The Maritime Executive's Biggest Stories in 2011

The following  stories from www.maritime-executive.com were the most read and most shared stories from the past year. These articles round out the most memorable maritime moments from 2011. 

 

Near-record Ice Melt in Arctic Clears Northern Sea Shipping Route

Russia’s environmental agency has reported that a near-record rate of Arctic ice melt has opened shipping lanes fit for cargo traffic between Europe and Asia.  READ MORE>>

 

Tugboat Pilot Who Killed Two in “Duck Boat” Crash Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter Charges 

Last year, a tugboat pilot, Matthew Devlin, was accused of being at fault for the deaths of two Hungarian tourists aboard a “Ride with the Ducks” tour boat in Philadelphia. READ MORE>>

 

Panama Canal and Port Everglades Renew Partnership 

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and Port Everglades renewed their strategic alliance today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  READ MORE>>

 

Fukushima Disaster Produces World’s Worst Nuclear Sea Pollution

A French study released on Thursday said that the amount of nuclear material called caesium 137 leaked by Japanese plant, Fukushima, has proven to be the world’s worst nuclear sea contamination event ever, AFP discloses. READ MORE>>

 

Russian Fishing Ship Left Helpless and Taking on Water near Antarctica

A Russian fishing vessel with 32 crew members is taking on water and attempting to repair a ruptured hull as it sits next to the Antarctic ice shelf awaiting rescue about 2,000 nautical miles south east of New Zealand in the Ross Sea. READ MORE>>

 

13th Century Mongolian Shipwreck Found off Nagasaki

Okinawa Prefecture's University of the Ryukyus has announced that large parts of a Mongolian ship presumed to have been part of a 13th century Yuan Dynasty-era invasion fleet has been discovered on the seafloor near Nagasaki. READ MORE>>

 

Japan’s Tsunami Debris Attracts Travelers in New Yacht Cruise

At the end of October, the STS Pallada discovered a 20-million-ton mass of tsunami debris from the mega 9.0 magnitude earthquake off Sendai, Japan in March.  Since this discovery, scientists have been studying, and tracking the READ MORE>>

 

Tanker Vladimir Tikhonov Completes Successful Northern Sea Route Transit in a Week

On 30 August 2011, the large-capacity "Suezmax" tanker Vladimir Tikhonov, owned by SCF Group (Sovcomflot), passed Cape Dezhnev thereby completing her transit along the READ MORE>>

 

UPDATE: NZ Salvage Crews Race to Pump Oil from MV Rena

As of Friday, salvage teams off the New Zealand coast have been preparing to pump the remaining fuel out of the cracked Rena as it lists at 25 degrees and faces imminent break up.  READ MORE>>

 

Savannah Commission Declares DHEC Permit Invalid

In a unanimous vote the commission created by legislature declares the water-quality permit for the port as improperly issued and illegal. The turn down of the permit comes just days after the South Carolina state READ MORE>>

 

VIDEO: 18th Century Ship Unearthed at 9/11 Site in Manhattan

Archaeologists have excavated an interesting find at the 9/11 Ground Zero site: a 32-foot long 18th century ship hull, as well as a ship’s bow, stern, and anchor. The unexpected relic hidden under the future parking garage for the new World READ MORE>>

 

Cruising in North Korean Style

North Korea Unveils Its New Cruise Ship

The MANGYONGBONG is a 39-year-old cargo ship with stained, water deprived bathrooms, cramped cabins and plastic lawn chairs on deck- and as of last month its North Korea’s “new” cruise ship. READ MORE>>

 

Tanker Ship Explosion Kills 3 Indian Sailors Off Nigeria

Nigerian maritime authorities have reported that a Liberian-flagged ship has exploded off the coast of Lagos, killing three Indian sailors, with two still unaccounted for.  READ MORE>>

 

Social Media: It’s Not Just Personal Any More

Plugged-in maritime executives are using Web sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to advance both their careers and their businesses.  READ MORE>>

 

Israeli Natural Gas: A Game Changer

Energy has always been at the center of the Arab-Israeli conflict, creating alliances and influencing the policies of allies and adversaries alike. Israel, most of all, has had a very complex relationship with its neighbors, mainly Egypt, which READ MORE>>

 

Drunk Cruise Passenger Who Dropped Ship’s Anchor Faces 20 Years in Prison

A California man has pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to damage a maritime facility after dropping a Holland America cruise ship’s anchor into the ocean and faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. READ MORE>>

 

 

U.S. Shores Brace Themselves for Up to 20 Million Tons of Tsunami Debris

Hawaii is bracing themselves for 20 million tons of debris floating to hit their shores this winter, according to a University of Hawaii research team who says the remains are traveling faster than originally anticipated.  READ MORE>>

 

Pirates Set Fire to Cargo Ship After Failed Hijacking

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported that pirates have set the Estelle Shipping-owned cargo ship, M/V Pacific Express, ablaze after they were unable to take control of the vessel. READ MORE>>