Tag: bulk carriers

An inland cargo ship collided with the bulk carrier Daio Southern Cross, on January 7, off Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. After the collision, the cargo ship split in half and sunk, carrying five crewmembers. Of them, four were rescued, while the body of the missing crewmember was found in the ship’s cabin during a search and rescue operation.

The US Coast Guard responded to a grounded vessel in the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans, on Friday, January 4. The UK-flagged Anglo Alexandria had grounded in the Mississippi River at mile marker 3.5. The Mississippi River has reopened after the refloating of the bulk carrier.

In general, tankers have a better PSC performance than bulk carriers but what about their age? Although it is usually common to compare vessels as per their vessel type, when considering ship performance other parameters, such as age, may result to interesting findings as well.

After a successful refloating of the Russian bulk carrier 'Kuzma Minin' last week off Cornwell, UK MCA Surveyors conducted a PSC Inspection in the early evening of 18 December and confirmed a breach in one of the fuel tanks. Tank readings indicate the tank has filled with water as a consequence of the grounding, however no pollution has been reported. 

The video, published by the HM Coastguard, depicts coordination rescue attempts after the 180-metre bulk carrier 'Kuzma Minin' dragged her anchor and grounded off Cornwell, UK, in the early morning hours of Tuesday. The ship was carrying 18 Russian crew, while there was no cargo onboard. 

BIMCO released some of its reflections regarding the growth of global shipping, highlighting that developing countries will play a key role in the next five years, something that will affect shipping as well. Namely, the dry bulk demand is supported, while container shipping will experience more pressure.

Cargo hold cleaning constitutes one critical aspect of the complex bulk carrier operations. A conventional bulk carrier may transport coal this week and soya beans the next week, which requires thorough wash-downs and cleaning. In this regard, Danish shipping company Norden announced it has tested a cargo hold robot which can be remotely operated to prevent risk and delays. 

Two dockers died on November 13, while they were unloading logs from a bulker in Montevideo, Uruguay. According to reports, two others were also transported to the hospital. Information reports that the victims were probably exposed to a fumigant. The authorities are further investigating to determine the cause of the exposure. 

Bulk carriers constitute a significant fragment of the global maritime transport of goods, making up 15–17% of the world's merchant fleets. Bulk carrier operations require careful planning and preparation to maintain cargo quality as is and to avoid any delays and disputes. One critical aspect of this preparation is the cargo hold cleaning.

Fire broke out on the bulker 'MV Golden Ocean', on November 10, while it was in ballast off Bontang, Indonesia. 22 crewmembers were on board the ship at the time of the incident, all of whom successfully evacuated the ship. The ship was heading to Bontang, where fire was detected in its engine room.