Page 202 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2024
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ΗΟRIZON FROM THE BRIDGE
The checklist serves as a comprehensive guide to A HISTORIC TRANSIT THROUGH THE
ensure that all necessary measures are in place, ARCTIC OCEAN
thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful In a further sign of the dramatic climatic changes
inspection outcome. occurring in the Arctic, two major container ships
passed each other for the first time just 750 nau-
tical miles from the North Pole. The two vessels
connected Chinese ports to Russia’s Saint Peters-
Description Yes No N/A burg.
Both vessels are operated by Chinese or Hong
Kong-based companies. Apart from Danish
Maersk’s trial voyage of Venta Maersk in 2018,
Are all relevant documentation for the
ship’s lifting appliances, including cargo Arctic container shipping has generally been dom-
operation manuals, approved lifting gears inated by Chinese vessels.
certificates, and loading instrument Flying Fish 1, a 294-meter-long Panamax ves-
function documentation, available on sel operated by Hong Kong-based EZ Safetrans
board the ship?
Logistics, departed from St. Petersburg on 3 Sep-
Is the cargo gears record logbook and tember and entered the Northern Sea Route at
loose gears conformance test report of all
the ship’s lifting devices available onboard the top of Novaya Zemlya a week later. Shortly
the ship? thereafter, it crossed paths with another Chinese
container ship, marking the first encounter of two
Are the inspection reports for the lifting
appliances, including those conducted by large container vessels high in the Arctic. Just a
the classification society and the ship’s week earlier, Flying Fish 1’s counterpart, NewNew
crew, available onboard the ship? Star, had itself become the largest container ship
Are the lifting appliances maintained and in the Arctic, only to be surpassed by Flying Fish
working in good condition? 1 days later. NewNew Star was transporting up to
3,534 TEUs from Nansha, China, to Saint Peters-
burg.
Are the ship’s communications devices Prior to this summer, only smaller container ves-
maintained and working in good sels, with a capacity of approximately 1,500-2,000
condition?
TEUs, had given the Arctic shortcut a try. How-
ever, over the past three months, several larger
Are the safety operation procedures avail- feeder vessels have established a seasonal liner
able onboard the ship? service between the ports of China, Arkhangelsk,
and St. Petersburg.
Flying Fish 1 was able to maintain a speed of 16
Is the master’s order for cargo operations knots across the entire length of the route, indica-
available onboard the ship?
tive of how Arctic ice conditions have dramatically
changed over the last two decades. The vessel
continued through the Laptev and East Sibe-
Is cargo operation Risk Assessment avail- rian Sea, avoiding some late-summer ice near
able onboard the ship?
Wrangel Island. The vessel exited the route and
passed through the Bering Strait near Alaska on
17 September, without requiring any icebreaker
Have the lifting appliances on the ship
been inspected for oil leaks and cleanli- assistance, just six days after entering the Rus-
ness? sian Arctic.
The complete journey from the Baltic Sea to
Are the ship’s crew and shore operators Shanghai measured approximately 8,000 nautical
properly familiarised with the cargo and miles, around 4,000 nautical miles shorter than
lifting appliances operations? the traditional route via the Suez Canal. The cur-
rent detour for most vessels around South Africa,
due to instability in the Red Sea, adds another
Source: RIYADH’S MOU 4,000 miles to the standard route to Asia.
For now, shipping services between Europe and
Asia via the North remain limited to a 3–4-month
summer window, but as sea ice retreats earlier in
summer and returns later in winter, more operators
will surely look to the Arctic for new opportunities.
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