After two months, the fire aboard the 'Wan Hai 503' has been finally extinguished as of Aug 6. This came after several weeks, when the fire - according to the shipping company - has been under control, but where there have still been flames and smoke from the ship. The current status was that the firefighting authorities were monitoring the temperature on board to ensure that the fire did not flare up again. In addition, there was still some firefighting water on board that will be handled so that the ship does not risk capsizing. The shipping company has not yet announced the cause of the fire.The four missing crew members have not been found. The Wai Hai Lines had contracted the salvage company T&T Salvage to coordinate the efforts to extinguish the fire on board.
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FLYING DOLPHIN XIX
On the afternoon of Agu 5, the Port Authority of Argosaronic Gulf was informed by the Captain of the 'Flying Dolphin XIX', that an obstruction had got suck in the vessel's fins, during its scheduled route from the port of Aegina to Piraeus. The ship sailed to the port of Piraeus at a reduced speed, where it safely disembarked its 117 passengers. The 1st Port Guard of Argosaronic Gulf of the Central Port Authority of Piraeus banned the hydrofoil from sailing until the damage was repaired and a certificate of class maintenance was presented by the classification society monitoring the ship.
MSC ELSA 3
The Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the charterer of the 'MSC Elsa 3', along with the vessel’s owners, has filed an admiralty suit in India seeking to limit their liability. The companies were citing the large number of claims already filed and the open-ended possibilities, saying that if the liability was not capped, it has the potential to disrupt insurance and freight operations and drive up the price of goods. There have already seven lawsuits been filed with the Kerala High Court, the largest being a claim for more than $1 billion from the government. Private cases were also filed on behalf of shippers who had cargo aboard the ship, as well as the fishing community and others. MSC in the filing sajd that it could be open to many claims, noting there were 643 containers aboard the vessel when it went down on May 25. The lawsuit was seeking to limit the amount of potential claims to a value calculated based on the tonnage of the vessel. It would be approximately $14.2 million, subject to current conversion rates, when the compensation fund is established. The lawsuit has been filed under India’s Maritime Shipping Act of 1958, which allows shipowners to cap liabilities, and the 2015 Merchant Shipping Rules, which reiterated the right to limit liability caused by the sinking of a ship. The suit further highlights that India is a signatory to the International Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims. The suit was including an eight-slot beyond the current cases, which would be used as a catch-all for any future claims. They are also seeking a permanent injunction from other defendants initiating other cases against the MSC Elsa 3. The filing was coming in response to the massive claim filed by the government, which was seeking damages plus the cost of the remediation. India’s Directorate General of Shipping has overseen the recovery of containers that washed ashore, debris from the wreck, and the containment of oil leaking from the ship. The suits were proceeding even as the recovery effort was continued. A salvage team was in the area and prepared to begin saturation diving to the vessel as part of an effort to siphon oil from the tanks. However, the swell and seas have been too high for the effort to begin. Sri Lanka, which is hundreds of miles away from the wreck site, has also filed suit seeking compensation. It reports that debris from the ship was washing up on its beaches. The Kerala High Court has scheduled the next hearing for the case on Aug 21. The court continued to detain the the 'MSC Akiteta II' at the Vizhinjam port in effect as collateral against the claims. It had previously also briefly detained two other MSC ships in response to individual claims from shippers. MSC responded to the case denying the extent of the damage claimed by the government and rejecting posting a bond, which would have released the 'MSC Akiteta II'.
FUNNY GIRL
In the port of Büsum, about 500 liters of marine diesel spilled into the water while refueling the "Funny Girl" on the morning of Aug 6. Emergency personnel from the volunteer fire departments in Büsum and Hennstedt deployed oil booms and began removing the oil film. A total of more than 35 firefighters were involved in the operation, which continued into the early evening. Crews were rotated once. The neighbouring Warwerort fire department also helped with a drone. The scheduled departure to Heligoland island had to be cancelled. The port was closed. Those who were originally planning to travel from Heligoland back to Büsum were taken to Cuxhaven on the ferry "Helgoland" and then transported by coach. Services from Büsum were scheduled to resume on Aug 7.
LOCHNEVIS
The 'Coruisk' (IMO: 9274836), serving on the route Mallaig-Lochboisdale, suffered a technical issue with the aft engine on Aug 7, which required the use of the berth at Mallaig. As a consequence, the scheduled 09:15 a.m. arrival at Mallaig and the 10:05 a.m. departure from Mallaig and the 10:15 a.m. sailing from Armadale, operated by the ferry 'Lochnevis' were cancelled.