Broken up since 01.01.23
News
BAHIJAH
On Feb 14 the 'Bahijah' has left the port of Fremantle, after the livestock have been discharged from the vessel and relocated by truck. Some 16,000 sheep and cattle that were ordered back from the Red Sea due to the possibility of Houthi attacks on Jan 16, were finally unloaded in the port. The unloading was supposed to begin over the previous weekend, however, the vessel could not start disembarking the animals any earlier due to another livestock carrier being loaded in Fremantle. According to Australian law, the livestock must be moved into quarantine after disembarking. Unloading of the livestock started on Feb 12. They were taken by truck from Fremantle Port to appropriate premises in Western Australia. A total of 81 animals died since the departure from Fremantle on Jan 5. While on board, four cattle or 0.18 % and 64 sheep or 0.45 % died, while seven cattle and six sheep died on land. The next steps for the livestock were a commercial decision for the exporter. Since the return, the vessel has been stranded off Perth for weeks except when it berthed in port to restock supplies and fodder. The exporter did submit a plan to re-export the animals without unloading them back to the Middle East via the Cape of Good Hope, a 33-day route around Africa to evade the Houthis. The plan was not approved by the Department of Agriculture as the exporter did not ensure that the arrangements for the transport of the livestock to their final overseas destination were appropriate to ensure their health and welfare.
BEHSHAD
The USA recently carried out a cyber attack on the 'Behshad', an Iranian military spy ship. The Tehran military ship had gathered intelligence on cargo ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The cyberattack, which occurred more than a week ago, was part of the US administration's response to a pro-Iranian militia group's drone attack on a US military base in Jordan which had killed three American soldiers and wounded more than 40 others. Washington officials said on Feb 16, 2024, that the cyber operation was intended to hamper the ability of Iranian military spy ships to share intelligence information with the Houthi group in Yemen which has fired missiles and drones at the ships. Iran used the military ships to provide targeting information to the Houthi group so that their attacks on target ships could be more effective.
SUN PRINCESS
Princess Cruises has cancelled another inaugural sailing for the 'Sun Princess' just days before departure. Guests booked on the very first sailing of Princess Cruises’ first Sphere class vessel have been notified that their cruise has been cancelled, just four days before the ship was to have set sail. Princess Cruises has reached out to guests booked on the Feb 18, 2024, departure to notify them that the cruise was not able to go forward. While the ship was ready to be delivered from the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone to Princess Cruises, more work must be completed before she will be ready to welcome guests. The ship must remain alongside in the shipyard to allow for additional technical work to be completed. The Feb 18 sailing was not initially planned as the 'Sun Princess'’ inaugural cruise. The ship was first to have welcomed guests on Feb 8, but that cruise was cancelled on Jan 24, which gave guests two weeks’ of notice for the travel disruption, while this latest cancellation is just four days before embarkation. Passengers have been notified that they will be receiving a full refund of their cruise fare and any onboard, pre-purchased services, such as spa treatments, tours, or drink packages, back to their original form of payment. Guests will also receive a 50% future cruise credit for any future Princess Cruises sailing booked by Nov 30, 2024 and sailed by Dec 31, 2025. This gives travelers a good time window to reschedule their vacation plans. All travelers have also been offered up to $200 (USD) per person to cover change fees related to flights if they have not yet begun their travel to meet the ship. Princess Cruises was also being generous to travelers who were already in the region ahead of the sailing. Guests already in Europe ahead of the cruise were also eligible for up to €450 (approximately $481 USD) per night for Feb 18 and 19, along with a €140 ($150) per person daily reimbursement to cover hotels, meals, and other expenses while they make travel arrangements to return home. At this time, only the Feb 18 departure date is impacted, and the 'Sun Princess'‘ next cruise – a 10-night Grand Mediterranean itinerary from Rome to Barcelona – was still anticipated to move forward.
ANNELIES ILENA
A demonstration with 200 people protested on Feb 15, 2024, in Saint-Malo, against the 'Annelies Ilena'. The giant factory ship in Surimi represents, for small fishermen and the NGO Bloom, a “social and ecological disaster”.400,000 kg of fish can be captured in just 24 hours by the trawler operated by the Saint-Malo Fishing Company, which is the largest in the world. It cannot pass through the locks. Charles Braine, former fisherman and president of the Pleine mer association, along with the ocean defense NGO Bloom, called to demonstrate against the factory ship, near another trawler, the 'Joseph Roty II', which it will replace. Nearly 200 people gathered in front of the Saint-Malo sub-prefecture, among them representatives of fishermen's defense organizations, such as Pleine mer, Mor Glaz or the CGT des sailors du Grand Ouest. Many members or supporters of environmental associations were present, as well as several elected officials, including Green MEPs Caroline Roose and Marie Toussaint. Nicknamed the “ship from hell” in Mauritania, where it operated until now, due to “its ultra-destructive practices”, the Annelies Ilena is a Polish-flagged ship, owned by the Dutch fishing giant Parlevliet & Van der Plas. Report with photo: https://www.la-croix.com/planete/surpeche-a-saint-malo-manifestation-contre-le-plus-grand-chalutier-du-monde-20240215