Flags of Convenience:
The largest shipping registries are Panama, Liberia, Greece, Marshall Islands and the Bahamas,
Approximately 6,300 sail under the Panamanian flag, making Panama the largest. The Greek-controlled fleet is at almost 90 million gross tons.
The Marshall Islands is fourth with 1, 500 vessels and 37 million tons. Bahamas has 1,500 vessels at 27 million tons.
Other significant flags include Cyprus and Malta
The recovery of fuel Gelso M, the tanker aground on the rocks of Syracuse on March 10, I finally started. After the first inspection where it was recovered the black box, the engineers have started work. The first phase includes the refurbishment of stranded floats to contain any spillage into the sea of about 300 tons of fuel and taking samples of water near the launch scafo.Le environmental groups, however, the alarm pollution.
Gelso M has bunkers with over 22,800 liters of fuel oil , 85 cubic meters of gas oil and 190 cubic meters of fuel oil on board
[earlier]Italian naval helicopters have safely transferred ashore the crew of the Gelso M, an oil/chemical tanker which grounded in severe storm conditions near the Sicilian port of Augusta earlier today. The vessel was carrying no cargo at the time of the incident. The crew are uninjured and there is no pollution. The helicopters are mobilising from the nearby Italian Naval Base at Catania. There were 19 crew on board the vessel. Gelso M is owned by Augusta Due of Rome. Augusta Due has signed a salvage contract with a leading international salvage contractor, SMIT Salvage from Rotterdam. SMIT are being assisted by the Italian salvor Augustea. A large salvage tug, the 160 tonnes bollard pull Carlo Magno, is already on scene. Gelso M
Built in 2008 18,000 tonnes deadweight Vessel left Venice in ballast, to load cargo at Augusta, on the eastern coast of Sicily. Name: Gelso M Call sign: TCTB6 Owner: Verimar Chemical Ltd - Italy Ship manager: Augusta Due Srl - Rome/Italy Gross tonnage: 11250 GT Home port: Gatana Flag: Turkey Build: 2008
Syracuse, March 10 (Adnkronos / Ign) - downpours and wind gusts of up to one hundred kilometers per hour. And 'alert weather in Sicily. Particularly affected the eastern part of the island with schools closed in Catania, Messina and Syracuse. Precisely because of bad weather, around 9 o'clock this morning a merchant ship was stranded near Syracuse, near Punta Santa Panagia. On board the 'Gelso M.', 150 meters long, 19 crew, rescued by two Coast Guard helicopters and a Navy Catania. Given the impossibility of steering the ship, which was directed to Augusta, the commander ordered the abandonment of the unit. Can not even use the life-saving equipment on board because of the position of the ship aground. The weather and sea conditions, with winds now up to 40 knots and rough seas, are in decline.
