The delivery of the long-delayed 'Glen Sannox' for the route between the Isle of Arran and the Scottish mainland has been pushed back again. A new official date of Sep 30 has been set for the handover of the Glen Sannox, despite last month saying it hoped to deliver the vessel in the week beginning Aug 19. The vessel, under construction at Greenock’s Ferguson Marine shipyard, is beset with more build issues, as engineers wrestled with problems around installing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel system, something it has been dealing with since last year. Ferguson Marine's interim chief executive John Petticrew wrote to the Scottish Parliament's Transport Committee on Aug 2 to provide one of his regular updates: "We have, regrettably, identified an additional number of areas which require to be completed on the vessel before we can proceed to acceptance trials. The majority of these works will have to take place in relatively small engine spaces, which are already delayed by the prolonged installation of the LNG system, due to the complexity of installation and need to examine the integrity of the pipework." This would lead to increased workforce congestion on parts of the vessel, meaning a re-evaluation of health and safety standards is needed. Current cost estimates for Glen Sannox are between £145.5 million and £149.1 million and it is hoped the cost for Glen Rosa will be kept below £150 million.
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OVERSEAS SANTORINI
Gibraltar reiterated that it did not provide service to the 'Overseas Santorini' despite anchoring on the East side. The 'Overseas Santorini', after crossing the Strait at midday on July 30 and continuing on its planned route, manoeuvred and turned to position itself with its bow towards the Bay of Algeciras at around 2:30 p.m. The ship was anchored and was being assisted by other Gibraltar-flagged ships, such as the patrol boat 'Mons Calpe' and the 'Sir Joshua Hassan'. The Government of Gibraltar has clarified hat the ship flies the flag of the United States and is crewed by American citizens. It affirmed that it was not subject to sanctions from the United Kingdom, the European Union or the United Nations. The Gibraltar Government has been in close contact with the UK authorities in relation to this matter and has a clear view of the wider interests of British foreign policy in dealing with the closest allies. It acknowledged that there has been no contact with the Spanish Government, but Gibraltar understands that the ship was not turned away from the Port of Algeciras, where it has apparently been calling for years, but that it withdrew its request to berth in the port. The ship did not enter the Port of Gibraltar and was not provided with any service by the Government or the Port. The ship underwent a crew change and refuelled. The 'Overseas Santorini' left Gibraltar waters in the early hours of July 31, and at 05.50 a.m. was already off Malaga, heading for Israel. The ship, which was initially scheduled to stop at the Port of Algeciras, cancelled the call on July 26 and headed for Gibraltar. However, the Government of the Rock clarified on July 27 that the 'Overseas Santorini' had not requested a stopover at the Gibraltar port or any service.
VENTURA
The 'Ventura', en route from Lisbon to Southampton, requested the medical evacuation of a 74-year-old British passenger, 54 nautical miles west of A Coruña. The CCS Fisterra of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR helicopter Helimer 401, which hoisted the patient and transported him to the Alvedro airport, where an ambulance was waiting for further transfer to hospital for medical care on a higher level.
SHTANDART
During the weekend of July 27/28 the 'Shtandart' landed in the waters near the island of Arousa after the Port of Vigo denied the permission to dock. Later, after being expelled from Spanish waters by the Civil Guard, it obtained authorization to enter the Cee dock (La Coruña) for a few hours and then set off for the high seas. On July 31 the ship was sailing north, near Cedeira. Now, the Galician Association for Aid to Ukraine (AGA-Ukraine) has launched a warning message about this ship, which it considers a danger. «Its voyages in European Union waters have allowed it to have access to maritime traffic data on important world routes, such as the Strait of Gibraltar and others. The conduct of Vladimir Martus (the ship's captain) must be pursued for the security of Europe and the protection of the Ukrainian refugees we have welcomed,» denounced the entity, which was created in February 2022, thanks to the will and initiative of Ukrainian migrants residing in Galicia, together with their families and friends, after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Thegroup directly accused the captain of being "an unscrupulous Russian propagandist who uses his crew, part of which pays him for his trips. he Shtandart does not belong to any maritime training organization. It is owned by the ghost company Shtandart Project, based in St. Petersburg, controlled by more than 60 % by Vladimir Martus. The rest of the shares are in the hands of people close to Martus," according to the AGA Ukraine. The entity also claimed that the 'Shtandart' "has been violating the most basic navigation rules, disconnects the system "to avoid being located, which causes a danger to the rest of the ships. Martus recklessly set out to sea, taking its crew into a risky situation that has finally forced it to dock in the port of Cee due to the emergency generated by the captain's negligence."
GABRIELLA
The Health Board has advised passengers who traveled on the 'Gabriella' from Tallinn to Helsinki on July 26, 2024, to keep an eye on their health after one person aboard the ferry was diagnosed with measles. Due to the very contagious nature of the disease, all passengers must be careful. It can be particularly dangerous to people without immunity, such as those who have not been vaccinated. The infectious disease epidemiology department of the Health Board was clarifying the circumstances of the case. The agency was communicating with its Finnish counterpart to obtain additional information. The ship left Tallinn at 2 p.m., and people on this trip should first check whether they have been vaccinated against measles or have previously contracted the disease. Then people can be more confident that they are protected against measles. Those without immunity should monitor their health in the coming weeks. The interior of the ship is usually well ventilated, but still crowded, and the virus spreads in the air.