The 'Irvine Bay' was boarded by four perpetrators, armed wuth knives and iron bards, at Dumai Anchorage in pos. 1° 42 N 10° 101.29 E on May 25, 2024, at 2.10 a.m. No injuries to the crew were reported. The pirates stole engine spares of the ship.
News
PAXOS ISLAND
On the morningof Juen 3, 2024, the Port Authority of Corfu was informed by the Master of the 'Paxos Island', that during the disembarkation process the starboard side main engine could not be started. The ship was carrying out a scheduled route from the port of Corfu to the port of Gaio Paxos with 74 passengers on board. The Central Port Authority of Corfu banned the ship from sailing until the repair of the damage and the presentation of a certificate of class maintenance and seaworthiness by the monitoring classification society.
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.
AAL MERKUR
The 'AAL Merkur' was boarded by three perpetrators, who were not armed, on May 29, 2024, at 7.20 p.m. at Phu My Anchorage in pos. 10° 12 N 10° 107.3 E. The alert duty crew noticed the perpetrator, shouted at him and raised the alarm, resulting in the person escaping empty-handed in a wooden boat along with two accomplices.
TAMAHINE
On the morning of June 4, 2024, at 6.45 a.m. the 'Tamahine', while leaving port, ran aground with two crew members on board at Taiaroa Head, below the Royal Albatross Centre on Otago Peninsula. One of the two fishermen made his way onto the rocks, while the skipper stayed on the vessel. A rescue helicopter crew winched two members down on to the rocks who battled through the waves to reach the ship and assist the skipper back to the rocks, from where he and the deckhand were winched to safety. The skipper was taken to Dunedin Hospital in a moderate condition, and the other man was assessed and treated at the scene. The police alerted to the incident about 7.30 a.m. The ship was rapidly breaking up in the high swell and lying half-submerged in the sea. Safe navigation in and out of the harbour was not affected. No pollution was reported. The wreck was being monitored by the Dunedin Coastguard and regional council, but rough sea conditions had made it too dangerous to reach. The amount of fuel on board was unknown. Report with photo and video: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dramatic-sea-rescue-taiaroa-head
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
NIS RANDERS
The former DGzRS lifeboat 'Nis Randers' will become the 'Sea Eye 5' and save lives in the Mediterranean as the 4th ship of the United4Rescue alliance. To finance the purchase, United4Rescue is launching a fundraising campaign on June 4, 2024. The ship will be overhauled in the coming weeks, renamed and is due to start its first deployment in summer.
EUGEN MAERSK
On June 3, 2024, the 'Eugene Maersk', en route from Tanger Med to Algeciras, has rescued 32 migrants of Maghreb origin from a boat that the crew located about 60 nautical miles from Arrecife. Once the container ship had anchored near Naos port, the crew of the SAR biat 'Salvamar Al Nair' (MMSI: 224944850) embarked them and transferred the castaways to Arrecife. Report with photos: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1797700452588429498