On MArch 16, 2024, a fire broke out abaoard the 'Geolog Dmitriy Nalivkin' at Livadia Repair and Shipyard in Nakhodka. As a result, the interior of the ship was damaged by fire. There were no dead or injured. The cause of the fire and damage were being established. Investigators of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations assessed the ship. The vessel is an expedition vessel, the scientists on board are engaged in environmental and hydrometeorological research in the Arctic and was under maintenance at the time of the fire. Report with photo and video: https://newsnhk.com/pod-nahodkoy-v-livadii-zagorelos-issledovatelskoe-sudno-geolog-dmitriy-nalivkin-na-sudoremontnom-zavode/
News
ERMAK
Scrapped at St. Petersburg 03/2024 https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3686723?navList=gallery&category=70&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest
MIN LIAN YU 60911
The Taiwan Coastguard on the morning of March 15, 2024, joined Chinese rescuers in searching for a 26 year old Chinese fisherman who fell overboard the 'Min Lian Yu 60911' on the afternoon of March 14 three nautical miles east of Lienchiang County’s Sanlien Islets, east of Beigan. The Coastguard’s Matsu flotilla received notice at 12:30 a.m. from the Lienchiang County Government and dispatched a team to help the Chinese in the rescue effort. The man was suspected to have slipped while walking along the edge of the ship. The other crew members attempted a rescue, but contacted Chinese authorities after they were unsuccessful. The Chinese Coastguard sent a vessel and three to four other fishing boats to search for the missing man, before contacting authorities in Lienchiang County to aid the search. The Matsu Coastguard dispatched two to three boats to the area after receiving notice from the Lienchiang County Economic Development Department.
MISSUNDE III
The new Schlei ferry "Missunde III" cannot start operating as planned. The new concept clearly has design flaws. The ferry was supposed to start operating between Kosel (Rendsburg-Eckernförde district) and Brodersby (Schleswig-Flensburg district) in March 2024. According to ferry lessee Rüdiger Jöns, the new concept for the “Missunde III” obviously has design errors. It doesn't hook onto the feeder properly. The rope is also obviously under heavy strain due to the greater weight. The hope of a temporary solution with the old ferry “Missunde II” has also been dashed. The old ferry, which is in need of maintenance, is still on the Schlei and it was suggested that it be reactivated. However, the “Missunde II” no longer has a valid ferry certificate. The cost of getting it fit again for a certification would be 1.8 million Euros. On the other hand, the “Missunde II” has already been sold. The old ferry had already remained in operation longer than intended. The planned start was originally April 2023. Supply chain problems and low water on the Elbe during the transport of the new ferry from the shipyard to the Schlei delayed the delivery, and flooding on the Schlei delayed the renovations to the piers. The “Missunde II” received a temporary operating license until March 2024 to continue operating. However, operations have been suspended since January 2024. The ship is currently in Maasholm, but no longer owned by the Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Protection. The deployment largely depends on whether the Technical Ship Safety Department of the General Directorate of Waterways and Shipping (GDWS) in Mainz is prepared to make a further compromise with regard to the ferry certificate. The 'Missunde II' was examined and approved in Oct 2023. There is currently a valid certificate in the form of a provisional ferry certificate. The ferry can therefore currently continue to operate until April 10, 2024. As soon as the defects identified during the examination have been corrected, the certificate can be extended. Regarding the “Missunde III”, operation should be tested with a lighter rope. The trials that have taken place over the last few weeks in various wind conditions have shown that some modifications were necessary to the ferry's cable guide. In addition, the ferry should be better guided with additional dolphins in order to improve the mooring maneuvers. However, a soil report and permits are still required for the piling work which will take a few more weeks. The 'Missunde III' is significantly larger than its predecessor and can carry significantly more weight. Instead of six, up to ten cars, even heavy vehicles such as coaches, tractors or trucks can be transported. Report with video: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/Schleifaehre-Missunde-Politik-und-Anwohner-machen-Druck,missunde166.html
RUEN
The Indian Navy has successfully recaptured the 'Ruen' and rescued all 17 crew members who have been held captive by pirates off the coast of Somalia for three months. All 35 pirates on board have been apprehended. There have been no reported injuries among the crew. The operation took place after the Indian Navy’s destroyer, INS 'Kolkata' intercepted the vessel on March 15 in the Indian Ocean. The 'Ruen' had set sail from Somalia’s central coast, allegedly to carry out more attacks. Once on scene, pirates opened fire on an Indian Navy helicopter and a standoff ensued. With the INS 'Subhadra' providing assistance, a specialized Navy unit was able to corner the pirates, leading to their surrender. The ship had been hijacked by pirates nearly 800 miles from Somalia on Dec 14, 2023, marking the first successful hijacking of a commercial ship by Somali pirates since 2017. Pirates sailed the ship back to Somali waters where it was being held. Report with photos and video: https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/world/indian-navy-seizes-ship-from-somali-pirates-and-rescues-17-crew/ar-BB1k13hu
ITS BERSAGLIERE
Beached at Aliaga 16.03.24 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=918506003611465&set=pcb.918359563626109
JIN HAI HUA
Captain Shishir Nishikant Patange, a pilot of the Deendayal Port Authority, has secured an arrest warrant against the 'Jin Hai Hua' over a personal injury claim. He was dispatched to undock the vessel from the Deendayal Port Jetty on the afternoon of March 4, 2024. While mounting the ship’s gangway, it overturned and collapsed, which resulted in him falling onto the wharf. His left wrist was severely severed, crushed, and fractured. He was immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment, where doctors told him that there would be permanent loss of mobility in his left hand, even after surgery. This injury meant he was unable to function successfully as a pilot. Patange accused the 'Jin Hai Hua' and its owners of breach of duty by failing to maintain proper rigging and monitoring of the gangway. He was suing the ship and its owners for $822,000 for pain, suffering and the loss of income he would expect to have earned until retiring at age 65. He was also suing for legal costs and interest and still assessing the full extent of the damages and reserves his right to increase the amount of the claim. The lawyers also noted that as Patange was injured while on duty, the Deendayal Port Authority has taken responsibility for his injuries. When applying for the vessel’s arrest, Patange said there was a danger the port authority may permit the ship to depart once investigations have been concluded. The arrest will likely be lifted once security is lodged with the court by the ship’s protection and indemnity provider which was the UK P&I Club. The ship shifted to Kandla anchorage on March 9, where it remained stationary as of March 15.
GALAXY LEADER
The 'Galaxy Leader' and its crew are in the hands of the brothers in the Hamas resistance movement and the Al-Qassam Brigades. We have no claims of our own regarding this vessel,” Houthi spokesman Nasr Al-Din Amer said on March 14, and hope was fading for the imminent return of the international crew of the ship. A senior Filipino diplomat saying he did not expect a release until the war in Gaza is over, while the Houthis said, the fate of the sailors was now in Hamas’ hands.On Board were 17 Filipinos, two Bulgarians, three Ukrainians, two Mexicans and a Romanian hostage. 116 days since the hijacking, there was no indication that the Houthis were open to releasing them until the hostilities have ended. The word from the Houthiswas that they will keep holding the ship, and all the crew, until we see an end to the hostilities in Gaza, said Eduardo de Vega, the Filipino foreign affairs official. “It will be difficult for any government to recognize a government which attacks ships on the sea,” said de Vega. So, he said, “there is no point to negotiate, except to ensure humane conditions for the hostages."
OPEN ARMS
The jamming of GPS signals could explain why the 'Open Arms' appeared near Beirut on monitoring platforms on March 14. But the reality seems quite different, and the 'Open Arms' did not take a detour in straight lines, taking it from the Mediterranean to Beirut and then back on its route south. GPS jamming could prevent the ship from picking up signals favouring its location. Open Arms dod not maintain contact with the vessel for security reasons. Jamming refers to the phenomenon of freezing of a GPS signal, which no longer responds and the location is lost. Spoofing (“usurpation”) refers to interference that causes the location to change. The NGOÜ ship has use a maritime corridor between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip, a distance of 370 km, to bring aid to the population of the enclave, against the backdrop of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, and it should take several days to arrive at an unidentified unloading point on the coast of Gaza. There, the aid must be delivered to a pier built for this purpose by the World Central association. On March 15, the ship was observed one mile off the Gaza coast. Reports with photos: https://efe.com/mundo/2024-03-15/envio-mar-comida-gaza/ https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1371445/lopen-arms-charge-de-200-tonnes-de-vivres-pour-gaza-a-t-il-fait-escale-a-beyrouth-.html
ENERGOS FORCE
The ''Energos Force' moored in the Stade industrial port, en route from Rotterdam, on the morning of March 15, 2024. A large contingent of police accompanied the ship on the Elbe. There was a protest with two inflatable boats. The four inmates expressed their protest” against the LNG terminal. The police picked up those involved a little later in the port of Kollmar. The "Energos Force" did not yet have any gas on board. According to the operator Deutsche Energie Terminal-Gesellschaft (DET), a test phase for the floating LNG terminal was initially underway. The terminal is then expected to supply gas to five million households per year. The "Energos Force" is the third of four ships chartered by the federal government to handle LNG tankers in the North Sea area in Stade, Wilhelmshaven and Brunsbüttel. The arrival was regarded as an important milestone in the district for security of supply and stabilization of gas prices in Germany and Europe. The district is also strengthening its position as an industrial and chemical location. The construction of the pier in Stade is considered the largest water-side construction project in Germany's ports. In addition to the floating terminal, the construction of an LNG terminal is planned in Stade and scheduled to be completed in 2027. Report with audio: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/lueneburg_heide_unterelbe/Protest-begleitet-Ankunft-von-neuem-LNG-Terminal-in-Stade,energosforce100.html
OCEAN VIKING
On March 13 the 'Ocean Viking' rescued 25 survivors from a rubber dinghy which had been drifting for days without food or water on the crossing from Libya after an engine failure. According to reports from survivors, at least 60 people on the boat died, including several women and at least one child. The inflatable boat set off from Sawija eight days ago. The “Ocean Viking” spotted it in the Libyan SAR zone. Tthe “Ocean Viking” then took 201 more people on board in two further rescue operations on MArch 13 and March 14. The Italian authorities assigned the ship to Ancona as a safe port
CUYAHOGA
Multiple fire departments and U.S. Coast Guard personnel fought a blaze aboard the 'Cuyahoga', docked in Ashtabula for winter lay-up, in the afternoon of March 15, 2024. There were no reported injuries. The fire started at 2 p.m., and it took three hours to put it out. The fire was caused by welding works. Sparks ignited paint on the inside of the cargo hold, and the fire spread to the main deck, and the unloading belt caught fire. The fire was extinguished by late afternoon.
RTN331
A near-catastrophe unfolded on March 14, 2024, when the HTMS 'Chon Buri' inadvertently discharged its weapon, firing at the HTMS 'Khirirat'. The frigate had docked at Laem Thian Pier within the Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri province and had just completed training on March 13, when a malfunction occurred in its main gun, resulting in a 76 mm round becoming lodged in the barrel. On March 14, RTN technicians were working to remove the bullet from the main gun when the gun accidentally fired and hit the nearby docked HTMS 'Khirirat'. The shooting at point-blank range caused an explosion and fire, injuring 14 sailors who were standing by on the deck of the ship. RTN officials managed to control the fire and rushed the injured officers to the Somdech Phra Nangchao Sirikit Hospital. Eight sailors were discharged from the hospital while the others remain under treatment. The condition of the six officers was not serious. Most of the officers suffered from smoke suffocation and that they would recover soon. The HTMS 'Khirirat' sustained minor damage to its rear but remained capable of operating despite the damage. An investigation into the cause of the accidental shooting was ordered. The accident might have occurred due to a failure to follow training and safety procedures. The HTMS 'Chon Buri' was required to dock at the pier of the Naval Ordnance after training because the location was isolated from the residential community and had no other ships at the dock. At the Naval Ordnance’s pier, technicians were tasked with inspecting and rectifying any malfunctions before the ship returned to its main pier. However, HTMS 'Chon Buri' disregarded these safety protocols and opted to head back to its main dock, the Laem Thian Pier, immediately after training. During repairs, the gun barrel should be positioned at an angle of over 45 degrees from the horizontal to enable any accidental shots to be fired into the sky. It appeared that in this instance, the barrel may have been left at a horizontal angle, resulting in the shot being discharged towards the nearby ship.
SALVAMAR AL NAIR
The 'Salvamar Nair' has rescues 45 people of ;Maghrebin orgin, among them six minors, who were trying to reach Lanzarote in a boat, which was located in the afternoon of March 14, by the vehicles carrier 'Grande Gabón' (IMO: 9437933 ), that was sailing to the northeast of the island on its route from SDurban to the port of Vigo. The crew notified the JRCC of Salvamento Marítimo. The migrants were taken on board by the 'Salvamar Al Nair' and taken to the port of Arrecife at around 8:30 p.m. (Canary time).
FLOATING BRIDGE 6
The 'Floating Bridge 6' is set to be replaced, the council has confirmed. The £3.5m chain ferry, which crosses the River Medina between Cowes and East Cowes, has been plagued with issues since it was installed in 2017. The council's executive cabinet unanimously agreed to replace the ship. It will now work with consultants 3S which recently found a replacement vessel would have to be redesigned. Options would be researched and brought back to the council before a new ferry was purchased. The executive body agreed previous information, gathered by the council in multiple reports and reviews over the years, should be used to inform the next stages of replacing the vessel.