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On Nov 9, 2024, the Russian captain of the 'Nakhal Silver', en route from Kandla Port to Fujairah Port, fell seriously ill while the ship was in Porbandar waters. In response to an SOS call received by the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) at Porbandar Port, GMB staff launched a swift rescue operation to bring the ailing captain ashore for urgent medical care. Captain Arvind Mishra of GMB promptly granted permission for the ship to divert towards Porbandar Port and directed Port Traffic Inspector Shamla to arrange immediate assistance. The port traffic team dispatched a tug to the ship at midnight, safely bringing the Captain to shore. He was then admitted to Asha Hospital in Porbandar for treatment.

A cayuco with 72 people, including three women, of sub-Saharan origin arrived on the night of Nov 8 in El Hierro. At around 10:40 p.m., the Civil Guard informed Salvamento Marítimo in Tenerife of an echo, which could be a cayuco or small boat, sailing about 10 nautical miles from La Restinga. Maritime controllers mobilised the crew of the 'Salvamar Adhara', which located the boat at around 11:24 p.m. l and escorted it to the port, where the disembarkation began on Nov 9 at around 12:50 a.m.

The US Coast Guard is continuing efforts on containing an oil spill on the Mississippi River in New Orleans. First assets were deployed on September 11 after a helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans observed a sheen on the water earlier in the day during a routine overflight. Fifteen hundred feet of boom has been deployed to contain the sheen while oil spill response company OMI Environmental Solutions has been contracted to contain and recover the product. The Coast Guard is yet to provide details on the cause or source of the spill. The incident is still under investigation. In addition to US Coast Guard assets, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office has joined the response effort and six oil spill response boats have been on site as of September 13.

Cyprus continues to address every facet of its maritime offering to lure more shipowners to the island. The country’s deputy minister for shipping Natasa Pilides has revealed plans to abolish initial ship registration fees to boost one of Europe’s fastest growing flags. Members of parliament will vote on the issue later this month with a view to making the regulation official in time for Cyprus’s shipping week, which kicks off on October 6. The Cypriot register today is the 11th largest in the world with 24.4m gt on its books.

A fire in one of the containers aboard the “Rhine Maersk”, which ended up spreading to other nearby containers, led the captain to make a forced call in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Although the fire has been controlled by its crew, it has been decided to enter the port of Tenerife, for complete extinction with the help of shore based firefighters. The incident was reported to the shipping agency Noatum Maritime SAU, which has informed the Maritime Authority and the various protocols established for these cases have been activated, determining the berthing of the ship in the third alignment of the East dock. On board there was a cargo of 2,053 containers, both full and empty. On Nov 11 the ship shifted to the TCTenerife terminal to unload the units damaged by the fire, beforel continuing the journey between Abidjan and Algeciras.

The 'Maersk Denver' was denied entry to the port of Algeciras, the Danish shipping company Maersk said on Nov 9, 2024, denying that its cargo contained weapons for Israel. On Nov 12, the deputy of the Spanish coalition, Sumar Enrique Santiago, filed a complaint to prevent the docking of two ships at the port of Algeciras, considering that an authorization went against the government’s agreement. The Spanish government had explained two days earlier that the ship, as well as another also belonging to Maersk and due to dock later in the month,, would not call in Spain, without giving further details. “In order to clarify future operations, we have consulted with the Spanish authorities to understand why entry has been refused for a cargo that is no different from previous cargoes,” Maersk said, noting that the cargo had not been inspected. The Maersk Denver was diverted to Tangier, en route to Oman.

Dutch dredging and offshore outfit Royal Boskalis Westminster has been awarded contracts in the United Kingdom and Romania worth a combined €85m ($94m). Portsmouth City Council has contracted Boskalis to construct new sea defenses in Southsea, near Portsmouth, in a joint venture with VolkerStevin. Boskalis will deploy a large trailing suction hopper dredger to replenish the beach and will construct revetments using rock barges. Project execution is expected to start early 2020 and is estimated to take five years.

The port in Northern Ireland has committed GB£254m of investment to deliver new marine and estate infrastructure. Belfast Harbour’s investment is part of a 2019-2023 Strategic Plan to boost Northern Ireland’s economy. The plan focuses on increased collaboration and partnerships with key city stakeholders to drive growth and regeneration in Belfast’s waterfront area and has been unveiled alongside an outlook through to 2035. Belfast Harbour’s chairman, David Dobbin, said: “Over the next five years Belfast Harbour intends to invest £254 million in new Port and estate infrastructure and facilities. This major investment programme is really only possible because of our Trust Port status which allows us to reinvest every penny of our net earnings back into the business.” Belfast Harbour will upgrade its cranes and material handling equipment, install new ramps to accommodate larger vessels and build new storage facilities. Work will also begin on digital ‘Smart Port’ initiatives to provide greater automation and a new unified system to coordinate cargo and shipping communications.

A total of seven adults, six men and one woman, who were travelling on board a small boat, were rescued on the afternoon of Nov 9 several miles from the town of Motril. At around 3:00 p.m. the m/v 'Atlantis Alicante' contacted the MRCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Almería to inform them that it had sighted a small boat 28 nautical miles from Motril. After this, the centre mobilised the 'Salvamar Gienah' to the given position, which rescued the members of the boat around 4:45 p.m. once it had been located. Accompanied by the Civil Guard patrol 'Río Genil', the seven people were transferred to Motril, where they were expected to arrive at 6:40 p.m.

On Nov 10, the 'AIDAstella' had to change its planned route off the coast of South Africa during a day at sea, en route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, due to a medical emergency on board, which caused the ship to set course for the coast in the morning. A helicopter was deployed near Cape Agulhas to bring the 72 year old, German passenger from the ship to shore. After the patient was hoisted, the 'AIDAstella' continued its journey and reached the port of Port Elizabeth as planned on the morning of Nov 11. Report with video: https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2024/11/12/south-african-air-force-and-nsri-rescue-german-tourist-from-cruise-ship-in-cape-town/

The American port of Brunswick has reopened on a “case by case” basis after Sunday’s capsizing of a car carrier in a nearby channel. The Golden Ray overturned with 24 crew members inside sparking a dramatic, successful rescue mission over the weekend. Authorities are still assessing how to remove the vessel, which is stuck on St Simons Sound. A half-mile perimeter has been established around the Golden Ray, which sits half in the water with its starboard side pointing skyward. An oil boom has been placed around the ship. Salvage teams are likely to start taking the bunker fuel from the ship this weekend.

The US Coast Guard informed that it reopened the Houston Ship Channel, on September 13, after a protest demonstration near Baytown, Texas. Namely, on September 12, 22 Greenpeace US climbers created a blockade from the Fred Hartman Bridge in Baytown. The closure on the ship channel started on September 12, after Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received notification that about 11 individuals were suspended from the Fred Hartman Bridge. A US Coast Guard Station Houston 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew, a US Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew and the crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark were launched to the scene.