New Zealand Detains Log Carrier After Rudder Falls Off
Maritime NZ has issued a detention notice against a log carrying vessel, currently anchored off Tauranga.On Monday 24 July, the Panamanian flagged Achilles Bulker was departing Tauranga, bound for China when it encountered steering problems. It was subsequently determined that the rudder had disconnected from the ship during the outbound pilotage.The vessel remains anchored off Mount Maunganui, and the rudder was recovered by divers last week and brought to shore.Due to the rudder failure, the Achilles Bulker will need to be towed to a dry dock for repairs.Maritime NZ is working closely with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the…
Oldendorff Post-Panamax to Load Logs from New Zealand
A deal has been finalized that will soon see the largest vessel to ever call at New Zealand for the loading of logs.The deal between South Pacific Shipping (SPS) and Oldendorff Carriers was brokered by Braemar ACM’s Bruce McFarlane, a Mount Maunganui local. Braemar also negotiated the deal with ISO Stevedoring that delivered the mobile cranes from the manufacturer in Germany, to the port of Tauranga, New Zealand last year. Bruce McFarlane commented, “We saw an opportunity to bring…
Log Carrier Loses Power Off New Zealand
A log carrier that lost power and went adrift while leaving New Zealand's Port of Tauranga Monday has been towed to anchorage in deeper water while it awaits further inspection, local maritime safety authorities said.The Singapore-flagged Funing was outbound for Lanshan, China when it lost engine power and began drifting amid 30 knot winds and significant swells between Mount Manganui and Matakana Island around 12:30 a.m. local time on Monday.The 180-meter ship was pushed by the wind and tides and snagged chains holding one of the buoys marking the shipping channel…
Container Ship Wreck 'Rena' Update
Svitzer salvors have made good progress in removing containers and cargo from Rena throughout the week. Dive operations to remove smaller pieces of debris and cargo have been undertaken. Divers are cutting into parts of the submerged stern section to gain access to containers for removal. The Braemar recovery team is investigating reports of debris washing ashore on Great Barrier Island. The team will fly over the island as soon as weather conditions are favourable to assess the situation.
New Zealand Works To Fix NZ Refining's Clog Up
New supplies of diesel would be in place at all New Zealand marine fueling stations by Friday, replacing stocks of fuel affected by an additive that clogs engine filters, NZ Refining Co. said on Tuesday. Many New Zealand fishing boats have been kept in port by the fuel scare while motorists were also reporting problems, because of an additive inserted at NZ Refining's refinery, which affected 350 million liters of diesel that had been produced since March; The company supplies more than 90 percent of New Zealand's diesel fuel. The additive is designed to help fuel flow in cold temperatures but instead can block up diesel engine fuel filters.
