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Sofie Maersk’s Main Engine Breaks Down
Danish-flagged Post Panamax containership MV Sofie Maersk has suffered a main engine failure on its way to Asia.
The 8,160 TEU containership is being moved to Honolulu port to initiate repairs and take provisions, according to the vessel’s operating carrier cited by Hapag-Lloyd on March 8.
The containership is fully-laden and its cargo is expected to remain onboard whilst repairs are ongoing.
The 1989-built vessel is deployed on Eastbound AC2 service connecting Asia and West Coast South America.
The earliest estimated arrival time in Qingdao will be on April 8.
Details on the potential cause of the engine failure were not disclosed.
Sofie Maersk is owned by Danish Moller Maersk AS and it is worth around USD 17.46 million, data from VesselsValue shows.
Tanker Catches Fire at Vietnamese Port
A tanker docked at a Vietnamese port burst into flames following an explosion on March 10, according to Hai Phong Port Authority.
The ship, named Hai Ha 18, was loaded with a cargo of 900 cubic meters of A92 petrol which was being pumped out of the ship.
During the operation, the vessel pump stopped working and the tanker was ordered to leave the wharf area in Song Cam channel for repairs.
The fire and explosion occurred shortly thereafter.
Numerous firefighting units arrived at the scene to put the fire under control.
On March 11, the burning ship was transferred to the other side of the river to prevent the spread of the fire to neighboring areas while the firefighting efforts continued.
World Maritime News contacted relevant parties for more details on the current status of the vessel, however, they are yet to reply.
Maersk Shanghai’s Container with Sulfuric Acid Still Lost
One of Maersk Shanghai’s containers, which collapsed rom the ship in early March, was carrying about 5,900 pounds of sulfuric acid, the USCG cited data provided by Maersk.
The company confirmed that the Liberia-flagged containership lost a total of 76 containers, as well as their contents, in the evening hours of March 3. At the time, the ship was about 17 miles off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina.
There are no indications that any containers of sulfuric acid have surfaced or washed up on shore, the USCG said, adding that no other hazardous materials were reported in the containers.
The boxes fell from Maersk Shanghai due to high winds and heavy seas which the vessel encountered while it was underway from Norfolk to Charleston. The 2016-built ship is operated by Zodiac Maritime, which charters out its ships to container shipping majors.
Aircraft crews were sent to conduct overflights, locating nine containers on the surface. At present, only two of the nine sighted containers remain floating.
The owners of Maersk Shanghai contracted a salvage company to place tracking devices and lights on the containers. Maersk has also developed a plan to use side-scan sonar to locate the submerged containers to determine their risk to safe navigation and environmental impact.
“Our main priority is ensuring the safety of navigation in the area and addressing potential environmental impacts,” said Coast Guard Capt. Bion Stewart, commanding officer, Sector North Carolina.
CMA CGM Sails to Profitability in 2017
French shipping giant CMA CGM returned to profitability in 2017 as its consolidated net income group share for the year amounted to USD 701 million, a sharp increase compared the loss of USD 452 million reported in 2016.
In 2017, CMA CGM carried nearly 19 million containers, a strong increase of 21.1% compared to 2016. This increase is driven by the contributions of all the shipping lines operated by the group in addition to APL’s full-year contribution.
Thanks to the increase in freight rates, confirmed throughout 2017, the average revenue per TEU rose by +9% compared to 2016.
Fourth quarter revenues were up 19.9% at USD 5.5 billion, compared to USD 4.6 billion in the same quarter last year. The annual revenue for 2017 rose by 32.1% and surpassed the USD 20 billion mark for the first time, reaching USD 21.1 billion, compared to USD 16 billion reported in the previous year.
“The group has recorded an excellent performance in 2017, showing once again the relevance of its strategy and its operational discipline,” Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said.
Looking forward, the company said that the momentum of the volumes transported in 2017 is expected to continue in 2018. The group “should continue to benefit from this trend”.
CMA CGM Giant on a European Tour
The recently built CMA CGM Antoine de Saint Exupéry, one of the largest containerships in the world, is in the midst of its European tour.
The 20,600 TEU newbuilding has been visiting some of the major European ports, the latest being the Port of Hamburg in Germany.
On March 14, the megaship docked at HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB), becoming the biggest vessel ever to call the port.
Peter Wolf, Managing Director of CMA CGM Germany, believes that the first arrival of the CMA CGM Antoine de Saint Exupéry represents a major milestone: “We are very pleased to welcome our new flagship here in Hamburg for the first time. It will play a key role in regular services between Asia and Northern Europe.”
Built at HHIC-Phil’s Subic facility, the 400-meter ship was handed over to CMA CGM, in January 2018. It is deployed in French Asia Line 1 service which connects Asia to Northern Europe.
After transiting the Suez Canal, CMA CGM Antoine de Saint Exupéry visited the Port of Algeciras in early March, before heading to Southampton, Dunkerque and Hamburg.
High Costs Expected after Maersk Honam Fire
Shipping giant Maersk Line confirmed that the berthing and discharging operations of the fire-stricken Maersk Honam would result in high extraordinary costs.
The company has therefore decided to declare General Average, according to a notice released by Maersk’s 2M alliance partner Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), under which all parties with a financial interest in the voyage are to proportionally share the losses resulting from the incident.
Maersk Line has not yet confirmed when and where the vessel will be berthed and discharged.
The fire on board the ultra large containership was earlier localized and prevented from spreading, the Indian Coast Guard said on March 9. Specialized firefighting vessels remain engaged, with salvage operations led by Smit Salvage and Ardent.
The Danish carrier appointed Richards Hogg Lindley (RHL), London as the General Adjuster and they will keep all containers under their control until security arrangements have been made with the Average Adjusters, both for General Average and Salvage.
Singapore-flagged Maersk Honam suffered the fire in its cargo hold on March 6. At the time, the ship, which was enroute from Singapore towards Suez, was crewed by 27 sailors.
23 crew members were evacuated by the vessel ALS Ceres after the fire broke out. One was reported dead due to injuries sustained in connection with the fire, while the salvors found the remains of three out of the four missing crew members aboard Maersk Honam, the company said on March 12.
Source: World Maritime News
