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"Singles Only"

Page Number 11

Year 2007 First Half

The Individual Moments of Transport Crisis

Which Don't Constitute A Full Page Feature

"Singles Only" Year 2007 First Half - Our Feature Page - Page #11 - Our "Singles" Photo Features By Date

M/V Empress of The North - Goes South - Again - 14 May 2004

IL-76 DOWN - the Congo - 10 MAY 2007

Did Pepito Need To Die? - M/V Astoria -5 April 2007

An Investigative Report

What's In A Name? - 22 March 2007

Rock Hunting Mine Hunter- M106 Grömitz -Feb. 2007

Out of Service - M/V Server- Feb. 2007

Ripped Reefer - M/V Sierra Neva - Jan. 2007

Family Feud - M/V APL Dubai - Jan.


For All The Many Transport Disaster Photos We Receive Each Month,

Only A Few Picture Series Result In A The Cargo Letter Photo Feature Page.

For All The Rather Amazing Single Picture Contributions We Recieve --

-- Here Are Our Selected One Photo Wonders!

Countryman & McDaniel

 The Air & Ocean Logistics- Customs Broker Attorneys

International Trade Consultants

"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

Countryman & McDaniel

Transport Single Photo Nightmares

Contributed By Our Readers* REURN TO "Singles Only" MAIN INDEX

M/V Empress of The North - Goes South - Again - 14 May 2007

U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft & Helicopter Dispatched After Mayday Radio Message Came in from M/V Empress of the North at 12:35 a.m

Vessel Listing 6 Degrees

The Cargo Letter for May 14 2007 --M/V Empress of the North
Paddlewheel cruise ship M/V Empress of the North, 112 staterooms operated by Majestic America Line of Seattle, ran aground with 281 passengers and crew aboard off the coast of Alaska, at the southern end of Icy Strait, about 15 miles SW of of Juneau on May 14, and began taking on water. All passengers were evacuated to fishing vessels and other cruise ships in the area, with no reports of injuries. Rescue operations hampered by strong winds, one-metre high waves & ice-cold water. M/V Empress of the North now underway with with basic crew and U.S. Coast Guard escort. (Mon. May 14 2007)
M/V Empress of the North Features Opulent Surroundings. The Empress of the North is one of three cruise ships operated by Majestic America Line of Seattle that work the Northwest Rivers route along with M/V Queen of the West & M/V Columbia Queen.

The ship has 112 staterooms, a three-story paddlewheel and galleries featuring Native American masks and Russian artwork, including Faberge eggs.

For Her Inland Passage & Columbia River Cruises Are Luxurious -- But Not This Time

The Gilligan's Island Group Aboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Liberty - WPB 1334

USCGC Liberty - WPB 1334 took on 130 of the 248 passengers before offloading them onto the passenger vessel M/V Columbia, which will transport them back to the city of Juneau. The United States Coast Guard 17th District was on the job.

When M/V Empress of the North ran aground, the band played on as everyone disembarked in a safe & orderly fashion. All of this is in the finest 1912 maritime tradition of the ship's band aboard RMS Titanic which played until the end. This time the ending was a bit more upbeat.

Passengers jolted awake at midnight by the ship hitting a charted reef 50 miles SW of Juneau early May 14 were ordered to don lifejackets and gather in the ballroom, where a singer and piano player entertained them with songs including "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" as they waited for rescue. Passengers praised the ship's crew for taking charge.

But it's not the first time 360ft. Empress of the North has hit the beach.

The Cargo Letter for Nov. 28 2003 --M/V Empress of the North

Portland-based 360ft. sternwheeler M/V Empress of the North with 58 passengers & 68 crew, developed steering problems Nov. 27 night 80 miles up the Columbia River from Portland -- ran aground injuring passenger & 2 crew -- vessel moved to barge dock & tied up. Injured hospital treated & released. LAST TIME>> On Oct. 24, 2003, while navigating through Ice Harbor Dam Lock on Snake River, vessel got stuck & spent night there -- on 3rd day of 8 day cruise on Snake & Columbia Rivers. No injuries reported among 188 passengers & 84 crew (Fri. Nov. 28 2003)

Ed Note: All tolled this is 4th grounding for M/V Empress of the North. This is what is refered to as a "hard luck ship," but the real answer is professional compentence. The 14 May 2007 incident is marked by word of M/V Empress of the North hitting a charted reef 50 miles SW of Juneau. We can't blame either the vessel or Majestic America Line for these circustances. So long as we humans run the game -- remember - "Ship Happens! ©"

McD

Index For This Feature:

Majestic America Line
M/V Empress of The North
Empress of The North Photo Gallery

The U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District - Alaska
USCGC Liberty - WPB 1334

Icy Strait

Cruise To The Icy Strait

Contributors For This Feature:

United States Coast Guard 17th District

Our International Correspondent Libby A. Thompson

Christoph M. Wahner, Esq.

IL-76 DOWN - 10 MAY 2007
The Cargo Letter for May 12 2007 --The Death of An IL-76
Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft destroyed in fire at airport on May 10 at Point-Noire in Congo, Africa. The fire began in a 4x4 vehicle being loaded onto the aircraft for the Il-76's intended flight to Brazzaville. (Sat. May 12 2007)
 

Ed Note: This is one of the truly Big Birds of the former Soviet Union with a 40 Ton lift & a 2,700 nautical miles range. We have lost an IL-76. They don't build these anymore. The world looses a lift.

The plane was copied by the Solviet Union from the U.S. C-141 Starlifter.

McD

Index For This Feature:

IL-76
Airlift Capability

IL-76 Photos

IL-76 Payload

C-141 Starlifter

Contributor For This Feature:

Our Doc -- Valued & Anonymous Insider Oo Our Pages For Many Years

Scott Madry

Did Pepito Flores Need To Die? - 22 April 2007

Our Investigative Report Is Now Complete

This Is Where Pepito Flores Died - On Tender Boat #7 Overside

The Cargo Letter for April 5 2007 --The Death of Pepito Flores

Bahamas-flagged 18,591tn. cruise M/V Astoria -- one crew was killed in the morning of Apr 5 in the harbor of Kerkyra/Korfu. While a boat on starboard side was lowered it broke off its ropes on side during safety exercise & crashed with bow into the water -- 4 crew were injured. After the GL finished investigations in the course of the day the ship allowed to continue its cruise. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 5 2007)

Exclusive To The Cargo Letter -- Eyewitness Testimony From A Crewmember -- Translated To English With Technical Definition - April 23 2007

"I was interested in your report [The Cargo Letter for April 5 2007] on the tragic accident on our ship M/V Astoria on the 5th April 2007 while'st alongside in Kerkyra Corfu (Turkey).

I was on board at that time and would like to explain.

Although the the outcome of the investigation has not been decided, everyone on board knew the reason for this accident. All the crew had to be honest after a similar incident which happened a year before. This next accident was waiting for this to happen again. But when it happened again, a life was taken. That of AB Pepito Flores.

The boat davits on all our lifeboats on M/V Astoria were a constant issue during on board safety meetings and were mentioned frequently from about Nov. 2006 as an area of concern. I am told this was mentioned many times to the company and even during our long stay in Barcelona dry dock it was mentioned at many meetings. The company always stated that the problems would be too expensive to repair and the manufacturers always just gave us a certificate that all was proper with the Davit assemblies. The crew knew different. The next accident waiting to happen.

As a result of the neglect -- on April 5 2007 -- during lifeboat drill -- the Tender Boat #7 came away from the davit & plunged 22 meters from the embarcation deck bow forward into the water. The result was our fellow crew member Pepito Flores died of horrific injuries. One of our officers tried to administer first aid when the lifeboat came alongside, but without success. Pepeito died of his injuries.

Again trying to save a few Euros -- cost the life of Pepito Flores .... the investigation in Greece was nothing short of a joke. If this incident happened in the U.S., UK, Canada or Australia the ship would still be there. I am told there are many safety reports, Here is a picture of the accident for you to see."

Anonymous Crewmember of M/V Astoria

What Is A Davit? --

A davit is a structure, usually made of steel, which launches lifeboats held in between the two davit arms over the side of a ship.

The development of the davit from its original "goose neck form" to the current devices advanced greatly when A.P. Schat patented a number of systems in 1926 that allowed the lifeboat to glide over obstructions on a ships hull known as the "Schat Skate". This was followed by a self-braking winch system that allowed the lifeboat to be lowered evenly and then the modern davit was invented. Davits have always been designed to fit into deck spaces that the naval architects deemed necessary and a variety of designs emerged. Davits are a modern marvel of ocean vessels -- but just as with all ship equipment -- davits require maintenance for the safety of crew & passengers..

For Pepito Flores the davits became the center & end of his life.

Cruise Ships News --September 17 2003

London newspapers report that M/V Astoria docked in Greenwich last week with 492 passengers & 250 crew on board. Shortly thereafter she was placed under a "voluntary detention agreement", but fled at 3AM, returning to Bremerhaven. According to the London port health authority, officers found that both the crew & passenger galleys were infested with vermin. Inspectors issued an emergency prohibition notice forbidding the preparation of food on board. Detention required the liner to stay in port until the infestation had been treated. The port health authority is considering legal action against her owners & crew.

Editor Note: If this evidence is true, there is reason for great concern here. The crew is reluctant to talk -- but this information is already quite enough for a proper investigation to begin. Let's review the content of those Safety Meetings. Educational Opportunities charters M/V Astoria to take tourists on excursions of the Holy Land. For obvious reasons, we assume the highest saftey standards are observed. However, Educational Opportunities Travel needs to address this incident -- and in parictular the davits issue.

Should M/V Astoria be arrested? >>> Impossible questions frequently arise which probe maritime procedures in the wake of all disasters. Most of these incidents prove out by skilled investigation & sciene that proper saftey measures were taken by the vessel operator. This is a great industry. Fair enough. But from time to time there are events which call into question the conditions under which merchant crews are forced to perform their duties. In such circumstances -- the families of injured or dead crew members have limited recourse. The families of injured or dead crew members have almost no alternative except to accept a simple letter of regret from the line.

Information to The Cargo Letter suggests that an investigation needs to be conducted for this incident. Indeed, did Pepito Flores need to die?

We ask each of you to press for answers. We will.

McD

Write To The Company Which Charters M/V Astoria For These Voyages -- express concerns about the vessel. Were concerns expressed about the faulty davits which killed Pepito Flores? Please ask the company. Let us know their response.

Educational Opportunities Travel

SPECIAL NOTE: The Cargo Letter Investigation is Complete. Pepito Flores Did Not Need To Die. Here Are The Findings:

Our Investigative Feature Is Now Posted ....
Pepito Flores Did Not Need To Die

Index For This Feature:

M/V Astoria
Video of M/V Astoria

Deck Plan of M/V Astoria

The Charter Company of M/V Astoria

Educational Opportunities
Mail TO: Educational Opportunities Travel

Contributor For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor - A crew member aboard M/V Astoria
What's In A Name? - 22 March 2007

M/V Titan Uranus !

 The Cargo Letter for March 22 2007 --What's In A Name? -- M/V Titan Uranus
This vessel surely has a powerful & historic name --that of a "Titan" and also a reference to one of our giant planets "Uranus."

What could be wrong?

Years ago Federal Express decided to change its name to "FedEx" - but not without some due diligence. In a very expensive & highly publicized effort, linguistic experts around the world were employed to make certain that the term "FedEx" would not offend any particular culture or have some negative meaning within some language among thousands of world tongues. BRAVO to FedEx!

By way of example, we in Southern California recall a major drug store chain which in the 1990's changed its brand name -- only to discover that the new name implied "Vomit" or "Sickness" in the language of many South American countries. The drug store chain pulled down all the new signs & quickly returned to the former trade name.

Even at our own law firm there was the young associate who was found -- some 20 years ago --to have established the new corporation of "Sky High Jewelers" for his immigrant clients. We quickly changed that one in the hope that some customer might actually want to come to the new jewelry store!

So let's all hope that the vessel M/V Titan Uranus might turn out to be be a floating health club. Otherwise, perhaps we could all gather to make sure that a native speaker is present well before the next ship naming ceremony.

McD

Contributor For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor - who is well known to us for many years
Rock Hunting Mine Hunter- M106 Grömitz - 21 Feb. 2007
The Cargo Letter for Feb. 22 2007 --German Navy Mine Hunter Finds Rocks
German Navy Type 332 Frankenthal class mine hunter M106 Grömitz (built 1994) based in Kiel -- will remain for some time on the rocks where it grounded in the night of Feb 21 off the harbor Floræ on way to Bergen. While hull remained so far undamaged in the grounding, the bunker fuel will have to be taken off before salvage. This probably will have to be undertaken by a sheerleg as a tug could cause hull damage when towing the ship off the rocks where Grömitz is stuck fast with its bow pointing to the sky. Cause of the grounding was said to be a navigational error, but the small island could possible not be detected by radar in snowy conditions. Ship was underway with other NATO-units within a mine hunting exercise. She was expected in Bremerhaven the forthcoming weekend but this is very unsure now. Vessel Capt. may be looking for other employment. Close to this position theNorwegian Navy frigate Oslo was lost on Jan 25, 1994, after having rund aground one day before thereby suffering strong water ingress. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007) >> Cargo Law has amazing photos of this loss which will be postged shortly. McD

The Cargo Letter for Feb. 24 2007 -- Grömitz Freed By The French.

660t. German Navy minesweeper M106 Grömitz -- refloated by 2974t. French anchor chaser M/V Bourbon Dolphin after 3 attempts of smaller tugs had failed, on Feb 22 at 4.51 p.m. with the rising flood. M/V Bourbon Dolphin pulled M106 Grömitz with the power of its 16300 hp into deep water. Then she was escorted to Hakonsvaern for inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007) 

Index For This Feature:

Type 332 Frankenthal Class Mine Hunter - ships are built of non-magnetic steel.
Alternate History of Vessel

Contributor For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor - who is well known to us

Michael Whitbu - Ontario Canada

Out of Service - M/V Server - 28 Jan. 2007
The Cargo Letter for Jan. 16 2007 -- M/V Server blown ashore.
33,000 DWT Cypriot flagged handy, geared bulker M/V Server -- blown ashore at Fedje north of Bergen on Jan. 12 -- broke up & spilled 370 tons of fuel oil -- vessel was in ballast from Årdalstangen in the Sogne Fjord bound for Murmansk, but hit 7 two 8 meter waves once she cleared the coast -- crew of 25 was hoisted to safety by rescue helicopters. According to manager Nicolas Wilmot at Gard, M/V Server like an eggshell, without the ability to maneuver & propeller was in thin air from time to time. Vessel lost power through inefficiency of the propeller & drifted toward the coast. Vessels often take on too little ballast water to save on fuel, even though this in contrary to Int'l regulations. A Court of Inquiry is to sit in Bergen Jan. 16. However it took the Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket) until Jan. 14 morning to get all the equipment in place, but blamed the severe weather for not starting the cleanup operation sooner. After vessel broke in two right across the main fuel oil tank, aft section remained on the rocks, while bow section was towed to the offshore base Ågotnes, just north of Bergen. Violent winds & seas have now dispersed the oil drifting off the coast, and the real cleanup work is expected to start Jan. 17. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Jan.16 2007)

The Official Account

The M/V Server on her voyage from port of Aardalstangen to Murmansk. During the voyage out Sognefjorden one of the crew members had badly injured his hand and therefore they decided to go south to Fedje pilot station. The injured crewmember was put onshore together with the pilot and the ship was supposed to head west until a few miles offshore before she should head north and proceed on her voyage to Murmansk.

M/V Server suffered problems maintaining the course and speed in the storm winds and started to drift on to the island Fedje where she grounded. During this time Fedje VTS called her several times and requested her to stay on course and the Captain confirmed, however she never came back on course. The Captain did not send any emergency signals before she was firmly on ground and he understood that it was necessary to evacuate the crew, witch was taken of by two helicopters on from the Norwegian air force and another a transport helicopter from one of the oil platforms of the coast. After some hours the vessel broke in two, and the aft ship sunk, but tugs managed to get a line onboard the front end part and towed it in too shallow waters, in lee from the waves, where she was put on ground. Here they are in progress of removing the remaining oil and other polluting substances.

It is supposed that the reason for loss of steering & power is that she was not properly ballasted, and therefore she had her propeller in the air quite frequently and as a result of this she lost the forward motion and drifted sideways on shore.

The weather in the area was storm force winds with waves of 7 to 8 meters. This is as well the reason that the pilot already had left the ship on the inside of Fedje to guide her out on radar.

The irony in all this is that the Fedje area is one of the busiest waters in Norway as it is the entry to two of the biggest oil terminals in Norway (Mongstad and Sture). But two years ago the Norwegian government of political reasons decided to remove the emergency oil recovery equipment on Fedje with the result that the oil now has spread over a big area. And is now observed as far north as Floro this is a distance of approximately 60 nautical miles.

Contributor For This Feature:

Ingvald Tangen - Sandeid, Norway
Ripped Reefer - M/V Sierra Neva - 28 Jan. 2007

4660gt M/V Sierra Neva (built 1991), ex M/V Cottica (sold 2001)

In Better Days

M/V Sierra Neva -- Her Hull Ripped Open

The Cargo Letter for Jan. 29 2007 -- The reefer Aground
100mt. reefer M/V Sierra Nava -- which was anchored in Gibraltar Bay since Jan 7 -- on Jan 28 ran aground in stormy seas, breaching the hull & spilling engine fuel over protected coasts near Gibraltar. The ship was blown onto a beach just south of Algeciras in the Estrecho National Park. M/V Sierra Nava being pounded by waves is thought to have around 350 tons of fuel on board in 4 compartments though only one had been damaged. A Spain Coastguard helicopter rescued the crew of 14 who earlier had to put out a fire in the ship's engine room.
From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Jan.29 2007)

Your Additional Photos of This Loss Will Be Appreciated

M/V Sierra Nava is thought to have around 350 tons of fuel on board in 4 compartments, though only one had been damaged. The sources put the size of the fuel slick at nearer 1km. Spain has been buffeted by strong winds and freezing temperatures over the past week, bringing snow to much of the peninsula including the normally balmy Mediterranean coast. With a hull breach she may not last.
McD

Index For This Feature:

Gibraltar Bay

Town of Algeciras - Spain

Contributor For This Feature:

Steven Holli
Go Back To Main Index
Family Feud - 12 Dec. 2007

Looks Like Some Container Disruption

More Like Container & Cargo Destruction

This Is What Happens To The Stuff In The Back Seat of Your Car In An Automobile Collision......

......BECAUSE THE COLLISION WAS HEAD ON

Off Singapore At 4am Local Time!

It Was An APL Line Family Feud! -- What Angered These Sisters?

M/V APL Dubai Vs. M/V APL Almandine

The Cargo Containers Aft -- Also Took The Hit

The Cargo Letter for Sept. 24 2006 -- Two Sister Ships of The APL Line Mix It Up
M/V APL Dubai -- in collision -- with M/V APL Almandine -- in SGP waters loc : Lat 01-25.0 N / Long 104-27.0 E -- 0400 hrs on 24 Sep 2006 -- head-on collision with each other that caused massive damage. Understood there were approximatly 20 odd containers flung overside at vicinity & these would pose navigation danger to vessels plying the route. Damage described as massive. (Sun. Sept. 24 2006)

We Only Have Photos of M/V APL Almandine. We Ask You To Contribute More Photos of This Amazing Incident. It Will Be Interesting To See How Sister M/V APL Dubai faired.

This Is Another Dramatic Example of Why Shippers MUST Acquire High Quality Marine Cargo Insurance.

The Uninsured Cargo Owners In These Photos Have A Very Hard Road Ahead.

Index For This Feature:

APL Line
APL History

APL Vessel Timeline

M/V APL Almandine

Built: 1993

DWT: 59,560

TEU: 3,821

M/V APL Dubai

Built: 1995

DWT: 62,905

TEU: 4,986

Contributor For This Feature:

Anonymous Contributor - who is well known to us
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