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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

"The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4"

On The Scene In The Gulf of Aden

Feature Date: Dec. 25 2008

Event Date: Dec. 19 2008

Countryman & McDaniel

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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

On The Scene -- In The Gulf of Aden

 A 2008 Countryman & McDaniel

Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

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Other Great Disasters of our Time

The Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss

"The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4" - Dec. 2008

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

"The Taking of M/T Sirius Star" - Somalia Pirates Take Supertanker - Stakes Raised - Nov.- Jan. 2008

"Fedra Backs In" - Death of M/V Fedra" - Oct. 2008

"Tank You, From The Somali Pirates" - Somalia - M/V Faina - Sept.- Jan. 2009

"The Death of Hercules" - Nov. 2008

"JAXPORT Jumble" - August 2008

"Callsign Connie: 44 Tragic Days" - July 2008

"Too Little Runway - Too Much Plane" - TACA Flt 390 - June 2008

"Recurring Dream" - M/V Norwegian Dream - May 2008

"Paradise & Pirates" - S/V Le Ponant - April 2008

"The Light At The End of The Tunnel" - M/V Zhen Hua 10 & 23 - Mar. 2008

"Mess At Manzanillo" - M/V CMA CGM Dahlia - Mar. 2008

"Big Battered Banana Boat" - M/V Horncliff - Feb. 2008

"Back To The Beach" - M/V Riverdance - Feb. 2008

"Glider Operations At Heathrow" -- B-777 Crash - Jan. 2008

"Fighting Fires On Mars"- Martin Mars - Dec. 2007

"Steeplechase"- A340 - Nov. 2007

"Explorer Ship Down" - M/V Explorer - Nov. 2007

"Kwanyang Crane Kaboom" - Nov. 2007

"Den Den Done" - M/V Denden - Sept. 2007

"For The "L" of It" - M/V Action Alpha - August 2007

"Stack Attack!" - M/V Ital Florida - July 2007

"Pepito Flores Did Not Need To Die " - OUR INVESTIGATION RESULTS

"Riding Down The Marquis" - M/V Rickmars Dalian - June2007

"Carrying Coal To Newcastle" - M/V Pasha Bulker - June 2007

"Between A Yacht & A Hard Place" M/V Madame Butterfly - May 2007

"Boxing Up The Rhine" M/V Excelsior - April 2007

"Best Worst Laid Plans?" M/V Republica di Genoa - March 2007

"Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - Jan. 2007 - Disaster In Real Time

"Full Speed Ahead" - M/V Alva Star - Nov. 2006

"Where The Trade Winds Blew" - Oct. 2006

"Maersk Montevideo Melee!" - M/V Leda Maersk - Oct. 2006

"Laying Down On The Job" - M/V Cougar Ace -- Aug. 2006 -- Amazing !

"Vine Ripened Tires" - M/V Saga Spray -- May 2006 -- Amazing !

"Mis-Fortune" - M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

"Scheldt Snafu!" - M/V Grande Nigeria - Feb. 2006

"A Day A The Beach - M/V APL Panama - Jan. 2006 - OUR EPIC COVERAGE

"NO Rails" - destruction of New Orleans - Dec. 2005

"Backhaul !" - for July 2005

"The Boeing Tri-Motor" - for April 2005

"Catch of The Day" - for March 2005

"One Brick Short of A Runway" - for Jan. 2005

"Singles Only" -- Our One Photo Disasters

M/T Vicuna Explodes - for Jan. 2005

"Unstacked" - overboard & Dr. Beach - Nov. 2004

"Coal Face" - the cargo was danger - July 2004

"Super Loss" - March 2004

"On A Wing & A Prayer" - Jan. 2004

"Stepping In It" - Dec. 2003

"Angel Fire" - Nov. 2003

"Broken Spirit" - M/V Tasman Spirit - Aug. 2003

"Denise & Polargo" - a love story - July 2003

"Columbia River Round Up" - June 2003

"Keel Hualed" - M/V Hual Europe - May 2003

"Thrice Bitten" -- M/V Tricolor - Jan. 2003

"Ramp-Age" - Feb. 2003

"Piñata" - breaking the box - Jan. 2003

"Halifax Hash"--M/V Maersk Carolina - Jan. 2003

"Thar She Blows!" - M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania - Nov. 2002

"T-E-U Bar-Be-Cue" - aftermath of the Pennsylvania

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Heavy Metal - lifting the un-liftable object - Disaster at Monrovia July 2001

Rail Mate -- an Egyptian rail loss - Tragedy At Ain Sokhna July 2001

Meals: Ready To Explode - Navy container barbecue at Guam! June 2001

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U.S. Navy EP- 3 -- China Hostage Situation - Spring 2001

Attack On USS Cole (DDG-67) - - Dramatic Photos!

M/V OOCL America - Feb. 2000

M/V APL China - world's greatest container disaster - Nov. 1998

M/V New Carissa - the ship that would not die - 1999

M/V Tampa Maersk "on a dock diet"

Hanjin's Bad Stab - Under The Dock At Pusan, Korea - Exclusive Photo!

The Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss

 

"The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4"

On The Scene

In The Gulf of Aden

M/V Zen Hua 4 In Better Days

 
Built: 1974

FLAG: St. Vincent & Grendadines

CLASS & TYPE: Cargo -Heavy Lift

CALL SIGN: J8B3666

IMO: 7354292, MMSI: 376597000

 
DEADEWIGHT: 63,940 DWT -- 26,082T

LENGTH: 219m

BEAM: 36m

DRAFT: 7.5m

SPEED: 9.4 knots

A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: Dec. 19 2008

The Time: 0443 GMT & Throughout The Day

The Place: The Gulf of Aden

M/V Zen Hua 4 - Approached In The Radar Blind Spot By Somali Pirates.

The Chinese Ship Is Under Attack.

A Distress Call Is Sent To The International Maritime Bureau'sPiracy Reporting Centre In Kuala Lumpur.

Somali Pirates Come Along Side M/V Zen Hua 4

International Maritime Bureau Quickly Sought Help From A Multi-Coalition Naval Force

Prepare To Repel Boarders - Starboard! M/V Zhenhua 4 Is Under Attrack!

Molotov Cocktails For The Visitors -- A Real Battle Underway!

Somali Pirates -- On Attack 

Dangerous Children With Dangerous Guns

Chinese Sailors Desperately Prepare More Missiles & Cocktails To Throw At The Pirates.

The Crew Was Expecting Trouble & Prepared Dozens of The Makeshift Grenades To Repel An Invasion.

The Battle Raged For 5 Hours Before Help Arrived For M/V Zen Hua 4

Helicopters From A Malaysian Warship Responded To The Distress Call Sent By The International Maritime Bureau

After Blasting The Somali Pirates With Gunfire, The Pirates Clambered Back Into Their Speedboats And Made Off Back To Their Coastal Hideout.

From The Cargo Letter - Dec. 23 2008 - M/V Zhenhua 4 Was Attacked On Dec. 24 2008 - 5 Hour Stand-Off - Battling With Beer Bottles & Molotov Cocktails -- Pirates Out of Control

The 30 Chinese crew of M/V Zhenhua 4 -- off the Somali Coast -- locked themselves in their accommodation area - which includes their sleeping rooms, mess rooms and recreation area - to prevent the bandits from entering the ship itself. The ship's captain, Peng Weiyuan, said the crew used 'water cannon, self-made incendiary bombs, beer bottles and other missiles to fight the pirates' during the five-hour stand-off. 'Thirty minutes later, the pirates gestured to us for a ceasefire then the helicopters from the joint fleet came to our help.

The helicopters launched from a Malaysian warship after responding to the distress call sent to the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur.

After blasting the pirates with gunfire, the pirates clambered back into their speedboats and made off back to their coastal hideout.

These are stories we normally would expect from our great-great grandparents. The crew of M/V Zen Hua 4 is very lucky.

Favorite Cocktail Aboard M/V Zen Hua 4: Molotov.

We have covered these Zhen Hua vessels before:

Our Other Zen Hua Features
The Light At The End of The Tunnel

Feature #1 M/V Zhen Hua 10

Feature #2 M/V Zhen Hua 23

M/V Zen Hua 4 -- present location

Zhen Hua vessels frequently sail to danger.

McD

Shippers Must Have Quality Marine Cargo Insurance ........ Because......... "Ship Happens! ©"

To Repeat -- No Matter How Careful You Are -- Or Who You Hire ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Gear!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!


The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To The Crew of M/V Zen Hua 4


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by air & sae 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 very dangerous out there.


INDEX TO OUR "The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

Important Links To Our Feature:
Our Other Zen Hua Features
The Light At The End of The Tunnel

Feature #1 M/V Zhen Hua 10

Feature #2 M/V Zhen Hua 23

M/V Zen Hua 4 -- present location

Important Links To Our Pirate Feature:

The Attack ON M/V Faina

The Pirate Attack on MV Zhen Hua 4

Our Other Cargo Law Pirate Features

Modern Day Piracy -- Presentation By Michael S. McDaniel, Esq. of Modern High Seas Piracy

"Return of The Pirates" -- a 2 hour History Channel TV documentary featuring Michael S. McDaniel

Modern High Seas Piracy -- Ships Taken -- Naval Combat
Over 90% of international trade travels by water and a new generation of criminals is blending terror tactics with time-tested methods to threaten this economic lifeline. Nations and corporations are racing to protect themselves and their goods, and though the pirates are still ahead, new international response units and mercenary ships are combating the attacks. The U.S. Coast Guard trains navies worldwide in anti-piracy measures, but corrupt law enforcement officials mar advances in their effectiveness. Today's pirate is organized, political, and will command world attention once again.

"Paradise & Pirates" - S/V Le Ponant - April 2008

Attack On USS Cole (DDG-67)

Our Grand Sail With Task Force 150 - "Mis-Fortune" - M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

Singles:

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

"Somali Pirate Patrol" -- pirate miscalculation --March 2006

"Pirate Payback" - USS Winstn Churchill - Jan. 2006

"Suggested Al-Qaida Solution" - Sept. 2001


Our Daily Vessel Casualties - stay informed

Ocean Features From The Cargo Letter- these are just examples

The Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss - For All The Air & Ocean Features - a few examples below
"Too Little Runway - Too Much Plane" - TACA Flt 390 - June 2008

"Recurring Dream" - M/V Norwegian Dream - May 2008

"Explorer Ship Down" - M/V Explorer - Nov. 2007

"Kwanyang Crane Kaboom" - Nov. 2007

"Den Den Done" - M/V Denden - Sept. 2007

"For The "L" of It" - M/V Action Alpha - August 2007

"Pepito Flores Did Not Need To Die " - OUR INVESTIGATION RESULTS

"Stack Attack!" - M/V Ital Florida - July 2007

"Singles Only" - visit our individual moments of transport crisis for more.

The Greatest Container Losses Of All Time - these are the grand fathers -

M/V OOCL America

M/V APL China

M/V APL Panama - The EPIC

"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006


SPECIAL 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 very dangerous out there.

Thanks To Our Contributors For The "The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4" Feature

Our Contributor for this feature are greatly appreciated:
Chris Munford


NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss.

EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD


* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.  

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