Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Montego Bay News

01 Mar 2019

Caribbean Commits to IMO Standards

Caribbean States and Territories have re-affirmed their commitment to implementing International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards for safe, secure and sustainable shipping.According to the UN body, this is part of wider efforts to intensify investments and harness the full potential of the oceans, rivers and lakes to accelerate economic growth, create jobs and fight poverty.Ministers responsible for maritime transport and other participants representing the Governments in the region met at a High Level Symposium (27 February) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, under the theme, “Maritime Transportation: Harnessing the Blue Economy for the Sustainable Development of the Caribbean”.The participating countries are Anguilla…

02 Oct 2016

Evacuations in Guantanamo, Haiti as fierce Hurricane Matthew looms

The United States prepared to airlift hundreds of people from its Guantanamo Bay naval base as the most powerful cyclone to form over the Atlantic since Hurricane Felix in 2007 ground slowly towards Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba. Haiti also began evacuating residents by boat from outlying islands in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, which threatens to wreak widespread damage in the region with flash floods and winds at about 150 miles per hour (240 kph). Matthew is expected to make landfall as a major storm on Jamaica's southern coast, home to the capital, Kingston, and its only oil refinery. Stormy weather could begin on Sunday. Simultaneously…

01 Oct 2016

Hurricane Matthew weakens slightly as heads for Jamaica and Cuba

Hurricane Matthew weakened slightly on Saturday as it moved towards Jamaica and Cuba, although with winds of up to 155 miles per hour (250 kph) it is powerful enough to wreck houses, forecasters said. The strongest hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean since Felix in 2007 was forecast to make landfall as a major storm on Monday on Jamaica's southern coast, home to the capital and Jamaica's only oil refinery. It could affect the island's main tourist areas such as Montego Bay in the north. With Matthew about 420 miles (675 km) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center downgraded its designation to a Category 4, from the top Category 5, on the Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity, but Jamaican authorities said they were taking all possible precautions.

25 Apr 2016

Europa 2 to Call Cuba for the First Time

Europa 2 (Photo: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises)

Sun, sand and Caribbean ‘joi de vivre’ – Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2 will visit the island of Cuba in the Greater Antilles for the first time on two cruises in October and November 2016. Maiden ports of call are special moments on cruises with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ ships and never fail to be a highlight for both the passengers and crew. For the first time, several visits to Cuba, the largest of the Antilles, are featured on Europa 2  itineraries in autumn 2016. The island, known as a nation for its Caribbean way of life and white sandy beaches…

18 Nov 2013

Carnival Sunshine Embarks on Inaugural Voyage

Carnival Sunshine in New Orleans

The totally transformed 3,006-passenger Carnival Sunshine – the largest Carnival Cruise Lines ship ever to be homeported in New Orleans -- will sail this afternoon on its inaugural voyage from the Big Easy, embarking on a six-day cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Earlier this year, Carnival Sunshine underwent a $155 million, 75-day makeover that added a variety of innovations that are part of Carnival’s groundbreaking Fun Ship 2.0 enhancement initiative, along with several features unique to this vessel and 182 new staterooms.

04 Oct 2013

Port of New Orleans: Tropical Storm Update

Hapag-Lloyd's 810-foot container ship Summer E arrives at the Port of New Orleans today at 11 a.m. CST. Terminal Operator Ports America will handle 300 container moves on the ship Friday afternoon at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. The Summer E is one of nine ships at Port docks this weekend.

Cargo operations at Port of New Orleans terminals continued uninterrupted today, despite the closure of Southwest Pass at the mouth of the Mississippi River in anticipation of affects from Tropical Storm Karen. “The entire Port community continues to monitor the storm and we have implemented Phase II of our Hurricane Preparedness Plan,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO. “Phase II includes securing all equipment and facilities and removing any debris that could become a hazard during a tropical storm.

22 Feb 2013

MARPOL, VIMSAS Top Discussion at Caribbean Meeting

Attendees at the Regional Senior Marine Administrators Workshop.

MARPOL and VIMSAS topped discussions when senior Caribbean maritime administrators met in Montego Bay, Jamaica this week (February 19 and 20). The Regional Senior Marine Administrators Workshop was hosted by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica during a milestone visit to the country by Mr Koji Sekimizu, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Representatives from 20 countries met to consider a list of programs to be submitted to the IMO for support under its International Technical Cooperation Program (ITCP).

10 Dec 2012

ICS Congratulates UN Secretary General

ICS Chairman Masimichi Morooka

ICS Chairman Masimichi Morooka has celebrated the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Law Of The Sea by writing to United Nations Secretary General Ban  Ki-moon. On behalf of the world’s shipowners, Mr Morooka extended congratulations to the UN and the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at Montego Bay, on 10 December 1982. He said: “The enduring…

21 May 2007

Liberty of the Seas Officially Named in Ceremony

With a dramatic smash of the champagne bottle against its brand new hull, Royal Caribbean International’s 21st cruise ship, Liberty of the Seas, was officially named by travel agent godmother Donnalea Madeley at the Port of Miami. The naming ceremony included performances by the Miami Children’s Chorus, blessings by Rabbi Terry Bookman and Pastor Sverre Tofte, as well as remarks and a tribute by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO, Richard Fain. Holding the dual-title of world’s largest cruise ship along with sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty is the first Royal Caribbean ship to showcase the line’s enhanced onboard programming in the wellness, family and teen, and weddings arenas – implemented to give all guests more onboard options and activities.

10 May 2006

Freedom of the Seas Makes Waves

With its FlowRider surf park, cantilevered whirlpools and colorful H20 Zone silhouetted against the backdrop of The Statue of Liberty, Freedom of the Seas, the RCL’s latest cruise ship, made its U.S. premiere today. When measured from the waterline to the top of the funnel, Freedom of the Seas towers 208 ft. tall, approximately the same height as two Statues of Liberty, placed head to toe. At 160,000 GRT and holding 3,634 guests double-occupancy, Freedom of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. The first in Royal Caribbean’s new Freedom class, she sails seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami calling in Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Labadee, Haiti.

24 Mar 2006

NTSB to Assist in Cruise Ship Fire Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent an investigator to Jamaica to assist in the investigation of today's fire on board the Bermuda registered cruise ship Star Princess. The United Kingdom's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) will lead the investigation. "This is an important industry for the United States because every year millions of Americans enjoy their vacations on board cruise ships. We appreciate the opportunity to work closely with the MAIB in this investigation," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. The NTSB will participate in the investigation under the provisions of the International Maritime Organization's Code for Investigation of Marine Casualties and Incidents. All information regarding the investigation will be released through the MAIB.

23 Mar 2006

One Dead, 11 Injured in Cruise Ship Fire

On March 23, as Star Princess was en route from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, a fire broke out in the passenger accommodations, and spread to adjacent cabins. Passengers were immediately notified of the fire using the public address system and requested to report to their muster stations. According to Princess Cruises, there was one passenger fatality following a cardiac arrest, two passengers with significant smoke inhalation injuries and nine passengers with minor complications resulting from smoke inhalation. The injured passengers have been stabilized in the ship's medical center. While the fire has been put out, there is still residual smoke throughout the affected area. The cause of the fire at this time is unknown.

12 Jan 2000

Carnival Suffers Another Fire

Carnival Corp.’s spate of bad luck continued in the new year, as a fire reportedly broke out aboard the cruise ship Celebration Wednesday, leaving the vessel adrift in the Caribbean for hours without engine and main electrical power, according to owner Carnival Cruise Lines. None of the passengers or crew were injured by the fire, which began shortly after midnight in one of three auxiliary generators as the Celebration sailed about 100 miles northwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, Carnival said. Celebration was built in 1987. Passengers left the ship at Montego Bay and will be flown back to New Orleans, de la Cruz said.

16 Feb 2000

Carnival Cruise Ship Stricken Again

In what has become an all too familiar scenario, another Carnival cruise ship reported engine problems and ended floating aimlessly while passengers onboard no doubt fumed. The latest in a string of high-profile mishaps for the world’s largest cruise company involved its ship Destiny, carrying more than 4,000 passengers and crew. By Wednesday afternoon, technicians had reportedly restored partial power, but only after it had drifted for 27 hours in the Atlantic off the Turks and Caicos Islands. Power to the two electric propulsion motors of the cruise liner Destiny was lost about 1:40 a.m. EST (0640 GMT) Tuesday, leaving the ship adrift about 60 miles (97 km) east of Grand Turk, one of the Atlantic islands that make up the British colony north of Hispaniola, the company said.

07 Sep 2005

Carnival Charters Ships to Aid Relief Efforts

Carnival Cruise Lines has chartered three of its cruise ships to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) on behalf of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for six months as part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The three cruise ships are the Ecstasy, Sensation and Holiday. The federal government will pay Miami-based Carnival Corp. $192 million for providing temporary housing to evacuees from hurricane Katrina on three luxury cruise liners. The Ecstasy, normally homeported at Galveston, Texas, operating four- and five-day cruises, and Sensation, normally homeported in New Orleans operating four- and five-day voyages, will be pulled from service effective Monday, Sept. 5. Initial plans are for both vessels to be docked in Galveston.