Millions of silver sardines were found dead and floating at King Harbor marina, Redondo Beach, Southern California on March 08, 2011.

Reason ???

Lack of oxygen

The clean up operation is estimated to cost 100, 000 USD.

View a video clip from You Tube: Mass Fish Death Fouls California Marina

Read more from Canada.com

RMS Titanic, world’s largest passenger steamship sank on the night of April 14, 1912 and remains as a wreck at a depth of 2.5 miles at 41°43′55″N 49°56′45″W.

Now it is reported that

• the wreckage is being swallowed faster by the iron-oxide munching bacteria from the family Halomonadaceae.
• this new bacteria was identified by using the latest DNA technology, from the bacterial species collected from rusticles of Titanic wreck by Henrietta Mann (of Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada), Bhavleen Kaur (of Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, Canada), Cristina Sanchez-Porro & Antonio Ventosa (both from University of Sevilla, Spain).
• during the time of research, the bacteria was named as BH1, after the researchers Bhavleen and Henrietta.
• now the bacteria is aptly named as Halomonas titanicae, and is published in the December 2010 issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

In 1995, the researchers predicted that the wreck may not last for not more than 30 years. Now it is deteriorating much faster than expected and may soon be left as a rust stain.

Read more from Dalhousie University News

• Disappearing history of December 06, 2010.
• Titanic discovery of August 08, 2006.

View some video clips from YouTube:

• titanic sinking simulation
• Titanic Wreck Footage

NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC) in Italy conducted the CATHARSIS2 sea trial from October 5-20 in the waters near Elba Island, Italy to investigate underwater object detection technologies. On October 20, harbour security demonstration for local military and civilian authorities was conducted at La Spezia, Italy. For the first time, U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Fleet Systems participated in these exercises.

Some interesting features of U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Systems (MMS), NURC and CATHARSIS2 sea trial are:

• U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Fleet Systems
  • Assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group ONE (EODGRU ONE).
  • Uses dolphins and sea lions to find and mark the location of underwater objects.
  • Dolphins with their exceptional biological sonar can detect objects in the water column and on the sea floor.
  • Sea lions have very sensitive underwater directional hearing and exceptional vision in low light conditions.
  • MMS MK 4, MK 7 and MK 8 use dolphins.
  • MMS MK 5 uses sea lions.
  • MMS MK 6 uses both dolphins and sea lions.
  • MMS can be deployed rapidly within 72 hours of notice through ship, aircraft, helicopter, and land vehicles anywhere in the world and they regularly participate in major Fleet exercises.

• NURC’s research is currently focused on:
  • Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures and Port Protection (EMP)
  • Undersea Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Networks (RSN)
  • Expeditionary Operations Support (EOS)
  • Command and Operation Support (COS)
• CATHARSIS2 sea trial and harbour security demonstration
  • Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) equipped with advanced sensors to detect and locate dummy mines (with no explosives) were used in this exercise to assess the best strategy in the use of AUVs to detect objects under water.
  • Five sea lions and their trainers of MMS MK 5 were flown from their home base in California to join the exercise. The sea lions have the skill to recover a variety of objects, including dummy mines, by attaching a recovery line to the object, as well as carrying a video camera to determine the type of object and how it is laying on the bottom.
  • MMS MK 5 was successful in detecting underwater objects and underwater intruders during the harbour security demonstration.

Read more from NURC: From Unmanned Vehicles to Sea Lions – Tools for Harbour Security on Display at NURC.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Worlds Longest Tunnel Aquarium is at Chiang Mai of Thailand

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing is taking place world wide. To conserve and manage the world’s fisheries, more than 17O Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) adopted the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in 1995. The Code is voluntary and is applicable to all involved with fisheries. In 2001, the Members of FAO developed an International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing (IPOA-IUU) to address this problem.

IPOA-IUU defines

• Illegal fishing as activities:
  • conducted by national or foreign vessels in waters under the jurisdiction of a State, without the permission of that State, or in contravention of its laws and regulations;
  • conducted by vessels flying the flag of States that are parties to a relevant regional fisheries management organization but operate in contravention of the conservation and management measures adopted by that organization and by which the States are bound, or relevant provisions of the applicable international law; or
  • in violation of national laws or international obligations, including those undertaken by cooperating States to a relevant regional fisheries management organization.
• Unreported fishing as activities:
  • which have not been reported, or have been misreported, to the relevant national authority, in contravention of national laws and regulations; or
  • undertaken in the area of competence of a relevant regional fisheries management organization which have not been reported or have been misreported, in contravention of the reporting procedures of that organization.
• Unregulated fishing as activities:
  • in the area of application of a relevant regional fisheries management organization that are conducted by vessels without nationality, or by those flying the flag of a State not party to that organization, or by a fishing entity, in a manner that is not consistent with or contravenes the conservation and management measures of that organization; or
  • in areas or for fish stocks in relation to which there are no applicable conservation or management measures and where such fishing activities are conducted in a manner inconsistent with State responsibilities for the conservation of living marine resources under international law.

View an interesting video clip: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. FAO of the UN

Read more from FAO: Stopping Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, IPOA-IUU.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Weekend Farewell: Ocean Liner Queen Elizabeth 2 on Final Voyage to New York

Here is a network of intelligent buoys to detect the presence of whales in the ocean and advise the ships at sea to avoid collision with whales. The network is operational at the Excelerate Energy’s LNG facility at Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port (Northeast Gateway) located in Massachusetts Bay offshore Boston.

The whale detection and protection system

• is supported by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• necessary hardware, software and know-how on whale calls are provided by Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
• designing, building and deployment of moorings & buoys are carried out by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

The whale detection network to avoid collision with ships at sea works in five steps (Image credit – Cornell Lab of Ornithology) :

• Whale detection: The presence of whales is found out by the hydrophones in the intelligent auto-detection buoys round the clock within a range of 5 nautical miles at a depth of 60 to 120 feet below the sea surface.
• Transmission of Whale presence data: The intelligent software in the buoy analyses the whale noise and uploads whale data every 20 minutes to a server at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology through satellite phone.
• Analyse Whale presence data: Experts at the Lab’s Bioacoustics Research Program further analyse the whale presence data to eliminate false alarm and notify the ships nearby.
• Alert ships regarding the presence of Whale: The ships approaching LNG Terminal at the Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port receive whale alerts.
• Avoid Whale collision with ships at sea: The ships on receiving whale alerts accordingly slow down to less than 10 knots and steer clear to avoid collision with whales.

View an interesting video clip from WHOI: Buoys Help Avert Whale-Ship Collisions

Read more about

• Right Whale Listening Network – from Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Buoys Help Avert Whale-Ship Collisions – from WHOI

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Qingdao: Olympic Games 2008 Sailing Competition Postpones International Beer Festival

It is amazing to know that a multi specialty hospital called ‘The Turtle Hospital’ is available to treat sea turtles. This hospital on July 04, released a loggerhead sea turtle named after President Barack Obama in the Atlantic Ocean off Key West after treatment.

Some interesting features of the Turtle Hospital are:

• was opened in 1986 as a charitable corporation.
• located at Marathon, Florida in the heart of the Florida Keys.
• aims to
  • treat injured sea turtles and release them to the wild after treatment
  • impart knowledge about sea turtles through outreach programs to local schools
  • conduct and assist research to aid sea turtles in conjunction with state universities
  • work toward environmental legislation to make the beaches and water safe and clean for sea turtles
• provides Guided Educational Experiences to public everyday.
• has necessary infrastructure to treat sea turtles including the latest equipment to perform a variety of surgeries on different species and sizes of sea turtles.
• type of treatment given to turtles
  • flipper amputations caused by fishing line and trap rope entanglements
  • shell damage caused by boat collisions
  • intestinal impactions caused by ingestion of foreign materials such as plastic bags, balloons, and fishing line and/or hooks
  • removal of debilitating viral tumors that affect over 50% of the sea turtles in the Keys and around the world
• carries out research in coordination with University of Florida into the causes of fibropapilloma, the devastating viral tumors which affect sea turtles.
• achievement: has successfully treated and released over 750 Sea Turtles since its founding in 1986.

View some interesting video clips:

• Turtle named for Obama freed on Independence Day
• Kincaid, the sea turtle: Homeward Bound

For more details, log on to The Turtle Hospital.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Danish Fort Dansborg of 17th Century at Tharangambadi Coast – Part 2

Manmade floating islands use recycled plastic from PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate) drink bottles. A floating Island is a buoyant mat, made up of layers of nonwoven plastic matrix bonded with an inert marine foam. It is then planted with vegetation and launched in water body for different useful applications.
Some interesting features of floating islands (image credit – Floating Island International) are:

• A new variant of constructed wetlands to act as concentrated wetlands with huge surface area for microbes to remove water pollutants like nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and heavy metals that come from industrial and residential waste.
• The plant roots hang below the floating wetland to take nutrients from water.
• Floating islands can be launched into any waterway either small or big like pond, lake, stream, effluent pond, lagoon, embayment, even the ocean.
• Supports flexible design to be built to any shape and size.
• Buoyancy can be varied.
• Can be free floating or can be anchored or tethered in place.
• Advantages
  • purify water by natural process
  • help to sustain habitat for fish and birdlife
  • help to prevent algae growth
  • beautifies the area

Here is a sketch from BioHaven Environmental that explains the floating island.

View some interesting video clips:

• Floating Island Environmental Solutions__Pollution Solution – Plastic Islands Cleaning Naples Lakes
• Biohaven Floating Islands
• PET Bottle Recycling Line By BORETECH

Read more: BioHaven Environmental – Technology and Solutions Overview as pdf.

For more details on floating islands, log on to Floating Island International, BioHaven Environmental.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

High Time for Philippine Coast Guard to Take Corrective Actions

The Royal Thai Navy is doing a commendable job by protecting sea turtles at their Sea Turtle Conservation Center.

Some interesting features of sea turtles and Sea Turtle Conservation Center are:

• Sea Turtles
  • Khram Island is the nesting site for green sea turtles, where hundreds of sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs
  • Sea turtles in Thailand are being killed by humans for their meat, eggs and their shells which are considered precious
  • Also large number of sea turtles die by getting trapped in fishing nets during migration
  • To save the sea turtles, the Royal Thai Navy has Sea Turtle Conservation Center
• Sea Turtle Conservation Center
  • A research institute of Thai Navy at Sattahip with turtle breeding farms and nursery ponds
  • The eggs of sea turtles are identified by observing the softness of the sand and the eggs are then moved closer to the beach side for further nurturing
  • Eggs are kept inside sixty centimetre deep sand pits for hatching after noting down the number of eggs, the date of nesting and the expected birth date
  • After birth, the new born turtles are taken to tanks for a wash to remove the sand and then are provided with anti-fungus treatment to keep them healthy
  • For almost six months, the baby turtles are looked after and grown up turtles are then released into the sea
  • The center also provides valuable information on sea turtles through lectures, video presentation and exhibitions
  • The center is also opened to visitors

View some interesting video clips:

• from NTDTV: Thai Navy Launches Sea Turtle Conservation Program
• from Reuters: Thai navy watch over sea turtles

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Weekend Tips: Use Rescue Line Launcher to Save Life from Drowning

The Bathini Goud family of Hyderabad in India, treats Asthma patients by putting a live Murrel fish with herbal medicine in the mouth of the patient to swallow. Every year thousands of Asthma patients turn up to take this Bathini Mrugasira Fish. This year the treatment was offered from 1100 hours on June 08 to 1100 hours on June 09. The District Administration stocked up 1.5 lakh Murrel fish for this event.  For vegetarians, the herbal medicine is given without the fish.

Some interesting features of Bathini Mrugasira Fish medicine are:

• administered once every year, on the Mrigasira Karti day of the Hindu calendar, which falls in the first week of June with the onset of the annual monsoon.
• offered by the Goud family, free of cost to patients for the last 163 years as a cure for asthma and other breathing disorders.
• specially formulated herbal medicine by the Goud family, is kept in the mouth of a live Murrel fish of 2 to 3 inches in size and in turn slipped into the mouth of the patient.
• the fish being live and slippery makes it easy to swallow.
• the live fish travels through the throat, wagging its tail and fins and negotiates the phlegmatic congestion, curing hundred per cent.

• three doses of the extra medicine are provided to the patients, on 15th/30th/45th day from Mrigasira Karti called as Arudra Karti, Punnarvasu Karti and Pushymi Karti.
• after taking Bathini Mrugasira Fish, the patient has to follow strict diet control for 45 days.
• the medicine has to be taken by the patient for three consecutive years (now revised as four years) for complete cure.
• the medicine is prepared at Doodhbowli, 2 km from the historic Charminar in Hyderabad, and distributed at the Exhibition Grounds,Nampally,Hyderabad.
• at the venue, the Murrel fish is supplied by Dept. of Fisheries, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, at the nominal rate of INR 10 per fish.

View some interesting video clips of treatment by Bathini fish medicine:

• From NDTV: The ‘fish cure’ for Asthma
• From Reuters Video: Indian home cure-Gulp a live fish

Read more from Express Buzz.

For more details regarding treatment, log on to Bathini Fish.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Seafarers can Now Avail Mariners Alert Services

Let Us Tell the United Nations to Officially Declare June 08 as World Ocean Day

Update: June 12

View a video clip from NTDTV: Fish Therapy for Asthma

For the last 17 years, June 08 was observed as World Oceans Day, unofficially.

The practice of observing World Oceans Day on June 08, by many countries was initiated on June 08, 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. World Oceans Day failed to attract global attention, as the United Nations (UN) General Assembly did not formally designate June 08 as World Oceans Day.

Now, the UN has resolved that from 2009, June 08 would be designated by the UN as “World Oceans Day”. This year’s theme of the inaugural observance of the World Oceans Day by the UN is “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”.

Here is the message from the Secretary-General, on World Oceans Day.

8 June 2009

The first observance of World Oceans Day allows us to highlight the many ways in which oceans contribute to society.  It is also an opportunity to recognize the considerable challenges we face in maintaining their capacity to regulate the global climate, supply essential ecosystem services and provide sustainable livelihoods and safe recreation.

Indeed, human activities are taking a terrible toll on the world’s oceans and seas.  Vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as corals, and important fisheries are being damaged by over-exploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing practices, invasive alien species and marine pollution, especially from land-based sources.  Increased sea temperatures, sea-level rise and ocean acidification caused by climate change pose a further threat to marine life, coastal and island communities and national economies.

Oceans are also affected by criminal activity.  Piracy and armed robbery against ships threaten the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping, which transports 90 per cent of the world’s goods.  Smuggling of illegal drugs and the trafficking of persons by sea are further examples of how criminal activities threaten lives and the peace and security of the oceans.

Several international instruments drawn up under the auspices of the United Nations address these numerous challenges.  At their centre lies the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  It provides the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out, and is the basis for international cooperation at all levels.  In addition to aiming at universal participation, the world must do more to implement this Convention and to uphold the rule of law on the seas and oceans.

The theme of World Oceans Day, “Our oceans, our responsibility”, emphasizes our individual and collective duty to protect the marine environment and carefully manage its resources.  Safe, healthy and productive seas and oceans are integral to human well-being, economic security and sustainable development.

View some interesting video clips:

• World Ocean Day – June 8th, 2009
• LA MER & Oceana – World Ocean Day

Read more:

• UN Resolution 63/111, paragraph 171 declares that from 2009, the United Nations will designate June 08 as World Oceans Day.
• World Oceans Day from the United Nations.
• 10 Things YOU Can Do to Save the Oceans from Oceana.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

An Evening with Chennai Indibloggers

BBC News, Africa reported that 55 pilot whales with calves were beached at Kommetjie, near Cape Town on May 30. South African rescue teams attempted to send back 20 pilot whales and the remaining had to be put down.

Later, Reuters India reported that all the whales have died as rescue attempts failed.Though the whales were initially reported as pilot whales, later they were identified as false killer whales by National Sea Rescue Institute.

It is also reported that mass beaching of whales has taken place for the first time at Kommetjie Beach and the reasons for beaching is not known.

Read more from BBC News and Reuters.

Read from Wikipedia about Pilot Whale and False Killer Whale.

View some video clips:

• S Africa beached whales put down
• Beached Whales, Kommetjie, Cape Town, South Africa

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Weekend Shopping: Online Sale of Private Islands

The Sea of Galilee, Israel’s largest freshwater lake is shrinking. The waters of Galilee have retreated hundreds of yards. The water level is now so low, the water has to be pumped uphill into the River Jordan.

The Sea of Galilee is

• approximately 53 km in circumference
• about 21 km long
• about 13 km wide
• has a total area of 166 sq km
• has a maximum depth of approximately 43 m

The present state of the Sea of Galilee can be found out from Sky News video clip: The Sea of Galilee

View some more interesting video clips of Sea of Galilee:

• Flying around the Sea of Galilee
• Israel – Sea of Galilee

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

How Seafarers can Overcome Fatigue ?

Here you can have webcam view of underwater penguins of New England Aquarium.

Click the image below to have webcam view.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Arabian Sea to Witness First Indo German Joint Naval Exercise

Oyster shells can be used as an ideal medium for the purification of sewage water. Eiwa Land Environment Co., Ltd. of Japan has demonstrated this in their “AquaMake” waste water recycling system using Oyster shells. The company is also planning to sell this water-saving toilet unit for use in dry areas in Australia, China and the United States.

Some of the interesting reasons to consider Oyster shells as an ideal, high-capacity medium for sewage water treatment are:

• Oyster shells have a high settlement rate for microorganisms due to their large surface area.
• Oyster shells have a complex and intricate composition giving protozoa and other microorganisms ample space to thrive.
• Oyster shells offer higher affinity for microorganisms compared with conventional plastic contact medium.
• When the pH level decreases as the oxidation treatment progresses, the oyster shells naturally dissolve to adjust the pH level.

Here is the system outline of AquaMake, using Oyster shells for waste water treatment.

For more details, log on to Aquamake System.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

How Marine Electrical Equipment are Rated for Ingress Protection

Australians Successfully Locate HMAS Sydney II Sunk during World War II

Moviegoers, do not miss to watch the movie “Under the Sea 3D” a new IMAX 3D undersea adventure. The movie is due to be released in theaters this Friday, the 13th.

Some of the interesting features of Under the Sea 3D are:

• from Husband and wife team Howard Hall (Director) and Michele Hall (Producer).
• filmed in the Coral Triangle (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) and South Australia.
• explores the wonders of the oceans.
• gives an opportunity to view the ocean world and helps to understand the marine life.
• bound to create awareness on the impact of global climate change and the need to protect marine life including the reefs.
• pleasure to watch in crystal clear, larger images.

Here is an amazing video clip of Under the Sea 3D.

Here is one more video clip: The Great Barrier Reef.

For more information, log on to IMAX – Under the Sea 3D.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Investigation Report of Oil Spill by Statfjord A Platform in the North Sea in December 2007

Ocean Conservancy is on a mission to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems. They oppose practices that threaten ocean life and human life. Through research, education, and science-based advocacy, Ocean Conservancy informs, inspires, and empowers people to speak and act on behalf of the oceans.

Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup tells us ‘10 Things You Can Do To Stop Marine Debris’.

1.Join Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

2.Clean up your trash. Throw all trash away in proper receptacles, even when you’re not on the water. Pick up any debris you see while out.

3.Collect your monofilament fishing line. Don’t leave fishing line behind and retrieve any other line you may find while fishing, but be careful not to tug on snagged lines, which could be caught on habitat below the surface.

4.Contain and properly clean spills when boating. Use oil-absorbent rags and materials to clean spills. Check Ocean Conservancy’s Good Mate manual for helpful tips on reducing your negative impacts on the water.

5.Recycle used motor oil and oil filters. Local gas stations should have appropriate facilities for recycling these materials. NEVER pour oil, paint, antifreeze or other household chemicals into an open sewer or down a storm drain.

6.Consider organic alternatives to household detergents and cleaners. Use lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda for household cleaning. Avoid using fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and harsh chemical cleaners that can wash into waterways.

7.Choose reusable items and use fewer disposable ones. Use fewer disposable bags when shopping or bring your own reusable ones.

8.Properly dispose of used batteries and electronics. Use your local recycling center. Don’t dump them in landfills. Electronics leach harmful chemicals into the environment that take a long time to disperse.

9.Keep streets, sidewalks, parking lots and storm drains clear of trash and debris – they empty into our ocean.

10.Contact your elected representatives and let them know you care about marine debris – and that they should, too. Vote for candidates who support marine debris prevention and policies that protect our environment.

Read the full report from Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup Report 2007 as pdf.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Easy to Install Marine Instrument Housings

International community is planning to give life to the rapidly shrinking Dead Sea by feeding seawater from the Red Sea. Dead Sea is land locked and its water source mainly comes from Jordan River in South West Asia that flows north-south into the Dead Sea. Jordan River (click the map below) is 251 kilo metres long. The increase in water demand for drinking, farming and industrial use from Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority has reduced the flow and the Dead Sea is shrinking drastically. World Bank warns that drying up of the Dead Sea would cause environmental calamity in addition to cultural and economic damage.

Some of the disturbing features of the Dead Sea are:

• Dead Sea has been shrinking at the rate of one metre per year and could dry up within the next 50 years.
• The water level has reduced from 394 metres below sea level in 1960s to 418 metres below sea level in 2006.
• The surface area has shrunk by at least 33 per cent over the last 56 years, roughly from 950 square kilo metres to 637 square kilo metres.
• The average annual inflow has decreased from 1,200 million cubic metres (mcm) of water to around 250 mcm.
• Dead Sea water is ten times more saline than ocean water.

To save the Dead Sea, the Red Sea – Dead Sea Canal (RSDSC) is being planned to supply millions of gallons of seawater to Dead Sea.

Some of the interesting features of RSDSC project are:

• Construction of a 180 kilo metre long canal from the Red Sea at Aqaba/Eilat to the Dead Sea to supply roughly five million tonnes of seawater everyday.
• Subsequent to World Bank setting up a multi-donor trust fund for feasibility study, several countries have contributed $15 million for the project’s feasibility study and environmental assessment.
• French company Coyne et Bellier is currently carrying out the feasibility study of the project and the British firm Environmental Resources Management is undertaking the environmental assessment.
• Project cost is currently assessed to be about £3 billion.
• The flowing water could drive turbines to generate electricity and also provide drinking water through desalination plants to Jordan, Israel and the occupied territories.
• More details about the project is at ‘Israel and Jordan Launch Global Campaign to Save the Dead Sea – August 2002′.
• Information note of July 2007 of the concept, feasibility study, environmental and social assessment is available as pdf document.
• The final decision to proceed with the project will depend on Jordan, Israel and Palestinian leaders.

Here is an interesting video clip on Dead Sea drying/dying.

Read more from Jordan Times and Telegraph.

Posts in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Ship Visit by Trainees of A Marine Training Institute

Sea Launch Prepares to Launch Thuraya-3 Communication Satellite

Update: July 25

Some 3000 sinkholes appear on the banks of the Dead Sea. View a video clip from Fox News Channel: Disappearing Dead Sea

There are many ports to get ISO 9001 certification for Quality and there are few ports to get ISO 14001 certification for Environment.

But, Port of Houston Authority (PHA) is the first port authority in the world to receive ISO 28000:2007 certification for Port Police and the perimeter security operations. Further PHA, with Orsus’ Situator – a User-Friendly Situation Management System is in the process of integrating hundreds of cameras and access points, plus other devices in port authority’s public terminals to enhance the capabilities in security operations.

With Orsus’ Situator, the PHA can integrate incident reporting, simulate security-related events for training purposes and integrate system analysis tools to provide a comprehensive security approach. Also, it enables the port authority to improve risk management, minimize vulnerability and comply with security regulations governing port facilities.

It is interesting to note that PHA became the

• first U.S. port in 2002 to have Environmental Management System to meet ISO 14001 standards for environmental excellence.
• first U.S. port in 2004 to attain ISO 14001:2004 standards for its Environmental Management System.

Some interesting features of ISO 28000 series standards are:

• full fledged International Standards for supply chain security management systems, to reduce risks to people and cargo within the supply chain.
• address potential security issues at all stages of the supply process, thus targeting threats such as terrorism, fraud and piracy.
• can be applied by organizations of all sizes involved in manufacturing, service, storage or transportation by air, rail, road and sea at any stage of the production or supply process.
• assist in implementing governmental and international customs agency security initiatives, including the World Customs Organization’s Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade, the EU Authorized Economic Operators Programme, the US Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism, and the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.
• More information on ISO 28000 series are here at ISO News.

Here is the press release on Orsus’ Situator – a User-Friendly Situation Management System for PHA.

Here is the Port Report as pdf document from PHA on getting ISO 28000:2007 certification.

Here are interesting video clips:

• The ISO 9001 Family – Global Management Standards
• ISO 14001 — the world’s EMS standard

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

First Commercial Jet-of Australia Lands in Icy Antarctica

Here is an interesting news during this Chinese Year of the Rat.

Researchers of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.,of US have revealed that the entire Christmas Island native rats were wiped out due to “hyperdisease conditions” caused by a pathogen that led to the rats’ extinction. This is in contrast to Rat Island of Alaska where sea birds face extinction due to rats.

How this happened ?

The extinction was caused by the rats that came from S.S.Hindustan in 1899. After the Hindustan’s arrival, the native island rats were infected and died. There after the native rats were never seen again. Now the researchers have found out that the extinction of native rats was by the rats from the ship that carried a protozoan known as Trypanosoma lewisi.

Read rest of this interesting story from Discovery Channel News.

To know more about Old Dominion University, view video clips here.

Also view here an amazing video clip about life at Christmas Island.

Posts in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Six Easy Steps to Enter Confined Spaces in a Ship Explained

How to Prevent Norovirus or Norwalk Disease in Cruise Ships

Here is a story this weekend about the largest ever rescue of stranded penguins carried out in Brazil. Around 400 Magellanic penguins mysteriously stranded on the warm beaches of Salvador in northern Brazil were airlifted on a C-130 Hercules military aircraft to Pelotas, in southern Brazil and were safely released in Cassino beach.

Here are some interesting features of the dramatic rescue and release operation:

• C-130 Hercules military aircraft with rescued Magellanic penguins departed from Salvador in the northeastern state of Bahía on October 03 and flew 2,500 kilometres to reach Pelotas, in southern Brazil.
• The penguins spent a night at the Center for Recovery of Marine Animals (CRAM).
• On October 04, the penguins were released safely with a smaller group of adult penguins that had been rehabilitated from marine oil pollution.
• The exact number of penguins rescued are reported as 373.
• The rehabilitated penguins carry bands on their flippers for study by the scientists to determine the success of rehabilitation and to learn about their migratory habits.

The rescue and release operation was carried out by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Instituto Mamíferos Aquáticos (IMA).

Here is the video clip of the release of Magellanic penguins. Read more about the largest ever rescue of stranded penguins in Brazil from IFAW.

Posts in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Bunker Spill at Singapore Terminal

Ships Asked to Avoid Whale Route

Sea Turtles are living in the oceans for more than 110 million years. Though the sea turtles have survived mass extinctions due to natural disasters, threat to sea turtles from fishing industry is increasing. Trawl fishing gear are becoming death traps to sea turtles. Efforts to reduce threat to sea turtles started from 1970s by designing and testing Turtle Excluder Device (TED). It is disturbing to note that all the fishing trawlers are not using either TEDs or properly functioning TEDs to protect sea turtles.

Trawling is a type of fishing using large fishing nets towed by one or more boats. The basic trawl is a funnel shaped net with wide mouth kept open and is towed on the water surface or in the seabed. Sea turtles easily get trapped in these trawl nets when trawling is done closer to coast. There are many types of trawls such as: Otter trawls, Beam trawls, Fly net trawls including skimmer, roller frame, pair and clam kicking trawls. The most affected sea turtles in Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico trawling are: Loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley, Leatherback and Green.

The trawls are modified to accommodate ‘Turtle Excluder Device’ to provide escape route to sea turtles even if they get trapped in the trawls. A TED is a grid of bars with an opening either at the top or the bottom of the trawl net. The grid is fitted into the neck of a shrimp trawl. Small marine species such as shrimp pass through the bars and are caught in the bag end of the trawl. When larger marine species, such as marine turtles and sharks are captured in the trawl they strike the grid bars and are ejected through the opening. Suitable modifications to TED openings have been carried out to initial TED designs that did not allow release of larger leatherback and hardshell turtles.Interestingly 97 percent success is seen in trawls using properly functioning TEDs.

Here is a photograph from NOAA, showing how a Loggerhead sea turtle escapes from trawl net through a Turtle Excluder Device.

Here is an interesting video clip to show how a sea turtle escapes from trawl net through a Turtle Excluder Device.

You can tell the government to protect sea turtles from trawls at Oceana.

Read more about Turtle Excluder Device from NOAA Fisheries and Oceana.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Machinery Systems and Equipments Inside the Ship: Explained

National Geographic Channel reveals the history of Earth’s Oceans in their ‘Earth: The Biography’ series. Half of Earth’s water originated from the planet’s inception and the other half was deposited by comets. How is it ? You can watch TV series on Oceans for one hour on July 14 at 2200 hours.

Also in their website, Oceans are covered in terms of

• an overview
• video clip
• photographs
• ocean facts

Here is a short video clip on the origin of oceans.

More details are here at National Geographic.

Update:July 29

Earth – The Biography: DVD & Blu-Ray is available online for purchase here.

Here are some related posts:

• Let us tell the United Nations to officially declare June 08 as World Ocean Day
• International coastal cleanup by Ocean Conservancy
• Plastics are a Threat or No threat to Marine Environment
• In the Oceans underwater noise pollution is as harmful as oil pollution
• How humans turn blue oceans to red oceans
• Jason-2 satellite of OSTM to monitor rising sea levels

Here is an amazing giant crab caught by British diver Paul Worsley. The crab was caught in Lyme Bay, off the Dorset coast.

The crab

• weighed 7.7 kg
• had shell width of 12 inches
• each claw to the size of a man’s hand

For more photographs and information read Mail Online.

We are aware that approximately 70 percent area of the Planet Earth is covered by oceans and almost 90 percent of the world trade is through sea routes by ships as a means of transportation. It is sad to note that global awareness to protect the oceans are lacking.

To create global awareness, the concept of observing World Ocean Day on June 08, was initiated on June 08, 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For the last 16 years World Ocean Day is being celebrated unofficially as the United Nations (UN) has failed to formally designate June 08 as World Ocean Day every year. Due to non recognition by the UN, this year events to celebrate World Ocean Day have not drawn the right global media attention.

The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network are collecting signatures to a petition to be presented to the UN asking them to designate June 08th as World Ocean Day. Sign a petition here to tell the United Nations to officially declare June 08 as “World Ocean Day!”

Also you can sign a petition here which is taken up by Oceana.

Some of the responses on World Ocean Day 2008, are here at greenpeace, canada , ocean conservancy, adaywithoutplastic, birdsonthebay, marine institute. In celebration of World Ocean Day Crème de la Mer is making a donation of USD 100,000 to Oceana. Also here is a video clip on World Ocean Day.

Here are 10 Things You Can Do to Save the Oceans.

Update: June 10

Here is an interesting post from gcaptain on World Ocean Day.

Here are some related posts on the oceans.

• International coastal cleanup by Ocean Conservancy
• Plastics are a Threat or No threat to marine environment
• In the oceans underwater noise pollution is as harmful as oil pollution
• How humans turn blue oceans to red oceans
• International Year Of the Reef: IYOR 2008
• How global warming impacts marine environment

Subsequent to a fire onboard nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington on May 22, now Royal Navy’s nuclear powered submarine HMS Superb is presently unsafe to dive after striking an underwater pinnacle on May 26.

The incident happened during a dived passage through the northern Red Sea. HMS Superb, built by Vickers Shipbuilding at Barrow, commissioned in 1976, is the third of the Swiftsure Class Attack Submarines of Royal Navy. In fact Swiftsure Class Attack Submarines are capable of circumnavigating the globe underwater without any need to come to the surface.

Here are some details of HMS Superb available on the incident:

• has hit an underwater pinnacle while 50 miles (80km) south of Suez, after passing through the canal
• displaces 5,200 tonnes while submerged
• 272 ft long and has a complement of 112
• equipped with Spearfish torpedoes
• no casualties and the submarine remains watertight
• is safe to operate on the surface under own power
• nuclear reactor is completely safe
• main sonar damaged
• no other vessel, military or civil, was involved in the incident

An investigation on the grounding is underway and a full Board of Inquiry will be conducted in due course.

Here is a photograph of HMS Superb.

More photos of HMS Superb are available here. Read more from royalnavy.

Update: June 04

Here is another episode of a sailor found sleeping in watch onboard HMS Superb. But this is not linked to grounding incident. Read more from telegraph.

Update: June 11

Having carried out an initial inspection in Aqaba, Jordan to ensure her safe passage of the Suez canal, the submarine arrived at the NATO facility at Souda Bay, Crete on June 09 for a further assessment and essential repair in order to complete the rest of her passage back to the UK. Read more from royal-navy.

Update: June 29

HMS Superb has reached Devonport naval base in Plymouth under her own power. Further course of action is to be decided. Read  more from Reuters, UK.

Here is an amazing video clip of Swiftsure class submarines