Fruit Juice Tanker Becomes Latest Vessel to Add Wind-Assisted Propulsion

Rendering of Atlantic Orchard after the suction sails are fitted (Wisby Tankers)

PUBLISHED DEC 19, 2023 3:36 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The adoption of wind-assisted propulsion is continuing to grow as more shippers and vessel owners seek to increase the efficiency and lower emissions from their ships. The latest plan will see the adoption of suction sails aboard a decade-old fruit juice carrier.

Bound4Blue, a Spanish-based company developing automated wind-assisted propulsion systems, reports it received a contract to develop and install four of its eSail technology aboard the Atlantic Orchard (34,500 dwt). The vessel, which was built in 2014 and is registered in Liberia, is a fruit juice carrier currently sailing between Brazil and Belgium for the Netherlands-based agricultural company Louis Dreyfus Group.

Owned by Wisby Tankers of Sweden, the 590-foot (180-meter) vessel will be fitted with four suction sails. Each will stand approximately 85 feet (26 meters). The installation for the Atlantic Orchard is scheduled for 2024. The companies said that the installation of the eSails, depending on vessel routing, is expected to reduce annual fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by at least 10 percent.

The company began working on developing this technology nearly a decade ago. Bound4blue reports it currently holds the record for the largest suction sail ever constructed and installed on a ship. It uses a thick aerodynamic profile and intelligent suction mechanisms to produce the propulsive energy for the vessel. The company completed its first installation in 2021 and has proceeded with several additional projects. They report the suction sail yields seven times more lift than an airplane wing.

The decision to implement this technology on the Atlantic Orchard the companies report was based on a third-party assessment study carried out by Lloyd’s Register. The project evaluated a range of solutions and identified Bound4blue’s suction sails as the most promising. The suction sail is a competing technology in the wind-assisted propulsion sector which also includes rigid sails, rotors, and a kite-like concept, all of which capture wind energy to provide propulsive force which reduces the power required from a vessel’s engines. 

This project is co-funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) Acceleration Program. In September, Bound4blue also reported that it had received a total of €6.5 million from grants in 2021 and 2022 from the Innovation Fund Program, awarded by CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency) as part of a total €22.4 million raised in a new round of funding. They reported that the new funding would contribute to further development of the eSail technology and its commercialization, as well as expanding the company’s productive capacities and personnel.

 

BAE's Sub Workforce Problems May Foreshadow Difficulties for AUKUS

Image courtesy BAE

PUBLISHED DEC 17, 2023 1:19 PM BY THE STRATEGIST

 

[By Samuel Garrett]

Senior officials in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom continue to sing the praises of the AUKUS agreement. The likely passage of the US National Defense Authorization Act and approval of billions of dollars in US support, along with announcements on joint development and progress on Pillar 2 initiatives, have raised hopes among the deal’s proponents that Pillar 1—the AUKUS-class nuclear-powered submarines—will deliver the capability it promises.

Yet if the Australian government wishes to deliver Pillar 1 on time and within the already-wide budget range it has previously outlined, it must learn lessons from the troubled history of the UK’s Astute class of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). BAE Systems, the primary contractor for the Astute program, was awarded a contract to develop the AUKUS submarines in October and is likely to face challenges in developing a nuclear-capable workforce in Australia, as it did in the past in the UK.

With the AUKUS boats slated to be modelled off the Astute design and Australia having to build a workforce from a low industrial base like the UK had, Australia is at risk of repeating the mistakes of the past unless concerted efforts are made to mitigate the problems that hampered the rollout of the Astute program.

As outlined in a new report from the United States Studies Centre, the Astute program was plagued by delays and cost overruns from its inception—primarily because of poor integration and mismanagement of the shipbuilding workforce. A 17-year ’valley of death’ in submarine development at Barrow-in-Furness resulted in significant attrition of its experienced workforce, with little investment in a new generation of young talent to replace retiring workers.

The Barrow shipbuilding workforce fell from 13,000 to 3,000 between the end of the Vanguard class and the beginning of the Astute program. It therefore had significant skills shortages due to its reliance on new staff hired at the outset of the Astute program.

In addition, a small-government philosophy among the leadership of the day slashed the Ministry of Defence’s staff at Barrow from 50 during Vanguard to fewer than half a dozen. Minimal governmental oversight and coordination exacerbated the Astute program’s problems and led to poor visibility within government of the challenges facing the shipbuilding workforce. The private sector then proved ill-prepared to deal with erroneous government assumptions about the design and construction risks of the program.

Following years of delays and cost increases, the workforce issues hampering the Astute rollout began to be mitigated by greater government oversight, stakeholder communication and thorough planning of future workforce requirements. The workforce at the Barrow shipyard now numbers around 10,000 and is poised to grow to 17,000 by the decade’s end. Increases to onsite Ministry of Defence staff, the establishment of a key suppliers forum to coordinate with industry, and external workforce expertise from the US significantly boosted workforce skills, planning and management.

Key to ongoing workforce resilience has been the establishment of a £25 million skills academy in Barrow in 2018. A focus on young workers has boosted retention rates, with hundreds of apprentices having now passed through the academy. Effective integration of funded apprenticeships is likely to also be needed for the development of Pillar 1.

If Australia is to avoid the same pitfalls faced by the UK in developing a nuclear-capable workforce, it must prioritise workforce management and development as crucial to the AUKUS enterprise. Announcements of initiatives such as a skills academy in South Australia and support for university science, technology and engineering places and overseas shipbuilding placements for Australian workers are signs that the government is taking these concerns seriously.

Yet for a multi-decade program such as AUKUS, relentless attention on workforce management will be essential. Strong government leadership will be required to coordinate private-sector efforts, along with effective project and workforce management. Given the significant lead time required to recruit, train and develop a specialised industrial workforce and the enormous complexity of the engineering task they face, efforts will have to be rapidly expanded in the short term but continued in the long term.

The Australian Submarine Agency should also take care not to fully separate the design, build and operational planning teams. That was the approach taken during the Astute program, which hampered its early development due to unwieldy workforce and project management.

Mimicking the model of vocational skills training successfully employed in the UK won’t be easy. British training institutions have benefited from close relationships with employers such as BAE, but structural hurdles in Australia’s tertiary education system and limited integration between industry and tertiary education will make that hard to replicate.

In the absence of proper planning and workforce development, the strategic argument for AUKUS is likely to unravel in the face of mounting costs and delays. The risks and challenges of the Astute program were underestimated by both industry and the UK government. If Australia wishes to see AUKUS through, it can’t afford to make the same mistakes.

Samuel Garrett is a research associate at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

This article appears courtesy of ASPI's The Strategist and may be found in its original form here. 

 

Maersk Diverts 20 Ships From Red Sea as Other Carries Invoke Force Majeure

Maersk is diverting approximately 20 ships away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal due to continuing safety concerns (SCA file photo)

PUBLISHED DEC 19, 2023 12:27 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Maersk confirmed after pausing all of its containerships near the Red Sea it has determined to reroute approximately 20 vessels due to what it calls the “alarming” attacks and the “significant threat to the safety and security of seafarers.” The world’s second-largest container shipping company follows a growing list of shipping companies including container carriers, oil tankers, LNG and LPG carriers, and car transports all reporting that they have begun to reroute vessels despite the U.S. announcement yesterday of a coalition task force.

The situation in the area around Yemen and the Red Sea appears relatively stable today after a series of attacks over the past few days. UK Trade Organizations received reports of one or two possible approaches by small boats today, December 19, but the crews did not see weapons and stated that the small boats withdrew. There are no reports of drone or missile attacks.

A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed to Reuters that the UK is part of the task force and France announced its participation, but the UK said other than HMS Diamond it does not plan at this time to send additional vessels to the region. They highlighted that the U.S. has three warships now in the area while telling Reuters that the task force would have considerable capacity to deter future attacks and protect commercial shipping.

“We are pleased to see global governments reacting promptly,” Maersk said in its statement indicating that it is hopeful to stop the rerouting “in the near future,” but saying the timing for a resumption of service through the Red Sea “remains difficult to determine.”

Maersk reports that it had nearly 20 ships holding north and south of the Suez Canal and east of the Gulf of Aden. All will now be rerouted around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. The company reiterated that it remains “deeply concerned about the situation,” and will consider its next steps. They are planning a case-by-case assessment for future sailings, which could include diversions via the Cape of Good Hope or further contingency measures.

Asian carriers were also among the companies announcing overnight that they were altering their sailing plans. HMM, Evergreen, Wan Hai, and Yang Ming all reported plans to suspend sailing through the Red Sea. They followed the lead of the world’s largest container carriers, including MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM which all reported similar actions. Both Hapag and CMA CGM cited clauses in their Bill of Lading / Sea Waybill Terms and Conditions and invoked Force Majeure to divert their ships. Hapag is listing as of December 19 a total of 54 sailings stretching into 2024 that will divert around the Cape of Good Hope while reporting it still has five vessels "drifting" at points nears the Red Sea and Suez Canal. 

Analysts highlight that all the planned diversions will require additional capacity for the carriers to maintain service. Lars Jensen, chief executive of Vespucci Maritime, estimated for Lloyd’s List that the diversions would require up to 1.7 million TEU and involve five to six percent of the sector’s capacity helping to reduce the current overcapacity for containerships. 

Norway-based vehicle transport company Wallenius Wilhelmsen also cited the “deteriorating security situation,” reporting that it will reroute all vessels planned for Red Sea transits. They said several vessels have been successfully diverted warning shippers that it will add between one and two weeks to the duration of the voyage.

MSC and CMA CGM Suspend Red Sea Transits, Joining Hapag and Maersk

MSC reports its ships are stopping Suez Canal transits and some have already been rerouted around South Africa (SCA file photo)

PUBLISHED DEC 17, 2023 2:14 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The security situation in the Red Sea is continuing to decline, prompting MSC and CMA CGM to announce that they have suspended all sailings in the region. The announcement follows similar alerts from Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd on Friday. The actions by the world’s largest container shipping companies come as the naval forces of the U.S. and UK, as well as other allies including Egypt, have all reportedly taken down drones launched from the Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen.

Saying that “The situation is further deteriorating and concern of safety is increasing,” CMA issued a statement today, December 16 reporting it is implementing preventive measures for navigation in the Red Sea. 

“We have decided to instruct all CMA CGM containerships in the area that are scheduled to pass through the Red Sea to reach safe areas and pause their journey in safe waters with immediate effect until further notice,” CMA CGM reports. The French carrier has not said what it will do with the cargo, but it follows a similar decision by Maersk which paused Red Sea sailings a day after one of its ships was attacked. Hapag-Lloyd also said yesterday it was pausing all container ship traffic through the Red Sea until Monday, reporting “Then we will decide for the period thereafter.”

On Friday, one of Hapag-Lloyd’s large containerships was ordered to sail toward Yemen. When it ignored the command, it was struck by a missile that caused some damage and a small fire. The crew was able to extinguish the fire and the vessel continued its trip leaving the danger zone.

MSC in its statement is now also confirming that its vessel the MSC Palatium III was attacked and suffered limited fire damage on Friday. The USS Mason reported going to the assistance of the containership but said the vessel later advised it did not require additional assistance. MSC reported today that the vessel is being taken out of service. A recent AIS signal shows the ship traveled west in the Gulf of Aden and is now stopped in Djibouti.

“Due to this incident and to protect the lives and safety of our seafarers, until the Red Sea passage is safe, MSC ships will not transit the Suez Canal Eastbound and Westbound,” the company wrote in a Customer Advisory. “Already now, some services will be rerouted to go via the Cape of Good Hope instead.”

The decision to suspend sailings through the Red Sea comes as the security situation in the area continues to deteriorate. Security consultants and the international alliance in the region are all confirming an escalation in the attacks coming from Houthi militants. 

Royal Navy Destroyer Joins Red Sea Maritime Security Force

HMS Diamond launches a Sea Viper missile to shoot down a Houthi drone (Royal Navy)

PUBLISHED DEC 19, 2023 3:06 PM BY ROYAL NAVY NEWS

 

HMS Diamond has joined an international naval force on a dedicated mission to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea.

Just three days after the Portsmouth-based destroyer downed a drone fired at merchant shipping, Diamond has been assigned to the new Operation Prosperity Guardian, an international effort involving the USA, UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

Led by Combined Maritime Forces’ Combined Task Force 153 – which is responsible for security in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb narrows and Gulf of Aden – the operation has been established to ensure the free-flow of shipping through one of the world’s most important sea lanes.

That shipping has come under attack repeatedly in recent weeks with drones fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen – with US, French and British warships all called upon to take out the threats with air defense missiles.

Diamond’s actions in the small hours of Saturday morning is the first time a Type 45’s Sea Viper missile has been used in action and the first such shootdown by the Royal Navy since the 1990-91 Gulf War.

Ships from multiple nations will conduct maritime patrols in the region and respond as appropriate to threats to shipping.

The warships’ presence is also intended to reassure the maritime shipping industry, deter illegal activity, and promote safe navigation while protecting the free flow of international commerce on the high seas.

“The hostile actions of the Houthis, with their attacks on merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea, are a clear threat to the global economy and challenge the security, stability, and prosperity of all,” said United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander Commodore Phil Dennis, the senior Royal Navy officer in the Middle East. “Freedom of navigation and the unimpeded flow of goods and trade have long been central tenets of the Royal Navy."

An estimated 23,000 merchant vessels pass through the Bab-al-Mandeb choke point – with Suez the gateway to the Middle East and beyond for shipping from Europe. 

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the US officer commanding the Combined Maritime Forces from their headquarters in Bahrain, underlined that safe passage of the Red Sea was “crucial for the world economy”.

He continued: “More than 10 percent of global trade transits the waters anchored by two globally strategic waterways – the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb. Regionally, it has even greater impact, channeling trade across more than half the globe, ranging from Europe to Asia. An attack on a single ship may easily impact as many as ten or more nations.”

U.S. Weighs Military Options After Massive Houthi Drone Attack

The destroyer USS Carney downed a total of 14 drones Saturday morning

USS Carney launches a surface-to-air missile at a drone threat (file image courtesy USN)

PUBLISHED DEC 17, 2023 10:19 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The White House is weighing options for striking back at Yemen's Houthi rebels after a month of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, officials have told Politico.

Military options have been presented to the White House, according to Politico; however, the Biden administration has so far been reluctant to move beyond shooting down incoming drones and missiles. American officials (and their counterparts in allied nations) are said to be concerned about the risk of sparking a broader conflict with Iran, the state sponsor of the Houthi movement. Iran also has military proxies in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, and has the ability to interdict shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The U.S. Navy has positioned the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Gulf of Aden, and three extra destroyers - USS  Laboon, Delbert D. Black and The Sullivans - have entered the Mediterranean. The carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has had her deployment extended a third time to ensure continued coverage off Israel. 

Houthi forces have been interfering with shipping since November 20, when they hijacked the car carrier Galaxy Leader in protest of Israeli operations in Gaza. The boarding and subsequent drone attacks did not sway the administration, nor the shipping industry, which continued to use the Suez Canal and Red Sea almost without change (according to the Suez authorities).

But the math has changed over the past few days. Four shipping lines have announced that they will skip the Red Sea and take the long voyage around Africa instead, adding about 1,900 nautical miles to a typical Asia-Northern Europe voyage. The military situation has also changed. U.S. CENTCOM reported on Saturday that the destroyer USS Carney had downed a total of 14 drones that morning. The command wrote in a social media message that “the UAS were assessed to be one-way attack drones and were shot down with no damage to ships in the area.” Previously the confirmed shootdowns were limited to single drones or a handful at a time, aimed at specific ships.

In addition to the U.S., France reported one of its vessels had shot down drones earlier in the week. On Saturday, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps reported overnight the HMS Diamond had also taken down a suspected attack drone that was targeting merchant shipping in the Red Sea. HMS Diamond was just redeployed to the region and reached the Red Sea in recent days after being ordered to make a fast turnaround and depart the UK.

The U.S. Department of Defense is also reporting that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will be visiting U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, where he will discuss multilateral coalitions to counter the Houthi threat. "We will talk with them in a multinational framework about the work we're doing, particularly in light of increasing Houthi aggression in the Red Sea," the official said. 

The U.S. already leads a multilateral coalition to ensure maritime security in the Middle East, the Combined Maritime Forces. However, many of its regional members have been slow to engage with this particular mission, even after multiple attacks.

 

Op-Ed: Somali Pirates Are Back, But a Full-Scale Return is Unlikely

The hijacked Iranian fishing vessel Al Meraj 1 (EUNAVFOR)

PUBLISHED DEC 17, 2023 8:03 PM BY PETER VIGGO JAKOBSEN AND TROELS BURCHALL HENNINGSEN

 

 

An Iranian fishing vessel, Almeraj 1, was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates in November 2023. According to media reports, the pirates demanded US$400,000 in ransom and threatened to use the Iranian ship for additional hijackings if the payment was not made.

Two days later, other Somali pirates hijacked a tanker, Central Park, off the Yemeni coast. The tanker sent a distress signal during the attack. Forces from a nearby American warship captured the pirates as they tried to flee in a small boat.

The two attacks have led the Somali government to call for greater international support to deter a resurgence of piracy in the Horn of Africa. Similar fears that Somali piracy was on the rebound surfaced after five previous attacks in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

We have been studying the rise and fall of Somali piracy, and have tracked the problem for years. We do not regard a major rise in Somali piracy as likely.

Following previous threats, local authorities, experts and organizations tracking piracy globally warned that Somali pirates retained the capacity to launch attacks. This is also the current assessment of the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre, which acts to suppress piracy and armed robbery at sea.

The concern is not surprising.

Somali piracy was a major threat to the region and the world economy at its height in 2011. That year alone, Somali pirates carried out 212 attacks. The World Bank estimated that these cost the world economy US$18 billion.

Read more: Somali piracy, once an unsolvable security threat, has almost completely stopped. Here's why

In a recent analysis, we concluded that a range of anti-piracy measures had put a stop to Somali piracy. The measures fall into four main categories:

1. anti-piracy naval operations by the world’s most capable navies
2. costly self-protection measures, including the use of armed guards, by most flag states and shipping owners
3. a legal toolbox enabling pirate prosecution and imprisonment
4. capacity-building and the ability to imprison pirates regionally and in Somalia.

Anti-piracy measures

These measures remain largely in place.

Measure 1: The size of anti-piracy naval operations may have shrunk but some international forces remain active. Nato – an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 European and two North American member states – terminated its anti-piracy mission in 2016. However, the European Union retains its mission, as does a US-led coalition. Together they seek to suppress piracy outside the territorial waters of Somalia and other coastal states in the region. In addition, independent deployers like China have warships on patrol.

Measure 2: Most commercial ships sailing through the Gulf of Aden, the Somali basin and the Indian Ocean follow many of the self-protection measures recommended by flag states and the main maritime industry organisations. While the number of ships carrying armed guards has dropped considerably, most commercial ships report to the maritime security centres, follow the recommended transit corridor protected by international naval forces and join group transits.

Measure 3: The legal toolbox and the post-trial transfer system making it possible to prosecute pirates and imprison them in Somalia remains in place. This makes jail the most likely destination for the five pirates recently apprehended by US forces following their hijacking of Central Park. Successful prosecution and imprisonment would signal to other pirates that piracy remains an unprofitable undertaking off the Somali coast.

Measure 4: International efforts continue to increase the capacity of Somalia and other regional states to patrol their national waters. The EU’s capacity building mission in Somalia, for instance, still supports Somalia’s maritime security sector. It seeks to strengthen the sector’s capacity to deter, capture and prosecute pirates. The successful operations undertaken by the Puntland Maritime Police Force – including securing the release of hostages – indicate that these efforts are paying off.

These anti-piracy measures continue to be implemented by a broad coalition of state and private actors. They include states from outside the region, regional nations, Somali authorities and the international shipping industry. As long as these actors continue to invest in maintaining these measures, Somali piracy will remain unprofitable.

High risks, few rewards

It remains to be seen if the ransom demand for the Iranian fishing vessel Almeraj 1 will succeed. However, pirates don’t appear to have made any money from any of the other five attacks launched in the 2017-2023 period. We haven’t been able to ascertain if any ransom was paid to secure the release of a Panama-flagged ship captured in August 2020. In the other four instances, the attacks either failed or didn’t result in ransom payments.

Even if the US$400,000 ransom demand succeeds, it doesn’t alter the overall conclusion that piracy off the Somali coast remains a high-risk undertaking with a low probability of success. This suggests that a major increase in Somali piracy is highly unlikely.

If it did happen, though, it would be easy for international naval forces and the shipping industry to reduce the prospects of success by stepping up naval patrols and reintroducing armed guards.

Peter Viggo Jakobsen and Troels Burchall Henningsen are both associate professors at the Royal Danish Defence College.

 

One Crewmember Medically Evacuated from Hijacked Bulker off Somalia

Bulker Ruen remains anchored off Somalia being monitored by security forces (Navibulgar file photo)

PUBLISHED DEC 19, 2023 1:58 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

One of the 18 crewmembers aboard the Bulgarian-owned bulk carrier Ruen seized by pirates last week was released for medical reasons officials reported today. However, the situation aboard the vessel remains unclear with the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) reporting the demands of the hijackers remain unknown, and local authorities in Somalia are planning to storm the ship.

EUNAVFOR confirmed that the Spanish frigate ESPS Victoria had been permitted to track the vessel into Somali waters arriving off the breakaway province of Puntland on Sunday. The Victoria moved away temporarily today for logistic reasons but EUNAVFOR says the vessel remains in a position between Eyl and Xaanfun on the Horn of Africa.

The hijackers are reported to have released one individual late on Monday who was requiring medical attention. The crewmember was taken aboard the Indian Navy vessel INS Kochi and given initial medical treatment. The Spanish also offered to assist, but it was determined that the crewmember needed to be transferred to a hospital and the Indian vessel is currently transporting him.

EUNAVFOR and the Spanish Navy provided additional details about the situation reporting that the Indian Navy’s spotter plan had been able to make contact with the crew on Friday via radio while it was overflying the vessel. At the time the crew was still secure in the citadel approximately a day after the vessel had been boarded. Later, however, the boarders were able to break into the citadel and take the crew hostage. It is unclear when the one crewmember was injured.

A Japanese Navy ship was also in the area and responded to the emergency call issued on December 14 after the vessel was boarded. EUNAVFOR reports the Japanese INS Akebono had remained in the area until it was relieved by the Victoria. 

Since reaching Somalia, the bulker has remained near Puntland which is a breakaway area but in an unusual development, local media is reporting that the Puntland government announced that it is planning a military operation to rescue the vessel and to act as a deterrent to other potential pirates. They are also expressing concern about potential links between the Somali pirates and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“We are fully prepared to deploy the Puntland Marine Police Force and take decisive action against the pirates,” a government spokesman told the local media.

The concern is that a breakaway group is attempting to resume the attacks nearly six years after Somali pirates' last successful seizure of a merchant ship. Last month, Somali pirates were reported to have seized a small, commercial fishing boat, but EUNAVFOR said that group was handed over to the Somali authorities. The United States also said after interrogating the boarders of the tanker Central Park that preliminary indications were that the group was also Somali pirates. A U.S. Navy ship chased and captured the group when they attempted to flee from the tanker.

EUNAVFOR reports that the bulker, which is registered in Malta, is being continuously monitored. Efforts are being coordinated among the partners participating in EUNAVFOR and also with the local Somali authorities.

Hijacked Bulker Winds Up off Somalia's Northern Coast

Ruen off Somalia (EUNAVFOR)

PUBLISHED DEC 17, 2023 3:27 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The Bulgarian bulker that was hijacked in the Arabian Sea last Thursday is now located off Somalia, according to antipiracy task force EUNAVFOR. 

The Indian Navy reported on Saturday that it had located the vessel, and dispatched a search plane and a warship to intercept the ship, the geared bulker Ruen. 

The EU Operation Atalanta flagship, ESPS Victoria, also transited quickly to meet up with the bulker, EUNAVFOR said Sunday. The Victoria's current mission on scene is to "gain more awareness and evaluate following actions."  

If the hijackers had intended to hide the ship, they did not try hard. As of Sunday, Ruen was still broadcasting her position on AIS. The signal put the ship's location about eight nautical miles off the coast of Abo, a coastal village in the Somali province of Puntland. 

According to the shipowner, the hijacking occurred in the middle of the Arabian Sea, hundreds of miles from any shore. AIS data confirms the location: when she was about 380 nautical miles due east of Socotra, Ruen came to a stop, then changed course and made straight for the Somali coast. 

The long-distance high seas attack is reminiscent of the methods seen in the worst years of Somali piracy. At the peak of the kidnapping epidemic in the early 2010s, pirates with "mother ship" fishing vessels would roam far from Somali waters, some reaching almost to India.  

The operator told Bulgarian media that it lost contact with the ship last Thursday. The last signal from the security officer was that the crew was not in control of the vessel, but the 18-member crew was safe. Six unknown individuals were reported to be aboard the ship.

Alexander Kalchev, director of the company, confirmed that there is a "security incident," underway on the vessel. Speaking on Bulgarian TV, he said “We expect the kidnappers to contact us. The area where the ship was last detected is not a pirate area.”

The Indian Navy released pictures after its plane and warship began tracking the missing bulker (Indian Navy)

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday that it has assembled a specialized team to handle the situation. Malta, the ship’s flag state, reports it is also monitoring developments.

The reports are saying it is unclear since there has been no contact if the incident is related to current problems in Yemen or possibly a resurgence of Somali piracy. Reuters however reported it had contact with the rebels in the Puntland region of Somalia who are saying they have managed to seize a vessel. 

It would be the first capture of a large commercial vessel by Somali pirates since 2017. An international security effort was successful in reducing the threat over the past few years.

However, there was a recent report from Somalia that a small commercial fishing vessel had been seized and was being held for ransom. Those reports said the pirates were threatening to use the ship as a mother vessel for more attacks, but EUNAVFOR later said the pirates had been handed over to the Somali authorities and that the threat was over.

The United States has also blamed the recent boarding of the tanker Central Park on Somali pirates. A team from the U.S. Navy captured five individuals who boarded the ship and said that after meeting with them the indications were that they were from Somalia.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization also issued a security warning on Friday alerting ships of potential piracy activity off the Somali coast. They have posted the warning to run through December 17.

Bulgarian-Owned Bulker Boarded South of Yemen in Arabian Sea

The identity of the vessel being boarded has not yet ben confirmed. (file photo)

PUBLISHED DEC 14, 2023 12:02 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Bulgaria’s largest shipping company, Navigation Maritime Bulgare (NAVIBULGAR) issued a written statement late today confirming the earlier reports of an ongoing incident aboard one of its vessels sailing in the Arabian Sea. Details on the situation remain sketchy and the whereabouts of the vessel are unknown as well as if it has been intercepted by any of the naval forces in the region.

The company writes that its vessel the Ruen (42,300 dwt) registered in Malta is “the subject of a security incident 380 nautical miles east of the island of Socotra, Yemen." They reported they are coordinating with the international authorities after losing contact with the vessel and that their priority is the safety of the 18 crewmembers onboard. Media reports from Bulgaria indicate that the crew are Bulgarian and Myanmar citizens. 

Earlier today, United Kingdom Trade Organization (UKMTO) reported that it was investigating an incident in the Arabian Sea south of Yemen and east of Somalia. In a later update, they revised the alert to say a boarding was underway reporting an overheard VHF transmission indicating that the vessel had been boarded approximately 700 nautical miles east of Bossaso, Somalia.

Built at Hongqiang Shipyard and delivered in 2016, the AIS track for the 607-foot (185-meter) vessel shows that it had departed South Korea and made a stop in Singapore on December 4. She is reporting a destination of Gemlik, Turkey.

UK security consultants Ambrey issued an alert reporting that a vessel had been detected moving erratically in the area. Earlier they advised that an Iranian-owned fishing vessel had been detected going dark, turning off its AIS transmission, in the Arabian Sea.

Nearly two weeks ago there were reports that a fishing vessel had been hijacked off the coast of Somalia with the pirates demanding a ransom. Local media reports said the pirates were threatening to use the vessel as a mother ship for subsequent attacks, but EUNAVFOR later reported having tracked that vessel and handing it over to the authorities in Somalia. The last report was that Somalia arrested the pirates.

U.S. officials blamed Somali pirates, not Yemen for the November 27 attack and boarding of the tanker Central Park. Confronted by the task force, the five armed intruders debarked the Central Park and attempted to flee in a small boat. A team from the USS Mason gave chase and fired warning shots at the intruders as they attempted to flee. They did not return the fire and eventually surrendered to the U.S. team.
 

 

Taiwan Rescues Crew and Works to Contain Oil Leak from Grounded Cargo Ship

Taiwan works to contain an oil spill from a grounded cargo ship (photo courtesy of Ocean Affairs Council)

PUBLISHED DEC 18, 2023 7:21 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Taiwan rescued nine crewmembers from a small general cargo ship that was driven up on shore after losing power during a strong storm. While the crewmembers from Myanmar are safely on shore, the Taiwan Coast Guard and Ocean Conservation Administration are now working to contain a spreading oil spill.

The 31-year-old vessel, which is reported to be owned by a company in Cambodia, has a spotty record showing no less than eight safety violations in its last port state inspection conducted in 2019. At the time, the vessel named Wan Xing was owned by a Chinese company, but it appears to have passed to new ownership this year and was reflagged in Cameroon.

Now named Hai Shou, the vessel which is just 197 feet (60 meters) in length and 651 dwt, departed the Taiwanese port of Taichung on Saturday, but shortly after leaving reported it had lost power. The vessel had been heading to the port of Kaohsiung or possibly planning to continue to Busan, South Korea. There is no cargo aboard.

The Coast Guard attempted to help the vessel to anchor but reported due to strong winds and high seas the vessel was continuing to drift. On Sunday, as it was coming close to the coast, the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship. Taiwan’s National Airborne Service Corps. assisted. They hoisted the six crewmembers from the deck into a helicopter and brought them to shore. 

The vessel continued to drift finally being driven ashore on Jibei Island, a small offshore island on Taiwan’s west coast. The vessel was reported to be approximately four-tenths of a nautical mile offshore and leaking 20 tons of diesel fuel. Attempts to put an oil containment boom around the vessel were unsuccessful because of the rough seas and high winds.

The Ocean Conservation Administration is working to contain the spill which has already covered 300 meters of the shoreline. They are placing booms and using absorbing rags to clean up the oil from the coastal reef.

Two Drifting Survivors Rescued After Cargo Ship Sinks Off Vietnam

Courtesy Vietnam Border Guard

PUBLISHED DEC 18, 2023 9:54 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The crew of a cargo ship that went down off the coast of Vietnam last weekend had an extraordinary turn of good fortune. All were safely rescued, including two who went missing and spent hours drifting at sea. 

On Sunday morning, the border guard agency of Thua Thien Hue province received word that the crew of the cargo ship Gia Bao 19 needed help. The ship had sustained flooding in a hold through a broken pipe, and it foundered and went at 0445 hours. 

All nine crewmembers abandoned ship into a life raft, but two were swept away by high waves. A good samaritan vessel, the Haian Park, rescued the seven survivors in the raft at 1500 hours. They were handed over to the border guard for evaluation and medical care; two had minor injuries and were cared for by the agency's medical team. 

The other two crewmembers were initially thought to be lost at sea, and a search was launched. A good samaritan fishing vessel found them and rescued him later that day, and returned them safely to the port of Da Nang. 

Gia Bao 19 was a 1,900 dwt general cargo ship flagged in Vietnam.