At least 130 missing after collision off Nigeria

     At least 130 people are missing after a tug and a passenger ferry
colided near the Nembe District of Nigeria on 1 Sept. Sixteen persons,
including the 10 crew of the ferry Olodiama, were able to swim to shore.

Collision damages two ships at Manila

     Two ships collided at the entrance to the domestic terminal of the
North Harbor at Manila, the Philippines, over the weekend. Both reportedly
suffered extensive damage.

Matson Navigation containership suffers fire in Seattle

     A fire began in the No. 4 cargo hold of the Manulani (U.S.-registry
23,785-gt, 27,165-dwt, 213-meter/700-foot containership built in 1970,
owned and operated by Matson Navigation Co.) while the ship was docked at
Pier 25 in Seattle at 1000 30 Aug. More than 100 firefighters from the
Seattle Fire Department, as well as U.S. Coast Guard personnel, used foam
and water to contain the fire two hours later. Carbon dioxide was used to
extinguish it late 31 Aug. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.
About 50 containers were in the hold, some containing automobiles, and
salvage will be attempted. Another 16 containers on deck were damaged.
Crewmembers said the blaze may have been started by a welding torch. The
Manulani's next call was to have been Oakland, Calif.

Tank barge loading toluene has explosion, fire in Texas

     On 30 Aug., the tank barge Hollywood suffered an explosion in its No.
1 cargo tank while loading toluene at Port Arthur, Texas. The barge caught
fire and was extinguished within 15 minutes by using foam. The Hollywood
was taken to another berth where flooding was brought under control.

Ship towed back to Pohang after flooding

     The No. 7 Shimizu (Panamanian-registry 589-gt general cargo ship built
in 1978), carrying 387 tons of steel products, suffered flooding in its
engine room 24 Aug. after leaving Pohang, South Korea. It was towed back
and arrived 27 Aug. An inspection found a hole in the port side shell
plate.

Another tanker runs aground in the Lake Maracaibo Channel

     The Icaro (Panamanian-registry 54,827-gt, 101,031-dwt tanker built in
1993, owned and operated by PDV Marina S.A.) ran aground in the Lake
Maracaibo Channel, Venezuela, at 0450 1 Sept. It was refloated at 1510.
During the time it was aground on a sandbar, the ship blocked the channel
to traffic.

Spanish-registry bulk carrier grounds in England

     The Mendiondo (Spanish-registry 1,393-gt, 2,145-dwt motor bulk carrier
built in 1978, operated by Naviera Uralar S.A.), sailing from Safi,
Morocco, to King's Lynn, England, ran aground near the Dow Chemical Co.
facility in King's Lynn on 3 Sept. It was refloated the next day and
assisted to a dock. The ship has a noticable list.

Stena Searider towed to Harwich with engine problems

     The Stena Searider (20,914-gt, 14,800-dwt motor passenger and ro/ro
ferry built in 1969, operated by Stena Line Service A.B.) had starboard
engine problems on 28 Aug. while sailing from Hook of Holland, the
Netherlands, to Harwich, England. It arrived in Harwich the next day under
the tow of two tugs.

British-registry ship loses one engine

     The Hoo Beach (British-registry 794-gt, 1,400-dwt general cargo ship
built in 1989, operated by R. Lapthorn & Co. Ltd.) had problems with its
starboard engine on 2 Sept. off Bill of Portland, England. The vessel
anchored at Torbay, England, at 1400.

Gerry Roufs' yacht missing again

     The 18-meter/59-foot yacht Groupe LG2 is missing again. Just after
midnight 7 Jan., Roufs, 43, radioed in on schedule as he sailed the Groupe
LG2 in the Vendee Globe Challenge, a solo, around-the-world race. On 16
Jan., the Chilean government reported that it received a brief radio
message from Roufs but he was not heard from again. On 16 July, a
Panamanian-registry vessel found the Groupe LG2 floating off Chile. The
yacht was positively identified by a Chilean military aircraft two days
later but Chile decided against an announcement of official identification.
On 22 Aug., Roufs' wife, Michelle Cartier, announced that the Groupe LG2
had been found floating 480 kilometers/298 miles west of Chile. However,
the yacht was not taken in tow and it has now disappeared again. Roufs, 43,
of Montreal, remains missing.