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In the morning of Dec 13, 2018, the "Epsilon", 1399 ts (ENI-No.: 01823394), being loaded with 1050 tons of steel plates and coming from Ghent, ran onto the Western harbor dam of the Eastern foreport of Terneuzen. The tug "Multratug 27" was quickly on site and was able to pull the ship off almost immediately. The barge was moored in the East Port for inspections during which a leak in the bow was found. The subsequent water ingress could be coped with the ship's own pump. Later the offshore tug "Multrasalvor 5" (IMO: 8871625) assisted with additional pumps. At 9 a.m. the tug picked up divers in the ferry port which will temporarily seal the leak so that the ship can proceed to its destination Montereau and unload its cargo before permanent repairs are effected. Dutch reports with photos and video: https://www.tugspotters.com/app/content/2018/12/multratug-27-haalt-geladen-binnenvaartschip-van-dam-oostbuitenhaven-te-terneuzen/ https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/109928/Binnenvaartschip-lek-na-vastlopen-op-dam https://www.bndestem.nl/zeeland/binnenvaartschip-loopt-vast-op-strekdam-bij-terneuzen-en-slaat-lek~a09fb287/

The engine repairs of the "Solong" at the Norderyard and subsquently the Blohm & Voss Yard in Hamburg have been completed on Dec 13 after nearly three months. The ship left the yard in the early morning and berthed at warehouse 77B in the Ellerholz Port in Hamburg at 6.15 a.m.

ABB is to deliver a marine automation system for a China-built cruise ferry for the first time, after signing an agreement to implement its technology onboard Viking Line’s new LNG vessel. Currently under construction at Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co’s yard, the 2,800-passenger cruise ferry will be equipped with the ABB Ability System 800xA. The solution is built on the Microsoft Azure cloud and consolidates power, propulsion and vessel management systems into one platform. This will provide crew and onshore personnel with a comprehensive overview of the newbuild’s operational performance, while the additional marine automation functionality will improve project management and vessel efficiency. Viking Line’s ice-class newbuild will also benefit from ABB’s electrical power generation, distribution systems and bow thruster motors. Plus, she will be the first cruise ferry in the world to feature ABB’s twin XO 2100-type Azipod propulsion units.

THE LAST ONE IS GOODD

The "Glovis Maple", being moored in position 20 55 12 N, 107 17 41 E, at the Cam Pha anchorage was boarded by an unknown number of perpetrators armed with knives on Dec 9, 2018, at 11.10 p.m.from a wooden boat through the anchor chain hawse pipe by removing the cover. They broke the forecastle entrance padlock including the Niger lock, removed the additional securing lashing, stole ship's property and escaped. No crew members were injured during the incident.

On Dec 12, 2018, at 10.30 a.m. the "Johann Strauss" suffered engine damage and went adrift on the Rhine near Koblenz with 167 persons on board. It was threatened to drift against a pole of the freeway bridge of the A 48 at Bendorf in spite of having dropped both bow anchors. Only meters before crashing into the bridge the disabled cabin cruiser could be taken in tow by the tank barge "Eiltank 19" and was secured. Jointly with another tank barge, the "Tripolis", the ship could be pulled to the quay in Bendorf. One of the tank barges suffered slight damages during the manoever. The water police Koblenz, the fire brigade and the Red Cross attended the ship. Rhine traffic was barred for one hour. After a repair of some hours, the "Johann Strauss" proceeded to Rüdesheim. German reports with photos and video: https://www.merkur.de/welt/schiff-mit-ueber-150-menschen-kollidiert-fast-mit-rheinbruecke-zr-10848034.html [https://rp-online.de/panorama/deutschland/bendorf-bei-koblenz-schiff-mit-166-menschen-kollidiert-fast-mit-brueckenpfeiler_aid-35074113 https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/Zusammenprall-von-Hotelschiff-mit-Gueterschiff-Havarie-auf-dem-Rhein-bei-St,koblenz-havarie-gueterschiff-hotelschiff-100.html

Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku has officially started building Carnival Cruise Line’s first LNG-powered ship, which will be the largest-ever vessel in the line’s fleet when she debuts in 2020. Meyer Turku marked the start of construction by hosting a traditional steel-cutting ceremony for Carnival executives and other invited guests. The shipyard is scheduled to deliver the 180,000gt XL vessel in 2020, when she will become the first in North America to operate using LNG fuel. The newbuild, which will offer various onboard innovations, will be joined by a sister in 2022 – the same year that Carnival celebrates its 50th anniversary.

The 160m long hull of the world’s largest plug-in hybrid ro-pax ferry, Color Line’s 27,000gt COLOR HYBRID, arrived at Ulstein Verft’s shipbuilding facility in Ulsteinvik under tow from Poland’s Crist Shipyard in Gdynia on 6 November and was moved into the shipyard’s covered building facility on 8 November for final outfitting work to commence.

Saurabh Kumar Singh, the Indian captain of the "SG Pegasus" was found drunk on board his ship moments before it was due to leave Port Taranaki with a cargo of methanol on Dec 11, 2018, at 11 p.m. The tanker was to be guided out of the harbour when the pilot suspected the master had been drinking and alrted police and Maritime New Zealand. When the officers arrived, Singh was breathalyzed. He returned a reading of 881 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath with the legal limit being 250 mcgs. The tanker could not leave towards Port Nelson until around Dec 12 at 3 p.m. once a replacement master was put on board with Singh losing his job. A fine of $1000 plus court costs was imposed to be paid until Dec 13.

Coming from Montreal, the "Taiga Desgagnes" suffered a main engine failure and had to anchor off Lanoraie, Quebec, in pos 45 57 06.4 N 73 13 03.5 W on Dec 10, 2018, at 4 p.m. The crew carried out repairs and the vessel resumed its voyage to Sint Eustatius, ETA Dec 17.

Since New update we all supplier facing problems with expected vessel schedule. Seemed the last version was fine for us to use. New update is also fine but to inform the vessel tracker team to solve the problem with expected arrival which is crucial for the business. Thank you and looking for the necessary arrangement for the same.

After being criticised to reduce capacity on the Genoa-Porto Torres link next summer by deploying one single ship instead of the usual two, Tirrenia clarified that it will in fact reduce its offer from 762 trips recorded in summer 2018 to 729 in 2019, i.e. -5%.