International Work Boat Show

We're not exhibiting at the International Work Boat Show in New Orleans this week but we'll be walking the floor, meeting some of our Amver participants, and looking for new ships to enroll in the Amver system.  Will you be at Work Boat 2010?  If so drop us a line. We'd love to meet you!

Photo credit: Maitri

Ice breaking- Finnish style!

Our friends at CGBlog recently posted a short piece showing off some great ice breakers.  One of their links led us to this amazing video of one of our partners in the Arctic Council  Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response working group (Amver participates on the working group).

So, without further adieu, here is a great video from the Finnish Maritime Authority showcasing ice breaking in the Gulf of Bothnia. Enjoy!  For more icebreaker photos check this out!



Can't see the video? Click here.

Greek Amver tanker rescues 2

Two American sailors experienced Greek hospitality first hand after they launched several distress flares and were rescued by the crew of the Amver participating tanker Triathlon.  The Triathlon witnessed the flares on November 21st while sailing near Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean.  At approximately 2138 local time the bridge crew saw the flares and called Captain Glagaris Georgios to the bridge where he ordered all engines standby.  Within 10 minutes of seeing the flare Captain Georgios had a rescue team in the water heading to the stricken sailboat.





Captain Georgios was in contact with Rescue Coordination Center Bermuda and his vessel management as he maneuvered the 900 foot tanker to provide a lee for the sailboat and made a rescue attempt but had to break off the rescue because of high winds and large ocean swells.  A second attempt was tried but had to be aborted because the Triathlon could not get lines on the sailboat.  The third attempt was successful and the sailboat was able to make fast alongside the tanker.  Lowering the embarkation ladder, the Triathlon crew assisted the two sailors aboard the Greek flagged tanker and provided first aid, food, and water.  Thankfully the two survivors were unhurt.

Captain Georgios radioed rescue authorities in Bermuda and arranged to have a vessel meet the ship when it arrived at the pilot station in Bermuda.  After meeting the pilot boat and disembarking the survivors, the Triathlon made full away to its next port in Nigeria.





Thank you Captain Georgios and crew of the Triathlon for saving two lives!  Other ships can join this elite group of lifesavers by enrolling in Amver today.


Photo credit: Crew of the Triathlon

Happy Thanksgiving from Amver

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States.  In what has been declared the Year of the Seafarer we are thankful for you, our Amver participants.

Photo credit: Fotolia

Welcome Wednesday!

Is your ship listed below?  It's not?  Well get your ship enrolled now and you can be part of the only global voluntary search and rescue system.  Help us welcome the latest members of the Amver family.

• CRYSTAL TIGER
• CONTI SELENIT
• DUNG QUAT 2
• MARITIME FORTUNE
• MADARIN PHOENIX
• PACIFIC GREBE
• ORCHARD BULKER
• CSAV RIO BUENO
• TORM ALMENA 
• AKER WAYFARER
• STX ACACIA
• TIAN XIN
• KATSURAGISAN
• DRAWSKO
• UBC CANADA
• PERALTA
• OOCL SEOUL
• GANNET BULKER
• IJSSELBORG
• SALAMINA
• QUEEN ELIZABETH
• LIAMARE
• SANKO ODYSSEY
• TENSHU MARU
• SIVA MUMBAI
• FAR SUPPLIER
• PEACE VOYAGE
• ALPINE VENTURE

Thank you for taking the time to recognize safety and join the Amver safety network.  You made the right decision!


Photo credit: Fotolia

Rescue Update- voice mail & Amver to the rescue!

Could a voice message help save your life?  Couple your registered Personal Locator Beacon with some innovation and you have this, a personal message instructing rescuers how to find a vessel and sailor! Add an Amver ship and you have what just transpired near Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean. 

A sailor in distress activated his properly registered beacon, an Amver ship was diverted by search and rescue authorities, and a United States Coast Guard C-130 air dropped a dewatering pump.  This all adds up to a sailor assisted and continuing on his journey.

The Amver participant Hoegh Kobe, pictured alongside the disabled sailboat, was first on the scene and passed fuel and other necessary equipment for the sailor to continue on his voyage.

Have you enrolled in Amver?  You could be helping us ensure no call, or voice mail, for help goes unanswered.

Photo credit: USCG photo

Two Singapore Amver ships assisting in separate resuces

Atlantic Amver Rescue

In the first case the Amver center received a message from the MTM Westport this weekend that they rescued two sailors, one German and one Brazilian, from their disabled sailboat.  The sailboat, the Knutt, was off the coast of Africa and dead in the water when the Hong Kong flagged tanker was requested to assist.

The MTM Westport, managed by MTM Ship management of Singapore, enrolled in the Amver system on February 28th, 2010.  The Master of the Westport reported both survivors were in good health.

Pacific Amver Rescue

The second case involves the Amver Ro/Ro Hoegh Kobe, a Singapore flagged automobile carrier, that responded to the a call from the United States Coast Guard 14th District rescue coordinators to divert and assist the 43 foot sailboat Currandera which was disabled approximately 240 miles North of Christmas Islands.  The Hoegh Kobe, managed by Hoegh Autoliners, has passed fuel to the Currandera and remains on scene in case the crew needs to abandon ship.

We will update the blog as we learn more about the Hoegh Kobe case.


Photo credit: both photos courtesy of marinetraffic.com.