The NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement was conducting an investigation after a dead whale was found caught on the bow of the 'MSC Meraviglia' when it approached the port in Brooklyn, New York, on May 4, 2024. The roughly 44-foot-long sei whale was towed to shore at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for a necropsy, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries spokesperson Andrea Gomez. The examination, done on May 7, found broken bones in its right flipper and evidence of tissue trauma along the right shoulder blade region. The gastrointestinal tract was full of food, as well. The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, the lead on the case, said that the whale was a mature female.
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SAGAMORE
The 'Sagamore' left Larnaca to a new makeshift port off the Gaza Strip on May 9, 2024. The aim was to deliver as much aid as possible via the maritime corridor. About two months ago, US President Biden commissioned the American armed forces to build a floating pier, which was recently completed. The platform is located a few kilometers from the coast of the Gaza Strip and is intended to become a hub for humanitarian aid. There is no port in the Palestinian territory deep enough for larger cargo ships.
Chittagong
Chittagong Port wants to construct new facility at Ananda Bazar, North Halishohor. It includes construction of breakwater for about 11km, dredging construction of a multi-purpose terminal and two container terminals. It is a project with a possible value above USD 2 Billion. After the decision of the government, PPPA communicated with ESG to nominate a suitable company for the project as a requirement of G2G PPP Policy of Bangladesh and they have nominated PSA Singapore.. Objective: To Provide a major gateway for the country's trade with the outside world Primary issue is the limiting factor in accommodating larger vessel sizes and so Chittagong Port Authority intends to construct the "Bay Terminal” to improve the quality of services and develop adequate facilities and decrease the pressure on the existing Chittagong Port. Enhance competitiveness of the country’s exports as prices of imported and exported commodities decrease as a result of shorter shipping time and lower shipping costs. Exporters would incur lower financial costs for their shipments due to the shorter processing and shipping time for their cargo.
MSC ARIES
Iran has released seven crew members from the 'MSC Aries'. About 17 people were still on board. The Portuguese government announced this on May 9. According to the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, Iran has released five Indians, one Filipino and one Estonian. The Estonian was the only European of the 25 crew members. One Indian citizen had also previously been released, as Iran had announced on April 18. At the end of April, Tehran had announced that the other crew members would also be released.
CARNIVAL VENEZIA
A US Air Force rescue team airlifted a passenger needing urgent medical care from the 'Carnival Venezia' on May 4, 2024. The operation involved three helicopter air-to-air refuelings to reach the vessel, which was returning to port in New York City after stops in the Bahamas and Caribbean, which was sailing about 350 nautical miles from the US mainland. Called into action from Patrick Space Force Base in Florida were two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and two teams of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen, the release said. The mission was carried out by two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and two teams of rescuers. The eight-hour mission covered more than 1,200 miles round trip over open ocean. The mission was carried out by two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft and two teams of rescuers. The eight-hour mission covered more than 1,200 miles round trip over open ocean. Because of the distance that had to be covered, the 920th Rescue Wing had to employ the helicopter air-to-air refuelings. When the aircraft arrived, rescuers were hoisted down from the helicopters and began preparing the patient for transport. The patient and his mother were taken up into the helicopter, and he received medical attention en route to a hospital on the mainland. The cruise line worked with Air Force and US Coast Guard officials to adjust Venezia’s course to meet the helicopter. The ship continued towards New York after the airlift and arrived as scheduled on May 6. Report with photos: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/us-air-force-medical-airlift-carnival-cruise-ship/index.html
Chittagong
THE SUPER CYCLONE ‘AMPHAN’ (PRONUNCIATION: UM-PUN) (ECP: 926 HPA) OVER WEST CENTRAL BAY AND ADJOINING AREA MOVED NORTH- NORTHEASTWARDS AND NOW LIES OVER THE SAME AREA (LAT. 16.0°N, LONG. 86.7°E) AND WAS CENTRED AT 06 AM TODAY (19 MAY, 2020) ABOUT 890 KM SOUTHWEST OF CHATTOGRAM PORT, 840 KM SOUTHWEST OF COX’S BAZAR PORT, 785 KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF MONGLA PORT AND 775 KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PAYRA PORT. IT IS LIKELY TO MOVE IN A NORTH-NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AND MAY CROSS BANGLADESH COAST BETWEEN KHULNA-CHATTOGRAM DURING LATE NIGHT 19 MAY 2020 TO AFTERNOON / EVENING 20 MAY 2020. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND SPEED WITHIN 90 KMS OF THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS ABOUT 225 KPH RISING TO 245 KPH IN GUSTS/ SQUALLS. SEA WILL REMAIN VERY HIGH NEAR THE CYCLONE CENTRE. MARITIME PORTS OF MONGLA AND PAYRA HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP HOISTED DANGER SIGNAL NUBMER SEVEN (R) SEVEN. COASTAL DISTRICTS OF SATKHIRA, KHULNA, BAGHERHAT, JHALOKATHI, PIROZPUR, BORGUNA, PATUAKHALI, BHOLA, BARISHAL, LAXMIPUR, CHANDPUR AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS WILL COME UNDER DANGER SIGNAL NUMBER SEVEN (R) SEVEN. MARITIME PORTS OF CHATTOGRAM AND COX’S BAZAR HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP HOISTED DANGER SIGNAL NUBMER SIX (R) SIX. COASTAL DISTRICTS OF NOAKHALI, FENI, CHATTOGRAM AND COX’S BAZAR THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS WILL COME UNDER DANGER SIGNAL NUMBER SIX (R) SIX. UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE VERY SEVERE CYCLONIC STORM “AMPHAN” AND THE NEW MOON PHASE, THE LOW-LYING AREAS OF THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF SATKHIRA, KHULNA, BAGHERHAT, JHALOKATHI, PIROZPUR, BORGUNA, PATUAKHALI, BHOLA, BARISHAL, LAXMIPUR, CHANDPUR, NOAKHALI, FENI, CHATTOGRAM AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS ARE LIKELY TO BE INUNDATED BY STORM SURGE OF 4-5 FEET HEIGHT ABOVE NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL TIDE. THE COASTAL DISTRICTS OF SATKHIRA, KHULNA, BAGHERHAT, JHALOKATHI, PIROZPUR, BORGUNA, PATUAKHALI, BHOLA, BARISHAL, LAXMIPUR, CHANDPUR, NOAKHALI, FENI, CHATTOGRAM AND THEIR OFFSHORE ISLANDS AND CHARS ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE WIND SPEED UP TO 140-160 KPH IN GUSTS/ SQUALLS WITH HEAVY TO VERY HEAVY FALLS DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE STORM. ALL FISHING BOATS AND TRAWLERS OVER NORTH BAY AND DEEP SEA HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY AND WILL REMAIN IN SHELTER TILL FURTHER NOTICE.
Chittagong
Currently, more than 4,000 TEUs of import containers can be unloaded every day allowing vessels to complete loading and unloading goods at a faster rate, which helps reduce the vessels' stay time at jetties. Vessels' berth occupancy time that had reached 6-7 days last month came down to 3-4 days now, port officials said. The vessels' waiting time at the outer anchorage for getting berths has also dropped to 13-14 days from 16-18 days. Subsequently, the number of vessels waiting at the outer anchorage declined to 24 yesterday though the number hovered around 36 before the steps were taken. AIS Station -BDCGP
HNLMS KAREL DOORMAN
On May 11 at around 6:45 a.m. Dutch time, the Zr.Ms. 'Karel Doorman' was the first of a group of ships to enter the Suez Canal, on its way to the Red Sea. The logistics support ship previously suffered from technical problems that forced the Suez Canal passage to be postponed. On May 6, the ship was scheduled to exchange the Mediterranean Sea for the Red Sea to join the EU mission Aspides. That did not happen after problems with the Goalkeepers occurred for a relatively long time after departure. The rapid-fire guns responsible for proximity defense against rapidly incoming targets suffered from malfunctions. Due to the nature of the mission and the high threat, no risks were taken and the deployment was postponed for a while. Experts were flown in from the Netherlands to support the technicians on board. After repairs, the ship went back to sea for tests on May 7.
GUARDAMAR CALIOPE
On May 10 a distress call by telephone was issued by a boat 50 nautical miles away from Lanzarote. The merchant ships 'World Prize' and 'Kalahari Express' thereuppon diverted, each one sighting a different boat. The RCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Las Palmas mobilized the 'Guardamar Calíope', which rescues 68 people on board the first and 61 on the second boat. All 129 migrants were disembarked at Arrecife. Report with photos: https://twitter.com/salvamentogob/status/1789201851474198674
Varna
A global petition aiming to draw the attention of the general public to the problems of over 150 000 seafarers that cannot leave or cannot joint ship crews due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative belongs to the International Marittime Organization (IMO) Goodwill Maritime Ambassador for Bulgaria Capt. Andriyan Evtimov. The purpose is to have the document signed online by at least the same number of people as that of the blocked by the COVID-19 seafarers, and then send it to the IMO member-state governments with an appeal for immediate and urgent measures to facilitate the movement of seafaring personnel. Currently, only a few countries permit crewmember exchange in their ports, which has a direct negative impact on seafarers’ wellbeing, on the safety of navigation and the global supply chains. The petition, which can be accessed at www.seafarersmatter.com, draws to the attention of the governments that the maritime industry is the backbone of world trade and any continuation of the restrictive measures currently in place against the seafarers would lead to detrimental effect for the global economy. More than 90% of world trade takes place by sea and the seafarers are those who constantly and in personal deprivation carry out their mission ensuring the operation of the supply chains, including such for medical supplies to combat the pandemic. You can access the petition online at www.seafarersmatter.com
Chittagong
The Department of Shipping (DoS) has asked the shipping lines not to realise container detention charge on import and export shipments during the lockdown period, spurred by COVID-19 outbreak. The shipping lines are also advised not to impose any new or additional charges until May 5 when the 41-day shutdowns end. The department issued the advisory on Wednesday, which sparked resentment among the shipping agents in the country. Usually, containers get free time for 14 days after the common landing date and thereafter charged between $5 and $10 per day as detention charge until the importers return those to the port or off-docks. Associate director of Transmarine Logistics Ltd, the local agent of Yang Ming Line, Mohammad Ahsanuzzaman told the FE on Thursday most shipping lines operate their fleet on a leasing basis and pay for the rental daily. Due to the prolonged congestions at the Chittagong port, the containers now have to stay for 15 days at the outer anchorage and at berth, compared with a minimum of three to four days in recent past, he said. During the shutdown period, the containers are lying at the Chittagong port for several weeks when the designated free days expire. "The shipping lines will have to pay container rent besides the opportunity cost, but now the shipping department is asking us not to charge detention fee on importers, which is a mere cost recovery for the liners. This is not acceptable at all when you consider the impact of COVID-19 has on us," he said. "Shipping lines will incur huge financial losses if the order is implemented," said Mr Ahsanuzzaman. Chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) Ahsanul Huq Chowdhury told the FE on Thursday vessels are staying at the outer anchorage and berth for weeks and counting millions of taka as demurrage. Deptt order angers shipping agentsA few days back, shipping agents had requested the government to waive some charges like port dues, pilotage fees, berthing and unbreathing tariffs, quay gantry crane, loading or discharging the container, storage charges, container and non-CPA equipment, and store rent for containers at off-docks. "The government paid no heed to our appeal rather issued an order not to realise the detention charge," Mr Chowdhury said. He said the department issued the advisory in line with the measures taken in Indian ports. But the reality is there is no such congestions in Indian ports and vessels there enter and leave in time while at the Chittagong port an additional two weeks are required in ship handling, he said. After the shipping department's advisory, he wrote that the imposition or waiver of detention charge of containers depends on foreign principals. "The principals may not consider the waiving of the container detention charge unless the government waives or reduces port tariffs for vessels," he noted. AIS station, Chittagong