A body was discovered off the coast of Ambleteuse in the English Channel on the morning of Sep 17, who could be a migrant. The crew of a fishing vessek spotted the body. The 'Abeille Normandie' then intervened to recover the body and bring him ashore. It was probably the body of an migrant, according to the maritime prefecture. He in a state of decomposition, making it impossible to determine whether it was a person reported missing during the sinking of a boat that left eight dead on the night of Sep 14 off the coast of Ambleteuse. However, the maritime prefecture did not rule out that the body was that of a migrant who disappeared during a shipwreck of Sep 3 off the coast of Wimereux that left 12 dead.
News
FOURMENTIN
On the early morning of Sep 16, the CROSS Griz-Nez was informed via the emergency medical aid service (SAMU) 62 of the presence of a migrant boat in the Berck-sur-mer sector. The CROSS deployed the 'Jacques Oudart Fourmentin' to locate and monitor the boat. After several hours of navigation, some people on the boat requested assistance from the patrol vessel, which then rescued 20 people, The other migrants were wishing to continue. Given the risks of falling overboard or injury incurred by the people in the event of forced intervention, the decision was made to let them continue their journey. The others were dropped off at the quay of the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Brunswick GA
The American port of Brunswick has reopened on a “case by case” basis after Sunday’s capsizing of a car carrier in a nearby channel. The Golden Ray overturned with 24 crew members inside sparking a dramatic, successful rescue mission over the weekend. Authorities are still assessing how to remove the vessel, which is stuck on St Simons Sound. A half-mile perimeter has been established around the Golden Ray, which sits half in the water with its starboard side pointing skyward. An oil boom has been placed around the ship. Salvage teams are likely to start taking the bunker fuel from the ship this weekend.
Houston
The US Coast Guard informed that it reopened the Houston Ship Channel, on September 13, after a protest demonstration near Baytown, Texas. Namely, on September 12, 22 Greenpeace US climbers created a blockade from the Fred Hartman Bridge in Baytown. The closure on the ship channel started on September 12, after Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received notification that about 11 individuals were suspended from the Fred Hartman Bridge. A US Coast Guard Station Houston 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew, a US Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew and the crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark were launched to the scene.
CATALINA COMMANDER
On Sep 11, 2024, a fire broke out aboard the 'Catelina Commander' off the coast of Nova Scotia. It was towed to theLower East Pubnico wharf, while smoke billowed from the fishing vessel. The crew was rescued, but the fire flared up again after vessel was towed to the port. The Woods Harbour Shag Harbour Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire, which was still raging on Sep 12.
Limassol
Cyprus continues to address every facet of its maritime offering to lure more shipowners to the island. The country’s deputy minister for shipping Natasa Pilides has revealed plans to abolish initial ship registration fees to boost one of Europe’s fastest growing flags. Members of parliament will vote on the issue later this month with a view to making the regulation official in time for Cyprus’s shipping week, which kicks off on October 6. The Cypriot register today is the 11th largest in the world with 24.4m gt on its books.
Napier
Napier Port, the third largest port on New Zealand’s North Island, has placed an order with Damen Shipyards Group for an Azimuth Tractor Drive (ATD) Tug 2412 Twin Fin for delivery later this year. The contract was signed by Sjoerd de Bruin, sales manager Pacific for Damen and Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson at Napier Port main office. Napier Port is currently developing a sixth wharf which, at 350 metres long, will be capable of handling the larger vessels that are expected to access the port in the near future. As a key transport hub for the Hawke’s Bay region of the North Island, the port already hosts a wide range of vessels including container ships, cruise ships, cargo and timber carriers. The ATD Tug 2412 Kaweka will join two existing Voith-type tugs at the port; the Te Mata and Ahuriri. Tractor tugs work best at Napier Port due to their ability to operate effectively in a swell, to tow indirectly, and their manoeuvrability, the last particularly important due to the tight berthing arrangements in the harbour. Just 24-metres in length but with 72 tonnes of bollard pull, the ATD Tug 2412 delivers just the combination of power but compactness that the Napier Port management team is seeking.
PELICAN OF LONDON
On Sep 12, 2024, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its report into the drowning death of a cook on board the 'Pelican of London' on Oct 2, 2023, in the port of Sharpness (Gloucestershire), which could possibly have been prevented. The cook fell between two stools after a night out when he boarded the ship via the gangway upon his return. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigated and made recommendations in a safety bulletin. The sailing training vessel was moored at the quayside in Sharpness for maintenance. Mark Glover (64) was a volunteer cook. He had been ashore that evening and had probably been drinking. Upon his return, Glover, an experienced seaman, tried to board the ship via the gangway. However, he lost his balance when he tried to take the last step of the gangway onto the ship. He was not reported missing until the next morning. On the afternoon of Oct 3, police divers found his body in the water at the quay. The MAIB noted that there were no specific rules on board the ship regarding the use of alcohol and drugs. The crew members had no guidelines on how much alcohol was still acceptable and when it was no longer responsible to come on board in an apparent state. The gangway was a second risk factor. The mandatory safety rope as a hand guide was not adequate: the rope was too slack. Furthermore, the net to catch someone who unexpectedly fell was not properly installed. It served more as a slide than as a safety net For good safety, the handrail must be at least one metre high. The safety net under the gangway must be carefully installed under the entire span between the quay and the ship. Full report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66dee82b0f4ba0621b08665c/2024-10-PelicanOfLondon-Report.pdf
SS GRAYWOLF
On the evening of Sep 17, 2024, the 'SS Graywolf', carrying a cargo of copper, was in danger of sinking off the coast of Sinop. The ship began taking in water 39 miles off İnceburun. The Coast Guard Black Sea Regional Command responded to the distress call. The ship was listing approximately 20 degrees to port side, but could be stabilized by the Coast Guard and shifted to the city’s natural harbour under the supervision of a rescue boat and a helicopter. It was anchored one mile offshore. A detailed examination was to be conducted by divers. Report with photo: https://www.haberaktuel.com/sinop-aciklarinda-ss-graywolf-isimli-gemi-sahil-guvenlik-tarafindan-kurtarildi-sinop-aciklarinda-ss-graywolf-isimli-gemi-sahil-guvenlik-tarafindan-kurtarildi-2938996 https://www.kastamonugundemgazetesi.com/kuru-yuk-gemisi-kurtarildi/67637/ https://www.aynahaber.net/sinopta-batma-tehlikesi-geciren-geminin-limana-demirlemesi.h35548
Belfast
The port in Northern Ireland has committed GB£254m of investment to deliver new marine and estate infrastructure. Belfast Harbour’s investment is part of a 2019-2023 Strategic Plan to boost Northern Ireland’s economy. The plan focuses on increased collaboration and partnerships with key city stakeholders to drive growth and regeneration in Belfast’s waterfront area and has been unveiled alongside an outlook through to 2035. Belfast Harbour’s chairman, David Dobbin, said: “Over the next five years Belfast Harbour intends to invest £254 million in new Port and estate infrastructure and facilities. This major investment programme is really only possible because of our Trust Port status which allows us to reinvest every penny of our net earnings back into the business.” Belfast Harbour will upgrade its cranes and material handling equipment, install new ramps to accommodate larger vessels and build new storage facilities. Work will also begin on digital ‘Smart Port’ initiatives to provide greater automation and a new unified system to coordinate cargo and shipping communications.
Den Helder
On the 9th of September 2019 the work for the contract “Dredging Het Nieuwe Diep”, commissioned by the Port of Den Helder, has started. Dutch Dredging is expected to carry out the remediation of 200,000 m3 of partially contaminated spoil until mid-December. The survey vessel “Hydrograaf” started the pre-dredge survey on the 9th of September, a so-called “baseline measurement” of the work. The work will then be carried out in 3 phases. In Phase 1, a bed leveller equipped with a so called dirt-plough will be employed. This is due to the fact that the top layer of silt contains a considerable amount of soil-foreign material. The specifically developed dirt-plough consists of long thin spikes that sink through the layer of silt and rake the dirt from the soil. The dirt will be ploughed to free locations where it can be dredged by means of a grab dredger and will be discharged into skips on the quay for removal and disposal. In the Phase 2, a bed leveller, trailing suction hopper dredger and a grab dredger will subsequently commence with the dredging works to the north and south of the Moorman bridge. They will restore the required depth. During Phase 3 the contaminated sediment will be removed. This phase is carried out by a grab dredger and several hopperbarges. The dredged material will be loaded in to the barges, which will transport the sediment to a depository for polluted sediment.