The 'Alexis' suffered an engine failure andran aground in front of the Istanbul Haydarpaşa Breakwater, en route from Yuzhny to Port Said in the morning of May 7, 2024, and got stuck in pos. 41° 00.73'N 029° 00.05' E off Istanbul. The General Directorate of Coastal Safety deployed severeal units to the grounding site, the 'Kiyi Emniyeti 4' (MMSI: 271010032), 'Kiyi Emniyeti 6'(MMSI: 271010034) and the tugs 'Murtarma 18' (IMO: 9974890), 'Kutarma 6' (IMO: 9463176 ) and 'Kurarma 8' (IMO: 9598610). The Bosphorus ship traffic was temporarily suspended in both directions. Divers carried out an underwater inspection with the 'Nene Hatun'. Report with photos: https://twitter.com/kiyiemniyet/status/1787685755072270355
News
PACIFIC ADVENTURE
A passenger on the 'PAcific Adventure' fell into the water on the night of May 6, 2024, at 4 a.m. LT almost 20 kilometers off Sydney at the headlands of Sydney Heads for reasons that were still unclear. Numerous emergency services searched for the missing man using boats and a helicopter for more than six hours. His body was finally discovered at 10.30 a.m. The ship was returning to Sydney after a three-day to Moreton on Queensland's southeast coast with 2,600 passengers on board. The relatives of the casualty were looked after by the staff on board. Many of the other passengers observed the large-scale nighttime search operation. Another cruise on the ship that was scheduled to depart in the afternoon has been postponed. The police launched an investigation.
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.
DALI
Salvage crews within the Key Bridge Unified Command were preparing for the removal of bridge section four, which lies across the bow of the 'Dali'. The operation required careful handling of roadbed material, crushed containers, and bridge fragments currently resting on the bow. The salvage teams were meticulously preparing for the refloat of the ship, ensuring all aspects of the wreckage impacts are thoroughly evaluated and addressed. The complexities of this next phase of operations required thorough preparation, strategic planning, and specialized expertise. Specialized equipment has been employed to closely monitor the positioning and movement of the 'Dalo' and the bridge wreckage in contact with it. Report with photos: https://www.keybridgeresponse2024.com/post/update-18-multimedia-release-key-bridge-unified-command-prepares-for-removal-of-bridge-piece-on-top
AMBIENCE
On May 3, 2024, the 'Ambience' reported a missing crew member during the final stage of its world cruise en route from Lisbon to Tilbury. Shortly after breakfast he failed to report for duty. Eventually, an extensive search was initiated by the cruise line to locate the missing crew member along with the Spanish Coast Guard. The cruise ship started retracing its previous route in the Atlantic Ocean west and South of A Coruna and West and North of Vigo, to locate the missing crew member. On May 5, the ship arrived in Tilbury.
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
CONCEPTION
The captain of the 'Conception' was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release by a federal judge on May 2, 2024. Jerry Boylan was convicted last year of a federal Civil War-era charge known as seaman’s manslaughter and prosecutors had been seeking 10 years in prison. Boylan is scheduled to surrender in July. U.S District Judge George H. Wu heard more than 17 victim impact statements for several hours in the crowded courtroom, including from the mother of the youngest victim, 16-year-old Berenice Felipe, and the Quitasol family, who lost five people in the fire.
KNOSSOS PALACE
In the evening of May 4, 2024, the Unified Center for Coordination of SAR in Heraklion was informed by the Master of the 'Knossps Palace' that while the ship was carrying out a scheduled route from Heraklion to the ports of Milos and Piraeus, a 9-year-old passenger required immediate hospital treatment. The ship returned to the port of Heraklion, where the patient disembarked safely and was transported by ambulance to the University General Hospital of Heraklion for the provision of first aid. Afterwards, the ferry set sail with 119 crew members and 951 passengers on board to the port of Milos.