seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

Manunggul jar ‘ship-of-the-dead’ and the journey to afterlife
ATTY. DENNIS GORECHO | December 29,2020 https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/356939/manunggul-jar-ship-of-the-dead...

The journey of the soul to the afterlife was closely associated by early Filipinos to maritime culture as represented by the “ship-of-the-dead” burial container called Manunggul Jar.

Covid-19 pandemic has stranded 400,000 seafarers and triggered a humanitarian crisis
Christiaan De Beukelaer Dec 27, 2020 https://scroll.in/article/982244/covid-19-pandemic-has-stranded-400000-s...

Border closures and other restrictions have forcing seafarers into indefinite service, unable to even take shore leave.

Crew member on cattle export ship tests positive to coronavirus in Darwin
28 Dec 2020 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-28/nt-records-cattle-export-coronavi...

A 25-year-old man from a recently docked international cattle export ship has tested positive for coronavirus in the Northern Territory.

Health authorities say the Diamantina livestock carrier arrived in Darwin's East Arm Wharf from Indonesia on Sunday night.

Container Carriers Environmental Impact: A Detailed Review
29/12/2020

Gliese Foundation has published twelve independent reviews of the largest container carriers. The table presents the ranking, name, score, number of pages of the Sustainability Report (still called CSR Report by some companies), the month of release of the report, number of years producing sustainability reports (the number available on the website, including 2019), and country in which each company is headquartered. Next, we present some of the highlights of each of the reviews.

Maersk:

Body of Crew Member of Capsized Iranian Vessel Found in Gulf
Reuters December 28, 2020 https://www.marinelink.com/news/body-crew-member-capsized-iranian-vessel...

The body of one of seven missing crew members of a capsized Iranian transport vessel was found in the Gulf waters on Monday, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

Maritime piracy major cause of concern for over two lakh Indian seafarers: MUI
Dec 28, 2020

NEW DELHI: Concerned at rising incidents of piracy during the COVID-19 pandemic, maritime body MUI on Monday said it has become a major cause of worry for over two lakh Indian seafarers. The Maritime Union of India (MUI), India's oldest union of merchant navy officers, said there is around 26 per cent increase in maritime piracy due to the pandemic, which has shut down many businesses and job opportunities around the world.

Sailors Stranded for Months as China Refuses to Let Ships Unload Australian Coal
Yan Zhuang Dec. 26, 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/26/business/coal-ships-china-australia.html

China is vague about why vessels that carried Australian coal to its ports can’t unload their cargo. “We’re all depressed; our mental health is deteriorating,” one sailor said.

Marine biosafety training in the Philippines
23/12/2020 https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/marine-biosafety-training-in-the-ph...

Industry stakeholders pursue capital intensive projects for shipping
December 16, 2020 https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/12/16/business/maritime-business/indust...

Two charged over security incident on oil tanker off coast of Isle of Wight
26 December 2020 https://news.sky.com/story/two-charged-over-security-incident-on-oil-tan...

Special forces boarded the ship late at night to regain control after crew members raised the alarm.

Two men have been charged over a security incident on board an oil tanker off the coast of the Isle of Wight.