- Transport on Line - hiltunen.htm

BUSINESS

Brazilian shipping bill signed

Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso signed a shipping bill
on 8 Jan. It will become effective when published in the Official Journal.
The bill, passed by the Brazilian Congress last year, opens some river
and coastal shipping to foreign firms though Brazilian businesses preserve
some of the trade. In addition, within six months, a second register, Registro
Especial Brasileiro, will be created. Firms with ships under the new register,
including Brazilian businesses and foreign businesses with Brazilian subsidiaries,
will be entitled to lower tax and employee contributions. The ships must
have Brazilian masters and chief engineers and foreign companies without
a base in Brazil must employ crews that are two-thirds Brazilian. Relatedly,
foreign shipping firms can now set up Brazilian subsidiaries more easily.
Previously, 60 percent of firms in the Brazilian trade had to be owned
by Brazilian businesses. One provision dropped from the final bill would
have factored out import taxes on freight income for Brazilian companies.
It has been claimed the bill will reduce shipping costs 40 percent.

Chinese shipping in 1996

Shipping in China in 1996 carried 220 million passengers, down 7.9 percent
from 1995. A total of 1.189 billion tons of cargo was carried, an increase
of 1.2 percent from the year before. Major ports handled 1.155 billion
tons, up 3.8 percent, and 7.69 million containers, an increase of 26.3
percent. Some 518 kilometers/321 miles of waterways were improved, with
111,600 kilometers/69,190 miles of rivers now navigable. Twenty-six new
berths were opened at coastal ports, adding 3.4 million tons of handling
capacity.

Number of Greek-ships declines, slight Swedish increase

In 1996, 136 ships Greek-registry vessels, or about 8.5 percent of the
Greek merchant fleet, were re-registered elsewhere. Only 48 new vessels
joined the registry. As of 23 Dec., the Greek fleet stood at 2,019 vessels
at 27,993,884 gross tons. This is down from 2,129 ships of 30,398,771 gross
tons as of the end of February 1996. The Swedish Shipowners' Association
reported that the Swedish fleet in 1996 increased one percent to 2.37 million
deadweight tons. It had increased six percent in 1995. The Swedish-controlled
fleet stands at 21 million deadweight tons, the eighth largest fleet in
the world. About 17.8 million deadweight tons are tankers, the fourth highest
amount worldwide.

Tschudi and Eitzen to buy EAC Shipping bulk carriers

Tschudi and Eitzen has signed a letter of intent to buy the dry bulk
management and operating firms of East Asiatic Co. EAC Shipping Ltd. A/S
owns three and operates 25 bulk carriers, which will now become Tschudi
and Eitzen Bulkers, based in Denmark. Tschudi and Eitzen will also buy
EAC Ship Management Services, which will become part of Tschudi and Eitzen
International in Copenhagen, Denmark. Tschudi and Eitzen also has an option
to by EAC Shipping's tankers, including a 100 percent stake and a 50 percent
stake in two 29,500-dwt product tankers being built at Kherson Shipyard,
Ukraine.

Canadian Transport sold to Northern Navigation International

MacMillan Bloedel has sold its Canadian Transport Co. Ltd. subsidiary
to Northern Navigation International. The firm has five open-hatch specialized
forest products ships with gantry cranes. Under a deal expected to be concluded
by the end of March, MacMillan Bloedel will enter into an exclusive contract
with Canadian Transport for shipments to Europe and Japan. In all, Northern
Navigation International owns 15 vessels, mostly forest products carriers.

Metra signs deal for Fincantieri diesel production

Metra Corp., parent of Wartsila Diesel, confirmed its previously announced
purchase of two of Fincantieri S.p.A.'s diesel engine divisions on 7 Jan.
The deal is worth U.S.$97 million. Metra will form Wartsila NDS, which
will design and manufacture diesel engines for ships combinining Metra's
Wartsila Diesel and Fincantieri's New Sulzer Diesel and Diesel Ricerche.
Metra also will have a 40 percent stake in Fincantieri's Grandi Motori.
Wartsila NDS will be 87.8 percent owned by Metra with Fincantieri holding
the rest.

Sea Containers Australia buys Brambles Australia containers

Sea Containers Australia Ltd., of Sea Containers Ltd., has bought the
Australian domestic container fleet of Brambles Australia for U.S.$13 million.
The 3,000 containers will be added to an existing 5,000. The new containers
include two-pallet wide dry cargo, open top, bulk and refrigerated containers.

OTAL selling Euro-Baltic stake

OTAL has decided to sell its minority stake in Euro-Baltic to concentrate
on core areas. OTAL may still cooperate with Euro-Baltic in the future.

MWB reorganized, renamed

Motorenwerke Bremerhaven G.m.b.H. became BHV Schiffbau on 1 Jan. The
new firm will employ 80 former MWB personnel. It will continue to complete
ship hulls built in Turkey.

British Marine Safety Agency announces fee changes

On 1 Feb., the British Marine Safety Agency will implement fee changes.
The hourly rate charged will increase from 45 British pounds to 60 pounds.
The maximum fees for tonnage measurement will now be set by those doing
the measuring. Fees for the Safe Manning Certificate will be replaced with
a new range of fees. These include 540 pounds for a passenger vessel, with
other ships between 180 pounds and 300 pounds. Certificates for sister
ships will be 60 pounds. New charges will be started for follow-up inspections
of British-registry vessels detained outside the United Kingdom.

Two Keppel units change names

Shareholders at two extraordinary general meetings on 6 Jan. approved
name changes for Straits Steamship Land Ltd. and Steamers Maritime Holdings
Ltd. They are now Keppel Land and Keppel Telecommunications and Transportation,
respectively. The names will become effective next month.

Wallenius Lines terminates agency contract

Wallenius Lines has terminated its agency contract with TransAgency
A.B. in Gothenburg, Sweden. Wallenius plans to take all agency functions
in-house.

ECO Shipping to get loan

The Islamic Development Bank has agreed to loan U.S. $500 million to
ECO Shipping Co. ECO Shipping was formed in March by the Economic Cooperation
Organization, whose members include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
Based in Iran, ECO Shipping recently bought two vessels to add to an 11,795-dwt
ship. ECO Shipping carries cargo among ECO member countries and central
Asia through Iranian ports on the Caspian Sea.

Kirby given U.S.$62,861 for work training

Kirby Corp. has been awarded U.S.$62,861 in worker training funds under
the Texas Smart Jobs Fund. The fund is used to encourage firms to train
workers for higher-paying, higher-skill jobs. Kirby will use the money
to help fund its in-house training programs.

SERVICES

COSCO, "K" Line and Yang Ming to start Atlantic service

China Ocean Shipping Co., Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. and Yang Ming Marine
Transport Corp. are forming a consortium to offer weekly Atlantic container
service. None of the firms presently operates in the Atlantic, and with
this consortium, "K" Line will now operate in the three key worldwide
services. "K" Line will sign separate agreements with COSCO and
Yang Ming due to the status of China and Taiwan. Under current plans, four
2,000-TEU capacity containerships will call at Antwerp, Belgium; New York;
and seven other ports. COSCO will provide two ships and "K" Line
and Yang Ming will each contribute one.

COSCO starts Shenzhen to Pusan service

China Ocean Shipping Co. started the first direct container service
between Shenzhen, China, and Shekou Container Termainals Ltd. in Pusan,
South Korea, on 6 Jan. Ships will sail weekly from the Shekou terminals
via Hong Kong to Pusan. Until the service started, most cargo had been
moved by vehicles or barges through Hong Kong, and the new route reduces
the time involved by two days.

Philippines forms six new services in ASEAN area

The Philippines has established six direct routes from Mindanao to Southeast
Asia in the East ASEAN Growth Area. They are: Zamboanga to Labuan, Malaysia,
with 18 vessels; Zamboanga to Sandakan, Malaysia, with one; General Santos
City to Bitung, Indonesia, with two; Davao to Bitung with one; Zamboanga
to Bitung with one; and Cotabato to Labuan with one.

Two firms start service linking Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia

Arab Co. for International Trade in Tunis, Tunisia, and Med Sea in Alexandria,
Egypt, announced 8 Jan. that they have started a regular service between
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. The Uni Yamani (3,068-dwt bulk carrier
built in 1973, operated by Universal Shipping Co.) began the service this
week when it left Gabes, Tunisia, for Alexandria and then Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia.

C.M.A. ship sails from Ningbo on new service

A service from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China, to Europe has been
started by Compagnie Maritime d'Affretement. A 3,961-TEU containership
capable of 23.7 knots sailed from Ningbo's Beilun Port at the end of 1996.
The ship will call at Hong Kong; Singapore; Port Said, Egypt; Le Havre,
France; Hamburg, Germany; and Antwerp, Belgium.

Sea-Land to add Houston on Gulf of Mexico service

Sea-Land Service Inc. will add a call at Houston in mid-February. Ships
will call each Friday with New Orleans on Sunday, making San Juan, Puerto
Rico, effectively two days from Houston.

PORTS AND TERMINALS

One-day work stoppage hits Turkish ports

About 7,000 employees at 14 Turkish ports stopped work from 0800 8 Jan.
to 0800 9 Jan. to protest the government's privatization plan for small
and medium-sized ports. The ports involved included Antalya, Bandirma,
Derince, Giresun, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Mersin, Ordu, Rize,
Samsun, Tekirdag and Trabzon. Last month, Turkey accepted bids to lease
seven small and medium-sized ports as part of the privatization plan over
a 30-year period for a total of U.S.$252.3 million. The one-day protest
involved five of the seven ports being privatized, which employ about 300
workers. Bandirma, Dernince, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Mersin, and Samsun
will not be privatized.

First phase of new port in Myanmar opens

The first phase of Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa, a new U.S.$160
million port being built by Containerization and Packaging Holdings Ltd.,
Singapore, opened 5 Jan. at Thilawa, Myanmar. The container terminal, on
the Yangon River, is part of an agreement signed in June and July 1995
with the Yangon Port Authority to build a one kilometer/0.6 mile multipurpose
and container port with a 75-hectare/185-acre storage area. The first phase
involved construction of a 330-meter/1,080-foot terminal. The remaining
phases will be completed in two years. Four Panamax-size ships can be accomodated
simultaneously, with one million TEUs and one million tons of other cargo
expected to be handled annually. Containerization and Packaging will operate
the the port for 25 years and then hand it over to the Yangon Port Authority.

Five killed as oil offloading facility catches fire in Tanzania

A fire at an oil offloading facility at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, killed
five peple on 25 Dec. The single point mooring was damaged and as a result,
Zambian oil imports are expected to decrease. The five killed, all Tanzanian
Habours Authority employees, were repairing the facility when an oil spill
caught fire. Repairs are expected to be completed in a month, with smaller
tankers bringing oil to an alternate offloading terminal.

Port Klang facilities damaged in fire

A fire began at an area adjacent to the South Port at Port Klang, Malaysia,
at 0330 6 Jan. The fire damaged a row of 100-year-old buildings housing
customs and immigration offices, a restaurant, a store for provisions,
a money exchange office, the offices of two shipping firms, import and
export firms and a ferry ticket office. In addition, part of a walkway
to a passenger jetty was damaged. Businesses in the buildings were told
to find new locations recently, after it was decided to convert the area
to a marina.

Waigaoqiao to expand

The Port of Shanghai, China, will enlarge Waigaoqiao Harbor for a container
terminal with an annual capacity of five million tons. Preparations for
the first phase have been completed, with work scheduled to start shortly.
About 5.5 billion Chinese yuan will be spent on building 10 berths. There
are four berths now for ships up to 10,000-dwt, and a capability to handle
2.4 million tons annually. The Port of Waigaoqiao is in in Shanghai's Chuansha
County.

Turbana switches ports from Tampa to Gulfport

Turbana Corp., the fourth-largest banana company in the world, is shifting
its main port on the Gulf of Mexico from Tampa, Fla., to Gulfport, Miss.,
it was announced 6 Jan. As a result, 100 jobs will be added at Gulfport
and the port will be the largest banana importer in the country at 800,000
tons annually. Chiquita and Dole lready import bananas there. Turbana has
been in Tampa for 25 years but decided to move due to Gulfport's location
and potential for an expanding market. Weekly service between Galveston,
Texas, Gulfport and Colombia will begin 3 Feb. Turbana expects to import
125,000 annually. The port will spend U.S.$5 million to upgrade facilities,
including two refrigerated storage facilities at the dock. Turbana will
pay U.S.$650,000 this year and U.S.$5 million for the first five years
of the lease, which begins when construction is completed in February 1998.
There are three five-year options.

Status of ports

The Port of Novorossiysk, Russia, closed at 0410 3 Jan. due to bad weather.
Two tankers were in port while three were at anchor outside. Northeasterly
winds reportedly gusted to Beaufort Force 8 (34 to 40 knot winds and seas
of 5.5 meters/18 feet). After briefly reopening 4 Jan., the port closed
at 2115 and reopened at 0600 6 Jan. Novorossiysk closed again at 2050 8
Jan. in Beaufort Force 7 conditions (28 to 33 knot winds and 4.11-meter/13.5-foot
seas). Small vessel restrictions were announced 7 Jan. at the Mexican ports
of Altamira, El Mezquital and Tampico due to wind conditions. Pajaritos
was closed at 0650 8 Jan. because of dense fog, while Frontera was shut
due to high winds. Small vessel restrictions were announced at Altamira,
Campeche, Ciudad del Carmen, El Mezquital, Tampico, Tuxpan and Veracruz.
Pajaritos was closed at 0850 9 Jan. and Dos Bocas at 0925 9 Jan. due to
weather conditions. Campeche and Ciudad del Carmen were also closed.

SHIPYARDS

South Korean strike resumes, 1996 shipbuilding figures announced

An estimated 150,000 South Korean workers resumed their strike on 6
Jan. Several shipyards were idled as a result, such as Hyundai Heavy Industries
facilities incluing Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. and Daewoo Heavy Industries
Co. Ltd. However, personnel at several shipyards, such as Hyundai's, began
to return to work Jan. 8. South Korea received foreign orders for 142 ships
of 6.93 million gross tons last year, a decrease of 2.8 percent from the
previous year, according to the Korea Shipbuilders Association. The K.S.A.
said the decrease was due to foreign firms concern of a global shipping
slowdown. In 1995, South Korea received orders for 194 vessels of 7.13
million gross tons, up 11.9 percent from 6.37 million gross tons in 1994.
Total 1996 ship construction was 7.74 million gross tons, an increase of
36.8 percent over 1995's 5.66 million gross tons.

Bond issue authorized for Admiral Marine Works

The State of Washington on 7 Jan. authorized a tax-exempt bond issue
for Admiral Marine Works Inc. at Port Angeles. The U.S.$1.5 million will
be spent to build vessel construction and repair facilities that will create
130 new jobs. The 2,400-square meter/27,000-square foot facility will be
able to handle 300-ton vessels.

Chevron Shipping orders two V.L.C.C.s from Samsung

Chevron Shipping Co. announced 9 Jan. it will buy two new 308,000-dwt
double-hull very large crude carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries Co.
Ltd. They will be built at Samsung's Koje Island Shipyard in South Korea
for delivery in late 1998 and early 1999. Each will be able to carry two
million barrels of crude oil. Financing has been arranged by Cambridge
Partners L.L.C. A Cambridge Partners subsidiary will own the vessels and
Chevron Shipping will operate them under a bareboat charter. The initial
term will be eight years, with five two-year options.

Daedong to build three tankers for Primorsk Shipping

Daedong Shipbuilding Co., South Korea, announced 6 Jan. it will build
three oil and chemical tankers for Primorsk Shipping Co. Under a 13 Dec.
contract, the 45,000-dwt tankers, costing U.S.$33 million each, will be
completed by November 1998.

Blue Star Line takes option for two refrigerated ships

Blue Star Line has announced it has taken an option for two new 16,500-cubic
meter/550,000-cubic foot refrigerated ships by Shikoku Dockyard Co. Ltd.
They will be part of the Star Reefers pool and operate on long-term charter
for 10 years.

Bergesen orders 172,000-dwt bulk carrier

Bergesen d.y. A/S announced 3 Jan. it has ordered a 172,000-dwt bulk
carrier from Hyundai Heavy Industries for about U.S.$49 million. The ice
class ship will be built for use in the North Atlantic. It will be delivered
in in the third quarter of 1998 and will operate under a 15-year timecharter
agreement with British Steel, the first such long-term charter by Bergesen.
Bergesen expcets U.S.$150 million in freight revenues carrying coal and
iron ore. General Ore International Corporation Ltd. has an option to enter
the deal with a 35 percent stake.

Singmarine unit to build barge and two tugs

Singmarine Dockyard and Engineering Pte. Ltd. (which will soon become
Keppel Marine Industries) has received a U.S.$20 million order for an 8,000-dwt
self-unloading coal and oil barge and two tugs with a bollard pull of 65
tons each. They will be built for PT Freeport in Indonesia, with the barge
and one tug being delivered in the fourth quarter and the other tug in
the first quarter of 1998. All will be classed by the American Bureau of
Shipping.

Swire Pacific orders fourth tug

Swire Pacific Offshore has ordered a fourth Ulstein UT720-class tug.
Estimated to cost U.S.$23.4 million, it will be delivered in March 1998.

Alaska to contract with Ketchikan Shipyard for ferry work

Alaska has decided to place a contract valued at more than U.S.$1 million
with Ketchikan Shipyard Inc. for overhaul work on three ferries. While
the work could have been done for less money elsewhere, the state decided
on Ketchikan Shipyard as a pulp mill in the area had recently closed. The
Columbia (2,548-dwt, built in 1974) will come from Bellingham, Wash., and
the Leconte (850-dwt, built in 1974) and the Taku (built in 1963) will
go to the yard in the spring.

J.L. Mauthe to be converted at Bay Shipbuilding

The J.L. Mauthe (U.S.-registry 11,473-gt, 8,421-nt classic Great Lakes
bulk carrier built in 1953, owned and operated by Interlake Steamship Co.)
will be converted to a self-unloading barge. The vessel is 197 meters/647
feet long, has a beam of 21 meters/70 feet and an 11-meter/36-foot draft.
The J.L. Mauthe has been moored since July 1993 at Superior, Wis., and
arrived at Bay Shipbuilding Corp. in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., at 1900 7 Jan.
under tow by the John Purves (U.S.-registry 436-gt tugboat built in 1919,
owned and operated by Andrie Inc.) The ship will receive a 79.2-meter/260-foot
unloading boom with an associated tunnel belt and loop belt system. The
conversion will be completed by the end of the year.

Polish banks guarantee ships at Szczecin and Gdynia

Westdeutsche Landesbank Polska S.A. has guaranteed a U.S.$24.76 million
contract for a 1,728-TEU capacity containership to be built by Szczecin
Shipyard. It has guaranteed an advance payment for the ship, to be built
for a German firm. Polish Development Bank S.A. announced 8 Jan. it has
organized a consortium to provide Gdynia Shipyard U.S.$20.4 million in
credit to finance the construction of a ship. The Polish Development Bank's
share is U.S.$3.35 million.

N.S.C.S.A.'s final V.L.C.C. named

National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia announced 5 Jan. it will take
delivery of its fifth very large crude carrier this month. The 300,000-dwt
tanker, which can carry 2.1 million barrels, was named Safaniyah during
a ceremony 8 Jan. at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. at Nagasaki,
Japan. The ship cost U.S.$400 million and is 340 meters/1,120 feet long
with a 56-meter/180-foot beam. The five will carry crude oil for Saudi
Aramco under a three-year agreement with Vela International Marine.

M/V Stefan Sibum delivered

On Jan. 5, Motorenwerke Bremerhaven G.m.b.H. of Bremerhaven, Germany,
delivered the containership Stefan Sibum to Captain Bernd Sibum. The 6,850-dwt
ship has a 591-TEU or 271-FEU capacity and 78 plugs for refrigerated containers.
The ship has two cranes with a 40-ton capability, removable hold cells,
hydraulic hatches and a 6,300-kilowatt engine for 17.5 knots. Stuwe and
Co. Schiffahrts G.m.b.H. is acting as the ship's brokers, and the ship
will first be sailing for Servizi Marittime SrL, operating in the Adriatic
and eastern Mediterranean from Gioia Tauro, Italy. Details of the vessel,
as well as a drawing, are available at http://members.aol.com/stueweco/stefansi.htm.

Two vessels for M.I.S. launched

Two ships for Malaysian International Shipping Corp. Bhd. were launched
over the weekend at Malaysia Shipyard and Engineering Sdn. Bhd. The Bunga
Mas Lima is an 11,064-dwt containership with a 699-TEU capacity. Another
four are being built. The Bunga Melawis Satu is an 8,000-dwt tanker that
will carry palm oil and chemicals.

Negros Navigation takes third Flying Cat

Negros Navigation has taken delivery of a third Flying Cat high-speed
passenger ferry. The Angel of Freedom was built for U.S.$5.6 million by
Kvaerner Fjellstrand (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. The vessel, ordered in July,
is 40 meters/130 feet long, is capable of 35 knots and has a capacity of
312 passengers. The ferry will operate in the Philippines between Bacolod
and Iloilo. The fourth ferry will be delivered next month.

Lady Alma in service

Lady Alma, the fifth and final tug in part of a recent acquisition project
by Howard Smith Ltd., has entered service at Immingham. The tugs cost U.S.$30.5
million.

OPERATIONS

Master jailed in Singapore for dumping oil, several fined

On 10 Jan., Singapore imposed fines and sentenced the master of the
Song San (Singaporean-registry 229,946-dwt tanker built in 1975, operated
by Ocean Tankers Pte. Ltd. and owned by Dong Sheng Tankers Pte. Ltd.) to
prison after the ship dumped oil into Singaporean waters in August. Brendon
Allan Monteiro, a 40-year-old Indian citizen, was sentenced to 13 months
two weeks in prison, but will serve 5 and a half months since some of the
sentence will run concurrently. Monteiro was also fined S$286,000. He was
found guilty of marine pollution, not maintaining the ship's oil record
book and giving false or misleading statements to investigators. Pashupati
Nath, 35, chief officer of the Song San, was jailed for six weeks for giving
false or misleading statements to investigators. Dong Sheng Tankers was
fined S$450,000 and Ocean Tankers S$400,000 on 10 of 40 counts.

European river shipping hit by severe winter weather

The Danube River remained closed as of 3 Jan. from Germany through Austria
to Slovakia due to the severe winter weather. Shipping operations on rivers
in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are also at a standstill. The
Rhine River remained navigable from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to Basel,
Switzerland.

Strange story of the Jahan continues - vessel did not sink

The Jahan (Belize-registry 8,757-gt, 15,022-dwt SD14-type general cargo
ship built in 1972, classed by Hellenic Register, operated by Seatime Shipping
Pte. Ltd. and owned by Jahan Shipping Co.) did not sink as previously thought
at 0445 27 Dec., reportedly at 32 degrees south, 0 degrees 45 minutes east
(about 1,090 kilometers/680 miles west of Cape Town, South Africa). All
28 crewmembers were reported missing. The ship left Santos, Brazil, on
25 Nov. for repairs outside the port limits. The repairs were completed
9 Dec., and the ship, on charter to Glencore, London, sailed from Santos
for Iraq with 14,000 tons of sugar. The ship then apparently took 17 days
to sail about 4,800 kilometers/3,000 miles. The Jahan sent a distress call
at 2345 26 Dec. in what were said to be fair weather conditions. The Ghanian
master reported that the ship was experiencing uncontrollable flooding
and the crew, mostly Bangladeshi citizens, would be forced to abandon ship.
The distress call was not a general call, however, but was sent via normal
telex to Seatime Shipping in Singapore. Seatime Shipping then passed the
information to the Australian Marine Rescue Coordination Center, and then
to the South African M.R.C.C. The ship has an Inmarsat C system, but it
was not used. A South African Air Force C-130B Hercules aircraft from the
No. 28 Squadron at Waterkloof Air Base, Pretoria, headed to the area, with
five ships, including the Cape Falcon (161,475-dwt bulk carrier built in
1993, operated by Soc. Anon. Monegasque), the Captain Panagiotis (Greek-registry
tanker) and the Southgate (25,417-dwt bulk carrier built in 1982, operated
by Soc. Anon. Monegasque), arriving 28 Dec. The search was abandoned 29
Dec. after a 76,752 square kilometer/30,701-square mile area was covered.
Nothing was found. On 6 Jan., the Jahan appeared off the Port of Tema,
Ghana carrying her former name, Zalcosea II. To further complicate the
mystery, it has been learned that the ship left Ghana in early 1996 while
under arrest in a matter involving a previous cargo receiver, Commodinex.
The vessel has now been re-arrested along with the crew of citizens from
Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. An investigation has been ordered by the
owners. With the discovery of the ship, South Africa plans to bill the
ship's owners about U.S.$65,000 for the futile search. In addition, it
is likely the five vessels involved in the search will bill the owner's
as well.

Stowaways found in container at Miami

Fifteen stowaways from the Dominican Republic were found in a container
aboard a ship that docked in Miami on 26 Dec. A hole was cut in the top
of the container as the doors were blocked by other cargo. Seven of the
15 were taken to a hospital.

Israel and Jordan sign maritime agreements

Israel and Jordan signed a partial maritime agreement on 9 Jan. allowing
private vessels to sail between Eilat and Aqaba. Boats with up to 12 passengers
will be able to sail between the two with a U.S.$2 border tax per passenger.
Also, an agreement on search and rescue operations in shared waters between
the navies of the two countries was signed.

Morocco seizes two Spanish-registry trawlers

Morocco seized two Spanish-registry trawlers off its coast on 6 Jan.,
reportedly in an attempt to pressure the European Union to extend a two-month
selective fishing ban on in the area on cephalopods. One of the trawlers
was allegedly fishing too close to the coast and the other was allegedly
fishing without a licence. They are both owned by Paulino Estevez.

Hong Kong asks China to cease armed boardings

Hong Kong has urged China to stop sending armed boarding parties aboard
vessels near Hong Kong. On 1 Jan., three Chinese Public Security Bureau
personnel with pistols boarded the Xiamen Bridge (2,928-dwt containership
built in 1977, operated by Cho Yang Shipping Co. Ltd.) in Hong Kong waters.
They checked documents and inspected the vessel before leaving. Chinese
security personnel boarded the same ship twice last year.

U.S. Coast Guard takes fishing vessel into port

On 4 Jan., personnel of the U.S. Coast Guard "Point"-class
Patrol Boat U.S.C.G.C. Point Countess (WPB 82335) boarded the fishing vessel
Gray Snapper about 56 kilometers/35 miles wset of Ft. Myers, Fla. During
the boarding, 20 grams/0.7 ounces of marijuana was found along with several
other related items. One of the crewmembers stated that he had seen the
master of the Gray Snapper smoking marijuana at night while operating the
vessel. In addition, an illegally employed Bulgarian citizen was found
aboard. Under U.S. Border Patrol instructions, the person's passport and
visa were seized. The patrol boat then escorted the fishing vessel to Coast
Guard Station Ft. Myers, where the master was turned over to the Lee County
Sheriff's Office.

Royal Viking Sun Day in San Francisco

San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown has declared 6 Jan. Royal Viking Sun
Day. Brown made the announcement aboard the Royal Viking Sun (6,150-dwt
passenger ship built in 1988, owned and operated by Cunard) during a luncheon
to mark the ship's 1997 World Cruise and Cunard's 75th anniversary of world
cruises. The 99-day voyage will carry passengers to 27 ports ending at
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in April.

SHIP TRANSFERS

Trico Marine Services buying seven vessels

Trico Marine Services Inc. announced 8 Jan. it will purchase seven supply
vessels and one utility vessel for U.S.$36.2 million in cash. Laborde Marine
will sell five supply vessels and one utility vessel to Trico Marine Services
by early February. A deal for the other two supply vessels will close in
the second quarter. Both acquisitions will be financed under the firm's
credit facility. The deal with Laborde Marine also includes a three-year
charter contract for a supply vessel beginning in the middle of the year.
Trico Marine Services will upgrade one of the supply vessels from 54.9
meters/180 feet to 67.1 meters/220 feet and will increase its liquid mud
and dry bulk capacity. The supply vessels are 54.9 meters/180 feet to 56.4
meters/185 feet long and the utility vessel is 35.1 meters/115 feet long.
Trico Marine Services will now have 73 vessels. It is the second largest
owner and operator of supply vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.

BHP charters the Tranztas Trader

BHP has placed the Tranztas Trader (14,101-dwt geared containership
built in 1988, operated by A.N.L.) in its Trans-Tasman Service in Australia.
BHP will use the ship on a weekly fixed-day service, utilizing a bareboat
charter agreement with A.N.L. -- Steve Schultz - Whitefish Bay, Wis., U.S.A.
- sschultz@execpc.com

"When beholding the beauty of the ocean skin, one forgets the tiger
heart that pants beneath it" - Herman Melville

From: sschultz@execpc.com To: "About transportation" <Cargo-l@distart.ing.unibo.it>
Subject: World Maritime News - 10 Jan., 1996 (2/2) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997
21:24:01 -0600 (CST) Errors-to: <damco@pointest.com> Reply-to: Cargo-l@distart.ing.unibo.it
Sender: Maiser@distart.ing.unibo.it X-listname: <Cargo-l@distart.ing.unibo.it>
MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer:
Mercury MTS (Bindery) v1.30

CASUALTIES

Up to 283 may be dead in Mediterranean

As many as 283 people from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka may have been
killed on 25 Dec. in a collision between two vessels in the Mediterranean.
Most of the people aboard the two vessels were reportedly illegal migrants,
and so reporting was avoided. Information regarding the incident is unclear
and should be regarded with caution. Italian personnel searching the area
between Sicily and Malta have not found anything and the search was halted
on 6 Jan. Those from Sri Lanka said they paid U.S.$8,000 each in Colombo
for an airline ticket to Cairo, Egypt, and then a voyage to Europe. The
Indians and Pakistanis said they had paid U.S.$5,000 each. According to
information compiled by Greece, on 9 Dec., the Friendship (Panamanian-registry)
reportedly sailed from Alexandria, Egypt, for Europe with more than 250
people aboard. On 12 Dec., the passengers boarded the Yioham (Honduran-registry)
which already had 215 migrants aboard. On 25 Dec., the Yioham's master,
a Lebanese resident of Athens, Greece, Youssef al-Halal, transferred 312
passengers to a smaller vessel between Malta and Sicily. The smaller vessel
had been stolen from Malta on 24 Dec. During the transfer, the Yioham collided
with the other vessel, which sank. According to the migrants, only 29 people
were rescued by the Yioham. The Yioham arrived at Nafplion, Greece, on
29 Dec. Some 107 people were taken to a warehouse at Ermioni and told to
wait for trucks to pick them up. After a day, they left the building to
find food and were spotted by local residents. They were arrested by Greek
security personnel but 65 others who were not taken to the warehouse escaped.
The 107 taken into custody are in Argos, Corinth, Tripolis and Nafplion.
On 10 Jan., a public prosecutor in Nafplion, Yannos Provataris, charged
12 people based on testimony from those at the warehouse. They include
Dionysis Avgerinos, a Greek citizen; Mihalis Fanourakis, a Greek citizen
who was a mechanic on the Yioham; Antonis Sfakianakis, another Greek citizen
who was a Yioham mechanic; Eftyhios Zervoudakis, a Greek sailor; Halal;
Marcel Barbara, a Pakistani living in Malta; two Indian citizens and four
others. The four Greek citizens have been charged with murder.

Sinking on Chinese river leaves at least 33 dead

Between 33 and 42 people were killed and 20 to 30 were rescued when
an overloaded passenger ferry sank after colliding with another vessel
in heavy fog in China on 3 Jan. The owners of the two vessels have been
taken into police custody. The vessels collided on the Tuojiang River in
Sichuan Province. Local police say that the ferry's master was unable to
see two vessels ahead, and after avoiding one, collided with the other.
The passenger ship had a capacity of 42 people. The other vessel had 40
tons of sand, 15 tons over its capacity.

Sinking between Sardinia and Sicily kills four, one missing

The Onur K (Turkish-registry 1,800-dwt, 69-meter/226-foot vessel) sank
144 kilometers/90 miles south of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, at 0315 8 Jan.
Four of the 11 crew aboard were killed and one is missing. The ship sank
between the Italian towns of Trapani, Sicily, and Cagliari, Sardinia, in
a storm with conditions of Beaufort Force 6 to 7 (22 to 33 knot winds and
seas of 2.9 meters/9.5 feet to 4.11 meters/13.5 feet). Five crewmembers
were rescued by the Torres (3,957-dwt passenger ferry built in 1979, operated
by Tirrenia Soc. Navigation) which was sailing from Trapani to Cagliari.
The sixth, Hjbraim Barut, 23, was found in a lifeboat six hours later by
a helicopter from Palermo. One of the rescued has been hospitalized. Also
responding was the Italian Navy lead ship of the Minerva (F 551)-class
Corvette from Augusta, Sicily, two patrol boats from Cagliari and a total
of three helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft. According to Claudio
Bavassano (sateco@mbox.vol.it), the Onur K was carrying 1,500 tons of zinc
dust from Canakkale, Turkey, to Piombino, Sardinia. The ship quickly sank
after the cargo shifted.

Kargat sinks after fire kills two crewmembers

The Kargat (Russian-registry 2,581-gt stern-trawling "fish factory"
built in 1971) suffered a fire after leaving Pusan, South Korea, for the
Sea of Okhotsk on 30 Dec. During attempts to extinguish it, two crewmembers
were killed and 300 tons of water were taken aboard. After developing a
severe list, the remaining 58 crew abandoned the ship in liferafts and
were rescued by a Dutch-registry dry cargo ship. The M/V Kargat subsequently
sank in the Sea of Japan at 38 degrees 54 minutes north, 132 degrees 39
minutes east.

Miss Hillary sinks off North Carolina killing two

The Miss Hillary (fishing vessel) sent out a distress call on 27 Dec.
off Harkers Island, N.C. The vessel was overdue from a voyage from Harkers
Island to Cape Lookout Bight. The U.S. Coast Guard sent a 13-meter/44-foot
motor lifeboat from Group Ft. Macon; an HH-60J Jayhawk and HC-130H Hercules
from Air Station Elizabeth City; and the "Point"-class Patrol
Boat U.S.C.G.C. Point Martin (WPB 82379). They were assisted by North Carolina
State Park rangers. Joining the search 29 Dec. were a Coast Guard Auxiliary
aircraft, a North Carolina Marine Fisheries vessel and several civilian
vessels. One of the civilian bessels found a body about 24 kilometers/15
miles southeast of Beaufort Inlet and the U.S.C.G.C. Point Martin found
a second body shortly after.

Nakhodka breaks in two, large oil spill comes ashore in Japan

The Nakhodka (Russian-registry 13,157-gt, 20,471-dwt tanker built in
1970, operated by Primorsk Shipping Co. and owned by Prisco Traffic Ltd.)
broke in half 2 Jan. The crew abandoned the ship at 0250 in the Sea of
Japan, about 130 kilometers/80.6 miles northeast of the Oki Islands, Shimane
Prefecture, Japan. Conditions in the area when the ship sank included six-meter/20-foot
seas and fog. Thirty-one of the 32 crew were rescued after they boarded
lifeboats and were spotted by two Japanese Maritime Safety Agency aircraft
about 0935. The 31 were aboard three lifeboats, while two others had capsized.
Master Valery Melnikov is missing. The ship developed a 20 degree port
list before it broke apart. The Nakhodka carried 19,000 tons of grade C
heavy fuel, or 19 million liters/five million gallons or 133,000 barrels.
A slick formed near the stern of the ship, which is in 1,800 meters/5,900
feet of water about 10 kilometers/six miles from where the ship broke apart.
Oil came ashore 7 Jan. in seven areas along a 100-kilometer/62-mile area
of beach between Kyogamisaki, Kyoto Prefecture and Oshima Lighthouse near
Mikuni, Fukui Prefecture. The slick was 10 kilometers/six miles wide, and
was first reported when a 300-meter/1,000 foot wide slick came ashore at
Oshima Lighthouse. The bow of the tanker came ashore 7 Jan. near Oshima
Lighthouse and Nippon Salvage has been hired to secure it. As of 9 Jan.,
oil was reported along a section of coast 450 kilometers/280 miles long,
spanning six prefectures from Kyoto to the Noto Peninsula. It was estimated
that 3,700 tons of grade C heavy oil has spilled, or 3,660,000 liters/962,000
gallons or 26,000 barrels. Given the amount of oil seen, this figure is
generally regarded as too low. Maritime Safety Agency ships and aircraft
have been dumping detergent-type chemicals to disperse the slick, but without
results so far. As a result, most of the clean-up has involved scooping
oil from beaches. On the afternoon of 9 Jan., 150 personnel of the Japanese
Ground Self-Defense Force arrived from Kanazawa to assist 800 people already
working on the spill ar Mikuni, including 400 from a local fishing union.
Prisco Traffic has obtained equipment from the Petroleum Association of
Japan for clean up. In addition, some 14 Maritime Safety Agency vessels
and six aircraft are involved and Russia is sending a vessel. The Japanese
Transport Ministry sent the Seiryu Maru (3,526-tons, built in 1978), the
largest pollution response vessel in the country, to Wakasa Bay off Kyoto
Prefecture to prevent further spreading of the oil. The vessel began operations
early 9 Jan. about 30 kilometers/19 miles off the Tango Peninsula. Abalone,
seaweed and turbine shell harvesting will likely be decimated. Several
birds have been killed or found coated in oil. The Nakhodka was sailing
from China to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and the sinking of the Nakhodka
is threatening electricity supplies on the peninsula, which has a population
of 400,000. Current fuel supplies will end 12 Jan. Industrial users were
to be cut off and residential areas were to be without electricity for
four to five hours per day until the arrival of the next tanker with 20,000
tons of fuel on 18 Jan. In addition, the use of diesel fuel by businesses
without permission was to be banned. However, Russian Prime Minister Viktor
Chernomyrdin said 6 Jan. no cuts would be made. Instead, Russian military
supplies were to be used, and additional money has been provided to local
governments. The Nakhodka has hull insurance by Zaschita, with Ingosstrakh
Insurance Co. Ltd.'s Black Sea and Baltic General Insurance Co. Ltd. reinsuring
85 percent of the risk. Protection and indemnity insurance is provided
by U.K. P&I Club. In all, the ship and its cargo were insured for up
to U.S.$500 million. Hugh Parker from the International Tanker Owners'
Pollution Federation Ltd. has been sent to Tokyo to advise on clean-up.
On 10 Jan., Prisco Traffic said it would pay for all operations.

Two rescued after almost a month at sea

Two men were rescued the morning of 6 Jan. after their vessel, the Lady
Aud (15-meter/48-foot fishing vessel) sank 9 Dec. The two spent almost
a month aboard a six-person liferaft. Richard Enslow Jr., 20, and David
Summers, 25, of Mililani, Hawaii, were treated at Kauai Veterans Hospital
at Kauai for slight dehydration and Summers had a dislocated shoulder.
The Lady Aud, owned by Enslow's father, sank while sailing back to Honolulu.
The vessel quickly lost its battery and an E.P.I.R.B. failed. A five-day
search by the U.S. Coast Guard did not find anything. Fearing they would
not been rescued, they carved messages into plastic paddles. The two caught
fish and saved rainwater as the liferaft was tossed in several strong storms.
On what they believe was 1 Jan., Enslow and Summers were thrown out the
raft when something overturned it. Most of the supplies, including an air
pump, were lost and the two had to blow air into it every 20 minutes. On
6 Jan., the fishing vessel Kekoa found the two near Niihau Island. They
had enough water for one more day.

F.E. Trader suffers fire in South China Sea, crew saved

The F.E. Trader (Panamanian-registry 5,138-gt general cargo vessel)
suffered an engine room fire 9 Jan. and was disabled, taking on water,
at 06 degrees 43.5 minutes north, 115 degrees 11.8 minutes east, in the
South China Sea off Malaysia. The crew was rescued by the Sang Thai Apollo
(12,201-dwt bulk carrier built in 1976, operated by Sang Thai Group of
Companies).

Lawas Mewah abandoned, crew rescued

The Lawas Mewah (Malaysian-registry 995-gt general cargo vessel) began
taking on water and was abandoned 10 Jan. at 01 degrees 47 minutes north,
108 degrees 17 minutes east, off the Kalimantan Region of Borneo, Indonesia.
The 16 crew were rescued by the Mercury Pearl (3,162-dwt bulk carrier built
in 1970, operated by Ceres Hellenic Shipping).

Ten rescued as ship sinks following colllision in the Black Sea

The Mehmet Kirbas (Turkish-registry 964-gt dry cargo ship operated by
Erdem Gemi) sank early 4 Jan. between the Turkish towns of Akcakoca and
Karasu after colliding in heavy fog with the Nergis Erdem (Turkish-registry
1,783-gt, 3,051-dwt bulk carrier built in 1979, operated by Erdem Gemi).
All 10 crew of the Mehmet Kirbas were rescued by the Nergis Erdem. The
Mehmet Kirbas was sailing from Eregli to Darica with 1,600 tons of slag.

Russian-registry tanker rescues eight after tug sinks

During Typhoon Fern on 26 Dec., the tug Mr Bill (U.S.-registry) began
taking on water in the Western Caroline Islands, about 136 kilometers/85
miles north-northeast of Yap Island, Micronesia. The eight aboard (six
men, one woman and a 5-year-old girl) abandoned the vessel in a liferaft
shortly before it sank. They activated an E.P.I.R.B. broadcasting on 406
Mhz, and were located by a U.S. Navy P-3C series Orion aircraft from Kadena
Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. Using the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel
Rescue system, the Mekhanik Ilchenko (Russian-registry 29,990-dwt tanker
built in 1986, operated by Novoship U.K. Ltd.) rescued the eight and arrived
in Taiwan on 2 Jan. The Mr Bill was sailing from Guam to Yap Island. Conditions
included gale force winds and 9.1-meter/30-foot seas.

Four rescued from vessel sinking off Washington

The fishing vessel Lee Rose broadcast a message on 29 Dec. that it was
taking on water 14 kilometers/nine miles off Gray's Harbor, Wash. Two U.S.
Coast Guard motor lifeboats from Coast Guard Station Gray's Harbor and
an HH-60J Jayawk from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, Ore., escorted the
vessel as it attempted to reach the port. However, weather conditions worsened,
and the Lee Rose was abandoned. The four crewmembers, wearing survival
suits, jumped into 3.7-meter/12-foot seas with 50 knot winds and low visibility
in heavy rain and hail. The motor lifeboats rescued all four in less than
10 minutes.

Two racing in Vendee Globe race rescued after yachts capsize

Two people were rescued 9 Jan. in the Southern Ocean between Australia
and Antarctica after their racing yachts capsized. Both Tony Bullimore,
56, of the United Kingdom, and Thierry Dubois, 29, of France, were racing
in the solo around-the-world Vendee Globe race when their yachts, the Global
Exide Challenger (20 meters/66 feet) and the Amnesty International, respectively,
capsized late 5 Jan. in a storm. Just after 1300 6 Jan., a Royal Australian
Air Force P-3C Update II series Orion from the No. 92 Wing at R.A.A.F.
Edinburgh, New South Wales, located the two yachts about 2,600 kilometers/1,600
miles southwest of Perth. Bullimore remained inside his yacht and was not
seen, while Thierry was found on the overturned hull of the Amnesty International.
The aircraft dropped a liferaft which Dubois boarded. Conditions included
winds up to 110 kilometers per hour/68 miles per hour and seas up to 12
meters/39 feet. Both water and air temperatures were at or below freezing.
On 9 Jan., the Royal Australian Navy lead ship of the H.M.A.S. Adelaide
(01)-class Frigate, based at Fleet Base West, H.M.A.S. Stirling, near Fremantle,
arrived in the area. A helicopter from the ship rescued Dubois, while a
boat was sent to the Global Exide Challenger and Bullimore swam out from
underneath the capsized yacht. He suffered from hypothermia, dehydration,
frostbite and lost a finger. Bullimore said he slept in a sealed area of
the bow and ran out of fresh water two days before. Dubois suffered from
slight hypothermia. One Vendee Globe sailor remains missing. Gerry Roufs,
43, of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, has not been heard from since just after
midnight 8 Jan. and is aboard the 18-meter/59-foot LG2. Roufs was last
reported in the expanse of water between New Zealand and Chile, and the
Chilean Navy has requested vessels to search for Roufs. The Mass Enterprise
(Panamanian-registry 69,555-dwt bulk carrier built in 1993, operated by
COSCO (Hong Kong) Shipping Co. Ltd.) has diverted course to search, as
has another Vendee Globe sailor, Isabelle Autissier.

Fishing vessel suffers fire in Alaska

The Debra D. (U.S.-registry 182-gt fishing vessel) suffered a fire at
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, on 1 Jan. The vessel's superstructure was destroyed
but the hull is reportedly intact.

North Korean-registry vessel suffers fire off Japan

The Komalsan 3 (North Korean-registry 654-ton vessel) caught fire 7
Jan. off Hyuga, Miyazaki Prefecture. Japan, None of the vessel's 36 crewmembers
were injured. The fire began in a cargo hold while the ship was anchored
about 500 meters/1,600 feet off the Port of Hososhima. The Komalsan 3 arrived
in Japan at the end of December, reportedly carrying pine needles used
to grow tobacco.

U.S. Coast Guard vessel suffers fire

Aboard the U.S. Coast Guard "Point"-class Patrol Boat U.S.C.G.C.
Point Warde (WPB 82368) on 30 Dec., a flammable liquid caught fire in the
engine room as the vessel was 82 kilometers/51 miles off Beaufort Inlet,
N.C. The halon fire supression system activated and extinguished the fire.
The generator and one of the two diesel engines was restored and the vessel
sailed to Coast Guard Group Ft. Macon.

Ship with 290 aboard disabled in the Pacific

The Maasmond (St. Vincent and the Grenadines-registry 1,055-gt, 64.0-meter/210-foot
converted dry cargo ship built in 1971, operated by Malcolm Burns Reid
and homeported at Kingstown) suffered an engine room fire in the central
Pacific the night of 7 Jan. with 290 people aboard. The ship was adrift
as of 8 Jan. about 770 kilometers/480 miles east of Tarawa, Kiribati. The
ship was located by a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K Orion from No. 5
Squadron, R.N.Z.A.F. Base Whenuapai. The Maasmond told the aircraft that
there was enough food and water aboard for five days. The nearest island
is two days away. The ship has partial electric power but no propulsion
as a fire in an engine room switchboard disabled the electrical systems.
Waysang Kumkee, a Kiribati businessman who chartered the ship, said that
the Maasmond's insurers would pay for a tow back to Tarawa. Kumkee chartered
the ship to carry 290 passengers and 400 tons of cargo, including rice
and canned food, to Christmas Island from Tarawa. The ship has had propulsion
problems before. In 1992, it underwent repairs for 10 weeks after sailing
in cyclones on a cruise through the Pacific.

Barge sinks after Mississippi River tows collide

On 28 Dec., the tug Jim Ludwing, pushing 19 barges, collided with the
tug Harry Mack, pushing 14 barges, at mile marker 778 on the lower Mississippi
River, near Osceola, Ark. One of the barges from Harry Mack's tow, carrying
1,500 tons of salt, sank in 7.6 meters/25 feet of water. The river was
closed until the barge was located and marked by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers the next day.

Barge breaks in half off Alaska

The stern half of a 122-meter/400-foot barge broke off during a 1,300-kilometer/800-mile
voyage from Prince William Sound, Alaska, to British Columbia, Canada,
last week. The barge's stern broke-off somewhere near Kayak Island, Alaska.
The incident was not discovered until four days later, when another vessel
notified the Crowley Marine Services tug towing the barge that there was
structural damage. The barge was carrying empty railcars from the Alaska
Railroad. The break was clean and occurred in calm weather. The other half
was found over the weekend floating at the entrance to Prince William Sound,
and was towed to Whittier, Alaska, on 6 Jan. Incredably, none of the railcars
were lost.

Russian-registry vessel runs aground in Antarctica

The Professor Khromov (Russian-registry 1,800-gt, 620-dwt, Akademik
Shuleykin-class hydrometerorological reporting ship built in 1983, operated
by the Russian Far Eastern Hydrometerorological Scientific Research Institute),
homeported at Vladivostok, Russia, ran aground on rocks in Antarctica late
4 Jan. The ship was towed off by a Chilean Navy vessel on 5 Jan. The Professor
Khromov ran aground in the Neumayer Channel off the Antarctic Peninsula,
between the Anvers and Wiencke Islands. All 36 passengers and some of the
crew went aboard the Alla Tarasova (Russian-registry 1,465-dwt passenger
ship built in 1975, operated by Murmansk Shipping Co.) to continue their
voyage. The passengers, mostly scientists, are from several countries,
including Canada, Germany, Russia and the United States. The Professor
Khromov is sailing to Punta Arenas, Chile, for hull repairs.

The Hua Chuan runs aground twice in the Philippines

The Hua Chuan (Panamanian-registry 5,332-gt, 10,091-dwt bulk carrier
built in 1975, operated by China Ocean Shipping Co. and owned by Hong Kong
Ming Wah Shipping Co. Ltd.) has ran aground twice recently in the Philippines.
On 25 Dec., the ship, sailing from Indonesia to Japan with 7,000 tons of
coke, was forced aground during bad weather. It was repaired, but while
sailing for Japan again on 5 Jan., ran aground again near San Fernando,
La Union.

Kagoro runs aground in the Elbe River

On 4 Jan., the Kagoro (22,564-dwt ro/ro built in 1978, operated by Acomarit
(U.K.) Ltd. and owned by OT Africa Line Ltd.) ran aground at the mouth
of the Elbe River while sailing to Hamburg, Germany. The ship suffered
steering problems. Kooren was contracted to refloat the ship but could
not respond because its tugs were handling ship assist duties. Four Bugsier
and Wulf tugs, with a large emergency tug, took the Kagoro in tow to Cuxhaven,
Germany, after a 20-hour delay.

Stolt Confidence aground off Singapore

The Stolt Confidence (Liberian-registry Innovation-class 22,000-gt,
37,000-dwt chemical tanker built in 1996 in Denmark, operated by Stolt
Parcel Tankers), sailing from Antwerp, Belgium, to Singapore, ran aground
off Singapore on 6 Jan. The ship was refloated at high tide with some hull
damage, but none of the tanks were breached.

Chevron Mississippi suffers steering problems in Prince William Sound

The Chevron Mississippi (U.S.-registry 72,482-dwt tanker built in 1972,
operated by Chevron Shipping Co.), using its backup steering, was escorted
by three vessels into Valdez, Alaska, on 7 Jan. after being disabled. The
ship, which was arriving to load oil, suffered steering problems near the
entrance to Prince William Sound. The ship was repaired 8 Jan. and left
Valdez on 9 Jan. An electrical problem was cited as the cause.

Baneasa under tow to Oregon

The Baneasa (Liberian-registry 65,044-dwt, 253-meter/830-foot bulk carrier
built in 1984, homeported in Monrovia, operated by Torvald Kalveness and
Co. A/S) was disabled 25 Dec. about 130 kilometers/81 miles south of Atka
Island, Alaska. The vessel's rudder stuck at hard right. The Baneasa, with
a crew of about 30, was not carrying any cargo but had 4,200 barrels of
heavy fuel oil and 800 barrels of diesel fuel aboard. The U.S. Coast Guard
Hamilton-class High-Endurance Cutter U.S.C.G.C. Midgett (WHEC 726) acted
as a power rudder/sea drogue while the vessel was being towed by the tug
Agnes Foss. The tow was later taken over by another tug, which is towing
the Baneasa to Portland Shipyard at Portland, Ore.

Jutha Jessica update

Jutha Maritime Co. announced 3 Jan. that the Jutha Jessica (Thai-registry
6,677-gt, 13,579-dwt general cargo vessel built in 1972 by Nakskov Skibs
Entrepriser A/S, operated by Jutha Maritime Co.) was insured for 50 million
Thai baht with South East Insurance Inc. The ship ran aground on a rock
outcropping in high winds at 1340 1 Jan. as it entered the Port of Pusan,
South Korea, to avoid a storm. The ship subsequently broke in half and
sank. Twenty-four crewmembers, including the master, were rescued. Some
suffered minor injuries. Five crewmembers are missing including Third Mate
Nantapol Punuch, Deckhand Lert Thamphisn and Cooks Banpot Naisantad, Tosaporn
Anantasakdisetonn and Sambat Chum Choen. All are Thai citizens. The Jutha
Jessica left Nagoya, Japan, with 2,000 tons of steel pipes on 28 Dec. and
anchored off Pusan on 30 Dec.

Bright Field removed from New Orleans

On 6 Jan., six tugs pulled the Bright Field (Liberian-registry 36,120-gt,
68,200-dwt, 23,035-nt bulk carrier built in 1988, operated by COSCO (Hong
Kong) Shipping Co. Ltd.) from a New Orleans dock housing the Riverwalk
mall and hotel complex, behind Cafe du Monde. At least 116 people were
injured and the dock and structures were severely damaged during an allision
1430 14 Dec. Some 15 shops and 456 hotel rooms were destroyed. The bow
of the ship ran aground beneath the Poydras Street Wharf. During the removal
of the ship, some rooms at the Hilton Hotel were emptied and residents
of One River Place Condominiums were advised to stay away. The Riverwalk
and the Mississippi River were closed. The Bright Field was escorted 30
kilometers/18 miles and two hours downriver to Violet, La., for repairs.
Altough the ship's Sulzer 6RTA62 engines were idling, propulsion was provide
by three tugs to starboard, one on the bow and two on the stern. More than
5.7 million liters/1.5 million gallons of water flooded a cargo hold after
the aciddent and 4.6 meters/15 feet of hull under the bow was damaged.

Deadline for claims in Rhode Island spill extended

The deadline to file claims stemming from an oil spill off Rhode Island
has been extended from 30 Dec. to March. The North Cape (U.S.-registry
100-meter/340-foot long single-hull tank barge built in 1976, owned by
Eklof Marine Corp.), with 15.2 million liters/four million gallons of No.
2 fuel oil, ran aground off Moonstone Beach near South Kingstown, R.I.,
on 19 Jan. Damage to nine tanks leaked 3.15 million liters/828,000 gallons
into Block Island Sound. The barge was being towed from the IMTT Terminal,
Bayonne, N.J., to Providence, R.I., by the Scandia (U.S.-registry 35.1-meter/115-foot
long, 4,000 horsepower tug built in 1969, owned by Eklof Marine) when an
engine room fire began at midday in a storm. The six crew were rescued.
Both tug and barge went aground. The barge was refloated Jan. 26 and the
tug in mid-February. Direct clean-up costs are estimated at U.S.$10 million.

(AT) LAST...BUT NOT LEAST...

The Queen Elizabeth's final resting place: Under a container terminal

It was announced 4 Jan. that the wreck of the Queen Elizabeth, which
sank off Tsing Yi Island, Hong Kong, on 9 Jan., 1972, will be buried under
the new Container Terminal 9 in Hong Kong. The terminal will be on reclaimed
land built over wreck of the ship, bought by Tung Chao-yung from Cunard
in 1970. Salvage was ruled out as too expensive, as debris is buried in
deep mud, and the wreck is not a threat to navigation. The 83,673-metric
ton ship was set on fire by arsonists, who were never caught. It was planned
to convert the ship into a U.S.$3.8 million floating university, Seawise
University. The ship arrived in Hong Kong in July 1971 and work was almost
complete when the fire occurred. The Queen Elizabeth once held the Blue
Ribbon for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. The ship was 314.2
meters/1,031 feet long and had a beam of 36.15 meters/118.6 feet. The Queen
Elizabeth was completed in 1940 by John Brown & Co. at Clydebank, Scotland.
After a secret maiden voyage to New York in March 1940, the Queen Elizabeth
served as a troopship during World War II. The vessel sailed on its first
commercial voyage from Southampton, England, to New York on 16 Oct., 1946.
There were 14 decks and accomodations for 822 first class, 668 cabin class
and 798 tourist class passengers. The crew consisted of 1,296 people. The
Queen Elizabeth last sailed from Southampton in November 1968 and was to
have been a floating hotel and exhibition center at Port Everglades, Fla.,
before the Seawise University proposal.