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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 #04 was published 21st March 2021 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 Chairman, Malcolm Mathison - Mobile: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected]
Secretary, David Parsons Tel: 01935 414 765 Email: [email protected]
Welfare & Events, Tim Brant, - Tel: 01733 205001, Email : [email protected]
Membership, Roy Glencross - Mobile: 07738 425 875 Email: [email protected]
MNA Slop Chest, The Supply Officer:- Sandra Broom Tel 0121 244 0190 [email protected]
Full Ahead Editor, Sandra Turner,[email protected] Tel 01889 585 588
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]
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Giant walrus having a nap on a Russian submarine. Photo via Linkedin ______1 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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The Merchant Navy Association Bringing Seafarers past & present together Through meetings and communications Comradeship and Support for all seafarers Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets For information visit our website www.mna.org.uk ______
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______Crew Change due to new COVID-variants Shipping is concerned that the numbers of seafarers being impacted by the crew change crisis are on the rise due to travel restrictions imposed by governments in response to new variants. The latest collective industry analysis shows that 200,000 seafarers are currently affected by the crew change crisis, a marked reduction from the height of crisis where 400,000 needed to be repatriated. However, with governments reintroducing stricter border control and travel restrictions due to new COVID-19 variants making it harder for crew to transfer to and from ships. So far, only 55 countries and two associate members of the IMO have declared seafarers as keyworkers and more work must be done to ensure crew do not once again become collateral damage in the pandemic. …………………. ` ` Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary. ______DERBYSHIRE SUBMARINERS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TRADE JOURNAL 258 APRIL 2021 Your monthly newsletter a couple of days early due to new content up until today, thus full. Some Good, and Some not so Good. Available on the link http:www.godfreydykes.info/TJ%20258%20Apr%202021.pdf and also the last twelve months issues available on our Web Page below Thank you all for your feedback, always helpful and keeps us all in touch. I hope this finds members as well as they can be and best wishes for those suffering at present through various reasons.
Regards Terry (Nobby) Hall Terry Hall, Hon. Secretary/Treasurer Derbyshire Submariners http://www.godfreydykes.info/derbyshire_submariners_page.html ______
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ROYAL IHC HANDS OVER CSD MOHAB MAMEESH TO SUEZ CANAL AUTHORITY The MOHAB MAMEESH during trails assisted by Herman Sr’s BARNEY Photo : Arie Boer © Royal IHC officially handed over the cutter suction dredger (CSD) MOHAB MAMEESH to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) on Thursday 18 March. The vessel is now ready for its official duties after successfully completing commissioning tests on the Dutch coastline and Haringvliet. With the delivery of the 29,190kW heavy-duty rock CSD, SCA now owns one of the most powerful dredgers in the world. With an overall length of 147.4 metres and a total installed cutter power of 4,800kW, the MOHAB MAMEESH can dredge to a depth of 35 metres. There are also accommodation facilities on board that can house over 70 people. The MOHAB MAMEESH will primarily be deployed to maintain and improve the artificial sea-level area that connects the Mediterranean and Red seas. As the vessel was designed in close cooperation with SCA, it has the capacity to work effectively in the harsh conditions of the region. The new CSD will now be transported to Egypt. It will be first loaded on to a semi-submersible cargo vessel next week, after which it will depart from Rotterdam to the Suez Canal. Its sister vessel – HUSSEIN TANTAWY – is expected to depart for sea trials in the next couple of months. “We were confident from the start of the project that Royal IHC was the right partner for this important assignment,” says SCA’s Chairman and Managing Director, Admiral Osama Rabie. “The MOHAB MAMEESH is a truly impressive vessel and many people are enthusiastic to see it performing live operations as soon as possible. We expect to achieve incredible results with this state-of-the-art CSD for many years to come.” Royal IHC’s CEO, Gerben Eggink, adds: “I’d like to reconfirm the sentiments we held at the start of this journey, that we were – and remain – truly honoured that SCA placed its trust in Royal IHC for such an innovative vessel. A great deal of hard work and dedication has led to this moment, and many people will feel deep satisfaction at seeing the final result. We would like to wish the owners and crew of the MOHAB MAMEESH good fortune and smooth sailing .______Officials seize four tonnes of cocaine at Rotterdam port Customs officials in Rotterdam port have seized four tonnes of cocaine hidden in a container from Ecuador. The cocaine, divided into 4,425 separate packages, has a street value of over €300m, the public prosecution department said in a statement. The container was destined for a fruit company in Rotterdam and came to the Netherlands via Antwerp. In February, police in Hamburg and Antwerp seized 23 tonnes of cocaine destined for the Netherlands. The first consignment, totalling 16.1 tonnes, had been disguised as tins of wall plaster from Paraguay. The second shipment was hidden among pineapple, squid, wood and mackerel from Panama. Customs officers in the Netherlands and abroad prevented over 115,000 kilos of cocaine from reaching the country in 2020. Source : DutchNews ______
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UK set for shipbuilding strategy refresh by Richard Scott The United Kingdom has embarked on a refresh of its National Shipbuilding Strategy to take a broader and more holistic approach to the maritime enterprise and supply chain. Designed to reinvigorate the shipbuilding and maritime sector across the UK regions as part of the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, the updated strategy is expected to be released in the third quarter of 2021. It will be accompanied by the publication of a 30-year procurement plan for all government owned vessels. The Royal Navy’s (RN’s) current shipbuilding plan includes eight Type 26 frigates, five Type 31 frigates, and a projected follow-on Type 32 general-purpose frigate. Three new solid support ships are also planned. Addressing the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) annual conference on 16 March, Secretary of State for Defence and ‘Shipbuilding Tzar’ Ben Wallace said his vision was for “a supercharged, successful and sustainable UK shipbuilding enterprise. “By 2030, I want our industry to be at the forefront of the technological and environmental revolutions driving our sector.” According to Wallace, while the original National Shipbuilding Strategy published by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2017 was focused on naval shipbuilding alone, the refresh would be much more wide-ranging. “It will no longer be primarily about hulls but about looking right across the shipbuilding enterprise, from naval and commercial shipbuilding to systems and subsystems,” he said, adding, “We’re going to be sending you a much clearer demand signal about what we’re trying to achieve with our procurement programmes – for the first time releasing a 30-year pipeline of all government vessel procurements over 150 tons.” Source : Janes ______WORLD SHIP SOCIETY Founded in 1947, the World Ship Society has some 2,000 members worldwide who are interested in ships, past and present. Its monthly journal “Marine News” is a byword for accurate information. MARINE NEWS- provides the most comprehensive and convenient listings of merchant ship activity for enthusiasts – some 10,000 entries a year covering launches, name and ownership changes, details of casualties and demolitions, all available as a 64-page digital magazine delivered to members’ computers around the first of each month and backed by an annual Index. In addition, there is topical warship coverage, feature articles, photographs and Society news. MARINE NEWS SUPPLEMENT & WARSHIPS - The monthly digital Supplement to Marine News contains supplementary photographs Fleet Lists and long feature articles covering modern and historical subjects. The quarterly naval publication Warships has been incorporated into the Supplement series and will be published every February, May, August and November. BOTH DELIVERED AS A PDF BY E-MAIL EVERY MONTH: SHIPPING NEWS AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT MEMBERSHIP - annual membership of the World Ship Society (includes 12 digital copies of Marine News and its digital Supplements per annum) costs £22. Get a trial digital copy of Marine News by e- mailing your name and address to: [email protected] WORLD SHIP SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER VALUE ______Derbyshire Submariners Newsletter (Update on link) I again this month made an error on the link which looked good and tested ok locally to me but as the web pages had not updated but the link below IS CORRECT. http://www.godfreydykes.info/TJ%20258%20Apr%202021.pdf Sad about Merchant Navy Day but can fully understand the stance which personally I believe you are 100% right about. Some are rushing plans for July/Aug for ELWE or weeks away and major events of 250+ in a club room which I find very perturbing even if we are all submariners - it only takes one as Submarine Sovereign found out when a Steward brought the lurgy from Egypt which erupted on passage from Faslane to her base port in Plymouth. Being on a ship at sea with the whole crew with sickness and diarrhoea is bad enough, in a steel tube it was even worth and kept at sea until given a Flag Quebec Clearance! A bit like some of the Cruise Ship stories the last year! ______4 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Medevac for Child from Ireland-Bound Ferry After ‘Serious’ Emergency By : MacDara Conroy A child has been airlifted to hospital in Liverpool from a ferry in the Irish Sea after what’s been described as a “serious medical emergency”. The Irish Mirror reports on the incident in the early hours of yesterday (Wednesday 17 March) in which the youngster was taken ill on board the Stena Line vessel Stena Edda near the Isle of Man, while en route from Liverpool to Belfast. Belfast Coastguard coordinated the emergency medevac response which saw the search and rescue helicopter from Caernarfon in Wales attend and airlift the child and three family members to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Source : afloat ______St. Lawrence Seaway Opens for 2021 Shipping Season Mike Schuler - March 22, 2021 The St. Lawrence Seaway opened for its 63d navigation season on Monday. (22nd March) The Canada Steamship Lines bulk carrier MV Baie St. Paul became the first ship of the year to pass through the St. Lambert Lock on Monday, officially kicking off shipping on the key binational waterway connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was on hand to attend a virtual opening ceremony along with Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and others. “Moving goods by water through the Seaway ensures trade is flowing freely between the U.S. and Canada while also reducing emissions,” commented Secretary Buttigieg. “After 62 years of operation, the binational Seaway System remains a model of international cooperation and partnership and showcases how we can work together to address the challenges of climate change.” A ship transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 15 locks from Montreal to Lake Erie will cross the border between U.S. and Canada 27 times. The waterway is operated jointly by the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Canada’s The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation that operates the canal on behalf of the Canadian government. “Commercial navigation on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is an economic foundation of the U.S. and Canadian economies,” said Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation’s Deputy Administrator Craig H. Middlebrook. “More than 237,000 jobs and $35 billion in economic activity in the U.S. and Canada are annually supported by movement of various cargoes on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.” In 2020, some 38 million tonnes of cargo transited the St. Lawrence Seaway, which was about to equal to the 2019. “The St. Lawrence Seaway has been a cornerstone of Canada’s economic success for more than 60 years, through the creation of thousands of middle-class jobs, and the generation of more than $9 billion in Canadian economic activity,” said the Canadian Transport Minister Alghabra. “This valuable partnership and trade route will play a vital role in our efforts to building back better through strong economic recovery.” The Soo Locks in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan are scheduled to open at noon on March 24, 2021, marking the official start of the Great Lakes shipping season in the United States. ______5 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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It looks like a Greek ferry company bought Majesty of the Seas By: Matt Hochberg Remember when Royal Caribbean announced it sold MAJESTY OF THE SEAS in December 2020? We may know the owner now. Royal Caribbean did not disclose the buyer at the time of the sale in December, but through maritime records it now appears we know the owner. The listing for Majesty is now operator/manager of 'Eaglepower Shipping Ltd' aka SeaJets. Seajets is a Greek/Cypriot ferry company that bought a lot of ships from British cruise line Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV). SeaJets plans on sailing them in inter Greek trips or turning them around and selling to a third party. EMPRESS OF THE SEAS has been purchased by Indian cruise Cordelia Cruises, but Majesty's owner has not announced its purchase. When Royal Caribbean sold both ships, they did not disclose who bought it.The ship was last spotted in Piraeus, Greece. MAJESTY OF THE SEAS was the last Sovereign Class cruise ship left in Royal Caribbean's fleet, and joined the fleet in 1992. Majesty has sailed a variety of routes in the Caribbean, having sailed from many homeports to different destinations. Most often, she sailed from somewhere in Florida and offered short cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean. She was only one of two Royal Caribbean ships to visit Cuba in the limited time Americans could visit the island. Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was vocal in his admiration and sorrow following the decision to sell Majesty and Empress of the Seas, "Saying goodbye to these two beloved ships is a major moment in Royal Caribbean’s history – one that is difficult but necessary." Source : royalcaribbeanblog ______I have had to swim to shore every few days to get food and water’ Meet the seafarer trapped on board the MV Aman for four years (and counting) The Red Sea Port Authority of Egypt has shirked its responsibility in the shocking case of Mohammad Aisha and the Bahraini-flagged MV Aman. They have a moral duty to act now, whatever the legal rights and wrongs, says representatives of the union federation representing the stranded seafarer. When the general cargo ship the MV AMAN (IMO 9215517) was detained at the Suez anchorage in Egypt in July 2017, chief officer Mohammad Aisha had only been on board for two months. He is still on board now, though the intervening four years have been cruel to both Aisha and his ship. Since a court made him the ship’s legal guard’, they have been legally bound together. He can’t leave her – and the stalled sale of the ship suggests that she can’t leave him. Mr Aisha’s case is similar that of Turkish captain Vehbi Kara, who was trapped aboard the MV METE in similar circumstances. However, unlike Captain Kara, Egyptian authorities are yet to act. Trapped in terrible conditions For Aisha, 2021 is his fourth year stuck on this floating prison. And he is alone. Completely alone. His physical and mental health are deteriorating daily. He is without power or light. He swims to shore for basics like food and water, risking his life every time he does so. He swims to collect them, and he is forced to swim back. According to the law, the MV AMAN is his problem, and his problem alone. At least until its someone else’s. “In March of last year, the ship ran aground due to rough weather,” Aisha told ITF when he asked for our help in December 2020. “Since then, no-one is providing me with fresh water, provisions or diesel oil. I have had to swim to shore every few days to get food and water and to charge my phone. These days, getting to shore is endangering my life because of the cold and my bad health (I almost drowned several times).” The seafarer is a one-man humanitarian crisis trapped by circumstance in a prison-like situation. In many ways it is worse than prison. Only action by the Egyptian port authorities can free him. They have a range of practical options they can take to get Aisha home to Syria, but as yet none have been taken up. Instead, Egyptian port authorities allow the ITF’s urgent emails describing the man’s deteriorating, pained condition go unanswered. 6 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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The silence from Egyptian officials seems to suggest they are content to leave Aisha rotting on the MV AMAN indefinitely. The ITF has also sought the intervention of the Bahraini flag, where the ship is registered, to help to arrange the urgent repatriation of the seafarer. The rest of the crew went home in September 2019. Since then, Aisha has been alone (effectively in solitary confinement). A doctor who examined him found he was suffering all the symptoms typical of someone imprisoned in poor conditions. He is malnourished, anemic and suffers pain in his legs. He also shows signs of psychological damage relating to his treatment. “I’ve requested repatriation many times,” Aisha told us. “But the port authorities are refusing to allow me to leave.” “The Egyptian authorities have a humanitarian duty to do something about Mohammad Aisha’s terrible predicament,” said Mohamed Arrachedi, the ITF’s Arab World and Iran Network Coordinator, who has been trying to get Aisha home. “I don’t want to prescribe how they should sort the problem out, but there are a number of possible mechanisms. Things are becoming desperate. They need to act immediately,” he said. As well as getting Aisha medical treatment, the ITF has offered to pay for hotels and flights so that the tired seafarer can go home. But the Egyptian authorities hold his passport and refuse to cooperate to change his situation. To make matters worse, his passport expires on the 22nd of March. When it does, things will become even more complicated for getting home. What happens now? Steve Trowsdale, the ITF Inspectorate Coordinator, sees all too much suffering as a result of abandonment. “This has to be one of the worst cases we’ve come across,” he said. “It’ is outrageous that after four years of serving as the legal fall guy for this ship, that the Egyptian port authorities still aren’t doing anything.” Trowsdale said the federation this week wrote to the UN’s International Labour Organization asking the global body to step in over the chief officer’s treatment. However, he says there is a ray of hope. “The latest information we have is that the ship will be open to sale on the 24th of March. Everyone is hopeful a buyer will snap it up and move things along for this seafarer. This can’t go on.” Source : ITF ______Re-examining the crossing rules - In the latest twist in the ongoing collision litigation involving the owners of the EVER SMART and ALEXANDRA I, the Supreme Court has allowed an appeal by Evergreen Marine (UK) Limited on the applicability of the crossing rules (Evergreen Marine (UK) Limited v Nautical Challenge Ltd [2021] UKSC 6). The Supreme Court’s decision overturned the decisions on the issue in the Admiralty Court and Court of Appeal and is the first decision regarding collision liability by the country’s highest court since the House of Lords gave judgment in The Savina [1976] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 123, almost 50 years ago. The case concerns the 2015 collision off Jebel Ali between the laden container ship Ever Smart, owned by Evergreen Marine (UK) Limited, and the laden very large crude carrier Alexandra I, owned by Nautical Challenge Ltd. Clyde & Co have represented Nautical Challenge Ltd since the collision. In 2017, the experienced Admiralty judge Teare J apportioned liability 80:20 in favour of Nautical Challenge Ltd on the basis of the Ever Smart’s very serious breaches of the Collision Regulations. In breach of the narrow channel rule, Ever Smart had drifted from the starboard to the port side of the narrow channel leading from Jebel Ali to the pilot boarding area. The ship was also going much too fast while keeping a defective radar and visual look-out, and making assumptions based on “scanty information”. At 23:42 local time, the ship collided with the starboard bow of the Alexandra I, causing 7 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
The Pulse significant damage. Teare J held that the Alexandra I was also partially to blame for failing to keep a good aural look out, with the result that the Master misheard or misunderstood a relevant VHF conversation and failed to turn to starboard towards the narrow channel. However, Teare J found that the faults of the Ever Smart, particularly its excessive speed, were much more culpable than those of the Alexandra I, and apportioned liability accordingly. Issue subject to appeal Following the dismissal of their appeal by the Court of Appeal (Gross, Leggatt and Lewison LJJ) in October 2018, the owners of the Ever Smart appealed to the Supreme Court on one aspect of Teare J’s decision, namely whether the crossing rules applied in circumstances where the Alexandra I was manoeuvring in the pilot boarding area waiting for a pilot with a view to then entering the channel while the Ever Smart (being to the starboard side of Alexandra I) was proceeding in the narrow channel outbound from Jebel Ali towards the pilot boarding area. Both Teare J and the Court of Appeal had held that the crossing rules did not apply for two reasons: (i) because it could not have been intended that a vessel in a narrow channel might simultaneously be bound to comply with both the narrow channel rule (requiring the ship to keep to starboard) and also the crossing rules (which might require the ship to do something different by requiring it to maintain its course and speed); and (ii) because the Alexandra I (the putative “give way” vessel) was not on a sufficiently steady course for the crossing rules to be engaged, it being insufficient for the stand on vessel alone to be on a steady course. Instead, Alexandra I was under an obligation to follow the rules of good seamanship having regard to the requirements of the narrow channel rule as and when it entered the channel. Gross LJ, who gave the leading judgment in the Court of Appeal, noted that “there was neither need nor room for the application of the crossing rules”. Judgment Following a hearing in October 2020, Lord Briggs and Lord Hamblen (with the agreement of Lord Lloyd- Jones, Lady Arden and Lord Burrows) allowed the appeal. Emphasising that the crossing rules were not to be lightly disapplied, the court found that only when an incoming vessel proceeding from the west was on its final approach to the entrance of the narrow channel (adjusting its course so as to proceed down its own starboard side of the channel) would the crossing rules cease to govern it passing a ship in the narrow channel which was on its starboard side. In addition, the court found there was no textual justification in the collision regulation requiring two crossing vessels to be on a steady course before the crossing rules applied. In particular, there was no requirement for either the stand on vessel or the give way vessel to be on a course before the crossing rules applied so long as they were moving relative to each other in a manner that objectively gave rise to a risk of collision. The decision, which overturns the findings of the Admiralty judge and a Court of Appeal experienced in admiralty matters, will be of considerable interest to the maritime community and will have significant ramifications for vessels entering and exiting narrow channels and the rules to be observed at different points of a vessel’s manoeuvre. However, it is not clear that it will have any effect on the apportionment of liability in the current case. The Supreme Court took pains to note in their judgment that it did not necessarily follow that the 80:20 apportionment of liability in favour of Nautical Challenge Ltd would be varied as a result of their findings. The case will now be returned to the Admiralty Court for a decision as to whether the apportionment of liability should be varied in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Patrick Murphy is a partner and Jonathan Cockerill is an associate with Clyde & Co. www.clydeco.com Source: The Baltic Briefing ______Italian Prosecutor Seeks Trial or Minister Who Denied Migrant Rescue Vessels Port Entry https://gcaptain.com/italian-prosecutor-migrant-rescue-vessels/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-7280446d74- 139894965&mc_cid=7280446d74&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______Denmark To Seek Agreements for West Africa Anti-Piracy Mission
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The Pulse https://gcaptain.com/denmark-to-seek-agreements-for-west-africa-anti-piracy- mission/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-7280446d74- 139894965&mc_cid=7280446d74&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 ______Wary Philippines says 200 Chinese vessels at disputed reef By : JIM GOMEZ
In this March 7, 2021, photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard/National Task Force-West Philippine Sea, some of the 220 Chinese vessels are seen moored at Whitsun Reef, South China Sea. The Philippine government expressed concern after spotting more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels it believed were crewed by militias at a reef claimed by both countries in the South China Sea, but it did not immediately lodge a protest. (Philippine Coast Guard/National Task Force-West Philippine Sea via AP) The Philippine government expressed concern after spotting more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels it believed were crewed by militias at a reef claimed by both countries in the South China Sea, but it did not immediately lodge a protest. A government body overseeing the disputed region said late Saturday that about 220 Chinese vessels were seen moored at Whitsun Reef on March 7. It released pictures of the vessels lying side by side in one of the most hotly contested areas of the strategic waterway. The reef, which Manila calls Julian Felipe, is a boomerang-shaped and shallow coral region about 175 nautical miles (324 kilometers) west of Bataraza town in the western Philippine province of Palawan. It's well within the country’s exclusive economic zone, over which the Philippines “enjoys the exclusive right to exploit or conserve any resources,” the agency said in a statement. The large numbers of Chinese boats are “a concern due to the possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to safety of navigation,” it said, although it added that the vessels were not fishing when sighted. When asked if the Philippines would file a protest, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted, “only if the generals tell me.” Chinese Embassy officials did not immediately issue any comment. China, the Philippines and four other governments have been locked in a tense territorial standoff over the resource-rich and busy waterway for decades. Critics have repeatedly called out President Rodrigo Duterte, who has nurtured friendly ties with Beijing since taking office in 2016, for not standing up to China’s aggressive behavior and deciding not to immediately seek Chinese compliance with an international arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing’s historic claims to virtually the entire sea. China has refused to recognize the 2016 ruling and continues to defy it. The arbitration body also ruled that China had breached its duty to respect the traditional fishing rights of Filipinos when Chinese forces blocked them from Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines in 2012. The Philippines, however, could also not deny Chinese fishermen access to Scarborough, according to the ruling. The decision did not specify any other traditional fishing areas within the Philippines’ exclusive zone where fishermen from China and other countries could be allowed to fish. “When Xi says ‘I will fish,’ who can prevent him?” Duterte said two years ago as he defended his nonconfrontational approach, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping. “If I send my marines to drive away the Chinese fishermen, I guarantee you not one of them will come home alive,” Duterte said then, adding that diplomatic talks with Beijing allowed the return of Filipinos to disputed fishing grounds where Chinese forces had previously shooed them away.Duterte has sought infrastructure funds, trade and investments from China, which has also donated and pledged to deliver more COVID-19 vaccines as the Philippines faces an alarming spike in coronavirus infections. Source : Associated Press ______Falling ship rudder which killed Keppel
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Shipyard worker last year was 24 tonnes over the weight limit A Keppel Shipyard worker in Singapore died from multiple injuries after being struck by a falling rudder of an oil tanker in March last year as he was fitting it on. t the 59-tonne rudder had dislodged after the shackle, which connects the rudder to the ship and had a capacity of 35 tonnes, fractured from the 24-tonne overload. ………………..……. Source : Straits Times ______B O O K R E V I E W By : Frank NEYTS “Significant Small Ships of 2019”. In 2020, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects published the 21st edition of its annual Significant Small Ships journal, profiling approximately 30 first-in-class, innovative and/or unique vessels sized between 5-100m and delivered during 2019. The publication assess entries from across the globe, with featured vessels ranging from yachts and small recreational craft to fast ferries, patrol boats, workboats, CTVs, AUVs, tugs and even tankers. Approximately 3,000 copies are distributed worldwide, sold through bookshops and RINA. As part of a well-established series, highly regarded by the marine industry, Significant Small Ships of 2019 will offer the ideal opportunity to promote your involvement in the marine sector to an audience of vessel owners, operators, builders, designers and equipment manufacturers. ”Significant Small Ships of 2019” include a wide cross-section of vessel types, focusing on deliveries that stand out from the pack. Each two-page ship presentation includes: a concise technical description of the vessel; an extensive set of technical particulars (such as ship dimensions, engines, propulsion units and bridge systems); a detailed general arrangement plan; and a colour photo of the featured vessel.
“Significant Small Ships of 2019”, a softback of 86 pages, lavishly illustrated, can be ordered with The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), 8-9 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5DA. Tel +44(0)20 7235 4622. Fax: [email protected] . Website www.rina.org.uk . Also available via the better bookshop. ______Containerisation … Now We Know Who to Blame Malcolm McLean: Unsung Innovator Who Changed the World https://americanbusinesshistory.org/malcolm-mclean-unsung-innovator-who-changed-the-world/
Thanks to Terry (Nobby) Hall, Hon. Secretary/Treasurer Derbyshire Submariners for this one. ______Islands growth deal for Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles Lerwick Port Authority says it has welcomed the UK/Scottish Governments' £100 million Islands Deal for Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles. Captain Calum Grains, Lerwick Port Authority Chief Executive, said: “Signing of the Deal is a major step forward, with huge potential for the three island groups, all-the- more so during the rebuilding from the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding from Shetland’s share of the deal means we can now progress our game-changing Ultra-Deep-Water Quay project on the sound footing of Government financial support and with the support of our partners.” Source : Portnews ______The Late Len Dibb-Western 10 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Sad News, Len crossed the bar on Monday morning 22 March. He was well liked for his unique character. I will remember him from the days we spent together on the 'Discovery' to Murmansk in 2009, happy days.
Funeral The date is Tuesday 13th April at 11.30 at Weston Crematorium. The family would like MN members as pall bearers, a guard of honour and standards. Volunteers would be appreciated (contact Doug) but Doug will also be contacting members to find those willing to help. The restriction on numbers still applies, just 30 attendees Linda May – Bristol Branch ______New light: St Bee's Lighthouse updated Our Field Operations West team has installed a new LED navigation light at St Bees Lighthouse in Cumbria. Jim, the team’s Technical Manager, sent us these pictures of the work in progress and the finished job. The old light used 750W and needed replacing every three months. The new light uses only 90W and lasts an incredible ten years. The first picture shows the old light source; the second picture shows Ian working on the installation; the third picture shows the new LED array light source. The picture above shows the final light working. All photos credite4d to Jim Veall, Technical Manager, and Ian Arthur, Lighthouse Technician, both from Trinity House’s Field Operations West team.
Trinity House newsletter | spring 2021 ______Grounded ‘Mega Ship’ Blocking Suez Canal in Both Directions Mike Schuler March 23, 2021 An ultra-large containership is aground and blocking ship traffic in the Suez Canal. AIS data shows the MV Ever Given is stuck sideways towards the south end of the canal near Suez, Egypt, preventing ships from passing in either direction. Several tugs have been on scene for several hours working to dislodge the ship.
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Shipping agent GAC reports that the grounding occurred at 7:40 a.m. local time on Tuesday (March 23) at kilometer 151 after the vessel suffered a black out while transiting. It seems the Ever Given had just begun its transit of the waterway as part of a northbound convoy when the incident occurred. “The 199,489 GT ship was fifth in the northbound convoy. None of the vessels before it were affected, but the 15 behind it were detained at anchorages waiting for the Canal to be cleared. The southbound convoy was also blocked,” GAC reported. An AIS screengrab from MarineTraffic.com shows the Ever Given’s position within the Suez Canal. At 400-meters-long and a little over 20,000 TEU
Photo on instagram taken from capacity, the Panama-registered MV Ever Given is among the largest of so-called “mega ships”, aka ultra- following vessel large container vessels (ULCVs), currently in operation. The MV Ever Given is (was) underway to Rotterdam from China. The picture above was posted to social media by a person on the ship stuck behind the Ever Given: ______Steamship Shieldhall Charity. www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk
We will be sailing from 26th June if anyone is interested, before that we will be in Falmouth Drydock in May/June.
For some of your readers may like to view this animation on Shieldhall’s Triple Expansion steam engine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekRWUiH2jJQ and for those in deep lock down a pod cast about the ship https://snr.org.uk/the-mariners-mirror-podcast/titanic-in-miniature-the-wonderful-ss-shieldhall/
Best wishes John John Rose [email protected] ______Decline in number of overdue seafarers does not signal end of crisis Travel curbs have tightened in response to new coronavirus variants, worsening the outlook for crew changes. Shipping groups have repeated pleas for the world to remember seafarers’ plight https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1136197/Decline-in-number-of-overdue-seafarers- does-not-signal-end-of-crisis Although the total number of overdue seafarers has fallen from 400,000 to just over 200,000, there are fears that number is rapidly rising again ______Oil tanker from Brazil in quarantine off Ayrshire coast after crew Covid outbreak - By : Ewan Mowat A oil tanker from Brazil is in quarantine off the coast of Ayrshire after a coronavirus outbreak on board. The 51,000-ton ship, named JANE, set off from South America on March 1 and docked at Finnart Oil Terminal on Loch Long, Argyll, after arriving on Scotland. ______
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Captain Cook: Armed Robber? New episode of the Mariner's Mirror Podcast Dr Sam Willis explores the fascinating problems posed by Britain’s complex imperial history by thinking in particular about Captain James Cook, the eighteenth-century British explorer and navigator famous for his three voyages to Australia and the Pacific (1768-1779). Sam talks with Kevin Sumption – the Director and CEO of the Australian National Maritime Museum. They range widely over issues raised when planning for the 250th anniversary in April 2020 of Cook’s arrival in Australia. Why are multiple perspectives important in a narrative like Cook’s? And how did they go about including First People’s narratives of Cook’s arrival? Sam and Kevin also explore two intriguing items in the museum’s collection: A bronze bust of Captain Cook with his head covered by a black balaklava made by the Australian artist Jason Wing, which challenges the colonial history of Australia from an Aboriginal perspective, and an eighteenth-century japanned tea tray by the artist Edward Bird depicting the death of Captain Cook in Hawaii in 1779.
You can find the podcast via any podcast app on a smartphone, on the publisher's website and now on our own website on the new dedicated podcast page.
If you have an iPhone please 'rate' the podcast with lots of stars on the Apple podcast app/iTunes and if you have time please also leave a review. You can find the podcast here on iTunes. It is enormously important at this stage to get as many ratings and reviews as possible!
Best Wishes, Sam The Society for Nautical Research ______Watch: A Naval Historian and Master Mariner Discuss the Ever Given Grounding in Suez Canal https://gcaptain.com/watch-a-naval-historian-and-master-mariner- discuss-the-ever-given-grounding-in-suez- canal/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-46a6ec53e4- 139894965&mc_cid=46a6ec53e4&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
The containership M/V Ever Given which was hit by strong wind and ran aground is pictured in Suez Canal, Egypt March 24, 2021. SUEZ CANAL AUTHORITY/Handout via REUTERS
______MSC box ship suffers severe damage, berthing in Turkey By : Alex Lennane Another day, another broken ship. This time it’s MSC TINA, a 19,000+ teu vessel, which suffered an “allision”, according to Splash24/7 – it means the “striking of a vessel against a fixed object”. The ship did not come out of a meeting with the pier at Ambarli port well and now has a sizeable slice out of its port side, just above the waterline. It looks set to be out of action for sometime, judging by the images. Source : The Loadstar ______13 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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SEAFARERS LINK
“Connecting people, building friendships”
Dear Shipmates
We have pleasure in promoting Seafarer Link, which is a twice monthly opportunity to connect with up to six like-minded people, by phone, for a chat about almost anything. This is a free service aimed at anyone with a seafaring background who is experiencing loneliness and isolation, or just wants to talk to like-minded people. It is also an opportunity to make new friends
The groups include former Merchant Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Fishermen and WRENS, or indeed anyone else who has served or worked at sea, including spouses, partners, and carers with seafaring connections. During a call you can share and enjoy conversations about memories, or as a partner of someone who spent their career away at sea. How to join a group For more information or to join or refer someone who would benefit from these calls, please mention that you are an MNA member and either: • phone 020 7224 2072
• e-mail; [email protected]
• or write to Jan Williams – Group Friendship, Age UK, Linhay House, Linhay Business Park, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13 7UP
What do our members say? “It’s great to talk to other people; I find it very helpful and supportive”. “It’s changed my life. Its lovely to have friends connected to the sea to speak to.” “It’s good to talk, it’s fun and joining a telephone group is free.” “Seafarers Link has been like a life raft in stormy seas for me.” The service is funded by Seafarers UK and managed by Silver Line – a charity founded in 2013 by Dame Esther Rantzen. It also provides the UK’s only free, confidential, 24-hour helpline specifically for lonely and isolated older people open 365 days a year. It has received more than 2.5 million calls and placed around 3,000 people in long-term friendships, many of which have lasted for several years.
______
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s.s. Gothic As Royal Yacht in 1952
Shaw Savill & Albion Line Refrigerated Cargo and Passenger Liner Completed 1948, Swan, Hunter, Wigham, Richardson Ltd., Wallsend Displacement 15,911 tons; Net 8,906 tons; Length o.a. 561’0” Breadth o.a. 72’0” Engines 2 x 3 single-reduction-geared steam turbines; 2 Foster Wheeler boilers; 18,400 S.H.P.; Twin screw; Speed 19.5 knots Passengers 85 first class; Crew 124
In the Spring edition of Full Ahead was my profile of Shaw Savill & Albion Line’s s.s. Gothic. This picture, perhaps deserves a bit more of an explanation.
Gothic was one of four refrigerated passenger cargo liners for their London to New Zealand service built to carry 85 First Class passenger. The others were Athenic, Ceramic and Corinthic. In addition, a further three refrigerated cargo only vessels were built with identical hulls. These were Persic, Runic and Suevic. Collectively they were known as the “Magnificent Seven” or the “Big Ics” and were among the largest refrigerated cargo ships in the world, carrying general cargo outward and primarily frozen and chilled meat and wool homewards. On both voyages, outward and homeward, the passenger vessels would call at Pitcairn Island with essential supplies and to collect or drop off islanders.
In 1951 Shaw Savill was invited, by the Admiralty, to charter out to them a vessel to undertake the largest part of a Royal tour for King George VI. Gothic was selected for this role with Ceramic in reserve. The previous Royal Yacht, Victoria and Albert, had been withdrawn whilst HMY Britannia was at an early stage of construction
Gothic arrived in Birkenhead in July 1951 for an extensive refit and to be repainted with a white hull. That October, with the King in declining health, it was announced that Princess Elizabeth, accompanied by Prince Philip would take his place. The ship sailed from Southampton in January 1952 arriving in Mombasa where it was intended the Royal couple would embark but, on 6th February, the King died. The now HRH Queen Elizabeth immediately returned home from Kenya by air and the Royal entourage were disembarked before Gothic continued on to Australia and New Zealand to discharge her cargo and
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The Pulse backload. She then made four further commercial voyages before being rechartered for a major part of the Queen’s post Coronation round the world Royal Tour of the Commonwealth.
Gothic left London in November 1953 on passage to Jamaica where Her Majesty and HRH Prince Philip embarked. From there she sailed, via the Panama Canal, into the Pacific where they visited Fiji and Tonga before arriving in Auckland. There the Royal party disembarked for an extensive tour and Gothic discharged her cargo. The Royal party re-embarked in the southern most port of Bluff a few weeks later. Before crossing the Tasman Sea, she visited Milford Sound in NZ’s Fjordlands, later to arrive in Sydney Harbour on 3rd February 1954. Two weeks later Gothic continued the Royal Tour sailing to Hobart, Tasmania where, again the Royal Part disembarked and the ship went to Melbourne to load a homeward cargo, before proceeding to Townsville where she again, briefly, became the Royal Yacht, to sail through part of the Great Barrier Reef. The Queen and party was then embarked on HMAS Anzac and did not re-join Gothic until Adelaide. The tour then sailed across the Australian Bight to Freemantle. From there she sailed across the Indian Ocean to visit the Cocos Islands, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and then onto Malta via Aden and Suez. In Malta the new HMY Britannia was waiting to take the Royal couple home on the final leg of the tour. At the end of the voyage Gothic’s master, Captain Aitchison was knighted by the Queen and a number of the crew were awarded medals.
Gothic then returned to her normal service in September 1954 and was repainted with the Shaw Savill black hull and white stripe. By 1968 she and her three sisters had all become cargo only vessels. That same year, on 2nd August, on a homeward passage from Bluff and 300 miles from New Zealand, a major fire broke out in the accommodation beneath the bridge. This spread rapidly and six lives were sadly lost, a family of four, including two children, the father of whom was SSA staff and three engineers. The bridge and radio room were totally destroyed and the distress signals had to be sent by the lifeboat radio. The fire was eventually brought under control, after extensive damage to the midship accommodation and the ship was ultimately found by an RNZAF Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Fortunately, her engines were largely undamaged and she made a difficult passage to Wellington escorted by the Royal New Zealand Navy, where she was temporarily repaired. With her cargo undamaged she sailed for Liverpool a month later. Gothic made one further outward voyage to Australia and after her cargo was discharged, she sailed to Taiwan for scrapping.
Gothic deserves an important place in the annals of the Merchant Navy as the only British merchant ship to be classified, albeit for a brief time, as a Royal Yacht. This brought huge prominence to Shaw Savill & Albion Line – the company in which I am proud to have served my time as an apprentice and junior officer. Ships in Profile
Price Guide: Cargo vessels, tankers etc £70. Passenger vessels start at £90 Warships & Aircraft also undertaken Prices include a £10 donation to the Merchant Navy Association. Postage & Packing £7.50
Website; www.shipsinprofile.com
Contact: David Parsons Tel 01935 414765 Email; [email protected] ------______When will the world realise how essential shipping and seafarers are? ______16 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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The ORCA ACE arriving at the Tj Pagar Car terminal in Singapore as spotted last Sunday ORCA ACE (IMO: 9777814) is a Vehicles Carrier registered and sailing under the flag of Panama. Her gross tonnage is 63116 and deadweight is 15495. ORCA ACE was built in 2018. ORCA ACE length overall (LOA) is 199.95 m, beam is 32.2 m. Photo : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c) ______Record Drug Seizure by The French Navy In The Gulf Of Guinea Sunday the 21st of March 2021, in the Gulf of Guinea, the French Navy performed a record seizure of more than 6 tons of cocaine, during an operation led by the maritime prefect of the Atlantic and Brest prosecutor's office. This large-scale operation was based on intelligence forwarded by the French anti-drug agency (OFAST) and the
Dutch police, in close collaboration with the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N), based in Lisbon, the European Police Office (EUROPOL) and Brazilian authorities. The boarding team of the French amphibious assault ship DIXMUDE stepped in the general cargo NAJLAN with flag state agreement of Saint Kitts and Nevis, according to the article 17 procedure of the United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Six tons of cocaine were quickly discovered. The NAJLAN is a 105-meter long cargo, which left South-America few days ago and was under close surveillance. The excellent cooperation between both French and international anti-drug agencies, supported by the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, allowed this exceptional result. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the French government action at sea to protect borders and fight against organised crime. Judicial investigations are ongoing. Source : Naval News ______United Nations agencies call to prioritise seafarers for Covid-19 vaccines A joint statement signed by the heads of five United Nations bodies on Friday has called for seafarers to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations. https://splash247.com/united-nations-agencies-call-to-prioritise-seafarers-for-covid-19-vaccines/ ------17 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Container stack collapse result in seafarers' PTSD: health lobby LONDON health and safety lobby Container Shipping Supporting Seafarers (CSSS) has voiced concern over the physical and psychological impact of a container stack collapse on the seafarer. CSSS believes that stack failure can result not only in physical injury or fatality but also cause post-traumatic stress disorders and similar conditions among seafarers, said its press release. "To be working onboard a large vessel during a major stow collapse must be an extremely stressful experience. The sheer movement of so many containers as the stow collapses and containers land on deck or fall overboard, as well as all the noise must be very frightening and traumatic indeed," said the group. "This is in addition to the potential exposure to serious injury and fatality as a result of collapsing containers, but also from their contents. In the case of hazardous cargoes leaking, ship and crew are placed in even more danger," CSSS said. While CSSS is keen not to blame, the lobby's main concern is the safety and wellbeing of the seafarer during and after such an event. "The crew has to stay onboard for the remainder of the voyage following major stow collapse. This needs to be reviewed as it is highly likely that seafarers will be emotionally and/or physically affected and require support," CSSS said. Source : Schednet ______A High, Long Ship & A Narrow Canal Crossing an open ocean is less of a problem on the Ever Given than maneuvering at 8 knots in the Suez Canal in a channel effectively half the width of the ship. When the dust storm hit the ship was in a canal with sloping sides, 313 meters at the surface and only 121 meters wide at its deepest. At Ever Given’s draft, the effective channel width was just over 200 meters wide. In high winds, limited visibility, in what was a very narrow channel given the size and windage of the ship, it is easy to understand how the Ever Given came to run hard aground, wedged across the canal, blocking a major shipping thoroughfare.
Source: Suez Canal Authority ______Ship Backlog from Suez Closure Will Take Months to Clear, Shipping Lines Say “Even when the canal gets reopened, the ripple effects on global capacity and equipment are significant,” the world’s largest container shipping company Maersk said in a customer advisory on Monday. Maersk has three vessels stuck in the canal and another 29 waiting to enter, it said, adding that it had so far rerouted 15 vessels to sail south of Africa instead. “Unfortunately, even when the canal re-opens for the huge backlog of ships waiting at anchorage this will lead to a surge in arrivals at certain ports and we may experience fresh congestion problems,” Caroline Becquart, Senior Vice President with MSC said in a statement.
Around 30% of the world’s shipping container volume – including goods like sofas, consumer electronics, apparel and shoes – moves through the 193 km (120 miles) Suez Canal daily. Empty containers, which Asian factories need to ship goods, are also caught up in the backlog. Read more at:- https://gcaptain.com/suez-chaos-will-take-months-to-clear-says- maersk/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-c7c6be0046- 139894965&mc_cid=c7c6be0046&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 Source:- gCaptain ______18 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Ever Given Freed Allowing Shipping to Resume Through Suez Canal Suez Canal Authority (SCA) chairman Osama Rabie told reporters the backlog of 422 ships could be cleared in 3 -1/2 days. The ship would be inspected for seaworthiness in the Great Bitter Lake. Owners and charterers of delayed ships face at least $24 million in expenses they will be unable to recoup as their insurance policies do not cover them and cargo owners could also face uninsured losses, industry sources said. ______World's first ship tunnel to be built under Norwegian mountains By : Francesca Street, CNN Ship tunnel: Norway is set to build what's billed as the world's first ship tunnel, to help vessels cross the notoriously rough Stadhavet Sea. Norway has got the go-ahead to construct what's being billed as the world's first ship tunnel, designed to help vessels navigate the treacherous Stadhavet Sea First announced a few years ago by the Norwegian Coastal Administration, this mile-long, 118-feet-wide tunnel will burrow through the mountainous Stadhavet peninsula in northwestern Norway. Building this engineering marvel will cost somewhere in the region of 2.8 billion Norwegian kroner ($330 million) and take between three to four years, with construction due to commence in 2022. "It's a project that has been planned for decades. So it's very pleasant to finally be able to start the construction work in one year," temporary project manager Terje Andreassen from the Norwegian Coastal Administration tells CNN Travel. At the moment, ships navigating the surrounds of Stadhavet are often impacted by rough tides and bad weather. "The coastline outside that peninsula is the most stormy area in Norway, with the hurricanes," says Andreassen. "You get a lot of strange currents here." Sometimes ships have to wait for days in the nearest harbor for weather conditions to improve.But inside the tunnel, weather and tide shouldn't impact transit. Making ship's journeys safer and smoother could lead to a high-speed ferry service, suggests Andreassen, and also strengthen the area's industrial and commercial activities."It will be connected better, it will be easier to travel," he says. Engineering marvel The Norwegian Coastal Administration notes that while other tunnels can accommodate small boats and barges, no other underpass has been built to serve large ships.The ship tunnel at Stadhavet will burrow through the narrowest point of the Stadhavet peninsula, which makes the undertaking more doable, as the tunnel won't actually be that long. Entry to the tunnel will be controlled by a traffic light system. The plan is for burrowing to take place via underground drilling rigs and pallet rigs. Building the tunnel will likely involve removing some buildings -- and roughly three million cubic meters of rock. The Norwegian Coastal Administration says the finished structure will be akin to "a large and long mountain hall." While the tunnel is likely to attract the attention of infrastructure enthusiasts from across the world, the chief goal of the tunnel is to simply to make transiting the Stadhavet Sea "safe" and "predictable," as Andreassen puts it. And at present, it won't be possible to walk through the tunnel on foot, so if you're intrigued, going via boat will be the only option. Source : CNN ------19 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Maersk Containership Broken Down in the Pacific Ocean Mike Schuler - March 30, 2021 An ocean-going tug from Dutch Harbor, Alaska has arrived at a Maersk containership which has been broken down for more than two weeks in the Pacific Ocean. As of the latest update, the ship was currently located some 650 miles off Dutch Harbor, AK. Maersk reports that the MV Maersk Eureka was forced to shut off its main engine back on March 12 to replace a damaged fuel pump as it was en route to Long Beach. While the vessel was initially able to continue its voyage, the main (engine) had to be shut off again on March 14 and the 366- meter-long ship has been adrift ever since as crews fear restarting the engine could cause further damage. An update from Maersk on Tuesday said the tug is now with the vessel and Eureka’s cargo remains stable and secure. As of an earlier March 22 update, all reefer (refrigerated) containers were with power. The tug arrived over the weekend with an engineering team and repair parts. Maersk said it expects a progress report from the team on Wednesday, at which point it will have a better indication of when the ship will arrive in Long Beach. For now, repairs are expected to continue and weather remains favorable as Maersk continues with its contingency plan. Built in 2012, Maersk Eureka has a cargo capacity of 13,100 twenty-foot equivalent containers and is registered in Singapore. The vessel is operated on Maersk’s Transpacific 3/MSC’s Sequoia service connecting Ningbo and Shanghai, China with Long Beach, although AIS shows the Eureka last departed Yokohama, Japan, on March 6. The Maersk Eureka incident is now at least the third involving a Maersk ship in as many months on the trans-pacific. Previously, Maersk Essen and Maersk Eindenhoven each lost hundreds of containers overboard after encountering severe weather during recent voyages across the Pacific in January and February, respectively. Late last year, on December 20, the 370-meter-long Maersk Elba became disabled just off Portugal’s southern coast following an engine room fire. The ship was two miles off the coast when it anchored and she was eventually towed to Algeciras, Spain. ------
PRESS RELEASE The CHIRP Charitable Trust is pleased to announce the publication of the CHIRP Maritime Annual Digest 2020.
The Annual Digest is the flagship publication of the Programme and contains all the published reports of the previous 12 months as well as Insight Articles. Amongst these articles is the ground breaking paper by CHIRP member Dr.Clare Pekcan 'Seafarer wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic' - a paper highlighting the psychological impact on seafarer's trapped at sea unable to return home at the end of their tour of duty. This paper remains at the forefront of associated studies.
A digital version of the Annual Digest is available here. CHIRP Maritime is ‘The Voice of the Mariner” https://www.chirpmaritime.org/ ______20 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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World’s first zero-emission bulker to debut in 2024 Written by Nick Blenkey Vessel will have rotor sails and hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engine. [Image: Norwegian Ship Design] Trondheim, Norway, headquartered family-owned shipowner Egil Ulvan Rederi has been awarded a contract to build what is claimed will be the world’s first zero-emission bulk carrier. The 88-meter, 5,000 dwt self-unloading vessel will be used on a Norwegian route to transport aggregates from HeidelbergCement Norway in western Norway in one direction and grain from farmer-owned cooperative Felleskjøpet AGRI, in eastern Norway, on the backhaul. Egil Ulvan Rederi was selected to develop, build and operate the ship in a tender process, facilitated by the Green Shipping Program, a public private partnership, Competition was strong, with 31 shipowners competing for the contract through a six month long process. The ship design concept was developed in close cooperation with Norwegian Ship Design — TNSDC — and has the project name “With Orca – Powered by Nature.” ROTOR SAILS AND HYDROGEN A significant part of the energy required to operate the vessel will be harvested directly from the nature trough two large rotor sails. The vessel’s sailing route will mostly be in open waters in the North Sea, where wind conditions are good for wind assisted propulsion. To counter drifting, the vessel will be equipped with a specially developed keel. The vessel will also be equipped with a hydrogen-fuelled combustion engine, with what, at this stage, are described as “add-ons for increased efficiency.” Hydrogen will be stored on board in compressed form. The ship concept will be fully developed and optimized this year, with the aim being to place and order with a shipyard by the end of the year. Plans are for it to enter operation in early 2024. Source : Marinelog ______HR Wallingford and British Ports Association: Act soon on adaptation The British Ports Association and water-focused engineering and research consultancy HR Wallingford have published a paper examining the potentially far-reaching impacts of climate change on ports and how the sector can adapt. The most significant impact of climate change for most ports will be a rise in sea level – which is modelled to happen under all climate change scenarios. Port infrastructure is often important in protecting nearby populations and businesses. The paper also identifies more common and more extreme weather events, tide range and tidal streams, pressure on water supplies and risks to health from hotter summers as impacts that could affect navigation, port operations and land transport. The paper signposts measures to adapt to these risks and issues that ports need to consider when planning investment. Future adaptation strategies include: building in allowances for sea level rise when constructing port infrastructure; investing in assets that will make it easier to raise breakwaters and sea walls in the future; and advance planning of how to replace structures when needed, embracing the ‘build back better’ philosophy. Commenting, Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the British Ports Association said: We are grateful to HR Wallingford for their insight into the various ways that climate change could impact ports. This work helps inform our input to Government thinking on climate change and resilience. Port infrastructure often forms part of the first line of defence for many homes and businesses and it is critical that port operations themselves are safeguarded from future risks. Tom Matthewson, Ports Sector Lead and Regional Manager for the UK and Ireland at HR Wallingford said: Port assets often have a lifespan of several generations – a breakwater or quay is often expected to stand for 100 years or more. That’s why it’s important that port authorities and operators consider how their infrastructure will stand up to what is likely to be a very different climate in 2120. Whilst ports are not strangers to flooding or extreme weather, these events are likely to become stronger and more common in decades to come. Infrastructure operators need to adapt accordingly. Source: British Ports Association ______21 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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LATEST UPDATE IN SUEZ CANAL SITUATION Received from Dominion Shipping Agencies (Egypt) Kindly note that President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi , after visiting the Suez Canal Authority Headquarter, has mentioned the following points on 30.03.2021: · There are no intentions or plans to construct a double channel as the current Suez Canal is capable of serving the majority of vessels worldwide. Nevertheless, experts will still conduct a study in regards to such proposal. · There are two new ports which are ready to be inaugurated within the coming two months. The 1st one is BERENICE which is situated about 825 km south of Suez, with a 1600 m. quay on the Red Sea. On the Mediterranean, there is Gargoob Port which is situated around 200 km from Egyptian-Libyan borders and also with a 1600 m. quay and 18 m. draft ………………………………………………….. ______Shipowner Declares General Average for Ever Given The Loadstar April 1, 2021 March 29, 2021 By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) –
As the investigation into the grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal begins, the vessel’s Japanese owner, Shoe Kisen, this morning declared General Average. And a customer circular from Evergreen, seen by The Loadstar, confirms that Shoe Kisen this morning appointed Richard Hogg Lindley as adjustor. For the vessel, now at anchor at the Bitter Lakes area undergoing technical inspections, a possible date of departure to ports of discharge has yet to be set. And while there is no reported damage to the cargo, and that to the vessel appeared to be minimal, the cost of the salvage operation, which ultimately required 11 tugs and two dredgers, as well as possible compensation claims from a variety of interests such as the Suez Canal Authority or shipping companies caught up in the backlog, could amount to a sizeable bill. In addition, it remains unclear whether there will be a separate salvage claim from the vessel’s salvors. General Average is a principle of maritime law that requires that the shipowner and its customers share a proportionate amount of the costs associated with saving a vessel after a major casualty. When General Average is declared, cargo owners are required to contribute to a GA fund before cargo can be released. While the backlog of vessels waiting to transit Suez is now expected to be cleared over the next couple of days, shippers and freight forwarders with cargo on the Ever Given could be in for a long wait for it to be released. The problem for cargo interests, according to insurance sources, is that the cost of the casualty to its owners is likely to take some time to determine, if it involves claims from other parties, which means the adjustors will remain unable to fix the level of the general average and salvage securities. General Average was declared following the 2018 fire on board the Maersk Honam. After declaring GA, the adjustor fixed the salvage security at 42.5% of cargo value and 11.5% as a GA deposit – this meant a shipper with a cargo worth $100,000 needed to pay a combined deposit of $54,000 to get its cargo released. This leaves shippers with uninsured cargo highly vulnerable to losing it, as the owner can hold the goods under lien until the deposit is paid. Shippers with insured goods will have those deposits covered by their insurers. According to panellists on a recent webinar on container casualties, held by the London Shipping Law Centre, GA is only declared in incidents which have incurred an extraordinary loss – the general rule of thumb being a loss of over £10m on a ship of 15,000 teu or bigger. The Loadstar is known at the highest levels of logistics and supply chain management as one of the best sources of influential analysis and commentary. ______22 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Egypt Wants $1 Billion In Compensation for Suez Blockage By Tarek El-Tablawy and Mirette Magdy Egypt said it may seek around $1 billion in compensation after the giant containership Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for almost a week and roiled shipping markets. The figure is a rough estimate of losses linked to transit fees, damages incurred during the dredging and salvage efforts, the cost of the equipment, and labor, Suez Canal Authority chief executive Osama Rabie said late Wednesday to local television channel Sada Elbalad. He did not specify who the Canal Authority would seek compensation from. “This is the right of the country,” Rabie said, adding that the incident hurt Egypt’s reputation. “This country should get its due.” The 400-meter-long EVER GIVEN ship ran aground on March 23 in the southern part of the canal and was freed on Monday. Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine, the vessel’s charterer, said Thursday it’s not responsible for delays of any cargo it was transporting. The ship and its cargo, which Rabie said were worth $3.5 billion, is currently in the Great Bitter Lake, roughly halfway along the canal. Rabie said they could be held in Egypt if the matter of compensation went to court. Such a scenario is unlikely, he said, because Egypt has a long relationship with the ship owner. Evergreen’s agent in Egypt, Mohamed Bahaa, said he doubted there would be any financial dispute between his company and the canal authorities. “In 40 years now, not a single case of dispute has happened between SCA and Evergreen,” he said in an interview. “We all respect all the rules of the SCA.” source : Bloomberg ______Lloyd’s of London sees ‘large loss’ due to Suez Canal blockage The blockage of the Suez Canal for nearly a week will result in a “large loss” for Lloyd’s of London, its chairman said on Wednesday, as the insurance market recorded a 900-million-pound ($1.2 billion) pretax loss in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canal is working to clear the backlog after the refloating this week of a stranded giant container ship. The blockage threw global supply chains into disarray. Bruce Carnegie-Brown told Reuters it was too early to estimate the exact loss, but “it’s clearly going to be a large loss, not just for the vessel but for all of the other vessels that were trapped and unable to get through”. He added this could mean a loss for Lloyd’s of around $100 million or more. Liability insurance claims for ships and cargo impacted by the delay are expected to fall initially to the container ship Ever Given’s liability insurer, UK P&I Club. But UK P&I Club will also use reinsurance, some of it in the Lloyd’s market, industry sources say. Carnegie-Brown said Lloyd’s may be on the hook for around 5-10% of the total reinsurance claims. Fitch Ratings said this week that global reinsurers were likely to face hundreds of millions of euros of claims due to the incident. The 2020 loss for the 330-year-old Lloyd’s market, home to around 100 syndicate members, compares with a 2.5 billion pound profit in 2019. Lloyd’s expects to pay out 3.4 billion pounds in 2020 COVID-19 claims net of reinsurance, with Carnegie-Brown saying many of those payments would be related to the cancellation of major events such as the Wimbledon tennis tournament. COVID-19-related payments will continue this year, he added. But Lloyd’s said premium rates had risen 10.8% last year and rate rises had continued into 2021. Insurers typically increase rates after experiencing large losses. After several closures due to the pandemic, the Lloyd’s underwriting floor will reopen on May 17. Carnegie Brown said surveys showed most market employees expect to return to the office “three-plus days a week”. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn. Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Mark Potter) ______OCIMF updates the Guidelines for Transiting the Turkish Straits The Turkish Straits present a unique navigational challenge. OCIMF has updated the Guidelines for Transiting the Turkish Straits (published in 2007) and provided additional guidance. This information paper considers new and updated regulations and traffic systems. To help the development of risk assessments for companies operating in this area the guide outlines the risks for transiting the Straits and provides recommendations. Source: The Standard Club ______Suez blockage highlights Asia’s vulnerability to disruptions ______23 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Ice restrictions lifted at the port of Vysotsk from April 6 The decision was made amid improved ice situation and in view of favorable ice forecast With the improved ice situation in the water area of the pot of Vysotsk in the Leningrad Region and at the approaches to it, and in view of favorable ice forecast, ice restrictions for non-ice class ships and ban on operation of ATB units is lifted from April 6. The order has been signed by Acing Harbour Master Vladimir Podyelets. Ice restrictions will still be applied to small-size vessels, leisure and sport sailships untill further orders. Source : Portnews Navigation opens on two sections of Lower Volga river Navigation season kicked off in the Astrakhan and Volgograd shipping districts Navigation season of 2021 has been opened in two sections of the Lower Volga river of Russia’s inland water ways, says the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot) referring to the Volga Basin Administration. From April 1, navigation has been opened by the Astrakhan and Volgograd branches, between the Volgograd lock and the Streletskoye (498.3 km).The aids to navigation have been installed at he approaches to Tatyanka oil tank farm and at the approaches to the Volga-Don Canal (4 km). Installation of the aids to navigation is regulated by the layout. ______Time for another Snowbow Newsletter To see this newsletter in full just click here and it will take you through so you can read about all these things and more, in far greater detail, so that's something else for you to read.
Many thanks, Des & Ulla.. ______Crew Health Advice: Grief - Our Journey to Healing Loss is an inevitable, fundamental truth of life that bonds people together. Grief is the emotional suffering we experience when we lose someone or something valuable to us. The death of a loved one is one of the most painful experiences in life that can leave us feeling devastated, sad and heartbroken. But death is not the only loss we encounter in life; divorce, relationship break ups, illness or the loss of health, the death of a pet, a miscarriage, the loss of a job, the loss of financial security, the letting go of our dreams and hopes and all things that we value in life, may evoke powerful feelings of grief. This advice, written in collaboration with I.M.E.Q. covers the emotional reactions one may experience, the stages, signs and symptoms of grief as well as how to cope with it. The full advice can be downloaded below. https://www.ukpandi.com/-/media/files/uk-p-and-i-club/loss-prevention/crew-health-marketing/crew- health-advice---grief.pdf from the UK Club Weekly ______UK warns over anchor failures among laid-up cruiseship fleet Accident investigator MAIB says it is aware of several incidents as year-long idling increases wear on equipment https://www.tradewindsnews.com/cruise-and-ferry/uk-warns-over-anchor-failures-among-laid-up- cruiseship-fleet/2-1-990232 UK accident investigators are warning of a growing threat of anchor failures among the idled global cruiseship fleet. The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it was aware of "several" incidents of systems failing as a year of lay-ups increases strain on equipment. ______24 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Lubec’s Gold from Sea Water Hoax of 1898 Posted on April 1, 2021 by Rick Spilman Prospectus for The Electrolytic Marine Salts Company On April Fool’s Day, a repost about not an April Fool’s Day prank but a hoax and a swindle. In October of 1897, at the height of the Alaskan Gold Rush, two men, Prescott Ford Jernegan, a Baptist minister, and Charles Fisher, both from Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, arrived in Lubec, Maine to establish a facility to extract gold from seawater. Klondike: Lubec’s Gold from Sea Water Hoax The two newcomers leased Hiram Comstock’s tidal grist mill located at Mill Creek in North Lubec. According to Reverend Jernegan in the prospectus, he prepared for potential investors, “Millions of dollars in gold were flowing through Lubec Narrows every single day.” Between October of 1897 and February 1898, approximately one hundred men were employed in the conversion of the grist mill to a gold extraction factory. A “machine room” and a “laboratory” were constructed. Beneath them, in the water, were placed specially constructed wooden boxes called accumulators, for collecting the gold content of the seawater that flowed through them. More critical to the top-secret operation was the high wood and barbed wire fence with its “No Admittance” signs that surrounded the facility.
The following account appeared in The Lubec Herald in July 1898: “The inlet to Mill Pond accommodated 240 accumulators of which sixty were pulled up each week. Thus each box was underwater a month before its turn came to be examined. During that time the water, chemicals, and electricity had time to work their magic.” Apparently, nothing more elaborate than a cast iron pot was at the heart of this fantastic device. It was later learned that Charles Fisher, an accomplished diver and the brains behind the operation, had in fact planted the so-called “magic”- the small quantities of gold extracted by the accumulators – in them. At regular intervals, just prior to the accumulators being raised from the water, he would, under cover of darkness, salt each box with the gold. This gold was sent to New York and proved to be enough to convince investors that a fortune was to be had. Thousands of shares were sold, primarily to investors in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut. Jernegan and Fisher designed and published an elaborate prospectus to attract and convince potential shareholders. Among the incredible claims made in this document was the following: “One is at a loss to comprehend the enormous wealth floating in solution in the ocean. At the lowest estimate, a cubit mile of seawater contains gold to the value of $65,000,000. It is probably nearer the mark to place it at $100,000,000.” So successful was the first plant at Mill Creek that construction began on a second, much larger facility at the nearby canal in North Lubec that would contain 5000 accumulators and employ hundreds of men. So many came in search of work at the new plant that it was difficult to find boarding space in town. Over 700 laborers were involved in the construction. Many were Italian immigrants lured from working on the railroad in Machias by the promise of higher wages. They lived in two large camps near the site. By July of 1898, both Prescott Jernegan and Charles Fisher had disappeared and the scheme collapsed. Jernegan went on to become a respected school teacher in the Philippines where he authored a history of the Islands. Posted in History, Lore of the Sea Tagged Charles Fisher, gold from sea water, Lubec, Maine, Prescott Ford Jernegan permalink Source: Old Salt Blog ______25 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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B O E K B E S P R E K I N G By : Frank NEYTS “Ship Electrical Systems” Dokmar Maritime Publishers BV in Holland recently issued the 2nd edition of ‘Ship Electrical Systems’ written by René Borstlap en Hans ten Katen. The contents of the book has been completely updated. “Ship Electrical Systems” is a book that tells you about the electrical installations on ships. From basic design, via power generation, distribution, to all consumers on board. Automation, remote control systems, nautical equipment and communication are addressed. EMC, operation of the engine room and bridge, and the consequences of reduced manning on the design are described. This book is intended for those readers who have a basic knowledge of electricity but know little about the special requirements for installations on board ships and offshore equipment. In a ship, you have to understand and operate the complete spectrum. This book provides this specialized knowledge. A summary of this book is published as Chapter 13 in ‘Ship Knowledge’, a widely used encyclopaedia for people involved in the shipping industry. ‘Ship Electrical Systems’ (ISBN 978 90 7150005 72), a 272 page hardback publication costs 58.00 euro, incl. P&P. It can be bought in the specialized bookshop or direct with the publisher, Dokmar Maritime Publishers BV, PO Box 5052, 4380KB Vlissingen, The Netherlands. Phone +31(0)612.506150, e-mail: [email protected] , website www.dokmar.com . ______ClassNK begins joint investigative research with Sompo Japan on risk assessment of autonomous ships Leading classification society ClassNK has begun joint investigative research with Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Sompo Japan) on risk assessment of autonomous ships. Global efforts are accelerating toward the practical use of technology for autonomous operation in the field of ships, as this may be a promising way to improve safety by preventing human error related to ship maneuvering and working conditions by reducing the work load of crew members. With the implementation of demonstration projects and development of the guidelines led by the government, the framework for safety evaluation is in progress in Japan. As a verification body for ensuring ship safety, ClassNK conducts research and development for the safety evaluation and setting standards for autonomous operation technology, and is also involved in efforts by the government, research institutes, corporates, etc. related to such technology from a safety and technology standpoint. Sompo Japan and the Society have begun joint investigative research on the risk assessment of autonomous ships, as the above guidelines mention risk assessment as one of the points to be considered for ensuring the safety of autonomous ships. Utilizing the Society’s knowledge of ships, and Sompo Japan’s knowledge on risks associated with ship operation and management based on underwriting ship insurance, as well as the knowledge on risk assessment for the practical application of autonomous vehicles cultivated by SOMPO Risk Management Inc., which is in charge of risk management operations in the SOMPO Group, they will carry out optimal risk assessment for autonomous ships by researching and sharing their knowledge. They began their research in February 2021 and aim to announce the results within 2022 and utilize them in their own businesses. Through the results of various partnerships, ClassNK will reinforce its knowledge of risk assessment as a classification society and strive to contribute to the social implementation of autonomous ships. ______
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Historic model of Canadian Navy ship likely saved from scrapyard By : Gord Kurbis Journalist, CTV Vancouver Island A huge model of an historic Canadian naval vessel has been saved from destruction and may eventually find a future at a Ladysmith military museum, Ben Kingston works for Canadian Maritime Engineering and says the model was destined to be carved up and dumped but will now be spared. "Nobody had really come up with a good plan on where it could go and when I heard it was going to get destroyed, I thought it was worth trying to save," Kingston says. The model is of HMCS RAINBOW, an Apollo Class cruiser built for Great Britain's Royal Navy in 1892 before being transferred to the Canadian Navy. The replica was in a CME facility in Port Alberni being used by Navy cadets for training. When their league folded, the vessel remained and was apparently taking up needed space. "It's been sitting here in storage collecting dust and we're trying to find the rightful owner of it to send it home," says CME sales representative Steve Dunagan. But wherever it ends up, it's going to require a lot of space. "It's 21 feet long, five-and-a- half feet tall and three feet wide, there's a steel frame underneath, plywood on the bottom, the rest is wood with some tin for smokestacks and various wires,” Kingston says. Both he and Dunagan say constructing the model would have been an immense amount of work. "We build boats and refit boats on a regular basis and it seemed a shame to dispose of it,” Dunagan says. “Somebody put a lot of hours into building it and it's obviously a piece of history, so we wanted to preserve it." Kingston hopped onto social media Wednesday, March 24 looking for a new location for the replica to berth, and he found instant takers. The first to call dibs on the model was McLean Welsh of the War Dungeon Military Museum in Ladysmith. "I think I may build a building for it,” Welsh says. “Early naval stuff, especially anything Canadian, I've got quite a bit of Canadian stuff from every conflict. The ship is pretty wild.” He says his nephew called him as soon as he saw a posting that Kingston had placed offering the vessel up for a new collector. Kingston says he's had a great response from possible takers. "I probably had somebody looking or interested in less than half an hour,” he says. “Since then, I've had about 10 offers of people looking for it. It feels really good. I was really afraid it was going to be garbage." Source : vancouverisland.ctvnews ______Italy Approves New Decree to Keep Cruise Ships Out of Venice Lagoon ______Floating bicycle hire on Broads - Published: 2:01PM April 4, 2021 Floating bike firm Buoyancy Bikes is coming to Wroxham. - A start-up hire firm on the Norfolk Broads is soon to give a whole new definition to the phrase 'off-road cycling'. Laura Calver, 31, and her husband Simon, 35, are launching Buoyancy Bikes, based in Wroxham. The bicycles are mounted on two hard-shelled floats, pedal powered and by the handlebars, which control a fin below the waterline. Mrs Calver said the idea came in a flash of subconscious inspiration. Floating bike firm Buoyancy Bikes is coming to Wroxham. - Credit: Supplied by Laura Calver She said: "My husband woke up one day and said 'I wonder if you can get a water bike on the Broads?' He says it came to him in a dream." Credit: Supplied by Laura Calver ______27 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveils design for operations and maintenance base at the Port of Tyne The biggest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, will be operated from a state of the art facility at the Port of Tyne, according to Equinor's release. The developers of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm have revealed the design for the multi-million-pound Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Base, that will serve the world’s biggest offshore wind farm. Subject to planning approval, the base will be constructed in the Port of Tyne. It will serve as the main hub for operating the wind farm which when complete will be capable of providing around 5% of the UK’s electricity demand. SSE Renewables is leading on construction of the wind farm and Equinor will operate the wind farm for its lifetime of up to 35 years, creating over 200 direct jobs in the North East of England. Some roles will be based onshore, such as planners, engineers and management, whilst other roles such as wind turbine technicians will be based offshore at the wind farm itself, living for two weeks at a time on a vessel over 130km out to sea. The main recruitment activity is expected from 2022. The facility has been designed using environmentally friendly materials, with EV chargers, solar panels and efficient heating systems to ensure the facility has a low carbon footprint. Working with international design practice Ryder Architecture, headquartered in Newcastle, Equinor has designed the O&M Base to be built using environmentally friendly materials. EV chargers, solar panels and efficient heating systems have been included to ensure the facility has a low carbon impact. As well as offices for those based onshore and a warehouse to store spare parts for the wind farm, the design includes development of a new quay suitable for the state-of-the-art Service Operations Vessels (SOVs) that provide accommodation, and transport for technicians to and from the wind farm. The vessels will come to the port approximately twice a month for resupply and crew change. Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said “Dogger Bank is set to have a huge impact in the North East of England. On top of the hundreds of direct jobs the project creates, opportunities from the project will reach many others in the region from industry suppliers to catering companies. The plans for the O&M facility have been submitted to South Tyneside Council for a planning application. The construction contractor will be appointed in the coming months. Dogger Bank is being built in three equal phases of 1.2 gigawatts (GW) each. The first two phases, Dogger Bank A and B, are a joint venture between Equinor (40%) SSE Renewables (40%) and Eni (20%). The third phase, Dogger Bank C, is being developed on a different timescale and is owned by Equinor (50%) and SSE Renewables (50%). Source : portnews ______Wireless charging technology being developed for electric vessels by Martyn Wingrove Radio waves could be used to charge manned or autonomous electric vessels in the future Technology to charge electric vehicles wirelessly is being developed for marine applications in Cornwall, UK. Marine-i and St Austell- based Perpetual Research Consultancy are advancing this technology backed by funding from the European Regional Development Fund and with support from the UK Government. This technology would use very high frequency (VHF) waves to wirelessly charge manned and autonomous vessels while docked. Perpetual Research director Mike Taylor said developing advanced charging systems would have a considerable impact on marine operations. “Wireless charging is already employed for electric vessels, whether they are crewed, remotely operated or fully autonomous,” said Mr Taylor. “We believe this technology could be greatly improved by devising a way of using VHF frequencies for wireless charging. This would deliver order of magnitude increases in power transfer and lead to vastly reduced charging times. ”Perpetual Research engaged with Marine-i in recognition of the kickstart needed to implement this project. “Having access the leading-edge research available through the Marine-i project was a huge asset for this project,” said Mr Taylor. “Working with technology experts at University of Plymouth, we devised a three-stage development process. The first step was to carry out experiments on different wire coil configurations and thoroughly evaluate their performance characteristics. “Next was a feasibility study to determine the requirements of impedance-matching networks for the new system,” said Mr Taylor. “The final stage identified procurement costs for the key components, so we could estimate the production cost of the system when manufactured at scale.” ……………….. …………………………………. Source : Riviera Maritime media ______28 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Partially completed model of HMS Victory Completion and a good home needed. The Association has been contacted by a lady, who sadly recently lost her husband. He had largely completed a wooden kit of HMS Victory which from the photographs looks magnificent. She is now very kindly offering it, at no cost, any one of our members who would like to complete it. The ship (pictured below) measures 35ins tall (including stand), 48ins long and 18ins wide. It is made of wood and includes canons, rigging, sailors and many other finishings. The kit was produced by a Company called DeAGOSTINI and is believed to have been distributed in a bi-monthly magazine. This kind lady lives in Chesterfield (right in the middle of the country) and would have no problem meeting somewhere halfway.
Given the generosity of this kind lady, we would really like this to go to a member who would both enjoy finishing it and also keep it. If anyone is interested please contact our National Secretary, David Parsons; [email protected] who will place you in touch with this lady. ______Over 7.5 million tonnes of cargo carried by Northern Sea Route in January- March 2021 In January-March 2021, cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route (NSR) fell by 3.9%, year-on-year, to over 7.5 million tonnes, Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot) says on its Instagram page referring to the Northern Sea Route Administration. NSR waters are covered with compact one-year ice with ice pressure. The western edge of the Arctic ice is in the Barents Sea. Ice ridges and ice breccia are observed on the recommended routes in the Kara Sea. There are floating ice hummocks in the Gulf of Ob and in the Yeniseay Bay and at the approaches to them. Iceberg threat remains at the Cape Zhelaniya. Icebreaking operations in the NSR waters were performed by the Aleksandr Sannikov and Admiral Makarov icebreakers as well as nuclear-powered icebreakers Yamal, Vaigach, Taimyr, 50 Let Pobedy and Arktika, the latter left the water area of the NSR for Murmansk on March 30. Icebreaking assistance at Sabetta port was provided by Ob, Tor and Saint- Petersburg icebreakers, at Dudinka port – Dudinka and Avraamy Zavenyagin icebreakers. At the Arctic Gate terminal of the Novoportovskoye field, safety of operations was ensured by the Andrey Vilkitsky icebreaker. In the reported period, 56 vessels were given permits for navigation in NSR waters (10% less, year-on-year) including 22 permits given to foreign-flagged vessels (1 permit less, year-on-year). In January-December 2020, cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route (NSR) totalled almost 33 million tonnes of cargo including over 18 million tonnes of LNG. The target set for 2020 under the federal project “The Northern Sea Route” was as high as 29 million tonnes with the project aimed at the NSR development to reach annual cargo traffic of 80 million tonnes in 2024. “The Northern Sea Route” project is supervised by Rosatom. Source : Portnews ______
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Crew Abandons Heavy-Lift Ship After Cargo Shifts in Storm
CLICK at the photo ! Norwegian rescue teams are responding to distress calls from a Dutch cargo ship caught in heavy seas off the Norwegian coast. The crew has been removed from the ship as the captain and authorities fear the vessel might capsize in heavy seas. A Dutch-flagged heavy-lift cargo ship, the 4,200 dwt EEMSLIFT HENDRIKA, called for assistance earlier today after the cargo aboard the vessel shifted in a storm as the vessel was sailing north along the Norwegian coast. The lift ship had departed Bremerhaven, Germany bound for Kolvereid, Norway. Norwegian rescue authorities report that the 336- foot long vessel was approximately 60 nautical miles west of Alesund, Norway when parts of its cargo shifted causing the vessel to list between 15 and 30 degrees to starboard into heavy seas. The Norwegian authorities initially dispatched three helicopters and two rescue vessels to coordinate the efforts on the scene. Arriving at the vessel, they reported seas were running 10 to 15 meters and winds were a strong to severe gale with maintained speeds over 40 mph. Initially, it was decided to airlift eight of the twelve crew members from the vessel to Alesund. The captain and three crew members remained aboard during the day attempting to steer the EEMSLIFT HENDRIKA into the weather and stabilize the cargo. The Norwegian authorities assisted by airlifting two bilge pumps to begin pumping out seawater that was leaking into the cargo hold. The vessel’s owner told the Norwegian media that the situation was stable aboard the vessel, and they were hoping that the weather would subside so that the vessel could proceed to a nearby port.Late reports from the Norwegian authorities however are that the weather had not calmed and by late in the day, the captain felt it was no longer safe for the crew to remain aboard. The captain and three remaining crew members were airlifted off the ship by a Norwegian SAR helicopter. Some reports indicate that one of the crew members was injured and was taken to a hospital.The Norwegian Coastal Administration and the shipping company were reported to be working on a plan for handling the vessel in hopes that it would remain afloat overnight, and that the weather would calm sufficiently to permit a salvage effort. Source : MAREX See rescue video at eemslift hendrika ship SAR operation | crew jumped ! - YouTube ______No Disreapect to the late Donald Derwer Donald Dewar the Scottish Labour MP and First Minister of Scotland was not known as a sartorial dresser. However he turned up at a meeting on one occasion, wearing a tie that had the letters YSL (Yves St Laurent) and it was commented on by his colleagues. However Dewar explained that it was not an Yves St Laurent tie but one given to him by Yarrow Shipbuilers Ltd. ______A Few 1 or 2 Liners (there’s more … Just filling in the page) Bono and The Edge walk into a Dublin bar and the bartender says, “Oh no, not U2 again.”
Scientists got together to study the effects of alcohol on a person’s walk, and the result was staggering. ______30 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Horizon Maritime Signs On to Support Titanic Dive Canadian offshore services company Horizon Maritime has signed on to support a dive mission to explore the wreck of the TITANIC. OceanGate Expeditions, the crewed submersible exploration company leading the mission, selected the multipurpose offshore support vessel (OSV) HORIZON ARCTIC to serve as the surface support vessel for the expedition scheduled to take place later this The HORIZON ARCTIC year.The RMS TITANIC shipwreck lies approximately outbound from Rotterdam 2,500 feet below the ocean's surface, about 370 miles off Photo : Leen van der Meijden © the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. This expedition will be the first of an annual series that will document the condition of the wreck, the debris field and the marine life found there. “The expedition vessel is essential to the success of the missions we will embark upon beginning in June 2021,” said Stockton Rush, president, OceanGate Expeditions. “The Titanic Survey Expedition will utilize OceanGate Inc.’s five-crewmember submersible, Titan, and their proprietary launch and recovery platform that are easily accommodated by a wide variety of surface support vessels. “For this expedition, in one of the world’s harshest marine environments, we have selected a superior vessel with outstanding features such as low emissions hybrid propulsion, full redundancies, and the highest standard of accommodations for our crew and Mission Specialists. Our focus has been on identifying a vessel and crew uniquely qualified in deep subsea operations with a commitment to putting safety first. We have found that in the crew of the HORIZON ARCTIC,” Rush said.The HORIZON ARCTIC is Canadian-owned and operated by Horizon Maritime. The 93.6 meter vessel has the environmentally-friendly CLEAN DESIGN class notation, a hybrid propulsion system, and improved low resistance design for high speed and crew comfort. The vessel also has an ROV with integrated control room and launch and recovery system. “We are excited to be providing the HORIZON ARCTIC for the inaugural Titanic Survey Expedition, conducting this operation from our home port in St. John’s,” said Sean Leet, CEO, Horizon Maritime. “Our crews have unmatched training and experience in subsea support operations – safety is paramount within all of our operations. While we have supported many complex subsea operations over the years, supporting the team making these dives to the iconic resting place of the Titanic is an exceptional honor. We are looking forward to working with the OceanGate Expeditions team and participating in these on-going missions that will document and preserve a fascinating aspect of our Atlantic Canadian heritage.” Source : Marinelink ______Scientists got together to study the effects of alcohol on a person’s walk, and the result was staggering.
I’m trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find.
I got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts. I won’t lie, it was a rocky road.
What do you say to comfort a friend who’s struggling with grammar? There, their, they’re.
I went to the toy store and asked the assistant where the Schwarznegger dolls are and he replied, “Aisle B, back.”
What did the surgeon say to the patient who insisted on closing up their own incision? Suture self. ______31 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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Puns for Educated Minds
1. The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.
2. I thought I saw an eye-doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian .______For those readers who are under the impression that the Suez Canal is reasonably straight
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______Dead center reckoning!
How Many Cows? A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in Montana when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust The driver, a young man named Cliff in a Brioni® suit, Gucci® shoes, RayBan® sunglasses and YSL® tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"
Bud looks at the man, who obviously is a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, why not?"
The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell® notebook computer, connects it to his Apple iPhone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.
The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop® and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.
Within seconds, he receives an email on his Apple iPad® that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL® database through an ODBC connected Excel® spreadsheet with email on his Galaxy S5® and, after a few minutes, receives a response.
Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet® printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."
"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Bud.
He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.
Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"
The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"
"You're a Congressman for the U.S. Government", says Bud.
"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, “but how did you guess that?"
"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars’ worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know sh*t about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that matter. This is a herd of sheep”
“Now give me back my dog.” 33 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
The Pulse
AND THAT FOLKS IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ______
------The Merchant Navy Association
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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 Chairman Merchant Navy Association Tel: 01472 277 266 Mob: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected] www.mna.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1135661
34 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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25. I’ve started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness
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______35 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
The Pulse
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www.mna.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1135661
36 MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #05 07th April 2021
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