Skip to main content

GENTING DOES IT AGAIN - NOT

Genting Resorts World is becoming one of the best known cruise lines trying to operate out of the Port of Miami, Florida. One says trying because once again it has fallen on its face and once again has to deal with negative PR.  Lets take a look at how it all began.

On July 03, 2013 there appeared in The Miami Herald a full page ad in red and blue inks announcing that from July 04 to 07 their ship MS Bimini Superfast would be open to the public from 0900 to 2100 each day.  Frankly on reading this announcement NAUTICAL LOG was amazed as there have not been ship tours open to the public at the Port of Miami since 9/11 due to Federal Port Security requirements.  Again something that comes under the USCG umbrella of responsibility. 

Well nothing ventured nothing gained so NAUTICAL LOG headed down to the Port of Miami this morning and after finding parking - a nightmare in itself - we went through security at Terminal "F" only to then find out that the ship was closed to the public due to USCG-MSO Inspections still going on.  In the Terminal there was a nice free buffet laid out of pastries and sandwiches with soft drinks.  After a pastry and drink we briefly chatted with an embarrassed crew member who said the USCG had told them ship tours were not permitted. 

The ship, as it enters a second week, has not yet passed the USCG-MSO requirements due to being unable to transition power to its emergency systems the ship clearly having come from Europe in this state apparently certified by EMSA and its Flag State of the Republic of Panama.  Inspections continued on Friday July 05, 2013 and once again the ships engineers could not resolve the power transition problem, once again the MSO Chief of Inspection failed the vessel.  We understand there will be an announcement on Monday July 08 2013. 

It seems Genting Resorts World had just taken it upon itself to announce that the ship was open to the public in The Miami Herald - this is not really the way to get the USCG-MSO on your side !!

The Genting Bimini website does now have a slideshow so that is as close to seeing the ship that one currently gets.

Good Watch.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PAINT LOCKER FIRES

The photographs above are revealing in several ways, lets have a look. Clearly the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) vessel JS "Kurama" impacted the Korean container ship MS "Carina Star" just aft of the turn of the fo'cs'le on the Starboard side. Please note that's the Starboard side, thus it appears JS "Kurama" would have shown "Carina Star" the red port sidelight and "Carina Star" would have shown JS "Kurama" the green starboard sidelight. This impact point would tend to suggest that JS "Kurama" was the 'stand-on' vessel and the MS "Carina Star" is the 'giving-way' vessel. Until there is a complete plot of the tracks made good of both these vessels and the position in the Kanmon Strait of the point of collision no determination can actually be made. As a result of this impact there was severe bow damage to JS "Kurama" and in addition a massive f

HOW TO WEAR A LIFEJACKET

A popular U.S.-based cruise ship style A popular European ferry style Several times during the year NAUTICAL LOG has had visitors searching for lifejacket instructions. With two just over Christmas we decided to publish something for everybody to see and read. Choose a Coast Guard approved life-jacket and make sure it is undamaged. Make sure life-jackets are readily accessible, never locked away. Check the fit, there are adult, child and infant sizes, the correct one MUST be used. Choose bright colour life-jackets so as to be seen easily by Search and Rescue (SAR). Put your life-jacket ON BEFORE you leave the berth. Make sure you have a light and whistle attached AND they BOTH WORK. Good Watch

BOUILLABAISSE

TAAF Service vessel operated by CMA CGM TAAF Regional flag Well now let us see if here at NAUTICAL LOG we have got a grasp on things simmering in the pot. It seems that when the anti-whaling campaign started out some years ago it was between Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherds and the Japanese whaling fleet. The Australians came down to their own Southern Ocean Territory in a chartered civilian vessel one year. Beyond taking photographs and returning some Sea Shepherds to their ship the MS "Steve Irwin" not much was accomplished. The Greenpeace crowd then dropped out and Animal Planet boarded the MS "Steve Irwin" to shoot 'reality TV' and so Whale Wars came into being. This resulted in some deplorable behaviour on all sides and some appalling exhibitions of seamanship - or rather total lack of seamanship by the Sea Shepherds. But now there was money coming in which could be spent on - well nobody really knows what the money is spent on. New Zealand made it q