As of this morning (1 July 10) Nobu Su's giant skimmer, the converted 319,869 dwt ore/oil carrier A Whale, was in the Venice, La. area awaiting word on whether the Coast Guard and EPA would allow it to go to work on the Deepwater Horizon spill.It may work, but we won't know until it's tried.
Irish troops are training 2,000 soldiers to help fight Somali pirates who have plagued international shipping.An EU effort, the thinking behind which is sound - defeat the pirates ashore while doing what another part of the effort the EU is undertaking - blockading the pirate ports, as set out here.
The five Irish soldiers, who include a member of the Army Rangers, are giving the Somali troops the skills to fight effectively. They are carrying out the training at an army base in Uganda — which is considered safer than war-torn Somalia.
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Commandant Ronan Corcoran said one of the key aims was to improve the fighting skills of the troops so they could tackle the activities of Somali pirates on land.
“Until there is security on the ground, they can’t be security at sea because these pirates have to come back into ports,” he said.
Recent incidents at the naval encirclement of India, at Hambantota and Gwadar, and possibly Bangladesh, dubbed as China’s ‘string of pearls,’ put an end to the rapidly improving relations with India. China dismissed the theory, arguing that India built ports with ADB and World Bank loans, which some developing countries find difficult to obtain. China’s naval analyst, Zhang Ming, contends that India’s Andaman and Nicobar islands could be used as a ‘metal chain’ to block Chinese access to the Straits of Malacca, known as China’s ‘Malacca Dilemma’ and argues India is building an ‘Iron Curtain’ with its influence in the Indian Ocean islands, and ganging up with US on a defense framework. During the Second World War the Japanese built airfields in the Andaman Islands, and China worries that India could emulate this strategy, as well.It's short, so read it all.
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It has been said, ‘India is like boiling water, steam and froth on top but rather calm below’. ‘China is like boiling oil, calm above but violent and seething below.’ If an eruption does take place in one nation, it could be violent. The jury is out whether the Chinese top down approach will prevail over India’s rather slower and democratic bottom-up approach. But the competition for influence in the Indian Ocean region has begun.
My fav BMCS has found a particular problem in Khandahar. His unit has come across a group of wounded Marines who have slipped through the cracks so to speak. They come in straight from the field with the clothes on their back. In most cases, these Marines have suffered a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). They are in this location to see the doctors at the nearby facility, which is top-notch, before being shipped out to other facilities.So, help out these transient Marines by sending over some stuff. Here's a list Maggie posted:
So, what's the problem? Well, for one thing, the Marines have none of their own gear. Except for seeing the docs, they are sitting around bored silly.
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New twin bed sheets sets.Imagine a doctor visit that may last weeks . . .
Inexpensive comforters.
Pillows.
Towels.
Shower shoes.
Socks.
Underwear.
DVDs
X-box games.
Magazines.
and finally......
IPods/Mp3 players. (new or used)
Early MSC(HOA) report here:In the early hours of 28 June, pirates took control of the MV Golden Blessing approximately 90 nautical miles off the northern Somali coast. On notification from the Master of the MV Golden Blessing that pirates were on board, the EU NAVFOR German warship Schleswig-Holstein immediately launched their helicopter and reported sighting suspected pirates on board the MV Golden Blessing..
The MV Golden Blessing, a Singapore flagged tanker with deadweight of 14445 tonnes, was carrying a cargo of glycoethelen. The MV Golden Blessing has a crew of 19 Chinese; there are no reports of injuries. The vessel is under pirate control but remains unmoving at present. EU NAVFOR is monitoring.
The interview took over 20 minutes and the radio broadcast condensed that down to about two minutes, so numerous details relating to cabotage have been glossed over or omitted.A portion of the interview:
Some lawmakers say they’ve heard the Jones Act is stopping foreign oil skimmers from helping with the oil spill cleanup. But Bryant says the law probably isn’t to blame. "The impediment, if there is one, has been that there hasn’t been a valid offer for a foreign response vessel," he notes.You can listen to the report here.
Bryant adds that many foreign oil skimmers may not be willing or able to leave their current jobs yet to help with the spill cleanup. "The vessels over there are probably gainfully employed doing other things, and they would then have to get them out of whatever contract they’re under now," says Bryant. "The amount of oil spill response vessels in the world is not that great."
Bryant also points out that, since the strictest provisions of the Jones Act only apply within 3 miles of the US coast, it’s easier for foreign ships to help with cleanup operations farther out in the Gulf, near the Deepwater Horizon well itself.
If this was Texas, which is a state that is directly on the border with Mexico, and they were calling for a measure like this, saying that they had a major issue with, you know, undocumented people flooding their borders, I would have to look twice at this.
But this is a state that is a ways removed from the border ...
Sanctions already imposed by both the US and the United Nations have specifically been aimed at IRISL, which is accused of facilitating Tehran’s nuclear proliferation plans, despite its repeated denials.Thanks to Fred Fry for sending this on, with a note to the effect that Iran can't continue the shell game of "selling" and "reflagging" described here because "everyone knows who owned them and they really can't disguise that given that any legitimate buyer is almost certainly going to run afoul of the sanctions themselves given that actually buying the ships would involve transferring money."
Maltese foreign minister Tonio Borg has told the Times of Malta newspaper that the European Council has instructed foreign ministers to move against transport entities, including IRISL and other shipping outfits.
“Besides transport, a number of economic sectors will be targeted by the EU sanctions, which will also include a ban on investments, technical assistance and technology transfers to Iran’s oil and gas industry,” he said.
Join us as we discuss the state of the United States Merchant Marine with Fred Fry of FredFryInternational for the first half-hour. We'll discuss everything from where we get our Merchant Mariniers to the now infamous Jones Act. For the second half of the show we will have returning guest Mark Stanovich, LtCol, USMCR. We'll pivot and discuss the latest run on the USMC's core mission and plans for a dramatic reduction in the Corps, along with a few other interesting subjects.Flags of convenience may get a mention.
But an examination shows how Iran has used a succession of stratagems — changing not just ships’ flags and names but their owners, operators and managers, too — to stay one step ahead of its pursuers. This cat-and-mouse game offers a case study in the difficulties of enforcing sanctions.It's always a mistake to underestimate how wily your enemies are.
“We are dealing with people who are as smart as we are, and of course they can read our list,” said Stuart A. Levey, the under secretary of the Treasury who oversees the sanctions effort and the blacklist of Irisl and its fleet.
That blacklist simply hasn’t kept up.
1. On June 23, 2010, the Coast Guard Auxiliary will celebrate seventy-one years of faithful and dedicated service. Our Auxiliary shipmates have once again given generously of themselves to support Coast Guard personnel and missions, and to make our nation’s waterways safer for the more than 83 million recreational boaters who sail them. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers have literally taught generations of boaters how to properly equip and operate their vessels. Through their dedication to boating safety and their lifesaving activities, thousands of mariners are saved or assisted every year. The Coast Guard Auxiliary has honored our profession and advanced the outstanding service we provide our nation.You can read more about the history of the Auxiliary here.
2. Over the past year, the Auxiliary has set the standard for organizational resilience and continuous improvement. By modernizing its national organization, the Auxiliary positioned itself to parallel the Coast Guard in its conduct of operations, training, policy development, and mission support. At the same time, it broadened its capabilities through a major expansion of its Trident program to provide greater support for the Coast Guard’s marine safety mission, the innovative application of social media and language interpretation skills to support rescue operations following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and the formalization of the Auxiliary’s chef program to better support Coast Guard food service personnel. More recently, Auxiliarists have served in a range of capacities in support of Deepwater Horizon Spill Response operations, including over 5,000 hours checking the readiness of vessels participating in clean-up operations, monitoring deployed booms, supporting the area command center, and assisting with public affairs.
3. Our shipmates, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, have performed superbly, always standing a taut watch and exemplifying our core values. Please join me in recognizing their superb dedication by celebrating their seventy-first anniversary with your local Auxiliarists.
4. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL BOB PAPP, COMMANDANT.
. . . Dutch warship Johan de Witt, on which the Maltese soldiers are based, intercepted a skiff with six suspected pirates on board in the Gulf of Aden.Photo is from the Neterhlands Ministry of Defence
The skiff was detected by a German Orion patrol maritime aircraft as it was moving towards HNLMS Johan de Witt at great speed.
As the alarm was sounded on board the ship, an Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) security team rapidly prepared itself for action.
As soon as those aboard the skiff realised that they were dealing with a military vessel, they changed course in the direction of the coast. The Dutch warship fired a number of warning shots, after which the boat stopped and the suspected pirates surrendered. The AFM security team quickly secured the skiff and transferred those on board onto the navy ship.
DILI, Timor-Leste (June 20, 2010) The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) is underway off the coast of Timore-Leste at dusk. Sailors from the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group and embarked Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU) are participating in Exercise Crocodillo, a series of civil programs and training exercises with the Timor Leste and Australian militaries. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Russell/Released)
The Asian Shipowners' Forum has joined a global push to end what it considers "uncontrollable" piracy plaguing shipping in the region, theAs seen in this earlier ASF press release, their concerns are not just in the SE Asia region:
regional industry group said Wednesday.
The ASF, which represents about 50% of the world's trade shipping fleet and covers shippers in 14 major Asian countries and government, said it would sign a global petition that is due to be presented to various governments on
September 23 -- IMO World Maritime Day.
"The situation has become uncontrollable and we have to put a quick stop to these criminal activities," said S S Teo, chairman of the ASF's Ship Navigation and Environment Committee.
Piracy has become a major irritation to tankers carrying oil, petrochemicals and dry bulk commodities around southeast Asia, with attacks
reported frequently in and around India, Singapore and southeast Asia.
Governments in the region have increased cooperation to frustrate attempts at piracy, including the establishment of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia in 2006.
Earlier this week, ReCAAP reported that there had been 10 attacks on shipping in Asia in May alone, including one on a petrochemicals tanker and
three on dry bulk carriers.
he Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF), at its 19th annual meeting held today in Hong Kong, expressed its strong concern at the continuing attacks on merchant ships and urges the world’s navies to increase their protection of ships passing through the Gulf of Aden and the Western Indian Ocean. “The situation has become a serious crisis, one that deeply affects seafarers and their families and the carriage of world trade, and while we are grateful for their protection, it would seem that the rules of engagement are not effective to stop and punish the attackers”, said Mr SS Teo, the SNEC Chairman.The current press release can be found here:
Mr George Chao, the SILC Chairman added “And the deliberately vague Executive Order issued by the President of the United States is only adding to the confusion, by apparently seeking to restrict the ability of shipowners to free their seafarers from kidnap while not offering anything in return that would ensure the protection of our seafarers.”
Mr Kenneth Koo, the Chairman of the 19th ASF, said “We call upon the world’s governments to seek a realistic and final solution to this crisis. It is clear that any lasting solution will only be found on land, not at sea, but yet there seems to be very little that is being done on land in Somalia by the world’s governments to stop the activities of these pirates.”
The Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) joins forces with a coalition of organisations, ranging from trade unions to shipowners’ associations and insurers, to back a global e-petition, www.endpiracypetition.org, demanding concrete actions to end maritime piracy that is placing seafarers’ lives at risk and threatening the international shipping and the world trade.
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The Secretary General of ASF, Mr Yuichi Sonoda, also echoed the same sentiments. He added, “As 90% of the world trade is carried by sea, all shippers and cargo owners are also encouraged to join in the e-petition as the cost of piracy could ultimately be passed on to the consumers. Therefore it is paramount for each and every one of us to be actively involved. This e-petition is intended to deliver at least half a million signatures to governments by IMO World Maritime Day on 23 September 2010.”
This report contains a detailed spatial analysis of the dramatic upsurge of pirate activity in 2009, focusing on changes in attack locations within the Gulf of Aden, changes in the attack success rate by month as well as on the unprecedented expansion of attacks in the Indian Ocean.
Somali pirates have shifted their operations from the Gulf of Aden to the Bab al-Mandab Straits, Yemeni news agency reported Tuesday, citing the Interior Ministry as saying.The following are recent ICC CCS reports of attacks in the Bab-al-Mandab area:
The ministry said that all measures have been taken to face the move, amid stepped pirate attacks in the region.
Since early June, pirates have attacked more than 10 Yemeni ships and oil tankers in the straits but all attacks were thwarted by the Coastguard and security onboard the ships and tankers, the center said.
Among reasons for such a shift would be the Summer Monsoon winds off Somalia as found at WeatherOnline:21.06.2010: 1359 UTC: Posn: 13:32.7N – 042:59.1E: Bab el Mandeb: Red Sea.Six pirates armed with guns in a skiff chased a bulk carrier underway. The vessel made evasive manoeuvres and enforced anti piracy measures. Pirates in the skiff opened fire on the vessel. Due to effective anti piracy measures the vessel evaded the attack.
18.06.2010: 1343 UTC: Posn: 13:23.6N – 042:44.8E: Bab el-Mandeb straits (Red Sea).Pirates in two skiffs chased and fired upon a general cargo ship underway with intent to hijack. They attempted to board the vessel using aluminium ladder. Vessel took evasive manoeuvres, mustered all crew and finally managed to evade the hijacking.
15.06.2010: 0530 UTC: Posn: 13:26N – 042:41E: north of Bab el Mandeb, Red Sea.Three skiffs with six pirates in each chased a tanker underway. The tanker increased speed, sounded ship’s horn and enforced anti piracy measures and warned all ships by VHF Ch. 16. Later pirates aborted the attack.
5. (U) Forecast for the Week of 17 Jun – 23 Jun 2010
(U) Weather is may still be conducive for pirate small boat operations in the Horn of Africa region but will continue to deteriorate due to the upcoming summer monsoon season. Overall pirate activity is expected to decrease during this time period. Weather conditions during the monsoon season will likely reduce the number of pirate attacks; however, pirates will continue to operate when and where weather conditions permit. Once it has become fully established over the Somali Basin and North Arabian Sea, monsoon conditions will persist throughout most of June, July and August. Winds up to 23-28 knots with gusts of 35 knots and sea states up to 20-24 feet are expected. Mariners should continue to maintain all counter-piracy measures when transiting the area. Mariners are strongly encouraged to contact UKMTO and all appropriate authorities when transiting the Gulf of Aden as well as make use of the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). This week, ONI assesses the risk of pirate attacks is low in the Indian Ocean. Pirates will likely continue to operate in the Gulf of Aden where weather conditions are not as severe during the monsoon season. In addition, pirates may attempt to operate in the Southern Red Sea, off the coast of Oman and the Northern Arabian Sea until the monsoons moves into the area. Pirates may also attempt to operate near the Maldives and east of 075 longitude, which is less impacted by the monsoon season.
Command at Sea. What does it mean, how do you do it, what it takes to succeed - and more importantly - what are the responsibilities of Command at Sea? Join us for a wide ranging discussion with three present of former Navy and Coast Guard Commanding Officers on the nature of Command. Our guests will be; CDR E. A. Westfall, CDR, USCG, Commanding Officer of the USCGC ESCANABA (WMEC 907). CDR James H. Ware, Commanding Officer, VAQ-135. CDR Michael Junge, USN, former Commanding Officer of the USS WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD 41).
