Seafarers Held Hostage in Somalia – Invisible and Ignored

Posted on by January 26, 2012

The last paragraph of the Associated Press article Navy SEAL Raid in Somalia Shows Campaign Ahead, reads: Several hostages were still being held in Somalia, including a British tourist, two Spanish doctors seized from neighboring Kenya and an American journalist kidnapped on Saturday.

Based on the AP, there appear to be only four hostages held in Somalia. But what of the seafarers being held for ransom?  According to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, 28 ship were hijacked and 470 sailors were taken hostage in Somalia in 2011. 151 are still being held hostage.

As is so often the case, sailors are too often invisible and ignored. To learn more go to Save Our Seafarers.

USS Laffey, the Ship That Would Not Die, Returns to Patriot’s Point

Posted on by January 26, 2012

The World War II destroyer, USS Laffey, has returned home to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, near Charleston, South Carolina after a two year $9 million dollar shipyard period to repair her hull plating. The USS Laffey was commissioned in 1944 and participated in the D-Day invasion of France. In March of 1945, while serving in the Pacific near Okinawa, she was hit by was hit by four bombs and five kamikaze planes. She would later serve in the Korean war. She continued to operate in various missions until 1963. Her lengthy period of service, as well as her actions on D-Day and her survival of the onslaught at Okinawa have earned her the nickname “the ship that would not die.” Now after after winning a battle with time and rust the USS Laffey returns to service as a museum ship alongside the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown at Patriot’s Point.  Thanks to Alaric Bond and Phil Leon for passing on the news.

USCG Air Station Kodiac Rescues 11 from Two Fishing Boats

Posted on by January 26, 2012

In two separate incidents, US Coast Guard Air Station Kodiac crews rescued eleven fisherman from two boats on Wednesday. The 58-foot fishing vessel Kimberly ran aground on Portage Bay southwest of Kodiak on the Alaska Peninsula Tuesday night around 8 p.m. but severe weather prevented the Coast Guard from rescuing the four fishermen.  As the crews returned Wednesday morning to the Kimberly, they received a Mayday call from the 68-foot fishing vessel Heritage which was sinking south of Kodiak Island.
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Still a Work in Progress, the South Street Seaport Museum Reopens

Posted on by January 26, 2012

Photo: DNAinfo/Julie Shapiro

Last February, the chronically mismanaged Seaport Museum of New York (the ex-South Street Seaport Museum) laid off its staff and shut its doors. (See our post  The Rise and Fall of the South Street Seaport Museum.)  Today, under new management, with new funding but with the same loyal cadre of volunteers and supporters, the South Street Seaport Museum is opening its doors once again. It is still very much a work in progress with considerable uncertainty regarding it is future, but the museum is back and has even reclaimed its original name.

The museum, which has been taken over by the Museum of the City of New York, is opening today with sixteen galleries, interweaving the sea and the city of New York with photography, video, historical artifacts and contemporary design.

Seaport Museum Sets Sail, Again

Update: Zanzibar Ferry Disaster – Captain and Crew Charged with Murder

Posted on by January 26, 2012

Last September we posted about an overloaded ferry boat running between Zanzibar and Pemba, Tanzania which sank after capsizing taking the lives of at least 230 passengers.  Recently the captain and crew of the ill-fated ferry, MV Spice Islander, were charged with negligence and murder.  Also charged was member of Zanzibar House of Representatives and MP in the Union Parliament, Mr Jaku Hashim Ayub.  The ferry had an approved passenger capacity of 600 and was believed to be carrying at least 800 people (some sources claim as many as 2,470 passengers) and an unknown amount of cargo, when it capsized and sank on September 10, 2011.

Eleven Arraigned Over Spice Islander Disaster

Update: Scrapping the TK Bremen on Kerminihy Beach

Posted on by January 25, 2012

We posted last December about the Maltese flagged 6,600 DWT dry cargo ship, TK Bremen, which was stranded in high winds on Kerminihy beach at Erdeven, in southern Brittany, near the port of Lorient, France.  Now a bit over a month later she has been “salvaged,” in the sense that she has been removed form the beach, if not in the sense of being “saved.”  Sometimes the only choice available to a salvor, when the ship cannot be removed intact, is to to scrap her in place and a haul away the cut up steel.

The Atlantic Monthly has a wonderful series of 29 photographs documenting the ship on the beach, the clean up and removal of oil, and the ripping apart of the ship by mechanical monsters (OK, crawler cranes with hydraulic shears.) We have posted thumbnails of four of the images above. Click on the images or the link below to see all 29 photos.

Salvaging the TK Bremen

A Whale’s Tale? Did Costa Cover Up Past Grounding on the Costa Fortuna?

Posted on by January 25, 2012

Costa Fortuna

In May 2005, while the cruise ship Costa Fortuna was making a close approach to the island of Sorrento, there was a “loud bang” after which the vessel rolled from left to right according to the ship’s photographer Roberto Cappello, 59.  He later would photograph damage to the ship’s keel and a broken propeller blade, only to have the photographs and files confiscated by Costa.  Costa apparently later claimed that the ship had stuck a whale.  Italian magistrates will be asked to investigate whether Costa Cruises attempted to cover-up the previous grounding.
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US Navy SEAL Commandos Rescue American and Danish Hostage in Raid on Somali Pirates

Posted on by January 25, 2012

Paul Tisted & Jessica Buchanan Photos: Danish Refugee Council

In a pre-dawn raid, US Navy SEAL commandos freed two hostages; an American, Jessica Buchanan, 32, and a Dane, Poul Thisted, 60;  being held for ransom in a pirate compound 12 miles north of the Somali town of Adado.  Members of SEAL Team Six – the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden – are reported to have parachuted in and engaged in a firefight with pirates as they approached the compound. U.S. helicopters landed once the raid was underway and later flew the hostages to a U.S. military base in Djibouti. Nine pirates were reported to have been killed in the assault. No American casualties were reported and the hostages were not injured.
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Update: Costa Concordia – Fuel Removal Begins, Video of Staff Emerges & Body Count Rises

Posted on by January 24, 2012

Crews from the Dutch salvage company SMIT are setting up to begin pumping 2,300 tonnes of diesel fuel from the sunken cruise ship Costa Concordia.  A crane barge and temporary tanks have been moved alongside the stricken ship. Pumping is expected to begin Saturday.

A disturbing video has emerged showing  a member of the ship’s staff directing passengers in life jackets to return to their staterooms. A women says that she as an “announcement from our captain.” She then says, “We kindly ask that you return to your cabins or if you prefer you can stay in the lounges.”  She goes on to say, “We have finished addressing the  problem that we’ve had. The electrical problem with the generator. Everything is fine.”  She then asks again for passengers to return to their cabins. The video ends with her saying, “Everything is fine. OK?”

The body count has risen to 16, as another body was found this morning. Twenty three people are still missing.

Costa Concordia Staff Filmed telling Passengers to return to their Cabins

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Group Hopes to get Schooner Amistad Sailing Again

Posted on by January 24, 2012

The Amistad in better days

In May of 2010, we posted about a serious rigging failure suffered by the schooner Amistad while in heavy seas off the Florida coast.  The schooner limped back to Mystic, CT, where she built,  to undergo $100,000 in repairs.  She has not sailed since.  This year, Amistad America, the non-profit organization behind the schooner, is hoping to get her sailing again.

Group hopes it can right the Amistad

There were no trips last year as Amistad America tried to find the money to do the repairs and then restructured its $280,000 debt with TD Bank, which had filed a lien against the nonprofit organization.

“There were times last year when I was deeply concerned if we could get through the next two months,” admitted Amistad America CEO Greg Belanger in an interview last week.
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Graves Of 18th Century Connecticut & Rhode Island Ship’s Captains Discovered In Suriname

Posted on by January 24, 2012

View of the Nieuwe Oranjetuin Cemetery, Paramaribo, Suriname

The graves of four ship’s captains and merchants dating from the mid-18th century have been found in Suriname, a former Dutch sugar colony on the northern coast of South America. The graves of privateer Capt. Michael Burnham of Middletown, CT; Capt. William Barbut of New London, CT, Capt. Nathaniel Angel and Capt. William Gardner Wanton, both of Rhode Island; were recerntly found in the Dutch colonial cemetery of Nieuw Oranjetuin in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital city.

Graves Of Connecticut Sea Captains Discovered In South America
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Happy Year of the Black Water Dragon!

Posted on by January 23, 2012

Today begins the new lunar year – the Year of the Black Water Dragon.  The lunar new year is celebrated for 15 days, from the first day of the first new moon of the year to the first full moon.  We wish everyone a most happy and prosperous New Year.  Thanks to Frogma for posting the link to the video of the underwater dragon dance.

The Lunar New Year: Enter the Dragon

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Costa Concordia – the Inchino, Costa Management & the Web

Posted on by January 23, 2012

L'inchino al Faraglioni di Capri, an unidentified cruise ship "bowing" to the Faraglioni rocks

The dangerous practice of the “inchino,” Italian for “bow” and often translated as “salute,”  appears to be widespread and not limited to Costa.  The “inchino” is performed by sailing a ship close to an island or port and blowing the ship’s horn, figuratively bowing or saluting the port. It now appears that such a “bow” resulted in the grounding and sinking of the Costa Concordia off Giglio. While the practice may not be limited to Costa, the suggestion that Costa was not aware of the practice and did not approve of it, seems unlikely.

Italian news site, Napoli de Vivere, has featured a photograph of an unidentified cruise ship (not a Costa Crociere ship) passing between the famous cliffs of the Isle of Capri, the Faraglioni, from a video shot on September 24, 2006.  Navi da crociera: inchino anche ai faraglioni di Capri  They comment:  Apparently, the passage of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, near the coast of the island of Giglio was not an isolated case. Captains like to greet the coast, close to the mainland, attracting the attention of the people and astound the passengers, but the danger of certain maneuvers is not worth a salute, and tragically, we realized these days that can never be too cautious.
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Racing of the Dhows in Abu Dhabi & the Volvo Ocean Racers

Posted on by January 23, 2012

The Volvo Ocean Race is off on the third leg from the Maldives to Sanya, China.  The Volvo fleet was again transported from Abu Dhabi by ship to avoid potential attacks by pirates.  During the fleet stop over in Abu Dhabi, a number of the Volvo sailors were invited to sail on the traditional sailing dhows in the Abu Dhabi Sailing Festival Race.

Racing of the Dhows in Abu Dhabi – Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12

Thanks to Tom Russell on the Traditional Sail Professionals Linked-in group for pointing out the video.

“Noah”, Japan’s Mini-Arks

Posted on by January 22, 2012

Cosmo Power, a Japanese engineering company, has developed the “Noah” a four person mini-ark to help residents along Japan’s coast survive a future tsunami.  The “Noah” is  a four foot diameter bright yellow sphere made of fiber-reinforced plastic. It is self righting and can survive a 33 foot drop. It also can be used as a toy house for children. The pod retails for about $3,800 and more than 1,000 have been ordered.

From One Tragedy, Tools to Fight the Next

A Japanese Company Creates Arks for the Next Tsunami
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Costa Concordia Update: Death Toll Rises, Sanctuary Threatened, Salvage Options Considered

Posted on by January 22, 2012

The death toll from the sinking of the Costa Concordia has risen to thirteen as divers discovered another body of a woman wearing a life jacket in a submerged passageway.   Eight of the thirteen victims have now been identified according to Italian officials. Four of the dead are French, one is Italian, one Hungarian, one Spanish and one German.  Twenty four people remain missing including two Americans.  There is now concern that there may have been stowaways aboard the ship. If so, the unregistered passengers may increase the final death toll.
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Setting Square Sails on the Star of India

Posted on by January 22, 2012

A well done video by the Maritime Museum of San Diego shot on the 1863 built iron windjammer Star of India.  Thanks to the Tall Ship Morgenster for pointing it out on Facebook.

Setting square sails

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Nome Fuel Unloaded, USCG Healy and Russian Tanker Renda Must Now Get Out

Posted on by January 21, 2012

Photo: David Dodman, KNOM Radio Mission

After spending the better part of a month getting to Nome, Alaska to deliver an emergency supply of fuel to last the winter, the ice-strengthened Russian tanker Renda has finally off-loaded its cargo – 1.3 million gallons of diesel fuel and gasoline for the town of 3,600.  Now, the only problem faced by the tanker and its escort vessel, the USCG icebreaking cutter Healy, is to break back through the ice to open water. The delivery was the first ever winter resupply of the Western Alaskan town by water.  Once clear of the ice, the Renda will return to Russia while the Healy will unload supplies at Dutch Harbor, Alaska before returning to its home port in Seattle.

To follow the Healy’s return through the ice click here: Oceanographic research ship USCGC Healy (USA)   See our previous post – Rescue Mission to Nome – Russian Tanker Renda & USCG Icebreaker Healy Battle Ice to Deliver Fuel

Laura Dekker Completes Solo Circumnavigation – A Most Singular Young Sailor

Posted on by January 21, 2012

Photo: AP

Laura Dekker has arrived in St. Maarten, having sailed her 38 ft Jeanneau Gin Fizz ketch, Guppy, successfully around the world alone.  Her voyage began when she quietly slipped out of  Gibraltar on August 21, 2010.  At only 16 years and four months old, Laura is the youngest solo circumnavigator in history.  The yacht club in Simpson Bay where she has arrived has been sealed off to anyone other than Laura’s family. The media is being kept at bay to give Laura time to rest before facing the media circus.  A small floatilla met the young sailor, including one boat with her parent and grandparents aboard.

Laura sails tonight port in St. Maarten

But who is Laura Dekker? Born on a sailboat in New Zealand she has had a most unusual life that has included significant family turmoil, in addition to her battle with Dutch courts to allow her to sail around the world as a minor.  An article in the Dutch News.nl describes her as stubborn, self absorbed and a devil of a sailor.
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Costa Concordia – Wreckage on Le Scole Rock

Posted on by January 21, 2012

This underwater photo taken on January 17, 2012 at the "Le Scole" rock shows twisted wreckage on the sea floor, left by the cruise liner Costa Concordia after it ran aground in front of the Isola del Giglio harbor. (AFP/Getty Images)

It appears that the question of where and on what the Costa Concordia ran aground is a bit more clear.  Wreckage, believed to be from the collision, has been photographed at Le Scole rock.  Thanks to Andy Hall at the Maritime Texas blog for pointing it out.  See also the Atlantic Monthly’s Inside the Wreck of the Costa Concordia.  Yesterday we posted:

There is a 150 foot long rip in the hull on the port side of the ship with a large piece of stone still embedded in the hull. From the position of the damage on side of the hull, it appears that the ship may have scraped along an underwater ledge rather than hitting an underwater pinnacle of rock which would have damaged the bottom of the ship. There are underwater ledges in the vicinity of the small island of Le Scole off the south-eastern of the island of Giglio. This would put the grounding just slightly to the south of the assumed position of the grounding in the AIS plot developed by Lloyds, but the damage would agree with that observed on the hull. Sky News has an animated reconstruction of this scenario.
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