Bulk carrier BULK SHENZHEN collided with bulk carrier RB LISA in Yangtze river Shanghai at around 2200 UTC Aug 1, under unclear circumstances. Understood RB LISA unmoored from pier at Chongming island, Yangtze estuary, and collided with incoming BULK SHENZHEN. Both ships were anchored near collision site, and as of 1430 UTC Aug 2, both remained in the same position. Reportedly BULK SHENZHEN sustained shell plates damages in bow area, no information on RB LISA damages. RB LISA is probably, in ballast, while BULK SHENZHEN is having 103,655 tons of iron ore on board.

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General cargo ship TA SHAN in strong wind and high swell drifted aground on southern coast of Greater Qiu Islet, Wuqiu islands, Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, on Jul 30. Hull was breached, reportedly engine room is flooded. 10 crew remain on board, salvage company has been contracted.

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10 containers, some or all of them 40-foot ones, loaded with rubber wood, went overboard from container barge MCL PREMIER in Andaman sea off the coast of Satun Province, Thailand, early in the morning Aug 2 or during the night Aug 1-2. Barge was towed by tug MCL EXPRESS I (no data found) from Kantang, Trang Province, Thailand, to Penang, Malaysia. Caravan encountered heavy seas, resulting in the loss of 10 containers. All were located, with majority being washed ashore on Ko Bulon Le island beaches.
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The 20,000 TEU containership Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal in March, arrived at the Port of Felixstowe today at around 3 p.m. (local time).

The vessel made its long-awaited arrival after it was originally planned to reach Suffolk in early April.

Ship-spotters have gathered along the coast in Felixstowe, publishing updates on the ship’s docking.

Ever Given is planned to unload at Trinity Terminal, which is one of the largest container handling facilities in the United Kingdom.

Last week, the ship visited the ECT Delta terminal and discharged all containers with destinations Rotterdam and Hamburg. Containers for Hamburg were loaded on the Ever Utile to continue their travel to Hamburg, according to the port’s authority.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has warned of the alarming increase in the number of reports of abandoned seafarers in 2021.

The cases are being reported to the IMO’s and International Labor Organisation’s (ILO) joint database.

According to the database, from 1 January 2020 to 1 April 2021, 111 new cases had been reported, with 85 cases in 2020 and 26 cases in the first quarter of 2021.

As of 26 July, of this spike of 111 new cases, only 43 have been resolved.

Around 18 cases reported since 1 January 2020 were related to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has complicated the crew change situation of seafarers. In the previous three months, a further 27 cases were reported, bringing the total number of new cases this year to 53.

“Each case has impacted real people, who experience stressful, inhumane and unsafe consequences; and their families are equally affected. Such cases necessitate the substantial involvement of the IMO and ILO Secretariats, together with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and others, in order to gain resolution,” IMO noted.

The analysis provided by ITF last month revealed that the number of ship abandonments reported more than doubled from 40 in 2019, to 85 in 2020.

The ITF lodged 60 of the 85 cases which appeared in the ILO abandonment database last year, representing hundreds of seafarers who were owed wages, repatriation flights, or both.

Furthermore, the ITF  inspectors helped seafarers to recover nearly $45 million (N15.6 billion) in owed wages last year while cases of ship abandonments nearly doubled to a record high.

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IMO raises concerns over alarming number of abandoned seafarers

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued a warning on 3 August 2021 that a ship may have been hijacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

UKMTO initially reported a “non-piracy” incident on the unidentified ship before updating its description to a “potential hijack” which occurred off the UAE coast, approximately 60 nautical miles from Fujairah.

Maritime security analysts at Dryad Global have identified the ship as the bitumen tanker Asphalt Princess.

The 9,700 dwt tanker is 134 meters long and currently sailing under the Panama flag. The ship’s owner is Dubai-based shipping company Prime Tankers.

The vessel started its voyage at the Port of Khor al Fakkan in the UAE and it was traveling to Sohar, a port on Oman’s northern coast when the incident occurred.

According to several media sources, the British government is working on the assumption that the tanker has been boarded by Iranian group of eight or nine armed individuals.

However, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh denied Iranian involvement, stating that the reported incident appears to be “suspicious”.

The White House described news about the Asphalt Princess as “deeply concerning”.

Reuters noted, citing Refinitiv ship tracking data, that at least five ships in the sea between the UAE and Iran updated their AIS tracking status to “Not Under Command” on the same day.

A US Air Force aircraft was seen flying over the sea, according to data from FlightRadar24.

As of writing, the government of Oman hasn’t issued any statements related to the incident.

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Tanker hijack takes place off UAE coast

German shipping company NSB Group has introduced a new concept of a fully liquified natural gas (LNG)-operated 3500 TEU container vessel with an increased reefer container intake of about 940 FEU.

According to the company, reducing gas consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases was the focus of this concept.

The deckhouse on the forecastle deck was designed to optimize the container capacity and separate the accommodation from the IMO Type C LNG Tanks.

Furthermore, it will be carrying gas for about 5000 nautical miles under full reefer load, on the poop deck.

The vessel will also feature an MGO tank which will be used as a backup in case of LNG shortage.

“A modern dual fuel, 2-stroke, slow speed, single-acting Main Engine with Waste Heat Recovery System and a battery system for peak shaving combined with a Shore Power Connection propel the vessel into a green future,” NSB Group noted.

NSB Group is currently managing a fleet of 58 with an overall capacity of 3,179,893 TEU.

The fleet includes containerships between 1000 TEU and 11,000 TEU, tankers between 37,000 DWT and 105,000 DWT and bulk carriers.

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NSB Group develops new eco-ship design

The armed group who seized a tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has left the targeted ship, the British navy reported.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations revealed that the incident, which was described as a “potential hijack”, was now “complete.”

The group said that the vessel is now safe, without providing any further details.

UKMTO initially reported a “non-piracy” incident on the unidentified ship before updating its description. The incident occurred off the UAE coast, approximately 60 nautical miles from Fujairah.

Maritime security analysts at Dryad Global have identified the ship as the bitumen tanker Asphalt Princess.

The 9,700 dwt tanker is 134 meters long and currently sailing under the Panama flag. The ship’s owner is Dubai-based shipping company Prime Tankers.

The vessel started its voyage at the Port of Khor al Fakkan in the UAE and it was traveling to Sohar, a port on Oman’s northern coast when the incident occurred.

Reuters noted, citing Refinitiv ship tracking data, that at least five ships in the sea between the UAE and Iran updated their AIS tracking status to “Not Under Command” on the same day.

British officials worked on an assumption that Iran was involved in the incident; however, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh denied that Iran played any role.

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UPDATE: Tanker “safe” after hijack reported off UAE coast