2012 All Year- Our Feature Page -- Current - See Pictures Below On This Page

"Striking Beauty" - F/V Matanuska - May 12 2012

"Ghostly Voyage" -F/V Ryou-Un Maru - April 5 2012

"Carried Away" - M/V Carrier - April 7 2012

"Another On The Italian Coast" - M/V Gelso M - March 11 2012

 "Moon Strucl" - M/V Stena Feronia - Feb. 7 2012

 "Log Jammed" - M/V Dry Beam - Feb. 5 2012

"Capsize of M/V Costa Concordia" - Major Cruisew Ship Disaster - Jan. 13 2012

"No Smoking, Welding OK" - Explosion At Fujairah - Jan. 2012

2011 All Year --- Our Feature Page For 2009 Page #16

"Aboard The Polar Express" - Adirondack Scenic Railroad - Dec. 11 2011

"Whooping Open A Can of Deere" - M/V MSC Nederland - Oct. 31 2011

"Rena Rocks With An Astrolabe" - M/V Rena - Oct. 5 2011

"Miracle At Guyana" - July 30 2011

"Malibu's Navy" - June 11 & 12 2011

"Capsize In Cadiz" - May 2011

"..... And The Bridge Is Out" - May 2011

"The Cargo Was Science" - Canada - Apri; 2 2011

"Movable Feast" - Waterfront - March 11 2011

"The Beauty of Cargo Loss" - March 9 2011

2010 All Year --- Our Feature Page For 2009 Page #15

"Raining Engine At LIS" - Dec. 18 2010

"Getting Down At YYZ" - Dec. 7 2010

"Mystery Missile Launch Off California Coast" -- Nov. 8 2010

"Monumental Mud At Manaus" -- Nov. 4 2010 - AMAZING!!

"Explosion On M/V Lisco Gloria" - Oct. 9 2010

"Moment of Collision" -- Sept. 18 2010

"Delta Airlines Lightning Srike"- Sept. 10 2010

"Tragedy At Dubai" - Sept. 3 2010

"Who Forgot The Pontoons?" - August 23 2010

"M/Y "A" Off Malibu" - August 16 2010

"The San Andres Fault"- A B-737-700 Miracle - August 16 2010

"Mumbai Fumble" - M/V MSC Chitra - August 7/8/9 2010

"Forbidden Transit - South of I-8" - August 2 2010

"Whale of A Tail Told" - July 22 2010

"Bridge Loan" - July 20 2010

"Full Astern! Storm'n Ahead!" - M/V Storman Asia  - June 22 2010

"Yet Anotherr BP Oil Spill?" - June 6 2010

"Lost Cenury" - M/V Bright Century - May 15 2010

"World's Most Stupid Pirates - Parts Quatre &  Cinq"   - April 10 2010

"Great Barrier Reef Holds Her Breath" - April 3 2010

"World's Most Stupid Pirates - Part  Trois" - March 17 2010

"Attack of The Praying Mantis" - March 2010

"Flying 101" - Kulula Air - Feb. 3 2010

"LAX Blow" -- Jan 21 2010

"Royal Air Flight 988 Down - But Why?" - Jan. 5 2010

2009 All Year--- Our Feature Page For 2009 Page #14

"Dutch Harbor Debacle" - Dec. 5 2009

"Singapore Sling" - M/V MSC Kalina- Nov. 12 2009

"Road Warrior" - Nov. 2009

"World's Most Stupid Pirates - Part Deux" - Oct. 2009

"This Is My Way To Work?!" - Washington State Ferries - Oct. 2009

"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" - M/V Waker - Sept. 2009

"Just Out of Reach" - Sept. 2009

"Not My Job 2" - Why We Pay For Public Employees? - August 2009

"Pee Wee's Big Adventure" - Oh Noooo, Mr. Autopilot! - August 2009

"Holy Ship!" - M/V Marti Princess & M/V Renate Schulte - June 2009

"Not My Job" - June 2009

"Just Visiting" - M/V Livarden - June 2009

"What Cruise Ship?" - June 2009

"Taichung Tumble" - May 2009

"World's Most Stupid Pirates" - May 2009

"LAX Lunch Deja Vu" - 13 April 2009

"Lucy .....I'm Home" - April 2009

"MV Maersk Alabama - 2006 Year Deja Vu" - April 2009

"FedEx Disaster At Narita" - March 2009

"The Russians Never Disappoint" - M/V New Star - Feb. 2009

"Collision At Dubai"- M/T Kashmir - Feb. 2009

"Loving The Parking Brake" - M/V HSS Stena Voyager - Jan. 2009

"Bull Riding In The Med" - M/V Balmoral - Jan. 2009

"Ruba-Dub-Dub" - Jan. 2009

"Transport History?" - all pirates are not on the high seas - Jan. 2009

2008 All Year-- Our Feature Page For 2008 Page #13

"Boob Job" - A Cargo Law Mystery - Dec. 2008

"M/V Ciudad de Ushuaia Stuck At The Pole" - Dec.. 2008

"High & Dry In THe Cocktail Lounge" - M/V Spirit of Glacier Bay - Nov. 2008

"Death On K-152" - Nov. 2008

"The Transport of Political Rhetoric" - Oct. 2008

"Gridlock" - Venezuela - Oct. 2008

"Tank You, From The Somali Pirates" - Somalia - M/V Faina - Sept. 2008

THE Most Spectacular Act of Piracy In The 21st Century

"The Jambi Slide" - Indonesia - Aug. 2008

"The Pirates of Peleliu" - the Gulf of Aden - Aug. 2008

"Not Just Another Day At The Office" - Incidents At LAX - Aug. 2008

"Airport 2008" - Hull Explosin At 30,000 Feet - July 2008

"Drug Sub" - Mexican Navy Intercept At Sea - July 2008

"Fallen Stars" - M/V Princess of The Stars - July 2008

"Italian Down" - June 2008

"A Bow To The Queen" - May 2008

"Kalitta Crash At Brussels" - May 2008

"Broken In Half" - May 2008

"4-3-2-1-Launch Piston!" - CN Railway - April 2008

"Caught At Three Rivers" - M/V MSC Sabrina - March 2008

"Do Not Tumble Dry" - M/V Courage - Jan. 2008

"Lumber Shift" - M/V Ice Prince - Jan. 2008

"Dr. Beach's Mystery Beer Tank" - Jan. 2008 - Mystery Solved!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

2007 Second Half-- Our Feature Page For July. To Dec. 2007 Page #12

"Full Power Run Up" - Etihad Airways - Nov. 2007

"Just Scraping By" - M/V Cosco Busan - Nov. 2007

Somali Pirate SmackDown - USS Porter - Oct. 2007

Please Do Not Park On The Fuel Truck - Nov. 2007 - Østfold County, Norway

Irony - Oct. 2007 - Katowice, Poland

Oil Rig Vs. Drilling Platform - Oct. 2007 - Gulf of Mexico

Another Step For Mankind - Sept. 2007 - Panama Canal

Another Day At The Beach? - M/V Maersk Diaddema - Sept. 2007

Extinguishing The Flame? - 12 August 2007

Beach Detour - 17 July 2007

Shanghai Cutoff - 9 July 2007

2007 First Half- Our Feature Page For Jan. To June 2007 Page #11

M/V Empress of The North - Goes South - Again - 14 May 2004

IL-76 DOWN - the Congo - 10 MAY 2007

Did Pepito Need To Die? - M/V Astoria -5 April 2007

An Investigative Report

What's In A Name? - 22 March 2007

Rock Hunting Mine Hunter- M106 Grömitz -Feb. 2007

Out of Service - M/V Server- Feb. 2007

Ripped Reefer - M/V Sierra Neva - Jan. 2007

Family Feud - M/V APL Dubai - Jan. 2007

2006 Second Half- Our Feature Page for June to Dec. 2006 Page #10

Chips Ahoy! - A Cargo Law Mystery For You To Solve - Dec. 2006

Mystery Solved! "Legend of The The Great White Dorito"

Emirates Goes To Pieces - Nov. 2006

Fate of The Finnbirch - Nov. 2006

Brazil Mid-Air - Oct. 2006

Ultimate Transport Crisis - Sept. 2006

M/V Cougar Ace - Laying down on the job - July 2006

M/T Front Sunda - Exploded And Abandoned - July 2006

Powers of A Kansas Hoe - July 2006

Flying Fire Truck - June 2006

Loading Submarines - M/V RORO Star - June 2006

Indian Split - M/V Ocean Seraya - June 2006

2006 First Half Our Feature Page for Jan. to June.2006 - Page #9

B1 Wheels Up - May 2006

Resting The Mighty "O" -- May 2006

Quick Passing of M/V Alexandros T -- May 2006

The Reefer List - M/V Ivory Tirupati -- April 2006

Co-Loading -- human smuggling on the gamma -ray -- April 2006

Somali Pirate Patrol -- pirate miscalculation --March 2006

Water Bridge - EU engineering magic - March 2006

Alabama Crane Disaster - tragic loss - March 2006

New Feeder Service? - a new mystery - Feb. 2006

Loss of Pride - M/V Seabulk Pride -- Feb. 2006

M/T Ece -- to the bottom -- Feb. 2006

Split Personality For M/V Twin Star(s) -- Jan. 2006

DHL Meets JAL Over LHR -- Jan. 2006

Pirate Payback - USS Winstn Churchill - Jan. 2006

M/V APL Panama - Day At The Beach -- Jan. 2006

2005 All Year - Our Feature Page for Jan. to Dec. 2005 Page #8

M/V Oltenita - Danube Disaster -- Oct. 2005

Seven Mile Bridge - The Keys - Oct. 2005

Ghost Ship - Destruction at Biloxi - Sept. 2005

M/V Transmodal - Fire At Sea - July 2005

M/T Kyokuyo Maru -Collision& Fire At Sea - July 2005

Horsing Around - July 2005

Iwo Jim Fire - July 2005

The Queen Checkmates - June 2005

Coat Tails of The Queen - June 2005

Tip of The Iceberg - June 2005

Uplift To Down - March 2005

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, M/V Milicoma - Mar. 2005

Bridge Vs. Bridge - Mar. 2005

Red Rudder Riders - Feb. 2005

USS San Francisco In The Mountains - Jan. 2005

Dr. Beach's Mystery Buoy - Jan. 2005

Drowned Fox - Jan. 2005 

2004 Last Half - Our Feature Page for Jan. to June 2004 Page #7

Aomori Prefecture Stranding - Dec. 2004

Tsunami - Dec. 2004

Light-OUTse - Oct. 2004

Yield For Merging Traffic - Sept. 2004

When Unexpected Guests Drop In ... - Sept. 2004

Hang'n Out At Key West - July 2004

High Tide - June 2004

United Air Lines - Union Pacific Merger - June 2004

2004 First Half - Our Feature Page for Jan. to June 2004 Page #6

"Sit Down STRIKE At LAX" - May 2004

"Why We Fight Terrorism" - May 2004

"Belly Flop" - May 2004

"M/V Sealand Pride" - May 2004

"Earth - Upside Down For Caterina" - April 2004

"Now Boarding" - April 2004

"The Death of Frigate HMS Scylla" - March 2004

"General Motors Ocean Lines" - Feb. 2004

"Injured Pride" - Jan. 2004

"Follow That Car!" - Jan. 2004

"Cavity Search?" - Jan. 2004

"Happy New Year?" - Jan. 2004

2003 Second Half- Our Feature Page for July. to Dec. 2003 Page #5

"Encounter With Physics" M/V Stellamare - Dec. 2003

"DHL Airlines - On Time - On Target" - Nov. 2003

"M/V Purr Seaverance - Rock Chaser?" - Oct. 2003

"Hurricane Isabel -The Looming Storm" - Sept. 2003

"Typhoon Maemi-Busan Cranes" - Sept 2003

2003 First Half - Our Feature Page for Jan. to July. 2003 Page #4

"F-22 Stealth Fighter Bomber" - first photo! - June 2003

"Safety Lift" - June 2003

"Sinking M/V Fu Shan Hai" - May 2003

"Sinking M/V Sigitika Biru" - May 2003

"Fishing For Rabbits" - May 2003

"Not So M/V Jolly Rubino" - April 2003

"Forward Observer" - April 2003

"FedRex Vs. UP-ooopS" - April 2003

"Half Measures" - March 2003

2002 Last Half - Our Feature Page for July to Dec. 2002 Page #3

"Open Door Policy" - Dec. 2002

"Northwest Climbing" - Dec. 2002

"Anchors Away" - Dec. 2002

'Full Speed Ahead" - Oct. 2002

"Typhoon Rusa" - Sept. 2002

"Don't Park Here" - Aug. 2002

"Things You Should Not Drop!" - July 2002

2002 First Half - Our Feature Page For 2002 to June 2002 Page #2

"Unstealthy" - April 2002

"Moment of Disaster At Dubai" - March 2002

"All Aboard !" - Feb. 2002

"Container Pool" - Jan. 2002

"U.S. Air Force Crippled C-141-B Starlifter" - Dec. 2001

"Suggested Al-Qaida Solution" - Sept. 2001

Alaska Marine Highway System's 408-foot M/V Matanuska

M/V Matanuska Appears A Bit Scuffed Up

From The Cargo Letter - May 7 2012

The state ferry M/V Matanuska, one of the largest in the Alaska Marine Highway System's fleet, hit a Petersburg seafood processing plant's dock head-on May 7, causing significant damage.

Jeremy Woodrow, a spokesman for the Alaska Dept. of Transportation., says the 408-foot Matanuska hit the dock belonging to Ocean Beauty Seafoods.

The Petersburg Pilot reports the ferry struck the dock while performing a 360-degree maneuver, required in order for it to dock in Petersburg. The face of the Ocean Beauty cement dock was heavily damaged, dock pilings were broken and a crane was damaged.

Even the second floor of the idled processing plant was damaged, with walls and outer walkways partially demolished. The Matanuska shows possible dents and scrapes to the bow of the ship.

Petersburg Harbormaster Glorianne Wollen told the Pilot: "It wasn't a glancing blow. It pretty much was a head-on hit."

There were no injuries in the incident.

M/V Matanuska Striking Beauty

 

Alaska Marine Highway M/V Matanuska Hit The Dock While Negotiating A Turn in Wrangell Narrows Prior To Docking

CONTRIBUTORS For This Feature:

Stewart and Julie Amgwert - Palmer, Alaska

The Amazing Unmanned Voyage of Squid Fisher F/V Ryou-Un Maru - True Ghost Ship

Through Storms, Winds & Rouge Waves -- F/V Ryou-Un Maru Took Exactly One Year To Cover The 3,300 Miles

U.S. Coast Guard Island-class Cutter USCGC Anacapa (WPB-1335) Pours 25 mm Fire Into F/V Ryou-Un Maru

From The Cargo Letter - April 5 2012

U.S. Coast Guard Island-class cutter USCGC Anacapa (WPB-1335) poured cannon fire into a Japanese ghost ship that had been drifting since the last year's tsunami, sinking the vessel in the Gulf of Alaska and eliminating the hazard it posed to shipping and the coastline.

The cutter's guns tore holes in the 164-foot F/V Ryou-Un Maru on April 5, ending its long, lonely journey across the Pacific that began when the deadly tsunami set it floating more than a year ago.

The crew pummeled the ghost ship with high explosive ammunition, and the derelict F/V Ryou-Un Maru soon burst into flames, and began taking on water, officials said.

A huge column of smoke could be seen over the gulf as a Coast Guard C-130 cargo plane, sent to observe the sinking, dropped a buoy to monitor for any possible pollution.

The Coast Guard warned mariners to stay away, and aviation authorities did the same for pilots.

In about four hours, the ship vanished into the water, said Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow in Juneau.

It sank into waters more than 6,000 feet deep, about 180 miles west of the southeast Alaska coast, the Coast Guard said.

Officials decided to sink the ship rather than risk the chance of it running aground or endangering other vessels in the busy shipping lanes between North America and Asia.

The ship had no lights or communications system, and its tank was able to carry more than 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Officials, however, didn't know how much fuel, if any, was aboard.

"It's less risky than it would be running into shore or running into (maritime) traffic," Coast Guard spokesman Paul Webb said.

Island-class cutter USCGC Anacapa (WPB-1335) Surveys The Gunnery Damage

Named For Anacapa Island, California, The Cutter Is Manned By 3 Officers & 19 Enlisted

U.S. Coast Guard Gunnery Makes Its Mark

The Long Voyage of The Japanese Ghost Ship F/V Ryou-Un Maru Is Over, As She Sank 6,000 Feet Deep In The Gulf of Alaska On 5 April, 2012

70% of The Earthquake Debris Was Concrete & Other Heavy Material Which Sank --

But NASA Graphic Shows The Remaining 30% - Some 1.5 Million Tons - Is Still fFoating Toward The U.S. West Coast

Our Other Featuresd About The Japanese Tsunamin of March 2011

"Japan Tsunami: Port of Sendai" - March 11 2011

1. "Japan Tsunami: The Shore Ships of Sendai Part 2" - March 11 2011

M/V Carrier In Better Days

VESSEL DATA Type: Mini Bulkcarriers (1000-2000 GT) Ex Names: M/V Inga Call Sign: V2KS IMO no: 8504959 Builders: Husumer Schiffswerft Inh. Gebr. Kroger GmbH & Co. KG, Husum, DE Yard No: 1499 Delivery: 1985-10-25 Owner: Partenreederei M/V Carrier, GER Agent: Reederei Erwin Strahlmann, Schleusenstrasse 10, 25541 Brunsbuettel, GER Port of Registry: St. John's Flag: Antigua & BarbudaClass Hullull: GL 100 A5 M DBC

DIMENSIONS Tonnage GT: 1587 Tonnage NT: 843 Deadweight: 2378 Lenght o.a: 82 Lenght b.p.:77.5 Breadth:11.3 Depth to maindeck: 5.4 Depth to tweendeck: 3.19 Draught (summer): 4.21 CARGO CAPACITY Grain [cbm]: 2904 Bale [cbm]: 2904

M/V Carrier Is Lashed By High Seas

From The Cargo Letter - April 4 2012

Seven crew members have been rescued from stricken cargo M/V Carrier that ran aground off the Conwy coast in rough seas.

Two lifeboats and a helicopter were called after the ship hit a rock near a quarry jetty at Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, Wales, UK.

The ship is a coaster, which uses the jetty to load limestone.

Oil has leaked from the ship carrying 40,000 litres of fuel which ran aground off north Wales, leading to concern over the threat to wildlife.

There are three holes on the M/V Carrier's starboard, but high winds and rough sea are expected to help break up light diesel that leaked overnight.

Riding The Riprap

Clearly In The Wrong Lane

From The Cargo Letter - April 7 2012

MV Carrier will be cut into "manageable" sections on the shore at Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, Wales, and sent to a scrap yard by road.

The owners confirmed contractors will start the demolition once they remove the ship's 24,000 litres of fuel. The work is expected to take six weeks.

Seven Polish crew had to rescued when the vessel ran aground April 3 2012.

CONTRIBUTORS For This Feature:

Ashley Black - Cargo Letter Correspondent in The UK

Paul Hubbard

M/T Gelso M - IMO 9367360 - In Better Days -- Perhaps Her Last Days

M/T Gelso M Has Has Grounded In Italy -- Engine Problems Gave Way To Storm Winds

It Is Only Two Months After M/V Costa Concordia

From The Cargo Letter - March 11 2012 -

Two months after the M/V Costsa Concordia disaster, there is another dramatic grounding on the North Italian coast.

M/T Gelson M ran aground in rough weather off Sicily on March 10 2012, the Italian coastguard said, adding that the 19 crew were taken off by helicopter and were safe amid worsening conditions.

The 150-meter (500-foot) M/T Gelso M was driven on to rocks as it was planning to approach the port of Syracuse around 0800 GMT and began taking on water before the captain gave the order to abandon ship, the coastguard said in a statement.

Coastguard spokesman Cosimo Nicastro said four helicopters airlifted the crew to safety and all were in good health.

The ship, a tanker, was in ballast at the time of the incident, and its double hull meant there was a low risk of pollution but the environment ministry was alerted nonetheless.

The position of the ship made it impossible for surface craft to approach and the coastguard called for more aerial assistance from the navy and the air force.

Rescue service sources suggested that given the conditions the captain had been sailing too close to the coast.

Rome-based ship owner Augusta Due said the cargo ship ran aground "because of a force 10 storm in the early morning", adding that "an engine had problems because of the ship's movements during the storm".

Smit Salvage has been hired by the owners of the Costa Concordia to pump thousands of tonnes of fuel from the stricken cruise liner lying on its side off the northwest Italian coast.

The Gelso M was on its way from the Venice port of Mestre to Augusta north of Syracuse where it was to load a fuel shipment.

Italian Coast Guard Rescues 9 Crew Members From Stricken M/T Gelso M

Four Helicopters Participated In The Rescue

M/T Gelso M

Ship Type: Oil/chemical tanker

Year Built: 2008

Length x Breadth: 147 m X 22 m

Gross Tonnage: 11422, DeadWeight: 17999 t

Speed Recorded (Max / Average): 12.6 / 10.4 knots

Flag: Italy [IT] 

Call Sign: ICHH

IMO: 9367360, MMSI: 247229900

M/T Gelso M In Repose -- Another Tricky Salvage

VIDEO of The Event

M/T Gelso M #1

M/T Gelso M #2

CONTRIBUTOR For This Feature:

Fontanassa

A Collision In The Night

M/V Union Moon (foreground) & M/V Stena Feronia (background)

From The Cargo Letter - March 8 2012 -

Ro/ro ferry M/V Stena Feronia and cargo M/V Union Moon have collided near Belfast, Ireland, close to the Fairway buoy about a mile and a half from shore between Carrickfergus and Helen's Bay around 19:45 GMT on March 7 2012. There were no injuries. The Stena Line ferry subsequently docked at the Stena terminal. M/V Union Moon - was accompanied by the coastguard as it was brought back to Belfast. M/V Stena Feronia was on her way from Birkenhead, Merseyside, to Belfast when the collision happened.

One female passenger who was on the ferry said she was just sitting in her cabin when she heard a "massive bang". "Then all the sirens went and we went downstairs and we were all issued with life jackets and told to prepare to get off in the raft," she said. "I was scared, but the staff were great, very good. They put us all at ease."

Cahill Loughran was also on board with his wife and four children. "They said we might have to get into lifeboats, they weren't sure what the damage was, and then the captain came on and said the damage was above the waterline," he said. The Stena ferry arrived safely back at its terminal in Belfast, "There was a hole, but it was above the waterline."

M/V Union Moon was carrying 2,000 tonnes of aggregate (stones).

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the police are all involved in the investigation.

Engineers from Stena Irish Sea are currently assessing the damage to the vessel to see how long it will be out of service.

The 55-year old Master of M/V Union Moon will appear in court on March 9 to face charges of operating the vessel while intoxicated.

The Master of M/V Union Moon Is Cited For Suspected Intoxication

A Window On The Soul of M/V Stena Feronia

Collision Gash Exposes Interior of Vehicle Deck

CONTRIBUTORS For This Feature:

Ashley Black

Charles Emberton

M/V Dry Beam As She Arrived At Victoria, B.C. On Feb. 5 2012

From The Cargo Letter - Feb. 2 2012 - Log Jammed

The 186-metre cargo M/V Dry Beam arrived at Ogden Poin, Victoria, British Columbia, Canad on Feb. 5 2012, with its massive vertical support beams bent like matchsticks and its load of logs shoved askew by a rogue wave on the North Pacific.

The vessel was en route to Japan from Longview, Washington, when it ran into trouble, lost some logs and issued a mayday call Feb. 2 2012 night about 480 kilometers off northern Vancouver Island.

A rogue wave had pummelled the ship's port side and caused many of the raw logs on the deck to shift toward the starboard side.

None of the 23 Filipino crew aboard the 26,000-ton vessel was hurt. The damaged vessel limped into port at Ogden Point in Victoria on Feb. 5, escorted from the high seas by U.S. and Canadian coast guard vessels.

The wave that slammed into the port side was 10-to-15 meters high, said Capt. Jostein Hoddevik, principal surveyor with IMS Marine Surveyors of Burnaby.

"It would have a lot of water behind it, a lot of force," Hoddevik said at Ogden Point on Monday.

He was aboard the vessel to assess the damage and review the incident on behalf of the ship's insurers.

A qualified captain with experience crossing the Atlantic, Hoddevik said there is little the crew could have done to avoid the wave.

The incident occurred in an area of the north Pacific that's notorious for monstrous waves and punishing seas, he said.

The currents and wave patterns combine to make this a highly dangerous area.

"Several of the accidents I've been investigating have come from the same general location &emdash; a small area."

M/V Dry Beam was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he said. "The timing of the wave would be crucial."

Cargo vessels are damaged by waves like this off the West Coast once or twice a year, he said. Sometimes the damage is relatively minor and the vessel can continue on to its destination.

At times, the vessel must return to port for repairs.

M/V Dry Beam lost a few of her logs and others were dangling off the starboard side as she arrived in Victoria.

The vessel will need extensive repairs before it is seaworthy again, Hoddevik added.

The bent stanchions on the port side will be cut off, and the logs removed and put on another ship or barge.

Massive Vertical Support Beams Bent Like Matchsticks

There Are Many Who Mistake The Fury of The North Pacific Ocean

Longshoremen of I.L.W.U. Canada Local 508 Assist M/V Dry Beam

CONTRIBUTORS For This Feature:

Cam Bremner

Barry Campbell - ILWU Local 500, Burnaby, B.C. Canada

M/V Rabaul Queen

Class & Type: Passenger/Ro-Ro Ferry

IMO Number: 8351297

Built: Japan, 1983 for PNG's Rabaul Shipping

Operator: Star Ships

Owsner: Rabaul Shipping

Tonnage: 259 GT (gross tonnage)

Length: 155 ft (47 m)

Crew: 12

M/V Rabaul Queen Has Sunk With An Estimated 100 Or More Dead

Just South On This Map, And To The Right, Is The Great Barrier Reef, And Australia's Famous "Gold Cost"

From The Cargo Letter - Feb. 2 2012 - currently about 100 feared dead

MV Rabaul Queen a 259 GT (gross ton) Papua New Guinea-flagged passenger/ro-ro ferry. Built in Japan in 1983 for PNG's Rabaul Shipping Co., the ferry plied a regular route between Kimbe, the capital of West New Britain, and Lae, the capital of the mainland province of Morobe.

On 2 February 2012, she sank some 9 nautical miles (16 km.) off Finschhafen, on her way from Kimbe to Lae. 12 crew and an estimated 350 passengers were aboard at the time.[

A joint rescue effort by Papua New Guinea and Australia rescued 238 survivors, with over 120 still missing as of 3 February. Survivors told rescuers that large waves had hit the vessel just before it sank. Many survivors were rescued by six merchant vessels alerted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which had been alerted by Rabaul Shipping that the ferry had disappeared from a satellite tracking system.

Cause of the loss is currently stated as "capsize" -- but there are no details.

Identification of the passengers thus far is stated to include Australians.

UPDATE - Feb 3 2012

A day after rescuing nearly 250 survivors of a ferry sinking off Papua New Guinea's east coast, crews searchingFeb. 3 for more than 110 other people aboard found only one more. Many of the missing may still be in the vessel, now at the bottom of the sea.

MV Rabaul Queen sank Feb. 2, in rough seas, and big waves and strong winds made rescue efforts difficult.

Asingle survivor was located Feb. 3, bringing the number of rescued to 247.

Rony Naigu, a National Maritime Safety Authority official, told ABC News about 100 people are thought to have been trapped inside when the ship was hit by three large waves and sank.

"The sea was really rough, windy, big waves. The boat tilted once, then twice, then three times and it went over," said Alice Kakamara, who was recovering in a Lea hospital Feb. 3, after inhaling toxins during the sinking.

"There was oil everywhere," she said.

The ferry's owners, Papua New Guinea-based Rabaul Shipping Company, said there had been 350 passengers and 12 crew aboard the 22-year-old Japanese-built ferry when it went down Feb. 2 morning while traveling from Kimbe on the island of New Britain to the coastal city of Lae on the main island. A police official said most of those aboard were students.

"We are stunned and utterly devastated by what has happened," managing director Peter Sharp said in a statement.

The company said the cause of the disaster remained unclear, but National Weather Service chief Sam Maiha told Papua New Guinea's Post-Courier newspaper that shipping agencies had been warned to keep ships moored this week because of strong winds.

By nightfall Feb. 2, 246 survivors had been rescued by merchant ships battling 16-foot (5-meter) swells and 45 mph (75 kph) winds at the disaster scene 50 miles (80 km) east of Lae and 10 miles (16 km) from shore, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.

The sea temperature was above 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) &emdash; warm enough for people to survive for an extended period. Most of those rescued had been wearing life jackets.

The 155-foot (47-meter) cruise/ferry sank in 3,300-foot (one-kilometer) deep water, making it difficult to determine whether bodies were trapped inside.

The survivors were delivered to Lae, the South Pacific country's second-largest city, by five ships early Feb. 3.

"None of them had sustained any real injuries. They were pretty cold and miserable," Lae Chamber of Commerce president Alan McLay told Sky News television.

The search continued at first light Feb. 3, with three ships, two airplanes and two helicopters, AMSA said.

An angry crowd threw stones at the Kimbe office of Rabaul Shipping Company on Feb. 2 night, outraged at a lack of information, police said.

The company said the ferry's captain had made routine radio contact with another vessel before sinking and gave no indication anything was wrong.

The accident remains unknown, but safety in the shipping industry in PGN is known to be lax.

CONTRIBUTOR For This Feature:

Gervase Pearce - BCS Consulting, Neutral Bay, Australia

.

The Cargo Letter - Jan. 13 2012 - Capsize of M/V Costa Concordia

Italian officials say at least three people were killed and several injured when luxury cruise M/V Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Tuscany onJan. 13 2012. That is fewer dead than first reported.

Authorities say more than 4,000 passengers and crew members were aboard M/V Costa Concordia when she ran into trouble near the Tuscan island of Giglio. Passengers were sitting down to dinner at the time of the incident.

One passenger told Italian media the ensuing panic onboard the ship was "like a scene from the Titanic." Some of those onboard are reported to have jumped into the icy waters to escape the badly listing ship that began taking on water through a gash in the hull.

Officials say a rescue operation using lifeboats and helicopters has evacuated passengers and crew to the island of Giglio and to Porto Santo Stefano on the mainland.

The accommodations on the 290-meter long, 13-deck M/V Costa Concordia included 13 bars, 5 restaurants, 4 swimming pools and 500 balcony staterooms.

M/V Costa Concordia has capsized and is sinking.

This Is Likely The End of M/V Costa Concordia

SPECIAL NOTE: This Loss Is Now A Full Feature -- "COSTA LOT" -- the Story of M/V Cpsta Concordia

Visit this new photo feature

Crude Oil Tanker M/T Prem Divya

M/T Prem Divya

IMO 9138599

DWT 109227

Built: Dec. 1996

Flag: India

Manager/Owner: Anglo-Eastern

Some 105 local repair workers and crew were on board when welding work created a spark that triggered three blasts on the tanker M/T Prem Divya on Dec 29 2011 in Fujairah port, UAE, where tanker was undergoing repairs. Explosions left three people dead, one injured and two missing. Half of the 24-man crew are now staying in hotels, and the other half would remain with the vessel. The tanker had arrived in Fujairah on December 27 for 10 days of scheduled maintenance repairs. Workers from local firms had come to check the pipes and do welding in the engine room and other repairs and maintenance.

It is not clear where the explosion occurred but early reports suggest hot work in the pump room ; however where ever the work was being undertaken the vessel clearly was not gas free. Also attached is an eye witness comment from a vessel anchored about 0.5 nm from the subject vessel when the explosion occurred.

Here is an eye witness comment from a vessel anchored about 0.5 NM from the subject vessel when the explosion occurred.

"All kindly note that own Vessel M.T. xxxxxx anchored in "A" anchorage Fujairah about 0.5NM of M.T. Prem Divya. Own vessel noticed that hotwork on deck and on bridge wing was going on at about 1745 LT. Suddenly a heavy explosion took place on M.T. Prem Divya and vessel was on flames and full of smoke forward of accommodation..

Own vessel immediately prepared M/E and gave astern movement to increase the distance from that vessel as it was anchored ahead of own vessel. own vessel immediately started deck water and started spraying water on own deck as a safety measures and immediately started picking up anchor.. All crew of that vessel found standing on poop deck aft for help. Own vessel informed to port control the situation and requested for immediate rescue as the communication system of that vessel was completely broken.3 rescue boats came near to that vessel In the meantime one more explosion took place on M.T. Prem Divya which completely shattered the vessel. All rescue boats went away to save themselves. Own vessel coordinated most of the communication between port control and the distress ship. Distress vessel was communicating with GMDSS W/T which the port control was unable to read properly. Own vessel picked up anchor and moved away to safe position and re-anchored. As learnt from communication there were 90 work shop people boarded the vessel for carrying out various jobs in E/R , deck and pump room. While carrying out hotwork in pump room explosion took place.3 persons working in pump room are still missing . The ship is presently having 10 deg list to Stbd due ingush of water . The fire-fighting tug continuously spraying water on vessel . The Master and 2/O are on board , the rescue team from port is also on board searching for the causalities. There is total black out on the vessel

The cause of fire seems to be hot work in pump room on non gas-free tanker. No hot work to be allowed on any tanker unless it is very urgent and that also to be done with ship completely gas free with no slops on board, taking all other precautions. Kindly note that all hot work jobs to be positively identified specially on deck, cargo tanks and pump rooms and to be done in dry dock not left for ship staff with limited resources. Believe me seeing a tanker exploding like a bomb at a distance of 0.5 NM is really frightening and it also teaches a big lesson."

CONTRIBUTOR For This Feature:

   Mark Baker - Technical Superintendent, Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM) PJSC, Dubai, UAE

Seems likely that they were trying to complete steel renewals before dry-docking, as regulations are more onerous in the dry dock and of course it is more expensive.

Adirondack Scenic Railroad's Alco RS-18 ready For Polar Express Runs

Polar Express - Hear The Music

Departing Union Station, Utica, New York Daily For A Magical Ride To The North Pole

More Christmas Tains

I enjoyed the picture of the Adirondack Scenic Railway Christmas train. You may not be aware that CP Rail runs a Christmas train every year complete with entertaiment (the entertainers live in a couple of beautiful private cars). The train (actually 2 of them) goes across Canada and the U.S. One boxcar has been modified to serve as a stage. People are asked to bring donations to local food banks when they come to see the train.

It is, I understand, an all volunteer effort by CP Rail, its yard workers who decorate the trains and the crews that man it.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train Blog

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train 2011 On You Tube

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train 2011 Departure

Pat Smith

CONTRIBUTOR For This Feature:

   Rich. BausPat Smith