OCEANS MSC Carole
SILVER SHADOW COLLIDES WITH CONTAINER SHIP
A recent visitor to the Ports of Auckland, Silverseas Cruises' Silver Shadow, has been in collision with a container ship off the coast of Vietnam.
MSC GROUNDING
Another MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) container ship has run aground. This time the 1989-built MSC Carole (52191grt, ex-Maersk Moncton, and ex-MSC Ancona) ran aground on a reef off Jakarta on February 29.
An attempt to refloat her failed but all crew are reported safe after the grounding in unexplained circumstances. The ship is co-chartered by both MSC and Maersk.
NZ'S LONGEST VISITING SHIP
The Sheng Mu became one of New Zealand's longest-visiting ships in years when she left the Port of Napier on February 21. A planned three-day stopover, that began on January 2 turned into a 50-day stay as a dispute between companies in Dubai, and the Hong Kong-based operators Fenwick Shipping, resulted in the ship being placed under arrest orders by Auckland's High Court. The crew were retained, paid, and stayed on board maintaining the ship to ensure she was ready to depart the minute she cleared. The Sheng Mu left Napier with all berthing charges paid.
Lisa Schulte
Silver Shadow sustained damage only to her bow and was on her way again in 90 minutes.
Silverseas Cruises, based in Monaco, confirmed the incident describing it as "a minor incident…" and "guests' safety was never compromised", and confirmed that the company was to conduct a full investigation.
FIRE ON AZAMARA QUEST
The 30277grt cruise ship Azamara Quest with 590 passengers from 25 different countries, including 14 Kiwis, was disabled and drifting in the Sulu Sea near Borneo following an engineroom fire on March 30.
Azamara Quest
The five-star rated cruise ship, built in 2000, is reported to have slammed into the side of the Vietnamese container ship some five miles offshore in thick fog as she neared the pilot station in Ha Long Bay where her mainly United States and United Kingdom passengers were to go ashore. There were reports of injuries to crew aboard the container ship although these were unconfirmed.
Silver Shadow
Maersk Aberdeen
Flames quickly engulfed the engineroom but were soon extinguished by the crew. Five of the crew were hospitalised after suffering smoke inhalation, one reportedly in a serious condition. No passengers were injured or affected. The ship drifted for 24 hours while repairs were carried
POAL DISPUTE SPREADS SOUTH
With the dispute at Ports of Auckland slowly grinding along, container ships have also been in the firing line at both Wellington's Centreport and the Port of Lyttelton in the South Island, where southern stevedores came out in support of their Auckland counterparts by refusing to work the Lisa Schulte and the Maersk Aberdeen. The ships were eventually worked after the two port companies went to court to seek an injunction.
out. After restarting, she made slow progress to Sandakan, Malaysia, disembarking passengers who flew home, most through Singapore.
Passengers endured stifling heat as the airconditioning was not functioning but all essentials – running water, plumbing, refrigeration and food preparation, were restored. The rest of the cruise was cancelled and passengers promised a full refund plus a voucher for a future cruise to the value of the aborted one. The ship is operated by a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises.
May/June 2012 Professional Skipper 69
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