Tasman Sea News

Dozens of containers lost from a ship at sea have been recovered off the coast of Australia as the country's maritime authority continues to press the vessel's owner to pay the $11 million cleanup costs.The 63 boxes plucked from the bottom of the Tasman Sea are among more than 80 lost from Yang Ming's containership YM Efficiency about 20 miles from shore in June 2018. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) says it stepped in to handle the cleanup operations after the…

Work is underway to retrieve dozens of containers lost from a containership off the coast of Australia, with the first boxes raised to the surface this week. The first container was recovered from the seafloor on Monday using a hydraulic crane and rigging, remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a specially manufactured steel basket, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. Another two boxes were lifted in the days following.The recovered containers are among more than 80 lost from containership YM Efficiency in the Tasman Sea…

Remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) will be deployed to investigate containers lost from a cargo ship in heavy seas off Australia.The YM Efficiency, operated by Taiwan shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, was sailing from Taiwan to Sydney in early June when it lost dozens of containers overboard amid five-meter swells in the Tasman Sea, about 30 kilometers off Australia's east coast.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), citing serious potential impacts to local fishing and the environment…

A cargo ship lost 83 containers over-board during heavy seas off Australia and items including nappies and sanitary pads are washing up on beaches while there are fears the ill-fated containers will pose a hazard for shipping and whales.The YM Efficiency, operated by Taiwan shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, was sailing from Taiwan to Sydney when it encountered 5-metre swells in the Tasman Sea, about 30 km off Australia's east coast late on Thursday."They're 40-foot containers, they sit about a foot or two off the water ... even in the best of conditions they're difficult to spot, but at night and in a swell, almost impossible…

STS Young Endeavour is joining a race on every sailor’s bucket list, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. While the 44 metre brigantine won’t be chasing line honours, she will play an important support role acting as the standby radio relay ship. Lieutenant Commander Mike Gough, Commanding Officer Young Endeavour said the southern ocean could throw up many perils, so the role of the Royal Australian Navy’s sail training ship was important. “The weather conditions on the southern ocean can be unpredictable and ships can get into trouble,” he said. “Our role will be to relay any messages of distress from ships in the race to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, so the most appropriate support can be provided.

Trans-Tasman kayaker Scott Donaldson has been successfully rescued from his kayak 83 kilometres off the Taranaki Coast, south-west of New Plymouth, says Maritime NZ. The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand organised for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter to fly to Scott’s location and winch him aboard.RCCNZ Senior Search and Rescue officer Kevin Banaghan says weather conditions were deteriorating, and Scott had declared to his support crew in the morning that his situation was unsafe. Once on scene, the helicopter pilot talked to Scott by radio, then a swimmer from the rescue service went into the water. Scott then jumped into the sea from his vessel; and both were safely winched into the helicopter.

Vancouver Shipyards together with their parent corporation Washington Marine Group has signed a contract with Acomarin Engineering to purchase their JAK-400 Pushpin® ATB coupling system. Much research went into the decision as to which ATB coupling system would best fit their needs. Acomarin’s JAK-400 Pushpin® coupling system is one of the lightest ATB coupling systems on the market making it an easy retro fit to any tugboat and barge. Acomarin was also able to offer the fastest delivery time by supplying the complete system in less than 8 weeks. Both of these reasons were important factors in the decision for Washington Marine Group and Vancouver Shipyards.

Everyone knows everyone else's business in this industry, or at least they think they do, and certainly try to. Who owns this or is buying that is information as eagerly sought for tactical insight as it is for gossip, and is equally protected by those in the know. The ex-S/R Everett, lately known as the Lincoln Sea, has been a buzz on New York harbor ever since the newswires hummed with reports that K-Sea had bought the Mobil-built boat. But that was back in January. If it's true, the scuttlebutt asked, how come the winter has passed, the spring has passed, and the boat's still painted blue - not the white superstructure, green decks, tan stacks, and red trim of K-Sea?

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., has delivered DBL101, the first of four Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA’90) double hull, ocean service, oil tank barges to K-Sea Transportation Corp. While the DBL 101 was in the final stages of construction, Bollinger also retrofitted the K-Sea tug TASMAN SEA with a JAK coupler system, creating an ATB unit. Bollinger and K-Sea announced a newbuilding contract in March 2001, for the series of 4 barges with capacities of 80,000 to 100,000 barrels (BBL). Bollinger Marine Fabricators (BMF), Amelia, La., fabricated modules for the new 400-ft. by 74-ft. by 25-ft., 100,000 BBL barge and shipped them to Bollinger Gretna (Harvey, La.) for final assembly and installation of piping and other systems.

There is no question that timely repairs and preventative maintenance can extend the life of almost any workboat. It is also true that changing market conditions can lead to renovations to effectively extend the life of many vessels. The one event that triggers many repair projects is the Coast Guard's five-year hull inspection program, often referred to as a "shave and a haircut". Most operators use these occasions to inspect shafts, wheels and do top side repairs as well. With the hull is out of the water, not only can shafts, rudders and wheels be repaired, but also anodes replaced, sea chests inspected and the entire bottom given a coat of anti-fouling paint.

All of the growth markets in the commercial marine marketplace have something to do with petroleum. Supply and crew/supply boats directly support drilling activity and Articulated Tug Barges (ATB) distributes crude, refined or an oil byproduct to refiners or distributors. The ATB represents a big advance in transporting these oil products over a pushboat pushing a tow of petroleum barges. Typically an ATB is one large barge with capacity from 80,000 to 160,000 barrels being pushed by a tug that fits into a notch in the barge. An advanced coupling system permits easy coupling and uncoupling of the two units. With typical barge and pushboat units, the coupling system uses winches and wire ropes to lash the barges together and also secure the barge tow to the pushboat.