The FBI has arrested a Norwegian cruise ship worker in Alaska after he allegedly stabbed three people with medical scissors aboard the 'Norwegian Encore'. The suspect, identified as Ntando Sogoni, 35, from South Africa, was recently hired by Norwegian and boarded the ship in Seattle on May 5, 2024. The ship left that day for a weeklong, round-trip excursion to Alaska with stops including Glacier Bay National Park and Victoria, British Columbia. On May 6, Ntando Sogoni, was working on the ship when other ship employees observed the defendant attempting to deploy a lifeboat. Sogoni was contacted by ship security and escorted to the ship’s medical center for an assessment. Upon arrival, Sogoni physically attacked a security guard and a male nurse inside an examination room and proceeded to enter another examination room where a woman, a U.S. citizen, was being examined. He grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed the woman multiple times in the arm, hand and face. He also stabbed two security guards who intervened, one in the head and one in the back and shoulders. Sogoni was detained in the ship’s jail, and arrested by the FBI on May 7 in Juneau, Alaska. He is now facing a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon within maritime and territorial jurisdiction.
News
MITRA BAHARI IX
On May 5, 2024, the crew of the KM 'Mitra Bahari IX' was successfully evacuated after the ship sank due to a leak in the hull. The 16 crew members were picked up by the passing 'Bratan' five nautical miles from Balikpapan. The distance between the MBS 'Bratan' and the KM 'Mitra Bahari IX' was around 23 miles. The castaways were transferred onto ships of the Balikpapan Harbour Master and Port Authority (KSOP) ships. The ship was loaded with approximately 1,900 tons of fertilizer and sank en route from Gresik, East Java, to Central Kalimantan, in the waters of Tanjung Puting, West Kotawaring. Before, the captain of the KM 'Mitra Bahari' had tried to ground the ship in Tanjung Puting waters. This attempt failed because the ship suddenly suffered a blackout. Report with photo: https://www.prokal.co/kalimantan-timur/1774633537/kapal-bawa-pupuk-tenggelam-16-abk-berhasil-dievakuasi
Jiangyin
Norwegian shipping and tank terminal company Odfjell SE has finalized the sale of its stake in Odfjell Terminals Jiangyin (OTJ), China. The indirect 55% equity interest in OTJ has been sold by Odfjell Terminals Asia Holding to Yangzijiang Shipbuilding (Holdings) for a price of about USD 46 million.
London
All new ships for UK waters ordered from 2025 should be designed with zero-emission capable technologies, according to ambitious plans set out today by maritime minister Nusrat Ghani to cut pollution from the country’s maritime sector. The commitment is set out in the Clean Maritime Plan published today. The government is also looking at ways to incentivise the transition to zero-emission shipping and will consult on this next year. The plan also includes a £1m competition to find innovative ways to reduce maritime emissions and is published alongside a call for evidence to reduce emissions on UK waterways and domestic vessels.
ALEXIS
The 'Alexis', which had run aground following an engine failure in front of the Haydarpasa breakwater, was refloated, and ship traffic in the Bosphorus was reopened in both directions on May 8. The vessel was towed to Ahirkapi anchorage and was stationary in pos. 40° 58.73' N 028° 57.40' E as of May 9.
BREMEN
On the early morning of May 8, 2024, the 'Bremen', en route from Klaipeda, ran aground at Silloth at around 12:10 a.m. Efforts were underway to address the situation and minimize potential risks resulting from the grounding. The circumstances surrounding the grounding were under investigation, with authorities diligently ensuring the safety of both the vessel and the surrounding environment.
Nhava Sheva
Middle East-India-Africa Express (MIAX) to start operations in October 2019 Hapag-Lloyd is expanding its African liner services and will offer its MIAX (Middle East-India-Africa Express) service starting in October 2019. It will include direct connections between the Arabian Gulf, India, Colombo (Sri Lanka), La Réunion, South Africa and West Africa.
Ngqura
South African state-run logistics company Transnet has suspended a number of employees for taking part in a lengthy go-slow campaign at the Ngqura Container Terminal in the Eastern Cape. The port said in a statement yesterday it had “suspended a number of employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal for engaging in an illegal industrial action.
SARAH M
The 'Sarah M' was lingering off Spain awaiting orders after the vessel was denied entry into Greenore on April 30, 2024, for a scheduled export voyage. An animal activist group used the sanctions against Russia and the fact that the ship had recently switched to the Russian classification society to get the ship barred from the trade she has been involved in for a few years. The 'Sarah M' didn’t dock at Greenore, it turned around and scuttled away empty shortly after Farming Ireland sent off a bunch of emails to various authorities. sHe eft Irish waters, turned east into international waters, and then dropped anchor. Ethical Farming Ireland spotted in the records that the vessel, despite operating since 2019 as the 'Sarah M', in March 2024 switched flags from Panama to Antigua and Barbuda. It also moved from the Polish class society to the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. That provided the opening for the activists who quickly highlighted to the Irish authorities that the April 2023 EU sanctions imposed on Russia included a provision to block any vessel in the Russian class from EU ports. The ship was due to reach Greenore to export 2,000 young bulls. The vessel has had past problems with the authorities. Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the past revoked the operation license of the 'Sarah M' for breaches of regulations before being re-granted. In late 2019, the vessel made a trip for its prior owner, Beirut Shipping Company, but then suddenly changed ownership to DMS Lines, also in Lebanon. Media reports were that the prior owner had its license revoked because of a low-performance rating. The Agricultural authority opted to remain silent on the latest incident. The 'Sarah M' arrived on May 7 off Cartagena with the AIS signal showing it was waiting for orders.
PLAYA DE CESANTES
On May 8, 2024, the 'Playa de Cesantes' suffered an engine failure with 10 crew members on board. The fishing vessel 'Xurel Uno' started pulling the ship, but requested assistance due to problems with the tow. The CCS Santanader of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR vessel 'Salvamar Deneb', which took over the tow and pulled the ships safely to the port of Laredo. Report with photo: https://twitter.com/salvamentogob/status/1788170641302077884
Kiel
Maiden call by Marella Cruises in Kiel. In the early Tuesday morning (16th July) the cruise ship Marella Explorer (see also CruiseMapper) berthed in the port of Kiel with 2,000 mostly anglo-phone passengers on-board. The vessel follows an itinerary of 14 days leading it all across the Baltic Sea. It started in Newcastle on 13th July and will conclude its cruise in the same port on 27th July.
Tyne
The Port of Tyne has created a new baggage handling for Marella Cruises at its International Passenger Terminal, which is located in North Shields near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. The port has reconfigured 300 square metres of its terminal, creating space to process 1,000 bags as well as a marquee that functions as an undercover baggage handling facility. There are now also 382 additional parking spaces specifically for Marella Cruises’ guests. Marella Cruises’ customer will be able to drop off their luggage before heading straight to a dedicated car park. The baggage will be checked by security and loaded onto the ship, expediting the embarkation process.