“On the Trail” n°11
The staggering world of wildlife poaching and smuggling
Quarterly Information and Analysis Bulletin
n°11: 1st October – 31th December 2015
100 pages of cruelty, corruption, courage, amazement, and beauty (6.6 Mo)
Rhinoceroses, elephants and mammoths, pages 56 to 87
Discover caviar in a coffin, ivories in trailers and containers.
Explore the wigs and tailors networks.
Rescue vultures and worry about bears.
“On the Trail” n°11
“On the Trail” n°11
The staggering world of wildlife poaching and smuggling
Quarterly Information and Analysis Bulletin
n°11: 1st October – 31th December 2015
100 pages of cruelty, corruption, courage, amazement, and beauty (6.6 Mo)
Birds, pages 19 to 29
Discover caviar in a coffin, ivories in trailers and containers.
Explore the wigs and tailors networks.
Rescue vultures and worry about bears.
The Modern Express: uprighted but not right
The Modern Express was uprighted on February 22. “For the purposes of the investigation,” the Spanish authorities denied access to the experts, ship-owners, charterers and their representatives until February 26.
Technically speaking, the Modern Express is a roll-on roll-off ship -Pure Car and Truck Carrier- in other words, it is only used for transporting rolling stock.
The Modern Express was loaded with 3600 tons of timber (or 4089 tons according to other sources), divided into four types: okan, azobe, tali and construction machinery. The exotic timbers should have been unloaded in Le Havre and was meant to be sent to European companies.
Modern Express: The burden of timber
Press Release Modern Express no. 5.
According to her charterer, the Modern Express was carrying 3600 tons of sawn timber. The director of ERL France highlights that car and other rolling stock carriers are not adequate for the transportation of logs (1).
Are the vessels of the category of the Modern Express adapted to the transport of wood bundles? If timber bundles are not strapped and lashed properly in the garage decks, they can break off and tip over. Consequently, thousands of tons of sawn timber can accumulate at one side of the vessel and can induce an irreversible list.
Specious Woods
Press Release Modern Express no. 4
(The other press releases on the modern Express are available here)
According to the French naval headquarters of the Atlantic Ocean there are 3600 tons of sawn timber on board of the Modern Express. On the other hand, the Ministry of Economy of Gabon (after having consulted with the shipping agent Necotrans in Libreville) claims that there are 4089 tons of sawn timber. Necotrans also has an agency in Le Havre.
The fact that Gabon claimed an international investigation of the matter thorough Interpol encourages France to do likewise on its own territory, particularly because the timber unloaded at Le Havre can reach China on board of container ships of Chinese companies that regularly call at Le Havre.
Modern Express: Are there any stowaways on board?
Press Release Modern Express no.3
Track records suggest that stowaways wishing to immigrate and access to northern European ports try to board in West African ports, with or without the complicity of port agents and crew.
The French ports that are mostly targeted with such often tragic attempts are Marseille, Sète, la Rochelle, Nantes-Saint Nazaire, le Havre and Rouen.
Owendo timber port in Gabon – the departure port of the Modern Express – is known to be a gathering place for immigrants coming from a number of West African countries and trying to get to Europe.
Where is she going?
Press Release Modern Express no.2
The amended European Union Directive of June 27, 2002 asks all member States to establish plans to accomodate ships in distress in their ports or in any other protected area in the best possible conditions.
The Modern Express is currently under tow and is heading further out to sea. It is understandable that the French maritime authorities initially wish to keep her away from an inhospitable coastline.
Nevertheless, in order to avoid a shipwreck in the middle of the sea, or a potential sinking of the vessel in the Bay of Biscay, it is essential to designate a place of refuge where the salvage teams could benefit from better weather and technical conditions necessary to correct the list of the Modern Express. The vessel is currently in waters under French jurisdiction.
The solitary journey of the Modern Express
The scenario of the ship that refuses to sink is a familiar situation for rescue teams and maritime authorities since the Liberty Ship Flying Entreprise ran adrift in the English Channel in the winter of 1952. A notable difference with the Modern Express is that the master stayed on board till the very end, until he was evacuated, following 15 days of drift and futile efforts to restore the stability of the vessel.
Although relatively recently built, a number of deficiencies have been reported on the Modern Express in the Port of Antwerp since 2012.
