Happy New Year from Amver

Amver wishes everyone a safe and happy 2014!

 

 

UPDATE: M/V AkademikShokalskiy rescue

The Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy remains beset in ice with 74 passengers near Antarctica. Despite multiple rescue attempts by the Amver vessels Xue Long and Aurora Australis, neither vessel can safely make their way through the thick ice. According to a release by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Aurora Australis was at risk of becoming beset by ice if it continued to make rescue attempts.

Preparations are now being made to airlift the passengers off the Akademik Shokalskiy by helicopter to the Chinese ice breaker and ferry them to the Aurora Australis by barge. According to the latest update, weather conditions were not suitable for an immediate airlift, but passengers were preparing a landing zone.



Can't see the video? Click here.

Professor Chris Turney, expedition leader, continues to provide updates via Twitter.

Amver vessels play a critical role in rescuing people at sea. This case is another example of the right ship, in the right place, can make the difference between life and death. We applaud the efforts of our international search and rescue partners. You can learn more about the Amver program here.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com

Video credit: Professor Chris Turney



 

Amver ships sailing to assist Russian ship near Antarctica

M/V Akademik Shokalskiy

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is sending three Amver participating vessels to assist the Russian passenger vessel Akademik Shokalskiy which is beset in ice near Antarctica, approximately 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart.

Rescue authorities in Australia were notified early Christmas morning after the rescue center in Falmouth, United Kingdom received the Akademik Shokalskiy's distress message and relayed it to Australia.

The 74 people aboard the 233 foot Russian flagged ship, which also is enrolled part of the Amver system, are reported to be in good health and some are tweeting about their adventures.

Professor Chris Turney, leader of the expedition, posted a short video about the situation.



Can't see the video? Click here.

Australian rescue authorities have diverted the vessels L'Astrolable, Xue Long, and the Australian Antarctic Division vessel Aurora Australis. The vessels should arrive on the scene within two days.

If you're curious about the Amver system and how we save lives at sea you can learn more about Amver here.

We'll keep posting updates as we learn them.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com

Video credit: YouTube
 

Merry Christmas from Amver

Wishing everyone a very joyous holiday and Merry Christmas.

Welcome Wednesday!

Another 26 vessels have enrolled in Amver in the past week. During the holiday season it's easy to forget those at sea. Take a moment and keep seafarers in mind. Now, help us welcome the latest members of the Amver safety network.

• WU GUI SHAN
• DA LI HU
• CELSO FURTADO
• AANYA
• ATHINA M
• FRIO ARKHANGELSK
• SVS KIDD
• SEACOR RESOLUTE
• BOURGAINVILLE
• TORILL KNUTSEN
• LIMITLESS
• BAHRI JEDDAH
• BISAN CLOVER
• SIANGTAN
• KOTA LESTARI
• SUPRA CHALLENGER I
• HOS CAROLINA
• NATHAN BRANDON
• NAVIOS BUENA VENTURA
• RTM DJULPAN
• NAVIOS BONAVIS
• KOSZALIN
• NAVIOS CENTAURUS
• NAVIOS LUMEN
• NAVIOS AZIMUTH
• CMA CGM NEVADA

Photo credit: Fotolia

Mug Shot! Amver participant M/V Mukaddes Kalkavan

Besides meeting survivors on Amver ships, the next best thing we get to do is spend time with the crews of ships that participate in the Amver system.

On Wednesday, December 11, 2013 we had the opportunity to go aboard the Marshall Island flagged container ship Mukaddes Kalkavan in New Jersey. Captain Erdem Yilmaz, and his entire Turkish crew, were very hospitable. The U.S. Coast Guard was performing a Port State Control inspection and we decided to tag along and thank the crew for their enrollment and participation in Amver. Want to know what to expect when the Coast Guard boards your ship? You can learn that by listening to this interview with a Port State Control inspector.

While we were talking with the crew we learned they were having difficulty with their voluntary weather observation reporting and we contacted a NOAA Port Meteorological Officer to fix that issue.

Finally, Amver Director Benjamin Strong presented an Amver coffee mug to the Captain as a token of appreciation for the crew's dedication to safety at sea. The Mukaddes Kalkavan, managed by Turkon Holdings, enrolled in Amver on November 27, 2012.

Photo credit: Amver

Welcome Wednesday!

Somewhere a seafarer is away from home, underway, perhaps in foul weather. That seafarer may have a spouse or child at home. That seafarer is delivering good to a far off port, ensuring commerce continues and life can go on. That seafarer may be delivering life saving medicine, food or grain to offset a famine, or relief supplies to a community devastated by storms. The seafarer might have supplies for troops in a far off land, or parts for manufacturing.

Keep seafarers in your thoughts this holiday season. And help us welcome the seafarers that have made a commitment to safety at sea by enrolling in the Amver system.

• AMELIE
• WILPRIDE
• ZHENG JUN
• MISS MARILENE TIDE
• Q SUE
• EVRIDIKI
• EVINOS
• VALE LIANYUNGANG
• PS PALIOS
• SEA NEPTUNE
• INDIAN HARMONY
• VISHVA UDAY
• ANDES QUEEN
• XIN LIAN 1210 HAO
• FREEDOM
• CAP SAN AUGESTIN
• KAPITAN NAZIN

Photo credit: Fotolia

Amver ship rescues 26 from burning tanker

The Amver participating bulk carrier Maiden Voyage rescued 26 crewmen from the tanker Theresa Bitung after it caught fire while sailing from China's Zhoushan Islands to Singapore on Wednesday, November 27, 2013.

According to reports from the Maiden Voyage, they were only 22 miles away from the tanker when they heard the distress call. Maiden Voyage Captain Hernesto Caluya immediately notified rescue authorities, alerted other ships in the area, and diverted the Supramax carrier to rescue the crew of the Theresa Bitung.

Within an hour of the initial distress call the master of the Theresa Bitung reported the fire was out of control and the entire crew was abandoning ship. The Maiden Voyage arrived shortly thereafter and lowered a rescue boat, embarking all 26 crew members from a lifeboat and two rafts.

Captain Caluya notified all ships in the area the crew of the Theresa Bitung were safe and had his ship continue to Hong Kong. The Marshall Island flagged Maiden Voyage, manage by Starbulk Carriers of Athens, Greece, enrolled in the Amver system  on January 2, 2013 and will earn its first Amver participation award in 2014.


Photo credit: crew of the Maiden Voyage

Welcome Wednesday!

Who enrolled in Amver this week? Let's take a look! Keep our seafarers in mind this holiday season. They remain at sea, delivering the good we rely on every day. In the meantime, help us welcome the new additions to the Amver safety network.

• POLARCUS NAILA
• LAKE DAWN
• CELSIUS MANHATTAN
• DOGAN
• REIHOU
• SIDER COLUMBIA
• AERIKO
• HAGGERTY GIRLS
• ORDU
• NESTOR
• GOLDEN DIAMOND
• STADT GERA
• IKAN LUDING
• SUN LUCIA
• IBIS WIND
• MSC LAUREN
• JS YANGTSE
• CHRYSANTHI S
• SERTANEJO SPIRIT
• MSM DON
• LEWEK ALTAIR
• XIN TANG SHAN HAI 1
• KN FOREST

Photo credit: Fotolia