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The Government claim that the Irish Lights vessel Grainuaile can be used as such,but she is not capable of such a heavy Bollard pull. She has the Hull of a Tug,but thats where the similarity ends.
She is as capable of towing as any vessel...Not much use in emergencies though.
Careful ..you're in danger of making sense, someone might pick up on it
Not in this damned country....
"We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
Illegitimi non carborundum
Things that go bump in the night.
My former employer, having a big "oops".
Again.
Cargo ship captain arrested after crash
Thursday, March 08, 2012 - 11:44 AM
The captain of a cargo ship has been arrested today after his ship and a passenger ferry were in collision on Belfast Lough.
Passengers on the Stena ferry said they feared disaster when they were initially warned they may have to abandon the ship, before it was confirmed they could safely complete their journey.
The 55-year-old captain of the Union Moon cargo ship was detained as the investigation continued into last night’s incident where both vessels suffered damage, but nobody was injured.
The Stena ferry was travelling from Birkenhead to Belfast when the collision occurred at around 7.45pm at the entrance to the Lough.
In daylight the full scale of the damage to the bow of the Union Moon cargo vessel could be seen.
Cahill Loughran, who was on the ferry with his wife and four children, said: “They said we might have to get into lifeboats, they weren’t sure what the damage was, and then the captain came on and said the damage was above the waterline.
“There was a hole, but it was above the waterline.”
Passengers on the ferry told the BBC they felt a “massive bang”, before emergency alarms went off and the captain said lifeboats were being prepared and passengers should put on life belts.
They praised staff for remaining calm and co-ordinating passengers on board.
Police are assisting the Maritime and Coastguard agency in an investigation into the incident.
There were 51 passengers and 47 crew on board the ferry.
A spokesman said there were no reports of injuries and everyone on the ferry had safely disembarked in Belfast.
Ulster Unionist representative Roy Beggs said: “First and foremost there will be a great deal of relief that this incident did not result in casualties as we could have been dealing with a tragedy and there will also be concern as to how this was able to happen in the first place.
“Many people will rightly be asking just how two modern vessels with state-of-the-art navigation equipment can collide in a major shipping lane.
Looking forward to seeing the report of this, but knowing how the company operates, I can guess the cause. A miracle that nobody on either vessel was injured.
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.
Appears to be a rule 15 scenario.No pilot prob on Union Moon.Thankfully no casualties.
Well, while I was on Union mars Back in 1990, after leaving Arklow, heading south towards the St Georges channel, as an eager cadet, I headed for the Bridge. Found the bridge unoccupied, on autopilot. Nothing new there. Checked the chart. We were in the middle of a Traffic Seperation scheme. Consider it like an invisible dual carriageway for ships.
We were in the Northbound lane, heading south, having just ploughed through the central median....
I popped down the stairs to the (alcoholic)Skippers cabin, him having been on watch when we were leaving Arkla. "sir, just wondering if you are aware we are traversing the seperation scheme?"
Him: "Yup"
me: "will I alter?(course)
him: "anything on the radar?"
me: "Nope"
him: "don't worry about it so- its sunday afternoon, and we aren't in the English channel".
And he went back to tidying his cabin.
While I was with Union Transport(also known as Bromley shipping) 8 crewmen died in shipboard accidents over a 4 month period.
Moon, like Mars, was built 30 years ago, and were not well looked after. Their shippers were either over qualified fishermen working up merchant hours for their Near Continental ticket, unemployable arseholes, or alcoholics. As a Flag of Convenience company, it's crew were alsu usually the cheapest, and poorest qualified. I worked with Cabo Verd crewmen, who were well intentioned, but only one spoke the language spoken by the skipper, 1st officer, engineer or anyone on the other end of the radio. In an emergency, you'll find very few european coastguard radio operators speak portugo-creole.
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.
Yup. However, losing the skin on one's hands from chemical burns does not make for a long career at sea.
Still tryin to get back out there, tho not with UT obviously.
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.
Happened to come accross on another website yesterday, four times expert groups have been engaged by the government, since 1996, to report on the need for an ETV. Each time the experts say YES, ASAP. Each time the government say "hmm, can you check again?"
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.
Things that go bump in the night.
My former employer, having a big "oops".
Again.
Looking forward to seeing the report of this, but knowing how the company operates, I can guess the cause. A miracle that nobody on either vessel was injured.
As I expected.
Cargo ship crash captain admits drink charge
Friday, March 09, 2012 - 12:57 PM
The captain of a cargo ship has pleaded guilty to being over the alcohol limit after his vessel and a ferry were in collision recently.
Miroslaw Pozniak (aged 55) with an address in Poland, spoke through an interpreter at a magistrates’ court in Bangor, Co Down.
He was captaining the Union Moon travelling from Birkenhead to Belfast on Wednesday when the crash occurred.
Both vessels suffered damage, but no one was injured and the ferry was able to safely complete its journey.
Pozniak's solicitor told the court: "It will be a guilty plea in respect of the matter."
The incident happened at 7.45pm on Wednesday and the ferry passengers said they feared disaster when they were initially warned they may have to abandon ship.
Both vessels suffered damage in the collision at the entrance to Belfast Lough, about a mile and a half from shore.
However no-one was injured and the ferry was able to safely complete its journey.
There were 51 passengers and 47 crew on board the ferry and all safely disembarked at Belfast.
Pozniak appeared in the dock wearing a white shirt, dark jumper and jeans and spoke only to confirm that he understood the charge.
The court heard that his record as a captain was clear and that he had fully co-operated with the police during questioning.
His lawyer requested that he be granted bail and suggested his damaged vessel as an address.
But a police constable objected and told district judge Mark Hamill: “We would not see the ship as a suitable address.”
The court heard that the vessel is to be impounded in dry dock to be repaired.
The judge sought a decision from the prosecution on whether the case will be handled by the Magistrates’ Court or a higher court.
He remanded the defendant in custody to appear again at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The captain of a cargo ship has pleaded guilty to being over the alcohol limit after his vessel and a ferry were in collision recently.
Interestingly, this Notice to mariners recently issued is worth reading. Could it be that if the same happened south of the border, our authorities would be powerless to act?
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