ITF News Update – 28th January to 1st February
Sailors on abandoned ship Yangtze Fortune in limbo while anchored on Victorian coast | ABC News – 28th Jan
Sixteen Filipino crew members of an abandoned ship face an uncertain future after spending months in limbo off the south-west coast of Victoria.
Cold and fed up, 11 sailors from Caribbean and South America are stuck in Trois-Rivières, Que. | CBC – 28th Jan
Meant to be moving tugboats to Guyana, they await authorization from Transport Canada to get underway
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/tugboats-crew-stuck-in-trois-rivieres-quebec-1.6727010
Nigeria needs more vessels to employ its seafarers – Joseph | New Telegraph – 29th Jan
Bob Yousuo Joseph, a marine engineer, is the National President of Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA). He speaks on the future of the Nigerian maritime industry as the new Lekki Deep Sea Port commences operation.
https://www.newtelegraphng.com/nigeria-needs-more-vessels-to-employ-its-seafarers-joseph/
Chinese Vessel in Distress Attracts Help – And Suspicion | Maritime Executive – 30th Jan
The Philippine Coast Guard has rescued the crew of a Chinese vessel off the coast of Samar, an island on the eastern side of the archipelago. The vessel was taken in tow and brought to Tacloban, but its mission and the identity of its crewmembers are unclear, according to the PCG.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/chinese-vessel-in-distress-attracts-help-and-suspicion
Containership Suffers Engine Room Fire at the Panama Canal | G Captain – 30th Jan
The Panama Canal Authority is reporting that a fire broke out in the engine room of a containership near the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal on Monday.
https://gcaptain.com/containership-suffers-engine-room-fire-at-the-panama-canal/
Crew Of Abandoned Vessel Off Victoria Coast Face Uncertain Future | Marine Insight – 30th Jan
A crew comprising Filipino sailors has reportedly been stranded on an abandoned vessel off the southwest coast of Victoria for four months. Marine insurance is also about to come to an end.
Flag States Increase Seafarer Reporting 25% – ICS | Marine Link – 30th Jan
The annual Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table, published today from the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), highlights a 25% increase in flag states reporting on seafarer labor standards compared to last year. Each year flag states must report on labor standards as part of their ILO audit commitments. Some of the labor standards specific to seafarers include repatriation of seafarers, accommodation provision, health protection and medical care. This year 67.6% of flag states reported on their ILO audit commitments, an increase of 25% on the previous year where only 42.9% of reports were submitted.
https://www.marinelink.com/news/flag-states-increase-seafarer-reporting-502541
Report into near miss between passenger ferries raises major questions of Rosslare Port Control | Wexford – 31st Jan
Marine Casualty Investigation Board reveals that those responsible for directing huge passenger ships at the Europort have no formal maritime qualifications
Eight crewmen rescued from sinking barge | The Star – 31st Jan
GEORGE TOWN: Eight crew members of a barge have been rescued from a sinking vessel at the Penang-Kedah sea border near Kuala Muda, Kedah.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/01/31/eight-crewmen-rescued-from-sinking-barge
Shipping’s forgotten crisis could get worse | Business Times – 31st Jan
THE Mediterranean Sea is the main economic artery facilitating the movement of cargo to and from Europe and Asia. It is the route used by the thousands of container ships that keep world trade networks humming.
What can be done about the plight of abandoned seafarers | Safety4Sea – 31st Jan
David Hammond, Human Rights at Sea, CEO, and Professor Steven Haines, University of Greenwich and Honorary Trustee, recently joined the Operational Maritime Law podcast to discuss the protection of human rights at sea, focusing on what can be done about the plight of abandoned seafarers.
https://safety4sea.com/cm-what-can-be-done-about-the-plight-of-abandoned-seafarers/
Philippine Coast Guard rescues Chinese crew | Safety4Sea – 31st Jan
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued seven Chinese crew on board a fishing vessel in the vicinity waters off Suluan Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar, on 27 January 2023.
https://safety4sea.com/philippine-coast-guard-rescues-chinese-crew/
2022: A Year Of Recovery For Seafarer Welfare, Says Latest Seafarers Happiness Index | Marine Insight – 31st Jan
The Mission to Seafarers has issued its Q4 findings on seafarer happiness and annual review, as well as new insights on vessel conditions impact on seafarer welfare from Idwal.
Egypt Extends Arrest Of 2 Russian Suspects In Drug Smuggling – Russian Seafarers’ Union | Urdu Point – 1st Feb
A court in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria has extended the custody of two Russian sailors arrested in the case of illegal possession of narcotic drugs, the Southern territorial organization of the Russian Seafarers’ Union said on Wednesday.
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/egypt-extends-arrest-of-2-russian-suspects-in-1635022.html
ISWAN, Iranian seafarers’ trade union to improve lives of seafarers | Safety4Sea – 1st Feb
The Iranian Merchant Marine Syndicate (IMMS) and ISWAN have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together to improve the lives of seafarers in Iran.
https://safety4sea.com/iswan-iranian-seafarers-trade-union-to-improve-lives-of-seafarers/
Suez Canal tug boats free ship stuck in waterway | MENA – 1st Feb
The ship, stuck for more than three hours, is the LNG tanker Grace Emilia, which had broken down, Reuters reported, citing two canal sources.
Pilots, tugs stop ultra-large box ship grounding near Southampton | Riviera – 1st Feb
UK Maritime Pilots Association (UKMPA) says pair of pilots worked for 10 hours with multiple tugboats assisting to keep vessel from drifting out of navigation channel and grounding