Noble-Island Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a significant maritime transaction, a fleet of vessels has been sold en bloc for approximately $24 million each to a consortium of Chinese leasing buyers. This deal is anchored by an eight-year Bareboat Charter (BBC) with a purchase option, providing flexibility for the lessors. The strategic sale underlines the growing market dynamics and the increasing interest from Chinese investors in the shipping industry.

On February 24, 2019, at approximately 11 p.m., the bulk carrier SBI Hydra encountered a power failure while navigating southbound on the Mississippi River, resulting in the vessel running aground just above the Head of Passes, around 80 miles south of the 12-mile anchorage. To assist in refloating the stranded ship, four tugboats were promptly dispatched. As of now, the maximum draft allowed for vessels operating near the grounding site is 35 feet due to ongoing severe shoaling issues affecting the Southwest Pass, Head of Passes, and the Pilottown/Cubit's Gap areas. To aid in channel restoration efforts, a fleet of dredging equipment is actively at work, comprising seven dredgers—five hopper dredgers and two cutterheads. The successful refloating of the SBI Hydra was achieved on February 25, with the vessel being escorted to berth at Venice, Louisiana by 5 a.m.