on board a commercial vessel off the coast of Kaohsiung in the late afternoon (local time) of Saturday, January 4.
The blaze had ignited in the engine room of the Marshall Islands-flagged 50,000DWT bulk carrier Panoria. Although the crew were eventually able to extinguish the fire on their own, four individuals suffered burn injuries requiring treatment.
The TCGA attempted to evacuate all 21 of the vessel's crew by sea. However, the planned transfer of the survivors to another vessel was deemed impractical due to the bad weather and waves reaching as high as three metres.
A helicopter arrived later in the day on Saturday to evacuate the four injured sailors. The 17 other crewmembers meanwhile had to remain aboard ship after local officials decided not to risk deploying additional helicopters to the scene amid the worsening conditions.
A tug has since been despatched to take Panoria under tow. A TCGA official told local media that they expect the bulk carrier to be brought to Kaohsiung at around noon on Monday, January 6.
Denmark, which has been monitoring a Chinese vessel anchored off its coast after two Baltic Sea cables were cut, said on Monday it was in talks with China over the ship.
In a statement, Denmark’s foreign ministry said it was “in ongoing dialogue with the countries most involved in handling this case, including China”.
It added that it could not provide any details on the “diplomatic dialogue”.
Sections of two telecoms cables were cut on November 17 and 18 in Swedish territorial waters of the Baltic Sea.
Swedish and Finnish police have opened investigations and European officials have said they suspect “sabotage” linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has rejected the comments as “absurd” and “laughable”.
The Yi Peng 3 sailed over the cables around the time they were severed, according to ship tracking sites, though there is nothing to indicate that it was involved in the incidents.
The ship has remained anchored in the narrow Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark since Tuesday.
China’s foreign ministry has denied any responsibility in the matter.
“China is currently working with relevant parties including Denmark to maintain smooth communication through diplomatic channels,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
Denmark’s navy said on Wednesday it was shadowing the vessel, which is in international waters, limiting Danish authorities’ possibility to intervene.
Sweden’s coastguard joined it on Saturday.
Early on November 17, the Arelion cable running from the Swedish island of Gotland to Lithuania was damaged.
The next day, the C-Lion 1 submarine cable connecting Helsinki and the German port of Rostock was cut south of Sweden’s Oland island, around 700km (435 miles) from Helsinki.
Tensions have mounted around the Baltic Sea since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In September 2022, a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe, the cause of which has yet to be determined.
In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.
Authorities yesterday raced to remove 284 tonnes of oil from a Chinese carrier that ran aground off Taiwan after losing power in rough seas as Typhoon Kong-rey neared.
The Chinese-flagged Yu Zhou Qi Hang was transporting three cranes from Keelung to China on Tuesday when it stalled in wild weather, authorities said.
A Coast Guard Administration vessel was deployed to rescue the 17 crew and the Chinese ship drifted to the shore of Yehliu Geopark (野柳公園) in New Taipei City, where it ran aground.
The Yu Zhou Qi Hang, a Chinese-flagged cargo ship, lies stricken off the New Taipei City coast near Yeliu Geopark yesterday.
Photo: Cheng I-hwa, AFP
The Yu Zhou Qi Hang was carrying 247 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 37 tonnes of light diesel oil, the coast guard said.
An Agence France-Presse photographer yesterday saw red cranes above the water, one leaning heavily and touching the rocky shore, while the Yu Zhou Qi Hang was submerged.
Tracking Web site vesselfinder.com said the ship was a 143m-long heavy load carrier built in 2012.
Authorities hoped to start recovering the oil yesterday afternoon, a Maritime and Port Bureau official said.
The Ocean Affairs Council estimated it would take two to three days to finish the work, with council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) saying no oil had been detected leaking from the ship.
“I saw early this morning that there was no oil pollution at the scene,” Kuan said in a Facebook post yesterday.
“Nature is merciful and the oil tank was not damaged,” Kuan said, adding that oil spill containment booms had been deployed.
Kong-rey made landfall in eastern Taiwan on Thursday as one of the biggest typhoons to hit the nation in decades.
A heavy lift ship, registered in China which was earlier involved in an accident at Keelung Port, Taiwan, ran aground along Taiwan’s coast due to rough weather.
The 17-member crew was safely rescued by Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) patrol boat and brought to shore in the Keelung Port, after the ship Yu Zhou Qi Hang, with 3 ship-to-shore container cranes was caught in rough seas as a result of Typhoon Kong-rey.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed the ship in rough weather and later grounded against rocks meanwhile one of its loaded cranes collapsed.
The ship had left Taiwan’s Keelung Port and was headed to Zhangzhou, in China’s Fujian Province. However, a few hours into its journey, the ship was caught up in massive waves 2.4 nm northwest of Cape Yehiliu amid powerful winds and drifted dangerously close to the coast.
The CGA sent tugboats to help but they could not do anything in such bad weather and by evening the captain and crew had to abandon it.
This grounding is the second incident which involved the ship Yu Zhou Qi Hang this month. On October 14, it collided with a gantry crane at Port of Keelung’s berth when it was trying to dock.
This led to the collapse of one crane at the berth and resulted in damage to another onboard the ship. No injuries or oil spills were reported.
The Environmental Protection Department of New Taipei City noted that on October 29, the vessel lost power as it was attempting to leave Keelung Port, setting course to China with three container cranes onboard. The Taiwanese Coast Guard informed that the Yu Zhou Qi Hang was stranded some 2.4 miles north-northwest of Yeliu Cape, as it was battered by strong winds and sea currents, caused by the approaching typhoon Kangrul. The Coast Guard completed the operation of evacuating the 17 crew onboard the vessel.
While attempts were made to aid the heavy transport vessel, however, due to the adverse conditions the tug dispatched from the mainland abandoned the vessel. It finally dropped anchor some 0.6 miles from the shore in an attempt to stop it from drifting further, as can be seen from the footage released by the media.
However, the images published by the Environmental Protection Department show the vessel has drifted aground with significant damage, both to the cargo and the vessel itself. The authorities are monitoring the situation and taking pollution prevention measures.
According to the department, the heavy transport vessel Yu Zhou Qi Hang had 247 tons of heavy oil and 37 tons of light oil on board. Preliminary inspection showed no oil spill, with authorities continuing to monitor the situation.
SOLAS Chapter XI-2 Regulation 8 Master’s discretion for ship safety and security
“The master shall not be constrained by the Company, the charterer or any other person from taking or executing any decision which, in the professional judgment of the master, is necessary to maintain the safety and security of the ship.”
“The Company should ensure that the safety management system operating on board the ship contains a clear statement emphasizing the master’s authority. The Company should establish in the safety management system that the master has the overriding authority and the responsibility to make decisions with respect to safety and pollution prevention and to request the Company’s assistance as may be necessary.”
A damaged Malta-flagged cargo ship carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate has not been allowed to port in Malta, a transport ministry spokesperson has confirmed with MaltaToday.
The Malta-flagged Ruby, currently sailing the North Sea and carrying highly explosive ammonium nitrate, encountered a storm during its journey towards the Canary Islands after setting off from the Kola Peninsula in August.
According to the vessel's log, it ran aground after departure, but for some reason, the ship did not return to port.
“The ship will only be allowed to port in Malta if it empties the cargo, if not, it will not be allowed to enter Maltese territorial waters,” the spokesperson said, confirming that a request for servicing had been made by the ship’s captain.
Norway and Sweden had refused the ship from entering their ports due to the nature of its cargo. Website The Maritime Executive is reporting that Lithuania also confirmed that it had requested the vessel to cease displaying Klaipeda as its destination, reiterating that the ship would not be allowed to enter the port with its cargo.
During a Port State inspection, Norway confirmed that the ship's hull is damaged and requires repairs, possibly due to grounding while departing Russia in August after loading its cargo. Media reports also indicate damage to the rudder and propeller.
The ship reportedly has restricted manoeuvrability, and for a period of time last week showed it was “not under command”.
This prompted Denmark to impose restrictions on the ship’s transit into the Baltic, including requiring a pilot to be aboard. Requests for a pilot for the weekend were later withdrawn as the Swedes reported they believed the ship was still searching for a port, according to the report.
The ship is reported to have seven times the amount of material that caused the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020. Reports indicate the ship was bound for the Canary Islands.
Container gantry crane collapses after collision. (Keelung Harbor Police photo)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A container gantry crane collapsed at Keelung Port’s Pier 20 around 2 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 14).
The incident occurred when the Yuzhou Qi Hang (鈺洲啟航輪) barge carrier was transporting a newly purchased gantry crane for the China Container Terminal Corporation. As the barge docked at Pier 20, the new crane accidentally collided with an existing onshore crane, causing the latter to collapse.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident, and only one container sustained damage. The details surrounding the collapse are under investigation, according to ET today.
Song I-ching (宋益進), deputy director of the port, explained that the barge was carrying the new gantry crane to replace an older one, adding that the cause of the collision remains unclear.
Damage assessments and compensation discussions will follow, with professionals determining liability, Song explained. China Container Terminal Corporation and the freight company are expected to engage in further talks regarding the incident.
A new container gantry crane costs around NT$300 million (US$9.3 million).
The Keelung Port Branch of the International Ports Corporation stated that the incident had affected container shipping operations at Piers 20 and 21. These piers had been reserved for transporting the new container gantry crane from Oct. 14-18.
Container gantry crane collapses after collision. (Keelung Harbor Police photo)
A ship accidentally knocked down an existing quay crane at Keelung Port in Taiwan while docking to unload another pair of new cranes.
The accident occurred on Pier 20 at the port on Monday afternoon. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries reported. However, the damage is estimated at around NT$300m ($9.3m). The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The vessel was travelling at a speed of 1.9 knots at the moment it hit the crane. A video of the incident shows one of the new cranes onboard the vessel toppling over the old one while the vessel was docking, crushing a number of containers on the quayside in the process.
After the incident, police and firefighters arrived at the scene to assist with the incident. Reports from local media suggest four empty and one full containers were damaged as well as one hangar.
Since the incident involved Piers 20 and 21, the port moved berthing operations to Pier 19 so that the terminal could continue operations until the accident has been cleared up.
Both cranes are owned by the China Container Terminal Corporation. Reports indicate that both the new and old collapsed cranes were insured.
The ship carrying the new cranes is owned by ZPMC from China, the world’s largest crane manufacturer. The accident happened on the day the Chinese navy was carrying out drills surrounding the island of Taiwan.
Flames and smoke rise from an explosion at the British oil ship Cordelia Moon - HOUTHIS MEDIA CENTER/HANDOUT HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Video footage shows the moment Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched an explosive-laden drone boat into a British oil tanker in the Red Sea.
Footage released by the Houthi group shows a massive explosion taking place at the side of the Cordelia Moon, damaging its port side tank and causing it to be engulfed by plumes of smoke.
The attack took place around 110km (70 miles) off the port city of Hodeidah, in Yemen, and targeted the Panama-flagged oil tanker’s buoyancy on Tuesday.
A captain on a nearby ship reported four “splashes” near the vessel, the centre overseen by the US Navy said, which likely would have been missiles launched at the vessel that missed.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels later claimed the attack, saying it was hit with eight ballistic and winged missiles, a drone and an uncrewed surface boat.
A second Suez-bound vessel, a Liberia-flagged bulker, was damaged after it was hit by a missile about 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, British security firm Ambrey and maritime security sources said.
Both vessels reported that their crews were safe.
The attacks were the rebels’ first assaults on commercial shipping in weeks as war between Israel and Lebanon threatens to spill out into a wider regional war.
It also came after the Houthis threatened “escalating military operations” against Israel on Monday after its forces apparently shot down an American military drone flying over Yemen.
Authorities in Taiwan deployed a number of helicopters yesterday to rescue all the crew onboard the Blue Lagoon, a Barbados-flagged, 79,500 dwt bulk carrier, which ran aground in a super typhoon on Orchid Island, off the east coast of Taiwan, with fears growing of a possible oil spill.
The 229 m long bulk carrier is loaded with 67,500 tons of ore, 39 tons of marine oil, and 227 tons of fuel oil. The ship took on water, the engine room flooded and it began to list at which point the crew evacuated. The crew consisted of nine Egyptian nationals, seven Ukrainians, and three Russians.
Oil was reportedly seen in the water around the 14-year-old ship, which is owned by Nova Gemi from Turkey.
Kaohsiung, Oct. 1 (CNA) Crew members of a fuel-carrying ship that ran aground near Orchid Island (Lanyu) were airlifted to safety on Tuesday as authorities investigate reports that oil may have spilled from the vessel.
The whole multinational crew of 19 were picked up by National Airborne Service Corps helicopters before being taken to Taitung County's Orchid Island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Lanyu Township Office said.
The sailors were examined by medical personnel at the island's health center and all determined to be safe and sound.
However, Lanyu Township Office Secretary Chou Li-chu (周孋珠) said via video link that oil had been discovered in waters around the island's coast, prompting the office to request the county's environmental protection bureau tackle the apparent slick.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said they received a report at 4:28 a.m. from Keelung Radio that the Barbados-registered "Blue Lagoon" cargo ship had run aground in waters some 18 nautical miles away from Lanyu.
The ship ran aground amid rough conditions brought about by Typhoon Krathon while sailing from the Port of Caofeidian in China's Hebei Province to Singapore, the CGA said, adding that the skipper issued an order to abandon ship at 5:38 a.m. as water started flooding in.
At that time, the 43,498-ton vessel was carrying 19 crew members -- seven Ukrainians, nine Egyptians and three Russians -- as well as 67,500 tons of iron ore and 227 tons of a type of fuel oil known as VLSFO, the CGA said.
The "Blue Lagoon" is not the only vessel to have run aground in Taiwanese waters in recent months.
The southern city of Tainan in particular remains on high alert, given three foreign cargo ships -- "Dopphin," "Keta" and "Sophia" -- remained grounded near the coast since July, when Taiwan was hit by Typhoon Gaemi.
According to the Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau, the dismantling of "Keta" is ongoing while work on "Dopphin" is about to begin.
(By Flor Wang, Chang Yi-lian, Lu Tai-cheng and Chang Jung-hsiang)
A view of the Dali and the remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the March 26 crash that destroyed the bridge and closed the Port of Baltimore. Screenshots from National Transportation Safety Board.
The Justice Department said Wednesday it is suing the owners of the cargo ship that caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, seeking unspecified punitive damages and $100 million for the cost of cleaning up the debris.
The civil lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, said the owners and operators of the container ship Dali “sent an ill-prepared crew on an abjectly unseaworthy vessel to navigate the United States’ waterways … Yet they cut corners in ways that risked lives and infrastructure. Those responsible for the vessel must be held fully accountable for the catastrophic harm they caused.”
The suit goes on to say that punitive damages “should be imposed to deter such misconduct” in the future. The lawsuit names Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the Singaporean corporations that own and operate the Dali, respectively.
“This accident happened because of the careless and grossly negligent decisions made by Grace Ocean and Synergy, who recklessly chose to send an unseaworthy vessel to navigate a critical waterway and ignore the risks to American lives and the nation’s infrastructure,” Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Chetan Patil said in conference call announcing the suit.
Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean and Synergy, said the lawsuit “was anticipated” because of a September deadline set by the court.
“The owner and manager will have no further comment on the merits of any claim at this time, but we do look forward to our day in court to set the record straight,” Wilson said in a statement.
The crash occurred in the early morning hours of March 26 when the fully loaded Dali lost power on its way out of the Port of Baltimore. With no steering, the 985-foot ship, weighing 95,000 gross tons, slammed into a bridge tower, causing the center span of the bridge to tumble into the Patapsco River.
The allision killed six workers who were on the bridge, shut down traffic to and from the Port of Baltimore for months and destroyed the span over the Patapsco.
The lawsuit said the power outage was caused by excessive vibrations that caused power cables to come loose on the ship. It said the owners and operators of the ship knew of the vibration problems, but jury-rigged low-cost solutions that failed when needed, and that a series of other shortcuts led to a “cascading series of failures” that resulted in the crash.
“In so many ways, the Key Bridge has symbolized the resilience of our state and our nation in a very real way,” said Erek Barron, U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland. “For many people, the Key Bridge was a pathway to the American dream. A part of our national culture is now gone. Those responsible for the Key Bridge collapse must be held accountable.”
The suit filed Wednesday is separate from pending legal action by the state, which hopes to recover damages that could help pay for the replacement of the bridge. That project is estimated to cost $1.7 billion.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer said the catastrophe in March was avoidable, laying blame on the owners of the ship, whom he said operated a vessel with known problems.
“We allege that the Dali’s owner and operator recklessly cut corners in ways that risk lives and the economic well-being of the nation,” Mizer said. “As a result, when the Dali lost power, a cascading set of failures led to disaster.
“The United States spent more than $100 million responding to this disaster, to clear the channel and to reopen the Port of Baltimore. Those costs should be borne by the ship’s owner and operator, not the American taxpayer,” he said.
Even though the lawsuit cited ship vibrations in the power outage, the final cause of the Dali’s power failure, and the bridge collapse, remain the subject of an ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
As part of its findings, the Justice Department alleges that the ship’s electrical system “long suffered the effects of heavy vibrations, a well-known cause of transformer and electrical failure.” Federal attorneys allege the owner and operator jury-rigged the ship with retro-fitted antivibration devices that cracked over time, were welded back together, and cracked again.
“And they also wedged a metal cargo hook between the transformer and a nearby steel beam, in a makeshift attempt to limit vibration,” according to the lawsuit.
The government further claims that the ship used substandard pumps that prevented adequate flow of fuel to emergency generators. The lack of proper fuel pressure caused the second blackout.
And when the pilot ordered the crew to drop anchor, in an effort to keep the ship from striking the bridge, the anchor “was not ready for immediate release,” the suit said. A “last-ditch attempt” to use a thruster failed because the bow thruster was “unavailable,” according to the lawsuit.
“These configurations caused the ship to lose power, which led to subsequent equipment failures, culminating in the Dali striking one of the piers of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and causing the bridge to collapse into the Fort McHenry channel,” Patil said.
Mizer said the findings outlined in the lawsuit filed Wednesday stem from a separate, parallel Justice Department review. The incident is also the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.
The owners of the ship have asked the court to limit their liability to $44 million. Patil said the government will “vigorously contest Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine’s efforts to limit their liability to the woefully inadequate amount of $44 million.”
Mizer said it is rare for the federal government to seek punitive damages, as it is in this case.
“But we do so when it is warranted by egregious facts like those in this case,” Mizer said. “And the reason we do that is to not only hold accountable those who we allege are responsible, but also to deter not only the vessel, owner and operator, but also others from engaging in such reckless behavior.”
Deep within the NTSB report, it is revealed that a loose cable connection discovered during inspections, conducted during April, might have been the cause of power blackouts aboard Dali that led to the disaster which followed in the early morning hours of 26 March.
Its latest brief provides insights from ongoing work by a newly formed “Engineering Group”, which is composed of owners Grace Ocean Private Limited, ship managers Synergy Marine Group, shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), classification society Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK), flag-state Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore, and India, which is described as a “substantially interested State”.
The 41-page report exhaustively details the weeks of tests on the ship’s electrical system that were conducted in the weeks post-allision mainly by engineers from HHI, under close observation from NTSB personnel. The wording extracted from the NTSB report here, describing activity deep within the vessel electrical switchboard array, is highly technical, with emphasis added by Seatrade Maritime News:
HHI engineers found that one of the cable cores that connects the DB1X-1 relay of the GPT1 panel to the control line was loose. The DB1X-1 relay is for bus blackout detection. Two ends of the DB1X-1 relay are nodes 381 and 382. Node 381 is connected to node 304 of the control line and node 382 is connected to node 305 of the control line…HHI engineers found that the cable was loosely connected at node 381. That condition can create an open circuit and interrupt the 110VDC power to the HR1 UVT Coil, which would trigger an under voltage release trip of HR1. This would result in a 440V blackout without leaving any records in the HiMAP-T sensor….
HHI engineers advised that if the cable is loosely connected, the UVT control voltage might not maintain a steady value of 110VDC. If this condition is not met, the HR1 will open, which would lead to a Low Voltage (440V) Switchboard blackout. If the transformers are set to an automatic switch mode, LR2/HR2 is automatically closed and TR2 is connected when HR1/LR1 is open.
These findings will no doubt be considered as the NTSB works towards a final report on the Dali allision.
In an April interview with Seatrade Maritime News, Holland & Knight lawyer Benjamin Allen, a veteran of the NTSB and now a Partner in H & K’s Washington, DC office focusing on transportation accident litigation, had suggested that a one-year timeline might be a reasonable expectation for the NTSB to issue its final report on the Dali incident.
RESOURCE: Update report Sept 11, 2024 readers should refer to pages 38- 40
With removal of all remaining oil and fuel onboard the grounded and now wrecked Panama-flagged general cargo vessel, the MV Ultra Galaxy, no longer feasible; the salvage effort has smoothly moved onto removal of the wreck off the South Africa’s west coast beach, as soon as possible, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) in a statement on Friday.
SAMSA, in statement in Pretoria, confirmed that a tender invitation to industry had recently been issued, with keen services suppliers’ interest having already been noted from both locally and aboard.
This, according to SAMSA, is consistent with and a follow-through to the authority’s directive to the vessel owners to have the wreck removed from the South African west coast on the Atlantic Ocean.
“As a result,” said SAMSA: “the P&I Club issued an invitation to tender to industry in the last week, with interest from both local and international companies.”
On the current condition of the beached vessel now overturned, broken into two distinct pieces, with breached oil and fuel tanks, as well as requisite activity related thereto, SAMSA said: “Following extensive assessments conducted over the past few days, it has been confirmed that the MV Ultra Galaxy has completely broken up due to the severe weather conditions experienced last weekend.”
Over 500 tons of oil and fuel, as well fertiliser cargo lost at sea due to stormy weather
This was in confirmation that due to incessant wintry and windy weather conditions over several weeks since the grounding of the vessel in early July 2024, all oil and fuel that had remained onboard the vessel had unavoidably been lost as spilled out to sea, and spread out to a nearby beach where it is currently being collected.
The general cargo vessel, MV Ultra Galaxy beached on its size on South Africa’s west coast a about a week after its grounding, and prior to its being teared into pieces by an incessant wintry, windy weather conditions during July and August 2024. (Photo: SAMSA)
According to SAMSA, at the time of the vessel’s grounding in early July, she had a full load of fertilizer in bags onboard. “Due to the extreme weather conditions at the time and the angle she was at, the ship’s hatch covers were dislodged and detached from the vessel.
“Without hatch covers the cargo holds were left vulnerable and consequently, the ship’s entire load of fertilizer cargo was swept away by the sea. As the fertilizer dissolves water, water samples testing was done, and to date, zero reports of a negative impact to the environment has been received.
SAMSA further explained that in terms of the types of fuel the casualty vessel had onboard at the time of the grounding incident, additional to low amounts of hydraulic and related oils she had 332 tons of VLSFO (low sulphur) and 180 tons of MGO in her tanks as bunker fuel.
“Before she started breaking up salvors were able to remove eight (8) tonnes of bunkering marine gas oil from the wreck while the rest of the oil unfortunately spilled after they were compromised due to extremely bad weather and landed up on the beaches directly in front of the vessel,” said SAMSA.
On Friday SAMSA said: “Given the extent of the damage, the likelihood of any intact fuel tanks remaining on the vessel is highly unlikely. Consequently, the initial plan to pump the remaining oil from the wreck with the assistance of the Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) is no longer feasible.
“With all the fuel presumed to have been released and collected on the nearby mining beach, the focus of the operation has now shifted to a monitoring and caretaking phase.
“Inspections conducted by foot, drone, and helicopter yesterday (Wednesday) indicate that the oil on the mining beaches has been cleaned and that there is no visible oil slick or contamination along the beaches, extending as far down as the Olifants River mouth and five (5) km north of the wreck.
“Cleanup crews remain on high alert and are on-site in full force, with any resurgence of oil only being sighted on the beaches immediately in front of the vessel. Despite the successful cleanup of all oil that was deposited onto the beach on Monday, the cleanup teams will remain on-site for at least the next two (2) storm cycles as a precautionary measure,’ said SAMSA.
With the casualty vessel’s conditions having now changed significantly, SAMSA said the salvage team would be downscaling their efforts on-site while maintaining daily reports on the condition of the wreck.
“These reports will include drone footage, monitoring of the wreck’s movement, and early warnings for any small pockets of oil that may still be trapped in the hull. This approach ensures that we remain vigilant in mitigating any further environmental impact.
“SAMSA remains committed to working closely with all relevant authorities and stakeholders to manage the ongoing situation effectively. We will continue to provide regular updates to keep the public informed of the progress and any new developments.
“We would like to thank all the teams, including the community involved for their tireless efforts and continued support and vigilance during this challenging time.
Ultra Galaxy came to rest on a remote part of the Atlantic Coast northwest of Cape Town (SAMSA)
South African officials are warning that the fertilizer cargo and debris from the grounded bulker Ultra Galaxy is washing ashore after the vessel was pounded by a week of bad weather. Breaks in the weather are permitting the salvage operations to proceed for the vessel that grounded on a remote part of the Atlantic coast northwest of Cape Town.
“Salvage work on the grounded Panama-flagged cargo ship, MV Ultra Galaxy, continued over the weekend,” the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reported in its latest update. The 13,800 dwt vessel assumed an extreme list a week ago during storms off South Africa and was abandoned. It later was driven ashore and remains on its side.
SAMSA reports with a break in the weather between cold fronts reaching the region helicopters and teams have begun a full survey of the vessel and the surrounding area. They are investigating the structural integrity of the vessel as they work on plans to remove the fuel oil.
“In light of the recent extreme weather, the ship’s hatch covers were dislodged and detached from the vessel, leaving the cargo holds vulnerable. Consequently, a significant portion of the ship’s fertilizer cargo was swept away by the sea,” SAMSA reports. They are warning that cargo bags and the steel hatch covers as well as other flotsam could be a danger to shipping as they continue to wash ashore.
Several of the hatch covers have been located “strewn across a beach,” according to SAMSA. Drift patterns however show that additional debris is likely to move in a southerly direction from the wreck. One of the photos released by SAMSA also shows the vessel’s lifeboat washed ashore on the rocky coast while cargo bags litter the beach.
Various debris including the lifeboat and bags from the fertilizer now cover the coastline after a week of storms (SAMSA)
Most of the fertilizer they believe likely dissolved in the sea water but the bags continue to wash ashore. An environmental monitoring program has also been established in the region.
Teams that have been able to reach the vessel are working to remove the remaining cargo from the ship. With a window of good weather, they expect to expand the operations over the next few days. In addition, divers have started to seal the fuel tanks to prevent any of the oil from spilling into the ocean. They are also planning for the extraction of the fuel oil from the ship.
The 18 crewmembers, all of whom were from the Philippines, were flown home. They arrived in the Philippines on Sunday receiving assistance from the government for their trips to their homes.
SAMSA believes at this time the vessel poses no new environmental threats, but says the monitoring will continue. They plan to put further preventive measures in place while planning for the salvage operation continues.
The KD Pendekar of the Royal Malaysian Navy sank off the coast of Johor on Sunday. Photo: X/NavyLookout
A fast-attack craft belonging to Malaysia’s navy sank off the coast of Johor over the weekend after a suspected collision with a submerged underwater object.
The KD Pendekar experienced “severe flooding” due to a leak that was first detected in the engine room at around noon on Sunday, the Royal Malaysian Navy said in a statement.
Despite the crew’s best efforts to control and stabilise the vessel, it was completely submerged by 3.54pm, the navy said.
“Efforts to salvage the ship are still under way,” the navy said, adding that it sank about 2 nautical miles (3.74km) southeast of Tanjung Penyusop.
The navy confirmed that all 39 crew members were rescued before the ship went under, with no reported injuries. The sailors were transferred to the nearby KD Sultan Ismail naval base in Tanjung Pengelih.
A special investigation board has been established to determine the exact cause of the catastrophic leak. Environmental monitoring teams have also been deployed to the site.
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the navy urged the public to refrain from speculation, pledging to provide accurate updates from official channels.
The KD Pendekar, a Handalan-class fast attack craft commissioned into the fleet on July 27, 1979, is one of four ships in the class that were built by Sweden’s Kalskrona Varvet shipyard.
Measuring 43.6 metres in length, the vessel was armed with a Bofors 57mm main gun, a 40mm secondary gun, and Exocet anti-ship missiles.
It had been on an operational assignment at the time of the incident.
Despite efforts to stabilise the vessel, it was completely submerged by 3.54pm on Sunday, the navy said. Photo: X/NavyLookout
Malaysia’s navy commended the swift action of the maritime community for the successful rescue of all 39 crew members before the ship was fully submerged.
Its also extended its thanks to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the police for their swift response and support during the incident.
SOLAS Chapter XI-2 Regulation 8 Master’s discretion for ship safety and security
“The master shall not be constrained by the Company, the charterer or any other person from taking or executing any decision which, in the professional judgment of the master, is necessary to maintain the safety and security of the ship.”
“The Company should ensure that the safety management system operating on board the ship contains a clear statement emphasizing the master’s authority. The Company should establish in the safety management system that the master has the overriding authority and the responsibility to make decisions with respect to safety and pollution prevention and to request the Company’s assistance as may be necessary.”
BEIJING (AP) -- A powerful explosion set off a fireball on a container ship loaded with hazardous goods at a major port on China's Pacific coast, state media and authorities said Friday.
Surveillance camera video posted online by state broadcaster CCTV showed a huge burst of white smoke followed by an orange and yellow fireball that dispersed debris and completely engulfed containers stacked at least three high.
No injuries were reported from the explosion and the ensuing fire at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, which is just south of Shanghai and one of the largest in the world. A container on the docked ship is believed to have exploded, CCTV said.
An aerial photo posted by the broadcaster showed black smoke rising from a stack of containers at one end of the ship and from an area on the dock. The rest of the ship and its containers appeared undamaged.
The Zhejiang Province Emergency Management Administration said the ship was loaded with Class 5 hazardous materials, but it did not say what they were.
A shipping accident approximately 10 kilometers from Manggis, off Bali’s eastern shore, claimed the lives of 5 crew and insured scores more on Wednesday, 07 August 2024.
As reported by NusaBali.com, when it caught on fire at 3:00 am, MV Elisabeth Satu, a petroleum tanker, had just taken on its cargo of bulk petroleum and was one hour into its delivery voyage destined for the Port of Badas on Sumbawa Island in NTB.
According to Rizky Wulandari, a Master’s Mate 1 (Mualim 1) on board the MV Elisabeth Satu (IMO Registration: 9805128), the tanker fire began at 1:18 am on Wednesday with an explosion on the port (left) side of the 90-meter-long vessel’s crew mess. Shortly thereafter, another large explosion and fire occurred in the engine room, rendering the tanker unmaneuverable.
The vessel’s Captain, Muhamad Haris Al Razak, said: “There were explosions, and then the ship lost all power (blackout). We immediately called for assistance from the operations post at Tanjung Mangis.”
Joko – Oiler
Ismail – Oiler
Riski – 4th Machinist
Syahlan – Oiler
Faturahman – Machinist cadet
Another 15 crew members were injured in the fire. Twelve crew members (3 females and 9 males) were treated at the Graha Bakti Hospital in Klungkung for minor injuries. Nine of the twelve were treated on an outpatient basis and released as outpatients.
Three other crew members with severe burns, over 80% of their bodies were warded at Bali’s main general hospital, RSUP Prof Ngoerah Denpasar. The crew members in grave condition and under treatment in Denpasar are:
Muhamad Saiful (44), with burns over 48% of his body and additional injuries to his respiratory tract, was warded in the Burn Unit of the Hospital.
Fadli (32), with burns over 4% of his body and additional injuries to his respiratory tract, was warded in the Burn Unit of the Hospital.
Edwin Pratama (39), with burns over 39.5% of his body and additional injuries to his respiratory tract, was initially treated in the Emergency Ward of the Hospital.
Only two members of the entire crew, including the Captain, were reported as unscathed.
Responding to the distress call, two tug boats were dispatched to the anchored ship. Evacuation commenced at 11:00 am and was conducted from a safe distance of 300 meters from the shores at the village of Bugbug. Due to the remaining high temperatures in the engine room, rescue team members encountered difficulties evacuating the mortal remains of deceased crewmembers from the engine room. All bodies were finally removed from the ship at 12:30 pm.
Police from the Karangasem Precinct, Air and Water Police (Polisi Air), and representatives from the Police Forensic Lab have boarded the vessel anchored off Gili Tepekong, investigating to identify the cause of the explosion and fire.
The 90-meter tanker KM Elisabeth Satu was built in 2016 with a 2,938 gross tonnage.
tanker fireIndonesia authorities report 5 crewmembers died of burns (Karangasem Police)
Indonesian authorities are investigating after receiving a report of explosions and a fire aboard an interisland tanker overnight off the island of Tepekong near the eastern tip of Bali on the Java Sea. The final count appears to be five crewmembers killed, three severely burned, and 12 others with lesser injuries. There was a total of 21 crewmembers aboard.
The Karangasem Police received reports of the fire aboard the tanker Elisabet Satu (3,639 dwt) at around 0300 local time. Fireboats and an evacuation crew were sent to assist the Indonesia-registered oil product tanker. The vessel was built in 2016 and operated by a local company. Reports said it was transporting fuel oil.
“Suddenly there was an explosion and the ship went black,” the captain told the police. “We immediately asked for help.”
One survivor said the first explosion appeared to have come from the accommodation area of the vessel and going to investigate found several bodies lying on the deck. Going to the bridge, he found the helmsmen suffering from burns and lying on the deck.
Shortly after, there were reports of a second explosion followed by a fire in the engine room. Some reports are saying the vessel grounded after losing power.
The police report that five crewmembers, oilers and an engineer, died of their burns. Three others were taken to a hospital with burns over 80 percent of their body. The remaining 12 crewmembers were taken to another hospital with reports there injuries were less severe.
The survivors are being interviewed. The police said they were not yet able to determine the cause of the explosions and fire.
MANILA, Philippines — Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla announced that the provincial government is preparing criminal cases against the owner of the fuel tanker MT Terranova that sank in Bataan and caused an oil spill that reached coastal communities in the province.
“We will file charges against the owner of the tanker so we could claim damages for what happened to our coastal areas in Cavite,” Remulla told an assembly of affected fishermen during a relief distribution in Noveleta town on Saturday.
“We are creating a plan so that everyone who was affected, every resident who had problems due to the oil spill, will receive proper compensation from the shipowner,” Remulla said.
The video of the distribution event and Remulla’s speech was posted on social media by Cavite-based journalists who recorded it.
MT Terranova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel, sank in the waters off Limay town in Bataan on July 25, during the onslaught of Supertyphoon Carina (international name: Gaemi).
The vessel was chartered to carry the fuel from Limay to Iloilo City by SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp., a subsidiary of the San Miguel Corp., the largest conglomerate in the country.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has reported that the oil that leaked from the tanker has spread across the waters off provinces surrounding Manila Bay, including Cavite, adding it has been working round the clock to contain the spill.
Incidentally, SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp. was also the chartered carrier of MT Princess Empress that sank in the waters off Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28 last year while loaded with some 800,000 liters of industrial fuel. The incident, considered the first marine environmental crisis under the Marcos administration, caused a massive oil spill that affected coastal areas and thousands of fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro and Batangas, both of which are within the Verde Island Passage (VIP), as well as those in Antique and Palawan provinces.
Known as the “center of global shorefish biodiversity” due to the high densities of marine resources, the VIP is a 1.14-million-hectare marine ecosystem located off the coastlines of Batangas, Romblon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro provinces.
State of calamity
Last Wednesday, the Cavite provincial government declared a state of calamity in the cities of Cavite and Bacoor and the municipalities of Noveleta, Rosario, Kawit, Tanza, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate affected by Terranova’s oil spill.
A declaration of a state of calamity allows the concerned local governments to quickly access emergency funds and implement relief operations for affected residents.
Remulla prohibited the catching and selling of all marine products from the affected areas to prevent oil contamination.
An estimated 352,179 residents in the coastal barangays of Cavite were affected by the oil spill, according to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).
“Some 25,145 fisherfolk were also affected with an estimated loss of income amounting to P17,952,775 per day and predictably in 22 days, a total of P394,961,064,” the RDRRMC said in a report.
On July 27, another tanker, the MTKR Jason Bradley, also capsized due to bad weather in the waters off Bataan.
Days later, on July 31, another vessel, the MV Mirola 1, which was carrying diesel oil, ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of Bataan’s Mariveles town, causing the ship to tip over.
The PCG said it was on the lookout for possible oil slicks from MV Mirola 1.
Class suit
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced on Friday that a class suit was being eyed against those responsible for the three recent maritime mishaps in Bataan.
“We’re looking into the angle of class suit already against the owners, and others who may be responsible for this,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary told journalists.
The DOJ has tasked the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel investigation into the incidents.
Maersk has confirmed the fire is still 'smouldering' on board its time-chartered, 5,500-TEU box ship Maersk Frankfurt (source: Indian Coast Guard/LinkedIn)
by Jamey Bergman
Maersk and the vessel’s flag state, Panama Maritime Authority, have confirmed the death of a crew member in the conflagration on board 2024-built Maersk Frankfurt
In another update, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said its firefighting and pollution operations in the conflagration on board Maersk’s late-model containership Maersk Frankfurt remain underway, some 10 days after the vessel caught fire.
The ICG has named the vessel response Operation Sahayata, which means ’help’ in Hindi.
"On the 10th day of Operation ’Sahayata,’ IndiaCoastGuard continues firefighting and pollution prevention efforts for Maersk Frankfurt, 50 (nautical miles) nm South West of New Mangalore. Five ICG Ships, two helicopters, and one Dornier aircraft have been deployed over last 10 days," the ICG said in a post to social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
"1200 kg of dry chemical powder airdropped. Vessel owners DPA have hired a specialized salvage agency to manage firefighting and disposal efforts. ICG has facilitated the embarkation of five salvors. Tugs Albattros 5, Maha Wewa, and ETV Water Lily are on the scene. Tug Creative-I is expected today, and AHTS Valiant will arrive by 30 Jul 24. ICG will continue to assist salvors till arrival of all their vessels. Despite challenging conditions, the situation is under control, and our sensitive coastline is safe."
24 July
The ICG said it is entering its sixth day of firefighting on board the recently launched Maesk-chartered container ship Maersk Frankfurt.
"ICG firefighting [operations] to make safe Maersk Frankfurt enters Day 06. Sporadic fire in smouldering containers being tackled by Indian Coast Guard ships. 200 kgs dry chemical powder airdropped at [location] of fire by an ALH helicopter. ICG’s efforts are being gradually augmented by shipowners," the ICG posted on X (formerly Twitter).
On 23 July, the ICG said in a post it continued "firefighting operations in extreme monsoon conditions, successfully dousing major fires aboard".
ICG vessels Samudra Prahari and Sachet have been leading firefighting efforts, with support from tugs Albattros 5 and ETV Water Lily. SMIT Salvors have had an initial team on board the distressed vessel, the ICG reported.
22 July
An AP Moller-Maersk box ship that entered service in May 2024 is burning off the coast of India after an explosion and fire that has claimed at least one life.
"The newly built container ship Maersk Frankfurt suffered an explosion that caused a fire while navigating the Arabian Sea," The Panama Maritime Authority, the governing entity of the Panama Ship Registry, where the vessel is flagged, said in a statement on 22 July.
The PMA said the operator of 5,500-TEU Maersk Frankfurt, listed as AP Moller-Maersk in vessel valuation company VesselsValue’s records, had confirmed at least one death on board, with a body in the ship’s "lashing bridge" that is "impossible to reach... because of the flames".
Maersk confirmed the fatality in an email, saying "It is with deep regret that the ship managers have confirmed the passing of one of the crew members following the fire incident. The rest of the crew members are safe and accounted for. The vessel owner and ship managers are in touch with the crew and are ensuring all possible support is extended to them."
The PMA said Indian authorities are attempting to bring the fire under control, with Maersk also confirming the deadly fire has not yet been completely doused.
"We can confirm a fire was reported on board one of our time-chartered vessels, Maersk Frankfurt, around 14:30 IST on 19 July 2024 while the vessel was sailing from Mundra [India] to Colombo [Sri Lanka] off the western coast of India. The crew members immediately responded and initiated firefighting on board the vessel. Additional support to fight the fire was requested from the Indian Coast Guard, and it promptly responded to the request," Maersk said in a statement.
"Firefighting efforts continue today [22 July] with the support of the Indian Coast Guard. While no visible flames are being reported from the vessel, smouldering from containers continues. Owners have engaged with a salvage company, and specialised firefighting experts are on their way to board the vessel and extend their support to the situation. The vessel is reportedly in stable condition, with all machinery, steering and navigational equipment fully operational. At the moment, we are unable to confirm the extent of the fire’s impact on the cargo. We remain in constant touch with the vessel owner and ship managers."
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) released a statement on 20 July, saying it had "suppressed" the fire in the vessel’s bow section, with "heavy smoke continu[ing] to emanate".
"Unfortunately, the fire has reignited in the midship area," the ICG said.
Three ICG vessels are "actively engaged in fire-fighting operations," alongside a coast guard aircraft, which is providing aerial reports on the vessel’s condition, aided by a helicopter that is also evaluating the "feasibility of deploying dry chemical powder (DCP) bags" for further fire-fighting efforts.
"Coast Guard District Headquarters No 11 (Goa) is arranging the provision of DCP bags and balls to aid in fire-fighting operations. The specialised pollution control vessel Samudra Prahari is being deployed to the scene to provide further assistance. At present, there is no requirement for the evacuation of the crew," the ICG said on 20 July.
"The master of the vessel has indicated that anchoring is not feasible due to the inaccessibility of the forecastle area, which has been compromised by melting containers, posing significant risks to the crew. The ICG remains committed to ensuring the safety of the crew and the vessel while mitigating the impact of this incident on maritime safety and the environment. Continuous monitoring and response efforts are underway to bring the situation under control," the ICG said.
M/T TERRANOVA at Cebu City. This picture was taken last August 1, 2018
Ship's Particulars
Name Of Vessel TERRRANOVA
Official No. 00-00001279
Type of Service TANKER
Name of Operator SHOGUN SHIPPING CO. INC.
Place of Registry MANILA
Year Built 2010
length 63.8 m
breadth 12.2 m
depth 3.7 m
loa 63.8
draft
Gross Register Tonnage 498.13
Net Register Tonnage 292.57
(UPDATES) A PHILIPPINE-FLAGGED tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil capsized and sank off Manila on Thursday, authorities said, as they raced to contain a spill that stretched out for more than three kilometers.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to assess the impact of the oil spill, which the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) warned could be the biggest in the country's history.
The MT Terra Nova was heading for the central city of Iloilo when it capsized in Manila Bay, nearly seven kilometers off Limay municipality in Bataan province, near the capital, in the early hours.
RESCUED CREW This handout photo taken on July 25, 2024, received from the Philippine Coast Guard, shows the rescued crew of oil tanker MT Terra Nova receiving first aid aboard Coast Guard ship Melchora Aquino off Manila Bay. AFP PHOTO
The vessel went down a day after heavy rains fueled by Typhoon Carina and the seasonal monsoon lashed Manila and surrounding regions.
An oil spill stretching several kilometers has been detected in the busy waterway, and the PCG is preparing to deploy floating barriers to contain the slick.
Last major spill harmed reefs, marine life
Balilo later said the oil tanker sank at a relatively shallow depth of 34 metres, based on an initial assessment, and raised the possibility that its fuel oil cargo could be siphoned off by special ships in a delicate operation that could take about a week.
"Siphoning will not be very technical and can be done quickly to protect the vicinity waters of Bataan and Manila Bay against environmental, social, economic, financial and political impacts," Balilo said.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the vessel was causing a massive oil spill in the area where it sank.
He said PCG personnel were able to immediately respond within 30 minutes after a distress call was made by the crew of the oil tanker.
"Unfortunately, five minutes after the distress call was sent, the tanker started to sink," Bautista said.
Bautista said 16 of the 17 crew members had been rescued from the stricken vessel.
A search was underway for the missing crew member, but Bautista said strong winds and high waves were hampering these efforts.
Four of the crew were receiving medical treatment.
Bautista said several private shipping companies were also assisting.
An investigation into the cause of the incident was underway, but coast guard spokesman Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said the vessel had not broken rules on heavy weather sailing.
A public storm warning signal had not been raised when the MT Terra Nova departed Limay and "therefore did not violate rules and regulations," Balilo said in a statement.
At a briefing earlier Thursday, Balilo said authorities were "racing against time" to contain the spill and stop more fuel from leaking.
He warned that if all the oil in the tanker were to leak, it would be the biggest spill in Philippine history.
"There is a big danger that Manila will be affected, even the shoreline of Manila, if the fuel will leak, because it is within Manila Bay," Balilo said.
Thousands of fishermen and tour operators are dependent on the waters for their livelihoods.
A photo released by the coast guard showed the MT Terra Nova almost entirely submerged in rough seas.
It has since sunk 34 meters below the waves, which Balilo said was "considerably shallow" and meant siphoning the oil out of the tanker "can be done quickly."
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gavan said they had set a target of seven days to complete the siphoning.
FIRST RESPONDER Philippine Coast Guard responds to a maritime incident involving Philippine-flagged Motor Tanker (MT) Terra Nova that capsized and eventually submerged 3.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point, Limay, Bataan, at around 1:10 a.m. on July 25, 2024. PHOTOS BY PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD
An oil slick stretching about 3.7 kilometers was being carried by a "strong current" in an easterly, northeasterly direction, the PCG said in a report.
Marine environmental protection personnel have been mobilized to help contain the slick.
"It will definitely affect the marine environment," Balilo said, describing the amount of oil on the ship as "enormous."
One of the worst oil spills in the Philippines was in February 2023, when a tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil sank off the central island of Mindoro.
A Philippine oil tanker sank in Manila Bay early Thursday after encountering huge waves, leaving a crewman dead and 16 others rescued in a late-night operation by the coast guard. The force was also assessing whether the vessel was leaking oil — in what could be a major spill — that could reach the bustling capital.
The tanker Terra Nova left Bataan province en route to the central province of Iloilo with about 1.4 million litres (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil stored in watertight tanks when it got buffeted by huge waves and took on water. The crew struggled to steer the tanker back to port but it eventually sank shortly after midnight, coast guard spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said, citing statements from surviving crew members.
The sinking followed days of monsoon rains, exacerbated by a passing offshore typhoon, that caused landslides and floodings across the archipelago, leaving at least 22 people dead and displacing more than half a million people.
An aerial survey spotted an oil spill about 3.7 kilometres long near the rough seawaters where the tanker sank but that may have come from the fuel intended to power the tanker's engine, not the much greater amount of fuel the Terra Nova was carrying as cargo, Balilo said.
A handout photo released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows the tip of MT Terra Nova above the waterline in Manila Bay on Thursday. The tanker was travelling between provinces with over one million litres of industrial fuel when it got rocked by huge waves (Philippine Coast Guard/Reuters)
The coast guard ship BRP Melchora Aquino was in the waters where the tanker sank, more than six kilometres from Bataan province's coast, to search for the last missing crewman, whose body was later retrieved from the waters, and to carry out an initial assessment of the tanker's fuel oil cargo, Balilo told an online news conference.
He said that the coast guard was bracing to contain a possible major oil spill.
"There's a big danger that Manila would be affected, its shorelines, if the fuel leaks because this happened within Manila Bay. It's part of the contingency we're preparing for," Balilo said. "The effect on the marine environment would not be good."
Last major spill harmed reefs, marine life
Balilo later said the oil tanker sank at a relatively shallow depth of 34 metres, based on an initial assessment, and raised the possibility that its fuel oil cargo could be siphoned off by special ships in a delicate operation that could take about a week.
"Siphoning will not be very technical and can be done quickly to protect the vicinity waters of Bataan and Manila Bay against environmental, social, economic, financial and political impacts," Balilo said.
He did not say if the tanker has been located on the sea floor and did not specify the status of its fuel oil cargo.
Finally, we re-painted the repaired area to ensure aesthetics and restore the original appearance of the vessel
The spill was the latest challenge for the country, which has seen deadly monsoon rains this week exacerbated by Typhoon Gaemi. Here, a resident holds on to a street sign on Wednesday in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
Balilo compared the magnitude of the possible oil spill to one caused by the sinking of another Philippine oil tanker, which was carrying much less fuel oil cargo, in February last year off Oriental Mindoro province north of Manila. That spill took about three months to contain, caused massive damage to coral reefs and mangroves in a region known for its rich biodiversity, and affected tens of thousands of fishermen and beach resorts in at least six provinces.
Manila's shoreline is a major tourism and business hub, where the main seaport, a historic public park, the U.S. Embassy and upscale hotels and restaurants are located. Land reclamation efforts are also underway in the bay to create space for entertainment and tourism complexes with casinos. The bay for years has been notorious for its pollution but famous for its picturesque sunsets.
The United States and Japan helped the Philippines with the last major oil spill's massive cleanup and rehabilitation efforts.
The ship management of the ill-fated MT Terranova confirmed on Thursday that the missing crew member was found dead in Limay, Bataan.
“With a heavy heart, MT Terranova’s ship manager, Portavaga Ship Management, discloses that the reported missing crewmember of the ill-fated oil tanker had been found lifeless late afternoon on Thursday, July 25, 2024,” Leonelle Infante, spokesperson of the company, told reporters in a Viber message.
Infante said the body of the crewmember, Second Mate Alvin Llandelar, 40 years old and married, was recovered by Philippine Coast Guard personnel on board BRP Melchora Aquino.
“The ship management company truly regrets the demise of one of its exemplary marine officers. 2/M Llandelar has been with the company since August 2023, but prior to this he had sailed on board international ships for quite several years,” she further stated.
Infante said the company is now in contact with the late marine officer’s bereaved loved ones for the proper transport of the cadaver to Manila.
“It also assured them that they would receive the due death benefits due him at the soonest possible time,” she said.
MT Terranova, owned by Shogun Ships Co. Inc., carrying 1.4 metric tons or 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil sank at around 1 am on Thursday, in which the PCG saw two nautical miles in the vicinity waters of Limay.
Based on the investigation, there was no Public Storm Warning Signal raised over Bataan when MT Terra Nova departed from Limay, Bataan carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil, hence, it did not violate rules and regulations pertinent to the movement of vessels during heavy weather, Balilo said.
“The vessel sank 34 meters deep which is considerably shallow. Siphoning will not be very technical and can be done quickly to protect the vicinity waters of Bataan and Manila Bay against environmental, social, economic, financial, and political impacts,” Balilo added.
As of press time, the PCG is working with several Oil Spill Response Organizations that expressed their intention to assist in the ongoing oil spill response operations.
Oil companies, like Petron, the PCG Auxiliary, and local government units also volunteered to help.
Malaysia officials provided the first details on the July 19 incident in which the Hafnia Nile and a Chinese VLCC impacted revising their earlier statements that the Chinese vessel had attempted to flee after the fire. While saying they believe the Chinese vessel Ceres 1 was at anchor, and that they are developing the information, they said at this time they could not disclose why the incident happened.
According to their preliminary assessment, the tanker Ceres 1 registered in São Tomé & Principe, was at anchor near the eastern terminus of the Singapore Strait approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Malaysia. They reported that the Ceres 1 had anchored “due to technical problems encountered.” Further, they reported that the Ceres 1 has communication and navigational issues.
They did not elaborate, but they said the Hafnia Nile, which AIS signals show traveling at 14 knots, was “trying to avoid the Ceres 1 but failed.” The port side of the product tanker impacted with the starboard side bulbous bow. Fires broke out on both vessels after the impact with Maritime Malaysia reporting the starboard side anchor chain on the Ceres 1 was cut off due to the impact.
Initially, the Malaysian authorities said the Ceres 1 had left the area with the assistance of two tugs. Yesterday they reported that they had been told by the vessel’s operators that the two tugs were there to cool the Ceres 1 and assist with the firefight. They implied the two tugs were not strong enough to stop the vessel from drifting and it was later located about 20 nautical miles from the scene of the incident. The engine of the tanker was reported to be “not fully functional” causing the vessel to be swept away by the current.
Reports have cited the Ceres 1 as operating in the shadow fleet to avoid oil sanctions. Reports indicate the vessel carries Iranian oil and undertakes ship-to-ship transfers to hide the cargo’s origins. The vessel has also been reported to turn off and spoof its AIS signal while questions remain over the ownership of the vessel.
The Ceres 1 was not loaded when the accident occurred but the Hafnia Nile still has 300,000 barrels of naphtha aboard. They believe the cargo is undamaged and that the oil sheen near the vessel is coming from a bunker tank damaged by the impact.
The Hafnia Nile is “severely burnt and its superstructure was compromised, but its cargo intact,” said the Director General of Malaysia’s Marine Department, Mohamad Halim Ahmed. “Our priority is to ensure it remains afloat and can be moved safely.”
Both vessels remain under detention by Maritime Malaysia. Salvors have been appointed for the Hafnia Nile and a containment boom was placed around the vessel. Negotiations are ongoing with the managers of the Ceres 1 for the appointment of salvors.
Photo courtesy of Coast Guard Administration's Southern Branch July 28, 2024
Kaohsiung, July 28 (CNA) The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said on Sunday that 59 people have been rescued from six of the eight cargo ships that ran aground in southern Taiwan due to Typhoon Gaemi, with 29 people on the other two freighters still waiting to be rescued.
A total of eight freighters ran aground along the coast of Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung County when Typhoon Gaemi hit Taiwan over the past few days, according to a statement issued by the CGA's Southern Branch.
As of 8:00 a.m. Sunday, the coast guards had rescued 59 people from six ships, while 29 individuals on the other two freighters, who have not yet been rescued, are safe and "waiting for further arrangements," the CGA said.
The latest rescue operation took place on Saturday evening when coast guards saved all eight crew members from the cargo ship "BASIA," which ran aground 0.5 nautical miles southwest of Donggang Township in Pingtung County, the CGA added.
Photo courtesy of Coast Guard Administration's Southern Branch July 28, 2024
As weather conditions improved, a drone was dispatched on Saturday and two more are set to be deployed on Sunday to monitor the waters and shores around the cargo ships stranded along the coasts of Tainan and Kaohsiung for any drifting containers or oil spills, according to the statement.
Regarding the Tanzania-registered freighter "FU SHUN," which is believed to have sunk 16 nautical miles off Kaohsiung, the captain has been confirmed dead, four crew members have been rescued, and four others remain missing, the statement read.
The CGA said that the Fifth Maritime Patrol Flotilla received a report on Saturdayevening about a body found near the Chung-yun Fishing Harbor in Kaohsiung's Linyuan District, but the retrieval operation of the body has been delayed due to a large amount of driftwood surrounding it, preventing personnel and vessels from approaching and confirming the deceased's identity.
(By Chang Yi-lien and Sunny Lai)
Enditem/cs
This map shows the locations of the eight cargo ships that ran aground in southern Taiwan, and the sunken Tanzania-registered freighter "FU SHUN" off Kaohsiung, due to Typhoon Gaemi. Graphic courtesy of Ocean Affairs Council July 26, 2024
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Eight ships have run aground in southern Taiwan after Typhoon Gaemi, leaving 79 stranded, with rescue crews saving 51 people from five of the vessels as of Saturday (July 27) morning.
The remaining individuals are safe aboard the other three ships. They will not be evacuated until tugboats arrive, per CNA.
Since 12:45 p.m. Friday (July 26), multiple vessels were deployed to search for nine people missing from the Fu-Shun ship, which sank Friday (July 26) afternoon, the Coast Guard Administration Southern Branch stated in a press release Saturday. One person was found dead and four were rescued, per Ocean Affairs Council (OAC).
A DV aircraft arrived at the scene 7:45 a.m. Saturday. All 16 crew members from two grounded cargo ships, the Keta and the Dopphin, were evacuated.
Authorities received a report Friday evening from the captain of grounded vessel Hong Sheng88 and Taiwan’s National Rescue Command Center. The captain requested assistance in evacuating the crew.
The ship lost steering control Thursday (July 25) afternoon due to Typhoon Gaemi, said the Coast Guard Administration. It drifted toward the shore, eventually running aground on a beach 0.1 nautical miles (185 meters) northwest of Xingda Harbor, Kaohsiung.
A team led by Captain Ma Liyun (馬力耘) coordinated with Kaohsiung City Fire Department personnel to carry out a shore-based rescue operation. All eight Chinese crew members were rescued.
Malaysia says it has intercepted a large oil tanker that was involved in a collision with another ship before fleeing the scene and turning off its tracking system.
The coastguard says it has located and detained Ceres I, sailing under the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe, and two tugboats that were towing the vessel off the country's eastern coast.
The ship had collided with the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile on Friday, causing both ships to catch fire.
Officials in Singapore say all crew members from both ships were rescued.
Malaysia's coastguard said Ceres I had left the location immediately after the collision that caused a blaze and injured at least two crew members.
The incident happened about 55km (35 miles) north-east of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said.
The head of Malaysian coast guard's search and rescue team, Zin Azman Mohamad Yunus, has not explained why the São Tomé and Príncipe-flagged tanker tried to flee, but added that further investigations would be carried out.
The authorities in Singapore said after around 40 crew members were rescued from the blazing ships, around 26 of them remained on Ceres I to tackle the fire.
The Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile, was reportedly carrying naphtha, a highly flammable type of petroleum.
The cause of the collision is still unclear. Singapore maritime authorities said ship traffic in the busy waterway was unaffected.
However, Malaysian coastguard officials found an oil spill covering about 17 sq km (6.5 sq miles).
Ceres I is a large crude oil carrying supertanker. Some reports suggests it could be part of a so-called 'dark fleet', carrying oil from countries under sanctions.
A market intelligence service, S&P Global Commodities at Sea, says the ship, operated by China's Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management, has previously carried Iranian crude, which is subject to US sanctions.
The mystery around Friday’s casualty involving a Hafnia chemical tanker and a VLCC near the eastern side of the Singapore Strait deepened as Malaysia confirmed it was searching for the Chinese-owned crude oil tanker. Overnight on Sunday, Malaysian Maritime apprehended that tanker as it was being towed, along with two tugboats.
Malaysian officials told a press event on Saturday that they had numerous concerns about the VLCC Ceres 1, which is registered in São Tomé and Príncipe. During the briefing, officials said, “So far, Malaysian Maritime has not been able to confirm the actual condition of the ship and crew of MT Ceres 1 since it is not contactable.”
At approximately 0120 Sunday, July 21, one of Malaysian Maritime’s patrol boats detected and overtook the Ceres 1 at a position 28 nautical miles northeast of Tioman Island, which would be as much as 80 nautical miles north from the position where the two vessels made contact on Friday morning. The offshore patrol vessel KM Pekan also took into custody two tugs that were towing the damaged VLCC.
Malaysia had dispatched two offshore patrol boats to the area on Saturday only to discover that the Ceres 1 was no longer at the scene of the accident, which was approximately 25 nautical miles east of Malaysia. The officials accused the Ceres 1 of turning off its AIS signal and moving from the scene of the accident. They were also using an amphibious aircraft aloft to search for the tanker, which they believed was still likely in Malaysian waters.
“Information and review of MRSC Johor Bahru together with the Malaysian Maritime Department also found the IMO registration number of the concerned ship is suspicious and the actions of the concerned ship leaving the incident area is also doubtful,” Malaysian Maritime said in its statement.
On Friday, a Singapore-flagged supply ship, Dolphin 1, responded to the distress calls and a call for assistance from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and rescued 14 crewmembers from the Ceres 1 shortly after the incident. Two of the crewmembers were airlifted by the Singapore Air Force to a hospital for further treatment while the reports said 26 crewmembers remained aboard the Ceres 1 to continue the firefight.
The Ceres 1 has widely been linked to the sanction-busting trade in Russian, Iranian, and Venezuelan oil. Ownership is reported as a company in Hong Kong, but reports said its P&I insurer was unclear. Iran’s Energy Ministry issued a statement on Saturday saying it did not have oil aboard the Ceres 1 contradicting prior reports that the vessel was loaded with as much as 2 million barrels of crude. Images of the tanker from Malaysia’s video show the Ceres 1 riding high, confirming it had offloaded before the incident.
Analysis of the tracking data shows the Hafnia Nile traveling at 14 knots before the casualty. AIS transmissions from the Ceres I appear to suggest that it was at anchor, based on data provided by Pole Star, but its traffic history showed irregularities consistent with extensive spoofing, according to Lloyds Intelligence.
The Hafnia Nile was abandoned with its crew taken to Singapore. Hafnia in a statement said two crewmembers had suffered minor injuries. The fire aboard the product tanker which was loaded with 300,000 barrels of naphtha according to Kpler and LSEG caused extensive damage on the port quarter of the vessel.
Malaysia reports it has also spotted an oil slick in the area of the impact. They are now leading the investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
PRESTIGE FALCON (IMO: 9533218) is a Oil Products Tanker,sailing under the flag of Comorosが２０２３年に爆発事故を起こしたSHENG YOU 229であれば、転覆してもなんらおかしくないと思う。新しい所有者もかなり安い値段で購入したのではないかと思う。推測なので事実は知らない。
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Search teams rescued nine crew members, mostly Indians, and recovered the body of another as they searched the Arabian Sea waters for others after an oil tanker capsized this week off the coast of Oman, Omani state media said Wednesday.
The tanker, the MT Prestige Falcon, capsized late Monday about 25 nautical miles (29 miles) southeast of Oman's Ras Madrakah area, according to Oman’s Maritime Security Agency.
The cause of the capsizing and the condition of the tanker and its cargo were not immediately known. But the Indian Navy, which sent a warship to help in the search operations, said the rescue teams were dealing with rough seas and strong winds.
In a statement, the Navy said eight Indians and another crewmember had been rescued, and that Indian and Omani teams were continuing to search for others. The crew included 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans, it said. Oman's state news agency reported that, along with the nine rescued, one other crewmember had died.
The 117-meter-long (383-foot) Prestige Falcon, flying the flag of Comoros, had been carrying a cargo of oil products from the port of Hamriya in the United Arab Emirates to the Yemeni port of Aden, according to the shipping-tracking website marinetraffic.com.
A Comoros-flagged oil tanker with 13 Indians and 3 Sri Lankans as crew members has capsized off the coast of Oman, the country's Maritime Security Centre said on Tuesday. The oil tanker, Prestige Falcon capsized 25 nautical miles southeast of Ras Madrakah. This is near the Omani port of Duqm.
The Maritime Security Centre said in a post on X, “A Comoros-flagged oil tanker capsized 25 NM southeast of Ras Madrakah. SAR Ops initiated with the relevant authorities.”
The tanker was heading to the Yemeni port of Aden, according to shipping data by LSEG.
The vessel is a 117-metre-long oil products tanker built in 2007, LSEG's shipping data showed. Such small tankers are generally deployed for short voyages.
Earlier, on November 27, a cargo ship carrying 14 crew members including Indian crew members, sank off the coast of Lesbos island in Greece due to high-speed winds. The Comoros-flagged ship Raptor, which was travelling from Dekheila, Egypt to Istanbul carrying a load of salt, sank 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) southwest of Lesbos. (ANI)
The tanker Sheng You 229 caught fire in the Gulf of Tonkin at around 2:30 PM Beijing time on Tuesday.
The tanker was loaded with 6,858 tons of diesel oil. The 7,056 dwt vessel caught fire in the cargo tanks area and it spread aft to the rest of the ship.
Qinzhou Maritime Authorities responded, sending search and rescue vessels as well as the coast guard. Current reports suggest that of the 17 crew on board, 15 were rescued while the remaining two are still missing.
The fire on the tanker was extinguished yesterday evening. Reports are saying that the fire was most probably triggered by an explosion.
According to data provided by VesselsValue, the unlucky 2007-built tanker is owned by Shenzhen Haifa Shipping.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said Hafnia has discovered "light oil sheens near Hafnia Nile" after a collision with suspected ’dark fleet’ VLCC Ceres I
The MPA said it is working with Hafnia to find a "safe location to transfer Hafnia Nile’s naphtha cargo, and towage plans for repairs," which will both need to have MPA approval.
"As part of the towage plan, Hafnia will arrange for repairs, containment and clean-up of the assessed localised seepage [of oil from the vessel]," the MPA said.
An additional tug with deepsea towing capacity arrived on site on 23 July 2024, joining four other tugs equipped with oil response and firefighting capabilities.
Hafnia Nile is currently about 100 km away from mainland Singapore. On Sunday (21 July), VLCC Ceres I and the two tugs that were towing the vessel were intercepted by a Malaysian patrol vessel after fleeing the scene of a collision with Hafnia LR1 tanker Hafnia Nile.
22 July
Malaysia Coast Guard has reported a suspected ’dark fleet’ VLCC, with an alleged habit of tampering with its AIS system and an alleged history of trading sanctioned oil, has been apprehended after leaving the scene of a collision near Singapore with Hafnia LR1 tanker Hafnia Nile that sparked fires on board both vessels.
The Malaysia Coast Guard said its offshore patrol vessel KM Pekan stopped 300,000-dwt VLCC Ceres I and the two tugboats that were towing the vessel some 28 nautical miles northeast of Tioman Island on 21 July, a distance of more than 100 km from the scene of the collision.
"Maritime Malaysia, in collaboration with the Malaysian Marine Department, will carry out a further investigation of the incident with the rediscovery of the Ceres I ship," the Malaysia Coast Guard said.
The organisation also reported "some traces of oil spillage at the scene" of the tanker fires, at 25 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Balau, Malaysia, an area that lies outside of Singapore’s port boundary.
"An aerial survey of the Bombardier CL 415 MP amphibious aircraft belonging to Maritime Malaysia, which conducted an aerial survey yesterday, found some traces of oil spillage at the scene of the incident. The Department of Environment was also informed about this discovery and will carry out further monitoring in the near future," the coast guard said.
Hafnia released an updated statement on the collision, too, saying that while pollution levels around its vessel are "still undetermined", the fire on board Hafnia Nile seems to have abated and a towing connection with a tugboat has been established.
"A first assessment on board the vessel confirms that no visible flames are observed. A marine chemist will board the vessel later today for a further assessment. Pollution levels around the vessel are still undetermined. Currently, discussions are underway with Malaysian authorities to safely move the vessel as well as co-operation with Singapore as the flag state on investigations," Hafnia said.
While the investigation into the cause of the incident in the South China Sea continues, Hafnia said its 22 crew from Hafnia Nile are in good condition after evacuating from the tanker and being rescued.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) reported on Friday (19 July) that 26 of the Ceres I crew had remained on board the VLCC to continue fire-fighting operations, while 14 were picked up by Singapore-flagged supply vessel Dolphin 1, which was in the vicinity of the incident. Two of those VLCC crew were evacuated by a Singapore air force helicopter and were receiving medical attention at Singapore General Hospital, the MPA said.
Singapore Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, the Republic of Singapore Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force, the MPA, the Malaysian Coast Guard, and other authorities and parties have been involved in the ongoing operations following the incident.
Photo of smoke from fires on board VLCC Ceres I and LR1 tanker Hafnia Nile following a collision near Singapore (source: Republic of Singapore Navy/Instagram)
19 July
Singapore’s MPA said it was alerted on the morning of 19 July 2024 to fires burning on board two vessels off Singapores’ coast. According to AIS transponder signals, the vessels, Singapore-flagged LR1 tanker Hafnia Nile and São Tomé and Príncipe-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) Ceres I, collided about 55 km northeast of Pedra Branca.
The location of the collision is within Singapore’s official maritime search and rescue (SAR) region, according to the MPA, which sent requests to passing vessels to aid in SAR operations and despatched a Singaporean naval vessel and air force helicopter to the scene of the incident.
The MPA has reported recovery of all 62 crew members on board the two fire-stricken vessels.
"All 22 crew on board Hafnia Nile and 40 crew on board Ceres I are accounted for," the MPA said. The Singaporean naval vessel, formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme, was in the vicinity of the incident and picked up 16 crew from Hafnia Nile. The remaining six crew, who were in Hafnia Nile’s liferaft, were picked up by a Malaysian government vessel and transferred to RSS Supreme.
"All Hafnia Nile crew are en route back to Singapore and are receiving medical attention on board RSS Supreme," the MPA said.
A statement from the vessel’s owner and operator, Hafnia confirmed the incident happened at 06:15 hrs LT on 19 July 2024 and that the business is "actively co-ordinating" with the Singapore Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and has mobilised a salvor to support the ongoing response efforts.
The company gave similar details with regard to the crew involved and said they have no information with regard to potential oil spill pollution from the incident.
"There is no information on pollution as of now. Our primary focus at this time is the well-being of our crew members, as well as addressing any potential environmental impact resulting from this incident. All relevant authorities have been notified and are responding promptly to the situation. A full investigation will be conducted to determine the root cause," Hafnia said.
Assisting in the recovery of crew from Ceres I, Singapore-flagged supply vessel Dolphin 1, which was in the vicinity of the incident, picked up 14 crew from Ceres I. Two of the crew were evacuated by RSAF’s helicopter and are currently receiving medical attention at Singapore General Hospital, according to MPA.
"The remaining 26 Ceres I crew are currently conducting fire-fighting operations on board [the VLCC]. Salvage and fire-fighting assets have been arranged by both vessel owners to support the fire-fighting efforts and subsequent towage of the vessels to safety," the MPA said, noting shipping traffic in the area has not been affected by the incident.
Maritime tracking platform MarineTraffic has posted an AIS-based visualisation of the movements of the two tankers in the hours leading up to the collision on social media platform X (see below). The visualisation shows Hafnia Nile sailing at between 12 and 15 knots for at least two hours before apparently striking the stationary VLCC Ceres I. Hafnia Nile’s AIS-based destination was listed as Kashima, Japan. Ceres I has a listing of having been ’at anchor’ since 11 July outside of Singapore’s port limits, to the east of the port (denoted by the acronym EOPL).
While the 2017-built, 74,000 dwt LR1 vessel Hafnia Nile’s owner is a public company, Hafnia, and the vessel is operated within the Hafnia LR tankers pool, Ceres I has a more difficult to trace recent history. According to the Equasis shipping database, the 2001-built, 300,000-dwt VLCC was bought in 2019 by a China-based company, Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management and has not had an inspection since its initial inspection under the Tokyo MoU in 2019, at which point it had five deficiencies listed. Among the deficiencies were two for fire safety breaches, one for inadequate life saving appliances, one for inadequate safety of navigation and one for problems with the vessel’s steering gear.
Reporters at Lloyd’s List have collated internal information and defined Ceres I as part of the so-called ’dark fleet’ of vessels trading in sanctioned cargoes. The vessel, they say, has been used to facilitate trades in sanctioned Iranian crude oil through storage and ship-to-ship transfers. When tankers in the dark fleet engage in transfers of oil to evade sanctions detection, they often do so within relatively close proximity to major trading lanes, turning off their AIS transponders or spoofing the location shown to other vessels and authorities.
The International Maritime Risk Rating Agency lists Ceres I under a ’Critical’ rating, which it defines as being at "high risk for severe incidents/casualties".
The Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile on fire near Singapore on Friday.Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency via AFP - Getty Images
SINGAPORE — Two large oil tankers were on fire on Friday after colliding near Singapore, the world’s biggest refuelling port, with two crew members airlifted to hospital and others rescued from life rafts, authorities and one of the tanker owners said.
Singapore is Asia’s biggest oil trading hub and the world’s largest bunkering port. Its surrounding waters are vital trade waterways between Asia and Europe and the Middle East and among the busiest global sea lanes.
The Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I were about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca on the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said.
The 22 crew of the Hafnia Nile and the 40 on the Ceres I were all accounted for, the MPA said, which was alerted to the fire at 6:15 a.m. (2215 GMT)
The owner of Hafnia Nile confirmed the vessel was involved in a collision with Chinese owned Ceres I.
Photographs released by the Singapore Navy showed thick black smoke billowing from one tanker and crew being rescued from life rafts and flown to hospital.
The environmental authorities in neighbouring Malaysia said they had been told to prepare for potential oil spills.
Norway’s Gard, one of Hafnia Nile’s insurers, told Reuters it was too early to assess the environmental impact.
“We are supporting our member as they are dealing with the incident,” Gard said.
Navigational traffic had not been affected, although the status of the vessels or any pollution was unknown at present, a spokesperson at the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) said.
“No aerial surveillance has been conducted so far,” the spokesperson said.
“Salvage and fire-fighting assets have been arranged by both vessel owners to support the fire-fighting efforts and subsequent towage of the vessels to safety.”
The IMO spokesperson said a salvage team had been appointed and was en route to the area.
The 74,000 deadweight-tons capacity panamax tanker Hafnia Nile was carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG.
The Ceres I is a very large crude carrier supertanker, which ship-tracking data last showed was carrying around 2 million barrels of Iranian crude.
“The Ceres I has been a boat that has gone dark many times over the years,” said Matt Stanley, head of market engagement EMEA & APAC with Kpler, referring to when vessels switch off their AIS tracking transponders.
Stanley said the last AIS signal the vessel transmitted around March indicated it was carrying Iranian crude, which the U.S. has tried to curtail, including imposing sanctions on ports, vessels and refineries involved in the trade.
“She was at anchorage (on Friday). We can be fairly sure that she was carrying Iranian crude and was going to China,” Stanley said.
Shadow fleet risks
S&P Global said in an April report that China buys around 90% of Iran’s crude exports, often at discounted prices.
The Ceres I has not moved since July 11, according to LSEG shipping data.
The area Ceres I is anchored in is known to be used by so-called dark fleet ships for the transfer of Iranian oil in contravention of U.S. sanctions, said Michelle Wiese Bockmann, principal analyst at Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
“The Ceres I has repeatedly been involved in transferring or shipping Iranian oil in breach of U.S. sanctions,” she said.
Shipping sources have said the tanker was also involved in transporting Venezuelan oil, which is also under U.S. sanctions, to China in recent years.
The China-based owner of the Ceres I could not immediately be reached for comment. China has repeatedly said it is opposed to unilateral sanctions.
Up to 850 oil tankers are estimated to operate the shadow fleet transporting oil from countries such as Iran and Venezuela as well as Russia, which has multiple restrictions on its oil exports.
Shipping industry officials have warned that safety issues are growing because of the ageing and unregulated vessels.
The Ceres I vessel was built in 2001 while the Hafnia Nile was built in 2017, shipping data showed. It was unclear who provided insurance for the Ceres I, which was not covered by top tier providers like Gard, according to other data.
MV. CHUN WEI (IMO: 9565120) is General Cargo that was built in 2009 and is sailing under the flag of Belize. On 30th Aug 2023, the vessel collided with a fishing boat resulting in significant damage and deformation on the hull side.
Ship Owner required our team to cut out the damaged areas and then install, replace them.
According to the instructions of the ship owner, Nice Sea Company Limited has arranged manpower, equipment, and materials to carry out the necessary procedures.
After she berthing, the whole repair team and all necessary equipment were immediately come on board. All engineers and workers are equipped with full labor protection. Before starting work, the whole team had a safety meeting with Capt to unify a repair plan and ensure labor safety.
fter the safety meeting our team began to inspect, identify, and remark on the damaged and deformed locations and then proceeded to remove them
Next, we proceeded to install scaffolding cut the metal plates and fabricated them according to the shape and size as the drawing to assemble into place the damaged parts including: Port side, upper deck, Air conditioning inside areas, engine room and Toilet inside
Finally, we re-painted the repaired area to ensure aesthetics and restore the original appearance of the vessel
With the tireless efforts of our team of technicians, supervisors and equipment, we completed work with the satisfaction of Capt, Chief, Officer and the shipowner. That is to repair damaged parts and restore the ship to its original state, ensure safety and schedule for ships.
「大型船に取り付けた約10mのタラップごと地面に落ちたか」となっているが、船に取り付けられている「Gangway」なのか、修繕ドックに入った船に陸側からいけるタラップなのか詳細が書かれていない。昔、南日本造船で作業者達が最大搭載人員を超えてタラップの乗って、タラップが落ちて死亡者が出た。今回はどのように事故が起きたのだろうか？船に取り付けられている「Gangway」でも、修繕ドックに入った船に陸側からいけるタラップでもフルハーネスなんか使わない。それだけ安全と思う。ただ、造船所、場所や担当によって詳細な対策は違うし、タラップの状態も錆びたり、錆びて穴が空いている部分がある場合がある。
船に取り付けられている「Gangway」は造船所とは関係ないが、腐食して穴が空いていたり、腐食して固定部分が目視でかなり腐食しているケースはあるが、個人的に知る限りでＰＳＣ（国土交通省職員）が不備として指摘したケースを知らない。国際条約では、安全に船から陸に行ける事が要求されている。
10/2021—Means of embarkation and disembarkation from ships in port（Australian Government Australian Maritime Safety Authority）には「SOLAS Chapter II-1 provides requirements for accommodation ladders and gangways. SOLAS Chapter IX gives effect to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code which requires procedures, plans, and instructions for key shipboard operations. Providing safe access to a vessel is considered a key operation under the ISM Code and should be addressed in the vessel’s safety management system.」と書いてある。
Safe Access Accommodation Ladders（Forth Ports）
Accident prevention on board ship at sea and in port (2nd edition). Code of practice ILO（IMO）の「8．Safe access to ship」にも記載されている。
タラップが造船所から船への移動のために使用するものであれば、上記は適用されない可能性は高い。日本の国内法が適用されるのではないかと思う。
Crew members of the cargo ship MV Dali can return home under an agreement in which the lawyers will be able to interrogate them on the ongoing inquiry into the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
U.S District Judge James K. Bredar confirmed the settlement during a hearing on June 20, 2024.
None of the MV Dali crew members has been permitted to leave the United States since March 26, 2024, when the MV Dali lost power and crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns.
The collision killed six construction workers and temporarily halted most maritime operations through Baltimore’s major port.
The new agreement allows the crew to return to their home nations if they stay available for depositions.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said in a statement late on Saturday that the oil leak from the vessel had been contained, and that the oil that escaped from the damaged tanker had been treated with dispersants.
But due to tidal currents, it said the treated oil had landed along shorelines including at Sentosa and other southern islands, a nature reserve and a public beach park. Sentosa, which attracts millions of visitors annually, houses one of Singapore’s two casinos, golf courses and Southeast Asia’s only Universal Studios theme park.
Part of the beachfront at the public park and at the nature reserve have been closed to facilitate clean-up efforts, it said. The Sentosa beach will remain open to the public but sea activities and swimming are prohibited.
The decision comes after attorneys urged on June 18, 2024, that the crew members from India and Sri Lanka be prohibited from leaving the United States.
The attorneys believed that the crew possessed crucial knowledge about the events leading up to the bridge collapse and that if released, they would not return for interrogation.
Attorney William H. “Billy” Murphy Jr., who represents claimant Damon Davis, emphasized the litigation’s complexity and possible high expenses, claiming it could be the most costly maritime lawsuit in history.
Seven attorneys represented the federal government during the hearing, while two lawyers for Dali’s owner refused to comment as they left the courtroom.
Lawrence B. Brennan, an experienced admiralty lawyer, stated that such legal disputes are not uncommon, emphasizing the need to finish depositions as soon as possible to avoid lengthy litigation.
Darrell Wilson, the spokesperson for the ship’s owner, stated that while some crew members were set to leave, others would stay to assist with the inquiry.
He could not say when the ship would leave Baltimore for Norfolk, Virginia, to undergo significant repairs.
The Dali had been trapped in the wreckage for about two months while workers removed debris from the Patapsco River.
The crew remained on board even as explosive demolitions were used to remove the bridge trusses from the ship.
The ship’s owner and manager, two Singapore-based corporations, have filed a plea to restrict their liability for the catastrophe.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FBI conducted investigations and discovered that the ship experienced power failures before departing the Port of Baltimore, with another outage occurring soon before the bridge fell.
These agencies are still investigating the reason for the electrical failures.
According to emails in court documents, eight crew members had been scheduled to return home after being examined by Department of Justice investigators.
The Justice Department did not object to their departure.
According to Andrew Middleton of Apostleship of Sea, who spoke with the sailors, the crew’s feelings were mixed, with some relieved to be home and others concerned about their homecoming.
Baltimore officials evaluating compensation for the event first rejected the Dali owner’s pleas to limit damages to $43 million.
The legal litigation continues, and while some crew members are likely to head home, the ship remains at a nearby container terminal, with new sailors on their way.
The shipping route near Baltimore closed for 11 weeks due to the catastrophe, reopened last week.
The Greek-owned MV Tutor is the second confirmed sinking of a ship after the MV Rubymar was struck and submerged in March
The MV Tutor after an attack by a Houthi exploding boat in the Red Sea on June 12. Photo: Houthis Media Centre via EPA-EFE
A bulk carrier sank days after an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels believed to have killed one mariner on board, authorities said early Wednesday, the second-such ship to be sunk in the rebel campaign.
The sinking of the MV Tutor in the Red Sea marks what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign targeting shipping through the vital maritime corridor over the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The attack comes despite a months-long US-led campaign in the region that has seen the US Navy face its most-intense maritime fighting since World War II, with near-daily attacks targeting commercial vessels and warship.
The Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned-and-operated MV Tutor sank in the Red Sea, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said in a warning to sailors in the region.
The MV Tutor sinking in the Red Sea. Photo: Etat-Major des Armées via AP
“Military authorities report maritime debris and oil sighted in the last reported location,” the UKMTO said. “The vessel is believed to have sunk.”
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the sinking. The US military as well did not immediately acknowledge the sinking and did not respond to requests for comment.
The MV Tutor came under attack about a week ago by a bomb-carrying Houthi drone boat in the Red Sea. It was also struck an “unknown airborne projectile”.
John Kirby, a White House national security spokesman, said Monday that the attack killed “a crew member who hailed from the Philippines”.
The Philippines has yet to acknowledge the death, but the man who had been aboard the M/V Tutor has been missing for over a week in the Red Sea, which faces intense summertime heat.
The use of a boat loaded with explosives raised the spectre of 2000’s USS Cole attack, a suicide assault by al-Qaeda on the warship when it was at port in Aden, killing 17 on board.
The Cole is now part of a US Navy operation led by the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea to try and halt the Houthi attacks, though the rebels continue their assaults.
The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, killing four sailors. They’ve seized one vessel and sunk two since November, according to the US Maritime Administration.
A US-led air strike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.
In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carried a load of fertiliser sank in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a rebel attack.
The Houthis have maintained their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK. However, many of the ships they’ve attacked have little or no connection to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
The war in Gaza has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians there, while hundreds of others have been killed in Israeli operations in the West Bank. It began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage.
A recent report by the US Defence Intelligence Agency acknowledged container shipping through Red Sea has declined by 90 per cent since December over the attacks. As much as 15 per cent of the world’s maritime traffic flows through that corridor.
An oil spill caused by a dredger boat hitting a stationary cargo tanker has blackened part of Singapore’s southern coastline, including the popular resort island of Sentosa, and sparked concerns it may threaten marine wildlife as a clean-up operation was under way Sunday.
The Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima struck the Singaporean fuel supply ship Marine Honor on Friday. It damaged the cargo tank on Marine Honor, which leaked oil into the sea.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said in a statement late on Saturday that the oil leak from the vessel had been contained, and that the oil that escaped from the damaged tanker had been treated with dispersants.
But due to tidal currents, it said the treated oil had landed along shorelines including at Sentosa and other southern islands, a nature reserve and a public beach park. Sentosa, which attracts millions of visitors annually, houses one of Singapore’s two casinos, golf courses and Southeast Asia’s only Universal Studios theme park.
Part of the beachfront at the public park and at the nature reserve have been closed to facilitate clean-up efforts, it said. The Sentosa beach will remain open to the public but sea activities and swimming are prohibited.
On Sunday, workers in orange suits were seen scooping up sand in a clean-up operation at an empty beach in Sentosa. Black water washed up on the oil-stained shore.
Authorities have deployed 18 watercraft for the clean-up efforts and laid close to 1,500 metres (5,00 feet) of container booms, temporary floating barriers to trap the oil spill.
“More will be laid over the next few days to prevent further spread of oil onto the shore, and facilitate the recovery of the trapped oil off the affected shorelines and lagoons to prevent them from going back to sea,” the Maritime and Port Authority statement said.
Conservationists and biologists are monitoring the full extent of the damage on marine and wildlife.
Local conservation group Marine Stewards reportedly said there were photos of dead fish, otters and kingfishers covered in oil slick.
Group founder Sue Ye told local the Straits Times newspaper that oil spills smother and suffocate fish, birds and marine animals that have to go to the surface for air, such as turtles and dolphins.
Damage to the bunker tanker Marine Honour (MPA Singapore)
On Friday, a dredger struck a bunker tanker at the port of Singapore, leading to a substantial spill.
At about 1440 hours local time, the Van Oord-operated dredger Vox Maxima allided with the berthed bunker tanker Marine Honour at the Pasir Panjang Terminal, tearing open its hull amidships on the starboard side. In a statement, Van Oord said that both vessels were safely anchored and stable, and that no personnel injuries have been reported.
One cargo tank aboard the bunker tanker was damaged, releasing fuel oil into the water, and the tidal current carried the slick towards shore. Oil reached the waterfront at the island of Sentosa, a popular resort and casino destination for vacation-goers. Beachfront areas at Sentosa, the Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands are affected, and selected areas have been closed off as cleanup gets under way. Professional work crews are already removing oiled sand from the waterfront.
On the water side, more than a dozen vessels are engaged in containment and cleanup efforts, and the Singaporean authorities are using dispersants to minimize the effects of the pollution on land. More than a kilometer of boom has been laid out, and more will be installed in the days to come in order to keep the oil off the beaches, Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said in a statement. Additional boom will be used to keep the oil that has reached shore from drifting back out to sea again.
Local environmental NGO Marine Stewards advised that the best thing for local residents to do is to stay away from the oil for health and safety reasons. The organization is collecting public reports on wildlife impacts, and more than a thousand people have signed up to help survey the shoreline, according to partner NGO Friends of the Marine Park. Limited wildlife oiling has been reported.
The MPA has set up an operations center for its staff and personnel from key stakeholders, and an official investigation is expected soon.
"We are cooperating with the investigations by the authorities. As long as investigations are ongoing, we can’t provide any further substantive information in the interests of the investigations," Van Oord said.
MPA, PSA and the bunker vessel company have activated oil spill response craft to the location. The oil spill clean-up operation is currently in progress.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Friday (14 June) was notified of an allision between a Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima and a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour.
The incident took place alongside a container vessel berthed at the Pasir Panjang Terminal at about 2:20pm (SGT), said MPA.
Both vessels are currently anchored safely, are in stable condition, with some damage above the waterline. There is no injury reported.
Bunker fuel from the damaged cargo tank on board Marine Honour spilled into the water. The affected cargo tank has been isolated and the spill contained.
MPA, PSA and the bunker vessel company have activated oil spill response craft to the location. The oil spill clean-up operation is currently in progress.
There is no impact to navigational safety and berthing operations at PSA remain unaffected.
The Iranian-backed Houthis launched anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM) into the Gulf of Aden, striking the MV Verbena, a Palauan-flagged bulk cargo carrier owned by Ukraine and operated by Poland.
The vessel transporting wood building materials from Malaysia to Italy incurred severe damage and fire on board.
One crew member was severely injured and was later airlifted off the USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) to a partner force ship for medical treatment.
The strike is the second against MV Verbena in the last 24 hours, following a similar attack with three missiles.
The ongoing Houthi operation has seen an increase in attacks against international vessels in the area, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) condemned the actions, threatening regional stability and mariner safety across the international waters.
In the last two days, the Houthis have also targeted the Greek-owned cargo ship Tutor, forcing it to take on water near Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah.
The attack on Tutor, consisting of Filipino crew members, provoked outrage from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
Despite claims of casualties, Greek officials have not confirmed any deaths.
US Centcom responded by destroying one air defense sensor, one uncrewed surface vessel (USV), two patrol boats, and one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) launched by the Houthis.
These actions were taken to reduce immediate dangers to US forces, coalition forces, and commerce vessels in the area.
The Houthi campaign negatively impacted global shipping, increasing delays and expenses throughout supply networks.
Since November, the group has launched numerous strikes, vowing that operations will continue until the Gaza crisis is resolved.
Despite this, Centcom has pledged to hold the Houthis accountable and weaken their military capabilities.
As the situation worsens, the international community remains on high alert, with efforts focused on safeguarding freedom of passage and protecting critical maritime routes for global trade.
What you need to know:
The Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) director general Sheikha Mohamed told The Citizen on Wednesday, May 22, that the authority received an official notice on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from the Romania Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) concerning the tragedy
Dar es Salaam.Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) has confirmed that a cargo ship flying the Tanzania flag, named Mohammad Z, tragically sank off the coast of the Black Sea in Romania.
The vessel was transporting a significant load of grains, oil, and oil products at the time of the incident.
The unfortunate event has raised concerns about maritime safety and the impact on trade routes.
ZMA director general Sheikha Mohamed told The Citizen on Wednesday, May 22, that the authority received an official notice on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from the Romania Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) concerning the tragedy.
“The Tanzanian-flagged ship cargo has indeed sunk in Romania; we are currently waiting for a full report from MRCC. While eight Syrians and three Egyptians have been rescued, three other people on board are missing,” she said.
Declining to provide more details, she said more information would be provided after receiving detailed reports from Romania.
“Currently, we are making follow-up on the incident, and once we are done, the public will be communicated through an official statement,” she said.
Earlier reports indicated that the incident occurred on May 18, leaving three of the 11 crew members missing. Nine of the crew members were Syrians and two were Egyptians.
However, reports didn’t establish the cause of the incident.
Furthermore, according to reports, eight people were rescued by a nearby commercial vessel, Michel, which is coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), with three Syrians missing.
The Black Sea is vital for the transportation of grain, oil, and oil products, and it is shared by several countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia.
On May 18, the cargo ship MOHAMMED Z (Tanzanian flag), owned by a Turkish shipowner, sank approximately 25 miles off the coast of Sfantu Gheorghe, a port located in northeastern Romania near the border with Ukraine.
Out of the 11 crew members, 8 were rescued by the nearby cargo ship MICHAEL (Comorian flag), which was part of the rescue operation coordinated by Romanian authorities. Despite ongoing search efforts, the remaining 3 crew members, all Syrians, are still missing.
Initially, the possibility of a collision with a drifting mine was considered, as this threat persists in the Black Sea region. Since the onset of the Russian-Ukrainian war, drifting mines have posed a constant hazard, prompting neighboring countries to intensify their demining efforts.
On the morning of May 19, upon arriving at the port of Varna, the cargo ship MICHAEL underwent an inspection which revealed hull deformations on its bow. The captain confirmed that an accident with the MOHAMMED Z had occurred, which may ultimately have led to the sinking of the latter vessel.
By focusing on these maritime incidents, we can better understand the risks faced by cargo ships navigating through volatile regions. The situation highlights the importance of vigilance and the continuous need for maritime safety measures.
A ship navigating under the Tanzanian flag sank on Saturday morning, May 18, in the Black Sea, after colliding with another 26 nautical miles from the Romanian coast. Eight crew members were rescued, but three were reported missing. At the time this news was published, the searches were suspended.
The representatives of the Constanţa Court of Appeal Prosecutor's Office announced that the sinking of the ship under the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea, near Sfântu Gheorghe, occurred following a collision with another ship, which is now in the Bulgarian port of Varna.
The magistrates have initiated criminal proceedings in the case for destroying or damaging a ship or its cargo and for "the act of the commander or another crew member who, after a navigation accident, orders or causes the ship to leave the scene," according to News.ro.
Romania’s MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) coordinated rescue operations when the alert came in, at around 4:00 AM. The sunken ship, Mohammed Z, flying the Tanzanian flag, had 11 crew members on board, 9 Syrian and 2 Egyptian nationals. Eight of them were rescued by the commercial ship Michel, with which the Mohammed Z collided.
Romania’s Defense Ministry assigned several ships and a helicopter to the area to help with the search.
"An IAR 330 Puma helicopter, from the Romanian Air Force, is conducting a sea search mission on Saturday, May 18, for possible survivors of the sunken ship's crew, which sank this morning in the Black Sea," representatives of the Ministry of National Defense stated, cited by Digi24.
The eight sailors rescued arrived at Constanța Port and underwent medical evaluations. Only one was transported to Constanța County Hospital for further medical investigations due to his injuries.
Witnesses say that the sunken ship did not yield priority to the other, leading to the collision.
"There was a collision between two ships. One of the ships sank, and the other ship, after helping to rescue some of the crew members, headed towards Bulgaria, specifically to the port of Varna,” said Mihaela Elena Mergeane, Chief Prosecutor of the Constanța Court of Appeal.
The Michel was seen in the port, with visible damage to the front. "The obligation of the ship, since it was outside the territorial sea of the Romanian state, is to report this event at the first port of call. This port of call for the ship was Varna,” added Cosmin Dumitrache, ANR Director.
The three sailors who went missing are all Syrian nationals.
After the investigation is completed, the eight surviving sailors will be repatriated to their home countries.
The Dali was a 'clearly unseaworthy' ship with 'an incompetent crew', the city of Baltimore argued in a lawsuit filed Monday
Baltimore has sued the operators of the container ship that hit and destroyed one of the US city's main bridges last month, killing six people.
The city says the Dali was "clearly unseaworthy" and accuses its owners and manager of negligence.
The ship's Singapore-based owner and manager have already asked a court to limit their liability.
The region is reeling from the closure of its busiest maritime transit port after the span collapsed on 26 March.
"None of this should have happened," attorneys representing the Baltimore mayor and city council argued in a federal lawsuit.
The city is asking the US District Court of Maryland for a jury trial to hold the defendants fully liable.
Naming the Dali's owner, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and its manager, Synergy Marine Private Limited, the suit alleges the Francis Scott Key Bridge's collapse was a direct result of their "gross negligence, and recklessness, and as a result of the unseaworthiness of the Vessel".
On 1 April, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine petitioned the same federal court in Maryland to cap its responsibility for the incident.
Citing a pre-Civil War maritime law, the pair of companies estimated their liability for the vessel and the cargo's value at $43.6m (£35m).
Monday's court filing from the city of Baltimore rebuts that number as "substantially less than the amount that will be claimed for losses and damages arising out of the Dali's allision with the Key Bridge".
The path taken by the cargo ship - which was exiting the Port of Baltimore under the Key Bridge - is "no stranger to large freighters", the city's representatives wrote.
They said the vessel "had been experiencing an inconsistent power supply" that was either not investigated or not fixed.
"The Dali left port anyway, despite its clearly unseaworthy condition," said the lawsuit.
The filing also says the Dali was manned by "an incompetent crew that was inattentive to its duties" and "lacked proper training".
On Friday, port officials opened a third temporary channel for boats to enter and exit the corridor, but these channels can only sustain about 15% of pre-collapse commercial activity.
A fourth channel, that will allow most traffic back into the port, is expected to open by the end of the month.
Darrell Wilson, an attorney who represents Synergy Marine and is also handling media inquiries on behalf of Grace Ocean, told the BBC it would be inappropriate to comment on the litigation while federal investigations into the collapse were ongoing.
Six construction workers who were fixing potholes died when the bridge collapsed. Two of the bodies have yet to be recovered.
Workers are still extracting thousands of tonnes of debris from the water and from atop the stationary Dali, whose original schedule would have seen it arrive at a Sri Lankan port on Monday.
Apart from two of the ship's pilots, 21 crew members - almost all of whom are of Indian origin - remain on the ship. There is no timeline yet for when the crew will disembark or head back to sea.
The Hang Chau Tourist Express Boat after an accident on April 19, 2024 in which it was broadsided by a ferry. Photo by VnExpress/Tran Thanh
The tour guide on the tourist boat who was severely injured after it was rammed by a ferry in the Mekong Delta last week has died.
Ab Dol Ro Zak, 36, a Cham ethnic man, died Sunday at Cho Ray Hospital in HCMC, his family said.
Arrangements for transporting his body to An Giang Province in the delta for the final rites are being made.
Ro Zak was a guide on Hang Chau Tourist Express Boat that was returning with 42 tourists from Cambodia’s Phnom Penh to Chau Doc City in An Giang.
The collision on the Tien River, a branch of the Mekong, last Friday occurred because some barges blocked the boat pilot’s view, according to its owner.
It happened in Chau Doc around a kilometer from the Cambodian border, and two foreign tourists were also injured in the collision.
Ro Zak had his right arm severed and both legs broken.
The tourists, from France and Germany and aged 57 and 67, incurred leg injuries.
All three were taken to HCMC for treatment.
Despite emergency intervention, Ro Zak tragically passed away, leaving behind a wife and a two-year-old daughter.
Fluent in English, Cham and Khmer and working as a guide on tours between Chau Doc and Phnom Penh, he was the primary breadwinner for his family.
Hoang Thi Minh Dang, a company that organizes tours using the Hang Chau vessel, said Saturday the pilot had all the necessary certificates and qualifications for the job, and over 10 years' experience.
Nguyen Khanh Hiep, director of the An Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said there would be an assessment of Hang Chau's operations, and any possible violations would be penalized.
Two foreign tourists and a Vietnamese tour guide were injured after a ferry broadsided a boat carrying 42 passengers on the Tien River in the Mekong Delta Friday evening.
The Hang Chau Tourist Express Boat vessel was coming from Phnom Penh in Cambodia when, at around 6 p.m, the collision occurred in Vinh Xuong Commune in An Giang Province’s Chau Doc City around a kilometer from the border.
The ferry rammed into the middle of the boat’s starboard/port side, causing a large part of the vessel to break off and many standing tourists to fall down.
The tour guide, 36, had his right arm cut off by a piece of metal and both legs broken.
Two men from Germany and France, aged 57 and 67, had their left legs broken.
All three were rushed to a local hospital.
A tourist boat that was broadsided by a ferry in An Giang Province on April 19, 2024. Photo by Tran Thanh
Que Chi, a ferry passenger, said the tourist boat had been traveling at a high speed before the collision. The captain had tried to slow down after noticing the approaching ferry, but was too late, he said.
Many passengers panicked after the collision and some burst into tears, he added.
Locals helped the captain remove the passengers out of the tourist boat, fearing the vessel could sink.
A person injured in the collision is rushed to hospital. Photo provided by a local resident
Bui Thai Hoang, a commune official, said the two foreign tourists were stable by Friday night after receiving emergency treatment.
The tour guide's condition is more serious and he has been transfered to a bigger hospital.
Hoang said the boat has been licensed for operating for more than 10 years and was running its registered route on Friday evening.
A foreign tourist injured in the boat collision. Photo providedby a local resident
According the boat operator's website, its vessels carry tourists every day, leaving Chau Doc for Phnom Penh at 7:30 a.m. and returning at 12:30 p.m. Each trip takes about 5 hours.
BALTIMORE (AP) — The owner of the massive container ship Dali, which caused the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, has initiated a process requiring owners of the cargo on board to cover some of the salvage costs.
The ship’s owner, Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Ltd., made what’s known in maritime law as a “general average” declaration, which allows a third-party adjuster to determine what each stakeholder should contribute, according to company spokesperson Darrell Wilson.
The requirement is often invoked after maritime accidents so that the cost of saving a vessel or its cargo is shared among interested parties, Wilson said. In this case, it pertains to costs associated with refloating the Dali, which remains stuck with sections of the fallen bridge draped across its damaged bow.
Crews are working to remove some shipping containers from the Dali before lifting pieces of the wreckage and freeing the ship. They’re also working to clear debris from the Port of Baltimore’s main channel, which has been largely blocked for weeks, halting most commercial traffic through the major shipping hub.
“Over time, as the investigation continues and there’s more clarity about exactly what happened and who’s ultimately responsible, insurers themselves will start recuperating some of those losses,” she said.
A routine practice dating back centuries, the general average declaration marks the ship owner’s latest effort to minimize its financial responsibility in what could become one of the most expensive maritime disasters in history.
Grace Ocean and the ship’s management company, Synergy Marine Group, filed a petition soon after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability — another routine procedure for cases litigated under U.S. maritime law.
Six members of a roadwork crew plunged to their deaths in the collapse. Attorneys for some of their families and a survivor pledged to challenge that petition and hold the companies accountable.
One of the cargo owners, Mediterranean Shipping Company, announced last week that it was informed of the general average declaration by the Danish shipping giant Maersk, which chartered the Dali. The declaration indicates the ship’s owner anticipates “extraordinary costs for which they expect contribution from all salvaged parties,” the company’s release said.
Officials have said the Dali and its cargo — about 4,000 shipping containers — will return to the Port of Baltimore once the ship is refloated.
The Dali departed Baltimore’s port early on March 26 laden with cargo destined for Sri Lanka. It lost power before reaching open water and struck one of the supports for Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the span to collapse into the Patapsco River. Police rushed to stop bridge traffic after a last-minute mayday call from the ship’s pilot, but couldn’t save the roadwork crew. Two of the victims are still unaccounted for.
Both the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting investigations into what led to the disaster.
Disputes over liability and the cost of claims could take years for insurers to resolve and result in billions of dollars in payouts.
The stern of the container ship Dali, which is owned by a Japanese businessman named Yoshimasa Abe.Credit...Pete Kiehart for The New York Times
By Jenny Gross, Michael Forsythe, Emily Flitter and Peter Eavis
Jenny Gross reported from London. Michael Forsythe, Emily Flitter and Peter Eavis reported from New York.
On the day the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed, President Biden said the federal government would pay the “entire cost” of rebuilding it, which some suggest could run to more than $1 billion. Washington will foot the bill so the bridge and nearby port can reopen “as soon as humanly possible,” he said.
The hope is that much of the cost will be recouped from insurers, but determining who is ultimately on the hook for the deadly disaster is set to become one of the messiest and most expensive disputes of its kind. Rebuilding the bridge, repairing the cargo ship that hit it and compensating companies for the disruption at one of the nation’s busiest ports may take years to resolve.
“We’re not going to wait,” said Mr. Biden, who plans to visit Baltimore on Friday to survey the damage.
The legal wrangling began this week when the shipowner, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., and the ship manager, Synergy Marine, both based in Singapore, filed a petition in U.S. District Court to limit their liability to $43.7 million. They cited an 1851 law that allows a shipowner to cap financial damages mostly to the value of a ship after a crash, if the owner is determined not to have been at fault.
Claims against the ship’s owner and manager must be filed to the federal court in Baltimore by Sept. 24, a judge said.
Experts in maritime law and insurance said determining liability was particularly complex because of the many parties involved, from shipowners in Asia to insurers in Europe to companies around the world that move goods in and out of Baltimore. Numerous lawsuits are expected, and the six deaths caused by the disaster add a grim layer of complications.
“You can’t just necessarily settle with one party and make it go away,” said Franziska Arnold-Dwyer, a senior lecturer in insurance law at Queen Mary University of London.
Investigators are still determining what caused such a catastrophic failure on the cargo ship, the Dali; why the massive vessel appeared to lose power and propulsion before hitting the bridge; and whether negligence was involved. The answers will have implications for who is liable for damage that may cost insurers and reinsurers up to $4 billion, according to industry experts.
“You’re looking at historic, record losses” for maritime insurers, said Sean Kevelighan, chief executive of the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. The higher estimates could exceed the roughly $1.5 billion paid out after the Costa Concordia crisis in 2012, when 32 people were killed as the cruise ship ran aground off the Italian island of Giglio.
Losses are accumulating, with the Port of Baltimore, a top destination for car shipments, largely closed. Officials said this week that they had opened a channel around the wreckage for limited traffic. A full reopening of the port is expected in late May.
Very little is known about the owner of Grace Ocean, a Japanese businessman named Yoshimasa Abe, except that he is very wealthy.
Most of his known wealth comes from his fleet of more than 50 vessels, including container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and refrigerated cargo ships. They are owned by two Singapore-based companies, Grace Ocean Private and Argosy Pte., that Mr. Abe controls through an offshore company. VesselsValue, which compiles shipping data, estimates that those ships, including the damaged Dali, are worth a combined $2.9 billion.
Shipowners often borrow large amounts of money to buy their fleets. There is little public information about Mr. Abe’s debts, but in 2010 Grace Ocean borrowed $250 million from Mitsui & Company, a Japanese trading firm.
Mr. Abe is also the majority owner of two Chinese shipyards on islands off the coast of Ningbo, according to Sayari and WireScreen, companies that compile and analyze corporate data. Combined, the two shipyards can repair more than 200 vessels a year.
It is unusual for foreign companies to control Chinese shipyards, especially in recent years as industry consolidation in the country has favored state-owned companies, said Matthew Funaiole, who has written about Chinese shipyards for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. “There’s really not much space for there to be foreign ownership,” he said.
Among the 68 member companies, schools and associations focused on ship repair that belong to the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, a trade group, three are foreign-owned shipyards, of which Mr. Abe has a majority interest in two.
Mr. Abe did not respond to a request for an interview or answer written questions about his business. “Out of respect for the investigation and the legal process we will not be making additional public statements,” Jim Lawrence, a spokesman for the Dali’s management company and for Grace Ocean, said in an email. He confirmed earlier that Mr. Abe owned Grace Ocean Investment Limited, a company based in the British Virgin Islands that owns both Argosy Pte. and Grace Ocean Private.
If the shipowner is found liable, its insurer, a mutual association called Britannia P&I Club, will cover the first $10 million of claims, which could include coverage for loss of lives, debris removal, property damage and cargo damage. The Dali was carrying products including paper, U.S. soybeans destined for China and some hazardous materials, according to Concirrus, a marine insurance data provider, and DG Global, an agricultural exporter with goods on the ship.
Beyond $10 million, the 12 clubs including Britannia that make up the London-based International Group of P&I Clubs, which collectively insure about 90 percent of the world’s oceangoing tonnage, would share the cost of claims of up to $100 million. For claims above $100 million, dozens of reinsurers will cover costs up to roughly $3 billion.
Officials said they have opened a channel around the wreckage for limited ship traffic, but a full reopening of the port is expected to take weeks.Credit...Erin Schaff/The New York Times
The $3 billion figure is so widely known that it could become a target for businesses making damage claims. “There are some reinsurers expecting the worst,” said Hugo Chelton, a managing director at Howden Re, a reinsurance broker.
The global reinsurance industry ended last year with $670 billion in capital, according to Aon, an insurance broker. Though the bridge damage promises to be costly, it is not likely to be among the largest payouts reinsurers have faced recently. Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in 2022, caused more than $50 billion in insured losses.
Sridhar Manyem, an analyst for AM Best, a ratings agency for insurers, said the potential losses from the bridge collapse did not seem large enough to do long-term damage to any insurers or reinsurers. “It should not affect their balance sheets,” he said.
While a significant share of the claims may be directed at the ship’s insurers, other businesses affected by the bridge and port closure could make claims on other policies to cover their losses, adding to the insured losses caused by the incident.
Scott Cowan, the president of International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333, the union representing Baltimore dockworkers, said on Tuesday that nearly 2,000 workers were still doing jobs at the port, like unloading cargo that arrived before the bridge collapsed.
Mr. Cowan said union leaders had asked for help from the federal and state governments. “The longer the channel’s closed and the longer we’re out, the bigger the problem is going to be,” he said. Many jobs at the port are considered daily hire jobs rather than full-time positions, so they will last only as long as work remains to be done.
Government funds for companies whose operations have been disrupted may not be fully recouped from insurers, said Oscar Seikaly, chief executive of NSI Insurance Group, an insurance broker.
The stern of the container ship Dali, which is owned by a Japanese businessman named Yoshimasa Abe.Credit...Pete Kiehart for The New York Times
In recent years, when Washington has stepped in with emergency aid after a commercial disaster, taxpayers have later largely recovered the costs, although the international scope of claims in the Baltimore bridge collapse will add complexity to the process.
Representative Dan Meuser, Republican of Pennsylvania, said he was outraged that Mr. Biden had immediately offered to use federal money to pay for the bridge’s reconstruction without considering other sources of funds, including from the owners and insurers of the Dali.
“Insurance payouts could potentially cover the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge without any taxpayer dollars being spent,” he said.
Robyn Patterson, a White House spokeswoman, said the responsible party or parties must be held accountable, but added, “We’re not waiting to get started on this critically important infrastructure project.”
Six construction workers were killed as they repaired potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge before it collapsed, and two were injured. Over $500,000 has been raised for the families.
Meanwhile, two massive crane barges are lifting debris out of the water and onto a barge. Even with the cleanup well underway, so many questions remain unanswered about the disaster in Baltimore. One of the big ones: Who’s going to pay for it?
The collapse of the Key Bridge could well become the most expensive marine insurance loss in history.
“Something in the ballpark of $2 to $4 billion,” said Nadja Dreff, senior vice president for North American insurance ratings at Morningstar DBRS.
Roughly 100 insurance companies are involved, Dreff said. The owner of the boat that crashed into the bridge has maritime insurance. Everyone who sent cargo has cargo insurance. The bridge itself may be insured, and the Port of Baltimore has insurance for business interruption.
For now, all of those insurance policies are likely going to pay.
“Over time, as the investigation continues and there’s more clarity about exactly what happened and who’s ultimately responsible, insurers themselves will start recuperating some of those losses,” she said.
Meaning the insurers will sue whoever’s fault it is and the insurance company behind them.
The Dali’s owner is Singapore-based Grace Ocean; the company that manages the ship is Synergy Marine. They’ve both filed a petition in Baltimore under a law from 1851 that lets them argue their liability should be capped at the value of the ship — $42.5 million, they say — if they weren’t aware of whatever issue caused the incident.
“I doubt the ship owner will be able to limit its liability,” said Martin Davies, a professor of maritime law at Tulane University Law School.
Filing that petition may not end up limiting the ship owner’s liability, but Davies said it does gather all claims filed against them into one place — Maryland — rather than having them scattered around the world. He said that’s a benefit in itself.
If a court does find that the ship’s owner knew or should have known there was a problem, blame will be directed at the company, but it won’t stop there, said Lawrence Brennan, an adjunct professor of admiralty and maritime law at Fordham University.
There can be third parties, he said, like a fuel supplier that provided defective fuel or a bridge owner that didn’t put up the right lighting.
“That’s what you look for, as many people as possible to share the responsibility financially,” he said.
The owners of the Dali container ship involved in the deadly collapse of a Baltimore bridge last week, after it crashed into the structure, have denied responsibility and are seeking to limit their legal liability.
Grace Ocean Private Limited, the ship’s owner, and the manager Synergy Marine Pte said in a federal court filing on Monday that they denied any fault or neglect of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge that claimed the lives of six construction workers.
The companies are asking for exoneration from liability, but if they are held responsible in lawsuits, the companies are asking for a cap on any payout.
The joint filing, submitted in a Maryland District Court, seeks to cap the companies’ liability at roughly $43.6m.
“The [bridge collapse] was not due to any fault, neglect, or want of care on the part of [ship owner & operator], the Vessel, or any persons or entities for whose acts [ship owner & operator] may be responsible,” the filing stated.
The owners of the Dali have submitted a filing under theLimitation of Liability Act of 1851 to try and cap any payouts (AP)
“Alternatively, if any such faults caused or contributed to the [bridge collapse], or to any loss or damage arising out of the [bridge collapse], which is denied, such faults were occasioned and occurred without [ship owner & operator] privity or knowledge.”
The owner and operator of the Dali vessel submitted the filing under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, a piece of legislation that enables ship owners to limit their liability for certain claims to the value of the vessel and its cargo at the end of its journey.
The filing estimates that the vessel itself is valued at up to $90m and was owed over $1.1m in income from the freight. They also estimate that repair costs will be at least $28m and at least $19.5m in salvaging the ship.
Wreckage from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge rests on the cargo ship Dali (Getty Images)
A sum of $60m in emergency aid has already been approved by President Joe Biden’s administration last week, to begin the process of removing debris from the water.
In a news release, the US Department of Transportation referred to the funds as a “downpayment toward initial costs”.
The 300-metre-long vessel had a cargo of 4,679 containers when it lost power and collided with the bridge in the early hours of the morning on 26 March.
Construction workers were on the 1.6-mile-long bridge at the time of the collapse, with the structure falling into the Patapsco river below.
Two people were rescued shortly after, but six people, all construction workers, remained missing in the days after until two bodies were recovered from the disaster area submerged in the water.
Four people remain missing but have been presumed dead by authorities.
On April 1, 2024, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., as owner and manager of the M/V DALI, filed a Petition for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability in this Court. Petitioners also filed a Motion to Accept Interim Stipulation for Value and Stipulation for Costs and for the Entry of Restraining Order and Order for Issuance of Notice.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was one of three river crossings.(Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The owners of the ship at the centre of the Baltimore bridge disaster in the US had another vessel banned from Australian ports over unlawful exploitation of workers.
The Dali, a 300-metre container ship which accidentally destroyed a bridge, causing the presumed deaths of six people and blocking a major US trade route, is owned via a secretive tax haven company in the British Virgin Islands called Grace Ocean Investment Limited.
Another ship that belonged to the company was slapped with a six-month ban in 2021 for what the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said were "serious and shameful breaches" of maritime labour laws.
The operator of the Western Callao was forced to hand over about $40,000 in unpaid wages to 13 seafarers.
AMSA detained the same ship at Port Kembla in New South Wales in July 2020, finding the operator had unlawfully kept eight seafarers on board for more than 11 months.
Another of the company's ships, the Furness Southern Cross, had also unlawfully kept 10 seafarers on board for more than 14 months.
Days after its ban from Australian ports, the Western Callao was sold off by its owner.
The Dali is run by a different operator but owned via the same tax haven company.
The international union representing seafarers says the case of the Dali offers a glimpse into the "murky world" of global shipping where big players use tax havens and "flags of convenience" to evade regulatory scrutiny.
The collision in Baltimore on Tuesday, which triggered the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, was the Dali's second major accident in nine years at sea.
Built in 2015 and originally registered in the Marshall Islands, the Dali was at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium a year later when it ran into a steel quay.
The ship, which suffered hull damage and was held for repairs to make it seaworthy, had a different owner and operator at the time.
The Dali is now registered in Singapore, where it's owned by a subsidiary of the BVI-registered Ocean Grace.
The Singapore subsidiary owns 55 ships in total, according to online shipping database Equasis.
Corporate records show the subsidiary has three directors based in Singapore: Tock Hin Anthony Heng, a Singapore national; Oliver Pabalan Espino, a Filipino national; and Yoshimasa Abe, a Japanese national.
It was Mr Abe who signed an agreement in July 2020 for the company with a Singapore union guaranteeing conditions for maritime employees on ships including the Dali.
It also included the Western Callao, which was banned from Australia the following year for underpaying seafarers.
The ABC called Mr Abe and emailed questions but he did not respond. His co-directors could not be reached.
Grace Ocean, which bought the Dali months after its Belgian accident in 2016, uses another Singapore company, Synergy Group, to operate the ship.
In a statement, Synergy said the Dali had collided with a pillar of the bridge at Baltimore "whilst under pilotage with two pilots onboard", referring to local mariners responsible for boarding and guiding the ship safely out of the harbour.
Synergy said the "exact cause of the incident was yet to be determined [and] the owners and managers are fully cooperating with Federal and State government agencies".
The ship was bound for the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, where it was due to arrive on April 22.
It had spent three days in dock at Baltimore, having arrived via Norfolk and New York after travelling through the Panama Canal earlier this month.
The ship's last recorded inspection by authorities was by the US Coast Guard in New York last September, according to Equasis.
Tax havens and 'flags of convenience'
Ian Bray, the Australian coordinator of the International Transport Workers Federation, said the costly, and likely deadly mishap in Baltimore shone light on a global shipping industry that often made it hard to hold big players to account.
Mr Bray said US investigators could take months and would work out if it was "human error or mechanical error".
If the latter, investigators would examine how often engines and generators on the ship were inspected and maintained.
A helicopter flies over the scene of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. (Reuters: Julia Nikhinson)
Mr Bray said there was some evidence of systemic issues with ship operators cutting corners on maintenance, with AMSA banning several ships last year over poor maintenance programs.
"Whether it's the owner with a direct hand on it or whether it's an indirect hand through a management company, ultimately the buck has to stop somewhere in the management system," he said.
"But it's quite often the case that that registry of ownership with a particular company is probably a subsidiary company of another company, that's a subsidiary of another company.
"There's been times where we've gone and tried to map who actually owns something and it is very, very opaque … because it's designed to be that way."
Mr Bray said the industry was rife with big players using tax havens and "flags of convenience", registering ships in different countries from where they were owned.
"It's about tax minimisation, first and foremost with all of these corporations but it's also escapism from any regulatory regime that has any teeth," he said.
"You talk about mechanical failures and these kinds of things because it's on the TV in front of you at night.
"But the basics of this [system] too, is it makes it easier to exploit the workforce.
"It's a very, very murky world. And the global powers that be need to put five minutes attention on it and turn a spotlight on it to actually have a look at what's going on."
A Liberian-flagged gas carrier ran aground offshore Egypt, prompting a state of emergency over the weekend in anticipation of any leakage or pollution.
The incident involving the 14,800 cu m LPG tanker Claudia Gas took place in the Gulf of Aqaba during the Eid holiday.
Shipping databases show the 1990-built vessel is owned by Grece’s Benelux Overseas and managed by Zeus Lines.
Local authorities said Sunday the 158-m-long ship was refloated, and detained in the Sharm El-Sheikh port until investigations were completed and the environmental damage was assessed.
Egyptian media reported, citing undisclosed sources, that the vessel had suffered an engine failure and had been empty at the time of the incident.
Pictured below, the vessel track from MarineTraffic of the Claudia Gas from April 9 to today.
Egyptian authorities have detained a gas carrier registered with Liberia when the vessel grounded in an ecologically sensitive region in the Gulf of Aqaba.
Salvage squads could, however, refloat the vessel and shift it into a safe anchorage in the Red Sea near Safaga, Egypt.
The Claudia Gas, a 16,000 dwt vessel built in 1990, had finished offloading in the port of Aqaba and was sailing to Russia when the ship blacked out on 12 April, Friday.
It grounded on Friday night in the Ras Nasrani region, close to the Egyptian town of Sharm El Sheikh.
The Environmental Ministry also alerted the resources for an oil spill but reported the vessel had been refloated with zero signs of a leak. The gas tanks were vacant.
Egyptian authorities were on alert in the region as the Eid Al-Fitr celebration was on.
It is typically a busy tourist time, and they also reported expecting a massive inflow of tourists to the marine reserve.
They expected increased beach activity, with divers and yachts sailing there.
Coastal monitoring was underway during the holiday and increased following the grounding.
Unconfirmed reports from the Egyptian media declared that the gas tanker lost propulsion, resulting in the grounding.
They also suggest that, based on the damage caused in the marine reserve, the vessel could be heavily fined millions of dollars.
Divers reportedly followed the vessel’s path, examining the coral reef for probable injuries.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of the Environment, further mentioned that post-accident examinations were underway.
The studies measure the damage to the coral reef, possible recovery rates, and the likelihood of undertaking restoration efforts.
The vessel, managed by Zeus Lines of Greece from 2020 onward, was examined in February 2024 in Aqaba. At that time, it was cited for inoperative gauges, but detention was not imposed.
Tourists in Thailand have had to jump overboard after their ferry caught fire on the way to Koh Tao, which is an island particularly popular with backpackers.
Terrifying footage shows huge flames and smoke billowing from the blackened ferry after its passengers made a lucky escape.
About a decade ago, Koh Tao was dubbed ‘Death Island’ by foreign media following the murder of two British backpackers, along with other tourist deaths and disappearances.
The ferry that caught fire on Thursday morning was travelling from Surat Thani in southern Thailand with about 97 Thai and foreign passengers, who were all rescued, Police Colonel Chokchai Sutthimek, superintendent of the Koh Tao Police Station, said.
There were 11 Burmese boat crew, who were also rescued.
Some passengers suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation.
“The vessel involved was the Ko Jaroen 2, a night ferry that also serves as a cargo boat. It was bound for Koh Tao and left the pier from Surat Thani at 11 pm last night,” Sutthimek said.
‘The fire originated in the engine room while the boat was mid-sea and approaching the pier at Koh Tao, causing panic among passengers, some of whom jumped overboard.
“After receiving the report from authorities and boat operators at Koh Tao, we swiftly dispatched a rescue boat to evacuate all passengers and crew back to the coast.
A Surat Thani resident who was on the ferry at the time told The Associated Press the rescue boats could not get close enough to the ferry out of fear of explosions, meaning people had to jump into the sea to be rescued.
“We could barely get the life vests in time,” he said. “It was chaotic. People were weeping … I also teared up.”
Footage showed passengers wearing life jackets gathered on the highest points of the vessel as smoke billowed around them.
There were also cars and motorbikes seen on the ferry.
An investigation has now been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
Just two days earlier, a diving boat was also engulfed in flames in southern Thailand.
No injuries were reported in that fire as only one person, who managed to jump into the water to escape, was on-board at the time.
In 2015, a 12-year-old tourist died after a ferry burst into flames while travelling from Krabi to the island of Phuket.
More than 100 other passengers were rescued but the girl went to the bathroom just before the fire broke out at the stern of the vessel.
Liga Asuransi – Greetings, risk takers! In the first week of April 2024, we again present a series of news regarding accident incidents in Indonesia which invites all of our attention. Risk can lurk anywhere and at any time, and it doesn’t know who is the victim. We cannot predict when accidents will occur, but we have the ability to reduce their impact by prioritizing safety. In this article, we have collected seven accident news stories that will deepen our understanding of the importance of safety in everyday life.
Let’s stay alert and take care of ourselves and those closest to us.
OUT OF CONTROL TRUCK! CONSECUTIVE COLLISIONS ON THE CILEUNGSI-CIBUBUR TRANSYOGI HIGHWAY, MATERIAL LOSSES REACH IDR 100 MILLION
A serious accident occurred on the Transyogi Highway between Cileungsi and Cibubur last Sunday (31/3), when a truck and five cars were involved in a tense collision. According to Head of Traffic Unit for Bogor Police, AKP Rizky Guntama, the terrible incident occurred at around 13.40 WIB.
From the information given by Rizky, the unfortunate incident began when a large truck was driving from Cileungsi to Cibubur. However, when the truck reached an incline, the vehicle apparently lost power and began to slide backwards without control.
“The Hino truck with plate number B 9040 TYY seemed to have difficulty climbing uphill, then uncontrollably reversed,” explained Rizky in his official statement.
The truck, which shifted backwards, then crashed into the side of a nearby Hyundai Creta. The tragic incident continued with a heavy impact on the Mercy Mayasari bus, before finally turning around and hitting the Toyota Avanza.
Unfortunately, the seemingly out of control truck continued to accelerate and hit other cars along the way, including a Daihatsu Sigra and a Honda Freed, before finally hitting the road divider with terrifying force.
“The truck hit the Daihatsu Sigra and Honda Freed before finally stopping after hitting the sidewalk,” added Rizky.
Luckily, there were no fatalities in the accident, although four people were reported to have suffered minor injuries. However, material losses resulting from the collision are estimated to reach an astonishing figure, around IDR 100 million.
This tragic incident immediately attracted the attention of netizens after a video circulated showing the tense moments of the accident. The video shows how several cars were involved in a horrific chain collision.
Congestion along the Cileungsi-Cibubur Highway was unavoidable due to this incident, with many residents coming to the location to see the situation and help with the evacuation process.
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EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT THE PT POKPHAND CHICKEN FEED FACTORY IN THE MAKASSAR INDUSTRIAL AREA. 14 PEOPLE INJURED AND 1 FATALITY
Monday (1/4), a major fire occurred at the chicken feed factory owned by PT Pokphand which is located in the Makassar Industrial Area (KIMA). This incident not only caused material losses, but also left deep sorrow with one worker dying and 14 other people suffering burns.
Makassar Police Chief, Police Commissioner Mokhamad Ngajib, revealed that the fire that occurred on Monday afternoon was accompanied by an explosion in the factory. “Then we investigated the crime scene (TKP), it turned out there were victims, one person died, then 14 people were injured,” said Ngajib.
The cause of the fire is thought to have come from welding activity in one of the leaking chimneys, which then sparked a spark. “This was the cause of the explosion and there were also sparks. So the victim who died suffered blisters (burns),” he said.
Currently, the police are carrying out an investigation and will ask for information from a number of witnesses regarding this tragic incident. “We are carrying out the crime scene processing and tomorrow we will carry it out together with the South Sulawesi Police Labfor Team and the Identification Team, then we will examine the witnesses,” he explained.
The workers who were victims are undergoing intensive treatment in hospital. “We have just checked at the hospital. We have just reported one death and 14 injuries,” he added.
This incident is an important moment to review safety protocols in the workplace to prevent a similar tragedy from recurring in the future.
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MUGI BERKAH GROCERY STORE ENGULFED IN FIRE. LOSSES REACH IDR 1 BILLION
A tragic incident struck the Mugi Berkah Grocery Store on Jalan Ir. Juanda, Ponorogo, when the fire fiercely devoured the entire building. Temporary estimates indicate that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, causing losses estimated at IDR 1 billion. Although it was fortunate that there were no fatalities in this incident, the sight of the burnt-out shop left the owner deeply scarred.
One of the victim’s family members, Harjanto, described the tense moment when the fire erupted. “The shop had just closed for about half an hour, our family went into the house,” he told reporters. “Suddenly, we saw a fire appear. At first, we didn’t really notice it. However, screams from local residents and people passing in front of the shop warned us that there was a fire,” explained Harjanto.
In a brave effort to extinguish the fire, the owner and local residents fought tooth and nail. However, the fire was so fierce that it was difficult to control. “Everything in the shop is gone, there’s nothing that can be saved,” said Harjanto in a sad tone.
Adding to this story, Ponorogo Police Chief Inspector Muhammad Mustofa Sahid explained that the fire occurred at around 23.45 WIB on Monday night. “A fire suddenly appeared on the left side of the grocery store. Luckily the fire did not spread to all the houses adjacent to the shop,” said Sahid.
Even though the material losses are very large, the most important thing is that the safety of the soul is maintained. Surviving this disaster, the homeowner and his family of 5 people can breathe a sigh of relief. “A total of 4 vehicles were deployed to extinguish the fire. Three PMK cars and one BPBD Ponorogo water tank,” explained Sahid.
The shop owner, Sudrajat, had to swallow a bitter pill because of this incident. Shops that were ready to welcome the Eid season had to be burned to the ground. “It is estimated that the loss will reach IDR 1 billion,” concluded Sahid in a concerned tone. Hopefully recovery and restoration can be carried out soon for all those affected by this fire.
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HORRIBLE EXPLOSION ON THE MUSI RIVER: JUKUNG SHIP BURNS UNDER AMPERA BRIDGE
Palembang was shaken by panic when a jukung ship, the Morning Star, suddenly exploded in the Musi River. The violent explosion was followed by flames that licked the night sky, spreading panic among residents living on the outskirts of the Ampera Bridge.
The jukung ship which was refueling at the Apung gas station in Lorong Keramat, Kelurahan 4 Ulu, Palembang, that night, suddenly became a source of destruction. The fierce fire destroyed the ship, while the current of the Musi River quickly dragged the wreckage far from the scene.
From this tragedy, four people became victims. Two of them were in critical condition, one was declared dead, and another was reported missing. This accident not only caused panic among motorists passing through the Ampera Bridge, but also caused destruction around the area under the iconic bridge.
An eyewitness, Deri, who witnessed the terrible incident, revealed that the explosion was not from the Floating Gas Station, but from a jukung ship loaded with oil. “It was a jukung ship that exploded, carrying shopping goods coming from under Ampera,” he said.
According to him, the jukung ship first exploded near the coast of the Musi River, in the area of Kelurahan 3-4 Ulu Palembang. “Earlier there was a firefighting boat and local residents helped put out the fire. The boat was swept away by the gradual current,” he explained.
This tragedy illustrates the tension felt by Palembang residents, but also shows the spirit of solidarity in efforts to extinguish fires and save lives. Hopefully the injured victim can recover quickly, and incidents like this can be avoided in the future.
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SHIP CARRYING FUEL CAUGHT FIRE AT KBN MARUNDA PORT
KBN Marunda Port, Clincing, North Jakarta, witnessed tension when a ship carrying fuel oil (BBM) caught fire on Tuesday (2/3/2024) at around 09.30 WIB. The fiercely burning fire was successfully extinguished at around 10.11 WIB by North Jakarta Fire Department (Damkar) officers, after their hard efforts involving eight cars and around 40 personnel.
Abdul Wahid, Head of North Jakarta Fire and Rescue Operations, revealed that the situation is currently still in the process of cooling down at the scene. “Damkar arrived at the location at around 10.09 WIB and the fire was successfully localized at around 10.11 WIB,” he told Kompas.com.
Although material losses can be expected to be large, to date there have been no reports of casualties due to the fire. “At the moment there is no confirmation of victims,” said Abdul Wahid.
The dramatic video of the ship fire was widely spread on social media, attracting the attention of netizens. In the video, black smoke fills the sky when the red rooster attacks the fuel carrier. The video was first uploaded by the social media account @mas_ibeng, which openly witnessed the terrible incident.
This incident is a reminder of the risks inherent in the fuel transportation industry, and also highlights the bravery and alertness of firefighters in dealing with emergency situations. Hopefully there will be no casualties in this incident, and hopefully the authorities can find out the exact cause of the ship fire to prevent a similar incident from recurring in the future.
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GROCERY SHOP OWNER IN WEST SUMATRA THREATENED WITH FIREARMS, LOSSES REACH IDR 80 MILLION
Terror has returned to haunt the West Sumatra (Sumbar) region with worrying acts of armed robbery. This time, two perpetrators armed with firearms attacked a grocery store owner in Jorong Sungai Nili, Nagari Sungai Kambut, Pulau Punjung District, Dharmasraya Regency.
In the 1 minute 10 second video recording received by detikSumut, tension was visible when the two perpetrators entered and held the shop owner at gunpoint with a firearm. They do not hesitate to intimidate with these dangerous actions.
The identity of the victim, Ahmad Bonjovi (33), had to feel the bitter impact of the attack with losses reaching IDR 80 million. In this fast-paced incident, the two perpetrators swiftly took money from the grocery store and BRI Link, then ran away without leaving a trace.
Head of Public Relations for the Dharmasraya Police, Akp Edi Sumantri, confirmed this frightening incident. “The two perpetrators came suddenly and immediately threatened the victim with a revolver type firearm. They forced the victim not to fight back while threatening to shoot if there was any resistance,” he explained.
Even though the victim has reported the incident to the police, the whereabouts of the two perpetrators are still unknown. However, the Dharmasraya Police have taken serious action in investigating this case.
“We are investigating the two perpetrators and trying to confirm their whereabouts,” said Edi.
This incident is a warning to the public about the dangers of crime, and shows the importance of prevention efforts and strong law enforcement. Hopefully the perpetrator will soon be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with applicable law, while the victim can recover from the psychological and financial impacts caused by this incident.
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RESIDENTS OF MANDALA, MEDAN CITY, FLOCK TO CITE SPILLED OIL FROM A CPO TANK TRUCK ACCIDENT
A tragic accident occurred on Jalan Garuda 3, Mandala, Medan City, when a tanker truck carrying CPO had an accident on the Bandar Selamat – Tembung toll road on Tuesday (2/4/24). The oil spilled from the truck then flowed into nearby settlements, causing concern for local residents.
In response to this incident, a number of residents spontaneously moved to recover the spilled oil, which had flowed through the toll road drainage and down into the ditch. Without hesitation, they flocked to collect the oil that was scattered in their settlements.
Leo Barus, a resident who was an eyewitness to the incident, explained the chronology of the accident. According to him, the accident occurred after the car in front stopped on the side of the toll road without turning on the hazard lights. As a result, the CPO tank truck coming from behind was unable to avoid it and hit the car, causing the car’s tank to burst which contained CPO oil.
“From that incident, as many as 4 car tanks broke. The oil from the car tanks was also taken by local residents. This person was in the convoy. Because of a car in front. CPO oil,” said Leo Barus.
Meanwhile, residents continue to be busy harvesting the oil that is still flowing, even though the area around the oil spill has become slippery and smelly. This incident shows the quick response and solidarity between residents in dealing with emergency situations like this.
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The Button is a John P. Bobo-class con/ro cargo ship assigned to MSC's maritime prepositioning fleet. The class has a ro/ro loading ramp at the stern for wheeled and tracked cargo, and is capable of supporting the lightering system for over-the-shore logistics. She was built for American Overseas Marine (AMSEA) at the former Fore River Shipyard in Massachusetts in 1986, and was one of the last ships the yard delivered: it closed later that year.
USNS Button with stern ro/ro ramp deployed to interface with a roll-on/roll-off discharge facility (RRDF) (U.S. Navy file image)
Last week, an engine room fire disabled the Military Sealift Command cargo ship USNS Sgt. William R. Button off the coast of Alabama, MSC has confirmed.
USNS Button got under way from the port of Mobile at about 0945 hours on Thursday morning. At about 1330 hours, as USNS Button was under way about 20 nm offshore, a fire broke out in the engine room, the Navy told local media. The crew used the fixed firefighting system to extinguish it. No outside assistance was needed, though the U.S. Coast Guard was there on standby, according to local WKRG News.
USNS Button returned safely to Mobile's harbor on Friday, under tow. No injuries were reported among her 53 crewmembers.
The Button is a John P. Bobo-class con/ro cargo ship assigned to MSC's maritime prepositioning fleet. The class has a ro/ro loading ramp at the stern for wheeled and tracked cargo, and is capable of supporting the lightering system for over-the-shore logistics. She was built for American Overseas Marine (AMSEA) at the former Fore River Shipyard in Massachusetts in 1986, and was one of the last ships the yard delivered: it closed later that year. Under operation by General Dynamics AMSEA, Button served the Maritime Administration for sealift operations, including Operation Desert Shield. She came under MSC ownership for the Prepositioning Program in 2006.
Based on AIS data, USNS Button has been in Mobile since July 2023.
As investigators work to determine what caused the hulking Dali container ship to topple Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge in a matter of seconds on Tuesday, maritime experts around the country are pointing to what could have stopped it.
Tugboats.
These small but mighty vessels tow and push ever-larger ships through channels and help them when their propulsion systems – or lack thereof – cannot. They are standard equipment in ports worldwide and are especially useful to help ships with docking and undocking.
On Tuesday, a pair of tugboats operated by McAllister Towing and Transportation did just that, helping the Dali unmoor itself from the main terminal at the Port of Baltimore and orient the ship toward the open waters.
But they broke away before the massive ship navigated under the bridge, as is common practice. Minutes later, the Dali appeared to lose power and propulsion, sending the craft adrift and directly into one of the bridge’s support columns. The steel-truss bridge immediately collapsed into the frigid Patapsco River.
The accident is igniting debate over the proliferation of “megaships” that fuel today’s commercial transportation industry and whether port protocols have ramped up to safely accommodate them. Although the Dali is average-sized compared to many of these behemoths, the devastation it caused in Baltimore was formidable.
Live updates:Two bodies in Baltimore bridge collapse recovered; search for 4 others ends
Had the tugboats accompanied the ship all the way under the bridge, some experts said, they might have been able to stop, slow, or steer it away from danger.
Such a scenario should be standard operating procedure in all ports, said Capt. Ashok Pandey, a master mariner and associate professor of maritime business at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. But he said the industry’s reliance on tugs has waned over the years as technological advancements gave many ships the ability to maneuver through channels independently.
Technology is great, Pandey said, until it fails.
“We went wrong by simply equipping ships with bow and stern thrusters that we use in lieu of tugs to maneuver in and out of the ports,” Pandey said. “When we are getting into ports like Baltimore, within a few miles of the bridge, that's too important an asset that we must think of protecting it by all means possible. And we can do that. We can easily do that.”
It may be rare for a ship to lose power at such a high-stakes moment, but it clearly does happen, and he said tugboats could have averted catastrophe.
Implementing such a practice would require a significant investment for U.S. ports, which either own and operate their own tugboats or contract out for tug services. Those costs are then rolled into the ports’ fees charged to shipping companies who use their facilities.
“There are a finite number of tugs, and 99.9% of the time there are no issues,” said Sal Mercogliano, a former merchant mariner and current maritime historian at Campbell University who also hosts a YouTube show called “What’s Going On With Shipping?”
“If the port required tug escorts in and out, then they would not be able to help other ships dock, and undock,” Mercogliano said. “It would need more tugs, and the question becomes, how much will this cost, and will it be passed on to the consumer?”
Because ports compete with each other for shipping business, he said, it’s unlikely that one port would mandate tug escorts unless all of the ports did it for fear of losing lucrative contracts. Shipping companies want the most efficient and cost-effective deal and will simply move to the next port if confronted with higher costs or longer waits.
Mercogliano said he’s not even sure tugboats would have been able to stop the Dali from hitting the bridge. When its power appeared to fail, the ship was going about 8 knots – roughly 9 mph – with a weight of over 100,000 tons.
“It would be like a Prius trying to move a Mack truck on the highway,” he said.
Realities of the container ship arms race
The Dali isn’t even big compared to other container ships hauling goods from port to port these days.
Over the past several decades, newly constructed ships have ballooned to gigantic proportions with load-carrying capacities that used to require five or six ships. The largest container vessel in the 1980s had a maximum capacity of 4,300 20-foot containers – otherwise referred to as TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units – the standard unit of measurement for cargo capacity.
Today’s largest ship, the MSC Irina, has a capacity of 24,346 TEUs.
The Dali, by comparison, has a capacity of just under 10,000 TEUs, making it the typical “meat and potatoes of container ships,” said Kevin Calnan, assistant professor of marine transportation at California State University Maritime Academy.
Like most container ships, Calnan said, the Dali has one engine and one propeller. Its emergency diesel generator, standard in all such vessels, has enough power to keep key systems going – but not enough to restart the engine or provide propulsion.
In a video posted to social media, lights on the Dali shut off, then turned back on, then shut off again before the ship struck the bridge. Experts said that was likely the generator as it powered up the lights but not the engine.
It would have taken a second engine on board to fully power the ship and restore propulsion at that point. But Calnan said nobody in the commercial shipping industry is advocating for two engines because of their size and cost.
“Cargo is money, and companies want to maximize the amount of space they want to put cargo in, so to build a ship with a whole other engine would be taking up the space of, like, 150 containers on that ship,” he said. “Unfortunately, there’s not too much movement to require these ships to have two engines.”
Calnan, who has worked and sailed on numerous ships during his career, is among the experts who believe tugboats “definitely” could have stopped the Dali from hitting the bridge. He said he has been in similar situations where the power went out and “having tugs there basically saved the day.”
It may take a disaster for industry and ports to change
The bigger the boats and the more sophisticated the technology, the fewer the crew members on board. The Dali's crew is 22-strong.
In his 26 years sailing on commercial ships, Capt. Mike Campbell said he witnessed that shift to smaller crews as automation and electronics made it possible to do more with less when it came to docking, navigating and maintaining the engines.
“I had captains who would turn the radar off in the middle of the day because they didn't want to wear it out, and you'd just go off visual cues, take readings off lighthouses. Now everything is chips and boards,” he said. “And people are more dependent or reliant on it because they are more reliable.”
Campbell, now a professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and master of the training ship Kennedy, said he’s also seen captains push to meet tight schedules, recalling a time when several other chemical carriers owned by competitors sailed out of the Port of Philadelphia into bad weather. His ship stayed put for three days, and arrived in Houston, safely, a day behind schedule. The other ships, he said, all had to sail to shipyards for repairs caused by the storm.
“I was fortunate that the people I sailed under, my mentors, they never worried about the schedule. It was always about the safe operation of the ship,” he said. “You don't want to push things.”
Mariners are always worried about their schedules now, Pandey said.
The shipping industry has become so highly competitive, with companies all vying for a slice of the business, that crews are more likely to leave port without containers than wait on a late shipment and risk falling behind. Ships typically go from port to port, spending anywhere from six to eight hours in each before moving on to the next.
He called it a race to nowhere in which everyone – from the ports to the shipping companies – is playing along.
U.S. ports have spent billions of dollars over the years adapting to the new reality – upgrading their facilities and dredging their channels deep enough to accommodate these massive ships. Some experts warn they could get even bigger in the future, possibly doubling in cargo capacity at some point.
Amid the race to compete for the revenue and jobs brought by these ever-larger ships, port authorities seem to have forgotten about protecting their critical infrastructure, according to Pandley, the former master mariner. He said Tuesday’s accident might be the wake-up call they need to do some real soul-searching.
USA TODAY reached out to the American Association of Port Authorities to ask its thoughts on requiring tug escorts or any other measures to avert the kind of disaster that happened in Baltimore, but a spokesman said nobody was immediately available to take those questions.
Unfortunately, experts said, it often takes a tragedy to improve an industry.
That’s what happened after the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill in Alaska when the U.S. government required double-hull construction for all newly built oil tank ships and all oil tank barges in American waters. California passed a law in the aftermath of that disaster, requiring all oil tankers to have tug escorts in its ports and harbors.
“We have a saying that the laws are written in blood,” said Roland Rexha, international secretary-treasurer of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, the oldest maritime union in the United States.
“Knowing what we know now, could we have had tugs accompany the ship to the bridge? Sure. But what were the issues that caused the vessel to lose power in the first place?” he said. “There will be an investigation, and we’re hopeful that the lessons learned will lead to an active change in how things are operated.”
BALTIMORE (AP) — The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent “routine engine maintenance” in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday, as divers recovered the bodies of two of six workers who plunged into the water when it collapsed. The others were presumed dead, and officials said search efforts had been exhausted.
Investigators began collecting evidence from the vessel a day after it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bodies of the two men were located in the morning inside a red pickup submerged in about 25 feet (7.6 meters) of water near the bridge’s middle span, Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., superintendent of Maryland State Police, announced at an evening news conference.
He identified the men as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, who was from Mexico and living in Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, who was from Guatemala and living in Dundalk, Maryland.
The victims, who were part of a construction crew fixing potholes on the bridge, were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, Butler said.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore addressed their families in Spanish during the news conference, saying, “Estamos contigo, ahora y siempre,” which means, “we are with you, now and always.”
All search efforts have been exhausted, and based on sonar scans, authorities “firmly” believe the other vehicles with victims are encased in material from the collapsed bridge, Butler said. Divers are to resume searching once the debris is cleared.
Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at the news conference that authorities were informed that the ship was going to undergo the maintenance.
“As far as the engine goes, we were not informed of any problems with the vessel,” he said.
The Baltimore region has reeled from the sudden loss of a major transportation link that's part of the highway loop around the city. The disaster also closed the port, which is vital to the city's shipping industry.
National Transportation Safety Board officials boarded the ship to recover information from its electronics and paperwork and to interview the captain and other crew members, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said during a separate news conference. Twenty-three people, including two pilots, were on the ship when it crashed, she said.
The vessel was also carrying 56 containers of hazardous materials including corrosives, flammables and lithium ion batteries, Homendy said. She added that some containers were breached, and that a sheen on the water from those materials would be handled by authorities.
Marcel Muise, NTSB investigator in charge, laid out a preliminary timeline assembled from the voyage data recorder comprising audio from the bridge and VHF radio ahead of the crash, which federal and state officials have said appeared to be an accident.
The vessel, the Dali, left port at 12:39 a.m. Tuesday and, after it entered the channel, signs of trouble came at about 1:25 a.m. when numerous alarms sounded, according to the NTSB. About a minute later, steering commands and rudder orders were issued, and at 1:26 a.m. and 39 seconds, a pilot made a general radio call for nearby tug boats.
Maryland Transportation Authority data from about the same time shows the pilot association dispatcher called the transportation authority's officer on duty about the blackout, the NTSB said.
Just after 1:27 a.m., the pilot commanded the ship to drop an anchor on the left side of the ship and issued added steering commands. About 20 seconds later, the pilot issued a radio call reporting that the Dali had lost all power approaching the bridge.
At about that time, the state transportation officer on duty radioed two of its units already stationed at each end of the bridge saying to close the bridge to vehicle traffic. They were already there because of the construction.
Around 1:29 a.m., when the ship was traveling at about 8 mph (13 kph), recordings for about 30 seconds picked up sounds consistent with it colliding with the bridge, the NTSB said. A Transportation Authority dash camera also shows lights on the bridge going out.
At 1:29 a.m. and 39 seconds, the pilot reported to the Coast Guard that the bridge was down.
Muise said experts will review the entire voyage data recording and develop a detailed transcript.
At least eight people initially went into the water when the ship struck the bridge column, and two of them were rescued Tuesday, officials said.
Traffic was still crossing the span as the ship approached, and some vehicles appeared to escape with only seconds to spare. The crash caused the bridge to break and fall into the water within seconds.
Authorities had just enough time to stop vehicle traffic. One officer parked sideways across the lanes and planned to drive onto the bridge to alert the construction crew once another officer arrived, but he did not get a chance.
The debris complicated the search for the workers, according to a Homeland Security memo described to The Associated Press by a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss details of the document or the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Gov. Moore said the divers faced dangerous conditions, among the mangled metal and low visibility.
“They are down there in darkness where they can literally see about a foot in front of them,” Moore said.
The Dali, which is managed by Synergy Marine Group, was headed from Baltimore to Sri Lanka. It is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd., and Danish shipping giant Maersk said it had chartered it.
The vessel passed foreign port state inspections in June and September 2023. In the June inspection, a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified before departure, Singapore’s port authority said.
The ship was traveling under a Singapore flag, and officials there said they will conduct their own investigation in addition to supporting U.S. authorities.
The sudden loss of a highway that carries 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect not only thousands of dockworkers and commuters but also U.S. consumers who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays.
“A lot of people don’t realize how important the port is just to everything,” said Cat Watson, who used the bridge to get to work every day and lives close enough that she was awakened by the collision. “We’re going to be feeling it for a very long time.”
Baltimore is a busy entry point for vehicles made in Germany, Mexico, Japan and the United Kingdom, along with coal and farm equipment.
Ship traffic has been suspended indefinitely. Windward Maritime, a maritime risk-management company, said its data shows a large increase in ships that are waiting for a port to go to, with some anchored outside Baltimore or nearby Annapolis.
At the White House, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the Biden administration was focused on reopening the port and rebuilding the bridge, which was completed in 1977. He did not put a timeline on those efforts, while noting that the original bridge took five years to construct.
Buttigieg also planned to meet Thursday with supply chain officials.
Barges, including some with cranes, were on their way to help remove the wreckage, Gilreath said.
Homendy said the NTSB investigation could take 12 to 24 months but the agency may issue urgent safety recommendations sooner. A preliminary report should come in two to four weeks.
“It’s a massive undertaking for an investigation,” Homendy said.
From 1960 to 2015, there were 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collisions, according to the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure.
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The Baltimore bridge collapse has wreaked havoc at one of the country’s busiest ports and raised questions about the Singapore-flagged container ship involved in the incident.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore on Tuesday said the crew of the Dali was able to send a critical emergency alert that enabled authorities to clear the bridge of further car traffic ahead of impact.
The container ship had previously been involved in a minor incident in Belgium’s Port of Antwerp.
The Key Bridge was hit by a ship and collapsed on March 26, 2024.
The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images
Six construction workers were presumed dead on Wednesday after a massive cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to partially collapse into the Patapsco River.
The incident, which has wreaked havoc at one of the country’s busiest ports and sparked fears about supply chain disruption, has raised questions about the Singapore-flagged container ship involved.
Known as the Dali, the nearly 1,000-foot-long vessel was heading out of Baltimore Harbor and bound for Sri Lanka, when it hit a support pylon of the bridge at around 1:30 a.m. ET.
It appeared to be traveling at roughly 8 knots (about 9 mph) before the collision, according to LSEG shipping data. Video footage of the disaster appears to show the 1.6-mile structure crumpling into the icy water almost immediately after it was struck.
A search and rescue effort was suspended Tuesday evening.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday said the crew of the Dali was able to send a critical emergency alert that enabled authorities to clear the bridge of further car traffic ahead of impact.
“Between the mayday and the collapse that we … that we had officials that were able to … to begin to stop the flow of traffic, so more cars would not end up on the bridge, which saved lives in a very, very heroic way,” Moore said at a news conference.
Moore said the ship’s crew notified authorities of power issues prior to the collision and that a preliminary investigation pointed to an accident.
What do we know about the Dali?
The Dali was previously involved in a minor incident in Belgium’s Port of Antwerp, the second-largest port in Europe.
The ship suffered “sufficient damages” in July 2016 when it struck the stone wall of the quay during unmooring maneuvers, according to shipping trafficking website Vesselfinder.
The accident, which did not cause any injuries, occurred during good weather and “was caused by the mistake of the Master and pilot on board.” The Dali remained afloat after the incident and was subsequently repaired.
Separately, an inspection of the Dali in San Antonio, Chile, in June last year found propulsion and auxiliary machinery deficiencies, NBC News reported Tuesday, citing data from the website Equasis, which provides information on ships.
In an aerial view, cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images
However, Singapore’s port authority on Wednesday said that the container ship had passed overseas inspections and carried certificates to cover its structural integrity and functionality at the time of the Baltimore bridge incident.
The Dali underwent and passed two separate foreign port state inspections in June and September last year, the authority said. In the June inspection, the container ship was found to have had a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure, but this was fixed before the vessel departed the port.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore added that the Dali’s next classification and statutory surveys had been scheduled for June 2024.
Who chartered the ship?
Danish shipping giant Maersk
has confirmed it chartered the Dali, saying on Tuesday that it was “horrified” by what happened in Baltimore.
“Our thoughts are with all of those affected. We can confirm that the container vessel ‘DALI’, operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, is time chartered by Maersk and is carrying Maersk customers’ cargo,” the company said in a statement.
“No Maersk crew and personnel were onboard the vessel. We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed.”
Since the Panama Canal was expanded in 2016, Baltimore’s 50-foot shipping channel and port handle some of the world’s largest cargo ships that arrive from Asia and elsewhere. The port handles goods including automotives, sugar, coal and machinery.
— CNBC’s Ruxandra Iordache and Jenni Reid contributed to this story.
Emily Le Coz, Claire Thornton, Josh Meyer, Tom Vanden Brook USA TODAY
Propulsion failed on the cargo ship that struck the Francis Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday as it was leaving port, causing it to collapse into the frigid Patapsco River. Its crew warned Maryland officials of a possible collision because they had lost control.
“The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel” and a collision with the bridge “was possible,” according to an unclassified Department of Homeland Security report. “The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”
An official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to USA TODAY that the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is working with federal, state, and local officials “to understand the potential impacts of this morning’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”
Clay Diamond, executive director, American Pilots’ Association, told USA TODAY power issues are not unusual on cargo ships, which are so large they cannot easily course correct.
“It’s likely that virtually every pilot in the country has experienced a power loss of some kind (but) it generally is momentary,” Diamond said. “This was a complete blackout of all the power on the ship, so that’s unusual. Of course this happened at the worst possible location.”
The ship in Tuesday's crash, Dali, was involved in at least one prior accident when it collided with a shipping pier in Belgium.
That 2016 incident occurred as the Dali was leaving port in Antwerp and struck a loading pier made of stone, causing damage to the ship’s stern, according to VesselFinder.com, a site that tracks ships across the world. An investigation determined a mistake made by the ship’s master and pilot was to blame.
No one was injured in that crash, although the ship required repair and a full inspection before being returned to service. The pier – or berth – was also seriously damaged and had to be closed.
VesselFinder reports that the Dali was chartered by Maersk, the same company chartering it during the Baltimore harbor incident.
The 9-year-old container ship had passed previous inspections during its time at sea, but during one such inspection in June at the Port of San Antonio in Chile, officials discovered a deficiency with its "propulsion and auxiliary machinery (gauges, thermometers, etc)," according to the Tokyo MOU, an intergovernmental maritime authority in the Asia-Pacific region.
The report provided no other information about the deficiency except to note that it was not serious enough to remove the ship from service.
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday.
Why did Dali crash into the Baltimore bridge?
Officials said Tuesday they’re investigating the collision, including whether systems on board lost electricity early Tuesday morning, which could be related to mechanical failure, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Accidents at sea, known as marine casualties, are not uncommon, the source told USA TODAY. However, “allisions,” in which a moving object strikes a stationary one with catastrophic results, are far less common. The investigation of the power loss aboard the Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel, will be a high priority.
In a video posted to social media, lights on the Dali shut off, then turned back on, then shut off again before the ship struck a support pier on the bridge.
Numerous cargo and cruise ships have lost power over the years.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires all international vessels to have two independent sources of electricity, both of which should be able to maintain the ship's seaworthiness on their own, according to a safety study about power failures on ships, citing the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
The Dali's emergency generator was likely responsible for the lights coming back on after the initial blackout, Diamond said.
“There was still some steerage left when they initially lost power,” he said. “We’ve been told the ship never recovered propulsion. The emergency generator is a diesel itself – so if you light off the generator, that’s also going to put off a puff of exhaust.”
Under maritime law, all foreign flagged vessels must be piloted into state ports by a state licensed pilot so the Dali's pilot is licensed by Association of Maryland Pilots.
Diamond described the incident based on information from the Maryland agency that licensed the pilot aboard the ship. His organization represents that group and all other state piloting agencies in the US.
“The pilot was directing navigation of the ship as it happened,” he said. “He asked the captain to get the engines back online. They weren’t able to do that, so the pilot took all the action he could. He tried to steer, to keep the ship in the channel. He also dropped the ship’s anchor to slow the ship and guide the direction.
“Neither one was enough. The ship never did regain its engine power.”
How big is the Dali ship?
The Dali is a 984-foot container vessel built in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. With a cruising speed of about 22 knots – roughly 25 mph. It has traveled the world carrying goods from port to port.
The ship, constructed of high-strength steel, has one engine and one propeller, according to MarineTraffic.com.
The Dali arrived in Baltimore on Sunday from the Port of Norfolk in Virginia. Before that, it had been in New York and came through the Panama Canal.
It remains at the scene of the collapse as authorities investigate.
Who owns and operates the Dali?
It is owned by the Singapore-based Grace Ocean Pte Ltd but managed by Synergy Marine Group, also based in Singapore. It was carrying Maersk customers’ cargo, according to a statement from the shipping company.
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday.
“We are deeply concerned by this incident and are closely monitoring the situation,” Maersk said in the statement.
Synergy, which describes itself as a leading ship manager with more than 600 vessels under its guidance, issued a statement on its website acknowledging the incident and reporting no injuries among its crew and no pollution in the water. There were two pilots on board and 22 crew members in all, according to Synergy, all of them from India.
USA TODAY reached out to Synergy on Tuesday, but the company did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
巨大な鋼鉄製の構造物は頑丈そうに見えるが、ナイトによると鋼鉄は大きさのわりに比較的軽い。このため間違った方向に十分な力で押したり引いたりされると、紙のように折れることもあるという。
衝突によるとてつもない威力
今回の事故の現場となったフランシス・スコット・キー橋は、橋が複数部分に分かれていない「一体型」である。鋼鉄材を三角形が連続するように組み合わせて重量を支える「トラス橋」と呼ばれる構造だ。中央トラス部分は全長366mにも及ぶ。中央トラスは3つの水平部分（スパン）からなり、ふたつの橋脚に支えられて水上に渡されていた。同様の構造をもつ橋としては、世界で3番目の大きさとなる。
「橋脚を取り去ってしまえば、堅牢さを保つものはほとんどありません」と、ナイトは言う。「映像を見ての通り、3つのスパンすべてが引きずり降ろされるのです」
一方で、中央トラスから独立した両端のスパンは、崩落を免れている。ナイトの見立てによると、橋の構造的欠陥を示唆する証拠はないという。エンジニアリング企業のHardesty & Hanoverは取材に対し、2019年にこの橋の検査を実施したことと、その後も複数の検査をしたことを認めた。一方で、構造の状態について詳しくは言及しなかった。現在、同社にさらなるコメントを求めているところだ。なお、米連邦高速道路局は昨年7月、この橋は安全基準を満たしていることを明らかにしている。
コンテナ船の衝突によるとてつもない威力を甘く見てはならないと、ナイトは補足する。こうした船が完全に停止するには、莫大な力と相当な（数分単位の）時間が必要なのだ。
フランシス・スコット・キー橋は1977年に完成した。ナイトによると、近年では同様の場所に橋を建設する際に、船の衝突のダメージが軽減されるように耐衝撃構造を組み込むことが一般化しているという。例えば、水中防護壁や橋脚の基部を補強するコンクリート構造といったものだ。しかし、たとえこうした補強がされていても、大規模衝突による被害は甚大なものになりうる。
2015年に完成したシンガポール船籍のダリ号において、照明が明滅した理由はわかっていない。「重大な異常を示唆するものです」と、ノースカロライナ州のキャンベル大学の海事史学者で、今回の事故を分析したYouTube動画も投稿しているサルバトーレ・メルコグリアーノは言う。
なぜ主要な橋脚に“まっすぐ”衝突したのか？
事故当時、船にはボルティモア港の2人のパイロット（港湾の内外など、特定水域の航行を補助するために乗船する船員）が乗っていた。ダリ号は船舶自動識別装置（AIS）により位置情報を発信しており、8.5ノット（時速約15km）で航行中だった。AISのデータによると、事故の直前に船は約6ノット（同11km）に速度を落としていた。
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気象予報士、増田有俊だけど質問ある？ | Tech Support
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ビットコインの「半減期」が到来、対応を迫られる採掘事業者たち
ビットコインの「半減期」が到来、対応を迫られる採掘事業者たち
BY JOEL KHALILI
ドバイで起きた洪水の原因が「人工降雨」ではないと言える理由
ドバイで起きた洪水の原因が「人工降雨」ではないと言える理由
BY AMIT KATWALA
ボストン・ダイナミクスのヒト型ロボットが大幅に進化、そのありえない動きから見えてきたこと（動画あり）
ボストン・ダイナミクスのヒト型ロボットが大幅に進化、そのありえない動きから見えてきたこと（動画あり）
BY CARLTON REID
なお、2人のパイロットとダリ号の船員は全員の無事が確認された。この船の管理会社のSynergy Groupは3月26日（米国時間）に発表した声明で、船員に負傷者はいないことを明らかにしている。
ABC Newsの報道によると、ダリ号の乗員が必死に救難信号を出し、衝突直前であることを運輸局の職員に知らせようとしたという。ABCが確認したサイバーセキュリティ・社会基盤安全保障庁の報告書によると、ダリが「推進力を失う」一方で、乗員は船の「制御を失った」ことを認識していたという。
メリーランド州知事のウェス・ムーアは、救難信号のおかげで橋上の通行を止めることができたと報道陣に語っている。ムーアによると、それは「何人もの命を救った」介入行為だったという。
キャンベル大学のメルコグリアーノは、これだけの大きさの船が針路を急に変えることは非常に難しいと指摘する。映像では船の煙突から黒い煙が突然上がる様子が見てとれるが、これは機関動作の何らかの変化を示している。
今回の事故で特に問題なのは、船が主要な橋脚のひとつにまっすぐに衝突した点だ。明らかに針路を外れている。なぜそうしたことが起きたのか、原因はまだ公表されていない。
事故後の写真を見ると、橋の崩落した部分の下に船首が挟まれている様子がわかる。いかりの鎖も写っているので、ある時点でいかりが降ろされたことになるが、それが衝突の前なのか後なのかは不明だ。しかし、鎖は斜めになっているように見える。メルコグリアーノによると、これは衝突の直前にいかりが降ろされ、短時間だけ引きずられたことを示唆している可能性がある。
船の衝突事故を専門分野のひとつとするロンドンの法律事務所Quadrant Chambersの弁護士ジェームズ・ターナーは、ダリのような種類の商船が衝突を避けられるようにするための自動システムが搭載されていなかったのだろうと指摘する。それでも乗員は、レーダーやAIS、それに目視で情報を得られたはずだ。
こうしたなか、データ収集システムから当時の正確な状況が明らかになる可能性がある。商船は航空機と同じように、データや音声の記録装置をブリッジに備えており、事故調査の重要な情報源になることが多い。
「船長がボタンを押すと、最後の2時間の音声記録が保存されます。機関や操舵など、船のさまざまな部分のデータもすべて保存されます」と、ターナーは説明する。「データはダウンロードして検索することが可能です」
また、AISに記録された事故当時の船の推定速度は「99.99％正確」だろうと、ターナーは言う。
小さな問題も深刻な影響に
当面は崩落した橋にいた人々を見つけることが事故対応の焦点になる。すでに2人が救助され、そのうちひとりは病院に運ばれている。6人の建設作業員が、いまだに行方不明だ。
今回の惨事は海運業にとって困難な時期に起きた。ここ数カ月、パナマ運河が干ばつの影響を受ける一方で、紅海では複数の船舶がフーシ派の攻撃を受けている。それに、ソマリア沖での海賊行為も再び増えている。スエズ運河で起きたエバーギブン号の座礁は、まだ記憶に新しい。わずか3年前の出来事だ。
ボルティモア港当局は声明において、港は閉鎖されていない（港の路上ではまだ車両が走行している）が、新たな通知を出すまで船の出入りを停止すると宣言している。AISのデータを見ると、港の外には12隻ほどの商船が停泊しているが、崩落した橋やダリ号のために入港できない状態だ。
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ビットコインの「半減期」が到来、対応を迫られる採掘事業者たち
ビットコインの「半減期」が到来、対応を迫られる採掘事業者たち
BY JOEL KHALILI
ドバイで起きた洪水の原因が「人工降雨」ではないと言える理由
ドバイで起きた洪水の原因が「人工降雨」ではないと言える理由
BY AMIT KATWALA
ボストン・ダイナミクスのヒト型ロボットが大幅に進化、そのありえない動きから見えてきたこと（動画あり）
ボストン・ダイナミクスのヒト型ロボットが大幅に進化、そのありえない動きから見えてきたこと（動画あり）
BY CARLTON REID
陸軍工兵司令部が川から鉄橋の残骸を撤去し終えるまでには、しばらくかかることだろう。残骸は船舶の航行にとっての大きな脅威になっている。
「港にいるすべての船が足止めされています」と、メルコグリアーノは言う。そして、ボルティモア港はクルマの輸送や石炭の輸出に重要な役割を果たしていると指摘する。
メルコグリアーノによると、全体として見れば現代の海運は極めて安全な状況にある。だが、貿易の量とスピードのために、ひとたび問題が起きると深刻な影響が出やすいのだという。
「これまでにないペースで荷物が移動していて、ミスが許される範囲はとても狭くなっています。ひとつ間違えると、その影響が大きく広がる傾向が見られます」
（Originally published on wired.com, edited by Daisuke Takimoto)
By Jonathan Franklin, Jason Breslow, Rachel Treisman,Ayana Archie
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday.
At least six people are presumed dead following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday morning, officials said.
The bridge fell into the Patapsco River after it was struck by a nearly 1,000-foot-long container ship, sending several people plunging into the frigid waters below.
During a news update Tuesday evening, the U.S. Coast Guard told reporters they are ending an active search and rescue operation for the six people left unaccounted for at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said that based on the length of time since the bridge collapsed and the water temperatures, they don't believe that search teams are going to find any of these individuals still alive.
Gilreath told reporters that the Coast Guard is not leaving, but is going to "transition to a different phase."
The recovery phase will begin at 6 a.m. local time Wednesday when divers will begin searching for remains of all missing victims, Gilreath said.
Col. Roland L. Butler, Jr., Secretary of Maryland State Police, told reporters the conditions have changed and made it dangerous for first responders and divers to be in the water.
He emphasized that police will still have surface ships out in the water overnight.
"We're hoping to put those divers in the water and begin a more detailed search to do our very best to recover those six missing people," Butler said.
The collision set off a rapid search-and-rescue operation. Eight people from a construction crew that was working to repair potholes on the bridge are thought to have fallen into the water, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld told reporters.
Authorities did not believe any drivers were submerged in their cars, Wiedefeld said.
The bridge, which is part of Interstate 695, collapsed around 1:30 a.m. when it was struck by a massive cargo vessel named the Dali. Dramatic video of the collision shows the hulking ship–the length of more than three football fields– slamming into one of the bridge's pillars, and then an expanse of the bridge falling into the water instantly.
The Dali, a Singapore-flagged ship, had left Baltimore at 1 a.m. and was bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to Marine Traffic, a maritime data site.
Synergy Marine Group, the company that manages the ship, said in a statement that all 22 crew members are accounted for and that there were no injuries resulting from the crash. The company also said there was no pollution to the water.
In a briefing for the media, Moore said the crew of the container ship had notified authorities about a power outage onboard shortly before the collision. The crew notified authorities of "a power issue," Moore said, confirming earlier reports that they had lost power on the ship.
The ship was traveling at approximately 8 knots when it hit the bridge, Moore said. In the immediate aftermath of the collision, officials feared motorists might be submerged in the river, but Moore said that a mayday signal was issued with enough time for authorities to stop the flow of traffic coming over the bridge.
A collapsed section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is seen in the waters of the Patapsco River. The bridge collapsed early Tuesday after it was struck by a 984-foot-long cargo ship.
"I have to say I'm thankful for the folks who once the warning came up, and once notification came up that there was a mayday, who literally by being able to stop cars from coming over the bridge, these people are heroes. They saved lives," Moore said.
FBI and state officials said the preliminary investigation points to an accident and that there was no credible evidence of any terrorist attack. Moore said the Francis Scott Key Bridge was fully up to code and there was no structural issue with the bridge.
"In fact, the bridge was actually fully up to code," Moore said.
The ship has had at least one previous accident
Vessel traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest on the East Coast, was suspended "until further notice," port officials announced, as search-and-rescue operations continued and the preliminary investigation into the crash was getting underway.
"This does not mean the Port of Baltimore is closed," port officials said in a statement. "Trucks are being processed within our marine terminals."
Gov. Moore declared a state of emergency and said his office was in close communication with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. The secretary was due to arrive in Baltimore to visit the crash site and receive updates on the investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it will investigate what happened, announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that it was launching a "go team" to Baltimore.
Prior to the crash, the ship had completed 27 inspections, according to a database by the maritime safety site Equasis. In one inspection at a port in Chile last year, the ship was determined to have a deficiency related to "propulsion and auxiliary machinery," according to Equasis.
In 2016, an inspection found "hull damage impairing sea worthiness" after the ship hit a dock on its way out of the port of Antwerp. Video of the incident shows the stern of the ship scraping against the quay as it attempted to exit the North Sea container terminal.
The bridge's collapse leaves Baltimore and travelers along the East Coast without a vital transit corridor for the foreseeable future. The four-lane, 1.6-mile-long bridge carries some 11.3 million vehicles each year, according to state data, and is one of three ways to get through Baltimore on the interstate.
Reconstructing the bridge will be a "long-term build," Moore told reporters.
Speaking from the White House, President Biden said he intends for the federal government to "pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge."
"We're gonna get it up and running again as soon as possible," Biden said. "Fifteen thousand jobs depend on that port, and we're gonna do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers."
The bridge isn't just a vital transportation route. It also has a special historical significance.
It opened to the public in March 1977, but its history goes much deeper than that. Scholars believe it stood within 100 yards of the site where its namesake, Francis Scott Key, witnessed the failed British bombardment of Fort McHenry in September 1814.
Key, an American lawyer, watched the battle from the British warship he had boarded to negotiate the release of a detained American civilian. The awe he felt at seeing the flag rise the next morning inspired him to write "Defense of Fort McHenry," which was later renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and became the U.S. national anthem in 1931.
Shippers are scrambling to re-route their cargo
Roughly $80 billion worth of cargo passes through the Port of Baltimore each year. But with the port's shipping channels now closed indefinitely due to the accident, shippers have been left scrambling to find alternate routes to transport their goods to and from the East Coast.
Some vessels have already been diverted to Norfolk, Va., Margie Shapiro, who runs a freight handling business in Baltimore, told NPR. Other traffic could be re-routed through New York or Philadelphia.
The Dali was being chartered by Maersk and carrying cargo for Maersk customers, the shipping giant said in a statement. The company said it would be omitting Baltimore from its services "until it is deemed safe for passage through this area."
Cargo already at the Port of Baltimore will have to travel overland, but truck traffic will also be snarled by the loss of the bridge.
"The whole ecosystem is going to be a little bit off," Shapiro said. "When the ecosystem gets messy, things get messy. Freight rates go up. The world gets a little bit chaotic."
NPR's Dave Mistich and Scott Horsley contributed to this report.
PUBLISHED: 10:04 GMT, 26 March 2024 | UPDATED: 12:28 GMT, 26 March 2024
Shocking tracking video reveals how the Dali container ship changed course and appeared to slow down as it seemingly lost power twice before colliding with Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge and causing it to collapse early Tuesday morning.
Playback animation from MarineTraffic shows the Singaporean-flagged container setting sail from Seagirt Martine Terminal near Point Breeze around 00:24am local time before suddenly pivoting south and heading southeast towards the bridge.
The 1,000ft (299m) vessel, which was bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, steadies itself in the middle of the Patapsco River and slows before colliding with the bridge near Fort Carroll at 01:28am, collapsing it.
Shocking footage of its approach reveals how the vessel appeared to suddenly lose power before making a partial recovery on its approach. The ship is then seen billowing black smoke into the night sky before losing power again and abruptly pivoting towards one of the structural supports holding the bridge up.
Upon colliding with the structure, the ship appears to lose power a third time as the bridge collapses dramatically around it, first breaking around the support before breaking in the middle and losing balance on its eastern pillar.
Agencies received emergency calls around 01:30am reporting that a ship leaving Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge, according to Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, who described the scene as a 'developing mass casualty event'.
Six hours on, rescue workers are racing against time to save the lives at least seven people believed to have plunged into the frigid 47F (8C) waters, with initial reports indicating around 20 construction workers were also on the busy crossing when it was hit.
The Maryland Department of Transportation confirmed there is an active search and rescue mission as of 7.30am. At the first press conference around 6:30am, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said two people had been pulled from the water. One was unhurt, the other had to be rushed to a local hospital with 'serious injuries.'
Video showed the horrifying moment one of the bridge's supporting beams collapses as the container ship collided with it, bringing the roadway above plummeting some 180ft into the cold waters below.
The middle of the bridge then appears to break apart under the strain before the weight of the unbalanced end sees it too topple backwards into the water.
The ship is also seen to catch fire, with thick, black smoke billowing out of it.
The loud bang of the bridge suddenly collapsing left some stunned and confused, one resident saying he thought his neighbor was playing an 'April Fools' joke' on him when he heard the news.
Michael Brown told NBC News his neighbor thought an earthquake had caused the dramatic collapse.
As rescuers began desperate efforts to save the lives of those pulled under with the bridge, Kevin Cartwright of the Fire Department said the unfolding incident was a 'dire emergency'.
'Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.'
Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Cartwright said, though he said it's too early to know how many people were affected.
He called the collapse a 'developing mass casualty event'.
He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast.
From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame were visible protruding from the water, with the on-ramp ending abruptly where the span once began.
Cartwright also confirmed that the vessel is called 'Dali'.
Both MarineTraffic and Vessel Finder show a vessel of that name heading from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
MarineTraffic reported that the actual time of departure was 1am on Tuesday morning, just half an hour before it crashed into the bridge.
It was scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on April 22.
Despite sustaining damage, the ship does not appear to have sunk at the time of writing.
The Dali is 984ft (nearly 300m) long and 157ft (around 48m) wide, according to MarineTraffic.
The 1.6-mile bridge, which is part of I-695, crosses the Patapsco River in Baltimore's harbor. Built in 1977, the main span of the truss bridge at 1,200ft is the third longest span of any continuous truss in the world.
The structure carries around 12million vehicles every year. It carries the Baltimore Beltway/Interstate 695 over the river.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted on X that, in light of the incident, all lanes have been closed in both directions and traffic is being detoured.
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has since spoken to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Mr Scott, according to a post from the secretary on X.
Buttigieg said: 'Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response.'
The Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the early hours of the morning
The container ship Dali rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing it to snap in a few places and plunge into the river below leaving rescuers looking for around seven people
ByCharlie JonesNews Reporter
The ship that caused the Baltimore bridge collapse had been involved in a crash before, it has been revealed.
The container ship that hit the bridge has been identified as Singapore-flagged ship the Dali and was heading to to Colombo in Sri Lanka at the time of the collision.
In 2016, it collided with a dock at Port of Antwerp while leaving the port. It has been reported that incident was caused by mistake of the Master and pilot on board, according to Vessel Finder.
The ship is now flying under a Singapore flag, WTOP radio station reported, citing Petty Officer Matthew West from the Coast Guard in Baltimore.
Synergy Marine Group, which owns and manages the ship, confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m. while two pilots were in control. It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries.
Inital reports suggest the ship lost propulsion. ABC quoted the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as saying: "The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and a collision with the bridge was possible.
"The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse."
The container ship Dali has overall length of 300m and can carry 111,000 tonnes of cargo. It was built in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.
Two people were pulled from the waters under the Francis Scott Key Bridge, one in serious condition, according to Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace.
“Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to get federal resources deployed. The FBI was also on the scene.
Map shows where the boat struck the bridge ( Image: Google)
Synergy Marine Group — which owns and manages the ship called the “Dali” — confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m. while two pilots were in control. It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries.
From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame were visible protruding from the water, with the on-ramp ending abruptly where the span once began.
Originally known as the Outer Harbor Crossing, the bridge was renamed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in 1976, while still under construction. The steel arch-shaped continuous through truss bridge's main span of 1,200 ft was the third longest span of any continuous truss in the world. It was named after amateur poet Francis Scott Key, the author behind the American national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.
By Andy Sullivan, Joseph Campbell and Gabriella Borter
BALTIMORE, March 26 (Reuters) - Six workers were missing and presumed dead from a bridge that collapsed in Baltimore Harbor early on Tuesday after a massive cargo ship crippled by a power loss rammed into the structure, forcing the closure of one of the busiest ports on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.
With dive teams facing increasingly treacherous conditions in the darkened, wreckage-strewn waters, active search-and-rescue operations were suspended about 18 hours after the accident, U.S. Coast Guard and Maryland State Police officials said.
Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said there was no hope of finding the missing workers alive due to the frigid water and the length of time elapsed since the accident.
State Police Colonel Roland Butler said authorities hoped to return divers to the water after sunrise on Wednesday in an effort to recover the workers' remains.
The Singapore-flagged container vessel named Dali, heading out of Baltimore Harbor bound for Sri Lanka, plowed into a support pylon of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the mouth of the Patapsco River at about 1:30 a.m. (0530 GMT).
A trestled section of the of the 1.6-mile (2.57 km) span almost immediately crumpled into the icy water, sending vehicles and people into the river.
Rescuers pulled two survivors to safety, one of whom was hospitalized. They and the six missing were part of a work crew filling potholes on the road surface of the bridge, officials said earlier.
BIGGER DISASTER AVERTED
The ship reported a power failure before impact, which enabled officials to stop traffic on the bridge before the collapse.
"By being able to stop cars from coming over the bridge, these people are heroes. They saved lives last night," Maryland Governor Wes Moore said at a midday news briefing. The bridge was up to code with no known structural issues, Moore said.
There was no evidence of foul play, officials said.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott described a scene of twisted metal shooting into the sky.
"It was something out of an action movie. It was something you never thought you'd see," he said.
Video footage on social media showed the vessel slamming into the bridge in darkness, the headlights of vehicles visible on the span as it crashed into the water and the ship caught fire.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said closure of one of the country's busiest shipping lanes until further notice would have a "major and protracted impact to supply chains." The Port of Baltimore handles more automobile cargo than any other U.S. port - more than 750,000 vehicles in 2022, according to port data.
General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab and Ford Motor (F.N), opens new tab will reroute affected shipments, but the companies said the disruption would be minimal.
The 948-foot (288.95 m) vessel had experienced a momentary loss of propulsion and dropped anchors as part of emergency procedures before impact, its management company, Synergy Marine Pte Ltd reported, according to the Singapore Port Authority.
The Dali, owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, rammed into one of the pillars of the bridge, according Synergy. All 22 crew members aboard the vessel were accounted for, it said.
Besides impacts to auto shipments, the port closure could force shippers to divert Baltimore-bound cargo from containers to bulk material. It could create bottlenecks and increase delays and costs on the Eastern seaboard, experts say.
President Joe Biden said the U.S. Coast Guard responded quickly to the mayday call and commended the fast action of Maryland transportation officials who closed the bridge before it was struck.
Biden promised to visit Baltimore, 40 miles (64 km) away, as soon as possible and said he wanted the federal government to pay to rebuild the bridge.
"I'm directing my team to move heaven and Earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as humanly possible," Biden said. The bridge, named for the author of the Star-Spangled Banner, opened in 1977.
'SHOCKING SIGHT'
National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said a team of 24 investigators and other agency personnel were on the scene but held off boarding the ship during search-and-rescue operations. She said personnel from Singapore safety agencies would arrive in Baltimore on Wednesday.
Jayme Krause, 32, was working a night shift on shore when the cart of packages in front of her shook violently in what sounded like an intense thunderstorm.
A co-worker at an Amazon logistics facility told her the bridge had collapsed and she ran out to look.
"I went over there, and sure as anything, it was gone, the whole bridge was just like, there was nothing there," she told Reuters. "It was a shocking sight to see."
The bridge serves as the main thoroughfare for motorists between New York and Washington seeking to avoid downtown Baltimore. It was one of three ways to cross the harbor, with a traffic volume of 31,000 vehicles per day, or 11.3 million a year.
The same ship was involved in an incident in the port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016, hitting a quay as it tried to exit the North Sea container terminal.
An inspection in 2023 carried out in San Antonio,Chile, found "propulsion and auxiliary machinery" deficiencies, according to data on the public Equasis website, which provides information on ships.
Tuesday's disaster may be the worst U.S. bridge collapse since 2007, when the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River, killing 13 people.
The Dali was chartered by shipping company Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), opens new tab at the time of the incident, the Danish company said in a statement.
More than 40 ships remained inside Baltimore port including small cargo ships, tug boats and pleasure craft, data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic showed. At least 30 other ships had signalled their destination was Baltimore, the data showed.
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Reporting by Joseph Campbell, Andy Sullivan, Andrea Shalal, David Shephardson, Steve Holland, Christian Schmollinger, Rich McKay, David Shepardson, Gabriela Borter, Shubham Kalia, Harshita Meenaktshi, Shreya Biswas, Jyoti Narayan, Kat Jackson, Jonathan Saul; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Ros Russell; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Josie Kao, Howard Goller and Stephen Coates
Baltimore Police Department told NBC News it was notified of a partial bridge collapse early Tuesday, with workers possibly in the water, at the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md.via Harford Co., MD Fire & EMS
By Patrick Smith and Julia Jester
A major bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, partially collapsed Tuesday morning after it was hit by a container ship, possibly leaving a number of people in the river below, authorities said.
A spokesperson for Baltimore Police Department told NBC News that it was responding to the incident at the Francis Scott Key Bridge, an enormous steel structure which carries the Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River southeast of the Baltimore metropolitan area.
“I can confirm at 1:35 a.m., Baltimore City police were notified of a partial bridge collapse, with workers possibly in the water, at the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” Detective Niki Fennoy said in a statement.
The U.S. Coast Guard told NBC News it received a report at 1:27 a.m. ET that a “motor vessel made impact with the bridge” and confirmed it was a 948-foot vessel named DALI, a container ship sailing under a Singaporean flag.
"USCG has deployed three response boats, and pollution responders are en route," said a spokesman, Petty Officer First Class Matthew West.
Follow live updates here.
The Maryland Transport Authority confirmed that the I-695 was shut because of the Key Bridge collapsing due to a "ship strike."
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. said on X that he was aware of the incident and in touch with the fire service chief, the mayor of Baltimore and other local officials. “Please pray for those impacted,” he said.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott said on X he was on his way to the bridge. “Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway,” he said.
NBC News has contacted other emergency response agencies for further details.
Images posted to social media early Tuesday show the mangled wreck of the bridge rising out of the river in the dawn twilight. Video showed a stationary ship with its lights still on, against the dark outline of the ruined steel structure. A livestream shot of the collision shows the ship slowly move into the bridge’s support as cars and trucks travel on the road above.
Built in 1977 and referred to locally as the Key Bridge it later named after the author of the American national anthem. The bridge is more than 8,500 feet, or 1.2 miles, long in total. Its main section spans 1,200 feet and was one of the longest continuous truss bridges in the world upon its completion, according to the National Steel Bridge Alliance.
Cranes toppled and containers floating in the harbor after the docking incident in Turkey (General Directorate of Maritime Affairs)
[Brief] A Hong Kong-registered containership arriving at the private container port in Kocaeli, Turkey was unable to stop while maneuvering and knocked over the large container cranes. Initial reports said no one was injured in the dramatic accident, but later reports from the Turkish media said that the operator of one of the cranes was seriously injured in the incident.
The YM Witness, a 145,000 dwt containership built in 2015 and operated by Yang Ming, was arriving at the port on Saturday afternoon, March 16. The ship is 1,207 feet (368 meters) in length with a capacity of 14,000 TEU.
The vessel had a pilot aboard but for unknown reasons appeared to be coming toward the dock at a steep angle and was unable to stop its forward motion. The vessel in succession knocks over the large cranes used to load and unload the containers. The port authority is reporting that several containers were also knocked from the vessel into the harbor.
Dockworkers can be seen running in some of the videos as the cranes are pushed and then come crashing down. Local police and fire responded to the incident which is currently under investigation.
Oil has been spotted as far away as Casian Island, off the north coast of the western island of Palawan, about 350 kilometres (220 miles) southwest of where the tanker sank.
As feared, oil has also drifted north to the Verde Island Passage -- a busy sea lane between Mindoro and the Philippines' main island of Luzon.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said previously that the area was "globally recognised" for its marine biodiversity.
The Philippine Coast Guard said clean-up operations on Monday removed oil from the shores of three villages on Verde Island, which is popular with divers.
Oil also has been spotted further along the passage at Tingloy municipality on Maricaban Island, part of Batangas province.
Residents and coast guard personnel have been removing oil-coated seaweed and other debris from affected areas.
Tens of thousands of people have been affected by the spill, with scores falling ill. The government is distributing food packs and other assistance.
Among the hardest hit are fishermen, who have been ordered to stay on shore until they can fish safely.
jae-amj/smw
The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. This story was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.com.
Transport Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit has issued an investigation report into the engine-room fire on board the Maltese registered oil / chemical tanker GRETA K within Leixões port limits on 21st March 2023.
The incident
At about 1542 (LT) on 20 March 2023, Greta K departed Sines, Portugal, loaded with a cargo of oil products, bound for Leixões, Portugal, with an ETA of 1500 on 21 March 2023. Soon after picking up the pilot for Leixões, and as the vessel was about to enter the port, a fire was detected in the engine-room at around 1518 on 21 March 2023. The engine control room was vacated, the quick-closing valves (QCVs) were activated, and the engine-room fire dampers were closed. After all the crew members were accounted for, the vessel’s fixed, carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguishing system was released at 1530, with the crew members boundary cooling the area.
At about 1537, tugboat Tetris arrived on the scene and started boundary cooling of the casing around the funnel. At 1544, the CO2 pressure was reported to read zero, confirming the discharge of the bank of CO2 cylinders. Tugboat Prometeu was made fast forward at 1600, to prevent the vessel from drifting ashore. The vessel was towed away to seaward and by 2103, all crew members were disembarked due to safety concerns.
Despite the port authorities’ efforts to extinguish the fire, the fire fighting continued up to 27 March, until salvors appointed by the Company declared that the fire was extinct at 1345. On 28 March, the vessel was berthed at 1730, with the assistance of three tugboats.
Analysis
Purpose
The purpose of a marine safety investigation is to determine the circumstances and safety factors of the accident as a basis for making recommendations, to prevent further marine casualties or incidents from occurring in the future.
Fatigue and Alcohol
Analysis of the hours of work records showed that they were not in excess of those required by the STCW and the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (as amended). The safety investigation was unable to determine the quality of the crew members’ rest, however, in the absence of any evidence that would indicate otherwise, fatigue was not considered a contributing factor to this accident.
Alcohol tests were not carried out as most of the crew were landed ashore due to safety concerns. However, the crew members’ actions did not suggest that alcohol was a contributing factor to this accident.
Conclusions
Findings and safety factors are not listed in any order of priority.
Immediate Cause of the Accident: Fuel oil sprayed out from a fuel pipe flange that was either not tight or became loose due to vibration.
Conditions and Other Safety Factors
A gap in the main engine turbine’s exhaust gas piping insulation provided the heat source to ignite the leaking oil spray;
The engine room’s smoke and heat detectors did not detect the fire as they appeared to have been either isolated or faulty;
Failure of the hyper-mist fire extinguishing system was likely to have contributed to the spread of fire and further damage to the machinery and
engine-room;
The damage to the automatic fire damper during the early stages of the fire may have likely contributed to prolonging the fire as it reduced the
effectiveness of the CO2 and kept the fire alive with an intake of air from the damaged ventilation.
Other Findings
The routine functional test of the hyper-mist system on 19 March 2023, did not ascertain the system’s proper functionality;
The fire detectors appeared to have been faulty for more than three days prior to the fire and remained unreported.
Actions taken
Safety Actions Taken During the Course of the Safety Investigation
The Company ensured that Greta K was safely manned at all times. During the ship’s stay in Leixões, Portugal, crew members and members of the salvors’ team remained on duty for safety reasons and to ensure that developments were assessed on a 24-hour basis. Moreover, a manning of 12 crew members was constantly kept on board during the repairs at the shipyard in Genoa, Italy.
Recommendations
In view of the conclusions reached and taking into consideration the safety actions taken during the course of the safety investigation,
The Company is recommended to:
04/2024_R1 Circulate the findings of this safety investigation to all vessels under its management;
04/2024_R2 Review the routine testing regime of the hyper-mist system on board and consider the re-routing of the system and / or establish that it is suitably
protected to withstand elevated temperatures;
04/2024_R3 Inspect the shielding of pipe flanges carrying fuel oil and heated surfaces, to eliminate the risk of fire.
Keoyoung Sun, a capsized South Korean-flagged chemical tanker, is seen off the western Japan city of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture in western Japan, March 20, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS
Mike Schuler
Eight seafarers have died and two others are still missing after a South Korean chemical tanker, the Keoyoung Sun, capsized in severe weather off the coast of Yamaguchi prefecture in western Japan, on Wednesday.
The 68-meter-long tanker had initially anchored due to adverse weather conditions. However, by Wednesday morning, the vessel was reportedly listing heavily, prompting a distress call for assistance. A total of 11 crew members were on board at the time of the incident.
Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, reported that nine of the crew members have been retrieved so far, out of which eight have been confirmed dead. The search and rescue operations for the remaining two crew members are still ongoing.
The one crew member who survived is from Indonesia, authorities said.
According to reports, the Keoyoung Sun was transporting 980 tonnes of acrylic acid at the time of the incident. Fortunately, no spillage has been detected so far.
In a statement, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, expressed his sadness over the loss of life in the incident and thanked the search and rescue teams from the Japan Coast Guard for their efforts.
“I extend my deepest condolences and those of the entire IMO family to the families of those who have lost their lives.
“In due course, the investigation report into the casualty should be submitted to IMO for consideration,” Dominguez said.
Equasis data shows the ship is owned and operated by Keoyoung Shipping of South Korea. The ship was built in 1996 and has a deadweight of 1,168 tonnes.
The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said that its Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a distress call from the 3,069 dwt, general cargo vessel Hung Phat 89 at around 4pm local time on 10 March. The Vietnamese-flagged cargoship was about 380 nm east of Vung Tau, Vietnam, within the Singapore Maritime Search and Rescue Region at the time the call was received.
“MRCC Singapore immediately issued navigational broadcasts for vessels in the vicinity to keep a lookout and report sightings of the vessel in distress, and also alerted MRCC Vietnam,” MPA said.
At around 7pm on 10 March the MRCC Vietnam informed the Singapore authorities that all 11 crew had been rescued from the Hung Phat 89, and that the vessel had sunk.
The 2006-built Hung Phat 89 is owned Thai Duong Marine Transport in Vietnam.
LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - A Houthi missile attack killed three seafarers on a Red Sea merchant ship on Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said, the first fatalities reported since the Iran-aligned Yemeni group began strikes against shipping in one of the world's busiest trade lanes.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which set the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence ablaze around 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen's port of Aden.
In an earlier message on X responding to the Houthi claim, Britain's embassy wrote: "At least 2 innocent sailors have died. This was the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping. They must stop."
The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a campaign in solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza.
Britain and the United States have been launching retaliatory strikes against the Houthis, and the confirmation of fatalities could lead to pressure for stronger military action.
CENTCOM said the Houthi strike also injured at least four crew members and caused "significant damage" to the ship. Earlier, a shipping source said four mariners had been severely burned and three were missing after the attack.
The Greek operators of the True Confidence said the vessel was drifting and on fire. They said no information was available about the status of the 20 crew and three armed guards on board, who included 15 Filipinos, four Vietnamese, two Sri Lankans, an Indian and a Nepali national.
On Thursday, two of the victims were identified as Filipino seafarers by the Philippines' ministry for migrant workers. It said in a statement two other Filipinos were severely injured in the attack and called for "continued diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and to address the causes of the current conflict in the Middle East".
A U.S. defence official said smoke was seen coming from the True Confidence. The official, who also declined to be identified, told Reuters a lifeboat had been seen in the water near the ship.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had received a report of an incident 54 nautical miles southwest of Aden, which lies near the entrance to the Red Sea, adding the vessel had been abandoned by the crew and was "no longer under command".
"Coalition forces are supporting the vessel and the crew," UKMTO said.
Stephen Cotton, general secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), the leading seafarers union, called for urgent action to protect its members.
"We have consistently warned the international community and the maritime industry about the escalating risks faced by seafarers in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. Today ... we see those warnings tragically confirmed," Cotton said.
Four days ago, the Rubymar, a UK-owned bulk carrier, became the first ship to sink as a result of a Houthi attack, after floating for two weeks with severe damage from a missile strike. All crew were safely evacuated from that vessel.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa. The cost of insuring a seven-day voyage through the Red Sea has risen by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While the militia has said it would attack vessels with links to the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel, shipping industry sources say all ships could be at risk.
The True Confidence is owned by the Liberian-registered company True Confidence Shipping and operated by the Greece-based Third January Maritime, both companies said in their joint statement. They said the ship had no link to the United States.
Reporting by Jonathan Saul, additional reporting by Enas Alashray and Muhammad Al Gebaly in Cairo, Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles, Mikhail Flores in Manila; Writing by Angus MacSwan and Peter Graff; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Barbara Lewis, Daniel Wallis and Michael Perry
On February 21, 2024, the Sm Jeju Lng1 collided with a ferry 6 kilometers off Yoseo Island in South Korea. The gas carrier received severe damage to its side. The ferry suffered damage to the bow, it is not known to what extent. At the time of the LNG accident, the carrier was without cargo. 77 crew members of both ships were rescued. The vessels are not in danger of sinking. No casualties were reported.
22nd February 2024 – (Guangzhou) Lixinsha Bridge in Nansha District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, was struck by a vessel on Thursday (22nd) at 5.30am, resulting in the bridge’s collapse and vehicles plunging into the water.
According to a statement released locally, an empty cargo vessel traveling from Nansha, Foshan to Nansha, Guangzhou, collided with a pier of the Lixinsha Bridge while passing through the Hongqili Waterway. This collision resulted in the fracture of the bridge deck.
Meanwhile, Guangzhou Public Transportation Group Co., Ltd has issued a statement stating that Liang Jinhua, a driver from the Nansha Bus Fleet, was driving bus number Guangdong A08386D (self-designated number N17049). He was carrying out operating duties on the Nansha 9 Route, traveling from Pearl River Street (Zhujiang Second Road) Station to the final destination of Tuanjie Wei. At 5.31am, while crossing the Lixinsha Bridge in Nansha District, the bridge was hit by a ship, causing the bridge deck to collapse. The bus, with only the driver on board, subsequently fell into the water, and the driver could not be contacted. The scene is currently cordoned off, and rescue personnel are unable to enter.
According to a report from the Guangzhou Maritime Search and Rescue Centre, four vehicles and one motorcycle fell into the water and onto a ship respectively after the bridge was struck, resulting in two deaths and three missing persons. Additionally, the owner of the involved vessel has been detained.
As per information released by the Guangzhou Nansha WeChat account, around 5.30 am on Thursday, an empty container ship travelling from Nanhai, Foshan to Nansha, Guangzhou, collided with a bridge pier on the Hongqi Lixi Waterway, causing the bridge deck of Lixinsha Bridge to fracture. Preliminary investigations indicate that out of the four vehicles and one electric motorcycle involved, two vehicles fell into the water, while the other three fell onto the ship. As of now, two individuals have been rescued, two have died, one crew member suffered minor injuries, and three remain missing.
Lin Jianfeng, Chairman of the People’s Congress of Wanqingsha Town, stated that the surrounding residents have been evacuated. Relevant departments promptly arrived at the scene to carry out emergency rescue operations. Lixi Bridge serves as a primary transportation route for residents of Sanmin Island. Following the incident, traffic control measures have been implemented on the bridge. Zhong Weihong, the village branch secretary of Minjian Village on the island, mentioned that there is still a ferry available for residents’ transportation.
On Wednesday, nearly nine nautical miles northwest of Kuala Kemena off Bintulu, Malaysia, the OSV BOS AZLINA began taking in water. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) received a distress signal from BOS AZLINA, and at 11:56 a.m., the nearby patrol vessel Bot Kilat 44 was diverted for the rescue operation.
MMEA stated in a press release that upon arrival at the scene, the vessel BOS AZLINA was already half submerged, with all crew members (Indonesian nationals) still onboard. The Captain of BOS AZLINA stated that he had called for a water taxi (Kuda Laut 1) to rescue them. By 12:30 p.m., all crew members had been safely evacuated from the distressed vessel BOS AZLINA with the assistance of the water taxi and MMEA. All crew members are reported to be safe and cooperating in the investigation. MMEA is conducting the investigation, and the vessel agent has been contacted for further proceedings.
16日午前7時ごろ、小泊岬南灯台から約10キロ沖にいたトーゴ共和国船籍の貨物船「GUO MAO 1」（2998トン）から、第2管区海上保安本部に対し、「主機関（エンジン）が故障したため航行不能となった。小泊沖に停泊したい」と通報があった。同船はその後、日本海を南方向に漂流するなどし、午後1時35分ごろに青森県つがる市の約4キロ沖に停泊、これ以降は復旧作業を行っている。中国人2人とベトナム人12人の乗員にけがはない。油流出の被害も確認されていない。
16日午前7時ごろ、小泊岬南灯台から約10キロ沖にいたトーゴ共和国船籍の貨物船「GUO MAO 1」（2998トン）から、第2管区海上保安本部に対し、「主機関（エンジン）が故障したため航行不能となった。小泊沖に停泊したい」と通報があった。同船はその後、日本海を南方向に漂流するなどし、午後1時35分ごろに青森県つがる市の約4キロ沖に停泊、これ以降は復旧作業を行っている。中国人2人とベトナム人12人の乗員にけがはない。油流出の被害も確認されていない。
From the website of the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency
The cargo ship allegedly exported to Iran. Part of the image has been modified.
The Yomiuri Shimbun
An Osaka-based ship trading company and related locations have been searched over suspicions that the company violated the Customs Law by falsely declaring a used cargo ship was being exported to the United Arab Emirates when it actually went to Iran.
Iran is suspected of involvement in recent militant group attacks on commercial vessels in the Hormuz Strait area. The Metropolitan Police Department is working to clarify the details of the cargo ship’s export and what it was to be used for.
The ship trading and brokerage company allegedly submitted false documents to customs around May 2021, claiming that it would export a used 499-gross-ton ship to an UAE company, according to investigative sources.
The MPD’s Public Security Bureau determined that the cargo ship traveled to an Iran port via Southeast Asia after leaving Japan, based on analysis of the ship’s location data. The Osaka company had allegedly obtained permission from the Iranian side for the export, according to sources.
The cargo ship was built in 1997 and owned by entities including the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency, a Yokohama-based incorporated administrative agency. The Osaka ship trading company successfully bid for the vessel in April 2021, securing it for approximately ¥32 million.
According to the company’s website, it serves as an intermediary for the sale of ships to countries such as the UAE, China and Singapore.
Although exporting ships to Iran is not prohibited, trading companies are often cautious about Iran-related business, according to the Foreign Ministry, because the United States has imposed its own economic sanctions on the country over Teheran’s nuclear development program and other issues.
Israel is at odds with Iran and has accused that country, which is alleged to be involved in attacks on commercial vessels, of converting used ships into military ships by installing drones and missiles.
SECTIONSHow Iran fuel oil exports beat U.S. sanctions in tanker odyssey to Asia
REUTERSLast Updated: Mar 20, 2019, 12:22:00 PM IST
fuel oil to Asia in recent months despite U.S. sanctions against such shipments, according to a Reuters analysis of ship-tracking data and port information, as well as interviews with brokers and traders.
The shipments were loaded onto tankers with documents showing the fuel oil was Iraqi. But three Iraqi oil industry sources and Prakash Vakkayil, a manager at United Arab Emirates (UAE) shipping services firm Yacht International Co, said the papers were forged.
The people said they did not know who forged the documents, nor when.
The transfers show at least some Iranian fuel oil is being traded despite the reimposition of sanctions in November 2018, as Washington seeks to pressure Iran into abandoning nuclear and missile programmes. They also show how some traders have revived tactics that were used to skirt sanctions against Iran between 2012 and 2016.
"Some buyers...will want Iranian oil regardless of U.S. strategic objectives to deny Tehran oil revenue, and Iran will find a way to keep some volumes flowing," said Peter Kiernan, lead energy analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
While the United States has granted eight countries temporary waivers allowing limited purchases of Iranian crude oil, these exemptions do not cover products refined from crude, including fuel oil, mainly used to power the engines of large ships.
NO RECORD AT BASRA
Documents forwarded to Reuters by ship owners say a 300,000 tonne-supertanker, the Grace 1, took on fuel oil at Basra, Iraq, between Dec. 10 and 12, 2018. But Basra port loading schedules reviewed by Reuters do not list the Grace 1 as being in port during those dates.
One Iraqi industry source with knowledge of the port's operations confirmed there were no records of the Grace 1 at Basra during this period.
Reuters examined data from four ship-tracking information providers - Refinitiv, Kpler, IHS Markit and Vessel Finder - to locate the Grace 1 during that time. All four showed that the Grace 1 had its Automatic Identification System (AIS), or transponder, switched off between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, 2018, meaning its location could not be tracked.
The Grace 1 then re-appeared in waters near Iran's port of Bandar Assaluyeh, fully loaded, data showed. The cargo was transferred onto two smaller ships in UAE waters in January, from where one ship delivered fuel oil to Singapore in February.
Shipping documents showed about 284,000 tonnes of fuel oil were transferred in the cargoes tracked by Reuters, worth about $120 million at current prices.
Officials at Iran's oil ministry declined to comment.
Singapore customs did not respond to requests for comment.
The Grace 1, a Panamanian-flagged tanker, is managed by Singapore-based shipping services firm IShips Management Pte Ltd, according to data. IShips did not respond to several requests for comment via email or phone.
A Reuters reporter visited the office listed on IShips' website but was told by the current tenant that the company had moved out two years earlier.
SHIP-TO-SHIP TRANSFERS
The ship-tracking data analysed by Reuters showed the Grace 1 emerged from the period when it did not transmit its location almost 500 kilometres south of Iraq. It was close to the Iranian coast with its draught - how deep a vessel sits in water - near maximum, indicating its cargo tanks were filled.
The Grace 1 transferred its cargo to two smaller tankers between Jan. 16 and 22 in waters offshore Fujairah in the UAE, data showed.
One of those vessels, the 130,000 tonne-capacity Kriti Island, offloaded fuel oil into a storage terminal in Singapore around Feb. 5 to 7. Reuters was unable to determine who purchased the fuel oil for storage in Singapore.
The Kriti Island is managed by Greece's Avin International SA.
The tanker was chartered by Singapore-based Blutide Pte Ltd for its voyage to Singapore, Avin International's Chief Executive Officer George Mylonas told Reuters. Mylonas confirmed the Kriti Island took on fuel oil from the Grace 1.
There is no indication that Avin International knowingly shipped Iranian fuel oil. Mylonas said his firm had conducted all necessary due diligence to ensure the cargo's legitimate origin.
CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN
Mylonas emailed Reuters a copy of a Certificate of Origin (COO) that he said was provided by the charterers - referring to Blutide - showing the Grace 1 loaded fuel oil at Basra on Dec. 10 and 12, 2018.
"The Certificate of Origin and all the information obtained did not reveal any connection with Iran, let alone that the cargo of fuel oil originated" from there, Mylonas wrote.
Mylonas said the Grace 1's owners, managers, shippers, receivers and charterers were screened by Avin International. "There were not circumstances that would make the COO of dubious origin," he said via email.
He said he had been told by the charterers that the Grace 1 only stopped in waters off Iran in late December and early January for "repairs of damaged diesel generators" before sailing to Fujairah.
The document provided by Mylonas says Iraq's state oil marketer SOMO certified the Grace 1 in December loaded a total of 284,261 tonnes of Iraqi fuel oil.
Reuters shared the document with a SOMO official in Iraq who said it was "faked" and "completely wrong". The official declined to be identified by name, citing the marketer's communications policy.
Two other Iraqi oil industry sources with direct knowledge of Basra port and oil industry operations also said the documentation was forged.
The two sources said the document bore the signature of a manager who was not working at Basra port on the stated dates. The document also bears contradictory dates: It indicates a loading period of Dec. 10 and 12, 2018 but a sign-off date for the transaction of Jan. 12, 2018.
'CONSIDER TO BE FORGED'
Data showed the second tanker into which the Grace 1 transferred cargo was the Marshal Z, also a 130,000-tonne vessel.
It was bound for Singapore in the first half of February but changed course on Feb. 15, parking off western Malaysia. Reuters was unable to determine who owns the Marshal Z, nor who chartered it.
Around Feb. 25, the Marshal Z transferred its cargo to another vessel called the Libya, owned and managed by Tripoli-based General National Maritime Transport Company (GNMTC).
A GNMTC spokesman said the Libya was chartered by Blutide, the same Singapore firm that chartered the Kriti Island.
Blutide registered as a company in Singapore on May 14, 2018. Its sole listed shareholder and only director, Singaporean Basheer Sayeed, said by telephone on Feb. 7 he was retired and not in a position to comment on the company's activity.
The Libya's owner GNMTC "was not aware, at any stage that the cargo is linked in any way to Iran," the company's spokesman said via email.
GNMTC provided Reuters with a copy of a COO that it said was issued by shipping services company Yacht International, based in Fujairah, showing the Marshal Z loaded Iraqi-origin fuel oil during a ship-to-ship transfer in UAE waters on Jan. 23.
However, Yacht International shipping manager Prakash Vakkayil said in an email his firm did not issue the certificate and "considers it to be forged".
The GNMTC spokesman did not respond to follow-up questions from Reuters.
As of March 20, data showed the Libya was located alongside the Marshal Z offshore western Malaysia, the position vessels typically adopt for ship-to-ship transfers.
Reuters could not immediately determine whether the fuel oil cargo the Libya had been carrying was still aboard the ship.
ndictment also alleges fraud conspiracy involving illegal exports of military antennas to Singapore and Hong Kong
WASHINGTON — Five individuals and four of their companies have been indicted as part of a conspiracy to defraud the United States that allegedly caused thousands of radio frequency modules to be illegally exported from the United States to Iran. At least 16 of those items were later found in unexploded improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq. Some of the defendants are also charged in a fraud conspiracy involving exports of military antennas to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Yesterday, authorities in Singapore arrested Wong Yuh Lan (Wong), Lim Yong Nam (Nam), Lim Kow Seng (Seng), and Hia Soo Gan Benson (Hia), all citizens of Singapore, in connection with a United States request for extradition. The United States is seeking their extradition to stand trial in the District of Columbia. The remaining individual defendant, Hossein Larijani, is a citizen and resident of Iran who remains at large.
The arrests and the indictment were announced by John Morton, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Lisa Monaco, assistant attorney general for national security; Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia; Mark Giuliano, executive assistant director of the FBI's National Security Branch; Eric L. Hirschhorn, under secretary of commerce; and David Adelman, U.S. ambassador to Singapore.
"One of Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) top enforcement priorities is preventing sensitive technology from falling into the hands of those who might seek to harm American personnel or interests — whether at home or abroad," said ICE Director Morton. "This international investigation conducted by ICE's HSI and our law enforcement partners demonstrates the importance of preventing U.S. technology from falling into the wrong hands, where it could potentially be used to kill or injure our military members and our allies. Our agency will continue to work closely through our attachés to identify these criminals, dismantle their networks, and ensure they are fully prosecuted."
"Today's charges allege that the defendants conspired to defraud the United States and defeat our export controls by sending U.S.-origin components to Iran rather than to their stated final destination of Singapore. Ultimately, several of these components were found in unexploded improvised explosive devices in Iraq," said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. "This case underscores the continuing threat posed by Iranian procurement networks seeking to obtain U.S. technology through fraud and the importance of safeguarding that technology. I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who worked on this extensive investigation."
"These defendants misled U.S. companies in buying parts that they shipped to Iran and that ended up in IEDs on the battlefield in Iraq," said U.S. Attorney Machen. "This prosecution demonstrates why the U.S. Attorney's Office takes cases involving misrepresentations regarding the intended use of sensitive technology so seriously. We hope for a swift response from Singapore to our request for extradition."
"This multi-year investigation highlights that acquiring property by deceit has ramifications that resonate beyond the bottom line and affects our national security and the safety of Americans worldwide," said FBI Executive Assistant Director Giuliano. "We continue to work side-by-side with our many partners in a coordinated effort to bring justice to those who have sought to harm Americans. We consider this investigation as the model of how we work cases - jointly with the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Commerce/Office of Export Enforcement and collectively with our foreign partners to address the threats posed by Iranian procurement networks to the national security interests of the United States both here and abroad."
"These cases are the product of vigorous, cooperative law enforcement focused on denying to Iran items that endanger our coalition forces on the battlefield in Iraq," said Under Secretary of Commerce Hirschhorn. "We will continue aggressively to go after such perpetrators -- no matter where they operate -- to guard against these types of threats."
U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, David Adelman, praised the cooperation within the U.S. executive branch agencies and with the Singaporean authorities. "Twenty-first century law enforcement is most effective when countries work collaboratively as evidenced by this strong, cooperative effort between the U.S. and Singapore. Congratulations to all the officials in both our countries who made this happen," he said.
The Charges
The indictment, which was returned in the District of Columbia on Sept. 15, 2010, and unsealed today, includes charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, smuggling, illegal export of goods from the United States to Iran, illegal export of defense articles from the United States, false statements and obstruction of justice.
The charged defendants are Iranian national Larijani, 47, and his companies Paya Electronics Complex, based in Iran, and Opto Electronics Pte, Ltd., based in Singapore. Also charged is Wong, 39, an agent of Opto Electronics who was allegedly supervised by Larijani from Iran. The indictment also charges NEL Electronics Pte. Ltd., a company in Singapore, along with NEL's owner and director, Nam, 37. Finally, the indictment charges Corezing International Pte. Ltd., a company in Singapore that maintained offices in China, as well as Seng, 42, an agent of Corezing, and Hia, 44, a manager, director and agent of Corezing.
Wong, Nam, Seng and Hia allegedly conspired to defraud the United States by impeding U.S. export controls relating to the shipment of 6,000 radio frequency modules from a Minnesota company through Singapore to Iran, some of which were later found in unexploded IEDs in Iraq. Seng and Hia are also accused of conspiring to defraud the United States relating to the shipment of military antennas from a Massachusetts company to Singapore and Hong Kong. Singapore has agreed to seek extradition for Wong and Nam on the charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States relating to the components shipped to Iran, and to seek extradition for Seng and Hia on the charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States relating to the military antenna exports.
In coordination with the criminal actions announced today, the Commerce Department announced the addition of 15 persons located in China, Hong Kong, Iran and Singapore to the Commerce Department's Entity List. In addition to the five individual defendants in this case, the Commerce Department named additional companies and individuals associated with this conspiracy. In placing these parties on the Entity List, the Commerce Department is imposing a licensing requirement for any item subject to Commerce regulation with a presumption that such a license would be denied.
Exports of U.S. Components Later Found in IEDs
According to the indictment, IEDs caused roughly 60 percent of all American combat casualties in Iraq between 2001 and 2007. The first conspiracy alleged in the indictment involved radio frequency modules that have several commercial applications, including in wireless local area networks connecting printers and computers in office settings. These modules include encryption capabilities and have a range allowing them to transmit data wirelessly as far as 40 miles when configured with a high-gain antenna. These same modules also have potentially lethal applications. Notably, during 2008 and 2009, coalition forces in Iraq recovered numerous modules made by the Minnesota firm that had been utilized as part of the remote detonation system for IEDs.
The indictment alleges that, between June 2007 and February 2008, the defendants fraudulently purchased and caused 6,000 modules to be illegally exported from the Minnesota company through Singapore, and later to Iran, in five shipments, knowing that the export of U.S.-origin goods to Iran was a violation of U.S. law. In each transaction, the defendants allegedly told the Minnesota firm that Singapore was the final destination of the goods. The defendants also caused false documents to be filed with the U.S. government, in which they claimed that a telecommunications project in Singapore was the final end-use for the modules. In reality, each of the five shipments was routed from Singapore to Iran via air cargo. The alleged recipient of all 6,000 modules in Iran was Larijani, who had directed Wong, his employee in Singapore, to order them.
According to the indictment, the defendants profited considerably from their illegal trade. The defendants allegedly made tens of thousands of dollars for arranging these illegal exports from the United States through Singapore to Iran.
The indictment alleges that several of the 6,000 modules the defendants routed from Minnesota to Iran were later discovered by coalition forces in Iraq, where they were being used as part of the remote detonation systems of IEDs. In May 2008, December 2008, April 2009, and July 2010, coalition forces found no less than 16 of these modules in unexploded IEDs recovered in Iraq, the indictment alleges.
During this period, some of the defendants were allegedly communicating with one another about U.S. laws prohibiting the export of U.S.-origin goods to Iran. For example, between October 2007 and June 2009, Nam contacted Larijani in Iran at least six times and discussed the Iran prohibitions and U.S. prosecutions for violation of these laws. Nam later told U.S. authorities that he had never participated in illicit exports to Iran, even though he had participated in five such shipments, according to the indictment.
Exports of Military Antennas
The indictment further charges Seng, Hia, and Corezing with a separate fraud conspiracy involving the illegal export of two types of military antenna from the United States. The indictment alleges that these defendants conspired to defraud the United States by causing a total of 55 cavity-backed spiral antennas and biconical antennas to be illegally exported from a Massachusetts company to Singapore and Hong Kong without the required State Department license.
These military antennas are controlled for export as U.S. munitions and are used in airborne and shipboard environments. The indictment states that the biconical antenna, for example, is used in military aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom, the F-15, the F-111, the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the F-16 combat jets.
Seng, Hia and Corezing are alleged to have, among other things, conspired to undervalue the antennas to circumvent U.S. regulations on the filing of shipper's export declarations to the U.S. government. They also allegedly used false names and front companies to obtain the antennas illegally from the United States.
Additional Misrepresentations
The indictment further alleges that Larijani, based in Iran, made false statements about doing business with an accused Iranian procurement agent and that he attempted to obstruct an official proceeding by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In January 2010, the Department of Commerce placed Larijani's company, Opto Electronics, on the Entity List, which is a list of companies to which U.S. businesses cannot export controlled dual-use items without obtaining U.S. government licenses. In response, Larijani repeatedly contacted Commerce Department officials in Washington, D.C., from Iran, requesting that his company be removed from the Entity List, according to the indictment. Commerce officials advised Larijani that, in considering whether his firm should be removed from the list, he needed to disclose whether he or his firm had any involvement with Majid Kakavand or Evertop Services Sdn Bhd.
Kakavand is an accused Iranian procurement agent who has been indicted in the United States, along with his Malaysian company Evertop Services, for illegally exporting U.S. goods to Iran, including to military entities in Iran involved in that nation's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Kakavand remains a fugitive and is believed to be in Iran.
According to the indictment, Larijani denied to Commerce officials on three occasions that he or his company, Opto Electronics, had done any business with Kakavand or Evertop Services. In fact, the indictment alleges that Larijani had been in communication with others about his business dealings with Kakavand on at least five occasions from 2006 through 2009.
This investigation was jointly conducted by ICE HSI agents in Boston and Los Angeles; FBI agents in Minneapolis; and Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security agents in Chicago and Boston. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Office of International Affairs in the Justice Department's Criminal Division, particularly the Justice Department Attaché in the Philippines, as well as the FBI and ICE HSI Attachés in Singapore.
U.S. law enforcement authorities thanked the government of Singapore for the substantial assistance that was provided in the investigation of this matter.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Asuncion and John W. Borchert of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia; and Trial Attorneys Jonathan C. Poling and Richard S. Scott of the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains mere allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Eleven sailors were reported rescued from general cargo vessel Keum Yang 6 (IMO 9793349) on February 15th according to a report from the South Korean Coast Guard, after it had been caught in a strong storm south of the Korean peninsular.
The vessel had departed Gwangyang, South Korea with a cargo of steel plate bound for Zhoushan, China. The owner, Keum Yang Shipping, has a fleet of small cargo ships that operate in the region.
The ship encountered a strong storm with five-metre waves and winds reported at 35 to 40 mph. The vessel began taking on water and issued a distress call when it was about 40 miles southwest of Jeju Island.
The Coast Guard sent a helicopter and rescue ship. By the time they reached the cargo ship it had a 25-degree list to port with water washing over the deck, the Coast Guard said.
The 11 crew on board consisted of two Koreans, six from Myanmar, and three from Indonesia. All the crew were evacuated within four hours of the distress call being sent. It was reported that only one crew member suffered minor bruises, but the rest were in good health.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the incident.
2017-built, South Korea-flagged, 2,347 gt Keum Yang 6 is owned and managed by Keumyang Shipping Ltd of Busan, South Korea. It is entered with Korea P&I Club on behalf of Keumyang Shipping Co Ltd.
A crew of 11 seafarers were evacuated from a Korean general cargo vessel Keum Yang 6 taking on water in rough weather near Jeju Island.
The Korean Coast Guard received a distress call from the flooded 3,600 dwt ship on Thursday around 21.55 hrs local time.
A helicopter and a security vessel were dispatched and located the vessel some 61 km southwest of Seigwipo port, heavily listed and likely sinking.
The coast guard said it managed to rescue the crew by 01.30 hrs despite strong winds and waves as high as 5 m. No injuries have been reported.
The Busan-registered ship, owned by Keum Yang Shipping, was loaded with iron plates and on its way from Gwangyang in South Korea to China. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the incident.
South Korea’s Coast Guard is reporting the rescue of 11 sailors from a small cargo ship that was caught in a strong storm south of the Korean peninsular. According to the report, the crew was safely aboard a Coast Guard rescue vessel less than two hours after the distress call was received.
The vessel, the 3,500-dwt Keum Yang 6 departed Gwangyang, South Korea with a cargo of steel plate bound for Zhoushan, China. The vessel was built in 2017 and is owned by a South Korean shipping company, Keum Yang Shipping which has a fleet of small cargo ships operating in the region.
The ship reportedly encountered a strong storm with 16-foot seas. Winds were reported at 35 to 40 mph. The cargo ship, which was 262 feet (80 meters) in length began taking on water and issued a distress call while approximately 40 miles southwest of Jeju Island at around 22:00 local time on February 15.
The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter and rescue ship and reported by the time it reached the cargo ship it had a 25-degree list to port with water washing over the deck. There was a total of 11 crewmembers aboard, consisting of two Koreans, six from Myanmar, and three from Indonesia.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, the Coast Guard reported that all the crewmembers were rescued by shortly before midnight local time.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the incident.
海保は船の撤去のケース(座礁したままのパナマ国籍の貨物船)を考慮して船長に船体保険や海難残骸物の除去に関するナイロビ国際条約に関する保険資料を持って退船するように指示はしているのだろうか？撤去に関して時間がかかると沖縄のパナマ船籍貨物船のようになる事を考えて対応するべきだと思う。
日本航空（JAL）機と海上保安庁の航空機が衝突事故とは全く関係ないが、過去の事から学び迅速に準備して対応する事が重要なのは理解していると思うので、保険会社と連絡して海が穏やかになれば行動に移せるようにするべきだと思う。
もし速やかな対応を取らなければロシアで座礁したシエラレオネ船籍「XING YUAN」のように長期間、放置されるよ！2021年に座礁し2024年に撤去される予定。約3年間は放置状態になったと言う事になる。下記の記事の読む（日本語訳）かぎり、中国の船主が撤去したとは思えない。この船の座礁後、ロシアのＰＳＣ(Port State Control)はサブスタンダード船と思われる船を検査し、出港停止にする傾向が増えたと思える。日本のＰＳＣ(Port State Control)は能力と経験の問題で同じようには出来ないと思う。
Did the Korean tanker New Bright catch fire in the Red Sea after being attacked near Yemen in January 2024? No, that's not true: The ship caught fire as it sailed downstream in the Yangtze River, near Shanghai in East China en route to Incheon, South Korea, on December 21, 2023. The cause of the blaze was not disclosed.
The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok on January 21, 2024. A text overlay in English read:
Yeman🇾🇪🇾🇪 made red Sea hell for Israel🇮🇱🇮🇱 you will also make hell for them by sharing this video.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
The 11-second video depicts a tanker in distress in the water, tilting on one side, but still afloat, with what appears to be charred cargo onboard and a nearby fire boat spraying it with water. Another video in Arabic (archived here), posted on TikTok on January 12, 2024, showed similar footage of the tanker, claiming that the attack prompted joint U.S.-U.K. airstrikes on specific targets in Yemen that belong to the pro-Iranian Houthi rebels, on January 11, 2024. A headline (translated from Arabic to English by Lead Stories staff) claimed:
The reason for the strikes on Yemen yesterday🇺🇸
A Google Lens reverse image search (archived here) yielded several identical videos in different languages, including French and Turkish, on various social media platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. Posted in December 2023 and January 2024, they showed the name of the vessel as New Bright.
A Google News search for "New Bright vessel hit near Yemen" on January 24, 2024, (archived here) led to an article on Dfrac (archived here), a digital forensics, research and analytics center also known as Dfrac.org, which showed identical images of the vessel, identifying it as Korean. The India-based website said that the tanker caught fire while sailing in East China, not in the Red Sea, and the fire had nothing to do with an attack from Yemen.
A reverse image search (archived here) on Google led to a December 21, 2023, article by FleetMon (archived here), a ship-tracking website that reports on marine traffic and research. It said a fire erupted on the tanker New Bright as it sailed "downstream in Yangtze River, near Sutong Bridge, Shanghai" en route from Changzhou to Incheon, South Korea, on December 21, 2023. "It was a major fire, all 22 crew were evacuated, (the) tanker developed (a) heavy starboard list and stern tilt, but remained afloat", it added. The images in the article, which showed the tanker New Bright, matched that of the ship in the TikTok video. Neither Dfrac nor FleetMon said what caused the blaze.
Since late November, the Houthis have conducted numerous attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. They claim their actions are intended to halt the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Surrounding the incident, a video went viral in which a tanker ship can be seen caught in the fire. While sharing the video, the users are claiming that “Yemen Made Red Sea hell for Israel and its friends …”
Fact Check:
We investigated the viral video by reverse-searching the keyframes from the video. During the process, we found an article by Fleet Mon, a website that reports on maritime news. We found an article titled, “ Korean tanker major fire, crew evacuated, Shanghai”
The article mentioned that Tanker NEW BRIGHT caught fire on the Yangtze River, Shanghai, on Dec 21, 2023, in the afternoon while en route from Changzhou to Incheon, South Korea.
Furthermore, the images in the article which showed the Tanker NEW BRIGHT were found to match the ship, shown in the video.
Conclusion
Thus from the fact check, it is evident, that the viral video is not associated with Yemen. It is a Korean ship passing the Yangtze River in Shanghai.
Genius Star XI is positioned by a mooring buoy in Broad Bay, Alaska, as salvors access fire damage (source: USCG)
by Martyn Wingrove
Storms and onboard fires damaged ships and mobilised rescue teams during the final weeks of 2023
Salvors and crew extinguished a battery-fuelled fire on board a Handysize cargo ship off Alaska, confirmed its seafarers were safe and the vessel remained stable. Fire erupted in two cargo holds on Genius Star XI in the north Pacific as it carried more than 800 tonnes of batteries on a voyage from Vietnam to California, US.
US Coast Guard (USCG) advised the master to anchor off Dutch Harbor, Alaska, enabling salvors and fire-fighters to extinguish the fire, which was achieved by 31 December 2023. In an update on 2 January 2024, USCG said a team of marine fire-fighting experts from T&T Salvage and Resolve Marine had boarded and inspected this 2012-built, 9,984-gt ship as it was moored 3 km offshore, ensuring the 19 crewmembers were safe.
Genius Star XI remains on a prepositioned mooring buoy in Broad Bay for weather avoidance based on a recommendation from an Alaska marine pilot and the salvage master aboard the Panama-flagged vessel. To comply with the ongoing Captain of the Port order, the vessel will keep its pilothouse manned, engines warm, and have a tug standing by to respond if the situation changes.
Fire started in a cargo hold while Genius Star XI was 200 nautical miles off Alaska and the ship’s CO2 suppression system extinguished it. When a second fire started in another cargo hold, the crew had already used all the ship’s CO2 supply and applied boundary cooling with firehoses to contain the flames.
USCG received the first report of the fire 28 December and sent an HC-130 aircraft and cutter Alex Haley to the burning ship to assess the situation.
Genius Star XI diverted to Dutch Harbor for assistance. Salvors and fire-fighters boarded and extinguished the cargo fire. They determined the atmosphere inside the affected cargo hold remained non-flammable and there was no immediate risk of fire. The team used a remote sensing tool to gather readings and the cargo holds remain sealed.
“The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Gallagher Marine Systems, T&T Salvage and the State of Alaska are working in a Unified Command to respond safely and swiftly,” said 17th Coast Guard District commander Megan Dean.
The cause of the cargo fires remains unknown and USCG plans to begin an investigation into the cause of the incident after response efforts are completed.
A 410-foot vessel carrying a cargo that included lithium-ion batteries was today safely moored in Broad Harbor, Alaska, after a response that began when it reported a cargo hold fire at 4.40 a.m., Thursday, December 28, as it was approximately 225 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
The vessel, the 13,633 dwt , 2012-built Panamanian flag general cargo ship Genius Star XI, is operated by Wisdom Marine Lines SA of Taiwan,
On being alerted of the cargo hold fire, which was contained but then ongoing, the 17th Coast Guard District Command Center in Juneau directed Genius Star XI to continue toward Dutch Harbor while an HC-130 airplane from Air Station Kodiak and the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC-39) were dispatched to assist.
“We applaud the crewmembers aboard Genius Star XI, whose swift actions kept the fire contained to this point,” said Captain Chris Culpepper, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, as the response got underway, “This will be an ongoing team effort as we work to safely extinguish the fire, provide any necessary medical care for the crew, and mitigate the dangers associated with a shipboard fire.”
The Coast Guard confirmed there were no injuries to the 19 crewmembers aboard Genius Star XI.
A team of marine firefighting experts from T&T Salvage and Resolve Marine had embarked the ship by Friday, December 29, to begin an on-site assessment of the vessel’s condition. It found no signs of structural deformation or blistering outside of the compartment.
Coast Guard Sector Anchorage issued a Captain of the Port Order to Genius Star XI to remain two miles offshore. Also, the Captain of the Port established a one-mile safety zone around the vessel for the duration of the response effort.
“A top priority is the safety of the crewmembers and responders aboard Genius Star XI, the safety of the community in Unalaska, and mitigating any potential environmental impact,” said Rear Admiral Megan Dean, Commander of the 17th Coast Guard District. “The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Gallagher Marine Systems, T&T Salvage, and the State of Alaska are working in a Unified Command to respond safely and swiftly. The Unified Command is also working closely with Unalaska city officials to address local concerns and keep the community informed of response efforts.”
By Saturday, the T&T Salvage marine firefighting team remained aboard the Genius Star XI and reported regular temperature readings in the cargo hold. The team completed a preliminary assessment of the vessel’s condition. Based on temperature readings and other indicators, the Unified Command believed the condition of the vessel, stable with no indication of heat in the cargo holds.
“Informed by the findings of the Salvage and Marine Firefighting team, the Unified Command will direct the Genius Star XI to anchor in a place of refuge in Broad Bay, near Dutch Harbor, Alaska,” said Captain Chris Culpepper, Captain of the Port. “This protected anchorage has been pre-identified in the Area Contingency Plan and will allow the vessel to remain stable, minimizing risk of any re-flash of the fire as we continue our response.”
The Coast Guard issued a new Captain of the Port Order directing the vessel to remain at the specified anchorage away from marine traffic and await additional technical experts who could certify the cargo hold is safe to enter. The one-mile safety zone in effect around the vessel will remain in effect to protect waterway users and the local community.
As a precaution, the Unified Command also directed an Emergency Towing System be pre-staged aboard the ship and affixed for rapid use should Genius Star XI lose propulsion and need to be towed offshore.
Today, the vessel was in Broad Bay after being moored on a prepositioned mooring buoy utilizing the Emergency Towing System. Assessment teams on site reported that air quality remains normal and there is no indication of heat in or around the cargo holds. The vessel will keep its engines in warm status and has a tug standing by in the event weather requires additional relocation.
A one-mile safety zone around the vessel remains in place. Mariners who wish to enter that zone should request permission on VHF Channel 16.
An investigation into the cause of the cargo hold fire will take place once response efforts are complete.
Taipei, Dec. 29 (CNA) Ten seamen have been detained on suspicion of smuggling 1.3-metric tons of marijuana earlier this month, the largest drug haul of its kind in Taiwan, the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office said in a statement issued Friday.
The marijuana seized had a street value of NT$3.5 billion (US$114.2 million), prosecutors said, adding that the illegal operation was interdicted from Dec. 9-12 in the northwest waters off Kaohsiung, where five unmanned rafts being used to shuttle drugs from a Mongolian oil tanker were seized.
According to prosecutors, they worked with the Coast Guard Administration and multiple police departments across Taiwan to intercept the first unmanned raft, registered in Tainan, on Dec. 10, which was carrying four bags of marijuana that totaled 221.7 kilograms.
The next day, the taskforce again seized four similar rafts drifting in the same area, carrying 1,159.3 kg of marijuana in 20 bags with the same packaging as the previous haul.
The evidences enabled the squad to track down the tanker, which is believed to have transported the marijuana, near Kaohsiung's Xingda Port, prosecutors said.
At the request of prosecutors, the Taiwan Ciaotou District Court ordered the detention of all 10 suspects -- the tanker's Taiwanese owner, surnamed Huang (黃), two Taiwanese seamen and seven Burmese fishermen -- for allegedly violating the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.
According to prosecutors, the marijuana seized in the operation-- which is listed as a Category 2 drug in Taiwan -- could be turned into 2.8 million cigarettes.
Indonesian salvage teams have managed to free suezmax Liberty (IMO 9207027), which grounded in the Singapore Strait west of Batam. The 23-year-old, Cameroon-flagged “shadow fleet” tankship ran aground last Sunday December 3rd. It took until Wednesday to get the suezmax free. According to TankerTrackers.com the ship is carrying nearly 1m barrels of Venezuelan fuel oil.
Five tugboats were needed to move the ship from its grounded position. It appears still to be in the area, motionless, indicating presumably that it is being checked for any hull damage.
The increasing number of elderly tankers continuing to ply their trade, while not being insured by the major marine liability or hull markets, is causing a significant degree of concern with the littoral states of seaways carrying a large number of tankers.
Before 2019, tankers over 20 years of age that were still operating made up just 1% of the global tanker fleet. This rose to 3% by early 2022, but since the beginning of the Russian war with Ukraine in February 2022, the percentage is on track to constitute 11% of the global fleet by 2025, according to data from brokers Braemar.
An Indonesian Navy spokesman said that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident was underway. TankerTrackers data, confirmed by Kpler, showed that the ship was carrying a cargo of oil from Venezuela. Both firms said that as recently as October the Liberty was pretending to be off the coast of West Africa when in fact it was collecting oil from Venezuela. “Spoofing” a false AIS is also a matter of concern for the international shipping community and states with a vulnerability to environmental disasters.
Singapore is next to a transfer hub near Malaysia. Its role as a key transit point before heading to buyers in east Asia makes it particularly exposed to the risks from shadow fleet ships. However, other areas, such as those where ship-to-ship transfers occur, are also seen as a serious danger to the environmental health of the oceans.
The International Maritime Organization only last week branded the situation a matter of “grave concern”.
The Cameroon flag is the only one designated as “very high risk” on a black list published by the Paris Memorandum on Port State Control, which oversees ship inspections and promotes safety. A firm called Skyward Management Corp., with an address in Kazakhstan, is listed as its technical manager.
When the vessel was inspected in Singapore in 2017 and 2019 it was deemed high risk and had a handful of deficiencies. It was then sold to new owners. Subsequent inspections in Malaysia and Indonesia did not identify any issues.
The tanker receives classification services from a firm called Mediterranean Shipping Register.
2000-built, Cameroon-flagged, 83,724 gt Liberty is listed by Equasis as owned by Vythos ventures Co of Majuro, Marshall Islands. ISM manager is Skyward Shipmanagement Corp of Almaty, Kazakhstan. As of December 9th it was listed as stopped near its grounding location, having left Primorsk, Russia, on July 1st.
Indonesian salvage teams have managed to free a shadow tanker that grounded in the Singapore Strait west of Batam.
The 23-year-old, Cameroon-flagged Liberty ran aground on Saturday and it took through until Wednesday to get the suezmax free. According to TankerTrackers.com the ship is carrying nearly 1m barrels of Venezuelan fuel oil.
A total of five tugboats were used to move the ship from its grounded position. Vessel tracking data shows the ship is not moving at the moment, suggesting it is being assessed for repairs.
Southeast Asia – a major crossroads for international tanker trades – has seen its fair share of dark fleet mishaps recently.
The 26-year-old Turba aframax, also flagged in Cameroon, lost power and was adrift off Indonesia for a number of days in October.
There was also the explosion of the Pablo aframax in May in Malaysian waters and the grounding of the VLCC Young Yang last year.
There were at least eight groundings, collisions or near misses involving tankers carrying sanctioned oil products in 2022 – the same number as in the previous three years, according to insurance firm Allianz.
Tankers still working above 20 years of age made up just 1% of the global tanker fleet pre-covid and were still a rarity at 3% before the invasion of Ukraine in late February last year. They’re now on track to make up 11% of all tanker demand by mid-2025, according to data from brokers Braemar.
Analysts at Vortexa issued a new report this week showing that tankers operating in opaque markets reached a record high in Q2 and have since declined.
An unidentified and unmanned Chinese cargo ship sank off the coast of Gageo Island, Yellow sea, southwest South Korea, in the morning Nov 29. No people were found, the ship is apparently, Chinese with visible Chinese flag, but no crew found. She drifted to island being already half-submerged, Korean authorities launched an investigation, whether it was maritime accident or an attempt to illegally enter Korea. The name looks like XIANG SHUN 899, but no data found on such name. Korean sources say, citing Coast Guard, that the tonnage of the ship is roughly 200 tons, but she looks bigger, some 500 GT, probably.
CESI Qingdao was banned by Australia after a mechanical breakdown and for "contravention of AMSA Detention Notice" (AMSA)
The Australian Maritime Safety Agency imposed a stiff penalty on an LNG carrier after an incident that saw the vessel blocking one of the country’s largest LNG export terminals and disrupting the operations of ConocoPhillips Australia, Origin Energy, and the Australia Pacific's terminal. It was the ninth ban imposed on a vessel by the safety agency in 2023 as part of their strict enforcement of regulations to ensure the integrity of operations and the safety of crews.
The ban which runs for 180 days till late June 2024, was issued following an incident that began on November 21 when the Chinese-owned LNG tanker CESI Qingdao (95,600 dwt), a regular caller at the terminal as part of a dedicated export operation, experienced a power failure. By the end of November with the vessel stuck at the terminal for nearly a week, upstream producer Origin reported it had been forced to tune down production as several shipments were missed due to the stranded vessel blocking the terminal.
AMSA during the incident reportedly called the vessel “unseaworthy” while discussing the situation with the Australian media. The safety agency reports it worked with the master and operator while extensive repairs to the ship were carried out. Four generators required repairs, but according to AMSA only one of which was repaired after being completely rebuilt under the supervision of the engine manufacturers.
Australian regulators finally agreed that the laden vessel could be towed off the terminal and placed in an anchorage while repairs were being completed. Three shipments had been delayed while the terminal was blocked. The LNG carrier which operates under charter to Chinese energy company Sinopec (China Petroleum & Chemical Company) remained for three more weeks in the anchorage before finally being towed back to China for repairs, where it is due to arrive on January 12.
“The response of the master and ship managers throughout the repair process necessitated stronger compliance action from AMSA,” they said announcing the six-month ban. The order cites a “contravention of AMSA Detention Notice,” as being the reason for the long ban.
Most of the bans issued are due to poor maintenance issues that AMSA’s inspectors find during port state inspections or when reported by crewmembers. They have also acted when ship managers are found to be violating labor contracts or have a history of poor crew welfare and failing to pay crew wages. However, in one case in 2023 they banned a ship saying inspectors found “incorrect stowage of explosive substances.”
In addition to the bans on individual ships, several ship managers have had their fleets placed on notice for frequent inspections due to a history of poor performance according to AMSA. The safety agency has emphasized that it has a low tolerance for these issues in its efforts to protect crews and the Australian environment.
A Korean tanker exploded while sailing on the Yangtze River in China's Jiangsu province on December 21. The vessel was traveling from Changzhou to Incheon in South Korea when its cargo hold suddenly exploded and became engulfed in flames near the Sutong Bridge. Fortunately, all 22 crew members were evacuated and there were no reports of injuries.
The LNG carrier CESI Qingdao, which is owned by Cosco’s China Shipping LNG, Sinopec, and Mitsui OSK Lines, experienced a propulsion failure at the Curtis Island terminal, disrupting exports for Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG).
The ban which runs for 180 days till late June 2024, was issued following an incident that began on November 21 when the Chinese-owned LNG tanker CESI Qingdao (95,600 dwt), a regular caller at the terminal as part of a dedicated export operation, experienced a power failure. By the end of November with the vessel stuck at the terminal for nearly a week, upstream producer Origin reported it had been forced to tune down production as several shipments were missed due to the stranded vessel blocking the terminal.
The facility’s yearly capacity of 9 million tonnes has been impacted by the suspension of shipments due to the 174,300-dwt vessel, which has been loaded and immobile for the last six days.
Two cargoes have been delayed due to the breakdown, and more are anticipated because the stranded ship prevents other ships from docking at the eastern Australian terminal.
The $189 million CESI Qingdao was scheduled to leave for Wenzhou, China. The ship’s manager, China Energy Ship Management, stated that repairs are still being made, and the underlying cause is unknown.
The fact that the APLNG facility can only hold one ship at a time, which interferes with the loading process, raises concerns about a possible increase in LNG prices globally.
Two cargoes have already been delayed due to the disruption, and more shipments will probably be affected as well, according to statements from Sinopec and Origin Energy Ltd., co-owners of APLNG. The impacted LNG prices in North Asia are approximately $16 per million British thermal units.
The circumstance makes it necessary to think about supply management through APLNG to address the problem. Origin, which owns a 27.5% share in APLNG, plans to increase its domestic gas sales.
The company board is considering an updated takeover offer from a consortium headed by Brookfield Asset Management Ltd., which calls for EIG Global Energy Partners to buy Origin’s share of APLNG.
［２８日 ロイター］ - オーストラリア東岸カーティス島の液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）輸出施設で、停泊中のタンカーに障害が発生して航行できなくなり輸送が停止している。オーストラリア・パシフィックＬＮＧ（ＡＰＬＮＧ）の運営会社、米コノコフィリップス(COP.N), opens new tabと共同所有者の豪オリジン・エナジー(ORG.AX), opens new tabが２８日に明らかにした。
ＡＰＬＮＧの大口顧客は中国石油化工（シノペック）(600028.SS), opens new tabと関西電力(9503.T), opens new tab。
船舶追跡データによると、航行不能になったタンカーは中国に向かう予定だった「Cesi Qingdao」。この船の管理会社は、２２日に推進力に不具合が生じたと説明した。
すでに２カーゴ分の出荷に遅れが生じている。オリジンは影響がどの程度に及ぶかは、問題のタンカーがいつ航行可能になるか次第になると説明した。
The grounded Viet Hai Star in the waters near Balabac. (PCG photo)
By Gerald Ticke
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed oil spill booms around the Vietnamese-flagged cargo vessel that ran aground off Balabac town last Tuesday night, CG Ensign Chrieson Dave Gabayan, assistant information officer of Coast Guard District Palawan (CGD Pal) said.
At around 7 a.m. today, a response team was dispatched by CGD Pal to inspect MV Viet Hai Star and found out that it was already fully flooded due to high tide and rough seas overnight and now settled on a muddy and rocky area of Calandorang Bay.
Gabayan said oil sheen was observed around the area where the Vietnamese vessel is currently half-submerged, some 810 yards from Balabac port in Barangay 4.
The PCG has dispatched BRP Sindangan (MRRV 4407) to the area to contain the oil sheen. The vessel was carrying 29,000 liters of automotive diesel oil (ADO) aside from the 80,000 sacks (4,000 tons) of rice.
“We started deploying oil spill boom around the vessel and we have also sprayed dispersant in the shores,” Gabayan said.
He also said no other plans have been laid down regarding the vessel.
“As of the moment, our top-priority is to contain the oil sheen because the vessel is only more or less one kilometer from the residential area before we proceed to other plans,” he said.
Furthermore, Gabayan said they have already coordinated with the owner of the vessel and that the crew are in good condition. They are still in Balabac waiting to be transported to Puerto Princesa City.
MV Viet Hai Star was on its way to Cagayan de Oro from Ho Chi Min, Vietnam when it met rough weather condition which led it to run aground after its starboard side bow was punctured last Tuesday.
At present, CGD Pal Special Operations Group divers are conducting an underwater inspection to assess the vessel’s status and for further measures.
［２８日 ロイター］ - オーストラリア東岸カーティス島の液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）輸出施設で、停泊中のタンカーに障害が発生して航行できなくなり輸送が停止している。オーストラリア・パシフィックＬＮＧ（ＡＰＬＮＧ）の運営会社、米コノコフィリップス(COP.N), opens new tabと共同所有者の豪オリジン・エナジー(ORG.AX), opens new tabが２８日に明らかにした。
ＡＰＬＮＧの大口顧客は中国石油化工（シノペック）(600028.SS), opens new tabと関西電力(9503.T), opens new tab。
船舶追跡データによると、航行不能になったタンカーは中国に向かう予定だった「Cesi Qingdao」。この船の管理会社は、２２日に推進力に不具合が生じたと説明した。
すでに２カーゴ分の出荷に遅れが生じている。オリジンは影響がどの程度に及ぶかは、問題のタンカーがいつ航行可能になるか次第になると説明した。
The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel grounds on the coast of Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam. Photo: T.Q.T. / Tuoi Tre
The Border Guard Command in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam on Friday found an unmanned Sierra Leone-flagged vessel with a tonnage of nearly 14,000 metric tons and a length of 132 meters grounding on the coast of the province.
The vessel was identified as King Rich, a cargo ship registered by a man named Chiu.
It suffered an engine failure in the waters of the Philippines on November 18 and drifted offshore before running aground in Vietnam, the Quang Nam Border Guard Command reported on Saturday.
Nearby vessels saved all crew members aboard King Rich. It carried no cargo at the time of the incident.
Its owner had sought to pull the ship ashore in vain as the position of the vessel was unknown at the time. He has assigned an insurance company to take responsibility for handling it.
Border guards in Quang Nam Province access the vessel. Photo: T.Q.T. / Tuoi Tre
Informed of the vessel running aground, the Quang Nam administration required relevant units to access and handle it to prevent an oil spill.
The Border Guard Command in Quang Nam Province is implementing surveillance and protection measures to prevent local residents from accessing the ship.
Sierra Leonean vessel King Rich is stranded in the southern parts of Cu Lao Cham Island in Quang Nam's Hoi An City, December 1, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Hong
An unmanned Sierra Leonean vessel carrying liquid, weighing almost 14,000 tons, was found stranded at Cu Lao Cham Island off central Quang Nam Province on Friday.
The Cu Lao Cham border guard station in Hoi An City said the vessel is named King Rich, spanning 132 m in length and 21 m in width. It was designed to carry liquid, and there was no one onboard at the time it was found.
When it got swept to shore, impacts with rocks damaged it and may have caused it to sink. As there are rough seas at Cu Lao Cham, authorities could not gain access to the vessel to determine what it was carrying exactly, as well as how much fuel it had left.
Border guards have informed the Quang Nam Maritime Administration about the matter and there could be measures against the possibility of the ship sinking and its fuel leaking out.
For now, border guards and local militia members of Tan Hiep Commune are watching over the ship.
The Philippines Coast Guard is honoring the crew of a Chinese containership for its brave actions in saving the crew from a chemical tanker that was in distress. The sixteen crewmembers were rescued from two rafts in rough seas after they abandoned their ship.
The MT King Rich registered in Sierra Leone reported the product tanker was taking on water on Saturday, November 18, in the northernmost waters of the Philippines approximately 80 nautical miles from the small Badoc Island. Built in 1990, the 13,925 dwt tanker was traveling empty when it encountered the rough seas.
The captain later told the rescuers that the propeller shaft broke around 13:00 on Saturday, causing the tanker to begin taking on water. The crew initially attempted to control the flooding but soon determined that they could not pump the water out. Fearing the vessel would be overwhelmed, prepared to abandon ship. The Philippine Coast Guard reports the crew secured the fuel tanks and the engine before entering two rafts.
The 13 Indonesians and three Chinese crewmembers were rescued about four hours later when the Hong Kong-registered containership Sheng An came upon the two rafts. The 24,500 dwt feeder containership was sailing from China to the Philippines and was able to position itself to intercept the rafts. Video shot from the deck shows the rough seas bouncing around the two rafts.
The crewmembers were brought safely aboard the containership which proceeded to Subic Bay in the Philippines where it arrived on Sunday morning. The Coast Guard reports the rescued crew is all in good physical condition thanks to the efforts of the containership.
The Coast Guard Aviation Force overflew the area today and reported the product tanker is still afloat and drifting. The Coast Guard says it is working with the vessel’s owner to secure a tow before the vessel is lost.
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Sixteen foreign crew members of a chemical tanker that was flying the Sierra Leone flag arrived here on Sunday, November 19, after they were rescued Saturday, November 18, when their vessel was in distress 81 nautical miles west-northwest of Badoc Island in Ilocos Norte.
According to Van Swandi, the captain of MT King Rich, the propeller shaft of their vessel broke and the water started to enter the engine room.
This image from video provided by Bolaji John shows the burning Trinity Spirit anchored 15 miles off the coast of Nigeria, which caught fire on Feb. 2, 2022. The ship had no insurance, no flag, and had fallen into a state of disrepair. Five workers were killed and two others left unaccounted for in the blast. (Bolaji John via AP)
BY HELEN WIEFFERING AND GRACE EKPU
Updated 1:01 PM JST, October 30, 2023
OKITIPUPA, Nigeria (AP) — It was the dead of night when the ship caught fire, Patrick Aganyebi remembers, but the flames made it seem as bright as day.
The explosion that night woke him and knocked him to the floor. He tucked his phone and his ID card in his pockets, strapped on a life jacket and made his way to the upper deck. As the flames barreled toward him, he prepared to jump nearly 100 feet (30 meters) into the sea.
Five workers were killed and two others presumed dead in the blast on the Trinity Spirit, a rusting converted oil tanker anchored 15 miles (24 km) off the coast of Nigeria that pulled crude oil from the ocean floor. It was by the grace of God, Aganyebi said, that he and two fellow crewmen escaped, rescued by a pair of fishermen as the burning vessel sank along with 40,000 barrels of oil.
The Trinity Spirit’s explosion in February of last year stands among the deadliest tragedies on an oil ship or platform in recent years. The Associated Press’ review of court documents, ship databases, and interviews with crew members reveals that the 46-year-old ship was in a state of near-total disrepair, and the systems meant to ensure its safe and lawful operation — annual inspections, a flag registry, insurance — had gradually fallen away.
The Trinity Spirit fits a pattern of old tankers put to work storing and extracting oil even while on the brink of mechanical breakdowns. At least eight have been shut down after a fire, a major safety hazard, or the death of a worker in the last decade, according to an AP review. More than 30 are older than the Trinity Spirit and still storing oil around the world.
Jan-Erik Vinnem, who has spent his career studying the risks of offshore oil production, said he’s sometimes shocked when he sees pictures of oil ships in Africa.
AGING HULLS
The Trinity Spirit was part of a class of vessels that extracts oil offshore and stores it at sea. They are known as floating production storage and offloading units — FPSOs — or as FSOs, floating storage and offloading units, when used only for storage. Since the 1970s, they’ve become increasingly popular for developing oil in deep waters and in places where no pipelines exist. According to the environmental group SkyTruth, there are some 240 in operation today.
FPSOs are unlike most ships for one key reason: They stay in place. Once attached to the ocean floor, they can linger at the same oil field for years or even decades. They may be surveyed by in-country regulators or hired inspectors, but they operate outside the normal flow of shipping traffic and the added safety and legal inspections that take place in port.
“If a vessel is sitting in a country’s domestic waters and is not going around trading … then you’re not going to have that same level of oversight,” said Meghan Mathieson, strategy director at the Canadian-based Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping.
More than half the current fleet of FPSOs are recycled oil tankers, according to Oslo-based Rystad Energy, which keeps data on the ships. Senior analyst Edvard Christoffersen said that without a major repair, most oil ships have hulls built to last about 25 years. But some FPSOs are used far longer, sometimes to dangerous effect.
In the same month that the Trinity Spirit caught fire, inspectors found problems with an aging FPSO moored off the coast of Malaysia. The Bunga Kertas was built as an oil tanker in the 1980s, and press coverage of its conversion to an FPSO in 2004 said the vessel had an intended service life of 10 more years.
But it was 18 years later when a safety issue on the Bunga Kertas led to a pause in operations. The ship’s hull had “ integrity issues,” according to stakeholder Jadestone Energy. Four months later a diver was killed while repairing the damage. Petronas, the operator at the time, did not respond to a request for comment.
This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Until this fall, another aging ship floating off the coast of Yemen seemed dangerously close to spilling a massive amount of oil. The FSO Safer was built in the same year as the Trinity Spirit, and became a floating hazard over years of neglect amid the country’s civil war. Seawater had leaked into the ship’s engine room by 2020.
“It could break up at any time – or explode,” the United Nations said in a statement this spring.
The ship held more than a million barrels of oil — risking a spill that could have decimated fisheries in the Red Sea, threatened desalination plants and washed oil on the shores of countries around the Horn of Africa, according to the U.N. After years of alarm and negotiations, the oil was transferred onto another tanker this August, but the rusting Safer remains off Yemen’s coast, awaiting funds to be scrapped.
Age isn’t the only measure of a ship’s health: Climate, storms and wave patterns can add stress to ship components or increase the pace of corrosion, just as careful maintenance can extend a ship’s life.
But the fleet’s growing age is well known in the industry. The average hull age of FPSOs has increased from 22 to nearly 28 years since 2010, according to Rystad Energy. The American Bureau of Shipping — one of several companies known as classification societies that certify vessels’ safety — launched a working group in 2021 to address the challenges of older FPSOs, noting that 55 ships were approaching the end of their intended lives.
“A lot of these things are foreseeable,” said Ian Ralby, a maritime security expert who helped sound the alarm about the Safer.
“If they are not well maintained and not watched carefully,” Ralby said, “they can sink, they can spill, and they can, as the Trinity Spirit showed, blow up.”
DANGEROUS TO ABANDON
There has been little to no public explanation of what led to the Trinity Spirit’s explosion, though multiple Nigerian agencies had responsibility for overseeing the ship. The Trinity Spirit had been on the same oil field for more than two decades. According to Aganyebi, after the ship arrived in Nigeria, it was never brought to shore for major upgrades or repairs.
Warning signs began years before it caught fire. In 2015, the American Bureau of Shipping canceled its classification and ceased inspections of the ship. There’s no record the Trinity Spirit had insurance after that point, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. In the next several years, the ship lost its privilege to fly the flag of Liberia, becoming a stateless vessel.
By 2019, Nigeria’s petroleum regulator had revoked the Trinity Spirit’s license to pump oil. Nigeria’s head of maritime safety, quoted in local press coverage, said his agency had directed the ship to stop operating five years before the blast. Yet the Trinity Spirit was never forced to leave.
Up till the moment of the explosion, there was oil on board. As recently as 2021, according to satellite imagery and ship transponder data, oil was loaded onto a tanker that later docked at a Shell refinery in the Netherlands.
Adeyemi Adeyiga, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which regulates the country’s oil resources, said the sale was legal because the oil was produced before the license was revoked. And a spokesperson for Shell said the company conducts robust reviews of its supply chain and complies with all laws and regulations.
Though the federal government investigated the Trinity Spirit’s explosion, more than a year later no findings have been released. For months, it seemed the only scrutiny would fall on the surviving men.
Not long after their escape, and still in the throes of recovery, Aganyebi and a fellow crewman were arrested on accusations of “Murder, Arson, and Malicious Damage,” according to their charging documents. Police were acting on a complaint from Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited — the Trinity Spirit’s longtime operator.
An attorney in Lagos took on the case pro bono.
“They committed no offense, they did nothing wrong. They were staffers of the company,” Benson Enikuomehin said. In an interview, he accused Shebah of drumming up criminal charges to distract from the company’s missteps. Anything that took place on the Trinity Spirit should be considered illegal after the license to the oil field was revoked, he said.
Yinka Agidee, an attorney specializing in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector who was not involved in the case, said the Trinity Spirit represented an “accident waiting to happen,” and showed that local authorities failed to enforce their own orders.
“I’m not sure if it’s a question of people closing their eyes or deliberately not doing what they’re supposed to have done,” she said. “But that has resulted in an accident and there has been a loss of life. So we need some explanation.”
Interviews and an exploration of documents provide a lack of clarity about who was responsible for the Trinity Spirit in the final years of its decline. Though Shebah hired Aganyebi and the rest of the Trinity Spirit’s crew, CEO Ikemefuna Okafor said in an email to the AP that the company wasn’t responsible for the ship’s neglect. The company reported the surviving crew to police, he said, because it had evidence of illegal storage of oil on the ship.
According to Okafor, liquidators seized ownership of the Trinity Spirit in 2018 due to Shebah’s outsized debt. Yet in a deposition given one year before the explosion, the company’s former president, Ambrosie Orjiako, described how Shebah continued to run operations.
Sustaining fuel purchases, food supplies, and “skeletal manpower” wasn’t easy, Orijako said, because “there’s no revenue coming in.” But he managed to fund the minimal operations with family resources, he said, because the FPSO “would be dangerous to abandon.”
Adeyiga, the spokesperson for Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, said it was still finalizing its investigation into the ship’s explosion and would continue working to prevent similar tragedies from happening.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but issued notice in December that all FPSOs and FSOs in Nigeria’s waters must have a flag, be certified by a classification society, and maintain official plans for ship maintenance and emergency response.
This combination of photos provided by Pius Orofin, a deck operator aboard the Trinity Spirit oil ship, shows rusted areas of the ship moored 15 miles off the coast of Nigeria, in November 2021. (Pius Orofin via AP)
SAVE OUR SOULS
The deck of the Trinity Spirit was an expanse of rust. Orange rust coated the floor, crept over pipes and trailed from crevices in the walls, according to cell phone photos taken four months before the explosion. Equipment failures plagued the ship’s interior: The engine room flooded twice, Aganyebi said, and the main generator plant was damaged and never repaired.
Shebah had started running operations on the ship in 2004, taking over from Houston-based ConocoPhillips. But the site’s wells had passed peak oil production several years earlier, according to the energy research firm Wood Mackenzie. Within a few years Shebah’s venture showed signs of financial stress.
Oil and gas operators tend to operate on the edge of financial wealth or financial ruin, said David Hammond, founder of the nonprofit Human Rights at Sea.
“These things go from boom to bust,” he said. “The workers are the last people to be looked after.”
Aganyebi worked in the engine room of the Trinity Spirit. Within a year of joining the crew in 2014, he said, Shebah stopped reliably paying his wages. Lawrence Yorgolo, who operated the crane on the ship, and Pius Orofin, a deck operator — the only other survivors of last year’s fire — alleged the same in interviews with the AP. The men said they stayed on board the ship because they had few other options and hoped they would someday be paid.
The staff sent repeated letters asking for the money they were owed, the men told AP. One of their last attempts was dated July 2019, with a subject line of “SAVE OUR SOUL (SOS).” They wrote they had worked 15 months without salary and endured, with “pains and hardship,” the “harsh condition and occupational hazards” of life on board the Trinity Spirit.
Shebah by that time owed millions of dollars. A trio of banks had sued the company over its alleged failure to make payments on a $150 million loan, and in 2016 a judge ruled that Shebah must repay nearly the full amount. A government-run entity, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, moved to take over the company and the assets of its president. The ship’s staffing dwindled from nearly 40 people to 10.
For those who remained, there were times on the ship when there was nothing to eat, the survivors told AP. Yorgolo recalled how the crew went hungry one year on Christmas. On a separate occasion — the worst of them, he said — the engine room flooded and the staff worked for three days without food. The radio operator sent a message pleading with oil operators nearby to come to their aid.
“Our management was furious,” Yorgolo said.
When the radio operator next went to shore, according to Aganyebi, Yorgolo and Orofin, Shebah didn’t allow him back on the ship. He was the designated person to fire a flare or call for help in an emergency. Had the radio operator been on board the night of the explosion, Aganyebi said, “maybe those people that have died — they wouldn’t have died.”
The AP’s attempts to reach the former radio operator were unsuccessful.
When it broke in two and began to sink, the Trinity Spirit had at least 40,000 barrels of oil on board, according to Nigeria’s environmental department, which responded to examine the spill. It was capable, like most FPSOs, of storing more than a million barrels.
The agency said oil wasn’t leaking from the submerged tanks nor had it washed up on shore, but letters still arrived from community members in nearby Ondo and Delta states complaining about the spill. Oil sheens were visible fanning out from the vessel in satellite imagery for days.
Five bodies were recovered, and two were never found.
SINKING SHIP
Among the more than 30 ships identified by the AP as older than the Trinity Spirit is the Al-Zaafarana, floating off the coast of Egypt. At 54 years, it is one of the oldest FPSOs still in service. Close behind it are FPSOs in Malaysia and Brazil, each at least half a century old.
Along Nigeria’s coast, about 200 miles (320 km) south of where the Trinity Spirit caught fire, the FPSO Mystras is still in service at 47 years old, although industry reports have noted structural issues on the ship. The classification society DNV severed ties with the Mystras three years ago, ending its regular inspections. According to Rystad Energy, it was originally designed to operate only through 2014.
The Mystras’ owner, NNPC Limited, did not respond to AP’s requests for comment.
Further inland, the Trinity Spirit’s surviving crew members have been left to eke out a living as they wait for the wages they say were never paid. Aganyebi’s vision is poor from the glare of the explosion; Orofin’s hearing is damaged from the noise. He has a long scar on his leg. Both men spent 19 days in jail.
Yorgolo, who was the only survivor not charged with a crime, fell on his back when he jumped from the burning vessel and was unconscious when fishermen pulled him into their boat. He believes he wasn’t named as a suspect only because he spent months in the hospital suffering from an injured spine.
The charges were dropped in October last year after the Ondo State Ministry of Justice reviewed the case. In conversations with AP, the men vehemently denied setting the vessel on fire or illegally storing oil. They blamed the explosion on their employer, Shebah, and the years without maintenance on the ship.
For Aganyebi, it was clear the company had abandoned the Trinity Spirit long ago.
“No medical personnel, no safety officer, no radio man in that gigantic vessel,” he said.
Off the coast of Nigeria, the ship is still visible — split in two pieces and half submerged. As recently as September, in satellite imagery, oil appeared to be leaking from the site of the wreck. It’s unclear when authorities will remove the hazard or salvage the remaining oil, as slowly, the ship sinks further into the sea.
Wieffering reported from Washington, D.C. Associated Press reporters Michael Biesecker in Washington, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut and Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria, contributed to this report.
MSC Eagle F being towed into the Port of Mombasa after it ran aground near the entrance canal into the Kilindini channel, Mombasa.
Image: HANDOUT
Kenya Ports Authority has rescued a cargo vessel after it got stuck at Kilindini channel, Mombasa county on Monday.
The MSC Eagle F vessel, drifted off the entrance canal towards Mombasa Port after an engine failure.
It had sailed to Mombasa for seven days from Port Louis in Mauritius.
KPA said the vessel was rescued by its engineers at 12pm on Tuesday after it had stalled for more than 24 hours.
The authority said the rescue averted a marine ecological disaster at the entrance of the Kilindini channel.
KPA sent three tugboats namely, Mwokozi II, Pate and Nyangumi to rescue the 23-year ship which was loaded with more than 426 containers.
“The three tugboats safely towed the ship ladened with 426 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units, which is equivalent to 9,709 metric tonnes into the Port, ending anxious moment following the grounding at 11: 35 a.m. on Monday,” KPA said.
Salvage tugboat Mwokozi II, has a bollard pull of 120 tonnes, Pate and Nyangumi have 75 and 58 tonnes of bollard pulls respectively.
The rescue mission was conducted in partnership with Southern Engineering Company, whose tugboat, Alpha Falcao stood by the MSC Eagle F overnight in case the crew required evacuation.
Andrew Mwangura, a marine expert and former official of the Seafarers Union of Kenya, told the Star on Wednesday, that investigations into the incident have begun.
“The vessel was towed to the Mtongwe area. It will also have to undergo some repair works before it is allowed to sail again,” he said.
Mwangura said the area where the vessel got stuck is near a reef.
“It would have been a disaster of oil spill if the vessel had hit a reef. The marine environment would have been affected, but we are glad everything went smoothly,” he said.
Mwangura said the navigation channel was not affected since the vessel was yet to enter Kilindini Canal channel.
MSC Eagle F has a carrying capacity of 17,451 DWT and her current draught is reported to be 9.2 metres. The vessel has a length overall of 143.15 metres and a width of 22.8 metres.
The vessel, which flies a Liberian flag, lost its engine after being cleared to sail into Kilindini channel. KPA had to send a tugboat to accompany it.
On the morning of September 24, a fire broke out in the engine room of the bulk carrier Samudra Sakti III in Sumatra, Indonesia.
The incident occurred while the vessel was anchored at Bandar Lampung in East Sumatra, situated in the Sunda Strait. A fleet of tugs and firefighting boats were immediately deployed to the scene, addressing the situation at hand and leading to the necessary evacuation of its 26 people.
The bulk carrier had recently completed its journey from Singapore and arrived at its designated anchorage on September 21. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
According to the latest updates from local news, authorities have the situation is currently under control. Luckily, there were no casualties due to the incident. Only one individual on the ship only suffered minor burns.
Fire crews fighting the blaze as the crew ran to escape (CTV News/YouTube)
A small Chinese-owned cargo ship caught fire while in a Taiwan shipyard for repairs creating some dramatic scenes as crewmembers ran for safety and one reportedly fell or jumped overboard into the harbor. After some dramatic moments, the crew and the shipyard workers were reported to all be uninjured and the fire was brought under control in about 30 minutes.
The ship is the Wan Lung, a 29-year-old ship that operates a coastal Chinese cargo service. The ship, which is currently registered in Cameroon, is approximately 300 dwt and 175 feet in length.
Not a lot of details are known about the ship but it has a checkered past having been listed in 2020 by the International Labour Organization as abandoned with ten crewmembers stranded aboard. The vessel then known as the Kumi Maru No. 3 was reported stuck on a sandbank and the crew had to walk ashore at low tide to get food. At the time, it had an expired registry from Sierra Leone. In 2021, the ITF reported contact with the crew had been lost and the ship’s whereabouts were unknown for at least 12 months.
The ship arrived at the Jong Shyn Shipbuilding yard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on September 12 and the fire was reported to the City Fire Department around 4:00 p.m. yesterday, September 13. There was a crew of nine aboard with eight from Myanmar and one from China, as well as an undetermined number of shipyard workers on the vessel at the time of the fire.
Local reports are saying they suspect the fire might have been started while the crew was using an oxyacetylene torch to remove rust.
TV images caught images of one crewmember running along the deck possibly trying to fight the fire or find an escape route. A Coast Guard vessel docked in front of the ship began spraying water and was joined by a fireboat and the fire department crew fighting the fire from the dock.
Images showed one of the crewmembers sitting on the rail of the ship at the stern. Some reports are saying he fell into the harbor but was rescued uninjured. Some of the crew was able to make their way along with two shipyard workers to the gangway while others were trapped on the stern.
The fire was out by 4:30 p.m. but continued to smolder. The crews were unable to open the hatch fearing it would reignite the fire.
Libertas H seen leaving Rotterdam in 2007 (Alfvan Beem photo - CC0 1.0 license)
Greek authorities are investigating after a cargo ship and a containership collided in the Ionian Sea on the western side of Greece overnight. While there appears to have been only minor damage to the vessels, they are trying to understand what caused a fire to break out aboard the Malta-registered feeder ship Libertas H.
The two vessels were traveling in the busy sea lane on the western side of Greece approximately four miles from the island of Kefalonia. The Coast Guard is reporting that a “fresh breeze” (Force 5) was blowing at the time with wind speeds up to about 20 knots. Images show a small chop on the waters.
The Libertas H managed by Reederei Hinsch was sailing from Piraeus, Greece to the port of Durres in Albania loaded with containers. The vessel, which was built in 2007, is 8,700 dwt and 416 feet in length. There is a crew of 11 aboard.
The other vessel involved in the collision is the Sea Leader, a general cargo ship registered in Malta. The 6,355 dwt vessel was reported to be sailing from Italy to Aliaga, Turkey loaded with an unidentified cargo. She has a crew of 12 aboard.
The collision occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning, September 6. The chief of the local fire department told Greek radio Skai that they had reports of a small fire aboard the Libertas H but that the crew was able to extinguish it. The fire department and Hellenic Coast Guard responded to the accident and later a fleet of tugs was reported at the two vessels.
The Coast Guard ordered the vessel to sail to the port of Argostoli on Kefalonia. Indications are that the Sea Leader anchored in the bay and the Liberatas H has now moored. Both vessels will undergo inspections and the captains will be interviewed to determine the circumstances of the collision and what caused the fire.
Product tanker engulfed in fire anchored in southern China (Chinese media)
A domestic Chinese product tanker caught fire Tuesday afternoon, August 22, anchored in the Gulf of Tonkin near the southern Chinese province of Guangxi and the border with Vietnam. Fifteen of the 17 crewmembers aboard were able to evacuate with initial reports saying that two crewmembers were unaccounted for after the rescue. Later reports indicate that the bodies of the two missing crewmembers were recovered from the port side of the ship later last night.
The 7,000 dwt tanker Sheng You 229 was loaded with 6,858 tons of diesel that was being transported from Yangpu. The Chinese maritime authority reports the vessel was owned by a licensed company, Shenzhen Haichanghua Shipping, which operates a total of 16 oil tankers and four product tankers in the domestic trade. Sheng You 229 is reported to be approximately 384 feet long and registered in China.
Rear Adm. Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said MV Catriona encountered vessel listing at approximately 2.6 nautical miles northeast of Silonay Island in Calapan around 6:30 a.m.
The vessel anchored the prior day at the southern port and reports indicate the ship called for assistance around 14:30. The crew was advised to abandon ship. They were able to launch one or more rafts which carried the 15 crewmembers and were recovered by 15:40 local time by the Coast Guard and other vessels including tugboats responding to the calls.
Crewmembers aboard other ships in the bay told the media that they heard one or more explosions coming from the tanker. Officials report the fire was extinguished by 16:45 and they believe there was no release of oil. By 21:40 rescue crews were able to board the vessel and recover the bodies of the missing crewmembers.
On 2nd August, container ship MTT Singapore, ran aground onto right bank of Hugli river while sailing upstream in India.
According to news, the ship is having 338 containers on board. The grounding was caused by cargo ship proceeding in opposite direction. While the ship trying to avoid the collision, ran onto bank.
Some local reports are suggesting that the vessel was attempting to pass another ship on the river.
Luckily there were no injuries but a lot of people turned out to see the ship stuck, as explained the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The MTT Singapore is a 10,300 dwt containership operated as part of the regional service from MTT Shipping of Malaysia.
As informed, the 27-year-old vessel has a capacity of 653 TEU although the ministry is reporting that the vessel has a crew of 20 from the Philippines and Malaysia and is registered in Malaysia.
General cargo ship YU CHANG 128 while maneuvering to berth in Naoetsu Port, central Honshu, Japan sea, struck pier at around 1330 Tokyo time Aug 3, on arrival from Busan Korea. The ship got stuck in basin, she was freed about an hour later with tug’s assistance, and moored. No leak reported, extent of damages unknown.
General cargo ship YU CHANG 128, IMO 9982603, dwt 6700, built 2022, flag Panama, manager RONGCHENG SHIPPING CO LTD, Shangdong.
One person has died and several have been injured after a car carrier with some electric vehicles caught fire in the North Sea off the Netherlands overnight.
The first was report around midnight on the Panama-flagged Fremantle Highway traveling from Bremerhaven, Germany to Port Said, Egypt with 23 crew members on board.
The ship is reportedly loaded with 2,857 vehicles, including 25 electric vehicles. The cause of the fire unknown.
The burning ship is located around 27 kilometers off the coast of Ameland, Netherlands.
All 23 crew members were evacuated by helicopter and lifeboat and taken ashore. Unfortunately one has died and several are reported injured.
Photo courtesy Netherlands Coastguard
The Netherlands Coastguard is leading the response and has its salvage vessel Guardian on scene along with several other sea and air assets. The Guardian and a second tug, the Nordic, have been spraying water to cool the ship’s hull to tame the fire. The Nordic was expected to be replaced by another tug, the Fairplay 30.
As of Wednesday afternoon (local time) the fire continued to burn and had spread throughout the vessel. Flames could be seen coming from the top deck.
A tug belonging to Rederij Noordgat has established a connection to hold the burning vessel is place, but is incapable of towing it. The Coastguard reports that a salvage team has arrived on board the Guardian and are working towards establishing a towing connection.
The Embassy of India in The Hague, the Netherlands has confirmed that the deceased person is an Indian national and that 20 crew members sustained injuries.
An update from the Coastguard said some crew members were rescued from the water by a lifeboat with the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM) and Rederij Noordgat. The situation is currently reported as “stable.”
The fire is the latest involving roll-on/roll-off vehicle carriers and is reminiscent of the Felicity Ace fire in 2022, which resulted in the vessel’s sinking in the N. Atlantic nearly two weeks after the fire started. That ship was also carrying electric vehicles, complicating firefighting efforts and shining a spotlight on the dangers of transporting of EVs and lithium-ion batteries by ship.
The Fremantle Highway is nearly 200 meters long and entered service in 2013. Equassis data shows it is owned by Japanese entities related to Shoei Kisen Kaisha (Luster Maritime/Higaki Sangyo). The ship is managed by Wallem Shipmanagement.
At Least 15 Dead, 19 Missing In Ferry Sinking In Indonesia
The vessel was ferrying people across a bay in Muna island. (Representational)
Jakarta: Indonesian authorities were searching for missing passengers on Monday after a ferry sank off Sulawesi island, killing at least 15, the national search and rescue agency said.
Of 40 passengers on board, 19 were still missing, while six survived, the agency said in a statement. The cause of the sinking, which occurred at about midnight, was still unclear.
"All the victims have been identified and handed over to the families while the survivors are now being treated in local hospitals," said Muhamad Arafah from the local branch of the search and rescue agency.
At Least 15 Dead, 19 Missing In Ferry Sinking In Indonesia
The vessel was ferrying people across a bay in Muna island. (Representational)
Jakarta: Indonesian authorities were searching for missing passengers on Monday after a ferry sank off Sulawesi island, killing at least 15, the national search and rescue agency said.
Of 40 passengers on board, 19 were still missing, while six survived, the agency said in a statement. The cause of the sinking, which occurred at about midnight, was still unclear.
"All the victims have been identified and handed over to the families while the survivors are now being treated in local hospitals," said Muhamad Arafah from the local branch of the search and rescue agency.
Photos shared by the rescue agency showed victims' bodies covered in cloth on the floor of the local hospital.
The vessel was ferrying people across a bay in Muna island, about 200 km (124 miles) south of Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi province.
Ferries are a common mode of transport in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, and accidents are common as lax safety standards often allow vessels to be overloaded without adequate life-saving equipment.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Indonesian authorities were searching for missing passengers after the ferry sank Photograph:(Others)
A search and rescue operation is underway as at least 15 people were killed and 19 were missing after a ferry sank off the coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi island on Monday (July 24).
Local reports said the ferry, with 40 people on board, sank just after midnight (1700 GMT, Sunday). It had been crossing from Lanto village on Buton island to Lagili village on Muna island in Southeast Sulawesi when the tragedy struck.
"Provisionally, there are 19 people who are still being searched for," Muhamad Arafah, head of the local search and rescue agency in Kendari city in Southeast Sulawesi was quoted as saying by AFP.
Six people survived the sinking and were rescued by the officials and sent to the hospital for treatment.
"All the victims have been identified and handed over to the families while the survivors are now being treated in local hospital," added Arafah.
Watch: 29 dead in Indonesia ferry disaster; search underway
The rescue images shared by the agencies showed victims' bodies covered in cloth on the floor of one of the local hospitals.
It is still unclear what caused the ferry to sink but preliminary investigations suggest it may have something to do with overcrowding.
Ferry accidents common in Indonesia
Ferries are a common mode of transport across Indonesia, an archipelago, made up of more than 17,000 islands. Naturally, the laws are lax and safety standards mostly non-existent.
Last May, a ferry carrying over 800 passengers ran aground in shallow waters off East Nusa Tenggara province for two days. It remained stuck there before the authorities intervened and managed to dislodge it. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the accident.
In 2018, 150 passengers aboard a ferry died after the vessel carrying them sank in a deep volcanic crater lake on the island of Sumatra.
Around 600 containers are reported lost from a feeder container ship that sank at the port of Kaohsiung in Taiwan.
As earlier reported by TradeWinds, the Palau-registered, 1,262-teu Angel (built 2003) developed a serious list thought to be caused by water ingress just outside the port.
Taiwan International Ports said that the vessel has now sunk, with local reports suggesting that around 600 containers in total have now been lost from the vessel.
The Kaohsiung City government, the Coast Guard Administration, Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau and Fisheries Agency are coordinating efforts to retrieve the containers with the use of local boats.
It is expected the operation could take several days to complete.
The boxes are reportedly causing a hazard to the local fishing industry.
There are also concerns over possible pollution.
The vessel has around 393.4 metric tonnes of low-sulphur fuel oil on board and 91 tonnes of diesel.
Salvage options are now under consideration.
As earlier reported, the Indian Register of Shipping withdrew class from the Angel in May this year. The ship is listed as high-risk under the Tokyo MOU on port state control and has not been inspected in the region since 2018.
The ship is not entered with a protection and indemnity club member under the International Group of P&I Clubs.
The incident is likely to spoil any recent improvement in the number of shipping containers lost at sea from boxships.
According to figures from the World Shipping Council, to the end of 2021 the average number of containers lost at sea each year was 1,566.
As of the afternoon of July 24th only 206 of the 1,349 empty containers that fell into the water when container ship Angel (IMO 9256406) sank while anchored off Kaohsiung port had been recovered (IMN, July 24th).
The port company said that it had tracked down 573 of the containers, noting that 120 had been washed ashore, while 247 have sunk. The latter figure included 87 that were found, but which sank during the recovery process. Most of the containers were located in the areas off of Linyuan District in Kaohsiung and Donggang Township in Pingtung County, southwestern Taiwan.
Multiple agencies had been enlisted to recover the containers, the port company said.
The Kaohsiung Branch of Taiwan International Ports Co. was working with Kaohsiung City government, the Coast Guard Administration, Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau and the Fisheries Agency. 17 vessels were sent to retrieve the containers, many of which have been spotted floating in the water off the city’s Linyuan District and Donggang Township.
An additional problem was the approach of Typhoon Doksuri, which added a sense of urgency to the issue (see previous story). A few oil spills were also found. The Kaohsiung Branch of Taiwan International Ports Co. has dispatched a total of 39 boats since July 20th, when the captain of the Angel issued a distress message.
A salvage team checked the ship on July 23rd, sealing vents connected to the oil tanks and pumping out the oil to avoid any leakage. The tanks reportedly contained 393.4 tonnes of low sulphur fuel, 98.1 tonnes of light diesel, and 0.348 tonnes of lubricating oil.
Details about the ship’s ownership and recent operations are unclear. The Equasis database lists as the owner Navramar Shipping, which is based in the Marshall Islands. It had acquired the ship in May 2023. The ship was registered in Palau and management is listed as being located in Azerbaijan. Equasis reports it was removed from the Indian registry and by DNV as of the beginning of June, showing the vessel’s current class status as unknown. Further, the database does not list a Port State inspection since 2018.
The ship’s owner will be required by law to submit a salvage plan to the port. Officials said they are asking the managers for a plan to remove the oil from the ship, address the containers floating in the waterways, and for the eventual refloating and removal of the hulk.
2003-built, Palau-flagged, 16,145 gt Angel is owned and managed by Navramar Shipping Inc of Majuro, Marshall Islands. ISM manager is Zulu Shipping LLC of Baku, Azerbaijan.
On July 20th, 2023 at approximately 1009 local time (UTC 0209), the Palau-flagged container ship ANGEL (IMO No. 9256406), with a gross tonnage of 16145, was located about 2.8 nautical miles (5 km) from the south breakwater of the port of Kaohsiung when it lost power for unknown reasons. The hull was listed after flooding, and the Master of ANGEL declared abandonment of the ship. All 19 crew members on board were rescued, and the vessel later sank, hundreds of cargo containers fell into the sea and drifted. The prevention and control of oil pollution in this accident is in progress.
The Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) has identified this event as a marine casualty according to the Transportation Occurrence Investigation Act and has referenced the Casualty Investigation Code of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). An Investigator-In-Charge has been assigned, and an investigation team has been launched to conduct the investigation.
Further information on the progress of the occurrence investigation will be published on the TTSB website.
Italian authorities have intercepted a record haul of 5.3 tonnes of cocaine, worth an estimated €850 million, off the coast of Sicily. Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the seizure. The ship, sailing under the flag of the Micronesian Island state of Palau, was tracked from South America and was destined for Turkey after offloading its illicit cargo to another ship.
Italian authorities have seized 5.3 tonnes of cocaine as it was being transferred between ships off the coast of Sicily, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The Guardia di Finanza arrested five people in relation to the drug haul worth an estimated 850 million euros ($946 million), after tracking a ship from South America.
Packages thrown off the deck were collected by a fishing vessel nearby, according to surveillance aircraft footage.
The ship was sailing under the flag of the pacific island of Palau, and was to head for Turkey after offloading its haul, police officials told BBC Turkish. The drugs were intended for the domestic market in Italy, they said. Crew on the ship held Turkish, Azerbaijani and Ukrainian citizenships, while the small fishing boat was manned by Italian, French and Albanian nationals.
Colonel Gianluca Angelini said the ship, named Plutus, could have set sail from Trinidad or Venezuela.
In 2021, in a now infamous series of tell-all videos, Turkish mafia boss Sedat Peker accused ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) heavyweight and former prime minister Binali Yıldırım of involvement with drug trafficking from Venezuela. According to Peker, Yıldırım’s son Erkam had travelled to the Caribbean coast to set up a new route for the cocaine after neighbouring Colombia and Panama ramped up operations and seized more than 5.6 tonnes of the illicit substance headed for Turkey.
Major drug busts in recent months include 2.3 tonnes of cocaine earmarked for Turkey seized in Peru in March, a 290 kg shipment of cocaine in a ship sailing from Brazil to Turkey in January, and an 850 kg shipment of cocaine in Ecuador, headed for the Turkish port of Mersin in June last year.
A large container ship sank near Taiwan’s largest port Kaohsiung on Friday morning, leaving dozens of containers afloat.
The Palau-flagged ship Angel is said to have more than a gross tonnage of 16 tons, of which 1,349 were empty. Taipei-based Taiwan News reported that many containers floated in the sea after the sinking incident.
The Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) attempted to save the Palau-flagged ship, however efforts did not work out.
Nineteen crew members were evacuated, one of whom was injured.
The TIPC temporarily closed gates to the port over safety concerns caused by floating containers in the waterway.
MANILA – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has suspended the passenger ship safety (PSS) certificate of MV Maria Helena, the ship that ran aground off the waters of Banton Island in Romblon.
In a letter sent to Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc., the operator of the grounded MV Maria Helena, MARINA said the suspension was handed down after the ship was involved in “maritime casualties and incidents such as, but not limited to, fire, engine dearrangement, grounding, collision, allision, and hitting hard objects.”
“In view thereof, the PSS of MV Maria Helena is hereby suspended until further notice from this Authority,” the letter read.
The suspension, it said, may be lifted following a thorough safety inspection by a MARINA inspector or surveyor to determine the ship’s seaworthiness.
On Sunday, 93 passengers and 36 crew were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and local passenger boats from MV Maria Helena after it ran aground about 100 meters off the nearest shoreline of Barangay Nasunugan in Banton.
When the incident occurred, the vessel was bound for San Agustin Port in Tablas, Romblon from Lucena Port in Lucena City, Quezon.
To date, the PCG has placed an oil spill boom around the grounded ship to control possible oil spill after the vessel started listing 10 degrees to portside due to an imbalance of cargoes and seawater.
It added that a wheel exploded in one of the rolling cargoes inside the vessel, causing the imbalance. (PNA)
Bulk carrier BW MATSUYAMA reportedly collided with cargo ship at Constanta Port, Romania, on Jul 9, while maneuvering to shift the berth. According to the report, the ship struck by BW MATSUYAMA sustained heavy and costly damages, totaling some 1,4 mil euro. Cost embraces destroyed or collapsed both ship’s cranes, and freight losses. The ship will have to undergo shipyard repairs. BW MATSUYAMA was detained to ensure the owner will cover the expenses. Damaged ship wasn’t identified, but most probably, it’s a Romanian general cargo ship WHITE STAR.
BW MATSUYAMA arrived at Constanta on Jul 9, to offload shipment of phosphates and to load 8,400 tons of soybeans or corn, bound for Egypt. She left Constanta in the afternoon Jul 14, reached Istanbul outer anchorage in Black sea in the morning Jul 15, and remains anchored.
The massive fire aboard a cargo ship filled with cars that took the lives of two Newark firefighters was put out after nearly a week of burning, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday morning.
Investigators said they will now begin investigating the cause of the blaze on the Italian freighter Grande Costa D'Avorio. The vessel will then be broken down for scrap.
"The salvage process could easily be one to two months," Coast Guard Capt. Zeita Merchant said during a news conference.
The most recent tests of the air and water around the ship's berth indicated they were safe, said Kevin Perry of Gallagher Marine Systems, the company that was hired by the ship's owner, Grimaldi Group, to extinguish the fire and conduct salvage operations.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Port Newark Container Terminal on July 5 at around 9:30 p.m. ET after receiving a report about multiple vehicles on fire aboard the ship.
Emergency personnel battle against a fire aboard the Italian-flagged Grande Costa d'Avorio cargo ship at the Port of Newark, July 7, 2023, in Newark, N.J.
John Minchillo/AP
The freighter was carrying used cars destined for Africa with a stop in Providence, Rhode Island, in between, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
"The decks of the ship is essentially a parking garage," Port Director Beth Rooney said. "What we had burning were components and parts of cars."
Firefighters managed to extinguish the main body of the blaze but the flames had extended to multiple levels of the vessel.
At 10:25 p.m. ET the firefighters called a "Mayday" after two firefighters were trapped inside the ship followed by a second "Mayday" call 15 minutes later, city officials said.
Two Newark firefighters, Augusta Acabou, 45, and Wayne Brooks, 49, were pulled out and later died at the hospital.
Newark firefighters Augusto Acabou, left, and Wayne Brooks, Jr., died battling a blaze aboard a cargo ship at Port Newark, July 5, 2023.
Newark Department of Public Safety
Acabou served in the Newark Fire Division for 9 1/2 years and was assigned to Engine 16, Tour 1, according to city officials. Brooks was a veteran of the fire department for 16 1/2 years and was assigned to Ladder 4, Tour 1.
The last time a Newark firefighter was killed on the job was in 2007.
Five other firefighters were injured in the blaze, officials said.
One of the issues encountered by the firefighters was that their two-and-a-half-inch fire hose lines weren't compatible with the boat's one-inch connections, a source close to the investigation told ABC News on Thursday.
Emergency personnel battle against a fire aboard the Italian-flagged Grande Costa d'Avorio cargo ship at the Port of Newark, July 7, 2023, in Newark, N.J.
John Minchillo/AP
Instead, the firefighters were forced to use the fire hoses on the ship, which output less water and pressure than they were used to, the source said.
The New Jersey firefighters also weren't trained to handle blazes that take place on cargo boats, the source sa
The fire on board the Grande Costa D’Avorio has been extinguished at Port Newark, New Jersey, the Unified Command announced Tuesday.
The response will now transition from shipboard firefighting operations, to investigation and salvage operations. The investigation will be led by the U.S. Coast Guard, working with the NTSB and other agencies.
The first started last Wednesday night as the vessel was loading used vehicles for export. Tragically, two firefighters were killed in the initial response and six others were injured.
“I want to share our heartfelt condolences once again to families of Newark firefighters Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr., as well as to their colleagues, their fellow first responders, and the community they both lived in and served,” said Capt. Zeita Merchant, the captain of the port of New York and New Jersey and federal on-scene coordinator. “Their selfless sacrifice is on the minds of all involved in the response and we will never forget their acts of courage.”
The Unified Command consists of the U.S. Coast Guard, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Newark Fire Department, and Gallagher Marine Systems, representing the ship operator, Grimaldi Deep Sea SpA, part of Italy-based Grimaldi Group.
As the fire response phase concludes, the focus now shifts towards investigation and salvage operations to assess and mitigate any remaining risks or impact to port operations. Salvage operations aim to safely remove and recover the affected vessel while minimizing environmental impact.
A formal investigation will be led by the Coast Guard and also involve National Transportation Safety Board, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Jersey State Fire Marshal, New Jersey State Police, Newark Fire Arson Division, Essex County Prosecutor. The investigation will seek to determine the root causes and contributing factors of the fire.
“The safety and security of the maritime infrastructure remain paramount, and the Unified Command is committed to upholding its mission to protect the nation’s maritime interests,” The Unified Command said in a statement. ”The transition from shipboard fire response to salvage and investigation operations at Port Newark highlights the dedication, professionalism, and resilience of its personnel and partners.”
The Grande Costa d’Avorio, built in 2011, is a combination container/roll-on/roll-off (ConRo) vssel deployed on the North America-West Africa regular ro/ro service operated by Grimaldi Deep Sea. The company said the vessel was 1,200 vehicles and 157 containers when the fire started, but there are reportedly no electric vehicles or hazardous cargo aboard.
As of Sunday evening, Grande Costa D’Avorio’s 11th deck was being monitored and overhauled to address any remaining heat sources, while responders dewatered spaces to ensure the stability of the vessel.
The Port Newark Channel was reopened as of 5 p.m. Sunday. The Port of New York and New Jersey has remeind open and operational.
The cargo ship that caught fire in Newark Wednesday evening was still burning on Friday.Credit...Dakota Santiago for The New York Times
By Tracey Tully and Erin Nolan
As a fatal fire continued to burn aboard a cargo ship at Port Newark in New Jersey, emergency workers on Friday scrambled to extinguish the blaze while working to prevent an environmental disaster in the most populated region of the country.
Officials said they were trying to contain the fire from outside the ship and to cool it down without filling the vessel with too much water, which could cause it to capsize into a channel that flows into Newark Bay and, farther away, the Atlantic Ocean.
There were also concerns about the heavy smoke still spewing from the Italian cargo ship, the Grande Costa d’Avorio, which is carrying 1,200 vehicles, many of them at least partially filled with gasoline and oil.
“We are fully aware of the potential environmental impacts, including air quality, and minimizing any adverse effects to the environment,” said Capt. Zeita Merchant, a regional commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, which has taken over control of the firefighting operation.
“Our efforts,” she added, “are dedicated to containing and mitigating pollution.”
Tom Wiker, president of Gallagher Marine Systems, a company hired by the vessel’s owner to oversee the recovery effort, said the company was monitoring water and air quality. Sulfur dioxide levels in the air near the ship had spiked twice to an unsafe range before dissipating, he said.
“There is no reported release of oil from the vessel as of yet,” Mr. Wiker said Friday during a news conference in the port.
The ship itself, however, is listing, awakening memories of a long-ago disaster in New York Harbor. In February 1942, the Normandie, a French ocean liner docked at a Manhattan pier, capsized after one of the most spectacular fires in the history of the New York waterfront. It took 17 months to remove the vessel from the Hudson River.
“Our goal is to always get it back to what we call an even keel, which is level,” said Gordon Lorenson, a project manager at Donjon Marine, a salvage and dredging company involved in the firefighting effort.
On Friday, nearly two days after cars aboard the cargo ship first burst into flames, firefighters were sending multiple streams of water onto the deck of the Grande Costa d’Avorio as thick, dark smoke billowed from its top decks. At the same time, water cascaded from gaping, charred holes in the ship’s exterior and into the water below like a murky waterfall.
NEWARK, N.J. -- Two firefighters were killed battling an overnight fire aboard a cargo ship in Port Newark.
Officials said multiple vehicles on the ship caught fire around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, and the flames spread to at least two floors above.
CBS New York's John Dias and Zinnia Maldonado have live team coverage from the scene this morning, and this is what we have learned about the ship so far.
Grande Costa D'Avorio
The ship was built in 2011 and sails under the flag of Italy, because it's owned by one of the country's leading ship owners, a family-owned company called the Grimaldi Group. The company specializes in the maritime transport of cars, as well as shipping containers.
"Sadly, during the firefighting operations, Grimaldi Deep Sea were informed that two fire fighterslost
their lives. All Company's thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with their families and team
currently," the company said in a statement Thursday afternoon. "At this time, it is not known how the fire started but the Company will undertake a full investigation in close cooperation with all relevant authorities."
Where it came from
The ship traveled from Baltimore on a roughly two-day journey and was docked at Corbin and Marsh streets.
What it's carrying
The ship is capable of carrying more than 47,000 tons. A source briefed on the situation told CBS New York it was loaded with used cars apparently headed overseas to be refurbished and sold.
Largest port on East Coast
Officially called the Port Newark Container Terminal, it spans about 272 acres.
What's still unknown
While the firefighters have since been identified, we are still waiting to learn more about the cause of the fire.
New photos taken on Thursday show the progress that is being made in respect of clearance operations for OS 35.
Earlier this week, the Captain of the Port has confirmed the operation to raise both sections of the OS 35 wreck out of the water was successfully completed on Monday, with subsequent surveys of the seabed beginning on Tuesday to ensure that the wreck site of the OS 35 is completely cleare. Once these are fully concluded, the operation will draw to a close.
KOOLE are pleased to announce a major milestone in the MV OS 35 wreck removal project! The KOOLE team successfully loaded the complete wreck onto their semi-submersible vessel “FJORD” as planned and engineered.
This is a significant accomplishment for the project as well as for the company.
The successful completion of the project was due to their hardworking crew and their dedication throughout this project. Also included in the success are their subcontractors and other stakeholders with their valuable assistance and support.
The bulk carrier OS 35 collided with LNG tanker Adam LNG in the Port of Gibraltar on 29 August 2022 as it was manoeuvring to exit. Although the tanker only suffered minor damage, the OS 35 was making water at the bow and was directed to a location off Catalan Bay on the east side of the Gibraltan Peninsula to beach and prevent it from sinking.
Both sections of the OS35 wreck have now been loaded onto the semi-submersible heavylift vessel Fjord, with salvors now cleaning the ship as preparations continue to transport the wreck to a specialist yard for scrapping.
Yesterday, salvors were cleaning both sections of the ship in a bid to ensure it is in good condition to travel safely to Holland, where the wreck will go to a scrapping yard.
Booms currently surround the vessel as a precaution to contain any spillages as the two sections of the ship are secured for transportation.
Photos by Johnny Bugeja
BY NATHAN BARCIOShare Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter
6th July 2023
Both sections of the OS35 wreck have now been loaded onto the semi-submersible heavylift vessel Fjord, with salvors now cleaning the ship as preparations continue to transport the wreck to a specialist yard for scrapping.
Yesterday, salvors were cleaning both sections of the ship in a bid to ensure it is in good condition to travel safely to Holland, where the wreck will go to a scrapping yard.
Booms currently surround the vessel as a precaution to contain any spillages as the two sections of the ship are secured for transportation.
A spokesperson for the Gibraltar Port Authority confirmed that as of now, there have been no spillages during this final stage of the operation, with the preventative booms to be removed within the coming days.
Once the ship is clean, with spillage possibilities on the journey eliminated, the journey to Holland will commence.
The spokesperson also confirmed that refuge ports are included in contingency plans for the journey, in case of unexpected circumstances such as bad weather in certain parts of the trip.
It is estimated that “weather permitting”, it will take around two weeks for the semi-submersible ship to reach its final destination, with a chance of a quicker journey if weather conditions permit.
THE OS 35 bulk carrier will finally leave Gibraltar’s Catalan Bay Friday afternoon aboard a huge barge just over ten months after it beached there following a bay accident.
The mammoth Fjord semi-submersible barge that scooped it up Tuesday will carry it off to the Eastern Anchorage south of Eastern Beach after weeks of work lifting the two parts of the OS 35 from the seabed.
A controlled oil leak occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the heavy lift platform picked up the stern and bow sections of the bulker that had broken last winter during heavy storms.
Workers then sucked out all the oil from around the Fjord barge while lifting the barge out of the water.
Just before the ship sails to the Eastern Anchorage, workers will finally remove the preventive boom that contained the spill and stopped another ecological disaster.
Captain of Gibraltar Port John Ghio has declared the removal by Dutch contractors Koole Ltd a ‘success’ after the ‘detailed planning’ that went into the operation.
Workers aboard the Fjord will now make sure the ship sitting atop the barge is securely fastened for the next two weeks before it sails to the Netherlands.
Once there, the contractors will likely break it up further, recycle the metal or sink it to create an artificial reef.
“This is a significant accomplishment for the project as well as for our company,” Koole Ltd said in statement on its website.
“We want to express our pride in our hardworking crew and their dedication throughout this project.”
The beaching of the OS 35 700 metres from Catalan Bay attracted global media attention, especially from international shipping media.
“The conclusion of the salvage operation demonstrates the industry’s commitment to safety, environmental protection, and efficient maritime operations,” Marine Insight said.
“The marine industry recognizes the importance of prompt and effective responses to such incidents to maintain the integrity of shipping operations and protect marine ecosystems.”
But Gibraltar marine charity The Nautilus Group told The Olive Press that sealife would be hurting for a whole decade after oil leaks from the accident.
The incident sparked off when the OS 35 left the Bay of Gibraltar on August 29 and collided with the anchor chain of another ship, the Adam LNG, opening up a ten metre gash in the hull.
As it took on water, the port directed it to a location off Catalan Bay where it beached and gradually broke apart over the winter.
A Gibraltar court declared the Syrian captain of the OS 35 bulker guilty of negligence for his part in the incident but allowed him to go free with a suspended sentence.
The salvage operation to remove the wreck of the bulker OS 35 off Gibraltar was largely completed on July 3. The two sections of the hulk have now been removed from the ocean 10 months after the vessel hit an anchored gas carrier and sank to the seafloor near one of Gibraltar’s beaches.
“I’m delighted that we have finally reached this important milestone,” said the Minister for the Port, Vijay Daryanani, announcing the hulk had raised. “I’d like to thank all those who continue to work towards the ultimate goal of the final departure of the OS 35 from Gibraltar’s waters with safety and environmental protection as the top priority.”
The two sections of the bulker, which had measured 584 feet, were transferred onto the semi-submersible, heavy-lift vessel Fjord. Port officials announced today that the two sections of the hull were now safely aboard the lift ship and raised above the water.
The Fjord is expected to remain in Gibraltar for a couple of weeks, as the hull sections are further secured and sea-fastened in preparation for the voyage to the final decommissioning site in the Netherlands. Once preliminary work is completed in securing the hull sections, as well as the clearing of the residues from within the oil containment boom, the Fjord will move from its current location to a suitable anchorage berth.
Currently, the salvage team is commencing a survey of the seabed. They are looking for any additional pieces of the vessel or debris that will be removed before they complete the operation.
As was anticipated, the raising of the two sections of the hull out of the water released residues, including heavy oil residues. As a precaution, they had strung a protective boom, which captured most of the oil released. Work is ongoing to clear the residues within the boomed area and to tackle the consequent sheening which is coming off the boomed section.
The lifting of the hulk brings to a close the incident that began on August 30, 2022, when the OS 35, registered in Tuvalu, a 35,000 dwt bulker hit the anchored 162,000 cbm Adam LNG tanker. Reports indicated that the bulker which was laden with a cargo of steel rods hit the anchor chain of the gas carrier pulling her into the forward portion of the bulker. Taking on water, the bulker was ultimately directed to the position where her bow settled to the sea floor. The salvage team later decided to sink the stern to the seabed but winter storms caused the vessel to break into two pieces.
The master of the OS 35 pleaded guilty in a Gibraltar court to counts related to the accident. He was given a suspended sentence.
KHO Shipping Lines strengthens the route of Mintac Port, Cataingan, Masbate to Pier 4, Port Area, Cebu and vice versa through the introduction and addition of its new roll on/roll off vessel, the 𝗠/𝗩 𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗭𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥.
The vessel was the former M/V Lady of Rule of Medallion Transport Inc and was acquired by Kho Shipping Lines in 2021 as part of its aggressive fleet expansion program.
The vessel has a length overall of 64.6 meters and a breadth of 14.8 meters. She has a passenger capacity of 538 passengers which is composed of economy, tourist, and 8 VIP class accommodations. The vessel can accommodate up to 16 10-wheeler trucks and 6 4-wheeler vehicles enough for local and connecting shippers who prefer traveling directly to Cebu City.
This new vessel will complement its existing vessel: M/V Cataingan which is currently serving the Cebu to Mintac Port, Cataingan, Masbate route.
The 𝗠/𝗩 𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗭𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 will be having its blessing and open house on February 8, 2022, Tuesday while its maiden voyage is set on February 9 2022 Wednesday at 8 o’clock in the evening.
OFFICIAL VESSEL SCHEDULE:
MINTAC PORT, CATAINGAN, MASBATE TO CEBU PIER 4 – Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Departure: 8:00PM, Kho Container Port and Terminal Services, Mintac, Cataingan, Masbate
Arrival: 4:00AM, Pier 4, Cebu City
CEBU PIER 4 to MINTAC PORT, CATAINGAN, MASBATE – Every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Departure: 8:00PM, Pier 4, Cebu City
Arrival: 4:00AM, Kho Container Port and Terminal Services, Mintac, Cataingan, Masbate
Vehicle:
10-Wheeler Truck – 16,000.00 (free fare for 1 driver and 2 crew)
8-Wheeler Truck – 14,000.00 (free fare for 1 driver and 1 crew)
6-Wheeler Truck – 12,000.00 (free fare for 1 driver and 1 crew)
SUVs/Pick up/Van – 7,000.00 (free fare for 1 driver)
Sedan/Hatchback – 6,000.00 (free fare for 1 driver)
Motorcycle – 2,000.00
Visit the Cebu Ticketing Office of Kho Shipping Lines located at Arellano Boulevard, Cebu Pier 3, Brgy. Tinago, Cebu City (Across Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Office). Here’s the contact number: CEBU CITY OFFICE BRANCH – 0966-567-5317 and MINTAC CATAINGAN OFFICE BRANCH 0970-669-2151
To know more information please visit and message the Official FB Page of Kho Shipping Lines:
Members of the Philippine Coast Guard and local fishermen conduct a firefighting and rescue operation after a passenger-cargo vessel, MV Esperanza Star, caught fire in the vicinity of waters off Panglao, Bohol on Sunday. Around 55-65 passengers were onboard the vessel, which departed from Port Lazi, Siquuijor going to Port of Tagbilaran, according to Coast Guard Tagbilaran.
General cargo ship TAISEI MARU No. 21 ran aground at around 0100 Jun 7 Tokyo time at Kogochi Island tip, Okayama Prefecture, Inner Japan sea, while en route from Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture, to Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture. No visible hull damages, no leak reported, 5 crew are safe. Tug is already on the scene, waiting for high tide. Ship’s AIS off for long time.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Environmental Crime Division on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint against 35 individuals over the Oriental Mindoro oil spill.
The respondents are facing a complaint for falsification of public documents, use of falsified documents, and perjury over an allegedly falsified certificate of public convenience (CPC).
Included among the respondents were RDC Reield Marine Services, the company that owns the MT Princess Empress that caused the oil spill, the ship crew, and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).
“RDC Reield directors are presumed to be authors of the falsified document as they were in possession of the same and made use of the document. They also benefited from the use of the falsified document,” Justice Department spokesman Mico Clavano said in a media briefing.
“The PCG is liable as they conduct pre-departure inspections for domestic oil tankers prior to voyage. And first and foremost on their checklist is to check the validity of the CPC,” he added.
Meanwhile, Clavano said other documents falsified were a construction certificate, tonnage measurement certificate, certificate of ownership, and certificate of Philippine registry.
“The officials from Marina and RDC… conspired for the purpose of illegally registering the MT Princess Empress with false documents,” Clavano said.
For his part, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the construction certificate, the tonnage measurement certificate, and the certificate of Philippine Registry indicated that the MT Princess Empress was allegedly constructed in Bataan.
“But in actuality, it was constructed in Navotas. And based on Marina policies, the office or the Marina Regional Office that should certify this ship should have been the place where the construction was made or the head office of the ship owner or any branch thereof,” Vasquez said.
“Based on the investigation, the ones who signed off on the registration are regional officers of Region V. These two persons, the regional director there and the… head of shipyard, they’re already transferred here because of the ongoing administrative investigation against them that was initiated by Marina,” he added.
Clavano, meanwhile, said the DOJ is still looking into whether they would file environmental crimes and graft and corruption charges in the following weeks.
GMA News Online has sought comment from the respondents, but they have yet to respond as of posting time.
For its part, the RDC maintained that the MT Princess Empress was a newly built vessel.
“MT Princess Empress is a newly built vessel that fully complies with all the requirements and procedures set by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the vessel's classification society (ORS)," the RDC said.
"We will let the facts and our evidence speak for themselves in due time," it added.
Meanwhile, PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said they will wait for the official document before issuing a statement.
"We respect the decision of DOJ but we will wait for the official document so we can have a basis to issue our statement," he told GMA News Online.
The MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off Naujan while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Pilot falls — and faulty pilot ladders — continue to be a cause for concern. Now the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) says it has secured a win for pilot safety, following the successful prosecution of a master and company in the Perth Magistrates Court on May 23, 2023.
The prosecution was brought after an incident on August 24 in which a pilot was injured when disembarking the Cyprus-flagged cargo ship AAL Dampier as it was departing the Port of Fremantle.
While departing the AAL Dampier via the pilot ladder, the ropes parted, causing the pilot to fall approximately 7 meters onto the deck of the pilot vessel, which was traveling alongside the ship.
The pilot vessel urgently transported the pilot to hospital for treatment for serious injuries.
AMSA inspectors and specialist investigators boarded the vessel and seized a portion of the pilot ladder ropes, which were later found to be seriously defective and in a poor state.
“The shocking condition of the ropes was likely due to inappropriate storage and ineffective inspection maintenance procedures,” says AMSA.
The vessel owner. AAL Dampier Navigation Co Ltd, (part of the AAL Group) pleaded guilty to an offense under Marine Order 21 (Safety and Emergency Arrangements) 2016 for failing to ensure pilot transfer arrangements in place were in accordance with the relevant regulations and was fined AUD 30,500 (about US $20,000).
The master of the vessel pleaded guilty to two offenses, one under Marine Order 21 (Safety and Emergency Arrangements) 2016 for failing to ensure the disembarkation of a pilot was carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations and one under the Navigation Act 2012 for taking an unseaworthy vessel to sea, and was fined a total of AUD 5,500 (about US$ 3,600).
AMSA Executive Director of Operations Michael Drake said he hoped the conviction would deter other vessels from compromising on marine pilot safety.
“Marine pilots have a critical and high-risk job, even in the best of conditions, and it is imperative that vessels meet safety standards to prevent s
Fastcat ferry M V ST JHUDIEL with 197 passengers on board collided with deck cargo ship LCT POSEIDON 23 in the afternoon May 21 in Cebu waters near Cebu-Mactan bridge. LCT was carrying 17 vehicles and some 20 passengers, drivers and cargo movers. Collision, reportedly, was caused by ferry steering and engine failure. Ferry bow was severely damaged, but she reached pier and was berthed, some 30 or 35 passengers sustained injures, 13 of them had to be taken to hospital.
Two bodies of missing crew members had been recovered as of Thursday afternoon as China’s Ministry of Transport has been making all-out efforts to search for and salvage the Chinese deep-sea fishing vessel that capsized and was wrecked on Tuesday in the central Indian Ocean.
The wrecked fishing vessel Lupeng Yuanyu 028, owned by Shandong Province-based Penglai Jinglu Fishery, capsized and sank about 5,000 kilometers west of Perth, Australia, early on Tuesday, with 39 crew members on board missing -- 17 Chinese, 17 Indonesians and five Filipinos, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
As of 2 pm on Thursday, 10 ships including nine sent by China were participating in the search and rescue operation.
Overcoming difficulties such as the high risk of operation at night and poor sea conditions in the area, three fishing vessels including the Ming De and Lupeng Yuanyu 087, and three naval ships, arrived on Wednesday and early Thursday morning, bringing the total number of rescue ships to nine in the area where the vessel capsized and sank, according to an official from the Transport Ministry.
The nine ships dispatched found a few floating objects such as woven bags and plastic baskets at the spot.
It is expected that two more ships -- the De Tian dispatched by the ministry and the Shandong Delong belonging to Shandong Shipping Corp -- will arrive at the spot on Friday afternoon and join the rescue mission.
Apart from the Chinese ships, Australia sent three fixed-wing aircraft and India sent one fixed-wing aircraft to participate in the rescue on Wednesday. Australia will send more fixed-wing aircraft on Thursday.
On Wednesday and early on Thursday, Transport Minister Li Xiaopeng and other officials restudied and redeployed the search and rescue mission for the capsized and sunk fishing boat. Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry kept in close communication with China’s Foreign Ministry and its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to strengthen coordination and send more rescue forces.
The Chinese authorities will continue to coordinate with Australia, India and other neighboring countries to send additional search and rescue forces from their maritime search and rescue agencies, broadcast voyage warnings and assist in the search and rescue operation.
17th May 2023 – (Beijing) The Chinese-owned and flagged fishing vessel “Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028” capsized in the central Indian Ocean on Tuesday, 16th May at around 3am local time. There were 39 people on board the vessel at the time of the incident, including 17 Chinese crew members, 17 Indonesian crew members, and 5 Filipino crew members. All 39 individuals are currently missing, and search and rescue efforts are currently underway.
Upon hearing of the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued an important directive, calling for the immediate activation of emergency response mechanisms. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, and the Shandong Provincial Government have all been instructed to verify the situation, increase the number of rescue personnel, coordinate with international search and rescue efforts, and do everything possible to carry out the rescue mission.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry and relevant embassies abroad have also been instructed to strengthen communication with local authorities and coordinate efforts in the search and rescue mission. In addition, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have called for the further strengthening of safety inspections and risk warnings for offshore operations, to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property.
In accordance with the directives of President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, and the Shandong Provincial Government have activated emergency response mechanisms and are organising rescue efforts. Other relevant rescue forces are also being mobilised to the area where the vessel capsized. The Chinese Maritime Search and Rescue Center has notified relevant countries, and rescue teams from Australia and other countries are also assisting in the search. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has also initiated an emergency response mechanism to coordinate with relevant embassies in Australia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, and the Philippines to actively carry out search and rescue operations.
LUPENGYUANYU017, similar to the ship that sank. (North Pacific Fisheries Commission)
Reports Wednesday said 39 people are missing more than 24 hours after a Chinese fishing boat operating in the Indian Ocean capsized.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the accident happened around 3 a.m. Tuesday. The report said the crew includes 17 from China, 17 from Indonesia and five from the Philippines.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang have ordered Chinese diplomats abroad, as well as the agriculture and transportation ministries, to assist in the search for survivors.
“All-out efforts” must be made in the rescue operation, Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency. Li ordered unspecified measures to “reduce casualties and strengthen safety management of fishing vessels at sea to ensure safe maritime transport and production,” Xinhua said.
No word was given on the cause of the capsizing.
Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines have also expressed their willingness to join in the search. Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency said the capsizing occurred about 4,600 kilometers (2,900 miles) northwest of Australia.
Several ships and an Australian Defense Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft have been searching the area. The Indian Ocean stretches from South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula to east Africa and western Australia. No survivors or life rafts have been spotted.
The Philippine Coast Guard Command Center said Wednesday it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Chinese Embassy in Manila, as well as search and rescue teams operating near the vessel’s last known location.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it was coordinating the search in what it called a remote location in the Indian Ocean, about 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) northwest of the coastal city of Perth. It said the agency received a distress beacon signal from the fishing vessel at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Australian time, and that weather conditions in the area Tuesday were “extreme," but had improved by Wednesday.
Merchant and fishing vessels in the area were also searching for survivors Wednesday.
A Perth-based Challenger rescue aircraft will drop a buoy to help with drift modelling to further assist in the search, the agency said.
The Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028 was based in the eastern coastal province of Shandong, operated by the Penglai Jinglu Fishery Co. Ltd., according to the reports. Another Chinese vessel, Lu Peng Yuan Yu 018, is operating near to the upturned hull and has been asked to conduct a grid search for survivors, according to the Indonesian agency.
China is believed to operate the world’s largest fishing fleet. Many of them stay at sea for months or even years at a time, supported by Chinese state maritime security agencies and a sprawling network of support vessels.
Along the Bay of Bengal at the Indian Ocean’s northern end, Myanmar and Bangladesh were undergoing recovery from a powerful cyclone that smashed into their coastlines, causing widespread destruction and at least 21 deaths, with hundreds of others believed missing.
Chinese squid fishing ships have been documented using wide nets to illegally catch already overfished tuna as part of a surge in unregulated activity in the Indian Ocean, according to a report released in 2021 by a Norway-based watchdog group that highlighted growing concerns about the lack of international cooperation to protect marine species on the high seas.
The group, called Trygg Mat Tracking, found that the number of squid vessels in the high seas of the Indian Ocean — where fishing of the species is not regulated — has increased six-fold since 2016.
The U.S. Coast Guard was also involved in a dangerous confrontation with Chinese vessels not far from Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands in 2022 during a mission to inspect the vessels for any signs of illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing.
Chinese fishing vessels operating illegally are known to sail "dark," with their mandatory tracking device that gives a ship’s position either switched off, transmitting intermittently, or providing false identifiers.
In 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was believed to have gone down somewhere in the Indian Ocean with 239 people aboard. That Boeing 777, which remains missing, became invisible to civilian radar when its transponder locating device stopped transmitting during a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
BEIJING, May 17 (Reuters) - A Chinese fishing vessel with 39 crew members on board has capsized in the Indian ocean and President Xi Jinping has ordered that all efforts be made to search for survivors, state media reported on Wednesday.
The distant-water fishing vessel "Lupeng Yuanyu 028", owned by Penglai Jinglu Fishery Co Ltd based in Shandong province, capsized early on Tuesday, state-run CCTV reported.
The 39 people on board - 17 Chinese crew members, 17 Indonesians and five from the Philippines - were missing, CCTV said.
MANILA, Philippines — The owner of the sunken oil tanker which caused an oil spill in the waters of Oriental Mindoro was a no show at a House of Representatives hearing on Tuesday, much to the dismay of lawmakers.
The House committee on ecology and natural resources probe on the MT Princess Empress was only attended by several agencies, including the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the Department of Justice, while only the captain of the sunken ship and his lawyer, with no other representatives, were present.
Cement carrier CHUNG YANG suffered engine failure early morning May 6 some 3 nm off South Korea coast north of Pohang, while en route from Donghae to Masan. Maritime Safety Service was alerted at around 0300 Seoul time, disabled ship with 15 crew was drifting in northern direction, dangerously close to coast. Understood she anchored and is waiting for weather improvement, to be taken on tow by tug. Tug is on standby, waiting weather improvement. Rough weather prevented immediate crew evacuation.
Three seafarers are missing from an Aframax tanker Pablo which caught fire off the coast of Malaysia on Monday.
Marcus Hand
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said it received an alert on Monday that fire had broken out at 4pm on the Gabon-registered vessel 37.5 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Sedili.
Two vessels in the vicinity rescued 23 of the 28 crew onboard while an MMEA vessel sent to the scene picked-up two seafarers from the water. According to the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) 18 of the crew were rescued by the tanker Enola.
Three seafarers from the stricken tanker remain missing.
The MPA named the tanker involved in the fire as the Gabon-registered Pablo. The Equasis database lists the Pablo as a 1997-built, 96,773 dwt tanker.
Owner and manager are listed Pablo Union Shipping registered in the Marshall Islands with ownership and management transferred to the single ship company in early April. At the beginning of April the vessel changed name from Mockingbird when it was also reflagged with Gabon, its previous flag listed as “unknown”.
Bangkok, May 2 (EFE).- Malaysian authorities were searching Tuesday for three sailors who disappeared after a fire sank a tanker, carrying 28 crew members, in the country’s southeastern waters.
Two boats close to the ship rescued 23 crew members who had jumped into the water alive after the incident, while two others were saved from the burning ship, the Malaysian Maritime Control Agency said in a Tuesday statement.
The Malaysian agency received an alert signal Monday afternoon from a Gabonese-flagged cargo ship, which left China bound for Singapore, and which was some 37 nautical miles from the coastal town of Tanjung Sedili.
After the rescue of 25 of the crew members, authorities carried out a search operation for the three missing sailors.
The agency also said it had opened an investigation to determine the causes of the sinking. EFE
May 03 UPDATE: 3 crew members died in explosion, which ripped off cargo deck and made PABLO look like giant hopper barge. We see a classic ballast tanker disaster – hot works on cargo deck of tanker with not degassed tanks, full of explosive fumes. Of 3 dead seamen, 2 were Indians, 1 Ukrainian. Tanker Master is reportedly, Ukrainian too, according to Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) report. Fire was already extinguished, because there wasn’t much to be on fire, actually. Tanker now is a wreck afloat, seemingly in no danger of sinking.
May 01 1600 UTC UPDATE: 25 crew were rescued by nearby ships, 3 crew are missing. No details on fire and its’ cause yet.
Aframax crude oil tanker PABLO is reportedly, on fire in South China sea at Singapore outer anchorage. No other details available at the moment. Last AIS position received at 1500 LT May 1. The ship arrived at anchorage on Apr 30 from China, bound for UAE, so she should be in ballast.
マーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURは無傷でシエラレオネ籍船のMV HONG HAI 189が転覆したと記事では書かれているが、自分にはどうしても転覆していない船はドレッジャーに見える。マーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURの写真を検索して謎が解けた。写真は転覆したMV HONG HAI 189と同型船か、同じタイプの船（MV HONG HAI 199の可能性は高い）が一緒に取られていて、同日に出港停止命令を受けたマーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURは他の場所に移動しているから、マーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURが関連事故のニュースに乗っていないと推測した。
転覆した船は少なくとも船尾に二つの舵がある。MV HONG HAI 189の船尾の写真から判断すると、MV HONG HAI 189の船尾には舵が二つある。マーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURの船尾の写真を見ると舵が一つだけだ。そして、シエラレオネ籍船のMV HONG HAI 199と呼ばれる船の写真があることから、写真は２隻のドレッジャーだと思う。
上記の船はHONG HAI 189 IMO 835554とHONG HAI 199の写真のようだ。名前が似ているのと２隻ともシエラレオネ籍船らしい。しかしIMO番号がおかしい。HONG HAI 199のIMO: 8355566やIMO 8654637と書かれているサイトがある。これだけ大きな船でシエラレオネ籍船なのに、IMO番号ではなく、内航中国船籍のようにMMSI番号なのが凄くあやしい。
マーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURは無傷でシエラレオネ籍船のMV HONG HAI 189が転覆したと記事では書かれているが、自分にはどうしても転覆していない船はドレッジャーに見える。フィリピン沿岸警備隊が素人なのか、自分が素人なのだろうか？
CAPSIZED | The dredging vessel MV Hong Hai 189 floats belly up in waters off Corregidor Island on Saturday morning, after it capsized following a collision with the bigger chemical-petrol tanker MT Petite Soeur the night before. Two crew members of the dredger died and three others are missing. The rest of its 20-man crew were rescued. The Petite Soeur did not sustain any damage and all its 21 crew members are safe. (Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard)
MANILA, Philippines — Two crew members of a foreign dredging vessel — a Filipino and a Chinese — died after their ship collided with a chemical-petrol tanker in the waters between Corregidor Island and Mariveles, Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Saturday.
Three other Chinese crewmen are missing.
The collision between the 140-meter dredger MV Hong Hai 189 and the 183-meter MT Petite Soeur, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, caused the smaller ship to capsize, PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said.
The Petite Soeur, flagged in Marshall Islands, wasn’t damaged, he said.
Other details of the incident were not immediately available, including the direction the ships were traveling and their destinations.
The Sierra Leone-flagged Hong Hai’s last port call was Botolan, Zambales, and Petite Soeur’s was Mariveles, Bataan.
Corregidor, located at the mouth of Manila Bay, is just 5.56 kilometers from Mariveles, but it is under the jurisdiction and administrative management of Cavite City, around 35 km away.
Chinese vessel Heng Da 19, which was near the area when the collision occurred, reported to the PCG that it had rescued 16 of Hong Hai’s 20 crew members — 16 Chinese and four Filipinos. Fourteen were being cared for on Heng Da, and two were rushed to a hospital.
The MV Hong Hai 189 and MT Petite Soeur collided in the waters of Corregidor Island on April 29, 2023. (Photo from the PCG)
MANILA, Philippines — Two foreign ships collided in the waters off Corregidor Island, leaving at least two people dead and three others missing, said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday.
“The [PCG] responds to a collision between MV Hong Hai 189 and MT Petite Soeur at the vicinity waters off Corregidor Island yesterday, 28 April 2023,” said the Philippine Coast Guard in a statement.
The MV Hong Hai 189 had 20 crew members, with 16 of them rescued. However, one of them, a Filipino crew member, would later die in the hospital after his rescue.
The other casualty was a Chinese seaman, whose body was recovered at sea, said the PCG.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing for three others who were reported missing.
“The Coast Guard Sub-Station Corregidor was informed that MV Hong Hai 189 already capsized,” said the PCG.
Meanwhile, the PCG said that “all 21 crew of MT Petite Soeur were in good physical condition.”
According to the PCG, the MV Hong Hai 189 was a dredger under the flag of Sierra Leone. It was last ported in Botolan, Zambales.
The MT Petite Soeur was a chemical oil tanker, and is under the flag of the Marshall Islands. It had last docked in Mariveles, Bataan.
上記の船はHONG HAI 189 IMO 835554とHONG HAI 199の写真のようだ。名前が似ているのと２隻ともシエラレオネ籍船らしい。しかしIMO番号がおかしい。HONG HAI 199のIMO: 8355566やIMO 8654637と書かれているサイトがある。これだけ大きな船でシエラレオネ籍船なのに、IMO番号ではなく、内航中国船籍のようにMMSI番号なのが凄くあやしい。
下記の記事の写真が正しければ、転覆したのはシエラレオネ籍船のMV HONG HAI 189ではなく、マーシャル諸島船籍のMT PETITE SOEURだと思う。誰も間違いに気付かないのかな？
Product tanker PETITE SOEURの長さは183mなのでHONG HAI 189の長さが140mであれば同じ大きさだと思う。MV HONG HAI 189の国籍がシエラレオネ籍船なのでまともな保険会社なのか個人的には疑問。まともな船主であれば普通、船をシエラレオネ籍船に登録なんてしないと思う。
Tanker PETITE SOEUR reportedly collided with MV HONG HAI 189, at around 2200 LT Apr 28 north of Corregidor island, Manila Bay. HONG HAI 189 capsized and sank, of 20 crew 16 were rescued, 1 found dead, 3 remain missing. On photos and videos capsized ship’s bottom is seen, with dredger at her side, most probably engaged in rescue operation. It is not therefore, clear yet, what type of ship was HONG HAI 189 – general cargo ship according to EQUASIS, or dredger, according to local sources. Tanker was to proceed to Manila from Total Philippines Corp oil terminal, she was taken to Limay anchorage after collision.
General cargo ship or dredger or hopper HONG HAI 189, IMO 9088598, length 140 meters, flag Sierra Leone.
Product tanker PETITE SOEUR, IMO 9448712, dwt 50420, built 2011, flag Marshall islands, ISM manager NORDEN SYNERGY SHIP MGMT AS.
COLLISION OFF CORREGIDOR Two foreign vessels collide off Corregidor Island on Friday, resulting in the death of a crewmember of one of the ships. A Sierra Leone-flagged dredger capsized following the collision.
TWO foreign vessels collided off Corregidor Island Friday, resulting in the death of a crewmember of one of the ships.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said those involved in the collision were Sierra Leone-flagged dredger MV Hong Hai 189 and Marshall-flagged chemical oil product tanker MT Petite Soeur.
The PCG said its sub-station in Corregidor was informed that MV Hong Hai 189 capsized following the collision.
The body of a Chinese crewmember was recovered by the search and rescue (SAR) at 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
They also rescued two others who were brought to the nearest hospital for identification and medical assistance.
The vessel near the vicinity of the accident rescued 16 of the 20 crew of MV Hong Hai 189.
Meanwhile, all 21 crew of MT Petite Soeur were safe.
The Coast Guard Aviation Force is currently conducting an aerial survey to augment the SAR operations on a missing crewmember while the PCG vessel, BRP Capones, proceeded to the vicinity of the mishap.
The PCG dispatched another vessel including aluminum boats and rubber boats, to assist the SAR operations.
The authorities have detained the MT Petite Soeur pending results of their inspection.
A vessel that ran aground during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) last December caught fire off Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu Friday afternoon.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) identified the vessel as MV Diamond Highway which was undergoing salvage operations when it caught fire at around 2:20 p.m.
As of press time, the PCG said the Coast Guard Sub-Station Lapu-Lapu and Marine Environmental Protection Unit (MEPU)-Central Visayas continue to assist the BFP Lapu-Lapu in trying to put out the fire.
At the same time, MTUG Stargas with firefighting capabilities already proceeded to the location to provide necessary assistance.
The operations manager of MV Diamond Highway, Arnel Villaganas, informed fire investigators that the blaze started from the starboard bow while cutting the vessel's scrap metals.
Pilipinas Precious Metal Resources Inc. (PPMRI) supervisor Butch Orasaga, on the other hand, said they safely disembarked all personnel conducting scrap operations when the fire started.
Zodiac Maritime’s 2014-built Indian Partnership capesize bulk carrier hit a reef in the Seram Sea in eastern Indonesia yesterday.
The ship was carrying a cargo of bauxite from Australia to China when it struck the reef, with the hull breached and quickly taking on water.
The ship can be seen listing to starboard and down at the head, in images released by the Indonesian navy.
“After hitting the reef, the vessel proceeded under her own power to shallow water near Misool Island, Indonesia where she is now safely afloat at anchor,” a spokesperson for Zodiac Maritime said.
Apr 26: ZODIAC Statement:
The Zodiac Maritime operated vessel INDIAN PARTNERSHIP, in the Ceram Sea, while on course to China carrying bauxite ore, hit an uncharted reef which pierced her forward ballast tanks on the starboard side at UTC 19:05 on 22nd April 2023.
After hitting the reef, the vessel proceeded under her own power to shallow water near Misool Island, Indonesia where she is now safely afloat at anchor. Water ingress was contained to the ballast tanks. Divers are at the vessel now and are conducting underwater repairs. The vessel is stable.
he mixed nationality crew of 22 are all safe and unharmed. There is no pollution.
The crew on board, with support from our shore based teams, are working closely with local authorities.
Apr 25: Capesize bulk carrier INDIAN PARTNERSHIP in load, ran aground at Misool island east coast, Raja Ampat Regency, Southwest Papua, Ceram sea, Indonesia. The ship strayed off course, and ran aground on reefs at around 0820 LT (UTC +9) Apr 23, being en route from Australia to China. Ship’s starboard underwater hull was breached in fore area, resulting in massive water ingress Ship is reportedly, resting on bottom, with fore tilt and starboard list. 22 all-Chinese crew remain on board. Local authorities are having communication language problem with crew on board, salvage plan and salvage company yet unknown. Ship’s loaded with 178,000 tons of bauxite ore.
Italian authorities in Venice found some 850 kg of cocaine on a ship belonging to the well-known Greek shipowner Panagiotis Laskaridis.
Skyfrost, a Greek-registered reefer, along side the Russian reefer Pamyat Ilicha, at Discovery Bay, Antarctica. Photo: Greenpeace/Paul Hilton
Italian authorities, after searching a Greek-owned vessel in Venice, found a large amount of cocaine, some 850 kg, worth about 150 million euros.
Trade Winds, which specializes in shipping, reported that the ship, the Atlas, which is under a Liberian flag, belongs to the Laskaridis Shipping company of the well-known Greek shipowner Panagiotis Laskaridis.
Italian authorities began their investigations on April 18. The drugs were packed in 570 packages weighing 850 kg. The packages were found in the vessel’s hull area beneath the waterline, commonly known as the “sea chest”.
According to Trade Winds, the ship remains in the port of Venice, where it arrived on April 17; it left Brazil on March 23. So far, none of the seafarers have been arrested.
Trade Winds said container ships are often targeted for drug smuggling and used by gangs without the knowledge of ship crews and owners.
Contacted by BIRN on Friday, Laskaridis Shipping said it is collaborating with the Italian authorities after the discovery of possible smuggled goods, believed to be cocaine, at the ship’s sea inlet, about 11 meters below the waterline. It added that the sea inlet is a part of the vessel which is not accessible to the crew and can only be accessed by divers.
“The crew cooperated fully with the competent authorities during the preliminary investigations. The competent police and prosecuting authorities found that neither the ship nor the crew were involved in any way in the relevant incident,” said Laskaridis Shipping.
Meanwhile, the Italian authorities allowed the ship to continue its commercial activities.
Last month, Europol in partnership with the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg/Bremerhaven issued a report about criminal networks in EU ports. It estimated that at least 200 tonnes of cocaine have been trafficked through the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam in the last few years.
One of the new methods criminal networks use is misappropriated container reference codes, also known as PIN code fraud. Corrupted logistics company employees provide the drug smugglers with a reference code and a driver to pick up the container with the reference code. There is no need for physical presence within the port area.
The Laskaridis family is mostly known in Greece for its charitable activities regarding environmental protection.
However, a BIRN investigation raised concerns over the Laskaridis shipping company’s environmental practices. A Laskaridis reefer called Avunda spent a month in the protected waters of Antarctica. Reefers have a high failure rate in port inspections and dominate so-called transhipping, the practice of transferring a catch from one vessel to another, usually from a fishing ship to a reefer. The practice is closely monitored in port, but not so much far offshore, where illegal catches can be concealed.
In October 2019 inspectors registered 11 violations by the Avunda including concerns over its air pollution certificate and oil filtering equipment. The following year, Greenpeace flagged the Avunda in a report detailing the dangers reefers pose to the highly sensitive waters of Antarctica.
The Laskaridis brothers deny having anything to do with illegal cargo and say the faults found by inspectors are minor and are rectified.
The ship that sank off the southern province of Antalya on April 5 might cause sea pollution as it contains bauxite, a professor has warned.
After a foreign-flagged ship carrying minerals from the southern province of Hatay to Ukraine off Antalya sank, five of the 14 Syrian crew members were rescued.
One of them lost his life, and eight people have not yet been reached.
Mehmet Gökoğlu from Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Fisheries warned that the ship carrying bauxite, which sank 22 miles offshore from Kumluca, could lead to marine pollution.
Pointing out that it is impossible to bring the ship to the surface as it sank far from the shore at a quite deep depth, Gökoğlu stated that the ship, which will remain on the seabed, is expected to drift westward with sea flows over time.
More than 3,000 tons of mineral cargo on the ship will cause metal pollution underwater, Gökoğlu said.
“In fact, this mineral also exists naturally in the marine ecosystem, but the presence of such a large amount in the ship creates heavy metal pollution underwater,” he said.
Ferry R10 capsized and rested starboard on pier and on bottom at Surat Thani port, Surat Thani Province, Thailand, Gulf of Siam, in the morning Apr 16. Ferry is linking Surat Thani with famous islands Samui and Pha Ngan, reportedly she lost stability and capsized during mooring, before boarding started. No injures reported. RAJA 10 is to be stabilized and refloated, already said ferry’s operator.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Guinea-Bissau flagged cargo ship with 14 crew members on board sank off Turkey’s Mediterranean coast on Wednesday, killing at least three of them. Five people were rescued while efforts continued to find the other missing crew, officials and news reports said.
The Joe 2 sank off the coast of Kumluca, in Antalya province, while heading to Ukraine from the Turkish port of Iskenderun, said Gov. Ersin Yazici said. It was transporting aluminum, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
The cause of the ship sinking was not immediately clear. An investigation has been launched by the chief prosecutor’s office for Kumluca.
The Turkish Coast Guard Command said it received a distress call at 3:47 a.m. and dispatched a vessel, several boats and two helicopters. Two crew members were rescued by the coast guard helicopters while three others were saved by other vessels in the area, it said.
All of the crew were Syrian nationals.
The rescue efforts were being hampered by a storm, Anadolu reported.
“We need to investigate why there are more survivors [than] the number of passengers in the manifesto,” Olaso said, adding that the company will cooperate with investigators.
Citing information shared to him by crew members, the fire was sparked by a defective light bulb in an unoccupied cabin at the lower deck.
“Later on when it was reported, the fire reached the bridge and it was already a big fire. According to the officers, they tried to put off the fire, but [it] spread so fast, most likely the crew failed to [stop it with an] extinguishing system, perhaps they also panicked,” Olaso said.
SEA TRAGEDY | The burnt passenger ferry MV Lady Mary Joy 3 after it was run aground on Baluk-Baluk Island off Basilan province. (Agence France-Presse)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — The company that owned the ill-fated MV Lady Mary Joy 3, which caught fire at sea while en route to Sulu province on Wednesday night, has apologized for the tragedy in which 29 have died and seven remain missing.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked over this tragic incident that has resulted in the loss of precious human lives. There are no words to describe the pain of losing a loved one and our hearts go out to the families, friends and relatives whom they left behind,” Aleson Shipping Lines Inc. said on Friday.
“We cannot apologize enough and we are profoundly sorry for the misery this incident has caused to many of us,” the company also said in its statement.
It noted that in its 47 years in the shipping business, Wednesday’s incident was the worst it had experienced.
Zamboanga City Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso, whose wife’s family owns Aleson Shipping, told reporters the company is preparing to provide financial assistance to passengers who were properly documented and whose names were in the boat’s manifest.
According to its manifest, MV Lady Mary Joy 3 had 205 passengers. But various information about the rescue and search operations indicated there were more people who boarded the boat than the total recorded.
Passenger accounts
“We need to investigate why there are more survivors [than] the number of passengers in the manifesto,” Olaso said, adding that the company will cooperate with investigators.
Citing information shared to him by crew members, the fire was sparked by a defective light bulb in an unoccupied cabin at the lower deck.
“Later on when it was reported, the fire reached the bridge and it was already a big fire. According to the officers, they tried to put off the fire, but [it] spread so fast, most likely the crew failed to [stop it with an] extinguishing system, perhaps they also panicked,” Olaso said.
He said the crew have all been accounted for, with the skipper, whom he did not identify, suffering minor burns on his face.
But based on the accounts of some of the survivors, the crew members were nowhere to be found as the passengers scrambled to evacuate the burning ferry. Mariebeth Julkani recalled that the passengers were not warned about the fire.
But the skipper said he sent a distress call to the Coast Guard around 10:30 p.m.
Julkani said they were awakened around midnight by the commotion at the lower deck. Soon enough, the passengers learned that a fire had struck that area.
Naber Asadil, who is still looking for his 2-month-old baby, said he just saw passengers fleeing in panic as they looked for life jackets.
As he could not secure one, Naber said he tied his 5-year-old son to his body using a “malong” before they jumped off the boat.
Focus on crew
Julkani said she only heard the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) blaring advisories through a radio about avoiding panic, by the time a PCG rescue boat arrived near Basilan’s Baluk-Baluk Island. Soon enough, the PCG trained water cannons at the ferry.
She remembered seeing some crew members mounting life rafts.
PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo told the Inquirer that his agency was looking into the possible negligence of the crew.
But in an interview with reporters on Friday, lawyer Hash Ibrahim, spokesperson for the company, maintained that the crew did their best to assist the passengers.
Ensign Tenessy Charl Rojas, deputy commander and spokesman for the PCG’s Zamboanga station, said there were survivors who attested to crew members trying to put out the fire.
“They did everything in their power in order to check on the passengers. Unfortunately due to the thick smoke caused by the fire, they were not able to check on all [of them],” she said.
Balilo said “We are looking at all possible angles in our investigation, including if there were issues in the ship’s system, or if it was carrying flammable materials which could be the source of the fire.”
On Saturday, 34 lawyers from this city and from the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi said they had joined hands to offer legal services to the families of the victims.
“As members of the legal profession and as adherents of the Islamic faith, we recognize our religious and moral duty to extend our help to the victims of this unfortunate event,” they said in a joint statement.
Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan has ordered provincial legal officer Ryan Jumaani to lead the legal assistance effort.
“The Muslim Lawyers Legal Assistance Program aims to provide free legal services to the victims of the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 fire incident, ensuring that they receive the support, guidance, and representation [which] they deserve in seeking justice and compensation,” the lawyers said.
—WITH A REPORT FROM DEXTER CABALZA
we in the BARMM government should also make sure we take steps to ensure that this incident does not happen again,” said Mawallil, who hails from Tawi-Tawi.
SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL. Firefighters, Philippine Coast Guard, and
Basilan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel
continues search and retrieval operations in Baluk-Baluk Island, Hadji Muhtamad,
Basilan Friday (March 31, 2023). following the fire incident that hit the
M/V Mary Joy 3 on March 29. The PCG reported 29 fatalities, 216 survivors,
and seven missing as of the latest count. (Courtesy of Kilo India)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Two Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) lawmakers filed a joint resolution Friday seeking an inquiry into the March 29 M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 ferry fire off Basilan province.
BARMM parliament member Amir Mawallil and Deputy Speaker Laisa Masuhud Alamia authored Bangsamoro Transition Authority Resolution No. 209, which also aims to determine the adequacy of the safety measures and protocols in place for sea travel within the region. The measure intends to craft legislation that will strengthen existing policies.
“While we grieve with the families of those lost in the tragic ferry fire, we in the BARMM government should also make sure we take steps to ensure that this incident does not happen again,” said Mawallil, who hails from Tawi-Tawi.
The ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 caught fire around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday near Baluk-Baluk Island, Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan while sailing to Jolo, Sulu coming from this city.
Commander Christopher Domingo, chief of the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station, said in a statement that there were 29 fatalities and 216 survivors as of 8 a.m. Friday.
Meanwhile, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) team from Manila arrived in Basilan Friday to carry out Marine Casualty Investigation.
Four floating assets of the PCG remain in the incident area. Search and retrieval operations by the Bureau of Fire Protection, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the PCG on the vessel in Baluk-Baluk Island continued Friday.
Republic Act No. 11054 (Bangsamoro Organic Law) grants BARMM the authority to regulate transportation, including sea transportation, within its jurisdiction, and to exercise quasi-judicial powers over the operation of land and water transportation in the region. (PNA)
The International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) and the Shipowners’ P&I Club, the liability insurer of the sunken Princess Empress, have decided to open a claims submission office in Oriental Mindoro in the Philippines to facilitate the submission of thousands of claims for compensation.
The Philippines is a party to both the 1992 Civil Liability Convention (CLC) and the 1992 Fund Convention. IOPC Funds said that it had been following developments and working closely with the club and the government of the Philippines since the product tanker sank with a cargo of industrial fuel oil then spilling into the seas around the centre of the Southeast Asian country. Thus far, an estimated 175,000 people have been affected by the spill, with plenty more fuel gushing from the ship’s ruptured tanks every day. Thousands of fishermen remain subject to an ongoing fishing ban.
IOPC Funds said that, given the latest information reported, claims relating to this incident might exceed the limit of liability of the insurer under the 1992 CLC. It was therefore possible that the 1992 Fund would be called upon to pay compensation.
The insurers have hired French oil spill response company Le Floch Depollution (LFD), which is in the process of activating resources. Japan, South Korea and the US have already provided material assistance.
The Princess Empress was found last week by a Japanese remotely operated underwater vehicle, at a depth of nearly 400 m.
It had suffered “extensive structural damage”, the Philippine Coast Guard said. Seven out of eight cargo tanks have leaked. Of those, four are already empty.
Oil has been found as far away as the western island of Palawan, more than 350 km from where the tanker went down.
Some oil has also drifted north to the Verde Island Passage, between Mindoro and the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, an area highly prized for its rich marine bioversity.
The ship’s history has been brought into question. While shipping database Equasis lists the locally flagged Princess Empress as being built in 2022, the country’s justice secretary, Jesus Crispin Remulla, has said the vessel was in fact very old, a candidate for scrapping, that had been modified twice, including a period where it traded as an LPG carrier.
Hernani Fabia, administrator of the country’s Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), said earlier this month that the ship owned by Manila-based RDC Reield Marine Services did not have a permit to operate before it headed on its fateful voyage. A senate hearing also heard that the ship had travelled on nine previous voyages without the right paperwork.
Fire engulfed the passenger areas aboard the ferry (Philippine Coast Guard photo)
A small inter-island ferry operating in the Sulu Sea in the southern portion of the Philippines caught fire while underway overnight leaving many passengers dead and injured. Officials are struggling to arrive at accurate counts but at the last report, the Coast Guard is saying at least 31 bodies have been recovered but they had been able to access parts of the vessel due to extreme heat. The Coast Guard confirmed 160 survivors while media reports are now saying that approximately 230 passengers and crew survived.
Ferry travel is a common means of transport around the Philippines but has a spotty safety record. It is the second reported incident in the past year. In May 2022, at least seven people were killed in another fire on a ferry.
The Mary Joy 3 was a small combination ferry and cargo ship registered in the Philippines. The 835 gross ton vessel departed Zamboanga for the overnight trip to Jolo both in the southern Basilan province. The Coast Guard received reports of a fire on board at approximately 23:00 on March 29 and immediately sent at least four patrol boats assisted by other SAR teams.
Passengers reported that they awoke to smoke and a spreading fire in the accommodations area of the vessel. Many reportedly jumped into the sea, some with life jackets. Local fishermen also responded assisting with rescuing people from the water.
The captain of the vessel has reportedly told the Coast Guard that he believes the fire began in the passenger accommodations. He said it spread into the galley and then they believe there were explosions possibly from an LPG tank in the galley.
Built in 1990 in Japan, the vessel is 239 feet long and operated by the Aleson Shipping Line. The company started in the 1970s and reports it currently has a fleet of 25 vessels and “has become the dominant shipping operator in Western Mindanao.” The registry indicates they acquired the vessel in 2011.
The Coast Guard is having a difficult time determining how many people were aboard the ferry, saying that the manifest appears to be incomplete and inaccurate. Officials are insisting the vessel was not overloaded. Some reports are saying there were up to 250 people aboard while the Coast Guard said the manifest showed 240 passengers and crew. Some of the survivors are members of the army and coast guard who however are reportedly not appearing on the manifest. It is believed there were 35 crewmembers.
The wreck has been beached in the southern Philippines (Isabela City-DRRM photo)
Passengers were asleep on the lower deck of the vessel when the fire started. An initial search recovered at least 18 bodies from inside the ship but the Coast Guard is saying some sections are still too hot to enter. The vessel was beached with the Coast Guard cutter extinguishing the fire after about eight hours. Among the dead are reports of a six-month-old child as well as several other children. At least several of the people drowned attempting to escape the ship.
Some of the survivors suffered minor burns and bruises. They have been taken to local hospitals.
The Coast Guard has begun an investigation while continuing the search of the vessel and the surrounding waters.
MANILA - The owners of MT Princess Empress have presented themselves to the National Bureau of Investigation.
The officers of RDC Reield Marine Services, which owns the ship, were issued a subpoena last week.
The NBI based their subpoena on the Securities and Exchange Commission records of RDC Reield Marine Services, which shows that the company is owned by the Cabial family.
The NBI talked to Reymundo Cabial, owner of RDC Reield Marine Services, and his lawyers for almost two hours.
He refused to answer questions from the media, including queries about the structure of their ship MT Princess Empress.
The management of SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp. was also subpoenaed by the NBI.
They were identified as the company that chartered RDC Reield Marine Services in using MT Princess Empress. They also refused to answer questions.
Authorities earlier ordered a halt to the operations of RDC Reield Marine Services.
Defense Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Sunday said a total of 10,206 liters of oil waste and oily water, and 72,643 kilos of oil contaminated debris were collected in the shoreline clean-up operations.
The oil spill has affected various areas in the Mimaropa region and in Western Visayas.
An oil tanker carrying fuel for state oil and gas company Pertamina terminals in Bali and Lombok catches fire on March 26.(The Jakarta Post/Instagram/yashaaa_29 )
JAKARTA – Two crew members have died and one is missing after a fire broke out on an oil tanker carrying fuel to terminals on the islands of Bali and Lombok, the state energy company Pertamina said in a statement.
The chartered vessel, MT Kristin, had 17 crew on board and was carrying 5,900 kilolitres of fuel when the fire started at 2:50 p.m. local time on Sunday.
PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) corporate secretary Muh. Aryomekka Firdaus said the other 14 crew members had been evacuated on Sunday evening safely.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the ship’s crew and also families affected by the incident,” he said in a statement on Monday
Aryomekka said that the tanker was carrying subsidized Pertalite gasoline to Lombok and Bali.
PIS, which hired the vessel, was focussing on the search and rescue of the ship’s crew and further investigation on the cause of the incident.
He said the company continued coordinating with authorities, including port authorities, search and rescue agency, state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) and Water and Air Police (Polairud) units
Pertamina said so far, no oil spills had been detected after the fire, though a 300-meter oil boom had been set up around the ship. The vessel was being towed to the nearest safe port on Monday.
The state oil company said there were sufficient fuel stocks at the Integrated Terminal Ampenan on Lombok and the Fuel Termina Sanggaran terminal on Bali to secure supplies to the popular tourist destinations, while fuel supplies from other areas were also being diverted.
“So far there’s no trouble in the supply. We are calling the public not to panic [over the supply],” Pertamina-subsidiary Pertamina Patra Niaga West Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara region spokesperson Taufiq Kurniawan said in a separate statement.
The tanker fire was the latest deadly incident hitting the company.
A fire at Pertamina’s fuel storage depot in Plumpang, North Jakarta, earlier this month killed 33 people with nearly a dozen more still in critical condition.
Thousands of people were forced to evacuate when the fire broke out, although the local disaster mitigation agency said all evacuees had since left shelters.
Witnesses likened the fire to a bomb blast after an initial explosion sent panicked locals screaming and fleeing through narrow roads with the fireball lighting up the Jakarta skyline behind them.
In response, Pertamina apologized and one of its directors was removed from his post. The state-owned firm said a pipe leak had been detected before the fire started. But criticism over the blast has forced the government to consider relocating the facility or the residents who live next to it.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited survivors and called on Jakarta’s governor and ministers to find a solution to fuel depots located near residential areas to avoid a repeat disaster.
Pertamina’s director Nicke Widyawati told reporters last week the depot could not be relocated immediately as it may disrupt the national fuel supply.
The fire was one of several that have broken out at the company’s facilities in recent years.
A massive blaze broke out in 2021 at the Balongan refinery in West Java, also owned by Pertamina and one of Indonesia’s biggest such facilities. That same depot saw fires in 2009 and again in 2014 when the flames spread to 40 houses nearby. No casualties were reported in either of those cases. (dre)
Fire broke out in forecastle compartments of tanker KRISTIN off Ampenan, Lombok island, Lombok Strait, in the afternoon Mar 26, at the time tanker was going to anchor, with 3 crew handling anchor on forecastle. Probably there was explosion prior to fire. Of 17 crew 14 abandoned tanker and are safe, those 3 who were on forecastle reportedly jumped into water and went missing, search under way. Tanker is loaded with fuel. As of 2130 LT, no updates, understood fire is still on. Ship’s AIS is on, tug and 2 rescue ships responding, engaged in firefighting and SAR. Tanker arrived from Surabaya.
Product tanker KRISTIN, IMO 8525537, dwt 4999, built 2003, flag Indonesia, operator PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS).
ROVからの画像と会見での一般配置図の画像を見ると確実に船齢約50年と思われる改造まえの「DOROTHY UNO」が改造された船だと個人的に思うが、Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)：日本では海運局のような組織は未だに2022年に建造された新造船だと言っているようだ。
Remulla: MT Princess Empress ‘a rebuilt scrap’, not meant to be a tanker 03/15/23 (GMA News ONLINE)
「DOROTHY UNO」で検索すると上記の船が見つかった。
Authorities find at least 23 holes in sunken tanker off Oriental Mindoro | ANC
A 74,651-ton container ship was seen approaching a wharf pier bow-first at an angle of 90 degrees before colliding with the steel-reinforced concrete structure at the Port of Kaohsiung yesterday, Monday, March 20.
According to the Maritime and Port Bureau, the Cyprus-flagged Hyundai Tokyo (IMO: 9305673, MMSI 212347000) crashed into Pier 77 at 9:05 am, causing damage to the dock and quay wall. The port controller had noticed that the speed of the ship was too fast and sent a warning by radio before the incident occured.
The Maritime and Port Bureau Southern Navigation Center dispatched personnel to the site of the accident to investigate, and reports this morning say that the pilot is believed to have been affected by alcohol at the time of the incident.
The ship has been ordered restricted from leaving the port while an investigation is carried out by the National Transportation Safety Committee.
Compensation is expected to be claimed for damage to the wharf after an underwater inspection is carried out in the next few days.
MANILA, Philippines–The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Thursday said it had issued a cease and desist order against the owner of the sunken MT Princess Empress oil tanker.
Marina Administrator Hernani Fabia said that covered by the cease and desist order on RDC Reield Marine Services include the cancellation of the firm’s certificate of public convenience, also affecting its remaining three vessels–two tankers and a passenger vessel.
“We issued two cease and desist orders, one is for purposes of cancellation of the franchise or the certificate of public convenience and the other one is to cease and desist in the operations, pending investigation and inspections,” Fabia told reporters in an ambush interview at the Department of Justice after he attended the meeting of the Oil Spill Inter-Agency Committee.
Fabia said the cease and desist order would stay pending investigation regarding the February 28 sinking of MT Princess Empress off the waters of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, while carrying around 900,000 liters of industrial fuels. The oil spill is now threatening southern Luzon’s ecosystem and coastal communities.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Thursday said it has issued cease and desist orders against RDC Reield Marine Services, the company that owns the sunken MT Princess Empress.
MARINA Administrator Hernani Fabia said that the agency issued two cease and desist orders for the company’s Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) and its remaining three vessels, of which two are tankers and one is a passenger vessel.
“One is for purposes ng cancellation of the franchise or the CPC, the other one is to cease and desist in the operations,” Fabia said in an ambush interview following the meeting of the Oil Spill Inter-Agency Committee at the Department of Justice.
He said the cease and desist order will remain effective pending the result of the investigation into the oil spill.
The MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off Najuan, Oriental Mindoro while carrying 900,000 liters of industrial fuel, affecting almost a hundred thousand residents in the province.
"Newly constructed"
According to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, the tanker was so old that it had already been scrapped, contrary to claims that it was a new vessel. He said the MT Princess Empress was not built to be a tanker from the beginning.
Fabia, however, said this was not true based on their records.
“Ah, sa bago yan, it’s newly-constructed. Hindi new ha? Newly constructed,” he said.
(This is not new, it’s newly constructed. It’s not new. Newly-constructed.)
“Eh, kung bumili ka ano na yan, yung new ibig sabihin it’s being— ano na existing. Pero ito naman newly-constructed, new from scratch,” he later added.
(If you buy it, new means it’s already existing. But this is newly constructed, new from scratch.)
When sought for comment, Remulla said there are six witnesses saying otherwise.
“Well, that is their allegation now, that is their claim, but we will look into it because there are claims otherwise. We will have to weigh the statements of the other witnesses,” Remulla said in a separate ambush interview.
Fines
Meanwhile, during the meeting, Environment Undersecretary Ignatius Rodriguez said initial calculations show that an administrative fine amounting to P471,000 per day from March 1 until the oil spill is resolved may be imposed on RDC.
He said this is because eight out of 10 samples examined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources showed contamination.
Rodriguez said they are still collecting more samples.
The meeting was attended by Remulla, Justice Undersecretary and Committee head Raul Vasquez, Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, MARINA administrator Fabia, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Coast Guard Admiral Artemio Abu, Relly Garcia of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and others.
GMA News Online has sought the comment of the RDC, but it has yet to reply as of posting time.
ROVs
Meanwhile, Remulla said the government is looking into the possible procurement of ROV services for the cleanup of the oil spill.
“We’re finalizing the study. Hopefully, we’ll get something by tomorrow kung kaya natin i-procure ito. Legally on an emergency basis. It’s a little touchy because of what happened in the vaccine,” he said.
“Pero ito kasi, there’s no turning back eh, talagang wala tayong magagawa na. (We can't do anything about it anymore.) We’ve been very patient but we just have to wait for it. We just have to cross the rubicon now on whether we can procure on an emergency basis as soon as possible time,” he added.
When asked how much the service will cost, Remulla said it may initially cost the government P120 million.
He said the services are being procured by a “specialist group.”
“Ang sabi ko lang (I said), we can always get the reimbursement from the people who should be paying for it, because this is a necessary thing that will not last forever. Either we do it now or we never do it,” he said.
He said the United States Coast Guard Navy has discussed with the Department of National Defense about possibly helping in the cleanup.
Meanwhile, Remulla said he wants all agencies to have ROVs in the future.
“Pinaguusapan namin kanina (We talked about it), the other agencies, all of us should have ROVs in the near future. Kasi nung araw yung (Back in the day) [having] drone was a pipe dream but now everybody has a drone,” he said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 22) — There was "clear misrepresentation" on the documents of sunken MT Princess Empress which allowed the oil tanker to operate, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Wednesday.
"Ang lumalabas dahil may denial ang Marina, ay lumalabas na fake talaga siya. Ngayon ang sa amin sa coast guard, we relied on that document so many times na binibigay sa amin nung second mate na umaaktong master nung vessel. Clearly, may misrepresentation dito at meron dapat managot," PCG spokesperson Armand Balilo told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: It appears that because Marina (Maritime Industry Authority) has denied it, it seems the document is indeed fake. We at the coast guard relied on that document shown to us so many times by the second mate, who was acting as the vessel's master. Clearly, there was misrepresentation here and someone should be held accountable.]
On Monday, a Marina official said those found to have taken part in falsifying the documents of the oil tanker will face fines and sanctions, among others.
Senators in an inquiry cited a report from Marina which stated that the vessel "has no authority to operate in the form of an amendment to its certificate of public convenience."
The PCG denied it allowed the tanker that caused the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro to operate without a permit, as it presented a document to rebut the claim during the same hearing.
In an interview with CNN Philippines’ Balitaan, Balilo said the ship owner, as well as its master, should be made to explain what transpired.
Next step in clean-up efforts
Meanwhile, the PCG said plugging the hole in the sunken tanker to stop the oil leak is the next step in the clean-up.
"Dahil meron nang survey at nakakita na ng image kung saan pwede nang pag-aralan ng mabuti nung pag-plug, at eventually yung pagkuha o pag-siphon ng langis," said Balilo.
[Translation: Because a survey has already been made and images have shown where and how the plugging can be done, eventually the siphoning of the oil will happen as well.]
He added that the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which was used to take images of the vessel was not capable of siphoning off the remaining oil.
"Yung pag-siphon kasi hindi kasama sa unang plano at kapabilidad nung nilubog na ROV at kailangan magkaroon pa ng isa pang equipment para sa pagkuha nung langis," he explained.
[Translation: Siphoning was not part of the original plan and the ROV is not capable of doing that. We will have to use other equipment to retrieve the oil.]
Balilo said clean-up efforts will remain a priority, as the investigation into the tanker sinking proceeds.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 21) — The MT Princess Empress, which sank off Oriental Mindoro three weeks ago causing a massive oil spill, has been spotted, Governor Humerlito "Bonz" Dolor said on Tuesday.
Dolor made the announcement in a social media post showing a photo of the oil tanker, which was found through a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from Japan.
“Sa wakas, natagpuan na ang MT Princess Empress! Ang unang sulyap sa lumubog na barko gamit ang ROV (lulan ng Japanese vessel na sinalubong natin kahapon at inihatid sa lugar na pinangyarihan ng trahedya),” the governor wrote, referring to Japanese salvage vessel Shin Nichi Maru.
[Translation: Finally, the MT Princess Empress has been found! Here’s the first glimpse of the sunken ship using an ROV, which was on board the Japanese vessel we welcomed yesterday and brought to the area of the incident.]
On March 6, authorities announced locating the tanker 7.5 nautical miles from Balingawan Point, facing the town of Pola in Oriental Mindoro, although the ship itself hasn't been sighted at the time.
In a press briefing, Dolor reported that the earlier identified location is the same area where the ship was seen.
He said experts are now assessing the vessel, including if there are holes that have to be covered. An official report is expected in a few days, Dolor added.
MT Princess Empress was initially reported to have been transporting 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it capsized and sank near Naujan town on Feb. 28.
The Philippine Coast Guard later corrected this in a radio interview, saying the ship was carrying 900,000 liters of oil.
Meanwhile, Defense chief Carlito Galvez, Jr. confirmed on Tuesday that the United States will join Japan in helping in cleanup efforts by deploying naval units.
In a separate statement, the US government also reported that eight of its experts already arrived in Pola, Oriental Mindoro to assist in response operations.
Galvez added that the Philippines will continue to seek the expertise and technical support of other nations, such as France and the United Kingdom, in containing the oil spill.
The tanker was found by a Japanese remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor told reporters.
A leaking oil tanker that sank in the Philippines three weeks ago has been found, officials said Tuesday, as the slick reached waters known for their rich marine life.
The Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 litres (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil when it sank on February 28 off the central island of Mindoro, south of the capital Manila.
Diesel fuel and thick oil from the vessel have since contaminated the waters and beaches of Oriental Mindoro province and other islands.
The tanker was found by a Japanese remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor told reporters.
It is nearly 400 metres (1,300 feet) below the waves.
Dolor said he received the first photos showing the exact location of the vessel on Tuesday morning.
The national disaster agency said the ROV would assess the hull's condition before a decision was made about how to "control the spill from its source".
The Philippines has sought assistance from several countries, including Japan, the United States and France, to help contain and clean up the slick.
Thousands of hectares of coral reefs, mangroves and seaweed could be affected, officials have said.
Oil spill booms made out of hay, human hair and other materials have been deployed to try to protect coastal waters that people in the fishing and tourism industries rely on for their livelihoods.
Oil has been spotted as far away as Casian Island, off the north coast of the western island of Palawan, about 350 kilometres (220 miles) southwest of where the tanker sank.
As feared, oil has also drifted north to the Verde Island Passage -- a busy sea lane between Mindoro and the Philippines' main island of Luzon.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said previously that the area was "globally recognised" for its marine biodiversity.
The Philippine Coast Guard said clean-up operations on Monday removed oil from the shores of three villages on Verde Island, which is popular with divers.
Oil also has been spotted further along the passage at Tingloy municipality on Maricaban Island, part of Batangas province.
Residents and coast guard personnel have been removing oil-coated seaweed and other debris from affected areas.
Tens of thousands of people have been affected by the spill, with scores falling ill. The government is distributing food packs and other assistance.
Among the hardest hit are fishermen, who have been ordered to stay on shore until they can fish safely.
jae-amj/smw
The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. This story was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.com.
MANILA - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday said it had no hand in checking if the sunken motor tanker Princess Empress was a 'scrap ship,' a day after a lawmaker said the vessel responsible for the massive Mindoro oil spill was not up to standards.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday said the PCG and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) should be held accountable for allowing MT Princess Empress to sail. The opposition lawmaker alleged that the tanker was 50 years old and had not bee refurbished according to standards.
“Wala kaming hand doon sa, alam mo, sa pagbi-build ng barko at yung pagpapayag dito,” said PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo.
“Ang sa amin ay pagki-clear pagka sila’y magse-sail na ‘no, at pagka pumunta sa mga stations,” he added.
(We have no hand in the building of a ship or allowing a ship to be built. We're in charge of clearing it to sail and when it goes to the stations.)
But Balilo stressed that the PCG was willing to face any probe regarding the incident.
“Kung meron information na makakatulong, tayo naman po ay open sa ganyan,” he said.
(If we have information that can help, of course we are open to that.)
The official said the owner of the tanker was able to show them a certificate of public convenience (CPC).
A CPC is a franchise that grants permission to operate in certain public activities.
“Dahil Marina ito galing, nagpi-presume kami ng regularity... Nakakalayag na yung barko eh. Ang iniisip namin dito may prangkisa ito, at saka may ibang dokumento pa bukod dito, na magsasabi na legit itong operations nila,” Balilo said.
(Because it came from Marina, we presumed regularity. The fact is the ship has been sailing. We thought it had a franchise and other documents proving its operations were legitimate.)
“Ngayon kung ito’y fake, eh dapat ipa-explain natin yung may-ari at papanagutin natin bakit nila ginagamit itong dokumento na ito,” he stressed.
(Now, if they were using fake documents, the owners must be made to explain.)
Marina has since denied issuing the permit that allowed the MT Princess Empress to set sail before it capsized while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil.
The submerged tanker is believed to be about 400 meters below the waves.
More than 2,500 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves and seaweed could be affected by the spill, the environment department said previously.
It is not known how much diesel and oil have leaked into the water.
Thousands of fishermen have been ordered to stay on shore until they can fish safely, and swimming is also banned.
Thin threads of fuel oil seep from the topsides of MT Princess Empress (Fukada Salvage / PCG)
A Japanese salvor has completed an ROV survey of the sunken Philippine tanker Princess Empress, returning images of fuel oil cargo leaking from the vessel's topsides. The survey confirms the wreck's location and serves as a first step towards a potential remediation effort.
The small product tanker Princess Empress went down off Pola, Oriental Mindoro on February 28 with a cargo of 900,000 liters of fuel oil. The petroleum continues to leak out of its tanks, threatening a growing swath of the central Philippines with pollution. The slick has spread as far south as the Caluya Islands and as far northwest as the ecologically sensitive Verde Island Passage, a critical fishery breeding ground located between Mindoro and Luzon. Tens of thousands of fishermen, hospitality industry workers and residents have been affected by shoreline pollution and related business impacts.
The salvage vessel Shin Nichi Maru arrived in Mindoro on Monday, and after formalities in port, she headed directly to the suspected wreck site. A Philippine survey ship previously scanned the area to determine the most likely location of the tanker. Shin Nichi Maru deployed her ROV, the Hakuyo, and quickly confirmed that the sonar target was the Princess Empress.
mages courtesy Fukada Salvage / PCG
Now that the vessel's location has been confirmed, the government of Oriental Mindoro plans to meet with the PCG, the shipowner, the insurer and the charterer in order to plan the next steps of the response.
The Philippines' civil defense agency also called for procuring an ROV for domestic use, citing the long timeframe in between the casualty and the visual inspection. "The government itself still needs to procure an ROV in order to create its own capacity. As soon as possible, we need to buy our own ROV," Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.
Skimming operations to recover oil from the Princess Empress, March 16 (PCG)
Shoreline pollution on ecologically-sensitive Verde Island, March 21 (PCG)
Documentation inquiry deepens
It is unclear whether the newbuild Princess Empress had the correct documentation at the time of the casualty voyage. Philippine maritime regulatory agency Marina insists that it never issued an amended Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) - a permit to operate in domestic trade - to reflect the addition of Princess Empress to the shipowner's fleet. However, the PCG is in possession of what appears to be a signed copy of an amended permit, which was allegedly provided to the coast guard by the vessel's second mate.
On Tuesday, Marina regional director Marc Pascua insisted that he had never signed the document and that it contained material discrepancies that suggest that it may have been forged. At a press conference, he told GMA that the document misspelled his name ("Mark" instead of "Marc"), incorrectly listed his job title, and showed that it had been "certified" by a Marina staffmember who had already retired two years before. The Philippine Department of Transport is currently investigating whether the document was legitimate.
This handout photo taken March 21, 2023, by DPV Shin Nichi Maru and released courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard shows a monitor with footage of the sunken oil tanker MT Princess Empress as it lies on the ocean floor off Naujan, Philippines.
An oil tanker that has been leaking fuel since sinking last month off the coast of the central Philippines has been located.
Humerlito Dolor, the governor of Oriental Mindoro province, said Tuesday that the Princess Empress was found by an underwater robot donated by Japan. He said photos taken by the robot will help determine the tanker’s condition and what steps need to be taken to plug the leaks.
The MT Princess Empress was carrying about 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil when it sank on February 28. Officials say thousands of hectares of coral reefs, mangroves and seaweed could be affected by the spill.
The Philippines has sought assistance from the United States and Japan to contain and clean up the spill.
Authorities have imposed bans on fishing and swimming in affected areas, putting the livelihoods of many residents at risk.
Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
MANILA, Philippines – Following the sinking of MT Princess Empress and its impact, it’s time the Philippines enacts a corporate environment liability law that will ensure that polluters pay, an environmental expert said.
In an interview on ABS-CBN News, lawyer and former environment undersecretary Antonio La Viña said that despite previous incidents of major oil spills, the Philippines still does not have a law that will make companies behind oil pollution pay for damage to people and the environment, especially for long-term impacts.
“We have many good environmental laws but we do not yet have a corporate environment liability act where it should be the company that pays for the damage,” he said.
He acknowledged that the country’s laws limit liability mainly to the ship owner and not to the charterer of the vessel, but added that it’s time that Congress pass a law that will make polluters pay.
Under the current system, La Viña said the private companies behind oil pollution were simply sanctioned and fined by regulatory agencies.
“We only have fines, pero maliit lang ang fines (the fines are small), and not enough to pay for the damage,” he said.
Aside from environmental damage, private companies should also compensate fishermen for loss of livelihood, as well as LGUs and resort owners for loss of revenues.
Although private companies can be sued for oil pollution, La Viña said these take a long time.
“Pag sa kaso mo dinaan, matagal yan. Dapat yung ganito, administrative ang process, ‘di sya dadaan sa korte,” he said, adding that private companies can appeal adverse administrative decisions to the courts.
(If you resort to filing cases, it will take a long time. In cases like this [Mindoro oil spill], it should be an administrative process, it doesn’t go through the courts.)
“Time and again, and I have seen this in many environmental disasters such as the Marcopper mining disaster in Marinduque, at the end of it, bahala na si Batman (it’s up to Batman). Kasi nga may gap sa batas natin (Because we have a gap in our law) on corporate liability for the impacts,” he said.
Although it may be difficult to pass such a law, La Viña said “we’ve never tried it” and it would need “champions” from both houses of Congress.
Who owns the oil?
La Viña lamented the lack of transparency on the charterer of MT Princess Empress and the owner of the more than 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil the tanker was shipping from Bataan to Iloilo on February 28.
He said “it’s ridiculous” that three weeks after the sinking of MT Princess Empress, the public still does not know the charterer of the tanker and owner of the cargo.
Rappler reported on March 13 that it was a subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corporation, SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation, which chartered the ship owner, RDC Reield Marine Services. But no government agency nor San Miguel Corporation (SMC), has publicly disclosed this information.
The Philippine Stock Exchange, where SMC is listed and traded, has apparently not asked the conglomerate to comment on this information that has been reported by Rappler and a few other news outfits more than a week ago. No disclosure has yet been made as of posting.
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) legal chief Sharon Aledo has merely acknowledged to Rappler in an email interview, as well as in public interviews, that MT Princess Empress left the SL Harbor Terminal. This private port is operated by SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp. She said regulators were not informed about the charterer.
Ship owner RDC has also not disclosed the charterer citing its non-disclosure agreement.
Even though Philippine laws penalize mainly the ship owner, La Viña said there are “openings for liability” of the charterer and cargo owner.
MARINA’s Aledo said in a recent interview that the charterer of MT Princess Empress should have undertaken “due diligence” of the ship owner, following reports that the ship did not have an approved amended Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) or license to sail.
Oceana Legal and Policy Director Liza Osorio, in a recent Rappler interview, said the cargo owner could be held liable if it is shown that the oil was not properly packed.
In the case of the Guimaras oil spill, a special Board of Marine Inquiry found the charterer and cargo owner, Petron Corporation, liable for overloading MT Solar 1 which contributed to the tanker sinking in August 2006. Petron Corp., which handles the fuel and oil business of SMC, appealed the ruling.
Insurance coverage not for poor
La Viña also lamented that while shipping companies and cargo owners can claim insurance for their losses, there is no insurance coverage for long-term impacts on the environment and people.
He said private companies “should pay for the damage” and “insure themselves for it.”
“This oil spill, this tanker, those who contracted it will not suffer kasi (because) insured. They would not have done this [contract] without insurance. There’s always a failure to have that insurance pay for the impacts, it’s only for loss of ship and cargo,” he said.
“That’s one of the problems. Kasi ang gusto ng company, kanila lang yun [insurance].” (The company only wants the insurance for itself.)
La Viña said this should change since it’s always the poor who suffer the most in environmental disasters.
“Dapat baguhin na. Palaging holding the bag ay kapwa Pilipino mahihirap, fisherfolk, those in coastal areas dependent on fisheries, coastal tourism. LGUs [local government units] rarely get anything from the insurance,” he said.
(That should change. It’s always the poor holding the bag, the fisherfolk, those in coastal communities dependent on fisheries, coastal tourism.)
In the sinking of MT Princess Empress, La Viña said there was clearly “regulatory failure” by government agencies involved such as the Philippine Coast Guard but he said it was time that private companies also be held accountable.
“Di na tayo natuto (We have not learned our lessons). Grabe ang regulatory failures ng ating gobyerno sa Mindoro (The regulatory failures of our government in Mindoro are grave),” he said. “Even after Guimaras, hindi pa natin (we have not) put into place the system to do it right.”
In an opinion piece published by Rappler in 2019, Coast Guard deputy chief Commodore Jay Tristan Tarriela said they were always held accountable and “publicly crucified” in the event of maritime disasters while the ship owners escape accountability.
“Ironic as it may seem, it is because of this PCG mandate that the public has forgotten the shipowners who were given ‘Certificate of Public Convenience’ as a license to operate and have this responsibility. The PCG’s performance of the predeparture inspection takes away this burden of responsibility from the shipowners,” Tarriela wrote. He also said the Philippines is the only country that still requires its coast guard to conduct pre-departure inspections of domestic vessels.
RDC has said that MT Princess Empress has a $1 billion Protection & Indemnity (P&I) coverage, but doubts have been raised on whether it can claim it due to reports of the vessel was “colorum” or unlicensed.
Environmental groups and public officials have decried the likely long-term damage to the country’s rich natural resources, especially in the biodiverse Verde Island Passage. La Viña said environmental groups have long been urging the government to ban oil tankers from crossing this body of water.
Appeal to San Miguel
Instead of filing cases in court, La Viña advised the local governments and citizens affected by the oil spill to instead seek a “negotiated agreement” with SMC president Ramon Ang, if it is proven that a SMC subsidiary chartered the vessel and owns the cargo.
He noted that SMC is a “big company” with “good CSR [corporate social responsibility].”
Mr. Ang is very supportive of this [CSR], baka malaki yung kanila makukuhang (they might get a fast) settlement,” La Vina said. “It should be a negotiated agreement para mabilis (so it will be fast). Pero kailangan ng mabilisan ang (But the damage assessment should be rushed) rapid assessment.”
On Monday, March 20, Oriental Mindoro Governor Humberto Dolor told ANC Headstart that all their LGUs agreed that they will be filing “just one solid case” on behalf of all LGUs against the ship owner.
“Before we file anything, we want to make sure that the evidence will warrant conviction,” he said.
He said they plan to file a civil case but a criminal case is also an option.
Dolor said they were worried that their legal action would take a long time, similar to what happened in the Guimaras oil spill.
“Coming from experience, ang nagpapatagal ay (what delays it are) multiple claims. That’s why we agreed we will claim as a group, as a province, in one claim. Pag nagdoble doble, magpapatagal ito (If it’s multiple, it will cause delays),” he said. “It will take 10 years, we don’t want that to happen. We don’t want years of agony. We want to go back to normal. they have to pay for the daily losses that we have,” he said.
Dolor said they were still waiting for a complete assessment of the damage to the environment, people, companies, and LGUs before filing a class
Government agencies are on alert for a potential oil spill from the floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel deployed on US supermajor Chevron’s Benchamas field offshore Thailand following an onboard accident that left one worker dead.
One crew member was killed after seawater entered the hull of the Benchamas 2 FSO when a seal malfunctioned during maintenance work. Chevron confirmed that a contractor working aboard the vessel had died.
There were 29 crew members onboard the FSO at the time of the incident and non-essential workers have since been demobilised.
“The safety of all personnel and the protection of the environment remain our top priorities. We have engaged and notified the relevant authorities and are working with all stakeholders,” Chevron reportedly said in a statement.
Upstream has approached Chevron for independent verification and comment.
The kingdom’s government has tasked the Royal Thai Navy and Department of Transport to help prevent a possible significant oil spill from the FSO, which is deployed on the Benchamas field in the Gulf of Thailand.
Royal Thai Navy spokesman Admiral Prokgrong Monthatphalin said that multiple agencies were working to recover the body of the dead crewman, fix the leak and avert an oil spill.
“The vessel’s condition is safe and weather conditions are not interfering with the rescue operations. However, there is no electricity in the engine room… it is affecting assessment of the situation,” Prokgrong was quoted in a statement by the Bangkok Post.
The FSO, which for more than four years has been operating on Chevron’s Benchamas field on Block B8/32 in the Gulf of Thailand about 130 miles offshore Chon Buri province — home of Thailand’s largest naval base — had some 400,000 barrels of oil on board at the time of the incident.
Benchamas 2’s owner and operations & maintenance services contractor — Petronas subsidiary MISC — five years ago converted the aframax tanker delivered by Hyundai Heavy Industries in 1999 into an FSO. The ABS-classed, double-hulled vessel, which is moored on the Benchamas field in a water depth of 71 metres via an external turret, has storage capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude.
In January, Thai fishermen and local business owners filed lawsuits totalling about $150 million against Chevron subsidiary Star Petroleum Refining over an early 2022 oil spill in the Gulf of Thailand that stemmed from a leak in a subsea flexible hose used to load tankers at an offshore single point mooring.
“We have a long history as a safe, reliable and caring operator. We take full responsibility for our operations [and] are deeply saddened and disappointed by the impact of this spill,” Star Petroleum Refining official Robert Joseph Dobrik earlier said.
Update (March 21) -- MISC Behard, owners of the FSO reports that there was no explosion correcting the Royal Thai Navy which had at the time said it understood there had been an explosion that caused the death of the crewmember. In the following days, they have been working to stabilize the vessel. The body of the deceased crewmember was removed from the vessel and preparations were underway for return to the family. There continues to be no oil leak from the Benchamas 2 while work in the field was suspended while they continue to repair the vessel after the accident.
The government of Thailand has ordered the Royal Thai Navy and the Department of Transportation to assist to prevent a potentially significant oil spill from a damaged FSO operated by Chevron 129 miles off the coast of the country. The vessel, the Benchamas 2, was undergoing routine maintenance when the accident happened and is reported to be taking on water at the stern.
Chevron issued a statement confirming that one crewmember, a contractor, working aboard the vessel during the maintenance operation was killed. According to reports, they were working on repairs removing an underwater value. The government is referring to it as a seawater suction pipe that is now leaking and causing the engine room of the FSO to flood.
The flooding has left the Benchamas 2 without electrical power. The Royal Thai Navy noted that the crude oil heating system is not working due to the lack of power raising the potential for an oil leak. Reports said that there are currently 400,000 barrels of oil stored aboard the FSO.
There were 29 crewmembers working aboard the vessel at the time of the accident. Chevron reports that non-essential personnel were removed from the vessel. The government reports said that the remaining crew was in no immediate danger and were working with the Navy to stabilize the situation. The Navy noted that weather has not been an issue, reporting that the wind and waves are not an obstacle to their operation.
The Navy was expected to reach the vessel early today. They are planning for three scenarios, including successfully sealing the leaking pipe or more water continuing to enter the vessel. The third scenario they are preparing for is a potential oil spill from the FSO. Resources are being positioned with reports that the Prime Minister of Thailand is monitoring the situation and has consulted with senior officials of the Navy and government.
The Benchamas 2 went into operation in the field located in the Gulf of Thailand in 2018. She was converted from a 1998-built Aframax tanker Bunga Kelena 5 owned by MISC Berhad. The conversion work was carried out at a shipyard in Malaysia with reports saying that the vessel was designed to operate for 12 years without drydocking. The 104,500 dwt vessel was designed to provide a maximum storage capacity of 650,000 barrels.
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)：日本では海運局のような組織が書類を発給していないと声明している以上、内部の職員が賄賂をもらって公文書偽造の可能か、外部の人間が公文書偽造を行ったと言う事だと思う。
オイルタンカー「Princess Empress」の二等航海士がPCG（フィリピン沿岸警備隊）に見せたCPC（運航許可証）を発行した人物の名前が間違っており、しかも、その名前の職員は2020年１月1日に退職しており、既に、2022年12月27日に死亡していることが判明したそうだ。船が建造されてた年よりも前に退職しているそうだ。
aritime Industry Authority (MARINA)：日本では海運局のような組織がCPC（運航許可証）を発行していないと発言し、矛盾が存在する公文書偽造であると思われるCPC（運航許可証）が存在する以上、オイルタンカー「Princess Empress」の所有者であるRDC Reield Marine Services (RDC)はどのように、そして誰からCPC（運航許可証）を入手したのか公表するべきだと思う。もう既に警察が動いている可能性は高い。
現在、The Department of Transportation（運輸局）が調査中だと言う事だが、油汚染に繋がった公文書偽造なので刑事事件だと思うが、民事で莫大な被害請求がくる可能性は高い。
MANILA, Philippines - The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Monday reiterated that it did not issue an amendment to the certificate of public convenience (CPC) of the owner of MT Princess Empress to include the sunken tanker in its fleet.
At a Senate panel inquiry last March 13, MARINA said that the tanker had no permit to operate in the form of an amendment to its CPC. But hours later, the Philippine Coast Guard posted on social media a document - a November 16, 2022 decision by the Marina - showing that MT Princess Empress had an approved CPC.
A CPC is issued by the MARINA to a domestic water transport service provider to operate a vessel for commercial or public use, for which no franchise, either municipal or legislative, is required by law.
The Coast Guard, on the following day, said it is investigating the authenticity of the document presented to its personnel, which allowed the vessel to sail at least four times before it sank off Oriental Mindoro and leaked oil into the sea.
But in a briefing on Monday, MARINA-National Capital Region regional director Marc Anthony Pascua denied signing an amended CPC.
“That is not authentic so to speak because we did not issue a CPC amendment. At the same time, I never signed any amended CPC for that matter,” Pascua said.
He added that RDC Reield Marine Service, which owns MT Princess Empress, only has “screened application” for the amendment of its CPC.
MARINA legal service director Sharon Aledo also said that the vessel owner was still lacking documents in its application to amend its CPC.
The Department of Transportation is investigating the questionable CPC. MARINA, an agency under the DOTr, is mandated to oversee the promotion and development of the maritime industry, and to provide effective regulation of shipping enterprises.
Suspension
Aledo also reported that MARINA issued a suspension order against RDC Reield Marine Service last week.
“MARINA has already issued a directive for the shipowner of MT Princess Empress considering they still have other vessels. They have already been suspended. So they are no longer operating,” she said.
MARINA has also approved the release of P33 million from the Oil Pollution and Management Fund administered by the agency for the clean-up and containment of the oil spill. The PGC requested the release of such funds.
Authorities have yet to recover the sunken tanker and contain the oil spill that has disrupted the livelihoods of affected communities and threatened the area’s rich marine biodiversity.
He said the vessel should have undergone inspection prior the issuance of permits.
PCG (Philippine Coast Guard:フィリピン沿岸警備隊)が何度もオイルタンカー「Princess Empress」を検査している以上、本船が船齢1年の新造船でない事に気付くべきだったと思う。PCG（フィリピン沿岸警備隊）隊員達が買収されていたか、ずさんな検査をするのが常態化していたのか、船に対する知識が不足していたのか、これらのコンビネーションでなければ船齢50年の改造された船に気付かない事はないと思う。
リビルトの船の場合、いろいろな機器が古く、ポンプやいろいろな機器のネームプレートや製造年月日が書かれた情報がかなり古い。スクラップヤードから購入して取り付けるか、リビルトでなけけば、多くの古い機器が取り付けられることはない。少なくとも4回以上の検査が行われているので、全ての検査において誰も疑問に思わなかったのか疑問である。
PCG（フィリピン沿岸警備隊）の「the vessel should have undergone inspection prior the issuance of permits.」の発言は正しいと思う。フィリピンのシステムについて全く知らないが、検査を行わずにCPC（運航許可証）を発行するようになっているのなら、法や規則改正の準備に取り掛かるべきだと思う。
オイルタンカー「Princess Empress」の二等航海士がPCG（フィリピン沿岸警備隊）に見せたCPC（運航許可証）を発行した人物の名前が間違っており、しかも、その名前の職員は2020年１月1日に退職しており、既に、2022年12月27日に死亡していることが判明したそうだ。船が建造されてた年よりも前に退職している。
フィリピンの事について詳しくないが、これは氷山の一角であると思う。フィリピン人船員と話すことはあるが、フィリピンでは地獄沙汰もお金次第だとよく聞くので、癒着、腐敗、汚職や賄賂があるのだと思う。
aritime Industry Authority (MARINA)：日本では海運局のような組織がCPC（運航許可証）を発行していないと発言し、矛盾が存在する公文書偽造であると思われるCPC（運航許可証）が存在する以上、オイルタンカー「Princess Empress」の所有者であるRDC Reield Marine Services (RDC)はどのように、そして誰からCPC（運航許可証）を入手したのか公表するべきだと思う。もう既に警察が動いている可能性は高い。
The director of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) in the National Capital Region on Monday denied signing an amended Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) which covered the MT Princess Empress.
At a news conference, MARINA-NCR regional director Marc Pascua said the copy of the CPC released by the Philippine Coast Guard was not authentic.
“I just want to clarify that as far as MARINA-NCR is concerned, as far as records are concerned, wala po kaming in-issue na amended CPC sa particular vessel na Princess Empress, that’s number one," Pascua said.
"Number two, wala po akong pinipirmahan na CPC for that particular vessel,” he added.
(Number one, we did not issue an amended CPC to Princess Empress. Number two, I did not sign a CPC for that particular vessel.)
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said the PCG allowed the ill-fated MT Princess Empress to sail after its CPC was submitted to the coast guard on February 27.
MARINA spokesperson Sharon Aledo earlier confirmed that the company RDC Reield Marine Services has a valid company CPC. However, it showed that MT Princess Empress has not yet been added to such CPC.
In a message to GMA News Online, Balilo said that MARINA should let the shipowner explain if indeed the document was falsified.
He said that the PCG received the same documents on several occasions from the 2nd mate of the vessel, thus it would be better if the explanation for the “misrepresentation” would be coming from the crew him/herself.
“Kung fake, let the shipping company explain. Ilang beses silang nag submit ng parehong document,” Balilo said.
(If it's fake, let the shipping company explain. They submitted the same document several times.)
“We relied on that document. ‘Pag pinakita sa amin mga docs gaing ng Marina may presumption of regularity. We also do that to other docs presented to us na most of the times wala namang irregularity,” he added.
(When we are shown documents coming from the MARINA, there is a presumption of regularity. We also do that to other documents presented to us that most of the time have no irregularity.)
Balilo said on Wednesday it was checking the validity of the CPC of MT Princess Empress following questions that it sailed without such a permit.
Pascua said that he was serving as a regional director for MARINA NCR and not a franchising director—as indicated in the document—-when the MT Princess Empress sailed. His first name is also spelled as “Marc” and not “Mark.”
Aledo also pointed out that a certain Feliciano Tira, who certified the CPC amendment as a true copy, retired on January 1, 2020, and already died on December 27, 2022.
She said that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is also investigating if the CPC submitted to the PCG is authentic or not.
The Department of Justice earlier said an inter-agency committee and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were looking into the possibility that some officials of the PCG and MARINA colluded to allow MT Princess Empress to sail despite the absence of an amended CPC.
Aledo said MARINA would cooperate with any investigation.
MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off Naujan while carrying 900,000 liters of industrial fuel. Aside from Oriental Mindoro, it has also reached nearby provinces like Antique, Palawan, and Batangas. —NB, GMA Integrated News
"We are not shying away from responsibility, we are open to investigations. In fact, we appreciate the investigations because that will be a good avenue also for people to come forward and share what happened when the ship left port," PCG Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said.
Authorities continue to look into the case of the MT Princess Empress, which is owned by RDC Reield Marine Service. Marina earlier said that the oil tanker did not have a permit to sail in the first place and that the coast guard allowed it to sail anyway.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard on Monday said it is ready to cooperate with any investigating body, such as the Department of Justice, looking into possible lapses in allowing an oil tanker that later sank off Oriental Mindoro to leave port.
In a press briefing on Monday, the PCG said that while they are conducting their own investigation on allegations related to the Certificate of Public Convenience issued to the MT Princess Empress by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), the agency is willing to cooperate with other investigating bodies "because they are in the position to do so."
"We are not shying away from responsibility, we are open to investigations. In fact, we appreciate the investigations because that will be a good avenue also for people to come forward and share what happened when the ship left port," PCG Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said.
Authorities continue to look into the case of the MT Princess Empress, which is owned by RDC Reield Marine Service. Marina earlier said that the oil tanker did not have a permit to sail in the first place and that the coast guard allowed it to sail anyway.
The PCG has since presented a supposed CPC for the tanker on social media and to media, but Balilo said this should not preclude probes into the agency and its potential lapses.
MT Princess Empress sank in waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro in the early hours of end-February. It was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel when it sank, putting authorities on a "race against time" to make sure that oil from the tanker does not spill over to other parts of the country.
Here's information, based on documents obtained by Rappler, on RDC Reield Marine Services - the company in the hot seat after its tanker sank off Oriental Mindoro with over 800,000 liters of 'black oil' on February 28.
MANILA, Philippines - Here are some facts on RDC Reield Marine Services, the company that owns MT Princess Empress - the oil tanker that sank off Oriental Mindoro last February 28, with over 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil or “black oil.”
These pieces of information are mainly from documents the company submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) obtained by Rappler.
RDC is primarily engaged in the “business of marine services including but not limited to tank cleaning and other related services.”
Its secondary purposes are to:
“engage in the business of domestic shipping and the delivery of oil and petroleum products related activities”
“engage in the business of buying, selling, marketing, supplying, distributing of goods such as oil/petroleum products, slightly used heavy equipments and machineries and other related products on wholesale/retail basis”
RDC is a 100% Filipino company owned by the Cabial family. Its office is in Mandaluyong City.
Its officers are:
Reymundo Duldulao Cabial, chief executive officer (CEO) and president
Criselda L. Cabial, chief financial officer/treasurer
Fritzie Faye L. Cabial, vice-president
Reia Faye Cabial, corporate secretary
Francis John Cabial, auditor
Reield Faye L. Cabial, director
One of the original incorporators in 2014 was Reina Loraine L. Inducil.
RDC was registered with the SEC in 2014. Its paid-up capital was P5 million raised by six stockholders, mostly by its CEO/president.
As of December 2021, the company’s financial statements show:
Total revenues: P73 million
Net income before tax: P355,226
Net income: P284,181
Total assets: P81 million
Current liabilities: P1.1 million
Vessels’ worth: P65.5 million
Worth of vessel under construction: P4.1 million
The company was deemed by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to be financially capable of maintaining its operations. MARINA’s mandate is to ensure ships are safe for people and the environment.
The initials RDC appear to have come from the first letters of the name of its CEO/president.
So far, only Fritzie Cabial has spoken publicly on the sinking of MT Princess Empress. The statements of RDC that have been sent to the media have been attributed to her. She is identified as Fritzie Tee, vice president for administration and external affairs.
She also appeared before the Senate committee on environment, natural Resources, and climate change to testify on the incident. Tee said RDC is a “small corporation” but has its “own initiatives to help our kababayans (fellow citizens).”
She also met with local government officials of Oriental Mindoro on March 6. The meeting was held closed-door as requested by the company. Oriental Mindoro Governor Humberto Dolor told reporters that he met with representatives of RDC who apologized for the incident. The representatives told him they were not “just the children of the owner” but the actual “owners” of the company.
In the Senate hearing, she said RDC’s amended Certificate of Public Convenience had been approved by MARINA, and that MT Princess Empress was operating with a valid permit. This, however, was belied by senators and the chief of the regulatory agency, MARINA administrator Hernani Fabia, who said that the process of approving the amended CPC and the addition of MT Princess Empress to the company’s fleet - thus authorizing it to sail - was still not final.
Fritzie was a broadcast reporter of TV5, as gleaned from some materials from the web. She married Marc Justin Tee in 2018. She also has an Instagram account set to private.
The local government of Oriental Mindoro, which is expected to be most affected by the oil spill, plans to sue RDC for damage to the environment and loss of livelihood.
The company has put up a website with information about the incident as well as the steps RDC is taking in response to the oil spill: http://princessempressinformationcentre.com. - with Jodesz Gavilan/Rappler.com
The Philippines' maritime regulators are taking a closer look at the background of the tanker Princess Empress, which went down off Oriental Mindoro on February 28. The vessel had 900,000 liters of fuel oil on board, and the petroleum continues to leak out of its tanks, threatening a growing swath of the central Philippines with pollution. It is unclear whether the newbuild vessel had the correct documentation, and authorities now believe it is possible that it may have actually been a much older vessel - and may not even have started its life as a tanker.
Last week, Philippine shipping regulator Marina told a senate panel that Princess Empress was sailing without a required amendment to the operator's Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC). Shipowner RDC Reield Marine Services held a valid CPC for its overall business, but had allegedly not submitted the financial documents needed to secure a permit for the new vessel. However, an RDC spokesperson said that the company had completed the paperwork, and the Philippine Coast Guard quickly produced what appeared to be a complete CPC permit for the ship, signed and dated by Marina.
In an interview Thursday, a Marina spokesperson reiterated that the agency had no record of issuing a CPC permit for the ship, and noted that it would have published a public notice if it had given its approval.
According to Rappler, PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armand Balilo responded Thursday that his agency's inspectors rely on the good faith of the captain when they are presented with a ship's paperwork. If the documents were false, he said, then the shipowner should be held accountable.
The validity of the permit may have bearing on whether Princess Empress' insurer will have to pay for the extensive damages caused by the spill, including the loss of livelihood for thousands of fishermen and hospitality workers on Oriental Mindoro. The vessel had up to $1 billion in coverage for marine casualties, but any regulatory noncompliance on the operator's part could affect payout. A missing CPC would mean that Princess Empress could not legally sail on domestic voyages under Philippine law. "The insurance company will find a basis to not pay,” Sen. Cynthia Villar warned. "We should plan accordingly that we will not get that [payment]."
The Princess Empress' origins have also come into question since the sinking. Last week, Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that there may have been "misrepresentation" about the ship's status as a newbuild, and it may have been as much as 50 years old.
"This ship is not a brand new vessel, it is a rebuilt scrap - a rebuilt scrap ship rebuilt twice to become a tanker. It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning," he told Rappler.
There may also have been previous close calls in which the vessel nearly capsized, he added.
An individual who claimed knowledge of the vessel's conversion provided TV outlet 24 Oras with photos and video purporting to show the reconstruction process in progress. He claimed that the vessel began life not as a tanker, but as an LPG carrier, the MV Dorothy.
Continued pollution
Oil is still leaking from the tanker, and a wind shift could carry it in a new direction. To date, it has drifted primarily to the south, down the east coast of Oriental Mindoro to the Caluya Islands. A change of weather patterns could push new leakage from the wreck site to the west, towards the town of Calapan, the provincial capital. This area is adjacent to the pristine Verde Island Passage (VIP), an area of exceptionally high biodiversity which serves as a breeding ground for important coastal fisheries. Marine scientists in the Philippines are concerned that if the spill reaches the VIP, it could cause severe damage.
“The Amihan winds [northeasterly seasonal trade winds], which contained most of the oil to the coasts of Nauhan and Pola in the previous weeks, are now more variable, allowing the oil to spread northwards,” warned the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute (MSI). “It is critical to stop the seepage before the end of the Amihan season, otherwise more critical biodiversity areas along the Verde Island Passage may be affected.”
The Philippine Coast Guard and local partners continue to work to contain the spill and clean it up, and they have called for international assistance. Japan's government has dispatched a team of technical advisors, and the U.S. Coast Guard is sending officers for a briefing and a discussion on Monday, Rear Adm. Balilo confirmed over the weekend. “It will be up to the US Coast Guard on how it would respond to the request of the Commandant - if they will immediately respond and what kind of assistance they could extend,” Balilo told the Philippine Star.
A Japanese salvage vessel, the Shin Nichi Maru, arrived in Calapan on Monday to assist with the spill response effort. The ship is equipped with an ROV, which will be used to confirm the wreck location and assist with efforts to stop the leakage, according to the Manila Bulletin.
MANILA, Philippines- Nagtungo sa National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) ang tatlo pang testigo sa umano’y rehabilitation ng 50 taong MT Dorothy Uno sa MT Princess Empress upang magbigay ng sinumpaang salaysay sa pagkakasangkot nila sa umano’y pagsasaayos.
Sa ulat nitong Biyernes, kasamahan ang tatlo ni alyas “Dodong”, na unang nagsiwalat sa mga awtoridad hinggil sa rehabilitasyon kasama ang mga depekto sa disenyo ng motor tanker na naging dahilan upang maapektuhan ito ng malalakas na alon.
Sinabi ni Dodong na nabahala rin siya matapos sabihin ng may-ari ng kumpanya na dapat gawing motor tanker ang barko. Ito ay orihinal na idinisenyo upang magdala ng mga suplay ng buhangin.
“Medyo alanganin kung tutuusin kasi tanker ‘yun. Dapat bago lahat kasi dangerous cargo ang karga. Di naman napalitan ang iba,” pahayag niya.
Lumubog ang MT Princess Empress sa karagatan ng Naujan, Oriental Mindoro habang lulan nila ang mahigit 900,000 litro ng industrial fuel oil noong Feb. 28.
Lahat ng 20 crew na sakay into ay nailigtas ngunit nagdulot ng malaking pinsala at oil spill sa ilang bayan sa probinsya at umabot na sa Palawan at Antique.
Nauna nang itinanggi ng kompanyang RDC Reield Marine Services ang alegasyon na luma o matanda na ang barko at ito ay original na nakadise syo na magbiyahe ng sand supplies.
Ayon sa NBI, nakikipag-ugnayan na sila sa iba pang government agencies sa pagkalap ng dokumento at ebidensya para sa case build-up sa insidente.
Samantala, tinitingnan na rin ng Department of Justice (DOJ) ang pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa kompanya na nagmamay-ari ng barko.
“Civil liabilities, criminal liabilities and administrative liabilities. Nagbuo tayo ng isang inter-agency committee, so, we will wait for reports from these involved agencies doon sa kanilang scope para magkaroon tayo nang mas malinaw na picture dito sa ating issue ng oil spill,” sabi ni DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano. Jocelyn Tabangcura-Domenden
Senators on Friday said officials of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) should be held liable, along with the owners of the sunken MT Princess Empress for the oil spill that wreaked havoc on the fishing villages and the marine ecosystem in Oriental Mindoro.
Senator Francis Escudero suspected that officials of the two state agencies may have been bribed by RDC Reield Marine Services Inc. to let the ill-fated ship set sail without the required certificate of public convenience from Marina.
Together with an oil spill boom and skimmer, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) goes around the suspected area of the sunken oil tanker MT Princess Empress at the northeast of Balingawan Port, Lucta Port, and Buloc Bay in Oriental Mindoro on March 14, 2023. PHOTO: Malayan Towage and Salvage Corporation via Philippine Coast Guard
Senators on Friday said officials of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) should be held liable, along with the owners of the sunken MT Princess Empress for the oil spill that wreaked havoc on the fishing villages and the marine ecosystem in Oriental Mindoro.
Senator Francis Escudero suspected that officials of the two state agencies may have been bribed by RDC Reield Marine Services Inc. to let the ill-fated ship set sail without the required certificate of public convenience from Marina.
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“We have to dig deeper, especially on the side of Marina insofar as their accreditation procedure and personnel are concerned,” Escudero told reporters.
“On the part of [PCG] they were clearly ‘motivated’ to look the other way instead of looking out for the welfare of the people, our seas and [the] environment,” he said, adding:
“I will not be surprised if the investigation reveals that money changed hands somewhere, somehow.”
He, however, rejected the suggestion to immediately stop all the vessels of RDC from operating, noting that there was “no sufficient evidence on record yet of bad faith.”
The senator issued the statement after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that MT Princess Empress was a “rebuilt scrap” that was not intended to transport oil “from the very beginning.”
Senator Risa Hontiveros said the information disclosed by Remulla proved that officials of PCG and Marina committed “undeniable negligence and nonfeasance” that resulted in the oil spill.
READ: Hontiveros wants PCG, Marina execs held liable for Mindoro oil spill
Hontiveros said PCG should not have allowed the motor tanker to leave the port of Bataan a day before it sank off Pola, Oriental Mindoro, on February 28.
“[They] should face the full brunt of the law. They should answer not only for this incident, but also for the alleged eight other times that the scrap ship [was] allowed to sail,” she said.
On the other hand, she said Marina officials should also be held responsible for letting the ship continue to operate despite its supposed failure to meet the requirements for seaworthiness.
Hontiveros said investigators should have checked if RDC’s permit from Marina covered MT Princess Empress.
“I trust that the Senate committee on environment, natural resources and climate change will be able to ensure that the officials responsible for this environmental nightmare will be held to account for their actions,” Hontiveros said.
Sen. Francis Tolentino, who pushed for the Senate investigation of the incident, said the ship’s compliance with safety standards should have been met before it was
The Philippines' maritime regulators are taking a closer look at the background of the tanker Princess Empress, which went down off Oriental Mindoro on February 28. The vessel had 900,000 liters of fuel oil on board, and the petroleum continues to leak out of its tanks, threatening a growing swath of the central Philippines with pollution. It is unclear whether the newbuild vessel had the correct documentation, and authorities now believe it is possible that it may have actually been a much older vessel - and may not even have started its life as a tanker.
Last week, Philippine shipping regulator Marina told a senate panel that Princess Empress was sailing without a required amendment to the operator's Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC). Shipowner RDC Reield Marine Services held a valid CPC for its overall business, but had allegedly not submitted the financial documents needed to secure a permit for the new vessel. However, an RDC spokesperson said that the company had completed the paperwork, and the Philippine Coast Guard quickly produced what appeared to be a complete CPC permit for the ship, signed and dated by Marina.
In an interview Thursday, a Marina spokesperson reiterated that the agency had no record of issuing a CPC permit for the ship, and noted that it would have published a public notice if it had given its approval.
According to Rappler, PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armand Balilo responded Thursday that his agency's inspectors rely on the good faith of the captain when they are presented with a ship's paperwork. If the documents were false, he said, then the shipowner should be held accountable.
The validity of the permit may have bearing on whether Princess Empress' insurer will have to pay for the extensive damages caused by the spill, including the loss of livelihood for thousands of fishermen and hospitality workers on Oriental Mindoro. The vessel had up to $1 billion in coverage for marine casualties, but any regulatory noncompliance on the operator's part could affect payout. A missing CPC would mean that Princess Empress could not legally sail on domestic voyages under Philippine law. "The insurance company will find a basis to not pay,” Sen. Cynthia Villar warned. "We should plan accordingly that we will not get that [payment]."
The Princess Empress' origins have also come into question since the sinking. Last week, Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla alleged that there may have been "misrepresentation" about the ship's status as a newbuild, and it may have been as much as 50 years old.
"This ship is not a brand new vessel, it is a rebuilt scrap – a rebuilt scrap ship rebuilt twice to become a tanker. It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning," he told Rappler.
There may also have been previous close calls in which the vessel nearly capsized, he added.
An individual who claimed knowledge of the vessel's conversion provided TV outlet 24 Oras with photos and video purporting to show the reconstruction process in progress. He claimed that the vessel began life not as a tanker, but as an LPG carrier, the MV Dorothy.
Continued pollution
Oil is still leaking from the tanker, and a wind shift could carry it in a new direction. To date, it has drifted primarily to the south, down the east coast of Oriental Mindoro to the Caluya Islands. A change of weather patterns could push new leakage from the wreck site to the west, towards the town of Calapan, the provincial capital. This area is adjacent to the pristine Verde Island Passage (VIP), an area of exceptionally high biodiversity which serves as a breeding ground for important coastal fisheries. Marine scientists in the Philippines are concerned that if the spill reaches the VIP, it could cause severe damage.
“The Amihan winds [northeasterly seasonal trade winds], which contained most of the oil to the coasts of Nauhan and Pola in the previous weeks, are now more variable, allowing the oil to spread northwards,” warned the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute (MSI). “It is critical to stop the seepage before the end of the Amihan season, otherwise more critical biodiversity areas along the Verde Island Passage may be affected.”
The Philippine Coast Guard and local partners continue to work to contain the spill and clean it up, and they have called for international assistance. Japan's government has dispatched a team of technical advisors, and the U.S. Coast Guard is sending officers for a briefing and a discussion on Monday, Rear Adm. Balilo confirmed over the weekend. “It will be up to the US Coast Guard on how it would respond to the request of the Commandant – if they will immediately respond and what kind of assistance they could extend,” Balilo told the Philippine Star.
A Japanese salvage vessel, the Shin Nichi Maru, arrived in Calapan on Monday to assist with the spill response effort. The ship is equipped with an ROV, which will be used to confirm the wreck location and assist with efforts to stop the leakage, according to the Manila Bulletin.
Thai authorities ordered their navy to assist in preventing an oil leak from a damaged floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel carrying 400,000 barrels of crude in the Gulf of Thailand.
The 1999-built Benchamas 2, owned by Malaysian shipping line MISC and operated by a unit of Chevron, suffered water ingress after a seal malfunctioned during routine maintenance.
One crew member has been confirmed dead, while the remaining 28 are said to be safe and the ship is stable. The Royal Thai Navy said that the crude oil heating system is not working due to a lack of power, raising the potential for an oil leak.
The 104,500 dwt FSO, with a storage capacity of 650,000 barrels, has been in operation at the Benchamas field in Block B8/32 in the Gulf of Thailand since 2018. It sits about 207 km off Sattahip in Chon Buri province.
Last year, an estimated 50,000 litres of oil leaked into the ocean from a subsea pipeline owned by Star Petroleum. Some of the oil reached the shoreline of the eastern province of Rayong, causing damage to the local environment and tourism.
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are looking at the claim of a witness that MT Princess Empress is already a rebuilt scrap.
“We will look at these declarations. Very important kasi ‘pag sinabi na bago yung barko [These declarations are very important because if the vessel is new], they’re saying already there’s a very little chance they have any liability in this case,” Remulla said over Radio DZBB.
“Pero pag nakita na luma na yan, reconditioned, syempre nakatutok kaagad sa kanila yung atensyon [Once confirmed that this (vessel) is old, reconditioned, of course, the attention of everyone is already on them],” Remulla added.
The claim of the witness is very serious, said Remulla, that the DOJ tagged both the NBI and PNP Crime Lab for help.
“We will continue with the investigative process,” he said.
The DOJ chief added that they will also coordinate with Marina “to give us the permitting process to walk us through how they gave MT Princess Empress all these regulatory permits needed for it to be able to set sail in Philippine waters.”
Remulla said the vessel should have been subject to an inspection as part of the permitting process.
On possible liabilities of government officials, if there are any and that of the owner of the vessel, Remulla said “we will look at everything first. It is very hard to conclude what violations was committed without talking to them and without getting all the papers.”
He said the vessel should have undergone inspection prior the issuance of permits.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into the grounding of the reported three sister vessels of MT Princess Empress which sank off the cost of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro and spilled 800,000 liters of industrial oil.
The oil spill has reportedly spread to nearby provinces and has affected several tourist sites and beach resorts. The greater disaster caused by the oil spill is the effects on the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.
On the grounding of the three alleged sister vessels of MT Princess Empress, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said: “Dapat dito kung similar vessels i-ground din natin lalo na same owner ‘yan (These vessels should be grounded especially they belong to the same owner).”
Remulla said that “MT Princess Empress is the newest licensee. Apat na barko ‘yan. Hindi lang nila maipasok sa isang permit (These are four vessels. The owner just didn't place them in one permit).”
“Habang maaga awatin na natin kasi ito baka paulit-ulit mangyari sa atin (This early, we should stop them before the same incident happens again),” he said.
Earlier, Remulla had said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has in its possession an affidavit from a person who is privy to information about MT Princess Empress. He did not identify the person.
“Isang major finding natin ay hindi siya brand new vessel (One of the major findings is that the vessel is no longer new),” said Remulla who noted some misrepresentations that MT Princess Empress was a brand- new vessel.
He said he was also informed that despite gale warnings, the vessel still left the port on Feb. 28 and eventually sank.
“It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning. And we’re looking from the angle of insurance also kasi parang may insurance siyang napakalaki (because it appears it has a large amount of insurance),” he added.
Amidst reports that the vessel is insured for a billion dollars, Remulla assured that he will not allow any insurance fraud.
At the same time, Remulla said an inter-agency panel will be formed in the case-build up to determine civil and criminal cases that may be filed against the owners of the MT Princess Empress.
There is a need for a “whole government approach” to the oil spill issue and the NBI will be part of the panel, he said.
He said that officials of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will be summoned to the DOJ as part of the ongoing investigation.
“We will tell them to bring everything about the Princess Empress that they have on file and everybody who has something to do with the process na binigyan sila ng mga permits (that they issued the permits),” he said.
He said the vessel should have undergone inspection prior the issuance of permits.
He also said that MARINA will be asked “to give us the permitting process na dinaanan ng lahat (to give us the permitting process that everyone has to go through), to walk us through how they gave MT Princess Empress all these regulatory permits needed for it to be able to set sail in Philippine waters.”
Also, Remulla said that on top of civil and criminal liabilities, the panel would also look into the extent of the damage caused by the oil spill.
“We will be contacting one of the foremost authorities in the world’s marine biodiversity, Dr. Kent Carpenter, na tulungan tayo rito (to help us here) to estimate, to assess the damage brought by this oil spill,” he revealed.
Wikipedia says Dr. Carpenter “is a professor of a professor of biological sciences at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Virginia” and whose “ work in marine biogeography for the Indian Ocean and west Pacific Ocean has led to work in marine conservation and comparative phylogeography using population genetics, with a special interest in the Philippines.”
フィリピン沖でタンカー沈没。工業用油80万リットル流出 03/06/23（日本海事新聞）には
フィリピン沿岸警備隊（PCG）は2日、「東ミンドロ沖で沈没した小型タンカー「MT PRINCESS EMPRESS」（1100重量トン、2022年竣工）が積載していた約80万リットルの工業用油が流出、東ミンドロ州の海岸に到達したと発表した。PCGによると、同船は2月28日、オーバーヒートによるエンジントラブルで漂流、約80万リットルの工業用油を積載し沈没した。」と書かれていたがとんでもない展開になっている。
フィリピン沿岸警備隊（PCG）隊員が不正や癒着に関与した可能性が疑われているし、フィリピン沿岸警備隊（PCG）とMaritime Industry Authority (MARINA)：日本では海運局のような組織がお互いに非難しあうような展開になっている。疑惑が事実として確認されれば、起訴される公務員達が存在するようだ。
日本でも「地獄の沙汰も金次第」と言う言葉が存在するが、何が事実なの確認できない状態で、いろいろな問題や矛盾な点が出てきている。そして少なくとも誰かが不正か、犯罪に関与していなければ説明が付かない事が矛盾点として明らかになっている。
MANILA -- Justice secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday said the government is gathering information for the possible filing of complaint against those liable for the sinking of the MT Princess Empress which leaked its cargo of 800,000 liters of industrial oil.
"Ang tawag ngayon ay (It's called) case build up. We are sorting out the evidence so that we can file the proper complaint, collate all the data. But as far as we’re concerned, there are possible cases to be filed,” Remulla said in an ambush interview.
“This will be filed by the legal office of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and we intend to do this by Tuesday, and sana tapos na by then ang ating pag aaral (and hopefully, by then, we have already finished our evaluation). We will go over the weekend to study this case,” he added.
Remulla said the DOJ is looking at every possible angle - environmental damage, health risks, damage to biodiversity, among others — with a planned visit at the sinking site to validate their initial findings and enable them to devise strategies.
He said among the major findings is that the ship was a scrap ship that was rebuilt twice to become a tanker.
Remulla said there were also misrepresentations made with the condition of the vessel, since the owners told the DOJ and the Philippine Coast Guard last Saturday that the vessel was only two years old, which is new by Philippine standards.
“There were misrepresentations made from the start," he said.
The DOJ chief added that initial investigations also suggested that a similar near sinking of the vessel had happened before, and that on the day before the incident, a warning was sent against sailing due to gale conditions.
The MT Princess Empress sank off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28 and eventually sank the following day, causing a widespread oil spill into the Tablas Strait that has reached as far as the provinces of Antique and Palawan.
The incident affected nine municipalities in Oriental Mindoro (Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Basud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay and Bulalacao); one in Antique (Caluya); and two in Palawan (Taytay and Agutaya); with more than 137,000 individuals affected by the oil spill.
In Oriental Mindoro alone, the DOJ said more than 99,000 people have been affected, 122 of whom have fallen ill. (PNA)
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Armand Balilo shows a copy of the certificate of public convenience supposedly issued to the owner of MT Princess Empress, which sank off Oriental Mindoro causing an oil spill that threatens ecosystems and communities in southern Luzon.
The ill-fated MT Princess Empress was so old that it had already been scrapped, contrary to claims that it was a new vessel, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday.
Remulla said the government is looking to file both criminal and civil cases in connection with the sinking of the tanker that resulted in an oil spill now threatening the ecosystem in Oriental Mindoro and neighboring provinces.
“It is a rebuilt scrap... It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning,” Remulla said.
Remulla said investigators have an affidavit from an individual who knew about how the allegedly old vessel had been rebuilt.
“Ang NBI is on it already... They’re doing the studies now. They’re conducting field interviews," Remulla said.
The statement supposedly detailed where the scrap had been dumped, where it was taken, and where it was built.
‘MT Dorothy’
In John Consulta's exclusive report on "24 Oras," witness “Dodong” showed GMA Integrated News photos and videos of the ship rehabilitation.
The ship was said to have been known previously as the LPG tanker MT Dorothy before it became MT Princess Empress. It was rebuilt in Navotas in 2020.
“Scrap value na 'yan eh. Pwede nang ibenta sa junk shop. 'Yung ilalim hindi napalitan,” Dodong said.
(That's scrap value. You could sell it at the junk shop. The bottom has not been changed.)
Remulla said the vessel could already be 50 years old.
He said there might have been an intent to deceive from the start due to claims that the tanker was brand new.
“Ang sinabi raw sa Coast Guard ay bagong bago itong barkong ito. At hindi pala siya bago. Ito ay luma na, scrap na. Scrap na siya na ni-rebuild. Unang ni-rebuild para maging LPG carrier tapos ni-rebuild na naman. Pinahaba para maging tanker,” Remulla said.
(The PCG was supposedly told that it was quite new. But it turned out that it was not new. It's already old, it's already scrap that has been rebuilt. It was first rebuilt to be an LPG carrier and then it was again rebuilt. It was made longer to become a tanker.)
“The utterances after the occurrence of the fact, ‘yung sinabi sa Coast Guard na bagong-bago yung barko, parang may intent to deceive na sa simula't sapul pa lang. Kaya dapat tignan natin itong bagay na ito,” Remulla said.
(There may be an intent to deceive in telling the PCG that it was a new vessel. We have to look into it. )
Insurance claims
Remulla said investigators were also looking at the insurance angle.
“And we’re looking from the angle of insurance also kasi parang may insurance siyang napakalaki,” Remulla said.
The ill-fated MT Princess Empress was so old that it had already been scrapped, contrary to claims that it was a new vessel, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday.
Remulla said the government is looking to file both criminal and civil cases in connection with the sinking of the tanker that resulted in an oil spill now threatening the ecosystem in Oriental Mindoro and neighboring provinces.
“It is a rebuilt scrap... It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning,” Remulla said.
Remulla said investigators have an affidavit from an individual who knew about how the allegedly old vessel had been rebuilt.
“Ang NBI is on it already... They’re doing the studies now. They’re conducting field interviews," Remulla said.
The statement supposedly detailed where the scrap had been dumped, where it was taken, and where it was built.
‘MT Dorothy’
In John Consulta's exclusive report on "24 Oras," witness “Dodong” showed GMA Integrated News photos and videos of the ship rehabilitation.
The ship was said to have been known previously as the LPG tanker MT Dorothy before it became MT Princess Empress. It was rebuilt in Navotas in 2020.
“Scrap value na 'yan eh. Pwede nang ibenta sa junk shop. 'Yung ilalim hindi napalitan,” Dodong said.
(That's scrap value. You could sell it at the junk shop. The bottom has not been changed.)
Remulla said the vessel could already be 50 years old.
He said there might have been an intent to deceive from the start due to claims that the tanker was brand new.
“Ang sinabi raw sa Coast Guard ay bagong bago itong barkong ito. At hindi pala siya bago. Ito ay luma na, scrap na. Scrap na siya na ni-rebuild. Unang ni-rebuild para maging LPG carrier tapos ni-rebuild na naman. Pinahaba para maging tanker,” Remulla said.
(The PCG was supposedly told that it was quite new. But it turned out that it was not new. It's already old, it's already scrap that has been rebuilt. It was first rebuilt to be an LPG carrier and then it was again rebuilt. It was made longer to become a tanker.)
“The utterances after the occurrence of the fact, ‘yung sinabi sa Coast Guard na bagong-bago yung barko, parang may intent to deceive na sa simula't sapul pa lang. Kaya dapat tignan natin itong bagay na ito,” Remulla said.
(There may be an intent to deceive in telling the PCG that it was a new vessel. We have to look into it. )
Insurance claims
Remulla said investigators were also looking at the insurance angle.
“And we’re looking from the angle of insurance also kasi parang may insurance siyang napakalaki,” Remulla said.
(We are looking at the angle of possible insurance claim because it's a hefty sum.)
RDC Reield Marine Services Incorporated, the owner of the MT Princess Empress, denied the allegations that the ship could be 50 years old already.
The owner, however, declined to comment on the allegations that the ship was built to carry sand and that the ship did not follow the gale warnings of weather bureau PAGASA.
Remulla said that the government is looking to file cases against the owners of the sunken MT Princess Empress.
When asked how the Department of Justice could assure that justice will be served for those affected by the oil spill, Remulla said criminal cases would be filed against those who will found liable.
Criminal cases
“We will run after them. We can assure you that we will not stop. We will run after them... Hindi ito civil case lang. Criminal cases will be filed against those perpetrators,” Remulla said.
(It's not just a civil case. Criminal cases will also be filed against the perpetrators.)
He said officials are sorting out the evidence and collating the data necessary to build a case.
According to Remulla, the owners had been informed about gale warnings on February 27 before sailing.
He said that on the midnight of February 28, they were again told that it would be difficult to sail as the waters were somewhat turbulent.
The MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off Najuan. The PCG said on Thursday that it was carrying 900,000 liters of industrial fuel oil and not 800,000 as previously reported.
Almost 100,000 residents in the province have already been affected by the oil spill.
Approximately 591 hectares of coral reefs, 1,626 hectares of mangroves, and 362 hectares of seagrass or seaweeds could meanwhile be potentially affected by the effects of the oil spill, according to the DENR.
‘P128-million damage’
Meanwhile, in a separate ambush interview, Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said damage to livelihood in the area is now at P128 million.
“It was about P128 million worth of livelihood for the fishermen and those that, siguro merong fisheries or aquaculture… And it was determined na nine out of the 15 municipalities doon po ay affected na po,” Clavano said.
(It has caused P128 million worth of livelihood losses for fishermen and those who own fisheries or aquaculture. It was determined that nine out of the 15 municipalities are already affected.)
“And we have to change the scene of the crime every day, redefine the total area every day, dahil po patuloy pa po yung oil na nag se-spread doon sa area na iyon,” he said.
(The oil spill continues to spread in the area every day.) — VAL/NB/BM, GMA Integrated News
Justice Secretary Boying Remulla says there is 'misrepresentation' in the incident because authorities were earlier told the vessel was brand new
MANILA, Philippines – The sunken MT Princess Empress causing an oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and nearby provinces was not brand new, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla revealed on Thursday, March 16.
“Isang major finding natin ay hindi siya brand new vessel. Itong barkong ito ay hindi brand new vessel, it is [a] rebuilt scrap – rebuilt scrap ship na dalawang beses ni-rebuild para maging tanker. It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning,” the DOJ chief told reporters.
(One of our major findings is that it (MT Princess Empress) was not a brand new vessel. This ship is not a brand new vessel, it is a rebuilt scrap – a rebuilt scrap ship rebuilt twice to become a tanker. It was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning.)”
Remulla said that the first time the ship was rebuilt, it was modified to become a liquefied petroleum gas carrier. Then it was rebuilt as a tanker during the second rebuilding. The justice secretary added they were now holding an affidavit from someone who gave important details about the ship.
The DOJ was among the agencies tapped to look into the oil spill incident. Along with the Philippine Coast Guard and the National Bureau of Investigation, the DOJ held a meeting to establish the so-called “scene of the crime” of the incident, Remulla earlier said.
According to him, there was “misrepresentation” in the incident because authorities were earlier told the vessel was brand new. He added they were also told the ship was only two years old.
Remulla also confirmed it was possible that there were prior incidents where the ship almost capsized.
“Meron ding lumalabas na gano’n. ‘Yon ang dino-document natin ngayon mula sa mga records ng agencies na kasama ‘pagkat kailangan talaga ma-define ito. Itong scene of the crime, ano ‘yong nature ng environmental crimes committed, and the legal strategy has to be mastered by the DOJ so that we can go to the very bottom of this para hindi na ito maulit sa ating mga karagatan,” the justice secretary said.
(That’s also a possibility. That’s what we are documenting now from the records of agencies involved because we need to define this. This scene of the crime, the nature of the environmental crimes committed, and the legal strategy have to be mastered by the DOJ so that we can get to the very bottom of this so that it does not happen again in our waters.)
He added that the operators of the ship were given a warning before they sailed, but MT Princess Empress still pushed through with its trip.
The department was also looking at the insurance angle because the ship “seemed” to have a large amount of insurance, Remulla added. The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) earlier revealed that the vessel was insured for $1 billion.
On February 28, the vessel capsized off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, while carrying an estimated 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil. It was en route to Iloilo from Bataan when it capsized and caused an oil spill in waters nearby. On March 6, authorities said the sunken ship was spotted around 7.5 nautical miles from Balisangan Point near the town of Pola, Oriental Mindoro.
At least 76 coastal barangays in nine towns in Oriental Mindoro have since been put under state of calamity.
As the probe into the incident continues, Marina this week said the vessel had no permit and sailed at least nine times before its sinking. However, the Philippine Coast Guard presented the supposed documents of the ship.
On Thursday, Marina insisted MT Princess Empress was a “colorum” or unlicensed vessel. – Rappler.com
That’s how Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla described the MT Princess Empress that sunk near Oriental Mindoro and is now leaking oil.
It was also revealed that the oil spill could have been prevented if the ship heeded gale warnings. - The World Tonight, ANC, March 16, 2023
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) released to the public the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) of the sunken motor tanker (MT) Princess Empress to contradict reports that the agency allowed the vessel to operate without the necessary permit.
the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC)：運航許可証みたいな物がないとなっていなのに、The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)：フィリピン沿岸警備隊が
CPC（運航許可証）はあったと１日もたたないうちに会見で答え、CPC（運航許可証）のコピーまで提示した。
コピーの写真を見る限り、現場でチェックしたィリピン沿岸警備隊員が疑問に思わないほど本物との違いがわからなかったと言う事だろう。サインとか、書類の番号、発行された日などが公開されているのでこの書類が偽造なのか、賄賂などの不正な方法で作成されたのか確認できると思うので、何が事実なのかは数日でわかると思う。
しかし、コピーを取っておくのは良い事だ。嘘かどうか確認できるし、嘘でなければ、誰が書類を偽造したのか、それとも不適切な方法で書類を作成したのか確認は出来る。日本では 高市早苗経済安保担当相に関する放送法をめぐる総務省作成とされる内部文書の件で揉めてるが、書類のコピーがあるのに答えが出ないおかしな展開になっている。
上記は下記の記事のコピーを拡大したものだが、Interim Class Certificateが「05 December 2022」に有効期限が切れる点以外では発行された証書が本物であれば問題ない事になる。Interim Class Certificateが発行されていると言う事は、検査した会社がどこなのかは不明だが、存在すると言う事。このコピーがいつ検査された時のコピー次第では、現場の書類チェックでは問題は発見されないと言うシステムの問題が明らかになったと思う。the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC)：運航許可証が本物なのか確認が出来るまで何とも言えないが、もし、偽造であれば、フィリピンはオンラインで簡単に確認できるような対応を取らない限り、今後もこのような問題は解決できないと言う事になると思う。
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), says they only relied on the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) presented by the MT Princess Empress during its transactions and inspections whenever they sail.
The oil spill caused by the sinking of MT Princess Empress has affected more than 143,000 individuals in 12 municipalities in Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Antique.
Photos: Philippine Coast Guard / PCG
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) released to the public the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) of the sunken motor tanker (MT) Princess Empress to contradict reports that the agency allowed the vessel to operate without the necessary permit.
Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, presented the CPC of MT Princess Empress to the media on Tuesday, March 14. The PCG also uploaded the document online via its official Facebook page, "Philippine Coast Guard."
According to the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), a CPC is an authorization issued by them to a vessel “for a domestic water transportation service for commercial/public use for which no franchise, either municipal or legislative is required by law.”
“Apat na beses nang ginamit ito ng nasabing barko sa mga transakyon niya sa Philippine Coast Guard – one in Manila, one in Cebu, one in Misamis Oriental, at isang beses rin sa Iloilo (and one in Iloilo). Pinache-check pa namin ‘yung ibang mga bayan kung saan siya dumaong, kung may inspeksyon na ginawa at kung may sinubmit na CPC (The said vessel has used this [document] for four times already in its transactions with the Philippine Coast Guard. We are still checking what other areas the vessel docked, if there were inspections conducted, and if there was a submitted CPC),” Balilo said in an interview on Wednesday, March 15.
The document released by Balilo included a MARINA decision dated Nov. 16, 2022 which amended the CPC of RDC Rield Marine Services, Inc., the owner of MT Princess Empress, and allowed the sunken tanker “to effect the permanent addition of the ship/tanker, M/TKR Princess Empress, to the company’s fleet.”
“As far as we are concerned, we relied on this document kaya namin pinayagan ‘yung barko na maglayag (As far as we are concerned, we relied on this document that’s why we allowed the vessel to operate),” Balilo said.
However, the PCG spokesperson said the document will still be subjected to further investigation: “Mayroon na nga kaming nakikita pero iniimbestigahan pa namin, may instruction kahapon na paimbestigahan (We are seeing something but it is still subjected to an investigation, there was an instruction yesterday to investigate).
“Una parang ‘yung pirma, ano ba ‘to original signed? Tapos ‘yung MARINA ba ay mag-aagree dito? Parang ang initially kasi may denial ang MARINA eh tapos may denial din kahapon ‘yung may-ari ng barko sa Senate na for approval pa ang CPC. Eh ano itong binibigay niyo sa amin kapag naglalayag kayo? (First is the signature, is it original signed? Then will the MARINA agree to it? Initially there was a denial from the MARINA, and there was a denial from the owner of the vessel, too, yesterday in the Senate that their CPC was still up for approval. Then what is it that you’re presenting to us when you are sailing?” Balilo said.
The move came as MARINA Administrator, lawyer Hernani Fabia, said in a Senate inquiry on Tuesday, March 14, that the agency has yet to issue an amended CPC to RDC Rield Marine Services, Inc. following the recent addition of the MT Princess Empress to its fleet.
According to RDC Rield Marine Services Inc., the tanker was commissioned in 2022.
During the inquiry, Fabia said the RDC Rield Marine Services Inc. still has a pending application to MARINA which the agency was supposed to hear. The company, according to Fabia, was still missing documents for their application for an amended CPC to be granted.
RDC Vice Pres. Fritzie Tee said during the inquiry that their company applied for an amended CPC and submitted all the required documents in November 2022.
Cleanup efforts
Meanwhile, a total of 5,603 liters of “oily water mixture” have so far been collected by the PCG as efforts to contain the massive spill affecting Oriental Mindoro and other areas from the sunken MT Princess Empress entered its second week.
The PCG said that from March 1 to 14, it also racked up 50 sacks of oil-contaminated materials during its offshore oil spill response operations.
Offshore oil spill response operation refers to the cleanup done in the vicinity of the affected waters using sea vessels, PCG public affairs officer Joy Diane Gumatay explained.
Seven hundred liters of such mixture and six sacks of oil-contaminated materials were gathered on Tuesday alone, March 14, by PCG tugboats (MTUG) Lidagat and (MTUG) Titan-1.
Further, the PCG also collected 1,071 sacks and 22 drums of waste during its shoreline response operations at 13 affected barangays in the municipalities of Naujan, Bulalacao, and Pola in Oriental Mindoro in the same period.
Shoreline response operation, on the other hand, pertains to the cleanup operations in the seashore which relies more on manpower, Gumatay said.
The PCG said 140 sacks of oil-contaminated materials were pulled from the shore on Tuesday alone.
143K residents affected
The massive oil spill caused by the sinking of MT Princess Empress on Feb. 28 off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro has already affected 31,497 families or 143,713 individuals in Regions 4B (Mimaropa) and 6 (Western Visayas), the Office of Civil Defense reported on Wednesday.
The tanker was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil when it sank.
The affected areas include the municipalities of Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Gloria, and Bulalacao (San Pedro) in Oriental Mindoro; Agutaya and Taytay in Palawan; and Caluya in Antique.
“There was an instruction given to us yesterday to investigate,” PCG spokesperson Armand Balilo said in a media interview. “First, is the signature on here original? Then would Marina (Maritime Industry Authority) agree to this?”
“Then the owners of the ship denied yesterday at the Senate that they have an approved CPC (certificate of public convenience). Then what is this document that you are giving us when you are sailing? This has to be explained by the owners,” Balilo continued.
A CPC is a permit that the Marina issues to ships for public use.
The PCG on Tuesday night posted on its social media a document showing that MT Princess Empress had a permit to operate, contrary to Marina’s findings presented during a Senate hearing earlier in the day.
A CPC is a permit that the Marina issues to ships for public use.
The PCG on Tuesday night posted on its social media a document showing that MT Princess Empress had a permit to operate, contrary to Marina’s findings presented during a Senate hearing earlier in the day.
Presumption of regularity
But it turned out it was the document RDC Reield Marine Services, which owns MT Princess Empress, presented to PCG personnel during inspections before the tanker was allowed to sail.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Armand Balilo shows a copy of the certificate of public convenience supposedly issued to the owner of MT Princess Empress, which sank off Oriental Mindoro causing an oil spill that threatens ecosystems and communities in southern Luzon.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard said Wednesday it is investigating the authenticity of the permit presented to its personnel to allow MT Princess Empress to sail at least four times before it sank off the waters of Oriental Mindoro, causing an oil spill that threatens ecosystems and communities.
“There was an instruction given to us yesterday to investigate,” PCG spokesperson Armand Balilo said in a media interview. “First, is the signature on here original? Then would Marina (Maritime Industry Authority) agree to this?”
“Then the owners of the ship denied yesterday at the Senate that they have an approved CPC (certificate of public convenience). Then what is this document that you are giving us when you are sailing? This has to be explained by the owners,” Balilo continued.
A CPC is a permit that the Marina issues to ships for public use.
The PCG on Tuesday night posted on its social media a document showing that MT Princess Empress had a permit to operate, contrary to Marina’s findings presented during a Senate hearing earlier in the day.
The document — a November 16, 2022 decision by the Marina to allow the amendment of the CPC issued to the owner of MT Princess Empress to include the tanker in its fleet — was posted online hours after the Senate environment panel’s inquiry into the oil spill, during which the PCG did not present or make reference to it.
Presumption of regularity
But it turned out it was the document RDC Reield Marine Services, which owns MT Princess Empress, presented to PCG personnel during inspections before the tanker was allowed to sail.
“As of the moment what our people on the ground say is that we relied on the CPC to allow the ship to sail. And on several occasions, that was what the shipowner submitted to the Philippine Coast Guard,” Balilo said.
He added: “Now, if this CPC is said to be spurious or fake, it’s up to the company to prove otherwise. But for us, this is what we are holding on to because of the presumption of regularity.”
The document supposedly presented to PCG personnel allowed MT Princess Empress to sail at least four times from the ports of Manila, Bataan, Iloilo and Misamis Oriental, Balilo said.
RDC vice president Fritzie Tee said during the Senate hearing that their motor tanker was able to sail nine times before it sank in the waters off Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro on February 28. Marina said this happened all while the ship had no permit.
Tee, however, insisted that her company has a CPC and that they applied as early as November 2022 and completed the submission of all required documents for its amendment to include the tanker that, she said, was commissioned in 2022.
She admitted that they still submitted additional requirements for the amendment of the CPC in December 2022, a month after the supposed amended CPC was issued by Marina.
The tanker is leaking oil that has affected over 108,000 people in 118 barangays in Oriental Mindoro and Palawan, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
In an update on Wednesday, the OCD said the oil spill has affected 68 areas, while 122 people have either been injured or have fallen ill because of the incident. There are 31,497 families in MIMAROPA and Western Visayas regions also affected, while the livelihood of 13,654 farmers and fishermen was also impacted by the oil leakage.
(2nd UPDATE) The Philippine Coast Guard initially shares documents supposedly showing that the sunken ship had a permit to operate but says a day later it will investigate whether such documents submitted by the ship's owner are authentic
MANILA, Philippines — Hours after a Senate inquiry heard the country’s maritime regulator say that the sunken oil tanker, MT Princess Empress, had no permit, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which was also represented in the hearing, posted documents online seeking to discredit the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) chief’s statements.
The PCG on Tuesday night, March 14, shared on social media six pages of the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) supposedly issued by MARINA to RDC Reield Marine Services Inc, the owner of MT Princess Empress which sank off Oriental Mindoro on February 28 with 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil. MARINA’s mandate is to “lead a progressive maritime administration for safer people, safer ships, and cleaner environment.”
“Considering further that applicant is deemed financially capable to maintain its operations, having complied with the financial standard ratios under the 2014 amendments, and that all documentary requirements are in order and complied with, the Authority hereby amends the certificate of public convenience of applicant, RDC Reield Marine Services, Inc. to effect the permanent addition of the ship/tanker, M/TKR ‘PRINCESS EMPRESS,’ to the company’s fleet,” the document reads.
The certificate, issued on November 16, 2022, also says that the permit will expire on February 6, 2042.
After Tuesday’s hearing but before the PCG released the documents, RDC issued a statement saying November 16, 2022 was the date it “filed the application for amendment,” and it “completed documentary requirements on December 2, 2022.”
That statement was consistent with what was said in the hearing by RDC vice president Fritzie Tee. MARINA Administrator Hernani Fabia told senators that the company’s application was still pending due to financial documents that had yet to be submitted to regulators.
Asked in a News5 interview on Wednesday morning, March 15, a PCG official said it was unable to fully explain the Coast Guard’s side during the hearing due to “pressure in communication.”
“There was just no opportunity to explain further, you saw the situation there,” said PCG oil spill response incident commander Geronimo Tuvilla.
After the MARINA report about MT Princess Empress was read during the hearing, senators criticized the Coast Guard for allowing the ship to sail nine times already, including on February 28 when it left the private port, SL Harbor Terminal, in Limay, Bataan.
The pre-departure checklist for MT Princess Empress showed seven boxes were unticked, including the CPC requirement, Senator Risa Hontiveros disclosed during Tuesday’s hearing.
PCG maritime safety services commander Joseph Coyme had even said it would conduct administrative investigations, after Senator Raffy Tulfo asserted that Coast Guard officers who cleared MT Princess Empress that day should be charged and put in jail.
“Vice Admiral Coyme’s explanation was right. That’s the normal procedure for police and armed forces. What he meant was we won’t tolerate if someone among our ranks commits a violation,” Tuvilla said on Wednesday morning.
“It is painful for us as an organization to be subjected to incomplete information,” he added.
But also on Wednesday morning, MARINA spokesperson Sharon Aledo stood by the agency’s statement that RDC has yet to update its certification.
“They filed an application, but they have yet to comply with all the documentary and qualification requirements, pursuant to the guidelines under the 2014 amendments to Republic Act 9295 or the Domestic Shipping Development Act,” Aledo said in a Teleradyo interview.
Later on Wednesday, PCG spokesman Arman Balilo told reporters that the document it previously posted on social media was the permit given by the company to the Manila station of the PCG.
“As far as we’re concerned, we relied on this document, that’s why we allowed the ship to sail,” Balilo said, adding that the PCG would now investigate to determine whether the permit was authentic.
Senator Hontiveros lamented the “confusion” on Wednesday morning in an interview with DZBB.
“So, what is it? Which of them is right?” she said. “During the hearing, resource persons made an oath to tell only the truth. If not, they may face perjury.”
Pre-departure inspection of domestic vessels is a task of PCG under Republic Act 9993, but limited manpower and resources have made the practice impractical.
The PCG’s mandate to conduct pre-departure inspection of vessels is “no longer practiced in other parts of the world,” now-Coast Guard deputy chief Jay Tristan Tarriela wrote in a 2019 Rappler piece.
“It is about time that our lawmakers pass a dedicated law for the shipping industry that explicitly defines the responsibility and accountability or the shipowners once an incident occurs,” he said.
Why the permit issue matters
RDC’s insurance coverage hangs in the balance due to the controversy surrounding MT Princess Empress’ authority to travel.
RDC had said the sunken ship was insured for $1 billion or around P55 billion under a Protection and Indemnity (P&I) coverage.
“If the ship is ‘colorum’ or without an updated CPC, it might not be able to claim indemnity insurance,” Hontiveros said on Wednesday.
Senator Cynthia Villar also pointed out in the hearing that insurance companies usually find a way to justify rejection of insurance claims.
The oil spill in Oriental Mindoro has affected nine towns in the province and 108,000 individuals. A total of 122 people have also fallen ill, local officials said.
The ship was carrying “black oil” which is considered toxic, and authorities are racing to contain the spill. — Rappler.com
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday said it is checking the validity of the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) of MT Princess Empress following questions that it sailed without such permit.
“We relied on the CPC para payagan ‘yung barko na maglayag,” said PCG spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo in a press conference.
He said the Coast Guard relied on the presumption of regularity of the documents that were issued last November 16, 2022. He added they were presented to the PCG and showed that they were validated by Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
“So this is the certificate of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) that was submitted to us to Coast Guard Station Manila last February 27, noong dumaan ‘yung Motor Vehicle Princess Empress,” he said.
“To effect the Permanent Addition of the ship/tanker. M/TKR "PRINCESS EMPRESS*, to the company's feet, to operate in the tramping service for the carriage of persistent oil (black products), to any port in the Philippines, effective from date hereof valid until the expiration of the company's CPC on 00 February 2042, pursuant to Section 7.11,” it said.
alilo noted that the said ship was used four times in the transactions with the PCG — one each in Manila, Cebu, Misamis Oriental, and Iloilo City.
“Pinache-check pa namin ‘yung ibang mga bayan kung saan siya dumaong, kung may inspeksyon na ginawa at kung may sinubmit na CPC. Pero as far as we are concerned we relied on this document kaya namin pinayagan ‘yung barko na maglayag,” he added.
“Pinapa-check namin yung validity ng CPC, sinasama na namin sa investigation,” he said, noting that it is not easy to determine whether the document is fake or not.
Balilo added that PCG would investigate if its boarding team did not inspect MT Princess Empress before it sailed last February 27.
The MT Princess Empress sank on February 28, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel. Oil spills were reported in several areas in Mindoro, prompting the coastal town of Pola to declare a state of calamity.
According to the PCG, the motor tanker sank 400 meters into the ocean, which was too deep for divers to reach.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said more than 2,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass could be affected.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has placed an oil spill boom to contain the spill while the clean-up operations are ongoing. — LDF, GMA Integrated News
According to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), on Friday 10th March, a Philippine landing craft struck a tugboat in the port of Cebu, sinking the tug and claiming the life of one crewmember.
In its incident report posted on social media, the tug Nagasaka was towing the landing craft Jana Juliana a few hundred yards off Colorado Shipyard, a repair yard located northeast of downtown Cebu. The landing craft’s port bow struck the tug, causing the tug to sink, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
When the tug begun to snik, the crew jumb into the water. However, one crewman from Nagasaka was initially reported missing.
On Saturday 11th March, fishermen from the city of Lapu-Lapu – on the other side of the Mactan Channel – located the body of the missing crewmember, and the family has confirmed his identity, according to the PCG.
The previous week, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) focuses on an incident in which PCG rescued five Japanese crew members from the Mongolian-flagged fishing vessel Catriona, which had taken on a severe list off Navotas, Oriental Mindoro.
According to CNN Philippines, around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, the PCG said MV Catriona had an accident then took on water and tilted to its side in waters off Navotas in Calapan.
The PCG said BRP Habagat successfully located the distressed vessel and reported that all rescued crewmen are in good physical condition.
Under the Oil Compensation Act of 2007, a charterer can’t be made to pay for pollution damage. Environmental groups, however, say the cargo owner should also be made to pay based on the 'polluter pays principle.'
MANILA, Philippines – A subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corporation – SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation – chartered RDC Reield Marine Services (RDC) to ship the 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil from Limay, Bataan to Iloilo last February 28, Rappler learned from government officials.
The officials made the claim based on documents they have seen. MT Princess Empress sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro reportedly after encountering big waves and strong winds that day.
In the shipping business, a charterer enters into an agreement with the ship owner to deliver cargo. The charterer pays the ship owner for the use of the vessel. Although San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage has its own tankers, it also charters other shipping companies for deliveries.
Asked in an email whether SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp. was indeed the charterer, Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) spokesperson Sharon Aledo said, “We only received direct information from the shipowner’s representatives that SL Harbour Terminal Corp. was the loading port.” Aledo did not respond to a follow-up email on whether she can say that SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp. may not have been the charterer and cargo owner since RDC only told them that this was the “loading port.”
RDC declined to say on Monday, March 13, whether SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp. was the charterer of MT Princess Empress, invoking its non-disclosure agreement.
Rappler sent an email on Monday to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) asking for confirmation on the charterer, but was told the question should be directed to other offices. DENR is the agency coordinating the oil spill cleanup work.
SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation, a registered importer of petroleum products, is a subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage. It owns fuel storage facilities in Limay, Bataan, as well as an oil terminal in Tagaloan, Cagayan de Oro.
San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corp. is under publicly listed San Miguel Corporation, a diversified conglomerate led by its president, Ramon S. Ang. It handles the shipping requirements of the conglomerate. The conglomerate’s shipping business is separate from its oil (Petron Corp.) and energy (SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.) business.
Why does this matter?
In a statement on March 5, San Miguel’s fuel and oil firm, Petron Corporation, clarified that MT Princess Empress “was not carrying products from the Petron Bataan Refinery nor does Petron own the fuel oil cargo the tanker was carrying at the time of the incident.”
Petron is the Philippines’ largest oil company, capable of supplying around 40% of the country’s fuel requirements. It has an oil refinery in Limay, Bataan, which processes crude oil into various petroleum products. For its industrial fuel oil requirements, Petron now sources it from abroad through importation.
“With major investments for the enhancement of our refinery, Petron has stopped producing fuel oil since 2016,” it said, adding, however, that it was still assisting in the cleanup after the oil spill.
The conglomerate, however, has so far been silent on SL Harbor’s involvement as a charterer.
Rappler reached out to San Miguel for comment on March 9, March 10, and March 13. As of posting, it has not responded to our emailed questions, saying in a text message that they were “still getting in touch with SL Harbor for details.” We will update this story in case the San Miguel camp responds.
Lack of transparency
Under Republic Act 9483 or the Oil Pollution Compensation Act of 2007, no claim for pollution damage compensation may be made against “any charterer.” This law provides that liability on pollution damage lies on the “owner of the ship at the time of an incident.”
RDC officials did not respond to reporters who sought to interview them in Pola, Oriental Mindoro on March 4 and March 6.
However, in a meeting with local officials, Fritzie Tee, vice president for administration and external affairs of RDC, expressed “the company’s commitment to address the cleanup and containment of the oil spill,” according to a company press release on March 6.
In a statement on Monday, March 13, Tee said: “We are truly sorry that this incident has affected the livelihoods of those living in the impacted areas and the spill’s effect on the environment. We are committed to doing everything possible to minimise the ongoing impact on the environment and people’s lives and clean up the spill.”
She said the company’s “primary focus at this stage remains on the oil spill response and we are adopting a phased approach as advised by experts.”
On Friday, March 10, Liza Osorio, Oceana Legal and Policy Director, lamented the lack of transparency in this latest oil spill.
“Sana lumitaw na sya. Bakit tahimik? (The cargo owner should emerge. Why the silence?),” she told Rappler.
Who’s liable
In an interview with radio DZBB on March 9, Aledo, also the legal chief of MARINA, said that based on interviews with the crew of MT Princess Empress, the 500-ton tanker encountered “breaking waves” reaching 3 to 4.5 meters and wind speed of 20 to 22 knots” which led to the sinking.
“Yun yung isa sa mga (This is one of the) incidents that led to the sinking, but the probable root causes have not yet been determined,” she said.
She said the “direct cause” of the sinking has yet to be determined since the MT Princess Empress was still deep in the sea, making a physical inventory of its equipment and inspection impossible.
Aledo agreed that industrial fuel oil is also called “black oil,” which she said is “more toxic” than other fuels like diesel.
She said RDC officials told regulators the ship was insured for $1 billion or around P55 billion under a Protection and Indemnity (P&I) coverage.
She said, however, that the ship’s insurance is “subject to provisions on limitations of liability under RA [Republic Act] 9483” or the Oil Pollution Compensation Act of 2007.
Asked if the company will be able to claim insurance for this oil spill, she said a P&I answers compensation due to any damage and/or injury, but this has to go through a process.
Aledo said it was “incumbent” on the ship owner to file an insurance claim.
According to the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), a P&I is a “liability insurance for practically all maritime liability risks associated with the operation of a vessel.” IRMI’s mission is to provide risk management and insurance information and training.
Last Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard said the municipality of Pola has created “TASK FORCE POLA to pursue appropriate legal actions against the owner, operator, or insurer of MT PRINCESS EMPRESS in proper courts or administrative agencies for the damages they incurred.”
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Mayor Jennifer Cruz of Pola, Oriental Mindoro said the task force would first meet on Monday, March 13 to assess the extent of damages on the environment as well as loss of livelihood and tourism prior to suing the parties involved.
Polluters should pay
Three environmental groups are also demanding that the government “ensure that the companies responsible for the disaster are held accountable.”
In a joint statement on March 9, Greenpeace Philippines, Oceana, and Center for Energy Ecology and Development (CEED), said the Marcos administration should also “show its concrete plans to protect the affected communities and ecosystems.”
“There are accountability measures in place already in our laws…and in these laws, there is a ‘polluter pays’ principle. Under this is RA 9483, which spells out the liability for those responsible for the oil spill,” said Osorio.
She added that this “covers cleanup operations at sea, preventive measures, consequential laws or loss of earnings, pure economic loss, and even damage to human health or loss of life, among others.”
“I believe that the government already has the necessary tools, but what is more important is that these accountability mechanisms should be enforced,” she said.
Osorio, in the Rappler interview, said it is “unfortunate” that the Oil Compensation Act of 2007 excludes the cargo owner of a sunken vessel from liability. However, she said “the general rule under transportation law makes the charterer liable depending on the type of charter.”
“If the charterer is negligent in packaging the goods, such as not ensuring the ship is following international regulations, then the charterer is liable,” Osorio said.
“However, we have a rule on statutory construction that a special law like RA 9483 (Oil Pollution Compensation Act) will prevail over general law. In essence, RA 9483 will be the controlling law,” she said.
Osorio said environmental groups are looking into other laws, such as the Amended Fisheries Code or Republic Act 10654, the Clean Water Act, as they contemplate their legal actions in response to the oil spill.
“We’re looking at all angles right now,” she said, noting that there are decided cases wherein the polluter has been made to pay by the DENR’s Pollution Adjudication Board.
Osorio said the Philippines is also a signatory to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) which prescribes other measures on prevention pollution by ships due to “operational or accidental causes.” Among others, it mandates that new oil tankers have double hulls. This convention was adopted in 1973 and entered into force in 1983. A protocol amending it took effect in 2005.
In an interview with radio DZBB on Monday, March 13, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said MT Princess Empress had double hulls. He said MARINA requires that all oil tankers should have double hulls for added protection. In this incident, he said the crew lost control of the vessel.
When asked whether the oil tanker was taking the correct route, he said the MARINA had approved the route MT Princess Empress took.
Greenpeace Philippines, Oceana, and CEED asserted that such a disaster is likely to happen again if the country continues to rely on fossil fuel energy.
“This incident is one of many that the fossil fuel industry has seemingly moved on from, while continuing to pass the burden onto affected communities. The least our government and whoever is responsible for the spill can do is to be completely transparent about the actual impacts, how much worse it can get, and what they are doing to mitigate this disaster,” said Greenpeace campaigner Jeff Chua.
“More importantly, there must be accountability from the companies involved, especially the owner of the cargo. They must pay for the immediate and long-term damages their business operations have caused, especially in the disruption of livelihoods and access to ecosystem services,” he said.
Gov’t responses
On March 8, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the DENR to speed up the cleanup in the affected areas affected by the oil spill.
In a Palace statement, Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said “the rate of discharge of oil from the sunken vessel is estimated between 35,000 to 50,000 liters a day.”
She added that the oil spill in Antique and Semirara Island was continuing to spread.
Models of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that Naujan and Pola in Oriental Mindoro would be the hardest hit, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.
Loyzaga said “the vessel owner’s insurance provider has offered to bring in a ship from China to plug the leak of the vessel.”
She said that around P60 million has been set aside for the cash-for-work program of the Department of Labor and Employment for families affected by the oil spill.
The Palace said the DENR is also coordinating with local government units, the vessel owner, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development on “potential additional source of funds for the cash-for-work program as assistance to the affected residents.”
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the areas to be given the temporary means of livelihood include the towns of Bansud, Bongabong, Bulalacao, Gloria, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Pola and Roxas in Oriental Mindoro; Caluya in Antique; and Agutaya in Palawan.
The Japanese government has sent a Disaster Relief Expert Team on oil removal and control, including 5 from Japan’s Coast Guard, to support the Philippine government’s efforts. It is sending oil blotters, oil snares, and oil-proof working gloves for the cleanup.
The Philippine government is also looking into whether this year’s Balikatan exercises between the Philippines and the US can be tapped for cleanup drives in areas affected by the oil spill.
Projected damage
Meantime, the UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) has estimated that the oil spill would impact 20,000 hectares of coral reef, 9,900 ha. of mangroves and 6,000 ha. of seagrass in Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Antique in the Visayas, with around half of the “potentially affected reefs (11,000 ha.) in the Cuyo group of islands, Palawan.
Based on the institute’s modeling as of March 5, the projected spill would continue to the Cuyo group of islands and “will get closer to northern Palawan mainland in about a week’s time.” World-renowned Amanpulo Resort is located in the Cuyo group of islands, Palawan.
UP MSI said Karagatan Patrol, an online platform for illegal fishing activities, mapped the areas affected by the oil spill based on verified reports of oil slick sightings and onshore deposits.
“Patterns of oil sighting strongly coincide with the oil spill trajectory model of the UP MSI,” it said.
The UP MSI added, however, that “the model results are model forecasts and accuracy is difficult to determine,” and “does not account for dispersion, evaporation, emulsification, and degradation of the oil and assumes that the oil behaves like persistent buoyant particles.”
On March 12, UP MSI said that based on its simulation focusing on the tanker’s location from March 10 to 16, “with continuous release of oil from the alleged seepage location, most of the oil will end up along Naujan coast and Pola Bay.”
It also warned: “However, due to the weakening Amihan, some of the oil may flow northwards towards the Verde Island Passage by March 16, affecting coastal areas of Calapan, Verde Island, and some parts of Batangas. The oil spill threatens the global center of marine biodiversity located in the Verde Island Passage (VIP).”
In a disclaimer, UP MSI said the model was based on “weathering characteristics of the bunker oil and a seepage rate of 1,000 barrels per day,” adding that “these assumptions…are based on best available information.”
In a forum on March 9, Ram Joseph Temeña of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in Oriental Mindoro, said 111 barangays with fisherfolk and 19,556 affected families from Nauhan to Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro are affected by the oil spill.
Mayor Mary Jean Te of Libertad, Antique, in the same forum, said, “We’re worried na mag-shift ang hangin at mapunta dito sa amin ang (that the wind would change direction towards us) oil spill. It’s tuna season here in our area and tons of fish are being caught through sustainable fishing. We have the biggest number of mangroves and well-managed coastal resources here in northern Antique.”
In a separate statement, Father Edwin Gariguez, a Catholic priest who has been active in environmental causes in Oriental Mindoro, said that at least 18,000 fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro “have been robbed of their livelihood” with fishing activities put on hold.
He also warned of food insecurity in the coming years for the affected communities.
“We call on the Philippine government for most urgent action to contain the spill, assess the severity of damage, and prioritize the welfare of impacted communities who must receive livelihood support and protection from health impacts,” he said.
“We also demand accountability from the owner of MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marines Services, and the fuel supply it contains.”
The Senate committee on environment, natural resources, and climate change, chaired by Senator Cynthia Villar, is set to hold a hearing on Tuesday, March 14 on the Mindoro oil spill. – with reports from Ralf Rivas and Dwight de Leon/Rappler.com
On Friday, a Philippine landing craft struck a tugboat in the port of Cebu,
sinking the tug and claiming the life of one crewmember.
At about 1520 hours, the tug Nagasaka was towing the landing craft Jana Juliana
a few hundred yards off Colorado Shipyard, a repair yard located northeast of
downtown Cebu. The landing craft's port bow struck the tug, causing the tug to
sink, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
The first crewmember to jump over the side was missing after the sinking, and
the PCG sent a dive team from Special Operations Group - Visayas to search the
wreck, without success.
First responders also deployed a boom around the wreck of the tug in order to
contain any potential spill, but only minimal sheening was observed.
On Saturday, fishermen from the city of Lapu-Lapu - on the other side of the
Mactan Channel - located the body of the missing crewmember, and the family has
confirmed his identity, according to the PCG.
Lt. j.g. Stephen Pagcaliwagan, a local spokesperson for the PCG, identified the
missing mariner as Joseph Villamor.
PCG rescues five Japanese fishermen in distress
In a separate incident over the weekend, the PCG rescued five Japanese crew
members from the Mongolian-flagged fishing vessel Catriona, which had taken on a
severe list off Navotas, Oriental Mindoro.
At about 0630 hours on Saturday, the PCG Command Center received word that the
Catriona was in distress, and watchstanders worked with PCG Station Oriental
Mindoro to launch a SAR operation. The crew of the patrol vessel BRP Habagat
located the distressed vessel and successfully rescued five Japanese crew
members, all in their 70s and 80s. These individuals were identified as Itsuo
Tamura, 86; Hiromu Nishida, 83; Hamagato Tsukasa, 80, Osamu Kawakami, 74; and
Hata Isamu, 74.
According to the crewmembers, they had departed Japan and were under way for
Davao when the vessel ldeveloped a serious list.
The PCG SAR team performed a medical check-up on the survivors to ensure that
they were in good physical condition.
The Catriona was taken in tow and brought back to a nearby port for a dive
inspection.
MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Philippine Coast Guard rescued five Japanese crew members Saturday morning aboard MV Catriona in waters off Navotas, Calapan in Oriental Mindoro after encountering a maritime incident.
The foreign nationals said they departed Japan en route to Davao before their fishing vessel was accidentally damaged, causing it to list. They were later rescued at around 6:30 a.m.
"Upon receipt of the report from a transiting vessel, the PCG Command Center coordinated with the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog and PCG Station Oriental Mindoro to conduct a search and rescue operations, " said the Coast Guard in a social media post.
Those rescued to by the BRP Habagat (TB-271) were the following:
Isuo Tamura: 86-years-old
Hiromu Nisiha: 83-years-old
Hamgayo Tsukasa: 80-years-old
Osamu Kawakami: 74-years-old
Hayaan Isamu: 74-years-old
"The PCG SAR team also confirmed that the five Japanese crew members of fishing vessel, MV CATRIONA, are in GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION, " added the Coast Guard.
Five Japanese crew members of a fishing vessel were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after they encountered a maritime accident off Calapan, Oriental Mindoro on Saturday morning, March 11.
Rear Adm. Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said MV Catriona encountered vessel listing at approximately 2.6 nautical miles northeast of Silonay Island in Calapan around 6:30 a.m.
Photo: Philippine Coast Guard / PCG
Five Japanese crew members of a fishing vessel were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after they encountered a maritime accident off Calapan, Oriental Mindoro on Saturday morning, March 11.
Rear Adm. Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said MV Catriona encountered vessel listing at approximately 2.6 nautical miles northeast of Silonay Island in Calapan around 6:30 a.m.
Listing occurs when a vessel tilts to one side after taking in water.
The PCG identified the rescued crew as Osamu Kawakami, 74; Itsuo Tamura, 86; Hata Isamu, 74; Hiromu Nishida, 83; and Hamagato Tsukasa, 80.
“According to the Japanese crew members, they departed Japan en route to Davao. While underway, MV Catriona was accidentally damaged, causing the vessel to list,” Balilo said in a statement.
Balilo said the vessel had a hole in it which caused water to seep in.
A transiting vessel sighted the tilted MV Catriona and reported its condition to the PCG.
After receiving the report, the PCG Command Center coordinated with the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog and Coast Guard Station Oriental Mindoro to conduct a search and rescue (SAR) operation.
The PCG deployed BRP Habagat (TB-271) until the SAR personnel located the vessel and the crew.
The PCG SAR team confirmed that the five Japanese crew members were in good physical condition. They were brought to Port of Calapan for further assessment.
The MV Catriona in the waters off Oriental Mindoro where five Japanese crew members were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday, March 11, 2023. (Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard)
MANILA, Philippines — Five senior citizen Japanese crew members of a distressed vessel were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday off the coast of Oriental Mindoro.
The PCG said that the MV Catriona was en route to Davao from Japan when it took in water and listed.
“The [PCG] has rescued five Japanese crew members on board MV Catriona that encountered a maritime accident (vessel listing) in the vicinity waters off Navotas, Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, at around 06:30 a.m. today,” the PCG in a Facebook post.
(Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard)
The PCG’s search and rescue unit and the BRP Habagat were dispatched to the area and rescued the Japanese seafarers – Itsuo Tamura, 86; Hiromu Nishida, 83; Hamagato Tsukasa, 80; Osamu Kawakami, 74 and Hata Isamu, 74.
“The PCG SAR team performed a medical check-up on the rescued individuals to ensure they remained in good physical condition,” the PCG said.
More details will be released in a progress report, the PCG added.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has rescued five Japanese crew members on board MV CATRIONA that encountered a maritime accident (vessel listing) in the vicinity waters off Navotas, Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, at around 06:30AM today, 11 March 2023.
Upon receipt of the report from a transiting vessel, the PCG Command Center coordinated with the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog and PCG Station Oriental Mindoro to conduct a search and rescue (SAR) operation.
The PCG SAR team on board BRP Habagat (TB-271) successfully located the distressed vessel and carefully rescued the following Japanese crew members:
The national government has been pressed to hold MT Princess Empress’ owner accountable for the oil spill in the waters of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, that may affect as many as 21 marine protected areas.
The call came days following the sinking of the ill-fated oil tanker vessel last Wednesday, carrying a load of 800,000 liters or 210,000 gallons due to engine trouble.
The Philippine Coast Guard later determined the spillage was a mixture of industrial fuel oil.
PCG spokesperson vice admiral Armand Balilo said Friday that any legal action to be taken against the operator would be determined after a proper and thorough investigation.
“We assure them due process. After that, then we will come to the filing of appropriate cases,” Balilio said.
However, farmer and fisherfolk Rep. Wilbert Lee contended that government should run after the owner of the sunken vessel due to concerns that crucial protected areas are put at risk and that containment, cleanup, and rehabilitation of impacted areas are necessary.
“The livelihood of many fishermen in Mindoro and other provinces surrounding the contaminated sea will be in peril,” said the solon.
Aside from pursuing those responsible, Lee argued that the government should act promptly to aid and provide temporary work to the fishers impacted by the oil spill.
The PCG earlier declared that all maritime activities in the waters near four towns in Oriental Mindoro are suspended due to the spread of the oil spill.
According to the PCG’s report, the oil spill has now reached Western Visayas, with fuel traces discovered in Caluya, Antique.
Meanwhile, Congress is gearing up to pass a supplemental budget to mitigate the effects of the disaster, a move it made in 2006 when it granted at least P5.4 billion in supplemental appropriations to sectors affected by the Guimaras oil spill.
It remains the most destructive after the oil tanker MT Solar 1, carrying more than two million liters of bunker fuel, sank off Panay Island’s southern coast during a violent storm.
A Philippine oil tanker, which sank off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro and caused a major oil spill in nearby areas, is insured for $1 billion, according to a government official.
The ship, named MT Princess Empress, capsized on Feb. 28 while carrying 800,000 litres of industrial oil. It sank the following day after experiencing engine trouble and was not found until Monday.
Covered for “every incident”
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) spokesperson Sharon Aledo said in an interview that the ship is owned by RDC Reield Marine Services (RDC) and is covered by a $1 billion protection and indemnity insurance that has coverage for “every incident,” including an oil spill.
Aledo noted that the regulatory body met with the owners of the shipping company, who told MARINA that the Princess Empress was insured. She also affirmed that the RDC president is Reynaldo Cabial, and that the shipping company has a valid Certificate of Public Convenience for the sunk oil tanker.
She added that it was “incumbent” on the RDC to file an insurance claim following the oil spill. A report from the Philippine Coast Guard on Friday noted that eight drums of “oily waste” have already been collected from the site of the sinking near the coast of Sitio Sabang, Barangay Tinogboc, Caluya, Antique. The clean-up efforts were temporarily halted to ensure the health and safety of the Coast Guard’s response team.
In the aftermath of the incident, MARINA has suspended the shipping company’s safety certificate and has also issued a show cause order to explain what happened. Aledo urged the shipping company to attend to the affected coastal communities since that is part of their responsibility.
In response to this, a high-ranking official of the RDC shipping company participated in a closed-door meeting with government officials to assure that it would not evade responsibility. RDC vice president for administration and external affairs Fritzie Tee expressed “the company’s commitment to address the clean-up and containment of the oil spill.”
The Captain of the Port in Gibraltar has received a report about the damage to the OS 35 shipwreck caused by recent storms.
The damage to the accommodation block and hull was expected, but is not considered extensive.
The crack in the hull of the bulk carrier has extended to the port side and the ship is now held together by the bilge keel. However, the wreck has not moved from its original position following its controlled sinking last September as part of a plan to stabilize it for heavy weather.
The damage to the hull has allowed divers to inspect fuel tank 1, which has suffered damage. The other set of fuel tanks remain undamaged. The dive survey has confirmed with certainty that the tanks, which had been emptied in earlier stages of the operation, are still intact and are not at risk of failing.
Photo courtesy Gibraltar Port
The removal of the vessel’s cargo is the first priority, and the damage caused by the storms has not impacted the cargo removal operations. So far, crews have removed 11,000 metric tons of steel bars, representing about a third of the ship’s total cargo.
Small amounts of residual oil have been found on some beaches, but no secondary contamination or debris was detected.
The Captain of the Port has briefed Spanish authorities and other stakeholders on the latest information.
“The damage to the vessel’s hull and accommodation block, whilst not ideal, were anticipated and prepared for with the removal of as much oil as possible and the complete stripping of the accommodation,” said The Captain of the Port, John Ghio. “These measures, together with the decision to sink the wreck in a controlled manner and thereby secure it in place, gave the vessel the maximum possible stability to withstand the winter storms as far as possible. Overall, I’m pleased that works continue to progress well, with cargo removal remaining as the current priority.”
The Tuvalu-flagged bulk carrier was departing from Gibraltar Port with a load of steel bars when it collided with the unladen LNG carrier Adam LNG in the Bay of Gibraltar on August 29, 2022. The OS 35 was then anchored off Catalan Bay, on the opposite side of the Gibraltar peninsula, where it partially sank and later broke up, resulting in the release of fuel oil.
Authorities have given the ship’s owners and insurers until the end of May to complete the wreck removal.
MANILA, Philippines – The Japanese government is sending oil control experts from its coast guard to aid in Philippine efforts to respond to the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.
Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa made the announcement on Wednesday, March 8, saying that experts arriving include those who specialize in oil removal and control.
“We are one with you in these trying times,” Koshikawa said.
Coastal communities are among those hardest hit by a February 28 oil spill, where a tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil capsized off the coast of Naujan.
MANILA, Philippines – The oil tanker MT Princess Empress, which sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro with 800,000 liters of industrial oil, is insured for $1 billion which the ship owner should claim, a regulatory official said on Tuesday, March 7.
In an interview on TV5, Sharon Aledo, spokesperson of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), said the MT Princess Empress, owned by RDC Reield Marine Services (RDC), is covered by a $1 billion Protection and Indemnity Insurance for “every incident” including an oil spill.
Aledo said MARINA has met with the shipping company owners who told regulators that the ship was insured. She said RDC’s president is Reynaldo Cabial, and the shipping company has a valid Certificate of Public Convenience for MT Princess Empress.
She said it was “incumbent” on the shipping company to file an insurance claim following the oil spill.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has promised to provide assistance to those affected by the oil spill brought on by the sinking of a tanker in Oriental Mindoro.
In a statement, the President said that affected families and individuals will receive assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
"The government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, is prepared to provide various forms of assistance to families and individuals affected by the oil spill caused by the submerged MT Princess Empress in Oriental Mindoro," Marcos said.
The President said the government, with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) serving as the lead agency, is closely monitoring the developments.
He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is likewise working with the International Maritime Organization and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to provide support and determine specific needs.
"Special attention will be given to the affected fisherfolks who will be losing their source of livelihood because of the oil spill," Marcos said.
"We also thank the private corporations like Petron and Shell, who have offered their help by lending us the needed equipment to mitigate the impact of the oil spill," he added.
On February 28, the PCG reported an oil spill from the MT Princess Empress, which capsized off the coast of Naujan earlier that day, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil as cargo.
Reports indicated that the vessel experienced engine trouble brought by overheating while in transit to Iloilo province from Bataan province, causing it to drift towards Balingawan Point in Naujan.
It then partially sank due to rough sea conditions until it fully submerged on Wednesday.
Twenty crew members of the MT Princess Empress crew were rescued.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ordered the creation of a task force that will monitor the impact of the oil spill.
Task force member-agencies include the Mimaropa offices of the DENR, DILG, DSWD, Department of Health, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, PCG-Southern Tagalog District, Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command and Mimaropa local government units.
By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora and 'Philippine News Agency
MANILA – The Philippine government is looking at tapping Japan to help contain a rapidly spreading oil spill in Oriental Mindoro, a result of the tanker M/T Princess Empress capsizing off the coast of Naujan town on Feb. 28.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Saturday said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is working with relevant agencies to contain and recover the slick but the spill has already reached another area in the province.
A PCG report also said the oil leak was starting to affect three villages in Caluya, Antique.
“’Yung Coast Guard nandoon. Tinitignan nila kung papaano pigilan pa ‘yong pagkalat ng langis. Sana ay huwag umabot sa Verde Island dahil ito ay protected area natin (Our Coast Guard is there and monitoring how it could further prevent the spill from spreading. Hopefully, it will not reach Verde Island, which is a protected area),” Bautista said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
Verde Island is located between Batangas province and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.
“Siguro ay hihingi kami ng tulong sa Japanese government dahil nabanggit sa akin na malaki ang kakayahan ng Japanese government na matulungan tayo para hindi masyadong kumalat ang oil spill na ito sa ating islands sa Mindoro (We’re looking at asking the Japanese government for help because I was told that it has the capacity to assist us),” he added.
The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) estimated that 20,000 hectares of coral reef, nearly 10,000 hectares of mangroves, and 6,000 hectares of seagrass are at risk in 21 municipalities across Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, and Antique.
Among these are Calapan, Puerto Galera, and Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro; San Jose in Occidental Mindoro; and Coron in Palawan.
In an earlier bulletin, the UP-MSI said the spill might reach the southern tip of Mindoro in a matter of days, given the direction of the wind and waves.
Other efforts being done to help understand the spill include hydrodynamic modeling to determine where the oil might end up given the wind and currents in the area, the institute said.
Bautista, meanwhile, said an investigation is underway on the sunken tanker, which was carrying about 800,000 liters of fuel oil, and which reportedly capsized due to engine trouble.
“Ang sinasabi napakalakas daw ng alon. Mabuti at ‘yong mga crew ay nasagip ng dumadaang sasakyan. Iyon ay iniimbestigahan pa ng MARINA (They said it was due to the strong waves. It’s fortunate that the crew were safe after they were rescued by a passing ship. MARINA [Maritime Industry Authority] is now investigating this),” he said.
Mindoro and Palawan are home to world-famous dive sites, known for their rich marine biodiversity, coral reefs, and sea creatures.
MANILA (UPDATE) - The oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro has reached Caluya, Antique, the Philippine Coast Guard said Saturday.
According to a report from the PCG District Western Visayas, the oil spill was monitored in the shorelines of the following areas in Caluya town:
Sitio Sabang, Brgy. Tinogboc (1km)
Liwagao Island, Brgy. Sibolo (2km)
Sitio Tambak, Brgy. Semirara (2km)
A clean-up in those areas is currently ongoing, the PCG said.
The MT Princess Empress sank with its cargo of 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil as it sailed into rough seas off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Tuesday.
The PCG said the vessel could be 300 meters under the sea, but expert divers could only reach 180 meters deep.
The PCG advised residents from four municipalities in Oriental Mindoro to avoid fishing activities due to possible oil hazards.
In Liwagao Island, around 150 families or 600 residents have been affected by the oil spill, the agency said.
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said the government is prepared to provide aid to families and individuals affected by the oil spill.
"Special attention will be given to the affected fisherfolk who will be losing their source of livelihood because of the oil spill," he said.
In a statement, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said Secretary Rex Gatchalian will lead the distribution Saturday of aids under the agencfy’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and cash-for-work programs.
Gatchalian said over 7,000 affected families in Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Bongabong, Gloria, and Bansud in Oriental Mindoro have already started receiving family food packs on Friday in coordination with Oriental Mindoro Governor Bonz Dolor.
He said the number of affected families may reach 10,000.
“This will be a sustained endeavor while the oil spill prevents our fisher folk from conducting their regular livelihood activities,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD MIMAROPA has prepositioned more than P78.9 million worth of standby and stockpile funds composed of some 42,400 family food packs, and standby funds amounting to P7.2 million which can be tapped for augmentation, the agency said.
The tanker Princess Empress, carrying some 800,000 litres of fuel oil, sank off the Philippines on 28 February after engine trouble. The crew of the tanker were rescued, but an oil spill has ensued with a task force now trying to contain it.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Princess Empress departed from Bataan en route to Iloilo with twenty crew members (including the master) and approximately 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil on board. It then encountered engine trouble due to overheating.
As a result, the vessel drifted towards the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, due to rough sea conditions until it became half-submerged. The PCG later revealed the vessel is now fully submerged. It is positioned on the eastern side of Mindoro Island at an estimated distance of 8 to 12 nautical miles.
A foreign vessel that was in the area, MV Efes, has rescued the vessel’s crew before the vessel sank with no injuries reported. They were transported to Subic, Zambales.
Oil spill response
On 1 March, the PCG reported an oil spill had occurred, with oil covering an area of 6 kilometres long and 4 kilometres wide. Later, the organisation confirmed the presence of a much thicker and darker oil spill at about 7.4 nautical miles southwest off Balingawan Point, Naujan.
An oil spill response has been initiated with one of the coast guard tugs equipped with oil spill recovery equipment, the MTug Titan, starting to spray oil dispersants in the area. In addition, The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) created a task force to deal with the spill.
The PCG is leading the taskforce and has also mobilised certified oil spill response organisations to support their operations. PCG is installing spill booms to protect the locally-managed marine protected areas. In addition, mechanical recovery of spilled oil in waters off Naujan town is underway.
The shipping company that owns MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marine Services Inc., has begun retrieval operations and arranged for the help of Malayan Towage and Salvage Corporation (MTSC) in addressing the oil spill in the area.
On 2 March, oil has also been found along the shoreline of Barangay Buhay na Tubig in Pola, Oriental Mindoro. Teams haven been sent to this location to initiate clean-up.
Cargo could cause wider oil spill
So far, water samples have only confirmed the presence of the diesel oil used by Princess Empress, according to the PCG, but it is also carrying industrial oil that is much thicker than diesel and more harmful to the local marine wildlife.
CG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo: ‘We need to remove this because it can spill at any time and could become an environmental catastrophe.’ If the incident worsens, he says the country may also reach out to past partners in oil spill exercises like Indonesia and Japan.
Further aerial surveillance will take place in the coming days to assess the situation. 21 locally-managed marine protected areas (LMMPAs) can potentially be affected due to oil spillage.
Negligence
Possible negligence on the part of the shipping company is being looked at and may result in charges being filed following an investigation.
Picture (top): Oil spill being monitored from the sky (photo: Philippine Coast Guard).
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Wednesday, March 1, that it has prepositioned all of its available assets to help in the retrieval of motor tanker (MT) Princess Empress which sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil as cargo.
Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said BRP Melchora Aquino, a 97-meter multi-role response vessel, and tugboat Titan were deployed in the area with sonar and oil spill boom while the Coast Guard Aviation Force conducted aerial inspection in the area to pinpoint the location where MT Princess Empress capsized on Feb. 28 and prevent the oil spillage from spreading.
The motor tanker sank 11 nautical miles from the municipal waters of Naujan, affecting the livelihood of the fishing community there, but its exact location underwater was not determined yet.
So far, the oil spill involving the diesel oil of the motor tanker already spread into the municipal waters of Naujan, particularly at Balingawan Point, with an estimated area of six kilometers long and four kilometers wide from the initial observation of five km long and 500 meters wide on Tuesday.
“Wala pang pangamba o panganib na madudulot ito sa yamang-dagat doon sa kabuuan ng incident area pero ang pinangangambahan ay kapag tumagas ‘yung industrial fuel oil. Ito ‘yung malapot kaya magiging problema ito (There is no threat yet to the marine resources in the incident area but what’s feared is if the industrial fuel oil spills. This is the sticky oil so it will be a problem),” Balilo said in a radio interview with dzBB.
Balilo said the diesel fuel can easily dissipate under the heat of sun or when hit by big waves because its particles are thin. Industrial fuel oil is different because its particles are thick and can harm fish, coral reef, and other marine resources.
The industrial fuel oil are cargoes onboard the MT Princess Empress which also sank underwater when the tanker’s engine overheated after being hit by huge waves while sailing off Naujan. The tanker was traveling from Bataan to Iloilo when it encountered bad weather around 2 a.m Tuesday.
“Kailangan pong tanggalin siya kasi anytime ito ay tatagas at magiging environmental catastrophe (We need to remove it [industrial fuel oil] because it can spill anytime which can lead to an environmental catastrophe),” Balilo stressed.
Lessons from Guimaras oil spill
Balilo said they already have the capability and experience to respond to massive oil spill incidents after the 2006 Guimaras oil spill. It can be recalled that MT Solar 1 sank off the coast of Guimaras on Aug. 11, 2006 which resulted to an oil spillage of more than 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel.
“Kung nakita natin ang barko, ang plano is hahatakin ito malapit at isasadsad. Kung kaya sa port, dadalhin para masipsip ang krudo. Ang problema wala na tayong makita, ang pwede na lang gawin mag-abang ng oil spill at makipag-usap sa company kung may salvage operation na gagawin (If only we have seen the ship, our plan is to tow it near the shore and ground it. If possible, we can bring it to the port so we can suck the crude oil. The problem is that we can no longer see it, and what we can only do now is to wait for an oil spill and talk to the company if there is a salvage operation),” he said.
The shipping company of MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marine Services, Inc., is leading the retrieval operations for the sunken motor tanker while the PCG is assisting them. The shipping company also contracted a towing company, Malayan Towage, to assess the oil spillage in the area.
“Mayroon naman silang arrangement sa salvage companies, mayroon silang oil spill response pero nandyaan din ang PCG at tinatap naming ang mga kumpanya ng langis na may oil spill response para pagtulung-tulungan na (They have an arrangement with salvage companies, they also have an oil spill response but the PCG is there and we already tapped oil companies with oil spill response capabilities to help),” Balilo said.
If worse comes to worst, Balilo said they can ask for assistance from other countries where they teamed up for oil spill response exercises in the past like Japan and Indonesia.
“Kung talagang masayadong malaki, maging karatig-bansa tumutulong kung talagang ‘di masawata. Pero sa tingin ko naman ay handa tayo at hopefully ang preparation namin ay maayos at enough (If it [oil spill] is really massive, even neighboring countries can help if we cannot really suppress it. But I think we are prepared and hopefully our preparation is orderly and enough),” he noted.
The PCG will also investigate if there is negligence on the part of the shipping company so appropriate charges could be filed.
Meanwhile, the 20 crew members of MT Princess Empress have been brought to Subic, Zambales by MV Efes, a foreign vessel which rescued them, so they can be given appropriate medical attention.
Residents of Naujan were also advised by the PCG to keep their distance from the municipal waters due to the possible hazards posed by the oil spillage to their health and livelihood.
Mar 1 UPDATE: YONG XING 56 sank on Mar 1, salvors failed to salvage the ship, and she sank at at 253 meter depth. Understood salvors took ship out of ice zone trying to ease access to breach, but how did towage contribute to sinking? There is no heavy swell seen in these last photos photos of hapless bulk carrier. According to official report, YONG XING 56 sank at 0535 Moscow time, breach wasn’t sealed, pumping water out of flooded compartments also failed.
Feb 27 UPDATE: As it transpired, the ship is loaded with alumina, forepeak is holed and most probably, fore cargo hold also. YONG XING 56 developed heavy fore tilt, she’s stuck in ice and drifts with ice floes. Salvors are trying to seal the breach, salvage outcome still indecisive.
Feb 24 UPDATE: Reportedly bulk carrier hull was breached by ice, YONG XING 56 and other ships in the area aren’t anchored therefore, but drift in ice floes, waiting for icebreaker.
Bulk carrier YONG XING 56 issued distress signal in the evening Feb 23, at anchorage in Tatar Strait south of Vanino, ship’s port of destination. Ferry SAKHALIN-8 and rescued 21 crew, all-Chinese. They’re to be disembarked at Vanino. Bulk carrier reportedly suffered hull breach starboard, in Hold 1 area, with ensuing mass water ingress. Judging from track screen, the ship looked like she drifted onto anchored general cargo ship VIKTORIYA (IMO 9004516). Ship’s AIS seems to be working, SAR ship OTTO SCHMIDT is under way to assist troubled bulk carrier. YONG XING 56 arrived at anchorage on Feb 19, she was to load coal at Vanino.
March 1 (Reuters) - A China-flagged cargo ship sank in the Strait of Tartary off the coast of Russia's Sakhalin island, the press service of Russia's Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport told TASS on Wednesday, adding there were no casualties.
"The crew of 21 citizens of the People's Republic of China got onto the ice and was then taken on board of an approaching ship," TASS cited the press service.
"Everyone is well, there were no casualties." (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Product tanker PRINCESS EMPRESS reportedly sank early in the morning Feb 28 off northeast coast of Mindoro island, Philippines, being caught in rough weather. Tanker with 800 tons of technical oil was en route from Limay, Manila Bay, to Iloilo. All 20 crew were rescued by general cargo ship EFES (IMO 9197686), which quickly responded to distress alert. Rescued seamen are to be disembarked at Subic Bay.
Product tanker PRINCESS EMPRESS, IMO 9985136, dwt 1143, built 2022, flag Philippines, manager RDC REIELD MARINE SERVICES INC.
A small cargo ship registered in Comoros and operated by a Russian crew was caught in a fierce winter storm in the Black Sea causing it to break apart and sink. Russian officials are reporting that one crewmember died of his injuries and a second was in critical condition while nine were being taken to shore.
Residents in the area near Novorossiysk reported hearing a siren this morning, February 21 coming from the offshore anchorage. At the time there was a strong storm raging with winds reported at up to 40 knots and seas at around 10 feet. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation responded by sending a rescue boat.
Reports indicated that when they arrived on the scene, a 3,200 dwt general cargo ship the Seamark had buckled in the middle of its 355-foot length and was sinking. A lifeboat and a life raft were in the water as well as some of the 11 crewmembers from the ship.
The vessel which was built in 1981 had been in the anchorage since arriving on February 15 from Iskenderun, Turkey, having departed the day before the devastating earthquake. The Seamark was carrying a load of 3,500 tons of marble chips.
The rescue service initially reported that it had been able to retrieve three people and that a fourth was seen in the water. Later they reported that seven people were being taken to the village of Aleksino aboard one rescue vessel while three others and the body of the deceased sailor were aboard a second vessel heading to Novorossiysk. The individual reportedly succumbed to his injuries aboard the rescue vessel.
The Equasis database reports the vessel's current situation was unknown. It does not record an inspection since 2021 when there were 11 deficiencies identified including issues with the steering gear, alarms, crew training, and familiarization with the emergency systems. Local media reports from Russia are linking the vessel to a management company in Dubai.
by Mikhail Voytenko
General cargo ship MY PRINCESS reportedly sank on Feb 11 at Sharjah Anchorage, UAE, Persian Gulf. Last AIS received at around 0330 UTC Feb 11. The ship left Dubai early Feb 10, sailed in northern direction, in the afternoon same day changed direction and sailed towards Sharjah at reduced speed. No other details available at the moment.
by Mikhail Voytenko
Report emerged on collision between two container ships in Long Tau river, Ho Chi Minh, at around 0440 LT Fen 11. According to tracks and analysis involved ships are RESURGENCE and WAN HAI 288, with RESURGENCE moving upstream to Ho Chi Minh, WAN HAI 288 sailing downstream, from Ho Chi minh to Kaohsiung. RESURGENCE struck WAN HAI 288 portside with her bow, inflicting heavy damages to WAN HAI 288 portside cargo deck area, WAN HAI 288 got stuck into river bank after collision.
RESURGENCE resumed sailing and berthed at Ho Chi Minh container terminal at around 0930 LT, with a number of tugs. RESURGENCE arrived from Laem Chabang.
Judging from ships tracks, they were to pass by portside, but RESURGENCE suddenly took a sharp portside turn and struck WAN HAI 288 portside fore area.
A Turkish bulker has run aground in a storm as it headed to Ukraine to load grain.
Turkish reports said the 47,000-dwt TQ Ordu (built 2007) was sailing from Istanbul when it was forced onto a beach at Sile Sofular on Monday evening.
The Palau-flag vessel encountered waves of up to six metres and a wind speed of nearly 30 knots.
No assistance was requested from the ship, which had 23 crew members on board. No injuries were reported among them.
Video footage showed that Coast Guard teams were sent to the region for precautionary purposes.
AIS data showed the vessel as not under command on Tuesday morning.
The TQ Ordu left Eregli in Turkey on 2 February and arrived in Istanbul on 4 February.
The ship may have been awaiting clearance from the UN’s Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) for Black Sea grain shipments.
More than 10 vessels have been seeking permission to head to Ukraine.
Inspectors struggling to reach vessels for checks
The JCC has said inspectors have several times been prevented from reaching ships due to bad weather.
There have also been reports of Russian inspectors delaying checks, but Russia has denied this.
The vessel is operated by HGFH Denizcilik of Tuzla in Turkey. The company could not be contacted.
Clarksons lists the ship as in repair.
The bulker last suffered a port state control detention in 2018.
The TQ Ordu is not listed in the International Group of P&I Clubs’ insurance database.
Bulk carrier TQ ORDU ran aground at Sile, Istanbul, Black sea coast, at around 2330 LT Feb 5, reportedly while ballasting from Eregli to Ukraine, though track seems a bit strange for a ship bound for Ukraine. Crew remain on board, understood waiting for tug and weather improvement.
Bulk carrier TQ ORDU, IMO 9199206, dwt 46541, built 2000, flag Turkey (AIS), manager HGFH DENIZCILIK LTD STI, Istanbul.
The Bahamas-flagged Grace Emilia suffered a malfunction of its rudder and tugboats pulled it to the side of the canal to allow other vessels to pass
CAIRO: A tanker transporting liquefied natural gas broke down in the Suez Canal on Wednesday but traffic in the global waterway was unaffected, a canal spokesperson said.
The Bahamas-flagged Grace Emilia suffered a malfunction of its rudder and tugboats pulled it to the side of the canal to allow other vessels to pass, said George Safwat, a spokesperson for Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority.
He told The Associated Press that the north-bound tanker stopped working in the southern part of the canal, where a two-lane waterway enables ships to transit.
Canal services provider Leth Agencies reported the incident in a Twitter post, saying vessels “can pass in both directions.”
Safwat, the spokesperson, said 68 vessels transited the canal on Wednesday. He said the canal tugs were towing the Grace Emilia to Little Bitter Lake to repair the malfunction.
Built in 2021, the Grace Emilia is 297 meters (975 feet) long and 46 meters (151 feet) wide. Its cargo tank capacity is 174,000 cubic meters.
According to VesselFinder, a vessel tracking service provider, the Grace Emilia sails between the port of Dabhol in India and Cove Point in Maryland.
Last month, a cargo ship carrying corn went aground in the canal before it was refloated to allow the resumption of traffic.
In March 2021, the Panama-flagged Ever Given, a colossal container ship, crashed into a bank on a single-lane stretch of the canal, blocking the waterway for six days.
Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal provides a crucial link for oil, natural gas and cargo. About 10 percent of world trade flows through the canal, a pivotal source of foreign currency to Egypt.
n another daring high-seas boarding, Spanish authorities have seized 4.5 tonnes of cocaine from an aging livestock carrier off the coast of the Canary Islands.
The waters of the mid-Atlantic near the Canary Islands are a favorite transshipment point for cocaine smugglers bringing cargoes from South America to Europe. The area is also within reach of Spanish shore-based counternarcotics teams, who search and seize smuggling vessels on the high seas with regularity.
Last week, Spain's National Police and Tax Agency Customs Surveillance Service intercepted the livestock carrier Orion V at a position about 50 nm to the southwest of the Canary Islands. The Togo-flagged vessel was nominally carrying 1,750 cattle on a voyage from Cartagena to Beirut.
A boarding team from the Tax Agency patrol ship Fulmar came alongside the Orion V and climbed the pilot ladder in heaving seas. The 28 crewmembers were arrested, and the vessel was diverted to port for an inspection. Search teams found 4.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in the vessel's cattle feed silos.
The crew remains aboard the vessel under guard so that they can continue to care for the cattle, according to El Pais. The ultimate fate of the livestock is still under discussion.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Spain's countersmuggling and counterterrorism centers, and the Togolese flag state authorities collaborated in the operation.
The 1973-built Orion V was built as a geared yard-and-stay freighter under the name of Vera Mukhina. She began a second life as a converted livestock carrier at some point after 2008, even though she was already past the typical age for demolition. She was purchased in 2022 by a buyer in Florida and reflagged to Togo.
Her recent port state control records are heavy on serious deficiencies, including issues with firefighting equipment, lifeboats, general cleanliness, deck corrosion, deck cracking and "dangerous areas." Port state inspectors in Cartagena, Colombia returned to the ship five times between her arrival in mid-November and her departure on January 7.
The seizure of the Orion V was the second major high-seas drug bust that the Fulmar completed in the span of a week. On January 18, her crew intercepted another Togo-flagged vessel, the Blume, and found 4.5 tonnes of cocaine on board. In addition, in early December the Fulmar intercepted a sailing yacht off the Canary Islands and seized 2.5 tonnes of cocaine.
第十一管区海上保安本部（那覇市）によると、沖縄県の石垣島沖で24日午前9時35分ごろ、近海貨物船「XIN HAI ZHOU 2」（パナマ籍）が座礁した。同日午後に石垣航空基地所属のヘリコプターが乗組員の中国人船員19人全員の救助を完了。船内に浸水が発生している模様だが、同日午後1時20分時点で油の流出は確認されていない。
英国の船価鑑定大手ベッセルズバリューによると、「XIN HAI ZHOU 2」は2008年に中国造船所で竣工した1万3600重量トン級近海貨物船。中国のリース会社が保有し、中国船社が運航している模様。
General cargo ship JIN TIAN sank in East China sea some 75 nm south of Jeju island, Korea, early in the morning Jan 25, while en route from Vanimo PNG to Incheon, Korea. Understood the ship was caught in rough weather brought by N-NE icy winds, raging over Asian waters during last several days. Last report from the ship was around 0225 Seoul time, stating that the crew is leaving the ship. Korean and Japanese Coast Guard joined forces in search and rescue, by 0930 Seoul time 2 out of 22 crew were rescued, the rest are missing.
General cargo ship JIN TIAN, IMO 9578713, dwt 9784, built 2010, flag HK, manager SHENZHEN SHEKOU SHPG & TRANS.
パナマ船籍の貨物船「XIN HAI ZHOU 2(シンハパナマ船籍の貨物船「ＣＲＩＭＳＯＮ ＰＯＬＡＲＩＳ（クリムゾン・ポラリス）」のように簡単に撤去できない場合があるのでパナマ船籍の貨物船「XIN HAI ZHOU 2(シンハイズー２)」（IMO:9507104）に関しては保険会社が逃げないようにしっかりと詰めておくべき。
General cargo ship XIN HAI ZHOU 2 was disabled early in the morning Jan 24, and drifted aground between Ishigaki Island and Kohama Island, Okinawa Prefecture waters. The ship reported grounding at 0930 Tokyo time Jan 24. It was decided to evacuate crew, by 1300 Tokyo time all 19 sailors were airlifted to safety by Japanese Coast Guard helicopter. The ship remains aground, she was en route from Indonesia to Yokkaichi Japan.
General cargo ship XIN HAI ZHOU 2, IMO 9507104, dwt 13567, built 2008, flag Panama, manager?
パナマ船籍の貨物船「シンハイズー２」が「XIN HAI ZHOU 2」（IMO:9507104）ならエンジントラブルでも、沈没しても不思議ではないと思うよ。
検査会社が国際船級連合のメンバーではないOVERSEAS MARINE CERTIFICATION SERVICESであればまともな検査はおこなっていない可能性は高い。まあ、船員が自分達が乗っている船がどんな船なのか理解しているのか知らないが、あの世で後悔しない限り学ばないかもね！船員達に選択できる資格や能力があれば、もっと良い海運会社で働いていると思うから何が起きても仕方がないと言えば仕方がないと思う。
On January 1, the container ship ANIL capsized and sank while handling cargo at the port of Asaroiyeh, Iran. The ship is anchored on the port side with it lying on the pier. A large number of containers have fallen into the water and are floating in the harbor. The 24 crew members are safe. The last AIS pos was received on January 12 at 1 UTC. ANIL arrived in Asaloyeh from Bandar Abbas.
Like many things in Iran, ANIL is somewhat of a mystery. The vessel, which is listed in international databases as an LPG tanker or container ship, was sold to an Iranian stakeholder in 24.
日本語訳
ペルシャ湾のイランの港でコンテナ船が転覆、沈没した。
1月24日、イランのアサロイエ港で、コンテナ船「ANIL」が荷役中に転覆・沈没しました。船は桟橋に横付けされた状態で左舷に停泊しています。多数のコンテナが水中に落下し、港内に浮遊しています。乗組員12名は無事である。最後のAIS posは1月24日0730 UTCに受信された。ANILは Bandar Abbas から Asaloyeh に到着した。
イランの多くの事と同様に、ANILは幾分謎である。この船は、LPG タンカーまたはコンテナ船として国際データベース に登録されているが、2021 年にイランの利害関係者に売却された。
2019年にもイランの港でコンテナ船がひっくり返っているが、商船のデータベースには表示されない名前であるLSスターとはどういうことなのだろう？
SL STAR (IMO:9432452)は２０１６年にパナマ籍として登録されており、船員の賃金未払い問題でILOのサイトに情報が公開されている。
これが日本のメディアが取り上げない海運の闇の部分だと思う。
On March 19, a container ship capsized at the port of Bandar Abbas, Iran, sending 153 containers into the water. Iranian officials believe that the accident happened due to improper loading.
Iranian maritime official Mehdi Haghshenas told state media that the casualty was caused by “poor coordination between the ship’s first officer and the crane operator."
Image courtesy Velji Global Logistics
Reports differ, but at least one and possibly three crewmembers were injured in the casualty.
Maritime trade with Iran is effectively banned under the recently reimposed American sanctions regime. Foreign entities that do business with Iran using the U.S. financial system - or that enter into transactions with any Iranian firm in the ports, shipping, shipbuilding or petroleum sectors - may lose access to the American market, unless operating under a waiver.
The vessel was identified by Iranian and Western media as the LS Star, a name which does not appear in merchant vessel databases. A UAE-owned vessel matching her description and IMO number appears in Equasis under the name SL Star.
This photo provided by Iranian Students' News Agency, ISNA, shows a capsized cargo ship next to a dock in southern port of Bandar Abbas, Iran, Tuesday, March 19, 2019. Iranian state TV says carless loading of cargo has capsized a ship in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, sending port workers scrambling to retrieve some of the 153 containers that were suddenly submerged. (Mohammad Mehdi Ghadimi, ISNA, via AP)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian state TV says careless loading of cargo has capsized a ship in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, sending port workers scrambling to retrieve any of the 153 containers that were suddenly submerged.
The report says only one Indian seaman aboard the Comoros-owned LS Star was injured in the foot in the incident on Monday.
Mehdi Haghshenas, deputy chief of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, told the TV the ship was not being loaded properly and that there was "poor coordination between the ship's first officer and the crane operator" lifting the containers on board.
He says the ship has a 14-member crew, all from India.
There were no further details and there was no immediate estimate of damages.
In a press release, the Coast Guard said they received a mesasage at 6.30am on Monday about a medical emergency onboard a “motor tanker” south of Sagar Island due to machinery breakdown.
By: Express News Service Kolkata
The Indian Coast Guard on Monday evacuated an injured crew member from a Singapore cargo ship anchored in the Bay of Bengal.
In a press release, the Coast Guard said they received a mesasage at 6.30am on Monday about a medical emergency onboard a “motor tanker” south of Sagar Island due to machinery breakdown. The crew member, Than Htike Lwin, a Myanmar national, who sustained injuries during maintenance of a hydraulic pipeline, had difficulty in breathing, the statement read. A Coast Guard helicopter from Bhubneshwar was pressed into service for the evacuation of the patient. Also, two Coast Guard ships in the sea were also diverted towards the “motor tanker” for assistance.”
An explosion on an oil tanker in Thailand has taken the lives of eight people.
The blast occurred on Tuesday morning. The tanker was docked for repairs in the Mae Klong river in the central province of Samutsongkram.
According to the provincial governor, 10 people were on board at the time. Authorities think the explosion might have been caused by a spark from repair work igniting the ship's oil tank. The blaze had been extinguished as of Tuesday afternoon.
The boom was reportedly heard 10 kilometers away. More than 70 houses in the area felt the impact. No oil leakage has been reported so far.
SAMUT SONGKHRAM: One dock worker was confirmed killed and four others injured by an explosion and fire aboard an oil tanker moored for maintenance at a dockyard on the Mae Klong river in Muang district on Tuesday morning.
Seven people were still unaccounted for, provincial governor Somnuk Promkaew said on Tuesday afternoon.
There were unconfirmed news reports a second body had been found burned beyond recognition inside the tanker.
It was earlier reported only that eight workers were missing and that houses were damaged after an explosion and fire aboard the tanker Smooth Sea 22 shortly after 9am.
The tanker, which has a capacity of 6,500 deadweight tonnes, was undergoing regular maintenance at Ruammitr Dockyard in tambon Laem Yai. The explosion was heard and felt over a radius of several kilometres. Glass windowpanes in houses were shattered.
Governor Somnuek said the explosion occurred during welding, when about 10 workers were aboard the ship and about 30 others were on the bank of the dockyard.
One worker was confirmed killed. The dead man's right leg was found about 500 metres from the tanker. Four other people were confirmed injured, one a Thai and three from Myanmar. Seven people were still missing, six from Myanmar and one Thai.
The governor said the tanker still had 25,000 litres of fuel oil and 20,000 litres of diesel onboard while moored for maintenance. It was previously reported to have been empty.
The Marine Department said about an hour later that the fire on the vessel had been brought under control and that eight dockyard workers were missing.
The department was investigating the cause of the fire.
One person was killed and at least another ten injured in a massive explosion on a Thai tanker at a dockyard on the Mae Klong river in Thailand’s Samut Songkhram province on Tuesday morning local time.
The 2018-built oil products tanker Smooth Sea 22 suffered an explosion at Ruammit Dockyard while undergoing routine maintenance. The 6,500 dwt Bangkok-registered ship had 16 crewmembers, four of whom have been sent to the hospital.
The fire triggered by the blast was put out about an hour later, and authorities have closed the shipyard to investigate the cause of the incident. The ship had about 20,000 litres of fuel oil and diesel onboard.
The blast was heard and felt in a radius of several kilometers, according to local media. Most of the victims are welders, but further casualties are feared as several people are still unaccounted for.
The Palau-flagged bulk carrier MKK1, carrying grain under UN’s Black Sea grain initiative, is seen drifted aground in the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, 16 January 2023 (Reuters)
By MEE staff
Maritime traffic at Istanbul's Bosphorus waterway is once again moving after being suspended earlier on Monday following a cargo ship being stranded.
The incident with the Palau-flagged vessel called the MKK1, travelling from Turkey to Ukraine, has not resulted in damage, according to Turkish authorities. However, it had briefly blocked all traffic in the highly important waterway.
According to maritime vessel traffic websites, the 142-metre vessel is now moving across the straits towards the Sea of Marmara.
The freighter experienced a rudder failure at around 7.30am local time.
In a tweet, the Turkish coastguard authority said that it had promptly dispatched five tugboats to the scene.
The Bosphorus Strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and is one of the world's busiest maritime passages.
By some estimates, around 48,000 ships pass through the strait each year, which can be challenging to navigate partly due to the narrow width of some parts of the waterway.
A similar incident involving a Ukrainian ship occurred in September last year after it collided with another vessel and briefly ran aground.
Speaking to Middle East Eye at the time, Yoruk Isik, a long-time naval Bosphorus observer said: "The Bosphorus is one of the most professionally managed in all steps, including pre-planning and foreseeing what can happen - it is extremely well managed."
Rare incidents
The last major accident on the Bosphorus was in 2019 when a Liberian-flagged cargo ship ran off course and collided with Istanbul's coast, forcing Turkish authorities to close the waterway.
The Bosphorus is one of the world's most important choke points for maritime oil transports, with more than three percent of global supply - mainly from Russia and the Caspian Sea - passing through the 27km waterway.
In the past Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a new canal to be built that would ease traffic on the Bosphorus shipping route.
He first mentioned the idea in 2011, dubbing it his "crazy project". But a currency crisis in 2018 prompted Turkey to freeze investments in large projects.
Kanal Istanbul has returned to the president's agenda periodically. Yet, ground has yet to be broken on the idea.
The 400-metre-wide canal planned to the west of Istanbul would connect the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara, which eventually runs into the Mediterranean.
More than 2,400 kilograms of cocaine were found on the container ship MSC Lorena, which was forced to dock in Vlissingen in late December after a bomb threat that later turned out to be false alarm. "The drugs were found in a container with a deckload of cocoa," the Antwerp prosecutor's office said.
The bomb threat was received by Belgian police on Dec. 22, when the container ship was off the coast of Vlissingen. The ship was then forced to anchor for a week. After nothing was found through investigations, the ship was able to dock in the port of Antwerp on Dec. 29 to unload its cargo.
Later, the police arrested two suspects involved in the false bomb threat. The two suspects were a 24-year-old man from Delft and a 22-year-old from Hagenaar. The two men are suspected of threatening to commit a terrorist crime.
According to NOS, the police wants the damage caused by the false bomb threat to be recovered from the two suspects. "The ship had to be anchored for a week, so the cargo could not be unloaded. In addition, one must realize that, for example, just lending a telephone to express a threat can have enormous consequences," Gert Wibbelink, head of the Infrastructure Department of the National Unit, told the public broadcast.
Small tanker BELAIT SURITA reportedly sank after explosion in waters of Tawi-Tawi province, Philippines, on Dec 24 or earlier. Ten of eleven crew were rescued by bulk carrier FALCON TRIUMPH and tanker HIGH ADVENTURE. Both ships responded to distress message and sailed to disaster site. One crew went missing. BELAIT SURITA was en route to Malaysia, when she was disabled, started to drift and later suffered explosion. BELAIT SURITA is off AIS, for probably, years.
Product tanker BELAIT SURITA, IMO 9255397, dwt 250, built 2001, flag Brunei (AIS), manager?
AUSTRALIAN Federal Police in May charged the 51-year-old master of bulk carrier Interlink Veracity for his alleged role in the plot to import 320 kilograms of cocaine into Australia via regional Western Australia.
The Montenegrin national faced South Hedland court after he was arrested on the Interlink Veracity on Monday and later charged with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.
The AFP arrested the man after a forensic examination of a mobile device seized from him last week allegedly uncovered messages relating to the drug importation.
AFP, Western Australia Police Force and Australian Border Force officers also searched the 179-metre vessel again yesterday as part of ongoing inquiries into the alleged drug trafficking enterprise, which was disrupted after a multiagency investigation.
Authorities seized the cocaine – which they say is worth about $128 million – in Port Hedland on 15 May and arrested two men who they allege had collected the plastic wrapped drugs from the ocean off the coast of the Pilbara town.
Police will allege that Interlink Veracity’s master smuggled the cocaine onto the vessel at an overseas port.
He allegedly waited until the vessel was anchored in Australian waters about 28 kilometres off Port Hedland on 14 May and dropped the packages into the ocean for retrieval.
The two other men charged – a German national and a New South Wales man – allegedly used a small boat to pick up the drugs from the water that evening.
At the time, AFP acting Assistant Commissioner John Tanti said the AFP and its partners had warned that the seizure of the drugs and initial arrests were just the start of the investigation, and they would be relentless in pursuing anyone involved in the venture.
“Trusted insiders are one of the highest threats to the integrity of Australia’s cargo supply chains,” acting Assistant Commissioner Tanti said.
“Transnational organised crime syndicates rely on people who are willing to abuse the access and influence they have through their employment to help bring illicit drugs into Australia, as the accused is alleged to have done in this case.
“The AFP is also working with international partners to target these organised crime syndicates offshore and ensure they cannot profit at the expense of Australian communities.”
WAPF Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said the overnight arrest further demonstrated that people involved in the alleged importation of illicit drugs would be actively pursued.
“It is our clear objective to systematically pull apart the syndicates that are responsible for the trafficking of these deadly illicit drugs to Western Australia,” WA Police Force Deputy Commissioner Blanch said.
“Our message to those who consider becoming involved in drug trafficking operations is simple – don’t. We will pursue you regardless of your role or your location in the world.”
ABF acting Commander West Shaun Senior said the agency maintained a strong presence along the Western Australian coast and this third arrest in this operation was another illustration of the close cooperation with law enforcement partners.
“We will continue to actively pursue all individuals that were involved in this attempted importation,” Acting Commander Senior said.
The bulker’s master has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, namely cocaine. The offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The German national, aged 37, and the NSW man, aged 49, were both charged with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs and failing to comply with a 3LA order.
沈没する前の写真だが車両甲板は火災で船側のペイントはぼろぼろだ。貨客船とかローロー船は火災が起きると他の船と比べて被害の広がりが早い。「オーシャン東九フェリー」の「おーしゃんいーすと」だったらしいが、「売船のため、GOLDEN BIRD 7と改名してモンゴル船籍となり、インドネシアへ回航。Atosim Lampung Pelayaranにて「Mutiara Timur I」として運航された。」と言う事らしい。
日本の大型フェリーは火災が起きても保安庁の船や消防船による支援を前提に規則があるので、インドネシアのような国の設備で火災が起きると運が良くないと消火は難しいと思う。
KMP Mutiara Timur I – an inter-island ferry caught fire near Banjar Banyuning in Karangasem Regency on Wednesday at 4:00 pm.
Preliminary reports suggest that a truck carrying industrial chemicals loaded onto the vessel was the source of the fire that quickly spread to all adjacent vehicles. As a result of the blaze, 260 passengers and 35 crew panicked. Some wasted no time and leaped into the sea, where local fishermen rescued them. Others waited onboard the burning ship for evacuation by two navy ships, KAL Kadet 6 and KAL Kadet 7, which quickly came to the imperiled ship’s aid.
KMP Mutiara I is a Ro-Ro/Passenger ferry owned and operated by PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran. The ship, built in 1991, has a total length of 166 meters and a gross registered tonnage of 11,523. The ship was involved in its regular service from East Java to Lombok – a route it had operated since 2016. Previously, the KMP Mutiara Timur I sailed a route connecting Jakarta and Bandar Lampung, South Sumatra.
The ship was certificated to carry up to 500 passengers, 128 large trucks, and 75 four-wheeled vehicles with a gross weight of 11,523 tons.
The actual load of vehicles and goods abandoned on the ship during the blaze has yet to be released.
At the time of the incident, the ship was sailing to the Port of Gili Mas at Lembar in Lombok.
Nusabali.com quotes a crew member, Yosa Fatrikelo, who said the ship was following along the northern coast of Bali and had just entered the waters off Karangasem Regency, entering the Bali Straits when smoke started pouring out of vents on the deck area. Yosa said the smoke was growing in volume and density when the fire was seen coming from the vents. The ship’s Master, Captain William, stopped the main engines as the 35-crew distributed life jackets to all passengers.
The Captain then issued an “abandon ship order” at a position that was approximately 1.5 kilometers for Banyuning Beach in the Abang District of Karangasem. Some passengers chose to jump into the ocean rather than await the deployment of the ship’s lifeboats.
Two Indonesian Navy Boats (Kadet 6 and Kadet 7) rushed to the scene to board passengers plucked from the sea by local outrigger fishing boats and any remaining passengers and crew still aboard the burning ship. The rescue effort was soon joined by 11 Denpasar Search and Rescue Command personnel using two rigid-back zodiacs. Also joining the rescue effort were two Indonesian Naval Vessels (KRI RE Martadinata-331 and KRI Sultan Hasanuddin-366) who were coincidentally on standby in Bali in connection with the G20 Summit in South Bali.
Passengers and crew were transported by sea to the Port of Tanjungwangi at Banyuwnagi, East Java. Eight people reportedly managed to land ashore in Karangasem, Bali.
Press reports say the blaze consumed and destroyed the passengers’ personal belongings and all motor vehicles on board.
No injuries or fatalities have been reported in connection with the incident. At last report, the KM Mutiara Timur I was still afloat in the waters close to the Karangasem shoreline.
After being left afloat in the Straits of Bali for several days, the crippled ship eventually sunk in waters off Bali’s coast with an estimated depth of 800-1,000 meters. No news has been provided on steps to be taken by the owner/government to prevent further environmental damage caused by leaking fuel from the ship and the hundreds of vehicles now resting on the seabed.
Nov 18 UPDATE: Ferry MUTIARA TIMUR I sank in the afternoon Nov 17 after major fire, with 115 vehicles on board, mostly trucks. All people on board, including 237 passengers and 25 crew, were rescued. The ship actually, capsized and is resting on bottom by one of her side. There was an active firefighting before capsizing, with massive volumes of water poured onto ferry, so probably, she lost stability because of this water and vast areas of cargo deck or decks, with a lot of free surface. Ship’s hull remains partially above waterline.
November 16: Fire erupted on board of passenger ro-ro ferry MUTIARA TIMUR I with some 270 people on board in the afternoon Nov 16, some 2 nm off eastern coast of Bali island, Indonesia. Looks like fire broke on one of upper decks in fore section, and then spread further. People on board were to be evacuated, at least 3 rescue ships and boats gathered around disabled ferry. As of 1950 LT, ferry was either slowly moving ahead under own power, or under tow, towards port of destination Lembar, Lombok island. AIS is on. Ferry left Ketapang Java at around 0000 LT Nov 16.
Passenger ro-ro ship MUTIARA TIMUR I, IMO 9000912, GT 11523, built 1991, flag Indonesia.
Japanese coasters HEISEI MARU NO.2 and KUROSHIO NO.1 collided at around 0440 Tokyo time in Inner Japan sea while sailing in opposite directions. KUROSHIO NO.1 tried to make a sharp turn, thus avoiding head-on collision. Bow of HEISEI MARU NO.2 struck KUROSHIO NO.1 stern, inflicting damages to both ships. Both ships are in ballast, both understood to suffer some damages, mostly dents and scratches, see pics.
General cargo ship HEISEI MARU NO.2, IMO 9592824, dwt 800, built 2010, flag Japan.
General cargo ship KUROSHIO NO.1, IMO 8890724, dwt 292, built 1995, flag Japan.
5 crew of general cargo ship SOYA, including Master and Chief Officer, all 5 of Russian nationality, were arrested in Alexandria Egypt, after police found 28 tons of synthetic analgesic material in a sealed container. This material is considered as drug in Egypt, but as essential substance for producing cancer pain-killer in Russia. The ship arrived from Istanbul Turkey on Nov 4, and remained in port as of evening Nov 14. Crew can’t be responsible for the cargoes in sealed containers.
Five members of a ship’s crew were rescued, but 12 are missing, after a bulk carrier sank off Taiwan’s southwest coast last night, October 31.
The 10,000 ton cement carrier Xing Shun No.1 first encountered problems on October 30 when three crew members were injured after a wave swept over the deck when the ship was located 50 nautical miles west of the Port of Kaohsiung. Taiwan’s National Airborne Service Corps dispatched a black hawk helicopter to airlift the three injured Indonesian nationals to Kaohsiung City for medical treatment.
At around 3:00 pm yesterday, October 31, the Maritime and Port Bureau was notified by Keelung Coastal Radio that a distress call had been received from the Xing Shun No.1, which had lost power and was adrift in the channel east of the Changhua Waihai Wind Farm. The Master of the Xing Shun No.1 informed the coast guard that the vessel was listing and the crew of 17 Indonesian nationals were preparing to abandon ship.
The National Coast Guard Administration immediately dispatched a 100-ton patrol boat to the location. At 8:45 pm the Xing Shun No.1 was reported to have sunk. Five crew members in a life raft thrown from an Evergreen container ship were picked up by the coast guard, but 12, also reported to be in life rafts remain missing as the search continues today, Monday, November 1.
The Panamanian-flagged Xing Shun No.1 was en route from the Port of Hon Gai, Vietnam to the Port of Taichung, Taiwan when it encountered rough seas generated by the combination of northeast monsoonal winds, and severe tropical storm Nalgae in the South China Sea.
The country’s coast guard also said that part of the hull of a 6，400-gt Belize-flagged vessel was damaged in the incident at pier 1 of Incheon’s inner harbour on Friday evening.
The vessel appears to be the 10，100-dwt Ocean Harmony (built 2002)， which matches the specifications.
The last AIS update showed the ship underway on 22 September， en route to Incheon.
The cargo ship， which is the former Thorco Winner， had left the port of Huanghua in China on 15 September.
The vessel was moored at Incheon when the accident occurred， killing the 42-year-old Chinese master.
Port authorities monitored smoke from the ship through the CCTV system and evacuated the crew to shore in cooperation with the fire department and the coast guard.
There were 14 seafarers on the Ocean Harmony at the time: four Chinese nationals， nine Myanmarese and a Vietnamese crew member.
The coast guard and fire department have begun investigating the exact cause of the accident.
Initial assessments suggested a gas cylinder inside the ship had exploded.
The vessel is listed as operated by Hongkong Hongpeng Shipping， which could not be contacted.
The company took over commercial management last year， according to the Equasis database.
The Ocean Harmony has no port state control detentions since 2014.
The last time any deficiencies were detected was in China in January.
Inspectors found a fault related to safety navigation through bridge operations.
Explosion occurred on board of general cargo ship OCEAN HARMONY, berthed at Pier 1, Incheon Inner Harbor, at around 2240 Seoul time Sep 23. 42-year old Captain of Chinese nationality died in explosion, the rest of 14 crew left the ship, understood explosion was followed by fire. According to preliminary report, oxygen cylinder exploded. The ship arrived at Incheon on Sep 22 from China. Ship’s AIS is on, she remains in the same position as of 1510 Seoul time Sep 24.
OS 25 wreck pictured September 19, 2022. Photo courtesy MateoGib
It seems salvors’ plan to sink the OS 35’s stern in order to stablize the wreck ahead of inclement weather has worked. Unfornunately new oil sheening has now been reported and work is underway to mitigate the impacts.
I say “seems” because Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, remains in a 10-day National Mourning period following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II during which only minimal government services, including press updates, have been made available. With her funeral taking place Monday, the mourning period is set to expire at end of day—so we should learning more soon.
One exception was last week’s announcement from the Gibraltar Port Authority that government authorities had approved salvor Resolve Marine’s heavy weather plan for the OS 35 shipwreck off the east coast of the city.
The plan involed a controlled sinking of the wreck’s stern, recommended as the best course of action for minimizing environmental impacts during a period of heavy weather and stronger swell expected in Gibraltar Sunday and Monday.
OS 25 wreck pictured September 19, 2022. Photo courtesy MateoGib
As we reported last week, OS 35 is currently broken into two sections; the 73-meter-long forward section which is firmly planted on the seabed and an aft section, measuring 105 meters, which had remained afloat and connected by twisted metal. The fear was that the swell could cause stern section to break loose, causing even greater environmental damage and a more challenging situation for the salvage operation moving forward.
While the Gibraltar Port Authority’s latest release on Friday said some tar balls had been observed in the vicinity of Catalan Bay, where the wreck sits, clean-up crews were on site to collect them and clean up the area. A previously reported, all recoverable oil has already been removed from the vessel, leaving only residual amounts in the tanks.
Unfornately new oil sheens are being reported in the aftermath of the storm. The Gibraltar Port Authority this was expected considering small amounts of unpumpable residual oil remain in the tanks. Responders also had to remove the boom around the vessel ahead of the inclement weather, as to not damage the equipment. The boom could not be put back in place in time to contain the latest leaks.
Some photos of the OS 35 taken Monday, September 19, and shared with gCaptain shows the wreck with its stern sunk. The photo below shows OS 35 on September 19 with its stern resting on the seabed:
OS 25 wreck pictured September 19, 2022. Photo courtesy MateoGib
Below is the OS 35 pictured on August 31, with its stern still afloat and much calmer conditions:
OS 35 pictured August 31, 2022. Photo courtesy Gibraltar Port Authority
With waves forecasted to decrease over the coming days, it seems the stern section has survived the storm, but we’ll update once we receive official confirmation.
Background
The Tuvalu-flagged OS 35 was outbound from Gibraltar Port when it collided with the unladen LNG carrier Adam LNG in the Bay of Gibraltar on Monday, August 29th. The OS 35 was then anchored off Catalan Bay, on the opposite side of Iberian Peninsula, where it partially sank and later began breaking up, resulting in the release of an undisclosed amount of oil.
Prior to breaking in two, survey inspections confirmed a gash in the OS 35’s amidships measuring approximately 10 meters by 4 meters on the starboard side.
The Adam LNG, which is registered in the Marshall Islands, sustained only minimal damage. No injuries were reported on either vessel.
General cargo ship SEA EAGLE loaded with containers lost stability during offloading operation at Iskenderun Port, Turkey, either at night Sep 17, or early in the morning Sep 18. The ship, according to photos and video, rested starboard on pier, then listed and capsized portside, resting on bottom stern and portside, partially above waterline. Many containers went overboard. No info yet on number of lost containers and their recovery; oil leak. Wreck is surrounded by booms, understood salvage, cleansing operation, containers recovery are under way. SEA EAGLE arrived at Iskenderun in the afternoon Sep 17 from Mersin, Turkey.
Salvors flooded the stern section of the grounded cargo ship OS 35 on Friday, settling the entire hull on the sandy seabed to provide stability ahead of rough weather expected from tonight through to Tuesday.
After removing booms around the wreck and sealing off vents and hatches, salvors opened sea valves inside the engine room to fill it and the adjacent cargo holds with water, removing any remaining buoyancy.
While the bow section of the OS 35 was embedded into the seabed from the day of the grounding, the stern section retained buoyancy but was attached only by cracked and buckled steel that was constantly flexing in the wave action.
The fear was that swells of anywhere between one and three metres expected over the coming days would rip the ship in two and release dirty residues to the sea.
By settling the entire hull on the seabed, salvors hope to add stability that will keep the wreck intact and in place until the rough weather subsides.
The situation will be monitored throughout the weekend and booms will be put back in place as soon as the weather subsides.
The process of flooding the stern section was slow and lasted several hours.
By evening, the change was clearly visible as the after section sank lower into the sea to settle on the seabed in about 16m of water.
The plan was drawn up by Resolve Marine, the salvage company tasked with dealing with the wreck, and was approved by the John Ghio, the Captain of the Port, following advice from the Gibraltar Port Authority’s independent salvage advisor, Belgian consultant Eric Houtteman.
The Coast Guard and the shipping ministry is investigating the cause of the ingress. Shipping ministry officers said that as the vessel was not very old, the reason for the water coming in may not be poor maintenance.
Motor Tanker Parth, a Gabon-flagged vessel, was a 102 metres-long vessel that was made in 2008. It was carrying 3,911 metric tonnes of Asphalt Bitumen and travelling from New Mangalore in Karnataka to Khor Fakkan on the Gulf of Oman in the UAE.
Written by Yogesh Naik
The Indian Coast Guard successfully rescued 19 people from Motor Tanker Parth, a Gabon-flagged vessel, which sank on Friday evening (September 16), 41 nautical miles off the Ratnagiri coast. Within minutes of receiving the distress call, the Indian Coast Guard’s Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai swung into action.
How did the vessel Parth sink?
Parth was a 102 metres-long vessel that was made in 2008. It was carrying 3,911 metric tonnes of Asphalt Bitumen and travelling from New Mangalore in Karnataka to Khor Fakkan on the Gulf of Oman in the UAE when there was an ingress of water in one of its compartments. The crew reached out to the MRCC in Mumbai.
It was rescued by Coast Guard and others, but the ship finally sunk after 6 pm on Friday. The vessel had 19 crew members, of whom the master, the person in charge of the ship’s navigation, was Ethiopian and the rest of the members were Indians.
What action was taken by MRCC after receiving the call?
The vessel reported flooding at about 9:23 am on Friday, around 41 nautical miles west of the Ratnagiri coast. The vessel was on passage to New Mangalore from Khor Fakkan, UAE. MRCC’s two Coast Guard ships, Sujeet and Apoorva, patrolling in and around the area were diverted to near Parth.
Navigation systems such as the International Safety Net and NAVTEX warnings were relayed to alert other Merchant Vessels in the area. A Coast Guard (CG) advanced light helicopter was deployed as well. Motor Vessel Wadi Bani Khalid was also directed to proceed with the assistance of the CG vessel.
The Indian Coast Guard successfully rescued 19 persons from the sea near Ratnagiri, including 18 Indians and their Ethiopian Master from Motor Tanker Parth, a Gabon-flagged vessel.
What was the reason for the ingress of water?
The Coast Guard and the shipping ministry is investigating the cause of the ingress. Shipping ministry officers said that as the vessel was not very old, the reason for the water coming in may not be poor maintenance.
Bitumen tanker PARTH developed heavy list after massive water ingress in ballast tanks in Arabian sea some 3 nm off India western coast at night Sep 15, while en route from Khor Fakkan UAE to New Mangalore India, with 3,911 tons of bitumen on board. 19 crew abandoned tanker, they’ve been rescued by Indian Coast Guard. Tanker is afloat, Indian authorities demand owner to organize towage, and prevent possible leaks. Last AIS dated 0500 UTC Sep 16.
Bitumen tanker PARTH, IMO 9440227, dwt 4999, built 2008, flag Gabon, manager SAFE SEAS SHIP MANAGEMENT FZE, UAE..
General cargo ship BRIZA suffered mechanical failure while transiting Bosphorus in northern direction and had to anchor in emergency at around 0230 LT (UTC +8) Sep 3, in Kandilli area. Istanbul Ship Traffic Control tugs responded, the ship started moving at around 0400 LT, understood attempting to complete transit, but at 0440 LT she turned back, and was taken (towed?) back to Marmara sea, anchored at Ahirkapi Anchorage at around 0620 LT Sep 3. The ship is ballasting to Chornomorsk, Ukraine.
A large Indonesian inter-island ferry ran aground early on August 23 after making an overnight trip from the western region. The Indonesia Navy is reporting that 202 passengers and 17 crew were safely evacuated while the investigation is ongoing into the circumstances behind the grounding.
The Indonesian Navy commander for the northern region received reports that the KM Glory Mary, an approximately 1,000 gross ton ferry had grounded around 4:00 a.m. local time in the northern Talaud Islands region of Indonesia. The four-year-old ferry was nearing its final port of Beo in the Talaud Islands after having departed the prior afternoon from Manado in the western region of Indonesia.
The official report is that the vessel encountered bad weather with rain and fog greatly reducing visibility. It was still dark out at the time but they said the waters were calm and only a slight wind. However, unofficial reports in the local media are citing comments from the local police of crew negligence as a contributing factor to the grounding.
The captain of the vessel, Mary Alprens Harimisa, reportedly had excused herself leaving the bridge to go to the bathroom. While she was off the bridge she left the first officer, Junimus Sirape, in command. Returning to the bridge the news report said the captain discovered that the ferry was heading for the shoreline.
“I immediately ran and tried to grab the wheel and tried to avoid the reef, but the effort was unsuccessful,” she reportedly told investigators. Unconfirmed media reports however are quoting the local police chief indicating that the first officer had fallen asleep while the captain was in the bathroom.
Riding far up onto the shore, the vessel tilted dramatically causing panic among the passengers. However, it remained on an even keel permitting an orderly evacuation onto small boats which ferried the passengers to shore.
The police and maritime officials are continuing to interview the crew members. Initial reports indicate that the machinery aboard the vessel was all functioning properly at the time of the grounding.
“Thankfully there were no victims, all the passengers are safe,” the local commander told the news media. “Passengers have been successfully evacuated, while there is no serious injury to KM Glory Mary.”
The ferry did not suffer any significant hull damage but the local authorities said it was high on the beach as the tide had receded after the grounding. They attempted to have the vessel pulled free on two occasions but were not successful. They hope to refloat the ferry on the high tide on August 26.
M/V Filipinas Cebu grounded in Concepcion, Iloilo. (Fame Carton)
By Margherita Bruno
China-flagged containership Tiger Maanshan has collided with a gantry crane while mooring at Hai An Port, Vietnam.
The 192-metre vessel was carrying containers on 10 August from the Philippines to Dinh Vu Port, Vietnam when its bow and part of its cabin crushed into the gantry crane pier at the port.
According to media, both the vessel and crane have sustained damage in the crash.
There have been no reported casualties and navigation has not been affected, but the crane remains inoperable.
A Hai Phong court has now ordered a “maritime lien” on Tiger Maanshan.
Nguyen Anh Vu, Director of the Hai Phong Port Authority, said the ship owner was sued by the Dinh Vu Port Development and Investment JSC after the two parties involved could not agree on compensation after the incident.
Vu said the preliminary cause has been determined as loss of control while on its way to the dock.
M/V Filipinas Cebu grounded in Concepcion, Iloilo. (Fame Carton)
Published August 10, 2022, 12:28 PM
by Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY – M/V Filipinas Cebu ran aground in Iloilo after the helmsman, who steers the ship, fell asleep, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said in its initial investigation.
“According to the ship’s captain, the helmsman did not hear the order as he might be sleeping,” said Commander Paterno Belarmino Jr., PCG-Iloilo chief, Wednesday, August 10.
The cargo and passenger ship of Cokaliong Shipping Lines ran aground between Igbon Island and Agho Island in Concepcion, Iloilo past midnight August 9.
The ship with 223 passengers and 37 crew members was on its way to Cebu City from Iloilo City when the incident occurred.
“There was also an allegation from crewmembers that there was a small fishing vessel on its sight when the incident occurred. But it’s only their allegation,” Belarmino said.
When the investigation ends, PCG will release its final report as well as safety recommendations.
Aside from PCG, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is also conducting its own investigation.
Belarmino said that Marina will probe the negligence of the M/V Filipinas Cebu crew.
“It will be the Marina that can suspend or cancel the licenses of the ship’s officials,” Belarmino added.
Two-hundred fourteen out of the 223 passengers arrived in Cebu City early Wednesday. The nine other passengers opted to return here.
General cargo ship CHANG HE reportedly sank in Indian ocean off eastern Somalia coast, on Jul 15 or 14. 12 crew abandoned the ship, no news on rescue yet. Understood tanker HAFNIA BEIJING (IMO 9856634) interrupted her voyage from Turkey to Cape Town, and as of 0710 UTC Jul 15, is engaged in SAR.
The bulk carrier floating off the coast near Sydney since Monday has docked at Port Botany after it was directed to head to shore before severe weather hit.
A Hong Kong cargo ship that was left stricken in heavy seas off the coast of NSW has docked in Port Botany after a multi-day operation.
The bulk carrier Portland Bay was towed into Botany Bay in Sydney's south about 2pm on Wednesday following an order from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority for it to be brought to dock.
Anchors on the 170-metre ship were earlier hauled in as work began to move the powerless vessel.
Other commercial shipping operations were suspended as four tug boats worked to tow the ship through the windswept waters to the port.
The Portland Bay and its 21 crew had been floating south of Sydney after the ship's engines failed on Monday.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority on Wednesday ordered the ship be towed to port in a legal direction to its master and the salvage team.
"It is vital that the vessel be moved into safe harbour before the next front of bad weather arrives," executive director Mark Morrow said in a statement.
Initial plans to pull the boat to deeper water were scuppered by severe weather, resulting in towing lines breaking.
Tugboats managed to move the Portland Bay further north and it dropped anchor about 1.2 nautical miles from Port Botany.
A turbo fan is believed to be responsible for the engine failures and the problem will take about half a day to fix.
Three people have been rescued and 27 are missing after their ship broke in two during a typhoon off the coast of Yangjiang, Guangdong province, on Saturday morning.
The vessel named Fujing 001, which had worked at an offshore wind power farm, was moored ahead of Typhoon Chaba's arrival and was sunk by the storm, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center.
After a distress signal was sent at 3:50 am on Saturday, a number of rescue, patrol and commercial vessels were coordinated for rescue efforts.
No new survivors have been found by Sunday night as the search area continuously expanded for 27 missing crew members from a floating crane in the South China Sea, according to rescuers.
The crew members went missing after the floating crane sank in waters off the coast of south China's Guangdong Province on Saturday morning, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center Sunday.
As of 12:00 Sunday, 38 rescue vessels had been dispatched and rescue aircraft made 14 trips to search for the missing people, covering an area of 700 square nautical miles where waves were three to four meters high.
At Berth No. 1 in Yangjiang Port of Yangjiang City, which is about 28 nautical miles or 50 kilometers away from where Fujing 001 sank, rescuers are working tirelessly.
Rescuers are expanding the search scope around the wreck point to find the missing persons, which is the current focus of the whole operation, according to the Yangjiang Maritime Safety Administration.
Under the organization of the Guangdong Provincial Government, various departments have been involved in the rescue, including maritime affairs and fishery administration of Yangjiang City and the province's other cities.
In addition to rescuers, each rescue ship is also equipped with medical workers so that medical assistance can be provided to any found crew member as soon as possible.
At 3:50 Saturday, the floating crane of an offshore wind farm project was found via a monitoring system to be in danger after its mooring chain broke while it was taking shelter from typhoon Chaba at the No.2 anti-typhoon anchorage for large ships in Yangjiang Port, about 18 nautical miles away from Berth No.1.
The floating crane later sank. Three people were rescued at about 12:00 Saturday and 27 others fell into the water and are missing, according to the provincial maritime search and rescue center.
Chaba, the third typhoon of the year, made landfall in the coastal area of Maoming City, Guangdong, at around 15:00 Saturday.
An industrial support ship operating in the South China Sea has sunk in a storm with the possible loss of more than two dozen crew members, rescue services in Hong Kong said Saturday.
Authorities dispatched planes and helicopters to aid in the rescue, with at least three people from the crew of 30 brought to safety as of 5:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) Saturday.
Photos released by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service showed one crew member being winched up to a rescue helicopter as big waves lashed the sinking vessels, which had broken up in two parts.
The Flying Service did not give the name or origin of the vessel. It said in a statement that crew members were negotiating difficulties brought on by Severe Tropical Storm Chaba, which was packing maximum winds of 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour.
The storm made landfall in the western part of the coastal province of Guangdong later Saturday.
The Hong Kong service sent two fixed-wing aircraft and four helicopters for the rescue effort.
More than two dozen crew on an engineering vessel with 30 people on board are missing after the ship snapped in two in waters off Hong Kong as tropical storm Chaba passed through.
Three crew members were rescued, and searches are continuing for others about 300km southwest of the city, the Hong Kong Government Flying Service said.
Some of the crew had abandoned the vessel and harsh weather conditions were hampering rescue efforts, they said.
Chaba skirted the global financial hub, bringing heavy rain and wind, restricting public transport and forcing many businesses to close.
Hong Kong's weather forecaster lowered the storm warning to signal No.3 on Saturday afternoon, with Chaba making landfall near Zhanjiang in China's Guangdong province.
Authorities in Hong Kong raised the typhoon warning on Thursday just as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the city to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China.
More than two dozen crew on an engineering vessel with 30 people on board are missing after the ship snapped in two in waters off Hong Kong as tropical storm Chaba passed through.
Three crew members were rescued, and searches are continuing for others about 300km southwest of the city, the Hong Kong Government Flying Service said.
Some of the crew had abandoned the vessel and harsh weather conditions were hampering rescue efforts, they said.
Chaba skirted the global financial hub, bringing heavy rain and wind, restricting public transport and forcing many businesses to close.
Hong Kong's weather forecaster lowered the storm warning to signal No.3 on Saturday afternoon, with Chaba making landfall near Zhanjiang in China's Guangdong province.
Authorities in Hong Kong raised the typhoon warning on Thursday just as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the city to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China.
A poisonous gas explosion at Jordan’s southern port of Aqaba on June 27 killed 13 people, including 5 Vietnamese citizens.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son holds phone talks with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Al-Safadi regarding the Aqaba toxic gas explosion. (Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son asked Jordan to support the Embassy of Vietnam in citizen protection and providing reliefs for Vietnamese survivors of a toxic gas leak at the port of Aqaba while talking to Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Al-Safadi over the phone on June 29.
Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Al-Safadi offered condolences to Son and families of the Vietnamese victims, saying Jordanian authorities will do their best to assist the Embassy of Vietnam in citizen protection and handling remains of Vietnamese nationals killed in the accident.
On behalf of the Government of Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Son also extended his deepest sympathy to Jordan’s losses caused by the accident. He thanked the Jordanian foreign ministry and authorities for promptly reporting on the five Vietnamese people killed and for providing medical help for those injured.
He asked Jordanian authorities to step up investigation of the cause of the gas explosion and provide instructions on handling the dead’s remains.
According to the Embassy of Vietnam in Arab Saudi and Jordan, a poisonous gas explosion at Jordan’s southern port of Aqaba on June 27 killed 13 people and injured 251 others. A initial report shows that the accident claimed the lives of five Vietnamese citizens and injured seven others who all are crewmembers of Hong Kong (China)-flagged vessel Forest 6.
Needy Vietnamese citizens can contact the Citizen Protection Hotline: (+84) 981.84.84.84 or that of the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia: (+966) 583.245.255 for help./.
Source: VNA
Five Vietnamese nationals were among those killed in a toxic gas leak in Jordan's Red Sea port of Aqaba this week, with seven others among the injured, authorities said Wednesday.
At least 13 people were killed and more than 300 hurt when a tank of chlorine fell on the dockside in the Aqaba port on Monday, releasing the toxic gas.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Wednesday held a phone conversation with his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son and offered his condolences “to the families of the five Vietnamese citizens who died”, a foreign ministry statement said.
Safadi said another “seven Vietnamese nationals who were injured in the incident” were receiving treatment in hospital, according to the statement.
Jordan's top prosecutor on Tuesday launched an investigation into the accident, which was the result of a cable snapping on a crane loading a tank of liquefied gas onto the Forest 6 freighter.
Ship-tracking websites say the deck cargo ship was built only this year and sails under a Hong Kong flag.
Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh on Wednesday said the investigation had reached an advanced stage and results would soon be made public.
Aqaba is Jordan's only maritime gateway and a transit point for the lion's share of its imports and exports.
At least 13 people were killed and 250 were taken ill when a chlorine tank exploded at the Red Sea port of Aqaba
AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II has called for those responsible for the deadly gas leak on Monday to be held accountable.
At least 13 people were killed and 250 were taken ill when a chlorine tank exploded at the Red Sea port of Aqaba, when a crane dropped it, releasing a large plume of toxic yellow smoke.
The king “stressed the need to provide transparent explanations to the public after investigations conclude, as well as identifying shortcomings and holding those responsible to account by law,” the palace said in a statement. He also offered condolences to victims’ families.
King Abdullah was chairing a meeting on Tuesday at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management to check on the latest developments of Monday’s gas explosion.
At the meeting, attended remotely by Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II from Aqaba, King Abdullah extended condolences to the families of those who died in the line of duty, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
The king, who has been following up with the Crown Prince on the details of the incident and rescue and evacuation efforts from the very beginning, stressed the need to provide transparent explanations to the public after investigations conclude, as well as identifying shortcomings and holding those responsible to account by law.
He called for all necessary precautions to be taken to avoid a repeat of such incidents in the future.
And he commended the efforts of Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies’ personnel, especially the Civil Defense Department and civilian and military medical staff, for their swift response and high professionalism in dealing with the incident and evacuating the injured.
He said their efforts contributed to saving lives and limiting losses, and he wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Crown Prince spoke about his field inspection on Tuesday at the site of the incident, and his visit to the injured who have been hospitalised.
The Crown Prince reiterated the need to maintain cooperation and coordination among all the concerned entities, as all await the investigation’s findings.
Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh visited the site Tuesday and, citing civil defense and environmental authorities, said the gas concentration in the area had returned to normal. He said that most movement at the port had resumed, except for the exact site of the incident which was being cleaned and inspected.
Al-Khasawneh said many of those in hospitals were being discharged.
A government spokesman, Faisal Al-Shboul, told state media that eight of the dead were Jordanian and five were foreigners. Among the injured were Chinese and Vietnamese nationals, hospital officials said.
Video carried on state TV showed the moment the tank exploded, sending dockworkers scrambling to escape the toxic cloud. Some 200 people were hospitalized.
The Public Security Directorate, which initially described it as a gas leak, said authorities sealed off the area after evacuating the injured and sent specialists in to address the situation.
State-run Jordan TV said 13 people were killed. Al-Mamlaka TV, another official outlet, said 199 were still being treated in hospitals. The Public Security Directorate said a total of 251 people were injured.
Aqaba is on the northern tip of the Red Sea, next to the Israeli city of Eilat, which is just across the border. Both are popular beach and diving destinations.
Eilat’s emergency services said in a statement that there was no impact on the city but that they were following the situation closely.
The Angara before her departure on the accident voyage (Japan Auto Lines)
A Russian-operated ro/ro caught fire and burned during a voyage from Japan to Vladivostok, according to Japanese authorities.
At about 0700 hours on June 25, the Sierra Leone-flagged, Cypriot-owned ro/ro Angara (IMO 9124043) departed an anchorage off Toyama, Japan and got under way for Vladivostok. She had a cargo of 570 used cars on board, according to Japanese outlet Hokkoku. At about 1430 hours she caught fire, the Japan Coast Guard reported.
AIS data provided by Pole Star confirms that at about 1430 hours local time, Angara dropped speed to 1.5 knots and changed heading. She appeared to drift on a northeasterly course, and at about 0400 on the morning of the 26th, her AIS signal disappeared.
The Japan Coast Guard vessel Hamayuki responded to the emergency and helped rescue the 25 members of the car carrier's crew. They were all returned to shore safe and unharmed, but the Angara burned through her cargo decks and her accommodations section, the 9th Regional Coast Guard told Japanese media. A photo of the casualty provided by the Japan Coast Guard shows scorch marks on the vessel's port side and an active fire in way of the bridge deck (below).
Angara on fire off Wajima (Japan Coast Guard via Hokkoku)
All members of the crew are Russian nationals, and the Russian consulate in Niigata is working on the question of how and when to send them home. "The crew members are accommodated in a hotel, they were not injured, and they have the opportunity to contact their relatives," Consul General Mikhail Sergeev told TASS.
The vessel's commercial operator, Vladivostok-based Japan Auto Lines, reported in a social media statement that it is temporarily suspending acceptance of new cargo at its terminals in Japan, along with all shipments departing Japan. It has not yet issued a statement on the circumstances of the casualty.
While the cause of the fire has not yet been established, used car cargoes have known fire risks that have been well-identified by marine insurers and safety regulators.
The Angara (ex name Sayama 2) is a 1995-built ro/ro flagged in Sierra Leone, a registry ranked on the black list of the Tokyo MOU flag state performance consortium. She has operated under her current name and ownership structure since June 2021.
Jun 27 UPDATE: Fire is reportedly under control, Japan CG ships are deployed in firefighting. Ship’s AIS is off, she’s most probably, drifting in western direction. She’s loaded with 570 second-hand cars.
Russian (ex-HONDA) car carrier ANGARA caught fir in the afternoon Jun 25 in Japan sea (though probably earlier) some 55 nm north of Toyama, Honshu, Japan. The ship loaded with second-hand cars left Fushiki in the afternoon Jun 24, bound for Vladivostok, with ETA Jun 26. All 25 Russian crew abandoned burning ship according to Japanese sources, no injures or casualties reported. Fire erupted on cargo deck in one of cars is believed to be the cause of the fire. AIS signal missing since 0400 Tokyo time Jun 26.
ANGARA was deployed in transporting second-hand cars from Japan to Russian Far East Ports, with cargo capacity of up to 600 cars.
Car carrier ANGARA, IMO 9124043, GT 2926, built 1995, flag Sierra Leone, Russian manager, ?
A chlorine gas explosion killed 12 people and injured more than 250 on Monday, authorities said, when a tank that fell from a crane released a poisonous yellow cloud at Jordan's Aqaba port.
Footage on state-owned Al-Mamlaka TV showed the large cylinder, said to have been carrying about 30 tonnes of gas, plunging from a crane on a moored vessel and violently releasing the chlorine gas cloud.
The force of the blast sent a truck rolling down the dock, while port workers ran for their lives.
"At exactly 15:15 this afternoon, a chlorine gas leak occurred in the port of Aqaba as a result of the fall and explosion of a tank containing this substance," the government's crisis cell said in a statement.
The death toll rose to 12 with 260 injured, both Jordanians and foreigners, it said, adding that almost half of the injured were being treated in hospitals.
Nearby areas were evacuated and residents told to stay indoors as emergency responders established a 500-metre (546 yards) cordon around the site of the incident, the crisis cell said.
The southern beach of Aqaba, a Red Sea resort area, was also evacuated, officials said.
The deputy chief of the Aqaba Region Ports Authority, Haj Hassan, told Al-Mamlaka that an "iron rope carrying a container containing a toxic substance broke," leading to the fall and leak.
The channel also cited the former head of the company that operates the port, Mohammed al-Mubaidin, as saying that a vessel had been waiting to load almost 20 containers of liquified gas "containing a very high percentage of chlorine".
He added that the gas is heavy and "it is not easy for its gas clouds to move... as it concentrates in one area and is affected by wind movement".
The fallen white tank, punctured and stained yellow from where the gas burst out, came to rest on the dock directly beside the Forest 6 vessel. Ship-tracking websites say the deck cargo ship was built only this year and sails under a Hong Kong flag.
- Hospitals full -
Local media showed members of civil defence forces, some dressed in hazmat suits, as well as medics rushing to the scene clad in masks.
The leak was unlikely to reach neighbouring Israel, a spokeswoman for that country's environmental protection ministry said, noting that a northerly wind was blowing.
Jordan's crisis cell said authorities were "working to clear the scene of the accident from the effects of the leak, in preparation for the return of normal life."
Trucks were seen lined in a row carrying similar containers at the time the accident occurred.
Prime Minister Bishr Khasawneh and Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya headed to the scene, state media reported.
The injured were transported to two state hospitals, one private facility and a field hospital.
As night fell dozens of people had gathered outside the emergency department of one Aqaba hospital.
Aqaba health director Jamal Obeidat said that hospitals were full in the area and "cannot receive more cases".
"The injured people are in medium to critical condition," he added.
He called on residents of Aqaba to "stay in their homes and shut all windows as a precaution", stating that the chemical substance is very dangerous, without specifying what it was.
Civil defence spokesman Amer al-Sartawy said more than 2,700 security and emergency personnel were deployed to the scene, and about 45 of them ended up among the injured.
The prime minister headed a meeting with the interior and other ministers where he ordered that an investigation be opened to determine the cause, the crisis cell said.
Israel expressed its condolences and offered aid.
"As we've told our friends in Jordan, the Israeli defence establishment is ready to assist with any effort, by any means necessary," Defence Minister Benny Gantz said.
Jordan's Aqaba port is the country's only marine terminal and a transit point for a vast portion of its imports and exports.
On Sunday, a ship carrying nearly 16,000 sheep capsized and sank at its berth at a port in Sudan. All crewmembers escaped safely, but almost all of the cargo was lost.
The vessel Al Badri 1 (misreported as the Badr 1) began sinking at the pier at Suakin, Sudan in the early hours of Sunday morning. The vessel capsized slowly, officials told The Guardian, and the crew had enough time to disembark. Only some 700 sheep escaped and survived.
The loss of the Al Badri 1 may affect the port’s operations, as well as the environment, given the potential for a fuel oil spill and the effluent from the decay of thousands of sheep. The vessel is now submerged next to its berth, interfering with the pier’s use until the wreck is cleared.
The Al Badri 1 (ex name Henry Stahl, Ester 1, Ytong 1, Malak 1) was a stern-ramp ro/ro freighter originally built in 1973 and converted into a livestock carrier later in her lifespan. She had a history of port state control deficiencies in recent years, as well as a 10-year gap from 2008-18 in which she had no PSC inspections.
Images from before and after the Al Badri 1’s conversion suggest that four extra decks were welded on above the ship’s main deck level to add more space for livestock.
Worldwide, livestock carriers are generally older than the average merchant ship, and the average fleet age for the class exceeds 40 years. Almost all are conversions, often from ro/ro vessels.
The ships selected for the conversion process have usually already arrived at the normal age for demolition (about 30) when they begin their new life, based on a 2021 study by Animal Welfare Foundation, Tierschutzbund Zürich and Robin des Bois.
A similar incident occurred aboard the livestock carrier Queen Hind in November 2019. The vessel capsized off the coast of Romania under unusual circumstances, drowning almost all of the 15,000 sheep on board.
On Sunday, a ship carrying nearly 16,000 sheep capsized and sank at its berth at a port in Sudan. All crewmembers escaped safely, but almost all of the cargo was lost.
The vessel Al Badri 1 (misreported as the Badr 1) began sinking at the pier at Suakin, Sudan in the early hours of Sunday morning. The vessel capsized slowly, officials told The Guardian, and the crew had enough time to disembark. Only some 700 sheep escaped and survived.
The loss of the Al Badri 1 may affect the port's operations, as well as the environment, given the potential for a fuel oil spill and the effluent from the decay of thousands of sheep. The vessel is now submerged next to its berth, interfering with the pier's use until the wreck is cleared.
The Al Badri 1 (ex name Henry Stahl, Ester 1, Ytong 1, Malak 1) was a stern-ramp ro/ro freighter originally built in 1973 and converted into a livestock carrier later in her lifespan. She had a history of port state control deficiencies in recent years, as well as a 10-year gap from 2008-18 in which she had no PSC inspections.
Images from before and after the Al Badri 1's conversion suggest that four extra decks were welded on above the ship's main deck level to add more space for livestock.
Worldwide, livestock carriers are generally older than the average merchant ship, and the average fleet age for the class exceeds 40 years. Almost all are conversions, often from ro/ro vessels. The ships selected for the conversion process have usually already arrived at the normal age for demolition (about 30) when they begin their new life, based on a 2021 study by Animal Welfare Foundation, Tierschutzbund Zürich and Robin des Bois.
A similar incident occurred aboard the livestock carrier Queen Hind in November 2019. The vessel capsized off the coast of Romania under unusual circumstances, drowning almost all of the 15,000 sheep on board.
Mikhail Voytenko
General cargo ship OUTRIVALING 3 suffered engine failure while proceeding upstream in Cam river Haiphong, Vietnam, at around 1615 LT Apr 21. The ship went off fairway leading through navigational passage under the Hoang Van Thu bridge, and got stuck between bridge and embankment, with ship’s crane tower locked under the bridge and stern stuck in the embankment, damaging and ruining embankment railings and light poles. The ship is in full load, it took tugs more than 5 hours, to free her, take downstream and berth. OUTRIVALING 3 arrived from Shanghai.
General cargo ship OUTRIVALING 3, IMO 9623623, dwt 12088, built 2011, flag HK, manager DALIAN NEW LONGJIANG SHIP MGMT.
Cargo ship WEI YANG 28 on Apr 21 sank in Lingjiang river, Taizhou, Zhejiang province, China, after understood, collision with Lingjiang Bridge pillar. WEI YANG 28 was sailing upstream. Lingjiang Bridge is part of Taizhou-Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou Railway, Bridge traffic is restricted, Bridge survey is under way. The ship is resting on bottom by her fore part, with stern above waterline.
Cargo ship WEI YANG 28, MMSI 413214180, length 135 meters, flag China.
The CalMac operator ridiculed claims of a dramatic “fall” with a Brodick structure on the Isle of Arran and insisted that neither passenger nor crew member was injured in the very low speed incident.
Easter weekend services on popular flights from Ardrossan to the Firth of Clyde for leisure and day trips were interrupted due to an issue in the 29-year-old Caledonian Islands on Sunday morning.
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CalMac, which is controlled by the Scottish government, dismissed speculation that anyone was hurt and said the ship’s paintwork sustained only minor cosmetic damage. Pierce was not hurt.
Low speed collision: A ferry from the Caledonian Islands to Arran crashed into a pier at Brodick on Arran.
Carrying 1,000 passengers and 110 vehicles, the ferry’s main port engine broke down while preparing to dock at Brodick after leaving Ardrossan at 9:45 am.
CalMac said the Caledonian Islands were now being taken to Troon for repairs.
A spokeswoman said: “The MV Caledonian Isles suffered a port main engine failure on Sunday morning and is scheduled to be taken to Troon for repairs. It is expected to be out of service for a certain period of time and we will provide an update on this on Friday.
“Due to tide restrictions, MV Isle of Arran will not be able to start operations until 09:45 am Wednesday; She will then make four return voyages to Ardrossan before proceeding to Ardrossan where she will stop for the night. She will then depart Ardrossan on Thursday morning on the MV Caledonian Isles schedule. MV Catriona operates a shuttle service on the Lochranz/Klaonaig route and will be joined tomorrow by MV Loch Riddon from Largs.
“We understand that this is a busy holiday period and we are doing everything we can to help passengers complete their journey. Sailing disruption is a decision we do not take lightly and we apologize to our customers and communities.”
She confirmed that the malfunction “required an emergency shutdown of the engine” and added: “While maneuvering astern with one engine, the ship lightly touched the harbor wall, resulting in minor cosmetic damage to the ship. Although there was a problem with the engine room access hatch, there were no associated injuries.
“CalMac takes operational safety very seriously and the circumstances of the incident will be investigated. Engineers are hard at work on resolving the engine issue and traffic on affected sailboats will be prioritized where possible.”
The outage was another blow to CalMac after a series of ferry breakdowns and repair delays saw the transportation organization come under repeated criticism.
A recent economic study commissioned by North Ayrshire Council found that service disruptions to Ardrossan-Brodick cost Arran up to £170,000 a day in lost profits for island businesses.
In the meantime, Associated British Ports (ABP) has announced that it is nearing completion of a refurbishment of the ferry terminal further up the Ayrshire coast at Troon to “support” the CalMac ferry service from Ardrossan to Brodick and Campbeltown while work on the harbor is being carried out there.
Product tanker CHUANG YI suffered explosion, followed by fire, at around 1600 LT (UTC +8) Apr 16 in Taiwan Strait some 170 nm ESE of Hong Kong. 6 crew were reported injured, 1 died in explosion. MRCC Hong Kong said fire was extinguished, 2 helicopters and plane were sent to tanker to evacuate injured crew. First helicopter arrived at the scene at around 1900 UTC, of 6 injured 4 are said to be in serious condition. It is not clear what kind of operations tanker is engaged in, cruising between Kaohsiung Taiwan and areas in Taiwan Strait, sometimes sailing in loops, sometimes staying adrift or anchored. Bunkering or STS?
Product tanker CHUANG YI, IMO 9196656, dwt 9995, built 2000, flag Panama, manager?
This is a joint release between Australian Federal Police, Western Australia Police Force and Australian Border Force
Editor’s Note: Footage and images of the arrest are available via Hightail.
The AFP has charged the 51-year-old Master of an international bulk shipping carrier for his alleged role in the plot to import 320 kilograms of cocaine into Australia via regional Western Australia.
The Montenegrin national, is expected to face South Hedland court today (Tuesday, 24 May 2022) after he was arrested on the cargo vessel Interlink Veracity yesterday and later charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.
The AFP arrested the man after a forensic examination of a mobile device seized from him last week allegedly uncovered messages relating to the drug importation.
AFP, WAPF and ABF officers also searched the 179m bulk carrier again yesterday as part of ongoing inquiries into the alleged drug trafficking enterprise, which was disrupted after a multiagency investigation.
Authorities seized the cocaine – worth about $128 million – in Port Hedland on 15 May and arrested two men who they alleged had collected the plastic wrapped drugs from the ocean off the coast of the Pilbara town.
Police will allege that the 51-year-old man smuggled the cocaine onto the cargo vessel Interlink Veracity at an overseas port. He allegedly waited until the vessel was anchored in Australian waters about 28 kilometres off Port Hedland on 14 May (2022), and dropped the packages into the ocean for retrieval.
The two other men charged – a German national and a NSW man - allegedly used a small boat to pick up the drugs from the water that evening.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner John Tanti said the AFP and its partners had warned that the seizure of the drugs and initial arrests were just the start of the investigation, and they would be relentless in pursuing anyone involved in the venture.
“Trusted insiders are one of the highest threats to the integrity of Australia’s cargo supply chains,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Tanti said.
“Transnational organised crime syndicates rely on people who are willing to abuse the access and influence they have through their employment to help bring illicit drugs into Australia, as the accused is alleged to have done in this case.
“The AFP is also working with international partners to target these organised crime syndicates offshore and ensure they cannot profit at the expense of Australian communities.”
WA Police Force Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said the overnight arrest further demonstrated that people involved in the alleged importation of illicit drugs would be actively pursued.
“It is our clear objective to systematically pull apart the syndicates that are responsible for the trafficking of these deadly illicit drugs to Western Australia,” WA Police Force Deputy Commissioner Blanch said.
“Our message to those who consider becoming involved in drug trafficking operations is simple – don’t. We will pursue you regardless of your role or your location in the world.”
ABF Acting Commander West, Shaun Senior, said the agency maintained a strong presence along the Western Australian coast and this third arrest in this operation was another illustration of the close cooperation with law enforcement partners.
“We will continue to actively pursue all individuals that were involved in this attempted importation,” Acting Commander Senior said.
The 51-year-old man has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely cocaine, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The German national, aged 37, and the NSW man, aged 49, have both been charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and failing to comply with a 3LA order. They are remanded in custody and are next due in court on 15 June (2022).
行方不明となっているKYOTO1号の6人の船員は全員が釜山に住む韓国人で、70代と60代がそれぞれ3人ずつ。KYOTO2号は搭乗者がおらず、8日夜に台湾南部の高雄港に曳航された。KYOTO1号は322トン、シエラレオネ船籍。船会社はアラブ首長国連邦の「シー・シスター・シッピング（Sea Star Shiping）」。
Pusher tug KYOTO 1 issued distress signal on Apr 7 between Penghu islands and western Taiwan coast, Taiwan Strait, while pushing barge from Busan to Batam Indonesia. Understood all crew, 6 seamen, are missing, SAR under way. According to latest updates, tug sank.
An empty vessel reported to be Kyoto 2, which was towed by a ship that went missing on its way from the South Korean city of Busan to Indonesia's Batam port, is seen near the Penghu Islands, in the Taiwan Strait, in this screengrab taken from a video dated April 7, 2022. . Taiwan Coastguard/Handout via REUTERS
An empty vessel reported to be Kyoto 2 (L), that was towed by the missing ship on its way from the South Korean city of Busan to Indonesia's Batam port, is seen after being found near the Penghu Islands, in the Taiwan Strait, April 8, 2022. Taiwan Coastguard/Handout via REUTERS
TAIPEI/SEOUL, April 8 (Reuters) - Taiwan has recovered two bodies after a ship carrying six South Koreans went missing in the Taiwan Strait, and search and rescue operations are under way, the Taiwanese and South Korean governments said on Friday.
Reporting by Fabian Hamacher and Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Stephen Coates and Raju Gopalakrishnan
Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration personnel recovered two bodies this morning during a search for a Korean-owned pusher tug with six crew aboard that went missing after sending a distress call yesterday, April 8. The Sierra Leone-flagged tug Kyoto No. 1 was en route from the Port of Busan, Korea to Batam, Indonesia via the Taiwan Strait when the crew sent a distress signal from a position close to the Penghu Islands at 9:50 am, Thursday. Taiwan’s National Rescue Command
Authorities in Austrlia have arrested four crew members from the Cyprus-registerd bulk carrier Kypros Bravery after seizing 416 kilograms of cocaine, or about 917 pounds, that the accused allegedly offloaded at sea.
The amount is the biggest haul of illicit drugs ever confiscated in South Australia, worth an estimated $166 million Australian dollars.
The investigation was led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with assistance from the Australian Border Force (ABF), South Australia Police (SAPOL), Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and the Department of Home Affair.
Police allege crew members from the Kypros Bravery offloaded the shipment of drugs overboard once in South Australian waters in mid March.
The vessel was searched by Australian Border Force officers after docking in Port Adelaide on March 17, according to Australian Border Force Acting Chief Superintendent Alex Kelsall. “During the search, ABF officers located evidence that led them to believe the vessel had potentially been involved in the drop off of a significant quantity of drugs at sea,” said Kelsall.
An extensive search of the area found about 400kg of cocaine “a substantial distance” offshore and the drugs were towed to shore.
The four men, aged between 29 and 44, could be facing a life sentence having been charged with importation of a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, namely cocaine. More arrests are possible as the investigation continues.
“While the alleged cocaine importation is the largest ever detected by law enforcement in South Australia, it is most certain the drugs would have been trafficked to other Australian states,’’ said AFP Assistant Commissioner Peter Harvey said.
“We are sending a strong and clear message today to organised crime. We will not stop. We are coming after you,” he said.
AIS data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic shows the M/V Kypros Bravery departed the Port of Adelaide on today, Thursday, March 31.
General cargo ship PRESTIGE on Mar 22 capsized and sank in Taiwan Strait some 55 nm WNW of Taichung, Taiwan, being caught in rough weather, understood after cargo shift. Of 8 crew on board, 7 were rescued (5 of them by Japanese car carrier ORCHID ACE), 1 is missing. PRESTIGE was en route from Kaohsiung, sailing on northern direction.
General cargo ship PRESTIGE, IMO 8139467, dwt 941, built 1981, flag Mongolia, manager PRESTIGE MARINE LTD, Taiwan.
Another tanker has exploded in the Thai capital with the loss of one life. The Ampar 8, a product tanker, exploded yesterday afternoon while mooring at the Bangchak depot on the Chao Praya river. The ship was carrying 3,000 tons of oil when the accident happened. Equasis lists Bangkok-based Ayudhya Development as the owner of the 3,500 dwt ship.
A seafarer died and another three crew were injured. The ship drifted downstream on fire for around 5 km before it was able to anchor. Firefighters were able to put the blaze out after an hour.
Police said sparks erupted in the anchor windlass room prior to the explosion.
Another product tanker, the Smooth Sea 2, exploded in a similar area on March 9.
Product tanker SMOOTH SEA 2, berthed at suffered explosion, fire, on cargo deck, in the morning Mar 9 at IRPC Co pier, Samut Parakan, Bangkok. Tanker arrived at Bangkok from Rayong in the evening Mar 8, with cargo of gasoil and diesel oil. One crew was injured and taken to hospital, one went missing. Tanker was about to leave Bangkok after offloading cargo, understood gas in tank or tanks exploded, because of some negligence. Fire was taken under control by fire teams in about an hour.
Taipei, March 22 (CNA) The Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) on Tuesday successfully refloated a stranded Belize-registered vessel that ran aground off the coast of southeastern Taiwan on March 8.
After several unsuccessful attempts to refloat the Uniprofit cargo ship due to its heavy weight, 1,596 tonnes of cargo was removed before tow-away work resumed at 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, MPB Deputy Director-General Liu Chi-hung (劉志鴻) told reporters at the scene of refloating.
Bureau officials said they made use of the high tide and deployed two tug boats to free the vessel, which ran aground near Fugang Fishing Harbor in Taitung County due to problems with the ship's steering system.
Liu said the Uniprofit would be towed to Kaohsiung Port for maintenance and to have its cargo reloaded. The bureau would ask the ship's Chinese owner to pay US$3 million to cover the costs of the refloating, he added.
Officials said the bureau, along with the Ocean Conservation Administration, had also issued fines throughout the two weeks the Uniprofit was grounded.
The 6,653 gross-tonne vessel, which carried 11 Chinese and five Indonesian nationals as crew members, set sail from China's Yantai Port and was headed to Bahodopi Port in Indonesia, the bureau said.
No causalities, hull damage or oil leakage was reported due to the incident, the bureau said, adding that the Uniprofit had been carrying general goods and 399.5 tonnes of oil.
(By Tyson Lu, Wang Shu-fen and Lee Hsin-Yin)
Enditem/ASG
DALIAN SHIPBUILDING MARINE SERVICE (DSIC)で建造された船齢がまだ2年のパナマ船籍の鉄鉱石運搬船でトラブルが起きているようだ。
Mar 20: Under way heading for Cape Town, with SA AMANDLA nearby, so understood, the ship wasn’t abandoned, all or some crew remain on board. Details of accident still unknown.
Very Large Ore Carrier K IRON MOUNTAIN is reportedly abandoned, adrift 213 nm NNW of Cape Town. Information not yet confirmed, she’s en route from Singapore to Brazil, ETA Mar 25. According to track she encountered problems on Mar 11, being south of Cape Town. Understood SAR tug SA AMANDLA responded, probably bulk carrier was under tow for some time. As of 0710 UTC Mar 18, SA AMANDLA was approaching Cape Town, K IRON MOUNTAIN was adrift with AIS on.
Awaiting confirmation, updates.
Very Large Ore Carrier K IRON MOUNTAIN, IMO 9850111, dwt 324966, built 2020, flag Panama, manager SK SHIPPING CO LTD-KRS.
A roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier belonging to Dubai-based Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company capsized and later sank in the Persian Gulf about 30 miles from southern Iraq.
All but one the ship’s 30 crew members have been rescued, Iran’s official IRNA news agency said.
The ship is the UAE-flagged Al Salmy 6, which was underway from Dubai to Umm Qasr in southern Iraq.
A spokesperson for Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company told reporters that the ship experienced high winds and waves which caused the vessel to capasize.
An Emirati ship is seen capsized 30 miles from Assaluyeh in the Persian Gulf, Iran, March 17, 2022. Iran Ports organization/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Iran Ports organization/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Many of the crew members made it into life rafts and two were reported to be in the water, one of whom was rescued by a nearby tanker.
The last position received from the vessel was at 06:05 UTC, or 10:05 local time, with its status reported as “Not Under Command”.
Al Salmy 6 was built in 1983 and is 16,021 gross tonnes.
The incident is the latest in a series of car carrier mishaps, the latest being the fire and sinking of the Felicity Ace in the Atlantic Ocean. Other recent stability-related accidents have included the Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Georgia and Modern Express in the Bay of Biscay.
A Belize-flagged freighter has run aground on the coast of Taitung County, and authorities are preparing equipment and personnel in case of an oil spill today, Tuesday, March 8.
The 6,653 gross ton Uniprofit was en route from Yantai, China to Bahudopi, Indonesia carrying general cargo in 149 20-foot containers when it lost power off the east coast of Taiwan. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration received a report that the vessel was around one nautical mile off the coast without power and in danger of grounding at 10:28 pm last night.
The ship ran aground at the seawall of Fugang Harbor near Taitung City at 9:40 am this morning. The crew of 16, consisting of 11 Chinese nationals and 5 Indonesians are considered not to be in danger, and remain on board the vessel.
The ship is reported to be carrying 399.5 tons of oil, including 328.7 tons of heavy oil, 55.4 tons of diesel, and 15.4 tons of lubricating oil.
The National Coast Guard Administration and Maritime Ports Bureau held an emergency response meeting at 11:30 am. Authorities have informed the shipowners and ordered them to arrange towing. As there are no tugs at ports in Taitung County, tugs will have to be dispatched from ports in Hualien or Kaohsiung.
The Ocean Conservation administration is monitoring the ship and has prepared equipment and personnel in case of an oil pollution incident.
Felicity Ace, the 6,400 CEU car carrier which caught fire on 16 February while crossing the Atlantic Ocean lost stability and sank yesterday, 1 March, after attempts to be towed to safety.
According to the update, the vessel had sunk at around 9 AM local time having suffered a list to starboard. The last vessel position was around 220 nautical miles off the Azores.
The salvage crafts will remain around the area to monitor the situation, MOL Ship Management (Singapore) informed.
Photo courtesy Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy stated that some debris and a small stain of oily waste are recorded on the site, which is being dispersed by the water jets of the trailers and which is being monitored by the Department of Pollution of the National Maritime Authority and by European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA).
The cause of the fire on Felicity Ace, which was carrying around 4,000 vehicles of the VW, Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini brands, remains unknown.
The analysis from the risk modelling company Russell showed that the total dollar value of goods on the ship is estimated to be $438 million.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT #8: Statement 8- March 1,2022.
MOL Ship Management (Singapore) updates the situation regarding the ‘Felicity Ace’ car carrier.
Initial reports from the local salvage team state that the vessel had sunk at around 9AM Mar 1 local time having suffered a list to starboard. The last vessel position was around 220nm off the Azores.
The salvage crafts will remain around the area to monitor the situation. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT – #6 24th February, Singapore
MOL Ship Management (Singapore) provides a further update on the situation regarding the ‘Felicity Ace’ car carrier which is still assumed to remain on fire drifting south of the Azores Islands in the Atlantic.
Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, and the stability of the vessel remains stable. White smoke from the vessel is still visible which has reduced comparing to the past few days.
Two large tugs continue to spray the vessel with water cannons to achieve hull and boundary cooling.
Two salvage crafts with additional firefighting and towing capability are expected to arrive today.
When conditions are safe the salvage team will board the Felicity Ace for an initial assessment of future salvage and firefighting plans.
Feb 24 0320 UTC UPDATE: Three OSV tugs and Portugal Navy patrol ship working on FELICITY ACE, she’s to be taken on soon, or is already on tow. According to latest updates, she’s to be towed to Bahamas. All cars on board, most probably, are to be scrapped, a Volkswagen Group spokesman said.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT – #5
22nd February, Singapore
Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, and the stability of the vessel remains stable.
Two large tugs have now arrived on scene from Gibraltar and are spraying the vessel with water to achieve hull and boundary cooling. The two tugs will also assist to control the position of the car carrier prior to inspection by the initial salvage team already on site. When conditions are safe the salvage team will board the FELICITY ACE for an initial assessment of future salvage plans.
Two salvage craft with additional firefighting and towing capability is on passage and one is scheduled to arrive on February 23 and another on February 26.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT – #4
21st February, Singapore
MOL Ship Management (Singapore) wishes to update the situation regarding the Felicity Ace, car carrier, which is still assumed to remain on fire south of the Azores drifting further away from the islands. Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, which remains stable.
Two large tugs with firefighting equipment will arrive on the site today Feb 21 AM local time, and will start spraying water to Felicity Ace together with the patrol boat with the initial salvage team onboard already onsite to cool down the heat from the vessel. Arrival of the Two large tugs will enable to assist the vessel from drifting away and join the monitoring of the vessel with the Portuguese navy 24 hours.
The additional salvage craft with firefighting equipment is set to arrive from Rotterdam with ETA delayed to February 26.
EVs are probably the cause, and the main problem during salvage operation
Burning FELICITY ACE has been drifting on the Atlantic since Feb 16. As has now become known, numerous electric cars on the ship make extinguishing work more difficult. It is unclear whether the EVs are the cause of the fire. As the Wall Street Journal citing information from the Dutch company SMIT Salvage, which was commissioned to rescue the ship, there are also numerous electric vehicles on board the Felicity Ace, which are also said to have caught fire. According to the experts, this could make extinguishing work on the ship much more difficult.
The main problem is, of course, the lithium-ion batteries that store the energy in electric vehicles. It is said that they usually burn very violently and hotly and cannot be extinguished with water alone. How many electric cars are on the ship is currently unclear.
https://california18.com/burning-car-freighter-electric-cars-on-board-make-extinguishing-difficult/3487062022/
Feb 19 UPDATE: OFFICIAL STATEMENT – #3 19th February, Singapore.
MOL Ship Management (Singapore) wishes to update the situation regarding the Felicity Ace, car carrier, which is assumed to remain on fire south of the Azores currently drifting away from the islands. A local patrol boat has arrived on scene with the initial salvage team.
Two large tugs with firefighting equipment have been arranged to support the vessel, one of which will arrive from Gibraltar with ETA February 20th. A second tug, also from Gibraltar is scheduled to arrive on scene with ETA February 21st. In addition a salvage craft with firefighting equipment is set to arrive from Rotterdam with ETA February 23/24.
Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, which remains stable.
Feb 19 0000 UTC UPDATE: Understood salvage tug/tugs didn’t arrive yet, only one small port tug ILHA DE SAO LUIS (IMO 9275816) is seen in the area. Portugal Navy patrol ship NRP SETUBAL (IMO 9286724) returned to Horta port, Azores, probably for replenishments. Some 1,100 Porsches and 189 Bentleys are on board, plus a number of Audis and VW.
Photos: February 18, 2022. Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa)/Handout via REUTERS.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT – UPDATE #1
Singapore, February 18, 2022
Following the fire on board the car carrier“Felicity Ace” on February 16, MOL Ship Management (Singapore) report that all crew members are now safe in a hotel in the Azores and all are in good health.
The Portuguese Navy, through the Ponta Delgada Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), has a warship standing by and monitoring the drift of Felicity Ace.
Managers have appointed a salvage company and an initial salvage team has arrived in the Azores and is on the way to the vessel estimated to arrive February 18(local time). Further salvage assets are being readied to attend the vessel.
Feb 18 0540 UTC UPDATE: No official or unofficial news, AIS missing during last 17 hours, tug and Portugal Navy patrol ship nearby. Salvage company already appointed.
Feb 17 0040 UTC UPDATE: All 22 crew were evacuated, and transported by helicopter to Faial island – 11 were picked up from life raft or lifeboat, 11 were rescued by merchant ship (understood by Suezmax crude oil tanker RESILIENT WARRIOR, IMO 9856359) and later airlifted by helicopter. FELICITY ACE is to be towed to nearest shelter, owner of the ship is to appoint salvage company. AIS is on, Portugal Navy patrol ship NRP SETUBAL (IMO 9286724) is approaching drifting car carrier, most probably to be on a standby until tugs arrive. FELICITY ACE is carrying Porsche and other Volkswagen Auto Group brands cars.
Management Statement:
MOL Shipmanagement Singapore, managers of the car carrier FELICITY ACE report that the vessel has experienced a fire and the Master has taken the prudent decision to abandon the ship. With assistance from commercial ships and helicopter in the area, all 22 crew members have been safely evacuated from the ship.
FELICITY ACE was on passage from Germany to USA, carrying car units, when the fire occurred in approximate position 37 deg.29.9N x 030 deg. 14.00W, some 90 nautical miles southwest of the Azores in the Atlantic. The fire was first reported at around 1130 hrs CET on February 16.
All the appropriate authorities have been alerted and are responding. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines as the operator of the vessel and MOL Shipmanagement Singapore, has established an incident response team to coordinate the emergency. As the safety of the crew members have been confirmed, MOL will make every effort to contain the damage and resolve the situation as the main priorities.
Feb 16: Car carrier FELICITY ACE issued distress signal in the morning Feb 16 some 90 nm SSW of Azores, Atlantic, and reported fire in one of cargo decks. The ship is en route from Emden Germany to North Kingstown USA. FELICITY ACE went NUC soon after issuing distress signal, 22 crew were reportedly, evacuated. Ship’s AIS as of 1450 UTC Feb 16 was still on, disabled ship drifting in eastern direction. Portugal Navy and nearby ships have been engaged in rescue. It’s not confirmed though, that all the crew abandoned the ship.
Car carrier FELICITY ACE, IMO 9293911, GT 60118, built 2005, flag Panama, manager MOL.
A salvage team from SMIT is en route to the retreive the abandoned M/V Felicity Ace, which continues to burn near the Azores.
Reuters
BERLIN/LISBON, Feb 18 (Reuters) – A ship carrying around 4,000 vehicles, including Porsches, Audis and Bentleys, that caught fire near the coast of the Azores will be towed to another European country or the Bahamas, the captain of the nearest port told Reuters on Friday.
Lithium-ion batteries in the electric cars on board the vehicle carrier Felicity Ace have caught fire and the blaze requires specialist equipment to extinguish, captain Joao Mendes Cabecas of the port of Hortas said.
It was not clear whether the batteries first sparked the fire.
“The ship is burning from one end to the other… everything is on fire about five meters above the water line,” Cabecas said.
Pictures provided by the Portuguese maritime authority showed severe burns on the bow and along the 200-meter-long 200 meters (220-yard-long) side of the ship, which according to Refinitiv data was built in 2005 and can carry 17,738 tonnes of weight.
Photo courtesy Portuguese Navy
Towing boats were on route from Gibraltar and the Netherlands, with three due to arrive by Wednesday, Cabecas said. He added the vessel could not be towed to the Azores because it was so big it would block trade at the port.
A 16-person salvage team from Smit Salvage, owned by Dutch marine engineer Boskalis, was sent to the ship to help control the flames, Boskalis said.
Photo courtesy Portuguese Navy
The Panama-flagged ship, owned by Snowscape Car Carriers SA and managed by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, was traveling from Emden, Germany – where Volkswagen has a factory – to Davisville in the United States, based on the MarineTraffic.com website.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd and Smit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 22 crew members on board were evacuated on Wednesday, when the fire broke out, with no one hurt, Portugal’s navy said in a statement.
Photo courtesy Portuguese Navy
Around 1,100 Porsches and 189 Bentleys were on board, spokespeople for the car brands owned by Volkswagen said. Audi, another Volkswagen brand, confirmed some of its vehicles were also on the ship but did not state how many.
Volkswagen did not confirm the total number of cars on board and said it was awaiting further information.
YouTuber Matt Farah, whose automotive review channel “The Smoking Tire” has more than a million followers, said on Twitter he was contacted by a car dealer who said the Porsche he ordered was aboard the ship.
“My car is now adrift, possibly on fire, in the middle of the ocean,” Farah tweeted.
(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee and Christina Amann in Berlin, Catarina Demony in Lisbon and Jonathan Saul in London; Additional reporting by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Miranda Murray, Jane Merriman and Jonathan Oatis)
The fire that emerged on the Felicity Ace cargo ship, which was loaded with luxury cars as it departed Germany for the U.S. on February 9th, could result in a loss for the marine re/insurance market of as much as $500 million, reports Skytek.
A fire broke out in one of the holds of the Felicity Ace cargo ship forcing its crew to abandon the vessel, leaving it adrift in the mid-Atlantic.
As reported widely in the mainstream media, the ship, which is able to carry more than 18,700 tons of cargo, was loaded with luxury cars including brands like Bentley, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Audi.
In fact, the Felicity Ace had 3,945 cars onboard when the fire emerged as it was sailing west of Ponta Delgada, Portugal.
According to software company Skytek, which specialises in creating innovative solutions for complex and demanding industries, at a starting price of $99,650, the total value of the cars could exceed the $500 million mark.
With cargo typically insured at full replacement value, especially items that are high value, Skytek suggests that this could be a half a billion dollar loss for the marine re/insurance industry.
Skytek also states that the estimated market value of the ship is $24.5 billion. And that the owners are seeking an ocean-going tug to take the vessel to a nearby port, although it’s unclear which could accommodate its size.
As noted by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), part of the global insurer, while shipping losses have dipped by 50% over the past decade, fires on board ships remains one of the biggest safety concerns and have actually increased significantly in recent years.
Over the past ten years, AGCS finds that fires are the third top cause of shipping losses, and fires resulting in total losses hit a four-year high of 10 at the end of 2020.
“The shipping industry has seen its safety record improve significantly over the past decade with the number of total losses now at record lows,” said Captain Rahul Khanna, Global Head of Marine Risk Consulting at AGCS.
“However, fires on car carriers, Roll-on/Roll-off ferries (RoRos), container ships and other vessels remain among the biggest worries for the sector, as demonstrated by the recent rise in incidents.
“RoRo and car carrier vessels in particular can be more exposed to fire and stability issues than other vessels, and require additional emphasis on risk management. To facilitate carriage of automobiles the internal spaces are not divided into separate sections like other cargo ships. The lack of internal bulkheads can have an adverse impact on fire safety and a small fire on one vehicle or battery can grow out of control very quickly. Vehicles are not easily accessible once loading has been completed.
“The large volume of air inside the open cargo decks provides a ready supply of oxygen in case of fire. At AGCS, we look deeply into the risk management of operators and have worked with a number of companies operating ro-ro vessels to agree a robust risk management program,” he added.
[1/2]Wreckage of the Trinity Spirit floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel is seen after an explosion and fire broke out at Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) offshore production facility on Wednesday, in Warri, Nigeria February 4, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Tife Owolabi
ABUJA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - An oil storage vessel that exploded off the coast of Nigeria this week was holding around 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of crude oil at the time of the incident, Minister of Environment Sharon Ikeazor said on Saturday.
Nigeria's Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) said on Thursday that flames had engulfed the Trinity Spirit floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel following a blast a day earlier. read more
Ikeazor said the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency has called the oil industry operators and the Clean Nigeria Associates, a cooperative responding to oil spill incidents for support.
SEPCOL, in receivership, said it was working with authorities to inspect the vessel after the fire burnt out and an investigation team has been launched to establish the cause of the explosion.
It reported no casualties and is investigating the whereabouts and safety of 10 crew members who were on board the vessel prior to the incident, SEPCOL said in a statement.
Ikusemuya Igbekele, chairman of the host fishing community, told Reuters that two bodies were lying dead in front of the vessel, while three crew members jumped into the sea with life jackets and have been taken to the hospital.
A team of government investigators toured the site of the incident on Saturday but did not provide any comment.
An industry source with knowledge of operations of the Trinity Spirit FPSO said that until five years ago other companies, including large oil traders, stored their crude on the vessel, which had capacity to produce 22,000 barrels per day and could store 2 million barrels. read more
The Trinity Spirit is the primary production facility for OML 108, which covers 750 square km (290 square miles) of water off the Niger Delta, ranging from a depth of 30 metres to 213 metres, SEPCOL's website said.
Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Additional reporting by Tife Owolabi in Warri Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Alex Richardson and Leslie Adler
韓国のHYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO. LTD. - ULSAN, SOUTH KOREAで2005年に建造されたらしい。韓国建造船は日本よりもハイスペックで建造されている傾向が高いが船が古くなるとこのハイスペックが仇となり維持費が高くつくようだ！
船の深さは20から25メートルの間だと思う。だから水深が３０から４０メートルあるのなら大丈夫だろう。
Container ship CSL SANTA MARIA suffered generator failure and became NUC at night Jan 30 in Japan sea 35 nm north of Okinoshima island, Japan. The ship drifted towards island’s northern coast and finally, had to anchor some 5 cables off the coast, to avoid grounding. Japan CG ships and tug responded. As of 0410 UTC Feb 2, the ship is understood to remain anchored, with CG ships and tug nearby (Ship’s AIS missing during last 28 hours). She’s en route from Los Angeles to Ningbo with 2,000 plus containers on board, mostly empty.
Container ship CSL SANTA MARIA, IMO 9290426, dwt 67273, capacity 5042 TEU, built 2005, flag Cyprus, ISM manager SANTA MARIA INVESTMENTS SA Cyprus, present operator impossible to find in gangster-like web of container majors “services”.
According to Turkish sources, Turkish 36-year old Captain of German Capesize bulk carrier MATHILDE OLDENDORFF tragically died at Tianjin port, China, understood on Jan 29 (Chief Officer according to other sources). He had to measure ship’s draft using pilot ladder from the shore side of berthed ship, because zero-covid Chinese policy prohibits any physical contacts between crew and shore, even if it’s a walk along the berth, to perform duty. He slipped and fell onto pier, crew were prohibited to assist him. Paramedics found him already dead, his body is to be shipped to Turkey after completion of formalities. MATHILDE OLDENDORFF left Tianjin on Jan 31, bound for Hedland Australia.
Comment: What’s wrong with China, what is it it’s after? Pushing out all non-Chinese crews from all ships calling Chinese ports, and replacing them with Chinese crews? This “zero-covid” policy with regards to crews, has nothing to do with “science” or common sense, not to mention humanitarian considerations.
The time of reckoning has come in the Wakashio shipwreck. Seventeen months after the MV Wakashio grounded on the reefs of Pointe d’Esny, a village in the south-east of the Indian Ocean’s island of Mauritius, captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, 58, and his first mate, Hitihamillage Subodha Janendra Tilakaratna, 45, have finally pleaded guilty last Wednesday to endangering safe navigation under the Merchant Shipping Act.
The sentence, which carries a maximum of 60 years imprisonment, will be delivered this coming Monday, 27 December, by the Intermediate Court.
The guilty plea comes as a surprise considering the captain denied any wrongdoing. Rather, he blamed his first mate, a Sri Lankan national, saying that the latter was in control of the ore carrier. Since his arrest, first mate Hitihamillage Subodha Janendra Tilakaratna also denied any responsibility in the accident. Two months ago, the captain complained about the loss of his personal notes after a botched escape by his fellow inmates at the Petit-Verger Prison, in Pointe-aux-Sables, where he had been transferred after an outbreak of Covid-19.
The Panamanian-flagged MV Wakashio left the Chinese port of Lianyungang, in Jiangsu, on Saturday 4 July 2020 and was heading for Tubarão, in Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil, when it deviated from its course by sailing close to the Mauritian shores on the night of Saturday 25 July 2020. The captain intended to get mobile phone reception so that his crew could use WhatsApp to communicate with their loved ones, the majority of whom having spent more than a year at sea because of the pandemic.
Alcohol was flowing freely on board that night, as a party was held for an engineer’s birthday. Unfortunately, the 203,130 tons behemoth that was supposed to be 12 nautical miles from the coastline ended up on the reefs 900 meters from Pointe d’Esny, highlighting the lack of control and responsiveness of the Mauritian Coast Guard. This point is currently being raised before the Court of Investigation set up to highlight the circumstances surrounding the accident and the preparedness in an event of an oil spill.
Despite the assurance given by the Dutch salvage experts dispatched to the island, one of the three tanks of the MV Wakashio leaked on Thursday 6 August 2020 due to the effect of the heavy swell on the hull. 1,000 tons of heavy oil spilled into the lagoon. With the hull threatening to break in two, it was a race against time to pump out the remaining 1,959 tons of fuel. The 300-meter long, 50-meter wide bulk carrier finally split nine days later.
In spite the fact that the French Minister for Overseas territories, Sébastien Lecornu, was not in favor of the scuttling the 225-meter bow of the ore carrier, as there was a high risk of pollution of French waters – the neighboring French run Réunion Island being at 45 minutes flight away – , Mauritius went ahead with the plan. The bow was towed 20 nautical miles from the Vieux-Grand-Port before being sunk in 3,180 meters of water on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 August 2020.
The day before, the captain and his first mate had been arrested and placed on remand. Based on the testimony of the crew, the Japanese company Nagashiki Shipping, owner of the MV Wakashio, indicated that the failure to follow safety procedures was the cause of the accident. The company has pledged to better train its crews and to ban the use of private mobile phones during working hours on its ships.
Indirectly, the accident also led to the death of four sailors on the night of 31 August 2020. They were on board the Sir Gaëtan, a tugboat of the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA), the regulatory body in charge of the management of Port-Louis’ harbor. The crew was asked to bring a barge – which was to be used to clean up the area affected by the oil spill – back to Port Louis. They found themselves thrown out in rough seas when the tug sank after having been hit by the barge.
The Sir Gaëtan sank in 300 meters of water. The bodies of three crew members were recovered, but the body of Captain Moswadeck Bheenick has never been found. After months on the island, 16 Filipino crew members of the MV Wakashio were repatriated last June and August. Only First Officer Robert Geonzon Secuya and Chief Engineer Pritam Singh remained for the trial. As they will no longer be required to testify, they will be flown back to the Philippines this Thursday 23rd of December.
“The circumstances of this accident make clear that it is critical to ensure that the batteries of used vehicles are disconnected and properly secured during cargo loading operations,” the report said. “The NTSB believes it is imperative that operators of similar roll-on/roll-off vessels engaged in the transportation of used vehicles act to ensure that any personnel involved in loading operations—including vessel crews, stevedores, and longshoremen—be aware of the importance of disconnecting batteries on used vehicles.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has issued eight safety recommendations stemming from its investigation into the June 2020 car carrier fire in Jacksonville, Florida.
The NTSB has come out with its investigation report into last year’s fire aboard the Höegh Xiamen, revealing an improperly disconnected battery in a used vehicle led to the fire.
The vehicle/car carrier caught fire on June 4, 2020, while in Jacksonville, Florida, resulting in the total loss of the vessel and its cargo of 2,420 used vehicles. The fire burned for over a week and injured nine firefighters. None of the ship’s 21 crewmembers were injured. Total damages are estimated at $40 million.
In August 2020, after salvage operations were completed, the vessel was towed to Turkey to be recycled.
The NTSB has now issued eight safety recommendations to federal regulators and the companies involved in the accident.
The NTSB’s investigation was detailed in Marine Accident Report 21/04, published Thursday. According to the report, Höegh Xiamen’s crew noticed smoke coming from the ventilation housing while preparing to depart port for Baltimore, Maryland. Crew members discovered a fire on deck 8, which had been loaded with used vehicles. The fire eventually spread to other decks and continued to burn for eight days.
The NTSB concluded that many of the vehicles loaded onto the vessel had batteries that were not disconnected and secured in accordance with procedures, which increased the risk of electrical arcing and component faults. During loading operations, both the loading personnel and crew missed opportunities to address these hazards, the NTSB said.
The investigation also showed that the detection of the fire was delayed because the vessels’ fire detection systems had not yet been reactivated after loading was completed. Additionally, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s response to the accident was delayed because the Höegh Xiamen’s master did not immediately have available contact information for search and rescue authorities and did not know how to report a fire to local authorities.
The NTSB determined the probable cause of the fire to be Grimaldi Deep Sea’s (who time chartered the vessel) and SSA Atlantic’s (Grimaldi’s contractor for stevedores) ineffective oversight of longshoremen, which did not identify that Grimaldi’s vehicle battery securement procedures were not being followed. “This resulted in an electrical fault from an improperly disconnected battery in a used vehicle on cargo deck 8. Contributing to the delay in the detection of the fire was the crew not immediately reactivating the vessel’s fire detection system after the completion of loading. Contributing to the extent of the fire was the master’s decision to delay the release of the carbon dioxide fixed fire?extinguishing system,” the NTSB’s report said.
Safety issues identified in the report include:
training for and oversight of vehicle battery securement,
regulatory exceptions for used and damaged flammable?liquid-powered vehicles,
fire detection system deactivation during cargo loading, and
effective emergency distress calls.
NTSB issued one recommendation each to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Maritime Safety Association; two recommendations to Grimaldi Deep Sea; and three recommendations to Höegh Technical Management. NTSB’s recommendations to the companies involved improving oversight of vehicle loading as well as training of personnel involved in battery securement for used and damaged vehicles. NTSB’s recommendations to federal agencies involved improving regulations for vehicle carriers that transport used vehicles. NTSB’s recommendations to the vessel’s operator involved revising their procedures for the reactivation of fire detection systems and ensuring emergency contact information is immediately available for bridge teams.
“The transportation of used vehicles, such as those that were loaded on vessels like the Höegh Xiamen, is currently excepted from Hazardous Materials Regulations when a vessel has a stowage area specifically designed and approved for carrying vehicles,” NTSB said in the report. “We found that used vehicles are often damaged and present an elevated risk of fire. We believe that greater inspection, oversight, and enforcement are needed to reduce this risk.”
According to the NTSB, there have been five similar accidents since 2015, including a 2019 fire aboard Grimaldi’s Grande Europa. Following Grimaldi’s experience with previous roll-on/roll-off vessel fires, the company developed a battery disconnect procedure to reduce the risk of vehicle fires during transportation. This procedure was used on Höegh Xiamen; however, the Coast Guard’s postaccident examination of a sample of 59 vehicles did not find a single battery that was secured in accordance with Grimaldi’s battery disconnect procedure.
“The circumstances of this accident make clear that it is critical to ensure that the batteries of used vehicles are disconnected and properly secured during cargo loading operations,” the report said. “The NTSB believes it is imperative that operators of similar roll-on/roll-off vessels engaged in the transportation of used vehicles act to ensure that any personnel involved in loading operations—including vessel crews, stevedores, and longshoremen—be aware of the importance of disconnecting batteries on used vehicles.”
The public docket for the investigation contains more than 750 pages of factual information, including interview transcripts, photographs and other investigative materials.
Vietnamese 24-old seaman, crew member of container ship, killed Captain of the ship in the evening Dec 8, in Korean waters, while the ship was under way from Vietnam to Korean port of Pyeongtaek. Seaman reportedly, drank several shots of whiskey in his cabin, went to bridge and stabbed Captain, 44-year old Chinese nationality, several times. The ship arrived at Pyeongtaek early in the morning Dec 9, seaman was immediately arrested, investigation under way. According to his preliminary testimony, he killed Captain, because «Captain made his life unbearable” – which may well be the case, especially in times of “pandemic”, when it’s very difficult to sign off the ship. 19 crew includes 17 Vietnamese and 2 Chinese nationalities.
Ship’s ID wasn’t disclosed, but all available data point at container ship PADIAN 3, which left Hai Phong on Dec 3, destination Pyeongtaek.
Photo Howard Pulling https://www.flickr.com/photos/hhhumber/30977232317
Container ship PADIAN 3, IMO 9162435, dwt 18197, capacity 1000 TEU, built 1998, flag Panama, ISM manager AMANN SHIP MANAGEMENT LTD, HK (EQUASIS).
Nine crew members have died after their cargo ship sank early Sunday morning off the coast of Yantai City, east China's Shandong Province, the Beihai Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport said.
The cargo ship, "Tianfeng 369," sank in the sea waters 30 nautical miles northeast of Yantai. A total of 14 crew members were on board when the accident occurred.
The rescue bureau received a report of the accident at 4:43 a.m and then sent a rescue helicopter and a rescue vessel to join in the rescue operation.
As of 10 p.m., rescuers had salvaged 12 people out of the water, with three in stable condition and nine with no signs of life.
The rescue and search operation for the remaining two missing crew members is still underway.
The ship is owned by the Tianfeng Marine Shipping Co., Ltd. in Shouguang City, Shandong Province.
ヤフーのコメントには下記のようなコメントがある。「まともな整備や訓練はしていないだろう。」についてはその通りだと思う。検査がごまかせるから選ばれる検査会社と船籍のコンビネーション。個人的には頻繁に出港停止命令を受けない事実はＰＳＣ（外国船舶監督官：国土交通省職員）の能力不足か、怠慢だと思う。まあ、公務員だから一生懸命働いている職員が実際に何割いるのかは知らないが、まともに働いていない職員がいるのは経験から知っているので彼らだけを責めるわけにはいかないが、しっかりと仕事をしてほしい。海保職員について何割がISMコードについて知っているのかも疑問なレベル。ISPS(国際保安)コードは知っているべきだと思うが、知らない方が多いのではと思ってしまう。結局、日本はこんなレベル。最後に「Sea Joy Shipping Ltd」が運航、又は、管理に関わっているようだ。情報が正しいかは確認が取れないが、海保か、ＰＳＣ（外国船舶監督官：国土交通省職員）は事実を確認しているだろう。
The Maldives government appears ready to release a Greek-owned bulker that it detained for more than three and a half months after the vessel grounded in August 2021.
The government initially asked for a deposit against the damage to the reef during the grounding but later not only accessed a fine but also costs for repairs to the reef.
The 58,735 dwt Navios Amaryllis was traveling from India to South Africa in ballast when the vessel reportedly blacked out on August 18. The following day the vessel drifted onto the reef and it required bringing in tugs from Sri Lanka to refloat the vessel. Ten days after the grounding, they were able to pull the bulker off the reef at high tide and move it to a secure anchorage.
Government officials immediately accused the vessel of having caused significant damage to the reef. They said the vessel would be detained until a full survey could be made with divers exploring the section of the reef. Questions were also raised about the events leading up to the grounding. Accusations were made the vessel’s engine had overheated causing the shutdown and the vessel drifted for many hours without warning the local authorities of any potential danger. Government officials said that the captain was responsible for reporting the danger.
The amount for the initial deposit was set at approximately $6.5 million but the Environmental Protection Agency later increased the fine to $10 million. Included in the figure was both the fine as well as the cost of repairs to the reef to restore it to its condition before the grounding.
The managers for the vessel, Navios Maritime Partners of Greece appealed the decision and sought to negotiate with the EPA. The case was finally presented to the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology. On review, Minister Aminath Shauna concluded that “there were no grounds to change the EPA's decision.”
After additional discussions with the government, the shipping company made the $10 million payment to the government on December 5. The Maldives government acknowledged the payment and said the vessel will now be released from detention.
The Maldives has a prescient for making claims against ships that damage its reef. In 2016, they were also successful in a claim against a Vietnamese vessel that also grounded damaging a portion of the reef. The local news outlet Avas, however, is reported that this is the highest amount paid to the Maldives government as a fine incurred under the Environment Protection Act. The newspaper also said that it is the first time where compensation was collected with restoration work attached as a condition. The vessel's owners also agreed to provide technical assistance to expand EPA's capacity to assess similar cases.
According to AIS data, the Navios Amaryllis remains at anchor in the Maldives but is expected to depart in the coming days.
Report emerged that ro-ro cargo ship NARIMOTO MARU on Dec 1 was abandoned by her crew and capsized in South China sea some 160 nm E of Vung Tau, Vietnam, while en route from Malaysia to Taiwan. As of 1300 UTC Dec 1, ship’s AIS was still on, she was either adrift or moving dead ahead in SW direction. The ship interrupted sailing towards Taiwan and turned on opposite course late at night Nov 30, was moving in SW direction since the turn. Probably she was fighting head-on storm and developed list after cargo shift (she’s ro-ro). Awaiting updates, more info.
Ro-ro cargo NARIMOTO MARU, IMO 9114660, dwt 10214, built 1995, flag Belize, manager JIN TENG SHIPPING CO LTD, HK.
UPDATE: Confirmed it’s HOUEI CRYSTAL17 crew were reportedly rescued, 1 crew was washed overboard by wave before the ship was caught in distress situation.
Panama-flagged cargo ship issued distress signal in Japan sea some 250 nm south of Nakhodka, Russia, in the evening Dec 1, reporting sinking, 18 Vietnamese crew going into lifeboat. After that, all communications with the ship were lost. Russian cargo ships in the area, in severe storm conditions and most probably, icing taking place, search for lifeboat. Ship’s name wasn’t disclosed, but according to available information, it is most probably, general cargo ship HOUEI CRYSTAL, which left Nakhodka on Nov 30, last AIS dated 0700 UTC Dec 1.
General cargo ship HOUEI CRYSTAL, IMO 9519559, dwt 8776, built 2009, flag Panama, manager HINASE SHIP MANAGEMENT CO LTD.
The captain of a livestock carrier and the vessel were taken into custody by Spain’s Guardia Civil on charges of human trafficking. Spanish authorities suspect the captain was part of an organized crime ring that was exploiting individuals from Syria and other war-torn countries promising them transportation to Europe under the guise of working aboard the vessel.
The current case began with collaboration and cooperation between European authorities. Spanish police were alerted to a scheme to smuggle people into the country on cattle boats. Two individuals were apprehended in the Spanish region of Mazarron. On closer investigation, it was revealed that they were Syrian nationals who had entered the country illegally aboard a cattle boat that was currently anchored off the coast at the port of Cartagena.
The two men told Spanish authorities that they along with as many as six to ten other individuals had paid up to €13,000 or 13,500 (approximately $15,000) and in exchange were signed on to the vessels for the voyage to Europe and listed on the ship’s manifests as part of the crew. However, the two men said they had boarded the vessel since October and were forced to work aboard the ship. They did not believe there were going to be permitted to jump ship when it docked in Spain and hence came up with a plan to escape. The men feared that the smugglers were taking them back to the Arab world, where if they were discovered, they would be returned to Syria and turned over to the police.
Approximately 10 days ago, while the Elita, a 44-year-old ship converted to carry cattle, was anchored off Spain the two men jumped overboard and swam to shore. They told authorities that others were being detained aboard the ship.
Spanish police investigated and staged a raid on the vessel and ordered it on November 20 to dock in Cartagena. There, the authorities investigated the passports and work papers of the crew and found that at least eight sets were forged. It was determined that the individuals lacked training or qualifications to work aboard the ship. “They had apparently been forced to work on the ship under exploitative labor conditions,” Spanish authorities reported.
Eight men have been released into the custody of aid organizations. The remainder of the crew is currently being detained on the ship while the investigation is ongoing. The captain has been arraigned on charges of human smuggling.
A further investigation shows that the Elita has been ferrying between Libya and Spain under the guise of transporting cattle. Spanish authorities said the vessel changed names at least three times recently and had more than 10 names and operated under a total of five flags. They believe an organized crime ring acquired the vessel as a tool in their scheme and registered it under flags of convenience. When the vessel was detained, it was registered in Guyana.
Cook on board of Bangladeshi bulk carrier MEGHNA LIBERTY reportedly killed ship’s Master on Nov 20, in Indian ocean. He gave himself up to crew after telling them he killed Master, in Master’s cabin. Master was found in his cabing in a pool of blood. MEGHNA LIBERTY interrupted voyage from South Africa to Haldia India, and called nearest port, Port Louis, Mauritius, where she arrived on Nov 22. Investigation under way. All or majority of the crew are reportedly, of Filipino nationality.
Bulk carrier MEGHNA LIBERTY (Ex-LOCH SHUNA, until Jun 2021), IMO 9668051, dwt 55905, built 2014, flag Bangladesh, ISM manager MERCANTILE SHIPPING LINES LTD, Dhaka (since Oct 2021).
The MV Meghna Liberty was repatriated urgently to the port of Mauritius after a distress call. The Bangladeshi ship had left Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on November 14, for India. But around 8:50 p.m. Sunday, while the bulk carrier was northwest of St Brandon, Calopez Alfred Kenneth Bonghanoy, the chef, a 33-year-old Filipino, confessed to his messman that he stabbed Rolly Baquillos Solante, 44, the captain. The latter immediately alerted a third officer, who in turn alerted other members of the crew. Together, they searched for the captain and the chef, who was found in a hallway of the ship.
Questioned, the latter would have declared: “already finished”. The team then headed for the cabin of the missing person to break down the door and enter the premises. The captain was found lying in a pool of blood, kneeling, his head on his bed and with several back injuries. The crew tried to revive him but he had already died. The chief officer alerted the company and on the advice of management, they docked in Mauritius, the nearest port. The autopsy, performed on Tuesday by Dr. Sudesh Gungadin, attributed the death of the 40-year-old to multiple injuries.
According to a source, it all started with an argument between the captain and the chef. During an initial interrogation on Monday night, the chef explained that the captain regularly denigrated him in front of the crew members and that he no longer digest his insults. He therefore killed him, stabbing him several times, and the murder was allegedly committed while they were still in South Africa. Scene of Crime office sleuths examined the boat but the murder weapon was not found; the suspect said he threw him into the sea.
The police waited for the green light from the authorities to proceed with the examination of the Bangladeshi bulk carrier. The investigators plan to continue the interrogation in the coming days. Calopez Alfred Kenneth Bonghanoy appeared in court Tuesday on an interim charge of murder. As for the 20 members of the crew, all Filipinos, they submitted to the sanitary protocol of the Ministry of Health to dock. They will also be heard by the investigators. Their passports and the bulk carrier logbook were seized. The investigation is being carried out by the port police under the supervision of Superintendent Vurdah and Chief Inspector Taujoo and the men of the Criminal Investigation Division of the port.
船舶位置情報サイトのマリントラフィック（marinetraffic.com）によると、船はブリティッシュコロンビア（British Columbia）州ビクトリア（Victoria）沖、米国との国境をなすファンデフカ海峡（Strait of Juan de Fuca）に停泊している。火災発生当時はバンクーバー（Vancouver）へ向かっていた。
Third Officer on Oct 23 shot dead both Master and Chief Officer on board of tanker AYANE, anchored at La Plata Anchorage, Rio de La Plata, Argentina, and reported himself to the police. He was in psychotic breakdown, probably. Police is already on board, investigating this tragic accident. All tanker crew are of Argentina nationality. Tanker is anchored since Oct 11.
Argentine authorities are holding a third officer who had been working on a tanker on charges of murdering the captain and first officer while the vessel was at anchor on October 22. The incident unfolded with a bizarre call from the third officer to the traffic control station in Buenos Aires saying that he had just killed the two men.
Crackling over the radio into the Rio de La Plata Traffic Control Center came a voice around midnight on October 22. “The captain and the first officer are dead. I killed them,“ said the person who identified himself as Carlos Lima, age 52. “I want the Coast Guard to come and arrest me.”
At around 1:30 a.m. on October 23. the Argentine Naval Prefecture boarded the chemical tanker Ayane, which has been at anchor outside Buenos Aires for the past two weeks. Aboard the 16,971 dwt tanker, which is registered in Malta, they found Captain Alejandro Daniel Garcia, age 39, and First Officer Juan Alfonso Pegasano, age 48, both dead. Both had been shot, but a search of the tanker failed to find the weapon. The Coast Guard speculated that the assailant may have tossed the gun overboard after shooting the two men.
The “murderer was a very calm person,” a Coast Guard spokesperson later told the media. He reported that Lima surrendered to the Coast Guard when they boarded the vessel and did not resist arrest. “It is believed the attacker could have suffered a psychotic breakdown.” Later brought before a judge, Lima however refused to speak.
The authorities were continuing to investigate the situation. Among the questions is how the assailant got a weapon aboard the ship.
They reported that the remainder of the 21 crew had retreated to the vessel’s citadel, possibly after hearing the shots. They remained in the safe location until the Coast Guard came aboard and took the third officer into custody.
Media reports indicate that suspect has a criminal record and had earned the nickname of “El Loco” (the crazy one). He reportedly had been working on merchant ships for the past eight years, after being released from jail in 2013. Five years earlier, Lima who had been a police officer until he was dismissed in 2007, shot and nearly killed one of his neighbors in Buenos Aires. He was sentenced to seven and a half years for the crime but released after five years.
On the 20th, a ship carrying nine crew members capsized off the coast of 168 km northeast of Dokdo, and the maritime police are searching for and rescue.
The 11-day Jinho (72 ton class), a fishing boat that was shipped from Hupo Port in Uljin, Gyeongbuk, with 9 people on board, was found capsized around 11 am on the same day, but the crews have not been rescued yet.
According to the Donghae Regional Maritime Police Agency, the area of the accident is an intermediate water area between Korea and Japan, and it is a point south of the Donghae Daehwadui (Japanese name Yamatotai) fishing ground. A lifebuoy was floating next to the wrecked ship, but it was determined that the crew was not on board.
A total of 9 people were on board the ship, including 6 foreigners, including 4 Chinese and 2 Indonesians, and 3 Koreans, including captain Mo Park (62, Pohang City), sailors Mo Kim (54, Mungyeong City), and Ahn Mo (65, Uljin County). .
It is known that the vessel departed for red snow crab fishing with 9 crew members from Hupo Port, the shipping location, at around 3:11 am on the 16th, and is scheduled to enter Hupo Port on the 23rd.
A graphic of a ship overturning on the high seas northeast of Dokdo. (Source: Yonhap News)
It is reported that the Hyundai Privilege, which was sailing 91 nautical miles northeast of Dokdo at 11:18 am on the 20th, discovered the overturned ILJIN 11 and reported it to the Maizuru RCC in the 8th district of Japan.
Immediately after the accident, the Coast Guard put large ships and aircraft into the accident area and conducted a search and rescue overnight. One Japanese Coast Guard ship, which first conducted a search operation in the accident area, is supporting the search by the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard plans to continue the search using ships and aircraft by dropping flares even at night.
However, a storm warning has been issued all over the East Sea, making the search difficult due to bad weather, with waves rising at a height of 3 to 4 meters and strong winds blowing at a speed of 14 to 16 meters per second.
The Coast Guard is planning to conduct an intensive search jointly with ships, aircraft and divers in District 8 of the Japan Coast Guard as soon as the sun rises tomorrow.
(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with more info in paras 1-5)
GUNSAN, South Korea, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese fishing boat capsized in waters off the southwestern city of Gunsan on Wednesday, leaving three crew members unconscious and three others missing, Coast Guard officials said.
According to the Coast Guard, the 239-ton vessel capsized shortly after midnight in waters 124 kilometers southwest of Gunsan's Eocheong Island.
Of the 15 crewmen aboard the ship, eight have been rescued by the Coast Guard and another Chinese boat that was fishing alongside the capsized vessel.
Four more crewmen were later found adrift on the sea and rescued, but three of them were unconscious, officials said. The other was in stable condition.
A search is under way to rescue the other three crewmen who remain unaccounted for.
A team of four patrol ships and two aircrafts were additionally dispatched to back up the search operation in cooperation with a fishery inspection boat and two Chinese fishing boats at the scene, officials said.
But rescuers were having difficulties due to high waves of up to three meters and bad weather.
"After designating the 20-kilometer radius of the accident scene as the scope of search, we are looking for those missing people," an official at the Coast Guard's Gunsan office said.
The capsized Chinese boat was fishing in the South Korean exclusive economic zone after getting permission, the officials said.
By Dakin Andone, Mallika Kallingal and Sarah Moon, CNN
(CNN)Investigators say the pipeline which caused thousands of gallons of crude oil to spill into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Orange County, California, may have been displaced several months to a year ago.
The pipeline was intact in October 2020 before it was deflected by 105 feet, eventually leading to damage to its casing and a crack, according to Jason Neubauer, chief of the office of investigations and analysis for the US Coast Guard.
They still believe the 13-inch linear crack on the pipeline was likely caused by a ship's anchor dragging along the sea floor. "I'm convinced that the initial event that deflected the pipe itself was an anchor strike," Neubauer confirmed Friday, as he released new details in the probe of the incident.
Video released Thursday by the Coast Guard showed marine growth on the damaged portion of the pipeline, which was initially enclosed in concrete. Neubauer explained the linear fracture on the pipeline could have been a very gradual crack, which got worse over time.
"This event could be multiple incidents and strikes on the pipeline after the initial event, that we're pretty confident occurred several months to a year ago," Neubauer said.
Sifting a year's worth of data
Investigators are now sifting through a year's worth of data and images from multiple sources, including marina exchange vessel traffic service, to determine when the oil spill first started. They will also be looking at every vessel movement over the pipeline over the course of the entire year.
"We are not ready to rule out any vessels as a contributing cause to this incident," Neubauer stated.
Investigators will also examine geological events, including a heavy weather event in mid-January, which may have contributed to the crack. A section of the pipe will be taken to the National Transportation Safety Board lab, so investigators can determine when and how the leak occurred.
While similar anchor strikes have happened over the past 10 years, Neubauer said there was only one event that led to an oil spill, which he called a "rare occurrence."
Meanwhile, Orange County officials continue to ask residents and visitors to avoid the ocean water and oiled areas of the beaches. According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, air samples from areas potentially impacted by the oil spill are within background levels and below state health standards for the pollutants measured.
"We are very encouraged by the early results of the air quality sampling," Orange County health officer Dr. Clayton Chau said in a statement. But he added the original health advisory remains in place as cleanup efforts continue.
Environmental impact
Tar balls, possibly linked to the oil spill, are still washing up on San Diego beaches, county officials said Thursday, highlighting concerns about the widening environmental impacts.
"While it is not impossible for this to occur naturally, the quantity is highly unlikely, highly unusual, and it is very likely that these tar balls are in fact the result of the oil spill," San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher said in a news conference Thursday.
"We do not know that for certain yet," he added. Officials have collected samples, which are being tested.
San Diego County will declare a state of emergency if the tar balls are tied to the Orange County oil spill, Fletcher said. Booms -- floating barriers used to contain an oil spill -- have been deployed out of an abundance of caution, he said.
The news comes days after the first reports of the spill, which forced the closure of beaches and threatened coastal habitats after oil leaked into the ocean from a split, or partial tear, in a pipeline several miles offshore. Authorities said earlier this week the source appeared to be a 13-inch split found in a 4,000-foot section of pipe owned by Amplify Energy.
According to Fletcher, lifeguards from the cities of Carlsbad and Oceanside saw the tar balls on their beaches Wednesday night, and officials have also received reports of tar balls in Encinitas and Del Mar, some 70 miles south of the beaches initially impacted in Orange County. About 13 barrels of tar balls were recovered Thursday.
There is no immediate threat to public health, Fletcher said, and the beaches will remain open until further notice. But officials have asked people to be on the lookout for the tar balls.
In the meantime, officials continue their own cleanup efforts in Orange County, where nearly 1,500 people are expected to help out this weekend, Orange County Second District Supervisor Katrina Foley said on Twitter.
People should not approach any oiled animals, she added, but call the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN).
According to OWCN, as of Thursday evening, the number of wildlife recovered in the response totaled 35, including 10 birds recovered dead.
The oil spill has been designated a "Major Marine Casualty," the US Coast Guard announced Thursday, the highest level of severity. In this case, it's been designated as such "due to the potential involvement of a vessel and the resulting damages estimated in excess of $500,000," the Coast Guard said in a statement.
Authorities say approximately 172,500 lbs of oily debris have been recovered from the shoreline.
A class action lawsuit was filed against Amplify Energy and affiliated corporations Thursday on behalf of business owners impacted by the oil spill, claiming the companies failed to safely maintain the pipeline.
CNN has contacted Amplify Energy, which operated the pipeline believed to be the source of the spill, for comment on the lawsuit, and is awaiting its reply.
Thousands of gallons of oil released into Pacific
While the exact number is not known, officials said in a news conference Thursday they estimate at least 24,000 gallons and possibly as much as 131,000 gallons of crude oil were released into the Pacific Ocean. US Coast Guard Captain Rebecca Ore said the worst-case scenario would put the figure at a maximum of 131,628 gallons, or 3,134 barrels.
A joint investigation between the US Coast Guard and other officials continues to move forward, Ore said.
A preliminary report indicated the partial tear could have been caused by a vessel's anchor hooking the pipeline. Earlier this week, the US Coast Guard boarded a German cargo ship anchored in waters off Southern California when the pipeline began spilling crude oil into the ocean.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the ship's operator said the ship was not under investigation, adding the Coast Guard had given the vessel permission to leave port.
(Bloomberg) -- The cargo vessel Rotterdam Express is no longer under investigation over its possible involvement in the breach of a pipeline that caused one of California’s worst offshore oil spills in decades, ship owner Hapag-Lloyd AG said. The ship has been released and is “on her way to Mexico,” Nils Haupt, spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd, said. “We are no longer under investigation.”
Hapag-Lloyd earlier Thursday said the Coast Guard boarded the vessel Wednesday, interviewed the crew and examined the navigation systems, adding that the Rotterdam Express didn’t pass over the pipeline at the time of the incident and dropped anchor exactly as requested by San Pedro Traffic. The Coast Guard didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Container ship TS MOJI left Shanghai on Sep 12, bound for Yokohama Japan, but was caught in typhoon and suffered damages to her portside in cargo area near superstructure, a number of containers were damaged, collapsed, so the ship had to turn back and shelter at anchorage north of Shanghai. Salvage was contracted, to handle and remove damaged containers. After completing emergency works, the ship was allowed to move to Shanghai outer anchorage, where she was anchored until anchored Sep 27. On Sep 27 she left anchorage, as of 1540 UTC Sep 27 she was under way, sailing either to Shanghai port, or to Yangtze Estuary CJK Anchorage.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A top officer's errors in calculating the stability of a cargo ship loaded with nearly 4,200 automobiles likely caused the giant vessel to overturn along the Georgia coast, U.S. investigators said in a report Tuesday.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued a 57-page report on the capsizing of the South Korean freighter Golden Ray, which is still being removed in pieces from the water off St. Simons Island two years later.
The ship's crew was rescued safely following the wreck on Sept. 8, 2019. But the ship, measuring 656 feet (199 meters), was deemed a total loss as was its cargo of new automobiles. The NTSB reported the combined losses totaled more than $204 million.
The NTSB reiterated a Coast Guard expert's findings from a public hearing last year that the Golden Ray didn’t have enough water in its ballast tanks, used to add weight at the bottom of a vessel, to offset that of the vehicles in its cargo decks above. That left the ship’s center of gravity too high.
The Golden Ray’s instability caused it to lean sharply during a starboard turn soon after the ship left the Port of Brunswick, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of Savannah. A pilot's door that had been left open on a lower deck allowed seawater to flood the ship, the NTSB report said, cutting off the escape route for some crew members who later had to be rescued from the engine room.
Investigators concluded the unstable loading likely resulted from errors by the ship's chief officer, who reported directly to the captain. The report said the chief officer wasn't properly trained to use the ship's computer that uses loading data to calculate its stability.
“The chief officer made errors with the ballast tank level data entry into the shipboard stability calculation computer," the NTSB report said, “which led to his incorrect determination of the vessel’s stability.”
As a result, the Golden Ray left the Port of Brunswick lacking 1,492 metric tons of ballast that it would have needed to meet international safety standards for stability, the report said.
A crew member’s mistake in calculating the cargo weight on a ship loaded with thousands of cars most likely caused the ship to capsize off the east coast of the United States.
The South Korean freighter Golden Ray overturned in September 2019 and its wreck is still partially in the waters off the state of Georgia.
It was loaded with around 4,200 cars, and the US National Transportation Safety Board report estimates the incident caused $ 204 million (£ 147.7 million) in damage.
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The wreck of the Golden Ray is still partly in the waters off the US state of Georgia. Image: AP
The NTSB investigation reiterated what a US Coast Guard expert found at a public hearing last year – that the ship did not have enough water below deck for ballast.
This resulted in the 199 meter long ship becoming top heavy and overturning.
And the situation was made worse by the fact that a door was left open on the lower decks through which seawater could enter.
Some crew members were stranded and had to be rescued from the engine room – although the entire crew was eventually rescued.
The ship had just left the port of Braunschweig and was 70 miles offshore when its maneuvering system failed.
The ballast error of around 1,500 tons was most likely due to a mistake by one of the senior crew members.
Image:
The South Korean freighter was loaded with around 4,200 cars. Image: AP
“The chief officer made a mistake when entering the fill level data of the ballast tank into the stability calculation computer on board,” says the NTSB report, “which led to his incorrect determination of the stability of the ship”.
The chief officer reports to the ship’s master and the document added that he was not properly trained to use the software to calculate the ship’s stability.
Since the incident, the ship’s owner, G-Marine Service Company, has intensified its officers’ training in stability calculations.
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The demolition of the Golden Ray began last November. Image: AP
Demolition of the ship began last November, using huge 122-meter-high cranes to assist the workers.
There have been various setbacks since then, including fires and oil spills.
The area has been shielded from the surrounding ocean as cars and other debris fall into the ocean during the evacuation.
Authorities round up the area where the My An 1 ship is sunken off the coast of Vung Tau on September 14, 2021 in case an oil spill occurs. Photo courtesy of the Marine Administration of Vung Tau
A Vietnamese ship carrying nearly 10,000 tons of clinker sank Tuesday after a giant Liberian-flagged vessel collided with it off the coast of Vung Tau.
My An 1, which was carrying the clinker from the northern Quang Ninh Province to Ho Chi Minh City, was anchored near a buoy 12 km from Vung Tau, which borders HCMC, to clear a Covid-19 checkpoint at around 2:30 a.m. when the Lisa Auerbach rammed it.
The 138-meter ship was en route to Lotus port in Ho Chi Minh City, the Marine Administration of Vung Tau said.
All 17 people from the ship were rescued and taken on board by the Liberian ship.
The 15 people on the Lisa Auerbach were unharmed.
Authorities have marked the location of the sinking and issue maritime safety warnings. No oil spill had been detected as of Tuesday afternoon, and rescue forces are on standby in case a spill does occur.
The administration said the collision was an accident.
All people involved in the incident have been taken to Vung Tau for Covid-19 quarantine as a precaution.
Mikhail Voytenko
General cargo ship FU LIN 88 reportedly sank in the morning Aug 19 in waters between Penghu County islands Taiwan and Yunlin County, central Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, while sailing in southern direction from Taichung, Taiwan. The ship issued distress signal, reporting flooded engine, developing stern tilt and list. 10 Indonesian crew abandoned the ship and went into life rafts, to be be picked up shortly after, by the ships directed to SAR, all rescued safe, no injures reported. As of 0720 UTC Aug 19 status of the ship unknown, she might sink already, or remain afloat partially submerged, AIS off during last 8 hours.
General cargo ship FU LIN 88, IMO 8011562, dwt 1597, built 1980, flag Sierra Leone, manager THRIVING SHIP SAFETY MGMT CON (EQUASIS).
A cargo ship ran aground and broke into two off northern Japan, the coast guard said Thursday, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel taken to safety. Aerial images showed the separated stern of the Crimson Polaris tipped upwards and the other part of the stricken boat listing into the sea.
A fuel leak from the ship has spread around 15 miles, a coastguard spokesman told AFP, but the extent of any environmental impact was unclear.
This photo provided by the Japan Coast Guard shows Crimson Polaris, a vessel that has broken apart and leaked oil off Hachinohe, northeastern Japan, Aug. 12, 2021. / Credit: / AP
Crimson Polaris ran aground in Hachinohe port in Aomori," said the spokesman, who declined to be named.
"All the 21 crew members — Chinese and Filipino — were rescued safely," he said.
The 39,910-ton vessel was carrying wood chips when it ran aground, Reuters reported.
Three patrol boats and three aircraft were dispatched after the ship ran aground on Wednesday in the port off Japan's northeastern coast.
Authorities were trying to contain the oil leak but had not yet been able to erect an oil fence around the boat, the spokesman said.
"The patrol boats will operate overnight" to avoid collisions, he said, adding that no other ship was known to be involved in the accident.
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021. / Credit: HANDOUT / REUTERS
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021, in this handout photo taken and released by 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Courtesy 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. - RC2G3P9E3WLD
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021, in this handout photo taken and released by 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Courtesy 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. - RC2G3P9IHES9
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021, in this handout photo taken and released by 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Courtesy 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. - RC2G3P9MJFBT
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021, in this handout photo taken and released by 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Courtesy 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. - RC2G3P9SYMWU
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021, in this handout photo taken and released by 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Courtesy 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. - RC2G3P9BMFAD
A view of the Panamanian-registered ship 'Crimson Polaris' after it ran aground in Hachinohe harbour in Hachinohe, northern Japan, August 12, 2021, in this handout photo taken and released by 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. Courtesy 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC2G3P9ZKA47
General cargo ship TAN BINH 127 issued distress signal, reporting water ingress, sinking, on Aug 1 in Andaman sea some 150 nm NW of Phuket island, Thailand. TAN BINH 127 was en route from Ho Chi Minh to Chittagong, via Singapore. 18 crew left the ship I a lifeboat, and later were rescued by container ship MCC CHITTAGONG (IMO 9761023), which was en route from Chittagong to Port Klang Malaysia.
MCC CHITTAGONG tried to contact MRCCs of Myanmar, Thailand and India, but failed. The ship reached Cat Lai port, Ho Chi Minh, and handed rescued crew (comprising 13 Vietnamese and 5 Indian nationalities) over to Vietnamese CG, on Aug 8. She left port early in the morning Aug 9.
Understood TAN BINH 127 sank, last AIS dated Aug 1. MCC CHITTAGONG docked at Port Klang on Aug 4, but understood, couldn’t disembark rescued crew, some of whom were in medical emergency state, because of covid fears. MCC CHITTAGONG left Port Klang on Aug 5 and headed straight to Ho Chi Minh, interrupting her schedule.
So, as of now, rescuing distressed crews might be only the first stage of rescue, second and probably more difficult, is the operation of disembarking them.
It’s a pandemic? No, it’s a dehumanization of society.
General cargo ship TAN BINH 127, IMO 9240043, dwt 11910, built 2001, flag Panama, manager TAN BINH CO., Haiphong.
Chinese marine search and rescue services are searching for four people missing after an offshore construction platform tilted dangerously, flooding the deck and almost capsizing off the coast of Huizhou in Guangdong Province today, July 25.
According to CCTV, the Huizhou Maritime Safety Administration began a search and rescue operation after receiving reports of the accident at around 11:00 am this morning.
The 90-meter-long, 50-meter-wide offshore construction platform SHENG PING 001 began tilting while working on the CGN New Energy offshore wind power construction project, according to reports.
Sina TV reported that 65 crew were aboard the ship, and 61 were accounted for at around 1:00 pm. Reports say that “many” people fell into the water and were rescued. However, four people remain missing.
Huizhou Maritime Safety Administration dispatched a coast guard patrol boat and alerted nearby vessels to assist in the search. Five boats were also dispatched by Guangdong Provincial Marine Comprehensive Law Enforcement Corps.
Pictures and video shared to Chinese social media site Weibo show what appear to be civilian boats and crews rescuing crew members from the water.
As of 2:00 pm more than 30 vessels including maritime affairs, maritime police, fishery administration, tugboats, passing merchant ships, nearby fishing boats, and helicopters were assisting with the search for the missing crew.
The Sheng Ping 001 jack-up vessel tilted on 25th July while working at China General Nuclear Power Corporation’s (GCN) wind farm off Huizhou, with four reported missing.
Sheng Ping 001 was left listing in the water after colliding with a wind turbine monopile foundation about 30 km offshore around noon on Sunday, reported the Guangdong Maritime Rescue Centre (GMRC).
The vessel, built in 2015, is owned by Tianjin Jincheng Offshore Engineering, was previously known as Teras Fortress 2 and was a lifeboat. It was converted into a wind turbine installation vessel by Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Industry in mid-June this year.
It was carrying 65 people for work on the Huizhou Gangkou Phase 1 offshore wind project located around 15 miles off the city of Huizhou in China.
It tilted sideways around 11 a.m. on 25 July, with many of those on board falling into the sea as the vessel’s deck flooded with water and jack-up almost capsized.
The Guangdong Provincial Maritime Search and Rescue Centre was alarmed at 11.26 a.m. of the incident, and the search and rescue operation began immediately.
According to reports, coordinated efforts are on through 30 helicopters and vessels to find the missing people. And so far, 61 people have been rescued, and four are still missing.
Navigation warnings have been issued to passing ships. And the South China Sea Forecast Centre has been making “drift predictions” for the four workers who remain untraced.
Aerial footage showed the jack-up rig heavily listing in the water near an offshore wind turbine. However, according to reports, the jack-up stabilised by the evening.
Off Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China General Nuclear Power Corporation (GCN) is currently building its 400 MW offshore wind farm. It will comprise 64 MySE6.25-180 wind turbines installed around 25 kilometres off the coast in water depths ranging between 30-43 metres.
The offshore wind farm will be operational from mid-2022. However, Chinese offshore wind operators are rushing to complete projects by the end of the year to be eligible for a national subsidy of 0.85 yuan ($.13) per kWh.
The global offshore wind industry has seen several vessel-related incidents in the past few years. But this incident seems to be the gravest one yet.
As per the information from advocacy organization World Forum for Offshore Wind, China presently holds a market-lead of 4.4 GW offshore wind projects under construction and more than 75 GW that are in operation.
By Associated Press
KARACHI, Pakistan — Pakistani authorities said Monday they were working on plans to refloat a cargo ship that ran aground off the coast near the southern port city of Karachi last week amid bad weather.
The Heng Tong 77 was en route to Istanbul from China when it drifted and got stuck in shallow waters Wednesday near the coast in Pakistani territory, authorities said. The event raised fears the oil being transported in the vessel could spill, potentially damaging the environment.
The management of Pakistan’s Karachi Port Trust, which handles matters relating to naval traffic at the port, provided no details on how the ship will be refloated. But reports in local media said Pakistani authorities were providing support to the ship’s owner, who was importing special equipment to refloat the ship.
The stuck vessel did not affect the normal movement of ships in and out of the port located near Karachi, according to a statement Sunday from the port trust.
It said environmental experts were closely monitoring the situation and a contingency plan was in place to handle any emergency.
The cargo ship is 98 meters (322 feet) in length and 20 meters (66 feet) wide and has a capacity of 36,000 deadweight tonnage. It was not immediately clear what caused the ship to drift and run aground.
Mike Schuler
A containership and a bulk carrier collided early Sunday in the Strait of Malacca, causing major damage and resulting in an oil spill.
The Malaysian Coast guard reports that the containership MV Zephyr Lumos and bulk carrier MV Galapagos collided at 14.1 nautical miles southwest of Kuala Sungai just after midnight. The agency said the Galapagos reportedly suffered a rudder failure that resulted in the ship crossing in from of the Zephyr Lumos.
Photos published by the Coast Guard show an oil spill from the breached hull of the Galapagos.
Zephyr Lumos is a new 2021-built containership registered in the United Kingdom. It measures 366-meters-long and 15,000 TEU capacity. AIS ship tracking shows it is underway from Singapore to the Suez Canal.
MV Galapagos, registered in Malta, measures 225-meters-long and is 76,000 DWT. It was built in 2010. AIS shows it is sailing from Gladstone, Australia to Visakhapatnam, India.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Some photos published by the Malaysian Coast Guard are below:
A fisherman throws his net beside the half-submerged M/V Palawan Pearl after it collided with a Cyprus-flagged BKM 104 dredger in Manila bay, Philippines on Thursday, July 8, 2021. - AP
MANILA, July 9 (dpa): A cargo vessel collided with a dredging ship in waters off the Philippine capital on Thursday (July 8), triggering fears of an oil spill, the coastguard said.
The MV Palawan Pearl collided with the Cyprus-flagged vessel BKM 104 in Manila Bay, about 100 metres off the shore of Baseco Beach, before dawn, the coastguard said.
No crew members were hurt in the accident, it added.
The Palawan Pearl was carrying 3,000 litres of diesel oil, and 60 litres of engine oil and five litres of bilge oil, according to a crew member.
An oil sheen was seen around the Palawan Pearl, which was halfway-submerged after the accident, the coastguard said.
The agency's maritime environmental protection force has been dispatched to lay out oil spill booms around the vessel.
According to an initial investigation, the cargo vessel had just left a wharf in the Baseco area when its skipper noticed BKM 104 travelling at a speed of 10 knots towards its left side.
"MV Palawan Pearl immediately manoeuvered to avoid BKM 104, but [the dredging ship] crashed twice on the left side of the cargo vessel [which] almost sank in the water," the coastguard said.
All 18 crew members of the Palawan Pearl were unharmed, while authorities were coordinating with the dredging ship to get more info about its crew.
The BKM 104, which suffered only minor damage in the collision, was conducting dredging and other land development activities in the area, the coastguard said. - dpa
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) assured the public Friday, July 9, that no oil spill happened in the aftermath of a collision between a cargo ship that contained 3,000 liters of oil and a utility foreign vessel at the Manila South Harbor.
A cargo vessel MV Palawan Pearl and foreign utility vessel BKM 104 collided in South Harbor Anchorage area on Thursday, July 8, 2021. (Photo courtesy of the PCG)
PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said the 3,000 liters of “ordinary” oil diesel from cargo vessel MV Palawan Pearl will immediately “dissipate” under the heat of the sun if it possibly leaked.
A container ship anchored at Dubai's huge port has caught fire, causing an explosion that sent tremors across the commercial hub of the United Arab Emirates.
A container ship anchored in Dubai at one of the world’s largest ports caught fire late Wednesday (local time), authorities said, causing an explosion that sent tremors across the commercial hub of the United Arab Emirates.
The blaze sent up giant orange flames on a vessel docked at the crucial Jebel Ali Port, the busiest in the Middle East, which sits on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula. The combustion unleashed a shock wave through the city, shaking buildings and windows in neighbourhoods as far as 25 kilometres away from the port.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, the government said.
Dubai authorities issued a statement early Thursday saying that emergency services had brought the blaze under control. The Dubai Media Office posted footage of firefighters dousing giant shipping containers. The glow of the blaze was visible in the background as civil defence crews worked to contain the fire.
A giant gantry crane collapsed onto another crane today at Taiwan’s largest port as a containership came in too close to a moored, smaller vessel while coming in to dock.
The accident, caught on video, happened at 11.30 am local time at the Port of Kaohsiung.
One person was injured and two people were trapped in the wreckage as the 8,540 teu OOCL Durban, owned by Japan’s Nissen Kaiun, got its entrance to the port wrong, scraping alongside a smaller Yang Ming boxship and knocking over two gantry cranes which in turn sent a number of container stacks on the quayside tumbling. The trapped workers were freed after 75 minutes and were not injured.
One person was injured and two people were trapped in the wreckage after a container ship in the process of docking collided with another ship, causing one container crane to collapse, and badly damaging another at the Port of Kaohsiung today, June 3.
At around 11:30 am the 316-meter-long, 86,679 gross tonnage container ship DURBAN, owned by OOCL Shipping Company, was attempting to dock at pier 66, when it sideswiped the 32,720 gross tonnage CONSTANCY (永明) belonging to Yangming Shipping, that was docked at pier 70.
The collision caused one of four container cranes, GC8 to collapse. GC8 collapsed onto GC6. [Previously incorrectly reported GC6 collapsed]. Workers ran for their lives as the container crane began to crumple to the ground. As the crane collapsed, it hit a stack of containers, causing it also to collapse.
The accident left one worker slightly injured, and two operators trapped inside the cranes.
The injured 58-year-old man, named Zhang, was treated at Yuan’s General Hospital for a cut on his forearm, and abrasions on one foot. Zhang also had x-rays taken to check for internal injuries as he was suffering from chest discomfort.
The trapped workers were finally extracted at 12:44 pm and are reported to be uninjured.
The Port of Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s largest port, and the 15th largest port in the world. Around three-quarters of Taiwan’s container throughput enters and exits via the Port of Kaohsiung.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A large ferry with nearly 200 people on board caught fire Saturday while traveling to a remote island in northeastern Indonesia, forcing passengers and crew to jump into the sea but causing no casualties, officials said.
The KM Karya Indah was in the Molucca Sea heading for Sanana, a port on the island of Limafatola, when the fire broke out at around 7 a.m. local time, said Wisnu Wardana, a spokesperson for the sea transportation directorate general. The blaze began 15 minutes after the vessel had departed Ternate, the provincial capital of North Maluku province.
Phone video of the incident provided by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed passengers and crew clinging to floating objects as they struggled in the choppy water, while the raging fire on the ferry sent up clouds of black smoke.
Wardana said all 181 passengers, including 22 children, and 14 crew members were rescued and safely evacuated to a nearby island. He said the agency’s rescue operation also involved local fishing boats that happened to be in the vicinity.
He said authorities were still investigating the cause of the incident, and that survivors told authorities the fire apparently started in the engine room.
Ferry accidents are common in Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago nation with more than 17,000 islands. Many accidents are blamed on the lax regulation of boat services.
"Sri Lankan officials believe the fire was caused by a nitric acid leak which the crew had been aware of since 11 May. The ship was carrying 25 tonnes of the highly corrosive acid, which can be used in the manufacture of fertilisers and explosives.
X-Press Shipping - the Singapore based company that owns the vessel - confirmed the crew had been aware of the leak, but said they were denied permission by both Qatar and India to leave the ship there before the fire broke out.
The fact that Sri Lanka allowed the vessel to enter its waters after it was rejected by two other nations has led to widespread public anger."
A chemical-laden cargo ship is sinking off the coast of Sri Lanka, sparking fears of an environmental disaster.
The Singapore-registered X-Press Pearl had been on fire for almost two weeks before the blaze was put out this week.
Hundreds of tonnes of oil from fuel tanks could leak into the sea, devastating nearby marine life.
The Sri Lankan and Indian navies had worked jointly over the past days in an attempt to put out the fire and prevent the ship from breaking up and sinking.
But rough seas and monsoonal winds hampered the operation, just outside the port of Colombo.
"Salvors are trying to tow the ship to deep sea before it sinks to minimise the marine pollution, but the rear area of the ship has drifted," Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Captain Indika Silva told the BBC. The stern appeared to be resting on the seabed.
Environmentalist Dr Ajantha Perera told the BBC that the sinking posed "the worst environmental scenario".
"With all the dangerous goods, the nitric acid and all these other things, and the oil in the ship, if it's sinking it will basically destroy the whole bottom of the sea," she said.
Dr Perera said divers should have been sent down to examine the ship before it was towed out to sea.
"The environmental issues will remain in our waters now," she added.
The coastal stretch near the city of Negombo - home to some of the country's most pristine beaches - has already seen oil and debris pollution for days.
Meanwhile, the fisheries ministry said emergency measures were in place to protect the Negombo lagoon and surrounding areas and all fishing from Panadura to Negombo had been suspended.
Joshua Anthony, head of the regional fishing union, warned that the sinking could be "a death blow" for the industry.
"We can't go to the sea which means we can't make a living," he said.
Burning ship coats 'tourist paradise' beach in oil
Sri Lankan officials believe the fire was caused by a nitric acid leak which the crew had been aware of since 11 May. The ship was carrying 25 tonnes of the highly corrosive acid, which can be used in the manufacture of fertilisers and explosives.
X-Press Shipping - the Singapore based company that owns the vessel - confirmed the crew had been aware of the leak, but said they were denied permission by both Qatar and India to leave the ship there before the fire broke out.
The fact that Sri Lanka allowed the vessel to enter its waters after it was rejected by two other nations has led to widespread public anger.
Officials have lodged a police complaint against the captain of the ship, who was rescued along with other crew members last week.
Sri Lanka police on Tuesday said they questioned the captain and the engineer of the ship for more than 14 hours.
A court has issued an order preventing the captain, chief engineer and the additional engineer from leaving the country.
The Singapore-flagged container vessel, anchored off Colombo port, first reported a fire on board due to a chemical leak in one of its containers.
The 186m-long (610ft) vessel left the Indian port of Hazira on 15 May carrying 1,486 containers. As well as the nitric acid, the cargo included several other chemicals and cosmetics.
Fourteen people have died as a barge sank off India's west coast after a powerful cyclone barrelled into the country, authorities said on Wednesday, while Indian navy ships and aircraft scoured waters to locate scores of other missing personnel.
"We can confirm that 14 bodies have been recovered from the rescue operation of barge P305" that sank off the coast of Mumbai, Mehul Karnik, chief public relations officer, Western Naval Command told Reuters.
Indian navy ships and aircraft have been scouring the waters off the country's financial capital since Monday when the "P305" and some other vessels went adrift due to the cyclone.
Driving waves of up to 25 feet on the high seas, cyclone Tauktae rammed into the western states of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, and Gujarat over the past two days, killing at least 61 people and leaving a trail of destruction, authorities said.
The storm smashed into the Bombay High oilfield near Mumbai, where India's biggest offshore oil rigs are located, and sank the "P305" barge that had 261 personnel on board.
The navy said over 180 people had been rescued from the barge, which was engaged in contract work awarded by Oil and Natural Gas Corp, India's top exploration company.
Three ships and aircraft are continuing to look for the remaining personnel, it added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to conduct an aerial survey of the storm-hit areas in his home state Gujarat later in the day, the state government said.
Cyclone Tauktae made landfall in Gujarat late on Monday packing gusts of up to 210 kph (130 mph).
It has piled pressure on Indian authorities as they grapple with a massive spike in COVID-19 infections and deaths as well as a shortage of beds and oxygen in hospitals.
In Gujarat, among the hardest-hit states by the second wave of the virus, the cyclone has ripped out power pylons, damaged some 16,500 homes and blocked over 600 roads, authorities said.
The state's farm sector is also likely to have taken a hit, including the major mango growing belt of Saurashtra.
Officials said work to restore electricity supply and clear roads was ongoing, but some parts were still cut off.
"Mobile phone networks are still down in many areas, and I don't think they will be restored by today," Aayush Oak, the top official in Gujarat's Amreli district, told Reuters.
(Reporting by Nigam Prusty in NEW DELHI and Sumit Khanna in AHMEDABAD and Aishwarya Nair in Mumbai; Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal and Nupur Anand; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Himani Sarkar)
The Indian Coast Guard has been engaged in a series of back-to-back emergency response efforts after Cyclone Tauktae cast four oil and gas vessels adrift off the coast of Mumbai, sent a tug aground off Karnataka and left multiple vessels in distress off Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The Indian Coast Guard swung into action in advance of the storm’s arrival, mobilizing rescue teams and patrol vessel crews. The lessons learned during Cyclone Ockhi in 2017 – when hundreds of fishermen went missing in severe weather off the coast of Kochi – were on full display, and this time the authorities made early and proactive efforts to direct over 6,000 fishing boats back to port in advance of the storm. Oil and gas interests were also alerted to the need to make preparations for heavy weather.
However, Cyclone Tauktae left multiple vessels and their crews in distress, and the Indian Coast Guard has been working hard to rescue hundreds of personnel in simultaneous high-stakes SAR operations.
At an oilfield about 40 nm southwest of Mumbai, the work barges P305 (Papaa-305), Gal Constructor and SS-3 (Support Station-3) – operated by Afcons Infrastructure on a contract for India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) – were all cast adrift by the storm. All three barges were manned at the time of the incident.
The P305 sank in the storm with 273 people on board; as of Tuesday night at least 74 are still missing, according to local reports, and Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy search efforts continue.
The initial response to the sinking was complicated by “extremely challenging” weather conditions. The naval vessels INS Beas, Betwa, Teg, Kochi and Kolkata are currently engaged in the search, along with coast guard and aviation assets.
“This is one of the most challenging search and rescue operations I’ve seen in the last four decades,” said Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. MS Pawar, speaking to ANI.
Meanwhile, the barge Gal Constructor drifted aground, necessitating a separate evacuation effort. All 137 personnel have been rescued and accounted for. An additional 202 people were rescued from the barge SS-3.
The ONGC-operated drill ship Sagar Bhushan also lost her anchors and went adrift, with about 95 people on board. On Tuesday, an SCI-operated tug successfully connected a line and took the Bhushan in tow.
Separately, the Indian Coast Guard’s MRCC Mumbai coordinated with the tanker MT Desh Bhakt and the OSV Greatship Aditi, which went adrift in the storm during SPM operations off Mumbai. Though responders had concerns that Desh Bhakt was drifting towards the offshore rig Vivekanand-2, the tanker managed to restore propulsion and has since resumed her operations safely.
In less serious offshore casualties, the jack-up rig Valliant Driller reportedly lost a portion of her superstructure over the side in high winds, and the jack-up Sagar Kiran reportedly went dark ship after losing her emergency generator.
The Indian Coast Guard also had to contend with a variety of smaller-scale incidents. A fishing vessel sustained significant hull damage off Veraval, and its crew required evacuation and medical attention. The tug Coromandal Supporter IX went aground off Karnataka, and the Indian Coast Guard cutter Varaha Gemini and an Indian Navy helicopter evacuated the tug’s nine crewmembers. Additionally, at least two more fishing boats lost power and required a tow in rough conditions.
Coromandal Supporter IX aground (Indian Ministry of Defense)
Mumbai: Barge ‘P 305”, an accommodation barge of the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), capsized off Heera oil fields in Bombay High on Monday night after the impact of Cyclone Tauktae broke its mooring and set it adrift. Indian Navy along with a private vessel ‘Energy Star’ rescued 59 of the 273 people on board the barge.
Rescue operations continued late into the night with two Indian Navy vessels INS Kochi and INS Kolkata undertaking the search and rescue operation. A navy officer requesting anonymity said, “The barge capsized. Navy along with a private vessel ‘Energy Star’ saved 59 people from the barge. Search and rescue operations are on.”
Indian Navy will press all its assets including the P-8i’s tomorrow morning to support the ongoing rescue operation. At around 1 pm on Monday, P 305 had sent an SOS call to which the Navy responded and send INS Kochi. But the sea state, which was between 7 and 8, did not enable the navy to undertake the rescue operation, said a Navy spokesperson.
An oil spill took place near China’s Qingdao port after a tanker and bunker collided in the Yellow Sea. The crew has already started cleaning up the oil spill along with some assistance.
The incident happened when 2 vessels transiting in the Shandong province collided. The tanker vessel ‘A Symphony’ and the Bulk Carrier ‘Sea Justice’ were the 2 ships involved in the accident.
The tanker had been known to carry bitumen mix. The dense fog that engulfed the area on Tuesday seemed to have caused the accident.
Liberia flagged tanker’s manager, the Goodwood Ship Management has revealed that though the extent of the oil spills remains to be ascertained, the work to contain it has already been started by the crew on Wednesday.
The tanker had been anchored when the bulker collided with it. The collision had heavily damaged the tanker, breaching its cargo and ballast tanks.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed by the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration that the oil spill wasn’t a major one.
The accident however hasn’t affected any of the crews of the 2 ships and all of them are safe. As of now, an investigation has been ordered while ships were informed to stay 10 nautical miles away from the tanker.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology & Environment had summoned experts in Qingdao court to access the oil spill situation.
The owner of the bitumen cargo the Hong Kong-based fuel trading company Run Cheng International Resource (HK) had acknowledged that the 150000-ton cargo belonged to them.
Bitumen happens to be a mixture of heavy crude oil and residue often used by Independent Chinese refiners for refining feedstock alternatives.
In recent years, oil spills from oil tankers have reduced courtesy the practice of using double hulls. However, the environmental concern regarding it remains.
A ship that began service in World War II, and was recently sold as scrap metal, may be kept as a historical monument after the navy decided to postpone signing a sales contract for one month.
The tank landing ship Chung Hai ( 中海) was decommissioned in 2010 after 65 years of service with the ROC Navy. Since then it has been berthed in the Port of Kaohsiung.
During its service in the ROC navy Chung Hai had taken part in many battles against Chinese Communist Party forces during, and in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War.
The navy had floated plans to sink the aging ship in a missile firing exercise. Then the Kinmen County Government applied to move the ship to Kinmen Island to keep as an historic monument, but the plan fell through due to funding problems.
Recently, the navy decided that the ship’s deteriorating hull constituted a sinking hazard, and put the vessel up for sale. After a bidding process, the ship was sold to a scrap metal dealer for NT$14 million.
The sale drew condemnation from historians and military enthusiasts who saw the ship as an important cultural heritage artifact.
Even the scrap dealer was concerned about the backlash of public opinion if he were to dismantle the ship.
The navy then decided to postpone signing the sales contract with the winning bidder for one month, while relevant government agencies come up with a plan to possibly keep and restore the ship as an historic monument.
The Kinmen County Government issued a press release earlier this evening saying that it is coordinating with the Ministry of Defense to seek an alternative solutions, and to preserve “this important historical asset.”
What’s new: A passenger and cargo ferry had an explosion after a fire Tuesday at Weihai Port in eastern China. No injuries or casualties were reported.
The ship Zhong Hua Fu Qiang was en route to Dalian when smoke emerged from a truck loaded onboard. The vessel turned back to Weihai Port, and passengers and crew were evacuated, according to local authorities.
An explosion occurred on board during the rescue. The causes of the fire and explosion are under investigation, local authorities said.
Ferry KMP NAMPARNOS was disabled and drifted through Kupang anchorage, West Timor, Indonesia, on Apr 4, when heavy storm hits the region. Ferry drifted onto anchored livestock carrier CAMARA NUSANTARA 6, contacted her bow, spins and ended alongside CAMARA NUSANTARA 6. She was moored to CAMARA NUSANTARA 6, all crews are safe, understood both ships didn’t suffer serious damages compromising their safety.
Livestock carrier CAMARA NUSANTARA 6, IMO 9855094, GT 1498, built 2018, flag Indonesia, manager INDONESIA GOVT.
Passenger ro-ro cargo ship NAMPARNOS, IMO 8998851, GT 167, built 1993, flag Indonesia.
Damaged ferry rested on pier
Ferry KMP JATRA I which serves the line connecting Kupang, West Timor, with Pantai Baru port, Rote island, both part of East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, was caught in severe storm while berthed at Kupang. The ship battered against pier and suffered hull breach or breaches, followed by water ingress. On Apr 5 she developed portside list and rested portside on pier. There were no passengers on board, all 31 are reported safe.
Passenger ro-ro cargo ship JATRA I, IMO 7818626, GT 3871, built 1980, flag Indonesia.
Despite heavy seas, a joint Norwegian-Dutch salvage operation has managed to safely tow to land an abandoned Dutch cargo ship that had been adrift off the coast of Norway.
The Dutch cargo ship Eemslift Hendrika is guided to land at Alesund, Norway, Thursday April 8, 2021. Despite heavy seas, a joint Norwegian-Dutch salvage operation has managed to get the abandoned Dutch cargo ship under control off the coast of Norway and towing it to port. Svein Ove Ekornesvåg / NTB THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY JARI TANNER, Associated Press
HELSINKI (AP) — Despite heavy seas, a joint Norwegian-Dutch salvage operation managed to safely tow to land Thursday an abandoned Dutch cargo ship that had been adrift off the coast of Norway.
The Eemslift Hendrika, a Netherlands-registered ship designed to carry large boats, securely docked in port late in the afternoon in the western city of Alesund.
“It’s a happy ending to an event. We are always happy when things go well, so it’s a good feeling,” said Captain Sverre Aas from the Norwegian Coast Guard, as quoted by the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
The Norwegian Coast Guard posted photos on Twitter on the moored Eemslift Hendrika in Alesund.
The ship's crew of 12 was rescued by helicopter late Monday after a power outage in its main engine. The Norwegian Coastal Administration, based in Alesund, launched salvage operation late Wednesday as it became clear that churning seas could make the drifting ship crash into the shore.
The vessel has substantial quantities of diesel and fuel in its tanks, which could have caused an environmental disaster. Norwegian maritime authorities issued an emergency alert late Wednesday and started preparations in case of an oil spill.
The Eemslift Hendrika was adrift in the area where the North Sea and Norwegian Sea meet. Salvage experts were lowered onto the sharply listing ship Wednesday to attach towing ropes to waiting tug boats.
One large boat aboard the deck of the 6-year-old cargo ship fell off in heavy seas Tuesday but was found by the Norwegian Coast Guard and secured to another tug boat.
The Eemslift Hendrika put out a distress call, reporting a severe list after stormy weather in the Norwegian Sea
Handout
UPDATES with operation delayed
A Dutch cargo ship which has been adrift in rough seas off Norway for two days following a dramatic rescue of its crew cannot be towed to calmer waters until Thursday due to continuing poor weather, maritime authorities said.
"The weather is forecast to improve tomorrow when the chances of a successful operation are better," the Norwegian maritime authority Kystverket said on its website Wednesday.
The Eemslift Hendrika, which was carrying several smaller vessels from Bremerhaven in Germany to Kolvereid in Norway, put out a distress call Monday, reporting a severe list after stormy weather in the Norwegian Sea displaced some of its cargo and it developed engine trouble.
In a dramatic operation by Norwegian rescue services, four of the ship's 12 crew members had to jump into the glacial water to be hoisted to safety because the waves were rocking the boat and it was listing dangerously.
The vessel is now around 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the port of Stad on Norway's west coast.
The Eemslift Hendrika put out a distress call, reporting a severe list after stormy weather in the Norwegian Sea
Handout
Two Norwegian tugboats chartered by Dutch company Smit Salvage sailed to the area overnight, Hans-Petter Mortensholm of Kystverket told AFP.
The salvage operation, which will involve lowering four Smit employees onto the stricken vessel by helicopter, was initially planned for Wednesday morning or afternoon.
Physical safety (of personnel) is always the top priority in situations like this," Mortensholm said.
Authorities initially feared the ship would capsize and its fuel would spill, but Mortensholm said they now "consider the risk as minimal".
The ship had gained stability due to losing one of the boats it was transporting as well as a slight improvement in the weather, according to Kystverket.
Though the waves were smaller on Wednesday than the day before, they were still swelling between six and eight metres (20-25 feet).
The ship had been drifting towards the coast since the accident and is now running parallel to it, reducing chances of its running aground, Kystverket said.
トーゴの外国船「GUO MAO 1」の操船ミス、それとも舵の故障、それともワッチの問題？原因がこの中の一つであればISMコードの重大な欠陥で出港停止命令が出される不備だと思う。操船ミスであれば、衝突した時にブリッジにいた船員が操船に精通していないので問題だし、舵の故障でも入港前に重要な機器に問題がないのかテストを行っていない可能性を疑われる。まあ、テストした時には問題なかったと嘘を付くことは可能であるが、ISMコードに精通しているＰＳＣ（外国船舶監督官）がISMコードに関してチェックすれば、サブスタンダード船が多いトーゴ籍船なので多くの不備が見つかるであろう。不備を見つけないようにする方が難しいと思う。
「ベトナム人と中国人合わせて13人が乗っていました。」と記載されているが、ベトナム船員が中国語を話さない限り、たぶん、船内で使われる言語は英語になると思う。船内の使用言語が英語であれば、いろいろなマニュアルや記録簿は英語でなければならない。「GUO MAO 1」は中国で建造されているので中国語でしか書かれていないマニュアルや仕様書がある可能性が高い。そうなれば出港前に英語のマニュアルや仕様書を準備させる必要がある。ISMコードで要求される会社のマニュアルが英語で記載されているのだろうか？そして内部監査の結果は英語で記載されているのだろうか？
海上保安部の職員が事故調査をおこなっている最中だと思うが、一応、船員は最低限度の英語を話すことになっているし、ベトナム人と中国人なのでベトナム人が中国語を話さない限り、英語を話すことが要求される。もしベトナム人が中国を話すことが出来ない場合、英語が話せなければ船の管理会社はISMコードの要求を満たす事が出来ていない事を知っていながらベトナム人を使ったことになり、不備が増える。
まあ、海上保安職員とＰＳＣ（外国船舶監督官）がどれぐらいISMコードに精通しているか次第で発見される問題の数が変わるであろう。
同署によると、衝突したのは、融雪剤を韓国から運んでいたトーゴ国籍の貨物船「GUO MAO 1」（総t数2998t）と、整備のため直江津港に係留していた佐渡汽船のカーフェリー「ときわ丸」（同5380t）。衝突により、貨物船の船首部に凹損2か所（最大長さ90cm×最大幅20cm、同20cm×同9cm）、カーフェリーの右舷外板後部海面上約7ｍ部分に亀裂（最大長さ148cm×最大幅35cm）が生じた。
This is the M/V Arvin, a Russian-built ship sailing under a Palau flag registered under "Arvin Sg Ltd". She was anchored at the Black Sea port of Bartin (Turkey) and broke in half while anchored and sank Jan 17, 2021 during rough sea currents. Out of the 13 people on board; 6 were rescued, 4 were killed, 3 remained missing as of the time of the search operation. 11 of the souls on board were Ukrainian, and 2 were Russian.
The ship was built in 1975 in Czechoslovakia for the USSR as a dry goods transporter. The ship was designed for mainly for river and lake operations as a barge freighter. She was never designed for rough weather of any sort or the open ocean at all. Despite that fact, she continued to operate in the Black Sea, a region noted for its adverse weather and rough high currents after suffering from over 30 years of poor maintenance and neglect since being sold in 1992 from Russian ownership. These ships are essentially open topped bathtubs with no rigidity, and you can watch them twist and bend just from passing a ship’s wake if they’re unladen. It is not uncommon to see older ones at the end of their service life have several cracks at the deck edge, which will quickly propagate down the hullside if the ship is kept in service. A port state control inspection in Georgia in 2020 found extensive deficiencies on board the Arvin, including severe deck corrosion (softness) and ill-maintained (not functional) weathertight hatches. The Volgo-Balt series of ships were given a restriction on class and were not permitted to sail more than 100 miles from safe haven.
The entire merchant marine fleet in the Black Sea is known for the very poor condition of its ships and the inhumanely poor conditions for the sailors. Olga Ananina, the ITF inspector in Novorossiysk, remarked. “Today the bulkers operate under flag of Panama and under control of Orbital Ship Management. All ships are old and problematic. The wage debts, low wage levels not exceeding the ILO rates, lack of provisions, drinking water, working wear, or cleaning materials – all of these are normal for the rust buckets which sink every year claiming seafarers’ lives." The Seafarers’ Union of Russia strongly recommends to shy away from hiring on these ships as they pose a danger to navigational safety and seafarers lives.
From 1975-1992 before the ship was renamed to the M/V "Arvin", she was known as the VOLGO-BALT 189. The ship worked for the USSR and then White Sea & Onega. After the USSR decommissioned it, it was sold off and eventually became property of Palau as its final owner after being registered in Malta, Iran, and Cambodia over the next 30 years. Sister ships Volgo Balt 179 (built 1973) and Volgo Balt 214 (built 1978) also broke apart and sank in the years prior to the Arvin (Volgo Balt 189). There are many of these Volgo-Balt vessels, built during Soviet times, that is still in operation under different flags and in different trades across the world.
A screenshot of video showing the MV Arvin breaking in half, January 17, 2021.
Turkish maritime authorities have published some terrifying video showing a cargo ship breaking in half in a matter of minutes.
The incident took place January 17 when the Palau-flagged Arvin broke in half and sunk at a Black Sea anchorage off the Port of Bartin. The 1975-built ship was reported to be carrying 2,902 tons of urea.
Sadly, this incident did not end well. A day after the ship broke, six of the ship’s 12 crew members were still reported missing.
You can hear the captain making the MAYDAY call in the video below.
Arvin cargo ship, with 10 Ukrainians on board, sank near the port city of Bartyn, Turkey on Jan. 17. 2021.
Photo by SabriKeles/vesselfinder.com
The bodies of three sailors from the Arvin bulk carrier, which sank off the coast of Turkey on Sunday, have been discovered as of Jan. 18 morning, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said citing information provided by Turkey.
“According to Turkish authorities, as of 10:00 on January 18, six crewmembers have been rescued (five citizens of Ukraine and one citizen of Russia), and the bodies of three deceased sailors were found (their identification is ongoing),” the ministry said in a statement published on its website on Monday.
The rescued crewmembers have been hospitalized in the city of Bartin, and the search and rescue operation is continuing.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey and several consular workers have arrived in Bartin to provide the Ukrainians with consular assistance and coordinate collaboration with the relevant Turkish agencies. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and embassy to Turkey have taken the incident under special control.
The Ukrainian embassy to Turkey said later the Ukrainians rescued from the sunken vessel had been discharged from the hospital.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported earlier that the Arvin (IMO 8874316, sailing under the flag of Palau) sank near the coast of Turkey’s Bartin province on January 17. Tentative findings indicate that the wreck might have been caused by a heavy storm. The vessel had 12 crewmembers on board, among them ten Ukrainian citizens, it said. The Ukrainian company Arvin Shipping LTD has been named as the vessel’s owner.
The Russian Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot) has said there were two Russian citizens onboard the bulker.
[NHK] On the morning of the 13th, a Panama-registered cargo ship sailing in the Pacific Ocean south of Okinawa Prefecture contacted us asking for help, saying that "inundation may occur and sink."
On the morning of the 13th, a Panama-registered cargo ship sailing in the Pacific Ocean south of Okinawa Prefecture contacted us asking for help, saying that "inundation may occur and sink."
According to the Japan Coast Guard, the 22 crew members were subsequently rescued by a nearby Taiwanese fishing vessel, and no one was injured.
According to the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, at around 4 am on the 13th, a cargo ship sailing in the Pacific Ocean about 750 km southeast of Miyakojima in Okinawa Prefecture said, "Inundation occurred in the engine room. There is a risk of sinking." I was contacted to ask for.
The freighter was carrying 13,880 tonnes of timber from Papua New Guinea to China with a Panama flag and had a total of 22 crew members, 14 Chinese and 8 Bangladeshi.
According to the Maritime Security Headquarters, 22 crew members were all rescued by a Taiwanese fishing boat sailing nearby after 1:00 pm, and Taiwanese authorities reported that no one was injured.
Although the hull of the cargo ship is tilted, it does not appear to sink immediately and is drifting in the southwest direction, so the Japan Coast Guard patrol boat will confirm the sitituation.
Source:nhk
検査を行った検査会社はIBS(Isthmus Bureau of Shipping)。お金さえ払えば検査に通るようなレベルの低い
検査会社。国際船級協会連合(IACS)のメンバーである検査会社でも問題がある事はあるが、それ以外の検査会社でサブスタンダード船ばかりを検査する事が多い検査会社は３流でお金さえもらえば検査を通す会社と考えて間違いないと個人的には思っている。
パナマ船籍の貨物船「YONG FENG」は運が良ければサルベージ船がどこかにえい航するだろうが、サルベージ会社がいつ沈没するのかわからないので怖くて対応できないと思えば沈没するのを待つしかないだろう。１９８４年にUWAJIMA SHIPBUILDING - UWAJIMA, JAPANと呼ばれる日本の造船所で建造されているようだ。船齢３５年の船だ。検査会社が３流なので船体は国際船級協会連合(IACS)の規則を適用すれば検査に通らないほどボロボロだと思う。たぶん、船齢が古く、規則の網の目を潜って運航させるためにIBS(Isthmus Bureau of Shipping)を選んでいると思うので、一般常識の船体強度を想像すると大失敗すると思う。
Bulk carrier YONG FENG issued distress signal at around 0350 Tokyo time Jan 13, reporting being in danger of sinking, some 400 nm southeast of Miyakojima, Okinawa, Philippine sea. Later 22 crew (including 14 Chinese and 8 Bangladeshi nationalities) reported escaping in lifeboat, Japanese Coast Guard ship is under way to rescue. The ship with cargo of wood was en route from Papua New Guinea to China. Most probably, cargo shift took place, and the ship might be still afloat.
Jan 13 UPDATE: According to latest updates based on Japanese aerial surveillance report, the ship is probably, still afloat, drifting with heavy list. Crew are probably still on board, waiting for rescue.
Bulk carrier YONG FENG, IMO 8401793, dwt 23386, built 1984, flag Panama, manager DALIAN CHAIN STAR SHIP MGMT CO.
Jan 13 UPDATE 1: Crew were picked up by Taiwanese fishing vessel, probably directly from the ship, not from lifeboat. Engine room water ingress was mentioned, and judging from photo which was, understood, taken from patrol plane, the ship is having an aft tilt, drifting, very much afloat and with no visible danger of sinking. Question may arise as to why crew abandoned ship in no immediate danger of sinking, but that’s in line with crew quality. Some remain on board and try to salvage ship, some abandon the ship at the first sign of danger, whether real or imagined. Eastern European crews, for that matter, mostly prefer to remain on board and do all it takes, to salvage the ship.
事故を起こしたのは、高松海上タクシー（本社・高松市）が所有する「Shrimp of Art」（19トン）。11月19日午後4時40分ごろ、坂出市立川津小の6年生52人や教員ら計62人が乗り、同市沖の羽佐島（わさしま）北側を航行中、浅瀬の岩にぶつかった。約20分後に沈没したが、近くの漁船などに全員助けられた。
PETALING JAYA: One hundred eighty-six crew members were rescued but one person died after the Dayang Topaz maintenance vessel sank in waters off Kuala Baram, Miri, this morning.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Putrajaya) received a call from a Sapura Construction ship at about 6.45am, reporting a distress signal from Dayang Topaz about 7.7 nautical miles from Kuala Baram.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Mohd Zubil Mat Som said the Sapura Construction ship was mobilised to identify the exact location of the sinking vessel, with 62 crew members still onboard while 124 had abandoned ship, four of which were missing.
He said three ships and one Maritime Malaysia boat in Miri along with seven ships and boats belonging to Petronas and Shell were also mobilised to the location.
“At 9.29am, the four missing crew were found near the scene and they were brought up to the ships involved in this rescue operation,” he said in a statement.
Zubil said based on initial information, it was suspected that one of the Dayang Topaz’s anchors had been cut off due to bad weather conditions, causing the ship to lose control and drift off the platform before crashing into the Baram B oil platform.
He said the Siagut and Siakap maritime ships as well as 23 other boats were monitoring the search and rescue operations there.
He said MRCC Putrajaya was working with Petronas, Shell, the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Fire and Rescue Department, National Search Coordination Centre Brunei and the local fishermen community in the operations.
Passenger ro-ro cargo ship SEATRAN FERRY 12 (ex- OLIVE MARU NO.8) was caught in rough weather in Taiwan Strait off Kaohsiung Taiwan, and issued distress signal, late at night Oct 23. Taiwan Rescue services launched SAR, five ship’s crew were found in the water, floating in life jackets, all were rescued, two of them suffering from injures, but all are understood to be safe, luckily. 5 crew remain missing, SAR is ongoing.
SEATRAN FERRY 12 understood to be bought by Thailand SEATRAN FERYY company in Japan earlier this year, the ship was under way from Japan to Thailand, Gulf of Siam, to be deployed on Gulf passenger lines. All 10 crew are reportedly, Thai nationalities.
Passenger ro-ro cargo ship SEATRAN FERRY 12, IMO 8877849, GT 1037, built 1994, flag Tuvalu, manager SEATRANS FERRY CO., Bangkok.
Five Thai nationals were rescued and five are missing after a ship lost power in the Taiwan Strait, then sank while being towed to the Port of Kaohsiung last night, October 23.
The Seatran Ferry 12, a Tuvulu-registered passenger – vehicular ferry, had been purchased in Japan, and was en route to Thailand when the main engine and auxiliary engines failed at around 11:00 am, yesterday.
The ship’s crew contacted a shipping company and hired a tug to tow it to to the Port of Kaohsiung for repairs.
While undertow, and 29.6 nautical miles from the Port of Kaohsiung, the vessel suddenly flooded with water and was at risk of sinking. However, the satellite phone and radio were malfunctioning, and the crew could not call for help.
When the ship suddenly sank, an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) was automatically activated, and the distress signal was received by Taiwan Coast Guard at 10:53 pm.
According to a report in United Daily News, all 10 crew members were wearing lifejackets when the ship sank. Five of the crew were on the outer deck of the vessel, and five were on the bridge.
When the ship sank, the crew did not have time to get into the life raft. The five crew on the outer deck held hands to avoid losing contact as they fell into the sea.
Taiwan Coast Guard dispatched two patrol ships and two boats for a search and rescue operation. Sea conditions were described as very poor, with level 10 wind gusts and 4 meter swells.
The National Airborne Service Corps sent aircraft to assist in the search, and at 12:29 am, five crew members were spotted from the air, and rescued by the tug, which had remained on site to help with the search and rescue operation.
Taiwan Coast Guard located and retrieved an empty life raft at around 6:00 am this morning, but have found no signs of the five missing crew members.
Of the rescued crew members two had head injuries, and one suffered a broken toe. None to the injuries were life-threatening.
【四日市】三重県四日市市の四日市港で12日午後6時55分ごろ、日本籍と韓国籍の貨物船同士が、海上で出合い頭に衝突した。韓国船「GOLDEN AI HANA」（2718ン）の船尾右側に縦50センチ、横5メートルの亀裂が生じ、日本船「瑞光丸」（749トン）は船首部に縦0・8メートル、横2・15メートル、内側に0・8メートルのへこみができた。
A crew of 13 was rescued from a freighter yesterday, after the drifting vessel began to list dangerously, then the ship ran aground after an attempt to tow the vessel failed.
The Sierra-Leone-registered, 2,600 ton general-cargo freighter, Zhihai 8, lost power in the early hours of the morning, yesterday, October 12.
The crew abandoned ship by life raft after the ship began listing severely to starboard, threatening to overturn.
Coast Guard vessels and a helicopter were dispatched from the Port of Kaohsiung to assist the crew. Some crew members were airlifted while others were rescued by ship.
According to reports, the freighter was 1.3 nautical miles off the coast at the time of rescue. The ship then drifted onto the coast of Qijin Island.
Attempts were made to tow the vessel, but the mooring piles broke during the towing operation.
The hull is reported to be damaged, with water in the hold, and the water pump is burned out.
The empty cargo ship is carrying 40 tons of fuel oil, 19 tons of light oil, and 400 liters of lubricating oil. Currently there is no leakage, and Marine Conservation Department Personnel have been dispatched to monitor the situation.
The Port of Kaohsiung has requested the ship owners and local marine engineering companies to organize oil retrieval, and tow the ship into safer waters.
The ship’s crew have been placed in quarantine facilities. Ten of the crew are Myanmar nationals, and three are Chinese.
「A ship is required to have a Safe Manning Certificate on board. This would have specified that a crew of 24 would be needed for a 13 year old Capesize Bulk Carrier, like the Wakashio.
The only way to travel in breach of this Safe Manning Certificate, is with a ‘Certificate of Emergency Exception.’
Captain John Konrad explains what this means. He is licensed to captain the world’s largest ships, including Capesize Bulk Carriers, and now runs leading maritime news site, gCaptain. “If the crew number goes below that required by the minimum safe manning certificate then the ship owner can ask class for an ‘Emergency Exemption.’ Otherwise the ship is unable to leave Port unless this has been granted.”
So the only way for the Wakashio to have been allowed to leave the Port of Singapore (its last port of call), would have been if an ‘Emergency Exemption’ had been granted by the ship’s inspectors. As the Wakashio is registered in Panama, the ship inspectors would have been Class NK, based in Japan.」
「a crew of 24 would be needed for a 13 year old Capesize Bulk Carrier」はどの国際条約に記載されているのだろうか？無知なので知らないのかもしれないがはっきりと記載するべきだ。自分の知識ではどこの旗国も船の船齢が高くなってもSafe Manning Certificate (最小安全配員証書)で要求される船員の数は変わらない。国際総トン数、船のタイプ、エンジンの馬力、エンジンのタイプでほぼ決まり、船が船級が認定する自動化があるかどうかで違いが出るくらいだ。
確かに船の船齢が高くなると維持管理で船員が多くいた方が良いが、建造された船の品質や船主や管理会社がどのような維持管理を行ってきたのかで船の状態に大きな違いが出てくるので、船齢だけで判断するのは間違っていると思う。
下記の記事では、Safe Manning Certificate (最小安全配員証書)を強調しているがCertificate of Emergency Exceptionの問題どころではない問題を知っている。
次のケースを見てください。繰り返しますが、パナマ・ビューローは、パナマ国海運局に一部ではありません。最低乗員証書は、パナマ国海運局から発行されるものです。
パナマ国海運局（ニューヨーク事務所）からFAXされてきたものを勝手に書き直してパナマ・ビューローのスタンプを押しています。そして、その裏には、本物のコピーで
あるとM. OKAMOTO氏がサインをしています。これも、おかしな行為だと思います。
FAXで送られてきたものであれば、修正してFAXしてもらうだけでよいと考えられます。
間違いであるのであれば、その間違いであることが書かれた手紙を添付すべきでしょう。本物は、FAXが送られてきた前の日付が発効日になっており、パナマ・ビューローのM. OKAMOTO氏が書き換えたようになっていませんでした。現在、M. OKAMOTO氏はマーシャルアイランドで働いているようです。
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話は元に戻るが
「So the only way for the Wakashio to have been allowed to leave the Port of Singapore (its last port of call), would have been if an ‘Emergency Exemption’ had been granted by the ship’s inspectors. As the Wakashio is registered in Panama, the ship inspectors would have been Class NK, based in Japan. So where are the certificates of the Safe Manning levels and the ‘Emergency Exception’ to have allowed the Wakashio to travel with 17% fewer crew? How long had the Wakashio been allowed to operate with almost 1 in 5 fewer crew than was approved?」について間違った事が記載されている。
Safe Manning Certificateは船が登録されている旗国が発行する。
‘Certificate of Emergency Exception.’は検査を行う船級が発行するものではなく、船が登録されている旗国が発行する。船主が事務手続きに不慣れで船級が親切な場合は、船級が船主や管理会社の代行として状況を説明して‘Certificate of Emergency Exception.’を依頼する事はあるかもしれないが、旗国の同意がなければ‘Certificate of Emergency Exception.’、又は、同等の文書は発行できない。Class NKがISMコードに従い、SMCを発給しているのか知らないが、発給していればSafe Manning Certificateの要求を満たしていなければ、問題を指摘していると思う。ＰＳＣ(外国船舶監督官)はSafe Manning Certificateとクルーリストをチェックする。Wakashioは2020年2月14日にオーストラリアのＰＳＣ(外国船舶監督官)（AMSA）によって検査を受けている。シンガポールで船員交代が行われているようだが、船の船員の数が同じであればSafe Manning Certificateの要求を満たしていないとの理由で出港停止命令を受けているはずである。コロナで乗船している船員が減ってSafe Manning Certificateの要求を満たしていない状態であれば‘Certificate of Emergency Exception.’がなければ出港できないと思うが、そうでなければ出港し船を運航する事は問題ないと思う。
「Barcellona said the ITF and its affiliated unions are calling for flag states and port states to get back to enforcing the rules, most of which they created through the International Maritime Organisation.」
「ISM Code Ch 6 Resources and Personnel
There are very serious penalties for the non conformity with the ISM Code as agreed at the IMO under MSC/Circ.1059 MEPC/Circ.401, and vessels can be prevented from sailing with major deficiencies.」
「The Wakashio was being run under a Crew Management Agreement signed with Anglo-Eastern, one of the largest crew management providers covering 27,000 seafarers and almost 900 ships in the world. ・・・As part of these agreements, the roles and responsibilities of the Crew Managers are usually set out. Looking at publicly available standard agreements for such arrangements, the Basis of the Agreement states that, “Crew Managers shall carry out Crew Management Services in respect of the Vessel as the agents for and on behalf of the Owners. The Crew Managers shall have authority to take such action as they may from time to time in their absolute discretion consider to be necessary to enable them to perform this Agreement in accordance with sound crew management practice, including but not limited to compliance with all relevant rules and regulations.”
The key phrase is ‘sound crew management practice.’ This would mean that Crew Managers should be forming a judgement around crew management practices on board vessels they send crew to, including minimum manning levels, accuracy of work and rest logs, receiving and handling feedback from crew about any vessel deficiencies that had not been addressed. This would be particularly relevant for safe navigation, given what happened with the Wakashio in Mauritius.
The standard Crew Management Agreements usually clearly specify the responsibility of such Crew Managers. These responsibilities are laid out in several standard agreements, such as by BIMCO, headquartered close to Copenhagen in Denmark, and which is the largest representative of shipowners, covering 65% of global shipping with members in more than 120 countries.
As part of their standard crewman agreements, they identify a few areas directly relevant to the safe staffing of Capesize Bulk Carriers. In Section 3, for example, the standard crew management agreement states that “The Crew Managers shall provide suitably qualified Crew for the Vessel as required by the Owners in accordance with the STCW 95 requirements provision of which includes:」
A damming new report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is shedding more new light on the circumstances surrounding the Wakashio disaster.
For vessels of this class (the Wakashio was one of the largest ships in the sea, a Capesize class, meaning it is too large to pass through the Panama and Suez Canals), the crew size should have been 24.
This is because the Wakashio was 13 years old. Crew sizes are larger for older ships ships as the maintenance workload starts to increase. Capesize Bulk Carriers under 10 years are allowed 20 crew, between 10 and 20 years old, 24 crew and above 20 years old, require 28 crew.
The roles of these crew are clearly specified to ensure ships have the right mix of suitably qualified crew on board.
To make matters worse, three of the 20 skeleton crew on board Wakashio were on extended contracts when the vessel grounded off Mauritius on July 25, two of whom had been on board for over 12 months. This would have put the ship owner and those responsible for crewing the vessel in breach of several international labor and ship manning regulations.
Captain Nandeshwar had his six-month contract extended by three months on May 1, a spokesperson for Japan-based owners Nagashiki Shipping had confirmed to Lloyd’s List on August 17.
A ship is required to have a Safe Manning Certificate on board. This would have specified that a crew of 24 would be needed for a 13 year old Capesize Bulk Carrier, like the Wakashio.
Captain John Konrad explains what this means. He is licensed to captain the world's largest ships, including Capesize Bulk Carriers, and now runs leading maritime news site, gCaptain. “If the crew number goes below that required by the minimum safe manning certificate then the ship owner can ask class for an ‘Emergency Exemption.’ Otherwise the ship is unable to leave Port unless this has been granted.”
So the only way for the Wakashio to have been allowed to leave the Port of Singapore (its last port of call), would have been if an ‘Emergency Exemption’ had been granted by the ship’s inspectors. As the Wakashio is registered in Panama, the ship inspectors would have been Class NK, based in Japan.
So where are the certificates of the Safe Manning levels and the ‘Emergency Exception’ to have allowed the Wakashio to travel with 17% fewer crew? How long had the Wakashio been allowed to operate with almost 1 in 5 fewer crew than was approved?
The final voyage of the Wakashio was going to be longer than circumventing the entire planet. The Wakashio had been sailing from China to Brazil to pick up a cargo of heavy iron ore and bring it back to the steel mills of Japan and China. This is a journey of at least 15,000 miles, making it a 30,000 mile round trip (without any crew change given Covid-19 restrictions). It is a journey that takes between 40 and 45 days to complete each way.
For comparison with the Wakashio’s 30,000 mile round trip, the circumference of the Earth is less than 25,000 miles. The Japan-Brazil roundtrip was as long as it gets in terms of ship voyages, a distance greater in length than the voyages of Vasco de Gama.
Five important questions
This now raises some important questions for the incident investigation, that the international community and media will be particularly interested in:
1. Was there a ‘Safe Manning Certification’ on board the Wakashio, and what did it say, given the requirements that the Wakashio had to be operated with 24 crew as a 13-year-old Capsize Bulk Carrier?
2. Was there a ‘Certificate of Exception’ to the Safe Manning Certificate, to allow the vessel to travel with a crew of 20? If so, when was this certificate issued?
3. Who initially requested the unsafe manning levels, and for what duration?
4. Given the pressures of fewer crew on board, it is critical to have proper documentation for watch duty and shifts, to ensure crew are not fatigued. What was the quality of the recordkeeping like on the Wakashio to ensure such important documents vital to shift and watch safety, were being adequately completed and monitored by the officers on board?
5. What would the additional pressure of a faulty ship engine have done to a skeleton and extended crew operating one of the largest ships in the world - a Capesize Bulk Carrier - on one of the longest journeys in the world – a Japan-Brazil roundtrip - for at least three months, given Covid-19?
Capesize Bulk Carriers are almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower and two thirds the height of the … [+] Empire State Building. They are too large to fit through the Panama or Suez Canals. They are in the top 1% of all ships built, in terms of size.
A series of cascading failures explain the Wakashio disaster
The story of the Wakashio is starting to paint a picture of a cascading set of failures that had been warned about for months in advance:
An understaffed and overworked skeleton crew
Placed on an improperly kept vessel
With a potentially faulty engine that would have impaired the crew’s ability to steer or slow down
Just add in the pressures to the crew of extended duties due to Covid-19, and this was a disaster waiting to happen.
Unheeded warnings
However, it was not as if the maritime community had no warning.
A damming report was produced by the leading transportation union, The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). It was presented at a senior UN panel on the topic of Covid-19 and Maritime Crew, which involved various UN leaders, including the head of the UN shipping regulator, the IMO’s, Kitack Lim.
The report, called Beyond the Limit, specifically highlights concerns with understaffed ships during Covid-19, especially:
Rubber-stamping unsafe manning levels
Unsafe manning Certificate extensions
Remote inspections
The report had claimed that ship owners were putting profit above safety.
Now the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is paying the price as the oil spill triggered an ecological crisis along 10% of its entire previously pristine coastline, and 125 square kilometers of corals remain off limits to tourists, fishermen and tour boat operators.
The ITF have mentioned they have been dissatisfied with progress on the unsafe staffing issue, and have since had to engage the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres in order to make more progress.
This highlights the ineffectiveness of the current governance system around global shipping to take the right action on social or environmental issues, as well as the apathy and disregard with ship owners have viewed crew safety as a priority.
Ship safety backsliding during Covid-19
Report co-author and chair of the Maritime Safety Committee, Odd Rune Malterud, says the report shows an unsustainable trend by industry players, including flag states like Panama and Marshall Islands, to deprioritize ship safety out of expedience rather than necessity.
“Some industry players are pushing for exemptions from, or the outright suspension of, important international rules. These rules were introduced to protect seafarers’ safety, lives, and the marine environment over many decades. They are the result of learning from incidents in the past: be it an accident; a drowning; a spill; a grounding; or a death.”
In the video above, the Marshall Island flagged Stella Banner was scuttled off the coast of Brazil in June 2020, attracting significant criticism for the amount of pollution unleashed into the ocean environment. It had been chartered by Brazil’s mining giant and one of the biggest iron ore producers in the world, Vale. Vale has faced significant safety and sustainability issues and the former CEO is facing homicide charges after a dam owned by the mining company collapsed, engulfing a town.
The Wakashio had been heading to Brazil to pick up a shipment of Iron Ore.
Shipping is a ‘ticking timebomb’ toward an environmental catastrophe
ITF’s Malterud said the report was about putting a line in the sand over the industry’s rapid backslide on safety and seafarers’ rights.
“Enough is enough. It is our obligation as seafarers’ representatives to raise the warning because what we are witnessing right now causes us extreme worry. We cannot in good conscience be complacent and allow seafarers’ safety and security to be put at risk. The shipping industry is now a ticking timebomb towards an environmental catastrophe.”
In the case of Mauritius, it looks like that timebomb has been set off in a very dramatic fashion.
The oil spill could not have happened in a worse area, hitting a nature reserve that was housing some of the world’s most endangered species that were being prepared for release back into Mauritius’ national parks.
A fatigued workforce at sea
A survey by the ITF conducted in September 2020, showed that 73.3% of seafarers were worried about ‘Being tired and fatigued’, while 60.1% said it was more likely than not that they or their crewmates would be ‘involved in an accident that could harm human life, property or the marine environment due to tiredness or fatigue while on board’.
For 60% of front line workers in an industry to identify a risk that could cause serious harm to the marine environment, and no significant action to be taken, is a serious indictment of the industry.
“This is not just about crew change, but that is part of the story,” ITF Seafarers and Inland Navigation Section Coordinator, Fabrizio Barcellona, said. “Government restrictions on borders, travel and transit have made it difficult to recruit seafarers and some in the industry are responding by dumping more and more work on the tired and fatigued workforce who remain on ships”
Flag states making a mockery of their role as manning regulators
2 Oct 2020: Izmir, Turkey. Five luxury cruise ships are seen being broken down for scrap metal at … [+] the Aliaga ship recycling port. The crisis has bolstered the years intake of ships at the Aliaga ship recycling port with business up thirty percent.
“Minimum Safe Manning levels should prevent that from happening, but flag states all over the world are now making a mockery of their role as manning level regulator. We have ship owners proposing manning numbers for their ships that are well-below what would have been considered safe pre-pandemic, and flag states rubber-stamping these proposals through exemptions.”
“Inadequate manning levels spread the same workload across a smaller number of seafarers. The result is over-worked, stressed seafarers onboard who are not physically or mentally well-rested enough to discharge their duties safely. These seafarers worry day and night about the threat of accidents occurring. Seafarers cannot be blamed for those accidents which result from the impossible situation they are being put in.”
Barcellona said the ITF and its affiliated unions are calling for flag states and port states to get back to enforcing the rules, most of which they created through the International Maritime Organisation.
“We understood the need for flexibility early on in this pandemic. But it has been six months now, and we have reached the safe limit of exemptions, extensions and all-too-convenient interpretations of these life-saving rules. If action is not taken, there will loss of human life and irreparable damage to marine ecosystems,” said Barcellona.
Pushing the limits of safe hours of work and rest
In the Beyond the Limit report, the ITF goes on to highlight that ships are complicated, highly technical pieces of machinery that require the continuous cooperation of many skilled seafarers across all hours of a day to ensure their continued safe operation and navigation. A ship’s safe operation requires its workforce to be physically capable and mentally present.
The report says, “We are concerned that the present crisis is being exploited by employers and the industry more broadly to steal time from seafarers and shift an increasing number of hours from rest to work. We believe this is happening as companies deliberately man their ships with inadequate crew numbers, and then demand from the remaining crew more time working – mostly unpaid.”
Inaccurate crew logs are a major legal issue
With reduced crew numbers, everyone onboard is forced to work longer hours. Seafarers are pushed to undertake tasks at all hours of the day and night beyond their ordinary duties, increasing pressure on the seafarers and their stress levels.
This in turn negatively affects their health and wellbeing and is a risk to the safety and security of the crew, the ship and the environment.
Worryingly, this practice often does not show in the ship’s logs, and in turn, regulators are turning a ‘blind eye’ to the real situation onboard.
The World Maritime University’s upcoming report on the laws on rest and work hours for seafarers highlight the seriousness of inaccurate logs work and rest logs.
“Accurate recording of seafarers’ work/rest hours is not only a legal requirement under both the MLC, 2006 and the STCW, 1978, but also a compliance monitoring tool. When records are regularly or systematically adjusted, there is no feedback on the work as it is.
Therefore, the management of the company as well as regulators do not have accurate input of work processes. It affects the understanding of the effectiveness of fatigue-mitigating strategies, thereby limiting improvement attempts. It also undermines regulatory enforcement actions.”
Serious legal implications
The low manning levels on the Wakashio could now be seen as being a serious legal issue.
Asking each crew member to take on the workload of almost 20% additional duties (think of this as an extra day during a Monday-Friday office week), would be particularly stressful.
To do this for months on end, while working, living, sleeping, eating in small cabin quarters, with no support from family members or loved ones, can create intolerable conditions.
This is not just a welfare issue but a legal one. There are several well defined laws that are very specific on the work and rest logs, the manning levels, the protocols for exemptions, and the time duration of these. A careful examination of these records will be needed for the incident investigation.
Breaches of International Maritime Safety Law
There are laws, regulations and tools that ensure Governments and companies are acting responsibly toward safe manning and the safety of ships and seafarers. In particular, several international laws that cover:
Minimum safe staffing levels
Qualifications of crew on board for duties they are performing
Watchkeeping protocols
Certification on ability to use Electronic Chart Display (ECDIS) including reliability of equipment
Recordkeeping protocols
Maritime safety protocols
Here are some of the specific international laws that could apply to safe staffing levels on the Wakashio at the time of the incident.
1. International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
The International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is one of the most foundational documents for ship safety. It sets out the clear international laws that all ship owners, operators, crew training colleges and crew must follow when on board a vessel.
164 countries have signed up to this international law and it covers over 99% of all vessels in the world.
One of its most important chapters covers the Safety of Navigation, including safe levels of crew on board, which is most relevant for the Wakashio incident.
Other relevant sections include:
SOLAS – Safety of Navigation - Ch. V: Regulation 14 on Ships’ manning
SOLAS Ch. XI Management for the safe operation of ships, but also an important section on the Investigation on Marine Casualties and Incidents (Regulation 6), with clear protocols to follow and qualifications of the incident investigators. This is important to address the systematic causes of risks, as highlighted in the ‘The Tankship Tromedy.’
IMO Assembly Resolution 1047(27) the Principles of Minimum Safe Manning which also talks about the importance of effective enforcement.
2. Watchkeeping and Electronic Map Training (STCW)
One of the concerns about the Wakashio incident has been what happened with Watchkeeping and the ability to read and use Electronic Charts that were on the vessel.
Several important international laws govern this under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) that is regulated under the UN’s IMO.
This law was passed in 1978, with regular updates that all ship operators and owners must follow. There are very strict protocols about watchkeeping and training for crew on watch.
In particular:
Certification for Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). The ECDIS competencies are contained Table A-II/1 and Table A-ll/2 of the STCW Code.
Evidence of ECDIS training is mandatory for service on ships fitted with ECDIS, as the Wakashio was.
In terms of Watchkeeping standards, there are very clear guidelines that all ships should follow:
STCW Reg. VIII/2 Watchkeeping arrangements and principles to be observed
Recordkeeping is a critical document for vessel management, and there are very strict laws around how the crew’s rest and work hours must be tracked.
Any failure to do this or falsifying of logs would be a very serious breach of international law, with severe consequences. According to the ITF, “All crewmembers should follow the strict record of hours, keep accurate records and do not sign inaccurate or inappropriate declarations from their company onshore or while on the ship.”
The responsibilities of companies are clearly laid out in the international laws on watchkeeping, training and certification. This would have very significant implications for vessels that were under staffed, especially for such a long voyage to Brazil and back again to Asia.
In particular:
STCW Reg. I/14 Responsibilities of companies
STCW Reg. I/2 Certificates and endorsements
STCW Reg. VIII/1 Fitness for duty
STCW Ch.VI Emergency, occupational safety, security, medical care and survival functions
3. International Safety Management Code (ISM)
The purpose of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code is to provide an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention.
According to the UN’s IMO, the Code's origins go back to the late 1980s, when there was mounting concern about poor management standards in shipping. Investigations into accidents revealed major errors on the part of management, and in 1987 the IMO Assembly adopted resolution A.596(15), which called upon the Maritime Safety Committee to develop guidelines concerning shore-based management to ensure the safe operation of ships.
The Code establishes safety-management objectives and requires a Safety Management System (SMS) to be established by "the Company", which is defined as the owner or any other organization or person, such as the manager or bareboat charterer, who has assumed responsibility for operating the ship and who, on assuming such responsibility, has agreed to take over all duties and responsibility imposed by the Code.
ISM Code Ch 6 Resources and Personnel
There are very serious penalties for the non conformity with the ISM Code as agreed at the IMO under MSC/Circ.1059 MEPC/Circ.401, and vessels can be prevented from sailing with major deficiencies.
4. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code)
The ISPS Code is an essential maritime regulation for the safety and security of ships, ports, cargo and crew. There are several clear guidelines on training, staffing levels and logging rest and work duties in these international laws.
The ISPS Code was designed as a measure to fight terrorism, and so includes several important clauses about the safe manning of vessels. Given the Indian Ocean was the main hotbed of maritime terrorism activity over the past ten years, a breach of these laws by vessels travelling through the Indian Ocean would be particularly serious for maritime safety.
According to Anish Wankhede of Marine Insight, “Before the ISPS code, the SOLAS primary focus was the safety of the ship at sea. As security and safety are entirely different topics, new amendments were made in SOLAS and the Chapter XI, which contained measures to enhance maritime safety, by renaming to Chapter XI-1 and a new Chapter XI-2 was added with additional focus on maritime security.”
There are also obligations of the company listed under:
ISPS Code Part A-6 Obligations of the Company
5. ILO’s Maritime Labor Convention (MLC)
The UN’s International Labor Organization has a specific set of laws governing safe manning levels on ships, called the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC).
They call for each country where a vessel is flagged (in the Wakashio’s case, Panama, although the vessel was built, owned and operated by major Japanese companies), should “have a sufficient number of seafarers employed on board to ensure that ships are operated safely, efficiently and with due regard to security under all conditions, taking into account concerns about seafarer fatigue and the particular nature and conditions of the voyage.”
The MLC convention specifically mentions four regulations that may be of particular interest to incident investigators:
MLC 2006, as amended Regulation 2.7 - Manning levels deals with Seafarer Manning Levels.
MLC 2006, as amended Regulation 2.3 - Hours of work and hours of rest
MLC 2006, as amended Regulation 2.4 Entitlement to leave
MLC 2006, as amended Regulation 2.8 Career and skill development and opportunities for seafarers’ employment. This is relevant as there will be questions on the obligations and quality of training that were provided and certified to the crew before they were allowed onto the Wakashio.
6. Crew Management Agreements
The Wakashio was being run under a Crew Management Agreement signed with Anglo-Eastern, one of the largest crew management providers covering 27,000 seafarers and almost 900 ships in the world. As part of the usual practices of standard Crew Management Agreements (as highlighted by shipowner representatives, BIMCO), there are several aspects that would apply to the crew of the Wakashio.
As part of these agreements, the roles and responsibilities of the Crew Managers are usually set out. Looking at publicly available standard agreements for such arrangements, the Basis of the Agreement states that, “Crew Managers shall carry out Crew Management Services in respect of the Vessel as the agents for and on behalf of the Owners. The Crew Managers shall have authority to take such action as they may from time to time in their absolute discretion consider to be necessary to enable them to perform this Agreement in accordance with sound crew management practice, including but not limited to compliance with all relevant rules and regulations.”
The key phrase is ‘sound crew management practice.’ This would mean that Crew Managers should be forming a judgement around crew management practices on board vessels they send crew to, including minimum manning levels, accuracy of work and rest logs, receiving and handling feedback from crew about any vessel deficiencies that had not been addressed. This would be particularly relevant for safe navigation, given what happened with the Wakashio in Mauritius.
The standard Crew Management Agreements usually clearly specify the responsibility of such Crew Managers. These responsibilities are laid out in several standard agreements, such as by BIMCO, headquartered close to Copenhagen in Denmark, and which is the largest representative of shipowners, covering 65% of global shipping with members in more than 120 countries.
As part of their standard crewman agreements, they identify a few areas directly relevant to the safe staffing of Capesize Bulk Carriers. In Section 3, for example, the standard crew management agreement states that “The Crew Managers shall provide suitably qualified Crew for the Vessel as required by the Owners in accordance with the STCW 95 requirements provision of which includes:
Selecting and engaging the vessel’s crew
Ensuring the applicable requirements of the law of the flag of the Vessel are satisfied in respect of manning levels, rank, qualification and certification of the Crew and employment regulations including disciplinary and other requirements
Ensuring that the Crew shall have a command of the English Language of a sufficient standard to enable them to perform their duties safely
Ensuring that the Crew, before joining the Vessel, are given proper familiarization with their duties in relation to the ISM Code
Instructing the Crew to obey all reasonable orders of the Owners and/or the Company including orders in connection with safety and navigation, avoidance of pollution, and protection of the environment
Training the Crew and supervising their efficiency
Operating the Owners’ drug and alcohol policy, unless otherwise agreed
There are other provisions to supply regular reports and records to the owners of the vessel.”
With scrutiny on the ability of the crew of the Wakashio to know how to use the equipment on board the vessel, significant attention is likely to be given to how well trained the crew of the Wakashio were and how their efficiency was being supervised.
With questions also raised by lawyers about the role of alcohol, even though the Captain was not on watch duty at the time of the crash, the clause in the agreement on ‘operating the owner’s drug and alcohol policy’ is likely to receive particular scrutiny.
The laws and regulations around minimum safe manning is the result of a very careful analysis of the requirements for safe navigation and operation of a ship, so discarding such safe manning levels for such a long voyage to Brazil and back to Asia should not have been taken lightly.
Three actions called for by the ITF to improve safety of global shipping
In its report, the ITF call for three specific actions, all of which can be implemented before the end of the year, given the serious state of the global shipping industry.
1. Casualty Investigation Code
In any casualty inspection (which the Wakashio is going through), both the ITF and the IMO call for verification of records’ accuracy during inspections.
In the Beyond the Limit report and in statements by the IMO, they specifically highlight another UN agency’s guidelines, the International Labor Organization.
The ILO guidelines for Flag State Inspections and Port State Control Officers should be revised to include systematic verification of records’ accuracy during initial inspections. Resolutions MSC.255(84) and Casualty Investigation Code
A.1075(28) related to the Casualty Investigation Code should require the systematic assessment of manning levels and report the adjustments of records and particularly those related to work/rest hours.
Guidelines to assist investigators in the implementation of the Casualty Investigation Code (resolution MSC.255(84)) should provide ensure a common approach for States to adopt in the conduct of marine safety investigations into marine casualties and marine incidents.
The IMO goes on to say, “The purpose of these Guidelines is to provide practical advice for the systematic investigation of marine casualties and incidents and to allow the development of effective analysis and preventive action. The overall objective is to prevent similar casualties and incidents in the future.” This is a very different tone from the IMO representative in Mauritius, who almost made it seem that such incidents are inevitable and it was the responsibility of the Mauritian taxpayers to prepare for the lax development and implementation of international shipping law.
There is a need for a particular focus on qualifications and training of investigators to demonstrate expertise in marine casualty investigation and be knowledgeable in matters relating to the marine casualty or incident. This means additional scrutiny will be placed on the qualifications, previous incident reports and experience of the Panama Maritime Authority investigators who are on the scene in Mauritius.
2. ISM Code
The ITF call for resolutions that evaluate the effectiveness of the ISM Code beyond just the paperwork.
This damning in the report, implying many of the shipping laws that govern global trade are paper laws that exist on paper, but are not being practically implemented, monitored or enforced.
With new developments in Artificial Intelligence, the application of these technologies should allow an exponential scaling of such maritime safety applications. Every industry has adopted such tools, and ignorance cannot be an excuse any more in global shipping.
3. Tamper Proof Technologies
The ITF also highlight the amount of fraud in the global shipping industry that undermines ship safety.
They specifically point out that the “ILO and IMO should review tamper-proof monitoring technologies limiting manual input and forging attempts. Ethically acceptable technology guaranteeing seafarers’ dignity, and data confidentiality should be identified.”
This is yet another example where the shipping industry’s historic underinvestment in technology relative to other industries is causing major safety and environmental hazards across the world’s oceans.
Shipping’s conveniently forgotten lessons
Fifteen years after MIT Professor and shipbuilder Jack Devanney wrote about the systemic issues in the global shipping industry almost 15 years ago in his iconic maritime accident book ‘The Tankship Tromedy,’ it appears the global shipping industry have conveniently forgotten how to read and remember such lessons.
The once paradise tropical island of Mauritius - especially their people and the unique nature on the island - are now paying the price for the complacency and apathy in the global shipping industry.
The capsized ship has devastated the families of dozens of Filipino sailors lost at sea.(Supplied: Save The Forty)
Disaster struck on September 3.
The live export ship, the Gulf Livestock 1, was travelling north-west in the East China Sea when it capsized in rough seas due to Typhoon Maysak.
The Panamanian-registered, 11,947-ton ship had sent a distress call from the west of Amami Oshima island in Japan as strong winds and heavy seas buffeted the vessel.
The ship was carrying almost 6,000 cattle and 43 crew, which included 39 Filipinos, two Australians and two New Zealanders.
To date, only two survivors and a body have been found by the Japanese Coast Guard. All are Filipino.
Rescue efforts have been stymied by incredibly harsh conditions, as the search area has been in the direct path of two typhoons: Maysak and Haishen.
Despite this, families of the remaining 40 missing crew haven't let go of the hope of finding their relatives alive — and now they've galvanised a virtual global search and rescue effort alongside that of Japan's.
And for the families of the 36 missing Filipinos, the disaster has significant consequences back home.
"Lindon is one of 100 grandchildren of my 93-year-old mother," Beth Pitogo-Malvar, aunt of one of the missing seafarers, Lindon Pitogo, said.
"She's crying all the time … all of us are affected."
'It's a hard life'
Families of the missing have launched an online campaign called Save the Forty.(Facebook: Save The Forty)
Liezel Pitogo, Lindon's wife, told the ABC of the horror that followed the discovery of the Gulf Livestock 1's capsizing.
"I couldn't believe it. One of our friends posted [on Facebook] and he sent me a message," Ms Pitogo said.
"It was totally unexpected because he didn't tell me that there was a problem. The last time we talked he said [conditions] were rough with big waves.
"We are feeling sad and hurt especially when a day passed by and we don't get any new updates about him."
She, along with their two children, live in Laguna, a province south-east of Manila.
They rely on her husband's remittances, which amount to about $1,444 a month, to keep her children at school and cover day-to-day expenses.
Her aunt-in-law, Ms Pitogo-Malvar, added that Mr Pitogo was also financially supporting his parents, as his father is unemployed due to polio.
"He is the only one working in the family. He has an 18-year-old studying at uni, and a four-year-old," she said.
It remains unclear if the ship's owner, Gulf Navigation Holdings, plans to provide financial assistance to the families of the missing sailors.
The Philippines' Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA) has given financial assistance to the two surviving Filipino crew amounting to 100,000 pesos ($2,914) each.
The ABC understands other affected families have been given some OWWA financial assistance, but in order to obtain funds, families have to apply for it.
Korpil, a Filipino shipping recruitment agency, told the ABC in a statement that it has also distributed financial assistance to each of the 36 families, but it did not share the amount for privacy reasons.
Father Paulo Prigol, the South-East Asian coordinator for Catholic maritime charity Stella Maris, said his team was offering some families "limited financial support counselling".
Ms Pitogo said an OWWA representative called to check in about her welfare days after the incident, but they did not offer financial aid at the time.
"In the Philippines, they've got big families," Ms Pitogo-Malvar said.
"University there is very expensive. Medicine is very expensive. Everything in the Philippines is very, very expensive."
"It's a hard life."
'From our village, we export garlic and labour'
Seafaring is a lucrative industry for Filipinos looking for social mobility, and it's one of the main reasons why the Philippines contributes the highest number of skilled seafarers in the world.
It's estimated that of the more than 1.65 million seafarers globally, Filipinos make up a quarter of the total population, at around 400,000.
It also provides the second-highest number of ship officers (responsible for the navigation and overall running of the ship), after China, according to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
Since the late 20th century, shipping has been one of the many industries fuelled by one of the Philippines' primary exports: people.
"It's common to hear from a neighbour in the Philippine countryside: 'From our village, we export garlic and labour'," said Gunnar Lamvik, a senior researcher at Norway's SINTEF, an independent research organisation.
There are about 400,000 Filipino sailors around the globe annually.(Reuters: Romeo Ranco)
Dr Lamvik, who wrote his PhD thesis on Filipino seafarers, said the country's development of an export-ready labour force has paid off since it began in the 1960s. This is especially true for mariners.
About 300,000 Filipino seafarers were estimated to have sent an average of $26,215 in remittances home last year, according to Father Prigol from Stella Maris. In total, this amounted to $9.1 billion.
Looking at remittances on the whole, Filipino overseas foreign workers contributed to 9.3 per cent of the country's total GDP in 2019, according to figures from the World Bank.
Apart from giving their families more access to material goods, these remittances often contribute to their social mobility prospects.
"When seafarers come back to their hometowns, they're at least supposed to appear successful, and I've met many [Filipino] seafarers who go back with pockets full of small [US] dollar bills," Dr Lamvik said.
"But of course, it's also channelled to sponsoring [relatives'] education … usually it's the eldest paying for the youngest."
Concerns about vessel predated incident
The Gulf Livestock 1 was carrying about 6,000 live cattle when it capsized.(Supplied: VesselFinder.Com)
The cargo ship was built in 2002 and was converted into a live export ship in 2012.
While the vessel has been referred to under a number of different guises, it has been known as the Gulf Livestock 1 since March 2019.
Since May last year, the vessel had recorded 25 official safety deficiencies, according to shipping safety website Equasis.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) identified the bulk of its deficiencies in May 2019, which prevented it from leaving Broome.
AMSA found that the on-board safety management system failed to provide for "operational safety of navigation and maintenance of ship and equipment".
It also found some crew were not properly trained on how to use its electronic navigation system, and that the system was not updated with the latest navigational hazards, and consequently was not being used.
While those deficiencies were eventually rectified, Indonesian authorities in December 2019 identified seven further deficiencies, some of which included the vessel's propulsion, emergency, and gauge systems.
Records show the vessel was anchored in Indonesia for at least another four months following the Indonesian investigation.
A representative of one of the crew, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the ABC out of fear of employer reprisals, said sailors were left stranded on the vessel without pay during this period while parts were being sourced.
They also alleged that Filipino sailors were paid about $494 less than other nationals aboard at the time.
"They didn't have money on the ship, [and] they told us they weren't getting fed properly," the representative said.
"They wanted to keep [their complaints] quiet because obviously they didn't want to lose their job."
Gulf Navigation Holdings, a Dubai-based shipping company that lists the Gulf Livestock 1 as part of its fleet, did not reply to the ABC's repeated requests for its response to these allegations.
Sailors lost in a search area 'the size of California'
The Japanese Coast Guard also found numerous cattle carcasses in the immediate search area.(ABC News: Jarrod Fankhauser)
Shawn Alladio, founder of K38 Water Rescue and coordinator of the private search, said the search area for the missing crew spans an area equivalent to the "size of California".
This amounts to more than 400 square kilometres, an area 1.8 times bigger than the size of Victoria.
This is because of the incredibly large "drift scenarios", which have been exacerbated by the two typhoons, that may have pushed survivors far from Japan and into the Pacific Ocean's vast expanse.
The waters off the south of Japan sit on the Central Kuroshio Current, one of the currents off the country's eastern coast that feeds into the colossal Northern Pacific Gyre, which sends water from East Asia to the US West Coast.
The search parties are uncertain about how far the typhoons pushed survivors.(ABC News: Jarrod Fankhauser)
"We believe that they're either going north-north-east toward the north tracking route where all the ships are, which will take them along the Aleutians and drop them down to the west coast of America," Ms Alladio said.
Or, she said other survivors may have been pushed into eddies (swirling ocean currents) off of Japan's east coast, where some may have "kicked them to Hawaii".
So far, volunteer searchers have been looking for the missing virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic, scrawling through dense satellite imagery in and around the immediate search zone.
But this is not going to be a simple or quick task.
"There are over 4,000 islands, and we've targeted about 30 of them," Ms Alladio said.
For now, volunteers are looking for survivors who may have washed up on one of the islands in the search area, or traces of debris that could give searchers clues as to where they may have drifted.
Based on the life rafts installed on the ship, Ms Alladio said the missing crew had supplies to last 30 days. The supplies run out on Saturday, but the life rafts themselves can be used for longer.
As the days without their loved ones wear on, and the prospects of finding the sailors alive get slimmer, relatives are calling out for anyone to help.
"Whoever's reading this story, if you have any information about [their] whereabouts, please let us know," Ms Pitogo said.
"To those people who have connections … help us intensify the search and rescue."
Panama’s inquiry into the loss in the South China Sea of the Gulf Livestock 1 is receiving assistance from the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC).
TAIC investigators will be assisting Panama by gathering information from New Zealand organisations.
Under international protocols, investigations into accidents on the high seas fall to the vessel’s flag state – in this case, Panama.
TAIC’s legislation does not allow the Commission to open its own inquiry, although it can co-operate and co-ordinate with other accident investigation organisations overseas, including taking evidence on their behalf.
Consequently, TAIC asked under International Maritime Organisation’s casualty code, to participate in Panama’s investigation as a ‘substantially interested state’. A state is ‘substantially interested’ if, as a result of the marine casualty, nationals of that state lose their lives, or has important information at its disposal that the marine safety investigating state considers useful to the Investigation.
The shipowner of the Gulf Livestock 1 has requested for a renewed search for survivors following pressure from the families of the missing seafarers.
In an online news conference on Wednesday, family members of the missing pleaded for the search to continue and expand to focus on the number of uninhabited islands in the area where the ship went down.
The Panama-flagged Gulf Livestock 1, with some 5,800 cattle on board, sank on September 2 after apparently being hit by a “huge wave” and capsizing during Typhoon Maysak, the shipowner, Dubai-based Gulf Navigation, said in a statement on Wednesday. Among the 43 crew members onboard at the time, there have only been two survivors and 40 remain missing. The body of one deceased crew member was recovered during the initial search in the days following the incident.
A statement on Wednesday from the ship’s Owners, Managers and Manning Agents said they have reached out urgently to the Japanese Coast Guard and Nation States bordering the South China Sea to renew the search, and “specifically include the many small uninhabited islands where relatives believed loved ones might have reached during the severe storm.”
“They can only imagine how devastated all the families of those on board must be at this terrible time of waiting and hoping and we will do everything possible to find ways of finding further survivors of this tragic accident. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of the crew member who was found deceased and can only hope and pray that other survivors may be found, even at this late stage,” the statement said.
The initial search involving vessels and aircraft from the Japanese Coast Guard commenced following the initial report of the incident and continued through September 4, but was eventually called off due hazardous weather from Typhoon Haishem.
“As soon as the main threat of this typhoon had passed, further aerial searches were conducted on September 7th, 8th and 9th. The search was finally called off at sunset on September 9th, with no further clues found as to survivors. The Japanese Coast Guard confirmed however, that regular patrols by aircraft and boats are being maintained with any new information immediately passed to the Authorities in the Philippines,” the statement said.
A general alert has also gone out to all vessels passing through the region to keep a sharp look out for survivors. The feasibility of sending professional dive teams to the vessel is also under consideration, although that effort is being hampered by uncertainty surrounding the exact location of the vessel.
“Owners confirm that there will be a full investigation into the incident, together with experts and the Flag State, which will be published when completed and be available to families wishing to know exactly what happened on the night of September 2, when the vessel was apparently hit by a huge wave and capsized,” the statement on Wednesday said.
「The AMP said its investigation into the cause of the grounding was still in the preliminary phase. It also raised questions about the use of the electronic navigational chart (ENC). “It seems that the wrong chart was being used and with the wrong scale, which made it impossible to properly verify the approach to the coast and shallower waters,” the AMP said.」
「It seems that・・・」で始まっているのでthe Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)の事故調査担当者がそのように聞き取りの結果、そう思っていると言う事だと思う。
担当者はECDISのトレーニング(参考：海技大学校)を受けたことがあるのだろうか？まあ、最終的に公表される報告書を待つしかないだろう。
A Japanese ship that ran aground on a coral reef off Mauritius may have changed course to get a mobile data signal for a birthday celebration on board, according to investigators from Panama, the country under whose flag the vessel was sailing.
The M.V. Wakashio crashed into the coral reef barrier on July 25 and leaked almost 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil into Mauritian waters.
The vessel’s captain was taken into custody on Aug. 18 for endangering safe navigation as Mauritian authorities said the ship failed to respond to several calls from the Mauritian Coast Guard.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), the Japanese company operating the ship, has pledged 1 billion yen ($9.5 million) for environmental preservation efforts and to shore up local fisheries.
A Japanese ship that wrecked off the coast of Mauritius in July and sparked one of the worst environmental disasters in the country’s history may have run aground because of birthday celebrations on board at the time.
That’s according to a statement from the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), in the latest development from the July 25 wrecking of the Panama-flagged and Japanese-owned M.V. Wakashio, a bulk carrier. The ship, bound for Brazil from Singapore, was sailing through Mauritian waters when it ran aground on a coral reef and leaked almost 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil.
In its statement published in Spanish on Sept. 7, the AMP, which is collaborating in the investigation into the accident, said the ship diverted its navigation plan, possibly in relation to “the celebration of the birthday of one of the crew members.”
“[T]he change of course is produced by indications of the captain of the boat, who gave instructions to approach about 5 miles away from the coast of Mauritius, looking for a telephone and internet signal, so that the crew members could communicate with their families,” the AMP said.
The Wakashio’s captain was taken into custody on Aug. 18 for endangering safe navigation. According to the government, the ship had failed to respond to several calls from the Mauritian Coast Guard.
Mauritius’s environment minister, Kavydass Ramano, called it an “unprecedented” crisis, and the prime minister declared a national emergency on Aug. 7, a day after oil began leaking from its tank.
The AMP said its investigation into the cause of the grounding was still in the preliminary phase. It also raised questions about the use of the electronic navigational chart (ENC). “It seems that the wrong chart was being used and with the wrong scale, which made it impossible to properly verify the approach to the coast and shallower waters,” the AMP said.
Satellite data analysis reported by Forbes shows the ship changed course on July 21, putting it on a direct collision path with the island. The outlet also reported that weather conditions in the days leading up to the crash were not adverse, discounting bad weather as a possible explanation for the move.
Some observers say the missteps could be linked to the stress that ship crews are under in the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 shutdowns. It has become challenging for shipping operators to make crew changes, leading many seafarers to be stranded at sea, away from their families for long periods.
The Wakashio ran aground on the reef close to at least three ecologically important sites: a Ramsar wetland, a coral island hosting rare and endemic birds, and a marine protected area. Environmentalists say they fear the spill will have lasting effects on the coral reefs, mangroves and fisheries in the region.
Last week, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), the Japanese company operating the ship, pledged 1 billion yen ($9.5 million) for environmental preservation efforts and to shore up local fisheries.
Nagashiki Shipping, the owner of the Wakashio, will also be contributing to this initiative, called the Mauritius Natural Environment Recovery Fund. The money will go toward mangrove recovery, coral reef protection and safeguarding Mauritius’s rare flora and fauna, and for research work.
The Japanese government has also offered aid, but the value of its commitment is undecided. Japanese media have reported that Mauritius is seeking 1.34 billion Mauritian rupees ($34 million) from Tokyo.
Mauritius is also seeking compensation from Nagashiki Shipping. It has started the process of collecting claims from residents impacted by the crash and the spill.
Mauritian authorities have come under increasing scrutiny at home for letting the ship remain on the reef for more than 10 days, even as choppy waters damaged the vessel and ultimately led to a breach in the fuel tank. The ship broke into two on Aug. 15.
A controversial decision to sink the front half of the ship on Aug. 25, and the beaching of dozens of dolphins and whales days just days later, fueled further discontent. The causes of the deaths of the cetaceans are yet to be determined.
On Aug. 29, thousands of people marched in the streets of the capital, Port Louis, to protest what they see as the government’s mishandling of the crisis. Another protest was held in Mahebourg, an important fishing village, on Sept. 12.
Meanwhile, the stern of the broken vessel remains lodged on the reef. Efforts are underway to remove it before the Indian Ocean storm season starts in November.
RESOLUTION MSC.267(85) (adopted on 4 December 2008) ADOPTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE ON INTACT STABILITY, 2008 (2008 IS CODE)には次にように書かれている。「8.1.4 Where any alterations are made to a ship so as to materially affect the stability, the ship should be re-inclined.」つまり、改造が行われた時には再度傾斜試験を行う必要がある。また、実際に旗国に連絡されているのかは知らないが、RESOLUTION MSC.267(85)では下記のように書かれている。
8.2 Preparations for the inclining test
8.2.1 Notification of the Administration
Written notification of the inclining test shonld be sent to the Administration as it requires or in
due time before the test. An Administration representative should be present to witness the
inclining test and the test results be submitted for review.
The responsibility for making preparations, conducting the inclining test and lightweight survey,
recording the data, and calculating the results rests with the shipyard, owner or naval architect.
While compliance with the procedures outlined herein will facilitate an expeditious and accurate
inclining test, it is recognized that altemative procedures or - arrangements may be eqnally
efficient. However, to minimize risk of delay, it is recommended that all such variances be
submitted to the Administration for review prior to tbe inclining test.
8.2. 1.1 Details of notification
Written notification shonld provide the following information as the Administration may requirc:
.1 identification of the ship by name and shipyard hull number, if applicable;
.2 date, time, and location of the test;
.3 inclining weight data:
.1 type;
.2 amount (number of units and weight of each);
.3 certification;
.4 method of handling (i.e. sliding rail or crane);
.5 anticipated maximum angle of heel to each side;
.4 measuring devices:
.1 pendulums - approximate location and length;
.2 U-tubes - approximate location and length;
.3 inclinometers -location and details of approvals and calibrations;
.5 approximate trim;
.6 condition of tanks;
.7 estimated weights to deduct, to complete, and to relocate in order to place the ship
in its true lightship condition;
.8 detailed description of any computer software to be used to aid in calculations
during the inclining test; and
.9 name and telephone number of the person responsible for conducting the inclining
test.
Purpose
Ship’s stability calculations not only rely on the ship’s geometry but also on the knowledge of where the ship’s centre of gravity (G) is positioned. Although the distance of G from the keel can be ascertained for various conditions that the ship may be in, it is essential that it is accurately known for one specified ship condition.
To this end, the need to carry out an inclining experiment becomes necessary and from this, two facts should become known:
the displacement; and
the position of G in a known ship’s condition.
The inclining test is carried out to find the lightship KG at the lightship displacement. It is sometimes known as a ‘controlled list experiment’. By conducting the experiment by means of a series of weight shifts, the GM of the vessel can be ascertained under the test condition. This GM value can then be compared with the ship’s KM to obtain the vessel’s KG value: KM – GM = KG
The environment of the dry dock is ideal for performing such a stability check. While the vessel is in the dock, it is usually in its light condition, the water is still and the facilities for moving known weights are readily on hand.
oreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand is exploring the viability of working with partners to conduct a search for the black box on the Gulf Livestock 1.
"We know how much it would mean to the families of those on the ship to understand more about what happened to cause this tragic loss of life," Mr Peters said.
"That is why officials have been instructed to investigate the viability of searching for the ship’s black box - in concert with interested international partners, such as Panama, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and the ship’s owners.
"We understand that such a search could be difficult and expensive, given the depth at which the ship is believed to have sunk. But we believe it is only responsible to explore what might be possible.
"Personal engagement with my counterparts in Panama, Japan, Australia and the Philippines will be made to underline the seriousness with which the New Zealand Government is approaching this matter," Mr Peters said.
New Zealand remains in close contact with Japan Coast Guard, via the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo. Maritime NZ continue to provide support to the Japanese-led search effort as the Japan Coast Guard continue to perform routine patrols of the area and provide updates as new information comes to hand.
New Zealand’s minister of foreign affairs, Winston Peters, has backed calls to mount an operation to retrieve the voyage data recorder on the Gulf Livestock 1, a ship that sank in the middle of a typhoon off southern Japan on September 2. Forty out of 43 crew remain unaccounted for from the accident, while the more than 5,800 cattle onboard the converted boxship have perished.
“We know how much it would mean to the families of those on the ship to understand more about what happened to cause this tragic loss of life,” Peters told local media over the weekend.
The Gulf Livestock 1, owned by the UAE’s Gulf Navigation, started its trading career as a 630 teu containership in 2002 before being converted to carry animals 10 years later. The sunken ship had a chequered past. European shipping database Equasis lists 25 port state control deficiencies in 2019 and 2020 alone, including a number relating to the main engine. In July last year the ship drifted for a day undergoing repairs following an engine failure.
Maritime Union New Zealand’s national secretary, Joe Fleetwood, told a breakfast show on national television over the weekend that the ship had left Napier port with a list on its journey to China. Midway through the journey the decision was taken to not try and circumnavigate an approaching typhoon with the ship’s last tracking showing it heading into the eye of the storm in the East China Sea with 15 m high waves. The ship then lost power and capsized.
“I’m led to believe that after the vessel had sailed I was informed that the ship had left the port of Napier with maybe a 2 to a 3 degree list on so that’s not good vessels leaving like that,” Fleetwood said.
The official search operation for the missing men was called off last week but families of the missing crew continue to urge Japanese authorities to resume their search.
Families of the missing are holding on to the fact that four liferafts and one lifeboat remain missing, and the area where the ship went down is dotted with many islands.
he family of one of the two New Zealanders onboard – Lochie Bellerby – have been working with maritime experts to estimate where the crew could have drifted to following the sinking, drawing a map (see below), issued on Saturday, to show their latest estimates of where the life boats could have drifted based on where distress calls were sent from and where the three men to have been picked up from the ship were found.
Reefer CHANG SHUN 1 suffered engine failure during the night Sep 12, and drifted aground onto Mitsu island coast, north of Tsushima island, Japan sea, at around 0230 Tokyo time Sep 12. The weather in the area is rather rough, hampering salvage attempts. 14 crew, consisting of Chinese and Myanmar nationalities, is safe. Ports of departure and destination unknown, ship’s off AIS during last 4 days at least.
Reefer CHANG SHUN 1, IMO 8976841, dwt 1630, built 1994, flag Panama, manager DALIAN CHAIN STAR SHIP MGMT CO (EQUASIS).
A former surveyor of ships and cargo believes it was probably inevitable that a livestock ship caught in a ferocious storm would sink.
The Gulf Livestock One went down in a typhoon south of Japan on 2 September in the East China Sea with 43 crew and 6000 cows on board.
Two New Zealanders are among those still missing.
John Bulkeley, who is also a master mariner said cattle ships are not built to allow water to escape
He said in rough weather it just sloshes around on board.
"It can't go over the side, so with that movement inside the ship and more water pouring in because of the low decks for the cattle to breath and there was more water going in and therefore reducing the stability of the ship causing it to capsize."
"The water has a huge affect on the gravity of the ship and its geometric centre."
Bulkeley said once a ship's engine fails in a storm, as it did with the Gulf Livestock One, then the vessel can not be controlled.
He believes ships registered under flags of convenience in places like Panama and Liberia are not built to the same international standards of other vessels.
"The building costs are much less than if they complied (with international standards) and the insurance costs are far less than if they were under the international convention.''
Bulkeley wants livestock ships banned from operating in New Zealand.
A maritime lawyer says families of crew members on board the livestock ship that sank in international waters south of Japan last week could be able to take legal action.
The Gulf Livestock 1 went down with a crew of 43 and nearly 6000 cattle.
Two New Zealand stock handlers, Scott Harris and Lochie Bellerby were on board.
Nelson maritime lawyer Peter Dawson said the ship was insured through the P&I Club, one of the largest mutual marine indemnity organisations.
''There's provision for the payment out to crew who suffer injury or in this case have passed away, so yes there are pathways to claim,'' Dawson said.
It would first need to be established whether the shipping company or the stock exporter employed the crew members working with the stock.
Any investigation into the sinking of the ship in the East China Sea would be carried out by Panama, the country where the Jordanian-owned ship was registered.
The Panama Maritime Authority would look at what went wrong and why, Dawson said.
''Its maintenance history, its maintenance records, whether there were issues with the main engine to start with before she commenced the trip. All of that will come into view when they do their investigation and at some point they will produce a report as to what in their view was the cause of the loss.''
Dawson said because Panama had a lot of ships sailing under its flag, it had experience in investigating accidents.
''Just how good or bad they are, I can't really comment.''
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) confirmed the investigation was the responsibility of Panama.
''As the search and rescue operation has now been suspended, we expect the focus of efforts will move to understanding the causes of the incident.
"Under international conventions, the Flag State for the vessel involved (the place where the ship is registered) - in this case Panama - has a responsibility to investigate the incident in accordance with established international procedures (known as the Casualty Code).''
MNZ said New Zealand had a strong interest in this incident, and it had contacted Panamanian authorities to express its interest in the matter so it could provide any support that may be required.
The vessel, which is a converted container ship, was built in 2002.
Dawson described the vessel as being in-class, which meant survey and maintenance was regulated by international class societies, which oversee the safety and condition of vessels.
He said in the case of the Gulf Livestock 1 it was a French company called Bureau Veritas.
Dawson said on some recent trips the Gulf Livestock 1 has had some deficiencies recorded against it.
''One was in respect of a satellite-based mapping system and one around voyage planning, which suggests to me the skipper of the vessel hadn't been filing voyage plans properly before arriving in Australia.''
Dawson said going further back there were deficiencies recorded in Indonesia around emergency systems, propulsions systems around the main engine in particular and passage planning.
''It seems to me under the current owners the vessel has come to the attention of authorities before its arrival in New Zealand.''
He was surprised the ship continued on its voyage knowing a typhoon was heading its way.
''It seems odd to the that the skipper persisted in the track that he took.
''On looking at the marine tracking system, the only vessel that entered into that particular quadrant of the storm was this vessel when all other vessels were dodging or sheltering elsewhere.''
Dawson said ship captains were under significant pressure to meet deadlines.
''I am picking this particular captain had additional pressures to keep the stock fed and watered and in good condition and I wouldn't be surprised if that was why he persisted with going through the storm.''
Dawson said looking at the tracking of the ship overlaid with the prevailing weather at the time would mean the vessel would roll alarmingly.
Cable laying ship RESPONDER sank at around 1740 Seoul time Sep 12, west of southern tip of Tsushima island, East China sea, South Korea, after more than 12-hour long firefighting, reportedly because the ship took on too much water during firefighting, though it doesn’t look this way. There were no casualties or injures.
Sep 11 news:
Cable laying ship on fire, all 60 personnel evacuated, East China sea
Fire erupted on board of a cable laying ship at around 0340 Seoul time Sep 11, west of southern tip of Tsushima island, East China sea. All 60 people on board left the ship and went to nearby smaller cable laying ship, which was working in pair with her. As of 1500 Seoul time, firefighting was still under way, with deployment of Korean SAR and CG ships. Ship on fire wasn’t identified, but according to ships’ tracks in the area and photos, it’s Korean-flagged cable laying ship RESPONDER. No AIS during last 8 hrs as of 0600 UTC 1500 Seoul time) Sep 11.
Cable laying ship RESPONDER, IMO 9215206, dwt 7617, built 2000, flag South Korea, manager KT SUBMARINE CO LTD.
A man fell overboard from container ship KOTA LAZIM at around 0500 Tokyo time Sep 12 in the Pacific, abeam of Urup island, southern Kuril Archipelago, reportedly he is a Chief officer, 35-year old Chinese nationality. The ship interrupted voyage, turned back and started SAR, assisted by Japanese CG plane. As of 2200 Tokyo time Sep 12, the ship was adrift on a search track, understood continuing SAR. KOTA LAZIM is en route from Yangshan China to Manzanillo Mexico.
「Maritime NZ told 1 NEWS it was "not aware of any information relating to a list involving Gulf Livestock 1 while it was in New Zealand waters".」
It comes after a cattle ship capsized and sank off the coast of Japan while enroute from Napier to China over a week ago.
Thousands of live cattle on board the Gulf Livestock 1 were lost and 40 of it's 43 crew members, including New Zealanders Scott Harris and Lochie Bellerby, are missing and feared dead.
The Union's National Secretary, Joe Fleetwood, told TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning the ship wasn't sea-worthy, citing engine problems and a two degree list.
However, he said it raises concerns of a wider issue and highlights why coastal shipping needed to be re-regulated.
"There are bigger issues, like with the International Transport Workers' Federation, the ITF, we run the campaign the Ships of Shame and that campaign targeted all the unforeign vessels that were running under a de-regulated system and that's the problem.
"So you've got country of origin registering their vessels under another country that has minimal standards and qualifications that they have to reach so yet again you may have a new ship but in the end it's like the regulations aren't very stringent like they have in New Zealand."
Empty lifeboat found in search for crew of capsized livestock ship off New ZealandPlay Video00:31
Two New Zealanders were among the crew of the ship which sank during a typhoon. Source: Breakfast
Fleetwood would like to think the Gulf Livestock 1 incident was terrible luck as it was caught in Typhoon Maysak, however he said "the writing was on the wall".
"When you see the vessel, I think, over previous two years it's had many engine problems, troubles, it's been detained several times in Australia.
"I'm led to believe that after the vessel had sailed I was informed that the ship had left the port of Napier with maybe a 2 to a 3 degree list on so that's not good vessels leaving like that," he said, adding he also understood the captain was headed straight for a typhoon whilst knowing weather was bad.
"It's madness because the person you'd have to ask would be, and we can't, is the captain. You'd have to ask 'well what wisdom made you want to go driving towards a typhoon?'"
Maritime NZ told 1 NEWS it was "not aware of any information relating to a list involving Gulf Livestock 1 while it was in New Zealand waters".
It did not inspect the vessel at Napier Port, but an “independent surveyor was engaged by the vessel operators to attend the loading of the cattle at Napier as required by the relevant Maritime Rule Part 24 C”, this is “in order to ensure that loading is undertaken safely”.
The search for those still missing has been called off.
ECDIS（電子海図表示情報システム：ECDIS／Electronic Chart Display and Information System））が船に搭載されていても、電子海図を提供する会社と契約しなければ使用できない。また、費用を節約するために頻繁に使わない海図は使用できない契約にして、次の港が決定した時に必要な電子海図で使用できない設定になっている海図を
期限付きで使用できるように会社に連絡する船は存在する。バルクキャリア「Wakashio」の電子海図の使用契約の内容がどのようになっているのかは知らないが、普通は２等航海士がパッセージを作成する。また、パッセージプランをECDISで完了しても、別にパッセージプランの概要を作成してプリントアウトしてファイルに保管していることが多い。ブラジルまでのパッセージプランを作成した時はどのようになったいたのか確認したのだろうか？パッセージプランを作成した航海士やそれを承認した、たぶん、
船長のサインがあるはずである。この時点で、ブラジルの目的の港までに必要な海図がない事はないはずである。パナマの海運当局が初期調査での２等航海士とのインタビューではどのような事実を聞いたのだろうか？
いくらかの英語の記事には、船長、一等航海士と機関長がブリッジにいたと書かれている。船長はインド人、そして一等航海士はスリランカ人である。モーリシャスは地理的に近い国なのでモーリシャスを知らないはずはないし、モーリシャス島の大きさを知らないはずがない。GPSが壊れていないければ間違った電子海図を使おうとも、縮尺が間違っていようとも、船の位置がわからない事はない。まあ、インド人船長とスリランカ人一等航海士とはインタビュー出来ていないようなのでどのような言い訳をするのかを待ちたい。外国人を使うのは問題ない。ただ、丸投げやチェックできない体制であればまともな管理会社に任せる方が良いと思う。ただ、DOCを持っているから、規則的には大丈夫とか、たくさんの船の管理をしているからとの理由はやめた方が良い。船舶管理は自社船でなければ、結局はお金儲けの延長。儲かるようにしか管理しない。
最低限の事はやってもそれ以上の事をしていない会社はあるように個人的には思える。このような点がアウトソーシングの判断の難しいところ。相手は商売なので良い事しか言わない。それを鵜呑みにして任せると事故が起きた時に後悔してももう遅い。ただ、上手くやると経費の削減だったり、経済の山谷による人材あまりの問題を改善できる。
Investigations by the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) say the Master of the Wakashio which grounded off Mauritius had deviated from its course to try and find an internet signal.
The AMP issued a statement on the Wakashio accident investigations, citing that vessel deviated from her route and that this change of route “was the result of orders issued by the captain of the ship, who commanded passing about 5 miles off the coast of Mauritius, to look for a telephone and internet signal in order for the crew members to communicate with their families.”
The Panama-flagged Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping and chartered to Mitsui OSK Lines, was making its way to Brazil, from China via Singapore when it ran aground on a reef on 25 July.
Related: Wakashio captain faces 60 years in jail
However, and although the captain and his officers were on the navigation bridge “no action was implemented to correct the course, and avoid a dangerous situation”, said the AMP. A delegation of investigators is in Mauritius and has been interviewing the crew.
“With an appropriate assessment safeguard and with good seamanship practices, that should have generated an analysis which would have allowed to carry out the pertinent actions to correct this situation.”
Related: Insurers mull over Wakashio questions
The AMP also blames the use of outdated charts as it was evident the “erroneous appreciation, with respect to the use of the Electronic Nautical Chart since it seems that the vessel did not have the appropriate chart onboard, actually wrong chart was used and with the wrong scale as well. Therefore, the OOW that did not allow to verify assess properly the approach to the coast and the less deep waters.”
“The lack of supervision and monitoring of the navigation equipment, the distraction generated by the officer of watch, who lost the course of navigation completely, and the excess of confidence during the watch, could be some of the reasons that caused the ship running aground in the beaches of Mauritius,” said the statement. The AMP’s team of experts is still in Mauritius investigating the accident.
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) has released some preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation of the grounding of the Panama-registered bulker Wakashio on a Mauritius reef.
A delegation of experts from Panama is in Mauritius collaborating in the investigation and AMP says that, while the inquiry is still in the data collection phase, the competent authorities have been able to confirm that on July 25, the Wakashio ship, owned by the Japanese company Nagashiki Shipping Co. Ltd. (Nagashiki Kisen KK), diverted from its navigation plan, which had been approved at the time of sailing from Singapore bound for Brazil. The course modification, says AMP, could have been be related to the celebration of the birthday of one of the crew members.
So far, based on crew statements, the change of course followed instructions from Wakashio’s captain to approach to about 5 miles off the coast of Mauritius, looking looking for a telephone and internet signal, so that the crew members could communicate with their families.
AMP says that the captain of the ship, the chief engineer and the first officer were on the navigation bridge when this improper approach took place, which caused a dangerous situation. alerted, in the first instance, by the Mauritian authorities.
The last position taken in the ECDIS (Integrated Nautical Charts and Navigation Equipment System) was at 1802 LT, and the ship grounding was recorded at 1925 LT.
AMP says that an appropriate analysis of the situation would have allowed the necessary actions to be taken to correct the course and avoid the accident.
While there were people on the navigation bridge with sufficient experience in assessing the problem, AMP says, it seems the wrong Electronic Nautical Chart was being used and with the wrong scale, which made it impossible to properly verify the approach to the coast and shallower waters.
AMP cites a lack of supervision and monitoring of the navigation equipment and an “excess of confidence” during the watch, as among the factors that could have caused the grounding.
AMP says it awaits the result of an interview with the captain and the first officer, who are in detention, and has requested access to the VDR (voyage data recorder and and other essential ship navigation documents in the investigation, which are in the custody of the Mauritius police.
A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, in this handout image obtained by Reuters on August 10, 2020. French Army command/Handout via REUTERS)
The Panama Maritime Authority has officially joined the investigation into the grounding of the MV Wakashio in Mauritius, revealing new details about the final voyage.
According to the AMP and based on information that is available, the ship made a course change on July 25 prompted by a crew member’s birthday that would take the vessel within 5 miles of Mauritius, close enough to pick up cell phone and internet signals.
The MV Wakashio grounded off Mauritius’ Pointe d’Esny at approximately 1925 LT, about an hour and a half after the last position was recorded in the ship’s ECDIS, the AMP said.
Satellite AIS ship tracking from the Wakashio’s fateful voyage, previously reported in the media, showed the vessel adjusted course on July 21 at 0200, putting the vessel on a crash with the island. The AMP’s statement this week did not address this course change, only the one on July 25 before the grounding, although it does note that the investigation is still in the data collection phase.
Wakashio’s Captain, Chief Engineer and Chief Officer were all on the bridge when the approach occurred, according to the AMP.
Attempts by the Mauritian coast guard to contact the vessel were unsuccessful until after the grounding.
Wakashio’s Captain and Chief Officer have been arrested and charged with “endangering safe navigation” under the country’s Piracy and Maritime Violence Act and remain in custody in Mauritius.
The AMP says proper seamanship should have allowed plenty of time to take appropriate action to correct the ship’s course and avoid the accident. Attempts by the Mauritian Coast Guard to contact the vessel were unsuccessful until after the grounding.
The AMP has also revealed the chart displayed on the Wakashio’s ECDIS was the wrong chart and wrong scale.
“On the navigation bridge there were people with sufficient experience in assessing the problem. An erroneous appreciation of the Electronic Nautical Chart could also be verified, since it seems that the wrong chart was being used and with the wrong scale, which made it impossible to properly verify the approach to the coast and shallower waters,” the statement from the AMP said. The statement was provided in Spanish and translated using Google products.
“The lack of supervision and monitoring of the navigation equipment, the distraction generated when the officer of the watch totally loses the course of the navigation and an ‘excess of confidence’ during the watch, are indicated among the causes that could cause the grounding and sinking Partial vessel on a coral reef off Mauritius,” the statement added.
The AMP says it is now awaiting the results of interviews with the Wakashio’s Captain and Chief Officer. It has also requested access to the ship’s VDR and other “essential ship navigation documents”.
The Panama-flagged MV Wakashio was unladen (without cargo) but carrying around 4,000 tonnes of VLSFO bunker fuel and diesel when it grounded. The ship was initially stable, but constant wave action caused a breach of the vessel’s hull and oil spill on August 6.
An estimated 1,000 metric tons of oil was released into the environment before crews were able to plug the leak and remove any additional oil on board, according to the shipowner and manager Nagashiki Shipping Co. of Japan. The bow of the vessel has since been towed out to sea and scuttled.
The Wakashio incident comes as hundreds of thousands of seafarers are stranded at sea, working beyond their employment agreements due to the COVID-19 pandemic and government travel restrictions that have hampered crew changes across the globe. So far, it is not clear if the Wakashio’s crew was caught up in the crew change crisis.
The full statement from the Panama Maritime Authority can be found here.
普通は大型船には下記のようなECDIS（電子海図表示情報システム：ECDIS／Electronic Chart Display and Information System））と呼ばれる航海機器がある。
New footage filmed by an Australian crew member is understood to show missing Kiwi Scott Harris aboard Gulf Livestock 1 the day before it capsized and sank.
The footage shows Harris and the Australian crew member watching as water floods the deck, with the Australian saying in a sarcastic tone: “Really safe, really, really safe.”
The footage then cuts to images of the sea and foggy weather conditions, with the Australian saying: “Pretty wild weather.”
One News reported Harris’ mother, Karen Adrian, confirming the identity of her son in the video and some text messages before the ship sank.
Her son sent her a message saying: “We haven’t been allowed outside for 12 hours.
“At least two decks completely washed out,” his message reads, according to the report.
The search for survivors from the missing Gulf Livestock 1 ship is resuming today. The Japanese Coast Guard saying it is using one plane and two boats for the operation.
The ship, which sank in the East China Sea last Tuesday after being caught up in powerful Typhoon Maysak, was carrying 43 crew, including Southland man Lochie Bellerby and father-of-two Scott Harris.
A second typhoon, Typhoon Haishen, temporarily suspended rescue efforts as it battered the southwest region of Japan before making landfall in South Korea.
So far, four crew members have been located, two alive – the vessel’s chief officer, Eduardo Sareno, and Jay-Nel Rosales – another was found dead and one later died in hospital.
Dozens of cow carcasses, traces of fuel in the water, an empty raft, a life vest carrying the ship’s name and a bundle of rope floating in the area have also been found.
The captain of the ship, Dante Addug, texted his partner saying he was praying during the moments leading up to the ship capsizing.
The father of four told his partner, Marielle June Chunanon, the typhoon had intensified and water had caused the engine to fail. “The typhoon is so strong up to now. Here I am praying for the typhoon to stop.”
New analysis from global satellite analytics firm Windward has tracked the journey of the Panama-registered vessel, revealing it sailed straight into eye of Typhoon Maysak, Forbes reported.
After leaving Napier port on August 14, the planned 17-day journey was expected to end in Jingtang in Tangshan, China.
After passing the Japanese island of Okinoerabujima, the ship ran into difficulty and stopped broadcasting, before issuing a distress signal at 1.40am on September 2, Japan time.
Maysak has been labelled the most powerful typhoon of 2020 so far.
New Diamond being towed away from Sri Lanka after the fire - courtesy of Indian Coast Guard
After seven days of firefighting and twice before declaring the fire contained, the fire aboard the VLCC New Diamond has reportedly subsided. The joint teams from India and Sri Lank said that while there may be some small pockets of fire below deck, they believe it is finally contained and largely extinguished.
There no longer were visible signs of fire or smoking aboard the tanker and a team from the salvage company was expected to go aboard to conduct a survey of the extent of damage.
At the same time, efforts began again to move the New Diamond further away from Sri Lanka into international waters. The tow was proceeding despite rough sea conditions and strong winds and at last report the vessel was approximately 38 nautical miles off the southeast coast of Sri Lanka.
However, the Sri Lanka Navy reported that when the tow began that they observed a second, longer oil slick. As with the oil spotted in the water yesterday, they continue believe it is coming from the ship’s diesel fuel tanks and is a small leak. Yesterday, the teams speculated that some of the ship’s fuel tanks or supply lines had ruptured in the engine room mixing with the water used to douse the fire. Chemical dispersant was again applied to the oil slick.
Photos from the Sri Lanka Airforce show the extent of the damage to the New Diamond
While they are hopefully that efforts at the tanker can begin to wind down, Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority is now reportedly planning to take legal action against the tanker’s owner or manager New Shipping Limited of Greece. Reuters is reporting that the Deputy General Manager of MEPA is exploring criminal and civil claims.
In total, more than a dozen vessels from India’s Navy and Coast Guard along with Sri Lanka’s Navy and Coast Guard battled the fire for the past week supported by aircraft. The Sri Lanka Airforce reported that it conducted 176 flying missions with over 100 hours of air time and dropped 440,000 liters of water on to the tanker. In addition, they dropped 4,500 kilograms of dry chemical powder supplied from a range of companies in India and Sri Lanka to smother the fire.
Pending the report of the salvage team, the firefighting vessels expect to remain in the vicinity of the tanker monitoring the situation.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Sri Lanka will take legal action against the owner of the oil supertanker that caught fire on Thursday as there is a large leakage of bunker oil from the stricken vessel, an official at the Marine Environment Protection Authority said.
"We are deciding whether to claim criminal liability or civil liability or both," Jagath Gunesekara, Deputy General Manager of the Authority said. He said action will be filed under Sri Lankan laws protecting the marine ecosystem.
Greece-based Porto Emporios Shipping Inc is the registered owner of the 20-year old Panama-flagged very large crude carrier New Diamond, according to Refinitiv data. New Shipping Ltd is the manger of the vessel. There was no immediate comment from either company.
(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Sep 7 UPDATES:
1230 UTC fire in the aft section and superstructure reignited again, said Indian CG in latest tweets. Seems like the whole structure in aft section is overheated, and there is substantial quantity of bunker fuel left, which didn’t burn out, and that leads to repeated reignitions.
1315 UTC Fire is extinguished, according to official statements of both Sri Lankan and Indian CG and Navy, and latest photos. Tanker and all ships deployed in firefighting/salvage remain almost stationary, final towage didn’t yet commence, too early for that. Temperature inside superstructure, hull and engine room must return to normal, salvage professionals must assess tanker’s status and damages, and after that, she’ll be towed to safety, probably to port of destination, to offload crude. She looks like she won’t need repairs after completing voyage and offloading cargo. Highly likely she’ll be sold for scrap.
1330 UTC: According to latest ICG report, fire seems to be doused, no visible flames anymore.
Tugboats battled into the night Friday to stop a blazing oil tanker carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude from drifting towards the Sri Lankan coast.
This handout photograph taken on September 4, 2020, and released by Sri Lanka’s Air Force shows fireboats battling to extinguish a fire on the Panamanian-registered crude oil tanker New Diamond, some 60 kms off Sri Lanka’s eastern coast where a fire was reported inside the engine room. (Photo by – / Sri Lankan Air Force / AFP)
The fire on the Panamanian-registered New Diamond had been brought under control, according to the Indian coastguard. But smoke was still pouring from the 330 metre (1,000 foot) long vessel after an engine-room explosion set off the emergency.
The New Diamond was heading for the eastern Indian port of Paradip from Kuwait when it issued a distress signal 60 kilometres (37 miles) from Sri Lanka’s east coast.
With one Filipino crew member killed in the explosion and the 22 others taken off, the tanker drifted 25 km closer to the coast on Friday.
Three tugboats — two Indian and one chartered by the owners — were brought into action in a bid to push the vessel back into deeper waters at sea.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said late Friday that the fire had been brought “under control” through a “massive firefighting effort” by its vessels with the Indian navy and ships and aircraft from the Sri Lankan military.
Water and foam cannons were used to smother the flames, Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre chief Sudantha Ranasinghe said.
“The flames on the bridge and outside the engine have been put out,” Ranasinghe told AFP before the Indian coast guard announcement. But he said fires were still burning inside the ship.
Ranasinghe said the blaze had not spread to the massive crude cargo and 1,700 tonnes of diesel fuel.
The Sri Lankan navy said there was no immediate danger of the tanker breaking up, despite reports of a two-metre (six-foot) crack in the hull above the water line.
Rear Admiral Y. N. Jayarathna said the metal had cracked in the intense heat as the ship’s diesel fuel tanks burned when the fire spread from the adjoining engine room.
The emergency came just a week after a huge oil slick hit the Mauritius coast.
“It will take another four to five days to completely put out the fire,” Jayarathna said. “Thereafter we should be able to tow it away and let the owners decide what they want to do.”
The head of Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Agency Dharshani Lahandapura said legal action could be taken against the owners, Liberian-registered Porto Emporios Shipping Inc “should the worst happen and the ship breaks up.”
Lahandapura told reporters that Sri Lanka did not have the resources to contain a major oil spill.
But Ranasinghe said authorities were considering a ship-to-ship transfer of the crude before salvaging the tanker.
Maldives fears disaster
The vessel is larger than the Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio, which crashed into a reef in Mauritius in July leaking more than 1,000 tonnes of oil into the island nation’s pristine waters.
Sri Lanka’s neighbour Maldives has raised concerns that any oil spill from the New Diamond could cause serious environmental damage in the atoll of 1,192 coral islands that depends on fisheries and tourism.
Maldivian minister at the president’s office, Ahmed Naseem, called for precautionary measures across the archipelago that is about 1,000 kilometres southwest of Sri Lanka.
“Maldives needs to watch this oil spill carefully and take all precautions to prevent it from reaching her shores,” Naseem said on Twitter. “This could be a major disaster.”
DUBAI: Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC reported the incident relating to the vessel, MV “Gulf Livestock 1” which is reported missing while the vessel was enroute from New Zealand to China, with livestock on board.
The Japanese Coast Guard received a distress call early on Wednesday morning (Sept 2nd) to which they responded and one of the 43 crew members, the vessel’s Chief Officer, was rescued. The search for survivors is still continuing by the Japanese Coast Guard.
Spokesperson of Gulf Navigation states “Our hearts go out to those onboard and their families at this time. We also express deep regret for the sad loss of the livestock on board. We are monitoring the situation closely and working closely with those involved in rescue efforts. We pray that there are other survivors.”
Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC (“GNH”) is a fully integrated and synergized organization with a multifunctional business. It is the only maritime and shipping company listed in the Dubai Financial Market since February 2007 under the symbol “GULFNAV”.
The Company is headquartered in Dubai, with branch offices inside the port of Fujairah, Khorfakkan, Abu Dhabi and an overseas office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company has a fleet of chemical tankers, livestock transport vessels, operation support vessels, marine services, and ship repair operations.
As an ISO 9001:2015 certified company accredited by Bureau Veritas, GNH is committed to adhering to the requirements of the international management code for the safe operations of vessels, pollution prevention and environmental control, including compliance with all the applicable international laws, regulations and requirements.
GNH constantly works to upgrade its operations and provide high-quality services to local and international markets. This opens new opportunities to improve GHN’s services to existing customers while attracting new customers.
The second Australian man missing after a cargo ship capsized in a wild typhoon off the coast of Japan has been identified.
Nine News reports William Mainprize of NSW and Queensland vet Lukas Orda are the two Australians who were on-board Gulf Livestock 1 when it capsized in the East China Sea on Wednesday and is believed to have sunk.
A spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “The Australian Government is providing consular assistance to the families of two Australian crew members on board a cargo vessel reported missing in Japanese waters.”
It comes as a second person has been rescued.
Filipino deckhand Jay-nel Rosals, 30, was reportedly found on a life raft, wearing a life jacket, and waving for help about 2km from a small island called Kodakarajima.
Rescuers also spotted an overturned orange lifeboat about 4km from Kodakarajima but no one else was found.
A lifeboat found in the rescue site of capsized cattle ship Gulf Livestock 1 in the East China Sea. Photo by Japan Coast Guard, 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters via Getty Images)Source:Getty Images
The ship, which was travelling from New Zealand to China, sent a distress call during strong winds and heavy seas from Typhoon Maysak.
There were 43 crew members, including 39 from the Philippines, two from Australia, and two from New Zealand on board and about 6000 cattle.
So far, two crew members have been rescued and one was pronounced dead as of September 4.
Gulf Livestock 1, owned by UAE-based Gulf Navigation, lost engine power before it was hit by a massive wave, according to Chief Officer Sareno Edvarodo, who was the first survivor found on Wednesday.
Edvarodo, a 45-year-old Filipino, remains in hospital.
Rescuers in four boats, an aircraft as well as divers joined Friday‘s search operations.
A bundle of orange rope and a life jacket with the ship’s name were also recovered.
Life Raft(膨張式いかだ)が近くにあったのか、偶然に見つけたのか知らないがこの船員は凄く運が良い。Life Raft(膨張式いかだ)の中には水や食料とかあるし、雨風を避けるためにシートもある。本当は退船する時に救難信号を発信する
SART (捜索救助用レーダートランスポンダー) (海外技術株式会社)
と呼ばれるものがブリッジにあって、それを持って救命ボート又は救命いかだに乗り込むことになっている。これがあると「救助船の9GHzの周波数帯のレーダーまたは航空機の捜索レーダーの電波を受信するとそれに応答してそのレーダーの画面上に約12個の1列に並んだ点が表示され遭難船や生存艇の位置」を把握しやすいので救助される確率が非常に高くなる。まあ、逃げるだけで精いっぱいで船が沈没して膨張式いかだが水圧で浮上してきたのだろう。韓国船籍旅客船「セウォル号」(M/V"SEWOL", IMO9105205)が沈没した時には検査のごまかしで多くの膨張式いかだが沈没した後に浮上してこなかったようだ。
TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A third crewman from a ship that capsized this week off Japan with more than 40 crew and a cargo of cattle on board was found alive on Friday after he was spotted by a search plane, Japan’s coastguard said.
The man, 30-year-old Filipino Jay-nel Rosals, was found on a liferaft waving for help 2 km (1.2 miles) off Kodakarajima, a small island in Japan’s southern Kagoshima prefecture, the coastguard said.
He was conscious and was able to walk when the coastguard rescued him. Rescuers also found an overturned orange lifeboat floating at sea some 4 km (2.5 miles) off Kodakarajima, but no one was found on that boat.
Rosals was only the third crew member to be found so far from the Gulf Livestock 1, which capsized in the East China Sea on Wednesday and is believed to have sunk.
The ship, with a crew of 43 crew and a cargo of 6,000 cattle, had sent a distress call amid strong winds and heavy seas whipped up by Typhoon Maysak.
Earlier on Friday it emerged the vessel had a history of mechanical issues.
Rosals’ rescue came hours after another crewman died after being pulled unconscious from the water by the coastguard.
The search is still on for the remaining 40 crew members.
Rescuers have also found a life jacket and cattle carcasses in the area where the ship is believed to have sunk.
Gulf Livestock 1, owned by UAE-based Gulf Navigation, lost engine power before it was hit by a massive wave, according to Chief Officer Sareno Edvarodo, who was rescued on Wednesday. Edvarodo, a 45-year-old Filipino, remains in hospital.
A Filipino crew member of Gulf Livestock 1, a cargo ship carrying livestock and dozens of crew that went missing after issuing a distress signal due to Typhoon Maysak, is rescued by Japan Coast Guard crew onboard the vessel Kaimon at the East China Sea, to the west of Amami Oshima island in southwestern Japan, in this still image taken from video September 4, 2020. Courtesy 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters - Japan Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS
The crew was made up of 39 people from the Philippines, two from New Zealand, and two from Australia, the coastguard said.
The ship is technically managed and crewed by Germany’s Marconsult Schiffarht GMBH, while the commercial manager is Jordan-based Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.
“We are monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesman for Gulf Navigation said in an emailed statement. “Our hearts go out to those onboard and their families at this time.”
The company is working with those involved in rescue efforts and regrets the loss of livestock, he added.
MECHANICAL DEFECTS
Several maritime reports logged over the past two years showed the ship may have had some mechanical defects and revealed operational concerns.
A December inspection report from Indonesian authorities on the website of Equasis, which collates ship safety information from both public and private sources, logged issues with the ship’s propulsion and auxiliary machinery.
The issues included “deficiencies” with the propulsion main engine, gauges and thermometers.
A 2019 report by the Australian government on the cattle ship’s transit in June from Australia to Indonesia noted the vessel’s departure was delayed for a week because of “stability and navigation issues identified by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority”.
Gulf Navigation, Marconsult Schiffarht and Hijazi & Ghosheh Co. did not immediately respond to questions about the reports.
The Japanese coastguard said on Friday it had not set a deadline to end the search for survivors from the ship, which left Napier port in New Zealand on Aug. 14 and had been due to arrive 17 days later at the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China.
Four vessels, an airplane and several divers were scouring the waters on Friday when they discovered the second crew member, who has not been publicly identified.
The coastguard said the man died a short time after they pulled him from the sea about 120 km (75 miles) north-northwest of Amami Oshima island and transferred him to hospital.
Melbourne-based Australasian Global Exports confirmed it employed four of the people onboard, with the remaining crew engaged by Gulf Navigation.
“We are in full contact with the families of our four colleagues and are offering them all the support we can,” it said in a statement.
A 30-year-old Filipino crew member was found floating in a life raft off the coast of Japan. Source: Getty Images
Two Australian crew members were among the 43 people on board the Gulf Livestock 1, which capsized in the East China Sea on Wednesday.
A third crew member from a cargo ship that capsized off Japan with more than 40 people and thousands of cattle onboard has been found alive after being spotted by a search plane.
The man, 30-year-old Filipino Jay-nel Rosals, was found on a liferaft waving for help 2 km off Kodakarajima, a small island in Japan’s southern Kagoshima prefecture, the Japanese coastguard said.
He was conscious and was able to walk when the coastguard rescued him. Rescuers also found an overturned orange lifeboat floating at sea some 4 km off Kodakarajima, but no one was found on that boat.
Mr Rosals was only the third crew member to be found so far from the Gulf Livestock 1, which capsized in the East China Sea on Wednesday and is believed to have sunk. Two Australian crew members remain missing.
The ship, with a crew of 43 crew and a cargo of 6,000 cattle, had sent a distress call amid strong winds and heavy seas whipped up by Typhoon Maysak. On Friday, it emerged the vessel had a history of mechanical issues.
Mr Rosals’ rescue came hours after another crew member died after being pulled unconscious from the water by the coastguard. The search is still on for the remaining 40 crew members.
Rescuers have also found a life jacket and cattle carcasses in the area where the ship is believed to have sunk.
Gulf Livestock 1, owned by UAE-based Gulf Navigation, lost engine power before it was hit by a massive wave, according to Chief Officer Sareno Edvarodo, who was rescued on Wednesday. Mr Edvarodo, a 45-year-old Filipino, remains in hospital.
The crew was made up of 39 people from the Philippines, two from New Zealand, and two from Australia.
The ship is technically managed and crewed by Germany’s Marconsult Schiffarht GMBH, while the commercial manager is Jordan-based Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.
“We are monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesman for Gulf Navigation said in an emailed statement. “Our hearts go out to those on board and their families at this time.”
The company is working with those involved in rescue efforts and regrets the loss of livestock, he added.
Mechanical defects
Several maritime reports logged over the past two years showed the ship may have had some mechanical defects and revealed operational concerns.
A December inspection report from Indonesian authorities on the website of Equasis, which collates ship safety information from both public and private sources, logged issues with the ship’s propulsion and auxiliary machinery.
The issues included “deficiencies” with the propulsion main engine, gauges and thermometers.
A 2019 report by the Australian government on the cattle ship’s transit in June from Australia to Indonesia noted the vessel’s departure was delayed for a week because of “stability and navigation issues identified by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority”.
Gulf Navigation, Marconsult Schiffarht and Hijazi & Ghosheh Co. did not immediately respond to questions about the reports.
The Japanese coastguard said on Friday it had not set a deadline to end the search for survivors from the ship, which left Napier port in New Zealand on 14 August and had been due to arrive 17 days later at the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China.
下記の記事の写真は機関室のエンジンコントロールルームの写真ではないのか？普通、こんなところにまで海水、又は、雨水はこない。海水や雨水がこないではないではなく、海水や雨水がこないように規則でなっているし、検査で問題があれば指摘される。この写真の存在はかなり問題だと思う。
「Flooding water made conditions slippery underfoot as the crew, of 39 from the Philippines, two from New Zealand and two from Australia, fought in vain to save the doomed ship.」
床が滑りやすいとかの問題だけでなく、感電の危険性がある。船員はライフジャケットを着用していないので、危険を感じていないのか、とにかく何とかしなければならないと思い、ライフジャケットを付ける時間を惜しんで対応しているのかのどちらかに思える。
この写真がエンジンコントロールルームであれば、エンジンルームの至る所に海水か、雨水なのか知らないが、入り込んでいると思う。水の流入を想定していないので、
ショートや機器が動かなくなる可能性は高い。もちろん、感電の危険がある。個人的にはもう、沈没寸前だと思う。
この船舶の船級はフランス船級協会(BV)で証書は2019年の5月10日に発給されて（たぶん、船名、又は、船主が変わったため）、2019年5月22日にAMSA（オーストラリアのPSC）の検査を受けて、出港停止命令を受けている。最近の検査は2020年6月2日にインドネシアのジャカルタで検査を受けている。
Horrific photos have emerged, showing water pouring into cargo ship Gulf Livestock 1 shortly before it sank.
Japanese authorities have been racing to find dozens of missing sailors, including Australians, from the ship that sank in a typhoon earlier this week.
Water flowing into the Gulf Livestock. Picture: Japan Coast Guard
The images show panicked crew members, battling to keep the ship afloat while water starts to pool at their feet.
A second survivor was found on Friday, as another, much more powerful storm drew near.
The Gulf Livestock 1, which was carrying 6000 cows, issued a distress call early Wednesday as Typhoon Maysak passed through the area, setting off a desperate search for the 43 crew on board.
Crew members fought to keep the ship afloat. Picture: Japan Coast Guard
A first survivor was found on Wednesday evening, with the body of a second crew member recovered at sea early Friday, as hopes began to fade for the operation and powerful Typhoon Haishen barrelled towards the area.
But the coast guard said they found a second survivor on Friday afternoon, a 30-year-old Filipino man, who was spotted in a life raft several kilometres from Kodakarajima, a remote island in southwestern Japan.
The man, identified as a deckhand, was reached by a patrol boat and was alone in the raft. He was able to walk unassisted, the coastguard said.
The first survivor from the ship, a 45-year-old Filipino chief officer, told rescuers he had put on a life jacket and jumped into the sea after a warning announcement on board.
He said one of the boat’s engines had stalled and the vessel was overturned by a powerful wave before eventually sinking.
Precisely when and where it sank remained unclear.
Dramatic footage of Wednesday’s rescue showed the man bobbing in the open ocean in an orange lift jacket and rescuers battling violent waves to pull him on to their boat with a rope.
After he was moved to a larger boat and wrapped with blankets, he asked for water and thanked his rescuers.
“I am the only one? No other one?” he asked.
The ship is believed to have been caught up in Typhoon Maysak, which moved through the area with gusts of up to 160 kilometres per hour.
But Haishen is a much stronger storm, and is expected to affect Japan from late Saturday, with winds of up to 290 kilometres per hour (180 miles per hour), making it a “violent” storm – the top level on Japan’s classification scale.
‘WATER STARTED COMING IN’
There has been little sign so far of other survivors, with the coast guard spotting an empty rubber dinghy and a life jacket during their search.
Dead cows from the boat have also been seen in the waves.
In Manila, relatives of the crew were waiting desperately for news. Captain Dante Addug’s sister told AFP that he had been in touch with his girlfriend shortly before the boat sank.
“He told her there was an engine failure but they were able to restart it after an hour,” Fredelyne Sanchez said.
“But then the big waves worsened and water started coming in.” Four coastguard vessels, a defence ministry plane and specially trained divers are involved in the search.
But it is unclear how much longer their efforts can continue, with Haishen heading towards the area.
The storm was expected to begin affecting areas including Okinawa in southern Japan and parts of western Kyushu from Saturday night to Monday, and the government warned residents to prepare.
“In the region that the typhoon is approaching, record rains, storms, high waves and high tides are feared,” government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Friday.
In preparation, water was being emptied from behind dams to make room for heavy rainfall and a quick response system to warn residents was being activated, he added.
The Gulf Livestock 1 crew was made up of 39 Filipinos, two New Zealanders and two Australians. The boat was travelling from Napier in New Zealand to the Chinese port of Tangshan.
It had experienced engine problems before: a 2019 observer report by Australian authorities noted that the boat was forced to drift at sea for 25 hours after an issue with its main engine while en route to China.
Water flooded onto terrified crewmen as they fought to save a stricken live export ship that capsized in stormy waters in the East China Sea.
The 11,947-ton Australian-owned Gulf Livestock One was carrying 43 crew and 5,800 cows when it got into trouble on Wednesday.
The vessel left New Zealand on August 14 and was due into the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China, today. As the vessel headed across the East China Sea it began to flounder and the crew battled to keep it afloat.
Seawater invaded the interior of the Gulf Livestock One and ran over the electrics and machinery during its final few hours.
The dramatic images emerged as it was revealed Japan's coast guard had rescued a second survivor on Friday. Hours earlier, an unconscious crew member was also recovered but later died.
The survivor, Jay-nel Rosals, a Filipino deckhand, was wearing a life jacket and floating in a raft north of Amami Oshima island in the East China Sea, where rescuers have been searching for the Gulf Livestock 1 ship and its missing crew since it sent a distress signal.
Seawater floods into the Gulf Livestock One shortly before it capsized in the east China Sea
Crew on the doomed ship struggle to keep it afloat in the East China Seabr>
The Gulf Livestock One whih was lost in stormy waters in the East China Sea
Flooding water made conditions slippery underfoot as the crew, of 39 from the Philippines, two from New Zealand and two from Australia, fought in vain to save the doomed ship.
Typhoon Maysak was blowing by southern Japan when the ship sank. The ship's instruments showed that it was sailing into high winds of 56 knots or 66 miles an hour.
The captain of Gulf Livestock One sent a distress call to the Japanese Coast Guard at about 1.20am on Wednesday.
Rescuers in an aircraft and four boats plus divers searched for survivors. They found a bundle of orange rope and a life jacket with the ship's name on.
A dead cow from the stricken Gulf Livestock One in the East China Sea
Then on Friday the search teams found a body and multiple dead cows in the waters near where the ship sank.
A man was found unconscious and face down in the water about 75 miles north west of the island of Amami Oshima.
No details of the man's nationality or crew status have been released but he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead, said Takahiro Yamada, a senior spokesman for the regional coast guard headquarters.
An Australian veterinarian is still thought to be among 42 crew still missing from the capsized ship.
Lukas Orda, 25, from the Gold Coast, was on board Australian-owned Gulf Livestock 1 when the captain sent a distress call to the Japanese Coast Guard at about 1.20am on Wednesday.
Mr Orda and his wife Emma welcomed their first child, Theo, six months ago.
He moved to Queensland from Germany as a child before taking up studies at James Cook University after attending high school in Mount Isa.
Mr Orda was working with horses on the Gold Coast before joining the live export carrier as a vet in June, the Townsville Bulletin reported.
Japan's coast guard dispatched planes and rescue boats to hunt for the ship and late Wednesday found a sole survivor, Sareno Edvarodo, the ship's 45-year-old Filipino chief officer.
Dramatic photos released by the coast guard showed Edvarodo floating in the darkness in an orange life jacket and being pulled onto a boat with a rope as rescuers battled violent, rolling waves.
He was quickly brought to a large vessel, where coast guard personnel with surgical masks and gloves wrapped him with blankets.
He told rescuers: 'Thank you, thank you very much. I'm the only one? No other one?” he asked the rescuers, then added, “I'm so sorry ... (I'm) so lucky,' said Fox News.
Tokyo: The cattle ship that capsized en route from New Zealand to China had a history of mechanical issues, records show.
Gulf Livestock 1, owned by UAE-based Gulf Navigation, lost engine power before it was hit by a massive wave, according to Chief Officer Sareno Edvarodo who was rescued on Wednesday. The 45-year-old Filipino remains in hospital.
A second unidentified man was only the second crewman to be found alive on Friday. The Japanese Coast Guard said the man had died a short time after they pulled him from the sea about 120 km north-northwest of Amami Oshima island and transferred him to hospital.
The search is still on for the remaining 41 crew members after the ship carrying 6000 cattle capsized in the East China Sea in the early hours of Wednesday.
The crew comprised 39 Filipinos, two New Zealanders and two Australians, including 25-year-old Queensland vet Lucas Orda who was excited to start his new job on the ship only a couple of months ago.
Rescuers also found a life jacket and cattle carcasses in the area where the ship is believed to have sunk after it sent a distress call amid strong winds and heavy seas whipped up by typhoon Maysak.
The ship is technically managed and crewed by Germany's Marconsult Schiffarht, while the commercial manager is Jordan-based Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.
"We are monitoring the situation closely," a spokesman for Gulf Navigation said in an emailed statement. "Our hearts go out to those onboard and their families at this time."
The company was working with those involved in rescue efforts and regretted the loss of livestock, he added.
Several maritime reports logged over the past two years showed the ship may have had some mechanical defects and revealed operational concerns.
A December inspection report from Indonesian authorities on the website of Equasis, which collates ship safety information from both public and private sources, logged issues with the ship's propulsion and auxiliary machinery.
The issues included "deficiencies" with the propulsion main engine and gauges, thermometers.
A 2019 report by the Australian government on the cattle ship's transit in June from Australia to Indonesia noted the vessel's departure was delayed for a week because of "stability and navigation issues identified by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)".
AMSA's website showed Gulf Livestock 1 was detained by the Australian authorities for three days in May 2019, because of issues related to its navigation Electronic Chart Display and Information System. The report cited both a lack of up-to-date charts and training for officers using the system.
A report on the website of FleetMon, a German-based maritime tracking site, shows the ship, under its previous name of Rahmeh, anchored off the Turkish coast in September 2018 "to fix a mechanical problem" that required the delivery of spare parts.
The FleetMon report also noted some concern from local residents about the ship's extended stay at Cesme port, because livestock on a previous voyage had been found to be infected with anthrax.
Gulf Navigation, Marconsult Schiffarht and Hijazi & Ghosheh did not immediately respond to questions about the reports.
A second typhoon, Haishen, is now moving across the north-west Pacific on its way to South Korea but the coast guard said it has not set a deadline to end the search for survivors. The ship left Napier port in New Zealand on August 14 and was due to arrive 17 days later at the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China.
Four vessels, an aeroplane and several divers were scouring the waters on Friday when they discovered the second crew member.
Melbourne-based Australasian Global Exports confirmed it employed four of the people onboard, with the remaining crew engaged by Gulf Navigation.
"We are in full contact with the families of our four colleagues and are offering them all the support we can," it said in a statement.
A crewman from a cattle ship that capsized enroute from New Zealand to China has died after being pulled unconscious from the water by the Japanese coastguard, while it emerged the vessel had a history of mechanical issues.
The unidentified man was only the second crewman to be found out of 43 on board including 39 from the Philippines, two Australians and two New Zealanders.
The search is still on for the remaining crew after the ship carrying nearly 6000 cattle capsized in the East China Sea on Wednesday.
Rescuers also found a life jacket and cattle carcasses in the area where the Gulf Livestock 1 is believed to have sunk after it sent a distress call amid strong winds and heavy seas whipped up by Typhoon Maysak.
Gulf Livestock 1, owned by UAE-based Gulf Navigation, lost engine power before it was hit by a massive wave, according to Chief Officer Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old Filipino who was rescued on Wednesday.
The ship is technically managed and crewed by Germany's Marconsult Schiffarht GMBH, while the commercial manager is Jordan-based Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.
"We are monitoring the situation closely," a spokesman for Gulf Navigation said in an emailed statement. "Our hearts go out to those onboard and their families at this time."
The company is working with those involved in rescue efforts and regrets the loss of livestock, he added.
Several maritime reports logged over the past two years showed the ship had mechanical defects and revealed operational concerns.
A December inspection report from Indonesian authorities on the website of Equasis, which collates ship safety information, logged issues with the ship's propulsion and auxiliary machinery.
The issues included "deficiencies" with the propulsion main engine and gauges and thermometers.
A 2019 report by the Australian government on the cattle ship's transit in June from Australia to Indonesia noted the vessel's departure was delayed for a week because of "stability and navigation issues identified by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)".
AMSA's website showed Gulf Livestock 1 was detained by the Australian authorities for three days in May 2019, because of issues related to its navigation Electronic Chart Display and Information System. The report cited both a lack of up-to-date charts and training for officers using the system.
A report on the website of FleetMon, a German-based maritime tracking site, shows the ship anchored off the Turkish coast in September 2018 "to fix a mechanical problem" that required delivery of spare parts.
The Japanese coastguard said on Friday it had not set a deadline to end the search for survivors from the ship, which left Napier in New Zealand on August 14 and was due to arrive 17 days later at the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China.
Four vessels, an airplane and divers were scouring the waters on Friday when they discovered the second crew member, who has not been identified.
The coastguard said the man had died a short time after they pulled him from the sea about 120km north-northwest of Amami Oshima island and transferred him to hospital.
Melbourne-based Australasian Global Exports confirmed it employed four of the people onboard, with the remaining crew engaged by Gulf Navigation.
"We are in full contact with the families of our four colleagues and are offering them all the support we can," it said in a statement.
A litany of past safety issues are emerging from archives relating to the sunken Gulf Livestock 1.
The converted boxship, owned by the UAE’s Gulf Navigation, lost power on Tuesday evening while transiting through a typhoon off southern Japan. It was hit broadside by a massive wave and capsized.
Just one seafarer – the Filipino chief officer – is thought to have survived.
The Japan Coast Guard did find a second unconscious crewmember today, who was pronounced dead when transported to a hospital on the Japanese mainland. The coast guard has also reported today it has found the carcasses of many of the dead 5,800 cattle being transported by the ship.
Strong winds and torrential rain linked to Typhoon Maysak have already hampered search efforts, and now another typhoon, Haishen, is on the way.
The ship, originally built as a 630 teu boxship in 2002, has had a chequered past. European shipping database Equasis lists 25 port state control deficiencies in 2019 and 2020 alone, including a number relating to the main engine.
In July last year the ship drifted for a day undergoing repairs following an engine failure.
The Panamanian-flagged Gulf Livestock 1 was on charter to Melbourne-based Global Australasian Exports and was en route to China from New Zealand when the accident happened in the East China Sea.
Veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson worked on livestock carriers for many years. Coming ashore she penned a series of exposés on the trades for Splash,
all accessible here.
A second person has been rescued on the East China Coast where the search for a missing ship carrying dozens of crew - including two New Zealanders - is underway.
The Gulf Livestock 1 has been missing now for more than 48 hours off the coast of Japan with 43 people on board, including two New Zealanders and two Australians.
The Japanese Coast Guard has reportedly revealed that a second survivor has been rescued from the water, though was unconscious when they were discovered.
The identity of second survivor has not been revealed. The first person rescued in the tragedy was Filipino seaman chief officer Sareno Edvarodo. He was plucked from the waves yesterday.
The ship left Napier's port with more than 5800 cattle on 14 August headed to the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China, and was expected to arrive 17 days from its departure.
The Japanese coastguard will search for four days for survivors amid another typhoon approaching the region.
Strong winds and torrential rains from Typhoon Masak, the first one, are hampering the search effort.
The ship's Filipino chief officer was rescued by Japan's Coast Guard and says the ship lost engine power, then capsized after being hit by a large wave.
In a statement, Australasian Global Exports has confirmed it employs four of the people on board.
The Melbourne-based export company said it was in contact with the families of the missing workers.
"Four of those people are treasured friends and work colleagues. The remaining people on board are engaged by the ship's owner.
"We are in full contact with the families of our four colleagues and are offering them all the support we can.
"Our thoughts and prayers are also with the ship's officers, crew and other personnel and their families."
Sep 3 1840 UTC UPDATE: Latest photos from Indian CG, fire still not under control, but didn’t get through cofferdam or cargo deck to cargo tanks, hopefully firefighters will manage to beat it off, and protect cargo tanks from fire.
Sep 3 1510 UTC UPDATE: Judging from latest Indian CG aerial photo, fire broke through into superstructure and superstructure now is engulfed in blaze.
Sep 3 1330 UTC UPDATE: According to latest official information from Sri Lanka and India authorities, all crew left the ship, including Captain and 2 crew who remained on board after majority of the crew, 19 seamen, left tanker earlier. 1 crew is said to be missing, 1 injured. Understood fire was thought to be under control, but blazed out again, and judging from photo, is spreading from engine room to superstructure. AIS seems to be off. Navy and CG ships and planes, both Sri Lankan and Indian, are responding.
Sep 3 0940 UTC UPDATE: Situation maybe isn’t all that dramatic and critical, after all, judging from some secondary sources information. AIS is on, tanker doesn’t require assistance any more.
Sep 3 0815 UTC UPDATE: Reportedly, non-essential crew left tanker and went on board of passing cargo ship, understood it’s product tanker HELEN M (IMO 9308223). Captain and several other crew remain on board, continuing firefighting, according to latest available info. Sri Lanka officials said Navy and CG ships and boats responded to fire, but non are seen yet in the vicinity of drifting NEW DIAMOND. Last AIS dated 0620 UTC Sep 3.
Very Large Crude Carrier NEW DIAMOND issued distress signal early in the morning Sep 3, reporting fire in engine room, in Bay of Bengal some 40 nm east of southeast Sri Lanka coast. The ship is disabled, drifting since around 0200 UTC. Sri Lankan authorities said crew will be evacuated, though probably, there’s no need in evacuation, if crew managed to extinguish fire by own means. Tanker in load is en route from Basra Iraq to Paradip India. AIS seems to be working. No other details available at the moment.
Crude oil tanker NEW DIAMOND, IMO 9191424, dwt 299986, built 2000, flag Panama, manager NEW SHIPPING LTD-LIB, Greece (EQUASIS).
One crewmember on the 2002-built livestock carrier Gulf Livestock 1 has been rescued by the Japan Coast Guard. Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer from the Philippines, is the sole crewmember to have been found alive following the Panamanian-flagged ship’s sinking in the early hours of Wednesday morning off southern Japan. Another 42 crew are missing, as are 5,867 cattle.
Edvarodo, plucked from the sea after many hours in the East China Sea, related that the ship had encountered bad weather caused by Typhoon Maysak. Its engine failed and then a freak wave battered the converted former boxship and it capsized.
When the ship capsized, crew were instructed to put on lifejackets. Edvarodo said he jumped into the water and did not see any other crew before he was rescued.
The vessel - which was en route from New Zealand to China - is owned by UAE shipowner Gulf Navigation and prior to conversion in 2012 was a 630 teu boxship.
In May 2019, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority identified stability and navigation issues in the Gulf Livestock 1, delaying its departure on a journey from Broome to Indonesia.
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has temporarily suspended consideration of cattle livestock export applications in the wake of the accident.
Veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson worked on livestock carriers for many years. Coming ashore she penned a series of exposés on the trades for Splash,
all accessible here.
今回、沈没した家畜運搬船「GULF LIVESTOCK 1 Livestock Carrier IMO:926883」は2018年にオーストラリアで復元性に問題があると指摘され出港停止命令を受けた「JAWAN IMO:9262895」と同型船だと書かれています。確かに写真を見ると同じような改造で、同じように見えます。
同型船が同じ仕様で改造されていれば同じように復元性に問題があると疑うべきだと思います。その意味では、今回の悲劇は回避できた可能性はあるけれど、「GULF LIVESTOCK 1 Livestock Carrier IMO:926883」の船級、船が登録されている旗国：パナマ、又は、オーストラリアを含むこの船が入港する国のＰＳＣ(外国船舶監督官)しか問題を指摘する権限を持っている組織はないだろう。
記事は パナマ船籍を非難しているが、船に対して国際条約で要求される証書及び船級証書を発給している船級にも責任があると思う。船の復元性（スタビリティ）に関しては船級に責任があると思う。まあ、見つけた記事が船級の責任を指摘していないのは不思議であるがこれがこの世の中の流れであり、悲劇が回避される可能性があったが、このような結果になった間接的な原因のひとつだと思う。
世の中、単純に運が良い、悪いで全てが決まってしまう事がある。そして、旗国が悪いと言い続けるだけでは問題は大きく改善しない事を世の中は考えた方が良いと思う。旗国と船級（又は、検査の承認を受けた検査会社）のどちらかが問題を指摘すれば、船を運航させることは出来ない。2年前にCaptain Dr Peter KerkenezovがJAWAN IMO 9262895の問題を指摘し、その指摘に関して Jawan's sister ship Rahmeh（GULF LIVESTOCK 1 Livestock Carrier IMO:926883の以前の船名）をチェックするべきだとコメントしている人がいる。事故が起きれば部分的に正しさが証明されるわけだが、その時には被害や犠牲者が出る。WHOが未だに新型コロナに関して間違いを認めないが世の中、何かを変えるためには犠牲や生贄が必要だと言う事だろう。利害関係や利権が存在する限り、問題を解決する方向には動くとは限らないと言う事であろう。
Rolling Livestock Carrier Fails to Leave Port Again 11/27/18（The Maritime Excecutive)
A LIVESTOCK vessel carrying 43 crew members, believed to include two Australians, and almost 6000 cattle from New Zealand has disappeared in the East China Sea near Japan after issuing a distress signal during Typhoon Maysak early yesterday morning.
Of the 43 crew on board 39 were from the Philippines, and two each are reported to be from New Zealand and Australia.
The vessel, the Gulf Livestock 1, was carrying 5867 cattle which were loaded in Napier in New Zealand on August 14 and was travelling enroute to Tangshan in China.
The Gulf Livestock 1 issued a distress signal in the early hours of yesterday morning when it was about 185km off the small island of Amami Oshima south west if Japan.
Powerful winds have hampered large-scale air and sea search efforts.
ABC Television reported this afternoon that searchers have found one crew member from the Philippines and have also reportedly found one empty lifeboat from the vessel.
The Gulf Livestock 1 was carrying cattle from New Zealand on this journey, believed to be dairy heifers, but is also a regular visitor to Australian shores.
It is accredited by the Australian Marine Safety Authority to transport livestock from Australia. In June it carried cattle from Townsville to Indonesia, followed by a run from Portland to China in July, before stopping on the return leg to take on fuel in Gladstone before crossing the Tasman to New Zealand to load cattle for its current voyage.
It is understood the consignment was being shipped by an exporter that operates out of both Australia and New Zealand.
The vessel was built in 2002 as a container ship and was converted into a livestock carrier in 2012. It is currently owned United Arab Emirates based shipping company Gulf Navigation.
The ship was formerly known as the Rahmeh, a sister ship to the Jawan which experienced stability issues after loading cattle at Portland in December 2018, requiring stability rectification works in Singapore.
The Gulf Livestock 1 experienced stability issues before a voyage from Broome to Indonesia in May last year, according to an Independent Observer’s report of the voyage.
“Due to stability and navigation issues identified by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the departure date of the vessel was delayed for one week to allow these issues to be resolved,” the IO reported.
Some Australian livestock export companies have lobbied in recent years for industry and Government regulators to introduce tougher new standards for shipping, including urging the phasing out of ‘converted’ livestock ships in favour of modern purpose-built livestock carriers to carry Australian livestock. This unfolding tragedy appears set to refocus renewed scrutiny on vessels operating in the trade.
Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council CEO Mark Harvey-Sutton said the industry’s thoughts are with everyone effected.
“The search is still underway, our thoughts and concerns are with those effected and the families of the crew,” he said.
“It is obviously a very uncertain time, we’re doing what we can to assist but a lot is being done at the consular level as the search is still ongoing.”
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has revoked the Australian Certificate for the Carriage of Livestock (ACCL) for the Panamanian flagged livestock carrier, MV Jawan.
The maritime body said that the decision was made due to unreliability of the vessel’s approved stability data when the vessel is loaded.
The Jawan was scheduled to depart from Portland on a journey from Australia to Pakistan this morning after the vessel’s classification society, on behalf of the flag state, provided their assessment of the ship’s stability.
“When moved from berth, the ship demonstrated a motion that suggested the ship lacked stability. The master of the vessel requested the vessel be returned to the berth. The attending AMSA Marine Surveyor boarded the vessel as soon as it was secured,” AMSA said.
All vessels that visit Australia are required to have approved stability information and must calculate the vessel’s stability for every voyage in accordance with the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), given effect in Australian law through the Navigation Act 2012.
AMSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mick Kinley, said that revoking the ACCL was considered the only option given the circumstances.
“It is extremely concerning that the operators are unable determine the vessel’s stability in a loaded condition since its recent dry-docking and the operator and classification society seem unable to provide a plausible explanation for this situation. It’s a very basic requirement,” Kinley said.
The revoking of the carriage certificate comes two weeks after the vessel was ordered to offload thousands of cattle at Portland because the ship experienced violent rocking from side to side while sailing. This was just a week after the ship was ordered to return to port and offload cattle due to instability issues.
One of the potential reasons behind the instability problem is believed to be the fact that the ship was converted into a livestock carrier from a general cargo ship, ABC news reported earlier citing Peter Van Duyn, of Deakin University.
AMSA said that it expects the vessel will be subject to a detailed examination by the operator and classification society. This may include an ‘inclining experiment’ to fully determine the vessel’s condition and why the current data cannot be relied upon.
“AMSA will also be working with the vessel’s operator, flag state and classification society to determine how the problems with the vessel’s stability data have originated,” the maritime authority added.
Australia ordered that all cattle be removed from a Panama-flagged livestock carrier after the vessel ran into stability issues shortly after leaving port last Thursday.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority ordered that the vessel, named Jawan, be detained as it investigated.
According to reports, the Jawan was departing for Muscat, Oman with 4,327 cattle on board when it began listing heavily, forcing the pilot to return the ship to port.
Video of the incident shows the Jawan rolling violently from side to side in seemingly calm, sheltered waters:
Livestock carrier MV Jawan, with more than 4,300 cows on board, rolling at Australia’s port or Portland. pic.twitter.com/DREggwMfHU
— Mike Schuler (@MikeSchuler) November 29, 2018
The AMSA eventually ordered that all cattle was to be removed from the vessel under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
As of Thursday, AIS ship tracking data showed the MV Jawan had departed Portland with its destination unknown – and no cattle on board.
The MV Jawan began to rock severely from side to side as soon as it departed from the Port of Portland.(Supplied: Allen McCauley)
The live export ship that was forced to off-load thousands of animals at a Victorian port after it was seen violently rocking from side to side was not originally designed to carry cattle, according to a shipping expert.
Peter Van Duyn, of Deakin University, said the MV Jawan, like many other ships, was originally designed to carry cargo before being converted for live export purposes in 2003.
"The issue is when you build it for containers then you have cargo down below, when you convert it into livestock that affects the stability of the ship quite dramatically," the maritime logistics expert said.
"I've never ever seen something as bad as this before.
"Luckily this one didn't result in the vessel keeling over completely and thousands of cows drowning and potentially crew on board the ship."
The MV Jawan, bound for Pakistan and the Middle East, off-loaded more than 4,000 head of cattle at Portland yesterday after being ordered to return to dock on Saturday — its second false start in a week.
Last Thursday the ship was turned back by the harbour pilot and 380 head of cattle were off-loaded.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority announced on Monday that the ship would not be allowed to leave the port with cattle onboard.
Ship registered in Panama
The MV Jawan is registered in Panama, a country Mr Van Duyn said was known for lax maritime regulations.
The Awassi Express, aboard which thousands of sheep died earlier this year due to poor ventilation, was also a Panama-registered craft.
"A lot of ships are registered in places like Panama or Liberia, because the regulations are less strict," Mr Van Duyn said.
"Consequently, we do find that vessels registered in these countries do tend to have more incidents and accidents."
Veterinarian Lynn Simpson, who served on 57 live export voyages before dedicating herself to opposing the practice, said the MV Jawan incident reminded her of the Danny FII tragedy.
Forty-three crew and nearly 30,000 cattle and sheep were killed when the boat sunk off the coast of Lebanon in 2009.
Four years earlier, in 2005, the Danny FII was banned from Australia after failing to meet Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) requirements — but was subsequently bought and proceeded to trade from Panama.
"We don't want to see another Danny FII," Dr Simpson said.
"AMSA is doing a good job by the fact that they've stood their ground in the past by getting rid of ships like the Danny FII."
Election issue
The footage of the badly-listing MV Jawan was sent to the Animal Justice Party, which posted it online late last week.
The party's western region leader, Andy Meddick, may pick up a seat in Victoria's Upper House following Saturday's election, and is vowing to try and keep live exports on the Federal agenda.
"The industry itself wants to avoid scrutiny, it doesn't want to be put in the public gaze," Mr Meddick said.
"AMSA and other relevant bodies are always under-resourced.
"There's never enough funding and never enough people and they don't have the remit or the authority … to actually conduct the investigation themselves."
The MV Jawan was carrying more than 4,000 cattle bound for Pakistan and Oman.(ABC News: Daniel Miles)
Meanwhile Federal Labor's Shadow Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said that cases like this threatened community support for the $1.2 billion live cattle industry.
"It may be the response to this incident is sufficient, we just simply don't know," Mr Fitzgibbon said.
"But the fact that we don't know is part of the problem.
"We don't have sufficient urgency shown in these cases, we don’t have enough transparency, we certainly don't have sufficient independent oversight."
"That's why it's so important to the cattle trade itself to have a robust regulatory regime and oversight, because when you have that you build that social license," he said.
"Giving a free leave pass to the sector to behave however it likes then you do the trade damage, the industry damage and we as a government would like to do something much different than that."
The live cattle trade is in the spotlight after a ship was detained off the Port of Portland.(ABC Rural: Jess Davis)
Earlier this year Mr Fitzgibbon announced Labor's plan to phase out the live export trade, which the Government described as a "reckless", "knee-jerk" plan that "punishes farmers" and would lead to job losses.
The Minister for Agriculture's office said it would not comment on the MV Jawan incident because AMSA was run by the Department of Transport and Infrastructure.
Both departments referred the ABC to the following statement from AMSA:
"AMSA determined that the ship would not be released from detention with cattle on-board until the stability issues could be explained and resolved.
AMSA has informed the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources of the decision not to release the vessel."
An Australian vet has been named as among those on a live export ship that has gone missing after a typhoon hit waters south west of Japan.
The Japanese coastguard is searching for Gulf Livestock 1, which it believes may have sunk off the Japanese coast.
Queensland vet Lukas Orda, who is married with a six-month-old son, has been named by local media as one of the Australians on board.
Mr Orda studied at James Cook University and worked at the Gold Coast Equine Clinic before joining the cattle export ship as a veterinary officer in June.
The vet’s last post was on June 24, writing, “And the first 20 day stretch of my trip starts.....”
It was accompanied by a map showing he was travelling to Yantai, China from Port of Portland in Victoria.
Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) says it understands the other Australian on-board is a stock handler.
Chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton told ABC radio they’re waiting “anxiously” for news.
“It is a very close-knit community the live stock industry both here (Australia) and in New Zealand, so everyone is very concerned about the situation and we’re just hoping for the best,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told news.com.au they were in contact with the families of the crew members on board.
“The Australian Government is providing consular assistance to the families of two Australian crew members on board a cargo vessel reported missing in Japanese waters,” DFAT said in a statement. “Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”
One crew member has been rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard today, however the welfare of the rest of those on-board remains unknown, according to a report from RNZ.
The rescued man, identified as Sareno Edvardo, 45, of the Philippines, was hospitalised on the Japanese island of Amami Oshima, The New York Times reports.
Images of his rescue released by the Coast Guard shows Mr Edvardo bobbing in dark waters.
He told rescuers the ship had suffered engine failure during the typhoon, before it capsized after being hit by a freak wave.
“When it was capsizing, an on-board announcement instructed us to wear a life jacket,” Mr. Edvardo said, according to the Coast Guard. “So I wore a life jacket and jumped into the sea.”
Yuichiro Higashi, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said on Thursday that patrol ships were continuing to search for other crew members.
On board the missing vessel are also two New Zealanders, as well as a crew including 39 people from the Philippines and one person from Singapore according to The New Zealand Herald, as well asabout 5800 head of cattle.
The search efforts are being affected by Typhoon Maysak. The cargo ship went missing after sending a distress signal during the typhoon, while in the East China
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has halted considering cattle livestock export applications after a ship that recently left New Zealand went missing.
Rescuers are searching for livestock carrier Gulf Livestock 1 and its 42 crew members, including two New Zealanders, that a survivor said sank off a southern Japanese island after making a distress call in seas roughened by a typhoon.
The ship was sailing from Napier to China.
Japan's coastguard said it rescued one crew member, Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer from the Philippines, while searching for the ship.
According to Edvarodo, the vessel lost an engine before it was hit by a wave and sank during rough weather, a coastguard spokeswoman said.
When the ship capsized, crew were instructed to put on lifejackets. Edvarodo said he jumped into the water and did not see any other crew before he was rescued.
「The 139 metre (450 ft), Panamanian-flagged vessel was built in 2002 and the registered owner is Amman-based Rahmeh Compania Naviera SA, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The ship manager is Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.」
TOKYO/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A ship carrying 43 crew and nearly 6,000 cattle from New Zealand to China capsized after losing an engine in stormy weather in the East China Sea, the only crew member rescued so far told Japan's coastguard on Thursday.
The Gulf Livestock 1 sent a distress call from the west of Amami Oshima island in southwestern Japan on Wednesday as Typhoon Maysak headed through the region towards the Korean peninsula, bringing strong winds, heavy seas and drenching rains.
Japan's coastguard said it had rescued one crew member, Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer from the Philippines, on Wednesday night (Tokyo time) while searching for the ship.
According to Edvarodo, the ship lost an engine before it was hit by a wave and capsized, a coastguard spokeswoman said.
When the ship capsized, crew were instructed to put on lifejackets. Edvarodo told the coastguard he jumped into the water and did not see any other crew members before he was rescued.
Pictures provided by the coastguard showed a person in a lifejacket being hauled from choppy seas in darkness.
Three vessels, five airplanes and two divers had been deployed to continue the search, the coastguard said.
The crew included 39 people from the Philippines, two from New Zealand, and two from Australia, it added.
The Philippines government said it was coordinating with the Japanese coastguard as it searched for the missing crew members ahead of another typhoon expected to hit the area.
Typhoon Haishen was in the northwest Pacific, tracking through the East China Sea towards South Korea.
At least one person was reported killed in South Korea after Typhoon Maysak made landfall on Thursday and strong winds shattered a window in the southern city of Busan.
LIVE CATTLE EXPORT IN SPOTLIGHT
The Gulf Livestock 1 departed Napier in New Zealand on Aug. 14 with a cargo of 5,867 cattle bound for the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China. The journey was expected to take about 17 days, New Zealand's foreign ministry told Reuters.
The 139 metre (450 ft), Panamanian-flagged vessel was built in 2002 and the registered owner is Amman-based Rahmeh Compania Naviera SA, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The ship manager is Hijazi & Ghosheh Co.
New Zealand animal rights organisation SAFE said the tragedy demonstrated the risks of the live animal export trade.
"These cows should never have been at sea," said campaigns manager Marianne Macdonald.
"This is a real crisis, and our thoughts are with the families of the 43 crew who are missing with the ship. But questions remain, including why this trade is allowed to continue."
Last year, New Zealand's government launched a review of the country's live export trade, worth around NZ$54 million ($37 million) in 2019, after thousands of animals being exported from New Zealand and Australia died in transit.
A conditional ban on the live export of cattle was one of several options being considered, Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said.
Reporting by Praveen Menon in Wellington and Junko Fujita in Tokyo; Additional reporting by Gavin Maguire and Roslan Khasawneh in Singapore and Karen Lema in Manila; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Richard Pullin and Gerry Doyle
1x Mak 8M43 - 4 stroke single acting 8 cylinder 430 x 610 mm combustion engine 7.200 kW / 9.655 bhp at 500 rpm
Propellers
x Controllable pitch propeller - aft at 171 rpm
Boilers
1x Steam boiler, oil fired - 9,0 bar
Heating surface: 14,0 m² 1x Exhaust gas heated - 9,0 bar
Heating surface: 148,0 m²
Electric installations
1x Plant 440/220 V - 1.076 kVA 1x Plant 440 V - 1.250 kVA 1x Plant 440 V - 500 kVA 1x Plant 24 V - 135 Ah 1x Plant 24 V - 135 Ah 1x Plant 24 V - 360 Ah
Shaft generator
1.000 kW / 1.250 kVA
Generators
2x Main diesel generatorsets each 538 kVA - 430 kW - 700 hp
Emergency generator
1x Diesel generatorset 500 kVA - 400 kW - 667 hp
Batteries
2x Batteries for start emergency engine each 360 Ah 1x Battery for automation 135 Ah
Livestock carrier RAHMEH had to shelter at Cesme anchorage, Turkey, Aegean sea, on Sep 13, to fix mechanical problem, which requires spare parts to be delivered on board. The ship is ballasting from Istanbul to Gibraltar. There were fears among local residents, because during her previous voyage with livestock from Brazil to Turkey, some animals were found to be infected with anthrax, RAHMEH was under quarantine in Turkish waters for quite some time. Authorities had to issue official statement, assuring people that there’s no bio danger, and that the ship and the crew will undergo health inspection.
In a suit filed in the Duval County, Florida, Circuit Court on September 1 by law firm Pajcic & Pajcic, ten Jacksonvile Fire and Rescue employees are seeking damages for injuries, including burns, suffered when they responded to the blaze that broke out June 4 on the car carrier Hoegh Xiamen (see earlier story).
All were injured in an explosion aboard the blazing ship, which was docked at the Port of Jacksonville’s Blount Island terminal.
“It was a recipe for disaster,” said attorney Curry Pajcic in describing the chaotic scene facing first responders responding to the blaze.
Named as defendants in the law suit are: Hoegh Autoliners Shipping AS; Hoegh Autoliners Management AS; Hoegh Autoliners, Inc.; Horizon Terminal Services, llc; Grimaldi Deepsea S.P.A., and SSA Marine, Inc.
According to the law firm, at the time the fire broke out, the ship was loaded with fuel and used/wrecked cars, and ready to get underway. However, the ship’s crew had turned off the Fire Alarm System, allowing a fire to start, burn, and spread unabated in the cargo decks.
When rescue arrived, they encountered a vessel belching smoke, a crew unable to speak English — and unable to communicate where the fire was or how to get to it. That forced the rescuers to go blindly onto the 600 foot burning vessel to try to find the location of the blaze as temperatures reached more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Fire is one of, if not the, most dangerous events on any ship and RO/RO ships have a recognized propensity to catch fire — especially when transporting motor vehicles, and particularly wrecked motor vehicles, which are hazardous cargo, prone to catching fire given the combination of gasoline and automotive batteries which create sparks and ignite,” says the complaint filed in the case.
The complaint also asserts that Grimaldi Group, which was operating the Hoegh Xiamen under a time charter with Hoegh Shipping and supplying the officers and crew, had experienced fires on its other RO/RO auto carrier ships and had written about the dangers of these reoccurring and dangerous automobile fires on ships — including the risks presented by car batteries.
The ship was not equipped with a water sprinkler system and there were no internal hose connections in the stairwell to assist firefighters in fighting the blaze, along with a long list of other defects and hazards, said Pajcic & Pajcic in a press release. The complaint filed in the case also cites the crew’s failure to properly utilize the CO2 system so as to extinguish the blaze before it was permitted to spread;
“As the firefighters were in a staging area in the stairwell to attack the fire, there was an explosion from within the ship, said the law firm. ‘The explosion roared down the stairwell, blasting the Firemen with continuous severe heat while they were trapped in the stairwell of the burning ship.”
The heat from the explosion and the power of the blast, severely burned the faces, hands, and bodies of the firefighters, blasted several firefighters out of the 5th deck doorway and over cars, throwing others down flights of stairs, snapping bones, tearing flesh, and causing severe physical and emotional trauma as the first responders believed they were going to be trapped inside the ship and burned to death, says the firm.
Firefighter Shawn O’Shell, a 17-year firefighter veteran, described the scene on the ship as a living hell. “I heard a God-awful growl, and then felt the ship shaking, and then the explosion … it was like a blast furnace … being trapped behind the engine of an F-16 blasting into you, extreme heat that keeps going, and going, and going, and you have nowhere to go. I was trapped, I thought, ‘I’m going to die on this ship’ … my thoughts flashed to my wife, daughter and son, and what they would do….”
The Hoegh Xiamen continued to smolder and burn for the next eight days. Unable to re-enter the ship after the explosion, JFRD continuously sprayed water on the outside of the ship to maintain its integrity and prevent an environmental disaster while the inside of the ship and its combustible cargo continued to burn.
Fire left interior of ship completely burned out [Image: Pajcic and Pajcic]
According to the lawsuit , the defendants were negligent in failing to maintain and outfit the ship in a reasonably safe condition, as well as many other failures that endangered the lives of the rescue team.
Curry Pajcic described his clients as true American heroes. “They ran into the storm, a storm created by an irresponsible company, an ill-equipped crew, and dangerous cargo, that was a recipe for disaster … especially when the ship’s crew made the willful, intentional decision to turn off the alarm system at a time and place when they knew they had dangerous combustible cargo. The JFRD averted a major disaster to the St. Johns River and Blount Island, but the ten firemen will forever live with the physical and emotional scars caused by the Defendants’ negligence.”
The Hoegh Xiamen was subsequently declared a constructive total loss and on August 30 was towed out of Jacksonville, presumably headed for demolition.
A Florida law firm, Pajcic & Pajcic, filed a lawsuit yesterday on behalf of 10 Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighters injured in a June explosion on the Höegh Xiamen car carrier.
On June 4, a fire started on the ship which was docked in the St Johns River at Blount Island. About 2,400 old cars had been loaded for transport to West Africa.
The lawsuit names Hoegh Autoliners Shipping, Hoegh Autoliners Management, Hoegh Autoliners, Horizon Terminal Services, Grimaldi Deepsea, and SSA Marine as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges the ship’s crew turned off the vessel’s fire alarm system, allowing a fire to spread unabated in the cargo decks. The lawsuit also claims that the cars batteries had not been disconnected.
“It was a recipe for disaster,” law firm partner Curry Pajcic said in a news release.
The Höegh Xiamen burned for eight days. Fire crews continuously sprayed water on the outside of the ship during the blaze.
“They ran into the storm, a storm created by an irresponsible company, an ill-equipped crew and dangerous cargo,” Pajcic claimed.
Hoegh Autoliners has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
Secret decks not in cargo plan found to carry extra animals in a livestock carrier that sank off the Romanian port of Midia in November.
Only 180 sheep survived out of the 14,600 initially believed to have been onboard the carrier from Romania, to Saudi Arabia.
Animal activists called to impose a ban on live exports from Europe to non-EU countries, particularly the Middle East and north Africa.
Calls getting strengthened for an outright ban of long-distance transports of live animals and a maximum of eight hours transportation duration.
Romania exports about 3 million sheep annually.
European live animal exports rose from a value of $1bn (£800m) in 2000 to $3.3bn in 2018.
Divers team that was salvaging a sunken livestock carrier discovered secret decks purportedly used for transporting thousands of undocumented animals. The extra weight is likely what capsized the vessel, says an article published in The Guardian.
Secret decks for extra animals
Salvage divers off Romania found secret decks for extra animals in a livestock carrier that sank off the Romanian port of Midia in November. Click here for previous insight.
According to the company that carried out the massive salvage operation, thousands of sheep were drowned.
Was it 14,600 sheep onboard?
Only 180 sheep survived out of the 14,600 initially believed to have been onboard the Queen Hind, which was carrying them from Romania, the EU’s biggest exporter of the animal, to Saudi Arabia.
But the revelations about secret decks are likely to increase the death toll by several thousands.
Was overloading the reason?
This had raised fresh questions on whether overloading was the reason for the capsize.
The vessel was left on its side in the water as it sank not far from port, with sheep corpses piling up around it. With the images of the tragedy getting circulated, animal activists called to impose a ban on live exports from Europe to non-EU countries, particularly the Middle East and north Africa.
GSP Offshore won the auction
It was reported that Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP Offshore) won the auction to bring the vessel to shore.
It made its first attempt on Saturday but operations were halted after the crane’s cables were unable to bear the load.
Four additional decks spotted
Gabriel Comănescu, GSP’s president, was quoted by Adevărul as saying that “during the operation, the divers entered the water, [and] found additional decks. These additional decks also have animals on board.” Additional decks not included in cargo plan
Comănescu added that the additional decks were not included in the cargo plan and they were undeclared. Comănescu insisted that the authorities have to find out why they were loaded and why they were not included in the cargo plan. “There is a much larger load than over 14,000 sheep.”
Complaints to be filed
Gabriel Paun, of Animals International, said the revelation “confirms our initial suspicion that the vessel capsized because of overloading.”
Animals International said it will file complaints to the EU commission and the Romanian prosecutor’s anti-corruption department.
GSP efforts to bring out the vessel
Paun said :
GSP came with the right equipment last week and they tried to lift it up with a crane and bring it to the shore.
They had calculated that the ship was full of water and animals, so they were prepared to lift more [weight] but still the cables broke.
Divers for investigation
The head of the company had sent down divers to investigate, and discovered secret decks loaded with thousands of animals.
No more than eight hours transportation duration
Brian da Cal, UK director at the animal welfare organisation Four Paws, said he feared that the death of thousands of sheep could have been avoided.
He said, the allegations regarding hidden decks on the ship are of huge concern and strengthens the calls for an outright ban of long-distance transports of live animals and a maximum of eight hours transportation duration.
Rescue and survival
He said Four Paws was able to rescue 254 sheep from the half-sunken ship but several died later of exhaustion and injuries. 180 survived and are now being kept in a location north of Bucharest.
Paun said Romania exports about 3 million sheep annually. European live animal exports rose from a value of $1bn (£800m) in 2000 to $3.3bn in 2018.
More than two months after the livestock carrier 'Queen Hind' capsized and sank off Romania taking down over 14,000 sheep, the company tasked with the ship salvage has discovered secret decks that could accommodate a higher number of animals. This has created allegations that the sheep death toll was higher than thought.
The livestock carrier was heading from Romania to Saudi Arabia, when it overturned just off Midia Port, Romania, on 24 November, with approximately 14,600 sheep and 22 crew members onboard. The crew was saved but only 180 sheep survived.
However, the recent revelations by the salvage company on extra decks are likely to increase the death toll by several thousands, and raise fresh questions on whether overloading was to blame for the capsize, The Guardian reports.
In particular, the salvage firm Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP Offshore), halted operations Saturday, after the crane’s cables were unable to bear the load, the Romanian national daily Adevărul reported.
As such, the divers entered the water and found additional decks, which also had animals onboard, Gabriel Comănescu, GSP’s president, was quoted as saying.
"There are decks not included in the cargo plan, they are undeclared. It is the problem of the authorities to find out why they were loaded and why they were not included in the cargo plan. It’s a big question. There is a much larger load than over 14,000 sheep,"
...he stressed.
Meanwhile, this news re-surges initial suspicions that the incident occurred due to overloading.
In light of this, animal welfare organization Animals International said it will file complaints to the EU commission and the Romanian prosecutor’s anti-corruption department.
Salvors working on the capsized livestock carrier Queen Hind claim they have found extra decks on the vessel.
The Palau-flagged Queen Hind capsized shortly after departing the Port of Midia in Romania on November 24 last year. While the crew escaped safely, only 180 of 14,600 sheep were saved. Salvors Grup Servizi Petroliere (GSP) claim that there could have been more sheep lost, as divers found that the extra decks had animals on board.
Divers were sent to investigate after cranes were unable to lift the vessel as planned. Cables snapped under the extra weight which could mean that several thousand more sheep were onboard than previously reported. The salvors claim the extra decks were not documented on the cargo loading plan.
The claim that extra sheep were on board has been disputed. Local media reports cite an official saying that the salvors may not have accounted for the extra weight of water-logged sheep; the salvors dispute this. Additionally, it has been noted that exact counts of sheep are not made at boarding.
The Guardian reports Gabriel Paun, a spokesperson for Animals International, saying the vessel was suspected to have capsized due to overloading. Animals International plans to make a formal complaint to the European Commission about the case.
Nautilus International has called on Romanian and European Maritime Authorities to thoroughly investigate the causes that led to a livestock carrier capsizing in calm waters off Romania this week ahead of the 10th anniversary of the sinking of the Danny F II converted animal carrier.
The 1980-built converted Ro-Ro Queen Hind, owned by MGM and Registered in Palau, capsized a few hundred feet off the Romanian port of Midia. In this case, thankfully all 22 of the Syrian crew survived, with one member being treated for hypothermia. The carrier was loaded with 14,600 sheep of which 33 survived.
'This is a shocking incident, and the second within in a year for livestock carriers. It highlights the dangers that seafarers face every day working aboard such vessels and is an issue we have long campaigned on through our efforts to get the details of the 2009 Danny F II sinking published,' Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said.
'A thorough investigation must now be conducted into this latest incident so that the maritime industry can learn safety lessons for keeping seafarers safe and improving animal welfare.'
Two Nautilus members, the master and the electrical-technical officer (ETO), were among the 44 crew of the Danny F II who died when the converted Ro-Ro vessel sank off the coast of Lebanon in 2009.
Nautilus International joined crew families over several years to pressure Panama to publish the report, which many claimed should have been submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) much sooner than July 2013 four years after the sinking. The public can now access the report by registering with the IMO's GISIS database.
The Danny F II casualty report noted the vessel was a converted Ro-Ro and that losing that ro-ro classification needed to be further explored. It highlighted various deficiencies including stability and structure although did no apportion specific blame. It also recommended that owners and operators need to ensure all crew have basic safety knowledge and take part in drills.
Nautilus members who work onboard livestock carriers and may have concerns about the conditions they are working under should bring them to the attention of their Union Organiser or call the Union's 24/7 helpline.
Nautilus is concerned that too many flag states fail to produce adequate accident investigation reports in a timely manner and that this sets back knowledge and understanding of important maritime safety problems.
Australian veterinary surgeon Dr Lynne Simpson who worked onboard livestock carriers from 2001 until mid-2011, now blogs about her experiences and what she perceives as the 'inherent dangers of taking livestock to sea'.
'There is no way to transport large numbers of animals by sea and be financially viable, corners are cut, animals and crew suffer as a result,' writes Dr Simpson.
'The EU will be under massive pressure now to ensure disasters such as this do not occur again.'
Dr Simpson highlights several shocking accidents involving live animal carriers in recent years, including another in the Port of Midia in 2017 when Youseff H collided with a Russian Navy vessel, sinking the Russian vessel with all crew requiring rescue.
In November 2018 livestock carrier Jawan nearly capsized with 4,327 cattle onboard departing the Australian Port of Portland.
In 2016 a live animal carrier with 3,000 sheep onboard encountered rough weather off Somalia. The ship caught fire and sunk with all 3,000 sheep burnt to death.
In 2015 Haider capsized carrying 5,000 cattle while in port in Brazil. Most of the cattle drowned.
The Romanian Naval Authority has responsibility for safety of navigation and ships security in Romanian waters. It co-ordinates the activities of search and rescue of human life, ships and aircrafts in distress at sea and in the national navigable waters of Romania.]
Following the entry into force of Directive 2009/18/EC establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector, EU Member States are required to notify the European Commission of marine casualties and incidents via the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP) database.
EMCIP is administered by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). EMSA was set up to ensure a high, uniform and effective level of maritime safety in the EU.
A livestock carrier capsized and sank while berthed at Porto Vila do Conde in Barcarena, Brazil, leaving cattle stranded on top of the overturned hull.
Some 5,000 animals were onboard the Lebanon-flagged Haidar (6,419 dwt, built 1994; pictured) at the time of the sinking, which happened within two hours of the vessel capsizing, local reports say.
Image: diarioonline.com.br / Divulgação
The vessel reportedly developed a list while moored at the berth, but the crew were evacuated before the ship turned over.
Floating Storage and Offloading Unit FSO NABARIMA was reported by Eudis Girot, one of trade unions leaders of Venezuelan Oil Industry, to be in emergency situation, due to lack of proper and professional maintenance. FSO with some 173000 tons of oil on board, positioned in Venezuelan waters, is suffering water ingress in superstructure/engine room area, with water in some compartments being up to 1.5 meters high. FSO developed a slight starboard list. Mr. Eudis Girot is blaming for it the PDSVA management, which manned FSO with unqualified personnel, incapable of handling FSO machinery.
All photos full-scale at Eudis Girot post in twitter https://twitter.com/search?q=%40EudisGirot&src=typed_query
The vessel reportedly developed a list while moored at the berth, but the crew were evacuated before the ship turned over.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Two crew members from a tugboat involved in cleaning up an oil spill off Mauritius were killed late on Monday when their vessel collided with a barge in bad weather, a local lawmaker said.
Four other members of the crew were rescued by helicopter and two were still missing, Mahend Gungerpersad, a member of parliament for the opposition Labour Party, told Reuters on Tuesday.
"This incident is going to add to the prevailing anger," he said, referring to weekend protests over the handling of the operation to contain the oil spill and the deaths of dozens of dolphins in the area.
"We had the oil spill, then we had the deaths of the dolphins and now two people who have been killed."
The MV Wakashio, a Japanese bulk carrier, struck a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island nation's coast in July, spilling thousands of tonnes of crude oil into the sea and choking marine life in a pristine lagoon.
According to Gungerpersad, the tugboat and barge sent out a distress signal at between 7.30 and 8.00 p.m. on Monday. The tugboat capsized after the collision. Both ships were moving parts salvaged from the site of the oil spill into the port.
Mauritians have been angered by what Gungerpersad called "mismanagement" and "incompetence" by the government in its handling of the crisis.
Apart from dolphin deaths, the spill has threatened decades of work to conserve local sea birds and plant species in a nearby protected reserve.
31 August: location of tugboat and oil barge sinking, Wakashio wreck and where dead whales and dolphins had washed onto shore on Mauritius.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with the latest developments.
Update: overnight reports had initially indicated the oil barge had sunk. Video taken by local fishermen on 1 September morning revealed the oil barge drifting unattached along the coast of Mauritius. There was no satellite anti-collision tracking transponder on the oil barge. On 1 September 2020, 4 members of the tugboat crew had been rescued, 3 members had been confirmed dead and 1 is still 1 missing.
In an incredible new development overnight on Monday 31 August, a major operation is underway in Mauritius as a barge carrying oil from the stricken Japanese iron-ore vessel The Wakashio collided with a tug boat pulling it.
The tug boat - which had been involved in the Wakashio salvage operation - has sunk in the coral lagoon and a major operation is underway to rescue the 8 crew from the water under darkness.
According to reports from local media present on the scene, the Mauritius Port Authority tug boat, called the ‘Sir Gaetan Duval,’ was towing the oil barge back to the harbor capital city, Port Louis.
It had been travelling from the location of the Wakashio oil spill in Pointe d’Esny in the South East of the country, and was heading North around the island.
Both vessels appeared to be around 30 miles North of the original crash site of the Wakashio when they ran into trouble. This is around 20 miles North of where dozens of whales and dolphins had washed up dead on Mauritius’ coasts in the past few days.
According to a statement released by the Mauritian Port Authority, the oil barge was called the ‘l’Ami Constant’ and owned by Mauritian maritime services company, Taylor Smith. The statement also confirmed that the vessel was transporting oil from the Wakashio.
Satellite tracking of the ‘Sir Gaetan Duval’ boat reveal the unsteady path following the collision.
Local officials reported that at 7.40pm on Monday 31 August, the tug boat encountered difficulties with the heavy swells and the oil barge and tug boat collided in the darkness.
Following the collision, water started coming on board the tug boat and the crew jumped into two life rafts. Due to conditions in the water at the time, the life rafts overturned.
One crew member was rescued by helicopter and transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Three others were rescued over the course of the evening, with four remaining missing. [Update 1 September: 3 of the crew had been confirmed dead, 1 still missing]
Local media are reporting at least three coastguard vessels, other tug boats, local fishermen and multiple Mauritian Government helicopters and aircraft are involved in the major rescue operation which is taking place under the cover of darkness in the North of the island.
According to the Head of the Mauritius National Coastguard, all crew had been wearing life vests at the time of the tug boat sinking.
The Mauritius Port Authority has four tug boats and the ‘Sir Gaetan Duval’ had been built in 1993.
20 days in the dark on how much oil was spilled
Since 11 August (20 days ago), there had been no update on the amount of oil on board the Wakashio, in the ocean or on the oil barges. Neither had the details of the fuel transfer operation been disclosed, meaning the public is not aware of how frequently the oil barge had been transporting oil back and forth between the Wakashio and the capital city, Port Louis, to give an indication whether all the oil that had been collected from the Wakashio had been spilled into the ocean or just a smaller fraction.
This lack of transparency from local authorities, the international consultants on the scene, SMIT Salvage, Le Floch Depollution, Polyeco, ITOPF and advisers from the International Maritime Organization, French Government and Japanese Government who are all involved in the massive salvage and cleanup operation, have frustrated Mauritians on the scene and internationally who had been trying to understand the gravity of the situation, and are having to rely on information out from the media. There had been many offers of help internationally that appears to have been ignored or sidelined as the salvage and clean up appeared to veer from one catastrophic response to the next.
None of the international consultants from SMIT Salvage, Le Floch Depollution, Polyeco, ITOPF have responded to questions from the media. Shipowner Nagasaki Shipping has not issued any further statements on the latest sinking of a vessel involved in the Wakashio salvage operation.
This lack of transparency has now meant there is even greater uncertainty over how much oil was on the oil barge being used to transport the fuel to the capital city.
Nature reserves and protected fishing reserves
31 August: location of tugboat and oil barge sinking, Wakashio wreck and where dead whales and dolphins had washed onto shore on Mauritius.
The location of the spill in the North of the country is close to some of Mauritius’ most famous Five Star Hotels and luxury homes. It is too early to tell whether any oil has started to spill in that direction.
It is also an area of protected mangrove forests, dolphin and whale nursing grounds around the edges of the reefs, with the highly protected coral atoll and mangrove nature reserves of Ile D’Ambre, as well as turtle nesting grounds along protected the beaches.
The location of the sinking of the tug boat, place called Poudre d’Or, is also the location of a protected fishing reserve. 15 days after the initial oil leak from the Wakashio, it was revealed that arsenic levels had risen 500% above normal levels from local fish caught in the that region.
It has not been revealed what the impact could be on these habitats with the new leak.
The last official statement on the amount of oil pumped from the Wakashio came 20 days ago on 11 August, four days before the vessel had split in two.
n a statement on 11 August, the Japanese ship owner said that 720 tons (202,000 gallons) had spilled into the lagoon, 1600 tons (450,000 gallons) was still on board, 1480 gallons (415,000 gallons) had been reclaimed. There was no clarity on the diesel and other chemicals being transported on the vessel to power the Wakashio, one of the largest vessels in the ocean.
Calls to clean up the global shipping industry
This comes on the back of an intervention by The Pope over the weekend, calling for greater action to support Mauritius in the clean up operation of the largest oil spill it had ever experienced.
It also followed confirmation earlier on Monday that the number of dead whales had risen to 47 over the weekend, including a number of pregnant female and juvenile whales.
International environmental organizations have also stepped up calls to de-carbonize the shipping industry, following the rising death toll of whales and dolphins.
Following the explosion in Beirut Port at the start of the month, a major oil spill in one of Venezuela’s most protected National Parks, risks of a major oil tanker contaminating the entire Red Sea, this is just the latest case this summer alone, of a major shipping incident leading to an ecological, human, economic and political crisis.
National protests amid parliament suspension
Large protests of over 100,000 were held in the capital city over the weekend in protest against the lack of transparency over the cleanup operation and impact on the country. This represents around one in ten in the country, as protests also took place in front of embassies around the world.
The sinking of the tug boat came in the evening of 31 August, where earlier in the day, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, had addressed the country in a televised address with no media present. This appearance had been criticized for focusing more on the country’s Covid-19 response than transparency on the oil spill cleanup operation. The sinking of the vessel that evening has not helped, amid this lack of transparency, has not helped.
Over the weekend, following large protests about the Wakashio oil spill and slow response, the Mauritius National Parliament was suspended for two months until 3 November 2020 in another indication that independent scrutiny of the Government’s response was being reduced.
This comes following an outcry when journalists from the country’s largest newspaper were refused entry into Prime Ministerial briefings on the Wakashio sinking.
The curse of the Wakashio?
By tomorrow morning, Mauritians may wake up to the reality that the curse of the Wakashio continues to haunt the country.
The need for independent science has never been greater as an ecological tragedy continues to spread and transform the Wakashio into a human tragedy now too.
「The body said the oil tanker MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef Pointe d''Esny on July 25, 2020, while carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil, causing an ecological emergency in Mauritius.・・・MUI General Secretary Amar Singh Thakur said, "Capt Sunil Nandeshwar has had an incident-free career in the merchant navy for over 40 years, and around 25 years in command as ship''s Captain. He has successfully completed over 100 voyages across the globe till-date".」
上記が事実ならタンカーとバルクキャリアの違いがわからない組織であれば、Maritime Union of Union (MUI)のレベルも大したことはない。また、「incident-free career in the merchant navy for over 40 years, and around 25 years in command as ship''s Captain. He has successfully completed over 100 voyages across the globe till-date"」だからと
言っても、記録にないだけで本当に問題がなかったかは別の話。運が良ければ、事故につながる問題が存在しても事故は起こらない。
インド人船長や士官は問題があっても認めなかったり、記録に残さないでくれと言う事が他の国籍の船員に比べて多いと思う。ギリシャ人の船長も同じ傾向があるが、
もうギリシャ人船長自体がかなり減った。記録にないから問題がないとは言えない。
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) Maritime body MUI on Thursday sought intervention from the shipping ministry and other agencies for ensuring fair trial of Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, captain of Japanese oil tanker MV Wakashio that ran aground off the Mauritius coast last month.
Post Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio running aground on a coral reef near the eastern coast of Mauritius on July 25, the ship''s captain has been charged with "endangering safe navigation".
India''s oldest union of merchant navy officers, Maritime Union of Union (MUI) has approached the relevant authorities in Mauritius, seeking a fair inquiry in the judicial trial related to the recent arrest of an Indian national and MV Wakashio ship''s Captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar by the Mauritius Police Force, it said in a statement.
The body said the oil tanker MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef Pointe d''Esny on July 25, 2020, while carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil, causing an ecological emergency in Mauritius.
It has written to the Shipping Ministry of India, Mauritius Government, High Commission of India in Port Louis, High Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Mauritius in India, Office of Mauritius Attorney General, Mauritius Police, Mauritius-based Maritime Transport and Port Employees Union and all relevant offices in Mauritius and India for a fair trial of the matter.
"MUI''s communication has requested these bodies to investigate the arrest of Capt Sunil Nandeshwar in Mauritius and conduct his judicial trial in the local Court abiding the guidelines laid by ''International Maritime Organisation'' and without bowing to any political, governmental or corporate pressure. He is currently in judicial custody in Mauritius," the statement said.
MUI General Secretary Amar Singh Thakur said, "Capt Sunil Nandeshwar has had an incident-free career in the merchant navy for over 40 years, and around 25 years in command as ship''s Captain. He has successfully completed over 100 voyages across the globe till-date".
MUI demanded that the captain be permitted to communicate with his family members and also with his shipping company managers to ensure that he can be defended in the Mauritius Court through professional legal support.
"A decent accommodation should be provided to him instead of lodging him in detention till the local Court pronounces his bail," added Thakur.
MUI said that the union will continue to provide all possible assistance in the matter to ensure justice to Indian seafarers in any part of the world.
The body represents merchant navy officers who are its members and the citizens of India. PTI NAM BAL
Yesterday, after being moved to a sea area designated by the Mauritius authorities, the forepart of the ill-fated Panamanian-flag bulker Wakashio was scuttled, almost exactly one month after its July 25 grounding that caused widespread pollution.
Today, the captain of the vessel, Indian national Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar and the Chief Officer, Tilak ratna Suboda, a Sri Lankan, were back in district court in Port Louis, Mauritius, for a formal hearing, before being returned to police custody for further questioning.
Local media report they are provisionally charged with unlawful “interference with the operation of a property of a ship likely to endanger its safe navigation” under articles 5(1) (b) (2) et (9) of Mauritius’s Piracy and Maritime Violence Act. Reportedly, if convicted, they could face up to 60 years imprisonment.
Their next appearance in court is set for September 1.
According to shipowner, Japan’s Nagashiki Shipping, “regarding the rear part of the hull, the relevant authorities and a team of experts are continuing to study the removal plan.”
Wakashio scuttling on August 24 - courtesy of Mobilisation Nationale Wakashio
Images were released showing the end of the forward section of the grounded bulker Wakashio. With the scuttling now completed efforts are focusing on the remaining stern section with the accommodations block and bridge as well as the ongoing cleanup efforts.
Images courtesy of Mobilisation Nationale Wakashio
According to a statement from the salvage team, the scuttling was competed on August 24, with the forward section plunging below the waves at around 3:30 p.m. local time. The forward section had been towed to the selected position late last week but the operation had been slowed both by rough seas and the efforts required to sink the ship. The salvage crew went aboard to cut holes through the Wakashio's bulkheads to hasten the demise of the vessel. The crew was also seen spraying water into the open holds of the ship.
The scuttling proceeded despite the ongoing protests from environmentalists and other groups. The government, however, said that this course of action was selected after discussions with the broad range of experts who have traveled to Mauritius to assist.
Greenpeace Africa issued another long letter to the government of Mauritius which included a call not to scuttle the Wakashio. “Under no circumstances should the wreck of the ship simply be sunk, we are particularly concerned about this latest proposal, and we urge you to consult internationally on what alternative options may exist, while taking steps to prevent the ship from further breaking up or sinking. Sinking this vessel would risk several whale species and contaminate the ocean with large quantities of heavy metal toxins, threatening other areas as well, notably the French island of La Réunion.”
Efforts on the remaining stern section of the vessel have shifted to removal both of lose debris that could float away as well as potential pollutants. The salvage team had previously reported that they have completed the removal of the residual oil from the stern section. While no firm plans have been announced for the stern section, the owners had previously said that it believed it would also be refloated and scuttled.
In the waters around Mauritius, 40 local fishermen are working with 10 boats from the salvage operation to remove the artisanal booms that had been strung when the ship first began to leak oil. The crews are now relocating approximately 1,000 meters of absorbent booms while the skimming operations and shoreline cleanup continues.
According to a government statement on August 24, a total of 1,122 tons of liquid waste has been collected and 792 tons of contaminated solid waste. Air and water testing are also monitoring for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) or petroleum odor both on shore at public places such as schools as well as along the shoreline. The government reports a mild petroleum odor at Mahebourg Waterfront, a high pH content at Grand River South East, and oil and grease content in the Grand Port area.
The investigation into the cause of the ground is also ongoing. The captain of the ship, who was arrested by Mauritius, is tentatively scheduled to make another court appearance later in the week. In the meantime, the Japanese news outlet Kyodo News is now reporting that the ship moved closer to the shore seeking a cell phone signal so that crew members could call home to check on their families during the pandemic. The news outlet repeats the reports of the birthday party, which they report the captain attended and the acknowledge the serving of alcohol at the party. They report however that they do not know which officer was on bridge watch at the time of the grounding.
「In a response to Forbes on 18 August, representatives of the Japanese owner of the Wakashio, Nagasaki Shipping Co Ltd, referred Forbes to comments made by the Vice Chairman of INTERGARO, (International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners), Captain Jay K. Pillai, in which he said, “while the investigation is still ongoing by Owners and Flag State (Panama), ・・・However, it is the responsibility of owners to meet the requirements of the ISM Code (Safe Management of Ships, which is part of SOLAS) which has been applicable to tankers and passenger ships from 1996 and all other merchant ships from 1998.”
Captain Pillai then went on to state, “We can have rules, regulations, conventions, codes safety management systems and procedures, but there is always the need to add in the human factor,” highlighting that “hopefully the Authorities and Flag State will conclude the Wakashio investigation report with VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) data and this will be published soon for the shipping industry to learn and prevent such accidents.”」
上記は普通のコメントだと思う。
Forbesは下記の質問に言及している。
「
What is the role of a Flag State (Panama in the case of the Wakashio) and the Global Shipping Regulator (the IMO) to ensure ordinary citizens around the world are kept safe from global shipping and the actions of ‘rogue actors’ or a single maverick employee? Were global regulations too lax around fail-safes?
How is the Maritime Authority of a Flag State (Panama in the case of the Wakashio) able to assess such risk of a ‘rogue employee’ and ensure appropriate fail-safe measures are in place and sufficiently robust?
Was Panama’s Ship Registry able to effectively complete these tasks in the case of the Wakashio, given access to all the modern tools and technologies now available in the world at a fraction of the cost as even a few years ago?
「Panama prides itself on having the largest ship registry in the world, but it is clear they have not invested in the systems, processes or technologies needed to build a safer and cleaner global maritime environment of vessels under their supervision. 」
「So perhaps it is the very regulations of the IMO itself that is at fault. If it is true that the Panama Maritime Authorities had faithfully and fully implemented these IMO regulations, how could the Wakashio disaster have happened?」
August 17, 2020: the MV Wakashio bulk carrier, belonging to a Japanese company but ... [+] AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Update: this article has been updated with a response from the Wakashio’s owner, Nagashiki Shipping Co Ltd, on the potential cause of the grounding.
The front half of the large Panama-flagged, Japanese vessel responsible for the worst oil spill in the Indian Ocean, the Wakashio, that has brought heartache to islanders on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius since its arrival 28 days ago, has gone missing in the Indian Ocean.
There has not been an official statement from the Government of Mauritius on the exact location of the vessel – which is the size of an aircraft carrier and in the largest 1% of vessels ever built – and the Governments of France, Japan who have Ministers and Advisers on the ground have remained silent on its precise location. In its last sighting, it had been seen heading in a SouthEast direction toward Antarctica. The last written statement from the Government of Mauritius on the controversial front half of the Wakashio was on Wednesday 19 August at 6pm(4 days ago), and did not include any indication of location or destination.
The French Minister of Outer Islands, Sébastien Lecornuhas, at least expressed his discomfort with the sinking of the front section of the vessel, even though Mauritian Government press releases continue to imply it was French Government specialists who were the main advisers overseeing this operation.
Mystery location for the scuttling
There has also been silence on the location of the forward section of the vessel or confirmation of any possible scuttling by Panama Authorities where the vessel was registered, the Japanese owners (Nagashiki Shipping), the global shipping regulator (the UN-agency the International Maritime Organization, or IMO).
In response to questions from Forbes, the IMO have issued a statement on Friday 21 July that it was out of the scope of their specialist on the ground in Mauritius, to be involved in any part of the towing or potential scuttling of the forward section of the Wakashio, unless there was a risk of an oil spill. This was part of the very specific and defined mandate of the IMO support mission agreed with Mauritius prior to the arrival of the IMO specialist on 11 August, five days after oil had started leaking.
How can such a large and high profile vessel go missing in 2020, with the eyes of the world’s media watching its impact on a daily basis on the people and nature of Mauritius? Daily video coverage of both the grounding and the breakup of the vessel in the news had shown its scale.
At the same time, an incredible 5 minute video has appeared online of what conditions looked like from the vantage point of the bridge of the Wakashio when at sea, where the captain should have been at the time of the grounding, and shows that the bridge is equipped with some of the latest technologies for a 13 year old vessel and the height advantage of being in the elevated bridge, offering even further lines of sight.
Panama-gate?
Now it appears that the role of Panama has come into the limelight, including its roles and responsibilities in providing Ship Registration Services.
Why does this matter? Panama is the world’s largest ship registration service, in the highly secretive world of vessels registered, and which world leaders have failed to address despite boastful claims to have brought about the end of Global Tax Havens over the past ten years. Over half the world’s ocean-bound vessels are registered with so called ‘flags of convenience’ where vessels or their owners are not physically present in these countries.
Here are the three ways that Panama has now become embroiled in the controversy surrounding the Wakashio, and which any independent inquiry would need to address.
1. The Wakashio never visited Panama (since public records began)
The Wakashio was a vessel that was Japanese owned and operated largely in Asia. But it was registered in the South American country of Panama. Why? A search through the vessel’s travel history (publically available from satellite records since 2013), reveals that the Wakashio had never been to Panama. The Wakashio started operations in 2007.
The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has prided himself as being seen as a leader in the ‘Sustainable Ocean Economy,’ being a high profile member of a Head of State Panel called the ‘High Level Panel on the Sustainable Ocean Economy,’ hosted by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Soldberg. Yet, Japan continues to allow its largest ship owners to register their vessels in the South American country of Panama, even where they never visit the country. What was so wrong with a Japanese ship registry, for a Japanese shipping company?
Owners of the Wakashio, Nagashiki Shipping, have been asked about how many of their 11 large vessels are registered in Panama and how many visits these vessels have made to Panama in their history. Forbes is still awaiting a response.
2. Confusing discrepancies in statements from Panama’s Shipping Authorities
Amid the focus on the splitting up of the Wakashio and subsequent cleanup operations over the past two weeks, two statements issued by the Panama Maritime Authorities have attracted attention and commentary among several industry publications.
Well respected maritime industry site, gCaptain, had revealed that two and a half weeks after the vessel had run aground, the Panama Maritime Authorities issued a public statement on 12 August that said the following:
“On 14 July 2020, the bulk carrier sailed from Singapore (Offshore Terminal) to Tubarao, Brazil. Everything went smoothly until July 25, when the ship faced adverse weather conditions near the coast of Mauritius. It was then, necessary to perform various maneuvers to change course due to the state of the sea.
All maneuvers were supervised by the captain and first officer of the ship who were aware of the situation and weather conditions; At 19:25hrs of the same day, while on the bridge, the captain, the first officer and the chief engineer noticed that the ship stopped moving and that it was stranded, in a latitude position: 20°26.6S and longitude: 057°44.6E, notifying the parties concerned (flag of the ship, ship operators and local authorities).”
Satellite analysis published first on Forbes on August 9th, 15 days after the vessel had grounded (and three days before the Panama statement), revealed that the vessel had been sailing at 11 knots in a straight line for 1200 miles, and no evidence could be found that the vessel had tried to ‘perform various maneuvers to change course due to the state of the sea.’
25 July 2020: Satellite AIS analysis reveals that the Wakashio had been on a direct collision course ... [+] SATELLITE AIS ANALYSIS
Satellite weather detection did not reveal weather conditions out of the ordinary for that time of year, nor did any other shipping seem to be impacted in the region by adverse weather conditions at the time of the accident.
Six days after the Panama Maritime Authority’s statement – and as the forward section of the Wakashio was being towed away under the cover of darkness in the evening of 18 August - the captain of the vessel Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, was arrested in Mauritius for the crime of ‘endangering safe navigation.’ It has been reported that Mauritian police are pursuing two lines of enquiry – that the captain was not as his station as he was attending a birthday party, or that the vessel had been attempting to secure wifi from land. He has not yet commented.
In a response to Forbes on 18 August, representatives of the Japanese owner of the Wakashio, Nagasaki Shipping Co Ltd, referred Forbes to comments made by the Vice Chairman of INTERGARO, (International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners), Captain Jay K. Pillai, in which he said, “while the investigation is still ongoing by Owners and Flag State (Panama), I think it would be inappropriate to comment on the possible direct or root causes of the incident. However, it is the responsibility of owners to meet the requirements of the ISM Code (Safe Management of Ships, which is part of SOLAS) which has been applicable to tankers and passenger ships from 1996 and all other merchant ships from 1998.”
Captain Pillai then went on to state, “We can have rules, regulations, conventions, codes safety management systems and procedures, but there is always the need to add in the human factor,” highlighting that “hopefully the Authorities and Flag State will conclude the Wakashio investigation report with VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) data and this will be published soon for the shipping industry to learn and prevent such accidents.”
The actions of a ‘rogue employee’?
Could such carnage seen in Mauritius simply be due to the actions of a single ‘rogue employee’ not following any of his training, ship safety procedures, and overcoming all safeguards?
That would appear to place a significant burden on the shoulders of one individual, for the safety not just of the crew and vessel, but of entire nations through which such a large vessel carrying a toxic fuel had travelled.
When a ‘rogue co-pilot’ committed suicide and brought down Germanwings Flight 9525 in the French Alps, killing 150 passengers and crew on board in 2015, there was a global shakeup in transportation security to ensure there could never be a single point of failure that could result in catastrophic failure. This covered airlines and should also have covered shipping given the size and potential risk of the shipping industry, as the devastation in Mauritius shows.
Further questions that an independent inquiry would need to address:
What is the role of a Flag State (Panama in the case of the Wakashio) and the Global Shipping Regulator (the IMO) to ensure ordinary citizens around the world are kept safe from global shipping and the actions of ‘rogue actors’ or a single maverick employee? Were global regulations too lax around fail-safes?
How is the Maritime Authority of a Flag State (Panama in the case of the Wakashio) able to assess such risk of a ‘rogue employee’ and ensure appropriate fail-safe measures are in place and sufficiently robust?
Was Panama’s Ship Registry able to effectively complete these tasks in the case of the Wakashio, given access to all the modern tools and technologies now available in the world at a fraction of the cost as even a few years ago?
In a statement in response to this article, representatives of Nagashiki Shipping said on 23 August, “the exact cause of the grounding is under investigation and Nagashiki Shipping is co-operating fully with the relevant authorities in this ongoing investigation but in order to avoid any speculation the exact cause of the incident is not yet known.”
3. Could a more transparent international ship registry regime have avoided the delayed response to Wakashio
In questions in the Mauritian parliament on 11 August that was televised (bottom video, starting 11’ 20”), five days after the oil leak began, it was clear there was a complex and overlapping set of legal responsibilities that required a flurry of paperwork to be hastily signed regarding salvage operations, liabilities, shipowner responsibility, Government responsibility, Flag state responsibility.
While some authorities may claim that it is the responsibility of Mauritian authorities to be trained in ocean shipping laws, it is important to bear in mind that the entire oil spill and salvage response was mobilized for a vessel not designed to fit into any port within Mauritius and was not even scheduled to stop in Mauritius. It was a vessel for whom the global shipping industry had demanded ‘free right of passage’ through Mauritian waters, and close to well-known international biodiversity hotspots and whale nursing grounds.
With today’s satellite technologies and the internet, distance is no longer an excuse.
Why has global shipping or the authorities in Panama not invested in leading edge maritime control center – an Ocean Mission Control? It would then have become immediately clear to any official that one of the biggest single-hull vessels with over 1 million gallons of heavy engine oil, was being dragged for almost a kilometer across a sharp coral reef system for 12 days. Even the most junior mariner would have known the risks this now posed.
Panama prides itself on having the largest ship registry in the world, but it is clear they have not invested in the systems, processes or technologies needed to build a safer and cleaner global maritime environment of vessels under their supervision.
The world needs a radically new governance structures amid both a climate and coronavirus crisis.
The global shipping industry is certainly not giving any indication that its current structures are fit for purpose nor agile enough to be part of a safer future where - as we saw with the Wakashio - interventions in the early days when the magnitude of how big a risk it represented was clear to most international experts, and could have made all the difference in avoiding this ecological and now human catastrophe.
In a press release on 16 August, entitled ‘The truth about the Mauritius Island and the Ship Registry’ the Panama Maritime Authority responded to a popular video circulating on social media, saying “The Panama Ship Registry, the world’s leader in number of vessels and tonnage, is also a leader in environmental safety and labor conventions and abides by all the international conventions established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labor Organization.”
So perhaps it is the very regulations of the IMO itself that is at fault. If it is true that the Panama Maritime Authorities had faithfully and fully implemented these IMO regulations, how could the Wakashio disaster have happened?
Panama’s unanswered questions
August 16, 2020: MV Wakashio broke in two parts the previous day, near Blue Bay Marine Park, ... [+] AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Whilst the Panama Maritime Authority had issued a strongly worded Press Release on 16 August to rebut any criticism, this still does not explain their Press Release on 12 August (three days after the Forbes piece clearly showing such an account could not be true, and 15 days after which this data was publicly available).
So there are four unanswered questions that the world expects to be revealed in any inquiry:
Are the Panama Maritime Regulatory Authorities able to independently verify statements issued by vessels and their owner (in the same way that private satellite analytics companies are able to do), or is it only reliant on industry self-reporting?
Do Panama Authorities have the capability to remotely assess whether any of the vessels they are responsible, are in danger of any sort, and can immediately make an assessment of other associated risks? For example, had authorities in Mauritius been immediately informed that one of the biggest ships in the sea was carrying 1 million gallons of engine oil in a single hull vessel, perhaps there would have been a swifter response, avoiding such an ecological disaster and better ensuring the safety of first responders.
Even after satellite analysis was published on 9 August, 3 days before the Panama Maritime Authority’s (PMA) Press Release, why has PMA not issued a further statement or clarification on any statements by the PMA that could be viewed as misleading, such as stating that the vessel that had been performing “various maneuvers to change course due to the state of the sea. All maneuvers were supervised by the captain and first officer of the ship who were aware of the situation and weather conditions.”
How seriously did Panama regulators take safety at sea concerns, such as ensuring multiple fail-safes and strong cyber-security, and how effective was Panama’s supervision of such measures, beyond the self-certification statements that the PMA made in its press release “The bulk carrier Wakashio… has all its valid technical certification, issued by the NKCLASS (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) Classification Society.” Going on to say “ Therefore, the ship, both in its structure and equipment, complies with the International Conventions established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).”
While a proportion of the disaster may be attributed to some form of human factor (which a Nagashiki Shipping representative had implied in a written response to Forbes on 18 August), there are also broader systemic errors that could have led to this tragedy. Such an enquiry needs to cover these points and be done so in a way that is radically more transparent than the Wakashio operation has been so far.
A nation and the world is demanding greater transparency, but what is being revealed is a global shipping industry that is desperately trying to slink further and further back into the shadows.
The Panama Maritime Authorities have been approached for a comment, but messages remain unanswered.
Panama Authorities on way to Mauritius
In a statement by the Panama Maritime Authority on 17 August, a high powered delegation from Panama was revealed to be preparing to fly to Mauritius.
“The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Naval Architect Noriel Araúz, accompanied by the General Director of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), Engineer Rafael Cigarruista, lead the Panamanian delegation that will travel to Mauritius in the next few days to strengthen collaboration with the authorities of that insular country affected by an oil spill from the Wakashio ship, registered in Panama by a Japanese company.
The group will be joined by a delegation led by Japanese experts sent by the Japan Shipowners Association (JSA) with the aim of working in a coordinated way in the pertinent investigations to clarify the causes that could have resulted in the grounding and the subsequent oil spill.”
This means there will be officials conducting an investigation, embarrassed by issuing conflicting statements that have added to the local confusion, now being asked to conduct an investigation which may also need to include investigating themselves.
The global shipping industry generated over $3 trillion in revenues in 2019, and is a critical part of the infrastructure in most countries of the world. Where is the strong, international independent investigation team that can ensure there can be no risk of a cover up, given all the conflicts of interest that are now in play?
Trust was broken over how Wakashio’s salvage and oil spill was handled, and leaders in the global maritime industry appear to be in no hurry to build it back up.
Pressure on IMO mounting over role in sinking of Wakashio
At the same time as controversy surrounds Panama, pressure is starting to mount on the UN Shipping Regulator, the International Maritime Organization, over its role in the decision to sink the Wakashio.
The original request of support from the Government of Mauritius was very specific: IMO support only for the oil spill response (confirmed by a spokesperson for the IMO on 21 August). This scope meant that the IMO specialists sent over (arriving on 11 August in Mauritius, five days after oil had started leaking from the vessel), did not have the mandate to offer any advice on operations other than specifically the oil spill response and containment.
When requests from Governments are made to regulators like the IMO, specialists are sent out based on the scope and nature of the challenge being faced. In Mauritius’ case, the Wakashio was a very large and complex vessel, and it was unclear whether the specialists sent out by the IMO had the specialized background to offer any assistance beyond immediate oil spill response and containment.
Role of IMO Specialist Advisers in Mauritius
This was confirmed by a spokesperson at the IMO on 21 August, in response to these questions asked by Forbes, where it was confirmed that the role of the IMO specialist was limited only to providing advice specifically on “oil pollution response matters.”
The spokesperson further confirmed that the role of the IMO specialist did not advise or help evaluate options on the disposal of the Wakashio (as the Government had earlier confirmed there was no longer any oil in the broken forward section of the vessel), nor did the IMO expert advise on or endorse the decision to scuttle the Wakashio at the location that was decided upon, or advise any concerns about any potential toxins or implications of Maritime Pollution (Marpol) regulations.
This is why this all matters.
If the IMO specialist (appointed by the UN regulator of global shipping) was offering advice beyond the mandate that had been agreed between the IMO and the Government of Mauritius, at what point was a change of scope agreed (there was no public statement since the grounding on 25 July about any change of scope of the IMO specialist’s mission). If there was a change of scope, did the IMO specialist on the ground, have the appropriate background to be making such recommendations. For example, was the IMO specialist aware of the locations of marine mammal nursing and feeding grounds around the coast of Mauritius during the winter months, or was the specialist fully aware of the entire content of the vessel including internal construction materials. Vessels sunk eventually degrade, and as has been seen in many parts of the world, could potentially release even more toxic substances over many decades in the marine environment, and are now much more complex to extract (especially at 2 kilometers depth as had been reported).
If, on the other hand, it was in fact the case that the IMO specialist was legitimately offering the Government of Mauritius advice on the disposal of the ‘Forward section’ of the Wakashio, then this would imply there was actually a risk of additional ‘oil pollution’ from the Forward section of the Wakashio. Then this is new information and reveals that there could have been a risk of additional oil pollution by sinking the forward section of the Wakashio.
Which is it?
Given the potential conflicts of interest, and also given that the IMO itself is responsible for setting in place the maritime pollution standards, called MARPOL, an internal investigation would be seen as a cover up in the eyes of the world.
There has to be a comprehensive and independent investigation, given how catastrophic the events of the Wakashio has been to the people, marine life and wildlife of Mauritius, and the shock expressed at the events around the Wakashio.
Conflict of interest if IMO has to investigate itself
Assuming that the IMO specialist had the necessary competence to focus on the oil spill, even bigger questions are being raised.
The IMO is the global regulator that allowed low sulfur fuels to be used in shipping, such as the VLSFO engine fuel in the Wakashio incident. However, a spokesperson from the IMO revealed to Forbes on 18 August, that the IMO does not have a full understanding of the long term implications of the VLSFO fuel in the sunnier climates of the Indian Ocean, where the oil spill has taken place.
The IMO statement went on to say, "because this fuel is so new, research has only just been initiated on its fate and behavior in the environment, particularly over a longer period. We know that some of the oil companies are financing research on this, and oil research centers e.g. CEDRE and SINTEF, have initiated work, but we don’t have any concrete information on this as yet, given the relative newness of these bunkers.” While mentioning that actions of a containment phase would be similar in any oil spill, the spokesperson went on to say, “ It’s really the longer term fate and effects that are not yet known."
Given that no oil spill cleanup ever catches 100% of the oil spilled into the environment, this statement is concerning.
Advances in new technologies, such as advanced genomics, have revealed far more widespread risks of such fuels in accidents elsewhere. In San Francisco Bay in 2007, the large container ship, Cosco Busan hit the Bay Bridge amid thick cloud, spilling 54,000 gallons, one quarter of the amount leaked from the Wakashio (the final spill amount has still not been released 11 days after the last assessment). Tests conducted by marine scientists revealed that such bunker fuel used by the global shipping industry to power their ships was more toxic than crude oil when exposed to sunlight, a phenomenon known as enhanced photo-toxicity under UV light, and releasing previously unidentified harmful chemicals called Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH for short) that caused extreme damage to wildlife.
So at the heart of this investigation into the role of the IMO, two important questions need to be addressed:
How can the global regulator of shipping (IMO) be allowing such toxic fuels to be used by vessels where the regulators themselves do not know the long term impacts?
Given these risks, why was the global shipping regulator (IMO) allowing high volumes of such fuels to be transported in the much riskier single-hull vessels, banned around Antarctica, when double-hulled vessels would have significantly reduced the extent of the damage in Mauritius?
If the world had moved more rapidly toward alternative carbon-free or even electrified vessels, would the impact of the grounding of the MV Wakashio be as serious as it is?
It is almost a month (28 days) since almost 1 million gallons of VLSFO sat off the pristine reefs of Mauritius. Islanders in Mauritius have been calling for help to try understand the risks they face. 28 days later as over 30 kilometers of Mauritius’ pristine beaches remain ‘heavily damaged’ (according to the UN), and arsenic levels have jumped 500% in local fish, the silence and inaction of global shipping on this matter has been stunning.
Expensive consultants being funded rather than islanders’ needs
There are thousands of islanders who have to now suffer the smell of heavy oil in the air and in their lungs each day and whose primary source of protein – lagoon fish – has arsenic levels 500% higher than normal. These islanders have been calling for the most basic funding to support to local scientific efforts to independently understand the risks.
Instead, significant funds have been spent on the fees of Global Crisis Communications firms, building expensive platforms for Oil Spill Response companies, and other media and legal reactive activities, leaving the islanders’ completely unsupported for their attempts to document the science.
Mauritius is not a forgotten wasteland. It is a middle-income country with a skilled workforce and had positioned itself as the Singapore of Africa. The scientists and population just need the equipment to handle a task they never expected to, in their own backyard.
The support that has been offered so far has significant strings attached – ‘specialist’ advisors with links to the polluting nation to perform ‘toxicology tests’ (that appear far from where ‘state of the art’ should be, incidently) or technology platforms funded by the oil cleanup and shipping insurance industry who have arrived with deep marketing pockets that are undermining the efforts of Mauritian volunteers who had self-organized and developed local technology solutions. Such platforms do not even have clear ethical AI or data use policies. Again, a lack of transparency about all the actors and their motivations in the immediate aftermath of a major oil spill.
It appears that every aspect of the global governance of shipping seems broken and not fit for purpose to meet the needs of ordinary citizens, such as the simple fishing families who had lived on the coast of Mauritius for several centuries, and had never taken action that could destroy such a large and important part of their habitat upon which they rely on. Celebrities and business leaders such as Sir Richard Branson are already calling on global shipping to do more for the island, and the need for bolder changes in global shipping.
With the anger seen following the Beirut Port explosion on 4 August (10 days after the Wakashio had been dragging of Mauritius’ barrier reefs), and the continuing ticking time bomb that is the abandoned oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, global shipping is looking distinctly like a relic of a bygone age.
The Wakashioa started off as an apparently innocent navigation accident. It is now turning into the embodiment of all that is wrong with global shipping today.
８月２１日、インド洋モーリシャス沖で座礁した日本の貨物船「わかしお」について、座礁地点から１００キロ超離れたところから通常の航路を外れ始めたことが、船舶の情報を提供するウインドワードのデータから明らかになった。写真は亀裂が広がり２つに分断された船体。８月２１日、モーリシャス沖合で撮影（２０２０年 MOBILISATION NATIONALE WAKASHIO ）（ロイター）
Just as it appeared that the plight of the Wakashio could not get any worse after most of its remaining oil had spilled into the coral reefs of Mauritius, it appears the legacy of the Wakashio could now be felt for decades to come as the crisis entered its 25th day.
Local media in Mauritius began reporting on 18 August 2020 that the broken front half of the vessel would be towed 8 miles to the East of the island and sunk.
Prime whale nursing grounds
That location is an area known as a famous nursing ground for whales and their calves, who are in the full swing of their migration from Antarctica in the midst of the Mauritian winter.
It is during these times that Mauritius experiences its famous major whale migrations of various species that often give birth and mate off the coast of Mauritius. They migrate up to Mauritius from Antarctica each year following an abundant food supply of krill. Mauritius is known for its many whale sightings at this time of year, with iconic species of Humpback Whales, Great Sperm Whales, Blue Whales, among several other whale species. This is an important breeding time for such cetaceans, especially in the cooler waters (Austral Winter).
Former President of Mauritius and leading Biodiversity Scientist, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim described the rich waters off the coast of Mauritius. "In surveys conducted between 2009-10, over 1200 sightings of whales were seen, covering 17 different species. During these surveys, there were 8 sightings of the rare Sirenian Dugong Dugon and 586 turtle sighting. This shows marine life off the coast of Mauritius was vibrant and thriving before the Wakashio crash"
Assessments are still being carried out on any impacts of the heavy fuel oil pollution on whale behavior in the Bay caused by the Wakashio, since it ran aground on Mauritius’ largest living coral reef system 25 days ago.
It is not clear what the impact of the rusting metal of the large vessel would have on the nursing grounds of these whale populations or on the fragile Coral Reef systems along the East shore of the vessel or on French Island, La Reunion, which would be down current of the sunken Wakashio wreck.
One of the biggest ships on the sea
The Wakashio was the biggest category of mainstream ocean going vessels in the world - known as a ‘Capesize.’
This category of vessel is so large that it is unable to fit through the Suez Canal, and hence travels around the coast of Mauritius. Of approximately 60,000 large ocean-going vessels, only 500 are Capesize, putting the Wakashio in the top 1% in terms of size of ship in the world.
At 300m in length, the Wakashio was longer than the Titanic and a similar length to a US Nimitz-class Aircraft Carrier.
French and Japanese officials did not object to plan
Both French and Japanese officials are present on the ground in Mauritius and appeared to support the decision to dump the hull of the vessel into Mauritian waters at that particular location, despite French expertise in the Indian Ocean with the French colony of La Reunion being a sister island of Mauritius linked along the same underwater volcanic chain.
Vessel owner Nagashiki Shipping Co Ltd has been approached whether they also support the decision to dump the vessel in Mauritian waters at that location.
In a press conference by Sebastien Lecornuu on 17 August, the French Oversea Minister was criticized for not appearing to endorse alternatives to the sinking of the Wakashio in Mauritian waters, that is now causing outrage on social media on the island.
More questions for global shipping
An assessment of satellite weather reports revealed that are no major storms in the region. Once more, important questions are being asked about the global shipping industry, and whether poor regulatory oversight, a lax attitude toward both sustainability and poor ability to monitor safety standards were the main contributors to this disaster, compounded by other clear failures in leadership that appear systemic in nature.
How could a vessel that was only 13 years old, and one of the biggest in the world, could have an accident and sink off the coast in a world class tourist and biodiversity hotspot with the eyes of the world and global experts watching.
Decades of heavy metal pollution if Wakashio is sunk
There has not been a statement about the pollution and heavy metal implications for dumping such a large iron-ore carrying vessel amid grounds which are also bountiful in tuna and other deep ocean marine species.
Mauritian tuna had some of the lowest concentrations of heavy metals than any tuna in the world, compared with the significantly high levels of contaminants within tuna from the East Pacific Ocean. The presence of such metals could have implications for this important industry of Mauritius.
It seems the final chapter of this stricken vessel continues to drag out. Multiple more natural habitats of tuna feeding grounds, whale nursing grounds and the potential impacts of the size of such a large vessel on any of the fragile coral reef systems and marine life that surround the Indian Ocean island as well as on the French Island of La Reunion, into whose direction the ocean currents would also take any pollutants and rust over time.
President Macron’s interventions were welcomed with open arms by the Mauritian people just 10 days ago.
However, it appears the fate of the French President’s Mauritian adventure is likely to go the same way as the Wakashio: beached, broken and sunk.
Captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, the 58 yeear old master of the MV Wakashio bulk carrier that had run aground, leaves from the courtroom after he was arrested and charged under the piracy and maritime violence act in Port Louis, Mauritius August 18, 2020. Picture taken August 18, 2020. Defimedia Group/Handout via REUTERS
Captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, master of the MV Wakashio bulk carrier that ran aground on a coral reef, causing a large oil spill, was arrested and jailed by a district court in Port Louis, Mauritius yesterday. Captain Nandeshwar, and Indian national, was arrested alongside the chief officer, Tilak Ratna Suboda, a Sri Lankan and charged with endangering safe navigation under the piracy and maritime violence act.
Local news media and police have reported that prior to the grounding incident, the carrier sailed close to the Mauritius coastline to get a Wi-Fi signal because the crew was celebrating a birthday.
“We are carrying out a full investigation and interviewing all the crew members,” Local police inspector Sivo Coothen told reporters. Both will remain in custody until their bail hearing.
Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) which chartered the MV Wakashio, issued a press release today acknowledging the arrest but offered no words of support for the officers in jail.
“The Master and Chief Officer of Wakashio have been arrested by the local authority on August 18.” says the MOL release. “MOL is fully aware of its responsibilities and will continue to work with the relevant authorities of Mauritius and Japan.”
MOL also stated that it dispatched a team of 6 employees and some equipment to assist in oil recovery efforts but will wait to “dispatch an additional team in later August”.
In contrast to MOL’s lack of support in the wake of this arrest, Nagashiki Shipping did promise a degree of help. “We will continue to support the crew and their families while awaiting future judicial decisions.” said a company official in today’s official statement. “We sincerely apologize for causing a great deal of inconvenience to everyone involved.”
Neither of today’s statements mention the fate of the MV Wakashio’s 18 other Indian, Srilankan, and Phillipino seafarers after the arrest of their Captain but media reports suggest they are currently being interviewed by police.
The captain and chief officer’s next court appearance is currently set for August 25th.
Market Insight
What has happened in the Indian Ocean provides confirmation that increased payouts cannot come soon enough, and governments of coastal states should enact any available increased limits in their own jurisdiction without delay.
As the ecological and environmental disaster that has resulted from the grounding of Wakashio unfolds in Mauritius, questions are already being raised as to how this could have happened.
But thoughts will ultimately turn towards compensation for those who are cleaning up the mess and have suffered the consequences of pollution from the vessel’s bunkers.
The owners have been quoted as saying that they will respond “in good faith” to any damages “in accordance with applicable law”. However, this may not be as comforting as it first seems.
As Wakashio is not a laden tanker, the well-established compensation regime under the Civil Liability Convention 1992 — as topped up if required by the IOPC Fund Convention 1992 — will not apply, and any compensation claims seem likely to be dealt with under the 2001 Bunker Convention.
The Bunker Convention applies to vessels carrying bunkers not covered by the CLC and IOPC Fund Conventions.
It provides for mandatory third-party insurance cover, and allows claims of third parties for clean-up expenses and other losses caused by pollution from bunkers to be made directly against the insurers.
The convention also imposes strict liability on the part of the vessel owners and their insurers for such losses, which means there is no need to prove responsibility for the pollution, only that the pollution emanated from the vessel.
Consequently, if more than one party was potentially involved in causing the pollution, there would be joint and several liability if the original source was from the stricken vessel (Article 3 of the convention).
The owners of the vessel are, under Article 6 of the convention, entitled to limit their liability in accordance with the Convention for Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976 or as amended.
Many countries have now enacted the 1996 Protocol, which significantly increases the limitation fund that was originally applied in the 1976 Limitation Convention.
The limit is based on the gross tonnage of the vessel, which in this case appears to be 101,932 tonnes.
That means that currently under the 1976 Limitation Convention the limit for third-party claims including costs of prevention and clean up following the grounding of Wakashio would be around $18m, whereas under the 1996 Protocol the limitation fund would be just over $43m.
By contrast, the IOPC supplementary fund can pay out as much as $1bn in certain circumstances.
All claims of third parties must be brought against the owner or directly against the insurer in the country where the pollution has occurred, in this case Mauritius. Therefore the law of Mauritius will apply.
According to the latest IMO published data, Mauritius has enacted the Bunker Convention and the 1976 Limitation Convention. It does not appear that Mauritius has enacted the 1996 Protocol.
If this is correct then the lower limit of around $18m would apply, which seems hardly enough to cover the sort of losses that might now be envisaged from the impact of some 1,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on the pristine ecological environment of Mauritius.
One can anticipate a significant impact not only on the environment but also the wildlife and fishing industry on which Mauritius so heavily relies, as well as on the tourist industry.
The logic behind the lower limits that apply under the Bunker Convention compared with the combination of CLC and IOPC Fund limits is, presumably, because the quantities of bunkers that could potentially cause pollution are significantly less than would be the case than for an oil cargo.
However, that is of no comfort to those in Mauritius who are already suffering the consequences and may continue to do so for a long time to come.
There is only one means of breaking the limit in the event that claims exceed the limitation fund under the 1976 Limitation Convention (or indeed under the 1996 Protocol if enacted).
That entails proving that “the loss resulted from his [the owner’s] personal act or omission, committed with the intent to cause such loss, or recklessly and with knowledge that such loss would probably result”. This is a very difficult burden to discharge.
The authorities’ investigations in Mauritius will presumably determine whether or not there is any prospect of breaking the limit, so that any compensation to be obtained could exceed the level of the limitation fund.
Although the Bunker Convention is dated 2001, it only came into force as recently as 2008.
Nevertheless, it is perhaps already time to reconsider the applicable limits, given the devastating effect that as little as 1,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil can cause in a sensitive environment, as we are now seeing.
There has already been recognition that the 1996 Protocol limit is inadequate. The International Maritime Organization — in the 2016 edition of Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims — advised that it had adopted a resolution increasing the limits under the 1996 Protocol.
This was due to the Pacific Adventurer incident, which occurred in the waters of southern Queensland in Australia in March 2009. In the case of Wakashio this would have increased the limit for pollution claims to almost $65.2m.
The UK enacted the increased limits to the 1996 Protocol in November 2016.
But what has happened in the Indian Ocean provides confirmation that such further increases cannot come soon enough, and highlights the need for governments of coastal states to enact any increased limits in their own jurisdiction without delay.
Bow section of grounded bulker is to be towed to a point eight nautical miles beyond reefs [Image: Mobilisation Nationale Wakashio]
The Captain of the grounded bulk carrier Wakashio, Indian national Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar and the Chief Officer, Tilak ratna Suboda, a Sri Lankan, are now being held in police custody in Mauritius after being provisionally charged with endangering the safe navigation of a vessel.
According to local media, the arrests followed their questioning “under caution” into the circumstance surrounding the July 25 grounding of the Panamanian flagged, Japanese owned bulker.
The two mens’ next court appearance is set for August 25.
UPDATE: In a statement released August 19, the vessel’s owner, Nagashiki Shipping Co., acknowledged the arrests and said: “We will continue to support the crew and their families while awaiting future judicial decisions. We sincerely apologize for causing a great deal of inconvenience to everyone involved, including everyone in Mauritius, due to this grounding accident and oil spill. We will continue our efforts to collect the spilled oil and minimize the damage to the environment.”
The bow section of the Wakashio bulk carrier is being towed eight nautical miles to an area with 2 km depth with its hatches open, while the stern of the Japanese vessel remains on a reef off Mauritius, with salvors waiting for the bad weather to pass.
The Panamanian-flagged ship grounded on July 25 and split in two on Saturday. It has quickly become the worst ecological crisis the Indian Ocean island republic has faced.
The latest satellite analysis of the bunker spill from the huge 203,000 dwt ship shows the 8 sq km oil slick has washed up in the UNESCO protected Blue Bay Marine Park, as well as the UNESCO protected Pointe d’Esny Mangrove Forests and the Ile aux Aigrettes nature preserve for endangered species.
The site of the spill in Blue Bay Marine Park is now directly over the site of the 1,000 year old brain coral that was the largest and oldest in the Indian Ocean.
The Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping, is insured by Japan P&I. Insurance experts are now expecting the bill for the clean-up operation from this disaster to top $500m.
Sebastien Lecornu, minister for France’s overseas territories who visited Mauritius over the weekend, said yesterday he believed the clean up operation would involve “at least 10 months of work”.
Christian Bueger, professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen and and an honorary professor at the University of Seychelles, told Splash today that an independent inquiry was needed to look into how the accident happened and how authorities have handled it.
“The 1,000 tons of oil and diesel that leaked close to one of the greatest marine treasures of Mauritius have destroyed the habitat. Recovery will take decades. The disaster will occupy Mauritius for years to come,” Bueger, a director at maritime security network SafeSeas, said.
Investigators are reinterviewing the 58-year-old captain of the Wakashio today.
IMO continues to support international efforts to respond to the oil spill in Mauritius, following the break up of the MV Wakashio. IMO and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) have jointly deployed an expert, who is advising the Government of Mauritius on the mitigation of the impacts on the environment and coastal communities.
The oil spill response expert has been on the scene since 12 August, providing technical advice, taking part in a number of field visits and operational meetings, and liaising with the various stakeholders involved in the response efforts.
Reports indicate that most of the oil on board the MV Wakashio had been removed before the vessel broke in two sections on Saturday 15 August. It is estimated that more than 3,000 tonnes of fuel have been extracted, but some residue and other oil remain in the stern section.
The focus of operations on scene is now moving towards salvage and removal of the ship, as well as continued recovery of floating oil and beach clean-up. The affected area is located in a very sensitive zone that includes the Blue Bay Marine Park, Ile aux Aigrettes, and the Ramsar sites.
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said: "I would like to commend all those involved in the international efforts to support the Government of Mauritius and to mitigate the impact of the oil spill from the MV Wakashio".
"I look forward to a full investigation into the incident so that the results and findings can be brought to IMO and we can act on any recommendations", Mr Lim added.
IMO continues to collaborate with other UN entities, including OCHA, UNDP and UNOSAT, as well as other stakeholders involved in the response effort. A number of countries, including France and Japan, are also assisting Mauritius, which has activated its national oil spill contingency plan.
Alongside IMO and OCHA, the ship owner and International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) are also mobilising environmental and oil spill experts. The company SMIT Salvage has been appointed by the vessel owner to oversee the salvage operations.
The IMO's liability and compensation regime is partly in play for this incident. The Wakashio has compulsory insurance under the 2001 Bunkers Convention concerning all material damage and pollution claims up to the applicable limits in accordance with relevant instruments (including LLMC) and national legislation in force. Given that the ship involved is a bulk carrier, other international conventions specific to pollution damage caused by oil tankers (such as the IOPC Fund regime) do not apply in this case.
MV Wakashio ran aground on 25 July off Pointe d’Esny natural area, on the south-eastern coast of Mauritius and started leaking oil following severe weather conditions. An estimated 3,894 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel oil, 207 tonnes of diesel and 90 tonnes of lubricant oil were on board.
IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, captain of the MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier ship that recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius, is seen outside the courthouse in Port Louis, Aug. 18, 2020.
Police on Mauritius have arrested the captain of the Japanese carrier that ran aground off the coast last month, spilling 1,000 metric tonnes of oil and causing possible irreparable damage to coral reefs.
Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, the Indian captain of the MV Wakashio, was charged Tuesday with “endangering safe navigation.” He faces a bail hearing next week.
The ship’s first officer was also arrested, and investigators say they are interviewing all crew members.
The investigation will center on why the Wakashio went off course. It was supposed to stay at least 16 kilometers from the shore but was about two kilometers away when it ran aground on a coral reef.
“The route set five days before the crash was wrong and the boat navigation system should have signaled that to the crew, and it seems the crew ignored it. The boat did also fail to send out an SOS (when it ran aground) and did not respond to attempts by the coast guard to get in touch,” a maritime official told Reuters.
The Wakashio became disabled July 25 and started leaking oil almost two weeks later. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth says bad weather is the reason crews didn’t start pumping oil from the ship almost immediately.
About 1,000 metric tonnes leaked into the Indian Ocean surrounding Mauritius and another 3,000 was pumped out before the ship broke in two.
The oil spilled into the precious waters of the Mahebourg Lagoon, and environmentalists fear the endangered reefs along the coast may be damaged forever.
Half of the ship will be towed out to sea and allowed to sink while the other half will be towed away for scrap - a process officials say is likely to take months.
Mauritius has declared an environmental emergency. Experts from Japan, the United Nations and France are working to clean up the oil. Mauritius is a former French colony.
The spill is also likely to damage the island’s tourism industry, which is already under strain because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Wakashio bulk carrier that ran aground and has broken into two parts near Blue Bay Marine Park, Mauritius. Credit: AFP via Getty Images
The Wakashio bulk carrier that ran aground and has broken into two parts near Blue Bay Marine Park, Mauritius. Credit: AFP via Getty Images
The crew of Wakashio will be questioned by the shipowner and manager as investigations begin into the accident that caused the Capesize bulk carrier to finally break up over the weekend.
Wakashio ran aground on a reef on the southeastern side of Mauritius on 25 July 2020, close to the Point d’Esny Wetlands, the Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve, the Blue Bay Marine Area, and the Mahebourg Fishing Reserves.
A crack in cargo hold No. 8 to the stern side worsened over time, and at 2 pm local time on 15 August, the vessel broke into two.
In a statement sent to SAS, shipowner and manager Nagashiki Shipping said that the crew members are being questioned by the authorities as part of the investigation process.
Nagashiki Shipping said, “Thereafter, the owner and manager of the vessel, will be able to start interviewing the crew members. The cause of the incident is not known and will be fully investigated. The owner and manager will continue to work closely with the authorities to determine the cause.”
While the media in Mauritius and Japan have reported that the crew of Wakashio had allegedly deviated from the original course in order to get Wi-Fi connections for a crew member’s birthday party, Nagashiki Shipping’s representative told SAS that questions relating to the cause or alleged activity will be handled as part of the official investigation.
The representative said, “In order to avoid any speculation, the cause of the incident is not known and will be fully investigated. Nagashiki Shipping will continue to work closely with the authorities to determine the cause.
“At this time, the primary focus is to recover the remaining oil from the sea and coastal areas and minimise the impact and to protect the environment.”
Nagashiki Shipping said that the wreckage is being continuously assessed by a team of industry experts.
A towage plan will be implemented to tow the forward part of the vessel. The salvage will be carried out in compliance with regulation and in line with the local authorities’ guidance. Also, about 100 metric tonnes of lubricant oil and residual oil on board the vessel had been collected as of 14 August.
An amount of unrecoverable oil is believed to have leaked out of the vessel. In order to collect and clean up the oil, booms and absorbents have been deployed to prevent the oil reaching the shore.
The Mauritius government is seeking compensation from Nagashiki Shipping which, with Wakashio charterer Mitsui OSK Lines, has also sent its staff to the site for the damage caused to marine life as a result of the oil spill.
Specialists continue to work on recovering the remaining oil from the sea and coastal areas in order to minimise the impact to the environment. Nagashiki Shipping has appointed an expert team to work closely with the authorities and local volunteers.
When the vessel ran aground, it had about 3,800 metric tonnes of very-low-sulphur fuel oil and 200 metric tonnes of diesel oil on board. The remaining quantity on board, which is about 3,000 metric tonnes of oil, has been recovered and transferred to small tankers on 12 August.
「Panama’s three-page statement went on to defend the safety of the shipping industry. They also summarized the Wakashio’s inspections and the certificates for the ship and its crew. They also refuted claims that Panama had flagged “vessels of dubious origin,” or that it permitted the use of “cheap labor.”
“It is not only unfair but totally inaccurate putting the blame of this accident on the Panama Ship Registry for the only fact that the vessel is registered under the flag of Panama.”」
As expected, deteriorating weather conditions in Mauritius have begun to hamper the efforts at the site of the bulk carrier Wakashio which has now broken in two. Rough seas have also been dispersing the oil while the strong surf has sent parts of the barriers deployed to catch the oil up on to the shore itself. At the same time, Panama spoke out about the accident defending its registry of the Wakashio.
Salvage experts from Smit at the wreck along with the officials from France and other countries and the International Maritime Organization are all working to assist the government of Mauritius. Smit advised that the rough seas made it too dangerous to work on the vessel. They had hoped to pump residential oil from the engine room. The Crisis Committee reported that there are “approximately 30 cubic meters of mixed type of oil in the engine room.” Ariel pictures of the wreck show oil leaking of the area of the engine room into the ocean.
France minister Sébastien Lecornu, who has been sent by French President Emmanuel Macron, to Mauritius also spoke about the efforts. He reported that plans were under consideration for the bow section, which had been secured by tugs a short distance from the aft section which remains firmly ashore. According to the minister, he said they were considering taking the bow section out into the deep ocean and sinking it or that might be towed to another location to be dismantled. After personally touring the area and seeing the scope of the environmental disaster the minister reportedly estimated that it will take at least 10 months for a proper cleanup.
A broad range of environmentalist groups have also responded to the scenes of devastation suggesting that the impact would linger far longer. Greenpeace Africa responded with a statement saying that the time has come to break free of fossil fuels.
With the Government of Mauritius continuing its calls for compensation a variety of experts have begun to speak out on the liabilities. Some insurance experts have begun to suggest the loss could top $500 million. The IMO, which dispatched experts to the region, also provided background on some of the protocols for compensation. In its statement, the IMO said that its liability and compensation regime is partly in play for this incident. “The Wakashio has compulsory insurance under the 2001 Bunkers Convention concerning all material damage and pollution claims up to the applicable limits in accordance with relevant instruments (including LLMC) and national legislation in force. Given that the ship involved is a bulk carrier, other international conventions specific to pollution damage caused by oil tankers (such as the IOPC Fund regime) do not apply in this case.”
IMO response team is assisting in Mauritius - courtesy of the IMO
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim also commented saying, "I would like to commend all those involved in the international efforts to support the Government of Mauritius and to mitigate the impact of the oil spill from the MV Wakashio. I look forward to a full investigation into the incident so that the results and findings can be brought to IMO and we can act on any recommendations.”
On social media there have been numerous accusations regarding the cause of the accident. The Panama Maritime Authority issued a strong statement in response saying, “The Panama Ship Registry wants to respond to an unfortunate video circulating on social media which, which is slanderous, defamatory, disrespectful and evil intentioned not only for the Panama Ship Registry but also our country and the way we do corporate business. It shows a total absence of knowledge on what are the international regulations that govern the maritime industry worldwide and more flagrantly, what is the Panama Ship Registry.”
Panama’s three-page statement went on to defend the safety of the shipping industry. They also summarized the Wakashio’s inspections and the certificates for the ship and its crew. They also refuted claims that Panama had flagged “vessels of dubious origin,” or that it permitted the use of “cheap labor.”
“It is not only unfair but totally inaccurate putting the blame of this accident on the Panama Ship Registry for the only fact that the vessel is registered under the flag of Panama.”
Sam Chambers
The crew of the Wakashio bulk carrier, which split in two on reefs off Mauritius on Saturday, are due to face further interviews this week, while investigators are also set to check the contents of the stricken Japanese vessel’s voyage data recorder (VDR) in the coming days.
The Panamanian-flagged Wakashio, owned by Japan’s Nagashiki Shipping, ran aground near UNESCO protected sites on July 25 having deviated from its course.
Salvage teams are working to drag the fore part of the ship off the reef, but the operation has been hit by bad weather.
The ship splitting in two also resulted in a quantity of oil and grease entering the water, which has been difficult to control due to the poor weather conditions.
More officials from both Japan and Panama are arriving in Mauritius this week to assist in the investigation.
The Panamanian flag has stepped back from its initial suggestion that the accident was likely caused by bad weather. Its latest release on the accident states that “the ship ran aground, without the causes of the event having been determined so far, due to mechanical failure or human error”.
An earlier suggestion from Panamanian authorities that the newcastlemax had grounded because of bad weather on July 25 was refuted by data providers who had access to the local weather conditions on the day of the disaster.
The Mauritian article says:
"Before the "Wakashio" ran aground on the reef at Pointe-d'Esny on the evening of July 25, the crew was celebrating the birthday of one of its members. This was reported by three crew members of the bulk carrier to Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) investigators.
They also stated that the bulk carrier had approached the island to pick up a wi-fi connection. Seven others made the same statement to investigators from Mauritius Shipping. These seamen initially made a history of their voyage which started in China to Australia and then another route from China, with a stopover in Singapore, before heading for Brazil.
It was on this route that the bulk carrier crossed the territorial waters of Mauritius. The crew of about 20 consists of three Indian nationals, sixteen Filipinos and one Sri Lankan. The "Wakashio" was under the responsibility of Captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, a 58-year-old Indian national. They are represented by Mr. Kushal Lobine and Mr. Irsaad Munsoor, lawyers for the insurers of the Protection and Indemnity Club."
「As the Wakashio approached the island of Mauritius, authorities attempted to alert the bulk carrier it was on the wrong course. Reports state the vessel had altered the standard course so the vessel could approach nearer to the coast. The course change was to allow the vessel to get a wifi signal while celebrating a crewmember’s birthday. During the celebration, the crew had no one attending the communications. Authorities attempted to contact the vessel for an hour until they finally got through. The master of the Wakashio insisted to Mauritius coast guard that the vessel’s course was safe.」
On July 25, the 300 meter long, 203130 dwt bulk carrier Wakashio ran aground three miles off Pointe D’esny, Mauritius. The Wakashio was on a return voyage to Tubarão, Brazil from Lianyungang, China. The bulk carrier was proceeding with just ballast, 3800 tons of bunker fuel oil and 20 crew on board. The vessel course would traverse the Indian Ocean to pass the capes of South Africa on to Brazil.
As the Wakashio approached the island of Mauritius, authorities attempted to alert the bulk carrier it was on the wrong course. Reports state the vessel had altered the standard course so the vessel could approach nearer to the coast. The course change was to allow the vessel to get a wifi signal while celebrating a crewmember’s birthday. During the celebration, the crew had no one attending the communications. Authorities attempted to contact the vessel for an hour until they finally got through. The master of the Wakashio insisted to Mauritius coast guard that the vessel’s course was safe.
Unfortunately, the Wakashio course drove the bulk carrier up on a reef along Mauritius southern coast. The bulk carrier was firmly aground at the stern while the bow was still floating free. Fully exposed to the weather, the Wakashio began to substain damage over the next days. Several cracks appeared along the hull and the fuel tanks were ruptured. Bunker fuel began to leak out of the vessel and begun to wash ashore. Authorities had placed booms around the Wakashio, but were ineffective in containing the pollution. Authorities and local volunteers were able to remove some 150 metric tons of pollution off the beach. Experts estimate it will take several years to remove the majority of the pollution from the reef and shoreline. Like the MS Olivia or the Rena which both ran aground and released a large amount of pollution, it may take decades before the entire environmental impact can be determined.
By August 6, the Wakashio had released some 1180 tons of fuel forming a 7 mile long oil slick. The remaining fuel and oil on board the bulk carrier was transferred to small tankers by August 12. A few days later the vessel broke-in-two along the No. 8 cargo hold. An additional 100 metric tons of lubricating oil was released. The bow section of the Wakashio is to be towed away and sunk in deep water.
Authorities have launched an investigation into incident. No reports if any criminal charges have been issued for the officers of the vessel.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente
Nagashiki Shipping’s Capesize bulk carrier Wakashio, which, loaded with oil, ran aground on a reef off Pointe Desny[1], southeast Mauritius, on July 25, 22 days ago, broke in two today.[2] Here’s before-and-after satellite imagery:
Here’s a close-up image of the Wakashio:
And here’s an aerial view, showing the nasty effects of oil on Mauritius’ turquoise water:
(Most of the oil was removed from the tanker before it broke up, so this photo shows the vile residue.) A few days ago, Yves covered the grounding, the ecological effects, the (mostly successful) efforts to pump the low sulfur and diesel oil out of the ship to keep it out of the ocean, and the volunteer efforts to clean up the oil that did escape; she also gave a link to a crowd-funding site for cleaning and protecting the Mahebourg Lagoon[3] where the oil spilled. In this post, I’ll look at what we know today about how the Wakashio ran aground, the nature of the oil spill, and compensation for the spill.
How and Why the Wakashio Ran Aground
One’s first thought (well, my first thought) was the oddity of a ship grounding on an island in the middle of nowhere. In fact:
Mauritius is next to one of the world’s most concentrated shipping lanes, which connects Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. During the month of July, more than 2,000 vessels passed close by the Mauritian coast.
Bloomberg writes, in “Why So Much World Trade Passes Mauritius’s Pristine Beaches“:
[Mauritius lies] on the shortest straight-line route between the Strait of Malacca, which links the ports of Asia to the Indian Ocean, and the southern tip of Africa. That also makes it the route of choice for shipping between the huge markets and manufacturing centers of China, Japan, South Korea and the rest of Asia in the east, and the resource-rich regions of West Africa and Latin America, or the markets of Europe and North America, in the west.
In short, if a freighter is sailing between the eastern and western hemispheres, there’s a good chance that it will get somewhere close to the island. The main alternative route is to navigate Egypt’s Suez Canal.
Of course, “close to the island” should not mean “colliding with the island,” and so the question becomes why the Wakashio’s voyage ended in disaster. There seem to be two points of failure:
1) The change of course on July 21. Forbes provides satellite-driven data analytics on the course change:
So far, nobody knows why the change of course occurred. From Splash 24/7, “Countdown to disaster: why did the Wakashio deviate from its intended course?”
What also remains unclear is the decision taken by the Wakashio to deviate course on July 21. Vessel tracking from Splash partner MarineTraffic clearly shows that early in the morning of July 21, the newcastlemax [a Capesize hull form] owned by Japan’s Nagashiki Shipping, changed route, putting it on a collision course with the pristine shores of the island republic of Mauritius.
And in fact, the captain believed he was on the right course:
As Splash has earlier reported, the coast guard in Mauritius had tried in vain to contact the ship’s captain for an hour on the evening of July 25 to warn that its routing looked dangerous. When finally coast guard officials got through to the master, the captain insisted the planned route was safe. A few minutes later, however, the ship radioed local authorities to say the vessel had grounded on a reef.
(Apparently, the course was meant to keep the Wakashio ten miles from shore, which to me is cutting it pretty close to me in a big ocean). And the second point of failure–
2) The debacle on the reef. Posters at an entertaining forum on gCaptain (which seems to be the maritime equivalent of PPRUNE) point out that if the Captain had looked out the window, he would have seen lights; the lights, in fact, of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the main international airport in Mauritius:
They also point that that had the caption taken a trip out onto the bridge wing and listened, “those breakers could probably be heard miles away.”
So what happened? The answer is not edifying (and will cost Nagashiki Shipping’s insurer a good deal of money, if there’s any justice in the world. From Splash 24/7, “Birthday party and quest for wifi revealed in lead up to Wakashio grounding off Mauritius“:
The 58-year-old captain of the ill-fated newcastlemax Wakashio could face negligence charges after it emerged the crew were celebrating a crewmember’s birthday and had headed nearer towards the Mauritius coastline to get a wifi signal just prior to the bulk carrier’s grounding on a reef off the island’s south coast.
The bombshell revelations – first reported by local newspaper L’Express – come from investigators who have interviewed the crew of the Japanese-owned, Panamanian-flagged ship.
The party also explains why local authorities tried “in vain to contact the ship ahead of the accident to warn it was on the wrong course,” and why nobody looked out the window or walked out on the wing of the bridge.
(Here I will interject that blaming the workers is always easy, especially given the temptation to moralize over partying. Debacles like this are generally the ugly conclusion of “a series of missteps,” and here we really need to know why the course change happened, and we don’t.)
The Nature of the Oil Spill
Here is a view of the spill:
The ecological effects of the spill wil not be good, as the BBC points out:
“There are very few such marine areas with such rich biodiversity left on the planet. An oil spill like this will impact almost everything there,” said Dr Corina Ciocan, a senior lecturer in marine biology at the UK’s University of Brighton.
“It is not just about the light oil slick you see on the surface of the water caused by the spill.
“There will also be soluble compounds from the oil that will dissolve in the water, a mousse-like layer underneath the surface of the water, and then very heavy residues on the bed – so the entire marine ecosystem will be affected.”
Forbes has an excellent explainer on the actual oil spilled, in Nishan Degnarain’s “Toxic In The Tropics: The Invisible Killer Now In Mauritian Waters After Major Heavy Oil Spill“:
In the case of the Wakashio in Mauritius, the vessel appears to have been carrying the heaviest type of bunker fuel, No 6 (Grade C) fuel, that requires special handling for cleanup operations, as NOAA’s guidelines for No 6 (Grade C) bunker fuel oil spills indicate.
Although Heavy Fuel Oil is the most common form of oil used in shipping, there is significant controversy about its use and there have been strong efforts to have it banned both in order to meet Climate Change commitments, as well as the risk to the environment. Spills from Heavy Fuel Oil are more common than Crude Oil spills due to vessel accidents, poor maintenance or vessels cleaning their engines illegally at sea, so do not receive as much media coverage. Although visually, Heavy Fuel Oil Spills are much lower volumes than Crude Oil spills (as vessels are not transporting oil), so spills are a lot less visible on the ocean surface, they can be extremely toxic.
The risk of HFO spills are so toxic that the they are already banned from Antarctica (just South of Mauritius) and the international shipping regulator, the International Maritime Organization based in London, is finalizing plans to have it banned from the Arctic in the next few years due to the fragile nature of the Arctic ecosystem, and high exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, that makes it even more lethal.
Unfortunately for Mauritius, the situation is even worse than Degnarain makes out: The oil is not merely bunker fuel, but low sulfur bunker fuel, which is even harder to clean up than horrid normal bunker fuel. From a report by SINTEF, a Norwegian research company, “Characterization of Low Sulfur Fuel Oils (LSFO) – A new generation of marine fuel oils” (PDF):
The [Low Sulfur Fuel Oils (LSFOs)] investigated in this project and previous limited studies have showed a wide span in the oil properties with relevance to behaviour when spilled at sea. Moreover, the oils tested indicate a high degree of persistence on the sea surface, and the oil spill response can even be more challenging than the previous traditional intermediately fuels oils (e.g. IFO180 / 380), particularly in cold water spill situations:
The effectiveness of using dispersants may be limited due to either high viscosities of the emulsions and/or high pour point of the oils
The potential for use of ISB can be limited as the ignitability may be slow (i.e. extended ignition time) due to low contents of volatiles. Small amount of water uptake (emulsification) may also prevent the oil to be ignited without use of significant amount of primers (e.g. diesel)
The effectiveness of mechanical recovery is dependent on the choice of skimmer system that force contact between the oil and the recovery unit. Oils with high pour points will e.g. need an “active” high viscosity or belt skimmer designated for solidified oils at sea
The cosmic irony here is that the shipping industry has been switching to low sulfur fuel in order to reduce its very bad contribution to air pollution.
Compensation for the Spill
Finally there is the issue of how much Nagashiki Shipping will compensate Mauritius for the spill. From Agence France Presse:
The ship’s owner has meanwhile pledged to “sincerely” respond to requests for compensation over damage to the marine environment.
“We are deeply conscious of our responsibility as a party directly involved in the case,” said Kiyoaki Nagashiki, president of Nagashiki Shipping.
“Regarding compensation, we plan to deal with the issue sincerely based on applicable laws,” the head of the Okayama-based company said in a statement.
(If I heard a US firm pledge to do something “sincerely” I’d run screaming from the room, but I don’t know the implication of that choice of words for a Japanese firm.) Of course, taking responsibility means putting a number on the damage, which may take a long time. From the Japan Times:
Nagashiki Shipping will bear the liability for damages as it owns the ship…
Two treaties regarding marine accidents require ship owners to purchase a public liability policy, while setting a limit on the amount of damages a ship owner pays.
With the insurance policy Nagashiki Shipping holds, the company is expected to be asked to pay up to $1 billion (¥107 billion), over the oil spill. There is no limit on costs the company has to pay to remove the vessel.
The amount of damages may be limited to about ¥2 billion based on the treaties. But Nagashiki Shipping may have to pay more if its serious faults are found, according to an insurance industry employee.
Nagashiki Shipping may have to pay compensation for damage to wildlife as well as people in the fishing and tourism industries. It is likely to take time to determine the total amount of damages.
Tourism generated 63 billion rupees (¥168 billion) for the economy last year.
I don’t know how to sort this out; the difference between ¥2 billion vs. ¥107 billion vs. ¥168 billion (per year, albeit pre-Covid) is pretty big. Then again, the whole question of whether monetary compensation for ecological damage is even possible. From the Mauritius Times, “Prof Christian Bueger: ‘Mauritius will receive some basic compensation. But how do you calculate the price of restoring a marine habitat, or the cost of a dead bird?‘”
Based on other oil spill litigation cases, financial compensation will firstly take a long time. The destruction needs to be economically calculated, and responsibilities and obligations clarified. Mauritius will receive some basic compensation.
Yet, how do you calculate the value of an eco-system, the price of restoring a marine habitat, or the cost of a dead bird? Whatever compensation received it will not do justice to the damage done. Ocean recovery will take years, if not decades. And let’s not forget the reputational damage, and the consequences for tourism in Mauritius as well.
(This feeds into the whole question of “ecological services,” a term rife among Blue Economy proponents, which in my understanding assumes, even demands, that a price be put on such services.)
Conclusion
I hope Mauritius gets plenty of help with international relief[4], plus a nice chunk of change from Japan, even if it’s not precisely calculable. And it’s tragic that the very human desire for a WiFi connection to crew’s families, and a birthday party, had such an outcome[5]. Finally, it really would be better to leave the oil in the ground.
NOTES
[1] Kyodo News: “Pointe d’Esny, an area designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, which is close to Blue Bay Marine Park, another Ramsar site.”
[2] The oil leakage proper started on August 6.
[3] CBS, quoting Jean Hugue Gardenne of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation: “We have planted about 200,000 indigenous trees to restore the coastal forest. We re-introduced endangered birds, including the pink pigeon, the olive white-eye and the critically endangered Mauritius fody to the Isle aux Aigrettes. Now all this is threatened as the oil is seeping into the soil and the coral reefs.” See here at NC on coral reefs, here on mangrove forests, and here on coastal estuaries.
[4] Mauritius also occupies a strategic position in the Indian Ocean, near Diego Garcia. There’s no suggestion this had an impact on the grounding, but it may have affected the nature of the relief effort — no British or US help, other than US embassy volunteers helping to clean the beaches — but help from India and France.
[5] I have not looked into the actions of the Mauritian government, because a lot of the material is in French, which I don’t read. However, gGaptain, in “Wakashio Grounding and Oil Spill: Was the Mauritian Government Unprepared?” provides a bill of particulars and answers that Mauritius was prepared, given its capacity as an island nation of 1.3 million people. This is also the first time Mauritius has been hit with an oil spill.
I am writing in regard to the recent press coverage of BBC News Africa in relation to the matter of aground ship tanker the MV Wakashio in the Indian ocean, precisely at “Pointe D’Esny” situated at the south east coast of the island of Mauritius.
As a Mauritian citizen residing in the United Kingdom for over 13 years and knowing how independently the media process in the country of her majesty; i must admit that i have been very dissapointed and ashamed of the way you have tackled this situation.
As far as i am concerned, the honourable prime minister of my country of birth, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth has done everything in accordance to the advices of the experts in place, within the international maritime law frame.
A ship accident in the water is not as a car accident on land and there are different laws that apply to the scenario. I would like to cite a few examples to clarify your intelltgence.
Under Panamean Law, where the MV Wakashio is registered, when a ship is wrecked or aground, a written permission must be obtained from the owner to be pump or ferried. Even if its in Mauritian waters, the government of Mauritius has no rights to do so and if break the rules they can be sued.
Under international law and convention, when a ship is wrecked or aground, a salvage master and salvage team is approved by the ship owner and the insurance company. In fact the salvage master replaces the ship captain and all manoeuvres relies on the decision of the salvage master. The Mauritian authorities have no rights to be detrimental to them.
According to my opinion, BBC News Africa, has made no investigation over the matter and has been acting with insolence towards the honourable Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.
First of all, the time limit offered to him as the of head of state of the country in question was shorter than the time frame offered to the former prime minister who is currently an ordinary citizen.
You have also interviewed people of some local medias of Mauritius whom the prime minister have legal matter against and also an ex member and ex MP of the prime minister’s political party who has now join an opposition party after playing musical chair in almost every political party of the country. Which means that your elements of information is based on bias people.
Let me reiterate your attention that since year 2014, every individual Mauritian who is against the government is freely graduated by the opposition parties as an expert in any problem the country may face. In the recent oil pollution, skippers who are against the government has become experts in ecological polution, former prime minister who is a medical doctor that never treated a patient as well as a barrister who never fight a case in court of justice has becone expert in ship wrecking.
The most important thing that i would like to point out in this notice is about the last question that your TV presenter has asked the honourable Prime Minister of Mauritius Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth is….., whether he owe an appology to the locals of Mahebourg & Mauritian public in general.
In my personal opinion, as a political observer, i haven’t notice him of any wrong doings about the matter or in any other difficult situation such as Covid 19, etc…, since he is in office.
Why were you asking him for an apology?
Who is BBC News Africa to ask him for an apology?
However, as a resident of the United Kingdom who pays a TV license, i would like to ask you a few questions.
A) The muslim community of the United Kingdom is over 5% of the entire population and Boris Johnson has once offended them when he labelled the muslim women as “Bank Robbers” & “Letter Boxes” due to their traditional dress….., Did the BBC asked him that he owe an apology to them???
B) The Covid 19 pandemic has caused over 45,000 death so far and hundred thousands of contaminated due to the inactions of Boris Johnson & his government. Appropriate actions haven’t been taken like countries such as Mauritius, Italy, New Zealand & others to stop the spread of the virus…. Did the BBC asked Boris Johnson that he owe an apology to the residents of the United Kingdom???
C) As a media/press organisation, I believe that you must be aware of the pending matter to complete the decolonisation of the Chagos which has been illegally owned by the United Kingdom for over 50 years….. Did the BBC ever asked the current prine minister of the United Kingdom or any other former prime ministers for an apology for crime against humanity over the chagosiens people???
D) It is well known among UK residents that there were a shortage of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) which the NHS staff requested to the prime minister in order to protect themselves while fighting Covid 19 pandemic which has also carried away a number of lives among the NHS staff and it took over a month to get these PPE supplied to them….. Did the BBC ever asked Boris Johnson or the health secretary that they owe an apology to the NHS & the general Public???
So, who are you to ask the Prime Minister of Mauritius about apology???
This makes me wonder whether the BBC as well has been embarked into the tub-thumping of the opposition parties and demagogic press who are trying to destabilise the government of Mauritius image over the international scenery.
One last thing i would like to point out is the mini interview of the former prime minister of Mauritius Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam who has been given more time compared to the prime minister in office and even extra time to express his feelings about the matter.
I would like to reiterate your attention that this person is the former prime minister and is currently an ordinary citizen of Mauritius.
Your TV presenter has introduced his as the Opposition Leader, which i believe is an offence towards to Mauritian democracy, since he has been rejected by the public in the last two previous parliamentary elections. Which means he haven’t been elected and he is not even an MP.
It is an offence to the Mauritian public to introduce a person who has been rejected twice and who suffers from Hyper-Sexuality Disorder as the leader of the opposition.
This shows that you don’t have enough credibility about the news and information you hold and share as a media organisation of the country of her majesty.
Having failed to identify the person you are interviewing, I strongly believe that the BBC owe an apology to the Mauritian public.
Mikhail Voytenko
Regretfully, Capesize bulk carrier WAKASHIO, which ran aground on the reefs off Pointe Desny, southeast Mauritius, at around 1600 UTC Jul 25, broke in two, understood on Aug 15, notwithstanding salvage attempts. The bigger, fore, half of the ship is to be towed away or is already under tow, destination unknown. Aft part with superstructure, engine room and fuel tanks, remains on the reefs, posing none or minimal pollution threat, because all fuel was siphoned out during salvage operation. There is no “ecological disaster” or “catastrophe”, even if stern remains on reefs to be dismantled on the site.
Capesize bulk carrier WAKASHIO, IMO 9337119, dwt 203130, built 2007, flag Panama, manager NAGASHIKI SHIPPING CO LTD.
「The preliminary investigation in Mauritius indicates that the captain of the ship, Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, was celebrating a birthday party with his crew as the ship head off-course towards Pointe d'Esny - which explains why the Mauritian National Coast Guard's emergency calls received no response from the Wakashio.」
Aug 14, 2020 (Radio France Internationale/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Conservationists in Mauritius are navigating unchartered territory as they struggle to assess the damage from the massive Wakashio oil spill in one of the island's most ecologically sensitive areas. All efforts have been deployed to protect the fragile ecosystem, which has existed for millions of years.
"Even in my worst of nightmares, I would never have thought something like that could happen to us," says Dr Vikash Tatayah, conservation director of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF).
"We are used to cyclones, droughts or an invasive species, it's part of nature and we know how to cope with that. But we never thought we would have to face an oil spill."
The Japanese-owned Panama-flagged Wakashio ship ran into Pointe d'Esny's coral reef barrier, south-east of Mauritius, on 25 July within a few kilometres of various protected sites.
The preliminary investigation in Mauritius indicates that the captain of the ship, Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, was celebrating a birthday party with his crew as the ship head off-course towards Pointe d'Esny - which explains why the Mauritian National Coast Guard's emergency calls received no response from the Wakashio.
The freighter ran aground two kilometres from the Ile aux Aigrettes nature reserve, home to many unique plant, bird and reptile species. Just north lie four islets, Ilot Fouquets, Ile de la Passe, Ilot Vacoas and Ilot Marianne, part of national parks and nature reserves.
Wakashio started leaking oil on 6 August near two UNESCO Ramsar sites of international importance: Blue Bay marine park and Pointe d'Esny wetlands, which provide habitat to rare plants and animals and are crucial for the preservation of the ecosystem.
Oil washed ashore at Ile aux Aigrettes, Ilot Phare and Ilot Vacoas. The government said Ile aux Aigrettes had been successfully cleared.
Lost conservation efforts
Tatayah tells RFI it will take years to recover. The MWF has already started moving the more vulnerable plants and animals from the islets to a safer location on mainland Mauritius.
"Some endangered species or plants might face greater risk of extinction. We're looking at years of conservation work which are going to be lost," Tatayah said.
The Wakashio was transporting 3,800 tonnes of fuel and 200 tonnes of diesel in total.
Eight hundred tonnes of oil leaked in the southeastern lagoons and around 700 tonnes have been retrieved from the sea and coastline.
"We avoided what could have been an irreparable disaster but still 800 metric tonnes of oil leaked into our lagoon," the conservationist adds.
"It is an immense stress on our environment. We are used to restoration of habitat, we've been doing this for 40 years. But we've never done 'depollution'," he says.
He fears that as plants absorb polluted water through their roots, the toxic chemicals may lead to the extinction of some species.
"The pollutants are now also to be found in insects, the food for our birds and reptiles. We have no idea how this will affect the whole food chain."
Unchartered territory
The Ile aux Aigrettes islet lies some 850 metres off the coast of Mauritius. It became a nature reserve in 1965 and the MWF initiated conservation efforts in 1985 to protect some of the rarest species in the world.
"Even if the bulk of the rescue mission on the south-eastern islets is over, we do have to regularly monitor the fauna and flora because of the damage caused by the oil spill," says Tatayah, admitting that he does not know what the long term effects may be.
"But because the air is still full of petroleum vapour, we are currently only spending a few hours on Ile aux Aigrettes, wearing protective equipment, while we used to spend the whole day and even stay there."
Birds sanctuary
The 26-hectare Ile aux Aigrettes is home to some 500 birds, as well very rare plants and reptiles.
The Pink Pigeon, unique to Mauritius, has been restored from near extinction in 1990 with a population of only nine birds. There are now over 400 of them with 20 on lle aux Aigrettes.
The small songbirds Mauritius Fody or Cardinal and the critically endangered Mauritius Olive white-eye have also been successfully reintroduced to the islet.
The MWF team rescued 12 Mauritius Olive white eye and six Mauritius Fody from the islet and moved them, in captivity, to Black River.
The south-eastern islets are the nesting place of seabirds. On Ile au Phare, the paille-en-queue or white-tailed tropicbird nests on its lighthouse.
"If we do not manage to clean up in the next few months, there will be an increasing risks for those seabirds to get oiled because as Mauritius moves into summer, it corresponds with their breeding season," Tatayah explained. There is also the added problem for seabirds to find food which has not been contaminated.
Unique native plants
There are hundreds of thousands of native plants on Ile aux Aigrettes, including 40 endemic plant species.
One of them is the Ile aux Aigrettes Ebony (Diospyros egrettarum). It is one of the 12 Ebony species unique to Mauritius which are only found in lowland forests. Prior to the arrival of humans, Mauritius was covered with Ebony forests. Today, less than two per cent remains.
Mauritius' endemic lowland coastal forests, which were originally millions of years old, have been completely eradicated by man from the coastline of the mainland. These unique plants are now only to be found on the 10,000-year-old Ile aux Aigrettes where it as been preserved from destruction.
MWF removed the plants from its nursery to the mainland.
Reptiles' paradise
Some reptiles, endemic to Mauritius and extinct on the mainland, live on a few surrounding islets.
The Telfair's skink and Gunther's gecko, which used to be found only on Round Island, were reintroduced to Ile aux Aigrettes over a decade ago.
lot Vacoas, Ile de la Passe, Ilot Marianne and Ile aux Fouquets have remnant reptile populations of Bojer's skink, Bouton's skink and the Night gecko.
"The idea was to ensure that the reptile population from Ilot Vacoas was translocated to the other islets. This process is working really well," Tatayah declared.
The rescue mission underway involved moving some of the reptiles, like the Bojer's skink, to Mauritius for the time being and then to UK for safety.
The Night gecko and the critically endangered Bojer's skink are unique to Mauritius and are currently to be found among the south-eastern islets. Having been separated from the northern population on Round island and Gunner's Quoin several thousands of years ago, they now present a unique genetic makeup.
Geckos are very important for pollination and insect control of invertebrates.
Aldabra tortoises
As the tortoises endemic to Mauritius went extinct in 1844, Aldabra giant tortoises from the Seychelles were brought in 2001 to Ile aux Aigrettes because they are the genetically closest to the Mauritian species, and could fulfil the same essential functions within the ecosystem of the island. The smaller ones have been moved to mainland Mauritius as part of the rescue mission.
Ecotourism
The activities on Ile aux Aigrettes have almost grounded to a halt because of the oil spill.
Tatayah believes it will be several weeks before MWF could consider reopening the island to the public.
"We were planning to receive 18 thousand people this year through our eco-tourism and education tours," he said.
"The oil spill and Covid-19 have severely slashed funds needed to finance our conservation work."
The foundation has been receiving donations, in response to the oil spill, from various platforms. The conservationist admits facing an immense task ahead to recover from the oil spill disaster.
"I sometimes want to cry but, in our business, we cannot just give up," said Tatayah. "The cost of this shipwreck for our society, our environment is immense."
「The newspaper is also reporting that the police are interviewing the crew members and an interview with the captain of the Wakashio, an Indian national by the name of Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, was pending.」
With the situation mostly stable at the wreck site of the bulk carrier Wakashio, much of the drama has moved to shore where the cleanup and investigations are underway. At the same time, a broad range of accusations is emerging as pressure increases on the shipowner, charterer and now on the government of Mauritius.
Political opponents have already begun their criticism of the government saying it failed to respond quickly enough in the days after the grounding on July 25 and before the ship began to leak oil on August 6. They are highlighting the president’s statements that Mauritius did not have the capabilities to deal with the impending disaster made only after the ship’s fuel tanks ruptured.
Adding to the controversies are reports emerging in the local newspaper L’Express regarding the potential testimony of crew members being interviewed by the Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) and investigators with the Mauritius Shipping bureau. Reportedly, the crew members told investigators that the Wakashio intentionally steered closer to the Mauritius shore seeking local Wi-Fi signals possibly during or after a party held on board to celebrate a crew member’s birthday.
The newspaper is also reporting that the police are interviewing the crew members and an interview with the captain of the Wakashio, an Indian national by the name of Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, was pending.
Faced with a barrage of negative reports, mounting frustration from residents and environmentalists over the scope of the disaster, and political criticisms, the government issued a formal request for compensation from the shipowner, Nagashiki Shipping Co. Ltd, and its charterer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).
“We can confirm the Mauritius government have requested compensation from us. We are fully aware of the responsibilities of the parties concerned and will respond in good faith to any damages in accordance with applicable law. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to people in Mauritius and other parties involved. We will continue to do our utmost to minimize the impact of oil spill recovery and environmental pollution,” the company said in a written statement attributed to Kiyoaki Nagashiki, a representative director.
Nagashiki’s statement went on to say that its representatives had arrived in Mauritius and that it would “continue to consider the additional dispatch of personnel and transportation of supplies.” The company said that it will fully cooperate with the authorities of Mauritius and Japan to work to resolve the situation as soon as possible and will do its best to prevent the spread of oil and protect the environment. “The cause of the incident is not known and will be fully investigated.”
For its part, Mitsui after apologizing in Japan nearly a week ago appears to be distancing itself by now issuing statements saying this is the information we received from the owners. MOL also has personnel in Mauritius while saying, “MOL are doing everything possible to support the efforts of owner and manager, Nagashiki Shipping and their appointed teams in mitigating the effects of the spill. MOL deplores any incident of oil pollution and continues to offer support to all involved in the response.”
Local and international environmentalists have also joined in adding their calls for action. In an open letter to the senior executives at MOL and Nagashiki, Greenpeace acknowledged the companies statements saying, “Your apology is a first step, but you need to take full responsibility and pay for all the current and future damages, including the lost livelihoods that you destroyed.” Among the additional actions that Greenpeace is calling for is the initiation and funding of a fully public independent investigation as well as the companies commitment to stop using the sea route around Mauritius and to “get out of fossil fuels.” Greenpeace concluded by requesting a written response within one week.
Recapping the situation at the ship, the prime minister of Mauritius said in a press conference on August 13 that only 166 tons of fuel remained aboard the Wakashio, not in the tanks but having leaked inside the hull. He estimated that nearly 3,200 tons had been pumped off the ship leaving between 800 and 1,000 tons to have spilled into the ocean. He said that in the next phase of the effort, aided by favorable weather and sea conditions, the salvage teams would be removing other hazardous material from the ship such as batteries.
On August 14, however, cameras again spotted oil leaking from the ship. The local newspaper L’Express was reporting sources as saying it was from the bilges and the residuals left aboard the crippled ship. They were confident that this leak would be contained by the approximately 1,520 meters of oil booms that have been deployed in strategic locations to contain the pollution.
Eric Haun, Editor
Eric Haun is editor of Marine News. He has covered the commercial maritime and...
A Vietnamese-flagged cargo ship ran aground near the Philippines' Antique province Thursday after the officer on watch fell asleep, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
The 225-meter, 2,551-gross-ton Globe 6 was transporting a rice cargo from Ho Chi Minh City to Davao City and had 25 crew members on board at the time of the incident. The ship's master Nguyen Hoai told the PCG that the officer on watch had been asleep when the grounding occurred.
The PCG said its personnel were immediately dispatched to investigate the incident and inspect the vessel for possible damage and signs of an oil spill. So far no injuries or pollution have been reported.
PCG divers aboard BRP Cape Engaño are currently en route to inspect the vessel’s hull for potential damage.
「A Japanese bulk carrier that struck a coral reef off Mauritius and has leaked at least an estimated 1,000 tons of fuel passed an annual inspection in March without any problems, Japan's ClassNK inspection body said on Tuesday.」
TOKYO
A Japanese bulk carrier that struck a coral reef off Mauritius and has leaked at least an estimated 1,000 tons of fuel passed an annual inspection in March without any problems, Japan's ClassNK inspection body said on Tuesday.
The ship, MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, ran onto the reef on July 25, and the resulting fuel leak has raised fears of a major ecological crisis the Indian Ocean island.
Having already declared a state of emergency, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said the ship has now stopped leaking fuel, but the island nation must still prepare for "a worst case scenario.
"We will do our utmost toward resolving the situation quickly," Mitsui OSK said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it doubted whether the incident would have a large enough impact on its earnings to warrant issuing a disclosure notice to investors.
The company said it has sent six employees to the site was considering sending more, along with transport supplies. The deployed staff were tested for coronavirus before being sent.
Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said it had joined international efforts to help Mauritius tackle the fuel spill by providing technical advice and coordinating the response. U.N. agencies and other international organizations were also mobilizing environmental and oil spill experts.
Mauritian volunteers fished dead eels from oily waters on Tuesday as they tried to clean up damage to the pristine beaches.
Activists told Reuters that dead eels were floating in the water and dead starfish were marked by the sticky black liquid. Crabs and seabirds are also dying.
"We don't know what may happen further with the boat, it may crack more," said clean up volunteer Yvan Luckhun.
The MV Wakashio is still holding some 2,000 tonnes of oil and it is expected to eventually break up, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said late on Monday, warning that the country must brace for the worst.
Tourism is a leading part of the Mauritius economy. The government, which declared an emergency on Friday due to the spill, is working with former colonial ruler France to try to remove the oil.
The spill has set back two decades worth of restoring the natural wildlife and plants in the lagoon, which started after the government banned sand harvesting in the area back in 2000, said Vikash Tatayah, conservation director at Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.
The fragmentation of the oil in the sea is expected to damage corals when the heavier particles in the oil settle on them, he said, adding that the steps taken by the government to prevent the disaster are also being scrutinised.
"There is some anger and some criticism from the civil society that the government may have taken too much time to respond," Tatayah said. The ship was grounded for nearly two weeks before it started leaking oil.
There was no immediate comment from Mauritian government officials.
Japanese ship MK Wakashio hit a reef off the coast of Mauritius on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel onboard
Some 1,180 tonnes of fuel has leaked into the sea and about 1,800 tonnes of fuel remained onboard the ship
The oil slick has spread 7.1 miles from Blue Bay Marine Park on the east coast to the island of Ile aux Cerfs
Today salvage crews were able to successfully pump all the fuel from the tanks of the giant cargo ship
By JOE DAVIES FOR MAILONLINE
Salvage crews have successfully pumped all the fuel from the tanks of a giant cargo ship which ran aground off Mauritius in order to prevent another massive oil spill into the pristine waters.
Further ecological disaster was averted today as the MV Wakashio, a Japanese-owned bulk carrier, threatened to break apart at any moment after more than two weeks stranded on a coral reef off the island nation.
Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth confirmed that all the fuel had been pumped from the reservoirs and added that about 100 tonnes remained elsewhere on board the vessel.
It comes after more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel leaked into the waters from the MV Wakashio after it hit a coral reef off the island on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel.
The ship, which has already leaked some 1,180 tonnes of fuel into the sea, began leaking oil into coral reefs, mangrove forests and protected wetlands last week in a massive blow for the paradisiacal island popular among honeymooners and other tourists.
However today Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said: 'All the fuel has been pumped from the reservoirs.'
He added: 'It was a race against the clock, and I salute the excellent work to prevent another oil spill.
A devastating oil slick from Japanese ship the MV Wakashio that ran aground on a reef off Mauritius two weeks ago has spread 7.1 miles (11.5 kilometres) from Blue Bay Marine Park to the tourist island of Ile aux Cerfs on the east coast of the island
More than 1,000 tonnes of fuel has leaked into the pristine waters of the island from the MV Wakashio, with fears more could spill as the ship begins to split in half, spilling a further 1,800 left in the ship
The Wakashio hit a coral reef off the island on July 25 with 4,000 tonnes of fuel and some 1,180 tonnes of fuel has leaked into the sea
A huge crack pictured in the hull of the Japanese-owned MV Wakashio
Fishermen and skippers tend to a makeshift oil extraction device at the Mahebourg Waterfront in Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, today
Fishermen and skippers tend to a makeshift oil extraction device at the Mahebourg Waterfront in Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, today
'The weather was calm and it helped the pumping exercise, it also prevented the breakup of the boat, which is inevitable.'
The oil slick has so far spread 7.1 miles (11.5 kilometers) from Blue Bay Marine Park to the tourist island of Ile aux Cerfs on the east coast of Mauritius.
Mr Jugnauth said yesterday that while there has been no more spillage, huge cracks appeared on the ship's body, indicating it could break apart and leak more fuel.
He said: 'The salvage team has observed several cracks in the ship hull, which means that we are facing a very serious situation.
'We should prepare for a worst case scenario. It is clear that at some point the ship will fall apart.'
Sunil Dowarkasing, environmental consultant and former member of parliament in Mauritius, said: 'The danger of the ship breaking into two is increasing hour by hour.
'The cracks have now reached the base of the ship and there is still a lot of fuel on the ship.
Satellite images on August 12 show the MV Wakashio off the southeast coast of Mauritius after it crashed into a coral reef
A volunteer wears protective clothing as they help to clean the oil spilled from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio
Volunteers line up barrels at the Mahebourg Waterfront in Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, today to help in the clean up of the oil slick
A man collects leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius on Monday
A volunteer is seen in the leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius on Monday
Workers clean a coastal area covered with oil in Mahebourg, Mauritius last week. About 1,800 tonnes of fuel remained onboard the fragile vessel
In this satellite image provided by 2020 Maxar Technologies on Friday, an aerial view of oil leaking from the MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier ship that recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius
A man scoops leaked oil from the vessel MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, that ran aground near Blue Bay Marine Park off the coast of south-east Mauritius
Local volunteers making absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio
The bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius, is pictured above
People scoop leaked oil from the vessel MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, that ran aground and caused oil leakage near Blue bay Marine Park in southeast Mauritius on Sunday
'Two ships are headed to the site so that fuel can be pumped into them, but it is very difficult.'
'We are expecting the worst,' added Jean Hugues Gardenne of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.
'The ship is showing really big, big cracks. We believe it will break into two at any time, at the maximum within two days.'
Thousands of volunteers, many smeared head-to-toe in black sludge, have turned out along the coast since Friday, stringing together miles of improvised floating barriers made of straw in a desperate attempt to hold back the sludge.
Vashist Seegobin, an ecology and conservation professor at the Mauritius University said that while the amount of fuel seeping from the boat appeared to have slowed, 'it is still leaking, we must remain on alert.'
A combination handout photo shows the waters near Pointe d'Esny before and after the oil leak from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, in Pointe d'Esny, Mauritius, on August 1, 2020 and August 6, 2020 in these Copernicus Sentinel-2 imageries obtained by Reuters on August 9, 2020
A still image taken from a drone video shows a cleanup crew working at the site of an oil spill after the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius on Friday
Local volunteers clean up oil washing up on the beach from the MV Wakashio, a Japanese owned Panama-flagged bulk carrier ship which is leaking oil as it recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius on Sunday
Activists said dead eels were floating in the water and dead starfish were marked by the sticky black liquid. Crabs and seabirds are also dying.
'We don't know what may happen further with the boat, it may crack more,' said clean up volunteer Yvan Luckhun.
The inter-agency United Nations team will 'support efforts to mitigate impact of (the) oil spill on natural resources and on (the) population', read a statement from the UN office in Mauritius.
Japan has dispatched a six-member team, including members of its coastguard, to assist.
France has sent more than 20 tonnes of technical equipment - including 1.3 kilometres (0.8 miles) of oil containment booms, pumping equipment and protective gear - along with technical advisers from nearby Reunion, a French Indian Ocean island.
An undated handout photo made available by the Office of the Reunion Region in Mauritius shows local volunteers making absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio
A photo provided by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Ministry shows oil leaking from the MV Wakashi
Local volunteers making absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks to contain oil from the MV Wakashio, a Japanese owned Panama-flagged bulk carrier ship which is leaking oil as it recently ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius (issued Monday)
The spill has set back two decades worth of restoring the natural wildlife and plants in the lagoon.
Comservation efforts started after the government banned sand harvesting in the area back in 2000, said Vikash Tatayah, conservation director at Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.
The fragmentation of the oil in the sea is expected to damage corals when the heavier particles in the oil settle on them, he said, adding that the steps taken by the government to prevent the disaster are also being scrutinised.
'There is some anger and some criticism from the civil society that the government may have taken too much time to respond,' Tatayah said.
Thousands of students, environmental activists and residents of Mauritius were working around the clock trying to reduce the damage to the Indian Ocean island
The waterfront of Mahebourg has been entirely smoothered in oil
A drone image shows volunteers preparing to handle leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, which ran aground on a reef, at the Riviere des Creoles, on the Mahebourg waterfront, Mauritius on Monday
An aerial view shows people scooping leaked oil yesterday, from the MV Wakashio bulk carrier that had run aground at the beach in Bambous Virieux, southeast Mauritius
A drone image shows volunteers preparing to handle leaked oil from the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, which ran aground on a reef, at the Riviere des Creoles, on the Mahebourg waterfront, Mauritius on Monday
The ship was grounded for nearly two weeks before it started leaking oil. There was no immediate comment from Mauritian government officials.
The Wakashio passed an annual inspection in March without any problems, Japan's ClassNK inspection body said.
Mitsui OSK Lines said in statement: 'We will do our utmost towards resolving the situation quickly.'
It did not provide any details. The company said it has sent six employees to the site and was considering sending more, along with transport supplies.
The International Maritime Organization said it had joined efforts to tackle the spill by providing technical advice and coordinating the response.
Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is reeling from an oil spill. On July 25, a Japanese ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground on a coral reef off the country's coast.
The freighter, which Mauritius says was carrying almost 4,000 tons of fuel, began breaking apart on Aug. 6, spilling about 1,000 tons of oil into the ocean, Forbes reported. According to the BBC, the incident occurred at "a known sanctuary for rare wildlife," Pointe d'Esny. Greenpeace Africa's Happy Khamule explained that "thousands" of species are "at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius' economy, food security and health," per the BBC.
Mauritius’ prime minister, Pravind Jugnauth, declared a state of emergency and asked for international help on Friday. A combination of volunteers, non-governmental organizations, and Mauritius' governmental efforts are cleaning up the spill. Japan and France have also offered to help. Winds measuring 31 mph are impeding the recovery though, the BBC reported.
Photos of the spill show the devastation it's caused.
The island nation's economy relies on tourism and fishing, which the oil spill threatens.
An aerial view shows leaked oil from MV Wakashio on Aug. 6, 2020.
Though clean-up efforts are underway, Mauritius' prime minister warns MV Wakashio could break in half.
The freighter was carrying almost 4,000 tons of fuel.
Mauritius’ prime minister, Pravind Jugnauth, declared a state of emergency on Friday.
An aerial view of oil spilling into once-pristine waters.
An aerial view of Pointe d'Esny.
Bystanders stare at MV Wakashio, which ran aground on a coral reef.
ndian Oil (Mauritius) Ltd (IOML) has deployed barge Tresta Star to evacuate 1000 T fuel oil from the breached vessel Wakashio.
Geeta Mohan New Delhi
India on Tuesday started assistance work in evacuating fuel oil from the breached Japanese vessel Wakashio in reefs off the Mauritian coast. The evacuation had started Monday night after the sea swells went down.
The MV Wakashio, owned by the Nagashiki Shipping Company, struck the reef on Mauritius' southeast coast on July 25, causing a massive ecological disaster to an island nation that is home to world-renowned coral reefs.
On Thursday, the government said fuel was leaking from a crack in the vessel's hull.
Despite bad weather, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said 500 tonnes had been safely pumped out on Monday. But he warned the country was preparing for the "worst-case scenario".
Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of an environmental emergency, pleading for international help.
Indian Oil (Mauritius) Ltd (IOML) has made itself available with a large barge to evacuate 1000 T fuel oil from the breached vessel Wakashio.
Tweeting about the evacuation work, the Indian mission in Port Louis wrote, "Standing together - Indian Oil (Mauritius) Ltd. IOML barge Tresta Star has started evacuating fuel oil from the breached vessel Wakashio."
It added, "Evacuation of 1000 tonnes fuel oil from Wakashio by barge deployed by Indian Oil (Mauritius) Ltd IOML in progress."
Fuel spilling from the bulk carrier that ran aground two weeks ago is creating an ecological disaster, endangering corals, fish and other marine life around the Indian Ocean island.
Film of oil from the grounded vessel ‘MV Wakashio’ being leaked into the pristine waters and coral … [+] reefs of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius (August 7, 2020)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Japanese freighter ‘MV Wakashio’ ran aground on Mauritius’ coral reefs on Sunday 25 July. It remained stuck and started breaking apart 13 days later on Thursday 6 August, releasing 1000 of its estimated 4000 tons of heavy bunker fuel into the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean, as a large gash started appearing on the side of the vessel.
The location of the grounding is close to two internationally protected UNESCO Ramsar sites for wetlands, including a small coral atoll that had been set aside from human interference for the recovery of endemic species of Mauritius’ rich and rare biodiversity. It is also the location of a famous naval battle featured on France’s Arc de Triomphe, containing many historic Napoleonic wrecks that have laid undisturbed for two centuries.
This is the worst oil spill in the island’s history, and could mean the extinction of many plant, rare bird and wildlife species that are only found on that particular atoll (shown in photo above). NGO, Volunteer and Government efforts are carrying out salvage operations using small tourist boats, simple fishing vessels and home made oil buoys made from clothing and grass.
In a country already reeling from Covid-19 shutdown of the tourism industry, the economic and ecological implications are likely to be devastating. Questions are being asked about how this happened, could it have been prevented, and more importantly what steps should now be taken to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring anywhere else in the world.
A revolution from space
Part of the answer to these questions may come from space. The last ten years have seen a technological revolution in small cube and nano satellites. There are now over 50 private operators in space, operating satellites that track vessel movement, imagery, synthetic aperture radar through clouds and the night sky, as well as a range of environmental data that is critical for climate change.
Advances in data science has meant that these satellites can also be used forensically – effectively to go back in time to track the activities on the ocean.
One leading company in this field is Israeli-based satellite analytics company, Windward, who recently appointed former BP CEO Lord Browne as Chairman.
Using their data analytics platform, they have been able to trace the movement of the ‘MV Wakashio’ over the past week, including the critical last 2 days prior to impact. This shows how the potential of earth observation satellites can bring radical transparency and accountability to activities on the ocean.
1. History, trajectory and speed of ‘MV Wakashio’
Seven day trajectory of the MV Wakashio across the Indian Ocean prior to impact with Mauritius
Windward
Vessel transponders tracked from space show the ‘MV Wakashio’ crossed the Indian Ocean and entering the national waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) of Mauritius two days prior to it’s grounding on 23 July just before 11pm. This raises questions about why the vessel’s GPS tracking did not indicate that it was heading toward an impact with land, or why local authorities did not intervene with sufficient warning, given the clear trajectory toward the island. There should have been lessons from a previous vessel grounding in 2016, where an early intervention could have avoided an accident.
Satellite tracking reveals that the ‘MV Wakashio’ enters Mauritian waters on 23 July 2020 without … [+] changing speed or course for two days until it struck the coral reefs.
Windward
Satellite data can also reveal the speed of the vessel. With the ‘MV Wakashio,’ it reveals that the vessel was travelling at 11 knots, which is standard for bulk carrier ships at sea, but more importantly did not show any slow down prior to impact.
2. Crowded shipping lanes around Mauritius
Satellite data also reveal how crowded global shipping lanes have become, making them impossible to manage through human eyes alone. Vessel traffic has increased four-fold in the past twenty years.
Satellite imagery of vessel traffic (marked in red) reveal a 400% increase in shipping in the past … [+] 20 years and the outlines of the continents can be seen using vessel traffic alone, without a need for a map.
Groltech
During the month of July, over 2000 vessels passed close by the Mauritian coast in one of the most concentrated shipping lanes in the world connecting Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America (the historic trade route prior to the opening of the Suez Canal). Comparing these mainstream shipping lane traffic with the trajectory of the ‘MV Wakashio’ would have revealed the ‘MV Wakashio’ had been on a collision course with Mauritius for several days and was much further North than other vessels using this shipping lane.
Busy navigation channels needs to be more carefully managed, often with the support of new … [+] technologies such as machine learning
Windward
The international shipping community has often called for ‘free passage of the oceans,’ yet this places significant risk on the coastlines of these countries, which often house some of the poorest and marginalized members of society. With the added impact of climate change on these communities, this raises the question whether there should be greater support for such coastal communities by international shipping firms that traverse national waters and create a higher risk, as has been seen with the ‘MV Wakashio.’
The 2002 oil spill of the Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated Oil Tanker ‘MV Prestige’ in Southern Spain also reveals the paradox of accountability. Having been rejected from several ports for safety reasons, the ‘MV Prestige’ split open in a storm leading to 80% of the 77,000 tons of oil on board being leaked along the coastlines of Spain, Portugal and France, after Government officials had underestimated the potential risk and leading to Spain’s worst ecological disaster. The clean up cost was estimated at over $1 billion, which eventually led to a complex 16 year journey to claim these damages.
Such costs would be prohibitive for small island states to cover, and satellite data can provide for clearer accountability of actions.
3. The rescue efforts can also be tracked via satellite
Satellite data can also be useful in showing the speed of Government response. Whilst initially there were local patrol vessels along the coast, larger coastguard vessels appeared four days after the grounding. The tug boat, the ‘Stanford Hawk,’ only departed capital city Port Louis on 31 July 2020 (six days after the grounding) and has been seen near to the ‘MV Wakashio’ ever since.
The first large vessel on the scene was the Mauritian Coastguard, who arrived four days after the … [+] ‘MV Wakashio’ had grounded.
Satellite data reveals that second responder, tug boat the ‘Stanford Hawk,’ departed capital city … [+] Port Louis on the 31 July for the stranded ‘MV Wakashio,’ six days after it had been grounded.
Combining AIS data with satellite imagery can reveal the historic trajectory of the vessel, in this … [+] case the MV Wakashio on 28 July 2020, the day of the grounding in clear daylight.
Satellite and AIS data combined reveal efforts to recover the ‘MV Wakashio’ by Tug Boat ‘Stanford … [+] Hawk’ on August 1st
Planet
This data from transponders known as AIS (for collision avoidance) can also show the departure of a second rescue vessel, the ‘Boka Expedition,’ departing the UAE on 26 July 2020 – the day after the grounding – but not arriving in Mauritius until 6 August 2020. Again, knowing the departure and arrival of potential rescue vessels could have more effectively informed a local response.
Trajectory and timing of second rescue vessel, the ‘Boka Expedition,’ that departed the UAE on 26 … [+] July, arriving in Mauritius on 6 August as ‘MV Wakashio’ started breaking up and leaking oil.
Windward
The combination of satellite data (including synthetic aperture radar) has opened up a new era of radical transparency on the ocean, inconceivable a decade ago, and making it possible to develop new tools to govern our oceans.
With the high volume of trade in the Indian Ocean, satellites combined with machine learning algorithms, could easily identify the areas of national waters that are at greatest risk from high traffic flow, as well as any vessels that pollute the waters as they transit through.
It would also help mark out the next generation of digital navigation tools for maritime safety.
The need for an ‘Ocean Mission Control’
With many poorer island and coastal nations not having sophisticated oil and gas industries, there are often insufficient resources to handle even moderate spills, such as the ‘MV Wakashio.’ The situation would have been even worse if the spill had been with an oil tanker.
CEO and Founder of Windward, Ami Daniel, says that “it is almost impossible for humans to track all movement within their national waters – harnessing technology is critical to any management of a modern ocean economy.”
He highlights that “these technologies are able to send early warning indicators to Port Authorities for any suspicious activity ahead of time, reducing any delays or human errors in assessing millions of data points.”
In the same week, Beirut has born the brunt of risks due to handling unsafe cargo in its port, and Ecuador and the Korean peninsula are also facing large industrial fleets of fishing vessels that they are unable to effectively patrol.
The investment in the right data and technology infrastructure could have averted such crises.
Unmanned and automated clean up operations
Going beyond prevention using satellites, there are a range of other new technologies that could be transformative to the clean up operations.
In Mauritius, individuals are being asked to place their health at risk to perform the dirty task of cleaning up toxic hydrocarbons.
Yet at the same time, there has been a revolution in autonomous vessels, with San Francisco-based Saildrone now having the world’s largest fleet of ocean-bound autonomous vessels. They continue to set their sights on more ambitious growth, and are all solar-powered.
For tasks such as the cleanup of oil spills, fleets of autonomous drones could have been used to initially ward off vessels that are deviating from agreed travel paths, and in the case of disasters, be used for cleanup operations, without exposing workers to toxic spills and the health consequences.
Such drone operations could be autonomously controlled or supervised by operators often thousands of miles away using remote cameras. It truly is a technological revolution happening on the ocean.
From Talk to Action on a ‘Sustainable Ocean Economy’
Whilst the technological revolution in favor of sustainability is being led by many innovative technology companies, policy making lags far behind.
The disaster in Mauritius shows there is a need for the following:
Reform of vessel registration to identify the risky operators on the ocean and ensure fair and transparent accountability of the shipping industry.
Governments must embrace new technologies, such as Satellites and Machine Learning to more effectively safeguard their ocean territories and natural ecosystems.
Creation of a global ‘Ocean Mission Control’ to support local authorities around the world, particularly in poorer countries who would otherwise lack critical scale to access such resources. The governance of such a resource will need to be more akin to an agile, purpose-driven Silicon Valley startup than traditional international structures.
Accelerate the transition to electrification of the global shipping fleet. This would have meant no polluting heavy bunker fuel even if a vessel ran aground. Government R&D programs have been significantly under-investing in the technologies needed to transform global shipping and create a new multi-trillion dollar new sector, despite publicly pledging the need to meet Climate objectives.
These reforms have been called for years, and yet maritime disasters and pollution continue to occur each week. The G20 sprung into action very quickly to act on international taxation following the 2008 and 2011 financial crises. The world responded rapidly to the Coronavirus Pandemic as businesses and Governments rapidly reinvented themselves. Indeed, some Governments have been publicly calling for a green revolution response to the Post-Covid economy.
With an ecological crisis that is rapidly unraveling, and clear solutions available, it remains to be seen whether those who have called loudest for a ‘Sustainable Ocean Economy’ will be the ones willing to step up and take bold actions rather than more words, conferences and reports.
Police say they were authorized to board the Japanese-owned ship as part of its investigation into the oil spill that sparked an ecological disaster. Both Japan and France said they will send disaster relief teams.
The operator of MV Wakashio, a Japanese bulk carrier, apologized on Sunday for a major oil leakcaused after it ran aground in Mauritius, triggering an environmental emergency and ecological disaster that has authorities racing to contain the spill.
The Japanese-owned but Panamanian-flagged ship was on its way to Brazil from China carrying close to 4,000 tons of fuel when it struck the reef on Mauritius' southeast coast on July 25, causing fuel to leak from the cracked vessel.
Some 1,000 tons of oil is estimated to have leaked from the ship and around 500 tons of oil has been recovered from the ship — but there are still 2,500 tons remaining on the vessel.
"We apologize profusely and deeply for the great trouble we have caused," Akihiko Ono, executive vice president of Mitsui OSK Lines, said at a news conference in Tokyo.
Mitsui OSK Lines said that the company would "do everything in their power to resolve the issue."
Ongoing investigation
Mauritius police said Sunday they would execute a search warrant granted by a court to board the MV Wakashio and seize items of interest, including communication exchanges, as part of its probe into the spill.
Wakashio's captain, a 58-year-old Indian national, will accompany officers on the search, police officials said.
The 20 crew members who were safely evacuated when the ship became stranded are under surveillance.
Neither Mitsui OSK Lines nor the listed owners of the ship, Okiyo Maritime Corporation and Nagashiki Shipping Co. Ltd, could confirm the cost of damages from the spill.
Disaster relief mission
In a statement, the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Sunday said it will deploy a six-person specialist team, on the request of the Mauritius government, to assist with removing the oil.
"We hope that this assistance will contribute to the recovery of the environment of Mauritius and prevention of marine pollution," the statement said.
France has also said it will dispatch disaster relief teams to help with the spill as will the nearby island of Reunion, which will also send military aircraft.
French news agency AFP reported that hundreds of volunteers, many covered head-to-toe in black sludge, are stringing together miles of makeshift cordons along the coastline in a bid to hold back the oily tide.
But the oil leak has already caused unprecedented damage to the island's lagoons, marine habitats and beaches.
The island declared a state of environmental emergency on Friday.
"People have realized that they need to take things into their hands. We are here to protect our fauna and flora," Ashok Subron, an environmental activist at Mahebourg, one of the worst-affected areas, told AFP.
Mauritius — popular for its marine ecology, pristine waters and white beaches in the Indian Ocean — is largely dependent on tourism.
Michael Braüner氏がコメントで「The coast guard tried in vain to contact the vessel - BECAUSE its course was much too close. An hour later the captain finally replied back that his course was safe. I hope he will lose his master's ticket - and perhaps also the right to be a navigating officer. Imagine if this had been a tanker.
WHY do vessels have to tangent Mauritius - and its coral reef rim - like this? A slightly more southern course will make NO difference on the long trajectory from the Malacca Strait to Good Hope. Where is this slow-moving org. IMO. It has happened before. The last time was the Angel 1 in 2015, which broke up (luckily also a bulker)」
The island of Mauritius is facing an environmental catastrophe after oil began leaking from a grounded vessel. Mauritius on Thursday announced that oil was leaking from the bulk carrier WAKASHIO that had run aground in the southeast of the island in late July. The ship had no payload at the time but was carrying over 200 tonnes of diesel and more than 3,800 tonnes of low-sulfur bunker fuel oil. The bulk carrier began to breach, releasing some of the bunker fuel. Boom is in place to prevent the oil from spreading but all efforts to stabilise the vessel and pump up the oil failed so far due to bad weather conditions.
"The public in general, including boat operators and fishers, are requested not to venture on the beach and in the lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d’Esny and Mahebourg,” the environment ministry of Mauritius said in a statement. Officials launched an investigation.
The grounding happened at Pointe d'Esny, which is listed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, and near the marine park of Blue Bay. Ecologists fear the ship could break up, which would cause an even greater leak and damage the island's coastline. The country depends crucially on its seas for food and for tourism, boasting some of the finest coral reefs in the world.
The WAKASHIO is a 203,130 deadweight tonnes bulk carrier measuring 300 meters in length. It is registered in Panama. The WAKASHIO was built in 2007 by Universal Shipbuilding in Kawasaki, Japan. It is managed by Okiyo Maritime / Nagashiki Shipping of Japan.
MV Wakashio breaking up after running aground at Pointe d’Esny near marine park.
The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is facing an environmental crisis after oil began leaking from a bulk carrier that ran aground in March and started to break up in rough seas.
“We are in an environmental crisis situation,” said the environment minister, Kavy Ramano, while the fishing minister, Sudheer Maudhoo, said: “This is the first time that we are faced with a catastrophe of this kind and we are insufficiently equipped to handle this problem.”
The ministers said all attempts to stabilise the ship had failed because of rough seas and efforts to pump out the oil had also failed. Ecologists fear the ship could break up, which would cause an even greater leak and inflict potentially catastrophic damage on the island’s coastline.
“The ministry has been informed … that there is a breach in the vessel MV Wakashio and there is a leakage of oil,” said an environment ministry statement.
“The public in general, including boat operators and fishers, are requested not to venture on the beach and in the lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe d’Esny and Mahebourg.”
Oil spill threatens vast areas of mangroves and coral reefs in Brazil
Read more
The carrier, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, ran aground on 25 July and its crew was evacuated safely.
Images from social media showed a slick of black oil spreading out from the stricken carrier.
The ship had no payload at the time but was carrying 200 tonnes of diesel and 3,800 tonnes of bunker fuel, according to the local press.
Shipping websites say the Wakashio was built in 2007 with gross weight of 101,000 tonnes and able to carry 203,000 tonnes, and a length of 299.95 metres (984 feet).
The grounding happened at Pointe d’Esny, which is listed under the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance and near the marine park of Blue Bay.
Anti-pollution systems had been sent to the two sites, the ministry said, adding that the government was asking the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion for assistance.
The country depends on its seas for food and for tourism, boasting some of the finest coral reefs in the world.
A powerful explosion occurred in Beirut port area on Aug 4, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. As of evening Aug 4, there’s no clarity with regards to the cause of explosion/explosions, and what triggered it. Russian witness insists he saw the ship on fire prior to blast, he managed to record fire and explosions on his mobile phone.
A salvage team has been deployed to refloat the 203,130 dwt bulk carrier Wakashio after the ship grounded in the southeast of Mauritius on Saturday when sailing from China to Brazil.
According to Mauritius’s Ministry of Environment, a tugboat with oil spill response equipment and a team of 10 people is on its way to Mauritius from South Africa while another tugboat with a team of six people onboard has left Singapore for the wreckage site. Both vessels are expected to arrive today. An additional tug will be on standby if necessary.
The information received by the ministry showed there was no cargo on the ship but it was carrying 3,894 tonnes of low sulphur fuel, 207 tonnes of diesel and 90 tonnes of heavy oil.
Kavy Ramano, minister of the environment, said the local environment authority has found traces of oil on algae over a distance of approximately 300 m and early investigations suggest it may have originated from the engine room.
A large bulk carrier has run aground on an Indian Ocean reef off Mauritius.
The Panama-flagged MV Wakashio was underway from China to Brazil when it ran aground Saturday night off Pointe d’esny on Mauritius’ south-eastern coast during a voyage from China to Brazil.
At 203,130 deadweight tonnes, the 300-meter MV Wakashio is classified as a large capesize bulk carrier. The vessel, however, is in ballast and not carrying any cargo.
Reports say the local Coast Guard attempted to contact the ship before it ran aground.
The MV Wakashio was built in 2007 by Universal Shipbuilding in Kawasaki, Japan. It is managed by Nagashiki Shipping.
Overflight video shows the vessel firmly aground along a reef a few hundred meters from shore.
According to local reports, authorities are making plans to refloat the vessel. No major pollution has been reported thus far.
A powerful explosion occurred in Beirut port area on Aug 4, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. As of evening Aug 4, there’s no clarity with regards to the cause of explosion/explosions, and what triggered it. Russian witness insists he saw the ship on fire prior to blast, he managed to record fire and explosions on his mobile phone.
Mikhail Voytenko
Aug 5 1515 UTC UPDATE:
Cruise ship ORIENT QUEEN, berthed at Beirut near blast site, was seriously damaged, started taking on water, capsized and sank starboard along berth, remaining partially above waterline. 2 crew reportedly (but not yet confirmed) died.
Cruise ship ORIENT QUEEN, IMO 8701193, GT 7478, built 1989, flag Bahamas, operator Abou Merhi Cruises.
Aug 5 0730 UTC UPDATE: Three ships were berthed near explosion site, AIS of all these ships are off during last 14-16 hours, immediately or shortly after, the blast. General cargo ship MERO STAR, IMO 8321682, dwt 4110; general cargo ship RAOUF H, IMO 8325535, dwt 6343; Livestock carrier JOURI, IMO 9174775, GT 4033.
Aug 5 UPDATE:
In Jul 2014, I’ve been asked by one of Russian national newspapers to investigate the story of general cargo ship RHOSUS, stranded in Beirut with cargo of ammonium nitrate, following the letter they received from the Captain of the ship. That’s what I found out:
General cargo vessel RHOSUS called Beirut, Lebanon, in October last year. Vessel loaded with ammonium nitrate was destined for another country, the reason she called Beirut is unclear, maybe for supplies or due to some mechanical trouble. RHOSUS was detained after PSC inspection, which found a number of deficiencies. Since then vessel is stranded in Beirut.
By now only four crew stay on board – Master (Russian nationality), Chief and Third Engineers and Bosun, all of them Ukrainians. Vessel was owned and operated by Mr. Grechushkin Igor, Russian citizen now Cyprus resident (last known manager Teto Shipping, Cyprus). RHOSUS actually, is abandoned – owner doesn’t communicate, doesn’t pay salaries, doesn’t provide supplies.
Owner of the cargo declared abandonment, too. Beirut authorities don’t permit the remaining crew to leave the vessel and fly to home. The reason is obvious, port authorities don’t want to be left with abandoned vessel on their hands, loaded with dangerous cargo, explosives, in fact. Why don’t they want to arrest vessel with cargo, to release the crew and replace it with temporary local crew, is unclear.
https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2014/4194/crew-kept-hostages-floating-bomb-mv-rhosus-beirut/
Many believe that yesterday’s explosion in Beirut was caused by that ammonium nitrate cargo on board of RHOSUS. Probably.
General cargo vessel Rhosus, IMO 8630344, dwt 3226, built 1986, flag Moldova.
A powerful explosion occurred in Beirut port area on Aug 4, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. As of evening Aug 4, there’s no clarity with regards to the cause of explosion/explosions, and what triggered it. Russian witness insists he saw the ship on fire prior to blast, he managed to record fire and explosions on his mobile phone.
A Capesize bulk carrier ran aground on a reef about 900 m off Pointe d’Esny, southeast coast of Mauritius, on 25 July 2020 despite warnings from local maritime authority.
According to the Mauritius Coast Guard (MCG), it tried several times to contact the vessel when its radar systems showed that Wakashio was sailing dangerously close to the shore. However, the captain insisted the planned route was safe. A few moments later, the ship radioed back to say the vessel had grounded on a reef.
The Panama-flagged vessel was sailing from Singapore to Tubarão, Brazil, when the incident occurred. The ship was still stranded on 26 July, but the heavy swell was preventing a proper assessment. Although there was no cargo, authorities were concerned about the 43,800 tonnes of fuel oil on board. However, pollution prevention booms were in place, and salvage companies were on standby.
The National Emergency Operations Command is monitoring and co-ordinating response activities of the police, the Special Mobile Force (SMF), and the MCG. Operations are taking place under the supervision of Dr Anwar Husnoo, Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management; police commissioner Khemraj Servansing and officer in charge of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council; and acting commanding officer of the SMF, Anil Kumar Dip.
The 203,130 dwt Wakashio is owned by the Japanese Okiyo Maritime Corp. and managed by Nagashiki Shipping Company of Okayama-ken in Japan. The ship was built in 2007 and is 300 m in length and 50 m wide with a draught of 12 m. There are 20 crew members on board.
Another COVID-19 cluster has been reported on a Russian ship docked in the southeastern port city of Busan.
Local quarantine authorities said on Friday that 32 out of 94 crew members on the Russian-flagged fishing vessel that entered North Port on July 8 tested positive for the virus.
Six of the 32 infected crew members reportedly displayed symptoms.
Quarantine authorities plan to send the confirmed patients to Busan Medical Center for treatment on Friday after consultation with local health authorities.
The remaining 62 crew members who tested negative will reportedly be isolated inside the vessel.
A South Korean worker, who boarded the ship for maintenance checkups, also tested positive on Thursday. The worker is suspected to have contracted the virus from the Russian crew.
BUSAN, July 16 (Yonhap) -- Health authorities said Thursday that three crewmen on a Russian ship docked in the southeastern port city of Busan have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, fueling concerns over another potential group infection amid a rising number of imported cases in the country.
The virus-infected sailors were on a Russia-flagged fishing vessel that entered Gamcheon Port in Busan last month, according to the city's health authorities. The ship is currently docked at a repair shipyard in the city.
Health authorities said more cases could come from the ship as it carried 29 crew members. Test results on other seafarers, currently isolated on the ship, are expected to be announced soon.
Earlier this week, a Russian sailor aboard a Tuvalu-flagged deep-sea fishing vessel docked at Gamcheon Port tested positive for COVID-19. The other 43 crew members tested negative in virus tests, though they will be checked again during their two-week quarantine that runs through July 28.
The latest cases follow cluster infections tied to Russia-flagged ships last month that put health authorities in Busan on alert, with 19 related cases reported.
Since then, South Korea has been conducting onboard quarantine checks of foreign ships arriving from high-risk countries after assessing the degree of risks.
For Russian ships that need lots of contact with local workers, health authorities said they will conduct virus tests on all crewmembers.
(ATTN: UPDATES with details in paras 7-8; CHANGES photos)
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new virus cases bounced back Tuesday due mainly to a surge in imported cases, with most traced to sailors on a Russia-flagged ship docked in the southeastern city of Busan. The spread of the virus in the Seoul metropolitan area and outside the capital continued.
The country added 46 cases, including 16 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,484, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The tally rebounded from 17 new cases reported Monday, the lowest in almost a month.
The country reported 30 additional imported cases, 16 of which were tied to the Russia-flagged refrigerator vessel with 21 crew. The ship that departed from Russia's Vladivostok is currently at a port in Busan.
This photo, taken on June 23, 2020, shows a Russia-flagged ship docked at a port in South Korea's southeastern city of Busan, where at least 16 cases of the new coronavirus were reported. (Yonhap)
The KCDC said it detected three sailors Sunday who showed symptoms of high fever while conducting a quarantine inspection of the ship. But the ship operator did not notify South Korea of the suspected cases in advance.
The captain who got off the ship in Russia a week ago tested positive. Russia also did not inform South Korea of the captain's virus infection, according to the KCDC.
Health authorities said 176 port workers, repairmen and sailors from another Russia-flagged vessel that docked near the ship came in contact with the infected sailors. Currently in isolation, they are undergoing virus tests.
As the two ships are run by the same operator, the crewmembers had relatively close contacts, according to health authorities. Of 21 crew members aboard another ship, one sailor tested positive, according to health officials in Busan.
Quarantine officials said they will consider boarding ships arriving from Russia to better inspect such vessels.
Currently, except for vessels coming from three risk-prone countries -- China, Iran and Italy -- South Korea has proceeded with the quarantine process on foreign ships with electronically registered documents.
Health authorities are on high alert, as related imported cases here are likely to further rise.
In an effort to stem a rise in imported cases, South Korea began to suspend visa issuance and non-scheduled flights to restrict entry from Pakistan and Bangladesh on Tuesday, as COVID-19 cases imported from the two nations have recently spiked.
The number of virus cases coming in from overseas has been on a steady rise, reaching 31 on Saturday and 13 on May 12. As of Monday, the country identified a total of 1,471 imported cases since its first outbreak in late January.
It marked the first time in nearly 40 days that the number of imported cases surpassed that of local infections.
Imported cases, once the main culprit for virus cases here, fell to a single-digit figure early this month after the country strengthened quarantine measures on all international arrivals in April.
But such cases have bounced back to double-digit numbers since mid-June.
Still, community spread remains the main challenge for health authorities as cluster infections in the greater Seoul area and outside the capital continued to grow.
Of the locally transmitted cases, 11 were reported in the densely populated Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas. four cases were reported in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul.
Cases tied to a door-to-door retailer in southern Seoul reached 202 as of noon, up four from the previous day. Infections traced to a day care center for seniors in northeastern Seoul rose by two to 45.
Virus cases connected to a door-to-door sales establishment in Daejeon came in at 57, up eight cases over the past 24 hours.
"South Korea is at a critical juncture of whether or not it suffers another wave of virus outbreaks like some other countries," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Joon-wook said in a briefing.
Health authorities have said the Seoul metropolitan area is already in the second wave of the new coronavirus outbreak, warning that the country should brace for a protracted virus fight. The first wave of the virus outbreak gripped the country between February and March.
The Seoul metropolitan area accounted for most of the newly added cases this month. The country has been gripped by multiple and sporadic cluster infections since it relaxed strict social distancing on May 6 on the back of the flattened virus curve.
But health authorities warned that they could consider imposing tougher infection preventive measures, currently in place in the greater Seoul area, across the country amid a continued rise in cluster infections.
The country, meanwhile, reported one additional death, bringing the total death toll to 281. The fatality rate was 2.25 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,908, up 27 from the previous day.
The country has carried out 1,196,012 tests since Jan. 3.
Mikhail Voytenko
16 out of 19 Russian crew of Russian reefer ICE STREAM on Jun 22 were declared to be covid-hoax test positive at Busan, Korea, where the ship arrived on Jun 21, from Vladivostok Russia. Some 160 people, including dockers and ship repair technicians, were put under quarantine. When will this madness end?
Reefer ICE STREAM, IMO 8609814, dwt 3933, built 1987, flag Russia, manager REFTRANSFLOT CO LTD, Petropavlovsk.
Name TOYO EAGLE Last Port Xiamen
LOA 108.500 Class NK
IMO Ship No 9228629
Breadth 20.000
Date of Build 2000-09
MMSI 355327000
Draught 8.064
Call Sign H3LY
DWT 9,230
Ship type General Cargo Ship
Dharma Rucitra III in 2015 (Photo: MarineTraffic.com/putu suardika)
Over 60 people were safely rescued after the ferry they were embarked on capsized in the waters off Bali, Indonesia, on Friday, June 12.
The 72-metre Dharma Rucitra III was manoeuvring to dock at Bali’s Padangbai Port when water ingress was reported in the engine room at around 21:30 local time on Friday.
The water ingress then caused the ferry to list to starboard. The list worsened after the embarked vehicles shifted to one side of the cargo deck, and the already tilting vessel ended up partially submerged just metres away from the dock.
No injuries have been reported among Dharma Rucitra III‘s 48 passengers and 17 crew, all of whom were safely evacuated by responding rescue teams.
Local authorities say the water ingress was the result of a hull breach suffered by the ferry after it made bottom contact while it was manoeuvring to dock.
State-owned gas company Pertamina has deployed a tug to aid in refloating the ferry.
A ferry carrying 65 passengers and 33 vehicles capsized and partially sank in Bali after running aground trying to dock in a harbour.
65 passengers and crew members were forced to abandon ship after the Ro-Ro KMP Dharma Rucitra III ferry started taking on water and then tilted on its side and capsized.
The passenger ferry was coming from Lembar, Lombok and was attempting to dock at the Padang Bai port in eastern Bali around 10:00 pm, June 12th.
Water began to flood the engine causing the ferry to partially sink in the shallow waters. Authorities then evacuated the 48 passengers and 17 crew members. No injuries were reported in the incident.
‘The ship could not be docked to the dock and at 21:45 Wita we evacuated passengers and crew to the dock in safe condition. The evacuation process was completed at 22:18″ Head of Padang Bai Class IV Port Authority Ni Luh Putu Eka Suyasmin said.
The ferry was transporting 48 passengers, 21 trucks, 3 cars and 9 motorbikes.
According to the Daily Mail, the ferry tilted after some of the vehicles onboard starting sliding to one side during docking.
All passengers and crew underwent medical checks as a precaution.
‘This morning we will check the condition of the ship and ask for the help of a tug boat from Pertamina to shift the ship, “Ni Luh Putu Eka Suyasmin told the Daily Mail.
“We will ensure that the location of the incident is safe and does not interfere with shipping activities,” concluded Suyasmin.
The four-year-old giant sank to the bottom of the Atlantic today, its departure to the ocean floor captured on video. The Polaris Shipping very large ore carrier was refloated a week ago off a sandbank, having taken on water 100 km into a fully laden journey from Brazil to China at the end of February.
The Polaris Shipping very large ore carrier was refloated a week ago off a sandbank, having taken on water 100 km into a fully laden journey from Brazil to China at the end of February.
Salvors had taken off some 145,000 tonnes of iron ore in order to refloat it, at which point the vessel’s damaged structure was deemed a total constructive loss, with authorities claiming scuttling was the best option and would not harm the environment. The ship still had at least 145,000 tonnes of iron ore when it was scuttled today.
The ship sank fast, with huge plumes of dark red iron ore fines shooting into the sky. As it sank, the funnel broke off and was left bobbing momentarily in a giant ochre circle on the ocean.
Salvors working the Stellar Banner wreck off the coast of the Brazil have scuttled the vessel more than three months after the it ran aground fully loaded with iron ore.
The 300,000 DWT Very Large Ore Carrier was intentionally sunk Friday approximately 150km from Maranhão.
The Marshall Islands-registered MV Stellar Banner ran aground approximately 100km from coast of São Luís on February 24, 2020, as it departed Vale’s Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal with more than 270,000 tonnes of iron ore bound for China. All 20 crew members were subsequently evacuated in good condition.
The vessel was refloated earlier this month following the removal of approximately 145,000 metric tons of iron ore from the vessel’s holds. Due to the condition of the ship, the decision was made to sink the vessel in deeper waters with any remaining iron ore on board. Authorities said they do not believe the remaining iron ore poses a threat to the marine environment.
Very Large Ore Carrier is the largest classification of dry bulk ships in the world with capacity to carry up to 400,000 tonnes of cargo.
Stellar Banner is owned and operated by South Korea’s Polaris shipping and is chartered to Brazilian mining giant Vale to transport iron ore from Brazil to China.
Soon after the grounding, Vale reported that, based on reports from Polaris Shipping, the vessel had suffered damage to its bow in the shipping channel as it departed the port and grounded to prevent it from sinking. Experts later determined from preliminary reports that the impacted portion of the Stellar Banner was of 25 meters in length near the starboard bow.
The salvage operation was led by the Dutch salvage SMIT Salvage with help from the Brazilian Navy.
A 340-meter-long very large ore carrier (VLOC) that ran aground off the coast of Brazil earlier this year will be scuttled due to the extent of hull damage suffered as a result of the incident, Brazilian authorities said.
The 300,660 dwt Stellar Banner, owned and operated by the South Korean company Polaris Shipping, ran aground while carrying iron ore bound for China from Vale's terminal in Maranhão in February. The 2016-built ship began listing heavily but did not capsize, and all 20 crew members were evacuated from the ship.
The ship was refloated and towed to deeper water last week after 145,000 metric tons of iron ore and 3,900 cubic meters of bunker fuel were lightered from the Marshall-Islands-flagged VLOC.
The Stellar Banner was declared a total loss following a structural inspection carried out by representatives of the ship's classification society, with support from divers and a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), and will be scuttled about 150 kilometers from the coast of Maranhão.
The portion of cargo that will remain in the ship's holds does not pose risks to the environment, the Brazilian Navy said. Remaining oil and oily residue on board will be removed prior to scuttling.
Anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS) Bear, oil spill response vessel (OSRV) Up Água Marinha, the offshore support vessel (OSV) Normand Installer and the Brazilian patrol ship Guanabara will remain on scene to monitor the sinking.
Salvors in Brazil have refloated the stricken Stellar Banner more than three months after the VLOC ran aground.
The refloating comes following the removal of approximately 145,000 metric tons of iron ore from the vessel’s holds. The removal helped to right the ship by 12 degrees from its peak list, exposing part of the deck that was previously submerged.
The Stellar Banner has now been towed to deeper waters about 60 miles from the coast of Maranhão where inspections are expected to take place.
The Marshall Islands-registered MV Stellar Banner ran aground approximately 100km from coast of São Luís on February 24, 2020, as it departed Vale’s Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal with iron ore bound for China. All 20 crew members were subsequently evacuated in good condition.
Very Large Ore Carrier
With capacity to transport up to 300,000 tonnes of iron ore, the Stellar Banner is categorized as a Very Large Ore Carrier, the largest type of dry bulk ships in the world. The vessel is owned and operated by South Korea’s Polaris shipping and is chartered to Brazilian mining giant Vale to transport iron ore from Brazil to China.
Soon after the grounding, Vale reported that, based on reports from Polaris Shipping, the vessel had suffered damage to its bow in the shipping channel as it departed the port and grounded to prevent it from sinking. Experts later determined from preliminary reports that the impacted portion of the Stellar Banner was of 25 meters in length near the starboard bow.
The salvage operation was led by the soon-to-be-defunct Dutch salvage firm Ardent Global with help from SMIT Salvage and the Brazilian Navy.
by Mike Schuler
Crane manufacturer Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock has addressed the crane collapse on board newbuild offshore installation vessel at a Liebherr yard in Rostock, Germany earlier this month.
In a statement, the company said the accident during an overload test of the crane was the result a broken crane hook provided by a third-party supplier.
The incident took place May 2 during load testing of a 5,500-tonne capacity Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock HLC 295000 crane on board the Orion 1, a newbuild offshore wind installation vessel being built for DEME.
The vessel, which is under construction by COSCO (QIDONG) Offshore, arrived at the Liebherr construction yard last November for installation of the crane – the final phase in the construction process.
Two people suffered serious injury when the crane collapsed.
“At this point we wish the injured persons all the best and hope for a full and speedy recovery,” said Leopold Berthold, Managing Director of Liebherr-MCCtec Rostock GmbH. “Considering the extent of the damages, we are above all thankful that it did not cause more personal injuries. Our priorities currently lie in fully supporting the investigating authorities in order to contribute to the quickest possible clarification of the accident,” added Berthold.
At this stage in the investigations, the responsible authorities and experts unanimously agree that a broken crane hook was the cause of the accident, Liebherr said in a statement.
“The exact reasons as to why the hook did not withstand the load are unclear at this stage of investigations. The design and manufacture of the crane hook was purchased from an external supplier. A design or production error of the Liebherr crane can therefore be excluded,” the company said.
The overload test that led to the accident was planned for to reach 5,500 tonnes, the crane’s maximum capacity, however the failure of the crane hook took place at 2,600 tonnes, well below the maximum.
The video below shows the apparent hook failure during the test lifting of a barge.
The lift should have been carried out through the hoisting of a barge. Carrying out an overload test is a typical procedure for the industry, whereby the crane is tested for its maximum lifting capacity. Currently known facts indicate that the incident occurred at a load of around 2,600 tonnes causing a chain reaction which led to the accident,” Liebherr said.
The Orion 1 was planned to install 103 jackets at the 950MW Moray East offshore wind farm in Scotland immediately upon delivery later this month.
Mikhail Voytenko
May 29 UPDATE: It appeared, that YUAN HUA HU had suffered damage to engine shaft seals and repairs require shipyard, so tanker is to be towed to Durban. As of 1600 UTC, tanker was in the same position anchored off Port St Johns, with tug SMIT SIYANDA standing by, awaiting the arrival of more powerful tug, required for towage.
Supertanker YUAN HUA HU encountered unidentified problems late May 25 NE of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, while en route from Singapore to Angola. The ship headed for nearest port, Port St Johns, and reached it in the afternoon May 27, understood under tow. She was anchored, and as of 1830 UTC May 27, remained at anchor. SAR tug SMIT SIYANDA is on standby at VLCC side, big ocean going tug is steaming from Cape Town to tow disabled tanker to unnamed port. No other details available at the moment. Crew reported safe, so probably tanker is troubled with mechanical breakdown.
IMRRA, FleetMon’s official Vessel Risk Rating Partner, risk assessed this tanker as having a AMBER risk rating, with a specific risk rating of 45% (10-OCT-19), compared to the fleet average 36%. New risk assessment reports can be purchased via FleetMon.
Red: Poorest performing; Amber: Average value; Green: Good indicator.
Mikhail Voytenko
May 26 UPDATE: CASTA DIVA left anchorage early in the morning May 26, new port of destination Hua Feng (ZHOUSHAN HUAFENG SHIP YARD CO.,LTD), ETA May 26, for repairs.
CASTA DIVA collided with Chinese bulk carrier MING LIAN at around 1930 UTC May 19 (0330 May 20 Beijing time). CASTA DIVA left Shanghai (Jiangyin, Wuxi, Yangtze river) and was proceeding to sea after disembarking pilot, MING LIAN was sailing in WNW direction, en route to Rizhao, Yellow sea, N of Shanghai. According to information provided, Chinese ship was to give the way, having CASTA DIVA on her stb. MING LIAN breached ColReg and was struck by CASTA DIVA bow, sustaining serious damages, including hull breaches (see photos). CASTA DIVA is about 6 times bigger than MING LIAN, for vessels of such size it’s often impossible to safely maneuver in heavily trafficked areas. She could avoid collision with MING LIAN and collide with some other ship. It’s often humanly impossible to do anything, to avoid accident. Heavily trafficked lanes to and from Shanghai in this area are crossed by North-South lanes, to and from Bohai sea and northern Yellow sea. Notorious mess of ships traffic off Shanghai is ripe for accidents and disasters.
May 23: I was informed by MB reader, Captain, that VLOC CASTA DIVA, collided with unknown vessel while leaving Shanghai, on May 20. Bulk carrier according to his information, was seriously damaged and is in need of dry docking, she was proceeding at 13+ knots speed at the time of collision.
No other details available at the moment. CASTA DIVA was anchored same day and remains anchored at one of Shanghai’s outer anchorages. She’s to be in ballast, with Australia being her destination.
A number of local and international salvage experts have remarked that the Irish government may end up spending more than €10 million (US$10.8 million) to remove a derelict ship that had run aground on the country’s southwestern coast earlier this year.
Local authorities are still working to identify the owner of the vessel, which has been identified as the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship Alta.
Alta ran aground near the fishing village of Ballycotton in County Cork on February 16, 2020 after it was swept to shore by 64-knot wind gusts brought about by Storm Dennis.
Prior to the grounding, the vessel had drifted across the Atlantic for over a year after being abandoned by its crew southeast of Bermuda in October 2018.
The removal of oil and other possible contaminants from the vessel was carried out and completed within two weeks of the grounding.
Irish officials said that, unless the vessel’s owner comes forward to shoulder the financial burden, the state may need to undertake the costly salvage effort as well.
Mark Hoddinott, a wreck removal specialist with salvage company Brand Marine Consultants, told Irish news outlet RTE that the only other viable alternative would be to leave Alta where it lies since the vessel’s scrap value would likely be low due to its age, having been completed in 1976.
County Cork residents, however, have expressed concern about allowing the vessel to remain where it had washed ashore.
Residents have pointed out the possible effect that Alta‘s rusting hull would have on the surrounding coastal environment and the fact that, prior to the imposition of Covid-19 restrictions, curious onlookers had been boarding the vessel even after the authorities have issued numerous safety warnings.
UPDATE May 12: SAMUDRA SAKTI I was refloated at around 1600 UTC May 11, taken to nearby Batam Anchorage, anchored. SHAHRAZ as of 0820 UTC May 12 remained aground, and judging from latest available photos, it seems like she broke in two in midship area, hull having vertical cracks both portside and stb, throughout freeboard and below waterline.
Container ship SHAHRAZ and bulk carrier SAMUDRA SAKTI I are reported to run aground in Singapore Strait south of St John Island at around 1900 UTC May 10, close to each other, while proceeding in the same direction, probably trying to avoid collision. As of 0700 UTC May 11, both ships remain in the same positions, coordinates don’t change. SHAHRAZ is en route from Port Klang to Yangshan China, SAMUDRA SAKTI I is en route from Belawan to Bayah, southwest Java.
UPDATE May 11 1100 UTC: I’ve received photos from Captain of the ship which passed grounded ships, obviously there was a collision, container ship sustaining hull breach and cracks portside. Judging from photo, SHAHRAZ hull integrity may be compromised.
Container ship SHAHRAZ, IMO 9349576, dwt 86018, capacity 6572 TEU, built 2008, flag Iran, manager RAHBARAN OMID DARYA SHIP MGMT, Tehran.
Bulk carrier SAMUDRA SAKTI I, IMO 9238258, dwt 23573, built 2001, flag Indonesia, manager LINTAS MARITIM INDONESIA PT.
Reporter: Kasmono, Suwanti
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
Belitung (ANTARA) - Port authorities suspect human error led to the grounding of a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, MV Asia Pearl IV, in the Pulau Mendanau waters, Belitung District, Bangka Belitung Island Province, according to an official.
"The vessel is carrying 30,000 metric tons of white sugar," Fadli, an official from the Tanjung Pandan Port Authority, said here on Monday.
The 22,402 gross tonnage cargo ship was headed to Merak Banten from Sriracha in Thailand, and ran aground on May 2, 2020, he added.
All 24 crew members on the vessel have undergone health checks and have been found to be in good health. The crew have remained on the ship, and two rescue boats have been kept on stand-by for the vessel, Fadli noted.
MV Asia Pearl IV continues to be at the same location where it ran aground, and a permit is being obtained prior to the rescue process.
"The ship is in good condition as there is no sign of capsizing, and (it is) stable as (it) did not experience any leakage," Fadli stated.
The vessel will not disrupt other ship traffic departing from and heading to the port, he added.
Tanker IRMA DULCE, under construction at Maua Shipyard, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sank by stern at pier, because of water ingress in engine room and aft peak. It happened at nigh May 4 or early May 5. Salvage under way, accident said to be not all that serious, maybe faulty valve. As of 1700 UTC May 5, the ship said to be already stabilized.
Product tanker IRMA DULCE, IMO 9548691, dwt 72900, built 2020 (under construction at Maua Shipyard, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), owner Petrobras.
A 42-year-old Filipino seafarer from the Artania cruise ship in the port of Fremantle has died of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). State health authorities put the unnamed seafarer in contact with his family before he passed away in a Perth hospital on 16 March.
The ship’s master, Morten Hansen, told local radio that the man suffered other health conditions, “It’s always heartbreaking,” he said. “[He] has been with the company since 2006”. Another 79 crew have tested positive for the virus.
Artania departed from Fremantle to the port of Benoa in Bali, Indonesia, with 411 passengers and crew on board. It will then head for its home port in Germany.
Meanwhile, on Australia’s eastern coast, 202 of the more than 1,000 mainly Filipino crew on board the ill-fated Ruby Princess cruise ship in Port Kembla have tested positive to the virus, according to state health authorities, and 12 people are in the hospital.
The ship was due to depart to the Philippines, but allowed to stay after a public outcry and representations by unions to ensure all crew were tested and treated.
“It would be a death sentence for some crew if the ship sailed,” Dean Summers, Australia co-ordinator of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, told local media. “They’d start stacking up the bodies in the ship’s freezer. You can’t get medical evacuations that far out at sea.”
Unions are calling for the ship to remain in port until all sick crew are treated, healthy crew repatriated, and the ship professionally cleaned. New crew joining the ship should also be tested.
The ship is subject to one state government inquiry in Australia, a police criminal investigation, and a call for a royal commission federally, after 21 passengers who disembarked from the vessel in Sydney on 19 March died from the virus, with 845 testing positive.
Passengers and family have launched legal action against the company claiming management knew the ship was contaminated when new travellers boarded the vessel on 8 March.
A spokesperson for Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival, told SAS the company wanted the ship to remain in Australia until the health status of the crew could be stabilised. “This has been achieved in combination with the government agencies and Aspen Medical,” he said.
“The health and welfare of the crew remains our priority and we’re participating actively in arrangements for their repatriation as well as determining staffing requirements for the safe operation of the ship once it sails,” he added. That could be as early as 23 April.
Singapore is to allow crew changes under “special circumstances” recognising seafarers play a critical role in the global supply chain.
The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in circular to shipping that although crew changes had been suspended due to the recent heightened risk of imported cases of COVID-19 into the city state. However, in consultation with the industry and feedback from unions it said, “We understand there are special circumstances need to embark or disembark the ship.”
Such circumstances include a seafarer who is served their maximum time onboard and the flag state will not grant any further extension of the contract, compassionate grounds, and the crew member no longer being medically fit to work on board the vessel.
Related: Call for collective, managed crew changes by Synergy ceo Unni
In such circumstances cargo vessels can submit their requests to the MPA for consideration providing documentary evidence. These include a travel itinerary, proof the seafarer is fit to travel, and the crew member has been well for the last 14 days and not in contact with any COVID-19 known or suspected cases
The move could help ease the global crew change crisis, however, flying international seafarers in and out of Singapore for crew changes could prove to be extremely challenging with hardly any flights currently operating out Changi Airport.
COSCO bulk carrier FENG DE HAI arrived at Istanbul anchorage Marmara sea on Mar 26 from Conakry, Guinea, bound for Dneprobugskiy, Ukraine. Understood the ship arrived at Istanbul with Captain already dead, later it was said, that he died from coronavirus, though there’s absolutely no clarity in the whole story. Did he die during voyage, or while the ship was already anchored, or was he found to be infected after his death? His body already in coffin, was taken from the ship, to be transferred to his homeland. The ship resumed sailing on Mar 28, she transited Bosphorus, crossed Black sea and anchored at Yuzhniy Port Anchorage in the afternoon Mar 30. According to Ukrainian sources, medical check is under way, probably the ship will be put under quarantine. According to Trade Winds citing COSCO statement, crew already got clean bill of health.
[Brief] On Friday morning, an 8,000 TEU container vessel ran aground near mile marker 81 of the Mississippi River, near Poydras, Louisiana.
At about 0320 hours on Friday, Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call reporting that the Liberian-flagged container ship Belita (ex name Parsifal) had run aground near mile marker 81 of the Mississippi River.
According to local media, the vessel is aground on riprap on the river bank. It did not strike the levee. Sector New Orleans vessel traffic service placed a one-way traffic restriction in the vicinity of the grounded vessel.
“Our top priority in this incident is the safe recovery of this vessel, while protecting the marine environment,” said Capt. Kristi Luttrell, Sector New Orleans commanding officer.
There are no reports of pollution or injuries, and the cause of the incident is under investigation.
As of Friday afternoon, the Belita was under way once more, headed upbound with a tug escort.
Product tanker LADY SANDRA was caught in rough seas and issued distress signal at around 2030 UTC Mar 25, reporting severe structural damages and hull about to break in two, E of Valetta Malta. Tanker broke in two, 3 crew found themselves in water after their life raft was ruptured. All 3 were rescued by Malta Armed Froces ship, and brought to Malta. Tanker or her aft half together with superstructure, was still afloat as of 0600 UTC Mar 26.
Absolutely unclear how this inland tanker got to sail in Mediterranean, and who allowed this river ship to navigate high seas, even if she was deployed for bunkering only. Crew include 2 Egyptians and 1 Romanian.
The Brazilian Navy reported over the weekend that the Stellar Banner very large ore carrier (VLOC), which has been stranded for almost a month off the coast of Maranhão, has suffered a slight tilt.
According to Polaris Shipping, the ship’s Korean owner, the vessel’s debunkering operation should continue in the coming days, if weather conditions permit.
The ship ran aground on a sandbank 100 km into a journey carrying hundreds of thousands of iron ore for Vale from Brazil to China.
２０１９年の１０月に自動車運搬船「Golden Ray 」がアメリカのジョージア州で転覆した。沈没を避けるために故意に船を座礁させた。今度はブラジルで鉄鉱石船が船首を損傷し、沈没を避けるために故意に座礁した。両船とも船齢が５年未満の船だ。
300,660 DWTの鉄鉱石船なので保険会社も荷主も頭が痛いであろう。船級や旗国の検査に合格すれば用船費用が安ければ安いほど良いと考えているとこのような事が起きる可能性は高くなると思う。
どうしてこんな事が起きるのか？「Another instance that proves all of the international regulations, SOLAS, and IMO enforced rules are just a ploy to operate under the shadow of a safe vessel inspection guideline.」とコメントしている人がいる。旗国や船級による検査には利益が関係するので公平な検査は難しいと思う。ＰＳＣ(外国船舶監督官)がしっかりと検査すれば問題は少しは改善できると思う。まあ、本当に「しっかりと検査」すればであるが！
Mining giant Vale has confirmed that the very large ore carrier (VLOC) Stellar Banner suffered damage after departing a loading terminal in Maranhão, Brazil. The vessel was intentionally grounded, and images taken Tuesday show her listing heavily to starboard, with water overtopping the gunwale.
On Monday night, Stellar Banner departed the Vale-operated Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal in Brazil's northern Maranhão state. She suffered unspecified damage to her bow after departure, outside the port access channel, Vale said in a statement. Her 20 crewmembers were evacuated safely, Vale said, and "the vessel's captain [grounded] the vessel about 100 kilometers off the coast of São Luís" as a precautionary measure.
Vale is contributing its tugboat assets for the response and is working with maritime authorities. The ore terminal continues its normal operations.
The 2016-built VLOC Stellar Banner is operated by Polaris Shipping, the operator of the former Stellar Daisy. AIS data indicates that she was bound for Qingdao, China.
The Polaris-owned VLOC Stellar Daisy sank in the South Atlantic in 2017 after taking on a load of ore at a different Vale terminal. Only two Philippine sailors were rescued out of the 24 people aboard. The Republic of the Marshall Islands concluded that the likely cause of the vessel's foundering was a rapid list to port following a catastrophic structural failure of the hull.
Polaris Shipping and its CEO, Kim Wan-Jung, were charged with violations of South Korea's Ship Safety Law, along with five other employees. The Korean prosecutors called for four years of imprisonment for the CEO for not reporting the ship's known defects. A judgment on February 18 found Kim guilty of not reporting vessel defects, and he was sentenced to six month imprisonment with one year's probation. Polaris Shipping received a penalty fine of about $12,000.
VLOC bulk carrier STELLAR BANNER loaded with ore developed heavy starboard side list, with cargo deck partially under water, at around 0000 UTC Feb 25, north of Sao Luis, Brazil. The ship left port of Ponta da Madeira, Brazil, on Feb 24, bound for Qingdao, reportedly she suffered water ingress in cargo hold or holds, or probably it was cargo shift. As of 1700 UTC Feb 26, the ship remains afloat, with AIS on. At least 4 tugs and SAR ships are engaged in salvage, it is said, that they’re trying to tow giant ship to shallow waters, to prevent sinking. Crew safe.
UPDATE Feb 27: STELLAR BANNER is reported aground in position 01 46S 043 42W. She was intentionally grounded to avoid capsizing and sinking, and thankfully, there was suitable bank nearby. The ship is loaded with 294,000 tons of ore. The ship’s hull integrity in fore section was compromised in two places when the ship was leaving port, according to officials. List developed because of water ingress. Understood she was grounded by Master while under way, so assumedly Master had saved the ship from sinking.
UPDATE Feb 27: Polaris Shipping Official Statement:
Polaris Shipping Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea 27 February 2020 13:00 KST
Polaris Shipping, the operator of the Very Large Ore Carrier, MV STELLAR BANNER (300,660 DWT, 2016 Built) report that the vessel made contact with an unidentified shallow sea bed after departing Ponta Da Madeira, Brazil on 24th February at approx. 21:30 hours local time. All crew members are safe and no water pollution has been reported.
As a result of the incident, some ballast water tanks and void space suffered damage although the extent of damage to be further established. All cargo holds are believed to be intact and the situation is under control. In order to assess damage and secure its own safety, the vessel shifted to a safer area. Proper inspections will be carried out by class/underwriter surveyors and a salvage company has been arranged for dealing with the situation.
All the appropriate authorities have been reported and in close contact about the case.
When the 10,491 gt Marshall Island tanker Asphalt Spirit suffered engine failure off the Queensland coast en route from Korea to Australia on 31 January 2019, the master took six hours to report to authorities.
On 9 December, he pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court to one count of failing to report a marine incident to authorities without delay under section 11(1) of the Protection of Sea (Prevention Pollution from Ships) Act 1983.
“The Asphalt Spirit suffered a main engine breakdown at 1600 h local time and began drifting 30 km northeast of Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island,” the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported this week.
Yet the ship master only reported the incident via email just after 2200 h, six hours after the initial breakdown.
“Modelling predicted the possibility of the ship running aground at the southern end of the island within the next 17 hours if it continued to drift without power,” AMSA reported.
An emergency tug was called in from Brisbane. The ship master confirmed the engine damage could not be repaired at sea. Its insurers UK P&I Club contracted Svitzer to intervene. The tug Clontarf arrived later that day, secured the tanker, and towed it to Brisbane.
AMSA chief executive officer Mick Kinley said the conviction sent a clear message to the maritime industry that failure to comply with critical reporting requirements had serious consequences.
“Without intervention, the incident with the Asphalt Spirit could have been an environmental disaster. It goes without saying that the reluctance from the master and company management to report the incident to AMSA with the urgency that it warranted, is completely unacceptable,” Kinley said.
“Ship-tracking technology today means we will know exactly when a ship stopped one way or another and we will ask questions if it’s not reported,” he warned.
The master was fined USD3,000 and his conviction recorded.
Asked whether the master could be named and whether he was still in command of the vessel, which is back on the Australian coast, an AMSA spokesperson refused to give any identifying information.
In August 2019, the master of the freighter Thorco Lineage was convicted for failing to report engine failure prior to the vessel grounding on a reef in French Polynesia in 2018. Captain Lazaro Valenzuela was given a suspended sentence of one year’s imprisonment and shared a USD240,000 fine for the casualty with the ship’s operator.
Martina Li, correspondent
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officers arrested a marine engineer for suspected drug abuse after receiving a report from a tanker’s captain.
MMEA director (Malacca and Negeri Sembilan) Haris Fadzillah Abdullah said, “After receiving the captain’s report, at 1730 local time on 7 January 2020, the agency’s officers raided the commercial vessel and arrested the 36-year-old suspect, who works as a gas engineer on the tanker. We also discovered what is believed to be apparatus for drug taking.”
At the time, the tanker, which was not named, was anchored in waters off Malacca. The suspected drug-taking apparatus was seized as part of investigations.
Haris said that the engineer is suspected of abusing ‘ice’, a kind of methamphetamine also known as crystal meth.
The MMEA commended the captain for his actions and urged all seafarers to inform the authorities if they come across suspicious or illegal activities.
Haris said, “The suspect in this case has been handed over to the National Anti-Drug Agency for further investigations.”
The Malaysian police has been struggling to get drug abuse under control, with even its own officers being apprehended for drug taking.
Crystal meth is the most commonly used of drugs, with a record amount of the methamphetamine seized in 2018.
The National Anti-Drug Agency estimates that there were 25,267 drug addicts in Malaysia in 2018, slightly down from 2017.
Two Carnival Cruise Line ships collided at port in Cozumel, Mexico, Friday morning, with six minor injuries reported as of Friday afternoon.
Around 8:50 a.m., the Carnival Glory ocean liner was steering to dock when it made contact with the Carnival Legend vessel, "which was already alongside," according to a statement from Carnival.
At least one person was initially reported to be injured in the collision, while evacuating the dining room on Decks 3 and 4, a spokesperson for the cruise line confirmed to Fox News. A total of six ultimately "presented themselves to the Carnival Glory medical center for evaluation" by 1:30 EST, per a Carnival spokesperson.
Neither of the ship’s itineraries will be impacted by the incident, the company said.
PRINCESS CRUISES WANTS TO BREAK RECORD FOR LARGEST VOW-RENEWAL CEREMONY, ENLISTS CELEBS TO OFFICIATE
“Carnival Glory had an allision with Carnival Legend this morning in Cozumel. Carnival Glory was in the process of docking when it made contact with Carnival Legend which was already docked,” the representative said.
“We are assessing the damage but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship. We have advised guests from both ships to enjoy their day ashore in Cozumel.
"Since our initial assessment, six guests with minor injuries have presented themselves to the Carnival Glory medical center for evaluation,” the rep added.
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Now-viral videos and photos of the dramatic crash have since surfaced on social media, some of which show the damage to the Carnival Glory.
“We are assessing the damage but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship. We have advised guests from both ships to enjoy their day ashore in Cozumel," Carnival said. (Jordan Moseley)
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The Carnival Glory is based in New Orleans, while the Carnival Legend frequently departs from Baltimore, Tampa, Fla., New York City, Barcelona, Spain, London, Rome and Venice, Italy.
Cargo ship HUA XIA 68 issued distress signal in the afternoon Dec 16 southwest of Nanji island, Wenzhou Province waters, China, East China sea. The ship was sinking due to water ingress, being en route from Fujian to Shanghai with cargo of sand and gravel, cause of water ingress not clarified. 11 crew went into life rafts. Wenzhou Rescue Center supervised rescue operation, sending SAR boats and requiring assistance of all ships in the area. At 1540 Beijing time all 11 seamen were picked up from life rafts by passing cargo ship, and later transferred to SAR boat. HUA XIA 68 sank by 1730 Beijing time Dec16, with parts of the ship being partially above water. Shipowner is tasked with wreck removal.
Cargo ship HUA XIA 68, MMSI 413705580, dwt 5048, flag China.
General cargo ship NORDANA SOPHIE suffered water ingress, flooded engine room, in the morning Nov 28 or in the evening Nov 27, at Hai Phong / Vinh Ang anchorage. The ship arrived from Hong Kong on Nov 26. Understood the ship heaved anchor and started to move after water ingress, but had to anchor again, developing heavy portside list and most probably, being disabled. Crew probably evacuated. As of 0400 UTC Nov 28, the ship was in the same position, with tug at her side. Situation is developing, awaiting update.
UPDATE: 18 crew evacuated, water ingress started at around 0400 ICT Nov 28. No news yet on salvage.
UPDATE: The ship was in ballast, to load steel at Son Duong Port (Hai Phong / Vinh Ang). She capsized, probably resting on bottom portside, partially above waterline.
General cargo ship NORDANA SOPHIE, IMO 9205562, dwt 8976, built 1999, flag Thailand, manager JUTHA MARITIME PCL, Bangkok.
The Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said that it has been searching for a chief engineer who went missing from a general cargo ship off Penang, Malaysia, on 24 November 2019.
The disappearance of 49-year-old Jin Yinglai, a Chinese national who was the chief engineer of Mariwit, a 2009-built 12,190 dwt vessel, was publicised when MMEA appealed for information in the local media on 26 November.
The MMEA said that Jin was last seen by fellow crew members in the engine room of Mariwit just before evening on 24 November. At the time, Mariwit was 3.7 n miles (6.8 km) northwest of Penang.
However, Jin was nowhere to be found and was not reachable from about 17:30h local time on 24 November. By then, Mariwit was 40 n miles north of Pulau Ketam, Selangor.
Mohammad Zawawi, MMEA’s chief of search and rescue, said that the agency received a distress call from Mariwit, and began looking for Jin at about 23:00h on 24 November.
He said, “The Maritime Rescue Command Center directed the maritime rescue sub-centre in Langkawi to co-ordinate search and rescue operations in Penang and Perak waters, while the sub-centre in Johor conducted searches in Selangor waters.”
MMEA deployed a helicopter, one patrol vessel, and two speedboats to the operation, while the coastguard unit in Batu Uban, Penang, and the Malaysia Royal Navy each sent a speedboat to help.
Zawawi said that the search and rescue operations span 679 n miles from Penang to Selangor, adding that MMEA is sending signals to ships in the area to provide any clues that could help to locate Jin.
He said, “At this stage, we haven’t found any sign of the missing person and we will continue with the search and rescue operations.”
IHS Markit’s AISLive data shows that Mariwit had sailed from Singapore’s Jurong Terminal on 22 November. The ship is owned by Mega Star Shipping, a Marshall Islands-incorporated entity.
Notwithstanding Jin’s disappearance, Mariwit continued on its voyage and arrived in Kemaman, Malaysia, on 26 November.
Safety at Sea contacted Dalian Everglory International, the technical manager for Mariwit, and was informed that Jin’s family has been notified of his disappearance. A manager at the company said, “The matter is now in the Malaysian authorities’ hands and there is nothing more we can say.”
Container ship MITRA SEJAHTERA IX sank in the morning Nov 23 SW of Makassar in vicinity 05 56S 118 34E, Sulawesi, Indonesia, while en route from Surabaya to Kendari, southeast Sulawesi, with 147 containers on board. The ship reported on Channel 16 water ingress, developing list, at around 0700 WIT (UTC +7), shortly after report she capsized and sank. 15 crew were rescued by nearby ships, a lot of containers are floating around.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained a ship with 23 crewmembers, including Ukrainian nationals, on board, Malaysia's English-language newspaper The Star has reported, with reference to MMEA Tanjung Sedili maritime zone director Mohd Zulfadli Nayan.
"All 23 crewmembers were detained after they failed to produce any proof of permission from the port authority to anchor. The crew are Russians and Ukrainians between the age of 21 to 68," he said.
The report notes that the ship was seized off Johor's east coast on November 21.
According to Zulfadli, two crewmembers were brought to the Tanjung Sedili Zone MMEA offices for further action. The case is being investigated under Section 491B(1)(I) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 "for anchoring without permission."
Those found guilty face a fine of about $24,000, maximum two-year jail sentence or both upon conviction.
STEPAN KOTCHERGA
Three crew of a general cargo ship ARMONIA were detained by Kavala Port Authority officials on Nov 18, for possession of fake seaman certificates. The ship was detained for investigation. She arrived from Koper Slovenia on Nov 13, next port of destination being Skikda Algeria.
General cargo ship ARMONIA, IMO 9017628, dwt 9742, built 1992, flag Panama, manager FGM CHARTERING LTD, Greece (EQUASIS).
「The owners of a massive merchant vessel that collided with the warship Fitzgerald in 2017, drowning seven sailors, have agreed to pay the U.S. government nearly $27 million as part of a settlement agreement....The agreement states that the owners, Olympic Steamship Company, S.A., Panama, will pay about 2.9 billion Japanese yen to the U.S. government to settle potential claims because of their role in the maritime disaster.」
On Monday, the families of seven sailors who drowned on board the guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald joined 40 shipmates injured in the 2017 collision with the ACX Crystal to sue the Japanese company that chartered the merchant vessel.
In separate filings, one for families of the dead and another for survivors, attorneys allege that Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, the NYK Line, bears responsibility for Crystal crew negligence in the minutes before the 1:30 a.m. collision on June 17, 2017 off the coast of Japan.
“This collision was entirely avoidable had the crew and officers of the Crystal simply followed established international navigation rules specifically created to prevent collisions at sea,” lead attorney David M. Schloss said in a statement to Navy Times. “Instead, the Crystal’s crew violated at least five of these rules, and failed to follow its own Standing Orders.”
All told, the complaints seek more than $287 million in damages, Schloss said.
NYK Line representatives declined to comment due to the pending nature of the litigation, but said the company had cooperated fully with the collision investigation.
While the Crystal’s registered owner was Olympic Steamship Co. S.A., a Panamanian corporation, NYK Line is the “real owner of the ACX Crystal,” according to the complaints.
Eleven of the 40 survivors have or will be medically discharged from the Navy in connection to physical and psychological injuries they sustained from the collision, Schloss said.
The plaintiffs include John Mead, the last Fitz member to escape Berthing 2. He told Navy Times earlier this year about the post-traumatic stress and survivor’s guilt he has grappled with since the disaster.
“Many of these brave young sailors have had their careers in the Navy unexpectedly cut short, having been discharged on disability due to their significant injuries caused by the collision and its aftermath,” Schloss said. “The ongoing struggle of these men and women is in many ways the untold story of this collision.”
The lawsuits allege that moments before the Crystal collided with the Fitz, the Crystal’s able-bodied seaman saw the warship through his binoculars and informed the second mate, who checked the radar.
Both ships were steaming in a bustling sea lane with vessels surrounding them, but neither the Crystal’s seaman nor second mate informed the Crystal’s master “of the presence or course of the USS Fitzgerald, in violation of the ACX Crystal’s own Standing Orders,” the lawsuits allege.
“Neither they, nor anyone else involved in the operation of the ACX Crystal, altered their navigation course or attempted to contact the observed vessel at this time,” the lawsuits state. “Instead, the ACX Crystal simply stayed its course.”
At about 1:27 a.m., roughly three minutes before the collision, the Crystal’s second mate “flashed a signal light down the line of bearing toward the USS Fitzgerald,” the lawsuits state.
“Despite taking this action, he did not sound any short blasts whatsoever, let alone the five such blasts required by the International Rules of the Road,” according to the lawsuits.
About a minute before the collision, the second mate flashed a second light down the line of bearing toward the Fitz, the lawsuits state.
The complaints cite the Navy’s publicly released investigation into the collision, which blamed poor seamanship aboard the Crystal as one of the collision’s root causes.
The collision ripped a massive hole in the Fitz’s starboard side, quickly flooding a berthing area where shipmates slept.
Those shipmates who survived and are now suing NYK Line were in areas of the ship that were “dangerously affected by the collision,” the lawsuit states.
“All Plaintiffs in the Complaint suffered serious physical and psychological injuries as a direct result of the collision and the actions they had to take to save their own lives and the lives of others,” the complaint states.
The lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
In January, the Crystal’s owners agreed to pay the U.S. government nearly $27 million to settle potential claims relating to their role in the collision.
As is common in these agreements, the January settlement notes that the deal is not an admission of “any liability, negligence, breach of duty, or wrongdoing” by the parties.
Roughly two months after the Fitzgerald disaster, sister Arleigh Burke-class destroyer John S. McCain collided with a tanker near Singapore, killing 10 more sailors.
A lawsuit involving families of the fallen and the survivors is ongoing.
When Navy Rear Adm. Brian Fort stepped aboard the guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald in the aftermath of the 2017 collision with a commercial cargo ship, everything was off.
Any warship would seem a little off after a catastrophe that claimed the lives of seven sailors, but this was different.
“It didn’t look right, smell right, sound right,” Fort said during a hearing last year for a Fitzgerald officer facing court-martial in the wake of the June 17, 2017, disaster.
After gazing at the gash in the hull through which gushed the seawater that drowned the Fitz’s dead, Fort and his team of investigators walked to the destroyer’s electronic nerve center, the combat information center everyone calls the “CIC.”
It hadn’t taken a direct hit from the bow of the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal, but it was trashed nonetheless and smelled like urine.
He found a pee bottle that had tipped and spilled behind a large-screen display. Fort’s eyes started to take over for his nose, and he took it all in.
“There was debris everywhere,” Fort said under oath. “Food debris, food waste, uneaten food, half-eaten food, personal gear in the form of books, workout gear, workout bands, kettlebells, weightlifting equipment, the status boards had graffiti on them.”
“I’d never seen a CIC like that in my entire time in the Navy,” the surface warfare officer of more than 25 years recollected.
The more Fort looked, the worse it got: broken sensors that were reported for repairs but never fixed, schedule changes ordered by superiors high above the Fitz’s command triad that delayed crucial maintenance, taped-up radar controls and, worse, sailors who had no idea how to use the technology.
About six weeks after the Fitzgerald collision, Fort signed and submitted his damning internal report to superiors.
Designed in part to help federal attorneys defend against a wave of lawsuits from the owners and operators of the ACX Crystal and, indirectly, the families of the Fitz’s injured, traumatized and drowned, the Navy sought to keep Fort’s findings from the public.
But Navy Times obtained a copy of it and began stitching his details to a growing body of court testimony by the crew of the Fitzgerald to reveal just how much worse conditions were on the destroyer than the Navy previously shared with the public.
What it all reveals is that a mostly green crew joined the Fitzgerald shortly after the warship left dry dock maintenance in early 2017.
They learned to make do with broken equipment, a lack of communication between departments and, especially in the CIC, a world in which failure had become “systemic across the board,” as Fort put it at last year’s hearing.
Or as his secret report described it, a lack of training in basic seamanship fatally combined with material deficiencies to create “a culture of complacency, of accepting problems, and a dismissal of the use of some of the most important, modern equipment used for safe navigation.”
The crew were simply "living in a world that had been accepted,” Fort said.
The CIC runs a warship’s weapons systems and provides an extra set of electronic eyes for the bridge team, but that never happened throughout the night of the collision.
Although Fort’s report detailed a team of bridge watchstanders that were growing increasingly perplexed, then panicked, while trying to track multiple vessels inside a bustling maritime superhighway, CIC sailors told his investigators that it was a quiet night down there.
Fort found the CIC had “zero communication” with the bridge team before the Crystal loomed seemingly out of nowhere to spear into the Fitz’s starboard hull.
Much of Fort’s report explores how a state-of-the-art warship outfitted with expensive electronic sensors could go blind, but a key finding soon emerged: It wasn’t merely that they didn’t know they were blind. They didn’t know how to see.
Beyond the human waste and garbage collecting in the CIC, Fort’s investigators found CIC watchstanders who “demonstrated a lack of knowledge about radar functionality and material condition.”
Although the Fitz’s SPS-67 radar was listed as operational on the eve of the collision, it had actually fallen into a “degraded status,” according to the report.
CIC watchstanders couldn’t use their remote control to guide it because it also was broken.
A dead radar control button had been “covered by a piece of masking tape,” but Fort’s investigators couldn’t locate a casualty report chronicling the malfunction.
A work order had been generated to order, install and test new control buttons.
That was 194 days before the collision, Fort found.
And that long delay was far from unusual on board the Fitz.
Fort’s investigators interviewed a watchstander who told them that a SPA-25G radar console had been broken for at least four months before the collision.
Then there was the ship’s Voyage Management System.
Used to navigate the destroyer without relying on paper charts, the Fitz’s VMS was so freighted with problems that technicians cannibalized the set in the skipper’s quarters for parts to keep the system running.
But the Fitz’s VMS had started acting up while the destroyer was in dry dock in 2016 and early 2017, Fort found. The bridge unit would lock up and take several minutes to reset.
Technicians were supposed to peek at it in April of 2017 but “that visit was cancelled due to FTZ’s schedule change requiring the ship to be underway,” Fort wrote.
A “Bright Bridge” console also was listed as operational before the ACX Crystal accident.
But like the VMS, one console had been cannibalized for parts to fix another console and no casualty report was found for any of that, the report states.
A work order repair number, however, had been generated — 135 days before the collision, Fort found.
The ‘ghost in the machine’
On the night of the ACX Crystal disaster, the SPS-67 radar seemed plagued with gremlins but no one was available to fix it and sailors didn’t talk to each other about the electronic “clutter” they watched on the display, according to Fort’s report.
Beyond talking to each other inside the CIC or conversing with the bridge during their watch, the sailors there also had “zero communication” with other onboard departments for vital tasks like turning the radar, Fort later testified.
“Most of these folks we interviewed were not even aware that the radar-set controller was out of commission or what functionality they did or did not have, or what ability they had to even control it,” he said.
While the crew could’ve turned to an auto-track feature on the SPS-67 radar, they didn’t use it “because they ‘don’t want to mess it up,’” the report states.
“It was generally accepted that using the auto-tracking feature caused problems with the radar, and so it was just turned off,” Fort added during the hearing. “And folks accepted that.”
That’s why a CIC petty officer worked in manual mode, punching a button 1,000 times in an hour just to track four of five vessels, when the radar could’ve auto-tracked 50 contacts for him, Fort testified.
“That’s a lot of activity, but it’s not really what I would call vigilant activity,” Fort said.
Fort’s report found that other sailors barely fathomed the rudiments of radar.
“One watchstander said he has routinely seen the radars poorly adjusted to the point that visible targets would not show up,” Fort wrote. “One watchstander stated seeing other watchstanders seek out (a supervisor) for help on radar tuning, and receiving the response, ‘do it how you like it.’”
Electronic technicians said users reported problems that really were just operator errors.
“Another watchstander called to complain that the radar was not acquiring targets, when in fact the watchstander did not know what actions were necessary to acquire a target,” Fort wrote. “Watchstanders will use the rain adjustment features when there is no rain.”
At last year’s hearing, Lt. Cmdr. Ritarsha Furqan, a former Fitz officer who left the ship before the collision, attributed some bugs in the SPS-67’s auto-tracking system to “a ghost in the machine.”
But she said when the Fitzgerald got back to port in Japan, technicians couldn’t replicate the problems and it was never fixed.
Shorting out
All of this matters because how the Fitzgerald was described in public reports often doesn’t tell the full story, or at least a fuller version that emerges in the Fort report and the accumulating testimony of investigators and former sailors on the warship.
For example, Navy leaders have publicly stated that the crew was not using the ship’s Automatic Identification System, or AIS, to gather information on nearby vessel traffic.
But Fort determined that Fitz’s sailors avoided the AIS laptop because it constantly crashed. It couldn’t be moved because jostling a cable would short out the array.
Fort found it tucked behind other consoles in the CIC. Onboard technicians had told their shipmates not to budge the laptop “because the cables were sensitive,” he wrote.
Furqan testified that when she served on the Fitz, the AIS had been loaned to the warship so they were limited in the upgrades and maintenance they could perform on it.
“During my tenure, the laptop failed at least once so we had to…wait for a new laptop to be mailed out to us,” Furqan said. “It would periodically lock up, and we would be unable to unlock it even with the correct password, so we’d have to reboot the entire laptop and try again.”
A division has developed within the Navy over what all this means when it comes to finding fault and dispensing justice.
Fort’s testimony and his report often seem to be grappling with how to parse out the blame.
When should shipboard leaders be held to account for failures? How much can those failures be ascribed to bad superiors on board the Fitz, at the destroyer squadron and 7th Fleet, even higher up the chain of command?
There are real world consequences for these distinctions.
Lt. Natalie Combs, the senior CIC officer during the collision, “was derelict in the performance of her duties,” Fort’s report states.
But Cmdr. Anthony Johnson, the investigating officer presiding over her Article 32 hearing, heard the same evidence and recommended that she skip court-martial proceedings and go instead to a board of inquiry to determine if she should remain on duty.
Johnson was overruled by Adm. James Caldwell, the Navy’s Consolidated Disposition Authority in charge of meting out justice in the Fitzgerald and McCain cases.
A scathing internal Navy probe into the 2017 collision that drowned seven sailors on the guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald details a far longer list of problems plaguing the vessel, its crew and superior commands than the service has publicly admitted.
Obtained by Navy Times, the “dual-purpose investigation” was overseen by Rear Adm. Brian Fort and submitted 41 days after the June 17, 2017, tragedy.
It was kept secret from the public in part because it was designed to prep the Navy for potential lawsuits in the aftermath of the accident.
Unsparingly, Fort and his team of investigators outlined critical lapses by bridge watchstanders on the night of the collision with the Philippine-flagged container vessel ACX Crystal in a bustling maritime corridor off the coast of Japan.
Their report documents the routine, almost casual, violations of standing orders on a Fitz bridge that often lacked skippers and executive officers, even during potentially dangerous voyages at night through busy waterways.
The probe exposes how personal distrust led the officer of the deck, Lt. j.g. Sarah Coppock, to avoid communicating with the destroyer’s electronic nerve center — the combat information center, or CIC — while the Fitzgerald tried to cross a shipping superhighway.
When Fort walked into the trash-strewn CIC in the wake of the disaster, he was hit with the acrid smell of urine. He saw kettlebells on the deck and bottles filled with pee. Some radar controls didn’t work and he soon discovered crew members who didn’t know how to use them anyway.
Fort found a Voyage Management System that generated more “trouble calls” than any other key piece of electronic navigational equipment. Designed to help watchstanders navigate without paper charts, the VMS station in the skipper’s quarters was broken so sailors cannibalized it for parts to help keep the rickety system working.
Since 2015, the Fitz had lacked a quartermaster chief petty officer, a crucial leader who helps safely navigate a warship and trains its sailors — a shortcoming known to both the destroyer’s squadron and Navy officials in the United States, Fort wrote.
Fort determined that Fitz’s crew was plagued by low morale; overseen by a dysfunctional chiefs mess; and dogged by a bruising tempo of operations in the Japan-based 7th Fleet that left exhausted sailors with little time to train or complete critical certifications.
To Fort, they also appeared to be led by officers who appeared indifferent to potentially life-saving lessons that should’ve been learned from other near-misses at sea, including a similar incident near Sasebo, Japan, that occurred only five weeks before the ACX Crystal collision, Fort wrote.
‘Significant progress’
Fort’s work took on added urgency after another destroyer assigned to the 7th Fleet, the John S. McCain, collided with the Liberian-flagged tanker Alnic MC on Aug. 21, 2017, killing 10 more American sailors.
But it remained an internal file never to be shared with the public.
Pentagon officials declined to answer specific questions sent by Navy Times about the Fort report and instead defended the decision to keep the contents of the report hidden from public scrutiny.
“The Navy determined to retain the legal privilege in order to protect the legal interests of the United States, but provided information regarding the causes and lessons learned to families of those sailors, the Congress and the American people, again to make every effort to ensure these types of tragedies to not happen again,” said Navy spokesman Capt. Gregory Hicks in a prepared written statement to Navy Times.
In the 19 months since the fatal collision, the Navy’s Readiness Reform Oversight Council has made “significant progress” in implementing reforms called for in several top-level Navy reviews of the Fitzgerald and McCain collisions — nearly 75 percent of the 111 recommendations slated to be implemented by the end of 2018, Hicks added.
Navy Times withheld publication of the Fort report’s details until Pentagon officials could brief the families of the dead Fitz sailors about the grim findings.
Sailors Xavier Martin, Dakota Rigsby, Shingo Douglass, Tan Huynh, Noe Hernandez, Carlos Sibayan and Gary Rehm drowned in the disaster.
Coppock pleaded guilty to a dereliction of duty charge at court-martial last year.
The Fitz’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson, and Lt. Natalie Combs, who ran the CIC, are battling similar charges in court but contend unlawful command influence by senior leaders scuttled any chance for fair trials.
When Fort arrived at her CIC desk, he found a stack of paperwork Combs abandoned: “She was most likely consumed and distracted by a review of Operations Department paperwork for the three and a half hours of her watch prior to the collision,” Fort wrote.
Lessons unlearned
Although Fort’s report drew parallels to a 2012 non-fatal accident involving the destroyer Porter and the supertanker M/V Otowasan in the Strait of Hormuz, his investigation focused on a near-miss by the Fitzgerald near Sasebo on May 10, 2017.
During that incident, an unnamed junior officer “became confused by the surface contact picture” of vessels surrounding the destroyer and summoned the warship’s then-commanding officer, Cmdr. Robert Shu, to the bridge, according to Fort.
Shu set the course to steer the Fitz behind the merchant vessel and then left the bridge.
But once the officer in charge had cleared the other ship’s stern, he “became immediately aware that another vessel was on the opposite side” of the ship they had just dodged, Fort wrote.
“(The officer) sounded five short blasts and ordered all back full emergency to avoid collision,” something Lt. j.g. Coppock failed to do weeks later when the ACX Crystal loomed out of the darkness, the report states.
To Fort, the earlier incident should’ve been a wakeup call for both Shu and Cmdr. Benson, his executive officer who would soon “fleet up” to replace him as skipper, plus Benson’s future second-in-command, Cmdr. Sean Babbitt.
“FTZ’s command leadership was unaware of just how far below standards their command had drifted,” wrote Fort, a surface warfare officer with more than a quarter-century of experience. “Had the (commanding officer) and (executive officer) critiqued the near-collision, they may have identified the root causes uncovered by this investigation.”
When contacted by Navy Times, Shu recalled the incident that took place just east of the Tsushima Strait, “a normally busy and recognized waterway.”
“As I was heading down the ladderwell to my cabin, I heard five short blasts and felt the ship back,” Shu said. “I ran back up to the bridge and there was another vessel behind the one we had just maneuvered for.”
Although Shu couldn’t recall how close the two vessels got to each other, he insisted that the incident wasn’t a near-collision and that his bridge team “reacted appropriately” and later assured him that they had a good picture of the vessels around their destroyer.
But Fort’s investigation pointed to a disturbing pattern of watchstanders failing to follow standing orders from a skipper and XO who often were inexplicably absent from the bridge, even when the warship was transiting potentially dangerous waters at night.
One junior officer spoke of a similar near-collision during low visibility, when a watch team finishing their shift failed to identify a vessel that was closing on them and wasn’t being tracked, according to the report. The oncoming officer of the deck maneuvered out of the vessel’s way but never notified the commanding officer.
Watchstanders admitted to knowing of other instances when ships got close enough to trigger a call to the CO, but they never made it, according to the report.
“Procedural compliance by Bridge watchstanders is not the norm onboard FTZ, as evidenced by numerous, almost routine, violations of the CO’s standing orders,” not to mention radio transmissions laced with profanity and “unprofessional humor,” Fort found.
Rules of the road
Benson and predecessor Shu spent little time on the bridge during nighttime transits and Benson was asleep in his quarters on the fateful night the Fitzgerald collided with the ACX Crystal, Fort wrote.
Some of Benson’s bridge team had never transited the busy waterway before, or had only done so during the day, and “his watchstanders were at least as fatigued as he was from a long day of operations without sufficient rest,” Fort found.
It also was Benson’s first transit from Sagami Bay to the open sea as the warship’s skipper, a command he assumed just a few days after the near-collision off Sasebo.
“It is inexplicable that neither Benson nor (executive officer Cmdr. Babbitt) were on the bridge for his first outbound Yokosuka transit as CO, at night, in close proximity to land, and expecting moderately dense fishing and merchant traffic,” Fort wrote.
Ship travel is governed by the “rules of the road,” a set of guidelines regarding speed, lookouts and other best practices to avoid collisions, but Fort’s report casts doubt on whether watchstanders on board the Fitz and sister warships in the 7th Fleet had sufficient knowledge of them to safely navigate at sea.
About three weeks after the ACX Crystal disaster, Fort’s investigators sprang a rules of the road pop quiz on Fitz’s officers.
It didn’t go well. The 22 who took the test averaged a score of 59 percent, Fort wrote.
“Only 3 of 22 Officers achieved a score over 80%,” he added, with seven officers scoring below 50 percent.
The same exam was administered to the wardroom of another unnamed destroyer as a control group, and those officers scored similarly dismal marks.
The XO Babbitt, Coppock and two other officers refused to take the test, according to the report.
Reached by email, Babbitt told Navy Times that he declined because of the investigation and the fact that Fort had read him his rights.
“The exam was also given weeks after the collision when the wardroom had not been concentrating on the rules of the road,” he said. “The crew had been pulled from event to event to include the memorial service and the dignified send off and the last thing anyone had been thinking about was how many lights a 50 meter towing vessel on inland waterways should have.”
Speaking through his defense attorney, Benson declined to comment on the Fort report’s findings.
In an email to Navy Times, Lt. Cmdr. Justin Henderson said Benson “has never declined or avoided the responsibility that is the burden of command at sea” and remains “accountable for the Fitzgerald and her crew, who remain at the forefront of his thoughts.”
The owners of a massive merchant vessel that collided with the warship Fitzgerald in 2017, drowning seven sailors, have agreed to pay the U.S. government nearly $27 million as part of a settlement agreement.
The two-page deal, obtained by Navy Times, states that is it’s governed by Japanese law.
Both the Fitzgerald and the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal were transiting busy sea lanes off Japan before the 1:30 a.m. collision on June 17, 2017, when the container vessel struck the guided-missile destroyer’s starboard side.
The agreement states that the owners, Olympic Steamship Company, S.A., Panama, will pay about 2.9 billion Japanese yen to the U.S. government to settle potential claims because of their role in the maritime disaster.
That translates to roughly $26.7 million.
As is common in these agreements, the settlement notes that the deal is not an admission of “any liability, negligence, breach of duty, or wrongdoing” by the parties.
Navy officials declined comment on the settlement, referring questions to the U.S. Justice Department, which signed the agreement.
Justice officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Attorneys with the Japan-based law firm Yoshida and Partners, which signed the agreement on behalf of the Crystal’s owners, did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
The Navy has largely stayed quiet in its publicly released reports and statements when it comes to the Crystal’s culpability in the collision.
But in a November 2017 official account of the collision, a Navy report states during the 30 minutes before the crash, “neither FITZGERALD nor CRYSTAL took such action to reduce the risk of collision until approximately one minute prior to the collision.”
“Collisions at sea are rare and the relative performance and fault of the vessels involved is an open admiralty law issue,” that report states. “The Navy is not concerned about the mistakes made by CRYSTAL. Instead, the Navy is focused on the performance of its ships and what we could have done differently to avoid these mishaps.”
An internal Navy investigation into the collision, known as a “dual-purpose investigation,” has not been made public because Navy
But that probe cites failures by the Crystal’s second officer as one of the root causes of the collision.
The merchant vessel was on autopilot “until just prior to impact,” the report states, and the Crystal did not sound at least five short blasts or make any attempt to hail the warship via radio.
“Prior to the collision, CRYSTAL watchstanders came out of autopilot and initiated a turn to starboard, too late to have adequate effect,” the report states. “Audio recordings from CRYSTAL’s Bridge reveal what is most likely the sound of a signal light being used to get FTZ’ attention just minutes before the collision. FTZ watchstanders did not recall seeing this signal light.”
The unidentified second officer “failed to maintain a proper lookout so as to make a full appraisal of the risk of collision” with the Fitzgerald, according to the report.
The Crystal officer “failed to determine if a risk of collision with FTZ existed by using all available means,” according to the report, and “he failed to appreciate, by radar or visual observation, that FTZ was on a constant bearing with a decreasing range, which observation would have led him to deem risk of collision to exist.”
It also states the officer “failed to take action to avoid collision once it became apparent that action by FTZ alone would not avoid the collision.”
“In addition, the Second Officer failed to follow CRYSTAL’s Standing Orders by failing to call the Master when FTZ’s CPA was within one nautical mile and failing to take frequent and accurate compass bearings of FTZ to detect the risk of collision,” according to the internal Navy investigation.
Whether the settlement money will actually go to Fitz repairs remains unclear but it’s a small sum compared to what the Navy is paying to mend the 25-year-old warship.
The Navy has awarded roughly $533 million in contracts and modifications for repair and modernization of the ship since September 2017, according to Pentagon contract listings.
“That’s a lot of money and it’s not a lot of money,” Lawrence Brennan, a retired Navy captain and attorney who teaches admiralty and maritime law at Fordham Law School, said of the settlement amount.
“The really tough questions are the injury and death claims being asserted against Crystal by the deceased and survivors,” he said.
It remains unclear whether any claims have been filed by the families of the seven sailors who drowned in the collision.
Darrold Martin, the father of Xavier Martin, one of the sailors who died, said Friday he had been in touch with an attorney but was not sure if any litigation had been filed on the behalf of the families.
An attorney representing Fitz victims and their families, David M. Schloss — a partner in the Washington, D.C. firm of Koonz, McKenney, Johnson, DePaolis and Lightfoot — told Navy Times that he’s pleased the vessel’s owner and charterer “recognized their obligation to compensate the Navy for the property damage they caused.”
“While no amount of money is sufficient to compensate the families of the seven brave sailors who gave their lives in the service of their country, or those Fitzgerald crewmen who continue to suffer from the devastating physical and emotional injuries associated with this collision, we are nevertheless hopeful that this settlement indicates that those same parties, along with the time charterer, NYK (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha), will see fit to live up to their legal and moral obligations to fully compensate those whose lives have been so tragically impacted,” said Schloss in a written statement.
"Plain and simple, this collision was a preventable tragedy, and we intend to pursue all legal remedies both in Japan and here in the United States against the three parties responsible for the negligent conduct of the Crystal. "
In the early morning fog about 2 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2002, a container ship from Bermuda collided with a car carrier vessel, sending the massive ship and more than 2,800 cars to the bottom of the English Channel. The sinking of the Tricolor lasted only 30 minutes, but its removal from one of the world’s busiest shipping channels would take two years, involve cutting the ship into nine pieces and come at a cost of more than $40 million, making it one of the most referenced maritime disasters of the past two decades.
When local officials announced in October that the Golden Ray, the car carrier that has been sitting on its side in the St. Simons Sound since Sept. 8, would also be removed by cutting it into pieces, the fate of the ship and its cargo was clear. “Salvage means to save. The point is to save property. When they announced they were cutting it up … they are not trying to save anything,” said Richard Burke, ABS Professor of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at Maritime College, State University of New York. “Then it becomes a wreck removal.”
>> RELATED | Salvage experts to haul overturned cargo ship away piece by piece
It’s expected to take several weeks to remove the Golden Ray from the St. Simons Sound, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Georgia Ports Authority spokesman Robert Morris said an incident like this is the first of its kind for a vessel at either the Brunswick or Savannah ports.
Photo: CONTRIBUTED BY U.S. COAST GUARD
Each year, there are about 1,000 serious shipping casualties worldwide, according to a 2013 report from Lloyd’s, the insurer which began its business with maritime insurance. It has been a particularly tough year for car carriers, a type of vessel that falls under the class of Roll-on, Roll-off (RoRo) ships designed to carry wheeled cargo. Industry experts have debated safety concerns of RoRos for years, including stability challenges and fire safety issues, and salvors have learned how to deal with the ships when they are lost.
The 656-foot Golden Ray overturned near the Port of Brunswick carrying 24 crew members and a cargo of 4,200 cars. The port is the second-largest hub in the U.S. for the import and export of vehicles, and the Golden Ray was on its way to Baltimore with cargo destined for the Middle East.
When a fire broke out on board, all but four crew members evacuated. The remaining crewmen were trapped for more than a day until rescuers drilled through the hull to reach them. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire and why the vessel lost stability.
In mid-October, the recovery team determined they could not safely right and refloat the vessel intact and began developing plans to remove the Golden Ray’s hull, components and cargo from the water by disassembling the ship in place.
The Golden Ray is the sixth major car carrier incident in 2019, according to reports from Tradewinds, an international shipping newspaper based in London. Like the Golden Ray, each of the other carriers experienced fires on board. “There is a lot of similarity between the incidents. There are a lot of fires or stability problems. Those are the two big problems that car carriers have,” said Adam Corbett, reporter for Tradewinds. Overheated cars can ignite from their electrical components, and because there is nothing to separate the cars inside the ship, fire can spread quickly, he said.
Of the car carrier incidents this year, only the Golden Ray and the Grande America, which caught fire and sank off the coast of France in March, appear to be total losses. Cutting the vessel into pieces, often considered a last resort, is particularly tragic for the Golden Ray, a relatively new and well-maintained ship built in 2017, owned by Hyundai Glovis, the shipping division of Hyundai based in Seoul, South Korea.
The loss is likely to cost the ship’s insurer between $70 million and $80 million, according to Tradewinds. Cargo is insured separately and may add up to $80 million to the claim. Costs for the initial emergency response and pollution control are the responsibility of ship owners, but the final wreck removal could cost tens of millions of dollars for the insurer covering the legal liability of the owner and crew.
Methods for wreck removal
SMIT, the Dutch company which helped remove the Tricolor, and DonJon Marine are the designated salvage partners for the Golden Ray, officials confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. SMIT did not respond to requests for comment. With removal plans expected later this month, the Coast Guard and partners began placing rocks next to the hull of the ship to prevent erosion of the sand underneath it and to stabilize the vessel. They also used laser technology to view inside the cargo hold, which has been inaccessible to divers.
More than a decade ago, the removal of the ill-fated Tricolor from the English Channel was one of the largest wreck removal operations of its time. The 24 crew members managed to escape before the ship ended up submerged on its side in the English Channel. As with the Golden Ray, the salvage team spent about two months removing most of the fuel from the sunken ship to minimize environmental damage and prepare the vessel for removal.
Four companies collaborated on plans to cut the ship into nine pieces that would be lifted from the water one by one. It was the first time a ship of its size was being cut in place, according to SMIT. They used a cutting wire that consisted of small cylinders coated with a special type of steel as hard as diamond. The wire had been used only once before, in the removal of a Russian submarine.
Cutting the ship from the bottom up involved moving the wire back and forth between two platforms erected on either side of the Tricolor. Divers monitored the cutting to be sure the vessel did not shift, and they attached lifting cables to the pieces. Some of the largest floating lifting devices in the world were required to pull each cut section of the ship out of the water and onto a barge. Six months after the Tricolor sank, it was finally being lifted from the water. The last step was to transfer the sections by barge to a special scrap yard.
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Fuel removal is priority in cargo ship salvage
The method would be repeated again in 2012 with a slight tweak when another car carrier, the Baltic Ace, collided with a container ship near the Dutch coast. The ship sank within 15 minutes, and 11 of its 24 crew members were lost. Once the decision was made to cut the ship in place, SMIT (by then part of Royal Boskalis Westminster) used floating barges to develop an automated cutting process.
Both the Tricolor and Baltic Ace lost their entire cargo of cars in incidents that resulted in millions in losses.
Environmental concerns
Cutting the hull of a vessel into manageable sections is a common method used in wreck removal, but car carriers can present a unique challenge. “Cutting in place doesn’t mean you are doing huge damage to the environment, but it means you have to pay extra attention,” said Burke. “It is a problem with a car carrier because every bit of cargo has gasoline and oil in it.”
Since the Golden Ray ran aground off the coast of Georgia, workers have used several strategies to try to contain and monitor oil coming from the ship. Still, some leaks occurred even as officials worked to remove more than 250,000 gallons of fuel from the vessel. Fuel has been spotted along more than 30 miles of shoreline, and there have been reports of oiled birds, said local environmentalists.
Environmental advocates are concerned that two possible fires on board the Golden Ray may have created toxicity on board. Site workers recently observed white smoke coming from the vents of the Golden Ray though it was unclear if a fire was burning inside, said a spokesperson for the Unified Command, which includes the U.S. Coast Guard, state officials, Gallagher Marine Systems and other partners. Responders directed water to the area of smoke, which later cleared.
“I am really concerned about the toxins that will come out of the cargo hold when they open that thing up, not just to the sea life but to the air,” said Fletcher Sams, of the Altamaha Riverkeeper. “The constituents are a lot of things you don’t want in the St. Simons Sound.”
Each wreck removal is unique and salvors often have to adjust their plans as the operation is underway. While there may be new developments in technique, cutting a ship in pieces is a process salvors know well, Burke said. “There is nothing new or magical about the cutting up operations. That is something they know how to do; it is something they have done for centuries,” he said.
And when it is done, the Golden Ray will likely become just another story in maritime history.
Explosion occurred on board of bunker tanker ZALIV AMERIKA in cargo tanks at around 0830 LT (UTC +10) Nov 2 in Nakhodka Port waters, near Mys Astafyev Cape, Primorye, Russia, Japan sea. 2 crew were killed by explosion, 1 was thrown overboard and later found dead. There was no fire after explosion. According to insiders posts in social nets, fuel gases exploded in empty cargo tanks, their reports confirmed by local media photos Tanker was towed from explosion site at Nakhodka port entrance to tankers anchorage, AIS is on.
The United States is likely to issue a final report next year on its joint probe with South Korea into the capsizing of a cargo ship off the US east coast, an official has said.
The 71,000-ton, Marshall Islands-flagged Golden Ray carrying about 4,000 cars capsized in St. Simons Sound near the Port of Brunswick, Georgia, on Sept. 8. The Golden Ray was operated by Hyundai Glovis Co., a logistics unit of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group.
Last month, officials of South Korea and the Marshall Islands teamed up with their counterparts from the US Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board to try to find the exact cause of the mishap.
Kim Byeong-gon, the chief South Korean investigator who joined the probe, which lasted for nine days, said recently he expects the US to issue a final joint report around September next year.
Kim said the probe is meant to find the exact cause of the accident and make sure a similar accident does not recur.
He did not provide any further details, citing the fact that the probe is still under way. (Yonhap)
By admin On October 15, 2019 In Cargo, Insurance Marine News, Keep, Marine Hull, Marine Liability
Capsized car carrier Golden Ray (IMO 9775816) has been deemed unsafe to right and refloat in a fully intact condition and has been declared a total loss. The Unified Command handling the salvage of the vessel said that plans were being developed to remove all of the Golden Ray’s hull, components and cargo by disassembling the vessel in place.
Lightering of the forward fuel oil tanks has been completed. More than 225,000 gallons of fuel have been removed to date. Lightering of the remaining fuel and lubricant tanks continues.
The vessel partially capsized on September 8th in St Simons Sound, Georgia, USA, having just left the port of Brunswick with 4,200 vehicles on board out of a capacity of more than 7,000. The pilot, Captain Jonathan Tennant, deliberately grounded the vessel in response to a fire on board. All onboard were rescued safely, although it took around 30 hours to free four crewmembers trapped in the vessel’s engine room. An investigation into the cause of the casualty continues.
Pollution mitigation and response efforts were continuing, with specialists from the Unified Command conducting water monitoring at 22 sites.
2017-built, Marshall Islands-flagged, 71,178 gt Golden Ray is owned by GL NV24 Shipping Inc care of manager Hyundai Glovis of Seoul, South Korea. ISM manager is G-Marine Service Co Ltd of Busan, South Korea. It is entered with North of England Club on behalf of Hyundai Glovis Co, Ltd.
The Hong Kong Merchant Marine Department issued a marine information concerning an officer who was confirmed dead after being struck by the vessel’s gangway, after also denying medical treatment that the doctor proposed.
The Incident
A Hong Kong-registered chemical tanker was berthed at Kuala Tanjung, Indonesia. While at berth, the vessel’s portable gangway was located between the main deck and the berth as access.
The chief officer along with a team of deck ratings used the vessel’s crane to lift the gangway onboard the vessel to get ready for departure. The chief officer was trying to understand why the gangway got stuck with the vessel’s railing. At that time, the gangway suddenly moved and struck at him.
After the incident, the master conducted a visual body check for the chief officer and instructed him to take a rest.
In line with the vessels schedule the vessel departed the berth. Following, the chief officer visited a doctor when the vessel arrived at Pelintung, Indonesia on the next day, but he refused the doctor’s advice of hospitalization. The chief officer returned to the vessel and was declared dead on board later.
Probable causes
The investigation that followed presented some contributing factors to the accident; In essence:
as the crane, limited by the arm span, could not reach the gangway’s centre point, the gangway was lifted under an asymmetrical centre line of hoisting thus causing the gangway being subjected to an inboard pulling force when lifted. As a result, the hooks at the end of the gangway were stuck with the vessel’s railing. When the hooks were suddenly freed from the railing, the gangway slid inboard in an uncontrolled manner. The uncontrolled gangway struck the chief officer who was standing at a spot within the danger zone of the gangway’s moving path;
the deployment of four guard ropes failed to withhold the sudden inboard swing of the gangway. The risk assessment and the work plan prepared before the gangway lifting operation had not been done properly.
The Marine Government highlighted that
Seafarers should always consider accepting a doctor’s advice when attending medical treatments. The chief officer might save his own life if he decided to stay in the hospital as advised by the local doctor.
Lessons Learned
Masters, officers and crew should
Conduct a proper risk assessment for lifting heavy objects. During lifting operation, no person should stand in the danger zone. Lifting operation under an asymmetrical centre of the lift should be avoided as far as practicable;
Check the medical report of an injured person to confirm whether he/she is still fit for duties/sailing on board; And
Consider duly and accept the doctor’s advice when attending medical treatments.
Due to the frequency of accident relating to unsafe gangways, the USCG and the Shipowners Club have issued different papers providing recommendations on how to ensure the safe operation and safe use of gangways. See herebelow:
The pilot who decided to ground the Golden Ray was praised on Wednesday during the State of the Port presentation in Jekyll Island, according to a report by the Brunswick News.
The report said the pilot who made the decision of grounding the ship outside of the channel was Capt. Jonathan Tennant of the Brunswick Bar Harbor Pilots Association. This decision enabled them to reopen the port for business days later, said Griff Lynch, the executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority.
"We would have an even bigger problem," Lynch said.
SEOUL (Reuters) - A fire onboard two oil tankers that injured nine sailors at a South Korean port has been put out, the Yonhap news agency said on Saturday.
An explosion occurred on the Stolt Groenland, a 25,000-tonne, Cayman Island-flagged oil tanker, at the southern port of Ulsan at around 10:50 a.m. (0150 GMT), Yonhap reported, citing the Coast Guard. There were 25 sailors aboard, including Russians and Filipinos, Yonhap said.
The fire spread to another unspecified oil tanker docked nearby, it said.
All of the sailors on the Stolt Groenland and another 21 aboard the other ship were rescued, Yonhap said. Nine sailors were wounded including one in critical condition, the report said, without specifying what ship they were on.
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident and police have blocked traffic in the area in case of a further blast, Yonhap said.
(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Fire started in superstructure of tanker, reportedly under the name of TAEHWA 1HO, at around 0540 LT (UTC +9) Mar 20 some 2 nm off Ohdong island, Yeosu waters, East China sea, South Korea. Fire started in cabin, spread around in superstructure, and engulfed the bridge. Of 6 crew on board, 2 died, 4 were rescued. According to latest news and to photo, fire didn’t spread to cargo area and was taken under control by firefighters.
YEOSU, South Korea, March 20 (Yonhap) -- Two sailors were killed and another injured after a fire broke out on an oil tanker off the southern coast of South Korea on Wednesday, rescue officials said.
The 494-ton ship caught fire at about 5:40 a.m. in the waters about 5 kilometers off Odong islet in South Jeolla Province, some 322 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Coast Guard.
The two sailors, identified by their surnames, Kim, aged 68 and 70, were found dead inside the pilothouse. The chief engineer, surnamed also Kim, suffered burns and was sent to hospital.
A total of six people were aboard the ship. Four others escaped shortly after the accident.
The blaze did not spread to other parts of the ship as the rescue team managed to safely contain the fire in about four hours.
The Busan-bound vessel was carrying about 10,000 tons of bunker fuel C oil and heavy oil.
The Coast Guard is investigating the scene to determine the exact cause.
In this photo, provided by the Coast Guard, rescue officials work to put out the fire on an oil tanker in waters off the coastal city of Yeosu, in South Jeolla Province, on March 20, 2019. (Yonhap)
499t_oil_tanker_explosion_mar2019
Two seafarers lost their lives while another one was injured in a fire aboard an oil tanker off the southern coast of South Korea.
The ill-fated seafarers, aged 68 and 79, were found deceased in the ship’s pilothouse, while the tanker’s chief engineer suffered burns and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The fire broke out on the unnamed 494-ton ship in the early morning hours of March 20, Yonhap New Agency cited local authorities.
At the time of the incident, the vessel was some 5 kilometers off Odong Island, South Jeolla Province.
Loaded with 10,000 tons of bunker fuel, C oil and heavy oil, the vessel was crewed by six sailors, four of whom managed to escape the ship shortly after the fire started.
The fire did not spread aboard the ship and was contained within hours.
World Maritime News Staff
「“International law requires operators to have a Safety Management System for a ship which sets out safety procedures to ensure that entry into enclosed spaces, like cargo holds, is properly evaluated for risk and that those risks are effectively managed,” Maritime NZ stressed.」
A New Zealand court has fined the captain and chief officer of the 32,690 dwt Emilie Bulker for lying to port state control after one of their crew nearly died in the ship’s hold.
A dock worker working on board the ship in the Port of Tauranga discovered the 40-year-old AB unconscious in the hold on 6 September and notified Maritime NZ, a Maritime NZ spokesperson told SAS.
The hold where he had been working was poorly ventilated and contained palm kernels, known to deplete oxygen in the air. Fire and Emergency NZ rescued the Filipino crewman and rushed him to Tauranga Hospital where he was placed in an induced coma.
During the investigation into the casualty the captain and chief officer of the Isle of Man bulk carrier claimed the hold had been assessed for gas and was safe to work in.
“None of that was true,” Maritime NZ said in a press statement. “Oxygen depletion and gas build up in ships’ holds is an international known risk and a major concern.”
“International law requires operators to have a Safety Management System for a ship which sets out safety procedures to ensure that entry into enclosed spaces, like cargo holds, is properly evaluated for risk and that those risks are effectively managed,” Maritime NZ stressed.
Ship’s Captain Walter Damian and Chief Officer Ian Dalingding pleaded guilty to the charges of giving false evidence at the Wellington District Court on 19 September. They were fined NZ13,500 and NZD4,050 respectively.
Captain Damian also pleaded guilty to permitting dangerous activity. The injured seafarer was released from hospital on 10 September and awarded a NZD10,000 reparation payment for emotional harm.
The ship was detained, but later released. “Maritime NZ takes all steps to ensure the safety of maritime operations in New Zealand, including aboard foreign ships in our waters,” Central Region Compliance Manger, Michael-Paul Abbott told media.
“As well as taking the prosecution, we have shared information about the incident and this ship with other Asia-Pacific countries and reported it to the Isle of Man registry,” he said. “This is part of an international system for monitory ships that are involved in incidents – we help each one keep shipping safe.”
At 2 a.m. on September 8, the U.S. Coast Guard stationed near St. Simons, Georgia, was alerted that the Golden Ray, a South Korean cargo vessel carrying over 4,000 new automobiles, had begun dangerously inclining to one side, shortly after departing the Port of Brunswick.
By late morning response teams had rescued 20 of the ship’s 24 crew members; however, flames, thick smoke and shifting cargo left the remaining crew members trapped in two inside compartments. Within hours, the 656-foot vessel completely rolled over onto its side, listing at 90 degrees. First responders pinpointed the crew members’ locations and all four were rescued in reasonably good condition on September 9.
Marine experts and officials from the Coast Guard are working to determine the best approach to salvaging and removing the Golden Ray and its cargo with minimal environmental damage and disruption to shipping traffic. Oil from the ship and possibly its cargo has leaked into St. Simons Sound and nearby waterways, according to the Coast Guard, and crews have begun the process of removing fuel from the ship’s hull.
The Port of Brunswick, one of the busiest U.S. automobile shipping ports, was closed for four days after the incident and as of press time remained open only on a case-by-case basis. The U.S. National Transportation and Safety Bureau (NTSB) and Coast Guard are investigating what caused the Golden Ray to capsize.
The ship’s cargo, worth several million dollars, is damaged and likely a total loss. According to Hyundai Glovis, the company that owns the Golden Ray, both the ship and its cargo are fully insured.
Whether cargo is shipped via rail, truck, ship or plane, and damaged or lost due to weather event, accident or theft, Cargo Insurance and other coverages are instrumental in mitigating losses. Cargo ship owners should be certain that all of their insurance policies adequately account for third-party potential property damage and third-party liability, said Mark Engel, Managing Director, RB Jones Marine, New York, New York.
“Maritime events are indiscriminate,” Engel said. “It does not matter if you are a large or small company. You could still be exposed to significant liabilities, just given the nature of the business.”
Cargo and marine vessels face significant threats
The global shipping industry is vast in volume and economic impact. According to the International Chamber of Shipping, more than 50,000 merchant ships transport 90 percent of globally-traded goods to ports worldwide. At any given time, 6,000 container ships are traversing global waterways, and the operation of merchant ships generates over $500 billion in freight rates annually. The U.S. is second only to China as an exporter of goods transported by liner ships.
“It does not matter if you are a large or small company. You could still be exposed to significant liabilities, just given the nature of the business.” – Mark Engel, RB Jones Marine
Cargo vessel owners and the manufacturers and other businesses that ship goods by sea face a multitude of risks. Though what caused the Golden Ray to capsize remains unknown, some experts have speculated that unevenly distributed weight or shifting cargo may be to blame. According to the World Shipping Council, an average 1,582 containers were lost at sea annually from 2008 to 2016.
In addition to human error, fires, explosions and collisions can cause cargo loss and vessel damage, as can severe weather events. “Ships can be exposed to harsh weather conditions—hurricanes, typhoons, windstorms and tidal waves, to name a few,” said Patrick Barco, National Product Leader, Marine, Burns & Wilcox, Toronto, Canada.
Such events can also imperil crews, the natural environment, and populations living in the vicinity of incapacitated vessels or loose cargo.
On September 20, nine barges became unmoored in the San Jacinto River near Houston, Texas, and struck a bridge along the eastbound Interstate 10, shutting down the interstate for several days. In January, a Panamanian-flagged ship lost 270 containers of cargo due to rough weather near the German island of Borkum in the North Sea. A few days later, several containers washed up miles away on three Dutch islands. Three of the lost containers held hazardous materials.
Protecting marine vessels
For owners of commercial and cargo vessels, Protection & Indemnity (P&I) clubs provide coverage that can mitigate costs to a range of exposures, such as bodily injury or death, cargo damage or loss, pollution and wreck removal, salvage operation, and civil and collision liabilities. A P&I club is a mutual insurance association of marine insurance providers that provides broad coverage to mitigate risks for its members.
Hull & Machinery Insurance coverage is offered by marine insurance providers for ship owners to help mitigate the cost and business impact of physical damage to their vessels. “Hull & Machinery coverage is fairly standard across the industry, for large and small vessels,” remarked Engel. “It covers physical damage to the hull, whether caused by fire or explosion, as well as damage to machinery, equipment or navigation systems.” Coverage for collision liability is also available as part of a Hull & Machinery Insurance policy, he said.
Hull & Machinery Insurance policies vary based on whether they are for “brown water” vessels like tugboats and barges that operate in inland or coastal areas, or “blue water” vessels such as cargo ships used in international shipping or trade.
Colossal cost of cargo theft
Stolen cargo affects the stakeholders involved in its supply chain, but cargo theft also leads to higher costs of goods for consumers and lower tax revenue for governments.
The FBI reported that in 2017 alone nearly $22 million of cargo was stolen in the U.S.; only 26 percent of that stolen cargo was recovered. Cargo theft is also a serious problem in Canada. The Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Cargo Theft Initiative found the total annual cost of cargo theft to Canadian consumers, suppliers, manufacturers, insurers and governments is $5 billion.
In August the last of four members of a crime ring was sentenced for his role in the July 2016 theft of a refrigerated unit containing $1 million worth of lobsters from a New Brunswick company. In March 2017, Canadian authorities announced the arrest of 16 people in connection to that alleged multimillion-dollar crime network, which was responsible for $5.3 million in stolen goods. Law enforcement authorities recovered around $3 million in tractors, luxury goods, and food items stolen from cargo trucks in Quebec and New Brunswick.
Mitigating a myriad of cargo risks
Inland Marine Insurance covers damage or loss due to rigging accidents, refrigeration and breakdown costs, and incidents related to loading and unloading cargo. Much of the cost incurred from cargo loss while in the care, custody, and control of a carrier can be covered through an Inland Marine Insurance policy.
“The liabilities arising out of your ownership of the vessel can be considerable, much beyond what you’d expect.” – Patrick Barco, Burns & Wilcox
“(Business owners should) consult with their insurance broker or agent, who will guide them and give them advice on various exposures,” Barco said.
Cargo Insurance coverage varies depending on whether goods are shipped by air, land, or sea, Barco said. Other factors also impact coverage, limits and liabilities, including international and national regulations. In the U.S., the Carmack Amendment governs interstate shipment for motor transportation, and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA) regulates international shipping by cargo vessels.
Climate-change-related extreme weather events are also affecting coverage, Barco said. “The United States in particular is exposed to hurricane losses and North America has a history of storm, hail and flood losses,” he explained. “Earthquake losses can be astronomical and devastating.”
To ensure adequate coverage, Barco stressed, it is essential for business owners to provide their insurance brokers and agents with as much information as possible regarding the nature of the cargo and the security protocols in place to protect it.
Barco said that brown water vessel owners in particular often underestimate their liabilities. “The liabilities arising out of your ownership of the vessel can be considerable, much beyond what you’d expect,” he noted.
This information was provided by Burns & Wilcox, North America’s leading insurance broker and underwriting manager. As with any coverage need, an insurance broker or agent must be consulted.
A 7,000-tonne freighter was towed to the Port of Kaohsiung today, after being abandoned by its crew northwest of Taiwan three days ago, and continuing under power, before drifting into the Taiwan Strait.
At around 5:00am, Thursday, September 19, the National Search and Rescue Command Center received a distress call from the vessel Ji Shun, located around 50 nautical miles northwest of Cape Fugui. The captain informed the rescue center that he and his crew were preparing to abandon ship in rough seas, as it appeared to be sinking.
The Ji Shun listing heavily to starboard after being abandoned by crew northwest of Keelung, Taiwan, September 19, 2019. Picture: Taiwan Coast Guard.
The NSRC dispatched helicopters and Coast Guard vessels to the area.
At around 6:00am, two crew members were airlifted by a Ministry of Defense Black Hawk helicopter, but further airlifts were prevented by high winds generated by Typhoon Taba.
The MOD then dispatched an EC-225 Super Puma helicopter from Chiayi Airport at around 7:00am. By 10:00am the rest of the 13-member Burmese crew were successfully rescued.
However, the captain had not turned off the main engine before abandoning the vessel, and the ship continued under power on a northeast course, closer to typhoon-affected waters.
As the crewless vessel moved on a slow course of around 3 knots, the coast guard ship CG132 Taoyuan shadowed the ghost ship to monitor and prevent possible collisions.
The Ji Shun ran out of fuel early on Friday, September 20, then began drifting southwest toward the Taiwan Strait.
Yesterday, Saturday, September 21, the ship was located in calm waters off the coast of Hsinchu County.
The shipowners hired the 10,000-horse-power tug “Salvage Champion” from the Port of Taichung, and the Ji Shun, listing heavily to starboard, was boarded and secured with a towing cable.
The Ji Shun was towed through the night and reached safe waters near the Port of Kaohsiung at around 3:00pm today, September 22.
The crew of the boat destroyed by a fire off California's coast were all asleep when the blaze started, US officials say.
Under federal law the Conception scuba boat should have had a crew member acting as a "night watchman".
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report into the 2 September fire.
All 33 passengers and a crew member sleeping below deck died in the blaze. Five crew members managed to escape.
The fire's cause is yet to be determined, but the NTSB say initial interviews with some of the crew revealed no reports of mechanical or electrical problems on the boat.
The 75-foot-long (23m) scuba-diving boat Conception was anchored metres off Santa Cruz Island, about 90 miles (145km) west of Los Angeles when it caught fire.
Rescue crew recovered the body of the last victim from the water on Monday, police said. Authorities believe all died of smoke inhalation.
"DNA testing is still being conducted to confirm identities of 7 of the 34 victims recovered," Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter.
What does the report say?
The boat, owned and operated by Truth Aquatics Inc, was on a three-day diving trip to the Channel Islands but on the last night of the voyage, in weather conditions of minimal wind with patchy fog, the boat caught fire.
◾Police begin identifying victims of California boat fire
◾More bodies found off Santa Cruz Island
◾Families mourn victims of boat fire
Coast Guard services received a distress call from the vessel at 03:14 local time (10:14 GMT).
The NTSB say at the time of the fire, the five crew members who survived were asleep in different areas of the three-level wood and fibreglass boat.
One of the crew members "was awakened by a noise and got up to investigate" when he "saw a fire at the aft end of the sun deck, rising up from the salon compartment below".
The crew member alerted his colleagues and they jumped down to the main deck to try to reach the passengers sleeping below in the main salon - with one crew member breaking their leg in the process.
However with their path blocked by fire and smoke, the crew jumped overboard and two members swam to the other end of the boat and reboarded.
They "opened the hatch to the engine room, and saw no fire" and still unable to reach the passenger quarters they launched a small skiff and picked up the remaining crew from the water and transferred to a boat anchored nearby.
The captain carried on radioing for help while two crew members again returned to the vessel to search for survivors around the burning hull. The vessel burned to the waterline and sank.
Salvage operations to bring the wreckage to the surface for examination and documentation have begun and the NTSB said efforts were still going on to determine the cause of the fire.
The US Coast Guard has issued a new emergency safety recommendations following the deadly disaster.
Who was on board the Conception?
The names of five more victims were released on Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total number of identified victims to 27.
The five victims were identified as Adrian Dahood-Fritz, 40, from Sacramento; Lisa Fiedler, 52, from Mill Valley; Kristina "Kristy" Finstad, 41, from Tamrick Pines; Fernisa Sison, 57, from Stockton; Kristian Takvam, 34, from San Francisco.
The names of the remaining victims are expected to be released later this week.
Family members and friends of victims have been paying tribute to their loved ones.
Fiedler, who worked as a hairstylist, was described as a "kind-hearted" lover of music, nature and travelling with a "magnificent spirit".
"Everybody loved her. She was a kind, gentle person. She was a naturalist, she loved nature," Fiedler's mother Nancy told ABC7 News.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal investigators identified a violation of Coast Guard regulations that could trigger criminal charges in the California dive boat disaster that killed 34 people.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that all crew members on the boat Conception were asleep when the pre-dawn fire broke out Sept. 2 off the coast of Santa Barbara. The boat was required to have a crew member on lookout duty, according to Coast Guard rules.
"A member of the vessel's crew shall be designated by the master as a roving patrol at all times, whether or not the vessel is underway, when the passenger's bunks are occupied," the boat's inspection certificate said as a condition of operation.
Federal investigators are searching for the cause of fire and looking into possible criminal charges that would likely focus on an obscure federal law known as the seaman's manslaughter statute.
Under the pre-Civil War law that can bring penalties up to 10 years in prison, prosecutors only need to show negligence or that the captain or crew committed misconduct or neglected their duties.
Defense lawyers and law professors said that failure to appoint a night watchman or falling asleep on the job could be enough to bring charges.
"No watch? A boat that far offshore?" attorney Michael Turndorf said. "I think that fits the statute. I would be surprised, if those are the real circumstances, that somebody doesn't get charged."
Turndorf is one of a handful of criminal lawyers who have defended a client charged under the seldom used law.
His client, Maine lobster boat captain Christopher Hutchinson, pleaded guilty earlier this year in the deaths of two crew members who fell overboard when his boat flipped in high seas in November 2014.
The law was put in place to punish captains, engineers and pilots responsible for deadly steamboat accidents that killed thousands in the 19th century.
A lawyer for Conception captain Jerry Boylan said he didn't believe his client had spoken with the National Transportation Safety Board yet and declined to answer questions about what his client did the night of the tragedy.
"I would say that he's emotionally devastated," attorney Michael Lipman said.
Attorney James Mercante, who handles maritime law, said seaman's manslaughter law is dangerous for boat owners and officers, and it's often in their interest not to talk with investigators.
"You want to cooperate with authorities when there's a casualty. But you have to draw that fine line," Mercante said. "It comes down to a decision between cooperation and incrimination."
The captain and four crew members were asleep on the vessel's upper deck and survived. The sixth, a 26-year-old deckhand named Allie Kurtz , was sleeping below deck and perished with the boat's 33 passengers.
Kurtz's grandmother, Doris Lapporte, said she was too distraught to comment on the National Transportation Safety Board findings, issued days before the family planned to scatter her granddaughter's ashes at sea.
"I have nightmares every day about her going up in flames," Lapporte said, crying. "This isn't the time to talk about how angry I am or how I feel."
The victims on the Conception were a diverse collection, including a girl celebrating her 17th birthday with her parents and a friend, a marine biologist who was leading the three-day scuba diving excursion, an Indian-born dentist and her husband from Connecticut, an environmental scientist, and a professional photographer.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown released the names of the last seven to be identified during a news conference Thursday, the day after the final human remains were pulled from the water. It's believed all died from smoke inhalation.
"May they all rest in peace and may their families know that all of us who have been involved in this sad operation continue to hold them in our hearts and in our prayers," Brown said.
Crews raised the wreckage of the burned-out boat Thursday from waters off Santa Cruz Island where the vessel was anchored the night of the tragedy. The island is northwest of Los Angeles and about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the mainland.
The NTSB report provided few additional details and noted investigators have only interviewed three of the five surviving crew members, who said no mechanical or electrical issues had been reported before the fire.
One crew member on the upper deck awoke to a noise and saw flames rising from the main deck. He alerted the rest of the crew and the captain issued a panicked mayday call to the Coast Guard.
The crew, finding the ladder to the main deck on fire, jumped down — one breaking a leg in the process. They tried to get to the others through a window but couldn't open it. When "overwhelmed by smoke," they were forced to jump overboard.
Douglas Schwartz, an attorney for the Conception's owner, Truth Aquatics Inc., attempted to cast doubt on the National Transportation Safety Board's conclusion that the crew was sleeping, saying in a released statement that a witness "seems to contradict" that notion.
A crew member was awake shortly before the fire started and checked the galley and surrounding area around 2:30 a.m., Schwartz said. The first mayday call from the captain was transmitted at 3:14 a.m.
Schwartz refused to answer follow-up questions, including whether that crew member was assigned to night watch and went back to sleep after inspecting the galley.
The parents of Charles McIlvain, 44, a visual effects designer who was onboard with his neighbor, said they were greatly disturbed to hear there was no roving watchman.
"Early detection may have made an incredible difference in outcome," Clark and Kathleen McIlvain said in a statement.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (JEFF AMY and STEPHEN MORTON)
The MARIN Research Institute has spent the past two months covertly investigating the ferry disaster in Korea. In 2014, the MV Sewol sank off the Korean coastline, resulting in the death of 304 people. MARIN aims to discover how the ship could sink.
As yet, the precise reason behind the disaster is still unclear. A previous investigation by a Korean Maritime Institute concluded that the rapid loss of the ship was probably due to the sudden turn, heavy load and open bulkhead doors.
However, the next of kin of the victims had little faith in that investigation. The Korean government is claimed to have stymied a more independent investigation for a long time. There has recently been a change of government, and subsequently the fact-finding committee was given permission to contract MARIN.
Two models
The Institute built two scale models of the ferry. One of them is a realistic copy with all windows and doors on the inside and outside of the ship. It lies stationary in the MARIN testing facility, at a 45.5 degree angle. This allows the water to gradually lap into the ship through a single opening. Cameras in the scale model help the researchers monitor the manner and speed with which the water moves throughout the ship. By opening doors and windows or keeping them closed, the researchers hope to discover the exact situation during the disaster.
This model investigates how water flooded into the ship.
The other model is five metres long, and less realistic. It is intended for sailing tests – this model sails through a large wave facility and then takes a sharp turn, exactly as the MV Sewol did. Weights in and around the ship represent the cargo and vehicles on board the ship during the disaster. Sensors monitor the ship's stability, the moment of capsizing and what happens next.
Responsibility
'The two set-ups give us the opportunity to investigate a total of 300 different scenarios,' explains principal researcher Henk van den Boom. The researchers compare the results versus the facts known about the actual disaster, in the hope of discovering the truth. 'That is essential for the Korean next of kin, because although the crew is currently in prison, any other persons involved have yet to be brought to justice.' The investigation can help discover where the responsibility lies and whether the disaster could have been prevented.
The MARIN investigation has been kept under wraps, due to the potentially serious consequences and the sensitivity of the disaster. However, the Korean press and next of kin were allowed to follow its progress. It was not until the final day of the experiments, last Friday, that MARIN opened its doors to the Dutch press. The Institute is now analysing the test results, ready to present the Korean commission with its findings by the end of March. The latter can then draw its final conclusions.
SAVANNAH, Ga.) — As authorities try to answer why a cargo ship carrying 4,200 vehicles overturned on the Georgia coast, maritime experts say investigators will be looking for shifting cargo or other problems that upset the giant vessel’s balance enough to make it fall onto its side.
The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation into what caused the South Korean ship Golden Ray to capsize early Sunday soon after it departed the Port of Brunswick, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Savannah.
The ship’s pilot and 23 crew members were all safely rescued, including four men trapped for 36 hours before they could be extracted through a hole drilled into the hull.
Measuring 656 feet (199 meters) long and 83 feet (25 meters) wide, the Golden Ray is roughly the size of a 7-story office building. Such vehicle carries tend to be ungainly and bulky, making them “like a floating shoebox,” said Joseph Murphy, a retired ship captain and professor of marine transportation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Keeping those ships upright requires a balancing act that involves distributing the weight of its cargo and fuel as well as water in the ship's ballast tanks, which fill to add weight and help lower a vessel's center of gravity.
“There’s a lot of different things that could have happened here,” said Jim Staples, who worked 17 years as a captain on board vehicle carriers similar to the Golden Ray and is now a maritime consultant. “We definitely know there’s a stability problem with the ship somewhere.”
Staples said investigators will be asking whether vehicles in the cargo decks may have shifted and upset the ship’s balance, and whether they were lashed down properly.
Were the ballast tanks holding enough weight to keep the vessel steady? Staples said crews sometimes wait to fill ballast tanks until they reach open seas to keep muddy water and marine animals from getting sucked into the tanks.
Coast Guard officials have declined to say what might have caused the Golden Ray to list and flip onto its side. The National Transportation Safety Board has assigned investigators to assist them.
The weather doesn't appear to be a factor. Hurricane Dorian brushed the Georgia coast with tropical-storm force winds as it passed offshore last week, but that was four days before the Golden Ray overturned.
After the storm passed, the Army Corps of Engineers inspected the shipping channel between the Brunswick port and the Atlantic Ocean to look for any obstructions in the storm's wake that might impede ship traffic.
The agency found none, said Billy Birdwell, an Army Corps spokesman in Savannah.
National Weather Service records show clear skies and calm conditions during the time the ship left Brunswick.
Capt. John Reed, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Charleston, has said the Golden Ray was making a turn before it capsized.
Satellite data recorded by the ship-tracking website Marine Traffic shows an inbound ship passing the Golden Ray around the same time it overturned in St. Simons Sound.
If the ship was turning at a high enough speed, the Golden Ray may have listed just enough to set off a chain reaction of events that ultimately pulled the ship down, said Brandon Taravella, a professor of at the University of New Orleans' school for naval architecture and marine engineering.
Capt. John Cameron, representing the Brunswick Harbor Pilots Association, said he was not at liberty to identify the harbor pilot aboard the Golden Ray during its shipwreck. That harbor pilot is considered a witness in the Coast Guard investigation of the Golden Ray incident, he said.
"These car carriers are kind of notorious for cargo shifting inside," Taravella said. "If you take a hard turn and then list at 10 degrees, then the cars can shift and you're listing at 20 degrees. If you've got openings in the deck and lean enough to take on water, it's going to be impossible to get it back upright."
The Coast Guard is also working with salvage experts to decide how to remove the Golden Ray from the shipping channel.
"This is a complex salvage case," Cmdr. Norm Witt told reporters Tuesday. "It is not going to be quick. I would say we're going to measure this in weeks, if not months."
Some capsized ships have been salvaged by placing external ballast tanks beneath the side in the water, then filling them with air to push the ship upright and keep it buoyant, said Timothy McCoy, a professor at the University of Michigan's naval architecture and marine engineering program.
That might be tough to do with the Golden Ray, McCoy said, considering the added weight of more than 4,000 vehicles inside.
"They may have to cut it up in place. That's the worst case scenario," McCoy said. "It's going to be a real challenge getting that one out of there."
The ocean bound Golden Ray was entering a starboard (right) turn through the shipping channel when the ship first showed signs of instability in the dark morning hours Sunday, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.
The ship began “listing heavily to starboard” before rolling back and toppling completely over on its port (left) side sometime after 1:35 a.m., setting off a Coast Guard rescue mission that retrieved all 24 crewmen aboard over a span of 34 hours.
The priorities of Coast Guard, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and other agencies handing the shipwreck’s aftermath now include combatting water pollutants in nearby waters, removing the behemoth 25,000-ton, 656-foot-long ship from the sound and reopening the shipping lane to the Port of Brunswick — a vital cog in the community’s economy.
Other questions being asked are how and why this happened. The investigation is being headed by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. It could take a long time before that investigation is completed and shared with the public, officials agree.
The Brunswick Harbor Pilots Association declined to identify the pilot who was at the controls when incident occurred. Harbor pilots are required to be at the helm to guide ships in and out of the harbor. Harbor pilots go through an intensive apprenticeship, immersing themselves in maritime issues, navigational skills and seamanship. Harbor pilots also are required to gain an intimate understanding of their home port, its shipping channels and the surrounding waters.
Capt. John Cameron, representing the Brunswick Harbor Pilots Association, said he was not at liberty to identify the harbor pilot aboard the Golden Ray during its shipwreck. That harbor pilot is considered a witness in the Coast Guard investigation of the Golden Ray incident, he said.
“I’m saying that I consider the witness list to be the property of the investigators,” Cameron said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to release that. Our commitment is to cooperate fully with the investigation. Releasing information that is of the investigation is contrary to full cooperation.”
The Golden Ray was built in 2017 and is a freighter transporting automobiles. It is more formally known as a vehicle carrier. Such ships are known colloquially as Ro Ros, so called because automobiles roll on to the massive vessels at one port and roll off after a trip to another port. Ro Ro is a well-known term around the Golden Isles, where the Port of Brunswick is one of the busiest Ro Ro ports in America.
The Golden Ray flies under the flag of the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. Its crew were mostly Filipinos and at least six South Koreans. The ship arrived at the Port of Brunswick around at 9 p.m. Saturday, via Jacksonville, Fla. After loading up with automobiles, it set out again after midnight, bound for Baltimore, Maryland.
Before departing, the ship’s master (captain) is required to perform a calculation that should ensure that the cargo and thus the ship carrying it are stable.
“There are international regulations that do require the ship’s master to do that, yes,” Cameron said. “The seaworthiness of the ship is always the responsibility of the master.”
The Coast Guard received the Golden Ray’s distress call at 2 a.m. Upon arrival Coast Guard detected thick smoke and flames from the skyward-pointing starboard side. Coast Guard search and rescue crews managed to rescue 20 of the 24 merchant mariners that morning before worsening conditions made it unsafe to continue the operation. The four South Korean crewmen who remained trapped inside the Golden Ray were rescued Monday afternoon. Rescue workers cut a 2- to 3-foot hole in the hull stern near the propeller shafts to reach the men.
Now the investigation begins to find out what went wrong and why.Several port and shipping insiders suggested the ultimate cause of the Golden Ray’s wreck may well prove to be a stability issue with its cargo. For an example of why cargo stability aboard such ships is important, one source suggested The News examine the shipwreck of the Ro Ro ship Hoegh Osaka.
The 690-foot freighter was leaving the Port at Southampton Hampshire in England at about 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2015, carrying a cargo of buses and Range Rovers. The ship made a starboard turn into the Thorn Channel, but then developed a severe list after turning to port near a buoy. The vessel listed so far to port that the ship’s rudder and propellers were clear of the water. The ship’s captain intentionally grounded the Hoegh Osaka on a nearby Bramble Bank. All 24 crew members were rescued.
Salvagers refloated the Hoegh Osaka and berthed it in Southampton by Jan. 22.
An investigation into the incident by the Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch later concluded that improper cargo distribution clearly played role in the shipwreck. The Hoegh’s cargo was top heavy.
Included in the MAIB’s summary of finding was this:
“Stability modelling and analysis following the accident show that Hoegh Osaka heeled heavily to starboard while turning as a result of having departed port with inadequate stability. Cargo distribution was such that the upper vehicle decks were full while the lower vehicle decks were lightly loaded. Hoegh Osaka was low on bunker fuel oil, which was stored low down in the ship. With no additional ballast having been loaded prior to departure, the ship’s overall centre of gravity was relatively high. The analysis also concluded that it was most likely that the cargo shifted due to the ship’s excessive list and was not causal to the accident.”
The investigation into hows and whys of what happened to the Golden Ray are just beginning.
Australian port state control detained a coal ship in the Port of Gladstone, Queensland, on 6 September for underpaying their crew USD50,000.
A marine surveyor from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority boarded the Panamanian flagged bulk carrier Fortune Genius on on 5 September after a tip off from the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
“We’ve just detained the vessel for Maritime Labor Convention breaches this afternoon, “ an Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) spokesperson told SAS. “We don’t expect the ship to be released from detention until Tuesday (10 September) at the earliest.”
AMSA confirmed the ship was operating with two sets of wage accounts on board. One set showed the pay the crew should have been receiving in line with their Seafarer Employment Agreements, while the other showed what they were actually getting.
“The crew were found to be deliberately underpaid,” AMSA said.
The vessel will not be released until AMSA is satisfied the crew have received all outstanding wages, the spokesperson added. Some crew have asked to leave the vessel as is their right.
Crew first raised the alarm when a ITF inspector boarded the vessel in port on 5 September.
“We carried out an inspection of Fortune Genius as soon as it docked in Gladstone because the owner has previously been found in breach of the MLC,” ITF Australian assistant co-ordinator Matt Purcell said.
Eight crew members from Myanmar told the inspector they had been underpaid USD8,000 each over the past six months.
“The men reported that they had been bullied and forced into working excessive hours,” Purcell said. “They asked for assistance to be repatriated to Myanmar fearing for their safety if they remained on the vessel.”
Fortune Genius is owned by China-based Marine Fortune Union Company and chartered by the Korean company Five Ocean Corporation to transport coal from Gladstone to Taean, in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea.
The ITF called on AMSA to also investigate the Myanmar-based manning agents responsible for recruiting and exploiting the crew in breach of international law.
ITF president Paddy Crumlin said the incident highlighted the importance of strengthening Australian shipping laws to address the growing use of highly-exploited foreign workers in Australian waters.
“The detention of this vessel by AMSA is welcome, but the current system relies on the efforts of ITF inspectors and whistle-blowers among ship crews to identify problems, meaning countless cases of exploitation are slipping through the gaps,” he said.
大型自動車運搬船「ゴールデンレイ」は２０１７年に韓国で建造された新しい船である。
フル適用のVDR（航海情報記録装置）とAIS:船舶自動識別装置が搭載されている。衝突したのであれば証拠が残っているはずである。また、大型自動車運搬船「ゴールデンレイ」の船橋で交わされた船員やアメリカ人パイロットの会話なども録音されていると思う。
昔のように嘘が付ける環境ではないので、事実を突き止めるのに時間は掛からないであろう。
日本の船と言われている船にもVDR（航海情報記録装置）とAIS:船舶自動識別装置が搭載されているはずだ。両方の記録を確認すれば、事実にたどり着くと思う。
大型自動車運搬船「ゴールデンレイ」が不安的な状態で舵を切りすぎても転覆は起きる。韓国船籍旅客船「セウォル号」のケースを考えれば簡単だと思う。
アメリカ人パイロットが乗船していたそうであるが、パイロットが乗船しても、全ての責任は大型自動車運搬船「ゴールデンレイ」の船長にある。
AIS:船舶自動識別装置のデーターを調べてみた。大型自動車運搬船「ゴールデンレイ」が登録されているマーシャル諸島船籍と同じ船籍のEMERALD ACEが近くにいたようだ。衝突しているようには全く見えない。ＵＴＣの時間的には転覆した時刻でこの辺りにいた日本の海運会社の船で「another car carrier entering St. Simons Sound」の自動車運搬船となるとこの船のように思える。この船は港に停泊しているので本当に衝突しているのなら衝突の跡が残っているはずである。船を一周すれば衝突したのか簡単に確認できる。米沿岸警備隊（ＵＳＣＧ）はこの情報は絶対に把握しているし、アメリカ人パイロットにも話が聞けるはずなので事故調査はそれほど難しくないと思う。韓国人船員はあまり英語が出来ないような事が記事に書かれていたので、そこら辺が問題になるかもしれない。
The gleeful rescue team that pulled four trapped crewmen from a capsized cargo ship off the Georgia coast left behind more than 4,000 cars and one big question: Why did the Golden Ray capsize?
"Amazing," said Capt. John Reed, commander of the Coast Guard Sector Charleston, after the last crewman was extricated from a hole drilled into the ship, which stretched the length of more than two football fields. "The best day of my career."
Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, said he thinks the ship could be cleaned up and running again quickly.
Hurricane Dorian: Survivor films storm's terrifying wrath in Bahamas as it pounds against his home
Goelz, who isn't involved in the investigation, said he's not sure when the cause of the mishap will be known, but there are not many possibilities to explore.
"It's perplexing," Goelz told USA TODAY. "How do you get enough water in there to essentially sink the ship so quickly?"
Goelz said there appear to be no massive rocks in the dredged channel that could have torn a hole in the hull. The load of cars could have shifted, but he said it would take a major change in weight distribution to topple the 656-foot ship.
The Golden Ray is a "RoRo" – a roll on, roll off ship designed with massive doors so cars and trucks can be driven on and off. Another possibility is that one of those doors wasn't properly secured, Goelz said.
The NTSB provided two investigators, but the Coast Guard will handle the probe into what happened. No timeline for answers has been provided.
"It will be very interesting to see what they find," Goelz said.
The Baltimore-bound Golden Ray had barely set sail out of Brunswick, Georgia, and into St. Simons Sound early Sunday morning when trouble struck. An emergency call went out at around 2 a.m. EDT, and about two hours later, 20 crew members had been rescued.
That left four people to find, but the boat was unstable and a fire was raging, hampering rescue efforts. Monday morning, about 30 hours after the first emergency call, a helicopter landed on the side of the Golden Ray, and a team emerged. Rescuers heard tapping coming from inside the beleaguered ship.
At 1 p.m. Monday, it was confirmed that the four were alive. Rescuers cut a hole in the ship to provide more air and to drop food and water. A bigger hole was cut with special tools to ensure another fire was not sparked.
Three of the crewmen were freed from the engine room at around 3 p.m. The fourth rescue proved more complex. Three hours later, after rescuers penetrated blast-proof glass with a diamond-tipped cutter, the last man made a triumphant exit from the ship.
Tim Ferris of the salvage firm Defiant Marine told The Associated Press the South Korean sailors “were being cooked” in the engine room where temperatures reached 150 degrees. Ferris, who called the rescue "the effort of a lifetime," said rescuers had to stuff their own pockets with bags of ice to withstand the heat.
The ship is owned by the South Korean firm Hyundai Glovis. South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent letters to President Donald Trump and Adm. Karl Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, thanking them for the rescue effort, government spokesperson Ko Min-jung said. Ko lauded the crew members for overcoming their fear in the isolated space, clinging to hope that rescue would come.
"Thank you for returning to your families alive," she said.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (JEFF AMY and STEPHEN MORTON)
Jekyll Island, Ga. (AP) -- Coast Guard rescuers pulled four trapped men alive from a capsized cargo ship Monday, drilling into the hull's steel plates to extract the crew members more than a day after their vessel overturned while leaving a Georgia port.
All four were described as alert and in relatively good condition and were taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
"Best day of my 16-year career," Lt. Lloyd Heflin, who was coordinating the effort, wrote in a text message to The Associated Press.
A video posted online by the Coast Guard showed responders clapping and cheering as the final man, wearing only shorts, climbed out of a hole in the hull and stood up.
Three of the South Korean crew members came out in the midafternoon. The fourth man, who was trapped in a separate compartment, emerged three hours later.
The rescues followed nearly 36 hours of work after the Golden Ray, a giant ship that carries automobiles, rolled onto its side early Sunday as it was leaving Brunswick, bound for Baltimore.
"All crew members are accounted for," Coast Guard Southeast wrote on Twitter. "Operations will now shift fully to environmental protection, removing the vessel and resuming commerce."
In the hours immediately after the accident, the Coast Guard lifted 20 crew members into helicopters before determining that smoke and flames and unstable cargo made it too risky to venture further inside the vessel. Officials were concerned that some of the 4,000 vehicles aboard may have broken loose.
That left responders looking for the remaining four crew members. At first, rescuers thought the noises they were hearing inside could be some of the vehicles crashing around. But by dawn Monday, they were confident that the taps were responses to their own taps, indicating someone was alive inside.
"It was outstanding when I heard the news this morning that we had taps back throughout the night," Capt. John Reed said. Those sounds helped lead rescuers to the right place on the 656-foot (200 meter) vessel and provided motivation.
"They were charged up knowing the people were alive," Reed said.
On Monday morning, rescuers landed on the side of the Golden Ray and rappelled down the hull. Heflin, who was coordinating the search, said they found three men in a room close to the propeller shaft, near the bottom of the stern. Responders began drilling, starting with a 3-inch (7.5-centimeter) hole. Coast Guard officials brought the ship's chief engineer, who was rescued Sunday, out to the ship to translate, and found the three men were "on board and OK," as Heflin put it.
Reed said rescuers passed food and water through the hole to the men. They also provided fresh air to the propeller room, which Reed said was even hotter than outside, where the high was 93 degrees (34 Celsius).
Responders set up a tent on the hull and began drilling additional holes, eventually making an opening large enough to insert a ladder and help the men climb out.
"It was like connect the dots," Reed said of the hole, which grew to 2 feet by 3 feet (0.6 meters by 1 meter).
The fourth rescue was a greater challenge. That crewman was behind glass in a separate engineering compartment on another deck, Reed said.
The Golden Ray is now stuck in the shipping channel, closing one of the busiest U.S. seaports for shipping automobiles. One ship is unable to leave port and four more are lined up outside waiting to come in, according to ship-tracking website Marine Traffic.
A statement issued Monday by the South Korea foreign ministry said the crew members were isolated in an engine room. It said 10 South Koreans and 13 Filipinos had been on board, along with a U.S. harbor pilot, when the ship began tilting.
Position records for the Golden Ray show the ship arrived in port in Brunswick Saturday evening after making the short sail from a prior stop in Jacksonville, Florida. The ship then departed the dock in Brunswick shortly after midnight and was underway only 23 minutes before its movement stopped in the mouth of the harbor where it capsized, according to satellite data recorded by Marine Traffic.
Port officials were "working closely with the Coast Guard to reopen the channel," Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch said in a statement after the final man was rescued.
The cause of the capsizing remains under investigation. Marine Traffic shows the Golden Ray overturned as it was passed by another car carrier entering St. Simons Sound.
At the time, the skies were clear and the weather calm, with a southerly breeze of only 5 miles per hour, according to National Weather Service records.
Many of those rescued were taken to the International Seafarers' Center in Brunswick. Sailors arrived with only what they were wearing when rescued. A restaurant donated a meal, and the volunteer-run center provided the seamen with clothes, toiletries and Bibles.
The vessel is owned by Hyundai Glovis, which carries cars for automakers Hyundai and Kia as well as others.
In a statement, the company thanked the Coast Guard for saving the crew and sought to assure the public that it would now focus on "mitigating damage to property and the environment."
JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. (AP) - Coast Guard rescuers made contract Monday with four crew members trapped inside a capsized cargo ship, confirming that the men were still alive more than a day after the vessel overturned while leaving a port on the Georgia coast.
Rescuers used a helicopter to land on the side of the Golden Ray and rappelled down the hull. They drilled a hole to communicate and found the crew members were "on board and OK," said Lt. Lloyd Heflin, who's coordinating the rescue.
Finding a way to free the men without putting them in more danger was the next step. Rescue efforts broke off Sunday after responders determined a fire aboard the ship made it too dangerous to go inside. They were also concerned about the stability of the ship, which was carrying 4,000 automobiles, some of which may have broken loose.
"It's still going to be a while," Heflin said. "We're still working the problem to see what the safest way is."
Rescuers tried to communicate with the South Korean crew about possible hazards inside, but said there was an initial language barrier, Heflin said.
The Coast Guard said it would seek to deliver supplies through the communication hole or another hole. Some rescuers worked from a tent set up on the deck of a tugboat off the ship's stern, while smaller boats and helicopters buzzed around.
The accident that happened as the ship left Brunswick early Sunday sparked fires and smoke. The flames were extinguished, but the huge ship was listing at nearly 90 degrees.
The 656-foot (200-meter) vehicle carrier is now stuck in the shipping channel, closing one of the busiest U.S. seaports for shipping automobiles.
A statement issued Monday by the South Korea foreign ministry said the crew members were isolated in an engine room. It said 10 South Koreans and 13 Filipinos had been on board, along with a U.S. harbor pilot, when the ship began tilting.
In the hours immediately following the accident, the Coast Guard lifted 20 crew members into helicopters before determining that the smoke and flames and unstable cargo made it too risky to venture further inside.
Position records for the Golden Ray show the ship arrived in port in Brunswick Saturday evening after making the short sail from a prior stop in Jacksonville, Florida. The ship then departed the dock in Brunswick shortly after midnight and was underway only 23 minutes before its movement stopped in the mouth of the harbor where it capsized, according to satellite data recorded by the ship-tracking website Marine Traffic.
This map shows the location od the capsized cargo ship near a Georgia port.
The Coast Guard said it was notified of the capsized vessel by a 911 call at about 2 a.m. Sunday.
The cause of the capsizing remains under investigation. Marine Traffic shows the Golden Ray overturned as it was passed by another car carrier entering St. Simons Sound.
At the time, the skies were clear and the weather calm, with a southerly breeze of only 5 miles per hour, according to National Weather Service records.
Many of those rescued were taken to the International Seafarers' Center in Brunswick. Sailors arrived with only what they were wearing when rescued.
A restaurant donated a meal and the volunteer-run center provided the seamen with clothes, toiletries and Bibles. A priest said Mass for the sailors Sunday afternoon before they were taken to a hotel.
"They were all in relatively good spirits," said the center's executive director, Vicki West. "We just do anything we can to be their little respite in the storm."
The ship channel is currently closed to vessel traffic, with a safety zone of a half mile around the Golden Ray in the sound.
The vessel is owned by Hyundai Glovis, which carries cars for automakers Hyundai and Kia as well as others.
Nearly 614,000 vehicles and heavy machinery units moved across Brunswick's docks in the 2019 fiscal year that ended June 30, according to the Georgia Ports Authority.
Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Michael Biesecker contributed from Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Coast Guard and multiple agencies are responding after car carrier became disabled and capsized with a fire on board Sunday morning in St. Simons Sound, Brunswick, Georgia.
A search is underway for four missing people.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it was notified at approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday that the 656-foot vehicle carrier Golden Ray was disabled and listing heavily with a fire on board in the St. Simons Sound. The ship had a total of 24 people on board, including 23 crew members and 1 pilot.
The Coast Guard reported on Twitter that it and other agencies had multiple rescue assets on scene and were in process of evacuating crew members from the vessel.
Currently, 20 people have been safely removed and four people remain unaccounted for.
The vessel’s master and chief engineer are assisting authorities and salvage teams to develop plans to stabilize the vessel and continue rescue efforts, the Coast Guard reported.
Coast Guard units involved in the response include:
•Two Coast Guard Station Brunswick Response Boat crews
•Two Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews
•Coast Guard Cutter Heron launched to assist
•Coast Guard Sector Charleston
•Marine Safety Unit Savannah
•Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT) launched to assist
The Port of Brunswick Captain of the Port (COTP) has established an emergency safety zone in St. Simons Sound. Vessels are not authorized within .5 miles of the overturned ship.
The Port of Brunswick is the second busiest roll-on/roll-off port in the United States and the number one for new auto imports. Port of Brunswick is comprised of three deepwater terminals owned by Georgia Ports Authority, including two directly operated by the GPA.
AIS ship tracking data shows the Marshall Islands-flagged Golden Ray was outbound from the port when it became disabled. The ship has a destination of Baltimore.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Also assisting in the response are the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Moran Towing, SeaTow, Brunswick Bar Pilots Association, and the Glynn County Fire Department.
商業用ダイビングボート「コンセプション」がいつ建造されたのか知らない。しかし、軍関係の船以外では国際競争力がなく、儲からないのか倒産や撤退が多いアメリカの造船所。このような状況が理由なのか、古い船を修理して長期間使用している印象がある。
USA TODAYには脱出口が一つと書いてあるが、これぐらいの大きさの船で規則の要求が２つの脱出口を要求する事は稀ではないかと思う。
脱出と言う事は、海水が入ってくるポイントでもある。海水が入ってくるポイントが２つあると言う事は、浸水しやすいし、沈没するまでの時間が短い可能性があると言う事になる。火災の可能性と浸水の可能性を考えれば、浸水の可能性の方が高いと思う。まあ、コストさえかければ、両方の問題を克服した船は建造できる。技術的な問題はない。コストの問題だけ。
貨物艙など人がいない区画であれば、ＣＯ２を使う事はあるが、消火の目的で人がいるエリアにＣＯ２を使う事はない。ＣＯ２が起動すれば消火は可能であるがお客が死んでしまう。スプリンクラーの設置にも気を付けないと船の浸水に繋がる。しかも、感電しないような対策がなければ危険性がある。まあ、原因究明が完了すれば、行政が規則の改正が必要か判断するだろう。
California dive-boat fire highlights need for more than one exit from sleeping quarters Jayme Deerwester 09/02/19（USA TODAY）
California boat fire: What we know about the Conception and its tragic end 09/02/19（Los Angeles Times）
More than 30 people were unaccounted for Monday morning after a deadly boat fire off the coast of Southern California. The Ventura County Fire Department told CBS News that there were fatalities, but officials didn't know the exact number.
Fire Captain Brian McGrath told CBS News five people were rescued and 34 people were unaccounted for. One of the five people rescued was the captain of the boat, McGrath said.
The Coast Guard told CBS News the boat's name is Conception. It's a 75-foot commercial diving vessel.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it launched several boats to help more than 30 people "in distress." Tweets from the Coast Guard in Los Angeles said there were reports the people were on a boat that was on fire near Santa Cruz Island.
One tweet said some crew members had been rescued, and rescuers were working to evacuate the remaining passengers. One crew member had minor injuries.
Santa Cruz Island is off the coast of Santa Barbara.
Two crew members were killed and another two were injured during cleaning a piping system onboard the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier 'AP Dubrava' in the afternoon hours of Wednesday.
At the time of the incident, the ship, owned by the Croatian shipping firm Atlantska Plovidba (AP), was sailing about 150 nm offshore Brazil.
Weather conditions impeded the rescue efforts and the ship had to divert to Tubarao, where it rendezvoused with a Brazilian Navy helicopter crew off the coast on Thursday.
The injured crew were transferred to hospital and the ship arrived in port Tubarao on Thursday afternoon, local media report.
Another sailor who was not directly involved in the incident has been transported to hospital, presumably because of the stress he suffered, AP said.
While media reports mention that a 'series of explosions' occurred, the company denied the allegations informing that the accident occurred during routine activities, while the crew was rinsing out the ship's tank.
The families of all the crew members have been informed of the incident in a timely manner. We have ensured essential assistance to the ship's commander and crew upon arrival in Tubarao, Brazil and have sent an official from the company's headquarters to Brazil as support,？？
Cook Islands-flagged Russian general cargo vessel Alexander Tvardovskiy has been reduced to reliance on charitable food donations while arrested in Leith, near Edinburgh.
The UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) identified “several deficiencies” on the vessel, owned and managed by Russia’s North Western Shipping, including a lack of International Safety Management (ISM) and International Ship Security Certificates (ISSC) on board, and a serious shortfall in wage payments.
While the ship’s captain Gennadi Kukvinov and another senior officer will likely be paid, the International Transport Workers’ Federation was quoted in local press as saying the status of other crew wages are still unknown.
With nine days apparently having passed since Kukvinov made a plea for supplies, shipping charity Apostleship of the Sea took sustenance on board the vessel. “I sent the request for food on 8 July. So now we’ve only some remainders of food … no fresh fruit, some pieces of meat, some pieces of bread.”
“The detention will remain until the seafarers wages are paid and other identified deficiencies are rectified,” MCA said in a statement.
State-owned port operator Pelindo III has said the collapse of three container cranes after being hit by a container ship at Tanjung Mas Port in Semarang on Sunday has cost the company Rp 60 billion (US$4.30 million).
Container ship MV Soul of Luck hit the container cranes on Sunday afternoon, injuring a truck driver and damaging 14 containers, three trucks, among other equipment.
Pelindo III president director Doso Agung assured that port operations had returned to normal and that the incident had not significantly disrupted loading and unloading activities or ship departures and arrivals.
“The loading and unloading percentage per hour of course decreased but we assure that there have been no delays,” Doso told a press briefing recently, adding that the accident occurred because of a sudden failure in the container ship’s engine as it was approaching the pier.
He said efforts to pull the ship back by a motor tug did not work. “The rope broke and the ship moved further into the pier, hitting the container cranes,” Doso said.
Tanjung Emas Port authority head Ahmad Wahid confirmed that the ship’s system did not work because of engine failure.
“We have summoned the ship’s captain and crew members,” Wahid said. (yun/bbn)
パナマ船籍コンテナ船「Soul of Luck」はクレーン（キリンとも呼ばれる）をなぎ倒した後、小型貨物船にも衝突したようだ。
なぜこんな事になったのであろう。船長は経験が浅いのか？パイロットは乗っていたのか？タブボートは何隻付いていたのか？一隻は動画に映っていたが、たぶん、少なくとももう一隻が逆サイドでプッシングする予定になっていたのでは？
Feeder boxship Soul of Luck defied its name yesterday, slamming into a pier and bringing down a gantry crane at Indonesia’s Semarang Port.
According to VesselsValue, the 1997-built 1,597 teu Soul of Luck is owned by Greece’s Victoria Oceanway.
Soul of Luck was arriving at Semarang Port yesterday afternoon from Malaysia’s Port Klang, when the incident occurred. The vessel allided into the pier and struck a gantry crane, bringing down the crane, and went on to hit another vessel at the terminal.
No fatalities were recorded, only minor injuries to a truck driver who was taken to hospital.
Investigations have started into the cause of the accident, with tug boat KT Jayanedara 304 said to be the focus.
With quay cranes tumbling around the world in recent months insurer TT Club last November urged port operators to install laser sensor technology to avoid costly accidents.
TT Club claims analysis continue to flag quay crane issues as giving rise to the highest cost incidents for ports and terminal operators. Remarkably as of last November TT Club had handled 325 cases of crane collisions in the previous 10 years.
A feeder containership allided with a pier at Terminal Petikemas Semarang in Indonesia in the afternoon hours of July 14.
The 1,642 TEU Soul of Luck struck a gantry crane at the terminal, resulting in crane collapse.
The feeder continued moving along the pier and allided with a berthed general cargo ship, which broke off its moornings and moved with the Soul of Luck.
At the time of the incident, the Indonesia-flagged vessel Soul of Luck was on arrival from Port Klang, Malaysia.
Media reports suggest that one injured docker was transported to a hospital for treatment. There were no reports of further injuries.
The area was closed immediately after the allision and relevant authorities launched an investigation to determine the events that led to the incident.
Jul 14: The ship reportedly suffered total blackout. By late Jul 13 problem was fixed, FORESIGHTER resumed moving, but away from Japan, new port of destination being Busan Korea.
Jul 13: tug FUTAMI (MMSI 431010596) at ship’s side since Jul 12, but no sign of towage.
Jul 12: As of 0600 UTC Jul 12, FORESIGHTER was in the same position, with no visible tug or other aux/SAR boat nearby.
Jul 11: Car carrier FORESIGHTER suffered engine failure in the afternoon Jul 11, anchored in position 34 02N 130 51E, some 8 nm NW of Kanmon Strait. The ship is en route from Taicang China to Moji Japan, ETA Jul 11. Probably it’s not just engine failure – the ship veered off course but reached designated anchorage, according to track, under own power at reduced speed.
Car carrier FORESIGHTER, IMO 8602816, GT 38062, built 1987, flag Panama, manager YOKOHAMA MARINE & MERCHANT.
Jun 21 UPDATE: SKANDI HAWK and LEWEK HYDRA are both with car carrier, and absolutely no information on DIAMOND HIGHWAY condition and status. But the ship apparently, is not in a condition allowing towage.
Jun 19 UPDATE: see map
Jun 18 UPDATE: Seems like LEWEK HYDRA was replaced with SKANDI HAWK (IMO 9480734), assumed car carrier position is about 25 nm off nearest Philippines coast.
Jun 17 UPDATE. Understood offshore tug LEWEK HYDRA (IMO 9503043) was tasked with salvage. Meanwhile Philippines CG patrol ship CABRA approached DIAMOND HIGHWAY in the morning Jun 17, to monitor car carrier drift and status.
Jun 16 0400 UTC: Car carrier DIAMOND HIGHWAY was reported abandoned, disabled, late LT Jun 15, in South China sea in vicinity 12 40N 117 14 E, SW of Manila, see map. The ship was en route from Singapore to Batangas, Philippines. The ship went NUC and started to drift at around 1530 UTC Jun 15, AIS went off several hours later, most probably because there’s major fire on board, spreading to bridge. Crew abandoned the ship and were picked up by nearby merchant ship, no injures reported. On Jun 16 K Line according to some sources, contracted salvage company NIPPON.
Car carrier DIAMOND HIGHWAY, IMO 9293636, GT 60175, built 2004, flag Panama, operator K Line.
A car carrier that caught fire off the coast of the Philippines was abandoned near Reed Bank on June 17, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The ship in question is the Diamond Highway, operated by Japanese shipping company K Line.
It was en route to Batangas when the fire occurred in the late evening hours of June 16.
The car carrier’s 25 crew were rescued by Thailand-bound bulk carrier Canupos Leader.
Owned by Diamond Car Carriers, the 19,100 dwt Diamond Highway was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 2004, VesselsValue shows.
A patrol vessel has been deployed to put out the fire, according to the PCG. In a social media update on June 18, the coast guard said the fire fighting efforts were still ongoing while the cause of the investigation was under investigation.
Explosion followed by fire on board of Italian LPG tanker SYN ZANIA claimed 1 life, 15 other crew were evacuated and got medical treatment, no serious injures reported. Tanker was loading LPG cargo at Petkim Refinery terminal, Aliaga, Turkey, explosion occurred at around 2330 LT Jul 1, the cause of explosion yet unknown. Shore engines and fire boats were deployed, fire was reported extinguished by probably, 0200 LT Jul 2. Crew includes 15 Italian and 1 Romanian nationalities.
As of 0440 UTC Jul 2, ship’s AIS was working.
LPG tanker SYN ZANIA, IMO 9346938, dwt 4026, built 2008, flag Italy, manager SYNERGAS SRL, Naples (EQUASIS).
Container ship PERSADA X caught fire early in the morning Jun 29 at Tanjung Perak port, Surabaya, East Java. The ship judging from photos, was heavily damaged, superstructure and engine room burned out. No injures reported. Fire was extinguished in some 5 hours by shore fire teams, there were no people on board. PERSADA X is understood to be in a lay-up since March 2017.
Container ship PERSADA X, IMO 8647309, dwt 2300, built 1994, flag Indonesia, manager SAMUDERA LINTAS INDONESIA, Surabaya.
VENICE: A massive cruise ship lost control as it docked in Venice on Sunday (Jun 2), crashing into the wharf and hitting a tourist boat after suffering an engine failure.
Tourists on the harbour could be seen running away as the 13-deck MSC Opera scraped along the dockside, its engine blaring, before knocking into a tourist boat, amateur video footage posted on Twitter showed.
"When we saw the ship bearing down on us, everyone began shouting and running," a sailor who was on the River Countess tourist boat was quoted as saying by Italian media.
"I didn't know what to do. I got away quickly, jumping to get on shore," said the man, who was not named.
Four tourists were slightly injured in the accident at San Basilio-Zattere in Venice's Giudecca Canal, port authorities said.
The foreigners, aged between 67 and 72 years, were from Australia, New Zealand and the United States, according to media reports, which said they were hurt as they escaped.
The Opera, which suffered mechanical trouble before in 2011 during a Baltic cruise, can carry over 2,500 passengers and boasts a theatre, ballroom and waterpark for children.
SHIP UNABLE TO STOP
"The MSC ship had an engine failure, which was immediately reported by the captain," Davide Calderan, head of a tugboat company involved in accompanying the ship into its berth, told Italian media.
"The engine was blocked, but with its thrust on, because the speed was increasing," he said.
The two tug boats that had been guiding the ship into the Giudecca tried to slow it, but one of the chains linking them to the giant snapped under the pressure, he added.
The accident reignited a heated row in the Serenissima over the damage caused to the city and its fragile ecosystem by cruise ships that sail exceptionally close to the shore.
While gondoliers in striped T-shirts and woven straw hats row tourists around the narrow canals, the smoking chimneys of mammoth ships loom into sight behind the city's picturesque bell towers and bridges.
Critics say the waves the ships create are eroding the foundations of the lagoon city, which regularly floods, leaving iconic sites such as Saint Mark's Square underwater.
"What happened in the port of Venice is confirmation of what we have been saying for some time," Italy's environment minister Sergio Costa wrote on Twitter.
"Cruise ships must not sail down the Giudecca. We have been working on moving them for months now ... and are nearing a solution," he said.
"RISK OF CARNAGE"
Venice's port authority said it was was working to resolve the accident and free up the blocked canal.
"In addition to protecting the Unesco heritage city, we have to safeguard the environment, and the safety of citizens and tourists," Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli said.
Nicola Fratoianni, an MP with the Italian Left party, noted Italy's welcoming attitude to cruise ships contrasted sharply with its hostile approach to charity rescue vessels that help migrants who run into difficulty in the Mediterranean.
"It is truly curious that a country that tries to stop ships that have saved people at sea from entering its ports allows giant steel monsters to risk carnage in Venice," he said.
MSC Cruises, founded in Italy in 1960, is a global line registered in Switzerland and based in Geneva.
One of its cruise ships, the MSC Preziosa, collided with a passenger embarkation ramp as it entered port in Venice in 2014, according to the local La Nuova daily.
The Opera, built 15 years ago, suffered a power failure in 2011 in the Baltic, forcing some 2,000 people to be disembarked in Stockholm rather than continuing their Southampton to Saint Petersburg voyage.
A cruise ship crash in Venice has reignited calls for large vessels to be banned from the city's Giudecca canal.
Four people were injured on Sunday when the MSC Opera - a 275m long (900ft) ship - collided with a dock and a small tourist boat after losing control.
Critics say such ships pose a conservation risk to the lagoon city, pollute its waters and mar its beauty.
Ministers said the crash proved the need for a ban on liners, and that they were working to resolve the problem.
"What happened in the port of Venice is confirmation of what we have been saying for some time," Environment Minister Sergio Costa wrote on Twitter (in Italian).
"Cruise ships must not sail down the Giudecca. We have been working on moving them for months now... and are nearing a solution."
◾Is tourism killing Venice?
◾Cruise tourists overwhelm Europe's ancient resorts
◾Venice to charge tourist entry fee
Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli agreed, writing on Twitter (in Italian) that the incident was proof that big ships should not travel on the Giudecca.
"After many years of inertia, we are finally close to a definitive solution to protect both the lagoon and tourism," he said.
The Giudecca, which leads to the popular St Mark's Square, is one of Venice's major waterways.
Critics say waves created by cruise ships on the canal erode the foundations of the city, which regularly suffers from flooding.
Some have also complained that they detract from the beauty of Venice's historic sites and bring too many tourists.
Venice's port authority called for action to resolve the issue of high cruise ship traffic.
"Now is the time to handle the situation... to work to understand what happened and to find solution, once and for all," Pino Musolino, president of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority wrote on Twitter (in Italian).
The government has previously tried to resolve the cruise ship debate. In 2013, it banned ships weighing more than 96,000 tonnes from the Giudecca canal but the legislation was later overturned.
In 2017, the government announced that it would divert larger ships away from the historic centre.
However, the plans were expected to take four years to come into force.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro on Sunday urged immediate action to open the alternative channel, known as the Vittorio Emanuele.
A carbon dioxide leak on panamax bulker Jin Hai Xiang in Weihai on Saturday has killed 10 crew and injured another 19.
According to a release by the local Weihai government, the incident happened when the vessel was under repair at Rongcheng Longyan Port and the fire prevention system of the ship leaked carbon dioxide. The gas killed 10 crew onboard and another 19 crew who were injured are being treated in local hospitals and their conditions have all been stabilised.
Preliminary investigations suspect the incident was caused by the misoperation by the third officer of the ship, who has been detained by police.
The 1994-built 69,100 dwt Jin Hai Xiang is owned by state-run Fujian Shipping Group, and it docked at Xixiakou Shipyard on May 24 for a 22-day repair and maintenance project.
Fujian Shipping operates around 20 bulkers with total capacity of around 750,000 dwt.
As local media informed, a carbon dioxide leak took place in the fire extinguishing system on the ship, while the third officer of the ship is suspected as responsible for the incident.
The police has now detained the suspect and is investigating the incident.
As of now, the identities of the dead and injured are not known.
What is more, a specialized team has been established to investigate the fatal accident.
The ship had docked for repairs and replacing the fire extinguishing CO2 pipes was among the actions that would be carried out.
China classifies accidents as serious if there deaths are 10 to 30, leave 50 to 100 people injured, or cause direct economic losses of between 50 million yuan (about US$7.46 million) and 100 million yuan.
The person or party responsible for the incident is possible to be punished with a fine of between 1 million yuan and 3 million yuan.
ベリーズ船籍の貨物船「ＳＩＮＣＥＲＥ」は水島港から出向前にＰＳＣによる検査を５月２０日に受けています。
ＰＳＣによる検査を受けているので事故調査はかなり簡単でしょう。ブリッジにWatchのスケジュールや勤務スケジュールを表示しているのか？
BNWAS (FURUNOのサイト）は機能しているのか？Master Night Order Bookは存在したのか？あれば、適切に指示が記載されていたのか？SMSにWatchの時の指示が記載されているのか？指示がSMSに記載されていれば船員はSMSのマニュアルを読んでいるのか？そして精通しているのか？いろいろな事をＰＳＣ(国土交通省職員)はチェックできる権限を持っている。どんなチェックを行ったのかは知らないが、権限は持っている。
TOKYO MOUのサイトによれば「High Risk Ship」となっているので、厳しい検査をおこなうべきだと思う。
By admin On May 10, 2019 In Insurance Marine News, Keep, Marine Hull, Marine Liability
Grounded bulk carrier Solomon Trader (IMO 9075670) will be refloated and towed from the reef at Lavagu Bay, West Rennell, Solomon Islands, perhaps within a couple of weeks, according to the National Disaster Council (NDC).
Korea P&I Club, the liability insurer of bulk carrier Solomon Trader is in charge of the clean-up operations of the oil spill. Approximately 300 to 400 tonnes of oil from the vessel was transferred to a barge.
Solomon Trader ran aground on February 5th. Her anchor dragged and the ship became lodged on a reef near the world’s largest raised coral atoll.
An estimated 70 tonnes-plus of oil has leaked into the ocean from the one tank that was breached. This caused a three-mile slick in Kangava Bay.
Korea P&I and manager King Trader said on March 14th that the spill might be more serious than expected. “Although initial estimates indicated that some 70
無国籍船＆幽霊船情報
パナマ船籍の「マリナ アイリス」が沈没！
カンボジア籍船の海難
トーゴ籍船
モンゴル籍船
シエラレオネ籍船
コモロ連合船籍
グルジア籍船
キリバス籍船
パラオ籍船
フィジ籍船
タンザニア籍船
ベリーズ籍船
モルジブ籍船
ミクロネシア籍船
ニウエ籍船
セント キッツ籍船
カメルーン籍船
フィリピンでの船舶による油流出事故
韓国客船 Sewol沈没
海上衝突予防法第２４条(抄)
Api Masih Berkobar, Bangkai KM Mutiara Timur I Terseret hingga Selat Lombok（SINDONEWS.com)
Bakamla Evakuasi KM Mutiara Timur I yang Terbakar di Selat Bali（RMOL.ID)
More than two dozen crew on an engineering vessel with 30 people on board are missing after the ship snapped in two in waters off Hong Kong as tropical storm Chaba passed through.
Three crew members were rescued, and searches are continuing for others about 300km southwest of the city, the Hong Kong Government Flying Service said.
Some of the crew had abandoned the vessel and harsh weather conditions were hampering rescue efforts, they said.
Chaba skirted the global financial hub, bringing heavy rain and wind, restricting public transport and forcing many businesses to close.
Hong Kong's weather forecaster lowered the storm warning to signal No.3 on Saturday afternoon, with Chaba making landfall near Zhanjiang in China's Guangdong province.
Authorities in Hong Kong raised the typhoon warning on Thursday just as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the city to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its handover from Britain to China.
貨物船と衝突し、大きく損壊したケミカル船「ウルサン パイオニア」の船首＝愛媛県今治市沖で2021年5月28日午前10時1分、本社ヘリから
貨物船と衝突し、大きく損壊したケミカル船「ウルサン パイオニア」の船首＝愛媛県今治市沖で2021年5月28日午前10時1分、本社ヘリから
北海道石狩市の石狩湾新港で9月9日午前、男性4人が乗った乗用車が海に転落する事故があり、2人が死亡しました。
Planning（NaviGate cy CAIM)
