Top Ten Maritime News Stories 15/02/2016

Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 15/02/2016

 

1. Box Giant Grounds in Solent

A 150,000-tonne container ship had to be grounded in the Solent after it lost power.  The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the "APL Vanda" was towed into Southampton port on Saturday night. It said the port’s vessel traffic services sent eight tugs to help the 369m-long (1,210ft) ship, which was forced to carry out a "controlled grounding" at Bramble Bank. The agency said no damage or pollution had been reported. This is the second major container ship grounding in over a week, after the "CSCL Indian Ocean" suffered the same fate in the Elbe.

http://goo.gl/TJVGE2

 

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2. Nigerian Pirates Awaken

Two merchant ships were attacked by pirates in Gulf of Guinea. One of the vessels was hijacked and seamen were taken as hostages, heading in unknown direction. The ship was attacked on 2315 UTC on 76 nautical miles south off Abidjan, Ivory Coast by group of six armed men, who succeeded to board the vessel. Five of the crew were immediately caught as hostages, while the others succeeded to escape and hide in the ship’s safe room. The local with the ship was lost and Nigerian navy cannot detect the vessel. The authorities informed the ship operator about the accident and keep in direct contact for solution of the ship’s releasing. http://goo.gl/reqLMn

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3. Maritime Criminals, Drones and Subs

Pirates and smugglers on the high seas are embracing technology by using drones, satellite tracking and submarines to plan their daring raids. With technology constantly improving and becoming more affordable, analysts have warned that pirates and traffickers could potentially develop their own drone air force.

Rather than just trying to outrun naval ships, pirates and drug smugglers may increasingly turn to GPS to track vessels, approach their targets using home-made submarines and use drones for surveillance. The warnings come from a report which outlines the future challenges facing those who fight illegal maritime activity.

http://goo.gl/Cg9Snx

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4. Illegal Diesel Vessel Arrested

Libyan coastguards on Saturday intercepted a ship with a 12-man foreign crew suspected of smuggling diesel. “The coastguard was conducting a reconnaissance mission when it intercepted the tanker carrying about 1.66 million litres of diesel,” coastguard official Abu Ajila said. He said the crew of the “Captain Khayyam” was arrested, adding that they were of Ukrainian, Turkish and Azerbaijani nationality. Libya has Africa’s largest oil reserves, estimated at 48 billion barrels. Its production was estimated at 1.6 million barrels per day in 2011 but has plunged by a third since. The country is mired in chaos, and is now controlled by armed groups.

http://goo.gl/HJvM68

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5. US Issues Polar Guidance

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued policy letter providing interim guidance for the training of bridge officers engaged on ships that operate in an area subject to the Polar Code. The IMO’s International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) addresses safety and environmental requirements for ships and the level of training required for deck officers engaged on them. It will come into force on January 1, 2017. The training requirements contained in the Polar Code are implemented through amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). http://goo.gl/s70Mp0

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6. Death Ship Skipper Returns

The former captain of the Sage Sagittarius has returned to Australia on board the bulk carrier Kypros Sea. Filipino Venancio Salas Jr was master of the "Sage Sagittarius" when two men died under mysterious circumstances in 2012. The 225-meter (740-foot) Kypros Sea arrived in the Australian port of Gladstone on Monday morning after leaving Brazil in June. The arrival of the vessel into Australian waters coincides with a Senate inquiry into the risks of so called flag of convenience vessels that was prompted in large part by the fatalities on board the Sage Sagittarius.

http://goo.gl/JTesvM

 

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7. State of the Maritime Nation

Maritime New Zealand’s Coastal Navigation Safety Review Report is an important snapshot of the safety of large ships (SOLAS) around the New Zealand coast. It deals with the safety of people as well as the safety of the environment and even touches on the significance of the financial well-being of ship operators.” said Annabel Young, Executive Director, NZ Shipping Federation The Federation believes that the report shows that the SOLAS ships operated from and in New Zealand, known as coastal shipping, are operating in a safe way and no change is needed in respect of their operation.

http://goo.gl/9lB2j6

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8. Crew Killed by Fumes

One crew member died and two were hospitalised after they inhaled poisonous fumes while cleaning cargo tanks on board the 7,704 dwt Palmali-managed 2007-built chemical tanker "Araz River" on 5th February.   Italian media reported that the solvent, which the three seafarers were using to clean the tanks on board the Russian-flagged tanker, reacted with the cargo remnants to form toxic fumes. The deceased 24-year crew member died immediately due to a cardiac arrest, while the other two, aged 42 and 28, were transferred to a hospital in a serious condition, the media reported. The "Araz River" subsequently returned to port.

http://goo.gl/GqdTqY

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9. Baltic Rallies a Little

The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) advanced by 1 point at the end of the week – to reach 291 points, the first time the index has shown growth since December 24. Panamaxes helped the index find its feet, thanks to busy chartering activity in the Atlantic basin, especially for cargoes loading in East Coast South America (ECSA). The market is enlivening slowly as China reaches the end of its Lunar New Year celebrations. Tonnage has been so tight for panamaxes loading in ECSA that the market has seen a number of deals with healthy ballast bonuses attached, which reached a peak level today.

http://goo.gl/znYBdp

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10. Vessel Sinks, Crew Abandon

One seafarer drowned while another 26 were evacuated when the product tanker "Nusantra Akbar" sank on Saturday night in Indonesian waters of the Malacca Strait. Local reports suggest the engine room started taking on water and despite the best efforts of the crew to plug the leak, the master decided to evacuate within a couple of hours of the leak being found. Indonesian search and rescue teams were alerted and were quickly on the scene. The 107 m long ship was transporting 7,000 tons of diesel. Authorities are now investigating how the accident happened, while salvors have been appointed to look at the wreck.

http://goo.gl/eZN7cF

 

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