On May 11 at around 6:45 a.m. Dutch time, the Zr.Ms. 'Karel Doorman' was the first of a group of ships to enter the Suez Canal, on its way to the Red Sea. The logistics support ship previously suffered from technical problems that forced the Suez Canal passage to be postponed. On May 6, the ship was scheduled to exchange the Mediterranean Sea for the Red Sea to join the EU mission Aspides. That did not happen after problems with the Goalkeepers occurred for a relatively long time after departure. The rapid-fire guns responsible for proximity defense against rapidly incoming targets suffered from malfunctions. Due to the nature of the mission and the high threat, no risks were taken and the deployment was postponed for a while. Experts were flown in from the Netherlands to support the technicians on board. After repairs, the ship went back to sea for tests on May 7.
News
GUARDAMAR CALIOPE
On May 10 a distress call by telephone was issued by a boat 50 nautical miles away from Lanzarote. The merchant ships 'World Prize' and 'Kalahari Express' thereuppon diverted, each one sighting a different boat. The RCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Las Palmas mobilized the 'Guardamar Calíope', which rescues 68 people on board the first and 61 on the second boat. All 129 migrants were disembarked at Arrecife. Report with photos: https://twitter.com/salvamentogob/status/1789201851474198674
Beirut
The Lebanese army on Sep 3 found a further 4.35 tonnes of the explosive ammonium nitrate a month after 2,750 tonnes of the substance exploded in the harbour and destroyed large parts of the city. The explosive substance was found in a warehouse immediately outside one of the entrances to the port, and engineers from the army took care of it. Simultaneously with the new discovery, it emerged that the outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab told the head of the investigation of the catastrophic explosion that he knew of the existence of the large amount of ammonium nitrate at the port before the explosion. 25 suspects have been arrested so far, including the port's chief of staff Hassan Koraytem and customs chief Badri Daher. Among the others arrested were also three Syrian workers who carried out welding work at the warehouse, where the huge amount of ammonium nitrate was stored, on the day the explosion took place. Up to 200 were killed and about 6,500 injured in the blast, causing damage to a double-digit billion.
Kiel
https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/NOK-Havarie-Frachter-fuhr-ohne-Lotsen,schleuse886.html
SAGAMORE
The 'Sagamore' left Larnaca to a new makeshift port off the Gaza Strip on May 9, 2024. The aim was to deliver as much aid as possible via the maritime corridor. About two months ago, US President Biden commissioned the American armed forces to build a floating pier, which was recently completed. The platform is located a few kilometers from the coast of the Gaza Strip and is intended to become a hub for humanitarian aid. There is no port in the Palestinian territory deep enough for larger cargo ships.
OHSHU MARU
The Philippines authorities have seized the Oushu Maru' after loitering for two weeks. On May 1, the Philippines Custom Intelligence and Investigation Service, the Philippines Navy, the Philippines Coast Guard, and the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency boarded the vessel. On the suspicion of drug smuggling, they searched it. However, no illegal goods were discovered on the vessel, and all the paperwork was found in order. Later the Captain of the ship informed the Philippines authorities stating that the vessel was bound for the Port of Kunuura, but the charterer of the vessel ordered to delay the vessel's arrival in port. Following this, on May 3, the Philippines authorities issued a seizure warrant and detention of the vessel. The authorities asserted that a review of the Vessel Tracking System indicated the ship's AIS transmission was turned off when it was in Malaysia. The authorities also alleged the vessel was in a dark operating mood without a signal for more than 24 hours before entering the Philippines. The Philippines Bureau of Customs has ordered the vessel to anchor on the northern side of Mindanao, where it will be continued to be monitored by Navy and Coast Guards. On May 11, it anchored in pos. 08° 36.88' N 124° 44.68' E.
Vladivostok
The typhoon Maysak crushed onto the port of Vladivostok on Sep 3, 2020, wreaking havoc at the Navy base and in the commercial port. A floating dock in the base broke off her moorings, drifted along the piers and hit berthed submarines and other ships. The amount of damage was yet unknown. The container terminal at the ommercial port was flooded. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=50&v=Yr8JHgunKNY&feature=emb_title
Kiel
An investigation was launched into the allision of the Panama flagged cargo m/v cargo m/v 'Else', 2449 gt ( IMO: 9006320 ), enroute from Klaipeda to Les Sables with a cargo of ammonnium nitrate, with the northern lock of the Kiel Canal in Kiel-Holtenau upon entering the lock on Aug 29 at 5 a.m. at the pier of the Lindenau Yard in Kiel-Friedrcrichsort. Usually ships stop about 800 meters off the locks on the Kiel Fjord to take a pilot on board, and may only proceed once he has embarked. The 'Else' had ordered a pilot but continued its voyage without reducing speed and crashed into the closed gate with about six knots. The gate was severely damaged, and inspections by divers were to start on Aug 31 to find out if the submerged tanks of it were damaged too. The lock was closed for shipping for the time being, leaving only one of four locks in Holtenau in operating condition. One gate is still under repair after having been hit by the container m/v 'Akacia' 2,5 years ago, another gate is under repair too. It was investigated if this could be used once the now damaged gate has been removed.
CARNIVAL VENEZIA
A US Air Force rescue team airlifted a passenger needing urgent medical care from the 'Carnival Venezia' on May 4, 2024. The operation involved three helicopter air-to-air refuelings to reach the vessel, which was returning to port in New York City after stops in the Bahamas and Caribbean, which was sailing about 350 nautical miles from the US mainland. Called into action from Patrick Space Force Base in Florida were two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and two teams of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen, the release said. The mission was carried out by two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and two teams of rescuers. The eight-hour mission covered more than 1,200 miles round trip over open ocean. The mission was carried out by two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and two teams of rescuers. The eight-hour mission covered more than 1,200 miles round trip over open ocean. Because of the distance that had to be covered, the 920th Rescue Wing had to employ the helicopter air-to-air refuelings. When the aircraft arrived, rescuers were hoisted down from the helicopters and began preparing the patient for transport. The patient and his mother were taken up into the helicopter, and he received medical attention en route to a hospital on the mainland. The cruise line worked with Air Force and US Coast Guard officials to adjust Venezia’s course to meet the helicopter. The ship continued towards New York after the airlift and arrived as scheduled on May 6. Report with photos: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/us-air-force-medical-airlift-carnival-cruise-ship/index.html
MSC VITTORIA
On May 9, 2024, Houthi militants continued targeting the MSC Mediterranean Shipping company vessels, asserting them as ‘Israeli Ships’. The militants claimed to have attacked the 'MSC Gina', 'MSC Diego' and the 'MSC Vittoria'. However, a statement of the Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree did not provide any details nor any of the international security agencies have confirmed the attack. The military tracking operations have also not identified any new attacks on vessels or received information from ships operating in that region. The last report provided by UKMTO about the explosion near a merchant vessel came on May 7, when missiles were launched from Yemen that might have targeted the 'MSC Gina', which had departed from Sri Lanka, amd the 'MSC Diego', which had sailed from Oman, in the Gulf of Oman. Currently both vessels were providing extra assistance in the region to Djibouti. The Houthis had also claimed to have fired twice on the 'MSC Vittoria' in the Indian Ocean and laer in the Arabian Sea. This attack was also not recognized by the military tracking operation nor any information was received from the vessel.
Andernach
Vorbeifahrt Rheinufer 56567 Neuwied-Feldkirchen (Fahr am Rhein) Gegenüber dem Industriehafen Andernach 26.08.2020 - Imperial Gas 79 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuTSSugJmIk&feature=youtu.be 26.08.2020 - MISSOURI Cargo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgkscB-aLoY 26.08.2020 - WSP14 Wasserschutzpolizei https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjHD9XwE9X8 26.08.2020 - VOYAGE Tankschiff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m7xqvoroX8