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)
Friday, November 29, 2024
Passengers Return to Ferry After it is Refloated off Fiji
Lomaiviti Princess and interisland ferry grounded with 245 passengers aboard (Goundar Shipping)
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fji and a local ferry company called Goundar Shipping are reporting the safe recovery after one of the company’s ferries grounded overnight. The authorities had been closely monitoring the situation as 245 passengers were aboard the stranded vessel.
Lomaiviti Princess VII (600 gross tons) was underway on Wednesday, November 27, when it stranded on a reef near Moala Island, the ninth-largest island of Fiji, located southeast of the capital of Suva. The ferry, which was built in Japan in 1992, has been sailing under the flag of Fiji since 2019. She is a Ro-Ro with a length overall of 216 feet (66 meters) and a capacity for up to approximately 150 cars or 40 trucks. It is unclear what the total passenger capacity is for the vessel.
The Maritime Safety Authority was informed of the grounding at approximately 7:00 p.m. local time and said an emergency response was immediately begun. Life jackets were supplied to the 245 passengers onboard and the 33 crewmembers. They reported that there were no signs of a hull breach and that water ingress had not been reported.
The first efforts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful. Another of the company’s ferries, the Ro-Ro Lady Daya, another Japanese-built ferry that is 1,500 gross tons, was directed to meet up with its stranded fleet mate. The passengers were transferred to the second ferry for their safety, but at high tide, the reports said they were able to refloat the stranded vessel.
Divers inspected the hull of the Lomaiviti Princess VII and determined that the ship had not suffered significant damage. The decision was made to return passengers bound for Totoya and Matuka to the first vessel, and it is again underway. Passengers bound for Moala remained on the Lady Daya which resumed its trip after an approximate 12-hour delay. She will then proceed to Sava.
The company has a checkered history and has apologized to Fijians for its poor service. In 2019, the Fiji Maritime Authority reported it would stop the operation due to safety concerns. This year, the Lomaiviti Princess VII got stuck at Vunisea Jetty on Kadavu Island in March and had to be towed to Suva. Goundar Shipping in July launched the newly acquired Lady Daya and apologized for past service problems, especially in the prior six months. Goundar told FBC News it was confident that it could win back the trust of the passengers.
USN’s First Forward-Deployed Virginia-Class Sub Arrives in Guam
USS Minnesota became the first forward-deployed Virginia-class nuclear fast-attack sub to arrive in Gaum (USN)
In a move that is seen by analysts as a critical strategic step to counter both China and North Korea, the U.S. Navy reported the USS Minnesota arrived on November 26 at its new homeport of Naval Base Guam. It is the first of the new, more powerful Virginia-class fast-attack submarines to be forward deployed to Guam.
"Guam serves as a strategic outpost in the Western Pacific, playing a vital role in maintaining stability across the region,” said Capt. Neil Steinhagen, commander, Submarine Squadron 15. “With its motto, 'From the North, Power,' Minnesota embodies the strength and resolve that will make it an exceptional addition to our forward-deployed submarine force. Its presence will enhance our operational capabilities and further strengthen deterrence efforts throughout the Indo-Pacific.”
Commissioned September 7, 2013, in Norfolk, Virginia, Minnesota became the 10th Virginia-class submarine in service and part of the Navy’s next-generation fleet. The vessels at 377 feet (115 meters) and a displacement of 7,800 long tons, are considered to be the premier nuclear submarines and will serve as the replacement for the older 6,000 ton displacement Los Angeles-class (362 feet / 110 meters).
Minnesota, which had been homeported in Honolulu since 2022, has a crew of approximately 140 sailors. The Navy highlights it is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
The Virginia-class was introduced by the namesake of the class in 2004 and the latest order was reported in October 2024. Currently, there are 23 in service with number 24 due to enter service early in 2025. An additional 15 are either under construction or commissioning or announced orders. The Virginia-class is now as large as the remaining in-service Los Angeles-class which was built from 1972 to 1996.
Minnesota was redeployed from its homeport in Honolulu to Guam as part of the Navy's strategic laydown plan for the Indo-Pacific region (USN)
“The security environment in the Indo-Pacific requires that the U.S. Navy station the most capable units forward,” wrote the Navy announcing the arrival of the submarine in Guam which the Navy said was part of its strategic laydown plan for the Indo-Pacific. “This posture allows flexibility for maritime and joint force operations, with forward-deployed units ready to rapidly respond to deter aggression and promote a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
Minnesota joins four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines forward deployed in the Pacific. The Navy called Guam’s fast-attack submarines “the tip of the spear, helping to reaffirm the submarine forces’ forward-deployed presence in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
It is also part of a significant, ongoing investment by the United States into its presence on Guam which is viewed as a critical deterrent and show of force in the region. Guam is just 1,800 miles from China’s East Coast. In 2021, the Pentagon outlined plans for an investment of $11 billion to expand the military infrastructure on Guam. The airbase and other facilities are being upgraded and a new Marine base is being built able to handle up to 5,000 personnel. It is Guam’s first Marine base since 1952.
The Navy said the crew of Minnesota looks forward to being integrated into the operations and becoming part of the local community
Startup floating wind technology company Aikido Technologies is ready to launch the first demonstration of its unique folding floating wind platform. The company promotes its technology as providing a faster and more cost-effective solution to the deployment of floating offshore wind turbines.
Aikido Technologies was founded in 2022 with the support of Breakthrough Energy Fellows an accelerator, incubator program launched in 2021. Bill Gates of Microsoft fame announced the program saying that unlike others it would focus on the particular needs of climate innovation. In September 2024, the effort reported it had surpassed 100 fellows as it welcomed its Fourth Cohort and opened applications for the fifth wave.
In June 2024, Aikido reported it had raised $4 million in seed financing as it continues to develop its technology and prepare for its first demonstration which is underwritten by the Gates initiative. New investors included Azolla Ventures which led the round along with participation from Propeller Ventures, Sabanci Climate Ventures, Cisco Foundation, and Anthropocene Ventures. The U.S. Department of Energy is also supporting the project.
Chet Morrison Contractors and Morrison Fabrication in Harvey, Louisiana were awarded in April 2024 the contract to build the first 1:4 scale 100 kW floating wind platform. Aikido reports the company completed the assignment in less than 40 working hours, which it says is a new standard in the industrialization of floating platforms.
Among the unique features of the design, Aikido highlights the platform uses pin joints that enable serialized production of its 13 major steel components. The design allows the structure to fold up during assembly and transport occupying two-thirds less space in a shipyard or port. The design was reviewed by the American Bureau of Shipping which granted the concept an Approval in Principle.
The platform’s unique design also permits it to be transported on traditional barges. The company highlights it is compact and can dramatically reduce construction times. They also note that the smaller size reduces the requirements for ports and makes it possible to employ smaller ports as the onshore base.
Aikido says the platform design is well suited for domestic U.S. production and especially in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, where there exists an ecosystem of supplying, building, and transporting offshore structure.
Port Pascagoula in Mississippi has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aikido to provide space for the testing of the Aikido One platform. The company has it will be off Singing River Island Pier. They report the project will prove the concept in realistic conditions and demonstrate the potential to open up the floating offshore wind sector.
U-Ming to Add Anemoi’s Rotor Sails to Giant Ore Carrier
Rendering of U-Ming's Grand Pioneer with Anemoi rotor sails installed (Anemoi Marine Technologies)
Taiwan’s U-Ming Marine is becoming the latest in a growing list of shipowners to adopt wind-assisted propulsion. Bulkers are a popular category for the technology which is now planned for a broad range of vessel sizes.
U-Ming plans to add rotors made by the UK’s Anemoi to one of the largest bulkers in the world. Under the agreement announced today, November 28, they plan to retrofit four of Anemoi’s rotors to one of the line’s largest bulk carriers. The illustration shows Grand Pioneer (324,963 dwt) fitted with rotors. The vessel was built in China in 2020 and is 1,115 feet (340) meters in length and registered in Singapore.
Each of the rotors will stand 115 feet (35 meters) off the deck with a diameter of approximately 16 feet (5 meters). The installation is to be completed at the end of 2025. Anemoi reports an anticipated 10 to 12 percent fuel savings for the vessel operating on deep-sea routes between China, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia.
The system includes Anemoi’s technology so that the rotors can be folded down when not in use. This addresses concerns for air draft and also ensures they do not interfere with port operations.
The rotors fold down to provide clearance for port operations (Anemoi Marine Technologies)
“These state-of-the-art rotor sails will play a key role in our decarbonization strategy and will complement our portfolio of existing emission-reducing technologies, including a fleet of LNG dual-fuel vessels,” said CK Ong, President of U-Ming. “In addition, we will continue to research other emission-lowering pathways such as carbon capture systems and retrofitting conventional vessels to Methanol dual-fuel.”
The first of the rotor installs on large bulkers was reported by Anemoi completed in June 2023 on the TR Lady (82,000 dwt) Kamsarmax bulker. The retrofit took place on the vessel operated by Tufton in China. It received three 24-meter (79-foot) rotors on rails so that they could be moved to permit cargo operations. Anemoi reported it expected more than 10 percent fuel savings.
Berge Bulk also worked with Anemoi on a retrofit adding four of the larger rotors to its Valemax ore carrier Berge Neblina (388,000 dwt). The vessel began its first voyages with the rotors in the summer of 2023.
The installations on the biggest bulker will be carried out with Vale. Last year the company agreed to install five of the large rotors on its 400,000 dwt Valemax ore carrier Sohar Max. It also reported in October 2024 that Vale along with NS United Kaiun Kaisha (NSU) agreed to install five Anemoi rotor sails on the 400,000 dwt VLOC NSU Tubarao. Built in 2020, the massive vessel is expected to complete its retrofit around September 2025.
The rotors are competing with other sail technologies that are also being fitted on bulkers. Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. is proceeding with its rigid sail on bulkers. The company has also reported plans to combine the rigid sails and rotors on a vessel. The 62,900 dwt vessel they reported would be built by Oshima Shipbuilding and would be chartered by ENVIVA to transport wood pellets. By combining the two systems on one vessel they expected to increase the reduction in fuel consumption by up to 20 percent.
TotalEnergies Pauses US Offshore Wind Due to Political Uncertainties
TotalEnergies' US partnership had been prosposing projects for New York and New Jersey (Attentive Energy)
TotalEnergies has reportedly decided to pause its U.S. offshore wind energy projects citing political uncertainties after the U.S. presidential election. The move comes as many in the industry are waiting for the new Trump administration’s policy toward wind energy and renewables.
Reuters is reporting that Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies announced the company’s position to the audience at the Energy Intelligence Forum taking place this week in London. On Tuesday they reported Pouyanne said, "In offshore wind, I decided to put the project on pause, because all the offshore wind projects are in Democratic states ... we'll see better in four years."
TotalEnergy has been active in the U.S. offshore wind market since 2018 and is in partnership with Corio Generation. They launched Attentive Energy and in February 2022 TotalEnergy was part of a winning bid of $795 million for a lease area in the New York Bight. The lease covers 132 square miles and is located up to 47 nautical miles from the coast south of New York and east of New Jersey.
Attentive Energy has said the site could have a capacity of at least 3 GW and subsequently split it into two projects. The company was selected in New York’s third-round solicitation, which was later canceled citing changes in the finances. Attentive Energy chose not to rebid the project in New York’s fifth solicitation round reporting in October 2024 that it had withdrawn a proposal.
In New Jersey, regulators awarded a contract for Attentive Energy Two, an offshore project that would provide up to 1,342 MW. The lease area is still in environmental review with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Attentive Energy has not yet filed a Construction and Operations Plan for approval.
TotalEnergy’s pause comes as others in the industry wait for clarity on the new administration’s approach to renewable energy. Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of offshore wind energy but the industry has sought to lay the groundwork to continue its progress.
The American Clean Power Association issued a statement after the election saying that diverse energy sources are essential to national security and global power. They noted that the clean energy industry grew by double digits each year under the first Trump administration and said it is committed to working with the new administration and Congress.
The Biden administration will end up having approved more than 15 GW of clean energy from ten offshore wind projects, enough to power nearly 5.25 million homes. It also held six offshore wind lease auctions, including the New York Bight and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The Department of Energy mapped a timeline for sales to continue at least till 2028.
Former New Zealand Port CEO Guilty in Relation to Dockworker’s Death
FINALLY A BOSS GETS JAIL
Former CEO was found guilty for failing in his responsibilities to protect the health and safety of a dockworker (file photo)
A judge in New Zealand announced the verdict in a first-of-its-kind case that sought to hold a senior executive responsible in their role for protecting the safety of workers. The former CEO of Ports of Auckland, Tony Gibson, was found guilty of failing to comply with his duty to exercise due diligence to ensure the port complied with its duties under New Zealand’s health and safety regulations.
According to media reports from New Zealand, this case is the first time a senior executive has been found to have a responsibility for a serious injury or fatality at their company. Gibson had been charged on two counts under New Zealand’s 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act. A lesser count was dismissed by the court.
The charges stemmed from an incident in August 2020. The Constantinos P (4,500 TEU) was docked in Auckland discharging containers. A 31-year-old dockworker and a colleague were working as lashers securing the containers to be lifted off the vessel. A lift went terribly wrong when two boxes were to be hoisted but a third was still partially attached. As they were hoisted, the third container detached crashing down and killing Pala’amo (Amo) Kalati, who had been working in the port for less than five months.
The judge announcing the verdict today, November 26, six months after the trial said they had found Gibson was aware of his duties and the lack of a timely response by the port to recommended improvements to health and safety accountability. In his role as CEO, he was responsible for monitoring and reporting efforts and supervising subordinates and the systems at the port.
The Maritime Union of New Zealand which had long been a critic of Gibson hailed the verdict saying it demonstrates that workers' lives mean something. They accused Gibson during his tenure of minimizing and downplaying health and safety concerns.
Gibson was forced from his position by his critics and resigned in 2021 after 10 years in the role. At the time he called the attacks personal in nature while critics pointed out there had been three deaths at the port in three years.
The union says new management has been more responsive and “took a positive approach to engaging with workers and the union.” They feel that safety issues are being addressed.
The new management of Port of Auckland said they hoped the case would provide some closure to the family. They said the case also demonstrated the importance of taking responsibility for the health and safety of workers.
Gibson and his lawyer did not comment on the verdict but it was noted that he could appeal. It was unclear what penalty if any he might receive from the verdict.
The Port of Auckland was also charged and sentenced in the case. A year ago, the company paid a fine of NZ$561,000 (approximately US$330,000).
Eating Fish Exposes Consumers to Microplastics, With Unknown Risk
Marine organisms bioaccumulate micro- and nano-plastics that humans discharge into the sea. Naja Bertolt Jensen/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-SA
It’s no secret: when we savor a delicious piece of fish or a platter of seafood, we’re not just consuming valuable omega-3s and vitamin D. Alongside these benefits come less appetizing elements — countless micro- and nano-plastics.
These plastic particles, measuring less than 5 millimeters, enter our oceans through human waste and penetrate the food chain. According to an Ifremer study, around 24,400 billion microplastics are floating on the ocean’s surface. These particles are found in all marine organisms — from microalgae to fish, which occupy higher levels of the food chain. This phenomenon not only threatens marine ecosystems but also raises concerns about potential risks to human health.
What exactly do we know about the accumulation of these pollutants in marine life and the dangers they pose to human health?
Micro- and nano-plastics: an invisible threat
Since the 1950s, plastic production has grown exponentially, reaching 58 million tonnes in Europe in 2022 alone. This has led to massive amounts of waste.
Over time, wind, waves, sunlight and microorganisms break down larger plastic waste into microplastics (1–5 mm) and nanoplastics (smaller than 100 nanometers), which now contaminate all parts of the environment, including the air, soil and water.
The process by which these plastics accumulate in organisms across different levels of the food chain is known as “bioaccumulation”.
Research from our laboratory reveals that in aquatic environments, micro- and nano-plastics are ingested by a wide range of species — from microalgae at the base of the food chain to top predators like eels.
The impact on marine life
These ingestions have serious consequences. Studies show that microplastics can cause toxic effects in marine animals.
For instance, in mussels, microplastics can block digestive systems, activate immune responses, cause DNA damage and interfere with the expression of genes essential to various cellular functions.
The severity of these effects depends on the plastics’ size, composition, degree of degradation and any harmful chemical additives they may contain.
Plastics often contain high levels of phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors. These chemicals can interfere with hormonal systems, posing risks not just to marine life but potentially to humans as well.
Risks to human health
Plastics ingested by marine animals inevitably make their way into our food supply. Frequent seafood consumers are estimated to ingest thousands of microplastic particles annually. Although research on the precise health effects on humans is ongoing, some troubling hypotheses have emerged.
Once inside the human body, these particles may cause damage similar to that observed in fish. Studies on human cells indicate that micro- and nano-plastics can disrupt cellular functions in ways akin to the effects seen in marine organisms. Scientists are particularly concerned about the toxic impacts of plastic additives.
Additionally, micro- and nano-plastics can act as carriers for pathogens or bacteria, potentially increasing the risk of infectious diseases.
The urgency to tackle plastic bioaccumulation in the food chain cannot be overstated. By taking swift action to limit plastic usage and improve recycling technologies, we can slow the progression of this environmental and health crisis.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the seizure of the 3,000 guitars that were intercepted at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. The counterfeit Gibson electric guitars, which originated from Asia, would have been worth an estimated $18 million had they been genuine.
They were seized after authorities flagged suspect containers and represented one of the largest seizures of counterfeit musical instruments. CBP, which apprehended the fake guitars working in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Gibson representatives, did not reveal the country of origin or vessel that transported the suspect containers.
Gibson confirmed that the red, black, and orange electric guitars, including knockoffs of its famous Les Paul models, were counterfeit. The company confirmed to the authorities that its authentic guitars are only made in the U.S.
The seizure of the fake electric guitars comes as Gibson is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. For the iconic brand that was founded in 1902 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the seizure was a major win in determination to protect its legacy of quality and craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships with artists, and efforts to promote and create more musicians.
Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles, said the fake Gibson guitars could have ended in the hands of unsuspecting consumers through e-commerce, street markets, unauthorized retailers, and person-to-person transactions.
Ranked among the busiest container operations in the U.S., the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to record significant seizures of counterfeit goods. China and Hong Kong are the key sources of fake goods, with seizures from the two Asian countries accounting for 46 percent of counterfeit seizures and 84 percent of the value of counterfeit seizures. CBP highlights that a record-breaking $1 billion worth of counterfeit products were seized in 2022. That compares with the total cargo worth about $300 billion that passed through at the twin ports last year.
“Counterfeit goods fund criminal enterprises that engage in forced labor, smuggling, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities,” said Africa R. Bell, LA/Long Beach seaport CBP Port Director. “Counterfeiters are only interested in making a profit – they do not care about you or your family’s well-being or the well-being of our economy.”
CBP said it has developed proactive, aggressive, and dynamic enforcement measures to deter the importation of illicit goods and protect U.S. consumers and businesses, the objective of which is to fight intellectual property thefts. This comes when the menace of counterfeits is worsening, with the agency seizing 19,724 shipments containing goods that violated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the 2023 fiscal year. This equates to nearly 23 million counterfeit goods with a value of a staggering $2.7 billion if they were genuine.
New Hampshire's Port Director Fights Witness Tampering Charges
The harbor at Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Carol Highsmith / public domain)
The head of New Hampshire's port authority has pleaded not guilty to state charges of witness tampering and falsifying physical evidence, among other alleged offenses.
Geno Marconi, 73, is head of New Hampshire’s Division of Ports and Harbors, which oversees the harbor at Portsmouth and the tidal section of the Piscataqua River. Among other facilities, the waterway is home to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, one of the Navy's four nuclear-capable repair yards.
Marconi stands accused of improperly obtaining motor vehicle records and giving them to an alleged co-conspirator, Bradley Joseph Cook, the chair of the division's advisory council. The documents were records for "N.L.," identified by New Hampshire public media as Neil Levesque, vice chairman of the Pease Development Authority (PDA), which oversees Marconi and the state ports division.
Marconi has also been charged with witness tampering (retaliation), falsifying physical evidence and obstructing government administration.
Cook, Marconi's colleague on the port advisory council, faces a separate charge of perjury. He allegedly made false statements to a grand jury about whether he had been in contact with Marconi about the "pier use permit of N.L. [Neil Levesque]." Prosecutors have declined to provide further details of the case for the time being.
Marconi has been on leave from his post at the Division of Ports and Harbors since April. His wife, state supreme court justice Anna Hantz Marconi, stands accused of interfering in the investigation by allegedly asking Gov. Chris Sununu to intervene in her husband's case.
Hantz Marconi faces one charge of "attempt to commit improper influence" for calling the governor to talk about the charges against Geno Marconi. According to prosecutors, she told Gov. Sununu that the investigation into her husband's activities was meritless and driven by petty, personal biases, and that it needed to be wrapped up quickly. Hantz Marconi is on leave from her post at the state's highest court and has said that she plans to fight the charge.
According to his official biography, Geno Marconi grew up on New Hampshire's working waterfront and has been employed at its seaports since 1975. He holds a 1600-Tonne Master license, and he captained tugs, small cruise ships and other vessels over the course of his career. He is a recipient of the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives' lifetime achievement award (2023), and served as chairman of New Hampshire's Advisory Committee on Marine Fisheries.
Forgotten Bulker Crew Stage Sit-In After Year of Detention in India
NO PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE IS NAPOLIONIC LAW
Crew has been detained in India for a year as a drug smuggling investigation proceeds (Paradip Port file photo)
After a year in detention, while charges of drug smuggling were being investigated, the 21 crewmembers of the bulker Debi (37,000 dwt) have staged a protest to call attention to their plight. They are demanding action by the Indian authorities to resolve their situation.
The vessel which is reported by Equasis to be managed by the Asia Pacific Shipping Co. of Hanoi, Vietnam, has been detained since the beginning of December 2023. It was officially placed under arrest by a court order in February 2024. The same court ordered the ship to be sold in September 2024.
The bulker was loaded with steel plate to be carried to Denmark and arrived at the Paradip Port in India on November 30 for a stopover. Reports indicate it had started its trip in Egypt and made a port stop in Indonesia before proceeding to India.
During port operations, a member of the shore crew spotted unknown packages in a concealed area of the ship’s cranes not fully visible from the deck. A search recovered 22 kg of cocaine with a street value of $26 million. The packages were attached to the top of the vessel’s cranes and secured with magnets according to the report.
Indian authorities said they would be investigating to determine when the drugs were loaded onto the ship. They were also seeking to determine if any of the crewmembers had been involved in the smuggling operation.
The Debi which is registered in Panama has alternately been held on dock or in the port’s anchorage. Earlier in the week, the vessel was moved from the anchorage for fuel and water while alongside. Media reports said once on berth the crew began a sit-in refusing to work the vessel. Port officials said the ship was unable to return to the anchorage.
The port authorities are reported to have initiated efforts to resolve the issue through talks. The ship currently remains berthed at the Paradip International Cargo Terminal.
It is not the first time there have been concerns for the crew. In January 2024, one of the vessel’s engineers jumped overboard while the vessel was in the anchorage. The third engineer had been in an altercation on the ship and there was speculation it might have been a suicide attempt. Other crewmembers were able to save him, and he was taken to a hospital onshore.
Media reports said that the Indian authorities confiscated the crew’s cellphones and computers leaving them virtually isolated and unable to contact family at home in Vietnam.
Australian Wharfies to Expand Job Action at Bulker/General Cargo Terminals
The labor dispute is with Qube which operates bulker and general cargo terminals in Australia (Qube)
Australian port terminal operator Qube becomes the latest in a long list of port operations to be facing potential strikes by dockworkers. The National Maritime Union of Australia anticipates that 10 Australian ports will be involved by late December as it seeks to expand its industrial action against the company.
The union like many others around the world is involved in a wage and work rules dispute with Qube. Recent weeks have seen actions in both Canada’s West Coast ports and Montreal as well as the U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports. Earlier in the year there were strikes in Germany as the individual unions were in protracted contract negotiations. The U.S. strike has the potential to resume in January 2025.
The NMU asserts that the real value of wages paid to its members by Qube has declined 14 percent due to inflation since the pandemic. The union’s demands include pay increases that catch up with inflation and protect dockworkers’ purchasing power. They cite the principle of “same job same pay,” demanding increases for all workers. They are also calling for “fatigue management rules to prevent the allocation of dangerous work patterns by company managers,” and want the delivery of work schedules advanced by four hours to noon the day before a shift. They are also seeking other benefits such as expanded domestic and family violence leave.
The union reported in September 2024 that members had authorized industrial actions in ports including Melbourne, Port Kembla, and Brisbane. The new announcement did not specify which ports would be targeted. Under Australian regulations, the union will have to file notices before starting any actions. The NMU says that Australian steel traders have already been complaining since October that shipments are delayed by the current industrial action.
The actions started in September at Qube’s bulk and general ports across Australia. As the dispute has stretched on, the NMU now says, “As a consequence, over ten of these ports will be in industrial action by Christmas time, as wharfies grow impatient.”
Qube provides port operations and logistics services including bulk and general handling facilities in over 40 Australian, New Zealand, and South East Asian ports. Its operations range from containers to bulk, automotive, and general cargo, and it also manages 25 sites for the forestry industry in Australia and New Zealand. It is also the leading provider of supply chain logistics services to the energy sector, supporting thousands of onshore wells and rig supply vessels, barges, and offshore construction vessels annually.
Nineteen agreements between Qube and the NMU expired in June 2024. The union alleges that the company ignored requests to start negotiations in October 2023. It contends that Qube’s position has been to delay or disrupt the negotiations to force an arbitration.
“We are calling on Industrial Relations Minister Murray Watt to remove the ability of employers to game the intractable bargaining laws so companies like Qube can avoid any form of genuine collective bargaining,” said Warren Smith, the Deputy National Secretary of the MUA.
The union highlights the protracted contract disputes with Svitzer Tugs and DP World stevedores while calling for efforts to reform the labor regulations. The contract dispute stretched over four years at Svitzer and went in front of the labor regulators on several occasions before a tentative settlement was announced in June 2023.
[Brief] On Monday, a commercial fishing vessel began taking on water and sank just off the coast of Galicia, according to local search and rescue authorities.
On Monday, the 2005-built fishing vessel El Cañavera reported that it was in danger of sinking just one nautical mile off Punta Candelaria, a cape just north of the port of Cedeira on Galicia's northwestern coast. The crew abandoned ship into a liferaft and their vessel sank by the stern about five minutes later.
SAR authorities responded to the call and dispatched a rescue helicopter, along with the rescue launches Salvamar Shaula and LS Pardo Bazan. The fishing vessel Brisas de Cedeira was nearby, and within 20 minutes, it reached the life raft and rescued all four crewmembers in it. All were delivered safely to Cedeira.
Courtesy Salvamento Maritimo
"They were asking for help and we had them practically in sight, we were ten minutes away from them," said the skipper of Brisas de Cedeira, Angel Gonzalez, speaking to La Voz de Galicia. "But after five minutes it disappeared."
The boat's bow remained in the air as of Monday, so the position of the wreck was marked and broadcast to reduce the risk to shipping. The cause of the casualty is under investigation.
Bulker Reports Explosion in Cargo Holds Off North Carolina Coast
Explosions are reported to have damaged the forward cargo holds on the bulker (Anglo Shipping file photo)
The UK-flagged bulker Anglo Marie Louise (114,727 dwt) has returned to an anchorage off Virginia after reports that the bulker suffered an explosion on November 27. There are no indications of injuries to the crew and the vessel remained seaworthy, although according to the report it has suffered damage.
“It is reported that the vessel has sustained damage to the No.1 and No.2 cargo hatches as a result of the explosion,” writes claims consultant WK Webster in its report of the incident.
The bulker, which was built in 2011 at China New Times Shipyard, departed Baltimore, Maryland on November 23. The explosion occurred while the vessel was approximately 150 nautical miles east of North Carolina on November 27. The vessel has now anchored off Virginia Beach near the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.
The same ship was also involved in an incident in March 2024 when it blacked out while maneuvering on the Mississippi River near New Orleans. A dispatcher from Moran tugboat company detailed the incident in a social media posting reporting the Anglo Marie Louise careened out of control on the river and was heading for the Nashville Avenue wharf. Two tugs were able to intercept the vessel before it hit another docked vessel or the wharf.
Previously, the ship was cited for issues during port state inspections in the early 2020s. Its most recent inspections however reflected no problems.
The vessel is registered in the UK and managed by Anglo Shipping in London. It is 837 feet (255 meters) in length.
