On Aug 2 the 'Mein Schiff 2', whicj was located 65 nautical miles off Palamós, requested the medical evacuation of sick passenger who was treated by the on-board doctor. The RCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Barcelona mobilized the 'Salvamar Lyra' to assist. The patient along with fhis amily and a nurse were transferred aboard and disembarked in L'Estartit, where he was further treated by medical personnel. Report with photos: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1820144579112284181
News
LOVEBUG
Aftre the 'Lovebug' capsized in the Chesapeake Bay, salvage crews were formulating a relocation plan, but an exact timeline has not yet been finalized. The vessel was still resting on its side near Edgewater's Beverly Beach and Shady Side's Curtis Point, where the West River and the Rhode River meet the Chesapeake Bay. The vessel was not blocking the channel so should not be a hazard to boaters entering the West River, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police told Patch stated on Aug 1. Tow Boat US had a vessel monitoring the scene, and NRP and Coast Guard patrol vessels have been actively monitoring the area. A small amount of oil leaked from the yacht and has since been contained. The salvors placed oil booms to protect the surrounding waterway from contamination. TowBoatUS was handling the salvage operation. Report with photo: https://patch.com/maryland/annearundel/overturned-7m-mega-yacht-salvage-plan-works-chesapeake-bay
MFV ANGELENA
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) released the report on the investigation of the capsize and foundering of the 'Angelena (BM271)' southeast of Exmouth on June 18, 2021, about eight nautical miles south-east of the port, while the lone skipper was recovering its fishing gear. The end of the net was full of sand, mud and fish, and once lifted clear of the water, the net swung to away from the vessel’s side, and Angelena capsized. The skipper did not have time to raise the alarm before entering the water. The skipper was wearing a lifejacket fitted with a personal locator beacon and managed to swim to the vessel’s liferaft, which had floated free. The skipper activated the personal locator beacon once in the liferaft and was rescued unharmed by a nearby ship. The 'Angelena' was not required to meet any stability standard. Consequently, the skipper did not understand the stability performance of their vessel. Operating the fishing vessel alone, the skipper could not maintain a safe navigational watch, operate the fishing gear, and deal with any difficult situations. Additionally, the liferaft was not secured in a manner that would allow it to float free, inflate and break free automatically. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has received recommendations to make stability training a requirement before issuing certificates of competency under acquired rights in compliance with the Fishing Training Regulations. Additionally, the MCA has been advised to define minimum safe crewing for fishing operations on a vessel’s Fishing Vessel Certificate and to ensure consistency in float-free definitions across its publications and regulations. Furthermore, Angelena’s owner and skipper have been advised to undertake the Seafish Advanced Stability Awareness course.
MEGA SMERALDA
On Aug 1, 2024, at a around 2:20 p.m. a 4-year-old child was the victim of a drowning incident after falling into a swimming pool on the 'Mega Smeralda'. The crew therefore called for immediate assistance. The ferry was then 12 nautical miles from the coast and was located off Alistro beach. To coordinate the rescue, the CROSS Med called a Dragon 2B helicopter with a doctor on board. The boy and his mother were both airlifted and evacuated to Bastia hospital. The child's life was reportedly no longer in danger.
MAERSK FRANKFURT
Aboard the 'Maersk Frankfurt' in the Arabian Sea, extinguishing work was still underway on the ship. Containers on board continued to smoke. There were no longer visible flames. The shp is under the management of Bernard Schulte and thus did not have a Maersk crew on board. The Indian Coastguard continued to assist in the ship fire.
GLEN SANNOX
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.
MV ASIA SHIP
On July 30, 204, the 'Mirola 1' ran aground in the vicinity waters of Sitio Quiapo, Barangay Biaan in Mariveles and was found listing to port side and with its stern submerged. Nobody was found onboard with investigators suggesting the rusty ship had been abandoned. The Philippine Coast Guard along with the Provisional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Bataan, conducted an aerial surveillance using drones to survey the water near Sitio Quiapo, Barangay Biaan, Bataan, and Mariveles. They noticed small patches of oil and a light smell of diesel in the area. They also collected water samples for further analysis to assess the extent of any potential contamination and determine the environmental impact.. On Aug 1 the PCG started the oil recovery operation ande was manually scooping out the oil inside the vessel. They trabsferred tge oil to large drums and planned to bring the recovered oil in a waste disposal facility to avoid posing health risks to residents. The vessel has a history with the Coast Guard. In Jan 2023, the Coast Guard detained 18 crew members and the vessel when they discovered her offloading oil to three smaller boats. They suspected smuggling and fuel pilferage of as much as 30,000 liters of diesel fuel. The Coast Guard initially planned to do an aerial survey of the ship and go aboard to take samples. Officials were working to determine how much fuel was aboard the vessel but decided not to take the samples due to fears of possible leaks and the condition of the vessel. There was a minimal oil sheen and a light smell of diesel oil in the area. Two oil drums were floating in the water on the deck of the ship. The light diesel that would dissipate in the weather and water. The Coast Guard did not want to spread their resources too thin and remain focused on the 'Terra Nova', but would monitor the 'Mirola-1', which was the third vessel to run into trouble in the waters of Bataan, after the tankers 'Terra Nova' and MKTR J'ason Bradley' sank in the past week. Reports with photos and video: https://maritime-executive.com/article/abandoned-cargo-ship-suspected-of-oil-smuggling-grounds-in-philippines https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/7/31/vessel-runs-aground-off-the-coast-of-bataan-causing-another-oil-spill-1942 https://www.rappler.com/philippines/coast-guard-oil-recovery-operations-mv-mirola-bataan/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTDNWlrfJck
ALFA NERO
Abandoned since March 2022, the sale of the 'Alfa Nero' was momentous for the island nation of Antigua, it was followed by yet another lawsuit filed by the original owners. They seemed to be unwilling to watch the yacht sail away or see Antigua’s taxpayers relieved of the $30,000 weekly burden it has become. Despite the ongoing legal battle, the authorities seemed to be unfazed. Cabinet Secretary Lionel Hurst stated that an undisclosed buyer had already paid the revised $40 million price tag. He also highlighted the intended use of the funds, with the first priority being to reduce the national debt. The lawsuit, the cabinet agreed, would not prevent the government from fulfilling its obligations incurred while the vessel was under its ownership; nor would it deter the administration from investing the surplus in constructing a hotel. The cabinet agreed that an investment in a tangible asset will serve as a reminder of the immense difficulties this lawful seizure and sale caused the people and government of Antigua and Barbuda. The vessel remains moored near Falmouth Harbor fo the time being.
ATLANTIC ODYSSEY
In a decision dated July 19 2024,, the prefectural authority formally has ordered the owner of the longliner 'Atlantic Odyssey' to remove the vessel, which has immobilized since December 2017, within three months from the port of Saint-Pierre, whire it is moored at the Quai de l'Épi. The various owners who have succeeded one another at the helm have not been able to get it back to sea. The last owner Yves Le Dimna who has now to put an end to the state of abandonment of his ship and to proceed with its remova. The decision comes following a previous formal notice from the Directorate of Territories, Food and the Sea (DTAM) issued on January 10, but which remained unanswered by the owner. In the absence of intervention by Yves Le Dimna, the prefect will implement the procedure for forfeiture of ownership of the ship. In Dec 2011, the company Propêche, the shipowner at the time, was subject to a tax adjustment. More than 270,000 Euros were requested as tax on a state subsidy of nearly 625,000 Euros, granted for the purchase of the 'Atlantic Odyssey' in Sep 2009. The shipowner denounced an abusive tax adjustment and, from 2012, began a legal marathon. Propêche seized the administrative authorities without success. The company even appealed to the Ministry of Overseas Territories and the President of the Republic, François Hollande at that time, but without any more success. In Dec 2019, the public accountant requested that the ship be auctioned to pay off the company's tax debt for the benefit of the Territorial Council. In the following years, the ship changed flags several times. From Dec 2017, it no longer made any maneuvers and was no longer maintained. The last known owner, Yves Le Dimna, acquired the vessel in May 2021, but it will not move again. Report with photo: https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/saintpierremiquelon/le-prefet-ordonne-a-l-atlantic-odyssey-de-quitter-le-port-de-saint-pierre-1509701.html
GROTON
On Aug 3, 2024, Houthi terrorists targeted and struck the 'Groton' in the Gulf of Aden. They launched multiple ballistic missiles at the vessell. The 'Groton' was struck at 5.30 p.m. GMT as it transited about 125 nautical miles to the east of Aden. The projectiles hit a cargo hold. The crew was safe and unharmed in the deckhouse. No water ingress, no fuel spillage and no fire were reported. On Aug 3 the ship was at anchor just off the port of Djibout.
SALVAMAR LEO
On Aug 2 the fishing vessel 'Nuevo Elena' reported sighting of a boat which was adrift 30 nautical miles east of Cabo Roig. The CCS Valencia of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Leo', which locates it and rescued the 15 people on board, among them three minors and one woman, in good condition. They were transferred to Alicante.
MV ASIA SHIP
The 'Mirola 1' had no transaction or clearance records from concerned government agencies, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said. Using the vessel tracking and monitoring system (VTMS) which all ships must comply with, the agency did not receive any signal from the 'Mirola 1', or even manual submissions from the ship management to ports in Bataan. On Aug. 1, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) started efforts to collect oil from the 'Mirola 1' at Sitio Quiapo in Barangay Biaan, Mariveles, Bataan. Using a dipper or tabo, PCG personnel scooped and transferred to drums the water mixed with fuel from a submerged part of the vessel. The oil collected by personnel was sludge oil. The fuel spilled from a drum in the submerged cargo hold.
STEN ARNOLD
The German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU) published an incident report in which the 'Sten Arnold', en route from Amsterdam to Hamburg with a cargo of 13,925 tons of petrol, encountered a critical navigational incident in the River Elbe, on Aug 21, 2022. The ship was loaded with 13,925 t of petrol. The first River Elbe pilot boarded the ship at 1050. From this point on, the bridge was manned by the master, an deck officer, and a helmsman. Due to her shallow draught, the ship was not dependent on the River Elbe navigation channel. The pilot transfer took place level with Brunsbüttel at 1440. In addition to the pilot, the bridge was now manned by the Lithuanian master, the Filipino chief mate, and a Filipino rating with watchkeeping proficiency who was at the helm. The pilot transfer took place level with Brunsbüttel at 1440. In addition to the pilot, the bridge was now manned by the Lithuanian master, the Filipino chief mate, and a Filipino rating with watchkeeping proficiency who was at the helm. After the pilot transfer, the voyage continued at a speed over ground of about 9.4 kts. A ebb current of about 2 kts and 4 Bft west-south-west wind prevailed. Visibility was good. At 3.04 p.m., the ship suddenly lost speed and came to a standstill. Shortly afterwards, the ship’s command and the pilot realised that the ship had grounded on an unknown shoal in the fairway. The ship was listing 2-3° to port. The lateral distance to the virtual connecting line between the fairway buoys (green buoy line) was about 120 meters. The 'Judith' was sailing slightly astern in the navigation channel and passed the 'Sten Arnold' at a safe distance about one minute later. An ebb current still prevailed when the vessel grounded. The water-level gauge in Brunsbüttel indicated +1.08 m based on Chart Datum. Low tide was at 1616. The pilot informed VTS Brunsbüttel at 3.12 p.m. and the latter notified other traffic about the incident and requested due care. At 1528, the Ship Safety Division (BG Verkehr) authorised the vessel to continue her voyage after she refloated on condition that the hull was not damaged and the machinery fully operational. An order concerning an escort tug was also issued. The WSA Elbe-Nordsee moved buoy 63 back to its intended position on Sep 2, after the shoal was cleared and completion of a control sounding on Aig 31. The GDWS notified in its statement that WSA Elbe-Nordsee had increased dredging capacity through additional calls for tender. In addition, the HPA agreed to temporarily take charge of sounding and dredging works for the first 15 km downstream of the Hamburg port boundary in 2023 and 2024. This section accounts for 20-25% of WSA Elbe-Nordsee’s maintenance dredging. One immediate measure was that the sounding frequency was increased to up to 14- day intervals in the area between Elbe-km 686 and 690, especially at active transfer sites. This has simplified resource management within the existing dredger fleet. As a result, the GDWS expects greater reliability with regard to maintaining the planned depths in the navigation channel and thus also a reduction in the number of shipping police measures. The GDWS introduced the reduction in permissible draughts with a lead time of four to six weeks. This was to give ship operators the opportunity to prepare for this when planning routes and loading ships. Running aground in the fairway near buoy 63 on the River Elbe came as a complete surprise to the crew of the vessel. Moreover, the pilot had no way of averting the incident, as the more detailed navigational chart in his PPU did not contain any information about it, either. Responsible for maintaining the fairway with its organisational unit WSA Elbe-Nordsee, which is in charge of the River Elbe up to the North Sea, the GDWS was also surprised by the development of the shoal. Despite many years of experience with sediment transport in the River Elbe, this rapid development was unexpected. Since the dredgers did not operate at transfer sites 689_4 and 689_5 HPA due to the restriction from 15 April to 30 June 2022 to protect red herring, the WSA Elbe-Nordsee assumed that only minor changes would take place there. The GDWS now assumed that the low inflow of headwater, which continued in 2022, facilitated the changes seen. However, the increased number of storm surges in that year are considered to be the main cause. Although the information available to the BSU indicates that no storm surges occurred in the period from April to August 2022, it is assumed that sand set in motion during the previous storm surges was still ‘in circulation’ and that tidal pumping had transported it further upstream. The failure to discover the shoal was facilitated by the cancellation of the sounding operation at the area in question scheduled for 7 July 2022. The cancellation was due to technical and personnel-related losses of sounding vessels belonging to the authorities. Overall, this led to a reduction in ship operating time of more than 50% in the period under review. Most of these days lost were due to technical reasons. To compensate for the resulting lack of sounding capacity, the WSA acted in accordance with the specifications of the technical concept and traffic safety was prioritised to the benefit of the navigation channel. After analysing the accident, the GDWS implemented the measures described in subsection 2.2.11. The BSU assumes that these adjustments will be sufficient to guarantee the safety of shipping in the fairway going forward. Accordingly, safety recommendations will not be issued.