WORLD FISHERIES DAY

 People everywhere depend on food from the sea, not only for their essential daily protein requirements, but also for special occasions such as holiday feasts. Celebrations of the winter holidays traditionally feature fish and other seafood. Italian-Americans famously celebrate Christmas with seven or more courses of fish or other seafood (Festa dei sette pesci). Kwanzaa celebrations by African-Americans often feature seafood gumbo, and the eight days of Hanukkah offer many opportunities for Jews to serve salmon, gefilte fish or other seafood recipes.  But will the ocean always be able to provide the food that helps us survive and celebrate?

Feeding a world population of 9 billion people by 2050 is a daunting challenge. Fish can play a major food security role as long as fisheries and aquaculture are managed effectively and sustainably and with an eye to challenges like climate change and disease. This new report by the World Bank, FAO and IFPRI highlights the changes in global demand for fish and the extent to which that demand will be met by aquaculture versus wild capture fisheries.

The future of global food security hinges on the better management and sustainable development of the planet’s oceans and fisheries, a top United Nations official stressed today, adding that the world could not wait any longer to act on saving Earth’s marine environments.

Speaking at an event on the side-lines of the General Assembly in New York, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva urged faster action in implementing sustainable practices to protect the world’s “blue economy.”

“We have the know-how, we have the opportunity,” emphasized Mr. Graziano da Silva. “Now is the time to act.”

The event, “Our Ocean: Next Steps on Sustainable Fishing and Marine Protected Areas,” brought Mr. Graziano da Silva together with other leaders, including United States Secretary of State John Kerry, to discuss the importance of the world’s marine environments, both for the health of the planet and for the well-being of those who depend on them.

According to FAO, the livelihoods of 12 per cent of the world’s population depend on the fishing sector. On average, 17 per cent of global animal protein intake comes from fisheries and aquaculture, and demand for fish protein is expected to double in the next 20 years. Yet some 28 per cent of global stocks are already overfished.

In its latest report, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Rome-based organization warned that the fisheries and aquaculture sector was, in fact, facing major challenges, ranging from harmful fishing practices and weak governance to poor management and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

In response, Mr. Graziano da Silva pointed to FAO’s new “Blue Growth” initiative which, he said, had “the potential to be a leading programme on the major issues related to oceans and their resources.”

This new initiative would seek to provide technical and capacity-building support to governments, particularly those of vulnerable small island developing States, and farmers to develop national strategies for aquaculture development; disseminate and adopt better management and governance policies and best practices that increase productivity; and reduce environmental and disease risk to stimulate investment.

AIDS TO NAVIGATION IN LAKE VICTORIA

AIDS TO NAVIGATION INSTALLATION LAKE VICTORIA

Establishment of navigational aids.

Of obvious importance to the safety of shipping is the establishment of navigational aids such as light houses, lightships, buoys and radar beacons on the Lake. As regards the Seas, an obligation is laid down by the SOLAS Convention on states Parties to arrange for the 23establishment and maintenance of such aids to navigation as, in their opinion, the volume of traffic justifies and the degree of risk requires, and to arrange for information relating to these aids to be made available to all concerned13. Under sections 10(g) and 11(2)(e) of the Act, this obligation is the responsibility of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and the Maritime administrative Units respectively of the partner states. However the Act is ambiguous in as far as it does not give a criteria and guidelines for the establishment of such aids. Further, it does not provide for mechanism through which this is to be achieved the source of funding as well as a time frame within which states should discharge this obligation. The questions as regards how, when and what happens in case the concerned Authorities do not discharge this obligation is left unanswered. There is a need for redress of this void if safety is to be improved upon in the region.

Moreover, according to the project documents of the Project on Enhancement of the Safety of Navigation on Lake Victoria which are available from the offices of the East African Commision Secretariat at Kisumu, it has come to light that in the past there were approximately 30 navigation aids in the form of visual marks with lights on Lake Victoria. Today there are virtually no aids to navigation on the lake as they have either disappeared or fallen into disuse due to poor maintenance or have been vandalized. The sailing directions, last revised in 1972 are still being used but are rather outdated. So are the available navigation charts of the lake which were last updated in 1956. In addition, nautical surveys were last created between 1900 -1906.

The duty and or obligation to improve safety on the lake is a two way responsibility. That is ship operators on one hand and the responsible contracting governments as well as concerned authorities on the other. It is the responsibility of the three governments of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to put in place navigational aids as well as make available updated navigational maps and charts to the Lake users. This is a necessity which cannot be postponed.

In the past years, there were approximately 30 lit and unlit Aids to Navigation but they have almost all disappeared. Today there are no “officially” sanctioned aids to marine navigation on Lake Victoria.

On 12th June 2014 Comarco were awarded the contract to plan, design, supply, install and commission new ATN at the following locations:

·                     Jinja Port – Uganda

·                     Kisumu Port – Kenya

·                     Musoma Port – Tanzania

·                     Mwanza North Port – Tanzania

·                     Mwanza South Port – Tanzania

·                     Kemondo Bay Port – Tanzania

·                     Bukoba Port – Tanzania

·                     Entebbe Port – Uganda

·                     Port Bell - Uganda

·                      

 

Lake Victoria

Located at 1.134m above the sea level, Lake Victoria, with a surface of 20,000 square nautical miles, is the second largest lake in the world. It should be considered as a sea from the point of view of the safety of navigation. The equator crosses it and the length of its coast is about 2.000 nautical miles. It is shared between the three Member States of the EAC: to the North-East, 6 % of the surface belongs to Kenya, to the North and to the West, 43 % belongs to Uganda, and all the Southern part (51 %) belongs to Tanzania.

It includes many islands of which approximately 200 are inhabited. There are numerous vessels plying the lake, cargo, vehicle, rail and passenger ferries. Nevertheless fishing constitutes a significant economic resource as it is estimated the some 2 million receive income directly or indirectly from fishing. It follows that the fishermen are possibly the major navigators on the lake and that often times take greatest risk as some fish from no greater vessel than a canoe.

Three very big urban areas border the Lake: Kisumu which is the third largest city of Kenya, Entebbe/Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and Mwanza which is the second largest city of Tanzania.

OSIL install two data buoys to monitor environmental concerns in Lake Victoria, Kenya 

OSIL recently completed the installation of two data buoys along Lake Victoria in Kenya to help manage the local environment monitoring various environmental concerns including hyacinth menace and contamination of the lake water.

In addition to monitoring atmospheric components of the lake, such as moisture, oxygen levels and temperature, the sensors on the data buoys will also measure wind direction and levels of potentially harmful chemicals in the lake. By better understanding the environment, one benefit is that fishermen will be provided with real-time information on wind patterns helping them to avoid being trapped by regions of floating hyacinth which is blown across the lake.

The 5m tall data buoys measuring 2.6m in diameter were designed and built to be robust and protected from the local wildlife to ensure the security of the data collected. This real-time data will be relayed to base stations at 15 to 30 minute intervals where the data will then be analysed and studied trending changes to the lakes environment.

Richard Williams, Managing Director of OSIL, said: “We are delighted to help support the Kenyan authorities. These innovative buoys are designed by our specialist team in the UK to capture invaluable data which will help preserve Lake Victoria for future generations”

BLACK TIGER HAS SUNK

MT BLACK TIGER HAS SUNK

Its a general purpose craft registered at Dares-salaam flying Tanzanian flag.

it was build in 2004 with an length of 29 meters and width of 7 meters having a GRT(gross tonnage of 221 T and manned by six personnel.

It was reported on 16.10.2004 by network of sailors within the east African region the it has sunk south of Dares salaam port between Ras ndege and Ras kimbiji. all crew managed to abandon the vessel safely.

Is a a tapering piece of land projecting into a body of water, less prominent than a cape in the country of Tanzania.

Its center lies at a latitude of -6.8666700 and longitude of 39.4833300and it has an elevation of -9999 meters above sea level.

Ras Dege also goes by the names, Ndege Point, Ras Dege, Ras Ndege

Tanzania ports expansion

Construction of the USD 11 billion Bagamoyo megaport has been pushed forward by the government of Tanzania from January 2015 to the last trimester of 2014, following the successful negotiations with Chinese officials, Global Construction Review reports.

________________________________________
China Merchants Holdings International, the world largest independent port operators, are to develop the Bagamoyo port, starting with the quay, the container yards, the cargo terminals and all dredging work, which is expected to be completed by 2017.
The port’s facilities are then to be further developed over a period of 30 years, with the ultimate goal of 20 million container per year capacity. The plan is to turn the Bagamoyo port into the largest port on the east coast of Africa, allowing it to accommodate ships with a 10,000 TEU capacity. The zone is expected to be fully developed by 2024.
Apart from establishing firm arrangements on the Bagamoyo port project, Chinese officials have taken advantage of their visit to Tanzania to officially start works on a Chinese-financed, 150-acre logistics hub next to the busy port of Dar es Salaam.
Abdallah Kigoda, the Tanzanian minister for industry and trade, said that the Chinese side would provide USD 412.5 million for the project, located in the Kurasini area of Dar es Salaam.
According to the Yiwu-Africa International Investment Corporation, the Chinese partner in the project with the Tanzanian Export Processing Zones Authority, the new hub will have five zones: a commodity exhibition area, a warehouse, a technical training center, a support services area and an import-export processing zone.

Tanzania: Ministry mulls tuna fishing deep sea port
The [Tanzanian] government is planning to construct a fishery port, in a move aimed to manage, control and increase revenues collected from the fishery industry especially from tuna fishing industry in the country.
Currently tuna fishing is conducted by large fishing companies in the deep sea fishing zone where small scale fishermen cannot reach, even with surveillance by our patrol boats tracking them is often out of reach.
Dr Yohana Budeba, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, told different stakeholders gathered in Bagamoyo, Coast Region that currently experts from the ministry are conducting a feasibility scan of the area on where such a port would be installed.
He said currently the government has set aside Sh300million to conduct feasibility studies along the coast and the findings will be used for further implementation.
Experts will come up with terms of reference of the study as to where the port will be put up and the actual cost of the project before tenders are advertised for bidding, he further noted.
“We have areas like Kilindi, Kilwa, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Pangani, Somanga, Mtwara and Mafia that can be used as deep sea fishing port of call but experts will identify a place that will be favourable to put up such a facility on the basis of their findings,” he stated.
Detailing, he said the government will collect more revenues from anchor fees, by cadge charges from deep sea shipping vessels and from fueling ships anchored at the port while loading or offloading cargo.
He expressed concern that the government fails to obtain plenty of revenues that would be collected from deep sea fishing vessels, in which case such a facility would help curb tax evasion.
The government will also increase revenue collected via licenses issued to such vessels or their companies operating within our fishing zone, in like manner as other countries do.
Fatuma Sobo, assistant director at the Ministry, said the tuna fishing management strategy will help to supervise exploitation of economic zone marine resources, including tuna fishing.
Implementing the strategy will not remove marine surveillance needs but boost efforts to ensure that tuna fishing and its administrative control is properly conducted along the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
“The aim of the government is to ensure that tuna fishing is controlled, developed and benefits the stakeholders and the entire country.
I kindly ask the small and medium scale fishermen to unite so as to have enough capital to compete with large scale fishermen who have actual control of deep sea fishing where tuna is available,” the director urged.
Marine resources including tuna fishing are controlled by large scale fishermen, making it helpful that the government puts up concerted efforts to ensure that small and medium scale fishermen enter into the industry, she said.
Stakeholders agreed in their two days discussion to work together to ensure that the strategy launched benefits both the government and the various stakeholders based on regulations and marine legislation, she added.
Source: Guardian on Sunday

OFFSHORE OIL EXPLORATION LAMU TO KWALE

     

“We are exploring offshore Kenya, and apparently it has the same kind of prospects as offshore Tanzania and Mozambique,” Christophe de Margerie told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. “There might be oil too, we are not just looking for gas. We have acquired the seismic results, but until you drill, you don’t know.”BEIJING (Dow Jones)–French oil and gas major Total AS (TOT) plans to drill its first offshore East Africa exploration well early next year, hoping to emulate huge gas discoveries made by other oil majors offshore Tanzania and Mozambique, the company’s chief executive said Sunday

Onshore in Africa “we have been acquiring a lot of blocks in Kenya, have acquired part of the shares of Tullow Oil PLC (TLW.LN) in Uganda and have acquired blocks in Congo on the other side of Lake Albert, and we will be able to start exploring sooner or later in South Sudan.”

Offshore West Africa, Total will drill by end-2012 for the first time in an Ivory Coast block acquired two years ago, he noted.

Total has said it plans to grow its oil and gas output by 3% this year and 2.5% annually through 2014, assuming crude price stay around $100 a barrel.

Pancontinental Oil & Gas and its wholly owned subsidiary Afrex Limited together with partner FAR has received approval from the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum for the farm-out of the onshore portion of Kenyan exploration area Block L6 in the Lamu Basin. Block L6 is partly onshore and partly offshore.

Block L6/L8

Under the terms of the farm-in with Milio E&P Limited and Milio International (“Milio”), Pancontinental will be fully funded through the drilling and testing of a high impact onshore exploration well in Block L6 expected to spud in H1 2015.

Pancontinental will also be fully funded through the acquisition, processing and interpretation of a regional onshore 1,000 kilometre 2D seismic survey. This is expected to confirm a number of prospects in onshore L6 as drill targets. This seismic program is expected to commence in April 2014.

Pancontinental retains a 16% interest in the onshore part of Block L6 and also preserves its 40% interest in the highly prospective offshore part of Block L6 which operator FAR has estimated to contain substantial prospective resources. FAR is also currently in discussions with parties to farm-in to drill an offshore well in Block L6.

Block L6 is well situated in relation to Kenyan coastal communities and infrastructure.

An onshore oil or gas development has the potential to contribute significantly to Kenya’s growing near-term energy needs.

Two of the main Prospects covered by 3D seismic offshore L6 are the Kifaru and Kifaru West Miocene Reef prospects, which share similar characteristics to the Sunbird Prospect currently being drilled by Pancontinental and its joint venture partners in offshore Kenya area L10A.

Barry Rushworth, CEO and Director of Pancontinental commented:

“We are very pleased that the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has approved the farm-out agreement announced on 4 February 2014. Pancontinental retains a healthy 16% free-carried interest onshore and additionally has the benefit of retaining its 40% interest offshore where we are also seeking a farminee for drilling. This farm-in deal secures funding for evaluating the significant potential of the onshore part of Block L6 and to help unlock the potential of the wider Lamu basin in which Pancontinental has a very large acreage position of some 20,000 square kilometres gross.

“The offshore area already has several Prospects covered by 3D seismic and ready for drilling including the large Kifaru and Kifaru West Miocene Reef Prospects. A number of other reefs have also been tentatively identified on 2D seismic.”

Block L17/L18

Working interest	100%
Operator	EAX*
Net prospective resources	1,088 mmboe
Work programme	Seismic acquisition and exploration drilling
*  EAX is a wholly owned subsidiary of Afren Plc

Overview
Blocks L17 and L18 are in the Lamu Coastal Basin, offshore south-east Kenya, covering an area of approximately 4,881 km2. They are situated in water depths varying from a few feet along the shoreline to up to around 2,625 ft in the Pemba Channel. There are several potential source rocks for the Tertiary and Cretaceous plays in the southern areas of the basin including the Permo-Triassic Karoo interval, the Middle Jurassic and high Total Organic Carbon (TOCs) are recorded within the Eocene section in the Pemba-5 well. There are oil seeps in the Lamu Basin and Pemba Island linked to a Jurassic source which implies that the structures in Blocks L17 and L18 are most likely oil bearing. The hydrocarbons are expected to have been generated in the deep Pemba trough south of Block L18 and in the Tembo Trough to the east. In January 2012, Afren completed the acquisition of 1,207 km of additional 2D seismic data targeting the deeper water portion of the blocks. Interpretation of the data has identified four new highly encouraging prospects, in addition to the previously mapped prospects in the shallow water. These prospects represent a major new play and together have increased mean prospective resources on the blocks, from 94 mmboe to 2,021 mmboe, sincethe Black Marlin acquisition. As a result Afren, in close consultation with the Ministry of Energy, completed the acquisition of 1,006 km² 3D seismic during December 2012, in lieu of the well commitment, to better understand the deep water prospectivity prior to exploration drilling. In addition, we commissioned an onshore 2D seismic survey of 120 km in September 2012 to simultaneously continue maturation of the shallow water/onshore play. This survey was completed in December 2012. Interpretation and rock property studies on the 120 km onshore 2D seismic and the1,006 km² offshore 3D seismic are underway. The seismic data has highlighted an expansive shallow-water/onshore trend called the Mombasa High.

Outlook
Preparations are underway for the 2015 two well drilling campaign on the Mombasa High anticline which extends over 80 km from Mombasa to the Shimoni Peninsular. This giant structure sits on the western margin of the Tembo Trough which has recently been tested by BG Group on the Sunbird-1 oil discovery, Block L10A. The Sunbird-1 well encountered a 46 ft oil column in a Miocene reef and is the first oil discovery offshore Kenya. The confirmation of an oil prone petroleum system within the Tembo Trough has significantly derisked Afren’s prospects on the flanks of this basin.An airborne gravity and magnetic survey was acquired over the Mombasa High structure in Q2 2014 to allow the optimal positioning of a 250 line km 2D seismic survey which will be acquired later in the year. The seismic survey will be used to define the location of the exploration wells.

Ref: http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/kenya-govt-approves-pancontinental-lamu-basin-farm-out/             http://gcaptain.com/late-never-total-play-offshore/

Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Kenya and Tanzania

A massive gap in the effective search and rescue coverage along the east coast of Africa and out into the Indian Ocean is to be filled with the inauguration (on 5 May 2006) of a new Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Mombasa, Kenya. The MRCC is to be commissioned by IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos during an official visit to Kenya and Tanzania.

The regional search and rescue system that has been put in place is the result of a resolution adopted by the IMO Conference on search and rescue (SAR) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), held in October 2000 in Florence, Italy, proposing the establishment of five sub regional MRCCs in western, southern and eastern parts of Africa. A second MRCC under this initiative is expected to be inaugurated in Cape Town, South Africa, before the end of this year, while three more, in West Africa, are currently at the planning stage.

Along with its associated Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs) in Victoria (Seychelles) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), the site of which Secretary-General Mitropoulos will also visit during his stay in Tanzania, the Mombasa MRCC will provide search and rescue coverage in what had previously been identified as one of the areas suffering unduly from a lack of adequate SAR and GMDSS facilities.

LONDON (Dow Jones)–The first of three information-sharing centers, or ISCs, has been commissioned in Kenya, to facilitate practical measures to suppress piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, the United Nations’ maritime agency said Friday.

Two additional centers have been set up Dar es Salam, Tanzania and San’a, Yemen.

“The centers have been established to facilitate practical measures for the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships, by ensuring the coordinated, timely, and effective flow of information,” the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, said in a statement.

The Mombasa ISC will be co-housed with the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, which operates on a 24-hour basis and covers extensive areas of the western Indian Ocean, the IMO said.

The Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Kenya will all report to the Mombasa ISC.

The Mombasa ISC will exchange information concerning the movement of pirates with the centers in San’a and Dar es Salam, as well as with the European Union Naval Force, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations and the Maritime Liaison Office Bahrain, the IMO said

The Mombasa MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), also known as the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC) was officially inaugurated by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos on 5th May, 2006. The centre was established to coordinate maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) emergencies in the Eastern Africa Search and Rescue Regions (SRR). Watch keepers in the centre monitor distress frequencies, relay distress messages, acknowledge distress calls and assist in SAR mission coordination.

The Mombasa MRCC is operated by Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and covers the search and rescue regions of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Somalia.

Information sharing centre

The RMRCC is now officially operating as a Piracy Information Sharing Centre (ISC) under the Djibouti Code of Conduct to which Kenya is a signatory. The Code aims at repression and deterrence of Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in waters of the West Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The centre which is operated by Kenya Maritime Authority became the first of three information sharing centres to be commissioned by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos on 31st March, 2011. As a designated focal point and piracy information exchange centre, the RMRCC together with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres of Tanzania and Yemen facilitate practical measures for the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships by ensuring coordinated, timely and effective flow of information. The centres also receive and respond to piracy alerts and requests for information or assistance at all times

Maritime search and rescue (SAR)

Since its establishment, the Government of Kenya, through the Kenya Maritime Authority has continued to develop SAR operations-supporting infrastructure through acquisition of modern satellite and global communication systems that support the current and future plans of the rescue centre.

Channel of communication

The Mombasa MRCC provides a communication center where seafarers can call in for help in cases of distress while at sea, in a large area covering Tanzania, Seychelles and Somalia. The centre has an efficient and effective communication system that enables it receive distress messages from any vessel within our Search and Rescue Region.

The Centre is always on a 24 hour watch to ensure prompt receipt and dissemination of distress messages from ships plying the Search and Rescue region.

The RMRCC operational role

The aim of the RMRCC's 24 hour basis operations is to:

• Receive, acknowledge and relay notification of distress from vessels on a 24hour basis;
• establish and implement the National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan;
• coordinate the activities of KPA, Kenya Navy and other organisations when engaged in search and rescue operations both at the coast and inland waters;
• Enforce the Search & Rescue(SAR) plan for the national and regional area of responsibility;
• Request assistance from other Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCC’s) as appropriate;
• Keep case files for every SAR incident;
• Maintain inventories of Search and Rescue (SAR) facilities held by public, military and private agencies that are accessible to conduct search and rescue when need arises.
• Disseminate and share piracy information with relevant authorities;
• Protect the marine environment by monitoring oil spills. In addition coordinate and manage the National Marine Oil Spill Response Contingency Plan for both coastal and inland waters;
• Conduct regular SAR exercises and coordinate oil spill response drills and exercises

Our partners

We value the great support offered by our partners in the execution of timely search and rescue operations within the region.

• Seychelles MRCC
• Dar-es-salaam MRCC
• The Kenya Navy
• The Kenya Ports Authority
• Kenya Revenue Authority
• The Maritime Police Unit
• The Kenya Wildlife Services
• National Disaster Operations Centre
• Kenya Civil Aviation Authority

For More Information please write to:

The Regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination
Centre (RMRCC)
P.O. BOX 95076-80104
MOMBASA, KENYA
Website: www.kma.go.ke

Email: info@kma.go.ke
rmrcc@kma.go.ke

24HR TELEPHONE CONTACTS

General: +254(041)2131100/6
Wireless: +254-020-8007776
Mobile: +254-0721-368313
+254-0737-719414
Fax: 0208007776

SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

INMARSAT Fleet 77(IOR)
: 00870-764626657
: 00870-764626655
INMARSAT C (IOR): 463400071
INMARSAT C (AOR-E) :463400070

A maritime rescue coordination centre (MRCC) has been launched in Dar es Salaam to oversee the rescue of people in distress at sea. The centre, located in the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) traffic control tower, has been established by Tanzania’s Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) in line with requirements of international conventions on maritime search and rescue and safety at sea. Mariners can call for assistance or report others in distress on +253 (0)774 886295, (0)715 886295 and (0)783 886292.

ACCIDENT IN SUEZ CANAL NEAR PORTSAID

ACCIDENT BETWEEN TWO VESSELS IN SUEZ CANAL IN PORTSAID

Two container ships collided on Monday morning in Egypt's Suez Canal, reported Al-Ahram's Arabic news website.The German Colombo Express was coming in from the Mediterranean Sea
when it hit the Singaporean ship Maersk Tanjong half a kilometre from the Port Said port, Al-Ahram said.
Both ships sustained minimal damage; four containers fell into the canal, which the Canal Authority retrieved. Navigation along the canal was temporarily interrupted for three hours.
The SCA sent vessels to lead both ships to the Al-Balah bypass so they could continue their journeys.

MAERSK TANJONG	COLOMBO EXPRESS
IMO: 9332511	IMO: 9295244
MMSI: 565510000	MMSI: 21143300
Call Sign: 9VDR9	Call Sign: DIHC
Flag: Singapore (SG)	Flag: Germany (DE)
AIS Type: Cargo	AIS Type: Cargo
Gross Tonnage: 94193	Gross Tonnage: 93750
Deadweight: 107269 t	Deadweight: 103800 t
Length × Breadth: 332m × 43.3m	Length × Breadth: 335.07m × 42.87m
Year Built: 2007	Year Built: 2005
Status: Active container vessel	Status: Active container vessel

The 324-metre container vessel Colombo Express has collided with the 332-metre container vessel Maersk Tanjong in the Suez Canaloff Port Said. The accident occurred today at 5:33 UTC.

The Maersk vessel was clearing the Suez Canal Container terminal to join the second convoy, whilst the Colombo Express was proceeding through the convoy. The collision resulted in a 20-metre dent to the left side of Colombo Express and three fallen containers.

The second southbound convoy has been interrupted. The container ships will be moored at the canal lakes until the investigation and the repairs are completed.
Colombo Express (IMO number 9295244 and MMSI 211433000) was built in 2005 and is registered in Germany. The container ship has a deadweight of 103,800 DWT.

Maersk Tanjong (IMO number 9332511 and MMSI 565510000) was built in 2007 and is registered in Singapore. The vessel has a deadweight of 107,266 DWT.