seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

16 crewmen arrested in Iran have no links to Malaysia
Tasnim Lokman January 2, 2020 https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/552772/16-crewmen-arrested-ir...

KUANTAN: Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah confirmed that the 16 crewmen of a ship arrested by Iranian authorities for allegedly smuggling oil near Abu Musa Island in the Persian Gulf are not Malaysians.

Five Missing After Crab Fishing Boat Sinks Off Alaska
Aimee Ortiz Jan. 1, 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/01/us/scandies-rose-fishing-boat-alaska....

Two of seven crew members were rescued after the Scandies Rose, a 130-foot-long crab fishing vessel, sank on Tuesday night, the Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard rescuers were searching for five people after the boat they were on sank off Alaska, officials said on Wednesday.

57 crew kidnapped off West Africa in just one month
Sam Chambers January 2nd, 2020 https://splash247.com/57-crew-kidnapped-off-west-africa-in-just-one-month/

A total of 57 crew were kidnapped last month in and around the Gulf of Guinea, a similar figure to November with shipping now on high alert as the security situation in in West Africa has spun out of control.

Shipping sector is ready for IMO 2020: International Chamber of Shipping
2 Jan 2020 https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/01/02/shipping-sector-is-ready-for-imo-2...

Domestic ship owners struggle to meet sulfur cap
December 31, 2019 https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1838169

DOMESTIC shipping companies are struggling to comply with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) regulations governing the sulfur cap which takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Edgar Nicolas, officer-in-charge administrator of the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association Inc., said there are not enough options for compliant fuel in the market today. He said the government is still at the survey stage.

PH closely monitors kidnap of 2 Filipino sailors in Cameroon
JC Gotinga January 01, 2020 https://www.rappler.com/nation/248333-philippines-monitors-kidnap-filipi...

The Filipino seamen are among 8 crew members of a Greek oil tanker abducted in a port in Cameroon on New Year's Eve

Wisma Putra seeks more info on ship, crew detained by Iran
31 Dec 2019 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/12/31/wisma-putra-seeks-more...

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The Foreign Ministry is working to identify a ship and its 16 Malaysian crew members who were arrested by Iranian authorities at the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (Dec 30) for allegedly carrying illegal fuel.

Piracy attacks off Nigeria rise
Sam Chambers December 30th, 2019 https://splash247.com/piracy-attacks-off-nigeria-rise/

Piracy attacks off West Africa over the past week have escalated, reaching extraordinarily dangerous proportions where bullets were fired at a moving LNG carrier.

2 Filipinos among sailors abducted from Greek oil tanker in Cameroon port
Agence France-Presse December 31, 2019 https://www.rappler.com/world/regions/africa/248293-filipinos-among-sail...

(UPDATED) The 2 Filipinos are among 8 seamen aboard the Greek oil tanker Happy Lady who were abducted by armed men

Huge container ship transporting bananas hits whale on the way to Portsmouth
Tom Cotterill 31 Dec 2019 https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/people/huge-container-ship-transportin...

AN ENORMOUS cargo container transporting tonnes of bananas has struck a whale on its way into Portsmouth sparking an emergency operation.