Fish carrier well boat Settler (IMO 9258703) which had run aground while approaching the Kyle Rhea narrows from the south on August 30th (IMN, September 1st) was refloated at 17:30 the same day with the rising tide. The vessel was escorted by work ship Helen Burnie and the lifeboat of the RNLI station in Mallaig to safe waters. It arrived in Mallaig at 19:30.
2002-built, UK-flagged, 499 gt Settler is owned and managed by Ocean Farm Services Ltd of Lerwick, Shetland, UK. As of September 1st the vessel was listed as Stopped in Mallaig Harbour.
A pair of Chinese coastal freighters were caught in adverse weather during the morning of August 28th when they were about 9nm off Lianyungang area coast, Yellow sea, China. Huahai 601 (MMSI 413363570) with 6,000 tons of nickel ore on board, capsized and sank. The Zhenghe9 (MMSI 41306570) with 5,000 tons of iron ore, partially sank, resting on the shallow bottom.
The MRCC Lianyungang responded by sending an SAR ship and, later, a helicopter, after the SAR ship had reported that it was unable to evacuate the crews in the very challenging conditions. Eventually the crews of both ships, totalling 25 people, were rescued successfully.
Anyone travelling to China no longer has to take a Covid test before departure. It was one of the last-remaining anti-Covid measures in place in the country. Previously an antigen test had to be taken within 48 hours of the traveller’s plane departure. China only abandoned its “zero-Covid” policy in December 2022, when it finally realized that the virus was becoming endemic globally and that its continued lockdowns were causing political unrest and economic stagnation.
Bulk carrier Ocean Future (IMO 9418779) was arrested by the Chittagong Port Authority of Bangladesh (CPA) on August 29th, on the orders of the local high court. The vessel was laden with 53,550 tonnes of slag cargo.
2010-built, malta-flagged, 31,532 gt Ocean Future is owned by Aska Marine ltd care of FML Ship Management Ltd of Nicosia, Cyprus. ISM manager is Fleet Management Europe Ltd of London, UK. It is entered with Gard AS on behalf of Aska Marine Ltd. As of September 1st the vessel was at anchor off Chittagong.