Andrew Wright has been confirmed as CEO at recently formed private company managing general agency Invicta. Wright left his role as co-chief underwriting officer at Amlin in October 2020, where he had also been director of MS Amlin Marine NV
General cargo ship Harvest Spirit (IMO 9655951) suffered gear problems on July 2nd while en route to Quebec City. The vessel had to proceed to the emergency anchorage near the Contrecoeur wharf. It was to be towed or escorted to Montreal by a Groupe Ocean tug for inspections and repairs. These were presumably successful as by July 8th it was underway using engine in the Great Lakes, en route from Montreal to Toledo, USA.
2012-built, Canada-flagged, 11,953 gt Harvest Spirit is owned by McKeil Work Boats GP Inc of Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Manager is McKeil Marine Ltd. It is entered with Shipowners’ Club on behalf of McKeil Work Boats GP Inc.
Bulk carrier Shoveler (IMO 9459979) arrived at Recife anchorage, Brazil on July 1st and on July 2nd it was taken to berth and put under quarantine after nine of the 19 crew tested positive, three of them being hospitalized. The ship had sailed from Halmstad, Sweden, with a cargo of malt, port of destination Paranagua Brazil. During its voyage in EU waters the ship called at Rouen, France between June 15th and 17th. As of July 8th the vessel was moored in Recife.
2009-built, Cyprus-flagged, 19,814 gt Shoveler is owned by Phrygia Navigation Ltd care of manager Canfornav Inc of Montreal, Canada. ISM manager is Seastar Shipmanagement Ltd. It is entered with North of England on behalf of Phrygia Navigation Ltd.
Turkish ship captain Vehbi Kara was finally heading home after more than a year stuck in Adabiya Port near Suez under an Egyptian court order, for much of the time stuck as the legal guardian of an abandoned vessel. The International Transport Federation Workers’ Association said that Kara’s saga began in June 2020 when his ship, the Panama-registered bulk carrier Kenan Mete (IMO 8701935), was seized by the Egyptian authorities after its owner, Blodwen Marina, refused to pay the ship’s crew and abandoned the vessel. Captain Kara was appointed as ship’s legal guardian and was blocked from the leaving the vessel. Although the ship’s insurer provided Kara and his crew with food, water and basic amenities, they were essentially left stranded as the ship was unsuccessfully put up for auction. The ITF said that it helped secure the release and repatriation of almost all the crew between October 2020 and January 2021, along with four months’ pay. But the release of Captain Kara proved to be more difficult. “It was only when ITF took up his cause and we organized a replacement as judicial guard, after months of campaigning for his release, that Captain Kara was allowed to go home,” said ITF’s regional coordinator Mohamed Arrachedi, who assisted in Kara’s release.
In March all power to the ship failed and Captain Kara was allowed to move to a nearby hotel, but still unable to leave and without pay. Kara said that “maritime work is hard at the best of times, but I have only survived the last 14 months because the ITF was always by my side. God bless all your hard work. Thank you also to our P&I and the Turkish Embassy.”
1990-built, Panama-flagged, 8,897 gt Kenan Mete is listed on Equasis as owned by Blodwen Marine SA care of manager Royalmar shipping of Istanbul, Turkey. The vessel is now listed on Marine Traffic as the Nabiha 1 and as being Guyana-flagged. It is still stopped at the port of Al Adabiyah.