On the night of May 24, 2024, the “Sea Falcon”, en route from Caucedo, was in danger of sinking approximately 22 nautical miles south of Puerto Rico, while transiting toward the island of Tortola with four people on board, transporting two vehicles, construction materials, glass and a container with dry products. The US Coast Guard received a distress call from the captain, reporting that there was a crack in the ship's hull and that the estimated flooding rate was approximately 300 gallons per minute. The crew used water suction pumps that were not powerful enough to control the amount of water entering the ship. The USCG observers issued an UMIB to alert nearby vessel traffic of the danger and launched a Jayhawk helicopter to provide assistance at the scene and notified local marine units of the United Rapid Action Force (FURA) of the Puerto Rico Police. As the USCG helicopter arrived on scene, a rescue swimmer was deployed aboard the ship to assess the situation. He confirmed approximately three inches of water in the engine room due to a three-inch crack in the hull. Once a portable drain pump was installed, the rescue swimmer confirmed that the water level decreased to approximately two inches and the vessel could continue its voyage. The USCG helicopter crew later recovered their rescue swimmer and returned to Borinquen Air Station in Aguadilla. On May 28 at 11:48 a.m., the “Sea Falcon” safely arrived in Tortola.
News
ZELENGA
Representatives of the Western Interregional Investigative Committee for Transpor of the Russian Federation have opened a criminal case based on the allision of the 'Zelenga' with a railway bridge in Rostov for violation of traffic safety rules and operation of water transport․ While the ship's crew was not injured, the ship and part of the bridge suffered structural damages. The amount of damage to the owner of the ship and Russian Railwayswas more than a million Russian rubles. The cause of the accident was a failure of the steering control. The damaged vessel was towed out of the bridge and to a pier․ Trains can cross the bridge at a speed lower than usual․ Reports with photo and video: https://rtvi.com/visual/suhogruz-protaranil-zheleznodorozhnyj-most-cherez-don-foto-dnya/ https://e-nautilia.gr/rosiko-fortigo-ploio-prosekrouse-se-sidirodromiki-gefura-pou-trofodotei-tin-krimaia/#google_vignette
Vado Ligure
Terminal operator APM Terminals (APMT) has released a video of the final three ship-to-shore (STS) cranes arriving at the Vado Gateway terminal, which it hopes will be the next major logistics hub for the Mediterranean and Europe. The Vado Gateway terminal is scheduled to open on December 12, 2019, and will be built with a 700-meter deep-sea berth specifically to handle the latest Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS), as well as an automated gate and stacking area. APMT announced the inauguration date in July 2019 – a story PTI reported on at the time. Located in the Vado Ligure Port Complex in the northwest of the country, it will be the first semi-automated port in Italy and be integrated with an already existing reefer terminal.
Hamburg
The Port of Hamburg, Germany’s largest universal port, saw its inland and hinterland cargo traffic grow by 12.1% – 2.57 million tons – in the first quarter of 2019, according to its latest financial results. The data also shows that, for the first quarter of 2019, the Port has handled 34,640 TEU – 20ft standard containers – an increase of 20% in comparison with the same period last year.
CG SEA DRAGON
The US Coast Guard decommissioned the 'Sea Dog (WPB 87373)' and 'Sea Dragon (WPB 87367)' on May 29, 2024, during a ceremony in St. Marys, Georgia. Rear Adm. Douglas M. Schofield, Coast Guard District Seven commander, presided over the ceremony honoring the years of service the Coast Guard Cutters provided to the nation. The marine protector-class cutters assigned to Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District. The 'Sea Dragon' was commissioned in January 2008 and the 'Sea Dog' was commissioned in July 2009. Following the decommissioning ceremony, the cutters will be transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Coast Guard cutters 'Sea Devil (WPB 87368)' and 'Sea Fox (WPB 87374)' have relocated from Bangor, Washington, to replace the 'Sea Dog' and 'Sea Dragon'. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3788815/photo-release-coast-guard-cutters-sea-dog-sea-dragon-decommissioned-in-st-marys/
GUARDAMAR POLIMNIA
On May 29, the pleasure boat 'Troyona' with one crew member on board suffered an engine breakdown one nautical mile from Cala Castell. The CCS Barcelona of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Guardamar Polimnia', which took the boat in tow and safely pulled it to Palamós.
Mumbai
The Government of Maharashtra, India, India has named the Virgin Hyperloop One – DP World Consortium as Original Project Proponent (OPP) for the Pune-Mumbai Hyperloop Project, making it the first hyperloop project in the world. In a statement, Virgin Hyperloop One described it as a “landmark announcement” for the building of the Mumbai-Pune hyperloop transportation system.
Balboa
Starting August 1 and until November 30, 2019, the Panama Canal will promote the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) annual recommendations on speed and maritime transit aimed at protecting cetaceans, which include whales, dolphins and other large aquatic mammals, during their nearby seasonal migration. With these measures, ships should proceed at a speed of not more than 10 knots in specified areas. Panama has monitored this requirement since December 1, 2014 when maritime traffic separation devices (TSS) were installed by both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean entry points to the Canal.
CG-SEA-DOG
The US Coast Guard decommissioned the 'Sea Dog (WPB 87373)' and 'Sea Dragon (WPB 87367)' on May 29, 2024, during a ceremony in St. Marys, Georgia. Rear Adm. Douglas M. Schofield, Coast Guard District Seven commander, presided over the ceremony honoring the years of service the Coast Guard Cutters provided to the nation. The marine protector-class cutters assigned to Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District. The 'Sea Dragon' was commissioned in January 2008 and the 'Sea Dog' was commissioned in July 2009. Following the decommissioning ceremony, the cutters will be transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Coast Guard cutters 'Sea Devil (WPB 87368)' and 'Sea Fox (WPB 87374)' have relocated from Bangor, Washington, to replace the 'Sea Dog' and 'Sea Dragon'. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3788815/photo-release-coast-guard-cutters-sea-dog-sea-dragon-decommissioned-in-st-marys/
SALVAMAR MARKAB
On May 29, 2024, the fishing vessel 'Santa Esperanza' with two crew members on board was disabled and adrift north of Menorca. The CCS Palma of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Markab', which took the ship in tow and safely pulled it to Ciutadella.
Mombasa
The new Lamu Port in Kenya took a big step towards completion yesterday with the announcement that its first of 22 berths is finished. According to the South Sudan and Ethiopia Transport Corridor Development Authority, the second and third berths will be completed by December 2020.
Montevideo
Shandong BaoMa Fisheries Group has shelved plans to build a port in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo that could accommodate 500 Chinese vessels, amid legal complications and strong opposition from local residents and environmental organisations. The US$200 million project, which included a free trade zone, shipyard and fish processing and freezing plants, on a private 28-hectare site in Punta Yeguas, a mostly rural area with a public park, required a change in the legal designation of the land.