seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

Fears grow of another pirate attack on a product tanker anchored off Benin
Sam Chambers February 2nd, 2018 http://splash247.com/fears-grow-another-pirate-attack-product-tanker-anc...

Anglo-Eastern, managers of the 45,989 dwt oil products tanker Marine Express, report that contact has been lost with the vessel which was at the Cotonou Anchorage in Benin.

Cargo ship grounded by storm in Istanbul
February 04 2018 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/cambodian-cargo-ship-grounded-by-storm-...

A cargo ship was pushed ashore by severe storms on the evening of Feb. 3 in Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu coast, Doğan News Agency reported.

Government doubles financial support to train UK maritime cadets
Gavin van Marle 02/02/2018 https://theloadstar.co.uk/government-doubles-financial-support-train-uk-...

The UK government has announced a £15m “funding boost” to train an extra 400 seafarer cadets annually.

The move doubles Whitehall funding for young people to £30m a year through its Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) programme,

Ships dumping noxious palm oil off British coast without legal consequences
Wil Crisp 3 February 2018

Ships are regularly dumping large quantities of noxious palm oil off the coast of Britain without legal consequences, the The Telegraph has learned.

During 2016 and 2017 seven instances of palm oil contaminating British waters were documented by satellites operated by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

Russia denies entry to ship carrying N.Korea cargo
4 Feb 2018 https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180204_03/

Russia has denied port entry to a ship carrying cargo from North Korea. It is believed that the vessel may contain a product whose import is banned under UN resolutions against Pyongyang.

The Russian operator of the Mangyongbong says it arrived on Wednesday in Vladivostok. But the ferry has been waiting offshore for 3 days.

Quo vadis, PH maritime industry?
BRENDA V. PIMENTEL February 3, 2018 http://www.manilatimes.net/quo-vadis-ph-maritime-industry/377955/

29 Chinese tourists rescued off Bohol
Leo Udtohan February 2, 2018 http://m.inquirer.net/globalnation/163771

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol-Twenty-nine Chinese tourists were rescued on Thursday afternoon after their motorbanca encountered engine trouble while in the waters off Balicasag Island in Bohol.

The group was on board MBCA Josieme for a tour of the island when the engine conked out, said Seaman 1st Class Jacob Pacaña of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Tagbilaran station.

Shipping firm pushes for maritime industry modernization
Erwin P. Nicavera February 03, 2018 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/business/2018/02/03/shipping-firm-push...

A SHIPPING firm with roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessel operating in Bacolod City is pushing for the modernization of maritime industry to provide superior transport services to Filipinos and tourists.

Arrests made in connection with Keppel’s Brazil bribery case
Sam Chambers February 2nd, 2018 http://splash247.com/arrests-made-connection-keppels-brazil-bribery-case/

A number of former executives of Keppel Corp have been arrested in Singapore as investigations into Brazilian bribes for rig deals heat up.

UPDATE – Fire extinguished on ship adrift southwest of Haida Gwaii
Matthew Allen Feb. 1, 2018 http://www.trailtimes.ca/news/container-ship-adrift-off-b-c-coast/

Canadian Coast Guard says tugboat will arrive on Sunday morning

The engine fire causing damage to the drifting container ship MOL Prestige has been extinguished as the vessel awaits a tugboat to assist it to its final destination.