International Vessel Casualties & Pirates Database For Year 2007 - Jan. Through Dec. 2007

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Vessel Loss Dispatches 2007

Jan. Through Dec. 2007

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Vessel Loss Dispatches For December 2007


Ferry Speed 1, with 8 crew but no passengers, was holed by its port engine and took on water whilst alongside Dover, UK on Dec. 30 at approximately 2000LT. The Dover Coastguard and Lifeboat assisted the crew in pumping the vessel to control flooding. The situation is reported under control, thought weather on scene has been challenging with 30 knot winds gusting to 42 knots. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 31 2007).

An unidentified Pierce County ferry struck the Steilacoom ferry dock, in Washington State, on Dec. 31 at approximately 1800LT. The Coast Guard reports that the vessel experienced an engineering problem. The vessel was back on schedule at approximately 2030LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 31 2007).

Thailand-registered M/V Emerald, Kota Kinabalu to Bangkok with 13 crew and load of timber, sank in rough waves and strong winds in Brunei Bay near Malaysia's Labuan island on Dec. 28. Malaysian maritime authorities rescued two crewmembers 30 nautical miles from Brunei. Search and rescue operations ongoing for the remaining 11 aboard in waters close to Labuan and in Brunei Bay within a 30 to 50 nautical mile radius. Other agencies involved in the search operation were the Malaysian Navy, Air Force and Marine Police. The vessel was scheduled to arrive in Bangkok Dec 30. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 31 2007).

4,301-gt, 5,710-dwt, 137.52-m Norway flagged cargo M/V Sea Corona (IMO 7222 762), built 1972, ran aground off Aabenraa port, Denmark, on Dec 28. The patrol boat Søløven was dispatched to ensure no oil was leaking out and stayed alongside. M/V Sea Corona ran stuck fast when trying to enter the port of Abenraa. The environment protection ship Marie Miljø has been deployed to the scene. The vessel was refloated on Dec 29 at 1830LT and departed from Abenraa bound for Klaipeda on Dec 30 at 2230LT after inspections by divers had been finished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 31 2007).

A floating workshop in the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, suffered fire on Dec. 28 at 0200LT. Forty-seven people were evacuated from the vessel. One man was injured in the fire. The fire was extinguished by the efforts of forty-eight firemen and two tugboats. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 31 2007).

330-foot container M/V Agaman, Canada for Cuba with containers -- dead in the water in 10-foot to 15-foot seas 88 miles SE of Nantucket since Dec 26 -- contamination fouled fuel supply and seized her engines & generators. Its crew has limited power to operate their radios, no heat and dwindling food stores -- is keeping warm by wearing extra clothes & tending a fire on the poop deck. 524-foot bulk M/V Dual Confidence's crew immediately diverted Dec 26 to render assistance & was relieved Dec. 27 by the 598-foot Greek-flagged M/T Aegeas which recently departed Montreal, Canada. Despite winds of 40-knots &10-foot seas the M/T Aegeas's master sent his chief engineer to assist M/V Agaman's engineer attempt generator repairs. German company Komrowski Shipping, manager of M/V Agaman, realizing the crew had no heat & would run out of food and water in 2 days, arranged for a tug to respond with supplies to tow the disabled ship to New York City for repairs. M/V Aegeas remains on the scene awaiting relief from the 595 foot Danish M/T Moselle, which is en route from New York City and should arrive Dec 28 at 9:00 pm. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 28 2007). UPDATE>>> Vessel was safely towed to Bayoone, N.J. dry dock on Dec. 30. Numerous engineering deficiencies identified will have to be corrected before the vessel is permitted to resume sailing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 31 2007).

M/V Eka Jaya -- Pekanbaru for Bengkalis -- to capacity with building materials & staple food -- sank at 9 p.m. on Dec 28 in Siak river following a collision with M/V Sabrida. Tthe collision happened in a thick foggy night near Merempan Hilir village, Mempura subdistrict, Siak district. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 28 2007).

F/V Buena Suerte suffered fire in drydock Dec. 28in Navotas, Philippines. Smoke coming from the ship had been reported on M/V Marbel which was berthed nearby. Coat Guard &fire brigade fought against the blaze for hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 28 2007).

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

24 Dec. 2007: 0310 UTC: berth no. 20, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria. Four pirates boarded a, berthed, bulk carrier from a boat -- held one crew at knifepoint while they tried to open the bosun store. The duty 2nd officer, on routine security rounds noticed the robbers. On seeing the alert crew, the robbers escaped. It was noticed that there were 20 robbers in two boats. Nothing was stolen. (Fri. Dec 28 2007).

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

Cambodia-flagged F/V Rooney (owner B.N Line Co, ROK) with 19 crew19 (12 Russians)-- sank in 45.05.7N 144.57.6E (60 nm sw from Kunashir Island, Kuril Chain) Dec. 23-- all crew taken aboard Coast Guard ship coded Velbot. Reason and details of the accident unknown. From our MoscowCorrespondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Dec 27 2007).

406 dwt trawler F/V Huginn (built 1975, owner Dalnye Zelentsy, Murmansk) got propeller entangled in floating net southern part Barents Sea, drifting. No danger to crew or vessel, diver required. Trawler Gaiduk standing by. Salvage tug Purga proceeding to assist, ETA December 24, 08.00 LT. Weather wind nnw 10 meters/sec. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs.. Dec 27 2007).

U.S. long-lines F/V St. Joseph & Peter -- in ditress off New Orleans Dec. 27 -- U.S. Coast Guard's New Orleans Sector directed supply vessel M/V Skippin' Sue to assist. All well. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs.. Dec 27 2007).

80mt. Dutch inland M/T Saromaj (built 1958 - ex-Lucania) suffered a leak in the evening of Dec 26 on the Rhine at Wesel. About 2 tons diesel oil polluted the Rhine. The fire brigade surrounded the 80 m long ship with 150 metres oil booms at the lock Voerde-Friedrichsfeld. The lock was closed on Dec 27. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs.. Dec 27 2007).

Barbados-flagged cargo M/V Wilson Garston which had run aground 6 m meters off the shore in Helsingborg was refloated on Dec 25 & towed into the South Harbor. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

Romanian cargo M/V El Greco -- in a bow-to-bow collision Dec. 21 with a Dutch vessel on the Rhein-Main-Donau-Canal at Fürth/Bavaria. Anchor of the Dutch ship tore a gash in M/V El Greco above the water line in the bow region. As the ship carried a full cargo of soy and was deep in the water -- suffered water ingress. The crew in vain tried to stop it. On Dec 22 the ship was partially lightered by dredgers which loaded the soy onto vans, so that the gash came above the water line. The fire brigade of Nuernberg was then able to dewater the ship with additional pumps. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

30 gt. refrigerated fish carrier M/V Rys (IMO No. 8725694) with 10 crew -- Kamchatka Peninsula -- trapped in close floating ice (0.2 meter thick), in 59.18N 163.06E at Ossora bay entrance, when leaving the bay. No compacting, no drift, no imminent danger to vessel or crew. Vessel on constant radiowatch, nearby vessels will assist Rys after some coordination. Weather fine, wind se 5 meters/sec. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

35-foot Gloucester-based lobster F/V Kizmat -- reported flooding & engine room fire onboard Dec. 22 -- melted the plastic piping on the exhaust system, and allowed about 1000 gallons of water to rush into the boat. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Grand Isle responded to the call & arrived on scene within minutes. -- passed a dewatering pump to F/V Kizmat's crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

32-ft. S/Y Gone With the Wind -- sank 30 miles north of Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, Dec 23. Tug M/V Gauntlet contacted search and rescue coordinators at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami after hearing a Mayday call over VHF radio channel 16. U.S. Coast Guard HH-65C Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Miami rescued a husband & wife aboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

13,00gt. M/V Eastern Bright, Gwangyang for Taiwan with 2,000 tons nitric acid & 15 crew -- disappeared in waters near the port city of Yeosu, about 280 miles (450 km) S. of Seoul, after sending a distress signal around 4:20 a.m. -- 14 crew unaccounted -- 1 crew rescued 5 hours after the SOS went out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007). UPDATE>> Only one sailor - identified as a 28-year-old Burmese - has so far been rescued, while the remaining 14 crew members - 12 South Koreans and two Burmese - may have been drowned with their ship From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 27 2007).

Camabodian flagged cargo M/V Runei -- sank between Hokkaido & Kunaschir on Dec 24. The crew, 12 Russians & 7 Birmese, were rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

British 24836 gt. container M/V Perth -- departed from Cuxhaven on Dec 23 at 2 p.m., assisted by the tug M/V Wulf 3 and headed towards the North Sea. She had only suffered a dent in the stern region in its allision with the pier of the RoRo Terminal Cuxhaven on Dec 22 which has suffered severe structural damage and maybe have only scrap value. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 26 2007).

2,270 gt Barbados-flagged M/V Wilson Garston (built1989) -- ran aground outside Helsingborg at 6 p.m. on Dec 24. Coxswain had to spend the night of Dec 25 in jail as he is suspected to have been drunk when running the ship aground off Helsinborg West port on a sandbar. He was drug-tested. Ship had come to rest with starboard list and has to be refloated by a tug from Helsingborg. Ship had been unverway from Norway to Riga and had just passed the M 4 buoy off Helsingborg and had to head southward when hitting the bar. The coast guard boat KBV 202 and rescue teams proceeded to the grounding site. No one was hurt, but a ballast water tank in the foreship damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed.. Dec 26 2007).

101 Mt. M/V Katharina Ehler & 120 mt. M/V Pantonio -- in collision on the Kiel Canal close to the Rade Freeway Bridge. West bound M/V Katharine Ehler hit M/V Pantonia underway from Brunsbuettel to Holtenau. Both ships damaged. Collision caused by dense fog. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 24 2007).

24,836 gt British 217 mt. container M/V Perth (built 1999) -- in collision -- with the roro-ramp at the Seabath Bridge in Cuxhaven while departing. Damage to the ship was minor, but the ramp was severely damage and will be out of service for a longer time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 23 2007). UPDATE>> The 217 m vessel was about to depart from the pier where it was fixed with 5 ropes. One of the engines was running when suddenly propeller started running with the whole force of 18000 hp. The lines broke, & the stern crashed against the ramp. Tug M/V Taucher O. Wulf 3 escaped in the last second. M/V Perth was stopped by emergency-stop & emergency-anchoring and then pushed back to her berth. The damage caused to the roro-ramp is assessed to be about 2 million Euro. The problems on board M/V Perth could be solved meanwhile, and the ship departed from Cuxhaven to Antwerp on Dec 24. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 26 2007). UPDATE>> British 24836 gt. container M/V Perth -- departed from Cuxhaven on Dec 23 at 2 p.m., assisted by the tug M/V Wulf 3 and headed towards the North Sea. She had only suffered a dent in the stern region in its allision with the pier of the RoRo Terminal Cuxhaven on Dec 22 which has suffered severe structural damage and maybe have only scrap value. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs.. Dec 27 2007). UPDATE>>

Ferry M/V Maxima connecting Flushing & Breskens has to be repaired in Kerstmis after suffering a gash of 15 centimetres when grounding in dense fog on Dec 21 at Breskens. In Kerstmis a dock facility for repairs is availabe. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 23 2007).

M /T Piru Singh, with 32,000 tons of crude oil, berthed at the Cochin Oil Terminal of the Port, Dec 22 -- suffered major engine room fire at 0330 hrs.-- brought under control with the assistance of fire fighting equipment, fitted at the terminal by flooding the engine room with carbon dioxide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 23 2007).

Stricken cargo M/V New Flame, which this morning was sinking off Europa Point Gibraltar, later broke in two. The ship had been grounded following a collision with another vessel in Aug. With a salvage tug in the area, half the ship is now expected to sink. The ship was carrying over 40 tons of scrap from New York to Turkey when it collided. Spanish authorities nearby claim that fuel oil found on 2 beaches in the Algeciras area on the other side of the bay proceed from M/V New Flame, but this is rejected by the Gibraltar Government. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 23 2007).

105 mt. connected Dutch inland M/V Vagari & Vagari II (built 1965) ran aground with 4200 t gravel on the Rhine at Dettenheim at 830 p.m. at the "Apothekergrund" . They had come off the course to starboard in dense fog, ran over a buoy & stuck fast outside the shiping lane. Both ships stuck fast so that the Vagari II which was connected alongside did not go adrift though it broke lose. Crew fastened the lines again. Dense fog made salvage work impossible on Dec 21 & refloated Dec. 22. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

A dramatic five-day rescue operation finally came to an end after South African S/Y Ocean 7 Adventurer towed the dismasted S/Y Delta Dore into Table Bay harbour on Dec 18. The rescue, said to be the longest maritime tow achieved in SA history, successfully hauled the white & green striped 68ft. yacht & 2 crew members to safety at about midday. They had been 850 NM out in the Southern Ocean. The duo will head back to France in time for Christmas and will build a new mast & participate in the next aroundthe-world race in Nov. S/Y Delta Dore is the 3rd yacht to have fallen out of the Barcelona World Race and is berthed alongside the two other damaged yachts in the harbour. Damage to the rudder of the S/Y Estrella Dam and a broken mast of S/Y PRB also caused their withdrawal from the race. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

65 Mt. inland M/V Consequent, with 750 tons grain, on the Ijssel at Bronsbergen in dense fog -- ran onto a stone wall bettween Rotterdam & Delden. The ship refloated with own power with the rising tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

U.S. F/V Allegria aground on the northeast corner of Santa Rosa Island, off Los Angeles with one person aboard. U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter launched to the scene & located vessel by using the GPS position given off by his Emergency-Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), and with the aid of Night Vision Goggles. F/V Allegria was hard aground on a sandy beach with waves continually hitting vessel and no sign of the Captain of the vessel. Attempts to communicate on emergency channel 16 were unsuccessful. Rescue Swimmer, Petty Officer 2nd Class Laurence Nettles located the Captain unconscious below decks & recovered him to the helicopter via a harness hoist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

German ferries M/V Frisia II (built 1978 & Frisia I (built 1970), were in collision on Dec 21 at 6.45 p.m. in the Norddeich harbor approach in dense fog. No one of the 256 passengers was hurt, but M/V Frisia II came to rest perpendicular to the shipping lane. Later she was grounded to get leaks on starboard side patched . The M/V Frisia VI was taken into service as replacement ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

120mt.car carrier M/V Autorunner -- in collision -- with 66mt. Dutch cement carrier M/V Noblesse, half a mile off Zeebrugge in the evening of Dec 21. Both ships returned to port for inspections. Starboard side of the cement carrier was severely damaged as well as a ballast tank. M/V Autorunner suffered some bow damage. Both ships captains said they had not seen each other on the radar, maybe the signal was disturbed by a wall. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

Accident involving the 142,000-dwt Irano-Hind suezmax M/V ISI Olive (built 1992), and Columbia's 301,000-dwt VLCC, M/T Overseas Meridian (built 1997) -- both grounded at the S. end of the Suez Canal, 3 miles from the port of Suez, blocking all traffic for 6 hours on Dec 20 in the morning. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

Passenger M/V AIDAaura suffered damage to her propulsion in the morning of Dec 21 underway to Palma de Mallorca. The ship headed to a yard in Genova as a repair by own means was not possible. A Transatlantic cruise from Palma to Aruba which was to start Dec 21 had to be cancelled. 1.265 passengers had to be informed because they were already in Palma. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

4000 gt cargo 96mt.M/V Trans Holm, in ballast ran aground on Dec 21 at 10.30 a.m. at Kjørtingen in the Lange Sound after engine failure -- suffered some damage and developed a slight list. Towed to Brevik after refloating & berthed at quay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Inland M/V Anta -- foreship pumped out after having been raised on Dec 21. It was then patched so that she could be towed away. Stern section is to be raised on Dec 23. A Dutch company bought the wreck in order to scrap it. On Dec 24 the canal bottom at the sinking site in Zele will be surveyed to make sure traffic can pass again. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007). UPDATE>> Vessel raised by the sheerleg Antigoon in the midday hours of Dec 23, pumped out & placed onto a pontoon which had been towed to Zele on the Scheldt river. Salvage was finished at 6 p.m. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Dec 24 2007).

Tug M/V Flying Phantom, with 3 crew, capsized Dec, 20 in freezing conditions River Clyde at Clydebank just yards from the former John Brown shipyard and the Titan Crane, now a nascent tourist attraction. All 3 missing. From our Correspondent Charles Emberton (Fri. Dec 21 2007). UPDATE>>124ft. M/V Flying Phantom (built 1981) ran aground while towing Panamanian M/V Red Jasmine, which has a gross tonnage of 39,000, with maize & soya from Brazil & capsized near Clydebank at 1810 GMT in heavy fog -- missing crew are skipper Stephen Humphreys, 33, engineer Robert Cameron, 65, && crew member Eric Blackley, 57 -- 4th man, aged 37, pulled out of the river after being spotted in the water and was taken to hospital. M/V Flying Phantom helped tow the RMS QE2 on the Clyde in Sept. 2007. M/V Flying Phantom was involved in a collision almost exactly 7 years ago when it hit an Egyptian cargo vessel carrying 1,000 tons of fertiliser in thick fog. On that occasion her 4-man crew was rescued by coastguard teams. From our Correspondent Ashley Black (Sat. Dec 22 2007).

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

16 Dec. 2007: 2115 UTC: 08:48.5N-013:57.0W: Sierra Leone. Eight pirates armed with ak47 guns in military like fatigues boarded a chemical tanker underway. They stole crew personal belongings, ship⤙s properties and escaped. No injuries to crew. (Fri. Dec 21 2007)

09 Dec. 2007: 1800 LT: 16 NM Off Coroni shore, Suriname. Five masked pirates armed with guns approached fishing vessel underway -- fired several shots & ordered the crew to lie on the icebox. They then locked the crew in the fish pen. The pirates took hostage 2 crew at gunpoint and ordered them to discharge the fish into their boat. Before leaving, the pirates stole a drum of gasoline, one propeller, vessels property & 2 cell phones. They destroyed the fishing vessel's engine coil & escaped. The fishing vessel was drifting until the next day afternoon, when another vessel towed them to Mahaica bridge area. Incident reported to Mahaica police station. (Fri. Dec 21 2007)

11 Nov. 2007: 0500 LT: Corentyne river, Guyana -- Capt. & crew of 22 fishing vessels of the number 66 fish complex were left stranded after armed pirates robbed them of their gasoline, engine coils and a quantity of fish glue. Three of the boats returned to the fish complex while many other fishermen were forced to swim to the Coroni shore in Suriname. Rescue teams have gone out to search for the other boats. (Fri. Dec 21 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

Tanker M/V Karisma Selatan capsized at a port in central Indonesia on Dec. 18. The vessel had just been loaded up with more than 4,000 barrels (500,000 liters) of fuel. The incident caused an oil spill, and authorities placed rubber buoys around the overturned ship to prevent the slick from spreading. The cause of the accident was not immediately known. Rescuers were trying to determine how best to lift the tanker without causing a more serious spill - a process that could take two weeks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

M/V Vincent, sailing with 17 crew under the Cambodian flag in Russia's Far East, caught fire and burned down in Aniva Bay, near the southern end of Sakhalin Island on Dec. 17. The fire lasted several days. Four sailors were killed. Russian scientific research vessel Professor Probatov assisted in rescue efforts and helped evacuate 13 sailors from the burning ship, four of whom suffered burn injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

730-ft bulk carrier Algonorth struck dock and spilled 3,300 gallons of fuel in the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio on Dec. 14. The Coast Guard and clean-up contractors deployed approximately 2,400-feet of containment material in the vicinity of the spill. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Bulk carrier M/V Cape York, from Hong Kong, accidentally discharged about 100 litres of oil on Dec. 17. A slick of slick about 10 metres by 30 metres was reported. A crack in the hull is suspected. The oil spill was contained and the ship will go into repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007). From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

88-m 1969-built dry cargo M/V Viktor Koryakin (IMO 6927717), with crew of 12 and cargo of timber, was pushed ashore by gale force winds while anchored in 69.48N 32.41W, NE coast of Rybachiy Peninsula, Barents Sea on Dec. 18. The vessel had been anchored waiting for the weather to improve.

Royal Danish yacht Dannebrog was struck by mobile crane in Frederikshavn at its winter berth on Dec. 20. The crane was used for work on the radar. One man was injured, and the Dannebrog was slightly damaged on port side. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Dutch bicycle and pedestrian ferry Prinses Maxima, connection Flushing and Breskens, ran aground in the morning of Dec. 21 at Breskens. The passengers were evacuated between 0900LT and 0930LT. The ferry service has been interrupted while inspections underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Romanian-flagged Carmel, en route to Netherlands with cargo of 100 tons soy, collided with German tanker M/V Bohemia, with 2,000 tons kerosine, and Swiss-flagged oil tanker M/V Piz Gloria, causing it to also strike M/V Bohemia, on the Rhine at Krefeld on Dec. 20. The Carmel was in danger of sinking due to water ingress which could later be stopped by rescue forces. The Rhine had to be closed for shipping for 6 hours. The amount of damage was not yet known, as investigations are ongoing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007). UPDATE>> Inland M/V Lumara had been blocked at the Bayer pier in Uerdingen on the Rhine River by the half sunken M/V Carmel 2 could meanwhile proceed. Salvagers were able to divide the half submerged Carmel 2 and the less damaged M/V Carmel. The wreck was then pushed in direction of the shore so that the blocked berth was usable again. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 27 2007).

65-m 886-tons Dutch inland water craft Cotrans 5, built 1980, struck by bargetrain in the locks of Houtrib, Netherlands, on Dec. 21. The ship was holed on port side from midship to the machine room. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Former sailing ship, now inland passenger M/V Rijnland II, sank after colliding with an inland water craft in Amsterdam on Dec. 17. The skipper has not yet been found despite intense search with sonar and divers. The wreck was raised by on Dec. 21 and is now undergoing inspection. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

71-m Panama-flagged vessel NASIP, with 13 crew aboard, dragged its anchor and ran aground in front of Cape of Güven in Kilyos, Turkey on Dec. 18 at approximately 0558LT. No injuries or pollution reported. All crew were evacuated and successfully rescued. Salvage efforts underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Unidentified yacht, Townsville to Sydney with five aboard, issued distress call reporting vessel broke its keel and floundering in seas south of Newcastle. Australian Navy Ship HMAS Manoora dispatched to assist. The warship will take on four of the passengers. The skipper will try to bring the yacht into Newcastle harbour, under escort. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

68-ft yacht Delta Dore, with 2 crew, was dismasted in heavy seas in the deep Southern Ocean, while taking part in the Barcelona World Race on Dec. 11. The crew, uninjured, have their vessel currently under motor heading North towards South Africa with fuel reserves at her current speed of 3 knots to take her approximately 180 nautical miles. The vessel is otherwise structurally sound. The 115-m Tri-Maran Adventurer Ocean 7 sailed from the Port of Table Bay to assist the vessel, which was at that point lying West of Prince Edward Islaand group (Marion Island) approximately 900 nautical miles South of Cape Town. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Svitzer 124-ft tug Flying Phantom, with four crew and while towing a vessel to Glasgow, ran aground, parted tow line and capsized on Dec. 19. An intense search with Coastguard Rescue teams and Royal Navy Rescue helicopter recovered one crew, who has been taken to the hospital. Three crew still missing. The search is seriously hampered by the poor visibility (15 metres) the wind is southeast force 2. The tug was one of three towing the Red Jasmine, which docked safely at the King George V Dock a short time after the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

Vessel Braga from Madeira, with 6 crew, collided with 200-m vessel Tor Primula in dense fog on the Western Scheldt on Dec 20. at 0445LT. The Braga was hit at the stern and suffered leakage in a ballast tank. The ship was moved to the lock harbour Flushing East. The Tor Primula did not suffer significant damage. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Dec 21 2007).

730-ft bulk carrier Algonorth struck dock and spilled 3,300 gallons of fuel in the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio on Dec. 14. The Coast Guard and clean-up contractors deployed approximately 2,400-feet of containment material in the vicinity of the spill. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

108-m Russian cargo M/V Omskiy 34 struck historic sailing yacht, 16 pilings and at least one F/V when departing from Kappeln harbour on Dec .18. M/V Omskiy 34 continued its voyage without stopping and was stopped only in Kiel, where police investigations are ongoing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

Unidentified cruise ship burnt out in the Danube harbour of Bratislava on Dec 12. The fire brigade required several hours to extinguish the fire that probably broke out in the machine room due to manipulations at the heating system. After the fire was out, the fire brigade found one dead body in the machine room. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

Russian F/V Vincent, with 17 crew aboard, caught fire in the Far East sea, about 16 km off the Sakhalin coast, on Dec. 18. At least 4 people killed. 13 crew were evacuated to another vessel heading to the port Korsakov. The rescue vessel Atlas was dispatched to the incident area off the Aniva Horn. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

Unidentified 19-m commercial F/V, with skipper and three crew, sank off the coast of Esperance in Western Australia on Dec. 19 at 0100LT. All aboard abandoned ship and were picked up after activating an emergency beacon. Unconfirmed reports indicate an explosion may have brought the vessel down. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

220-m bulk carrier Grain Garvester, with cargo of coal, ran aground in Gladstone Harbour, Australia, on Dec. 18 at 1730LT. There were no reported fuel leaks from the vessel although the darkness and difficult weather conditions were hampering attempts to make a full inspection. None of the cargo on board was damaged or spilt in the accident. The carrier is not blocking the channel, and is expected to cause only minor disruption to shipping movements. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

271-ft double-hulled barge Shauna K, with 284,000 gallons of bunker fuel, grounded at the Elliot Bay Marina, Washington, on Dec. 18. The barge was being towed by tug Alyssa Ann, operated by Olympic Tug and Barge, when at approximately 2018LT strong winds broke one of its tow lines blowing the barge into the breakwall of the marina and grounding it upon the rocks. The tug Andrew Foss then assisted the Alyssa Ann with the removal of the Shauna K to nearby Pier 91 where it is being assessed by pollution and vessel inspectors for damage to its tank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

1,724-gt Russian freighter M/V Victor Koryakin (ex-Morskoy-18) lost power during severe weather with winds of more than 35mph, and struck rocks in a strong gale off the Arctic port of Murmansk in the morning of Dec. 18. A Norwegian helicopter from Banak Air Base rescued all 12 crew and flew them to the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Dec 19 2007).

80-m inland water craft Nawatrans 2, enroute to France with cargo of 1,000 tons metal and steel, ran aground on the Scheldt at Wintam on Dec. 15. The ship was successfully refloated by a tug in the evening of Dec 16. The ship was forbidden to move after the salvage until investigations and inspections were finished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

Malta flagged cargo M/V Ceynova sprang a leak on the Scheldt river in Antwerp and caused oil pollution on Dec. 18. About 3 tons got into the water. An oil patch drifted towards East-Vlaanderen. The remaining oil in the tank was successfully pumped out. Anti-pollution craft were sent to the scene to remove the oil. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

F/V TS 9 Trix suffered fire north of Terschelling, Netherlands, on Dec. 9 at 0545LT. The rescue boats Frans Hogewind and Tonijn from the station Paal 8 responded as well as the salvage ship Hurricane. Rescue teams successfully extinguished the flames. The vessel was able to sail to Terschelling, escorted by the Hurricane and Arie Visser, where it berthed at 0700LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

Floating dredger Aegir, Eltmann to Regensburg, sank for reasons unknown on the Main river at Staffelbach, Bamberg, in Germany at river km 376.4 on Dec. 3. The vessel was raised on Dec. 17. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

Tug William J, with four crew, took on water and sank during heavy weather eight miles off the Golden Fleece, Essequibo, foreshore in Guyana. Two men are reported missing and feared drowned. Two others were rescued by a passing fishing vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

Liberian M/V Taisu 10, South Korea to Taiwan, collided with an unidentified local Zhejiang fishing vessel in the East China Sea on Dec. 15. The collision caused the F/V to sink. Nineteen people reported missing. A helicopter and more than 30 rescue and fishing boats were searching for survivors, but cold water temperatures would make survival difficult. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

574-gt inland water craft Generaal, Enkhuizen to Amsterdam with cargo of 500 tons concrete blocks and 4 crew, suffered water ingress and sank off Paard den Marken, Netherlands, on Dec 15. All crew were rescued by Grote Beer. Salvage efforts ongoing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

12-m Dutch F/V SL 18, with 2 crew, caught fire in the Northsea on Dec. 15 at 1520LT. The crew were forced to abandon ship, and were picked up from the dinghy by rescue boat Princess Daisy of KNRM station Stellendam. The devastating fire caused the vessel to capsize. The salvage company Multraship was contracted to bring the wreck into port for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

2,312-gt German inland tanker M/V Eiltank 210 ran aground at Schoonhoven on Dec. 15 at 2250LT. Initial efforts to two the ship free failed. Drug testings on the three crew were negative. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 18 2007).

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

07 Dec. 2007: 0206 UTC: 06:14N 003:22E, Lagos anchorage, Nigeria. Two pirates, armed with guns & knives, boarded a bulk carrier drifting. Pirates tied up the aft watchmen. The forward watchman sighted the pirates, ran into the accommodation & locked all entrance doors. Duty officer informed, alarm raised & crew mustered. Pirates immediately jumped overboard & fled in the waiting wooden motor boat. The two watchmen had light injuries. Port control informed.

28 Nov. 2007 late evening off Lagos, Africa. In what appeared to be a military launch with 12 armed pirates dressed in military fatigues approached the tanker at anchor. Nine persons boarded the vessel & ordered the master to disembark into their launch. Master refused & escaped towards the accommodation. The robbers opened fire on the master. Luckily, the master escaped unhurt. While searching and looting the accommodation, the pirtates took as hostage, the 2nd officer, one A/B & the cook. The 3 hostages were released after 90 minutes in exchange for cash & cigarettes. On 29 Nov. 2007, the master received a phone call, threatening him that the pirates would attack again in the next port.

09 Nov.2007: 0430 LT: Posn 06:44S 039:32E port of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Pirates boarded a container ship drifting. Pirates boarded unnoticed. They broke padlocks, removed container lashing bars & stole ship's stores and cargo. On carrying out a search only footprints were noticed. Port control was informed.

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75-ft F/V CindiSea suffered engine room fire which rendered the vessel disabled about 40 miles south of Shinnecock, New York in the night of Dec. 12. The Sandy Hook, New Jersey-based 110-ft Coast Guard Cutter Bainbridge Island responded and towed the vessel toward Shinnecock until Sea Tow assumed tow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

Dutch F/V SL 18, with crew of 2, sent Mayday because of fire off the Dutch coast on Dec. 14 at 1520LT. The rescue boats from Ouddorp and Stellendam rescued the crew from their dinghy off the Dutch coast. The wreck remained drifting off the coast. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

F/V Osprey, with 1 crew, lost power and drifted into rocks in heavy weather at Loch Broom, Scotland on Dec. 15. A Stornoway Coastguard helicopter was dispatched and lifted the man to safety. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

2,264-tonne cargo M/V Leoni Leonov, with eleven crew and cargo of clay heading to Finland, ran aground and become stuck on sandbar at the mouth of the Teign river on the evening of Dec. 14. No injuries reported, and the vessel was freed by a local tugboat within hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

122.1-m 4,700-gt Dutch cargo M/V Lingeborg (IMO 9399399) suffered severe bottom damage and leaks when its launching went wrong as the bow refused to slid so that the ship came partially broadside into the water on Dec 13. The ship was towed to the Kon Niestern Sander Yard in Delfzijl by the tugs Watergeus and Straat for drydocking on Dec 15. Significant amounts of water leaked out of the ship`s bottom after it was drydocked. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

Inland cargo M/V Anta, with cargo of 1,080 tons coal, sank on the Scheldt in Zele, Belgium, on Dec. 10. Salvage work is ongoing - in the meantime, traffic to Gent and Dendermonde is going via Terneuzen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

Double-hulled tanker M/V Pegasus and pusher tug Sandra F, underway with two parges, collided head-on in dense fog on the Albert Canal at Kuringen, Belgium, on Dec. 15. M/V Pegasus suffered a leak, and the vessels were entangled with each other and had to be parted. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

30-meter offshore vessel Borndiep of the Pro Shipping Company from Helder, Netherlands, collided with 200-meter German container M/V NYK Esperito 35 kilometeres north of Vlieland on Dec. 13. The Borndiep suffered damage on its starboard and a leak in a ballast tank. M/V NYK Esperito was not seriously damaged. The Borndiep returned to port with own power and berthed at the Visser shipyard for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

15-meter party ferry Maheno, with 23 passengers and 2 crew, struck submerged object and sank in the mouth of the Yarra River at the entrance of Port Melbourne, Australia, on Dec. 13 at approximately 0840LT. The captain of Maheno called in a sister ferry, the Nepean, and disembarked the passengers safely. Two water police vessels and a Yarra River tug, the Gabo, also came in to assist, but despite attempts to pump out the water and tow the vessel clear, it sank in six to seven metres of water in about 25 minutes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

Cargo M/V Xianghan Shouwei 0298, with 130 tonnes of a caustic soda corrosive chemical, reported sinking on China's vast Yangtze river on Dec. 13. The caustic soda is sealed and has not leaked, although there are fears it may do so. Half of the ship was submerged near a harbour about halfway along the Yangtze river in central China's Hubei province. Labourers discovered water was leaking into the ship as they were loading the caustic soda onto the vessel, near Yidu city, in the morning. Rescue work was being hampered by heavy fog, with little visibility as other vessels tried to reach the sinking ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

Cargo M/V Luro ran aground 15 meters off the Nollendijk at Flushing, Netherlands, on Dec. 13. The tugs Schouwenbank, Walcheren, and Multratug 16 were able to refloat the vessel the same day and towed it to Flushing roads for inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

Dutch F/V Texel 9 suffered fire caused by electrical short circuit in the galley at location northwest of Terschelling, Netherlands on Dec. 13 in the evening. The crew was able to extinguish the fire, but a rescue boat from Terschelling rushed to the vessel to provide medical treatment to captain, who was experiencing chest pains. After medical treatment the ship was able to head to continue under own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 16 2007).

55-ft F/V Seafarer, homeported in Stonington, Maine, took on water three miles south of Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Nearby 28-ft F/V Kryn, homeported in Annapolis, Maryland, reported F/V Seafarer's distress to the Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and initiated escort to Stonington. The Coast Guard immediately responded by diverting 87-ft Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark, homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, and launching a 41-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station New London, and a 47-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Point Judith, Rhode Island. The New London crew placed the Seafarer in a side tow. After the boat was securely in tow, a two-man rescue team from New London boarded F/V Seafarer and began dewatering. The team arrived safely at Stonington. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 13 2007).

86-m Swedish tanker M/V Margita, underway to Rotterdam, lost steering and went adrift in the Kiel Canal on Dec. 13. The rescue boat Konrad-Otto pushed the vessel against the pilings of the passing point Fischerhuette near Brunsbuettel so the traffic lane was free again within short time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 13 2007).

Cruise M/V Norwegian Dream, with approximately 1,700 passengers, collided with a barge at Montevideo, Uruguay, on Dec. 10. M/V Norwegian Dream suffered damage to its bow and forward ballast tank when it collided with the barge and sent five shipping containers and as many as 10 cars into the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 13 2007).

81-ft F/V Tropico, with six crew, took on water 35 miles east of Chatham, Massachusetts on Dec. 12. The crew sealed off the affected compartment and contained the flooding, but without working pumps, were unable to remove the water. The crew donned their survival suits and were prepared to activate their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon if they lost communications with the Coast Guard or needed to abandon ship. A Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod and a 32-foot boat crew from Station Chatham launched, arrived on scene at about 0830LT, and transferred two pumps to the Tropico crew. Using the Coast Guard's pumps, the fishing crew dewatered the space and began repairs. The Coast Guard is escorting the Tropico it returns to New Bedford. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 13 2007).

1961-built 157-ft 437-gt bitumen carrier M/V Finnøyglimt, with crew of 4, struck rocks and became grounded at Reksteren in the Bjørne Sound in Hordaland, Norway, on Dec. 13 at 0320LT. The vessel was refloated at 0648LT with the assistance of rescue boat Gerharb Jebsen. M/V Finnøyglimt, though having suffered damage in the foreship region, was able to proceed with own power and sailed to Høylands bight in Kvinnherad. Drug testings of the Norwegian crew were negative. The ship is owned by Belden og Hage Sjøtransport in Haugesund. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 13 2007).

German inland water craft Fürth/Bavaria 83, Vienna to Basel, Switzerland, with 1,000 tons wheat on the Main river, ran aground while trying to enter the lock at Randersacker, Wuerzburg community, on Dec. 12 at 1130LT. The vessel was later refloated at 1300LT with the assistance of two other vessels and inspected by authorities. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec 13 2007).

Unidentified freight vessel, Somalia toward Djibouti with 10,000 head of cattle and 22 crew headed for a feast to mark an Islamic festival, capsized and sank near the Hanish Islands in the Red Sea on Dec. 10. All cattle head on board drowned, however all crew were recused by the Yemini Coast Guard. The animals were to be sacrificed as part of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Sacrifice Feast, to be celebrated Dec 20. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

80-m inland water craft Ampa, bound from Gent, Belgium, for Germany with 1080 tons coal, grounded, broke in two and sank in strong currents on the Scheld river at Zele in the night of Dec. 9. Both crew were rescued. Ship traffic to Gent and Dendermonde is to take the way via Terneuzen until the wreck has been salvaged, which could take 1-2 weeks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

Cargo vessel Commodore Goodwill struck side of the St. Helier yacht basin in Jersey, English Channel Islands, while trying to berth in strong winds on Dec. 10. No obvious damage immediately reported. The ship later proceeded out to sea with the assistance of the States' tug Duke of Normandy. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

Spanish F/V Bahia de Puertosanto collided with smaller boat in Mauritania on Dec. 7. Five local fisherman were killed. The nine crew of F/V Bahia de Puertosanto were arrested. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

F/V Hook, Bon Accad Lagoon for Marlin with 2 crew, sank in rough seas 12 miles off Englishman Bay, Tobago, on Dec. 8. Both crew were rescued by patrol boat Lester Pollock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

66-ton F/V Marunaka Maru No. 68, with 7 crew, capsized amid rough seas in the Pacific off the island of Kinkazan in Miyagi Prefecture on Dec. 9. Four men reported missing, three others were rescued by other nearby fishing vessels. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

796-ft Panamanian-flagged MSC Korea lost power as it was leaving Savannah, Georgia on Dec. 4 at 1300LT. The vessel dropped anchor and drifted aground just upstream of Elba Island. The pilot was prudent and did what he had to do to keep from going hard aground. The closest berth for the disabled ship was the one where it eventually was towed at the Southern LNG's import terminal on the island. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

2,856-gt Russian cargo M/V South Michelle, Assens to Nakskov, Denmark, ran aground on a sandbar off Danish port Assens on Dec 7. On Dec. 8 the ship was towed off the ground, and on Dec. 9 it headed again for Nakskov after completion of inspections. The ship is owned by A. Fage-Pedersen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec 11 2007).

N ICC International Maritime Bureau reports that unidentified product tanker recently boarded by armed attackers at anchorage of Lagos, Nigeria. "The vessel was hijacked after twelve persons in military fatigues approached the vessel aboard what appeared to be a military launch. Nine of those boarded the vessel and attempted to coerce the tanker's Master on to the launch. The Captain refused and managed to escape. As he fled towards the accommodation, the hijackers opened fire on him. Fortunately, he managed to get into the accommodation block unhurt and proceeded to the bridge and initiated security alert procedures. The attackers managed to take three crewmembers hostage, whose ordeal ended when their release was secured with a ransom of cash and cigarettes. Whilst in custody of the hijackers, it was made clear to the hostages that the attack was specifically targeted at the vessel and was not opportunist. During several hours of looting, the robbers made further grave threats to crew members demanding substantial sums of money. These threats were repeated the following day, after the attackers had departed, in a telephone call to the master. A further attack was threatened at the vessel's next port of call, Port Harcourt." (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

2,902-gt dry cargo Russia-flagged M/V Girvas (IMO 8875097), Astrakhan, Russia, to Enzeli, Iran, ran aground on the 157 kilometer mark of the Volga-Caspian channel on Dec. 5 at 2000LT. The vessel was refloated under own power on Dec. 6 at 0210LT. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

146,000-gt Hong Kong-registered oil supertanker Hebei Spirit, with 260,000 tons crude oil, collided with a towed crane barge northwest of the Taean Peninsula, South Korea on Dec. 7. Three of five of the vessel's containers were holed. About 11,000 metric tons (81,000 barrels) of crude oil leaked. The Taean Coast Guard sent 30 patrol boats and 10 more ships as well as four helicopters. Response efforts included lightering the vessel and placing of floating barriers to prevent the oil from reaching beaches. Officials have declared a state of disaster and their country's largest oil spill in over a decade. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Bahamas-registered vessel CMA CGM Eiffel, bound for the Red Sea, stalled in the Suez Canal waterway thereby blocking canal traffic for two hours on Dec. 6. Among the traffic blocked was a 33-vessel convoy coming in the opposite direction. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Cargo M/V Zo Ming 3, with 21 crew aboard, reported water ingress and dangerous list approximately 20 nautical miles north of Weihai port on Dec. 7. The 21 sailors were rescued by four fishing boats from Liaoning Province. M/V Zo Ming 3 was successfully pulled to the Weihai port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Red & White Fleet's ferry Royal Prince collided with rocks southwest of Alcatraz on Dec. 6 shortly afer 1300LT. No injuries or water ingress reported. A Coast Guard small boat from Station San Francisco and a helicopter from Air Station San Francisco responded to the scene and reported no pollution. The ferry was taken out of service and conducted soundings on their tanks to ensure no oil was released into the environment. Alcohol testing was administered to the entire crew and the results were negative. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of this incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Singapore-registered 50,861-ton car carrier M/V Figaro, Santander, in northern Spain, to Bristol with 30 crew and 2,520 cars onboard, suffered engine failure in gale force conditions off Cornwall on Dec. 6. The vessel was drifting dangerously toward Wolf Rock. Tugs were deployed to assist but M/V Figaro's crew were subsequently able to restart her engine and guide the vessel under own power to the coast at Falmouth Bay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

1983-built Ropax ferry Rio Paraguacu, capacity for 800 passengers and 50 cars, collided with 1990-built 66,700-dwt tanker Pirajui on or about Dec. 8 in Brazil's Todos os Santos Bay. Three of 100 ferry passengers aboard reported to have sustained minor injuries. The ferry and one of 14 vehicles aboard also reported damaged. The ferry is being held at a terminal in Itaparica for the investigation. The Petrobras-owned tanker was in the bay while it awaited an inspection. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Norwegian chemical tanker M/V Saltstraum (IMO 7922130), underway from Elnesvågen to Forus in Rogaland, ran aground with two pilots aboard in the Røyra sound at Herøybrua on Dec 8. The vessel was refloated successfully refloated with the assistance of vessel Emmy Dyvi on Dec. 9. The cause of the grounding is currently unknown. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Nigerian Navy landing ship, NNS Ambe, suffered fire outbreak at Nigerian Naval Dockyard at Victoria Island, Lagos, on Nov. 21 at 2125 LT. Timely intervention of naval personnel on duty and members of Lagos State Fire Service, Nigerian Ports Authority and fire section of the Julius Berger Plc prevented catastrophic loss. Only minor damage reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Cambodian flagged general cargo vessel M/V Mariner II, with 16 crew, ran aground in front of Kumkale, Turkey on Dec. 3 at 2146LT. The rescue boat Kiyi Emniyeti and tug Sonduren 4 were immediately dispatched by Canakkale VTS. M/V Mariner II was refloated at 2310LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

1981-built Jordanian cargo M/V Jaipur, with 13,000 tons rice to Madagascar, lost control in Karachi port due to steering failure and collided with anchored Chinese M/V Yang Hai on Nov. 21. Both vessels incurred structural damage and are being inspected by surveyors and underwriters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

70-ft Norwegian F/V Tilje, with a cargo of 150 tons fish, grounded on rocks, took on water and developed a port list off Molldøra east of Svolvær between Lille and Store Molla, Norway, on Dec. 6. F/V Tilje's cargo was lightered and the vessel refloated with the assistance of vessels Støttværingen, Slettholm and Øynes. Damage assessment pending. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

99-mtr general cargo M/V Corn Diva (ex-Kielgracht), flying Maltese flag and built 1984, arrived in Amsterdam with 2 heavily damaged cranes on or about Dec. 8. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

Container M/V Lahore Express, U.S. East Coast to Middle East and sub-continent, reportedly lost more than 30 containers and suffered damage to additional deck containers on or about Nov. 3. The vessel was being operated by Hapag-Lloyd in concert with CMA CGM, OOCL and NYK. From our Correspondent Hildegard E. Krause (Sun. Dec 9 2007).

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

29 Nov. 2007: 0530 LT: 03:51N - 098:48E, SBM Belawan, Indonesia. Duty quartermaster onboard a product tanker noticed 2 pirates hiding under windlass. Duty Officer informed and crew mustered. Robbers jumped overboard and escaped in a boat waiting below. Nothing stolen but it appeared that the robbers tried to lower the fire wire.

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25-ft commercial F/V Good Guys, with two crew aboard, reported missing near Pillar Point Harbor, California on Dec. 3. Its companion vessel, the F/V Majek, lost contact with it shortly after 1300LT on Dec. 3. An electronic locator beacon from this missing vessel was detected but the vessel has not been spotted -- only debree. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

28-metre steel-hulled sailing ship Alvei, which left Port Vila, Vanautu, on Nov. 14 for New Zealand with nine people aboard, reported overdue and missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

Barge Tamara 5 and its tugboat, the June T, ran aground after the line between them broke in Guam's Hagatna Bay on Dec. 4. No injuries or pollution report. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

Taiwanese F/V C. Tee Zuen Stai 88, with crew of 28, sank in stormy weather in the Gulf of Bengal between Phuket in Thailand and Chittagong, Bangladesh on Dec. 1. German container M/V Major, owned by the Projex-Schifffarhtsgesellschaft Hamburg and at present named CSAV California under charter, rescued 21 men. Bulkcarrier Archimidis SB rescued two others. 4 men remain missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

1,700-TEU 720-ft container M/V Kauai, built 1980, was struck by a large ocean swell with such force the vessel's wheelhouse windows were shattered and the primary steering system disabled outside Port Angeles, Washington on Dec. 6. The Neah Bay rescue tug Gladiator escorted the 720-foot ship into Port Angeles so it could continue to Seattle for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

Norwegian ferry Bjørnsund, with 16 passengers and 7 crew, ran aground between Kristiansund and Averøy while entering Kristiansund on Dec. 6. at 1810LT. The rescue boat Det Norske Veritas was on scene 7 minutes later and towed the ship. It then proceeded to Kristiansund with own power. The ship had suffered a leak, but the pumps were able to manage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

Ferry Rumpenheim, which connects Offenbach-Rumpenheim and Maintal-Bischofsheim Germany, and carries about 700 cars per day, broke loose from its mooring with 14 passengers aboard and drifted onto the main shore becoming grounded 100 meters downstream on Dec. 4. The vessel was refloated the same day and no injuries were reported. It is unclear when ferry traffic will resume. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

19-m Norwegian F/V Husby Junior, underway to Poland with 4 crew aboard, caught fire off Fedje in Sognesjøen, Storesvalene, on Dec. 3. The vessel sent a mayday call at 2112LT. The crew were not injured and were rescued by the local pilot boat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Dec. 6 2007)

6,531-gt oil tanker Aleksandr (IMO 9101235) suffered explosion and fire in engine room in the Caspian sea, 41.59.7N51.52.6E on Dec. 2 at 1740LT. Two crew were killed - the chief and third engineers. The fire was successfully extinguished by the crew, and no hull or engine damage reported. The vessel was moved to 41.57.1N 52.19.3E (Kara Bogaz Gol Bay) and anchored. Marine research institute, S.Petersburg, checked seaworthiness of the vessel with satisfactory results. Later tanker moved, under owner's instructions, to 42.49.0N 52.10.0E, safe anchorage. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

Tug MB-1218 sank at master's berth, Vyborg Shipbuilding Yard, Russia, on Dec. 3 at 1400LT. No injuries or spill reported. The tug will be refloated by the yard's facilities. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

M/V Tamara V ran aground on a reef off Hagatna sewage treatment plant in Guam in the morning of Dec 4. A tug was deployed to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

M/V Aghios Efstathios sent distress message upon leaving Oran port that the vessel suffered a machine blackout 4 miles off the coast on Nov. 25. The pilot rushed back to the ship, which was drifting toward the harbor jetty. It required two tugs to stop the vessel's drift and assist the ship to berth. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

87-ft tug Deschutes, pushing three barges, suffered damage to its propellers and hull during an incident on the Snake River near Ice Harbor, Washington on Nov. 2 at approximately 0840LT. A boom has been placed around the vessel to contain any fuel that may leak from the tank. The vessel will be subject to a detailed inspection by the Coast Guard. The cause of the incident is under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

Cargo M/V Sveatind ran aground in strong winds while attempting to berth at a quay in Bjarkøy, Norway, on Dec. 2. Rescue boat Dagfinn Paust was dispatched and assisted the vessel to berth. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

Workboat Martin Friedrich caught fire while passing the sea lock Cuxhaven, Germany on Nov. 30. The fire broke out in the machine room and had started at the exhaust pipe. After the crew in vain tried to tackle the flames the fire brigade was called and successfully extinguished the fire. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Dec. 4 2007)

75,000-ton bauxite carrier M/V Endeavour River reported stuck fast on mud in the Gladstone Harbour in central Queensland after its hull was pierced by a navigation buoy on the afternoon of Dec. 2. A Maritime Safety Queensland spokesman says the vessel was approaching its designated berth after arriving from Weipa when the accident happened. He says the ship's hull was pierced above the water line but there is limited risk of pollution because the vessel is powered by coal. Authorities are working on a salvage plan with the ship's owner, Queensland Alumina Limited. From our Correspondent Roger in Melbourne, Australia (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

1,640gt, 80-m Norway-flagged cargo M/V Avant, en route from Rotterdam, ran aground at Leirbunnen off Halsa, Norway, in a depth of 5-m on Dec. 2 at 1000LT. The vessel was re-floated at 1600LT and sailed to Halsa. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

25-ft F/V Knucklehead capsized in calm waters about five miles off the coast of Atlantic City on Nov. 29. The Coast Guard recovered the bodies of the three men aboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

22-ft F/V Amanda Bug capsized eight miles off Fortescue in Delaware Bay on Nov. 22 at 1015LT. One man was killed. Nearby 21-ft F/V Fish On assisted in the rescue of two others. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

Cruise ship M/V Aurora, Luxor to Aswan, Egypt, caught fire on Dec. 2. Five people were killed and two others injured. 43 passengers were safely evacuated to another cruise vessel. The fire broke out in the engine room and quickly spread through the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

180-ton French F/V Monbijou, with six crew, ran into difficulties in stormy weather and took on water in the English Channel off Dungness, on the French side of the Channel, on Nov. 30. One fisherman missing and feared dead. The vessel is semi-submerged and is expected to sink shortly as continuing stormy weather is preventing immediate salvage efforts. Pollution risk considered minimal. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

F/V Spesnova, with 3 crew, sank off the isle of Syke, Scotland, six miles northeast of Portree, on Nov. 30 shortly after 1800LT. The crew evacuated and were taken aboard nearby vessel Arnborg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

350-ft freight M/V RSCL Express, loaded with 4,300 tons of wood pulp, sustained damage during storm and required Coast Guard assistance on Nov. 29 approximately 150 miles southeast of Cape Cod. The vessel incurred two 15-centimeter holes in its hull approximately 10 feet above the waterline, which were caused by the anchor striking the hull during severe weather. The Coast Guard deployed 210-ft cutter Dependable, which escorted the damaged vessel to port in Boston for inspection and repair. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

Norweigan F/V Charlotte ran aground, incurred water ingress and listed to port off Rolvsøy in Finnmark, Norway, on Nov. 28 at 0400LT. The tug Beta rushed to the scene where it pumped out the vessel and then towed it to Hammerfest. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

Commercial F/V Lou Denny Wayne grounded one mile south of Pigeon Point, California on Nov. 29. Approximately 600 gallons of diesel fuel are being lightered for environmental concerns. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

Drill ship Nobel Roger Eason NS-15 suffered fire while drilling a well between the fields of Albacora Leste and Marlim Sul in the Campos basin off Rio de Janeiro state coast, Brazil on Nov. 28. The fire was extinguished and the wellhead shut. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Dec. 2 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For November 2007


Editors Note>> M/V Explorer Sank -- (Fri. Nov. 23 2007 PM) M/V Explorer Photo Feature -- The Entire Story McD

Oil rig supply ship Setia Mega, with 14 crew and a food consignment, sank in rough seas 54 nautical miles from Bernama in the morning of Nov 29. All crew including the captain were plucked to safety by a passing ship, M/V Cosa Manila. No injuries reported. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement dispatched the KM Lang to the scene but was shortly after that the crew was saved by the M/V Cosa Manila. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

Ferry / restaurant pleasure boat Pisces capsized on Roodeplaat Dam near Pretoria, South Africa, on Nov. 28 throwing an estimated 80 people overboard. The incident is believed to have occurred as a result of the vessel striking a rock or other object. No accurate log with respect to the number of passengers aboard was maintained. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

Swedish tanker M/V Saturnus caught fire at a tanker berth in the Norwegian port Burøya on Nov. 28. Police and fire brigade able to quickly extinguish the fire, but one man had to be hospitalized for smoke intoxication. The fire had started in an electric wire. The damage was limited. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

ALERT>>> 27,300-dwt, 16,077-grt bulk carrier M/V Mezzaninem (ex-Presidente Allende, Itabo), Panama-flagged and built 1975, capsized and sank with 27 crew in typhoon storms off the coast of Taiwan on Nov. 27. 26 crew missing and feared dead. The Taiwanese Coast Guard managed to rescue one crew from the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

796-ft Panama-flagged container M/V MSC Korea lost power and ran aground in channel of Savannah River, on the South Carolina side of the river near Elba Island, on Nov. 26 at 0145LT. As a result of the incident, the Savannah River was closed to all commercial vessel traffic. The vessel was then moved into safe water within the navigational channel by four tug boats without further incident. No leak or flooding reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

Panamanian commercial vessel Absosal, with 14 crew and a load of paper and computer equipment, caught fire in waters near the port of Bushehr, Iran. Iranian teams rescued all crew. The vessel is reported sinking. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

Swiss-flagged M/V Wildenburg collided with unidentified small vessel at Gebergte, Netherlands, on Nov. 27, causing damage to M/V Wildenburg / its cargo. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

2,827 general cargo ship M/V Leninskiy Komsomol (IMO 7636743) struck 5,076-ton general cargo ship M/V Pyotr Strelkov (IMO 8866840), which was berthed, at Aleksandrovskiy Basin, Rostov-on-Don port, on Nov. 25. No injuries or spill reported, but M/V Pyotr Strelkov suffered significant damage and was taken to shipyard. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Nov. 29 2007)

Norwegian ferry Etne, which usually sails on the route Leirvåg-Skiparvik-Sløvåg, suffered machine problemes and drifted aground in Sløvåg, Norway, on Nov 27 at 0434LT. Etne had to be replaced by the ferry Bømlo which was berthed in Steinestø. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Unidentified wooden fishing boat sank off Saint Martin's Island, a southern Bangladesh island bordering Myanmar waters on Nov. 25. More than 50 people reported missing. Survivors said the boat was carrying more than 100 people. Only three bodies had been recovered. About 50 survivors either swam ashore or were rescued by local fishing boats. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

81-m Norway-flagged chemical tanker M/V Astor suffered machine failure in the Northsea and started drifting towards the Danish coast between Hanstholm and Løkken on Nov 25. A tug was deployed to assist the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

166-m Ferry Queen of Scandinavia collided with research vessel H.U. Sverdrup II when entering Bergen, Norway on Nov. 26. The ship had arrived from England at about midnight and intended to berth at the Skoltegrunnsquay. The superstructure and wheelhouse of the H.U. Sverdrup II were damaged and that vessel developed a list. The Queen of Scandinavia suffered no serious damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

85-m German inland water craft Hanna drifted perpendicular to the current of the Neckar river while attempting to Berth on Nov. 24. The river was blocked between 1430 and 2030LT at Walheim. The situation caused the vessel to collide with the quay and threatened to break the vessel in two. A tug ultimately pushed the vessel to berth. Damage has not yet been assessed. Three ships had to wait for passage during the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

North Sea oil platorm Thistle Alpha, with 159 people aboard, caught fire 120 miles northeast of Sumburgh in Shetland on Nov. 25. Evacuation of all but 43 essential personnel was carried out by helicopters. The fire was ultimately successfully extinguished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Philippine fishing boat numbereed 805900, with 80 sailors aboard, capsized in strong winds in the South China Sea on Nov. 22. Thirty sailors reported saved but some 50 sailors reported missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Cargo M/V Hav Dolphin ran into the embankment of the Kiel Canal at km 56,9 on Nov. 25. The tugs Hans and Nordmark were called to refloat the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

15,000-gt Bulk carrier Eighth Ocean (ex Iran Baakeri) collided with buoy 86 Alpha when entering the new lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbuettel on Nov. 24. The buoy was sunk. The ship was berthed in the lock for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Unidentified ferry, with 34 people aboard, collided with an unidentified cargo ship, loaded with sand, in China's Zhujiang River near the Hedong Bridge, near Guangdong Province, on Nov. 23. The ferry sank and eight people were reported missing. The cargo ship was not severely damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Greek ferry Giorgios ran aground on Nov 23 off Athens with 410 passengers. The Coast Guard evacuated the ship. No one was hurt. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Drilling platform Kab 121 caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico. Fire fighting boat tried to tackle the blaze. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

164-m 11,300-dwt Finnish cargo M/V Misana (IMO 9348936), suffered rudder failure after leaving the Kiel Canal locks in Holtenau on Nov. 24. The ship collided with the quay of the North Harbor, causing damage to the quay and the vessel's hull. The vessel had only been delivered on Oct 19 by J.J. Sietas, Hamburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

Inland container M/V Levante, underway to Oosterhout, struck bridge spanning the Amertak between Geertruidenberg and Made, Germany, on Nov. 23. Two containers, both empty, were damaged. The bridge was closed to vehicle traffic as the structure was pushed upward approximately 10 centimeters. The fire bridage of Geertruidenberg and a boat of Rijkswaterstaat assisted. No permanent damage to the bridge was reported, which has since reopened for vehicle traffic. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 27 2007)

ALERT>>>2400 gt passenger M/V Explorer (built 1969) ran into trouble about 0524 GMT Nov. 23, near King George Island in the Antarctic Ocean began sinking after it hit ice, near the South Shetland Islands. About 100 passengers & 54 crew members have been evacuated and are in lifeboats. Capt. the Chief Officer remained on board the vessel until everyone was evacuated. The vessel is owned by Toronto-based GAP Adventures. M/V Explorer hit a lump of ice off King George Island this morning and the impact left the vessel with a crack in the hull the size of a fist. Weather conditions were "fairly good" for this time of year, but it would be cold. Liner about to sink. The vessel had a 30 degree list. A rescue operation is being co-ordinated by the U.S. Coastguard in Norfolk, Virginia, with the authorities in Ushuaia, Argentina. M/V Antarctic Dream, which is in the area, has been diverted to help the rescue. GAP Adventures said 23 Britons, 17 Dutch, 10 Australians, 13 Americans & 10 Canadians were among the passengers -- remaining nationalities of the rescued tourists are Irish, Danish, Swiss, Belgian, Japanese, French, German & Chinese. M/V Explorer was the 1st custom-built expedition ship -- known as the 'Little Red Ship' to aficionado, she ecame the first passenger vessel to navigate the North West passage in 1984 and was nvolved in rescue of crew from Argentine cargo vessel off Anvers Island, Antarctica, in 1989. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Correspondent A. Griffiths (Fri. Nov. 23 2007) UPDATE>> M/V Explorer now said listing 40 degrees to starboard. (Fri. Nov. 23 2007am) UPDATE>> M/V Explorer sank. (Fri. Nov. 23 2007pm) No casualties. UPDATE>> A Chilean military aircraft arrived Nov. 24 in Antarctica to pick up rescued passengers of M/V Explorer which hit an iceberg & sank off the frozen continent. The Hercules aircraft landed around 2:30 pm (1730 GMT) at the Chilean Antarctic base on Rey Jorge (King George) Island where the evacuees were gathered after the dramatic mishap, Chilean media reported. The craft earlier departed at 12:20 (1520 GMT) from the Punta Arenas airport, some 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) south of Santiago, to ferry about half the 154 passengers to South America after they spent the night on military bases in Antarctica. Weather permitting, all the passengers were expected to be evacuated out of Antarctica by Nov. 25 morning. (Sat. Nov. 24 2007pm) McD

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

19 Nov. 2007: 0100 LT: 03:13.0N -105:23.0E: Off Mangkai Island, Indonesia Duty oiler on board a chemical tanker, underway, noticed pirate with gun in hand on the poop deck. Duty officer informed. Alarm raised. All crew mustered and all lights switched on. Search of the vessel revealed no one onboard. Duty officer noticed an unlit craft moving away from the vessel.

17 Nov. 2007: 0550 LT: Gulf of Aden. A vehicle carrier underway spotted 3 suspicious boats on the stbd side & one on the port side, at a distance of 0.4nm. Master took all necessary preventive measures and the suspicious boats moved away later.

12 Nov. 2007: 2330 LT: 20:05.3N - 064:49.1E: Arabian Sea. A reefer underway detected a small boat on radar at a range of 4nm approaching from the stbd bow at 0.3 nm the craft paralleled course with the vessel. Alarm raised, lights switched on. After 15 minutes, small boat started moving away from vessel.

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

Roro cargo M/V Clare (built 1972, callsign LAV15, length 115 m, breadth 17 m, 5617 gt, 2850 dwt, homeport Oslo, docked in Lerwick on Nov 22 wiith some weather damage -- trailer on the weather deck had been smashed in severe seas & also damage to the ship such as broken railings. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 23 2007)

Container M/V NYK Antares suffered 45 containers lost overside off Schiermonnikoog only 15 were traced up to now. They have sunk off Ameland and have not yet been salvaged. A boat of the Koninklijke Marine is continuing the search. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

Unidentified Philippine fishing vessel sank in the South China Sea Nov 21 while the ship was trying to take shelter from Typhoon Hagibis. Seven Chinese fishing vessels in the area immediately went to the scene & successfully rescued about 30 Filipino crew -- 50 missing. More than 80 crew were reportedly on board the sunken fishing vessel. The China Maritime Rescue Center has already dispatched rescue vessels to the area to search for the missing crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

M/V Cala Palma which had been severely damaged by fire at the Lloyd Yard has been repaired and is scheduled to leave the yard on Nov 23. The ship had arrived in July 2006 to be enlenthed by 16 m. On Aug 8 the isolation of the cargo holds had caught fire. The fire raged 2 days. Only in Jan. 2007 the insurers agreed to repair the ship -- 1800 tons steel had to be exchanged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

66,000 ton converted oil M/T Jabiru Venture, anchored in the Timor Sea about 650km west of Darwin on Nov. 20, noticed a small, wooden boat on the horizon. Just 45 minutes later the 10-meter vessel, its engine disabled & under a jury-rigged sail, pulled alongside. It was low in the water and leaking, and the 16 people aboard were clearly in trouble. Just over the horizon, the navy landing craft HMAS Tarakan & patrol boat HMAS Ararat were on patrol for boat people, smugglers, poachers & other intruders in Australia's exclusive economic zone.M/T Jabiru Venture, which is a restricted security zone, called for assistance and the Border Protection Command in Canberra went into action. HMAS Tarakan with 3 crew was first to arrive about noon. The Ararat, with 21 crew, arrived about 3pm. The sailors noticed the small boat's crew and their tiny portable pump were losing the battle against incoming seawater. The three men, three women and 10 children, aged six months to 14 years, had been provided with food & water and a water pump, lowered fromM/T Jabiru Venture. The 16 were transferred to the much bigger HMAS Tobruk, where they will have health checks and be interviewed by immigration officers before transfer to Christmas Island's detention center. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

Four people missing after unidentifed F/V with 8 people caught fire early on Nov 22 off China's eastern coast. The boat, registered in the eastern Zhejiang Province, was engulfed in flames at 1 a.m. at 28 degrees N. and 121 degrees E. Crew abandoned & fired emergency flares. Rescuers found 4 of them on a life raft & sent them to nearest wharf in Shitang township of Wenling City. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

F/V Olive Oyl capsized in surf in the morning of Nov 21 near Morro Rock, California, harbor entrance -- recreational fisherman rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

The flat deck open stern semi-submersible heavy transport M/V Mighty Servant 3 will rejoin Dockwise`s operational fleet at the end of 2008 after being fully reinstated at the Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd. Dockwise Ltd. and Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd. The vessel will be stripped completely and reinstated in its original state. The engines have already been sent to the manufacturer in Zwolle (the Netherlands). The causes of the accident continues being investigated by both the Dutch Shipping Council and the Angolan Inquiry Commission. The Dockwise internal investigation suggests neither technical equipment nor a structural integrity failure. All possible liabilities have been settled with the Angolan government. Dockwise Ltd. contracted a tug to tow M/V Mighty Servant 3 from Cape Town to the Bahamas with an expected arrival time on the 1st of Feb. 2008. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 22 2007)

Russian refrigerated fish carrier, 2621 dwt F/V Kapitan Oleynichuk (built 1985) suffered fire in the hold berth 42, Vladivostok port fishery port. Vessel in reserve. 10 fire teams engaged, no injures. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

Dry cargo M/V Konyust-1 sank in Caspian Sea -- Nov. 20, 20.30 LT M/V Samur-18 found safe raft with 3 crew -- all alive and in satisfactory condition 2nd Officer, 3rd Engineer, Electric Engineer. 2nd Officer reported 4 safe rafts thrown overboard, with 4 persons in one of them Master, Chief Engineer, 2-nd Engineer & Boatswain. On the bridge during last minutes of vessel's sinking, were 5 people -- rest of the crew presumably sunk with the vessel. Weather wind NW 12-15 meters/sec, swell from SE 1.5-2.0 meters, haze. S&R resumed, S/S Epron coordinating M/V Elegance, M/V Samur-18, M/V Tyulen-6, M/V Linda, M/V Samur-20, & M/V Samur-1. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

The cargo M/V No. 928 capsized off east China's Shandong Province early on Nov 21 -- 7 rescued & sent to hospital thus far. Rescue work continuing but the total number of crew aboard not immediately known. The vessel, which authorities suspected had illegally carried passengers, capsized at 5:00 a.m. about one NM from the coast of Penglai, where it had begun its journey, a small city in Yantai. She was en route to Changdao (Long Island) County -- normally a 40 minute voyage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

Tallink ferry M/V Fantaasia -- chartered by Kystlink as a replacement for the damaged M/V Pride of Telemark -- has been detented at the quay of the City Yard Gothenburg will enter the service between Langesund, Strömstad & Hirtshals next week. Inspections by Swedish shipping authorities proved that efforts to meet required saftey standards are getting well ahead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

42ft. F/V Andiamo, Port Angeles to for homeport of San Francisco, sank 24 miles off of La Push, Wash. on Nov. 20 after reported taking on water & dewatering pumps were not keeping up -- two people were recovered safely from a raft. U.S. Coast Guard Group Port Angeles responded. Tug Na Hoku responded, was the 1st on-scene & able to recover both of the survivors. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

The stern section of the Russian M/T Volgoneft 139 was towed to a pier at Russia's southern port of Kavkaz, Nov. 16, 2007. A fuel oil spill from a tanker into the Black Sea is killing dolphins and the nearby Sea of Azov may suffer serious environmental damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

96ft. research M/V F.G. Walton Smith of the University of Miami struck & stuck fast on a shallow reef in Biscayne National Park, then cruised on without reporting the incident. . The university & Capt. both could face potentially heavy penalties for the grounding, which left the 96-foot F.G. Walton Smith wedged on a patch of coral for about an hour just SE of Elliott Key. The Oct. 13 grounding is the 1st reported in more than 13 years for a renowned marine school that was embarrassed by maritime mishaps involving its previous vessel in the early 1990s. In the worst of 3 groundings, the 170ft. M/V Columbus Iselin smashed across a reef off Looe Key so hard in 1994 it punctured fuel & sewage tanks and took 2 days to free. Within 6 months, the school's former dean, marine operations manager and ship's Capt. all retired. UM eventually paid nearly US$4M to repair extensive destruction in an area with some of the lushest corals in the Florida Keys. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 21 2007)

69-m St. Vincent and Grenadines-registered timber carrier Kastor-1, en route from Russia's far eastern port of Nakhodka to China with 36 crew, sank in a storm in the Sea of Japan on Nov. 18. The crew evacuated in rafts and were rescued by Russian emergency teams, though one crew member reported dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 19 2007)

Oil Tanker M/V Ratna Shalini, with 80,000 tonnes of crude oil, ran aground in strong currents outside the main channel of Cochin Port, India, on Nov. 16. 15,000 tonnes of oil was lightered to another vessel in refloating efforts. No threat of pollution given the nature of the soft mud in which the vessel was stuck. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 19 2007)

70-ft. Norweigan F/V Brandsholmbøen N 200 VV took on water at the quay in Bodø. The vessel was towed to Ballstad for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 19 2007)

Greek cargo vessel M/V Dimitrios F suffered fire at Paros Port, Greece, on Nov. 16. Five crew members suffered injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Bulk carrier Calumet collided with concrete wall along the Old River, Cleveland, at 1230LT. No injuries or pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Unidentified ferry, with 160 people aboard, capsized on the Chindwin river in northwest Myanmary on Nov. 13. At least 23 people are missing and presumed drowned. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

22-m, 11,548-gt Swedish tanker M/V Ramona, with 17 crew aboard, suffered fire while lying at anchor in the Rivö sound near Göteborg on Nov. 15. The fire was caused by exhaust pipes. Firefighters extinguished the blaze. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

80-m, 1,025-t German inland tanker M/V Heinz, with 899 tons oil, ran aground on the Rhine , km 840.6, on Nov. 15 at 1940LT. On Nov. 16, M/V Aladi lightered the cargo in order to refloat the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Container M/V MSC Pillar, en route to Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, collided with 35,000-metric ton vessel M/V Josco Suzhou, with 6,524 metric tonnes of bulk gypsum, at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa. M/V Josco Suzhou suffered serious damage to its hull while the fenders at the quayside were also badly damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

400-t Hungarian inland cargo M/V Regnitz/Fluvius, with 400-600 tons iron ore, took on water and half sunk on Nov. 13. The cargo was unloaded and an oil boom placed around the wreck. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

51-m Norway-flagged cargo M/V Scan Trans, with 5 crew, suffered machine problems off Steigen, Norway, on Nov. 15 at 0700LT. The rescue boats Ruth Opsahl and Kaptein Skaugen from Svolvær proceeded to the ship as well as a helicopter. Three crewmen were evacuated. Two remained on board to support the salvage work. The Ruth Opsahl stabilized M/V Scan Trans and towed it toward Helnes sound. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Ektank M/V Ekfors ran aground in rough weather at the Slagentangen refinery, south of Oslo, on Nov. 8. Leakage of diesel oil reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Russian cargo M/V Ladoga 3, underway from the German port Papenburg to Poland with crew of 8, ran aground in the Baltic sea 2.5 miles north of Ahrenshoop off the Darss peninsula in the night of Nov 16. The captain was found intoxicated. No pollution or injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

196-m, 2,198-ts , 1992-built inland tanker M/V Margaux of homeport Rotterdam, with 2,00 tons benzol, ran aground on the Rhine near Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, river km 373.5 on Nov. 14. German inland tanker M/V Miriam lightered 700 tons, allowing M/V Margaux to be refloated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Dutch F/V UK 133 became disabled after getting net entangled in propeller 150km northwest of Den Helder, Netherlands, on Nov. 15 at 2145LT. A diver who attempted to address the problem was pulled onto deck unconscious. The Navy sent a helicopter from the frigate Hr. Ms. van Galen, which was operating in a distance of 50 miles. At 2250LT, the helicopter was on scene, but the diver was pronounced dead upon arrival. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

Vessels Angermanland, Gaz Zael and Kadri were involved in collision amidst dense fog on the Kiel Canal near Rendsburg on Nov. 16 at 0900LT. Traffic was stopped in both directions. The Kadri berthed in Kiel for inspections. Angermanland and Gaz Zael proceeded to Brunsbuettel where they berthed at the railway pilings for inspections. No pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 17 2007)

1972-buit, Russia-flagged, 1,200-gt car carrier (former research vessel), Eduard Toll, with cargo of cars, suffered engine failure in Japan Sea. Tug Atlas dispatched and successfully towed vessel to Slavyanka port (Amurskiy bay). From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Nov. 17 2007).

1997-buit, 335-dwt F/V Vostok-1 (IMO 9160516) disabled after getting propeller entangled in fishing net while fishing in Okhotsk sea on Nov. 10 at 1715LT. Assistance was dispatched. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Nov. 17 2007).

1968-built, Russia-flagged, 1,503-gt dry cargo M/V Kamust-1, Astrakhan - Enzeli, Iran, with 12 crew and cargo of 2,186-tonns steel billet, reported missing on Nov. 14. Communications were lost with the vessel on Nov. 11. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Nov. 17 2007).

1968-built, Cambodia-flagged, 2,457-gt dry cargo M/V Nika (IMO 8874342) en route to Turkey, collided with 1980-built, Russia-flagged, 3,958-gt dry cargo M/V Volgo-Don 5076 on the Kerch strait, to the north of Varzovskiy Buoy, approaching Eisk port, on Nov. 17 at 0145LT. Both vessels suffered damage above the waterline. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Nov. 17 2007).

17-m F/V RSH-4499, with 6 crew, ran aground in stormy weather off Sakhalin island, Russia, 20 meters from shoreline, on Nov. 14. The crew managed to get to shore, but one crew member died of hypothermia shortly thereafter. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Nov. 17 2007).

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

11 Nov. 2007: 0305 LT: Phu My berth 'A', Vietnam. Pirates armed with knives boarded general cargo ship at berth. Vessel informed port security who came onboard for assistance. While proceeding towards the forecastle, 2 robbers were seen jumping overboard. Inspection showed ship's stores were stolen.

09 Nov. 2007: 0800 LT: 28:41N-049:46E, Persian Gulf -- suspicious craft approached tanker, underway, from the stern. Master sounded general alarm, increased speed, crew mustered & fire hoses standby. The speed boat closed to 0.1NM and when it noticed crew alertness, aborted approach & moved away.

08 Nov. 2007: 0400 LT: 13:48N - 053:45E, 65 NM North of Socotra Island, Somalia. C/O onboard a car carrier, underway, noticed an unlit boat at 3NM off the port bow with a speed of 19 kts. Boat reduced speed to match the speed of the vessel. When the craft was about 1NM off master raised alarm, crew mustered & switched on deck lights. At 0430 LT another unlit boat was observed 2NM of port bow of the ship. Both boats altered course towards Socotra at 0445 LT and moved away.

06 Nov. 2007: 2130 LT: 03:55.2N - 099:46.2E, Malacca Straits. An unidentified small watercraft approached chemical tanker underway. OOW raised alarm, sounded ship's whistle, crew mustered and directed searchlight at the craft. The craft came within 150 metres & aborted the attempt

06 Nov. 2007: 1800 UTC: 22:06N-062:31E: Arabian Sea. Bulk carrier underway detected suspicious craft, on radar, approaching directly towards own vessel at a speed of 19 knots. Master took all preventive measures to prevent boarding. Suspicious craft reached 0.1 NM from vessel, on seeing crew alertness, the suspicious craft reduced speed and altered course towards another nearby vessel. All vessels were warned on VHF radio about suspicious craft approach.

05 Nov. 2007: 2150 LT: 12:33N 113:42E: South China Sea. One suspicious boat followed general cargo ship at a range of 100m for about an hour. Crew mustered & fire hoses with pressurised water jet standby and action taken to prevent any boarding. Later, master informed the Piracy Reporting Centre that the distance between the boat and the ship was increasing. Vessel continued passage to destination port.

05 Nov. 2007: 0000 0400 LT: 19:49.24S-034:50.0E, Beira port, Mozambique. Pirates boarded container ship at berth & stole ship's stores amid tight anti piracy watches. The ship had shore security personal deployed by the port security. In addition, there were armed security guards on the shore side.

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50-ft F/V Tally-Ho, with two crew, struck Brady Rock and sank off Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory, about 10 nautical miles north of Alyangula, on Nov. 13 at 0740LT. The two crew swam to a nearby beach. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 14 2007)

Unidentified lobster boat capsized on the opening day of lobster season off southern New Brunswick, near Grand Manan Island, on Nov. 13. One fisherman was killed. The boat was partially submerged and was towed to shore. Officials from the Transportation Safety Board were expected to begin their investigation right away. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 14 2007)

86-m Hungarian inland water craft, Rengitz, built 1957, broke in two while being loaded in the west harbour of Regensburg in the Danube river. The ore had been loaded only midships so that the ship became too heavy. Bow and stern stick out of the water, the cargo is submerged. The vessel will have to be raised by special cranes after having been stabilized by welding its halves together. The ship's value is 300000 Euro, its fate is unclear now. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 14 2007)

Dutch F/V Ouddorp 5 ran aground on the beach of Renesse, Netherlands while trying to refloat the F/V Lia Jan - Helder 64, which had previously ran aground, on Nov. 12. Both vessels reported stuck fast. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 14 2007)

Unidentified fishing vessel sank in Peru's Sea of Sechura, northwest of the country's capital Lima, on Nov. 11. Six fishermen were killed. After the accident, Peru's navy and local government sent out more than 20 boats on a rescue mission, recovering the bodies of the six dead fishermen and rescuing the two survivors. According to preliminary investigations, the fishing boat capsized because of overloading and the gale at sea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 13 2007)

35-meter cargo M/V Lakshwadeep, with six crew, reported missing from the high seas between Mangalore and Lakshwadeep since Nov 5. An aircraft and Coast Guard vessel ICGS Kasturba Gandhi are repeatedly scanning the sea and coastal waters between the two places to locate the missing vessel and its six crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Nov. 13 2007)

Faroes ferry Norrona, with 284 passengers and 80 crew, suffered temporary power failure and total machine blackout in heavy weather between Norway and the Shetlands on Nov. 12. The stabilizers were damaged causing the vessel to roll in heavy seas, which resulted in damage to vehicles on board. Vessel was listing, but arrived to port with no serious injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 12 2007)

SS Lake Champlain suffered explosion while undergoing routine maintenance work in a shipyard dry dock in San Diego, California. Six workers were injured, one remains in critical condition. The explosion is attributed to the vessel's fuel tank, which was bing worked on at the time of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 12 2007)

Unidentified cargo vessel suffered machine failure and drifted aground on the Rhine, km 660.7 at Bornheim-Herstel on Nov. 9. Rhine ferry Mondorf suffered damage when it pulled along side in an attempt to assist. The cargo vessel was refloated on Nov. 10. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 12 2007)

50-m M/V Havsand, homeport Færøyene, ran aground near Måløy in the Eastern stretch of the Måløy Sound directly under the Måløy bridge on Nov. 11. The vessel was refloated on Nov. 12. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 12 2007)

Container M/V Cepheus J collided with 5,000-gt general cargo M/V Bothinia Carrier upon entering the New Southern lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbuettel on Nov. 11. Only minor damage reported, though both vessels were require to stop for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Nov. 12 2007)

Unidentified fishing boat, with 12 aboard, collided with unidentified cargo vessel and sank in the East China Sea in East China's Zhejiang Province on Nov. 11 at 1023LT. The Zhejiang maritime and fishery bureau dispatched almost 40 rescue vessels from across the province and neighboring Shanghai Municipality to search for the missing fishermen. Only the captain was saved. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

ALERT>> Several ships sunk in Kerch Straight storm - at least 23 people missing>> 3,463-gt 133-m Russian tanker M/V Vologneft-139 (IMO 8849608), built 1978, tore apart and sank in heavy weather spilling 1,300 tonnes of fuel oil into the Black Sea on Nov. 11. Four other cargo ships including three carrying sulphur also sank as winds of up to 108 kilometres (67 miles) an hour battered the Kerch Strait separating the Black Sea from the Sea of Azov. Among those vessels: M/V Kovel, 104-m M/V Volnogorsk, and 1,650-gt M/V Nakhichevan (IMO 8948222). Forty vessels were evacuated from Kavkaz, a busy Russian commercial port some 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) south of Moscow, officials said. Ten others were forced to stay in the port because of the storm. Some 300 kilometres further west, high winds sank another cargo ship, believed to be M/V Ismail Prince (IMO 7521467) with 17 sailors on board. Two were rescued and 15 crew reported missing. 2,466-gt dry cargo M/V Vera Voloshina (7942219 ) aground on Crimea shore, in cape Meganom area, near Sudak town. Cargo M/V Ziya Kok also aground off a beach promenade. The barge Demetra broke loose from anchor and drifted with a cargo of 3,000 tons oil toward Tuzla spit. Divers confirmed M/V Kovel is leaking sulphur causing environmental devestation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen, our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko, our Correspondent Charles Emberton, and our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Nov. 11-12 2007).

Turkish cargo M/V Aktag, with 275 migrants aboard, sufferd machine damage in storm 20 km off Katakola in the Mediterranean sea on Nov. 11. Several attempts of the Greek Coastguard to reach the ship failed due to the severe weather, but a tug was ultimately able to connect a rope to the distressed vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

Tanker M/V Team Anemonia (IMO 8917089) sufferd storm damage but managed to berth in Rotterdam on Nov. 10. The bow is bent and cracked open with a one meter wide gap reaching from port to starboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

Bahamas-flagged general cargo M/V Eva Danielsen, with load of steel, suffered power failure and blackout off the North Hinder traffic separation zone in Force 9 to 10 winds in the North Sea on Nov. 9. Salvage and towage company Multraship Salvage B.V. and Belgian salvage specialist URS Salvage & Maritime Contracting rescued the vessel and towed it to Flushing, Netherlands. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

Inland watercraft Allegro, underway to Zwolle, Netherlands, collided with construction pontoon belonging to the Dutch 105th bridge building company on the Waal river near Nijmegen on Nov. 9. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

300-m and 6,100-TEU Panama-flagged container M/V NYK Antares, Hamburg to Le Havre, lost 51 40-ft empty containers in heavy seas in the Northsea on Nov. 8. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 9 2007)

M/V Ulrike G grounded on the Kiel Canal at Rendsburg on Nov. 9. The vessel was allowed to proceed after divers investigated the hull in the North harbour of Kiel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 9 2007)

114-m M/V Andrea Nordana collided with collided with M/V Daina on the eastern part of the Kiel Canal, at the passing point Schwartenbek. on Nov. 9. The collision was caused by strong winds. Both vessels suffered damage. The captain of M/V Andrea Nordana was cited before being allowed to proceed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 9 2007)

40-ft cabin cruiser Messing About grounded on the southern jetty of Charleston Harbor on Nov. 8 at 2100LT. A helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston diverted to the scene to hoist the two boaters off the grounded vessel. Commercial salvage has removed the vessel from the rocks. No pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 9 2007)

51-ft F/V Grand Cru, with 3 crew, sank 75 miles east of Cape Canaveral, West Palm Beach, Florida on Nov. 8. 598-ft container vessel M/V Jo Cedar, Savannah, Georgia to New Orleans, heard the distress calls and responded, rescuing and taking aboard the crew from a life raft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 9 2007)

Norwegian F/V Eros, homeport Ålesund, ran aground in the Tjeld Sound on Nov 8 at 2100LT. The vessel stuck fast at Kobbstein ground south of Rødskjær. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Nov. 9 2007)

F/V Tunafjord - FG 111, with 18 tons diesel fuel, 6 tons fish and 4 crew, ran aground south of Bollo off Karlskrona in Sweden on Nov. 8. The Coast Guard and an anti-pollution vessel responded to the scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

207-ft cruise ship Spirit of Nantucket, Alexandria Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina with 66 people board took on water 2 miles away from the rural area off Virginia beach on Nov. 8. Two 41-foot Coast Guard boats moved the ship's passengers and crew to a ferry landing about 2 miles away from the rural area off Virginia Beach. The cruise ship was intentionally grounded into the mud dged in mud and reported stable. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007) UPDATE>>> Spirit of Nantucket refloated on Nov. 10. The Army Corps of Engineers located a submerged object approximately eight-feet below surface. The object is marked and will be removed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

7,545-gt. British container feeder Blue Wave (ex JRS Canopus) suffered total blackout on the Kiel Canal at the passing point Breizholz on Nov. 8 at 1600LT. The vessel drifted perpendicular to the canal and stuck fast. The tugs Bugsier 12 and Bugsier 14 were called to refloat the ship and tow it to the communal harbour Rendsburg, for investigations and damage survey. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

Dinner cruise boat Capital Elite caught fire along the southwest District of Columbia waterfront in Washington on Nov. 7. The fire started in the galley just before 2000LT. A D.C. fireboat alongside the tour boat and crews quickly put out the flames. No one was hurt. Investigators reported the fire was an accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

M/V Lakshadweep, Mangalore Port to Kalpeni Island in Lakshadweep with crew of seven, confirmed missing by Indian Coast Guard on Nov. 7. The ship was previously reported missing by Karvaratti Port Officials to the Coast Guard. Initial search efforts by Coast Guard teams re-tracing the vessel's route turned up nothing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007) UPDATE>>> Vessel had capsized, 90 nautical miles southwest of New Mangalore port, on Nov. 8 at 1100LT. All six crew rescued and undergoing treatment for exhaustion. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 14 2007)

Sailing vessel Charlotte Louise, a vessel featured in a number of films including the Count Of Montecristo, sank at its moorings at the Strand, Sliema, Malta on Nov 4. The cause of the sinking is unknown, though the vessel is expected to be refloated in the coming days. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

Germany container M/V Anj, with 173 tons fuel oil, a ran aground and developed severe list off Ranagsundøya in Nordland on Nov. 8. The vessel is reported to be stable. Norwegian coast guard vessel KV Harstad is on scene to address potential leakage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

Belgium flagged inland tanker M/V Poseidon collided with unidentified Czech barge train on the Wesel-Datteln-Canal near Dorsten, Germany on Nov 7 at 0550LT. Both vessels suffered damage in the foreship region but remained stable. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

Cargo M/V Linda collided with car carrier Schelde Highway while entering the Brunsbüttel locks of the Kiel Canal on Nov. 8. Both vessels suffered only superficial damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

810-ft Hanjin container M/V COSCO Busan, built 2001, struck a bridge support fender of the Bay Bridge in San Francisco west of Treasure Island on Nov. 7. The impact caused damage to the vessel and ruptured a fuel tank spilling 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel into the bay. The bridge was not damaged and road traffic not affected. (Wed. Nov. 7 2007) From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 8 2007)

160-m Spanish container M/V Ruiloba struck the inner gate of the South lock of Kiel Canal in Kiel-Holtenau on Nov. 7. The lock was damaged and may not be functional until Nov. 8 or later. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

42-ft F/V Linda C reported taking on water approximately 16 miles south of Atlantic City, New Jersey on Nov. 5. The Coast Guard launched the Coast Guard Cutter Finback, homeported in Cape May, N.J., a rescue boat crew from Station Atlantic City, and an HH-65C Dolphin helicopter rescue crew from Air Station Atlantic City to assist the fisherman. The sole fisherman was hoisted to safety and the vessel towed by salvage boat to shallow waters and grounded. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

1,5061-gt 179-m M/V Duncan Island, Antwerp to Hamburg, lost nine containers overboard off Terschelling Island in heavy seas in the Northsea on Nov. 6. Other containers were damaged, crushed, and hanging over the vessel's port side. On container tore a leak into the vessel's hull, causing a considerable oil leak. The vessel was ordered by the German casualty command to enter the port of Cuxhaven. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

1,978-gt Dutch cargo M/V Nola (IMO 9243863) suffered machine failure and ran aground on the Elbe at Nefueld aods on Nov. 4. The vessel was subsquently refloated by two tugs and is undergoing repairs. Meanwhile, bananas have been washing up on two Dutch islands in the North Sea. They will likely be donated to Dutch zoos. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007) and our correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Sun. Nov. 11 2007)

2,900-gt cargo M/V Shenhai 1, from Yingkou in the Bohai Gulf to Shanghai with 4,800 tons of steel and 16 crew, sank on 28 October. All 16 crew feared dead. The vessel is believed to have sank after the cargo shifted in heavy seas. One body was recovered. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

F/V Minxiayu 1121, with nine aboard, reported missing off east China's coast on Nov. 2. One sailor from the vessel, who fell into the water, was rescued by a freighter. More than 10 boats and a helicopter have been dispatched to search the area, but no traces of the rest of the crew have been found. The Ningbo Maritime Affairs Bureau has sent staff members to find the ROK freighter, which is now in Shanghai, to get more information. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

Unidentified vessel, with 36 aboard, sank in a canal outside Bangkok on Nov. 4. Three people reported killed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

42-ft sailboat Albatross, Long Island, New York to Bermuda, lost both crew overboard in heavy seas 270 miles north of Bermuda on Nov. 3. The men were attempting to board 645-ft Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) M/V Martorell when they went into the water. The Coast Guard launched an extensive search which has since been suspended. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

Hopper barge Longsand, with heavy machinery and used engine oil, ran aground in Weymouth Bay, UK on Oct. 25. Leakage reported, sparking environmental concerns. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

779-ft tanker M/V Axel Spirit, enroute from Peth Amboy, NJ, struck Ambrose Light a 76-foot structure that sits about 12 miles southeast of Staten Island, N.Y. on Nov. 3. An exact damage assessment will not be known until officials can thoroughly inspect the structure. Once the severe weather caused by Tropical Storm Noel has subsided, the Coast Guard will completely assess the damage and make repairs to the light. Until then, mariners are asked to stay clear of that area, if possible, for their own safety and the safety of others on the water. 225-ft Coast Guard Cutter Willow, homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, has been directed to affix temporary navigation aids until permanent repairs can be made to Ambrose Light. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

3,382-gt 94-m Danish cargo M/V Baltic grounded at Raudhl at the northern edge of Stord, Norway on Nov. 3. The cause of the grounding was attributed to the intoxicated captain, who was arrested by local police. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Nov. 7 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

24 Oct. 2007: 0010 LT: Off Lagos Apapa lightering area, Nigeria. Pirates boarded a product tanker during STS operation at anchor. They tied up 2 crew & stole cash and valuables from one crew. During encounter, one seaman received minor injury. Master activated SSAS alert. Local police &port authority informed.

28 Oct. 2007: 0216 UTC: 13:05N -050:24E, Gulf of Aden. An undesignated distress call was received from a chemical tanker underway. Thereafter, there has been no subsequent communication with the vessel. The owners and the Piracy Reporting Centre have been unable to contact the vessel. Information from the coalition naval forces, in the vicinity, indicates that pirates have likely hijacked & sailed the tanker into Somali territorial waters. There are 23 crew on board the vessel.

27 Oct. 2007: 1940 LT: 00:48.8N - 053:49.4E, Somalia. OOW on a container ship underway noticed, on radar, that a suspicious craft lighted & proceed at 6 knots. OOW altered course to stbd and the craft also altered course. OOW raised alarm, informed Master & increased to full speed. Crew mustered & activated anti-piracy measures. The craft proceeded at 10 knots & the suspicious craft followed the ship. At 2040 LT the craft reduced speed to four knots and stopped following the ship.

26 Oct. 2007: 0130 LT: Nacala anchorage, Mozambique. Pirates boarded container vessel at anchor & stole ship's stores. Ship contacted port control but no response was received.

26 Oct. 2007: 0410 LT: Nacala anchorage, Mozambique. Pirates in two boats attempted to board container vessel at anchor. Anti-piracy crew activated fire hoses at the boat & robbers aborted the attempt.

23 Oct. 007: 0400 LT: 03:56.0N-098:47.7E: Belawan anchorage, Indonesia. A seaman spotted several pirates on the forecastle when he was sent forward to look for the duty O/S who was not responding to calls on the radio. Robbers had caught & tied up the duty O/S. Alarm raised & crew alerted. On hearing the alarm, the robbers escaped. A search revealed that the pirates had attempted to enter the forecastle store.

22 Oct. 2007: 0350 UTC: 12:29.5N-045:15E: Gulf of Aden. While underway, a chemical tanker was pursued by 7 boats with 3 persons in each boat. The boats approached the vessel from all directions making it extremely difficult for the vessel to maneuver. The closest the boats got to the vessel was 0.1 NM. The master managed to out maneuver 5 boats. The other two boats continued to follow the vessel. As the vessels, speed was greater than the boats the master assessed the situation & felt his vessel was not in any danger.

21 Oct. 2007: 2250 LT: 13:14N-048:13E: Gulf of Aden. While underway, LPG tanker was warned by vessels ahead of her about unlit boats that had failed in approaching them. Master on the LPG tanker raised the alarm, mustered the crew on the bridge & briefed them. The target boat was picked up on radar & seen to approach the vessel from ahead. Master carried out evasive maneuvers. The boat tried to pursue the ship but could not keep up. The entire incident lasted almost one and a half hours.

19 Oct. 2007: 0200 LT: Majunga Harbor, Madagascar. Pirates boarded a sailboat. They cut the skipper's thumb & assaulted him. Then, the pirates took the skipper's wife hostage and attempted to strangle her. The skipper & his wife were injured by knives and received many wounds and fractured ribs. The pirates stole cash and property & escaped.

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551-ft. double-hulled Liberian gas carrier SCF Tomsk, with 23 crew, 1.5 million gallons of liquefied petroleum gas, 330,000 gallons of fuel oil, and 33,000 gallons of diesel, grounded on the reef line after breaking loose from its moorings by Tropical Storm Noel at San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, on Oct. 29. Currently, no leaks reported. Salvage company Titan has been retained to conduct salvage operations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 3 2007)

Panama-flagged container M/V MSC Grace lost rescue boat overboard during an exercise 15 miles off Bremerhaven on the anchorage New Weser Roads on Oct. 31. The boat, which had been hanging on the port side, fell out of its fittings and first crashed onto the main deck of the ship and then into the sea. The rescue boat was subsequently recovered. The 1st officer who was guiding the exercise was injured and had to be taken stationary into a hospital in Bremerhaven after the ship entered port. The Bremen police are investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 3 2007)

94-m Danish cargo M/V SC Baltic ran aground off Sandvikvåg, Fitjar on Nov. 2. Personnel from Coast Guard vessel Eigun boarded M/V SC Baltic and found the helmsman was intoxicated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 3 2007)

65-ft F/V Sea Star II reported taking on water two miles off Beach Haven, New Jersey on Oct. 21. A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., diverted from a training mission, arrived on scene, and lowered a dewatering pump to the fishing boat crew. A smallboat crew from Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, N.J., arrived on scene and boarded the boat to assess the situation. The dewatering pump kept the flooding under control, and the smallboat crew from Station Barnegat Light escorted the F/V Sea Star II to Lighthouse Marina in Barnegat Light where the boat was moored to a pier. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Nov. 3 2007)

Ferry Anton 2, en route to Camotes Island from Danao City in Cebu province, 585 kilometres south of Manila, Philippines, with 15 crew and 13 passengers, capsized on Oct. 30. Five passengers are dead, and seven reported survived. All 15 crew have been accounted for. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Nov. 1 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For October 2007


NNorth Korean cargo freighter M/V Dai Hong Dan, with 22 crew, captured by pirates off Mogadishu Port, Somalia, on Oct. 29. The U.S. Navy helped the crew regain control in a violent struggle on Oct. 30. At least two attackers died in the clashes and five were captured, while three of M/V Dai Hong Dan's crew were seriously injured. The USS James E. Williams responded after the Kuala Lumpur-based International Maritime Bureau passed on a distress signal from the North Korean ship following its seizure by pirates overnight Oct 29. Three seriously injured crew members have been transferred to USS James E. Williams for treatment. Initial reports from the crew are that five pirates were captured and two are dead. The pirates remain aboard M/V Dai Hong Dan. The North Korean ship was headed to the Somali port of Aden with casualties on board. The crew members have taken control of the ship after defeating the eight men who hijacked it last night. African Union peacekeepers charged with protecting the port said the vessel was outside their operation area. M/V Dai Hong Dan was far away from the seaport and at the anchorage at the time of the hijacking. The hijacking was masterminded by the same people who were supposed to bring the vessel into the port. The militiamen had asked for 15,000 dollars (10,000 euros) to free the freighter, which arrived in Mogadishu 10 days before and had already unloaded its cargo. The incident was the second piracy attack off Somalia's 3,700 kilometre (2,300 miles) coastline in recent days. On Oct 28, a Japanese chemical tanker with 23 Korean, Filipino and Myanmar crew on board was hijacked off the coast of northern Somalia. Four other vessels remain under pirate control off the coast of southern Somalia. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 31 2007)

Unidentified barge with load of stones which had been towed by tug Kap Horn into the Port of Brake, Germany, capsized at the quay on Oct. 29. The barge was righted and dewatered on Oct 31. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 31 2007)

M/V Pearl suffered fire while being repaired at dry dock in Cammell Laird Shipyard in Birkenhead, Wirral,UK on Oct. 30. More than 25 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 31 2007)

1,865-dwt cargo M/V Tramp, Amsterdam to Felkenberg, struck gate of the Kiel Canal locks on Oct. 27 at 2152LT. The vessel suffered a gash in the bow and berthed in the Scheer Harbour of Kiel at 2300LT, where repairs are being carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 31 2007)

Maersk container M/V Osana lost five empty containers overboard while being berthed at the Coloradoway in the port of Rotterdam. The containers struck the bow of the lighter vessel Beethoven, which was lying alongside the containership's port side. No injuries reported. The harbour service dispatched vessels to secure the damaged containers and assess the situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 31 2007)

1915-built Swiss paddle wheel steamer Simplon collided with quay and suffered water ingress in Genf on Oct 31. The accident happened as a result of machine malfunction. The flooding was contained in the foreship. The damage was assessed to be about 50000 Swiss Franks. Simplon was overhauled in 2005. The vessel was moved to the CGN-Yard in Ouchy near Lausanne. Repairs are estimated to take about 10 days. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 31 2007)

Unidentified vessel owned by the Shanghai Yinghai Shipping Company. Ltd. and traveling from Bayuquan, near the Yingkou City, to Shanghai with sixteen people and 50 tons of oil, sank off northeast China's Liaoning Province at 0808LT on Oct. 28. At least one person reported dead and 15 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 30 2007)

140-ft Vancouver party boat Abitibi, with 400 people aboard, ran aground less than 100 metres from its dock on Oct. 27. Passengers were off-loaded over the course of 3 hours onto another boat owned by the same company. The rising tide eventually lifted the boat and the owners claim there was no damage to the hull or engines. Officials said a report will be filed with Transport Canada. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 29 2007)

7,000-gt container M/V Aura collided with 5,000-gt chemical tanker M/V Deira in the Kiel Canal at Oldenbuettel on Oct. 28 at 1900LT. M/V Deira suffered water ingress and began to list, resulting in oil leakage into the canal. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 29 2007)

42-ft F/V Madame Glendastruck struck an unknown object and sank approximately 53 miles northwest of Key West, Florida on Oct. 27. The Coast Guard immediately diverted an HU-25 Falcon jet and launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter, both from Air Station Miami. The 110-foot Coast Guard Cutter Key Biscayne was diverted from its patrol to also assist. Efforts to save the vessel were unsuccessful and the crew was evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 28 2007)

80-m 1984-built Slovakian freighter M/V Omer N (IMO 8131154), en route to Nantes, France with 11 crew, capsized off Fehmarn, 15 miles west of Gedser, location N 54°29.894' / E 11°31.974' on Oct. 28. The cause of the incident is undetermined but not weather related. The vessel is laying on its side, but still afloat. Rescue efforts launched included helicopter and vessels Sormovskiy 50 (Russan cargo M/V) Arkona (German SAR) Berlin (German SAR) Elsa (German SAR) Emil Zimmermann (German SAR) John T. Essberger (German SAR) LW Dam (Danish SAR) Neustrelitz (German coast guard). One crew man of M/V Omer N is reported dead. Several crew members are missing and believed to be trapped in the wreckage. The wreck is expected to ground east of Rødby. The German emergency tug Fairplay 26 and the multi purpose ship Scharhoern were called by the "Havariekommando" and are expected on scene shortly. Divers were deployed for rescue attempts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 28 2007)

150-m 1994-built Cypriotic-flagged ferry Galileusz, homeport Sczeczin, struck TT-Line ferry Nils Dacke while the latter was berthed in Trelleborg on Oct. 26. The captain of Galileusz was determined to be intoxicated. Galileusz suffered 25-m gash on port side above the waterline and was towed away for repairs. The Nils Dacke departed Trelleborg with Swedish navy escort. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 28 2007)

2,044-gt 1979-built Georgia-flagged heavy load carrier Almira G (IMO 7811719), China to Vladivostok with 14 crew and load of automobiles, reported herself in distress with water ingress 50 miles west off Mokpho, South Korea, in the yellow Sea, position 34.47 N 125.31 E on Oct. 18 at 0725LT. The engine room was flooded and the vessel experienced water ingress in cargo hold through hull cracks. All crew evacuated to 2 Korean Coast Guard ships. No injures reported. Rescue under joint control RCC Mokpho and Vladivostok. Salvage under way, trying to tow vessel to nearest port. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Oct. 28 2007)

Barge McNally Olympic, with two tugs on board, Mainstique and Le Taureau, washed ashore amidst heavy seas on the coast of Labrador on Oct. 8. Both tugs have been given up as total wrecks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Oct. 26 2007)

35-ft sailboat The Jason lost man overboard and subsequently struck breakwater while trying to retrieve him in Lake Michigan on Oct .24. The vessel broke up upon collision and three crew were killed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Oct. 26 2007)

Danish ferry Crown of Scandinvia of DFDS, enroute to Oslo, suffered a machine blackout in the Drøbak Sound 900 metres off the harbour on Oct 25 at 0800LT. The ship came off course and in danger of running aground. It stopped at least 10-15 metres away from the shore. The captain got back control over the ship when another machine was started and the ship then was able to resume its voyage to Oslo. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Oct. 26 2007)

40-m 600-ts Norway-flagged cargo M/V Ocean Sun, with crew of 6 but no cargo, ran aground at Grøtøyleia in Steigen on Oct. 25 at 1500LT. The vessel was in danger of sinking. The rescue boat "Gjert Wilhelmsen" was called from Ballstad for help. The vessel was subsequently stablized and refloated on Oct. 26 at 0330LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Oct. 26 2007)

914-ts 67-m German cargo M/V Cherie, built 1957, caught fire on a slipway in Minden in the old Weser harbour on Oct. 25. One man suffered from smoke intoxication. The crew was not on board. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Oct. 25 2007)

Singapore built JU-200-MC Mat Cantilever Drilling Rig (delivered 1982) Usumacinta (delivered 1982) collided with light-production platform Pemex Kab 101 about 20 miles off the port of Dos Bocas in the Gulf of Mexico, state of Tabasco on Oct. 24. Reported seas of 25 feet and gusting winds of 80mph closed ports along the near coast and hampered rescue operations as well. 10 men are dead, 58 rescued and a number missing as rescue efforts continue in terrible weather. Oil leakage is reported, but it is not immediately clear how much gas and oil had spilled from the accident about 20 miles off the port of Dos Bocas. The Usumacinta drilling rig is owned by the Compania Perforadora Central S.A. de C.V, and operates under contract to Pemex. The accident was the deadliest for the offshore industry in the Gulf since 13 died on the Ocean Express jackup rig, which capsized in bad weather in April 1976, according to Simon Marquis, a U.K.-based offshore-rig researcher. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Oct. 25 2007)

Unidentified Indonesian S/V took on water and sank off the island of Sulawesi on Oct. 25. 30 people reported missing. Rescue teams were searching the seas for the missing people in the near Kendari city in Southeast Sulawesi. The weather and visibility is good visibility and rescue forces have deployed six boats to look for the missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Oct. 25 2007)

Unidentified 125-m river cruise ship, with 162 passengers and 42 crew, was in collision with unidentified 100-m Dutch inland water craft in the lock of Strullendorf on the verlief Main-Donau-Canal on Oct. 23 at 0545LT. When the cruise ship was about to enter the lock the other craft was about to leave bound to Duesseldof. Due to a navigational mistake it crossed the way of the cruise ship which ran aground with its stern while trying to avoid the collision. When it was hit the railing was damaged on a length of 20 metres as well as the hull. Two windows of cabins were smashed. No injuries reported. Divers started investigating the hull of the cruise ship which lasted the whole day while the ship remained berthed in Strullendorf. Police started investigations against the Dutch captain who had the command on the brand new ship just since 3 weeks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 24 2007)

105.2-m 1972-built Swedish ferry Alandsfarjan, with 134 passengers aboard from Kapellskr and Mariehan, ran aground while entering Mariehamn on Oct. 23 at 1500LT. The vessel was able to refloat under own power and proceeded to berth. The vessel will be sent to Tallinn for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 24 2007)

A 45-foot commercial F/V Miss Linda washed ashore on Vilano Beach, Florida in the morning of Oct 22. The person on board left the boat on auto pilot and fell asleep. F/V Miss Linda got stuck in the sand during low tide. No one was injured. The boat was not damaged. F/V Miss Linda is registered in Jacksonville. The Coast Guard says it will be towed off the beach during high tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 23 2007)

F/V New Queen ran aground near the mouth of the Snohomish River, Washington, on Oct. 21 at approximately 1500LT. No spills or injuries reported. Attempts to free the vessel will be made at high tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 23 2007)

20-m Former Danish shark F/V Hansine, Denmark to Germany, grounded in the fishing harbour II in Bremerhaven during the afternoon of Oct. 22. The ship stuck fast off the shipping lane due to a navigation mistake. Initial attempts to free the vessel failed. The ship poses no navigational hazard and has no water ingress. An investigation as to the cause of the grounding is underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 23 2007) UPDATE>>> F/V Hansine FN 121 (call sign NKBN, 36 gt, ex-names Cimbria - 1922, Eskild - 1938) was refloated in the morning of Oct 24 in Bremerhaven and was berthed at the West quay. The ship was built 1898 by J.N.Olsen in Frederikshavn/Denmark. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Oct. 25 2007)

Unidentified boat carrying migrants from Central America sank in heavy weather off the Mexican state of Oaxaca on Oct. 22. Eleven people reported drowned and another 10 missing. (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

M/V Efunya sank at the Marina of Apapa port, Nigeria over the weekend of Oct. 20. The vessel had been arrested and detained for illegal bunkering. The sinking is attributed to corrosion and neglect. No injuries reported, though it is feared the wreck could be a navigational threat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

Unidentified tour boat, with 9 tourists, capsized in heavy weather in Thailand's northeastern reservoir of Ubolrat Dam on Oct. 20. Three tourists are missing and six others injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

Barge McNally Olympic, carrying quantities of fuel and waste oil from Deception Bay (far north Quebec) to Sorel, broke free from tow of tug Jerry Newberry and drifted ashore 10 km southwest of Hebron Labrador on Oct. 8. The barge is a total loss and at last report has been broken up by high waves. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

Bulgarian M/V Geo Milev collided with cargo M/V Helena, sailing under Panama flag, three miles outside the Thessaloniki harbour in northern Greece on Oct. 21. No injuries ere reported, and neither ship suffered any structural damage, but both vessels are under interdiction to leave the port's harbour. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

Thirteen vessels, including bulk carrier Nurten Ana, broke loose from their anchorages in high winds and heavy weather at Puget Sound on Oct. 19. The Nurten Ana's propellers were fouled with logs and debris and the crew could not stop the vessel's drift. The tug Wendell Foss kept a tow line on the disabled vessel until the debris could be removed and the vessel could be anchored. The Coast Guard is requiring the vessel to conduct an underwater survey to inspect for any damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

37-ft S/V Tranquility found vacant 65-miles west of Johns Pass, Florida on Oct . 17. Search and rescue coordinators immediately launched two HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater, Fla., and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Hawk to search for the vessel's 69-year-old skipper. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

24-ft pleasure craft Baja, with four aboard, struck cable between a barge and tug Melvin Lemmerhirt in Lower New York Bay, on Oct. 20 at 2255LT. Baja capsized as a result of the impact, killing two of the men aboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

Passenger ferry Great Point, Nantucket to Hyannis, Massachusetts with approximately 100 passengers, struck a pier and pushed it into a moored F/V at Hyannis Harbor on Oct. 21 at 1830LT. The vessel suffered only cosmetic damage, though 10-ft of the pier is significantly damaged. Initial reports indicate that the F/V is not damaged. There does not appear to be any pollution, nor were any injuries reported.

60-ft F/V Prolific took on water and sank off the coast of Scotland, 10 miles northeast of Wick, on Oct. 21. All crew were rescued prior to the vessel going down without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Mon Oct. 22 2007)

9,000-gt M/V OOCL Nevskiy, coming from the Northsea, snapped a rope while berthing in the Northern lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbuettel on Oct. 21. One end of the rope smashed into the watchtower of the lock master and destroyed a door. After police finished its investigations, the ship was allowed to proceed towards the Baltic sea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun Oct. 21 2007)

29,000-gt car carrier M/V Nobleza struck lock (the new Southern lock) of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbuettel on Oct. 18. The stone wall of the lock was pushed upwards from the impact. The police investigated the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun Oct. 21 2007)

1,834-ts 80-m Bahamas-flagged tanker M/V West Stream, underway from Iceland via Vesterålen to Karmsundet with 8 crew and a cargo of 1,300 tons fish oil, ran aground off the coast of west Norway on Oct. 19. The tanks of the double-hulled vessel remained intact. The vessel was refloated with the assistance of tugs and proceeded under own power to Garpaskjærsquay in Vibrandsøy. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

134.55-m 2000-built cargo M/V Nirent Iberia (ex Cec-Apollon, Beluga Indication) caught fire at the Motorenwerke Bremen (MWB) in the afternoon of Oct 18. Oil remains in a heavy fuel tank were burning, thick smoke rose up on port side. Members of the MSB fire brigade started fighting the flames - two had to be taken to the hospital after having been intoxicated by smoke. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

Roro ferry Finnmaid collided with pier in Luebeck-Travemuende in the evning of Oct. 19. The vessel then had to wait off its berth for tug assistance to get berthed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

German passenger M/V Adler (IMO 7904906) suffered fire 2 miles southwest of Hoernum/Odde, Sylt, at 1106LT on Oct. 20. While trying to extinguish the fire the captain was intoxicated by fume. The 10 passengers aboard were evacuated by the passenger M/V Adler Express. Members of the local fire brigade were taken on board the casualty by the rescue boat Minden. They tackled the flames, then the ship was towed into the port of Hoernum. The police in Husum determined a defected auxiliary diesel had caused the fire. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

26.23-m 2004-built German passenger M/V Adele, home port Berlin with 120 passenger capacity, suffered water ingress on the Spree river in Berlin in the afternoon of Oct. 12. The machine room was flooded and the vessel was in danger of sinking. All 30 passengers were evacuated. The fire brigade dewatered the ship with a mobile pump. The ship was then escorted by the water police to a yard at the Rummelsburg lake for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

Cargo M/V Sormovskiy-45 collided with M/V Rika on the Kiel Canal at canal km 10, Kudensee, on Oct. 20 at 1500LT. The Rika suffered rudder failure as a result of the collision, and both vessls ran onto the embankment. M/V Sormovskiy-45 was able to refloat under own power and proceeded to Kiel-Holtenau. M/V Rika was refloated by tugs Bugsier 11 and Bugsier 15 and was towed to Brunsbuettel. The hull of M/V Rika was torn on starboard side in the cargo hold a short distance from the machine room, and also the foreship on starboard side was dented. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

Passenger ferry Acita III, enroute from Wakatobi regency to the town of Bau Bau with as many as 200 passengers, capsized and sank off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, approximately 500m off the south-eastern city of Baubau on Oct. 19. At least 31 people were killed and dozens reported missing. Residents and local fisherman heard survivors screaming for help. The cause of the accident is attributed to overloading, as the vessel is designed to carry only 30. Rescuers were able to pluck approximately 125 survivors from the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

Dutch inland water craft Admiralengracht collided with an unidentified sailing yacht north of Lelystad in the Houtrib lock approach at 2400LT. The S/Y sank as a result of the collision. The rescue boat from Urk and military and police helicopter as well as police boats started a search for one of the two people aboard the S/Y. The missing woman was finally found by the rescue boat Koningin Beatrix and handed over to an ambulance for transport to the hospital in Amsterdam. The other person aboard the S/Y had been rescued by Admiralengracht. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

Unidentified Cambodian F/V, with 9 crew, sank off Laos on Oct. 17. All crew were rescued by the 166-m German cargo M/V San Clemente, Laem Chabang near Bangkok to Ho-Chi-Minh-City, Vietnam, which arrived on scene shortly before the F/V went down. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat Oct. 20 2007)

220-ft Greek cargo vessel Diamond 1, departing Thessaloniki with coal, collided with 614-ft Panama-flagged Dubai Guardian, sailing from Singapore with metal ore, on Oct. 17 at 0850GMT. Diamond 1 sank as a result of the collision, and her captain is reported killed after staying with the ship. Dubai Guardian was successfully tugged to port. Divers are examining the hull of the Diamond 1 at a depth of about 52 feet, and floating barriers are being placed around the site in case of a fuel leak. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 17 2007) UPDATE>>> Greek Divers have found the body of the missing captain. The remains of the 50 year-old Cypriot captain were found on afternoon Oct 19 in the stairwell of the sunken vessel's engine room after a two-day search and rescue. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 20 2007)

Unidentified Irish F/V lost crew member overboard on Oct. 17 approximately 50 miles off St. Annes Head, Pembrokeshire. The crew member was recovered and hospitalized, his condition being unknown. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Thurs Oct. 18 2007) UPDATE>>> Vessel identified as F/V Alma Amy. The crew member did not survive. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Thurs Oct. 25 2007)

65-ft sailing vessel Hawaiian Chieftain, with 12 people aboard, became disabled and required tow by Coast Guard back to Tillmook Bay, Oregon on Oct. 16. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs Oct. 18 2007)

373-gt Mexican-flagged crew ferry Seba'ab, transporting 168 oil workers from Ciudead del Carmen, on the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, to various oil platforms in the Bay of Campeche, suffered engine fire on Oct. 16. The vessel was evacuated, though two people are unaccounted for. The vessel remains afloat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 17 2007)

Zhe Belgian mine counter measure vessel M915 Aster collided with inland water tanker Verdi near the Zandvliet locks near Antwerp. M915 Aste Aster was damaged at the foreship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 17 2007)

Unidentified boat, Tandji to southern Senegal with 50 passengers, capsized in strong winds off Gambia's shores late last week. 32 people were killed. The boat was carrying Senegalese fishermen back home from Gambia to celebrate the end of Ramadan. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 17 2007)

Unidentified ferry, with approximately 250 aboard, was caught in tropical storm and sank in south Bangladesh on Oct. 16. At least 100 people are feared drowned. The vessel sank approximately 85km south of the capital Dhaka. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 16 2007)

High speed craft Stenva Voyager from Stranraer to Belfast with 601 passengers, reported engine fire to Clyde Coastguard on the morning of Oct. 15. When the vessel arrived at Belfast at 1500LT it was met by two Surveyors from the Belfast Marine office for investigation and inspection. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 16 2007)

50-m cargo M/V Sydfart, with cargo of cement, developed a strong list to port and sent distress signals off Landsort south of Nynäshamn, Sweden, in the morning of Oct. 15. Helicopters deployed to the vessel and remained on standby until M/V Sydfart was in the safety of Nynäshamn, where it was berthed at a quay with the help of the Coastguard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 16 2007)

Paddle wheel passenger M/V Mississippi Quen (replica), homeport Hamburg, was detained after a mooring rope broke while berthing at the "Landungsbrücken" in Hamburg on Oct 14. Three people were injured, one of which required intensive medical care. As police started investigations on the Mississippi Queen, they found out that all ropes were in a poor state. The vessel was relieved from detention on Oct. 16 after all ropes were replaced. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 16 2007)

Cargo M/V Medon ran aground in Nevskiy Bay, Russia, on Oct. 13 at 2011LT. No damage or spills reported, and vessel traffic is not affected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 15 2007)

Cargo M/V Volgo-Balt 153 ran aground on the Volga River at mark 1288 as a result of navigational error on Oct. 13 at 1730LT. The vessel was refloated by pumping out ballast. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 15 2007)

Malaysian ferry Seagull Express, with approximately 100 passengers, caught fire and sank on its way to the resort island of Tioman, seven nautical miles from Genting in Pulau Tioman on Oct. 13. 4 passengers died and several others were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 15 2007)

Container M/V Bulgaria (IMO 8302143) suffered engine failure on the Scheldt river and became grounded during its approach to Antwerp at buoy 80 on Oct. 13. The vessel was refloated with the help of tugs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 15 2007)

Cargo M/V Leninskiy Komsomol, Taganrog to Israel with 3,458 tonns grain, ran aground when leaving its anchorage in area No. 455 off the port of Kavkaz, Russia, Azov Sea, on Oct. 11 at 0005LT. The soft sand bottom resulted in no damages or spills being reported. A port tug was dispatched to refloat the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Passenger M/V Samothraki, with 143 passengers aboard, collided with F/V Chrisoula, with six crew, off Thermaikos Gulf, 14 nautical miles east of Nea Moudania, Greece. No injuries were reported. The accident was attributed to low visibility and torrential rains in the area during the time of the collision. M/V Samothraki sailed on to Thessaloniki and F/V Chrisoula was towed to Nea Michaniona. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Unidentified transport-vessel carrying 176 workers to oil platforms caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico on Oct. 11 at 1914LT. The incident resulted in one death and two people missing, according to Petroleos Mexicanos and Pemex. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

F/V Flourish collided with cargo M/V Nautica 28 miles southeast off Flamborough Head, UK on Oct. 11 at 1420LT. Extensive sea and air rescue operations resulted in the rescue of three fisherman, but the skipper of F/V Flourish is reported missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

57-ft F/V Karen L, with two crew, ran aground and began listing in Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey, on Oct. 11. The crew put on cold-water immersion suits and abandoned ship. The Coast Guard and good Samaritans rescued both crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Cruise ship MSC Sinfonia collided with berthed container M/V Teresa del Mar while entering the port of Valencia, Spain on Oct. 10. Two decks of the cruise ship were dented in the starboard stern region. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Unidentified 185-m German barge train, with 2,900 tons of sun flower kernels, ran aground in dense fog on the Main at river-km 195.75 in Lohr, Main-Spessart Community on Oct. 11. Shipping traffic was temporarily blocked. While trying to Refloat under its own power, the chain of a buoy got entangled in the ship's propeller. The barge train was partially lightered and pushed to shore by two tugs for diver inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Cruise ship Island Star (ex Horizon, Celebrity Horizon) underwent mandatory evacuation of all passengers during a storm and after a mechanical failure plunged the ship into darkness withotu power on Sept. 30. The captain decided to end the cruise off the south coast of France, near Nice. Passengers were loaded into tenders during heavy rain with all their luggage left on board the ship. It was reported that the ship first experienced power loss as she sailed from Genoa. During the second power failure, technicians were reportedly flown to the ship, and Island Star continued on towards Nice. However, the power failed again and the captain called for an emergency evacuation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Color Line speed ferry Silvia Ana, homeport Nassau, collided with Stena Line ferry Stena Danica, homeport Göteborg, Sweden, at the port of Frederikshavn, Denmark on Oct. 10. The accident happened in spite of assistance of the tug Garm. Stena Danica suffered dents on the starboard side beneath the car ramp at the stern. Silvia Ana suffered gash on port side above the waterline at the stern. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

Tug Smit Barracuda collided with a number of safety boats close to the scene of an earlier fatal accident at Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, UK on Oct. 9 at 0730LT. Two men required hospitalization. The prior accident, in which one man was killed and seven others rescued occurred when the floating platform Adrianus van Ham, being used as a support crane, collapsed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

23-m British tug Taktow slid off the slipway at the Dutch Visser Yard and consequently struck a trimaran during an attempt to pull Taktow ashore for maintenance work. Taktow came to rest with a port list. Damage to both vessels is being determined. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

1984-built 2,871-gt Palmali Shipping tanker M/V Brothers-12 (IMO8881371), from Tatyanka to Kerch, Russia, with gas oil, lost propeller approaching Lock 6, Volgo-Don Channel on Oct. 12 at 2115LT. Traffic was stopped from 2200LT until 0030LT during search efforts for propeller. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

1989-built 2,470-gt dry cargo M/V Omskiy-140, enroute to St. Petersburg with 2,093 tonns steal, ran aground on Malonevskiv Range on Oct. 12 at 1935LT. The cause was a downsurge in the Bay of Finland. Refloating efforts are waiting for a tide. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

140-m 16,028-dwt Norwegian double-hulled chemical tanker M/V Dorris, with 17 crew, collided with 40-ft F/V Skarbak N96 80 10 miles off the coast of Bjørnøysundet in Møre and Romsdal, Norway at around 2120LT on Oct. 9. F/V Skarbak N96 80 broke in two. The skipper of F/V Skarbak N96 80 is reported missing giving rise to extensive search efforts by sea and air, though he has not yet been found. M/V Dorris initially partcipated in search efforts, then proceeded to Elnesvågen for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

9,417-gt refrigerated cargo M/V Sun Light (IMO 8222991), built 1984, suffered fire in hold 4 while berthed at berth 2 in Baltic Ship Repair Yard, St. Petersburg, on Oct.8 at 1815LT. The fire was extinguished by crew and city fire teams by 0120LT. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Oct. 10 2007)

Unidentified powerboat, with 50 passengers aboard, sank in stormy weather in the Meghna River, Bangladesh, 45 km northeast of Dhaka on Oct. 8. 35 people are feared dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 9 2007)

Unidentified boat, en route to Panyamuru in Nebbi District, Africa, with 25 passengers, capsized at Butiaba landing in Bulisa district on Lake Albert in the morning of Oct. 7. 14 people reported dead. The suspected cause of the accident is overloading. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 9 2007)

Car ferry King Harry, a 34-car ferry which takes cars and passengers across the River Fal betwen the village of Feock and Philleigh on the Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall, became beached in the falling tide in the falling tide in the morning of Oct. 9. The vessel was successfully refloated during the afternoon's high tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 9 2007)

Cargo M/V Federal Patroller (IMO 9190092) struck bottom at starboard, suffered water ingress in the engine room and was forced to berth at the emergency wharf in the St. Lawrence Seaway at Kahnawake Mohawk reserve, above the Canadian Pacific Railway bridges, while down bound on Lake St. Louis Saturday Oct. 6. Repairs are underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 9 2007)

Connexxion passenger vessel Rosanna, with 30 passengers abaord, collided with an unidentified Koninklijke Military Police vessel in the Amerika harbour in West-Amsterdam in the morning of Oct. 8. Aboard the Rosanna, three passengers were injured and four other people suffered minor injuries, including the captain of the Military Police boat. Rosanna suffered heavy damage to its port side. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 9 2007)

65-m Norwegian F/V Ligrunn ran aground while underway to the port of Værøy on Oct. 7. The vessel was able to refloat itself under its own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Oct. 9 2007)

Hong-Kong registered cargo M/V Aladdin Dream, with crew of 27, trapped in typhoon "Krosa" with engine failure and is at risk 27.78 km off Wenling, southeast of Zhejiang Province on Oct. 6. Chinese rescue ships could not approach the cargo ship because of billows triggered by the strong typhoon, which is slamming its way onto the Chinese mainland. The trapped 27 crew members include sailors from India, Russia, and the Philippines. The cargo ship has cast two anchors and is currently in no danger of sinking or capsizing. The crew members are in stable emotional conditions. China's Ministry of Communications and Zhejiang Maritime Search and Rescue Centre are ready to deploy helicopters once the wind abates. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 8 2007) UPDATE>>> Eight vessels and almost 200 rescuers deployed to the site, M/V Aladdin Dream freed and arrived at Wenzhou Port on Oct. 9 after being trapped more than 80 hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Oct. 13 2007)

47-ft sailing vessel Reverie reported to Coast Guard that it lost steering 100 miles west of the Central Oregon Coast. An HH-60 helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, Ore., was launched along with a C-130 plane from Air Station Sacramento, Calif., to provide communications support and to track the vessel using its Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. The Coast Guard Cutter "Fir" was diverted to assist and escorted the Reverie for two hours until a 47-foot response boat from Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay, Ore., arrived to tow the vessel. Weather conditions on scene were reported to consist of 30-35 knot winds and 11-foot seas. No injuries have been reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 8 2007)

43-ft pleasure boat Enigma, home ported in Montreal, Canada, began to take on water near buoy 1 in the Ambrose Channel on Oct. 8. The water ingress was attributed to a crack in the port exhaust. A Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook 41-foot rescue boat crew arrived on scene and began using pumps to dewater Enigma and took the vessel in tow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 8 2007)

66-year-old tall ship schooner American Pride, Long Beach to Catalina Island, California, with 25 students, took on water amid schoppy seas and high winds on Oct. 5. Assistance vessels and helicopters were deployed but American Pride was able to dock on its own and is undergoing inspection. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 8 2007)

Norwegian anchor handling tug Normand Ferking, with crew of 18, ran aground in Skatestraumen, Norway, on Oct. 7 at 2030LT. The vessel was later refloated under its own power and berthed in Måløy for inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 8 2007)

Bargetrain consisting of the Bulgarian St. Nicholas and the Rubischips, with 130 tons machine parts, ran aground in dense fog on the Danube river at Sommersdorf, Maria Posching community, in the foremidday hours of Oct 4. A first salvage attempt by another ships of the Bulgarian owners on the same day failed. In the midday hours of Oct. 6 the ships could be refloatedsuccessfully. Passing traffic had not been affected by the grounding as the ships were stuck fast outside the traffic lane. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 8 2007)

3,000-t 70-m LTTE arms vessel M/V Matshusima attacked, destroyed and sunk by the Sri Lanka Navy approximately 1700 km south of Dondra Point on the morning of Oct. 7. The vessel was believed to be transporting arms and explosives, high-speed water scooters, sophisticated diving apparatus and high power transmission equipemnt to LTTE. Naval ships blocked its passage and fired warning shots, but M/V Matshusima personnel retaliated and fired back initiating the battle which sank M/V Matshusima. (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Cargo M/V Dana, en route to Bremen, 1 ran aground after rudder failure on the west side of the Weser river at km 17 on the morning of Oct. 5. Tug Blumenthal was deployed and successfully refloated M/V Dana, which will not be allowed to leave the industry harbour at the Viehbrücke until given clearance by the Seeberufsgenossenschaft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Unidentified passenger vessel collided with an unidentified cargo vessel ferrying petroleum products on the Dole-Kaina River in Kebbi State in northwestern Nigeria on Oct. 4. The fiery accident killed at least 33 people, and at least 48 others remain missing. Recovery efforts are ongoing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Cargo M/V Quartz, Okhotsk to Vanino with 5 crew and 80 tonns fish, issued distress call and subsequently sank in heavy weather in Sakahlin Bay, Pos 53.27N 141.41E on Oct. 2 at 2456LT. Salvage tug Agat, cargo M/V Omskiy-122 and F/V Nainu responded to assist / rescue efforts. Empty life rafts and four dead bodies were recovered. One crew remains missing. M/V Quartz has been spotted by helicopter in a depth of 15-17 meters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Færø-flagged F/V Karlamagnus, with crew of 2, sprung leak and subsequently suffered machine failure about 30 miles southwest of the Færøes in the afternoon of Sept 30. Danish Navy ship Triton deployed helicopter with a dewatering pump. The vessel was stabilized and Triton, once on scene, took the Karlamagnus in tow to Klaksvík. Rescue boat Ziska assumed the tow at the quay in Klaksvík. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Unidentified ferry with 24 people aboard capsized and sank on the river Ganga near Prahlad Ghat in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, India, on Oct 3. Seven people drowned. The cause of the fire is under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

2,198-gt 1986-built dry cargo M/V Nevskiy-28, Seskar Island to St. Petersburg with load of sand, struck submerged object when proceeding in entrance channel in the areas of buoys 33-34. M/V Nevskiy-28 suffered water ingress in thruster recess and ballast tanks in hold 1 area and became grounded. Tugs, floating crane and M/V Nevskiy-30 dispatched to lighter the grounded vessel and then refloat. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Unidentified 10,000-ton Chinese cargo ship, from the port of Dalian, struck a fishing boat in the Yellow Sea, 56 kilometers southwest of Liaoning's Dandong port, on Oct. 3. One sailor was killed and another 10 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Tow boat Marie D suffered engine room fire on the lower Mississippi river in Kentucky at approximately mile marker 923 on Oct. 3. The crew was evacuated. Response efforts were coordinated by the Coast Guard, Fulton County Emergency Management Agency and Mississippi County Emergency Management Agency in Missouri. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

109.96-m 3,269-gt inland container M/V Estate 2, built 2001, collided bow-to-bow in dense fog with 135-m 2,728-gt vessel Dilsberg, homeported at Neckargemünd, on the Waal at km 919 at Dreumel at 2000LT on Oct. 3. One container fell into the water, causing the river to be closed for traffic. On Oct 4 the traffic was reopened as ships of Rijkswaterstraat had searched the bottom with sonar and found the traffic lane free of obstructions. Both vessels were damaged but in no danger of sinking. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Fast craft Weesam Express I, with 67 passengers and 17 crew, ran aground in strong winds and heavy seas off the coast of an Iloilo town, Philippines on Oct. 1. The vessel got stuck in the muddy shores shortly after leaving the Bacolod port. The heavy weather prevented a safe transfer of the passengers and crew to another vessel. Ultimately, two tugboats towed Weesam Express I to the Dumangas port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Norwegian F/V Isafold listed abruptly in the port of Steinesjøen on Oct. 2. Rescue boat Knut Hoem responded to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

F/V Nadine II found broken up on rocks at Craigmaroinn in Portlethen Bay, on the Aberdeenshire coast, on Oct. 3. Grampian Police confirmed that a local lobster fisherman failed to return after setting off from Portlethen in the morning. Lifeboat crews, coastguard teams and an RAF helicopter were involved in the search on Oct. 3. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

1994-built Norwegian ferry Nordlys, with 208 passengers, collided with the quay the quay in Honningsvåg in stormy winds when attempting to berth on Sept. 28 at 0000LT. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Oct. 7 2007)

Malta-flagged river cruise ship Flamenco, with 170 passengers and 44 crew on a two-week cruise from Passau into the Black Sea, crashed into the locks of the Donau power station Abwinden-Asten, Austria, around midnight on Oct. 2/3. A concrete layer crashed onto the vessel's deck at the bow and trapped the vessel in the lock. The accident is believed to be a result of the vessel's excess speed of 5-10 km/h. As the ship could not be stopped in time, it collided with a security steel rope at the end of the lock, causing a layer belonging to a cable crane to fall down. When the layer hit, the ship was shaken so strong that several passengers tumbled down and were hurt. Three passengers got first aid on board. Flamenco as well as the power station were severely damaged. Flamenco remains stuck in the locks and is currently being investigated. The passengers returned to Passau in the foremidday hours of Oct 2. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

Cargo M/V Kvarts, with 5 crew and two 40ft containers with seafood from the port of Okhotsk in Sakhalin to the port of Vanino in Khabarovsk, shipwrecked in the Sea of Okhotsk on Oct. 2 after sending distress call. Two bodies were recovered, the other three crew remain missing. The wreckage and two empty lifeboats have been located. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

1,839-gt 1987-built Russian dry cargo M/V Samur 10 (IMO8872588), Astrakhan to Noushehr with 2,590 tonns steel, on the rocks of northern part of eastern breakwater in Iranian port Noushehr, Caspian Sea on Sept. 30. The hull was breached and the vessel suffered water ingress in one hold and accommodations, causing starboard list of 10 degrees. Vessel is moored to breakwater. No injuries or spill reported. Lightering is planned. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

JPS Shipping Lines' cargo vessel M/V Mia, with 18 crew and 880 metric tons of cement en route to San Fernando, Cebu to Palawan, capsized and sank in Cabile Island between Tubbataha and Cagayancillo Islands in Palawan, Phillilpines, on Sept. 28. 14 crew are missing and are feared taken by sharks, four have been rescued by nearby F/V Alester. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

Unidentified country boat, with approximately 30 people aboard, struck a bridge pillar and capsized in Dagrain Patwariya river at Bhadaur, in Barh subdivision of Patna district, India, in the evening of Oct. 1. Most of the occupants swam safely to the river bank, however 7 people are feared missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

F/V Lady Hamilton, with 3 crew, sank after colliding with F/V Blith Spirit two miles off the Cornwall coast on Oct. 2. All crew were safely picked up by a local pilot boat before the vessel sank. The vessel was originally thought to have sunk after colliding with a large floating log / tree. Investigations are continuing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

F/V Shan, with 3 crew, overturned and sank near Burry Port off the Carmarthenshire coast on Oct. 2. Two men perished, and one survived. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

1974-built Guinea flagged longliner Tuna Pro 1 suffered engine failure and collided with Italian ro/ro M/V Eurocargo Valencia while entering the Grand Harbour in Malta on Oct. 1. M/V Eurocargo Valencia was subsequently inspected and allowed to proceed to Catania, Sicily. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

Unidentified 48-ft vessel ran into rocks marking the ruined Back River Lighthouse, in Virginia, on Oct. 1. Hampton Fire and Rescue boats made it to the scene and rescued 6 adults and one dog. The seas were 2-3 feet making the rescue a perilous one due to slippery rocks, a strong current and high winds. Two of the people rescued needed a rope to get off the beached vessel. Only minor injuries were reported. Everyone was brought off-shore safely at around 2120LT - the original call came in around 2045LT. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

British cargo M/V Pipit, with 1,400 tons of shells, ran aground close to Dutch port of Yerseke on Sept. 30. An unidentified F/V attempted unsuccessfully to refloat M/V Pipit. The vessel was refloated on Oct. 1 by tugs Zephyrus of Multraship and Delta of Polderman, which towed M/V Pipit to Yerseke. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

22-m luxury yacht Riomada was intentionally grounded to avoid sinking in Pula on Sep 26. The ship was about 3 miles west of Pula when it suddenly suffered an ingress of water. The ship came to rest close to the shore with the stern submerged and the bow still pointing out of the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 1 2007)

180-ft ferry Spice Island, enroute to Tanzania with 10 crew and no passengers aboard, made distress call in international waters off the coast of Somalia on Sept. 25. Navy destroyer USS Stout and a helicopter from USS James E Williams responded to the call. The helicopter was first on scene and established communications with the ferry's crew. USS Stout arrived on scene late evening and stayed with the 180-foot vessel until sunrise when assistance operations could begin. USS Stout's boarding team conducted a safety and security inspection, the ship took the ferry under tow while it provided the crew with food, water and 7,800 gallons of fuel. Spice Island's engines had stopped. She was completely out of fuel with food and water supplies running low. The ferry was adrift in an area prone to piracy. After USS Stout 's team got the ferry steaming on its own, Spice Island resumed its transit to Tanzania. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 1 2007)

Cargo M/V Free Jupiter ran aground near Cebu, Philippines in middle Sept. The cargo was unloaded by a salvage team of SMIT Salvage to free the ship. It will be dry docked for repairs, according to the owner, FreeSeas. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 1 2007)

Unidentified 40-ft sport F/V was destroyed after strong winds drove it onto the rocky shore near Marineland in northern Flagler County, Florida, on Sept. 29/30. The vessel ran out of fuel offshore and its anchor failed to hold. Rough surf and strong winds knocked the boat against the rocky shore overnight, causing it to break up. The owners of the boat reportedly had just purchased it in South Carolina and were on their way home to Brevard County. The boat owners were not injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 1 2007)

Two unidentified vessels carrying sand collided off the coast of China in the Bohai Sea near Huludao in the northeastern Liaoning Province on Sept. 29. 22 sailors fell into the sea, 16 of which were successfully rescued. Six sailors are missing and are not expected to survive. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 1 2007)

38-ft sailboat Eliska, with 5 aboard, required Coast Guard assistance after the vessel lost steering power and suffered damage to its sails in reported 10-ft waves near Smith Island, Washington on Sept. 29. Minutes later, a 41-foot utility boat crew from Coast Guard Station Port Angeles, Washington responded and took Eliska in tow. The 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Sea Lion was also diverted to assist. A HH-65 Dolphin Helicopter from Air Station Port Angeles was launched after several people aboard Eliska reported that they were seasick and dehydrated. The helicopter hoisted 4 people aboard and transported them to a local Hospital for treatment. The sailboat's master remains aboard Eliska while it is being towed to John Wayne Marina in Sequim, Washington. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Oct. 1 2007)

 

Vessel Loss Dispatches For September 2007


65-ft F/V Black Hawk II, with 28 passengers, ran aground on the rocks in Niantic Bay, Connecticut on Sept. 29. Local boaters evacuated the passengers without injuries. A commercial salvage company removed about 400 gallons of fuel to lighten the vessel on Sept. 30, enabling a tug to free the vessel. (Sun. Sept. 30 2007)

A Weesam Express fast sea craft became stranded off the waters between Guimaras Island and Iloilo on Sept. 30. The 48 passengers and 10 crew members were evacuated and rescued the Philippine Coast Guard without injury. The Coast Guard and Weesam Express management will investigate if the vessel was thrown off course by strong waves spawned by Tropical Depression Hanna. (Sun. Sept. 30 2007)

1970-built 80-m German inland water craft Helga, Saxonia to Hamburg with 800 tons of gravel, ran aground on the Elbe after suffering engine failure on Sept. 27. The vessel continued its voyage but was suffering water ingress and ultimatey sank in the Bille canal in Hamburg-Hammerbrook on Sept. 27. The fire brigade was summoned to deploy oil booms around the wreck. A private salvage company is expected to be contracted to raise the Helga. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 30 2007) UPDATE>>> Helga successfully raised. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Oct. 3 2007)

Slovakian inland cargo M/V Javorina, carrying ore, went adrift after a failure in the ship's electronics on the Danube riger at Schönbühel, Melk community, Austria on Sept. 23. The vesseled crumbled over the ground, struck a pier and demolished a pleasure boat before running aground. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

Unidentified 71-ft recreational yacht sank at the Isle of Palms Marina, South Carolina, on Sept. 26. Coast Guard crew from sector Charleston responded and placed a containment boom around the vessel to prevent release of any oil or gasoline. The vessel owner has taken full responsibility of the salvage operation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

Cargo M/V Beronike (IMO 850 9363), homeport Belize (ex Brandaris, homeport Haren-Ems) was stopped by the police on the Elbe, where the Russian captain was found to be intoxicated. The vessel was directed to Cuxhaven and detained there. The captain was taken into hospital for blood testing and fined with 4000 Euro. The vessel was also determined to have improper lashings on the hatches, which could have been entangled with the vessel's propeller. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

Ferry Nusa Penida, Padang Bai terminal to Lembar in Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, with 150 passengers 40 vehicles, ran aground in bad weather on Sept. 21 at 1200LT. The passengers were successfully evacuated without report of injury or further incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

Unidentified overcrowded country boat with approximately 25 passengers capsized in Kuye River in West Bengal's Birdhum district, India, on Sept. 26. Several people swam ashore, however at least one person drowned and up to 20 others are unaccounted for. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

Antigua-flagged cargo M/V Patricia S, with 5400 tons of steal, became grounded on the embankment of the Weser river, Germany, at km12,0 on the west side on Sept. 25. The vessel was refloated without help short time later. The captain blamed sudden rudder failure or propeller impact for the incident, but as the captain was under suspicion to have had possibly too much speed, the captain had to pay a safety fee. The ship was not allowed to leave port until the completion of investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

3,200dwt 1972-built M/V Vera I, owned by Bass Shipping of Ukraine, suffered engine room fire at Black Sea Shipyard (also known as Chernomorsky) in Mykolaiv in the afternoon of Sep 20. The fire spread to the topside, but after three hours fire crews had not managed to extinguish the flames because water supplies had been cut off to carry out repairs at the yard. M/V Vera was undergoing repairs by PortService, a sub-contractor of the yard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

Unidentified F/V, with seven Indonesian fisherman aboard, were rescued by Polish bulk carrier M/V Szare Szeregi in the Makassar Strait on Sept. 18 after the Polish seafarers caught sight of the seven fishermen standing on the fishing boat's superstructure. All seven were rescued and taken back to Tanjung Bara. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

Unidentified home-made boat capsized in the Yellow River in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in the afternoon of Sep 23. The boat, unregistered and made of steel, was overloaded with 18 villagers and seven tons of corn when it sank in the torrential river. The peasants from Matou village, Yingshui township in the city of Zhongwei, had harvested the corn from their fields on the river beach. Twelve of them were rescued. Rescuers are still searching for the six missing, though they see slim chance for them to survive. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

Polish yacht Syrenka suffered engine failure and required assistance from Aberdeen Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) 27 miles West of Orkney on Sept. 23 at 0400LT. The vessel is being towed to Orkney. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

48-ft catamaran Heijira, with two men aboard, took on water off the Cumbrian coast, 15 miles of St. Bees Head at 1615BST on Sept. 20. Two lifeboats from Workington and St. Bees were deployed to assist. The men were taken ashore and their vessel towed into Whitehaven harbour. Both men returned to work on the boat overnight, but a second rescue was launched early next morning, when it flooded due to tidal waters. The St Bees lifeboat was again called out by coastguards take the men off again after the boat flooded when the tide came in. Lifeboat crews have now pumped the catamaran free of water and it is waiting to be towed into Whitehaven marina. A small amount of fuel had leaked from the vessel into the harbour. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

Russian-registered 1,926-gt general cargo M/V Baltiyskiy 109, Horsens to the Netherlands with timber and 11 crew, ran aground and became stranded off Middlefart, Fyn, Denmark at 55.32.76N 009.46.74E on Sept. 24. The vessel sustained breaching damage to ballast tanks No. 4 and 6, though no spill reported. Salvage planned. Lightering to barges and underwater hull inspection underway. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

1984-built Georgia-flagged F/V Niko sank at 50.25.00N 153.00E, southern Okhotsk sea, on Sept. 27. Coast Guard vessel Dzerzhinskiy rescued 17 crew, who will be landed in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

2,315-gt 1964-built Russian icebreaker Ivan Kruzenshtern (IMO 6501496), owned by Rosmorport, suffered fire at dry dock in Kronshtadt, St. Petersburg on Sept. 26. The fire started on the bridge, expanded and engulfed inner area of about 100 sq. meters. While 7 workers were evacuated, no injures reported. 5 fire teams on the scene successfully extinguished the fire. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

M/V Isle of Inishmore, Pembroke dock to Rosslare crossing, Ireland, returned to port in Pembroke Dock 0345LT on Sept. 21 after female passenger suffered convulsions. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Thurs. Sept. 27 2007)

60-ft commercial F/V St. Nicholas sank at the Tulalip Marina, Washington, on Sept. 23. The vessel leaked 75 gallons of diesel fuel, which was addressed by official crews. Attempts are now being made to raise the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 25 2007)

Panama-flagged cargo M/V Hutuohe struck four barges at Den Do cross section of three rivers, Saigon - Nha Be - Dong Nai, Vietnam on Sept. 24. One barge sank, the other three were heavily damaged. Oil Spill reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 25 2007)

47-ft sport charter F/V Joe Cool, Miami to Bimini, Bahamas with two charterers and four crew aboard, reported missing on Sept. 23. Vessel was found by Coast Guard cutter Pea Island 160 miles south of Bimini in disarray and abandoned. The life-raft was found by an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter approximately 12 miles north of that location with the two charterers aboard, who were taken to cutter Confidence. The four crew remain missin. The incident is being investigated by the FBI and considered as a crime, as one of the two charterers is a wanted in a $92,000 Wal-Mart theft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 25 2007)

46-ft / 14-m Polish yacht Syrenka, enroute to Aberdeen, UK from Iceland, reported missing on Sept. 23. The vessel was located the same day, having incurred mechnical failure but being able to later restore communications. The vessel was towed into harbour by a lifeboat from Stromness, Okrney, Scotland. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Tues. Sept. 25 2007)

Gas rig standby vessel Viking Islay experienced accident in the BP Amethyst gas field off the East Yorkshire coast in the North Sea on Sept. 23, wherein 3 crew were killed while securing an anchor chain at the vessel's bow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Tues. Sept. 25 2007)

Swedish tug Jolina ran aground off Ekens at Vänerns, Denmark on Sept. 19. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 25 2007)

23,000-gt Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Dream (ex Song of Norway, Norway, Sundream, Dream Princess) built 1970, developed ten-degree list as a result of a ballasting error in the harbour of the Aegean islands of Rhodes on Sept. 21. More than 900 passengers were evacuated. The technical problem was corrected and the list was adjusting, but the ship will not be allowed to sail until adequate evidence about its seaworthiness is submitted. The passengers were temporarily lodged in hotels. The ship is owned by Danielle Shipmanagement of Greece and classed by DNV. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

Offshore supply vessel SEAMEC II, undergoing repairs to its hull, suffered explosion at 0735LT at the port of Willemstad on the Caribbean island of Curacao on Sept. 20. 5 welders were killed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

40-m three masted clipper Almere, with 33 people aboard, collided with buoy E-A1 at 14330LT and sank an hour later at the Dutch Markermeer of Edam on Sept. 19. Rescue and police boats were deployed to the scene. The evacuees were taken aboard the charter ship De Gouwze and safely brought to Haarlem. The wreck was raised by a sheerleg on Sep 21 at 0600LT. Salvagers started to patch the leak from a pontoon and to dewater the ship. The vessel served as a cargo sailing ship for the Hanzestad Compagnie in Belgium and the South Netherlands until 1993. Since 1994 it is touring as a charter ship from Kampen and is homeported in Lelystad. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

57-foot tugboat Lori B intentionally grounded on the Columbia River at 0256LT after it began to take on water near Troutdale, Oregon, on Sept. 19. The vessel struck bottom near Lady Island, Washington, and began to flood. The vessel was later dewatered and is undergoing repairs by commercial salvage companies. The Lori B has been re-floated but is prohibited from getting underway until the master can prove to the Coast Guard that the vessel is seaworthy. The tugboat was pushing a 240-foot empty barge when it grounded. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

Unmanned bulk carrier M/V Amul (IMO 7110098) , en route for scrapping in India, sank at 0212LT in position 34 35,4' S 026 59,5' E, off Cape Recife in a water depth of approx. 3.600 meters on Sept. 19. The vessel began flooding while under two by the South African salvage tug SMIT Amandla. All salvage crew had safely abandoned the ship before the sinking. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

F/V Sea Breeze, with five crew, reported to be sinking and semi-submerged off the souther Cape coast on Sept. 19. The vessel sent a distress call which was heard by nearby vessel Bounty, which rescued all crew and brought them to Mossel Bay harbour. The cause of the boat taking on water had not been determined. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

Unidentified fishing vessel, with 3 crew, capsized in heavy swell conditions off the Indian coast on Sept. 5. World Tankers' VLCC Kolossi spotted two of the men 15 miles off Quilon, Kerala and picked them up. The two men had survived a grueling 12 hours in the water by clutching a foam fishing box. The third crew member is missing. The rescue operation ended in a rendezvous with a Coast Guard vessel, the transfer of the two survivors and their safe return ashore. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 23 2007)

Unidentified ferry, en route from Jiangxia district to Hannan District in Wuhan, capital of China's Hubei Province, with eleven people aboard, collided with a ship and sank in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. One person was killed and four others are reported missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 19 2007)

Russian tug Stakhanovets reported losing her tow, a floating dock, in gale force winds east of Shetland on Sept. 15. The Shetland Coastguard has deployed vessels to the location to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 19 2007)

Cargo M/V White Sea collided with a bollard on Sept. 14 at the Peters-Yard in Wewelsfelth, Germany. One worker was killed after being thrown into the Stör river. A second worker who jumped behind succeeded in recovering the man who was wearing a live belt, but once on land he was pronounced dead. The cause of his death had still to be investigated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

Ferry Euregia, with 300 people on board, suffered fire on the Bodensee (Boden Lake) while berthed in Friedrichshafen, Germany, on Sept. 15. The vessel was successfully evacuated and the fire was soon controlled. The cause of the fire was determined to be an electrical short circuit. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

567-ft guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, suffered fire while undergoing repairs in Norfolk, Virginia on Sept. 15. The blaze was put out within 15 minutes, but five civilian workers were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

Taiwanese F/V Tsaiyiyu No. 1, with 11 crew, ran aground near Pengchiayu islet, northeast of Taiwan, on Sept. 16. All crew rescued. A Chinese crew member on duty apparently fell asleep when the accident occurred. F/V Tsaiyiyu No. 1 was also in the news in May 2005 after drifting into waters claimed by Japan as a part of its economic zone following engine failure. That time the crew members were detained in Japan for 27 days before being fined 2 million yen (US$17,335) and released. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

Lightship West Hinder III, berthed at the Bonaparte Quay in Antwerp as a museum ship since 1994, suffered fire on the evening of Sept. 13. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes. West Hinder III was the last active lightship serving in the Northsea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

River cruise ship St. Odile, with 142 passengers aboard, suffered machine failure in Gernsheim, Germany, close to Scwarzer Ort on the Rhine river on Sept. 15. The vessel made an emergency anchoring in the wrong traffic lane until it was possible to move it to a less dangerous position. The vessel was not allowed to proceed until repairs were carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

14,541-dwt M/V Banglar Shourabh, built 1987 and owned by the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, caught fire in drydock in Chittagong on the afternoon of Sep 11. The fire in was extinguished within an hour. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

5,550-teu Germany-flagged M/V Hanjin Gothenburg (built 2002), with 22 crew collided with 35,340-dwt cargo Panama-flagged M/V Chang Tong (built 1978), with 26 crew, off China in the Bohai Sea about 41 miles north of Yantai in Shandong Province in the evening of Sept. 15. The bow of M/V Hanjin Gothenburg is reported to have ruptured M/V Chang Tong causing flooding on the latter. The vessels were kept in contact to avoid a larger ingress of water. There is no report of any damage to M/V Hanjin Gothenburg and no reports of any pollution. All crew on both vessels reported to be safe. Two rescue vessels and a helicopter are at the scene and Chinese officials have begun an investigation into the cause of the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

F/V Ivy issued Mayday call and reported itself sinking approximately 20 miles east of Port Isabel, Texas on the morning of Sept. 17 at 0338LT. Coast Guard Station South Padre Island dispatched a rescue boat crew and Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi launched an HU-25 Falcon jet crew to assist. The Falcon jet crew had to turn back due to a heavy lightning storm, but the rescue boat was able to reach the F/V Ivy. The rescue boat crew passed a de-watering pump to the Ivy and with the help of the crew, was able to control the flooding in the boat before it sank. The rescue boat crew started escorting F/V Ivy to port in Brownsville, Texas, but the fishing boat was unable to continue due to excess flooding. Another fishing boat from the same company arrived and took the Ivy into tow; the rescue boat crew remained with the fishing boats in case of emergencies and followed them in to port. The fishing boats are both home ported in Brownsville. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

872-foot container ship M/V Hanjin Beijing became grounded on the Columbia River near St. Helens, Oregon near river mile 84 on Sep 17. The vessel was subsequently refloated the same day due to changing river and tide conditions. Tugs will escort the vessel to Kalama, Washington, where it will undergo a damage survey prior to departing for Japan, its next port of call. There is no sign of pollution and initial tank soundings and damage assessments have determined that the vessel is not taking on water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

16,000-gt bulker M/V Madrisa (IMO 9302475) collided with with M/V Team Anemonia at Conakry, Western Guinea on Sept. 11. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

Jack-up rig barge Lisa A, being used to work on a wind farm development between Scotland and England, was evacuated amidst fears it would overturn in gale force winds on the night of 16 Sept. During the operation, two of the vessel's legs bent, causing it to list over 30 degrees. Coast Guard teams and helicopters from both sides of the Solway Firth took part in the rescue. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Tues. Sept. 18 2007)

ALERT>> Passenger jet A/C McDonnell-Douglas 82, One-Two-GO Airways Flight 269, Bangkok to Phuket, southern Thailand, with 130 aboard, skidded off runnway, crashed and burst into flames shortly after landing in heavy rain and strong crosswinds at Phuket Int'l Airport in southern Thailand on Sept. 16. 87 reported killed, 43 survivors. (Sun. Sept. 16 2007)

Ukranian cargo M/V Dmitiry Kantemir, enroute to Morocco, ran aground upon departing Eisk Port, Azov Sea, on Sept. 15 at 1108LT. Vessel was successfully refloated at 1645LT with the assistance of I/B Kapitan Krutov and two port tugs. No damage or spills reported. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Sept. 16 2007)

1,164-gt Russian-flagged research vessel Mezen (IMO 7384584, built 1975), with 40 crew, suffered fire on Sept. 15 at 1900LT in the Banda Sea, 04.24S, 126.00E. Majority of crew ordered to abandon ship at 2130LT while remainder continued fire suppression efforts. Escort vessel took crew aboard. Fire under control by 0200LT on Sept. 16. From our our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Sept. 16 2007)

Panama-flagged roro M/V Sunny Day, enroute from Trabzon in northeastern Turkey to Russia's Sochi Port with 31 people and 28 trucks aboard, sank in heavy weather 30 miles from the Trabzon port on Sept. 14 at 1530LT. Bulgarian vessel M/V Batova responded to signals and recovered individuals amidst floating wreckage. The others aboard were saved by a Turkish ship and helicopter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Sept. 15 2007)

Panamanian flagged cargo M/V Navios Arc ran aground in Superporto, in front of the terminal of Tergrasa, Brazil, where it had loaded soy. The vessel was subsequently refloated seven hours later after efforts of five tugs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. Sept. 15 2007)

Malta-flagged 7,744-gt roro M/V Sea Angel (IMO 8012152, built 1982) with 21 crew and 600 cars suffered engine room fire near Novorossiysk port, Black Sea on Sept. 14 at 2305LT. The vessel suffered blackout and went adrift. Salvage vessels and a fire tug arrived at the scene on Sept. 15 and the fire was ultimately extinguished. M/V Sea Angel is being towed to Novorossiysk. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Sept. 15 2007)

50-ft F/V Kepala, with three crew aboard, caught fire and burned to the waterline near Black Point at the northern entrance to the Tititlek Narrows in Prince William Sound on Sept. 11. The crew abandoned ship by life raft, and were recovered by 51-ft Good Samaritan F/V Tri-K. No injuries or pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

23,149-gt 1971-built cruise ship M/V Arielle (IMO 7027411), with 960 passengers and 300 crew, suffered fire in the port of Rostock, Germany, on Sept. 13. The fire was successfully extinguished with the assistance of the Rostock fire brigade. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

Two barges being pushed by tug Buchanan broke free, became grounded and sank on the Hudson River near the Bear Mountain Bridge in Bear Mountain, New York on Sept 11. The Coast Guard is investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

German ferry M/V Ostriesland of the WDR struck a piling when entering the port of Borkum on Sept. 11. The opening mechanism of the bow was damaged so that it was not possible to open the bow door. It had to be welded open. Passengers had to wait 30 minutes until they could be disembarked. The normal passenger access is not usable until the piling has been removed so that passengers have to board and leave ferries via the car deck until a repair has been done. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

Norwegian car ferry M/V Alsten ran aground in Kvaløyhavn on Sep 13. The ship was able to refloat with own power and proceeded to a quay in Austbø, where the passengers left the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

39,832-dwt double-hulled chemical tanker M/V Bow Star, built 2004, became grounded while outbound from Batam, Indonesia on Sept. 13 at 2100LT. No injuries or pollution reported. The weather is calm, the ship is stable and safe where it is being continuously monitored. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

90-m 3,183-gt Cyrpus-flagged cargo M/V Storoe (IMO 9321530) lost several hundred logs in the North Sea off Juist in rough seas on Sept. 9. Warnings for navigational hazards have been issued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

Panama-flagged chemical tanker M/V Sky Star suffered engine room fire near the Estonian coast in the Baltic Sea. The vessel sent a distress signal to Estonian authorities but it is believed crew onboard were able to extinguish the blaze as the vessel was off the island of Hiiumaa. No environmental threat reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

Passenger M/V Be-Schuitje (former East German M/V Seebad Zingst), which had served as M/V Klaus Stortebeker in Stralsund), ran aground in the Orth bight off the island Fehmarn, Germany while transiting to the Netherlands on Sep 10. The captain had intended to stay at anchor during the night, but his ship drifted aground in a depth of only 80 centimetres. As the weather conditions worsened, rescue vessels John T. Essberger and Heiligenhafen were able to refloat M/V Be-Schuitje. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

Unidentified boat sank while sailing on the Shuangpai reservoir from Jiangcun Town to Shangyou Village in Shuangpai County, Central China's Hunan Province, on Sept. 11 at 1400LT. Nine people reported dead and one missing. The cause of the accident is being investigated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

1,000-ft Great Lakes super-freighter M/V American Integrity, carrying coal to Consumer Energy's B.C. Cobb electrical generating plant, ran aground at the mouth of Muskegon Harbor, Michigan, on Sep 10. It is the second big ship to run aground in the past month. M/V Indiana Harbor, also carrying coal, ran aground last month in roughly the same spot. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

Sri Lanka's navy inercepted and sank at least three suspected Tamil Tiger gun-running vessels off the island's southeastern sea board on Sept. 10. The vessels were each about 70 metres (230-feet) long and were marked with the name Mayoshi, Seishin and Koshi, though authorities believe the identities were fabricated. Naval officials said the Tamil rebels may have been trying to smuggle in heavy weaponry and ammunition to support their struggle against security forces in the northern and eastern parts of the island. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the attack. In March, the defense ministry said the navy sank two cargo ships believed to be smuggling weapons and explosives for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

154.9-m 28,559-gt Ferry M/V Pride of Telemark (IMO 790 7257, built 1983 as M/V Stena Jutlandica), enroute from Langesund, Norway to Hirtshals, Denmark with 150 passengers 64 crew and 60 cars, struck boulders of breakwater at Hirtshals causing power failure and flooding on Sept. 10. Divers found a gash of more than 1 meter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

8,220-gt cargo M/V Zinnet Mete collided with 2,247-gt cargo M/V Turgut Kocabas off Darica hamlet of Gebze town of the northwestern city of Kocaeli, Turkey, on Sept. 4. M/V Turgut Kocabas sank as a result of the collision. 15 of the 16 crewmen aboard M/V Turgut Kocabas were rescued while one crew remains missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

Passenger vessel M/V Ledwina suffered engine trouble off the southern island province of Sulu on Sept. 8. Philippine Navy patrol ship BRP Artemio Ricarte took aboard the 65 evacuated passengers while the 17 crewmembers stayed aboard M/V Ledwina too pump out seawater as BRP Artemio Ricarte towed their ship toward Zamboanga City. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

The hull of an unidentified barge split up during the loading of feldspar in the Kherson Commercial Sea Port on Sept. 3 according to reports of Kommersant-Ukraine. The barge is now kept by floating cranes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

Unidentified boat with approximately 40 people aboard sank while crossing the Rapti river near Nepalgunj, in western Nepal, on Sept. 5. Three people reported drowned and 25 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

Cargo M/V T.C. Gleisner collided with tanker M/V Glennstar on the New Waterway off Rotterdam on Sept. 3. M/V Glennstar struck M/V Glennstar on starboard side and developed a list to starboard itself. After some minutes the ships divided, both were able to sail on. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

4847-gt 1993-built tanker M/V Chartsman, IMO No. 9036923, collided with container M/V Hooge on the Elbe on Sept. 8. The bow of M/V Chartsman sufered damage, but later proceeded to the Kiel Canal and entered the Brunsbuettel locks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

89-ft Norway-flagged whaler Willassen Senior, launched 1979, sank on even keep at the quay of Lofoten Sveiseindustri AS in Svolvaer, Norway on Aug. 31. No one was aboard at the time of the incident. The wheelhouse remained above water. Police, fire brigade and rescue forces were sent to the wrecksite. Some motor oil leaked out and booms were placed around the vessel. The oil was later skimmed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007) UPDATE>>>Willassen Senior successfully raised. Investigations revealed open vents. Environmentalists claimed to have sunk the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

15,995-gt Marshall flagged cargo M/V Cape Fulmar, homeport Majuro and built 2007, entered port of Hamburg with dents at the port side of the stern and tug assistance on Aug. 28. Welding work was being carried out in the damaged region. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

Polish pusher tug Bizon B 14, with attached barges, ran aground on the river Oder at KM 579.2 and 700 meters south of the highway bridge at Frankfurt on Aug 2. The ship stuck fast out of the shipping lane but could be passed cautiously. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Sept. 10 2007)

80-m cargo M/V Fingal, en route to Londonderry from Campbeltown with timber and six crew, ran aground on the island of Sanda, south of the Mull of Kintyre on Sept. 7. One crew had to be airlifted and 3 others were taken ashore by lifeboat. The captain and engineer remained aboard, and M/V Fingal was successfully refloated on Sept. 8 with the aid of a tug. (Sat. Sept. 8 2007)

145-m cargo M/V Amul, en route from Port Elizabeth to Durban with 18 crew, took on water, listed and sank after issuing Mayday at 1400LT off Port St. John's, South Africa. on Sept. 7. The last two crew abandoned ship at 2130LT and were taken aboard M/V Rosa Tomassos. (Sat. Sept. 8 2007)

Unidentified Chinese cargo ship, with iron-ore, reported to be listing near Tannirbhavi, India. The vessel has not been abandoned, and personnel of the New Mangalore Port Trust are attempting tow. (Thurs. Sept. 6 2007) UPDATE>>> Chinese M/V Cheng Le Men, en route to China from UAE via Singapore with iron ore and 28 crew, suffered mechanical problems causing it to become stranded at sea with a 15-degree list near Tannirbhavi beach on Sept. 6. An eight-member team of salvage experts inspected the vessel on Sept. 7. The situation is reported to be under control. (Sat. Sept. 8 2007) UPDATE>>> A salvage team from Singapore, SMIT International Salvage Company successfully refloated the vessel on Sept. 13. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 14 2007)

About 60% of the ship has sunk and it rests at a 30-degree list. Coast Guard and NMPT personnel have lost hopes of saving the ship. Efforts are now focused on saving the crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

Spanish F/V Nueva Pepita Aurora, with 16 men aboard, sank amidst strong winds in the waters off the town of Tarifa, southern coast of Spain, on Sept. 5. Three people reported dead and five others missing. (Thurs. Sept. 6 2007)

Tourist boat Dream Catcher, carrying nearly 60 foreign divers back from a Thai island, sank a mile off Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea on Sept. 4. One person was killed, two were injured. (Tues. Sept. 4 2007)

F/V Papa George capsized and sank off Long Beach, Washington on Sept. 3. Two members of the five-person crew died. Survivors report that pump failure and ensuing flooding was to blame. (Tues. Sept. 4 2007)

291-m / 835-ft container vessel M/V Maersk Diadema (built 2006), port of Balboa, Panama to Lazaro Cardenas to Yokohama, Japan, ran aground on approach to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico on Sept. 1. No pilot was aboard at the time of the incident. (Tues. Sept. 4 2007) Singles Only>> Another Day At the Beach? UPDATE>>> M/V Maersk Diadema refloated on Sept. 5 at 1900 LT by Titan Salvage. The vessel is not thought to have sustained any damage to the hull, nor are there any report sof cargo damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Sept. 12 2007)

135-m 1980-built Dutch inland cargo M/V Wiltura (ex-Franca), en route to Nijemgen with 3,146 tons of gravel, ran aground at Assmannshausen on the Rhine at river km 533.3 on Aug. 30, 0430LT. The incident was caused by steering equipment failure. The vessel was only freed after exhaustive lightering efforts, and will be brought to the Bingen Yard for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 2 2007)

112-m tanker M/V Stolt Skua (IMO 9199311), Cayman Islands flagged, ran aground in the Botlek mouthing on the Maas river on Aug. 31. Tugs Eerland 23 and Maas were called and succeeded in refloating the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 2 2007)

129-dwt 310-m 1992-built Russian trawler Akvaresurs reported adrift from engine failure in Indian ocean, 450 nautical miles southwest off Victoria port, Seychelles Islands, since Aug. 18. Vessel owner is coordinating salvage tow from Maputu port, Mozambique. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Sept. 2 2007) UPDATE>>> Trawler Akvaresurs still drifting Vessel still drifting, with engine requiring outside power source for strating. Trawler Radischev arrived at the scene for salvage efforts, but heavy swells are preventing a cable connection between the two vessels. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sat. Sept. 15 2007)

1,599-gt 1971-built cargo M/V Shelly (IMO 7306673) collided with 1962-built Cruise ship M/V Salamis Glory on Aug. 30 off Haifa, Israel. The collision caused M/V Shelly to split in two and sink. Two crew of M/V Shelly confirmed dead. The collision is believed to have been caused by malfunctioning navigation equipment aboard M/V Shelly From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Sept. 2 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For August 2007


NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

25 Aug. 2007: 0300 UTC: Conakry anchorage, Guinea -- 30 pirates armed with guns boarded a chemical tanker. Crew locked all access to ship & attempted to contact local authorities for help but failed to get any response. Robbers later left the ship. Nothing stolen and no harm to crew / ship. Ship weighed anchor & proceeded to high seas for safety. (Aug. 31 2007)

24 Aug. 2007: 0100 LT: Shell jetty, Sandakan. Sabah, Malaysia. Unknown persons boarded a berthed product tanker via the gangway. Crew spotted him & chased him. The robber ran towards the forecastle, jumped overboard, and escaped. (Aug. 31 2007)

24 Aug. 2007: 0055 LT: 03:55.3N 098:46.56E: Belawan anchorage, Indonesia. A product tanker at anchor, waiting to berth, maintained an anti piracy watch on forecastle, main deck & poop deck. The ABs on the main deck & poop heard the AB on the forecastle shouting. They alerted the bridge on radio. The D/O tried to contact him but there was no response. Alarm was raised & crew alerted. Through search was carried out for the AB but he was not found. Local authorities informed. (Aug. 31 2007)

23 Aug. 2007: 0555 UTC: 00:58N - 050:48E, Somalia. Container ship, underway, spotted suspected pirate boat at a range of 10 nm. Boat suddenly increased speed & headed for the ship. Ship increased speed & took evasive maneuvers to maintain a CPA of not less than 5NM with the boat. Suspected boat pursued ship for 2.5 hours before giving up the pursuit. (Aug. 31 2007)

22 Aug. 2007: 1605 UTC: 01:04.1N - 103:30.4E, Karimun STS anchorage, Indonesia. Eight pirates armed with knives boarded a product tanker. They held 3 duty crew & tide them up. The robbers broke open the engine store & stole spares. D/O raised the alarm & crew mustered. Upon hearing alarm, the robbers jumped overboard & escaped in an unlit boat. (Aug. 31 2007)

18 Aug. 2007: 0300 LT: Posn 03:54.47N 098:46.68E, Belawan anchorage, Indonesia. Pirates boarded a general cargo ship, at anchor, & held one AB as hostage. They stole ship's stores & escaped. The AB was released unharmed. Local authorities informed. (Aug. 31 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top 

Ferry Queen of Chilliwack, built 1978 and providing service between Port Hardy and Bella Coola, Canada, struck the dock at Port Hardy at a speed less than two knots on Aug. 27 at approximately 2045LT. Five passengers were knocked down and injured, two were hospitalized. The incident was caused by a failure of the ferry's propulsion system, and is under investigation by B.C. Ferries, Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board. Service will likely not resume until Aug 29. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 30 2007)

Unidentified country-boat with 28 passengers sailing from Mahesaurhi to Sansarpur, India, capsized in high winds in the swollen Burhi Gandak river on Aug. 28. Five people were killed while ten others feared drowned. Thirteen others swam to safety. Local divers with fishing nets were engaged in rescue operations. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 30 2007)

87-foot dragger Oriental, based in North Carolina, ran aground near the East Chop of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts on Aug. 29 at 0145LT. No injuries or spills were reported, but the vessel sustained some damage. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 30 2007)

50-ft F/V Esperanza, homeported in Everett, Washington, capsized on Aug. 29 approximately two miles west of Cattle Point on San Juan Island. The four men were rescued from the water by Good Samaritans who were in the area. No spill reported. Salvage efforts are expected. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 30 2007)

738-gt 1989-built bunker tanker M/V Mekhanik Rudenko (IMO 8907474) ran aground in Sobol Bay, Vladivostok Port area, Russia on Aug. 27 at 2105LT. No spill reported. The vessel was successfully refloated on Aug. 28 with the assistance of a tug after partial cargo offloading. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. Aug. 28 2007)

3,463-gt 1972-built tanker M/V Volgoneft-229 (IMO 8934271) lost left propeller upon closing berthing line of Lock 11, Rybinsk, Moscow Channel, on Aug. 28 at 0040LT. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. Aug. 28 2007)

German paddle wheeler Freya, returning from Rendsburg to Kiel, collided with an unidentified cargo M/V in the locks of the Kiel Canal in Holtenau . When the ship was maneuvering within the gate it was caught by the propeller stream and pulled under stern of the other ship, thereby suffering slight damage at the bow. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 28 2007)

2,580-gt 1979-built cargo M/V Master Endeavour (IMO No 7707102) was driven aground in strong winds caused by hurricane Dean in Fort de France, Martinique, on the night of Aug 17. The ship was anchored in the bay without crew while being under arrest because of drug smuggling. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 28 2007)

Yacht Penn Player, with 3 people aboard, issued Mayday reporting they had gone aground, lost a rudder, and had smoke coming from the engine, off Spurn Head, England on Aug. 27 at 1039LT. The Humber Coastguard co-ordinated the successful rescue, though two people were hospitalized for shock and hypothermia. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 28 2007)

Handling tug Duala Tide, Cameroon from United Arab Emirates, issued Mayday and sank off the eastern coast of South Africa on Aug. 23 at position 34 04.7' S 026 49.7'E, 25 nautical miles from the Fish River lighthouse. One life was lost, three survivors were brought ashore by helicopter while the rest of the crew were taken on board the luxury motor yacht Octopus, owned by billonaire Paul Allen. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and Correspondent Andy Connell (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

German passenger M/V Hanseat, performing a harbor tour at Bremen with 220 passengers and operated by Hal Över Gesellschaft für innovative Stadttouristik mbH", suffered a blackout in its electronic equipment on Aug 25 at 1600LT. As a result, the vessel drifted and struck the quay at berth 19, severely damaging its bow. No injuries were reported. The tug Blumenthal was called and towed the ship to a berth at pier 2. The damage will have to be repaired at the Elsfleht Yard. The amount of damage is not yet assessed but is significant. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

Portuguese ferry Ilha Azul, with 374 passengers, grounded on the rocks Baixa dos Remédios while entering the harbour of Graciosa Island on the Azores on Aug. 23. After assistance from tug O Bravo and the vessel's sister ship Ilha de S. Luis, Ilha Azul managed to berth at Graciosa and land the passengers, although the cars and cargo could not be offoaded as the port side door could not be used. Damage to the vessel is understood to be extensive. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

S/Y Gypsy Rose ran aground and sank at the Karikari Peninsula, New Zealand, on Aug. 26. The sole crewmember is being checked over in a local hospital. The wreckage is being considered a hazard to shipping. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

County Cork based F/V Gismonde, with four crew aboard, caught fire 40 miles southwest of St. Davis Head on Aug. 24. In conjunction with the Irish Coastguard, a Waterford based rescue helicopter R117, was scrambled to the scene. Nearby F/V Ocean Pearl also went to the assistance and picked up all four crew. When the helicopter arrived it reported that F/V Gismonde was totally ablaze and they were able to winch the recovered crew from the deck of F/V Ocean Pearl before flying them to Waterford Hospital and any medical treatment they may require. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

56-ft sport fishing boat Hot Catch, with five adults and four children, took on water 70 miles east of Ocean City, Maryland. An HH-65C Dolphin helicopter rescue crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., headed toward the location. Both aircrews arrived on scene, and the Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted four children and one adult into their helicopter. The rescued were transported to Cape May County Airport in New Jersey and picked up by family members. The Hot Catch's flooding was under control and the four remaining passengers arrived at the Canyon Club Marina in Cape May, New Jersey aboard their boat. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

Panama-flagged tug Sea Endeavour, underway from Luleå to Copenhagen with crew of 6, lost a 100-m barge off Kristinestad, Sweden, in rough seas of more than 2 metres height on Aug. 26. The ships were 80 kilometres off Kaskö, when the accident happened. The Sea Endeavour had suffered rudder problems before and had to activate its emergency steering. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

Cyprus flagged container feeder M/V Rasill lost 12 containers in rough seas near Zeebrugge, Belgium. One Maersk container came ashore at Heist in Belgium afterwards. The search for the others was still underway. M/V Rasill had loaded the containers at the APM and CHZ container terminals in Zeebrugge for Portconnect. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

141-m, 7,987-t container M/V Jork Reliance, Antigua/Barbuda-flagged and enroute to Kotka, struck the gate of lock 3 of the Keil Canal in Holtenau on Aug. 26. The gate could not be opened after the collision. Repair possibilities for the damaged gate are to be assessed. Some ships already altered course to make their way around Skagen in the afternoon of Aug 26 as one of the old locks is also currently out of service due to repairs. M/V Jork Reliance was only slightly damaged and was allowed to continue its voyage. The cause of the collision is under investigation and is not yet known, though it appears a mechanical malfunction of the vessel is possible. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

Inland cargo M/V Discovery suffered fire while berthed in port of Duisburg, Germany on Aug. 26, 0400LT. One crewman inside the cabin was hurt and had to be taken to hospital. The fire fighting boat of Duisburg extinguished the flames. The cause of the fire and the amount of damage is not yet clear. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. Aug. 27 2007)

Portuguese F/V Beatriz Paulo - SB 12600 collided with Portuguese F/V Creoula on Aug. 25 and berthed with bow damage in the Baía de Sesimbra na Madrugada. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 26 2007)

Dutch inland cargo M/V Cazador, with 1,560 tons of soy, ran aground on the Danube at Aicha on Aug. 23. The stern had touched the left river side when the ship was running downstream at 0800LT. Then the rudder broke off, and the ship suffered water ingress. The crew succeeded to keep up with the flood with its pumps, and the ship was secured at the river embankment where it awaits tow. German inland cargo M/V Dusseldorf, running downstream as well with 1,500 tons iron ore, ran aground in a distance of only 600 metres from the grounded M/V Cazador on Aug. 24 at 0950LT. The ship stuck fast, turned around in the current and also lost its rudder. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 26 2007)

Norwegian express ferry M/V Fjordprins, Bergen to Selje with 43 passengers, smashed into a quay in Sollibotn, Eivindvikin, Norway during the foremidday hours of Aug 23. There were problems with one jet engine which worked only with reduced power. The vessel was slightly damaged, but no injuries were reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 26 2007)

Norwegian ferry M/V Hardingenm, with 70 passengers and 50 cars aboard, smashed into a quay at Utne, Hardanger on Aug. 23 at 1225LT. Three people were injured, 4 motorcycles and 11 cars were damaged. The incident was caused by a technical failure preventing the machine from stopping. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 26 2007)

Freighter M/V Ocean Jasper, owned by a Turkish company and flying a Kiribati island flag, collided with French F/V Sokalique, causing it to sink, off the west coast of France on Aug. 23. Rescue efforts were successful and no injuries were reported. The French Navy suspects M/V Ocean Jasper was at fault, and has detained the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 26 2007)

1991-built 35-meter tall ship Arung Samudera, owned by the Indonesian Navy and bound for the Apec meeting in Sydney, ran aground in heavy seas on a beach in south-east Queensland. At last report, Indonesian naval attache is liaising with Australian Navy and salvage company. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and Correspondents Warwick Foote and Daniel Thomson (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007) UPDATE>> Arung Samudera refloated on Aug. 29 at high tide at 1930LT, minus its broken rudder, and towed from Rainbow Beach near Fraser Island and docked at Morningside. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 30 2007)

55-ft whale-watching boat M/V Sur Clipper, owned by Monterey Bay Boat Charters, caught fire while touring Monterey Bay, California on Aug. 21. Passengers were evacuated at Moss Landing and the fire was successfully extinguished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007)

Oil tanker M/V Rajanigandha, Khulna-bound with 13 crew and 11,0000 tonnes of fuel oil, ran aground in strong winds at Ramdaspur in southern Barisal district. The crew were rescued by a port rescue team from Khulna. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007)

M/V Saima, Dhaka-bound from Patenga tank terminal with 12 crew and 13,000 tonnes of fuel oil, sank in heavy weather n the Sandwip Channel, Bangladesh. Port tugboats rescued all crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007)

M/V Feroz Farzana, with 700 tonnes of cement clinker, sank at Karnaphuli estuary in heavy weather, off Chittagong, Bangladesh. Twelve crewmen were rescued by trawlers and boats. The port's two tugboats, Kandari 1 and Kandari 2 tried to locate the sunken ship several times, but failed due to stormy weather conditions. Initial investigations indicate the ship was overloaded, as its capacity is 500 tonnes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007)

Unidentified car carrier collided with an unidentified tanker in strong winds at the Gelderse Hurwenen on the Walloon, Belgium on Aug. 21. The tanker suffered extensive damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007)

Cargo M/V Baltik River, loaded with scrap cars, suffered cargo fire in the port of Antwerp on Aug. 20. The fire brigade extinguished the fire which remained restricted on the cargo. The crew was not evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

35,750-dwt Fednav-operated bulk carrier M/V Federal Kivalina suffered steering failure and ran aground in Colombia's Magdalena river shortly after departing from Sociedad Portuaria del Norte terminal at Barranquilla on Aug. 9. A tug was sent out from Santa Marta in a bid to refloat the loaded vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

42-ft F/V Golden Girls, with four crew, capsized in Ugak Bay near Kodiak Island in the morning of Aug. 21. The crew were safely rescued by nearby F/V Chiniak after the Coast Guard issued an urgent broadcast to vessels in the region. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

27-ft boat Day Dream, with 3 people aboard, took on water and sank two miles south of Stratford Point, Conn. on Aug. 21 at approximately 1345LT. All were wearing life jackets and rescued by the Coast Guard with mild hypothermia. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

9.7-ton F/V Ryosei Maru No. 36, with crew of four, capsized in high waves approximately 3.7 km off Akkeshi, Hokkaido on Aug. 22 at 0250LT. Two fishermen were rescued safely by a nearby vessel but the captain and another man are lost. None of the crew were wearing life jackets. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

80-dwt seiner-refrigerator F/V RSH-9369, with crew of 9, ran aground off Krilyon Cape, Laperuz strait, southern Sakhalin on Aug. 16. The owner initially rejected local salvage assistance and sent its own vessel, 70-dwt PTR-50 Spokoiniy to assist in refloating efforts, which were unsuccessful and ended up with both vessels becoming grounded. Assistance was ultimately needed by Sakhalin State Salvage, which deployed salvage tug Rubin to assist. The vessel was refloated on Aug. 17. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

Unidentified passenger vessel, travelling between Krabi province and the resort island of Phi Phi, southern Thailand, with 38 people, sank in strong winds in the Andaman Sea on Aug. 21. Search and rescue is underway, and the provincial governor reported all passengers rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Wed. Aug. 22 2007)

Retired aircraft carrier (now museum) USS Lexington, an Essex-class carrier which served with distinction in Wrold War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam before it was decommissioned in 1991, suffered fire at its mooring in Corpus Christi, Texas on Aug. 15. The fire started in a small room that contained old maps and flags. It is unknown when the museum will reopen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

143-ft cruise ship M/V Spirit of Columbia, with 51 passengers and 21 crew, ran aground on the east side of Evans Island in Latouche Passage, near Whittier, Alaska, on Aug. 19 at 0953LT. No injuries, pollution or hull breach was reported. The vessel was escorted by the Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore back to Whittier. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

Cargo M/V Nanguiji 035, traveling along the Xijiang river in Guangdong in heavy fog, China, struck the 1,600-meter Jiujiang bridge, causing part of it to collapse on June 15. The local procuratorate reported on Aug. 17 that the captain of the vesel was arrested. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

Ferry Paula Helling, homeport Cuxhaven, ran aground while entering the ferry harbour of Cuxhaven on Aug. 18. Initial efforts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful, and an evacuation of crew and passengers was required. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

Cargo M/V Nirint Atlas caught fire while berthed at the MWB-Yard in Bremerhaven. The fire was successfully extinguished, however three yard workers suffered intoxication and had to be taken to the hospital. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

Dutch tug Watergeus, bound for St. Petersburg with a barge Stemat 77, caught fire in the machine room off Kiel in the Baltic on Aug. 19. The crew closed the machine room and tried to contain the fire. The Kiel-based fire fighting ship Kiel rushed to the ship and helped extinguish the fire. The rescue boat Arkona was also called. Two tugs towed Watergeus and the barge into the Scheer harbour of Kiel. As the tug will have to enter a yard for repairs, another tug is to bring Stemat 77 to St. Petersburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

94-m German research vessel Maria S. Merian had to terminate its research voyage MSM05/6 to the Atlantic in the Fram St. and head to Kiel due to mechanical probems with its azipods. Both pods of the type Schottel Electric Propulsor 2 with 2480 hp caused problems which made it impossible to continue the voyage. The ship proceeded to Kiel and entered floating dock 2 of the Lindenau Yard on Aug 20. The scientists hope that the ship will be able to start its next voyage on Sep 17 from Torshavn into the Gulf of Cadiz. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

F/V Boy Joshua found without crew one mile from Whitingness. Extensive search efforts by other fishing vessels and Coast Guard rescue teams from Arbroath, Montrose and Carnoustie located a body which is blieved to be that of the skipper of F/V Boy Joshua, though that is yet to be confirmed. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

90-ft 105-tonne survey and training M/V Smit Cymyran struck rocks, suffered flooding and began listing seven miles east of Skerries Lighthouse and two miles from Carmel Head, near Holyhead on Aug 20. The crew abandoned ship and were winched to safety by helicopter. The vessel was successfully refloated on the rising tide and damage is being assessed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

Unidentified vessel, with 60-70 passengers, was swept away and capiszed in heavy weather off the coast of northern Sierra Leone on Aug. 18. So far, 11 bodies have been recovered and only 26 of the 60-70 people rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Aug. 20 2007)

F/V Pura Vida, with ten crew, took on water approximately 27 miles east of Cape Henry, Virginia on Aug. 19. U.S. Coast Guard responded with a C-13- Hercules plane and HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter based out of Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The helicopter hoisted all crew to safety. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Aug. 20 2007)

207-m 25,674-grt container M/V Maersk Neuchatel (ex-Natalie Schulte) grounded off Tema, Ghana on July 2. Salvage efforts have been underway since, lead by Svitzer Salvage. A salvage team including salvage master, naval architect and towmaster, is in charge and the operations to prepare the vessel to be refloated include an on-site-cargo-discharge of over 10% of the cargo volume to lighten the ship. These operations however are hampered at times by swell running at the grounding location. All necessary measurements are further taken to prevent any possible environmental damage by the removal of bunkers to safe tanks higher up in the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Aug. 20 2007)

Cargo M/V BBC Islander, BBC Chartering and Logistics, suffered chemical cargo fire at Dampier Port, Australia. The fire remains unextinguished after three days effort. From our Australian Correspondent (Mon. Aug. 20 2007)

30ft F/V Ellie May, with one crew, has gone missing. The vessel left Burghead Harbour, Scotland, on Aug. 11. Rescue efforts by the Coastguard and local fishing vessels have found no trace of the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007) UPDATE>>> Body of the single fisherman found in the sunken vessel on Aug. 21. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Thurs. Aug. 23 2007)

M/V DC Merwestone suffered steering system failure off Vlieland and rendering it inoperable. The tug Hunter was called and kept the ship on position. After the tugs Anita and Jenny had arrived too, the ship was towed into the port of Harlingen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

Ferry Nordik Express, which services communities along Quebecs lower North Shore, ran aground in Harrington on Aug 17 while entering port. None of the 25 crew or 156 passengers, mostly tourists, were injured. It remains unclear why the vessel ran aground. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

M/V Maersk Kendal, on maiden voyage, picked up distress call call from Thai cargo vessel M/V Pailin Maritime, carrying logs and 24 crewmembers from the Solomon Islands to Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam. M/V Pailin Maritime suffered hull crack and was abandoned by her crew. M/V Maersk Kendal responded and was the first at the scene, followed by British M/V Rio Imperial. 19 sailors were rescued - 5 crewmembers are unaccounted for. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

65-ft F/V Sokalique, with seven men aboard, activated its distress beacon at about 330LT about 100 kilometres (60 miles) off the Ile d'Ouessant, France, near Brest on Aug 17. Rescue helicopters found one liferaft with six men on board, and took them to hospital alive but in shock. Another liferaft was found empty, and shortly after one body was retrieved. Based on the first witness statements, there may have been a collision with another boat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

Swedish brigg Gerda ran aground with 44 passengers at 1100LToff Öregrundsgrepen close to Bellona l/h on Aug. 18. The passengers were evacuated by rescue services. The 2-masted ship had just departed from Öregrund on a charter tour when it was caught by strong winds which blew the ship ashore. The rescue boat Olof Wallenius from Öregrund was soon on scene and evacuated the ship together with another boat. The ship is to be surveyed by divers in preparation of refloating attempts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

Norway-flagged passenger M/V Gudvangen, with 334 passegners, crashed into the quay of Gudvangen in the middayhours of Aug 17 after it failed to stop when berthing. 13 people were injured. Investigations showed that a technical fault in the reverse system caused the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

Vessel Amalia caught buoy 26 on the river Scheldt and got it entangled wtih its propeller on Aug. 17. The tug Gent responded and towed the "Amalia" to Flushing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

Austrian passenger M/V Stadt Innsburck, suffered machine damage and was unable to stop on Aug. 18. The ship twice tried in vain to berth at the pier of Achenkirk with 150 passengers on board. The ship was then intentionally grounded on the nearby shore. The crew warned people on the beach to leave before the ship ran aground. Two metres off the shore the ship came to rest. No one was injured. The "Stadt Innsbruck" was christened in August of this year. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

TT Lines Ferry Peter Pan, Travemünde to Trelleborg, suffered fire in foremidday hours of Aug. 18. The crew was able to fight the fire, which broke out on the car deck. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

M/V Florence lost three empty containers from its deck while berthed at the Strom quay in Bremerhaven at 0950LT on Aug. 16. Two containers were immediately salvaged by harbor tugs. The third container was caught by the current and got stuck between pier and vessel M/V Maersk Sorabaya at the quay, but was later freed. The police boat Visura secured the salvage work. M/V Florence suffered railing damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 19 2007)

Greek tanker M/V Mexica, with 215 tonnes of oil, partially sank in heavy weather in the Montenegrin port of Bijela on Aug. 10. The Montenegrin coast is at risk of ecological disaster. The vessel is stable but could be compromised in more heavy weather. Salvage is being organized.From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 16 2007)

22-m passenger M/V Hertha Quandt became stuck fast under a bridge spanning the Trave in Lübeck short after its departure at 4 a.m. from the Hansa harbour for a round trip round the city on Aug. 10. The bridge was raised 15 centimetres allowing the vessel to be freed. No injuries were report, though the vessel suffered minor damage, as well as possibly the bridge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 16 2007)

Semi-submersible drilling rig Ocean Guardian suffered engine room fire 120 miles east northeast of Aberdeen on Aug. 14. 32 nonessential personnel were evacuated. The fire was extinguished without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 15 2007)

German mine hunting vessel M/V Bad Rappenau, crew of 41 and based in Kiel, fired 5 shots by mistake in the area of Kiel while undergoing overhaul on Aug. 14. The incident happened while a gun was re-mounted. No one was hurt, and while the shots missed the nearby berthed floating crane "Hiev" it was not yet known where they finally hit. An investigation was started why sharp munition was used instead of exercise munition. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 15 2007)

F/V P'tit Boudet sank off Cape Finisterre on Aug. 12. Both crew members were rescued with hypothermia within approximately 5 hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 15 2007)

Russian cargo M/V Baltiyskiy 109 was detained in Brunsbuettel after the captain was found to be drunk with 2,15 promille on Aug. 14. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 15 2007)

5744-gt, 8207-dwt cargo M/V Al Shaymaa (IMO No: 7612400, former M/V Gehan al Sadat) developed a strong list to starboard in the port of Moerdijk in the night of Aug 13. The ship was leaning against the quayside of the container terminal. The incident occurred from stability problems while unloading steel rolls. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 15 2007)

Turkish ferry Salih Reis 4, Bostanci to island of Avesa in the Sea of Marmara with capacity for 450 passengers, collided with 2,466-gt Ukranian-flagged general cargo M/V Semyon Rudnev off Istanbul on Aug. 13. At least 30 people were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 14 2007)

52,347-ton cargo M/V Ocean Crown, bound for India with 40,000 tonnes of copper concentrate from Escondida, grounded in Magellan Straits on Aug. 7. Efforts are underway to refloat the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 14 2007) UPDATE>> M/V Ocean Crown freed and refloated after three days work by the Five Oceans Salvage Consultants Ltd. and berthed in Puerto Montt, Chile.From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 21 2007)

F/V Glass Lady, en route to St. Lawrence from Petit Forte, caught fire off Newfoundland on Aug. 12. Both crew members abandoned the vessel by life raft and were picked up by Coast Guard auxiliary vessel M/V Three Sisters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 14 2007)

German inland passenger M/V Mozart, owned by Deilmann, Neustadt, collided with the Northern Train Bridge crossing the Danube in Vienna in the evening of Aug 13. The train traffic was interrupted for the length of investigations and initial repairs. The vessel's two exhaust pipes were damaged from the impact. The bridge was only slightly damaged, and traffic will be fully re-established shortly. M/V Mozart berthed at the shipping center of the DDSG in Vienna. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 14 2007)

Norwegian vintage sailing ship Spleis suffered water ingress in its machine room in the South Harbour of Helgoland on Aug 13. After the machine room was pumped out, an oil spill of 300 square metres was found in the harbour. The ship had problems with the watertightness of the hull since its departure from London on July 30. The ship was detained in Helgoland after the oil spill and the captain instructed to head for the Buesum Yard escorted by another ship for permanent repairs. The captain is facing a punishment notice. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 14 2007)

Russian cargo M/V Volgo Balt 107, Klaipeda to Hamburg with seed flex, was detained in Brunsbuettel after her captain was found to be drunk with 2,06 promille and the machine engineer was not even able to make an alcohol test on Aug. 12. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. Aug. 14 2007)

950-ft US Navy supply ship USNS Sisler caught fire while undergoing repairs at a South Boston shipyard on August 13. The fire caused an estimated $750,000 in damage, and several people, including at least one firefighter, suffered minor injuries. USNS Sisler is named for Army First Lieutenant George K. Sisler, who was killed in Vietnam in 1967 as he tried to save fellow soldiers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Aug. 13 2007)

60-foot cabin cruiser Crescendo crashed into rocks at the west jetty at Newport Beach and sank in 135 feet of water on the night of Aug 11. All six passengers were safely evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Aug. 13 2007)

80-ton 20-m Swedish F/V Tunia ran aground at Roxen, Sweden, in the foremidday hours of Aug 11. The vessel is stuck fast off Grytudden. Salvage attempts are underway. UPDATE>>> Vessel refloated with tug assistance on Aug. 16 and brought to Norsholm, Söderköping . From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sung Aug. 19 2007)

German F/V Cormoran, homeported in Greetsiel, caught fire during a traditional trawler race off the port of Buesum. The 28 aboard were rescued without injury, however a fireman from the fire brigate of Buesum was injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon Aug. 13 2007)

43,814-dwt Panamanian bulk carrier cargo M/V New Flame, loaded with scrap metal, collided with Danish tanker M/V Torm Gertrude loaded with 37,000 tons of fuel off the coast of Algeciras and Gibraltar on the morning of Aug. 12. M/V New Flame suffered flooding in No. 1 and 2 holds and began sinking at the bow, which is now resting on a reef. M/V New Flame's crew of 23 abandoned ship. M/V Torm Gertrude is safe and proceeded to port of Algeciras - no spill reported. Extensive investigations and salvage efforts are underway. (Sun. Aug. 12 2007) UPDATE>>> M/V New Flame looks likely to break up off the coast of Gibraltar and efforts to rescue the vessel have been abandoned. There are no major spill / pollution concerns for the time being. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007) Singles Only>> Extinguishing The Flame?

Cargo vessel M/V Baba Lichu Shah, Bhola Sadar to Monpura upazila with 800 sacks of urea fertilizer and 50 sacks of rice, sank in stormy weather while anchored in the Meghna River in Borhanuddin upazila, Bangladesh, on Aug. 12. (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

Unidentified fishing trawler with 16 fisherman capsized at Kachchapia in Charfashion upazila, Bangladesh, on Aug 12. Three fisherman remain missing. (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

French F/V Tourmalet made mayday call reporting serious electrical engine room fire 16 miles west of ST. Davids Head in the Irish Sea on Aug. 12. Several nearby vessels responded and the fire was contained without any report of injuries. St. Davids Head RNLI Lifeboat now towing F/V Tourmalet to Milford Haven. (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

nland pushbarge M/V Thor, running downstream on the river Scheldt with two barges, collided with a seagoing Stoltvessel which was coming out of the Kallo lock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

M/V MSC Napoli UPDATE>> The Coastguard on Aug 9 began towing one half of the stricken cargo ship M/V MSC Napoli from Devon to Belfast for recycling. A coastguard tug is expected to take five days to tow the bow section to Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard where it will be broken up. The stern of the ship and the accommodation block remain grounded about one mile off east Devon. An MCA spokesman said contracts were now under discussion for the final removal of the stern. A large boom was put in position to catch any oil which may have leaked from the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 12 2007) "Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli

216-ft M/V Alexey Marshev, a Russian research vessel converted into a luxury sightseeing vessel, was hit by ice which fell from a glacier off the Svalbard Islands, 310 miles north of Norway. 18 people were injured (17 British passengers and Russian one crew member). From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

103-m 1996-built Italien highspeed ferry M/V Sardinia Express, with capacity for 535 passengers and 150 vehicles, suffered fine in engine room on 3 a.m. on Aug 10 and went adrift 10 miles off Corsica on Aug. 10. Helicopters and Rescue tugs were deployed. At 5 AM ferry M/V Mega Express III arrived on location and started towing M/V Sardinia Express to stabilize it. At 7 AM a team was sent aboard to assess the damages and to treat the passengers who required medical attention. A sick passenger was evacuated by helicopter. The tug Rable replaced M/V Mega Express III and towed M/V Sardinia Express to Bastia. The tug Carangue and Italian rescue vessels escorted the convoy. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

2,173-ton cargo M/V Reef Azania, Dubai to Seychelles with 14 crew, reported missing on Aug. 8. The vessel left Dubai on June 18 and experienced bad weather on June 24 at 16 degrees north latitude and 59 degrees east longitude in the Indian Ocean. The government of Tanzania's Zanzibar is investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. Aug. 12 2007)

62-m Russian trawler M/V Olshana (IMO 8422864) ran aground on a marked reef off the Faroe Islands at Fjelsmumum on Aug 1. The Coast Guard vessel Tjaldrid attempted to refloat the vessel withotu success. M/V Olshana took on water, began listing and sank on Aug. 3. 15 of 270 tons gas oil have already leaed out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Norway-flagged M/V Vikingen, running between Bogenes and Skargerget, crashed into a quay in Skarberget, Norway in the morning of Aug. 3. The vessel suffered damage to the bow and berthed in Bognes for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Unidentified vessel enroute from the coastal capital Freetown to the riverside town of Rokupr with 200 passengers capsized in heavy rain at the mouth of a river in Sierra Leone on Aug 3. Approximately 50 people are feared dead and more than 100 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

31.5-m Russian reseach M/V Thetis collided with Panama-registered merchant cargo vessel M/V Heleni, operating on the Israel-Spain route, off the Sicilian coast in foggy seas on Aug. 3. M/V Thetis sank as a result of the collision. One person remains missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Passenger M/V Helvetia suffered machine failure on the Zuerich Lake at 2130LT on Aug. 2. The 27 passengers had to be evacuated by the police when the vessel drifted without steering. M/V Helvetia was later towed into port by M/V Linth. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Cargo M/V OPDR Casablanca suffered a machine blackout on the Scheldt after departing from Antwerp toward the North Sea on Aug. 5. The vessel's anchor failed to hold, and assistance was needed from the tugs Bravo, Multratug 10, and Hemiksem. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Tanker M/V Fostraum lost 2 persons over board while the vessel was lying at Abbenfleth anchorage on the Elbe on Aug. 5. A pleasure boat rescued one person, but the second could not be located. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Car-carrier M/V Nobleza, Monrovia-flagged, was caught by strong wind and pushed against pilings in the Kiel Canal with its port side while passing from Brunsbuettel to Kiel-Holtenau on Aug. 5. The vessel lated resumed its voyage with minor dents. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

F/V Zhu Wan 4209 sank in tropical storm in the waters of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Aug 3. All five abaord were rescued by 35,500-ton German container M/V Northern Faith. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

290-m cruise M/V Thomson Spirit, Cyrpus-flagged, collided with 135-m cruise M/V Ocean Majesty in the Norwegian Geirangerfjord on Aug. 7 at 1500LT. The incident happened as one ship drifted against hte othe rwhile anchoring. Damage was limited to dents and a damaged launch. No injuries were reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Tanker M/V Chelsea suffered rudder failure northwest of Hoek van Holland off the Dutch coast on Aug. 8. The vessel was safely towed by tugs Fairplay III, Smit Humber and Smit Mersey to the harbour of Flushing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

77,211-gt 1994-built M/V Alpha Action, chartered by NYK and sailing from Nagoya, Japan to Chile, collided with 25,836-gt M/V Wan Hai 307 12 kilometers southwest of Oshima, Japan on July 27. No injuries were reported, though the Japanese Coast Guard reported a small amount of oil from, M/V Wan Hai 307 has leaked. Both vessels are now drifting east from the site of the collision. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and Correspondent Jacob Intrieri (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

21,823-dwt 1999-built tanker M/V Weichselstern (IMO 9183829) collided with berthed 14,184-grt 1990-built arctic MPP Ivan Papanin while passing with pilot on board. The pilot reported the incident was caused by engine failure. MPP Ivan Papanin suffered damaged above the waterline. M/V Weichselstern was detained for investigation. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

207-dwt 1989-built trawler M/V Utashud, Russia-flagged, suffered explosion at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy port on Aug. 6. One crewmember died, another seriously injured. The fire was extinguished by the vessel's crew. An investigation is underway. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

1,583-grt 1978-built Turkish ferry ro-ro M/V Boztepe, Sierra-Leone flagged (IMO 7709796) with cars and passengers out of Turkish port of Trabzon, caught fire at Sochi port in Russia's Black Sea coast on Aug. 3. All aboard were evacuated without reports of injury. Because initial efforts to battle the flames were unsuccessful, salvage crews towed the vessel offshore to continue fighting the fire where the vessel began to list but was later stablized. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

2,000-tonne cargo M/V Jork, Lubeck, Germany bound for Humber estuary with wheat, collided into an unmanned Echo North Sea gas platform 40 miles off the Norfolk coast on Aug. 4. The vessel sank on Aug. 5. The captain has been charged with being drunk. ConocoPhillips reported only "very slight" damage to its platform. From our Correspondent Charles Emberton (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007) UPDATE>>> The captain of the M/V Jork was sentenced to jail for one year after pleading guilty to being intoxicated while in charge of the vessel. From our Correspondent Charles Emberton (Sun. Nov. 4 2007)

Dry cargo M/V Paramushir became disabled and required tow to Nakhodka by salvage vessel Yuriy Orlenko on Aug. 1. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Unidentified boat carrying a group of eight army cadets and four adults in Loch Carnan, South Uist, capsized on Aug. 3. One 14-year-old cadet was killed. No other injuries were reported. About 200 cadets from aroudn the north-east of Scotland were at a summer camp on nearby Benbecula. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

322-dwt 1995-built Trawler Kapitan Kazantsev, Russian flagged, became disabled after a buoy rope got entangled in a propeller in the Okhotsk sea, 51.55.5N 145.09.2E on July 31. The vessel was drifting and awaited assistance from salvage tug Rubin whose divers were able to free the propellers. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Aug. 9 2007)

Carnival cruise ship M/V Carnival Victory, returning from a four-day cruise to Canada and New England, struck a pier overhang while docking on Aug. 2 on Manhattan's West Side, closing down 12th Avenue near 56th Street and causing backups on the Henry Hudson parkway. No injuries were reported and despite minor damage the vessel is expected to sail on its next voyage as scheduled. (Thurs. Aug. 2 2007)

South African S/Y Clandara, enroute from Durban to Australia, dismasted in storm in the Indian Ocean about 1,200km south-east of the island of Reunion. A French naval vessel has sailed from Reunion to render assistance. The rescue is being coordinated by Mauritian maritime authorities. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 2 2007)

6,182-grt M/V Wilson Express, Alesund to Rotterdam with 4,500 tons aluminium, suffered mechanical failure off Norway and was towed to Haugsholmen by rescue boat Emmy Dyvi on July 15. The vessel remains at port awaiting a new crank shaft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 2 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For July 2007


For Casualty Reports From 2006 - January To December 2006

Shanghai Cutoff - 9 July 2007 -- Because Ship Happens© -- Especially When $$ Is At Stake.

A 42-year-old woman was injured on Aug. 1 when she was pinned between a rack of pipe and the bulkhead of cargo vessel M/V Suzaqu at dock 17 in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas. (Tues. July 31 2007)

Unidentified boat evacuating people from a flooded village in a North Indian river capsized near Maharajgang, a village 200 miles southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state. The accident is believed to have been caused by overcrowding on the boat. Of the 50-55 people, at least 28 people are reported dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 31 2007)

90-m Malta-registered M/V Baltiyskiy-201, carrying timber, suffered mechanical failure and veered off course into a sandbank as it was attempting to enter the harbour on the Tay at Perth on July 31. The vessel was stranded until it could be refloated at the next high tide. The vessel did not appear seriously damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 31 2007)

30,572-gt Singapore-flagged NYK-operated car carrier M/V Tigris Leader, enroute to Durban with a capacity of 3,150 cars, lost power after engine failure and drifted towards rocky coast betwen Camps Bay and Llandudno, Cape Peninsular during the night of July 30. SMIT Amandla Marine's slavage tug Smit Amandla responded to distress calls from Cape Town harbour. The tug managed to secure a line and tow the M/V Tigris Leader to safety. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 31 2007)

87-m 2,094-gt British Tanker M/V Birthe Theresa, with 2,800 tons parrafie, collided with pilings and the quay while berthing in the Steinwerder Harbour in Hamburg on July 30. A pilot was on board at the time of the accident, though poor weather was reported. M/V Birthe Theresa's hull suffered significant damage, as did the quay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 31 2007)

The barge of towing vessel Charles E. Martin collided with a 17-ft recreational boat near Ohio River mile 638. The operator and passenger of the recreational boat made it to shore without assistance. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 31 2007)

F/V Nordic Viking ran aground between Valdez and Cordova on July 27. The tug Redoubt towed the vessel after response crews safely transferred 12,113 gallons of diesel fuel off the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 31 2007)

14-m Norwegian luxry yacht Blue Ocean ran aground off the robben reef of Helgoland on July 28. The vessel's twin rudders broke off, the propellers and hull were seriously damage and the vessel suffered substantial water ingress. Nearby vessels assisted with pumps and a tow to prevent Blue Ocean from sinking. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 30 2007)

104.9m 2,414-tn Dutch inland water craft Victus, built 2006, crashed into a house at Grou op de Wal on the island De Burd in the morning of July 27 at 0430 after the captain fell asleep at the bridge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 30 2007)

180-ft barge Sei 17 sank in Quincy Shipyard in Quincy, Mass. on July 29. No on was aboard, however an unknown amount of fuel was spilled. A containment boom was deployed and the incident is under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 30 2007)

76,000-dwt cargo M/V Red Seto, with 41,000 tonnes of goods, suffered mechanical failure near Suez on its way south to the Red Sea on July 28. The Suez Canal was blocked for three hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 30 2007)

Fred Olson Cruise Lines M/V Black Watch, returning from a 17-day trip from the UK to the Baltic with 750 passengers aboard, is returning to port early after at least six passengers showed symptoms of Legionnares' disease. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Mon. July 30 2007)

13-m crayfishing boat F/V Patricia J grounded on Mill's Reef, Port Fairy, on July 26. F/V Patricia J was pulled free within two hours by four assisting vessels. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 28 2007)

Brasilian cargo M/V Espirito Santo (IMO 7433660) berthed in Guanara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, on July 25 with significant bow damage caused by a collision. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 28 2007)

108.8-m 1,578-gt M/V Nordskott suffered fire in its machine room northeast of Harstad, Norway on July 28. Coast Guard and rescue services were deployed and the fire was successfully extinguished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 28 2007)

87-ft F/V Rianda sank at a pier in New Bedford Harbor, spilling about 100 gallons of diesel fuel in the water. No one was aboard the vessel at the time and a containment boom was set. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 28 2007)

Ferry M/V Aqua Jewel, with 850 passengers, collided with smaller ferry M/V Evia Star, with 75 passengers, at the port of Rafina (18 miles east of Athens ) on July 27. M/V Evia Star was reversing into the dock when it scraped the side of M/V Aqua Jewel, causing slight damage. All passengers of both vessels were safely evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 28 2007)

Cambodian cargo M/V Multitrader, with 7 crew and 1,100 U.S. tons of construction supplies, sank in the Black Sea near the Romanian port of Mangalia on July 26. All crew were rescued. Authorities are examining the wreck scene for environmental concerns. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 28 2007)

77,211-ton Greek freight M/V Alpha Action, Nagoya for Chile, collided with 25,836-ton Singaporean container M/V Wan Hai, enroute to Hong Kong with over 1,000 containers, off central Japan (Toshima, Izu archipelago) at 0220LT on July 27. The collision caused the vessels to become attached -- parting them could sink both. The bow of M/V Alpha Action struck the port side of M/V Wan Hai, causing flooding in its engine room. M/V Wan Hai is spilling oil. The crews of both vessels, collective 44, were not injured. The vessels are drifting while the scene is inspected by officials. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 27 2007)

498-ton Japanese freighter M/V Tsugaru Maru, with load of animal feed, collided with 6,182-ton Philippine container M/V Eastern Challenger, with load of steel, off Tokyo Bay in heavy fog on July 26, causing the latter to sink and force the evacuation of its crew of 25. No casualties reported. M/V Tsugaru Maru was able to harbour at the port and its five crewmembers were safe. (Fri. July 27 2007)

65-ft shrimp F/V Turmoil wreck / debris discovered approximately six miles east of Jekyll Island, Georgia on July 23, including a 12-ft section of the stern bearing the vessel's name. A unidentified distress call received does not match up to the vessel. The wreck / debris was discovered by research vessel M/V Lady Lisa. Helicopter search efforts are underway. Coast Guard officials are attempting to track down the current owner of the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. July 24 2007) UPDATE>>> The search efforts ended on July 24 when the vessels owner was located and informed the Coast Guard F/V Turmoil sank three years ago in about 300 feet of water off of Brunswick as he was towing it out of Brunswick. Coast Guard officials are now investigating reports that the vessel sailed out of Brunswick Harbor en route to McIntosh County about a month ago -- likely a case of mistaken identity. From our Correspondent Mark Levdahl (Fri. July 27 2007)

Bulk carrier M/V White Mist (IMO 7821506) collided with bulk carrier M/V Miltiades (ex-Toro, IMO 8208323) head-on in thick fog on the Panama Canal near Gamboa, south of canal marker 101, in the curve heading into the Cuebra Cut. The vessels became attached as a result of the collision and were towed to moorings in Gamboa where they were separated. Both vessels suffered substantial damage. M/V White Mist took on water at the bow, M/V Miltiades suffered a shattered bow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. July 26 2007)

P&O cruise ship M/V Pacific Star struck by heavy seas, sustaining 20 broken windows and damage to its hull and bow last week. The vessel reached Brisbane where a steel plate was welded to the hull and further repairs were arranged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. July 26 2007)

A crane collapsed and fell on its side while unloading inland cargo M/V Trinitas at the harbour of Harburg on July 24. No injuries were reported, but the harbour was closed during police investigations through July 25. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. July 26 2007)

Research M/V Akademik Fyodorov suffered mechanical problems with an electric propeller motor causing the vessel to drift in the Barents Sea on July 25. The malfunction brought the Russian naval expedition on its way to explore the ocean floor below the North Pole to a sudden falt. The problem was repaired on July 26 and the vessel is continuing on its voyage to the North Pole. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. July 26 2007)

4,450-gt cargo M/V Pioneer Bay (ex Amisia J and Herm J, IMO 9164550) and 3,987-gt oil tanker M/V Fryken both ran aground on the Western Scheldt at Antwerp on July 25. Both vessels were refloated and passing traffic was not effected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. July 26 2007)

61-ft landing craft M/V Pegasus capsized near Lynn Canal approximately five miles north of Juneau on July 24. The cause is believed to be cargo shifting. Two containers and an excavator were lost thereby dumping 47,000 pounds of explosives. A local salvage comapny has been contracted to recover the containers and salvge the vessel. The crew of two was not injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 25 2007)

33-ft F/V Angler Away, with seven crew, ran aground near Middle Bass Island at approximately 5:15 p.m. on July 24. The crew was evacuated by Coast Guard HH-65 dolphin helicopter from Air Station Detroit. The vessel is being recovered by a local salvage company. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 25 2007)

15.69 meter Concarneau-homported F/V He Pourquoi Pas II, with 6 men aboard, ran aground at the Sizun in the bay of Douarnenez on July 24 at 100LT. The men were rescued with the assistance of F/V Barr Avel, F/V Low Gouach, F/V Jimorhan as well as navy ship Thetis and a navy helicopter. No pollution was reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 25 2007)

M/V Rajapur I, with at least 600 tonnes of fly ash, suffered engine failure, took on water and sank 20 km off Calcutta on July 24. Fly ash is the finely divided mineral residue resulting from the combustion of coal in electricity-generating plants, raising fears of ecological disaster in the river Hooghly. The crew managed to abandon ship without injury. (Tues. July 24 2007)

M/V Katrina overcome by fire off Tawi-Tawi island in the southern Philippines on July 24, forcing its passengers and crew members to jump off the vessel. Rescue operations are ongoing, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The Coast Guard in Manila reported 17 people had been rescued. The Coast Guard received the incident report from M/V Federal Rhine which sportted the burning vessel at 11:39 Tuesday morning. It is unknown how many people were aboard. (Tues. July 24 2007)

64.35-m M/V Yuko, homeport Willemstad, collided with the pier of berth 2 in the Industra Harbour of Bremerhaven on July 21. The vessel sustained a gash of .75-m approximately 2 meters above the waterline. The damage was assessed to be approximately 3,000 Euros. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 23 2007)

Tourist sailing ship Vertrouwen, with 15 passengers on board, capsized near Terschelling on July 21 at 1230LT. The passengers were rescued by nearby tug Typhoon. The Vertrouwen was subsequently righted and grounded in shallow waters, where it will be raised and salvaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 23 2007)

Kodiak F/V Nordic Viking ran aground approximately 25 miles south of Valdez in Olson Bay on July 22, spilling approximately 3,000 gallons of disel fuel. The vessel's crew of four were safely transferred to a nearby boat. Response teams are attempting to contain and remove the spill and efforts are also underway to lighter the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 23 2007)

102-foot 97-ton Fort Sumter tour boat Spirit of Charleston collided with laser yacht during the Charleston Yacht Club Open Regatta after it crossed an area reserved for sailboat racing on June 22. The sailboat was destroyed, but its skipper surived. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 23 2007)

Cargo vessel M/V Changfu, loaded with 3,000 tons of sand, capsized near a lake in central China's Hunan Province on June 22. Five of the seven crew were rescued, the others were not found. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 23 2007)

35,923-gt passenger / car ferry M/V Maersk Dunkerque caught fire at approximately 0930LT on July 22 at the port of Dover. The fire broke out in a boat trailer on board. The passengers were evacuated as a precuation and there were no injuries. The fire was successfully extinguished within an hour and the ferry services have been unaffected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 23 2007)

POTENTIAL PIRATE ACTIVTY IN EAST AFRICA >>Reports emerging from East Africa indicate that a St Vincent and the Grenadines flagged cargo M/V Reef Azania is missing while under way to Seychelles from Dubai. Crew members on board are composed of 4 Asian & 8 Tanzanian nationals. The vessel was expected to call Seychelles before heading to Zanzibar. The vessel lost contact since June 26th.This is the 3rd ocean-going vessel reported missing under mysterious circumstance along the Indian Ocean in a span of one month. A Panama-flagged cargo vessel has gone missing in Somalia's pirate-infested waters. The M/V Infinity Marine 1 disappeared 37 nautical miles off the northeastern village of Ras Hafun in late June. The vessel, sailing from the United Arab Emirates, was carrying general cargo including food stuffs, iron sheet, generators, batteries, white wood & light vehicles. Four vessels - one from Taiwan, another from Denmark and two from South Korea - are already currently in the hands of pirates off the coast of war-torn Somalia. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 22 2007) UPDATE>>> Three months after the mysterious disappearance of a cargo ship with 22 crew on board, investigators still have no idea what may have happened to the vessel. The Somalia-bound M/V Infinity Marine 1 left Dubai on June 10 and the last time the ship made contact with shore was on June 26. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), is now investigating the case. The crew members of the ship included 16 Indians, five Pakistanis, an Iraqi and a Bangladeshi. Investigators said they are waiting for a report on the seaworthiness of the ship, which would confirm if she may have sunk. Experts are doubting the vessel was hijacked, even though it vanished in the pirate infected waters of Somalia, on the theory no one would hold up the ship and feed the sailors for months without demanding any money. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Sept. 28 2007)

M/V MSC Napoli UPDATE>> A 3rd round of explosives has split the beached container M/V MSC Napoli in two off the Devon coast on July 20. Explosions were triggered soon after midday on M/V MSC Napoli. The stern of the ship will stay on site and be cut up while the bow section has been towed away for recycling, possibly in mainland Europe. Two previous explosions on July 17 & 18 had been unsuccessful. The operation was carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The two halves of the ship had detached cleanly, there was no chance of re-floating the stern section. The stern, including the accommodation block, would remain grounded where a contractor would dismantle it and the metal would be recycled. Contractors could be working on the stern within a month, and it would take about 3 further months to dismantle. A large boom was in position to catch any oil which may leak from the vessel in her position about half a mile off Sidmouth. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 22 2007) "Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli

Swiss 110mt. river cruise M/V Britannia, departing destined for Strasbourg on July 20 -- in collision with an inland cargo m/v which was berthed in the Rhine harbour Breisach. The steering on the passenger ship had failed before, causing the ship to hit the other which was just unloading a cargo of logs. After the hit she was in danger of colliding with yet another ship before it could be brought under control and secured at the Rhine embankment. Passengers transfered to the passengerM/V Weinland Baden, hompeport Breisach, which had come alongside, and were taken to the shore. M/V Britannia already had suffered machine damage in June 2007 at Steiger Rastatt close to Plittersdorf on the way to Basel with 150 passengers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 22 2007)

151mt.Liberian cargo M/V Afric Star (IMO Number: 8713562, Callsign: A8KJ8) extinguished a fire at the exhaust filter in the midday hours of July 19 and the ship proceeded under own power Elbe upstream to Hamburg where she was met by tugs. She still had a slight list to port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 22 2007)

Russian 2,615 BRZ ore-oil-carrier M/V Nefterudovoz-54, owned by BashVolgoTanker (IMO 8726193), Astrakhan for Enzeli, Iran with steel constructions -- ran aground off Bekdash Point, Karaada Island. Hole in Hold 1 area, water ingress. Refloating by own means impossible. Water pumping out by vessel's pumps. Waiting for salvage tugs from Krasnovodsk (Turkmenistan) and Baku (Azerbaidzhan). Weather fine. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 22 2007)

40ft. S/F Rhyme Time, with 6 passengers taking on water 30 miles east of Atlantic City, July 18. U.S. Coast Guard received a call at 5:50 a.m. from a crew member aboard the fishing boat F/V Mary Hazel reporting S/F Rhyme Time taking on water at a high rate through the boat's shaft packing. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City dispatched a helicopter rescue crew to the scene and lowered a rescue swimmer and a water pump aboard the vessel. The rescue swimmer pumped the 3 feet of water off the boat and was hoisted back into the helicopter leaving behind the water pump and a hand-held radio for the 6 people aboard.  The crew of M/V Mary Hazel remained on scene S/F Rhyme Time while the crew of 87-foot coastal patrol cutter USCGC Beluga diverted to their location. USCGC Beluga crew escorted S/F Rhyme Time boat crew near Longport, N.J. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 22 2007)

Capt. of the 125mt. container M/V Sirrah (built 2002, 6384 gt) was fined after his ship had a near miss on the inland water craft M/V Peute 2 in Hamburg. When M/V Sirrah departed from the Köhlbrand and approached the Elbe, it nearly hit the M/V Peute 2 at port side. Both  captains did not seem to have realised the danger. The bow of M/V Sirrah passed in a very close distance to the other ship`s stern. M/V Sirrah was ordered back to its berth for investigations of the police including radar pics and voice traffic. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

Dutch tourist S/V Goudem Bodem ran aground on a dam off the German island Juist in the North Sea, July 18. On board were 16 children accompanied by 4 adults. The ship had intended to enter the port of Juist but missed the entrance. The rescue M/V Woltera on scene but decided to wait for the next flood with refloating attempts. The ship was meanwhile stuck high and dry on the stone dam with its stern hanging in the air. The passengers were taken to shore by the rescue boat. The salvage attempts had to be broken off at 2.30 due to another emergency case - someone from the island had to be transported into hospital. The rescue M/V Bernhard Gruben from Norderney was called as relief and finally towed S/V Goudem Bodem free. No injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

Dutch tourist S/V De Albertha passengers were happy to be saved after having fallen over board on July 15. The ship was underway from Kiel to Nystad with 20 passengers when winds of 8 bf suddenly caught the ship which had 250 square meters sail & listed 50 degrees -- 6 passengers were washed over board. When the sails were removed and the engine should be started, a rope was caught in the propeller and left the ship drifting helpless. The catamaran S/V Flutschfinger saved the young people out of the Baltic sea. On the whole, 8 passengers from S/V De Albertha were taken to the island hospital of Fehmarn. One was still treated on July 16. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

German 8mt. S/Y sent Mayday off Kühlungsborn, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on July 17 at 9 p.m. . The Rescue Center Bremen sent the rescue M/V John T. Essberger, M/V Fehmarn, M/V Arkona, M/V Warnemünde, & M/V Konrad Otto, M/V Kühlungsborn, to the position 10 miles NW of  Kühlungsborn. Also a Russian cargo M/V and a German tug proceeded. 30 minutes later red flares were sighted and two men rescued from a raft. Their vessel sunk on a depth of 20mt after the emgine room had filled up with water rapidly. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

Inspection of the sunken 142mt. RoRo cargo ship M/V Don Pedro off the island of Ibiza has been concluded by SVITZER Salvage and remaining leakage from the ship has been stopped. Svitzer Salvage will discuss their findings with the owners of the ferry before the end of this week. In order to prevent further spills Svitzer Salvage will meanwhile monitor & contain any potential leakage. SVITZER Salvage is using salvage masters, divers, and a dive support vessel for the operation. M/V Don Pedro sank of the island of Ibiza July 11 reportedly carrying 100 tons of fuel oil & 60 tons of gas oil.. First leakage from the vessel was stopped by Spanish authorities. Further leakage found during inspection was consequently sealed by Svitzer Salvage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

F/V Lucy sank 4 miles south of Newport, R.I. on July 16. Sole crew taken aboard a 25-foot response boat from Station Castle Hill, transported to the Jamestown pier and transferred by awaiting Jamestown EMS to Newport Hospital for follow-up treatment. The Jamestown Fire Dept. arrived on-scene 7:30 a.m. and fought the fire until the vessel sank in 100-feet of water. The crew of another fishing vessel F/V Odyssey, observed the fire and took him aboard. U.S. Coast Guard Station Castle Hill responded with a 25-foot-response-boat crew and a 41-foot-utility-boat crew, who arrived on-scene around 6:35 a.m. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

12 July 2007: 1555 UTC: Chittagong anchorage 'B', Bangladesh. Six pirates, armed with knives, boarded an anchored container ship. D/O raised the alarm, all crew mustered & chased the robbers. Robbers stole ship's stores & escaped. (Sat. July 21 2007)

11 July 2007: 0500 LT: Belawan anchorage, Indonesia. Duty crew, on an anchored chemical tanker, spotted a pirate on the forecastle deck. The OOW was informed and the alarm raised. The robber jumped overboard & escaped in an unlit boat. Later ships stores were found missing. (Sat. July 21 2007)

10 July 2007: 0245 UTC: Posn 12:59N 049:17E 90 nm North of Somali northern coast, Gulf of Aden. A tug, underway, observed a dhow type-fishing vessel on her port side proceeding on a reciprocal course -- fishing vessel altered & started coming closer to tug. As tug altered course, fishing vessel altered her course & increased speed as well. Once the tug increased speed, the fishing vessel aborted the attempt. (Sat. July 21 2007)

08 Juy 2007: 1842 LT: Posn 00:19:0N - 050:45:0E, Somalia. OOW on a container ship, underway, spotted small craft at distance of 13nm on starboard bow. The craft increased speed & headed directly for the ship. The Master was notified and the ship carried out evasive maneuvers. Craft adjusted course & speed to close onto the ship. The Master ordered all lights to be switched off & increased speed. Distance between the craft & ship slowly decreased, however, later the craft moved away. (Sat. July 21 2007)

20 July 2007: 1930 LT: Posn 13:21N 052:21.2E, Somalia. An unlit craft approached a bulk carrier, underway from her starboard bow. The Master continuously altered course; the craft also adjust her course & speed. Later the ship spotted another unlit craft, which also started adjusting course & speed towards the ship. The Master notified all crew & took maximum precautions. This continued for about 2.5 hours before the small crafts aborted their attempt. (Sat. July 21 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top  

Cargo M/V Afric Star, homeport Monrovia -- suffered fire off Cuxhaven. The rescue M/V Hermann Helms was on scene July 19. Smoke escaped from the engine room at the smoke stack, the ship has a list to port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 21 2007)

TOOTHPASTE IS NOT THE ONLY CHINA IMPORT PROBLEM>> Earlier we reported a severe fire aboard M/V Zim Haifa during June 2007, with loss of over 100 containers for Savanah.

The Cargo Letter has now learned that over 100 containers were destroyed in hold #5 of M/V Zim Haifa, a substantial proportion of which were to have been transshipped at Kingston, Jamaica for Mexico, Central & South America.  The fire, delivery delay & cargo destruction are massive.

Legal action has now been launched in the U.S. District Court for The Southern District of New York. Today it is alleged by Zim Container Line that Sinochem -- the PRC chemical manufacturer -- manifested the cargo as "calcium chloride" which is salt. However, the true nature of this cargo is --"calcium hypochlorite" --a dangerous chemical used to shock swimming pool chemistry. This is a chemical which is excluded from carriage by Zim Container Line & other most other ocean carriers.

The allegation is that Sinochem was willing to commit fraud to place this cargo aboard a vessel bound for the U.S.

Worse, this banned substance is the same chemical blamed for the fire & loss of M/V DG Harmony.

Manufacturer Warning:
"Extreme care should be used in handling this product. Always keep in a cool dry place away from any organic material. When mixing it with water, it is safest to add the calcium hypochlorite to water. This material has been known to undergo self heating and rapid decomposition accompanied by the release of toxic chlorine

Zim Lines has now moved in court & attached bank accounts belonging to Sinochem. In particular, several large Sinochem accounts have been garnished.

I suspect that this story of dangerous chemicals approaching the U.S. -- mislabeled & misreprestented content -- causing an exploded vessel--- and a major federal court battle at New York -- will totally esacpe the notice of ABC, CBS & NBC news. There is much of our maritime life which touches , yet escapes notice from the rest of the world.

McD (Fri. July 20 2007)

M/V Zim Haifa has suffered at leat US$3M in damage -- not to mention the cargo stowed within those 100 containers.

ALERT>> Airbus 320, TAM Airlines flight JJ3054, Porto Alegre to Sao Paulo, Brazil with 176 people, skidded off runway, crashed into a building and caught fire while attempting to land in heavy rain at Sao Paulo's Congonhas Airport. Slippery runway conditions and /or unsafe runway design are believed to be the cause. At least 200 people, including some on the ground, are feared killed. (Tues July 17 2007)

Unidentified fishing vessel, with apporximately 40 people on board, capsized and sank in rough seas off Sulawesi, approximately 1,400 kilometers northeast of Jakarta, on July 3. Cargo M/V Ciremai rescued 6 people, and four survivors were subsequently found. 30 people remain missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed July 18 2007)

F/V Miss Carol, homeported in Homer, caught fire near Seward on July 16, forcing all four crew to abandon ship. The vessel is a total loss, however, all crew were rescued by a good samaritan vessel without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed July 18 2007)

Panama-flagged tanker M/V Ailsa Craig caught fire while undergoing repairs / welding work at Perama docks, approximately 12 miles west of Athens on July 16. At least one of three workers trapped inside the hull was killed. The two others are missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed July 18 2007)

4,387-dwt 1981-built Polish chemical tanker M/V West Sailor suffered engine faillure and drifted without power in the Pentland Firth near the Orkney Islands after a broken pipe led to leakage in the engine's cooling system on July 13. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed July 18 2007)

Oban-registered F/V Prospect sent mayday that she was taking on water and sinking west of Bute. Clyde Coastguard in Greenock relayed the message to Minehunter HMS Penzancer. F/V Prospect's crew of two abandoned the vessel, but were rescued by HMS Penzancer, which also furnished pumps that saved F/V Prospect from certain sinking. F/V Prospect was towed to a mooring buoy where it was discovered a problem with a sea-cock in the vessel's bilge was to blame. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed July 18 2007)

6,000-dwt 1991-built Argentina-flagged roro M/V Transmodal suffered fire while at anchor in Rio de Janiero. The crew was evacuated without injury. 47,000-dwt 1987-built Bulker M/V Quinn J rescued survivors. Initial unofficial reports indicate 80% fire damage to the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed July 18 2007)

P&O Cruise ship Pacific Star, on South Pacific cruise out of Auckland, suffered damage in rough seas up to 10 metres (33 feet) just hours after leaving port. The crew is being criticized for sailing despite predicted weather warnings. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

Cruise yacht Diana Forever, Turkish port Bodrum to Greek port Patmos with 15 passengers and three crew, ran aground off Patmos on July 12. The passengers were evacuated by helicopter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

Unidentified hydrofoil, shuttling between the islands of Aegina and Agistri in the Saronic Gulf near Athens with 79 passengers and 7 crew, caught fire on July 12. The fire was extinguished and the vessel was towed into the port of Aegina by two fishing vessels where passengers were safely evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

50-ft cabin cruiser Four-Play ran aground and took on water three miles northwest of the Rogue River near Gold Beach, Oregon. The Coast Guard rescued the vessel's owner and are examining the scene for environmental integrity. No pollution has been reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

104-ft tugboat Russell B. Murray ran aground near the Newport News Small Boat Harbor on July 13. The tug took on water and leaked diesel fuel, but was subsequently refloated. Environmental assessment and investigation is underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

Two-masted Canadian training vessel Fair Jeanne, with 26 cadets and six crew, suffered fire in its engine room on Lake Ontario about six miles southeast of Ontario's Amherst Island on July 13. Two cadets suffered injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

6,700-dwt Panama-registered cargo vessel M/V Vernal Grace, with more than 3,570 tonnes of crude palm oil, suffered engine failure, drifted and became grounded in the bank of the Hooghly river at Kulpi, about 45 nautical miles from the Kolkata Dock System (KDS) on July 12. Initial refloating efforts unsuccessful resulting in high capacity tugs being mobilized. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

Swiss passenger M/V Helvetia collided with a pleasure boat on the Zuerich Lake off Horgen during an evening cruise on July 13. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

Inland cargo M/V Jentina, with one ton aluminium, was in danger of capsizing in the Rhine harbour Kleinhueningen. The vessel's cargo was lightered and deposited on railway wagons in the harbour where in the night of July 13 the cargo was pilfered by thieves. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

456-gt 1956-built Greek cargo M/V Lesvios (IMO 5232531, ex Mercurius H) burnt out at Ambelakia, Salamina on June 30. The vessel was subsequently towed to berth at Ambelakia for gutting. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon July 16 2007)

Cargo M/V Natissa suffered rudder failure on the river Rhone at 2130LT. The vessel drifted against the Chasse sur Rhone bei Vienne and blocked the river Rhone. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 15 2007)

Danish ferry M/V Master Cat, operated by Master Ferries and enroute from Hanstholm for Kristiansand with 563 passengers, collided with a quay in Hanstholm upon departure at 1015LT on July 13. No injuries reported but vessel suffered slight damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 15 2007)

420-ft Chinese cargo vessel M/V Hai Tong No. 7, Papua New Guinea to China with cargo of wooden logs, sent distress call and sank in typhoon conditions on remote waters approximately 400 miles northwest of Guam on July 10. Rescue teams from Honolulu, Japan and Guam have saved 10 crew, however 12 crew remain missing. Comprehensive search and rescue efforts by air and sea are ongoing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 15 2007)

Wooden sailing schooner Jolly Pirates with 38 tourists and 4 crew, capsized in a 46-knot wind gust off Aruban west coast on July 10. All passengers and crew were rescued by the collective efforts of nearby vessels, the Coast Guard and Sea Rescue Foundation Aruba (SARFA), and Jolly Pirates did not sink. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 15 2007)

Tanker M/V White Sea, Bayonne, New Jersey to Singapore with 556,000 barrels of diesel oil, suffered steering system malfunction and ran aground in the Ambrose Channel between Coney Island and Sandy Hook National Park in New Jersey at 0630LT on July 12. The vessel sustained two breaches in its forward hull but no leaks were reported. The crew deployed a containment boom as a precaution, and the Coast Guard stood by for environmental concern. Plans are underway to lighter the vessel's load in an attempt to refloat the ship. The vessel will undergo mandatory inspection upon being freed before being allowed to proceed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and Correspondent Thushara Gunawardene (Sun. July 15 2007)

32-foot catamaran charter F/V Fat Cat took on water and sank near Kachemak Bay on July 12. All seven aboard were rescued by nearby vessel Silver Fox 1. The Coast Guard is investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 15 2007)

116-m M/V Don Pedro, with twenty people on board, ran aground and subsequently sank near the port of Eivissa on July 11. Eight crew required hospitalization. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

Celebrity Cruise M/V Celebrity Millennium damaged its propellers on submerged rock following an electrical malfunction on July 2. Three of the four blades on the starboard propeller and one on the port propeller were damaged and needed to be replaced. A drydock will be necessary, requiring the cancellation of scheduled cruises. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

Spanish trawler M/V Patricia Nores collided with an unidentified Korean fishing vessel and suffered damage at the port foreship. M/V Patricia Nores will be repaired in a yard in Marin, where it is now berthed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

Great Lakes freighter M/V Cuyahoga, owned by Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. of Port Dover, ran aground in soft mud in the Detroit River near Amherstburg on July 10. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

1986-built offshore supply vessel M/V Samudrika-10 with 17 crew sank off the Mumbai coast on July 10. Three bodies were recovered, five crew are missing, nine were immediately rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

45,000-ton Panamanian-registered car freighter M/V Grus suffered an engine-room explosion at a dockyard on Kasado Island, off Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi Preefecture on July 10. Fourteen people were injured, including crew, dockyard employees and firefighters. The blast and resulting fire was successfully extinguished. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

130-m German frigate M/V Augsburg suffered fire during an exercise off Helgoland on July 11. The crew of 230 managed to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

Computer ferries M/V Massachusetts and M/V Laura collided in Boston Harbor about one mile from Long Island Bridge on July 10 at 0730LT. There were no reports of serious injuries. Both vessels suffered damage above the water line and neither took on water. The Coast Guard is investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

Ferry M/V Blue Water Princess, with 250 people on board, capsized and sank in heavy seas off the central Philippines off San Francisco town in Quezon province, about 150 km south of Manila on July 12. Thirteen people reported dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

60-ft tug Jahmon took on water and sank two miles west of Pine Island, in north Ft. Myers Beach, Florida on July 11 at 1130LT. The crew was safely rescued by a Coast Guard rescue boat. An unknown amount of fuel was spilled and a boom has been set to control the spill. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

64-ft commercial tour sailing vessel Stars and Stripes, with 22 passengers and 3 crew, grounded at the entrance to the Harbortown Marina on July 11. All passengeres and crew were safely removed from the vessel and taken to the marine by good samaritans. The vessel was subsequently re-floated with the incoming tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

148-gt Indonesian ferry M/V Wahai Star, Buru to Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, believed to have over 100 people aboard, suffered engine failure and began sinking in rough seas on July 11. A passing tanker, M/V Minas, participated in rescue efforts, which were hampered by rough seas. Several people feared dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

26,000-ton South Korean cargo vessel M/V Orchid Sun, China to Iran with 23 crew and 42,000 tons of iron frames, took on water in its hold and sank in waters approximately 150 kilometers east of Oman on July 12. All crew were evacuated. 11 crew are missing, 12 were rescued by nearby ships and rescue helicopters sent by Oman. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

34.5-m trawler M/V Arca took on water in engine room and lost power 35 nautical miles west of St. Annes Head, the entrance to the Milford Haven waterway. The Irish Coastguard, based in Dublin, dispatched two rescue helicopters to the scene to airlift the crew. The vessel is being pumped and dewatered in hopes of salvage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. July 14 2007)

Unidentified fishing vessel took on water & capsized approximately 50 miles south of Panama City, Florida. A HU-25 rescue jet crew from ATC Mobile was launched and good samaritans from tugboat Coastal Sun and cargo ship M/V Adventure assisted the 87-ft Coast Guard cutter Seahawk in rescuing all four crew, who are being taken to Carrabelle. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

36-ft F/V Morgan Leigh, based from Harpswell, Maine, sank 12 miles east of Kennebunkport, Maine on July 7. The Coast Guard received a distress signal at 0904LT from an electronic position indicating radio beacon registered to the vessel. The master of F/V Morgan Leigh was found in his life raft by the captain of F/V Unreal in good condition. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

Tanker M/V Abdul Kalam Azad, enroute from Mangalore from Mumbai, caught in rough seas and lost crewmember overboard on July 7 approximately five nautical miles off the new Mangalore port. Coast guard vessel M/V Kasturba Gandhi responded to the scene and rescued all crewmembers, including the one that fell overboard. Meanwhile, M/V Abdul Kalam Azad was anchored and will be de-fueled soon. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

Panamanian bulker M/V Clinker Carrier sank off the Indian coast, close to Mumbai, on July 4, 2007. Rickmers-owned 5,060 TEU containership M/V Maersk Dhaka responded to the scene and picked up 22 seamen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

1985-built 3,797-gt 97-m container M/V Eline, (ex M/V HMS Navigator, HMS Goodwill, Commodore Goodwill, Akak Cedar) underway from Arhus to Reykjavik with 10 crew aboard, took on water in severe weather approximately 12 miles northeast of Grena, Denark at 0700LT on July 8. Rescue stations Grena and Anholt responded deploying two helicopters to the scene. 7 of the 10 crew were taken aboard the tanker M/V Stena Natalita via helicopter. The water leakage was patched and controlled, at which time M/V Eline was then towed to Grena by a tug from Arhus. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

2006-built M/V Arklow Fame (IMO 9361720) struck the Irlam railway viaduct on the Manchester ship canal on July 5. The vessel was damaged in the foreship region on the starboard side above the waterline. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

10-m 7,805-ts 1992-built factory ship Athena (ex Skadi, IMO 8907096) suffered fire which broke out on July 4 and still raged on July 8 while fishing 530 nautical miles off Blunt Island. The vessel was towed by RMA Antilen from the bay of Conception to a secure location on the high seas due to the massive and uncontrollable flames on July 8. Firefighting personnel disembarked the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Customs officers have recovered a bale of cocaine worth 1.75m Euro from the sea off the west Cork coast. One Englishman has been arrested in connection with the haul, which is believed to have been destined for the British market and coming from the Carribean. It was found off the coast of Cork as rescuers searched for a man believed missing from a capsized dinghy. Witnesses saw packets of white powder in the water. Police are now searching for two men they believe were waiting on shore for the consignment. A second Englishman involved is still being treated in Bantry hospital. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Mon. July 9 2007)

Ferry M/V Tolosa, servicing between Kiel and St. Petersburg for DFDS/Sovcomflot, was detained in the east harbour of Kiel on July 4 as a result of the pilot suspecting the Romanian captain to be drunk prior to departure. An alcohol test was performed and the captain was fined 3,000 Euro. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Russian cargo M/V Sormovskiy, underway to Knuthenborg, ran aground off Danish Bandholm on July 4. Divers of the nearby Viking museum were called and surveyed the hull of the grounded vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Unidentified cargo vessel sailing from Singapore to Jebel Ali (UAE) with 22 crew, 60,000 metric tons of coal ash as well as 350 metric tons of fuel oil and 100 metric tons of diesel oil took on water and sank 63 miles west of Mumbai on July 4. All 22 crew were rescued by M/V Maersk Dhaka. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Ghanaian-registered passenger M/V Pomah Express, enroute to Gabon from Cotonou in Benin Republic with 200 passengers, suffered engine failure and went adrift off the coast of Nigeria for over a week. Support vessels with medical teams have reached M/V Pomah Express and provided rescue. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

276-m Liberian flagged cargo container vessel MSC Turchia (IMO 9294812) suffered machine problems on Vlissingen roads on July 5. The Multratug 7 was called and escorted MSC Turchia until the approach of Antwerp. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Cargo M/V Yusheng 168, loaded with steel and flour enroute to Wushan of Chongqing Municipality from Yichang city of Hubei, sank near the Three Gorges Dam in central China's Hubei Province on July 6. Seven crew members rescued, however five crew members reported missing. Authorities are investigating the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Zhejiang-based F/V 2605 struck by an unidentified Nanjing-registered cargo vessel off east China's Zhejiang Province in the morning of July 6. Six fishermen are missing. Search and rescue underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

944-ton 1985-built Russian trawler M/V Marginella suffered engine fire with 23 crew aboard about 16 miles south of the Isle of Wight, Hants, wiping out all power aboard the vessel on July 6. The crew managed to extinguish the fire but the vessel waleft stranded mide-Channel without power in the busy shipping line. Two French warships, Lynz and Gepard responded to M/V Marginella's calls for assistance and French Coastguard tug Abeille Liberte was deployed to tow the disabled vessel. Hampshire Fire Service's Marine Incident Response Group was put on stand-by in case the fire re-ignited. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. July 6 2007)

Iranian container ship M/V Mir Damad sent distress signal reporting water ingress approximately 22 miles southwest of Mongla port on July 1. The Bangladesh Navy provided technical assistance, repairing the vessel and allowing it to resume its journey to Paradip port in India. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 4 2007)

29-m 1940-built schooner Robertson II ran aground on a reef as it was preparing to anchor near Winter Cove on Saturna Island at 0200LT on July 1. The vessel is resting at a nearly 90 degree angle. No injuries were reported, however the vessel suffered severe damage. Efforts are underway to refloat the vessel at high tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 4 2007) UPDATE>>> Exhaustive efforts to salvage historic schooner Robertson II have been abandoned. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aut. 22 2007)

Iraqi tanker M/V Sea Glory ran aground in stormy conditions onear the Kori Creek in the north-west region of Kutch, district of Gujarat, on July 3. Two MI-8 helicopters of the Indian Air Force assisted in the successful rescue of all 18 crew members. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 4 2007)

An unidentified 40,000-ton Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship blocked all traffic on the Suez Canal after running aground on July 1. Traffic was interrupted at 0300GMT ran aground near the canal port city of Ismailiya. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 4 2007)

810-ft tanker M/V Eagle Otome, with load of fuel oil, ran aground 26 miles off Galveston, Texas at 0900LT on July 1. Coast Guard crews from Station Galveston were dispatched to investigate and evalute the tanker's condition. Vessel was subsequently freed and is sailing to safe anchorage for inspections by Coast Guard personnel and marine surveyors. No injuries or pollution reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. July 4 2007)

Cargo vessel M/V Zim Haifa, which had loaded cargo at Shekou, Hong Kong and Keelung and was bound for Savannah, New York, and Halifax, suffered a severe fire immediately before transiting the Panama Canal. The vessel was laid up at the Canal for nearly a week in order to effect temporary repairs. Over 110 containers completely destroyed and others serious damaged. From Correspondent Hildegard E. Krause of Roanoke Trade Insurance. (Mon. July 1 2007)

Cargo ships M/V Arcadia Progress and M/V Shujjat-III are both stranded off the coast of Porbander, India, and are posing environmental threat. Each vessel is carrying around 300 metric tonnes of oil and a spill cannot be ruled out if the weather gets rough. Efforts to rescue the respective crews are ongoing and plans to unload the oil are underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

597-gt Chainco AS cargo M/V Linn Kristin (IMO 5048083), built 1962, collided with a bridge in Drammen, Norway in the foremidday hours of June 28 causing the fremast to break. After the incident, the vessel was berthed in the harbour of Drammen, where police started investigations regarding a technical failure and drug testing of the crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

Private yacht Ralhala collided with small cargo vessel M/V Independent in the Manacles, off the Lizard peninsula, coast of Cornwall on June 28. Ralhala suffered broken guard rail. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

111-m Dutch cargo M/V Navitas, Bremen to France with 6,000 tons of sand, suffered machine failure and drifted aground on the Weser at km 11 on the right riverside. The rising tide refloated the ship which was then secured by an emergency anchoring. M/V Navitas was subsequently towed into the Europa harbour in Bremen by two tugs at 0845LT, where it was discovered the failure was caused by software problems. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

Norway-flagged F/V Marie (former Vaerland), fishing lobster off Somalia, rescued 15 men from an unidentified sinking fishing vessel after receiving mayday calls via satellite. The men were brought safely to Bosasso. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

2003-built survey ship HMS Echo, enroute to Falmouth for routine maintenance with 72 crew, suffered fire and lost power off Rame Head, on the Southwest coast on June 29. A sailor and contractor were injured and airlifted to a hospital in Plymouth. The vessel has been towed to its base at Devonport. HMS Echo recemtly returned to Plymouth after a year-long deployment around the Arabian Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

18th Century sailing vessel Hector struck by lightning at the Pictou Heritage Quay in Halifax on the morning of June 28. Lightning struck the vessel shortly before 0900LT, splitting all three sections of the main mast. Fortunately, the strike did not cause a fire. Repair estimates are being sought. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

Siremar Company's ferry-boat M/V Laurana, enroute to Naples with 130 passengers on board and 60 vehicles, struck a dock in the port of Panarea. Both the vessel and structure were damaged. M/V Laurana suffered a rip of 90 centimetres at the stern, causing the voyage to be cancelled. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

Fjord Line ferry M/V Atlantic Traveller struck the eastern pier in Hanstholm as a result of strong winds on the morning of June 28 and suffered a gash just above the waterline of 4-5m in the foreship region on the starboard side. The ferry, which was just departing, returned to its berth immediately to deboard the passengers. The reapirs are expected to last 7 days and are to be performed in Hanstholm. Meanwhile, departures have been cancelled until July 4. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. July 1 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For June 2007


For Casualty Reports From 2006 - January To December 2006

The LAX Web Cam - From Countryman & McDaniel- LAX Cargo City

"Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - 7 Months Later -- She Is Free!

"Carrying Coal to Newcastle" M/V Pasha Bulker - She Is FREE! - June 2007

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

23 June 2007: 0440 LT: Belem Port, Brazil. Duty watchman, on board a container ship, was attached & tied up by 3 men. Later, port security officials and ships crew searched the vessel, but found only wet footprints. Nothing missing.

16 June 2007: 0140 LT: Lagos Anchorage, Nigeria Pirates boarded a tanker, undergoing preparations for STS operations. Robbers armed with knives tied up the aft station watchman. D/O noticed a small wooden boat with ships mooring ropes & raised the general alarm. On hearing the alarm & seeing the forward mooring station crew coming aft, the robbers cut the mooring ropes and escaped with stolen stores. No injuries to crew. Port control was informed.

23 June 2007:0240 LT: Posn 03:41S 114:26:40E, Banjarmasin Coal Loading Anchorage, Indonesia. Duty watchman, on bulk carrier, sighted robbers climbing up anchor chain & 3 other persons in a boat close to the anchor cable. Watchman notified D/O who raised the alarm. Robbers abandoned attempt to board & escaped in the waiting small boat

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top 

Russian sailing catamaran Taurus II became disabled after sufferring rudder damage off the Swedish coast 35 km south of Ystad in 6-m waves on June 28. A 12-m rescue boat from Yastad had been unable to reach the ship as a result of strong winds. A helicopter from Ronneby evacuated the crew of 7, who arrived at Skurups Airport safely. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

Polish yacht S/V Bloom seriously damaged during a storm off the Russian coast on June 28. German tall ship Alexander von Humboldt rescued the crew, and the Bloom was abandoned at sea. No injuries reported. The Alexander von Humboldt resumed her voyage to Gdansk with the rescued crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

German F/V Mare Librium, homeport Sassnitz-Ruegen, suffered rudder damage and required tow 29 miles north of Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands, in the North Sea, in the evening of June 26. The vessel requested the assistance of the German emergency tug Oceanic, which towed F/V Mare Librium to Borkum on June 27, with the assistance of tug Finn, homeport Emden. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

238.9-m 36,483-gt 3,450-TEU container vessel M/V Ital Florida (IMO 9308039) homeport Triest built 2007, lost at least three containers in severe seas ebetween June 16 and 19 in the Arabian Sea. The vessel faced waves of 7-10m in height. The ship's deck also suffered storm damage. She arrived in port on June 22 with a substantial port of its containers shifted to starboard and damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

82-m 2000-built French river cruise ship M/V Mona Lisa ran aground on the Elbe at the Marien bridge in Dresden at 0330 LT on June 28. The river was blocked by the vessel, though no one was hurt. Tug Saxonia refloated M/V Mona Lisa at 0730 LT and towed it to a berth in Dresden for investigaiton, at which vessel traffic resumed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

6,066-grt 1987-built dry cargo M/V Clipper collided with 893-frt 1978-built tanker M/V Desna at Novorossiysk Port on June 25. No damages or spill reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

Bourbon fleet multi purpose supply vessel M/V Athena, operating under contract with Total E&P Congo and in transit between the oil fields of Likouala and East Tchibouela with 63 on board, took on water in engine room after technical incident 15 nautical miles off the coast of Congo. All 63 on board were evacuated to a nearby barge. M/V Athena was then towed by tug to the outer roadstead of Pointe Noire, where it is sheltered. All preventative measures have been taken and no pollution has been reported. Pumping and water tightness of the hull are intended before transferring the vessel to a shipyard for dry dock and repair. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007) UPDATE>>> M/V Athena sunk before efforts to dewater the ship could be exercised. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

Unidentified North Korean flagged merchant vessel with 16 crew made distress call reporting weak mooring, disabled engine, no food or water, and in danger of sinking in heavy seas with 12-ft waves in the Arabian Sea on June 25. French ship Dupleix and USNS Kanawha responded and launched lifeboats, rescuing all 16 crew within 50 minutes during nighttime rough seas. Those crew were transferred to authorities in Salalah, Oman. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

Bahamas-regstiered passenger M/V Quest (former Disko 2, Saqqit Ittuk), with 52 passengers and two guides on board, ran aground, began listing, and had to be evacuated off Godhavn, Greenland on June 27. It is hoped the vessel can be refloated at high tide on June 28. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

68-m passenger vessel M/V Kloar Kimming (IMO 7211440), travelling from island Helgoland to Bremerhaven, was battered in heavy seas on June 26. The severe seas and swells caused a window to split and two head injuries. Police in Bremerhaven are investigating the captain of the vessel, who continued the voyage despite predicted weather conditions. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 28 2007)

Unidentified $50 clam vessel being built for Clearwater Seafoods Income Fund capsized and sank in shallow waters while being towed from a shipyard in Taiwan to a nearby dry dock on June 25. No injuries were reported, though the incident is expected to significantly delay the vessel's delivery previously scheduled for late this year. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

UPDATE>>> 2,200-dwt oil tanker M/V Bina freed after being grounded for nearly one year on a sandbank off the Myanmar coast. The vessel was caught in a storm in the Bay of Bengal en route for Chittagong from Jakarta on July 2, 2006. The 13 seafarers were rescued by Myanmar-Total tug Seabird Badamya but all efforts to pull the vessel into depper water using tugs from Indonesia and Singapore were unsuccessful. Gulf Shipping Management ultimately freed the vessel by digging a small channel which was filled with water by monsoon rains. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

Unidentified Bougianville Health Department boat, enroute to the atolls of Nissan from Buka with 15 people and medical supplies on board, reported missing in the waters of Nissan Island in the autonomous region of Bougainville. The vessel was returning to Buka in the morning of June 24 but did not reach shores of Buka. Rescue efforts are underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

Norwegian S/Y Kanjiff, with crew of 8, ran aground on the beach of Wemeldings on the Scheldt on June 26. Two vessels, Zephyrus and Mistral refloated S/Y Kanjiff and towed it to Wemeldinge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

47,442-dwt 1983-built India-flagged bulk carrier M/V ABG Narayana, enroute to Watar from Turkey with scrap metal, grounded in the Suez Canal on June 24 near Ismailia. The incident occurred while the vessel was under pilot and tug escort. The situation lasted two hours after which the vessel continued on its voyage without significant damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

20-ft sailing vessel Tyche, homeported in Key West, FL, required rescue of its single crew by the crew of 947-ft cruise ship M/V Crown Princess on June 25 after the Coast Guard received an Electronic Locater Transmitter (ELT) signal. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

Houseboat / former F/V Andrea sank at its berth in the inner harbour of Duisburg. Small amounts of diesel fuel leaked into the basin but it was removed by the fire brigade. The vessel was built in the 1940s, served as a minelayer, mine sweeper and later as a fishing vessel. Salvage is expected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

German inland water craft Nawatrans 2, underway from Gent to Terneuzen, suffered machine failure and drifted without steering in the shipping canal on June 26. The tug Drado soon arrived on the scene and towed Nawatrans 2 to the Goese quay. Nawatrans 2 had also encountered problems earlier in the day when it required the assistance of Veborunner and VB 6 to pass the canal locks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 27 2007)

257-ft cruise vessel M/V Spirit of Yorktown, which can accomdoate 138 guests and 40 crew, collided with 58-ft Seattle-based seiner F/V Adirondack, with crew of four, in Chatham Strait on the Southeastern end of Catherine Island in Southeast Alaska on June 25. No injuries were reported. The collision did not damage the cruise vessel but did damage the fishing vessel leaving them unable to maneuver. The nearby good samaritan vessel M/V Guardian took F/V Adirondack in tow to Sitka. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 26 2007)

F/V Abbie Rose lost a propeller one mile off Tynemouth leaving the vessel drifting helplessly on June 25. An emergency call was received by the Coastguard, leading to the launch of Tynemouth RNLI's all weather lifeboat, which towed F/V Abbie Rose to safety. This is the third time F/V Abbie Rose has required assistance as a result of mechanical failure in 5 months. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 26 2007)

Cargo vessel M/V Burhou I called for assistance after suffering engine failure leaving the vessel without power in gale force winds off Corbiere Point on June 25. The engines were successfully restarted and the vessel was escorted to St. Helier with the assistance of a lifeboat and tug. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 26 2007)

Passenger vessel M/V Shikumen, with 216 tourists aboard, collided with an unidentified cargo ship traveling in the opposite direction on June 23 at a section of the Huangpu River near downtown Shanghai. Twenty-three injured passengers were rushed to a hospital. M/V Shikumen managed to berth at a nearby pier while policed seized the cargo vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 25 2007)

56-ft F/V Magnum, enroute to Kodiak Harbor from Wide Bay, reported missing by crew family members. An HC-130 Hercules aircraft and HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter were launched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. All four people aboard were found safe in a life raft about 17 miles south west of Halibut Bay in Shelikof Strait and picked up by F/V Sea Storm. It was subsequently learned that F/V Magnum had sunk. A Coast Guard investigation is pending. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 25 2007)

612-ft Bulgarian freight M/V Koznitsa, with cargo of grain, grounded approximated nine miles east of the Brunswick Harbor entrance on June 23. No injuries, pollution or significant damage to the vessel has been reported. The Coast Guard is working with local towing assets to refloat the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 25 2007) UPDATE>>> M/V Koznitsa successfully refloated on June 25 with the assistance of three towing vessels from the ports of Savannah and Brunswick. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 26 2007)

30-metre tug HT Blade, with 3 crew aboard, suffered a fire in its engine room approximately 2 miles northeast of Cromer on June 24. The fire was extinguished and crew evacuated. Fire Fighters from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Services have boarded the disabled tug and are preparing it for tow to Lowestoft by tugs Grey Salvor and Grey Vixen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 25 2007)

Floating dock No. 7 sank at the Lenac shipyard Rijeka, Croatia. The accident was caused by a lack of electric power of the hydraulic pumps. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 25 2007)

Inland water craft Sanitas caught fire on the Rhine near Volmerswerth. The captain intentionally ran the vessel aground to prevent it from drifting downstream without power. To w fire-fighting boats from Duesseldorf and Neuss, divers and other fire fighters were called to the scene. The source of the fire was the starboard machine. The fire was extinguished and the vessel was refloated by a tug. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 25 2007)

6,469-gt 8,626-dwt 127-m 1977-built M/V DenDen, owned by Eritrean Shipping Lines in Asmara and enroute to Dubai with 8,000 metric tonnes of furnace oil and 24 people, sunk on Tannir Bavi shores in stormy seas on June 23. The vessel was pushed toward the shore. Two confirmed dead, 3 in serious condition and 1 missing. Local fisherman assisted in the rescue of 21 people. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun June 24 2007) UPDATE>>> The accident appears to have been the result of an engineer's error, who failed to change engine power at optimum temperature resulting in engine seizure. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 26 2007)

Small pleasure craft vessel Spirit Wind capsized on June 22 near Rochester, NY. Coast Guard Station Rochester received may-day calls and launched their 47-ft utility boat to assist. All three people were pulled out of the water and brought to Braddock Bay, and a good samaritan followed with Spirit Wind in tow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun June 24 2007)

8,829-grt 1999-built chemical/oil tanker M/V Ek-Star (Norway flagged, IMO 9164524) collided with 7,637-grt 1998-built refrigerated cargo vessel M/V Humboldt Rex (Philippines flagged, IMO 9179397) at St. Petersburg on June 18. The collision occured when M/V Humboldt Rex was manuevering to berth and struck the berthed M/V Ek-Star. Both vessels sustained relatively minor damage and were inspected. No injuries or spills reported. M/V Ek-Star left St. Petersburg on June 21 for Karlshaven. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun June 24 2007)

Unidentified cargo vessel with load of furnace oil and 24 crew partially sank off Thanveerbavi beach near Mangalore coast on June 23 as a result of high velocity winds. All crew members reported safe. Rescue operations are being conducted from the shore level because of heavy seas and winds. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun June 24 2007)

140,000-tonne bulk carrier M/V Taharoa Express, enroute to southern Tasman Bay with load or iron sand and 25 crew, struggled with strong winds and heavy swells off Cape Egmont on June 22. Six-metre swells caused the cargo to shift and the vessel to list 20 degrees. The vessel spent June 22 crawling along the southwest coast of the North Island, but safely anchored near Nelson. Efforts are underway to right the vessel's lift with ballast. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun June 24 2007)

10-m German motor yacht Basset, homeported in Travemünde, issued Mayday call near Kiel on June 20. The vessel was suffering water ingress after the propeller shaft broke. Rescue boat Berlin from Laboe dewatered Basset and towed it to Laboe in the Kiel bight. Neither of the two crew were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. June 22 2007)

Portuguese trawler F/V Mar da Galega caught fire 17 miles off Nazaré. The crew was rescued by the oceanographic vessel M/V D. Carlos I. One of the fishermen suffered serious burns. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

Christian missionary vessel M/V Logos II collided with an oyster boat in a Jersey harbour on June 21 at Victoria Pier. No injuries reported, but the oyster boat was damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

50-ft towing M/V Miss Marjorie and 62-foot towing vessel M/V Amy Sue both sank while tied alongisde the dock on the Atchafalaya River in Krotz Springs, LA. The two vessels were tied together when M/V Miss Marjorie took on water causing it to sink and bring M/V Amy Sue with it. All crew survived without injury, but an estimated 500 gallons were spilled. The vessels will be salvaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

F/V Esther Jenke suffered an explosion and subsequent fire in the machine room at Bergen aan Zee on June 20. The KNRM-rescue boat of Egmond was dispatched along with emergency tug Waker. While the fire was controlled and no injuries were reported, the vessel was not able to reach port under its own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

Panamanian chemical transporter M/V Fairchem Steed / Alexander C sank in strong weather in the Arabian Sea between Socotra Island and the south coast of Yemen after being battered by high winds and waves. All 19 crew were rescued by a passing vessel. Officials at the Yemeni maritime authority report the ship was carrying fertilzers and warn that marine life could be harmed. The investigation is ongoing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

80-m Norwegian cargo M/V Bewa, Mukran to Karlshamn, ran aground off Laxgrund between Hörvik and Blekinge in Sweden on June 12. The Polish crew of 8 was not harmed. Coast Guard vessels KBV 201 and KBV 202 and tug Frigga were on scene. M/V Bewa was refloated on June 13 and headed to Poland for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

8,950-ts Finish container M/V Linda ran aground after suffering machine failure on the Elbe at buoy 102, between Stadersand and Buetzfleth on June 20. The vessel refloated with the rising tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

1,800-dwt tanker M/V Quang Duc, built 1979, broke from its moorings in strong currents and collided with another unidentified vessel on the Nha Be River outside Vietnam's commercial capital on June 19. The collision left a large gash in the full of M/V Quang Duc, causing a fuel leak. Pollution measures were immediately effected by the port authority and the spill was cleaned within hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

Two BIWTC vehicle / passenger ferries, Shah Paran and Enayetpuri, collided at Paturia Ghat in the Padma River on June 19. 15 people were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

Cargo M/V Aspoe, Randers in Denmark to Norrsundet, ran aground off Laxgrund, Sweden, between Norrsundet and Gävle. After alterations in the vessel's trim it came free and entered the harbour for investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

5,450-dwt 99.9-m British cargo M/V Norrbotten (ex Gotland), IMO 9191931, struck pier in Cuxhaven when berthing and was damaged in the foreship region on the starboard side. The vessel headed to the Luebbertquey were repairs were carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

F/V Swifty took on water and sank off Whitburn, Sunderland on June 20. Humber Coastguard and nearby M/V Anya responded. The skipper of F/V Swifty was rescued without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

Canadian flagged Great Lakes bulker M/V Agawa Canyon, laden with stone, lost steering and became grounded over the weekend of June 16 on the lower St. Clair River, which drains Lake Huron and also serves as the boundary between the U.S. and Canada. M/V Agawa Canyon was freed One June 17 by two tugs, the Superior and Vermont. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. June 21 2007)

F/V Karen ran aground and broke up off St. Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape on June 3. The vessel struck a sandbank shortly after sailing from the St. Francis harbour in the late afternoon, and canted over onto her side in three-metre swells. The 23 crewmembers were all able to make their way ashore onto the rocks with the assistance of local civilians and the National Sea Rescue Institutue (NSRI). From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

51,111-dwt container M/V MSC Alexa collided with Moroccan F/V Tikrit in the Strait of Gibraltar, approximately 5 nautical miles west of Cape Spartel on June 12. F/V Tikrit sunk immediately as a result of the collision. MSC Alexa is now berthed in Tangier. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

1927-built three-masted sailing vessel Sørlandet, with 137 people aboard, ran aground and developed a 15 degree list off Oslo on June 12. The vessel is the oldest fullrigger still sailing, is homeported in Kristiansand and is used as a sail training ship. The passengers were brought ashore at Vippetangen. Sørlandet refloated with rising tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

Ferry M/V Flash, with over 130 passengers aboard, caught fire just after leaving the port of Capri heading for Ischia. The ferry was able to return to Capri. No serious injuries reported, but the vessel later had to be towed away from the harbour after becoming engulfed in flames which spread to nearby vessels. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

35,900-gt 1977-built bulk carrier M/V Jon Chang, with cargo of iron coil, caught fire in a Bangladeshi port on June 5. The vessel is reported to have suffered substantial damage. The blaze is believed to have been started by an electrical short circuit, and was extinguished after three hours. Two crewmembers were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

F/V Virginia Surf sank 70 miles east of Chatham, Mass. on June 9. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England received a mayday call from the Gloucester-based vessel that they were taking on water. The Sector lost communications with F/V Virginia Surf, and another vessel, Lily Jean, informed the Coast Guard it was heading to the scene. A falcon jet from Air Station Cape Cod was launched and 210-ft Coast Guard Cutter M/V Campbell was also diverted to the scene. All four people aboard F/V Virginia Surf were safely transferred to Lily Jean and upon confirmation of their safety, the Falcon jet and Cutter stood down. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

37-ft sailing vessel Double Eagle, homeported in Boston, reported taking on water approximately three miles south of Sandy Hook, N.J. on June 18. Two Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook rescue boat crews and an Air Station Atlantic City helicopter rescue crew immediately responded. Once on scene, one Coast Guard rescue boat crew passed additional dewatering pumps to Double Eagle's crew to stablize the vessel. The Coast Guard boat crew is escorting the Double Eagle to a marina in Atlantic Highlands, N.J. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

25-ft sailing vessel El Tigre suffered rudder failure and reported taking on water 15 miles south of the Econfina River on June 19. The Coast Guard immediately launched a HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater, a 25-foot rescue boat from Station Yankeetown, FL, and a HU-25 Falcon jet from Air Station Mobile, AL was also diverted to assist in the rescue. When rescue crew arrived on scene, the sole 18-year-old crewmember had abandoned his vessel and was air-lifted from his liferaft. He is reported to be in stable condition. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

42-ft F/V Doreen took on water and issued distress call at the Warrenton Boat Basin in Warrenton, Oregon on June 13. The Coast Guard and Warrenton Fire Department prevented the vesseel from sinking by dispatching a truck with dewatering equipment. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. June 20 2007)

13-mCargo M/V Herm J ran into the embankment of the Kiel Canal in heavy fog on June 18, near Kiel. The tug Holtenau was brought from Kiel and succeeded in refloating the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 19 2007)

Norwegian ferry M/V Nesna, connecting Solfjellsjøen and Vandve as a replacement vessel, ran aground between Vandve and Dønna as a result of navigational error on June 5. There were no passengers aboard at the time. The regular ferry for the service, M/V Dønna is having its scheduled overhaul. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 19 2007)

Swedish ferry M/V Stockholm, owned by Strömmakanalbolagets, ran aground between Nackalandet and Fjäderholmarna on June 18 as a result of machine damage. Another ferry brought the 12 passengers to shore and two tugs assisted in refloating the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 19 2007)

British feeder Nathalie Ehler collided with coaster Helga on the Kiel Canal on June 16. The Nathalie Ehler incurred slight damage on its port side. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. June 19 2007)

Unidentified fishing vessel collided with a dredging ship of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project off the Palk Stratis on June 17. Fisherman who gathered before the Fisheries department allege the dredger was at fault. The Sethusamudram Channel project officials allege the dredger's crew acted with caution and had sounded an alarm to instruct the fishing vessel to keep its distance. (Mon. June 18 2007)

German tourist M/V Nis Randers, a converted fishing vessel with seven aboard, ran aground on the night of June 14 as a result of navigational error off the port of Birkum. Rescue boats M/V Alfried Krupp from Borkum and the Dutch M/V Wolterea responded to F/V Nils Randers' Mayday-calls. F/V Nils Randers was successfully refloated and towed into the harbour on the morning of June 15. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 18 2007)

1242 ts, 73-m Dutch tanker M/V Bernice, Hamburg to Amsterdam, ran aground on the Elbe between buoys 14 and 16 on the sandbar Großer Vogelsand on June 13. The police boat Buergermeister Brauer and rescue boat Hermann Helms responded to the scene. The steerman was found drunk with 1.43 promille. M/V Bernice was refloated with the rising tide and directed to Cuxhaven for investigation and survey.

Italian container M/V Grande Nigeria passed Wittenbergen on the Elbe with excess speed causing waves that injured four people on June 11. The vessel was traveling with a speed of 15 knots, were only 12 are allowed. The pilot and captain will face proseuction. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 18 2007)

British cargo M/V Perth boarded by police on June 5 while berthed in Bremen and found oil leakage and safety violations resulting in a 5,500 Euro fine. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. June 18 2007)

M/V Brega Star, homeparted in Kingstown, ran aground running Weser downstream off Hasenbueren as a result of rudder failure on June 4. The vessel refloated with its own poer and proceeded to Bremen where it berthed in the Neustädter Harbour. (Mon. June 18 2007)

Cunard's once flagship, the 70,000-gt 1967-built Queen Elizabeth 2, was sold to a Dubai World Company and will become a floating hotel. It will be delivered to Dubai in November of 2008.(Mon. June 18 2007)

Two men injured aboard bulk carrier M/V ANL Explorer on June 15 while the vessel was docked at Melbourne. One man, a dock contractor, fell four metres into the hold of the ship and a ship's crewmember was hurt coming to his aid. (Thurs. June 14 2007)

Gloucester-based F/V Virginia Surf radioed Coast Guard for assistance off Chatham, Cape Cod and subsequently sank on June 12. Nearby F/V Lily Jean rescued its crew. The cause of the sinking is under investigation. (Thurs. June 14 2007)

Swedish tanker M/V Brojonville lost crewmember overboard four miles from Break Sea Point near Barry, south Wales on June 12. An extensive search effort was carried out without success. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Wed. June 13 2007)

3,629 grt 1969-built dry cargo M/V Capital Star, Eisk to Alexandria with 4,022 mt of timber, in distress with engine failure and listing 15 degrees in Azov Sea, 46.07.3N 037.05.8E on June 12. Listing was a result of improper ballast management. Nearby M/V Volgo-Don 5044 rendered assistance. Tug M/V Mercury on scene and is taking M/V Capital Star to nearest port Kavkaz. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. June 13 2007)

Passenger ferry Butterfly capsized on Lake Rukwa, Tanzania on June 8 as a result of overloading and strong waves. While the passenger count is unknown, twelve people, including three small children, were killed. (Tues. June 12 2007)

Wooden-hulled San Nicholas Lines ferry M/V Cathylyn-D, Manila to Palawan with 229 passengers and 35 crew, caught fire and was engulfed in flames off Mindoro Island, southern Philippines, on June 10. It appears the fire started in the vessel's cargo bay and engulfed the entire ship within a few hours, causing M/V Cathylyn-D to sink. The Philippine Coast Guard and local fishing vessels responded to M/V Cathylyn-D's distress calls and rescued survivors, but at least 5 people were killed. (Mon. June 11 2007)

45-ft F/V Sea Princess, based in Marshfield, reported taking on water and later sank near Provincetown, MA in approximately 200 feet of water on June 9. The Coast Guard rescued the two crewmen, who were not injured. (Mon. June 11 2007)

>>Webfeature -- 2007 Nightmare: M/V Pasha Bulker -- 40,000-tone 225m Panama-flagged bulk carrier M/V Pasha Bulker, built 2006, was overwhelmed by heavy seas and strong winds causing it to run aground off Nobbys Beach, Australia on June 8. M/V Pasha Bulker is in danger of breaking up. The vessel was waiting to load 58,000 tonnes of coal from Newcastle Port at the time of the grounding, and was being pounded by 18m waves and strong winds. The vessels 21 crew (19 Filipinos and two Korean officers) were all rescued without major injury. At this time, there is no ostensible evidence that an oil leak has occurred, but it is a concern given the vessel is carrying 700 tonnes of fuel oil, 38 tonnes of diesel and 40 tonees of lube oil. Accordingly, NSW Maritime, Newcastle Port Corporation and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority have a contingency plan in place should a leak occur, and the NSW Fire Brigrade hazardous materials (HAZMAT) crews are also at the scene. As a result of the weather, there were separate concerns for M/V Sea Confidence and M/V Betis, which were also swept close to shore and were towed to deeper waters by tugs. NSW Maritime is investigating to determine if weather warnings were ignored. From our Correspondents Russel Forbes, Gary Hannah, and Trevor Squire (Thurs. June 8 2007) UPDATE>>> A salvage team boarded M/V Pasha Bulker on June 9 before forecasted heavy winds and seas resumed to assess damages and examine fuel tanks. Equipment, including pumps, air compressors, air hoses, water hoses and generators, were airlifted onto the Pasha Bulker to help the assessment process. A fly-over by a Maritime Safety Authority aircraft found no sign of pollutants leaking from the ship. The Newcastle Port Corporation chief executive is hopeful 50 knot winds and heavy rain, which are predicted to hit the coast this evening, will not structurally damage the ship. (Sat. June 9 2007) UPDATE>>> M/V Pasha Bulker may be broken up for scrap rather than refloated. The head of a salvage team working on the ship reported the cost of refloating the ship and fixing its damaged hull was so close to the vessel's $AU41 million ($NZ45 million) replacement price that it was not financially viable. The salvage team leader reported breaking the vessel up would take more than six months. The vessel's 11,000 to 12,000 tonnes of steel, worth several million dollars, could then be melted down and recycled. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. June 24 2007) UPDATE>>> After weeks of negotiations, the "Pasha Bulker"'s rudder has been saved from the scrapyard and will instead be turned into a piece of art to commemorate the ship's untimely arrival in Newcastle. From our From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. Aug. 30 2007)

Whale-watching vessel M/V Island Explorer, owned by Island Adventures, Inc. of Anacortes and certified for 102 passengers, ran aground on June 7 with 52 people on board near the north end of Whidbey Island, approximately 50 miles north of Seattle, Washington. M/V Island Explorer suffered hull damage causing water to gush into two compartments, however pumps were able to control the flooding and the crew managed to get the vessel to nearby Anacortes under its own power. Seven people were taken to a local hospital as a precaution. (Sat. June 9 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

01 June 2007: Evening hrs: Enroute Sharjah to Mombasa. Pirates in 3 boats boarded a general cargo ship underway & hijacked it. Coalition forces aircraft noticed the vessel with the three boats in tow heading towards the Somali coast. The ship has been anchored off the coast of Hobyo. Further details are awaited. (Fri. June 8 2007)

31 May 2007: 2243 UTC: Posn 06:50.2S - 039:37.3E, 22 NM off Dar es Salaam Pilot Station, Tanzania. Pirates, in 2 boats with 10 pirates in each boat attempted to board a container ship, drifting, while waiting for pilot to board. Alert crew raised alarm and the attempt was aborted. (Fri. June 8 2007)

30 May 2007: 0400 LT: Posn 01:18.90N - 104:07.70E, Johor Anchorage, Malaysia. Six pirates armed with knives boarded a container ship & forced their way into the engine room by breaking the padlocks on the doors. They tied up two-duty crew. They stole spare parts and escaped when the alarm was raised. (Fri. June 8 2007)

25 May 07: off the coast of Somalia Indian dhow hijacked while underway from Kismayo to Mogadishu. More details are awaited. (Fri. June 8 2007)

21 May 2007: 1930 LT: Posn 01:25N - 104:20E, 2.5 NM East of Tanjung Punggai, Malaysia. 10 masked pirates armed with pistols & long knives boarded a tanker underway from a speedboat. They stole cash and ships property and escaped. No injury to crew, (Fri. June 8 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top  

36-ft Lwestoft-based sports diving craft Viking, with crew of two and a dog, damaged stern gear on a crab pot marker rope on June 4 apprxoimately 10 miles Northeast of Wells. The vessel began taking on water prompting the crew to issue a mayday call. The crew managed to control the water ingress and the Wells lifeboat Doris M Mann was launched to tow Viking back to Wells Harbour. Cargo M/V Wisdom, enroute to Holland, had diverted to standby but was stood down once the lifeboat arrived. (Tues. June 5 2007)

Unidentified 32-foot fishing vessel, with crew of 3, was struck by wave causing damage to the vessel's bow and subsequent flooding approximately 45 miles east of Port Aransas. A distress call was received by the crew of an offshore supply vessel who then relayed the message to the Coast Guard. A Coast Guard rescue swimmer and the boat's crew were able to pump water out of the vessel before it sank. A Coast Guard cutter escorted the vessel to Port Aransas for repairs. No injuries were reported. (Tues. June 5 2007)

Unidentified fishing vessel ran aground and started breaking up off St. Francis Bay, South Africa on June 3. All 23 men were rescued with the assistance of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). Only minor injuries were reported. (Sun. June 3 2007)

125-m British container M/V Vaermland collided with 275-m German container M/V Geneva while berthing at the Predohl quay. A container broke from its fixing and a hatch cover was damaged on M/V Vaermland. M/V Geneva suffered minor damage at its stern. The police are investigation and M/V Vaermland is being held pending the investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. June 3 2007)

1984-built Bahamian-flagged ferry M/V CFF Seine, loaded with trailers and containers, struck the eastern pier in Ostend on June 2. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. June 3 2007)

An unidentified 330-tonne tug broke from its mooring and was washed ashore at Burnie, on Tasmania's Northwest Coast. The tug is stable, and there is little risk that its 20,000 litres of diesel fuel will be spilled. Still, heavy seas prevented immediate refloating efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. June 3 2007)

Irish F/V Giolla Na-Mara was reported missing off the Scottish west coast. The vessel's distress beacon signal was detected, prompting a massive search by Clyde Coastguard and vessels in the area. The vessel was later found, and was determined to have suffered a lightning strike which destroyed its communications systems. (Sat. June 2 2007)

Unidentified 22-metre fishing trawler suffered engine room fire off the Mayo coast o20 miles off Erris Head on May 31. All five Donegal fishermen aboard were airlifted to Burton Port and are reported in good condition without injury. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 2 2007)

328-ft passenger /car M/V Cathlamet collided with the outer dock at the Mukilteo terminal north of Seattle on June 1. One person sustained injuries and the vessel was damaged, along with the dock pilings. While the vessel appeared to approach with too much speed, the accident is under investigation to determine whether the collision resulted from human error or mechanical malfunction. The 20-year veteran captain took a drug test and was put on paid leave during the investigation. M/V Cathlamet can accomodate 1,200 passengers and 124 vehicles. Its 21-mile route from Mukilteo to Clinton is heavily used by commuters and weekend travelers to Whidbey Island. The ferry terminal has resumed normal operation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 2 2007)

F/V Carry My Rods, of Lynn, Mass. collided with F/V Harvest Moon, of Gloucester, Mass, approximately 17 miles southeast of Gloucester at 3:40 p.m. local time on June 1. No injuries were reported. Station Gloucester's crew responded with a 47-ft motor life craft and a 25-ft response boat arrived at the scene around 4:20 p.m. F/V Harvest Moon sustained minor hull damage and F/V Carry My Rods sustained damage to its port stern region and took on water. The 25-ft response baot provided a dewater pump to F/V Carry My Rods and escorted both damaged vessels to Gloucester. At the time of the incident, seas were reported at 1 to 2 feet with winds of 5 to 12 miles-per-hour. The cause of the collision is under investigaiton yb Coats Guard Sector Boston. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 2 2007)

An unidentified vessel capsized on the Ugandan side of Lake Victoria on June 1. All 30 people aboard feared drowned. The passengers boarded the vessel on the shores of Lake Victoria approximately 125 miles east of the Ugandan Capital of Kampala. Fisherman who were approximately half a mile away saw the vessel capsizing, but did not find survivors by the time the reached the scene. Police have recovered 17 bodies and do not expect any survivors. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 2 2007)

1,227-ts 80-m Belgian inland water craft M/V Palestel 29, homeported in Brussel enroute to Andernach from Antwerp, collided with four unloaded barges on the Rhine at km 789,8, close to Binsheim off Schwelgern during the night of June 1. M/V Palestel 29 suffered damage to its stern, causing fuel to leak into the water. The remainder of the fuel in the damaged tank was pumped into other tanks, and vessel was allowed to proceed to Duisburg, where the ship will surveyed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. June 2 2007)

174-m, 21906-gt, 1990-built cruise ship M/V Delphin Voyager collided with fire fighting ship M/V Kiel in the port of Kiel on May 31. M/V Kiel suffered significant damage while M/V Delphin Voyager suffered only minor damage. Gusting winds are believed to have contributed to the collision. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. June 1 2007)

70-ft Norweigan F/V Kvitholmen R 29 B collided with a pier in the Nyksund and sustaining damage and becoming grounded. The vessel was subsequently refloated by a rescue boat and taken into port were police were waiting to perform a drug testing of the crew in Stokmarknes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. June 1 2007)

2,000-dwt product carrier M/V Sam Jin No 1 collided with tug Cheonbu No 1 one mile off Ulsan port, South Korea. 63 tonnes of gasoline and light oil reportedly leaked into the sea, though no injuries were reported. Ten anti-pollution vessels were deployed to the scene. The Korean Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. June 1 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For May 2007


20-metre F/V Nautical Legacy caught fire approximately 130 kilometres northeast of St. John's, prompting the six Newfoundland crab fisherman to jump overboard into the North Atlantic. Two hours later, the men were plucked from the 2-metre icy swells by a search and rescue helicopter team launched from Gander. Amazingly, the men survived the ordeal, even though one was not even wearing an immersion suit. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 31 2007)

65-ft pleasure craft Imagination, with six passengers, took on water and sank 13 miles off Government Cut, off the Miami Beach coast. A Coast Guard vessel, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue vessel and F/V Joe Cool all responded and the passengers were safely rescued moments before Imagination went down. (Thurs. May 31 2007)

Tug Jan van Hasselt ran aground while towing the Ljburg 2 on the river Scheldt at the lock near Antwerp, buoy 60, in the morning of May 30. Tugs Union Diamond and Leendert Muller came to assist, but Jan van Hasselt was ultimately able to refloat under own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 31 2007)

18,000 metric tonne cargo M/V North Sea, travelling in ballast, caught fire, possibly from a lightening strike, on May 29 approximately 120 miles south south west of Lagos, Nigeria. Tanker M/V Toledo Spirit made a mayday relay call to Falmouth Coast Guard via Inmarsat satellite and rescued 21 crew from liferafts. The rig supply vessel M/V Brago rescued one survivor from the water and recovered four bodies. Three people, including the vessel's master, remain missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 30 2007)

36-ft sailing yacht Firebird, with four crew, required tow into Portsmouth by the British Coast Guard in severe weather with crew suffering from sea sickness on May 27. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 29 2007)

30-ft sailing yacht Bacchus, with two crew, suffered engine failure south of the Island of Wight amidst severe weather conditions on May 27. The British Coast Guard responded and towed the vessel to safety. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 29 2007)

F/V Jaya Baru struck by rough seas and capsized around Rakit Island waters, Indramayu District, approximately 40 km north of Indramayu City, on May 24. Two survivors were rescued by local fishermen on May 26. While the search still continues, eleven crewmembers are still missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 29 2007)

36-ft sailing yacht Shekinech ran aground at the south end of Lopez Island, Washington on May 27. A Coast Guard HH-65C Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles and a Coast Guard 33-ft small response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Bellinham were launched to assist. The Coast Guard boat managed to pull the Shekinech off the rocks, and a commercial assistance vessel towed the Shekinech to Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 29 2007)

4,295-ts 1960-built Finnish cruise ship M/V Kristina Regina, Amsterdam to Helsinki, collided with tug Pioneer and its barge of logs in the Baltic near the Kiel Canal comring from the Northsea on May 28. Kristina Regina suffered slight hull damage and was allowed to proceed to Helsinki after a survey. Vessel traffic between Rostock and Gedser temporarily restricted due to drifting logs dislodged in the collision. Pioneer reached harbour of Wismar on May 29 where cargo of logs are to be secured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 29 2007) ALERT>> The search for and cleanup of drifting logs continues. The logs still pose a threat for shipping south of Langeland and off Fehmarn. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat June 2 2007)

10-m German F/V Pirat, homeport Travemuende, ran aground on a sandbar 250 meters off Pelzerhaken in the Luebeck bight on May 27. Several rescue and private boats responded and arrived at the scene, including Grisu, Bremen, and Crempe. F/V Pirat subsequently took on water and developed a heavy list, causing the crew to abandon ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

11.5-m sailing yacht Truwen ran aground east of the island Wangerooge with 5 people aboard on May 25. The vessel was smashed repeatedly against the rocky bottom and had to be abandoned with the assistance of vessel Vormann Steffens and its small boat Adele. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

100-m Cargo M/V RMS Baerl struck the North pier in Bremerhaven-Geestemuende on May 25, causing significant damage. Police are investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007) UPDATE>> While the jettie itself was severely damaged, M/V RMS Baerl is reported to only have suffered relatively minor dents in its bow. Navigational error by the crew is suspected as the cause. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 29 2007)

58-m 877-gt 1975-built safety/supply vessel M/V Storm X suffered engine room explosion while maneuvering at Valletta, Malta, disabling the vessel and causing it to drift uncontrollably. Tug Wenzina assisted and prevented M/V Storm X from colliding with M/V Geo Mariner and with the Gun Wharf. Port was closed to traffic until vessel was secured at Magazine Wharf. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

Norwegian F/V Pater Noster caught fire, which initiated in the engine room, in the Dafjord (Karlsoy county) on May 20. The fire is under police investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

41-ft sailing yacht Zeesailor, Holland to Kinsale on sailing school trip, lost its rudder and became disabled in rough seas off the Cork coast, 25 miles south east of Courtmacsherry Bay on May 25. The vessel's request for assitsance was received by Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Frederick Storey Coburn, which arrived to Zeesailor less than two hours later and towed the disabled vessel to Courtmacsherry in rough seas. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

11 meter Offshore 105, amidst a conservation mission in Roaring Water Bay, West Cork, grounded. None of the seven crew on board were injured. Four crew were taken by lifeboat back to Baltimore Harbour, while three stayed with the vessel to attempt to free it at high tide. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

English river ship M/V Bellriva, Strasbourg to Breisach, struck a lock on the Rhine in Alsace, in Eastern France, on May 26. 22 people injured, 13 requiring hospitalization. Rhine traffic was not affected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon May 28 2007)

Towing vessel M/V Riley Elizabeth, pushing 25 grain barges on the Upper Mississippi River, near Grand Tower, III, reported that one grain barge sank after striking bottom or an known object on May 24. As a result of the incident, the Captain of Port Ohio Valley closed the Upper Mississippi River to all vessel traffic to all vessel traffic from mile marker 182 to mile marker 184 until the sunken barge can be located, marked and examined. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

F/V Amanda Ranae took on water approximately eight miles off the coast of Sapel Sound on May 24. The vessel was intentionally beached to avoid sinking. The Coast Guard was contacted and launched a HH-65 helicopter out of Air Station Savanna, which provided a dewater pump. The vessel was repaired on site and made way to a safe mooring with a Coast Guard vessel escort. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

M/V Ellen Knudsen, Norwegian-flagged, collided with pilings of the Botlek bridge in Rotterdam on May 22, suffering damage to its starboard side. After being freed, M/V Ellen Knudsen proceeded to Rotterdam under its own power. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

1980-built 13,878 gt Tallink-ferry Regina Baltica suffered fire on May 21 while underway from Stockholm to Riga with 535 passengers and 135 crew. All passengers on three decks evacuated and the fire was successfully extinguished by the crew. Two suspicious men occupying the cabin where the fire initiated were turned over to the police at Riga. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

34-ft. Ukrainian sailing vessel Amerauto took on water and sinking 425 miles off Bermuda. Guided missel cruiser USS Anzio, returning to Norfolk after an eight month deployment, responded to Amerauto's distress call and took all 4 sailers aboard. USS Anzio's Captain Bingham reported Amerauto was the fourth vessel assisted during USS Anzio's deployment. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

Two unidentified local cargo vessels collided off the port city of Ulsan on May 21, causing some fuel and oil spillage. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

1970-built 2,478-gwt cargo M/V Marium / Maryam Trans, Sierra Leone flagged, enroute to India from Iraq, listed and sank approximately 130 nautical miles south of Karachi harbour on May 21. An SOS signal was received by the Maritime Security Agency's Rescue Coordination Center, which dispatch rescue aircraft that dropped an inflatable raft. All 11 crewmembers ultimately rescued by tanker M/V Front Maple which was passing through the site. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

Former minesweeper TS Kellington, moored off Stockton's riverside in Tesside, is capsizing as a result of the vessel's dilapidated condition. Work is being undertaken to stablize the vessel, funded by the British Waterways and Environment Agency. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

110m Dutch inland tanker M/V Rafaela, with 2009 tons of vinegar acid, ran aground at Rheidt on the Rhine on May 21. The vessel was refloated on May 23 by pumping some of the cargo to another vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

Cargo M/V Verandei, with eleven crew, suffered engine failure approximately 40 miles Iturup Island in the Sea of Okhotsk amid stormy weather on May 23. The vessel is adrift at a speed of 1.5-2 knots. Rescue vessels deployed to assist. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

40-ft F/V Mary James disappeared approximately 33 miles east of Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey. The vessel was not heard from since May 20. Massive Coast Guard and private searches by air and ocean recovered an empty raft, one body, and life jacket with the vessel's name printed on it. Coast Guard crews ended their search on May 22. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

General Cargo M/V Hong Success, en route from China Shanghai, China to Lagos in Nigeria, lost deck cargo of truck trailers overboard in rough seas on May 21-22 approximately 80 nautical miles north-east of East London. The vessel became unbalanced, and subsequently sought shelter on May 23 in the port of East London to resecure cargo and repair railings and other minor damages. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

UPDATE>>> 27,720-dwt 1984-built M/V Mighty Servant 3 which sank off the coast of West Africa last December was successfully raised by salvors. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007) DON'T MISS THE PHOTO FEATURE OF THE SINKING

14-m-yacht Sjambok lost its rudder off the Dutch coast on May 19. Rescue boat Janine Parqui and KRNM-boat Jan van Engelenburg responded to assist. Sjambok successfully towed to berth in Berghaven. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

High-speed 279-ton hydrofoil ferry Seven Island Ai, cruising 40 knots from Izu-Oshima Island to Kurihama Port with 207 passengers, struck by rogue wave off Kanagawa Prefecture, approximately 13 kilometers south of Jogashina Island in Miura, on May 19, causing smashed windows, significant flooding and 27 injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

1988-built 6,037-gt Canadian cargo M/V Umiavut, enroute to La Corogne, Spain from Kalundborg, Denmar, with a cargo of 8,600 tons of flour, suffered fire in engine room off the coast of France on May 18. The crew successfully extinguished the fire and vessel was towed tot he port of Brest by tug A'beille Bourbon. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007)

INTERNATIONAL LOSS>> S/V Cutty Sark<<Webfeature -- the famous clipper ship & last in the world -- suffered fire May 21 -- turning the 19th century tea clipper and one of Britain's most important maritime treasures into a blackened wreck on the banks of the river Thames. The Cutty Sark left London on its first voyage on February 16 1870, sailing around the Cape of Good Hope to Shanghai three months later. But the ship made only eight voyages to China in the tea trade. The opening of the Suez canal, just after the Cutty Sark<<Webfeature was built, quickly made tea clippers redundant as steamers could benefit from a shorter sea route. The ship was the world's only surviving example of an extreme clipper, regarded as the ultimate development of a merchant sail vessel. Most of the original hull had survived since the ship was built for the 19th century tea trade. One of London's top tourist sites, the Cutty Sark has attracted 15 million visitors since it opened in 1957. Cutty Sark been closed since Nov. 2006 for a £25m renovation & was due to reopen in 2009. The ship needed substantial repairs because sea salt had speeded up the corrosion of its iron framework. The blaze is being treated as suspicious. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007) Ed Note: This is a major loss of a true treasure.

7,106ton cargo M/V Wilson Trent (port of registry: Limassol, Cyprus, IMO: 7926095-- built 1980) -- in collision with the quay 4 of the Brunsbuettel locks of the Kiel Canal on May 20. The ship suffered severe damage on starboard bow & moored at the "railway pilings" in Brunsbuettel after the incident. On the quay lamps & railings were torn off. The accident was caused by misjudgements while berthing. The ship was built at Miho Zosensho K.K., Shimizu. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

Charter F/V Bullfrog, with 8 crew -- halibut fishing reported to be taking on water and had lost an engine early May 21 -- 10 miles off of Tillamook, Ore. Crew rescued by the crew of the charter F/V D&D, also homeported in Tillamook, at 7:22 a.m. The passengers and crew of F/V Bullfrog transferred to a U.S. Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat at 7:42 a.m. Crews from U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook & U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria were launched to assist the crew of F/V Bullfrog. F/V Bullfrog sank 10 miles from Tillamook. No reported sightings of debris or pollution. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

65-foot catamaran S/Y Ocean Discovery, with 62 people aboard, ran aground but was later safely removed from the channel. Lahaina harbor was closed for about 2 hours while S/Y Ocean Discovery was assessed for damage then towed to the pier; the channel was reopened before 11 a.m. om May 21. U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Hawaii closed the Port of Lahaina temporarily after a tour boat ran aground blocking the channel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

Canadian Coast Guard Cutter CCGS Wilfred Templeman -- suffered general alarm as there was a malfunction with a generator causing the engineroom to fill with smoke, she is now being escorted back to St. John's by the CCGS Sir Wilfred Grenfell. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

Passenger M/V Enez Sun, with 136 passengers & 7 crew -- struck by a massive wave off the coast of Brittany in western France May 19 -- 1 man & 1 woman swept off the bridge into the sea near Sein Island. The man broke his arm. They were fished alive out of the water by a trawler that had been alerted to the accident by the coast guard & airlifted to a hospital in the Brittany port of Brest. "We were on the deck, we were looking at the dolphins. We were very close to the island when a huge wave hit us from the side. The seats were ripped loose. I was very afraid," said a passenger. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

S/V Kyan -- taking on water 2 miles S. of Cape May, N.J. Crews aboard a motor lifeboat & a rescue helicopter were directed to launch. S/V Kyan, homeported in Marblehead, Mass., reportedly on a trip from Annapolis, Md., to Marblehead. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape May rescue boatcrew immediately launched aboard a 47-foot motor lifeboat (MLB) and were on scene at about 7:42 a.m. A rescue aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City launched aboard an HH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter to assist at about 7:58 a.m. Once on scene, the MLB crew assessed the state of the sailing vessel & felt that they could make the journey into port under their own power. The boatcrew escorted the sailboat safely in to the South Jersey Marina, where it moored at about 9:38 a.m. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

42-foot cabin cruiser P/Y South Wind III -- aground near Fortescue and that 7 men, including a 76-year-old with diabetes, had spent night aboard the boat. Rescue boatcrews from U.S. Coast Guard Station Fortescue and Fortescue Fire & Rescue were able to reach, but unable to remove, the men aboard due to marshy conditions, at S. tip of Egg Island Point in the Delaware Bay. A rescue helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City was on scene just before 10 a.m. and transferred the men to a field in Cedarville, N.J., where they were met by Lawrence Township EMS. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

Cruise M/V Seabourn Pride, homeport Nassau & of pirate attack fame , entered French port of St. Nazaire on May 20 with a list. The access ramp at the stern was damaged & could not be closed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 20 2007) Helicoper on M/Y

105mt. luxury M/Y Lady Moura<<Webfeature (20th largest in the world) -- ran aground on May 19, 60mt. SW of the dam of Port Canto. She was embarking & disembarking passengers. Ship not damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. May 20 2007) Helicoper on M/Y Lady Moura<<Webfeature

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

10 May 2007: 1830 LT: Posn 03:18.0N - 123:33.0E, Indonesia. A small-unidentified craft followed a bulk carrier, underway, at a distance of 2.5 miles. The small craft had its search light on & aimed at the stern and bridge preventing the crew from identifying the craft. The craft closed to 8 cables and contacted the ship via VHF Ch 16 informing they were an Indonesian Navy patrol boat. They asked the ship to slow down & asked what type of cargo was onboard. The master asked the craft to illuminate herself for identification. The craft replied that they only wanted to know what type of cargo was onboard. The master refused to slow down as he suspected a piracy attack. The master raised the alarm. The crew mustered & took anti-piracy measures.  The craft closed to about 6 cables, then slowed down, & moved away. (Sat. May 19 2007)

10 May 2007: 0300 LT: Belawan Anchorage Posn 03:55.35N - 098:46.79E, Indonesia. Five pirates armed with knives & crowbars boarded a product tanker using hooks and via the anchor chain. They broke the padlock to the paint store & stole ships stores. The duty AB noticed the robbers and informed the Duty Officer who raised the alarm & sounded the ships whistle. All crew mustered. The robbers jumped over board and escaped in a speedboat. The timely action of the crew prevented the robbers from further stealing ship property. No injuries to crew. (Sat. May 19 2007)

09 May 2007: Posn 05:01.03N - 118:21.13E, 3BSP 4 berth, Lahad Datu Port, Malaysia. Several stevedores stole ship's property at night during discharging operations. Master reported to agents but no action taken. (Sat. May 19 2007)

08 May 2007: 1015 LT: Posn 17:38.3N - 083:22E, Visakhapatnam Anchorage, India -- 7 pirates armed with knives boarded a tanker at anchor via the poop deck. Duty AB contacted the bridge and all crew went into the accommodation and closed all doors.  Master raised the alarm. The robbers jumped over board & escaped with ship stores. Ship activated SSAS, informed port control and local agent. No one was injured (Sat. May 19 2007)

07 May 2007: 0200 LT: Posn 01:16.081S - 116:48.560E, Balikpapan Pertamina Jetty No. 2, Indonesia -- 3 pirates armed with long knives boarded a loaded product tanker at berth via the forecastle while waiting for pilot to board. D/O noticed the robbers & raised the alarm, sounded the ship's whistle & alerted the crew.  The robbers jumped over board and escaped in a speedboat. No injuries to crew. Nothing was stolen. (Sat. May 19 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top 

321mt. cruise M/V Norwegian Star -- suffered engine room fire off the B.C. coast as the result of a leaky fuel valve. Fire was small enough to be put out by hand & ship's fire suppression system was not used. Liner is now in Prince Rupert, one of its scheduled stops as she returned south from an Alaskan cruise. Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board will inspect the ship to determine what happened. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 19 2007)

Stricken M/V MSC Napoli off the Devon coast -- on May 16 the last container has been removed -- 2 months ahead of schedule. The vessel was grounded off Branscombe in January & salvors have since lifted 2,300 containers off the ship. A team of divers were employed & an army of volunteers helped to clear the cargo and debris from the seabed on a daily basis. The clean-up involved volunteers who were guided by experts from East Devon District Council, the Marine Conservation Society and Devon Wildlife Trust. BMW motorbikes, nappies and unused hypodermic needles were among the items to wash up on coasts from the ship's containers. The Receiver of Wreck received reports of about 1,400 items being salvaged. The ship was carrying more than 2,300 containers, of which 110 went overboard and 58 were washed ashore. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007) "Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli

Estonian-registered M/V Tahoma Reefer -- attacked & seized by pirates at anchor off Monrovia, the capital/main port city of Liberia. Pirates came aboard the dead vessel, which has been at anchor off Monrovia since last year when she suffered fire that destroyed much of the upper deck space. Fire on the vessel was put out with the help of a U.S. Navy USNS Apache (T-ATF 172) which was assisting Liberian authorities with harbor work & came to the rescue of the crew and helped put out the fire. Pirates, who were armed with machetes, approached the reefer with 2 fishing boats before launching their attack. After beating up the reefer's crew the pirates took possession of the ship & began towing their prize towards the Ivory Coast using the fishing boats as tugs. Later a UN helicopter from the peacekeeping forces in Liberia reported seeing the reefer heading towards Ivory Coast waters but was unable to take any action. The French Navy which has ships deployed off the Ivory Coast may be able to take some action against the pirated ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

40-ft-trimaran S/V Dangerous When Wet, Caribbean island of St Maarten for Rhode Island in the U.S.-- adrift in ferocious Atlantic storm -- dismasted -- 48 hours without food, yachtsman John Fildes was desperate. 116,000-ton cruise M/V Crown Princess picked up the distress call & immediately started steaming to his aid. In a tricky maneuver the 951ft M/V Crown Princess squared up next to Mr Fildes's 40ft trimaran S/V Dangerous When Wet. A rescue boat was launched and as 18ft waves buffeted both craft, Mr Fildes was helped to safety. S/V Dangerous When Wet worth more than £100,000, sank shortly after the rescue operation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

M/V Ocean Minerva -- grounded off Samsoe, Denmark, but plan to transfer cargo failed as the ship didn't refloat as intended. The ship will lighter some cargo in order to refloat May 18. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

S/Y Marionette -- aground at Lytham St Annes & fouled its anchor rope in its propeller off Lytham St Annes, Lancashire May 16 -- female crewmember stuck up to her knees in liquefying mud 300 meters off the shore. UK Coastguard Rescue officers from Lytham St Annes assessed situation & Lancashire Fire and Rescue were also tasked with a specialist inflatable walkway to help reach the casualties. The Lytham St Annes RNLI inshore lifeboat also attended. By the time the combined rescue team reached the casualties, the female was up to her waist in mud and the tide was only minutes away from reaching her location. Fortunately, she and her husband were pulled from the mud & taken to a waiting ambulance with only mild hypothermia just as the water reached their location. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

Cargo M/V Livia (owned by Lupin Shipping, Varberg, IMO No. 7528518, ex-M/V Canopus, ex-M/V Stefanie, built as M/V Stina at Sietas Yard Hamburg-Neuenfelde in 1976) -- suffered engine room fire May 17 while berthed in Falkenberg at Falkvarvet (Falk Yard). Fire led to strong fume development. No injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

Swiss owned hotel ship M/V Britannia -- damaged in collision at Basel, Witzerland, has to be repaired in a yard, presumably in Colonia. The 6 injured passengers were able to leave hospital on May 14. The ship is berthed at the "Kleinbasler Rheinufer" (small Basel Rhine shore). The other passengers continued their voyage to Koblenz on a replacement ship on May 15. Investigations proved that collision with a bridge was caused by a defect in the steering electronics. Crew said to have acted correct by securing the ship in St. Johan. How the ship can be moved to Colonia is still unclear. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

77mt. M/V Forest 1 -- on May 16 -- 2 sailors died during a rescue boat exercise of the detained Russian owned cargo vessel in the port of Emden. During safety training tried to launch lifeboat boat -- 7 sailors entered the enclosed boat. When trying to lower it the boat broke off one of its ropes & crashed onto the ship´s deck and then into the harbor basin. Foour of the sailors managed to escape from the boat when it was resting on the deck. A Russian officer, an engineer & deck hand were trapped inside the boat -- which some moments later plunged 7 meters down into the water & sank within seconds. 45 minutes later divers had reached the boat in a depth of 14 meters and took the victims to the surface. All were taken into a hospital where the officer & engineer died. Accoring to police the boat had not been closed when being lowered so that it could on the one hand sink and on the other hand allow 4 persons to escape before. M/V Forest 1 detained for 2 weeks due to severe leacks. She had been underway from Emden to the Turkey with logs but suffered engine damage short before passing Emden & had to be towed into the harbor where it was detained after inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs.. May 17 2007) UPDATE>> M/V Forest 1 tried to raise the boat with its own crane. Much time was lost before police and fire brigade were called. These were on scene two minutes after the call. At this time the boat had already been lying on the habor bottom for about 30 minutes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007)

Bunker boat M/V Leda (owned by Carl Büttner, Leer) -- in collision -- with M/V Langeland (homeport Wishahfen), with fertilizer for Rhenus in the sea lock in Leer. Capt. tried to avoid the accident by going full astern, but M/V Leda touched M/V Langeland & slightly dented at the bow on port side. M/V Langeland suffered very minor damage at the stern on starboard side. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs.. May 17 2007)

Maltese oil tanker M/V Spiro F collided with trawler Carmela 1 off Malta on May 11. The tanker did not suffer damage but Carmela 1 took on water. Accordingly, Carmela 1 and M/V Spiro F were lashed together and headed to Grand Harbour. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

Danish chemical tanker M/V Erria Maria, formerly M/V Maria Jakobsen, collided with tuna farm despite traffic control warnings causing extensive damage to the same off Malta on May 11. The vessel is being detained by the malta Maritime Authority. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

93-ft Solomon Islands cargo vessel M/V Haurosi became disabled after suffering a fire approximately 60 nautical miles northwest of Saipan over the weekend of May 12. The vessel sent distress signals via the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), which were picked up by a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Sub-Center in Guam. U.S. Navy helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 and USNS Shasta deployed -- the five sailers were rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

Chinese-registered tanker vessel M/V Gas Shanghai collided with Vietmanese cargo ship Hoang Dat, carrying 2,000 tons of steel roof sheets from Indonesia, in Southern Vietnam near Lotus Port in Ho Chi Minh City on May 15, causing the Hoang Dat to sink. Eight sailers are feared dead, the other eight were rescued. The M/V Gas Shanghai is being held by authorities pending further investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

M/V Butuan Bay, carrying 513 passengers and crew from the port of Cebu City, 585 kilometers south of Manila, suffered engine room explosion and subsequent fire on May 15. 3 crewmembers died, 7 crewmembers injured and seven passengeres injured. While the investigation is ongoing, terrorism is not suspected. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

15,781-gt Orient Queen, built 1968, operated by Louis Cruise Lines, experienced a snapped mooring rope in heavy winds at the Greek Island o fMykonos on May 14. One crewmember was killed and another seriously injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

45-ft wooden sailing schooner Heron, built 1911 and homeported in Port Monmouth, N.J., collided with tugboat Schuylkill in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, about two miles west of Chesapeake City, on May 15, causing Heron to sink. All three crewmembers aboard the Heron were rescued. No signficant damage to the Schuylkill was reported. A commercial salvage company has already succesfully raised the Heron. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

Austrian passenger catamaran Twin City Liner, Vienna, Austria to Slowakian capital Pozsony with 53 passengers and 3 crew, ran aground on the right side of the Danube Cabak in the region of the Erdberger Lände. No injuries reported and the vessel was refloated within an hour. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

80 m German inland water craft M/V Schwaben, with a load of gravel, collided bow-to-bow with an unidentified barge train carrying coal on the Elbe-Seiten Kanal (Elbe Side Canal), near Osloß, on May 16. The M/V Schwaben was breached at the bow, taking on water and was in danger of sinking. While the vessel developed a strong starboard list, M/V Schwaben was stabilized by two other vessels alongside. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

4,418 gt / 3,631 dwt supply ship M/V Far Sovereign, Norweigen flag 1999-built, ran aground and developed a starboard list on the north side of Hundväg, 100 meters from the shore at Lundsneset, with 50 people aboard on May 16. Approximately 1.5 tons of oil are feared leaked. The vessel suffered water ingress, and is lying firmly on a sandbar awaiting refloating efforts Response vessels included the BB Lifter and police boats Vektaren and Rygervakt. 35 people evacuated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007) UPDATE>>> M/V Far Sovereign successfully refloated and proceeded with very low speed, escorted by the M/V Lafjord. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 17 2007)

Cargo M/V Wilson Express, Sunndalsøra to Rotterdam with a cargo of 4,500 tons aluminium, suffered machine failure and drifted toward land on May 14, putting it in danger of running aground. The vessel was secured by the recuse boat Emmy Dyvi and had to be towed into the port of Vanylvsgapet. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 16 2007)

241 meter Greek-flagged VLCC M/T Minerva Concert, Danish port of Fredericiabound for Rotterdam with 81,200 tonnes of crude oil, ran aground on "Hatter Barn," just off the Danish island Samsø, on May 14. M/V Minerva Concert had a pilot on board at the time of the incident. There is no risk of oil spill. Coast Guard vessels M/V Thu, M/V Søløven and environmental protection vessel M/V Marie Miljø are on scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 15 2007) UPDATE>>> Oil will be lightered to M/T Bro Sincero (IMO 9254422) after the efforts of 2 tugs to refloat the ship off Samsoe failed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 18 2007) UPDATE>> VLCC M/T Minerva Concert -- which had been lying grounded off Samsoe in the Baltic was refloated by the tugs M/V Stevns Ocean, M/V Aros & M/V Hermes, the latter 2 homeport Aarhus, on May 18. Before this the combined chemical & oil tanker M/T Bro Sincero went alongside for transfer of 10,000 tons of oil, which was completed by about 2100, UTC, May 17. Following refloating the vessel went to Kalundborg Fjord for inspection. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 21 2007)

Cargo M/V Nordstrand, homeport Cowes, collided with cargo M/V Beaumé on the canal from Gent to Terneuzen on May 13. M/V Nordstrand ran aground at the glass factory Van Sas, Gent, after the collision but was able to refloat with its own power and berthed at Zuid-Chemi for inspections. Both vessels suffered damage to the foreship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 15 2007)

British hotel ship Britannia, with 180 elderly passengers and 25 crew, collided with the Dreirosenbücke (Three Roses Bridge) on May 14 in Basel, Switzerland while attempting to berth at the Grossbasler Ufer as a result of electronic steering failure. The vessel drifted against one piling of the bridge and underneath the bridge, tearing off the vessel's wheelhouse. Eight people were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 15 2007)

Canadian warship HMCS Huron intentionally sunk by artillery fire about 100 kilometres off the coast of Vancouver on May 15, as part of a joint naval exercise by the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian navy spent more than $7 millon cleaning up the decomissioned vessel to ready it for its final voyage and ensure nothing toxic remained aboard. The HMCS Huron had been laid up since November 2000. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 15 2007)

Passenger boat M/V Sahara, Zanzibar to Tanga with 45 people aboard, capsized in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania on May 14. At least 10 children drowned. Fishing boats managed to rescue 30 people, Coast Guard and volunteers are undertaking search, rescue, and recovery efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 15 2007)

Paddlewheel cruise ship M/V Empress of the North, 112 staterooms operated by Majestic America Line of Seattle, ran aground with 281 passengers and crew aboard off the coast of Alaska, at the southern end of Icy Strait, about 15 miles southwest of of Juneau on May 14, and began taking on water. All passengers were evacuated to fishing vessels and other cruise ships in the area, with no reports of injuries. Rescue operations hampered by strong winds, one-metre high waves & ice-cold water. M/V Empress of the North now underway with with basic crew and U.S. Coast Guard escort. (Mon. May 14 2007) UPDATE>>> vessel being inspected at Ketchikan From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 26 2007) UPDATE>>> vessel returns to service. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 9 2007)

A fuel barge and restaurant barge broke loose from their moorings on the Missouri River in Glasgow, Missouri on May 10 due to rising waters. Both were secured without incident with the assitance of tow vessels, the Missouri Water Patrol and Coat Guard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

50-ft passenger vessel M/V Tahiti Queen, on Mother's Day cruise with 80 people, grounded near the Charles Point Yacht Club in Peekskill, N.Y. on May 13. No injuries reported. Sea Tow safely transferred all passengers to the pier and was able to then free the grounded vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

27 ft. sailboat Teacher's Pet, Port Everglades, FL to the Bahamas, missing in rough sea in the vicinity of Lake Worth Inlet, FL. A HU-25 Falcon jet from Coast Guard Air Station Miami is searching for the sole 65-year-old crewmember. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Chinese container ship M/V Jinsheng collided with South Korean cargo vessel M/V Golden Rose off the port of Yantai in Shandong province on May 12, causing M/V Golden Rose to sink. 16 sailers from M/V Golden Rose are missing and feared dead. M/V Jinsheng failed to report the collision for seven hours, fueling suspicion that the crew of M/V Jinsheng were trying to flee the scene. Search and rescue efforts continue. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Barge train consisting of pushing tug M/V Vagari 1 and the barge Vagari II, both homeported in Rotterdam, ran aground on the Rhine between the Nibelungenbridge and the railway bridge in Worms on May 13 causing congestion. The Vagari II had to be lightered by a crane ship to be refloated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Barge train Amazing broke loose from its moorings on the Maas and was in danger to rund aground on the eastern jetties of the habour ocks in Antwerp. The tug M/V Drado assisted and towed Amazing back to safe moorings. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Cargo M/V Mr. Lulu, carrying timber, suffered collapse of derrick no. 4, which crashed on the main deck, on May 9 in Sipad, Croatia. 4 dock workers injured, one of them seriously. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Cargo M/V Aspoe, Danish port of Randers for Norrsundet, ran aground off Norrsundet, north of Gävle, Weden. The vessel was refloated by making ballast water adjustments, and brought to Norrsundet where it was surveyed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Inland water craft M/V Spera, suffered fire in bow thruster room while berthed in the Marx harbour of Dortmund on May 9. The Dortmund fire brigade quick extinguished the flames. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

100 m. British cargo M/V Heike, collided with 98 m. German container M/V Katharina Ehler at the Park Harbour in Hamburg on May 11. The collision occured when M/V Heike was departing the harbour, and strong winds pushed its port bow against the foreship of M/V Katharina Ehler. M/V Heike suffered slight damage in the foreship and aft region, M/V Katharina Ehler suffered very minor damage to the foreship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. May 14 2007)

Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft destroyed in fire at airport on May 10 at Point-Noire in Congo, Africa. The fire began in a 4x4 vehicle being loaded onto the aircraft for the Il-76's intended flight to Brazzaville. (Sat. May 12 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

03 May 2007: 0300 UTC: Posn 03:59N - 007:17E, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Armed pirates in 4 boats attacked a FPSO & tried to board it via the anchor chain. There were 8 security personnel on the FPSO. Pirates were successful in their attempt -- 5 persons from the FPSO kidnapped. .

03 May 2007: 0700 LT: 12 miles Off Mogadishu, Somalia. A group of Somali pirates armed with guns boarded general cargo ship underway -- hijacked ship & took her to Hobiyo anchorage. Negotiations with the pirates are going on.

03 May 2007: 0315 LT: Posn 01:11.7S - 116:46.8E, Balikpapan Port, Indonesia. Pirates boarded bulk carrier while berthed. Vessel was in her final stages of cargo operations & all crew and officers busy. Robbers stole ship's stores & escaped unnoticed.

30 April 2007: 2345 UTC: Posn 06:40S - 039:44E, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A black hull boat with 5 pirates attempted to board general cargo ship drifting 27 miles ENE of the port. Alarm raised & crew mustered. Pirates aborted attempt & moved in SW direction towards another vessel drifting 7.5 NM away. All vessels in the area warned via VHF radio.

18 April 2007: 1100 LT: Chebilang Bay, Satun Province, Thailand. More than 6 pirates in a small boat attacked fishing boat & hijacked it. All 8 crew were taken hostage & landed at Le - La Island. Pirates stole ship's equipment, properties & abandoned boat at Yanud Port, Tha - Phae District, Satun Province. Police located the fishing boat and returned it to the owners in Malaysia. No one was injured

14 April 2007: 0700 LT: Posn 17:25N - 059:56E, Arabian Sea. While underway, general cargo ship received a call on VHF Ch 16, from a fishing boat, that they had no fresh water. The ship threw some mineral water bottles into the sea to be picked up by the fishing boat in order to prevent any close contact with the fishing boat and to prevent any boarding.

12 April 2007: 0600 UTC: Posn 15:13N - 052:57E, Gulf of Aden. A fast boat, doing about 20 knots & steering various courses, approached a RO RO ship underway several times and at one stage came on a collision course with the ship. Later, it proceeded in a southerly direction and disappeared. The boat was light colored, about 6 meters in length &had 2 - 3 pirates aboard.

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70 m. Dutch sand carrier M/V Mistral, homeport Swifterbant, sprang a leak at Urk on May 8. The captain's wife and two children were evacuated by local rescue boat, and additional pumps dewatered M/V Mistral. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. May 11 2007)

Merchant ship M/V Padvoa reported a fire in her auxiliary engine room and a seriously injured crew member in the South China Sea. The Austrailian escort frigate HMAS Adelaide responded, transferring a response team and medical sailor to M/V Padvoa. A doctor was also transferred from the Singaporean Navy Ship RSS Vengeance. The Royal Australian Navy and Republic Singapore Navy are being praised for their cooperative response during their joint exercises. (Thurs. May 10 2007)

15,140 gt Norwegian Hurtigruten ferry M/V Trollfjord, built 2002, ran aground on May 9 in the Raftsund in Lofoten. No injuries reported, but the vessel suffered hull damage and had to be docked fin Svolvaera for examination by divers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 10 2007) UPDATE>>>> Dive inspections finished on May 11, which showed severe hull damage and three bottom tanks punctured. M/V Trollfjord sailed to Bergen where it entered the floating dock at Laksevag on May 15. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 15 2007)

54-ft sailboat Flying Colours, with four crew members bringing the yacht from the Virgin Islands to Annapolis, sent an automatic distress signal via emergency beacon in heavy seas off the North Carolina coast on May 7 and has not been heard from since. Coast Guard search launched and cutter M/V Tampa along with a C-130 search aircraft and J-Hawk helicopter deployed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. May 10 2007)

30 m. tug M/V Pegasus, operated by Wilson Sons and enroute to berth container vessel M/V Frotabelem, struck an unidentified submerged object and sank in the Brazilian port of Santos between the Fort of Itapema in Guaruja and Warehouse 15. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 9 2007) UPDATE>>>> A private salvage team succeeded in refloating the vessel on July 27. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. July 30 2007)

4.3-ton fishing vessel M/V Kanemitsu Maru collided with 6,395-ton Panamanian-registered freighter M/V Mighty Dandy on May 7 in the Seto Inland Sea, south of Takami Island. M/V Kanemitsu Maru's hull split in two, the captain was rescued without injuries by a Hiroshima-based Coast Guard vessel but his daughter has not been found. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. May 9 2007)

M/V Dirch Maersk, Charleston to Newark, lost 7 empty containers in heavy weather. The aft-most container stack shifted heavily to port. Two loaded tanktainers have exterior damage, but no cargo damage or loss reported. From anonymous Correspondent (Tues. May 8 2007)

91-meter cargo vessel Machail-M, carrying iron from Bulgaria to Guinea, ran aground off the coast of Cape Kanarya at Canakkale Strait on May 7. The vessel does not pose a threat to other ships navigating through the Strait. (Tues. May 8 2007)

40-ft yacht Koraasa77 was struck by a wave and disabled south of Bathurst Harbor, southern Australia on May 5. The 77-year-old Japanese sailor was nine months into his solo circumnaviation of the world at the time. He made a distress call by satellite phone, and was rescued by helicopter. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 8 2007)

Dutch cargo vessel M/V Marietje Benita entered the French Port of La Rochelle on May 3 listing to starboard after its cargo shifted. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 8 2007)

German cargo vessel M/V Asko, Papenburg to Emden, built 2005, ran aground on the Ems with a cargo of logs on Apr 22. The vessel was freed within two hours by the wake of the passing M/V Danica Rainbow. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. May 8 2007)

Unidentified Singapore merchant ship docked in Khidderpur suffered fire in a stateroom while docked in Khidderpur. One of the crew members suffered burns and was hospitalized. (Sun. May 6 2007)

Unidentified small boat with seven Algerians on board were rescued by P&O cruise ship M/V Oceana in the Mediterranean. The seven Algerians had run out of supplies and were drifting without lights or radio equipment. M/V Oceana stopped in Gibraltar and one of the Algerians was taken to a hospital in Spain where he later died. The six others were turned over to UK immigration officials. (Sun. May 6 2007)

52-foot yacht M/V Spirit Quest, caught fire and sank in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, several miles east of Pillar Point near the mouth of the Pysht River on May 5. The fire sent up a black plume of smoke that could be seen in Port Angeles about 30 miles away. A boat carrying Canadian whale-watchers recused M/V Spirit Quest's owner, who had been in the water for about 20 minutes. (Sun. May 6 2007)

22.35 LT Tug M/V Geroy Petrov pushing barge Baltin, from Rostov to Kavkaz with 3,284 tonns of sulfar, collided head-on with 3,994 grt dry cargo vessel M/V Tolstoy, Greece to Rostov with 5,000 tonns of perlite, on a zero mark of Azov-Don Sea Channel. The vessels were maneuvering to pass each other at the time of the collision. Baltin and M/V Tolstoy both sufferred damage above the waterline. No injuries, or water ingress reported. Investigation is underway. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. May 6 2007)

Kenya Airways Flight 507, a sixth-month-old Boeing 737-800, crashed shortly after takeoff in Cameroon swamp in Central Africa killing all 114 aboard on May 5. The plane sent a distress signal shortly after takeoff from Douala. Initial cause of crash is thought to be loss of power in both engines. (Sat. May 5 2007)

Unidentified migrant sailing craft, Cap-Haitien for Turks/Caicos Islands, capsized and sank off the coast of Haiti. Approximately 150 reported aboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007) UPDATE>>> Death toll at 61. The 78 surviving Haiten immigrants claim that a Turks and Caicos Naval Vessel intentionally rammed the craft causing it to capsize and sink. (Fri. May 7 2007)

M/V Farah III, operated by a Jordanian Firm, which had ran aground off Sri Lanka's north-east coast near Mullaitivu, an area held by Tamil Tiger rebels, was looted and stripped bare, from its installations to cargo. The rebels handed the crew of 25 over to the Red Cross, and denied accusations by the Sri Lankan military that they had staged a pirate attack. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Sat. May 5 2007)

Fishing vessel M/V Goodway called Stornoway Coastguard via VHF on May 2 to report the vessel was sinking at the entrance to Loch Torridon and that the crew was preparing to abandon vessel. The crew was picked up by fishing vessel M/V Portia of Poole. M/V Goodway subsequently taken under tow by fishing vessel M/V Diligent without incident. Water ingress determined to be improperly set pumps. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007)

Australian yacht Cowrie Dancer, Cape Town to Wester Australia, lost its mizzen mast in heavy seas approximately 700 nautical miles souteast of Port Elizabeth. One crewmember fell overboard and feared drown, two others severely injured. Research vessel M/V SA Agulhas responded to Mayday call and reached Cowrie Dancer on May 2. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007)

190-gt French passenger vessel M/V Gourinis (built 1979), enroute from French Island Houat 2 kilometres off Quiberon, struck reef, Trois Pierres, on Apr 30. 29 passengers and 4 crew (total capacity 196) evacuated into liferafts. Fishing vessel M/V Gwen Ruz, passenger vessel M/V Vindilis, three SNSM rescue boats, a customs boat, and helicopter partcipated in rescue efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007)

Unidentified fishing boat sank on Apr 30 in east China's Zhejiang Province. Seven sailors missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007)

Tug Sara Kaitlin was towing barge MOBRO 139, which carried a crane that struck the McTeer Bridge on the Beaufort River, South Carolina on Apr 26. The crane sustained minor damage. The operators of the tug and barge, Savannah Marine Services, Inc. and CML Equipment Company LLC, respectively, are fully cooperating with the Coast Guard which is investigating the matter. In the meantime, the McTeer Bridge is closed to vehicular traffic, though no commercial vessel traffic restrictions were implemented. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007)

Ferry M/V Jet Wave 3 burned and sank off the coast of Thailand as it approcahed the Phi Phi Islands off Phuketon Apr 24 after experiencing an engine fire. 80 passengers were forced to leap into the sea. Passengers were rescued by speedboats within 15 minutes, and there are no reports of fatalities. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. May 5 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For April 2007


For Casualty Reports From 2006 - January To December

60mt. Swiss flagged steam passenger S/S Stadt Rapperswil (built 1909), with 321 passerngers (capacity 750) -- suffered engine failure April 29 caused by a blocked burner on Lake Zurich close to the island Ufenau. All 321 passengers taken aboard other ships. Owned by the Zürichsee Schifffahrtsgesellschaft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 30 2007)

Inland water M/V Herzog Tassilo -- in the harbor of Linz the wheelhouse plunged into the river Dunav when the Croatian Capt. was trying to raise the wheelhouse to its maximum height of 13 meters in the afternoon of Apr 29. Witnesses alarmed the police, and soon 3 divers of the fire brigade descended to the bottom where they found the wheelhouse with the captain who had survived in an air bubble. It was impossible to open the door which stuck in the mud, but the man could be freed through a window which he succeeded to open from inside. Capt. taken to hospital but died there. The wheelhouse had caused problems several times before so Capt. had tested it when the accident happened. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 30 2007) Ed Note: Remember that in Europe, the wheelhouses of river vessels are often on hydraulics which raise & lower to accommodate bridges.M/V Herzog Tassilo sounds top-heavy. McD

Salcombe crabber F/V Emma Jane, with 5 crew -- suffered fire & issued Mayday 33 miles off Salcombe on the Devon coast on Apr 29. Brixham Coastguard coordinated rescue -- Portland Coastguard helicopter was scrambled & RNLI's all-weather Torbay lifeboat & M/V AB Valencia responded. Salcombe lifeboat towed to port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Mon. April 30 2007)

Little River Fish House casino boat M/V Diamond Girl II, returning to shore in the early morning of Apr 29 -- in collision with -- vacant F/V Golden Retriever II, part of the Little River Fish House fleet. U.S. Coast Guard blames water conditions. No injuries. M/V Diamond Girl II a total loss. Incident shows why the casino boats are too large for the small South Carolina fishing community. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 30 2007)

M/T Chemical Trader -- ran aground on the river Maas Apr 29 at 3 p.m. when running upstream at Botlek. Tug M/V VS Rotterdam was soon on scene but the tanker was able to refloat without help & continued her voyage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 30 2007)

500-gt Haitian ferry M/V Lazarus 1, built to handle cargo & 250 passengers, carried more than 300 people -- on departure from Jeremie's harbor when she struck a sandbar April 24, throwing a number of passengers into the sea. The vessel was later pulled free & returned to quay, where she remains pending an investigation. Vessel is one of several that carry passengers & commercial goods between ports on the Haitian side of Hispaniola. Hundreds of uninjured passengers from the ferry are said to still be in shelters and Haitian police had to use teargas to disperse the crowd of concerned relatives of the passengers when they descended on the port. U.S. Coast Guard & other rescuers have so far recovered 15 bodies & 47 injured passengers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 30 2007)

M/T Phoenix Beta -- with 66000 tons of crude oil grounded shortly after leaving Maracaibo (Venezuela) on April 4. SMIT Salvage was contracted on basis of LOF 2000 to refloat the grounded vessel. A 6-man salvage team & equipment was mobilized. After part of the cargo, some 21000 tons, was transferred to a lightering tanker, vessel was successfully refloated April 18 with the aid of 5 tugs from the Venezuelan partner company Terminales. After the cargo was transferred back to M/T Phoenix Beta to continue her original journey to Liverpool, UK. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 30 2007)

World War II U.S. Motor Torpedo - P.T. Boat<<Webfeature -- has risen from the Pacific Ocean off the Solomon Islands, pushed above the water by a powerful earthquake. The boat was exposed when reefs rose 10 feet above sea level during a 8.1-magnitude quake that caused a devastating tsunami, killing 52 people in the western Solomons in early April. The Solomons' main island, Guadalcanal, was the scene of fierce fighting during World War II. The coastline is littered with wrecks including the famous PT boat commanded by President John F. Kennedy, PT-109<<Webfeature, which was found in 2002<<Webfeature, by shipwreck hunter Robert Ballard. It is believed that this boat could have been one of those U.S. torpedo boats. Only the boat's hull with its deadly cargo of explosives remained intact. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 29 2007)

Swedish passenger M/V Svea Viking (replica of an ancient viking ship used for tourist purposes) -- suffered fire 4.30 a.m. April 27 at berth in Stockholm. 25 firemen tackled the fire. Cause unknown. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 29 2007)

38-foot lobster F/V Esther Gail -- taking on water and listing heavily to starboard April 27 --2 crew thus ran their vessel hard aground & sank just south of the jetties leading into Oregon Inlet, N.C. U.S. Cost Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., helicopter crew was called & hoisted crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 29 2007)

U.S. trawler F/V Sea Bear -- ran aground in the vicinity of Klag Bay April 26 -- crew launched skiff & made it to nearby shore. U.S. Coast Guard HH60 helicopter transported Capt. & crew safely to Sitka, Alaska. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 29 2007)

Libyan-flagged 3,311-cbm LPG carrier M/T Attahaddi (built 1992), loaded with LPG on departure from the terminal of Marsa al-Brega -- suffered fire April 25 -- extent unknown -- 5 Libyan crew sustained burns. Vessel assisted by Sirte Oil & Production Co in extinguishing the fire & transferring the injured by aircraft to a specialized hospital in Tripoli. Nippon classed & has P&I cover with the West of England. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 29 2007)

Unidentified 560ton ferry, making a weekly trip to the capital of Port-au-Prince with commercial goods & more than 300 people partially capsized after hitting a sandbar off Haiti's S. peninsula, killing at least 9 & injuring dozens Apr 24. The ferry was pulling out of port when it hit a sandbar off the town of Jeremie. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 29 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

3 May 2007: 10 miles / 16 km north of Mogadishu, off the coast of Somalia. Armed pirates hijacked a merchant ship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), holding the crew hostage, according to the Mombasa-based Seafarers Assistance Program (SAP). The pirates took the vessel to Hobyo, about 400 km northeast of Mogadishu.

22 April 2007: 0750 UTC: Posn 20:38.7N - 059:17.0E, 20 nm NE of Masirah Island, Oman. Three pirates, wearing face masks, in a white colored speedboat approached LPG tanker underway. Attempted to board from the stbd quarter using grappling hooks attached to ropes. While the pirates were attempting to board there were 3 other speed boats at a distance of 1 NM following the ship. Ship raised the alarm; crew mustered & took evasive action. Pirates aborted their attempt & moved away. (Fri. April 27 2007)

16 April 2007: 1630 LT: Posn: 07:58.36S - 116:33.01E, Bennette Bay, Indonesia. Pirates armed with guns in 10 speed boats fired shots & attempted to board a general cargo ship at anchor. Ship owners contacted the Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) & asked for assistance. PRC contacted the Indonesian SAR & Navy HQ who acknowledged & informed the PRC that they have relayed the message to the local authorities to render necessary assistance. Meanwhile, Master took evasive action by heaving anchor & proceeding to sea. Later Master informed PRC that 3 police personnel had boarded the ship. No one was injured. (Fri. April 27 2007)

11 April 2007: Egypt mooring buoy, Port Said, Suez Canal, Egypt. Pirates boarded general cargo ship, using hook ladder from mooring boat, while crew was busy in mooring operations at the mooring buoy. The robbers lowered the gangway for their colleagues to board the ship easily -- 2 entered the accommodation while the others looked for stores to rob on deck. Due to the crew vigilance the robbers were spotted & chased away. Nothing stolen. Agents were informed but no action taken. (Fri. April 27 2007)

05 April 2007: Afternoon: Posn: 00:25.00S - 042:34.00E Off Kismayo Port, Somalia. Gunmen in speedboat opened fire on a dhow. Luckily, the speedboat experienced engine trouble, giving the dhow time to escape. (Fri. April 27 2007)

03 April 2007: Evening: Posn: 02:03.00N - 045:20.00E, Off Mogadishu Port, Somalia. Gunmen in 2 boats approached a dhow at anchor & opened fire. Master contacted authorities for assistance who sent a speedboat & thwarted attack. (Fri. April 27 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

Gosport-based S/Y Lara had become stranded in the main shipping channel of The Solent near No Man's Land Fort on Apr 26. UK Portsmouth Lifeboat initially called out but after unsuccessfully trying to tow the yacht, which had a badly damaged rudder, the Bembridge crew were alerted. Mechanic was hoisted aboard to assess the damage & emergency steering was provided. S/Y Lara, with 7 crew aboard, was finally towed into Portsmouth Harbor, where the yacht & crew were finally in a position to make the onward journey to Gosport Marina, under their own steerage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 27 2007)

40ft. Plymouth-based F/V Sea Princess taking on water and in danger of sinking with 3 crew April 25 just outside of Plymouth harbor April 25 -- HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from U.S. Coast Guard Station Point Allerton, and a 25-foot response boat from U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Cod Canal speeded to assist. Tug M/V Catherine Foss provided dewatering pumps & took the 3 F/V Sea Princess crew aboard -- safely moored about midnight. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 27 2007)

Indonesia-flagged, Pertamina-chartered 1,439-gt M/T Maulana (built 1993) -- suffered explosion in Indonesia on Apr 25 which left 4 of 16 crew dead -- had unloaded its cargo of diesel fuel at a facility on the Siak River, Sumatra, close to the busy shipping lanes of the Malacca Strait. Capt. 11 crew now being questioned by authorities. It took firefighters two hours to control the blaze which is believed to have been caused by electrical fault onboard. Vessel, in ballast at the time, had been carrying 1,600 kilolitres of diesel from an Indonesian processing unit for state-owned giant Pertamina. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 27 2007)

M/V Bourbon Dolphin UPDATE>>>> The moments before oil rig support vessel M/V Bourbon Dolphin capsized off Shetland, with the loss of 8 lives, were described at an inquiry in Norway on Apr 25.  A witness told of problems in the run-up to the M/V Bourbon Dolphin capsizing. First mate Geir Syversen said an anchor handling operation with M/V Highland Valour eventually saw the anchor chain drag over the side of M/V Bourbon Dolphin . The vessel soon started to capsize & turned over. Only 3 bodies were found. M/V Bourbon Dolphin capsized 85 miles W. of the Shetland coast on 12 April & sank 3 days later. The inquiry was in Alesund, Norway. M/V Highland Valour was told to go more NW. The Capt. then came on the bridge, took a VHF radio & asked on M/V Highland Valour: "Do you know the difference between north west and south east?" A call from the chief engineer said the vessel had to reduce its thruster, because it was overheating. Below deck, work started on filling tanks on the starboard side of the boat to keep it more steady. M/V Highland Valour then lost the connection again. M/V Bourbon Dolphin then tried to release the inner pin. This saw the chain run free & catch the outer tow pin. The first mate said the vessel then started to capsize. The cargo deck started to disappear below the water. The 2 main engines also stopped. The hearing was told that the emergency release system was triggered but did not seem to work as intended. M/V Bourbon Dolphin then turned over. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007) FOLLOW OUR STORY

On Apr 25 F/V Lady of Grace raised but no bodies were discovered aboard. F/V Lady of Grace sank in 50 feet of water 12 miles S. of Hyannis, Mass., Jan. 26, 2007. Vessel was salvaged by commercial contractor, Donjon Marine Co., Inc., & placed on a deck barge. Once safely onboard the barge, Massachusetts State Police & U.S. Coast Guard investigators entered the vessel to recover any further bodies but were unable to conduct a complete search due to conditions inside vessel. Investigators planned to re-enter vessel with additional equipment Apr 26. Rogerio Ventura & Joao Silva remain missing since F/V Lady of Grace sank. Two other crew, Antonio Barroqueiro & Mario Tavares Farinhas, were recovered from F/V Lady of Grace by State Police divers earlier in the year. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

Dolphin Cruise Line M/V Port Princess -- crashed into & badly damaged Fisherman`s Wharf at Port Adelaide April 25 -- no injuries but large section of wharf was broken off. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

Charter F/V Halibut Endeavor -- capsized near Homer, Alaska Apr 24. A passenger onboard called the Homer Police Dept. who then contacted the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Juneau at 4:00 p.m. stating that the 38-foot vessel was taking on water. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Roanoke Island WPB 1346<<Webfeature & the Coast Guard Auxiliary were deployed to the scene. Vessel capsized at 4:41 p.m. after all 13 passengers were reportedly transferred to a life raft. The Auxiliary arrived on scene at 4:44 p.m. and loaded the crew & passengers, who were then transferred to USCGC Roanoke Island. Cause is unknown. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

52ft. F/V Abra Cadabra, with 34 fisaherman -- sailing to a popular fishing bank off the Dominican Republic's N. coast when she capsized near 1 a.m. Apr 24. Another vessel rescued 2 of the fishermen 20 miles N. of the Dominican town of Montecristi on April 24 & reported sinking to the Dominican Navy, which asked the U.S. Coast Guard for help. U.S. Coast Guard sent an HU-25 Falcon jet and two cutters to the scene, along with helicopters and planes based in Borinquen, Puerto Rico; Clearwater, Florida, & Mobile, Alabama. U.S. Coast Guard cutters found 16 fishermen bobbing in the water, and a helicopter rescued another survivor. Survivors taken to hospitals for treatment of dehydration. 34 fishermen had been aboard the boat, a spokesman said, but U.S. Coast Guard put number at 39. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007) UPDATE>> U.S. Coast Guard 270ft. Medium Endurance Cutter USCGC Forward's crew rescued 3 more fishermen in the afternoon of Apr 25, and are still searching today for 20 others who are still missing after F/V Abra Cadabra capsized Apr 24 -- 19 survivors rescued of 34 so far -- the lucky ones after being in the water for so long without any lifejackets or personal flotation devices --15 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 27 2007)

56-foot sport F/V Freedom -- suffered fire in Fairhaven Harbor, Massachusetts on Apr 24 afternoon. Firefighters say there was an explosion prior to their arrival. Marina where she docked, said vessel's been docking there for 4 years. Vessel valued at US$200,000 to US$350,000. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

Australian Navy Submarine Rescue Vehicle ASRV Remora<<Webfeature-- Australian Navy's only submarine rescue vessel -- recovered more than 4 months after it sank off Perth. Recovered from the sea bed near Rottnest Island by a United States Navy recovery team. Australian Dept. of Defence now plans to return Remora to its Canadian manufacturer for an extensive overhaul that will last up to 8 months. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

Korean cargo M/V Frau Nancy (IMO No. 712 8057) had to be towed by tug M/V Liebu after she had to stop due to engine problems 12 miles NW of Gozo in the early afternoon of Apr 24 en route to Algeria. M/V Lieni reached the drifting ship at 10 p.m. & towed her 20 miles to Malta Shipyards, arriving next morning at 06.15 a.m. -- entered Malta Shipyards assisted with by tug M/V Malta & secured at Parlatorio South Wharf at 8 a.m. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

350-ton 40mt. high Hardenberg industry harbor crane (built 1970) at Dortmund -- crashed onto German inland water craft M/V Ulrike, homeport Eußenheim, on Apr 23 at 9.10 a.m. while the ship was unloading a cargo of coal. 3 mobile cranes arrived & started the removal April 24 & will lift off the crane wreckage from the ship`s deck April 27. The industry harbour was closed after the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

Panamanian-flagged cargo M/V Sunshine, Sicily for Egypt with marble-- sank in high seas and her 11 crew had run out of food & water in their life rafts after 2 days when they were rescued by a passing Plymouth-based Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Montrose<<Webfeature Apr 24. Crew well & Turkish naval ship TCG Gokceada. HMS Montrose was on Nato maritime security operations at the time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

German Navy S-boats Gepard & Frettchenin -- in collision off Libanese coast on Apr 20. No one was hurt, when Frettchen crashed into the side of Gepard. Both ships are based in Rostock. Gepard suffered a breach above the waterline. Both ships able to enter the Cyprus harbor of Limassol. Vessels were operating in connection with the UNIFIL -- United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

Fire damaged Argentine icebreaker Almirante Irizar reached the naval base of Puerto Belgrano on Apr 20. It had been towed by the ausxiliary ship Suboficial Castillo, assisted by tug M/V Liberator which overtook the tow on its last miles from the harbor channel into the base where the ship berthed at 9 p.m. A rescue operation had started April 11 involving the Argenine Navy destroyer ARA Almirante Brown, corvettes ARA Granville & ARA Robinson, auxiliary ships ARA Gurruchaga & ARA Suboficial Castillo and Argentine Coast Guard PNA Thompson.  Buzos Tacticos & members of the rescue team Servicio de Salvamento of the Argentine Navy boarded the ship & extinguished the fire. On April 15, preparations to tow the ship to Puerto Belgrano naval base began. The list of 15 degrees caused by water could be reduced to 5 degrees before the tow started. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

F/V Meridian -- sank in the North Sea with the loss of 4 crew -- search finished on Apr 24 without any trace being found. One body was recovered after the F/V Meridian, based in Anstruther, Fife, was lost in heavy seas in Oct. 2006. Search had resumed on Apr 20 following its interruption by winter weather conditions last year. F/V Meridian was carrying out observation work for oil firm Talisman Energy 160 miles off Aberdeen coast when she sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 26 2007)

M/T Stolt Creativity -- in collision with -- bargetrain M/V Norb Whitlock while crossing near Geismer, LA on Apr 23 -- 2 miles of Mississippi River were closed between mile markers 182 & 184. One of M/V Whitlock's 16 barges, loaded with salt, sank 800 feet from the right descending bank. Both vessels were traveling up river at the time of the collision. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge responded. No pollution or injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 25 2007)

63ft. F/V Miss Mary, with 3 crew aboard -- capsized near La Push, Wash. At 2:14 p.m. April 21 -- crew F/V Lady Cecilia contacted U.S. Coast Guard to report that the Miss Mary capsized 24 miles W. of Cape Johnson. Minutes later, an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., and a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Quillayute River were launched to assist. Master of M/V Lady Cecilia reported that his crew had rescued crew of M/V Miss Mary.-- which later sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 25 2007)

Mozambique dredging vessel M/V Rovuma -- sank on Apr 21 in the central port of Beira. There was no loss of life, and the port authorities, cited by Mozambican Television, said the stricken dredger posed no threat to maritime safety. The causes of the accident are not yet known, but the vessel's owner, the state-owned dredging company Emodraga, suspects it may have hit a hidden wreck. M/V Rovuma is 45 years old, while the average life span of a dredger is between 15 & 20 years. It arrived in Mozambique in the early 1970s, but this is not the first time M/V Rovuma has sunk. She 1st went down in 1975, in Maputo port. M/V Rovuma has just 3 more months of life left. It was due to be scrapped in July, when a new dredging vessel should arrive from Japan. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 25 2007)

105mt. 5000 dwt Faeroe-registered trawler F/V Hercules -- suffered fire which started in the engine room by unknown reasons on Apr 20 8.45 p.m. LT 280 miles SW of Ancud, Chile, in the Pacific. Called Mayday on Apr 21 at 1.16 a.m. LT after fire spread beyond control. 105 crew evacuated -- 11 crew presumed dead, only one of them was found. Trawler - owned by Faroe Islands-based company Thor Fisheries - had left Panama on March 24. Rescued crew in good condition. Transfered on board the sitership F/V Poseidon after having been rescued by 4 trawlers in the vicinity. Chilenian Navy is still searching for the missing crew. F/V Hercules delivered in 1991 and is one of 15 so called Vigo class ships built by Vigo & Gijon, Spain from 1991 til 1995. Crew consisted of 70 from China, 27 from Russia, 9 from Peru, 4 from Ukraina, 2 from Denmark, 3 from Norway & 1 from Panama. 1 Chinese citizen is dead -- 1 Russian & 9 Chinese are missing. Owners are facing total loss of F/V Hercules, IMO 8907060. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007) UPDATE>>> Owners of F/V Hercules (Thor Fisheries) asked by media, if there had been a previous fire on F/V Hercules. Owner said no, but there had been a fire on sister ship F/V Poseidon 2 or 3 years back. Thor Fisheries is also the owner of F/V Poseidon. An inquest held in Valparaiso, Chile, Apr 26. Tugs are standing by at F/V Hercules -- fire is out. Hull of F/V Hercules will be checked for weaknes before they trye to tow it. Also the sister ship F/V Sozidanie burned off the coast of Africa about 2 years ago. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 27 2007)

M/V Icacia -- in collision with -- M/V Volharding in the Koningin Wilhelmina harbor in Vlaardingen. The anchor of M/V Icacia tore open the hull of M/T Volharding which suffered a gash of 4mt. -- hip had water ingress & listed 30 degrees. A small amount of gasoil leaked out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

F/V Nikki B -- exploded in Waianae Boat Harbor injuring 4 crew. Explosion occurred 6:30 in the morning of Apr 21& sank minutes later -- 3 crew were on the F/V Nikki B when she exploded & 4th was untying vessel from pier. Witnesses say 1 crew thrown into the water -- 2nd was thrown onto the pier & 3rd was thrown back onto the boat. Dept. of Land & Natural Resources are investigating the scene. Wreck raised from the harbor bottom in 2 sections & deposited on land. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

25mt. 60 dwt. decommissioned inland water M/V Bruno -- deliberately sunk as a dive attraction in Fallenbach in the morning of Apr 21 in the Vierwaldstätter Lake in the Swiss Alps. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

34FT. F/V Paul Revere, with 4 crew taking on water 40 miles offshore from Neah Bay, Washington April 21. At 3 p.m., U.S. Coast Guard received a emergency positioning radio indicating beacon from the fishing vessel. After attempts to contact the vessel on VHF channel 16 were unsuccessful, an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles and a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Quillayute River were diverted to locate & assist the vessel, which was taking on water. A Canadian Coast Guard CC-115 fixed-wing aircraft crew from British Columbia was also launched to assist. 2:30 a.m Apr 22., F/V Paul Revere taken into tow by the crew of a 41-foot utility boat from U.S. Coast Guard Station Neah Bay. Vessel safely moored at 3:20 a.m. in Neah Bay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

Cook Islands 465ton M/V Fifita 500 -- ran aground April 20 off Kiel when trying to pass l/h Friedrichsort on the wrong side. After deballasting, ship able to refloat herself on Apr 21 at 2.50 a.m. It was ordered to berth in the Scheer harbor in Kiel until class renewal. The police started investigations on the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

Dutch F/V Freek en Janny/HD 80 -- ran aground April 20 close to the outer harbor of Den Helder. Tug M/V Jutter refloated the ship & towed it back into harbor through the sea lock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

Cruise M/V Ocean Village II (ex Aidablu) -- suffered fire April 16, shortly before finishing refurbishing works for the cruise start under her new name. A tea kitchen caught fire. The fire brigade able to extinguish flames soon. When fire broke out, 1,200 workers were busy on ship, berthed at the Lloyd Yard in Bremerhaven. Delivery was not expected to be delayed. No injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

22,700 GT dredger WD Fairway -- sunk following a collision some 6 weeks ago with actual operations starting some 4 weeks ago. Svitzer Salvage staff was involved in the operations in China assisting the owners of the vessel and the Chinese State Salvors. Chinese State Salvors on Apr 11 succeeded in refloating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 24 2007)

Ghost Yacht -- 40ft. S/V Kaz II, with 3 crew -- found with her engine running -- drifting off the North Queensland coast -- table laid for dinner, but there were no signs of any crew aboard. An air & sea rescue operation has been launched to retrace the yacht's voyage, and pinpoint the search area. S/V Kaz II left Airlie Beach on April 15 bound for Townsville on 1st leg of a voyage around northern Australia. Catamaran spotted by a helicopter on April 18 drifting off the Great Barrier Reef, but a rescue team only reached the boat on April 19 & confirmed that there was no one aboard. Rescue crews say they are puzzled by the mysterious disappearance. All the vessel's sails were up, although one was badly shredded, and lifejackets were still on board. Rescue workers had recovered the boat's Global Positioning System (GPS) device, which might give them more clues as to the crew's whereabouts. Australian media reported the names of the sailors as skipper Derek Batten, 56, and brothers Peter and James Tunstead, ages 69 & 63. The 3 are neighbours in Perth, Western Australia. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the men were planning to sail around northern Australia to Western Australia. Twelve aircraft now searching for crew of S/V Kaz II which is already being dubbed. From our Correspondent A. L. Griffiths (Sat April 21 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

13 April 2007: 0900 LT: Posn: 08:20N - 076:32E, off Trivandrum, India. About 100 pirates including fishermen armed with long knives boarded a barge under tow. They stole cargo & escaped. (Sat April 21 2007)

11 April 2007: 0930 UTC: Posn: 15:14N - 052:25E, Gulf of Aden. Pirates in 2 speed boats chased product tanker underway with intent to board. The C/O contacted the Piracy Reporting Centre, in Malaysia, for assistance.  The center contacted coalition naval forces at Bahrain & warship and a helicopter were dispatched to render assistance to ship. Meanwhile ship took extra measures to prevent boarding by pirates.  When a helicopter arrived the 2 speed boats aborted the attempt & moved away.  Ship continued her voyage to her destination port.  All crew are safe. (Sat April 21 2007)

11 April 2007: 0530 UTC: Posn: 06:32S 039:35E, 28 miles NE of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Pirates boarded container ship drifting. They broke open 2 containers & stole some cargo bags and left the vessel. (Sat April 21 2007)

06 April 2007: 0345 LT: Dumai Anchorage, Indonesia. Tanker at anchor boarded by pirates who entered the engine room via the open sky light. Crew in the engine room noticed the two robbers and when they tried to apprehend them -- robbers threatened them with long knives. Engine room crew informed the bridge & the alarm was raised -- crew mustered. Pirates threatened deck watch with long knives as they escaped from the funnel deck. Pirates escaped with some engine spares by jumping into the river.  Upon investigation -- revealed that the robbers may have boarded the vessel when 1 crew had gone into the accommodation to wake up the next watch & other crew went for a security round on deck. No injuries to crew. (Sat April 21 2007)

29 March 2007: 0300 LT: Chittagong Roads, Bangladesh. Pirates using grappling hooks with ropes boarded container ship from small boat near stern. Alarm was raised by deck watchmen who were attacked by the robbers armed with knives. Crew sustained serious cuts to their hands. Pirates jumped into the water & the small boat moved away. Port control was informed. Small boat was still near the vessel but moved away when the coast guard came on board to investigate. (Sat April 21 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

Chinese cargo ship, enroute from east China's Zhejiang Province to Changxing island in Shanghai, capsized in Haimen in the Jiangsu province on Apr 20 after attempting to drop anchor to shelter from high winds. Eleven people were on board, two of which were rescued, nine people missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 20 2007)

7,500dwt, 129m. Norwegian cargo vessel M/V Lysblink, built in 2000, ran aground on Apr 19 in heavy fog 500 metres off the west harbour of Terneuzen on the Scheldt. The vessel was refloated by the tugs Hemiksem, Anton V, and Multratug 16. M/V Lysblink subsequently inspected and with no damage found, the vessel was allowed to continue its voyage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 20 2007)

Dutch inland cargo vessel M/V Zuigzand ran aground on Apr 19 in the Scheldt but was able to refloat herself hours later. M/V Zuigzand ran aground in the same region on May 12, 2006. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 20 2007)

M/V Ferntrans, carrying liquid wax and enroute to Hamburg, collided with barge train Edda, with a cargo of mud, on the Elbe side Canal on Apr. 18. Both vessels suffered breaches in their hulls, but M/V Ferntrans was sufficiently stabilized to make it to berth. Salvage work on Edda closed the Elbe Side Canal for hours on Apr 19. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 20 2007)

Mecahnical digger burst into flames at Immingham docks as it unloaded cargo from the holds of bulkcarrier M/V Suchada Naree on Apr 19. The fire threatened the vessel and its cargo of animal feed but was successfully contained without injury or damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 20 2007)

2,758 Panama flagged Korean dry cargo vessel M/V Marine Eagle, built 1983, suffered engine failure nine miles south of Povorotny Point, Nakhodka Bay, Nakhodka on Apr 17. Salvage tug Topaz was dispatched to the scene and towed M/V Marine Eagle to port without incident on Apr 18. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Fri. April 20 2007)

30ft. cabin cruiser P/V Victory at Sea -- caught in a windstorm off Oceanside, Calif., night of Apr 17 -- assisted by an oil M/T Sea King that brought family safely back to San Diego. They were traveling from San Diego to Catalina Island when they encountered 30 mile per hour winds & 15ft. seas. They turned around to transit back to San Diego, but navigating in the heavy weather became increasingly difficult. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 18 2007)

Roro ferry M/V Al Mansour (IMO. 7360629) -- caught by strong winds in Algeciras & hit with her port side the starboard side of M/V Ciudad De Malaga (IMO. 9080015). Nothing known about damages. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 18 2007)

M/V Wilson Muuga -- grounded off Iceland on Dec 19, 2006, was refloated on Apr 17 at 6 p.m. local time by the tug M/V Magni in a towing attempt which had succeess after only 10 minutes. During the last days a work crew has stayed onboard M/V Wilson Muuga. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 18 2007)

233gt. Maypalad Shipping Lines' M/V Samar Star, Cebu City-bound -- ran aground off town of Leyte, on Apr 16 -- stuck on a sand bank. The search & rescue ship BRP Batangas rescued all 141 passengers & 31 crew at 2PM in inflatable boats &returned them to Cebu City. The grounding occurred after M/V Samar Star,had to take evasive action to avoid an oncoming Gothong-owned ferry. After resuming her normal course a strong current took her on to a sandy seabed. There is no leak or seepage of seawater. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 18 2007)

Marquette Transportation Lines towing M/V John Paul Eckstein -- pushing 25 grain barges, suffered mechanical problems & struck an unused dock April 16, causing the tow to break up and 1 barge to sink in Upper Mississippi River. U.S. Coast Guard worked with U.S. Army Corp of Engineers & local maritime industry represetatives to determine the most efficient & safe plan to allow the transit of delayed vessels through the previously closed portion of river. Prior to the reopening, 21 vessels were delayed as a result of the river closure. Multi-beam sonar aboard U.S. Army Corp survey vessel M/V Boyer was able to detect the sunken barge on the river bottom near river mile 142.3, 1.5 miles S. of the initial accident. Sonar was also utilized to confirm the navigation channel was safe for vessel traffic. U.S. Army Corp M/V Pathfinder marked the sunken barge with bouys to ensure safe transit through the area. Coast Guard, Army Corp of Engineers, and local industry representatives will continue to work together to ensure the safe passage of all delayed vessels until the back log is eliminated. At 3:30 p.m. Apr 16, the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the Upper Mississippi River from mile marker 130 to 145 to vessel traffic. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

45ft. wooden S/Y Whispa, with 2 crew -- in collision April 16 with gas 4,000tin M/T Gas Monarch, with 2,500 tons propane in fog -- 7 miles SE of Lowestoft -- issued mayday call to the coastguard -- able to take yacht under tow back to Lowestoft. No one injured and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch have been informed of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

Chinese ferry -- capsized in E. China's Fujian Province April 15 -- 4 dead & 2 missing. Accident happened 10:30 a.m. Apr 15 in Nanyu township, Minhou County in Fujian, when a ferry with 14 people on board crashed into boat used to carry sand on a tributary of the Minjiang River which runs through the province -- more than 30 boats & 100 people organized to rescue the 8 survivors. No signs of overloading & both boats licensed to operate on Minjiang River. Local marine staffs are looking for the missing passengers & trying to hoist sunken ferry. Cause of accident under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

Cebu-based Maypalad Shipping Lines M/V Samar Star, Liloan, Southern Leyte for Cebu City with 149 passengers -- drifted into shallow waters -- ran aground at 11:15 p.m. Apr 15 NW of the Tuod Light Station in Matalom. Vessel obviously failed to follow its usual course & went into shallow area. Passengers said they were already sleeping when suddenly felt vessel shaking. Fortunately, vessel's engine did not stop & lights were not cut off. Passengers had to contend with lack of food for 15 hours as crew only gave them rice, forcing passengers to buy cooked noodles to fishermen who approached the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

Container ship M/V New Delhi Express, arriving at New York Harbor after a transatlantic voyage with 24 people and pilot, struck a submerged lock in heavy fog, took on water and became grounded on April 15. The National Transportation Safety Board determined on May 30 that navigational error by the docking pilot was the cause. No injuries reported. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. June 1 2007)

U.S. Navy helicopter on Apr 12 airlifted more than 20 people off fishing boat that struck a reef while ferrying a medical team to help tsunami victims in the Solomon Islands. The Taiwanese ship hit the reef off the western town of Gizo on April 12 night after delivering aid supplies to outlying islands. The U.S. helicopter helped to lift the Red Cross workers and a medical team -- 17 Red Cross workers from New Zealand and the Solomons, Taiwanese medical workers, 2 patients & crew member whose back was injured were airlifted. Another 13 crew were still on the grounded vessel. Helicopter was from the U.S. Navy supply ship USNS GYSGT Fred W. Stockham, which was assisting with tsunami relief in Munda, a town in the Solomon Islands' Western Province. Reef hit by the boat may have been uncharted or may have been thrown up by the earthquake. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

St. Vincent & the Grenadines 4,643ton M/V Jane (built 1987), with 5,248 tons coal & 17 crew -- left Kholmsk port in Sakhalin, Russia, -- run aground off Honshu, NE Japan, in morning of Apr 16 -- all crew rescued. Capt. decided to leave the port of Soma & take ship into open sea because storm was approaching. Later, he discovered that water began filling engine room. Capt. decided to run ship aground to avert a wreck. Three patrol boats and a helicopter were dispatched after the coast guard got an emergency signal from the ship. Japanese Meteorological Agency issued a warning of strong wind & high waves in the region when the accident occurred. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

28-metre steel barge Kimihia -- capsized at 3.00am on 14 April, dumping 300 tons of rocks into the Wellington Harbor channel just north of Barrett Reef. A hydrographical survey conducted by NIWA showed that the dumped rocks do not pose a danger to surface navigation. The circumstances that contributed to the Kimihia capsizing are being investigated by the appropriate authorities. The barge was being towed by the small tug M/V Nautilus III, transporting 300 ton of rocks from Tarakohe for Greater Wellington's Hutt River stop-bank work. The Kimihia did not sink & its tug towed her to Miramar Wharf & berthed but upside down. The barge will remain berthed at the wharf until it is righted by a salvage company later this week. Ferries and other shipping were routed around the area as a precaution until NIWA completed the survey of the harbour channel on Apr 15. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 17 2007)

Towboat M/V John Paul Eckstein -- lost power April 15 & ran its 25 barge tow into a dock near mile marker 144, 20 miles above St. Genevieve, MO. As a result of the accident, tow broke apart and all 25 barges were set adrift. All of the barges, except one were recovered. U.S. Coast Guard has closed the Upper Mississippi River from mile marker 130 to 144, to all vessel traffic due to a towboat accident which resulted in one sunken barge & 6 others damaged. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River is working with the vessel owner, Marquette Transportation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to locate sunken barge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon.. April 16 2007)

113mt. Cyprus flagged cargo M/V Aleksandrov (IMO No. 880 1632) -- grounded April 15 at buoy #54 between Walsoorden & Baalhoek in the Western Scheldt. The tugs M/V Drado, M/V Hemiksem, & M/V Zelzate proceeded to the grounding site where the ship stuck fast at 4.50 p.m. First ship on scene had been M/V Bravo. Also M/V Multraship Responder came with a salvage inspectpr. M/V Zelzate connceted to the stern of M/V Aleksandrov. M/V Union Ruby after having arrived also started towing at the stern while M/V Drado took position on the port side bow. M/V Hemiksem remained on standby. The 1st attempt to refloat the ship failed. Refloated on Apr 16 at 1.30 a.m. by the tugs M/V Union Ruby, M/V Zelzate, M/V Multratug 10 & M/V Bravo. It was towed into the Sloehaven in Vlissingen for inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon.. April 16 2007)

93ft. M/V Anzhela Explorer -- sank on Mar 26 off Golden Beach, Miami. Workers with Sea Tow used a crane to remove the remains of vessel. It took a salvage team nearly four hours to get the job done. Debris from the ship has washed up from Miami-Dade to Broward County and has been an environmental threat. The 3,000 pounds of debris had already killed much of the coral reef off of Golden Beach. Authorities had already removed some debris to Pelican Bay in North Bay Village where it will be recycled. Ship sank due to mechanical problems. The 3 crew on board jumped into the ocean & rescued by U.S. Coast Guard. A large barge was brought in from Cape Canaveral to assist with the removal of the ship to pick it up out of 23 feet of water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon.. April 16 2007)

Norway flagged ferry M/V Stryn -- suffered engine failure April 15 between Manheller & Fodnes. After temporary repairs were carried out by the crew the ship was able to enter the port of Kaupanger for substantial repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon.. April 16 2007)

Dutch-flagged P/Y Mata -- sank after hitting rocks off Kea, which lies 50km. SE of Athens. It is unclear what caused the collision, which did not result in any injuries among the 11 passengers, all Greek nationals, who had been aboard the cabin cruiser. All the passengers were rescued & taken safely ashore. On Apr 14 workers placed a floating barrier around sunken private yacht From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon.. April 16 2007)

M/T Sicehem Anelineca, with toxic benzene for Philadelphia -- ran aground in the St. Lawrence River in the evening of Apr 11 -- touched bottom 5:30 p.m. in river around the E. tip of the island of Montreal. Benzene, a highly toxic & flammable hydrocarbon. Ship sustained no damages to hull -- no benzene leaked out into the river. Accident seems to have been caused by faulty steering equipment, though an investigation has yet to confirm this theory. On Apr 12 grounded tanker was towed safely to Port of Montreal. Emergency teams in place as M/T Sichem Aneline towed into port. A few minutes before ship arrived at the port, Capt. reported rudder problems, but the ship didn't leak &there was no danger for 20 crew. Ship will be inspected before resuming her journey. Owned & operated by Japan-based Eitzen Chemical. Such occurrences are rare at Port of Montreal, which welcomes more than 2,000 ships a year. Last similar incident took place in 2004. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (SUN.. April 15 2007)

M/V Leonis on inbound passage to Grimsby -- in collision at the mouth of the River Humber with -- M/V Audacity outbound for Aberdeen. M/V Leonis holed on the port side, 4m above the waterline and is continuing on route to Grimsby. M/V Audacity has also suffered some slight damage and is abandoning its passage for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (SUN.. April 15 2007)

4,182grt. Ro-ro Visayan Trader (built 1978 - IMO 7712963), drifting w/o power in 42.26.0N 132.26.0 E, Japan sea -- bound for Vladivostok, loaded with cars. No emergency calls, Salvage tug M/V Topaz left Vladivostok sent after ship's agent request for towage. Salvage service DV Basu (Far East Accident & Rescue Operations) sent tug M/V Topaz, as agreed with RCC Vladivostok. April 14, 09.00 towage started, speed 6.5 knots, ETA Vladivostok 19.00 LT same day. Weather fine. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sat. April 14 2007)

15.5mt. Durban charter M/V Hakuna Matata -- foundered off the coast of Mozambique in heavy seas. The popular charter & bay cruise boat operating from Durban capsized & sunk after hitting a buoy off the coast of Mozambique more than a week ago while the boat was on its way to one of the Mozambique islands. Vessel frequently seen operating from Durban Bay, offering sight-seeing & 'booze-cruises' to visitors & holidaymakers, but was also available for charter. It is thought the vessel was on such a trip when the accident occurred. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

08 APRIL 2007: 2300 LT:  Lawi-Lawi, Balikpapan Anchorage, Indonesia. Pirates attempted to board tanker through hawse pipe, which was secured. Anti-piracy watches were being maintained by crew ford and aft and on the bridge. On hearing voices from the hawse pipe, alert crew informed the bridge & alarm raised.  Crew went forward to investigate. Hawse pipe & stores were Found intact -- nothing stolen. Robbers escaped, agents informed. (Sat. April 14 2007)

05 APRIL 2007: After 2310 LT: Posn 06:36S - 039:36E, 23NM East of Dar Es Salaam entrance channel, Tanzania. Duty officers on container ship did not notice any suspicious boat movement, on the radars, while drifting off coast of Dar Es Salaam while awaiting berthing instructions. However, in morning noticed that 6 containers were broken into. One of the containers had been partly stolen. Some ship stores were also stolen. (Sat. April 14 2007)

01 APRIL 2007: Evening Hours: Off Mogadishu Po3.66E, 30NM East of Bintan Island, Indonesia. 10 heavily armed pirates intercepted & boarded a product tanker in 2, navy grey colored, fiberglass speed craft with out board engines. Crew activated the AIS Alert System & broadcasted a distress message. Pirates, at gun point, demanded that crew comply with their orders. Crew was tied up & blind folded. Pirates took control of the ship -- Master ordered to turn the ship North East towards the Malapas Island. They stole crew personal effects & ship's property. After steaming for 45 minutes the pirates smashed all communication equipment. The ship's engines stalled 40nm from Horsburgh Lighthouse. When the pirates could not restart the engines they abandoned ship & escaped in their speed boats. Crew managed to free themselves, VTIS was informed and the ship made its way to Singapore No injuries to crew. All cargo intact. (Sat. April 14 2007)

22 MARCH 2007: 2330 LT: Pomeroon River Mouth, Guyana. Five pirates armed with guns in speed boat boarded fishing boat & opened fire. They then ordered the fishermen to lie down on deck and stole ship's properties and escaped.  No injuries to crew (Fri. April 13 2007)

14 MARCH 2007: 1626LT : Posn 01:07.29N - 105:03.66E, 30NM East of Bintan Island, Indonesia. 10 heavily armed pirates intercepted & boarded a product tanker in 2, navy grey colored, fiberglass speed crafts with out board engines. The crew activated the AIS Alert System and broadcasted a distress message. The pirates, at gun point, demanded that the crew comply with their orders. Crew was tied up & blind folded. Pirates took control of ship & Master was ordered to turn the ship NE towards the Malapas Island. They stole crew personal effects & ship's property. After steaming for 45 minutes the pirates smashed all communication equipment. The ship's engines stalled 40nm from Horsburgh Lighthouse. When the pirates could not restart the engines they abandoned the ship and escaped in their speed boats. The crew managed to free themselves, VTIS was informed and the ship made its way to Singapore. No injuries to crew. All cargo intact. (Sat. April 14 2007)

21 JAN. 2007: 1530LT: Kankasanthurai Harbor, N. Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. Pirates in an explosive-laden boat rammed a general cargo ship after leaving the harbour. The hull of the ship was damaged and it was towed back to the harbor. (Sat. April 14 2007)

McD
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High-speed ferry M/V Kobee, with 200 people from the southwestern Japan port of Hakata to the South Korean port of Busan -- collided with unidentified floating object, possibly a whale, in the evening of Apr 12. A South Korean woman died & 99 others injured. South Korean navy ships were dispatched to the area to whisk passengers to Busan and tug the ferry to the port.Passengers said they heard a big bang before the ship rolled abruptly and waters nearby suddenly turned red, possibly from whale blood. There have been a number of similar accidents in Tsushima Strait and nearby waters where high-speed ferries collide with marine creatures believed to be whales. It is the first time, however, that a passenger has died in such an accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

S/Y Outrageous, with 2 crew onboard in safe tow April 12 near Fire Island following a daring rescue in 10-foot seas and 25-knot winds. The 47-foot motor lifeboat rescue crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Fire Island, a rescue helicopter crew from Cape Cod, & Suffolk County Police boat and helicopter crews responded immediately following relayed MAYDAY calls around from a barge operator stating that a sailing vessel was in distress near Fire Island. An initial search of the area by the helicopter rescue crew did not locate the vessel in distress. A 3rd distress call was received by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and using the area where the barge range ring and the Fire Island hi-sight intersected as a commence search point, the helicopter located the distressed sailing vessel. One of the people onboard sustained an arm injury caused possibly by a heavy roll in the 10-foot seas. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

M/T Baltic Seagull, with 2,910 tons of oil products -- ran aground April 12 in the Sea Cannel of Saint-Petersburg & was refloated. The ship was refloated after a part of the cargo had been lightered. The ship went from Saint-Petersburg to Vysotzk when it was aground. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007) UPDATE>> M/T Lilaste berthed along tanker M/T Baltic Seagull for lightering, 780 tons of fuel oil offloaded. M/T Baltic Seagull refloated and headed for D. Petersburg, escorted by tug & berthed at North Yard for hull and Russian Register survey. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sat. April 14 2007)

Argentine Navy's flagship icebreaker Argentine navy's flagship icebreaker Almirante Irizar -- suffered fire in South Atlantic waters off Patagonia, but all of its 296 crew were safely evacuated. Fire broke out in a generator area late Apr 10 off Puerto Madryn in S. Argentina while returning to its base in Buenos Aires. The accident occurred 930 miles S. of the Argentine capital, and Capt. Guillermo Tarapow ordered the crew to abandon ship in 24 lifeboats when flames became uncontrollable. All safely picked up hours later by an oil tanker & a fishing vessel that rushed to the area, in chilly South Atlantic waters 40 miles off Puerto Madryn. The Almirante Irizar was acquired by the Argentine navy in 1978 & has played key roles in transporting military personnel & scientists to and from bases that Argentina operates in Antarctica. It also has been involved in rescue other missions in the region. The Argentine High Command said the ship was sailing home from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina, some 1,515 miles south of the capital. Members of all major armed forces branches were aboard. The ship had been originally expected back April 5 in the capital. Local reports said the ship was bringing back military personnel from Antarctica. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 13 2007) UPDATE>> Almirante Irizar has been boarded by navy experts who found the fire extinguished, the ship shall be towed to Puerto Belgrano.

4,387-dwt M/V West Sailor (built 1981) Shannon Estuary for Belgium -- suffered blaze in the engine room -- apparently been contained by the 15 crew onboard. The incident occurred about 7 miles off Braden Head, Kerry in SW Ireland, early Apr 11. Ship's managers are Vestland Marine. Vessel remains without power off the Irish coast. No reports of any injuries -- extent of the damage to the vessel is unknown. No reports of any pollution as a result of the fire. Vessel had unloaded its cargo of sulphuric acid at Limerick's Aughinish Island before the blaze broke out. M/V West Sailor is owned by Velma Marine of Gibraltar, is classed by DNV and has P&I cover with the American Steamship. Int'l Transport Federation Inspector Ken Fleming, of SIPTU, is to inspect the bulk freighter after it is towed into the estuary. The ITF says a message received from the ship suggests that the crew were not permitted to call the emergency services for help. It will also be investigating pay & working conditions on board the vessel. The ITF said the immediate priority is to ensure the safety of the crew, who are thought to be Filipino, and ensure they are receiving their proper pay & conditions. Towed to Cork on Apr 13 after attempts to restart the engine failed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

35ft. catamaran S/Y Paradox, Isla Mujeres, Mexico, for Anclote, Fla. -- hit a squall & capsized April 11, 175 miles southwest of Tampa, Fla. Salt water activated the Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on board the vessel giving the vessel's location. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater located & rescued couple onboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

India-flagged 51,300-dwt medium-range products M/T Punita (operated by Mercator Lines - built 1984) -- grounded off India's NE coast April 11. Lightering is being considered as a means of freeing the vessel which is reported to still have around 22,000 tons of oil onboard. Grounded on sand 1 mile outside the port of Paradeep where it had just unloaded 20,000 tons of its 42,000-ton cargo of diesel & kerosene. Unknown what caused the vessel to ground though there are no reports of any pollution, damage to the vessel or injuries to crew. Ship had arrived at Paradeep from New Mangalore & was en route to Haldia to discharge the remainder of its cargo. Single skin-hulled M/T Punita is classed by DNV and has P&I cover with the North of England. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

602-foot Norweigan 53,500-dwt bulk M/V Spar Lyra, with with petroleum coke -- broke free from its moorings at the Pittsburg Tesoro Refinery pier at approximately 2:00 p.m. & grounded April 11 in the San Joaquin River. The vessel is now soft aground on Brown's Island in New York Slough of the San Joaquin River, California. With tugboats alongside to assist maneuvering. Hull survey must be approved by the vessel's class society & the Capt. of the port order must be rescinded prior to M/V Spar Lyra getting underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. April 13 2007) UPDATE>> Two tugs escorted M/V Spar Lyra back to the refinery mooring. An underwater hull survey will be required before the vessel is allowed to sail. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

75.2mt. Norwegian-registered tug supply M/V Bourbon Dolphin, with 15 crew -- as oil rig anchor handling tug capsized in the Atlantic 75 miles west of the Shetland coast. Rescue teams rescued 10 crew, but 3 of these died & 7 are in hospital -- 5 additional crew missing. A coastguard spokeswoman said it would be a "miracle" if the missing crew members were found alive. The ship, which is less than 1-year old, had been working in the vicinity of the Rosebank oilfield with a crew of 15. Six Royal Navy divers were flown to the boat from Faslane on the Clyde. It is thought that the 5 missing crew may be trapped in the hull of the upturned vessel. Rig operator Transocean said the 99 crew members of the Transocean Rather had been accounted for. M/V Bourbon Dolphin had a number of roles in the North Sea, including anchor handling & towing, the installation of subsea construction blocks & operations involving remote vehicles. From our Correspondent Les Crossan (Fri. April 13 2007)

3,037t Dutch cargo M/V Daniel, hompeort Delfzijl -- suffered engine room fire April 7 -- defective oil pump sprayed a fuel fume into the room so that the exhaust installations caught fire. Crew was able to extinguish flames. After temporary repairs ship allowed to proceed to Kiel escorted by the multi purpose M/V Scharhoern where she anchored. Police started investigations here -- ship not allowed to continue its voyage until its class is reconfirmed by German Lloyds . From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 12 2007)

Danish cargo M/V Scan Fjell -- grounded off Norway & towed off ground by 2 tugs in the afternoon of Apr 11. Capt. said the gronding was caused by a navigation error. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 12 2007)

336t. Polish tug M/V Atlant -- got her line entangled in propeller after entering Kiel roads while trying to get a line on board the German tug M/V Hans -- line broke, and the lose end snapped over the deck thereby injring a Polish crewman badly. The rescue M/V Berlin evacuated the man and took him to the Tiessen quay in Kiel from where he was taken to hospital intensive medical treatment. M/V Atlant had to anchor off Holtenau as she was no longer steerable. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 12 2007)

76mt. Danish cargo M/V Scan Fjell -- ran aground April 11 near Havneholmenr on the way to Mandal, Norway. In the foremidday hours Coastguard is to board M/V Scan Fjell for investigations. She has on board 120 cubic metres diesel fuel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 11 2007) UPDATE

Tug M/V Kiek Ut -- sank on the Rhine near Ginsheim-Gustavsburg off Nonnenau there was no trace of the owner on Apr 10. Helicopters & police boats searching the Rhine for the body. Only a bag with personal possessions was found. Police thinks the man is dead so that the accident caused the death of the whole crew of 2. Bulleyes were smashed, the crane on deck is damaged. It seems that an older damage and/or the waves caused by another ship caused the sinking. Ship had been underway from its homeport Nierstein to Mainz when she suddenly sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 11 2007) UPDATE>> Owner was found dead in the Rhine. Body was found at a wooden pier at Mainz-Mombach evening of Apr 15. The ship had sunk when being contracted to tow a derelict pontoon from Mainz to Nierstein 20km. away. Water had flowed into the engine room causing the ship to capsize. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 16 2007)

Danish ferry M/V Kronprins Frederik -- April 10 crashed into the docks in Gedser, Denmark -- rendering bow port stuck which could not be opened. 9 hours later, at 9 p.m. , it was decided that the ferry was to take the 2 hr trip back to Rostock, for repairs & unload the cars via the stern ramp. Onboard the ferry are 248 passangers, 54 crew, 21 trucks, 73 cars & 1 bus. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 11 2007) UPDATE>> After repairs to the damages caused to the collision with a pier in Gedser on Apr 10 to the bow ramp were carried out the Danish ferry left the port of Rostock on Apr 12. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 12 2007) UPDATE>> Repairs on the Danish ferry will last longer than expected. It later turned out that it was impossible to open the bow door and discharge the cargo from the car deck. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 14 2007)

Barge ITB-260 with 3,324 tons of gravel capsized April 9, N. of Gig Harbor, Wash., when tide came in at 7:50 p.m.,causing load of gravel to shift & eventually spill into the water. At 4:25 p.m. -- tug M/V Island Breeze was towing the barge when it reported to U.S. Coast Guard that the barge was taking on water -- 3 hours later the crew of the tug reported they had pushed the barge against the shore to prevent it from sinking. Barge was transporting the gravel from Dupont, Wash., to Kenmore, Wash.  From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 11 2007)

Grimald Line ro/ro M/V Grande Argentina(IMO 9198135) -- ran aground April 10 on the Westerscheldt. She was on her way from Antwerp to Dakar. Vessel was refloated by 8 tugs. She proceeded in Flushing for inspection. Previously on Jan 18 M/V Grande Argentina suffered from rudder trouble on her way from Antwerp. In a storm with 10 bf she almost had grounded. Several tugs had been keeping her away from the Terneuzen shore. After the storm had calmed down she had been towed to Flushing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 11 2007)

Belize-registered 6,500-ton cargo M/V Harvest, with 5,000 tons of steel -- in collision with -- 17,000-ton Chinese M/V Jinhaikun, with 19 crew, in Taizhou Bay, S. of Shanghai, Apr 8 -- 1 missing. M/V Harvest sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 10 2007)

S/V Aqua Mist, with 3 crew from Port Canaveral in the morning of Apr 7 en-route to the Bahamas. Crew reported missing next afternoon when a friend didn't hear from the men as scheduled. U.S. Coast Guard launched an HU-25 falcon jet from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami & C-130 Hercules fixed-wing air craft from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., to search for the missing men. The C-130 spotted the men in a life raft shooting flares & using a strobe to signal the C-130. U.S. Coast Guard requested assistance from a nearby Good Samaritan who picked up the three men. An HH-60 helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater launched to retrieve crew bring them back to U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral to awaiting EMS. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 10 2007)

Crane pontoon of Van Brisom which sank in Nieuwpoort on the Scheldt April 7 -- raised by crane pontoon Valke of Herbosch & Kiere on Apr 8 under assistance of the tugs M/V Zeeleeuw & M/V Zeerover. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 10 2007)

Colorado River at Bay City, Texas April 6 -- U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston watchstander received call from the Matagorda County Sheriff's Office requesting assistance to help save 2 people in water after their boat went over a 150 foot dam & became wedged near the bottom of water flow. Later discovered that the boat also had 2 children onboard. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Houston launched a rescue helicopter & lowered rescue swimmer into rushing water. Swimmer spotted & rescued a 5-year-old & a 7-year-old boy. The pair were flown to a nearby golf course where emergency medical technicians were standing by. The helicopter flew back out over the submerged boat, this time hoisting 2 adult men. One boy & adult were immediately flown to the hospital by a medical evacuation helicopter. The dam is 150 feet high. A miracle of survival. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 10 2007)

Sheerlegs Enak & Samson lifted the lock gate of the Kiel Canal locks in Holtenau at Easter into the floating dock Lindenau 1 of the Lindenau Yard Kiel for repair of the damage caused by the bulbous bow of M/V Bow Sirius on Jan 2. Now the whole damage can be assessed. The repair will take about 3 months. The gate which had been hit by M/V King Edward and which is actually berthed in the North Harbor of Kiel meanwhile is in its final phase. The repairs will be completed in April. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 9 2007)

2,673grt, Russian-flagged 87mt. refrigerator M/V Ozersk ( IMO 8226973),suffered fire in living quarters & bridge at Busan port, Korea. Fire extinguished by 22.00 jointly by crew and port fire team. No injures, no spill. CE cabin and bridge destroyed, partially destroyed master's cabin. From Our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Mon. April 9 2007)

Car carrier M/V Coral Leader -- Apr 9 was berthed at the Lloyds Yard in Bremerhaven for repairs of the damages caused by its collision with a quay some days ago. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 9 2007)

38,000-dwt Turkey-flagged M/V Tahir Kiran (built 1987), in ballast for Istanbul with 23 crew, briefly ran aground on soft sand off the island of Chios in the eastern Aegean Sea on April 8 -- bulker managed to re-float under its own power within an hour. M/V Tahir Kiran is classed by Bureau Veritas and has P&I cover with Skuld. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 8 2007)

Inland cargo M/V Ina -- in collision with -- M/T Anna when this ship entered Dortmund-Ems-Canal on Apr 7. It sprang a leak, about 10 tons diesel leaked out. Rescue forces were busy pumping the oil out. The Mittellandkanal (middle land canal) had to be closed at the conjunction with the Dortmund-Ems-Canal on Apr 7 after the collision In the afternoon of Apr 8 the leak of M/V Anna patched by divers, the ship berthed & surrounded by oil booms. The canal traffic was then resumed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 8 2007)

M/Y Reef Raider, with 6 on board suffered fire in its engine room April 7. Mayday message which was received by Solent Coastguard. Escorted by the Police launch Earl Mountbatten of Burma where the Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue team were able to assess the situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 8 2007)

313-ton Japanese freighter M/V Eifuku Maru No. 7, with 4 crew -- sank off Wakayama Prefecture early Apr 7 after collision with -- 1,208-ton Cambodia-registered M/V Yin He No. 1, with 10 crew. 1 missing from M/V Eifuku Maru No. 7. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 8 2007)

M/V Sea Diamond UPDATE>> The Capt.., chief mate, 2nd mate, 3rd mate, chief cabin steward, & housekeeper of the Greek-flagged vessel were arrested April 7 -- charged with causing a shipwreck through negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations & polluting the environment. (Sat. April 7 2007) UPDATE>> Greek navy divers continuing to search for 2 French tourists missing after M/V Sea Diamond sank. The 45-year-old man and his 16-year-old daughter were among 1,600 people aboard. Officials have named the missing pair as Jean-Christophe & Maud Allain, from Doue-la-Fontaine in western France. They were in a 4-berth cabin when vessel struck a reef. Mr Allain's wife & son narrowly managed to escape to the upper decks. Navy divers smashed port hole of their cabin, but failed to find any trace of them, raising possibility that they were trapped by watertight doors. A submersible equipped with video equipment expected to join the search. Louis Cruise Lines, the Cypriot firm which runs the ship, has insisted the ship was equipped with all the latest navigation technology. Many of the 1,200 passengers are from Germany & the U.S., and about 20 are believed to be from the UK. Capt. could not explain how the ship hit the reef but he said he & other crew put their lives at risk by going to 2nd deck to see if anyone was trapped.From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 10 2007) FOLLOW OUT STORY

M/T Fjordtan -- suffered mechanical problems April 6 off Norway & contacted the rescue central Sør-Norge. Rescue ships and tugs headed to the ship. The crew was at about 11 a.m. able to restart engines & headed for Bergen. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 7 2007)

F/V Aravis - CC 686897 -- suffered emgine failure April 4 evening off Oostende. M/V Zeeared, M/V Redeboot 8, M/V Redeboot 4, M/V Brandaris of Shipsupport & M/V Ensor came to assist. At midnight M/V Ensor & M/V Brandaris towed the ship into fishing harbor of Oostende. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 7 2007)

R. J. Corman Railroad bridge at mile marker 126.5 Cumberland River appeared to have been damaged, possibly after being struck by a barge. Operators of the M/V Samuel J. admitted that one of the barges they had in tow rubbed the bridge pier during their transit at approximately 11:15 p.m. on March 29, 2007. U.S. Coast Guard investigator directed the pilot aboard the M/V Samuel J. to undergo chemical & alcohol testing as per applicable marine casualty regulations. U.S. Coast Guard investigator commenced a marine casualty investigation and damage survey aboard the M/V Samuel J. near Paducah, Ky. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley closed the Cumberland river from mile marker 126 to 127 at 6:30 p.m. pending a structural engineering report as to the structural integrity of the bridge. The swing bridge remains closed & is currently unable to open. Repairs began April 4. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. April 7 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

01 April 2007: early hours: Nigeria. Expatriate worker was abducted by pirates & taken ashore from a platform rig. Pirates boarded the rig via the support vessel which was secured alongside the rig at the time of the incident. The owners are in contact with the Nigerian authorities to get the worker released. (Fri. April 6 2007)

31 March 2007  0100 LT in position 06:14.4N - 003:14.4E, 12 nm off SW of Lagos, Nigeria. Pirates armed with knives boarded product tanker at anchor at forecastle Using grappling hooks.  They successfully cut mooring ropes and threw them overboard into waiting boat.  Watchmen informed D/O who raised alarm andalerted crew members.  Robbers jumped overboard & escaped when crew went forward to apprehend them. Vessel weighed anchor &drifted 35 nm off port limit. (Fri. April 6 2007)

28 March .2007  0707 UTC in position 04:40.0N - 099:15.5E, Malacca Straits. Four pirates in a 15mt. grey hull wooden speed boat was observed drifting across the vessel's courseline. Vessel suddenly approached bulk carrier underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive maneuvers, crew mustered & activated fire hoses. Pirates attempted to board ship with ropes & long stick with steps. After 20 mins pirates moved away. (Fri. April 6 2007)

29 March 2007  0200 LT in position : 03:14N - 112:58E at Bintulu general cargo anchorage, Malaysia. Five pirates armed with knives boarded general cargo ship.  2/O spotted them & raised alarm and crew alerted.  Crew proceeded to forecastle.  Robbers threw shackles at crew but no one was injured -- stole ship's stores & escaped in their boat. Port control informed & patrol boat arrived 2 hrs later -- conducted an investigation. (Fri. April 6 2007)

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Accident & Shame? .....22,412-ton Greek-flagged cruise M/V Sea Diamond (built 1986 -refurbished in 1999), on 5 Day island island hopping cruise with 1,170 passengers - mostly Americans & Germans -- including large group of Spanish schoolchildren and also groups from Canada and Spain. & 490 crew -- ran aground & listed on rocks & began taking water April 5 during Day 4 off Greek island of Santorini as she tried to maneuver into the island's shallow volcanic lagoon & started taking in water. Within minutes of the multi-decked vessel beginning to list, warships, helicopters, military aircraft, ferries & fishing boats were called in to help the rescue. One passenger, Efsthios Fotidis, told Greece's Mega TV channel that although there was panic when the vessel ran aground, no crew was on hand to help. "You couldn't see any crew member anywhere for at least 30 minutes. They all disappeared," said Mr Fotidis. He said he used his mobile phone to call his wife, who then alerted the merchant marine ministry. "It wasn't for about 20 minutes after we hit the rocks that we heard a message in English over the Tannoy, saying, 'Don't panic! Stay calm!' I couldn't believe it." All now safe. Cypriot owner of the vessel Louis Tours. (Thurs. April 5 2007) UPDATE>> 469-foot M/V Sea Diamond sank 15 hours after hitting rocks. The Merchant Marine Ministry said 1,195 passengers & 391 crew members had been on board. M/V Sea Diamond struck rocks in the sea-filled crater formed by a volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago. Tourists gathered on clifftop towns and villages to watch the rescue. Two missing (Fri. April 6 2007)

176mt. Bahamas-flagged M/V Coral Leader (built 2006) -- in collision April 3 with --with SW corner of the harbor entrance of Bremerhaven. The hull of the ship was damaged on a length of 10 meters & partially breached and dented above the waterline. Framings were broken. The concrete of the pier was damaged. The ship had been caught by strong winds in spite of the assistance of 2 tugs. Ship was not allowed to leave port until repairs were affected & investigations by the police finished. Vessel left Bremerhaven via the Northern lock in the afternoon of Apr 6. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 5 2007)

Bahamas-flagged cruise M/V Astoria -- one crew was killed in the morning of Apr 5 in the harbor of Kerkyra/Korfu. While a boat on starboard side was lowered it broke off its ropes on side during safety exercise & crashed with bow into the water -- 4 crew were injured. After the GL finished investigations in the course of the day the ship allowed to continue its cruise. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 5 2007)

22,000-dwt Japanese container M/V Iwashiro (built 1995) -- owned & operated by NYK Line -- limping back to Durban, the port from which she sailed about a week ago, after experiencing technical problems off the coast of Madagascar. Problem may be related to a troublesome boiler although the ship is able to return under her own steam to Durban where repairs will be carried out. The 185mt. vessel is deployed on NYK's container service between the Far East & South Africa & en route to Singapore when problems developed. Boiler? What year is this? From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 5 2007)

Container M/V MSC Tampa -- suffered engine failure April 4 in the Dover Strait -- lost power & then dragged anchor into very busy shipping lane within Dover Strait where it became a hazard to navigation. Dover Coastguard requested the MCA Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Anglian Monarch to the vessel to establish a tow. M/V MSC Tampa now under tow & on route to a safe anchorage, 2 miles south of Folkestone, where any repairs will take place. The ETV was on scene within 15 minutes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 5 2007)

French yacht S/Y Tchao -- ran aground April 1 at the North coast of Klein Curaçao. Boats of the Coastguard and Citro responded with M/V Cornelis Zwaan & M/V Antje -- rescued crew of 4 -- yacht could not be refloated as its keel was too severely damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Thurs. April 5 2007)

78ft. M/F Fran and Lloyd -- from Brunswick, radioed U.S. Coast Guard at 2: 50 p.m. April 3 -- taking on water in St. Andrew Sound near Brunswick, Ga. -- had 3-to-4-feet of water in the engine room & needed assistance. U.S. Coast Guard crews from Air Station Savannah and Station Brunswick launched to assist 2 crew aboard the vessel. The helicopter crew from Savannah arrived on scene first & lowered dewatering pump to help stabilize fishing boat. Crew from U.S. Coast Guard Station Brunswick arrived shortly after & escorted vessel to Brunswick Landing Marina. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 4 2007)

Panama-registered products carrier M/V Cabo Pilar -- was pulled free from a sandbank at the entrance to All Saints Bay near the northeast Brazil port of Salvador on Mar 28. The Port Captain ordered the ship to remain in deep water until an inspection had been completed. Capt. Mauricio Vianna said there had been no damage & vessel's structure remained intact. M/V Cabo Pilar had left the Petrobras-operated Madre de Deus terminal Mar 25 evening heading for the Bahamas, but ran aground shortly before midnight. The Port Captaincy Dept. took several statements from Capt. & crew and will reveal the findings next week. No evidence of pollution as a result of grounding. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 4 2007)

Smyril line ferry M/V Norroena -- suffered mishap in the evening of Apr 3 when departing Seydisfjördur/Iceland. Caused by strong winds -- ship started drifting & ran aground. She was able to refloat herselfself soon after. Icelandic divers asked to inspect the bottom of the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 4 2007)

77,700-dwt Panama-flagged bulker NYK Line-operated bulk carrier M/V Shirane (built 2000) -- suffered explosion off coast of Australia on Apr 2 -- 4 Filipino crew suffered serious burns to arms & faces after what is believed to have been a boiler-room explosion onboard. The incident happened at 12:30 in the afternoon 10 km from Nobby's Head off coast of Newcastle, New South Wales. Injured crew airlifted to hospital where they were treated for burns before one of them, a 51-year-old, was transferred to a burns unit in another hospital. All 3 most seriously injured crew said to be in stable condition. Investigation has begun into cause of accident onboard the P&I insured vessel with the Japan Ship Owners' Assn. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 4 2007)

Panama flagged tug M/V Vornaes got the line of the barge Iholm II, 5071 tons, which it towed caught in the ship's propeller on Kiel-Holtenau roads. The line parted & the barge grounded Apr 3 at 5 p.m. at the embankment of the SAR base of the "Marinefliegergeschwader 5" in Holtenau. Two other tugs refloated the barge and towed it to the "Scheermole" in Kiel harbor. Also M/V Vornaes was berthed there. Both ships were to be surveyed by divers before getting the allowance to proceed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. April 4 2007)

Passenger ferry M/V Carlisle II -- grounded 50-feet from the Kitsap Passenger Ferry Terminal in Port Orchard, Washington on April 2 at 4041 hours. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety & Security Team 91101 launched two 25-foot rapid response boat crews, U.S. Coast Guard Station Seattle launched two 25-foot rapid response boat crews and a 41-foot utility boat crew & U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to the scene. At the time of the reported grounding, a few people had climbed overboard onto the rocks and onto shore. Approximately 70 people were ferried to the terminal on the sister ship, M/V Admiral Pete. Remaining passengers waited aboard M/V Carlisle II until she pulled off of the rocks on her own power & moored safely at the Kitsap terminal at 5:12 p.m. It was reported that the Kitsap Fire Dept. treated one passenger for minor injuries. U.S. Coast Guard vessel inspectors from Sector Seattle reported to the scene to inspect the vessel for damage. There are no reports of damage to the hull or pollution in the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 3 2007)

M/T Solar I -- sank off Guimaras waters last last Aug. 11, 2006 -- salvage crews now set to finish its work on 2 remaining tanks. About 5,000 liters of bunker oil recovered from sunken vessel off Guimaras waters by hired vessel M/V Allied Shield of Sonsub of Singapore out of the 2.1 million liters carried by M/T Solar I when she sank off Guimaras waters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 3 2007)

Cargo M/V Coral Mermaid - on March 27 damaged the Kaiser lock in Bremerhaven while trying to berth for passage into the "Überseehafen" (over sea harbor) with a cargo of bananas. The ropes got entangled with some bollards & pulled concrete blocks out of the lock`s wall. One block fell onto the dock`s gate so that it could not be closed. A mobile crane lifted the block from the gate. At 11 p.m. the lock could be closed & M/V Coral Mermaid passed 2 hours behind schedule. As the whole lock is to be rebuilt soon a repair won`t be carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 2 2007)

Hurtigruten-cruise M/V Nordkapp -- berthed at the "Bremerhavener Dockgesellschaft" (Bredo Yard) after having rund aground on Jan 30. While temporary repairs were carried out at Rio de Janeiro, experts from the Bredo Yard inspected the ship and were able to make the best offer regarding repari time & costs. On Mar 27 the ship arrived in the Fishing Harbor in Bremerhaven & entered dockyard on Apr 1. Grounding not only led to a breach in the hull but also to damages in the decks above. An escalator, crew rooms as well as the compressor room will have to be repaired. Also the engine could have been affected. Depending on the results of the survey the length of the stay in Bremrehaven will be determined. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 2 2007)

11,530gt. Finish roro ferry M/V Finnreel (IMO 9198721) -- suffered engine failure approaching berth in Helsinki harbour in early morning April 1 at the same time discharging bursts of smoke -- forced to emergency anchoring & regained power only 3 hours later. She was able to make the final few miles to Helsinki. Back in November 2006 she previously suffered an explosion in the engineroom on a position N. of the Danish island Bornholm. One helicopter was sent to the ship to rescue one man whit burn injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 2 2007)

M/V Lady K -- Mar 30 began taking on water, became unstable & dumped her cargo overside at Baker's Haulover Inlet , Florida early in the morning. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami responded to the incident. Upon arrival, U.S. Coast Guard investigators found the vessel partially submerged. essel has been boomed-off and residual fuel and cargo dumped in the water is being recovered and cleaned by commercial salvage operators. A safety marine information broadcast has been issued to keep all vessel traffic a safe distance from incident as U.S. Coast Guard monitors commercial salvage operations. Vessel has been boomed-off and residual fuel & cargo dumped in the water is being recovered &cleaned by commercial salvage operators. A safety marine information broadcast has been issued to keep all vessel traffic a safe distance from the incident as U.S. Coast Guard monitors commercial salvage operations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 2 2007)

1,599ton Bahamas-flagged 82.45mt. cargo M/V Danica Hav -- ran aground Mar 31 off Flensburg at Holnis. With a depth of 2,8mt. the ship stuck fast on the "Holnishaken" which only has a water depth of 0,7mt. The attempts to refloat the ship by the SFK-tug M/V Falckenstein, homeport Kiel, on April 1 failed as the water was pushed out of Flensburg by the wind. In about 2 days the water may be deep enough to make another attempt with 2 tugs. The accident was caused by a sailing boat which forced the ship to alter course towards the sand bar. Investigation still underway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sun. April 1 2007) UPDATE>> Further refloating attemts started Apr 3. The ship had discharged a cargo of cellulose in Flensburg. Russian Capt. said he was forced to an emergency maneuver by another ship. This one - according to the captain a sailing yacht - has not been found yet. The "mother-in law"-ton off Holnis which has to be passed on starboard was then lying port side ahead, soon after this the ship stuck fast. Even 5000 hp of the tug M/V Falckenstein could not help the ship back into the shipping lane during the day after the grounding. Ship was not damaged, and it is no danger for passing shipping as it is lying outside the shioppping lane. To prevent dangers for the environment the multi purpose M/V Neuwerk directed to the grounding site. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 3 2007) UPDATE>> Vessel refloated in the afternoon of Apr 3 and now proceeding back to Flensburg under own power for inspections. The tugs M/V Falckenstein & M/V Kitzeberg are on their way back to Kiel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Tues. April 3 2007 PM)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For March 2007


"Best Worst Laid Plans?" M/V Republica di Genoa - March 2007 Live Action Photos of Capsize!

."Operation Jumbo Drop" - M/V Jumbo Challenger - March 2007

"Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - Disaster In Real Time & Continuing

"Wrong Way Agulhas?" - M/V Safmarine Agulhas - Jan. 2007

"Hook, Line & Sink Her!" - A Cargo Law Mystery - JUST AMAZING - Dec. 2006

Dutch cargo M/V Nona ran into the embankment of the Kiel Canal at Großnordsee on Mar 31 after a rudder failure. The canal had to be closed for shipping until a tug from Kiel arrived & refloated the ship which was then towed to Kiel where she berthed for surveys. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 31 2007)

Dutch cargo M/V Crownbreeze -- in collision 1:30 a.m. March 31 with -- 16,000 ton bulkcarrier M/V Silver Lakes near Duekerswisch on the Kiel Canal. Both ships could continue their voyages in directions Brunsbuettel respectively Kiel where they berthed for damage survey. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 31 2007)

hal-över in Bremen owneded German passenger M/V Hanseat -- in collision March 30 -- with a bridge at Hundsmühlen on the Küstenkanal (coast canal) at Oldenburg. Wheelhouse was destroyed, Capt. hurt. The bridge itself suffered only minor damages, as investigations proved. The wheelhouse of M/V Hanseat which had a height of 5,2 m while the bridge height was less than 5 m, to be cut off before the ship would be allowed to move further. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 31 2007)

UPDATE>> The Most Serious EU Accident in 25 Years Continues -- M/V Excelsior -- as with sunrise on Mar 29 the salvage works on the Rhine were continued. On the whole 16 of 32 containers have been recovered, among them all 3 which contained dangerous goods -- these 3 containers presumably directly beneath M/V Excelsior -- while 4 ships are searching for actual container positions since the morning. -- sunken containers change positions due to the current. When the 3rd container with dangerous goods was raised that it lost most of the acid carried in barels - container was in danger of breaking in two so that the barrels might have fallen into the river. When it was finally secured, discovered that most barrels had leaked out. After salvage of the 2nd container with dangerous goods on Mar 28 the 68 barrels it contained were transported to a HAZMAT firm. The other one had been salvaged without problems close to the South bridge in Koeln. A 4th salvage ship from Mannheim is to support the works from Mar 29 on. On this day also the remaining cargo on board M/V Excelsior was to be secured and the ship subsequently proceed to the harbor of Niehl where the remaining containers are to be unloaded. Meanwhile 500 ships are waiting for passage on the Rhine -- the EU lifeline. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & Correspondent Hildegard E. Krause (Fri. March 30 2007) UPDATE>> Although 4 containers still missing, the Rhine was reopened for shipping on Mar 30 at 8.30 p.m. Last restrictions were cancelled on Mar 31 at 7 a.m. as traffic was intense but without problems. The search for 4 containers which are still missing continued the whole day without results. It was speculated whether they sank into sand bars or even if they really exist or perhaps the manifest was wrong. M/V Excelsior still lying at anchor. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Sat. March 31 2007) UPDATE>> April 1 another container of M/V Excelsior was traced by witnesses in the Rhine. They saw a dark shadow in the water close to the Severins Brisdge in Koeln. A police boat which surveyed the place & then collided with the object which lay 1 meter beneath the surface of the water. On Apr 2 the two sheerlegs "Kraanvogel" & "Grizzly" raised the container at 02.50 a.m. with the help of divers. Shipping was not influenced by the works, but the harbour Koeln-Deutz closed during the salvage. The container shall be opened after sunrise. 3 of 4 still missing containers contain wood products. The search for the 3 missing containers is to be continued. Possibly they have broken up on the river bottom. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Mon. April 2 2007) UPDATE>> 4 months after the "Excelsior"-accident on the Rhine the prosecutors have finished their investigations. According to the paper presented to the prosecutors in Duisburg on Aug 21 the ship which lost 32 containers on Mar 25 was not only overloaded, but the cargo had also been stowed in an unstable configuration. A spokesman said, all heavy loaded containers were on top of the starboard side and all light containers on top of the cargo on port side. Already before the accident witnesses had recognized a list of the ship. The two captains of the ship will now have the chance to present their view. If it is proved that they acted careless they will be prosecuted. The incident had caused losses of several million Euro at least by blocking the Rhine for some days. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Wed. Aug. 22 2007) FOLLOW OUR FEATURE

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

22 March 2007 0705 UTC in position : 08:43.0N - 076:14.0E, SW Coast, India. Three pirates in 2 speed boats boarded an oil rig under tow by 2 tug boats. Pirates noticed preparing to transfer equipment from the rig to their speed boats. Master raised alarm & pirates jumped overboard & escaped in their boats. (Fri. March 30 2007)

21 March 2007 1855 UTC in position : 01:41.20N - 101:27.90E, Dumai port, Indonesia. Three pirates armed with knives boarded tanker from port quarter -- entered accommodation. Master raised alarm, crew alerted, authorities were informed.  Search party conducted thorough search & nothing found missing / stolen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

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171mt. Liberian flagged cargo M/V CCNI Aviles -- in collision March 30 with -- Max Brauer quay in the Steinwerder Harbor in Hamburg while berthing. Accident happened though it had assistance of 2 tugs. Ship had too much speed ahead & crashed against quay with herbow -- suffered a leak above the waterlne. Ballast water flowed out. Concrete of the quay damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

378-foot Panamanian-flagged freight M/V Antilles II -- grounded 400 yards E. of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay after vessel lost main propulsion at 5 a.m. Mar 28. The ocean bottom in the area where M/V Antilles II grounded consists of limestone, oyster beds & mud. U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Command Center received a call at about 5 a.m. from a Cooperative Vessel Traffic System (CVTS) watchstander, reporting that M/V Antilles II was aground S. of the shipping channel. U.S. Coast Guard reopened Tampa Bay's shipping channel. The vessel was moored at Port Manatee, in Tampa Bay, Fla. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

93-foot catamaran P/Y Anzhela Explorer, with 3 crew -- began sinking a half- mile off Hollywood Beach, Fla.-- vessels crew unable to deploy life raft & were clinging to the bow of the vessel as U.S Coast Guard assets arrived on scene. -- rescued by U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale on March 27. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

4,400 dwt Cyprus-flagged cargo M/V Skarpoe (built 2005) ran aground off Bornholm on Mar 27 -- refloated on 05.53 a.m. on Mar 28. After having been surveyed by divers ship allowed to proceed to Litva for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

4,400-dwt multi-purpose Cyprus-flagged cargo M/V Skarpoe (built 2005) Port of Bruegge for port of Parnu in Estonia to pick up cargo of peat moss. It trad -- grounded in the Baltic Sea off Danish coast on Mar 27 -- 1st Officer has been arrested on suspicion of being drunk -- man was released later pending further investigations having given a blood sample to Danish police. If 1st Officer found over the legal blood-alcohol limit while operating M/V Skarpoe he may face criminal charges. On Mar 27 a spokesperson for company said that, although it was too early to say what could have caused the vessel to ground, weather conditions at the time were "not bad". Incident occurred close to a stretch of The Baltic Sea where it is strongly recommended, though not compulsory, to use pilot assistance. There were no injuries amongst the ship's crew of 8 and no pollution has been reported, though it is unclear if the ship, which was in ballast at the time, has sustained any damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

U.S. F/V Luke & Jodi -- sank in Frenchman's Bay, Maine, near Egg Rock,11:30 p.m. Mar 27. Crew rescued by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

Catamaran P/Y Kiele V, with 52 aboard -- sent out distress call at 5:09 p.m. Mar 25 reporting vessel had been demasted 2 miles off Kahana Beach near Kaanapali Beach, Maui -- 2 Good Samaritans -- M/V Gemini & M/V Teralani III & Maui Fire Dept. responded to distress call -- 51 survivors were transported to shore by the Coast Guard, MFD &Good Samaritans. One person died in the accident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

2,118dwt. trawler F/V Patrokl (built 1976 in Russia) in Kaliningrad shiprepair yard were underway -- suffered water ingress March 24 in engine room & developed list of 30 degrees to port towards quay & stern aground. There was no danger of an oil spill as the ship had no bunker fuel aboard. The vessel berthed in the yard for 5 years. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

Sydney HarbourCat ferry M/V Pam Burridge crashed into a 34ft. recreational vessel March 28 on Sydney Harbour. The ferry was not in-service at the time but returning to its base from Circular Quay. Upon impact passengers of the private vessel were thrown into the water As at this time there are 3 confirmed dead & 1 person sustained loss of part of a leg. From Sydney Correspondent Peter Berriman (Wed. March 28 2007) UPDATE>> A woman & 2 men have been killed in a crash between a ferry and a private boat on Sydney Harbour on Mar 28. A 14-year-old girl is still missing. Eight others were injured in the collision. A number of helicopters, police divers and several boats being used in search for missing girl who was knocked off the cruiser which crashed with the HarbourCat ferry. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 30 2007)

Russian 304dwt F/V Navoysk (built 1980) trawler totally destroyed by fire at Avacha Bay, March 28. From Our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Wed. March 28 2007)

Russian 335dwt F/V Ekarma-2 (built 1994, flag Russia)-- got propeller entangled in net March 27, Okhotsk Sea. Salvage M/V Predanny on the scene, towing trawler to refuge in nearby ice to clear propeller. Position 54.02.5 N 150.00.8 E by 06.00 moscow time March 28. Weather wind NW 15 m/sec, ice floes. From Our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Wed. March 28 2007)

Russian F/V Baltiyskiy-102 -- aground close to Osmussaar island, Gulf of Finland after lightering some 200 c.m. of load (timber) on a barge, Baltiyskiy-102 refloated by own means, at 15.50 March 23. From Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Wed. March 28 2007)

LAN Chile airline said it's Capt. "made visual contact with incandescent fragments several kms away" on March 27 night on approach to Aukland. New Zealand & Australian media suggested the debris was from a Russian satellite expected to enter the atmosphere on March 28. The New Zealand Herald calculated the debris missed the jet by a margin of 40 seconds. But U.S. space agency NASA & other expertsd say it was more likely to have been a meteor. (Wed. March 28 2007)

1757gt. dry cargo M/V Beka I (built 1968, Cambodia flag) & 2,457gt. M/V Phoenix (built 1972, Comorros fag), in ballast -- drifted aground & thrown against each other during storm in Black sea 23-24 March 2007, Karolino Bugaz beach, Ukraine. Poor weather conditions have prevented tug boats from attempting to re-float the vessels. From Our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Wed. March 28 2007)

M/V C.J. Queenan with 15 barges -- in collision with the H. Carpenter bridge at Huntington, W.Va. in St. Mary's Mar 27 at mile marker 155.5 along the Ohio River. Barges empty at the time & no reports of injuries or pollution -- preliminary reports indicate very minor damage to bridge & barges. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

3,183gt. Cyprus-flagged cargo M/V Skarpoe (IMO 9325142) -- grounded March 27 on the beach outside Hasle on the danish island Bornholm -- no oil spill in the water, but the Danish oil pollution M/V Mette Miljø underway to the ship. The officer on the bridge is now charge for sailing drunk in Danish waters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

58ft. F/V Flamingo -- began taking on water early in the afternoon of Mar 27, 35 miles west of Grays Harbor. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Monsoon based in San Diego, was on patrol in area & diverted to scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

Unidentified 4 smuggling vessels forced 450 migrants from Somalia & Ethiopia to jump when their boats hit rough seas near the coast town of Ras al-Kalb on March 27. There are 29 dead, 71 missing & 293 survivors. Some migrants were attacked by sharks & several recovered bodies showed signs of severe mutilation. Some 27,000 people made the crossing from Somalia in 2006, but 330 others died & 300 went missing, according to the UN agency. From Correspondent A. L. Griffiths. (Wed. March 28 2007)

Unidentified ferry -- capsized in a river south of Yangon on Mar 23 -- as she tried to steer away from a whirlpool at convergence of the Kunchyankone & Toe rivers in Myanmar, 60km (35 miles) S. of Yangon. The ship was carrying about 70 passengers, of which 42 had been rescued. Rescue teams continued to search for survivors. At least 16 people were killed and another 12 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

Russian cargo M/V Volgo Balt 209, with 2,960 tons coal from Russia -- grounded on Scharhoern reef in the night of Mar 23 and had the Weser pilot on board. First ship on scene was DGzRS-rescue boat Hermann Helms from Cuxhaven, Germany. Tugs M/V Taucher Otto Wulf 3 from Cuxhaven & M/V Parat from Brunsbuettel reached the ship, but tide too low for refloating the ship. M/V Volgo Balt 209 finally refloated & towed to Cuxhaven with 9,5 degrees list to port. 2 of 3 ballast water tanks breached when grounding. Ship then berthed in the Amerikahafen (America Harbor) in Cuxhaven -- divers from the company Kirchgaessner surveyed the vessel on Mar 24. -- found hull is damaged on a length of 30mt. with dents & breaches. Both propellers are seriously damaged & will have to be replaced. . From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007) UPDATE>> Cargo of M/V Volgo Balt 209 was transferred to M/V Volgo Balt 210 in the America harbor of Cuxhaven during the recent days. Transfer had started 1 week ago & lasted on Apr 26. M/V Volgo Balt 210 was still alongside its sister ship on Apr 26. There is still no clarity of the further proceedings of M/V Volgo Balt 209 as she is not allowed to move to a yard via open sea due to leaks in ballast tanks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. April 27 2007)

Bulk M/V Angela, damaged previously in collision with M/V Theareston off Richards Bay, docked in Durban March 23. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

62ft. commercial F/V Emerald Sea -- aground on sandbar near 36th Street of Newport Beach, CA on Mar 23 -- puylled off. Preliminary reports point to navigational error. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

100ft. tug M/V Dazell 3 (built 1957, ex-M/V Lacey 3, ex- M/V Timothy McAllister) -- sunk March 19as part of an artificial reef for the state of South Carolina.Tug is too tall for the reef site specified so it's upper superstructure which includes the pilothouse and smoke-stack had to be removed. She finished out her days in the ship-docking trade, helping ships from all over the world in & out of port, working out of Port Royal. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

German line Baco-Liner unidentified vessel, was attacked on Jan. 20. by Nigerian pirates -- Feb. 13 - Militants release all 24 Filipino crew members. (Tues. March 27 2007)

MAJOR ACCIDENT>> The most serious Rhine accident of the last 25 years >> inland container M/V Excelsior -- lost containers on Mar 25 at Koeln in the Rhine River in Cologne -- Capt. tried to make a turn. Somehow it must have created a wave, knocking containers over board. Reportedly one container had to be "rescued" by the fire department with a crane out of the canalization system. Reportedly 100 ships, scheduled to sail river Rhine are stuck and at anchorage. The river is closed at Cologne. Containers spread over a length of 20km reaching the city of Cologne. Cause of the loss is still unclear. The ship carried 2,630 tons cargo in 103 containers which was no overload. In the afternoon of Mar 26 the last 6 containers could be traced which were still missing,. The salvage work first concentrated on the 3 containers loaded with dangerous goods. One which carried 22 tons fuel addition was first righted & then pumped out by fire fighters. Thereby a small amount leaked into the Rhine through a leakage. The other 2 will be raised next. The salvage of the other 28 containers is to commence on Mar 27 by two contracted salvage companies. 14 containers have sunk in the traffic lane, 17 others close to the shore. In the morning hours of Mar 27 three special equipped ships are expected on scene for the salvage. The river closure could last up to Mar 29. There is hope for at least a partial re-opening before this date. Police forces supported by helicopters found 17 containers which were salvaged., but 14 are presumed to be sunk. They have to be traced with sonar & then raised with a sheerleg. From Correspondent Hildegard E. Krause of Roanoke Trade Insurance. (Mon. March 26 2007) UPDATE>> The Rhine River, Europe's most busy waterway, will remain completely blocked for traffic at least until March 29, after M/V Excelsior lost 31 containers. No diversion is possible for about 200 ships arriving per day, which have to anchor at the Rhine banks. The financial loss for the masters, many of which own their inland freighters, is way up in the millions. Salvage of the 31 lost containers is made difficult by lack of equipment, there are not enough cranes & diver ships to work on more than 1 or maybe 2 sunk containers at a time. As officialls stated, a crack in the hull of chartered M/V Excelsior opend during a turn maneuver, being responsible for the list & loss of the containers. From Correspondent Stephan Edel. (Wed. March 28 2007) Stephan Edel UPDATE>> Salvage of the 31 containers which were lost by M/V Excelsior on the Rhine proceeded on Mar 27. In the foremidday hours the sheerleg Grizzly and the diver support ship M/V Carl Straat, homeport Duisburg, arrived as well as a crane which started work at Porz-Ensen where several containers ran aground or sank. 17 containers were secured by fire brigade, 14 have sunk in the traffic lane -- On the whole 6 containers were salvaged until the morning of Mar 28. Some 400 ships are stuck on the Rhine. Waterborne commerce in Europe is at a halt. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007 PM) UPDATE>> The 3rd of the containers with dangerous goods which was salvaged on the Rhine was so severely damaged that the acid inside partially leaked out. The fire brigade put the container onto a special ship which took it into the harbor of Niehl. 5 of the 32 containers of M/V Excelsior still sunk in the Rhine. Three are actually being salvaged. From the midday hours on 4 special equipped ships will search the Rhine in V-formation in order to trace the last missings containers. Authorities hoped to re-open the Rhine Mar 30. In the midday hours the special ships again searched the traffic lane for the missing 3 containers. Divers meanwhile went down to an object close to the Deutz bridge in order to find out whether its one of the missing 3 containers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & Correspondent Hildegard E. Krause. (Fri. March 30 2007)

Danish Scandlines ferry M/V Tycho Brahe -- suffered smoke development in engine room on Mar 25 at 1 p.m. in Helsingborg -- ship drifted for 1 hour in the harbor of Helsingborg until she was brought under control & berthed by tug M/V Henry Dunker & a nd tug. Inciedent was caused by short circuit in the electrical system. After berthing -- unclear whether the ship could open its gates for the 259 passengers & 43 crew, but at 4.40 p.m. she boarded. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 26 2007)

Brand new cargo M/V Marc André -- in collision March 23 with an opened bridge on the way from its building yard in Kampen to Harlingen on the Rijkswaterstaat. The ship had been caught by a sudden strong wind -- concrete structure of the bridge damaged. The bridge belongs to the locks of Kornwerderzand. Traffic over the bridge had to be led over the North bridge. The repair of the bridge is estimated to last some weeks. M/V Marc André returned to the building yard in Kampen for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 26 2007)

German inland container M/V Excelsior, with 103 containers -- lost about 30 containers in the Rhine close to Koeln. Ship had in vain tried to turn around and thereby developed such a list, that the containers on deck fell into the water. Containers drifting downstream with high speed so that the river had to be closed. Some of the 40ft containers sank. M/V Excelsior in danger of capsizing. Meanwhile 25 containers of 31 overside were traced & secured. They shall be salvaged after sunrise Mar 26. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 25 2007)

2,118dwt trawler F/V Patrokl (built 1976 Russia) berthed in Kaliningrad shiprepair yard, suffered water ingress in eingine room, list 30 deg, stern aground -- capsized, laying portside on berth. Baltic Salvage Service M/V Baltic BASU dispatched salvage boat VRD 1505 with underwater pump & booms. Trawler boomed, hull and depth survey, water ingress further aft stopped. No injures, no spill no bunker aboard, vessel staying in shiprepair during 5 years. Refloating underway. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sun. March 25 2007)

2,557dwt Russia flagged river-sea type dry cargo M/V Baltiyskiy-102 (built 1978) -- aground in Gulf of Finland, close to Osmussaar island, in 59.02.0 N 23.03.1 E. no damages, no spill. Grounding due to navigational error. Master rejecting help, trying to refloat by own means pumping out ballast. No injures, no spill. Weather NW 3-7 meters/sec. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sun. March 25 2007)

12,00ton ro/ro M/V MN Pelican (ex-Trans Bothnia) -- collided March 24 with new Northern lock of the Kiel Canal thereby damaging metal installations of a building site within. The ship was on the way from Lübeck to France. The damage is being investigated. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

6,00ton Ice Class timber carrier M/V Pavel Korchagin -- in collision with steel pontoon of floating movable crossing in timber mill #23 area in Arkhangelsk, Russia March 24. No injures, no spill, vessel undamaged, but channel closed. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sat. March 24 2007)

114mt. Russian cargo M/V Wolgo Balt 209 -- ran aground in the Elbe estuary in night of Mar 24. Two tugs refolated the ship which was then towed to Cuxhaven with a list of 10 degrees. She suffered 2 gashes in ballast water tanks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

Panamanian-flagged M/V Gatun -- boarded by U.S. Coast Guard March 17 off the East Coast of Panama -- captured 42,845 pounds of cocaine the largest maritime seizure of the drug in the nation's history with an estimated wholesale value of US$300M. The Mexican-based drug traffickers loaded bales of cocaine directly into the containers on the top deck of the vessel, rather than following the typical practice of secreting the drugs into containers with legitimate shipments or hidden compartments.McD (Sat. March 24 2007)

New Orleans Canal Street ferry M/V Thomas Jefferson -- in collision with a dock March 23 -- while approaching east bank moorings M/V Thomas Jefferson experienced power loss causing her to collide with the dock. Three passengers treated for minor injuries by local EMS. The ferry was taken out of service pending repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

Japanese whaling F/V Nisshin Maru -- caught fire and was stranded near the Antarctic coast & returned to port Mar 23 with a haul of 508 whales after cutting short her trip. Fire aboard F/V Nisshin Maru, the 8000-ton flagship of Japan's whaling fleet, in Feb. left hercrippled & raised fears that oil or chemicals could spill into the Southern Ocean, close to the world's biggest Adelie penguin breeding colony. This was the first time in 20 years that Japan was forced to shorten its Antarctic whaling expedition, and its fleet took 505 minke whales and three fin whales instead of a planned 850 minkes and 10 fin whales. Japan began what it calls "scientific research whaling" after commercial whaling was banned. The meat from the whales it catches ends up on supermarket shelves and restaurant tables, although it is far from a daily menu choice for most Japanese. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

80 FT. S/V Dennis Sullivan suffered puncture to its hull while rescuing 3 fishermen off the coast of Islamorada, Fla., in Florida Keys in night of Mar 22. S/V Dennis Sullivan was en route to Key West, Fla., with 29 high school students on board from Riviera Beach Maritime Academy<<webfeature. when students saw 3 red flares in their vicinity. The students on S/V Dennis Sullivan located the 3 fishermen near their partially submerged vessel at about 12:06 this morning & quickly brought them on board S/V Dennis Sullivan. While conducting the operation S/V Dennis Sullivan struck fisherman's submerged vessel, causing puncture to S/V Dennis Sullivan 's hull. 110ft. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Knight Island sheaparding all to port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

46,700-dwt M/T Serifopoulo (built 1995) will receive the cargo of 44,100 metric tons of fuel oil at Gibraltar from the 46,500-dwt M/T Samothraki (built 1989) which suffered ballast tank damage when she touched bottom. Temporary repairs have now been carried out on 2 of 3 damaged tanks with the 3rd not requiring immediate attention. The vessel's list has been corrected through a partial transfer of cargo onboard. Lightering is due to begin on 29 March & expected to take 3 days. A statement from Greek company reiterated that there was no pollution as a result of the incident which happened as the ship was embarking crew off the Port of Gibraltar. The Hanjin-built ship subsequently moved under its own power to a safe anchorage inside Gibraltar Bay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

LT dry cargo M/V Aliotwhile -- in collision March 22 in Taganrog, Azov sea with --oil recovery M/V Sborschik-348, berthed at berth 4, Taganrog port, Azov sea. From our Mocow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sat. March 24 2007)

4,000-ton M.V Unicorn Ace, Malaysia for Taiwanwith with lumber products -- suddenly met with bad weather March 19 in the South China Sea and sank within 30 minutes. It was night when the ship went down & some of the 19 crew depended on one rubber life boat -- as another of the only 2 life boats had been torn apart by falling lumber -- some of the crew never made it to the life boat. Eleven crew rescued by M/V Prabhu Yukika, an Indian bulk ship which was passing the site 6 hours after the disaster took place. Crew on the Indian ship saw the click of a red light on the life boat & arrived immediately to save 11 people who were one the brink of drowning & being frozen to death -- 2 other crew members rescued by another ship, which also found a dead body, while 5 remain missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

Swedish bunker vessel M/V Pallas -- ran aground off Goeteborg between Hönö & Grötö i Göteborgs on Mar 22. Swedish Coast Guard sent its units KBV 050 & KBV 288 In the afternoon the ship was refloated and taken into harbor. Coastguard divers here inspected the shìp`s bottom for damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

Cargo M/V Cemvale, with cement, collided with bitts at the cement loading quay in Brunsbuettel when berthing March 22 -- suffered a large hole in bow above water. Tug M/V Bugsier 11towed herto the South Quay in Brunsbuettel where repairs are to be carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

6,00ton container M/V RBD Alexa -- suffered a failure of its bowthruster March 22 when entering the North basin of the New Lock in Brunsbuettel. Due to the strong East wind ship had to undertake an emergence anchoring which at least prevented it from a more serious collision. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

14,919gt. Color Line ferry M/V Peter Wessel -- suffered fire March 22 & was slowly heading towards Frederikshavn on Mar 23 due to a lack of capable towing capacity & expected there in the foremidday hours. Ship will probably be repaired at Ørskov Yard & rejoin service to Larvik on Mar 30. One crew member was evacuated by helicopter after smoke inhalaltion & flown to Alborg for medical treatment. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007) UPDATE>> at 10.45 a.m. Mar 23 M/V Peter Wessel towed into Frederikshavn by the tug M/V Svava assisted by M/V Oden & M/V Freja. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007) UPDATE>> Color Line ferry M/V Peter Wessel finally came into port in Frederikshavn at 11:00 a.m. Mar 23 after an unusually long voyage from Larvik. The 357 passengers on board have been wined and dined by Color Line (most of them are Norwegians on a day-trip).From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 28 2007)

Sydney Ferries 100-gt 393-passenger ferry M/V Sirius (built 1984), with 100 passengers ploughed into whale-watching vessel March 22 in Darling Harbour before hitting Pyrmont Bridge -- suffered technical fault & unable to stop as she headed towards a Darling Harbour wharf to berth. The whale-watching cruiseship, which was moored at the nearby Aquarium Wharf, received minor damage when it was struck by the ferry. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

Bio-diesel-race-boat S/Y Earthrace -- attempting round the world cruise from New Zealand was overshadowed by a collision in the night of Mar 18. The ship hit a 5mt. F/V en route from Panama to Acapulo short past midnight. The engineer who was actually steering the trimaran had thought its lights were a buoy. One of the men on board the F/V managed to climb on board. The skipper of S/Y Earthrace, Pete Bethune, jumped into the water & rescued a 2nd man. Then he tried to find3rd but did not succeed in the water which was full of debris. After hours of search S/Y Earthrace headed towards land to save the life of one man who was badly injured. As no help was available the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala & U.S. Coast Guard were contacted. More than 9 hours after the collision a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter came. The damaged S/Y Earthrace headed with 5 knots towards the naval base in Puerto Quetzal for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent A.L. Griffiths. (Sat. March 24 2007)

M/T Gas Pioneer -- in collision March 14 with -- F/V Obsession -- off Milford Haven West Wales. MAIB investigating. F/V received damage to bow. No injuries reported. Tanker suffered scuffed paintwork. From our Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. March 24 2007)

Type 22 UK frigate HMS Cornwall<<webfeature, on routine inspection of Indian merchant vessel in Persian Gulf -- inspection team surrounded by 6 Iranian Navy vessels -- surrendered on orders of higher headquarters. 15 British Navy & UK Royal Marines --taken captive in Iraqi waters. Britons were assigned to a task force that protects Iraqi oil terminals & maintains security in Iraqi waters under United Nations Security Council authority. HMS Cornwall<<webfeature. Iranian Defense Ministry anounces late March 23 that the British captives will be held "for further investigation". Iran has taken a political move to counter the United Nations move to restrict its nuclear bomb goals. This is an international incident with potential to move in one of several troubling directions. God Save The Queen and these British sailors & marines. McD (Fri. March 23 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

15 March 2007 1640 UTC in position 10:14.4N  107:04.8E, 5 nm South of Vung Tau, Vietnam -- container vessel at anchor was boarded by pirates at forecastle deck . Ship stores were stolen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

12 March 2007  0410 LT in position 06:14.2S 108:26.5E, Balongan anchorage, Indonesia. Pirates armed with knives in an unlit boat approached a product tanker at anchor and threw a line onboard the ship at the port quarter. Duty watchmen were standing by with pipes in hand. Robbers aborted the attempt and fled. (Fri. March 23 2007)

12 March 2007 1305 LT in position 18:27.4N 038:17.8E, Red Sea. Pirates in a wooden boat armed with AK-47s approached a research ship underway conducting surveying operations and  fired upon the ship.  A Sudanese navy vessel  came to its assistance and  detained the pirates. After 20 minutes the pirates were released. No injuries to crew. (Fri. March 23 2007)

11 March 2007  1929 LT in position 18:29.02N 038:19.26E, Red Sea. 15 pirates in a 12 meter wooden boat armed with AK-47s approached a research ship underway conducting surveying operations and fired upon the bridge of the ship . The ship activated SSAS and contacted Sudan authorities and managed to move  from that area. No injuries to the crew. (Fri. March 23 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

5,014-gt cargo M/V Unicorn Ace (built 1998) -- sank 80 miles off Currimao Point, Luzon in the north of the country. 13 crew, Chinese & Taiwanese -- rescued by a passing vessel. 5 are still missing. Major search & rescue operation underway involving country's coast guard & authorities in Hong Kong. Not yet known what caused the vessel to sink though it did send out an automatic distress signal early morning of Mar 21 which was picked up by the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Center. Spotter planes have been dispatched from Hong Kong which a Philippines Coast Guard helicopter and the Philippines navy are also involved in the search effort. Wisdom Marine Lines of Taiwan are managers of the vessel which is NK classed and has P&I cover with Britannia Steamship. 8501 DWT. built Miura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.; Saiki (Japan); yard no. 1206. Ex-Asian Rainbow 1998-0,1 ex-Million Star 2001, ex- Unicorn NO.5 2001-05, ex-Union Ace 2005-06, Unicorn Ace 2006 From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

20ft. F/V Samaru 9, with 3 crew -- experienced engine trouble & overcome by strong currents in Bilisan Point. U.S. Coast Guard station in Surigao found the boat 4 NM from the shore of Barangay Mabini, Cagdianao, in Surigao del Norte. Rescuers recovered the body of drowned crewman March 20. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

102,350-dwt Singapore-flagged M/T Eagle Auriga (built 1993) with crude to port of La Salina -- briefly grounded on Mar 20 on ther shifting sands of Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

Cosco Shenzhen-operated bulker M/V Peng Yan -- in collision in China's Zhoushan archipelago in the Yangtze river-mouth on Mar 17 with -- Tianjin Tianhui Shipping operated bulker M/V Hui Rong. -- sank within 15 minutes of the collision with 9 drowned & 8 missing. 12 seafarers picked up, including 1 who had been in the water for 6 hours. These men are reported to be in a stable condition at hospitals in Shanghai. Zhejiang Maritime Safety Bureau has attributed collision to combination of heavy traffic, strong winds & fog. The archipelago lies in the Yangtze river-mouth, close to several busy ports, in the middle of N-S routes and is one of China's major fishing grounds. A day after the collision, a fishing boat collided & sank, but its crew of 12 rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

Oil drilling jack-up rig Dolphin III -- was run aground in the morning of Mar 21 to prevent it from sinking 1 mile offshore & 6 miles S. of the Port Aransas jetties. Tug M/V Vinton Crosby towing -- radioed watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi at 3 a.m. this morning reporting the jack-up rig, which they were towing, was listing to one side and in danger of sinking or capsizing. At 6 a.m. tug crew was able to get the rig into shallow water.Dolphin III is owned by Nabors Int'l out of Houston, Texas.  From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

85.4mt. Devonport-based British SSN Trafalgar Clssa Attack Submarine HMS Tireless<<webfeature (launched 1985) -- during an exercise under the Arctic ice cap at 0420 GMT on Mar 21 -- suffered injury to 1 crew. Air-purification equipment is thought to have caused accident. The UK Ministry of Defense expressed "deep regret" & said vessel was safe & on surface. A piece of air-purification equipment in the forward section of the submarine was thought to be responsible for the accident. Injured sailor airlifted to a U.S. military hospital with non life-threatening injuries & expected to make a full recovery. In the effort of humans to do these great technical things, there will be problems. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007) HMS Tireless<<webfeature

Reefer M/V Sierra Neva -- heavily grounded in Jan. during severe weather -- SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage B.V. was awarded salvage contract. The reefer ended up so high on the rocks & damaged that she could not be refloated on own buoyancy alone. The preparations thus entailed work to jury-repair damage to the vessel to regain lost buoyancy, installation of pumps & preparations to connect up a 1,200 ton lifting capacity sheerleg. Also anchor patterns and so-called 'ground tackles' had been laid to control maneuvering the vessel out of the maze of rocks. Sheerleg arrived in Algeciras over the weekend & connected up Mar 20 following another spell of bad weather. Lifting & pumping operations started in the morning of Mar 21 and at about 15.30 LT M/V Sierra Neva moved in a controled way to open water. M/V Sierra Neva will now be stabilized & prepared for re-delivery. Algeciras based tug M/V San Roque & rescue tug M/V Miguel De Cervantes assisted in the freeing of the reefer M/V Sertosda Nueve was also assisting operations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

Norwegian ferry M/V Peter Wessel -- suffered fire in an electronic board morning of Mar 22. All passengeres are evacuated to restuarant onboard. Awaiting tug for towing to Hirtshals. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 23 2007)

Maltese flag 9,963GT. Ro-Ro cargo M/V Humber Way, with mixed cargo -- 20 crew & 3 cadets -- from Belgium to Immingham when its cargo shifted in gale force winds -- developed a 12 15 degree list in gale force weather off Spurn Point, East Yorkshire, which later increased to 20 25 degrees. Humber Coastguard initially received the call from VTS Humber & contacted vessel directly. Humber Coastguard broadcasted a Pan Pan (urgency) call informing vessels in the area of the situation. UK Humber Coastguard on Mar 20 assisting - force 6 to gale force 8 winds, gusting to severe gale force 9 with squally wintery showers. M/V Humber Way began listing after its cargo of lorries & trailers slipped in heavy seas 20 miles (32km) off Spurn Point on the East Yorkshire coast. M/V Humber Way meanwhile completed a difficult turning maneuver & headed for the Humber. By 2000 GMT, she was 12 miles off the Humber estuary & listing at about 15 degrees, correcting from the earlier 25 degree list.. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 21 2007)

M/V Mighty Servant 3 -- in preparation of the planned salvage the SMIT Salvage vessel M/V SMIT Orcahas anchored over the sunken heavy lift cargo vessel which still has the top of its derrick above water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 21 2007) DON'T MISS THE PHOTO FEATURE OF SINKING

German mine hunting Grömitz -- returned to its base in Kiel on Mar 16. It had been repaired at Kröger-Yard Rendsburg after its grounding off Norway. As the repair works last on, the ship was replaced in the NATO-group it had joined when running aground. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 21 2007) FOLLOW OUR STORY & AMAZING PICTURES

Newport News Fire Boat -- Virgina city's US$385,000, state-of-the-art fire boat sank March 21, still tied up at a dock & without ever being put to use -- moored at a marina by the James River Bridge, discovered with her stern sitting on the river bottom & bow sticking up out of the water. Investigators had not yet determined the cause of the sinking. Newport News Fire Dept. had not even taken ownership of the 33-foot vessel because it was waiting for the manufacturer, MetalCraft Marine of Canada, to finish installing electronic equipment. (Wed. March 21 2007)

Cargo M/V Unicorn Ace, with 19 crew -- sank in the early Mar 21 in the open sea of city Koyrimao in the province Ilokos Norte, 420 km N of the capital of country -- 11 rescued & 8 missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. March 21 2007)

Passenger ferry M/V American Pride, with 17 passengers & 3 crew -- grounded on Triangle Reef, just off the Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas Harbor, U.S. Virgin Islands on Mar 17. All rescued from M/V Sea Tow, Saint Thomas, in the March 20 morning -- no injuries. Vessel had just departed the Saint Thomas Harbor for Tortola, British Virgin Islands when she ran aground. U.S. Coast Guard was 1st notified about the grounding by a 911 operator. Portside fuel tank of M/V American Pride had ruptured & 350 gallons of diesel fuel released into the water -- starboard tank of vessel remains intact & is currently holding another 350 gallons of diesel fuel. Extent of the damage to the vessel's hull and to the coral reef will not be known until the vessel is refloated and a more comprehensive ocean-bottom survey is conducted. Owner of M/V American Pride hired Titan Marine Salvage to free vessel from Triangle Reef & mitigate damage to coral reef. M/V American Pride remains aground today. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

A team of SMIT Salvage re-floated March 20 -- in Callao (Peru) the forward section of the sunken 23,701 DWT bulk carrier M/V Twin Star, with rolled steel coil, out of mud from a depth of 27 meters. Ship had sunk on Jan 27, 2006, after in very heavy fog was -- after collision with -- Cypriot M/V Pintail. M/V Twin Star sustained severe damage on her starboard side and, as a consequence, began to sink slowly, until only her antenna jutted out above water. Some of her fuel oil tanks were ruptured, causing a minor leakage of oil. SMIT was contracted to remove the remaining bunker & fuel oil. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Swiss passenger M/V Orange -- hit by rouge wave on Neuenburge Lake on Mar 18 in sotormy weather. While turning around the wave smashed a windows & water flowed into the ship which stopped at Murten. Wet passengers were supplied with blankets & ship dewatered. Until windows temporarily patched, passengers were taken to foreship region. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

German Navy U-boat ex-U-18 faced problems when trying to enter the New Lock of the Kiel Canal, on the Elbe River at Brunsbüttel -- attempt to get a pilot had to be cancelled due to stormy weather. Short time later ship suffered ewngine failure & rope got entangled in her propeller. Tug M/V Bugsier 12 towed the ship to the South Quay in Brunsbüttel where it was berthed & propeller cleared. Then ex-U-18 could continued her voyage towards Kiel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Cargo M/V Thea Marieke -- entered the Brunsbuettel locks with an anchor chain hanging down from the bow on Mar 17 & could continue her voyage to Sczeczcin in Poland. In the lock divers found an anchor chain of an Elbe buoy & rope in the ship`s own anchor chain which had caught while anchoring on Brunsbuettel roads waiting for the canal passage. A crane of M/V Wasser-and Schifffahrtsamt was called to get the chain out of the water in joint action with divers & ship`s crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage B.V., through its Asian offices in Singapore & Headoffice in The Netherlands, is assisting Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. and appointed Chinese State salvors in operations to refloat the 230mt. hopper dredger 22,700gt. W.D. Fairway which suffered collision 1.5 week ago while operating off Tianjin & remained stuck on the 330mt. container M/V MSC Joanna's bow for 1.5 days. After having put W.D. Fairway aground to prevent sinking both vessels were separated. Operations are in hand to refloat dredger & prevent pollution with SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage staff involved on site in China. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Swiss passenger M/V Ravek -- ran aground Mar 19.3. at 06.42 a.m. on rocks on the Rhine River at Duisburg Rheinhausen with 107 passengers & 37 crew. Ship stuck fast at River-Km #777. The Belgian inland container M/V Richardus started rescue efforts & succeeded in 2nd attempt to get M/V Ravek free at 08.27 a.m. During salvage attempt the Rhine traffic was temporarily stopped -- 10 ships had to wait. Police Duisburg started investigations regarding the cause of the grounding on the krib. M/V Ravek was underway from Amsterdam to Basel and sustained no damage in the grounding. No persons were injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Sri Lanka Navy vessel shelled ship after it failed to stop for an inspection & opened fire on the navy March 18 -- details provided by the ship in respect to its registration & other details were false, the vessel carried no flag or mark of identification. After firing warning shots across bows the navy shelled the ship, which exploded & sank off the island's E. coast of Arugam Bay. The naval ships observed huge explosions onboard the vessel, confirming that it was carrying a huge amount of explosives & war-like material to the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Eletson Corp's 46,538-dwt Greek-flagged products carrier M/T Samothraki (built 1989), with 44,100 metric tons of fuel oil loaded in Libya -- touched bottom off the Port of Gibraltar -- incident occurred on March, 17 as ship was embarking crew off the Port of Gibraltar -- ship has sustained damage to her #1, #2 & #4 starboard water ballast tanks, together with an ingress of water. No pollution or injuries. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Two Greek bulk ships in collision outside the port of Richards Bay during dtrong gale force winds March 16. Neither ship was badly damaged in the incident. One vessel, the 38,372-gt bulker M/V Angela Star, which is owned by Marias Trading of Panama & managed by Maryville Maritime of Athens, later sailed to Durban for assessment of her damage. The other 36,573-gt bulk vessel M/V Theareston has remained at anchor outside Richards Bay where the port has been closed during the weekend because of the strong swells & winds. The bulker is owned & managed by Good Faith Shipping of Piraeus. There were no injuries reported on either vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 20 2007)

Greek cargo M/V Ice Queen -- in the foremidday hours of Mar 19 collided with pilings of the new lock in Brunsbuettel. For investigation of the damage the ship had to remain in the lock. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

German bargetrain DBR 2413 collided with the New Elbe Bridge -- Hamburg freeway A 255 had to be closed completely as a container lighter stuck fast for hours under the Northern Elbe Bridge in Hamburg March 19. The lighter was slightly damaged. A container was found in the water close to the bridge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

Two cargo ships collided in the East China Sea early March 18, killing at least 8 people -- 12 sailors were rescued while another 9 still missing from the weekend collision, which sank one of the ships, Xinhua News Agency said -- 8 bodies recovered. Collision occurred off Zhejiang province between cargo ship from China & Hong Kong-registered vessel. Hong Kong ship, with 29 crew, sank immediately. Further details pending. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & our Correspondent Scott Madry, Ph.D. (Mon. March 19 2007) UPDATE>> Emergency crew have found eight bodies of the 29 sailors -- collision occurred 11 p.m. on the sea near Langgang islands, NE of Zhoushan Island, Zhejiang Province -- Hong Kong registered M/V Huirong sank immediately & its 29 sailors on board were marooned on the sea. The other ship M/V Pengyan was from Shenzhen Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. More than 40 vessels and 3 helicopters from the East China Sea Fleet, East China Sea Rescue Bureau, & local maritime safety authorities in Zhejiang have joined the rescue efforts. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007pm)

Tug M/V Aegaen Pelagos -- arrived in Algericas bay Mar 17. She towed in a large crane called ITALIA. The crane will be used in the next couple of weeks to lift off the reefer M/V Sierra Nava which went aground in Algeciras. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

Container M/V Kobe Express -- outbound from Bayonne, N.J. enroute its next foreign port of call lost propulsion and ran aground in a rocky area near Swinburn Island outside of the Ambrose Channel. M/V Kobe Express used emergency maneuvers & anchors attempting to regain control of the vessel after losing propulsion. A Sandy Hook Pilot was onboard the vessel. 4 tugboats arrived on scene to keep the ship stable while she awaited the rising tide. A Captain of the Port Order was issued for the ship to proceed to anchorage to undergo hull inspection & U.S. Coast Guard assets will continue to monitor the situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

1,293-gt Cambodia flagged M/V Zhong Sheng (built 1979) -- suffered fire to her cargo of scrap metal in the port of Kisarazu, Chiba in the morning of Mar 17. All 11 Chinese crew members escaped unharmed from the blaze. Firefighters and a patrol boat were called to the scene of a burning general cargo ship in the E. Japanese port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

Greek flagged M/T Samothraki -- ran aground off Europa Point in Gibraltar -- ship has taken a list but no oil spill has been observed. It was then surrrounded by the locally based tugs M/V Mumbles, M/V Sun, M/V Swale & M/V Egerton & the local MoD tug M/V Capable. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

485-foot cargo M/V Tong Cheng has been repaired & March 17 departed Barbers Point-Kalaeloa Harbor en route China. Repairs were made to crack in the vessel's hull and the repair was certified by the vessel's Classification Society. U.S. Coast Guard marine inspectors conducted consistent oversight of the repairs. All cargo & debris was reloaded for the vessel's return to China. The vessel entered Barbers Point-Kalaeloa Jan. 26 after suffering damage to hull in heavy weather in late Dec. 2006. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 19 2007)

Cargo M/V Hannelore -- in collision March 18 with mole 3 of the old Brunsbuettel lock when entering. Possible damage is still to be assessed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

Cruise M/V Carnival Glory -- suffered overboard passenger -- as apparently intoxicated Michael Mankamyer spent 8 hours floating in the shark-infested waters off southern Florida following a 20mt.(60-foot) plunge from the balcony of his cabin. Crew of the Miami Beach Coast Guard Cutter USGCG Chandeleur located the 35 year-old man waving his hands at the crew 30 miles (48 kms) E of Fort Lauderdalewas. Mankamyer hoisted aboard a U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter and taken to a hospital, where he was apparently in good condition but suffering from mild hypothermia The waters off Florida have the highest number of shark attacks in the world, with 23 such recorded last year, as compared with 7 in Australia and 4 in South Africa. McD (Sun. March 18 2007)

5,000t cargo M/V Walsertal -- had rudder failure after engine failure in the Kiel Canal at Breiholz & came to rest perpendicular to the traffic. The ship could free itself & proceeded with slow speed to the passing point Breiholz where it was berthed at the pilings with assistance of the tug M/V Bugsier 14 which at that time escorted the roro M/V Timca. The passing shipping was slowed down until M/V Walsertal was safely berthed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

Cargo M/V Thea Marieke -- slid over the lock rails of the old Brunsbuettel locks with both anchor chains & anchors when entering In the evening of Mar 17. Divers were to investigate the damage caused under water. Ship was detained. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

5,000t cargo M/V Silver -- hit the wall of the lock of Brunsbuettel when entering on Mar 17. The ship had before berthed at the oil bunker station in Brunsbuettel with a list to starboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

3,000ton cargo M/V Daina -- detained in Brunsbuettel March 16 as the Capt. had 2,09 pormille alcohol, some other of the crew even more -- will be fined. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

Russian 970dwt trawler F/V Mys Levenorna (built 1994) with 55 crew -- propeller entangled in own net, adrift in Okhotsk Sea March 16, 15.30 LT Okhotsk sea in 54.56 N 150.42 E, trawler Mys Levenorna propeller entangled in it's own net. Port of registry Nevelsk (Sakhalin), owner Sakhalinrybaksoyuz Co. Vessel adrift in a group of other fishing vessels, ocean trawler F/V Ostrov Sakhalina coordinating salvage. Salvage vessel F/V Predanny dispatched to scene, steaming from Russkaya Bay (near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), ETA March 18, 19.00 LT. No injures, no spill, no immediate danger. Weather: light wind, ice cakes 7. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Sun. March 18 2007)

Bahamas-flagged Wilson Lines cargo M/V Salmo with 9 crew, aground off Hvaler, Norway night of Mar 16 a pilot was on board. No injuries & no leaks. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

3 divers died Mar 16 off the Florida Keys while attempting to explore the wreck of the ex-USS Spiegel Grove (LSD 32)<<webfeature sunk as an artificial reef off Key Largo. It was unclear how they died. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said 4 men were diving in and around ex-USS Spiegel Grove (LSD 32)<<webfeature when one of the men surfaced because he started to run out of air. Divers from another boat explored the wreck to look for the remaining men -- pulled up one diver, who was taken to a hospital. He was later pronounced dead. The 2 remaining divers never surfaced and Key Largo rescue authorities later found their bodies. But detectives said the bodies are still deep within the wreckage of the ship, making a recovery attempt challenging. The men were reportedly advanced certified divers. Their names have not been released. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

260 ft-cargo M/V Korimu on Mar 16 became another artificial reef off the coast of Palm Beach County after the county's Dept. of Environmental Resources Management sank it stern first 3 miles NE of the Lake Worth Inlet. The ship was stripped of pollutants or toxins so it could be used for reefing, then towed north from the Miami River. Originally named "Celtic Crusader", the freighter was built in the Netherlands in 1970. In the 1980s it was owned by Miami-based Bernuth Shipping Lines and used to move goods between the Caribbean & Central America. The derelict ship joined 2 others previously sunk at the site, more than 200 feet deep. It is easily accessible for boaters & divers. During the 15 years the county has run the artificial reef program, it has created more than 60 artificial reefs from sunken vessels & created mitigation reefs, made from limestone boulders or concrete, in the Lake Worth Lagoon & Lake Okeechobee. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

Swedish tug M/V Bohus (built in Åmål, Sweden in 1974) with 4 crew, grounded outside Käringön on the Swedish west coast on Mar 16. Crew rescued, but salvage is not possible becaus of bad weather. M/V Bohus operated by Röda Bolaget (owned by Switzer). From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

The sheerleg Taklift 7 refloated the Boskalis dredger Nautilus in Congo, after righting up the wreck -- the dredger was refloated & delivered in the port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

52,191gt. Cinese container M/V MSC Sweden (IMO No: 0086182, built 1989) needed the assistance of the Spanish tug M/V VB Sonador in Valencia on Mar 16. The bow anchor on port side had twisted in the hawse-pipe & was caught there. Tug came to assist & helped to remove it. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. March 18 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

09 MARCH 2007  0355 LT at Luanda Inner Anchorage, Angola. Pirates boarded a general cargo ship forward -- tied up duty AB & snatched his walkie-talkie and tried to open the hawse pipe cover plate nuts. Duty AB managed to untie himself & informed the Duty Officer on bridge. Duty Officer raised alarm and sounded ship's whistle. Robbers jumped overboard and escaped with ship's property. (Fri. March 16 2007)

08 March 2007 0345 LT in position 21:39.95N - 088:01.05E, Sagar Anchorage, India. Pirate boarded chemical tanker at poop deck. 2/O noticed the robber & raised alarm -- crew mustered. Robber jumped overboard & escaped with ship's stores in a small wooden boat. Port control informed. (Fri. March 16 2007)

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Main North/South California rail line from Sacramento, California to the Southern California -- suffered loss by huge fire & destruction of main trestle across the American River on March 15. Rail cargo being offloaded & diverted by truck for movement S. to locations such as Los Angeles. (Thurs. March 15 2007)

23mt. trawler F/V Bugaled Breizh sank off the Lizard in January 2004. Her 5 crew died. French Court has now cleared UK Royal Navy submartine HMS Turbulent & Royal Netherlands Navy's submarine Dolfijn of any involvement in the loss -- neither vessel being in the area of the loss. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 16 2007)

St Vincent & Grenadines-registered 2,760 ton cargo M/V Afrodite S (Built 1973 - IMO 7329236, ex-M/V Alice) Italy for Cyprus with 11 crew -- taking in water in the Mediterranean between Crete & Cyprus. Devonport-based Type 23 Duke Class frigate HMS Monmouth<<Webfeature, received a distress call from M/V Afrodite S after its cargo of cement shifted, causing water to flood into the ship. HMS Monmouth launched helicopter to rescue 5 crew. Greek search & rescue helicopter came to the aid of the other 6 crew -- now been taken to the Greek mainland by helicopter. HMS Monmouth currently on patrol in E Mediterranean as part of the NATO patrol force Operation Active Endeavour. Shortly after the rescue M/V Afrodite S sank stern first 80 miles of the Greek island Karpathos. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. March 15 2007)

2,490 gt chemical M/T Bergen Nordic (built 2003, owner Bergen Tankers AS) -- suffered damage & drifted without edngine power towards land 1.5 miles NW of Skongsnes Fyr, Vågsay. Capt. called for help. Norwegian rescue ship R.S. Platou departed from Måløy & started to tow the ship to Måløy where it was safely berthed at a quay in Trollebø at 7.30 a.m. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. March 15 2007)

36ft. catamaran S/Y Spring Breakers -- 10-miles E of Elliot Key, Fla, in the Martch 12 morning underway to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., from Port Charlotte, Fla., when their rented vessel began taking on water. They called U.S. Coast Guard at 11 p.m. with an urgent call for help. Search and Rescue coordinators at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami diverted an HU-25 "falcon" jet and launched an HH-65 "dolphin" helicopter, both from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami, along with a 33-foot & 41-foot rescue boat from U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla. Falcon crew spotted catamaran & deployed inflatable life raft. Within moments, crew on the 33-foot rescue boat arrived on scene & safely embarked all 8 people from the life raft -- taken to U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami where they were reported in good condition. Not known what caused the vessel to sink. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. March 15 2007)

Towing vessel M/V Kacie Luhr -- pushing 4 rock barges, was taking on water on the Sabine-Neches waterway March 12 -- one of the rock barges dumped about 1,650 tons of rock into the navigation channelU.S. Coast Guard small boats transported all 6 crew from the towing vessel safely to nearby tug. M/V Kacie Luhr & 2 of its barges remain partially in the waterway. U.S. Coast Guard investigators conducted initial survey of towing vessel & tghe 2 damaged barges, while the two rock barges that were completely unaffected by the incident were disconnected from the tow. The local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office has aided and successfully located the channel blockage with a sonar scan. In addition, local salvage team T&T Marine is currently on scene getting ready to safely remove the damaged vessels. A broadcast notice to mariners was issued & a safety zone is in effect to keep all vessel traffic a safe distance from the incident.  From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. March 15 2007) UPDATE>> U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, along with the aid of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sabine Pilots Assn. & salvage team from Galveston-based T&T Marine Salvage Inc. successfully removed multiple obstructions from the Sabine-Neches channel in the vicinity of mile marker 279 at 10 p.m. Mar 14. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 16 2007)

Cambodian flag dry cargo M/V Sinara, Japan for Vladivostok with 78 automobiles & 10 Russian passengers -- suffered fire 30 miles off Vladivostok but has moored at the Vladivostok sea port. Border guards were 1st to go aboard to observe the necessary formalities despite the fire. 20 fire-fighting brigades on standby at the mooring berth. No flames seen on deck. Crew continues to perform their duties, rescuers said. The fire started in one of the ship's holds when the ship was 30 miles off Vladivostok. Rescue M/V Topaz & M/V Yuri Orlenko sent to the rescue of the ship on fire -- came close to ship on way to Vladivostok. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed.. March 14 2007) UPDATE>> By 14:30 Moscow time on March 13 fire extinguished at Berth #15. 8 cars in hold destroyed, no injures, no spill. Salvage vessel M/V Orlenko left scene, another salvage vessel M/V Topaz, left standing by till March 14, daylight. March 14 port authorities started investigation. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko. (Thurs.. March 15 2007)

6,361tn. cargo M/V Winona, homeport St. Johns -- towed into port of Terneuzen on March 14 with considerable collision damage to her starboard side in stern region. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed.. March 14 2007) UPDATE>> Vessel hit in the North Sea by a trawler -- incident happened in spite of some course alterings of both ships. Stern of M/V Winona which has a length of 132.2 mt. suffered gash of 6 mt. length & more damage. Ship meanwhile berthed in Antwerp where cargo bound from Klaipeda is discharged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. March 15 2007)

Norwegian cruise M/V Nordkapp of Hurtigruten expected in about 2 weeks at the Bredo Yard in Bremerhaven for permanent repairs to the damage it suffered when grounding in Whaler`s Bay on Jan 30. Exact ETA is not yet given. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed.. March 14 2007)

53ft. longliner F/V Risky Business, with 5 crew -- listing to port and they were heading to Kodiak, Alaska in severe weather. Engine trouble. U.S. Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter launched to assist the crew 69 miles E. of Kodiak. Crew evacuated -- vessel partially afloat when U.S. Coast Guard helicopter departed scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed.. March 14 2007)

37ft. S/Y Nordic Tug Augenbleck -- with elerdly couple as crew -- ran aground & needed assistance at the south end of the Swinomish Channel near Bellingham, Wash., on Mar 13. U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Angeles responded & resolved. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed.. March 14 2007)

70ft. F/ Kristena Rose issued Mayday March 13 -- that they were taking on water & sinking at the dock of the Makah Marina in Neah Bay. U.S. Coast Guard Station Neah Bay responded -- Neah Bay Rescue Tug M/V Gladiator supplied de-watering pumps to assist. All well. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed.. March 14 2007)

Cambodian flag 1255gt. M/V Sinara (built 1980), Japan for Vladivostok March 13, with crew 10 & 78 cars -- suffered fire in cargo hold. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 13 2007)

F/V Maru 13 located & towed to Malokurilsk bay, Shikotan island, Kuril islands, by coast guard ship Amur. Vessel adrift & unmanned, drawn by wind through Polonsky strait to Pacific ocean, EPIRB on board failed -- salvors thought vessel sunk, but coast guard located vessel with 10 degrees list and took her on tow. Malokurilsk port control informed on vessel condition 10 degrees listing, otherwise ok, no visible damages, no spill. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. March 13 2007)

Russian cargo M/V Glorius -- sank yacht S/Y Habit in the Bosporus on Mar 12. Ship had a steering failure & drifted helpless towards Bebek, a part of Istanbul. 40 metres off the coast the ship which carried a cargo of wheat hit the yacht which was anchoring there. Tugs were sent by the Turkish authorities to tow M/V Glorius to a safe anchorage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 13 2007)

Boskalis Westminster dredger W.D. Fairway -- in collision Mar 8 -- hit on port side by the container M/V MSC Joanna during dredging operations in Tianjin. The accident  caused considerable damage to the ship which will be out of action for the rest of 2007. Dutch dredging company said it was insured for the damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 13 2007)

Finnish roro ferry M/V Estraden (homeport Turku) -- in collision March 10 with the Northern lock in Bremerhaven -- entering the container harbor stern first when she hit at 3.35 p.m. the S. end of the container quay with her starboard stern. M/V Estraden which is chartered by Mann Line & owned by AB Engship was only slightly damaged in the incident. Less good ended its collision with M/V Wolgastern in the Kiel Canal on Feb 2nd 2006. The damage was Euro5M then, the repairs of M/V Wolgastern cost Euro$3M. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. March 13 2007)

85mt. Estonian cargo M/V Kurske -- in collision March 9 with -- 195mt. container M/V MSC Bulgaria in Hamburg. M/V Kurske hit M/V MSC Bulgaria which was already berthed, while berthing manoevres. M/V MSC Bulgaria suffered a gash of 2mt. length in hull. Also the superstructure of M/V Kurske damaged. No injuries. Both ships were not allowed to leave port. Investigations were started by the police using VHF traffic & radar pictures. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon March 12 2007)

101mt. cargo M/V BBC Iceland, witrh 12 crew -- suffered engine damage March 2 at 5.30 a.m. NW of Træna off Helgeland, Norway -- drifted in high swell only 1 mile off the coast. Rescue centre in Vardø sent the rescue boat Skuld from Træna for help. Then Coast Guard ship Stålbas & tug M/V Boa Siw from Sandnessjøen came to assist & succeeded in berthing the ship in Sandnessjøen, where repairs at the machine were to be carried out. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. March 12 2007)

Bad week for Grimaldi - after capsizing of M/V Repubblica di Genova -- also M/V Repubblica di Venecia involved in a collision. In the morning of March 10. The ship was in collision with the bulkcarrier M/V New Venturer 1 in the Northsea Canal between Amsterdam and Ijmuiden. M/V New Venturer 1 suffered serious bow damage, and M/V Repubblica de Venecia a large crack in the hull on one of her upper car decks. Possibly M/V Repubblica di Venecia had suffered engine failure before. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon March 12 2007)

Portuguese F/V Gloria Jose, homeport Figueira da Foz, sank at South Pier of Figueira da Foz on Mar 10 at 3 p.m. Crew of 2 survived & wreck was recovered and brought to Cabedelo beach Mar 11. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun March 11 2007)

Australian navy HMAS Mermaid has rescued 7 sailors from Papua New Guinea whose fishing boat sank in the Torres Strait. HMAS Mermaid was sheltering from bad weather within PNG waters when it responded to calls for help from those on board the sinking vessel. The rescued, including 6 men & 1 woman suffering hypothermia, are all from the PNG island of Daru. Group was given medical assistance & will return to Daru. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat March 10 2007)

68,800-dwt Hong Kong-flagged M/V Yun Tong Hai (built 1990) grounded in Venezuela's Maracaibo channel after she fell foul of the notoriously erratic tides in the busy tanker channel in the early hours of Wed. 28 Feb. Partial unloading of cargo of coal allowed her to be freed at the 4th attempt on March 19. The panamax bulker was chartered in early Feb. by Italian owner Bottiglieri di Navigazione for about a year at US$33,000 per day. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat March 10 2007)

F/V Wallara K sank about 400 km. off the Taranaki coast March 9 -- crew rescued by the passing container M/V Alpana after activating a distress beacon shortly before 5am & abandoning ship. Sister ship F/V Al Tair is on its way & crew will be transferred to the boat when she arrives. Worsening weather conditions & winds of up to 25-knots were hampering the rescue, but the container ship did a fantastic job at rescuing them. There are some fishing buoys and crates floating in the water but there is no sign of the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat March 10 2007)

Container M/V SA Helerberg suffered collision damage which was large patched with a large 'cofferdam' which first had to be constructed and taken to the ship on board a barge before it could be installed. SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage crews from Singapore, South Africa and The Netherlands assisted in the operation. The team and equipment remain on board until the discharge is completed and the vessel can be delivered in drydock for repairs. Vessel successfully berthed in Tanjung Pelepas on Mar 7 after which the cargo discharge started. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat March 10 2007) UPDATE>> M/V SA Helderberg remains at anchor off the coast of Singapore, in Malaysian waters, with the necessary repairs to the vessel underway. Progress is being made on repairs, and the vessel continues to generate its own power. All reefer containers remain operative. The vessel will enter the port of Tanjung Pelepas, instead of Singapore. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun March 11 2007)

Mar 8 at around 2.00 PM local time a container vessel ran into the trailer suction hopper dredger W.D. Fairway during dredging operations in Tianjin, China. There were no injuries. The vessel currently stable with crew on board. The cause of the collision & level of damage are not yet known. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat March 10 2007)

M/V Republica di Genova --UPDATE>> Half under water on her starboard side in the Verrebroek Dock in the Waslandharbor in Antwerp. Containers were floating in the wter between the wreck which is listing 90 degrees, and the quay of the dead end dock. Trucks had crashed into the water, as well as about 100 of the 20-ft-containers. On the whole, the ship had loaded 300 of them bound for Luanda, Angola. The crew of 34 & 9 passengers from Romania & Italy had reached land safely as the captain ordered the evacuation as soon as the situation worsened. The ship had started to list in the evening of Mar 7. It had just finished loading in Verrebroek dock when containers on the vessel slipped. All possible corrections to the listing were carried out according to the standard procedures, however for yet unknown reasons the result of the correction were invain and the ship could not be corrected anymore, which suggest a malfunction in the self healing mechanism, however this is only a speculation. The real cause will be detected in due course as soon as the ship will be righted. On Mar 8 at 6.30 a.m. the ship finally capsized. The ship will be salvaged and repaired and will sail again as soon as possible, it was said. Port traffic in the dock has been stopped, but the authorities would be working hard to normalize the situation. The traffic on the Scheldt which connects Antwerp with the Northe Sea was not affected.The 42,567 grt ship was built in 1988 by Fincantieri-Cantieri for the London-based Grimaldi Lines. Grimaldi Group vessels carry containers & Fiat cars from Italy to Antwerp. The ship is homeported in Palermo and has the sister ships M/V Republica di Amalafi (built 1989) & M/V Republica di Roma (built 1992) It was built in 1988 at Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.P.A.,Trieste as yard nno. 5837. Length is 216,08 m, breadth 30, 4 m, depth 9,24 m. 42567 ts, 25350 dwt. 12720 HP, 18,5 knots. Capacity: 12 passengers, 3400 cars/556 trailers, 1699 TEU. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. March 9 2007) Follow This Loss From Our First Report

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

28 Feb. 2007  0945 UTC in position 21:11.47N - 059:33.70E, Oman. 55 meter yacht contacted on VHF by a passing vessel asking for a weather report and number of crew on board. Suddenly 4 suspicious speedboats with 3 pirates on each boat emerged from the lee of the vessel & sped towards the yacht. One boat had a tripod weapon mounted in the bow. Skipper raised alarm, Crew mustered & activated fire hoses. Distress message was sent by VHF. Coalition warship of U.S. Navy responded to the distress call. Skipper doubled anti piracy watch.  Suspicious boats moved away (Fri. March 9 2007)

27 Feb. 2007  0415 LT about 5 nm off Lagos, Nigeria -- Pirates armed with knives boarded ship at anchor via stern -- threatened watchkeepers with knives & stole 2 mooring ropes. Alarm raised. Robbers left without taking anything else. Inspection showed. One fire hose was cut in two but robbers left it behind. No one was hurt. Port control informed. (Fri. March 9 2007)

26 Feb. 2007 0315 LT in position 06:37.4N - 039:32.0E, drifting off Dar es Salaam port, Tanzania. Ten pirates armed with long knives boarded ship from the fore part. Pirates tied up the duty AB & asked for ship's store keys. D/O spotted pirates & raised alarm and crew mustered. Pirates escaped with ship's stores. No one was hurt. Port control informed -- took no action taken (Fri. March 9 2007)

12 Dec. 2007 0920 LT , Gulf of Aden. While underway, crew of Blue Water Rally group of yachts spotted a small boat approaching a 53 foot ketch. Skipper tightened the formation of his yachts and took precautionary measures. The small boat moved to the stern of the formation and was later joined by another larger boat and they followed the formation  at a range of one mile.  Yachts sent a distress message via vhf radio.  One of the Coalition Warships appeared in the vicinity -- trailing boats abandoned the chase. (Fri. March 9 2007)

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U.S. F/V Star Trek! notified Sector Anchorage at 4:39 a.m. that vessel beached with a rip in the hull. U.S. Coast Guard HH60 helicopter arrived on scene at 6:00 a.m. & able to land nearby. The 3 crew reported to have had no injuries & beamed up by Cmdr. Scott to USS Enterprise. Weather conditions & visibility poor at the time of the rescue. Cause of the grounding is under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. March 8 2007)

25,350dwt. Italian container M/V Republica Di Genova of Grimaldi Lines rolled onto her starboard side in a dead end dock at Port of Antwrp. Capt. ordered crew to evacuate when vessel started to take on water. The 216 meter vessel has a capacity for 3,666 vehicles & 1,015 TEUs. M/V Republica Di Genova reported to have about 300 containers & cars on board (looks liike more to us) when the ship rolled over, with several going overboard. Incident caused shipping in & out of the Verrebroekdock to be halted, but not on the Scheldt River that links Antwerp to the North Sea. in Genova capsized morning of Mar 8 in the port of Antwerp in the Verrebroekdock. (Thurs. Mar. 8 2007) UPDATE>> We have amazing photos of this loss and will post shortly. McD

Happy Sailing>> Cruise M/V Sprit of Adventure, with 250 British passengers -- caught in Indian Ocean cyclone was forced to limp into an isolated island port where its elderly passengers were trapped for 5 days -- suffered mechanical damage as she sailed through Cyclone Gamede last week. Passengers said that, amid the 50-knot winds & 45ft swells, windows were broken, people were falling off chairs -- even had to avoid a falling grand piano. Fortunately, only minor injuries among passengers, all of whom were over the age of 50, have been reported. Capt. Martin Breen took the decision to abort the 14-day cruise & headed for nearest port of refuge, Antsiranana at the northernmost tip of Madagascar -- arrived Feb 27. Engineers then found a length of rope entangled around one of the ship's 2 propellers. But company unable to charter enough planes to fly passengers to the island capital of Antananarivo where they could get Int'l connections. Mess continues. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007) UPDATE>> Ship now booked into Durban dry dock where she is due Mar 8. Meanwhile with the cruise officially cancelled Saga Cruises made arrangements to fly the 250 passengers to the capital Antananarivo from where they could return to the UK -- proved quite a difficult task in itself as there are no large aircraft in the port city of Antsiranana & passengers had to be ferried in relays using smaller airplanes. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Mar. 8 2007)

Australian frigate HMAS Adelaide -- fire abord while the Australian navy ship was conducting exercises off the Western Australian coast. Dept. of Defence says the fire in 2 of the ship's gas turbine engines extinguished without incident. No personnel injured -- returning to base at near Perth to conduct further investigations into cause of blaze. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Mar. 8 2007)

Sad End>> Former American 4-masted cargo S/V James C. Hamlen -- which sailed as the Estonian S/V Jaan when it was sunk by Allied air forces in Kiel on May 2nd, 1945, is being scrapped at its longtime berth in a shallow zone off the Lindenau Yard in Kie Friedrichsort. S/V James C. Hamlen which had partially been scrapped after the war was in a pretty good state below the waterline but was now in the way for a new slipway of the Lindenau Yard. Attempt to move the wreck with the help of the Danish sheerleg "Samson" failed recently, and so it was decided to break up the ship in situ which is presently undertaken by a floating dredge. The wreck remains are put on the barge "Hörn 10" from the SFK, Kiel, for disposal. Thus ends the story of a once proud ship which survived 2 groundings and one fire before ending up on the harbor bottom at the very end of World War II. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007)

Container M/V Master1-- on charter to Maersk Line & deployed on Maersk and Safmarine's Asia South Africa South America service -- arrived March 6 in Port Elizabeth Mar 5 with evidence of having gone through heavy weather -- a number of containers on board having been severely damaged. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007)

350ton M/V Safina Al Salimi -- afire March 5 at Salaya port in Jamnagar district -- finally doused in the wee hours of March6 by 100 firefighters -- spread to 1,000tin M/V Ali Baug. Vessels used for transportation of commodities of rice & groundnut from Salaya to Gulf countries and in return dates were transported to Salaya. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007)

Inland M/V Gerla, with 24 steel rolls of 455 tons -- grounded in the Easter Scheldt Feb 28 -- refloated by Multraship & tug M/V Zephyrus on Mar 2. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007)

Swedish veteran tug M/V Viking 3 (built 1903) sank at its berth in Sandarne, March 4. Only the wheelhouse which has a length of 16,7 m and a breadth of 4,18 m remained above water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007)

Replica schooner 21mt. sail training S/V Spirit of Fairbridge, UK -- requested assistance; run aground in an isolated rocky area in Loch Sween on March 4. UK Coastguard Rescue teams from Crinan & Tarbert have been sent to the area as well as requesting the assistance of the Islay RNLI all weather lifeboat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Mar. 5 2007)

M/V MSC Columbia (IMO 9103685) on her maiden call to Felixstowe suffered mechanical failure, believed to be engine problems (needs confirmation), on her approach to Felixstowe at 1200hrs March 4. Occurred with the pilot on board whilst in the deep water channel leading to Harwich Harbor. Anchors were dropped & she came to a halt in the North side of the channel by No. 7 & No. 8 buoys. Tugs were on the scene immediately as they had been requested to assist her movement in the harbor anyway. Four tugs assisted her into the harbour area & she was safely moored onto her berth. One of her 8 ton anchors was lost in the deep water channel & all deep draft vessels are using the southern side of the channel as a precaution. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Mar. 5 2007)

Malta-flagged 24,200-dwt Greek-operated bulk carrier M/V Garcia, with Thai rice - still adrift off the southern coast of Madagascar March 4 in the aftermath of Cyclone Gamede which has rapidly lost much of its strength. All 23 crew were able to get off the sinking trawler onto life rafts & later picked up by the Evergreen-owned 3,428-teu Taiwanese container M/V Ever Gaining which was en route to Durban at the time. Container ship is deployed on the company's ESA service between Asia, Mauritius, South Africa and the east coast of South America. The crew made the decision to abandon ship as they were "in fear of their lives" after the engine failed in atrocious weather conditions. Initial reports said that the bulker sank but an MRCC source denies this, saying it is understood that the vessel is intact but still adrift. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Mar. 5 2007) UPDATE>> -- 23 crew plucked from ocean after abandoning their vessel arrived in Durban in the morning of Mar 5 on board the container M/V Ever Gaining. Still no confirmation whether the bulker has sunk or remains afloat. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007)

712ft. M/V Montrose, with 74,215 metric tons of coal -- ran aground Feb 28 near Sharps Island, Md --barge, under the direction of the Unified Command, ties up along side. Responders with the Unified Command have launched operations to transfer coal from the cargo ship to the barge. Transfer of coal will generate dust in the air and may cause discoloration in the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Mar. 5 2007) UPDATE>> Crews under the direction of the Unified Command began the process known as "lightering" in the afternoon of Mar 4. Since then, approximately 4,800 tons of coal have been transferred from the ship to an attached barge. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Mar. 7 2007) UPDATE>> In the morning hours of Mar 7 M/V Montrose refloated after lightering of coal was completed on Mar 6 at 10 p.m. The ship was towed by tugs to an anchorage 12 miles S. of the grounding site in Cheasapeak Bay. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Mar. 8 2007)

1,000t argo M/V Scot Pionier had a mishap Feb. 3 when entering the Brunsbuettel locks of the Kiel Canal -- caught buoy together with its chain into the propeller. The buoy was torn off & stuck fast on the propeller shaft. Tug M/V Bugsier 19 came to assist & towed it to a berth in Brunsbuettel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Mar. 5 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

22 Feb. 2007 0603 UTC in position 11:50N - 051:35E, North East Somalia. Pirates attacked general cargo ship underway. Vessel under control of armed pirates is believed to have been hijacked. Negotiations for the vessel's release are under way. (Sat. Mar. 3 2007)

18 Feb. 2007 0100 LT in position : 06:16.2S - 108:27.7E at SBM Balongan, Indonesia. Four pirates armed with knives boarded tanker discharging at a SBM.  They entered the engine room -- noticed by duty oiler who Informed duty officer. Alarm raised & crew alerted. Robbers escaped empty handed. Crew mustered & search was carried out but found nothing stolen. (Sat. Mar. 3 2007)

03 Feb. 2007 0245 LT in position 06:03.0N - 003:25.5E, Lagos Roads, Nigeria. Five pirates armed with guns boarded tanker drifting 20 miles off the breakwaters. Pirates threatened the duty AB at forward station by pointing a gun at him -- entered bosun store. Other duty crew informed OOW who raised alarm. Crew mustered. Port control informed but call ignored. Pirates stole ship's stores & escaped in motor canoe. No injuries. (Sat. Mar. 3 2007)

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Russian trawler F/V Jeng Sing 27 -- sent Mayday calls March 2 off Kurilen island Kunaschir as the ship developed list in severe weather & drifting helpless in rough seas. The crew of 11 fled into rafts from where they were rescued by the Russian rescue ships M/V Igor Farchutdinow & M/V Kapitän Lapkin. F/V Jeng Sing 27 sank. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Mar. 2 2007)

Inland M/V Katharos -- suffered problems Mar. 1 while passing from the Sloehaven to the outer harbor of Vlissingen. Capt. had misjudged weather & needed the help of tugs at Schoone Waardin as his ship unable to fight against the waves. M/V Walcheren & M/V Multratug 10 assisted. M/V Walcheren was attached to the stern & towed the ship back to the Sloehaven. M/V Multratug 10 remained on standby until the ship was safely berthed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Mar. 2 2007)

711ft. Liberain flagged M/V Montrose -- gone soft aground in the mouth of the Choptank River while transiting the Port of Baltimore in the morning of Feb 28. U.S. Coast Guard continuing to monitor situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Mar. 2 2007) UPDATE>> Attempts to refloat the vessel yesterday unsuccessful. There are no reports of injuries or pollution. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Mar. 3 2007)

Towing M/V Kimberly Jane, pushing tank barge loaded with 960,000 gallons of Cumene -- in collision Feb. 28 with -- submerged lock wall at Lock and Dam 52, located on Ohio River right descending bank at mile marker 939, near Brookport, IL. As a result of incident barge damaged & subsequently released 7000-8000 gallons of Cumene from the #1 starboard tank based on preliminary tank soundings. Symptoms of exposure to high levels of Cumene include headaches, irritation of the eyes, nose & throat, euphoria, followed by dizziness, sleepiness, and unconsciousness. Cumene is a central nervous system depressant that, in high concentrations, may cause narcotic effects and may form explosive mixtures with air. Cumene can be detected by its sharp, penetrating aromatic odor at very low concentrations, approximately 50 times lower than the level that can cause toxic effects. U.S. Coast Guard has established an Incident Command Post at Marine Safety Unit Paducah, KY with a Unified Command consisting of senior representatives from the Coast Guard, Kirby Corporation, and local & state emergency management agencies from the States of Kentucky and Illinois. The Ohio River has been closed to traffic from mile 938 to 940 as a precaution and to support response efforts. U.S. Coast Guard has requested support from the Atlantic Strike Team, and the 41st Civil Support Team, who is currently assisting with conducting air monitoring in the vicinity of the incident. U.S. Coast Guard investigators will be conducting a thorough marine casualty investigation to determine the cause of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Mar. 2 2007)

74,381-DWT Bahamian-flagged bulk M/V Coronis -- grounded in Øresund off Denmark in early hours of Feb 26 on voyage in ballast, bound for Muuga, Estonia. Bulk carrier, which was sailing without a pilot, hit bottom close to Nordre Røse off Kastrup. So far there has been no leakage of oil. M/V Coronis delivered in Jan. 2006 from Hudong Shipyard in Shanghai to the present owner, Greek-controlled Diana Shipping Services of Piraeus. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Mar. 2 2007) UPDATE>> Bunkers transferred late Feb. 27 from double bottom tanks to tanks higher up in the vessel & ballast was prepared to be discharged. SvitzerWijsmuller tugs M/V Svitzer Mars & M/V Frigga remained standby & executed the controlled refloating attempt, freeing vessel at about 3.20 p.m. on Feb 28. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat.. Mar. 3 2007)

Inland vessel M/V Gerja -- intentionally run aground on 12.30 p.m. Feb. 28 on the Dutch Oosterschelde (Easter Scheldt). Cargo of steel rolls had started to move & caused risk for ship which developed a list to port in rough seas. Tug M/V Zephyrus proceeded to ship as well as M/V Multrasalvor with crane "Delta" from Breskens. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Mar. 1 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For February 2007


Our New Photo Features>> "Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - Disaster In Real Time & Continuing

"Wrong Way Agulhas?" - M/V Safmarine Agulhas - Jan. 2007

"Hook, Line & Sink Her!" - A Cargo Law Mystery - AMAZING - Dec. 2006

New Singles Only>> Out of Service - M/V Server- Feb. 2007 Because Ship Happens©

Our LAX Music Video

27,000ton car carrier M/V Pacific Angel -- in collision 5 miles off the Tyneside coast Feb. 27 with -- UK F/V Shaligar which suffered considerable damage to deck & rigging -- skipper sent a mayday call after she started taking on water following the impact. UK Humber Coastguard received Mayday & escorted vessel to North Shields. From our Correspondent A.W. Griffiths. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

31,788ton DFDS-ferry M/V King of Scandinavia -- in collision Feb. 26 with -- quay in Ijumiden. Ship caught by SE winds of 10 m/sec when entering the harbor & drifted to the opposite side of its berth -- crashed into the quay. Damaged at the port side of stern & also the quay damaged. In spite of the dents ship should sail at 6 p.m. back to Newcastle as scheduled. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

Slovakian reefer M/V Novaya Zemlya (IMO No: 8514796 - homeport Bratislava) damaged Feb. 26 when being "sandwiched" between M/V Kapitan Buga & M/V Morskoy Priboy in Port of Kollafjørur. Accident caused by strong NE winds. The former M/V Nova Zembla built at the Japanes yard Kitanihon Zosen, Hachinohe, in 1986. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. To The Cargo Letter From Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat Station (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

90ft. Norwegian F/V Lifjell -- in danger of sinking after ingress of water at 8 p.m. on Feb 26 -- crew alarmed police in Ibestad, where ship was berthed at Breivoll quay -- ship had problems with its vents -- situation could be brought under control. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

German F/V Cap Arcona - SD 8 (homeport Friedrichskoog) sank on 1.40 a.m. Feb. 26 after having caught fire the evening before -- 12 miles W. of Hoernum, Sylt, when the electricity of the 21mt. ship failed on Feb 25, 8.45 p.m. Capt. went to engine room to check & encountered flames & dense fumes. F/V Cap Arcona had departed Buesum Feb 25 & intended to stay on sea until Mar 1. All crew rescued by F/V Liekedeeler. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

German hotel ship M/V Böttcher -- in collision with a pile of the Marienbridge in Dresden on Feb 26. -- ship was underway from a yard in Dresden-Laubegast into the harbor towed by 2 tugs. When hitting the bridge the upper superstructure of the ship was damaged. Whether strong winds or faults of the tugs led to the collision still being investigated as well as amount of damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

Cargo M/V Agate Island -- in tow to the scrapyard & sank -- 65 NM east of Durban South Africa 25 Feb. Vessel had been in tow by M/V Rig Deliverer. Dive Solutions from Durban working off M/V Ocean Stroom attempted to pump engine room until it became too dangerous. M/V Rig Deliverer cut tow at +- 06.30. on Feb. 25 -- ship then foundered stern first. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

Swiss Police Boat SO 11 -- sank night of Feb 24 in Solothurn after having caught fire. Ship completely burnt out at its berth at the Ritterquay. Fuel oil laked out of the wreck. The fire could be extinguished with fume, but the ship then foundered at its berth. On Feb 24 she was salvaged and investigations started regarding the cause of the fire. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

1,458dwt Norwegian container M/V Ocean Caroline -- developed a list of 40 degrees to port off Polish coast after sufferering a leak in the hull. Crew was by Polish SAR forces & Swedish ships. Capt. together with 2 crew remained on board but had to be taken off. The Petrobaltic M/V Afrodita, 2 swedish trawlers & SAR vessel are on site. Ship is now towed by a Swedish trawler -- still taking in water -- tried to reach Karlskrona, Sweden. M/V Ocean Caroline (IMO No: 7226639) was built in 1973 by Denizcilik Anonim Sirketi Beykoz Tersanesi (Turkey) as M/V Donar in 1973 -- running as M/V Suurlaid from 1975 to 1998, then becoming M/V Nordic Frost until 2000. She has a length of 80,4mt. & detained thrice in 4 years due to safety lags. In June 2006 22 were found in St. Petersburg, causing ship to be detained 17 days. On Feb 6 in Klaipeda 7 violations were found, but ship was allowed to leave port. Owned by Ocean Transport AS. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007) UPDATE>> Swedish trawlers F/V Torön & F/V Torland succeeded to tow the leaking Norway flagged cargo M/V Ocean Caroline (homeport Flörö) into the port of Swedish Karlskrona at 10 a.m. on Feb 26. -- escorted by a Swedish coast guard ship, she was berthed with port side to quay in Verkö with M/V Torön still attached to its starboard side to stabilize the seriousl list which had temporarily increased to 45 degrees -- could then be reduced to about 35 degrees to port. M/V Ocean Caroline had been underway from Litva to Norway when it sprang a leak off the Polish coast on Feb 25 due to a fracture of shell plating & had to be abandoned by its crew of 11. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007 Late PM)

Cargo M/V Nitalco, with marble -- evacuated near the Dodekannes-island Karpathos in a Feb. 23 storm in the Aegean Sea off the Greek coast. 3 sailors from Turkey & 2 Russians rescued by helicopters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

Unknown F/V capsized & sank with 4 persons on board SE of Bornholm in the Baltic on Feb. 23. Rescue boat M/V Leopold Rosenfeldt sent to the scene, where already the German F/V Weser had taken on board the crew. Rescued men were taken to Rønne. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007)

Indonesian ferry M/V Levina 1 -- involved in a deadly mid-voyage fire on Feb 22 -- sunk with several safety investigators, police & journalists on board. Medical workers said a TV cameraman had died, 2 people were seriously hurt & unknown number are missing. Not known how many were aboard when M/V Levina I suddenly leaned over & sank off Jakarta's port. Death toll from fire rose to 41 after rescuers found 21 bodies drifting at sea. Charred hulk had been towed to waters just off Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port so officials trying to uncover cause of fire could begin their examination. She had been anchored at the time, but tilting on one side. Medical workers at the port said a cameraman working for Indonesian television had been confirmed dead & another was in emergency care after being rescued from the sinking ship. Investigator who was examining the ferry when it sank was also said to be fighting for her life. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007) UPDATE>> Rescuers on Feb 27 found bodies of 2 more people, The death toll from the initial fire rose to 50 by Feb. 27. Estimates put the number of missing at between 50 & 100. The number of people on the ship when it caught fire remains unclear but estimates suggest it was more than 350. About 250 were rescued, most after jumping into the sea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Frti. Mar. 2 2007)

M/V Ostedijk -- afire Feb. 22 -- Spanish Emergency Response Authorities has brought the situation on board under control in co-operation with SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage B.V. Cargo has been treated in the core of the hot-spots with special injection pipes to prevent excess free water in holds as much as possible. Plans are set into motion in conjunction with the ship-owners to restart the normal ships' systems & deliver the cargo to a destination. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007) UPDATE>> SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage B.V. in co-operation with the casualty's owners have succeeded in bringing the situation on board M/V Ostedijk under control. vessel, brought back in an autonomous condition, weighed anchor & departed Feb 28. Vessel had a SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage expert team & specific salvage equipment on board for contingency purposes & escorted by salvage/fire fighting tug M/V Svitzer Leixoes. M/V Ostedijk reached Bilbao Mar 1 at 11 a.m. & redelivered to her owners. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Frti. Mar. 2 2007)

304dwt. arested/ illegal trawler F/V Navoysk (1980 year built, port of registry Nevelsk, Sakhalin) was anchored in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, during ice shearing vessel drifted on both anchors to shore line Feb. 24. No emergeny calls, when port control tried to call F/V Navoysk on WHF, master of the vessel cursed them & rejected to respond in any way. Suspect a set-up grounding. Owner notified about accident, but not involved in salvage -- 5 crew on board, no fuel, no lubricants, no spill, no injures. Salvage possible after ice shearing stops. Weather dense ice, wind SE 15-17 m/sec. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Sun. Feb. 25 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

15 Feb. 2007 0815 LT in position 12:05 N 080:10.7 E, India. Pirates in a fishing boat approached a tug towing a floating crane underway. Tug tried to take evasive maneuvers but the pirates managed to board unmanned floating crane from behind. Tug now proceeding to Chennai. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

14 Feb. 2007 0415 LT in position 22:16.2N - 091:43.7E, Chittagong Anchorage, Bangladesh. Pirates boarded a bulk carrier & attempted to steal ship's stores & ropes. As the ropes were secured on winches with wires the attempt failed -- they escaped empty handed. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

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F/V Way of Life sank on Feb 16 off Figueira da Foz on 40º20´06.92 N/8º50´35,62W. The crew of 3 survived. Small pieces of the hull drifted ashore in Praia da Tocha on Feb 24. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

18.5mt. Dutch F/V Hoop op Zegen -- got a net entangled in her propeller & drifting off Frisian coast 20 miles W. of Sylt in the night of Feb 23 while winds were up to 10 Bf -- rescue boat M/V Vormann Jantzen rescued crew & towed the ship into the Danish port Havneby within 9 hours. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

660t. German Navy minesweeper Grömitz -- refloated by 2974t. French anchor chaser M/V Bourbon Dolphin after 3 attempts of smaller tugs had failed, on Feb 22 at 4.51 p.m. with the rising flood. M/V Bourbon Dolphin pulled the Grömitz with the power of its 16,300 hp into deep water. Then she was escorted to Hakonsvaern for inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

Indonesian ferry M/V Levina 1, with 300+ passengers -- caught fire Feb. 22, killing at least 16 people & forcing terrified passengers to jump overboard, some clutching young babies. Investigators said chemicals appear to have fueled the flames. More than a dozen people were missing one day after the accident, though with passenger manifests in the archaeologic nation often incomplete the number could be higher. More than 290 people were rescued from the sea & vessel's charred hull by fishing boats, warships & helicopters, averting a 2nd major maritime disaster in Indonesia in the last several months. Cause of the blaze not immediately known hip is so seriously damaged that she will have to return to its base in Kiel for repairs. Cause of grounding seems to have been a navigational error. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

87-foot trawler F/V Lady Helen -- with 100,000 pounds of croaker -- struck bottom Feb. 22 in Oregon Inlet, a waterway known for its quick currents & ever-shifting shoals -- loses cargo worth US$20,000. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

M/V SA Helderberg -- in collision with -- M/V Ocean Sapphire requires dry docking. M/V SA Helderberg commenced her voyage in South Africa and it is likely that she was carrying cargo from this country and this will in all likelihood be discharged once the vessel reaches Singapore. Safmarine is believed to have already made arrangements for a replacement vessel to take her place on the Safari II service between the Far East & South Africa. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

11,7055dwt Greek 249.9mt. M/T Propontis (Built 2006 in Korea - IMO 9305623) reached the Elbe prior to being repaird at Blohm & Voss. Ship grounded Feb 9 off Suursari, Finland & towed on Feb 14 to  Skoeldvik, Porvoo, where it started to discharge its cargo at the Neste refinery on Feb 15. The more than 100,000 tons crude oil originally were destined from Primors to England but Neste Oil agreed to buy it instead. On Feb 10 ship anchored off the Russian territory and was inspected by divers on Feb 11. They had found the foreship breached & the hull dented thrice on starboard side. All this is to be repaired in Hamburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 24 2007)

Indonesian ferry M/V Levina 1 with 350 passengers -- suffered blast & fire Feb. 22, 80km off Jakarta from where the ship had departed short time ago bound for Pangkalan Balam on the island Bangka 500km N. of Jakarta.-- 7 passengers among them 2 children, died in blast. Most passengers taken off by sistership M/V Levina 2. 5 naval ships, 3 helicopters, 2 planes, 1 tug, 9 merchant ships & fire fighting ship were sent to scene. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

German Navy mine hunting ship Grömitz (built 1994) based in Kiel -- will remain for some time on the rocks where it grounded in the night of Feb 21 off the harbor Floræ on way to Bergen. While hull remained so far undamaged in the grounding, the bunker fuel will have to be taken off before salvage. This probably will have to be undertaken by a sheerleg as a tug could cause hull damage when towing the ship off the rocks where Grömitz is stuck fast with its bow pointing to the sky. Cause of the grounding was said to be a navigational error, but the small island could possible not be detected by radar in snowy conditions. Ship was underway with other NATO-units within a mine hunting exercise. She was expected in Bremerhaven the forthcoming weekend but this is very unsure now. Vessel Capt. may be looking for other employment. Close to this position theNorwegian Navy frigate Oslo was lost on Jan 25, 1994, after having rund aground one day before thereby suffering strong water ingress. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007) >> SEE OUR PHOTO FEATURE McD

6555 gt. Netherlands general cargo M/V Jumbo Challenger (built 1983) in the port of Los Angeles conducting offload operations -- one of the vessel's 2 cranes gave way & dropped the top portion of a 638 metric ton petroleum reactor onto the pier. The reactor, which is used in the oil refining process, was destined for the BP Oil Refinery in Carson, Calif. The vessel sustained damage to her hull & crane and will require repairs prior to departing Los Angeles. No injuries. U.S. Coast Guard, Los Angeles Port Police, Los Angeles Fire Dept. responded & working with cargo facility and vessel's representatives to safely move the heavy cargo. Cause of accident under investigation. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

Norwegian coastal-express M/V Nordstjernen -- in trouble in the night of Feb 22, as engines stopped & she drifted towards land. She also had a slight touch with the seabottom off Værlandet. Luckily there were already tugs in the area to assist the German Navy minesweeper Grömitz that went aground the night before. M/V Nordstjernen towed to Florø for further inspections. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

223gt, tug M/V Sertosa Dieciseis (built 1974) sank at 0100hrs 20 Feb in 30.53.3N 12.09W, SANK while under tow of another tug. Cause unknown. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

Russian flagged 351dwt. trawler F/V Statino, with 26 crew (built 1975) Feb. 18 towed by cargo M/V Komsomoliya Kaliningrada to Severo-Kurilsk port road -- with propeller tangled in net, to clear propeller. Trawler berthed outside inner port, as she had to be cleared by border guard. During next 24 hours waiting for divers and border clearing. Weather deteriorated to strong storm, wind 30-35 m/sec NNW, waves 5-6 meters. Trawler drifting on both anchors, due to weather conditions towing to inner harbor impossible. Trawler drifting in breakwater direction, at 06.25 Feb. 20 all crew evacuated by trawler Mys Zolotoy (same type), 2.8 cables to breakwater. 08.00 February 20, drift stopped with tide ebb. Feb. 20 22.00 weather improved, wind changed to W, 12 m/sec. At 22.30 2 small fishing vessels towed trawler to inner harbour, crew returned on board. Feb. 21, 01.00 trawler berthed. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

1421t. German 80mt. inland M/V Elbe (homeport Buxtehude) -- caught fire shortly after having entered the East basin of the Elbe harbor Brunsbuettel Feb. 19 -- was to take a cargo of copper ore for the "Norddeutsche Affinerie" in Hamburg. When berthing a short circuit in bow thruster room led to a fire accompanied by dense fume so that the bow thruster could not be stopped. Capt. informed the Harbor Master about the mishap -- who informed 9 men of the fire brigade of Brunsbuettel who were just 300 m away on the 5,00T coal freighter M/V SA Konnet for training. Soon they had reached M/V Elbe. Fire brigade of the Bayer Works came with further 12 men as well as the tugs M/V Bugsier 11 & M/V Parat, both fitted out with fire fighting equipment. Fire brigade Itzehoe sent divers to the scene. Fire fighters shuttled to M/V Elbe which was lying 10 metres away from the quay. Fire was under control & completely extinguished at 10 p.m. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

22ft. F/V Rufo -- stranded on Cayo Diablo, Puerto Rico due to bad weather conditions -- rescued by U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen Feb. 18. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

French barge Shema IX ran aground in Théoule-sur-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte, on the breakwater while trying to pull it round on Feb 18. Some hours later only the fenders were showing as the ship sank bow first on the rocky ground. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

Sunken former Soviet Whiskey-class submarine U 194 was found by the Wedish wreck research vessel M/V Havkatten -- at a depth of 75mt. off the Danish coast. Sonar pictures proved that it was the missing ship which foundered while being towed from Polonia. The Danish inspection vessel Poul Lowenoern marked the wreck position with a buoy. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

1621dwt. bunker tanker M/T Prometey (1975 built, IMO 8927814, ship manager Transbunker-Novo Co. Ltd)-- ran aground Feb. 17 while operating on Novorossiysk anchorage, no spill, no injures. Tanker loaded with 427 tons of diesel oil & 947 tons of fuel oil. Feb. 18 salvage under way, decided to partially unload tanker. Details pending. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

3101-TEU-container M/V SA Helderberg -- in collision at 05.14 hrs LT 17 Feb. -- with 77,356 dwt Singapore-registered M/T Ocean Sapphire -- off coast of Singapore -- surveyed by divers after the incident. No damage was sustained to any of the cargo onboard the ship. M/V SA Helderberg sustained some damage on her starboard side with water inflow, but this was brought under control & pump was being used to discharge ingress. A SvitzerWijsmuller tug is alongside vessel and has lifted additional salvage pumps & power pack on board as a precaution. Some oil has leaked from M/V SA Helderberg's fuel tanks into the sea. Malaysian Marine authorities boarded the vessel on 18 Feb., and the following evening to check progress. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

Russian F/V Pashkovskiy (dwt 87 tonns, L/B 30/7 meters, crew 13, owner Salmo Co., port of registry Petropavlovsk, Russia flagged) -- at Okhotsk Sea, at 13.00 LT Feb. 19 during hauling propeller tangled in net, vessel adrift, dropped both anchors in 53.01N 155.53 E, later wind strengthened to 30m/sec NW, vessel drifting on both anchors to shore at 1.5 knots, distance to shore 10 nm. Same-type vessels close-by can't help due to their specifications. Icing. By 24.00 Feb. 20 wind calmed down to 12-15 /sec, swell 1.5-2 meters, drifting stopped, 6.5 miles to shore. Salvage tug M/V Predanny steaming to scene, ETA Feb. 22. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

1,1935gt. Norway flagged M/T Sten Nordic(IMO 9351567) -- in collision Feb. 20 with --Netherlands flagged 5,602gt. dry cargo M/V Zillertal (IMO 8918734). Both vessels sailing from S.Petersburg to Rotterdam, M/T Sten Nordic loaded with 13,500 tons gasoiline -- M/V Zillertal loaded with 6,489 tons of steel. Preliminary report no spill, no injured. Both vessel under i/b Kapitan Sorokin ice-channelling, diverted to Tallinn port for damage inspection, ETA 12.00 msc February 20. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

Neste Oil M/T Sten Nordic, with 11,000 tons of gas oil -- ran into the stern of a cargo ship in the Gulf of Finland near the island of Hogland on Feb. 20. No oil or personnel damage has been caused. Russian authorities inspected the damage & allowed vessel to continue on to Tallinn, Estonia. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

35ft motor yacht burst into flames 2 miles off the coast in West Sussex Feb. 20 -- blaze could be seen from Brighton. Rescue vesles unable to approach due to fire. Crew rescued near Shoreham by a fishing boat and lifeboats from Brighton and Shoreham. From our Correspondent A.W. Griffiths. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

Giant trawler F/V Atlantic Navigator (built 1996 as F/V American Monarch) -- gone aground in Klaksvik, Faroe islands. No reports of person-injuries. Normaly there are about 100 men(and woman) onboard. Apparently a blackout -- M/V Atlantic Navigator was out of control when it ran aground -- 90 of the crew of 107 taken of the ship that is still hard aground at Kunoyarnes just a few miles from homeport Klaksvík. U.S. Coast Guard vessel USCGC Brimil will attempt to pull ship off rock at highwater. F/V Atlantic Navigator was about to end record breaking trip fully loaded with surimi & meal in just 19 days. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

Taiwanese F/V Jin Long Tong 33 -- engulfed in flames on Feb. 19, 640 miles E-NE of Guam, according to U.S. Coast Guard - vessel caught fire early Feb 18 & crew of at least 11 sailors forced to evacuate the ship into life rafts. Everything after the forward bow has been consumed by flames. U.S. Navy aircraft expected to circle above the ship to keep watch over the crew through the night & until they can be picked up by a merchant M/V Vioc Rose. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

44ft. P/Y Sure Fire, with 2 aboard -- hit S. jetty of Charleston Harbor entrance Feb 19 at 6:30 p.m. -- traveling from Beaufort, S.C -- vessel began to take on water. Rescue coordinators at U.S. Cost Guard Sector Charleston launched rescue boat from Station Charleston & rescue helicopter from Air Facility Charleston to assist the couple. The two were brought back to Sector Charleston & arranging for commercial salvage for their vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

Dutch container M/V SA Helderberg - leaving Port of Tanjung Pelepas -- in collision Feb. 18 with -- Singapore M/T Ocean Sapphire -- now under control. Two oil spots were still visible 2 NM from Tanjung Piai and efforts had been taken to clean them. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

Dutch cargo M/V Jumbo Challenger -- while conducting offload operations Feb. 18, at Port of Los Angeles, one of the ship's 2 cranes gave way & dropped the top portion of a 638mt. petroleum reactor onto the pier. The reactor, which is used in the oil refining process, was destined for the BP Oil Refinery in Carson, Calif. U.S. Coast Guard, Los Angeles Port Police, Los Angeles Fire Dept., & Los Angeles Police responded to an accident aboard vessel. Ship sustained damage to her hull & crane and will require repairs prior to departing Los Angeles.  No injuries reported. U.S. Coast Guard & Port of Los Angeles currently working with cargo facility & ship's representatives to safely move the heavy cargo. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

Dutch cargo M/V Ostedijk, Porsgrunn in Norway for Valencia with 6,000 tons of fertilizers -- still experiencing problems with its cargo of fertilizers first reported Feb. 17 off A Coruña on the Galicia coast, has been towed to the N. of Lugo, around 6 miles to the east of Estaca de Bares -- 4 of 12 crew evacuated & treated at A Coruña's Juan Canalejo Hospital for nausea, vomiting as well as and eye & throat irritations caused by inhaling fumes from fermenting cargo that also got into the engine room & forced engines to be stopped. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007) UPDATE>> Dutch freighter M/V Ostedijk -- anchored off northwestern Spain with 6,000 tons of partly rotting fertilizer -- located 20km off the Galicia region -- attached to a Spanish rescue vessel which had towed it there. The freighter had been unable to pursue its journey from Norway towards Valencia in eastern Spain after the cargo of NPK 151515C - a common type of fertilizer - started decomposing. Water sprayed on the hold Feb. 19 to cool cargo down, but ship nevertheless continued releasing gases which were visible in the form of a white cloud. Crew taken on board the Spanish rescue vessel. Several crew including Capt. have received medical treatment for irritated eyes & respiratory organs. Many of the crew are Filipino nationals. Spain waiting for the shipowner to propose a solution. Spanish authorities say gases released by M/V Ostedijk not toxic -- nevertheless do not intend to dock in Spanish port.Dutch freighter M/V Ostedijk -- anchored off northwestern Spain with 6,000 tons of partly rotting fertilizer -- located 20km off the Galicia region -- attached to a Spanish rescue vessel which had towed it there. The freighter had been unable to pursue its journey from Norway towards Valencia in eastern Spain after the cargo of NPK 151515C - a common type of fertilizer - started decomposing. Water sprayed on the hold Feb. 19 to cool cargo down, but ship nevertheless continued releasing gases which were visible in the form of a white cloud. Crew taken on board the Spanish rescue vessel. Several crew including Capt. have received medical treatment for irritated eyes & respiratory organs. Many of the crew are Filipino nationals. Spain waiting for the shipowner to propose a solution. Spanish authorities say gases released by M/V Ostedijk not toxic -- nevertheless do not intend to dock in Spanish port. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

Japanese whaling F/V Nisshin Maru -- caught on fire in Antarctic waters Feb. 16 may re-start her engines & resume hunt as soon as Feb 20 -- damage to engines isn't as bad as initially determined -- pumped out all the water after fire & crew checking wiring. F/V Nisshin Maru's factory deck caught on fire on Feb. 15, raising concerns that fuel on board could leak into the Southern Ocean, causing an environmental disaster. New Zealand urged the ship's owners to move the boat as soon as possible, as it is floating 100km from the world's biggest Adelie penguin colony at Cape Adare on the Antarctic coast. The largest boat in the fleet, F/V Oriental Bluebird could also be used to tow F/V Nisshin Maru out of Antarctic waters & back to Japan. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007) UPDATE>> Repair crews failed Feb 20 to restart the engine of the crippled Japanese whaler but were not yet planning to tow the ship away from the pristine Antarctic coastline. (Wed. Feb. 21 2007) UPDATE>> Vessel restarted its engines & sailed under her own power. The whaling fleet's only processing ship, had been without power off the Antarctic coast since an onboard fire 10 days ago. The fleet would decide on Feb 28 whether to continue or to return to Japan. New Zealand had warned of international condemnation if the stricken ship leaked fuel into the environment. Vessel carrying 1.3m litres of fuel oil & stranded only 100km (60 miles) from the world's largest colony of Adelie penguins -- rejected offer of a tow out of the area from Greenpeace, prompting New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, to speak out. Activists hoped that the damage to F/V Nisshin Maru would force 6-ship fleet to abandon its hunt. F/V Nisshin Maru is moving northward. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 28 2007) UPDATE>> Japan on Feb 28 officially ended an expedition to kill as many as 945 whales in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica after a fire on its factory ship M/V Nisshin Maru brought the fleet to a standstill for nine days, the country's Fisheries Agency said. The fleet of whalers will return to Japan by the middle of March, Takahide Naruko, the head of the Far Seas Fisheries Division of the Fisheries Agency of Japan told reporters in Tokyo. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Mar. 1 2007)

German inland M/T Piz Sedley -- ran aground Feb. 16 between Wentdorf & Mueggendorf on the Elbe. She was coming from Magdeburg where it had discharged a cargo of oil. All attempts to get her free with own power failed. On Feb 17 a pusher tug in vain tried to refloat. Morning of Feb 18 the pusher M/V Jan from Tangermuende came & stabilized M/T Piz Sedley first to avoid that its propeller would be damaged. With the 2nd attempt vessel then refloated. Elbe traffic not influenced by the grounding. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

145mt. ferry M/V Mistral Express -- grounded Feb. 15, off the Spanish enclave Melilla in Morocco -- breached numerous tanks, including one of the inner fuel tanks. SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage team, consisting of a salvage master, technicians, divers & naval architect, immediately set to work to prepare vessel to be refloated ahead of worsening weather conditions. Regaining buoyancy techniques were used to deal with breached tanks, oil transferred from the breached fuel tank to other tanks & general weight distribution on board of the casualty was adjusted to allow the vessel to be refloated. In close co-ordination with the Spanish Authorities 2 ETV's and a smaller tug were made available and a first controlled attempt was planned today during high water. Under command of the SvitzerWijsmuller salvage master & team the vessel subsequently at about 14.15 LT was refloated. She was to be brought outside of the port for stabilization purposes, where after it was planned to berth her alongside inside the port again. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 20 2007)

43-foot fishing vessel M/V Bonney Anne broke from anchor & became adrift without power in heavy seas 60-miles northeast of Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Feb. 19. Coastguard aircrew rescued three fisherman. Vessel remains adrift. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 19 2007)

Tank barge Miss Sandy, carrying 50 metric tonnes of crude oil, exploded off Venice, Louisiana, at the entrance to the waterway to New Orleans on Feb. 17. One crew member was killed and another was air-lifted to a local hospital. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 19 2007)

Oil tanker M/V Prometheus, carrying 1,400 tons of diesel and heating oil, ran aground Feb. 17 near the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk as a result of navigational error. The ship was towed into Novorossiysk without spill. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 19 2007)

Cargo vessel M/V Heimdal suffered engine failure on Feb. 18 shortly after departing Kotka for Kemi, Finland. The vessel was towed back to Kotka by tug M/V Viikari. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 19 2007)

Aberdeen-registered fishing vessel M/V Margaret Jane suffered crew overboard approximately 60 miles north of Peterhead, Scotland on Feb. 17. A helicopter from a nearby rig and 11 boats in the area searched for the man, who was found approximately 50 minues after going overboard. The rescued crewmember died at the infirmary. (Sun. Feb. 18 2007)

Container ship M/V SA Helderberg collided with another vesel in Singapore and taking on water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 18 2007)

Offshore patrol frigate M/V Hvidbjoren of the Royal Danish Navy collided with French trawler M/V Bruix on Feb. 14. The M/V Hvidbjoren was attempting to arrest the M/V Bruix for illegal fishing in Faroese waters between Faroes and Shetland. The M/V Bruix refused to stop and managed to escape in UK waters. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 18 2007)

67m inland water craft M/V Albatros, Brunsbuettel to Freiburg, caught fire on Feb. 17 on the Elbe close to Wischhafen, buoy 77. Firefighters used 3 ships to extinguish the flames, which required four hours. One crew member and one firefighter injured. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 18 2007)

79m inland water craft M/V Labe 10, carrying a load of soy, suffered 30cm gash in its hull and became in danger of sinking close to Hamburg-Wilhemsburg on the Elbe on Feb. 18. Fire fighters prevented the vessel from sinking with additional pumps and patched the leak. Vessel was taken to a yard in Hamburg. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 18 2007)

6,000 tonne Dutch M/V Ostedijk, enroute to Valencia, suffered fire, releasing toxic gas from its load of fertilzer off the northwest coast of Spain on Feb. 17. Vessel is being towed away from inhabited coastal areas. (Sat. Feb. 17 2007)

36,452grt 1998-built container ship M/V Iris, China to Hong Kong to Thailand to S. Africa, suffered engine failure off of Singapore on Feb. 15. (Sat. Feb. 17 2007)

22,895grt 1985-built bulk carrier M/V Wadi Halfa, Egypt to Canada, reported two cracks on main deck on Feb. 13. Vessel currently in the St. Lawrence Seaway. (Sat. Feb. 17 2007)

6,114 grt 2005-built cargo vessel M/V Eren C, Mariupol to Karabiga, reported engine failure in the Bosporus. Vessel is anchored in Beykoz Bay, north of Istanbul. (Sat. Feb. 17 2007)

Fishing vessel M/V Alaskan Pride became disabled with three people aboard in Taku Inlet, Alaska on Feb. 9. Coast Guard HH-60 helicopter from Air Station Sitka responded, staying on scene until a 47 ft. boat from station Junaeu arrived and took the M/V Alaskan Pride in tow. (Sat. Feb. 17 2007)

Korean fishing vessel M/V Bang Joo 7 ( Sea World 101) suffered leak of ammonia gas while at port in Montevideo, Uruguay on Feb. 15., killing five crewmembers and causing 24 others to collapse. The ammonia gas was used for refrigeration. (Fri. Feb. 16 2007)

13,000dwt South Korean Dae Ho Shipping owned M/V Zenith Light, Japan to Pohang with steel products, sank in heavy seas near the Japanese port of Nagoya on Feb. 14. Japanese Coast Guard rescue patrol picked up 2 of the 11 crewmembers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 16 2007)

8,000t. whale processing ship M/V Nisshin Maru -- caught fire near Antarctica, leaving 1 crew missing & raising fears of environmental damage. Blaze on board prompted evacuation crew onto other ships. Cause of fire is still unknown, but New Zealand authorities said it had nothing to do with whaling protesters. The whaling fleet has been pursued by activists, protesting at plans to hunt 850 minke whales & 10 fin whales. In recent days, protesters from the Sea Shepherd environmental group have clashed with the whalers & thrown acid and other objects on the ships to try to stop them from carrying out their hunt. Alarm was sounded on board the M/V Nisshin Maru just before daybreak. About 120 members of its crew were evacuated to 3 other ships in the whaling fleet, while 40 sailors stayed on board to fight fire in the ship's engine room. One crew member reported missing, but it is not clear whether he was caught up in the flames or went overboard into the icy waters of the Ross Sea. New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter said that while the safety of the whaling ship's crew was the top priority, "we are also gravely concerned about the environmental risk to Antarctica's pristine environment, if the ship is sufficiently damaged to begin leaking oil". New Zealand maritime authorities - whose country is responsible for search & rescue operations in the area - have ruled out any possibility that anti-whaling protestors had something to do with the fire. Instead they think the blaze caused by a mechanical fault. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

1,994gt. South Korean ship with 3,000 tons of steel plates was on its way to South Korea's SE port of Pohang when it disappeared 9 miles off Nagoya, Japan on Feb, 14 -- 4 South Koreans, 5 Myanmarese & 2 Indonesians - are alive. Not known when veseel sank. Ship sent SOS radio message to its company in Busan, Daeho Maritime Shipping Co., at 3:20 p.m., shortly before she went missing, citing bad weather conditions. Japanese Maritime Safety Agency dispatched plane & three patrol boats to scene for search operations & discovered a life raft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

Philippine ferry M/V Manila Bay 1 -- suffered fire at 10:30 a.m. on Feb 11 -- said to have erupted at the vessel's upper deck. No reported casualties in the fire. Fire put out at 12 noon even as damage was yet to be determined. Ill-fated vessel was said to be owned by Gothong Shipping Lines. Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire whether it is an accident or not. Vessel was scheduled to leave Cebu in the night of Feb 12 towards Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. Fire came as the PCG is on heightened alert in preparation for the Valentines Day Bombings anniversary. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

590gt. cargo M/V Troy D -- scuttled last week to create the reef off Tasmania. Scuttling delayed slightly while a helicopter completed a last minute search of the site for any stray whales or other vulnerable marine life. Then to cheers and applause from hundreds of spectators assembled on nearby boats, M/V Troy D was sunk. A ball of flame shot-up from the vessel, but it was only for show. The real work was done by explosives carefully planted inside M/V Troy D, which imploded the ship -- 55-meter vessel has now sunk to seabed next to a marine berth off Maria Island. Hoped she will become a world-class dive site. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

Mediterranean Shipping Co-operated 9,178-TEU container M/V MSC Roma -- in collision with -- French trawler early on Feb 10 morning. The incident occurred in the English Channel, 38 km N. of the port of Fecamp; no injuries & no pollution. As a result of the collision the trawler began to take on water & M/V MSC Roma stopped to assist the 6 crew on board. French coastguards sent out several rescue vessels & helicopter. Deep sea assistance tug M/V Abeille Liberte placed on alert in Cherbourg, ready to depart if needed. Pumps were placed onto the trawler, which was later taken in tow by another fishing vessel back to Fecamp. M/V MSC Roma, which was en route from Le Havre to Felixstowe & able to continue its voyage. Ship is owned and managed by Hamburg-based owner Claus Peter Offen & operated by MSC between Europe and the Far East. Delivered by Samsung Heavy Industries on 28 Dec. & was on maiden voyage to Europe. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

Grounded oil rig A Turtle being towed out of Trypot Bay & scuttled on Feb. 10. At the first attempt the cable broke from the tug M/V De Hong and had to be reconnected, at the 2nd attempt she came loose, and was towed out of the bay at 6 p.m., towards the dumpsite approved by the Governor of St Helena. The position was reached at 0330, 11 of the salvage team remain onboard to keep the compressors running pumping air into the airbags fitted into the legs of the rig, all precautions were taken to ensure that the rig sank & salvage crew left the rig safety. At 2pm the salvage team were taken off after pulling the plugs. At 5.30 she went below the surface, 10.3 NM from the nearest shoreline of the island, and within Tristanian waters. Shortly after there was a loud noise that appear to be the busting of the airbags. The rig sunk in about 3,400m of water and virtually no debris of any kind surfaced from the rig, as the remaining diesel fuel had been pumped to the tug during the last week. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

Donjon Marine, Co., Inc. salvaged the dinner cruise M/V Sunset Queen -- which sank on January 28, 2007, alongside one of the Municipal Piers located in Sheepshead Bay, New York, in about 20 ft. of water. Sunset Queen is 100 ft. long & 30 ft. wide with a light ship weight of approximately 200 tons. The salvage effort, considered a pick & pump operation, involves lifting the vessel to the surface with the use of the 400-ton capacity Donjon Derrick Barge Columbia New York, where the vessel is then pumped free of water with the use of portable pumping systems & subsequently refloated. Upon successful re-floating, the vessel will be delivered to owners at Mays Shipyard located in Staten Island, New York, for survey & repair work. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 15 2007)

F/V Little Joe, wih 5 crew -- sank off the coast of Ventura County, Calif. Feb. 14 -- U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach received a call for help just after midnight over VHF radio channel 16. Rescuers from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles and Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor responded. Vessel was equipped with a marine radio, GPS, and 406Mhz Electronic Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), equipment that aided U.S. Coast Guard in locating the fishermen. Vessel was based out of Ventura, Calif. Cause of sinking under investigation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007)

Follow Up>> 26,530 dwt Cypriotic cargo M/V Golden Sky (IMO 8405773) -- still aground close to Ventspils , Latvia -- grounded 15 Jan. in heavy seas and rough weather 1 km from sandy shore. Bunker barge Amethyst is actually pumping out fuel & oil sludge from M/V Golden Sky. Vessel is still fully loaded with its cargo of 25,000 tons fertilizers bound from Ventspils to India. See our earlier reports. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007)

Bulk M/V Server -- work started to dewater the foreship on Feb. 12 -- 4,200 tons of water will have to be pumped out -- work is carrued out by Eide Services A/S within 12 hours. 100m3 of oil left in the bow are secured. M/V Server broken in two on Jan 12 off Fedje. The stern section is lying sunken off the rocks. Fom our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007) See Our Feature: Out of Service

Danish environment protection vessel Marie Miljoe -- ran aground on Feb 12 at Loegstoer Rende in the Limfjord at 12.30 p.m. Ship was underway to the Russian cargo M/V Ladoga 11 which had run aground on Feb 8. Ship was investigated by divers of M/V Soeloeven & soon refloated with own power. She then resumed voyage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007)

F/V MRTK-0717 -- aground Feb. 11 on NW coast of Shumshu island, Kuril islands, Okhotsk sea side. Listing 15 degrees starboard, no water ingress, no spill, sea-bottom sand, no injures. Crew 9, DWT 174 tonns, Port of Registry Nevelsk, Sakhalin, owner SK BSF. No immediate danger, F/V Kurilskaya Gryada rushing to scene. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Feb. 14 2007)

F/V Leilani -- sunk by the U.S. Coast Guard 3 miles off of Barbers Point. U.S. Coast Guard attached a radio beacon on Feb 12 to track the vessel's movement along the south shore of Oahu. The signal was lost at 4 a.m. Feb 13. A Coast Guard HH-65 helicopter and crew overflew the last known position to ensure that the vessel had sank and that there was no visible signs of pollution. U.S. Coast Guard worked closely with the Hawaii State Dept. of Health, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration and our other maritime partners to ensure the safe sinking of the burned vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007)

F/V Yukiyoshi Maru -- 3 crew went missing Feb 9in the Pacific 185KM SW of Cape Toi, Miyazaki Prefecture -- rescued safe & sound Feb 12 after they were found drifting in a raft. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007)

Greece flagged 66,919,gt. M/T Propontis (built 2006 IMO 9305623) from Primorsk to Western Europe with 100,000 tons of crude oil, touched sea-bed Feb. 8 in 60.00.55 N 026.35.6 E, Gulf of Finland, russian safety zone. No injures, no spill. Vessel proceeded to finnish waters, achrode, shipowner ordered survey. Tanks not damaged. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Tues. Feb. 13 2007) UPDATE>> Vessel convoyed by the tug M/V Ahti to new anchorage, W of Kalbodagrund nearPorvoo where it will stay until Feb 12. There are cracks in the bow and two dents of 20-40 cm in the right side. No oil spills into the sea have been observed. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 13 2007)

M/T Elegant Princess -- diverted to aid single handed Shetland yachtsman Andrew Halcrow, 47, 350 miles SW of Australia when he was struck down with pain in Dec. 2006, but did nort find -- S/Y Elsi Arrub now spotted 170 miles off Australia. The plan is for a boat to tow the yacht to land. From our Correspondent A. L Griffiths. (Tues. Feb. 13 2007)

1,600 ton DWT M/V Sealark (built 1979) -- grounded Feb. 10 -- SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage succeeded to refloat in 1st attempt off Denmark on Feb. 13 -- grounded near the entrance to Randers in Denmark, some 30 miles north of Aarhus on 09/02. The 70 meter long vessel had 6 silo's on board as cargo for the UK. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 13 2007)

97mt. River passenger cruise M/V Dresden -- owner by Peter Deilmann, Neustadt (built 1991 -- In collision with the Elbe bridges (Elbbrücken) in Hamburg on Jan 12 & currently stuck fast. Ship was enroute to the Norderwerft (Norder Yard) in Hamburg without passengers. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 13 2007)

Former ex-M/V King Harry Ferry -- broke free from its moorings during strong winds on Feb.11. The old car ferry slipped its moorings at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth and drifted 1.5 miles across the river mouth. She is now back in Falmouth Docks after a major operation to pull it off a beach near St Mawes. Early indications are that weather conditions were to blame. The new M/V King Harry Ferry was launched in April 2006 & made her 1st crossing of the River Fal from Feock, near Truro, a month later. From our Correspondent A. L Griffiths. (Tues. Feb. 13 2007)

Japanese whaler F/V Kaiko Maru -- sent up a distress signal in the Antarctic -- in collision with vessel of whale protection organization Sea Shepheard Feb 12 -- breached thereby in the stern. The ships colllided twice, and F/V Kaiko Maru radioed for help, but refused such from the Sea Shepherd shipsFrom our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

Carnival Cruise Lines' M/V Fantasy -- returning to the Port of New Orleans, LA Feb. 10 -- struck by a barge, 1 of 6 rice filled barges being pushed along the Mississippi River by M/V Repentance -- no reports of any injuries, but the 1990-built M/V Fantasy sustained a 30-foot gash in her hull about 5 feet above the water line on the port side, near the stern. Barge went out of control, 1st colliding with the river bank, then the cruise ship. Following the crash, ship continued on to the Erato Street Cruise Terminal. Carnival canceled the next scheduled cruise & repairs will be made at New Orleans. Cause of accident is under investigation. M/V Fantasy expected back in service Feb. 15th. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

Roro-ferry M/V Mermaid II -- caught by strong winds Feb. 11 morning while berthing at the Skandinavienkai in Luebeck-Travemuende & pushed her against the pier. The ship was breached 0,4x0,5 m 3mt. above the waterline at the bow -- pier also suffered damage. The ship was not allowed to leave Luebeck until end of investigations. Scheduled departure for Riga at 10 a.m. had to be canceled. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

Bahama-flagged 798ft. oil M/T Kition, with 466,000 barrels of carbon black crude -- Feb. 10 colided with the Interstate-10 bridge at mile marker 229 along the Lower Mississippi River near the Port Allen Route. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

F/V Creole Belle -- whose crew was airlifted by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter in the evening of Feb 8, abandoned fishing vessel Feb 10 after salvage company deemed scallop boat unsafe to tow -- salvor determined unsafe to work aboard & too dangerous to tow. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Campbell took proactive steps to eliminate the significant hazard to navigation posed by this unlit vessel on the high seas. F/V Creole Belle sank 80 miles SE of Nantucket in 250-330 feet of water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

M/V Fairplay 23 -- Feb 9 departed from Brest with the fire damaged carcarrier M/V Autoprogress bound for Emden. M/V Autoprogress had encountered an engineroom fire whilst enroute from Santander to Zeebrugge with 895 cars & towed into Brest January 31st by the tug M/V Abeille Bourbon. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 11 2007) UPDATE>> Still in Brest due to bad weather. Ship is now expected to leave for the Nordseewerke Emden for repairs after it encountered an engineroom fire whilst enroute from Santander to Zeebrugge with 895 cars on Feb 13. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

U.S. F/V Illusion -- crew abandoned ship near Dutch Harbor at 11:22 p.m., Feb 9. The crew was picked up from a life raft in Makushin Bay by a Coast Guard helicopter that had been in Dutch Harbor with the Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Mellon -- crew's reason for abandoning ship is unknown at this time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 12 2007)

Bahamas flagged M/V Baltimar Boreas, with volatile ammonium nitrate -- caught fire, disabling ship, after she departed Newcastle Port on 8th Feb. night. The fire had been extinguished & tug had been sent to tow the ship back to Newcastle, where she was expected to arrive on Feb 9 evening. Ammonium nitrate is used as an explosive in mining operations, as a fertilizer and is the weapon of choice for terrorists. It was ammonium nitrate that was used during the Bali bombings. The ship had been heading for Port Moresby. Investigating officers had been sent to meet the ship on its return to Newcastle to establish the circumstances of the incident. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 11 2007)

Greece-flagged 160,000-dwt M/T Propontis (built 2006), with 25 crew -- touched bottom off the island of Suursaari between Finland & Estonia just after midnight Feb 8, is refloated. Fly-over from helicopter had revealed no oil spill from vessel. A coast guard cutter has been dispatched to the scene and Tsakos sent a response unit. The ship traveling westward from the Russian port of Primorsk to an unknown port in the North Sea -- believed to be on charter to Finnish company Neste Oil. The ice-strengthened tanker is now lying about 50 km S. of the Finnish port of Loviisa. Vessel is classed by Bureau Veritas & has insurance cover with the Britannia Steamship Insurance Assn. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 11 2007)

4,433-gt Aboitiz Transport System-operated ro-pax ferry M/V Our Lady of Medjugorje arrived safely back in Manila after a 2-day tow. Vessel departed Manila on Feb 8 with 935 passengers & crew on a regular voyage to Coron, in the N. of Palawan province. Five hours into the voyage, at a time of strong winds & heavy seas, the ship's engine stopped. The Philippine Coast Guard received the distress call early on Saturday and sent its search & rescue vessel M/V Pampanga, while Aboitiz dispatched another of its ferries, M/V Superferry 16, to assist in the evacuation of passengers. It took 20 hours for the ships to arrive alongside the Medjugorje, before both began the tow back to Manila. Arrival was delayed by a further 24 hours when M/V Superferry 16's tow rope snapped while passing Lubang Island in Mindoro, according to the Coast Guard. The incident prompted the Medjugorje to call for tug assistance. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 11 2007)

Turkish-operated 10,260-dwt Slovakia-flagged multi-purpose vessel M/V Garip (built 1975), Turkish port of Nemrut Bay to the Russian Black Sea port of Tuapse with unknown cargo & 108 crew -- ran aground at Camalti Point off Marmara Island -- trying to re-float ship after she grounded in the Marmara Sea on Feb 6 -- so far no one requested salvage assistance as they try to re-float the vessel under her own power. Nobody at the ship's Istanbul-based manager Yilmar Denizcilik was immediately available for comment. M/V Garip is classed by Germanischer Lloyd & Yilmar -- has insurance cover with AXA Global Risk of France. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 11 2007)

74ft. New Bedford, Mass., based F/V Creole Belle, with 3 crew -- disabled 35 NM southeast of Nantucket, Mass. U.S. Coast Guard medium endurance cutter home-ported in Kittery, Maine 270ft. USCGC Campbell WMEC 909<<Webfeature - en route to tow the vessel & was expected on scene. F/V Creole Belle had lost main propulsion & requested assistance. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 9 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

30 Jan. 2007 1945 LT in position : 10:15.4N - 064:42.5W, Bahia de Pozuelos, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela. Two pirates boarded a container ship at anchor. Duty crew spotted them & informed Duty Officer on bridge. Alarm raised & search was carried out. All doors, access into the ship were closed down & locked. Duty to stringent security measures onboard, the attack was unsuccessful.

29 Jan. 2007  0030 LT at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Despite active anti-piracy measures, a container ship berthed alongside was boarded by robbers armed with knives. They took 1 of the watchman hostage, placed a knife at his throat & threatened him. Pitates stole ship's stores & escaped by jumping overboard. Port authorities informed and a patrol boat arrived 30 minutes later and a search carried out but no one was caught.

27 Jan. 2007 2310 UTC in position 02:03S - 106:54E, Tg. Priok anchorage, Indonesia. Armed pirates boarded container ship at anchor from stern. They broke open locked steering room door & entered the engine room via watertight manhole -- stole ship's stores.

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

M/V The Lord is My Shepherd -- with large number of traders & fishermen are dead as vessel capsized & sank off Man-of-War Bay along the coast of SW Cameroon on Feb 3. The wooden power boat, known locally as an 'engine boat', sailed from the village of Tiko near Limbe & was bound for Oron in Nigeria but continued to pick up additional passengers until it was hopelessly overcrowded. Initially it was thought that 60 people had died but this number has been reassessed upwards in the light of subsequent reports. More than 60 bodies were buried in a mass grave by villagers along the coast near where the tragedy occurred but many others drowned at sea & their bodies have not been recovered. Area where survivors came ashore is covered by thick forest & swampy land which survivors had to trek through to find help. The "engine boats" are popular with local people because they provide a quicker form of transport for people having to travel overland through rough country with poor roads. The boats habitually stop at villages along the coast to pick up more passengers and cargo & often operate in an unsafe manner. According to one survivor's report, the skipper of the boat cut his engine to avoid detection from customs patrols & failed to restart again before the boat was swamped by large waves. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 9 2007)

Cargo M/V Wunma -- anchored 45 km off the Australien coast after having taken water & being evacuated in a cyclone & seems to be stable. Seas have abated & swell is now down to one to 2 meters. A pumping system has been established & de-watering has commenced to further stablise the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 9 2007)

250mt. Greek M/T Propontis (built 2006) -- ran aground Feb. 8 -- W. of the Russian island Hogland (Finnish Suursaari) and got two leaks. As the ship has a double hull, no oil escaped. Ship with crew of 25 had taken cargo in the Russian oil terminal Primorsk. Finnish coastguard as well as Russian & Estonian sea rescue forces are trying to get an overview of the situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 9 2007)

M/V Trans Fen -- from the Sietas Yard in Hamburg Neuenfelde, ran aground in the Baltic -- suffered bottom damage on the whole length of the hull. The ship proceeded to the Bredo Yard in Bremerhavven where actually 200 tons of steel have to be replaced. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 9 2007)

Indonesian ferry M/V Senopati Nusantara -- sank in Central Java's waters Dec. 29th, 2006 -- 338 passengers are still missing. Coordinator of the search & rescue team in Tanjung Mas Seaport in Semarang Budi Prayitno said that rescuers have so far managed to rescue 235 people alive & lift 55 dead bodies, 24 of which could not be identified. Team has not found any sign of the location of the ferry wreckage, which took 628 passengers when it left seaport in West Kalimantan to Central Java. Capt. has been released from hospital & being held for questioning. Wiratno, 53, has been treated for depression since he was picked up by a Navy ship on Jan 3, following the sinking of the ferry in rough seas N. of Java island. Capt. had been taken (from the hospital) by the national commission for transport safety for questioning. M/V Senopati Nusantara was carrying some 600 passengers & crew when she sank in rough seas while en route from Kumai on Borneo island to the Javanese port of Semarang. Exact location of the wreck of the ill-fated ferry remains unknown & search for her has been hampered by World War II sea mines and shipwrecks. Four navy ships still searching the Java Sea. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 9 2007)

21,252 dwt Cyprus flagged container M/V Maersk Vienna (built 2000, IMO 9202479) -- struck a berth in Baltiysk port on Feb. 4 on 7 a.m., and got a 40x40 cm hole in the starboard side -- ship was mooring in the 3rd sea pool of Baltiysk. One of the vessel's fuel tanks damaged, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 2 tons & slick of 170x50 meters about 5mm thick. Crew had noticed the hole only early in the morning. By this time 2 tons of black oil had already polluted an area of 160x30 meters. Ship was intentionally listed to the port side to get the leakage out of the water. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen.

113M bulkcarrier M/V Wunma, with 5,000 tons of zinc concentrate -- 10 crew winched to safety by 2 rescue helicopters at 1pm on Jan 7, about 100km off Karumba, in heavy seas whipped up by Cyclone Nelson. Crew safely returned to land in Normanton, in far north Queensland, and were not injured in the ordeal. Vessel sent out distress call 10.30pm on Jan 6 after it began taking on water & suffering engine trouble in the cyclone. Cargo is environmentally toxic & a danger for the area with its dugongs & prawn fisheries and a very complex and rather pristine ecosystem. The salvage cost an estimated 16.5 million yuan, which is to be paid by the ship's owner & maintenance companyThe salvage cost an estimated 16.5 million yuan, which is to be paid by the ship's owner and maintenance company From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 8 2007)

6,820-ton 146.5mt. cargo M/V Yinchu that sank in the Huangpu River Dec. 2 was salvaged on Feb 7, setting a national record for the number of external buoyancy floats employed in a river salvage. M/V Yinchu was being converted from a roll-on-roll-off cargo vessel into a dredger at a dock just a few dozen meters from the Nanpu Bridge. It suddenly flooded & capsized during its test launch. Local maritime authorities said a door had been left open, letting water in. The half-submerged wreckage partly blocked shipping traffic on the busy waterway. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 8 2007)

Minoan Lines passenger ferry M/V Knossos Palace suffered a 4-meter hull tear early in morning of Feb 3 during docking maneuvers at Iraklio port on its arrival from Piraeus -- breach in outer hull was about 2.5 meters above water line. None of the 816 passengers on board were injured as a result of the impact with the pier. An inspection team said the ship was not fit to return to Piraeus with passengers the same night but could make the return journey with only the crew on board after a temporary repair. Accident was caused by gale-force winds blowing on the side of the ship at that time. Company announced that M/V Olympic Palace will sail to Iraklio to replace M/V Knossos Palace on its scheduled routes -- expected to be back in service after repairs lasting a few days. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 8 2007)

dwt 21,252 Cyrpus flagged container vessel M/V Maersk Vienna, built 2000, struck berth in Baltiysk port on Feb. 4 piercing a 40x40 cm hole in the vessel. The vessel's fuel tank was damaged, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 2 tonns and a slick of 170x50 meters about 5mm thick. The slick has been boomed and salvage crews are on scene. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Wed. Feb. 7 2007)

Converted fishing vessel M/V Iledyeu, with three crew on board, reported that it was taking on water and sinking after colliding with tanker M/V Dutch Progress, four miles from the entrance to Whitby Piers, UK. Humber Coast Guard requested M/V Dutch Progress to stand by until personnel could arrive on scene. Crew of M/V Iledyeu abandoned vessel safely. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 7 2007)

246 ft. Cold War -era Soviet-built Whiskey-class submarine U 194, in service 1957-1991, took on water off the coast of the Jutland peninsula, northwestern Denmark on Feb. 5 while enroute to a museum in Thailand under tow by a whaling ship. No people, weapons, or fuel was aboard. The crew of the whaling vessel cut the U 194 loose, and the submarine sank. Plans are already being formulated to raise the submarine. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 7 2007)

25m and 89 passenger vessel M/V Margret, Germany, built 1993, burned out as a result of arson while berthed at Puschkinallee on the river Spree in Berlin-Treptow on the evening of Feb. 5. No passengers were aboard at the time. The vessel's windows were smashed by unknown individuals and the interior set on fire. Firefighters and policed tackled the blaze and prevented the vessel from sinking. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 7 2007)

Fishing vessel M/V Margarets, out of Blyth, took on water and called for assistance off the Tyneside coast. Coast Guard responded, M/V Margarets escorted back to Blyth harbour. (Tues. Feb. 6 2007)

Migrant vessel M/V Marine 1, Guinea to Canary Islands, suffered mechanical failure in international waters off the coast of Senegal on Feb. 3. Spanish Coast Guard vessel deployed to assist. Spain and Mauritania disagree on who should take in the hundreds Pakistani and African migrants aboard. Vessel currently moored off of Mauritania's northern fishing port of Nouadhibou -- its passengers stuck in limbo. Mauritania Red Crescent distributing humanitarian aid to vessel. (Tues. Feb. 6 2007)

Cargo ship M/V Hertford suffered machine blackout on Feb. 6 when running downstream on the Elbe. The ship tried to anchor but collided with buoy 76, causing the buoy to sink. Three tugs subsequently towed the ship into the Elbe port Brunsbuettel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Tues. Feb. 6 2007)

ALERT>> Unidentified boat capsized off Southwest Cameroon on Feb. 4. while enroute to Oron in neighbouring Nigeria. At least 60 people feared drowned, 15 known surviviors. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

Fishing boat M/V Christy Nichole sank off Fort Meyers Beach, FL after suffering impact from 14-ft bull shark which broke the boat's tail shaft, causing the vessel to take on water. All four crew rescued by near by vessel. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

380 ft. 200+ crew fish processing ship M/V Northern Victor, owned by Icicle Seafoods of Seatle, reported missing crewman in the Aleutian Islands. Coast Guard helicopter searched the area without success. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

M/V St. Katharinen collided with M/V Orpheus Asia off the port of Singapore resulting in serious damage in the former. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

23 ft. fishing boat M/V Kahihau capsized after taking on water in heavy seas. All four persons aboard rescued and in good condition after pilots on training maneuvers spotted the vessel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

788 ft. M/V Zhen Hua 16, carrying 4 $33 million cranes, collided with dredging boat Cherokee on Feb. 3 at port of Wilmington, NC, as it steamed up the Cape Fear River. Cranes incurred damage from impact. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

63,180 dwt container ship M/V Unific, arrived in Tacoma, Washington on Feb. 5 from Asia having lost 20 containers overboard, and 67 additional containers collapsed. (Mon. Feb. 5 2007)

18 m. tug Christoph sank at the Peutedeich in the Norderelbe on Feb. 3. Oilbooms laid out to contain the 4 tons of diesel oil. Vessel raised and stabilized on Feb. 4. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 4 2007)

Wightlink passener ferry M/V Lady Pamela suffered a fire in the engine room on Feb. 2 while docked at the Hard, Portsmouth for the purpose of being inspected to determine whether it could remain in service. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Feb. 4 2007)

S/Y Hooligan 5 -- capsized & sank after losing its keel in the English Channel off the south Devon Coast, Feb. 3 -- 1 dead & 4 rescued. Two RNLI lifeboats, Sea King rescue helicopters, Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels Wave Knight &Wave Ruler, and HMS Portland were involved in the rescue of crew from the Solent-registered yacht. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

U.S. Coast Guard closed a portion of the Mississippi River Feb. 2 after a barge struck a rail road bridge Thursday near Vicksburg, Miss. The barge caught fire after it struck the Vicksburg Rail Road Bridge near the Interstate 20 bridge and drifted about 10 miles down river & became grounded in Diamond Cutoff, 1 mile south of Oak Bend at mile marker 424.3. The fire aboard the barge was contained by the crew aboard M/V John Roberts & personnel from U.S. Environmental Services. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.'s passenger ferry M/V Sea Express 1, with 294 passengers -- in collision Feb. 2 on the River Mersey -- with M/V Alaska Rainbow. No injuries. Port side of the ferry's bridge is dented, with several windows smashed. Passengers have been warned that some of the vehicles on the ship may have been damaged in the crash. The cargo ship crashed into the ferry in heavy fog just a few minutes from docking at Liverpool. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007) UPDATE>> All 53 vehicles left on an Isle of Man ferry M/V Sea Express 1 have been removed. The Steam Packet Company, which owns the vessel, said it would now make every effort to return vehicles to owners as quickly as possible. Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) is investigating the incident. The company has suspended sailings between Liverpool & Douglas until a suitable replacement ship can be found. At present, all passengers booked on the route will be transferred to the twice-daily crossings between Douglas & Heysham. M/V Sea Express 1 could meanwhile be stabilized & moved to a yard in Birkenhead for repairs. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 8 2007)

F/V Puente America, with 46 crew -- suffered fire & was abandoned early Feb 2 morning off the coast of Santa Cruz province, N. of the Falkland Islands reports the Argentine Coast Guard -- all rescued. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

52-foot Newburyport, Mass. F/V Lady Luck, with 2 crew -- missing Feb. 1off shore of Cape Elizabeth, ME. Current weather conditions of the vessel's last know location are 10 knot winds & 4-foot seas with a water temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. An HU-25 Falcon Jet from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod launched about 3:45 a.m., arriving in the search area about 4:30 a.m. Within 15 minutes the Falcon crew located the flashing light from the EPIRB, dropped a deployable life raft and vectored the nearby fishing vessel F/V Blue Water II to search the area. Neither F/V Lady Luck nor it's crew was located during the Falcon's search. Search suspended Feb. 2. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

404ft. Norwegian cruise M/V Nordkapp (built 1996) -- nearly 300 passengers, including 119 Americans, were evacuated Jan 31 when vessel ran aground off a remote Antarctic island, damaging its hull. M/V Nordkapp got off the rocks under her own power & sought shelter in Walker Bay, where it was awaiting the arrival later Jan 31 of another Norwegian coastal voyage vessel M/V Nordnorge. No injuries, hull damaged & slightly listing. The 294 passengers & 8 crew were transferred to the sister ship using tenders from the two ships, small boats usually reserved for excursions. At 6.10 p.m. local time the evacuation was finished. M/V Nordnorge was then to take the passengers on to Ushuaia, Argentina, where they arrived on Feb 2. These vessels sail off the coast of Norway during the European summer. The ship was on its way back to Argentina when it ran aground near Deception Island, which is part of the South Shetland archipelago. The British warship -- ice patrol vessel HMS Endurance has taken 58 crew members to safety from the stricken cruise liner & sent down divers to inspect the damage to its hull and then escort the ship to port in Argentina. he cruiser was damaged as it passed through Neptune's Bellows at Deception Island off the Antarctic peninsula. . From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

Dutch inland M/V Defi, steel rolls for the steel factory Corus -- sank in the port of Luik, Herstal District, on Jan 31 after collision with a M/T on Jan 31. First the valuable cargo has to be discharged before the wreck of M/V Defi can be raised. Work is estimated to last about one week. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

Suction dredger Aquarius -- suffered broken spud & rescue crane partially sank -- stalling work on India's US$435M flagship Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project. 200-ton capacity crane is being deployed from Vishakapatnam to retrieve both the sunken crane & the spud. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for Dr. Jim Gray at 5:30 p. m. Feb 1. After four solid days of searching an area of over 132,000 square miles in optimal search conditions, Coast Guard search and rescue units found no trace of Dr. Jim Gray or his vessel S/Y Tenacious.  The search area that originally covered the area between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Farallon Islands based on his reported plans, was ultimately expanded to over 300 miles offshore, past the California - Oregon border, and south to the Channel Islands.  U.S. Coast Guard units based as far south as Los Angeles and as far North as Humboldt Bay were used in the search.  From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

Isle of Man-flagged M/T Weserstern with 10,000 tons of diesel fuel ran aground Jan 29 in stormy weather as it left the Estonian capital Tallinn, but there appeared to be no immediate risk to the environment. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

Dutch trawler F/V Willem van der Zwan - Sch 302, homeport Scheveningen -- suffered fire Jan. 29 while berthed at a yard in Velsen-Noord. Large flames and dense fume escaped from the ship so the highway had to be closed between Velsen & Beverwijk. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

P/Y Orio, with 4 passengers -- in collision & capsized 28 Jan. -- with ferry M/V Native Son Express, 1.5 nautical miles W. of Cruz Bay, Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands. One missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

37ft. tug M/V Andrea J -- sank Jan. 27 in the Milwaukee Inner Mooring Basin in 25 feet of water as it was tied off to another vessel at a pier located within the mooring basin at approximately 8:30 a.m. No personnel were onboard. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

The removal of one of Queensland's most popular beach shipwrecks because of asbestos contamination will begin on Feb 5. Thousands of tourists have been climbing over the wreck of the cargo M/V Cherry Venture since she ran aground on the Sunshine Coast's Teewah Beach in a cyclone in 1973. The Singaporean cargo ship had been on way from Auckland to Brisbane when a cyclone struck. In 1977 an attempt was made to refloat the vessel but it failed, leaving it stuck fast for tourists to climb over its rapidly decaying structure. But 30 years later it's been found that asbestos from the engine room has spread to the rest of the wreck. Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service southern region director Terry Harper said a 150 metre exclusion zone, which includes airspace, would be set to ensure public safety while the wreck is dismantled & removed over a 6 week period. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

770ft.M/V OOCL Melbourne -- Barcelona, Spain for Brooklyn, received distress report from U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command Center and then diverted to assist 60-ft. catamaran S/Y Amver with 14 passengers, 800 miles east of Cape Cod, Mass., in the afternoon of Jan 25. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

Panamanian flagged 938ft. Hyundai Merchant Marine owned container M/V Hyundai Confidence, Busan for Los Angeles with containers & 23 crew adrift in 20 foot seas, 1200 miles W. of Seattle Jan. 30 -- issued mayday -- disabled & adrift due to mechanical problems. U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) in Juneau, Alaska deployed a C-130 out of Kodiak, which is now on scene with radio communications. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Acushnet diverted to scene and will arrive in approximately 3 days. USCGC Mellon also diverted with no estimated time of arrival. Civilian M/V Suez Canal Bridge has responded to the alert -- expected to be on scene today. U.S. Coast Guard awaiting report of a civilian tug agency to be contracted by Hyundai Merchant Marine. Ship's crane fell into the engine as the vessel listed in heavy seas --injuries are not considered life-threatening, although one crew member was suffering from a broken arm & leg. The other had a sprained ankle. Ship had been scheduled to arrive at California United Terminals in Long Beach this week. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007) UPDATE>> M/V Hyundai Confidence has conducted repairs & is again under her own power. The injured crewmen have been reported as being in stable condition, and are not requesting Coast Guard assistance. U.S. Coast Guard assets have been released from the case & M/V Hyundai Confidence is continuing with its cargo to Los Angeles. Cause of the engine problem Jan. 30 is unknown at this time. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Feb. 2 2007) UPDATE>> M/V Hyundai Confidence has conducted repairs & is again under its own power. The injured crewmen have been reported as being in stable condition, and are not requesting U.S. Coast Guard assistance. Coast Guard assets have been released from the case, and M/V Hyundai Confidence is continuing with its cargo to Los Angeles. The cause of the engine problem unknown.  From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Feb. 3 2007)

150dwt. Russian trawler with reefer hold F/V Young Sin 27 (built 1991), issued Mayday Feb. 2 in position 44.27 N 146.44 E, Kuril Islands, Peter the Great strait. Search and rescue operation declared, coordinator RSC Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 4 vessels dispatched to the scene M/V I.Farkhutdinov, trawler F/V Kapitan Lapkin, coast guard patrol ship Velbot, F/V STR-503. Life rafts spotted, with all crew rescued & trawler disappeared from radars. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko

Cruise M/V Nordkapp -- on Jan 30 ran aground in Whalers Bay, Antarctic-- off S. tip of Argentina-- managed to get off herself. No injuriesd -- ship suffered minor damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007)

Launch M/V Gertrud, homeport Hamburg -- in collision Jan. 31 with -- berthing bridge in Altona. The ship was coming Elbe upstream from the Parkharbour with 12 persons, 10 of them pupils. When approaching the bridge, ship became uncontrolled due to a technical fault & crashed against bridge. M/V Gertrud's wheelhouse destroyed --1 crew injured. The police started investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007)

Dutch trawler F/V Willem van der Zwan - Sch 302 -- homeport Scheveningen -- in the evening of Dec 29 at 10.50 p.m. -- suffered fire burning on its full length & in danger of capsizing due to the water pumped into the hull. Oil booms were taken to the fire site in Velsen-Noord to prevent oil leaking. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007)

Tank barge George Morris -- was being towed out to sea by the tug M/V Rowan M. McAllister -- with 50,000 barrels of Ethanol aboard -- ran aground when it went outside of the channel in Raritan Bay near Ward's Point, Bend, New Jersey -- no apparent hull breach & no oil or ethanol has entered the water. Successfully re-floated at 5:05 a.m. Jan 31. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007)

11591gt. Portuguese carcarrier M/V Autropress (built 1998), Santander (Spain) for Zeebrugge (Belgium) with 895 vehicles -- suffered engine room fire Jan. 29 -- crew managed to extinguish the fire, but lost propulsion -- tug M/V Abeille Bourbon took her on tow to Brest harbor. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007)

Vessel Loss Dispatches For January 2007


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"Hook, Line & Sink Her!" - A Cargo Law Mystery - AMAZING - Dec. 2006

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"Mighty Sinking" - M/V Mighty Servant 3 - Dec. 2006 Russian cargo M/V Kalevala, with steel plates at Port of Bremen -- cargo slipped out of lashings. The load which had a weight of 10 tons fell from the crane into the hold. The plates tore gashes into the hull & damaged ballast water tank. No injuries. Damage repaired by crew. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.31 2007)

Cargo M/V Nikar G -- ran into the embankment of the Kiel Canal close to Audorf Jan. 28 -- BUT following cargo M/V Askö was unable to stop & ran into the ship. The canal traffic was completely stopped until the situation was cleared. At 11 a.m. M/V Nikar G refloated & able to proceed to Kiel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Jan.29 2007)

100mt. reefer M/V Sierra Nava -- which was anchored in Gibraltar Bay since Jan 7 -- on Jan 28 ran aground in stormy seas, breaching the hull & spilling engine fuel over protected coasts near Gibraltar. The ship was blown onto a beach just south of Algeciras in the Estrecho National Park. M/V Sierra Nava being pounded by waves is thought to have around 350 tons of fuel on board in 4 compartments though only one had been damaged. A coastguard helicopter rescued the crew of 14 who earlier had to put out a fire in the ship's engine room. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Jan.29 2007) UPDATE>> About 1 km (0.5 miles) of coast have been contaminated. Salvage workers from Dutch firm SvitzerWijsmuller will now concentrate on pumping water out of the ship's holds, removing the rest of its fuel & refloating her. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007)

U.S. Coast Guard confirmed on Jan 28 that the fishing vessel M/V Lady of Grace -- sank in Nantucket Sound 11 NM north of Nantucket after divers from the Massachusetts Law Enforcment council positively identified the 75-foot dragger as laying on her port side in 36 feet of water -- vessel's one life raft found still in its case & attached to the boat. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead, an 87-foot patrol boat home ported in Woods Hole, Mass., brought the dive team members to the scene, at which sonar & video equipment earlier detected an image which was thought to be the missing vessel. Crew presumed dead. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Mon. Jan.29 2007) UPDATE>> F/V Lady of Grace -- was found 40 feet under the frigid waters of Nantucket Sound, after disappearing in high seas & heavy icing conditions. Its emergency position-indicating radio beacon was lodged in the boat's scuppers. The device is designed to pop to the surface & immediately alert U.S. Coast Guard with an electronic signal, telling rescuers where to look for survivors. There were none. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 1 2007) UPDATE>> Divers from the Massachusetts State Police Underwater Recovery Unit and a private salvage company successfully searched a portion of the interior section F/V Lady of Grace Feb 13 before they were forced to stop dive operations due to deteriorating weather. 3 Crew remain missing.. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Feb. 14 2007) UPDATE>> One body recovered on 22 Feb. by Massachusetts State Police Underwater Recovery Unit. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Feb. 22 2007)

Hong Kong flag laden bulk M/V Hebei Eagle -- with draft 56'9 feet as no 6 in NB convoy of 27th Jan. 2007 went aground at km 101 at 4 p.m. in the Suez Canal and blocked 8 ships behind her. Suez Canal tugs were deployed & attempts for refloating are being taken. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Jan.28 2007)

Buckie registered F/V Evening Star, with 4 crew -- issued Mayday to Aberdeen Coastguard Jan. 28 -- taking in water & needed assistance. Coastguard considered transferring pumps to the fishing vessel by helicopter but soon after this the crew of F/V Evening Star reported to the Coastguard that situation had deteriorated abandoning ship to liferaft. The vessel sank shortly after this 30 miles East of Peterhead. Weather conditions were winds force 5 with good visibility. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Jan.28 2007)

M/V Warren, with 2,000 tons of iron ore -- suffered tern collision Jan. 27 off Panaji port by -- M/V Sea Horse, with iron ore while they were proceeding to unload the material in the transhipper anchorage in the port. M/V Warren suffered gush of water ingress in engine room after she developed a crack -- entire ship sank within an hour. Both ships involved in the accident are hardly 3-year-old while the average life of a vessel is 35 years. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sun. Jan.28 2007)

U.S. Coast Guard is searching on Jan 27 in Nantucket Sound for the overdue New Bedford, Mass., based fishing vessel M/V Lisa Ann with 4 on board. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

F/V Gulf Master -- issued disrtess call to U.S. Coast Guard -- taking on water & in danger of sinking late in the afternoon of Jan 26 25 miles S. of Cameron, La - U.S. Coast Guard Coast Guard lowered a dewatering pump - vessel dropped off 2 members of its crew onto an oil platform, West Cameron 149, and began heading towards shore -- she made it the El Paso Shore Base dock on the west side of Cameron safely. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

Maltese-flagged cargo M/V Nijord -- ran aground off the western coast of Latvia Jan. 22, but the accident was not due to bad weather but because the Capt. was drunk --along with 4 other crew who were also sailing under the influence, a spokeswoman for the Latvian Navy said. According to the Baltic News Service (BNS), the Russian ship's captain was more than twice the legal limit for driving. The accident came a week after another freighter, the Cyprus-registered M/V Golden Sky, ran aground off Ventspils in severe weather. McD (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

89ft. M/Y Sunset Queen -- partially sunken in Sheepshead Bay, New York after the night watchman aboard heard a load bang at 5:30 a.m. Jan 27. Although there was no pollution reported initially, at approximately 1 p.m. the vessel began to discharge an unknown amount of fuel as vents to the fuel tanks began to flood with the rising tide. The owner of the vessel said there was approximately 1200 gallons of diesel onboard. Sea Tow contained the area with a boom as a precautionary measure well before the fuel began to leak and are using absorbent pads to collect the fuel as it surfaces. U.S. Coast Guard is investigating. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

M/V MSC Napoli UPDATE>> Over 33% of the vessel's fuel has now been removed. Pumping continues round-the-clock. By 05.00 hrs Jan. 26 1,470 tonnes had been transferred to the lightering tanker M/T Forth Fisher. Barges are arriving to lighter the containers. Follow The Full Story From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

20mt. twin rig trawler Kinsale-based F/V Honeydew II -- went missing over 10 days ago with 2 crew on board along with F/V Pere Charles with 5 crerw -- search resumed 26 Jan for F/V Honeydew II lying some 3.6 miles SE of Ram's Head between Ardmore & Dungarvan, Co Waterford. F/V Pere Charles lies just over two miles off Hook Head in Co Wexford, some 4 miles from its home port of Dunmore East, Co Waterford.naval diving team searched the wheelhouse area and the galley area of the ship Jan. 24. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

Norwegian F/V Herøy -- went aground & sank off Atllanterhavsveien in Norway on Jan. 25. The crew of 8 abandoned & later picket up by other vessels. They are all safe. The coast guard ship Eigun monitoring the situation. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

French F/V La Manureva with 4 crew -- capsized in the English Channel on Jan 22 and was found drifting upside down off Saint Cast, Brittany, on Jan 23. One crew was rescued & taken to hospital with hypothermia -- 2 others were found dead & the 4th man was found dead on the shore of Saint Cast on Jan 25. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

58ft. F/V Starrigavin -- wrecked on the south jetty of Tillamook Bay near Garibaldi, Ore., Jan 25 -- U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay dispatched a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew & U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria launched an HH-60 helicopter crew to respond to the emergency -- 4 crew rescued but 1 who was seriously injured later died at Tillamook County General Hospital. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

Detention of the container M/V CMA CGM Claudel ended after the owners paid Euro 21M to Maasvlakte Olie Terminal. M/V CMA CGM Claudel had broken lose from the ECT Delta Terminal a week ago and by hitting the oilpier of MOT caused a damage of more than Euro120M. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

Chinese M/V Tong Cheng -- sitting just offshore of Honolulu's airport. But it's what we don't know that may be of concern. U.S. Coast Guard Officials say they really have no idea what's inside the containers. The crew gave them a list that mentions ammunition, but there is no idea what kind or how much. Overnight crews will pump water from the hull of the ship. The crack on the hull is more than 4 feet long and a cargo hold filled quickly with water. De-watering operation of M/V Tong Cheng continues. The ammunition & other cargo will be offloaded at the congested Barbers Point Harbor. After repairs are made, ship will return to China. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Jan.26 2007) UPDATE>> Sucessfully undergone temporary repairs at Anchorage B and will be escorted to Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor for additional repairs. Additional repairs to the vessel will be made at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor. All repairs will be certified by the vessel's Classification Society. The vessel was originally destined for various Caribbean ports, including Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Panama, but will now return to China for further inspections and repairs. The Coast Guard will conduct a safety of navigation inspection of the vessel prior to its return to China. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Sat. Jan.27 2007)

M/V MSC Napoli UPDATE>> Volkswagen South Africa is to stop production at its plant near Port Elizabeth every Friday for at least the next 4 weeks after vehicle parts needed for four car models were lost on the stricken M/V MSC Napoli. The move is expected to affect about 66% of VW's 6,500 workforce in South Africa, a spokesman said. Among other sectors hit are the wine trade, with looters taking a number of oak barrels from containers lying on Branscombe beach, and the metals industry as 160 tonnes of nickel was en route to Columbus Stainless, the South African steel manufacturer. BMW South Africa confirmed it had 39 motorbikes and back up vehicle parts on board the Napoli. Meanwhile, salvors continue to pump bunker fuel from the vessel's tanks. Early this morning 1,500 tons had been transferred into M/V Forth Fisheralongside. Removal of all the oil is expected to take another week. Work to take off containers begins at the weekend when the cargo discharge barge Bigfoot joins the smaller "shuttle barge" Boa Barge 21. It is now estimated that 60-100 tons of oil were lost from the ship's engine room: pollution is said to be sporadic and light and "limited to a 4-mile (6.4-km) stretch of coastline"-- 56 of the 103 container lost overboard have now been accounted for -- vessel with sidescan sonar is searching for the others. The Full Story (Fri. Jan.26 2007)

NWEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___ Only 10% of Attacks Reported __

19 Jan. 2007 between 0001-0400 LT in position 03:13.6S - 116:25.0E, Pulau Laut (NPLCT) Anchorage, indonesia. Pirates boarded bulk carrier via anchor chain -- broke forward store & stole ship's stores. Port control informed. (Fri. Jan.26 2007)

18 Jan. 2007 1815 UTC in position 06:15.07S - 108:26.78E, Balongan Anchorage, Indonesia. Pirates armed with steel bars boarded tanker & entered into engine room -- stole generator spares & escaped through engine room door leading to poop deck. Master raised alarm & crew mustered. Local police informed. (Fri. Jan.26 2007)

16 Jan. 2007 0430 LT about 18 nm off Dar es Salaam Roads, Tanzania. While container ship was drifting, duty AB noticed suspicious movements on forecastle deck. Raised alarm & crew alerted. Pirates jumped overboard & escaped -- 3 containers were found open with seals broken. (Fri. Jan.26 2007)

Back To Year 2007 Reports Top

Russian Coast Guard Latvia received emergency call from dry cargo M/V Mikhail Dudin at 18.00 LT Jan.26 propeller damaged, vessel drifting towards shore with strong sw wind -- 16 NM from Ventspils port. Tug from Ventspils dispatched, at 03.30 Jan. 27 M/V Mikhail Dudin towed to Ventspils, no injured, no spill, no other damages except propeller. M/V Mikhail Dudin 2319 grt; 1996 year built; L/B 89.5/13.2 meters; cargo aluminium 2858 tons, from S.Petersburg to Schezin; owner NWS 9 BALT SHIPPING CO LTD Malta; flag Malta, crew 10, all Russia citizen. From our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Fri. Jan.26 2007)

5,000gt. container M/V Elisabeth -- ran into the embankment Jan. 26 at Fischerhuette, but managed to get free with own power. Already at 00.30 a.m. the container feeder M/V Dirhami -- ran into the embankment at Duekerswisch -- 2 tugs from Brunsbuettel towed the vessel back into the canal -- proceeded to Kiel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen (Fri. Jan.26 2007

Great Lakes freighter M/v Algoma -- caught fire in Hamilton harbor while crews were working on her in the morning of Jan 24. No one was hurt as firefighters struggled to douse the blaze below decks in the ship m-- fire broke out at 10:45 a.m. inside M/V Algoville while workers replacing her engine were cutting steel with a torch. To reach the fire, 21 firefighters had to feel their way through heavy smoke - result of oil & lubricant that caught fire. They needed a map so they could locate the site of the blaze 2 storeys below decks. Firefighters mixed a chemical with water to extinguishblazing oil -- 12 people working inside at the time were safe. Hamilton Port Authority said fire didn't affect operations because vessels are laid up for winter in port. The vessel, owned by Algoma Steel, is 40 years old & usually carries grain and iron. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Fri. Jan.26 2007)

M/V MSC Napoli UPDATE>> Former owner of the container ship M/V MSC Napoli, French company CMA CGM has issued a very short but clear statement rejecting suggestions of a link between the ship's 2001 grounding off Singapore and the structural damage it suffered in the English Channel last week. The statement says: "The CMA CGM Normandie, renamed MSC Napoli, was in a perfect state of repair when sold to the company Zodiac in 2002. The parallel drawn by some between the damage suffered by the MSC Napoli off the Coast of Devon and the grounding of the vessel in 2001 is technically unfounded.

Meanwhile Zodiac Maritime Agencies, which describes itself as manager of the MSC Napoli, confirmed that pumping of fuel from the vessel commenced yesterday afternoon. The fuel is being transferred from the beached vessel to a small tanker, the Forth Fisher, which has been was deployed from Falmouth by SMIT Salvage, the salvage contractor for this operation. A statement says:

"In addition, Two barges will arrive on scene later in the week to undertake the discharge of containers from the MSC Napoli. The large barge Bigfoot, equipped with two cranes 500 tons lift capacity & 250 tons lift capacity will departing Rotterdam Jan. 25. Bigfoot is expected to arrive off Branscombe during late Jan. 26 or early Jan. 27 morning. Its role is to lift off containers and place them on board the 2nd barge, arriving from Rouen tonight. This barge will land the containers." Yesterday saw the arrival off Branscombe of the salvage vessel M/V Union Beaver, which will act as a floating base for the SMIT salvage team. The statement added: "Weather conditions at the scene remain favourable for the salvage operation, with winds from the north. The vessel is located in a relatively sheltered position." From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Jan.25 2007) "Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - Disaster In Real Time

6,913-gt Cambodia-flagged general cargo M/V Nobel (built 1975) with 19 Russian crew, began to take on water, list & sink -- ship had arrived at Port of Ningbo from Vanino, E. Russia, on Monday afternoon with a cargo of 8,500- cbm of logs. However, late Jan. 22 evening she began to take on water and by Jan. 23 morning was beginning to list -- crew issued emergency distress signal & were picked up by vessel in the vicinity. Not known what caused vessel to sink. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Thurs. Jan.25 2007)

M/V MSC Napoli UPDATE>> Operations to pump oil from M/V MSC Napoli now well underway. Salvors have been pumping oil from the vessel at a rate of 30 tons per hour. The operation began again Jan. 24morning. By midday today over 275 tons had been removed from portside Tank #6 & preparations underway to start pumping oil from portside Tank #5. This will start later today. The process of pumping oil is an uncomfortable & challenging one. Salvors are working in extremely difficult conditions, for example having to climb through small manholes in the deck, wearing breathing apparatus to insert hoses and move them about within the structure of the tank in order to suck out the oil. The salvors must rest for health & safety reasons, therefore they are unable to work between midnight and first light. However a 2nd crew are en route and it is hoped that 24hr pumping will be achieved.

Jan. 23 -- 5 tons of oil leaked from an air pipe from the vessel which has now been plugged. This was boomed & sprayed with dispersant and has now dissipated. 990 seabirds have been reported as being washed up on the shore; of these 354 have been taken for treatment at RSPB Centers. The River Brid and Axe have been boomed to help prevent oil entering. Other rivers may need to be boomed if tidal and wind conditions change. The weather forecast over the next 3 days is favorable for the oil recovery operations with 17 -18 knot north to north-easterly winds. The number of containers lost from the ship still stands at 103. Of these 50 have been positively identified on the shore -- 20 are still afloat & will be recovered by boat -- 33 are unaccounted for and are presumed sunk. The owners of the ship have charted a vessel to locate the sunken containers using sonar. A fixed wing aircraft has flown over the shipping lanes to ensure that there are no containers which could be problematic to shipping. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

1,424-gt M/V Ping Yang No 8 (built 1987) -- some 70 miles off the coast of Nagoya in SW Japan on Jan. 24 -- suffered fire -- all 10 Chinese crew rescued -- 6 patrol boats trying to douse the flames onboard & secure vessel which continued to drift in the Pacific Ocean. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

43,000-dwt handymax bulker M/V Ocean Globe (built 1995-- ex-Ocean Ranger) with 38,000 tons of coal aground in the Bay of Cadiz -- but salvage efforts are focussed on removing the 600 tons of bunkers to prevent an oil spill -- 4 tugs are reported to be attending the Greek controlled M/V Ocean Globe. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

M/V City of Liverpool -- under charter by a Sri Lankan company -- rammed with explosives-laden boat by Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka's N.waters -- ship being towed to Port of Kankesanthurai in the Jaffna peninsula. Tiger suicide boat exploded at the ship, damaging th hull & wounding crew member -- 2 soldiers on board security fired at rebels. M/V City of Liverpool was unloading wheat flour for the 500,000 civilians living under virtual siege conditions in Jaffna. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

Syrian merchant M/V Haj Jamal, Egypt for Syria with 1,300 tons sugar -- sank 85 miles off the S. coast of Cyprus on Jan. 23 -- helicopter from patrolling German frigate Karlsruhe plucked all 5 sailors from the water & took them to the German frigate -- 1 Missing. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

Inland M/V Aquarant -- in collision on the Ijsselmeer River Jan. 23 -- with M/T Columbus -- 3Km W.of Urk. -- M/T Columbus is listing with chance of sinking -- she has sustained a breach of 3.5 meters. Rescue boats of the royal Dutch rescue society KNRM Urk are on the spot. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

ANOTHER CRACKED HULL.>> 485ft. Chinese-flagged cargo M/V Tong Cheng, with 26 crew -- requested authorization for an unscheduled entry into the port of Honolulu to effect repairs to a crack in her hull below the waterline. U.S. Coast Guard dispatched a C130 aircraft, a multi-purpose vessel and an assessment team to M/V Tong Cheng to conduct a preliminary assessment of the damage and to determine if there was any pollution as a result. Sheen was initially observed; however, source could not be identified.  A Unified Command, comprised of U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port and representatives from U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the State of Hawaii, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and the Shanghai Ocean Shipping Company, M/V Tong Cheng's owners, are monitoring the situation from Honolulu. A team of technical experts from the USCG Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT), U.S. Navy Mobile Diving Salvage Unit One (MDSU ONE), and commercial entities conducted a thorough assessment of the vessel's structural integrity while offshore.  Based on that assessment the vessel was granted permission to enter the Captain of the Port (COTP) Honolulu zone to effect repairs. U.S. Coast Guard will continue to monitor repairs, and the vessel will receive safety inspection prior to her departure from Honolulu. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen & Our Correspondent John Szalay. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

Cargo M/V Nijord (IMO No: 8007157) Poland for Latvia near Sikrags -- grounded on Jan 21 at 11 p.m. off Sikrags-Latvia -- recovered Jan 22 at 4 p.m. by Latvian tug M/V Ventspils -- now proceeding to a Riga shipyard.. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

4,100 TEU German flagged 281Mt. container M/V Maersk Denton -- grounded on Jan 22 at 7.30 a.m. while leaving French port Le Havre for New York -- refloated with the help of 3 tugs 2 hours later with the rising tide -- 25 crew not hurt, no pollutants escaped -- towed into port for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

Malta-flagged cargo M/V Love Music -- suffered damage Jan. 22 in severe weather on way from Singapore to North Europe -- crane damaged when the ship rolled in the storm. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

Specialty vessel M/V Taklift 7 will depart for Congo. After having parbuckled &cleaned debris the hopper dredger will be redelivered to the owners. The salvage operation will take a few weeks. After having finalized this contract M/V Taklift 7 will immediately depart for the salvage operation of M/V Mighty Servant 3 in Angola. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007) SEE>> "Mighty Sinking" - M/V Mighty Servant 3 - Dec. 2006

25,098t. Panama-flagged bulkcarrier M/V Efi Theo -- ran into the embankment of the Kiel Canal Jan. 21 -- close to the pilot station Ruesterbergen near Rendsburg. Ship had been caught by strong winds in spite of the assistence of the tug M/V Bugsier 20. Canal had to be closed for traffic until the tug refolated the ship about one hour later. She then towed to Kiel where berthed in late evening for investigations. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan. 24 2007)

Unidentrified 100mt. general cargo vessel in the Gulf of Papua -- with plywood in her holds & logs on deck -- suffered fire in Hold #1 -- crew, who started to fight the fire, were taken off the ship. A FIFI-1 equipped tug is proceeding to assist while one of SvitzerWijsmuller Papua New Guinea based salvage managers is expected on site tomorrow, Saturday. Further salvage team members, including fire fighting specialists, are being flown in from SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage offices in Singapore & The Netherlands. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan. 24 2007)

23,000gt. car carrier M/V Elbe Highway -- In collision Jan. 21 -- with the Southern lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbuettel. As the anchors fell immediately 2 chains of fenders in the lock broke, but the ship thus came to a standstill without crashing into the gate. M/V Elbe Highway suffered only minor damage. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan. 24 2007)

Dutch ferry M/V Molengat -- IN COLLISION JAN. 18 -- with a pier in Den Helder due to stormy winds. Passengers fell down stairs, cars were shifted, the ramps were jammed. The ship had to return to Texel. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen. (Wed. Jan.24 2007)

UPDATE>> M/V MSC Napoli>> The "despicable" behavior of scavengers has forced the authorities to invoke ancient legislation to stop looters raiding cargo on a Devon beach.

Please Follow Your Queries to:
For Reports From Previous Year 2007 - Jan Through Dec. 2007

INDEX To Maritime Casulaties Database:

For Reports Fron 2006 - Go To Year 2007 Database

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For Reports Fron 2003 - Go To Year 2003 Database

For Reports From 2002 - Go To Year 2002 Database

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For Reports From 2000 - Go To Year 2000 Database

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For Reports From 1998 - Go To Year 1998 Database

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  NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker. It's dangerous out there. Buy the cargo insurance, before the loss!

 

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