Turkey Approves Development Plans for Istanbul Canal
Turkey has approved development plans for a huge canal on the edge of Istanbul, Environment Minister Murat Kurum said on Saturday, advancing a project which has attracted criticism over its cost and environmental impact.The step came a year after Turkey held its first tender for the reconstruction of two historic bridges in its largest city where the 45km (28 miles) Kanal Istanbul, championed by President Tayyip Erdogan…
Diggers and Dredgers Struggle to Free Ship Blocking the Suez Canal
Suez Canal salvage teams intensified excavation and dredging on Sunday around a massive container ship blocking the busy waterway ahead of attempts to refloat it, with two sources saying work had been complicated by rock under the ship’s bow.Diggers were working to remove parts of the canal’s bank and expand dredging close to the ship’s bow to a depth of 18 meters, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement.There was no mention of new attempts to release the ship with tugs…
Stranded at Sea, Coronavirus Takes a Toll on Seafarers' Mental Health
When Ritesh Mehra, 43, enlisted for a four-month stint as captain on a liquid gas tanker last July, he never expected to be stranded at sea until spring.“Twice it has happened that the ports are not allowing crew change,” Mehra told Reuters via Zoom from the bridge of the 80,000 tonne ship docked outside the Indian port of Haldia.“My family won’t trust me anymore. I have been giving them dates when I would come home from December.”Mehra…
Svitzer Australia Adds Third New Tug
Svitzer Australia has taken delivery of its third and final new tug, Svitzer Wilu, welcomed to the Port of Geraldton on March 22, joining Svitzer North and Svitzer Abrolhos to form the new fleet.Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the RAstar 3000-W series ASD tug Svitzer Wilu is 30 meters long, has 70 tonnes of bollard pull and increased safety capabilities with advanced firefighting capabilities on board.Main propulsion comprises of a pair of Caterpillar 3516C…
Suez Crisis Adds to Pandemic Supply Worries
A stranded container ship blocking the Suez Canal threatens to make it even more difficult for European and U.S. retailers to keep products in stock during the coronavirus pandemic.The Suez Canal saga that began on Tuesday and could go on for weeks, is just the latest crisis to strike the global supply chain that was upended when coronavirus shutdowns spurred house-bound consumers to upgrade appliances…
Suez Canal Considering Discounts for Ships Affected by Blockage
The Suez Canal Authority is considering discounts for vessels affected by the blockage caused by a stranded container ship, its chairman said on Sunday.Osama Rabie also told Al Arabiya TV that the canal was losing $13-14 million in revenue daily after halting traffic due to the grounded ship and that 369 vessels were waiting to transit the canal.(Reporting by Omar Fahmy and Mahmoud Mourad; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Alex Richardson)
New Tug Joins Effort to Float Ship Stranded in Suez Canal
A newly arrived specialist tug ALP Guard has joined efforts on Sunday night to float the giant containership Ever Given stranded in the Suez Canal, the ship’s technical…
Egypt's President Orders Preparations for Lightening Ever Given Cargo
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ordered preparations for lightening the cargo of the giant container ship grounded in the Suez Canal, the head of the canal’s authority told Egypt’s Extra News on Sunday.The Ever Given containership has been blocking the waterway since Tuesday and salvage teams have been hoping to free it with dredgers and tugs without unloading any of its cargo.(Reporting by Omar Fahmy Writing by Aidan Lewis)
Ship Blocking Suez Canal Moves Slightly, Unclear When it Will Refloat
Efforts to dislodge a giant container ship blocking the Suez Canal have allowed its stern and rudder to move, but it remains unclear when the vessel will be refloated, the head of the canal authority said on Saturday.The 400 metre (430 yard) long Ever Given became wedged diagonally across a southern section of the canal amid high winds early on Tuesday, blocking one of the world’s busiest waterways.A…
