Impressions from the EMPA 2022 sponsor hall in Antwerp

Today the 56th EMPA General Meeting started in Antwerp.

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean and entered in the Mediterranean sea it is time to call the pilots at Chioggia/Venice, Italy.

Vessel name: Polaris ; Year built: 2012 ; Flag: Netherlands ; Homeport: Rotterdam Length: 81.2m X 13.3m ; GRT: 2501 ; Callsign: PBZN ; MMSI:245142000 ; IMO: 9496915 Type: Special Vessel / Pilot Ship A "Pilot Ship / Pilot Vessel" is a "special type" of ship in which it accommodates a certain and limited Marine Pilots (Sea, River, Harbor Pilots), it also carries small boats/crafts that are used to tender services to and from the Pilot ship. In a Pilot Vessel, the Pilots can take their time...

Southeast Alaska Pilots’ is running a third simulator exam May 24-28 with the written exam May 22, 2021. This exam is open to new applicants and those that were not able to attend the previous exam. Those that tested in October or December 2020 will not be eligible

Efforts to free the giant container ship are continuing after the 400m-long vessel became stuck in the Suez canal. Local authorities attempted to dislodge the 220,000 ton vessel from the banks of the canal using tug boats, but the megaship remains stuck more than one day after it ran aground.

"Analysis of reports indicates that pilot ladders (Pilot Transfer Arrangements, or PTAs) and
intentional deviations from safety procedures remain the main causes of near misses..."

On August 16, the first domestic fully electric tugboat "Yungang Electric Tug No. 1" independently built by Lianyungang Port Holding Group was delivered for trial operation in Lianyungang, Jiangsu.

Bulk carrier COFCO 1 with 41,900 tons of soybean resumed sailing downstream after grounding, which took place on May 25-26, but at around 0630 UTC May 27 she ran aground again, this time in San Pedro area at 269 kilometer mark, Parana river.

Irish boatbuilder Safehaven Marine recently handed over a new pilot boat to the Port of Ferrol in northwestern Spain. Named Punta Do Cruceiro, the vessel was designed for operation even under challenging conditions in the waters in that region of the Atlantic.