Straits of Malacca

Dealing With Hard And Soft Chokepoints

How or why Ever Given became wedged between the banks of the Suez Canal is still being investigated, but one outcome will be some form of restriction or added protection for vessels whose length has the ability to block the Canal. The authorities tasked with controlling other hard chokepoints will be monitoring the report of the Ever Given incident closely, reports riviera.

Straits of Hormuz

The main chokepoint in the tanker trade, the Straits of Hormuz, is constantly under varying degrees of...

https://mfame.guru/dealing-with-hard-and-soft-chokepoints/

43% Increase of Incidents in the Singapore Strait, Warns ReCAAP

According to a special report published on ReCAAP website, a 43% increase of incidents is shown in Singapore Strait in Jan-Nov 2020.

About the incidents

The 33 incidents of robbery and theft against ships in Singapore Strait during January-November 2020 represent a 43% increase compared to the 23 incidents in January-November 2019, a new special report by ReCAAP ISC warns.

Insight of incidents

This Special Report is to alert the shipping industry and law enforcement agencies on the current...

https://mfame.guru/sharp-increase-of-incidents-in-the-singapore-strait-warns-recaap/

Former USS Fitzgerald CO Benson to Retire as Commander Next Month

Cmdr. Bryce Benson, then-executive officer, assists in bringing down the battle ensign aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) in 2016. US Navy Photo

The former commander of a guided-missile destroyer that was involved in a fatal collision in 2017 will retire at his current rank and will be eligible for retirement and medical benefits, his lawyer confirmed to USNI News on Wednesday.

Cmdr. Bryce Benson will retire from the Navy on Dec. 29 after a two-year legal battle with the Navy over his role in the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/11/20/former-uss-fitzgerald-co-benson-to-retire-as-commander-next-month

China raises threat level at Straits of Malacca

Dryad has received reporting indicating that China has increased the security level for Chinese-flagged vessels heading through the Strait of Malacca to the highest threat warning available, namely MARSEC Level 3.

This reporting has also been verified from the Chinese Ministry of Transport. The threat warning advice was applied as from 2 July 19, while a deadline for the heightened threat level has not yet been released.

The raising of the threat level for Chinese-flagged vessels has been...

https://safety4sea.com/china-raises-threat-level-at-straits-of-malacca/

Piracy and sea robbery see a 62% decline in Southeast Asia

During the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference in Asia, the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) focused on piracy and sea robbery incidents in the South East Asia, highlighting a 62% decline from 2015 to 2018.

Mainly, IFC is a Singapore-based maritime security information centre, consisting of 41 countries, including India, linking vessels and ocean monitoring.

Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Defence, Maliki Bin Osman, noted that 1,700 incidents were reported in...

https://safety4sea.com/piracy-and-sea-robbery-see-a-62-decline-in-southeast-asia/

MPA Singapore alerts on hydrographic survey in Malacca strait

MPA Singapore announced it will carry out a hydrographic survey in Straits of Malacca and Singapore, aiming to improve navigation and smooth uninterrupted passage in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

Specifically, the survey period will be from the 23rd of April to the 5th August 2019, during daylight hours.

The hydrographic survey will be carried out by means of multi-beam echo sounder with line spacing of around 100m at 5 to 8 knots within the TSS, and...

https://safety4sea.com/mpa-singapore-alerts-on-hydrographic-survey-in-malacca-strait/

Former USS Fitzgerald CO Outlines Defense in Rebuttal to SECNAV

Cmdr. Bryce Benson, then-executive officer, assists in bringing down the battle ensign aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) in 2016. US Navy Photo

The former commander of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) is pushing back against a rebuke from the Secretary of the Navy, disputing major facts in the service’s argument he was criminally negligent leading up the June 17, 2017, fatal collision, according to a copy of the April 26 rebuttal obtained by USNI News.

Earlier this month, Richard V. Spencer wrote that former

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/26/former-uss-fitzgerald-co-outlines-defense-in-rebuttal-to-secnav

Tanjung Bruas Port expands services to handle containerships

Tanjung Bruas Port Sdn Bhd (TBP), a member of MMC Group, announced that it now offers container ships services at its terminal, Tanjung Bruas Port. On Thursday, April 18, TBP accommodated its first container vessel West Scent and undertook its first ever project in handling containerized shipment. The West Scent will depart for China’s Humen port after completing its cargo operations.

Specifically, Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Chairman of TBP cum Group Managing Director of MMC Corporation...

https://safety4sea.com/tanjung-bruas-port-expands-services-to-handle-containerships/

Navy Set to Drop All Criminal Charges Against Fitzgerald CO, Junior Officer; SECNAV Will Issue Letters of Censure

USS Fitzgerald pierside at the U.S. naval base at Yokosuka, Japan in June 2017.

The Navy plans to drop all criminal charges against two officers for their roles in the 2017 fatal collision of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), USNI News has learned.

Former Fitzgerald commander Cmdr. Bryce Benson and tactical action officer Lt. Natalie Combs will no longer face criminal negligence charges for their roles and will instead be issued career-ending letters of censure from Secretary of the Navy Richard V....

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/10/navy-set-to-drop-all-criminal-charges-against-fitzgerald-co-junior-officer-secnav-will-issue-letters-of-censure

USS Fitzgerald CO, Junior Officer Receive Formal Censure Ahead Dismissal of Negligence Charges

USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) stands by before it is loaded onto the heavy lift transport vessel MV Transshelf in 2017. US Navy Photo

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer has issued formal letters of censure to the former commander and tactical action officer of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) for their roles in the June 17, 2017, collision between a destroyer and a merchant ship.

In the letters dated April 9 to Cmdr. Bryce Benson and Lt. Natalie Combs, Spencer admonishes the pair for “incompetent...

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/11/uss-fitzgerald-co-junior-officer-ahead-dismissal-of-negligence-charges

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