SAILORS, MARINERS & WARRIORS LEAGUE

Firemen Find Two Alive On Wrecked Ship

2012-01-14T19:57:00.002-06:00

Fire brigade crews have found alive two people on an Italian cruise ship that hit rocks and keeled over off the coast of the island of Giglio, ANSA news agency reported on Sunday.Rescuers have managed to speak to the man and the woman but have not yet reached them as they are stranded two decks below on the half-submerged ship. A fire brigade spokesman could not immediately be reached for confirmation.

Ship Capsizes In Kenya Causing Victims

2012-01-02T10:14:00.002-06:00

The casualty toll of the capsized ship near Lamu Island in Kenya is of at least 8 dead and numerous people missing. The boat was overturned by the fury of the waves while it was heading to the mainland from Lamu Island, a world-famous tourist resort: the news was reported by police sources which said that 12 survivors have been rescued up to now.The survivors in turn reported that at the time of the sinking, there were nearly 50 people on board but as there is no passenger list, it is impossible to know the precise number or their nationality. During this period, Lamu Island is particularly crowded with foreign visitors attracted by the New Year's celebrations.

Army To Deploy Vertical Take-Off UAS

2011-12-28T00:03:00.000-06:00

The U.S. Army is using a hybrid-type acquisition approach to develop a helicopter-like, Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing Unmanned Aerial System with a so-called ARGUS wide-area surveillance sensor suite designed to beam back information and images of the surrounding terrain, service officials said.Beginning in May or June of next year, the Army will deploy three Boeing-built A160 Hummingbird VTOL UAS to Afghanistan as part of a Quick Reaction Capability, an acquisition approach aimed at delivering cutting-edge and emerging technologies to theater to add capability and inform requirements while simultaneously developing a formal Program of Record approach, said Lt. Col. Matthew Munster, product manager, UAS Modernization. "These aircraft will deploy for up to one full year as a way to harness lessons learned and funnel them into a program of record," Munster said.

Military Recognizes Nurse For 50 Years Of Service

2011-12-27T09:24:00.002-06:00

Doctors, nurses, corpsmen, friends and family gathered Dec. 16 at U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Guam to celebrate the 50-year nursing career of Guadalupe Mafnas. "Ms. Mafnas, who is so beloved, has dedicated so many years to taking care of people, being drawn to the profession of nursing, and serving the people of Guam, both here at Naval Hospital Guam and at [Guam Memorial Hospital]," said USNH Guam Commanding Officer Capt. Kevin Haws. "[She is] such a wonderful member of our staff."Capt. Elizabeth Swatzell, director of nursing services, USNH Guam, spoke of the tremendous effect Mafnas' knowledge, skills and teaching abilities have had on the command and its staff.

Cargo Ship Crashes In Turkey

2011-12-27T09:09:00.002-06:00

A ship transporting goods from Turkey to Israel crashed, Turkish CNN Turk TV channel reported on Tuesday. Two out of 12 crew members died as a result of the accident. Other crew members were evacuated. The ship crashed as a result of technical failure.

Ship Reaches Leaking Russian Boat Near Antarctica

2011-12-27T08:53:00.003-06:00

An icebreaker vessel has reached a leaking Russian boat with 32 crew members aboard off the coast of Antarctica, New Zealand officials said. The South Korean polar research vessel reached the 48-meter boat, called Sparta, in Ross Sea, according to a statement from Maritime New Zealand. On Tuesday, the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand said "very good progress" was being made to repair the damaged shell plating on Sparta, which sustained a 30-centimeter (1-foot) hole in the side more than a week ago. The Sparta issued a distress call on December 16. A cement box will be secured to the inside of the shell plating, which will make the vessel seaworthy, according to Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator Mike Roberts. "For safety reasons, it is not possible to access the exterior damage in Sparta's current location," Roberts said. Roberts said crew from both ships will attempt to weld a "doubler plate" on the external plating of the ship and another plate inside.Officials said the South Korean vessel, called Araon, is expected to stay with the Sparta during repairs before escorting the Sparta to an ice-free area of open ocean. Both vessels are expected to leave their current location at midnight New Zealand time on Wednesday, the statement said. Roberts said the Araon began transferring fuel from the Sparta to change the Sparta's alignment in an attempt to elevate the damaged area from the water. The affected part was 1.5 (4.9 feet) meters below sea before the fuel transfer, officials said. By Tuesday, a second hole was discovered in the Sparta, "but this has only caused localized flooding in a small, contained space in this area," Roberts said. "It should not affect her making safe passage. This second hole can also not be repaired at her current location."

Coast Guard Begins Icebreaking Activities

2011-12-22T16:02:00.003-06:00

The U.S. Coast Guard has begun ice breaking operations in response to colder temperatures and ice growth in the western Great Lakes region. The Coast Guard said Wednesday that Operation Taconite is being coordinated out of the Coast Guard's Sault Ste. Marie sector and covers lakes Superior and Michigan as well as the St. Mary's River, the Straits of Mackinac and northern Lake Huron.A second ice breaking operation will begin later this winter. Operation Coal Shovel will cover the eastern Great Lakes region, including lakes Erie and Ontario, the Detroit and St. Clair rivers, Lake St. Clair and southern Lake Huron. The U.S. Coast Guard says it works closely with the Canadian Coast Guard and maritime industry representatives to ensure critical shipping paths are open when needed.

Satellite Takes Picture Of Chinese Carrier On The Move

2011-12-14T21:44:00.002-06:00

DigitalGlobe Inc., a commercial satellite company, said Wednesday that it took a photograph of China’s first aircraft carrier during a sea trial in the Yellow Sea, off the Chinese coast. The Pentagon did not confirm the image, but Stephen Wood, the satellite company’s director, said he’s confident about the Dec. 8 photograph due to the carrier’s location. Although China insists the carrier is intended for research and training, its use has raised concern about the country’s military strength and its increasingly assertive claims over disputed territory. While the development of carriers is driven largely by bragging rights and national prestige, China's naval ambitions have been brought into focus with its claims to disputed territory surrounding Taiwan and in the South China Sea. Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy claimed by China as its own, has responded to the growing Chinese threat by developing missiles capable of striking carriers at sea. An illustration at a display Wednesday of military technology in the capital Taipei showed a Hsiung Feng III missile hitting a carrier that was a dead ringer for the former Varyag. Over the past year, China has seen a flare-up in spats with Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam and had its relations strained with South Korea -- all of which have sought support from Washington, long the pre-eminent naval power in Asia.China defends its carrier program by saying it is the only permanent member of the United Nations Security Council that has not developed such vessels and that it has a huge coastline and vast maritime assets to defend. Beijing has also said its carriers would be employed in international humanitarian efforts, although the ex-Varyag's ski jump-style flight deck severely limits the loads its planes can carry. As the world's second-largest economy, China says it lags behind smaller nations such as Thailand and Brazil, as well as regional rival India, which have purchased carriers from abroad. While Chinese carriers could challenge U.S. naval supremacy in Asia, China still has far to go in bringing such systems into play, experts said. The U.S. operates 11 aircraft carrier battle groups and its carriers are far bigger and more advanced. The former Soviet Union started building the carrier, which it called the Varyag, but never finished it. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the carrier ended up in the hands of the Ukraine, a former Soviet republic. China bought the ship from the Ukraine in 1998 and spent years refurbishing it. It had no engines, weaponry or navigation systems when China acquired it. Beijing is believed to be years away from being able to launch and recover aircraft from it as part of a carrier battle group.

2011-12-12T15:55:00.000-06:00

Chinese Ship Sinks Off Philippines, 1 Crew Member Dead

2011-12-11T19:35:00.004-06:00

A Chinese crew member has drowned and another is missing after they abandoned their sinking cargo ship in the northern Philippines. Philippine coast guard officer Mr Ernesto Renon says the 13 other crew members of the Changda 216, including 12 Chinese and an Indonesian, reached shore aboard two lifeboats early Sunday off Aparri town in Cagayan province.But the other two crew members' lifeboat overturned. One of the men drowned, while a search is under way for the other. Coast guard officer Mr Jay Tariella says the 2,993-tonne steel-hulled ship steered away from Aparri after being loaded with iron ore. It then sank in shallow waters after being lashed by huge waves.

Fire Crews Mobilised After Reports Of Ship Fire

2011-12-05T15:18:00.004-06:00

Fire crews from across west Cornwall raced to Falmouth this morning after reports of a fire on board a 25,000 tonne ship in the Docks. An alarm went off on the vessel at 10.40am, prompting a frantic race to the area for crews from Falmouth, Truro, Redruth and Camborne. However, when they arrived, no sign of a fire could be found, and it was eventually discovered that water had got into the alarm system, prompting the alert.

1 Dead, 4 Missing After Ship Sinks Off East China

2011-12-04T00:01:00.003-06:00

Rescuers have retrieved one body and are searching for the rest four missing people after a ship sank off East China's Fujian province.The ship with 22 people on board sank around 3:00 am Sunday near Pingtan of Fujian, and 17 people had been rescued by 9:30 am, rescuers said. The ship is registered in Shandong province.

Vietnam War Vets Seize Back Hijacked Ship

2011-11-07T09:37:00.003-06:00

Taiwan hailed on Monday the bravery of five Vietnamese war vets who launched a surprise assault on six armed pirates and successfully took back their vessel after it had been hijacked off East Africa. The former Vietnam war fighters had been recruited by Taiwan to be part of a 28-man crew on the "Chin Yi Wen", a 290-tonne vessel, along with nine Chinese, eight Filipinos and six Indonesians. The crew, who had been out of contact with the ship since Friday according to the foreign ministry, forced the six armed Somali pirates to jump overboard, and successfully took back control of the ship. Liu Wan-tien, the owner of the vessel based in the southern Taiwanese city Kaohsiung, said the five Vietnamese sailors launched the surprise assault on the pirates as they were having a meal, the state Central News Agency reported.The pirates were forced to jump into the high sea and were likely picked up by a small boat operated by the same Somali pirates group, it said. Liu promised to reward the five "brave" sailors and the rest of crew who were also involved, CNA said. It added that three sailors were slightly injured in the action, according to Liu, and the ship would remain in the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles before returning to Taiwan. Taiwan's Fisheries Agency also voiced its gratitude to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), an anti-piracy taskforce, for swiftly coming to the aid of the vessel and providing it with protection. The UKMTO had received the Agency's request for help on Sunday. Two decades of lawlessness have carved up Somalia into mini-fiefdoms ruled by gunmen and militia, encouraging rampant piracy. At least 47 foreign vessels and more than 500 sailors are being held by pirates, according to Ecoterra International, which monitors maritime activity in the region.

Activists Fail To Board Survey Ship

2011-10-17T22:16:00.003-05:00

Police took to Port Taranaki yesterday to chase Greenpeace protesters away from a ship about to survey Taranaki waters for oil drilling. Five protesters on paddleboards and carrying signs approached the Polarcus Alima at its berth. They were intercepted by a police boat and issued with trespass notices. The 90-metre Polarcus Alima will remain in New Zealand waters for up to seven months. Its first assignment is to conduct a three-dimensional survey in the Deepwater Taranaki Basin for US oil giant Anadarko. The protest drew a heavy police presence and public access to the small boat area on the eastern side of the port was blocked by Port Taranaki. A police launch had been brought to Taranaki in expectation of a seaborne protest. Senior Sergeant Terry van Dillen said no protesters were able to board the vessel despite attempts earlier in the day. "Our presence is purely to ensure that everyone's rights are respected. We are there to protect the lawful right to peaceful protest and the lawful right of the oil company which owns the vessel to go about their lawful business."Greenpeace campaigner Simon Boxer said yesterday's protest was designed to expose the fact that even as oil continued to seep from the wreck of the container vessel Rena off Tauranga, the Government was pushing ahead with the next phase of its controversial deep sea oil drilling plans. "It's time they stopped spending millions on trying to entice the deep sea oil industry to New Zealand and telling us that to drill ever deeper is the only future for this country. "This is simply not true – study after study tells us that leveraging New Zealand's clean reputation is the key to our economic future," he said. Greenpeace claims there has been a surge of public interest after the Rena spill, with thousands of New Zealanders signing its No New Oil petition over the last week, bringing the number of signatories to more than 92,000. Anadarko New Zealand corporate affairs manager Alan Seay said Greenpeace was "perfectly entitled" to make its views known. "But it also needs to be pointed out that the oil and gas industry has earned billions of dollars for New Zealand, and has the potential to earn billions more. And energy operations in New Zealand are to very strict safety and environmental standards," he said.

Rena Splits In Two – Time Is Short

2011-10-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

Salvors onboard the cargo ship Rena are in a race against the clock to pump oil from the ship which has split in two and is resting in a precarious position on the reef. Maritime New Zealand salvage unit manager Bruce Anderson says northwesterly winds and large sea swells forecast for this evening could cause a another large oil spill and potentially dislodge the ship from the reef. Rena, stranded on the Astrolabe Reef for 13 days is breaking up. “The vessel has broken up in two pieces. “We are expecting the wave height to increase and choppy seas to cause problems. “If the wave action dislodged the vessel we are into a different set of circumstances.” Bruce says the ship is in two pieces, with the stern resting in a precarious position on the edge of the reef, while the front of the ship is securely grounded on the reef. Bruce says if the ship moves off the reef it could puncture a fuel tank causing more oil to leak. There is estimated to be 1300 tonnes of fuel still onboard the ship and Bruce says people can expect another large oil spill from the duct keel of the ship. “It is not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’ the oil hits the beaches.” Evacuation procedures are in place for salvors working on the Rena and Bruce says if needed they could move from the stern of the vessel to the front of the ship. Two helicopters are also on standby to remove personnel from the vessel if required. Nine people are onboard the vessel and are planning on working through tonight to pump oil from Rena onto the barge vessel Awanuia.
“Salvors want to stay on board for as long as they can to pump as much oil off the vessel as possible. If they had to evacuate they would seal the tanks.” Twenty one tonnes of oil was pumped from the ship overnight in what Bruce says is a long, hard process pushing oil with the consistency of marmite through a three inch hose. Three people worked on Rena overnight in “dangerous conditions”. “It’s grinding and creaking – it is the sound of a vessel dying.” New booster pumps being installed today are expected to speed up oil transfer operations. So far 88 containers have been lost overboard from Rena with more expected to fall from the ship tonight. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we lose more containers tonight.” National On Scene Commander Nick Quinn says surveillance areas have been extended to include White Island as the oil is expected to head north in the next 24-48 hours. “Containers have been sighted near White Island.” Nick says there is no indication of any oil at sea expected to hit Whakatane but a base has been set up there as a precaution. Maritime New Zealand is asking people not to collect seafood from the Maketu, Mount Maunganui and Matakana Island areas, and where oil has washed ashore. “There is no intention to stop fishing in areas apart from within the one kilometre exclusion zone around Rena.” The aerial exclusion zone has been reduced to 1000 feet and three nautical miles.

Turkish Ship Explores Near Cypriot Gas Rig

2011-09-27T09:37:00.003-05:00

Turkey said on Tuesday it was exploring for gas in an offshore zone where Cyprus started drilling last week, a provocative step in a battle over Mediterranean resources that overshadowed the resumption of peace talks for the divided island. The question of who has the right to tap what may be the world's biggest natural gas find of the past decade has added sudden urgency to long delayed efforts to settle the conflict over Cyprus, divided since 1974 into Greek and Turkish enclaves. The internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government says it has a sovereign right to drill. Turkey, the only country to recognize a separate Turkish Cypriot government in the north of the island, says the island's status must be resolved first.Hydrocarbon Research Ship Piri ReisLast week, Turkey and Turkish Cyprus signed their own pact outlining maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean, paving the way for gas exploration. Turkey said it would protect any research vessel with warships, raising the prospect of an armed stand-off on the high seas. On Sept. 23, Turkey dispatched its only research vessel, the Piri Reis, to the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey Launches First Military Ship

2011-09-27T09:23:00.004-05:00

Turkey has today launched the first warship built in the country, the Sabah newspaper reported. The ship was built under the project providing for expansion of the shipbuilding industry adopted in 2004.TCG Heybeliada (F-511) entered navy service on 27 September 2011Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the ceremony. He underscored the importance of this project, which will help to develop the military sphere in Turkey.

Arab Ship Fleet Surges In 2010

2011-09-04T10:34:00.003-05:00

The combined capacity of the ship fleet in the Arab countries surged by nearly 14.6 per cent in 2010 after a slow growth in the previous nine years to surpass 14 million tonnes, according to official Arab data. The surge last year was nearly double the 7.5 per cent growth in the world’s total fleet in 2010 although it was far below the global rate in the previous years, the Kuwaiti-based Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation (IAIGCC) said. During 2000-2009, the combined deadweight of the Arab fleet grew by only around 1.1 per cent, far below the 5.3 per cent global growth. “In 2010, the Arab fleet sharply rebounded, growing by 14.6 per cent to reach nearly 16.048 million tonnes at the end of the year,” said IAIGC, an affiliate of the Cairo-based Arab League. “The increase last year was a result of the delivery of new vessels to some Arab countries.”AL JABRIYAH II (Kuwait)The report said the sharp rise in 2010 boosted the Arab fleet’s share of the global fleet to 1.3 per cent at the end of the year from 1.2 per cent at the end of 2009. The share had plunged from 1.8 per cent in 2000 to 1.1 per cent in 2008. A breakdown showed Kuwait had the largest fleet in the Arab world at the end of 2010, with a capacity of 3.85 million tonnes. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, with 2.3 million tonnes and the UAE, Libya and Qatar, with 1.36 million tonnes each. The report also showed oil tankers dominated the Arab fleet, accounting for nearly 53.3 per cent of the total vessels at the end of 2010 and nearly 1.9 per cent of the world’s total fleet. Cargo ships accounted for 14 per cent of the Arab vessels while container ships amounted to about 10.3 per cent.

India Rejects Media Reports Of Confrontation Between INS Airavat, Chinese Vessel

2011-09-01T06:35:00.003-05:00

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday rejected media reports that claimed that an Indian Navy ship had had a confrontation with a Chinese vessel in the South China Sea off the Vietnamese coast. In a statement, government spokesman Vishnu Prakash said that the ministry was aware of news reports about an alleged confrontation, but said that no confrontation had taken place between the INS Airavat and the Chinese vessel in July 2011. "The Indian Naval vessel, INS Airavat paid a friendly visit to Vietnam between 19 to 28 July 2011. On July 22, INS Airavat sailed from the Vietnamese port of Nha Trang towards Hai Phong, where it was to make a port call.INS Airavat (L24)At a distance of 45 nautical miles from the Vietnamese coast in the South China Sea, it was contacted on open radio channel by a caller identifying himself as the “Chinese Navy” stating that “you are entering Chinese waters”. No ship or aircraft was visible from INS Airavat, which proceeded on her onward journey as scheduled. There was no confrontation involving the INS Airavat," the MEA statement said. The statement further said that "India supports freedom of navigation in international waters, including in the South China Sea, and the right of passage in accordance with accepted principles of international law. These principles should be respected by all."

China Confronts Indian Navy Vessel

2011-09-01T00:03:00.000-05:00

A Chinese warship confronted an Indian navy vessel shortly after it left Vietnamese waters in late July in the first such reported encounter between the two countries’ navies in the South China Sea. The unidentified Chinese warship demanded that India’s INS Airavat, an amphibious assault vessel, identify itself and explain its presence in international waters shortly after it completed a scheduled port call in Vietnam, five people familiar with the incident told the Financial Times. This latest example of China’s naval assertiveness has irked defence officials in India and Vietnam. China claims the South China Sea in its entirety, rejecting partial claims by Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan over the resource-rich region. “Any navy in the world has full freedom to transit through these waters or high seas,” said one Indian official familiar with the encounter. “For any country to proclaim ownership or question the right to passage by any other nation is unacceptable.” Vietnam’s foreign ministry acknowledged that the INS Airavat visited the country from July 19-22, but said it had no information about the incident. The Chinese defence and foreign ministries declined comment, as did the Indian government. China’s projection of maritime power, especially into the Indian Ocean, has raised national security concerns in New Delhi, which has raised the incident with Beijing.INS Airavat (L24)Hanoi is also upset by what it believes to be a deliberate provocation by Beijing, according to foreign diplomats, who said the implication of the naval challenge was that China believes it is entitled to police the South China Sea. China and Vietnam have been trying to mend fences ever since Hanoi claimed in May that Chinese patrol boats had sabotaged Vietnamese oil exploration vessels. On Monday Vietnam’s deputy defence minister, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, concluded a high-profile visit to Beijing, where he met General Liang Guanglie, China’s defence minister. Both sides agreed to increase military co-operation and set up a military hotline. An unprecedented series of anti-China protests broke out in Hanoi in June, with the clear acquiescence of Vietnam’s omnipresent security officials. The government only recently cracked down on the demonstrations. “Vietnam has to find a delicate balance in raising its concerns over territorial issues while not pushing China too far,” said one Asian diplomat. Rising tensions have also attracted the attention of Washington. Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, angered Beijing last year by insisting that the South China Sea was of strategic importance to the US and offering to act as a mediator.

Navy Panel: No Dismissal For Morale Boosting-Videos Captain

2011-08-24T14:04:00.005-05:00

Navy panel says the former commander of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier who produced funny videos aboard the ship can remain in the service. The board of inquiry issued its recommendation Wednesday. It had been looking at whether to dismiss Capt. Owen P. Honors from the Navy. Honors was relieved of command in January after media reports about the videos surfaced. The videos included simulated same-sex shower scenes, anti-gay slurs and references to prostitution in foreign ports.Honors says the videos were made to improve morale while teaching important shipboard lessons. He helped produce and appeared in the videos that aired on the ship between 2005 and 2007, when he was the ship's executive officer.The Navy has acknowledged the videos were wildly popular with most of the crew, but officials said Honors created inappropriate content on numerous occasions. In one of the videos, Honors acknowledged he had received complaints about "XO Movie Night," but didn't stop the videos. A Navy investigation found that Honors had produced at least 25 videos with inappropriate scenes and vulgar sailor type language.

Ship Waiting Off Tripoli To Evacuate Migrants

2011-08-23T22:11:00.003-05:00

Libyan rebels told a rescue ship not to dock at Tripoli port on Tuesday because conditions were "not optimum", leaving thousands of foreigners stranded at their embassies and waiting for the all clear to leave. "Until yesterday we believed that the port area was under the control of the opposition forces but overnight they told us to wait and not to dock," Jean-Phillipe Chauzy, spokesman for International Organization for Migration which chartered the vessel, said at a regular news briefing in Geneva.He said about 1,700 Filipinos, 2,000 Bangladeshis and 1,500-2,000 Egyptians had asked to be rescued and were "ready to go" and thought to be waiting near their embassies. The ship,"The Tasucu" with a capacity of 300, was due to pick up a contingent of Filipinos on Tuesday, and two or three other ships with capacity of around 1,000 people each could arrive within 48-72 hours, he said. "We can crank up the operation very quickly as soon as we have clearance to dock in the port of Tripoli," he said.

Cruise Ship Leaves Tampa Despite Irene Threat

2011-08-22T10:17:00.002-05:00

Cruise ship passengers on board Carnival's Legend left Sunday night out of Tampa despite the threat of Tropical Storm Irene.A spokesman for Carnival says they're keeping a close eye on the storm, but as of now the 7-day itinerary, which includes Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Isla Roatan, has not been changed.

Captain Among Seven Killed In Ship Blast

2011-08-14T00:03:00.000-05:00

A Pakistani country craft (a small wooden dhow) reportedly exploded off the coast of Salalah on Friday,, killing seven, including the captain. The reason behind the explosion is not known yet. Informed sources told Times of Oman on the condition of anonymity that the explosion occurred near the one of the five Khuriya Muriya Islands, 40km off the southeastern coast of the Sultanate.According to sources, nine on board the ship were rescued by a ship and were being transported to the Sultanate.“The coast guard men are engaged in rescue operations,” a source in Salalah said. The Pakistani country craft was reportedly heading to Somalia from Sharjah. Meanwhile, sources from Pakistan confirmed the accident to Times of Oman, saying that Fateh Mohammed, the captain, and six others on board had died in the explosion.

Hijacked Ship Released

2011-08-13T22:54:00.003-05:00

Merchant vessel (MV) Sinin which was hijacked by Somali pirates in February with 21 persons, including 9 Indians, on board was released on Saturday. In a statement released on Saturday, the director general of shipping confirmed the release and said that all the "21 persons, including 9 Indians, are safe". Owners of the ship have replenished fuel and food supply. The vessel is expected to reach Colombo by August 19, where it will be dry docked for inspection. tnnMaltese-flagged MV Sinin was on its way to Fujairah in UAE from Singapore when the pirates attacked it 350 nautical miles east of Oman. The bulk carriers, managed by Irano Hind Shipping in Tehran, also had 12 Iranians on board. Following a distress signal, an aircraft of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) immediately responded and it photographed two suspected Somali pirates skiffs on board the vessel.

Order To Sell Ship So Crew Are Paid

2011-08-06T09:01:00.004-05:00

Twenty crew members on board an oil tanker anchored near Kau Yi Chau were a step closer to getting US$149,035 in unpaid wages yesterday after Admiralty judge Mr Justice Anselmo Reyes ordered the appraisal and sale of the ship to settle outstanding bills. Jason Lam Wai-hong, assistant head of the International Transport Workers Federation in Hong Kong, said the crew of South Korean officers and Myanmese seamen had not been paid for six months. Lam said the crew would have "first priority" when proceeds from the sale of the ship were distributed among creditors. The ship, the 3,389 deadweight tonne tanker Samho Garnet, was arrested in April by lawyers acting on behalf of a Norwegian ship-investment fund, which is owed more than US$3.2 million in unpaid rental payments on two other ships. One of these vessels, the 19,924 deadweight tonne tanker Samho Jewellery with 21 crew on board, was hijacked by Somali pirates on January 15. The ship was freed six days later by South Korean commandos. All the ships are owned by financially troubled maritime company Samho Shipping, which is under court protection in South Korea. Creditors of Samho Shipping have had three other Samho ships held in Hong Kong since June. Lam said the Samho Garnet could be sold to a new owner next month. Sale proceeds will be paid into a special bank account and used to pay the crew, who will then be repatriated, and other creditors.Reyes said firms and organisations owed money related to the Samho Garnet would have 45 days to lodge claims once the ship was sold. Claimants are expected to include United Bunkering and Trading, which is owed for unpaid fuel. Lam said the crew on board the ship applied for legal aid last week to help in making the claim for unpaid wages. The crew are also being assisted by the Mission to Seafarers in Hong Kong. The local office of law firm Blank Rome seized the Samho Garnet of behalf of GSHI Chem-Prod Carrier II, an investment fund managed through Acta Holding. Samho Shipping was not legally represented in yesterday's Admiralty Court hearing. Lam said the federation was also helping 13 crew members on board the S Nicole, a 77,096 tonne dry-cargo bulk carrier, which is under arrest at the southeast Lamma anchorage. He said talks were under way between the federation and lawyers representing a South Korean bank to see if the bank would pay the crew. Shipping industry insiders said the captain on the S Nicole had not been paid for about five months, while the 12 Myanmese crewmen were owed about six months' wages. Lam said if the Korean bank did not agree to pay the outstanding wages, "the crew must go to court". Of the two other Samho ships held in Hong Kong, Reyes ordered the valuation and sale of the 13,153 tonne tanker Samho Cordelia last month for unpaid mortgage payments owed to Singapore's DVB Group Merchant Bank. A sister tanker, the 13,153 tonne Samho Gloria, was arrested last week.

Swedish Ship Attacked By Pirates

2011-08-01T08:08:00.005-05:00

On the night of Sunday, around ten pirates boarded the tanker Gotland Sofia, seventy km outside the port of Cotonou in Benin. The crew sought refuge in a locked room and the pirates later fled when units from Benin's navy approached."Had you asked me a year ago, I had been the perfect opponent against having armed guards, but today I am much more hesitant," said Jonas Engström, security officer of the shipping company Wisby Ship Management, to news agency TT. The government is currently investigating the question if armed guards should be allowed on board Swedish ships.

Russian Boat Sank In The Volgar River

2011-07-11T08:44:00.001-05:00

Death ship: New Bay City Exhibit Centers On Pewabic's Troubled Past

2011-06-26T10:30:00.004-05:00

Capt. Ed Morris says the tale of the Pewabic is one of the most interesting nautical disasters around. Called the “death ship” for the number of lives lost when she went down and the divers lost trying to salvage her, the Pewabic sank Aug. 9, 1865, in Lake Huron, just past Thunder Bay. “The ship was so full of ingots (metal units), it was like an anchor itself once it filled with water,” says Morris, who owns a collection of artifacts from the shipwreck. His dozen pieces are on display at the Historical Museum of Bay County through April 2013. The Pewabic and her sister ship, the Meteor, were traveling in close proximity in order to pass messages and packages, a common shipping practice of the day, when the Pewabic suddenly cut across the Meteor’s bow, according to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary website. It was a mishap brought on by miscommunication, Morris said. “When you want the ship to go starboard, you call for the wheel to be turned for port,” he said. “The first mate, who was in the pilot house (of the Pewabic), called for a hard starboard.Scale model of the Pewabic, which sank in Thunder Bay near Alpena in 1865. They turned the exact opposite of what he wanted to do. They swerved sideways and they rammed (the Meteor).” The Pewabic sank quickly, with the loss of some 125 lives. Fifty passengers were rescued by the undamaged Meteor. Now resting in 180 feet of water off Alpena, the Pewabic is part of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, the only federal preserve in the state. Morris calls her the jewel of the preserve. Salvage operations began during World War I. “It became important to find the treasure during World War I,” said Corrine Bloomfield, curator of exhibits at the museum. The Pewabic’s treasure was Keweenaw Peninsula copper, a precious commodity during wartime. Divers went looking, in spite of the great depth at which the ship rested. Many never returned. A group of seven went down in a diving bell to take a look at the wreckage. All seven were killed when one of the bell’s windows broke.Corrine Bloomfield, of the Bay County Historical Society, holds a copper ingot recovered from the wreck of the Pewabic resting on the bottom of Thunder Bay near Alpena.“It’s part of the mystique of the Pewabic,” Morris said. But divers continued to try to explore the Pewabic, right through the early 1980s, when federal laws went into effect banning salvage operations from shipwrecks. Among Morris’ pieces are two rare objects — a port hole from the ship and a block (pulley). The block is the rarest of all because of the lettering on it. “It says ‘prop. Pewabic,’ ” Morris said. “It is very unusual to see the name of the boat on it.” Other pieces in the collection are a lady’s hat and a wine bottle, as well as some of the copper the Pewabic carried. Morris’ artifacts were acquired from a salvager with Bush Salvage Co., a Saginaw company that explored the ship in the 1970s. Also taking a turn at salvage was the Meagher Brothers of Bay City, giving the ship one more local connection. “It’s important to bring that part of the story out,” Bloomfield said.

US Intercepts North Korean Ship At Sea

2011-06-13T10:54:00.003-05:00

The US Navy intercepted a North Korean ship suspected of carrying missile technology to Myanmar and after dramatic stand-off forced it to turn back. Pyongyangwas forced to recall the ship home after last month's confrontation, which involved several days of diplomatic wrangling, reportors said, citing unnamed US officials. The US government made no official announcement about the operation, the paper added. But it said US officials had described the episode as an example of how they can use a combination of naval power and diplomatic pressure to enforce UN sanctions imposed on North Korea after its 2009 nuclear test, reports AFP. "This case had an interesting wrinkle: the ship was North Korean, but it was flagged in Belize," one US official told reporters.And the authorities in Belize gave permission to the United States to inspect the ship, according to the report. On May 26, somewhere south of Shanghai, the US destroyer McCampbell caught up with the cargo ship M/V Light and hailed it, asking to board the vessel under the authority given by Belize, The Times wrote. Four times, the North Koreans refused. But a few days later, the cargo ship stopped dead in the water and turned back to its home port, tracked by US surveillance planes and satellites, the report said.

Russia Objects To US Warship In Black Sea

2011-06-12T20:01:00.004-05:00

Russia is voicing concern about a U.S. warship now just off its shores in the Black Sea. The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey, which is taking part in annual joint military exercises conducted by NATO and Ukraine, is an integral part of U.S. plans to create a missile shield in Europe, which Russia opposes.USS MONTEREY (CG 61)Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Sunday saying Russia "has repeatedly stressed that we will not leave unnoticed any elements of U.S. strategic infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of our borders and will consider any such steps as a threat to our security. Russia agreed to consider NATO's proposal last fall to cooperate on the missile shield, but insisted the system be run jointly. NATO rejected that demand and no compromise has been found yet.

Hitler’s Old Sail-Training Ship Arrives On Thames Flying US Stars & Stripes

2011-06-11T11:42:00.003-05:00

A ship built for Hitler’s navy has sailed up the Thames and landed at Canary Wharf. But the former German sail-training vessel no longer flies the Kriegsmarine battle-flag. The 295ft long craft launched in 1936 at Hamberg as the ‘Horst’ has long since been flying the American Stars & Stripes, re-christened the US Barque Eagle in 1946. It was taken over by the Americans at the end of the Second World War and is now used for training by the US Coastguard, based at New London, Connecticut.The Eagle Barque sailed with its 23,500sq ft of sail and six miles of rigging in the week from New London to old London and arrived in the Thames this-morning on a weekend goodwill mission to celebrate its 75th anniversary, berthed at South Quay in West India Millwall Dock until Sunday. The permanent crew of six and 50 enlisted personnel who maintain the Eagle Barque have thrown open the cabin doors and decks to free public tours today (Fri) until 7pm, tomorrow 1-7pm and Sunday 1-5pm before they set sail again. Nearest Tube Canary Wharf, or South Quay.

Navy To Commission GMD William P. Lawrence

2011-06-05T00:03:00.000-05:00

The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, William P. Lawrence, Saturday, June 4, 2011, during an 11 a.m. CDT ceremony at Pier 2, Alabama State Docks, Mobile, Ala. Designated DDG 110, the new destroyer honors the late Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence. During the Vietnam War, as commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 143, Lawrence earned the Silver Star for a strike against a heavily defended target in North Vietnam. He completed his mission, but was captured after his aircraft went down in June 1967 and he remained a POW until March 1973. He earned the Distinguished Service Medal for his leadership to fellow POWs.Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., commander, U.S. Northern Command will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Diane Lawrence, widow of the ship's namesake and Vice Adm. Lawrence's daughters, Dr. Laurie Lawrence, and retired Navy Capt. Wendy Lawrence, will serve as sponsors of the ship. William P. Lawrence, the 60th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. William P. Lawrence will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare. Cmdr. Thomas R. Williams II will become the first commanding officer of the ship. The 9,200-ton William P. Lawrence was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Miss. The ship is 509 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.

Stranded Sailors Get Out Of Ship

2011-06-03T20:34:00.003-05:00

The Malaysian authorities yesterday got the 13 stranded seamen out of a Bangladeshi ship remaining seized in Port Klang in Malaysia for over a year and took the ship under their custody after the ship's owner company failed to repatriate the sailors. "We have got them out on humanitarian grounds…. their living conditions turned very bad and all of them have had emotional or health problems," Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) Commissioner James Nayagam told The Daily Star over phone yesterday. Suhakam intervened in the issue following reports by The Star, a Malaysian daily, in late May. The port authorities seized the 1,690-tonne Bangladeshi ship named MV Banga Biraj with 13 seamen on May 4 last year following a case filed against the ship's owner company HRC Shipping on charges that Banga Biraj damaged a crane in 2008. The 13 seamen, however, had not been working in the ship last year when the incident occurred.On May 27, Suhakam initiated a meeting with the port authorities, officials of HRC Shipping, and the seamen when HRC Shipping was asked to repatriate the seamen immediately. Kazi Nurul Alam, an official of HRC Shipping, said the repatriation would be done by June 3, but it failed. Against this backdrop, James Nayagam, its lawyers, port officials and police went to the ship and got the seamen out of it and sheltered them in a house. The issue will be taken to the labour court which will decide on their repatriation, said Nayagam hoping that it would be done in two weeks. A Malaysian individual came forward to finance their repatriation, he added.MV Banga BirajEarlier, HRC Shipping was informed that the seamen would be provided with their nine months' of pending salaries by selling the ship if the company does not arrange for it. "The ship is now under the custody of Port Klang authority. It will sell the ship and pay salaries to the seamen if the court orders so," Nayagam said. Musleh Uddin Ahmed, chief officer of the ship, said HRC Shipping had assured them of replacing them by Myanmarese seamen, but that has not happened until now. "The company is cheating with us and our families who are suffering a lot," he said. Contacted, HRC Shipping General Manager Captain Shahjahan Siraj from Chittagong said he was unaware of the updates as he has been on leave, though he said the company was supposed to recruit Myanmarese seamen and repatriate the Bangladeshis.

13 Hurt As Ship Burns

2011-06-02T09:06:00.000-05:00

Around 13 crew members were injured when their cargo vessel caught fire in waters off Camarines Sur Wednesday night, police and coast guard officials said Thursday. Lieutenant Commander Algier Ricafrente, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Public Affairs chief, said “M/V STC Jeffrey Roy” exploded and caught fire around 11 p.m. on Wednesday in the vicinity of an oil depot along Ragay Gulf in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. “So far, the investigation is not clear but it appears that there was a sudden explosion in one part of the ship and that same explosion triggered the fire,” said Ricafrente.The fire broke out in the vessel while on its way to deliver some 50 drums of crude oil at a gasoline station on Simbuyan Island, Romblon. Police, who reported that the fire could have started in the engine room, noted that the vessel was also carrying marble slabs. Police probers said injured crew members were taken to the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City. They were identified as Capt. Nathan Balbona, Jerwin Roy, Rolly Mangarin, Francisco Rubio, Jameson Ray, Erasmo Rosero, Florito Robizo, Ning Rapal, Jesmar Ragot, Dinnes Mangarin, Ronito Robizo, Jerson Roy and Jobert Mangarin.

Navy To Name Next Carrier For JFK

2011-06-01T00:03:00.003-05:00

For the second time, the Navy will name an aircraft carrier after president and World War II naval veteran John F. Kennedy, the service announced Sunday, on what would have been Kennedy's 94th birthday. The carrier, designated CVN 79, will be the second in the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers. "President John F. Kennedy exemplified the meaning of service, not just to country, but service to all humanity," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a statement. "I am honored to have the opportunity to name the next aircraft carrier after this great sailor and inspirational leader, and to keep the rich tradition and history of USS John F. Kennedy sailing in the U.S. Fleet." Kennedy entered the Navy in October 1941.Serving in the Pacific on a ship known as PT 109, he was in command on Aug. 2,1943, when the ship was struck by an enemy vessel and split in half. Kennedy led the crew to safety over the next six days and later received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart. The earlier carrier named after Kennedy, which bore the hull designation CV 67, was decommissioned in 2007 after serving for nearly 40 years. It stayed for several months in Hampton Roads before being towed to Philadelphia. Efforts are under way to preserve it as a museum in Rhode Island.The new carrier is under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.

Banned In Bangladesh, Ship Heads To India

2011-05-31T15:13:00.002-05:00

New Delhi: After being banned in Bangladesh, a toxic-laden ship, Probo Koala, is headed towards Indian shores for dismantling, a global group of activists called 'NGO Shipbreaking Platform' has warned. The ship, a 1989-built oil carrier cargo vessel weighing 31,255 tonnes now named Gulf Jash, was banned from entering Bangladesh waters recently after environmentalists in neighbouring countries warned the government about it. The ship has been in the thick of controversy in Africa and Europe. Its previous owner, a company called Trafigura, tried to offload its on-board toxic material in Amsterdam. It was detected in time and when the authorities imposed heavy charges for proper disposal, the company decided to instead send the ship to Africa. After trying its luck in Nigeria, the company finally found a dealer in Ivory Coast to dump the chemicals off board. Hundreds of tonnes of toxic chemicals were poured into the country's largest city, Abidjan. NGO Shipbreaking Platform said the toxic dumps lead to the death of 16 people and thousands of people falling ill. The company had to reportedly settle cases out of court by paying out 30 million pounds to the victims and nearly 100 million pounds to the Ivory Coast government for clean up though the company never officially accepted blame. The ship, environmentalists warn contains many tonnes of hazardous asbestos, PCBs, toxic paints, fuel and chemical residues which have not been cleaned up before sending the ship for breaking down. Activists have been demanding for years that ships owned by companies in the developed world should be rid of all toxic material before being sent to shipyards in poorer countries. But the global shipping companies, vary of the costs involved, have preferred not to do so on several occasions. While the Basel Convention, an international treaty, prevents rich countries from transporting hazardous waste and chemicals to developing countries without prior information, the shipping firms and those in the market for dismantling old ships get around the treaty quite easily. The ships are registered in developing countries under shell companies carrying what are called 'flags of convenience' which permit them to bypass the treaty.The Probo Koala is registered in Panama. The last confirmed owner of the ship was a group called GMS, which has faced charges of trying to smuggle out another dirty ship in the US. The ship, Oceanic, finally reached India for breaking. GMS also made an out of court settlement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and paid more than half a million dollars. India has also faced two high profile cases -- those of Clemenceau and Blue Lady -- though the shipyards at Alang continue to break hundreds of ships even after that. Besides India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and increasingly China have become the world's junkyards for retired ships. In developed countries, laws and the costs involved make dismantling ships a prohibitive exercise. The low cost of labour, lax standards and even worse monitoring has made South Asia a ship-breaking hub. An added attraction is the steel taken out of these ships, which comes in handy for the insatiable markets in Asia. China has been gaining in the market for junk ships by setting up modern facilities, unlike those in India. Ritwick Dutta, the Indian representative of NGO Shipping Platform has warned that after Bangladesh banned the entry of the ship, its most probable destination is India. "Shipbreaking takes place directly on tidal beaches such as the one at Alang, which makes the safe use of cranes and emergency access impossible. The ships are broken down by hand, their structure cut open by igniting cutting torches," he told TOI. "India does not seek certificates from owners on the ship having been cleaned of toxic chemicals and gases. This threatens workers and leads to pollution in the tidal waters," he said.

EU: Pirates Release Ship And Syrian, Egyptian Crew

2011-05-31T15:07:00.002-05:00

The European Union Naval Force says Somali pirates have released a ship with 22 Syrians and three Egyptians onboard. The MV Khaled Muhieddine K was seized Jan. 20 and released May 26. Tuesday's EU statement says the crew are doing well. No further details were given.Somali pirates currently hold 22 vessels and nearly 500 crew members. The average time that ships are held has been steadily growing in recent years, as have the multimillion dollar ransoms that eventually free them. The average ransom is now close to $5 million. Arid and impoverished, Somalia has not had a functioning government for more than 20 years, one reason piracy has flourished.

Bill Bowell, Legendary St. Paul Riverboat Captain, Dies At 90

2011-04-23T10:51:00.003-05:00

A St. Paul legend, 90-year-old Capt. Bill Bowell, died this week. Bowell started the Padelford Packet Boat Company, a St. Paul-based river cruise business that carried thousands of people on trips up and down the Mississippi. Bowell was a St. Paul native and a World War II veteran. In a 2002 conversation with local news, Bowell recalled growing up in St. Paul with 11 siblings selling popcorn on Harriet Island. Bowell called it a special french-fried popcorn and remembered the sales pitch he used. "We had a phrase: 'Sharpens your teeth and combs your hair and makes you feel like a millionaire. Hey, hey, it's french-fried popcorn, only a nickel, half a dime, keeps you eating all the time.'" Bowell grew up during the Great Depression, and worked many jobs including shining shoes and selling good luck charms to help the family finances. Just before World War II broke out, Bowell, a teenager, said he joined the National Guard. "We joined the National Guard to get the shoes at that time. This is an honest to god's fact. You know, in our day getting a pair of shoes, that was something else," Bowell said. Bowell was a World War II paratrooper. He was among the first wave of Allied troops to land in France behind German lines on D-Day. "Two o'clock in the morning, and I got shot down. I was a radio operator in a demolition crew to blow up a bridge, and of course we went around the Cherbourg Peninsula over by Marseille.Capt. William Bowell Sr., front, and his son William Bowell Jr."About 30 miles from the drop zone we got hit with 2,000 pounds of dynamite and TNT underneath the airplane, that's going to drop with us. And nothing blew up, but the plane was going down. "...I hit the ground, but the chute opened. I sprained an ankle which I'd never done before and as I'm laying on the ground I'd dropped my knife which I'd spent weeks sharpening, pulled it out of my boot and dropped it and I picked it up by the blade not thinking and I'm trying to cut myself out with the wrong end and I cut the devil out of my hand." Bowell also fought in the Battle of the Bulge and returned from World War II with medals and citation for his service including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Bowell, a Macalester College graduate, says his lifelong dream was to pilot a boat on the Mississippi River, which required getting a Coast Guard pilots license. He remembered taking the test for the license in Dubuque. "I go down there and there's this old guy by the name of Schmoker. And this is 1951. And I go into the office and he says, 'Well what side of the boat is port?' I said, 'Well it's the left side.' And he said, 'What's the other side?' I said, 'That's starboard and that's right.' He said, 'Son you just passed your license," Bowell remembered. "Of course, I've upgraded that license many times to higher tonnage, but when I tell that to the Coast Guard people, they'd like to croak."

Army Changes Enlistment Age

2011-04-13T00:03:00.000-05:00

After months of great recruiting success, the Army has lowered the age limit for active duty and Reserve enlistment to age 34. Several months ago, the Army raised it's enlisted recruiting age to age 42 to help boost sagging recruiting numbers. However, with the now sagging economy, the Army has had no problem meeting their recruiting goals for the past several months, and therefore have reverted to the previous age limits. Under this policy, new recruits must be able to ship out to basic training before reaching the age of 35.

Military Operations To Take Back Hijacked Ship

2011-04-02T13:57:00.004-05:00

Anti-Terrorist Special Forces have started a military operation to take control of the ship Arrilah 1 which was hijacked by pirates on Friday morning in the Arabian Sea, an official source from the Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces, Wam said. An Abu Dhabi-owned ship has come under attack from pirates in the Arabian Sea while sailing from Australia to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, state news agency WAM said Saturday. The bulk carrier MV Arrilah-I, was attacked in the early hours of Friday, WAM said quoting a statement by the Abu Dhabi government-owned operator."We have been assured that all crew members are safe and in good health. Company management is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with relevant government authorities," it said, without specifying clearly that the vessel had been hijacked. The statement also did not specify where the ship was in the Arabian Sea when the attack happened. MV Arrilah-I is a "37,000 metric tonne deadweight, Handy Size Bulk Carrier", according to the statement. It is owned by Abu Dhabi National Tanker Company (ADNATCO) and National Gas Shipping Company (NGSCO) which are subsidiaries of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and own and operate a fleet of carriers for transporting LNG, petroleum products and sulfur. They are also involved in the marine transportation of petroleum products, ship bunkering and the bulk transportation of sulphur.

South Korea Marks Ship Sinking Anniversary

2011-03-26T17:51:00.001-05:00

South Korea carried out live fire naval drills Saturday in a show of strength against the North to mark a year since the sinking of one of its warships which Seoul blames on Pyongyang. Authorities warned of drills in the Yellow Sea and off the southern coast, but well south of the disputed sea border, Yonhap news agency said. It quoted a military source as saying all three of South Korea’s naval fleets would conduct exercises until Sunday, simulating attacks by North Korean submarines, ships and aircraft. A commemorative service was held at a national cemetery in the central city of Daejeon, where the 46 sailors are buried. Relatives sobbed as the names of the deceased were read out.ROKS Cheonan (PCC-772)President Lee Myung-Bak, wearing a black suit and a black tie, laid a wreath of flowers, burned incense and bowed before the altar, on which portraits of the victims stood, surrounded by white chrysanthemums. “You gave us courage even when you are in pain,” Lee said as he consoled the mother of a dead sailor, who donated all the 100 million won ($90,000) compensation money she had received from the government to help buy weapons for the navy. Pyongyang on Saturday again denied it had anything to do with the tragedy, accusing Seoul of “framing” the North. The government’s official daily Minju Joson, said the South had been using the incident over the past year to drum up anti-Pyongyang sentiment and reject inter-Korean talks. The South accuses the communist North of torpedoing the Cheonan, a 1,200-tonne corvette, on March 26 last year near the disputed Yellow Sea border, killing 46 sailors.

Book Ship To Skip Bahrain

2011-02-24T19:07:00.003-06:00

The world's largest floating bookfair making its maiden voyage to the region has cancelled its trip to Bahrain. The Logos Hope visited Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and was due to arrive in Bahrain from Qatar next week. It had planned to dock at Khalifa Bin Salman Port and open to the public from March 3 to March 8. A cultural music and dance concert, Melodies of Manama, had also been planned on board the ship in collaboration with the Bahrain Music Institute on March 5. Organisers said it was a difficult decision to make but due to the situation in the country and following advisories given by embassies they felt it was best not to visit Bahrain at this time. However, they said they planned to visit Bahrain again at a later date. Logos Hope was expecting to attract up to 50,000 people from Bahrain, including schools and the public.The Bahrain trip was to follow those by its sister ships Logos and Doulos, which have come to the country six times since 1971. Logos Hope, a much larger vessel, houses more than 7,000 titles and has around 400 people from 40 countries, including a school living on the ship. The book fair on board Logos Hope offers titles covering a range of subjects, including science, sports, hobbies, cookery, the arts, medicine, dictionaries, languages, and philosophy. Logos Hope is operated by GBA Ships, an international, charitable organisation registered in Germany. In almost 40 years of service, the organisation has welcomed 40 million visitors up the gangways in more than 160 countries and territories around the world.

Greenpeace Terrorists Who Boarded Ship Arrested

2011-02-05T00:03:00.000-06:00

The Greenpeace terrorists who boarded a ship in a bid to prevent it from unloading 10,000 tonnes of palm kernel at Port Taranaki have all been arrested. Five Greenpeace terrorists boarded the MV Great Motion at about 9am on Saturday in an attempt to stop it from unloading 10,000 tonnes of palm kernel. Palm kernel is used as supplementary feed for cows. Greenpeace claims it is linked to deforestation and destruction of peatland. Greenpeace says it wants the Government to put a stop to Fonterra's increasing use of palm kernel.The terrorists tied themselves to the vessel's anchor chain or locked themselves inside crane houses. Police say all five terrorists were arrested at about 8pm and they have been charged with unlawfully being on a boat. They will appear in court next week. Agriculture Minister David Carter said he respects the Greenpeace stance on deforestation, but accusations that New Zealand farmers are contributing to deforestation by using palm kernel are false.

U.S. Navy Officer Jumps To Death In Manila After Drug Arrest

2010-12-28T10:03:00.003-06:00

A U.S. Navy officer jumped to his death at Manila's airport after he was arrested with what was thought to be cocaine, Philippine officials said Tuesday, but tests later showed the white powder wasn't an illegal drug. Lt. Cmdr. Scintar Buenviaje Mejia died of head injuries after jumping from a second-floor staircase Monday while a security guard escorted him to the bathroom, aviation police chief Pedro Desuasido said. The 35-year-old Mejia, a U.S. citizen of Filipino descent, was arrested a day earlier at an airport X-ray machine after security officials found a plastic packet containing what was suspected to be cocaine in his bag, Desuasido said. He was about to board a flight to Los Angeles.Desuasido said Mejia shouted and threw the packet at security officials. He denied the packet was his and claimed he was set up. Dionisio Santiago, head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said chemical tests on the powder in Mejia's bag showed it did not contain drugs. The tests, however, didn't determine what the powder was. Wossie Mazengia, a U.S. Embassy spokeswoman, said American officials were aware of what happened to Mejia. She said Philippine National Police officials were investigating.

Cruise Ship On Maiden Voyage Down German River With Inches To Spare

2010-11-13T11:08:00.002-06:00

A newly built luxury cruise liner, the Disney Dream, was floated down a narrow German river to the open sea early Saturday with just inches to spare under its keel. Meyer Werft, a German shipbuilder, insists on building its ships in a yard 32 kilometres up the Ems river. The Disney Dream, which is 340 metres long and 34 metres in the beam, is the biggest ship ever run down the river. Engineers had to wait for a spring tide with a water depth of 8.5 metres to move the vessel downstream. That meant its keel was just 40 to 50 centimetres above the stony bottom of the river. A dam at the mouth of the river kept the water high during the passage.Thousands of people watched tugs pull the ship past, starting late Friday. It arrived at the Dutch port of Eemshaven on Saturday morning. Environmentalists demonstrated against the operation, charging that dredging and damming the river was harmful. The Disney Dream has cabins for 4,000 cruise passengers and a mini amusement park containing a 200-metre-long water slide. It will undergo four weeks of sea trials in the North Sea. Disney Cruise Line, the United States-based buyer, has scheduled the maiden cruise from Port Canaveral in Florida on January 26.

Manhattan Couple Booted From Cruise Over 'Jew Slur' Fight

2010-10-03T16:48:00.003-05:00

A wealthy Manhattan couple was forced to walk the plank during a cruise on the Queen Mary 2 -- after getting into a bizarre fight with a fellow passenger, sources said. Broadway producer Gloria Sher, 82, and her husband, Frederick Evans, 91, said they were ordered off the luxury liner after their obscenity-filled argument with someone they claim had made an anti-Semitic remark during a stately black-tie dinner. The couple almost wound up stranded in a remote port in Quebec as punishment for their outburst. At the time, they were only days into the $20,000, five-week cruise. They were eventually allowed to remain aboard for six more days after some passengers came to their defense, but they had to stay inside their cabin -- under house arrest. Even their booze was confiscated. "I was treated with no respect and unbelievably rude and shockingly terrible," Sher said. "I've been sick ever since. It has ruined our lives. It's changed us forever." Minutes into their meal that day, the couple said, one of their dining companions told Sher to shut up, then added, "There are too many Jews on board." Sher, who is Jewish, admits she got angry, shooting back, "Fuck you!" and "How dare you insult me!" before storming off to her stateroom. The next morning, the ship's captain, Commodore Bernard Warner, knocked on the couple's cabin door. "You insulted a fellow passenger. I'm going to have to ask you to leave the ship," he said, quoting from a manual. The couple, who met aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1991 and knew Warner from several trips on the QM2, were stunned, especially when he insinuated that the 95-pound Sher had pushed someone. "He told two seniors we had to get off in Quebec and make our way home," said Sher, who produced the Tony-nominated musical "Shenandoah." "We begged him not to do this."Frederick Evans and Gloria Sher on the Queen Mary 2, which they say they were kicked off of for standing up to anti-Semites who whined about Jews on board.Evans, a former British navy man, said the commodore acted like a modern-day Captain Bligh, refusing to even listen to their side of the story. But one passenger told The Post that the couple was at least partly to blame. Sher tends to get belligerent when drinking, the passenger said, recalling that she went on a rant one night because a lounge's piano was closed. Another passenger, however, felt that the couple was definitely mistreated. Fred Bangasser, a retired Army colonel from Austin, Texas, who had befriended them during the cruise, tried to intervene when the commodore was giving them the heave-ho. "This is deplorable," Bangasser said. "I felt that they were absolutely treated without appropriate dignity." Warner allowed them to stay on board until the ship returned to New York, but only if they agreed not to leave their room. The elderly couple spent six days as shut-ins, although they did manage to slip out of their suite once in a while. It was hardly the royal treatment for two people known to make bold claims. Sher, for example, likes to tell people that her hubby is the illegitimate son of the Duke of Windsor, the abdicated King Edward VIII, as well as a British knight. Neither claim could be confirmed. And she has her own colorful past. Her former husband, Louis K. Sher, owned a chain of art-house movie theaters and produced "The Stewardesses," a 1969 3-D soft-core porn flick. The Cunard cruise line -- which would refund the couple only $839 -- said in a statement that "Sir Evans and Lady Sher engaged in multiple incidences of disrespectful and disruptive behavior towards crew members and other guests." The statement added that Cunard "fully supported" the captain's decision.

Ship Rescued From Pirates

2010-09-11T09:39:00.003-05:00

US Marines rescued a German-owned ship seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia after hijackers vainly sought the crew which hid in a secret compartment, the US military and the shipping firm said yesterday. The pirates spent nearly 20 hours searching for the crew and even phoned the company in Germany to ask where they were hidden, a firm spokesman said. In a pre-dawn raid on Thursday, the Marines "boarded and seized control of the Antigua-Barbuda flagged vessel M/V Magellan Star from pirates who attacked and boarded it early Wednesday," the US Fifth Fleet said. No-one was hurt. The crew members were freed and nine pirates arrested. The hijack attempt began after the pirates boarded the 8,000-tonne container ship, Juergen Salamon, a spokesman for the Quadrant shipping company in the northern German city of Hamburg, said. "The crew had closed down the engines and locked themselves away in a safe room which the pirates were unable to find." After searching the ship for three hours, the pirates picked up the phone and called the company asking about the crew's whereabouts."They were told the crew was on holiday," the spokesman said. "They then asked how to switch the engines back on, but were told they were broken." The 11-man crew, comprising two Russians, two Poles, and seven Filipinos, spent the time in the small, cramped safe room whose entrance was not immediately obvious, he said. The rescue operation was launched from the USS Dubuque after a Turkish frigate - part of a multi-national force - responded to a distress signal from the Magellan Star sailing from Bilbao in Spain to Singapore. The multi-national force was set up in January 2009 to protect shipping lanes and stamp out piracy in the Gulf and Indian Ocean. Unofficial figures show 2009 was the most prolific year yet for Somali pirates, with more than 200 attacks, including 68 successful hijackings, and ransoms believed to exceed $50 million (BD18.85m). At least 23 foreign vessels with more than 400 crew members are still held by pirates, said Ecoterra International, which monitors piracy, in its latest report.

New Warship HMS Daring Damaged in Collision With Tug

2010-09-08T22:47:00.003-05:00

The Royal Navy’s newest ship has been damaged after a collision with a tug in Southampton water. It has emerged that HMS Daring was being towed into Marchwood on Tuesday evening when it collided with a tug.HMS Daring (D32)The 7,500-tonne destroyer, based in Portsmouth and commissioned last year, is now being examined by naval engineers. The ship was declared ready for action just last month.

Chinese Navy Hospital Ship Sets Sail On First Overseas Medical Mission

2010-08-31T12:41:00.003-05:00

The Chinese navy hospital ship Peace Ark set sail from Zhoushan Port in eastern China's Zhejiang Province Tuesday to head to the Gulf of Aden on its first overseas medical mission. During the 87-day mission, the ship will provide medical treatment to soldiers and officers serving in the Gulf of Aden, according to Guan Bolin, a senior official with the logistics department of the Chinese Navy.Hospital Ship Peace ArkThe medical staff aboard the ship will also provide medical treatment to people in five African and Asian countries - Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, the Seychelles and Bangladesh. In addition, the ship's staff plan to conduct various exchange programs with medical workers in the countries the ship calls at, said Guan, also the deputy commander of the mission. Peace Ark is the first hospital ship in the world with a 10,000-tonne capacity. China independently developed and built it. It has 428 soldiers, officers and medical workers aboard.

Stranded Cruise Ship Passengers Evacuated

2010-08-30T00:03:00.001-05:00

Passengers stranded nearly 48 hours on a cruise ship in Canada’s arctic are expected to evacuate to Edmonton early Monday, says the vice-president of the tour company. “Reports from the ship have all been that the passengers have been exceptionally positive,” Cedar Bradley-Swan said Sunday. “We’ve had great weather. It’s been about 12 C so there have been lots of folks out on deck.” The Clipper Adventurer operated by Mississauga, Ont.-based Adventure Canada became grounded on an uncharted rock shortly after 7 p.m. local time Friday. The ship ran aground in three metres of water just a day before the Arctic expedition was to come to an end in Edmonton. About 200 guests and crew members were on the trip called “Into the Northwest Passage.” No one on the ship was injured. According to the company, the sea was calm at the time, visibility was good, it was sunny and there was no wind or swell. Jean-Pierre Sharp, a coast guard officer with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., said the incident happened about 55 nautical miles east of Coppermine, Nunavut, also known as Kugluktuk, near the border with the Northwest Territories. “There’s no immediate danger, no pollutants or anything like that,” Sharp said. “It’s just a question of getting the people off and for the company to arrange some salvage or something to try and tow the vessel off the ground.” Adventure Canada said efforts to dislodge the chartered vessel during high tide Saturday were unsuccessful and that it is sitting with a slight list but is stable. It will now be up to the company that owns the ship to pull it off the rock, said Bradley-Swan. About 70 crew members will remain on the Clipper Adventurer for now, said Bradley-Swan. The Canadian Coast Guard helped evacuate the ship’s remaining passengers Sunday afternoon, ferrying them by barge and Zodiac to a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker called the Amundsen.Clipper Adventurer“The barge takes 12 (people) and the Zodiac takes eight, so we’re moving about 20 people at a time,” Bradley-Swan said. “Then we’re using our fleet of about 10 Zodiacs on board (the Clipper Adventurer) to move everybody’s luggage.” All passengers were expected to be evacuated to the Amundsen by about 6 p.m. Sunday. Then that ship will carry them about 60 miles to Kugluktuk, Nunavut, a trip that should take about six hours, Bradley-Swan said. From there, the group will catch a charter airline flight into Edmonton on Monday morning. The tour was originally supposed to end in Edmonton at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. Roughly half a dozen of the passengers on the tour are from Edmonton, said Bradley-Swan. The rest are mainly Canadian, although a few are from Europe and the United States, she said. Adventure Canada runs between three and seven Arctic expeditions each year. The learning-travel packages include cultural experiences, natural history and wildlife viewing. The “Into the Northwest Passage” trip included about 20 staff — scientists, biologists, authors, historians, painters — that offered lectures during the tour. According to the company’s website, the Clipper Adventurer is 90 metres in length and features a library, gymnasium, sauna and beauty salon. The tour flew out of Toronto and then left Greenland by cruise ship Aug. 14, Bradley-Swan said. “We’ve been making our way up the Greenlandic coast, over to Baffin, Lancaster Sound — essentially following the traditional Northwest Passage route,” she said. “They had travelled 2,655 miles and had 60 miles left to go. They had even done their last expedition stop and were now heading back to the airport, essentially.”

Authorities Investigate Boat Crash That Injured Three Near Oswego Harbor

2010-08-29T20:52:00.004-05:00

Three people were injured Saturday after their recreational boat crashed into the Oswego breakwater so hard it couldn't be pulled to shore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries after the 7 p.m. crash Saturday near the Oswego Lighthouse. They were taken to Oswego Hospital, one with a broken arm, said Coast Guard Senior Chief Joe Orlando. Authorities believe alcohol may have played a role in the crash, Orlando said. The boaters' names were not released Sunday. Oswego police and county sheriff's deputies are also investigating the crash. Boaters returning to shore reported hearing screaming near the breakwater about 7 p.m., said Coast Guard Senior Chief Joe Orlando.The Coast Guard launched its boat and found the occupants of the damaged 23-foot recreational boat walking along the breakwater, Orlando said. The cuddy cabin-style boat was likely going at a high rate of speed when it hit the wall, he said, citing the heavy damage. The Coast Guard and Oswego fire department attempted to pull the boat to shore Saturday, but it sunk about 20 feet from the pier at Wright's Landing marina, Orlando said. A couple feet of the boat remained above water after it hit bottom. A warning was sent to boaters about the sunken vessel. The boat is expected to be resurfaced Monday, Orlando said.

Somali Man Pleads To Attacking Navy Ship He Thought Was Merchant Vessel In Piracy Case

2010-08-27T17:50:00.003-05:00

A Somali man pleaded guilty Friday to piracy-related charges for attacking a U.S. Navy ship in what the defendant said was a case of mistaken identity. Jama Idle Ibrahim told authorities he intended to attack a merchant vessel to hold it for ransom and discovered that he was attacking a Navy ship instead. Ibrahim entered the plea in federal court in Norfolk, Va. "Today marks the first conviction in Norfolk for acts of piracy in more than 150 years," U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride said in a statement. "Modern-day pirates must be held accountable." Ibrahim and five other Somalis chased a ship they believed was a merchant vessel and started firing at the ship and the people on board before they were captured, according to court papers in the case. The piracy-related acts to which Ibrahim pleaded guilty were attacking to plunder a vessel, engaging in an act of violence against people on a vessel and using a firearm during a crime of violence, all in connection with an attack against the USS Ashland on April 10.USS Ashland (LSD-48)Earlier this month, a judge dismissed piracy charges against the six Somalis. A conviction on the charge of piracy itself carries a mandatory life term. The piracy-related charges carry a range of sentences from 10 years to life in prison. The plea agreement said both parties agreed a sentence of 30 years in prison is appropriate. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 29. Separately, Ibrahim was charged Friday in Washington, D.C., with an alleged act of piracy in the Gulf of Aden against a merchant vessel, the M/V CEC Future. In a document called a criminal information, Ibrahim was accused of conspiracy to commit piracy under the law of nations and conspiracy to use a firearm during a crime of violence. A criminal information can only be filed with the defendant's consent to waive consideration of his case by a grand jury; it typically signals that a person is preparing to enter a plea of guilty in a deal with prosecutors.

Japanese Ship Had Accident

2010-07-29T19:06:00.003-05:00

An official at the UAE Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that the Japanese oil tanker M Star, which was heading to Japan, had met with an accident on Wednesday while transitting the Strait of Hormuz, as a result of which it had to sail back to the Port of Fujairah. Director of Media Affairs and Government Communications at the Foreign Ministry Sultan Al Ali said in a statement that investigations by authorities to determine the causes of the accident are still underway. The statement further said that M Star, owned by Mitsui of Japan and flagged in the Marshal Islands, met with an accident, reasons for which are unknown. The vessel was transitting the Strait of Hormuz carrying two million barrels of oil loaded at Um Saeed, Qatar and Das Island, UAE. It arrived at the UAE territorial waters off Fujairah at 06:45pm on Wednesday.No casualties have been reported and there has been no oil spillage or pollution; the statement added. Director of Fujairah Port Musa Murad confirmed that the M Star had met with an accident. Addressing a press conference held at the port of Fujairah and attended by journalists from local and global media, Murad said that investigations are still underway to determine the real cause of the accident. Capt. M. Mathew of the oil tanker said that the damaged vessel did not cause any pollution and there was no injury to crew except a minor one to a Second Officer. In a letter on Wednesday, Matthew said the vessel is totally mobilised and moving under her own power without any assistance.

Second Body Spotted Near Duck Boat Crash Site

2010-07-09T12:24:00.002-05:00

A second body has been spotted in the water near the site of a collision between an amphibious tour boat and a 250-foot barge in the Delaware River. As divers began preparations to haul the sunken boat from the water Friday morning, television cameras captured the image of a body floating face-down near the salvage site. The body surfaced briefly before submerging again. Hungarian officials said U.S. authorities had informed them that a body recovered earlier Friday belonged to a missing female tourist.Sixteen-year-old Dora Schwendtner was one of two people who disappeared following the collision. The other, 20-year-old Szabolcs Prem, has not been found. Thirty-five people on board were rescued before the tour boat sunk. Ride the Ducks, the Norcross-based tour company that operated the boat as well as a similar ride at Stone Mountain Park, has voluntarily suspended all operations nationwide .

R.Lee Ermey On Tattoos In The Military

2010-06-30T00:03:00.000-05:00

British Navy Ship In Drugs Find

2010-06-29T12:09:00.004-05:00

HMS Manchester has helped seize more than £1.5m of cannabis from Caribbean drug smugglers. Arriving on the island of Montserrat for a three-day courtesy call, the warship aided local police in arresting five men and recovering their illegal cargo. The suspects were spotted by a Lynx helicopter which was conducting aerial reconnaissance around the island.HMS Manchester (D95)Launching a boat to intercept the suspects, personnel on board HMS Manchester spotted 12 bales which had been landed on to a nearby beach. The bales were found to contain 770lbs of the drug. HMS Manchester's commanding officer, Rex Cox, said: 'I'm delighted that cooperation between the Royal Montserrat Police and HMS Manchester has resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of narcotics.'

Chemical Tanker Sinks Near Japan

2010-06-17T10:13:00.004-05:00

A chemical tanker sank in an overnight collision with a cargo ship off Japan, but no-one was injured and there was no major environmental damage, the coast guard said Thursday. The 335-tonne Keiwa-maru collided with cargo ship Hamako-maru 15, which weighs 187-tonnes, at around 10:15 pm (1315 GMT) Wednesday in the inland sea between the main islands of Honshu and Shikoku.Hamako-maru 15All five crew of the Keiwa-maru escaped to the cargo ship before their ship sank, the coast guard said. Some 350 cubic metres (12,400 cubic feet) of magnesium hydroxide from the Keiwa-maru was dumped into the sea but the substance should not significantly harm the environment, said a coast guard official.Keiwa-maru"It's almost like the coagulator used to make tofu soybean curd. It has no impact on the environment," he said of the substance, which can be used as a food additive, a fertiliser, and in medicines and construction. The coast guard was investigating the cause of the accident, the official added.

Barge Shipments To Minn., Wis. Unaffected By Oil Spill

2010-06-15T07:47:00.002-05:00

Maritime officials say barge shipments from Midwestern port cities, including Winona and La Crosse, Wis., have, so far, been unaffected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But, light sheens and beached oil from the growing spill is expected to reach the southern tip of the Mississippi River by Wednesday.The U.S. Coast Guard has stopped three ocean-going vessels for cleaning since the spill, but spokesman Chris Bonura says barge traffic in the Port of New Orleans currently remains normal. Judy Bodway of the Port Authority of Winona says corn and soybeans are sent to New Orleans, where the crops are transferred to ocean ships for international trade. The Winona Daily News reports the Winona port ships and receives about 2 million tons of product every year.

Army Tests New Tactical Vehicle

2010-06-09T20:42:00.000-05:00

The Army is testing a new vehicle looking to eventually replace the iconic Humvee. Officials said the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle will offer increased protection and performance. The Army took a group of reporters to a dirt test track about 30 minutes from Aberdeen Proving Ground June 3 to put the new vehicles through their paces. At first glance, the JLTV looks heavier and safer than current light tactical vehicles. The armor plating and bullet-proof glass will offer better protection for the warfighter, officials said. The vehicle has different configurations, which seat four to six people. The JLTV project is a joint project, but also international. The vehicle is a collaborative product between the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, the Australian government and three American industry teams. "There are three contractor teams working on a common phased set of requirements," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Wolfgang Petermann, project manager. "The vehicles have a little bit different design solutions built into them." Petermann said the contractors delivered the vehicles on schedule and within cost requirements of the contract. "What you'll see is a balanced solution," he said. "The key attributes for JLTV are to keep that balance, but also to reduce life-cycle costs for the services. We've improved reliability, maintainability. We've designed the vehicle to be, one, reliable, but when it does break down, it is easily repairable." Petermann said another requirement is transportability. "We need to be able to get to the fight by a C-130 (airplane) or CH-47 or CH-53 helicopter. We have to be able to get down to different decks on shipping," he said. "We have maintained an expeditionary capability for the services." The contractors for the project are BAE Systems, General Tactical Vehicles and Lockheed Martin. During the 15-month design and build phase, industry teams interpreted military's requirements to come up with their own vehicle prototypes. Officials said the design and build phase ended May 3 when the contractors delivered the vehicles. The JLTV has now entered a technology development phase giving the team an opportunity to demonstrate "mature technologies integration" as a complete system.Petermann said the group will conduct performance tests on the vehicles at Aberdeen Proving Ground to "provide an assessment of the technical and performance risks." The team will also conduct tests at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., to assess vehicle reliability. United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command tank and automotive engineers from the unit's research center near Detroit have been on the job from concept to testing. The Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center assists throughout product development, officials said. "Our Advanced Concepts Group over in TARDEC from the beginning has taken a look at our requirements from the standpoint of what is achievable," said Chris Brouwer, C4I chief systems engineer with the project. "They've given us that first look on what they think we're going to get with the requirements we have. Because of the work TARDEC did, we were fairly confident what we would end up with." When the project team had requirements changes, TARDEC engineers would update their concepts. "They would say, 'this is what we think industry is going to provide you,'" he said. "It really gave us an early benefit as far as what our requirements were actually driving into the design of the vehicle." Brouwer was on the team three years ago writing the original requirements and scope. "It's been a great project so far," Brouwer said. "It's very rewarding to see the vehicles out here on the track and performing quite well."

Soviet-Era Nuclear Waste Ship Sinks In Russia

2010-06-09T07:12:00.003-05:00

A Russian ship once used to transport nuclear waste sank last month at a shipyard in northern Russia, the yard's senior engineer told reporters. He added there was no danger of radioactive contamination as it was not carrying nuclear waste at the time. "We were scrapping it and cutting the ship but the metal gave in and it sank," Vladimir Smirnov, engineer at the Russian navy's SRZ-10 plant in Polyarny, a town on the Kola Peninsula in northern Russia. "It was all clean. All the radioactive waste was unloaded long ago. There is no danger whatsoever," he said, adding that tests of seawater showed that there had been no contamination after the incident on May 24.The ship, named Severka, was used to transport nuclear waste from 1978 to 1993 and then taken to Polyarny, where Russia has a yard for repairing warships including nuclear submarines. The town is closed to the general public and foreigners. The safety of Russia's fleet of nuclear submarines, many of which are rusting in docks along the northwestern coast, has long concerned foreign governments and environmental campaigners. The accident-prone Russian navy, which suffered years of neglect and under-funding after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, has sometimes been slow to release full information about mishaps. The most high-profile incident was the 2000 sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in which all 118 crew died. The Russian navy initially said the stricken submarine had only minor technical difficulties, but an official inquiry later found that a torpedo fuel leak had caused a massive explosion which sank the vessel.

Will This Little Ship Be Left High And Dry?

2010-06-08T12:29:00.003-05:00

One of Ramsgate’s most prized possessions could face permanent damage if it remains in a state of limbo. The Sundowner, one of the famed Little Ships that took part in the 1940 evacuation of Dunkirk, is facing serious structural problems if it is not returned to the water soon, according to those who care for it. The hull could shrink and crack, leading to costly repairs. The boat, which could not take part in the recent Dynamo Day 70th-anniversary event, traditionally leads the flotilla every five years. However, a lease dispute meant it was left standing on the quayside as the other boats sailed for Normandy. The lease of the museum, which counts the Sundowner as one of its principal artefacts, is still not resolved. The Thanet council-funded East Kent Maritime Trust, which owns the boat, cannot reach an agreement with the Steam Museum Trust, which wants to take over the museum. A 99-year lease was agreed last year, but that arrangement has since crumbled, leading to an apparent stalemate, and until the lease is sorted out the Sundowner will probably remain on the quay. Councillor John Watkins, the vessel’s volunteer boat officer, says a “chicken and egg situation” has developed and all parties, including Thanet council, must come to an agreement about the museum lease so the boat can be returned to the water.Cllr Watkins said there was known to be a problem with the museum’s roof, as well as issues regarding mooring fees for the Sundowner and the steam-tug Cervia that were proving difficult to resolve. While the boat is sitting on the commercial quay, it has just one more week until its insurance runs out. If that happens, it will have to be removed from the harbour altogether as boats are not allowed to be uninsured, whether they are in or out of the water. Cllr Watkins says he has been told by Ramsgate harbour authorities that 14 days was the maximum it should be out of the water, but after today it will have been there for 17. He said: “You shouldn’t be treating an old boat like this, especially not one with such a history. “The sun could open up the teak hull and shrink it. This would mean it leaks when returned to the water. It wouldn’t be irreparable, but it should be avoided if possible.” A small amount of work needs to be done on the boat and was due to be carried out by volunteers before Dynamo Day so it could take to the water, as in previous years. However, they walked off the job when it became clear the relevant parties could not reach an agreement in time for the Dunkirk crossing. Thanet council would not comment on the dispute, but Cllr Watkins says it holds the key to the negotiations and should sit down with the two parties to come to an agreement.

Crewman`s Corpse Kept for 96 Days In Fishing Boat

2010-06-05T00:03:00.000-05:00

A major deepsea fishing company is known to have kept the corpse of a crewman in a freezer in a krill-shrimp fishing boat for 96 days after his death. Busan maritime police and fishing industry sources said Friday that the 42-year-old crewman suddenly died after complaining of chest pain Feb. 17 on a Dongwon Industries fishing vessel out in the South Pacific to catch krill shrimp. The ship is known not to have gone to the nearest port, which was in New Zealand, but sailed towards Chile to continue fishing. While it continued work, the body was kept in a freezer used to store shrimp. The corpse was moved onto a krill transportation ship April 8 and arrived in Busan May 25. According to police, the death of a Korean national in another country’s territorial waters must be immediately reported to the Korean Embassy in that country and dealt with in accordance with the law. Because the crewman died in international waters, however, the ship reported only to Busan maritime police and failed to take further action.“I don’t understand why the ship didn`t go to the nearest port when a crewman died,” an industry source said. Dongwon said the man died of cardiac infarction and that his body was kept in a separate space from the freezer. On why the corpse was kept there for more than three months, the company said it handled the case in a way to minimize economic losses after consulting with the deceased man’s family. It added that reporting to a foreign country’s police and following its orders are "complicated, time-consuming and expensive." The body was sent to the Busan Forensic Medical Service May 28 for autopsy, and the result was reported to the National Institute of Scientific Investigation. A Busan maritime police official called it “unusual” to keep a dead body on a ship for months though the company and his family agreed to do so. The official added that the instiute will announce the cause of death after June 15 after an investigation.

Crew Reclaim Ship From Pirates

2010-06-03T00:03:00.001-05:00

The crew of a Libyan-owned cargo ship pounced on their sleeping Somali captors, disarmed the pirates and killed five of them, regaining control of their vessel that had been hijacked almost three months earlier. A sixth pirate who survived the attack by the MV Rim crew managed to lock himself in a room and call other pirates to say they had been overpowered before the crew took him hostage, said Abdiaziz Aw Yusuf, the Garacad district commissioner. Garacad is the coastal town near which the MV Rim has been anchored. A crew member was seriously injured during the struggle, the European Union's anti-piracy naval force said in a statement. The crew had reported to the force that they had retaken control of the ship on Wednesday morning. The EU said it is believed some of the pirates were killed during the incident. EU force commander Rear Adm Jan Thornqvist then sent the closest warship, the SPS Victoria, to provide medical assistance. A group of pirates on another hijacked vessel tried to block the warship, the statement said, but when the warship's helicopter approached the pirates, they changed course. The statement added that no warning shots were fired.The MV Rim was seized on February 3 in the Gulf of Aden, outside the internationally recommended transit corridor patrolled by the anti-piracy naval coalition. The 4800-ton ship is owned by White Sea Shipping of Libya and is carrying unknown cargo. The number and nationalities of its crew are also not known. Earlier Wednesday, Somali pirates hijacked a cargo ship, the QSM Dubai in the Gulf of Aden, the EU anti-piracy naval force said in a statement. The ship has a crew of 24 - Egyptians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Ghanaians. The ship, which is flying a Panamanian flag, sailed from Brazil. Somali pirates are currently holding at least 20 vessels. The Horn of Africa nation's 19 years of lawlessness has allowed piracy to flourish, with pirates earning multi-million dollar ransoms.

Efforts Grow To Stop GI Funeral Protests

2010-06-02T21:25:00.003-05:00

Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia have submitted a brief to the Supreme Court in support of a father who sued anti-gay protesters over their demonstration at the 2006 funeral of his son, a Marine killed in Iraq. Only Virginia and Maine declined to sign the brief by the Kansas attorney general. Albert Snyder sued over protests by Rev. Fred W. Phelps and his Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church at his son's funeral in Maryland. The church pickets funerals because they believe war deaths are punishment for U.S. tolerance of homosexuality. The Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether the protesters' message is protected by the First Amendment. In the brief filed Tuesday, the states argued they have a compelling interest in protecting the sanctity of funerals.But that is not how Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sees it. According to a report today in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Cuccinelli's office announced it will not join with the other states and the District on behalf of Snyder. "The attorney general's office deplores the absolutely vile and despicable acts of Fred Phelps and his followers," the paper quoted Cuccinelli's spokesman, Brian Gottstein, as saying in the statement. "We also greatly sympathize with the Snyder family and all families who have experienced the hatefulness of these people." But Cuccinelli is chose not to join the legal brief "because the case could set a precedent that could severely curtail certain valid exercises of free speech," the statement said.

Rescue Boat Almost Capsizes On Chattahoochee

2010-06-02T07:06:00.003-05:00

A Gwinnett County rescue boat nearly capsized Tuesday evening as firefighters retrieved three stranded fishermen from the Chattahoochee River. The rescue boat hit a submerged rock in the middle of the river near Jones Bridge Park. Firefighters regained control and made it to shore safely. The incident occurred around 7 p.m."This further demonstrates the danger of being out on the river during generation times," Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said. "Always check generation times at Buford Dam by contacting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers." The phone number for water-release times is 770-945-1466. Tuesday evening was the third time in a week firefighters conducted a rescue on the river. The fishermen "did not appear to be in any distress but did require assistance getting back to shore in the rising waters," Rutledge said.

Detained Silversea Ship Allowed To Leave Port

2010-05-11T07:56:00.002-05:00

Silversea Cruises' adventure vessel Prince Albert II was detained in Portsmouth yesterday by maritime authorities. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency acted after concerns were raised about overloading and the recording of rest hours for senior staff. The 132-passenger ship, operated by V Ships Leisure based in Monaco, had been due to leave the south coast port at 20.00 last night and finally left at midnight. MCA area operations manager survey and inspections Richard Pellew said: "The safety aspect of the ship and those who are on board is always our primary concern."The inspection of the Prince Albert II has raised two areas of of concern; overloading and the recording of hours of rest for senior officers. "The MCA has zero tolerance on crew fatigue, it is of grave concern that senior officers on board are seemingly not getting sufficient rest." A spokesman said this morning that the vessel had been allowed to leave Portsmouth to Fowey as part of a round-Britain cruise after carrying out corrective action over the stability of the ship. "If it shows the same occurance is happening, we will look at it again," he said. Silversea was not in a position to comment this morning but said a statement would be issued later today.

Customs Slammed Over Response To Stricken Boat

2010-05-10T00:03:00.001-05:00

Refugee advocates say they are astounded authorities did not do more to help a stricken boat of Sri Lankan asylum seekers off the Western Australian coast. Customs officials say they were advised the boat carrying 64 people had run out of fuel, food and water while heading to Cocos Island on April 30. They say a passing merchant ship provided assistance and reported they were in good health and their vessel was seaworthy. Customs spokesman Phil Mayne says the boat was expected to arrive at Cocos Island on Wednesday, but a search was launched when it failed to turn up. He says a spotter plane located the vessel 160 nautical miles west of Cocos on Thursday, and Customs alerted four ships in the area to try to reach the vessel.A Russian ship reached them on Friday and was told that five people were missing, presumed dead, after they set out to swim for help. Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition, says the response by authorities appears inadequate. "It does seem that there has been a real lack of responsibility by the authorities not to have sent a boat out immediately," he said. "They knew it was in trouble, they knew it was without food, they knew it was without fuel. To have left people on the sea in those conditions is inexcusable." He says it is a tragedy. "We're devastated, really, to hear that kind of news," he said. "The authorities were aware of the boat quite some time ago. "For people to be left in a situation that people have made [a] desperate swim in the sea for help is a terrible, terrible thing to happen."

US Navy Nabs Pirates

2010-04-01T09:22:00.003-05:00

A US warship operating in the Indian Ocean captured five suspected pirates ON Thursday after an exchange of gunfire in international waters near the Seychelles, the Pentagon said. The frigate USS Nicholas (FFG-47) took the piracy suspects into custody after the warship sank a skiff, and confiscated a suspected mother ship, said a statement from US Naval Forces. 'While operating west of the Seychelles in international waters, Nicholas reported taking fire at 12.27 am local time from a suspected pirate skiff and returned fire before commencing pursuit of the vessel until the disabled skiff stopped,' the statement said. 'At 1.59 am personnel from Nicholas boarded the disabled skiff and detained three personnel. The boarding team found ammunition and multiple cans of fuel on board.'After taking the suspected pirates on board, the Nicholas sank the disabled skiff and captured two additional suspected pirates on the confiscated mother ship. 'The suspected pirates will remain in US custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition,' the statement said. The lifting of the winter monsoon in the region has spurred a fresh spate of attacks by pirates able to venture hundreds of miles from their bases and approach their prey on relatively calm seas. The Seychelles economy relies heavily on tuna fishing and tourism and the country has had several ships hijacked since 2008. In a separate incident, six Seychellois fishermen rescued from Somali pirates were returned home ON Wednesday after three days of high-seas drama which saw the Seychelles coastguard sink several pirate boats.

U.S. Warship Rescues 30 Off Coast Of Somalia

2010-03-29T12:15:00.003-05:00

The Norfolk-based destroyer USS McFaul (DDG-74) rescued 30 Somali men, women and children who were stranded aboard a skiff with no food and little water last week. The Arleigh Burke-class ship was on routine patrol about 100 miles north of Somalia on Thursday when crew members spotted the skiff, a Navy news release says. The skiff’s outboard motors had failed, and the people aboard had been without food for about four days, according to the release.They and the boat were taken aboard the McFaul and given food, blankets and a place to sleep. The skiff’s engines were repaired, and the people who had been on board were taken to the northern coast of Somalia. The McFaul is assigned to a multinational task force to conduct counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia.

South Korean Ship Sinking, North Attack Suspected

2010-03-26T10:53:00.003-05:00

A South Korean naval vessel with more than 100 aboard was sinking on Friday in waters near North Korea and Seoul was investigating whether it was hit in a torpedo attack by the North, South Korean media said. Broadcaster SBS said many South Korean sailors on the stricken vessel were feared dead.South Korea's YTN TV network said the government was investigating whether the sinking was due to a torpedo attack by the North, and Yonhap news agency said the Seoul government had convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers. Yonhap also reported a South Korean navy ship firing toward an unidentified vessel to the north. North Korea in recent weeks has said it was bolstering its defenses in response to joint South Korean-U.S. military drills that were held this month.

Abandoned Boat Sparks Search In Hawke's Bay

2010-03-15T00:03:00.000-05:00

An abandoned boat sparked a marine search and rescue operation in Hawke's Bay at the weekend with police believing the occupants had been thrown into the sea. A dinghy was found in the surf at Whirinaki Beach, 15km north of Napier, about 3pm. It had fishing gear on board, its outboard motor still attached, and other items believed to be from the boat were found in the sea Police, the Coastguard and a helicopter searched for two hours but found no sign of the occupants. After publicity about the search, two Hastings fisherman told police they had abandoned the boat. They had tried to launch it off the beach but it was carried out to sea and they decided to leave it there.The operation had cost thousands of dollars and it could have been averted had the fisherman informed police or the coastguard they had abandoned the boat, police search and rescue co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Luke Shadbolt said. "It's imperative that if you abandon or lose any sort of sea vessel -- whether it's a boat or a kayak or whatever -- it should be reported to the police or coastguard immediately," Mr Shadbolt said. "This saves everyone a lot of trouble and expense and is just plain common sense." Police were also urging boaties to mark their names and contact details on their boats, to help police identify people in situations like Saturday's. The boat owners were spoken to by police.

Towboat Sinks On Ohio River; Man Missing

2010-03-14T19:45:00.002-05:00

Two people made it to shore after a tow-boat they were on sank in the rain-swollen Ohio River this afternoon, but rescuers were still searching for a third person. The person who was still being sought was a man wearing a green sweater and an orange flotation device, a dispatcher said. Two other men apparently swam to shore along River Road in Boone County. They were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Florence for treatment of hypothermia, said Michael Fronimos, a spokesman for the Hebron Fire Department. "With the water going as fast as it is, (the missing crewman) could be down river in just minutes," Fronimos said.Lt. Tom Scheben of the Boone County Sheriff's office said the two survivors told investigators they were surprised at how quickly the 40-foot tow boat sank. Their names were not released. Complicating matters, Scheben said, is that the boat might have been carrying up to 500 gallons of fuel, making it a possible hazmat situation. Police received a call around 4:37 p.m. that the boat had sunk in the Ohio River, between Anderson Ferry and Taylorsport. The two men who were rescued came out of the river near Taylorsport, Fronimos said. Rescuers and police from Cincinnati, Lawrenceburg, the Coast Guard and Northern Kentucky were assisting in the search. Rescuers planned to continue the search after darkness. No information was available on what caused the boat to sink.

Freedom Seizes Coke From Go-Fast Vessel

2010-03-14T00:03:00.000-06:00

The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1), conducting counter-illicit trafficking (CIT) operations in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of focus, intercepted and captured a high-speed "go-fast" vessel carrying more than 1 1/2 tons of cocaine. The late-night seizure of the "go-fast," its illicit cargo and five suspected drug smugglers was the second narcotics seizure in 10 days for Freedom and its embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, LCS Surface Warfare Mission Package and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET). It also marked Freedom's first apprehension of personnel suspected of narcotics trafficking and their vessel. Freedom was on routine patrol when it intercepted a suspected drug vessel, and launched an MH-60S. The "go-fast" attempted to elude the MH-60S, but Freedom closed on the vessel and intercepted it, forcing the suspects to stop. Freedom then launched a response team of Sailors and Coast Guardsmen to apprehend the suspects and secure the vessel and its illegal cargo.A search of the vessel yielded 51 bales of cocaine weighing 1,506 kilos (3,315 pounds), all seized by the LEDET as evidence in preparation for possible criminal prosecution. The five suspects were taken into custody aboard Freedom. The coordinated actions of the Navy, Coast Guard and JIATF-S were instrumental to the successful interdiction of narcotics. Freedom's first CIT seizure came on Feb. 22, when it disrupted a high-speed "go-fast" vessel and recovered more than a quarter of a ton of cocaine from the western Caribbean Sea. Freedom, which will be homeported in San Diego, is currently on its maiden deployment in the Caribbean and the coasts of Central and South America under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (NAVSO)/U.S. 4th Fleet. Freedom is conducting CIT operations in support of JIATF-S, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and U.S. Coast Guard District Seven.

New Zealand Terrorist Arrested On Japanese Whale Ship

2010-03-13T19:29:00.004-06:00

Japan's coast guard arrested an anti-whaling terrorist from New Zealand yesterday for illegally boarding a whaling ship last month in the latest incident in the ongoing battle over Japanese whaling. Peter Bethune, a member of the US-based Sea Shepherd terrorist group, is accused of jumping aboard the whaling vessel from a Jet Ski on February 15 in Antarctic seas, where Japan was conducting its annual whale hunt. Boarding a Japanese vessel without legitimate reasons can bring a prison term of up to three years or a fine up to 100,000 yen (US$1,100). Japan's annual whale hunt is allowed by the International Whaling Commission as a scientific program, but opponents call it a cover for commercial whaling, which has been banned since 1986.Peter BethuneSea Shepherd, among its critics, aims each year to stop Japanese whaling activities. The terrorists trail whaling boats and try to disrupt the hunt by dangling ropes in the water to snarl the ships' propellers. The whalers have responded by firing water cannons and sonar devices meant to disorient the activists. Sea Shepherd said Bethune jumped aboard the Shonan Maru 2 to make a citizen's arrest of its captain and hand over a US$3 million bill for the destruction of a high-tech protest ship Bethune captained, the Ady Gil, that sank in January after colliding with the whaling ship. Since his boarding, Bethune has been in custody aboard the ship while it made its three-week voyage back to Japan. About 10 right-wing protesters were waiting for the ship's arrival at Tokyo port, holding up signs branding Bethune an "eco-terrorist."

The Perils Of Alcohol Abuse

2010-03-10T00:03:00.000-06:00

For Marines, liberty is a time for personal interests and relaxation. But sometimes Marines don’t understand the serious consequences that can occur when they lose restraint, especially when alcohol is involved. “Alcohol can be a catalyst for many negative things,” said Gunnery Sgt. Carson Zumalt, Barracks Substance Abuse Control Officer. “Age is irrelevant when considering the negative effects it has on a Marines life.” A Marine can end up spending thousands of dollars just on court fees and attorney expenses when they receive a DUI, not including violation fines and cuts in pay. “I lost half my pay for two months and had to pay a hundred dollars a month for probation fees,” said Pfc. Mark Fidler, Battalion Training NCO, Headquarters and Services Company. “I’m living paycheck to paycheck just to pay off the loan I had to take out for all the expenses.” Illegal drinking offenses aren’t the only financial setbacks that come from alcohol. Alcohol can cause Marines to spend much of their paychecks on alcohol, leaving them with very little or no money for emergencies, Zumalt said. The economic effect of alcohol is dreadful, but alcohol can also destroy your body. “One night of binge drinking can alter a person’s life forever,” said Zumalt, “Alcoholism is a progressive disease that can force a person to become dependent on its consumption.” According to drugfree.org, long term alcohol abuse can cause permanent damage to vital organs such as the brain and liver. “Alcohol is one of the only drugs that can actually kill you,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Monté Grace, Medical Leading Petty Officer, Branch Clinic Navy Yard. “If you try to stop abusing alcohol cold turkey, based on the dependency it could end your life.” Long term alcohol abuse may have serious health risks, but short term alcohol use can be just as harmful if the substance is abused. “The impairment of judgment and lack of coherency can cause people to harm others or themselves if not careful,” said Grace. “Several different service members I’ve known throughout my military career have injured the passenger or themselves in car accidents do to alcohol abuse.” Many times Marines will go out drinking, unaware of how much they are actually consuming, said Grace. A lot of cases Marines drink four to five times the normal intake of alcohol recommended.It isn’t always the Marines health that is the biggest concern. When a Marine drinks alcohol irresponsibly, often it affects other Marines surrounding the abuser and causes problems for the command. When a Marine is caught abusing alcohol he must be evaluated immediately, said 1st Sgt. Peter Ferral, Headquarters and Service Company First Sergeant. With this comes a set back for the entire command and the mission doesn’t get completed in time. Ferral is hardly a rookie when it comes to dealing with Marines and alcohol abuse. Ferral entered the Marine Corps in 1986, and with his twenty four years of experience, Ferral has seen the ends and outs of alcohol abuse and its effects on Marines. While serving with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines in 1997, Ferral watched hopelessly as a fellow Marine in his platoon was kicked out of the Marine Corps for having constant incidents of alcohol abuse. “He was the best machine gunner in the company!” said Ferral. “When he was discharged we were one man down, making it harder on everyone.” For years alcohol has been getting the best of Marines and their families. Often, alcohol abuse starts at a young age and increases into a terrible problem over time. “Many times alcoholics were introduced to alcohol through their parents,” said Grace. “They grew up thinking drinking heavy amounts was the normal thing to do, we have kids drinking at thirteen and fourteen years old in ways of coping with things because that’s the way they see their parents deal with it.” Whether the abuse originated through family or not, the abuse of alcohol is detrimental for a Marines family, command, and career. “Many Marines lose their careers do to alcohol, when you drink, the first thing that goes out the window is judgment,” Said Ferral. “You’ve got to have that smart guy, or designated driver at all times.” Whether it’s in formation or in writing the Marines appointed in high leadership positions like Ferral continue to push the message of responsible drinking habits. “If Marines plan on drinking, they need to have a plan. A DUI isn’t just bad because of the punishments that come with being caught,” said Ferral, “it’s bad because of the injury or death you might cause if you make the decision to get behind the wheel drunk.”

Sophia Loren Christens Cruise Ship MSC Magnifica

2010-03-09T17:55:00.004-06:00

MSC Magnifica -- the fourth Panamax cruise ship in the MSC Cruises Musica class -- joins MSC Cruises as the 11th ship in the fleet after being christened in Hamburg, Germany on March 6. Renowned Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, adult contemporary/soft rock/pop artist, performed on stage during the christening while Italian screen legend and icon Sophia Loren, participated in the ribbon cutting as the godmother of her eighth MSC ship. MSC Magnifica combines the intimacy of her three Musica Class sister vessels -- MSC Musica, MSC Orchestra, and MSC Poesia -- with the state-of-the-art facilities and comfort of the company's larger flagships, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia. A magrodome or retractable roof covers the pool, La Grotta Azzurra, making it possible to enjoy one of the four pools throughout the year regardless of the weather. The Il Bar del Sole area on the top deck boasts its own whirlpools and solarium.The ship's 16 bars and lounges, four restaurants, and a large new buffet area -- Sahara -- will serve Italian and international cuisine; an a la carte restaurant, L'Oasi, will provide fine dining in an exotic Moroccan atmosphere. Culinary masterpieces by Mauro Uliassi, the Michelin Star Chef, recipient of three prized Gambero Rosso forks, and winner of the prestigious Kungsfenan Award for the best seafood, are available in the L'Oasi restaurant; soon, they'll be offered in all of MSC Cruises' Musica Class a la carte restaurants.
There's even a Tiger bar, themed after the striped feline, serving up cocktails and musical acts. Other entertainment features on board include a high-tech 4D cinema, mini-bowling alley and a billiard table in the L'Olimpiade sports bar. L'Olimpiade is the first sports bar featured in the Musica class of ships, and its theme is inspired by the Olympics. Relaxation opportunities await guests in the MSC Aurea Spa wellness center for massages, facials, and other specialty spa treatments in a resort-standard setting. Two treatments created just for MSC and are being offered on the MSC Magnifica -- Aurea Papaveris, a 60-minute slimming and cellulite treatment, and a Himalayan massage. MSC Magnifica sails 7-night Eastern Mediterranean itineraries departing Venice, Italy and calling at Bari, Italy; Katakolon (Olympia) Greece; Izmir, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Tugboats Tow Disabled Container Ship To Tacoma

2010-03-04T00:03:00.000-06:00

Two tugs had to tow a disabled container ship south through Puget Sound to Tacoma Wednesday afternoon. The 712-foot container ship, the Horizon Tacoma, had smoke coming out of one of its turbochargers in its propulsion engine about three miles north of Neah Bay late Tuesday evening. The ship's captain and engineer decided to shut down the engine, a Washington Department of Ecology news release said.HORIZON TACOMAA repair crew boarded the ship at 7 a.m. Wednesday and decided a tow was needed. The Hunter, a state-funded emergency response tug, plus another escort tug, the Garth Foss, responded to take the ship to Tacoma. The tugs and container ship were expected to pass west of Seattle mid-afternoon Wednesday. Owned by Horizon Lines, the Horizon Tacoma was sailing from Dutch Harbor in Alaska.

Army Requests New Combat Vehicle

2010-03-03T17:51:00.003-06:00

The Army released a request for proposal for the Ground Combat Vehicle -- marking an official start for defense contractors to begin competing for the right to build the service's next combat vehicle. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli said the new vehicle will not be simply a rehash of the cancelled Future Combat Systems, but a relevant combat vehicle based on Army experiences in combat. "This is a vehicle here that takes into account the lessons of eight years of war. It is not just FCS warmed over," said Chiarelli, during a video teleconference, Feb. 25, with attendees at the Association of the United States Army's Institute of Land Warfare Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The general said key performance parameters for the vehicle include, among other things, full-spectrum capability, net-readiness, and mobility. It should have the operational mobility of the Stryker and underbelly protection of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP, according to the Brigade Combat Team Modernization Plan released Feb. 19. Chiarelli said the Army is hoping for "three solid proposals" on the RFP -- those proposals must be in by April 26. The Army will then award technology development contracts to bidders in September -- marking milestone A in the GCV development process. Contract awardees will then enter the technology development phase that runs through December 2012. Ultimately, Chiarelli said, the Army expects to award a low-rate initial production contract for the GCV by March 2016, and achieve initial operational capability in the second quarter of 2019. Chiarelli said adaptability to the operational environment is key for the GCV. "It will allow commanders to make a determination on what level of protection they need on that vehicle based on the enemy situation they find themselves in," he said. Chiarelli also discussed the nature of America's enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan, countering claims they are less than capable adversaries."They are truly formidable adversaries," Chiarelli said. "But because they are not state-sponsored, many dismiss them as not being worthy opponents. There are those, and I'd argue too many, who somehow think because they are terrorists, they are not as capable opponents as we have fought in past conflicts." The general also pointed out the enemy's adeptness at passing information to its lowest foot soldiers. "The enemy is very, very good," Chiarelli said. "In fact, he has done a much better job, in some instances, in pushing information down to the tactical edge -- his tactical edge. He doesn't have the same security requirements that we do, in doing that. But he has been more than willing to push that information down, using technology." The enemy's lack of information security, however, is a weakness that can be exploited by the Army, Chiarelli said. "The fact that he lacks some of that security has in many ways allowed us to track him down," he said. "We end up catching or killing many of his fighters as a result. But he is willing to accept those losses." The general also said the way the Army has operated has changed, as Soldiers at the farthest reaches of the battlefield are today providing as much information upstream to commanders as commanders are pushing information downstream. The change has resulted in a need to move decision-making responsibility closer to the Soldier. "I believed you had a period (in the past) when decision making basically flowed from the top on down," he said. "Orders were given to the different levels of the chain of command. Today, we see as much information being passed up, from the edge, as we see being passed down from above. Whereas before we had decision making, very strict decision making, today, we have commanders who provide intent to Soldiers that are down on the edge." Facilitating the faster, more secure flow of information is something Chiarelli said the Army is working on by developing its information network, including the "Everything over Internet Protocol" concept.

Freak Wave Hits Cruise Ship

2010-03-03T17:44:00.002-06:00

A massive wave rocked a cruise ship carrying almost 2,000 people in the Mediterranean, Wednesday, March 2, leaving two dead and 14 injured, Spain's maritime rescue service reports. The freak wave "smashed windows in the lounge area" of the Louis Majesty," the service reported. The accident occurred Wednesday off the coast of Spain's north-eastern Catalonia region. The cruise ship was on its way to Italy where it was scheduled to dock at a Genoa port.After the wave, reported to be 26 feet high, hit the vessel, the captain rerouted the ship to the Barcelona, Spain, where the injured passengers were brought to a local hospital. A 62-year-old woman suffered breaks in both legs and was listed in serious condition Wednesday night. According to ship employees, one of the passengers killed was from Italy and the other from Greece. Both names are being withheld until families are notified of the accident. There were 1,930 people on board the ship, including passengers and the captain. The Louis Majesty has 732 cabins.

Australian Navy Intercepts Asylum Seeker Boat

2010-03-01T00:04:00.001-06:00

The 17th asylum seeker boat to arrive in Australian waters this year has been intercepted near Christmas Island off the coast of north-west Australia.HMAS Wollongong (ACPB 92)A statement from Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said the boat was intercepted by HMAS Wollongong last night, 13 nautical miles away from Christmas Island. Fifty-seven people are on board the boat. They are now being taken to Christmas Island for health and security checks.

Britain Says Warship Contacts Argentine Ship Near Falklands

2010-03-01T00:03:00.000-06:00

Britain said Friday a Navy warship came into contact with an Argentine vessel last month not far from the territorial waters of the Falkland Islands. But defence officials insisted there was "friendly dialogue by radio" between the ships, amid a growing sovereignty row with Buenos Aires over the islands which are ruled by Britain but claimed by Argentina. Britain's Ministry of Defence also declined to comment on a report in the Sun newspaper that a submarine had been sent to the Falklands, but added it was not increasing its forces in the area. "We can confirm that on 28 January this year during rough weather and at night, HMS York and an Argentine ship were operating in the same locality," said a ministry statement. The incident happened in international waters around 50 miles from the territorial waters of the Falklands, known as the Islas Malvinas in Spanish, said the ministry. "After a friendly dialogue by radio they each continued with their own exercises," said the statement. The Falklands are at the centre of a dispute between London and Buenos Aires after three British oil companies announced drilling plans off the islands, over which Argentina and Britain fought a short war in 1982. The Sun newspaper reported the York monitored the progress of the Argentine warship ARA Drummond before radioing the vessel to change course. The paper said the ship had entered a so-called conservation zone, the area where Britain is carrying out oil exploration.HMS York (D98)The Ministry of Defence would not comment on a report in the Sun that a submarine had been dispatched to the islands, but said forces in the Falklands had not been increased. "We do not comment on (British) submarines," said the ministry. "Our force structure remains unchanged and is being maintained at routine levels," it added. In Caracas, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday said that if the submarine report was true, then "there is a real threat of the use of military force from the old worm-eaten English empire. "If it is true," Chavez said at a press conference, "this is ridiculous." Chavez reiterated his support for Argentina over the Falklands controversy. "There is no reason that justifies the United Kingdom maintaining its colonial domination over the Malvinas islands," he said. Latin American and Caribbean leaders meeting in the Mexican resort of Cancun on Tuesday called for fresh talks on the sovereignty of the Falklands Islands. Drilling off the Falklands aims to determine the oil potential of the British waters, with estimates they could be home to somewhere between 13 and 60 billion barrels of oil. British oil exploration firm Desire Petroleum this week started drilling in waters off the Falklands, which are located 450 kilometers (280 miles) off the Argentine coast. Argentine troops staged a surprise landing on the Falkland Islands to assert their claim to the territory on April 2, 1982, prompting a 74-day, bloody war with Britain in which 649 Argentine troops and 255 British soldiers died.ARA Drummond

Academy Women To Become 1st Submariners

2010-02-28T00:03:00.000-06:00

Female Sailors will begin serving on submarines by the end of next year, with Naval Academy graduates leading the way, Navy leaders told a Senate committee. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Navy is in a good position to move forward with integrating women onto submarines. "We think we learned a lot about integrating women in the services years ago, and those lessons are relevant today," Mabus said. Those lessons, he said, include having a "critical mass" of female candidates, having senior women to serve as mentors, and having submarines that don't require modifications: the SSBN ballistic missile and SSGN guided-missile subs. Finally, Mabus said, "We have the lesson learned to make sure any questions are answered, ... and we're very open and transparent on how we'll do this. We think this is a great idea that will enhance our warfighting capabilities." Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates notified Congress on Feb. 19 of the intended change to Navy policy. Mabus had pushed for the change since taking office in May. Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, endorsed the change, saying in a statement released in September that his experience commanding a mixed-gender surface-combatant ship makes him "very comfortable" integrating women into the submarine force.The Navy changed its policy to allow women to serve on combatant ships in 1993. "We have a great plan, and we're ready to go for the first women to come aboard in late 2011," Roughead told the Senate committee yesterday. In a prepared statement to the committee, he said the change would enable the submarine force "to leverage the tremendous talent and potential of our female officers and enlisted personnel." Besides the incoming officers from the academy, the first women submariners will include female supply corps officers at the department head level, Roughead said. The change will be phased in over time to include enlisted female Sailors on the SSBN and SSGNs, he said. Women will be added to the Navy's SSN fast-attack submarines after necessary modifications can be determined, he said. "This initiative has my personal attention, and I will continue to keep you informed as we integrate these highly motivated and capable officers into our submarine force," Roughead told the committee.

Cruise Ship Slams Into Resort Docks, Killing 3

2010-02-27T23:26:00.003-06:00

A luxury cruise liner carrying nearly 1,500 passengers slammed into the pier as it docked Friday at an Egyptian Red Sea resort in fierce winds, leaving three crew members dead, officials said. The ship's owner, Costa Crociera, said the vessel sprung a leak on the right side after banging into the dock at about 4:45 a.m. "We sadly have to confirm the deaths of 3 crew members," the company said in a statement. "The ship is now safely docked in port." Other passengers were being put up in hotels and arrangements were being made to return them to their home countries, according to the company. Witnesses said fierce winds had rocked the area overnight and the ship was slammed part way onto the pier. Bad weather was believed to be the cause of the collision, which left a 2 meter hole in the body of the ship, according to an Egyptian security official.The Costa Europa ship had been on an 18-day cruise from Dubai to Savona and had 1,437 guests on board, Italy. Police and rescue officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information, said the three killed include an Indian, a Brazilian and a Honduran, but the company did not confirm nationalities. Mohammed Fayez, head of South Sinai ambulance services, said the bodies were still being removed from the ship. The vessel had arrived in Sharm el-Sheik from another Red Sea port in Safaga, local officials said. The 55-ton ship, which was built in 1986, was restored and entered into service with Costa in 2002, the company said. It's one of 16 cruise ships belonging to the Genoa, Italy-based Costa Crociera line, the Italian subsidiary of Carnival Corp.

60 Passengers Rescued From Sinking Boat

2010-02-22T00:03:00.000-06:00

About 60 passengers on a boat, Gitanjali, going from Mumbai to Mora in Raigad had a miraculous escape on Sunday. Deputy commissioner of police (ports) Madhukar Kohe said, "This boat had taken passengers from Mumbai and was headed to Mora. Somewhere near Butcher Island, the vessel hit the wreckage of a ship which had capsized years ago, making a big hole in the boat. Water started gushing in, scaring the passengers. Most of them were picnickers."The boat crew informed the police control and the marine wing of the Mumbai police. "Soon after getting the call at 10.30 am, we diverted five of our patrol vessels to save the sinking boat. Our men instilled confidence in the boat's crew and passengers. Another passenger boat was organised and we shifted the passengers in them," said Kohe. Gitanjali was then taken for repairs. The DCP said that the Mumbai Port Trust should have removed the wreckage long ago, which is now posing danger to other vessels.

Pirates Attempt To Take Over Japanese Cargo Ship Foiled

2010-02-21T09:00:00.003-06:00

The Turkish naval force operating within the international force to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden has foiled pirates attempt to take over a Japanese cargo ship off the Somali coast. The leadership of the Turkish army said in a statement today that the Turkish frigate (Gemlik) yesterday intercepted a boat with seven armed men who were about to attack a Japanese cargo ship while sailing in the waters of the Gulf after transiting the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.TCG Gemlik F-492The statement added that the frigate sent a special task force to the aid of the Japanese ship after it fired a distress call near the Somali coast, adding that the frogs unit had spotted the gunmen's boat and immediately intercepted it and arrested those who were on board. The statement said that the detainees will be handed over to the international naval force command deployed in the territorial waters of Somalia after investigation. According to the statement, the Turkish naval force last week foiled a similar attempt to take over a cargo ship flying the flag of Panama in the Gulf of Aden and forced the pirates to flee under a hail of fire.

Canadian Tall Ship Sinks In The South Atlantic

2010-02-20T09:36:00.004-06:00

A floating classroom with 64 people on-board has sunk off the coast of Brazil, but officials say everyone was rescued. The SV Concordia tall ship, which has educated 20 Bermudians in it's Class Afloat programme since 2000, was 300 miles off the coast of Rio de Janeiro when it hit bad weather. A press release on the boat's owners, the West Island College, of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, says they were contacted at 8 a.m. on Thursday by Brazilian authorities about a distress signal. And yesterday around 6.30 a.m. all 64 people, including 48 high school and college students were rescued from the rafts by merchant vessels in the area. The first Bermudian to sail on the SV Concordia, Ruth O'Kelly-Lynch, said she was shocked by the sinking and defended the boat's safety record. She said: "I was truly devastated when I heard early this morning that the Concordia had sunk. Since then I have been in touch with alumni in Canada the US and Europe. "I spent a year sailing the world on her and was the first Bermudian to go to class afloat, since then approximately 20 others have sailed her. S.V. ConcordiaThe year I spent aboard was the most important year of my life and shaped who I am now. "While we do not yet know what happened aboard I think it is important for people realise the fact that 64 people survived a capsized ship and 18 hours in a life raft is a testament to the programme's safety precautions. While aboard I sailed around cape horn the worst sailing route in the world. "We went through so many drills that I still remember my jobs and where I was expected to go nine years latter. The fact that everyone is unharmed today illustrates that the Concordia still holds safety first as paramount." The 190-foot SV Concordia had been en route between Recife, Brazil and Montevideo, Uruguay as part of a 10-month voyage. It was expected to reach Uruguay on Thursday. Reports from the Brazilian navy said they were told by the Concordia crew that their ship capsized in rough and high seas. The school, however, said it didn't know the status of its vessel, which was on it's 25th Anniversary sail and was scheduled to stop in Bermuda in June.

Cargo Ship Loses Container Overboard

2010-02-08T00:03:00.001-06:00

the A container that may have held several tonnes of hazardous material slipped off the deck of a Finnish-owned ship and into the Baltic Sea on Saturday morning. The incident occurred near the southern coast of the Swedish island Gotland. The ship’s owner Langh Ship Oy said three containers fell overboard after one container on deck collapsed under the weight of three others. According to the ship's cargo declaration, one of the containers held several tonnes of material used in the chemical and plastic industries. However Sigurjon Markusson, the managing director of sea carrier Containership which had leased the ship, said the cargo that fell into sea was not hazardous to the environment. The Swedish Coastguard is planning to search the area for the container.Cargo ship Linda in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Gotland.Niklas Guseff of the Maritime rescue co-ordination centre (MRCC) in Turku said the ship's crew contacted the centre following the incident. He added that such accidents are rare. Guseff said it’s difficult to say what happened to the container. However it could cause damage to the environment if it begins to leak. Guseff added that the Finnish Maritime Administration is working together with Swedish officials on the matter. The captain of the ship Jouko Blomqvist said the load had been secured according to regulations. ”This has never happened to before. We were quite shocked that this was even possible,” he said. The vessel was en route from Rotterdam to St. Petersburg when the accident occurred.

Danish Special Forces Storm Ship, Free Crew

2010-02-08T00:02:00.000-06:00

Danish special forces stormed a ship captured by armed Somali pirates Friday and freed the 25 crew on board, an EU naval spokesman said, marking the first time a warship has intervened during a hijacking. After the vessel Ariella sent out a distress signal early Friday, the Danish warship Absalon sent a helicopter to confirm the presence of pirates, and communicated with the crew to ensure they were in a safe location, said Cmdr. John Harbour, spokesman for the European Union Naval Force. Then Danish special forces aboard the Absalon approached the Ariella in inflatable dinghies. The forces scaled the side of the ship and freed the 25 crew, who had locked themselves in a secure room, Harbour said. The forces continued to search the vessel for the pirates. Harbour praised the NATO forces for their fast reaction and coordination with other forces in the area. "There's been many instances where there's been excellent cooperation and three, four or even five nations have helped deter a pirate attack," he said. But, he added: "This is the first where a warship has been able to send forces to stop a hijacking while it was in progress."HDMS Absalon (L16)Warships typically do not intervene in hijackings because of the danger that crews may be hit by crossfire. Forces were able to intervene in this case because the ship had registered with naval authorities, was traveling along a recommended transit corridor and was part of a group transit, ensuring the ships had a helicopter within 30 minutes' reaction time, Harbour said. Denmark rarely releases information on operations carried out by its elite forces, but the storming of the ship may have been carried out by the country's elite Frogman Corps, which were part of a NATO deployment. "There is an operation going on down there and we're involved. It is still going on right now," Pernielle Kroer, spokeswoman for the Danish Navy told reporters.Vessel AriellaThe Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Ariella sent out a distress signal early Friday that was picked up by the Indian warship Tbar in the Gulf of Aden. The Indians relayed the signal to a French plane overhead, which spotted a group of armed pirates on the deck. Then the Danish troops were notified. Other EU and American forces have intervened in pirate hostage situations, but not during the hijacking itself. French commandos stormed a yacht last April with five hostages on board but one, skipper Florent Lemacon, was killed during the operation. American snipers also shot dead three pirates in April 2009 holding an American captain hostage on board a lifeboat after the crew of the Maersk Alabama had persuaded the pirates to leave the main ship. Details on the nationalities of the crew on board the Arielle and its cargo were not immediately released. Somali pirates have seized three ships this year and hold a total of nine vessels and more than 180 crew. Piracy is one of the few ways to make money in Somalia, an arid, impoverished land torn apart by civil war. The government does not hold its own capital and can't send forces to counter the flourishing pirate bases that dot its 1,900-mile (3,100-kilometer)-long coastline.

Bob Barker Rams Japanese Ship

2010-02-07T10:49:00.004-06:00

Hostilities broke out between Japanese whalers and terrorist group Sea Shepherd in the Antarctic yesterday, where the two sides collided in their first meeting since the sinking of the Ady Gil. The Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker collided with the stern of the whale chaser Yushin Maru No. 3, leaving a metre-long gash in the side of the terrorists' vessel, the group's leader, Paul Watson, said last night. He said the Bob Barker had been in close pursuit of the whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru but was being circled by four other vessels of the fleet. Despite the damage, the 1200- tonne Bob Barker was keeping up its pursuit of the Nisshin Maru, which was headed towards the coast of the Australian Antarctic Territory, about 200 kilometres east of Australia's Mawson station. Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research said the Bob Barker kept approaching dangerously close to the stern of the Nisshin Maru, and its fleet was ''making efforts to shake off the Bob Barker''. Sea Shepherd terrorists repeatedly fired a high-powered laser device against Nisshin Maru crew, the institute said in a statement. Sea Shepherd said the whalers were using water cannon and acoustic devices against them. A spokesman for Environment Minister Peter Garrett repeated calls for restraint by all parties. ''The Southern Ocean is a dangerous and inhospitable part of the world,'' he said. The collision happened hours after the Bob Barker's crew sighted the Nisshin Maru, which Sea Shepherd had tried to locate after the sinking of the Ady Gil, south of Tasmania, a month ago. The 16-tonne fast trimaran sank after a collision with the fleet's security ship, Shonan Maru No. 2, endangering the lives of six crew. The activists found the fleet again off Cape Darnley, about 5000 kilometres south-west of Perth. Rich in marine life, the waters around this cape are inside an Australian whale sanctuary not recognised by Japan. The Institute of Cetacean Research said the Nisshin Maru had been drifting overnight in preparation for the next morning's ''research'' when it was attacked by the Bob Barker. The Australian Customs and Fisheries patrol ship Oceanic Viking is believed to be in the region. Captain Watson, who is on the way to the scene aboard the Steve Irwin, said he was confident the Bob Barker was capable of holding its own against the chaser ships. ''I don't see how we can lose them now,'' he said. ''And if we can stay on their tail, we will stop them whaling for a month or more.''

Construction Begins On Fire Training Ship

2010-02-04T00:03:00.000-06:00

Construction began Wednesday on a $3.71 million simulator at Florida State College at Jacksonville that will help train firefighters to combat ship blazes. The building of the “burn ship” follows the completion of the more than $1 million remodeling of Fire Academy of the South’s 13,600-square-foot classroom and administrative building in December. The school at the college’s south campus provides basic training and continuing education for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, other public entities and the private sector.The 90-foot, four-level ship will be used to train firefighters how to combat three different types of fires, including a boiler room fire, said Sheldon Reed, Fire Academy of the South executive director. Preparing for ship blazes makes sense since the Port of Jacksonville is growing and Carnival Lines’ Fascination is back in service, he said. Reed said there might be further training opportunities when the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier comes to Naval Station. The school, which has trained BP and Hess Corp. refinery workers, trains about 90 percent of Jacksonville’s firefighters annually.

Blind Soldier Assumes Command Of Warrior Transition Unit

2010-02-03T00:03:00.001-06:00

Soldier, Infantryman, Airborne Ranger, combat diver, mountain climber, skier, triathlete, surfer, husband and father are just a few words to describe Capt. Scotty Smiley. Now, add company commander to his resume as he became the first blind officer to assume command of a Warrior Transition Unit. He became only the second wounded warrior to assume command of a WTU. During Smiley's last deployment to Iraq in 2005, he was wounded, permanently losing his vision. After receiving medical attention, Smiley was transferred to the Fort Lewis, Wash., WTU. There he began his recovery and his journey to get back to active-duty status. The 2003 West Point graduate wanted to get back to doing what he loved and that was serving his country in uniform. Smiley attributes his strength and drive during his recovery to his family, faith and friends. "It was my wife, my family and friends who were in my hospital room singing songs and reading the Bible that gave me the strength during my recovery," he said. "It was all of this which allowed me to put one foot in front of the other and has allowed me to accomplish everything that I have done to get to where I am today." "The decisions that Lieutenant Dan made after his injuries never came into my mind. I wanted to take care of myself--physically, mentally and spiritually," he said. "I just did not want to give up because of something that negatively happened to me." He dreamed to return back to active duty, but he knew it was going to be a long and strenuous path. However, it was not anything Smiley was willing to give up on. "There were some very long dark days, physically and mentally, but I just had to keep pushing on," Smiley said. He transitioned back to active duty, working at the U.S. Army Accessions Command at Fort Monroe, Va. After being there for some time, Smiley's commander told him he had been selected to go to grad school. "I thought he was kidding me. I was absolutely shocked," he explained. "Then they are going to let me go teach--that was awesome," Smiley said with a smile stretching from ear to ear. He attended Duke University where he received his master's of business administration. While Smiley was in school, he also cultivated a friendship that had begun during the summer of 2007 with legendary Duke University basketball coach and fellow West Point graduate, Mike Krzyzewski, Class of 1969, before the men's basketball world championships and Olympics. "When my brigade commander, who was (then a) colonel and is now Brigadier General Brown, asked if I would be interested in speaking to the team, I was taken aback. 'Are you sure you know who you are talking to? Why would the national basketball team want me to talk to them?'" Smiley said.Capt. Scotty Smiley"The first time I met him, he spoke to the Olympic team in Las Vegas. We were trying to teach the team about selfless service," Krzyzewski said. "They not only heard what Scott had to say, but they truly felt what he had to say." "When I think of Scotty, I think of ultimate service, especially selfless service," he added. When Smiley realized why Coach K wanted him to come speak to the team, it made sense to him. "Coach Krzyzewski went and coached here, he understands what sacrifice is all about," Smiley said. After completing his master's degree, Smiley returned to where it started during the summer of 1999, although in a very different capacity. Over the past six months, Smiley has been an instructor in the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department, teaching a leadership course to third-year cadets. "His endurable spirit and character are traits that the cadets can just relate to," said Lt. Col. Eric Kail, a BS&L instructor. "He has overcome so much through his attitude and desire to excel in life. Scott is a great teacher." Even though Smiley will not be physically teaching in the classroom for the duration of his tour as WTU commander, he will be leading by example as he begins this new chapter of his life. Smiley's former commander while at USAAC and present U.S. Army Chief of Engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, shared his thoughts on this occasion. "Scott brings a whole new dimension to Soldiering and leadership. When you are around him, you can't help but want to do your best--without complaining--because he gives his best everyday," said Van Antwerp, class of 1972. About Smiley being the second wounded warrior to hold a command position, Van Antwerp said, "Scotty will be a great commander. He will lead from the front like he has always done. I am proud of him and proud of our Army for giving him this opportunity." Others like Krzyzewski seconded that notion. "He may not have the eyes to see, but he sees more things than most leaders could ever see," Krzyzewski said. "His ability to translate that to his unit and the people he has (under his command), he will have the ability to touch many and they will be impacted tremendously." Smiley now takes command of a company that he himself understands. "I know what they are going through. I understand the dynamics of the company, how it works and areas of concern that need to be improved," Smiley said. With only 50 percent of his command on West Point grounds, Smiley will travel from the rocky shorelines of Maine to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania to ensure his troops are being taken care of and doing what they need to do to get better. "It is now my responsibility to inspire them and to continue to help them get the job done," Smiley said. With his goals set and with a firm personal understanding of his present and future troops, the new company commander begins his tour, leading from the front like he always has. The Army Times 2007 Soldier of the Year looked at what had happened to him and made the decision that he was not going down the same path as the character Gary Sinise played in the 1994 movie Forrest Gump.

Marksmanship Program Could Go Armywide

2010-01-28T00:03:00.000-06:00

An advanced rifle marksmanship concept developed at Fort Benning based on "lessons learned" in Iraq and Afghanistan might be instituted across all Army training centers later this year, officials said. Col. Terry Sellers, operations officer for the Maneuver Center of Excellence, said Combat Familiarization Fire, or ARM 6, has not been formally added to the Army program of instruction, but that could happen around May as part of an overall POI review. New lesson plans are being drafted for the marksmanship field manual to include the CFF version standardized here. "Some leaders have been taking different variations of this initiative and philosophy to operational units elsewhere for the past year-and-a-half," he said. "The goal is to make it one standard for all the training centers ... A lot of people want to help make the strategy better, but we're making sure the formal lesson plans match what's being done." CFF is the culmination of a Soldier's marksmanship training from basic to advanced, said Capt. Ron Reed, the 198th Infantry Brigade's operations officer. For about a year, it's been taught to infantry Soldiers in one-station unit training and basic training with the 198th and 192nd Infantry brigades. "It was implemented in response to lessons learned in theater," Reed said. "It's intended to give a realistic experience for a Soldier deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan ... (Soldiers) learn the fundamentals and apply them. They are thinking about their next firing position, how many rounds they have to fire and time management under the stress factor of a full-combat load. Plus, the training factors in the weapon malfunction." Within the program, Soldiers fire from behind barriers at pop-up targets 50 to 300 meters away, Reed said. They have 30 rounds, and a dummy round is inserted into each of the three magazines to simulate a malfunction. Shooters must hit 16 of 26 targets.In normal rifle qualification, Soldiers fire from a known distance in various predetermined positions. During CFF, they qualify in full combat gear using the barriers to move to and from different points. The Soldiers also choose the position - prone, kneeling, sitting or standing - they want to fire from based on where the target appears. Before CFF's inception, basic trainees and infantry OSUT Soldiers were not exposed to advanced rifle marksmanship, said Staff Sgt. Adolfo Adame, a drill sergeant with D Company, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment, which recently completed the training. They only had to go through M-4 qualifications. "This style is much better because it's what they'll see in an urban environment like Afghanistan or Iraq," Adame said. "It's going to take more than one round to take down an individual that's coming at them or shooting at them ... Now, you got a thinking Soldier on the ground who understands, 'I need some kind of cover to engage the enemy and not just stand out in the open and get hit.'" Pvt. Brian Jackson of D Company said CFF was beneficial as he learned about the firing tactics used in combat. "The drill sergeants are giving us a lot of knowledge about their experiences overseas. What we're doing here is what it's like ... so I feel I'll be prepared when I leave," he said. "The other firing experiences we had were getting us used to the weapons. Here, you're actually having to take cover and pop up, with targets coming back up after firing." Sellers said CFF emphasizes improvisation while building agile, adaptable, flexible Soldiers. The strategy speeds their development ahead of a combat deployment by mixing complexities with existing standards, he said. "We got feedback from the field in Iraq and Afghanistan that the training centers needed to do a better job training Soldiers so they can integrate immediately upon arrival and have some idea of what they'll see in a combat environment," Sellers said. "We're now getting benefits from the confidence and competence of these kids being able to use their weapons more effectively."

Cargo Ship Loses Containers Off Key West

2010-01-27T19:25:00.003-06:00

The U.S. Coast Guard is warning vessels of an unseen navigational hazard about 30 miles south of Key West. The area is where a cargo ship lost approximately 30 containers when its load shifted while at sea on Monday.Seaboard's "Intrepid" was brought to the Port of Miami for repairs with the rest of the containers teetering precariously on the ship's deck.

11 Evacuated From Stricken Russian Ship

2010-01-24T00:03:00.000-06:00

Rescuers evacuated 11 people by helicopter yesterday morning from a Russian cargo vessel stranded in icy waters off the coast of eastern Russia, an official said. Russian officials say the evacuees have been flown on a privately owned helicopter to the town of Nogliki on nearby Sakhalin Island, which lies to the north of Japan. The Smolninsky refrigerated ship was battered by heavy winds on Friday, freezing it over and causing the vessel to list dangerously to its port side in the Sea of Okhotsk, which separates Russia's Kamchatka peninsula from the mainland.The Sakhalin rescue center's spokesman, Nikolai Ivanov, said the Smolninsky still has 20 crew members on board and is making slow progress to safer waters closer to the shore, some 55 kilometers away, in the hope of saving the vessel. The Smolninsky collects fresh fish from local boats and delivers the catch to local ports, cleaning, processing and canning en route. Ivanov said he had no information about whether the evacuees were fisheries workers or crew members. An icebreaker is sailing in the vicinity of the Smolninsky to ensure the safety of the crew.

Collision Causes Oil Spill At Texas Port

2010-01-23T15:13:00.003-06:00

Roughly 450,000 gallons of crude oil spilled at the Port of Port Arthur when a 600-foot tanker collided with a towing vessel pushing a loaded barge, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The collision occurred on Saturday, leaving part of the port closed but no reported injuries.A 15-by-8-foot hole was left in the tanker, the Coast Guard said. A portion of the oil in the damaged tank was moved to another holding tank on the ship to prevent more oil from spilling, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Renee Aiello told reporters. The towing vessel ricocheted and hit another tanker was was tied to a pier.

98-Foot Ship Runs Aground In Manatee County

2010-01-23T14:49:00.003-06:00

The Coast Guard rescued seven people early this morning from a 98-foot commercial vessel that ran aground in Longboat Pass. No one was injured in the incident. At 3 a.m., Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Operations Center received a report from Winston Knauss, the captain and owner of the Sir Winston.According to a release: Kanuss told the Coast Guard that the vessel was taking on water. Because of the dense fog conditions, a tow boat could not be deployed, so the Coast Guard's Station Cortez sent a 25-foot response boat out to the Sir Winston. The rescue boat arrived on scene at 3:38 a.m., and its crew was able to safely transfer the thee women and four men off the grounded vessel and back to Coast Guard Station Cortez. The Coast Guard is currently assessing the condition of the Sir WInston with a marine inspection and investigation team. No pollution has yet been reported as a result of the grounding.

First Woman Becomes Provost Marshal

2010-01-20T17:45:00.003-06:00

Brig. Gen. Colleen L. McGuire assumed responsibility as the first woman provost marshal general of the Army and also took command of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command in a ceremony at Fort Belvoir. McGuire succeeds Brig. Gen. Rodney L. Johnson, who is retiring after 33 years of service. She assumes the Army's top law-enforcement position after serving since March as head of the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force. McGuire is the 10th commander of CID since it was first established as a major command Sept. 17, 1971, and the 13th provost marshal general of the Army since 1941. She is the first woman in both positions. Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli hosted the ceremony at Well's Field House on Fort Belvoir and during his remarks noted how the Army's military law-enforcement team contributes to the Army mission, in theater and worldwide. "You [Army law enforcement] should be incredibly proud of all that you have accomplished on behalf of your Army and our Nation," Chiarelli said. "You have a significant and lasting impact. However, much work remains to be done. And, I absolutely believe Brigadier General Colleen McGuire is the right person to lead you in the challenging days ahead. She is a proven, gifted leader - both in garrison and combat." McGuire most recently served for about two years as the director, Senior Leader Development Office, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army, while also leading the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force established 10 months ago. She assumes command of CID as the organization enters its 39th year as the Army's premier investigative agency for felony-level crime. "I am honored to be given this privilege to command and lead," McGuire said. "The greatest honor for any Solider is to command the sons and daughters of America. It is a particular honor for me, a military police officer, to command at this level in a time of war." Following the change-of-command ceremony, McGuire took the oath to assume responsibilities as the Army's provost marshal general. The position was first established in 1776 during the Revolutionary War, but was abolished after the war. During its long history, it was usually established during major combat, but discontinued shortly after the conflict was over. In line with history, the secretary of the Army at the time, Thomas White, approved the re-establishment of the office, effective Sept. 26, 2003, during the Global War on Terrorism. McGuire concluded her comments with a reminder to all that the work of the Army's law-enforcement team is never done.Brig. Gen. Colleen McGuire accepts the organizational colors from Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, symbolizing her assumption of command of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command."We are truly an expeditionary force," she said. "Our military police, criminal investigators, corrections experts, civilian police and support team need to maintain their edge under conditions of uncertainty and change regardless of the operational environment. To do that, we need to be, and will remain grounded and pure in our doctrine, our organizations, our training and our operations." McGuire is a 1979 graduate of the University of Montana where she was commissioned in the Military Police Corps. During nearly 30 years of active service, she has been assigned in key command and staff billets from platoon level to the Army staff. Her initial assignment was to Germany where she served as a platoon leader, company executive officer, and battalion logistics officer with the 709th Military Police Battalion. In March 1989 she began her first of multiple tours in the Washington, D.C. area when she was assigned as a staff officer in the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, Pentagon, and later, as the Battalion operations officer, Law Enforcement Battalion, Fort Belvoir. In 1998, McGuire assumed command of the 705th Military Police Battalion, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Following battalion command and senior service college, she returned in 2002 to Fort Leavenworth and served as brigade commander at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, followed by a tour as the assistant commandant, U.S. Army Military Police School. Following her tour at the Military Police School, McGuire served an 18-month deployment as the provost marshal of Multi-National Corps-Iraq. Her most recent tour in Washington began with service as the chief, Colonels Management Office, Senior Leader Development, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army. McGuire's deployment experience also includes service as the public affairs officer for Joint Task Force-Somalia. McGuire is a graduate of the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, the Public Affairs Officer Course, and the Army War College. She holds a master's degree in Military Arts and Science from the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and a master's degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. McGuire's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with two oak-leaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak-leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak-leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak-leaf clusters, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Senior Parachutist's Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

Towboat Strikes I-155 Caruthersville Bridge

2010-01-19T00:03:00.000-06:00

A towboat traveling on the Mississippi River struck the I-155 Caruthersville Bridge around 4:45 p.m. between Dyersburg and Caruthersville, Mo. The boat was towing 20 barges filled with grain and the impact caused all of them to become adrift down the river. Petty Officer Sneller of the United States Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River said there were no reported injuries and all of the barges were retrieved after the incident. The barges' cargo did not pose an environmental hazard since they only contained grain. River traffic was shutdown, but was reopened around 6:30 p.m.After the accident, the Tennessee Department of Transportation closed traffic traveling over the bridge while it was inspected for structural damage. The bridge was reopened just after 8:30 p.m. The Tennessee Highway Patrol, Dyersburg Police Department, Dyer County Sheriff's Department, Dyer County Rescue Squad and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency all responded to the situation. Sneller said there would be an investigation by the USCG to determine the cause of the accident. Also, the boat, barges and cargo would be inspected. The capabilities of the crew will also be examined.

CG Ice Breaking Ops All Wrapped Up

2010-01-18T00:03:00.000-06:00

Ninth Coast Guard District cutters concluded a busy week of ice breaking operations on the Great Lakes, with a majority of this week's operations occurring on the Lake St. Clair River system. A combination of five U.S. Coast Guard cutters broke paths for nearly 20 commercial vessels in the Lake St. Clair River system, which includes Lake St. Clair and the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers. All of the cutters opened channels and ensured the delivery of critical supplies of food and heating oil. This week, Jan. 11-15, 2010, the Coast Guard facilitated approximately $80 million in commerce vital to the Great Lakes economy. In particular, Coast Guard cutters on Jan. 12, 2010, assisted freighters carrying 300,000 tons of cargo with an estimated value of $20 million. "The ice choked up the St. Clair River this year much sooner than usual, and we recommended that shippers not transit without a Coast Guard escort," said Lt. Cmdr. Brian Donahue, Chief of Domestic Ice Breaking, Ninth Coast Guard District. "At the end of the day, it's all about getting people their product there safely."Stern view of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Neah Bay as it breaks a path through the ice.U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Neah Bay, homeported in Cleveland; Penobscot Bay, homeported in Bayonne, N.J., but temporarily homeported here for the winter; Hollyhock, homeported in Port Huron, Mich.; the Bristol Bay, homeported in Detroit, and the Mackinaw, homeported in Cheboygan, Mich., coordinated operations to create navigable tracks for commercial vessels to transit. The commercial vessels then transited one after another in an order determined by each vessel's horsepower. All five cutters were underway in support of Operation Coal Shovel, which encompasses southern Lake Huron, St. Clair/Detroit River systems and Lakes Erie and Ontario, including the St. Lawrence Seaway. Operation Taconite, the other ice breaking mission on the Great Lakes, encompasses Lake Superior, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac, Lake Michigan and northern Lake Huron. The Coast Guard Cutters Katmai Bay and Biscayne Bay, under Operation Taconite, assisted the towing vessel Algocanada, while the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon assisted the Neebish Island Ferry. Operations Coal Shovel and Taconite are based on the statutory authorities of 14 USC 2, 14 USC 88 and 14 USC 141. Both direct ice breaking resources to the highest priority areas and missions based on the most current ice conditions.