Rescuers from Timika, Central Papua, launched an SAR operation on April 25, 2024 after Muhammad Royani (43), a crew member of the 'Papua Jaya 02' was reported missing, after the vessel's skipper, Muhammad Hidayat, could not find him during breakfast on the morning. Royani may have fallen into the sea while defecating around 3 a.m. LT on April 24. Before calling for the Timika SAR Agency's help, the crew members tried to search for Royani around the Timika waters that the vessel had passed through earlier. After they failed to locate him, Hidayat decided to ask the SAR agency to help. Report with photo: https://en.antaranews.com/news/311814/search-on-for-missing-mv-papua-jaya-2-crew-sar
News
ISLE OF ARRAN
The scheduled arrival in Brodick, Arran, on April 25, 2024, at 4.15 p.m. of the 'Isle of Arran' was delayed as it participated in an SAR operation and launched a fast rescue crraft. Also the Coastguard scrambled helicopters from Inverness and Stornoway, and RNLI lifeboats from Troon and Arran also rushed to the scene in the Firth of Clyde near Ardrossan. An RAF Poseidon plane was mobilized too. A fishing boat sank after smashing into a tanker between Ardrossan and Arran at around 3 p.m. The ‘RNLB Jim Moffat’ from Troon recovered the castaways from a liferaft. With initial casualty care being carried out by the volunteer lifeboat crews, the Troon lifeboat made best speed back to Troon to meet with the other partner emergency services at the lifeboat station. Once back at the lifeboat berth, the casualties were handed over to the care of the ambulance service and coastguard teams, and the lifeboat crew made the all-weather lifeboat ready for service with the assistance of the shore crew. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch, Police Scotland and MCA Survey and Inspection teams have been informed. Report with photos: https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/12550368/three-rescued-from-sinking-fishing-boat-after-horror-firth-of-clyde-crash/
Novorossiysk
During a Ukrainian attack in the morning of Aug 4, 2023, in Novorossyisk, the Russian landing craft ÄOlenegorski Gornjak-SDK 91' of the Ropucha class was severly damaged by a maritime drone carrying a 450 kg warhead. The explosion of the drone caused a significant water leak, as well as a strong list to port side, which could lead to the total loss of the ship. The military port of Novorossiysk (Krasnodar Krai) was attacked by several Ukrainian maritime drones. It should be noted that the port in question is very far from the Ukrainian front lines with maritime access, and even more from Ukrainian ports. For example, a drone that left Odessa must have traveled at least 700 kilometres, unless a ship of camouflaged commerce in the Eastern Black Sea deployed the drones used in this attack. The LST was towed by a tug towards the port, the latest videos show it on the side of the entrance to the military port. With 3,450 tons, it is the third largest Ukrainian attack against the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, after the loss of the cruiser 'Moskva' and the loss of a Alligator-class tank landing ship and damage to two Ropucha-class tank landing ships after a Ukrainian Tochka missile attack on the port of Berdyansk. The LST had previously made headlines by being used as ferries between Crimea and mainland Russia to help civilian ferries provide the only direct connection after the Crimean road bridge explosion. While this is indeed the first attack by maritime drones in this Russian region, the neighboring port of Tuapse had also been attacked by aerial drones, once again demonstrating the capacity of the Armed Forces Ukrainians to project means, albeit light, at very long distances. Reports with photos and video: https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2023/08/northern-fleet-ship-seriously-damaged-drone-attack https://air-cosmos.com/article/attaque-a-novorossiisk-un-navire-de-debarquement-russe-tres-serieusement-endommage-par-un-drone-ukrainien-65581
Ashkelon
One person is was and two others were missing after a crane collapsed into the water on an Ashkelon pier latein the night of March 14, 2023. The collapse of the crane was caused by unusual weather and strong winds. The injured person was in moderate condition and is receiving treatment at Barzilai Medical Center. Attempts to contact two people who had been working on the site of the crane have been unsuccessful, leading police to believe that they were missing after falling into the sea. Extensive search and rescue efforts were commenced with the help of police diving units, the elite 669 Search and Rescue unit, the Israeli Navy and others. The body of a man of about 60 years of age was found on Beersheba Beach in Ashdod on March 15. The gas pier at the Rotenberg power plant in Ashkelon was damaged. The Electric Company formed a team to investigate the incident. Reports with photos: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-734237 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-734373
ABEILLE NORMANDIE
Four persons have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences after five migrants including a child died trying to cross the English Channel on April 23. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said an 18-year-old from Sudan was arrested on the evening of April 24 at Manston migrant processing centre, in Kent, and was now being questioned in custody. Officers also detained a 22-year-old Sudanese man and a 22-year-old man from South Sudan on April 24. They were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and entering the UK illegally. A 19-year-old man from Sudan initially arrested on April 23 has since been released without charge and was now being dealt with by immigration authorities. The 55 surviving boat passengers have already been interviewed and were expected to be spoken to further in the coming days. More than 400 migrants arrived in the UK on the day the group died. The agency and partners from Kent Police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force were working with French counterparts to investigate the circumstances of the deadly incident on a beach near Wimereu. A dinghy carrying more than 100 people set off from Wimereux at around 6 a.m. but got into difficulty. Three men, a woman and a girl died. 49 people were rescued, but 58 others refused to leave the boat and continued their journey towards the UK, with several other boats later embarking on the crossing. The incident reportedly took place as rival migrant groups all tried to scramble into the boat, causing it to become heavily overcrowded.
Kiel
Having seen its first ever LNG fuelling in May, the Port of Kiel has announced that, for the first time, two cruise vessels have bunkered LNG on the same day. The bunker operations took place on June 10, 2023, and involved the 'AIDAnova' – which became the first vessel to bunker LNG at the port in May – and MSC Cruises’ latest ship, the 'MSC Euribia'. The bunkering of the AIDA Cruises vessel by Titan capped its third fuelling at the Port of Kiel while LNG for the 'MSC Euribia' was supplied by Nordic energy company Gasum. MSC Cruises and Gasum have inked a long-term agreement for LNG supply to the 'MSC Euribia'. The companies have also signed a letter of intent (LOI) which aims to secure liquefied synthetic gas (e-LNG).
Iskenderun
The fire at the Port of Iskenderun has finally been extinguished, Turkey's ministry of defense announced on Feb 7. It was the second time that the ministry has reported that the fire has been put out; after the previous announcement, the blaze resumed at scale, and firefighters managed to contain it later that night. Iskenderun's container terminal is still closed due to the severe structural damage, which forced the facility to halt all operations. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southern Turkey on Feb 6 had a significant impact on the port, toppling stacks of containers and cracking pavement. The physical damage is severe enough that container lines were diverting vessels to other ports, like nearby Mersin. The quake also sparked a fire in the center of the terminal's container storage area. Turkey's coast guard deployed a vessel to apply water from the quayside, and the Turkish air force and army sent aircraft to drop fire retardant on the blaze. The fire spread despite these efforts, but was finally contained in the night of Feb 7. Report with video: https://maritime-executive.com/article/fire-at-port-of-iskenderun-extinguished-after-two-days
LU ZHOU
Beached at Chittagong 06.04.24 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=922708242980055&set=a.518272956756921
Greenock
One of Scotland’s main cruise ports is set to experience its busiest year since records began. Greenock Ocean Terminal has 91 cruise liners booked into the Inverclyde town’s new dedicated pontoon across 2023 – a rise of over 25 per cent on last year. As many as 150,000 passengers and 38,000 crew members are expected to pass through the port over the course of this year. It’s more good news for the terminal in its second full season since Covid effectively closed down the cruise industry. Jim McSporran, Clydeport Port Director at Peel Ports said: “We’re extremely proud to be announcing a record cruise year for Greenock Ocean Terminal. “Welcoming cruise liners to Greenock is a hugely important aspect of our port offering and we’re delighted that we continue to attract and grow cruise numbers to the region. “This increase in tourism will benefit visitor attractions and businesses across Inverclyde and central Scotland, and we look forward to welcoming these visitors across the season.” “In an effort to showcase the port as the cruise gateway to the West Coast of Scotland, this year we are also investing in a promotional campaign to feature at the global cruise industry’s key annual gathering in the U.S.” Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “The cruise sector here in Inverclyde continues to go from strength to strength and I’m delighted that this year is set to be the busiest yet with record numbers of ships and passengers, as well as a substantial number of crew visiting these shores. “It’s timely that with 2023 shaping up to be a bumper year for cruise calls that the finishing touches are being put on our new state-of-the-art Greenock cruise ship visitor centre which will provide our guests from around the world with a first class welcome to Inverclyde and the west coast of Scotland.
Iskenderun
Thick black smoke was rising from burning containers at Iskenderun Port on Feb 6, 2023. The fire was caused by containers that toppled over during the powerful earthquake that struck southeast Turkey. ATurkish Coast Guard vessel was assisting efforts to extinguish the blaze.