RS to Survey Estonia Flagged Ships
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) and the Estonian Maritime Administration signed an agreement on the delegation of authority to carry out statutory surveys on board ships flying the flag of Estonia. The agreement extends the scope of services provided by RS to Estonian vessels. Specifically, RS is now authorized to carry out surveys on behalf of the Estonian Maritime Administration for compliance with the requirements of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments 2004, and the Maritime Labor Convention 2006. The agreement is signed with hopes to strengthen cooperation in the standards of safety at sea, ensure compliance with applicable international requirements on ships and increase the efficiency of maritime transport.
Estonian Port Buys Icebreaker
Port of Tallinn signs the purchasing agreement for icebreaker 'MSV Botnica'. The 50 million euro agreement is with the Finnish shipping company Arctia for the outright purchase of the icebreaking vessel. MSV Botnica is a multipurpose icebreaker built in 1998 by Aker Finnyards in Rauma, Finland. Her ice class is ICE-10, length (LOA) is 97.3 and beam 24.3 metres. The maximum speed of MSV Botnica is 16.5 knots in open water; she can maintain a speed of 8 knots in ice up to 80cm thickness. The maximum ice thickness in which the ship is capable of maintaining constant speed is 1.2 meters.
Estonia to get new Icebreaker
The Estonian Maritime Administration has awarded a contract to Aker Arctic Technology Inc, Helsinki, Finland, for designing a new multipurpose icebreaker. The value of the agreement is close to EUR 6 million, including the development of the conceptual design, the basic design, preparation of the tender documents needed for a public procurement for building the ship, and construction supervision. "Aker Yards has built more than 60 percent of the icebreakers in the world. This…
Ships Suspected in Estonian Oil Spill
An investigation committee headed by the Estonian Central Criminal Police now suspects 15 vessels of the oil spill off the Estonia coast that resulted in death of thousands and aquatic birds. The Liberian oil tanker Flawless, had notified authorities of problems already when approaching the Muuga seaport. The vessel had sustained a seven centimeters crack in its hull. The Estonian Maritime Administration inspected the ship after the announcement, and investigators have now cleared it from oil spill suspicions. The oil found in the sea is from a ship's fuel tanks, not oil carried by oil tankers as cargo. The oil landed on the Estonian shore possibly in the late evening January 31, even though the first observations were not reported until the the next day.
