COAST GUARD APPROVES BERTHING OF ARAL WIND

The tank vessel expelled from Port Canaveral on April 20th, after marine inspectors found the vessel in violation of numerous safety regulations, has been re-inspected and approved for discharge in U.S. waters. The “Aral Wind,” a 500-foot gasoline tanker was preparing to discharge its cargo at Tanker Berth 1 at Port Canaveral, when inspectors from the local Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment boarded the vessel in order to conduct a routine inspection and issue a certificate of compliance. Soon thereafter, the vessel was ordered to depart the berth.

MAREX has now learned that the product tanker “Aral Wind” will now berth in Tampa, Florida, perhaps as early as the end of this week. Sources close to the vessel’s operators say that the initial receivers have since made other plans to obtain gasoline stocks, and that the sale of the cargo to other buyers has been negotiated.

Meanwhile, all of the deficiencies cited by U.S. Coast guard inspectors have been rectified, and the vessel has been granted permission to berth. Coast Guard spokesman Donnie Brzuska also revealed that “the Chief Mate was removed from the vessel and replaced because of concerns over his competency.” He also said that the vessel failed its first re-inspection, and only after a third trip to the vessel was it deemed to be in compliance by Coast Guard personnel.