Stranded at Sea, Coronavirus Takes a Toll on Seafarers' Mental Health
When Ritesh Mehra, 43, enlisted for a four-month stint as captain on a liquid gas tanker last July, he never expected to be stranded at sea until spring.“Twice it has happened that the ports are not allowing crew change,” Mehra told Reuters via Zoom from the bridge of the 80,000 tonne ship docked outside the Indian port of Haldia.“My family won’t trust me anymore. I have been giving them dates when I would come home from December.”Mehra, who has 20 years’ experience at sea, is also trying to buoy the spirits of his nervous crew of 23…
Stena Line Takes Delivery of New Ferry
Stena Line took ownership of its newest ferry Stena Estrid following a handover ceremony at the AVIC Weihai Shipyard in north-western China. Stena Estrid is the first of five next generation Stena Line RoPax vessels that are currently being constructed. Stena Estrid will now embark on a six-week journey to its new home on the Irish Sea, where it will begin service on the Dublin to Holyhead route in January 2020.A further two of the new ferries are also destined for the Irish Sea with Stena Edda expected to commence operations from Belfast to Liverpool next spring…
Winners of International Seafarers' Welfare Awards
The winners of ISWAN's International Seafarers' Welfare Awards 2016 were announced on 24th June at a high-profile ceremony held in Manila, the Philippines. The ceremony forms part of ISWAN's celebrations in the Philippines for the IMO Day of the Seafarer. The awards were presented by IMO Secretary General Mr Kitack Lim to seven recipients who have provided exceptional services for the welfare and wellbeing of seafarers. The Welfare Personality of the Year Award is named after Dr Dierk Lindemann who sadly passed away on 17 March 2014. Dr Lindemann served as the Shipowner's Group spokesperson at the ILO and took a lead role in the adoption of the Maritime Labour Convention. Shipping Company of the Year: Masamichi Morooka - Chairman of ICS.
Mission to Seafarers Responds to Singapore Strait Tragedy
Global maritime welfare charity The Mission to Seafarers outlines emergency support work with surviving crew members of the Thorco Cloud – a general cargo vessel which sank in the Singapore Strait after a collision on December 16. The other vessel involved, chemical tanker Stolt Commitment, received only minor damage and is in a stable condition. Cayman Islands-registered Stolt Commitment and freighter Thorco Cloud bearing the Antigua and Barbuda flag collided in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait.
Cheoy Lee AHTS Handed Over to Teras Offshore
Hong Kong's Cheoy Lee Shipyard has handed over the second in a series of five 50m Towing/Anchor Handling Tugs for Teras Offshore in Singapore. The new AHTS Teras Bethel sailed directly to Batam in Indonesia (dodging a typhoon) where she will enter service. Prior to departure, the vessel and crew were blessed by the reverend Stephen Miller of the Mariners’ Club in Hong Kong. Designed by Wärtsilä Ship Design Singapore, the capabilities of these vessels include; towing/moving barges and rigs…
BP Marine Keep the Angel Flying
The Mission to Seafarers in Dubai, part of the international organization that cares for seafarers regardless of race or religion in over 300 ports around the world, announced that BP Marine has agreed to supply the M/V Flying Angel with its lube oil requirements for the following twelve months. “We are very happy to welcome BP Marine aboard. Their generous donation of lube oil will help to ensure that the Flying Angel’s maintenance costs are kept to a minimum helping to maintain this vital link with distressed seafarers…
