Skip to main content

THE OTHER ANTAGONIST - ICE

Republic of Korea icebreaker MS Araon.

Ice is not an area to navigate in without specialised knowledge of it and a specially designed vessel to navigate it in.   Having served as a Watchofficer in an icebreaker NAUTICAL LOG speaks from first hand experience. 


Russian Flag State FV Sparta floating in a lead but trapped in the ice.


Trapped and holed in the Antarctic Region of the Ross Sea is the Russian Flag State FV Sparta.  There are immediately two questions to ask; Why was she fishing in the Antarctic Region ? Why was a non-icestrengthened vessel there at all?


There are two vessels trying to assist her one is another fishing vessel (FV) which could well get in difficulties herself thus making two problems, the other is the Korean (South) icebreaker MS Araon.  She left the Port of Lyttleton, NZ and is headed to the distress area, this should take about another week.


The Deputy Head of the Russian Antarctic Expedition at the Research Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic Regions Vyacheslav Martanov is not pleased.  On the Voice of Russia he said that the area where the Russian FV is in distress is one of the most icy zones of Antarctica.  Further quoted was Alexei Knishnikov who stated that currently there are no technical solutions for cleaning fuel spills in icy areas.  And to think the NZAF dropped a pump and fuel to the distressed FV - one has to wonder at the thinking, if any, behind that decision distress or no distress.  FV Sparta is the responsibility of the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre (NZRCC); perhaps our readers will recall the controversial decision making by NZRCC last season involving assistance to the SY Berserk when she was lost last year.


So what is the answer as to why the FV Sparta was fishing in the Region in the first place?  Well you see she was licensed to fish in New Zealand 's Ross Sea by the 25-nation Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.  The Commission is under pressure to create a Marine Reserve over the Ross Sea but this is being resisted by one of the 25 nations of the Commission which just happens to be the principal toothfishing nation in the area - New Zealand.

Isn't that interesting and both Australia and New Zealand Ports host the Sea Shepherd vessels and resupply them for activities against the Japanese Whaling Fleet which use piracy tactics.  So it appears that while whaling is generally considered deplorable, and it is, the toothfishing in Antarctica in non-icestrenthened vessels is acceptable to the Government of New Zealand which of course operates the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre making those controversial decisions.


NAUTICAL LOG would suggest that the Governments involved need to think things out on the broad picture not their narrow little short term interests to reach constructive decisions.  If they do not both the whales, the toothfish will be begone from the sea, and the krill contaminated by fuel spills with the resulting chain reaction affecting every aspect of life in Antarctica.  At present in both Tasmania and New Zealand its a case of,


 "What do I care mate I'm in good shape, here have a another brew, no worries she'll by right mate."


Good Watch

On another point which governments do not much care about either are the over 300 of our fellow seafarers held captive by pirates off the coast of Somalia.  No Christmas for them again this year and no rescue in sight.

Comments

Post a Comment

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more

CYCLONES AND SENTINELS

USCG Sentinel-class which are based on the Netherlands Damen Stan-class USCGC opened hull view USCG Sentinel-class interior layout USN Cyclone-class In the NAUTICAL LOG Press Release folder comes news of Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, LA. The United States Coast Guard has awarded a $166.1 million option to start production of four ' Sentinel-class' Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). This latest award brings a total of eight FRCs under production at Bollinger with a value of $410.7 million. The current FRC contract contains options for up to 34 cutters and is worth $1.5 billion if they are all exercised. Recently the United States Navy limited operation of its 'Cyclone-class' coastal patrol boats stationed in Bahrain and Norfolk, VA. Any vessel operation would depend on sea state and speed restrictions. This was due to structural damage as the vessels reach the 15 year mark which is considered close to the operational limit. This is apparently not a design fault but ...
Post a Comment
Read more