Maritime news

The captains that are going to take charge of the Triple-E vessels should prepare for the new ship and its twin-skeg setup that is different from the single engine and propeller on the Es-class ships (and other container ships).

They do this with the assistance of the same bridge simulation programme that is also made available to the pilots and tug vessel captains in the ports where the Triple-Es vessels are going to be calling.

In a press release, 2 of the captains that are soon going to be at the helm of a new Triple-Es ship, explain how the bridge simulation prepares them for the task ahead and what the major differences are among the current largest ships of the fleet of MAERSK, the E-class, and the new Triple-Es.

by VesselFinder

2 incidents off the UK coast led to the dead of 4,000 sea birds. Wildlife conservation charities are concerned and want the chemical (Polyisobutene) PIB hazard classification status to be reviewed.
Uses of the chemical: Fuel and lubricant additive, Explosives, Sporting equipment, Gas masks and chemical agent protection, Chewing gum, Tires and more.

It is known that the chemical is not directly toxic to sea birds but the polyisobutene becomes sticky when is in contact with water.
The plumage of sea birds is affected and the birds have difficulties with their movement and feeding.

The law allows now small quantities to be discharged in certain conditions. The threat on marine eco-systems has not to be underestimated.

by VesselFinder

There was a fire on 'Arctic Storm' extinguished by crew members. The 314-ft fishing vessel was saved by the people on board using the ship's Halon chemical firefighting system.

The Coast Guard helped with the evacuation of the passengers. MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria and 2 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor monitored, in the same time 'Good Samaritan' ships were trying to evacuate 78 of 120 people to commercial fishing vessels Northern Voyager, Golden Alaska, Sea Dawn and Excellence.

The situation is dangerous because on board the Arctic Storm has 188,00 gallons of diesel fuel. The good news are that there is no pollution and no injured crew members reported. The Coast Guard will start investigation to find the cause of the fire.

by VesselFinder

Invoicing error led to a ship broker being asked to pay the bill for a bunker supply amounting to over $750,000.

ITIC cites the case of a chartering shipbroker that arranged a fixture for a sailing from the Black Sea to Singapore. The recap showed the sameness of both the registered ship-owner and the disponent owner with whom the negotiations had been concluded.

The disponent owner asked the shipbroker to arrange the deal of bunkers, and an order was placed with a supplier. The cost of the bunkers was $777,278.000. But instead of ordering the bunkers on behalf of the disponent owner, the shipbroker mistakenly ordered them on the registered owner's behalf, taking the name from the recap.

The bunkers were duly supplied and the vessel signed for them. The bunker supplier invoiced the registered owner (not the disponent owner), care of the broker, for the cost of the bunkers. The invoice was sent to the disponent owner but wasn't paid when due. When chased for payment, the disponent owner replied, "Regarding the payment for bunkers, I have passed to the financial side and they must be arranging payment, the delay is due to our company currently being audited and is going to be ending in the coming weeks'.

When additional requests for payment met with a similar response, the bunker suppliers instructed lawyers to gather the amount owed. When lawyers approached the registered ship owner they were told that the registered owner had never given any instructions for the purchase of the bunkers and that the responsible party must have been the disponent owner. If the bunkers had been purchased in the name of the registered owner, this was a misrepresentation on the part of the party that had secured the information to the bunker supplier.

Lawyers consequently turned their attention to the shipbroker, claiming that it was responsible for breach of warranty of authority. There wasn't prospect of going after the ship and the brokers entered a settlement with the bunker suppliers.

by VesselFinder

A passenger vessel has been brought safely to anchor after she ran aground on the west cost of Scotland.

The Serenissima, became lodged on sand and gravel in Oban Bay at around 6:30 p.m. on 20th of May, Monday.

There were 112 people onboard the passenger ship when it ran aground. None of the 61 travelers or 51 crew members were injured during the accident.

The grounded passenger ship Serenissima is an 87-metre vessel that ran aground at the bow at a spot known as the Corran Ledge as it made its way from Ireland to the port of Oban.

The MCA reported there weren't any reports of injuries, and no reports of pollution or of water entering the passenger ship Serenissima.

Strong winds hampered first attempts by the crew members and the Oban RNLI lifeboat team to help the ship, but it was eventually re-floated at about 1:10 a.m.

The grounded passenger ship Serenissima is now anchored in Oban Bay and is going to undergo a dive inspection later on Tuesday.

by VesselFinder