Marine and Fisheries

74,000-ton container ship crashes into wharf at Port of Kaohsiung: Pilot suspected drunk

Hyundai Tokyo approaches wharf at Port of Kaohsiung before collision
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

A 74,651-ton container ship was seen approaching a wharf pier bow-first at an angle of 90 degrees before colliding with the steel-reinforced concrete structure at the Port of Kaohsiung yesterday, Monday, March 20. According to the Maritime and Port Bureau, the Cyprus-flagged Hyundai Tokyo  (IMO: 9305673, MMSI 212347000) crashed into Pier 77 at 9:05 am, causing damage to the dock and quay wall. The port controller had noticed that the speed of the ship was too fast and sent a

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Taiwanese fishing boat found capsized in the Indian Ocean: crew of 16 missing

Sheng Feng No. 128
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A Taiwanese fishing boat reported missing February 23 has been found overturned in waters off Mauritius, but divers found no sign of crew, according to media reports Thursday, March 2. Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture Fisheries Agency received confirmation from Mauritian authorities that the Kaohsiung-registered Lien Sheng Fa was located 490 nautical miles northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius. Mauritian search and rescue personnel reached the vessel at 6:00 am yesterday, March 2, and divers conducted an underwater examination of the boat,

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Two life boats from sunken ship found, but no sign of 12 missing crew

lifeboat from Xing Shun No.1
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

An air and sea search for 12 missing Indonesian crew members continues today after two empty lifeboats from the sunken vessel were found yesterday with no signs of life on board. The crew of 17 Indonesian nationals from the cement carrier Xing Shun No.1 abandoned ship in heavy seas at around 3:00pm, October 31, as the stricken vessel began to list and water began to flood the hold. Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration dispatched the 100-ton patrol ship Hsinchu to

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12 crew missing after ship sinks in the Taiwan Strait

the cement carrier Xing Shun No. 1 adrift in heavy seas off Taiwan's southwest coast
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Five members of a ship’s crew were rescued, but 12 are missing, after a bulk carrier sank off Taiwan’s southwest coast last night, October 31. The 10,000 ton cement carrier Xing Shun No.1 first encountered problems on October 30 when three crew members were injured after a wave swept over the deck when the ship was located 50 nautical miles west of the Port of Kaohsiung. Taiwan’s National Airborne Service Corps dispatched a black hawk helicopter to airlift the three

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Environmental group draws attention to fishing gear threat with video of turtle injured by fish lure

sea turtle hooked by fishing lure
Animals Marine and Fisheries 
Press Release 0 Comment , , , ,

Press Release: Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) The Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) recently received reports of a green loggerhead impaled by a barbed fishing lure in the waters off Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County. The lure pierced the turtle’s chin, neck and left fin, visibly tugging at the animal’s skin with every fin stroke. The injured turtle was spotted by divers who captured video footage of the scene. According to Taiwan’s Wildlife Conservation Act, members

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Shipping company exempted from paying damages to fishing industry for 2016 oil spill

composite image of TS Lines freighter and oil pollution
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

Taiwan’s High Court today ruled that the owners of a freighter that ran aground on the north coast in 2016, causing an oil spill, does not have to pay compensation to local fishermen as there is no proof of damage to the fishery. The TS Lines ship, TS Taipei ran aground on the coast in Shimen District on March 9, 2016, and began to break in half on March 24. The subsequent spill of heavy oil affected the coast of

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Search underway for 1 missing after 4 crew fall from cargo ship in the Taiwan Strait

VIMC Sunrise berthed in port
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan’s coast guard and National Airborne Service Corps are conducting a sea and air search for a Vietnamese national who went missing after four crew members of a cargo ship fell into the sea off the coast of Yunlin County yesterday, October 17. The Central Taiwan Maritime Affair Center of the Maritime and Port Bureau said that it received notification from the National Coast Guard Administration at around 6:00 pm yesterday, Monday, that four crew members from the 31,236-ton Vietnamese

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Study finds microplastics in popular fish snacks from 7 Asian countries

chart showing microplastics environmental flow chart
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , , ,

A research team at a Taiwanese university found microplastics in 14 dried fish products from 7 different countries in Asia, according to a study published in the latest issue of The Journal of Hazardous Materials. The study conducted at the College of Marine Sciences at National Sun Yat-sen University examined small whole dried fish products that are commonly eaten with peanuts as a snack or appetizer and are popular in Asian countries. The products were produced in Japan, China, Sri

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Freighter that sank off east coast has more than 80,000 liters of oil and petroleum products aboard: too deep to salvage

composite image of ship and oil containers
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

Taiwan port and maritime authorities are monitoring an area off the coast of Taitung County after a freighter carrying 81,000 liters of oil and petroleum products sank after a collision with another ship two days ago. The Taitung-based freighter Dafa No.1 sank 16.2 nautical miles southeast of Fugang Harbor after a collision with the Liberian-flagged oil tanker, Lia, shortly after midnight April 26. See previous story: Taiwanese freighter sinks after collision with oil tanker: crew of 9 rescued Yesterday, it

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Taiwanese freighter sinks after collision with oil tanker: crew of 9 rescued

crew in lifeboat and coast guard personnel
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

Taiwan’s coast guard rescued 9 people who were aboard a freighter that sank off Taiwan’s east coast after being hit by a oil tanker shortly after midnight this morning, April 26. The Taiwanese cargo ship Dafa No.1 was carrying supplies from Fugang Harbor, Taitung to Orchid Island when it was hit by the 42,010 gross-ton Liberian-registered oil tanker Lia (IMO: 9417751) traveling between Kuwait and South Korea. Keelung Coastal Radio picked up a distress call from the Dafa No.1 saying that

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Northeast tuna season opens with first bluefin sold for more than NT$1.8 million

first Pacific bluefin tuna for 2022 season at Port of Su'ao Nanfang Harbor
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

The first Pacific bluefin tuna caught off Taiwan’s northeast coast this year sold at auction for a total price of NT$1,897,000 million at Nanfang Harbor, Port of Su’ao, in Yilan County this morning, April 21. The 271 kilogram fish opened with starting bid of NT$5,600 per kilogram, and was finally sold at NT$7,000 per kilogram to Taipei restaurant Sando House. The price was considerably lower than the NT$8,600 per kilo paid for the first catch last year, also purchased by

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