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Showing posts from December, 2011

MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY WELCOMES RECOGNITION IN THE QUEEN’S NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) would like to congratulate Mark Rodaway, Wendy Wood and Paul Kelly who were honoured in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. All received their awards for their contribution to Maritime Safety. Mark Rodaway, the Rescue Coordinator Centre Manager at Portland Coastguard, has been awarded the OBE. He has served as a coastguard for 22 years and was involved in an extensive number of search and rescue incidents, particularly the MSC Napoli in 2007. Mark said: " I am delighted. To have your work recognised in this way is an absolute honour. Although the award is a personal one, I hope it is considered a reflection of both Her Majesty’s Coastguard and the exceptional team at Portland Coastguard.” Wendy Wood has been awarded the MBE. She has worked as a Coastal Operations Specialist working from the MCA headquarters in Southampton for the past 12 years. Wendy has worked closely with the Coastguard Rescue Service, in particular developing the C

COASTGUARDS ASSIST ATLANTIC ROWERS

Falmouth Coastguard are assisting the Azores Coastguard with the search and rescue of two Swedish nationals aboard the rowing boat ‘2 Friends’; which is taking part in the   Woodvale Trans-Atlantic challenge from the Canary Islands to Barbados. Falmouth Coastguard received notification from the organisers Woodvale at 5:36pm , that the rowing boat ‘2 Friends’ was experiencing difficulties and had lost both oars. The boat is 1,100 nautical miles south west of the Azores . Terry Collins, Watch Manager, Falmouth Coastguard, says:   “We understand that one of the rowers was washed overboard but is now back in the boat. The weather conditions on scene are 20 – 35 knots from the east with large seas. We have made contact with the rowers and through a broadcast to shipping a merchant container vessel ‘Maj Danielsen’ is making its way to the rowers, the vessel’s expected time of arrival is approximately 6am tomorrow morning (UK time).   Regular communications is being maintained with the row

PLANS FINALISED TO REMOVE CARGO FROM GENMAR COMPANION

Plans to remove the cargo of 54,304 tonnes of Vacuum   Gas Oil from the merchant vessel ‘Genmar Companion’ have now been finalised. The transfer will start on 31 December 2011 (weather permitting). The vessel has been sheltering off the Copeland Islands at the entrance to Belfast Lough since 16 December. It was 40 miles west of Tory Island, Co. Donegal, on its journey from Rotterdam to New York , when the Master reported a crack on its upper deck. This crack did not appear to extend to any of the oil cargo holding structures but, as a precautionary measure, the vessel’s Master chose to seek both shelter and advice before continuing passage. The Bermudan-flagged product tanker made its way to the Lough to enable surveyors to inspect the ship. The inspection, by the owners, a representative of the classification society (American Bureau of Shipping) and the MCA took place on 18 December. Following this inspection all parties agreed that, as a precautionary measure, the cargo shoul

FISHING VESSEL SINKS NEAR FALMOUTH

Two crew members of a fishing vessel were recovered by another fishing vessel four miles east of Falmouth this evening after it sank in Gerrans Bay.  One crew member is seriously ill and has been transferred to Treliske Hospital in Truro. Falmouth Coastguard were informed of the incident at 10.13 pm by the fishing vessel ‘Lauren Kate’, who witnessed the ‘Heather Anne’ sink and called mayday.  The ‘Lauren Kate’ recovered two crew from the water.  Falmouth Coastguard sent the rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose to the scene, along with requesting the launch of both Falmouth lifeboats.  Once on scene, the helicopter winched one casualty and transferred him to Treliske Hospital.  The second man was brought ashore to Mevagissey by lifeboat and transferred to a waiting ambulance.  The second lifeboat then proceeded to the last known position of the fishing vessel to check for any debris. Andy Cattrell, Falmouth Coastguard Watch Manager said: “We have no indications of why the fishing

ATLANTIC ROWERS RESCUED FROM LIFE RAFT

At 7.54pm yesterday, Falmouth Coastguard received an alert from an emergency locator beacon in the Atlantic and coordinated the rescue of two rowers from a life raft. Falmouth Coastguard received the alert from 480 miles south west of the Canary Islands from the UK registered beacon belonging to the Atlantic Challenge rowing boat PS Vita. The race organisers also confirmed that they had lost polling contact with PS Vita just after 7pm .   Falmouth Coastguard broadcast an alert to all vessels in the area but the nearest vessel which could provide assistance was the Bahamian registered cruise ship Crystal Serenity approximately 120 miles from the location of the alert. The Crystal Serenity turned back and proceeded at speed through the night to the position and within seven miles of the position they spotted a red flare.   Shortly afterwards at about 6am they located the two rowers in their life raft who were recovered on board the cruise ship.   The rowers are a Dutch and a Brit

TWO MEN WASHED ASHORE AFTER ABANDONING KAYAKS

Two kayakers were given medical attention this evening after abandoning their kayaks whilst out at sea off Morfa Nefyn and spending three hours in the water trying to make it back to shore. North Wales Ambulance Control contacted Holyhead Coastguard at 10.06 pm to report that a member of the public had called to inform them that two kayakers had knocked on their door asking if they could come inside to warm up after being in the water, and that they potentially needed medical attention.  Holyhead Coastguard sent the Porthdinllaen Coastguard Rescue Team to meet the casualties to find out what had happened and assist in locating their kayaks. Once on scene, the coastguard rescue team reported back to the Operations Room that the two male kayakers (one aged 23 and one aged 24) had set out from Morfa Nefyn beach at 7pm, had gone out approximately half a mile and then panicked, abandoned the kayaks and been washed ashore.  When they finally made it ashore just before 10pm, they knocked o

SEVEN SEAMEN RESCUED AFTER FALMOUTH COASTGUARD PICKS UP EMERGENCY BEACON SIGNAL

Falmouth Coastguard have been working with coastguard colleagues in Spain, France and the USA during the early hours of this morning to assist the crew of a small cargo ship, ‘Florece’ which was in collision with the chemical tanker ‘Afrodite’. The incident happened at 3.30 this morning. Following the collision, the crew of the cargo ship took to their liferafts, whilst their ship sank. The chemical tanker sustained little damage and was not taking water. All seven crew, who are a mixture of Russian, Polish and Ukranian nationalities, have been rescued by a container vessel ‘Ocean Titan’ . Falmouth Coastguard were alerted to the plight of the crew when the emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) was set off as their vessel began to sink. The Florece was 240 miles south-south-west of Lands End at the time of the incident and was therefore within the UK’s search and rescue region. Falmouth Coastguard used ‘long range information tracking’ to locate the nearest ship to the posi

TANKER OWNERS PROSECUTED FOR POLLUTION IN SOLENT

301-11                                                                                             8 December 2011 At a hearing today at Southampton Magistrates Court, the owners of a tanker were found guilty under UK maritime pollution legislation.  The fine and costs amounted to a total of £95,000. Overnight on the 10th and 11th January 2011, yellow waxy balls of an unknown material washed ashore on the beaches of East and West Wittering.  Samples were collected by the Environment Agency for analysis.The Maritime and Coastguard Agency received information of problems onboard a Panamanian registered tanker called Pretty Time.  The vessel was boarded and inspected by MCA Port State Control Inspectors on the 25th January 2011.  The inspection showed there had been problems in the handling of a previous cargo of Palm Oil.  Small yellow waxy balls of material were seen scattered about the deck.  Samples of the cargoes were taken and sent for testing by the Environment Agency. Also taken

MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY ACHIEVES SILVER INVESTORS IN PEOPLE AWARD

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are pleased to announce that Investors in People (IiP) have recognised our commitment to people in the MCA with their coveted silver award.     After visiting 23 locations, interviewing 15% of our staff and volunteers and holding detailed discussions with our senior managers, the results were presented to our Executive Board by the IiP Managing Assessor yesterday.   The MCA now joins 322 organisations out of the 40,000 in the scheme who have received the silver award.   The MCA was particularly praised for its learning and development activities, culture of continuous improvement, the way we share knowledge throughout the organisation and our culture of equality and diversity.   MCA Chief Executive, Sir Alan Massey said:   "I am absolutely thrilled that our commitment to good people practice, and the pride our people feel in working for this organisation have been recognised with this prestigious award.   Our people are genuinely our greate