The 'Mana', carrying 50,071 tonnes of soybeans from Santarem Port, has been stranded at Chattogram port since June 8, 2024, due to a dispute over the quality of the imported soybeans. The vessel has already unloaded 30,000 tonnes of soybeans imported by Shabnam Vegetable Oil Industries and Super Oil Refinery Ltd, both owned by TK Group. Due to water entering the ship and compromising the quality of the goods, the importer, Delta Agro Food Industries, and the associated declaring agent halted the unloading of the remaining 20,070 tonnes of soybean. As a result, the bulk carrier has been stranded at Chattogram port for the past three months. According to the ship's owner, Active Maritime Ltd, and its P&I (Protection and Indemnity) company, the vessel has been counting at least $15,000 daily in charter fees due to the importer and declaring agent's non-cooperation. On Sep 6, the ship's owner and captain sought intervention from Chattogram port authorities and Customs to resolve the issue. Representatives have already met with the port chairman and the Customs commissioner to discuss the issue on Sep 10. Captain Andonov, in a letter to the Chittagong Port Authority chairman and the Customs commissioner, stated, "The receivers have a legal duty to take delivery of cargo and submit any claim they may have after taking delivery of all cargo but instead of performing their obligation they are making unlawful demands and pressurising the owners to pay huge amount of money before they take delivery of cargo. This is clearly an act of extortion, and it tarnishes the image of Bangladesh and Chittagong Port for a vessel to remain in port for nearly three months as a result of the action of receivers who are refusing to take delivery or to abandon the cargo." Mohammad Mustafa Haider, the chairman of Delta Agro Food, stated: "A commercial dispute has arisen due to the damage to the goods. The responsibility for the damaged goods lies with the shipowner as they are the custodian of the cargo. This matter is currently in mediation". He further mentioned that the soybeans already unloaded had quality issues as well. According to Seacom Group, the importer's declaring agent, the value of the cargo is $440 per tonne, bringing the total value of the 20,070 tonnes of soybeans to $8.83 million. Zahur Ahmed, director at Seacom, stated: "The quality dispute arose due to water entering the ship's hatches, and the shipowner's delays have prolonged the issue. However, their representative has arrived in Bangladesh, and discussions with the cargo receivers are ongoing. We expect a resolution within a week." A survey conducted on June 11 by the ship's P&I correspondent, Interport, confirmed water damage to the cargo and recommended manual separation of the affected soybeans, which was not done. As a result, the goods have continued to deteriorate over the last three months. According to officials associated with the ship, initially, salvage teams had offered to buy the soybeans for $300 per tonne, but due to the lack of response from the importer and declaring agent, the deal could not proceed. Now, it would be hard to sell these soybeans for even $100 per tonne. Regarding how the damage had taken place, the ship's P&I correspondent told TBS that the vessel came under stormy weather at sea, which caused water to enter three of the five hatches on the ship. It also mentioned that the covers of the three hatches were damaged from before. Shipping industry insiders have expressed concern over the unprecedented delay, warning that such incidents could negatively affect the reputation of Chattogram port. They urged the port and customs authorities to intervene and expedite the resolution of the dispute. CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk confirmed receiving a letter from the shipowner and clarified that the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the importer, shipping agent, and P&I club. Once customs clearance and other formalities have been completed and the port's dues have been paid, the port authority was to issue a no objection certificate for the vessel to depart.
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MISSUNDE III
Due to the ongoing difficulties with the 'Missunde III', the old Schlei ferry 'Missunde II' is back in service. The state had to spend 100,000 euros to buy back the old ferry, which had previously been sold to Denmark for just 17,000 Euros. The new ferry, costing 3.3 million Euros, was supposed to replace the old one at the beginning of the year, but it turned out that the much larger new vessel was not able to cope with the wind and current conditions. The i ferry has now to be rebuilt, with autumn 2025 being given as the new date for commissioning. The old ferry will continue to run between Kosel and Brodersby-Goltoft. The traffic situation in Missunde has eased somewhat, as the "Missunde II" has been given a license until 2028. The state was initially able to buy the ferry back for 46,000 Euros. However, the Danish owner was granted a right of repurchase until autumn 2024. When it became apparent that the commissioning of the new ferry would be delayed, the state also bought this right of first refusal from him for 50,000 Euros. Including VAT. The state has therefore paid more than 100,000 Euros to buy back the old ferry. The new "Missunde III" is now in Olpenitz. The tender for the conversion work has not yet been issued, but construction work is planned to be completed by late summer 2025. The "Missunde III" is scheduled to go into operation in autumn 2025. The cost of the conversion is estimated at more than one million Euros. In the meantime, the state has commissioned a law firm to examine claims for damages against the engineering firm due to design errors on the 'Missunde III'.
SALVAMAR ENIF
On Sep 11 a dinghy with 36 peopleon board, among them one woman, was located by a merchant vessel 44 nautical miles southwest of Barbate, The CCS Tarifa was notified and mobilized the 'Salvamar Enif', which rescued the migrants and transferred them to the port of Cádiz. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1833887246526656679
HOEGH XIAMEN
On Sep 9, a settlement exceeding $16 million was reached in the lawsuit regarding the fire aboard the H'Hoegh Xiamen' in Jacksonville on June 4, 2020, between 11 firefighters of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and the owner Hoegh Autoliners, operator Grimaldi Deep Sea, and port services companies Horizon Terminal Services and SSA Marine. During the fire fighting operation, an explosion occurred which had injured some of the firefighters. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted an investigation and found several reasons that caused the fire with the major issue being the crew, who did not adhere to Grimaldi's policy of disconnecting the car batteries. The NTSB stated that a fire that caused an explosion was caused by a spark from a car battery aboard the vessel. The other issue noted was the crew's lack of understanding of how to contact the local emergency authorities. The firefighter's lawyer alleged that the crew had limited or no proficiency in English. The fire detection system was also found to have been deactivated after the loading operation resulting in delay for requesting assistance . In August 2020, the vessel along with its cargo of 2420 vehicles were declared a total loss of $40 million. Pajcic & Pajcic, a law firm presenting the firefighters, stated that the settlement was negotiated and finalized with each defendant involved in the lawsuit. Hoegh Autoliners reached a confidential settlement with the firefighters. The final settlement was made before the start of the trial.
CARTHAGE
A 65-year-old man who suffered a heart attack on board the 'Carthage' was rescued by the Cagliari Coast Guard during the night of Sep 10, 2024, while the ship wasd sailing on the Tunis-Genoa route. He felt ill when the ship was about 40 miles south of Cape Carbonara. The captain raised the alarm, and the Nemo Aw139 helicopter of the Decimomannu Coast Guard was sent to the scene. Hoisting the man was not easy due to the strong Mistral wind of about 45 knots, the rough sea of force 5-6 and the night. After he was winched on board the helicopter, he was taken to the Brotzu Hospital in Cagliari.
HARMONY OF THE SEAS
On Sep 8, 2024, a 12 year old boy plunged to his death aboard the 'Harmony of the Seas'. He was playing with friends that he had made on the cruise when he toppled over the railing of his family’s 14th floor room, landing head-first six decks below in the Central Park area of the ship, a busy plaza filled with bars, shops and restaurants.. The accident happened on the last night of a seven-day cruise of the vessel. Staff tried to resuscitate him. but he died before the ship was able to dock in Texas. The boy was on the cruise with his family, including two sisters, for a birthday celebration.
SHINGLE
The sinking of the 'Shingle' in Killala Bay to become an artificial reef, which was scheduled to take place on Sep 15, has been postponed until the following week as a result of unfavourable weather conditions..The fish carrier was seized by Customs officers at Drogheda Port as part of a €14m tobacco seizure in 2014 and was held by the Revenue Commission. It sat in the dry dock at New Ross in the years since. Earkier in 2024, a Maritime Area Consent licence was granted to the Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef project team, a group of diving enthusiasts, to allow them to tow the 'Shingle' to Killala Bay for sinking. Planning permission was then granted by Mayo County Council in July for the preparation, transportation, positioning and placement of the 'Shingle' on the seabed of Killala Bay. The towing operation to bring the ship from the port at New Ross up to Killala will take three days and upon arrival, a company has been employed to prepare the ship for sinking. It was now likely that it will be either Sep 18 or Sep 19 before the ship arrives in Killala Bay.As Ireland’s first artificial reef, it is hoped that the project can bring a boost in diving tourism to the west of Ireland as well as promoting local marine ecology.
SILVERPILEN
On Sep 7, 2024, the robot boat 'R142-Ystad' was extremely close to a collision with the 'Silverpilen'. The former military boat had a speed of 37 knots despite dense fog and was a few meters away from the ferry, which was on its way from Utö in the Stockholm archipelago to Årsta havsbad with 30 people on board. The 'R142-Ystad' passed just astern. The ferry crew tried to contact the 'R142-Ystad', but were unsuccessful. The Coast Guard will investigate the incident regarding negligence in maritime traffic. The ferry operator Blidösundsbolaget has submitted an incident report to the Swedish Transport Agency and will also investigate the incident internally. The robot boat is almost 44 meters long with a displacement of 240 tons. The ship is owned by the Maritime History Museum. Report with photo: https://www.sjofartstidningen.se/skargardsbat-meter-ifran-kollision-med-robotbat/
RIO DA BOUZA
The master of the 'Rio Da Bouza' has been convicted of illegal fishing activities after pleading guilty at Macroom District Court on Sep 11, 2024. The vessel was detained at Castletownbere on Sep 9 following an inspection by Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers from the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA). During the court hearing, evidence was presented showing that the officers detected several infringements, including the under-recording of sole and monkfish, failure to separately stow these species, and the unauthorised freezing of fish. The master of the Rio Da Bouza pleaded guilty to all six charges and was fined €3,000 for under-recording sole, with the remaining charges taken into consideration by the judge.
SUZHOUHAO
Beached at Chittagong 04.09.24 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160506905005036&set=gm.10163389496018943&idorvanity=6884293942
SOUNION
After the abandoned towing attempt of the 'Sounion', the private companies responsible for the salvage operation have concluded that the conditions were not met to conduct the operation and that it was not safe to proceed, the EU’s Operation Aspides mission said on Sep 10. Alternative solutions are now being explored by the private companies. Assets of the EU mission have been engaged in protecting the tugs involved. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC taken on the afternoon showed the 'Sounion' still ablaze. The Houthi terrorists targeted two other oil tankers traveling through the Red Sea on Sep 9. The Houthis have suggested they'll allow a salvage operation to take place, but critics say they have used the threat of an environmental disaster previously involving another oil tanker off Yemen to extract concessions from the international community.
EXPEDITION
A Filipino woman reported having been raped by her father on board the 'Expedition', which has been moored for months in the port of Fray Bentos, on Aug 25, 2024. On Sep 10, the communications department of the National Navy reported the case. The Fray Bentos Prefecture went to the ship to consult the captain and collect the victim's complaint. Both are Filipino nationals and members of the ship's crew. The woman was taken to the local hospital for evaluation and forensic tests ordered by the prosecutor will be performed. Meanwhile, the Scientific Police Headquarters of Río Negro carried out an inspection at the place where the events occurred.
PORT OLYA-3
The 'Port Olya 3' was docked at Port Olya after allegedly transporting short-range ballistic missiles from Iran on Sep 4. The ship, which had previously been at the Iranian port of Amirabad just six days earlier, on Aug 29, and was tracked by satellites. According to a Ukrainian source, the ship delivered approximately 220 Fateh-360 missiles, which were now believed to be destined for the Russian battlefield in Ukraine. Two days later another satellite image showed the ship had left the port. No data has been shared since Aug 29. Six days after the ship last shared its position it arrived at the Russian port. This development comes as the U.S. and European allies announced a new wave of sanctions aimed at curbing Iran's missile transfers. The sanctions target key Iranian and Russian entities, including Iran Air, accused of facilitating arms shipments. Report with photos: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/russian-ship-captured-in-satellite-image-delivering-ballistic-missiles-from-iran/ar-AA1qnR2T
SALVAMAR SPICA
On Sep 11 the pleasure boat 'Alize' with two people on board was stranded at Punta Entinas and requested assistance .The CCS Almería of Salvamento MArítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Spica' to the scene. Due to draft problems, the collaboration of a boat from the Almerimar marina was requested, before the SAR boat towed the 'Alice' to Garrucha.
GEO BARENTS
The international aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders - MSF) on Sep 11 obtained the release of the 'Geo Barents', which was handed a 60-day detention order, for allegedly failing to properly coordinate with Italian and Libyan authorities as it picked up migrants off Libya on Aug. 23. A court in Salerno, the southern Italian port where the vessel had been blocked, suspended the measure, which was the third against the vessel, and the longest to date. MSF International President Christos Christou travelled to Salerno to support the organisation's appeal against it. Christou dismissed government charges against the MSF ship, saying it had been "waiting for instructions" as it approached a migrant boat, and spontaneously picked up its passengers after they jumped into the sea.
MATILDE A
Turkey refused to allow the European Maritime Operation IRINI team to inspect the 'Matilde A' in accordance with Security Council Resolution No. 2292/2016 on the arms embargo on Libya, which was heading to Libya.on the night of Sep 8, 2024. The operation was launched on March 31, 2020 following the first Berlin Conference on Libya. It was mandated by the European Council to carry out as its core task the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya in resolution 2292 of 2016 and resolution 2526 of 2020, which are binding for all EU Member States. This was the 12th time that Turkey has prevented an IRINI team from boarding a merchant ship. Turkey blames IRINI of besieging the interim Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli. The operation had shared dozens of special reports with the UN Panel of Experts on Libya. Most of these reports referred to violations or possible violations of the arms embargo and oil smuggling activities in the west and in the east of the country. The operation aims to counter illicit arms trafficking, supporting the implementation of the arms embargo on Libya based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, to gather intelligence on oil smuggling, in particular its impact on the Libyan economy and its possible use to finance the arms market; to contribute to the disruption of the business model of migrant smuggling by gathering intelligence by air and sharing it with Frontex and relevant national authorities; to support the development of the search and rescue capacity of relevant Libyan institutions through training.