The Stellar Unicorn is hugging the South African coast line to avoid the strong Algulhas current. Later on she will sweep underneath Madagascar and then north and east to Singapore. Distance: 6899 nautical miles.
Go with the flow,…
Cargo shifting would therefore be less of an issue than in a conventional bulk carrier with full-width holds.
A continuing story about cracks found on VLOC’s owned by the South Korean Polaris Shipping company. This time cracks in the deck of the mv Stellar Queen have been found. These incidents cannot be dealt with as just accidents anymore. Which one is next?
The ship is at the moment in São Luis in Brasil. A cause is maybe the fitting of the 10 enormous hatches during the conversion and the necessary removal of a lot of longitudinal girders which could have weakened the deck structure.
In the mean time there are no AIS data available, since already some weeks, from the mv Stellar Unicorn and the mv Stellar Cosmo. Positions are therefore unknown.
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Two cracks have been found, while ballasting, in the ballast tank area on the upper deck of the mv Stellar Queen. These ships are slowly but surely breaking up while they are still in use. Now it is the deck plating, but what if such cracks appear unnoticed in the hull plating? This cannot be patched with some plating welded over the cracks, only in case they proceed, dead slow, to a ship breaking yard. I am beginning to think that this is the only possible solution.
Polaris had plans to go the the stock exchange but in view of all the recent occurrences they can forget about that now. It is even possible that this signals the end of the company. A dream gone sour,
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The repair of the cracks are underway, so no worries mate. I hope that somebody will have the bright idea to find out what exactly caused the deck to crack.
A representative of Holman Fenwick Willan Singapore LLP, speaking on the authority of the ship’s operator told World Maritime News that “two small cracks” were found on the Stellar Queen’s deck.
The cracks “have been inspected by Port State Control and by Class and repairs are underway,” the representative added.
In the mean time there is alarming news here in Holland as the pavement in one city shows similar cracks. The authorities are not yet sure how to handle this situation. However one junior citizen knows exactly what to do…
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Where are the little boy and his finger when you need them. . . .
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On March 31, a crew member sent a text message to the shipping company’s Seoul stating the vessel was taking on water and was sinking. When the company tried to contact the vessel, but all attempts failed.
It could be that I missed it but who was this crew member? Normally it would have been the Master who communicated with the office. I remember to have read somewhere that it was a Filipino crew member but that would be very strange indeed. Polaris Shipping went into the locked oyster mode and does not reveal anything so we will have to wait.
Have or will anything good come from the sinking of the Stellar Daisy?
This experienced bulker Master doesn’t think so: http://splash247.com/stellar-daisy-back-square-one/
Than again, maybe it does?: http://fairplay.ihs.com/commerce/article/4286841/safety-risk-of-ageing-vlocs-could-translate-into-bulker-rate-upside?utm_source=email&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=hotleads&mgs1=6128p2QvNq
Korean Coast Guard raid the offices of Polaris Shipping to find clues on the sinking from the way the ship was managed, maintained and operated: http://fairplay.ihs.com/safety-regulation/article/4287006/stellar-daisy-loss-busan-coast-guard-raids-polaris-shipping-s-offices?utm_source=Eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CL_FDN%20260517_PC9157_e-production_E-1054_FP_0526_0357
A bit late isn’t it? I hope that some evidence is still left… Korea being Korea, meaning the notorious intertwinement of business and government worlds, I also hope that Polaris was not forewarned.
Btw Fairplay is behind a pay wall but I can get a $100 discount if I sign up right now. That is a very tempting offer so I think I have to grab the opportunity.
Meanwhile the 30 year old Berge Stahl will not go to the breakers just yet: http://sysla.no/maritim/torrbulkgiganten-som-stod-fikk-en-ny-sjanse/
She was for many years the largest Ore Carrier in the world, trading mainly between Brazil and Rotterdam, but made her last trip on that run late last year and rumored to be due for scrapping.
You sure you got the right link?
My mistake. Another senior moment.
Now corrected, although Dutchie got there first.
Maybe nothing will change because of the loss of Stellar Daisy and 22 seafarers: http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/222314/bimco-no-reason-to-sell-old-converted-vlocs/
It is a cruel world.
Polaris is laying up some of their troubled fleet of VLOCs in Labuan: http://splash247.com/polaris-sends-elderly-vlocs-cold-layup/
The ship next to her is Stellar Cosmo, of the same variety.
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