Topics

1

Shipping News and information / Another scary near miss at Venice involving a large cruise ship

« on: July 07, 2019, 07:49:43 PM »

Cruise ship Costa Deliziosa (IMO 9398917) almost hit the quay at Riva Sette Martiri while leaving the Venice lagoon today under a heavy storm with strong wind gusts. A private yacht and a couple of 'vaporetti' (typical Venice ferries) also escaped unscattered. Images taken at the scene are simply dramatic (see below).

https://video.corriere.it/cronaca/venezia-nave-crociera-rischia-l-incidente-basta-basta-sfiorata-tragedia/bbf061e2-a0e2-11e9-b20c-12356eab285e

https://gazzettadelsud.it/video/cronaca/2019/07/07/tempesta-a-venezia-una-nave-della-costa-crociere-rischia-di-finire-contro-la-riva-video-fe46a0ca-e91f-4e6a-a2fb-c572810f99a6/

Costa Deliziosa is 294m long and 32.3m wide, and has gross tonnage of 92720 t. Her capacity is 2826 pax (crew:1100)

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Shipping News and information / Cruise ship MSC OPERA fails docking manoeuver at Venice and hits river vessel

« on: June 02, 2019, 08:29:27 AM »

MSC OPERA (IMO 9250464) has failed to land safely this morning at the Venice Guidecca docks, and has hit the river cruise vessel MICHELANGELO, long 110m. Five injured, including one passenger on board the cruise ship.

https://www.ilgazzettino.it/nordest/venezia/venezia_scontro_navi_crociera-4532171.html

Dramatic live scenes of the collision are available:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70_jyYpnVcs

MSC OPERA is a 275m long passenger vessel, high 54m. With a GT of 65,591 t, she can accomodate 2,679 pax in 1,071 cabins. Crew: 728.

MICHELANGELO has photos available at the site. For example:

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2942036

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Shipping News and information / Ro-Ro cargo TOLLAN

« on: May 17, 2019, 10:58:01 AM »

I am looking for photos of the wreckage of Ro-Ro cargo TOLLAN (IMO 7815674) that capsized in the Lisbon harbour in 1980.

No trace of this vessel is to be found in the Shipspotting database.

The only photos I found can be seen below:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lebreirohenriques/7088746531/in/photostream/

They have an historical value. Having this vessel covered also at the website would be a plus for the community, IMHO. Can anybody help?

More on this story below:

http://www.cm-lisboa.pt/en/city-council/history/lisboa-disasters-history/1980-sinking-of-the-british-vessel-tollan

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Shipping News and information / Two ferries collide at Olbia (Sardinia) due to strong winds

« on: January 26, 2019, 04:41:23 PM »

Ferries Cruise Bonaria (IMO 9220330) of the Grimaldi Lines and Athara (IMO 9263655) of Tirrenia have collided at the port of Olbia two days ago, after a 25m drift due to strong winds.

Nobody got injured, and damage was minor.

Scenes are dramatic, however:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viuuOaOFifg

More info here (in Italian):

https://www.ilmessaggero.it/italia/traghetti_grimaldi_tirrenia_collisione-4253379.html

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Trip reports / Anyone around Magnetic Island (Townville, Australia)?

« on: December 18, 2018, 12:06:40 PM »

Hi folks,

I have just come across some info about a shipwreck that, over time, has turned into an artificial island, with a flora and fauna of its own. I found it intriguing, and also most interesting. Unfortunately, is totally out of my reach

It is located not far from Townville, Australia, just off the shores of Magnetic Island. The vessel was named 'City of Adelaide', and apparently grounded after a major fire in 1916. Some info on this wreck is available on the internet:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-31/forgotten-shipwrecks-of-magnetic-island-tourism-bid/9795918

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk2clhwwPt0

I searched the site, but I did not see any images of this particular wreck. I wander if there is (or will be, eventually) a member of the shipspotting community nearby, and that may contribute some photos. That would be nice to have at the site, I think.

Just a suggestion, of course...

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Shipping News and information / Pioneer vessel

« on: September 25, 2018, 09:36:09 AM »

Lisbon is the current port of call of the

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Shipping News and information / Offshore vessel arrested off Italian coast with drugs onboard

« on: August 10, 2018, 07:37:51 PM »

Offshore supply/support vessel 'Remus' (IMO 8822428) arrested by the Italian authorities while sailing on the Mediterranean with the transponder off and with drugs onboard, hidden in the vessel fuel tanks:

http://gcaptain.com/italy-uncovers-massive-load-of-hash-in-ships-fuel-tanks/

Past photos of this vessel are available at the website:

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/search.php?search_imo=8822428&page_limit=12&viewtype=1

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Shipping News and information / 38 injured as harbour tour catamaran catches fire during a tour in Spain

« on: July 25, 2018, 07:50:29 PM »

Looks like a bad season for harbour tour vessels.

Catamaran 'Boramar' was completely destroyed during a tour near O Grove (Ria de Arousa, Galicia, Spain) when a heavy fire broke out after the vessel collided with a mussel breeding floating platform in broad daylight, and close to port. There were 48 passengers on board, plus 3 crew members, all rescued in time. Two of the passengers were in serious condition (burns), and were taken by helo to a hospital at A Coru

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Shipping News and information / 17 dead in harbour tour boat capsize in Missouri

« on: July 20, 2018, 08:03:18 PM »

Sad news.

Almost hard to believe, but it may happen if the weather suddenly changes during the tour. If the tour is on a lake, as apparently was the case, sudden wind changes may be hard to predict and its consequences may be dramatic.

For more info on this fatality, please refer to:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/missouri-boat-accident-latest-capsizes-storm-tourists-dead-branson-table-rock-lake-a8455786.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/live/video/20180720140015-several-dead-after-duck-boat-sinks-during-storm-divers-search-for-survivors/

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Shipping News and information / Cargo 'Betanzos' aground while leaving Lisbon harbour

« on: March 06, 2018, 11:28:54 AM »

Spanish flag cargo 'Betanzos' (IMO 9263552), with crew of 10 aboard, went aground at Bugio (Tagus river South entrance) last night, and is currently stuck on a sand bank. Reason for the casulaity appears to have been a sudden energy blackout onboard while on her way out, that stopped all systems, including the engines, leaving the ship without command.

An attempt to remove the vessel safely is scheduled for 6pm today (high tide) with the help of several port tugs.

The casualty is in the Portuguese news. For example:

http://expresso.sapo.pt/sociedade/2018-03-06-Navio-espanhol-encalhado-junto-ao-Bugio

(article in Portuguese)

Jose
(jdap)

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Shipping News and information / Lisbon pilot looses life while leaving outbound containership in stormy night

« on: February 28, 2018, 10:09:07 PM »

Regretefully, I'd like to report that a Lisbon pilot died last night while jumping from ladder to the pilot boat during a heavy storm, and in pitch dark. He missed the receiving vessel, fell in the water, and drawned. His body was recovered with difficulty by a rescue vessel from the port of Cascais about one hour later, too late to save his life.

This fatality is in the news. For example, in the article below:

http://maritimebulletin.net/2018/02/28/pilot-fell-in-water-and-died-after-taking-container-ship-out-lisbon/

Honour to this pilot! My thoughts go to his soul, and especially to his family.

I know this is a risky profession, and accidents sometimes happen.

But I wonder, why are pilots left on their own when all odds are against them?

If a storm is underway, the sea is treacherous, wind is strong, it is pitch dark (at 1:30am), the water is freezing cold, and there is an orange alert for the coast with 6 harbours closed to all traffic, increasing the chances that something may go wrong, couldn't the procedures be revised so that the pilot boat is escorted by a fully manned and duly equipped rescue vessel, following at short distance with all spotlights lit and aiming at the pilot as he descends the ladder, and ready to intervene immediately should anything go wrong?

Wouldn't that be team work, and sensible risk minimization?

Wouldn't that be a way to ensure the principle of 'SAFETY FIRST'?

Shouldn't IMO look into this, and draw a relevent high risk pilot transfer procedure, factoring-in the mandatory presence of coast guard/rescue services in support to pilot operations when conditions (and wisdom...) so require?

Can we withstand another loss of a precious life?

Jose
(jdap)

12

Site related news, functions and modules / Help, please! - Unable to enter IMO n

« on: October 13, 2015, 11:31:14 AM »

I have recently spotted on two occasions a former passenger ferry of the Transtejo fleet (Lisbon harbour), called 'Montes Claros', which has recently been sold to private interests, and is currently in the process of being converted to a Harbour tour/Restaurant vessel in Lisbon. Her new name is 'Principe da Beira'.

I have with due regard researched the data sheet of this vessel before uploading my photos. I have with great care reported my findings in the Description.

Hence the upload included all meaningful data, including the vessel IMO N

13

Shipping News and information / Trawler sunk off the Portuguese mainland West coast

« on: January 14, 2015, 03:02:01 PM »

Trawler "Santa Maria dos Anjos" is reported missing since last night at 3am local time off the West coast of mainland Portugal, just 1 nm off the town of Praia das Ma

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Shipping News and information / Portuscale Cruises likely to aim for the Australian market in 2015

« on: October 20, 2014, 09:10:17 PM »

With 3 ships idle at the moment, and with only 'Funchal' sailing on a regular basis, Portuscale seems to be targeting on the Australian cruise market in 2015. A new Australian branch has been established. 'Azores', currently idle and at anchor in the Lisbon harbour, is likely to be deployed in the Southern Hemisphere. 'Porto' and 'Lisboa' have been moved to the Matinha pier, upstream on the Tagus river, where they currently await completion of their respective renovation projects.

Some interesting insights on some of these strategic moves in the article below:

http://www.tradewindsnews.com/weekly/338809/german-cruise-line-chops-charter-of-portuscale-ship

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Shipping News and information / Cpt Schettino's first ever public interview

« on: October 06, 2014, 10:17:05 PM »

This coming Sunday, Oct. 12, the former captain of Costa Concordia will give his first public interview to a TV station. The interview will go on air at 21:45 CET on the public Italian TV station RAI 3, and it will be part of the TV show "Report".

The truth, the real truth, behind this tragic, yet intriguing, incident, is probably not to surface during this interview. But this is probably the best chance ever to find out what Captain Schettino