It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Tuesday, September 03, 2024
Maersk Ship Demasts Iconic Sailing Ship and Damages Port Entering Fremantle
Maersk Shekou hit the docked sailing ship as it was entering Fremantle, Australia (Fremantle Ports)
A well-known three-masted training ship Leeuwin II was extensively damaged as well as parts of the Fremantle, Australia port as a Maersk container vessel was attempting to dock in bad weather. Two individuals aboard the sailing ship sustained non-life-threatening injuries while the port and residents were in shock after the incident which happened early on Friday, August 30.
“The Leeuwin has been absolutely smashed to pieces,” a witness said on Radio 6PR Australia. “None of its mast is standing, and it’s listing over and hanging over onto the port.” Pictures showed parts of the mast hanging on the bow of the containership and other debris in the water while the Western Australia Maritime Museum sustained superficial damage to its roof and parts of the berth were broken off. There is also a gash in the hull of the containership.
The Maersk Shekou (108,622 dwt) was entering the port to berth at around 0600 local time. Port officials are reporting there were two pilots aboard and the vessel was being assisted by four tugs. Australia in recent days has been experiencing heavy weather and there were wind warnings for much of the country on Friday. Indications were that there was a 20-knot wind blowing in Fremantle this morning and the seas were running at about eight feet.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the strong weather conditions including wind gusts could have caused the allision. The 332-meter (1,089-foot), Singapore-flagged Maersk Shekou was entering Fremantle’s inner harbor after sailing from Adelaide when it struck the 1850’s style schooner, the 55-meter (180-foot) wooden sailing ship.
The non-profit managing the sailing ship said it was devastated by today’s events. Two nightwatchmen were aboard and taken to a hospital with one having possibly broken an arm. An initial assessment said the hull of the sailing ship was intact but the three masts toppled and there was damage to the deck. The ship is used for training cruises with the non-profit saying more than 40,000 young people had experienced sailing aboard since 1986.
The Shekou’s registered owners are listed as Moller Singapore. The 2010-built containership has a capacity of 8814 TEU and was due to depart Fremantle on August 31 to Port Klang in Malaysia. The vessel dropped its anchor as it was making a turn into the harbor but a possible gale pushed it into the sailing ship. It was later moved to its berth as investigators began their work.
“The ATSB is deploying a team of four transport safety investigators from its Brisbane, Canberra, and Sydney offices, with expertise in shipboard operations, pilotage, and recorded data systems, to the site,” said Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in a prepared statement. “They will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities, including vessel examination, interviews, and the recovery of any relevant recorded data, as well as documents, records and weather information.”
Port operations resumed in Fremantle and the Maritime Museum reopened to the public on Friday afternoon.
Leeuwin II - Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation
Canadian Shipbuilders Call for 100 Percent Tariff on Chinese-Built Ships
Canadian trade group is calling for tariffs against Chinese-built ships (file photo)
The Canadian Marine Industries and Shipbuilding Association (CMISA) this week issued a call for the Canadian government to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese-built ships as a step to protect domestic capabilities and national security. The move comes after Canada announced a similar tariff on Chinese-made electrical vehicles and as the United States is also reviewing a trade complaint from its unions lodged against the Chinese shipbuilding industry.
The Canadian lobbying group highlights that China’s shipbuilding industry is part of a doctrine of civil-military fusion where they contend commercial ship exports are subsidized to strengthen the country’s military capabilities. They highlight that the same shipyards that are producing ferries and cargo vessels for the global market are also used to construct warships.
China has rapidly expanded its shipbuilding capabilities and today dominates commercial ship orders. South Korea is the only meaningful competitor that is still able in some months to record the highest value of orders. However, according to data from Clarkson Research, China attracted 63 percent of the total number of ships ordered so far in 2024 versus just a 23 percent share for the South Korean industry. Japan is a distant third for commercial ship orders.
CMISA in its statement alludes to China's naval expansion and entanglements with neighbors as well as more distant incursions such as in the Arctic. They point to reports that Chinese ships have been seen in Canada’s Arctic waters.
“CIMSA calls for immediate and decisive action,” the trade association said in its statement. “We recommend the imposition of a 100 percent surtax on all Chinese-built ships imported into Canada and demand a clear prohibition on any government entity or Crown corporation from acquiring or leasing Chinese-built vessels.”
The appeal singles out the Canadian government-owned, government-funded Marine Atlantic for its recent introduction of a Chinese-built ferry chartered from Sweden's’ Stena group. The vessel which was built in Weihai, China is on a five-year charter to operate on Canada’s Atlantic coast and Marine Atlantic has a purchase option.
The group accuses the company of using this structure to “evade public scrutiny and ethical concerns.” They call on the company to use the five-year charter period to work with the Canadian industry to design and build a domestic vessel instead of ultimately purchasing the Chinese-built ship.
The statement asserts that it is “imperative that the government takes these actions to protect Canadian industries.”
In the U.S., a coalition of major unions filed a trade complaint against the Chinese shipbuilding industry accusing it of unfair business practices, subsidies, and other violations. This complaint is still under review by the US Trade Representative for possible punitive actions. China angrily responded to the complaint saying it was not based on fact and said the problems in the U.S. industry were more deeply seated and not China’s fault.
The Canadian trade group alludes to concerns about working conditions and environmental standards but focuses on what it says are the capabilities of Canadian companies. They reiterate the national security concerns and the need to protect the domestic industry. The Canadian government is undertaking a massive shipbuilding strategy working with three major shipyards to build new government vessels for the navy, coast guard, and Antarctic icebreakers. The ongoing program is part of an effort to shore up Canada’s shipbuilding capabilities while Canada, Finland, and the United States also announced a new cooperation to support the development of icebreakers.
Lack of Connection Plan Shelves Sweden’s Most Mature Offshore Wind Project
Vattenfall operates a nearby Danish wind farm but said it will shelve plans for an offshore wind farm in Sweden (Vattenfall)
Sweden’s Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm, which had proceeded to become one of the most mature plans for the emerging sector, is being shelved developer Vattenfall reported today. The company which is owned by the Swedish state cited the “unviable investment prerequisites in Sweden” for the industry saying it would defer until further notice the wind farm which was nearing construction.
Vattenfall is reiterating that it has repeatedly said the project, as is Sweden’s industry, needs a reasonable connection point to the national grid offshore. Speaking with Reuters, the company’s Senior Vice President, Head of Business Area Wind, Helene Bistrom said if Vattenfall had to build the grid connection it would increase the cost of the project by approximately a quarter. Two years ago, in May 2022, when Sweden granted a construction permit for Kriegers Flak, Vattenfall said the project would be contingent on an agreement with Svenska kraftnät, the TSO, on how to connect to the grid on land.
“The investment prerequisites for offshore wind in Sweden are currently not viable and Vattenfall has therefore decided to pause all further development of the project. The wind farm was planned for production start in 2028, which is no longer possible,” the company said in its announcement.
Kriegers Flak was scheduled to reach a final investment decision by 2025 and immediately begin construction. It is on the Swedish side of the Kriegers Flag reef, an area approximately 20 miles south of Trelleborg, Sweden, and home to other wind farms. Vattenfall operates a 605 MW wind farm that went into service in the Danish area in 2021 as Scandinavia’s largest offshore wind farm and on the German side, there is a 288 MW wind farm that has been operational since 2015.
Vattenfall received approval from Sweden in May 2022 for its plan to build a 640 MW wind farm consisting of between 35 to 50 turbines. The company has obtained several permits for the project and in 2023 received the final approval to begin cabling. That permit requires the work to be completed within 10 years.
The company said if the investment prerequisites improve and the permits are still valid, the project could resume. The company has plans to develop projects that could provide Sweden with 18 TWh of electricity by 2035, but it notes the issues related to the cost and installation of the interconnect remain a hurdle to the industry. Kriegers Flak was scheduled to provide 2.7 TWh of electricity per year.
Today, Vattenfall reports it operates more than 1,300 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of approximately 6.1 GW across five countries in Europe. Vattenfall in 2023 stopped plans for offshore wind farms in the UK citing increasing costs and later sold the portfolio to RWE.
Australia Declares First Indian Ocean Wind Zone and Solicits Applications
The Indian Ocean zone would be centered near Bunbury in the Southeast of Australia (DCCEEW)
Australia’s federal government is continuing to move forward with its efforts to develop the offshore wind power industry by declaring the first offshore wind zone in the Indian Ocean. With the declaration of the sixth offshore zone in Australia, the government tomorrow, September 3, will begin accepting applications for feasibility licenses.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Brown said the declared area was a vital step towards securing Western Australia’s energy grid with reliable renewable energy. The government has estimated that 50 GW of new energy generation will be required in Australia by 2042, noting that Western Australia needs new sources of electricity.
Plans for the Indian Ocean wind energy zone were announced in February with the government opening a period of consultation. The minister reports they received over 2,600 submissions which provided valuable information that was used to inform the decision on the area. They note that the final declaration is for a smaller area, about half the size first envisioned. They also set the distance from shore as well as the spacing of the proposed turbines to ensure access to fishing areas and commercial shipping. Approximately 60 percent of the requested areas for recreational fishing were removed from the zone and it was moved to place it further away from known Southern Right Whale habitats.
The ministry highlights that the Indian Ocean area near the Bunbury region is well-suited due to its strong, consistent winds and proximity to areas of high electrical demand. They also highlighted the existing power grid for connections and the scheduled shutdown in the future of coal-fired power stations.
The declared area is just under 4,000 square kilometers (nearly 1 million acres) and has the potential to provide 11.4 GW of electricity, which they note is enough to power all the homes and manufacturing industries in the South West of Australia. The declared zone is at least 30 km (more than 18 miles) from shore and as much as 30 miles offshore. They said access for shipping to the Port of Bunbury, which they expect would become a support port for the industry, as well as to Fremantle is maintained under the plan.
The application period for feasibility licenses is beginning and runs till November 6. The ministry highlights it is the beginning of a process with today’s declaration making it possible to proceed to further exploration. Construction of wind farms can only begin after the feasibility is completed and developers present plans that would require environmental and management approval as well.
The Indian Ocean area is the last of the areas being explored. Australia started the process by defining areas in the southeast and south of the country and those are also proceeding through feasibility and the submission of the first offshore wind energy project plans.
Blade Failure at UK Wind Farm Due to Commissioning Process Says GE Vernova
The commissioning process is believed to have left the blades vulnerable during a wind storm reports GE Vernova (Dogger Bank)
The failure of a blade at the under-construction Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK was due to the commissioning process reports GE Vernova. The company is ruling out an installation or manufacturing issue which were blamed for other blade failures earlier this year at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm and Vineyard Wind 1 in the United States.
Dogger Bank reported on August 22 that it was aware of a blade failure at one of the turbines in the first section of the wind farm which is currently under construction and undergoing commissioning. GE Vernova was quick to term it an “isolated blade event,” while also commencing an investigation into the root cause.
“GE Vernova analysis has established that during the commissioning process being performed by GE Vernova, the turbine was left in a fixed and static position, rendering it vulnerable during a subsequent storm with high winds,” Dogger Bank said in a statement released on August 30.
SSE, which is leading the development in a partnership with Equinor and Norway’s Vargrønn, elaborated that the turbine rotor was locked in place and the yaw system, which orients the rotor towards the wind, was disabled, during the commissioning. They believe that it left the blade vulnerable during a storm that hit the area. GE Vernova is taking corrective actions to eliminate this risk.
Dogger Bank reports the site remains restricted. Installation activities however will restart they said in the coming days. Dogger Bank A is located approximately 80 miles off the northern English coast.
Another blade on the GE Vernova turbine broke apart at the U.S. offshore wind farm in July. In that case, the company later said that it believed it was a manufacturing issue with adhesion and said it should have been caught by quality control. Installation was suspended at the Vineyard Wind 1 site while GE Vernova reported it would be checking the blades for the wind farm for a similar problem.
Debris from the U.S. turbine blade fell into the ocean and parts washed ashore on Massachusetts beaches causing widespread concern which was exploited by detractors of the industry. Towns impacted by the clean-up were seeking compensation from the wind farm. U.S. regulators however have agreed that work on the wind farm including subsea rock installation activities for the Cable Protection System could proceed as well as the installation of the final 15 monopiles for the wind farm which will consist of 62 turbines.
Dogger Bank also suffered another blade incident in May 2024. In that case, it was determined to be an installation-related problem that damaged the blade. It was replaced as the work continued.
GE Vernova reports it continues to investigate. However, it is now confident that the issues at Dogger Bank and Vineyard Wind 1 were unrelated.
NTSB: "Greater Speed" Needed as USCG Still Delays on Small Boat Safety
Conception’s burned hull at dawn on Sept. 2, 2019, prior to sinking (Ventura County Fire Department)??
The National Transportation Safety Board came out swinging (again) against the U.S. Coast Guard on the fifth anniversary of the tragic fire on the dive boat Conception that killed 34 people. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy says the USCG has delayed for too long and greater speed is needed to enact its safety recommendations for small passenger boats.
“For decades, the NTSB has urged the US Coast Guard to take action to mandate safety management systems (SMS), and for many years the US Coast Guard has failed to complete this action,” writes Homedy in a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Linda Fagan. NTSB explains its SMS recommendation for all passenger vessels was first issued after a 2010 incident with a Staten Island (New York) Ferry. The NTSB has repeated the same recommendations including in a 2018 investigation and again in 2020 in the conclusion to the Conception investigation.
Homedy notes on a personal level that the Conception investigation was her first marine investigation as an NTSB Board member. She says she has formed a personal bond with the families of the victims and that she is committed to ensuring the consideration of the recommendations so no other families have to experience a similar tragedy.
The letter calls attention to US Congressional authorization for the USCG 14 years ago to implement the NTSB’s safety recommendations. Three years ago, NTSB says Congress mandated that the USCG carry out all the NTSB recommendations issued or reiterated as a result of the Conception investigation.
NTSB says Vice Admiral Peter Gautier, Deputy Commandant for Operations of the USCG, wrote NTSB on July 25, 2024, saying it was “diligently working,” on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking “with all due haste.”
“NTSB cannot accept this explanation given the length of inaction,” Homedy writes to Mayorkas and Fagan. “Greater speed is required.”
The NTSB is urging the full attention of the higher-ups to push the rulemaking forward. They urge the “immediate rectification of the US Coast Guard’s unacceptable response,” to the long-standing NTSB recommendations.
The NTSB has repeatedly over the years been critical of the USCG citing its failures and inaction on its safety recommendations. In a now yearly event, NTSB demands USCG action. It has also gone in front of Congress to call for action from the USCG on its recommendations.
Congress passed new safety regulations for small passenger boats while the families of the victims have sued the USCG over what they contend were failures to properly enforce safety regulations and inspections on the Conception before the September 2, 2019 fire aboard the 75-foot dive boat off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California. The fire began at around 3:00 a.m. while the people were asleep and has been blamed on overloaded electrical circuits and a lack of a safety watch. A total of 33 passengers and one crewmember died.
Barge to Innovate New Zealand Coastal Shipping Grounds in Storm
Manahau was billed as a game changer for New Zealand costal shipping but grounded days after starting operations (Deon Swiggs, Regional Councillor on Facebook)
A newly launched service using a self-propelled barge that was promoted as a game changer in New Zealand’s coastal shipping ran into problems just weeks after it launched. The Manahau, a 321-foot (98-meter) barge with a crew of 11 ran aground on the northwest shore of New Zealand’s South Island during a storm around midnight on September 1. Officials fear it will be days before the vessel can be refloated and, in the meantime, it has become a local spectacle.
The 2006-built barge which has a capacity of 7,000 tonnes arrived in New Zealand in July from Indonesia where it had undergone an extensive refit. The work included overhauling the engines, azimuth drive shafts, and bow thrusters, as well as new electronics, navigation equipment, accommodations, electrical wiring, and steel plates. The vessel which is registered in the South Pacific nation of Niue, was brought up to the certification standards of RINA Class.
(Deon Swiggs, Regional Councillor on Facebook)
The Buller District in New Zealand reported the grounding with local officials saying the vessel was not loaded and was holding offshore due to recent storms. New Zealand had experienced several days of bad weather and overnight from Saturday to Sunday, there were squally thunderstorms and winds.
When it arrived at Westport in mid-August, the vessel’s operator WMS (Westland Mineral Sands) said crews would be “doing a few crossings of the bar” to ensure familiarity with the local conditions before starting shipping operations. On August 17, Manahau completed its first shipment of mineral sands from Westport to Nelson. The company reported it carried several thousand tonnes of heavy mineral concentrate which was being shipped to customers in Asia.
“Coastal shipping of bulk commodities on this scale hasn’t existed in New Zealand and our mineral sands is the cornerstone cargo that has made this investment possible,” said Ray Mudgway, WMS Group managing director. “We’ve invested heavily to ensure the vessel and operation is world-class and a game changer for New Zealand.”
The company highlighted that Manahau was a versatile vessel that would provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to road or rail transport for bulk material. Specifically, it provides a new capability to access smaller regional ports and rivers, “a capacity no other vessel in New Zealand could achieve,” said WMS. It will transport aggregate, construction sand, and hard rock resources.
Manahau made its first delivery on August 17 opening a new coastal shipping service (WMS)
Maritime New Zealand responded to the grounding and is taking the lead in coordinating the efforts. On Sunday, September 1, they reported the effort was to stabilize the barge. Crews were digging on the beach to create anchor points to “lock the vessel in place.” Local officials said the stern would possibly be floating at high tide while noting it is broadside to the waves.
Following the grounding, the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) expressed concerns over the fact that the barge was crewed by foreign seafarers and sailed under a foreign flag. “Vessels such as the Manahau operating in New Zealand’s unique and challenging maritime environment should be crewed by experienced New Zealand seafarers,” said Carl Findlay, MUNZ National Secretary.
Maritime NZ said plans would be developed in the coming days on how best to remove the vessel from the beach. WMS also said that specialized tugs were being brought in for the operation.
Avian flu confirmed in three central California dairies
Three dairies in central California have tested positive for avian flu, the first time the virus has been discovered in the state after spreading across the United States since March. Image by Charlie Boyd from Pixabay
Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Three dairies in central California have tested positive for avian flu, the first time the virus has been discovered in the state after spreading across the United States since March.
On Friday, the California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed the cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1. The virus is fatal to poultry and makes cows mildly sick with symptoms of lethargy, loss of appetite and dehydration.
No human cases of HPAI have been confirmed in California related to this incident.
The top three milk producers in the state are Tulare, Merced and Stanislaus counties. The state will also begin testing cows in nearby dairies and any poultry ranches for the avian flu, Jones said.
Jones said the affected dairies will be placed under quarantine, requiring enhanced bio-security measures, including wearing protective equipment and disinfecting equipment.
She said the healthy cows on the affected dairies have been cleared to continue shipping milk to processors for pasteurization to kill the virus and other harmful bacteria.
"This is a tough time for our dairy farmers given the economic challenges they're facing in a dynamic market, so I want to assure them that we are approaching this incident with the utmost urgency," CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said in a news release.
The virus was first reported in U.S. dairy cows on March 25 in Texas, most likely due to a single spillover event from wild birds. Since then it has been found in 13 states and has infected 192 herds.
The avian virus has been detected in wild birds in the U.S. since 2022.
A study released in March found the bird flu is now jumping between species of mammals, a step that draws the virus closer to hopping into human beings.
Researchers have tracked transmission of avian influenza between dairy cows in herds, as well as from cows to cats and a raccoon.
Genetic analysis of the virus did not reveal any mutations that would lead to enhanced transmissibility of H5N1 in humans, said senior researcher Dr. Diego Diel, director of the Virology Laboratory at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center in the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
ECOCIDE
Salvage operation for burning oil tanker in Red Sea to commence
Salvage operations of the immobilized MV Delta Sounion are to commence with support from the European Union's maritime military operation in the Red Sea.
Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A salvage operation for an immobilized and burning oil tanker in the Red Sea where Houthi rebels have been attacking commercial and military vessels is about to commence, Europe's military mission in the region said Monday.
The Greek-owned and Greek-flagged MV Delta Sounion with some 1 million barrels of crude oil on board was attacked by the Iran proxy militia early Aug. 21 as it was en route from Iraq to Greece via the Red Sea.
Its crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors was evacuated, and the ship was abandoned. At least five fires have since been observed burning on the vessel around the hatches of its oil tanks, with officials warning the ship and its oil contents pose not only an environmental but navigational hazard.
Pentagon officials late last month said previous salvage operations were thwarted by Houthi threats of attack while voicing concern that the vessel appears to be leaking oil.
Eunavfor Aspides, the European Union's military operation in the Red Sea, maintains that there is no visible sign of an oil spill.
On Monday, it announced that salvage operations conducted by third parties were to begin, though specifics were scant.
The EU military mission said in a statement that it will provide tug boats for the operation and "facilitate their efforts to prevent an environmental disaster."
It said that the vessel poses "a significant environmental threat" due to the quantity of oil it is holding.
Embolden by Israel's war in Gaza, the Houthis of Yemen have since mid-November been enforcing a military blockage of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by attacking merchant vessels as well as U.S. and British military ships that attempt to transit the all-important trade route.
The Iran proxy militia claims the blockade is in solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza.
The Houthis have seized at least one ship, sunk two and killed four sailors amid its roughly 150 attacks on vessels during its blockade.
One was struck by two projectiles early Monday about 70 nautical miles northwest of Saleef, Yemen. The second was struct about five hours later near the first attack, about 58 nautical miles west of Al Hudaydah, Yemen.
Neither vessel suffered casualties and both were continuing to transit to their next port of call.
UKMTO: Merchant vessel struck by 2 projectiles in Red Sea
Sept. 2, 2024
Another merchant vessel was seemingly attack in the Red Sea, the United Kingdom Trade Organization said Monday. Image courtesy of United Kingdom Trade Organization/Release
Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A merchant vessel transiting the Red Sea where the Houthi Rebels of Yemen have been attacking ships was struck by two unknown projectiles early Monday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said in an advisory note.
The maritime observation agency said the vessel was hit about 70 nautical miles northwest of Saleef, Yemen. A third explosion was also reported in close proximity to the vessel.
"Damage control is underway," the agency said, citing the ship's master.
No casualties were reported onboard and the ship is proceeding to its next port of call, it said.
The ship was not identified.
The Iran-backed Houthis, embolden by Israel's war against Hamas, have been enforcing a military blockade of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since Mid-November, attacking vessels that transit the region. they claim it is in solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza where Israel is waging war against the other Iran proxy militia.
The rebels have seized one vessel, sunken two and killed at least four sailors amid the blockade, which has seen the Houthis launch some 150 attacks at commercial and military ships.
Salvage Plan Prepared as Greecearns of Oil Leak from Soun
Sounion continues to burn with images appearing to show an oil leak (EUNAVFOR Aspides)
The salvage plan is being prepared with a salvage team organized as they race against time to prevent an environmental disaster in the Red Sea from the burning Greek tanker Sounion. After contradictory statements and images from the various authorities regarding a possible leak, Greece submitted an urgent notice to the International Maritime Organization late on Thursday, August 29.
“According to a satellite image obtained evening hours of 29 August 2024 by the Satellite Services of European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), a potential spill of about 2.2 nautical miles length has been detected. The position of the oil spill matches with the location of the ship,” said the urgent notice from the Director General for Shipping of Greece.
The vessel is loaded with 150,000 tons of crude oil and the fires started by the Houthi appear to be spreading to additional tanks based on the images. However, there has been some speculation that the first oil leaks might be from the bunkers and the damaged engine room of the vessel. The Houthis’ video showed several holes above the waterline in the hull from the series of attacks.
The Dutch company Boskalis confirmed that it “has been asked to help salvage the tanker Sounion,” according to a report in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. A spokesperson for Boskalis said that SMIT is capable of carrying out such a salvage but noted the dangers from the Houthi attacks and unrest in the region. In addition to the fires that were set in the tanks, there are fears that there could be additional explosives on the Sounion.
Boskalis’s SMIT salvage group undertook the operation aboard the FSO Safer in the same region before the hostilities. They successfully transferred the oil to a new tanker and cleaned the FSO Safer in preparation for its removal for scrapping. The UN operation however was not completed because of a need for additional funds and the start of the attacks by the Houthis in November 2023.
Salvage teams are expected to approach the Sounion and begin a survey to confirm the plan which would either focus on a ship-to-ship transfer or attempting to move the tanker. Reuters is quoting unnamed sources saying the first efforts could begin over the weekend.
“Greece urges all nations and all actors involved to assist in preventing the environmental hazard and resolving the situation the soonest possible,” says the statement attributed to Rear Admiral H.C.G. Lagadianos Nikolaos.
Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis told reporters that he spoke with the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister and that they were coordinating efforts. Bloomberg is reporting that Saudi Arabia would oversee the transfer of the oil while both Bloomberg and Reuters are saying the tanker will be moved to Djibouti.
The Houthis said on Thursday that they would permit a salvage attempted but denied a statement from Iran that there would be a ceasefire. As if to prove the point, late on Friday the Houthis fired two missiles at an unidentified merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden. Reports to UKMTO said the first landed in the water 50 meters from the bow and a second was to the stern of the vessel. The ship was not hit and continuing on course.
Houthis Step Up Attacks After Denying Iran’s Statement Last Week of
A Greek-managed shuttle tanker appears to have been today's primary target as the Houthis stepped up their attacks (file photo)
Several vessels have come under attack from the Houthis after the militant group denied last week a statement from Iran that there would be a pause to salvage the burning Greek tanker Sounion. The Houthis have vowed not to interrupt the salvage effort, but said they would continue targeting other ships.
Today’s primary target appears to be a Greek-owned, Panama-registered shuttle tanker transiting south in the Red Sea. The vessel, Blue Lagoon I (148,533 dwt) reported being hit by two projectiles which were later confirmed to be missiles. The tanker was displaying a message on its AIS saying it was carrying a Russian-origin cargo and coming from the Russian terminal of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea.
The vessel was proceeding but the UK Maritime Trade Operations said that “damage control” was underway. The tanker was approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of Saleef, Yemen. Later it was reported that there was a third explosion near the vessel. UKMTO was informed there are no causalities. The speculation is that the vessel was targeted because its managers, Sea Trade Marine of Greece, have sent other vessels to Israel.
Following the targeting of the Blue Lagoon I, a Saudi-owned and registered tanker, Amjad (298,886 dwt) northbound in the Red Sea reported it was hit by an aerial drone. The crude oil tanker which is loaded with as much as two million barrels of oil is managed by Bahri and was transmitting its AIS signal. It was near the Blue Lagoon I prompting speculation that it was not the target for the attack. The vessel reported it was proceeding.
Late on Friday, the Houthis also resumed attacks on a Liberian-registered, Greek-managed containership. The vessel, Groton, was first attacked on August 3 sustaining damage and diverting to Djibouti. Shortly after departing Djibouti while the vessel was 130 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen two missiles exploded near the vessel late on Friday night, August 29. Unconfirmed reports are that the vessel might have again experienced minor damage.
The Houthis took responsibility for Friday’s attack on the Groton highlighting that they were continuing to target the same ship because of the shipping company’s business with Israel. The Houthis late on Monday also highlighted the attack on the Blue Lagoon I as part of their campaign against companies working with Israel. There was no mention of the drone strike on the Saudi vessel.
U.S. Central Command also issued a series of updates on new intercepts. On August 31, they said an aerial drone and an uncrewed surface boat had been destroyed. The previous day they said two aerial drones had been intercepted and the day before that an aerial drone and a missile. These were the first intercepts announced by CENTCOM since August 23.
This latest wave comes as unconfirmed reports from Greece said the salvage efforts of the Sounion commenced midday on Monday, September 2. The reports indicated three warships from the EUNAVFOR Aspides operation are positioning to protect the Sounion and two tugs were due to arrive at the burning tanker later in the day on Monday. The tow is expected to proceed slowly with the speculation being that they will go to Djibouti, but for security reasons, few details are being released.
AMERIKA
Thousands of hotel workers strike for better wages, fairer workloads
Some 10,000 hotel workers formed picket lines in eight cities across the United States on Sunday as they called for better wages and the restoration of job cuts made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of UNITE HERE/X
Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Thousands of hotel workers have gone on strike across the United States following months of failed negotiations on higher wages, fairer staffing and better workloads.
The UNITE HERE union said some 10,000 hotel workers at 24 hotels including the Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott walked off the job and formed picket lines Sunday in the cities of Boston, Mass.; Greenwich, Conn.; Honolulu and Kauai, Hawaii; San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.; and Seattle, Wash. According to a statement from the union, each city's strikes will last two or three days.
Strikes have also been authorized for Baltimore, Md.; New Haven, Conn.; Oakland, Calif.; and Providence, R.I.; with the union stating those work actions could begin at anytime.
The union has accused the hotels of taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to cut staffing and guest services amid low demand, but have not resumed hiring with the resumption of tourism.
The response from hotels not only caused workers to lose their jobs but created painful working conditions and increased workloads for those who remained on the frontlines, it said.
The strike, it said, is in demand of increasing wages and reversing the COVID-19-era cuts as well as improving staffing and workload conditions.
"Ten thousand hotel workers across the U.S. are on strike because the hotel industry has gotten off track," Gwen Mills, international president of UNITE HERE, said in the statement.
"During COVID, everyone suffered, but now the hotel industry is making record profits while workers and guests are left behind."
Mills said too many hotels haven't restored standards and services to pre-pandemic levels, affecting daily housekeeping and room services, while workers on staff are needing to get a second job to deal with rising living costs.
"Many can no longer afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to, and painful workloads are breaking their bodies," Mills said.
"We won't accept a 'new normal' where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their commitments to workers."
Videos and images of picket lines formed outside of hotels were plastered on the union's social media accounts Sunday.
"Tick Tock! Time has run out and we are outside rewriting history," UNITE HERE Local 26, the union for Massachusetts and Rhode Island hotel workers, said in caption to a video showing picketing workers.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, posted a message of support online.
"I sand in solidarity with Local 26 because one job should be enough," she said on X. "I support these workers now as they fight for a fair contract."
Ed Flynn, a Boston City council member, described the strike as being about "social and economic justice for working families."
"These working men and women @UNITEDHERE 26 are on strike. Fighting for a new contract and to be treated with dignity and respect," he said on X.
