Anglo American's First LNG Dual-fuel Bulk Carrier Enters Service
Mining company Anglo American announced that its newly launched liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled Capesize+ vessel, the Ubuntu Harmony, has loaded its first cargo of iron ore from its Kumba operations in South Africa.The 190,000 tonne bulk carrier, flagged in Singapore, is the first of 10 LNG dual-fueled newbuilds that Anglo American will introduce to its chartered fleet during the course of 2023 and 2024, delivering an estimated 35% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to ships fueled by conventional marine oil fuel.
ITF Blames BHP for Starving Crew
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) informed that crew members aboard a ship at a BHP terminal in Queensland are being neglected and underpaid."Crew aboard a ship at a BHP terminal in Queensland claim they are being starved and underpaid, in yet another instance of the coal giant’s veil of secrecy over its operations in Australian waters," said an ITF release.A seafarer aboard an 80,000-tonne bulk carrier, the Villa Deste, contacted ITF pleading for help. The starving crew claims to have no food and no onboard wages, and being fed on a $4 food budget per day.BHP is continuing to block ITF’s requests to inspect the vessel…
Becker Rudders for Five Container Giants
Despite the ongoing shipping crisis, Becker Marine Systems said it is on course for 2013. The Hamburg-based company was awarded the contract to equip five 18,000-TEU container ships under construction for China Shipping Container Lines with effective high performance rudders. With a transport capacity of 18,000 standard containers (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit or TEU), the container ships currently under construction for China Shipping Container Lines at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea will be among the largest cargo ships in the world.
Hoang Son Sun Pirated, Indian Ocean
The MV Hoang Son Sun is believed to have been pirated approximately 520 nautical miles South East of the port of Muscat, Oman. The 22,835-tonne Bulk carrier, which is Mongolian flagged and Vietnamese owned, has a crew of 24 Vietnamese nationals. No further details of the attack are known at this stage. MV Hoang Son Sun was not registered with MSC(HOA) and had not reported to UKMTO. There are now 30 vessels and 723 hostages being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
Pasha Bulker Expert to Help Move Grounded Ship
The salvage master who coordinated the operation to move the Pasha Bulker off Newcastle has been brought in to head the effort to move a 75,000 tonne bulk carrier which has run aground in central Queensland. Experts and equipment are being brought in to help refloat the Endeavour River, which ran aground in Gladstone Harbor. A spokesman from the salvage company, Svitzer, says it is likely that efforts to refloat the ship will not be made until later in the week when the tides are more favorable. Svitzer is also bringing in one of its naval architects from Holland who will look at the structure of the ship. Additional equipment, including cables and shackles, is scheduled to arrive.
Ships Collide in Severn Estuary
At half past two on March 7, 2005, Swansea Coastguard were alerted by Severn vessel traffic services (VTS) to a collision between two ships in the Severn estuary. The collision occurred at twenty minutes to two this afternoon between the 17,065 tonne bulk carrier ‘Island Gem’ which was on passage from Bilbao in Spain to Newport with a cargo of steel products with a crew of nineteen, and the 13,410 tonne ‘Bro Traveller’ who was on passage from Pembroke to Cardiff with a cargo of fuel products. Both vessels have sustained some damage, but there are no injuries to crew members on either ship. So far established by the crew of the ‘Island Gem’ is a crack in the accommodation area, four to five metres above sea level. There is no ingress of water reported to either vessel.
Bulk Carrier, Fishing Trawler Collide Off of Australia
55-year-old captain of a fishing trawler involved in a collision with a 70,000 tonne bulk carrier at about 12.10am this morning north-east of Townsville. Two Queensland Rescue helicopters and up to eight vessels including a Townsville Water Police launch and Australian Volunteer Coast Guard boat, are searching for the missing man. The collision occurred at a position 35 nautical miles (64kms) north east of Townsville. The sunken vessel’s 62-year-old male deckhand was rescued by a Townsville Water Police launch at around 4am this morning. He was suffering mild hypothermia and advised that the missing captain was last seen in the fishing vessel’s wheelhouse shortly before the collision. The bulk carrier was en route from New Caledonia to Townsville.
