The 'Quantum of the Seas' returned back to Singapore seven hours early on Jan 21, 2021, after a passenger became ill due to an non-covid medical issue. An announcement informed all passengers they would be concluding the sailing earlier than expected, and the ship would be back in port by 8 p.m. local time. The ship was scheduled to return to conclude the sailing at 6 a.m. The patient was taken to a hospital in Singapore immediately for medical treatment. The 'Quantum of the Seas' is engaged in a series of "cruises to nowhere" from Singapore, which are limited to only residents of Singapore and have no port stops.
News
JJ GAS
On Jan 20, 2021, the ‘JJ Gas‘ suffered a mechanical failure while enroute from Avilés to Burela north of Puerto Cudillero with three crew members on board. The ship requested Salvamento Marítimo for towing assistance. The SAR boat ‘Salvamar Rigel‘ (MMSI: 224003390) was mobilized from the station Gíjon and towed the vessel back to the port of Avilés at 9 p.m.
Libreville
22 and 36 nautical miles Northwest of Libreville the latest acts of piracy occurred in positions 00° 30.50’N 009°06.21’E and 00° 55.24N 009° 08 09E and involved two fishing trawlers named 'amerger II' and 'Amerger VIIÄ – the first taking place 20 nautical miles off Libreville and the second 36 n.miles off Libreville. Both incidents involved a single speedboat described as a skiff powered by three engines and having 13 pirates on board. The pirates were reported as being English-speakers which gives rise to suspicions of them being of Nigerian origin, despite this being some distance from Nigeria. The boarding of each trawler resulted in three of the crew from each vessel being kidnapped. The nationalities of those kidnapped are reported as three Indonesian, two Senegalese, and one South Korean.
Durban
On May 3, 2020, at 10.15 a.m. the NSRI Durban launched the sea rescue craft 'Alick Rennie' to transport a ShipsMed doctor to a bulk carrier at the outer anchorage off-shore of the Port of Durban. The Port Health Authorities had arranged for the doctor to take sample swabs from a crewman onboard the ship, which is due to enter Port, for Covid-19 laboratory testing prior to the ship being granted permission to enter Port. Observing all Covid-19 Department of Health and Port Health Authority safety regulations and protocols on arrival at the ship the doctor was transferred onto the ship and sample swabs were collected from the crewman. The doctor returned to the sea rescue craft accompanied by the samples that he had collected and he was brought into Durban Port without incident. Port Health Authorities evaluated the samples to determine safe passage for the ship to enter Port. The operation completed at 11.40 a.m.
GARONNE
Between Jan 6 and 7, 2021, the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic deployed the BSAM 'Garonne' and a Navy diver team of CEPHISMER to check the condition of the foreship of the Madagascar flagged tank m/v 'Tanio', 18048 gt (IMO: 5212397), which broke in two on March 7, 1980, 50 lkilometers off Batz island. The survey came four months after the intervention to plug leaks in the hull from Sep 5 to 8, 2020. These new investigations were carried out with the ROV 'Ulisse'. The operation in 90 meters depth revealed that 3 of the 10 plates, installed in September 2020 to plug corrosion holes in the hull, have since been torn off by fishing gear so that one of the holes had a new intermittent oil leak. The Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic was studying possible methods of action following the resumption of this residual pollution. At the same time, its services undertook measures to identify fishing habits near the wreck. The objective was to initiate consultation with the fishing vessels which regularly frequent the area to make them aware of the risk that trawling poses to the integrity of the wreck. The vigilance of the maritime authorities on the wreck is still strong. It was particularly carried out within the framework of the regular surveillance of the maritime approaches by satellite, air, nautical and / or terrestrial means. No pollution at sea or on the beaches has been spotted since the work carried out on the 'Tanio''s hull in September 2020.
MY W
In the morning of Jan 17, 2021, an 8.5-metre boat caught fire after refuelling in Fort Lauderdale's Bahia Mar Marina. The fire erupted next to the US flagged luxury yacht ‘My W‘, 941 gt (IMO:1011903; CS: WDL6601; MMSI:368152290), causing damage to the yacht's hull. The Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue were soon on the scene with 20 firefighters, and no one was reported injured as a result. The ‘My W‘ had recently completed a 10-month refit at Feadship and was redelivered to her owner following a successful handover trial on the North Sea. The flash fire caused only minimal damage to the Feadship yacht. No-one was hurt in the incident. The clear coat on the starboard bow was burnt by the flames. The repairs required to her hull will be carried out at the nearby Rybovich Superyacht Marina. Report with video: https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/yacht-w-fire
Port Elizabeth
On April 30, 2020, at 11.15 a.m. the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were alerted by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) requesting assistance to evacuate a Filipino crew member of a bunkering tanker at anchorage off-shore of the Port of Port Elizabeth. The man required transportation to a dentist as soon as possible and considering the Covid-19 lockdown the Port Health Authorities advised the tasking of NSRI to carry out the operation, taking into consideration that NSRI are well prepared for all Covid-19 Department of Health protocols, regulations and precautions. At 1 p.m. the sea rescue craft 'JLT Rescuer' was launched and rendezvoused with the tanker thre miles off Port Elizabeth in calm seas. The patient was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and he was brought to shore and transported to a dentist appointment by the ships agent. At 3.30 p.m. the patient returned to the Port of Port Elizabeth and he boarded our sea rescue craft JLT Rescuer and we transported him back to the ship and returned to base without incident.
Grenaa
After the gas explosion aboard the Danish dredger vessel ‘Grete Fighter‘, 582 gt (IMO: 7944762), on April 23 in the port of Grenå,the Grenaa Shipyard has not yet received a report from the Labor Inspectorate on the cause of the accident which was thought to be be due to gas emissions or diesel fumes. However, the yard has already chosen to tighten security in several areas. On April 28, a joint meeting was held where staff and management discussed what they could do to be 100 percent sure the accident cannot recur. It was decided to buy a lot of technical equipment to prevent such an explosion in the future, and some new procedures for this type of work will be intrduced. The two survivors of the accident were in critical condition.
COSTA DD
While manoevering in the port of Savona upon its arrival in the morning of Jan 22, 2021, the 'Costa Smeralda' the ship allided with the Colacem terminal. With its port side it slammed along the elevators and caused damage to the terminal silos plant, to an elevator that was pushed off the tracks as well as to the fixed structures. A lifeboat of the vessel was crushed, torn open and fell into the water. A fender was pushed onto the quayside under the pressure. The Port Authority, the Port Authority and the police attended on the quay. Fortunately there were no injuries. A steering mistake was thought to have contributed to the accident. The ship had sailed from Civitavecchia on Jan 20 and berthed at the terminal of Costa Crociere at 8 a.m. Italian report with photos and video: https://www.lavocedigenova.it/2021/01/22/leggi-notizia/argomenti/cronaca-5/articolo/savona-costa-smeralda-sbaglia-manovra-e-danneggia-gru-e-le-strutture-fisse-foto-e-video.html https://www.ilsecoloxix.it/savona/2021/01/22/news/savona-la-nave-costa-smeralda-urta-la-banchina-e-danneggia-una-gru-durante-l-attracco-una-scialuppa-finisce-in-mare-1.39805997
SETIA KILAS
The Malaysian Marine Department (Eastern Region) has instructed the Alatim Fast Bots L Inc., the owner of the 'Seatia Kilas' which sank in the Kuala Terengganu estuary, to locate the wreck to ensure that the wreckage does not drift and disrupt the shipping lanes. The search was carried out by a hydrographic survey to determine its position, taking into account the current weather conditions, where strong waves and strong currents could drift the ship. After the position is identified, there will be follow-up action involved, including removing the wreck in line with the notice issued under Section 381 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952. Checks by the department at the scene found no traces of an oil spill. The risk of an oil spill was minimal, because the diesel evaporates easily. The Marine Department will also conduct an investigation under the provisions of Section 334(1) of the same Ordinance to identify the cause of the incident for improvement purposes and to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Port Elizabeth
On May 2, 2020, at 08.50 a.m. the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew and EC Government Health EMS were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to respond to rendezvous with a bulk carrier approaching Port Elizabeth from Cape Town to attend to a 52 year old Iraqi crew member onboard the ship suffering an emergency medical condition, not Covid-19 related. The sea rescue craft 'Spirit of Toft' was launched accompanied by an EMS rescue paramedic and rendezvoused with the ship seven miles East of Cape Recife. The EMS rescue paramedic and an NSRI rescue swimmer were transferred onto the ship and the patient was found to be in a critical condition. The paramedic took over emergency medical treatment from the ships medical crew and the patient, secured into a stokes basket stretcher, was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and the EMS paramedic and NSRI medics continued with medical care onboard the sea rescue craft while the patient was brought to the NSRI Port Elizabeth sea rescue base and in the care of paramedics he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance. Despite extensive efforts by hospital medical staff the patient passed away.
Rostock
On May 2, a HLC 295000 heavy load crane of Liebherr mounted on the deck of the 'Orion I' crashed in the Seaport of Rostock during a test when lifting a pontoon which was filled with 5.550 tons of water. The crane boom broke off, and parts fell onto the 'Orion I', which started to list to port side, and onto the quay edge. Heavy metal pieces flew around. Five people inside the crane's cabin were injured by the heave jerk. The fire brigade, ambulances and police attended with a large contingent. They tried to free the victims from the steel mesh. There were two serious and three minor injuries. A total of 120 people were on board the 'Orion I' who were now being evacuated and looked after. A rescue helicopter has landed. In addition, large amounts of oil leaked out, which the fire brigade has to collect before it got into the water. It is the second accident on the Liebherr site within a few months. In January, two loading cranes fell into the water during tests. The salvage then took several months. Reports with photos and video: https://www.nonstopnews.de/meldung/32916 https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Rostock-Erneutes-Unglueck-mit-Hafenkran,hafenkran156.html https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/panorama/id_87809036/rostock-krank-knickt-im-hafen-ab-fuenf-verletzte.html