Bulk carrier Sam Lion (IMO 9620164) underwent emergency repairs at the hands of the port staff of Ceuta, North Africa, after early in July the ship suffered damage to the port side area of tank number two, cracks on both port and starboard sides of tanks numbers 3, 4 and 5, and damage to the cofferdams. It was expected that the repairs would be finished on July 6. Port captain Jesús Fernández Lera said that the ship was completely safe. When she reaches her destination she will unload her cargo of 40,000 tons of cement and then enter a shipyard to undergo more permanent repairs. As of July 10th, the vessel was still moored in Ceuta. 2012-built, Liberia-flagged, 31,760 gt Sam Lion is owned by Sam Lion Inc care of Shipping Asset Management of Geneva, Switzerland. It is entered with Steamship (Smuab) (European syndicate) on behalf of SPV Sam Lion Inc.
An accident with a crane on general cargo ship Sfax (IMO 9442213) occurred during the morning of July 5th at Elefsina Port, Greece during a transhipment of wheat cargo from general cargo ship New Gemini (IMO 9523756) onto the Sfax. The crane was damaged, the grab dropped and railings on New Gemini were dented. No one was injured. The Elefsina Central Port Authority launched a preliminary investigation and detained both ships until repairs were carried out an class surveys conducted.
2008-built, Malta-flagged, 2,994 gt New Gemini is owned by new Galaxy Shipmanagement care of manager SC Prestige Ltd (OOO ‘Prestizh’) of Odesskaya oblast, Ukraine. It is entered with Skuld (business unit Skuld Oslo 1) on behalf of MB Shipping Ltd.
2007-built, Tunisia-flagged, 4,258 gt Sfax is owned and managed by Metalship SARL of Megrine, Tunisia.
After oil products tanker Natig Aliyev (IMO 9194000) had been moored in Aalbæk Bay, north of Jutland, Denmark, for five months because of an arrest, Russian shipping company Palmali reportedly has promised to pay the crew’s wages. The International Transport Federation (ITF) has been promised that Palmali would pay the crew and ship detention fees for the ship on July 16th. The ship was detained on February 27th. There were 19 Russian crew on board when the ship was arrested by the court in Hjørring following a claim from Eiger Shipping, a subsidiary of Swiss oil company Lukoil, which had Natig Aliyev on charter back in 2015. Eiger Shipping had paid bunker on board the ship, and in addition had prepaid rent for the ship’s crew for a period after the return. Since the ship was handed to Palmali in December 2015, Eiger Shipping has demanded the reimbursement of the bunker on the ship and the prepaid rent to the crew, a total sum of more than $550,000. 2002-built, Malta-flagged, 13,815 gt Natig Aliyev is owned by PAL Shipping-7 Co Ltd care of Palmali Shipping & Agency of Istanbul, Turkey. It is entered with Steamship Mutual (Smuab) (European syndicate) on behalf of Pal Shipping-7 Co Ltd.
Volgoneft 121, while en route from St. Petersburg to Yaroslavl in ballast, lost a propeller on the afternoon of July 2nd during manoeuvres on Yaroslavl roads in the Volgo-Balt Canal. Subsequently the vessel proceeded into Yaroslavl for inspections and to carry out repairs.
Bulk carrier Mayuree Naree (IMO 9323649) was alleged to have struck fishing boat Divnine off the Kochi coast early on July 8th, subsequently leaving the scene of the accident. Coastal police said they had begun an inquiry to trace the vessel after the incident occurred about 20nm south-east of Munambam harbour, Kochi, south-west India. At about 00:30 the fishing boat, owned by Antoniyar Picha of Thiruvananthapuram, was alleged to have been struck by the vessel. Two fishermen of the five-member crew sustained injuries. The fishermen said that they could not see the ship heading towards them because of heavy rain and wind at that time. An Indian Coast Guard vessel rescued the fishermen. The boat, damaged due to the collision, returned safely to Vypin. Mayuree Naree was on its way from Gujarat to Paradip port in Odisha, having sailed from Gujarat. Its ETA was July 12th. As of the evening of July 9th the vessel was south of Sri Lanka. 2008-built, Thailand-flagged, 19,891 gt Mayuree Naree is owned by Precious Flowers Ltd of Bangkok, Thailand. Manager is Precious Shipping PCL of the same city. ISM manager is Great Circle Shipping Agency of the same city. It is entered with Swedish Club on behalf of Precious Flowers Ltd.
Fish carrier Seikongen (IMO 9793985), which sank in Pilpilehue in the province of Chiloé, Chile is scheduled to be refloated on July 11th. The salvors were already in a final approval process. Issues with the positioning of the anchors have been resolved. On July 8th Castro’s maritime governor, Hector Aravena, finalized the planning of the operation with salvor Ardent and the owner CPT. The salvage costs were put at around $5m. One local resident has alleged to IMN that 100 tons of the 217 tons of fish on board when Seikongen sank had not been cleared from the vessel and had decomposed to a dangerous state. 2017-built, Chile-flagged, 1,952 gt Seikongen is owned and managed by CPT Empresas Maritime SA of las Condes, Chile. It had been entered with Hanseatic Underwriters, but no longer appears on its register.
Bulk carrier St. Elias (IMO 9138692) remained docked at the commercial port of Lorient on July 9th. The vessel docked on June 30th to deliver 17,400 tonnes of soybean meal, but she was detained after 20 technical deficiencies were found. The Romanian crew demanded the payment of wages and their repatriation, which has now taken place. They were relieved by a new crew, composed of Ukrainians. 1997-built, Panama-flagged, 15,888 gt St Elias is owned by Hawkeye Maritime Ltd care of manager Sealight Maritime Ltd of Piraeus, Greece. It is entered with American Club on behalf of Hawkeye Maritime Ltd.