Selected items from compilation of Intership Navigation Training Center. Issue 09 / 2010

1. CASUALTY WEBRIEF

Cruise/pass M/V COSTA EUROPA (Italy, 5340 dwt), Dubai to Savona, with some 1,437 passengers, while docking at Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt crashed into a pier killing three seamen and injuring four tourists, 26-February-2010. "The pier will be repaired at the expense of the shipping company," said the chairman of the Red Sea Ports Authority. The ship got 5-meter hull damage and water ingress.

Some ports in Chile were closed following the earthquake 8.8-magnitude, 27-Feb-2010 killing more than 800 people. 20 minutes after the quake tsunami in Chile came three waves, >6 meters each, tossing small vessels to shore. Tsunami warnings were broadcasted causing people in Pacific coastal areas (US West coast, Philippines, Hawaii, Pacific Islands, etc) to be evacuated to higher ground. Vessels including naval ships moved to out to sea as a precaution against damage near shore.

M/T OAK GALAXY (Panama, 20000dwt) collided in Elbe River with M/V PETERSBURG (Antigua &B, 1838gt) outbound from Hamburg. 23-Feb-2010. Both vessels were damaged.    

Pass/ roro AGIOS GEORGIOS (Greece, 5122gt) hit the pier and sustained a 40cm x 5cm crack during berthing at Thiras, 28-Feb-2010. Departure was delayed pending class inspection repairs.

Roro GLOBAL CARRIER (Finland, 13117gt) inbound at Oxelosund, Sweden had engine problem and struck and holed the side of M/V CMB SAKURA (Panama, 75765dwt) which was berth at a quay loading coal, 27-February-2010. Some oil came out from the damaged tank.

tanker OB SMS 2000 (Indonesia) had explosion setting the vessel ablaze, killing 2 workers and injuring 6 others in a dockyard at Musi River, Sumatra, 25-February-2010.

2. PORT STATE CONTROL (Recent detentions)

c.c. HAI YOU (Panama) detained in Hong Kong. DEFICIENCIES: Three charts for HK waters not corrected, nautical publications and notice to mariners not the latest available one, echo sounding device not working, drill records to logbook not carried out. ISM DPA not known to crew on board.

M/V SKY BRIGHT (Norway) detained in HK. DEF: Functional requirements and test of MF/HF/DSC was not performed with coast station as indicated at GMDSS logbook, meantime tested with several coast stations but unsuccessful. Wire of lifting appliance (recovery) of lifeboat was damaged. Expired: servicing of liferaft hydrostatic release, liferafts, flares & battery of radar transponder.

3. PIRACY

M/T AL NISR AL SAUDI (S.Arabia, 5136dwt), Japan- Jeddah, w/ 14-crew (1 Greek+ 13 Sri Lankans) was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden, 1-March-2010. Tanker is now held near Garacad, Somalia.

M/V NAVIOS APOLLON (Panama, 52073dwt, Greek owned) w/ 19 crewmembers (1 Greek + 18 Filipinos) and fertilizer cargo was released 28-February-2010 by the Somali pirates after they got ransom money dropped from a plane. Last 28-December, the Navios Apollon, from Tampa bound for India, was hijacked some 180 miles N of Seychelles. All crewmembers are said to be safe.

Chem. M/T PRAMONI (Singapore), w/ 24-crew, was freed by pirates and was escorted by warship CHAOHU (China) to the safe waters, 26-February-2010. “All crew onboard the tanker are safe and sound and emotionally stable". The Pramoni was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden last 1-Jan-2010.

A pirate mothership departing Somali coast was tracked 27-Feb-2010 by warship HMS CHATHAM (UK). Warship ABSALON (Denmark) intercepted and boarded the vessel later that day. The boarding team found it “fully loaded with pirate equipment and supplies,” a statement from NATO read. The vessel was then sunk by the Absalon’s crew. 1-March-2010.

There is a report that some 35 warships are now patrolling in the Gulf of Aden.

Tug ASTA (Singapore), that was hijacked off Malaysia 6-Feb-2010 and renamed ROXY I by pirates, was recovered in Surigao by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) after tip offs, 25-Feb-2010. It was identified as the ASTA from its IMO number. The seven pirates who held the Asta crew and set 11 of them adrift in a life raft were apprehended. The Chief engineer who was reported missing with the tug was found safe. The empty barge CALLISTA towed by ASTA was recovered by Malaysian authorities on 18-Feb off Pulau Tioman after being adrift for about six days. The PCG, upon receipt of the hijacking message from RECAAP Singapore and tugs destination to the Philippine area of responsibility, alerted all law enforcement agencies and commercial ships in southern Philippines.

4. POLLUTION CASE

2-March-2010: Reefer M/V MATTERHORN (Liberia, 5102gt)’s owner and master was sentenced to a €1m (US$1.37m) fine by a court in Brest for causing pollution off the French Brittany coast last year. The vessel was spotted by a French Customs plane with a trail of oil about 14 miles long x 200 meters wide. It was ordered by the authorities to divert to Brest where it was held. Shipowner, declaring bankrupt, was not able to pay the €300000-bail. The prosecutor called it “voluntary pollution, not a failure or accidental release”.