NAUTICAL LOG

It is now over two weeks since the collision between the USS Porter DDG 78 and the MT Otawasan in the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.  So far there is not even an Official Initial Comment to indicate what happened much less a Report.  Yes! the Commanding Officer of the USS Porter DDG 78 has been relieved of Command as is to be expected but how about the entire Bridge Watch that were on duty at the time?  It is quite likely that they were directly responsible for causing this incident in the first place. This in and of itself is nothing new in the current United States Navy, the Navy publishes a list of both commissioned Officers and non-commissioned Officers relieved of their duties on a regular basis.  This disgraceful state of affairs would indicate to seafarers, particularly those of us who have held Command and stood Bridge Watches, in the case of NAUTICAL LOG over 100,000 hours, that there is a serious problem in the training of ...

It was with very great pleasure that on surfing the web this morning we saw that IRISHSHIPS is back. Due to a commenter putting the website in a libelous position they had closed down in the Spring of 2012.  Unfortunately the commenter has not yet been identified to be served and charged with that libel. The website publisher, Aiden McCabe, has taken steps to prevent this happening again and now we can all enjoy his excellent website once more, contact old shipmates and remember "the old days" which it turns out were pretty damn good compared to todays world. Every continued success and it gives NAUTICAL LOG great pleasure to add IRISHSHIPS to our Blog List. Good Watch.

The following M-Notices are now available at www.dft.gov.uk/mca if you have any problems contact 023 8032 9391 MIN 438 (M) SOLID BULK CARGOES - Adoption of Amendment 01-11 to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code MIN 439 (M) CARGO STOWAGE AND SECURING - Amendments to the Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code) MIN 440 (M) TIMBER DECK CARGOES -Code of Safe Practice for Ships Carrying Timber Deck Cargoes, 2011 (2011 TDC Code) MIN 441 (M) Entry into force of the North American Emission Control Area - Further Information MIN 442 (M+F) Training foe ECDIS as Primary Means of Navigation Good Watch

The activist vessel from Hong Kong ( This thing has as many flags as Sea Shepherd flies ) On opening the NAUTICAL LOG Press Release folder this morning there was a report from BBC Asia about a group of activists from Hong Kong landing on the Senskaku Islands in Japan.  According to the BBC Asia report they sailed from Hong Kong were met and followed by the Japanese Coastguard and jumped into the waters off Senskaku swimming to one of the Islands.  At that point the five involved were arrested by the Coastguard. The PRC call the Islands Diaoyu and the Japanese Government lodged a diplomatic protest with the PRC who countered with more diplomatic procedure over the detention of five Chinese. Currently Japan is also embroiled with South Korea over the Takeshima Islands known as Dokdo in Korean.  By a strange coincidence South Korean swimmers landed on those earlier in the day. They also were arrested by Okinawa Prefecture Police. By u...

USS O'Kane DDG 77 Bridge Watch Team, standard condition  USS O'Kane DDG 77 Bridge Watch Team. Most likely under foreign Pilotage condition. These are photos from the USN of Bridge Watch Teams under various conditions they are shown as an example of whom could have been on the Bridge of USS Porter DDG 78 when the Strait of Hormuz incident took place. Good Watch.

USS Porter   DDG 78 starboard side forward damage USS Porter DDG 78 underway MT Otowasan VLCC tanker Just in to the NAUTICAL LOG Press Folder is news of a collision between the USS Porter DDG 78 and the Panama Flag State MT Otowasan owned by Mitsui OSK of Japan in the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred in the early hours (LIMA) of Sunday August 12, 2012 morning.  Damage was sustained to the starboard side forward of the warship's superstructure above the waterline.  The tanker was bound between oil terminals to load at Fujairah, a Gulf of Oman Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) The Strait of Hormuz remains open to traffic and the photos above show the damage to the starboard side forward  of the USS Porter DDG 78 a guided missile destroyer. For those readers who are seafarers studying this incident NAUTICAL LOG would suggest that the applicable INTERNATIONAL   RULES to the incident are RULE 5,...

National Ensign of Tonga The Friendly Islands chart Vunawharf Nuku'lofa   UPDATE: On the afternoon of August 13, 2012 the King of Tonga Tupou VI visited the PLAN Zhenghe 81 with his wife and government and military leaders.   The training ship PLAN Zhenghe 81 completed her goodwill and educational visit to Papeete, French Polynesia on August 09, 2012.  She headed west across the South Pacific to visit the Kingdom of Tonga where she berthed on August 11, 2012 at Nuku'alofa for a four day visit. Good Watch 

Diving vessel MS Shen Qian Hao Data courtesy of CCTV News: China's first 300 meter depth saturation diving vessel has been completed at Qingdao in East China's Shandong Province. The MS Shen Qian Hao diving vessel will use the saturation technique.  This allows divers to work at great depths for long periods of time by reducing the risk of decompression sickness. The computer controlled diving vessel is equipped with the latest technologies.  It is 126 meters Overall and has a Displacement of 15,000 tonnes. It is clear that the PRC is developing its skills and building vessels for every need in marine operations in a wide variety of civilian disciplines as well as military needs.  They will now have the equipment and skills to project power on several fronts in developing their national policies in all maritime areas. Good Watch

Well now in spite of various readers telling NAUTICAL LOG that Paul Watson could and would not be arrested in the European Union it seems he can now be arrested anywhere in the World. As of today Paul Watson is under RED NOTICE by Interpol as a result of the Costa Rican arrest warrent and his bail jumping exploits in Germany.  His current status is that of an international fugitive - he really does have a knack of going overboard - to coin a phrase!! Good Watch.

Regular readers know that NAUTICAL LOG takes an interest in the military and political aims of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). In today's The New York Times there is a long article, well worth reading, about the concerns in the PRC regarding its increasingly outspoken PLA military leadership.  The PLA Generals are pushing the PRC Communist Party leadership on the status of the South China Sea and East China Sea.  The military generals have little or no regard for the International Status of these sea areas. The current Administration in the United States is so busy holding on to power at any cost telling wild stories of romance to get reelected.  As a result the PLA leadership see this as an ideal opportunity to take charge of policy at home and various Generals are making considerable noise including a drunken rage by one of them in front of the PRC President. Within the political system such as it is in the PRC a change of government is becoming due thi...

The following M-Notices are available at www.dft.gov.uk/mca or if you have any problems call 023 8032 9391 MGN 454 (M+F) The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Chemical Agents)(Amendments) Reggulations 2012. MGN 455 (M) The Government Support for Maritime Training Scheme (SMarT) - Revised Arrangements from August 01 2012 to March 31 2015. MIN 437 (M) Ship Security Office5r Certification: Recognition. Good Watch.

Flag of French Polynesia The Chinese have a history of what to the Western World are rather heavy-handed titles and the PRC is no slouch at picking them.  A correspondent to NAUTICAL LOG was a weekend visitor on board the training ship PLAN Zhenghe 81 during her visit to Papeete, French Polynesia.  From his report just the outside decks were open to guests however he did receive a brochure which stated that the aim ( socialist aim perhaps? ) of their world voyage was " Harmonious World, Harmonious Seas ". With titles like this one has to wonder at the behaviour of the remaining vessels in the PRC PLAN extensive fleet plus all the PRC Coastguard and Chinese Surveillance Agency vessels.  As most seafarers know only too well such vessels are performing aggressively rather than harmoniously in the South China and East China Seas, areas that while named after China are actually International Waters open under the Right of Innocent Passage to ...

Island map Harbour area The PRC Naval training ship PLAN Zhenghe 81 arrived in Papeete, French Polynesia on Thursday August 02, 2012 on a four day visit.  She had departed from Guayaquil, Ecuador, her only South American port-of-call, before crossing the South Pacific to French Polynesia. The PRC gives out very little information about the route or ports-of-call of the vessel most reasonably as a security precaution.  With no independent Press in the PRC the only source of news is the Government - but then that has, except for FOX News, become the way of the Media in the United States of America as well !! Good Watch.

UPDATE: An unconfirmed rumour states that the MS Stephan Jantzen is to be renamed MS Sam Simon and will join the SSCS pirate fleet for the coming Japanese Whaling Season.    This afternoon some data landed in the NAUTICAL LOG Press Release folder which required some brief research.  It appears that the German Law Enforcement Authorities are looking for Sea Shepherd Paul Watson.  It is reported that he has jumped bail and left Germany so in addition to Japan, and Costa Rica he now is wanted by the German Authorities for violation of German laws.  Under European Union law enforcement regulations he can be detained by any EU country and handed over to the Germany Authorities.  There is a possibility that as a fugitive Watson has been placed on the US State Departments "no fly list" and may therefore be moving around by privately owned aircraft. Also there is talk that the SSCS have acquired an addituional vessel named...

PLAN Yantai 538 Continuing its around the world visits this Summer the PLAN Yantai 538 of the 11th. Naval Escort Flotilla arrived in Constanta, Romania on July 31, 2012 for a five day visit.  These visits are notable for several reasons namely building relationships with the nations visited, arranging to use their Ports as "ports-of-call", fleet support bases, making contact and supporting the Chinese communities in all the countries the PLAN vessels call at.  Also if one plots the ports-of-call they surround the east, south and west borders of Russia.  The Chinese and in particular the PRC have long coveted Russia as a place to expand its population into ( living-room ) and for its natural resources.  Thus together with the PRC expansion into the East China Sea and South China Sea a long held dream of the Chinese is being fulfilled with no really effective counter measures from anyone. Good Watch.