On March 7, 2024, the 'Chacopata' struck the ferry 'Virgen Del Valle II' (IMO: 9235866) and caused a large hole amidships above the waterline at starboard side while assisting the ferry during the docking maneuver in the Port of Guanta, in the state of Anzoátegui. The tug was steered by a captain, without the expertise required to operate this type of vessel. The ship, the only operational ferry of Conferries, was sidelined for the necessary repairs immediately. Reports with photo and video: https://www.caraotadigital.net/venezuela/remolcador-choco-y-abrio-un-gran-agujero-a-uno-de-los-barcos-de-conferry-y-todo-quedo-grabado/ https://acn.com.ve/remolcador-choco-conferry/
News
SEA-EYE 4
Since the last rescue on March 6, the 'Sea Eye 4' has been called to boats in distress two more times via Alarmphone. While in the first case the Italian Coastguard was able to take over the rescue in the presence of the rescue ship, the 'Sea Eye 4' rescued another 61 people under most difficult conditions on the night of March 8 from an unseaworthy wooden boat, which was in danger of capsizing due to the extreme amount of water ingress. Despite the challenging sea conditions, the crew managed to rescue all people safely. Since then, the medical team from German_doctors and Sea-Eye has been working under high pressure in extreme conditions: one patient was suffering from extreme fuel poisoning. The pilot had to abort the requested emergency evacuation through Malta due to difficult weather conditions. It was only on March 9 morning that the crew of an Italian helicopter managed to hoist the patient There was still particular concern for two babies aged six and 12 months. The ship headed to the port of Reggio Calabria on March 10 with 144 migrants on board. The majority of the migrants came from Syria and Somalia, and were picked up from different boats in the Mediterranean Sea, after a mission lasting two and a half weeks. The Italian authorities were now in charge of proceeding with the rescued people, distributing them in several reception centers. At the moment it was unknown if the 'Sea-Eye 4' would be detained in the port, as has frequently happened in previous operations, given that instead of Reggio Calabria, the ship was assigned by the authorities to the port of the city of Ancona as a destination.
OPEN ARMS
The Maritime aid organization Open Arms has shifted its mission from rescuing migrants in the Central Med to delivering aid to the beach in Gaza. The group has retasked the 'Open Arms' to the task of delivering a small barge laden with humanitarian supplies from World Central Kitchen and the government of the UAE. The vessel's back deck was also laden with supplies. The “Open Arms” was expected to deliver around 200 tons of drinking water, medicine and food to the Gaza Strip. The location of the planned landing site was not immediately clear; offloading a vessel of Open Arms' size would require a pier or a lightering operation. The last mile of the three-day voyage was expected to be the most complicated operation. World Central Kitchen is working on building its own jetty out of rubble in Gaza. Israeli officials inspected all of the cargo at the pier in Larnaca, Cyprus before the ship departed, ensuring that there were no concealed security-sensitive items on board. The ship was still in the port of Larnaca as of March 11, 2024. The holdup was primarily because the receiving platform in Gaza, designated to accommodate the ship’s cargo of roughly 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid, was not yet prepared. Report with photos: https://maritime-executive.com/article/food-aid-groups-plan-their-own-barge-delivery-to-gaza
APOLLON HELLAS
In the morning of March 9, 2024, the Central Port Authority of Piraeus was informed by the Master of the 'Apollon Hellas', that during the scheduled route of the ship from the port of Piraeus to the port of Aegina, there was a mechanical failure in the port side main engine. The ship returned to the port under its own power and safely disembarked the 453 passengers as well as the loaded vehicles. The Piraeus Port Authority banned the ship from sailing until the damage was repaired and a certificate of class preservation was presented by the monitoring classification society. The passengers and vehicles were forwarded to their destination by the care of the shipping company.
SALVAMAR POLARIS
On March 10, 2024, the motor yacht 'Scandal', with two people on board, stranded on rocks near Vlillanueva y Geltru and suffered a leak, being about to capsize when pounded by the surf,. listing heavily to port side. The JRCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Barcelona mobilized the 'Salvamar Polaris', the SAR helicopter Helimer 221 and the 'LS Neptuno' of the Red Cross as well as fire fighters which attended from the shore. The Helimer 221 hoisted the crew on board in good condition. They were safely dropped off at the pier of the port. Report with video: https://twitter.com/salvamentogob/status/1766834712029303250
VIRGEN DEL VALLE II
On March 7, 2024, the tug 'Chacopata' (IMO: 9789439) struck the 'Virgen Del Valle II' and caused a large hole amidships above the waterline at starboard side while assisting the ferry during the docking maneuver in the Port of Guanta, in the state of Anzoátegui. The tug was steered by a captain, without the expertise required to operate this type of vessel. The ship, the only operational ferry of Conferries, was sidelined for the necessary repairs immediately. Reports with photo and video: https://www.caraotadigital.net/venezuela/remolcador-choco-y-abrio-un-gran-agujero-a-uno-de-los-barcos-de-conferry-y-todo-quedo-grabado/ https://acn.com.ve/remolcador-choco-conferry/
GEO BARENTS
The “Geo Barents” has disembarked 132 rescued boat people at Civitavecchia on March 9. However, just as many more had to stay on board on instructions from the Italian authorities and would only be allowed to disembark in Genoa, explained “Doctors Without Borders”. This meaningless instruction forced, among other things, children under the age of three and two people who urgently needed medical care to remain on board in rough seas, until the ship reached the port on March 11.
GENERAL FRANK BESSON
The US has sent the first ship carrying equipment to build the planned pier on the Gaza Strip coast. The 'General Frank S. Besson' from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, departed the Joint Base Langley-Eustis on March 9, 2024l, less than 36 hours after US President Joe Biden's announcement for Gaza, that he would build a temporary dock for ships carrying aid supplies for the suffering population of the Gaza Strip. There are currently no ports there that could be used for aid deliveries by sea. Report with photo: https://www.upi.com/News_Photos/view/upi/630511a44735dc465863d3b7140de0ed/US-Army-Vessel-General-Frank-S-Besson-LSV-1-Departs-En-Route-to-the-Eastern-Mediterranean/
CG JOSEPH NAPIER
The 'Joseph Napier' offloaded 182 kilograms of cocaine and transferred custody of two male smugglers to federal law enforcement authorities in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on March 8, 2024. The British Royal Navy HMS 'Trent (P224)', operating with a Coast Guard LEDET onboard, had seized the contraband and apprehended two smugglers, Dominican Republic nationals, following the interdiction of a go-fast vessel in Caribbean Sea waters southwest coast of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, on March 3 as a result of interagency efforts in support of the Coast Guard’s Western Hemisphere Strategy and Operation Unified Resolve. The Drug Enforcement Administration was leading the investigation in this case. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3701780/coast-guard-offloads-45-million-in-seized-cocaine-transfers-custody-of-2-smuggl/
FIOR DI LEVANTE
In the afternoon of March 7, 2024, the Port Authority of Zakynthos was informed that a 50-year-old patient, who had boarded the 'Fior di Levante' with an ambulance, needed immediate hospital care. The ship, which was sailing from Zakynthos to Kyllini, returned to the port of Zakynthos, where the ambulance disembarked safely and the woman was transferred to the Zakynthos General Hospital. The ship set sail again to carry out its scheduled route.
HDMS IVER HUITFELDT
The 'Iver Huitfeldt' shot down four drones in the Red Sea on the night of March 9, which had been launched from the Houthi-controlled part of Yemen. Other warships and aircraft of the international coalition shot down another 11 drones. The operating room Iver Huitfeldt. At a little after 04:00 local time the crew recognized a drone which was heading towards the 'Iver Huitfeldt' and the surrounding ships. After making sure it was an enemy, they engaged and defeated it. During the following hour, this happened three more times. Commander Sune Lund expressed relief that they were able to act professionally in the face of a serious threat like this, and he was very proud of their efforts, feeling confident about the future solutio. No people on board the frigate were injured in connection with the night's incident, nor was the ship damaged.
SWM SALVE REGINA
A total of 223 passengers and crew members were rescued from the 'SWM Salve Regina', which ran aground off Romblon in the night of March 10, 2024, off Sitio Agbuyog in Barangay Capaclan, at around 11: 45 p.m. The vessel had departed from Magdiwang Port, Romblon, and was bound for Romblon, when the incident happened. It was carrying 168 passengers and 55 crew members, as well as 21 vehicles. Personnel from the Coast Guard Station Romblon responded and rescued all passengers who were subjected to a medical checkup. Meanwhile, the crew members were also checked but they opted to stay onboard the vessel for monitoring. No sign of oil spill was observed following the incident. Report with photo: https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/10/223-passengers-crew-saved-from-distressed-ship-off-romblon?__cf_chl_tk=5PPmTEZtGOwoO9tx4iZnQemc5Yuwy2fmq5xbzAdij.k-1710151170-0.0.1.1-1749
SEA-WATCH 5
After rescuing 56 people from distress in the Mediterranean, the “Sea-Watch 5” was arrested by the Italian authorities for 20 days in Pozzalla on March 8. Italy had previously assigned the “Sea-Watch 5” to the port of Ravenna, more than 1,500 kilometers away. “The seizure of the ‘Sea-Watch 5’ is a purely political maneuver,” explained spokesman Oliver Kulikowski. “Italy seems to be using every means to distract attention from its failure to provide assistance.” Sea-Watch announced that it would challenge the decision in court. Before, a 17-year-old on board the ship, who was rescued from distress on March 6, had died. Italy, Malta and Tunisia did not initiate a medical evacuation despite requests to do so. Four other people in critical condition were only brought to the Italian mainland after nine hours.
KRITI II
The Port Authorities of Poros, Lavrio, Saronikos, Aegina and Piraeus were informed in the morning of March 10, 2024, that the 'Kriti II' suffered a damage to the starboard side main engine on the scheduled route from the port of Chania to the port of Piraeus with 277 passengers and 81 crew members on board. The ferry sailed under its own power at reduced speed to the port of Piraeus, where it safely disembarked its passengers and vehicles. The Central Port Authority of Piraeus banned the ship from sailing until the repair of the damage and the presentation of a certificate of class maintenance by the monitoring classification society. Then was allowed to continue its scheduled route to the port of Heraklion.
PROPEL FORTUNE
The 'Propel Fortune', en route from Dhamra and sailing 50 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, was attacked by the Houthis on March 8, 2024. Fortunately, the ship and crew were safe. The ship's captain reported two explosions in front of the ship. The captain also stated that the ship suffered no damage and would continue the voyage to the next port. The Houthis targeted the vessel and a number of U.S. war destroyers at the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 37 drones. The U.S. military and coalition forces downed at least 28 UAVs over the Red Sea in the early hours of March 9. No U.S. or Coalition Navy vessels were damaged in the attack and there were also no reports by commercial ships of damage.
FRIDTHJOF
The 'Fridthjof' sank in the early morning of MArch 9, 2024, on the lower Trave in Lübeck. 30 liters of oil leaked out. An acquaintance of the ship's owner noticed that the ship was full of water and alerted the fire department. The emergency services prepared devices for pumping the water out, but before the pumps could be started, the ship sank much faster than expected. While no people were missing, according to the owner of the ship, there may have been a dog on board. As it was already too late for a rescue operation, divers didn't go into the water. It was unclear whether the animal was actually on board when the wooden ship sank near the lift bridge. The 1881 built galleass was once a sealer and whaler and was considered dilapidated and no longer seaworthy. The fire brigade placed oil barriers around the wreckso that the water would not be further polluted. The lower water authority will order the ship owner to have the wreck properly secured and salvaged. Report with photo: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/Traditionssegler-im-Luebecker-Hafen-gesunken,segler310.html