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Raissa Kasolowsky News

26 Feb 2023

Containership is First in Years to Docks at Yemen's Hodeidah Port

A containership carrying general commercial goods docked at Yemen's main port of Hodeidah for the first time since at least 2016 on Saturday as parties in Yemen's eight-year war are in talks to reinstate an expired U.N.-brokered truce deal.The conflict, which pits a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia against the Iran-aligned Houthi group, has divided Yemen and caused a humanitarian crisis that has left 80% of the 30 million population needing help.Goods arriving at Hodeidah have to be vetted by a U.N. body established to prevent arms shipments from entering Yemen.

22 Nov 2022

Greece Mounts Rescue Operation for Boat with 500 Migrants

©Greek Coast Guard

Greece launched a major rescue operation off the island of Crete on Tuesday after a boat believed to be carrying as many as 500 migrants issued a distress signal in bad weather, the coast guard said.Near gale force winds in the sea south of the island made the operation difficult, authorities said. Two cargo ships, one navy frigate and one tanker were assisting in the rescue.(Reuters - Reporting by Karolina Tagaris and Lefteris Papadimas / Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

09 Nov 2022

Australian Mining Magnate Calls for Ban on Seabed Mining

Image courtesy of Investigation of an Historic Seabed Mining Test Site on the Blake Plateau, NOAA Ocean Exploration

Fortescue Metals executive chairman Andrew Forrest on Tuesday said his charitable foundation is in favor of a pause on seabed mining, the first time a prominent mining executive has spoken out against the nascent industry.Forrest said the Minderoo Foundation, which he and his wife Nicola fund with the dividends they get from Fortescue, will back a pause until there's sufficient evidence that damage to ocean environments can be prevented.Seabed mining would involve vacuuming up potato-sized rocks rich in battery metals that blanket vast swathes of the sea floor at depths of 4-6 kilometres…

03 Nov 2022

China Says U.S. has 'No right' to Interfere in Hamburg Port Deal

eyewave - stock.adobe.com

The U.S has "no right" to interfere in Chinese cooperation with Germany, China's foreign ministry said Thursday, after Washington cautioned against Beijing getting a controlling stake in Hamburg's port terminal. U.S. interference is symptomatic of its practice of coercive diplomacy, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing in Beijing. "Pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany is a matter for the two sovereign countries, the United States should not attack it without reason and has no right to meddle and interfere…

03 Oct 2022

Israel Upbeat on Draft Lebanese Demarcation Deal, Sees Gas Profit Sharing

Israel gave its preliminary nod on Sunday to a draft U.S.-brokered deal demarcating a maritime border with Lebanon that may lead to profit-sharing in a disputed Mediterranean gas prospect. Hoping to defuse one source of conflict between the hostile countries and prod them toward accommodation, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein last week submitted a new proposal that would pave the way for offshore energy exploration.After years of stop-start shuttle diplomacy, agreement seems closer than ever.

30 Sep 2022

Norway Will Patrol its Oil and Gas Platforms with Help from Allies

(Photo: Øyvind Gravås and Bo B. Randulff / Equinor)

Norway will receive help from Britain, Germany and France to patrol the seas around its oil and gas platforms amid suspicion that sabotage caused leaks in Nord Stream pipelines earlier this week, Norway's prime minister said on Friday.Russia's Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines burst this week, draining gas into the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark and Sweden. Seismologists registered explosions in the area.The European Union said it suspected sabotage had caused the…

19 Aug 2022

Sunken WW2 German Warships Exposed by Low water Levels on Danube

Copyright BGStock72/AdobeStock

Europe's worst drought in years has pushed the mighty river Danube to one of its lowest levels in almost a century, exposing the hulks of dozens of explosives-laden German warships sunk during World War Two near Serbia's river port town of Prahovo.The vessels were among hundreds scuttled along the Danube by Nazi Germany's Black Sea fleet in 1944 as they retreated from advancing Soviet forces, and still hamper river traffic during low water levels.However, this year's drought…

11 Aug 2022

Taiwan Says China's Threat Remains, Though Military Drills Ease

© schreiberVIS/AdobeStock

China's threat of force is undiminished, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Thursday, even though Beijing's largest ever military drills around the island seemed to be scaling down.Furious about a visit to Chinese-claimed Taiwan last week by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China launched ballistic missiles and deployed multiple aircraft and warships in recent days to simulate sea and air attacks.China said on Wednesday it would keep up patrols but had "completed various tasks" around Taiwan, signaling a possible end to the war games even while keeping up pressure.

05 May 2022

Fiji Seizes Russian Oligarch Kerimov's $300M Yacht

Authorities in Fiji have seized a $300 million yacht of Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov at the request of the United States, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday, as Washington and its allies press Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.A Fiji court had ruled on Tuesday that the United States can seize a Russian-owned superyacht, weeks after it arrived and was impounded by police. Authorities in various countries have seized luxury vessels and villas owned by Russian billionaires in response to sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which Russia calls a special military operation.Kerimov was sanctioned by the United States in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's actions in Syria and Ukraine. He has also been sanctioned by the European Union.The U.S.

26 Apr 2022

One Migrant Dead, 26 Missing after Dinghy Capsizes off Spain's Canary Islands

Illustration only - A Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Agency Photo

One migrant died and 26 were missing after their dinghy capsized in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Spain's Canary Islands, the Spanish Coast Guard told Reuters on Tuesday.The coast guard rescued 34 people after the vessel capsized around 135 miles off the southern tip of Gran Canaria on Monday. Another two vessels carrying around 63 people, including two children, were found floating in the sea around 40 miles to the south. All those onboard were rescued, the coast guard said.Authorities were alerted on April 24 to a dinghy that had left Cabo Bojador in Western Sahara…

18 Apr 2022

Libya Halts Operations at Zueitina Oil Port Due to Protests

Libya halted oil production from its El Feel oilfield on Sunday and two sources at Zueitina oil port said exports there had been suspended after protesters calling for Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah to resign took over the sites.Halting operations in El Feel and Zueitina would cripple Libya's oil production which averaged 1.21 million barrels per day before the latest outages. The force majeure on El Feel curtails the North African nation's production by 70,000 barrels per day.Libya has had two competing governments since March when the eastern-based parliament appointed Fathi Bashagha to replace Dbeibah, renewing a standoff between the east and west of the country.

25 Feb 2022

Moldovan-flagged Tanker Hit by Missile on Ukraine Coast

Moldova's naval agency said on Friday that a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker with a Russian crew was hit by a missile near Ukraine's port of Odessa, injuring two people, and that it was unclear who had fired at the vessel.Vadim Pavalachi, deputy director at the naval agency, told Reuters that the crew of the Millennial Spirit was Russian."We just heard 10 minutes ago that all the crew were saved but two were seriously injured and are on the way to hospital," Pavalachi said.The tanker is small at 2,200 tonnes and the second commercial vessel to be hit since the invasion began.On Thursday, the Turkish-owned Yasa Jupiter cargo ship was hit by a bomb off Odessa. (Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

21 Feb 2022

Greece Reports First Fatality after Blaze on Ferry, 10 Still Missing

©Hellenic Coastguard

Firefighters battling for a third day a blaze on a ferry sailing from Greece to Italy recovered on Sunday the body of a passenger listed as missing, Greek authorities said.It is the first reported fatality after rescuers managed to take at least 281 out of 292 passengers and crew to safety from a blaze which broke out on the Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia early on Friday.The ferry had been on its way to the Italian port of Brindisi from Igoumenitsa in Greece when it was engulfed…

17 Jan 2022

Inside Taiwan's Brutal Navy Frogman Bootcamp

© daboost / Adobe Stock

A chill wind whips across the Taiwan Strait as a small group of Taiwanese marines stands shivering on a remote dock in the early hours of the morning, their shorts and thin jackets drenched after a day spent mostly in the sea.“Are you a sleeping beauty? Are you skipping out on class?” a trainer shouts at the wiry men, who have barely slept in days, as they do sit-ups and other exercises on the rough concrete floor, some fading in and out of consciousness from fatigue.Blasts of…

06 Dec 2021

Fire Rages on Cargo Ship Carrying Timber Off Sweden

Almirante Storni vessel on fire - Credit: Swedish Coast Guard

A fire on a cargo ship carrying timber off Gothenburg on Sweden's west coast was still not under control on Sunday after more than 24 hours, authorities said.The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) said it had sent two helicopters, while several other authorities and organizations, including the Coast Guard, were also fighting the fire.The ship's cargo, timber, had caught fire on Saturday, and while the ship itself was not burning, the fire was difficult to extinguish, MSB…

18 Nov 2021

UAE, Israel to Jointly Design Unmanned Military, Commercial Vessels

Credit: EDGE

Emirati and Israeli state-owned weapons makers on Thursday signed a strategic agreement in Dubai to jointly design unmanned vessels capable of carrying out anti-submarine warfare.United Arab Emirates defense conglomerate EDGE and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced the partnership on the final day of the biennial Dubai Airshow.In a joint statement, the firms said they would design the "170 M" advanced modular unmanned service vessels that would be able to be used for both…

05 Nov 2021

Leadership of U.S. Nuclear Submarine Sacked Over Seamount Crash

FILE PHOTO - BREMERTON, Wash. (Dec. 15, 2016) The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) departs Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for sea trials following a maintenance availability. (U.S. Navy photo by Thiep Van Nguyen II)

The leadership of an American nuclear-powered submarine that hit a seamount in the South China Sea last month will be relieved of command, U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday.The U.S. Navy fast-attack submarine Connecticut hit the submerged object last month but there were no serious injuries and the vessel is currently in Guam. Fifteen people suffered minor injuries such as bruises and lacerations.The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the leadership…

06 Jul 2021

Deal Reached to Release Cargo Ship that Blocked Suez Canal

© Cnes2021, Distribution Airbus DS

The owners and insurers of the Ever Given container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March said on Sunday a formal settlement had been agreed in a compensation dispute, and the canal authority said the vessel would be allowed to sail on July 7.The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has held the giant ship and its crew in a lake between two stretches of the waterway since it was dislodged on March 29, amid a dispute over a demand for compensation by the SCA.The Japanese-owned Ever Given had become stuck in high winds and remained wedged across the canal for six days…

11 Jun 2021

Spanish Rescuers Searching for Missing Toddler after 6-year-old Girl Found Dead at Sea

Spanish rescuers were searching the waters off the coast of Tenerife for a one-year-old girl on Friday after the body of a six-year-old girl, presumed to be her sister, was pulled from a 1,000-meter depth.Their father, Tomas G., is the main suspect in the disappearance of Olivia, 6, and Anna, 1, after failing to return them to their mother as agreed at the end of April. He is also missing.The body of the 6-year old, whom authorities said in all likelihood was that of Olivia, was found near where her father's boat was found empty adrift at sea."The body was at a depth of 1,000 meters inside of a sports bag tied to an anchor. Another empty sports bag was also found next to them…

30 Jul 2021

German NGO Sea-Watch Rescues 100 Migrants in Mediterranean Sea

Credit: Sea Watch/Twitter

German NGO Sea-Watch said on Friday it had rescued nearly 100 migrants in the Mediterranean overnight, many of whom were injured, some with severe "fuel burns" - chemical burns caused by exposure to gasoline mixed with seawater.Migrant boat departures from Libya and Tunisia to Italy and other parts of Europe have increased in recent months with better weather.According to the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 1,100 people fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East have perished this year in the Mediterranean.Late on Thursday…

26 Oct 2021

Russian Navy Destroyer Fends Off Pirate Attack on Container Ship

Credit: Russia's Defence Ministry

A Russian Navy destroyer has fended off a pirate attack on a container ship near the western coast of Africa, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.Destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov received a distress signal from Panama-registered container ship Lucia en route from Togo to Cameroon on Monday, the ministry said in a statement, and dispatched a unit of marines on a helicopter to it.The pirates immediately fled, allowing Russian soldiers to free the ship's crew.The Russian destroyer was part of a group patrolling the Gulf of Guinea to ensure the security of civilian navigation.

25 Jan 2021

Iran Asks Indonesia to Explain Tanker Seizures

Iran has asked Indonesia to provide details about the seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday, a day after Jakarta said it had seized Iran and Panama-flagged tankers in its waters.Indonesia said on Sunday its coast guard had seized the Iranian-flagged MT Horse and the Panamanian-flagged MT Freya vessels over suspected illegal oil transfer in the country’s waters.Khatibzadeh said that the seizure was over a “a technical issue and it happens in shipping field”.“Our Ports Organisation and the ship owner company are looking to find the cause of the issue and resolve it,” Khatibzadeh told a televised weekly news conference.Coast guard spokesman Wisnu Pramandita said the tankers…

22 Feb 2021

Israel's Beaches Drenched in Oil. Authorities Looking for Ship Responsible

Illustration only - Credit:wildarun/AdobeStock

Israel is trying to find the ship responsible for an oil spill that drenched much of its Mediterranean shoreline with tar, an environmental blow that will take months or years to clean up, officials said.Thousands of volunteers gathered on Sunday to remove the clumps of sticky black refuse from the pale beaches. Israel's military said it was deploying thousands of soldiers to help with the effort. Authorities warned everyone else to keep their distance until further notice.Environmental groups called it a disaster.