MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
The Pulse
The MISSION of The Merchant Navy Association is to bring all serving and retired Seafarers together in a spirit of companionship, consideration and commitment towards a united lobby for the Community of the Sea Hi Shipmates, Please find below more snippets of information since circular #15 was published 14th August 2020. My thanks to MNA National Secretary, Pete Sinke’s daily publication “Maasmond Maritime - Shipping News Clippings”, Lloyds List, gCaptain, Maritime London, Flashlight and many others from the T’internet, not forgetting the items sent in by Readers and any other source I can access.
MNA National Contact Points National Secretary, David Parsons = Email: [email protected] Tel: 01935 414 765
Welfare & Events, Tim Brant, - Tel: 01733 205001, Email : [email protected]
National Membership Secretary, Roy Glencross - Mobile: 07738 425875 Email: [email protected]
MNA Slop Chest, The Supply Officer:- Sandra Broom [email protected] Tel 0121 244 0190 If you call her, it may go to an answerphone. Please leave a message and she will call you.
Change of Address???? If any member has changed any of their contact details (Postal, E- mail or Telephone) it is important that you inform the following people by email:- [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Please Note the Change of Contact Details of the above ______
Already, workers are dismantling the ship which once proudly held the title of “World’s Largest Cruise Ship.” Before long, this thing of beauty will have been reduced to what amounts to scrap metal. Bits and pieces of her will wind up being sent around the world But for the millions who had the pleasure of cruising the seven seas onboard SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS, the memories will last forever photos courtesy of Fatih Takmakli of Suustunde.com ______1 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
The Pulse
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We are pleased to say we are now able to offer our supporters the facility to make donations via our Just Giving page. This is a secure means of making payments and enables us to claim Gift Aid from the Treasury. Go to www.justgiving.com Click on ‘Search' at the top right- hand side and type in Merchant Navy Association. ______West African stowaways jump to their deaths from ship in Valencia THE 3,104-TEU Liberian-flagged LETO has informed authorities in the Port of Valencia that two stowaways jumped overboard shortly after the ship arrived at Valencia August 7.Police searched the area; both stowaways were found dead near the bow and are thought be from either Cameroon or the Ivory Coast, reports Kiev's Maritime Bulletin, which specialises in marine casualties. The ship was managed by Peter Dohle Schiffahrts-KG of Hamburg. "Hopefully, the crew won't be blamed for these deaths, though it is highly likely that NGOs will do all they can, to blame the crew and shipping in general for the tragedy," commented the Bulletin. Source : Schednet ______New powerful icebreaker might never make it to the Arctic It is one of the world's most powerful icebreaking vessels, but Russia's "Viktor Chernomyrdin" might end up serving only in Baltic waters. The vessel named after the former Russian prime minister is one of the world’s most powerful diesel-engined icebreakers. It will be officially handed over to operator Rosmorport in the course of 2020, the state port authority informs. The 25 MW icebreaker has been under construction at the Baltic Yard and the Admiralty Yard in St.Petersburg since 2012. The 29 meters wide and 147 meters long ship is reportedly capable of breaking through three meter thick ice and stay autonomously at sea for up to 60 days. It is the only ship built of Project 22600 (LK-25) Construction has been marred by numerous technical problems and delays, as well as cost overruns. Sources in the Russian shipbuilding industry in 2019 said that the total construction cost will exceed 12 billion rubles (€139 million), up from the original budget of 7.95 billion (€92 million). Furthermore, the ship might ultimately not sail in the Arctic. According to newspaper Kommersant, the icebreaker will instead end up serving in Baltic waters. The change of plans might be related with Rosatom’s development of the Northern Sea Route, the newspaper argues. The state nuclear power company is in the process of developing infrastructure along the Arctic shipping route and the diesel-engined Viktor Chernomyrdin might not fit into plans. When entering service, presumably early fall 2020, the icebreaker will become part of Rosmorport and its quickly expanding fleet of ice-class ships. According to the port authority, it now has 37 icebreaking ships in its fleet. Source : Barents Observer ______2 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
The Pulse
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______"I am a medical student currently doing a rotation in toxicology at the poison control centre in Brisbane.
Today, this woman called in very upset because she caught her little daughter eating ants.
I quickly reassured her that the ants are not harmful and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital.
She calmed down and, at the end of the conversation, happened to mention that she had given her daughter some ant poison to eat in order to kill the ants.
I told her that she better bring her daughter into the emergency room right away". ------3 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
The Pulse
Rescue mission launched after wild swimmers stranded on Cromarty Firth oil rig By Hector MacKenzie A RESCUE mission involving Ross-shire lifeboat crew and a search and rescue helicopter was launched after two swimmers were left stranded on an oil rig in the Cromarty Firth. The two males grabbed hold of an anchor chain of the semi-submersible Well Safe Guardian after getting into difficulties with the ebbing tidal current in the early evening drama. Invergordon RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew didn't have far to travel after being scrambled by Aberdeen’s HM Coastguard last Friday at 6.02pm. The swimmers had set out from the public slipway on the town’s Shore Road for an open swimming session in the firth, accompanied by a friend in a kayak for safety. They became caught up in the strong ebbing tidal current and soon found themselves in difficulty, with the moored Well Safe Guardian fast approaching. After grabbing the anchor chain, they were quickly spotted by crew of the rig who raised the alarm. They scrambled up the chain, as the kayak made its way up the firth with the outgoing tide. The Trent class lifeboat Douglas Aikman Smith was quickly on scene and with Inverness HM search and rescue helicopter Rescue151 also on route, the decision was made to launch the all- weather lifeboat’s daughter XP craft to navigate into the location and extract the males to safety and bring back on board the lifeboat for the quick trip back to Invergordon West Harbour. Once on board the lifeboat crew medically assessed the friends. Though cold no medical issues were reported. Meanwhile, Rescue 151 had pinpointed the kayak further up the firth and marked it for the crew to recover once the two casualties were safe ashore. The lifeboat located and recovered the kayak to be reunited with the owner. The lifeboat was made ready for service by 8:30pm, abiding by all Covid-19 precautions as outlined by the RNLI. Michael MacDonald, RNLI volunteer press officer and crew member said: ‘"The call-out shows the importance as the summer season continues of prior planning, in respect of weather conditions, tide and means to communicate if difficulty occurs, and keep it within reach. Both Respect The Water and Float to Live key messages were passed over to the two individuals for any future trips." Source : The Northern Times ------THE LOW CARBON ECONOMY IS COMING. MEET THE CHALLENGE WITH DAMEN’S NEW ELECTRIC HARBOUR TUG – THE RSD-E TUG 2513 The race is on to reduce emissions as the effects of climate change are starting to become apparent to all who care to look. With global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) alone up by almost 50 per cent since 1990, governments and supranational bodies are taking steps to reverse the relentless rise in greenhouse gases via legislation. In Europe, the EU has set an ambitious target of cutting such emissions by 40% over the next decade and of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Worldwide, 189 nations have signed up to the 2016 Paris Agreement to keep the increase in global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Every aspect of industrial and economic activity must play its part including shipping and specifically harbour tugs which, typically operating close to the shore and often in urban and industrial areas, are natural candidates for taking the first steps to adopting emissions-free operations. Ports are playing an important role in sustainability, with Antwerp and Rotterdam notable examples. Another is Ports of Auckland, the launch customer for the first RSD-E Tug 2513, which has embraced the ambitious goal of becoming a zero emissions port by 2040. In light of the renewed impetus to tackle 4 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
The Pulse climate change, the challenge presented by Ports of Auckland for a fully electric tug has come at exactly the right time. Taking a stand on sustainable shipbuilding Damen has long had the ambition to become the most sustainable shipbuilder in the world, both in its production methods and in terms of the vessels it builds. The group is well known for its extensive commitment to investing in research and development to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. An important part of this is ongoing consultations with both port operators and tug owners, with the goal of creating vessels that meet both their operational and regulatory needs. A big step forward In July 2020, a ceremony was held at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam to mark the keel-laying of the first all-electric RSD-E Tug 2513 for the Ports of Auckland. What makes this a pivotal event in the 220-year history of tugboats is that when launched, the vessel will be the first, fully electric tug with 70 tonnes of bollard pull in existence. This potentially heralds a new era of emissions-free operations in a critical area of maritime activity and marks a big step towards both for Damen and for a sustainable future in harbour and other maritime operations worldwide. Twelve key facts about the RSD-E Tug 2513 * 70 tonnes bollard pull. * Can be fully re-charged in only two hours with minimum effort. * Compact design at 25.7 metres in length, 13.1 metres beam. * Maximum speed 12 knots. * The full electrical propulsion system has been developed in-house. Integrating all the components allows Damen to design and build the best maritime solutions for its customers. * The 2800 kWh battery package delivers more redundancy and less maintenance, resulting in a total cost of ownership that is comparable to a conventional diesel-driven tug. * All-electrical propulsion removes the necessity of oxygen in the engine room to run fossil fuel driven engines, making it safer for operations in and around LNG terminals and other hydrocarbon / chemical facilities. * The vessel can operate with a crew of just two persons thanks to its ergonomic layout. Automation and remote control via Alarm, Monitoring and Control Systems deliver an unmanned engine room, monitored and managed from the shore. * The RSD Tug 2513 is a compact tug designed to work bow first. Operators never need to reposition their tugs, whether they are working in indirect or direct mode and whether they are sailing ahead or astern as a stern or bow tug. * RSD tugs are built for optimal sailing, manoeuvring and assisting all types of vessels from the largest VLCCs to container vessels with extreme flare. * The RSD-E Tug 2513 is equipped a with patented, twin fin, skeg which ensures a predictable sailing performance. This gives the operator optimal towing performance at both the stern and bow of an assisted vessel. * The RSD-E 2513 is full of innovative features including cloud-based remote monitoring for maximum efficiency and a flexible glued superstructure for minimum noise and vibration. With the first RSD-E Tug 2513 in build, Damen is already working on offering zero-emission versions of its IMO Tier IIIready Next Generation tug series. ------
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Weymouth VJ75 On Saturday 15th August members of the Weymouth, Portland & District Branch joined with other local representatives of ex services associations and veterans’ organisations in a service to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day. The service, organised by the Weymouth Town Council, was held in the historic Nothe Fort, overlooking both Portland and Weymouth harbours. Among several moving addresses was a very poignant poem read by Christine Payne, the Branch Welfare Officer, whose father had been part of the Forgotten Army. The theme of the poem was that of a child of a veteran trying to pull together a father’s wartime experiences, when they were so unwilling to talk about anything. Christine also gave a very moving account of her father’s own history she had pieced together. Whilst he was in the Army, this would have equally applied to many of our own veterans.
In the current restrictions it was good to see many Branch members attending despite the inclement weather. Our standard was also proudly paraded and we were very welcomed as part local ex-services community. Captain Paul Compton, Branch chairman, has confirmed that Merchant Navy Day will be celebrated on 3rd September commencing at 0915 by raising the Red Ensign at County Hall, Dorchester, followed by a service at the MN Memorial on Weymouth Esplanade, commencing at 1030.
David Parsons, National Secretary
Weymouth, Portland & District Branch Weymouth VJ75 Service
Christine Payne, Welfare Officer
______Read: International Maritime Security Construct’s Statement on MT Wila Boarding by Iran https://gcaptain.com/read-international-maritime-security-constructs-statement-on-mt-wila-boarding-by- iran/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.c om%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-9d9b27cced-139894965&mc_cid=9d9b27cced&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______
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Crew Health Advice – Kidney Stones https://www.ukpandi.com/news-and-resources/crew-health/crew-health-advice-kidney- stones/?dm_i=33T,6ZVPM,LGE99N,S6SBZ,1 ------Asleep at the Wheel: Cargo Ship Runs Aground in Philippines https://gcaptain.com/asleep-at-the-wheel-cargo-ship-runs-aground-in- philippines/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gC aptain.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-27498527f0- 139894965&mc_cid=27498527f0&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ------Coast Guard grants extension of offshore third party surveys In light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Coast Guard’s Outer Continental Shelf Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) has granted an extension for third party surveys for firefighting and lifesaving equipment until Sept. 30 on a caseby-case basisMSIB 20-03 – Change 1 updates guidance concerning surveys that are normally conducted offshore by third party service providers contracted to maintain compliance with Coast Guard regulations for fixed and floating facilities.Considering the ongoing impacts of the novel coronavirus, and to minimize possible spread of Covid-19 offshore, the Coast Guard District 8 Outer Continental Shelf OCMI will consider, on a case-by-case basis, extending the requirement for third party surveys associated with Coast Guard-regulated systems to Sept. 30. Extensions will be considered for inspections related to firefighting and lifesaving equipment, including but not limited to lifeboat servicing, fire extinguishers, and fixed firefighting equipment. Operators are expected to reach out to the OCS OCMI to request an extension under this Marine Safety Information Bulletin at least seven days prior to expiration, and to continue performing maintenance that would regularly be completed by the crew onboard the facility. This extension does not apply to any system regulated by any other government organization, and it is not applicable to units that are subject to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) or the International MODU Code. For these vessels it is recommended that you contact your flag state for direction. Source : Workboat ------Nigeria Convicts First Pirates Under New Maritime Law By Camillus Eboh and Libby George A Nigerian court made the first convictions under a new anti-piracy law, giving hope to the world’s shipping fleets that legal reforms will help stem rising attacks in the Gulf of Guinea. The three men fined by the court in Port Harcourt, Nigeria’s oil hub, on Tuesday were among nine accused of hijacking the tanker MV ELOBEY VI off Equatorial Guinea in March and securing a $200,000 ransom for the crew. The merchant shipping industry has long pressed Nigeria to take action in the area, which has been dubbed “pirate alley.” It accounts for over 90% of maritime kidnappings globally, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), with attacks on everything from oil platforms to fishing vessels. The court fined the three men convicted 10 million naira ($26,300) each for each of the two counts of piracy to which they pleaded guilty. The remaining six pleaded not guilty and their trial continues. Nigerian navy spokesman Commodore Suleiman Dahun said the convictions were the first conviction under the law, passed last year to make it easier to prosecute pirates. He said the fines were levied in lieu of prison sentences. While the Gulf of Guinea spans more than a dozen West African countries, experts say the pirates typically come from Nigeria’s oil-rich but poverty-stricken Delta region. Previously, attackers rarely faced judicial consequences as piracy was not illegal under Nigerian law. A total of 49 crew were kidnapped in the Gulf in the first half of this year, compared with 27 last year, according to IMB figures. It said attackers were also going further out to sea. “We need to change the riskto-reward ratio…,” IMB Director Michael Howlett said last month. “Without an appropriate and proportionate deterrent, pirates and robbers will get more ruthless and more ambitious.” Source : reuters (Reporting By Camillus Eboh in Abuja and Libby George in Lagos. Writing by Libby George; editing by John Stonestreet) ------7 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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The Pacific Garbage Patch. Ghost nets are abandoned fishing gear that continues to drift, catching and killing thousands of marine animals. The Kwai, backed by the non-profit Ocean Voyages Institute, is setting new records for ocean clean-up. During a voyage in June, the ship retrieved 103 tons of plastic waste. Most recently, in a voyage ending in early August, the Kwai added 67 tons, for a total of 170 tons of plastic waste and nets removed from the Pacific. The haul quadruples the group’s previous year’s record. The Kwai’s endeavours are believed to represent the largest open ocean clean-up in history. Overall, the Ocean Voyages Institute is committed to removing 1 million pounds of plastic from the ocean. In a press release, Ocean Voyages Institute’s Founder and Executive Director Mary T. Crowley states her group’s efforts are just getting started. “With plastic set to outnumber fish by 2040, we humans are responsible for the oceans collapsing in my lifetime, and we must set ambitious targets to tackle the problem of plastic in the ocean,” continuing, “even with our record-setting clean-up, I know we need to do more, and our 1 million pound goal is my commitment to the essential undertaking of cleaning the oceans of plastic.” Ocean Voyages Institute’s high seas clean-up expedition began in May, with a 48-day mission, followed by a second 35-day leg which departed on July 1st, with the Kwai logging more than 5000 nautical miles from Hawaii to the Pacific Gyre and back twice this summer. Today in Honolulu, Ocean Voyages Institute crew returned with a cargo hold full of ghost fishing nets and toxic plastic debris for the second time this summer. While docked in Honolulu, the ship’s crew will sort the debris into various types of plastics for upcycling and recycling with help from local volunteer groups. “This summer definitely had its challenges, from COVID-19 and having to quarantine our hard-working crew, to almost not being able to depart on the second leg of our mission due to funding gaps,” added Crowley. “Now I feel like we are on a roll, and the support from around the world has been so encouraging, I know we will reach our million-pound goal and keep going cleaning our oceans and encouraging major changes in the use of plastics.” OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE COMMITS TO REMOVING 1 MILLION POUNDS OF PLASTIC FROM THE OCEAN Thanks to Virginia Jones for contributing to this post. Source:- The post appeared first on Old Salt Blog. ------Birthday party and quest for wifi revealed in lead up to Wakashio grounding off Mauritius By : Sam Chambers The 58-year-old captain of the ill-fated newcastlemax Wakashio could face negligence charges after it emerged the crew were celebrating a crewmember’s birthday and had headed nearer towards the Mauritius coastline to get a wifi signal just prior to the bulk carrier’s grounding on a reef off the island’s south coast. The bombshell revelations – first reported by local newspaper L’Express – come from investigators who have interviewed the crew of the Japanese-owned, Panamanian-flagged ship. The Wakashio grounded on a reef near UNESCO protected sites on the evening of July 25. Local authorities had been trying in vain to contact the ship ahead of the accident to warn it was on the wrong course. It transpires the crew were celebrating a birthday hence missing the initial urgent calls. The wrecked ship, on the verge of breaking up, has since spilled around 1,000 tonnes of bunker fuel into the pristine Mauritian waters, creating the republic’s greatest ecological disaster. The Panama Maritime Authority had earlier suggested the ship ran into difficulty because of bad weather, although data providers have shown there was no inclement weather around southern Mauritius at the time of the accident. Source : Splash 247 ------JOINT BID FOR THAMES FREEPORT - UK.Forth Ports Group and DP World ------
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The world’s largest newly built wooden cargo ship The next phase of the construction of Ceiba is about to begin. After two years of shipyard construction at SAILCARGO INC., including a year of structural framing, the 3-masted, 45m wooden cargo schooner known as Ceiba is about to enter a new phase of construction. The next stage will be to install the hull, or exterior surface, of the ship. Everyday, construction teams are adapting to new roles as they switch from raising the skeleton of the ship, to planking its hull with long wooden timbers. Pat Woodland, Shipwright and Owner of Woodland Boatworks said “The reality of the business plan I think is important, it’s not just a feel good project, it’s realistic in terms of the numbers. They have figured out what size ship can make it work financially and if you get that boat full and you move it back and forth on the ocean it will start to turn a profit and pay people and pay its way and I think that’s huge.” All of the wood used at the regenerative shipyard is locally sourced with environmentally responsible practices. In the last year the workforce has grown to over 35 workers, and will continue to add more world class shipwrights and carpenters. As Costa Rica’s flagship, SAILCARGO INC. is here to demonstrate that a carbon neutral shipping company can not only be financially competitive, but can inspire global change and bring awareness to an often overlooked industry. The company is funded by private investors who support sustainable businesses and a rethinking of how international trade can evolve.Source: SAILCARGO INC ------3 oil tanker crew die of suffocation By : Emmanuel Tupas (The Philippine Star ) Three crewmembers of an oil tanker reportedly died of suffocation following a gas leak in Calaca, Batangas on Monday. Enrique Jay Gaspado, John Rey Illustrisimo and Ryan Jay Bantilan were pronounced dead on arrival in a hospital, according to the Batangas police. A police report said the victims were found unconscious by the other crewmembers of ANDRINA 2000 anchored at a port in Barangay Camastilisan. The victims were reportedly cleaning an empty oil tank in the vessel when the gas leak occurred. ______Panama Ship Registry Addresses Wakashio Grounding in Mauritius https://gcaptain.com/panama-ship-registry-deeply-regrets-wakashio-grounding-in-mauritius/ See Also Wakashio Ship Owner Promises Compensation for Wakashio Grounding ______From the News Desk: Wakashio disaster raises questions over compensation and crewing Three of the 20 crew were on extended contracts due to coronavirus-led restrictions, while a leading lawyer asks whether the Bunker Convention is fit for purpose post-Wakashio https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1133562/From-the-News-Desk-Wakashio-disaster- raises-questions-over-compensation-and-crewing ______Wakashio master arrested in Mauritius Sunil Kumar Nandeshar had extended his six-month contract on the vessel by a further three months on May 1, Lloyd’s List learnt earlier this week https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1133565/Wakashio-master-arrested-in-Mauritius ------9 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Two Wakashio crew were on board for more than a year - AIS Shows v/l wandering & off course https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1133551/Two-Wakashio- crew-were-on-board-for-more-than-a-year
Wakashio owner stands behind crew after arrest of master ______Hundred years old tall ship "Sedov" embarks on historic Arctic voyage The ship will be the first of its kind that sails across the Northern Sea Route By Atle Staalesen It will be a voyage quite out of the ordinary for the crew that on the 18th August sets out from Vladivostok with course for the North. Never before has a sailing ship of this proportion made it across the Arctic route that connects the Asian and European parts of Russia. The sailing on the Northern Sea Route follows a grand voyage that has taken the SEDOV more than 25 thousand nautical miles across world seas since 1st November 2019. “Following a detailed study of possible alternatives for the bark’s continued sailing, we consider it relevant to propose that the SEDOV completes its expedition with a voyage across the Northern Sea Route from the east to west,” leader of Russia’s Fisheries Agency Ilya Shestyakov said in late July. “We believe that such a voyage will have a great symbolic and practical effect,” Shestyakov underlined. The ship is expected to reach reach its home port of Kaliningrad on 15th November this year. On its Arctic expedition, the vessel is due to visit the ports of Pevek, Sabetta and Murmansk. It is also expected to make a halt in the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya. Careful safety preparations have been made both for the ship and its crew. The ship’s route across the Arctic will proceed in ice-free waters and assistance from special crafts vessels will be available if needed, the Fishery Agency informs.Until year 2017, the SEDOV was based in Murmansk and the ship has made several voyages in Arctic waters. But is has never made it across the whole Northern Sea Route. The ship is today operated by the federal Fishery Agency. The SEDOV is one of the world’s biggest sailing ships in operation. It is almost 118 meter long and is manned by a crew of about 220 people. The Arctic voyage takes place only few months before the ship turns 100 years. The bark was launched in 1921 in Kiel, Germany. It sailed under the named “Magdalene Vinnen II“ and “Kommodore Johnsen“ before it in 1945 was taken over by Soviet authorities and renamed SEDOV after Russian Arctic explorer Georgy Sedov. Source : Barents Observer ______10 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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New Zealand Fines Ports of Auckland for Excessive Speeding During Thousands of Pilot Boat Voyages - August 14, 2020 by Mike Schuler Ports of Auckland pilot boat, Wakatere, which struck and killed a swimmer on 20 April 2017. Photo courtesy Maritime NZ A New Zealand court has fined the Ports of Auckland and one of its pilot a total of NZD $432,400 for excessive speeding during thousands of pilot boat voyages in Waitemata Harbour. … Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) and the master of the pilot boat, Grant More, both admitted exposing people to risk of death or serious injury. Maritime NZ Director, Keith Manch, said POAL has also agreed to pay $220,000 to the family of a swimmer, Leslie Gelberger, who died after being struck by POAL pilot boat, Wakatere. The incident happened on 20 April 2017, as Gelberger was swimming about 270 meters from shore. Both POAL and More were sentenced in the Auckland District Court last month having previously pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Health and Safety at Work Act (section 48, failure to comply with a duty that exposes an individual to a risk of serious injury, serious illness or death). The Court fined POAL NZ $424,400 (US $278,000) and More NZ $8,400 (US $5,500). POAL admitted its pilot boats exceeded speed limits on between 3,465 and 4,257 journeys from 20 April 2017 to 31 January 2018. This is approximately 99 percent of the journeys made by POAL pilot boats, Maritime New Zealand said. New Zealand maritime regulations set a speed limit of 5 knots within 200 meters of shore throughout the country, while Auckland Harbourmaster rules designate a 12-knot speed limit for vessels across most of the Waitemata Harbour. Maritime NZ’s investigation into the death of Gelberger found that the pilot boat, Wakatere, piloted by More, passed through a 5-knot zone at approximately 36 knots. About 10 seconds after leaving the speed- restricted zone, the Wakatere struck and killed Gelberger while traveling at 35 knots. More and another pilot on board the boat were unaware of the incident at the time, and on the pilot boat’s return, the Wakatere again exceeded the speed limits, traveling through the 12 knot zone at about 30 knots and through the 5 knot zone at about 22 knots. Maritime NZ’s investigation into the incident found a pattern of excessive speed spanning many months and thousands of journeys. “Ports of Auckland had inadequate systems to ensure its vessels did not break speed limits, and they did more than 4,200 times in nine months,” Manch said. More admitted exceeding the speed limits on one voyage on 20 April 2017. “The message is less speed, less harm,” Manch said. “Responsibility is on both employers and workers – here that is the Ports of Auckland and the master of one of its pilot boats,” he added. ______Signing off crew to be suspended at the Suez, Port Said and Alexandria Ports Based on the ministerial decree announced by the Egyptian Prime Minister, the Quarantine Departments at Suez Ports, Port Said Ports and Alexandria Ports have decided that signing off formalities shall be suspended till further notice due to COVID-19 pandemic. Signing on formalities are still operating normally up to the moment. Source : Dominion Shipping Agencies (Egypt) ______Indigenous Tribe Blocks Amazon River Ports To Prevent The Spread Of COVID-19 August 18, 2020 by Reuters by Lucas Landau (Reuters) Members of the Kayapó indigenous tribe had blocked the route in center-west Brazil on Monday, protesting against a lack of government protection from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed several of their elders. Kayapó wearing warrior body paint and headdresses used tires and wood to block trucks carrying corn on the BR-163 highway, a Reuters witness said.
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They were also protesting against the so-called Ferrogrão railway, set to cross part of the Amazon to connect grain-producing Mato Grosso state to river ports for soy and corn. Brazil’s highway police recommended that grain trucks heading to Miritituba port in Pará state on the Tapajós River pause their journey because of the demonstrations. “The recommendation is that trucks wait in Matupá and Guarantã do Norte until the situation is resolved,” said Leonardo Ramos, chief of police in the town of Sorriso. He said traffic was backed up Monday morning for about 3 km (1.8 miles) on the key grains transport route due to the protests. The tribe had not been consulted about the railroad, which the government hopes to license early next year, the protesters said. It will link Sinop in Mato Grosso to the port of Miritituba, providing a more efficient transport route. The railway will run parallel to the BR-163 highway, which has become an important route for exporting grains to the river ports for transshipment onto larger ships on the Kayapo indigenous people block Brazil’s a Amazon river. national highway to shipping ports on the The BR-163 was built in the 1970s and for years was a Amazon, as they protest against the treacherously muddy road that became impassable in the government measures in the indigenous lands rainy season, until it was fully paved this year. to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease The Kayapo, who live on the adjacent Menkragnoti e Baú (COVID-19), in Novo Progresso, Para state, Brazil indigenous reservations, claim the road has brought illness August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Landau to their villages and are also seeking reparation money. Reporting by Lucas Landau; Additional reporting by Nayara Figueiredo, writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Tom Brown and Lisa Shumaker ------New Narco Submarine Challenge in Atlantic Ocean - By : H I Sutton Aerospace & Defense I cover the changing world of underwater warfare. Narco submarines are commonly associated with the Pacific and Caribbean. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have interdicted many loaded with tons of drugs destined for North America. Then last November the first documented
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‘transatlantic’ narco-submarine reached European shores. It is unlikely that it was the first — only the first to get caught. European navies, police, customs, and coast guard units lack experience with narco submarines and may be ill-prepared to counter them. And it may be a U.S. problem, too.
The narco submarines leave Brazil (A) and cross to Cape Verde Islands (B) or Azores (C) before heading to Western Europe (D). The cargo may be transferred to other ships along the way with destinations potentially including America (D) H I SUTTON European law enforcement units are used to cocaine being smuggled in shipping containers, or in hidden compartments aboard vessels, as well as parasitic narco-torpedoes, which are containers attached to the underside of merchant vessels. But they have not, until now, had to seriously consider narco subs. Narco submarines are purpose-built drug smuggling vessels which evade capture by being extremely hard to see. Most are not true submarines because they cannot fully submerge. But the term ‘narco submarine’ is useful in describing these deliberately stealthy craft. Conditions inside narco submarines are cramped and basic. Despite this they are proven to be capable of Atlantic crossings. The tunnel in the center leads to the cargo hold and can be used for sleeping and storing drugs. Narco submarines are a major focus of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard efforts in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean. Nearly 200 have been interdicted there since 2005 by U.S. forces and their international partners. The latest example, found by the Colombian Navy in an artisan boat yard hacked out of the jungle, is significant in two ways. Firstly, it was very large, comparable to the most impressive ones found to date. This reinforces the existing evidence that they can be built for extremely long-range missions. And secondly, based on analysis of design features, I am confident that it was designed by the same ‘master boat builder’ who built the transatlantic one. So the connection between the American narco submarine phenomenon and Europe is undeniable. To counter narco submarines European forces may need to invest in new equipment, new training and patrol routines. A lot can be learned from the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) efforts in Latin America. There a range of intelligence platforms cue Navy destroyers and Coast Guard cutters to interdict the narco submarine. They are then boarded. However, the nature of the Atlantic will likely change some aspects. I spoke to a consultant from ACK3, a Spanish company specializing in defense, intelligence and security consulting which advises European and Latin American military and law enforcement units. They point out that the sea conditions in the Atlantic will often make boarding more challenging. The single reported example of a transatlantic narco submarine was sailing in November, a winter month in the North Atlantic. The law enforcement units involved will need training and tools to access the crew compartment quickly and safely. ACK3 suggests that the crews may be more likely to scuttle the narco submarine when faced with European law enforcement. Currently in SOUTHCOM’s area of operations it is illegal to even crew a narco submarine so there is no real advantage in sinking the boat. But in Europe it could mean walking free due to lack of evidence that there were narcotics aboard. This means that finding a way to stop the vessel from being deliberately sunken may become more important.
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Tracking devices or continuous surveillance by drones and aircraft may also be used instead. This may be safer and could lead to a bigger bust down the road. An additional challenge is that the transatlantic narco submarines may not be destined to land on European shores directly. Instead they may rendezvous with other boats or ships which then deliver the payload. For example, they may sail from Brazil to Cape Verde Islands or the Azores and transfer the cargo to a ship destined for Europe. If that vessel was coming from a low-risk port, for example in Canada, it may get less customs attention when it arrives. No one would suspect that it met a narco-sub along the way. By comparison another ship sailing from Latin America may already be on a list to be inspected before it even arrives.If a narco submarine can reach the Azores and trans-ship the illicit cargo to another ship, then another possibility opens up. Maybe they could load it onto a ship sailing from Europe to the United States? Source : Forbes ______Indigenous Tribe Blocks Amazon River Ports To Prevent The Spread Of COVID-19 August 18, 2020 by Reuters by Lucas Landau (Reuters) Members of the Kayapó indigenous tribe had blocked the route in center-west Brazil on Monday, protesting against a lack of government protection from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed several of their elders. Kayapó wearing warrior body paint and headdresses used tires and wood to block trucks carrying corn on the BR-163 highway, a Reuters witness said. Kayapo indigenous people block Brazil’s a national highway to shipping ports on the They were also protesting Amazon, as they protest against the government measures in the indigenous lands to against the so-called avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Novo Progresso, Para Ferrogrão railway, set to state, Brazil August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Landau cross part of the Amazon to connect grain-producing Mato Grosso state to river ports for soy and corn. Brazil’s highway police recommended that grain trucks heading to Miritituba port in Pará state on the Tapajós River pause their journey because of the demonstrations. “The recommendation is that trucks wait in Matupá and Guarantã do Norte until the situation is resolved,” said Leonardo Ramos, chief of police in the town of Sorriso. He said traffic was backed up Monday morning for about 3 km (1.8 miles) on the key grains transport route due to the protests. The tribe had not been consulted about the railroad, which the government hopes to license early next year, the protesters said. It will link Sinop in Mato Grosso to the port of Miritituba, providing a more efficient transport route. The railway will run parallel to the BR-163 highway, which has become an important route for exporting grains to the river ports for transshipment onto larger ships on the Amazon river. The BR-163 was built in the 1970s and for years was a treacherously muddy road that became impassable in the rainy season, until it was fully paved this year. The Kayapo, who live on the adjacent Menkragnoti e Baú indigenous reservations, claim the road has brought illness to their villages and are also seeking reparation money. Reporting by Lucas Landau; Additional reporting by Nayara Figueiredo, writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Tom Brown and Lisa Shumaker ------14 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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MNA Waterwatch RNLI local ambassadors by Clive Edwards 19 Aug 06:38 BST
Over the past year or so The Merchant Navy Association (MNA) and their Boat Club have agreed an operational partnership with the RNLI whereby MNA Boat Club members have been encouraged to join forces with the RNLI to promote the RNLI's Respect the Water campaign to reduce the almost 200 fatalities as a result of drowning in and around the UK every year. 70% of those drownings occur on inland waterways where the RNLI has no lifeboat stations and hence no Water Safety officer or Advisers either so the MNA Boat Club have taken the initiative in the form of launching their new "MNA WaterWatch" scheme. MNA WaterWatch, along with the recent introduction by the RNLI of their micro-volunteering "Local Ambassadors" scheme means that all members of the MNA and MNA Boat Club now have the opportunity to become Local Ambassadors for the RNLI to actively promote the Respect the Water Campaign. Initially the RNLI Local Ambassadors initiative is focusing on promoting safety on and around the UK's beaches where as a result of Covid 19 many of these beaches have become crowded to a far greater extent than is usual even at this time of year with the result that the RNLIs Lifeguards, and the Coastguard Rescue Service's resources are being hugely stretched. However the RNLI are well aware that many of the MNA's members live inland and are quite often situated close to our rivers, canals, lakes or the Broads and the Fens and are ideally located to act as Local Ambassadors in those areas, so the MNA Boat Club is working with the RNLI to develop a Local Ambassadors focus aimed specifically at promoting safety on and around our inland waters. In the meantime the MNA Boat Club is already working with various organisations to promote the Respect the Water campaign on the coast and inland waterways of East Anglia and the new RNLI Local Ambassadors scheme, with its very simple and straightforward on-line registration process provides the ideal vehicle for delivering water safety messages both for those taking a holiday either at the coast or afloat on, or near to, our many inland waterways such as the Broads and the Fens. Further information is available on the MNA Boat Club website at www.seafarersafloat.com and on the RNLI website at www.rnli.org.uk or by email from Clive Edwards at [email protected] ______ANOTHER 600 KILOS COCAINE INTERCEPTED AT ROTTERDAM PORT - By Janene Pieters The authorities at the port of Rotterdam discovered and seized 600 kilograms of cocaine in a chemicals shipment from Brazil on Monday. The drugs had a street value of 45 million euros. That brings the total amount of cocaine seized at the port since Sunday to 2,700 kilograms, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said. This latest batch of cocaine was found in a container loaded with calcium silicon from Brazil. The container arrived in Rotterdam on Saturday by seagoing vessel from London Gateway.The cargo was intended for a company in Moerdijk. The OM considers it unlikely that this company was involved in the drug trafficking. The Rotterdam authorities are investigating. The drugs were destroyed. Source : NLtimes
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Cancellation of the Annual National Service for Seafarers at St. Paul’s Cathedral Wednesday 14 October 2020 In view of the enormous problems surrounding the coronavirus epidemic and its associated restrictions, the Annual National Service for Seafarers Trustees have decided that this year’s Service will have to be cancelled. They did not take this decision lightly but with COVID-19 dictating much of what the government will allow us to do, the safety and wellbeing of you all was paramount. Alternative ways of holding the Service were investigated in some detail with St Paul’s and the participating schools, but unfortunately no acceptable solution could be found. Therefore, with the continuing uncertainties surrounding all aspects of the virus, Trustees considered that cancellation was the only sensible and safe course of action. While this news is undoubtedly disappointing, we fully expect to be holding the Service again in mid- October 2021 and will contact you as usual in June next year with the necessary details. Finally, whilst we fully understand that these are very difficult times for everyone, should you still wish to make a donation to support the continued upkeep of the Service it would be most welcome and thoroughly appreciated. You can do this by visiting our website. Yours sincerely, ANSS Team ______
Dark tactics deployed to make crew changes harder - Sam ChambersAugust 19, 2020 Some charterers and owners are not painting themselves in a good light in terms of helping out with shipping’s humanitarian crisis at sea. With around 300,000 crew stuck at sea working beyond their contracts due to Covid-19 travel restrictions some seafarers have been willing to take matters into their own hands, taking up the International Transport Workers Federation call to down tools in a desperate bid to get home. Splash has learnt that some shipowners are now asking managers to cut internet at sea so seafarers cannot share tactics on how best to effect crew change by stopping work. Also, charterers are increasingly requesting for a ‘no crew change’ clause to be inserted into charter parties, demanding owners pick up the cost related to deviation and time lost. Charterers have been urged repeatedly to play their part in ensuring crew get home. Speaking with Splash TV last month, Francesco Gargiulo, the CEO of the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC), said there has been little appetite on the charterers’ part to share in the problems that the industry is facing regarding crew changes. Shipping organisation BIMCO has developed a deviation clause, which seeks to share some of the financial burden of getting crew repatriated during the coronavirus pandemic. “The sad news is there’s been very little uptake of that clause because there is little appetite on the charterers’ part to share in the problems that the industry is facing,” said IMEC’s Gargiulo in a recent episode of the Maritime CEO Seafarer Leader Series. In other crew change news, Qatar Airways has said it is willing to fly up to three times a day to and from three destinations in the Philippines from its hub in Doha to help fix the seafarer repatriation issue, but the airline has yet to get the green light from the government in Manila for the increased slots to the country, the world’s top crewing provider. Meanwhile, in India the authorities continue to update guidance on crew change procedures. Mumbai- headquartered agency Atlantic Global Shipping has provided a useful update on the Indian ports where crews can sign on and off. The document can be viewed here. ------16 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Careers At Sea Map maritime careers map on Careers at Sea and Beyond) ______Major Tanker Fire After Collision With Barge Near Shanghai https://gcaptain.com/tanker-fire-barge-collision- shanghai/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCapt ain.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-78532cfc83-139894965&mc_cid=78532cfc83&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______HAL helicopters in rescue operations at Mauritius Reef State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Tuesday said its indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv and Chetak helicopters are being deployed for rescue and oil-spill clean-up operations at Mauritius Reef. They have been pressed into service to rescue people and extricate skimmed oil from the Japanese owned cargo ship MV WAKASHIO , HAL said in a release. The ship was on its way from China to Brazil but ran aground on the reef at Pointe dEsny, Mauritius recently. Thanks to the Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard and Mauritius police, the helicopters flew non-stop dawn to dusk till all the survivors on board were safely rescued, HAL said. A total of 210 cargo operations and 270 winch operations were undertaken by HAL choppers towards salvage and rescue missions so far.The Chetak helicopters were used primarily for winching survivors, it said. The ALHs flew continuous missions to get the international salvage team on-board the ship to contain the spill, the release said adding the HAL made helicopters have flown till now 110 hrs and transfered 600 people from and to MV WAKASHIO. "Time and again the indigenous Dhruv helicopter has proven its capabilities. Our helicopters were extensively utilized for search and rescue operations in the past as well," HAL CMD R Madhavan said. Source : newindianexpress Learn the lessons before the next Wakashio comes https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1133622/Learn-the-lessons-before-the-next- Wakashio-comes ______Stena Line to boost freight capacity ahead of increased trade activity Stena Line will boost the freight capacity on its Liverpool and Heysham routes due to an expected increase in pre-Brexit trade activity. The ferry service will charter the roll-on/roll-off vessel Seatruck Panorama to help increase capacity on its routes connecting Belfast with Liverpool and Heysham. It is the company’s reaction to what some call a ‘dramatic’ and COVID-19-related drop in freight volumes. This drop has meant that Stena was forced to remove one freight ship from its Belfast hub, resulting in reduced capacity and frequency. Business-live.co.uk quoted Paul Grant, Stena Line trade director for the Irish Sea,as saying: “Adding a seventh ship to our Belfast operations will help us increase frequency, capacity and give us greater operational flexibility. This extra ship will be capable of operating to Liverpool and Heysham thus ensuring that we can better match demand and the needs of customers. “ "It has been a very challenging time for the freight industry, but we are confident that having additional capacity available on these important trading routes between England and Northern Ireland will help us provide an enhanced sailing schedule for our customers.” The freight-only ship is expected to start service on September 2, and will make 10 sailings weekly between Belfast and Liverpool/Heysham. Source : freshplaza ______Wakashio Deviated From Shipping Lane Before Mauritius Grounding https://gcaptain.com/wakashio-deviated-from-shipping-lane-before-mauritius- grounding/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCa ptain.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-f043406fe1-139894965&mc_cid=f043406fe1&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______17 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Somali pirates release last three hostages as armed men attack Panama- flagged ship By : Abdiqani Hassan, Katharine Houreld Somali pirates have released three Iranian hostages held for five years, a maritime security official said on Thursday, as conflicting reports emerged whether another ship had been seized after a three-year hiatus in hijackings. The three Iranians are the last of the crew of the Iranian fishing vessel FV SIRAJ, which was captured by pirates on March 22, 2015.“This marks the end of an era of Somali piracy and the pain and A Panama-flagged AEGEAN II ship is seen in the Gulf of Aden near suffering of Somalia’s Bereeda, in the semi-autonomous northern region of Puntland, forgotten hostages,” Somalia August 20, 2020. said John Steed, the coordinator of the Hostage Support Programme, a volunteer organisation based in Nairobi begun to help rescue crews abandoned by their employers. The release was meant to mark the end of an era for Somalia’s pirates, who held over 2,300 crew between 2010 and 2019. But instead, six armed men hijacked the Panama flagged AEGEAN II late Wednesday after it had engine problems, a regional governor in Somalia told Reuters. Musse Salah, the governor of Gardafu in the semi-autonomous northern region of Puntland, said the ship was travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Mogadishu port when pirates attacked it, in what would be the first successful hijacking since 2017. There were 20 crew onboard, said a resident in contact with the men who had seized the ship. A regional security official said the men appeared to have links to a local militia that functioned as a police unit in the Bari region. The official asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media. POLICE, PIRATES, OR BOTH? Jay Bahadur, a Somali piracy expert who was previously head of a United Nations group of experts enforcing an arms embargo on Somalia, said that being a pirate and a member of the Somali police had not historically been mutually exclusive. He said it appeared that a group of men wearing police uniforms had boarded the ship, robbed the crew and taken the weapons of a private security team on board. The man reported to be the ringleader of the attack on the Aegean II had repeated phone contact with another pirate who was part of a group that carried out Somalia’s last hijacking in 2017, he added. The contact happened in the months prior to the 2017 hijacking. “If it was indeed the police, it bears resemblance to one of the earliest Somali piracy incidents, when members of the Puntland coast guard hijacked the boat they were supposed to be guarding,” he said. Satellite tracking data showed the ship appeared to have rounded the Horn of Africa and was going south past the Somali port of Hafun before suddenly turning sharply to the north and docking in Bereeda. Pictures sent to Reuters from Bereeda showed the Aegean II, a small tanker that carries chemical or crude products. The European Union Naval Force, known as EU Navfor, was checking on the incident, said a source in their Somalia Joint Operation Centre. At the height of their power in 2011, Somali pirates launched 237 attacks off the coast of the country, the International Maritime Bureau says, and held hundreds hostage. The number of attacks later tumbled as shipping firms implemented better security protocols, including posting look-outs, sailing further away from Somalia, and hiring private security. International warships operating as part of a coalition also prevented several attacks. Somalia has been riven by civil war since 1991 and is controlled by a patchwork of local militias, pockets of federal forces, African Union peacekeepers and Islamist insurgents. The Horn of Africa nation has also been intermittently plagued by pirates. Source : Reuters Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Barbara Lewis, Hugh Lawson and Lisa ______18 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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CONTAINER SHIP ARRESTED IN SINGAPORE The 2109 TEU 2014 built Container ship BARRY TRADER is under arrest in Singapore according to the country’s Supreme Court. The Singapore flagged ship at present anchored at the Eastern Anchorage as seen above last Saturday, was arrested 12:20 AM local time last Friday according to the list of vessels under arrest posted on the Photo : Piet Sinke courts website. The ship is owned by UK-based Lomar www.maasmondmaritime.com (c) Shipping, it typically operates between Singapore and the Philippines, the reason for the arrest is unclear, but are likely to do with disputes over the payment for goods and services ______14 Missing After Oil Tanker Collision Near Yangtze Estuary The tanker, carrying thousands of tons of gasoline, is ablaze after colliding with a cargo ship early Thursday morning. By : Li You Fourteen people are missing after an oil tanker carrying 3,000 tons of gasoline collided with a cargo ship near the Yangtze River estuary Thursday, Shanghai’s maritime authority reported. Seventeen people were aboard the two ships — 14 on the oil tanker and three on the cargo ship, which was transporting gravel — when they collided at 3:39 early Thursday morning. The oil tanker caught fire and the cargo ship sunk, according to the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration. The administration is coordinating an ongoing search and rescue operation. Three people had been rescued as of 8 a.m, with one taken to hospital. Video footage from China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, showed a thick plume of black smoke rising from the blaze this morning. Little evidence of oil leaked from the accident could be seen on the surface of the water. Source : sixthtone ______Sedov Sets Off On Trans-Arctic Voyage The 99-year-old four-masted steel bark Sedov is sailing home by an unusual route. She is sailing North from Vladivostok and transiting the Arctic by the Northern Sea Route to reach her home port of Kaliningrad. Crossing the Arctic will be the culmination of a grand voyage of more than 25,000 nautical miles sailed by the Sedov since November 1, 2019.
https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2020/ 08/hundred-years-old-tall-ship-sedov-embarks-historic-arctic-voyage ______The Mayflower Returns! 4K Drone Experience! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jcgn3aw8Fw&feature=youtu.be ______Wakashio’s Bow Scuttled Off Mauritius https://gcaptain.com/wakashios-bow-scuttled-off-mauritius/ ------
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MERCHANT NAVY DAY COMMEMORATION LIVERPOOL SUNDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 2020
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Anna Rothery in conjunction with the Rector of Liverpool, The Reverend Canon Dr Crispin Pailing would like to invite you to attend the
Merchant Navy Day Service at Liverpool Parish Church on Sunday 6th September 2020. At this Service we celebrate the role of the Merchant Navy in the City of Liverpool in the past and in the present.
This year’s Service will be in a reduced and simpler form following the current expectations around social distancing.
You are kindly requested to arrive at 11.45am for the Service at 12.00noon which will be held in the Church gardens weather permitting.
Please dress appropriately for an outdoor Service. ------Rescuers Recover Two Bodies In US Dredge Explosion Coast Guard crews respond to a dredge on fire in the Port of Corpus Christi Ship Channel, Aug. 21, 2020. A Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was launched to the scene, hoisted two injured crewmembers and transferred them to Corpus Christi Medical Center – Bay Area. The bodies of two of four workers missing after a dredging vessel caught fire and sank in Corpus Christi, Texas, harbor were recovered on Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Four workers on the dredging vessel WAYMON L BOYD went missing on Friday after the vessel caught fire in the Corpus Christi ship channel. The search for the other two missing employees is continuing, Coast Guard officials said. An investigation into the
Coast Guard crews respond to a dredge on fire incident is underway. Authorities have not said what in the Port of Corpus Christi Ship Channel, caused the explosion that sent six people to the hospital. Aug. 21, 2020. Local media reported an underwater pipeline was (U.S. Coast Guard photo) breached and a fiery explosion engulfed the vessel.Names of the missing crew members have not been disclosed. The Coast Guard said the ship broke apart and sank. The four were working for Orion Marine Group, which was dredging in the Corpus Christi ship channel at the time of the explosion. “We continue to work alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, TCEQ, and the other agencies to assist in the recovery of our personnel and the wider investigation into this incident,” said Orion Chief Executive Mark Stauffer. Source : reuters Reporting by Gary McWilliams; editing by Diane Craft ______Bodies of Two Missing Waymon L Boyd Crew Members Recovered https://gcaptain.com/bodies-of-two-missing-waymon-l-boyd-crew-members- recovered/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCa ptain.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-ef1b0136ab- 139894965&mc_cid=ef1b0136ab&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______Watch: 17 Rescued as Yacht Engulfed in Flames Sinks Off Italy https://gcaptain.com/watch-17-rescued-as-yacht-engulfed-in-flames-sinks-off- italy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain. com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-6f28dfb3a3-139894965&mc_cid=6f28dfb3a3&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______20 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Irish Merchant Seamens National Memorial Dublin: Name Error: In 2014 a UK relative of the SS Ardmore crew submitted concerns to the President of Ireland that the name of his relative lost on the SS Ardmore in 1940 was not included on the roll of honour of the Irish Merchant Seamens Memorial located on City Quay Dublin. This query was eventually routed to me for explanation. In case that query may come up again: For the record: Following the April 1998 SS Ardmore Commemorative Mass held in Cork, one reviewed ALL medal files relevant to the Emergency held by the Mercantile Marine office in Eden Quay, Dublin. Errors re some classes of Medal awards were discovered and corrected by the Department. However, the name error on the Memorial in City Quay was never corrected. Even though people including Captain Frank Forde author of the Long Watch were advised and despite pointing out the error, the Long Watch re-published circa 2001/2002 again included the wrong name in the Ardmore crew list. One subsequently got onto the publishers and nothing ever happened. Unfortunately the error in name on the National Seamen’s Memorial has to date not been corrected. Indeed, it may not be possible as ownership of the memorial is also an issue. However attached pdf http://www.irishseamensrelativesassociation.c om/SS_Ardmore_Crew_1940_The_History.pdf which was deleted from the website some years ago may give some insight into the how and the when, regarding the error on the memorial and the background re the SS Ardmore project. Peter Mulvany BCL, HDip Arts Admin http://www.irishseamensrelativesassociation.com
Extract from the Records of “Irish seamen’s Association” Mr A Murphy a Fireman aged 56 years from Main Street, Passage West in Cork was not a member of the crew of the SS Ardmore when she sailed for Fishguard on Monday 11th of November 1940. His name has erroneously been included in some bibliography and on the National Seamens Memorial located at City Quay, Dublin. There were no survivors from the SS Ardmore sunk on the 12th of November 1940. In deference to the crews lost on Irish vessels relatives are entitled to an expectation of authenticity when information is being published. The publicity surrounding the medal presentation in Cork in April 1998 prompted a complaint from the Dalgarno family that they had not been included in the ceremony. Just to clarify: “We Did Not Know” about Joseph Dalgarno, as we had relied on Frank Fordes Book “The Long Watch” for corroboration of the crew lists. This query prompted a full search of all the Department of Marine files relevant to awards of service medals to seamen lost on Irish vessels during the Emergency years. Following this review, some classes of medals had been found to have been issued in error and as far as possible those families affected were contacted and the position rectified. However the error of the names on the memorial has never been rectified even though those concerned were advised of the error. In 1999 the correct names were included on the SS Ardmore Memorial plaque on the Penrose Quay Cork which was the families response. The plaque in Cork was funded by the Dept of Marine ------21 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Dungeness lifeboat saves storm-hit boat in English Channel A sailing vessel has been rescued from the Channel after being overwhelmed by winds of over 40mph. The Dungeness lifeboat was sent out at 7.40am last Saturday after the boat got into serious difficulties. The craft's location wasn't immediately known so the lifeboat crew started to search about 17 miles south east of base before a dredger was able to report the exact location. When they drew level, it was established a person on board needed assistance. A crewman boarded the boat and a tow line was established. It was decided the lifeboat would tow the casualty to Eastbourne. However, due to the force of the winds, plans were changed and the casualty was towed to Rye Harbour. "The casualty vessel was in difficulty due to the strong winds and did the right thing in calling the UK Coastguard for help The lifeboat returned to station and was back on service by 4pm. Source : KentOnline ------Low blow: Sydney's new ferries won't fit under bridges while passengers on top deck Commuters will have to move before boats can travel under Camellia Railway Bridge and Gasworks Bridge on Parramatta River The New South Wales government has confirmed that 10 newly purchased ferries will not be able to safely pass under bridges along the Parramatta River if commuters are sitting on the top decks. Purchased from Indonesia, the new River Class ferries are set to join the NSW transport fleet later in the year, operating along the Parramatta River and on inner harbour routes. The new boats include an upper deck with 10 seats, but these commuters must be called below before the boat can travel under the Camellia Railway Bridge and the Gasworks Bridge near Parramatta due to their low clearance levels. The NSW shadow minister for transport, Christopher Minns, has criticised the government’s decision to purchase the ferries off-the-shelf rather than have them custom built. “This is another example of what happens when you buy ‘off the shelf’ transport infrastructure from other countries. There are too many variables in our transport system,” he said. It’s hard to believe they went ahead with this order knowing that the ferries wouldn’t fit under the bridge Minns suggested to the Sydney Morning Herald that commuters would risk decapitation in they did not move below decks. “Now alongside late-running trains and Covid-safe buses, commuters will have to worry about bridges knocking their heads off as they battle Sydney’s transport. ”However, a spokesperson for Transport for NSW said the practice of removing people from the top deck while travelling sections of the Parramatta River was not new. “The process of customers moving to the lower deck between Rydalmere and Parramatta [one stop] is already in place for the existing fleet of charter vessels currently used by Transdev Sydney Ferries,” they said. “These charter vessels have a viewing deck, while other vessels used by Transdev Sydney Ferries on the Parramatta River do not.” They suggested the ferries were purchased with the bridges clearance levels in mind, but the government opted to include a top deck to give passengers the options of open-air viewing for the rest of the journey. The purchasing of ill-fitting public transport isn’t new to the NSW government. In 2018 they were heavily criticised for ordering 55 new trains worth $2bn that were too wide to safely fit through some tunnels, as well as too wide for some stations. The government later widened the tunnels to accommodate the trains. Now it will be the responsibility of the crew on board the new ferries to ensure all passengers have moved below decks before travelling under the two bridges. The new River Cat Fleet will have the capacity for 200 customers and will replace the SuperCats and HarbourCats ferries as well as four charter vessels that are currently being used to supplement the regular river timetables. Source : The Guardian ______Crew change crisis deepens amid bureaucracy, logistics and cost https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1133667/Crew-change-crisis-deepens-amid- bureaucracy-logistics-and-cost ______22 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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The Government of Canada has established speed restriction measures in the Gulf of St Lawrence With the aim of reducing the risk of ship collisions with North Atlantic right whales (NARW), the Canadian government has implemented speed restriction zones in the Gulf of St Lawrence. A Ship Safety Bulletin was issued on 30 July, that modifies speed restriction zones (effective from 28 April 2020) and implements a restricted area from 2 August 2020 onwards. These measures will remain in force until 15 November 2020. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) publishes monthly Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs), through their Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) Centres. The current navigational warning includes the speed restrictions defined as ‘static zones’, ‘seasonal management areas’, a trial ‘voluntary speed restriction zone’ and a ‘restricted area’. These restrictions must be followed by all ships as per the Interim Order Protecting North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena Glacialis) in and near the Gulf of St Lawrence. Please note the Ship Safety Bulletin no 11/2020 of our attachment box. The bulletin includes an updated map of the regions in question, restrictions for each area, the latest coordinates, broadcast method, aids to navigation, compliance, enforcement and reporting contact details. Members should consult the latest update of this Bulletin prior to navigating through the Gulf of St. Lawrence to ensure compliance with the requirements and avoid administrative monetary penalties up to CAN $25,000 and/or penal sanctions under the Canada Shipping Act 2001.We thank ECM Maritime Services for this important update. Source: The Standard Club ______Coronavirus: Condor Ferries to cut almost 200 jobs Condor was only able to resume some of its sailings to the Channel Islands in July Almost 200 people have been made redundant at Condor Ferries as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the company has said. Chief executive Paul Luxon said the cuts affected 37% of its staff, which the company said was about 500 strong. Mr Luxon said it was a consequence of a 75% fall in income over the last five months He said a limited schedule between the Channel Islands, the UK and France would remain till the end of the year. Condor said it had received no revenue from passenger services between March and early July due to the lockdown, with freight volume down 40% over the same period. In early July, the company was forced to cancel its planned restart of services between Jersey and St Malo when baggage handlers in France went on strike Mr Luxon said the company had faced "the perfect storm" at "the busiest time of the year". Condor has since been able to operate sailings to Jersey from St Malo and Poole after Jersey reopened its borders to nonessential travellers. While the company said it had expected Guernsey to do the same in early September, that prospect is now "improbable". In a letter to customers, Mr Luxon said "drastic changes" had been made to protect the company's future, including "a resizing of the business". He did not confirm exactly what the "limited schedule" would look like. "We fully recognise our responsibilities for supporting the visitor economy, travel for Channel Islanders and for bringing in essential freight, and whilst none of us can use a crystal ball to predict the future, we hope that normality can, at some point, return," he said. Source : BBC News ______Beirut port operating at 80% capacity, three weeks after blast ______As Arctic Ice Melts, Polluting Ships Stream into Polar Waters https://gcaptain.com/as-arctic-ice-melts-polluting-ships-stream-into-polar- waters/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptai n.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-b3d53cb424-139894965&mc_cid=b3d53cb424&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______ISWAN welcomes release of Iranian hostages by Somali pirates after years in captivity ______Charterers playing ‘pass the parcel’ with crew changes ______23 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Test of seaworthiness findings The Supreme Court recently granted an owner permission to appeal in respect of the Court of Appeal’s decision in the CMA CGM LIBRA case. The appeal will raise issues concerning the scope of a shipowner’s obligation under Article III rule 1(a) of the Hague and Hague-Visby Rules to exercise due diligence to make the ship seaworthy before and at the commencement of the voyage. The appeal represents the first time in almost 60 years that the legal test for seaworthiness will be considered by the UK’s highest court. While the outcome will therefore be of notable general importance, it will be particularly significant for those who are currently litigating cases where issues of seaworthiness arise. To date, the decisions of the lower courts have generated considerable interest within the shipping industry, including from the International Group of P&I Clubs who supported the owner’s application to appeal, having seen an increase in the number of cargo interests alleging unseaworthiness on the basis of navigational errors. The background In May 2011, the container vessel CMA CGM LIBRA grounded on an uncharted shoal while leaving the port of Xiamen, China. Around 8% of the cargo interests refused to pay the owner’s claim for general average contributions, alleging actionable fault on the part of the owners. There were defects in the passage plan and the relevant working chart. Neither document had recorded a warning, contained within a Notice to Mariners, that charted depths outside of a fairway were unreliable, and that waters were shallower than recorded on the chart. The master had departed from the passage plan and sailed outside of the fairway, where the vessel grounded. At first instance, in March 2019, the Admiralty Court held that the defective passage plan and chart rendered the vessel unseaworthy. Given that the master and second officer could, by exercising reasonable care and skill, have prepared a proper passage plan, it was further held that the owner had not exercised due diligence. As the breach of Article III rule 1(a) was causative of the grounding, the claim in general average failed under the York- The 11.356 TEU CMA CGM LIBRA Antwerp Rules. Photo : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com Supreme Court (c) One year later, in March 2020, the Court of Appeal unanimously found in favour of the cargo interests and upheld the Admiralty Court’s decision. It was held that a vessel may be rendered unseaworthy by negligence in the navigation or the management of the vessel. As to due diligence, the Court of Appeal also held that once the owner had assumed responsibility for the cargo as carriers, all the acts of the master and crew in preparing for the voyage were performed qua carrier, and the obligation to exercise due diligence to make the ship seaworthy was an overriding obligation. The owner is appealing the Court of Appeal’s decision on the ground that passage planning constitutes a navigational decision, rather than an “attribute of the vessel”, and therefore the failure to record the warning was a type of error in navigation that could not render the vessel unseaworthy. Additionally, the owner is appealing on the ground that the obligation to exercise due diligence was limited to acts by third parties qua carrier, and the failure by the master and crew to navigate carefully was outside of the “orbit of responsibility” of the owner. The appeal to the Supreme Court is noteworthy as it will address questions relating to seaworthiness and the nondelegable obligation to exercise due diligence under the Hague and Hague-Visby Rules. It will also impact on the ability of cargo interests to defend against claims in general average on the basis of improper passage planning and navigational errors. Further developments in this matter are awaited. It is anticipated that the Supreme Court appeal hearing date will not be until late 2021. Source: By HFW’s Andrew Chamberlain, Claire Womersley & Ruth Allan De Maldonado ______24 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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DEAL AGREED FOR APPLEDORE SHIPYARD ASSETS A deal has been agreed for a listed business to acquire substantially all the assets of Appledore Shipyard in Devon. InfraStrata, the owner of Belfast's historic Harland & Wolff (H&W) yard, has acquired the assets, with the site to be renamed H&W (Appledore).The business, which is focused on strategic infrastructure projects and physical asset lifecycle management, is paying £7m for the "highly strategic asset with a rich shipbuilding heritage". The announcement was said to represent a huge economic boost for the area and provides a lifeline for the skilled local workforce after the shipyard was closed in March last year. As well as providing a significant opportunity to build a prominent presence in mainland UK, InfraStata said there were significant synergies between Appledore and H&W. The deal includes 29 acres of freehold land, 322,975sq ft of undercover fabrication halls, 119 metre length of undercover dry-dock and 500 metres of quayside at the Newquay yard for ship repairs. InfraStrata chief executive John Wood said: "I am delighted that the company has acquired Appledore shipyard and this is another important milestone in the growth of the company. We have been fortunate that these assets have become available. "The acquisition at this point in time is opportunistic for the company and one that should not be missed. It not only gives us a strategic foothold in mainland UK but also makes the overall business highly competitive in the smaller and higher ends of the shipyard market, respectively. I look forward to growing this business along with our flagship Harland & Wolff (Belfast), with the primary aim of attaining a cash break-even status as soon as possible." Jointly the InfraStrata group has the potential of employing 1,550 people - 800 in Belfast, 350 at Appledore, and 400 during the construction phase of its Islandmagee gas storage project. Opened in 1865, the Appledore shipyard has a rich history of shipbuilding. More than 300 vessels have been built there; including military craft, bulk carriers, LPG carriers, superyachts, ferries, and oil-industry support vessels. Source :Insider Media ______Arson suspected as cause of ship fire aboard Navy’s USS Bonhomme Richard, defense official says By JULIE WATSON and LOLITA C. BALDOR Arson is suspected as the cause of a July 12 fire that left extensive damage to the USS BONHOMME RICHARD and a U.S. Navy sailor is being questioned as a potential suspect, a senior defense official said Wednesday. The sailor was being questioned but was not detained and defense department leaders were notified of the development, the official said. The official, with knowledge of the investigation, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity
to provide details not yet made public. The amphibious assault ship burned for more than four days and was the Navy’s worst U.S. warship fire outside of combat in recent memory. The ship was left with extensive structural, electrical and mechanical damage and its future board boxes, rags and other maintenance supplies were stored. But winds coming off the San Diego Bay whipped up the flames and the fire spread up the elevator shafts and the exhaust stacks.Then two explosions — one heard as far as 13 miles (21 kilometres) away — caused it to grow even bigger, Gilday said. The Navy was looking into what caused the explosions, though Gilday said at that time that they had not found any indications yet of foul play. More than 60 sailors and civilians were treated for minor injuries, heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Source : pilotonline ______Unions to continue lashing battle to achieve compliance with Non-seafarers’ Work Clause While the Court of Rotterdam’s decision in the Netherlands is disappointing, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the bodies’ affiliated unions today vowed to continue the battle to achieve compliance with the Non-Seafarers’ Work Clause ______
25 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Russia examines plans to build Arctic port The Russian government is examining the possibility of building a new cargo and container port on the Arctic coast. The proposed port would be built on unused land formerly used by the Ministry of Defence and would be operated within the framework of the Northern Sea Transit Corridor project, Russia’s project to ease trade through the Arctic. The port would be predominantly owned and operated by RUSATOM CARGO LLC, Russia’s largest engineering, energy and technology companies. It would act as a transport and logistics hub, where containers are transported from ordinary ships to ice-class ships and vice versa. The Governor of Murmansk Andrey Chibis met Russia’s Deputy Minister of Defense Timur Ivanov 24 August 2020 to discuss the potential port, and how it would fit in with existing plans to develop the region, which include energy and chemical plants. Arctic shipping, often referred to as the Northern Sea Route (NSR), has become more appealing in recent years with the aforementioned melting of sea ice. Estimates suggest the NSR could cut voyage time from Asia to Europe by 40% and allow shippers to bypass traditional routes, such as the Suez and Panama Canals and the Cape of Good Hope. However, there are significant concerns regarding the safety and connectivity of vessels in a region as remote as the Arctic. Combined with the possible threat to the environment, this has resulted in several of the largest carriers, including CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and MSC to also vow to not use the NSR. Source : porttechnology ______Divers to use net to salvage Raja ferry and garbage trucks The stricken RAJA 4 ferry boat will be raised from the seabed by two cranes, according to the salvage plan revealed by its operator. The ferry capsized and sank two miles off Koh Samui on the night of August 1, after its cargo of three garbage trucks reportedly shifted. The accident killed five of the 16 people onboard and left garbage strewn across the beaches of nearby islands. Raja Ferry Port managing director, Apichart Chayopas, said his company has hired MS Service to conduct the salvage operation and would now send the plan to the Surat Thani administration and relevant authorities. The salvaging firm has conducted an underwater survey of the wreck and its cargo of trucks, he added.MS Service president Wirot Kulwirottama said they planned to salvage the boat by using two cranes. Divers will also cover the boat with a net in order to prevent garbage spilling from the trucks when it is lifted to the surface.The operation will take at least a month, depending on weather, he added. Source : Nation Thailand ______Weymouth Inshore lifeboat launched to medical emergency Weymouth RNLI Inshore lifeboat was launched at 8.00pm on Friday 28th August to assist in a multi agency incident to recovery a casualty who had suffered a medical incident on Chesil Beach. Due to the remote location, it was very difficult for other emergency services to gain access and egress to the beach, so the lifeboat was used to ferry personnel and equipment over to the beach from the hard at the Wyke Bridging Camp across the Fleet and onto the Chesil bank. Once the casualty had been placed in a special stretcher, he and other emergency crews were transported back to Bridging Camp and into a waiting ambulance. With the casualty safely in the ambulance, the lifeboat was then released to return to station at 11.00pm where it was refuelled and made ready for the next shout. Ken Francis, Volunteer press officer, Tel. 07843781712, [email protected] Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Media Manager, Tel: 07920818807, @amycaldwell ______
26 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Massive cable pull is latest landmark in Orsted's giant offshore wind farm Team vows beach 'will look exactly as it did before' once major work is complete Wind power engineers have carried out a mammoth cable pull on a Lincolnshire beach as they prepare to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Hornsea Two will include 165 wind turbines and will power more than 1.3 million homes, This week engineers from Orsted installed 2.4km of a total 39 km Boskalis NDURANCE of cable towards the landfall site Photo : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c) for the scheme at Horseshoe Point, Lincolnshire. Cable laying vessel NDURANCE, owned and operated by Netherlands-based contractor Boskalis, was positioned offshore 2.5km from the cable connection point. Orsted says that once work at the landfall is complete, the beach will be returned to its original condition. Power generated from the turbines will travel to its onshore substation visa the landfall site before reaching the National Grid. Patrick Harnett, Orsted
programme director for Hornsea Two, said: "These recent months have set challenges in our way that no one could have expected. Our teams have worked safely and tirelessly to overcome these and deliver a fantastic result with the commencement of our offshore construction works. "Thanks to the dedication of our contracted staff, once the cable connection works at Horseshoe Point have been completed next year, the ground will be reinstated and the beach will look exactly as it did before.” Steve Marshall, Boskalis project director for Hornsea Two, said: "Boskalis have a comprehensive and world leading track record in delivering nearshore and landfall operations whilst always maintaining a key focus to eliminate or minimise any environmental and surrounding impact, through the great work of our team and by utilising our in-house equipment we have successfully achieved this. Orsted launches biggest recruitment campaign yet with 'chance to change the world from your home town' “The experience of the team has recently been exemplified in the way that the ‘One Team’ philosophy has risen and overcome challenges that would not typically be encountered during these types of works to deliver outstanding results. We look forward to continuing the great working relationship with Ørsted and contributing to the ongoing overall success of this project.” The main building site for Hornsea Two is at Humberside Airport, while when the site is operational technicians will be nased at the East Coast Hub in Grimsby. Source: business- live. ______ACL pledges to repatriate seafarers trapped in Liverpool https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1133704/ACL-pledges-to-repatriate-seafarers- trapped-in-Liverpool Most of the crew of ACL’s Liverpool-based con-ro fleet have been repatriated, despite the crew change crisis, insists chief executive Andy Abbott ______27 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Announces Plan to Restart Most Ships by Spring, Balmoral Earlier Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines announced it intends to have three of its fleet of four vessels restart cruise operations in March and April of next year – with its 1,325-passenger flagship, BALMORAL, starting even sooner. The exact date has yet to be confirmed for BALMORAL first; Fred. Olsen stated in a press release that a "return to the water" date for the ship will be forthcoming in the next few weeks. Balmoral's cruises are currently cancelled to 9 December 2020. Fred. Olsen also plans to restart cruises aboard its 924-passenger BRAEMAR in March. The company made the announcement Thursday along with the news that BOLETTE and BOREALIS will enter service in March and April of 2021. The two vessels are taking over for BLACK WATCH and BOUDICCA, which will be retired. Bolette will assume Boudicca's sailings from Dover, while Borealis will take over Black Watch itineraries departing from Liverpool.
Itineraries aboard the two new vessels, which were purchased from Holland America Line in July, will be available for booking on 7 September for BOLETTE and 15 September for BOREALIS. "We have really missed taking our guests on their holidays this year," said Fred Olsen Junior, chairman of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. "Without our guests, there is no vibrancy, no life and no fun on board our ships, and we can't wait to be able to offer them the award-winning cruises for which we are renowned once again." Cruises aboard BLACK WATCH and BOUDICCA are still available for reservation in the meantime. All passengers booking itineraries on either ship will have their cruise automatically transferred to either BOLETTE or BOREALIS. BOLETTE and BOREALIS -- the former AMSTERDAM and ROTTERDAM – which were at Damen Verolme recently for a technical refit before sailing to Rosyth, Scotland for further work and repainting into their new Fred. Olsen livery. Source: cruisecritic ______An Interesting Maritime Recruitment Blog https://wn.com/Maritime ______Chris & the Lion I joined P&O Normandy Ferries as a 4h engineer in Dover in 1975. We sailed from Dover to Boulogne and back again several times during the day and night.
We had not been running many weeks when we took a dog on board. Animals were occasionally transported across the channel. He was put in a kennel on the main car deck. When we got back to Dover the quarantine people were notified to come and collect the dog from our ship which was called Lion.
That particular morning there was a new man who came to the gatehouse to see where he had to go to collect the animal.
The man at the gatehouse said “OK you want the Lion!!”
“Bloody hell” said the man who had come to pick up the animal, “I’ve only got a little van”.
Kind regards Chris Davison ______Artist Banksy’s New Migrant Rescue Boat Quickly Becomes Overloaded in Mediterranean https://gcaptain.com/artist-banksys-new-migrant-rescue-becomes-quickly-overloaded-in- mediterranean/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28 gCaptain.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-87ba8faf5c- 139894965&mc_cid=87ba8faf5c&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______28 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Nordic Unmanned & Equinor deliver to offshore oil rig Troll On the 27th of August, Equinor and Nordic Unmanned created global aviation history when they carried out an advanced long-range BVLOS unmanned flight to supply a 3D-printed component to Troll A. The flight range was 100km (55nm) each way and was carried out from Mongstad. A CAMCOPTER® S-100 from Schiebel was used, a highly proven unmanned helicopter with an empty weight of 110 kg, a payload capacity of 50kg, and with a typical endurance of up to 8 hours. In addition, there was conducted a close visual inspection of Troll A outside the 500 meter zone and a search and rescue operation together with the standby vessel at Troll A. The entire operation went according to plan to relevant stakeholders. This is a worlds-first in terms of full-scale offshore drone delivery from shore to an active oil and gas installation. It is a high endurance and long range beyond visual line of sight operation through ordinary airspace. Through this project Equinor takes the lead within unmanned logistics and turns bold ambitions and strategies into actions. Drone operations such as this one has a 55 times lower carbon footprint than cargo delivery with manned alternatives. Knut Roar Wiig, CEO of Nordic Unmanned highlighted the importance of this operation. “This is a huge milestone, not only for our company, but also for the unmanned aviation industry. With this world’s first operation, Nordic Unmanned becomes one of the world-leading companies in complex unmanned operations. Through a very close and good cooperation with Equinor and Schiebel, we have managed to beat the global technology players drone cargo programs.”The unmanned industry is evolving rapidly, and the professional part of the industry is starting to adopt the best practice from traditional aviation in terms of safety, regulations, and certifications. By leveraging our experience and highly skilled employees and partners, Nordic Unmanned is continuously working to pursue pioneering projects and untapped potential that moves the industry forward in giant steps. Long-range unmanned logistics is expected to be a large and important market segment as it reduces carbon footprint, risk and cost; Nordic Unmanned is dedicated to continue innovating and improving novel cutting-edge concepts and putting them into action for our bold and visionary clients. Pål Kristensen, business unit manager, logistics and robotization, for Nordic Unmanned was eager to highlight the teamwork behind such an achievement. “The operation that we have conducted today is an excellent example of how we in Nordic Unmanned work together with a demanding client to implement the latest in unmanned technology. This marks the beginning of a new chapter within unmanned logistics. The technology is proven and robust enough to implement in large scale, and reduces the risk cost and environmental footprint drastically. The good collaboration with Equinor, Schiebel, Avinor, Norwegian Communication Authority and Norwegian Civil Aviation, has made it possible to take this project from end of feasibility study, to end of operation in less than 4 months. I’m honoured to have led this project for Nordic Unmanned” Troll A is an excellent destination for this record flight, as it is the crown-jewel of Condeep-platforms that also was pioneered in the Stavanger region fjords back in the 1990s. It is 472 m high, has a dry mass of 656 000 ton, and is one of the most complex engineering projects in history. It is the largest concrete platform ever moved offshore, and it is the highest man-made object moved by humans on the surface of the earth. Considering that Nordic Unmanned is from the Stavanger region and the record nature of Troll A, it is a suitable location for this large technological and strategically important leap is carried out to Troll A. source: suasnews ______Floatels deployed as Singapore finally eases crew change stance https://splash247.com/floatels-deployed-as-singapore-finally-eases-crew-change-stance/ ______29 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Livestock Carrier with 43 Crew Goes Missing Off Japan September 2, 2020 by Mike Schuler The Japanese Coast Guard is searching for a livestock carrier with 43 crew members on board after a distress signal was sent from the vessel on Wednesday. Reports say the Gulf Livestock 1 issued a distress signal at around 1:20 a.m. local time Wednesday while around 115 miles west of Amami Oshima Island in southwestern Japan. The ship is reported to be carrying 43 crew members. The search is being conducted in the general vicinity of Typhoon Maysak, which was last MV Gulf Livestock 1. reported to be packing 130 mph winds, equivalent File Photo: MarineTraffic.com/bruce colyer to a Category 4 hurricane. The Gulf Livestock 1 was reportedly transporting cattle from Napier, New Zealand to Tangshan, China. The vessel was built in 2002 and registered in Panama. It is owned by Dubai-based Gulf Navigation. In late July, the Philippine Navy rendered assistance to the Gulf Livestock 1 after it lost propulsion off Balut Island in Southern Philippines. Repairs were eventually completed without incident. ______The Note A woman, cranky because her husband was late coming home again, decided to leave a note, saying, "I've had enough and have left you...don't bother coming after me”.
Then she hid under the bed to see his reaction.
After a short while, the husband comes home and she could hear him in the kitchen before he comes into the bedroom. She could see him walk towards the dresser and pick up the note.
After a few minutes, he wrote something on it before picking up the phone and calling someone.
"She's finally gone...yeah I know, it is about time, I'm coming to see you, put on that sexy French nightie. I love you...can't wait to see you...we'll do all the naughty things you like.”
He hung up, grabbed his keys, and left.
She heard the car drive off as she came out from under the bed, seething with rage and with tears in her eyes. She grabbed the note to see what he wrote.
"I can see your feet.
We're outta bread; be back in five minutes." ______Radio hijacker, 25, avoids jail after causing chaos at shipping port https://bestwaynews.com/2020/08/31/radio-hijacker-25-avoids-jail-after-causing-chaos-at-shipping-port/ ______Merchant Navy Association branch sets sail for North Wales https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/18692580.merchant-navy-association-branch-sets-sail-north-wales/ ______30 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Wakashio Oil Spill Off Mauritius Turns Deadly As Tug Sinks — 3 Dead, 1 Missing Posted: 02 Sep 2020 02:42 AM PDT
The ongoing clean-up following the fuel oil spill from the grounded bulk carrier Wakashio off Mauritius turned deadly when a tug assisting in the effort sank after colliding with an oil barge. The tug Sir Gaetan Duval had a crew of 8. Four of the crew were rescued, 3 died, and 1 is still missing.
There are conflicting reports about the barge status and condition, but it now appears that the barge was empty and remained afloat following the collision. Forbes reports that video taken by local fishermen on 1 September morning revealed the oil barge drifting unattached along the coast of Mauritius. There was no satellite anti-collision tracking transponder on the oil barge.
The Washington Post reports that the tug was towing the empty barge from the stranded stern section of the Japanese ship, the MV Wakashio, on Monday night when heavy seas rammed the barge into the tug. It sank off the northeast coast of the Indian Ocean island nation, near a village called Poudre D’or. The tugboat sank in deep water outside a coral reef and so far no oil has been seen on the coast. ……..
Dead dolphins began washing up on the coast last week. So far 47 dolphins and three whales have been found. An initial autopsy by a government laboratory said oil was not the cause of the deaths, but few Mauritians believe that, an official said.
The government of Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is under pressure to explain why immediate action was not taken when the ship first ran aground. He has blamed bad weather for the government’s apparent inaction. The post appeared first on Old Salt Blog. ______
VENUS HARMONY passing Portuguese coast underway to Almeria (Spain) 31 August 2020. On the hatches a basketball court for the crew. Photo: Capt Johan Trommel (c) ______
31 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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Today We Commemorate Merchant Navy Veterans Day in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, September 3, 2020, for reference. To view the MN Day Message from The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, please select: Greetings - Merchant Navy Day of Remembrance - Message from the Prime Minister of Canada
______Oil tankers stripped of flags after breaching U.S. sanctions to secretly ship Iranian oil Four oil tankers have been stripped of their flags following an NBC News investigation into allegations they secretly transported Iranian oil in defiance of crippling U.S. sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump. The four ships all made covert visits to Iranian waters this year where they collectively picked up millions of barrels of oil, according to data from Tanker Trackers, a maritime research firm. The trips were part of what Tanker Trackers describes as a complex “ballet” performed by Iranian and foreign vessels, in which ships manipulate their tracking data to hide their involvement in flouting U.S. sanctions, A July 31 report from NBC News featured 15 ships, including four — the GIESSEL, the EKATERINA, the LERAX, and the AMFRITI — that were sailing under the flag of the Caribbean island state of St. Kitts & Nevis. Five days after the report was broadcast, the St. Kitts & Nevis Ship Registry decided it would no longer allow the tankers to fly under its flag. Under maritime law, seagoing ships must fly the flag of a nation state. Vessels that have been stripped of their flag are unable to carry out basic functions like sailing into port or registering for maritime insurance. “The St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry takes any violations of imposed sanctions very seriously and will act swiftly and effectively to deal with infringements involving any vessels flying its flag,” the registry said in a statement emailed to NBC News. “Such was the case with the tanker Giessel which was de-flagged on August 4th following press reports that it had visited an Iranian port.” A registry spokesman confirmed the three other ships had also been stripped of their flags. Public records from the International Maritime Organization show that the four ships are no longer under the St. Kitts & Nevis flag. Their nationality is now listed as “unknown.” While they may be able to eventually register again with a new state, the loss of their flags is likely to hinder their movements in the short term. The maritime organization’s records reveal a complex web of companies responsible for the ownership of each of the ships. But three of the vessels are ultimately under the care of the same firm, an Indian company called Floretta Ship Management. The fourth ship is linked to another Indian company, Ravel Ship Management. Iranian officials were not available for comment on this story but Iran makes no secret of its determination to get around U.S. sanctions, which it describes as illegal. On July 10, Gholamreza Ansari, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said: “China is the only country buying oil from us officially, although we have our own ways of exporting oil to other countries also. “We bypass the sanctions and sell our oil to different countries, meanwhile the policy of the U.S. and Britain is to pile pressure on Iran especially on its policies with the East and relations with China and Russia.” News of the ships being deflagged came as the Trump administration is trying – so far unsuccessfully - to step up its “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions against Iran through the United Nations. The U.S. unsuccessfully attempted to force the U.N. Security Council to reimpose sanctions on Iran, arguing Tehran is violating the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement it made with the administration of President Barack Obama and five other world powers. However, Trump withdrew from that nuclear agreement in 2018 and the remaining signatories — Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany — say the U.S. no longer has the legal standing to call for sanctions. Source : NBCnews ______Second crew member rescued from capsized ship dies https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2020/09/04/crew-capsized-ship-china-sea/ ______32 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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A Little Story Your Bridge Teams May Appreciate:
A foreign-going British cargo liner was in bound for KG Dk, Hull. The Pilot was very experienced and noticed fairly early on during the river passage that the bridge team were a bit slack in carrying out his orders. They had the "Channels"!
As the ship was approaching Immingham on a steady course, the Pilot asked the Third mate to come with him to the chart room. Once there the Pilot opened his bag and took out three forms. These were standard forms for "Collision", "Grounding" and "Loss of anchor and cable" he told the 3/0, "Fill in these forms and I'll give you the times as we go along".
The Old Man had noticed the move and when the Pilot emerged from the chart room the Old Man went in to see what the 3/0 was doing.
From that moment on the bridge team became super-efficient and concentrated on the manoeuvring of the ship and she duly berthed safely in KGD without any miss-hap.
Look after yourself and I hope to meet up with you soon. John R743132 ______
The Dutch pilot cutter POLARIS and Belgian pilot tender DEURLOO off Vlissingen, Photo Jack Geluk © ______Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged.
However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.' ______
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Vic Grey, NZ, 1st Red Ensign flown 03/08/20 next by Brian J Chaplin on Australia (R693929)
Commemoration at Plymouth Merchant Navy Memorial
______34 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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This poem and introduction was read by Christine Payne, Hon Welfare Officer. Weymouth Portland & District.at Weymouth VJ(75) Day 2020
I’m going to read a poem originally written by a lady called Mary Michael. She wrote it for her Father who was a Japanese POW. I have adapted it to be personal for my Father. He was an East End boy from Poplar London. Called up aged just 20, he went away to war and did not return to England for 6.1/2 years. He fought in the 8th Army, artillery, a Desert Rat at El Alamein, and then in the 14th Army in Burma – India – and Burma again, between 1941 – 45. He fought alongside soldiers from India, 12 African Countries and thousands of young men from across the Commonwealth. Kohima and Imphal have passed into military history. There, our troops were so outnumbered, but fought on and won those battles at great cost. The 14th Army were known as the Forgotten Army. When they eventually returned home to the Promised Land ‘fit for hero’s’, they were forgotten again and abandoned, without support. Left alone to cope and try to rebuild their lives. The scars that tortured my Father’s mind, were not visible. The family repercussions of The Burma Campaign and the Japanese POW Camps, will resonate with many of my generation. Those atrocities witnessed and experienced, are unimaginable to us here today, and damaged those brave people forever.
So, using Mary’s words and my own, I would like to dedicate this poem to the thousands of children across the World, who grew up in the shadows of those terrible war experiences. May future generations always acknowledge and respect the pain endured for their Freedom.
FOR MY DAD – ONE OF THE MANY WHO GAVE SO MUCH – AND ASKED FOR SO LITTLE.
You were a grown up And I was your child
You experienced trauma, lost lives to mourn, Before your child was even born.
You suffered fearfully, much loss and pain, Long before your child ever came.
You were a young Man, sent away to War, Your child didn’t know the horrors you saw.
Your head was in a far distant land, And your Child didn’t understand.
You suffered so much sickness, And your child suffered too. You were constantly haunted by nightmares and dreams, And your child woke up scared, when hearing your screams.
No amount of alcohol, could ever ease your mind, Of comrades dying underfoot, no peace could you find.
You never forgot, Your child didn’t know what. 35 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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You took your secrets to the grave, And to the child, no memories gave.
YOU WERE A HERO, But your child didn’t know.
You were my Dad, And I was your Daughter.
You were a soldier in Burma at War, ……… Alternative line………. You were a sailor in a faraway war And now your daughter understands more.
You paid the price, too high the cost, For both Father and child, too much was lost.
I AM A CHILD NO MORE. But unknowingly I’ve carried the scars that you bore.
I have found the more I learn, the more I heal, Now not pain, but understanding I feel. There is a fine of 300 Singapore dollars (185 Euro) for a first So rest in Peace Dad, with love from me, offence of not wearing a mask Because now finally, we both can be free. outside your house
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them. ______Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a check-up, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.
'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'
'Sure.'
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks.
'No, I can remember it.'
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?'
He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.'
'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks.
Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.
She stares at the plate for a moment. ….'Where's my toast?'
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Fact or fiction?? ______An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great I would recommend it very highly.'
The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'
The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What's the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know, the one that's red and has thorns.'
'Do you mean a rose?'
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?' ______Two Glasgow boys, Archie and Jock, are sitting in the pub discussing Jock’s forthcoming wedding. ‘Aye, it’s all going like magic,’ says Jock. ‘I've got everything organized already: the flowers, the church, the cars, the reception, the rings, the minister, even my stag night…’
Archie nods approvingly. ‘Hell, I've even bought a kilt to be married in!’ continues Jock.
‘A kilt?’ exclaims Archie, ‘That’s grand, you'll look pure smart in that! And what’s the tartin?’
‘Ach,’ says Jock, ‘I imagine she’ll be in white.’ ------37 MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #16 04th September 2020
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------We are pleased to say we are now able to offer our supporters the facility to make donations via our Just Giving page. This is a secure means of making payments and enables us to claim Gift Aid from the Treasury. Go to www.justgiving.com Click on ‘Search' at the top right- hand side and type in Merchant Navy Association. ______
That’s all from me now folks.
Stay Safe Shipmates
Good Health, Fair Winds and Calm Seas. Take Care.
Yours Aye, Malcolm
Malcolm Mathison National Vice-Chairman Merchant Navy Association Tel: 01472 277 266 Mob: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected] www.mna.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1135661
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