On May 18, 2024, at around 4:00 a.m. LT the 'Mohammed Z' with 11 crew members, including nine Syrian and two Egyptian nationals, on board sank en route from Istanbul Anchorage to Sulina about 26 nautical off the city of Sfântu Gheorghe in the Black Sea after a collision with the cargo m/v 'Michel' (IMO: 8900684), which was en route from Odessa to Varna with a cargo of steel pipes. The Romanian authorities launched an SAR operation and notified two merchant vessels sailing in the area to assist. The 'Michel' rescued eight castaways and took them to Constanta for medical treatment. One of them was suffering from two injuries and has been admitted to the hospital. The Romanian authorities have also deployed a helicopter from the Romania Air Force and two rescue vessels, the 'Artemis' and 'Apollo' from ARSVOM to search the three missing crewmembers. Two police boats have also joined the search. According to a port inspection conducted in Egypt, the vessel had deficiencies, including inoperative safety lamps and improperly maintained life buoys. An investigation into the accident was ongoing with the cooperation of the rescued crew members. The 'Michel' arrived in Varna with structural bow damages on May 19 at 7.20 a.m. UTC.
News
DALI
On May 21 efforts were started to remove the 'Dali' at around 05:00 a.m. when the tide was at its peak.Between eight and 12 million tons of steel has been removed from the ship before. Divers will be making last-minute inspections below the waterline and then tugs will attempt to ease the vessel from its position, before taking the 'Dali' to the Seagirt Marine Terminal, which is approximately 2.5 miles upriver.
Oslo
Port of Oslo in Norway has signed a cooperation agreement with an environmental non-profit organisation to help it become emission-free. The Port of Oslo, which first talked about its zero-emission ambition in June, will partner with the Oslo-headquartered Bellona Foundation to achieve its zero-emission goal. Emissions in the port are anticipated to be reduced by 85% by 2030 and gradually reduce until they are eliminated. “The Port of Oslo is in full swing with the green transition, and has begun the phasing in of emissions-free solutions,” said Port of Oslo chairman, Roger Schjerva. “It is enthusiastic about working alongside the Bellona Foundation and exchanging ideas and solutions with Bellona’s network of environmental experts and organizations. Maritime transport and urban ports are crucial in reducing the world’s greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.”
Walvis Bay
In the morning of Aug 17, 2019, around 7 a.m. a fire broke out aboard the Namibian trawler "Ocean Tide", 296 gt (IMO: 7220839), which was moored at the jetty of the Seaworks Fish Processors. One of the 20 crew members on board, was found dead following the fire. The deceased was identified as 40-year-old Hausiku Mathews Sivambo. It was believed he became trapped inside the vessel and burned to death. His body was removed the next morning. The family of the deceased was present at the scene. A police investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing. Report with photo: https://www.nbc.na/news/one-dead-after-vessel-caught-fire-walvis-bay.21902
SALVAMAR ADHARA
On May 19, the 'Salvamar Adhara' assisted the occupants of two 2 cayucos, which had been located six and nine nautical miles south of La Restinga with 33 and 61 people on board, six of whom were minors. Both boats were escorted to La Restinga. The response was coordinated by the CCS Tenerife of Salvamento Marítimo. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1792436158602830183
X-PRESS LHOTSE
The 'X Press Lhotse' with RMG export products on board, destined for Europe and the USA via Sri Lanka has been stuck at Chattogram port for two days due to non-payment of fines. The ship was scheduled to leave for Colombo port on May 15, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. with 1,450 TEU containers on board. Around 90% of the goods on board were ready-made garments. However, the vessel has been barred from leaving the port as it failed to pay Tk72.25 lakh in fines imposed by the Mercantile Marine Office, Chattogram, for not complying with rules at various times. The vessel had earlier transported goods from Chattogram port without obtaining a waiver certificate in violation of the Bangladesh Flag Vessels, (Protection of Interests) Act. Its shipping agent, Sea Consortium, was also fined several times in this regard. The ship, which was scheduled to reach Sri Lanka's Colombo port on May 19, was detained at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port. It was released on May 19.
Batumi
The Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) will launch a test voyage of a feeder vessel along the Black Sea container route Batumi-Constanta by September 20. The vessel will sail every 10 days (3 times a month). If cargo volumes increase, the growth in the number of vessels and the regularity of sailings on the line is also expected.
Newcastle
Australia’s New South Wales government said on Wednesday it will fast track its review of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at the port of Newcastle, proposed by a South Korean firm, as the state urgently looks to beef up gas supply. The $430 million Newcastle GasDock LNG project, planned by South Korean firm EPIK, was declared “critical state significant infrastructure”, which means the project will not have to go to the state’s independent planning commission for approval, saving several months in the review process.
HISTRIA ATLAS
On the early morning of May 20, 2024, the 'Histria Atlas' suffered an engine malfunction in the Dardanelles while enroute from Burgas to Alexandria, Egypt. Under the coordination of the Çanakkale VTS Center, the vessel was safely moored at the Bozcaada Anchorage, assisted by a pilot and under the tow of the tug 'Kurtarma 14'. The ship remained stationary in pos. 39° 54.22' N 026° 01.77' E. Report with photos: https://x.com/kiyiemniyet/status/1792408222449471757
ANDREW J BARBERI
The 'Andrew J. Barberi', which retired in 2023, was put up for public surplus auction this week by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. Bidding on the ferry opened at $155,000. As of May 16, 2024, no one had made an offer. The vessel has been stripped of its propulsion and navigation systems. Its eventual new owner will need to tow the ship from its berth in St. George. https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auction/view?auc=3514658
Krishnapatnam
Gautam Adani is looking to expand his ports empire by closing in on buying a 65-70 per cent stake in Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd, the entity promoted by Hyderabad-based CVR Group to run a private deep-water port at Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s biggest private port operator, is expected to pay more than ₹5,500 crore to buy the stake which will give it access to the country’s largest waterfront area (for a port) of 12.5 km and a transit storage area of 6,800 acres. It started operations in 2008. Currently, the port has a draft of 18.5 metres, a depth that can accommodate full-loaded Capesize vessel of 200,000-tonne capacity.
Shenzhen
Chinese city-gas distributor Shenzhen Gas will launch next week in southern China its first fully-owned terminal to import liquefied natural gas (LNG), a company executive told Reuters on Friday. This will make Shenzhen Gas the second city gas distributor backed by a local government that owns an LNG import facility.