PELAGIC TOPE

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Oil discharge in New Orleans

The US Coast Guard sector New Orleans watchstanders received a notification that the 'Hafnia Rhine' discharged oil during a fuelling operation with a fuel barge at Ama Anchorage, mile marker 115, lower Mississippi River near Kenner, Louisiana, on July 28, 2022, at around 6.10 p.m. Watchstanders dispatched USCG pollution responders to the scene. The crew of the 'Hafnia Rhine' secured the oil discharge, but Sector New Orleans pollution investigators estimated up to 2,100 gallons of fuel oil entered the water and contaminated approximately 50 to 60 barges in the vicinity. The National Response Corporation and Environmental Safety and Health Consulting Services were hired as oil spill removal organizations. The services have placed 2,700 feet of containment boom and 3,320 feet of sorbent boom around the affected area including the contaminated vessels and have utilized the use of sorbents to recover the oil product. The cause of the discharge remains under investigation. The ship remained moored in pos. 29° 57.54' N 090° 17.95'W as of Aug 1. Report with photo: https://gcaptain.com/coast-guard-responds-to-oil-discharge-from-tanker-on-mississippi/

Ships should be vigilant after attack

All Singapore-registered ships operating in and around Saudi Arabia should be vigilant and take necessary precautions after the 'BW Rhine' was hit by an explosion, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). The vessel was berthed at the port for discharge operations when the explosion occurred. The Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the vessel was attacked by an "explosive-laden boat". The fire on the ship was put out by the crew with assistance from the port’s fire brigade and tug boats. The ship reported hull damage to one of its water ballast tanks and cargo tank. The damage to its hull was still being assessed. No reports of pollution were received. There were 22 crew members onboard. In an advisory the MPA said all Singapore-registered ships in the region should also adhere to the requirements and advisories from relevant port authorities. MPA added that it was assisting the company and investigating the incident In response to CNA's queries, Hafnia said the cause of the incident was "not for us as a shipowner to speculate on, but for the relevant authorities to establish". The Hafnia company was working on securing the safety of the staff, stabilising the vessel's condition and preventing environmental damage, working closely with the charters and authorities to clear the situation. The tanker had loaded about 60,000 tonnes of gasoline in Yanbu port on Dec 6. It was currently 84 per cent full, according to its draft.

Arab nations condemned attacks on tankers

Arab nations condemned the terrorists attack on the 'BW Rhine' at Jeddah port. A small boat laden with explosives had targeted the tanker which was carrying 60,000 tons of gasoline, causing an explosion and a fire on board. The ship’s crew put out the fire and there were no casualties, but parts of the vessel’s hull were damaged. Kuwait expressed its strong condemnation of the attack, stating that the continuation of “these terrorist acts” on Saudi Arabia threateedn the stability of the region and the freedom of navigation and global energy supplies. Jordan echoed Kuwait’s condemnation of the “cowardly terrorist act” on the vital installations of Saudi Arabia. The spokesman for the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Ambassador Dhaifallah Al-Fayez, affirmed Jordan’s support to Saudi Arabia in the face of threats to the Kingdom’s security and the well-being of its citizens. Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the “terror attack” that “affects the security and safety of maritime traffic.” The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also expressed Lebanon’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia after condemning the attack. The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Dec 14 affirmed that the UAE considers this attack “new evidence of terrorist groups' endeavours to undermine security and stability in the region.” Another tanker has experienced an explosion at the main anchorage of the port of Jeddah. The identity of the vessels was not immediately clear. An initial report from Dryad indicated that the vessel was either the UAE-owned 100,000 dwt crude tanker 'Desert Rose' or the Saudi-flagged bunkering tanker 'Al Amal Al Saudi', owned by Saudi Arabia's National Bunkering Company. Both vessels were still at anchor off Jeddah and broadcasting AIS in the evening of Dec 13.