On May 27 at 1.59 a.m. the 'Salvamar Enif' rescued four North African migrants from a toy boat, which had been located 16 nautical miles southwest of Trafalgar. The castaways were disembarked in Algeciras/El Saladillo. The response was coordinated by the MRCC of Salvamento Maritimo in Tarifa.
News
MV MAA
The plan to promote tourism on the beachfront in Visakhapatnam by converting the 'Maa' into a floating restaurant still remained on hold. Though the State government had declared an allotment of Rs 10 crore for the project, it was yet to take some shape due to procedural wrangle in getting clearance from environmental point of view. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) had also tied up with Shore & Ship Resorts Private Repair Ltd. to make necessary alterations within the vessel at an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore. Green activists said that the continuation of the ship just close to Tenneti Park, a popular venue for the localities and tourists in the city, was an environmental risk. The State government explored various options to make the ship fit by redesigning to convert it into a restaurant as part of an effort to promote beach tourism. However, delay in getting clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, clearance under the Coastal Regular Zone (CRZ) guidelines and other authorities turned the project jinxed. Report with photo: https://www.bizzbuzz.news/national/bid-to-convert-abandoned-bdesh-ship-into-floating-restaurant-turns-jinxed-1317293
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.
Kerch
Russia's Ministry of Transport has set up a ferry service across the Kerch Strait to take over vehicle traffic, offsetting some of the impact of the damage to the Kerch Strait Bridge after a truck was blown up on the westbound road deck of the Kerch Strait Bridge on Oct 7 at about 6 a.m. Two spans of the westbound deck collapsed into the water, but the adjacent eastbound deck remained in place. The blast's timing coincided with the passage of a fuel train on the adjacent rail deck, and it ignited seven fuel tank cars, which burned for hours after the explosion. A Russian salvage diving team has arrived on the site and is completing an underwater survey of the damage, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said Sunday. An above-water inspection process is already under way. Traffic had partially resumed on the bridge by late Saturday, though restricted by the extent of the damage. Russia's Ministry of Transport said that it also resumed suburban commuter rail service over the rail track, though not heavy freight trains. Two ferries are already in operation to provide a bypass route, and eight separate parking lots have been set up for temporary storage for cars and trucks waiting to make the crossing. Two more ferries will join the effort on Monday, the Yeysh and Mriya.
COSTA TOSCANA
On May 27, 2024, the 'Costa Toscana' requested the medevac of a passenger 10 nautical miles East of Palamós. The CCS Barcelona of Salvamento Marítimo deplopyed the SAR boat 'Salvamar Sirius', which which placed itself next to the ship and embarked the patient, a family member and a nurse.
USAV MATAMOROS
On May 26, 2024, the USAV 'Matamoros' assisted in refloating a landing craft 'LCM 8558' that had grounded on the Ashdod shore on March 25. The landing craft had been working with the US-built floating pier off the coast. It was beached while assisting a US army tug that was helping move the floating pier from an area off the Gaza coast to near Ashdod due to adverse weather conditions with high swells of about 1.5 meters that emerged on May 23 and May 24, while winds gusted to some 20 knots, which necessitated moving the pier. The floating pier has been helping deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. It was constructed after a decision in early March to deploy the unique US Army capability. The Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability was deployed beginning in mid-March with several vessels sailing from Fort Eustis across the Atlantic via Crete to the coast of Gaza. It began operations in mid-May. On the evening of Maya 23, several vessels involved with moving the pier broke free from their moorings. The tug was beached on Ashdod Beach, a hundred meters north of a lifeguard stand near an area called Beersheba Beach. The 'LCM 8558' tried to help the tug, but became stranded on the beach near the tug with the low tide. It had to be dug out with a front-loader. The US had been trying to free the LCM and the tug since May 25. The USAV 'Matamoros' arrived on the afternoon. It connected a rope to the LCM. On May 26 by midday the LCM was ready to be pulled off. The tide remained an issue because the low tide was around 6 p.m. Around 9 p.m. the LCM was pulled off the beach, with the hope that it would remain free of the sand. The goal was then to pull the tug off the beach. Then, the vessels will all be united with the floating pier and likely return to the coast of Gaza so humanitarian aid can be delivered again. The Israel Navy assisted in the efforts to free the ships. Report with photos: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-803750
Kiel
The Port of Kiel expects another good season in 2023, resulting in 218 cruise calls, said its MD Dirk Claus in the morning of Jan 17, 2023, as part of a presentation reflecting on last year's results. It follows 2022's record-breaking 244 calls, which saw the port handle over 2.24m passengers, 836,000 of those from cruise vessels. The number of calls in 2019 was 37% less by comparison, numbering 178, and passenger volumes 4.1% lower. 2020 had been forecast to become a record season for Kiel, with 200 calls and 880,000 passengers, but aspirations were dashed owing to the pandemic. This year, a number of larger vessels are scheduled to arrive at Kiel on multiple occasions making the gross tonnage of arriving ships similar to 2022. For 2023, the choice of routes and destinations approached from Kiel will be slightly broader. Moving into the future, Claus expects Kiel to settle on between 200 and 250 cruise calls annually. According to the port, last year’s promising results were the result of ‘intense planning’ with international cruise operators. While 11 calls were cancelled owing to the conflict in Ukraine and the resulting loss of St Petersburg from itineraries, nine were newly added as a result of rerouting by operators. Looking ahead, there will be a strong focus on greener shipping with Claus hoping that between 60 and 100 calls can be supplied with green shore power this year. He stated that Kiel will continue to look at strengthening shore power in line with its corporate sustainability strategy to lower carbon emissions. Work on the new Ostuferhafen shore power plant is expected to conclude towards the end of this year, resulting in Kiel being able to offer shoreside connectivity at all its ferry and cruise terminals from 2024. Along with this €17m investment, a further €2m will be invested to install solar arrays. The systems, which will be fitted on roofs at Kiel Port, are intended to cover up to 30% of the port's electricity requirements in the long term. Kiel’s first call is expected to arrive April 7 with the river vessel 'Frederic Chopin'. The first cruise ship of the season, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 'Balmoral', will arrive a week later. The largest ships to call will be 'MSC Euribia' and 'AIDAnova'. At the other end of the scale, the 'Ocean Majesty' will visit Kiel on six occasions while chartered to Hansa Touristik. The vessel, which celebrates its 57th anniversary this year, is popular with the German source market. One of its calls is scheduled to occur on June 18 during the Kieler Woche sailing festival which will run from June 17-25. Traditionally, this marks the peak of the cruise season with this year no exception: 22 calls are expected by Kiel at the same time as the event takes place. While the highest number of calls is expected between mid-April and the end of September as usual, some ships will continue to call later in the year. 'AIDAnova'’s last departure is scheduled for November 4 whilst December 20 will see Phoenix Reisen's 'Amera' arrive at Kiel as part of a pre-Christmas itinerary. The season will draw to a close a few days later with the 'Spirit of Discovery' on December 29. Costa-, AIDA-, MSC- and TUI Cruises will again be the port's largest cruise customers. The majority of calls account for turnarounds serving the German-speaking source markets, but a number of transit calls will also take place, P&O Cruises’ Britannia, Swiss Ruby, Holland America Line’s 'Nieuw Statendam' and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 'Seven Seas Splendor' among them. As in previous years, the Ostuferhafen outside the city centre will be heavily utilised by MSC Cruises and most other cruise ships will arrive at the Ostseekai.
Kerch
The Crimean Bridge across Kerch Strait suffered an explosion and fire in the morning of Oct 8, 2022. Two spans of the motorway bridge collapsed and fell into the water, the railway bridge above the motorway witha cargo train including railway car tanks with fuel, was on fire. All bridge traffic was suspended. The Crimean Bridge was more than a Bridge, both for Russia and Ukraine. For Russia it was a symbol of the Russian “victory” and historical justice. For the Ukraine, it was a symbol of the Russian aggression and Crimea occupation. The navigation span of the Bridge is yet undamaged, and therefore, the Kerch Strait Channel remained navigable. The Kerch Strait Transit is from now on, however, a risky undertaking, so all ship owners are advised to calculate risks and probably, change their ships voyages, avoiding Azov sea calls.
ICON OF THE SEAS
A man was rescued after jumping into the sea from the 'Icon of the Seas' on the morning of May 26, 2024, as the ship sailed towards Roatan, Honduras, one day after departing from Miami, Florida, for a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise, approximately 40 miles north of Santa Lucia, Cuba. The vessel deviated its course to launch a rescue craft to locate the man overboard. An announcement was made stating that the man was recovered shortly after the rescue craft had been launched. He was in the ship’s intensive care unit with his family. The ship was due to arrive in the first port of call, Roatan, early on May 27. Report with photos: https://cruiseradio.net/man-in-critical-condition-after-jumping-from-worlds-largest-cruise-ship/
VENTURA
The 'Ventura' was met at the port of Southampton after its return on May 25 at 6 a.m. for a deep cleaning after an unconfirmed number of passengers fell ill with sickness and diarrhoea onboard during the 14-night voyage around the Canary Islands which had included stops in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. 0.64 per cent of passengers were symptomatic on May 22, and those who were still symptomatic on arrival, disembarked later than other passengers. An enhanced sanitation of the ship was carried out on May 17 in Tenerife, however Southampton Port Health Authority assisted the vessel once it was back at port, undertaking a cleaning programme of all spaces onboard. The P&O Cruises vessel was scheduled to set sail for a seven-night cruise around Spain and Portugal later in the day, which was delayed to 11 p.m. Passengers booked on the week-long voyage have been asked to arrive four hours later than planned to make time for sanitation.
Singapore
On Dec 1, 2022, at about 3 p.m. the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was informed that 15 empty containers at Keppel Terminal had fallen from the wharf into the water as a result of strong winds during a squall. There were no reported injuries and no immediate impact to port operations. The MPA deployed two patrol crafts to monitor and cordon off the affected area to facilitate recovery work by PSA Corporation Ltd. MPA’s Port Operations Control Centre has restricted all vessel movements in the vicinity of Keppel Terminal until the containers were recovered.
Odessa
For the fourth day in a row, Iranian-made drones attacked Odesa on Sep 26 in the morning, this time against military targets and without civilian casualties. On Sep 23, two civilians were killed during Russian drone attacks on the port city. On Sep 25, Odesa was attacked by three drones, one of which was reportedly shot down by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has not officially identified the drones, but from the video footage below it appears, according to experts, that they are Iranian-produced Shakhed 136 drones.