The 4,130-teu Maersk Duncan (ex-JPO Pisces)

By Patrick Hagen – LLOYD’S LIST

PANAMAX sizes in the charter market have again set new benchmarks achieving rates above $20,000 per day for 12 months.

Maersk Line has extended the charter for two 4,130 teu baby panamaxes for 12 months at a daily rate of $20,750. The initial five-year charter for the JPO Libra and the JPO Pisces , both built 2005, will end in August.

According to market rumours, Hamburg Süd took at least one 4,000 teu ship from Claus-Peter Offen for a three-year period at a rate above $20,000 per day.

There was also information about the relet of an 8,000 teu vessel for 12 months at a rate of just below $26,000 per day.

Another relet by CCNI shows how strongly charter markets have developed for larger vessels in recent months. CCNI took the 5,500 teu Ikaria (CCNI Antartico ) in February for 12 months at a rate of $10,750 per day.

Now, CCNI has relet the vessels to MSC for the remainder of the period at $24,000 per day.

Before that, several attempted deals with other charterers had failed, according to brokers. CMA CGM and APL were among the companies reported to have been also interested in the ship.

Rates were also increasing in the smaller sizes, with the 2,500 teu to 3,500 making the largest gains while 1,100 teu and 1,700 teu vessels were only slowly improving.

However, in the 2,500 teu segment a split-market has evolved. While intra-Asian trades are booming and demand for vessels is high, there is still a lot of idle tonnage to be found in this size in Europe.

Recent fixtures in Asia for 2,500 teu ships have been as high as $6,900 per day for longer periods. This has led to a situation where owners are accepting rates that are a $1,000 per day lower for trips from Europe to Asia.

Rates on the Atlantic are also significantly lower than those in Asia.

The mood in the market is clearly cheerful with optimism returning to owners and struggling KG companies.

“Owners have realised that it is often worthwhile to wait,” said one Hamburg broker. “Their negotiating position has clearly improved.”

However, there are also voices stressing that the current situation is still fragile. “Overall it has been another positive week in the charter market but we still have to see if we can continue the progress and overcome the hurdles of the traditional summer lull and any sustained adverse reaction to the situation in Greece,” broker Braemar Seascope wrote in its weekly report.

The longshoreman foreman brought this to me in Iraq, along with the picture of the cow they slaughtered to make it (no lie).

More than 15,000 nautical miles traveled 

5 Countries visited 

7 Ports visited (over 40 port calls) 

The Iraqi National Team gets ready for the World Cup or its just workers playing during lunch break.

It has  been a week since I dragged all of my belongings down the gangway of the Arkansas and a lot has happened since. I am finally getting semi-settled and will be getting around to posting pictures from my stay in Dubai but wanted to say a final goodbye to my floating home for the last four months. 

Umm Said oil refineries from anchor

When I first found out this ship was on a middle east run I was less than excited. A trip in the Mediterranean, Europe or South American would have been more my speed but needing to work and support all of my vices I wasn’t about to be picky. At the end of the day I ended up getting much more from this trip than expected. The crew was great and never short of entertaining moments. There was plenty for me to photograph I would like to think there has been an improvement in my shots over the last four months (I like to think a lot of things but that doesn’t make them true). 

Sweets from the Fustka Co. of Iraq, these were so belly aching good.

Iraqi Sandwich

So whether you stop in regularly or if its you first time take a peek back at post from my time in the Persian Gulf. There are some great times and images that will be with me forever and I am happy I can share them with you. 

- T-Bones BBQ Ribs – BACK TO SEA 

- LUFTHANSA AIRLINES – NO CLASS IN BUSINESS CLASS 

- PULLED PORK AND MUSLIMS 

- STEAK DAY 

- TIME TO MAKE THE DONUTS 

- THE IRAQI DONUT MAN 

- CINNAMON ROLLS AND SOMALI PIRATES 

- DRIVE-IN IRAQI STYLE 

- I ATE, DRANK AND WAS MERRY – THANKS 2009 

This guy sells Iraqi coffee on the dock. Its kept hot with coal that sits in the bottom of the coffee pot

Tha Dogg Pound still alive and well when I left.

Felt a little rush of pride when these guys rolled though.

“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came. “
- John F. Kennedy

Pada tanggal 19 Januari 2001 telah diresmikan Kapal Kontener baru bernama “KM RATULANGI”. Kapal ini dirancang dan dibangun oleh PT PAL, sedangkan pemiliknya adalah PT JAKARTA LLOYD. Anggauta keluarga keturunan Dr.G.S.S.J. Ratu Langie sempat diundang ke Surabaya untuk menghadiri peresmian tersebut. Untuk itu kami berterima kasih kepada PT Jakarta Lloyd dan PT PAL. (Foto2 terlampir dibawah ini)

KM SAM RATULANGIE dipelabuhan Tanjung Perak

Bersalaman dengan Bpk Agum Gumelar (MenPerhub)

Berfoto bersama segenap perwira KM SAM RATULANGI

Bersilaturahmi

Berfoto disamping kapal

Keluarga diizinkan mengagumi kapal

Bahkan diizinkan menjadi "Kapten Kapal"

Ganti2an deh jadi "Kapten Kapal"

Gak bohong, kan: itu namanya duatas.

Berfoto dgn istri DirUt PT PAL dan seorang Direktris

]]> http://alisonbate.ca/2009/01/04/what-if-a-containership-runs-aground-on-nootka-island/ Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:08:27 +0000 alisonbate http://alisonbate.ca/2009/01/04/what-if-a-containership-runs-aground-on-nootka-island/ http://maritimeaccident.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/napoli-time-to-box-clever/ Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:54:03 +0000 Bob Couttie http://maritimeaccident.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/napoli-time-to-box-clever/ Some container industry executives might have been asking “Where’s the love?” when the UK’s Maritime Accident Investigation Branch report on the structural failure of the MSC Napoli landed on their desks this week, most, however would have had an inkling that a rap on the knuckles was in sight.

MSC Napoli was beached in Branscombe Bay, Dorset, by its master after a crack appeared in its hull by way of the engine room during a storm. Analysis showed a weakness in that part of the hull that went undetected because measurements of resistance to buckling were only taken in an area amidships of four tenths of her length overall, which did not include the engine room and which was the only area required to be checked by the classification society rules.

It was not a problem of fatigue or corrosion, but inherent in the design. Typically, a ship structure will maintain much the same configuration along its length, as frames diminish in size towards the bow and stern they effectively match the reduced global bending loads along the length of the ship away from the midships area. In the MSC Napoli, however, the structure was changed from longitudinal to transverse a little fore of the engine room, where stresses were almost as great as at amidships, but the structure itself was weak under the sort of compressive loading the vessel experienced.

A later survey of 1,500 similar vessels, with input from classification societies, discovered another 12 ships with similar problems that needed immediate attention and another 10 which required further investigation. Data on another eight ships had yet to be provided by the classification society concerned.

MAIB comments: “the commercial advantages of containerisation and intermodalism such as speed and quick turnarounds appear to have become the focus of the industry at the expense of the safe operation of its vessels. The industry is very schedule driven, and operators inevitably have an eye on the timetable when making key decisions.”

The MSC Napoli report identifies:”…the decisions to: sail without an operational governor; sail in excess of the maximum permissible seagoing bending moments in order to allow greater flexibility for
the time of departure; to operate at near maximum bending moments when underway; and to keep the ship’s speed as fast as possible when pounding into heavy seas, were symptomatic of the industry’s ethos to carry as much as possible as quickly as possible. However, although these decisions were undoubtedly made in the belief that the ship was operating within acceptable limits, this investigation has shown that unknown variables such as whipping effect and container weights are able to erode or
eliminate the safety margins in place.”

Containerships, with long, relatively narrow designs, are particularly subject to the effects of bending moments in rough seas and the ‘whipping effect’, which can typically increase wave bending
moments on container ships from between 10 per cent and 50 per cent. Any increase in the wave
bending moment above the normal design level would inevitably erode the margin between loading and hull strength. However, MAIB points out : “it is apparent that whipping effect is currently very difficult to reliably calculate or model. Classification societies are therefore unable to predict its magnitude or effect on a ship’s structure, with any confidence, and as a consequence they are not generally calculated during the structural design process.”

Basically, safety margins may be far smaller than accounted for. Indeed, the increase in the size of containerships has outpaced the regulatory environment. Says MAIB: “At the time of build, no buckling checks were required by the applicable rules, and none were made. However, as the current
requirements specified in UR S11 leaves buckling checks outside the 0.4L amidships region to the discretion of individual classification societies, there is a possibility that even if MSC Napoli had been built after 1992, the lack of buckling strength in way of her engine room would still not have been identified. Importantly, it is highly probable that there are a number of other container ships of a similar design to MSC Napoli which are also vulnerable to localised buckling in severe conditions. It is essential that such designs are quickly identified and remedial action is taken where necessary”

Buckling strength, says MAIB must be measured globally, along the length of the ship, not just the .4 of a ships length amidships. This was less important for yesterday’s shorter vessels: It’s easy to break a full-length matchstick, but harder to snap shorter lengths, for instance. A single common method for establishing buckling strength is vital for today’s containerships.

How soon is that likely to happen? Lloyd’s List quotes IACS principal technical officer Colin Wright “We always respond to MAIB recommendations and they have sent out a message that says please get on with it. It is already in hand, though when it will be finished is another matter,” he said. Not, prehaps, the most exciting of responses.

“No ship is unbreakable. Classification societies apply structural strength limitations which are contingent on the application of good seamanship and prudent operational practice. It has been apparent during the course of this investigation that these caveats are not widely recognised by many in the container ship industry. Unlike other large vessels such as bulk carriers, which can frequently disregard the effect of the sea, due to their lines and limited engine power, container ships cannot. It is essential that companies recognise this difference and put in place controls and procedures to ensure that container ships operate within safe limits at all times,” says the MAIB report.

There were, however, other safety issues raised in the report that were related to container operations. Calculations showed a great discrepancy between declared container weights and their actual weights, which might not have directly led to the hull failure but would have contributed to the reduction of the safety margin between the total bending moment experienced and the strength of the hull. Without accurately weighing containers, the stresses on the hull cannot be accurately predicted.

Perhaps surprisingly, there is no dedicated trade organisation for the containershipping industry to provide guidance on best practices. In its report on the collapse of containers on the Annabella, MAIB commented “Working practices relating to the planning, loading, transportation and discharge of containers are largely unregulated and have been understandably focussed on the need to maximise efficiency and speed of operation. While key industry players will attest that safety is of paramount
concern, evidence obtained during this and other MAIB investigations into container shipping accidents suggests that in reality, the safety of ships, crews and the environment is being compromised by the overriding desire to maintain established schedules or optimise port turn round times.”

In response, the International Chamber of Shipping has convened a group of container ship industry experts and, with the assistance of the World Shipping Council, has started work to develop and publish a code of best practice for the industry. The code is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, after which it will be presented to IMO for adoption.

The Maritime And Coastguard Agency has added inspections of container weight and ship longitudinal strength checks on containerships to its paper to the Paris MOU Port State Control Subcommittee on the subject of operational checks and the human factor in loading of ships and whether adequate checks were being carried out prior to sailing. The UK will lead a task force to consider these checks for a concentrated inspection campaign planned for 2010, taking into account the findings of the MSC Napoli report.

The message from MAIB to the industry is clear: Get your act together, or, at least, learn to box clever.

Last September saw the first shot across the industry’s bows with the release of the MAIB’s report on the February 2007 Annabella incident in the Baltic in which several containers in a stack collapsed during heavy weather with damage to three containers carrying a hazardous cargo, butylene gas. The usually restrained MAIB forcefully called for a code of practice for the industry to prevent further disasters: “(Napoli and Annabella) identify a compelling need for a code of practice for the container shipping industry”.

That call is likely to be reiterated with even greater force in the Napoli report itself. Early this year a MAIB official told MAC: “The investigation has been complex and has required in-depth research in several areas including the vessel’s structure and container vessel operation.”

These incidents are far from new. MAIB itself investigated similar issues surrounding a stack collapse, and leakage of a tank of hazardous material, in 2001. In 2006 at least 300 containers were lost in a half dozen incident in European waters and some estimated put the worldwide level of losses at 10,000 teu.

It is expected that the report will, in part, focus on how the speed of container operations has outstripped the speed of communications between the various parts of the transport chain, leading to the loss of control of stacking operations due to poor information flow between shippers, planners, the loading terminal and the ship itself arising from the ‘need for speed’.

Container accidents are expensive. According to the North of England P&I Club, of 16 cargo claims in 2007/2007 only two involved containers but those two accounted for 30 per cent of the $1m losses. Many of the increasing number of container-related claims occur in heavy weather. “Container losses and collapsed stows in heavy weather continue to occur,” says the club’s head of loss-prevention Tony Baker. ‘Such weather is not altogether unexpected and it has highlighted a number of areas of poor practice that need to be rectified if the industry is to keep a lid on spiralling claims costs.”

Baker says there are four principal factors behind recent incidents: failure of automatic twist-locks in lashing systems; failure to stow and secure containers in accordance with the ship’s cargo securing manual; mis-declared overweight containers; and failure to anticipate and minimise the effect of heavy weather.

Another issue that may be explored in the MAIB report is the lack of knowledge about the dynamic forces affecting container lashing systems. There has been little study of how the real-world compares to computer models and how they are affected by ship design. Marin, the Netherlands Maritime Institute, has a two-year ongoing study, Lashings@Sea, supported by eight ship owners, three lashing suppliers, three class societies and the Dutch Department of Transport.

At the moment, is seems, nobody really knows quite what’s going on when heavy seas and containerships get together at a time when the pressure is on to reduce lashing to cut turnaround times and costs.

Of concern also is that the rise in container accidents appears to parallel the introduction of fully automated locks, International Standards Organisation standards have not kept pace with the development of FAL systems, and destandardisation of container sizes have added more complexity to the mix.

Of course, the real question isn’t what the MAIB will say, it will certainly run along the lines of “get your act together”. The real question is whether anyone will be listening.

MAIB hits container dangers

Container Crunch Too Much

Odd Story – How Napoleonic Shipbuilders And Zulu Bible Thumpers Gave Somerset Cider the Napoli Spirit

Sideswiping the bridge’s fenders, a gash was opened in the ship’s side that resulted in a 55,000 gallon spill of fuel oil.

The two-day public NTSB hearings will follow a 7th April conference to fix the final agenda. NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker, who will chair the hearing says, “This accident presents the Board with many questions, such as: Was the Cosco Busan’s bridge navigation equipment working properly? Was there adequate oversight of the San Francisco bar pilot? Did the Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Service exert the appropriate level of control over the Cosco Busan?”

A further issue may be the possible effect of medication being taken by Cota for sleep apnea.

Cota’s lawyers claim that the Coast Guard VTS service could have avoided the accident but did not clearly communicate their concern to Cota and that VTS personnel discussed and took bets on whether the Cosco Busan would hit the bridge, based on “waterfront rumours”. The letter also says that the Coast Guard did not warn mariners about the fog and that Cota “… prevented a worse catastrophe by his clear and cool thinking.”

Cota faces prosecution for two misdemeanors under the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. If found guilty, Cota could face a one year prison sentence or fines totalling $115,000.  Some six members of the Cosco Busan crew, who have not been charged are in detention as ‘material witnesses’ pending Cota’s trial.

The Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun has charged Cota with misconduct and the US Coast Guard has demanded his Merchant Marine Officer’s license because it “believes he is not physically competent to maintain the license.”

Regardless of the results of Cota’s trial or the NTSB hearing, the incident will throw the spotlight on the relationship between Pilot and Master, recently the subject of a Maritime Executive editorial, As pointed out in the responses to that item, the pilkot, at least under US law, is more than merely an adviser, a master is required to obey the pilot, and the bridge crew are required to obey the pilot as if he was the master, unless there is clear indication of the pilot’s incapacity or incompetence.

By which it’s usually too late.

‘Container losses and collapsed stows in heavy weather continue to occur,’ says the club’s head of loss-prevention Tony Baker. ‘Such weather is not altogether unexpected and it has highlighted a number of areas of poor practice that need to be rectified if the industry is to keep a lid on spiralling claims costs.’

Container claims can be particularly expensive. In 2006/7 North of England reported 16 cargo claims estimated in excess of US$1 million; only two related to container losses but these accounted for 30% of the total value.

Baker says there are four principal factors behind recent incidents: failure of automatic twist-locks in lashing systems; failure to stow and secure containers in accordance with the ship’s cargo securing manual; mis-declared overweight containers; and failure to anticipate and minimise the effect of heavy weather.

‘All of these factors can be resolved if shipowners and their officers take a more diligent approach to stowing and securing containers,’ says Baker. ‘Problems with fully automatic twist-locks are well-documented and stack heights should be reduced or heavy weather avoided until suspect equipment is replaced. If heavy or high-cube containers form part of the mix, there shouldn’t be a problem if stowage and lashing is done in accordance with the cargo securing manual. Making proper use of the ship’s planning software, and understanding any shortcomings, is also crucial.

‘Mis-declared overweight containers may be spotted by crane strain gauges and can possibly be prevented by closer shore-side monitoring of container stuffing. And finally, with the extent and increased accuracy of weather information and weather-routeing systems today, it should be possible for container-ship masters to amend voyage plans to minimise the effect of heavy weather,’ he says.

‘Container losses and collapsed stows in heavy weather continue to occur,’ says the club’s head of loss-prevention Tony Baker. ‘Such weather is not altogether unexpected and it has highlighted a number of areas of poor practice that need to be rectified if the industry is to keep a lid on spiralling claims costs.’

Container claims can be particularly expensive. In 2006/7 North of England reported 16 cargo claims estimated in excess of US$1 million; only two related to container losses but these accounted for 30% of the total value.

Baker says there are four principal factors behind recent incidents: failure of automatic twist-locks in lashing systems; failure to stow and secure containers in accordance with the ship’s cargo securing manual; mis-declared overweight containers; and failure to anticipate and minimise the effect of heavy weather.

‘All of these factors can be resolved if shipowners and their officers take a more diligent approach to stowing and securing containers,’ says Baker. ‘Problems with fully automatic twist-locks are well-documented and stack heights should be reduced or heavy weather avoided until suspect equipment is replaced. If heavy or high-cube containers form part of the mix, there shouldn’t be a problem if stowage and lashing is done in accordance with the cargo securing manual. Making proper use of the ship’s planning software, and understanding any shortcomings, is also crucial.

‘Mis-declared overweight containers may be spotted by crane strain gauges and can possibly be prevented by closer shore-side monitoring of container stuffing. And finally, with the extent and increased accuracy of weather information and weather-routeing systems today, it should be possible for container-ship masters to amend voyage plans to minimise the effect of heavy weather,’ he says.

Crippled ship is rescued
Melbourne Herald Sun – Australia
“She was en-route from New Zealand to India to be scrapped when she broke down and Maritime Safety Authorities asked us to take her in tow,” Capt .

OJ Freighter Hits Ship in NJ
The Associated Press –
The vessel was later stabilized and in no danger of sinking, though the extent of the damage was not immediately clear. The Orange Sun was on its way to a

Coast Guard assists sinking tugboat’s crew
Peninsula Daily – Port Angeles,WA,USA
The crew put on survival suits and got into the water as the vessel was sinking. A fishing vessel, the Kilchis, picked up the crew, and took them to a 

3 men rescued from sinking fishing boat
KING5.com – Seattle,WA,USA
AP SEATTLE – The Coast Guard says it has rescued three men from a fishing vessel that was taking on water after hitting a jetty at the exit to Grays Harbor

Dragger sinks near Trenton
Ellsworth American – Ellsworth,ME,USA
The Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) responded to the sinking. The vessel reportedly was attached to .

Trial opens over SKorea’s worst oil spill
AFP –
The accident happened after a line connecting one of two tugboats to the barge snapped, leaving the barge drifting uncontrollably towards the Hebei Spirit .

Hong Kong Tanker Owners Protest South Korean Indictment of Crew in …
Voice of America – USA
Last December, the Hebei Spirit, a Hong Kong-registered tanker, was at anchor off the west coast of South Korea. A drifting South Korean crane barge, 

KIRIBATI MAN DETAINED IN CHINA
Niu FM – Auckland,New Zealand
Auckland 8am: A maritime recruitment agancy says very little is known about a Kiribati seafarer being detained in China for drug smuggling – so the

Lawyers Plan to Meet Today Over Cosco Busan Oil Spill
KCBS – CA,USA
Friday, lawyers are supposed to discuss whether the process is on course for an April 28 hearing into the Cosco Busan’s collision with the Bay Bridge, 

Unions discuss FOC shipping with Irish ministers
Shipping Times – UK
They explained how crucial this was in light of the number of seafarers who disappear without a trace – some 1500 annually. Requests for assistance were 

53 ships docked without safety norms, SC told
Times of India – India
Since the September order, the nodal Gujarat Maritime Board has not given permission for ship-breaking because no shipbreaker has provided the requisite

Bering Sea – disabled freighter The US Coast Guard issued a press release stating that it is responding to a distress call from a disabled freighter in the Bering Sea 180 nautical miles northeast of Attu, Alaska.  The ship has a cargo of 28,000 tons of copper concentrate.  It carries a crew of 24 and has 760 metric tons of fuel. (1/1/08). (Update) Freighter adrift near Attu regains power Anchorage Daily News (subscription) – Anchorage,AK,USA Initial reports by e-mail from the crew indicated the ship was probably not in danger of sinking but the Coast Guard wanted to get a look first hand,

Lifeboat tows trawler to shore
RTE.ie – Ireland
Four crewmen on board the vessel dealt with the blaze and stayed on board as it was towed back by the Dún Laoghaire lifeboat.

Three crew saved from sinking yacht near Corregidor
ABS CBN News – Philippines
A rescue ship was immediately dispatched after the yacht’s crewmen sent distress signals to PCG. PCG search and rescue vessel BRP Pampanga was reported to

ID system to become mandatory for all boats on Turkish seas
Today’s Zaman – Istanbul,Turkey
Officials from the Undersecretariat for Maritime Affairs, under which the Search and Rescue Coordination Center operates, said the Automatic Identification

REHABILITATION PROSPECTS AFTER WORST KOREAN OIL SPILL ARE GOOD, UN …
… Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit and EC Monitoring and Information Centre, comprising experts from OCHA, UNEP, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the EC Environmental Directorate-General and the European Maritime Safety Agency.

On the morning of 23 April, the Australian fishing vessel Peter Crombie was at anchor about 30 miles south of Robe, South Australia and the vessel’s three crew members were below decks sleeping. The Panamanian registered bulk carrier Silky Ocean had sailed from Port Kembla, New South Wales, on 21 April and was in ballast and en-route to Ardrossan, South Australia.

The weather was fine with good visibility. There was a swell of about one metre from the east-southeast and a sea of about 1.5 m. The wind was from the east-southeast at 12 to 18 knots.

At about 1150, Silky Ocean collided with Peter Crombie. Silky Ocean‘s bridge watchkeeper had not detected Peter Crombie either visually or by radar.

After the collision, Peter Crombie‘s skipper tried to contact the ship using his vessel’s very high frequency radio. However, Silky Ocean‘s bridge watchkeeper did not acknowledge the call and made no attempt to communicate with the fishing vessel.

While Silky Ocean had sustained no damage as a result of the collision, Peter Crombie‘s hull had been damaged and the vessel was taking on water. Fortunately, the fishing vessel’s bilge pumps were able to keep up with the ingress of water.

Peter Crombie‘s skipper notified the vessel’s owners of the collision and then set a course for Robe and, by 1700, the vessel was all fast alongside the wharf in Robe.

The report identifies a number of safety issues and issues recommendations and safety advisory notices with the aim of preventing similar events.Download complete report [2 MB PDF]

AP&I says:“Stranger on the Bridge focuses on the responsibilities of deck crew, and the limitations of over-reliance on marine pilotage, in preventing accidents. It comprises three case studies which highlight the challenges in ensuring proper command and communication between pilot and crew. “

The DVD was developed in cooperation with the International Development and Environmental Shipping School Interactive Technologies, Inc. (IDESS IT, Inc.) in Subic Bay, Philippines.

In fairness, I have to declare an interest: I wrote and directed the videos so I won’t comment on the DVD itself but I will say that IDESS IT has a great creative team of young people and a real commitment to maritime safety.

If you want to know more about Stranger On The Bridge click here.

A malfunctioning radar appears to have been an element, though not the cause, of the incident and so far there has been no indication regarding the second radar on the ship’s bridge. Given that there was poor visibility, was the speed of the vessel excessive? Should departure have been delayed until the fog cleared.

The pilot was not familiar with the ECDIS equipment onboard, which does not appear to have malfunctioned. When the pilot asked the Captain to point out the centre of the bridge span the captain allegedly pointed to the bridge support and the pilot navigated accordingly.

With an apparently malfunctioning radar and a lack of familiarity with the primary method of navigation,  did the pilot seek to confirm the vessels position with the VTS and/or the accompanying tug?

VTS informed the pilot that the ship was off course, which the Pilot disputed and shortly afterwards a lookout shouted a warning that there was a bridge support ahead and the vessel went hard right and allided with the Delta bridge support.

There also appears to have been a lack of detail in the master/pilot exchange when the latter took conduct of the vessel, as the pilot’s lawyer admits. Would the missing information have been enought to prevent the incident?

There may also have been communications problems between the American pilot and the bridge team who were Chinese. Of there were, to what extent did they reduce the pilot and the bridge team’s situational awareness?

It is not uncommon for pilots to ‘go it alone’ rather than work with a bridge team with whom communication is problematic. This increases the workload on the pilot and reduces his situational awareness. Had the pilot and the bridge team undergone bridge team/bridge rsource management training?

Incidents such as this rarely have a single cause, or a single responsible individual. They are usually the result of systemic problems with Bridge Team Management, leadership, culture and navigational practices.

It will be a while before we know the full story of the Cosco Busan, but we’ll hit that bridge when we get to it.

Shipping Pollution Kills 60,000 a Year -

Pollution from ships, in the form of tiny airborne particles, kills at least 60,000 people each year, says a new study. And unless action is taken quickly to address the problem – such as by switching to cleaner fuels – the death toll will climb, researchers warn.

Sinking cruise ship runs aground in Virginia Beach
Daily Press – Newport News,VA,USA
… VIRGINIA BEACH – The captain of a troubled cruise ship intentionally ran his vessel aground in Virginia Beach this morning to prevent it from sinking.

Oil spill in San Francisco bay after container ship hits bridge
AFP –
The US Coast Guard said in a statement that approximately 8000 gallons of bunker fuel had been recovered following the collision involving the Cosco-Busan …

Pacific Coast beaches affected by oil spill from container ship
Press-Enterprise – Riverside,CA,USA
The accident caused no structural damage to the span, officials said, but the vessel’s hull suffered a large gash. “By our guidelines it is a medium-sized

Mauritania: 47 Illegal Immigrants Drown En Route to Canaries
The Media Line – New York,NY,USA
The accident happened when the ship’s engine broke down on its way from Senegal (south of Mauritania) to the Canary Islands. The 143 passengers on board the

Somali pirates release Taiwanese ship
AFP –
NAIROBI (AFP) — Somali pirates on Monday released a Taiwanese fishing vessel that was in captivity for more than five months, a maritime official and the US …

NKorea Thanks US Over Piracy Standoff
The Associated Press –
The North’s Korean Central News Agency hailed the maritime collaboration as a “symbol of cooperation” between the two countries “in the struggle against

From Safety At Sea

Lookout tells how ferry sank yacht

THE jury hearing the case of the P&O ferry Pride of Bilbao swamping or colliding with the yacht Ouzo have heard from Dave Smith, who was the lookout on the bridge at the time. Read More

Louis blames sinking on poor charts

LOUIS Hellenic Cruises has blamed inaccurate nautical charts for the sinking of the cruise ship Sea Diamond off the Greek island of Santorini seven months ago. Read More

Safety: Canada cuts out courts

CANADA’s transport minister is proposing speeding up sanctions for safety violations by the country’s marine industry by issuing fines without going through the courts. Read More

Hostage ducks sharks in hijack slip

A KOREAN hostage held by Somali pirates has arrived back in South Korea after escaping. Read More

German language waiver for masters

THE German transport ministry has accepted owners’ proposal for a temporary waiver on German-language requirements for masters on German-flagged vessels. Read More

Cruise ship grounds to prevent sinking

SIXTY-SIX passengers were ferried to shore this morning by the USCG after their cruise ship was intentionally grounded to prevent it from sinking. Read More

SeaRiver to train US cadets

SEAN Connaughton continued his quest yesterday to make US maritime academy graduates more competitive by signing another vessel operator to train American cadets. Read More

Pole behind bars over rig collision

THE Polish master of the Antigua and Barbuda registered cargo vessel Jork has been imprisoned for a year after the ship hit an unmanned gas platform in the North Sea. Read More

Vietnamese crew voted top class

SHIPOWNERS have been told to look to Vietnam to meet their crewing needs despite its seafarers’ poor proficiency in English and unfamiliarity with foreign cultures. Read More

Crew compromises mean safety crisis

CREWING shortages could lead to a compromise on safety, delegates to Seatrade’s Middle East Money and Ships Conference were told yesterday in Dubai. Read More

Teekay tanker takes out tower

COAST Guard officials are investigating how the Bahamas-flagged tanker Axel Spirit crashed into the 23m-tall Ambrose Light in lower New York Bay. Read More

$300 for dead seafarers’ families

MALAYSIA has bowed to its shipowners association and introduced an ex-gratia payment for seafarers who lose their lives in the course of duty. Read More

Three die in Thai ferry disaster

THREE passengers died when a crowded ferry sank in the Gulf of Thailand yesterday. Read More

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Two rescued in new port accident

Two men have been taken to hospital after a tug collided with a number of safety boats close to the scene of an earlier fatal accident.

Mississippi River Restrictions Lifted

Posted 10/10/07 at 09:43 AM

Coast Guard Captain of the Port Captain Sharon Richey, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River, issued an order today lifting the restrictions on vessel traffic transit through the affected area of the Mississippi River at the Interstate 35 Bridge collapse site here…

Port Everglades Anchorage Review in Final Stages
By John
This proposed action is a direct result of recommendations made by the Port Everglades Harbor Safety Committee following a review of commercial vessel groundings off the Fort Lauderdale coast, including the grounding of the motor vessel 

Rowan Enters Guilty Plea

Posted 10/10/07 at 06:48 AM

Rowan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:RDC) announced that, pursuant to a plea agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), it entered guilty pleas to three felony counts in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, in connection with environmental violations related to maintenance and operations of the offshore

NTSB Investigator Takes Issue With RPI Ethan Allen Report
By Robin Storm – In Search of Severe Weather.(Robin Storm – In Search of Severe Weather.)
However, Robert Ford, Investigator In Charge of the NTSB investigation of the boating accident in which 20 elderly people were killed, takes issue with the report and has told the professor that “to the extent that your conclusions

Skipper charged with boat deaths

The skipper of a fishing boat which sank off the County Down coast in 2006 killing two men has appeared in court charged with causing their deaths. Conrad John Zych, 28, was the only one of three to survive when the Greenhill hit rocks and sank near Ardglass.

Right whales off East Coast get protection from container traffic
The Canadian Press –
The federal government announced Wednesday that the International Maritime Organization has designated the Roseway Basin southwest of Nova Scotia as an Area

Port worker awarded over Lm9,000 in damages

A judge yesterday ordered Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd to pay over Lm9,000 in damages to a port worker who was injured while at work in December 2001.

Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia delivered this judgment in the case of Renato Spiteri against the Freeport and against Focal Maritime Services Co. Ltd (FMC).

The court found that FMC was not to blame for Mr Spiteri’s injuries.

The court heard that on December 15, 2001, Mr Spiteri was working at the port lashing containers on the vessel Adria Bianca. When the work was almost completed, the vessel’s crew felt that more lashing was required. Mr Spiteri and his companions went to carry out the job but when they approached the vessel Mr Spiteri fell over a piece of metal on the quay and broke his shoulder.

Two companies on trial in France over 2003 oceanliner accident …
International Herald Tribune – France
… day at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, five weeks before the ship’s maiden voyage. In 2005, another person died of injuries sustained in the accident.

Canada Firm on LNG Tanker Stance

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

A federal study has concluded that LNG tankers could navigate Head Harbour Passage off the Bay of Fundy with little risk of accident, but the Canadian government continued to insist that it will bar U.S. tankers from the disputed waters. Proponents of the competing LNG plants proposed for northern Maine have seized on the study to argue that the Canadian government has exaggerated the safety concerns in order to favour domestic producers. The federal government has refused to co-operate

Chan pays tribute to those lost at sea
The National – Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
While he sympathises with the relatives of the people involved in the accident, he strongly urged the sea ferrying travellers in the maritime provinces and

Seagoing workers invited on board the new maritime policy …
By European Commission
… making them shipshape for a modern maritime sector? Is there a need for specific regulations for the seafaring profession within EU social legislation? What is the best way to improve health and safety on board sea vessels?

A stack of containers collapsed against the forward part of the ship’s hold in heavy weather and sustained damage. Three of the damaged containers carried hazardous cargo – Butylene gas. Containers lower in the stack were not strong enough to support those above them.

A key issue is the loss of control of stacking operations due to poor information flow between shippers, planners, the loading terminal and the ship itself arising from the ‘need for speed’.

Similar issues are involved in the structural failure and grounding of the MSC Napoli earlier this year.

MAIB says that the two incidents ‘identify a compelling need for a code of practice for the container shipping industry.

One missing as ship sinks
Peninsula On-line – Qatar
ROME * Thirteen people were rescued and one was missing yesterday after an oceanographic research vessel sank off Sicily, the ANSA news agency reported. 

HD1 held following safety inspection
Guernsey Press and Star – Vale,Guernsey,UK
Howard Le Cornu, Jersey Harbour’s chief executive and harbour master, said passenger safety was paramount. ‘As a result of the initial investigations we .

Spain calls off air and sea search for missing Africans
Malaysia Star – Malaysia
Planes stopped looking for the Africans on Friday evening, and two maritime rescue vessels were recalled on Saturday morning,