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The "Arklow Resolve", being route from Belfast to Ipswich, with 4815 tons of stones as cargo and a crew of eight on board, got its gearbox coupling destroyed in position 51 27 46.5N, 005 55 30.8W, 35 miles from St. Annes Head, on Aug 17, 2019, at 5.55 p.m. The ship went adrift and needed tug assistance in order to tow it to Swansea. The crew dropped anchor and maintained vigilant watch to ensure no drag occured, There were regular communication checks between Milford Haven CGOC and the vessel, The tug "Cannis" was called from Plymouth and arrived on scene on Aug 18 at 5.15 a.m. and took the vessel in tow at 6.15 a.m. with an ETA as of Aug 19, 6 a.m. The harbour master in Swansea was informed and fully aware of the situation.

On Aug 18, the ferry "Bahama Mama" was inserted by the Baléaria Company as a replacement for the "Pinar del Río" which remained stuck on the northern breakwater of Dénia. The first departure on the Dénia-Evissa-Palma route will be at 5:45 from Palma. Passengers and vehicles that had reservations for all departures on the "Pinar del Rio" during the weekend ave been relocated to four other ships of the company: the fast ferries "Ramon Llull" and "Cecilia Payne", which operate from the port of Dénia, and the "Marie Curie" and "Hedy Lamarr", which operate from Valencia. Salvamento Marítimo deployed during oil barriers around the ferry in the afternoon of Aug 17 as a precaution. Actually there has been no fuel spill. Ship traffic in and out of Dénia was unaffected too. The shipping company was still working on the evaluation of the damage to the starboard hull and developed a refloating plan to be able to transfer the ship to the port and disembark the vehicles that remained stuck inside. Spanish report with photo: https://lamarinaplaza.com/2019/08/17/otro-buque-de-balearia-reemplaza-al-siniestrado-en-el-puerto-de-denia-en-la-linea-con-eivissa-y-palma/

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.

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.

The "Trans Jawa 9" ran aground due to engine trouble on Aug 17, 2019, at 9.50 a.m. at off Gilimanuk in wWstern Bali, upon its arrival from Banyuwangi, Java. The ferry had on board 35 passengers five tow masters, eights trucks, two small vehicles and four motorcycles. After an attempt to refloat the vessel by the KMP "Prima Jaya 9" failed, it was decided to evacuate the passengers to shore by an SAR team which was deployed at 11.40 a.m. At 11.50 a.m. the disembarkation started, and at midnight it was completed. Indonesian report with photo: https://www.tribunnews.com/regional/2019/08/18/kmp-trans-jawa-9-kandas-di-perairan-gilimanuk-35-penumpang-dan-abk-dievakuasi

picture from Aliaga https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Sr4TcAXN4/

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.

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.

On Aug 17, 2019, the "Koryo Maru No 51" was disabled by an engine failure off Las Palmas and asked for assistance. Salvamento Marítimo deployed the SAR ship "Miguel Cervantes" which established a towing connection at 03:50 a.m. aA 11:45 the vessel was safely berthed at the large jetty in Las Palmas. Photo: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECM9sv5X4AAOj5I?format=jpg&name=360x360

Beached at Chittagong 02.08.19

Financing has been secured for a €305m infrastructure upgrade by Gabon Special Economic Zone Ports (GSEZ Ports) at Owendo Port in Gabon. PIDG company, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), has arranged the long-term debt finance for GSEZ Ports, which has been awarded a 30-year concession to build and operate the port. EAIF is also lending the company €40m over 15 years, while the African Development Bank (AfDB), which led the structuring of the finance, is lending €40m.

Mumbai Port’s decision to raise the draft level to 10.3 metres and 11 metres to dock vessels at BPX and BPS respectively, subject to low tides being over 60 cm has been welcomed by maritime fraternity. This has avoided the waiting period for the vessels arriving with deep drafts till the tide is favorable for berthing. At times, such vessels had to arrange for discharging the import cargo for reducing the draft in stream and only subsequently berth at BPX/BPS.