Thursday, September 12, 2024

PAKISTAN

Polio worker among six slain in KP attacks

Published September 12, 2024

• Police officers in Bajaur announce boycott of polio campaign in protest
• Three security men martyred in separate attacks in Bajaur and South Waziristan

BAJAUR / SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Six people, including three security personnel, a polio worker and two labourers, lost their lives and 12 others were injured in three separate incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur and South Waziristan districts on Wednesday.

In Bajaur’s Salarzai tehsil, a police officer and a polio worker were shot dead when unknown assailants attacked a polio vaccination team. A second incident in Bajaur’s Mamund tehsil claimed the life of a security official in a roadside blast.

In Lower South Waziristan, gunfire in the Angoor Adda area left a paramilitary soldier and two labourers dead.

The attack on the polio team occurred around midday in the mountainous Mala Said Banda area of Salarzai tehsil on the third day of an ongoing anti-polio campaign. Police and Rescue 1122 officials told Dawn that the team was on foot, administering vaccines to children, when gunmen opened fire, killing a police constable escorting the team and a polio worker on the spot.

Riaz Ahmad Khan, a spokesman for Rescue1122, told Dawn that the victims were identified as Constable Luqman Khan, 33, from Haji Lawang area of Khar tehsil, and polio worker Abu Huraira, 25, from Tali village in Salarzai.

He said their bodies were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar for formalities, and both were laid to rest in their native areas following funeral prayers on Wednesday evening.

In response to the killing of their colleague, police officers in Bajaur announced a boycott of the ongoing anti-polio campaign. The announcement was made in a video clip by scores of policemen late on Wednesday evening.

The 50-second clip, seen by Dawn, shows several policemen gathered at the police line in Khar, announcing their decision to boycott the vaccination drive in protest.

The officers also declared their intention to hold a protest meeting at the police line in Khar on Thursday (today) morning at 9am, urging all personnel to attend. They demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for Luqman Khan’s death.

District Police Officer (DPO) Waqas Rafique told reporters that police teams had been dispatched to search for the attackers, who reportedly fled the scene on motorcycles. An investigation was underway, but no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, paying tribute to the martyred officer and polio worker. He described the incident as a cowardly attack on those safeguarding the future of the country’s children and stressed that such assailants deserved no leniency.

Roadside bomb in Bajaur

In a Bajaur incident, a security official was martyred and four others were injured when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Official sources said the explosion occurred in Nimat Khan Kallay at around 11am. The injured soldiers were identified as Naik Waheed, Lance Naik Khan Zeb, Sepoy Gul Jan and Sepoy Mustaqim.

The ISPR did not immediately issue a statement.

Gunfire in South Waziristan

In Lower South Waziristan, an exchange of fire at an FC checkpoint in the Zayooba forest area near the Angoor Adda border left a paramilitary soldier and two labourers dead and eight others injured.

Security sources said crossfire between security forces and unidentified gunmen continued for hours. The incident, which occurred in the Birmal tehsil, marked the third attack in Lower South Waziristan in four days, following a remote-controlled bomb blast near Kari Kot Bazaar and an attack on a police van in Rustam Bazaar, Wana.

The injured were taken to District Headquarters Hospital, Wana.

Deputy Commissioner Nasir Khan and District Health Officer Inayatur Rehman visited the hospital.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2024

Greenpeace sounds alarm on microplastics ingested by Hong Kong wildlife

Agence France-Presse
September 9, 2024

Greenpeace campaigner Leanne Tam collecting buffalo faeces samples on Lantau Island to test for microplastics in the enviroment in Hong Kong (Peter PARKS/AFP)

Microplastic particles turned up in the vast majority of waste samples taken from Hong Kong wildlife in a Greenpeace study, the group said Monday, suggesting that animals still ingest plastics even if they are not feeding in urban areas.

The report was released ahead of November talks in South Korea, where governments will be looking to seal a potentially groundbreaking deal tackling the problem of plastic pollution.

The scale of the issue is vast -- microplastics have been found in the deepest ocean trenches, on the highest mountain peaks, in the atmosphere, and even in breastmilk.

Though best known as a city of skyscrapers, Hong Kong is also home to huge swathes of undeveloped countryside home to animals like buffalo, boars, wild cattle, macaques and porcupines -- the species included in the Greenpeace survey.

The group, alongside researchers from local and Taiwanese universities, collected 100 faeces samples from seven locations in 2022, and found 85 percent of them contained microplastics, Greenpeace said in a press release.

"The findings of this study are important, proving that wild animals can ingest microplastics in the countryside, where it is away from urban areas and human activities," said researcher Christelle Not of the University of Hong Kong.

"As an increasing number of studies find microplastics in various natural environments, wildlife, and even human bodies, plastic pollution has become a global issue that urgently needs to be addressed," she added, calling for "a strong global plastic treaty" help meet reduction targets.

The most common types of microplastics detected in the Greenpeace study were polyethylene and polypropylene, commonly found in single-use packaging, takeaway containers and disposable utensils.

During a recent AFP visit to Pui O River on Hong Kong's Lantau island with researchers, buffalo could be seen bathing in the stream a short distance from plastic garbage scattered along the banks.

"If animals ingest microplastics from the environment, those could invade our ecological system tier by tier and affect human health," Greenpeace campaigner Leanne Tam told AFP.

Little is yet known about the specific impacts of microplastic particles on human health and the environment.

Hong Kong, a city of 7.5 million people, sends more than 2,300 tonnes of plastic waste to landfills every day, according to the government's 2022 waste report.

In April, the city enforced a ban on polystyrene utensils in restaurants for both dine-in customers and takeaway.

But a full ban -- which covers more plastic materials used by businesses -- "still lacks a clear timetable", Greenpeace said.

The NYT publisher just wrote the most insulting editorial ever

D. Earl Stephens
September 9, 2024

Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash

These are nervous, precarious times and I have turned around a lot of copy lately, but I felt it imperative that one of the most grievous, haughty, tone-deaf editorials I have ever come across was answered with the disdain it deserves.

Most of you are aware of my passion for journalism, and concern that we are being abandoned by our working press at this absolutely critical juncture in American history.

Time and again, our media has left the strong impression that they are simply more interested in their bottom lines than arming us with the information and first-rate coverage needed to protect us from Donald Trump and his Republicans’ ongoing attack on democracy.

Many of you have let me know you prefer I call the working press “the corporate media” and today I have reached the point where I am grudgingly inclined to concede to this reference.

Money is the impetus that drives too much of what we are being forced to consume in today’s polluted media landscape, and the American public is suffering mightily because of that.

I have written relentlessly on our corporate media’s failures since 2016. For eight years, our corporate media have proven unable to properly cover the felon, sexual-abuser, tax cheat, and America-attacking Donald Trump. My God, they still haven’t even done the bare minimum of calling him the damn liar he has proved himself to be literally every waking hour or so.

Nothing he says should get anywhere near print unless it has been strenuously fact-checked.

It has pained me to the point of tears to call these media entities into account, because I KNOW they shouldn’t comport themselves this way, and by doing so are insulting the thousands and thousands of people like myself who got into the business to make the world a better place by keeping our readers accurately and credibly informed.

Instead of the serious introspection needed to improve their work, and fulfill their mission to their readers — every paper should employ an independent ombudsman/woman — these dangerous, incompetent boobs have actually dug in, and somehow gotten worse.

You’ll find no better example of this than the most insulting editorial I have ever come across.

Get this, my friends:

In today’s editions of The Washington Post, you will find an opinion piece being given prominent weight written by none other than the The New York Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger.

Here is the unbelievable headline:

substackcdn.com

Sorry, COULD????

To be fair, as a longtime journalist, I would normally take heart in a piece like this one, but NOT when it is written by a man whose newspaper has aided and abetted the most serious attack on America since the Civil War, and has “ruthlessly curtailed journalism” in its own damn newsroom by refusing to practice it.

My blood boiled while I read this man’s endless piece highlighting what WE should be doing to protect press freedoms, when HIS own failing newspaper has abandoned the fight by very intentionally refusing to properly cover, and give proper editorial weight to Trump and his revolting party's ongoing attack on the truth, our vote, and our democracy.

Their despicable lack of reporting and absurd, both-sides bullshit on these critical issues has been absolutely breathtaking. They have literally surrendered wide swaths of their news hole each day in this “quiet war” to include authoritarian talking points, and right-wing conjecture that simply have no place in fact, and serve nobody but the fascist scoundrels who mean our democracy harm.
They have treated us to relentless horse-race political coverage, and done everything they can to leave their punch-drunk readers with the impression that both sides are somehow the same, and/or draw on false equivalencies THAT SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST.

As I was reading this editorial through rage, I thought to myself there is NO WAY this fool could turn around this bilge if he actually read his own damn newspaper each day. Then I wondered if perhaps this was simply projection of the highest order: Sulzberger was warning us of a plague that had already afflicted his staff of lightweight journalists.

Perhaps it is more simple. Sulzberger is a pompous hypocrite who doesn’t even listen to himself anymore. This was a quote that oozed out of his big, fat mouth just three months ago:

“It’s our job to cover the full range of issues that people have. At the moment, democracy is one of them. But it’s not the top one — immigration happens to be the top [of polls], and the economy and inflation is the second. Should we stop covering those things because they’re favorable to Trump and minimize them?”

Incredible, eh?

Nobody can be entirely sure what was behind this dangerous assault on the senses, and why The Washington Post, which is owned by the multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos, and helmed by the ethically challenged, Will Lewis, decided it was a good idea to print it, but I am certain there is more to it than meets the eye.

These newspapers are provably delivering exactly what Sulzberger is warning against — when he’s not defending it.

The “quiet war” they are pretending to be so upset about is already over, and this we do know for sure: They have played a significant and disgraceful part in the attack.

To hell with them both.

D. Earl Stephens is the author of “Toxic Tales: A Caustic Collection of Donald J. Trump’s Very Important Letters” and finished up a 30-year career in journalism as the Managing Editor of Stars and Stripes. You can find all his work here.

Racist conspiracy theorists not in basements or 4chan — they're on Trump's plane: expert

Daniel Hampton
September 11, 2024

Tim Miller, a writer at The Bulwark, told Nicolle Wallace on "Deadline: White House" that while there's "a lot to laugh about" that Trump and his campaign have pushed wild conspiracy theories, he noted that it's important to focus on the "serious part of this." (Screengrab via MSNBC)

A prominent political commentator on MSNBC on Wednesday blasted the Trump campaign for including conspiracy theorists such as Laura Loomer, who was spotted on the former president's plane leading up to Tuesday night's debate.

Tim Miller, a writer at The Bulwark, told Nicolle Wallace on "Deadline: White House" that while there's "a lot to laugh about" that Trump and his campaign have pushed wild conspiracy theories, he noted that it's important to focus on the "serious part of this."

"What this is, who Laura Loomer is, who was with him on the plane on the way to the debate, this is a woman who is an unapologetic Islamaphobe, who has said at one point that she wants there to be a white nation-state. Something to that effect," he said. "She's advanced a bunch of racist conspiracy theories."

ALSO READ: Buckle up: Win or lose, Trump promises potential scenarios of violence

There's a network of similar people out there, but Loomer made it onto Trump's plane, Miller noted. Racism underlies Trump's promotion of a theory that Haitian immigrants are eating pets in an Ohio town, he added. The story originated from a story in a different town hundreds of miles away in which someone took a cat.

"And it wasn't even a Haitian migrant," he emphasized. "And the whole thing is just flat racist. And it stemmed out of like this really tragic story in Springfield, where a young boy, Aiden Gray, was killed in a traffic accident by an actual Haitian migrant. But one — one time."

The boy's Dad spoke out and asked that his child's death not be politicized.

"The fact that the people who advance these lies — they're not in the basement. They're not on Reddit or 4chan. They're on Donald Trump's plane. And if he wins again, the people that are advancing these racist conspiracies are going to be the ones making policy for the country," said Miller.

Watch the clip below or at this link.

Qatar Christens New LNG Carrier Naming it for US Businessman Rex Tillerson

QatarEnergy named the first two vessels in its 100 ship building program (QatarEnergy)
Published Sep 10, 2024 7:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

In a unique step, QatarEnergy celebrated the naming of the first of its new LNG carriers and officiated the name of the vessel as Rex Tillerson, in recognition of the 42-year career and key role the former Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil played in the development of Qatar’s LNG industry. Tillerson left ExxonMobil in 2017 becoming the U.S. Secretary of State until being fired (on Twitter) in March 2018 by then president Donald Trump.
Tillerson in a video message during the ceremony called it a great honor to have his name on the vessel. He highlighted the leadership of Qatar in developing the LNG industry and making the country one of the largest exporters in the world.
The ceremony took place today, September 10, at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, part of the China State Shipbuilding Company (CSSC) ahead of the delivery of the first two conventional LNG carriers built for QatarEnergy. The Rex Tillerson is scheduled for delivery on September 12 and will be followed later this month by the Umm Quvain Irina. CSSC highlights that nine of the 12 vessels ordered for the QatarEnergy expansion, and part of the massive 100-ship newbuild project, are currently under construction at the shipyard. Hudong-Zhonghau has launched the first five of the class.

The conventional sized vessel is the first of 104 being built for QatarEnergy (CSSC)

The ships measure 980 (299 meters) with a carry capacity of 174,000 cubic meters of LNG. While the standard dimensions of LNG carriers, CSSC says it is an advanced fifth-generation design. It adopts the latest design with double skeg lines, fuel-saving designs and technology, and technology management systems. It was classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
QatarEnergy highlighted in April that it had completed the orders for a total of 104 conventional LNG carriers to support its expansion program. The orders were divided between China and South Korea.

Speaking during the ceremony in China, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said, “This event embodies our commitment to meet the world’s growing need for cleaner energy and to be part of the global economic development for decades to come. As the first ship in our new LNG fleet, the Rex Tillerson will undoubtedly play a significant role as she carries Qatari-produced LNG to many receiving terminals across the globe. It is our honor to name the first vessel in Rex Tillerson’s name as a tribute to his life-long accomplishments and as a symbol of a special friendship.”
QatarEnergy yesterday also announced a further order placed with CSSC for six additional 271,000 cbm LNG carriers, which will be among the largest in the world. Hudong-Zhonghau is contracted to build 24 of the massive vessels which will also operate to support QatarEnergy’s export program from the new Northern Gas Field. With the opening of these facilities, Qatar is set to reclaim the title of the world’s largest LNG exporter after a recent challenge from the United States, which currently holds the title of the largest LNG exporter.
Qatar anticipates strong demand growth for LNG in the coming years and is investing heavily to expand its production and export capabilities. It is working with many of the leading shipping companies which will operate the new vessels which are due for delivery by 2030.

Six-minute video time lapse of LNG carrier construction (QatarEnergy)

Port of Dar Es Salaam Gets Boost as China Pledges Railway Upgrades

Chinese officials have reached an agreement to upgrade the decades-old Tanzania-Zambia railway. The deal was struck on the sidelines of the China-Africa Summit in Beijing, and on Wednesday, an initial agreement between China, Tanzania, and was Zambia signed. Highlighting the significance of the deal, China’s President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of the memorandum together with the Tanzanian and Zambian presidents.

The deal calls for the revitalization of the railway from the port of Dar Es Salaam to Zambia’s copper belt at Kapiri-Mposhi town. China completed the construction of the 1,155 miles single-track Tanzania-Zambia railway in 1976. However, due to years of under-investment and neglect, the railway suffered from poor maintenance and operational inefficiencies, leading to a decline in market share and utilization.

This is changing with the Tanzanian and Zambian governments interested in reviving the rail line, through support from China. The state-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) was appointed to lead a business and technical inspection of the rail. The findings will inform the preparation of a revitalization proposal to be submitted to the shareholders of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA). The railway is owned by the governments of Tanzania and Zambia on a joint and equal basis.

Singing ceremony with China's president looking on along with the leaders of Zambia and Tanzania (photo courtesy of Tanzania)

With China’s agreement to invest in the project, the Port of Dar Es Salaam continues its efforts including to become a key hub for Zambian copper exports. Chinese companies have been making large investments in Zambia’s copper-belt, as the race for electrical vehicle dominance heats up.

Zambia has been exporting its copper through South Africa’s Port of Durban. With improved connectivity to Tanzania, the Port of Dar Es Salaam, however, has begun taking an increasing share of the trade.

Competing routes to transport copper from Zambia (Trafigura)

The multi-modal transport network connecting the landlocked Zambia to Tanzania has also been receiving attention from investors. Early this year, the World Bank pledged $270 million to support the development and climate resilience of the Tanzania-Zambia corridor. Part of the grant will rehabilitate the Serenje-Mpika road, which is part of the Zambian Great North Road connecting to Tanzania.

The U.S. is backing the alternate Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR). It connects the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia’s copper-belt regions to the Angolan Port of Lobito, situated along the southern African Atlantic coast. The U.S. government through its International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced a financial package to support the development of the LAR corridor. Last fall, the trading house Trafigura announced it was part of a 30-year concession to operate the 1,300 km Lobito railway. A competition to the Chinese efforts, this partnership plans to invest more than $450 million on the railway and associated infrastructure and secure more than 1,500 wagons and 35 locomotives. In addition, up to $100 million will be invested on the other side of the border in the DRC, on improving its railway line and rolling stock.

U.S. Navy's Manning Shortage is Hurting Underway Maintenance

Kearsarge maintenance — Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Dylan Lash grinds a feed pump drain to prepare it for welding aboard USS Kearsarge (USN)

The U.S. Navy's growing manning gap is adding to its existing fleet maintenance issues, according to the Government Accountability Office. In a fleetwide survey, GAO found that most warship crews are having a hard time performing underway repairs and maintenance because they do not have enough people on board to do the work. As incomplete underway maintenance leads to more serious issues down the road, like increased rates of corrosion or mechanical wear, the challenges in getting the work done at sea are adding to the Navy's difficulty in completing timely repairs during drydock or pierside availabilities. Mission-limiting backlog counts rose measurably in 2023 rose from about 8,500 job items to about 9,000 job items, with most of the increase concentrated in the surface fleet.

The Navy is shorthanded by about 25,000 enlisted personnel, or about 10 percent short of target. GAO has previously reported that Navy crew sizes are too small, even by the Navy's own manning standards, and that crew reductions were increasing operational risk and impacting warships' material condition. Crew size was a factor in the two deadly destroyer collisions in 2017, and while the Navy vowed to make improvements after these devastating casualties, its recruiting shortfalls may make adequate manning more difficult than ever to achieve.

To gauge the service's ability to get work done at sea, GAO's inspectors visited 25 ships, interviewed 140 officers and petty officers, and surveyed the executive officers on 232 battle force ships across the fleet (including subs). 63 percent of the XOs consulted said that it was "moderately to extremely difficult" to complete repairs under way with the number of sailors that they had on board. Even sailors who are on board may not be available to help out with maintenance because their other duties and assignments prevent it - leaving more work for the others, particularly for senior personnel.

"More capable sailors that perform a lot of maintenance get burned out and tired of taking up the slack for other sailors and leave the Navy to do the same work for better pay and working conditions," one respondent told GAO in a survey.

Sailor training and skill level are also matters of serious concern. Two-thirds of XOs said that it is moderately or extremely difficult to get work done with sailors who underwent current classroom training, and another 75 percent said that sailors have a difficult time completing repairs. The numbers were significantly better for sailors who had completed practical on-the-job training led by experienced personnel.

U.S. Navy Gives Nonprofit $1B Contract for Sub Workforce Programs

The U.S. Navy is going all-in on its partnership with a recently-founded non-profit, the BlueForge Alliance, handing the organization a contract worth nearly $1 billion to strengthen worker recruitment and resourcing for the U.S. submarine industrial base. The gaps in the nuclear submarine workforce are among the Navy's biggest procurement concerns, as worker shortages at the two prime contractors and their suppliers are causing production delays for the Columbia-class ballistic missile subs and the Virginia-class attack subs.

BlueForge Alliance is based in College Station, Texas, and is best known for its BuildSubmarines.com advertising campaign. This initiative sponsors the RFK Racing NASCAR team, the Connecticut Sun WNBA team, the Cincinnati Reds Speedway Classic, and a variety of sports-related events. It also sponsors a growing roster of workforce nonprofits that bolster regional recruitment efforts for submarine manufacturing workers.

The scale of the challenge is daunting. The Navy's sub suppliers need to increase production fivefold in order to meet strategic needs, and the deadline for ramping up is just four years away. The Navy is on a tight timetable to build replacements for the aging Ohio-class ballistic missile subs, the most survivable element of the nation's nuclear triad, while also delivering more Virginia-class boats for export to Australia. This could take as many as 100,000 new civilian shipbuilders and subcontractors, according to the service.

"The Navy is on a generational journey to recapitalize its sea-based strategic deterrence and to guarantee a capable and enduring undersea presence," said Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, the head of the Navy's ballistic missile sub program, in a statement earlier this year. "Achieving that goal means strengthening supply chains to ensure America’s submarine industrial base has the capability, capacity, and skilled workforce to maintain our existing fleet and manufacture one Columbia and two Virginia class submarines per year."

The new sole-source contract with BlueForge is intended to address these needs. It provides $500 million in support for efforts to diversify the submarine supply chain, attract more workers, and improve retention. The program will also support R&D work to scale up and mature 3D printing and robotics technology for use in submarine construction, which is a technically demanding and precise type of shipbuilding.

If all options are exercised, the total contract award could rise to $980 million. Taken together with past awards, the Navy has given BlueForge contracts worth a total of $1.3 billion, roughly equal to the cost of one Constellation-class frigate.

UK Sanctions “High-Volume Offenders” in Russian Shadow Tanker Fleet

UK officials announced the country’s third round of tanker sanctions this time highlighting they were targeting “high-volume offenders” within the Russian shadow fleet. Saying the effort was designed to “crack down on Russian oil revenues” they listed 10 tankers all previously associated with SCF (Sovcomflot) and now managed by a company registered in Dubai.

“Today’s sanctions further undermine Russia’s ability to trade in oil via its shadow fleet,” said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. “Russia has been forced to spend over $8 billion amassing this shadow fleet. But with sanctioned tankers loitering and unable to load oil, we are determined to make Putin’s investment an expensive misstep for the Kremlin.”

The UK contends that the previous sanctions launched since February 2022 and the start of the war in Ukraine have deprived Russia of more than $400 billion worth of assets and revenues. The UK has sanctioned over 2,000 individuals and entities and with new legal authority launched its efforts against the shadow fleet in July. With today’s action, the UK has listed a total of 25 tankers.

“Previous UK action against individual ‘shadow ships’ have left vessels materially disrupted, with the vast majority of them idling outside ports, and unable to carry on their trade in Russian oil,” the UK asserts in today’s announcement.

Of the 10 vessels listed, nine are among the group of ships transferred early in 2024 to the registry in Gabon. One remains registered in Panama.

All the ships were previously listed as being managed by SCF, but are now registered with management as Stream Ship Management FZCO of the UAE. The Equasis database shows the company managing 37 crude oil tankers starting in February and March 2024. The vessels are mostly classed by the Indian Register of Shipping or jointly with DNV or the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

The UK reports three of the vessels, Nikolay Zuyev (122,000 dwt), NS Asia (111,682 dwt), and Zaliv Aniva (102,900 dwt, and the only one registered in Panama) have collectively carried more than $5 billion worth of Russian oil since February 2022. The AIS signals from the three vessels show each currently in China.

Lammy said that Putin’s war machine is funded by a dark and illicit economic system and that the UK is committed to destabilizing. The vessels listed today are additions beyond the U.S. actions also targeting the shadow fleet.

The tanker sanctions come a day after a coordinated effort by the UK and U.S. targeting Russian cargo ships. The two countries listed a total of 13 cargo ships that they alleged were being used to transport missiles and other munitions from Iran to Russia.

Firefighters Injured in 2020 RoRo Fire Receive $16M in Lawsuit Settlements

Car carrier fire — 11 firefighters were injured during the efforts to control the fire on the RoRo (JFRD)

Firefighters injured during a 2020 fire aboard the car carrier Hoegh Xiamen while the vessel was docked in Jacksonville, Florida, have settled their legal claims with the owners and operators of the vessel and the port services companies. Lawyers representing the 11 injured firemen from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said the total settlement, which amounts to more than $16 million, is historic because it was the first time first responders were able to hold negligent the ship owners and shippers.

The 11 firefighters were injured while fighting a multiday inferno aboard the Hoegh Xiamen, a 12,250 dwt car carrier registered in Norway. The vessel, which had a capacity for up to 4,900 vehicles, was owned by Hoegh but operated under charter to Grimaldi Deepsea. It was preparing to depart Jacksonville on June 4, 2020, with approximately 2,400 used cars aboard.

More than 150 firefighters responded to the vessel and were able to evacuate the 21 crewmembers without reported injuries. The firefighters were in a stair tower aboard the ship when there was an explosion that caused burns as well as at least one broken arm. The firefighters were taken to a local hospital.

The subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found several issues including the crew had failed to follow a Grimaldi policy to disconnect the car’s batteries and cover them with a protective shield. The lawyers contended that as many as 70 percent of the cars still had their batteries attached and it was a battery that started the fire. A spark from a battery they contend caused the explosion that injured the firefighters.

Other issues cited in the report included the master and crew’s lack of knowledge on how to contact local emergency resources. The NTSB also reported after the vessel was loaded the crew failed to restore the fire alarm system which they contend further contributed to the delayed response to the fire. The lawyers also alleged that communications were difficult because the crew spoke little or no English.

A Florida personal injury law firm, Pajcic & Pajcic, filed suit on behalf of the firefighters naming Hoegh and Grimaldi as well as Horizon Terminal Services and SSA Marine. The cases had been due to go to trial.

Attorney Curry Pajcic at a news conference on Monday contended, "For the first time in American judice prudence, in the history of maritime law, first responders have now been recognized to have a right to hold negligent ship owners and negligent shippers accountable and responsible when they cause harm to first responders."

Pajcic was announcing that they had reached a settlement with Horizon, SSA, and Grimaldi for approximately $16 million. Hoegh Autoliners, which was responsible for crewing the vessel according to the lawyers, reached a confidential settlement with the firefighters.

The vessel was declared a total loss. In August 2020, after salvage operations were completed, the Hoegh Xiamen was towed to Turkey to be recycled. The NTSB set the value of the loss at $40 million.

The case could also have implications in another tragedy that claimed the lives of two Newark, New Jersey firefighters. In July 2023, a fire broke out aboard the Grande Costa d’Avorio, an Italian-flagged conro operated by Grimaldi, while it was loading in Port Newark. The firefighters became separated from their teams and died on the vessel early in the firefight which also went on for days.

Video: Containers Floating in Rotterdam After Inland Cargo Ship Hits Bridge

inland cargo ship hitting bridge — Inland cargo ship lost five containers after hitting the underside of a Rotterdam roadway bridge (X)

For the second time this year, one of the many inland cargo vessels moving containers in and out of the Port of Rotterdam has hit one of the city’s roadway bridges. Residents living along the River Maas reported hearing a loud bang and scraping noise before seeing shipping containers from MSC and Maersk floating along the Maas River.

Officials were speculating the captain of the unnamed cargo vessel might have misjudged the clearance on the Willemsbrug bridge or the height of his load. Videos posted online showed the vessel getting partially under the bridge with the boxes hitting the underside and falling into the river. Others appeared to be askew on the deck of the vessel. The vessel kept going not stopping at the bridge.

A total of five containers were reported lost into the river with officials saying three were floating in the channel toward the Van Brenenoord Bridge. Residents describing the screen on TV said the next vessel in the river had to make an emergency stop so as not to hit the containers. Some reports are saying two of the containers sank while others are saying four have been retrieved. One of the containers that sank has reportedly been spotted on the river bed.

The vessel has been detained while the captain is being interviewed. They are also checking the bridge. Broadcast reports say the bridge sustained damage and engineers are now working to establish the extent of the damage.

A very similar situation happened in March when another inland vessel became wedged under the Willemsbrug bridge crossing the Nieuwe Maas. It lost at least two containers into the waterway and rescue teams had to wait at least two hours while the water level in the river lowered before they were able to pull the vessel free.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment