Maritime News Thread

Tabnabs

Break out your snorkel jackets, it's going to get cold!

A China Ocean Shipping Group Co. vessel docked in Rotterdam on Sept. 10 after sailing from Taicang City, near Shanghai, via the Arctic, two weeks after another Cosco craft came under fire in the canal. Taking a polar route cut the journey by nine days.
Enlarge image Suez Canal

China is exploring its options as turmoil in Egypt and Syria combines with pirate attacks off Somalia and in the Malacca Strait, calling into question the security of a Suez route used by 18,000 ships each year. Voyages via Russian or Canadian waters or even across the pole are becoming viable as the seasonal melting of Arctic ice becomes more pronounced.

“The Russians have been serious about this for a decade and are now ready for traffic,” said transport strategist John Higginbotham, head of Arctic research at the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario. “China for one is serious about the possibilities, and if you took Suez out of the equation the take-up would be dramatic.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-11/sea-levels-may-rise-69-centimeters-until-2100-on-ice-melt.html

A long and interesting article.

Tabnabs

Costa Concordia

Up she comes (or not?)

if you have 12 hours to kill, watch it live here:
http://globalnews.ca/news/841426/salvage-effort-will-try-to-hoist-costa-concordia/

goldie fish

http://www.theparbucklingproject.com/

Some engineering in fairness.

who the fug

goldie fish wrote: »

Indeed, that side is quite clean compared to the side that was uppermost.


SDC13602 by seamuscor, on Flickr

Bad news she be for scrap

Tabnabs

This is really pretty shocking. I believe this type of facility has been mooted as possible in the Irish sea, (pretty close to Dublin AFAIK).

Square everything away at home and secure for sea!

Anxious residents on Spain’s east coast around the Bay of Valencia want answers after the government admitted there was a link between two weeks during which the region has been shaken by 300 minor earthquakes, and an offshore gas storage scheme.

The Castor plant is using an old oil field’s depleted underwater reservoir in a project designed to create a liquified gas reserve
equivalent to 30% of Spain’s needs. But it is close to the Vandellos nuclear power plant, and several towns and villages.

“I was at home with my elder son when we felt it. We looked at each other and both said , this is an earthquake,” said one woman.

“The lamp started moving and so did our bed”.
“It was just a few seconds, but it was quite a strong movement”.
“It was scary,” said a retired couple.

There were 20 tremors on Wednesday night alone, and this despite the fact work on the project was halted several days ago.

“There will not be any activity in the plant until we’re100% sure that there’s no risk for the population of another earthquake,” says the infrastructure advisor for Valencia’s regional government Isabel Bonig.

The Castor rig has already pumped out seawater from the undersea cavity, and has injected a cushion gas prior to filling with liquified gas. Environmentalists, who have fought the European Investment Bank-supported project since 2007, are furious their seismic warnings went unheeded, and that no seismic study was ever made.

“The gas injection would have caused a first group of small magnitude earthquakes and all this tension has probably moved the existing geological faults generating a bigger movement,” says Barcelona University’s Mariano Marzo.

Although the recorded tremors are small, one on Wednesday night measured a magnitude of 4.2, the highest ever recorded in a region not known for seismic activity. Worse, say environmentalists, Castor is located near a major fault line, although the project’s managers have yet to comment on this claim.

http://www.euronews.com/2013/10/03/spanish-government-blames-offshore-gas-project-for-wave-of-earthquakes/

who the fug

Hopefully this new Tom Hanks movie will lead to some help for these poor guys

Jambo

Linky

Dockwise, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has been awarded the contract to load and transport the Concordia wreck from Isola del Giglio onboard the Dockwise Vanguard. The contract was awarded by Costa Crociere S.p.A. (the client).

Following the successful parbuckling of the Concordia, and in anticipation of the pending refloat, Dockwise and the client have been in discussion to seek a safe solution to remove the Concordia wreck from Isola del Giglio in Italy. In a unique operation the Concordia can be loaded as a whole onto the Dockwise Vanguard and safely transported to a location where she can be scrapped. The client has yet to make a decision in agreement with the local authorities on the final destination. Alternatives under review include scrapping the vessel in Italy.

As part of the contract, certain modifications will be made to the Dockwise Vanguard to accommodate the loading of the Concordia in her current state. The operation is planned to take place around mid-2014 and contract value of the work scope as described amounts to approximately USD 30 million.

The Dockwise Vanguard is the world's largest semi-submersible ship uniquely positioned to lift and transport extremely heavy cargoes in a dry and safe manner. The ship was initially designed to transport offshore oil and gas structures, but can also carry other vessels and act as an offshore dry dock facility. The Dockwise Vanguard has an open and flat stern and bow-less deck measuring 275 meters by 70 meters allowing the vessel to transport cargo longer and wider than the deck dimensions. When the ballast tanks are flooded, the ship deck submerges below the surface, allowing her to handle deep draught cargoes. Once the Dockwise Vanguard is semi-submersed, the floating Concordia will be brought in position above the deck and as the ballast tanks are emptied, the entire ship including the Concordia is brought above the water line allowing her to transport the cargo in a safe and swift manner.

Boskalis, through its wholly-owned subsidiary SMIT Salvage, also provided emergency response services in the first months following the Concordia accident. SMIT Salvage, together with its local partner Tito Neri, successfully removed the bunker fuel from the ship and acted as caretaker from mid-January through to mid-March in 2012.

Boskalis views this project as strategically important demonstrating the opportunities for combining maritime services and assets across the breadth of the company. Furthermore, the use of the Dockwise Vanguard for this extreme salvage operation shows the versatility of the vessel. The recently announced transportation of a FPSO, a recent successful dry docking operation and this salvage transport contract award demonstrate the potential of the vessel.

long range shooter

who the fug wrote: »

Hopefully this new Tom Hanks movie will lead to some help for these poor guys

Not everyone is to happy about the new movie:eek:

http://gcaptain.com/captain-phillips-movie-hero-lawsuit/

goldie fish

And of course there is still the question of the missing Ransom. Seals were blamed for it, but eventually cleared. All the pirates bar the one in jail are dead. So where did the money go?

bladebrew

An interesting bit in the article above about the distance, Philips said I dont think you would be safe 1200 miles off the coast,
In the link who the fug posted one of the ships was hijacked 1200 miles off the coast so he may have had a point!
I had never heard of that money missing before, did the pirates fling it overboard i wonder?

goldie fish

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/navy-s-retired-le-emer-sells-for-320-000-to-businessman-1.1570572

Navy’s retired LE Emer sells for €320,000 to businessman


Barry Roche

Last Updated: Wednesday, October 23, 2013, 15:11


The former Naval Service vessel the LE Emer, which was stood down last month after 35 years, has been sold at auction in Cork today for €320,000 to a Nigerian businessman based in London.

Cyprian Imobhio, chief executive and managing director of Uniglobe Group, said he had got the LE Emer, stripped of its armaments, for a good price, but he was reluctant to say it was a bargain. “It was a good price - but I would have preferred to get her for €200,000,” he said with a smile.

Speaking following the auction at the Carrigaline Court Hotel in Co Cork where he saw off two rival bidders after bidding rose quickly from an opening gambit of €50,000, Mr Imobhio said he was impressed by the LE Emer when he first saw her at Naval Service HQ at nearby Haulbowline.

“It’s a beautiful boat. Navies are very meticulous organisations and they always keep their equipment well maintained - it was quite well looked after for its age, but it’s still 35 years old, so there are a few things that need to be done - plus there are a few issues of classification.”

Mr Imobhio said he plans to bring the LE Emer to London after upgrading work which he hopes to get done locally in Cork. Then he will decide what to do with the Irish ship, which was involved in the seizure of the IRA gun-running ship, the Marita Ann, in 1984.

“It’s always a pleasure to get a new boat, and this is an exceptionally big boat - it’s not every day you come across a boat like this. We are going to make some changes and decide from there what we are going to do with it - either use it privately or use it commercially.

“Commercially, I could probably use it for protection in the Niger Delta off Nigeria to provide security for oil companies. We are doing that kind of work today in that area, but not with equipment this big,” said Mr Imobhio, who already owns seven other ships.

Auctioneer Dominic Daly said he was slightly disappointed with the price that the LE Emer made, as one of five interested parties did not attend the auction and only three of the remaining four parties engaged in the bidding, but he wished the new owner well.

“I am a little bit disappointed - I had a slightly higher price in my mind in view of the level of interest, but it’s all part of a good news story. She’s being replaced by a new much larger ship; this was an older ship and time doesn’t wait for anyone,” he said.

Among those at yesterday’s auction were two of the LE Emer’s former captains - ex-Lt Cmdr Eamon Doyle, who collected the ship from Verolme Cork Dockyard in 1978, and ex-Lt Cmdr Aidan Kehoe, who skippered her on a supply trip to Lebanon in 1995.

“I stood in for the first captain Jack Jordan when we collected her from the dockyard,” said Mr Doyle, “so it was great to be there at her first day of service and here today to see the end of her in Irish service - it would be nice though to see one of these ships kept as a museum ship.

“Probably the one that should have been kept was the LE Deirdre, since it was the very first naval vessel built in Cork, but she’s gone too.

“I think one of the others built there should be kept as a museum ship as they are an important part of our maritime heritage.”



© 2013 irishtimes.com

Not a bad price for a ship almost 40 years on the go.

murphym7

I agree, €320,000 seems a good price to get for her.

"Auctioneer Dominic Daly said he was slightly disappointed " Course he bloody was, less commission!

goldie fish

1.5% is the usual auctioneer commission.

Tabnabs

The US just sold a 'Supercarrier' for the princely sum of 1c

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/USS-Forrestal-giant-carrier-docket-in-Philly-sold-to-Texas-scrapper-for-1-cent.html

knucklehead6

Tabnabs wrote: »

The US just sold a 'Supercarrier' for the princely sum of 1c

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/USS-Forrestal-giant-carrier-docket-in-Philly-sold-to-Texas-scrapper-for-1-cent.html

i always get a wee bit disappointed at the thought of these ships being chopped up and turned into soup tins.

It seems to me they'd be better used in a sink ex or as artificial reefs.

There is nothing more ignominious than the pictures of Invincible as she was being torn apart.

Jambo

Taken from Maritime Executive

A collision early morning on October 28th left a cargo ship disabled and closed the Kiel Canal, one of the busiest waterways in the world. A cargo ship, M/V Sidefly and a LNG carrier, Coral Ivory, collided at approximately 3 am in the southern area of the canal near the Brunsbuttel Bridge.

The Coral Ivory sustained no structural damages, but the Siderfly received two large holes (approximately 3 meters by 5 meters) to its portside bow and, at last report was in danger of sinking. Two tugs were dispatched to assist in stabilizing the cargo ship while the LNG tanker was docked at Brunsbuttel bunkering station.

The Kiev Canal, which is near Hamburg, was shut down entirely and oil barriers have been deployed due to an unknown quantity of oil being released near the accident site.

There were a total of 29 crewmen aboard the two vessels, but there were no reported injuries in the crash. The Siderfly was carrying fertilizer en route to Antwerp and the Coral Ivory trades in ammonia, primarily in the Baltic Sea.

The Kiel Canal saves an average of 250 nautical miles instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula. The canal links the North Sea at Brunsbuttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau.

The reasons for the collision are still unknown and the canal will remain close for the foreseeable future until spill and salvage operations can be conducted.

tricky D

FYI

Seascapes RTE Radio 1, Friday, 10.30 - 11pm, weekly
'The maritime programme for this island nation'

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/seascapes/

HeidiHeidi

The Nautical Channel (new one on me!) did a half-hour programme on The Gathering Cruise, including some footage of the Astrid foundering/rescues.

West Cork is looking good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47iJmAcnB60&feature=youtu.be

goldie fish

It always looks good.

who the fug

goldie fish wrote: »

It always looks good.

When your can see it

Tabnabs

Very lucky that two experienced masters were on the bridge of their respective vessels.

The MV Oscar Wilde owned by Irish Ferries was already alongside the quay, and the MV Stena Europe owned by Stena Line was berthing, when average wind speed increased to 36 knots with gusts of up to 45 knots.

When the MV Stena Europe began to drift away from the berth, the mate/master “did everything possible to bring the vessel under control” and lessened the impact with the MV Oscar Wilde by lowering the anchor and slowing the rate of drift, the report notes.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/ferry-collision-in-rosslare-harbour-could-have-had-serious-consequences-1.1592544#.UoM200ze9VQ.twitter

goldie fish

DFDS RORO on fire in north sea.

http://gcaptain.com/north-storm-prevents-rescue-cargo/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.com%29

OSLO, Nov 16 (Reuters) – The 32 crew of a Danish cargo vessel on fire in the North Sea off Norway were trapped on board on Saturday night as a storm prevented rescue helicopters lifting sailors off.

Three helicopters were scrambled from Norway to assist the Britannia Seaways, operated by the Danish firm DFDS, about 80 miles (130 km) off the town of Floroe, said Per Fjeld, a spokesman for Norway’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.

Tabnabs

All well now, some of the pics:











70,000L of fuel was being shipped along with a lot of other military equipment and vehicles. It shifted in the bad weather and caused the fire.

Tabnabs

David vs Goliath

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/gibraltar/10461643/Spanish-ships-could-be-mistaken-for-terrorists-and-shot-at-Gibraltar-minister-warns.html

Watch the video, it includes the VHF transmissions between the RN and the Spaniards.

neris

Tabnabs wrote: »

David vs Goliath

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/gibraltar/10461643/Spanish-ships-could-be-mistaken-for-terrorists-and-shot-at-Gibraltar-minister-warns.html

Watch the video, it includes the VHF transmissions between the RN and the Spaniards.

The brits desperstly clinging to the last bit of the mighty empire. Been into gib by land and id say it would be easy enough for a boat to stray across boundries. The two of them really need to grow up, not likely theres going to be a war or full on naval battle over a few monkeys

who the fug

neris wrote: »

The brits desperstly clinging to the last bit of the mighty empire. Been into gib by land and id say it would be easy enough for a boat to stray across boundries. The two of them really need to grow up, not likely theres going to be a war or full on naval battle over a few monkeys

One could flip that and say it just say the last desperate attempt by a Spanish government to divert attention from domestic problems , also a survey vessel that does not know its position is of feck all use.

Tabnabs

Spaniards are doing just the same just across the water.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14114627

Been in to bunker offshore (bloody deep water) and it's not too hard to see where the boundaries lie. Spaniards just pushing their luck.

Tabnabs

Nice to see a bit of seafarer awareness this christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ampxUxIaf7M

murphym7

Christmas at sea always sucked, I was there pre on-board internet days. It was letters and cards. That video caught me a little, remember that particular day on board was always crap.

V_Moth

80+ passengers injured after Hong Kong ferry hits "object":

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-25148817