The 'Overseas Santorini' has cancelled the stopover it had requested at the Port of Algeciras. The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) had indicated that, in view of the protests called against the ship's docking, it was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that must deny, if applicable, the entry of the ship into Spanish jurisdictional waters and, if so, the Maritime Administration would act accordingly. In the absence of an indication of denial by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the port authority must assign the requested anchoring point to the ship. The cancellation of the stopover by the ship has eased the tensions generated by the announced protests. The ship, which had requested entry into the port of Algeciras, has been the subject of controversy due to the cargo it was carrying, which is presumably fuel for military aircraft. Environmental groups and various NGOs have been denouncing that the 'Overseas Santorini' left the United States bound for Israel with a load of 300,000 barrels of military fuel for Israeli air force aircraft. The protests organised to prevent its docking were in response to concerns raised by various local groups.
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GOVT VESSEL 67
The commanding officer of the USS 'Cole', Cmdr. Tim Clark, was transferred to the aircraft carrier USS 'Theodor Rossevelt'' for undisclosed medical reasons, the Navy said in a statement on July 23, 2024. Capt. Ryan Leary, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 23, temporarily assumed command of the 'Cole'. The Navy did not indicate the seriousness of Clark’s medical condition. The Navy couldn’t say on July 24 if Clark was still aboard the 'Theodor Roosevelt' or receiving medical treatment. The 'Cole' was on a scheduled deployment to the 5th Fleet area of operations, which includes the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman Since at least November, the Navy has kept a nearly continuous presence in the Red Sea as part of the Operation Prosperity Guardian mission to protect ships in the waterway against Houthi militant attacks. In June, the 'Dwight D. Eisenhower' Carrier Strike Group left the area after nearly seven months. It returned to Norfolk on July 14 after a historic nine-month deployment. The 'Theodore Roosevelt' Carrier Strike Group entered the 5th Fleet area of responsibility on July 12. On Monday, the group was in the Gulf of Aden.
MAERSK TENNESSEE
After seeking to challenge a finding by the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the U.S. division, Maersk Line, Ltd. has agreed to change its safety reporting policies and compensate a terminated seafarer for lost wages and damages. The settlement with the U.S. Labor Department stems from a 2020 incident where the Maersk division terminated the chief mate on one of its vessels for reporting safety concerns directly to the U.S. Coast Guard. During a three-day hearing in June 2024, the Maersk Line Ltd. challenged the findings of OSHA which in 2023 ruled the company had illegally suspended and terminated the unnamed officer who was working aboard the 'Safmarine Mafadi' (now the 'Maersk Tennessee'). The seafarer was a merchant mariner and not in the U.S. military. According to the court documents, the chief mate said he disagreed with the captain of the ship. The chief mate then filed a report with the U.S. Coast Guard alleging safety concerns aboard the vessel, including concerns that lifeboat equipment was in need of repair and replacement, crew members were possibly in possession of or consuming alcohol, improper supervision of cadet seamen, and a bilge system not preventing cargo holds from flooding. The complaint prompted a USCG inspection that found violations. After the USCG departed the vessel, the chief mate was immediately suspended and three months later terminated. MLL cited policies that required the mate to have first reported concerns to the Ship Superintendent, Fleet Group, and the Marine Standards team and not doing so was “in violation of written company policy.” OSHA ruled that the Maersk Line, Ltd.'s policy and its decision to fire the chief mate violated the U.S. Seaman's Protection Act which ensures the right to contact USCG regardless of company policy. OSHA ordered the company to reinstate the officer who had a strong track record and positive job performance before the incident. They ordered he be paid more than $450,000 in back wages with interest and $250,000 in punitive damages, but MLL filed an appeal. After the hearing, MLL agreed to a settlement that calls for the company to change its safety reporting policies to remove any requirement that workers first notify the company of concerns. Further, the company agrees to refrain from retaliation and provide training to supervisors on the revised policy. As part of the settlement, the former chief mate accepts the payment as sufficient consideration. The court orders the company to expunge information about the termination from the employment file and directs that a neutral employment reference be provided if requested. There is no mention of the previously directed rehiring and Maersk Line, Ltd. did not admit to violations of the Seaman’s Protection Act. MLL had previously argued that the ISM Code requires crew members to report issues up the chain of command. It further asserted that the mate had made the report in bad faith while noting that the Coast Guard had cleared the ship to sail after the inspection.
SLAVYANIN
The Ukrainian Navy, along with other units of defence forces, have severely damaged the 'Slavyani' in the port of Kavkaz on July 23, 2024. The Russians had utilised this ferry to move railway carriages, trucks and containers for military objectives. The 'Slavyanin' was the Russian Federation's third and last railway ferry in this region. This operation significantly blows Russian logistics, potentially disrupting their supply lines and military transport capabilities. Report with photo: https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/07/23/ukrainian-military-severely-damage-russian-ferry-slavyanin-in-kavkaz-port/
MERSIN 15
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