On May 8, 2024, a cayuco issued a distress call by mobil telephone south of Tenerife. It was located by a whale watching boat. The CCS Tenerife of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Menkalinan' and the 'Salvamar Alpheratz', which rescued the 52 people on board and transferred them to Los Cristianos. The canoe ended up sinking. Report with photos: https://twitter.com/salvamentogob/status/1788214298923135323
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SALVAMAR IZAR
A rubber boat issued a distress call on May 9, 2024, about 20 nautical miles east of Fuerteventura. The CCS Las Palmas mobilized the 'Salvamar Izar', which rescued the 57 people on boardd and sights another boat from which 55 people were taken off. All castaways were transferred to Gran Tarajal, where they were taken care of by medical and security teams. Report with photos: https://twitter.com/salvamentogob/status/1788564140354588972
Swinoujscie
The first cargo of liquified natural gas under the long-term contract between PGNiG and US LNG provider Cheniere Energy arrived at the President Lech Kaczyński LNG Terminal in Świnoujście. The long-term contract, which was signed in November of 2018, will total approximately 39 bcm of natural gas over the 24 year period of the agreement. The official reception ceremony of the first delivery at the LNG terminal in Świnoujście included representatives of the government of the Republic of Poland, local authorities, as well as executives from PGNiG and Cheniere Energy.
Tanger-Med
The Tanger Med port has emerged as the biggest port in Africa in terms of container capacity, surpassing Africa’s bigger ports like Durban (South Africa) and Mombasa (Kenya). The Tanger Med port now connects Morocco to 77 countries and 186 ports around the world. The Tanger Med II has two new container terminals – TC3 and TC4 – with an additional 6 million container capacity. The TC3, which is operated by Morocco’s main port operator Marsa Maroc, has a capacity of 1 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units). The TC4, which is operated by the Netherlands-based APM Terminals, has a capacity of 5 million TEUs. According to the Tanger Med Port Authority, with its new terminals, Tanger Med port will have a capacity of processing 9 million containers, 7 million passengers, 1 million vehicles and 700,000 trucks. Thanks to its extensions, Tanger Med port has now become the largest port in the Mediterranean region, surpassing some of the region’s top ports like Algeciras (Spain), Valencia (Spain) and Gioia (Italy). The port is located 40 kilometers east of the Moroccan town of Tangier, which is a gateway to both Europe and Africa. “Our aim is to develop an effective port platform integrated with transshipment activities, imports and exports,” Tanger Med Port Authority said on its website. The Tanger Med port has become vital for Morocco’s economy as it handled 317 billion Moroccan dirhams (US$33.14 billion) worth of exports and imports in 2018. It processed an overall tonnage of 52.24 tonnes last year.
MEIRA DA COSTA
The 'Meira da Costa' got the propeller fouled by its net and requestsed towing assistance on May 8, 2024, about 6.5 nautical miles south of Cabo Fisterra with seven crew members on board. The CCS Fisterra of Salvevamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR vessel 'Salvamar Régulus', which pulled the ship safely to Muros.
ELEEN SOFIA
The International Transport Workers Federation(ITF) along with Australian authorities was resolving the case involving crew mistreatment, wage theft, and poor living conditions aboard the 'Eleen Sofia'. The vessel was being closely monitored and frequently inspected by its Australian inspectorate. The ITF stated that the vessel changed its ownership in 2023. The vessel has a poor track record of living conditions onboard and also has a history of failing to pay the crew wages. A review record indicated that the vessel was detained for 10 days by the U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans, in 2022 due to safety deficiencies. In April 2024, the ITF claimed to have discovered that the provisions aboard the ship had been depleted with no access to food for the crew. The crew argued that the ship owner had repeatedly failed to replenish provisions and provide better living conditions for them. The crew also alleged that while anchored at Bangladesh the ship reported no air conditioning in the crewmember's cabin area for over three months. The ITF also stated about the unresolved case regarding the disappearance and presumed death of the ship’s cook who went overboard when the ship was anchored in South China. In February 2024, the ITF became aware of the unpaid and overdue wages of the crew, when the vessel docked in Adelaide and later in Portland, Victoria. The ITF reported that its inspectorate was able to address the wage issues and lack of provision of the vessel at that time. However, the ship left Australia and visited other ports before returning to Mackay, where the same issues were identified by the Australian inspectorate. Currently, thr ITF along with the Australia Border Force and Local port Authorities in Queensland was working to ensure the remaining crew aboard the ship have access to decent, healthy living conditions with medical attention, shore leave, and possible repatriation despite the ship being under arrest. This assistance is provided to the crew while the issues of the ship were being addressed.
Fos-sur-Mer
The French port of Marseille Fos plans to spend over US$22 million to reduce air emissions by extending its shoreside electrical connections to every ferry, cruise ship and repair quay in the eastern harbour. The port has also introduced speed restrictions to reduce industrial air pollution. Already available on the Corsica ferry quays, the shore power network will be expanded in two phases to cover North Africa ferry quays and the ship repair hub by 2022 and the cruise terminal between 2022 and 2025. The zero-emissions investment, which is supported by national and regional government, recognises the need to maintain the port’s economic value while improving the city’s waterside air quality.
Singapore
Phase one of the new Jurong Port Tank Terminals (JPTT) was officially opened on Monday (July 29), with Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat saying it will allow Singapore to strengthen its position as one of the world’s top bunkering ports for low-sulphur fuels. The $200 million, 16ha petrochemical terminal is a joint venture between port operator Jurong Port and German firm Oiltanking with 252,000 cubic m of clean petroleum storage capacity. From January next year, the International Maritime Organisation will prohibit ships from using fuels containing more than 0.5 per cent sulphur.
SALVAMAR BETELGEUSE
The pleasure boat 'Marian', with three crew members on board, requested assistance following a mechanical failure between Lorbé and Ares on MAy 8. The CCS A Coruña of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Betelgeuse', which took the boat in tow and safely pulled it to Miño (A Coruña).
Dubrovnik
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the City of Dubrovnik have partnered to introduce sustainable tourism management practices that will preserve the Croatian city’s cultural heritage. CLIA president and CEO Kelly Craighead and Dubrovnik’s Mayor Mato Franković signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which outlines plans to make Dubrovnik a model of sustainable tourism for the Adriatic region. All plans focus on investment, collaboration and best practices that will benefit both Dubrovnik’s residents and visitors. “Today’s agreement validates the work we have already done with Mayor Franković and formalises the cruise industry’s continued commitment to the City of Dubrovnik and its people,” said Craighead.
Sihanoukville
Congestion at Cambodia’s top port is creating supply chain disruptions. In a note to clients German containerline Hapag-Lloyd noted that terminal productivity at Sihanoukville port has deteriorated due to port and yard congestion. Feeder services and turnaround times are affected and feeder space is tight. In an effort for medium term improvement of this situation, the port is building an extended yard for additional storage space. “Before the new container yard is completed, port congestion may persist,” Hapag-Lloyd warned.