On the afternoon of May 25, 2024, there was an oil spillage in the Panama Canal at the lock gate from the 'MSC Katya R' during its southbound transit, en route from Cristobal to Guayaquil. One of the lanes of the Miraflores locks remained closed for ship traffic following the incident. The facilities of the Miraflores Visitor Center remained closed on May 27 due to the work being carried out in the upper chamber of the locks. The container ship remained in the lock. The Captain and chief engineer were arrested. The ship remained in Balboa from May 26-May 29 at 3 p.m. UTC and moored at Panama Anchorage in pos. 08° 52.89' N 079° 29.91' W. Photos: https://x.com/AyusoValue/status/1795842319603917245/photo/1
News
ELBEIK
On May 27, 2024, the port of Tarragona has finally been able to close the sale of the'Elbeik', which had caught fire on Aug 6, 2021, on the port's anchorage, for an amount of 88,000 euros to the company Eructa Shipping Inc. After two previous auctions that were successless, the sale puts an end to a process that began in August 2021 when the fire damaged ship was transferred to the extension of the Levante dock. where it has been docked and in a state of abandonment ever since. After the two previous auctions, the port of Tarragona had the option of carrying out a direct sale under special conditions that the ship met, such as the state of deterioration being very great, which poses a risk for its stay in the dock as it could sink, and that a year had passed since the last auction. In the last Board of Directors of the port of Tarragona, the award of the sale for an amount of 88,000 Euros to the Eructa Shipping Inc. was approved. Now the company has 20 days to make the payment and then sign the purchase and sale contract with the Authority. Port. Once this procedure is completed, the company will have one month to remove the ship from the Tarragona docks. Report with photo: https://www.elpuntavui.cat/societat/article/5-societat/2423196-el-port-de-tarragona-ven-l-elbeik-per-88-000-euros.html
Vado Ligure
Terminal operator APM Terminals (APMT) has released a video of the final three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes arriving at the Vado Gateway terminal, which it hopes will be the next major logistics hub for the Mediterranean and Europe. The Vado Gateway terminal is scheduled to open on December 12, 2019, and will be built with a 700-meter deep-sea berth specifically to handle the latest Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS), as well as an automated gate and stacking area. APMT announced the inauguration date in July 2019 – a story PTI reported on at the time. Located in the Vado Ligure Port Complex in the northwest of the country, it will be the first semi-automated port in Italy and be integrated with an already existing reefer terminal.
Hamburg
The Port of Hamburg, Germany’s largest universal port, saw its inland and hinterland cargo traffic grow by 12.1% – 2.57 million tons – in the first quarter of 2019, according to its latest financial results. The data also shows that, for the first quarter of 2019, the Port has handled 34,640 TEU – 20ft standard containers – an increase of 20% in comparison with the same period last year.
BIRGER JARL
The 'Baltic Star' may remain at the quayside in Lunde in Kramfors for some more time. The Land and Environmental Court in Östersund has upheld the County Administrative Board's decision to freeze Kramfors municipality's relocation claim until the matter has been investigated. In November 2023, the Kramfors municipality decided on a fine of SEK 200,000 for each month that the ship was left in the privately owned port in Lunde. The municipality believed that the ship is serving as a residence, and therefore requires a building permit to be allowed to lie at the quay. The owner Leif-Ivan Karlsson, on the other hand, claims that the ship is a leisure boat, and that the municipality cannot therefore require a building permit. In addition, it is located in Lunde for repair and maintenance. The matter has not yet been decided, and therefore the County Administrative Board in Västernorrland decided to approve the owner's request for inhibition of the municipality's fine decision until further notice. This means that enforcement is postponed until the matter is settled and that no fines can be exacted if the ship is not moved. The municipality appealed, but now the Land and Environmental Court has upheld the County Administrative Board's decision. The 'Baltic Star' - which according to a previous decision was to be moved no later than June 1, will most likely remain in Lunde for the time being.
SEA FALCON
On the night of May 24, 2024, the “Sea Falcon”, en route from Caucedo, was in danger of sinking approximately 22 nautical miles south of Puerto Rico, while transiting toward the island of Tortola with four people on board, transporting two vehicles, construction materials, glass and a container with dry products. The US Coast Guard received a distress call from the captain, reporting that there was a crack in the ship's hull and that the estimated flooding rate was approximately 300 gallons per minute. The crew used water suction pumps that were not powerful enough to control the amount of water entering the ship. The USCG observers issued an UMIB to alert nearby vessel traffic of the danger and launched a Jayhawk helicopter to provide assistance at the scene and notified local marine units of the United Rapid Action Force (FURA) of the Puerto Rico Police. As the USCG helicopter arrived on scene, a rescue swimmer was deployed aboard the ship to assess the situation. He confirmed approximately three inches of water in the engine room due to a three-inch crack in the hull. Once a portable drain pump was installed, the rescue swimmer confirmed that the water level decreased to approximately two inches and the vessel could continue its voyage. The USCG helicopter crew later recovered their rescue swimmer and returned to Borinquen Air Station in Aguadilla. On May 28 at 11:48 a.m., the “Sea Falcon” safely arrived in Tortola.
Mumbai
The Government of Maharashtra, India, India has named the Virgin Hyperloop One – DP World Consortium as Original Project Proponent (OPP) for the Pune-Mumbai Hyperloop Project, making it the first hyperloop project in the world. In a statement, Virgin Hyperloop One described it as a “landmark announcement” for the building of the Mumbai-Pune hyperloop transportation system.
Balboa
Starting August 1 and until November 30, 2019, the Panama Canal will promote the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) annual recommendations on speed and maritime transit aimed at protecting cetaceans, which include whales, dolphins and other large aquatic mammals, during their nearby seasonal migration. With these measures, ships should proceed at a speed of not more than 10 knots in specified areas. Panama has monitored this requirement since December 1, 2014 when maritime traffic separation devices (TSS) were installed by both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean entry points to the Canal.
SHI ZI FENG
The 'Shi Zi Feng' got stuck in the harbour channel while returning from the deep sea ship to the Chattogram port's jetty in the Karnaphuli river near the boat club on May 28, 2024, at around 1:15 p.m. The propeller was damaged when it allided with the Gupta buoy opposite of the Patenga container terminal due to a steering failure. A salvage vessel tried to refloat the vessel, which was not hampering the movement of ships in the port. Due to the Cyclone Remal, 19 ships, including the 'Shi Zi Feng', had been sent into the deep sea from the port jetty on the morning of May 26 after the Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued a distress signal number 9 for the port. As the weather became normal, the ships started returning at the jetty. Report with photo: https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/chinese-flagged-vessel-gets-stuck-harbour-channel-while-returning-ctg-port-jetty-862566
CG SEA DRAGON
The US Coast Guard decommissioned the 'Sea Dog (WPB 87373)' and 'Sea Dragon (WPB 87367)' on May 29, 2024, during a ceremony in St. Marys, Georgia. Rear Adm. Douglas M. Schofield, Coast Guard District Seven commander, presided over the ceremony honoring the years of service the Coast Guard Cutters provided to the nation. The marine protector-class cutters assigned to Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District. The 'Sea Dragon' was commissioned in January 2008 and the 'Sea Dog' was commissioned in July 2009. Following the decommissioning ceremony, the cutters will be transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Coast Guard cutters 'Sea Devil (WPB 87368)' and 'Sea Fox (WPB 87374)' have relocated from Bangor, Washington, to replace the 'Sea Dog' and 'Sea Dragon'. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3788815/photo-release-coast-guard-cutters-sea-dog-sea-dragon-decommissioned-in-st-marys/
Mombasa
The new Lamu Port in Kenya took a big step towards completion yesterday with the announcement that its first of 22 berths is finished. According to the South Sudan and Ethiopia Transport Corridor Development Authority, the second and third berths will be completed by December 2020.
Montevideo
Shandong BaoMa Fisheries Group has shelved plans to build a port in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo that could accommodate 500 Chinese vessels, amid legal complications and strong opposition from local residents and environmental organisations. The US$200 million project, which included a free trade zone, shipyard and fish processing and freezing plants, on a private 28-hectare site in Punta Yeguas, a mostly rural area with a public park, required a change in the legal designation of the land.