Thats all ive found so far. On marine traffic’s tracks it looks like the bulker was outbound from the canal and this collision may have happened in between the inner and outer anchorage. (speculation on my part)
Are the anchorages still pilotage waters?
Based on the time stamp from Marine Traffic and the reporting it looks like the collision was 20 minutes after they left the channel and they anchored within 30 minutes.
I wouldn’t imagine they had a pilot onboard, but I’ve never been there.
In my experience, pilots would typically disembark still within the canal just before passing the breakwaters
Yeah usually we dropped ours before the breakwater — roughly when we were abeam the end of the Port Said terminal. Kinda widens enough where you just follow the buoy sets out.
Yes, pilots there seem reluctant to get in the anchorages in my experience. Been through many times, N’bound and S’bound.
I fail to understand why USS Truman was not exhibiting AIS data in these circumstances. You can’t pass incognito in an aircraft carrier through a crowded anchorage but I could understand that having it off and approaching the pilot boarding area just before she was booked for security reasons.
Since there’s not much info yet I’ll ask another question from that article…what the hell is a Naval Support Activity? I’ve been alongside in Souda, the activity was mostly drinking, I never realized that was what they called the place though.
The Truman’s skipper must be a diversity hire, am I right? /s
God forbid it’s a woman
" The U.S. Navy has already taken action to prevent future mishaps involving its ships at sea, including turning on the Automatic Identification Systems of its vessels in high-traffic areas.
The Navy’s new policy on transmitting AIS was revealed by the Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson during questioning following his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee this week on the recent incidents involving Navy Surface Fleet ships. The incidents include the deadly collisions involving USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain as well as two earlier incidents, one of which was a collision. "
SOURCE: CNO: U.S. Navy Ships Told to Turn AIS Transmitting ‘ON’ in High-Traffic Areas
However:
The internationally-adopted shipborne carriage requirements for AIS are contained in SOLAS regulation V/19. The SOLAS Convention requires AIS to be fitted on certain ships through a phased implementation period spanning from 1 July 2002 to 1 July 2008.In addition, specific ship types (e.g. warships, naval auxiliaries and ships owned/operated by Governments) are not required to be fitted with AIS.
SOURCE: IMO Resolution A.1106(29)
" A flag State may exempt certain ships from carrying an AIS. "
SOURCE : IMO [AIS transponders](AIS transponders)
"
Another item:
Since military craft is generaly exmpted from compliance with SOLAS then may be they are exempted also from the requirements of preparation of the detailed voyage plan what merchant vessels are obliged to do.
One of the element of such a plan among the truckload of other considerations is to anticipate and/or predict /expect the intensity and direction of heaviest traffic at the time of transit.
It goes w/o saying , that when N-bound convoys are departing the buoyed channel the heaviest traffic is predominantly in WNWly direction. Such information abt N & S bound convoy movements may be obtained via agents, and NP publications as well as listening carefeuly to the VHF chatter on appropriate channels.
Basis own experiences the direction with the least oubound traffic was to approach the buoyed channel and pilot stn from northerly direction with deep draft and abt 300m loa vessels during the night .
I would wager that all warships are fitted with a form of AIS with the option of transmitting information or not. Back in the past using equipment that was developed in the post war period we had equipment that could identify merchant ships by their electronic emissions. That this equipment is not on the bridge and responsibility for monitoring it is not where the Captain would be in congested waters the buck still stops with him/her.
My experience with the Suez dates to a month before it closed and thereafter we sailed around the Cape running from the Persian Gulf to Europe.
Before AIS i met US Navy ships often at sea and never missed them .
Why?
Because they were so proud of beeing US Navy ships and kept shouting: This is a US Navy ship requesting the merchant vessel so and so to maintain CPA OF 2000 YARDS!!!
You can’t miss it 
A Naval Support Activity is another name for a smaller navy base. In this case it’s probably colocated at a Greek Navy base.
Worse… a pilot
On the video the support vsl seemed to find her AIS tx.on button after the incident
If i would like to attack to disable or harm such a valuable naval asset i would do it in the canal.
U.S. Navy Carrier Collides With Bulker off Port Said
The blame game has commenced with US based Maritime Executive playing the chief trumpeter with expert opinions.
" Besiktas-M has accumulated 55 deficiencies in three years, with multiple issues found during nine out of her last 10 port state control inspections. Her most recent inspection was in Aqaba last week. Upon boarding, Jordanian PSC officials found problems with her fire pump and with her voyage data recorder, both useful in the event of a collision. A previous inspection in Ravenna last year found deficiencies with abandon-ship drills, the ship’s stability booklet, lifebuoys, MARPOL records and the ship’s muster list. "
Even if true , what the heck has it got to do with this collision when detais are not known and I can bet will not be known if the navy craft was to blame. These guys will admit they were wrong after …70 years may be.
I have followed this outlet for a long time but their last BS and propaganda re cable cutting reminds me of "PRAVDA " opeds in the 70’s . Disgusting.
Will not be surprised if in the next piece they will link it to ayatollahs.
Typical dirt digging and mud slinging to affect and shape public opinion instead of reporting known facts ( compare Dr.Sal video with Mar.Exec propaganda crap ) and if they started it so quickly then there is something afoot here.
" PSC officials found problems with her fire pump and with her voyage data recorder, both useful in the event of a collision. "
Last time i checked these devices are very usefull “after” collision while AIS is useful prior collision and during collision .
Damage to the bow of the bulker ;
SOURCE: Splash247
Looks Dr.Sal was busy all night
added: 140225 2100 lt
The M/V Besiktas-M previously collided with M/V Common Spirit in August 2016 in the Bangladesh port city of Chittagong, according to the ship-tracking site Vessel Tracker.
That’ll buff right out…
Ok my description is inacurate so I am rephrazing it acc to pic: damage to the mooring equipment on the forecastle stb bow.
But I am still wondering what previous collisions of this vessel and quite a few previous collisions of navy ships have to do with the current event.
Well I immediately noticed the damage to the first leaf of the hatch cover and the stbd stacking ramp. That’ll need some work done before they can probably even open that hold up.
Either way, that’s a good amount of damage. Or the standard bow mooring equipment arrangement for a TECO bulker… 
