Topics

61

Shipping News and information / Somali Pirates Release Hijacked Italian Boat

« on: August 10, 2009, 03:21:15 PM »

An Italian tugboat crew seized by Somali pirates in April has been released, according to the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told Italian TV he was informed of the ship's release by the Somali prime minister.

Mr Frattini said a combined effort of "exceptional work" from Somali authorities and Italian intelligence services led to the crew of 16 being freed.

The boat is now heading to Djibouti escorted by navy vessels.

The manager of the company which owns the Buccaneer said the vessel was not freed as a result of military action and no ransom was paid.

The Italian foreign ministry released a statement expressing "great satisfaction with the positive solution of the hijacking of cargo ship Buccaneer and the freeing of Italians on board".

It said the release came after a long process of contacts with Somali authorities and collaboration of the Puntland authorities.

After being hijacked the crew of 10 Italians, five Romanians and one Croatian were taken to a fishing village in northern Somalia.

Las Qoray lies between the semi-autonomous Puntland area of Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalialand.

Puntland has recently become an infamous base for pirates, responsible for hijacking dozens of ships from the shipping lanes of the Gulf of Aden.

62

Shipping News and information / Man Dies In dover Harbour Powerboat Crash

« on: August 08, 2009, 09:12:25 PM »

A man has died following a collision between two powerboats at the Dover
The crash happened in front of large crowds watching an organised race on Dover Harbour.

Kent Police said the man in his 40s suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Three other people were travelling in the two boats, but it is not known if they were hurt in the accident.

It is understood the dead man was the co-pilot of one of the boats.

A spokesman for regatta organisers, the Dover Sea Sports Development Trust, said the two boats had been racing on the same course together.

"It was a very tragic accident. He was taking part in a sport he really enjoyed," spokesman Bill Fawcus said.

"Our hearts go out to his family, friends and colleagues."

He added that the regatta's powerboat racing had been cancelled, but other events would continue as scheduled on Sunday and Monday.

An investigation into the incident has begun, with the boats taken away for further examination.

63

Shipping News and information / 40 missing as Tongan ferry capsizes

« on: August 06, 2009, 09:49:54 AM »

One British man has been killed and 40 people are feared missing after a ferry capsized in open waters near Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa.

The Pacific Ashika, en route from Nuku'alofa to Ha'afeva island, rolled and sank just before midnight last night local time.

The company operating the vessel said there were an estimated 96 people on board. Tongan police said 55 passengers and crew had been rescued.

The only body recovered so far is that of a British man carrying a New Zealand driver's licence.

Although the official manifest showed 79 passengers and crew, police said the exact number of people on board was still unknown.

'Realistically we believe there were more passengers on board but we could not confirm at this stage how many they are,' Chief Inspector Sokopeti To'ia said.

One survivor said most of the missing were women and children who were asleep below decks when the vessel overturned.

Siaosi Lavaka said that he only saw men reach the lifeboats when the ferry capsized.

'No women or children made it,' he said.

64

Shipping News and information / Project to study fatigue at sea

« on: July 15, 2009, 09:21:13 PM »

The European Commission has launched a

65

Shipping News and information / Italian cruise ship fends off pirate attack

« on: April 26, 2009, 12:21:49 PM »

An Italian cruise ship used guns and a firehose to beat off an attack by pirates off the east African coast, the vessel's captain said.

Commander Ciro Pinto of the MSC Melody, which has a capacity of 1,500 passengers and crew, said the ship was slightly damaged by firing from the pirates.

The ship came under attack when it was 320km north of the Seychelles and 960km off the Somali coast.

AdvertisementPinto said pistols were handed out to security staff and they opened fire on the pirates when they tried to clamber up the sides of the ship.

'They tried to put up a ladder with hooks. They were climbing up, so we reacted. We started firing. When they saw us firing - we even sprayed them with water with the firehose - they gave up and went off,' Pinto said.

He said the pirates followed the Melody for another 20 minutes, firing at it all the while.

Two people suffered minor injuries during the incident.

66

Shipping News and information / Delfzijl receive largest ship ever!

« on: April 21, 2009, 05:10:12 PM »

In Delfzijl arrived 9 April last. under Hong Kong the flag sailing bulkcarrier Fortune Rainbow, the largest ship that entertered the port.. The ship built in 2008, (DWT 82,372 barrels, GT/NT 42.665/26.381, length 224.86 meter, breadth 32.26 meter) had discharge 15,000 barrels cattle fodder. To reach outer basin with a safe load water-line the Delfzijlse in Amsterdam and Brake were solved firstly.
The whole package of services and activities was covered by the Wagenborgvlag. Wagenborg towing service looked after both at entry and departure of Delfzijl sleepbootassistentie, Wagenborg Stevedoring discharged the ship and the agent hour was in the hands of Wagenborg Agency. The cargo of the Fortune Rainbow had been intended for Wagenborg Bulk terminal. This divisie of royal Wagenborg develops sophisticated opslagpand with six halls of approx. in Delfzijl. 7,000 barrels each as well as a large forwarding hall, where covered can be loaded and unloaded.
After lossing the Fortune have left Rainbow on 11 April at 12.00 from Delfzijl to Hampton Roads, Virginia/USA.

Is the translation ok??

67

Shipping News and information / Clinton Unveils Plan In War On Pirates

« on: April 15, 2009, 11:14:00 PM »

Hillary Clinton has unveiled a four-point plan to fight piracy including calls for freezing pirate assets and concerned countries to prosecute them. The Secretary of State is calling for immediate meetings of an international counter-piracy task force to expand current naval co-ordination against pirates.

An envoy will also be sent to a Somali donors conference scheduled for next week in Brussels.

The US will attempt to organise meetings with officials of Somali's transitional government as well as regional leaders in Somali's Puntland.

Earlier the French navy detained 11 Somali pirates who tried to seize a Liberian-flagged merchant ship, and other pirates released a Greek-owned vessel captured in March.

The French frigate Nivose captured the pirates' mothership, which was carrying two small assault boats, 900kms east of the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

The frigate tracked the pirates after its helicopter thwarted an attack on the Liberian-flagged Safmarine Asia.

Heavily armed Somali pirates have been increasingly striking the busy Indian Ocean shipping lanes and strategic Gulf of Aden.

68

Shipping News and information / Lys-Line Ends Paper Trade

« on: April 14, 2009, 09:31:03 PM »

FYI the Irish trade will close down around October 1st, since DFDSLL has given notice of termination of the charter party to the Owners for  Lys- Skog. Ireland will no longer have any ports of call. Apperently they will now only carry steel and not paper. I will so miss these vessels coming to my town!! after nearly 30 years serving our port

69

Shipping News and information / Were is the lyshav gone?

« on: March 04, 2009, 03:28:59 PM »

I remember this little beauty of a vessel LYSHAV belonging to DFDS LYSLINE. She has since been sold by the company in november of last year, but then i saw a picture of her a few days ago well so i thought in the GREEN REEFFERS skin. I think i was wrong. But can anyone tell me who she is now sailing for?

Kind Regards

Patrick

70

Shipping News and information / Philippine ferry to be refloated

« on: July 02, 2008, 09:31:12 AM »

Officials in the Philippines say they plan to refloat a ferry which capsized last month with 865 people and 10 tonnes of toxic chemicals on board.

Only 56 people are known to have survived the disaster, and at least 700 bodies are believed trapped in the vessel, which ran aground and capsized during a typhoon.

A government official said the ship's owners, Sulpicio Lines Inc, had been informed of the plan and had agreed to pay for the salvage operation, which could take two months.

AdvertisementAttempts to bring the bodies out came to an abrupt halt last week when shipping officials said the cargo included 10 tonnes of endosulfan, a toxic pesticide.

'We have made a decision that we want to just refloat the vessel,' Elena Bautista, transportation undersecretary and head of a government taskforce handling the ferry disaster, told reporters in the central Cebu City.

'It's the best way to get all the bodies out and the cargo and dangerous goods inside.' Ms Bautista said the government has scrapped an option to bore a hole in the ship's hull due to 'too many risks involved'.

Water samples taken from the sea off Sibuyan island showed there had been no contamination but a fishing ban around the area has remained in force.

The sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars is the country's worst sea accident since the Dona Paz ferry collided with an oil tanker in 1987, killing more than 4,000 people.

Sulpicio Lines also owned the Dona Paz. The company has also been involved in two other major shipping accidents.

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Shipping News and information / 'Appalling' conditions on Cork ship Lady Chiara

« on: May 12, 2008, 10:55:41 AM »

The International Transport Federation has described as 'appalling' conditions aboard a ship which arrived at the Ringaskiddy ferryport at Cork harbour this morning.

The ITF inspector in Ireland, Ken Fleming, went aboard with SIPTU officials from Cork and said that there was such insufficient food that the union had to take members of the crew off to feed them in a local restaurant.

Port workers have agreed to discharge the cargo of molasses aboard provided that the ship is properly provisioned for the crew and that wage and payment problems aboard are resolved.

The ITF inspector has called on the Department of the Marine port control authorities to inspect the ship.

Ken Fleming said the Filipino seafarers had not been provided with adequate food for a fortnight but the officers seemed to be looking after themselves.

The ship is registered in Liberia. The owners have so far not been identified.

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Shipping News and information / Drogheda Port pictorial

« on: April 18, 2008, 03:14:22 PM »

I come from drogheda east coast of ireland and i wanted to up load some great pics of the ships in the port but are 2 big. If u wanna see them go to www.droghedaport.ie click in port pictures and off ya go! there are some great shots there for everyone to see!! high quailty and very close up ones as well!! cheers take care patryk