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In view of the anticipated onset of the south-west monsoon season, members are reminded of the relevant measures by the various port authorities.

An and guidance on the India Monsoon.

  • The South-West Monsoon (S/W) arrived early in India this year, marking one of the earliest onsets in recent history.
  • The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the arrival on 24 May – Eight days ahead of its usual onset. This also marks the earliest onset since Y2009 - when the monsoon reached the southern states on 23 May.
  • Typically, Monsoon hits the S/W Coast by 01 June every year and then gradually covers the rest of the country, by early July.
  • Multiple, large-scale atmosphere-oceanic and local factors had developed and favoured the early monsoon onset, this year.
  • However, the latest IMD reports indicate that the northward advance of S/W Monsoon has stalled temporarily - with further progress very likely to remain stalled for the next 8–10 days, minimum.
  • Again, predictions are for above-normal monsoon rainfall this year - for the months of June to Sept 2025 - with intense rainfall very likely.

Full advisory at the following link.

https://north-standard.com/insights-and-resources/resources/news/south-west-monsoon-in-indian-ports-planning-and-preparedness

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On the night of June 5, a crude oil spill occurred off the coast of Sriracha in Thailand’s Chonburi Province due to a raptured pipeline.

The incident happened at the SBM-2 (Single Buoy Mooring) terminal while the Phoenix Jamnagar, a Singapore-registered supertanker, was offloading oil during severe weather. High waves and strong winds caused the ship’s emergency breakaway system to activate, leading to a rupture in the pipeline and a leak of approximately 10,000 to 20,000 litres of crude oil over a 30-minute period. 

Thai Oil Public Company Limited, which operates the terminal, immediately halted the transfer and enacted its emergency response plan. The company deployed three containment booms and dispersant chemicals, and dispatched the clean-up vessel Chonthara Anurak to the spill site. By 6:05 a.m. on June 6, Thai Oil had alerted the Thailand Maritime Enforcement Coordinating Center (ThaiMECC) to the incident.

A coordinated multi-agency response followed, involving the Royal Thai Navy, the Marine Department, the Pollution Control Department, and aerial surveillance units using UAVs, helicopters, and a Dornier 228 aircraft. Despite rough sea conditions, the leak was contained and no further oil was visible on the evening of June 6.

No injuries or environmental damage to marine life have been reported so far, though monitoring continues.

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Monthly Safety Scenario for June, describing an incident where two crew members were burned by hot water.

The incident arose during the repair of a valve connected to a 12-inch pipeline that ran from the auxiliary boiler in the engine room to the main deck, used for heating the cargo warming coils. The repair was initiated after condensation was observed, leading the Chief Officer to suspect a faulty valve, even though the valve and heating system were not routinely used.

The Chief Engineer assigned the Second Engineer to carry out the repair. At approximately 10:00 AM, the Second Engineer conducted a toolbox meeting with the involved crew, detailing the steps: shutting down the auxiliary boiler, draining the pipeline of water, and blanking the line at a flange near the boiler before commencing any work on the valve.

During this meeting, the Fitter and the Motorman expressed concerns that this was a non-routine task more suitable for dry-dock conditions, but their objections were overruled and the job proceeded as planned.

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Over the past week, 4-9 June eight incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia (one CAT 2 incident, one CAT 3 incident and six CAT 4 incidents).

Two incidents occurred on 4 May and 30 May, outside this reporting period. The other six incidents occurred on 3 Jun (1), 5 Jun (3) and 7 Jun (2). Seven of the incidents occurred onboard ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in Singapore Strait (SS), and one incident occurred onboard ship while anchored at Jakarta Anchorage, Indonesia. The crew was not injured in all eight incidents. Three incidents reported loss of items, and five incidents reported nothing stolen.