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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
The MISSION of The Merchant Navy Association is to bring all serving and retired Seafarers together in a spirit of
companionship, consideration and commitment towards a united lobby for the Community of the Sea Hi Shipmates,
Please find below more snippets of information since circular #10 was published 23rd May 2020. My thanks to MNA National Secretary, Pete Sinke’s daily publication “Maasmond Maritime - Shipping News
Clippings”, Lloyds List, gCaptain, Maritime London, Flashlight and many others from the T’internet, not
forgetting the items sent in by Readers and any other source I can access.
MNA National Contact Points
National Secretary, David Parsons = Email : [email protected] Tel: 01935 414 765
Welfare & Events, Tim Brant, - Tel: 01472 85 11 30, Email : [email protected]
National Membership Secretary, Roy Glencross - Mobile: 07738 425875
Email [email protected]
MNA Slop Chest, The Supply Officer:- Sandra Broom [email protected] 0121 244 0190
If you call her, it may go to an answerphone. Please leave a message and she will call you.
Change of Address???? If any member has changed any of their contact details (Postal, E-mail or
Telephone) it is important that you inform ROY GLENCROSS and copy to David Parsons, Tim Brant &
myself. If informing by e-mail please send to:- [email protected] , [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]
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The Rotterdam boatman of the KRVE in action in yester years - Photo : Collection Joop Bartels
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
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We are pleased to say we are now able to offer our supporters the
facility to make donations via our
Just Giving page.
This is a secure means of making payments and enables us to
claim Gift Aid from the Treasury.
Go to www.justgiving.com Click on ‘Search' at the top right-
hand side and type in Merchant Navy Association.
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UN under pressure to alleviate ‘humanitarian disaster’ as number of stranded
seafarers surpasses 200,000 MAY 25TH, 2020 SAM CHAMBERS OPERATIONS1 COMMENTS
The UN secretary-general was urged on Friday by shipping and trade unions leaders to persuade his 193
member states to act urgently to avoid a “humanitarian crisis”, with over 200,000 seafarers currently
stuck working on vessels across the globe and unable to be relieved of their duties.
In a joint letter to António Guterres, the leaders of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS),
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF),
urged the secretary-general to ensure governments were adopting the 12-step set of protocols issued by
the UN’s own maritime regulator, the International Maritime Organization.
The letter states: “There are now over 200,000 seafarers onboard vessels worldwide who have completed
their contractual tour of duty, but have been prevented from returning home. Many of these seafarers will
be experiencing adverse effects on their mental health and reduced ability to safely perform their roles in
the face of increasing fatigue.
“Additionally, stringent restrictions imposed by many countries, including denial of shore leave and
access to essential medical assistance, is contributing to fatigue and exhaustion. We are concerned about
suicide and self-harm amongst this vulnerable population of workers.”
The letter highlights the responsibility of governments to adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on
Business and Human Rights.
“Time is running out. We ask action be taken immediately, ahead of 16 June 2020 – the final agreed
deadline to implement crew changes for our seafarers,” the letter states.
In related news, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore has confirmed news first covered
by Splash, setting out a way for crew changes to take place in the busy shipping hub for seafarers who
have worked beyond their contracts.
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Windstar Plans to Start Cruising Again in September _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
On National Maritime Day — the “Steamship” & the Forgotten Anchor of
Corlear’s Hook - Posted: 22 May 2020 07:26 AM PDT
In the United States, May 22nd is celebrated as National Maritime
Day. The day brings to mind a largely forgotten monument, a
ship’s anchor on a concrete slab, on Corlear’s Hook in New
York’s East River Park.
National Maritime Day was created by Congress in 1933 in honor
of the sailing of the steam auxiliary packet ship Savannah sailing
from her namesake city in 1819. Built as a sailing packet ship, the
Savannah was outfitted with a 90 HP steam engine which drove
twin paddle wheels and is credited as the first ship to cross the
Atlantic under steam. The claim is a bit of a stretch, as she used
her engine for 80 hours in a voyage of 29 days and 11 hours on
the eastbound voyage across the Atlantic. On the westbound
voyage, which lasted 40 days, she did not use her engines at all.
Nevertheless, she was a technological marvel in her day.
Unfortunately, Savannah was not an economic success and the steam engine was removed after her first
voyage.
So what does a forgotten ship’s anchor have to do with the Savannah or National Maritime Day? It so
happens that the anchor is very close to where the packet ship Savannah was built in the Fickett &
Crockett shipyard at Corlear’s Hook. The area between Corlears Hook and East 14th Street was, for a
brief period in the first half of the 19th century, one of the largest shipbuilding centers in the world.
But what about the anchor? If it was a monument, what was it a monument to? The truth is no one really
knows. There was once a bronze plaque that, no doubt, explained it all, but the plaque went missing
decades ago.
When the New York Times looked into the provenance of the anchor, almost twenty years ago, they
found that “the Department of Parks and Recreation, which keeps files on such things, has no record of
the missing plaque’s inscription in its archives, and the origins of the anchor, which was dedicated in
1970, are something of a mystery as well. … Jane Rudolph, a Parks Department spokeswoman, said the
anchor pays tribute to a shipbuilding firm. But which one?”
Research done in the intervening years appears to have found an answer. The anchor may memorialize
the entire New York shipbuilding industry, rather than a single yard.
www.Communitywalk.com describes the monument: The old anchor, believed to be donated by the
F&M Schaefer Brewing Company, commemorates the shipbuilding industry that once thrived on
Corlear’s Hook. William T. Brown’s Yard, at the foot of E 12th Street, built the schooner yacht America,
designed by George Steers for the New York Yacht Club. The Crocker & Fickett yard built the full-
rigged steamship Savannah in 1818, which was the first to cross the Atlantic in 1819 and sank off Fire
Island. As many as 30 yards lined the riverfront by the mid-1800s, including the Thomas & Steers yard,
Webb & Allen yard, and the Bishop & Simonson shipyard.
I am reminded of the East River Park anchor on National Maritime Day. Both commemorate past
greatness and both are largely forgotten. The shipyards on the East River are long buried beneath a
greenway and a park next to a highway, while the US merchant maritime industry is a pale shadow of
what it once was. Both are worth remembering and honoring.
The post On National Maritime Day — the “Steamship” & the Forgotten Anchor of Corlear’s Hook
appeared on Old Salt Blog.
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Live Shark Cam - Monterey Bay Aquarium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNcwiMcbiWg&feature=youtu.be
If you get a black screen then remember that Monterey is maybe 5 hours behind us.
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The Pulse
The Port of Helsinki temporarily dismisses its entire personnel The coronavirus pandemic and the related travel restrictions have heavily impacted the business of the
Port of Helsinki. Because of this, Port of Helsinki has been forced to start extensive cost reductions. As a
part of the reduction plan, the Port of Helsinki Ltd and its employees have agreed that the Port’s
personnel will be temporarily dismissed, the company said in its release. The decision was made in the
co-operation procedures that ended on 19 May 2020. The personnel of the Port of Helsinki will be
dismissed for 30 days between the start of August and the end of the year, and for a maximum of 30 days
in early 2021. The management of the Port of Helsinki will also participate in the adjustment measures by
waiving their holiday bonuses for 2020. Source: portnews
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Yang Ming Holds Naming Ceremony for Two New 2,800 TEU Container
Ships Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.(Yang Ming) held the naming ceremony for two of its 2,800 TEU
class full container vessels YM CELEBRITY & YM CONTINENT at CSBC’s Kaohsiung shipyard on
May 20th The ceremony was officiated jointly by Yang Ming Chairman Bronson Hsieh and CSBC
Corporation Chairman Cheng Wen-Lon. Mrs. Yang Yu-Chen, wife of Yang Ming Executive Vice
President Michael Shih, and Mrs. Hung Ya-Lun, wife of Yang Ming Executive Vice President Patrick Tu,
had the honor to officially name the two ships respectively during the ceremony. The series of ten 2,800
TEU full container vessels constructed at CSBC shipyard is expected to be delivered and added to Yang
Ming’s fleet from this May throughout the second quarter of 2021. This type of vessels has a nominal
capacity of 2,940 TEU and is equipped with 353 plugs for reefer containers. With a length of 209.75
meters, a width of 32.8 meters, a draft of 11.2 meters, the ships are designed to cruise at a speed up to 21
knots. The new vessels adopt the energysaving Sea Sword Bow technology and the exclusive Full Spade
Rubber design to offer greater operational efficiency and eco-friendly advantages.
The newbuildings are equipped with Total
Watch System (multifunction workstation
for Radar/Chart
radar/ECDIS/Conning/Route planning) to
enable safer and more efficient navigation.
In addition, they also have global satellite
broadband and network layout capabilities
which will enable Yang Ming’s global fleet
to attain more competitive advantages in
environmental protection and fleet
management. In response to the steady
growth seen in Asian markets, the new 2,800
TEU vessels are designed with the flexibility to cater for the requirement to call at major ports in the
Asian region and will operate in Yang Ming’s Intra-Asia services. These new ships with low fuel
consumption features will further reduce the company’s operating costs while replacing older or
chartered-in vessels. With the delivery of these vessels, the competitiveness of Yang Ming’s fleet will be
greatly optimized. YM CELEBRITY and YM CONTINENT will be deployed to Yang Ming’s JTS
service and provide efficient delivery service. The port rotation of JTS is Nagoya – Tokyo – Chiba –
Yokohama – Keelung – Kaohsiung – Hong Kong – Shekou – Xiamen.
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Pemex Criticized Over Virus Handling as Offshore Worker Death Toll Soars
https://gcaptain.com/pemex-criticized-over-virus-handling-as-offshore-worker-death-toll-
soars/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.
com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-845bae916c-139894965&mc_cid=845bae916c&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
Harwich wins share of government aid to support ferry routes hit by
coronavirus crisis By : Sarah Chambers
The Port of Harwich is in line for a share of a £35m government windfall to protect critical freight routes
during the coronavirus crisis. The Stena Harwich to Hoek van Holland and Harwich to Rotterdam routes
are two of 16 routes run by six ferry companies in line for the support. The government says it wants to
protect the flow of critical goods such as food and medical supplies over next nine weeks, and therefore
wants to safeguards 16 of “the most important routes which were previously at risk of closure due to a
drop in demand as a result of COVID-19”. The money will go towards ensuring there is enough freight
capacity to prevent disruption to the flow of goods. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “By taking
this action, we have helped protect the movement of goods and services in and out of the UK,
safeguarding the flow of supplies across the Union. ”The routes will be designated as Public Service
Obligation routes for a period of up to nine weeks. source : East Anglian Daily Times
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COVID-19: Industry figures call for seafarer access to emergency medical
assistance ashore A COVID-19 Seafarer’s Wellbeing Group of 10 major maritime shipping organisations is working to
ensure that crew can access medical care ashore, despite various country’s lockdown restrictions during
the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. “This is the first time, for many doctors, that our medical
activities have been limited by the authorities, we were not allowed to see patients or seafarers in many
ports,” said Robert Verbist, president, International Maritime Health Association at a webinar hosted by
InterManger on 20 May. Fabrizio Barcellona, head of actions, International Transport Workers Federation
(ITF), noted that many seafarers have reached out to ITF stating they couldn’t access medical facilities for
non COVID-19 issues or illnesses. “It’s only with the prompt action taken on behalf of seafarer welfare
organisations and regulatory agencies that lives were saved by receiving much needed medical attention.”
The ITF previously released a statement, on 27 April, detailing several incidents where crew members
were refused disembarkation rights and were stuck onboard for several days despite needing urgent care
in port. Natalie Shaw, director of employment affairs International Chamber of Shipping, concurred that
this is a global issue seafarers face and though there have been several successful cases of disembarking
crew with non COVID-19 related medical problems, industry bodies are more reactive rather than
proactive when facing this challenge. Shaw called upon governments to “act now” in response to this
issue, and set a standard so that ports and local authorities cannot refuse seafarer access to medical
assistance. ICS is drawing on experience from it’s previous involvement with a group of industry bodies
in response to Typhoon Haiyan, in supporting seafarers in logistical challenges. Ironically, Verbist
pointed out the risk of infection and spread of disease during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher from land
to ship than from ship to land risk as with previous medical crises. Therefore, it is less likely that crew,
who may not have been ashore for most of the global pandemic, to spread the disease when at ports
seeking medical care. Verbist said work is ongoing to protect crew from contracting the disease, stating,
“We should see a ship as a household and make sure there is no introduction of COVID-19 onboard from
the land side to the ship.” The maritime wellbeing group, made up of InterManager, ICS, ITF, IMHA,
ISWAN, ICMA, UK Chamber of Shipping, ECSA, MNWB, Nautilus International, is working with ILO,
IMO, UN, EU to tackle key welfare issues impacting crew during the COVID-19 crisis, including crew
changes and repatriation. Source : safety at Sea
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A sea story told to me by an old boss who later was NA in Lisbon in the 1970s.
A frigate captain tells NA that one sailor has missed the ship on sailing Lisbon. NA receives signal from
a P&O cruise ship, also recently departed Lisbon, advising the she has on board one of Her Majesty’s
Leading Seamen, requesting forwarding instructions. Said matelot had met a female member of the
cruise ship’s crew, went back on board and, on waking next morning, draws the cabin curtain and
observes cruise ship at sea. Arrangements made for P&O passengers to have a bonus attraction as
frigate’s helo launched to recover Leading Seaman. Happy ship I’m sure. Happy days! Source :- RNA
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
San Francisco Firefighters Save Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien From
Massive Wharf Fire - Posted: 24 May 2020 06:16 AM PDT
A major fire broke out on Saturday morning in a warehouse on Pier
45 on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf which came very close to
the engulfing the historic World War II Liberty ship, SS Jeremiah
O’Brien. The fire was reported at around 4:15 AM and quickly rose
to four-alarms. At the height of the fire there were 130 firefighters
and 50 apparatus on the scene.
Shortly after the first firetrucks arrived, the San Francisco Fire Boat
#3, St. Francis, also came on the scene. CBS San Francisco quotes
fire department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter who said that the
fireboat crew saved the historic Liberty ship.
“When firefighters arrived, the flames were literally lapping over the
Jeremiah O’Brien,” he said. “They literally saved the O’Brien.”
“The Jeremiah O’Brien has been known as the lucky ship,” said ship captain Cevan Lesieur. “She
survived the North Atlantic and D-Day and that’s the first reaction — it’s a miracle!”
Fire crews also prevented the blaze
from spreading to the submarine USS
Pampanito, which is also docked at the
pier. San Francisco Fireboat #1,
Phoenix, was also called into service to
help prevent the fire from spreading to
other structures.
By 2 p.m., the fire was under control,
fire officials said. Streets around the
Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood were closed off. Initial reports suggest that the damage to the O’Brien
was limited to scorched paint.
The SS Jeremiah O’Brien is one of only two remaining fully functional Liberty ships of the 2,710 built
and launched during World War II.
The SS Jeremiah O’Brien was built in just 56 days at the New England Shipbuilding Corporation in
South Portland, Maine and launched on 19 June 1943. She made four round-trip convoy crossings of the
Atlantic and was part of the Operation Neptune invasion fleet armada on D-Day. She was then sent to the
Pacific and saw 16 months of service in both the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean calling at ports in
Chile, Peru, New Guinea, the Philippines, India, China, and Australia.
St.Francis to the rescue! No way we could of been as successful as we were this morning without our
fireboat the St. Francis. A dedicated marine response is essential to a City surround on 3 sides by water.
@AaronPeskin @LondonBreed @sfbos #yoursffd pic.twitter.com/LG9xwdTfuZ
— San Francisco Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) May 24, 2020
Thanks to Bob McKane for contributing to this post.
The post San Francisco Firefighters Save Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien From Massive Wharf Fire
appeared on Old Salt Blog.
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
550 KILOS OF COCAINE AT ROTTERDAM PORT LEADS TO NINE
ARRESTS By Zack Newmark Cocaine found at the Port of Rotterdam in an empty sea container A batch of 550 kilograms of cocaine
was found in an empty sea container at the Port of Rotterdam last week Monday. As part of the ensuing
investigation, authorities arrested nine alleged drug smugglers at the port over the past week, the Public
Prosecution Service (OM) said in a statement. "The narcotics were presumably taken from a recently
arrived container and transferred to the empty container for subsequent collection," the OM said in a
statement. "In the past few days, nine so-called 'extractors' have been arrested."Authorities said that
extractors typically hide out at the port and locked themselves in, waiting for the right moment snatch the
illicit cargo. The nine people in custody were being investigated for their role in a drug smuggling
scheme, the OM said. Source : NL Times
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Navy Ship Takes Down Drug Vessel, Seizes 1.5 Tons of Cocaine The guided-missile destroyer USS PINCKNEY, with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement
detachment team, seized an estimated 3,000 pounds of
cocaine in the eastern Pacific Ocean In the May 14
operation, a U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft assigned to
the "Tridents" of Patrol Squadron 26 spotted the low-profile
vessel. The USS PINCKNEY, with embarked helicopters
assigned to the "Wolf Pack" of Helicopter Maritime Strike
Squadron 75 and the embarked Coast Guard team moved
into position to intercept the vessel. "This was truly a team
effort," Navy Cmdr. Andrew Roy, USS PINCKNEY 's
commanding officer, said. "The air support we received was
first class. We were able to safely and successfully conduct
this operation due to the outstanding professionalism of the
Navy-Coast Guard team." The USS PINCKNEY is deployed
to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations conducting U.S
Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force
South's enhanced counterdrug operations missions in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific.
On April 1, U.S. Southern Command began enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western
Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of presidential national security objectives. Numerous
U.S. agencies from the departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperated in the effort to
combat transnational organized crime, officials said. The Coast Guard, the Navy, Customs and Border
Protection, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
along with allied and international partner agencies, play a role in counterdrug operations, they added.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports Southcom's joint and combined military
operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access,
enhance interoperability and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and
promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean and Central and South American regions.
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The 2nd Worldwide Tug & OSV News is issued. When Lekko International ceased to exist in
2019, you were no longer kept informed through
the News from Everywhere (Tug World) of new
construction, renaming and demolition of tugs and
offshore supply ships. The 2nd newsletter now is
issued. Do you want to kept direct informed? Sign
up for a free digital copy of the new Worldwide Tug & OSV News at emailaddress
[email protected] and receive the latest news every 2 months in your mailbox.
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
Product Tanker Boarded and Robbed off Portau-Prince The product tanker TOSCA STAR was boarded and robbed by armed pirates off the port of Port-au-
Prince, Haiti last week Sunday, according to one of her crewmembers. In an account posted on
Facebook, crewmember Claudio Omar Benitez said that the Argentine crew of the Tosna Star has been
stuck on board for months due to the novel coronavirus, unable to return to their homes. Their ship is
currently at the anchorage off Port-au-Prince, and on Sunday, a group of armed Haitians boarded the
tanker by the stern. "They came up aggressive, armed with machetes and knives. They took the sailor on
duty by surprise, taking advantage of the darkness of the moment, they [threatened him with a machete]
and nervously asked him in his language to give them the phone and everything he had in his possession
at that time," wrote Benitez. The robbers proceeded to do the same with two other crewmembers. An oiler
spotted the robbery in progress and sounded the alarm, waking up the rest of the crew. "For all this, the
officers are on the bridge, except for the captain, who locked
himself in his cabin, frightened and in a panic attack,"
asserted Benitez.
After the alarm was sounded, the attackers departed with the
stolen goods using small boats. As a precautionary measure,
the bridge team decided to raise anchor and leave the area.
"We will never forget this night, nor the sailors who were
attacked," said Benitez. "Their lives as well as the lives of the
entire crew . . . will not be the same . . . what else will
happen to us before we can return to our home healthy?"
source : MAREX
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Fincantieri Launched The 2nd PPA ‘Francesco Morosini’ For The Italian
Navy By : Xavier Vavasseur The launching ceremony of the
Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA)
“FRANCESCO MOROSINI” took place
at Fincantieri’s Riva Trigoso Shipyard
(Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso), in the
presence of the Chief of the Staff of the
Italian Navy (Marina Militare) Admiral
Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. The PPA
FRANCESCO MOROSINI, second of
seven units, is set to be commissioned in
March 2022. It is part of the renewal plan
of the Italian Navy fleet, approved by the
Government and Parliament and started in
May 2015 (“Naval Law”). The FRANCESCO MOROSINI was due to hit the water at the end of March
but Fincantieri had to postpone the launch because of the Coronavirus crisis (during which the company
stopped production at all its shipyards). Contacted by Naval News, a Fincantieri spokesperson said at the
beginning of the month that the launch was set to take place in June. Regarding the third (Raimondo
Montecuccoli) and fourth PPAs, Fincantieri ensured that production is “perfectly on time” and no delay is
expected. All production sites re-opened from April 20. Source : Naval News
Her ‘bulbous’ bow looks a little sharp
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Biggest Fast Food Chains in the World 1971 - 2019 (Stores) By Mustafijur on 29 Dec 2019
https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/1160235/ Not Maritime, but interesting
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Crew of the tanker TOSCA STAR
(Claudio Omar Benitez / Facebook)
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
I’m so glad I sailed in Tankers
The fully loaded AL JMELIYAH inbound for Rotterdam Maasvlakte. Photo: Patrick Deenik ©
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APL Containership Loses Containers Off Australia May 26, 2020 by Mike Schuler
An APL containership lost about 40 containers
overboard during heavy sea Sunday off the coast of
Australia.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority boarded the
Singapore-flagged APL England upon its arrival at a
Port of Brisbane anchorage. Once on board, AMSA
surveyors conducted a seaworthiness inspection to
check the structural and operational condition of the
ship following the collapse of container stacks on the
deck. The inspection will determine if and how the
ship can be brought into the Port of Brisbane safely.
Photos shows collapsed stacks of containers on the
deck of the APL England after the ship experienced
heavy seas as it sailed off the coast of Sydney on
Sunday.
“Just after 6.10am, the Singapore flagged container ship APL England experienced a temporary loss of
propulsion during heavy seas about 73 kilometres south east of Sydney,” the AMSA said in an update.
“The ship’s power was restored within a few minutes but during this time the ship reported that it was
rolling heavily, causing container stacks to collapse and several containers to fall overboard,” the update
said.
APL England’s Master reported 40 containers lost overboard and 74 containers have been damaged.
“While it is still unclear exactly which containers have fallen overboard, initial indications are that the
affected stacks contained a wide range of goods like household appliances, building materials and
medical supplies,” the AMSA said.
No dangerous goods appear to be in cargo in the affected areas.
The AMSA said it is working closely with the ship’s cargo agent to confirm exactly which containers
went overboard.
Reports have come in of some medical supplies washing up between Magenta Beach and The Entrance,
which correlates to drift models of debris and are consistent with items listed on the ship’s cargo
manifest.
“Under the National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies, the NSW Government has lead
response for shoreline clean-up. AMSA will support NSW in their response. Modelling suggests that
debris such as this could continue to wash-up over the coming days,” said Allan Schwartz, AMSA
General Manager of Operations.
The APL England was en route from China to Australia when the incident occurred.
In 2018, a Yang Ming containership, YM Efficiency, lost about 80 containers overboard while battling
heavy swells off the east coast of Australia. The AMSA-led operation to recover the containers from the
seabed was only recently completed this month.
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Photo: AMSA
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The Pulse
Virgin Confirms Non-COVID Crewmember Fatality Aboard Scarlet Lady Virgin Voyages has confirmed a death aboard its first cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady. The deceased, a 32-
year-old Philippine national, died Friday from causes not related to COVID-19, according to the U.S.
Coast Guard. Officials classified the cause of death as "apparent self-harm." The individual was not
awaiting repatriation, Virgin Voyages told the Miami Herald. “We are working with the appropriate
authorities to learn more and are respecting the privacy of those impacted," Virgin Voyages said in a
statement. "We extend our heartfelt, deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of our crew
member.” The SCARLET LADY is a newly built, 2,800-passenger cruise ship designed and constructed
for adults-only voyages. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown she has not yet conducted a commercial sailing,
and her operator does not expect to launch operations until October 16. Fincantieri delivered the vessel on
February 14, and she completed previews in England before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated
globally. Additional previews were scheduled for New York in March, and she was due to begin
operation in April. However, her American debut was canceled and she rerouted directly to Miami. Since
then she has been in lay-up, shifting between PortMiami and an anchorage in the Bahamas. The fatality
aboard SCARLET LADY is the latest in a string of non-COVID deaths aboard laid-up cruise ships. Other
recent fatal incidents include man-overboard events on REGAL PRINCESS and JEWEL OF THE SEAS,
a death from natural causes aboard MARINER OF THE SEAS, and fatalities of an undisclosed nature
aboard CARNIVAL BREEZE and AIDABLU. An additional man-overboard incident involving the
cruise ship VASCO DA GAMA occurred last week at the Port of Tilbury; the victim landed on a shipping
container and sustained injuries requiring hospitalization. Source : MAREX
There mut be a lot of stress for the crews remaining aboard these vessels restricted by COVOD-19!
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80 Years Ago — Operation Dynamo, the Evacuation of Dunkirk Posted: 26 May 2020 09:03 AM PDT
Eighty years ago today, on May 26, 1940,
Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of British
and other Allied troops from the French port of
Dunkirk, began. Following a Blitzkrieg attack
by German forces in early May, the British
Expeditionary Force (BEF), three French field
armies, and the remains of Belgian forces were
driven back and encircled near Dunkirk.
Initially, the plan was to attempt to rescue up to
45,000 troops. By June 4, when the Germans took the port, 338,000 British, French, and other Allied
troops were evacuated across the English Channel to England.
Over 900 ships took part in Operation Dynamo, of which 236 were lost and 61 put out of action. French,
Belgian, Dutch, and Norwegian ships took part in the operation alongside the ships of the Royal Navy.
Hundreds of “little ships,” small craft volunteered by their owners or requisitioned by the Royal Navy,
helped to ferry soldiers from the beach to larger ships.
One hundred twenty-six merchant seamen died during the evacuation. Over 68,000 British soldiers were
killed or captured during the Blitzkrieg, retreat, and evacuation. An estimated 40,000 French troops,
fighting a rearguard action, were taken into captivity when Dunkirk fell.
Here is a one-minute video summary of Operation Dynamo.
Operation Dynamo – DUNKIRK – The Miraculous Rescue – World War II – One Minute History
The post 80 Years Ago — Operation Dynamo, the Evacuation of Dunkirk appeared on Old Salt Blog.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Sydney beaches close as face masks, plastic containers wash ashore from APL
England cargo ship ………………………………. Cathy Gilmore says
animals are being exposed to dangerous material. "It's not going to biodegrade, it's going to stay there for
such a long time," said "These animals out in the ocean are going to choose to eat a lot of it as food. _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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Temporary appointment of Acting MNA National Chairman Source : - David Parsons, MNA National Secretary
Our Chairman, Captain John Sail, has advised that, due to the difficulties that the COVID-19 has caused
to his businesses, he needs to concentrate all his efforts on addressing these until, at the earliest, January
2021.
Our Vice Chairman, Capt. Malcolm Mathison, has kindly agreed to cover all his duties, taking on the role
of Temporary Acting Chairman, until John feels that his workload has lightened sufficiently to allow him
to once again take on the chairmanship. Please be reassured that this is a temporary arrangement and
entirely the result of these extraordinary times. Whilst I know, like me, you will wish him well and look
forward to welcoming him back, John has asked that members do not contact him at this difficult time.
Malcolm and I will obviously keep him informed of developments on an “as and when needed basis”. In
the meantime, I know that all Council members will work closely together to ensure that the MNA
National continues “business as normal”.
Kindest regards
David
_____________________________________________________________________________________
RNLI calls for ban from all beaches after two deaths at weekend "The RNLI
cannot stop people going to beaches – but the Government can"
The chief
executive of the
RNLI has called
on the UK
Government to
restrict access to
the coast until
lifeguard patrols
are back on
beaches.
Mark Dowie
issued an open
letter following the deaths of two people – including a 17-year-old girl – in separate incidents along the
Cornish coastline on Monday. “With thousands flocking to English beaches now lockdown restrictions
have been eased, we must choose between keeping the public or our lifeguards safe,” Mr Dowie wrote.
“Safety advice and warnings will only go so far when people are desperate to enjoy some freedom after
weeks of lockdown. “As a lifesaving charity, the RNLI cannot stop people going to beaches – but the
Government can – before more lives are lost around our coast this summer.” Mr Dowie said the RNLI
“found out about the easing of lockdown restrictions in England” at the same time as the general public
and without time to prepare.
The charity must work out how to perform in-water rescues and give first aid in a way that protects staff
from risk of infection and find PPE that will work on a beach and in the water, he said.He described how
the RNLI faces an expected £45 million shortfall in funding by the end of the year because many of its
fundraising activities have had to stop in the pandemic. “So, we’re asking for help to manage an
impossible situation – we’re asking the public to heed our safety advice and we’re asking the Government
to restrict access to the coast until we have lifeguard patrols back on beaches,” Mr Dowie said. “Only
then can we keep the public safe from the sea and our lifeguards safe from the virus.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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The Pulse
Australian Controversy as Livestock Crew Tests Positive for COVID-19 A livestock carrier arrived in Fremantle, Australia with six crew members who later tested positive for the
COVID-19 virus. The incident is stirring up new controversies in Australia in an already politically
charged environment. The livestock carrier AL KUWAIT arrived in Western Australia on its second
voyage for Kuwait Livestock Transport & Trading after having been acquired from Wellard Limited,
which launched this livestock carrier as the Ocean Shearer in 2016. With a 23,500 square meter carrying
capacity, it can transport 20,000 cattle or 75,000 sheep or a combination of both, making it the largest
vessel of its kind. The vessel was empty at the time of its arrival into Australia. According to the
Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment, the vessel reported, “three unwell crew members
but none with elevated temperatures or COVID-like symptoms prior to arrival.” After the vessel docked,
the Department reported that it became aware of crew members with elevated temperatures and
immediately notified the Western Australian Department of Health. COVID-19 testing was performed on
the crew that numbered 48 and six have tested positive for the virus. The six were moved to quarantine in
a Perth hotel, while under Australian requirements, no crew members are being permitted to leave the
vessel. The Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment highlighted that all of its staff that
came in contact with the vessel were in full personal protective equipment with all necessary precautions
having been taken. Further, it said in an official statement that it was confident that government protocols
were met. It went on to say that the Western Australia Department of Health is responsible for the
management of this incident, including all decisions relating to human health. A political firestorm is
brewing with multiple accusations being leveled over the situation. The Fremantle Port Authority is
saying it only found out after its staff handled the ship. It reports that several of its workers may have
been exposed unknowingly to the virus and then returned to the community. The port’s workers are now
being isolated and a contact tracing effort has begun. Among the questions being asked is who knew
about the situation on the vessel and were the proper notifications made in a timely fashion. The Western
Australia Premier, Mark McGowan, contends that local officials were not notified before the ship’s
arrival while the Federal Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud, is saying there was no concern and all
protocols were carried out. Local officials in Western Australia are saying that the process needs to be
reviewed and better notification systems established to ensure that people are not put in harm’s way. At
the same time, there have been calls that the ship should immediately be sent away from Australia while it
is also being acknowledged that the ship should be thoroughly cleaned first. There are also fears that
additional crew members may fall ill with the virus. The AL KUWAIT had sailed from Hamad Port in
Qatar on May 7, arriving in the Perth area on May 22 on its scheduled run to pick up livestock for
transport back to the Middle East. Federal authorities permitted the vessel to dock, although the harbor
pilot reportedly was wearing PPE. According to various accusations, it was not until two days later that
the Fremantle authorities heard reports that crew members were sick and ordered no one to leave the
vessel. The following day COVID-19 tests were administered. The vessel is no stranger to controversy
since its introduction. Animal welfare group repeatedly protested saying the live export of cattle, sheep,
and goats results in immeasurable animal suffering. These claims were supported by a series of high
profile incidents recently in the transport of animals from Australia. After being acquired by Kuwait
Livestock Transport & Trading in March, the vessel completed its first voyage departing Fremantle in
mid-April loaded with 60,183 sheep and 910 cattle. It then made an 18-day voyage to the Gulf ports of
Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar, during which 62 sheep died. Further complicating the current situation for the
Al Kuwait, live sheep exports to the Middle East will stop as of June 1 with the commencement of the
summer moratorium preventing shipments from leaving Australia. The trade is not expected to resume till
mid-September.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS RELEASE VIDEO: TODAY WE REMEMBER THE SINKING OF
THE RMS EMPRESS OF IRELAND,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFZzFtR981A&feature=youtu.be _____________________________________________________________________________________
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The Pulse
All at Sea in the 1960's The memoires of a young man who wanted to see the world and get paid
for it.
A Glance in time that will open the eyes of the adventurous reader to the
thrill of the unknown on the high seas of the world and especially the
orient. How difficulties are overcome and the ambience of the maritime
world are explained.
Format: 13,5 x 21,5 cm Number of Pages: 150 ISBN: 978-3-7103-4467-
1 Release Date: 27.05.2020
" The date is Thursday 20th April 1967… Not the best day in the job
that I was involved in at the time, so, leaving early afternoon, on the
way home, I thought, I am going to change this situation. In those days
the ‘Yellow Pages’ was the reference book and the telephone, the
communications media. Perusing the pages titled ‘Shipping companies’,
my finger alighted on ‘Alfred Holts ‘of Liverpool, and I duly noted the
Telephone number, of the head office in ‘India Buildings’.
I was already a qualified Electrical Engineer, having served a five year
apprenticeship at the then world renowned ‘Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Engineering Company Ltd’
in Trafford Park, Manchester. This pointed me to a sea- going engineering position. On phoning Alfred
Holts, India Buildings, my call was forwarded immediately to a man that I was to get to know and respect
tremendously. The Electrical Superintendent, Jimmy Quinn. He asked me all the relevant details, and
simply said “ Be in my office at 0930hrs tomorrow morning, (Friday 21st April 1967), and we will talk”.
By 0900hrs Friday morning, I was entering the beautiful old ‘India Buildings’, in good time for my
appointment with the Electrical Superintendent., Mr Jimmy Quinn. He wasted no time in sizing me up,
explaining the role, the company and its policies."
……………….……………………………………………………….. Read more in the book
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Massive search for missing teenager Weymouth RNLI All weather and Inshore lifeboats were launched at approximately 8.30pm on
Wednesday 27th May 2020 to search for a 17 year old male who was overdue from a snorkelling
trip. He was reported to have last been seen at Church Ope Cove on Portland at approximately
5pm.
The Inshore lifeboat at first carried out a close inshore search from Portland Harbour to Portland Bill
while the All-weather lifeboat carried out a search from 0.5 miles from the shore from Grove Point to
Portland Bill.
As time went on the search was expanded and other assets were brought into the search. In addition to the
two lifeboats, two Coastguard helicopters, two war ships and other vessels, including two rescue craft
from the cruise ship Britannia, in the area were called in to the search. The search continued all night with
Swanage lifeboat also joining in.
The search continued all day on Thursday 28th with lifeboats returning to station to change crews refuel
and head back out again. At first light two fixed wing aircraft also joined in the ever expanding search
area with some areas close to shore being searched many times.
Coastguard cliff rescue teams searched the shoreline from Chesil Cove to Portland Harbour.
Having searched a huge area of sea from East and West of Portland Bill after nearly twenty four hours the
surface search was called off by Solent Coastguard, with Weymouth All-weather lifeboat being the last to
leave the search area and returned to station at about 5pm on Thursday 28th.
In the afternoon a Police dive team were called in to carry out an underwater search at Church Ope. Cove.
Ken Francis
Volunteer press officer Tel. 07843781712 [email protected] Amy Caldwell
RNLI Regional Media Manager
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The Pulse
World’s biggest LNG-fuelled engines to power 9 CMA CGM Megaships WinGD (Winterthur Gas & Diesel) has received type approval for the biggest and most powerful LNG-
fuelled engines ever built. Class society Bureau Veritas awarded the approval for WinGD’s dual-fuelled
12X92DF engines, the first series of which is currently being built by China State Shipbuilding Corp
(CSSC) and will power nine ultra-large container ships (ULCS) owned by the CMA CGM Group, a
world leader in shipping and logistics. These vessels will become the largest container ships powered by
liquefied natural gas and represent a significant step on the path to the energy transition of the shipping
industry. The type approval was awarded following a series of extensive full-load tests in diesel and gas
operation. A virtual ceremony on May 26 with guests joining from Beijing, Shanghai, Marseille, Paris
and Winterthur marked the landmark moment for the ground-breaking engine technology, which has
brought the use of LNG as a marine fuel into an entirely new vessel sector.
Built at CSSC-MES Diesl Co’s Lingang facility, the 12X92DF weighs more than 2,100 tonnes In a
statement, CMA CGM said: “The certification ceremony marks a new stage in the construction of the
CMA CGM’s nine 23,000-TEU LNG-powered vessels. These vessels are the world’s largest
containerships powered by LNG. CMA CGM’s ground-breaking choice in favour of LNG is a major step
forward and a clear illustration of our resolute commitment to environmental protection and to the energy
transition of the maritime industry. This certification is a major milestone as it marks the recognition of
the technological efficiency of our dual-fuel engine project.” Olivier Cartier, Technical Vice President,
Bureau Veritas, commented on the approval: “The certification process of WinGD’s 12X92DF engine
was a long process due to the size and complexity of the engine. We mobilized our worldwide teams of
engine specialists, especially in China, in France and in Germany, at each of the critical phases of the
certification process. Progressive Type Approval Tests were necessary where at each test significant
progress and refinement were noted, so that we remained confident that final certification at 100% of the
power using gas as fuel was an achievable objective – and this has now been achieved.” “With the type
approval of our biggest engines to date, we are opening up the possibilities of LNG-fuelled ship
propulsion to yet another vessel segment, a testament to its cost-efficiency, reliability and sustainability,”
said Klaus Heim, WinGD CEO. “This is an important step towards the sustainable energy transition
within the shipping industry and we are incredibly proud of the role WinGD plays in this journey.”
“WinGD’s X92DF engines offer the most sustainable emissions footprint currently available,
outperforming expectations for NOx, SOx and PM emissions and with CO2 levels over 20% lower than
typical diesel engines. With it’s unique combination of Otto (lean burn) and Diesel cycle technology these
engines can adapt for any of the potential sustainable fuels of the future making them a secure asset for a
long time to come.” added Dominik Schneiter, Vice President, for Research and Development at WinGD.
The development of the X92DF engine builds on the expertise and experience gained from more than
500,000 operating hours for WinGD’s market-leading X-DF dual-fuel engine technology. That landmark
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The Pulse
comes just under four years since the first engine went into service, highlighting the rapid uptake and
remarkable reliability of WinGD’s low-pressure concept. WinGD has received 320 orders for their X-DF
engines including 60 in operation. The X-DF has been the best-selling dualfuel low-speed engine
technology in the maritime market since the second half of 2017. As well as the first gas-fuelled ULCSs,
WinGD’s low-pressure X-DF technology also powers the first LNG-fuelled Aframax shuttle tankers with
VOC recovery and very large crude oil carriers. Source : The Maritime Pos
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Merchant Navy Assn Boat Club "WaterWatch" initiative Greetings from the MNA Boat Club!
Following the formation of our operational partnership with the RNLI our MNA Boat Club
Officers have been developing a scheme to extend the RNLIs Respect the Water campaign to
include inland waterways with a view to involving all members of the MNA whether or not
they currently belong to the Boat Club
The initiative document, called MNA WaterWatch, is too long for me to include in The Pulse.
Anyone requiring a copy please contact Clive or Steve who will send it to you in an attachment.
We are planning to "pilot" the WaterWatch scheme initially just in the Boat Club's East Anglian
region, but we would really like to involve as many MNA members as possible who live in East
Anglia in this very worthwhile initiative so I very much hope you might be prepared to promote
this amongst your branch members
If you, or any of your shipmates, would be interested to have a chat about this please feel free to
contact either myself, or Chris Woods our Boat Club vice-commodore or Steve Walker our Boat
Club East Anglia Region chairman, details as below
Clive Edwards Tel 01305 781725 email [email protected]
Steve Walker Tel 07769 725434 email [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________
No Mandatory Quarantine for Seafarers In Britain Seafarers will be exempted from planned travel restrictions that could include a mandatory 14-
day quarantine for visitors and residents returning to the UK. Secretary of State for Transport Grant
Shapps confirmed to Nautilus that seafarers would be exempt from quarantine measures announced on
May 10 by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The measures are being introduced to prevent new infections
from imported cases. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson welcomed the move and said ministers
were listening to the Union’s concerns. ‘It is good to see government supporting its key workers and
sticking to its commitment to keep crew changes moving.
‘Seafarers ensure that global trade can continue, putting food on our tables and bringing much-needed
medical supplies, at a time when many countries are keeping their borders closed and restricting
movement due to containment strategies. ‘In the United Kingdom, 95% of all trade into and out of the
country moves by sea. Globally that figure is 90%. Without free and safe movement for seafarer’s world
trade would grind to a halt.’ Industry crew change protocols endorsed by the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) were circulated on May 7. The ITF and the Joint Negotiating Group have demanded
that they be applied and that governments start facilitating crew changes within the next 30 days. Source :
nautilusint.org
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The Philippines Answers Call of Cruise Workers Begging to Go Home Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has given his
government a week to process some 24,000
repatriated Filipino workers stuck for weeks on cruise
ships or in coronavirus quarantine, so they can finally
go home. Thousands are aboard cruise vessels off
Manila Bay or stuck in hotels and crowded health
facilities, some growing frustrated having tested
negative for the coronavirus and completed the
mandated 14-day quarantine. Overseas Filipino
Workers, or OFWs, are breadwinners and a key
support base of Duterte. Their more than $30 billion
of annual remittances is a key driver of the Philippine
economy, sustaining millions of family members.
“The president said they can use all government
resources and whatever means of transportation - bus,
airplane, ships - to bring the OFWs home,” Duterte’s
spokesman, Harry Roque, said on Monday. The
government is braced for hundreds of thousands more
workers to return due to job losses as the coronavirus
devastates economies worldwide. It has blamed the
delays on a testing bottleneck. The cruise ship cluster
off Manila Bay numbered 29 vessels on Monday,
none with passengers aboard. They contain thousands of Filipino crew still awaiting coronavirus tests,
many no longer receiving salaries and venting frustrations having already met conditions for release.
Crew reached by Reuters said information was scarce and prolonged isolation was taking a toll on their
mental and emotional health. Jex Bañega, a receptionist on Carnival Corp Pacific Explorer, said he was
being well cared for, but after 35 days of quarantine, his cabin felt more like prison cell. “We’re only
thinking of going home to our families. The comfort of our homes is different,” Banega said. More than
30,000 overseas Filipinos have returned home and 515 of 27,000 tested for coronavirus were positive as
of May 20, authorities said. The Philippines has over 14,000 cases, of which 868 were deaths. Source:
Marinelink
_____________________________________________________________________________________
IEA says the coronavirus crisis has set in motion the largest drop of
global energy investment in history _____________________________________________________________________________________
Kidnapped Containership Captain Freed The Bulgarian captain of a
Portuguese-flagged cargo ship
who was kidnapped along with
seven other sailors by pirates
off the coast of Benin last
month, has been freed,
Bulgaria’s foreign ministry
said on Monday. The captain
of the container ship TOMMI
RITSCHER, which was attacked at the port of Cotonou in the Gulf of Guinea on April 19, was already in
a European country and would soon return to Bulgaria, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said
it has been in close coordination with the ship’s owners but did not give other details. It’s unclear what
whether the other seven sailors have been released.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The SUN PRINCESS anchored in Manila bay as
seen from the HAL’s WESTERDAM Photo :
Rich Fontaine Security Officer ms Westerdam ©
The TOMMI RITSCHER Photo : Dale E. Crisp ©
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #11 8th June 2020
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The impact of COVID-19 on seafarers’ rights by Barista Uno
As the novel coronavirus marches on, the global shipping community is hailing seafarers as the “Unsung
Heroes of Global Trade”. The slogan sounds nice but hollow. In fact, it is downright disingenuous. How
can the words ring true when thousands of seafarers have been stranded in foreign ports and harbours
because of COVID-19? That the problem exists on such a scale shows how the maritime world really
regards the men and women who toil at sea: they are commodities. The commodification of seafarers will
not end after the pandemic has blown over. Anyone who thinks otherwise is hopelessly naive. Violations
of seafarers’ rights, which had been rife long before COVID19, could very well increase. The following
scenerios in the short term are not hard to imagine, especially in poorer countries:
> The slump in shipping markets will lead to a scramble for shipboard jobs, fuelling corruption and such
malpractices as the illegal exaction of fees from applicants.
> Cases of crew abandonment will increase rather than decline as more shipping operators face financial
difficulties.
> As crew deployment dips, more manning agents will be tempted to steal from the dollar remittances of
seafarers.
> Cutthroat competition amongst training centres will increase because of dwindling enrolments.
> Seafarers claiming for sickness or disability benefits will face more stonewalling from shipowners and
their crewing agents.
For all the damage it has wrought, the pandemic has served as fertile ground for many acts of kindness,
generosity and even heroism, It may, in the end, help humanise communities. One can only pray that it
will have the same effect on those who deal with seafarers. Source: Marine Café Blog
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APL England Master Charged Over Loss of Containers Off Sydney https://gcaptain.com/apl-england-master-charged-over-loss-of-containers-off-
sydney/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptai
n.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-0278fc1f12-139894965&mc_cid=0278fc1f12&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
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Colombia's narco-submarines - a photo essay https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/colombias-narco-submarines-a-photo-essay
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German battleship Bismarck - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the course of the warship's eight-month career under its sole commanding officer, Captain Ernst
Lindemann, Bismarck conducted only one offensive operation, lasting 8 days in May 1941, codenamed
Rheinübung. The ship, along with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, was to break into the Atlantic Ocean
and raid Allied shipping from North America to Great Britain. The two ships were detected several times
off Scandinavia, and British naval units were deployed to block their route. At the Battle of the Denmark
Strait, the battlecruiser HMS Hood initially engaged Prinz Eugen, probably by mistake, while HMS
Prince of Wales engaged Bismarck. In the ensuing battle Hood was destroyed by the combined fire of
Bismarck and Prinz Eugen, which then damaged Prince of Wales and forced her retreat. Bismarck
suffered sufficient damage from three hits to force an end to the raiding mission.
The destruction of Hood spurred a relentless pursuit by the Royal Navy involving dozens of warships.
Two days later, heading for occupied France to effect repairs, Bismarck was attacked by 16 obsolescent
Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; one scored a hit that
rendered the battleship's steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, the already-
crippled Bismarck was severely damaged during a sustained engagement with two British battleships and
two heavy cruisers, was scuttled by her crew, and sank with heavy loss of life. Most experts agree that the
battle damage would have caused her to sink eventually. The wreck was located in June 1989 by Robert
Ballard, and has since been further surveyed by several other expeditions. For more details go to: -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_battleship_Bismarck
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The Pulse
Weymouth RNLI lifeboat aids Tomb Stoning casualties Lifeboat launched following reports from Solent Coastguard of several people in need of medical
assistance after tomb stoning off of the arch at Durdle Door Beach.
Weymouth RNLI Inshore lifeboat with two casualty care trained crew on board was launched at 4.06pm
on Saturday 30th May 2020.
On scene at 4.23pm a quick search of the sea around the
beach was carried out to check if there was anyone else in
the water, after which the two casualty care trained
volunteer crew members, dressed in full PPE, were put
ashore on the crowded beach and helped with a male
causality with serious spinal injuries.
At this time, in addition to the lifeboat there were two
helicopters which had landed on the beach along with a
strong presence of Coastguards, Police and Ambulance paramedics.
A total of three causalities' were being treated for serious injuries by Paramedics and lifeboat crew. Two
of the causality's were taken to hospital by helicopter while the third was transferred by ambulance.
The lifeboat was released at 6.20pm and returned to station at 6.40pm where it was refuelled and made
ready for the next shout.
Ken Francis, Volunteer press officer, Tel. 07843781712 [email protected]
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AnticsOnline Models and Hobbies » Ship Models Diecast models, wood & plastic kits. Detailed, fully finished diecast 1:1250 scale models, resin and
diecast models and kits in 1:700 scale, traditional wood construction ship kits and a growing range of
plastic model kits in 1:350, 1:700 and other scales.
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Massive range of ship models, ready made or kit, waterline or full hull,historic and modern boats in
wood, plastic or metal. From tiny metal waterline miniatures in 1/1200 or 1/1250 scale to radio control
models over a metre long.
www.shipmodels.co.uk links directly to Antics' marine and ship models section!
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The bombs that lurk off the UK coast - By Jon Excell28th October 2015
The WWII-era SS Richard Montgomery sits just 1.5 miles from shore –
and locals fear that its 1,400 tonnes of potent explosives could go off at
any time. Jon Excell investigates.
Take a trip to the
seaside town of
Sheerness on Kent’s
Isle of Sheppey and a curious sight awaits you: a
giant mural featuring a miserable looking mermaid –
hand on TNT detonation plunger – poised to
obliterate a shipwreck in the sea behind her.
“Welcome to Sheerness. You’ll have a blast!” reads
the accompanying sign.
To visitors unfamiliar with the hazard lurking in the
waters just beyond the town’s sea wall, a terrorist
mermaid is an undeniably bizarre piece of public art.
'Welcome to Sheerness. You’ll have a blast!',
reads the sign welcoming visitors to the town
(Credit: Andy Hebden)
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The Pulse
But to locals, she’s a chilling reminder of the wartime relic that some believe threatens the town and the
lives of its inhabitants: the wreck of WWII-era ammunition ship the SS Richard Montgomery.
The ship lies just 1.5 miles (2.4km) from shore in the mouth of the bustling Thames estuary. Clearly
visible from the land – its rusting masts rising ominously from the water – the sunken vessel contains
disturbing cargo: 1,400 tonnes of high explosives which many fear could go off at any time, potentially
causing one of the most devastating non-nuclear peace-time explosions ever seen.
Known semi-affectionately to locals as the “Monty”, the
441ft-long (134m) vessel was a US Liberty ship, a type of
cargo ship used during World War II. It arrived off Britain’s
coast in August 1944 carrying munitions to help the war
effort. On 20 August, while waiting to join a convoy across
the channel to France, harsh weather caused the ship to drag
anchor and founder on a sand bank.
As the tide receded the vessel was left stranded. The hull’s
welded plates began to crack and buckle under the weight of
the explosives on board.
Local dockworkers hurriedly mounted a salvage operation.
They managed to empty the rear half of the ship before
finally abandoning it on 25 September, when the forward
section flooded and the vessel snapped in half.
Since then, no one has been aboard the ship – at least not officially. And without any surviving records of
what actually was removed in 1944, it’s impossible to say precisely what cargo remains.
The ship likely contains a staggering assortment of more than 9,000 US-made explosives
However, estimates paint a worrying picture. According to a survey carried out in 2000 by the UK
government’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the ship likely contains a staggering assortment
of more than 9,000 US-made explosives.
These include 286 giant 2,000lb ‘blockbuster’ bombs, 4,439 1,000lb devices and – perhaps most
worryingly of all – more than 2,500 cluster bombs. Unlike most of the other items on board, cluster
bombs would have been transported with their fuses in
place, leaving them more prone to detonation.
It seems astonishing that such hazardous cargo was
abandoned so close to civilisation and in the middle of the
one of the UK’s busiest shipping lanes. But in the final
stages of the war, the wreck’s recovery wasn’t a priority.
It seems astonishing that such hazardous cargo was
abandoned so close to civilisation
In the decades that followed, authorities considered non-
intervention to be the safest course of action. That became
particularly true when a 1967 attempt to clear the Kielce – a
smaller wrecked munitions vessel almost four miles (6.4km)
out to sea – triggered an explosion that measured 4.5 on
the Richter scale and damaged property in nearby
Folkestone, though no injuries were reported.
“Expert advice has always been that the munitions are likely
to be stable if left undisturbed,” says the MCA’s Receiver of
the Wreck Alison Kentuck, who oversees management of
the SS Richard Montgomery, including arranging detailed
annual surveys of the site (see box out). “If you go and disturb them, you’re increasing the risk factor.”
The SS Richard Montgomery arrived
in the UK in August 1944 carrying
munitions to help the Allied war effort
(Credit: Colin Harvey)
Wreck survey teams from the US and
Royal Navy inspect the SS Montgomery
(Credit: Colin Harvey)
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Most agree that the bombs are relatively safe as long as they aren’t exposed to sudden shock, friction or
heat. But recent MCA surveys confirm the wreck is gradually disintegrating. Its deterioration could lead
to a sudden collapse that triggers the sympathetic detonation of some, if not all, of the remaining
explosives.
The explosion would level Sheerness, and a 30 or
40ft wave would breach sea defences – Colin Harvey
If this happened, the consequences could be
catastrophic. Some analyses – as reported in the
New Scientist in 2004 – suggest that spontaneous
detonation of the entire cargo would hurl a column
of debris up to 1.8 miles (three kilometres) into the
air, send a tsunami barrelling up the Thames and
cause a shock wave that would damage buildings for
miles around, including the liquid gas containers on
the nearby Isle of Grain.
It’s a scenario that keeps many, including local
historian Colin Harvey, awake at night. “The remit area for the explosion would be from Margate to the
centre of London,” he says. “It would level Sheerness, and a 30 or 40ft wave would breach sea defences.
Sheppey’s got a population of 25,000 people. Where would
they go?”
But not everyone shares this apocalyptic view.
Dave Welch is a former Royal Navy bomb disposal expert
who now runs Ramora UK, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance
Disposal) consultancy which carries out a large amount of
work on underwater ordnance. Welch, who advised the
government on the SS Richard Montgomery’s munitions, says
he’s unconvinced by some of the wilder predictions.
“The idea that if one item goes ‘bang’ then everything will is,
I think, pretty unlikely,” he says. “Unless you’ve got intimate
contact between two munitions subsurface, you’ll rarely cause
the other to detonate, because water is a very good mitigator.
If you’ve got a 1,000lb bomb two metres from another
1,000lb bomb, the other one won’t go bang. I know that for a fact – I did it last Tuesday.”
He suggests that a more likely – albeit only marginally less terrifying – scenario is the detonation of a
large item initiating a ripple effect through the vessel, which would send munitions flying through the air
and scatter hazardous items over a wide area.
And while the likeliest trigger for such an event is the natural
disintegration of the vessel, that’s not the only potential
cause.
One concern is that the vessel could be struck by one of the
many boats that pass close by every day
One concern is that the vessel could be struck by one of the
many boats that pass close by every day. And although the
wreck is surrounded by an 875-yard (800m) exclusion zone
and monitored 24 hours a day by the Medway Ports
authority, there are concerns that it’s not as well protected as
the authorities claim. Indeed, Harvey says there have been at
least 22 near-misses over the last few decades. In one
particularly dicey incident in May 1980, a Danish fuel tanker
strayed off course in poor weather and had to take last-
minute evasive action to avoid hitting the wreck.
The SS Montgomery today
(Credit: Colin Harvey)
If the ship's bombs go off, the town of
Sheerness, pictured here, could be
levelled (Credit: APS (UK)/Alamy Stock Photo)
Although the wreck is surrounded by an
exclusion zone, there are concerns that
it’s not as well protected as the
authorities claim
(Chris Laurens/Alamy Stock Photo)
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More recently, a paddle-boarder provoked an outcry when he posted a photo of himself on Facebook
leaning against one of the vessel’s masts.
Another fear is that terrorists could attack the ship – a concern that, according to Harvey, prompted highly
visible armed patrols around the wreck site during the London 2012 Olympics.
But the biggest risk factor is undoubtedly the state of the ship itself. “The items aren’t the ticking time
bomb, the wreck is,” says Welch. “It’s the fact that they’re inside a ship which is slowly decaying that
could have the potential of causing enough energy going in them to cause them to detonate.”
So what are the options?
Over the years, a variety of suggestions have been made, ranging from the clumsily dangerous option of
simply towing the vessel to deeper water to more complex civil engineering solutions involving
entombing the wreck in some kind of giant sarcophagus.
But according to Welch, careful removal of the munitions is the only serious option. He envisages the use
of divers along with construction techniques to improve visibility around the wreck and ensure that
operators aren’t constantly battling the wreck-site’s high tidal range.
There are lots of examples of wrecks being emptied. What makes the Montgomery very difficult is where it
is – Dave Welch
The project would, Welch says, cost tens of
millions of pounds. “There are lots of
examples of wrecks being emptied,” he
says. “The thing that makes this different is
that it’s a much larger payload and the
vessel is slowly crumbling away. What
makes it very difficult is where it is.”
Still, Welch and a number of other
operators are confident that they could
safely clear the wreck site. But there are
few signs that anyone will be given the go-
ahead any time soon.
One thing that might hasten a solution
would be a major infrastructure project, like
London Mayor Boris Johnson’s proposal
for a new airport in the Thames Estuary: the Airport Commission said that before it could be built, the
wreck would have to be moved. But with ‘Boris Island’ looking increasingly unlikely, at least for now,
we could be in for a long wait – and most seem to agree that the longer the vessel is left, the harder it will
be to deal with.
“We can’t continue just leaving the wreck to fall apart,” says Welch. “Somebody at some point in the
next five to 10 years is going to have a very difficult decision to make and I would say the sooner it’s
made, the easier and cheaper it will be as a solution.”
Somebody in the next five to 10 years is going to have a very difficult decision to make – Dave Welch
It’s hard to predict what will happen next to the SS Richard Montgomery. It’s possible that nothing will
happen – that the speculation will continue and that today’s generation will pass this volatile baton on to
the next, relieved that it hasn’t blown up on their watch.
But for the people of Sheerness there is always the terrifying possibility, however remote, that one day
soon, decades of inaction will come back to haunt us.
Jon Excell is the Editor of The Engineer.
Follow BBC Future on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
This story is a part of BBC Britain – a new series focused on exploring this extraordinary island, one
story at a time. Readers outside of the UK can see every BBC Britain story by heading to the Britain
homepage; you also can see our latest stories by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
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The wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery, pictured in 1966
(Credit: Colin Harvey)
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`TITANIC` An unmanned submersible will descend nearly 2.5 miles to
bottom of the Atlantic ocean to get a radio Associated Press Hidden treasures will be taken from inside the wreck of RMS Titanic for the first time after the US
government and leading British archaeologists were defeated in a landmark court case. In an order
released in mid April, a US judge granted permission for a salvage firm to cut into the vessel and retrieve
a Marconi wireless set known as the ‘’voice of Titanic’’
The Titanic was traveling from England to New York when it struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing
all but about 700 of the 2,208 passengers and crew. RMS Titanic Inc, the US salvage firm behind the
plans, which recently emerged from bankruptcy, has said it plans to exhibit the telegraph with stories of
the men who tapped out distress calls to nearby ships “until seawater was literally lapping at their feet”.
“The brief transmissions sent among those ships’ wireless operators, staccato bursts of information and
emotion, tell the story of Titanic’s desperate fate that night: the confusion, chaos, panic, futility and fear,”
the company wrote in court filings.
RMS Titanic Inc is the court recognised salvor, or steward, of the Titanic’s artefacts, and has brought up
thousands of items from the seabed around the wreck over the past 20 years. It submitted a 60-page plan
to retrieve the telegraph, which is believed to still sit in a deck house near the doomed ocean liner’s grand
staircase. The company said an unmanned submersible would descend nearly 2.5 miles to the bottom of
the North Atlantic, then slip through a skylight or cut the heavily corroded roof in order to retrieve the
radio. A “suction dredge” would remove silt while manipulator arms could cut electrical cords, it said.
The proposed expedition has been controversial among some archaeological and preservation experts, and
the firm may face more legal battles.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), which represents the public’s interest
in the wreck site, fiercely opposes the mission. It argued in court documents the telegraph is likely to be
surrounded “by the mortal remains of more than 1,500 people”, and should be left alone. But in an order
on Monday, US district judge Rebecca Beach Smith agreed that the telegraph is historically and culturally
important and could soon be lost within the rapidly decaying wreck site.
Smith wrote that recovering the telegraph “will contribute to the legacy left by the indelible loss of the
Titanic, those who survived, and those who gave their lives in the sinking”. Smith is the maritime jurist
who presides over Titanic salvage matters from a federal court in Norfolk. Her ruling modifies a previous
judge’s order from 2000 that forbids cutting into the shipwreck or detaching any part of it. Noaa says the
expedition is prohibited under federal law and an international agreement between the United States and
the United Kingdom. Smith acknowledged Noaa’s arguments, but said the only matter before the court
was the previous order.
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Offshore worker hospitalised with ‘crushing injury’ at North Sea field An offshore worker has been hospitalised after sustaining a “crushing injury” at a North Sea oilfield.
The worker was hurt during a pipelaying operation on Monday evening on the North Sea Atlantic vessel,
which is stationed at the Edvard Grieg field off Norway, operated by Lundin Energy.
Lundin said it is working with TechnipFMC, who was overseeing the work, to investigate the cause.
The individual was flown to hospital in Bergen for treatment following the incident, which took place
while installaing flexible pipe on the seabed for a satellite development for Edvard Greig.
“Now that the injured person is under expert medical treatment, our top priority is that the next of kin are
taken good care of”.
Edvard Grieg lies around 110miles west of Stavanger in the North Sea.
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Saga's New Spirit of Adventure Is Delayed Saga's new Spirit of Adventure won't debut in August,
according to a statement from the company. A Saga
spokesperson said: “The Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany,
which is building the Spirit of Adventure, has informed us
that the ship will not now be delivered in time for our
planned maiden voyage. Progress has been severely
impacted by the workplace and travel restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We
have written to our customers to let them know and offered them the chance of amending over to the new
date once confirmed or to receive a full refund. An inaugural cruise is a very special event and we expect
the majority of our guests will want to amend their bookings to the later date. We will continue to work
with Meyer Werft on finalising a new delivery date.”Source: cruiseindustrynews
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With cruises curtailed, Alaska's state ferry could become the top way to
explore the coast - By : BRENDAN SAINSBURY
Lonely Planet Writer With several major cruise lines recently announcing that they won’t be visiting
Alaska this year, the best way to reach the 49th state in 2020 could be on one of the regular ferries that
ply the so-called Alaska Marine Highway departing from Bellingham in Washington state. Ferries
heading north via the Inside Passage as far as the Alaskan port of Skagway are tentatively scheduled to
resume at the beginning of July, subject to inter-state travel rules. Traditionally over 1.3 million cruise
passengers visit Alaska annually between the months of May and September. These numbers are set to
fall considerably this year after three of the largest cruise companies – Princess, Holland America and
Carnival – cancelled their entire Alaska operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. Notwithstanding,
state-managed ferries are still intending to run, albeit on a more limited schedule and could provide some
travel solace for US citizens should inter-state lockdown measures be loosened.
Promising to undertake new cleaning and social
distancing protocols on their vessels in response
to Covid-19, the Alaska Marine Highway will
start taking reservations for July sailings as early
as mid-May. Check the website for updates.
Though unsophisticated compared to luxury
cruise ships, the ferries – often dubbed the ‘poor-
person’s cruise liners’ or ‘the world’s most
spectacular public transportation network’ – are
well-maintained and comfortable. They take
passengers through a marvellous montage of
tumbling glaciers, misty rainforests and crenelated
mountains with abundant possibilities for sighting whales, bald eagles and bears. The ferries carry
vehicles and offer sleeping cabins, several of which are wheelchair accessible. Ferry schedules change
annually, but the routes stretch from Bellingham in the lower 48 to the Aleutian archipelago, with
possible stops in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway. A trip from
Bellingham to Alaska’s state capital, Juneau takes 2½ to four days, depending on the route. Alaska has
managed relatively well during the Covid-19 crisis registering ten deaths and 39 active cases as of May
12, the second lowest rates of any US state. Most state services, including hotels, and train and bus
networks, are gearing up for an early July reopening. Alaska Tour and Travel is a great portal for up-to-
date travel information. The company also maintains a special webpage laying out Alaska’s so-called
‘new normal’ which adheres to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. In
order to stay safe and limit the spread of coronavirus, it is important to consult the regularly updated
website of the CDC before setting out for Alaska, particularly the pages relating to US travel. Source :
lonely Planet
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The 1963 built Alaska State Ferry MATANUSKA
moored in Prince Rupert Photo : David B Willows ©
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6 Things Seafarers Should Learn from The COVID-19 Crisis COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world we use to live in. Talking specially about the seafarers, well,
a lot has changed for us too. All the plans made by a seafarer are mostly based on their “sign on” and
“sign off”. But with the onset of this extraordinary crisis, all plans have gone for a toss. The seafarers
onboard are desperate to come back to their homes, as they are over-worked and exhausted, both mentally
and physically. While the seafarers at home are anxiously waiting to join back, as slowly they are heading
towards a financial crisis, they are now finding it hard to support their families. Well, it’s not our mistake
that this pandemic took place and gave rise to a crisis. The question is, were we, the seafarers prepared for
it? Did we had a contingency plan for it? The answer is NO! We always thought, life will go on normally,
we will join the ship, earn money, comply with our financial commitments, come back home, spend time
with the family, and again the cycle will repeat, isn’t it? This crisis has taught us that things can go
horribly and unexpectedly wrong at times.
So, what lessons we, the seafarers can learn from this COVID-19 Pandemic? I can think of 6 things we
should start working on right away:
1. Never blindly trust any union or organization claiming to work for the welfare of seafarers. In the end,
it all boils down on you. In times of crisis, you have to manage everything on your own.
2. Plan your finances in a good way. Build an emergency fund. Invest wisely.
3. Keep learning something new, keep enhancing your skills. You never know what might help in times
of crisis.
4. Do not completely rely only on your income from your primary occupation, i.e. sailing. Try to build a
parallel occupation for yourself, a side job, or a small business maybe.
5. Do not waste your hard-earned money on the things which you don’t need. If you don’t need or want it,
don’t buy it.
6. If possible, avoid extending your contracts onboard. Once you finish your contract, go back to your
loved ones. Spend time with your family. Written By A Seafarer, one amongst you.
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Crew of abandoned MV Celanova receives help from Filipino maritime
professionals Seafarers have always been known as burly and unyielding
men whose characters were hardened by the tempests of the
sea.
Yet on a Sunday morning last week in the vicinity waters of
Manila Bay, a Spanish captain was reduced to tears and his
men were in utter awe after realizing that a Coast Guard
vessel that went alongside them came not to inspect, but to bring supplies that they have been longing for
since they were abandoned by their ship owner last December
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When I was young I decided to go to Medical School.
At the entrance exam we were asked to rearrange the letters PNEIS and form the name of an
important human body part which is most useful when erect.
Those who answered 'SPINE' are doctors today while the rest of us are sending jokes via
email. _____________________________________________________________________________________
118 crew members involved in illegal fishing test negative for COVID Source: Antara News
It’s coming to something when this makes a headline
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HMT Lancastria in profile
DAVID PARSONS PROFILES
Have an A3 size profile of your favourite ship.
I am happy to undertake commissions of almost all ships - including Royal Navy vessels. As a
guideline, I ask £70 for a cargo vessel or tanker, but obviously this depends on the complexity of
the ship, plus postage and packing. Included in this will be a £10 donation to the MNA.
Some examples of my work can be found on my website; www.shipsinprofile.com
For quotes and orders please contact me via either; [email protected] or;
[email protected] Tel. 01935 414765
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Bark Europa — An Unexpected 10,000 Mile Voyage Home From the End of
the World The bark Europa arrived in the port of Ushuaia, Argentina in
late March. Ushuaia, which describes itself as “the end of the
world, the beginning of everything,” would normally be the
jumping-off point for the ship’s regular voyage to Antarctica.
This year, however, the concurrent arrival of the Covid-19
pandemic changed everyone’s plans. The crew found
themselves stuck aboard in port in pandemic limbo.
As reported by Newsweek, since there was no way on how to
know when this world crisis would be finished, Dutch
Captain Eric Kesteloo and his international sailing crew of 11
women and 8 men refused to sit and wait, and so they
decided to sail back to Bark Europa‘s home harbor in
Scheveningen, the Netherlands.
The Europa is currently completing the 10,000 mile non-stop voyage under sail back to her
homeport. Marine Traffic reports that she departed Ushuaia on March 27 and is currently sailing east at
4.5 knots, with an estimated arrival in Scheveningen on June 16.
The ship’s crew has been posting to the Europa website. The May 28th “Log” reads in part:
It’s been almost two months since we left Ushuaia. Eight weeks on the sea, seeing only the vast ocean
around, no land, no lush green grass or forests, no buildings, no other human beings. And also no
Internet, which has become a part of our daily life over the last couple of years. It is almost unthinkable
not to be connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, yet here we are. Eight weeks without the Wi-Fi drug and we
are still alive. The only communication with the outside world happens through satellite phone. That is
also how we get our blogs and photos to you. It is a limited connection but it is a connection nevertheless
The Europa was built in 1901 as a lightship on the Rivel Elbe, a role she served until 1977. In 1994 she
was fully restored as a three-masted square-rigged bark and outfitted for sail training.
Sourse: - Old Salt Blog
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Panama-Flagged Ships Face Fine for Tampering with Tracking Systems Panama’s Maritime Authority said it will impose sanctions on vessels, including fines of up to $10,000
and withdrawing its flag from the ship, if they deliberately deactivate, tamper or alter the operation of
their tracking transponders.
“This General Directorate of Merchant Marine will impose sanctions to all those Panamanian flagged
vessels that deliberately deactivate, tamper or alter the operation of Long Range Identification and
Tracking System or the Automatic Identification System,” it said in a statement
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CAN YOU HELP?
I have been trying for some time now to contact a Anthony (Tony) Ellam, from
Bournemouth, it would be greatly appreciated if anyone could be of assistance,
Thank you,
Jim Robinson [email protected]
__________________________________________________________________
The latest on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Info dated 4 June
https://www.ukpandi.com/knowledge-publications/industry-issues/industry-developments/coronavirus-
outbreak-2020/?dm_i=33T,6WEEZ,LGE99N,RPU6C,1
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Nautical Institute launches new edition of Stowaways by Sea
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Ship's Master faces court over cargo spill By Cheryl Goodenough
The master of a container ship that lost about 50 containers
overboard has faced a Queensland court over allegations of
poor cargo loading. Mohamad Zulkhaili Bin Alias's matter
was briefly mentioned in Wynnum Magistrates Court on
Monday. Mr Alias, 43, is charged with two offences relating
to the discharge of garbage into the sea and failing to ensure
a vessel is operated so as not to cause pollution or damage to
the Australian marine environment. The Singapore-flagged
ship was en route to Melbourne from China when rough seas
caused some 50 shipping containers to topple overboard off the coast of Sydney on Sunday, May 24. The
charges were laid by the Australian Marine Safety Authority last week. It was a decision not taken lightly,
AMSA operations general manager Allan Schwartz said at the time. "This and other incidents remind us
of the important role the ship's master has in ensuring the ships that ply our waters are operated safely and
do not damage our marine environment," he said in a statement. AMSA also ordered $22 million from the
ship's insurers under the Protection of the Seas Act, which must be paid before the ship will be released
from detention at the Port of Brisbane. This money covers estimated clean-up and remediation costs.
Containers and other debris have washed up on NSW beaches since the ship lost some of its load. NSW
Maritime acting executive director Alex Barrell said last week 21 of the containers lost at sea were empty
while the ship's manifest indicated the remainder held no dangerous or hazardous goods.The cargo
includes bar stools, food dehydrators, medical face masks, shields and goggles, furniture, range hoods,
gazebos and "cat furniture". It is understood Mr Alias, who is on bail, appeared via video link. His matter
is listed for mention in Brisbane Magistrates Court on June 12. Source : AAP
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Christophe de Margerie completes eastbound transit of NSR two months
earlier than usual The LNGC covered 2,563 nautical miles at a speed deemed safe given the navigational conditions
On 31 May 2020 at 06:00 Moscow time CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE, an icebreaking LNG carrier
owned and operated by SCF Group, successfully completed her passage across the Northern Sea Route
(NSR), bound for China with a cargo of LNG for the Yamal LNG project, Sovcomflot says in its press
release. For the first time, a
large-capacity vessel of this type
has crossed the NSR eastbound
in May, when ice conditions in
the eastern sector of the NSR
remain challenging.
Traditionally, the navigation in
this sector commences only in
July. The passage from the Port
of Sabetta to Cape Dezhnev took
the vessel 12 days to complete,
during which the LNGC covered
2,563 nautical miles at a speed deemed safe given the navigational conditions. While on the NSR,
CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE was escorted by Atomflot's nuclear-powered icebreaker YAMAL. The
LNGC has transited the most challenging parts of the route with Yamal’s support, including fast-ice fields
in the Vilkitsky Strait, as well as hummocky ice floes in the East Siberian and the Chukchi seas. Sergey
Frank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sovcomflot, commented: “Over many years, SCF has been
steadily undertaking increasingly challenging transportation projects in the Arctic seas, in partnership
with Atomflot, Russian energy companies, and R&D institutions. The Company has accumulated unique
experience of safely operating largecapacity vessels of high ice class, purpose designed for the harsh
environments of the NSR. Thorough preparation has allowed us to make the next step and safely carry out
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this unique voyage, fully in line with SCF’s core principle ‘Safety Comes First.’ On behalf of the Board
of Directors and all SCF Group personnel I congratulate Sergey Gen, the Master of the LNG carrier, and
all her crew, and thank them for their excellent performance. I express our appreciation to Alexander
Lembrik, the Master of the icebreaker Yamal, and all the icebreaker crew for their escort.” Igor
Tonkovidov, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, commented: “This successful voyage across the NSR, in
May, allows us to move one step closer to realising the full transit potential of the Northern Sea Route,
marking an important expansion in the shipping opportunities available to Arctic industrial projects in
particular. Even in the challenging ice conditions encountered during this time of the year, choosing the
NSR allows for a significant reduction in the length of a voyage delivering LNG to APAC ports
compared with using the Suez Canal. A shorter voyage both allows to optimise logistics and reduce the
carbon footprint of the shipping. What’s more, the vessel that began this new era in Arctic shipping both
carries LNG, the cleanest fuel currently available, and uses LNG fuel herself, which drastically reduces
the vessel’s impact on the environment. The success of this challenging voyage was possible thanks to the
high level of training and professionalism of the vessel’s crew and SCF personnel ashore, as well as to an
exhaustive and nuanced risk analysis and close collaboration with all the other parties involved in the
voyage, such as NOVATEK and Atomflot.” Sergey Gen, Master of Christophe de Margerie, commented:
“The ice conditions encountered during the voyage matched our forecast: on some segments, the
movement was heavily obstructed, but the crew was well prepared to handle it. The voyage has proven
Christophe de Margerie’s excellent icebreaking, manoeuvring, and structural capabilities, both when
following an icebreaker or sailing independently in various modes. I also want to give credit to the crews
of both CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE and YAMAL for the high level of coordination between the two
vessels during the NSR passage.” The voyage has provided extensive information about the ice conditions
along the eastern part of the NSR, whilst allowing the coordination between the LNG carrier and
escorting icebreaker to be honed under extreme conditions. This will prove valuable for planning
transportation solutions for future industrial projects in the Arctic and could help expedite the future
growth of NSR cargo traffic. This information will also be reflected in the design of future generations of
Arctic vessels. In 2010-2011, SCF Group together with NOVATEK completed several experimental
transit voyages along the NSR, proving the technical and economic feasibility of using this route as a
transport corridor for large-scale cargo ships. These high latitude voyages have laid the foundations for
the successful implementation of the Yamal LNG project and opened a new deep-water route to the north
of the New Siberian Islands archipelago for commercial shipping. In 2017, SCF Group introduced
CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE, the world’s first icebreaking LNG carrier, the lead ship in the series of
ice class Arc7 vessels, with a cargo capacity of 172,600 cbm each, purpose designed for serving the
Yamal LNG project year-round in the Russian Arctic. The vessel has excellent icebreaking and
manoeuvering capabilities, as well as a high-power capacity, which allows her to safely operate in the
extreme climatic and ice conditions of high latitudes. In December 2017, CHRISTOPHE DE
MARGERIE transported the first cargo of LNG produced by the Yamal LNG plant. The same year,
Christophe de Margerie was named ‘Engineering Project of the Year’ at the 2017 S&P Global Platts
Global Energy Awards. For CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE, the current voyage became the 45th since
the start of Yamal LNG’s operations. Sovcomflot (SCF Group) is one of the world's leading energy
shipping companies, specialising in the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas,
as well as the servicing of offshore oil and gas production. The Group’s fleet includes 146 vessels with a
total deadweight of 12.6 million tonnes. More than 80 vessels have an ice class. Sovcomflot is involved in
servicing large oil and gas projects in Russia and around the world: Sakhalin1; Sakhalin-2; Varandey;
Prirazlomnoye; Novy Port; Yamal LNG, and Tangguh (Indonesia). The Company is headquartered in St.
Petersburg, with offices in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk,
London, Limassol, and Dubai. Source : Portnews
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Nautical Institute launches new edition of
Stowaways by Sea _____________________________________________________________________________________
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Britain touts plan for sweeping post-Brexit tariff cuts BRITAIN has set out a post-Brexit tariff plan, cutting import duties on many products while protecting
industries such as automotive and agriculture in global trade beyond Europe, reports Bloomberg. Items
like dishwashers, freezers and Christmas trees will be able to enter tariff-free, the Department for
International Trade said. Under the plan, GBP30 billion (US$36.6 billion) in tariffs will also be removed
on supply chain imports, like copper alloy tubes, and screws and bolts, the department said. Britain's so-
called "global tariff" regime is a key part of its economic policy as it leaves the European Union, because
it replaces the EU's common external tariff, which sets duties on non-EU trade not otherwise covered by a
preferential agreement. The UK said 60 per cent of its trade will come in tariff-free under its plan,
compared to 47 per cent currently. "Our new global tariff will benefit consumers and households by
cutting red tape and reducing the cost of thousands of everyday products," said International Trade
Secretary Liz Truss. However, it would maintain a 10 per cent tariff on cars, and also keep duties on
agricultural products like beef, lamb and poultry, to protect those industries. The government also said it
was cutting duties on renewable energy items like thermostats, vacuum flasks and LED lights, to promote
a green economy. Separately, Britain is engaged in trade talks with the EU, aiming to sign a Canada-style
accord that would eliminate most tariffs and quotas on goods but introduce new barriers like customs
paperwork. The latest round of talks ended with little progress recently.
Message
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Iran Denies Collision Between IRISL Boxship and Bulker Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines
(IRISL) issued a brief statement confirming that
its container ship the SHAHRAZ had grounded
in the waters north of Indonesia near Sambu
Island but denied that there had been a collision
with the Indonesia-flag bulk carrier
SAMUDRA SAKTI I that also grounded in the
area. "A ship from the Islamic Republic of
Iran's shipping fleet ran aground on May 12
while crossing the Strait of Singapore due to
technical problems, but fortunately no
casualties or environmental damage were
reported," according to the Iranian statement.
"The situation is now under control and the
necessary measures are being taken to
prevent possible environmental pollution
and to make the ship getting floated
again," it added. IRISL, however, also
said that loss of the ship is covered under
"credited international insurances.”
At the time of the incident, the
SHAHRAZ was reported to be sailing
from Port Klang Malaysia to Shanghai,
China while the was SAMUDRA SAKTI
I was sailing from Belawan to Bayah.
According to the Indonesian authorities
the SAMUDRA SAKTI I was
successfully refloated and moved to an
anchorage. An inspection was ongoing
but there was no visible damage to this vessel. There however is visible damage to the Iranian vessel,
which remains aground. Shipping in the area is proceeding uninterrupted. Source : MAREX
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The SHAHRAZ seen aground at Batu Berhanti
(Indonesia) with in the background seen the lighthouse &
Racon beacon Photo : Piet Sinke
www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
Units of Singapore Salvage Engineers moored alongside as
spotted last Wednesday Photo : Piet Sinke
www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
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Rolls-Royce to supply MTU propulsion systems for Royal Navy To be used for main propulsion and on-board
power generation, the order includes a total of
40 engines and generator sets. It also comprises
the MTU Callosum propulsion control and
monitoring system and Integrated Logistics
Support (ILS).Each new frigate will be
powered by four MTU 20V 8000 M71 engines,
with each engine delivering more than
8,000kW.The vessels will have on-board
power, provided by four MTU generator sets
based on 16V 2000 M41B units. Each of the
units will deliver in excess of 900kW.
The first shipset comprising four main propulsion engines and four generator sets is expected to be
delivered by RollsRoyce in September next year to prime contractor Babcock International Group.
During the service life of propulsion and onboard power systems, cost-effective maintenance will be
carried out by ILS.The MTU Callosum propulsion control and monitoring system are expected to be
added to the supply contract. Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems Marine & Defense vice-president
Knut Müller said: “We’re very proud of the fact that Babcock International Group has opted for MTU
propulsion and on-board power solutions on this highly significant project. “MTU products now feature
in almost all current and future projects of the Royal Navy. That is impressive proof of the trust our
British partners place in us and of the reliability and flexibility of our products.” In future, the MTU
Series 2000, 4000 and 8000 units will feature in most Royal Navy ships, including in destroyers (Type
45), all frigate classes (Type 23, 26, 31) and submarines (Astute class). Source : Navaltechnology
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UK Government delays go-ahead for two giant North Sea offshore wind
projects by David McPhee
The UK Government has delayed the go-ahead for two giant offshore wind farms due to be built in the
Southern North Sea. A decision on the future of Danish firm Orsted’s Hornsea Three projects and
Vatenfall’s Norfolk Vanguard development will now be announced on 1st July. The move was announced
by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and is understood to be related to
the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. Source : Energy Voice
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The June 2020 Edition of "The Mariners' Lifeline" https://www.marinerswelfare.com/
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Events etc.. Merchant Seafarers Veterans' badge application form, contact Tim, email address - [email protected]
If you require tickets for the Annual National Seafarers Service at St Pauls Cathedral, London
on Wednesday, 14 October and the London Cenotaph Service & Parade on Sunday, 8 November, please
contact me.
I have been advised that the Southampton Ocean Liner Society 2020 Ship Show scheduled for 7
November has been cancelled and is due to take place on Saturday, 15 May 2021 - see website:
www.ocean-liner-society.com .
Regards,
Tim Brant
28A Bassenhally Road, Whittlesey, Peterborough PE7 1RN Tel: 01733 205001
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Rolls-Royce has secured a deal to supply complete MTU
propulsion systems for five new Royal Navy
Type 31 frigates.
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Giant Ore Carrier Stellar Banner Refloated Off Brazil -June 4, 2020 by Mike Schuler
Salvors in Brazil have refloated the stricken Stellar Banner
more than three months after the VLOC ran aground.
The refloating comes following the removal of approximately
145,000 metric tons of iron ore from the vessel’s holds. The
removal helped to right the ship by 12 degrees from its peak
list, exposing part of the deck that was previously
submerged.
The Stellar Banner has now been towed to deeper waters
about 60 miles from the coast of Maranhão where inspections
are expected to take place.
The Marshall Islands-registered MV Stellar Banner ran
aground approximately 100km from coast of São Luís on
February 24, 2020, as it departed Vale’s Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal with iron ore bound for
China. All 20 crew members were subsequently evacuated in good condition.
Very Large Ore Carrier
With capacity to transport up to 300,000 tonnes of iron ore, the Stellar Banner is categorized as a Very
Large Ore Carrier, the largest type of dry bulk ships in the world. The vessel is owned and operated by
South Korea’s Polaris shipping and is chartered to Brazilian mining giant Vale to transport iron ore from
Brazil to China.
Soon after the grounding, Vale reported that, based on reports from Polaris Shipping, the vessel had
suffered damage to its bow in the shipping channel as it departed the port and grounded to prevent it from
sinking. Experts later determined from preliminary reports that the impacted portion of the Stellar Banner
was of 25 meters in length near the starboard bow.
The salvage operation was led by the soon-to-be-defunct Dutch salvage firm Ardent Global with help
from SMIT Salvage and the Brazilian Navy. ` Source: - gCaptain
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Weymouth lifeboat launched to woman overboard. Following a request from Solent Coastguard. Weymouth RNLI all-weather lifeboat was launched
at 5.18 pm on Sunday 7th June 2020 to join in the search for a woman who had fallen overboard
from the Roll on Roll Off ferry Stena Horizon in the shipping lanes mid channel.
Just before the lifeboat arrived on scene 26 miles SSW of Portland Bill, news came in that the body of
the woman had been found.
A rescue boat from the Stena Horizon which had been launched to search for her, found her body and had
taken her onto the vessel, which then continued on its journey.
The lifeboat was released and returned to Weymouth at 7.38pm where it was refuelled and made ready
for the next shout.
Ken Francis, Volunteer press officer, Tel. 07843781712, [email protected]
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I am a seafarer, husband and a dad, boys-5 and 7 years old.
Before I leave every contract I set a countdown counter for my family when I will return home. Today is
day 0, my return date. However, I am currently sailing to Manila to bring our crew home which I feel
is a privilege and honour to do as a captain. There are seafarer sacrifices for the love of the sea, the
people, to provide…. We will all return to our land homes and hopefully to our homes at sea.
STAY STRONG & STAY SAFE
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Photo: Brazilian Navy
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Fatal Ship Elevator Accident Highlights Importance of Safety Management
Procedures - June 4, 2020 by Mike Schuler
The Australian Transportation Safety Bureau is highlighting
the importance of applying existing safety management
procedures after a containership’s crew member was killed
when he became trapped between an elevator cage and a
bulkhead.
The 3 June 2018 accident occurred when the electro-technical
officer (ETO) of the OOCL Kuala Lumpur, which was
preparing to enter Port Botany, Sydney, was testing the ship’s
personnel elevator after completing mechanical repairs.
While driving the elevator from the cage top, the ETO
became trapped between the moving cage and the bulkhead, sustaining fatal injuries.
The ATSB investigation found that the ETO was last seen alone, on top of the elevator cage, in the
prescribed safe zone with the elevator control in ‘MANUAL’. The exact circumstances as to how and
why the ETO then came to be trapped while the elevator moved between floors could not be determined,
the ATSB said.
However, for the accident to have occurred, the ETO had to have moved from the safe zone, the elevator
control had to have been changed from ‘MANUAL’ to ‘AUTO’ and the elevator called, according to the
ATSB.
The investigation also found that safety barriers prescribed in the electrical work permit were not put in
place before the elevator maintenance work commenced. This included that there had been no warning
announcement, and, consequently, all of the ship’s crew had not been warned against using the elevator.
There were also no warning signs posted at all elevator access doors.
This allowed an elevator call to be made while the work was underway, according to the ATSB.
“Elevator accidents continue to occur around the world and result in about one fatality per year,” said
ATSB Director Transport Safety Stuart Macleod.
“Many of these accidents involve the failure to apply existing safety management procedures and/or
identified safety barriers that have proven effective in reducing the risks associated with elevator
maintenance.”
The injured person was often working alone and riding the elevator cage, Macleod noted.
“For any task that is performed on multiple occasions without any adverse consequence, there is the
potential for an individual’s perception of risk, or expectancy of a problem, to decrease,” Macleod said.
“This makes it all the more important to always follow documented procedures and safe working
practices, even when the operation is considered safe.”
The accident also highlights that it is imperative that close and careful supervision is maintained for any
elevator testing and tasks, the ATSB said.
“Supervisory oversight provides an opportunity for experienced, senior technical staff to scrutinise and
assess the plans and intentions of those completing the task. This provides an external check and safety
barrier before, and during, the work,” said Macleod. Source - gCaptain
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Ship blaze that injured firefighters may burn for days Jacksonville community asked to pray for firefighters
Five of eight firefighters injured Thursday evening in an
explosion aboard a car-carrier ship docked at the
Jacksonville Port Authority’s Blount Island Marine
Terminal were out of the hospital Friday. A ninth firefighter
was treated and released for heat exhaustion, according to
Jacksonville Fire-Rescue The blast occurred nearly three
hours after firefighters responded to a fire on the seventh
deck of the ship Thursday afternoon. The ship, a 600-foot
Photo courtesy ATSB
Photo : MAREX
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Norwegian vessel called HOEGH
XIAMEN was carrying used cars and was scheduled to leave Jacksonville. Firefighters were no longer
trying to extinguish the fire, just let it burn itself out -- which could take days. Water is being poured on
the hull of the ship to protect the integrity of the ship. “The upper decks of the ship continue to burn,”
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Mark Vlaun said. “That top layer is basically on fire from stem to stern. If we can
do two things -- keep the ship cooled and intact and afloat -- we can minimize any threat to the
environment or any continued threat to the public.” The fire seemed to escalate Friday morning, but the
experts said that was expected and continued to improve through the afternoon. “The fire is moving up
through the ship,” Vlaun said. “As the fire continues to burn higher, it reached some tanks and there was a
small, controlled explosion, but it did not cause any additional damage to the ship.” Vlaun said
temperatures inside the ship have reached above 1,000 degrees, but the hull never rose above 350 degrees.
The Coast Guard credited JFRD’s largest fireboat with keeping the temperatures down enough to keep the
ship from sinking. John Eddy, a retired Coast Guard aviator, merchant ship captain and firefighter, said
one of the biggest fears is a hull crack. Firefighters will not go back inside because it’s too dangerous.
Curious about the technology the
Firedepartment is using... drones with
infrared cameras, measuring the
temperatures faced, directing the streams
to the hottest areas to maintain ship
integrity “You’re not going to let anyone
else inside, so the only thing they can do
is keep the hull cooled down and let it
burn itself out, and eventually it will,”
Eddy said. More than 20 members of the
ship’s crew when the fire broke out were
able to safely get off before the explosion occurred, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, and the blast
happened with “crews inside fighting (the) fire," Jacksonville Fire Chief Keith Powers said. Of the
firefighters hospitalized, four were treated for burns, one was taken into surgery for injuries Thursday
night and another firefighter was in intensive care, News4Jax learned. Four of them were taken to the
burn unit at Shands in Gainesville -- two by helicopter, two by ground transport. Powers added that four
or five of them have significant burn injuries and will be off the job for a long time. At least two will
require additional surgeries and skin graphs. “Burns take a lot time to heal," Powers said. “Please
everyone, keep them in your prayers. They’ll need a lot of that.” Once the fire is out, the Coast Guard will
try to determine how it started, starting with the vehicles onboard the carrier. “Then we will go through
the entire length to figure out was there something that worked or didn’t work properly?” Vlaun said.
“Obviously there were (things wrong) because their firefighting system should’ve contained this to some
percent.” Jacksonville Association of Firefighters President Randy Wyse, who said he spoke to the
injured firefighters after the explosion, said they have “a long recovery ahead of them.” “This is one of
the days we end up on a something like this and it’s one of the worst things probably in a career that
you’ll ever do,” Wyse said. “One of the most dangerous things we do is shipboard firefighting and we
train pretty heavily at it. You know, this is every day, this could happen.” Specialized teams from the
federal government and private industry will be coming in to help battle the fire and try to determine the
cause. Others are ensuring there is no fuel leak or other environmental contamination. The shipping
company thanked the fire department in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those firefighters
and their families who were injured during this response.” Investigators are trying to determine what
caused the fire. Blount Island terminal remains open during the fire, JaxPort announced in a statement.
“We are grateful for the quick response of our partner agencies and we are praying for the Jacksonville
Fire and Rescue Department firefighters who were injured while bravely fighting the fire, the healthcare
workers who are treating them and the first responders who continue to serve on the scene,” JaxPort
wrote. “A safety zone has been set up around the vessel and other cargo operations at Blount Island
continue uninterrupted. Anyone working at Blount Island is asked to use extreme caution due to reduced
visibility in the area.” Thor Jørgen Guttormsen, CEO of Höegh Autoliners, released a statement thanking
Photo : MAREX
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JFRD, the Coast Guard and JaxPort involving in tackling the fire. Unfortunately, a number of members of
the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department sustained injuries courageously tackling this blaze. My
thoughts and the thoughts of everyone here at Höegh Autoliners, are very much with them today as we
wish them a swift recovery," Guttormsen said. Jacksonville firefighters responded immediately and have
worked tirelessly to control the fire. They must receive our sincere gratitude for their professional
response and their sheer hard work. Source: news4jax
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Officer Shortage to Widen and Inflate Manning Costs The current officer shortfall to crew the global merchant fleet is forecast to widen, despite the dampening
effect of Covid19. This is due to the reduced attractiveness of a career at sea and rising man-berth ratios
which will inflate future manning costs, according to the latest Manning Annual Review and Forecast
report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Drewry estimates that there is currently a global
officer shortage equating to around 2% of overall demand, though presently this is masked by the
temporary idling of vessels due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, once the merchant fleet is fully
reactivated this shortfall will re-emerge and represent a tightening of supply conditions compared to 2019
when the market was estimated to be in broad balance. Looking ahead, despite moderating fleet growth,
demand for officers is expected to accelerate due to a revision in anticipated employment practices to
extend leave periods and reduce tours of duty, with the resultant impact on man-berth ratios. Meanwhile,
net supply of officers has been slowing in recent years and is not expected to keep pace with rising
demand, leading to a widening in the overall shortfall relative to merchant shipping’s requirements.
“Seafaring is no longer the attractive occupation it once was as competition from shore-based roles
intensifies and the lifestyle with its associated mental health challenges becomes less appealing,” said
Drewry’s senior manning analyst Rhett Harris. “The Covid-19 outbreak has dealt a further blow to the
occupation’s reputation with high profile news stories of stranded crews and enforced longer tours of
duty.” The widening officer shortage is expected to put upward pressure on seafarer remuneration just
when shipowners will be under pressure to trim costs in light of weak anticipated earnings. Drewry
estimates that overall manning costs have flatlined in 2020 but are set to pick up over the next few years
(see chart). “Further wage pressure will arise to maintain competiveness with shore-based work,
particularly following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak which highlighted the health and lifestyle
risks of a career at sea. As well as wage rates the overall work life balance dictated by tour lengths and
leave rations are expected to become key considerations for employees and employers,” added
Harris.Skills and experience for specialist roles remain in demand and are in even tighter supply than the
manning market as a whole. There is also likely to be increased demand for seafarers from traditional low
cost supply nationalities which will further add to inflationary manning cost pressures. “The past few
years have seen good industry retention rates and a generally settled employment market. However, ship
operators need to beware of officer availability trends and the deteriorating attractiveness of a career at
sea. Officers cannot be recruited and trained to gain the experience required in a short period of time,”
concluded Harris. Source: drewry.co.uk
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When I was in the pub, I heard a couple of plonkers saying that they wouldn't feel safe on an
aircraft if they knew the pilot was a woman.
What a pair of sexists.
I mean, it's not as if she'd have to reverse the bloody thing! _____________________________________________________________________________________
FACT A pair of robbers entered a record shop nervously waving revolvers.
The first one shouted, 'Nobody move!'
When his partner moved, the startled first bandit shot him.
This happened in Adelaide
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Containership Aids Offshore Rescue A 67-year-old man adrift for several weeks on board a disabled sailboat was rescued hundreds of miles
miles off the coast of Alaska with help from a 984-foot containership and the U.S. Coast Guard. At
approximately 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Coast Guard District 17 command center watchstanders received a
distress alert from the sailing vessel MISS LILLY, in which the man aboard reported his vessel to be
disabled and adrift roughly 500 nautical miles south-southwest of Dutch Harbor, and he was in need of
assistance. The distress alert was communicated from the man's 406Mhz Emergency Position Indicating
Radio Beacon (EPIRB) to a search and rescue satellite that relayed the message to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Due to the long distance to the position, command center personnel requested assistance from nearby
commercial vessels using the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system. The Coast
Guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast across a 100 nautical mile radius from the distress
position to request local assistance for the stranded man using an Enhanced Group Call (EGC) over a
satellite e-mail system known as Inmarsat C. District 17 command center personnel diverted the 378-foot
Coast Guard Cutter MELLON and launched an Air Station Kodiak C130J Hercules aircraft to assist with
the search and provide a communications platform during the search.The crew of U.S.-flagged
containership PRESIDENT EISENHOWER responded and diverted 30 nautical miles to assist the sailing
vessel MISS LILLY. The President Eisenhower arrived on-scene and established verbal communications
with the man who wanted to abandon his vessel and come on board due to his vessel no longer being safe
or seaworthy. The crew of the motor vessel PRESIDENT EISENHOWER launched one of their small
boats, retrieved the distressed sailor and brought him aboard.
On-scene weather was 10 miles visibility, calm winds, two-foot seas, overcast skies and an air
temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. "This individual is very lucky the motor vessel PRESIDENT
EISENHOWER was relatively close and answered our urgent broadcast to assist-their efforts are
commendable," said Adam DeRocher, the District 17 Senior Search and Rescue Controller. "The sailing
vessel MISS LILLY was so far away from our assets it would have taken much longer for us to arrive on
scene to assist."For this case, the Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon and Automated Mutual
Assistance Vessel Rescue components of the Global Maritime Distress Safety System quickly notified the
Coast Guard and helped connect the motor vessel PRESIDENT EISENHOWER to the sailing vessel
MISS LILLY, ultimately saving this man's life. All of the sailing vessel's sails were ripped, the engine
was inoperable and the electronics all failed except for his EPIRB, which he activated in distress. It is so
important to have multiple distress devices on board so you can let people know you need help and are in
distress." Source: Marlink
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This will no doubt put Coca Cola out of business in the near future...!
The Pfizer Corporation announced today that Viagra will soon be available in liquid form and this new
product will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer.
It will now be possible for a man to literally pour himself a stiff one.
Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives new meaning to the names of cocktails,
highballs and just a good old-fashioned stiff drink.
Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name of: MOUNT & DO.
Thought for the day...There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on
Alzheimer's research.
This means that by 2025, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs, huge erections and
absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.
And...if you don't send this to five senior friends right away there will be five fewer people laughing
today
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It’s good that some landlubbers recognise the plight of
seafarers and come their aid but the crew of the
EVOLUTION should have plenty of time to rig the accommodation ladder correctly, for their own safety!
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KNITTING
A Highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway..
Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting!
Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren, the trooper cranked down his window,
turned on his bullhorn and yelled, “PULL OVER!”
“NO!” ….. the blonde yelled back, “IT'S A SCARF!”
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BLONDE ON TIME
A girl was visiting her blonde friend, who had acquired two new dogs, and asked
her what their names were.
The blonde responded by saying that one was named “Rolex” and one was named “Timex”.
Her friend said, “Whoever heard of someone naming dogs like that?”
“Helllooooo...! ,” answered the blonde. “They're watchdogs...”
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Mick and Paddy are reading head stones at a nearby cemetery.
Mick says "Crikey! There's a bloke here who was 152!"
Paddy says "What's his name?"
Mick replies "Miles, from London!" _____________________________________________________________________________________
There are 21 Filipinos trapped on
the EVOLUTION in the
Charleston Harbor. And it was my
duty to get them some of
Charleston’s best pizza.
D'Allesandro's Pizza
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
‘BRODOSPLIT 483’ TO BE RENAMED
AND OPERATED BY A NEW UK CRUISE
COMPANY
We are delighted to announce that the World’s
largest Square-rigged Sailing Vessel, built as
Brodosplit 483, will be renamed, rebranded, and
operated by the British cruise company
Tradewind Voyages UK Ltd. The ownership of
Brodosplit 483 remains with the wholly owned
subsidiary of the DIV Group.
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More Package Instructions
On Sainsbury’s Peanuts …………………………………………. Warning: Contains nuts
On an airline packet of nuts …………………………………….. Warning: May contain nuts
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"Would you like a new mink coat?" he asks. "Not really," says Mary.
"Well how about a new Mercedes sports car?" says John.
"No," she responds.
"Would some beautiful new jewellery do the trick?" he asks, becoming slightly exasperated.
"Nah..." she shrugs.
"What about a new vacation home in the country?" he persists.
She again rejects his offer with a "No thanks."
"Well what WOULD you like?" John asks.
"I want a divorce." answers Mary.
Sorry," John sighed. "I wasn't planning on spending that much."
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Forget global warming and
COVID-19, if you really need further
proof that the human race is doomed,
here are some actual label instructions
on a few consumer goods: -
On packaging for a Rowenta Iron
Do not iron clothes on body
On Boot’s Children’s Cough
Medicine
Do not drive a car or operate
machinery once taken
On Nytol sleep aid
Warning: May cause drowsiness
On a Korean made kitchen knife
Warning: Keep out of children.
On a string of Chinese made
Christmas lights
For indoor or outdoor use only
On a Japanese Food Processor
Not to be used for the other use
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Just Giving & The Merchant Navy Association We are pleased to say we are now able to offer our supporters
the facility to make donations via our
Just Giving page.
This is a secure means of making payments and enables us to
claim Gift Aid from the Treasury.
Go to www.justgiving.com Click on ‘Search' at the top right-
hand side and type in Merchant Navy Association.
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That’s all from me now folks.
Stay Safe Shipmates
Good Health, Fair Winds and Calm Seas. Take Care.
Yours Aye,
Malcolm
Malcolm Mathison
National Vice-Chairman
Merchant Navy Association
Tel: 01472 277 266 Mob: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected]
www.mna.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1135661
