boatfag confirms

Trafigura Tanker on Fire After Being Hit by Houthi Missile in Gulf of Aden

Published Jan 26, 2024 1:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

A Houthi missile has struck a product tanker operated for Trafigura, the commodity trading firm with the company confirm the vessel is on fire. It is the second report of attacks by the rebel group against tankers today. UK Maritime Trade Organization also confirmed the reports saying assistance is being provided.

UK-based digital solutions provider Vanguard was first to report that the Marshall Islands-flagged Marlin Luanda was struck during the second attack. The vessel is a 110,000 dwt product tanker traveling from Morocco and reported having transited the Suez Canal last weekend. The AIS signal shows the vessel heading to Singapore. Unconfirmed reports are that the vessel was carrying a load of highly flammable naphtha loaded in Russia.

UK Maritime Trade Organizations confirmed that it received a report saying the vessel was on fire and requesting assistance. They put the location as 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen, similar to the location of the first report of an explosion earlier in the day observed by the Marlin Luanda.

A spokesperson from Trafigura later confirmed to The Maritime Executive that the Marlin Luanda, a petroleum product tanker vessel operated on behalf of company, was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea. They reported that "Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side." The company said it remains in contact with the vessel and the top concern is the safety of the crew.

The Houthi spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree also released a taped video statement in which he says, "Yemeni naval forces carried out a targeting operation on the British oil ship (Marlin Luanda) In the Gulf of Aden, using a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct, and resulted in the burning of the vessel. Yemeni Armed Forces persist with their military operations: enforcing a blockade on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian seas until a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza, and food and medicine are allowed in to the besieged Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

The USS Carney as well as other coalition vessels were dispatched to provide assistance. U.S. Central Command is reporting that the vessel was struck by a single anti-ship missile. There are multiple unconfirmed reports and a broad range of purported photos (many clearly false) circulating on social media.

Earlier today it was the same vessel, the Marlin Luanda, that relayed information on the earlier attack. In the first instance, they reported an explosion in the air approximately 200 to 300 meters above the waterline of another tanker, the Panama-flagged Achilles. The explosion occurred about one nautical mile away from the tanker. The projectile did not make contact with either vessel, according to Vanguard. A French warship was reported to be patrolling in the area at the time.

The Achilles, a 109,000 dwt crude oil tanker, was also southbound in the Red Sea. The vessel's AIS signal shows that it was sailing from Primorsk, Russia, and displaying the message “No Link With Israel.” This tanker is reportedly under contract to an Indian shipper.

U.S. Central Command had also reported earlier on Friday shooting down a missile fired from Yemen that was heading toward the USS Carney. Early on Saturday local time, the U.S. reported it destroyed yet another missile on a launcher ready to be fire by the Houthis.

EURONAVFOR has been cautioning ships over the escalating attacks and saying the Houthis appeared to be threatening a broader array of ships beyond those with known ties to Israel, the U.S., or the UK. They also noted that the Houthis “might be capitalizing on outdated information regarding ship ownership in certain instances.”

https://maritime-executive.com/article/breaking-report-trafigura-tanker-hit-by-houthi-missile-in-gulf-of-aden>>20310174

>>20310420

getting busy down there

>>20310430

Would mean getting through the escorts and the birdfarm's own defenses

>>20310392

No "State of Palestine" exists

>>20310217

Canada #41 >>18521699

Pornhub Acquired By Canadian Private Equity Firm 'Ethical Capital Partners'

by Tyler Durden Thursday, Mar 16, 2023

The parent company of controversial website Pornhub - which has allowed all sorts of child sexual abuse on the platform despite repeated efforts to remove such content - has been sold to Canadian private equity firm, Ethical Capital Partners, which was formed last year and says it's focused on technology businesses that "have legal and regulatory complexity and that put a value on transparency and accountability."

The purchase is ECP's first transaction. The company is led by "cannabis entrepreneur Rocco Meliambro and criminal lawyer Fady Mansour, who is listed as managing partner. Derek Ogden, a retired chief superintendent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is also a partner at the firm," according to Bloomberg.

The move comes amid a lawsuit against the parent company, MindGeek, over sexually explicit videos of minors found on its 'tube' sites, the Financial Times reports.

Luxembourg-registered MindGeek has towered over the adult industry since the advent of video streaming. Its most recently published figures show revenues in 2018 reached $460mn while profit margins have at times neared 50 per cent, according to people familiar with the matter.

The identity of MindGeek’s former majority owner Bernd Bergmair — an ex-Goldman Sachs banker who also uses the name Bernard Bergemar — was first revealed by an FT investigation.

Pornhub's multiple scandals has led to the departure of its top management team, and restricted access to payment platforms Visa and Mastercard - which almost led to the site's collapse in late 2020 following investigations that identified illegal content on the platform.

According to ECP co-founder and attorney, Solomon Friedman, the lawsuits and criticism of MindGeek 'stemmed from a misunderstanding' of how the company is now safeguarding its content - which he says changed after the previous owners departed.

"I want to engage regularly with stakeholders, including the media," said Friedman, adding that the new owners 'wanted to exercise transparency.'

While the purchase price, and where the funds came from, have not been disclosed, the current remaining (anonymous) executives will continue running the company.

"At this point we are not identifying the current executives, as there is an unfortunate stigma [attached to the industry]," said Friedman.

According to MindGeek, Mastercard has reinstated access to its subscription sites, however the company's advertising arm, TrafficJunky, remains cut off following a court ruling that found Visa could be held liable for illegal content.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pornhub-acquired-canadian-private-equity-firm-ethical-capital-partners

>>20310469

There are no facilities in Antarctica for a containership to offload

Ørsted Cancels Maryland Power Agreement as it Reviews US Offshore Wind Plan

Published Jan 26, 2024 2:29 PM by The Maritime Executive

Ørsted is continuing with its efforts to realign its U.S. offshore wind portfolio while also taking steps to emphasize that it remains committed to the market and sees future opportunities. The U.S. division of the Danish offshore developer however announced that it has walked away from existing power agreements in New York and now Maryland positioning the projects for future offtake opportunities.

Plans for Skipjack Wind, a two-phase project with the potential for 966 MW of energy, were setback as the company reported it will withdraw from existing power agreements with the Maryland Public Service Commission agreed to in 2020 and 2021. The company said it determined that the payment amounts outlined in the orders “are no longer commercially viable,” while again citing market conditions, including inflation, high interest rates, and supply chain constraints.

According to Ørsted, the decision to withdraw from the orders with Maryland will “reposition Skipjack Wind for future offtake opportunities.” It is unclear then they might be able to rebid these projects.

Unlike its decision in November 2023 to end two New Jersey offshore wind projects, Ørsted intends to continue advancing development and permitting for the two phases of Skipjack. The company is submitting an updated Construction and Operations Plan for the wind farms to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for review.

The plan calls for Maryland’s first offshore wind farm to be built in two phases. The smaller, first phase was agreed upon in 2020 and would be located in an area approximately 13 to 21 miles off the Delmarva Peninsula. It would have a capacity for 120 MW while the second phase which was part of Maryland’s second solicitation in 2021 would have a capacity for 846 MW. The company in its plans said the project would require 69 turbine positions. They were planning on using the GE Haliade 14.7 MW turbine at the second site and the smaller 12 MW at the first site. They would stand approximately 550 feet from the waterline to the nacelle hub and the blades are approximately 300 feet in length.

“Today’s announcement affirms our commitment to developing value-creating projects and represents an opportunity to reposition Skipjack Wind, located in a strategically valuable federal lease area and with a state that is highly supportive of offshore wind, for future offtake opportunities,” said David Hardy, Group Executive Vice President and CEO Americas at Ørsted. “As we explore the best path forward for Skipjack Wind, we anticipate several opportunities and will evaluate each as it becomes available. We will continue to advance Skipjack Wind’s development milestones, including its Construction and Operations Plan.”

At the same time, they confirmed that yesterday they entered a new bid into the New York State solicitation for the Sunrise Wind project to be located east of Long Island. Ørsted had reported if the rebid is successful, it would take full control of the project acquiring the half interest currently held by Eversource.

The companies emphasized that Sunrise Wind is the most developed proposal in New York’s pipeline and if they are successful in resetting the power agreement would be ready to move forward with construction on the project which would provide 924 MW. Calling it “ready to build,” they said Sunrise Wind is expected to be completed in 2026.

The rebid however is just one of several proposals submitted to New York yesterday with expectations that it would be a very competitive round. BP and Equinor reported yesterday that they were separating their interests in Beacon Wind and Empire Wind, two other projects in New York that are looking to reset their offtake agreements. Equinor confirmed it had submitted a proposal for Empire Wind 1 in the solicitation.

RWE and National Grid Ventures also reported that their joint venture Community Offshore Wind had submitted a proposal. It is for the second phase of the wind farm which would have a capacity of 1.3 GW. The first phase was selected in the previous third round solicitation. Combined the project has the potential for 3 GW the companies said is expected to be in operation by the end of 2030.

New York has promised a quick decision as it looks to expedite the next round of offshore wind power development.

https://maritime-executive.com/article/oersted-cancels-maryland-power-agreement-as-it-reviews-us-offshore-wind-plan

Controversial Chinese Research Vessel Schedules Port Call in Maldives

PUBLISHED JAN 26, 2024 8:47 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

Tensions are being sparked in the Indian Ocean region with news that a Chinese marine research vessel, Xiang Yang Hong 03, will be making a visit to the Maldives starting next week. News of the visit has raised questions if the new president of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, is attempting to form closer ties with China and draw away from the relationship with India fostered by his predecessor.

The Chinese research vessel is part of an ongoing controversy across the region. Officially it is reported to be conducting distant water and deep sea surveys on behalf of China’s Pilot Ocean Laboratory. Built in 2016, the vessel is part of a fleet of ocean research vessels launched by China and since 2019 has been reported to be conducting scientific research. Analysts however note that China appears to be blurring the lines between scientific and military research.

Tracking services are reporting the vessel recently entered the Indian Ocean. They said it had transited the Sunda Strait in Indonesia and was heading toward the Maldives. The vessel which approximately is 4,800 tons had been said to be planning a stop in Sri Lanka around the beginning of the year. However, reports surfaced that Sri Lanka informed China it was imposing a one-year moratorium on Chinese research vessels from docking in the country’s ports.

Sri Lanka has been under pressure from the United States and India to curb the activities of the Chinese in the region. India has adamantly opposed the increase of activities by Chinese research vessels in all parts of the Indian Ocean.

The Maldives President just concluded a diplomatic visit with China reporting that they had reached terms on a broad range of agreements. This was followed by the announcement on January 23 that the Chinese government had requested the necessary clearances from the government of the Maldives for a port call by the Xiang Yang Hong 03.

The vessel is officially reported to have the capabilities to conduct studies ranging from the salinity of the ocean to underwater mineral exploration, underwater and environmental studies. It is believed it is also used for mapping surveys.

The government of the Maldives in December reported it would be terminating a hydrography agreement with India for the water of the Maldives. The official position is that the information belongs to the Maldives and they do not want to have international studies, but many questioned if it was another sign of a cooling of the relationship between the new government and India, which had been pursued by the previous president. The agreement with India requires six months’ notice for termination which is now scheduled for June 2024.

“The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes. Such port calls not only enhance bilateral ties between the Maldives and its partner countries, but also demonstrate the centuries old tradition of the Maldivian people welcoming vessels from friendly countries,” the government wrote in an official statement addressing the media reports over the arrival of the Chinese ship.

The government of the Maldives said the clearances sought were to make a port call for rotation of personnel and replenishment. They emphasized the vessel would not be conducting any research while in the Maldivian waters. The Xiang Yang Hong 03 is due to arrive in the capital of the country, Malé, on January 30. It is unclear how long it will be staying.

https://maritime-executive.com/article/controversial-chinese-research-vessel-schedules-port-call-in-maldives

>>20310616

That is not a container ship, that is a self-discharging bulk carrier

>>20310648

Never been to Antarctica, have you?

Lucky for them OCEAN GIANT has her own cranes. Oh yeah, she's listed as General Cargo, not a bulk carrier, so can take containers on deck when the hatches are closed

THE Alliance suspends Asia – Red Sea service over security threat

Marcus Hand Jan 26, 2024

The AR1 service offered by the alliance comprising Ocean Network Express (ONE), Hapag-Lloyd, Yang Ming, and HMM, connects ports in Northeast and Southeast Asia with ports of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Aqaba in Jordan and Egypt’s Sokhna Port.

“We regret to inform you that, due to recent security developments around the Red Sea, the AR1 service will be temporarily suspended until further notice. This decision is a proactive measure to prioritize the safety of our crew, vessels, and your cargo,” ONE said in a customer advisory.

Related: Red Sea disruption, container freight rates, and shipper disputes

“While we understand the inconvenience this may cause, the suspension is a precautionary measure due to security concerns in the region. We are closely monitoring the situation and will resume the AR1 service as soon as it is deemed safe for vessels to operate in the area again.”

The diversion of the service from Port Klang, it’s last port of call in Asia via the Cape of Good Hope, rather than sailing directly to the Red Sea, is particularly lengthy compared to the overall voyage length and adds a transit through the Suez Canal.

Related: Asia container demand grows on Chinese New Year approach, Red Sea attacks

For the remaining four sailings on the service one will transit via the Red Sea while the other three will sail via the Cape of Good Hope. Three of the vessels will discharge in Singapore.

In customer advisory Hapag-Lloyd said: “We are currently working on alternative routes to serve the Red Sea / Gulf of Aden ports and these will be announced shortly.”

Due to the ongoing security threat in the Red Sea to commercial shipping from Houthi rebels the majority of container shipping services transiting the region have diverted to the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope. Earlier this week two US-flagged Maersk containerships were subject to a failed missile attack while transiting the Red Sea.

The routing of the AR1 Service is Pusan – Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou – Singapore - Port Klang – Jeddah – Aqaba – Sokhna – Jeddah – Singapore – Pusan

https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/containers/alliance-suspends-asia-red-sea-service-over-security-threat

>>20310778

Purchased by the Dutch, no refunds