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Helicopter Destroyer Hyuga (DDH 181), of Japan Maritime Self Defence Forces (JMSDF) was commissioned on March 18. International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 08 of the year and the United States even designates the whole month of March as ‘Women’s History Month’.

To mark this occasion, Helicopter Destroyer Hyuga is the first JMSDF destroyer to have female crew. The ship is part of 16DDH project (16 as in the 16th year of the Heisei emperor in the Japanese calendar). The warship looks like an aircraft carrier with a flattop deck and is in fact a helicopter carrier but not classified as an aircraft carrier.

The name Hyuga is of a World War II hybrid battleship/carrier. The ship is comparable in size to modern small aircraft carriers of Italy’s MM Giuseppe Garibaldi, Spain’s Principe de Asturia and Britain’s Invincible.

Some of the interesting features of helicopter carrier Hyuga are:

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The 16th annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX 2009) is going on from March 24. The exercise is in progress in Andaman Sea and South China Sea and is expected to conclude on April 02.

Press release from Press Information Bureau is below:

The 2009 edition of the ‘SIMBEX’ Series of annual bilateral naval exercises between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN),   commenced in the Andaman Sea on 24 Mar 09. As a part of this exercise units will also exercise in the South China Sea until 02 April 2009.

SIMBEX is an acronym for ‘Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise’. It stands upon an enduring foundation of bilateral naval cooperation that was formalised a decade-and-a-half ago, when RSN ships began training in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) with the Indian Navy, in 1994. Over the years, the exercises have reflected the growth in strength, capability, and mutual-confidence of both navies. As such, they have graduated from purely training-oriented ASW exercises to complex multi-dimensional exercises, involving multiple facets of operations at sea. Over the years, successive editions of SIMBEX have incorporated a wide range of sea-going serials, ranging from platform-specific exercises in Damage Control and Fire-fighting, through ‘Visit, Board, Search and Seizure’ procedures in support of ‘Low Intensity Maritime Operations’ and the countering of asymmetric threats, all the way up to advanced multi-threat scenarios, involving surface, sub-surface and airborne combatants, inclusive of weapon-firing serials.

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Deep-Sea Robot called Sentry is an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV).

Some interesting features of Sentry are:

• Built by engineers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).
• The robot is designed to dive as deep as 5,000 metres and can dive up to 20 hours.
• The robot is powered by more than 1,000 lithium-ion batteries, similar to those used in laptop computers, to withstand extreme pressures underwater.
• During the first cruise last year, the robot surveyed about 53 square kilometres of seafloor including high-resolution mapping of the seafloor.
• The robot can be pre-programmed for operation.

Photograph by Dana Yoerger, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is an engineer and his shipboard colleagues playfully painted a grin on the vehicle. He is expected to join Sentry on at least three expeditions planned for 2009.

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Chennai port is now in news reports on smuggling of rice. You may recall that Chennai port was in news in December 2008 for food and fruits import clearance bribe taking by Chennai port health officer.

There are some interesting information on smuggling of rice:

• Presently price of average quality rice (non basmati) is around Rupees 40 per kg at Chennai.
• Tamil Nadu government is providing since September 15, 2008 rice for Rupee 1 per kg through Public Distribution System (PDS) to a maximum of 20 kg every month. Smuggling of PDS rice goes on despite efforts by law enforcing agencies to stop it.
• Justice D P Wadhwa Committee in its report submitted to the Supreme Court on March 25, says that “PDS is inefficient and corrupt. There is an unholy nexus between the transporters, fair price shop owners and officials of the department of food and civil supply.”
• A news report from news webindia 123 dated September 30, 2008 says “The Docks Intelligence Unit (DIU),attached to Custom House, seized 1,684 bags of rice, attempted to be smuggled to Singapore from Chennai Port in the guise of exporting sugar”

Now The Times of India, Chennai Edition (page 4) dated March 26 reports that smuggling of rice through the Chennai port has gone up.

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This year, Earth Hour is conducting the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming. You can cast your vote with your light switch.

“Vote Earth” is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 2,712 cities, towns and municipalities in 83 countries have already pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

How to participate ?

On Saturday March 28, wherever you live on planet earth, simply switch off lights at 2030 hours local time for 60 minutes and join the world for Earth Hour.

Why to participate in Earth Hour 2009 ?

• Earth Hour 2009 is a truly global initiative to fight against climate change.
• Climate change threatens lives, livelihoods, and lifestyles.
• In fact, cities consume 75 per cent of the world’s energy and produce 80 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why it’s important for cities to work together on this issue.
• It is the global expression of a desire for serious and sustained action on climate change.
• Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour.
• In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights.
• In 2009,
  • Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote.
  • Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you are from, but instead, what planet you are from.

Here is the map showing the locations that are going to participate in Earth Hour 2009:

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Situ Gintung Dam in Indonesia burst this morning (March 27, Friday) around 0200 local time, when people in the nearby area were sleeping without any option to flee. This has reminded the people of Indonesia, deadly Tsunami of December 26, 2004.

• due to heavy rains, the dam was full and collapsed.
• the flood waters swept settlement areas at Cirendeu, Ciputat, Tangerang, Banten province of Indonesia.
• the floodwaters reached a height of upto four metres.
• at least 50 people have drowned and the death toll is likely to increase.
• hundreds of homes are flooded.
• initially the residents heard loud noises as that of a powerful earthquake and later it was realized that the noises came from floodwaters coming from the dam burst.
• Search and rescue work is going on.

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The Royal Australian Navy’s Huon Class Mine Hunters HMAS Yarra (M 87), HMAS Norman (M 84) have located, identified and marked the position of 24 of the 31 containers (images on the right) lost by MV Pacific Adventurer at sea on March 11, during Cyclone Hamish off Cape Moreton.

Some of the interesting features of this container hunting are:

• In bad weather conditions, HMAS Yarra and HMAS Norman were searching for these lost containers by using Variable Depth Sonar since March 18 in the vicinity of the datum point provided by the Master of MV Pacific Adventurer.
• The sonar can detect objects at depths of over 100 metres with detection ranges in excess of 1,000 metres ahead of the ship.
• On March 25,
  • HMAS Yarra successfully identified 22 containers at a depth of 120 metres.
  • The containers are lying on the seabed in groups of two and three, and are in varying states of condition.
• On March 26, HMAS Norman located two more containers on the seabed in very bad shape.
• Images and video footages of the containers were taken by using Bofors Underwater Systems Double Eagle Mine Disposal Vehicles.
• Mine Disposal Vehicles are
  • Equipped with a searchlight, closed-circuit low light television camera and an on-board close range identification sonar.
  • Commands are relayed via a fibre optic link inside the vehicle’s tether, which also relays sensor images for display on the ship’s multifunction console in the operations room.
• Both the ships are continuing their search for the remaining missing containers.

HMAS Yarra (M 87)

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USS Annapolis (SSN 760), USS Helena (SSN 725) are participating in Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2009, a training and research exercise to test the operational capabilities of submarines in the Arctic. USS Annapolis visited the Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS) in the Arctic Sea for an overnight stay on March 21.

ICEX 2009 is a platform for the U.S.Navy’s submarine force, to develop operational and warfighting skills in Arctic’s unique operational environment. USS Annapolis and USS Helena are supported by the Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington (APL/UW) to conduct classified testing of submarine systems in Arctic environment.

Here are some amazing photographs released by U.S.Navy, of Los Angeles-class submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760) breaking the Arctic ice.

USS Annapolis is seen on the surface of the Arctic Ocean after breaking through three feet of ice during ICEX 2009.

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Indian seafarers Gregory Kiran Fernandes (age 32) and Vinod Pitchilnaviram (29) from cargo ship “The Garonne” were attacked by a group of about 20 teenagers on October 20, 2007 while returning to their ship in Fawley, Southampton, Hampshire, U.K.

Fernandes died before reaching the ship and Vinod suffered a broken shoulder. The sufferings of Fernandes of Goa and Vinod of Kerala tell us that Indian seafarers are subjected to racial attacks also.

Racial Attack:

• Fernandes and Vinod had drinks at the Falcon Hotel, in the presence of lots of youths who were also having drinks.
• Between 2100 hours and 2200 hours on October 20, 2007: they were attacked by a group of teenagers, first outside the hotel and then on the road when they were returning to their ship, berthed at Fawley oil refinery.
• Both the seafarers were seriously injured.

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Generally, ‘Icebreakers’ – icebreaking ships are deployed to navigate in ice covered waters. Being special purpose ships with ice strengthened hull, ice breaking shape and with adequate power to propel in ice covered waters, they are capable of opening up ice covered waterways for navigation.

On March 18, China deployed Air Force Bombers as substitute to Icebreakers to clear ice covered waters of the Inner Mongolia segment of the Yellow River.

Here is the press release from China Military Online.

At about 10:00 on March 18, a division of the air force under the Lanzhou Military Area Command (MAC) emergently dispatched three bombers to carry out ice-bombing mission above the Inner Mongolia segment of the Yellow River.

The 700-odd km long river surface of the Inner Mongolia segment of the Yellow River always freezes up every winter. And in the next spring, the Yellow River encounters flowing ice cubes when the ice melts. However, this year, at the request of the local government, the air force under the Lanzhou MAC sent out aerial-surveying planes to make aerial photography and reconnaissance in advance, so as to get prepared to prevent ice blockage. On March 18, three bombers were ordered to fly to the dangerous segment of the Yellow River to carry out ice-bombing mission.

At 11:30, these bombers arrived at the designated air space on time after long-range raid. Upon receiving the order, the pilots cast the bombs to the ice-concentrated area accurately. The thick ice was immediately broken with ice cubes splashing on the river surface. At 13:30, the bombers successfully completed their mission and returned to their base.

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Indian Army has launched Bison Blue Waters Expedition on March 22, from Agatti island in Lakshadweep. Major General Rajesh Singh, General Officer Commanding, Bison Division flagged off the expedition in the presence of civil and military officials, citizens and school children. Yacht Trishna is also part of this this expedition. Yacht Trishna has the distinction of sailing around the world with an all-army crew from September 1985 to January 1987.

Some of the interesting features of this Bison Blue Waters Expedition expedition are:

• the six weeks expedition is being conducted in two phases.
  • first phase: will be full of island based activities to increase the maritime awareness of the armed forces and to educate the local people to conserve the coral reefs in the island.
  • second phase: the ‘Bisons’ will sail in yacht Trishna from Mumbai to Lakshadweep Islands and return via Kochi and Goa over a period of three weeks.
• the adventure team consists of six officers and fifty four other ranks of the elite Bison Division, an amphibious warfare formation of the Indian Army.
• the event started with a beach marathon by army personnel with active participation by local school children.
• thereafter the team demonstrated power rafting, scuba diving and para-motoring.
• the expedition team leader Col Vivek Jaswal said that the team was trained at the premier training institutes of the Indian Army.
• these events will also be held at Kavarati on March 24 and at Bangaram on March 26.
• a special drive would be organized on March 26 to make the youth aware about the recruitment procedures of the Armed Forces.
• a special medical camp would be organized for the benefit of the local population.
• the expedition team will also interact with the people of Lakshadweep Islands, spread awareness about the Army and the need to preserve the fragile ecology of their Islands.
• the expedition is bound to bring the local population closer to the men in uniform.
• representatives of the World Wildlife Fund India and National Geographic are also part of this expedition.

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March 22 of the year is World Water Day. This day is to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year’s theme for World Water Day is “Shared Water – Shared Opportunities”.

Today let us nurture the opportunities for cooperation in transboundary water management to help build mutual respect, understanding and trust among countries and promote peace, security and sustainable economic growth.

Also create awareness, by sending World Water Day 2009 e-cards with personalized e-message from here.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) leads the activities of the World Water Day 2009 with the support of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly designated March 22, 1993 as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater.

Theme of previous years:

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Is it an undersea nuclear explosion by any of the nuclear super powers ?

No.

This is an undersea volcano eruption off the coast of Tonga, on March 18. Tonga is unique among Pacific nations, and remains as the only monarchy in the Pacific. Earthquakes are reported to be active in Tonga region since March 15. It is yet to be found out whether this undersea volcanic eruption is due to these earthquakes in this region.

Some interesting features of this undersea volcano eruption are:

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U.S. nuclear powered Submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) and Amphibious Transport Dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), collided in the Strait of Hormuz on March 20. An oil spill of approximately 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel marine is reported.

This incident has happened within a week, after fire broke out on the flight deck of USS Boxer (LHD 4) while refueling an AH-1W Super Cobra in the Gulf of Aden.

The U.S.Navy press release on collision is given below:

From Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) — A U.S. Navy submarine and U.S. amphibious ship collided in the Strait of Hormuz March 20, 2009.
The collision between USS Hartford (SSN 768) and USS New Orleans (LPD 18) occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. local time (5:00 p.m. EDT, March 19).
Fifteen sailors aboard the Hartford were slightly injured and returned to duty. No personnel aboard New Orleans were injured.
Overall damage to both ships is being evaluated. The propulsion plant of the submarine was unaffected by this collision. New Orleans suffered a ruptured fuel tank, which resulted in an oil spill of approximately 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel marine. Both ships are currently operating under their own power.
The incident is currently under investigation.
Both the submarine and the ship are currently on regularly scheduled deployments to the U.S. Navy Central Command area of responsibility conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO).
MSO set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment as well as complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. MSO deny international terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons, or other material.

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Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, known as ClassNK or NK, is a ship classification society of Japan. ClassNK is dedicated to ensure the safety of life and property at sea, and the prevention of pollution of the marine environment. This is possible only when ships are safe at sea and, ships can be safe only by carrying out good maintenance onboard. To keep the ships safe and seaworthy, ClassNK has published in February 2009, “Good Maintenance Onboard Ships: Maintenance Checklist for the Master”. This 74 page pdf document of 2.14 MB, is the revised edition of the first edition, brought out in June 1994.

Some of the interesting features of this e-book are:

• “Advice to Masters”
• Checklist I : For Routine Maintenance (in Seventeen Tables)
• Checklist II: For Port State Control (PSC) Inspection (the most common deficiencies)
• Checklist III: For Safety Management System
• Checklist IV: For International Ship and Port Facility Security
• Appendix: Photos of the most common deficiencies

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