1. Iranian tanker hit in Red sea. UPDATE was it real or staged?
Crude oil tanker SINOPA suffered explosion in cargo tanks area, followed by fire, in reportedly, early morning Oct 11, while sailing in Red sea SW of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Understood from Iranian sources, hull was breached, oil is leaking from cargo tank or tanks into the sea. Tanker was sailing to Suez, most probably from Iranian oil terminal in Persian Gulf. Tanker history track is missing, with Dalian recorded as last port of call, in April this year. After that date, no AIS records are visible. AIS reappeared on Oct 8 in Red sea, so SINOPA is one of those ghost NITC tankers, dodging the US sanctions.
Latest AIS signal was recorded at around 1330 UTC Oct 10, tanker was moving at 8.6 knots speed in Suez Canal direction. http://maritimebulletin.net/2019/10/11/iranian-suezmax-tanker-explosion-in-red-sea/?fbclid=IwAR3LoQT283R98V55QKj3jHve71XKdqoCZfhfxWwZ3K1fk0LaekU_OsAr9W8
2. BOURBON RHODE Oct 10 Latest
BOURBON RHODE Oct 10 UPDATE: Search continuing with several ships engaged in SAR, see screenshot below. Oct 9 satellite image showed an object which may be life raft, and of course, it stoked SAR and hopes of all concerned. It is said, that French Government and BOURBON Company are under constant pressure to continue SAR, and they in their turn, make everything possible to go on with search. On the other hand, most indispensable asset for a deep-ocean SAR, is available but not deployed. http://maritimebulletin.net/2019/10/10/bourbon-rhode-oct-10-latest/?fbclid=IwAR2cko5MB-xcG9eLGyJgnBE7_phEaN3ofL8weLjVSrfoEgXW63S0YYl-sYs
3. Dutch freighter disabled shortly after leaving Las Palmas
General cargo ship HAPPY DOVER suffered engine failure and was disabled in about half an hour after at 1814 UTC Oct 8 she left Las Palmasa Canary islands, bound for Agadir Morocco. She was towed back to port and berthed at night same day. Problem was fixed, HAPPY DOVER left Las Palmas in the afternoon Oct 9 and resumed voyage. http://maritimebulletin.net/2019/10/10/dutch-freighter-disabled-shortly-after-leaving-las-palmas/?fbclid=IwAR25axNX4HeAWDkH84fV2HMy1c7zjSLWrR98xj_JUD6ma6r3kP7EJ108Guc
4. Explosions hit Iranian suezmax in possible terrorist attack
A fully laden Iranian suezmax belonging to NITC has been hit by two explosions in the Red Sea, while en route to Syria, with vast quantities of crude gushing from its breached hull. The 1999-built Sabiti is the third Iranian ship to run into trouble in the area in the last six months with two other tankers breaking down near Saudi Arabia. Local media in Tehran are reporting the suezmax was struck near Jeddah by two missiles with the ship’s owner suggesting the tanker had been hit by a terrorist attack. The ship has been stabilised by its crew, who are all reported to be safe. https://splash247.com/explosions-hit-iranian-suezmax-in-possible-terrorist-attack/
5. Crude and gas tanker rates sail to new highs
Shipping just about any type of fuel this week has proven hugely expensive with rates for all tanker types soaring to levels not seen since before Lehman Brothers collapsed 11 years ago and VLCCs now entering record territory. On the back of Washington’s sanctions against Chinese tankers owned by Cosco and Kunlun, ongoing scrubber retrofits and oil majors including ExxonMobil and Unipec distancing themselves from any ships with links to Venezuela tonnage is tight and charterers anxious. https://splash247.com/crude-and-gas-tanker-rates-sail-to-new-highs/
6. The superintendent’s role needs to change now
Superintendents have a critical role in shipping. Oddly, in an era of squeezed margins and ever rising costs it’s a role that rarely comes under scrutiny. Typically, the ‘super’ is a vessel’s primary shoreside contact, the first to be called when a problem occurs, the go-to guys for many issues – cargo, class, HSEQ, budget management, vessel performance, etc. https://splash247.com/the-superintendents-role-needs-to-change-now/
7. Greek authority axes Cosco’s container terminal expansion plan at Piraeus
Greece’s Port Planning and Development Committee has rejected a plan submitted by Cosco-controlled Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) to build a fourth container terminal at the port as part of a EUR800m ($881m) investment master plan. PPA’s master plan includes the development of a new mall and hotels, a new cruise ship terminal, a new car terminal, and a fourth container terminal to expand the port’s current container capacity from 7m teu to 10m teu. https://splash247.com/greek-authority-axes-coscos-container-terminal-expansion-plan-at-piraeus/
8. Spain: Cruise Ship Passenger Dies after Falling Overboard
Spanish authorities recovered a body of a cruise ship passenger in the Gulf of Cadiz today, NATO said. The person was reported missing from an Italian cruise ship sailing off the coast of Spain. Although the cruise ship has not been identified, German cruise ship website Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten reported that the vessel in question is Costa Pacifica operated by Italian Costa Cruises. The passenger reportedly fell from the ship’s deck 8 in the evening hours of October 10. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/284613/spain-cruise-ship-passenger-dies-after-falling-overboard/
9. DFDS Takes Delivery of Third Chinese-Built RoRo
Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS has taken delivery of the third of six roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ferries being built by Jinling Shipyard in China. The vessel was officially delivered on October 9, a little less than a year after construction works on the vessel started in November 2018. The yet-to-be-named vessel started sea trials in August this year. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/284596/dfds-takes-delivery-of-third-chinese-built-roro/
10. Dry bulk short period fixtures dry up as IMO 2020 looms
Short period (3-5 months) and two-laden-leg fixtures have dried up in the Atlantic dry bulk markets, as shipowners seek to minimize risk ahead of the January 1 implementation date of the IMO 2020 sulfur regulations. According to shipbroker sources, owners are reluctant to fix dry bulk ships on time charter for less than one year, or for two-laden legs trips that require redelivery close to the new year. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Dry+bulk+short+period+fixtures+dry+up+as+IMO+2020+looms
