The Philippine Star News

China has stationed up to five ships around a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing traditional fishing grounds, media in the Philippines reported on Wednesday. The Philippine Star newspaper, quoting an unnamed Filipino fishing operator, said China began deploying ships to Quirino Atoll, also known as Jackson Atoll, after a fishing vessel recently ran aground in the area. Eugenio Bito-onon Jr, the mayor of nearby Kalayaan in the Spratly Islands, told the newspaper the ships had been based at the atoll for more than a month. "They have many ships there," he said. Another unnamed fisherman was quoted as saying Chinese boats chased them away when they tried to enter the area last week.

Imtech Marine announced on Friday that the ship’s crews will have access to PressReader as a new value-added service to its satellite communications portfolio. Starting in August, Imtech Marine customers will be able to use PressReader for access to full content of more than 2,500 newspapers and magazines in 60 languages from more than 100 countries. These can be read on PressReader via a crew member’s PC, laptop and mobile devices on board vessels. PressReader and its cross-platform app give users access to thousands of global publications with just one subscription. “By adding PressReader to our connectivity portfolio we give a very useful tool for ship-owners to improve the crew morale.

Unlike the ill-fated 'Guardian' the  stranded vessel may soon be towed off the reef as its steel hull is intact.The Philippine Coast Guard are confident are confident that the Chinese vessel can be re-floated after its de-fueling or lightening, which may started once the BRP Corregidor arrives soon, reports 'The Philippine Star'.The Chinese fishing vessel, which has 12 crew members, ran aground 1.1 nautical miles east of the Tubbataha Ranger Station on 8, April 2013.Poaching and bribery charges have been filed against the Chinese crew members…

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reports another foreign vessel in trouble off Palawan, to be taken in tow. The Chinese cargo ship M/V Tai An Hai reported engine trouble and was drifting late some 96 kilometers south of Tubbataha Reef, reports The Philippine Star. The M/V Tai An Hai was on passage from Singapore to Tagbilaran, Bohol to deliver 5,900 tons of limestone when the ship's main engines shut down. Initial reports from the area indicated rough sea conditions had hammered the vessel and the ship's captain was worried that the ship would run aground in shallow waters. The Coast Guard’s BRP Pampanga was deployed to render assistance to the Chinese vessel, and an ocean-going tugboat, the Harbor Star is also on its way to assist. Source: The Philippine Star

The M/T Jascon, due to arrive from Singapore next week, intends to lift the heavy section of the grounded USS Guardian clear of the reef. The Jascon is equipped with a DP system which will enable it to maintian position without anchoring. Meanwhile another Singapore vessel Smit Borneo is currently at the site and can lift smaller pieces weighing up to 500 tons that have been cut off from the Guardian, reports 'The Philippine Star'. The US Navy has hired the services of salvaging ships M/T Trabajador 1 of Malayan Towage and Salvaging Corp.

The Chinese troop and logistics ship, a Yuting class, No. 934, is armed with three heavy guns, built-in cranes, and a helipad, reports 'The Philippine Star'. The Chinese ship is anchored at the Chinese-occupied Subi Reef, close to Pag-asa Island, which is occupied by Filipino troops and civilians and is part of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan. “We are doing our best with what we have,” Wescom spokesman Lt. Col. Niel Estrella said of their surveillance and monitoring operations on the current security development in the Spratlys. Estrella said that monitoring operations yesterday were hampered by bad weather in the area. In nearby Union Reef…

A Chinese firm has won a joint contract from the state oil companies of the Philippines, Vietnam and China to search for oil in a disputed area of the South China Sea, according to a report from The Philippine Star. China Oilfield Services Ltd. (COS), a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC), was reportedly given the go-ahead to explore near the disputed Spratly island chain after agreement by the three nationalized conglomerates, Xinhua news agency said. CNOOC, Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC), and Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp., also known as PetroVietnam, agreed in March to conduct seismic work programs — setting off explosions to monitor the shock waves for pockets of oil and gas — over three years covering an area of about 143,000 square kilometers.