IMO's elusive ferry conference
Last month I wrote of my frustration at the lack of details around the IMO's major conference on domestic ferry safety announced in September last year as being held in the Philippines this past April.
Some Internet searching revealed that at the beginning of March the IMO conducted a hazard identification (HAZID) exercise in the Philippines for non-SOLAS passenger ships. At the bottom of the IMO statement it said, "It is envisaged that the outcome of the exercise will be presented at the International Conference on the enhancement of the safety of ships providing domestic passenger services, to be held in Manila, the Philippines, on April 24, 2015.
Lo and behold, on March 20 I received a note from the IMO inviting representation at the Conference. According to the IMO, the purpose of the conference is to "draw attention to the need to enhance the safety of ships carrying passengers on non-international voyages and to consider and make recommendations in relation to a number of relating guidelines which have been developed for the purpose of expanding the already available technical assistance tools. Although the guidelines have been developed as technical assistance tools these have also been drafted for use by governments, owners, managers, operators and masters of such ships and by designers, consultants and surveyors of the ships in question".
The Philippines, the IMO says, "is making arrangements for the participants to visit, if they wish, during the morning of Saturday, April 25, 2015, a port terminal in Manila serving ships providing interisland passenger transport services."
Further, "Those wishing to attend the Conference should make the required arrangements for their travel and stay in Manila, for obtaining any visa which they may require for entry and stay in the Philippines and should have adequate travel and medical insurance cover for that purpose. Neither the Organisation nor the Philippines have or assume any responsibility in this respect."
All very well, but with such limited notice it was impossible to attend. One wonders how well attended the conference will be, given that people more important than I have incredibly more demands on their diary than your correspondent. Why has it taken so long to confirm details when the conference was first flagged in September?
Black month for ferries
Condor Ferries' new trimaran 'Condor Liberation' had a bumpy start to her English Channel career when on day two of service she struck the quayside at the Channel Islands harbour of St Peter Port on March 28.
"On arrival in St. Peter Port, 'Condor Liberation' attempted to dock on Berth 2 but high winds prevented this, so the decision was taken to change to Berth 1," said Captain Fran Collins, executive director of Condor Ferries.
"Whilst manoeuvring onto Berth 1 in strong winds, the ferry landed heavily against a fender, causing minor damage to the protective belting. As a result of this, 'Condor Liberation' will return to Poole for repairs, which are expected to take only a couple of days.
Nobody was injured but some passengers had to remain on Guernsey as alternative travel arrangements are made for them, while the trimaran returned to Poole for repairs.
The 'Condor Liberation' is now the only fast ferry operating between Guernsey, Jersey and the UK. Following her purchase, Condor sold the smaller 'Condor Vitesse' and 'Condor Express' to Greek company Seajets. The 'Condor Rapide' has been retained to maintain a fast ferry service between the islands and the French port of Saint Malo.
The 'Condor Liberation' also made news headlines when the company released what has to be the world's most awful safety video. Set to the tune of Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang, it stars three crew members who attempt – as the UK's Daily Telegraph says with extremely limited success – to showcase their hip hop skills while pulling off some truly dreadful dance moves.
"I'm the C-A-P-T to the A-I-N and I'm here to let you know, that once you've heard the whistle go my instructions will flow," begins the song.
"You see the safety rules are in effect and everything's in hand, just do as I say with no delay and stick close to the plan."
Maybe the IMO ferry safety conference could debate that one?
"The vessel's electrician died in the fire that broke out"
The ferry hoodoo wasn't hitting just Condor. Greece's Hellenic Seaways suffered a fire onboard their 85-metre high speed ferry 'Highspeed 5' on March 23. The vessel's electrician died in the fire that broke out at the shipbuilding area of Drapetsona. 21 workers were rescued and the fire caused considerable damage to the craft and gutted much of the superstructure. 30 fire-fighters with 10 engines and a fireboat fought the blaze. Hellenic Seaways was cooperating with the authorities in order to investigate the causes of the fire.
Also in Greece, 280 ferry passengers and crew were stranded in bad weather for two days when the veteran ferry 'Vitsenzos Kornaros', carrying 227 passengers and 55 crew members, grounded off the Aegean island of Kassos on March 26.
A lull in gale-force winds saw the ship freed under her own power and with assistance from a passing tourist vessel. A tug sent earlier from the island of Mykonos failed to complete the journey to the casualty because of the bad weather.
The coast guard agency said the 129-metre former P&O ferry was not damaged and no one on board required immediate medical attention.
Also on March 26, BornholmerFærgen's ropax 'Hammerodde' had to turn back shortly after departure from Køge after she hit an obstruction in the port. Two tugs were sent out to tow the vessel home. Later that day and escorted by the tugs the vessel headed to Landskrona for repairs. The reserve ferry 'Povl Anker' was pressed into service in her place while the high-speed craft 'Leonora Christina' made an extra sailing, coming from Ystad. Diver surveys of the 'Hammerodde' revealed that the bottom of the hull sustained damage, and the two blades of the starboard propeller were lost.
BornholmerFærgen's bad luck continued on the following day when the 'Leonora Christina' experienced an engine room fire during her crossing from Ystad to Rønne on March 27. Passengers were sent to muster stations but the crew quickly succeeded in fighting the blaze. The craft reached Rønne with 30 minutes delay.
Elsewhere in Scandinavia, Scandlines' Puttgarden-Rødby ferry 'Prinsesse Benedikte' was damaged when undocking at the Remontowa yard in Gdansk, Poland. The ferry was concluding a planned three-week yard stay, where among other things she had a new diesel engine, radar system, ventilation system, scrubber and underwater coating. During undocking the floating dock keeled over and the ship slipped from the keel block. As a result the she fell two metres and leaned against the wall of the dock with a 13-degree list. Holes were knocked in the side of the hull, and water penetrated the length of the ship.
Scandlines expects the repairs of the extensive damage and the following test phase to take three months and she is expected back in service before the end of June 2015.
Justin Merrigan
