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.
Embargo on the Sirens
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
CITES 2013 – Bangkok, 4.45 pm (local time)
Press Release n°4
Caribbean and Amazonian manatees have been listed under Appendix I of CITES since 1975.
It took 38 years for the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) to get the same protection. The proposal from Senegal, Benin, and Sierra Leone was approved by consensus. Today, the population of West African manatees is estimated to be less than 10,000 individuals living in the estuaries and costal waters of 21 countries. Reaching up to 3m in length and between 300 and 500 kg, manatees, also known as sea cows, are exclusively herbivores. Some grand individuals can even reach up to 4m in length and weigh over 1,000kg. Consuming 30kg of aquatic plants each day, they are considered the best biological means of combatting the colonization of invasive species, such as the water hyacinth.