Three killed and at least 10 missing as truck drives off ferry

     Three girls were killed 7 Dec. and at least 10 are missing after a
truck they were riding on drove off a ferry into Egypt's Nile River. About
20 girls, between the ages of 12 and 17, were aboard the truck when the
driver put it into reverse instead of forward after the ferry docked in Abu
Ghalib, Egypt. At least seven swam to shore. The girls were headed to work
in a tomato field.

Tug crewmember taken to shore for medical treatment

     Mark Hollzman, 44, of Medford, N.Y., was evacuated from the tug
Captain Fred on 3 Dec., eight kilometers/five miles east of Scituate, Mass.
He had complained of abdominal pain and was taken off the tug by a U.S.
Coast Guard boat from Coast Guard Station Point Allerton, Mass. Hollzman
was taken to the Pemberton Pier in Hull, Mass., then to South Shore
Hospital.

Master of lobster boat falls overboard off Massachusetts

     Anthony Coccoro, 52, the master of the Risky Business (U.S.-registry
13-meter/42-foot lobster boat homeported at Harwich, Mass.), was reported
missing 5 Dec. and is believed to have fallen overboard near Chatham, Mass.
A crewmember reported him missing at 1330 and the U.S. Coast Guard's lead
vessel of the U.S.C.G.C. Juniper (WLB 201)-class Seagoing Buoy Tender, a
boat from Coast Guard Station Chatham and an HH-60J Jayhawk helicopter from
Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod started a search. Several vessels in the
area aided the search as well. Coccoro was found about an hour later by the
Chatham harbormaster three kilometers/two miles offshore. An ambulance took
him to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Mass., where he was listed in stable
condition.

Ferry returns to port after medical emergency

     A ferry sailing from Douglas on the United Kingdom's Isle of Man
returned to port after 90 minutes on 5 Dec. due to a medical emergency.

Yangtze River shipping regulations being reviewed

     China has announced that it will tighten shipping regulations,
particuarly in regards to hazardous cargoes, on its Yangtze River,
following two incidents in October. On 8 Oct., a vessel ran aground in
Yunyang, Sichuan province, spilling 149 tons of benzene. Local residents
were without water for three days. On 20 Oct., a vessel with carbon
tetrachloride ran aground near Fulin, Sichuan, but did not spill any cargo.
Investigations reported both ships were overloaded, had poor piloting and
bad management.

Canada files charges against containership for dumping oil

     Three officers of the Atlantic Cartier (44,988-dwt, 2,908-TEU
containership and ro/ro built in 1985, operated by Nordic Oriental
Shipmanagement Pte. Ltd.), affiliated with Atlantic Container Line, have
been charged with dumping oil in Canadian territorial waters. The master,
first engineer and third engineer were charged with eight counts under four
laws and could be imprisoned as well as fined up to Canadian$1
million/U.S.$700,000 per charge. The charges include discharging a
substance harmful to migratory birds, polluting waters frequented by fish
and failing to report pollution. A Canadian Coast Guard aircraft reported
that it saw a 15-kilometer/9.3-mile slick behind the ship on 19 Nov., 139
kilometers/86.2 miles southeast of Cape Race. The Atlantic Cartier was
ordered to cease its dumping and sail to St. John's, Newfoundland, where
Environment Canada filed charges. One officer was formally arraigned and
released on C$5,000 bail/U.S.$3,500. The ship later sailed for Liverpool,
England, after Transocean Ship Management posted a letter of undertaking. A
hearing will be held 30 Jan.

Nissos Amorgos master given permission to leave Venezuela

     Konstantinos Spiropulos, master of the Nissos Amorgos (Greek-registry
50,563-gt, 89,427-dwt tanker built in 1988, owned by Glafki-Atenas and
operated by Teekay Shipping), has been given permission to leave Venezuela
for 45 days by Judge Ricardo Colmenares in Cabimas, Venezuela. Late 28
Feb., the ship ran aground in the Maracaibo Channel between buoys 20 and 22
and spilled 4,000 tons of crude oil. It was carrying 474,000 barrels or
64,573 tons from Puerto Miranda, Venezuela, to Port de Gella, Italy, and
was chartered by Maraven S.A. with oil for Agip Petroil SpA. Spiropulos was
charged with damage caused by the pollution and could be imprisoned for up
to three years and fined U.S.$25,000. The ship was held until 21 July.

U.S. Coast Guard seizes catch of vessel off Massachusetts

     The U.S. Coast Guard seized the catch of the Endurance (U.S.-registry
32.6-meter/107-foot fishing vessel homeported at Boston) the morning of 11
Dec., 64 kilometers/40 miles southeast of Nantucket, Mass. The vessel was
found fishing three kilometer/two miles inside the Nantucket Lightship
Closed Area late 10 Dec. by the Coast Guard's "Island"-class Patrol Boat
U.S.C.G.C. Adak (WPB 1333). A boarding found monk fish livers and tails and
scallops with an estimated value of U.S.$57,000. The U.S.C.G.C. Adak is
escorting the Endurance to New Bedford, Mass., for investigation by the
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service.

VESSEL TRANSFERS

Coflexip Stena Offshore in two vessel deals

     Coflexip Stena Offshore took delivery of the Kitty on 10 Dec. and will
convert it to a multipurpose ultra deepwater installation ship. It is 168
meters/551 feet long and has a 27-meter/89-foot beam. The vessel will be
used for laying pipe and risers. The Kitty, currently registered in the
Bahamas, was built in 1983 as a semi-submersible barge carrier. The vessel
was laid-up shortly after completion until 1988, when the vessel became an
open-hold containership. Conversion is expected by late 1999. Coflexip
Stena Offshore also said this week it has agreed to a five-year charter
with Solstad Shipping A/S starting in March 1999. There is a 10-year
extension. The vessel has a bollard pull of 270 tons, has 500-ton anchor
handling winches, a helicopter deck, a moonpool for a vertical laying
system or remotely-operated vehicle, a 140-ton crane and a 150-ton A-frame
crane and accomodation for 67 people. The vessel is NMD Class 2 and will
perform trenching, pipelaying and mooring installations. Until the charter
starts, Coflexip Stena Offshore, as of 2 Dec., has chartered the Normand
Atlantic for at least 100 days and possibly until 31 Dec., 1998. It has
started trenching operations in the North Sea.

Cetragpa buys the Loire One

     Cetragpa has taken a purchase option on the Loire One (77,274-gt,
151,143-dwt motor bulk carrier built in 1995 by Tsu) for U.S.$40 million,
after having operated the vessel on a long-term time-charter since
delivery. The vessel was formerly the Channel Commander.

Irish Ferries charters the Normandy

     Irish Ferries has chartered the Normandy (24,872-gt, 3,315-dwt ferry
built in 1982, formerly the Stena Normandy) for operations across the
Enlish Channel.

Export Freedom to be scrapped

     The Export Freedom (U.S.-registry 16,871-dwt containership built in
1972) has been sold by Farrell Lines Inc. for scrapping in India.

More on Bergesen deals

     BHP Transport Ltd. has sold the Iron Pacific (Australian-registry
118,491-gt, 231,851-dwt strengthened bulk carrier built in 1986 by Samsung
Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. at Koje, South Korea) to Bergesen dy A/S for
U.S.$33 million. The ship has a shallow draft of 25 meters/82 feet and twin
propellers and was the largest vessel ever registered in Australia. The
Iron Pacific carried iron ore from Port Hedland, West Australia, to the
Australian ports of Newcastle and Port Kembla. It then carried coal to
Kwang Yang Bay and Pohang in South Korea before returning in ballast to
Port Hedland. With decreasing iron ore volumes planned due to closure of
the Newcastle facility in 1999, smaller vessels will take over. The ship
will be handed over in the first half of 1998. Bergesen has also chartered
the Gargantua (221,118-dwt bulk carrier built in 1983) for three years with
options for another two. Bergesen can then purchase the ship. Both the
Gargantua and the Iron Pacific will be used in Europe and the Pacific. In
both deals, General Ore International Corp. has taken stakes of 35 percent.

Girraween price

     The Girraween (Australian-registry 101,600-dwt tanker built in 1979,
formerly the Ampol Sarel), which Australian Tankships Pty. Ltd. sold to
Tanker Pacific Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. late last month, cost
U.S.$13.6 million to U.S.$13.9 million. Teekay Shipping announced 1 Dec.
that it has entered into an agreement with Australian Petroleum Pty. Ltd.
to buy its Australian Tankships.

VESSEL CASUALTIES

Eleven missing near Macau

     Eleven people are missing after their vessel collided with a fishing
vessel near Qi-ao Island north of Macau. The vessel, with 28 passengers,
mostly from a construction project, sank.

Explosion on ship during sea trials kills technician

     An explosion aboard the Island Princess during sea trials in Italy's
Gulf of Naples has killed a British technician and seriously injured three
others.

One missing in sinking of Turkish-registry ship

     The S. Ugurlu (Turkish-registry 996-gt, 1,633-dwt general cargo ship
built in 1983, operated by Packcakil Nakilyat ve Ticaret), sailing from
Thessaloniki, Greece, to Venice, Italy, ran aground and sank off Kimi,
Greece, on 10 Dec. It was carrying ore. Eleven of the 12 crewmembers were
rescued and a Turkish citizen is missing. A search was underway by three
Greek Navy vessels, three Greek Coast Guard vessels and a Greek Air Force
helicopter.

More on St. Jude Express fire: one missing, seven rescued

     The St. Jude Express (Belize-registry 499-gt, 1,066-dwt dry cargo ship
built in 1966, operated by Aztec Shipping & Trading) caught fire and later
had an explosion on 4 Dec. at 20 degrees 22 minutes north, 74 degrees 01.5
minutes west, about 21 kilometers/13 miles east of Punta Maisi, Cuba. A 406
megahertz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon was activated and a
distress call was heard by the Bremen Senator (Liberian-registry 46,490-dwt
containership built in 1993, operated by Unicom Management Services
(Cyprus) Ltd.). The Bremen Senator rescued seven of the crewmembers and an
eighth is missing. Ablaze, the St. Jude Express later drifted into Cuban
territorial waters.

Twelve rescued as ship sinks in storm off Sicily

     The Megan or Megane (St. Vincent and the Grenadines-registry, 1,800
tons, 87 meters/285 feet long), carrying timber, sank in a storm 128
kilometers/80 miles off Sicily, Italy, at 0800 7 Dec. Its master, a
Lebanese citizen, and 12 Syrian crewmembers were rescued from two lifeboats
by helicopters from an Italian military base and a Sea King HAS Mk 5 of the
British Royal Navy's No. 814 Squadron aboard the Navy's lead ship of the
H.M.S. Invincible (R 05)-class Aircraft Carrier. The ship's engine room
began flooding after the cargo shifted and a salvage crew was attempting to
save the ship. It was sailing from Lebanon to Italy.

Celtic Warrior sinks after colliding with dry cargo ship in Greece

     The Celtic Warrior (Bahamian-registry 3,779-gt, 5,878-dwt motor
general cargo ship built in 1991, operated by Charles M. Willie & Co.
(Shipping) Ltd.) sank early 7 Dec. in the Saronic Gulf off Cape Sounion on
Agios Georgios Island, Greece. The ship had collided with the Annegret
(Antigua and Barbuda-registry 3,998-gt, 5,210-dwt dry cargo ship built in
1995, operated by Pohl Shipping Schiffahrts GmbH). The nine crewmembers of
the Celtic Warrior, all Polish citizens, were rescued by the Annegret and
taken to Piraeus, Greece. The Celtic Warrior was sailing from Beirut,
Lebanon, to Piraeus. It remained afloat five hours after the colllision and
several containers were reported floating in the area after the ship sank.
The Annegreet was sailing from Istanbul, Turkey, to Italy.

Twenty rescued before Promex Cita sinks off Vietnam

     The Promex Cita (11,599-dwt bulk carrier built in 1975, operated by
Aman Navigation Sdn. Bhd.) sank 3 Dec. off Ly Son Island, Vietnam. Local
police boats rescued the 20 crew of Philippine citizens. The ship was
carrying granite floor tiles from China to Indonesia when it began
flooding. Unable to repair the damage, the ship sailed towards the
Vietnamese coast before it sank in 30 meters/100 feet of water. Fuel oil
from the ship was reported floating in the area.

Some 124 escape blaze aboard fishing trawler

     The Po Yang Ho (South Korean-registry trawler) exploded and caught
fire 6 Dec. in the Sea of Okhotsk. The Grigory Alexsandrov
(Russian-registry) rescued the crew of 124 after having deviated from a
sailing to Magadan, Russia.

Sulpicio Lines ferry destroyed by fire

     The Philippine Princess (Philippine-registry 4,717-gt ferry built in
Japan, operated by Sulpicio Lines) was gutted after a fire started at 2200
5 Dec. while the vessel was docked at the compay's shipyard in Mandaue,
Cebu, the Philippines, for repairs. Damage is estimated at 400 million
Philippine pesos/U.S.$11.4 million. The Philippine Princess had run aground
while refueling at Pier 12 at North Harbor in Manila, the Philippines. On 3
Dec., another vessel operated by Sulpicio Lines, the Princess of the Orient
(13,732-gt, 3,110-dwt, 3,000-passenger vessel built in 1974), caught fire
while docked at the same pier for refueling. One crewmember was
hospitalized with burns. The Princess of the Orient had arrived from Cebu
province and hundreds of passengers had disembarked when the fire started.
The Philippine Coast Guard said that the fire was caused by an overheated
auxiliary engine and a fuel overflow. In January, the Princess of the
Orient collided with the Sulcon 15, also operated by Sulpicio Lines,
approaching North Harbor. In October 1996, it ran aground off North Harbor,
dragging a tug with it.

Collision off Japan causes fuel spill

     The Kashi Maru (409 tons) and the Settsu Maru (393 tons) collided 132
kilometers/82 miles south of Tokyo at 0100 9 Dec., spilling a small amount
of fuel. Three Japanese Maritime Safety Agency vessels sprayed chemicals on
the spill, which came from the Kashi Maru. The spill measured one
kilometer/0.6 miles long but was relatively thin. The Kashi Maru's port
side amidships was heavily damaged and it reportedly was flooding. Five
crewmembers boarded the Settsu Maru. There were no injuries. Both vessels
were sailing to Japanese ports.

Melati Mas aground, spilling fuel off northern Japan

     The Melati Mas (Malaysian-registry, 3,960 tons) ran aground on 8 Dec.
near Hachinohe, Japan. The ship spilled fuel that formed a
five-kilometer/three-mile slick as of the afternoon of 9 Dec. The ship,
with 18 crewmembers, was not carrying any cargo. There were no injuries.
The Melati Mas arrived at Hachinohe on 28 Nov. with zinc ore from China.

Oil platform evacuated after fire

     On 2 Dec., an oil production platform 64 kilometers/40 miles east of
Venice, La., had a fire in its crew berthing area. All 34 people aboard
were evacuated by crewboats and helicopters. The well was shut until local
fireboats extinguished the fire. A light sheen was seen on the water in the
area.

U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescues crew from grounded vessel off Honduras

     On 4 Dec., the fishing vessel Bambino II ran aground near Pigeon Cays,
Honduras. A U.S. Coast Guard HH-65A Dolphin from the Coast Guard's
Bear-class Medium-Endurance Cutter U.S.C.G.C. Harriet Lane (WMEC 903)
rescued all 14 crewmembers. They were later transferred to the fishing
vessel Mosquitia Express.

Engine room fire erupts aboard Boston commuter vessel

     The James Dougherty, a commuter vessel in Boston, had an engine room
fire at 0630 11 Dec. All 39 passengers were evacuated to the Lightning,
another commuter vessel, with no injuries reported. The vessel was sailing
from Hingham, Mass., to Rowe's Wharf in Boston when a fire was reported
south of Long Island Bridge. The James Dougherty is operated by Boston
Harbor Cruise Lines and was towed to Everett, Mass.

Collision at Diliskelesi

     The Ocean Gold (South Korean-registry 29,160-gt, 46,745-dwt bulk
carrier built in 1982, operated by Pan Ocean Shipping Co. Ltd.) hit the
anchored Oylum (Turkish-registry 1,975-gt, 3,301-dwt motor bulk carrier
built in 1976, operated by Capricorn Denizcilik A.S.) at Diliskelesi,
Turkey, on 11 Dec.

Calcite II aground in Saginaw River

     The Calcite II (8,188-gt, 6,301-nt, 184.33-meter/604.75-foot motor
bulk carrier built in 1929 by American Ship Building Co. at Lorain, Ohio;
operated by USS Great Lakes Fleet Inc.) ran aground at 1730 12 Dec. in the
Saginaw River near the Interstate 75 bridge in Zilwaukee, Mich. It is
carrying limestone. Wind and currents are believed to have caused the
grounding.

Alligator Liberty disabled in the Pacific Ocean

     The Alligator Liberty (Japanese-registry 42,121-gt, 38,512-dwt
containership built in 1986, operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines), sailing from
Tokyo to Manzanillo, Panama, had a broken camshaft 7 Dec., about 1,900
kilometers/1,200 miles northwest of Honolulu. It was to be towed to
Honolulu.

Bulk carrier grounds in Michigan

     The Joseph H. Frantz (9,589-gt, 15,749-dwt, 7,636-nt,
188-meter/618-foot motor bulk carrier built in 1925 by Great Lakes
Engineering Works at River Rouge, Mich.; operated by Oglebay Norton Co.)
ran aground in the Saginaw River in Michigan between Buoys 49 and 53,
partially blocking the channel. It was north of the Cheboyganing Creek
Bridge between Bay City and Saginaw. The ship had unloaded cargo at Crow
Island, Mich., and reportedly ran aground while maneuvering to head
downbound in 25-knot winds and low water levels. The Joseph H. Frantz
developed a port list and at 1640 7 Dec., was pulled off stern first by the
Manitou (491-gt, 33.5-meter/110-foot tug built in 1943 with 1,640
kilowatt/2,200 brake horsepower). The ship dropped its port anchor and
after maneuvering, continued its voyage.

Product tanker arrives in Dublin after engine failure

     The Thames Fisher (British-registry 4,765-dwt products tanker operated
by James Fisher Tankships Ltd.) has called at Dublin, Ireland, after its
Ruston RK270 medium-speed diesel engine failed 32 kilometers/26 miles off
South Bishop Lighthouse. The ship was sailing from Milford Haven, Wales, to
Dublin with 1,376 tons of unleaded gasoline, 909 tons of gas-oil and 752
tons of kerosene.

Kalila towed to Brest with coupling failure

     The Kalila (Moroccan-registry 1,689-gt, 2,307-dwt general cargo ship
built in 1973, operated by Van Uden Transport Group B.V.) had a coupling
failure 11 Dec., 160 kilometers/100 miles off Ushant Island, France. The
vessel was sailing from Rouen, France, to Casablanca, Morocco, and was
towed to Brest, France, by the Anglian Duke (560-dwt tug built in 1977,
operated by Klyne Tugs (Lowestoft) Ltd.).

Bulk carrier loses rudder near Quebec

     The Jean Parisien (33,309-dwt, 22,772-gt, 16,351-nt,
223-meter/730-foot motor bulk carrier built in 1977 by Davie Shipbuilding
Ltd. at Lauzon, Levis, Quebec; operated by Canada Steamship Lines Inc.)
lost its rudder recently and suffered propeller damage near Quebec. It was
towed to Quebec and laid-up.

Spill from the Kuroshima larger than previously thought

     Some 175,000 liters/46,000 gallons of Bunker C fuel has been removed
from the Kuroshima (Panamanian-registry 4,160-gt, 4,845-dwt,
112-meter/368-foot motor refrigerated ship built in 1988, owned by
Kuroshima Shipping S.A. and operated by Fukuoka Zosen K.K.), which has been
aground on Second Priest Rock about 90 meters/300 feet off Dutch Harbor,
Alaska, since the afternoon of 26 Nov. Another 43,700 liters/11,500 gallons
of fuel has been recovered from the area. As a result, damaged fuel tanks
are now thought to have spilled 152,000 liters/40,000 gallons to 304,000
liters/80,000 gallons of Bunker C fuel. About U.S.$1.7 million has been
spent on the clean-up. Seventeen birds have been killed and seven are being
treated in Homer, Alaska. About 60 other birds have been seen with varying
amounts of oil. The Kuroshima had anchored off Dutch Harbor and was to load
seafood when its anchor chain snapped in high winds. Two Philippine
crewmembers from Manila, Michael Valdellon, 46, the chief officer, and
Benito Gestosani, 36, were killed while the 16 other crewmembers were
rescued after a lifeboat was pulled to shore by a line fired to the ship.
The master and chief engineer are Japanese citizens with the rest of the
crew from the Philippines.

Report on grounding of Canadian warship released

     An invesigation into the grounding of the Canadian Maritime Command's
Restigouche-class Frigate H.M.C.S. Terra Nova (DDE 259) in Yarmouth, Nova
Scotia, on 19 June reported that the incident was due to a speed too fast
for conditions. The report was completed in October but only recently
released. The ship, which was not damaged, was aground in mud and gravel
for about 75 minutes after it attempted to enter the harbor during low
tide, fog and a 16-knot wind. The H.M.C.S. Terra Nova did not have a pilot
aboard when it entered Yarmouth at 12 knots. Disciplinary action was not
taken but the ship was ordered to perform harbor entries without a pilot.