Saturday, September 21, 2024

WWIII

U.S. Navy's Top Officer Plans for Confrontation With China by 2027

WAIT, WHAT?!

A PLA Navy warship under way near Taiwan (PLA file image)

The U.S. Navy's top officer is urging the force to get ready for a fight in the Pacific by 2027, and to prepare with what it has on hand.

"We cannot manifest a bigger traditional Navy in a few short years," wrote Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti in her newly-released Navigation Plan, the CNO's strategic guidance for the fleet. "We will continue to prioritize readiness, capability, and capacity— in that order. We must recognize that the Navy faces real financial and industrial constraints."

Her front and center focus is on preparing for conflict with China, centered on a much-debated timeline for a potential invasion of Taiwan. "The Chairman of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has told his forces to be ready for war by 2027 — we will be more ready," she wrote.

The challenge is substantial. China's naval fleet is the largest in the world by fleet size, and it is rapidly modernizing. The world's largest shipbuilder, CSSC, is at the disposal of the PLA Navy, and the Chinese defense industrial base "is on a wartime footing," Franchetti said. The PLA has also worked hard to integrate its Navy, Rocket Force, Aerospace Force, Air Force and Cyberspace Force into a joint "warfighting ecosystem specifically designed to defeat ours."

To confront this growing challenge, Franchetti wants the Navy to focus on seven areas where it can make gains "in the fastest possible time with the resources we influence." There are no new initiatives or organizational structures, just a focus on making the most of what is available within three years' time. The top line item is eliminating maintenance delays across the board, freeing up more ship-days for possible deployment. The ambitious target is to achieve a minimum "combat surge ready" status for 80 percent of all ships, subs and aircraft by 2027.

"We will only accomplish this by getting platforms in and out of maintenance on time," wrote Franchetti.

The next objective is to roll out robotic and autonomous systems at meaningful scale. The Navy leadership has absorbed the lessons of recent conflicts in the Black Sea and the Red Sea, where unmanned drones and bomb boats have played a prominent role in combat. Franchetti's goal is to have robotic and autonomous systems available "for routine use by the commanders who will employ them" by 2027, with "mature capabilities" integrated into all deploying carrier strike groups.

Manning and servicemember quality of life also stand out as key priorities. The Navy was short by about 22,000 enlisted personnel at the start of the year, even after reducing minimum recruiting qualifications and introducing retention incentives. Franchetti wants to eliminate the manning gap by 2027 and achieve 95 percent fill for billets in deploying units. That initiative includes substantial changes in the way that the Navy provides for enlisted sailors: Franchetti wants to eliminate involuntary shipboard berthing when in homeport, improve housing options, and limit how long new sailors can be assigned to shipyard periods.

PHILIPPINES

U.S. Navy Underwrites Renewed Expansion at Subic Bay Naval Base

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with reporters at Subic Bay, with a U.S. Navy transport in the background, July 2024 (Pentagon)

In the early 1900s, the U.S. Navy began construction on a sprawling base at Subic Bay on the Philippine island of Luzon, a U.S. colony at the time. That facility turned into a semipermanent launch pad for American power projection in Southeast Asia. Expanded to fill an essential role during the Vietnam War, Naval Base Subic Bay became the second-largest American overseas military base in the world, second only to nearby Clark Air Base. That ended in 1992, when the Navy's lease expired and negotiations to extend it failed - but recent activity suggests that American involvement at Subic Bay could soon resume.

Naval Sea Systems Command has a new contract with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to finance the construction of a new finger pier at Naval Operating Base Subic, the renamed home port for the Philippine Navy's surface combatants, according to USNI. In a reversal of fate, the Philippine Navy leases its 100 acres of space from an American hedge fund, which purchased the shipyard site out of bankruptcy several years ago. The docks in the leased area will not be enough to accommodate all of the newly-built tonnage that the Philippine Navy will be getting from Korean shipbuilders in the next few years, so the new finger pier will provide room for growth.

The construction on the new U.S. Navy-financed finger pier will be carried out by the local Subic Drydock Corporation, and will be administered by NAVSEA's International Fleet Support Program Office - the Navy's aftersales service and technical support bureau for foreign military sales. Among other clients, the office supports the Philippine Navy, which operates several former U.S. Coast Guard cutters.

American warships periodically call at Subic Bay while operating in the South China Sea, and the extra wharfage could help preserve pierside access for U.S. Navy port calls. Subic is located just 300 nautical miles from the Spratly Islands, less than a day's sailing away from this strategic flash point. The base has also provided a safe harbor when needed for critical repairs: when the damaged destroyer USS John S. McCain needed a port of refuge during transport to a shipyard in 2017, the vessel was taken to Subic Bay for inspection and stabilization.

After Russian Naval Drills Off Alaska, U.S. Army Sends Troops to Aleutians

A U.S. Air Force transport plane delivers a HIMARS rocket launcher to Shemya Island, Sept. 12 (U.S. Army)

After an uptick in Russian military activity in the North Pacific and Bering Sea, the U.S. Army has dispatched mobile rocket launchers and about 130 troops to the Aleutian Islands in order to display its ability to mobilize forces to far-flung sites. The deployment is a rare increase in presence in one of America's most remote regions.

The U.S. military has been closely watching Russian movements near the Aleutians. Over the course of the past week, one Russian tug, one frigate, two subs and eight Russian military planes came close to Alaska, according to the Pentagon. These joint deployments are part of the Russian-Chinese naval exercise "Ocean-24," one of Russia's largest naval drills in recent memory.

According to the Coast Guard, the Russian naval vessels crossed over into the U.S. exclusive economic zone in an apparent effort to avoid drifting sea ice. The cutter USCGC Stratton monitored their progress and reported that the small flotilla "operated in accordance with international rules and customs."

In July, the cutter USCGC Alex Haley encountered another Russian naval vessel about 30 miles southeast of Amukta Pass. The same month, four Chinese warships were spotted north of the Aleutians.

After the uptick in foreign activity, the U.S. Army dispatched a small task force with airborne troops and two HIMARS rocket launchers to Shemya Island, home of Eareckson Air Station. The last HIMARS deployment to Shemya occurred in 2020, and the Army described the exercise as a test of its ability to rapidly move forces to remote areas.

“As the number of adversarial exercises increases around Alaska and throughout the region, including June’s joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol, the operation to Shemya Island demonstrates the division’s ability to respond to events in the Indo-Pacific or across the globe, with a ready, lethal force within hours,” said Maj. Gen. Joseph Hilbert in a statement. "Our ability to deploy combat-credible forces quickly and effectively to any location, no matter how remote, is critical to supporting the nation and our strong relationships with allies and partner nations."

Shemya Island is best known as the home base for the Cobra Dane radar, a giant tracking system built during the Cold War to monitor Soviet ballistic missile tests. Today, Cobra Dane is a tracking and targeting component of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, America's primary shield against nuclear-armed missiles.

MONOPOLY CAPITALI$M

Multipurpose Cargo Sector Consolidation Deal for Spliethoff and ForestWave

multipurpose cargo ship — ForestWave becomes a brand in the Spliethoff Group and the multipurpose sector continues to consolidate (ForestWave)

Consolidation continues in the multipurpose cargo sector. The Dutch Spliethoff Group is acquiring a majority interest in ForestWave, another Dutch operator of multipurpose vessels. Terms of the deal were not reported but effective September 30 ForestWave becomes a brand in the Spliethoff Group.

ForestWave which had been launched in 2003 was a fast-growing provider in the sector. The company has developed a fleet of 30 vessels with loading capacities from 5,000 to 12,500 tons. Its focus is mostly on European waters and the Atlantic region providing services to bulk, forest products, and offshore equipment.

The two companies noted that they have been working together providing bulk cargo and yacht transport. They said the new cooperation in which ForestWave retains its brand and management will intensify the cooperation and create a broader global market for customers.

“After so many years of constructive and pleasant cooperation with ForestWave, formalizing this cooperation is a logical step. The takeover of ForestWave will provide synergy and enable us to offer our clients an even broader scope of logistic solutions,” said Spliethoff.

ForestWave had been one of the companies driving the consolidation in the sector. Last year, it acquired Symphony Shipping. The deal added eight vessels to the fleet which when three newbuilds were delivered they said would number 24 vessels.

The company will become the seventh brand in the Spliethoff Group alongside Sevenstar Yacht Transport which had already been working with Forest Wave. Other brands include Biglift, Transfennica, Wijnne Barends, and Bore.

Spliethoff highlights that its fleet will grow to 147 vessels with this consolidation. The company currently operates 117 vessels with a range between 2,100 and 23,000 tons.

Light is the Next Ocean Pollutant of Concern

For years the world has largely ignored an insidious pollutant humanity has been carelessly throwing into the ocean: light.

Newly hatched turtles can be sent off course by the glow of nearby beachfront restaurants, taking them away from the sea and to their deaths. Scientists have shown that marine birds can become so confused by artificial light that they drop from the sky in “fallout events”.

But the issue of just how pervasive and damaging artificial light is at sea has struggled to garner the attention it deserves, lagging behind greenhouse gases, plastics and noise in the pantheon of pollutions plaguing the oceans, says Thomas Davies.

Davies, a marine conservation researcher at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom, is one of the leaders of the Global Ocean Artificial Light at Night Network. This group of leading experts on marine light pollution launched earlier this year to try and remedy the situation. Davies spoke to Dialogue Earth about how light impacts everything from breeding to feeding to movement in the sea, how the problem is likely to get worse before it gets better, and what should be done about it now.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Dialogue Earth: How did you start working on ocean light pollution?

Thomas Davies: It wasn’t really around as a subject at all until about 2014. For years, nobody was really thinking about this beyond sea birds and sea turtles. Nobody was thinking about the broader impacts of light pollution on marine ecosystems.

I think biologists assumed that there just wasn’t sufficient artificial light reaching into the marine environment to cause biological impacts. As soon as you realize as a marine ecologist how fundamental light is in shaping the marine environment, suddenly it becomes really obvious how light pollution might be doing the same thing down to 100 meters plus.

100 metres seems a long way down…

The 100 meters case is taken from a situation with Calanus copepods [tiny crustaceans] that live in the Northeast Atlantic and subpolar regions, which are really important for carbon budgets and the food web in those regions.

They normally migrate up to the surface at nighttime to feed and then migrate down during the daytime, presumably to avoid predation.

But if you turn your ship lights on [at night], then they basically scatter sideways and downwards to get away from the light sources. It’s an instantaneous response. You can see these deep holes where the zooplankton should be, where the light is penetrating down into the water. Vertical migration can be suppressed down to 100 meters in depth.

What is the largest current concern about ocean light pollution?

I think the biggest emerging concern is probably with the corals.

There is an increasing body of knowledge now, which is showing us the huge variety of ways in which light pollution can shape coral physiology, shape broadcast spawning, and shape their daily activity cycles in terms of when they feed.

What is broadcast spawning?

That presents a really big issue because obviously, corals are under threat from multiple different things at the moment, but also corals by their ecology tend to inhabit waters that are very clear. So exposure of coral reefs to light pollution which is biologically relevant to them is quite widespread.

Do you think light pollution is likely to increase in future?

Yes, I think it is, especially in the developing world.

Coastal populations are projected to increase quite significantly by 2050. And a lot of that is going to occur in developing economies. It will develop along coasts, where the trade comes, where the rivers emerge, and where the ports and harbors are. That’s where the cash tends to be.

There is going to be a lot of urban development along coastlines. If you look at stretches of the Iberian Peninsula from the nighttime satellites, you can’t actually see any breaks in the lights moving across the whole of the south coast of Spain from the Rock of Gibraltar. That kind of development is on par for some parts of Southeast Asia. It will be quite severe.

What should change about how we light the ocean?

First of all, people need to consider whether they need light in the first place. Then, how much light they need, where they need it, and when. At that point, they need to consider whether or not the colour of that light can be altered to avoid ecological impacts. The decision-making process should go in that order.

If we can get some lighting regulations to reduce light pollution from offshore infrastructure, that would be good. If we could get some regulations to manage lighting on vessels at sea, that would be useful as well. Currently, there is almost no regulation.

It’s a case of making sure that we get light pollution integrated into the international and national policy frameworks in the same way that noise pollution has been over the last 10 years. I think we’ve got a 10-year journey ahead of us to achieve that.

Where do you – and the Global Ocean Artificial Light at Night Network – go from here?

A key objective for GOALANN is moving the science into the policy agenda and to try to reach out to big international organisations, in the hope of being able to make some meaningful change in terms of the impacts of light pollution.

We’re just in that phase now where the science has moved to a point where we can start to really have that influence, and I think we need to start that kind of impact agenda now. To try and see if we can start to make a difference. You start doing the science and then you need to try to make the science make a difference.

Daniel Cressey is ocean editor at Dialogue Earth. Based in London, he worked as a journalist for two decades at publications including Nature and Research Professional News before joining Dialogue Earth in 2024. He has degrees in chemistry, history of science and journalism.

This article appears courtesy of Dialogue Earth and may be found in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

Russian Missile Damages Odesa Port and Docked Bulker

Reports are coming from Ukraine of a Russian missile strike on the city of Odesa that damaged port infrastructure and a vessel alongside loading. There are no reports of causalities in the port but four civilians were injured in the city.

The governor for the region, Oleh Kiper, posted a message on Telegram after earlier warning the citizens of a possible air assault. Russia has increased its attacks on Ukrainian cities but some reports said it was a month since the port infrastructure had been hit. Without providing details on the damage, Kiper reported they had found debris from an Iskander-M missile along with the damage in the port and civilian buildings. He warned citizens to heed the air raid alerts.

Cargo ships continue to use the ports in the Greater Odesa region as part of Ukraine’s corridor for shipping. Kiper only identified the damaged vessel as being registered in Antigua. Reuters is citing sources saying the vessel is the Golden Lion which it says was loading metal products.

Tracking data shows the vessel which is 6,315 dwt arrived this morning in Odesa coming from Varna, Bulgaria. Databases show the ship is owned and managed from Lithuania.

Ukraine’s Agrarian Policy Ministry last month said in the first year of operation of the shipping corridor, Odesa had been systematically targeted by Russia. They asserted that the Russian attacks have caused losses of $1.5 billion in destroyed equipment and products stored in Odesa for shipment. They reported that in addition to grain storage, the attacks have also hit the tanks for sunflower oil.

Shipping continues despite the damage today and a missile strike on another bulker last week after it departed a Ukrainian port. The shipping corridor is marking its first anniversary and officials said more than 2,500 vessels have departed Ukraine’s ports in the past year. They carried more than 46 million tons of agricultural exports and an additional 23 million tons of metal and mining exports.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday, September 19, vowed to further expand Ukraine’s export capabilities. He said Ukraine was meeting the critical food needs for many countries and would continue its exports.

Ukraine Vows to Expand Black Sea Shipments on First Anniversary of Corridor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the success of the corridor established by Ukraine in the Black Sea while vowing to increase shipments. The exports continue to play a critical role in the Ukrainian economy while the president seeks to also highlight the humanitarian nature of the shipments.

“Despite the war and Russian terror, Ukraine continues to be a contributor to global food security for dozens of countries, and we are increasing our capabilities,” wrote Zelenskyy on Telegram in his latest update.

Ukraine recently marked the first year of operations of its corridor established after the collapse of the UN-brokered deal with Russia. Ships began sailing from the greater Odesa area in September 2023 following the route to the west along the coast of Ukraine and Romania to reach Turkey. Largely they have proceeded without interference from Russia.

Government officials reported that 2,577 vessels left Ukrainian ports using the corridor. They transported 46 million tons of grains and foodstuffs being exported from Ukraine. According to the report, the cargoes were going to countries including Egypt, Indonesia, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, India, and China.

In addition, the corridor permitted Ukraine to restore shipments of other goods including mining and metals exports. This amounted to 23 million tons in the past year and included steel and iron ore.

Increasing shipments through the sea corridor are also helping Ukraine to offset other losses. Polish farmers blockaded the border to stop the flow of Ukrainian grain which they said was flooding their markets.

The 2024/2025 export season is underway and so far, Ukraine says 8.94 million tons of grain shipped as of September 18. This includes almost 5 million tons of wheat. This comes as Ukraine reported a strong season with farmers completing a harvest of nearly 22 million tons. It was a similar volume to 2023.

Ukraine’s agricultural ministry reports it entered into agreements with traders and agricultural associations to ship approximately 16.2 million tons of grain this season.

Zelenskyy highlights that the military is making the shipments possible through its hard work. Ukrainian seaports especially in the greater Odesa area which account for most of the shipments have come under repeated attack from Russia. Infrastructure including storage has been damaged.

Last week, Ukraine accused Russia of attacking a bulker registered in St. Kitts and Nevis. Zelenskyy published photos showing the damage to the vessel from a Russian missile. The ship reportedly put in to Romania, but there were no reports of casualties. Zelenskyy says with the support of its partners Ukraine has been able to continue the exports despite these attacks.

Violence, Fiscal Issues Hit China's Belt and Road Program in Pakistan

Chinese-funded infrastructure at the port of Gwadar, Pakistan

[By Atika Rehman]

More than 50 people were killed in late August during multiple attacks in Pakistan’s impoverished southwestern province of Balochistan. Despite extensive infrastructure investments made in the region, mostly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a decades-long insurgency has only intensified, raising concerns about the sustainability of ongoing and future investments.

What is CPEC?

The attacks in Balochistan follow a similar pattern. Separatist militant groups, such as the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), have long targeted Pakistani security forces and Chinese nationals, accusing them of exploiting the province’s resources. In Gwadar, home to the port often hailed as the crown jewel of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), resentment is growing among local communities, particularly fishermen, who have protested against the construction and the lack of basic amenities like water and electricity in their city.

Despite these challenges; there is little evidence that either Pakistan or China will abandon CPEC, with policymakers from both countries continuing to tout it as a “game-changer.” However, the reality on the ground is one that falls short of the lofty claims promoted by officials. Although some energy and infrastructure projects have been completed, CPEC is hardly the vibrant trade route it was billed to be.

Energy projects hit roadblocks

A key issue remains energy. Last year, Pakistan experienced an enormous blackout, a symptom of its creaky infrastructure and decades of underinvestment. Many of the CPEC energy projects, such as the Suki Kinari hydropower project and a coal power plant in Thar, were designed to address chronic energy shortages. Yet, according to Haneea Issad, an energy finance specialist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the issues run far deeper than simply building more plants.

“The government currently owes Chinese IPPs capacity payments to the tune of a billion dollars,” Issad told Dialgoue Earth. “Any investor owed such a huge sum would be wary of further investments after this.” She added: “There is also the issue of surplus capacity on the national grid and a shrinking consumer demand amidst slow economic and industrial growth. With the grid’s inability to absorb any new power projects, there aren’t many avenues for new investment opportunities opening up. From the Pakistan government’s end, it doesn’t have any more fiscal space to bring on any imported fuel-based new capacity, at least not on the traditional ‘take or pay’, fixed-price contractual model.”

Given these constraints, Issad argues that “any new contracts on the same model will not be feasible for both sides.”

CPEC: A multi-billion project in a struggling province

Perhaps more importantly, CPEC projects have yet to deliver meaningful benefits to the people of Balochistan, a province that makes up 44% of Pakistan’s land mass. According to the UNDP, Balochistan has the second highest headcount for multi-dimensional poverty out of all the provinces at 71.2%. It also has the lowest literacy rate in the country, especially among women.

Two energy projects under CPEC are located in Balochistan; both are troubled. The first, a 300 MW imported coal power project in Gwadar has yet to be built and there is speculation the project will be shelved due to financing challenges. Meanwhile, the China Power Hub Generation Company’s 1,320MW coal-fired plant at Hub has faced frequent liquidity problems, shattering investor confidence and leading to appeals for intervention from the Chinese ambassador to the prime minister.

Of the two road projects in Balochistan, the Khuzdar-Basima road has been built, but the second road from DI Khan to Zhob is not yet complete.

The BRI’s flagship project, the Gwadar port, is operational but has, thus far, failed to attract significant economic activity. It remains far from the bustling transshipment hub officials envisioned would “connect South Asia to the world.” Gwadar Airport, though reportedly complete, has yet to be inaugurated due to persistent security threats.

‘We don’t let saboteurs sabotage it ’

Over the years, militant groups have frequently threatened China against pursuing its development objects in the region via video messages. These groups have carried out numerous attacks, including assaults on Chinese engineers, an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi and the killing of three Chinese teachers.

In response, both Pakistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to counter-terrorism and continued development. Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Dialogue Earth: “The Chinese are invested and will not desert us. Of course, they have security concerns — it’s not just financial for them, it also involves Chinese workers on the ground. From Khunjerab to Gwadar, Chinese workers are present, making it a serious matter.”

Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s minister for planning and development, expressed a similar sentiment, adding: “The Chinese understand that these incidents are isolated and they know that the forces behind them are trying to disrupt CPEC. We won’t let saboteurs succeed.”

Nonetheless, the persistent militant attacks have added pressure on CPEC projects, according to security expert Amir Rana. He pointed out that a recent high-level meeting between Pakistan’s army chief, the prime minister and Chinese president Xi Jinping featured security as “the foremost topic”.

He said: “They returned [from China] and announced ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ [a military operation] ostensibly in response to Afghanistan, but it also reflects Chinese interest in making Balochistan safe — where the threat is highest and attacks are frequent.”

Rana added that resolving the insurgency in Balochistan and the ensuing militant attacks is far from straightforward: “It’s complicated because it’s not just a terrorist threat [and has] political elements.” On Pakistan’s response, he said “the political part of the resolution is missing.”

A pivot towards ‘Smart CPEC’

China, meanwhile, has adjusted its approach to investment in Pakistan in light of these challenges. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former secretary general of the Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition that governed the country from April 2022 to August 2023, noted that China had shifted away from large-scale infrastructure projects with long-term payoffs.

“Earlier in the CPEC process there was joint identification, feasibility and due diligence of potential projects and investments. But then the Chinese focus shifted to smaller and sharper interventions with quick returns; which was sometimes referred to as ‘smart CPEC’, i.e. not large infrastructure projects with long gestation periods, but smaller ones with faster results,” he explained.

At the third Belt and Road Forum in October 2023, president Xi placed great emphasis on “small yet smart” projects as part of BRI. These investments, focusing on a thousand small-scale livelihood programmes, aim to address local needs through targeted, manageable projects.

An Islamabad-based politician, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Chinese business leaders had revealed unofficial instructions from their government to avoid investing in long-term projects. “They’ve been told to continue investing in Pakistan but to select projects that are near-ready or already operational with revenue streams. The direction changed after the slow pace and poor returns on existing projects,” he said.

This pivot reflects a broader reset in China’s overseas investment strategy, according to Isabel Hilton, founder of China Dialogue (which became Dialogue Earth in 2024) and visiting professor at King’s College London.

“Large-scale BRI investments peaked around 2017, as many of the projects became problematic for a number of reasons,” she told Dialogue Earth. “Last year, the 10th anniversary of BRI was a relatively subdued affair and today Beijing stresses a different development model — the Global Development Initiative. Chinese banks and government entities have become much more cautious in their lending and finance policies, and there is a much greater realization that due diligence matters in a world of low growth and mounting levels of debt.”

Atika Rehman is a deputy editor at Source Material, which carries out investigations around climate change, corruption and democracies. Prior to that, Atika was Dialogue Earth’s South Asia deputy editor. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience working in Pakistan.

This article appears courtesy of Dialogue Earth and may be found in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

Mystery as Cargo Ship Laden with Ammonium Nitrate is Now Underway

A FLOATING BOMB

Klaipeda Lithuania — Lithuanian officials continue to say they will not accept the cargo ship loaded with ammonium nitrate (Klaipeda file photo)

The cargo ship which caused concerns in Norway when it was discovered to be carrying seven times the amount of ammonium nitrate that caused the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020 is again underway creating new mysteries. Officials in Lithuania, which the ship reports as its destination, continue to say they will not accept the ship unless it first unloads its cargo.

The Ruby (37,000 dwt) registered in Malta is reportedly owned by interests in Syria but operating under a time charter to a company based in the UAE. The ship loaded 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate in Russia in August and was reporting a destination of the Canary Islands.

The situation became more confused late on Thursday, when the ship's AIS signal switched to "Not Under Command," and indicated that the ship was drifting. An anchor handling tug appears to be alongside the vessel towing it toward into the Baltic saying it is bound for Lithuania.

The Ruby originally entered Norwegian waters at the end of August with the initial reports it was seeking shelter from an Arctic storm and then was permitted to dock in Tromsø, Norway. Norwegian officials learning that the vessel was damaged in the storm conducted a Port State Inspection on September 3 citing the ship with six deficiencies and detaining the ship for a week. Tromsø ordered the ship out of the city center, and it anchored in a remote part of Norway.

Among the issues identified during the inspection was a crack in the vessel’s hull. The seafarers' employment agreement is also listed as being expired and MARPOL concerns were raised over the quality of fuel oil. Media reports had said the rudder and propeller were also damaged.

A shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania won a tender to make the repairs but the Lithuanian government when learning of the cargo said the ship would not be permitted to enter the port. The proposed solution was to offload the ammonium nitrate cargo and the owners of the shipyard said they could provide storage for the cargo.

The vessel’s AIS signal was showing that it was now underway having transited to the southern coast of Norway. The signal shows the vessel is due to arrive in Klaipeda on September 22. This is raising concern from multiple authorities and a mystery about the ship’s intentions.

Danish officials have said that the ship could enter the Skagerrak, the strait leading into the Baltic, this weekend, although they are noting no applications has been made for a pilot. The shadow tanker fleet servicing the Russian oil industry has also been known to make the transit without the aid of pilots.

Lithuanian media is also reporting that port officials said they have not received an application for the vessel to enter their port. They reiterated the government stance that the ship would not be permitted into Klaipeda without offloading the cargo. Further, Lithuania will require a declaration that the vessel has no association with “government agencies of unfriendly countries.”

Officials at the Western Shipyard in Lithuania speculate the ship is looking for a port willing to accept the cargo so that it can unload. The ship’s owners and operators have not replied to inquiries from the media. Norway previously said the authorities in Malta were managing the situation with DNV as the vessel’s class society, and the insurers.

Update: During the day on Friday, September 20, the ship's status switched back to underway using engine, but the tug remains nearby. It continues to show its destination as Lithuania, but now with a date of September 23. Lithuanian officials reiterated their position that they will not permit the ship to enter the harbor unless it has offloaded the dangerous cargo.

Dali Departs Norfolk Bound for China

SNEAKS OFF

Dail containership — Dali left Norfolk bound for China (Thimble Shoals Shipwatching/YouTube)

The containership Dali slipped out of Norfolk, Virginia midday on Thursday, September 19, 176 days after she drew worldwide attention with the blackout and allision with Baltimore’s Francis Scot Key Bridge. She could be seen moving at about 10 knots escorted by three tugboats as well as the U.S. Coast Guard taking her out of Hampton Roads.

The USCG told WAVT in Norfolk that the ship would be escorted out to the Chesapeake Bay buoy. They were maintaining a 500-yard safety zone around the ship. According to the vessel’s AIS signal, it is bound for Ningbo, Zhoushan, China. It is scheduled to arrive in China in 46 days on November 4.

The harbor cam showed the Dali riding very high in the water. Her container racks are empty.

The ship has been in Norfolk, Virginia since June. It was initially transferred from Baltimore under escort to Portsmouth, Virginia, and then relocated to Norfolk to offload containers and undergo some repairs. The ship had been emptied by late August with the owners and operators notifying the court that the ship would depart in mid-September bound for China where it is believed the ship will be repaired.

She leaves in her wake a complicated series of legal cases that are likely to take years to resolve. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a $100 million claim for the cost of clearing the debris and reopening Baltimore Harbor. The filing contained a long list of allegations of problems in the electrical systems and with the maintenance of the ship saying the incident was highly avoidable.

Maryland is expected to file an additional claim for the value of the destroyed bridge and the cost of replacing the bridge. There are other claims including from the City of Baltimore and businesses impacted by the loss of the bridge as well as the families of road crew workers killed when the bridge collapsed.

No criminal charges have been filed. The Federal Bureau of Investigations has inspected the ship but is not commenting on the status of its investigation.

US Files $103M Claim Saying Dali was “Unseaworthy” and “Jury-Rigged”

Dali Baltimore wreck — U.S. is seeking $103 million in costs citing gross negligence and money saving decisions which made the Dali unseaworthy (USCG)

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a scathing civil claim in U.S. District Court today September 18 seeking to recover more than $103 million in costs plus punitive damages from Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, the owners and operators of the containership Dali. In the most detailed accounting of the disaster which destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and killed six roadworkers, the U.S. alleges the vessel had been “jury-rigged” to keep it at sea despite long-known faults that made the ship “unseaworthy.”

“This was an entirely avoidable catastrophe, resulting from a series of eminently foreseeable errors made by the owner and operator of the Dali,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division during a briefing on the suit. During the presentation, the Department of Justice used language calling the situation “careless” and that the companies made “grossly negligent decisions,” which resulted in the containership being unseaworthy. They also accuse the companies of sending the vessel out with an “ill-prepared crew.”

“The owner and operator of the Dali were well aware of vibration issues on the vessel that could cause a power outage. But instead of taking necessary precautions, they did the opposite,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Out of negligence, mismanagement, and, at times, a desire to cut costs, they configured the ship’s electrical and mechanical systems in a way that prevented those systems from being able to quickly restore propulsion and steering after a power outage. As a result, when the Dali lost power, a cascading set of failures led to disaster.”

During its inspection of the vessel, DOJ says it found evidence of multiple efforts to correct a known vibration problem. They believe this vibration caused the primary electrical transformer to trip and cut power to the vessel while it was starting the exit from Baltimore harbor.

DOJ writes in the 52-page claim that the transformer had been “retrofitted with anti-vibration” bracing and one of those braces had cracked and was repaired with welds. It cracked again. Supporting the claims of excess vibration, they cite crewmembers who reported other equipment cracking and who said the shaking loosened cargo lashings. In a makeshift attempt to reduce the vibration, DOJ found that engineers welded a metal cargo hook between the transformer and a nearby steel beam.

DOJ says the cargo hook was welded in to reduce vibration that ultimately contributed to the blackout (DOJ filing)

During the transit from Baltimore, DOJ says after the first transformer tripped, the automated system that should have immediately started the backup had been disabled. Crew they say was manually humbling in the dark to reset systems. The emergency generator they also contend took well over a minute to kick in, far longer than required by SOLAS regulation.

After power was restored, it failed a second time, this time DOJ says due to an improper fuel pump. The complaint alleges it was not designed for recovery from a blackout and had been used by the owners to save money. Without the fuel pump running, the fuel pressure was too weak causing the second blackout.

The list of allegations says on the bridge the pilot was struggling through a series of steps attempting to advert the allision. He ordered the port anchor dropped but it was not ready for immediate release as required by regulation. He ordered the ship’s bow thruster but was told it was not available.

U.S. Coast Guard joined the DOJ in today’s presentation. Rear Admiral Laura M. Dickey, Deputy for Operations Capability and Policy of the U.S. Coast Guard said, “Wholly preventable failures by the owner and operator of the Dali caused this tragic incident.” They are also reporting that the crew of the Dali failed to report the blackouts at the dock to USCG as required.

The Department of Justice emphasized that its filing is only a claim for the costs of removing about 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt and the efforts to remove the Dali and reopen the channel. They listed off costs ranging from $74 million for the Army Corps of Engineers, $22 million for USCG, $3.5 million for the Department of Labor, $1.8 million for the US Navy, $830,000 for MARAD, and more. They are also seeking punitive damages as a deterrent to other ship operators.

The State of Maryland owned the bridge and DOJ notes the state would have to make claims for the reconstruction. It is believed Maryland will follow the federal claim with its own filing mirroring the federal complaint.

DOJ notes the filing was in response to the claim made by Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine shortly after the disaster where the companies sought exoneration or to limit their liability to approximately $44 million using an antiquated law. An effort is underway in the U.S. Congress to change the law to make international companies liable for their actions and the damage caused. In addition, the families of the victims yesterday filed a lawsuit and the City of Baltimore and local businesses had filed earlier claims.

The current cases are civil claims. The FBI is also investigating and would be responsible for any criminal charges.

DOJ made its filing to meet a court-scheduled deadline for claims. DOJ however notes it is continuing its investigation. They just inspected the vessel, which was scheduled to depart for China. DOJ reports during the recent inspection its officers found, “loose bolts, nuts, and washers, as well as broken electric cable ties” at the transformer and switchboard. They allege the electric system is in “poor condition” and that testing was discontinued due to safety concerns.

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board released notes from its inspections in April reporting most of the systems were functioning. However, working with representatives from HD Hyundai which built the ship, they reported a loose cable that when tested caused a brief blackout. NTSB is expected to take up to a year to publish its full results.

Video: Smuggler Ship Sunk to Create Ireland’s First Artificial Reef

reefing — After being saddled with the vessel for nine years, Ireland sunk it to make its first artificial reef

Irish authorities came up with a novel solution for what to do with a vessel long abandoned by smugglers which had become a burden. Seized a decade ago for smuggling, the vessel was used to create the country’s first artificial reef.

The MV Shingle had infamously been stopped by Irish authorities as part of an effort to break up a smuggling ring. The Customs and Revenue Commission captured the vessel in June 2014 while a crew was attempting to smuggle 32 million cigarettes and 4,500 kilograms of tobacco with a total retail value of approximately €14 million ($15.5 million). According to media reports, the vessel had sailed from Slovenia to Portugal, and as it neared the port of Drogheda, north of Dublin, the authorities apprehended the ship which was registered in Moldova.

The vessel which is 197 feet (60 meters) in length ended up becoming the custody of Revenue and required large amounts of money for berthing fees and maintenance. For nine years the vessel was moored at the Dublin port. Ireland’s High Court ordered the forfeiture of the vessel thinking it would be an asset that could be sold, but instead, the state found itself saddled with a rusting hulk. Last year they moved the vessel to New Ross port, but it was deemed no longer seaworthy. Tired of holding on to the ship that could not get a buyer, the problem was scrapping it was also going to be costly.

A local county councilor who is also a trained diver had been working he says since 2008 on the idea of creating a reef for diving. A group set up for the purpose, Killala Bay Ship 2 Reef, proposed the idea to the government and earlier this year won permission to proceed with the reefing. The Revenue Department donated the ship after reporting over the years, plus the remediation effort to make it ready for reefing, Shingle had cost about €2 million ($2.2 million) in berthing fees, maintenance, and remedial work. They had to remove asbestos and residual oils.

On Wednesday, September 18, the vessel was towed into position just over a mile from shore. It was sunk in a live broadcast and attracted many viewers and onlookers at the site. It was sunk to a depth of about 95 feet to the bottom of Killala Bay in the northwestern reaches of the country. The hope is that it becomes a marine life haven and international tourist attraction on the Wild Atlantic Way. The reef is also expected to provide opportunities for scuba divers, recreation, and marine research.

KBS2R highlights that the creation of Ireland’s first artificial reef responds to the need to create economically sustainable tourism that plays to the strengths of the natural environment and expands the offerings of the Wild Atlantic Way. Killala Bay lies between counties Mayo and Sligo and both county councils were quick to see the potential for tourism development and back the project.

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