mna circular 2021 - #02 the pulse february 2021 · 2021. 2. 11. · mna circular 2021 - #02 11th...
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MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
1
The Pulse
The MISSION of The Merchant Navy Association is to bring all serving and retired Seafarers together in a spirit of
companionship, consideration and commitment towards a united lobby for the Community of the Sea Hi Shipmates,
Please find below more snippets of information since circular #01 was published 1st January 2021
My thanks to MNA National Secretary, Pete Sinke’s daily publication “Maasmond Maritime - Shipping News
Clippings”, Lloyds List, gCaptain, Maritime London, Flashlight and many others from the T’internet, not
forgetting the items sent in by Readers and any other source I can access.
MNA National Contact Points Chairman, Malcolm Mathison - Mobile: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected]
Secretary, David Parsons Tel: 01935 414 765 Email: [email protected]
Welfare & Events, Tim Brant, - Tel: 01733 205001, Email : [email protected]
Membership, Roy Glencross - Mobile: 07738 425 875 Email: [email protected]
MNA Slop Chest, The Supply Officer:- Sandra Broom Tel 0121 244 0190
Full Ahead Editor, Sandra Turner,[email protected] Tel 01889 585 588
Change of Address???? If any member has changed any of their contact details (Postal, E-
mail or Telephone) it is important that you inform the following people by email:- [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
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Royal Huisman Project 400 – SEA EAGLE II, 81m
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MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
The Merchant Navy Association Bringing Seafarers past & present together
Through meetings and communications Comradeship and Support for all seafarers
Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets
For information visit our website
www.mna.org.uk
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Seafarers are Key Workers The BIMCO video is very good in my opinion and is free to be distributed as you please - so please
spread it around! https://youtu.be/CvY0gWyEVRk
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The Late Neil MacLennan It is with regret that I inform you of the death of s/m Neil McLennan, Neil rose to become the
quartermaster on the old Queen Elizabeth and spent many years at sea. His "crossing the bar" leaves us
all sad. Mike Wootton
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The Liberation of Holland (The Netherlands) Following an enquiry from a contact in Holland I have been asked to collate numbers/names of Merchant
Navy seafarers who, took part in the liberation of Holland, delivering much needed supplies, some may
even have sailed on Dutch ships and some on convoy into Dutch ports all helping the Liberation in one
way or another. The children of Holland wish to write a letter of thanks.
If you or a close relative were involved in the Liberation and would like to receive a letter of thanks
please let me know. Malcolm Mathison [email protected]
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Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
Please see our latest ‘back in the water’ statement below;
https://media.fredolsencruises.com/pressreleases/fred-olsen-cruise-lines-announces-revised-back-in-
service-date-for-new-ship-borealis-3064477
Jamie Rudland | Groups & Affinity Account Manager | Fred Olsen Cruise Lines [email protected]
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Why do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke? _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Terrifying Video Shows Cargo Ship Break in Half Off Turkey M/V Arvin breaking in half 17 January 2021
https://gcaptain.com/terrifying-video-shows-cargo-ship-break-in-half-off-
turkey/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-327e88b381-
139894965&mc_cid=327e88b381&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
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Services to Seafarers’ Welfare The Merchant Navy Welfare Board has presented an annual award for Services to Seafarers’ Welfare
since 1998. This is given in recognition of exceptional service to the welfare of seafarers, either in a
voluntary or professional capacity.
Nominations are sought for this prestigious award, which is made annually to a person, or persons,
considered to have made a unique contribution to seafarers’ welfare over a prolonged period. Nominees
can be either salaried personnel or volunteers in the maritime charity sector. Nominations for the award
are to be made via the Award Nomination Form on the MNWB website using the following link:
https://www.mnwb.org/award_seafarers The closing date for nominations is Friday 16th July 2021. The
award will be announced at the MNWB UK Port Welfare Conference on 7th – 9th September 2021 (this
date is dependent on the pandemic). The Board kindly requests that you do not inform a nominee of his
or her nomination.
If you have any questions relating to the award, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards,
Celia
Celia Jackson, Executive Assistant & Office Manager, Merchant Navy Welfare Board
8 Cumberland Place, Southampton, SO15 2BH Tel:- 02380 337799 [email protected]
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Northern Sea Route cargo traffic rose by 4.7% in 2020
СевморпутьIn January-December 2020, cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route (NSR), totaled 32.97
million tonnes, up 4.7%, year-on-year, says Communication Department of Rosatom. According to
Deputy Head of Rosatom’s Northern Sea Route Directorate Maxim Kulinko referring to NSR
Administration, it is almost 1.5 million tonnes more versus the result of 2019 (31.5 million tonnes). The
target set for 2020 under the federal project “The Northern Sea Route” was as high as 29 million tonnes
with the project aimed at the NSR development to reach annual cargo traffic of 80 million tonnes in 2024.
“The Northern Sea Route” project is supervised by Rosatom.As it was earlier reported by Atomflot, the
volume of cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route, as of December 22, 2020, reached 32 million tonnes.
Source : Portnews
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One Killed, 15 Kidnapped in Violent Pirate Attack Off Nigeria
Reuters By Jonathan Spicer and Irem
Koca
ISTANBUL, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Pirates off Nigeria’s coast
kidnapped 15 sailors from a Turkish container ship in the Gulf of
Guinea on Saturday in a brazen and violent attack that was farther
from shore than usual.
One sailor was killed in the raid, an Azerbaijani citizen, while those
kidnapped are from Turkey, according to the respective
governments and a crew list obtained by Reuters.
Accounts from crew, family members and security sources
described a sophisticated and well-orchestrated attack on Saturday in which armed pirates boarded the
ship and breached its protective citadel, possibly with explosives.
Three sailors remain on the Mozart, which was approaching Gabon’s Port Gentil on Sunday and expected
to dock, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The Liberian-flagged vessel was headed to Cape Town from
Lagos when it was attacked 160 kilometres (100 miles) off Sao Tome island on Saturday, maritime
reports showed.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s office said on Sunday he was orchestrating officials in the “rescue of
kidnapped ship personnel”.
Erdogan spoke twice by phone with the ship’s fourth captain, Furkan Yaren, who remained aboard after
the attack, his office said.
State-run Anadolu agency cited Yaren as saying he had been “cruising blindly” toward Gabon with
damage to the ship’s controls and only the radar working. The pirates beat crew members, and left him
with an injured leg while another still aboard the ship had shrapnel wounds, he said.
Turkish media cited Istanbul-based ship owner Boden company as saying the owners and operators of the
vessel were abducted at gunpoint. Boden was not immediately available.
Ambrey, a security company, said four armed men boarded the Mozart and entered the citadel – where
crew are advised to hide in any attack – from a deck atop the cabin.
Edward Yeibo, a Nigerian Navy commander, said he was not aware of the attack and seeking details. The
Lagos naval command office and a spokesman for Nigeria’s maritime regulator were not immediately
available.
GAME-CHANGER
Pirates in the Gulf, which borders more than a dozen countries, kidnapped 130 sailors in 22 incidents last
year, accounting for all but five of those seized worldwide according to an International Maritime
Bureau report.
The attack on the Mozart could raise international pressure on Nigeria to do more to protect shippers,
which have called for tougher action in recent weeks, analysts said.
“The fact that someone died, the number of people taken and the apparent use of explosives to breach the
ship’s citadel means it is a potential game-changer,” said David Johnson, CEO of the UK-based EOS
Risk Group.
“It’s clearly quite sophisticated and if pirates have decided to use munitions it’s a big move,” he said.
There is “no doubt” those kidnapped will be taken back to Nigeria’s Delta and Turkey will have little
hope stopping it, he added.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said the pirates had not made any contact with Ankara.
Seyit Kaya, brother of the ship’s kidnapped 42-year-old captain Mustafa Kaya, a father of two, said in an
interview he awaited details from the ship’s owner on any possible ransom.
“Since that area is where many attacks take place, they take cautions against pirates,” said Kaya, who is
also a sailor. (Additional reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa, Nigeria and Jonathan Saul in London;
Editing by William Mallard, Frances Kerry and Raissa Kasolowsky) (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021.
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The Pulse
Crew Abandoned for 11 Months Calls for Action Staging a Hunger Strike crew stages hunger strike to call attention to
their plight - Crew abandoned aboard a bulk
carrier in Kuwait - ITF photo The crew of a
bulk carrier abandoned by its owner and
flag state is staging a hunger strike to call
attention to their plight according to the
International Transport Workers’
Federation. Desperate to get their back
wages and return home the crew turned to
this drastic action. The crew, which consists
of Indian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, and
Bangladeshi seafarers, has been stuck on the
ship, the Ula, abandoned for the past 11 months at the port of Shuaiba, Kuwait. According to the ITF,
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The RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH pulling into New York with returning service men in 1945 after World
War II was over. Most of these men went on to create families and brought their stories with them
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The Pulse
John David Turner 22.10.1938 – 18.12.20
John Turner was a proud Cockney who started his sea going career on a Pleasure Cruiser on the Thames, and then a Boat Train, before going deep sea around the world. A favourite destination of John’s was New Zealand, where a friend and shipmate stayed and became a Master Mariner. They kept in touch ever since.
John was at sea for about 20 years before swallowing the anchor.
The passion for the sea and the Merchant Navy remained with him for the rest of his life. He took every opportunity to inform people of the role of the MN during conflict and peace.
He took very seriously his duties as the Standard Bearer for Midlands Branch, and on occasion National Bearer, and travelled
around the country to parades and events. Each year he organised a coach to the Tower Hill Service, introducing his local Sea Scouts who helped out at the service, Tamworth Branch also joined the coach.
Behind every good man is a good woman. The women who came into his life was Sandra who supported John, and after marrying him she embraced his passion for the MN and joined in his activities.
Between them they had many interests: the allotment where John spent many hours, Choir and Sea Shanties, Phoenix Club and the Camera Club. The other interest they shared was travel and holidays, some having an interest in the sea, PS Waverley, Tall Ships and Sailing Clippers.
A man of many parts who will be sadly missed by the Branch and Association. We thank him for his dedication. Between them they had many interests: the allotment where John spent many hours, Choir and Sea Shanties, Phoenix Club and the Camera Club. The other interest they shared was travel and holidays, some having an interest in the sea, PS Waverley, Tall Ships and Sailing Clippers. A man of many parts who will be sadly missed by the Branch and Association. We thank him for his dedication.
RIP John _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Intervene Now to Stop a Humanitarian Crisis at Sea - By Guy Platten
The shipping industry is facing one of the most significant humanitarian crises in a generation. Hundreds
of thousands of seafarers are either unable to leave a ship and staying well beyond their normal tours of
duty, or they can’t travel to replace fellow exhausted crew members. On Tuesday, global industry
and human- rights leaders will sign the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Well-being and Crew Change.
The declaration, to be discussed at the upcoming Davos Dialogues, represents a worldwide call to action
to avoid a disaster unfolding among the global fleet. As an industry, we have worked tirelessly to
manage the restrictions imposed by governments to close their borders, and have put in place detailed
protocols to ensure the health and safety of our seafarers and the communities they travel through. At
times, we have gone to extraordinary lengths, diverting ships thousands of miles to enable crew changes
to take place and incurring significant extra costs. We have lobbied governments to declare seafarers key
workers and make sure they can be prioritized for travel, but to date, only 46 countries have made
this pledge. Some companies will not charter ships if crew changes are needed, placing undue pressure on
shipowners and crews. We are also fearful that the new mutant strains of the coronavirus will undo
whatever progress we have made. Governments haven’t lived up to their responsibilities, as codified in
international law: to do right by the seafarers who keep their countries supplied. Our crews are in limbo.
This is not acceptable. Without properly functioning shipping and ports, cargoes—including those with
life-saving supplies—can’t be transported to where they are needed. Lacking this transport, our
supermarket shelves will be empty. Our hospitals will face a severe shortage of essential medical
supplies. Particularly in developing economies, seafarers are crucial to the well-being of millions of
people. With the approval of multiple vaccines at the end of 2020, some of us in the industry
dared to breathe a sigh of relief. We hoped that seafarers would be prioritized for vaccination as frontline
key workers. After all, the United Nations passed a resolution in December calling on member states to
recognize them as such. Instead, some governments have stepped backward. For example, the
Philippines, the world’s largest maritime labor-supply country, recently extended a ban to 35 countries on
changing crews at Philippine ports. These decisions will have ramifications. Fatigue after long periods at
sea affects seafarers’ physical and mental well-being. The risk of maritime incidents and environmental
disasters will rise.As borders across the world close in response to new Covid-19 strains, combined with
the slow pace of vaccine distribution to developing nations, the world’s delicate supply chain is facing the
most significant test since the pandemic began. This poses an immense threat not just to stranded sailors,
but also to the ability of shipping routes to transport 90% of global trade.
Governments and industry should take several vital steps without delay.
First, recognize seafarers as essential workers, and give them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines. Some
countries are showing strong leadership. Singapore’s Sea–Air Vaccination Exercise will see 10,000
frontline maritime personnel vaccinated for Covid-19 by the end of January. Others must follow their
lead. Second, create a trusted health-data system. There is an immediate and pragmatic need to create a
standardized format for health passes—“vaccine passports”—that contain secure vaccination information.
They can be used by seafarers and others who need to cross borders to do their jobs. While the
sovereignty of individual countries should be respected, the benefits of trusted, interoperable health data
are clear. Authorities gain peace of mind around crew changes, and the process of seafarers traveling
from ship to port to plane to home becomes safe and secure. Third, increase collaboration between
ship operators and charterers. Only a reliable flow of accurate data allows for necessary crew changes and
minimizes associated costs or delays. Basics must be observed. Owners should provide charterers with
the advance notice they need for crew change. The charterer should make all reasonable efforts to
accommodate this. We cannot have contracts that contain clauses preventing necessary crew changes
from being carried out, or worse, situations where a shipowner discloses the need for a crew change and
the business suddenly is taken elsewhere. The risks are too high. The pandemic is the stiffest challenge
many of us will ever face. How we respond to this shared responsibility—whether government or
industry—will be remembered for decades. The signing of the Neptune Declaration will send a clear message.
We can reduce the risk of disruption to global supply chains while contributing to maritime safety and ensuring the
well-being of seafarers. The consequences of failure would be dire. We need to act. Source : Barron’s
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The Pulse
Manager of Converted Ex-Cunarder Queen Mary Files for Bankruptcy Posted: 25 Jan 2021 01:07 PM PST
The operator of the ex-Cunard Queen Mary has filed for
bankruptcy raising concerns about the future of the
converted luxury liner that has served as a tourist attraction
and hotel in Long Beach, CA since 1972. The converted
ship is owned by the City of Long Beach and has been
managed by Eagle Hospitality, ex-Urban Commons, since
2016.
The Long Beach Post notes that this isn’t the first time a
Queen Mary operator has filed for bankruptcy. A series of
companies have failed to make the century-old ocean liner
and its surrounding area profitable since it arrived in Long
Beach in 1967.
The Eagle Hospitality bankruptcy extends well beyond the Queen Mary, however. More than two dozen
hotels and other properties, including the Queen Mary, listed as entities under Singapore-based Eagle
Hospitality Trust filed for bankruptcy on Monday in Delaware court with a total of more than $500
million debt, according to court records obtained by the Post.
The filing comes as Eagle Hospitality has seen major financial problems since it halted trading on
Singapore Stock Exchange in 2019 following a notice of default on a $341 million loan from Bank of
America.
There are serious concerns about the condition of the converted ship. In August 2019, Edward Pribonic,
the engineer responsible for inspecting Queen Mary on behalf of the City of Long Beach, issued a report
stating that the ship was in the worst condition he had seen in his 25 years on the job. Pribonic stated that
the neglect of Queen Mary had grown worse under the management of Urban Commons, and concluded
that “without an immediate and very significant infusion of manpower and money, the condition of the
ship will likely soon be unsalvageable.”
The Queen Mary has been closed to the public since May 7 due to the pandemic.
The post appeared first on Old Salt Blog.
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Siem Aristotle joins sister ship as the world’s two largest LNG-powered car
carriers Petronas Marine’s LNG bunker barge, MV AVENIR
ADVANTAGE, recently came under their long-term
charter and has delivered 3,000 cbm of LNG to the
SIEM ARISTOTLE as a fuel. The new barge can also
be used as feeder vessel, servicing its customers in the
region by leveraging on the strategic locations of its
facilities, the Regasification Terminal Sungai Udang
(RGTSU), Pengerang and Johor. The parcel —
purchased by Titan LNG — was delivered to the LNGpowered vessel, SIEM ARISTOTLE on the 9th
November. Siem Car Carriers’s (SCC’s) ARISTOTLE , the second of two LNG-fueled PCTC (pure car,
truck carrier) ships in the SCC fleet (the other is the CONFUSIUS), is on her maiden voyage from
Emden, Germany to North America. The ship’s first bunkering took on more than 800MT of LNG fuel.
Nearly 4800 cars were loaded, bound for Canada, the US and Mexico. The Aristotle operates exclusively
for Volkswagen Group.With LNG, the ARISTOTLE reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25%,
nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 30%, particulate matter by up to 60% and sulfur oxide emissions by up
to 100%.The vessel will be managed by SCC’s sister company—Siem Ship Management, based in
Gdynia, Poland. Source: greencarcongress
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The Pulse
Vendee Globe Skipper Says Bulker Captain ‘Needed Some Convincing’ in
High Seas Crossing Situation Mike Schuler January
26, 2021
A Vendee Globe skipper says a bulk carrier Captain needed
some convincing to change course in order to avoid a potential
collision on the high seas.
The incident was reported on the YouTube channel of
Germany’s Boris Herrmann, skipper for team Seaexplorer-
Yacht Club De Monaco, as the racers crossed commercial
traffic somewhere off the coast of the Azores on Sunday.
“I asked the Captain to change course 30 degrees to starboard.
They did after a bit of convincing!” said Herrmann.
“As if we didn’t have enough stress, this adds
to the stress,” he added. “Half an hour of
checking, convincing him. ‘Get out of my
way, I’m a sailboat. I have right of way!’
Ha!”
A screengrab from Boris Herrmann showing
the bulk carrier give-way after being
contacted on radio.
Herrmann identified the bulk carrier as the
Hannah Oldendorf, which automatic
identification system (AIS) data shows is
underway to Port Said.
Boris Herrmann is currently in third place in
the race to the finish line in Les Sables,
expected some time on Wednesday after more than 80 days of racing.
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Biggest Gateway for U.S. Imports Hit
by Record Ship Bottleneck By Brendan Murray
Ship congestion around the ports of Los Angeles
and Long Beach hit an unprecedented level,
worsening the bottleneck at the busiest gateway
for U.S. imports. Ships seen off the coast of
Southern California in this screengrab from
MarineTraffic.com AIS data, January 30, 2021.
Image courtesy MarineTraffic.com A record 38
container ships are awaiting berth space — 36 at
anchor and two more that were directed to wait in
designated areas at sea until anchorages are
available, the Marine Exchange of Southern California said in a note late Thursday. It’s the first time
since 2004 that so-called drift zones have been used to manage traffic into the neighbouring ports. “This
is a problem which does not have a short-term fix,” said Lars Jensen, chief executive officer of
SeaIntelligence Consulting in Copenhagen. …………………………………..………. Source :Bloomberg
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Image courtesy
Boris Herrmann/Seaexplorer
Yacht Club De Monaco
Image: borisherrm
Ships seen off the coast of Southern California in this
screengrab from MarineTraffic.com AIS data, January 30,
2021. Image courtesy MarineTraffic.com
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Singapore has become one of the first states to prioritize seafarers to receive
the Covid-19 vaccine. Nautilus International reports that more than 10,000 maritime workers are scheduled for vaccination by
the end of January 2021 under the country’s Sea – Air Vaccination Exercise, including port workers,
harbor pilots, cargo officers, marine surveyors, and marine superintendents who are required to work
onboard ships.
In December, Nautilus International; the UK Chamber of Shipping (UKCS); and the National Union of
Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) put joint pressure on the UK government to treat
seafarers as a priority group for vaccination against Covid-19.
The UN General Assembly then followed the UK Government’s lead and called on all governments to
designate seafarers as key workers. IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim welcomed the UN
resolution and urged that seafarers and maritime workers receive priority COVID-19 vaccination to
allow them to work and maintain vital global supply chains.
Last week, over 300 world-leading companies signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing
and Crew Change, seeking a worldwide call to action to end the unprecedented crew change crisis
caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Declaration defines four main actions to facilitate crew changes and keep global supply chains
functioning: recognizing seafarers as key workers and giving them access to COVID-19 vaccines;
establishing and implementing a gold standard health protocol based on existing best practices; increasing
collaboration between ship operators and charterers to facilitate crew changes; and ensuring air
connectivity between key maritime hubs for seafarers.
It remains to be seen how many nations will follow Singapore’s example.
Thanks to Alaric Bond for contributing to this post. The post appeared first on Old Salt Blog
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Costa Smeralda hits crane at Savona port Costa Smeralda hit a crane at Savona port last Friday as it attempted to
berth. A Costa spokesperson said of the incident, ‘During the approach
phase on the quay, COSTA SMERALDA came into contact with a
ground crane located in zone 16 of the Port of Savona. ‘Although it did
not report any structural damage to the hull, the contact caused the fall
and consequent damage of a lifeboat at sea, due to the failure of a
winch. 'The boat was promptly recovered and the first checks did not
show any other damage to the ship's structures.’ Relevant authorities
and Costa Cruises staff are at the site in Italy to ascertain the cause,
with the cruise line taking prompt acion to investigate, according to
reports. The cruise line expressed ‘regret’; no injuries have been
recorded, either among ground or on-board personnel. The ship will
remain in the port of Savona, as scheduled. Although the incident does
not affect the ability of the ship to operate, in compliance with normal
safety parameters the stop in the port will allow necessary repairs to be
carried out in the shortest possible time. Return to sailing The news
comes shortly after it was announced that COSTA SMERALDA would
resume sailing on March 13 in Italy, with three and four day mini
cruises or a seven day cruise, calling at Savona, La Spezia,
Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina and Cagliari.Cruises originally
scheduled for COSTA DELIZIOSA, COSTA FIRENZE and COSTA
LUMINOSA between February 1 and March 12 are cancelled, owing to
ongoing restrictions imposed by the Italian government, which do ‘not
allow guests to enjoy an adequate on-shore experience and the ability to fully explore the itinerary’s
destinations,’ as stated by the cruise line. A revised schedule is yet to be announced.
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The Pulse
UN inspection of abandoned oil tanker off Yemen delayed until March A UN mission to inspect a long-abandoned fuel tanker off the coast of Yemen, which threatens to rupture
and cause a massive oil spill, has been pushed to March, the body said Wednesday. "We've hit a few
delays with international shipping that were beyond our control and had some back and forth on signing
documents, which has now been resolved," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. "For now,
we think we can get there by early March. From our side we are doing everything possible to stick to that
timeline and deploy the mission," he said. In November, Yemen's Huthi rebels confirmed they had given
the green light for a mission to assess the FSO Safer fuel tanker, which the UN initially planned for late
January or early February. The Iran-backed Huthis -- who control much of Yemen's north after a war that
erupted in 2014 -- had previously denied access. Sticking to the new timeline "will depend on continuous
facilitation by the Ansar Allah authorities," Dujarric said, using the official name of the Huthi movement.
"We have communicated to the authorities our concern over several logistical issues that remain
pending," he added. "We urgently need to resolve these issues in the next several days to avoid missing
the window for timely deployment." The UN's announcement comes just two days after new US
President Joe Biden's administration suspended his country's designation of the Huthis as a terrorist group
until February 26.Dujarric said the UN was reviewing the situation concerning the US terrorist
designation "to ensure that non-staff contractors are not inadvertently exposed to legal risks by
participating in the mission." Humanitarian groups argue that they have no alternative but to deal with the
Huthis, who amount to a government in much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. The 45-year-old
fuel vessel, abandoned near the western port of Hodeida since 2015, has 1.1 million barrels of crude on
board, and a rupture or explosion would have disastrous environmental and humanitarian consequences.
Apart from corrosion to the aging vessel, essential work to curb explosive gases in its storage tanks has
been neglected. Source : Yahoo News
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Vendée Globe Skipper Who Had Close Call with Bulk Carrier Collides With
Fishing Boat https://gcaptain.com/vendee-globe-skipper-who-had-a-close-call-with-bulk-carrier-collides-with-fishing-
boat/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-327e88b381-
139894965&mc_cid=327e88b381&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
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Shipping company (MSC) pays €3.4 million compensation for overboard
containers Shipping company MSC will pay 3.4 million euros in compensation for the consequences of its ship ZOE
losing 342 containers in the Wadden area two years ago. After long negotiations, the shipping country
and Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management have reached an agreement, outgoing Minister
Cora van Nieuwenhuizen announced, NOS reports. The compensation covers costs incurred by the
government, other authorities, and nature organizations in cleaning up after the disaster. Part of the
amount is for costs that may still be incurred int he future, because not all of the containers and their
contents have been found yet. The expectation is that heavy storms will result in contents of the
containers still washing up on the Wadden islands. Another part of the compensation is for legal costs and
research into the ecological consequences of the disaster. During the early morning hours of 2 January
2019, MSC ZOE lost 342 containers while sailing across the North Sea. 19 containers floated to the
Wadden Sea and some of their contents washed up on the beaches of the Wadden Islands and the coast of
Groningen and Friesland. A total of 299 containers or parts thereof were found. The rest are still missing.
Source : NL Times
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The shipwright saving Britain’s maritime heritage https://www.ft.com/content/eaa30569-c921-443e-a000-03922d9668aa
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Why do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters?
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The Pulse
Shell Joins Floating Wind Project Offshore Ireland Oil major Shell has this week signed an agreement to join a floating wind project in the Celtic Sea,
offshore Ireland. The agreement, signed with Irish developer Simply Blue Energy, will see Shell acquire a
51% share of their Simply Blue Energy Kinsale venture, which was set up to develop the Emerald
Project, a floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea, off the south coast of Ireland. Simply Blue Energy will
operate the joint venture, supported by Shell floating wind experts, with the project office based in the
Cork City Docklands rejuvenation area. "This partnership combines the floating wind track-record and
local knowledge of Simply Blue Energy with Shell’s offshore experience, floating wind expertise and an
ability to develop large complex projects," Simply Blue Energy said. The company said that the Emerald
Project was "a fantastic" example of the energy transition, located in the vicinity of the Kinsale gas fields,
currently being decommissioned. This project is in the early stages and aims to exploit the floating wind
potential in the Irish part of the Celtic Sea. According to the company, 300MW of installed capacity is
planned initially, with the potential to scale-up to a total installed capacity of 1GW, equivalent to
powering 800,000 Irish homes or the capacity of the Moneypoint power station, Ireland’s largest
electricity generation station. This “stepping-stone” approach is designed to build the infrastructure
necessary to deliver a project of this scale and ultimately enable Ireland to increase its energy
independence, while also reducing emissions. Floating wind technology can be installed in deeper waters
than fixed wind turbines allowing this project to be placed 35km – 60km offshore, reducing visual
impacts. Depending on the size of turbines selected, the first phase of the project will include between 15
and 25 turbines. The assembly, installation and deployment of these turbines could stimulate hundreds of
high-quality jobs in the local supply chain. Long-term operations and maintenance of the turbines will
also require local skills and services in Cork Harbour for up to 25 years. Colin Crooks, VP Offshore
Wind, Shell said, “At Shell, we aim to build an integrated power business spanning electricity generation,
trading and supply. This project could provide green power to consumers and businesses alike and
contribute towards Shell’s ambition to be a net-zero emissions business by 2050, or sooner. Working
alongside coastal communities to create shared value is key to success and this is why we have chosen
and look forward to working with Simply Blue Energy who are rooted in the local community.” Sam
Roch-Perks, CEO Simply Blue Energy said, “Floating wind energy is a major opportunity for Ireland to
become a ‘Green Gulf’, by realizing the benefits of its vast marine and offshore wind resources without
negatively impacting our beautiful coastlines. "Simply Blue Energy is delighted to work with Shell to
further our portfolio of floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea. Our shared vision for Emerald is to do the
right thing for our stakeholders, the community and the environment. This announcement represents an
important milestone in the ability of the Emerald project to ensure the government meets its climate target
of 5GW of offshore wind by 2030.” Source : Offshore Engineer
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Surfing duck: Pet becomes local celebrity at Australian beach BBC NEWS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go7oneOu-SQ&feature=youtu.be
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Reunite Old Shipmates Trying to trace an old friend Roy Peto originally from Strangford, Co Down NI Joined Merchant Navy in
the 60.s
Derek Martin
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Tanker Lost Life Raft The BABYLON issued an alert message after losing one of the vessel's '25-men-life-rafts overboard in
position 006 11 24N, 92 22 12E, in the Bay of Bengal. The loss occurred on Jan 20, 2021 at
approximately 1 a.m. when the ship was enroute from Yeosu to Vadinar, the vessel was spotted earlier
this week at the Eastern Anchorage in Singapore source : Vesseltracker
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Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin? _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
13
The Pulse
Rapid, inexpensive testing is the real solution to the crew change Covid-19
crisis
SplashFebruary 2, 2021
The crew change crisis continues to build
with Covid-19 being a moving target. Latest
mutations of the virus have now travelled
from UK, South Africa and Brazil to the
USA, as well as other countries. Progress has
certainly been made by the latest initiative of
The Neptune Declaration and is a positive
collaborative step amongst stakeholders to
bring forth the issues faced by our seafarers.
Nonetheless, some of the protocols
suggested in the declaration are still not
airtight.
One of the primary factors in combatting the
COVID pandemic is the ability to identify
carriers of the virus. With many exhibiting
no signs of infection, timing is critical. What
is needed for an industry where scheduling is inherently important, the ability to immediately clear a crew
or port workers as COVID free is paramount.
Take for instance the 72-hour PCR test done before boarding the aircraft or the need to transport crew
members to “clinics” to get tested or the lack of testing done at quarantine hotels. What about instances
where crew can get infected on the plane, at the airport, in the agent’s car, at the clinic, at the hotel or
during their final transit to the vessel? How does the gangway crew know for certain that the person
entering the vessel is indeed Covid19 free? Does the Master of the vessel have the certainty that the pilot
who brought the vessel alongside was free of Covid19, despite furnishing a 72-hour old certificate? Most
importantly, have viral mutations been identified by the testing method in use?
“Gold standard best practices” that insist on the existing 72-hour pre-testing requirements before boarding
a vessel or airplane have massive security gaps in them. One needs to be tested just prior to boarding to be
effective, not three days without supervision. And even these requirements are different around the world,
providing a patchwork of more gaps that give the virus plenty of opportunities to spread. The ONLY way
to beat this virus is to break its chain of infection, as was successfully demonstrated by New Zealand &
Singapore and some smaller islands. Tests should be non-invasive, at the point of entry and exit of a
vessel, giving instant results, allowing for appropriate isolation action, within minutes and not after a gap
of hours or days.
But there is a solution. We need to be able to test everyone who enters or exits a vessel with a highly
accurate, non-invasive test kit that gives results within 3-15 minutes with 100% specificity and zero false
negatives. This provides much higher confidence to port jurisdictions about control of Covid19 onboard
and helps in easing crew movement restrictions. After all, this is a crisis of confidence, not just protocol.
Vaccines have been developed, but there is still a long way to go for the world population to be
vaccinated – and realistically, with little certainty that we will be able to vaccinate everyone. There is also
uncertainty on the longevity, effectiveness or known after-effects of any of the vaccines. Therefore, it is
likely that the maritime industry will have to live with Covid19 for another 9-12 months at the least. In
short, now is NOT the time for us to relax our guard, even though some vaccines have been developed
and are being rolled out.
Testing still needs to continue aggressively, and with major improvements such as those offered by the
Rapid Antigen Test Kit. Lab work that takes hours or days to get results is far too long, and the process
cumbersome. We need instant results now.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
DFA
Mitul Dave from AlphaRize Management on one way to
ensure seafarers can get home.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
14
The Pulse
UK Chamber of Shipping signs Neptune Declaration The UK Chamber of Shipping, the voice of the UK shipping industry, has joined global industry and
human rights leaders, including A.P. Møller – Mærsk, BP, BW, Cargill, COSCO, DOW, Euronav, MISC,
NYK, Rio Tinto, Shell, Trafigura, Unilever and Vale, in signing the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer
Wellbeing and Crew Change in a worldwide call to action to end the unprecedented crew change crisis
caused by COVID-19.
Hundreds of thousands of seafarers from across the globe have been left stranded working aboard ships
beyond the expiry of their initial contracts and are unable to be relieved since the outbreak of the
coronavirus pandemic. Fatigue after long periods at sea has significant consequences on the physical and
mental wellbeing of seafarers. It also increases the risk of maritime incidents and environmental disasters,
and poses a threat to the integrity of maritime supply chains, which carry 90% of global trade.
Commenting on the situation, UK Chamber of Shipping Chief Executive Bob Sanguinetti said:
“We are delighted to join the 350 other signatories to the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and
Crew Change. Seafarers have been the unsung heroes of the last year delivering the food and medicines
we need but there is a humanitarian crisis at sea. The global inaction we have seen is completely
unacceptable and we need governments and international organisations around the world to act now to get
seafarers changed over and to put an end to this crisis.” The Chamber has consistently called for seafarers
to be recognised as key workers and for resolutions to be found to end the crew change crisis. Last
summer the Chamber wrote to the UK Prime Minister and asked him to convene an international summit
on the issue. Although the UK government agreed to this and recognises seafarers as key workers, over
six months later we are still faced with the unacceptable situation of crew who cannot leave their ship.
About the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change:
More than 300 companies and organisations recognise they have a shared responsibility based on their
roles across the entire maritime value chain, and beyond, to ensure that the crew change crisis is resolved
as soon as possible. They have signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change
that defines four main actions to facilitate crew changes and keep global supply chains functioning:
• Recognize seafarers as key workers and give them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines
• Establish and implement gold standard health protocols based on existing best practice
• Increase collaboration between ship operators and charterers to facilitate crew changes
• Ensure air connectivity between key maritime hubs for seafarers Source: UK Chamber of Shipping
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Five seafarers missing after boxship and tug collide off Indonesia Authorities fear crew members were trapped in overturned hull of towage vessel Five crew members are
missing after a tug overturned after a collision with a boxship off Indonesia. The tug, named as MITRA
JAYA XIX, capsized on 23 January 2021, five nautical miles (9 km) off Karangjamuang. The other
vessel involved was the 1,005-teu feeder vessel TANTO BERSINAR (built 1999), which is operated by
Tanto Intim Line of Indonesia. Three other seafarers were rescued on 24 January but the operation was
hampered by bad weather, the Surya newspaper reported The operation was still ongoing on 26 January.
Rescue workers said the missing men may have become trapped inside the hull of the tug. National search
and rescue agency Basarnas has towed the vessel to shallower water in Ketapang. Reports said meetings
between Basarnas and other government agencies were continuing to assess how to move the rescue
forward in adverse weather conditions. The boxship is classed by Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia and has
insurance cover from the Shipowners' Club. The vessel has no recorded port-state-control detentions
going back to 2009.Tanto owns a modern fleet of more than 50 containerships. The group also controls
bulkers in a fleet of 84 vessels. The company has been contacted for further information. Source :
Tradewinds
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More Containers Lost in the Pacific as 41 Go Overboard from MSC Ship
https://gcaptain.com/msc-boxship-loses-containers-in-the-pacific/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-
a5523fd2d1-139894965&mc_cid=a5523fd2d1&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
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MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
15
The Pulse
Eagle Bulk Ship Escapes Pirate Attack in Gulf of Guinea Mike Schuler
A bulk carrier belonging to NASDAQ-listed Eagle Bulk
Shipping is reported safe and its crew unharmed after a
pirate attack in the Gulf of Guinea.
The incident was confirmed Monday by Eagle Bulk
Shipping in a tweet informing that its owned Ultramax
bulker carrier Rowayton Eagle was hijacked about 240
miles southeast of Lagos, Nigeria. The company also hailed
the ship’s Captain for his leadership throughout the ordeal.
“We are very pleased to report that the incident has been
resolved and our crew are safe and unharmed, and the
vessel is fully operational… Our profound thanks to
Captain Gopich for his leadership and the professionalism
and courage of the entire crew throughout this ordeal.”
The incident was first reported by maritime security firm Dryad Global, which reported that the MV
Rowayton Eagle was boarded by pirates off the coast of Accra, Ghana. The crew mustered in the ship’s
citadel and were unharmed in the incident. The pirates eventually left after having failed to breach the
citadel, Dryad reported. The company said automatic identification system (AIS) data showed the ship
had been drifting since January 27.
The incident comes after a violent and deadly pirate attack on board the MV Mozart off the coast of Sao
Tome on January 23rd. In that incident, one crew member was shot dead and fifteen were abducted after
pirates breached the ship’s citadel, a form of safe room on board the vessel. The owner of the Mozart has
since been in contact with the kidnapped crew members and reports that they are uninjured as the
company works to secure their release.
The two incidents are the latest to highlight the recent surge of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which hit a
record in 2020 with 130 crew kidnappings in 22 separate incidents, according to the International
Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre. Also concerning is the fact that attacks are increasingly
violent and occurring farther from shore, highlighting the increasing capabilities of armed pirate gangs in
the region.
Dryad reports that the attack on the Rowayton Eagle marks the seventh offshore incident and third
recorded offshore boarding so far this year. The MV Rowayton Eagle is a 63,301 DWT bulk carrier built in 2013 and registered in the Marshall Islands.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Ask an expert: Liner wear while using VLSFO fuels https://www.ukpandi.com/news-and-resources/videos/ask-an-expert-liner-wear-while-using-vlsfo-
fuels/?dm_i=33T,78D0V,LGE99N,TB6AK,1
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Bulk Carrier Crew Member Killed by Large Wave Off Nova Scotia Mike Schuler February 3, 2021
A crew member of a bulk carrier has died and three others injured after their ship was hit by a large
wave several hundred miles off the coast of Nova Scotia on Saturday.
The Malta-flagged MV Giulia 1 was about 320 nautical miles southeast of Nova Scotia when it was hit by
the wave.
AIS ship tracking data shows the vessel departed Norfolk, Virginia on Jan. 26 bound for Africa.
Following the incident, the vessel sailed for Halifax where it arrived on Jan. 31.
The incident comes as NOAA’s Ocean Prediction Center was tracking a strong low pressure system off
the northeast coast of the U.S. that was forecasted to produce significant wave heights up to 52 feet.
Transport Canada is reportedly investigating the incident, including whether or not it was in compliance
with Maritime Labour Convention obligations.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
M/V Rowayton Eagle.
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/John Pegden
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
16
The Pulse
MOL’s LNG carrier for Uniper enters service Published by Lydia Woellwarth, Deputy Editor
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd has announced that on 25 January, the LNG carrier LNG ROSENROT, jointly
ordered by MOL and Itochu Corporation was delivered at the Okpo shipyard by Daewoo Shipbuilding &
Marine Engineering Co., Ltd (DSME) in South Korea. The ship has entered into a transportation service
contract with Uniper Global Commodities SE, 100% owned by one of the largest European gas and
electricity companies, Uniper SE. The LNG ROSENROT is a sister vessel of LNG
SCHNEEWEISSCHEN that was delivered on 31 July 2018 and is serving under transportation service for
Uniper Global Commodities SE. LNG Rosenrot is equipped with the slow-speed two-stroke engine (X-
DF) made by Winterthur Gas & Diesel, which can run on natural gas, MGO and heavy fuel oil, and takes
the main engine’s efficiency to the next level.
X-DF technologies will make LNG transport more efficient and economical. MOL, as one of the world’s
leading LNG carrier owner/operators, will service Uniper by providing safe, reliable, and the highest
possible quality LNG transportation services, and will, as ever, meet high expectations of its global
customers by leveraging its accumulated experience and know-how and bringing solutions utilising the
state-of-the-art marine technologies. LNG ROSENROT
Length : 297.9 m.
Breadth : 47.90 m.
Draft : 11.50 m.
LNG tank : Membrane type.
Cargo tank capacity : 180 000 m3
Main engine : X-DF double-engine, twin-shaft system.
Speed : 19.5 knots.
Shipbuilder : DSME.
Ship management company : MOL LNG Transport
(Europe) Ltd.
Shipowner : MOL 80%, Itochu 20%. Source : LNG Industry
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LR11 submarine rescue vehicle to ship for IndoPacific navy by Richard Scott
UK-based Forum Energy Technologies has disclosed the
completion of a new free-swimming submarine rescue
vehicle (SRV) for an Indo-Pacific navy. The new vehicle,
designated LR11, is being supplied to Submarine
Manufacturing & Products (SMP) as part of a larger
submarine rescue equipment package. While neither Forum
nor SMP have identified the navy in question, Janes
understands that the end customer is the People’s Army of
Vietnam Navy. SMP was awarded a contract in 2018 to
supply a complete submarine rescue equipment solution –
including a transfer under pressure (TUP) system, an SRV, work-class remotely operated vehicles
(ROVs), atmospheric diving suits, and a submarine emergency ventilation and decompression system
(SEVDS) – for installation on a new purpose-built submarine rescue ship. Images released by the
company show the vessel concerned to be YET KIEU , a Damen 9316 multipurpose submarine search
and rescue ship built by the Z189 shipyard in Hai Phong. According to Forum, the new LR11 SRV can
operate at depths of up to 600 m and will be capable of rescuing up to 17 people at a time. It is divided
into two sections: a command module for pilots and a rescue chamber for the submarine crew. While
building on earlier LR-class SRV designs produced by Perry Slingsby Systems – acquired by Forum
Energy Technologies in February 2007 – LR11 offers increased power and utilises an advanced auxiliary
thruster control system that allows for operations in high current conditions. The vehicle is able to attach
to submarines at angles of above 40°. LR11 will be shipped at the end of January. It will undergo final sea
trials with its customer during the first quarter of 2021. Source : Janes
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MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
17
The Pulse
Chinese to serve 26-year term for pirate killings The Kaohsiung District Court on Friday sentenced a Chinese man to 26 years in prison for ordering the
killing of four alleged pirates in 2012, when he was serving as the captain of a Taiwanese fishing vessel.
Wang Fengyu, 43, was convicted of homicide and for breaching the Controlling Guns, Knives and
Ammunition Act, the court said.
The incident happened on board the Kaohsiung-registered longliner PING SHIN No. 101 in the Indian
Ocean off the Somalian coast on Sept. 29, 2012. Wang ordered two Pakistanis he had hired as acting
captains to fire at and kill four Somalian men he suspected of being pirates, the court said. The incident
was witnessed by crew members on several nearby vessels, one of which was the CHUN I No. 217, also
registered in Taiwan, it said. The group of vessels was on the day allegedly fired at while operating
595km southeast of Mogadishu, the court said. Wang ordered his crew to fire back at a boat carrying the
four alleged pirates, the court said, adding that one of the vessels, which is not named in the court filing,
also rammed the boat, causing it to overturn and sink. Wang then ordered his crew to fire at the four men,
who were defenseless swimming in the water, it said. The incident became known in August 2014, when
a 10-minute video of the killing was posted online by an anonymous person who allegedly found the
footage on smartphone they found in a taxi in Fiji, the court said.
In the video, a man believed to be Wang can be heard ordering his crew to fire at the men in the water,
after which about 40 rounds are fired, it said. The man ordering the shooting or the shooters are not
shown in the footage, the court added. Wang, who is from China’s Zhejiang Province, was in 2011 hired
by a Kaohsiung-based company to serve as acting captain of the PING SHIN No. 101, it said. Court
documents did not name the Taiwanese company or its owner. Prosecutors said that they issued a
detention warrant for Wang on Dec. 28, 2018, after he repeatedly did not report for questioning in
connection with the case. Maritime safety groups had suspected the PING SHIN No. 101’s involvement
in the incident and it is unclear why prosecutors waited until 2018 to act. In 2016, Greenpeace referred to
the case in a report on human and labor rights abuses in Taiwan’s fishing industry. Wang was detained on
Aug. 22 last year, after the ship he was serving on at the time, the Seychelles-flagged INDIAN STAR,
made a call at the Port of Kaohsiung. Although Wang is a Chinese national and the incident occurred in
international waters, he was prosecuted in Taiwan, as the shooting occurred on a Taiwanese vessel. In its
ruling, the court said that Wang’s actions demonstrated that he had no respect for human life. The ruling
can be appealed. Source: CNA
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Crew Changes - A Comprehensive Guide
https://www.ukpandi.com/news-and-resources/articles/2020/crew-changes---a-comprehensive-
guide/?dm_i=33T,78D0V,LGE99N,TB6AK,1
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Former Royal Caribbean Ship Majesty of Seas Arrives in Piraeus Royal Caribbean International's former MAJESTY OF THE SEAS arrived in Piraeus on Monday, with
the vessel having been sold from Royal Caribbean International to an undisclosed owner in December.
The ship was spotted at a pier next to
the former COSTA ROMANTICA,
now belonging to Celestyal Cruises as
the EXPERIENCE, and nearby the
former Pacific Aria, which was sold to
Seajets. Since leaving the Royal
Caribbean fleet, the MAJESTY OF
THE SEAS has seen its name
shortened to MAJESTY and is officially owned by Saturn Oceanway Inc. with Campbell Cruise & Yacht
Management Ltd. listed as the vessel manager. Meanwhile, the EMPRESS OF THE SEAS was sold from
Royal Caribbean International to a new Indian cruise start up, and data lists Campbell Cruise & Yacht
Management Ltd. as the ship's manager source : cruiseindustrynews
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
18
The Pulse
Golden 13 – The First Black Officer Training Course Editorial February 3, 2021
In January 1944, there were nearly 100,000 Black
Sailors in the United States Navy, but none were
officers. That would change when a group of sixteen
Black enlisted men were assembled at Recruit
Training Center, Great Lakes, in Illinois for officer
training that month.
The odds were initially stacked against them as there
was still a strong sentiment within the Navy that
African Americans could not succeed as officers.
The normal officer training course was sixteen
weeks, however these men were expected to
complete it in eight – a move that they believed was
an attempt to set them up for failure.
The Navy also expected a twenty-five percent
attrition rate, similar to that of white officer candidates. However, the group of sixteen were determined
not to fail, and supported one another throughout the brutal pace of the training. Though lights out was at
2230 each night, the group placed blankets over their windows and studied together by flashlight, each
man bringing his expertise to help strengthen the skills and knowledge of the others.
When the course was over, all sixteen passed their exams. In fact, their marks were so outstanding that
some in Washington were certain that the men had cheated. When the group was forced to retake certain
exams, they scored even higher, with an average grade of 3.89 out of 4–the highest average of any class
in Navy history at the time.
Despite the fact all sixteen had passed the course, the Navy still wished to only commission 12, or
seventy-five percent, as officers. Twelve were selected, and a thirteenth was made a chief warrant officer,
hence the nickname “The Golden Thirteen.” The other three were sent back into the enlisted ranks with
no explanations given. Here are brief biographies of all sixteen men. Source: gCaptain
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The Great Escape Tunnel
Untouched for almost seven decades, the tunnel used in the Great Escape has finally been unearthed. The
111-yard passage nicknamed 'Harry'
by Allied prisoners was sealed by the
Germans after the audacious break-out
from the POW camp Stalag Luft III in
western Poland. Despite huge interest
in the subject, encouraged by the film
starring Steve McQueen, the tunnel
undisturbed over the decades because
it was behind the Iron Curtain and the
Soviet had no interest in its
significance.
Many of the bed boards which had
been joined together to stop it
collapsing were still in position. And
the ventilation shaft, ingeniously
crafted from used powdered milk
containers known as Klim Tins,
remained in working order.
Scattered throughout the tunnel, which is 30ft below ground, were bits of old metal buckets, hammers and
crowbars which were used to hollow out the route.
But at last British archaeologists have excavated it, and
discovered its remarkable secrets.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
19
The Pulse
A total of 600 prisoners worked on three tunnels at the
same time. They were nicknamed Tom, Dick and Harry
and were just 2 ft. square for most of their length. It was
on the night of March 24 and 25, 1944, that 76 Allied
airmen escaped through Harry.
Barely a third of the 200 prisoners, many in fake German
uniforms and civilian outfits and carrying false identity
papers, who were meant to slip away managed to leave
before the alarm was raised when escapee number 77 was
spotted.
Only three made it back to Britain. Another 50 were
executed by firing squad on the orders of Adolf Hitler,
who was furious after learning of the breach of security.
In all, 90 boards from bunk beds, 62 tables, 34 chairs and
76 benches, as well as thousands of items including
knives, spoons, forks, towels and blankets, were
squirreled away by the Allied prisoners to aid the escape
plan under the noses of their captors.
Although the Hollywood movie suggested otherwise, NO
Americans were involved in the operation. Most were
British, and the others were from Canada, (all the tunnelers were Canadian personnel with backgrounds in
mining) Poland, New Zealand, Australia, and
South Africa.
The latest dig, over three weeks in August,
located the entrance to Harry, which was
originally concealed under a stove in Hut 104.
The team also found another tunnel, called
George, whose exact position had not been
charted. It was never used as the 2,000 prisoners
were forced to march to other camps as the Red
Army approached in January 1945.
Watching the excavation was Gordie King, 91, an
RAF radio operator, who was 140th in line to use
Harry and therefore missed out. 'This brings back such
bitter-sweet memories’, he said as he wiped away
tears. 'I'm amazed by what they've found.
In a related post:
Many of the recent generations have no true notion of the cost in lives and treasure that were paid for the
liberties that we enjoy in this United States. They also have no idea in respect of the lengths that the
“greatest generation” went to in order to preserve those liberties. Below is one true, small and entertaining
story regarding those measures that are well worth reading, even if the only thing derived from the story
is entertainment.
Tunnel vision: A tunnel reconstruction
showing the trolley system.
The site of the tunnel, recently excavated by British
archaeologists
Gordie King, 91, made an emotional return
to Stalag Luft III.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
20
The Pulse
Escape from WWII POW Camps — starting in 1940, an increasing number of British and Canadian
Airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about
for ways and means to facilitate their escape.
Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not
only where stuff was, but also showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go
for food and shelter.
Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear
out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush.
Someone in MI-5 (similar to America's OSS) got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable,
can be scrunched-up into tiny wads and, unfolded as many times as needed and, makes no noise
whatsoever.
At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of
printing on silk, and that was John Waddington Ltd When approached by the government, the firm was
only too happy to do its bit for the war effort.
By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular American board game
Monopoly. As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into
'CARE packages', dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war.
Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of
Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each
region of Germany, Italy, and France or wherever Allied POW camps were located. When processed,
these maps could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing
piece.
As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add:
1 A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass
2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together
3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French currency, hidden within the
piles of Monopoly money!
British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a
'rigged' Monopoly set – by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing
glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square.
Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an estimated one-third were aided in
their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy indefinitely, since
the British Government might want to use this highly successful ruse in still another, future war.
The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the
firm itself, were finally honored in a public ceremony.
It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail' Free' card!
Some readers of this email are probably too young to have any personal connection to WWII (Sep. '39 to
Aug. '45), but this is still an interesting bit of history for everyone to know.
"Found on internet"
_____________________________________________________________________________________
OCEAN LINER SOCIETY - SHIP SHOW
We at Ocean Liner Society have been closely monitoring the situation with respect to Covid 19, progress
of vaccinations, and the possibility of holding our Ship Show on 15 May, 2021. After discussion with the
Masonic Hall in Southampton, we came to the decision that there was no alternative, unfortunately, but to
cancel this date.
I know this news will be disappointing to many, but we are planning to hold the event on Saturday, 20
November, 2021, and do hope that your members will be able to join us. It will give us something to
look forward to.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
21
The Pulse
Contact of Liquid Petroleum Gas Carrier Levant with Mooring Dolphin https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/MAB2102.aspx
National Trans[port Safety Board
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Australia Fines Wallenius Wilhelmsen $24 Million for Criminal Cartel
Conduct https://gcaptain.com/australia-fines-wallenius-wilhelmsen-24-million-for-criminal-cartel-
conduct/?subscriber=true&goal=0_f50174ef03-0853f14b1f-
139894965&mc_cid=0853f14b1f&mc_eid=4c72dd3685 Source:- gCaptain
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Tanker embarks on first ever mid-winter voyage on Northern Sea Route By : Atle Staalesen
Never before has a commercial ship crossed the Northern Sea Route in February.
The 299 meter long carrier operated by Sovcomflot was on the 3rd of February located off the coast of
Kamchatka. The powerful ship has a northbound course and is due to arrive in Sabetta, the LNG terminal
in Yamal, on the 17th of February.
The tanker set out from the Chinese port of Yangkou
on the 27th January, data from ship traffic service
MarineTraffic shows. At the same time, nuclear-
powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy was on early
Tuesday sailing eastwards towards the East Siberian
Sea. The two ships might ultimately meet near the
Bering Strait, and the tanker subsequently escorted
westwards through the thick sea-ice. The whole
Northern Sea Route is now covered by ice. The straits
between the mainland and archipelagos Severnaya
Zemlya and New Siberian Islands are covered by thick
fast ice, while the remaining part of the area has one-
year old sea-ice that is between 30-200 cm thick.
There is no multi-year old ice in the area. Air
temperatures in the region can in this time of year drop
to below minus 40C°.It is not the first record-breaking
voyage of the Christophe de Margerie. The ice-breaking tanker was the first LNG carrier that crossed the
route. In May 2020, Sovcomflot sent the carrier across the route in a record-early voyage, more than a
month earlier than the previous record. In January this year, the tanker took part in another historical
voyage, where two commercial carriers crossed each others’ paths in one of the most icy parts of the
Arctic sea route in January.
The operations are part of a series on experimental shipments on the remote and icy shipping route. In
July last year, Sergey Frank, board chairman of shipping company Sovcomflot, made clear that ice-class
tankers will be sailing on the Northern Sea Route in January and February.
The experiments are conducted in cooperation with natural gas producer Novatek and nuclear power
company Rosatom, Frank said. It is part of a bid to show that the route can be used also in winter time.
According to ship operators, the NSR can soon be used for sailing up to 10 months of the year.
The CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE is part of a fleet of 15 vessels that serve the Yamal LNG project.
They can carry up to 70,000 tons of liquified nature gas, and all have ice class Arc7, that enables them to
autonomously break through up to 2,1 meters of sea ice. The fleet of LNG carriers are instrumental in the
major spike in shipping in the Russian Arctic. In 2020, more than 32 million tons of goods was shipped
on the Northern Sea Route, up from 2019 when the volume amounted to 31,5 million tons. Source : The
Barents Observer
_____________________________________________________________________________________
LNG carrier CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE is
on its way from China to Sabetta, while nuclear-
powered icebreaker is in the East Siberian Sea.
The two vessels might ultimately sail together
across the Northern Sea Route.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
22
The Pulse
Rogue Captain’s Mid-Ocean Detour Tips Investors to Humanitarian Crisis at
Sea By Alastair Marsh (Bloomberg) —
Terence Tsai started hearing about the growing labor crisis in shipping in a roundabout way. First, in
March, an official at a ship management company in Hong Kong let slip that a captain had purposefully
diverted a vessel under its control into the middle of the ocean to protest the treatment of himself and his
crew.
Then, from the head of a large Asian shipping company, Tsai heard about a captain who wanted to attend
his son’s funeral in Eastern Europe. It took more than two months and a mountain of paperwork to
surmount Covid-era port restrictions and travel complications to get him on a flight back home.
As the stories started piling up, Tsai, a shipping industry analyst at London-based Fidelity International,
began to realize he was getting to see one of the most hidden horrors of the pandemic: How cargo ships
turned almost overnight from the engines of global commerce into floating prisons. There are hundreds of
thousands of seafarers long overdue for relief, a situation the United Nations has designated
a humanitarian crisis and one with consequences, Tsai realized, far beyond the shipping industry.
“There are hardly any shipping analysts out there to shine a light on this issue, as you would have on
child labor in the consumer industries or deforestation, or carbon,” the 34-year-old Tsai said. “In the end,
if I knew about this issue and didn’t raise it, then what’s the point of having a shipping analyst?”
Tsai realized that the plight of the stranded seafarers had major implications for global trade and the
health and safety of marine workers. He shared his findings with some Fidelity fund managers and also
the firm’s ESG team led by Jenn-Hui Tan, setting in motion a campaign to push portfolio companies to
resolve the seafarer crisis.
Fidelity International, which oversees about $610 billion and is independent from Boston-based Fidelity
Investments, wrote last year to more than 30 companies in the shipping and charter industries, asking
them to address the problem. The firm was a lone voice among investors pressing the issue until it
gathered a coalition of peers managing more than $2 trillion of assets that recently sent a letter to the UN,
calling for action.
Fidelity wants seafarers to be officially designated as “key workers” and requested the “establishment of
systematic processes to enable safe crew changes,” including the establishment of Covid-19 testing
procedures that would allow for orderly crew changes and repatriation.
Tan, who’s overseen Fidelity’s stewardship and sustainable investing team since 2019, said the firm is
seeking “a broader structural resolution,” which will involve government intervention and international
coordination. Simultaneously, Fidelity will use its influence with individual ship owners and charterers to
“affect crew changes on a more micro level,” he said.
Tsai declined to identify the shipping companies that clued him in to the crisis. Fidelity has no plan to
divest from firms that ignore the issue or refuse to help solve the crisis, preferring instead to actively
engage with their portfolio companies across the shipping, cargo, airline and retail sectors, Tan said.
“It was important to us when we did our engagement, that we didn’t try to represent this as being an issue
of fault for any one party within the value chain, partly because it’s not,” the 42-year-old Tan said. “If
you think about it, it’s something that’s caused by a lot of people defending their legitimate interests. It’s
caused because of everyone acting within the system that they have.”
Shipping is a highly fragmented industry under a patchwork of regulations that dilutes responsibility for
the well-being of ship workers. For example, Tan said the port operators want to reduce the spread of
Covid-19 to local communities, while charterers have contractual obligations and delivery dates to meet.
That’s created a logistical nightmare for shipowners trying to get crew home or bring in replacements.
Some ports require lengthy quarantines for incoming seafarers. Others block or restrict incoming vessels
that have recently changed crew. Meanwhile, travel schedules and border restrictions keep changing.
The Maritime Labour Convention, which has been ratified by more than 80 countries and underpins
everything from insurance policies to shipping contracts, sets minimum working conditions for
seafarers. But an investigation by Bloomberg in September found multiple examples of labor violations
and abuse, including instances where mariners hadn’t been paid in months or didn’t have current
contracts.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Seafarers have become what the International Maritime Organization calls “collateral victims” of the
Covid crisis. The IMO, which oversees global shipping, has requested that all parties prioritize crew
changes for the health and safety of the workers and the industry.
While there’s widespread agreement that this is indeed a crisis and something should be done, there’s
been little action. Fidelity’s diplomatic approach and unwillingness to label certain parties as bad actors
opens the firm to a common criticism of investors who take social or political positions: that their talk
outweighs their actions.
Still, Fidelity’s actions stands in contrast to other institutional investors, including BlackRock Inc., that
have yet to publicly comment on the issue. Tan said he isn’t averse, in general, to “naming and shaming,”
citing engagements related to deforestation and the palm oil business, where the firm has taken a more
assertive stance. However, he insists such tactics would yield little in the seafarers’ crisis.
“What we’re trying to do is highlight a huge risk that could happen” such as a disastrous maritime
accident, Tan said. “It’s already a humanitarian crisis. It should not turn into an ecological crisis, or an
oceanic crisis.”
–With assistance from Aaron Clark. © 2021 Bloomberg L.P
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Remembering Shipmates
Ronald Crees - Born March 10, 1926 - died on January 29th 202, aged, 96.
Ron joined the Merchant Navy aged 16 as an Apprentice and his
maiden voyage was as part of PQ17 onboard the Dutch Merchant
ship Paulus Potter under Captain Sissingh.
His ship was destroyed in the attack. Ron and the surviving crew
survived at sea for ten days in an open lifeboat before being rescued
by American Freighter Winston Salem. Ron returned to sea as part
of other missions in the Atlantic.
After his time in the Merchant Navy, Ron became a special effects
cameraman working with some of the biggest stars in the film
industry including Orson Welles.
He leaves behind an immensely proud family including his wife
Brenda, three children Pamela, Carol and Mark, six grandchildren,
and seven great grandchildren.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Indo Pacific Deployment
To Boost UK-Japan Cooperation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMB Piracy & Armed Robbery Map 2020 Piracy Map 2020 (icc-ccs.org)
In 2020, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) received 195 incidents
of piracy and armed robbery against ships worldwide, in comparison to 162 in 2019. The incidents
included three hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 20 attempted attacks, and 161 vessels boarded.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
A "Beggar-thy-Neighbor" Approach Keeps Seafarers Stranded https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/a-beggar-thy-neighbor-approach-keeps-seafarers-stranded
When a business manager is willing to spend $200,000 to send home five employees whose contracts
have expired and bring five colleagues to replace them on the spot, later telling a reporter the cost was the
least of their worries, you can be sure a crisis is involved.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
‘Cracks’ discovered in production vessel hull BY ALLISTER THOMAS Serious concerns have been raised after inspectors found multiple “cracks” in the hull of the production
ship for the Foinaven field west of Shetland, amid a catalogue of other safety issues.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found fractures extending two feet long in the vessel’s “hull
girders and stiffeners”. It is operated by Altera Infrastructure and stationed at the BP Foinaven oil field.
Inspectors questioned the “residual strength of the hull”, stating Altera did not demonstrate it was
“sufficient to operate the installation at its current location”, around 118 miles west of Shetland. They
also identified “defects” with the mooring winch brake system, required to hold the floating production,
storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in position. Inspectors also identified an “ingress of seawater” into
one of the ship’s ballast tanks, designed to provide stability to the vessel, after pipes corroded. Union
leaders said one of the defects would have been worrying amid winter storms, but that all these together
were a serious cause for concern. They called for immediate action.
Despite first being flagged in 2016, HSE said there was “no evidence” of action being taken to address
issues on the vessel. Temporary repairs were made in August 2019, but inspectors said there had been no
thickness testing on the pipes to ensure the “watertight integrity of the hull” was maintained Altera has
until April 30 to take action on the hull cracks and mooring brake winch issues and until June 30 for
compliance on the ballast tank problem. The firm said it would comply with the notices “within the due
dates”. An Altera spokesperson added: “The main focus of Altera Infrastructure, acting as duty holder, is
safe operations across all assets that we operate in the North Sea, whether they be our own or those of
third parties, where we in all instances maintain open and transparent dialogue with the UK regulators.”
BP, which owns the Foinaven field, said: “Safety is BP’s core value and we take matters such as these
very seriously. “We are working with the duty holder on their proposed way forward to swiftly address
the issues raised.”
Vessel owner Teekay was contacted for comment. Jake Molloy, regional organiser of the RMT Union
said: “All three safety issues are inextricably linked. “One in itself causes concern, the three of them
together, the nature of them, should give rise to serious concern. “We’re in the middle of winter, we’re
coming into serious storms, especially the north-west Atlantic. “The nature of these concerns warrant
immediate action.” The Foinaven FPSO has been on site since first oil from the field in 1997. There have
been a number of recent incidents involving the vessel, including separate gas and propane leaks in 2018
BP last year signed a new deal, extending the vessel’s time there by up to another decade. However, with
several other FPSOs now out of work thanks to other UK fields being decommissioned, Mr Molloy said
BP should look at other options. He said: “We’ve had some concerns with this particular unit for some
time, as has the duty holder and the field owner BP and I think, absolutely, it is time to look at this and
whether or not this thing is fit for purpose. “Especially when you’ve got a number of FPSOs which are
coming off station without any opportunities for them. “Surely the opportunity exists to put something in
place, a stopgap, in order to do work that’s quite clearly required to remedy these problems.” Source : The
Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Brits Charged Over Singapore Yacht Party That Broke Virus Rules Nine Britons could face jail in Singapore after being charged Friday with breaking coronavirus rules over
a party on a yacht where revellers danced in swimwear and Santa hats. Images of the Boxing Day
festivities on the vessel went viral on social media, sparking fury from Singaporeans and prompting
authorities to launch an investigation. At that time, gatherings outside the home were limited to only five
people under curbs to prevent the spread of the virus.
Anyone found to have breached the rules may be fined up to Sg$10,000 (U.S. $7,500) or jailed for up to
six months, or both. Singapore maritime authorities last month suspended the license of the vessel
chartered for the party for 30 days, after their investigations found the number of passengers onboard
breached Covid-19 rules. The city-state — which has had a mild outbreak, reporting around 60,000
coronavirus cases and 29 deaths — has taken a tough stand against violations of virus restrictions In June
last year, four British men were banned from working in Singapore after going on a pub crawl in a breach
of coronavirus curbs. Source : courthousenews
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MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
25
The Pulse
Londoners spark manhunt after breaking lockdown to go for a walk in
Published: 5:30 AM February 9, 2021 Updated: 7:44 AM February 9, 2021
A huge rescue operation was launched for a London
couple who visited Winterton 'for a walk' at the
weekend - Credit: HM Coastguard Winterton
A full-scale search and rescue operation was launched
after a London couple travelling to Winterton for a
walk left their car unattended for more than four
hours.
The couple were fined by police and their actions
were branded 'indefensible' by a local councillor, after
search and rescue teams tackled conditions they
claimed were among the worst they have ever faced.
Police were called at 3.30pm on Saturday, February 6, by the coastguard over concerns about the welfare
of a woman.
The woman was seen arriving and parking her car in the area by coast watch volunteers.
After more than four hours had passed and she had failed to return, volunteers raised the alarm.
A full-scale operation was launched by three coastguard teams over the weekend after a London couple
were reported missing - Credit: Caister
Independent Lifeboat.
A full-scale operation was launched by three
coastguard teams over the weekend after a
London couple were reported missing - Credit:
Caister Independent Lifeboat
Officers attended the scene and assisted the
search, which was carried out in conjunction
with three coastguard teams - Bacton,
Winterton and Gorleston.
They were joined by Caister Lifeboat and a
search and rescue helicopter. The helicopter
was later stood down before reaching the scene.
The woman and her partner were found safe and well at about 4.45pm as they returned to their car.
Norfolk Constabulary said: "It was established the couple had travelled from London earlier in the day
and both were given a fixed penalty notices for breaching lockdown rules."
The team was paged this afternoon along with HM Coastguard Gorleston & HM Coastguard Bacton to
reports of a missing...
Posted by HM Coastguard Winterton on Saturday, 6 February 2021
Paul Garrod, chairman of Caister
independent lifeboat, said: “We were paged
at 4.20pm on Saturday, launched with six
crew members.
"Once we got to Winterton, we had to start
a shoreline search. There were 20 ft rolling
waves.
"It’s the worst I’ve seen in 20-odd years,
because we were so close into shore. It was
horrendous."
Winterton Coastguard issued a
warning on its Facebook post after the
event, asking people to take "extreme care
when visiting the coast over the next few
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
26
The Pulse
days".
James Bensly, councillor for Yarmouth's East Flegg Ward, said he was "absolutely exhausted" by people
continuously breaking the rules.
"Anyone getting in a car right now should hear alarm bells ringing," he said.
"To put our already over-stretched emergency services at risk like that is indefensible.
"I know people need to get out and about and stretch their legs. I do understand that. But these actions by
this London couple cannot be justified."
He added: "It probably costs about three grand to run a search and rescue helicopter for an hour.
"I want to see the laws changed on this. Anyone who needlessly uses up vital resources like that should
have to foot the bill themselves."
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
“NO CREW CHANGE” CLAUSES [THE WET DETECTIVE] By Mike Wall
Many in the international shipping community appear to be outraged to be outraged by the recent
demands by charterers that charterparties should include a “no crew change” clause. This is adding insult
to injury as far as seafarers are concerned. It shows a total lack of concern for those who are contributing
to making a profit for their employers. The IMO, Intercargo, and ILO have all condemned this restrictive
action. Whilst it can cost US$10,000 to repatriate a crew member, in these difficult times such costs are
justified and should be borne by all involved. The main challenges appear to be:
Ø Arranging and complying with the requisite strict self-quarantine, 14-day requirement in time for the
scheduled crew change date.
Ø The additional cost of transferring crew to quarantine facilities (and the cost of the facilities
themselves).
Ø Planning and achieving crew changes that have a 14-day quarantine requirement with the crew change
port being changed at the last minute with little notice.
Ø The additional administration time necessary for these crew changes. This adds enormous stress and
long hours to a crew department teamwork load.
Ø Minimising the additional costs attributable to the ship owner.
Ø Charterers who avoid any responsibility or care for the ship’s crew by not facilitating or even
preventing crew changes from occurring on time.
Ultimately, the cost will be passed to those ashore who benefit from seafarers’ service but who have little
or no idea of how seafarers are being treated.
“It can only be assumed that the unwillingness to make every effort at crew
repatriation is due to maintaining or minimising costs whilst increasing profits.” Over the last few months, I have heard only one reference in the media to seafarers being essential
workers. This is because shoreside workers have little or no knowledge of what seafaring involves. They
are unaware of the long periods seafarers spend at sea separated from their families, a reality for which
you can never pay enough.
It is clear that the current reduced repatriation of seafarers has decreased shipowners and charterers costs.
It can only be assumed that the unwillingness to make every effort at crew repatriation is due to
maintaining or minimising costs whilst increasing profits.
Such unscrupulous operators are completely ignoring human rights. They are aware that seafarer
industrial organising is fragmented due to lack of access to internet communications. Internet access has
been declared to be a human right but is still sadly lacking throughout the merchant navy. In 2003, a
world summit was organised under the auspices of the UN at which the right to freedom of expression
was stressed. Clearly, owners and operators are ignoring this right. This should be tested in the courts.
Ask any operator and they will tell you that the crew have access when in coastal waters on their mobile
phones but at their own cost. This means that crews have no communications for the remaining
substantial proportion of time spent at sea even though regular and frequent information is being
transferred backwards and forwards between the ship and owners/charterers.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
“Whilst we do not live in a perfect world, there is a lot that can be done to improve
it for the seafarers.” Various studies over the last 50 years have shown that regular and frequent leave is the most important
satisfaction factor for those at sea. Regular and good communications with family is a close second.
These were well ahead of salary levels and other conditions of service.
Both owners and charterers could alleviate the current high stress levels on board by allowing
crewmembers regular access to email communications, although full internet access would be preferable.
The latter is unlikely as most owners and operators use the “mushroom management principle,” i.e., keep
them in the dark and occasionally feed them a load of manure The savings made from reduced
repatriations can be reallocated to improving internet connection and communications for crews. This
would clearly reduce the stress levels aboard ship and possibly improve job satisfaction.
Then there is the reason for a lack of repatriation, i.e., the fear of transmission of the virus. Seafarers,
being essential workers, should be the first in line for vaccination. Issuing certificates of vaccination
should help ease the logistical difficulties associated with repatriation through different jurisdictions. The
above two actions could substantially improve life for seafarers. The publicity associated with such
improvements would improve the owners’ and charterers’ image, showing them to be caring
organisations whilst highlighting the current problems of repatriation. Publicity relating to “no crew
change” clauses will do the opposite. Notable is the fact that neither RightShip nor the various PSC
MOUs have indicated whether they will be penalising vessels that have not completed timely crew
changes. Whilst we do not live in a perfect world, there is a lot that source : bairdmaritime
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Philippines relaxes crew change restrictions for both Filipino nationals and
foreigners effective Feb 1 The Philippines government has issued new guidelines on the arrival of both Filipino nationals and
foreigners. The government has ended its temporary ban (effective until January 31 2021) on international
crew change for seafarers from vessels which had called at a list of 36 banned countries. In a press release
issued by the Bureau of Immigration, the authorities state that they fully support the government in
pursuing its goal to make the Philippines a major international hub for crew change. Effective 1st
February 2021 with reference to the Resolutions Nos. 96 & 97 of the Philippines Inter-Agency Task
Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), the new guidelines
basically see crew change procedure reverting to position as it was prior to 30 December 2020 (POEA
Circular on Green Lanes 2nd July 2020 available on the right) when the temporary ban was introduced.
Off-signing seafarers will have to quarantine for seven days at facilities designated under the One Stop
Shop (OSS) for Seafarers until testing negative in PCR Covid-19 test which is taken on the sixth day after
arrival. It is important that a ship’s agent is appointed and that clear communication is established if crew
change is requested. In the Advisory issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) on the 30th January
2021, seafarers; under vias category 9(C) would be allowed to enter the Philippines. source : Portnews
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Canada's extended cruise ban strikes another blow to passenger vessel
industry By : Dale K. DuPont Source : workboat
Canada has reinforced a ban on cruises for another year through February 2022, dealing one more blow to
an industry already reeling from government-ordered shutdowns and new regulations. The ban has
sparked some talk of a possible temporary — though unlikely — exemption to the Passenger Vessel
Services Act (PVSA), which has similar requirements to the Jones Act, to allow the huge foreign-flag
ships to sail. U.S.-flag tour boat companies and other businesses in states like Alaska count on passengers
from those ships which often start cruises in or visit Canada. One small U.S.-flag operator who will be
sailing in Alaska nevertheless called the ban devastating for so many others in the industry who will go
another year with no revenue. “It’s a tough, tough situation,” Capt. Dan Blanchard, owner and CEO of
overnight cruise operator UnCruise Adventures, Seattle, said Friday, the day after the ban was announced.
“I’m a small ship operator that stands to benefit, but this is the worst fricking news we could have.” …….
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Four Years on and Literally Meters from Land, Tanker Crew Still
Stuck Aboard Reuters February 9, 2021
DUBAI, Feb 9 (Reuters) –
Nearly four years into their
odyssey at sea, the five-
member crew of oil tanker
MT Iba is tantalizingly close
to shore, yet still unable to
set foot on dry land.
Bleary-eyed and wearing
tattered clothes, the men are
exhausted from an ordeal that
has kept them from their
families and aboard the
5,000-tonne vessel long after
its owner abandoned it in the
Gulf.
What started out as a regular
seafaring job turned into
what the men call a nightmare, when the tanker’s owner, Alco Shipping, fell into financial trouble and
stopped paying their salaries 32 months ago.
The crew was left to fend for itself, relying on donations from charities they contacted for food and
hygiene supplies.
The tanker ran aground in Umm Al Quwain, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab
Emirates, in late January, after rough seas severed both of its anchors and pushed it to shore.
A crew member of an oil tanker named MT Iba is seen in Umm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates
February 8, 2021. Picture taken February 8, 2021. REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramahi
Life aboard the ship has been arduous, said Indian engineer Vinay Kumar.
“We’ve seen hell during this voyage,” Kumar told Reuters during a recent visit aboard the battered ship.
“We are like slaves … We’re begging for food.”
Alco Shipping did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Mission to Seafarers, a charity which offers emergency assistance and support to sailors, has been
providing regular food aid and checking on the sailors’ wellbeing since their ship was first abandoned.
The crew is collectively owed around $230,000, said the charity’s regional director Andy Bowerman,
who is helping mediate negotiations between the sailors and Alco Shipping.
Bowerman said the company had just offered to settle with the sailors for $150,000, although it is not
clear if the crew will accept the lower sum.
Bowerman said if they did not accept the offer, they would remain on board until a resolution was
reached, as the vessel provided their only leverage against the company.
Maritime laws also mean that if they abandon the ship, they could be detained and held responsible.
For Nay Win, an engineer from Myanmar, there is an added complication: his passport, still in the
company’s possession, expired while he has been at sea. And with the recent military coup at home, he is
unsure how to get a new one.
“For 43 months how would you feel?” said Pakistani engineer Riasat Ali. “It’s like we are staying in jail –
they are not giving a salary nor sending us home.” (Reporting by Jacob Greaves; additional reporting by
Tarek Fahmy; writing by Raya Jalabi; editing by Mike Collett-White)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Japanese Submarine Hits Ship Off Japan Mike Schuler
February 9, 2021
A Japanese submarine was damaged after colliding with a
ship as it surfaced off the southeast coast of Japan on
Monday.
The incident took place in waters off Shikoku island and
involved the Soryu, the first vessel in a class of eleven
diesel-electric attack submarines belonging to the Japan
Maritime Self-Defense Force. Three submariners
sustained minor injuries but are ok.
Photos of the Soryu undeway after the accident show the
damage to its starboard side sail. Reports says it also
sustained damage to antenna mast, impacting the sub’s
ability to communicate for some time after the accident.
The merchant ship is said to be the MV Ocean Artemis, a
93,103 DWT bulk carrier built in 2011, which was
carrying iron ore. It sustained only minor damage, if any,
and no injuries were reported.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force said three crew members on the submarine suffered minor injuries and
the vessel’s mast was damaged but not enough to hinder its ability to sail.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
China suspends crew changes for two shipmanagers By : Jason Jiang China’s Ministry of Transport has announced a decision to suspend the crew change operations for all the
vessels of two shipmanagers due to group coronavirus infections on vessels managed by the companies.
Chinese health authorities have found 15 crewmembers onboard the 2006-built panamax bulker
OMICRON SKY and 21 crewmembers onboard the 2011-built panamax bulker ASIA SPRING infected
with coronavirus during port inspections.
The two vessels are managed by Omicron Ship Management and Dia Yuan International Shipping
respectively. According to China’s latest crew change policy, authorities have suspended crew change for
all the vessels managed by the two companies for 30 days due to their incompetency in epidemic control.
The decision will be re-evaluated by authorities before they are granted permission for future crew
changes. A list provided by the Ministry of Transport shows that Omicron Ship Management manages six
vessels and Dia Yuan manages 17 vessels. Source : Splash 247
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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plot. Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.
----------------------------------------------------
SERENITY NOW
I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean, yoga and meditation. If you are the silent type,
let's get together, take our hearing aids out and enjoy quiet times.
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MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
WINNING SMILE
Active grandmother with original teeth seeking a dedicated flosser to share rare steaks, corn on the
cob and caramel candy.
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BEATLES OR STONES
I still like to rock, play the guitar and cruise in my Camaro on Saturday nights. If you were a
groovy chick - or are now a groovy hen - let's get together and listen to my eight-track tapes.
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MEMORIES
I can usually remember Monday through Thursday. If you can remember Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, let's put our two heads together.
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MINT CONDITION
Male, 1932 model, high mileage, good condition, some hair, many new parts including hip, knee,
cornea, valves. Isn't in running condition but walks well.
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Some corny Jokes for you
It's a pain having to wear a mask as well as glasses! … But you may be entitled to condensation.
Did you know you have to self-isolate for 14 days when you come back from Iceland?
Not sure if it's the same with Teso and Aldi.
I’ve heard it's great travelling on Eurostar…. But it's a killer on the Orient Express!
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A New Nose Job & different too Dutch breakbulk and project
carrier Spliethoff is experimenting with a new bulbous design
to improve the efficiency of its recently acquired fleet of P-
Type heavy-lift vessels. The “nose job” is intended to optimize
fuel consumption for lower draughts.
Guess it’s cold out there.
Acta Marine's COASTAL
ENTERPRISE in Winter conditions
working on De Afsluitdijk project
between Den Oever and
Kornwerderzand. climatechange after
more then a decade in the Middle East.
MNA CIRCULAR 2021 - #02 11th February 2021
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The Pulse
Ned Sherrin told this story in his book " Theatrical Anecdotes".
Tennessee Williams was in NYC overseeing one of his plays about to open there. One afternoon he was
walking down the street for some lunch with one of the actresses, who was in awe of him. She saw on the
other side of the street a very thin woman and brought her to the attention of Williams who looked over
and commented " that's anorexia nervosa", to which the actress replied " Oh Mr Williams you seem to
know everybody in this city".
Kevin Campbell
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The Merchant Navy Association
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That’s all from me now folks.
Stay Safe Shipmates
Good Health, Fair Winds and Calm Seas. Take Care.
Yours Aye,
Malcolm
Malcolm Mathison
National Chairman
Merchant Navy Association
Tel: 01472 277 266 Mob: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected]
www.mna.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1135661
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