Tag: ferries

A European review of ship safety regulations is to incorporate A European review of ship safety regulations is to incorporate input from the passenger shipping industry.The European Commission has invited the industry, represented by the European Cruise Council (ECC) and Interferry, to participate in the review, which is already underway but has been accelerated by the recent Costa Concordia accident.Interferry said that the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) had already completed two studies that analyse shortcomings in the current regulatory frameworks. One of the major issues is the reconciliation between SOLAS 2009 and the Stockholm Agreement.Interferry added that it had been asked to meet with EMSA in mid-March to discuss the findings of the review. Following this, in late April the European Commission vice president for transport will convene a workshop in Brussels, to which Interferry and the ECC have been invited. Johan Roos, Interferry executive director of EU and IMO Affairs, will coordinate these efforts.Source: Cruise and Ferry

he first emission-free 'Wadden Sea ferry' The first emission-free "Wadden Sea ferry" will start service in the European coastal waters in autumn 2013. The concept was developed by Becker Marine Systems in cooperation with renowned partners and will be implemented rapidly.The environment is not just important concerning the topics Manoeuvering and Propulsion for the Hamburg ship supplier Becker Marine Systems. The company is facing their responsibility to reduce the emissions of shipping worldwide. The idea to develop an emission-free ferry with very low draught for the shallow European coastal waters was emerged by taking a closer look at the precious and fragile national park Wadden Sea near Hamburg. The working title of this draft is "Wadden Sea ferry".The newly developed "Wadden Sea ferry" is a design of Ingenieurbüro für Schiffstechnik Ingo Schlüter GmbH & Co. KG and is exclusively powered by environment-friendly liquefied natural gas (LNG) with no particle emissions. The additional purchase of emission certificates makes it possible to offer a completely carbon neutral, "green" ferry service. The environmental pollution of the sensitive coastal waters with sulfur oxides and exhaust gas particles will be reduced to zero for the new "Wadden Sea ferry". The CO2 emission is reduced by ...

New passenger ferry - AGA's investment in LNG Viking Line Abp has signed an agreement with AGA Gas AB on supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Viking Line's new passenger ferry, whose environmental profile symbolizes a new era in the shipping industry."Viking Line's and AGA's investment in LNG represents major environmental advantages compared to traditional maritime fuel," says Mikael Backman, President and CEO of Viking Line.Viking Line's newbuilding "NB 1376", recently named the M/S Viking Grace, will provide service on the Stockholm (Sweden) - Åland Islands (Finland) - Turku (Finland) route beginning in January 2013. The vessel, currently under construction at the STX Europe shipyard in Turku, will be Viking Line's largest passenger ferry and will be powered by LNG. The liquefied gas will be stored in specially built tanks at the rear of the vessel and will have a temperature of about -150 degrees Celsius when it is bunkered and stored on board.LNG contains neither sulphur nor heavy metals. By using this fuel a vessel reduces its carbon dioxide emissions by 20-30 per cent compared to oil. LNG meets the emission standards of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) directive, which states that the sulphur content of vessel fuel may ...

There are reports ex-militant's in PNG's autonomous region of Bougainville are occupying three ships There are reports ex-militant's in PNG's autonomous region of Bougainville are occupying three ships owned by the company that had a ferry sank off PNG's coast last week.The former militants are occupying the ships in protest over the disaster, local media is reporting.Crew on the three ships are reported to be unharmed and able to move freely on board.Ferry disasterPapua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has promised survivors of last week's ferry disaster that the government will ensure all victims are accounted for.Mr O'Neill handed over aid money for the Morobe Disaster Committee and addressed a meeting of survivors and families of the missing.The PNG Government has promised an official investigation into the sinking of the MV Rabaul Queen.The passenger ferry was en route to Lae when it sank off the coast of Morobe province last Thursday.The executive officer of the Governor of East New Province, Tim Masiu, has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat many of the survivors have heart breaking stories."There was a guy who say (sic) that he left his family below and he went up to make a phone call only to ...

More than 100 people are still missing from the MV Rabaul Queen Papua New Guinean authorities Saturday began retrieving the bodies of those killed when a crowded ferry sank two days ago in what is thought to be among the nation's worst sea accidents.More than 100 people are still missing from the MV Rabaul Queen, which went down about nine nautical miles off the coast early Thursday. Air and sea search efforts were ongoing despite rough weather."Four bodies were picked up from the water," rescue coordinator Captain Nurur Rahman from PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority told AFP."The water at this time is still rough which is slowing down a little bit the search and rescue. We haven't found any survivors today."Rahman said the bodies were discovered, along with debris from the wreck, about 50 nautical miles southeast of where the vessel sank.The authority said the 246 people rescued in a joint rescue operation with neighbouring Australia were undergoing medical assessment at the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae, a major coastal gateway and the doomed boat's destination.As the search effort involving seven fixed wing aircraft, three helicopters and seven boats continued, some families in Lae were still hoping to find their ...

The coastguard evacuated the passengers and no injuries were reported More than 260 people were rescued early Saturday from a ferry which ran aground off Italy in a snow storm, while emergency services freed people trapped in cars and trains in freezing temperatures.The Shardon ferry ran aground shortly after setting off from Civitavecchia port near Rome, causing panic among the 262 passengers who feared a repeat of a cruise ship tragedy in the area last month which killed 32 people.Coastguard spokesman Carnine Albano said the accident, which tore a 25-meter (80-foot) hole in the ship's side above the waterline, was caused after the vessel was buffeted by a violent snow storm from the north-east.The coastguard evacuated the passengers and no injuries were reported.Heavy snowfalls in Rome caused the normally mild-weather capital to grind to a halt. Schools were closed in much of central and northern Italy and streets were widely deserted after authorities warned people to stay indoors.Over 150 people were stuck in a train for 10 hours overnight in the Abruzzo region with scarce water supplies.Emergency services also rescued 20 people blocked in their cars overnight near Rome, and two people were taken to hospital.Tuscany region ordered all emergency ...

Ships and helicopters are continuing to search Ships and helicopters are continuing to search for more than 100 people missing after a ferry sank off Papua New Guinea's north coast on Thursday.Almost 250 people rescued in a joint Australian-PNG operation have reached the eastern PNG town of Lae, officials said on Friday.The search for the missing - mostly university students - resumed at daylight.An official said there were fears people had been trapped in the ferry.The MV Rabaul Queen, a vessel owned by PNG-based Rabaul Shipping, sank east of Lae some 10 miles (16km) from shore. The company said in a statement that there were 350 passengers and 12 crew onboard."We acknowledge that this has caused tremendous suffering. Our condolences go to the loved ones of those affected," said Rabaul Shipping managing director Peter Sharp.Relatives of the passengers, angered by a lack of information, threw rocks at the company's office in Kimbe on Thursday, Australian media reported. Local police said it had to move the staff to an undisclosed location.So far a total of 246 people have been plucked from the water. Most of the survivors who have returned to Lae were taken to the local hospital."None of them had ...

Rescuers have plucked 50 survivors from the sea off Papua New Guinea east coast Rescuers have plucked 50 survivors from the sea off Papua New Guinea's east coast after a ferry sank Thursday with as many as 350 people on board, officials said.An airplane from Australia, three helicopters and six ships were scouring the search area after the MV Rabaul Queen went down while traveling from Kimbe on the island of New Britain to coastal town of Lae on the main island, Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement.Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard called the incident a "major tragedy" and said her country was providing assistance to its near neighbor."Given the likely very high loss of life here, I think when this news comes to the attention of Australians around the country they will be thinking about the people of PNG as they respond to this tragedy," she added.The Australian maritime agency initially detected the ferry's distress beacon and alerted the PNG Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, which is coordinating the rescue effort. The Australian statement said "approximately 50 people have been rescued so far."It said 350 people were believed to be on board, but Papua New Guinea's National Maritime ...

More than 200 people have been rescued

Facing 200 charges of negligence Eleven people have been charged with murder in the sinking of the Spice Islander 1 ferry near Zanzibar last September.The captain of the ship, who has not yet been apprehended since abandoning the vessel along with the crew, is one of those charged. The defendants, including the crew and workers in charge of loading the ferry, face 200 charges of negligence and a murder charge.More than 240 passengers and crew died in the accident. A government investigation recently found that the vessel, which was built in 1967, was in 'dangerous mechanical condition' before the voyage.Source: The Seafarer Times