News

Beached at Aliaga 05.02.25

On Feb 3, 2025, the 'Chrysalis', which had been targeted by the Houthis on July 12, 2024, made its first transit through the Suez Canal. The tanker had been attacked while it was entering the Red Sea. Later as it transited the Bab el-Mandeb, they launched drones for a second attack on the ship. The Houthis announced they would honor the Gaza cease-fire reached in January and suspended their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. While many of the major shipping lines have taken a wait-and-see attitude stressing their focus on security the Suez Canal Authority is anxious to restore traffic. The 'Chrysalis' was ballasting from Seka to the Sidi Kerir oil terminal in Alexandria, eight months after the Houthis had claimed to have heavily damaged the vessel due to its association with Israel. The tanker s registered in Liberia and reported to be owned by Turkish interests. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/tanker-targeted-by-houthis-returns-to-suez-as-canal-seeks-more-traffic

Ocean Residences, based in Malta, will have their residence ship called NJORD constructed by Meyer. The ship is to be 290 meters long and equipped with 118 apartments. An oceanographic and atmospheric laboratory with high-quality technical equipment is also to be set up on board the M / Y NJORD. These include drones and a telescope. Scientists and experts are supposed to collect data on environmental, marine and air conditions and create new maps of the ocean floor while traveling around the globe. All collected data should be made available to the general public. Ocean Residences originally planned to have this ship built by Brodosplit and the Norwegian Kleven shipyard Images: https://www.cruisedeck.de/meyer-werft-sichert-sich-neubau-auftrag-von-ocean-residences/

The Israel-Palestine conflict has crept into the maritime sector. The two Israeli ports Ashdod and Ashkelon had to be closed after rocket attacks on port infrastructure as well as other port complexes in the region. Vital Israeli port infrastructures in the Ashdod and Ashkelon area were hit in spite of the air defense system iron dome. The port of Ashdod siffered widespread damage. The cargo ships 'Mona' (IMO: 9101534) and 'Ahmet Onel' (IMO: 8420361), were nearly hit by rockets. In a separate incident, the military wing of Hamas - the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigade - has declared that they have bombed an Israeli Gas Platform off Gaza, which has been continuing to burn ever since.

Beached at CHittagong 05.02.25

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) unveiled the design for the new Francis Scott Key Bridge almost a year after it was hit by the 'Dali', causing it to collapse. "Today, we take an important step toward recovering from the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that has affected not just Maryland's economy, but the nation's economy. While we mark the unveiling of the new bridge design, we continue to honor the six Marylanders who lost their lives while serving our state and their families who carry their legacy forward. Together, we will show the world what it means to be Maryland Tough and Baltimore Strong," said Governor Moore. The proposed bridge design honors the architectural tradition of the original Key Bridge. The new bridge will also be constructed in accordance with the most advanced industry standards and the very best in infrastructure design, usng the best materials available and employ many Marylanders to build it. The cable stay design of the new bridge will allow the federal shipping channel to expand from 700 ft. to 1,000 ft. wide. The base of the bridge will also be raised to 230 ft., which is a 45-foot increase to accommodate ship traffic. The roadway will still be two lanes wide going in each direction. Other pier support structures will be implemented to secure the structure. In spring 2025, demolition will begin to remove the remaining pillars of the old Francis Scott Key Bridge. Immediately after that, construction will begin. In Nov 2024, the former president included money for the Key Bridge in a $100 billion disaster fund request sent to Congress. By Dec, Maryland lawmakers announced that federal funding would cover the full cost of rebuilding the bridge as quickly as possible. The provision also ensures that the federal taxpayers will be reimbursed through proceeds from insurance payments and litigation taken on by the Department of Justice, the Maryland Attorney General and others. In August 2024, the MDTA approved a $73 million contract with Kiewit Infrastructure Company for the design and construction of a new bridge. Pre-construction began in Jan 2025, and the rebuild is expected to be completed by fall 2028. Kiewit Infrastructure estimated that the project will cost about $2 billion. The pre-construction activities include inspecting about 1,100 homes and businesses in nearby communities, scanning the riverbed, collecting soil samples and surveying. In January, the MDTA also approved a $75 million contract with the Bridging Maryland Partnership for General Engineering Consultant services. The partnership will perform planning, engineering, construction, management and program support for the rebuild project. Report with photo and video: https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-key-bridge-collapse-design-new-construction/

Gypsies from the poorest country in the EU - Bulgaria, have attempted to board unnamed motor vessel at Port of Burgas outer anchorage, Maritime.bg reported. The information has been confirmed by the authorities in the country. The regional governor of Burgas has appointed an urgent investigation into the so-called first piracy act in the Bulgaria's European waters. According to Maritime.bg, the attackers were not caught after their approach to the ship was detected by local services. An unknown number of gypsies are said to have sailed in a speedboat and had a ladder to board the unnamed motor vessel, under cover of the night ten days ago. A few years ago, the Libyan GNMT accused Bulgaria of supporting a "purely pirate act" when, under unknown and highly dubious circumstances, the company lost control of motor tanker BADR. The case unfolded again near Burgas. Report in Bulgarian: https://www.maritime.bg/75948-2/

On May 6, 2021, at 10 a.m. a trawler newbuilding caught fire in Thyborøn. The 'L 120-Linette' was ablaze at the shipyard quay. The fire brigade, police and the lifeboat 'Martha Lerche' of the DSRS were on site. Bundles of flames shot out of the ship, and there was heavy smoke development. The fire had started in the cargo hold when insulation material went alight. Not until May 7 at 2 a.m. the emergency services managed to extinguish the flames on the vessel. The temperatures inside the ship were extremely high. The construction of the trawler began in 2020. Alfred Fisker Hansen and Tommy Svart had ordered the trawler in Vestværft design. The hull was built in Poland and then towed to Thyborøn where it was completed at the Thyborøn Skibs & Motor. The completion in June should now be obsolete. The predecessor ship of the same name is to go to Sweden. The new building is 28.6 meters long and 8.7 meters wide with a planned crew of eight with one trainee. Report with photo and video: https://www.tvmidtvest.dk/lemvig/skib-i-flammer-paa-havnen-i-thyboroen-politiet-opfordrer-til-at-lukke-vinduer-og-doere

Surging water from the Mississippi River led to a barge strike on a gate at Algiers Lock in New Orleans, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), on July 4, 2023. The 'Kitty' was pushing two loaded tank barges into the Algiers Lock during low water conditions.The tow surged within the lock chamber and the lead barge struck one of the lock gates. The contact did not result in any injuries or pollution. The damage to the lock gate was estimated at $2 million. The NTSB found the surge was likely due to wake effects from deep draft ships transiting the Mississippi River adjacent to the Algiers Lock forebay during extremely low water conditions, which moved water in and out of the forebay and lock chamber, causing the vessels in those areas to surge. The ​NTSB noted that before the contact, three loaded ships had transited near the lock within about 10 minutes’ time. NTSB investigators determined the size and the speed of the three ships transiting near the lock within a short time span likely would have produced wakes that affected the forebay and lock chamber. The 'Kitty''s crew members described a three-to-six foot change in water level in the lock chamber while transiting. The NTSB studied the water-level variations in the Algiers Lock based on footage from the Kitty and found the minimum change in lock water level during the casualty to be 3.4'. The NTSB report highlighted how water displacement from deep-draft vessel wakes can intensify when funneled into narrow or confined spaces, such as shallow waterways and lock chambers. This phenomenon can create significant operational challenges, particularly in low water conditions.

The 'Queen of Capilano' allided with three moored yachts at the Bowen Island Marina dock in Snug Cove on the morning of Feb 2, 2025, after the 7:30 a.m. departure from from Bowen Island. The ferry slammed into the dock, causing significant damage to the structure. With safety as the top priority, the captain made the decision to continue into open water rather than risk further complications in a confined space. The vessel needed to assess the cause of the issue and doing so in open water helped prevent any further incident, and it completed its run to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, along with several more morning runs. But beginning with the cancellation of the 10:15 a.m .sailing from Horseshoe Bay, the vessel remained sidelined until 6:50 p.m. In total 14 sailings between Bowen and the mainland, spanning more than eight hours, were cancelled during the day due to the mechanical difficulty with the propulsion system. The 'Queen of Capilano' conducted sea trials as required by Transport Canada prior to resuming sailings in the evening. Passenger-only water taxis made runs between Bowen and Horseshoe Bay while the ferry was out of service. An investigation has been launched into the accident. Reports with photos and video: https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/bc-ferries-vessel-collides-with-moored-boats-at-bowen-dock-10174745 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-ferries-bowen-island-hits-boats-1.7450625

On June 8, 2021, the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC RESOLUTION (IMO 9880685) was docked out at the Norwegian Ulstein shipyard. Full article + photo gallery: https://www.cruisedeck.de/national-geographic-resolution-ausgedockt/

on 01.05.21 J.Müller celebrate the 200th anniversary of the company German report: https://jmueller.jp-labs.de/jubilaeum/