The' Isle of Cumbrae', operating on the route Largs-Cumbrae, suffered an issue with the ramp on April 11. The vessel was currently unavailable for service as a consequence. Repairs took place in Largs. A further update will be provided on the morning of April 12. The 'Loch Shira' is operating as normal.
News
RS GJERT WILHELMSEN
On the afternoon of April 6, 2025, the "Gjert Wilhelmsen" went out to the sunken fishing vessel 'Svanen' outside Hasvik. nine nautical miles from the NSSR station. The artist and tourist host Bilal Saab was nearby and had beem able to pick up the fisherman aboard the fishing boat. Shortly afterwards, the "Gjert Wilhelmsen" arrived to attempt to salvage the boat, the bow of which was still sticking out of the water on an air bubble. The fishing vessel 'Ragnhild Hatland' (MMSI: 257127930) assisted in the attempt. Bilal Saab and a colleague were fishing off Sørøya in Finnmark, when they suddenly saw a fishing boat lying very low in the water. They approached the boat as fast as they could. It took 30 seconds for the 'Svanen' to sink. When Bilal and his colleague, Kai Finbråten, got to the boat, the entire deck was filled with water. The man on board had to jump into the icy water. It took almost half an hour from the time the man was rescued until he received further assistance at the health center in Hasvik. He had a temperature of 31 degrees when he entered the health center. Report with photos, audio and video: https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/bilal-saab-reddet-fisker-fra-forlis-utenfor-soroya-i-finnmark-1.17372841 https://x.com/NSSR/status/1908974240528805984
Mombasa
The new Lamu Port in Kenya took a big step towards completion yesterday with the announcement that its first of 22 berths is finished. According to the South Sudan and Ethiopia Transport Corridor Development Authority, the second and third berths will be completed by December 2020.
Montevideo
Shandong BaoMa Fisheries Group has shelved plans to build a port in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo that could accommodate 500 Chinese vessels, amid legal complications and strong opposition from local residents and environmental organisations. The US$200 million project, which included a free trade zone, shipyard and fish processing and freezing plants, on a private 28-hectare site in Punta Yeguas, a mostly rural area with a public park, required a change in the legal designation of the land.
SALVAMAR ALPHERATZ
On April 11, the 'Salvamar Alpheratz' escorted a cayuco with 41 occupants, among them five women and one minor, that was located three nautical miles south of Las Galletas, to the port of Los Cristianos. The alert was given by the Guardia Civil at 8:10 a.m. local time. The response was coordinated by the CCS of Salvamento Maritimo in Tenerife. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1910634547793829921
Hamburg
The Port of Hamburg, Germany’s largest universal port, saw its inland and hinterland cargo traffic grow by 12.1% – 2.57 million tons – in the first quarter of 2019, according to its latest financial results. The data also shows that, for the first quarter of 2019, the Port has handled 34,640 TEU – 20ft standard containers – an increase of 20% in comparison with the same period last year.
Mumbai
Mumbai Port’s decision to raise the draft level to 10.3 metres and 11 metres to dock vessels at BPX and BPS respectively, subject to low tides being over 60 cm has been welcomed by maritime fraternity. This has avoided the waiting period for the vessels arriving with deep drafts till the tide is favorable for berthing. At times, such vessels had to arrange for discharging the import cargo for reducing the draft in stream and only subsequently berth at BPX/BPS.
RAGNHILD HATLAND
On the afternoon of April 6, 2025, the 'Ragnhild Hatland' assisted the lifeboat "Gjert Wilhelmsen" in an attempt to salvage the sunken fishing vessel 'Svanen' outside Hasvik. nine nautical miles from the NSSR station. The artist and tourist host Bilal Saab was nearby and had beem able to pick up the fisherman aboard the fishing boat. Shortly afterwards, the "Gjert Wilhelmsen" arrived to attempt to salvage the boat, the bow of which was still sticking out of the water on an air bubble. Bilal Saab and a colleague were fishing off Sørøya in Finnmark, when they suddenly saw a fishing boat lying very low in the water. They approached the boat as fast as they could. It took 30 seconds for the 'Svanen' to sink. When Bilal and his colleague, Kai Finbråten, got to the boat, the entire deck was filled with water. The man on board had to jump into the icy water. It took almost half an hour from the time the man was rescued until he received further assistance at the health center in Hasvik. He had a temperature of 31 degrees when he entered the health center. Report with photos, audio and video: https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/bilal-saab-reddet-fisker-fra-forlis-utenfor-soroya-i-finnmark-1.17372841 https://x.com/NSSR/status/1908974240528805984
PAPA ROD
The NTSB has issued an investigation report into the allision between the fishing vessel 'Papa Rod' and the 'Appaloosa'. On May 2, 2024, about 09.30 a.m. LT, the 'Papa Rod' was underway 25 miles south of Venice, Louisiana, when it collided with the bulk carrier, which was anchored east of the entrance to Southwest Pass. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. The damage to the vessels was estimated to be about $223,000. While the fishing vessel was near Southwest Pass, it was on autopilot. The deckhand on watch (deckhand 2) stated that he fell asleep at the helm. The toxicology results for deckhand 2 indicated that he had used the stimulant drug methamphetamine and a psychoactive cannabis product. The high levels of methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine in his urine (over 10,000 nanograms per milliliter) generally increase the likelihood that methamphetamine had been abused. However, this is not definitive, and urine toxicology results generally cannot be used to determine the precise timing of last drug use or the details of associated impairment. Therefore, whether deckhand 2 was impaired by the effects of his methamphetamine or cannabis use at the time of the allision could not be determined. Effects from methamphetamine abuse follow a typical pattern, dominated by central nervous system stimulation in the early phase, with features of central nervous system depression emerging later as initial drug effects wear off. Such features of central nervous system depression may include sleepiness, which can be intense. Additionally, methamphetamine and amphetamine use may also interfere with proper sleep, causing sleep loss, which can lead to fatigue. Similarly, cannabis use can contribute to drowsiness in some individuals, either through acute drug effects or interference with restful sleep. The investigators could not determine the amount of sleep deckhand 2 received before joining the 'Papa Rod'. Although deckhand 2 reported getting seven hours of rest/sleep before taking watch, he stated that deckhand 1 had to “holler” at him two or three times before he awakened, indicating he had difficulty waking up. Given deckhand 2’s urine results, his difficulty awakening and drowsiness could have been an effect of his drug use or a related sleep debt. However, whether deckhand 2’s drug use increased his drowsiness at the time of the allision could not be determined. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the allision was the on-watch deckhand falling asleep while operating the Papa Rod. Possibly contributing to his drowsiness were effects of his drug use or a related sleep debt. Full report: https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NTSB-Collision-between-Fishing-Vessel-Papa-Rod-and-Anchored-Bulk-Carrier-Appaloosa-2025_04.pdf
Balboa
Starting August 1 and until November 30, 2019, the Panama Canal will promote the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) annual recommendations on speed and maritime transit aimed at protecting cetaceans, which include whales, dolphins and other large aquatic mammals, during their nearby seasonal migration. With these measures, ships should proceed at a speed of not more than 10 knots in specified areas. Panama has monitored this requirement since December 1, 2014 when maritime traffic separation devices (TSS) were installed by both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean entry points to the Canal.
Salalah
The Port of Salalah, Oman’s major regional gateway port and transshipment hub on the Arabian Sea, set another record in productivity with a delivering 412.97 Port Moves per Hour (PMPH) on vessel Cap San Tainaro handling 3,820 moves in a port stay of 9.25 hours. This is the highest productivity delivered by any port in the region till date.