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The New Zealand Defence Force is closing in on an operation to remove the fuel from the 'Manawanui'. The service has revised its defueling plan and secured approval from the Samoan authorities to proceed, and was in final talks with a commercial salvor. Once the fuel removal contract has been finalized, the salvor will be mobilizing equipment and personnel to Samoa to remove the fuel and other pollutants from the ship. The Royal New Zealand Navy has rotated in a new group of personnel on the ground in Samoa to monitor the wreck and assist with the operation. The vessel's main fuel tanks have remained intact, and the service was keeping up daily drone surveillance of the site. After NZDF conducted a site visit on Nov 5 with the salvor and Samoan authorities, the plans for extracting the fuel from Manawanui's tanks were adjusted and finalized. The NZDF convened a formal Court of Inquiry on the sinking, and on Nov 13, the service announced that it had received the court's interim factfinding report. In a statement, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding said the court had made good progress and was on track with interviews and evidence gathering. The interim report will be analyzed by a government legal team, and some of its details will be released to the public later in November. The final report, which will include the court's conclusions, is expected by the end of Feb 2025.

The 'Barøy' suffered a fire while she was docked at Bognes in Hamarøy municipality on the foremidday of Nov 14, 2024. The emergency services have rushed to the scene, and the fire service got it under control.There must have been an explosion in a charging unit in a board. There was no fire in the battery pack. The power has been cut, so there was no danger of deterioration, but there is a lot of smoke. The fire brigade has started ventilation. There qwre no passengers on board. One person may have inhaled some smoke, and was checked by health personnel. All the crew members who were on board have been accounted for. The police was investigating at the scene.

On its way from Cebu to Tagbilaran City, Bohol, the 'Oceanjet 88', 240 gt (IMO: 9712929), was forced to return to port in the morning of Jan 10, 2020, after its starboard-side generator set experienced a voltage fluctuation due to bogged down air-conditioning compressor. The chief engineer found out that the port and starboard’s air-conditioning compressor broke down and experienced high voltage, affecting the starboard-side generator. The malfunction occurred while sailing along the vicinity of the Naga Point just between the waters of Bohol and Cebu. At the Pier 1, all of the 191 passengers of the 'Oceanjet 88' were transferred to the 'Oceanjet 15' which departed at 10:10 a.m.

Sociedad Puerto Industrial de Aguadulce (SPIA) sets a new operational milestone at the Port of Buenaventura after servicing the 14,436-TEU vessel MSC Faith, the largest ship ever to dock in Colombia. With a length of overall of 366 meters, the MSC Faith makes its maiden call in South America at Puerto Aguadulce, as part of Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) weekly service between Asia and Latin America’s west coast.

Taiwan has rejected allegations by China on Nov. 13, that it turned down requests by the “Yu Zhou Qi Hang” to seek shelter in Keelung Port before the typhoon hit. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) alleged the crew had asked to return to Keelung before Typhoon Kong-rey arrived, but Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Bureau replied they had made no such request, The crew wanted to leave Keelung before the typhoon and decided on their direction by themselves, the bureau said. Since the ship was carrying at least 290 tons of oil products, efforts were launched to prevent an oil spill from affecting the New Taipei coastline. However, since Nov. 2, several attempts at pumping out the oil were abandoned due to rough weather. The Ministry of Transportation wanted a new try to go ahead on Nov. 14, with the task to be completed within two weeks. The necessary equipment has been affixed to the “Yu Zhou Qi Hang,” but the approach of another typhoon, Usagi, might complicate the work. The Central Weather Administration was expected to issue sea warnings for the storm early on Nov 14, with land warnings likely to follow later in the day at the earliest.

A 34-year-old man serving a prison sentence for the hijacking of the 'FWN Rapide', and subsequent hostage-taking of the crew, was arrested again on Nov 12, 2024. He will stand trial again, this time for the hijacking of the German m/v 'BBC Caribbean', now sailing as 'Kimberly', in the Gulf of Guinea in 2017. The convicted man's DNA profile was found to match a DNA trace from Germany. This was a trace on a cigarette butt found on board the freighter. The BBC Caribbean was attacked in international waters on Feb 5, 2017, by pirates armed with AK47 Kalashnikovs. During the hijacking, eight crew members were overpowered and held for weeks in Nigeria under threat of violence. Three crew members had managed to hide on board and were not discovered by the pirates. With a new crew, they sailed the 'BBC Caribbean' to the port of Las Palmas. There, among other things, abandoned cartridge cases of 9mm bullets, 7 cigarette butts, fingerprints and DNA traces were secured. The hostage crew members were taken under threat of automatic firearms in a wooden skiff to the mainland of Nigeria. According to statements from the victims, the pirates celebrated their success on the way with alcohol, pills and marijuana, repeatedly shooting into the air. The pirates were met with jubilation and more shots in the air at a makeshift shelter further in the Niger Delta. The investigation into the hijacking of the 'FWN Rapide', which was attacked on the high seas en route to Nigeria, led to the arrest of the leader of the pirates in South Africa in 2018. In the criminal proceedings that followed his extradition to the Netherlands, the man was sentenced to a prison term of eight years and six months by the Rotterdam District Court in 2022. There was no appeal. In consultation with the German authorities, the Netherlands has made an additional request to South Africa to also prosecute the man for the hostage-taking of the crew of the' BBC Caribbean' and the hijacking of the ship. Based on the German, translated investigation file, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) has compiled a case file for the Rotterdam District Court. The suspect arrested this week by detectives from the National Expertise and Operations Unit (LX) was remanded in custody for two weeks by the examining magistrate in the new criminal case on Nov 14.

On Jan 7, 2020, at 6:23 a.m. a fire broke out in the silo of the "Raps und Ölsaatenververarbeitung GmbH" in the North Port of Kiel. Heavy smoke and fire were already visible on the 12th floor of the silo. Several troops of the fire brigade entered the building under respiratory protection to extinguish the fire in the ventilation system. The operational measures were extended because the fire had to be extinguished not only in the building but also on the outer facade. This turned out to be difficult because it was not possible to erase the turntable ladder to this height. After two hours the fire was out. A total of 75 emergency services of the professional fire brigade and vthe olunteer fire brigades Suchsdorf, Russee, Gaarden and the emergency services were on site. German report with photo: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/82765/4485121

The new emblematic terminal of the Naviera Armas-Trasmediterránea Group, situated on the Nelson Mandela Pier, Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is up and running. The new terminal will serve both passenger and freight traffic. It is the first privately-financed passenger terminal in a Spanish state-owned port.

The UK MAIB has issued an investigation report on the incident of the girting and capsize of the tug 'Biter', while assisting the 'Hebridean Princess' on Feb 24, 2023. At 3.27 p.m., the twin screw tug capsized off Greenock, while attached to the stern of the 'Hebridean Princess', which was making its approach to James Watt Dock. The two crew members of the tug were unable to escape from the vessel and lost their lives. The investigation found that the accident happened because the tug was unable to reverse direction to operate directly astern of the 'Hebridean Princess' before the tug’s weight came onto the towing bridle and, when this happened, the tug’s gob rope did not prevent it from being towed sideways. The investigation also found that the 'Hebridean Princess'’s speed meant the load on the 'Biter'’s towlines was between two and five times greater than at the port’s recommended speed range. Thereafter, given the tug’s rapid capsize, it was unlikely that the tug crew had sufficient time to operate the emergency tow release mechanism. Once the tug was inverted, the open accommodation hatch might have prevented air from being trapped inside the wheelhouse, potentially limiting the crew’s chance of survival. The investigation also found that the master/pilot and pilot/tug information exchanges were incomplete and that the opportunity to correct the pilot’s assumption about Biter’s intended manoeuvre was lost. Further analysis indicated that the training provided had not adequately prepared the pilot for their role and that it was likely the tug master did not fully appreciate the risks associated with the manoeuvre. Full report: https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/UKMAIB-Biter-HebrideanPrincess-2024_11.pdf

A 34-year-old man serving a prison sentence for the hijacking of the Dutch 'FWN Rapide', and subsequent hostage-taking of the crew, was arrested again on Nov 12, 2024. He will stand trial again, this time for the hijacking of the 'BBC Caribbean', now sailing as 'Kimberly', in the Gulf of Guinea in 2017. The convicted man's DNA profile was found to match a DNA trace from Germany. This was a trace on a cigarette butt found on board the freighter. The BBC Caribbean was attacked in international waters on Feb 5, 2017, by pirates armed with AK47 Kalashnikovs. During the hijacking, eight crew members were overpowered and held for weeks in Nigeria under threat of violence. Three crew members had managed to hide on board and were not discovered by the pirates. With a new crew, they sailed the 'BBC Caribbean' to the port of Las Palmas. There, among other things, abandoned cartridge cases of 9mm bullets, 7 cigarette butts, fingerprints and DNA traces were secured. The hostage crew members were taken under threat of automatic firearms in a wooden skiff to the mainland of Nigeria. According to statements from the victims, the pirates celebrated their success on the way with alcohol, pills and marijuana, repeatedly shooting into the air. The pirates were met with jubilation and more shots in the air at a makeshift shelter further in the Niger Delta. The investigation into the hijacking of the 'FWN Rapide', which was attacked on the high seas en route to Nigeria, led to the arrest of the leader of the pirates in South Africa in 2018. In the criminal proceedings that followed his extradition to the Netherlands, the man was sentenced to a prison term of eight years and six months by the Rotterdam District Court in 2022. There was no appeal. In consultation with the German authorities, the Netherlands has made an additional request to South Africa to also prosecute the man for the hostage-taking of the crew of the' BBC Caribbean' and the hijacking of the ship. Based on the German, translated investigation file, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) has compiled a case file for the Rotterdam District Court. The suspect arrested this week by detectives from the National Expertise and Operations Unit (LX) was remanded in custody for two weeks by the examining magistrate in the new criminal case on Nov 14.

There are 5 seaports in the world that operate 1 million or 1 million single container premises annually. The name of the main Chittagong seaport has been added to the list of the three million port. Chittagong seaport has set a new record of 1 lakh single container courtyard on Saturday. This container container has been set up in Chittagong port from January 1 to December 25. There are still 7 days left to complete 20 years; Chittagong port has already been named in the list. It is worth mentioning that the Chittagong port is now ranked 5th in the list of one hundred seaports in the world. Chittagong Port has achieved this position in view of the 2 million single container building in 20 years. Earlier, the port was the 5th in the 21st. The Lloyds List, the world’s oldest shipping magazine, produces and publishes this list every year. There are 5 seaports in that list; Those who build more than one million million container containers a year. And the port of Chittagong was the 5th, but was not considered as a port of three millionaires. Confirming the matter, Chittagong Port Member (Administration and Planning) Jafar Alam told Kall Kantha that the combined efforts of the port authorities and users have achieved this milestone. We have been able to handle 1 million units without having to deal with constraints and many challenges. It would not be logical to combine our Chittagong port with the best and busiest ports in the world. Because most of the ports there are transshipment ports; Not an ‘end port’ or end destination like ours. “If we can still transfer delivery from the port to the Bay Terminal, we can show more success,” he said. I can be on the front row more on the Lloyds list. Referring to the glory of Chittagong port being linked to the port of the World’s Three Millionaire Club, Galaxy Bangladesh Shipping Lines Chairman Ahmed Yusuf Walid told Kal Kantha that the image of Bangladesh along with Chittagong port at sea port of the world will be brightened. We must build capacity to sustain growth and further enhance the port’s efficiency by protecting this continuity. Because the economy of Bangladesh is very dependent on the efficiency of the port. The four-year plan of the Chittagong Port, made by the Hamburg Port Consultancy (HPC) in Germany, stated that in the port of Chittagong, container shipments would be about 2 million units in 20 years; There will be 25 lakh 1 thousand units in 20 and 25 lakh units in 2021. The Chittagong port has fulfilled its forecast in the last 25 years. Great plan has indicated that new jet terminals and machinery will have to be added to keep up with the growth of product lines. Otherwise, the business of commodity trading will take off elsewhere. And if this situation continues, the port growth will slow down. That means it will take longer than expected to leave the product. But the Chittagong Port Authority has so far handled the commodity boom with the addition of new and modern equipment, but by 2020 it will not be possible to keep up with the growth of the port without actually having a new terminal or jetty. Port officials say the port authorities are building a Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) on the banks of the Karnaphuli river to curb growth. It was supposed to be launched in the 21st, the government is working with the army for speedy execution. But that project is also unlikely to start before 2020. Otherwise, no JT-terminal will be coming to port in the next two years. As a result, 2020 is very important for the port. The port is seeking to build only a delivery yard and a truck terminal at the Bay Terminal at the moment. But the file is stuck in the ministry. If the Chittagong port does not keep up with the sustained growth, the country’s economy will also be under pressure, and its importers will have to pay losses. If the port does not function properly, Bangladesh will fall behind in competition in the world export market. Asked to know, Chittagong Chamber President Mahbubul Alam told Kal Kantha, “It is not only Chittagong, but the economy for the entire country.” Because despite the government’s highest policy-making forums, construction of the Bay Terminal has apparently not progressed. Construction didn’t start until the sand filled the distance. So when will the delivery yard, truck terminal be built? We want to know why the most important ‘Bay Terminal project’ of the port is not being taken on the Prime Minister’s priority fast track, he added. Source : https://chittagongportagent.com

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