The 'Royal Romance' belonging to the oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, has been granted a certificate of the right to fly the state flag of Ukraine on May 15, 2024, and the corresponding changes have already been registered with the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This statement was made by the Ukrainian Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA). Through joint efforts of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency and the Shipping Administration, the seizedluxury yacht Royal has been granted the status of a Ukrainian vessel, which means that the vessel is under Ukrainian jurisdiction. According to Shipping Administration Head Yevhen Ihnatenko, the corresponding changes were registered with the IMO. This will facilitate the further sale of the seized yacht and the transfer of the proceeds to the state budget of Ukraine. The Dutch auction house, Troostwijk Auctions, won the ARMA’s tender to auction the seized yacht, but refused to sign a further agreement to organize the auction. The yacht, worth an estimated 200 million Euros, was seized by Croatian authorities in March 2022 in relation to EU sanctions imposed on Medvedchuk.
News
SAMARIA I
On MAy 15, 2024, at noon , the Port Authority of Paleochora was informed that during the mooring manoever of the 'Samaria I', there was an impact on the pier of Skala Paleochora, Chania, due to a sudden gust of wind and high waves. The ferry suffered a breach approximately ten centimeters in diameter and approximately fifty centimeters long in the bow bulkhead approximately half a meterabove the waterline. The ship safely disembarked the passengers and vehicles, and no injuries were reported and no marine pollution was observed. The Paleochora Port Station, which conducted the preliminary investigation, banned the ship from sailing until a certificate of seaworthiness has been presented by themonitoring classification society.
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.
US GOV VESSEL 87
The USS 'Mason' intercepted an inbound Houthi anti-ship missile over the Red Sea on May 13, 2024, after Yemen's Houthis said on May 15 that they had targeted the warship. The US forces also destroyed two drones. The Houthis said they had also targeted a vessel called 'Destiny' in the Red Sea. There was, however, no evidence of an attack on the 'Destiny' in recent days. The vessel and crew were safe, with no issues. The Houthis said they targeted the 'Destiny' because it had been en route for the Israeli port of Eilat on April 20.
MISS SALLY DANE
On May 15, 2024, the 'Miss Sally Dane' was deployed to remove the oil barge 'MMLP 321', carrying 30,000 barrels of vacuum gas oil, which had broken lose from a tug and allided with the Pelican Island Causeway, causing it to partially collapse, at 9.48 a.m. The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated the response along with local, state, and federal agencies. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Station Galveston boat crew to respond. 3,000 feet of containment boom were deployed in the vicinity of the allision. The intercoastal waterway has been closed from Pelican Cut (mile marker 351.5) to the Galveston Causeway (mile marker 357.3) and a 5.8-mile safety zone has been issued for the surrounding waters. Mariners were urged to avoid the area. No injuries have been reported. The barge had slammed into a bridge pillar, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to Pelican Island, that is home to a university. One person on the barge was knocked into the water and quickly rescued. The barge had gone adrift from a tug which was backing out of the Texas International Terminals, a fuel storage operator next to the bridge, after losing control of two barges it was pushing. The current was very bad, and the tide was high. Fire trucks drove over the bridge as workers and law enforcement officials looked at the remnants of the collapsed rail line. A large piece of broken concrete and debris from the railroad was hanging off the side of the bridge and laying on the barge. The rail line only serves as protection for the structure and has never been used. Engineers from the Texas Department of Transportation were en route to inspect the roadway and determine if there was damage. The bridge remained closed until it is deemed safe to use. Involved with the response were: - U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston; - U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Texas City; - U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Houston; - U.S. Coast Guard Station Galveston; - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; - Texas Department of Transportation; - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; - Texas Parks and Wildlife; - Texas General Land Office; - Texas A&M; - Galveston County Office of Emergency Management; - Galveston County Police Department; - Galveston Fire Department. Reports with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3776804/coast-guard-partner-agencies-responding-to-pelican-island-causeway-allision-in/ https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/barge-hit-bridge-galveston-texas-oil-spill/3541844/
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
AR MILINO
on May 14 at 2:01 p.m., due to lack of new information, the SAR operation for the missing crew member of the 'Ar Milino' was suspended. At 1:01 a.m., the master of the ship had alerted the CROSS Corsen after the 40-year-old man was swept away during the casting of the fishing net. The CROSS Corsen immediately broadcasted a Mayday relay and deployed the H160 helicopter of the French Navy base in Lanvéoc, the lifeboats 'SNS 098' and 'SNS 088' of the SNSM station of Ploumanac’h and the island of Batz; the customs launch 'DF46' and a fishing boat, the “Kraken”, which immediately responded to the Mayday Relay. At 1:44 a.m., the “Ar Milino” reported having pulled up its net with no sign of the missing person. At 2:49 a.m., the Civil Security Dragon 29 helicopter took over from the H160 helicopter. At daybreak, numerous fishing boats joined the search. At 08:00 a.m., the SNSM boas 'SNS 218' from Trebeurden, 'SNS 295 from Roscoff and 'SNS 718 from Tregastel reached the search area. At the same time, the H160 and Dragon 29 helicopters took turns until mid-morning.
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