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The first ever strike by Maritime and Coastguard agency staff  is to take place on March 06, after backing action in a row over pay. Around 700 employees are expected to participate in strike. Emergency calls and operations at 19 UK Search And Rescue Co-ordination Centres are likely to be affected. However the strike is not applicable to staff who are on emergency duties.

Here is the Press Notice No: 055/08 from Maritime & Coastguard Agency.

Here is the BBC News report on this subject.

Update: March 05

Click here to view a video message from Peter Cardy about strike action.

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India successfully conducted undersea test firing of K-15 missile on February 26. Pakistan has reacted with a comment that it is a serious issue and could trigger an arms race in the region. Let us analyse more.

Here is a map that shows Indian and Pakistan coast lines.

Pakistan has a coast line of 1,050 km, 250 km falling in Sind province and 800 km in Balochistan.

India has a coast line of total 7500 km. 5700 km on the mainland and 1800 km around Andaman & Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands.

India with a large coast line definitely needs all types of weapons to face the sea based threats.

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WaveFinder is a Swiss designed, active, intelligent, autonomous Man-Over-Board (MOB) safety and search system. This is an essential system for the safety of ships crew which complements the existing products such as lifejackets, flashing lights etc.

On activation, WaveFinder is capable of

• providing automatic alerts to the ships crew that a person has fallen overboard
• providing continuous updated information on the position of MOB
• providing relative distance of the MOB
• guiding the ship to the exact location of the MOB even in the rough seas

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A fishing trawler with three fishermen sank 15 km (9 miles) off the coast of Byron Bay after hitting a reef in northern New South Wales, Australia on February 27. The fishermen have proved themselves to be the best swimmers.

• 39 year old Michael Williams reached New Brighton Beach after 12 hours of swimming and raised an alarm for rescue of fellow fishermen.
• Second fisherman John Jarratt was rescued after 30 hours at sea by a rescue helicopter. He could float at sea with the help of foam cooler called Esky.
• Third fisherman,40 year old skipper Charlie Picton is yet to be rescued. Massive search operations are going on to rescue him.

Here is the location of Byron Bay where the trawler sank.

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After successful inaugural show last year, Samira Mumbai International Boat Show 2008 is ready to start now. More than 60 exhibitors and 120 international brands are expected to be on display.

Where?

At Mumbai, India.

When?

February 28 to March 02, 2008.

The SMIBS 2008 Boat Show Overview:

• Exhibition Area
  Large self built stands promoting a wide range of small and medium sized boats, engines, water sports equipment and luxury product display spread over 10,000 sq. m. (1,07,639 sq. ft.) at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai.
• On Water
  Luxury yachts and boats including leading international brand names with over 30 boats on 100 metre floating pontoons off the historic Gateway of India.
• Conference
  A one-day conference attended by over 200 delegates with key speakers from India and abroad on growth and prospects of the leisure boating industry.
• Boat Show Events
  Press Conference, VIP Preview Evening, Networking Dinner, SMIBS Regatta and other sponsored events and shows.

Click here for further details.

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Everyone by now is aware that Global Warming is a threat to environment.

There are some positive developments also that are taking place due to Global Warming to help the Shipping Industry and Seafarers.

Here is a graph showing Extent of Arctic Sea Ice (millions of Sq Kms) from 1979 to 2007.

Source:nsidc

We can observe that minimum average sea ice from 1979 to 2000 was around 7 million sq kms. This has reduced to around 4 million sq kms in 2007 and in future going to decrease further. So is the case for Antarctic region also. This implies that ocean area available for navigation is increasing more and more.

Here is how Global Warming helps the Shipping Industry.

1.Reduced operating costs to shipping companies due to new and shorter shipping routes:

As more ocean area is available in the Arctic region for navigation, new shorter shipping routes are going to be available to connect US to Asia. This is going to reduce travel time and operating costs to shipping companies.

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Image Source:thebeijingnews

World’s longest sea span bridge, spanning Hangzhou Bay near Shangai is 36 kilo metres long. The bridge connecting Shanghai and Ningbo is going to be opened for traffic soon. The bridge will cut the length of the drive from Shanghai to Ningbo from 400 km to 80 km. This bridge is longer than the existing 32.5 kilo metres Dongai Bridge, which is also in China.

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India today successfully test fired K-15 (earlier called as Sagarika) nuclear capable ballistic missile, from a submerged pontoon off the eastern coast. With this test firing India is preparing to join select group of countries having this expertise. The countries already having this expertise are: U.S, Russia, France,U.K. and China.

The K-15 missile is developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile is powered by solid propellants and is reported to be having a range of more than 700 km, 6.5 metres long and weighs about seven tonnes. The missile can carry a pay load of 600 kg warhead and is designed in both conventional and nuclear versions.

The missile is expected to be integrated as the main armament of the indigenously made nuclear submarine which is likely to enter sea trials next year.

Bravo Zulu to DRDO.

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This morning,

1. I read a wonderful post which demonstrates the power of photoshop. See carefully the pictures below:

2. I read a TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) post by our friend BitterEnd. lam a regular reader of BitterEnd.

3. I also read a disturbing Press Notice No: 053-08 from Maritime & Coastguard Agency which says “Facebook Used To Forge Seafarer Certificate”

Captain Andrew Phillips of the MCA Enforcement Unit said: Seafarers should never publish copies of their certification on the Internet. If you have already done so then you are strongly advised to remove them immediately. Having the document on the Internet allows them to be copied, and then abused.
Equally, when checking seafarers documentation, always ask to see the original document.

This is an Advice to Seafarers: Never Publish Your Scanned Certificates in Internet.

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Fishing is livelihood for some people. Fishing is also a hobby for some people.

But, Dynamite blast or Explosive Fishing is increasing as a means of earning quick money for some organised criminals.

Dynamite Fishing is a cruel method of fishing by triggering an underwater explosion. The resulting underwater noise or shock or pressure waves cause death of all marine life including fish and coral reef in the vicinity.

Dynamite blast fishing is practiced in more than 30 countries. The crime which was going on earlier in small scale has now become a dynamite mafia that has now perfected a system which they put into practice with assembly line precision.

Here you can see a photograph of dead fish after blasting.

Click here for more photographs and details about dynamite blast fishing in Sri Lanka.

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Panamian cargo vessel MV Rezzak with 25 Indian crew is missing since February 18. The ship carrying cargo of steel billets left Novorossiysk, Russia on February 17 to Turkey through Black Sea.

Intensive search by the International Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) is going on for the last six days and the ship or crew could not be located. However, a life raft from the MV Rezzak was spotted drifting about five nautical miles off the coast of Turkey. The deadline for searching is February 25, and it is feared that the ship has sunk and the crew are dead due to bad weather.

The vessel, managed by CMR Denizcilik ve Ticaret of Turkey, was manned by Mumbai based company Pelican Marine. The website of MRCC, Black Sea, Turkey is found to be hacked.

Click here to know further details and the list of missing Indian crew.

Update:February 26

Pelican Marine Private Limited, is blaming the captain of MV Rezzak for the Black Sea tragedy. Click here to read more.

Update:February 29

MV Rezzak is still missing. It is incorrect to say that vessel has sunk. DG Shipping, India has commenced a probe on the missing vessel. Indian Government is planning to send an observer to coordinate search operations.

There is another school of thought coming regarding the missing vessel. Is it a Maritime Insurance Fraud ?

Update: March 02

Search and Rescue team have found a life raft, life jackets, tarpaulins, gas cylinders, sea survival kit, buoys and lifeboats of the vessel. Click here for more details.

Update: March 04

India did not rule out the possibility of pirate attacks. An Indian official is expected to reach Turkey on March 06 for further coordination and investigation. Click here to read more.

Update: March 08

Piracy angle is widening. Click here to read more.

Update: March 09

MV Rezzak was not seaworthy. How the ship sailed then from Russian city of Novorossiisk ? Click here for more details.

Click here to read the views of Bob Couttie from Maritime Accident Casebook.

Update: March 10

Pelican Marine, the manpower agency of the ship has issued letters to the families of the ships crew that the crew are feared dead. Click here to read more.

Update: March 15

According to an interim report given by Indian official who went to Turkey to probe, it was likely that MV Rezzak had sunk due to bad weather. Click here to read more.

Update: March 20

Families of the ships crew have submitted a memorandum to Maharashtra Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to intervene and initiate further search operations to find out the missing crew. Click here to read more.

Update: April 20

Ministry of Shipping approaches Interpol to locate missing crew. Read more from sify.

Update: April 29

Mr Anant Geete (Shiv Sena) MP asked the government to seek interpol help to trace missing crew. Read more from webindia123.

Update: May 01

DG Shipping says the vessel ignored bad weather and advice of another vessel in the vicinity. Further says piracy and fraud angles can not be ruled without locating the missing ship. Read more from indianexpress.

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We are able to appreciate the harmful effects of Air Pollution and Noise Pollution in the land. All countries are trying their best to minimise Air and Noise Pollution.

What about Oil Pollution and Underwater Noise Pollution in the Oceans ?

Yes, all countries are trying their best to minimise Oil Pollution. Same efforts are not seen to minimise Underwater Noise Pollution in the Oceans. Underwater Noise Pollution is as harmful as Oil Pollution to marine life. In fact, Ocean Mammal Institute has lot of fact sheets on Underwater Noise Pollution.

Last month, a deep diving dolphin was found dead on the beach of the US Navy’s San Nicolas Island. Similar deaths of other marine species are often reported from different parts of the world. It is reported that the U.S. Navy plans to deploy Low Frequency Active Sonar (LFA) to detect quiet submarines, throughout 80% of the world’s oceans. This implies that US Navy is planning to aid Underwater Noise Pollution in 80% of the world’s oceans and preparing to lay death traps to marine mammals.

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56 year old American adventurer Captain Reid Stowe and 25 year old rookie sailor Soanya Ahmad commenced their 1000 days Non Stop at Sea expedition called The Mars Ocean Odyssey. Now due to prolonged seasickness, the brave Soanya has decided to say goodbye to the expedition.

The interesting features of the expedition are:

• 1000 days non stop at sea without touching the land
• Commenced on April 21, 2007
• On a 70-foot and 60-ton gaff-rigged schooner Anne.
• Sailing plan
  • from N.Y. following the Gulf Stream across the North Atlantic then south towards the equator
  • after passing equator, sail in the shape of a heart in the Southern Ocean
  • go further south for first around of world pass
  • then to eventually sail all the oceans of the world without ever touching land
• Communication: Schooner Anne carries the ACR model “Satellite 406″ which is a Class 1 Category II 406 Mhz EPIRB and an iridium satellite telephone
• Water: There are four water tanks located in the cargo hold with a capacity of 1200 gallons in all and a desalinator.
• Heat source: the vessel has an antique french stove that burns coal and wood. There is about 2000 lbs. of coal stored on the schooner and 150 boxes of wood
• Food: mostly rice and beans, pasta and sauce, dried fruits, sprout salads, and salt fish to last two people a full three years
• A medical kit

Soanya commenced her voyage with no sailing experience. She functioned as Stowe’s first mate for the first 300 days handling photography, computers and communication,as well as overseeing food supplies and preparing meals.

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“One who controlled the oceans will be the one who will be controlling the whole world”. This centuries old doctrine, prompted all the countries to develop their Navies to control the oceans.

Now with technological developments, the new doctrine is “One who controlled the space will be the one who will be controlling the whole world”. Many global activities are now satellite dependent, such as

• Communication for military, civil
• Weather forecast
• TV
• Aircraft and Ships Navigation
• Resource mapping
• Spying

Every country wants to launch its own satellites, to be more independent. In case of war or conflicts, the easy way to defeat or cripple a country is to kill the satellites of that country.

Both the US and the Soviet Union have already demonstrated their space supremacy. China has proved its capability last year to kill satellite and has become the third country to shoot something down in space. Now, US has validated the technology on February 21, by successfully shooting down a defunct spy satellite from a guided missile cruiser.

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Speedo has launched the world’s fastest swimsuit called LZR Racer (laser racer). The LZR Racer concept was developed by Aqualab, Speedo’s global research and development facility. Aqualab works with world class experts from diverse industries including aerospace, engineering and medicine. Speedo has designed this swimsuit by consulting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA.

LZR Racer swimsuit

• is made from Speedo’s unique LZR Pulse fabric which
  • is ultra light weight
  • is water repellant
  • reduces muscle oscillation
  • reduces skin compression
  • is fast drying fabric
  • offers low skin friction drag
• helps the swimmers to maintain the best body position in the water for longer
• is the world’s fully bonded bodysuit, ultrasonically welded
• is dynamically engineered to optimise the shape of the swimmer
• has better oxygen efficiency

The LZR Racer is considered as the most revolutionary performance swimming suit ever made.

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