13-19 June 2007

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 13 to 19 June 2007.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
Forty seven incidents have been reported since 28.01.2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Ships are advised to take extra precautions.

Suspicious crafts

• 18.04.2007: 2320 LT: Entrance Cartagena Colombia.
A container ship, while disembarking her pilot on the port side noticed, on radar, one unlit suspicious boat approaching from the stbd side at high speed. The master alerted the crew. The boat came very close to the vessel (about 10 m from the hull). On seeing the alert crew on ship’s side, the boat retreated and disappeared into the darkness. The master informed the Centre to alert other vessels calling Cartagena, Colombia.

Recently reported incidents

• 13.06.2007: 0108 UTC: Posn 03:05N - 054:50E, Somalia.
Three boats approached a tanker on converging courses. As the ship altered her course, the boats adjusted their course and continued to approach the ship. As the ship increased speed, the distance between the boats and ship increased which prevented the boarding.

• 10.06.2007: 0522 LT: Posn 06:00.6S - 106:53.2E, Jakarta, tanker anchorage, Indonesia.
A few fishing boats diverted the attention of the watch keepers while two robbers boarded a tanker at anchor using grappling hooks. The robbers stole two life rafts and escaped. Port authorities informed, however no action taken.

• 07.06.2007: Off Eritrean waters, Eritrea.
Pirates attacked and fired upon an Egyptian fishing vessel underway and forced the vessel to stop. They hijacked the vessel to Eritrean regional waters and held 23 fishermen and sailors as hostages.

Piracy prone areas and warnings

S E Asia and the Indian Sub Continent

Bangladesh : Chittagong anchorage and approaches. The area is listed as very high risk.
Indonesia : Belawan, Tanjong Priok (Jakarta) / generally in other areas.
Malacca straits
Singapore Straits

Africa and Red Sea

Africa : Lagos (Nigeria) / generally other areas in Nigeria, Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania)
Gulf of Aden / Red Sea : Numerous pirate attacks have been reported by ships and yachts in the Gulf of Aden. Some of the vessels were fired upon.
Somalian waters : Eastern and North-eastern coasts are high-risk areas for attacks and hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in Somalia should keep as far away as possible from the Somali coast, ideally, more than 200 nautical miles.

South and Central America and the Caribbean waters

Brazil - Santos
Peru – Callao

source: ICC

tags : piracy, ICC

Dubai, investing billions of dollars in tourist attractions, bought the QE2 cruise ship from Cunard Line for $100 million and will convert the vessel into a hotel to be moored beside the emirate’s Palm Island.

The Dubai government-owned Istithmar PJSC investment firm will take delivery of the 40-year-old ship in November 2008. The QE2 will open as a hotel and museum the next year, Istithmar, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, said in an e-mail today.

Dubai, the second-largest of seven sheikhdoms that make up the U.A.E., is investing in tourism, real estate and financial companies to diversify away from oil. The largest visitor attraction under development is Dubailand, a $20 billion theme park and entertainment complex three times the size of Manhattan.

The QE2 had been Cunard’s flagship since the vessel’s maiden voyage to New York in 1969. She became known as the Great White Whale after being drafted as a troop transport in the Falklands War. Since its launch in 1967 by Queen Elizabeth II, the QE2 has completed more than 5 million miles at sea.

The Palm Jumeirah is one of three artificial islands in the Persian Gulf which will add 520 kilometers (322 miles) of coastline to Dubai and are being built by Istithmar’s sister company Nakheel PJSC, a unit of Dubai World.

Istithmar, one of several investment companies owned by the Dubai government, has acquired properties in London and New York, including the Mandarin Oriental New York Hotel, 280 Park Avenue, 450 Lexington Avenue and the Knickerbocker Hotel at 6 Times Square. Istithmar bought an approximately $1 billion stake in Standard Chartered Plc in October 2006.

U.A.E. companies have spent about $41 billion on acquisitions since January 2006, including Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. for $7.7 billion, Doncasters Plc for $1.2 billion and John Laing Homes for $1 billion.

The QE2’s predecessor, the Queen Elizabeth, sailed the Atlantic from 1940 until 1968, when she was sold to a group of Philadelphia businessmen. C.Y.Tung Shipping bought her to become a floating university in 1969, and the ship was destroyed by arson in 1972 before the project was completed.

source: Bloomberg

Tags : cunard, qe2 liner, istithmar, dubai

Picture courtesy Charles Francis

Sunbathers on a Cornish beach had a Dutch navy ship for company after the vessel’s crew made a mess of their landing exercise and become beached on a sandbar.

The vessel landed at Pentewan beach near St Austell, Cornwall, on Monday morning and proved an instant attraction, with holidaymakers setting up picnics and children building sandcastles just yards away.

Photographer Charles Francis, 61, who lives in nearby Heligan, spotted the beached ship and captured the strange scene. He said: “This landing went wrong when one of their craft beached on a sandbar which is not usually present.

“Pentewan Beach is normally very flat and is sometimes used in the winter months as a good beach on which British marines can practise amphibious landings.

“But the river can change its course, and it had thrown up a sandbar just where they’d come in to land.

“It was stuck on the sandbanks and the crew seemed to be having a day off, really, just sunbathing on the beach because they couldn’t do whatever there were meant to do.

“People carried on as if it wasn’t there. It was sunny there were quite a few people.”

Local authorities will hope beached ships do not become too familiar over the next few days - passing sailors have been warned that the Ministry of Defence are testing GPS-jamming equipment in the South West which could interfere with navigational equipment.

Mr Francis took a note of the Dutch vessel’s identification number and checked it out on the internet.

He said: “It was under ‘Landing Craft - Marine Corps’ within the Royal Netherlands Navy.”

A spokesman for the Dutch embassy said they were unaware of the incident.

source: Telegraph

Tags : navy, pentewan

Thousands of people lined Newcastle’s beaches in driving rain and gale-force winds as rescue helicopters attempt to retrieve the Filipino crew of a coal freighter which has run aground in heavy seas.

The MV ‘Pasha Bulker’, owned by Lauritzen Bulkers, had 22 crew members on board when it ran aground in wild surf off Nobbys Beach after getting into trouble near the extrance to Newcastle Harbour.

more pictures here and here

Brief specs
Vessel name: Pasha Bulker
Type/Class/Flag: Bulkcarrier/NK/Panama
Built: 2006, Sasebo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd
Call sign: 3EGK5
Dwat/Draft/Tpc: SUM SW 76741.0 mt on 14.22 m/Tpc 67.00
WIN SW 74750.0 mt on 13.93 m
TRO SW 78735.0 mt on 14.52 m
Speed and Consumption: Abt 14.50 knots on abt 36.50 mt IFO (380) LADEN
Abt 14.00 knots on abt 36.50 mt IFO (380) BALLAST
+ 0.20 mt MDO
In port when idle: 0.20 mt MDO / 3.00 mt IFO
In port when working: 0.20 mt MDO / 4.30 mt IFO
Loa/Beam: 225.00 / 32.20 m
GT/NT: International 40,042.00 / 25,259.00
Tank capacities: 2738 mt IFO / 97 mt MDO

Update:
- Pasha Bulker hull breached
- SVITZER Salvage has obtained the salvage contract on the grounded bulk carrier off Newcastle, Australia
- Pasha Bulker salvage team expects more rough conditions

30 May-5 June 2007

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 30 May to 5 June 2007.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
Forty seven incidents have been reported since 28.01.2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Ships are advised to take extra precautions.

The 2006 Annual IMB Report on Piracy and Armed Attacks against Ships is now published. Please see the end of this page to order.

Suspicious crafts

• 18.04.2007: 2320 LT: Entrance Cartagena Colombia.
A container ship, while disembarking her pilot on the port side noticed, on radar, one unlit suspicious boat approaching from the stbd side at high speed. The master alerted the crew. The boat came very close to the vessel (about 10 m from the hull). On seeing the alert crew on ship’s side, the boat retreated and disappeared into the darkness. The master informed the Centre to alert other vessels calling Cartagena, Colombia.

Recently reported incidents

• 01.06.2007: Evening hrs: Enroute Sharjah to Mombasa.
Pirates in three boats boarded a general cargo ship underway and hijacked it. Coalition forces aircraft noticed the vessel with the three boats in tow heading towards the Somali coast. The ship has been anchored off the coast of Hobyo. Further details are awaited.

• 31.05.2007: 2243 UTC: Posn 06:50.2S - 039:37.3E, 22 NM off Dar es Salaam Pilot Station, Tanzania.
Pirates, in two boats with ten persons in each boat attempted to board a container ship, drifting, while waiting for pilot to board. Alert crew raised alarm and the attempt was aborted.

• 30.05.2007: 0400 LT: Posn 01:18.90N - 104:07.70E, Johor Anchorage, Malaysia.
Six robbers armed with knives boarded a container ship and forced their way into the engine room by breaking the padlocks on the doors. They tied up two-duty crew. They stole spare parts and escaped when the alarm was raised.

• 25.05.07: off the coast of Somalia
An Indian dhow was hijacked while underway from Kismayo to Mogadishu. More details are awaited.

• 21.04.2007: 1930 LT: Posn 01:25N - 104:20E, 2.5 NM East of Tanjung Punggai, Malaysia.
10 masked pirates armed with pistols and long knives boarded a tanker underway from a speedboat. They stole cash and ships property and escaped. No injury to crew

Piracy prone areas and warnings

S E Asia and the Indian Sub Continent

Bangladesh : Chittagong anchorage and approaches. The area is listed as very high risk.
Indonesia : Belawan, Tanjong Priok (Jakarta) / generally in other areas.
Malacca straits
Singapore Straits

Africa and Red Sea

Africa : Lagos (Nigeria) / generally other areas in Nigeria, Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania)
Gulf of Aden / Red Sea : Numerous pirate attacks have been reported by ships and yachts in the Gulf of Aden. Some of the vessels were fired upon.
Somalian waters : Eastern and North-eastern coasts are high-risk areas for attacks and hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in Somalia should keep as far away as possible from the Somali coast, ideally, more than 200 nautical miles.

South and Central America and the Caribbean waters

Brazil - Santos
Peru – Callao

source: ICC

After two years of collaboration with Fairmount Marine BV, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs has strengthened its services to the offshore industry through the acquisition of Fairmount, a Dutch company. the acquisition of Fairmount Marine. For two years, since the common operation of the Gavea Lifter semi-submersible heavy transportation barge, the two companies have learned to work together.

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs decided to acquire Fairmount to develop the company in the longer term. Ocean towage is a promising market and LDA excels in developing niche sectors and added value.

A global ocean towage specialist, Fairmount was established 30 years ago by Mr Henk J. van den Berg. Fairmount delivers know-how and expertise in ocean towage to operators of drilling platforms, barges and FPSOs (Floating Production Storage and Offloading). Platforms, drillships and other large units can be docked on its semi-submersible barges.

Fairmount operates five modern and powerful (200 tonnes bollard pull) tugs, all delivered since 2005, as well as two semi-submersible barges capable of lifting 50,000 tonnes.

Negotiations with shipyards for two new semi-submersible barges and several tugs (in the 280 tonnes bollard pull class) are already in progress.

source: MarineLink.com

23-29 May 2007

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 23 to 29 May 2007.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
Forty seven incidents have been reported since 28.01.2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Ships are advised to take extra precautions.

Suspicious crafts

• 18.04.2007: 2320 LT: Entrance Cartagena Colombia.
A container ship, while disembarking her pilot on the port side noticed, on radar, one unlit suspicious boat approaching from the stbd side at high speed. The master alerted the crew. The boat came very close to the vessel (about 10 m from the hull). On seeing the alert crew on ship’s side, the boat retreated and disappeared into the darkness. The master informed the Centre to alert other vessels calling Cartagena, Colombia.

Recently reported incidents

• 25.05.2007: 0315 LT: Posn 01:19.3N - 104:16.3E, Singapore Straits
Robbers in a speedboat tried to board a tanker underway from the stern. On seeing the robbers the anti piracy watch keeper, informed the OOW who raised the alarm. The robbers aborted the attempt and escaped in their speedboat. Crew conducted an investigation and found nothing missing / no damage to ship. VTIS informed.

• 23.05.2007: 0310 LT: Posn 10:15.30N - 107:05.06E, Vung Tau, Vietnam.
Robbers, from a speedboat, boarded a product tanker at anchor. Duty crew spotted them and informed the D/O who raised the alarm and crew mustered. Robbers stole ship’s stores and escaped in the waiting boat. Port control and ship’s agents informed.

• 22.05.2007: Posn 07:45N - 102:02E, Gulf of Siam, Thailand
The master of a tanker carrying 100,000 ltrs of fuel oil, to supply fishing vessels at sea, was ordered by a pirate, who used to be a crewmember to come alongside his vessel. Once alongside the pirate hijacked the tanker. On 24.05.2007 at 0200 LT the pirates shot and killed the master. Three crewmembers jumped overboard. A passing fishing boat later picked them up. The fishing boat contacted the Thai navy and police. The police dispatched two marine police boats and a navy aircraft to locate / detain the vessel. The police caught the pirate who tried to escape, in a fishing boat. The police located the tanker with the remaining three-crew members and took it to the marine base for investigation.

• 21.05.2007: 2300 LT: Posn 07:08N - 054:36E, Somalia.
An unidentified small craft followed a tanker at a distance of 7 miles. As the ship altered course and speed to increased distance between them, the small craft adjusted her course. The small craft followed the vessel for several hours before moving away. PRC forwarded the masters message to coalition forces to render necessary assistance.

• 20.05.2007: 0330 LT: Posn 02:55N-046:04E, 300 NM from coast, Kenya.
A general cargo ship underway observed an unlit vessel at a distance of 3 miles. When called on VHF they replied that they could not speak English and they were only fishing. They asked the vessel’s course and kept following the vessel. Master suspected piracy, and took anti piracy measures and altered course to keep away from vessel. When suspicious vessel’s distance increased, vessel resumed course / journey

• 19.05.2007: 1205 LT: Enroute from Merka to Kismayo, Somalia.
Heavily armed pirates with machine guns opened fire on a general cargo ship. The ship sent a distress message, which was received by a passing ship and Merka port authority. The authorities sent two armed boats, which rescued the ship. One crew was injured.

• 26.04.2007: Spratly Islands, South China Sea.
Armed pirates boarded a fishing vessel and robbed it of its catch while it was taking shelter due to engine trouble. The master informed his family; about the robbery and that, another vessel was approaching it. All contact with the fishing vessel was lost since the master’s last call. The fate of vessel and crewmembers is unknown

Piracy prone areas and warnings

S E Asia and the Indian Sub Continent

• Bangladesh : Chittagong anchorage and approaches. The area is listed as very high risk.
• Indonesia : Belawan, Tanjong Priok (Jakarta) / generally in other areas.
• Malacca straits
• Singapore Straits

Africa and Red Sea

• Africa : Lagos (Nigeria) / generally other areas in Nigeria, Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania)
• Gulf of Aden / Red Sea : Numerous pirate attacks have been reported by ships and yachts in the Gulf of Aden. Some of the vessels were fired upon.
• Somalian waters : Eastern and North-eastern coasts are high-risk areas for attacks and hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in Somalia should keep as far away as possible from the Somali coast, ideally, more than 200 nautical miles.

South and Central America and the Caribbean waters

• Brazil - Santos
• Peru – Callao

source: ICC Commercial Crime Services

TSAVLIRIS Salvage Group of Greece has added another ocean salvage tug to its fleet, acquiring the former ‘Abeille Normandie’ for an undisclosed sum, writes Nigel Lowry in Athens.

The 16,000 ihp vessel (ex ZOUROS HELLAS), said to be in South Africa, is likely to be kept on station in Cape Town, the group said. “Our business is expanding, partially because serious competition is actually on the decrease,” added a company spokesman. “We are the only global salvage company maintaining a chain of permanent salvage stations world - wide without any financial assistance.”

© Terry Hutson

© Tsavliris

Support vessels that had traditionally tried “poaching” salvage contracts were all now concentrating on core oilfield business because of booming market conditions, Tsavliris contended.

The salvage tug, being renamed Tsavliris Hellas, was built by the Belgian Beliard-Murdoch facility and is Rina certified as ice class 1C. It has a range of 15,000 miles at 10 knots and a top speed of 15 knots from two main engines generating a total 10,000 bhp. The tug is certified for 120 tonnes bollard pull, has two double drum tow winches and is equipped with two fire pumps, three monitors and anti-pollution equipment including a 400 cu m tank.

Tsavliris told Lloyd’s List it was interested in expanding its network with further tug acquisitions.

Source: Tsavliris/Lloyd’s List

Smit International has issued a statement about the sinking of the Bourbon Dolphin, which capsized on April 12th whilst performing offshore services for the drill platform Transocean Rather. Subsequently, SMIT Salvage was contracted by Bourbon Offshore Norway AS, to render salvage services to Bourbon Dolphin.

Said Smit: “The mobilization of the necessary salvage personnel, craft and equipment started immediately. A salvage team of seven members was flown to the Shetland Islands and the anchor handling tug Zeus, equipped with a diving spread and salvage equipment departed to the casualty from Den Helder, the Netherlands. The AHT SV Highland Valour was chartered in order to depart from Lerwick, Shetland Islands, as soon as the salvage team arrived.”

“Unfortunately, owing to fog conditions and reduced visibility on the Shetland Islands the salvage team encountered delays as a consequence of cancellation of inbound flights and suspension of helicopter services.”

“Meanwhile, discussions were held between all interested parties and the UK Secretary of State Representative with regards to releasing the casualty by cutting the pennant wire / anchor chain to which she was connected to the drill platform. This was considered necessary because it was reported that Bourbon Dolphin was causing a threat to the drill platform and its personnel.”

“On Saturday 14th April in the late evening, the pennant wire was cut and the casualty was released from the platform. The AHT SV Olympic Hercules held the casualty in position awaiting the arrival of the salvage team and craft. In the early afternoon of 15th April, the master of Olympic Hercules reported a deterioration in the condition of Bourbon Dolphin. At around 18.00 hours, the salvage master arrived on site and established that the casualty was unstable and in the process of losing her buoyancy.”

“Given the prevailing weather and sea state conditions at that time, (southwesterly wind 5 Beaufort and a sea swell of 4-5 metres) it was deemed to be unsafe to carry out the towage or even perform preparations such as a diving survey.”

“At 21.15 hours local time Bourbon Dolphin was completely submerged and the wire connection to Olympic Hercules had to be released. The vessel sank at the position of 61º 03.53N 003º 48.92 W. Tugs remained on site to monitor the area.”

source: Offshore Shipping Online

© Bourbon Offshore Norway

The Bourbon Dolphin accident occurred last Thursday evening while the ship, a DP 2 Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel, was on operations 75 nautical miles North West of the Shetland Islands with 15 people on board.

Today, at 9:16 pm Local Time, the vessel sunk and is lying at 3,600 feet.

SMIT Salvage started salvage operations in the middle of the day on April 15th after a complete survey of the situation. The Salvage Team was composed of 2 tugs with crew and material, 4 specialized divers and one Salvage Master in charge of the operations.

The ship was first disconnected from the rig, and as the weather conditions became bad (25 knot south-westerly wind and 4 meter high waves), it became destabilized and then sunk before towage was possible.

For the time being, most of the salavage equipment has left the zone, except for one tug that remains for the moment on the zone to monitor the current situation.

As rightly noted by Gerald Baron, Bourbon is trying very hard to communicate openly about this crisis. They have set up an online emergency page to keep all parties informed, providing relevant facts and personal statements.