Under construction

The Hong Kong container vessel M/V OOCL AMERICA (66.047 gt, built 1995) sustained heavy weather damage on a voyage Long Beach for Kaohsiung on Jan. 29. There is major cargo damage. The vessel encountered severe weather Jan 31 in the Pacific Ocean and lost a large number of containers overboard. OOCL put the figure at around 300, but could not confirm exactly, as the vessel is still underway and is not expected to dock in Kaohsiung until Feb 8. The company said it will survey the damage then. A maritime attorney for cargo interests who had been contacted about the incident put the figure at 350 containers lost overboard & 217 still on board but crushed or bent out of usable condition.

ARIS, (m.bulk) (PAN) build 1976, 8.372 grt. Immobilised with engine trouble 150 nm. SW of Socotra Island. LOF signed. Towed to Berbera by tug SB-408, where arrived ¾. Cargo discharge completed 13/04. Detained due shortage/damage to cargo. Still anchored at Berbera 23/04

BABUR KAPTAN (tm.chemtank) (TUR) build 1974, 5.153 grt. Had fire in kitchen/accommodation while berthed at shipyard at Saat Tuzla / Istanbul. Fire extinguished and crew rescued safely.

BEAR G. (m.bulk/oil) (BHS) build 1981, 43.487 grt. Had explosion in engine-room about 130 miles ESE of Kingston, Jamaica. 1 dead and 4 crew injured. Towed to Kingston. Sailed Kingston in tow 13/03 bound for N. Europe for repairs. Repairs in Genoa.

ANA MERCEDES (m.general cargo) (VCT) build 1964, 1.002 grt. Taking water in 14°15’N & 68°46’W. Tug SMIT CURACAO evacueted 6 crew and escorting to Curacao. Sank in 13°53’5”N & 68°48’2“W the same day. Remaining crew all rescued safely.

CHEM RUNNER ex: HAEJIN VENUS-00 (m.chemtank) (PAN) build 1978, 3.106 grt. Had main engine problems off Mauritius. Towed to Port Louis, Mauritius by ref m.v. HECTOR and arrived port 10/4 for repair.

BADER III (m.livestockcarrier) (BHS) build 1978, 36.387 grt. Had fire in auxiliary generator in 28°40’S & 104°09’E. Towed by tug WAMBIRI to Freemantle, where arrived 01/05. Repairs belived to be finished abt. 23/06.

CONTI ROSE (m.general cargo) (STP) build 1973, 6.911 grt. Contacted a house situated near to sea shore and the shore in the Bosporus, while transitting into the Black Sea. Detained by Maritime Police at Sariyer Anchorage for investigation.

AIN OUSSERA (M.bulk) (DZA) build 1983, 18.784 grt. Anchored with No. 1 main engine cylinder damage in Ponta Delgada outer roads. Berthed at inner quay for repairs 09/05. Arrived Ponta Delgada outer roads 16/5. Sailed 18/5 for Cadiz for repairs.

CONAN (m.general cargo) (KHM) build 1976, 6.870 grt. In Collision with m.v. RUBIN FOREST off Nantong, between Nanjing and Shanghai. Subsequently sank 04/05. All crew safe. Salvage crane proceeding from China.

ACONCAGUA (m.reef) (DEU) build 1992, 9.074 grt. Grounded on sand in 55°52’4”N &10°51’05”E. Refloated with tug assistance 08/05. Sustained light hull damage. Anchored Kalundborg Fjord, where divers effecting repairs. Sailed 09/05 for Gdynia for repairs. Arrived Gdynia 10/05.

APTMARINER, (m.bulk) (HKG) build 1979, 17.677 grt. Struck navigational aids in fog and grounded near entrance to Neebish Rock Cut, St. Marys River. Reflated same day. Sustained water ingress & damages to starboard hull & ballast tank. Sailed in tow 07/05 to Quebec for repairs. Entered dock 14/05.

ARTEMIS SB. (m.bulk) (CYP) build 1979, 23.369 grt. Grounded at Beira port. Refloated 15/05 and removed from access channel. Reported to be inspected at a South African port 24/05

CAPTAIN P. (m.container) (LBR) build 1980, 10.225 grt. Arrived Falmouth for routine inspection, which revealed rudder defects. To be escorted to Rotterdam for drydocking. Arrived Rotterdam 16/05.

BAO JI SAN (m.general cargo) (PAN) build 1984, 3.957 grt. Grounded on reef just off entrance to Port Moresby harbour. Attempt to refloat same day failed. N danger of breaking up. Surveyors ect. Have been on board. 12 crew have jumped ship.

BROTHER GLORY (m.bulk) (PAN) build 1998, 27.105 grt. In Collision with m.bulk carrier PING HAI about 40 miles off Dalian, sustaining bow damage. Proceeded to Qinghuangdao

ALVINA M. (m.general cargo) (EST) build 1969, 1.427 grt. Reported hed main engine trouble in Baltic Sea and anchored until towed to Ronne, where inspection found broken prop. Shaft. Subsequently towed to Loksa for repairs.

The Russian nuclear submarine Kursk and its 118-man crew were lost during naval exercises in the Barents Sea

At 22.20 the Greek ferry Express Samina hit a rocky islet and sank with the loss of 82 of the 550 passengers, 2 km off the coast of Paros. Her captain and mate have been arrested and charged with manslaughter amid allegations that at the time of the collision the crew had left the bridge to watch the replay on one of the ship's TVs of a goal in an important local soccer match.

SEA QUEEN 7,248/72. Declared a constructive total loss and sold to Indian breakers. Arrived Alang 16/10/2000.

IEVOLI SUN (Gennaro Ievoli -00), 4,189/89 - chemical tanker, owned by Marnavi S.p.A., Italy Encountered heavy seas and started taking water through a hole in the double bottom tanks. The crew of 13 were taken off by helicopter and she was taken in tow for Cherbourg by the French tug ABEILLE LANGUEDOC. Subsequently sank the following day in 70 metres of water in position 49.52N, 02.24W She was on passage from Fawley for Bar, Yugoslavia with a cargo of toxic chemicals.

SEA WOLF 1 (Sangatta -99, Phileas -99, Spyros -93, Romy -88, Northeastern Star No.5- 87, Esso Yoshino Manu -84), 1,207/84 - tanker, owned by Silver Sword Shipping Co. S.A., Panama. Fire broke out in the engine-room when anchored south of Atanatli Isle, Piraeus. It was extinguished quickly but substantial damage is reported to the engine-room and accommodation. She was on passage from Port Sudan for Livorno with 2,000 tons of refined oil.

APOLLO DELAPAN 6,369/95 - general cargo, owned by Suntree Shipping S.A. (Thome Ship Management Pte. Ltd.), Panama. In collision in position 34.33.1N, 139.11.2E, with the Panama flag container ship EVER DAINTY q.v  She sustained serious damage to her bow and proceeded to Chiba for inspection. She was on passage from Shimizu for Chiba. Damage to EVER DAINTY was confined to cracking and denting to the port side No.5 fuel oil tank. She was on passage from Tokyo for Osaka with containers.

FAROS (Lubeca -88), 2.038/78 - bulk carrier, owned by J-P Boehe, Antigua & Barbuda. Reported adrift in position 56.25.5N, 07.29.7E with a heavy list to starboard and much of her timber deck cargo washed overboard. The crew of seven were taken off and she was taken in tow by the tug SKULD. Towed into Tennis Bay off Skagen where she sank by the stern 3/11 in position 57.42.36N, 10.20.42E. She was on passage from Amsterdam for Vesteras with timber

HOUSTON (Houston Express -97, Sea Premier -94, CGM Paris -94, Maersk Paris -90, Maersk Tacoma -88, C.R. Paris -87), 37,814/85 - container ship, owned by Royal Arrow Navigation Co. Ltd. (Ofer Brothers (Management) Ltd.), Malta. An explosion in an oil tank when about 100 miles north-east north of Muscat killed three crew members and injured three others. No damage was caused to the vessel. She was on passage from Salalah for Mumbai with containers.

DERYOUNG STAR (Amur No.1 -95), 3,952/84 - general cargo, owned by Deryoung Maritime Co. S.A. (D & S Co. Ltd.), Panama. Reported to be leaking and in need of assistance in position 25.09.6N, 121.46.3E during typhoon 'Xangsane'. She subsequently grounded and the crew were taken off the following day. She was on passage from Hong Kong for Mawan.

MANILA SPIRIT (Cement Hope -99, Yung Ho -90, Oxford -88), 5,927/82 - cement carrier, owned by Goodtime Shipping Inc. (LMS Manila Inc.), Panama. Grounded during typhoon 'Xangsane' and subsequently broke up and sank in position 25.04.4 N, 121.53.1 E. One crew member was able to swim ashore but 23 are still missing. She was on passage from Manila for Hualien.

PUMA MAX 25,900/00 - container ship, owned by Bahamas flag interests associated with Enterprises Shipping & Trading SA., Athens. While fitting out at CSBC, broke her moorings at Keelung Harbour and drifted, coming to rest at berth East 1. She is thought to have made contact with other vessels and damage is reported to be extensive.

TOWA (Utopia -97, Miki Manu -95), 1,202/73 - asphalt tanker, owned by Towa International Shipping Corp., Panama. Reported to have sunk in position 24.38.5N, 119.1 8.4E. The crew of twelve were picked up from a lifeboat.

BUNGA TERATAI SATU 21,339/98 - container vessel. owned by Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad, Malaysia. Grounded on Sudbury Reef in position 17.00S, 146.06E, about 10 miles off Cairns. She was reported to have a list of 50 and the forward ballast tank was ruptured. The hull however was sound. Refloated 14/11/2000 at the third attempt after part of the reef had been destroyed with explosives. Damage to the hull is reported to be minimal. She was on passage from Singapore for Sydney, NSW.

ORIENTAL PRINCESS (Sheringham -00, Valerya Barsova -96, Athenian Zoe -86, Athenian Anna -84), 11,854/82 - general cargo, owned by Clipper International Ltd. (Mansour Shipping), St.Vincent & the Grenadines. Reported to have sustained serious bottom damage after sailing from Sao Francisco do Sul. She berthed at Paranagua Roads for inspection.

PETER MADSEN 147/68 - sand suction dredger, owned by A/S Peter Madsen Rederi, Denmark (DIS). Started taking water while the crew were undertaking repair work and quickly sank in position 54.30.2N, 12.05.2E. Raised 15/11 by the heavy lift vessel SAMSON and transported to Gedser where she will be repaired.

RYAZAN 4,937/75 - general cargo, owned by Far-Eastern Shipping Co. (FESCO), Russia. Began listing when her cargo shifted in a severe storm in the Bering Sea. The crew of 25 were taken off by fishing vessels and she sank 6/11 in position 62.24N, 178.25E. She was on passage from Vladivostok for Anadyr with containers.

PROFESSOR KOLESNIKOV (Aytodor -83), 998/62 - passenger/ferry, owned by Gess & Co. Trading House, Ukraine. Reported to be adrift in heavy seas off the southern Italian coast. Boarded by the Coast Guard, the helm was found to be dismantled and she was towed to Otranto and then to Brindisi. She was reported to be carrying over 1,200 illegal immigrants.

CHERAMIE BO-TRUC No.26 198/77 - supply ship, owned by L & M Bo-Truc Rental Inc., U.S.A. Sank in bad weather off Marshall Island in position 22.06N, 91.40W. Four crew were rescued but two are reported missing.

OLCAY S (Quality Carrier -97, Lady Augusta -92, Stainless Warrior -76), 1766/70 chemical tanker, owned by Egemed Denizcilik ve Ticaret A.S., Turkey Reported an explosion in a cargo tank when about 70 miles west-south-west of Crete. One crew member was killed and two injured. She was on passage from Istanbul for Libya in ballast.

ASAHI HOPE (Eastern Hope 91, Pioneer Lima -91), 2,818/84 - general cargo, owned by Yoshida Trading Corp. (K.K. Marine Co. Ltd.), Panama. Blown aground onto a stone ridge during storm force winds in Shakhtersk Harbour in position 49.08.95N, 142.02.18E. The crew were taken off safely and surveys show that she has sustained serious hull damage. Although salvage is contemplated, it is likely that she will break up in winter gales. She was carrying a cargo of coal.

ELENA (Itaka -00, Omega 11 -99, Itaka -99, Volgo-Balt 175 -97, Anna -93, Volgo-Balt 175 -93), 2,457/73 - general cargo, owned by unspecified Russian flag interests. Sustained a hole in her hull and sank near Bandar Anzali in the Caspian Sea. The crew of 15 were rescued. She was carrying some 4,000 tons in goods and containers.

XL (Cape Horn -99, Portland Star -98, El Tenaz -93, Sea Esperanza -91, Bencruachan-86), 80,624/83 - bulk carrier, owned by Superb Shipping Ltd. (Brave Maritime Corp. Inc.), Malta. Reported an engine-room fire when about 90 miles off Port Hedland in position 18.48.5 S, 118.11.6 E. It was extinguished by the crew and she was taken in tow 19/11 by the tug HUA AN bound for Singapore. Two crew members were killed. She was bound for Port Hedland to load iron ore.

TABOTI (Aegeon -96, Lairis -92, Captain Nicos -91, Scorpios -91, Unicorn 1-90, Unicorn Daniel -89, Bolbodi -77), 1,058/68 - tanker, owned by unspecified Nigerian (?) flag interests. Sank following an explosion while undergoing repairs afloat at Tin-Can Island, Badagry Creek, Lagos. Ten crew were rescued but others are believed missing.

KAPTEN KONGA (Yuriy Klementyev -91), 2,120/81 - general cargo, owned by Estonian Shipping Co. (ESCO), Estonia. Lost stability when water entered the engine-room and grounded in the Irbenskiy Strait in position 57.46.3N, 22.31.5E. The crew abandoned the vessel. She was on passage from Riga for the Tyne with timber.

SPARK (Wespe -85), 425/68 - tanker, owned by Hydronave Maritime Co. (Hydrodotiki Ltd.), Greece. Grounded in position 38.19N, 23.51E and is thought to have sustained damage. Refloated 18/11 and 19/11 towed to Eleusis.

NORDLANDIA 1,130/80 - refrigerated cargo, owned by Giros Co., Russia. In collision at the Kronshtadt Naval Base off St.Petersburg with EW McKINLEY q.v. She sustained serious hull damage and sank near Kotlin Island the same day. The crew were rescued. She was on passage from St.Petersburg for Europe in ballast. EW McKINLEY only sustained minor damage and was able to proceed to her berth. She was inward bound from Norway with a cargo of frozen fish.

Pal Line's ODIN aground in the Upper Humber above Brough, on route from Sweden via Hull to Goole.

In the severe weather on the North Sea the Faros started listing, dropped its deck cargo and began taking in water. Apparantly, the vessel was floating on the remaining cargo of timber, and on Wednesday a towing cable could be connected. On Thursday afternoon, the vessel had not yet reached port. The towage was slowed by an anchor dragging from the Faros. The crew of seven was take off the ship on Tuesday, but in the process a Danish rescuer got caught under his boat when it capsized while trying to board the Faros, and he was drowned. The vessel sank off the north western Jutland in shallow waters. The bow and stern are still showing.

LAGIK is stranded across the river at Sutton Bridge and has broken in two just forward of her bridge. She is Sietas 775, 76/1721 as OSTEMAAT and at one time LAI DA TOMA.

The Honduran-registered Kathleen D, sank in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eight of nine crew members. The U.S. Coast Guard required its owner to make repairs, but rough seas, poor crew training, commercial pressures and possible misloading proved ruinous. Capt. Nikolajus Melnicenko, left, on the deck of his Miami-based Viking Trader, says the Kathleen D lacked deck openings, like the ones behind him, designed to secure containers. Instead, containers were lashed directly to the Kathleen D's deck and may have made the vessel unstable.

The Ecuadorean-registered tanker Jessica ran aground in a bay on San Cristobal Island and began leaking oil on Jan. 19, 2001. So far almost 600,000 litres of fuel have seeped out the tanker.

The Ecuadorean-registered tanker Jessica ran aground in a bay on San Cristobal Island and began leaking oil on Jan. 19, 2001. So far almost 600,000 litres of fuel have seeped out the tanker.

Dutch mv MISSISSIPPIBORG (6,540 gt, built 2000), bound Brevik, was reported adrift in lat 57 47N, long 08 39E, following a fire in her engine-room. Vessel is awaiting arrival of a tug.

Syrian mv HAJ ABDOULLAH, YKGK (499 gt, built 1962), Beirut for Varna with 1,000 tonnes of soya, had engine blackout and grounded on the island of Mytilene, in lat 39 01N, long 26 09.5E, in the early hours. Vessel has sustained damage and remains aground at present. No injuries or pollution.

French M tanker ILES DU PONANT (227 gt, 1976 built), a small coaster operating between St.Nazaire and Belle Ile, five crew on board, capsized near La Turballe in lat 47 20.20N long 02 30.46W.

A press report dated Jan 26 states: Efforts to move Ecuador m.tanker JESSICA aground on rocks off the Galapagos Islands were hampered by lack of equipment, but the threat from the oil spill was fading.

HOLLY TRADER reported sunk on night of 28/29 Jan. in position 38.05N 9.28W on voyage Gabes to Gunness, she is 83/1518 Peters Wewelsfelth (587) ex: KIEBITZBERG/CLIFF.

Submarine USS Greeneville sinks Japanese school ship Ehime Maru while surfacing off Honolulu.

The 81 metre long, 2169 gross ton, Singapore-registered, LPG tanker Kilgas Centurion with 12 people on board had indeed run aground on a sandy beach 300 metres south of Horsey Gap, north of Yarmouth. The vessel is carrying 1,026 metric tonnes of liquid propane gas, 155 metric tonnes of diesel fuel, and 45.7 metric tonnes of gas/oil. The master confirmed that she was on passage from Teesport to the Thames when the grounding occurred and that she was moving at about 11 knots when she ran aground.

The Danish ship Gert Hansen went down on the east side of Håøya in the Oslofjord. The ship was on a journey towards Sjursøya in Oslo with a cargo of salt when the ship went down close by Langebåt on the east side of Håøya and sank. Onboard Gert Hansen there were a crew of four men, and the only survivors were two Polish men. The captain on the ship was after the accident found perished in the water, while the accidents other victim was brought up by divers on the 9th of April. The crew is thought to have been experienced, and it is still not known what the cause of the accident was.

The wreck of the Japanese fishing vessel, Ehime Maru was towed to shallow waters a mile offshore, on Sunday. Divers will search for the bodies of the students and crew that drowned after the US Navy submarine, Greeneville, rammed the fishing vessel on 9 Feb off the coast of Diamond Head, Hawaii. A diving support barge is to be positioned above the wreck which now lies at a depth of 115 feet. The search is expected to get underway tomorrow. Five to seven bodies should be recovered, Navy reports said. Personal items will be removed and given to the families of the victims. The wreck will then be towed out to sea and sunk.

Three sailors where injured yesterday at Belfast Docks as they carried out a safety test on a lifeboat on the Gulser Ana. The men fell from the ship when one of the hooks on the locking mechanism attached to the lifeboat released, plunging the men into 40 feet of water. The men were rescued by the Harbour Pilot boat and taken to hospital. One of the sailors received head injuries, while the other two are thought to be being treated for hypothermia. A fourth man was later taken to hospital suffering from shock. The Turkish 23,000 gross tonne bulk carrier was unloading coal when it was detained with 38 items involving deficiencies with fire equipment, lifeboats and ISM (International Safety Management) Code. Captain Bill Bennett, who detained the vessel commented: "This is the third time that Gulser Ana has been detained in ten months. The deficiencies are serious and if this vessel had been allowed to sail there could have been serious implications for both the crew and the vessel. We are concerned to hear that this incident has happened on board Gulser Ana, and would like to wish both crewmen a full and speedy recovery. This incident demonstrates the importance and thoroughness of Port State Control." Officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are investigating the cause of the accident.

A Petrobras tanker ran aground off the coast of Brazil yesterday, after hitting underwater rocks, spilling highly inflammable naphtha into the ocean. Brazil’s state oil group, Petrobras, said it was not clear how much naphtha had actually leaked into the Paranagua Bay from the damaged hull. However, officials estimated 7,000 people in and around the port were in the risk area. Naphtha is an oil product lighter than gasoline used as raw material for making plastics by the petrochemical industry. Due to its high inflammability all air traffic about the port of Paranagua Bay was banned. The tanker, Norma, had been carrying 22 million liters of naphtha in 5 compartments, one of which was punctured. According to Lloyds Casualty Reporting Service about 5 million liters of naphtha had leaked.

Repair ship HMCS Cape Breton (ex-HMS Flamborough Head) sunk as an artificial diving reef off Snake Island, Nanaimo BC.

US Navy divers recovered the remains of a sixth individual from the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru on Saturday. A Navy spokesman stated that a lengthy DNA investigation might be required to determine the identity of the individual due to the poor condition of the recovered body. At present dental records have identified five other sets of remains. Officials are expecting to retrieve seven bodies in total from the wreck, which has been towed to 35-metre deep shallows to enable divers to enter the vessel. The search is expected to take up to a month to conclude after which the Ehime Maru will be towed out to sea and sunk.

Investigators are to begin the task of recovering the bodies of the crew on board the Russian Kursk nuclear submarine, which sank in the Barents Sea 14 months ago. The Kursk was brought into the Russia port of Roslynakovo on Sunday, after being towed from the Barents Sea by a huge barge. Forty Russian military investigators and forensic experts, led by Prosecutor-General Vladimir Ustinov, will began an inspection of the vessel which exploded and sank in August last year, a navy spokesman said. Radiation specialists are to enter the submarine’s hull to examine the nuclear reactors, and eventually dismantle the nuclear reactors and 22 cruise missiles, which were the Kursk’s main armament.

Officials in China have reported that six people have been killed and at least 15 others are missing following an explosion on board the Tong Hui cargo ship late Sunday night. The Tong Hui was heading from Lushum in the northeastern province of Liaoning to Longkou in Shandong when the explosion occurred, leading to the sinking of the vessel. According to official news agency Xinhua the ship was carrying six liquefied petroleum gas tanker trucks, one or more of which may have been ignited during a storm on Sunday morning. Rescue efforts have pulled 11 people alive from the wreck. Meanwhile Navy vessels and helicopters continue to aid authorities in the search for more casualties.

Two crewmembers and a US Customs Inspector died in the cargo hold of a Panamanian vessel yesterday. The men entered the vessel’s cargo hold at the port of Gramercy on the Mississippi River and their deaths were discovered in Louisiana. At present it has not been determined if cause of death was a lack of oxygen, fumes or another cause, according to the US Customs Service. A second customs inspector was hospitalized.

At 02.30 LT, on inbound leg to Zeebrugge, M/V Heinrich Behrmann had engine trouble & called help from tugs.  Weather very bad with N- NW stormy winds -- force 9 & peaks up to force 11. Three attempts were made to secure the vessel by Tugs, but each time the tow lines snapped. Driven by wind M/V Heinrich Behrmann grounded at the Blankenberge resort beach. 3 tugboat crew injured while trying to tow M/V Heinrich Behrmann back to open sea. With NW storm blowing inland, tide was higher than usual (HW at around 06.00 LT) ---- coming less than 10 meters from seafront, so the vessel grounded very close to it. At low tide around 12.00 LT & with a difference of about 4.5 meters between high & low tide, vessel ended up on dry land

Two women died and 160 people were rescued after asylum seekers set their boat ablaze after being intercepted by an Australian patrol boat near Ashmore Island, the Australian navy reported. The Navy found the Indonesian-flagged vessel 34 nautical miles north of Ashmore. Fire erupted onboard after HMAS Wollongong intercepted the vessel around 1700 (AEST) yesterday. Officers from the Wollongong noticed the fire, which was deliberately lit, on the Sumbar Lestari after boarding the boat. Terrified passengers started diving overboard after a drum exploded setting the hold alight. During the rescue operation two women drowned, one aged in her 70s and the other mid 40s, reports said. "In the course of recovering the presumed illegal immigrants two women were recovered from the water unconscious with no pulse," a report on the incident said. "Both received CPR for about 30 minutes before being declared deceased on medical advice by commanding officer of HMAS Wollongong." The group was taken to Ashmore Islands and arrangements made for removal of the bodies, Commodore Warwick Gately of the ADF's Northern Command said. Yesterday's tragedy follows the deaths of over 350 asylum seekers when their boat sank off Java last month. The navy report on this incident said it seemed the vessel had been deliberately set alight to avoid the return of the boatload to Indonesia. "The fire was deliberately lit and the exploding drum is indicative of an attempt to prevent the boarding party from extinguishing the fire," it said. Prime Minister Howard said he released a report on the incident to prevent any confusion following the dispute over whether the asylum seekers threw the children overboard. "What I'm going to do on this occasion is I am going to require that the report that I have received be made public so that if there are any subsequent corrections then people can't come around and accuse me or any of my ministers of manipulating the facts," he said.

Nineteen Filipino crewmen from the 5,800-ton cargo vessel Ho Feng 8 that sank in tropical storm Lingling last week have been found alive. The coast guard reported that a passing ferry rescued the men yesterday. The Ho Feng had departed Indonesia bound for Hong Kong. Rough seas in stormy weather sank the vessel off the northern Philippine province of Pangasinan last Thursday. Rescuers experienced problems reaching the area, but the 19 were found alive near Scarborough Shoal off the north-western province of Bataan. 'The coast guard centre received a report this morning that a passing ferry rescued the 19 Filipino crew who have been missing since Nov 8. They were found near Scarborough Shoal,' coast guard spokesman Lieutenant Armand Balilo reported.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s search and rescue division AusSAR has coordinated the rescue of three men from a fishing vessel run down on Saturday morning by a merchant ship near Byron Bay. AusSAR detected a distress beacon by satellite at 3.40am (AEST) from the Rainbow Warrior about 6 nautical miles (11kms) offshore and an alert issued to all shipping in the area. The merchant ship Australian Bridge and a nearby fishing boat both reported a red flare sighting and within an hour three men had been rescued by the crew of the fishing vessel Santina. Weather in the area at the time of the collision was poor with heavy rain and low visibility. The Rainbow Warrior is a 16 metre aft wheelhouse tuna longliner from Mooloolaba, Queensland. The survivors from the vessel reported being hit by a northbound ship and had about a minute to abandon. All three men have been taken to Byron Bay hospital and local police are investigating. An investigation into the collision will be conducted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and details provided to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Federal Police.

The 9,650 ton container vessel, Melbridge Bilbao ran aground off the coast of Brittany early on Monday morning, Brest maritime authorities said. The ship registered in Antigua and Barbuda, departed Bilbao en route to Rotterdam when she ran aground on rocks, authorities said. The cargo did not present any danger, officials said. The ship sent a distress message at 0624 GMT on Monday as she ran aground on rocks near the island of Molene. A launch and helicopter were dispatched to assist with towing to Brest for repairs. The 15 crew members remained onboard. The ship’s owner was not immediately identified.

Two US Navy sailors are missing in the Persian Gulf after a ship, thought to smuggling Iraqi oil, sank. Three members of the UAE registered cargo ship are also missing and one was dead, said Lt. Melissa Schuermann, public affairs officer for the US Navy 5th fleet. The USS Peterson spotted the Samra listing in the Persian Gulf early Sunday morning. US personnel boarded the Samra and found 1,700 tons of Iraqi oil aboard. It was not clear when the ship began to sink. The destroyer USS Peterson, part of the Operation Northern-Southern Watch, is engaged to observe ships sailing in and out of Iraq. "There was no incident, no hostile incident at sea, but rather, when American sailors boarded to check out the cargo, the ship sank," National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice reported to CNN. "It may have been weather-related, it may have been overloaded, but we have no reason to believe it was a hostile incident of any kind." Six crew from the Peterson and 10 from the Samra were rescued after the sinking, Schuermann said. A search was mounted for the missing sailors.

An explosion onboard the Hong Kong registered cargo ship, Nego Kim, killed three crew, critically injured another and blew four others overboard on Sunday. Search and rescue efforts are underway 28km off the coast of Dampier, West Australia. The explosion in the cargo hold blasted a hole in the deck of the container vessel. The injured man was flown to Royal Perth Hospital during the search. The four men who were dumped overboard during the explosion were not wearing life jackets. "Last night conditions were pretty rough, the seas were really pitching. Conditions are good now but the weather could get rough again later," a spokesman for the search said. Dampier Port Authority chief executive Greg Trenberth said the search for the missing men continued today around the vessel, anchored 30km from the harbour. At the time of the explosion, the ship was anchored waiting to enter port to load scrap iron. The reason for the explosion has not yet been determined. Police bomb technician had cleared the 26,500 tonne scrap metal container ship, Mr Trenberth said. The remaining 15 Chinese crew will remain on the ship until it could be towed into harbour for repairs. The vessel had stopped in Adelaide and Fremantle before arriving in Dampier to load scrap metal.

Two ships are reported to have sunk during stormy weather in the Black Sea. All the crew was rescued except for one sailor who fell overboard during the rescue operation. The storms have caused havoc in parts of Turkey. Power and telephone services have been interrupted.

The Viking-Line ferry Isabella ran aground in rough seas during the early hours of the morning in the Baltic Sea off Finland’s Aland islands. A spokesman from the Finish coast guard reported that a rescue operation to free the ferry would be mounted later today. No injuries were reported amongst the 663 passengers and 156 crew. The ferry was en route from Turku to the Swedish capital Stockholm. The Viking-Line ferry Isabella ran aground in rough seas during the early hours of the morning in the Baltic Sea off Finland’s Aland islands. A spokesman from the Finish coast guard reported that a rescue operation to free the ferry would be mounted later today. No injuries were reported amongst the 663 passengers and 156 crew. The ferry was en route from Turku to the Swedish capital Stockholm.

Reported that CHRISTOPHER 83/83784gt with coal cargo sank north of the Azores after engine failure and flooding of forward hold, crew of 27 lost in yet another tragedy of this nature. She was completed at Hoboken as FEDERAL SKEENA and then sailed as LA CORDILLERA for Dreyfus 1995-2000. London, Dec 24 - Following received from Ponta Delgada MRCC, timed 0836, UTC: Bulk Christopher (83784 gt, built 1983) lost communication with owners at 2300, UTC, Dec 22, after reporting engine stopped, one bow hatch open and vessel taking water in heavy weather. Vessel's last reported position lat 41 02N, long 29 19W, at 1900, UTC, Dec 22. Winds easterly force 7 (near gale), with seven-metre seas. A Coast Guard vessel sent to the scene Dec 23 found a patch of fuel oil. Search continuing today, using aircraft and vessels. London, Dec 24 - A press report, dated Dec 23, states: Bulk Christopher, with 27 crew on board, has gone missing in rough seas off the Azores and is feared to have sunk, Portuguese rescue officials said today. The vessel disappeared yesterday evening about 150 nautical miles north of the Azores island of Graciosa. A search has so far proved fruitless, according to the Azores naval  command quoted by the Lusa news agency. The crew of the Christopher, which was loaded with coal, informed her owner yesterday evening that the vessel was taking in water through a forward hatch in seas with waves of up to seven metres, rescue services said. No other communication has been received from the vessel since yesterday evening. A French vessel in the area and an aircraft failed  to locate the vessel, which the Portuguese naval command said had probably sunk.  St.Michael's, Azores, Dec 24 - It has been reported locally that bulk Christopher, fully loaded with coal, is considered missing since 1900, local time, Dec 22, in a supposed position abt. 150 miles north of Graciosa-island. The vessel has on  board 27 crew members. The vessel was in contact with her owners advising that she had stopped engine and that forward compartment has been flooded through a ventilator. After that the owners have made several attemps to make contact with the vessel but have not succeeded. According to local source it as advised that the above possible reported position cannot be made more correct since all contacts of the vessel with her owners were lost suddendly. Searches are being made by the Portuguese Airforce arcraft, one P3 Orion and 2 Puma helicopters under adverse weather conditions, but unfortunately nothing has yet been found. The search continues today. The Norwegian general cargo Matisse, being also in the area, is making several calls by VHF and UHF but no reply received. - Lloyd's Agents. Ponta Delgada, Dec 24 - At about 1530, local time, today, one liferaft and one lifejacket, from bulk Christopher, found adrift in lat 41 00.3W, long 30 04.2W, by tank Stolt Spray. Both liferaft and lifejacket being collected by Stolt Spray. - Lloyd's Agents. Ponta Delgada, Dec 25 - Understand a second life raft from bulk Christopher has been found by general cargo Regal Star at about 1330, local time, today, in position lat 40 58N, long 03 35W. It was reported that an oil spot was also seen in the area. Unfortunately no signs of the vessel and her crew members were found. Also understand that all the search operations have been cancelled. - Lloyd's Agents.

On 28 December Smit Salvage responded to two urgent calls to assist vessels off the Dutch coast. The 7,947 dwt roro Sloman Traveller en route to Bremen from Felixstowe caught fire and began to drift off Vlieland. Her crew was evacuated successfully by helicopter.
Smit's salvage team was mobilised, together with the Dutch coastguard vessel Waker. Firefighting equipment was despatched to the scene by helicopter. The tug Zeus provided stand-by support.
Flying out by helicopter the next day, members of the salvage team were winched down onto the main deck of the Sloman Traveller. Following an inspection of the casualty, the team extinguished the blaze. The operation was challenging due to the various chemicals present. All pollutants were contained on board the vessel and contaminated firefighting water was transferred to Sloman Traveller's ballast tanks. The vessel suffered significant cargo damage, together with some damage to the upper spaces of the engineroom. The ship was redelivered at Bremerhaven on January 3.

The 1,710 gt bulk carrier Hunte, ran aground off Texel. This 1980-built vessel was carrying a cargo of rapeseed meal. Her bunker tanks contained 55 cu m of fuel. The incident resulted in considerable bottom damage.
Smit mobilised two tugs with equipment from its Central Salvage Store in Rotterdam. The priority was to remove the vessel's bunkers. On completing the task, the salvage team then commenced the discharge of the rapeseed meal. As this is a lightweight cargo, a large industrial vacuum cleaning system was used to partly discharge the cargo into bags of 1 cu m. Tugs then refloated the vessel on January 9.

A tragic accident occurred in the early hours of the afternoon on New Year’s day onboard the cargo vessel Al Rajia whilst anchored approximately 2 nautical miles from the port of Limassol, Cyprus. Mohammed Ornis, a 29 year old Syrian sailor was killed whilst operating a crane onboard the vessel. Local media reports said Ornis had been driving the giant crane weighing over 4 tons to free the ship’s anchor using a winch. During the operation the wires suddenly snapped and the base of the crane gave way. The crane collapsed and crushed Ornis who died instantly. The vessel has been detained and a full investigation is pending.

The UK’s Brixham Coastguard are currently assisting the crew of a 3000 tonne Cypriot tanker, Willy, which ran aground at Cawsands on the west side of Plymouth yesterday evening. The vessel, which had twelve crew on board was in ballast and at anchor in Cawsands Bay. The Coastguard were alerted at 10.45 pm following several emergency calls from members of the public. The hull has been damaged and there is some water in the engine room. There are southeasterly gale force winds on scene. Brixham Coastguard requested Tamar Coastguard Rescue Team to attend the scene along with the ‘Far Sky’ emergency towing vessel from Falmouth and the Plymouth Lifeboat.
Tamar Coastguard Rescue Team and all of the vessels other than the Far Sky are now on scene. The Coastguard Team assisted three of the non-essential crew off the ship to the shore. The other nine essential crewmembers, including the skipper remain on board.

Residents of the English village of Kingsand near Plymouth have been told it is safe to return home after experts confirmed that the tanker Willy that ran aground late in the evening on Tuesday would not explode.
Villagers were advised to spend Wednesday night away from their homes, although many ignored the advice. A safety team boarded the petrol tanker on Wednesday afternoon, to prevent fuel vapour exploding. Experts say there is no danger after the tanks were ventilated. The ship drifted onto rocks in Cawsand Bay late in the evening on Tuesday while seeking shelter from a storm. Cracks appeared in the vessel’s hull as the tide ebbed and a 1.5 mile slick of diesel leaked from the vessel's fuel tanks. Early in the morning on Wednesday about 150 people were evacuated from their homes in Kingsand as police from Devon and Cornwall imposed a half-mile exclusion zone around the tanker.  High winds hindered efforts to make the ship safe. Pumps were loaded onboard during low tide, to force air into the holds and ventilate the fumes. The vessel's hatches were also raised.  The vessel discharged its cargo of petrol in Plymouth two days before running aground. The crew of 12 was able to walk ashore on Wednesday night. No call for help was received from the vessel.

On Wednesday, helicopters from Greece rescued 26 children, 12 women and a youth from the Turkish registered ship, Aydin Kaptan, en route to Crete. The ship was under escort by British, Spanish and Dutch naval vessels and Greek coastguards. The vessel ran into difficulties in rough seas and broadcast a distress signal late on Tuesday. Nato warships on an exercise nearby assisted with the rescue. Crew from HMS Beagle repaired the engine and a ruptured hull.

The salvage of the 3,000 tonne Cypriot registered tanker, Willy, that ran aground in Cornwall will be a slow process. The tanker ran into difficulties whilst seeking shelter from a storm near Cawsand. Salvage workers determined that the hull was not damaged but seven of the 10 cargo tanks and the engine room were flooded. Two of the 12 tanks, still intact, contain about 80 tonnes of fuel. Andrew Healy, of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the other tanks are naturally venting and additional air is being pumped in to help disperse vapours. Salvage workers hope winds will abate by Saturday to allow workers to pump out the remaining oil from the tanker. It is thought repairs will then progress to release water from the ballast tanks to refloat the vessel. The team from United Salvage Limited is sending a barge with a crane and a tug to help with the salvage.

An Egyptian registered fishing vessel, Abu el-Fawares, sank off the Red Sea coast on Friday. Thirty-nine crew members are missing, police reports said. One body was recovered. 
The ship departed the Sinai port of el-Tor and had been fishing in the Red Sea for a few days. The boat capsized about 32 km from Ras Gharib, south of the Suez Canal. The reason for the sinking is not yet known. The fishing vessel did not send any distress signals, police said.
Unconfirmed reports said the vessel capsized because of rough seas although an employee of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corp in Ras Gharib said the ship had most likely hit a coral reef.

On February 6,2003 single hulled oil tanker "Arendal" loaded with 106,000 tonnes of crude oil was detained at Sullom Voe in Shetland after deficiencies were found by a Maritime and Coastguard Surveyor during his inspection of the vessel. The "Arendal" is a Norwegian registered oil tanker, 235 metres in length that belongs to Arendal Holdings in Norway. Initially, members of the crew contacted the owners of the vessel in Norway, after finding cracks in the vessel. The owners then requested a Classification Society Surveyor from Sweden to go to Shetland to inspect their tanker. He discovered cracking on deck in way of No 3 starboard water ballast tank. The harbour authorities at Sullom Voe then contacted the Maritime and Coastguard Agency who sent a surveyor to also inspect the vessel who has confirmed the findings of the class surveyor. The vessel has now been placed under detention at Sullom Voe until the vessel can be discharged and further assessments can be made with regard to further action on repairs to the vessel.

Kodima, a Maltese cargo ship of 6,395 gross tonnes, was on passage from Sweden to Libya on 1 February 2002 with 10,168 cubic metres of timber in her holds and on deck. Between 1900 and 1950 her deck cargo shifted to port causing a list of 15 degrees. The course was altered towards Falmouth Bay, England, but the list, compounded by the ship rolling in heavy seas, continued to increase. By 0450 the next morning it had reached 40 degrees, and the ship’s main engine and generators had become inoperable. With the ship stopped in the water about 20 miles from Falmouth, and drifting to the north-east, the master and crew were evacuated by helicopter. Attempts to secure a towline were unsuccessful, and Kodima eventually grounded on Tregantle Beach, Whitsands Bay at 1855. At 0744 the next day, the Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) informed the MAIB of the cargo shift and an investigation was started later that day. The investigation was conducted with the full co-operation of the Malta Maritime Authority, which concurs with the report’s conclusions and recommendations. Kodima was refloated on 16 February and towed to Falmouth. No significant oil pollution resulted from the grounding or from the subsequent salvage operations, but about 70 per cent of the timber cargo was lost overboard and swept on to local beaches.

The grounded Panamanian registered log carrier Jody F Millennium stranded off Gisborne, New Zealand is likely to be hit by another southerly storm before salvage can be attempted. Yesterday divers confirmed the vessel had dug itself into a 4m trench on one side. If the weather deteriorates the ship would be anchored to the seabed and secured to a large tug, officials reported.
New Zealand's Maritime Safety Authority officials said it was unlikely the ship would be refloated this week. "This is a very complex and difficult operation, but maintains the focus of both the MSA and the salvor on oil recovery as the first priority." "Now that oil from the one leaking tank which has caused all the pollution to date has been successfully dealt with, the vessel's remaining heavy fuel oil is being pumped into specialised inflatable barges which are alongside the Jody F Millennium. The barges will then be towed to the naval tanker HMNZS Endeavour, where the oil will be discharged," says Russell Kilvington, Director of Maritime Safety.
The ship ran aground close to shore during the night of 6 February when a low-pressure system created 5m swells in Poverty Bay. "At the same time equipment and resources are being deployed in preparation for the refloating of the vessel by the salvor. A great deal of groundwork, including underwater and hydrographic surveys of the ship and the sea bed, has already been carried out over the last few days to allow this to begin", says Mr Kilvington.
The clean-up operation continues around the beaches of Gisborne. Clean-up costs for the oil spill, which has affected an 8km stretch of Gisborne's coastline, have reached almost $200,000. The ship's Japanese owner will be expected to pay.
Department of Conservation staff estimate about 75 red-billed seagulls have been affected by the spill but only one bird has required treatment so far. Waikanae, Midway and Kaiti beaches remain closed and the public have been warned not to eat shellfish from Poverty Bay.

The South Korean vessel Jody F. Millenium ran aground on Wednesday. A fuel tank was ruptured causing an oil spill. The ship will remain marooned off the coast of Gisborne.
A 65 tonne tug from Melbourne is due to arrive on Sunday to join the tug Pacific Chieftan in securing the Jody F. A steel cable connected from the ship's bow to Pacific Chieftain broke in rough seas on Wednesday and the log carrier swung back, beam-on to the sea. The vessel has not yet been re-secured to a tug.
Work to pump 199 tonnes of oil within the ship resumed yesterday. The oil will be transferred into tanks and stowed in the sturdiest area onboard. Heating coils at the base of the tanks are thinning the oil, making it easier to transfer into tanks above the water line.
Two helicopters are due to arrive today, depending on the weather conditions, to remove the ship's cargo of logs. The plan was to shift 1000 tonnes of logs from a total 20,000 tonnes.

Marcon International reported the sale of the 7,200BHP US flag twin screw tug "Gulf Commander" from TT Boat Corporation of New Orleans to Hawaiian Inter-Island Towing, Inc of Honolulu.
The 150' x 40' x 22' deep tug was originally built in 1976 by Equitable Shipyards of Madisonville, LA as an offshore anchor handling tug for Gulf Mississippi Marine and later taken over by Tidewater in 1992 with their acquisition of Zapata Gulf Marine. The tug is powered by twin EMD 20-645E5 diesels driving 144" x 144" fixed pitch props in kort nozzles and has a bollard pull of abt. 123 tons. Tow winch is an Intercon double drum with 5,000' / 3,000' of 2.5" wire capacity.  Hawaiian Inter-Island plans to sail the tug to the West Coast where she will be refurbished prior to going into service in the Hawaiian Islands. Marcon acted as sole broker in the sale.

The 5,970 dwt, 104m x 20.5m x 4.9m Clipper Cheyenne, sunk alongside the dock at Foynes, Ireland in the pristine waters of the River Shannon, while ballasting to load a floating dredger. The vessel sank in a position alongside and parallel to the quay with the bow of the vessel to seaward, a list to starboard and laid in approximately 11 meters of water at low tide. The tidal range was about 4 meters on spring tides with virtually zero visibility and conditions outside of the hull were further exacerbated by a strong river current. The “Clipper Cheyenne” had 244 tones IFO 180, 36 tones diesel oil, and 11,000 liters lube oil onboard. Immediately upon being notified of the incident, a Titan Salvage Master and Salvage Engineer were dispatched to the scene via a chartered aircraft from Titan’s UK Salvage Depot. Soon after arrival Titan was awarded a contract to plug vents to control the escape of hydrocarbons from the vessel. Titan was awarded the re-floating contract on a Lloyd’s Open Form on June 5, 2002. Titan quickly began mobilization of equipment & people from their New Haven, UK and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida warehouses. A total of 19 Titan personnel, including Naval Architect, and Diver/salvors were sent to the site. During discussions with the local Harbor Master and Coast Guard, it was decided that the risk of pollution was greater if an attempt to remove the hydrocarbons prior to re-float was undertaken. Therefore it was decided to completely contain the hydrocarbons within the vessel. Various refloating scenarios were evaluated using detailed computer models. The models showed that without any external support the vessel had very little, if any, stability when she left bottom. This lack of stability was the principal challenge for re-floating the vessel. To provide this support it was decided to first roll the vessel to port and then let her lay against the pier during the refloat. A barge was then attached to the stern of the vessel to provide additional waterplane area during the most critical phases. As an additional effort to improve the stability situation, the crane booms of the CLIPPER CHEYENNE were lowered and removed, thus decreasing the overall center of gravity for the vessel. For the refloat, the vents on the wing tanks were blanked and fitted with blow down fittings and modified vents. To prevent the air from escaping from the ballast tanks, all the valves for the ballast system had to be closed by divers. Pumps were then fitted in the accommodation and foscle areas to give buoyancy up forward and increase the ground reaction aft. The starboard wing tanks were blown down which caused the vessel to roll to port and come to rest against the pier as planned. After further prep, the watertight door to the pump room was opened and the remaining wing tanks were blown down in a calculated and controlled order, bringing the vessel to the surface on Sunday July 7, 2002.

On 26th August 2002 the Odfjell Chemical tanker M.T BOW EAGLE [24,728 dwt,1988 Spanish built] suffered damage to her bow and one cargo tank as a result of collision with a fishing vessel CISTUDE in the Bay of Biscay. M.T.Bow Eagle failed in assisting the distressed crew of the fishing vessel resulting in the loss of four lives.

The 56,835gt Hual Europe ran aground off the island of Oshima after being hit by typhoon Higa. At the base of 60m-high cliffs, the vessel was repeatedly battered by heavy weather and attempts to refloat it were unsuccessful. After a month of being hammered by heavy seas, a fire of unknown cause raged for two days, melting the decks in part of the ship and causing it to collapse into two sections.

HMS Trafalgar ran aground at Skye; put into Faslane the following day for repairs.

Norwegian minesweeper Orkla badly damaged in major fire.

Bahamas-flagged oil tanker PINDAR ran aground in Danish waters 10 nautical miles off the Danish island of Laesoe but no oil leaked out into the water. It remained unclear why the Netherlands-bound ship Pindar had run aground in the channel between Denmark and Sweden, but the rescue service said it had strayed far off its normal route.

Norwegian-registered Wilhelmsen Lines ro/ro M/V Tricolor, Zebrugge, Belgium, for Southampton with 2,862 cars & 77 containers, in collision with Bahamas-registered 577-foot container M/V Kariba, 30 miles E. of Ramsgate, England. Tricolor sank --- resting on the bottom of Channel, but only partly submerged because tide low. Kariba returning to Antwerp, Belgium escorted by Belgian warship & French coast guard.

95 meter Dutch Antilles registered 3,000gt M/V Nicola (built 2001), La Coruna in N. Spain for Rotterdam with 7 crew, ran down the sunken Tricolor. The Nicola was stuck on top of The Tricolor for several hours before being pulled free by two tugs on Monday Dec.16 morning. A team of 8 & a vessel from salvage company Smit Tak were in position 20 miles E. of the Kent coast to check Tricolor for oil leaks, but high winds & strong sea currents prevented divers from going down to the wreck to assess damage on Dec, 15 2002.

Turkish-registered 800-foot M/T Vicky (built in 1981), Antwerp, Belgium for New York with 2 million gallons of kerosene & 24 crew, struck wreckage of sunken car transporter M/V Tricolor in the English Channel.

Singapore Navy 500gt anti-submarine patrol RSS Courageous (built 1996) & merchant M/V ANL Indonesia, for South Korea, in collision off Pedra Branca, an islet claimed by both Singapore & Malaysia late Jan, 3 -- injuring 8 navy crew & trapping 4 in warship sleeping quarters located aft where most severe damage sustained. Efforts ongoing to free 4 female cew sleeping in quarters at time of collision. Situation does not look good. One body found. The 4 trapped, died -- loss of 4 women navy personnel.

26,000 dwt Antigua & Barbuda-flagged 544ft. specialty M/V Rocknes [built 2001], Bunkret, Norway for Emden Germany with stones & pebbles, used in oil industry & 29 crew, plus Norwegian Pilot -- had just bunkered at Skålevik near Bergen -- sent out distress call before overturned 200 yards off western island of Bjoroey 4:30 p.m.-- capsized south of Bergen, off coast of Norway. Rescuers can hear trapped people banging on hull -- ship remains afloat, with keel to sky -- 15 to 20 ships surrounded vessel & rescuers trying to enlarge hole cut in hull -- progress slowed by need to ensure no one inside hurt -- towing to shallower waters before attempting to rescue. On deck crane catching on ocean floor, hindering efforts to move ship to shallows -- water temperature 41F -- 2 dead -- 12 people pulled safety -- 16 trapped/missing.

The 1989-built, 97,087-dwt Aframax tanker ALLIANCE SPIRIT owned by Teekay Shipping, ran aground on a beach near Skikda, Algeria during a violent storm, was later i March cut in two and its fore part removed by salvage group Smit. The fore section was towed out to the sea and reportedly handed over to Turkish interests, probably for demolition. The aft part of the tanker had the same fate, although its removal take longer. This section, which includes the ship's superstructure and the engine room, is sitting deep in the sand and its re-floating might require more powerful measures. The tanker, owned by Teekay Shipping, was one of three to run aground on the Algerian coast on the same day after an unusually severe storm. The other two were successfully re-floated.

Bahamas-registered tanker Acushnet was sailing from Ventspils, Latvia, to the United States when it ran aground around 8:30 a.m. just east of Samsoe Island in the Kattegat sea off southern Sweden.

Bahamas-registered tanker Acushnet was refloated and towed in to Kalundborg, Denmark.

DIS general cargo KARIN CAT (1 501 grt / 1986) Sank near lat 35 12.1N, long 19 43.3E, following breaching of hull and shifting of cargo. Crew rescued.

Indonesian general cargo HULU MAS (5 053 grt / 1981) on voyage Jakarta for Belawan. Sank after collision with bulk Sanko Robust in lat 01 14.8N, long 103 25.3E. Crew rescued.

SMIT Salvage Co. reported that oil recovery operation on the wreck of M/V Tricolor has been completed. That means that all oil that can be safely reached & pumped has now been removed. Less than 5 % of the original quantity of bunker/diesel remains on board and will be recovered in conjunction with the upcoming salvage operation. The 960 meter Diver Support Vessel MPSV Normand Flower has left site & returned to Rotterdam to unload oil pumped from wreck. It will be disposed of in an environmental sound manner ashore. Two guard vessels will remain in order to preserve safety. The cardinal buoy system & other safety measures will remain in place. Wreck of Tricolor will hopefully be removed by the end of August 2003, although the process very much will be weather dependent.

Turkish general cargo KEMAL OKAN (690 grt / 1976) Turkey for Ashdod. Broke anchor, drifted and sank off Ashdod Feb 26. Crew rescued.

10,192gt luxury Philippine M/V Super Ferry 14, with 877 passengers - Feb. 27 early morning - caught fire in engine room -- passengers leapt into sea in middle of night or huddled in bow -- 1 dead & 139 missing. Billed as a "Festival" ship, vessel entered service in Oct. 2000 & featured beauty parlor, business center, dining salons & karaoke room. M/V Fortune Express, rescued 200 people near Corregidor Island. Another 75 people rescued by Philippine Navy vessel & 28 by fishing boat.  U.S. Marines, in Philippines for annual war games raced to scene in speedboats from naval base in nearby Cavite province. (Thurs. Feb. 26 2004)  Philippine Navy vessels 379 & PCG vessels 02, 04, 3503 & 3504 and Malayan Tugs M/V Iloilo, M/V Sikatuna & M/V Ranger and Harbor Star's Tug M/V Capella dispatched - assisted in firefighting & rescue operations.

It's early Thurs., -- just after midnight -- two merchants are 31km - N.E. of the Horsburgh Lighthouse on Pedra Branca, as M/V Springbok & M/T Gas Roman approach the mega-port of Singapore. M/T Gas Roman collided bow on 90 degrees into the portside of the No 4 cargo hold of M/V Springbok just feet away from the superstructure. It was an exact 90 degrees "T" in shape. M/V Springbok suffered massive damage to her mid-section near crew's quarters at No. 4 cargo hold. Damage is severe & the ships are still stuck to each other, leaving salvage experts to ponder how to separate the ships. The M/T Gas Roman's bulkhead appeared to be fused to the mid-section of M/V Springbok. M/V Springbok was laden with 4000 cbm of sawned timber from Sarawak for discharge in South Africa, while M/T Gas Roman carried 44,000 cbm, of gas from Kuwait to Korea.

Japanese Oceanographic research vessel TORISHIMA (426 grt / 1985) Sank after collision with mv Fukujin Maru off Cape Shionomisaki, Wakayama Prefecture. Twelve crew rescued, two missing

RUYA, (General cargo ,Turkey, 1993 grt, Built: 1978) Sank in Black Sea in lat 42 28N, long 29 20E. All 14 crew rescued.

COPA CASINO, (Passenger, Bahamas, 9114 grt, Built: 1951) Mobile for Alang. Sank off Dominican Republic.

Chem.tank CAPE HORN (27611 gt, built 1988), cargo 14,000 tonnes of methanol, had fire and explosion on board during mooring manoeuvres at Leghorn today. Lloyd's Standard Form salvage contract was signed with SMIT Salvage BV and Fratelli Neri. The fire was extinguished but there was damage to the port side of the vessel. Cape Horn was docking at Leghorn when a small fire broke out, according to the port captain's office. A tug was then ordered to take the ship out to sea as a precaution. During the tow, one of the tanks on board the ship exploded about 1.5 miles offshore, the port officials said. Six crew members from the ship and the master and two crew members on board the tug were injured, none of them seriously. Port authorities said the explosion apparently was set off when the ship butted up against the dock while being towed. Authorities said there was no danger of pollution.

General cargo RMS MULHEIM (General cargo, Antigua & Barbuda, 1846 grt, Build 1999)  is sitting aground with its bow facing towards the beach in Sennen Cove. It has nine holes in the hull but, as it is a double-hulled vessel, it is hoped that the inner skin has not been penetrated too badly. However, there has been some leakage of diesel fuel. Tug/supply Neftegaz 57 is expected to commence refloating efforts. Salvage not considered possible

Product tanker Byzantio (32453 gt, built 1976) was lightening cargo from crude oil tanker Asian Progress II (160079 gt, built 1999), in lat 21 50.3N, long 114 40.6E, 29 miles south of Hong Kong, at 2017, UTC, Mar 28,
when fire broke out on Byzantio, in forward part, and spread to Asian Progress II. Three injured crew from Byzantio were winched off with the aid of Hong Kong MRCC. The fire is out. No injuries on Asian Progress II, but there is slight damage on board.

ALASKA,  (General cargo, Cambodia, 397 grt, Built: 1955) Sank 10 nautical miles off Trabzon in bad weather. Two crew rescued, five missing

GRAMPIAN DUKE , (Fishing, United Kingdom, 308 grt, Built: 1960) Sank in lat 48 37N, long 10 36W. Crew rescued.

SHA HE KOU (People's Republic of China, 10941 grt, Built: 1978) Sank off Hainan, in South China Sea. Crew rescued.

MUSTAFA SOFUOGLU, Turkey, 2743 grt (Built: 1984). Constantza for Samsun. Sank after collision with refrigerated mv Mekhanik Kuznetsov in the Black Sea, in lat 42 10N, long 31 09E.

German general cargo Gerhain G. (910 gt, built 1988) The master of the vessel was alone on the bridge during the hours of darkness. The vessel was approaching the River Thames inward bound to Sheerness when the master became incapacitated as a result of an insect sting to the ear. This incapacity meant that a proper look out was not being maintained. This failure resulted in the grounding of the vessel in the vicinity of the Kentish flats in the River Thames. Mr Bryan Hopkins, Surveyor in Charge of the Orpington Marine Office of the MCA, said: "The requirement for a lookout on the bridge of a ship is clearly laid down in the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW) Code. This case acts as reminder to owners, managers and operators of all vessels to ensure that the bridge is properly manned at all times especially at night when in congested/pilotage waters."

Seventy Chinese Navy sailors aboard a conventionally powered submarine killed in an accident east of Neichangshan. Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent condolence messages, dated May 2, to family members of the dead Navy officers and seamen. The No. 361 submarine was taking part in an exercise east of Neichangshan Islands, when mechanical problems caused the accident, said Navy sources. The submarine has been towed back to port.

Maltese bulkship JUNIOR M. in collision with crude oil tanker NURIA TAPIAS in the Black Sea in lat 43 17N, long 34 24E, May 2nd. JUNIOR M. subsequently sank about 12.00 UTC, May 3. All crew rescued.

MORESKO No 1 (Fishing) (South Korea) (GRT: 329 Year Built: 1975) Firmly wedged on rocks in Moraine Fjord, Cumberland Bay, South Georgia during bad weather. All crew rescued. Reported May 6th to have been abandoned.

American Yacht SAFARI SPIRIT (231 grt / 1981) Travelling Seattle to Alaska, ran aground on rocks and subsequently sank off coast of British Columbia in lat 51 57.9N, long 127 53.2W. All passengers and crew rescued.

Panamanian tanker UPCO 3 (2 100 grt / 1972) Sank by stern in lat 18 51.58N, long 72 41.95E. All crew rescued.

Thai general cargo SANG THAI KILIN (3 988 grt / 1979) Reported taking water and sinking in lat 05 29N, long 109 24E at 0612, UTC. All 20 crew abandoned vessel and rescued by another vessel now bound Sarawak.

British fishing ship NEPTUNE (255 grt / 1992) Reported taking water and sinking in lat 61 15N, long 01 24.6W, UTC. All four crew rescued. Fishing vessel Caspian proceeded to casualty site but found no trace of vessel. Presumed sunk.

Six people were killed and five sustained severe injuries in Alang this afternoon after an explosion on ore/oil Inville (69851 gt, built 1975), moored at plot number five at the world's biggest ship-breaking yard. The explosion took place near the engine-room of the retired Inville around 1445 while labourers were engaged in ship breaking with gas cutters, said Bhavnagar deputy superintendent of police HB Barot. "A investigation is on and the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained," he said. According to sources at Alang-Sosia, the explosion rocked the area in the afternoon and dense smoke billowed from yard number five. Though there was no fire, two fire-fighters along with back-up water supply, were rushed to the spot. Inville was beached in March and the work to dismantle it has been on for some weeks now

Dutch container ship Hanjin Ottawa (66,278 gt, built 2000), Rotterdam for Felixstowe, 24 persons on board, grounded and making water in two ballast tanks in lat 51 49.5N, long 01 59.4E at 0140, UTC. Vessel refloated itself using bowthruster and full astern engine and anchored in Sunk Anchorage in lat 51 54.7N, long 01 39.47E, off Harwich. Internal inspection by crew suggest flooding at the rate of about 350 cubic metres-an-hour into No.2 port ballast tank and about 150 cubic metres-an-hour into No.3 port ballast tank, pumps are coping. Vessel refused entry to Harwich until proven seaworthy, waiting instructions from owners.

Greek cement carrier TSIMENTAS (995 grt / 1988) Grounded on reef between Kassos and Karpathos. Subsequently shifted and partially submerged. Crew rescued.

POLISINI-1, a Greek-registered and Russian crewed oil tanker crashed into four floating restaurants on the Bosphorus, sinking one.

COSCO bulk carrier Fu Shan Hai sinks in Baltic Sea after collision with a Cypriot-registered vessel in the Baltic Sea near Bornholm Island.

Ro/ro/c.c. Matsonia (33095 gt, built 1973) lost its propeller and is drifting approximately 600 miles east of the Hawaiian Islands. Tug Jimmy Smith departed, on Jun 10, to tow the vessel to Honolulu.

APL Emerald reported that it ran aground at about 1.3km south of Horsburgh Lighthouse in the Singapore waters in lat 01 19.19N, long 104 24.27E. The vessel had departed Singapore port at approximately 2330, Jun 11 bound for Chiwan, China. The shipmaster reported that one of the vessel's water ballast tanks and four fuel oil tanks were damaged as a result of the incident. The shipmaster estimated that about 150 tonnes of fuel oil had leaked into the sea. There was no report of any injury to the crew. The vessel is in stable condition.

A passenger ship and a cargo vessel have collided in heavy fog on China's Yangtze River, leaving at least 90 people missing.

Dry cargo vessel JAMBO (3.677 dwt / 1990) struck rocks off Scotland's west coast in the morning and sank four hours later. The crew of seven were rescued before the ship went down. She was en route from Ireland to Norway with a full cargo of zinc concentrate when the incident occurred.

USCGC Firebush decommissioned & transferred to Nigerian Navy.

Passenger ro/ro Iloilo Princess capsized after it caught fire at pier 7 of Mandaue Port, in Cebu island. According to the Philippine Coast Guard officials in Cebu City, Iloilo Princess had rolled over on its port side, which now touched bottom. The Coast Guard said that the vessel capsized because of the large volume of water which flooded its compartments during efforts to combat the raging fire. The Coast Guard said that the crew was presently trying to raise the vessel, using portable pumps, but little progress was being made in draining the vessel. Oil booms had been installed around the vessel, to prevent an oil spill from occurring. Coast Guard officials are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. This is the second fire to hit the vessel in a week, the Coast Guard said

1,930 TEU container M/V Pelican 1 suffered severe hull damage in collision with M/V Maersk Bahrain on the River Scheldt near Antwerp. Dutch river authorities & salvors mobilized pollution control equipment to deal with oil in river while the salvors worked on skimming oil from the surface of water in flooded engine room -- floating crane has removed 317 deck containers from the vessel, and divers have completed a full inspection of the hull

Crude oil tanker Moscow (56076 gt, built 1998), from Murmansk, cargo crude oil, is currently adrift with engine problems north of North Cape, in lat 71 20N, long 26 42E.

Greek M/T Tasman Spirit, with 67,500 tons of crude, grounded off Karachi port since July 27, likely to break into 2 parts within next 12 hours, which could cause a massive oil spill threatening marine life, mangrove forests -- unleashing ecological disaster. Estimated approximately 44,000 tons of crude still aboard. (Sat. Aug. 9 2003)  M/T Tasman Spirit has broken in half. Major oil spill now at hand. Pakistani port officials warned of major oil spill along S. coastline -- growing slick of oil washed ashore along main beaches outside Karachi bringing toxic fumes & hundreds of dead fish, sea birds & turtles. More than 1,000 policemen, with masks, deployed to close sea front.

The ship-to-ship transfer from grounded c.c. Sea-Land Express began at midnight last night and the salvage team on board the casualty report that the fuel removal operation is proceeding well with pumping rates of 50 tonnes per hour being achieved. Oil is being pumped out of those tanks considered to be most at risk of being breached should the vessel's structural condition change and it is expected that the team will be able to make good use of the fine weather being experienced at present. Yesterday a chemical engineer was flown out to the casualty in order to assess the risk posed by the cargo classed as hazardous and confirmed that salvage personnel and crew on board, as well as members of the public, were under no direct threat. Contingency plans for the removal of that cargo are in the process of being put in place. Sea-Land Express rests in a sandy gully approximately 200 metres from the beach. Renewed attempts to refloat the container vessel will be made once it is deemed that it has been lightened sufficiently. This will entail the removal of the fuel, which also reduces the risk of oil pollution, as well as cargo should this be deemed necessary.

Ferry Ovalau has sunk in Nanunu-i-Ra passage, 30 kilometres from Elington. Sistership was close by and rescued 80 passengers. Vessel sunk went down with all the cargo including twelve trucks. -- Lloyd's Agents. London, Aug 24 -- A press report, dated today, states: Twenty passengers were forced to abandon the inter-island ferry Ovalau ex Uwajima (942 gt, built 1969), hours before it sank yesterday afternoon, off the coast of Rakiraki. The vessel, owned by the Patterson Shipping Company, was leaving for Nabouwalu when it hit the reef near Ellington Wharf. Passengers were evacuated on to the Princess Ashika which had just arrived from Nabouwalu. Patterson Shipping managing director George Patterson last night confirmed the incident saying there was no loss of lives. He said it hit the reef outside Ellington Wharf between 1400 and 1500 hrs yesterday and started taking in water. Mr Patterson said the Ovalau's sister ship, Pri ncess Ashika, passed by around 1730 hrs and evacuated the passengers. He said the Princess Ashika then tried towing the stricken vessel back to the Ellington Wharf but could not, leaving them no choice but to abandon it. Mr Patterson said he wasn't sure about who to blame for the incident. "Really, we don't know because I have to have the captain's report when I meet him tomorrow," he said. The passengers spent the night on board the Princess Ashika and are scheduled to leave for Nabouwalu this morning.

Chemical/oil carrier Fair Jolly has been damaged while salvaging crude oil tanker Tasman Spirit while alongside the grounded vessel to siphon out remaining quantity crude oil yesterday, according to Karachi Port Trust sources. It is reported that bridge plate of tanker No. 3 and some portion of keel were damaged. The Fair Jolly is being repaired at Berth No.6, and after getting repaired it would be used again for lighterage operation from tomorrow.

Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said today that a Pakistan Navy Ship Gwadar and a Teli Barge have successfully retrieved 260 tonnes and 160 tonnes of crude oil respectively from the drowning sections of crude oil tanker Tasman Spirit on yesterday against expected withdrawal of 500 tonnes and 200 tonnes. The shortage, a source of KPT pointed out is due to air bubbles in tanks of both of these lighterage vessel and barge. He said that lighterage operation has received another set back when the Fair Jolly got damaged last Saturday (Aug 23). As a result instead of waiting for another lighterage vessel to come from UAE, we requested PN and they have immediately provided us small capacity vessel. He said another barge, Viqas having capacity of 260 tonnes, is also used which is now discharging same quantity in another lighterage vessel Endeavour II, stationed since start of operation in the vicinity of Karachi Port. The total offloading in Endeavour II has now reached over 31,000 tonnes. He said this morning vessel Gwadar is being again placed alongside Tasman Spirit to take seconded delivery. It is estimated if the bigger lighter vessel is not employed the lighterage operations may take one week more.

Chemical/oil carrier Fair Jolly, having capacity of 8,000 tonnes, has been transferred to mooring from berth today, according to Karachi Port Sources. Underwater divers are surveying the damage. It has taken out 30, 000 tonnes of crude oil from Tasman Spirit so far and was damaged while being shifting alongside due to rough weather and high tides but final report will ascertain the real cause, an official of port said. A Chief Engineer from vessels' owner is also coming to examine Fair Jolly.

Firefighters fought all day today to put out a fire on board oil tanker Victoriya (2003 gt, built 1981) that threatened to spill 2,000 tonnes of oil into the River Volga in central Russia, officials said. The fire erupted after an explosion just after midnight yesterday in the engine-room of Victoriya moored at an oil terminal at Oktyabrsk, in the region of Samara, the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted civil defence and emergency ministry officials as saying. One man died in the blast and two firefighters have been injured, the officials said. As firemen from all over the region fought to extinguish the blaze, the hull of the tanker burst and released burning oil into the Volga, they said. The firemen trained water jets onto the hull to cool it in a bid to contain the damage. Their task was complicated by the fact that they were unable to remove the tanker from its mooring at the oil terminal, and efforts to quench the flames were continuing some 20 hours after the fire erupted.

The French Polynesia ferry Tahiti Nui IV (408 gt) sunk off the cost of Rimatara in the southern-most Austral Islands today, claiming the lives of three of the 21 persons aboard. Fourteen persons were rescued but four others were reported still missing. Tahiti Nui IV, a GIP (French Polynesia Intervention Group), left Papeete Harbour for Rimatara on Aug 31 with nine passengers and 12 crew members aboard, according to official sources. French High Commissioner Michel Mathieu launched a rescue operation at 0719, local time, today, after a report that the vessel was having problems 70 kilometres north of Rimatara, which is 540 kilometres south-west of Papeete. The Papeete GIP headquarters received a distress signal at 0120, local time, today from the vessel, who reported a leak at the front of the vessel. The vessel turned over at 0735 hrs and sunk at 0904 hrs in 4,500  metres, according to official reports. The Search and Rescue Centre based in Papeete reported that a Super Puma helicopter that left the capital at 0800 hrs, today hauled up into the helicopter at 1033 hrs a person who had been found adrift in the ocean. Then eight persons, discovered aboard a liferaft, also were lifted up into the helicopter, which took them to Rurutu, the most northerly of the Austral Islands. Between late morning and early afternoon, five other persons from the vessel were rescued, the Search and Rescue Centre reported from the French military's Operational Centre in Taaone, Pirae. Tahiti Nui I left Papeete Harbour around 0330 hrs, today and was due to arrive at the scene around midnight.

Passenger ro/ro Moby Magic (13331 gt, built 1976),Leghorn for Olbia, struck a submerged rock/object about three miles from Olbia at about 1930, Sep 11, resulting in a hole in the vessel's hull in way of the engine-room. The vessel developed a list of about nine degrees at about 2300 hrs, due to flooding. The 85 passengers and 80 crew members on board were evacuated by Olbia Port Authority. The vessel was taken in tow by two tugs owned by Rimorchiatori Sardi Spa and taken to Golfo Aranci pier, where it is presently safely moored. An official inquiry has been commenced by Olbia Port Authority and the Sassari Tempio Pausania Court. Passenger ro/ro Moby Magic is now reportedly lying alongside Golfo Aranci pier, touching bottom and listing about 10 degrees. The vessel has a breach in its starboard side, about 2.7 metres long by 25 cm wide, from fins -- which are apparently in sound condition -- to the stern. Understand the vessel's owners have contracted Rimorchiatori Sardi Spa to refloat the vessel and salvage operations are already under way.

The 1995-built, Panama-flagged Eagle Strength was entering Chittagong port when it was in collision with the HRC Shipping Line vessel Banglar Biraj. The Eagle Strength is owned by Tayo Kaium Kaisha and chartered by APL for its Bangladesh-Singapore feeder service. From reports, it is not clear if the Panamanian- registered vessel was trying to avoid the HRC vessel or another small feeder ship. The impact of the collision forced the Panamanian ship to hit navy patrol boat BNS Jamuna, which, in turn, struck two PKM boats, BNS Surabhi, Sagarand Shapla, all mine sweepers, warship BNS Madhumatiand patrol boat BNS Barkat, a port official was quoted as telling the Daily Star in Bangladesh. At least 20 navy officers were reported to be injured in the incident, which involved a substantial portion of Bangladesh's n