Disabled Boxship MSC Rachele Towed to Port After Explosion and Fire

June 27, 2022 POST STATE CONTROL

The disabled MSC containership MSC Rachele that suffered an engine room explosion and fire yesterday in the Mediterranean has been successfully towed to the port of Fos-sur-Mer, in southern France. French authorities said that the ship arrived under tow around 4:30 a.m. local time and was docked at the port by late morning on June 22.

The regional SAR operation center (Cross Med) in Toulon, France organized the rescue operation placing an assessment team aboard the ship to determine the situation and its status. They reported the fire was extinguished but the vessel was dead in the water after an explosion in the engine’s gearbox disabled propulsion. The team confirmed that it was safe to tow the vessel and MSC hired commercial tugs from the port of Marseille to rescue the ship. Weather conditions also remained favorable in the area during the rescue and subsequent tow.

While awaiting the arrival of the towing resources, French authorities reported that their chartered support and assistance vessel BSAA Pionnier remained in the vicinity of the MSC Rachele to provide assistance in the case of a further emergency. The towing started on June 21 around 8 p.m. With the situation stabilized and under control, the BSAA Pionnier was released around 10 p.m.

MSC released a brief statement confirming the incident in the engine room of the containership and that its priority was for the safety of the crew. “MSC is very thankful to the French Navy for their prompt assistance. Three seafarers were injured in the incident and have been evacuated by helicopters for medical care.”

The explosion and fire in the engine room were reported to Cross Med yesterday morning. A French amphibious carrier Tonnerre was operating in the area at the time of the accident. The Navy supplied helicopters and medical teams to assist with the evacuation and transfer of the injured crew to a military hospital in Toulon. Two of the injured crewmembers were reported to be in critical conditions after having suffered burns.

MSC reports that it is monitoring the situation and that the condition of the containership is currently being assessed.

“Our preliminary reports indicate that there has been no damage to the containers onboard. We have informed affected customers with cargo onboard about the vessel incident and will keep them updated about the future movements of the vessel and its cargo.”

IMSAR Supports EMSA RPAS in Maritime Surveillance Operations

June 27, 2022 Maritime Safety News

Since the beginning of May 2022, European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) have been flying over the East Baltic Sea region following a coordinated request for enhanced maritime surveillance from the Finnish Border Guard, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board and the Latvian Coast Guard Service.

IMSAR’s radar is supporting EMSA on the Textron Systems Aerosonde unmanned fixed-wing aircraft, flown by contractor Nordic Unmanned. The Aerosonde can stay in the air for 10 hours and can fly up to 140 km within radio range and further depending on the ground relay stations. It is equipped with a gimbal with optical and infrared sensors, and an AIS receiver alongside the IMSAR radar.

The regional scope of the operation enables cross-border flights over the Gulf of Finland and the exclusive economic zones of both Estonia and Latvia. While the service increases situational awareness for a wide range of coast guard functions, the focus of the operation is on maritime safety and security, environmental protection, fisheries control and search and rescue.

During this five-month operation, the national authorities from Finland, Estonia and Latvia are working in close cooperation, planning, following and receiving data from the flights irrespective of the point from which the RPAS is deployed. As the flights will continue throughout the summer, when maritime activities typically increase, the operation is expected to bring additional support to the emergency services as they monitor and respond to incidents in the coastal waters.

This operation builds on the services provided by EMSA in 2021 to both Estonia and Finland, taking forward the regional dimension by enabling cross-border flights within the airspace of the three participating countries.

DUBAI MARITIME SUMMIT KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK WITH PARTICIPATION OF REGIONAL AND GLOBAL INDUST …

June 27, 2022 GENERAL

Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), the government authority charged with regulating, coordinating and supervising all aspects of Dubai’s maritime sector, has affirmed its preparedness for Dubai Maritime Summit 2014. The summit is the first-ever maritime event that aims towards fortifying Dubai’s efforts to become a first-class international maritime hub, with particular focus on the latest worldwide industry developments.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, Dubai Maritime Summit 2014 will take place on October 27, 2014 at The Address Dubai Marina. It will mark the beginning of Dubai Maritime Week, organized by DMCA biennially in line with their commitment to position the emirate to the ranks of the world’s most prominent leading maritime centres.

The first edition of Dubai Maritime Summit is set to attract wide participation from senior government officials, along with the most prominent regional and international experts and decision-makers, ship owners and operators, and officials from public and private companies operating in the maritime sector in Dubai, the region and the world. The participants will come together to discuss the most prominent issues and the latest developments of local and international maritime sector.

Hosted by Zainab Badawi, International Presenter at BBC, Dubai Maritime Summit boasts of a list of official speakers, including H.E. Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al-Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works and Chairman of the National Transport Authority (NTA); H.E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and President of DMCA; Jo Espinoza-Ferrey, Director of International Maritime Organization (IMO); Philipe Donche-Gay, Chairman of International Association of Classifications Societies (IACS); Dr Phillip Belcher, Marine Director of INTERTANKO; and Doug Barrow, Chief Executive of Maritime London.

The latest developments in the global maritime arena will be the agenda of Dubai Maritime Summit 2014, along with other issues affecting the development of the global maritime sector. The key focus, however, will be on international maritime clustering and the pioneering experience of Dubai in the transformation to a leading global maritime hub. It is an integrated strategy based on upgrading the components of the maritime sector, modernizing of infrastructure, operations and logistics, and diversifying of investment opportunities that will enhance the competitive advantages at both regional and international levels.

Amer Ali, Executive Director of DMCA explained that organizing Dubai Maritime Summit is in line with the Authority’s continuous commitment to create a safe and sustainable maritime sector in Dubai. He pointed out that the event organised at such a high-level of excellence confirms the emirate’s leadership in hosting the most important global conferences and events in the maritime sector.

“The participation of speakers and leaders representing the local, regional and international maritime industry confirms the success of Dubai Maritime Summit in the creation of effective channels for exchange of experiences and best practices that will improve the global maritime sector and enhance its contribution to a major tributary of the global economy. We are looking forward optimistically to the  Summit which will prove in its inaugural session that it is a mainstay for strengthening the competitive advantages of Dubai as one of the most prominent maritime centres and logistics leader in the region and the world,” Ali added.

The Dubai Maritime Week 2014 will be held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council. The agenda of the event will include along with Dubai Maritime Summit, a series of interactive events such as conferences, meetings, workshops, talk shows and awards ceremony, among others.

U.S. Borax: Ship Shape

June 27, 2022 GENERAL

Seafarers are those maritime professionals who have helped open up and now keep our international trade routes moving and global economies connected. U.S. Borax ships our products around the world by sea from our Wilmington operations—through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

A truly global trade

Steeped in history, seafaring remains a role requiring the highest camaraderie. There are 50,000+ VESSELS worldwide, traversing the world’s remotest locations and docking at the busiest ports to deliver more than 80% of global trade. Typically, a crew of 22 seafarers works 12-hour shifts during a 6 month contract onboard a vessel.

Wilmington’s role

Our WILMINGTON OPERATION is the only privately owned facility in the Port of Los Angeles. Located at berths 165-166, Wilmington includes a wharf with a ship loading system as well as rail, truck, and container loading docks.

During the course of a typical year, more than 36,000 tons of packaged goods are produced and shipped from this site. And, approximately 200,000 tons of bulk material are shipped to customers in Europe and Asia.

Safety and integrity come first

Rio Tinto, U.S. Borax’s parent company, abides by the MARITIME LABOUR CONVENTION and is a foundational signatory of the Global Maritime Forum’s (GMF) NEPTUNE DECLARATION ON SEAFARER WELLBEING AND CREW CHANGE, which is a collaborative, industry-led response to address the unintended challenges posed to crew welfare by COVID-19 restrictions.

We do not use “NO CREW CHANGE CLAUSES” and the 17 Rio Tinto owned vessels perform safe crew changes where no crew member is required to work outside of their contracted period. Crews and their families on our owned vessels are also supported through a range of measures. And, all of the contract vessels we use go through an in-depth vetting process to comply with all Rio Tinto standards, including safety, sustainability, and social responsibility practices.

Within Rio Tinto’s commercial logistics group, our marine logistics team manages shipments from our ports as well as contracts with outside carriers. The marine logistics team diligently works behind the scenes with our global customer service representatives to ensure product arrives safely and securely.

On June 25, we recognize and celebrate all of our seafarers for their invaluable contributions to our international business.

Resources

San Pedro Bay commits to zero-emissions shipping

June 27, 2022 POST STATE CONTROL

The Long Beach City Council has unanimously passed a Ship It Zero Resolution 6-0, calling on San Pedro Bay maritime importers to commit to 100 per cent zero-emissions shipping by 2030.

This resolution unites the nation’s largest ports, Los Angeles and Long Beach, in making the commitment of zero-emissions ocean shipping by 2030, as well as calling on the Port of Long Beach to establish greener international ocean shipping corridors.

The Port of Long Beach recently signed on to the Shanghai-Los Angeles Green Shipping Corridor, to enable a zero-emissions trans-Pacific trade route. The partnership intends to address the current climate change crisis and deliver urgent solutions to achieve net-zero shared goals by 2030.

“As a hub for international trade, Long Beach and its residents face significant impacts from cargo ship pollutants,” said Al Austin II, Long Beach City Council Member, District 8.

“As cleaner, emission-friendly technology becomes more available, it is necessary for the city and those who utilise our port to take every feasible step to curb airborne emissions wherever possible.”

The resolution also comprises support for legislation or administrative action to decarbonise the maritime shipping industry and create zero-emission shipping corridors along the Californian coast, the US West Coast, and across the trans-Pacific trade route.

As recently reported by Ship It Zero, the international ocean shipping industry’s pollution is on the rise and is expected to comprise 17 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

The Los Angeles County receives 40 per cent of all containerised cargo imports to the US coming through the San Pedro Bay port complex, making the surrounding communities particularly vulnerable to deadly pollutants. This highlights the need for more zero-emissions shipping resolutions.

“Pandemic-era supply chain issues have left over 100 ocean cargo ships idling off the coast of the Port of Long Beach, spewing toxic pollution into Black, Brown, poor, and working-class Californians’ air for far too long,” said Dawny’all Heydari, Ship It Zero Campaign Lead, Pacific Environment.

“Thank you to the Long Beach City Council for prioritising the health and wellness of residents of Long Beach by drawing a line in the sand for big retailers like Target, Walmart, IKEA, and Amazon to clean up their dirty shipping practices. No longer shall West Long Beach be treated as the collateral damage of the American economy.”

Green corridor initiatives to fast-track decarbonisation across the maritime industry are on the rise, as the Port of Montreal recently signed a threefold alliance to bolster Canada’s main trade corridor.

Panos Kirnidis*: The future arrives at Posidonia

June 27, 2022 Maritime Safety News

Even though the start of 2022 has brought uncertainty to the global economy, maritime shipping remains one of the most important elements in driving global trade.

This is why Posidonia remains one of the leading events in the shipping industry.
Greece has been at the pinnacle of shipping for centuries and retains its place among the great maritime nations in the 21st century. This is always reflected at Posidonia and PISR has welcomed the opportunity to meet and greet ship owners, managers and opera- tors at the expo: this will be our third year attending and we have some great news in the form of a new location and digital services. As we continue our carefully planned European reach, PISR has opened a new office in London, one of the world’s leading maritime industry centres. This expansion is a strong statement about the current growth of the registry.
At Posidonia this is a good time to be reaching out to shipowners who are looking for services that are in tune with their needs, which are accessible and delivered with speed.
The shipping industry is moving quickly to adapt and so are we:
our growth is down to innovation and confidence, the things that shipowners look for and in 2022 PISR is continuing its development of digital services. There is no substitute for dependable and reliable technology allied to the right people with knowledge and experience: PISR has both in abundance and they are already proving invaluable to shipowners.
Our Deficiency Prevention System is renowned and an invaluable tool for shipowners and operators and our forthcoming upgrades and new services will create an even wider range of online tools to support them.
We talk to ship owners daily and the thing they always refer to is time and how delays can affect their business both operationally and financially. We have an established, tried and tested digital range of services and we use these to keep our fleet sailing and our ship owners happy.
The focus on digital services was the way we perceived the industry was heading and we started from the beginning to provide our fleet with real-time online services to keep them moving. PISR offers unique and verified tools through our SMART services. Shipowners are not looking for innovation without credibility: they are looking for services that work; that are tried and trusted; that keep their ships operational and free from costly delays due to deficiencies. It is one
of the main reasons they talk to PISR and we have retained the same-day delivery of services we are known for.
Our shipowners need and demand much more from PISR and we are delivering that for them: the proof is in our recent elevation to the Paris and Tokyo MoU Grey Lists. The next decade will see an increase in online registrations and associated services. But we will always retain the ‘human element’ at PISR because we understand there is always a need to talk to a ‘real person’ when there are questions or issues to be resolved. What works for PISR is a combination of human and technological service. Shipping has always been a ‘people business’ and we do not see that changing any- time soon. We recognise that as a SMART Registry we offer ship owners significant benefits in costs and delivery of services. PISR’s e-registration services remove the reliance on and the fallibility of paper certificates. This is the world of instant communication and information on demand.
Some of the questions we will doubtless be asked in Posidonia, will be, “Why should a shipowner register their vessel with PISR?” and “Why seafarers should be looking for licencing with PISR?” These are questions that we can answer with knowledge, experience and the enthusiasm our staff are known for. What we believe marks PISR out as a truly global registry is our services, our experience and our innovation. We are far more than just an online service; despite the fact we are a world leader in this regard. Shipping is a global operation and we have the largest support service avail- able, with our 44 Deputy Registrars in 25 countries, extending our services to shipowners across the globe, regardless of vessel size or location.
We talk to shipowners and operators daily. Communication is a core focus for PISR: this is why we have developed so quickly because of being responsive and able to deliver with digital services. We see ourselves as a different from other registries and it’s not simply down to size. We have learned over the years that shipowners want a flag of confidence.
They are looking to be supported, to have communications to hand and have their services delivered cost effectively and speedily. In our view, they are talking about our services and our reputation.
* Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Palau to Greece & Chief Executive Officer at Palau International Ship Registry

Crew and passengers rescued as cargo ship capsizes off Vietnam

June 27, 2022 POST STATE CONTROL

All eight seafarers have been saved from a general cargo vessel that capsized and sank off Vietnam.

Two passengers were also rescued from the 2,000-dwt Nam Thinh 126 (built 2009) on 22 June.

The ship got into difficulty after anchoring in heavy seas off Hai Phong.

The Vietnam Maritime Search & Rescue Coordination Center said it was alerted by the ship at the Hon Dau anchorage.

The vessel began to list and the master feared it would sink, so he ordered everyone into life rafts.

The Nam Thinh 126 sank shortly afterwards.

The vessel, owned by Tan Tai Shipping Trading Co of Vietnam, was carrying 1,800 tonnes of stones and bales from Quy Nhon to Cam.

The two passengers on the ship worked for Vietnam Trade Co, authorities reported.

Crew close fuel valves before abandoning ship

Four Hai Phong Port Authority ships headed to the scene, picking up the seafarers and passengers from the rafts.

The crew said the vessel had 150 tonnes of fuel oil and three tonnes of diesel on board. Fuel valves were closed before the seafarers left the ship.

No injuries or pollution have been reported.

The vessel was classed by the Vietnam Register. The Equasis database lists no port state control inspections.

The Nam Thinh 126 is the only vessel listed in the fleet of Tan Tai.

UK operator sees last rig in its fleet off to scrap yard

June 27, 2022 UK CLUB

After completing the sale of a rig, which has been stacked for years, Awilco Drilling, a UK-based offshore drilling contractor, is left with no other drilling assets in its fleet.

Back in November 2021, Awilco Drilling revealed its decision to recycle the WilHunter rig, which was built by South Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding & Heavy Machinery in 1983 and upgraded in Remontowa Shipyard in 2011.

Equipped for drilling in water depths up to 1,500 ft, the WilHunter rig is an enhanced pacesetter semi-submersible unit, which was cold stacked in Invergordon since late 2016 due to a lack of employment opportunities.

In an update on Wednesday, Awilco Drilling informed that its fully owned subsidiary, Awilco Drilling Offshore (UK) Limited, has now concluded the sale of this drilling rig.

Since Awilco recently wrapped up its sale of another semi-submersible drilling rig to its compatriot decommissioning services provider, Well-Safe Solutions, the offshore drilling contractor has no other rigs in its fleet.

Gunvor seeks Jones Act exemption, objections raised

June 27, 2022 TMSA 3

Gunvor is seeking an exemption for a 13m gallon gasoline cargo onboard the vessel BW Egret, Reuters reported.

The commodities trader blended feedstocks onboard the vessel in Europe rather than in onshore tanks making it non-compliant with the Jones Act. Gunvor said delivery of the cargo was in US national defense interests. The vessel is reported to be sitting off the US East Coast after sailing from Amsterdam.

Objections to the request for a waiver from the Jones Act have been raised by US domestic shipping body American Maritime Partnership.

“This unjustified Jones Act waiver request by Gunvor would pad the profits of foreign oil traders without delivering meaningful savings at the gas pump for American families. It’s a simple fact that the cost of gasoline is primarily driven by the price of crude oil and the processing of gas, which is spiking,” said Ku’uhaku Park, President of the American Maritime Partnership.

“The Jones Act is not a cost driver for increased gas prices, representing less than one cent per gallon of the overall cost of gasoline on average. Waiving the Jones Act outsources U.S. jobs and undermines America’s long-term economic security.”

H. Vogemann Reederei Services exercises bulker contract at Bestway

June 27, 2022 GENERAL

In March this year, Bestway, along with Tianjin Dajin Heavy Industry, Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding, and Jiangsu Tianhong Ship Import and Export Company, jointly inked contracts with H. Vogemann Reederei Services to build four 40,000 dwt bulk carriers.

In May, these parties inked supplement agreement to extend the execution date of the contracts till June. Finally, the German owner exercised all four vessels’ contract as Bestway announced.

H. Vogemann Reederei Services currently has 12 newbuilds construction orders spread over China’s New Yangzi Shipbuilding, Hantong Shipbuilding and Yangfan Shipyard.

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