Sea Breeze Marine Services

Ferry Captain and First Officer Convicted in Drowning Death of Passenger: A jury in Piraeus, Greece found the captain and first officer of an interisland ferry guilty in a tragic 2023 case where a late arriving passenger was pushed to his death as a ferry departed port. The court rejected claims of a spontaneous action while prosecutors argued nothing was done to save the victim and the ferry kept sailing. The incident in which a 36-year-old male passenger was pushed from the car ramp on the departing ferry Blue Horizon caused national outrage in Greece after videos began circulating on social media. The stern ramp on the ferry was still down, a violation of maritime protocols, and four crewmembers were standing there as Antonis Kargiotis came running up and jumped onto the ramp. He is in a scuffle with a crewmember as the ferry begins to move. In the video, the crewmember appeared to push Kargiotis who fell into the harbor and was caught in the wake. He drowned while the crew and horrified passengers looked on. Family members argued that Kargiotis could have purchased a ticket onboard, if he did not have one or that the crewmembers could have taken him into custody and turned him over to the Coast Guard or police. Prosecutors argued that in addition to deliberately pushing the passenger, the crew stood there and made no effort to aid the person in the water. Charges were brought against the captain of the Blue Horizon, the first officer who was on the ramp and pushed Kargiotis, as well as the second officer and a boatswain who were also at the stern as the vessel departed. The incident took place on September 5, 2023, as the ferry departed at 2100 from Piraeus for Heraklion, Crete. The vessel continued to sail and did not return to the port for approximately 40 minutes until the port authority and coast guard demanded its return to Piraeus. Defense attorneys for the captain argued there was no intent to cause death while also emphasizing gaps in port security as well as the role of the coast guard and port security. In the video, a person could be seen on the dock after the passenger falls into the water. Attorneys for the first officer argued it was a spontaneous response and there was no intent to cause harm, only to deny boarding to a late arriver. The defense had sought to have the charges changed from intent and manslaughter to negligence. The jury convicted the first officer of manslaughter and the court handed down a sentence of 12.5 years in prison. The captain was convicted for allowing the ferry to depart after a fatal incident and covering up the crime. The captain was sentenced to 7 years and 5 months. The court noted that the sentences were reduced because of the individuals’ previous lawful conduct. Lawyers argued for suspended sentences pending appeal. The court denied the request and ordered the captain and first officer sent to prison while their appeals are pending.

Stranded MSC Baltic III Cannot be Safely Refloated Reports Coast Guard: Twelve days after the containership MSC Baltic III (33,767 dwt) lost power and was driven ashore in Canada during a winter storm, the Canadian Coast Guard reports the vessel cannot be safely refloated. Weather continues to hamper the efforts of the Coast Guard and a private salvage team with the latest update reporting they are focusing on the fuel and other possible contaminants aboard. The vessel was abandoned on February 15 after it was driven onto the rocky shoreline of western Newfoundland. The Canadian Coast Guard organized a helicopter rescue for the crew. Since the 679-foot (203-meter) vessel went ashore, winter storms have continued to impact the area. The Coast Guard says teams are frequently unable to get aboard the ship and the weather is hampering some of the water operations. They are monitoring the ship from shore and the air. At the beginning of the week, they reported that divers have confirmed that there were significant breaches or holes in the hull below the waterline. The vessel has settled firmly to the seabed and so far, they have not found significant breaks about the waterline. However, pictures have shown some deformations in the hull and the possibility of a crack. “Given the vessel’s current condition, it cannot be safely refloated,” the Coast Guard writes in its updated issued late on February 27. “The initial focus will be on the removal of the fuel and cargo.” Based on the urgency of the situation, the Coast Guard says it is looking at alternatives including repairing an old road and all-terrain vehicle trail that could be used to reach the remote location. They told The Telegram newspaper that the road would need upgrades to handle heavy equipment and tractor trailers. The Coast Guard is also looking at building an access point from shore to the bow of the vessel the newspaper reports. The surveys have confirmed that there are approximately 1.7 million liters of heavy fuel oil and marine gas on board. While no pollution has been observed, there are concerns over a potential breach. One of the steps being explored is pumping the fuel to shore because it may not be possible to get a salvage vessel alongside. MSC initially advised the Coast Guard that the vessel had approximately 470 containers aboard, over half of which were empty. The others are carrying items such as food, lumber, and paper supplies. In the latest updates, the Coast Guard said however eight containers with polymer beads (nurdles) have been marked as a priority for removal.  The Coast Guard says that there are materials aboard considered dangerous goods in shipping terms, such as the nurdles as well as flour and whiskey. Nothing aboard however is hazardous under normal conditions. The biggest issue is the race against time to reduce the risks as the winter storms are likely to persist in the region and further batter the vessel.

Milestone Bio-LNG Bunkering Signals Path for Future Maritime Fuels: In what is being called a milestone for the emergence of alternative fuels for the maritime sector, the first bunkering of certified bio-LNG was completed off Norway. The emergence of the fuel is a critical step toward meeting the requirements of the FuelEU Maritime regulations and demonstrates a pathway for the industry with alternative fuels. The bunkering was a partnership between STX Group and Molgas which collaborated to source, liquify, and deliver the certified bio-LNG. It was the first time that Molgas delivered mass balanced bio-LNG bunker to a maritime customer in Norway. The fuel was delivered to Furetank, a Swedish tanker shipping company that operates 40 vessels in European waters. A total of 200 tonnes of bio-LNG was loaded to the Fure Viken (17,942 dwt) while the vessel was anchored outside Mongstad, Norway. The tanker, which is 492 feet (150 meters) in length was delivered in 2024 as part of a program to modernize Furetank’s fleet. The first of the vessels was introduced in 2018 and the company highlights with the last delivery scheduled for 2027, it will have renewed its entire fleet. The vessels are dual-fuel to use LNG or gasoil, equipped for shore power, and are designed with a battery hybrid solution and several innovative features that reduce fuel and energy consumption. “We see a growing demand and interest in Bio-LNG, as it is one of the few renewable fuel solutions currently available in shipping. For this operation, we collaborated to prove a mass-balanced biomethane delivery and certify the entire supply chain. This new option strengthens the competitiveness of biomethane as part of the green transition,” said Gunnar Helmen, Director Marine at Molgas Nordics. Bio-LNG is a mass-balanced product where biomethane of certified origins is purchased and injected into the gas grid. A corresponding amount of gas is withdrawn from the grid and liquefied into maritime fuel. Environmental commodity trader STX Group said it sees this transaction as one of the first signs of a new fuel market being born. Bio-LNG has been emerging in the past few years as an option for shipping companies. Trade group SEA-LNG reported in a 2023 market analysis that annual production of biomethane, from which bio-LNG is produced, was around 30 million tonnes or around 10 percent of shipping’s total annual energy demand. It is growing in availability at ports including Rotterdam and in Asia and in 2024, Hapag-Lloyd working with Titan Clean Fuels, reported one of the largest bunkering operations to date. Hapag-Lloyd’s Brussels Express loaded 2,200 tonnes of the alternative fuel at the Port of Rotterdam. The companies called bio-LNG an “efficient answer” to FuelEU Maritime, noting the regulation rewards those who blend in biofuels and penalizes those who do not blend. They also noted that the new regulation makes no distinction between mass-balanced and off-grid produced biomethane.

Fire Stricken Grimaldi Conro Towed to Port: Grimaldi’s Conro Grande Brasile (26,000 dwt) was towed to port on Sunday, February 23, after a fire broke out while the vessel was in the English Channel last week. The fire is believed to have been extinguished and contained to a small section of the RoRo sector of the vessel and the crew escaped uninjured. The authorities granted permission for salvage tugs to bring the ship to port during daylight hours. Four tugs from Dutch company Multraship, numbers 32, 33, 35, and 36, moved the dead ship into Antwerp where it was tied up at the Euroterminal. Boskalis’ Smit unit was hired to oversee the salvage of the vessel. Images online showed scorching from the fire on the vessel’s superstructure near the funnel. Blistering is visible on two or more decks but contained within an area of the ship. Grimaldi initially reported one fire on February 17 which its crew attempted to extinguish with the CO2 system. Lifeboats from the UK’s RNLI attended the vessel but were released only to be recalled later the same day when a second fire was discovered aboard the vessel. The Grimaldi crew abandoned ship into its lifeboat and were rescued by one of the tugs and transferred to the Ramsgate Lifeboat to be taken to shore. Grimaldi told the European press there were indications of what had caused the fire but would not speculate until the investigation was completed. The vessel frequently transports used cars and containers and was bound for West Africa. Two of the Multraship tugs reached the vessel on February 18 and working with Boskalis’ tug Kamara were conducting cooling operations. The French rescue vessel Abeille Normandie was also standing by monitoring the operation. Salvage crews were expected to board the vessel now that it has returned to port to ensure the fire has been extinguished. Then inspectors will begin searching for the origins.  Today, February 24, there are unconfirmed reports of yet another fire on a different Grimaldi vessel. Lloyd’s is reporting that fire occurred on the Grande Congo (47,600 dwt) as the vessel was transiting to Norfolk, Virginia. This Conro is now docked in Norfolk having arrived from Spain.  The company has experienced several vessel fires in the past few years. In 2019, it had fires on two vessels that led to changes in the rules for handling hazardous cargo. Then in 2023, another of the company’s vessels in New Jersey when a fire started as cars were being loaded. Two local firefighters were killed after boarding the vessel. It burned for days damaging the RoRo section of the vessel. Grimaldi has indicated it will be fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigation into the fire on the Grande Brasile.

First Commercial Installation Awarded for Michelin’s Inflatable Wind Sail: France’s Michelin Group confirmed the recent awarding of its first commercial contract for its innovative inflatable wind sail for shipping. The first installation will be on a new patrol boat for France. The new vessel will be built by the Socarenam shipyards with designed by French naval architecture firm. Mauric. The contract for the design and shipbuilding was awarded in December 2024 by the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (DGAMPA) which is responsible for maritime surveillance on the French Atlantic coast. The tender was launched in January 2024. With a length of 54 meters (177 feet), the offshore patrol vessel is designed for extended 12-day missions. Capabilities for extended missions and energy efficiency were key to the design. The vessel will employ a diesel-electric hybrid system with wind-assisted propulsion. It is designed to provide the vessel with a maximum speed of 17 knots and a range exceeding 3,600 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12 knots. Michelin was selected to provide the wind propulsion deploying its WISAMO (Wing Sail Mobility) project. The wingsail will have a surface area of 170 square meters (1,829 square feet). Michelin reports a fuel consumption reduction of approximately 15 percent is expected through optimizations of the design and the vessel’s operational profile.  The WISAMO concept consists of a telescopic, inflatable wingsail. It includes an intuitive, automated control system and a simplified interface that greatly reduces the challenges of vessel integration. The system is based on three key components, including a self-supporting telescopic mast that is fully retractable and a durable lightweight fabric envelope that is inflated at low pressure to form a symmetrical wingsail profile. A fully automated control system manages all sail functions (hoisting, lowering, adjusting, maneuvering, reefing, and protective stowage according to environmental conditions), eliminating the need for additional crew workload. Mauric reports the vessel's design with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure places paramount importance on seakeeping and crew comfort. It will carry a crew of 20 and the design integrates an anti-roll stabilization combining active fins and passive free surface tank, to ensure optimal operability in all sea states. Construction will be carried out at Socarenam's shipyard in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, with delivery scheduled for the second half of 2027. When completed, it will replace the approximately 40-year-old patrol vessel Iris. The new ship will be based in La Rochelle and operated along the Atlantic coast, particularly in the Bay of Biscay. Its mission is maritime surveillance and regulatory enforcement of fisheries, as well as navigation monitoring, maritime pollution control, environmental law enforcement, and search-and-rescue operations.

Largest, High-Speed, Hydrogen Ready Multi-Fuel Ferry to be Built by Austal: A unique project to design a large, high-speed next-generation ferry is coming to fruition with news that Sweden’s Gotlandsbolaget has ordered construction of the ferry developed working with Austal. The goal was to develop a vessel for climate-neutral trips and sustainable solutions that would be a pioneer in new technologies. Austal and Gotlandsbolaget announced plans for the development of the 130-meter (426-foot) multi-fuel high-speed vehicle passenger ferry design, with the flexibility to be able to operate on a variety of fuel types including hydrogen, in April 2023. Since then, Austal and Gotland Tech Development report they have engaged with technology providers from around the world to select preferred main equipment, and to define system arrangements. This has included the development of a unique propulsion system arrangement that repurposes engine exhaust to contribute to vessel propulsion and reduce emissions. In October 2024, the project gained approval in principle from DNV. "Horizon X is an incredibly exciting project that is going to redefine commercial ferry capabilities, with a multi-fuel and hydrogen-capable combined cycle power plant and a class-leading, efficient hull design,” said Austal Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg. According to Austal, the design will feature a unique, highly efficient combined cycle propulsion system that includes both gas and steam turbines, a first for a high-speed craft. The gas turbines will be used in the drive train of Horizon X and they are designed to be powered by several types of alternative fuels, fossil-free. It will be a multi-fuel vessel and the design is prepared to convert to hydrogen when hydrogen production becomes commercially available. The companies highlighted the multi-fuel capabilities will best prepare the vessel while there are still great uncertainties regarding which alternative fuels will be available to the maritime sector. To minimize energy requirements and achieve high efficiency, the companies highlight that a great deal of work has been done to develop energy-efficient hulls, minimize weight, optimize energy consumption on board, and streamline operations and flows throughout the ship. "Shipping must change, and reducing the climate footprint of travel and transport to and from Gotland is of great importance for the island's development and attractiveness,” said Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotlandsbolaget. “The construction of Horizon X is a crucial step in our journey towards climate-neutral crossings. At the same time, the ship will offer the same efficient crossing times as today, and a new and modern onboard experience.”  The ferry is designed to carry up to 1,500 passengers and 400 passenger cars at speeds up to 29 knots. It will be able to make the crossing between the Swedish mainland and Gotland in just over three hours.

Wrong Valve Caused Deadly Fire Aboard Boxship at Barbours Cut: The NTSB has released its investigative report on the deadly blaze aboard the aging boxship Stride, which sustained an engine room fire at Port of Houston early last year. The fire was caused by the installation of the wrong kind of valve, which led to an overflow of fuel into the engine room.  On January 8, 2024, Stride was alongside at the Barbours Cut Marine Terminal and taking on bunkers. The chief engineer and third engineer were in the engine room to monitor the transfer, and they began the bunkering sequence by lining up valves to put diesel into the port and starboard diesel oil tanks simultaneously. Transfer began at 0305 at a slow speed, then - at the chief's request - ramped up to maximum pressure and flow rate.  All was normal until 0325, when the wiper - who was on the 3rd deck of the engine room - saw diesel dripping down from the upper levels. He ran to the engine control room and alerted the chief and the third engineer, who began yelling on the radio. The tankerman on the bunker barge and the captain on the bunkering tug both heard "excited chatter" on VHF, and the tug master ordered the tankerman to shut down transfer immediately. The tankerman shut down the pump right away and valved off the discharge. At about this point, the crewmember stationed at Stride's bunker manifold said the pressure gauge spiked to about 30 PSI, up from zero earlier in the evolution. Minutes later, at about 0330, a fire and explosion occurred in the engine room, sending flames up to six feet out of the open engine room hatch. The captain heard the blast and ran to the bridge to shut down all emergency stops, including the ventilation fans, the boiler and the oil pumps, and he sounded the general alarm.  On the captain's orders, the crew sealed the hatch and the ventilation ducts to the engine room, with three crewmembers still inside. The crew ran out fire hoses and began boundary cooling on the outside of the engine room. At 0336, the chief engineer reported by radio that he, the wiper and the third engineer were still trapped. Two minutes later, a fire team suited up and attempted to enter the engine room through a scuttle, but could not because of heavy smoke. They tried again at 0345 through an entrance on the upper deck, but were repelled by the fire. At 0350, one member of the fire team made it inside, but could not locate the missing crewmembers before he had to retreat.  Shoreside fire teams began arriving at 0343, along with a fireboat, which provided boundary cooling. A local fire department leader recommended discharging CO2 in the engine room, but the master refused, since he still had people inside.  At 0415, the fire team finally managed to reach the engine control room. The blaze was out, but the space was filled with thick smoke. They found the victims; only the wiper was still breathing, and paramedics pronounced the chief engineer and third engineer dead on scene.  

Salvage Teams Board Stranded MSC Vessel as Bad Weather Hampers Progress: The Canadian Coast Guard is reporting that severe winter weather including ice, high seas, and winds, is hampering the efforts of salvage teams to complete an assessment of the conditions of the MSC Baltic III which went aground on the western shore of Newfoundland on February 15. The teams are trying to develop a salvage plan as concerns are rising as “ripples” have been spotted on the hull of the 680-foot (207-meter) containership. A spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard said they are trying to determine if the deformation on the hull came from the grounding or if the vessel is moving on the rocky shoreline. Salvage crews were able to board the ship on Monday, but yesterday, February 18, they encountered 3-meter (10-foot) seas and 30-knot winds. The Coast Guard reports two attempts were made to get aboard but called off due to safety concerns. The owners of the vessel are reportedly working with the Coast Guard and are also looking to bring in additional salvage resources. The Telegram newspaper in Newfoundland reports the owners have retained an offshore service vessel Avalon Seas to assist in the salvage and are also considering hiring a larger, salvage tug. No attempt will be made to pull the vessel off the rocks however until they have been able to complete survey the hull. They want to inspect the ship internally and are also hoping to have divers check the hull if the seas permit. One hope is that the cove where the ship is could become choked with ice that might help to shield the waters from some of the weather. The Coast Guard has not yet determined how much fuel oil is aboard the MSC Baltic III. On Monday, the icebreaker CCGS Ann Harvey arrived on scene and was able to launch its Fast Rescue Craft for a visual assessment. They have also conducted aerial surveys and reported no pollution at this time. Working with MSC, the Coast Guard reports they have determined there are approximately 470 containers aboard but over half are empties. The remainder are loaded with material including food, lumber, and paper supplies. There was no indication of hazardous cargo. Another Canadian Coast Guard vessel, CCGS Jean Goodwill has been delayed due to ongoing work to maintain shipping lanes. As soon as operationally possible, she will also transit to the area off Newfoundland. Among the options the Coast Guard reported will be considered is possibly removing some of the containers or pumping the fuel from the vessel. One concern is if it would be possible to get another vessel alongside. The Coast Guard said it was also considering pumping the fuel to the shore. The MSC Baltic III remains wedged up on the rocky shoreline which continues to raise concerns. Bruce English of the Coast Guard told The Telegram the vessel is a big ship, and she is in a bad spot.