Barrier Reef
Bulk Carrier Dumped Garbage in Marine Park
Bulk carrier 'Pantanal' owners & master fined for dumping food waste near Australia's Great Barrier Reef The master and owner of a ship that dumped garbage in the Great Barrier Reef marine park have been fined according to a Ninemsn Both pleaded guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court to illegally dumping food waste from the Antiguan bulk carrier Pantanal in the park in July last year. The ship's master was fined $500, while the owner was fined $5000. Convictions were recorded against both men.
Fatigue to Blame for Barrier Reef Grounding
According to a report from ABS News, the final investigation into the grounding of a Chinese coal carrier on the Great Barrier Reef last year has found fatigue was a major factor in causing the accident. The Shen Neng 1 ran aground in April at Douglas Shoal off Rockhampton, seriously damaging its hull and spilling more than three tonnes of heavy fuel oil into the water. (Source: ABS News)
Bid To Re-float MISC Ship Fails
A second bid failed on Thursday to refloat a Malaysian ship carrying dangerous chemicals stranded on Australia's Great Barrier Reef but authorities said they would launch a new all-out effort on the weekend, Reuters reported. Queensland state Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer said three ocean-going tugs were unable to pull the 184-metre (600-ft) Bunga Teratai Satu off Sudbury Reef, despite early indications of improved buoyancy at high tide
Incat Crowther Building Three Catamaran Ferries
Incat Crowther is pleased to announce that construction is well advanced on three new catamaran ferries to its design. Two 32-metre ferries and one 24-metre ferry will be operated by Riverside Marine to transport workers between Gladstone, Queensland and the new LNG plant on Curtis Island. By focusing on passenger accommodation, seakeeping, efficiency and range, Riverside Marine and Incat Crowther have developed a 3-vessel fleet which offers maximum capacity combined with maximum flexibility
Australian Navy Patrol Boats Named In Dual Ceremony
Following the recent commissioning of HMAS Larrakia and Bathurst into Navy service, a dual Naming Ceremony for the fourth and fifth Armidale Class Patrol Boats to be launched was held today at the Austal shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. Twelve patrol boats are currently contracted for delivery to the Royal Australian Navy. The 56 metre, all-aluminium monohull vessels were named “Albany” by Mrs Annette Knight AM JP CITWA, Former Mayor of the Town of Albany
Chinese Warship Anchored Off Disputed Spratly Islands
Philippine Navy aircraft spots a Chinese landing ship in Subi Reef, 12 miles from Philippine-occupied island Pag-asa The Chinese troop and logistics ship, a Yuting class, No. 934, is armed with three heavy guns, built-in cranes, and a helipad, reports 'The Philippine Star'. The Chinese ship is anchored at the Chinese-occupied Subi Reef, close to Pag-asa Island, which is occupied by Filipino troops and civilians and is part of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan.
Ghost Fleet Ship to Become Artificial Reef
It has been a troop carrier, a missile-tracking ship, and a starred in a Hollywood movie. Now the General Hoyt S. Vandenberg will become an artificial reef off Key West, Fla. Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton approved the transfer of the Vandenberg to the state of Florida, which plans to turn the 63-year old vessel into an artificial reef later this year. “Reefing is an excellent way to dispose of our obsolete ships,” said Connaughton
DNV Calls for Better Safety Barrier Management
To avoid major accidents, safety barriers are critical to stop accident pathways before they become serious, and they need to be treated accordingly. This has to be reflected in operations and ideally in regulations. If not, safety barriers which often address rare events might lose the everyday battle for attention among all the safety and production systems in daily use, leaving a company with fictional barriers and false sense of security.
NOAA Seeks Coral Reef Comments
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the availability of the draft operations plan for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. Comments should be submitted by May 15, 2004. 69 Fed. Reg. 13022 (HK Law)
Reef Subsea Wins Offshore W. Africa Contracts
Reef Subsea has secured two contracts for offshore operations in the West Africa region with a combined value of more than US$15-M. The firm’s IMR and Construction division, based in Bergen, Norway, is working with two major oil and gas companies on the projects in The Republic of Congo and Equatorial Guinea. For both projects, Reef Subsea, which also has a presence in Aberdeen, Houston, Mandal in Norway and Surrey and Stockton-on-Tees in England
Australian Reef Protected by New Safety Initiative
To protect the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia’s north-west region, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to establish an area ships should avoid. A new AMSA Marine Notice will recommend ships keep at least two nautical miles from the edge of Ningaloo
PSSA Interactive Display Launched at IMO
A new interactive display on Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA) has been launched at IMO Headquarters and online at www.pssa.imo.org. A PSSA is an area that needs special protection through action by IMO because of its significance for recognized ecological or socio-economic or scientific
Washington Coast Guard Crew Deploys to South Korea
Through chilling winds and choppy seas, five-man crews aboard small, gray security boats worked tirelessly for 10 days patrolling the waters around a massive 348-foot petroleum vessel near the coast of Pohang, South Korea. Boat crews from Port Security Unit (PSU) 313 worked night and day to
Belize Court Stymies Offshore Drilling Plans
Belize's Supreme Court declared offshore drilling contracts issued by the Government of Belize (in 2004 and 2007) null and void. The ruling, handed down by Justice Oswell Legall , was in response to a case brought by Oceana, COLA, and the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage
Hyundai Heavy Unveils LNG Cargo Containment System
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) announced it has developed a high performance Hyundai Membrane LNG Cargo Containment System. The shipbuilding giant’s new membrane type containment system for liquefied natural gas received Design Approval from classification societies including ABS
Chinese Fishing Vessel on Tubbataha Reef
Unlike the ill-fated 'Guardian' the stranded vessel may soon be towed off the reef as its steel hull is intact. The Philippine Coast Guard are confident are confident that the Chinese vessel can be re-floated after its de-fueling or lightening
'Rena' Owners Prefer to Leave Wreck on Astrolabe Reef
Heavy fuel oil on board the wrecked container ship is expected to leach out over time, but the ship's owners and insurers would prefer to leave it where it is. No decision had been made on leaving Rena on the reef, but draft assessments have been distributed for stakeholder and regional council
Navy Patent SNARE Propeller Entangler
The small naval arresting rope entangler, or SNARE, helps stop boats from evading military & law enforcement inspections by entangling the craft's propellers. SNARE was designed by a team of engineers from NSWC Carderock, NSWC Dahlgren and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center
Tubbataha Reef Wreck Removal Completed
The stern section, the last module of the former minehunter 'USS Guardian' has now been removed by salvors. In January 2013 the Navy mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian ran aground on a coral reef in the Philippines, inside Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
Guardian Salvage SUPSALV Masterminded
Naval Sea System Command's (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage & Diving (SUPSALV) continues to support the removal of the wreck. Guardian ran aground on the coral reef Jan. 17, while transiting the Sulu Sea. After the initial grounding, strong winds pushed the mine counter-measurees ship parallel
Damaging an Egyptian Coral Reef Expensive
Due to an increase in tourism, Egyptian coral reefs are important to its economy: official records show 170 damage incidents. The UK P&I Club has issued the following advisory circular to its members: Vessel groundings are a large threat which coral reefs face
Chinese Ship Disabled North of Tubbataha Reef
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reports another foreign vessel in trouble off Palawan, to be taken in tow. The Chinese cargo ship M/V Tai An Hai reported engine trouble and was drifting late some 96 kilometers south of Tubbataha Reef, reports The Philippine Star.
Reef Subsea Announce Management Changes
Mark Preece is to step down as CEO of the Reef Subsea Group by mutual agreement. The board has acknowledged and thanked Mr. Preece for his efforts in developing and positioning Reef Subsea as a strong subsea contractor in the oil and gas and offshore wind farm sectors.
USS Guardian Update
Ship's funnel removed, mast section to be lifted off next. As weather conditions seem to be fine near Tubbataha Reef, salvaging operation of the USS Guardian that ran aground last month along a portion of the UNESCO World Heritage reef continues as the team starts to prepare for level 2
Thorn-D Antifouling Film Applied on Dubai Vessel
Maritime Technology Company Micanti BV has applied its patented non-toxic antifouling on a crew vessel Lady Rasha in Dubai. Thorn-D is an adhesive foil with fibers that creates a textured surface. Instead of killing marine growth the textured foil is preventing it from attaching itself to