The Nigarian Navy has arrested the 'Blue Shark' following an alert issued by the Multinational Maritime Coordination Center Zone D on May 2, 2024. The vessel was alleged to have escaped from Port Gentil Gabon at about 11:35 p.m. without obtaining necessary customs clearance documents from the Gabonese maritime, judicial and customs authorities. The Nigerian Navy, using her Maritime Domain Awareness facilities vectored the Nigerian Navy Ship 'Ose'to intercept and arrest the vessel on May 6 at 11.50 a.m. 52 in pos. 040 49 929’ N, 008017 602’E, off Calabar.
News
MSC MERAVIGLIA
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.
Papenburg
The Meyer shipyard located in Papenburg, Germany, announced, they secured an order for a new cruise ship. The new customer is NYK who placed an order for a medium size cruise ship for their brand Asuka Cruises. Full article + image: https://www.cruisedeck.de/meyer-werft-sichert-sich-neubau-auftrag/
Cochin
The Cochin Port Trust handled a record 3.20 million tonnes of cargo in December 2020, a monthly record volume for it. The volume is a 10.55 per cent growth over December 2019, said Cochin Port Trust chairperson M. Beena, in a message to the employees and officials of the port trust. Container movement too touched a consistent 60,000 TEUs consecutively in the four months leading to December. The surge in the movement of cargo is being looked upon as new shoots in the port business after the plans of 2020 were washed away in the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth in cargo movement is “charting a new growth trajectory. However, we need to find new vistas for revenue generation by optimum utilisation of resources available to us,” the chairperson told the port community. The port has been recovering from the losses, which had affected it for the past decade. But the pandemic and resultant loss in business had pushed the port into the red. But the port was expected to make a recovery by the end of 2021, the chairperson said. There was optimism stemming from the fact that though there was a substantial fall in cargo movement in the first half of the current financial year, there was some recovery in the second half. The port trust was also optimistic that the inauguration of the Kochi-Mangaluru LNG pipeline earlier this month would pave the way for more gas volumes and revenue for the port. Meanwhile, figures from the Indian Ports Association showed that ports across the country suffered owing to the pandemic and its impact on the global economy. The average fall across the major ports in the country is nearly nine per cent for the period. Mumbai suffered a fall of more than 17 per cent and the Momugao traffic fell more than 23 per cent and JNPT traffic was down by over 12 per cent. Haldia Dock Complex, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, and New Mangaluru suffered lesser falls in business.
PRESTIGIOUS
The 'Prestigious', apprehended on suspicion of engaging in illegal oil bunkering, was still in the custody of the Nigerian Navy on the Bonny River Anchorage. The vessel belongs to an oil service and transportation company, Newcross Exploration and Production Ltd., which uses it to service barges that convey crude to oil export mother ships on the high seas off Bonny. It was arrested by the Inspector-General of Police’s Oil Bunkering Team on suspicion of engaging in illegal oil bunkering.
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.
Cochin
The coast guard found signs of an accident on the British oil tanker Orange Victoria which was seized in COCHIN after the accident involving a fishing boat on the coast of Vizhinjam The Fort Kochi Coastal Police and the Marine Mercantile Division conducted an inspection of the ship anchored in the open sea on Saturday morning .The paint on this part has been collected by scientific experts for scientific examination . Captain Nikhil told the Coastal Police that they were not aware that the ship had collided with the boat . There are 23 sailors on board . The ship while en route from Singapore to Indian port, presumably struck fiberglass fishing boat 46 nm off COCHIN at night Mar 18. boat was damaged, all 6 crew safe. Hull paint samples are taken, to conduct lab analysis
CELEBRITY EDGE
Authorities in Hawaii were investigating claims that the 'Celebrity Edge' had sailed too close to shore when passing Hawaii’s protected Na Pali coast, en route from Honolulu to Vancouver. It allegedly came within 1,000 feet of Kauai’s north shore last week. Local laws prohibit ships with more than 50 passengers from sailing within 3,000 feet of the island’s coast. Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) was aware of these incidents and an investigation was continuing. The DLNR has also consulted with the US Coast Guard and Department of was aware on the matter. The 'Celebrity Edge' has since left Hawaii and was heading for Vancouver, where it is due to arrive on May 11, 2024.
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.
Chittagong
Crew change have resumed at the port of Chittagong, albeit to a limited extent. In case of joining, covid negative certificate is required. In case of sign off, the crew will have to undergo a covid test at a local government approved hospital. Which takes a total of 3 days to stay in a hotel. Then he has to show immigration and airlines authorities when he gets on the plane. We've learned from talking to a crew service provider that this process is safe for all parties. NC Shipping's operations manager said Chittagong port service is now much more efficient and less time consuming. All rules are governed by international standards. "Even in the covid pandemic lockdown, we get international quality service from Chittagong port which has played a positive role in the operation of our ships and maintaining the dynamism of the maritime trade," he added. He thinks crew change approval is part of a continuous process. This is a valiant decision of the government and port authorities