Maritime News

Container ship ANNE on May 25 had to take on board some 100 illegal migrants off Libyan coast, while being en route from Malta’s Freeport to Misurata Libya. The ship interrupted her voyage and took a long leg, to pick them up. She reached Misurata anchorage on May 25, migrants reportedly, were offloaded and handed over to Libyan authorities. ANNE was berthed in Misurata on May 27. ANNE was ordered to rescue migrants by MRCC Malta, according to NGO Alarm Phone. After that, ANNE was ordered by responsible SAR bodies to proceed to Misurata, and disembark “rescued” migrants. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees recommends that all countries “suspend all forced returns of citizens or residents of Libya, including those whose application for asylum was rejected”(!). So, now what? They will force merchant ships to pick up migrants notwithstanding circumstances, and after that, circle around in Mediterranean for days and weeks, begging EU to take migrants off? Rescuing migrants is becoming extremely dangerous for merchant ships. If the ship “rescues” migrants and waits to be allowed to disembark them where they want to be disembarked, in the EU, the ship is in for many troubles and risks, read previous stories. If the ship disembarks them in Libya, Master and owner may be prosecuted. FleetMon Vessel Risk Rating: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) testing campaign is spreading further on, embracing other Brazilian ports. One crew of bulk carrier CLYMENE at Paranagua was tested positive and taken to hospital. Bulk carrier on May 26 has been moved to anchorage, to wait for tests results. She arrived at Paranagua on May 25, from Singapore, to load a shipment of soybeans. No news on her status, understood she’s put under quarantine. FleetMon Vessel Risk Rating: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

Two Thai-owned bulk carriers changed part of their crews in Thailand on Koh Si Chang Anchorage between May 21 and May 23. 25 crew in total, including 17 from THOR BRAVE, and 8 from CHAYANEE NAREE, were changed. THOR BRAVE arrived from Banjarmasin Indonesia, CHAYANEE NAREE arrived from western Sakhalin coal ports, Russia. All relieved seamen were treated in full accordance with “health” protocols, all have to undergo 14-days quarantine. Foreign crew changes still not available in Thailand, all inbound flights banned until end of June. The exceptions are state or military aircraft, emergency or technical landing, humanitarian aid, medicine and relief flights, repatriation and cargo aircraft. Not clear if chartered planes with replacement crew may be allowed, and if allowed, on what terms and conditions. Most probably, it is not possible. Inbound flights ban may be lifted earlier than June 30, and in any case, all the “new normal” requirements will be made public prior to ban lift, to assess possibility and feasibility of foreign crew change in Thai ports. Ship’s agent must submit following document to port authorities at least 24 Hours before vessel arrival: • Information of Conveyance Arriving In Thailand ( T.1), • Maritime Information of Health (T.2), • Maritime Declaration of Health (T.3), • Last ten port of call, • Questionnaire for Dangerous Communicable diseases screening, • Crew list, • Body temperature (for all crew&passenger record at least 7 days) • Any others document that have request by Quarantine officer While docked at Thai port, Master must provide the following: • Cleaning vessel every day with proper tools and chemical • Alcohol or Hand cleansing Gel • All crew onboard must ware mask at all time • Provide whenever possible, safe distance between people on board of 1 meter at least Shore leaves aren’t allowed. There’s a nationwide curfew, with all but essential workers and services, having to stay at home, from 11 p.m. until 04 a.m. Expectedly, curfew will be shortened starting May end or early June, from 0000 a.m. until 0400 a.m. For the majority of Thai seamen, crew change has become more complicated, but still possible, because they’re working on Thai-flagged or owned ships. The same can be said of any other nation, exploiting uninational crews on nation-flagged or owned by nation’s companies, ships. If “pandemic” show is to continue, ship owners and crew management companies will be in preferable position, by mustering uninational crews. FleetMon Vessel Risk Rating: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

One crew of 10,000 TEU container ship CAP SAN LORENZO was tested positive, said tireless National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) on May 26. The ship berthed at Santos Brazil on May 24, one unlucky non-Brazilian crew was to be relieved and return home, but ANVISA found him virus positive. All crew were tested, cargo operations were cancelled, the ship was taken to outer anchorage and anchored, to wait for testing results. FleetMon Vessel Risk Rating: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/

Product tanker STENA PREMIUM with 27 crew on board is stuck at Cabedelo, Brazil, since Apr 24. Twelve crew were found virus test positive, all of them remain on board, understood nobody is in need of hospital treatment, or any treatment, with that. The National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) is to run serological (antibody) tests to determine crew fate, whether the ship may be released, or has to remain stuck. Understood Master of the ship demanded from authorities to find a solution, and free tanker. ANVISA said that tanker probably, will be allowed to leave with “infected asymptomatic ” crew, while those who’re found not to be fully “asymptomatic”, should be moved to hotel. IMRRA, FleetMon’s official Vessel Risk Rating Partner, risk assessed this tanker as having a GREEN risk rating, with a specific risk rating of 30% (28-MAY-19), compared to the fleet average 36%. New risk assessment reports can be purchased via FleetMon. Red: Poorest performing; Amber: Average value; Green: Good indicator.