The 'Abdullah', which was freed by Somali pirates on April 14, reaches Cox's Bazar's Kutubdia on the evening of May 13 with 23 crew members on board. It had entered Bangladeshi territory on May 12. The crew will be brought to the KSRM lighter jetty by a lighter ship on May 14. There their family members will welcome them. Then they will go to their respective homes. After loading 56,000 tons of limestone, the vessel departed from the port of Mina Saqr on April 30, it went to a nearby port for taking fuel before heading for Chattogram.
News
ALBIZ
The captain of the 'Albiz', en route from Brest to Moerdijk, was medevaced in the night of May 11, 2024, about 60 kilometers northwest of Ushant. The 44-year-old man, who fell ill, was airlifted by an H160 helicopter from the French Navy in good conditions. The captain was dropped off at the Brest University Hospital at 12:18 a.m.
Chittagong
The trial transshipment of goods from India to its northeast, via the sea route, started on Tuesday after four containers bound for the region were unloaded from a merchant vessel at Bangladesh's Chittagong port, officials said on Tuesday. India and Bangladesh had signed an MOU for goods for northeast India transiting via Bangladesh's ports - a small but significant opening up of both Bangladesh's ports under the broader economic relationship between the two countries. Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruk told on Tuesday: "The first ship under the trial run of transshipment of Indian goods to its northeastern states through Bangladesh arrived at Chattogram (Chittagong) port on Tuesday morning. "MV Shejyoti, carrying back to Chattogam 4 TEUs (20-feet equivalent unit) with 221 containers full of transhipment goods from India's Haldia port, reached the NCT-1 Berth, the outer anchorage of Chattogram port at around 1.25 a.m. But as night navigation is restricted in the port, that is why we started the navigation at morning," he said. MV Shejyoti had left the Syama Prasad Mukherjee port of Kolkata on July 17. Handling of the containers was completed before midnight and the container trailers started for Akhaura with an escort provided by Bangladesh's customs security. Shipping agent sources said the four containers under the trial transshipment contain iron rods and pulses. Those will head to Agartala through the Akhaura Land Port. The consignment of rods will be brought to West Tripura's Jirania from Agartala, while the pulses will go to Assam's Karimganj. Habibur Rahman of Mango Lines, the agent for the merchant vessel, had said that offloading may begin also on Tuesday after completing the formalities. Indian transshipment goods would enjoy a 28-day free-stay after offloading at the port as per the international transshipment agreement. Bangladesh will earn 254 takas from the scanning of each container loaded with transshipment goods. Bangladeshi importers also pay the same charge. Similarly, 30 takas document processing fee for each consignment of Indian goods will be levied, the same amount charged on Bangladeshi importers. Joint Commissioner of the Customs House S.M. Shamsuzzaman said the transshipped goods will have to pay police 50 takas per tonne as escort charge to reach the Indian border in Tripura from the port by road. Usually a 20 feet container carries a maximum of 30 tons of goods. According to this estimation, Bangladesh will realise around 1, 500 takas as escort charge for accompanying goods of a container to the border. Akhaura Customs Officer Harunur Rashid said they have taken necessary preparations for the transportation of the Indian goods, under the trial run. India is transporting goods to its northeastern states, using Bangladeshi ports, as per the agreement on "The Use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for Movement of Goods to and from India" signed between Dhaka and Delhi in 2018 and a standard operating procedure (SoP) signed in October 2019. Earlier, the Indian government used the Ashuganj river port to transport goods for the Palatana Power Plant in Tripura through the Akhaura land port. On the new chapter in connectivity with Bangladesh via container shipping, India's Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the transit route will open new opportunities for both countries. He said that it will provide an alternative and shorter route to connect the northeast region through Bangladesh, reducing distance and time taken in transportation of goods for India and is a win-win for both the economies. On the other hand, job creation, investment in the logistical sector, enhanced business services and revenue generation are advantages that will accrue to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi vessels and trucks will be utilised to move the Indian cargo, the Indian government said. India and Bangladesh have enhanced cooperation in shipping and inland water trade in recent years. Under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, in addition to the six existing Ports of Call, five more in each country have been added recently. Dredging of inland waterway routes is ongoing under an MoU, signed by the two countries on development of selected stretches of Bangladesh waterways. The trial transportation of goods to the northeastern states by road, via Bangladesh, had started earlier.
SAGAR YUVRAJ
The 'Sagar Yuvraj' was in collision with a Kerala fishing boat with six people on board 32 nautical miles away from Chavakadu in the wee hours of May 13, 2024. The fishing boat had left Ponnani on May 10 for deep-sea fishing. It was split into two. The crew of the cargo ship saved four fishermen, while two more died in the incident. After the arrival of the Indian Coast Guard and Navy teams the bodies of the two were recovered.
UTOPIA OF THE SEAS
A man was injured on board the "Utopia of the Seas" off the coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer on May 11, 2024. At 4.21 p.m., emergency services were alerted to assist the injured worker on the new cruise ship off the coast of South Brittany. The ship, which was built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, has been undergoing sea trials since May 7 to start cruises this summer. The CROSS Etel coordinated the response, and a Dragon 25 helicopter hoisted the injured person, who was dropped off at the Vannes hospital center at 6:33 p.m.
Beirut
A powerful explosion rocked Beirut port on Aug 4, 2020, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. There was no clarity yet with regards to the cause of explosions, and what triggered it. The talk was of a firework factory which blew up. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR88CECmTso&feature=emb_title
Chittagong
A total of 12 units of fire fighters brought the fire under control The blazing fire at the Chittagong port was brought under control on Wednesday evening 15 July 2020. Meanwhile, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has formed a five-member probe body, headed by Zafar Alam, Member (Administration and Planning) of the CPA, to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of damage. The CPA Secretary Omark Faruk confirmed the matter. “Although the fire has been brought under control, smoke is still billowing from the gutted goods,” said the Secretary, The blazing fire originated at Shed No 3 of the maritime port at around 4pm on Wednesday, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room in Agrabad, Chittagong city. A total of 12 units of fire fighters brought the fire under control. According to the CPA, goods like foam, fabrics, machineries, papers, and soda meant for destruction were stockpiled at the No.3 shed of the port. AIS/Station/ BDCGP
TORM INNOVATION
On May 11, 2024, at 8.30 p.m. an injured crew member of the 'Torm Innovation', en route from Copenhagen to Gibraltar, had to be medevacd 113 miles north of the Galician Coast. The CCS of Salvamento Marítimo in Finisterre deployed a Helimer 401 helicopter which rendezvoused wuth the ship off A Coruña, to where the ship had diverted to shorten the distance. The patient was airlifted at 10.30 pm. and taken to shore at 11 p.m. Ihe Urxencias Sanitarias de Galicia-061 mobilized an ambulance to the airport of the city to be able to transfer the injured person to the hospital.
WARSHIP 4
The USS 'Hershel Williams' ran aground on soft bottom off the coast of Gabon on May 9, 2024. The vessel, assigned to the U.S. 6th Fleet and operating within the U.S. Naval Forces Africa area of operations, ran aground around 1 p.m. GMT shortly after departing from a routine port visit to Libreville. It managed to refloat again by approximately 5 p.m. GMT, taking advantage of the high tide. No injuries or major damage were reported, and the ship remained operational in the Gabon estuary just south of Libreville. The Navy started to conduct a comprehensive additional inspection of the ship to assess any potential damage that may have occurred during the grounding. Concurrently, an investigation into the causes of the incident was underway. The ship was in Gabon for the commencement of Obangame Express 2024, an annual multinational exercise aimed at enhancing maritime domain awareness and law enforcement capabilities, with a focus on exercises like visit, board, search, and seizure. The grounding could have raised questions about the ship’s ability to participate in planned activities, including the testing of a surface drone, though no immediate impact on the exercise schedule was indicated.