Daily Vessel Casualty and Piracy Report

 

 

Edited By Christoph M. Wahner, Esq.

With Comment by Michael S. McDaniel, Esq.

 

 

The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker. It's dangerous out there. Buy the cargo insurance, before the loss!

 

 

Many container vessel incidents go unreported until some complaint by cargo interests. Please report events and send photos to us in confidence. Our reporters remain anonymous upon request.

 

 

Drop us a line and we will properly inform the industry.

 

 

Casualty Reports archive for years 1997-2007

 

Casualty Reports July 2008 through December 2008

 

4 YEAR 2008 MARITIME LOSSES AROUND THE WORLD ARE BELOW

January 2008 through June 2008

 

 

Vessel Loss Dispatches For June 2008

 

Passenger vessel M/V Wonderful Stars, en route to Ormoc with 608 passengers and 78 crew, was in collision with cargo M/V MCC Sulu, en route to Cebu, off Liloan and Danao on June 28 at 1330LT. Both vessels reported minor damage and arrived at their respective destinations safely. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

186-ft sternwheeler Portland grounded 1.5 miles east of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon on June 27. The vessel was feed without injury or pollution by the efforts of Coast Guard Station Portland and Air Station Astoria Oregon. Preliminary inspection revealed no hull or structural damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

Norweigan ferry Bergensfjord, which runs between Halhjem and Sandvikvåg, allided with a quay at Sandvikvåg on June 27. The quay was damaged on a length of nine meters. The ferry was only slightly damage and remained operating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

 141-m German cargo M/V Kristin Schepers, built 2007, grounded on the embankment of the Kiel Canal on June 27 at 0600LT at km 61. The ship was refloated by tugs Nordmark and Gigant and was towed to the communal harbour in Rendburg where it was berthed for inspections. At 1000LT, the ship was cleared to continue its voyage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

US Navy Destroyer David R. Ray, 31-years old and decommissioned in 2002, will be used for target practice and sunk next week near Hawaii in a Rim of the Pacific war exercise. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

Scalloper Guyona, with 3 crew, sank off the Channel Islands, UK on June 24. The crew were rescued thanks to the RNLI satellite signal emitted by their emergency gear. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

34.2-m 40-ton German ferry Elster, built 1997, was struck by 12-m Danish pleasure boat Isa on the Elbe at Elster on June 24. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

Russian M/V Gem (IMO 9066057) collided with Singapore-flagged tanker M/V BW Havsol (IMO 9133836) in the locks of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbuettel on June 27 at 1930LT. No injuries and only slight damage reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

547-ft 8,000-ton guided-missile cruiser Horne (CG-30), commissioned in 1967, will be towed to sea to be torpedoed and sunk as part of allied exercises. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Antoine D suffered fire while moored on the north side of Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, on June 26 at 1915LT. The Coast Guard, North Vancouver fire department and RCMP dealt with the blaze, which appeared to start in the living quarters of the ship and had it contained by 2030LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

50-ft S/Y Iwalani, based in Portland, Maine, ran aground in Long Cove near Rockland, Maine on June 26 at 1000LT. A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Rockland, Maine, went aboard the vessel to confirm that there were no injuries or vessel damage. They left the scene soon after but maintained radio contact every 30 minutes until the vessel was refloated at high tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

30-ft S/Y Pooka, Rye, New Hampshire to Boston, Massachusetts, took on water and began flooding 4 miles northeast of Gloucester Harbor one June 26 at 1240LT. US Coast Guard, Station Gloucester, deployed 25-ft response boat and 47-ft motor lifeboat to assist. The vessel was pumped clear and safely escorted to Gloucester. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 28 2008).

 

121-m 12,385-gt Swedish ferry Eckerö, with 450 passengers, allided with a quay in Grisslehamn on June 11. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 26 2008).

 

228.18-m 39,674-gt passenger M/V Rotterdam (IMO 5301019, built 1956/58) suffered fire in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on June 25. No injuries reported. The vessel was under re-build for use for a floating hotel and congress centre in Rotterdam. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 26 2008).

 

2,335-ton cargo M/V Lake Paoay, with 5,000 metric tons coal, sank off the coast of Carles town in Iloilo at the height of the typhoon Frank on June 22. Six crew members died, fifteen reported missing, and four others rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Ocean Papa sank off the coast of Culasi in Antique on June 21 at noon. One crew was killed and 24 others rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

57-m Polish cargo M/V Barbara D. (IMO 8033431, ex Neuenbrook), suffered steering failure and grounded on the embankment of the Kiel Canal at Fischerhuette at on June 24 at 1300LT. The vessel did reportedly incur damage but was freed with the assistance of passing coaster vessel Ostenau a short time later. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

800-gt M/V Milan, with cargo of 600 tonnes iron product, sank in the Hooghly river at Raichak near Diamond Harbor, India, on June 23. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

82-ft schooner Sylvina W. Beal, with 41 passengers aboard, ran aground south of Indian Island, Maine, on June 23. No injuries, pollution, or water ingress reported. A 41-foot boat crew launched from Coast Guard Station Eastport and arrived on scene to evacuate the passengers from the stranded vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

130-ft S/V Adventuress ran aground in Wasp Passage, San Juan Islands, Washington on June 23. The Washington State Ferry Sealth along with vessel Assist were able to remove all of the 27 passengers and crew safely from the grounded vessel, which was towed to Friday Harbor, Washington where no damage was reported. The wooden sailboat was built as a pleasure yacht in 1913 and as the pilot boat for San Francisco Bay for 35 years. After years of neglect on the beach near Sausalito, Calif., the ship was brought to Seattle by new owners. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

Pusher tug Rhenus Schub 2 (ex Veerhaven III, Wasserbüffel) sank south-west of the Greek Island Sapienza (Pelepones) while unmanned and being towed by the Greek tug Europe from Dordrecht to Constantza on June 3. There was no fuel on board and hence no spill. rom our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

177-m Marshall Islands-flagged cargo M/V Green Cape (IMO 7824675), went adrift and grounded on a sand bar in Everingen, Germany on June 19. Tug were dispatched to assist in refloating the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

48-m three masted charter-barque and former fishery vessel Antigua, built 1955 and operated by the Schiffahrtsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG Hamburg, collided with 38-m three masted schooner Ingo von Göteborg, built 1922, in the inner port of Kiel. The foremast of the Antigua broke, but none of the 90 passengers was hurt. The Ingo von Göteborg, which carried 70 passengers, was allowed to continue its voyage after the end of police investigations. Both vessels were underway to the races of the Kiel Week. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

Container vessel Oceanic Container Line sank in the vicinity of Maralison islet off mainland Culasi, Philippines, as typhoon Frank (Fenshen) battered the Binirayan province of Antique with heavy rains and strong winds on June 21. The 21 crew reportedly abandoned ship before the vessel went down. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 24 2008).

 

ALERT>>23,824-tonne Philippine ferry M/V Princess of the Stars, Manila to Cebu with more than 800 passengers and crew, capsized in a typhoon on June 21. 13 bodies recovered, 38 people are confirmed rescued. Hundreds are missing, feared killed. Coast guard divers who rapped on the hull heard no signs of life and rough seas were hampering search efforts. A U.S. Navy ship is assisting rescue efforts. Rescue teams will likely drill holes in the hull in search of potential survivors within the overturned vessel. The hull bottom remains exposed out of the water. Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo, has demanded an explanation as to why the ferry was allowed to leave port despite imminent typhoon warnings. The vessel is operated by Sulpicio Lines and voyage is generally 22 hours. (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

55,926-gt Panama-flagged car-carrier Palmela (IMO 9207388), built 2000, allided with the bridge of the Kallo Lock in Antwerp while departing for Bremerhaven on June 2. The allision caused only minor damage and no injuries were reported; the vessel continued its voyage to Bremerhaven. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

4,109-gt Turkey-flagged cargo M/V Alfa Moon (IMO 9437763) allided with a quay in the port of Koper, Slovenia, on June 6. The vessel suffered damage to its bulbous bow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

266-gt, 32.9-m German ferry Laboe collided with 10-m S/Y Roede Orm in the port of Kiel near Bellevue on June 21 at 1155LT. No injuries reported, but the yacht sank with 10 minutes and was considered a total loss. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

Westbound cargo M/V Allegretta (IMO 9353395) suffered steering failure in the Kiel Canal at km 29 and grounded on the southern embankment near the Gruenental bridge on June 19 at 1745LT. The vessel was refloated one hour later and continued its voyage toward the North Sea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

German dive M/V Artur Becker, homeport Greifswald, was in collision with Polish flagged Raba off Ruegen island in the Balti Sea. Both vessels suffered damage above the water line. The Artur Becker had been under anchor at the time of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

German cargo M/V Marfeeder collided with the Singapore-flagged APL Turnquoise in dense fog on the Weser River, Germany, on June 1 at 0600LT. The Marfeeder suffered damage on the port side and the A boat fell overboard. The APL Turnquoise was also damaged. The Marfeeder berthed at Bremerhaven and the APL Turnquoise anchored on the Northern roads off Wangerooge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

Belgian inland water craft Timaja suffered machine failure in the upper lock canal of the Geesthacht locks and crashed into the stern of the Polish barge train Odra Lloyd 5 on June 5 at 2250LT. Some oil spillage was reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

Romanian inland cargo craft Antonius ran aground on the Danube river at Vilshofen after suffering machine failure on June 16. The vessel suffered water ingress in the cargo hold and developed a list. Vessel traffic had to be closed at the grounding site. The vessel was refloated on June 17 after cargo lightering. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 23 2008).

 

238-m Malta-flagged container vessel India Lotus, owned by Israeli company Ofer Brothers, suffered fire with 32-crew aboard approximately 1,100-km south of Dutch Harbor, Alaska on June 20. U.S. officials dispatched a C-130 plane and cutter Mellon to assist the vessel, but were informed assistance was no longer required. No injures were reported. (Sat. June 21 2008).

 

5,890-dwt refrigerator vessel M/V Akademik Khokhlov (IMO 7826128), built 1980 and en route Okhotsk sea, Busan, Japan Sea, suffered fire at position 38.05.6N 132.32.7E on June 19 at 2200LT. The engine room was sealed and filled with CO2 – no injuries or damages reported. Salvage tug Shuya was dispatched from Shuya to assist. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. June 21 2008).

 

4,022-grt M/V Volgo-Don 5016, built 1969 and enroute Rostov-on-Don to Kavkaz port, Azov Sea, Russia, ran aground and was holed on June 17 at 2215LT. The vessel suffered ballast tank flooding and a forward pitch and starboard list. The cargo of sulphur was offloaded to barges as part of refloating efforts.From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. June 21 2008).

 

31,248-gt Bahamas-flagged chemical tanker Champion Brali (IMO 8309799) allided with anchored Panama-flagged passenger liner 32,327-gt M/V Topaz (IMO 5103924) in Chiangi Strait, Singapore on June 10. M/V Topaz (ex Empress of Britain, Queen Anna Maria, Carnivale, Fiesta Marina, Olympic) was built in 1956 and was recently sold for scrap by Kyma Ship Management. Both vessels suffered damge. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. June 21 2008).

 

-------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------

 

13 June 2008: 2354 LT: 22:13.8N - 091:44.3E, Chittagong Outer Roads Anchorage 'B', Bangladesh. Six pirates in long wooden boat with outboard engine boarded a container ship at anchor -- stole ship's stores and property, and escaped. Port control informed.

13 June 2008: 0230 LT: 20:53.84N - 107:15.66E, Port Campha Inner Anchorage, Vietnam. Pirates in small boat boarded general cargo ship at anchor -- stole ship's stores from the forecastle deck and escaped. Duty AB on patrol noticed a fishing boat in the vicinity. Authorities informed.

 

-------N-------

 

Cruise ship M/V easyCruise Life, Maltese-flagged, with over 450 people aboard, ran aground at an island port off of Syros, Greece, on June 13. The vessel was towed into port for a full inspection and no damage was found. (Sun. June 15 2008).

 

Viking Vulcan, once used as a support vessel for oilrigs but destined for scrap, caught fire at the Leith Docks in Edinburgh, UK on June 16 at 0430LT. No injuries reported. (Sun. June 15 2008).

 

N5,285-grt M/V Lehman Timber (IMO 9418286), Gibraltar-flagged and built 2008, was hijacked by Somali pirates on May 28. Ransom negotiations reportedly underway, concerns for condition and safety of the 15 crew are growing. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. June 15 2008).

 

2,061-grt M/V Baltic Sky (IMO 7904516), Dominican-flagged and built 1980, ran aground while proceeding from Maimaksanskiy Branch, North Dvina river, Russia. The vessel was refloated by tug Turiy and towed to Arkhangel port for inspections and repairs. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. June 15 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Lukan, reported main engine failure and vessel list of 20 degrees 50 miles west off Salala Port, Omman, Persian Gulf, on June 12. Vessel required salvage tow. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. June 15 2008).

 

N4,600-tonne, 100-meter cattle transport ship M/V Hereford Express, bound for Western Australia from the Philippines with 22 Filipino crew, came under two hours of heavy fire from pirates in four speedboats in Indonesian waters, south of Mindanao, on June 14. No injuries were reported and the vessel escaped, though it returned to port at General Santos City to report the attack and undergo repairs to the ship's bridge, which was badly damaged by the gunfire. From our Correspondent Steve Valeriani (Sun. June 15 2008).

 

73-ft catamaran tour boat Sea Star, with approximately 220 people aboard, sank off the coast of Cancun, Mexico on June 7. The vessel was built less than six months prior but was only authorized to carry 80 people, according to Mexico authorities. The crew reportedly abandoned the vessel leaving passengers to fend for themselves. One teenager was killed when she was trapped under a rescue boat. The cause of the sinking is under investigation. (Thurs. June 12 2008).

 

Addax Petroleum vessel Secor Macor was fired upon and attacked by militants off Nigeria on June 10. The vessel was under the guard of naval personnel from NNS Victory in Calabar, Cross River State. The naval personnel returned fire. One officer was killed and civilians on board sustained various degrees of injuries. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) had both threatened to carry out attacks against federal interests in the oil and gas sector. Security vessel Altra G, also belonging to Addax Petroleum, was similarly attacked on June 9. (Thurs. June 12 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Bay Island caught fire at Port Blair, India, on June 11. One person died and four others sustained injuries as a result of the fire, which is believed to have arisen from ongoing repair work to the vessel’s air conditioning system. (Thurs. June 12 2008).

 

F/V Nordic IV was prevented from leaving the Swedish port of Gothenburg by Greenpeace activists on June 12. Greenpeaces alleges the vessel engaged in piracy, environmental destruction and violated the Swedish fishing embargo in and off Western Sahara. (Thurs. June 12 2008).

 

Norwegian freight vessel M/V Tello, Kirkenes in Norway to Murmansk, was detained by a Russian Coast Guard vessel in the Barents Sea on June 11. M/V Tello allegedly crossed the Russian-Norwegian border 40-nm from the point previously announced and five hours ahead of schedule. The captain of M/V Tello paid the fine for the violation. (Thurs. June 12 2008).

 

47-ft diving boat Aquatic Safaris I, with 16 people aboard, reported it was taking on water near the mouth of Cape Fear River, North Carolina, on June 11. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina responded to the scene and removed the 13 passengers and assisted the 3 crew in dewatering the vessel. (Thurs. June 12 2008).

 

38-ft sailboat Cynthia Woods, with 6 crew, capsized approximately 25 miles south of Freeport, Texas, on June 7. A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Houston pulled five men from the water, but one crewman remains missing. Coast Guard officials said the keel of the overturned vessel was ripped off, indicating it likely struck something in the water. (Sun. June 8 2008).

 

F/V Princess K, owned by the Princess K Fishing Corporation, falsely activated a distress signal approximately 150 nautical miles northeast of Oahu, Hawaii on Feb. 26. The Coast Guard expended more than 3 aircraft hours and six personnel at a cost of more than US$35,000 after it received the signal and the vessel failed to respond to radio transmissions. The vessel owner was fined US$8,000 by the Federal Communications Commission on May 29. (Sun. June 8 2008).

 

NUnidentified small commercial vessel was attacked by pirates off Somalia's coast on June 4, but was rescued by Canadian troops aboard the HMCS Calgary which was conducting exercises in the area. (Sun. June 8 2008).

 

Unidentified 12-m crab vessel sank in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, on June 8. 3 of 4 crew reported safe, the other missing. (Sun. June 8 2008).

 

Unidentified supply vessel suffered fire at shipyard in Tuas, southwestern Singapore on June 8. Fifteen people wre injured. It took firefighters 20 minues to bring the flames under control. Most damage was confined to the vessel's bridge area. (Sun. June 8 2008).

 

82-m 1,669-dwt M/V Enisei (IMO 8811613) suffered explosion and fire while in the dry-dock of Navy Ship yard in Baltiysk port, Baltic sea. The explosion occurred in aft tank during welding. Eight people reported killed . From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. June 7 2008).

 

Greek-registered cargo ship M/V Syros collided with Maltese-registered Sea Bird approximately 20km off the coast of Montevideo, Uruguay on June 5. The fuel tank of M/V Syros was ripped open in the collision, and a significant spill of 12 miles was reported. (Sat. June 7 2008).

 

80-ft tour boat M/V Ptarmigan, with 186 passengers aboard, collided with an iceberg while on a cruise of Portage Lake, Alaska. The vessel did not appear to be damaged, however about a dozen passengers were injured and two were sent to Anchorage hospitals for treatment. (Sat. June 7 2008).

 

11,093-dwt refrigerator M/V Baltic Wind (IMO 7342988) suffered oil spill while berthed at Berth 19, St. Petersburg, during preparations for bunkering on May 31 at 1030LT. Roughly 2 tons of IFO-380 leaked on deck and in water. The vessel was boomed and cleanup efforts are underway. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. June 5 2008).

 

5,192-mt displacement inland tanker vessel Sudak, with 4,721-mt fuel oil aboard, ran aground at km mark 518, Rybinskoye Basin, enroute Saratov (Volga river) – S.Petersburg, on May 31 at 1635LT. The vessel incurred a large hole in the ballast tank port side, engine room area. No spill reported and traffic was not effected. The vessel was lightered and refloated on June 1 and taken under tow to Gorodets port for repairs on June 2. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. June 5 2008).

 

River cruise ship M/V Aleksandr Suvorov, cruising Moscow – Tver route with 347 passengers on board, grounded on lock 2 of the Moscow Channel on May 31 at 0910LT. No injuries or water ingress reported and the vessel was freed under its own power. The lock was reportedly undamaged, though the vessel suffered damage to its steering mechanism. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. June 5 2008).

 

143-ft Cruise ship Spirit of Alaska, with 41 passengers and 22 crew aboard, scraped the ocean bottom in Tracy Arm, a popular tour destination for glacier viewing 45 miles south of Juneau, Alaska, on June 4. The ship is not grounded and did not take on water, but is having propulsion problems and is anchored in the arm's Williams Cove awaiting a Coast Guard inspection. The Coast Guard has sent a rescue helicopter from Sitka, the cutter Liberty and a 47-ft motor lifeboat from Juneau. A passenger evacuation is not currently anticipated. The vessel is owned by Cruise West. (Wed June 4 2008).

 

39-ft chartered F/V Fin Seeker, with 7 aboard, sank in 60-mph winds approximately 3 miles east of Waukegan in Lake Michigan in the afternoon of May 30. 5 people were rescued by Coast Guard helicopter, and another 2 were rescued by a Coast Guard boat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed June 4 2008).

 

Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise, sailing between Turkey and Cyprus, was rammed by a Turkish F/V and pelted with lead fishing weights on May 30. The Turkish tuna ship was one of several that surrounded the Greenpeace vessel, which was carrying activists campaigning against overfishing in the Mediterranean. The impact was reportedly significant, but there were no injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed June 4 2008).

 

774-ft Turkish-owned freight vessel, en route to Balboa, Panama, required Coast Guard medical assistance 110 miles west of San Francisco on June 2. An engineer evidently suffered a stroke and was airlifted off the vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard. (Mon. June 2 2008).

 

 

Vessel Loss Dispatches For May 2008

 

Transocean drillship Discoverer Deep Seas suffered engine room fire earlier this month while it was drilling for Chevron at the supermajor's St Malo discovery in the Walker Ridge area of the US Gulf. A Transocean spokesman reported there were no injuries and that the company is in the midst of determing extent of vessel damage. The fire is expected to sideline the vessel for around 50 days. The vessel is under a long-term contract with Chevron in the US Gulf. From our Correspondent Rob Stormer, Ch.Eng., Master Salvor (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

Russian-flagged trawler Kapitan Gromtsev suffered engine failure and became disabled in the Norwegian Sea 18 miles west off Bear Island on May 27 at 2315LT. The vessel was taken in tow to the Norwegian port of Tromse by Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Andenes. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

Towing vessel Omaha, with 7 persons aboard, took on water on the Missouri River. The crew intentionally grounded the vessel along the bank of the Missouri River and used mooring lines to secure it to the shore. All persons were successfully rescued from the river bank by response vessels from the local fire department. No injuries reported, however the vessel is partially submerged and pollution was reported. (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

Unidentified Consort Express Lines (CEL) cargo vessel ran aground when it hit the Tudobu reef near Waga Island on May 26. Officials in Papua New Guinea are checking for pollution in Milne Bay. The cause of the accident was not known and there were no details of any cargo on board. A tugboat was being brought to the scene to refloat the vessel. The vessel is one of seven general cargo ships in the CEL fleet. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

18-m, 59-ft F/V Girl Patricia - P 257, with four crew, took on water and sank off Lands End while fishing about 28 miles north west of the Isles of Scilly on May 29. The crew were rescued by a Royal Navy helicopter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

81.2-m, 1,635-dwt Dutch inland tanker M/V Synthese-11, owned by Vijgula B.V. Druten, took on water in the port of Duisburg on May 29. The double-hulled vessel is carrying sulfur acid, but no spill was reported. The leaking tank is being pumped out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

Warnemuende, Germany based F/V Johann Stelling, owned by the company Backfisch-Udo Am Strom, suffered explosion on the morning of May 28. The fire was soon under control but the explosion had devastated the ship. The explosion is believed to have been caused by a gas leak in a refrigerator room. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

2,864-dwt Russian cargo M/V Ulusland-1 (IMO 8111788), built 1982, went off channel and ran aground by portside on 2815 kilometer mark, river Volga, on May 28. No spill reported. The vessel was refloated the next day, with no damages reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

Scandlines Ferry Aurora af Helsingborg (IMO 9007128) allided with a quay at Helsingoer, Denmark, on May 28 at 1140LT. The vessel sailed to Landskrona Yard for repairs the same day. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

167-m German container M/V Hansa Centurion ran aground on the Wester Scheldt at Walsoorden while being underway to Antwerp on May 30. The ship was refloated in the evening with slight damages. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 31 2008).

 

The bodies of two men were found in the 3,000-tonne, 90-m cargo vessel M/V Pascal while it was docked at Ayr harbour, UK, on May 27. A post-mortem examination will be held to determine the exact cause of deaths. From our correspondent A.L. Griffiths (Wed. May 28 2008).

 

10,845-gt Swedish Scandlines ferry Aurora, crashed into a quay at Helsingoer on May 28 at 1140LT. No injuries reported, but the ferry suffered bow damage causing the car ramp to be blocked. The vessel had to sail back to Helsingborg for inspections without passengers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 28 2008).

 

Training vessel Yuejiang, carrying students preparing for a maritime piloting test, collided with cargo ship Jiangxiazhan in Jurong City, China at 1135LT. The Yuejiang, which belonged to the Port of Nanjing, sank after the collision. Six people died and 15 were saved by rescuers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 28 2008).

 

4,050-ton Kashima, training ship of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, suffered a series of small fires while sailing in the Caribbean Sea, off Cartagena, northern Colombia, on May 26. None of the 330 crew members were injured. The ship, on a five-month global voyage since mid-April together with the MSDF 3,500-ton training ship Asagiri and the 3,500-ton destroyer Umigiri, was heading for Brazil after leaving Panama on May 25. The incident will not affect their schedule. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 28 2008).

 

272-ft British nuclear-powered submarine HMS Superb, with 112 crew, struck rocks in the Red Sea on May 26. The incident caused damage to its sonar equipment and forced the vessel to surface. No injuries reported and the vessel remains watertight. The vessel was launched in 1976. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 28 2008).

 

Dutch shrimp vessel YE 137 ran aground on a sandbar at the Brouwershaven Gat. on May 27 at 0145LT. The KNRM-rescue boat Koopmansdank from Noordland was soon on scene and able to refloat the ship within short time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 28 2008).

 

Unidentified small fishing vessel sank in the waters off Brebes town of Central Java province in Indonesia on May 26. Eight people reported missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 27 2008).

 

82-ft sailing vessel Dona Maria, with 3 crew, took on water and was abandoned 180 miles southeast of Cape Cod on May 26 at approximately 2045LT. The crew was airlifted to safety from their life raft by a Jayhawk rescue helicopter dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 27 2008).

 

160-m Spanish-flagged container M/V Ruiloba, built 2007 and currently under Maersk charter, was detained in Bremerhaven for the length of investigations after an incident while berthing. While the ship was berthing at Terminal 4 at 6-15 p.m. the ship made a sudden move forwward causing 4 of the 6 ropes which had already been fixed to break. Two Spanish sailors who were standing in the stern region were seriously hurt by the ropes. Police and shipping authorities started investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

28-ft power boat Rum Runner, with 5 passengers aboard, collided with 120-ft docked barge in Lake St. Clair’s Belvidere Bay, Michigan, on May 24 at 2300LT. Three people were killed and two others injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

39-m German passenger M/V Stadt Kappeln collided with 35-m German stern wheeler Schlei Princess on May 23 on the Schlei. The former is owned by J. Sebode, Kappeln and the latter by Müller. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

85-m Dutch inland water craft Maartje allided with high voltage cable crossing the Mittellandkanal in the port of Bülstringen at Altmark on May 24. The allision caused a power breakdown of 40 minutes in 35,000 houses in Haldensleben, Gardelegen and Salzwedel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

592-ft fuel barge SMT Two, operated by the Jacksonville, Florida-based company Intrepid Ship Management Inc., caught fire during fuel transfer at the Citgo Bulk Storage and Distribution Facility in Tampa, Florida, on May 22. One crew member was seriously injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Italian cargo M/V Medi Cagliari (IMO 9279549) collided with 127-m Gibraltatr-flagged tanker M/V Eships Barracuda 6 miles north of Calais, France, on May 12. No injuries reported. M/V Medi Cagliari was berthed at the repair yard Arno Dunkerque on May 23. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Romanian inland cargo M/V Valeria, with load of 1,000 tons fertilizer, allided with a quay wall in the Kachlet lock in Passau, Germany, on May 22. The vessel suffered water ingress in the foreship but the lock was not damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Unidentified ferry with 206 passengers and 6 crew allied with a pier on Greek Island of Patmos on May 21. No injuries or fuel leak reported, though the vessel suffered a 20-centimeter gash at its stern. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Cruise ship Norwegian Spirit allided with Manhattan pier 90 on the Hudson River on May 26. No injuries were reported, though the pier suffered structural damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Indian vessel Oel Aishwarya, Colombo to Chennai, suffered fire near the Sri Lankan coast on May 25 at approximately 0500LT. A merchant navy officer was killed in the flames. The fire was extinguished after nearly seven hours. Despite the fire, the ship was in a condition to complete its voyage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Japan’s Eastern Car Liner’s (ECL) 9,801-dwt Cosmic Leader, built 1991 and Panama-flagged (previously Philippines-flagged), ran aground on an isolated island during the tropical cyclone Nargis. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

Dutch cargo vessel MS Alblasgracht (IMO 9013878) ran aground in the Panama Canal after suffering technical problems near Isla Orchid at the Bohio Turn on May 23. No damages or spill reported, and the vessel was refloated under its own power and with assistance of two tugs. (Mon. May 26 2008).

 

27-m longliner Magus, with 5 crew, ran aground while trying to enter its home port Mooloolaba, Australia, off the Sunshine Coast after the coxswain had fallen asleep on May 22 at 2100LT. The ship washed onto the beach at Buddina, the crew was eventually winched to safety after a resident and police arrived to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

Container M/V Madeleine suffered gas leak at Port Everglades, Florida, on May 20. Three employees of Florida Transportation Services who were loading containers died from chemical asphyxia due to displacement of ambient oxygen by argon gas. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

Dutch passenger M/V Silverwind, owned by Waddenvaart, Dokkum, ran aground on the Engelmannsplaat on May 22 at 1800LT. The rescue boat Koning Willem I of the KNRM-station Schiermonnikoog was able to refloat the ship soon, and it could continue its round trip. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

Norfolk, Virginia-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington suffered fire while in the Pacific headed to San Diego on May 23. One sailor suffered minor burns and 23 others suffered from heat stress. Sailors extinguished the fire several hours. The fire was spotted near the auxiliary boiler room and air conditioning and refrigeration space in the rear of the nuclear powered ship and spread through a passageway for cables. The carrier's propulsion plant was not damaged and the fire did not threaten the safety of the ship's nuclear reactor. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

78-ft Norwegian F/V Tor Angell N-14 MS, from Sørvågen, sank in the Sørøy Sound in Finnmark on May 23 at 0351LT. The ferry Richard With rescued the crew and transferred them to the rescue ship Ada Waage which took them to Hammerfest. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

27-m, 148-passenger vintage Swedish passenger M/V Kung Carl Gustaf, built 1892, caught fire with 67 passengers and 6 crew aboard off Ekoln at Skarholmen in Uppsala on May 23 at 1845LT. Four persons had to be taken to hospital due to smoke intoxication. The fire broke out in a filter in the machine room and caused strong smoke development when the ship was 150 m off the shore. The passengers were ordered on the upper deck and evacuated with rafts of the fire rescue. A rescue helicopter was also on scene as well as police boats. The ship was able to berth under own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

80-m Dutch cargo M/V Helenic, bound for Antwerp with load of steel, ran aground as a result of maneuvering error in the Ålöfjord in the Oxelö Sound near Korpholmen on May 23 at 1500LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

23.7-m two-masted sailing trawler ketch Sunbeam, built 1905 in Lowestoft, England, suffered fire in machine room off Vaxholm, north of Stockholm, on May 22 at 0600LT. The fire was contained to the machine room, and the local fire response rescued the 20 people aboard. The vessel served as a trader until 1962 and was then used as a research ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

Unidentified dry cargo and tanker vessels collided in the Vologda region, Russia, on May 22 at 2300 Moscow time. The incident occurred on the Malaya Severnaya Dvina River near a ship repair plant in the town of Veliky Ustyug. The barge spilled an estimated seven tons of diesel fuel into the river. The spill has been contained and is now being cleaned up. A special commission is working at the site to establish the cause of the incident and determine the resources and funds required for the cleanup operation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

Unidentified 28-ft fishing craft took on water off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 22. The vessel Liberty Star, normally used to retrieve solid rocket boosters after shuttle launches at Kennedy Space Center, responded to assist and successfully de-watered the vessel within 15 minutes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

42-ft shrimp boat Captain Crew sank after striking the Empire flood gate in Lower Plaquemines Parish, New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 23. The wreckage is not hindering traffic, though the owner is being required to salvage the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 25 2008).

 

-------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------

 

13 May 2008: 1400 LT: Fairway Buoy area, River States: Nigeria. A supply vessel, with 11 crew boarded & hijacked while underway. Pirates have demanded a ransom for the safe release of crew & vessel.

17 May 2008: 09:50 LT: Posn: 02:13.19N – 046:49.38E, Off Somalia. Pirates boarded & hijacked a general cargo ship underway. Ship was on passage to Mogadishu, Somalia.

06 May 2008: 1400 LT: Enroute from Jolo, Sulu to Laminusa Island, Sulu, Philippines. Four speedboats carrying 20 pirates, all armed with automatic weapons, attacked a fishing boat carrying 20 passengers. Pirates fired upon fishing boat killing 4 passengers & injuring 8 others. The wounded passengers were taken ashore for medical treatment.

 

-------N-------

 

22-m, 50-gt Swedish ferryboat Josephine af Ingarö, with 49 passengers and 3 crew, ran aground in Baggensfjärden near Saltsjöbaden off Stockholm on May 22 at 1825LT. The vessel was evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

Barge Chemical trader caught fire while off-loading fuel at the Port of Tampa on May 22. One crew member was seriously injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

67-ft shrimp boat Remembrance lost mooring and became wedged against bridge - Hollywood Boulevard Bridge in Hollywood, Florida - on May 21. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

Unidentified boat, Tanzania to Democratic Republic of Congo town of Moba, capsized and sank in Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of Congo on May 14. Approximately 50 people reported missing, only three known survivors. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

5,872-dwt tanker vessel Kapitan Pshenitsy (IMO 8727941), heading for Astrakhan, Russia in ballast, ran aground on the 61 km mark of the Volga-Caspian sea channel while trying to pass clear of the Iranian M/V Nilufar Obi. No damages or spill reported, and the vessel was refloated under its own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

Tanker vessel Yaroslavl (IMO 9300348), Turkey to Saratov (Volga river port), allided with the upper gate of the Nikolaevskiy Lock, Don river, Russia, on May 21 at 1125LT. The lock remained closed until 1425LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

20.65-m 1903-built two-masted sailing vessel, Lemmer-based charter clipper Mon Désir ran aground on a sandbar off Wieerbalg, after the ship got adrift due to the anchor failing in strong wind and currents on May 21. The vessel was refloated with the assistance of KNRM-boat Johanna Margareta. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

116-m German container M/V Planet V (IMO-No. 9087532), en route to Kiel, ran into the embankment of the Kiel Canal at Rendsburg in the morning of May 22. The ship was refloated by a tug and towed into the communal harbor of Rendsburg for investigations. The cause of the accident remains unknown. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

Danish F/V Atlantic - S 57 collided with Cayman Island registered tug Rudokop 10 miles south of Roenne, Bornholm on May 21 at 0535LT. F/V Atlantic sank as a result of the collision. The crew was saved by another Bornholm based f/v and taken to Roenne. The Finish captain and the Latvian coxswain of the Rudoko were found intoxicated by the Danish police and the rescue boat of Roenne. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

Korean F/V Ocean 8 sank in Berkley Sound, Falkland Islands, on May 19 at approximately 1000LT. Prior to the sinking the vessel, which had been at anchor at a position of 51.33.854S and 057.54.27W, was reported to be drifting and fires had flared up aboard the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

26,600-gt 1,700-TEU container M/V Rickmer Rickmers passed the moored British 16000-t-RFA Largs Bay (L 3006) too close and came in contact with her bridge wing what resulted in some damage to containers stowed on the starboard side on deck. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 24 2008).

 

Jordanian cargo vessel Zayed, India to Ho Chi Minh City, was engulfed by flames on Ba Ria-Vung Tau waters on May 17. 27 crew were rescued by a nearby Vietnamese vessel, while one crew is believed to have been killed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

70-passenger charter sternwheeler Spirit of the Rivers, docked at the Lake Brazos Steakhouse in Waco, Texas, sank as a result of maintenance malfunction on May 19. The vessel owner had intended to pump out rain water, but the system was reversed and instead pulled water into the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

1940s era 48-ft gaff-rigged wooden sailboat Truant was pushed onto rocks at Narragansett, Rhode Island on May 15 and destroyed. The owner was rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

63-ft commercial F/V Blue Sea struck rocks and took on water off Point Judith in Narragansett, Rhode Island, on May 19. The Coast Guard rescued all three crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Sightseeing vessel Yamabiko struck a rock while cruising around around Matsushima, a group of islands known as one of the "three great sights of Japan" in Ishinomaki Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, on May 19. 9 of the 40 passengers and 1 crew reported minor injuries. The ship was still able to make its way back to a pier in Matsushimamachi in the prefecture by early afternoon. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Two Uruguayan naval frigates, ROU Uruguay and ROU Comandante Pedro Campbell collided at sea while engaged in Altasur naval exercises off Africa's Cape coast. Both ship suffered sufficient damage to have to return to Simon's Town for repairs. Atlasur is taking place from May 16 until June 2. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Former Bosporus steamer Kanlica was gutted by fire while being converted to a static floating restaurant at Kursunlu on the south side of the Sea of Marmara near Karacabey, Turkey, on April 23. She was one of nine sisterships built by Fairfield on the Clyde and could carry 1,952 passengers. She will now be scrapped. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Indonesian ferry Dharma Kencana, with nearly 800 people aboard, caught fire about 40 kilometres before reaching its destination in Sampit, Central Kalimantan, on May 18. No injuries reported, and the evacuation reportedly went smoothly. The blaze was finally extinguished five hours after it was discovered at the back of the ferry. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Unidentified F/V registered to Pacific Live Fish Company, ran aground in the Northern Reefs, Australia, on May 9. The ship currently sits in shallow water about 18 miles northeast of Ollei Port, Ngarchelong and about 10 miles southwest of Kayangel. The wreckage is located in the proximity of an area of the Northern Reefs known as "Btil Ngkesol." The ship has caused extensive damage to the reef, and oil / fuel spill is anticipated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Container M/V MSC Denisse, Nhava Sheva Port to Gujarat Port, suffered water ingress 240km off the coast of Mumbai on May 15. The crew tried to stem the entry of water, but was unable to and alerted the manager of the vessel and agents who are based in Hong Kong. The ship's agents then reported the matter to the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) of the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Ship Vijaya, which was on surveillance patrol in the area, was diverted there. Another Coast Guard ship, the Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, was dispatched from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai with a team of divers to assist in the repair of the vessel and the MRCC also alerted other merchant vessels in the area to provide assistance. When CGS Vijaya reached the location of the MSC Denisse in the early hours of May 16, the crew had begun preparations to abandon ship. The coast guard's team managed to locate the leak in the hold of the MSC Denisse and temporarily stop it. By 0800LT on May 18, the ship had become stable again and was handed over to the captain of the vessel. The coast guard teams returned to Mumbai by Saturday night and MSC Denisse and its crew proceeded to Gujarat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

78-m Panama-flagged cargo vessel Baltic Forest, Nemrut to Batum, ran aground in Çanakkale Strait, Turkey, on May 16 at 0920LT. The SAR-boat K y Emniyeti 10 and the tug Söndüren 10 were sent to the scene. The vessel was refloated the same day at 1430LT under own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Cargo vessel M/V Hidago Expedition, with 11 crew and 24,500 sacks of salt, sank in stormy weather off Antique on May 15. A passing foreign vessel heading for Tabaco City in Albay rescued two crew in the Tablas Strait near Mindoro. However, nine crew remained missing as of noon May 18. The Coast Guard also said the vessel was about to dock at Pandan Port to take shelter from the stormy weather when it sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

82-m cargo M/V Baltic Carrier, British port Mostyn to Antwerp, ran aground off Boulogne-sur-Mer at the French North Coast on May 17 at 0330LT. At 0900LT the vessel was refloated with the rising tide and taken in tow by tug. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

519-m Finish ferry Finnlady (IMO 9336268) was in allision with the Scandinaiva Quay in Luebeck-Travemuende while berthing on May 17 at 2005LT. According to police investigations a technical failure caused the allision. The hull of the Finnlady suffered a gash, and the vessel was not allowed to leave the port until end of investigations, passengers were booked for other ferries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

Cruise ship Costa Victoria (IMO 9109031) suffered non-specified technical problems and will not berth at the Columbus Quay in Bremerhaven on May 16 as planned but enter the Kaiser dry dock of the Lloyd Yard instead with the 1900 passengers still on board. The 1942 passengers of the next cruise will also board in the Kaiser Dock. ETD is May 17, 0430LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

86-m, 1,436-t German tanker M/V Eiltank 37, with 1,145-tons benzol, was in allision with a lock on the Rhein-Herne-Canal at calal-kilometre 5,5 Oberhausen, on May 14 at 1440LT. The vessel's bow hit the gate of the lock which had not lowered completely due to a technical failure. The vessel was damaged in the bow region and suffered water ingress. The cargo holds were not damaged. The Northern lock had to be closed for traffic and the canal traffic was handled via the Southern lock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

3,346-dwt timber carrier M/V Sormovskiy-45 (IMO 8133566), with 2,672-mt of sawn logs on board, went off channel at 1,079.9-km mark on the Svir river, Russia, and ran aground on May 16 at 1045LT. No damages or spill reported. Ocean-going tug MB-1209 on scene and undertaking salvage efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

Russian container M/V Kegums, home port Riga, ran aground at Gjeslingene, Smøla on May 16. The ship had just departed from Sunndalsøra. The Det Norske Veritas refloated the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

F/V Jhon Khazzers 77 capsized in the waters near Ilijan village in Corcuerra, Romblon, the Philippines, after encountering huge waves and strong winds on May 14 at approximately 1700LT. 15 aboard were rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

85-m, 4,556-gt Russian cargo M/V MCL Trader (IMO 8814354), Halmstad to St. Petersberg with no cargo aboard, ran aground off Bornholm on May 16 at 1510LT. The captain and engineer were arrested for having been drunk. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. May 17 2008). UPDATE>> vessel refoated under own power on May 18. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 20 2008).

 

Dutch inland cargo M/V Monaco, with cargo of iron ore, allided with the foundations of a railway bridge in Koblenz-Luetzel on the Mosel river in the afternoon of May 15. The vessel suffered water ingress in the foreship region. A diver patched the leakage temporarily, the ship could then be dewatered with its own pumps. The fire rescue laid out an oil boom, the railway bridge was temporarily closed. The accident was caused by a maneuvering mistake of the captain when attempting to enter the local Mosel lock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

Dutch shrimp F/V Geja Anjo - WR 89, homepowrt Wieringen, ran out of fuel and went aground on the basalt stones of the East Quay of Den Oever on May 14. The KNRM-boat Johanna Margareta towed the ship jointly with a bunker boat to the safety of the North harbour where the hull was checked but found to have not been damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 17 2008).

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

10 May 2008: 0330 LT: Tin Can port, Lagos, Nigeria -- pirates boarded a general cargo ship at berth. Alert crew, raised alarm & robbers jumped overboard into their waiting boat and headed for another ship.

 

04 May 2008: 0050 LT: Monrovia port, Liberia -- 3 pirates, armed with knives, boarded a container ship at berth. Robbers cut & stole reefer container electric cables. Robbers escaped when sighted by ship’s crew. Master tried to contact PFSO by VHF but no response.

 

10 May 2008: 1625 LT: 05:35N - 097:05E, Northern Sumatera, Malacca straits. Pirates in military camouflage attempted to board a chemical tanker underway using a bamboo pole attached to a hook. Master raised alarm and alerted ships in vicinity. Pirates aborted attempt & escaped in blue hull speedboat.

 

02 May 2008: 0200 LT: 03:48.98.3N – 100:43.03.3E, 4 nm off Tanjung Sauh, Malaysia. Two fishing boats and 8-crew were attacked and hijacked while crew was resting. The boats were taken to an Indonesian island and all the crew were forced to jump overboard. Passing Indonesian fishing boat rescued crew & handed them over to the Indonesian Navy. All crew repatriated to Malaysia safely after investigation.

 

04 May 2008: 2300 LT: 22:12.9N-091:45.0E: Chittagong anchorage Bravo, Bangladesh -- 3 pirates armed with knives boarded container ship from stern whilst 7 robbers remained in the boat. They broke open padlock to a storeroom and stole ship’s stores. Alarm raised and robbers escaped in the waiting boat.

 

04 May 2008: 2215 LT: 01:00N-051:30E: Off Somalia. Two speedboats chased chemical tanker underway. Pirates opened fire on the tanker. Master took evasive maneuvers & increased speed. Later, boats aborted chase. Ship continued her passage. No reported injuries to crew.

 

-------------N-------------

 

Anchor handling tug Seacor Sherman, under construction at Bender Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, caught fire on May 14. Three firefirefighters attending the intense blaze later required hospital admission. Approximately 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel on the ship were ignited. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 15 2008).

 

Seagoing tugboat Indepenence, operated by AmNav Maritime Services, was heading west through the Carquinez Strait toward the San Francisco Bay when it collided with the Avon wharf on May 14. Despite initial fears of a potential spill of up to 1,500 gallons, it was later confirmed only 5 gallons or so had spilled. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 15 2008).

 

M/V Josephine, bound for Cordova town in Cebu, sank off Pangan-an Island in Lapu-Lapu City on May 12. The passengers were rescued by a nearby fisherman. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 15 2008).

 

The new 90,000-tonne Cunard liner Queen Victoria struck a quay with her stern while berthing in Valletta Harbour in Malta on her maiden call on May 14. The ship was being turned when the stern struck. The Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) was conducting an investigation. The incident happened when the ship developed mechanical failure. The 90,000 tonne vessel suffered damage to its stern and caused limited damage to the fender system. No one was injured. The ship, which has 1,000 mostly British holiday makers on board, will stay overnight for repairs and leave for Gibraltar on May 15. The Queen Victoria is the second biggest ship in the Cunard line and joined the fleet in December. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 14 2008).

 

142-m Belgian chemical tanker Kemira Gas, bound for Rafnes, Norway, grounded in the Storebelt between Reersø and Romsø in the morning of May 14. The vessel was freed under its own power the same day. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 14 2008).

 

Ferry Praise the Lord, a converted trawler, capsized off the coast of Haiti on May 12. At least 20 people reported killed, and dozens more missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

Unidentified ferry, with nearly 150 aboard, capsized during a storm on the Ghorautura river in northern Bangladesh, on May 13. 44 people are confirmed dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

Cargo M/V BBC Bulgaria struck 4 barges on Hungpu River, Shanghai, China, on May 8. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Trubezh (IMO 8422905), home port Belize City, suffered engine failure and struck berth no. 9 in Tartous, Syria on May 1. The vessel's stern was dented above the water line on starboard side. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

Inland cargo vessel Oka-20 (owner Port Ryazan Co), in ballast, allided with lock's service gate, when entering Lock Severka, Moscow Channel. The vessel survived undamaged, however the service gate suffered damage and resulting water ingress. The lock was temporary closed for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

132-m St. Vincent-Grenadines flagged cargo M/V Timberstone (IMO No: 8603389) collided with German container 139-m M/V Andromeda J (IMO 9355422) at the Kiel Canal locks in Holtenau on May 12 at 1650LT. Damage is reported to be considerable. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

46-ft pleasure craft Viking, with 17 aboard, caught fire in Bon Secour Bay on May 10. A local company, Sea Tow, took two people from the boat, while the Coast Guard rescued 15. No one was injured in the fire, and its cause remained under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

The first cargo ship carrying relief supplies for cyclone victims in Myanmar sunk on May 10. The ship, which was traveling from the capital, Yangon, to Mawlamyinegyun in the Irrawaddy Delta, apparently hit a submerged tree trunk and began to take on water. It sank near Myinka Gone village. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

4,375-ton Russian-flagged M/V Igarka (IMO 8857863), with 2004 tons gravel, struck unknown underwater object while berthing Alekseevskiy Dorstroy pier, river Kama, mark 1454 km, at 03.45 LT, May 10. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tue. May 13 2008).

 

1,456-grt, 1986-built dry cargo coaster M/V Shikhan (IMO 8956554), with 10 crew and 1,386-tons birch logs, ran aground while leaving Podporozhye Port, Onega lake, Russia, on May 8 at 0530LT. No spill or injuries reported, but offloading will be required. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

65-meter Sri Lanka navy cargo ship Invisible was bombed and sunk by Tamil Tiger rebels in the eastern port town of Trincomalee on May 10. The attack early took place just hours before voters in the town are to cast ballots in a crucial provincial election. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Cargo ship Zhefend 6, with 11 people aboard, sunk off the Leqing Bay in the southeast of Zhejiang province on May 9. Six people were rescued and are described as "in good shape." At least six rescue boats were mobilized to search for the missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

70-ft F/V Miss Edith, with 2,000 gallons of fuel on board, sank at the pier in Oceanside, N.Y. on May 10 at approximately 0800LT. 100-gallons of diesel fuel reported spilled, though the owner reported he had deployed a boom around the vessel to stop the leakage. The owner of hired the Miller Environmental Group, a commercial salvage and environmental response company, to clean up any pollution from the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

32-ft F/V Pelican washed ashore on the beach near Roasarito, Mexico, after being reported missing, on May 9. No one was aboard. The boat belonged to a couple from Oceanside, California, who were last seen heading out on May 8. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Former Belgian F/V Cornelis II suffered fire in the inner harbor of Scheveningen, Netherlands, on May 9. The fire was determined to have originated in the galley, and was successfully extinguished by the fire rescue and the KNRM boat Jan van Engelenburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

F/V Oceania reported itself run aground just outside of Troon Harbour, Scotland, on May 9. Clyde Coastguard requested Androssan Coastguard Rescue Team and Troon RNLI Lifeboat attend the scene to assist the stricken vessel. Shortly after the lifeboat arrived on scene the vessel was able to refloat itself. A diesel spill was reported as a result of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

69-ft F/V Cookie Diana caught fire 1.5 miles from shore and 19 miles southwest of Port O'Connor, Texas, on May 8. The two men aboard were rescued with injuries. Officials on a rescue boat launched from Port O'Connor determined the charred remains of the Cookie Diana washed ashore on Matagorda Island. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Mainland registered cargo ship Qiang Yu 12, bound for Foshan-Jiangyin, struck the safety barriers of the Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge in Macau the afternoon of May 8. No casualty resulted from the accident, but the Port Authority said although the bridge was protected by the crash barriers, they were "seriously damaged" and needed "immediate restoration" after the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

81-m cargo M/V Jongleur (IMO 9001825) was in allision with the starboard pier head of the lock harbour in Bremerhaven on May 9. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

161-m, 17,350-gt Singapore-flagged container ship Francoise Gilot, built 2005, suffered power failure and ran aground in Port Phillip Bay, Australia, on May 9 at 0550LT. The crew was able to free the power with its own power. The ship had unloaded cargo in Melbourne after arriving from New Zealand and had been heading to Sydney when it ran aground. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

18,346-gt Greek cruise ship Aquamarine (IMO 7027411), with over 1,200 passengers and crew, docked safely at the Aegean island of Milos after discovering a large crack in its hull on May 8. The crack, which is above sea level was discovered after the Aquamarine cruise ship left the island of Crete for a tour of the Aegean with 872 Greek and foreign passengers and 407 crew. The ship has docked at Milos island, where inspectors will look at and repair the damage. The ship is believed to have allided with a quay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Ukraine-flagged vessel Volgodon-4, with cargo of scrap metal, ran aground in front of Cape of Güven in the North exit of Istanbul on May 3 at 0300LT. The rescue boat Ky Emniyeti 9 and the tug Söndüren 4 were sent to the area by Istanbul VTS. A salvage assistance agreement has been signed between Söndüren 4 and the vessel. A salvage and assistance operation has been started. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Dive boat Wanderin' Star, with 4 people aboard, issued Mayday and reported taking on water two nautical miles off Cardigan Island on May 6. Numerous vessels responded to the request for assistance, including the Newquay lifeboat, Cardigan Atlantic inshore lifeboat, the Gwbert rescue team and three ordinary boats in the area. The water was cleared from the dive boat with pumps and help from the crew of the vessel "Mercurious". The Wanderin' Star returned to Fishguard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Korean F/V Ocean 8, with 36 crew, suffered fire in Berkley Sound, Falkland Islands, on May 5. The crew were taken aboard a nearby F/V and are reported safe. Fire and rescue services were able to contain the fire, but the vessel is too unstable to be boarded. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

50-ft oyster dredge Bay Point sank at the Coast Seafoods dock at 58 Old Westport Road near the mouth of the Johns River, Washington, on May 6. The vessel is owned by Coast Seafoods. The vessel has the potential to carry 350 gallons of diesel and hydraulic oil on board. Both of the fuel tanks are underwater. Specialists are containing potential spill and handling salvage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

NEight armed pirates on a powerful speedboat attacked and boarded a Thai oil tanker with jet fuel bound for Phuket on Apr. 25. The pirates attacked the ship's master and stole the seafarers' money before escaping in the dark. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

NA South Korean bulk carrier came under attack by 10 pirates in two speed boats in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia, on May 5. Pirates were attacking the ship for 40 minutes with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The captain took evasive measures to prevent the 10 pirates in two speed boats from boarding. The ship continued sailing to its destination in Europe despite the damage suffered in the attack. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

234-m Cypriotic cargo M/V CSAV Itaim (IMO 9263320) berthed in Port Vado with cracked radar- and flag masts on the wheelhouse after a reported allision on Apr. 27. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Zanzibar-based passenger ferry Seagull, with capacity for 400, ran aground 3km from the port entrance to Mombasa on Apr. 30. The incident occurred after the vessel encountered strong winds and currents which forced the vessel onto the Nyali reef. The vessel only carried a crew of 15 at the time. The vessel was later towed off the reef and into the harbor, where it exhibited a slight list from water ingress in the ruptured hull. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 6 2008).

 

77-m German M/V Jütland (IMO 7803475) ran aground north of Kleppen on the way from Rostock to Struer, Denmark, in the foremidday hours of May 4. The tug Butler was called from Holstebro-Struer harbor and started to refloat the ship. Also the Navy ship Manø was on scene. After several attempts, the Jütland was towed off the ground and anchored off the coast for inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 6 2008).

 

27,670-gt Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Mona Lisa (IMO 6512354), Kiel, Germany to Riga with 984 people on board, ran aground in the Baltic Sea, off the northwest coast of Latvia, on May 4. Initial efforts to free the vessel were unsuccessful and evacuation of passengers began on May 5. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 6 2008). UPDATE>> Vessel refloated on May 7 by three tugs after the draught had been reduced from 8,4 to 7,1 meters by pumping out ballast water and lightering fuel oil and will after completition of inspections in Venstspils proceed to Kiel where the next cruise is scheduled to start on May 11. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 10 2008).

 

Barbados flagged tanker Athina suffered engine failure and went adrift in Çanakkale Straits on May 2 at 0035LT. Tugs Kurtarma 2 and Söndüren 10 were dispatched to assist. The Athina was safely anchored at Karanlik Port at 0230LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 6 2008).

 

79-m, 15,000-tonne Vietnamese cargo vessel M/V Sao Bein-09, Kakinada, India to Hafam, Vietnam, became stranded as a result of an entangled propeller 225 nautical miles southeast of Kakinada on May 3. Indian Coast Guard vessel Sagar came to the rescue and took the vessel in tow. All 19 Vietnamese crew reported safe. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 6 2008).

 

Ferry boat Comandante Sales capsized and sank in a sudden rainstorm in the Solimoes river in northwest Brazil on May 4. At least 17 people reported drowned, 70 confirmed survived. Overcrowding is believed to be a contributing factor of the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 6 2008).

 

A 100-ton South Korean Coast Guard vessel sank after striking a reef in waters off the southern island of Jeju on May 3. All 12 sailors were rescued by nearby fishing vessels. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

A grain barge became lodged on the foot of a bridge on the Mississippi River near Burlington, Iowa, on May 1. The barge was one of five that broke free in the morning from the Matteson Marine facility in Burlington, Iowa. The other four barges were quickly recovered. An initial attempt to pull the barge off of the bridge failed due to strong river currents and the weight of the loaded barge. The barge will be lightered to reduce its overall weight. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

A 273-ft gravel barge buckled and spilled gravel at the Ash Grove Cement Facility in the Duwamish Waterway in the vicinity of Harbor Island, Washington on May 2. The barge is still afloat and crews are working to offload the remaining gravel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

47-ft F/V Robin ran aground and took on water near Kewalo Basin on May at approximately 2300LT. Coast Guard Station Honolulu and Hawaii Fire Department personnel respondend to the call for assistance. The crew made it safely ashore on a life raft. The Pacific Environmental Corporation (PENCO) is onscene attempting to remove the vessel's fuel. There are no reports of pollution in the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

Inland passenger M/V Spreeperle, owned by Berlin-based company Riedel, went adrift on the Landweh Canal in Berlin on May 1. The incident was attributed to unknown individuals loosening the ship's ropes at its Tempelhof shore berth. The vessel came to rest perpendicular to the shipping lane, thus blocking it. It was successfully refloated and brought back to its berth. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

Floating restaurant Berblinger caught fire on the Danube River in Ulm on the night of May 3. No injuries were reported, likely in part because all guests had already left. Both decks burnt out and damages are estimated to be approximately 200,000 Euro. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

105-m Cyprus cargo M/V Wilson Malo (IMO 7707839) is suspected to have sunk the Dutch Yacht Regina 65 kilometers off Ijmuiden on May 1. The Regina called for assistance after having been struck by an unknown vessel in the night of May 1 at 0200LT. Rescue boat Koos van Messel retrieved the 4 crew of the Regina, but an attempt to tow the Regina to port was abandoned and the vessel foundered. The captain of M/V Wilson Malo was arrested in Terneuzen after traces of a collision were found at the bow during the investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

50-ft yacht Fog Cutter suffered a damaged stern tube and took on water in Rye Bay, UK, on Apr. 27. Three RNLI lifeboats dashed to assist and their crew were able to board the vessel and install pumps to save the vessel. The Fog Cutter was then put under tow and taken to Dover. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

1967-built 3,514-gt Panama-flagged ferry Assalama (ex-Botnia, IMO 6712631), with 113 passengers and over 30 crew, suffered water ingress and machine failure off Tarfaya on Apr. 30. The passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship which was lying at anchor in shallow water. The Assalama connects Tarfaya and Fuenteventura. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

APL Cargo vessel Jeddah, Karachi to Colombo, became stuck up in the channel in breakwater near the KTP berth number 29 due to engine failure on Apr. 30. Marine traffic was affected until the vessel was freed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

A 30-ft fishing trawler and a 23-ft overloaded cruiser collided at Sydney Harbor on May 1. Six people were killed and eight injured from the cruiser. The accident is being described as the worst fatal crash on the harbor in living memory. The cruiser was licensed to carry only eight people. Police are investigating potential factors of alcohol and navigation lights. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

13,457-gt Greek-flagged roro ferry Rodanthi (IMO 7353078) was in collision with high speed ferry Aelos Kenteris on Apr. 22. The Rodanthi was hit on the starboard side and suffered two holes above the water line, but safely docked in Piraeus port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 3 2008).

 

Vessel Loss Dispatches For April 2008

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

17 April 2008: 0455 LT: Apapa / Tin Can Island, Nigeria -- 10 pirates in 2 speedboats boarded a vessel berthed -- broke open the paint store & stole ship’s stores. Alarm raised & ship’s crew locked themselves inside the accommodation for own safety. Another group of robbers on motorcycles arrived near the vessel & the stolen ship’s stores were lowered. The 2 shore watchmen employed for security duties were missing during the incident & appeared once pirates had gone. Authorities informed but no action taken.

 

22 April 2008: 1715 – 1855 LT: 06:41.00S-039:42.00E: 30 nm Off Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- 8 pirates armed with long knives boarded an anchored container ship -- stole ship’s stores, broke open 2 containers & stole contents. Robbers escaped once alarm was raised. Local authorities informed.

 

22 April 2008: 0430 LT: Mumbai anchorage, India -- 4 pirates in a motor boat attempted to board a research vessel at anchor. Attempt failed due to strict anti piracy watch.

 

22 April 2008: 0315 LT: Anchorage no. 1, Dar es Salaam anchorage, Tanzania -- 8 pirates armed with knives boarded a container ship at anchor. Before the watch keepers could contact & warn the bridge the robbers tied them up. Alarm was raised only when the chief officer could not contact the watch keepers. By then the robbers had stole contents from several containers. Robbers escaped when alarm was raised. Port authorities informed.

 

21 April 2008: 2030 UTC: Vung Tau Song Go Gia STS anchorage, Vietnam -- pirates boarded a tanker from the forecastle. They broke open forward storeroom & stole ship’s stores. Duty crew spotted robbers & raised alarm. Foghorn sounded. Robbers escaped immediately. Later, police patrol boarded for investigation. Anti piracy watch doubled up. No injuries to crew.

 

21 April 2008: 11 miles off Bosaco, Somalia. Pirates armed with guns opened fire on a general cargo ship underway -- hijacked the vessel & took 16 crew hostage. Local security forces raided the vessel &rescued the 16 crewmembers & ship. All crew safe. Some pirates injured & captured.

 

19 April 2008: 1452 UTC: 00:06.24S – 049:08.56E: Somalia. Pirates armed with guns & grenade launchers attacked fishing vessel and hijacked to an unknown location. Pirates have taken 26 crew hostage & are demanding a ransom for their safe release.

 

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11,894-gt general cargo M/V Margaretha Green, built 1999 and en route to the Red Sea, lost power and ran aground in the Suez Canal on Apr. 29. Traffic of more than 33 vessel was held up in the strategic waterway as a result of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 30 2008).

 

112-m Norwegian ferry Vardehorn ran aground at Sulesund near the ferry quay on Apr. 25 at 2120LT. The ship proceeded with own power to the Hareid terminal after it was refloated at 1030LT. There, divers checked the ship for damage and found at least one bowthruster damaged. The ship was undertaking trials after repairs at the Fiskerstrand Verft when it suffered a blackout and ran into the stone jetty. The ship is owned by Ferge & Hurtigbåt, and has a capacity for 650 passengers. Thorough inspections and repairs are to be carried out at the Myklebust Yard. The ship had already suffered a similar mishap in Hareíd on Apr 6, 2002. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 30 2008).

 

53,000-dwt M/V Sibulk Innovation collided with 53,000-dwt tanker M/V Li Ping Tan in Singapore at the Eastern Anchorage on Apr. 24. No injuries or pollution reported, however the Sibulk Innovation suffered water ingress. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 29 2008).

 

25-m river cruise ship Bleckeder Löwe was completely gutted by fire on the Elbe river at its berth in Bleckede. The damage was assessed to be several 100 000 Euro. No pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 29 2008).

 

100-m German inland water craft Silke, homeport Leer, suffered ballast tank leaks and developed list of 30 degrees in the Sandau harbour in Hamburg on Apr. 27. The vessel was reported to be in danger of sinking, and hence intentionally ran aground. The ship was able to reach a berth at the Kali Quay near the Rethe bridge after 400 tons cargo had been successfully taken off. The water ingress was controlled by the reduced draught after lightering. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 27 2008).

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

16 April 2008: 0640 UTC: 14:02.0N-050:35.9E: Gulf of Aden -- tanker underway approached and trailed by two, 15-meter long boats. One boat had 3 persons in it & had a yellow hull. The other boat had 5 persons in it and had a white hull. Crew alerted and all anti piracy, preventive measures enforced. Ship took evasive manoeuvres. The two suspicious boats moved away and headed in a southwesterly direction. Ship reported to a coalition warship in the area. When warship arrived in the area, the suspicious boats disappeared.

 

16 April 2008: 0600 – 1000 LT: 14:26N-050:30E, Gulf of Aden -- 5 speedboats, with 3 persons in each boat, chased a bulk carrier underway. Ship took evasive maneuvers, increased speed & crew mustered. 30 minutes later, the boats retreated & regrouped closer to the mother vessel 10 nm on a parallel course. 4 hours later, the boats moved away.

 

15 April 2008: 0600 UTC: 14:35.8N - 050:55.7E, Gulf of Aden. Three speedboats approached a LPG tanker underway -- boats crossed bow of tanker several times. Master altered course & contacted coalition warship in the vicinity. After 5 minutes the boats moved away & stopped 2.5nm from the tanker.

 

14 April 2008: 1622 UTC: 15:17N - 052:23E, Gulf of Aden. Four speedboats approached a tanker underway. At 3nm master altered course and the boats moved away.

 

14 April 2008: 0340 LT: Lagos anchorage, Nigeria -- 5 pirates armed with knives boarded bulk carrier at anchor -- took hostage one duty crew, tied his hands & feet and injured another crew. Alarm raised and crew mustered. Upon hearing the alarm, robbers escaped in their motor boat.

 

21 April 2008: 0110 UTC: 13:00N-049:07E: Gulf of Aden -- 5 pirate speedboats chased & opened fire on a VLCC tanker underway, in ballast. Vessel increased speed & enforced anti piracy preventive measures. Speedboats aborted the attack after 30 minutes & disappeared. Some damage to Hull. No injuries to crew

 

16 April 2008: 0630 LT: Posn: 6:01:9S - 106:53.8E, Tanjung Priok, Indonesia. Ships crew, on a general cargo vessel, noticed pirates on board just after anchoring. The robbers had broken into the safety equipment locker and had stolen ship stores. When challenged, the robbers jumped over board and escaped. No injuries to crew.

 

11 April 2008: 1550 UTC: 14:31.1N - 120:50.3E, Manila Bay, Philippines. Three pirates armed with knives boarded an anchored general cargo ship via the anchor cable & breaking the hawse pipe cover securing. Two-duty crew saw the robbers & raised alarm. Robbers succeeded in escaping with ships stores and property.

 

-------------N-------------

 

85-m German inland cargo M/V Vivarium collided with Weser ferry Rönnebeck at Bremen-Blumenthal on Apr. 24 at 2100LT. The Rönnebeck suffered a large gash in the hull. No injuries reported, but preliminary damage estimates exceed 100,000 Euro. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

80-m Antigua -Barbuda-flagged cargo M/V Lianne (IMO 9422275), homeport St. John's, ran aground at Brakel on Apr. 24. The pusher tug Flumar was soon on scene and refloated the ship. The vessel proceeded to Nijmegen after being freed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

86-m, 1,392-ts Dutch tanker M/V Liburna, homeport Moerdijk, ran aground on the Rhine between Bingen and St. Goar on Apr. 13. The vessel was ultimately freed with the assistance of tugs and container M/V Nova. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

Dutch inland craft Isabelle, with 6 aboard, allided with a high voltage cable spanning the Saar River at km 66.8 on Apr 22 at 0607LT. A short circuit caused an automatic closure of the cable network. The Saar traffic had to be closed until the evening due to repair works on the cables. No one was hurt when a flash lit the scene of the allision. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

375-ts 1983-built German Navy speedboat Nerz, with 35 crew, was damaged in a storm off Wales on Apr. 18. 3-meter waves caused an anchor to break loose and tear a gash into the hull which caused water ingress. The crew managed to reach the port of Milford Haven, where temporary repairs will be undertaken. The ship is expected back in its homeport Warnemuende on May 8. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

Single-hull inland tanker M/V Luka, Hamburg to Magdeburg with 1,227 tons heating oil, ran aground at Gnevsdorf, Prignitz, on the Elbe river at km 438 on Apr. 20. Initial refloating efforts were unsuccessful. The vessel was ultimately freed only after 500 tons of cargo were lightered. The vessel will be drydocked for inspection at Magdeburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

Inland tanker M/V Energie caught fire at Govert van Wijnkade in Maassluis, Netherlands, while berthed on Apr 22. The fire brigade was able to quickly get the fire under control. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 26 2008).

 

N150,053-gt, 264,457-dwt, 332-m Japanese oil tanker VLCC Takayama (IMO 9052343), with crew of 23, was attacked by a small pirate ship with weapons reported to be rocket launchers off the coasts of Somalia and Yemen on Apr. 21. The vessel sustained damage but was able to continue its voyage. The attack occurred in international waters some 440 kilometres (275 miles) east of the Yemeni port of Aden. The tanker increased speed and managed to prevent the pirates from boarding and taking control of the oil tanker. The tanker was on its way to the Saudi port of Yanbu in the Red Sea after unloading oil at the South Korean port of Ulsan when the attack happened. The tanker diverted to Aden for repairs caused during the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 22 2008).

 

105-m Belgian inland water craft Tiberias allided with the Vogelheimer Bridge on the Rhein-Herne-Canal on Apr. 18. The roof of the wheelhouse was sheered off. The damage was assessed to be between 20,000 and 40,000 Euro. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 22 2008).

 

Unidentified 195-ft barge buckled and cracked, becoming partially submerged and shutting down the Miami River to vessel traffic over 30-ft on Apr. 20. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 22 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Herex 4 caught fire while anchored at the Pendik breakwater, Istanbul, Turkey, on Apr. 18 at approximately 1655LT. Rescue boats and tugs were dispatched to the scene and successfully extinguished the fire. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 22 2008).

 

149.6-m Malta-flagged reefer Electra, built Norway 1984, was in allision with a berthing pier in the East Shore Harbor of Kiel on Apr. 18. The damaged was assessed to be approximately 10,000 Euro, and the vessel was allowed to depart with tug assistance after investigations were completed. The pier will be out of use until repairs have been carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 22 2008).

 

110-m French river cruise ship Symphonie, with 135 passengers, was in allision with a floating hotel on the Main at Frankfurt in the morning of Apr. 20. No injuries reported. The hotel ship was severely damaged but remained afloat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 22 2008).

 

Tug Wilhelmine was in collision when attempting to connect to a container M/V in Hamburg on Apr. 6. The vessel was hit on port side, rudder house and bulwarks were also damaged, and the bulbous bow caused water ingress and damages to the electric installations. The tug will be repaired at Kroeger Yard Rendsburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 19 2008).

 

Two EECV barges sank in Rotterdam-Europort, one on Apr. 11 the other on Apr. 15. One worker was killed and another hospitalized. Dutch waterway authorities are investigating the causes of the sinkings. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 19 2008).

 

Seal hunting vessel White Bay Challenger, with 7 crew, was struck by ice and took on water faster than the pumps could remove off Newfoundland on Apr. 17. The vessel was under escort by the Canadian Coast Guard ship Ann Harvey at the time of the incident. The seven crew were taken aboard the Ann Harvey which was headed to port in St. Anthony, N.L. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 19 2008).

 

38-ft F/V Elisabeth Mae took on water and sank approximately 50 miles southeast of Apalachicola, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico in the morning of Apr 17. Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala. launched HU-25 Falcon rescue jet. Coast Guard cutter Seahawk, HU-Falcon rescue jet and Jayhawk rescue helicopter deployed. The Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew rescued two of the survivors from a life raft and the third survivor clinging to a cooler in the water without a life jacket. No injuries were reported and they were transported to the Apalachicola Airport. The Coast Guard Cutter Stingray conducted a safety inspection on the Elizabeth Mae in early February and noted a discrepancy that the vessel had no life raft onboard. The acknowledgment of this discrepancy may have saved the lives of F/V Elisabeth Mae's crewmembers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 19 2008).

 

Twin-hulled passenger M/V Hardangerprins of Bergen-Nordhordaland Rutelag was in collision with tanker Sotraoil of Bergen Tankers AS near Damsgård, Norway, on Apr. 17. M/V Hardangerprins was able to proceed with own power and berthed at the Skjøndal Slip at Damsgård. The police undertook routine drug testing on board Sotraoil after the collision. The Sotraoil suffered only minor damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 19 2008).

 

Pusher tug Scaldis, with barge, ran aground in the Western Outer harbor of Terneuzen, Netherlands, on Apr. 17. The tug was able to refloat itself under own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 19 2008).

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

06 April 2008: 2000 UTC: 05:17.7N – 004:43.03E: Nigeria. An unlit speedboat approached a tanker from the stern. Alarm raised & SSAS alarm activated. The speedboat Fired warning shots from automatic weapons and left. No injuries to crew or any damage to ship suffered.

 

13 Aprl 2008: 0205 LT: 03:13N – 105:26E, Off Pulau Mangkai, Indonesia. 12 pirates, in speedboat, armed with guns, swords & iron bars approached bulk carrier underway. Master raised alarm, crew directed fire hoses & SSAS activated. Pirates boarded the ship & stole crew personal belongings, ship's cash and property. After 50 minutes, they left the ship. No injuries to crew except minor bruises. Ships in vicinity alerted.

 

13 April 2008: 0355 LT: 03:16.18N - 105:26.68E, off Pulau Mangkai, Indonesia. Pirates armed with long knives in speedboat boarded product tanker underway. They stole crew personal belongings and ship's property and escaped. No injuries.

 

12 April 2008: 0511 UTC: 14:33.6N - 050:32.2E, Gulf of Aden. Two suspicious crafts doing 17 knots approached container ship underway. Master took evasive maneuvers and increased speed to outrun the crafts. Both crafts had 6 to 7 persons onboard. No weapons sighted. Several other small boats in vicinity; however, there was no indication that these boats were associated with the two suspect crafts.

 

09 April 2008: 1720 UTC: 13:57.5N – 051:13.1E: Gulf of Aden. A general cargo ship, underway, noticed a target on radar at range of 6nm. When 4nm off, the boat switched off her lights altered course and headed towards the general cargo ship. As the ship altered course to increase the CPA, the suspicious boat kept altering course to get closer to general cargo ship underway. Ship switched off navigation & other lights to take cover in the darkness. At a range of 2nm, the boat aborted. At a distance of 6nm the ship switched on it’s navigational lights and resumed her original course.

 

08 April 2008: 0247 LT: Dar es Salaam anchorage no. 6, Tanzania. Anti piracy watchman sighted pirate near the boson store, on container ship at anchor. On sighting watchman, the robber jumped overboard and escaped in a waiting boat. Alarm raised. Investigations indicated duty watch keepers had abandoned their stations to look into a noise they had heard, allowing the robber to access the ship unnoticed. Ship’s stores were found stolen.

 

08 April 2008: 0700UTC: 14:30N-051:52E: Gulf of Aden. Suspicious boats approached & circled a tanker underway 3 times in 20 minutes. At first, one boat circled the vessel. In the 2nd and third instance, four boats circled the vessel. Master increased speed, took evasive maneuvers & enforced effective measures to prevent suspicious boats from closing in.

 

07.April.2008: 0900 LT: 15:06N-052:55E: Gulf of Aden. Fishing boat approached a vessel underway -- boats showed white flags & asked for food. Ship activated fire hoses. After 30 minutes, the boats left.

 

01 April 2008: 14:30N – 049:10E:75nm South of Mukalla port: Gulf of Aden. Pirates armed with guns attacked and hijacked a fishing vessel and sailed into Somali territorial waters. Fishing vessel and its 34 crew released when a military helicopter intervened.

 

31 March 2008: 12:10N-052:10E: Abd Al-Kuri Island, Gulf of Aden. Pirates armed with guns attacked and boarded fishing vessel -- shot & injured Master on his left shoulder, stole 3 zodiac boats and escaped into Somali waters.

 

-------------N-------------

 

90-ft ferry Golden Sunshine ran aground near Liberty Island on Apr. 14 at 1130LT. The vessel was towed into deeper water by a U.S. Park Police vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Container vessel CSCL Ningbo allided with moored container vessel Vecchio Bridge at the Garden City Terminal in Savannah, GA, on Apr. 13. Both vessels were quickly secured to the dock and only minor damage was sustained to both vessels. There were no injuries or impacts to the Savannah River or surrounding environment. Both vessels have been inspected by the Coast Guard as well as their Classification Society and found to be seaworthy. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

260-ft tug Petaluma with barge of sand allided with 34-ft moored F/V at Haystack Landing in the Petaluma River, San Francisco, on Apr. 14 at 0727LT. The F/V sustained a 3-foot hole on the left side of the vessel, but the tug did not report any damage as a result of the allision. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Norwegian container M/V Tege, owned by Tollpost Globle, allided with a piling of the Tromsø bridge in strong winds on Apr. 16 at 0715LT. The vessel suffered a leak at the bow above the waterline and berthed at Breivika in Tromsø for inspections after the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Present, suffered fire while berthed for repairs at Terneuzen, Netherlands on Apr. 15. No injures were reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

36-ft vessel White Shark Projects, with 19 crew, capsized half a nautical mile off-shore of Kleinbaai near Gansbaai, South Africa, on Apr. 13. Two people were killed and several others injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Hongkong VLCC Shinyo Sawako collided with Chinese F/V Lurongyn 2177 off Kyushu, Japanese south coast on Apr. 11. The F/V, with 18 aboard, sank within a short time after the collision. 3 people confirmed dead, 13 others missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Correspondent Capt Chawla (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

43-ft motor yacht No Worries suffered fire east of Treasure Island, San Francisco, on Apr. 12. The three people aboard were picked up without injury by a good Samaritan, but the vessel burned to the waterline and sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Vessel Pursuit, with nine passengers and crew, grounded on rocks off North Cape, New Zealand on Apr. 13. The vessel was safely freed and towed to Houhora Harbour, 80 km north of Kaitaia. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Carola caught fire in the harbour of Århus, Denmark, on Apr. 10. The fire brigade controlled the fire and the cargo was not damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 17 2008).

 

Unidentified Chinese F/V, with 14 crew, collided with another unidentified vessel near Shanghai on Apr. 11 at 0600LT. 10 people reported missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 12 2008).

 

65-ft ferry boat Enduring Freedom collided with 78-ft ferry boat Christopher Columbus in New York Harbor on Apr. 10 at 0710LT. No serious injuries, damage or pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 12 2008).

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

4 April 2008: Boma anchorage, Democratic Republic of Congo-- pirates boarded a refrigerated cargo ship at anchor -- broke the seal to the cargo compartment and commenced stealing the cargo. Duty watchman noticed some cargo on deck and raised the alarm. On seeing watchman the robbers threatened him however upon seeing crew alertness, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped.

 

4 April 2008: 0948 UTC: 13:12.84N - 050:14.63E, Gulf of Aden. Ten pirates armed with AK47 guns & RPGs in 2 speedboats attacked a sailing cruise ship S/V Le Ponant underway. Took hostage 30 crew & hijacked the vessel to Somali coast. SSAS activated. Yemen maritime authorities & coalition forces informed. VISIT FEATURE >> "Paradise & Pirates"

 

2 April 2008: 0500 LT: Chittagong anchorage B, Bangladesh. Pirates boarded container ship at anchor -- broke aft store padlock & stole ship's stores. Port authority & ships in vicinity informed by VHF.

 

1 April 2008: 1440 LT: Posn: 13:45.81N – 049:18.79E: Gulf of Aden.Three speedboats chased & attacked the tanker underway with automatic weapons and rocket launchers. Master took evasive maneuvers and increased speed. Later, boats moved away. Ship’s funnel & lifeboat were damaged by gunfire/RPG. An hour later, 5 speedboats chased the ship again from various directions. Ship took evasive maneuvers & prevented the boats from closing in. Later the boats moved away. The IMB Piracy Reporting Center communicated with the coalition Navy, the owners and Master of ship to provide assistance as required. One coalition warship was in the vicinity monitoring the five speedboats.

 

29 March 2008: 1040 LT: 14:12.1N - 050:44.8E, Gulf of Aden. Armed pirates in 3 speedboats attempted to board general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive maneuvers & contacted coalition warship for assistance. After 2 hours the speedboats aborted the attempt.

 

-------------N-------------

 

Unidentified Kenya Wildlife Service patrol boat, with 14 passengers aboard, exploded in the country's northwestern Lake Turkana (f/k/a Lake Rudolf) on Apr. 9. One woman was killed and six others suffered burns. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 10 2008).

 

176-m Panamanian-flagged merchant ship Sea Venus, with 23 crew, suffered engine room fire approximately 1,900-km east of Cape Cod, Mass. on Apr. 10. A Canadian navy frigate, HMCS Toronto, is on scene monitoring the situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 10 2008).

 

Container M/V Hubstella collided with South Korean chemical tanker World Dynasty just outside Hong Kong waters, near Po Toi Island, in low visibility conditions on Apr. 7. M/V Hubstella was left with a six-meter gash, but sailed into port safely. The World Dynasty suffered no structural damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 9 2008).

 

43-ft German-flagged sailboat Born, Washington D.C. to the Zores with five aboard, was demasted in inclement weather approximately 170-miles east of Elizabeth City, N.C., on Apr. 8. A distress signal was received by the Coast Guard at 0640LT, and a C-130 crew was dispatched. The distressed vessel was safely evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 9 2008).

 

230-ft cruise ship Queen of the West, with 177 people aboard, suffered fire in engine room on the Columbia river. The vessel was evacuated. Three crew members were treated for smoke inhalation, but otherwise no injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Max, homeport Bratislava, suffered machine failure and ran aground near beacon 11 at the Waterweg at Rotterdam on Apr. 5. The vessel was refloated with assistance of the tug Buizerd and towed to Schiedam. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

Chinese F/V Lujiao Yu capsized after colliding with a 16,000-tonne South Korean cargo ship Panbless off South Korea's southernmost Mara island, on Apr. 7. The cargo vessel rescued two Chinese crew members. Six Chinese sailors remain missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

72-m cargo M/V Sveabulk was in allision with a pier in Porsgrunnselva and ran aground on stone blocks on Apr. 8 at 0430LT. The vessel was able to free itself under its own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

338-ft Netherlands-flagged freighter Alexandergracht, with cargo of yachts and scrap metal, ran aground in the east passage of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island on Apr. 6. A 41-foot boat crew from Coast Guard Station Castle Hill, R.I., and Coast Guard marine inspectors are currently on scene with the vessel. Commercial tugs Rainbow and Reliance were also on scene. There have not been any reports of damage or pollution from the vessel. The vessel was able to re-float itself at high tide and will now be taken to a safe location in the east passage so that inspectors can check for damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

Tug Ramrod, with 4 crew aboard, reported taking on water in the Gulf of Mexico, 90 miles south of Destin, on Apr. 4. The crew moved from the sinking tug to one of the barges being towed. The Coast Guard launched a HU-25 Falcon jet crew from the Aviation Training Center in Mobile and the Coast Guard Cutter Seahawk, home port Carrabelle, Florida. The Seahawk recovered the four crew and transported them safely to St. Andrews Marina in Panama City, Florida. The abandoned barges were recovered by the motor vessel Lucky Seven. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

Norwegian car carrier Tagus (IMO 830 9579) allided with the Farnes Bridge in the port of Antwerp in the evening of Apr 6. The bridge could no longer be operated after the allision and will need extensive repairs. The vessel departed Antwerp after inspection, but the bridge is estimated to be out of service for about one year. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

600-dwt bulkcarrier Nyvåg, with crew of 4 and cargo of sand, ran aground at Hjartholm off Sveio, Hordaland, Norway, on Apr. 5 at 0630LT. The vessel ran aground with a speed of 10 knots and suffered damages in the forepeak and the cargo hold. It was unable to refloat under own power. The ship was ultimately freed and berted at Moster harbor, Bømlo for inspections. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 8 2008).

 

N 288-ft French luxury cruise ship Le Ponant, with 30 crew and capacity for 64-passengers, was seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia's coast on Apr. 4. The Le Ponant was next scheduled to carry passengers as part of a 10-day, 7-night trip from Alexandria, Egypt to Valletta, Malta, starting Apr 19. From our Correspondent Leo Cisco (Sun. April 6 2008). VISIT FEATURE >> "Paradise & Pirates"

 

6,049-ton South Korean cargo M/V Bright Ace, Masan port to Singapore with 6,000 tons steel, collided with an unidentified Chinese fishing boat off South Korea's southern coast early Apr. 5. The Chinese fishing boat, with 7 aboard, sank. Only two sailors reported rescued by M/V Bright Ace so far. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

F/V Matthew Hardy suffered fire off the East Yorkshire coast on Apr. 5. Humber Coastguard lifeboat and a helicopter from RAF Leconfield were dispatched to the scene. A man and a woman were airlifted to safety and taken to hospital, suffering from minor smoke inhalation. The skipper of F/V Matthew Hardy stayed on board while the boat was towed into Grimsby. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

441-ft double-hulled barge with 138-ft tug Yankee, Houston to Tampa with 119,000 barrels fuel oil, ran aground on a sandbar approximately 3 miles west of Egmont Key, Florida. No pollution or injuries reported. Initial refloating efforts were unsuccessful, but success was achieved Apr. 4 after lightering efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

Recreational vessel Sea Weed caught fire in Charleston Harbor, Oregon on Apr. 3. The fire was contained with Coast Guard and fire department assistance. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

Small tender boat operating with tug boat June T capsized as it crossed breaking surf at the entrance to Hagatna Boat Basin, Guam, on Apr. 4. One man reported missing, the other aboard was rescued. The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Guam Police Department, and Guam Fire Department all participated in search and rescue efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

Two barges loaded with concrete structures, underway on the North Elbe with 16.46-m launch vessel Claus, developed list and lost cargo overboard on Apr. 2.The barges remained afloat and could be moored at the "Landungsbrücken" in St. Pauli. The accident site was marked with buoys until the lost cargo was salvaged on Apr 3. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

Tug Ray A Eckstein, with barges, allided with Vicskburg's Hwy. 80 bridge on Apr. 1. One barge with steel coil sank, causing the Mississippi river to briefly close between mile markers 422 and 440 until the wreck was located and determined not to be a navigation hazzard. The U.S. 80 bridge at Vicksburg was struck a week ago today by the Keith Darling, southbound with a load of 30 corn barges. Vicksburg-based Big River Ship Builders & Salvage has been contracted by St. Louis-based AEP River Operations, owner of the Keith Darling, to salvage a barge which sank in that incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

Tow boat Salween, with two empty barges, ran aground off Nijmegen, Netherlands, on Apr. 1. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

4,807-dwt tanker Tigran Martirosyan, Belize-flagged and built 2006, allided with jetty mole (a breakwater used as a loading pier) at Sheskharis oil terminal, Novorossiysk, Russia, on Apr. 2 at 1859LT. The mole suffered damage and the vessel was anchored for survey and investigation. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. April 6 2008).

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

28 March 2008: 0200 LT: Posn 22:47.18N – 070:04.63E, Kandla outer anchorage, India -- 3 pirates boarded a tanker at anchor via the main deck. Crew were maintaining anti piracy watches forward & aft. Alarm raised as soon as robbers spotted. On hearing alarm, the robbers escaped in their waiting boat. Investigation revealed ship’s stores stolen. Port authorities were informed.

 

24 March 2008: 0230 LT: Chittagong TSP jetty, Bangladesh -- pirates armed with long knives boarded a bulk carrier during discharging operations. Fearing injuries, crew on anti piracy watch retreated into accommodation. Within 10 minutes, crew mustered & went forward to investigate. By then, robbers had escaped in waiting boat after stealing ship stores.

 

Bangladesh Waters -- 62 incidents have been reported since Jan. 2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Most attacks reported at Chittagong anchorages & approaches. Although the number of attacks has fallen recently, the area is still listed as very high risk.

 

Lagos (Nigeria) -- Pirates are violent & have attacked and robbed vessels/kidnapped crews along the coast and river, at anchorages and ports. A total of 42 incidents have been reported in Nigeria since 08.01.2007 -- 25 attacks alone for Lagos & 7 for Bonny River. Generally be vigilant in other areas in Nigeria.

 

Somalian waters -- 31 actual & attempted attacks in 2007. Many more attacks unreported. Some pirates are dangerous & would fire their automatic weapons at ships to stop them. Occasionally, they would use their RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) launchers at ships. Pirates believed using “mother vessels” to launch attacks at very far distance from coast. These “mother vessel” able to proceed to very far out to sea to launch smaller boats to attack & hijack passing ships. Eastern & Northeastern coasts are high risk areas for attacks and hijackings. Vessels not making scheduled calls to ports in Somalia should keep as far away as possible from the Somali coast, ideally more than 200 NM.

 

-------------N-------------

 

Disabled refrigerator vessel Volga disabled 7.4-nm off Kamui Point, Hokkaido, Japan on Apr. 1. Tug Atlas towed the vessel to Morzh Cove, Aniva Bay. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. April 3 2008).

 

303-mt Tug Bulayevo (IMO 8935043), built 1972, suffered fire while dry-docked in Vladivostok Ship repair yard, Russia, on Apr. 2. Two people reported killed. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. April 3 2008).

 

42-ft classic wooden sloop yacht Bosun of Forth ran aground off Great Yarmouth, UK on Apr. 2. All three aboard were reported safe and well, and the vessel was towed to Great Yarmouth. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 3 2008).

 

2,026-gt Latvian-registered cargo vessel Sava Ocean suffered mechanical failure 6 miles northeast of Cape Wrath in the north of Scotland on Apr. 1. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency tug Anglian Prince went to aid the vessel and took it under tow to Ullapool. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 3 2008).

 

Trawler Leik entangled its propellers in fishing nets off Måløy, Norway on April 1. The rescue boat Halfdan Grieg came to assist and take in tow the disabled ship which was 100 miles west of its position in the Northsea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 3 2008).

 

88-m Norwegian coaster Advance (IMO 8111910), with 6 crew, suffered water ingress and sank off Penmarch, France, on Mar. 31. All crew were evacuated without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

10 unidentified vessel were reported destroyed in a fire at a boat manufacturing workshop in the Jaddaf area of Dubai on Mar. 29 at 0330LT. It took nine hours to bring the fire under control, and the losses are estimated to be around Dh20 million. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

Taiwan F/V Manqingshun 6, with five crew aboard, sank in Hong Kong waters on Mar. 31. All crew were rescued from life raft by passing mainland vessel Anshengji 2 nearly five hours after their boat sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

F/V Quantas took on water near Arran, Scotland, on Mar. 31. Two crew were airlifted off the trawler while the skipper remained on board to monitor pumping efforts. No injuries reported, and the vessel was towed to Campbeltown harbour in Argyll. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

Dutch F/V Yerseke 91 caught fire in the Beatrix Harbour at the Meerpaal Way, Yerseke on Mar. 31. The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported, but the vessel suffered fire and water damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

F/V Eynhalla, with two aboard, took on water and capsized off Skye, Scotland on Mar 31. The men were forced to abandon the vessel and were rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

321-ft Coast Guard icebreaker vessel Des Groseilliers was in collision with 177-ft Sea Shepherd Conservation vessel Farley Mowat on Mar. 30. Two separate impacts reported, but no injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

17-m sealing vessel Annie Marie, with seven sealers aboard, took on water and sank off Cape Breton, Canada on Mar. 29. All aboard were rescued without injury by helicopter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

Sealing vessel L'Acadien II capsized off Cape Breton, Canada, on Mar. 29. Three sealers were reported dead and another missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

M/V Cason J. Calloway and M/V American Republic collided in the Straits of Mackinaw on Mar. 28. The Calloway was attempting to clear ice that was impeding the Republic when it sheered the ice and struck the Republic. Both vessels incurred damage to the staboard sides of their forward peaks. Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie launched a helicopter out Air Station Traverse City to survey the scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

Container ship MSC Lugano, Adelaide to Fremantle, Australia, with 25 crew, caught fire 150 nautical miles off Esperance after catching fire. The fire was extinguished without injuries. Damage remains yet to be ascertained. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

102-m Norway-registered cargo M/V Cometa, with 13 crew, suffered machine problems west of Vigdel and ran aground at Feistein on Mar. 29 at 1310LT. The vessel was towed to Mekjarvik later that evening where it was berthed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

86-m inland water craft Princess, with 2 crew and cargo of 1,700 tons of gravel, sank at Urk, Netherlands, in the morning of Mar. 29. Both crew were rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

Vessel Loss Dispatches For March 2008

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

23 Mar. 2008: 0055 LT: Tema anchorage, Ghana. Three Pirates boarded a chemical tanker at anchor. Duty crew noticed the robbers. Bridge informed. D/O raised alarm, sounded ship's whistle & crew mustered. Robbers jumped into the water & escaped. Nothing stolen. Port control informed. A security boat came & conducted a full search of the area.

 

19 Mar. 2008: 0312 UTC: 10:46.8N - 066:44.5E, Arabian Sea --tanker underway detected suspicious boat about 6nm ahead. As the tanker altered to keep clear of the boat, the boat kept altering to remain in front of the vessel. Alarm raised, crew mustered & anti-piracy measures initiated. Master increased speed and crew activated fire hoses. At a distance of 3 cables, boat finally stopped and tanker and moved away. The crew noticed 6 persons onboard the boat.

 

19 Mar. 2008: 0300 LT: Tanga anchorage, Tanzania. A robber from a fishing boat boarded an anchored container ship. Robber jumped overboard as soon as the anti-piracy crew spotted him. Alarm raised, crew mustered and searched the ship. Nothing stolen. The watch keepers noticed seven more people in the boat.

 

18 Mar.2008: 0350 UTC: 12:53.2N-050:14.7E: Gulf of Aden. Two speedboats, length 5 meters, with 5 persons in each boat, dressed in camouflage cloths & armed with automatic weapons approached a VLCC in ballast. Master raised alarm, crew alerted, evasive manoeuvres taken & speed increased. Boats fired shots in the air. Later, the boats aborted the attempted boarding. All vessels in the vicinity warned.

 

17 Mar. 2008: 0230 LT: Enroute Cagbalite, Mituban and Balisen, Polilio Island, Philippines. Passenger vessel with 10 passenger including 5 crew was returning to Polilio Island after discharging her cargo on the mainland. Two passengers who had earlier boarded after asking for a ride to Polilio Island took control of the vessel & shot dead 3 crew including the Capt. The pirates then tied injured crew to the anchor & threw them overboard. The pirates shot the remaining crew and injured them. One of the injured jumped into the sea & is still missing. The other injured crew is recuperating in the hospital. Three other passengers including a child were unharmed. The Coast Guard has mounted a search for the missing and dead crewmembers and the pirates who fled in a motor boat.

 

-------------N-------------

 

29,729-gt, 47,032-dwt China flagged Saga Tucano (IMO 9160803) was in allision with bridge at Antwerp on Mar 23. Both the vessel and bridge sustained damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

12-m sealing vessel Ancien II, with 6 people aboard, capsized while under tow by Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Sir William Alexander off Cape Breton on Mar. 29. Four men reported dead. The incident is being attributed to the Coast Guard's towing efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

An unidentified barge collided with an unidentified yacht on the Tennessee River on Mar. 27 at 2015LT. The yacht sank quickly after the collision, and at least two people reported killed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

23,500-gt, 148-m Bahamas-flagged car carrier Baltic Ace (IMO 9386213), built 2007, was in allision with pier of the Kiel Canal locks in Brunsbuettel, Germany, on Mar. 27. The ship was surveyed and found to have only suffered minor dents to its hull. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

2,925-dwt cargo M/V Sabine (IMO 7101891), St. Grenadine flag, reportedly taking on water while berthed in Brunsbuettal on Mar. 27. 400 tons of water were pumped out without significantly changing the ships' draught, and divers have yet been unable to determine the source of the water ingress. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

An unidentified passenger boat, with 14 people aboard, capsized in the Sarangani Strait on the southern tip of the Philippines on Mar. 26. Only 1 of the 14 aboard is confirmed survived. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

Viking Lines ferry Viking Isabella, with 1,500 passengers and 249 crew, suffered a fire in the bow thruster room after departing from Åbo, Finland on Mar. 27 at 2130LT. The crew successfully extinguished the fire and vessel was able to continue its voyage to Mariehamn and Stockholm. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 30 2008).

 

Cargo vessel Qinfeng 128, with 20 crew, was in allision with a bridge under construction near the eastern seaport of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China, on Mar. 27. Four crew reported missing after a 60-meter section of the bridge collapsed and fell onto the ship. 16 others were rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

Bulk cargo vessel Pacific Eagle grounded on the Mississippi River on Mar. 26. No injuries or pollution reported, but initial refloating efforts were unsuccessful. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

78-ft towing vessel Dale White grounded in the Cal-Sag Channel, Illinois, on Mar. 26. The vessel was only briefly grounded and was able to continue its voyage to a slip on the Calumet River. An estimated 400 gallons of diesel spilled, most of which was contained. The Coast Guard is investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

Derrick-Crane barge IOS 800 required Coast Guard assistance to evacuate four injured men on board who were crushed by a break wall, approximately 65 mils south of Sabine Pass, Texas on Mar. 24. The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter and airlifted the men to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. The men were reported to be in serious condition at the time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

240-m, 46,000-gt cruise ship Sky Wonder, built 1984, grounded while attempting to berth at Kusadasi Port, Turkey, on Mar. 26. 1,029 passengers were evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008). UPDATE>> Vessel refloated on Mar. 31. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 1 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Beluga Indication suffered power failure when departing Rotterdam and struck the bow of vessel Vendette and also a pier. The vessel was towed back to the Maashaven for further investigation and repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

Cargo M/V Spirit of Competition suffered fire while docked at Lyttelton Port of Christchurch, New Zealand, on Mar. 25. The fire was quickly extinguished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

42-ft Gloucester-based trawler Miss Sonya sank three miles from Gloucester, Massachusetts, on Mar. 25. The Coast Guard plucked the two fishermen from the vessel moments before it went down. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

Unidentified 50-ft Taiwanese-flagged F/V ran aground on a reef between Urunao Point and Double Reef, Guam on March 25. U.S. Coast Guard pollution investigators are keeping a close eye on the vessel. Eight of the suspected 14 crew members were taken into custody as possible undocumented aliens, according to officials. A manhunt for the remaining six crew members is underway in the nearby jungle. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

Unidentified barge, which was in tow of the tug Frigga from Stockholm to Frederikshaven, capsized and sank off Häradsskär, Sweden, on Mar. 24. Coast Guard boat KBV 181 was dispatched to the site for pollution concerns. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

79.51-m Inland water craft Brandaris, built 1974, suffered fire while berthed at Delft, Holland, on Mar. 25. The fire was extinguished with foam after several failed attempts. Two nearby ships were moved away from the vessel as a precaution. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

US RORO container ship M/V Global Patriot, under military charter by the US Navy and carrying US military equipment, open fired on a small Egyptian motorboat in the Gulf of Suez while approaching the Suez Canal on Mar. 24. One man was killed and two others were wounded on the boat, which was selling local merchandise. The crew of the M/V Global Patriot fired after the boat failed to heed warnings to stop approaching. The US Navy has been leery of small boats getting near its vessels since al-Qaida suicide attackers rammed an explosives-packed motorboat into the USS Cole off Yemen, killing 17 sailors in 2000. (Thurs. March 27 2008).

 

50,000-ton cargo M/V Saga Tucano (IMO 9160803) allided with the Nordkasteel Bridge in Antwerp on Mar. 23 at 1700LT. Computers and technical installations of the bridge were shorn off and plunged into the water so that the bridge cannot be raised or lowered. The bridge keeper had to run for his life and escaped. The ship suffered slight bow damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 25 2008).

 

Seattle-based 189-ft factory trawler, Alaska Ranger, with 47 crew, reported Mayday of taking on water and sank in Alaska waters on Mar. 23. Four crew reported dead and another missing. A Coast Guard rescue helicopter from St. Paul, a Coast Guard C-130 from Kodiak and the Coast Guard Cutter Munro were all en route to recover the crew members of the Alaska Ranger. An additional 22 crew members and 3 dead were retrieved by the Alaska Ranger's sister ship Alaska Warrior. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. March 24 2008).

 

Ukrainian-owned tug boat NefteGaz 67, with 25 crew, collided with Chinese cargo ship Yao Hai and capsized and sank in waters off Hong Kong on Mar. 22. 18 sailors presumed drowned. The Chinese-registered cargo ship Yao Hai suffered only minor damage in the collision, but is preliminarily reported to be at fault. The NefteGaz 67 is the same tug that towed the liner American Star (ex-SS America) from Eleusis to Thailand January 1994 when it lost the vessel in severe storm off the Canarys - a small part of the bow is the last thing visible today on the shores of Fuerte Ventura. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. March 24 2008).

 

Condor Ferry Vitesse struck jetty in St. Malo, France on Mar. 22. The vessel was punctured above the water level, so suffered no water ingress. Its service was replaced by the Condor 10. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. March 24 2008).

 

140-m Panamanian flagged cargo container vessel C S Signe, with 20-member crew and 384 containers weighing 6,370 tonnes, suffered steering failure, struck a jetty and ran aground on the Hooghly river, India, on Mar. 22. The vessel was refloated at high tide with the assistance of tugs and reached Kolkata on Mar. 23. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. March 24 2008).

 

Belgian F/V Rubens Z 67, homeport Zeebrugge, ran aground on a sand bar off Oostende while trying to enter the port on Mar. 22. One man was injured in refloating efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. March 24 2008).

 

Maltese flag vessel Atlantic Trader, Baltimore to St. Petersburg with cargo of steel, dragged anchor in a Force 9 gale and was salved by UK salvors, Klyne Tugs, under an LOF 2000 employing the Anglian Sovereign with tow at present to Scapa Flow. From our Correspondent Hildegard E. Krause (Mon. March 24 2008)

 

German inland tanker M/V Anthony collided with kayak on the Rhine between Wies-baden and Mainz on Mar. 22. The kayaker is presumed drown. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. March 24 2008).

 

67-m liquid gas tanker M/V Orient suffered machine failure off the East harbor of Terneuzen, Netherlands, on Mar. 21. Two tugs helped the ship to get into the harbor. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

One of B.C. Ferries' newest ships, the Coastal Inspiration, suffered minor damage during rough weather off Mexico on its voyage to Canada. The vessel's anchor came loose and struck the hull of the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

100+ -tonne vessel Hoang Long, with 61 passengers and over 30 tonnes fruit, capsized and sank in Vam Rach Cho Channel, Vietnam, on Mar. 19. Four victims were trapped and sank with the vessel. Their bodies were recovered Mar. 20 by a rescue team. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

41-ft sailboat Carmelita lost its power and steering 15 miles south of Point Sur, California on Mar. 21. A 47-ft Coast Guard boat and also helicopter from Coast Guard station San Francisco were dispatched. Arrangements were made to tow the boat into Monterey. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

31-ft sailboat Daisy sank during race in San Francisco's main shipping channel about 3-4 miles outside the Golden Gate. The vessel was last seen on Mar. 15 during an offshore charity race. The wreckage was discovered Mar. 20, submerged in 63-ft of water. The boat's skipper is presumed drowned at sea or expired from hypothermia. The body of his crew member was found washed ashore on Mar. 16. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

Inland passenger M/V Mozart, underway from Passau to Engelharszell with 155 persons aboard, struck crane bridge of the lock in Jochenstein, Bavaria, on Mar. 19. The lock is expected to be out of service for approximately 4 weeks. The crew of the M/V Mozart reportedly forgot to lower the smokestack when entering the lock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

Norwegian ferry Namdalingen caught rope in propeller and became adrift north of Abelvær in Nord-Trøndelag on Mar. 18. Rescue boat Harald V was dispatched to assist the vessel and a dive team was able to free the propeller. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

583-ft Integrated tug Samuel De Champlain and cement barge Innovation in allision with a CSX swing railroad bridge on the St. Joseph River in Michigan occurred in the afternoon of Mar. 19. The Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan is currently conducting the initial stages of a marine casualty investigation along with members of CSX Railroad and officials from the state of Michigan. Mandatory drug and alcohol testing for the master of the tug is being administered in accordance with federal law. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

1977-built trawler Lyubov Gusenkova (IMO 7643863), enroute with 31 crew and cargo of fish from Vanino port to Busa, ROK, went adrift after suffering steering failure and required assistance in the Japan sea, 83 miles off Nakhodka port on March 16. Salvage tug Lazurit from Vladivostok dispatched to assist and arrived March 17. Divers found serious damage to spindle and rudder. Tralwer was taken in tow and arrived safely to Vladivostok port. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. March 22 2008).

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

12 March 2008: 1250LT: Enroute from Calabar to Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Armed pirates, in 3 speedboats boarded tug, underway, kidnapped 6 Nigerian nationals & took them ashore. Kidnappers demanding ransom for safe release of the hostages. Kidnappers claim to be the ‘protectors of the Bonny River’.

 

04 March 2008: 1830 LT: Tincan island, Lagos, Nigeria. Armed pirates, in speedboat attempted to board bulk carrier, underway, in pilotage waters. 2nd officer on duty, astern, alerted bridge. Master raised alarm. Seeing the alert crew the pirates aborted their attempt to board the vessel.

 

09 March 2008: 0445 LT: 06:31.8S - 039:51.5E: Dar Es Salaam: Tanzania. Deck patrol, onboard a container ship drifting & waiting for pilot, spotted one speedboat with 10 persons in it near the fore part of the vessel. Crew alerted. Upon inspection, it was discovered that some ship stores were stolen & some containers seals broken and contents stolen. Port control informed.

 

05 March 2008: 0524 UTC: 13:46.5N - 049:24.5E: Gulf of Aden. Four suspicious boats doing about 17 – 18 knots approached container ship underway from various directions, crossing the bow & stern of the vessel at distances of 2 – 3 cables. The boats tried to come alongside the vessel. Ship took evasive maneuvers to prevent boarding. Boats description: length 8 – 10 meters, color orange, white & one multicolored. Each boat had 2– 3 persons dressed in uniform like clothes. Due to crew alertness & effective preventive measures, the suspicious boats moved away. Prior to the boats approaching the vessel had heard conversations in Arabic language on VHF Ch. 16

 

05 March 2008: 0030 UTC: 08:32N - 054:57E: Somalia. Master onboard a seismic support vessel underway noticed on radar suspicious craft approaching. Master took evasive maneuvers to prevent the suspicious boat from closing in. Later, boat disappeared due to actions taken by vessel.

 

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Dutch inland water craft Vlotburg, in use as a medieval museum ship, was in allision with a pier in Wesel on the Rhine river on Mar. 17 at 1130LT. Both the ship and bridge were damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

Tug Kingston suffered mechanical failure while towing barge Sanba outbound in the Victoria Channel, Belfast Lough, on Mar. 17. A tow wasestablished with the tug and barge being taken to Belfast harbor for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

Norwegian tanker M/V NCC Jupail, bound for Amsterdam with cargo of flammable gasoline additive mthyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was in allision with a pier in Bahia, Brazil in the evening of Mar. 14. The vessel's hull was cracked and 5 tons of oil spilled. Cleanup crews armed with containment buoys and floating pumps were dispatched to the scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

77-m inland tanker M/V St. Florian struck stone bar and became grounded on the Rhine while approaching Duesseldorf harbor on Mar. 18. The impact caused a fuel leak and fire in the machine room. The fire was successfully extinguished and the damage is being assessed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

35-ft Sea Hawk took on water and was intentionally beached on a beach west of Glacier Bay, Alaska, on Mar. 16. The 3 crew were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter crew based in Sitka. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

1901-built, 77-m German inland cargo M/V Karl Wilhem, with cargo of gravel, intentionally run aground on the Rhine at Heidelberg-Ziegelhausen on Mar. 17 at 1130LT. The vessel suffered water ingress at the bow, began listing and was in danger of sinking, and so was intentionally grounded. The vessel was dewatered, lightered and stablized. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

5,000-grt general cargo M/V Sophia required assistance in heavy weather on the Algerian Coast off Skikda on Mar. 7. Tugs were dispatched from Italy and Greece to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

4,050-gt tanker Heung Yang collided with F/V 801 Chang Nyeong off Yosu, South Korea. No injuries reported, but a the tanker suffered a leak. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

Panamanian flagged chemical chemical tanker Antisana Safi (IMO 8800779), built 1989 and loaded with phosphorus acid, struck the Prayon quay on the Seecanal Brussels-Scheldt at Ruisbroek (Belgium) while mooring on Mar. 15. One fuel tank was damaged, and 2 tons heavy fuel oil leaked out. The local fire department closed the leak and cleaned up the sludge and oil pollution with a special foam. All ship traffic in the harbor was prohibited until the evening of Mar 16. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

Cargo M/V Jaco Merchant suffered engine room fire at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Feb. 18. The vessel was towed to Curacao. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

55,400-gt, 90-m Panama-flagged cargo M/V Anglo suffered machine failure and rudder malfunction, thereby becoming adrift, 30 miles southwest of Nordøyan, Norway, on Mar. 16. The Norwegian rescue boat Harald V towed the vessel to the Vikna port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. March 19 2008)

 

-------------N---WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS [Only 10% of Attacks Reported]---N-------------

 

2 March 2008: 2315 LT: Posn 06:18.3N – 003:20.54E, Lagos light house anchorage, Nigeria. Pirates armed with knives attacked, injured & robbed the duty watchman onboard an anchored tanker. Other watchman, nearby, informed the bridge & tried to assist the watchman. Alarm raised -- robbers jumped overboard & escaped. Facial injuries tended to by onboard medical officer. Arrangements made for injured AB to visit the doctor the next day. Masters’ attempt to contact port control was futile.

 

9 March 2008: 1045 LT: 18:03.7N – 119:55.44E, Off Luzon, Philippines. Tanker was passing a group of 15 fishing vessels. When about 1.5 nm off, 3 boats left the group and approached the tanker at high speed. One boat came within 10 meters of the tanker. Master took evasive maneuvers, raised alarm, whistle sounded and crew mustered. After 15 minutes, the boats aborted the attempted attack.

 

8 March 2008: 0400 LT: Jetty no.106, Belawan port, Indonesia. Unauthorised persons diverted attention of duty crew and shore watchmen, while three pirates armed with long knives boarded the vessel from offshore side of the vessel & stole ships stores. Luckily, the duty crew spotted robbers & raised alarm. Upon seeing crew alertness the robbers jumped overboard and escaped in a small unlit craft.

 

5 March 2008: 0105 UTC: 22:49.5N – 070:02.5E: Kandla anchorage: India. Upon anchoring at the outer anchorage, Kandla tower informed the master that security level II was being maintained in the outer anchorage area. Keeping this in mind strict anti piracy watch keeping procedures were maintained. The alert watch keepers spotted a robber onboard the vessel. Bridge informed, raised alarm, & crew mustered. The robber jumped overboard and was picked up by a red motor boat in which there were around six to seven more robbers. Nothing stolen.

 

4 March 2008:0610 LT: 03:17.2N – 124:18.4E: Indonesia. Bulk carrier underway was approached from a distance of 3 – 4 NM by about 15 – 20 speed boats at speeds of 30 - 40 knots from all directions. Some came as close as 5 meters from the vessels’ stern. Vessel raised alarm, increased speed, crew mustered, manoeuvred in a zigzag course and enforced anti piracy measures. Master broadcast a security message on VHF Ch 16 and contacted the piracy-reporting centre. Seeing the crew vigilance, the speedboats moved away & regrouped near a fishing trawler in the vicinity. Vessel continued to her port of destination.

 

4 March 2008: 0100 LT: Chittagong Ruby cement jetty: Bangladesh. Three pirates armed with long knives boarded a berthed general cargo ship -- assaulted and grievously injured the shore-based security guard, by cutting his face. Alarm raised and crew mustered. Robbers jumped overboard & escaped with ship’s stores. Injured security guard later received medical treatment ashore.

 

-------------N-------------

 

623-ft freighter Osprey I, with scrap metal, collided with dredger Delaware Bay in the upper bay of New York Harbor, about one mile north of Staten Island, on Mar. 14 at approximately 0900LT. A rescue crew in a 33-foot Coast Guard Station New York boat was dispatched immediately and was on scene within minutes. The Osprey I sustained a 25-30 foot by 3 foot breach of the hull, 5 foot above the waterline along its right side. The vessel is not taking on water and is in stable condition. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Tug Oceanic collided with 118-m dredger Josef Möbius (IMO 7360162) at the port entrance of Cuxhaven on Mar. 14 at 2250LT. Both ships were damaged in the bow region. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Panama-flagged car-carrier Sea Venus suffered boiler explosion 40km west of Rotterdam in the Northsea. One man was injured, and was evacuated by helicopter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Ferry Hrossey, Aberdeen to Lerwick with 108 aboard, encountered heavy seas on Mar. 11. One passenger was injured and several cars were damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

F/V Strathmarie reported missing off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, on Mar. 14. One man was spotted and found, a major air and sea search continued for second crewman. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

73-ft New Bedford, Massachusetts-based scallop boat Voyager I became disabled and adrift after its propellers became entangled in a fishing net 70 miles east of Chatham, Massachusetts. 110-ft Coast Guard Cutter Tybee was dispatched to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

12 barges, with tug Andrew Cannava, reportedly ran aground at approximately mile marker 871 on the Ohio River near the water intake facility for the city of Sturgis, Kentucky, on Mar. 13. Damage to the water intake will not be known until the barges are removed and an underwater inspection is completed. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause & circumstance surrounding the grounding. No pollution has been reported and river traffic remains unaffected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

61.8-m Greek-flagged passenger vessel Giorgis (IMO 5264039, ex-Orange Sun, Portokalis Ilios), with 313 people board, struck a reef, ran aground, and took on water in the Saronic Gulf, near the island of Poros, south of Athens, on Mar. 13. The vessel was evacuated. Helicopters, a military transport plane and coastguard vessels were involved in the evacuation. The rescued passengers had been taken to a naval training facility on Poros, where its medical staff had set up temporary shelters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

243-m Panama-flagged container M/V MSC Sabrina (IMO 8714205), Montreal from France, ran aground in the St. Lawrence River near Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, on Mar. 10. Initial attempts to free the vessel by tug were unsuccessful. Initial reports indicate it could take weeks to free the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008) UPDATE>> Vessel refloated on Apr. 4. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Apr. 6 2008) SEE "SINGLES ONLY" POSTING>> "Caught at Three Rivers"

 

Tanker M/V Betty, with 1,200 tons gas oil, suffered water ingress while maneuvering on the upper Rhine at Lobith on Mar. 14 at 0000LT. Approximately 70 tons oil leaked into the Rhine. The ship was towed to an anchorage near Lobith where oil booms were laid around the ship. Rhine traffic was not affected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Cambodian-flagged cargo M/V Mr. Yamak ran aground 6 miles north of the Babakale Cape on Mar. 6 at approximately 0400LT. A salvage agreement was entered with tug Söndüren 5 and the vessel refloated at 1740LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

117-m Cyprus-flagged tanker M/V Navkios (IMO 9342932) suffered rudder failure and went adrift in stormy weather off the island of Norderney on Mar 13. The vessel anchored at 53 47 N, 07 07 E to wait for weather improvement. It was later towed into Bremerhave port by tug Ems on Mar. 14 at 0030LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Turkish owned and flagged general cargo vessel Akin, built 1984, collided with berthed vessel Aggeliki at Valletta, Malta. Local tugs Wenzina and Lieni were dispatched to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

P&O cruise ship Artemis, with 1,188 passengers, suffered damage to the anchor stowage area in heavy weather on or about Mar. 11. The vessel made an unscheduled call at Falmouth, Cornwall, to undergo repairs. There was no safety concern, but repairs were required before the ship headed to the Atlantic. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our correspondent Ashley Black (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Unidentified 4,050-ton tanker collided with 90-ton fishing vessel off the South Korea coast, port of Yeosu, on Mar. 12. Approximately 200 tons of refined diesel fuel spilled as a result of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. March 16 2008)

 

Dutch inland M/V Sento Rotterdam was in allision Protzenweiher Bridge on the Danube in Regensburg on Mar. 13. Its crane destroyed a gas pipe which caught fire. The heat was so intense that steel layers of the bridge partially melted and the bridge was in danger of collapsing. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 13 2008)

 

Greek-flagged cruise ship Georgis ran aground and took on water off the island of Poros, near Athens, on Mar. 13. 280 passengers were evacuated to other vessels. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 13 2008)

 

South Korean F/V Sebong II, with 11 crew, caught fire off the southern coast of the South Korean peninsula. Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain recovered the men. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 13 2008)

 

Cargo M/V New Zhanghou, from China's northern port of Tianjin to Vietnam with cargo of 9,000 tons, sank on Mar. 13. A passing fishing boat rescued the 23 Chinese crew members after finding the sailors in a life raft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 13 2008)

 

Danish F/V Katherine, with crew of 2, suffered rudder failure off Fanoe island in the Northsea. German rescue boat Minden was dispatched from Sylt and towed the vessel to the Danish port of Exbjerg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. March 13 2008)

 

37.75-ton F/V Kosho Maru No. 17, with 5 crew, collided with 960-ton Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Wakasa, with 30 crew, off Etomo port on March 10. The cause is attributed to the F/V's watchman having fallen asleep. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

Long liner Sjøbris, with 13 crew, sank in the Barents sea, 160 nautical miles off Finnmark coast. The crew was rescued by two nearby fishing vessels and a rescue helicopter without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

River cruise ship La Turquesa, with 28 passengers and 9 crew, struck a large log and sank in the Amazonas on Mar. 6 at 2200LT. All aboard were safely evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

Cargo M/V Ataman (IMO 8230182), Iskenderun, Turkey, to Azov, Russia, ran aground at position 39.25.16N 026.14.77E, Aegean sea, Muslim strait. Water ingress in the ballast tanks was reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

Portuguese-flagged hopper dredger Varosa suffered hydraulic failure when opening the hull to dump its cargo in the port of Valencia on Mar. 10. The vessel went out of control and collided with a nearby quay. It was later secured by harbor tugs and safely moored inside Valencia harbour. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

22.5-m French F/V Marie Louise Berthe, homeport Saint Brieuc, sank 41 miles east of Gurnsey in waves of 7-8-m on Mar 10 at 2800LT. The crew of 5 was rescued by two trawlers which were in convoy. Three of them were taken to Brest by helicopters to be treated for hypothermia. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

31,122-gt Irish Ferry Oscar Wilde (IMO 8506311) was in allision with pier / quay in Cherbourg when coming from Rosslare. The vessel was secured by tugs and safely moored. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

129-m, 7,190-gt, 10,500-dwt Swedish tanker M/V Astral (IMO 9371878) broke loose from anchor off South England in gale winds. Tugs succeeded in towing the drifting vessel to Fawley in spite of winds of 130 km/h. The crew of 10 remained on board . From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

594-ft RoRo vehicle carrier Grande Scandinavia reported it had broken all four of its mooring lines and was adrift inside the Deepwater Basin, Cork Harbor, Ireland, on Mar. 10 at approximately 2245LT. Despite efforts of several tugs, the vessel went aground on a mud bar but was subsequently refloated. Two injuries were reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

289-ft Dutch cargo vessel Artemis ran aground in strong winds in Les Sables d'Olonne, on France's west coast, on March 10. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

Malta-flagged chemical transporter Trefin Adam, Tarragone, Spain to Porto Torres, Sardinia, with crew of 14, suffered mechanical failure and became disabled on Mar. 7. A French search plane spotted the vessel and tugs were dispatched to take the vessel in tow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

Unidentified tourist boat, with 22 aboard, sank in Pantanal, the world's largest area of wetlands in Brazil, on Mar. 8. Nine people reported missing. The cause of the sinking is not immediately known. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

75-ft F/V Star II ran aground 25 yards off the coast of Wildwood, N.J. on Mar. 8. Wildwood Fire and Rescue arrived on scene and transported the three people aboard to shore. A commercial salvage company has been hired by the owner of the boat to remove 200 gallons of fuel aboard and Sea Tow is scheduled to tow the fishing boat from the beach. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. March 11 2008)

 

47-ft F/V Turmoil burned to the water line and grounded near King Cove, Alaska, on Mar. 8. No injuries reported, and the three crew stranded on a beach were picked up by nearby vessels. Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley launched a helicopter, but a fishing boat and hovercraft in the area reached the scene first. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

79-ft gambling ship Sun Cruz 9, Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville for repairs, suffered engine failure and became disabled on Mar. 7. F/V Pim Kim Sea King attempted to tow the vessel as far as possible, but the tow line failed several times. The Coast Guard sent a helicopter out of Savannah Air Station are airlifted the five crew to safety. The fate of Sun Cruz 9, drifting in heavy seas, remains unclear. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

Panama-flagged Saykon II ran aground at the entrance of Aydinlik Port, Turkey, on Mar. 2. at 0300LT. The fast rescue boat Kiyi Emniyeti 8 and the tug Sonduren 6 refloated the ship at 1145LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

3,050-gt General cargo ship Maro (ex-Golf, built 1981), with 7 crew and 54 tonnes of bunker fuel aboard, ran aground near Hondarribia, Spain, on Mar. 6. No injuries reported, no evacuation ordered. Bilbao maritime rescue authorities have sent helicopters, a dive team and the tug Alonso de Chaves. The ships owner has hired the tugs Facal 18 and Facal 19. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

71-ft commercial F/V Doris Jean suffered steering failure and became grounded approximately one mile from Ocean City Inlet, Maryland, on Mar. 6. Coast Guard Station Ocean City dispatched a 47-ft rescue boat which took the F/V to safety in tow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

770ft scalloper F/V Sheila Renee reported hard aground near the Route 50 bridge in Ocean City, Maryland, on Mar. 7. Coast Guard Station Ocean City launched a 25-ft and 47-ft rescue boat crew who were able to pull the vessel off the rocks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

228-m, 55,696-gt Singapore-flagged container roro M/V Tampere (IMO 7718577), underway from an overhaul in Hamburg to a North Sea, ran aground on the Elbe river south of Gluecksstadt in the evening of Mar 7. The vessel was freed the same day with the assistance of three tugs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

Fuel tanker M/V Olivier ran aground on the Wester Scheldt in the evening of Mar 7. The vessel was stuck fast for 1.5 hours but was then freed with the incoming tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

Unidentified F/V, with two aboard, capsized approximately one nautical mile off Samoa, California on Feb. 29. A Good Samaritan F/V called in the incident and the Coast Guard immediately launched an HH-65 helicopter and a 47-ft motor life boat from Station Humboldt Bay. A second Good Samaritan received the UMIB and diverted course to the location of the capsized vessel where the two uninjured crewman were rescued. Large waves causing crab pots to shift and are believed to be the cause of incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 9 2008)

 

80-ft F/V Western Belle, with 6 aboard, suffered engine failure in gale force winds off St. David's pininsula, UK, on Mar. 6. The RNLI reported it took 2.5 hours to reach the vessel and the line being used to tow the vessel snapped twice. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our correspondent A.L. Griffiths (Sat. March 9 2008)