1. MAERSK offshore supply tug attacked in Gulf of Mexico
Offshore tug, supply ship MAERSK TRANSPORTER was attacked and boarded by armed pirates at night Apr 12 in Gulf of Mexico off Cuidad Del Carmen, Mexico, roughly in the same area where 3 days earlier Italian supply ship REMAS was attacked. Attack was carried out in same manner, too. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/04/15/maersk-offshore-supply-tug-attacked-in-gulf-of-mexico/
2. Tug and oil barge aground, Detroit
Pusher tug ALBERT pushing oil barge MARGET ran aground in Detroit river mouth, Lake St Clair, Great Lakes, early in the morning Apr 13, while en route to Green Bay with some 300 tons of diesel fuel. As of 1300 UTC Apr 15, tug and barge were still aground. Understood there is no hull breach, and no cargo loss. Salvage under way. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/04/15/tug-and-oil-barge-aground-detroit/
3. Chinese tanker boarded, taken to Iranian waters. Hijacked?
Anchored tanker was reportedly boarded by armed men in Gulf of Oman in the afternoon Apr 14, no other details were available. According to latest information and tankers tracks in the area, chemical tanker SC TAIPEI was boarded, and taken to Iranian waters. She was anchored in Iranian waters off Mobarak, exact time unknown. What’s all about, is as of now, 1730 UTC Apr 14, absolutely unclear. Tanker http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/04/14/singaporean-tanker-boarded-taken-to-iranian-waters-hijacked/
4. Italian offshore ship boarded by armed pirates in Mexico waters, VIDEO
Offshore supply ship REMAS was attacked and boarded by armed pirates on Apr 9 at around 2230 LT in Gulf of Mexico, some 70 nm N of Puerto Dos Bocas, Mexico. Pirates fired several shots and took several crew, including officers, as hostages. They plundered the ship, taking with them all valuables, including ship’s equipment. Understood hostages were taken as human shields during attack, to subdue the crew, and weren’t kidnapped. Understood all 30 crew remained safe and unhurt. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/04/14/italian-offshore-ship-boarded-by-armed-pirates-in-mexico-waters-video/
5. Liner bankruptcy potential spreads in step with the coronavirus
A major liner bankruptcy in the coming months is on the cards according to the main carriers’ Altman Z-scores.
The Z score formula for predicting bankruptcy was first published in 1968 by Edward Altman, who was, at the time, an assistant professor of finance at New York University. The formula can be used to predict the probability that a firm will go into bankruptcy within two years. https://splash247.com/liner-bankruptcy-potential-spreads-in-step-with-the-coronavirus/
6. Product tanker captured by Iranians reignites Hormuz security concerns
A Hong Kong-flagged handy product tanker at anchorage in Fujairah was boarded by armed men yesterday and told to head to Iran, a flare-up of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz not seen for a number of months.
Security consultants Ambrey report that four skiffs carrying armed personnel came alongside the ship moored in the vicinity of Fujairah Outer Anchorage and ordered the crew to lower a ladder, then embarked. https://splash247.com/product-tanker-captured-by-iranians-reignites-hormuz-security-concerns/
7. Great Lockdown set to be worst recession since the Great Depression: IMF
The IMF released updated projections for the global economy yesterday. Under the assumption that the pandemic and required containment peaks in the second quarter for most countries in the world, and recedes in the second half of this year, the IMF is projecting global growth in 2020 to fall to -3%. This is a downgrade of 6.3 percentage points from January 2020, a major revision over a very short period. https://splash247.com/great-lockdown-set-to-be-worst-recession-since-the-great-depression-imf/
8. Two horsemen of the apocalypse
It’s too late to buy that VLCC. It’s far too late to sell anything, but you might want to try to cancel that open-loop scrubber installation. It might just not be too late to make an investment in hull cleaning equipment. Don’t put a passenger ship or a dive support ship into cold lay-up or you will discover the truth of the Ancient Greek proverb, “Once in lay-up, always in lay-up!” Think about what is needed to reactivate laid up ships and plan accordingly. So much for the obvious. What about the rest? https://splash247.com/two-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse/
9. Panama Ship Registry Announces New Digital Measures For Covid-19
The pandemic COVID-19 continues to hit the world, and the maritime sector does not escape this situation, ship owners, ship managers, ships operators, seafarers, port workers and professionals of maritime and logistics firms
In those dramatic circumstances created by the Coronavirus crisis, the Panama Ship Registry has provided immediate responses to ships owners with its digital services. “We have been operating uninterruptedly with 100% teleworking from home, from the office and we are attending all cases required by our users,” says the director of the Panama Ship Registry, Rafael Cigarruista. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Panama+Ship+Registry+Announces+New+Digital+Measures+For+Covid-19
10. Piracy And Armed Robbery A Threat To Ships’ Crews, Warns IMB
Seafarers face continuing threats from pirates and armed robbers on the world’s seas, says the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB), reporting 46 attacks in the first three months of 2020, up from 38 in the same period last year. Pirates boarded 37 ships in the first quarter of 2020. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Piracy+and+armed+robbery+a+threat+to+ships’+crews%2C+warns+IMB
