Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published Jul 12, 2022 3:04 PM by The Maritime Executive

Spanish authorities are investigating the mysterious disappearance of the captain of a containership that arrived late last week at the Port of Algeciras. 

The 50,789 dwt Algeciras Express departed from the port of Yalova on the Sea of Marmara south of Istanbul on June 30. La Guardia Civil de Algeciras reports that four days later on July 3 they were notified by the first officer of the vessel that their captain was missing. The crew searched the vessel and reported that the captain could not be located.

The Algeciras Express arrived at the Port of Algeciras on July 7, but the authorities ordered the vessel to anchor offshore until a new captain arrived to take command of the vessel. Reports indicated that the port was requiring a captain to be aboard to oversee the maneuvering into the dock.

The vessel is operating under charter to Hapag-Lloyd. Reports indicated that Hapag arranged for a Ukrainian captain to fly to the port and join the ship. The vessel was permitted to proceed to the dock on July 10.

Once alongside, the police boarded the ship and began interviewing the first officer and other members of the 28-person crew. The police also searched the ship and entered the captain’s cabin. Local media indicated that the cabin was found to be in good condition and there was even a navigation plan prepared by the captain for July 4. However, they were unable to locate any signs of the captain or any signs of a struggle. Nothing appeared abnormal aboard the vessel.

The Spanish authorities have advised Liberia as the flag state for the vessel and also have been in contact with the Philippines as the unnamed captain was reported to be a Philippine citizen. Spanish authorities have officially listed the captain as a missing person.

The Algeciras Express appears to have been traveling with only a few containers when it arrived but was permitted to complete its normal container handling on Sunday in the port. On Monday, it remained anchored off Algeciras, but it has now been released by the Spanish authorities and is proceeding to Tanger-Med, Morocco.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly named Seaspan as the owner of Algeciras Express. The vessel has been owned by a different company since May 2022. 

Published Jul 22, 2022 7:44 PM by The Maritime Executive

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. and the union representing subcontractors reached an agreement at the end of the day on Friday ending a 51-day strike that threatened the financial stability of South Korea’s third largest shipbuilder. Faced with mounting losses and increasing costs for steel and other materials, DSMEs’ financial condition has continued to erode with the largest shareholder suggesting that the company might need to be restructured through bankruptcy. Discussing the shipbuilder’s prospects as the strike dragged on,...

Published Jul 22, 2022 7:41 PM by The Maritime Executive

Investments for the facilities at Damen Shiprepair Curacao, the largest shipyard in the Caribbean, are expected to proceed shortly. The shipyard located on Curacao near the coast of South America is owned by the government and since 2017 has been leased to Damen. The shipyard recently undertook the first project, which was an investment of approximately $1.1 million for the overhaul of the door on one of the yard’s four dry docks. In anticipation of the approval for a broader...

Published Jul 22, 2022 6:56 PM by The Maritime Executive

As sanctions and international isolation begin to take hold for Russia's oil industry, it has begun discounting prices in order to entice new buyers in far-flung markets. But in doing so, according to market intelligence firm Vortexa, Russia has begun to compete directly with Iran and Venezuela for a limited market in undercover oil.  One of the key signs is the movement of fly-by-night tankers from the sanctioned Iranian oil trade into the previously above-board Russian oil export market. According...

Published Jul 22, 2022 6:42 PM by The Maritime Executive

The first large cruise ship bunkered with a blended marine biofuel making the latest expansion of biofuel which has drawn wide support in the commercial shipping industry. The bunkering took place with Carnival Corporation’s AIDA Cruises aboard the AIDAprima and provides a blueprint for the wider cruise sector adoption of alternative fuels. AIDA has long been the pioneer within Carnival Corporation testing made of the new concepts for alternative power and improving environmental performance. The 125,500 gross ton AIDAprima became the...

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