The sea is an inherently dangerous place. Every day somewhere in the world, a ship runs aground, or two ships collide, or a ship founders in heavy weather, or a fire breaks out at sea, or a seaman falls overboard and drowns. Of course, you’d never know it from reading the mainstream newspapers, which seem to be blissfully ignorant of what happens at sea.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Every morning I read my copy of Lloyd’s List (HYPERLINK "http://www.lloydslist.com" www.lloydslist.com), the daily newspaper for the international maritime industry. It is published in London, and my copy comes in the mail, so I’m usually a few days behind in keeping up with the news. (You don’t have to tell me I could get the news faster online, but I’m an old fashioned reader, and I still like the feel of newsprint in my hands.) Every day, the newspaper devotes at least two pages to marine casualties around the world, which makes for interesting reading.
Let’s take a look at some of the casualty reports from the July 2 edition:
• The tug Demas Victory capsized and sank yesterday in heavy weather off Qatar. Seven are confirmed dead, and 23 crewmen are missing, presumed dead.
• The product tanker Acquamarina, bound for the port of Porvoo in ballast, reported an explosion in the forecastle June 30. The fire was extinguished. One crewman remains missing.
• The passenger/vehicle ferry Atlantic Vision scraped bottom while departing from Port aux Basques June 29. The vessel returned to port; a hull inspection revealed no significant damage, and the ship was returned to service.
• The containership Aurora collided with the general cargo ship Transanund in the Lower Elbe June 29. All damage was above the waterline. The ships are entering shipyards for repairs.
• Four mariners are reported missing after the bulk carrier Beilun Seal collided with a Chinese vessel loaded with sand in the South China Sea early today.
• The general cargo ship Bosphorus Prodigy ran aground on a small island off Syros in the Mediterranean June 30. The vessel was floated off under its own means. There were no reported injuries.
• The general cargo ship Falkland, bound for Nykobing with 3,180 tons of stone, ran aground yesterday in the Guldborgsund. The ship was successfully refloated and is being detained at Nykobing for classification society inspection.
• The product tanker Geylan Bey is reported aground near Istanbul.
• The product tanker Miya Maru No. 18 collided with the containership SITC Dalian on June 22.
• The tug/icebreaker Ocean Delta sustained ice damage in the eastern Canadian Arctic and is being escorted out of the ice zone by an icebreaker.
• The containership Safmarine Meru lost at least 21 containers overboard in adverse weather while on voyage from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town.
• The barge VD-4001 with tug Larin struck the port side of the general cargo ship Sapphire, which was loading wheat at the grain terminal berth of Starocherkassk port. Repairs are being made to both.
• And if that isn’t enough unhappy news for one day, here’s another story reported in the same edition. Thirteen crewmen on board the general cargo ship Smarty have been left without fuel and food on their ship, which has apparently been abandoned by its owner after discharging cargo in the port of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean. Two Ukrainian crewmen reportedly need medical attention. The owner (reported to be Russian) owes the crew $65,000 in wages, and is refusing to pay.
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