Welcome Wednesday!

Every week we are honored to have additional ships enroll in the Amver system. These vessels may never be called upon to act, but the seas are a bit safer with additional crew members on watch. Thank you for joining, thank you for making yourselves available, thank you for committing to safety at sea. Help us welcome the latest members of the Amver safety network.

• CAP NEGRO II
• CAPE EMERALD
• CH CLARE
• DARYA DEVI
• DELAWARDEIEP
• EM ITHAKI
• GALIO
• ISLAND VOYAGER
• JAPIN ARROW
• JOHN BRIX
• LUSITANIA G
• MINO
• MSC ALICANTE
• MSC ATHENS
• NATOMA
• NORD SATURN
• PARANA
• SILVER
• ULTRA GUJARAT
• VINALINES PIONEER
• WAPPEN VON HAMBURG
• WESTERN COPENHAGEN

Photo credit: Fotolia

Amver ship rescues crew of another Amver ship

The crew of the Amver participating bulk carrier Jin Cheng rescued ten crew members of  the Amver enrolled Harita Bauxite after it sank near Cape Bolinao, Philippines on February 17, 2013.

The Harita Bauxite was on a voyage from Indonesia to Ningbo, China when it experienced an engine failure and began rolling, sinking quickly in the heavy seas.

The Philippine Coast Guard searched for the remaining survivors but could not locate any.

The Hong Kong flagged Jin Cheng, managed by Goldbeam International LLC of Hong Kong, enrolled in Amver on January 27, 2003 while the Panamanian flagged Harita Bauxite, managed by Ocean Sentinels Ship management of Singapore, enrolled in Amver on May 15, 2001.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com

Welcome Wednesday!

23 more vessels have enrolled in the Amver system. We're thrilled to have them as part of our search and rescue system. You know individual vessels can enroll in Amver. You can even do it prior to your voyage. Once enrolled, just start sending Amver messages. Don't know how to format an Amver message? You can download the Amver User's Manual and learn how. In the meantime, help us welcome the newest members of the Amver family.

• ANSAC CHRISTINE NANCY
• APL FRANCE
• BAHRI ABHA
• BANDERS
• CORAL ACTINIA
• DOCKWISE VANGUARD
• GOLDEN BRILLIANT
• GRAND PIONEER
• GULF TIGER
• HYDRUS
• JOZEN
• KILAKARAI STAR
• KINOKAWA MARU
• LIBERTY ISLAND
• MAERSK KINS
• MAERSK SIMONE
• ORIENTAL PHOENIX
• POAVOSA WISDOME VIII
• SAN
• SANTA HELENA
• SEAEXPRESS
• SEAPRIDE
• SICHEM HAWK

Photo credit: Fotolia

Dutch EU naval forces nab 9 suspected pirates

The European Union Naval Forces (EUNAVFOR) Somalia reported the Dutch EU Frigate De Ruyter apprehended nine suspected pirates 200 miles north east of Eyl off the coast of Somalia on Tuesday, February 19, 2013.

The frigate was tasked with locating a suspected pirate group that was reported by a Panamanian flagged ship off the coast of Somalia. The crew of the frigate launched their helicopter. The helicopter crew located two high powered skiffs. The crew's of the skiffs began throwing materials overboard when they saw the helicopter.

The nine suspected pirates are being held on the Frigate De Ruyter for further investigation and evidence collection.

Photo credit: Fotolia

Welcome Wednesday!

We asked for more vessels and you responded. In the past week an additional 28 ships enrolled in Amver. Thank you. If you haven't joined please consider the benefits. Besides ensuring the most appropriate vessel is diverted during a maritime emergency, you have the opportunity to earn Amver participation awards. What's not to like? Now, help us welcome the latest members of the Amver family.

• ALMI SUN
• AM QUEBEC
• AMADON TIDE II
• ANNE KJERSTI
• CENTRANS AGLAIA
• CETUS OCEAN
• CRIMSON KNIGHT
• DN VATAN
• ELIKON
• EUROVSION
• FUJISUKA
• GLOBAL INNOVATOR
• HEBEI JOYCE
• HHL CONGO
• JOCK RICKMERS
• LIWA
• MAERSK GALAXY
• MYNIKA
• NAVE BELLATRIX
• NAVIOS BONHEUR
• PRICELESS SEAS
• RAYSUT I
• RTM DRAKE
• SERGIO BUARQUE DE HOLANDA
• TED SMITH
• TRINA OLDENDORFF
• TZINI
• YM MANDATE

Photo credit: Fotolia

Carnival Triumph suffers engine room fire

According to a news release from Carnival, the Carnival Triumph experienced an engine room fire while sailing approximately 150 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The U.S. Coast Guard stated they have diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous and are maintaining communications with the ship.

Carnival also stated a sister ship and Amver participant, the Carnival Elation, was on the scene transferring food and other provisions to the Carnival Triumph. The Carnival Triumph is enrolled in Amver as well and rescued 20 Cuban migrants in 2007.

How does the Coast Guard respond?

When a large passenger ship experiences trouble at sea the Coast Guard springs into action. The United States Coast Guard has a robust Mass Rescue Operations program. In fact, there are international standards for cruise ships to prepare for such incidents. What sort of plans? Here are an example of the content available on mass rescue.
  
International Maritime Organization Guidance Documents on Mass Rescue (links to PDF files)

• Guidance for Mass Rescue Operations
• Guidelines for Plans of Cooperation between SAR services and Passenger Ships
• Enhanced Contingency Planning Guidance for Passenger Ships Operating in Areas Remote from SAR Facilities
• Guidance on Voyage Planning for Passenger Ships in Remote Areas

 Carnival has arranged for tug boats to tow the Carnival Triumph to port. The cruise line has established a customer service information number, 1-888-290-5095 for additional information.

Photo credit: Marinetraffic.com

Welcome Wednesday!

There are 16 more opportunities to save lives at sea available this week. 16 more ships enrolled in the Amver system. 16 more crews, making themselves available to risk everything to ensure no call for help goes unanswered. Help us welcome them.

• AM LIBERIA
• APL BARCELONA
• FLORIDA
• GASLOG SHANGHAI
• GREAT OCEAN
• H. KANTER
• KOTA CABAR
• MAERSK ALGOL
• MAERSK KWANGYANG
• MAERSK TUKANG
• MINERVA ELPIDA
• MYRTO
• OOCL MIAMI
• SAGA FRIGG
• UNION MARINER
• XIN HUA

Photo credit: Fotolia