News Bulletin – 21 December 2019

1. DLDS launches container tracking service at Kamarajar Port.

20 Dec 2019 : DMICDC Logistics Data Services (DLDS) has launched its container tracking service, Logistics Data Bank, at Kamarajar Port, Ennore in Tamil Nadu. DLDS’ flagship solution, LDB, is a single-window container tracking solution aimed at improving operations in container logistics.

It began its operations in the western corridor, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in the year 2016, and later extended it to Hazira and Mundra ports of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) in the year 2017. With the inclusion of Kamarajar Port, Ennore-Chennai LDB’s ICT-based services have become operational across 25 port terminals of India.

LDB currently handles 96% per cent of India’s container. The extension of LDB’s services at Kamarajar Port follows a milestone of 21 million EXIM containers tracked by its single-window interface. DLDS container tracking solution has reduced the port dwell time and overall transportation time for export and import of shipments in the country.

2. Harjeet Kaur Joshi becomes first woman to helm Shipping Corporation.

20 Dec 2019 : Harjeet Kaur Joshi has been appointed as the full-time Chairperson and Managing Director of privatisation-bound Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), becoming the first woman to helm the country’s biggest ocean carrier by fleet size.

Harjeet Kaur’s appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Harjeet Kaur’s appointment is valid till her superannuation on May 31, 2022 or until further orders, the ACC said in a communication to the Shipping Ministry which controls SCI.

Harjeet Kaur is currently the Director finance at SCI and since September 12 has been holding the additional charge of the Chairperson and Managing Director of the navratna PSU. The government has decided to sell its 63.75 per cent in SCI, to a private strategic buyer and the stake sale is in process.

3. Container ship Master died after falling into ship’s hold.

19 Dec 2019 : 47-year old Turkish Master of container ship LADY NURAY tragically died on board of his ship in the afternoon Dec 18. The ship is docked at Thessaloníki, Greece, he fell into cargo hold and hit his head. He was announced dead on arrival to hospital. Details of accident unknown, investigation under way.

4. Switzerland, Nigeria Transfer Tanker Arrest Dispute to Tribunal.

18 Dec 2019 : Switzerland and Nigeria have agreed to submit to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) their dispute concerning the arrest and detention of the tanker San Padre Pio, its crew and cargo. The agreement between the two governments was reached on December 3, 2019, ITLOS said in a statement.

Back in 2018, Nigerian authorities arrested the Switzerland-flagged ship while it was allegedly engaged in ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of gasoil in Nigeria’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The 7,600 dwt tanker, operated by Swiss ABC Maritime, was detained due to “unauthorized entry into Nigerian waters and illegal fuel trading” although the ship’s captain claimed that San Padre Pio had permission to ship the fuel to Nigeria.

5. Mega yacht collided with bridge on Sint Maarten island, Caribbean.

17 Dec 2019 : Mega yacht ECSTASEA went out of control on Dec 15 while entering Simpson Bay Lagoon, on Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, and contacted the control booth of a bascule bridge.

Booth was ripped off and fell into water, but aside from that, bridge remained fully functional, and nobody was hurt. Yacht suffered superficial damages. Accident is though to be caused by adverse combination of strong wind and current.

6. Pirates Kidnap 20 Indian Seafarers From Tanker Vessel Off Togo.

16 Dec 2019 : Twenty Indian national seafarers were kidnapped from a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker vessel MT Duke off Lome, Togo. The vessel was attacked and boarded by six pirates some 115 nautical miles southeast of Lome on December 15, 2019. Out of the 21 crew members, the pirates have kidnapped twenty Indian seafarers, while one Nigerian seafarer is believed to have been left aboard the vessel.

According to owner Uk’s Union Maritime, the vessel (oil tanker MT DUKE – IMO: 9262259) was involved in a security incident on Sunday at around 0700 UTC. DUKE was attacked and boarded whilst on voyage from Luanda, Angola to Lome, Togo, with a cargo of fuel oil.

DUKE’s crew is managed by V Ships, and Union Maritime is working closely with them and all relevant authorities to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. The safety and welfare of the crew remain the top priority of Union Maritime.

7. Three offshore supply ships collided at Aberdeen.

16 Dec 2019 : Offshore supply ship STRIL MYSTER went out of control and collided with berthed offshore supply ships EDDA FERD and SKANDI AUKRA, while maneuvering at Aberdeen Harbor, in the evening Dec 10.

All three ships sustained some damages, EDDA FERD and SKANDI AUKRA damages probably superficial, as both ships left Aberdeen and continued working. STRIL MYSTER on Dec 16 was still at Aberdeen. According to The Press and Journal pressandjournal.co.uk, Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is aware of the incident and making inquiries.

8. Kidnapped crew member of Greek tanker dies, remaining three freed.

16 Dec 2019 : Three of the four kidnapped crew members of the oil tanker Elka Aristotle have been released, however, the fourth crew member, a Filipino national has died, European Products Carriers Ltd., managers of the Greek-flagged vessel, informed.

“A full investigation is underway into the situation, but it is understood that his demise was not as a result of any actions by those holding the crew hostage but due to illness,” the company added. The three released crew members have undergone medical checks and are reported to be well.

They were being debriefed by the local authorities prior to returning home to the Philippines, Greece, and Georgia respectively. The tanker was boarded by armed pirates on November 4, 2019 while anchored near the West African port of Lome, Togo.

References :

– www.itln.in

– www.thehindubusinessline.com

– www.fleetmon.com

– worldmaritimenews.com

– www.marineinsight.com