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The 'Berge Shari' has been immobilized for three months at the port of Annaba. It arrived at the port on June 27, 2024, carrying 25,000 tons of logs from Argentina. The ship was initially supposed to unload its cargo within days of its arrival. However, a series of complications extended its stay. The main problem was the poor cargo stowage, which has significantly slowed down unloading operations. The mobilization of staff with adequate handling equipment has exacerbated the situation, preventing any rapid progress in processing the ship. After three months of immobilization, the accumulated demurrage now exceeds 1.2 million dollars. Initially, the ship was to unload its cargo at the port of Skikda, but it was diverted by the EP Annaba team to Annaba. This change, supposed to be a better solution, faced logistical problems. In an attempt to limit losses, the client was authorized to introduce its own handling equipment to speed up unloading. The Minister of Transport has sent a strict instruction to the port managers to speed up cargo processing operations and reduce the time ships spend in port on Sep 8, 2024, the purpose of which is the implementation of the instructions of the Council of Ministers of June 2, 2024. The lack of modern handling equipment, as well as insufficient maintenance capacity during the night, were slowing down the implementation of this directive. The minister has tasked the Serport group with supervising the improvements. The port of Annaba, once a major player in non-hydrocarbon exports, has been suffering for several years from a deterioration of its infrastructure and is facing significant structural problems. Several quays are partially out of service, and some are showing signs of weakness. Two of its five main quays are currently unusable, severely limiting the port’s ability to meet the growing needs of maritime trade. Many customershave turned to competing ports, which threatens not only the local economy, but also the port’s position on the national and international scene. Report with photo: https://elwatan-dz.com/le-navire-berge-shari-immobilise-depuis-trois-mois-au-port-de-annaba-deja-plus-de-12-million-de-dollars-de-surestaries

The 'Asya Energy' sanctioned by the US is currently heading to potential buyers in North Asia after sailing thousands of miles through the Arctic Ocean. The tanker passed the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula, carrying a shipment from the Arctic LNG 2 plant. It will be closely watched to see if it will continue sailing to an import terminal in the region, or try to cloak its identity in a bid to protect end-users from US retaliatory measures. Washington put restrictions on the ship and facility as part of efforts to stem Russia’s plans to expand natural gas exports and tap funds for its war in Ukraine. While Arctic LNG 2 started shipments in August via vessels with opaque ownership that were hiding their location, characteristics of a shadow fleet that are used to circumvent western restrictions, none have yet docked at another country’s port. Executives from Novatek PJSC, the majority owner of Arctic LNG 2, have been traveling around the world to find buyers for the sanctioned LNG, and have pursued multiple deals in China and with other Asian buyers, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. The company’s Chinese unit was sanctioned by the US in August for marketing gas from the project. On Sep 10, Novatek has denied that the company was involved in creating or managing the shadow fleet, describing such suggestions as “untrue”. The 'Asya Energy' passed the Koryak floating storage unit in Russia on Sep 29, which means the LNG shipment likely won’t be offloaded at the facility. Three of Arctic LNG 2’s six cargoes so far have been delivered to Russian storage units, while the others remain on the water. Meanwhile, the tanker 'Pioneer', which was believed to have loaded Arctic LNG 2’s first cargo in early August, and also sanctioned by the US, has traversed the Red Sea. It was the first observed LNG tanker since January to sail the length of the waterway amid Houthi attacks on Western and Israeli vessels. Ships have instead taken longer journeys around Africa. The manually listed destination for the 'Pioneer' has recently showed “Not Support Israel." It hadn’t discharged elsewhere and was now closer to potential buyers in Asia.

The 'Mein Schiff 7' had to interrupt the departure maneuver in Kirkwall on the evening of Sep 30, 2024, due to a medical emergency on board the ship. The captain postponed the departure time indefinitely because the patient had to be handed over to land first. At the time of the information about the medical emergency on board, the preparatory work for departure was underway with the release of the lines by port employees. The ship was moored firmly to the pier again until an ambulance arrived at the pier a few minutes later. The patient was handed overwithin a few minutes and was then being cared for in a hospital. Only a slight delay resulted from the emergency. The 'Mein Schiff 7' finally left the port oat around 7:10 p.m. local time. The ship was originally scheduled to depart for Hamburg at 6:30 p.m. with an ETA as of Oct 3.

More than 180 people got sick in a gastrointestinal outbreak during a cruise of the 'Radiance of the Seas', that ended on Sep 27, 2024. Among 2,172 passengers on the ship, 180 reported being ill along with three crew members, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their main symptoms were abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache and muscle aches. The health agency listed the causative agent as unknown. The ship was on an Alaska cruise at the time. The sailing left from Vancouver, Canada, on Sep 20. The ship also made announcements about the outbreak and encouraged “good hand hygiene” and case reporting, among other steps. The CDC has logged 10 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruises that met its threshold for public notification in 2024. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in every instance but three.

The 'Pioneer' sanctioned by the USA, over its links to Russia-sourced liquefied natural gas (LNG), has passed through the Suez Canal with an LNG cargo. The source of the destination were not immediately clear. The tanker is registered to Zara Shipholding Co, which has offices in Dubai and India's Mumbai. The USA have imposed sanctions on two companies and two vessels, including the 'Pioneer', which are linked to Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project, in one of Washington's latest move to penalise Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. The 'Pioneer' was involved in a ship-to-ship transfer of gas from Arctic LNG 2 on Aug. 25. The manually listed destination for the 'Pioneer' has recently showed “Not Support Israel".. It hasn’t discharged elsewhere and is now closer to potential buyers in Asia.