Crew rescued from grounded freighter: weather and sea conditions hamper salvage operations

general cargo ship Shanbao II aground at Port of Budai

August 6, 2021August 6, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Budai Port, Chiayi County, marine salvage, marine search and rescue, ship aground

A crew of 9 were lifted off a ship by crane after the vessel ran aground at Budai Port in Chiayi County yesterday, August 5. The crew lost control of the freighter Shanbao II, en route from Penghu Islands to Budai Port, when the rudder broke in heavy seas generated by tropical storm Lupit. The ship drifted into wave breaking blocks near the entrance to the port at around 3:00 pm Thursday afternoon. A rescue team employed a crane and

Shenping001 offshore construction platform listing

Marine and Fisheries

July 25, 2021July 25, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment China, Guangdong, marine search and rescue, shipping accident

Chinese marine search and rescue services are searching for four people missing after an offshore construction platform tilted dangerously, flooding the deck and almost capsizing off the coast of Huizhou in Guangdong Province today, July 25. According to CCTV, the Huizhou Maritime Safety Administration began a search and rescue operation after receiving reports of the accident at around 11:00 am this morning. The 90-meter-long, 50-meter-wide offshore construction platform SHENG PING 001 began tilting while working on the CGN New Energy

Marine and Fisheries

June 27, 2021June 29, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Dalin Oil Refinery, Kaohsiung City, oil spill, Pingtung County

An oil spill from an offshore pipeline of the Dalin Oil Refinery in Kaohsiung City has spread to sensitive ecological coastal zones including the popular resort areas of Kenting and the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County, according to reports this weekend. The Oceanic Conservation Department of the Ocean Commission issued a press release yesterday, June 25 saying that the ecology of precious coral reefs are in danger, and announcing that it will impose penalties on petroleum company CPC Corp. An

container cranes collapsed at Port of Kaohsiung

Marine and Fisheries

June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Port of Kaohsiung, shipping accident

One person was injured and two people were trapped in the wreckage after a container ship in the process of docking collided with another ship, causing one container crane to collapse, and badly damaging another at the Port of Kaohsiung today, June 3. At around 11:30 am the 316-meter-long, 86,679 gross tonnage container ship DURBAN, owned by OOCL Shipping Company, was attempting to dock at pier 66, when it sideswiped the 32,720 gross tonnage CONSTANCY (永明) belonging to Yangming Shipping,

overturned sand dredger in the Taiwan Strait

Marine and Fisheries

May 15, 2021May 15, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment marine search and rescue, sand-dredging, Taiwan Strait

Five people were plucked from the water, but one was later declared dead, and three more are missing after a Chinese sand dredger capsized around 60 nautical miles southwest of Qimei Island this morning, May 15. Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (TCGA) dispatched several patrol boats, and the National Airborne Service Corps sent a helicopter after a notification from the the National Rescue Command Center at 4:36 am. The rescued crew members were flown to the Chiayi Airport where they were

Culture Environment

May 8, 2021May 9, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment indigenous people, invasive species, Orchid-Island

Ecologists are warning that yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) have been found to be already established on Orchid Island, threatening a local species of land crab, and cultural workers say it could also affect important traditional customs of the indigenous Tao people. Professor Lin Chung-chi, an ecologist from the biology department at National Changhua Normal University recently led a team of students and researchers to the island, and found that the crazy ants are already established on the island. The

Marine and Fisheries

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment fishing industry, marine search and rescue

Three crew members who abandoned their sinking fishing vessel Wednesday night, May 5, were found adrift on a makeshift raft this morning, Friday, May 7. The captain of the Pingtung County based Yushunsheng No. 168 sent a distress call at around 11:00 pm Wednesday, saying that the boat was sinking after hitting rocks on a reef off Cape Eluanbi, the crew then abandoned ship. A search and rescue operation ensued after a Coast Guard cruiser sent to the location was

coast guard personnel searching for missing boat and crew off south coast of Taiwan

Marine and Fisheries

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment fishing industry, marine search and rescue

A partially sunken fishing was located this evening, but there were no signs of a crew of four, after the captain of the vessel made a mayday call saying his boat was sinking off Cape Eluanbi yesterday evening, May 5. A Coast Guard cruiser was dispatched to the location of the sinking vessel after the captain of the Pingtung County-based Yushunsheng no. 168 sent a distress call, saying that his ship was taking on water after hitting rocks on a

Marine and Fisheries

March 27, 2021March 27, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment fishing industry, Port of Kaohsiung, shipping accident

A ship suddenly tilted over precariously as soon as it hit the water during a launching ceremony at a shipyard in Kaohsiung Harbor this morning, March 27. Kaohsiung Harbor Police said that the 700-ton ocean-going fishing vessel “Shengfan 188” suddenly tilted over to a 45 degree angle when it was launched at the Sanyang Shipyard in Qijin District at around 11:00 am. Water almost reached the gunwales, and the ship was in danger of sinking. Two nearby tugboats immediately went

Environment

March 19, 2021March 19, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment pollution, weather

Dust from China’s worst sandstorm in decades will begin to affect air-quality in Taiwan starting Sunday evening, March 21, according to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA). The EPA says that according to the latest observational data from the Central Weather Bureau, strengthening of the northeast monsoon and a continental high-pressure system will not cause a temperature drop starting Sunday night, and will also bring dust from the sandstorms. According to the report, on Monday, March 22, central and northern parts

Environment

March 1, 2021March 1, 2021 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment fire, New Taipei City, pollution

A fire at a landfill site in New Taipei City’s Bali District has been burning for more than 30 hours, and foul-smelling smoke has been reported as far away as Zhonghe District. The fire was first reported at the New Taipei City Environmental Protection Bureau landfill site at 7:00 am yesterday, and although flames have been doused, the pile of garbage continues to smolder this afternoon, March 1. Residents of Luzhou, Linkou, Wanhua, Banqiao, Yonghe, and Zhonghe districts have reported

Environment

Crew rescued from grounded freighter: weather and sea conditions hamper salvage operations

4 missing after offshore construction platform partially capsizes in Guangdong, China

Oil refinery spill spreads to Kenting National Park beaches and coral reefs

Container ship collision at Port of Kaohsiung causes crane collapse: one injured

Chinese sand dredger capsizes in Taiwan Strait, 4 rescued, 1 dead, 3 missing

Invasive crazy ants threaten ecology, traditional customs on Orchid Island

3 of 4 crew of sunken fishing boat rescued after 36 hours adrift on makeshift raft

Crew of four missing after fishing boat hits reef off Taiwan’s southernmost point

Ship launch doesn’t quite go to plan at Port of Kaohsiung

Dust from China sandstorm to affect Taiwan from late Sunday

Landfill fire spreads pollution over Greater Taipei Districts