The Finnish group Wärtsilä is introducing a new tug design known as the Wärtsilä HYTug series. Using less engine power decreases exhaust emission levels. Hull designs have been optimised for hull resistance and sailing. The company said that, in the future, new tugs would rely more and more on battery propulsion, which suits today’s operational requirements.
Five crew members went missing following a collision between the JBB De Rond 19 dredger and the Kartika Segara tanker. The accident happened on 13 September in Singapore and the search for the missing crew is still in progress. Divers managed to recover two bodies belonging to the dredger’s crew. Of a total of 12 crew members, 7 were rescued.
The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will determine the cause of the sinking of El Faro. The decision will be made in a meeting on December 2017. The El Faro sank on 29 September 2015, when it was near the eye of the hurricane Joaquin. All 33 crewmembers perished in the accident. The investigators focused on recovering evidence from the wreckage, i.e. from the voyage data recorder which contained a 30-hour audio recording.
The Canaveral port has evacuated its workers and made preparations for the arrival of hurricane Irma. Carnival Cruise Line stated that its ship Carnival Magic would be re-routed to New Orleans to avoid the heavy storm.
The category 5 hurricane Irma has rolled towards the Caribbean, routes are now endangered. The potentially catastrophic hurricane is now the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic. It has been reported that Irma is currently barrelling towards Puerto Rico.