Suez ships

m/v Trust

During the transit in 2023 I clocked these ladies as we plodded along the Suez canal. The 1st up on here is m/v Trust, it seems she has already met her demise at Turkish shipbreakers in Oct 2024...

m/v Trust

IMO number: 8869749
Vessel Name: Trust (ex Trust Jr, ex Cheng Long)
Ship Type: General Cargo Ship
Flag: Panama
Build: Japan, 1993
Length Overall: 73.35 m
Beam: 12.00 m
Draught: 3.6 m
Gross Tonnage 1559

Having a peek into Equasis she has had a total of 71 port state inspections, the last ownership was Turkish so she probably was on her way to Turkey when I saw her. It seems she was under Asian ownership until 2022 when she was sold to Middle East, she had had 4 detentions in the Tokyo MOU and several remarks from port state controls from 2011 onwards. 

Her last port state control 20th Sept 2024 in Volos, Greece gave her 5 deficiencies.

Fire safety: Doors within main
Fire safety: Fire pumps
ISM: ISM, related deficiencies
Life saving appliances: Stowage of liferafts
Safety of Navigation: Lights, shapes and sound signal

It looks like it was only about auxiliary systems and easy to fix.

Then before Greece she was inspected on July 2024 in Odessa, Ukraine and passed without remarks but the day before she got 10 deficiencies, mostly only for incomplete admin. They fixed it overnight.

Certificate & Documentation: Documents Garbage record book
Certificate & Documentation: Documents Ship specific plans for the recovery of persons from the water
Certificate & Documentation: Documents SOPEP 
ISPS: Other (maritime security) 
Life saving appliances: Rescue Boats 
Pollution prevention - MARPOL Annex V: Garbage management plan 
Safety of Navigation: Compass correction log 
Safety of Navigation: Nautical Publications 
Safety of Navigation: Other navigation 
Safety of Navigation: Voyage or passage plan

m/v Trust pulled ashore in Aliaga, 10/2024 (next to Elbeik?)

Credit: captainselim (IG)

Her last detention was in Yokkaichi, Japan on March 2019 with a total of 9 deficiencies.

Certificate & Documentation: Documents Log-books/compulsory entries 
ISPS: Access control to ship
Life saving appliances: Emergency equipment for 2-way communication
Life saving appliances: Operation of Life Saving Appliances 
Life saving appliances: Rescue Boats 
Safety of Navigation: Automatic identification system (AIS) 
Safety of Navigation: Bridge Operation

The reason for detention was as follows:

Emergency Systems: Fire Drills 
ISM: Resources and Personnel

Again it seems mostly due to lack of proper admin. Why she was scrapped I don't know as she appears to be in a somewhat passable state, she was hauled up on the beach only a month after her last inspection. Maybe she just did not get good charter rates and in order to cut losses they sold her off to the shipbreakers instead of pouring money in her to fix up all those small things that are picked up in the PSC. Alternatively maybe they just did a few charters on their way to the breakers to earn a quick buck, after all she must've had all her trading certificates in order.

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At least the next one is still in traffic albeit much older than Trust, incidentally she has also been named Trust during her lifespan. She's an old Duthcman, converted from general cargo to livestock carrier, as per the AIS track she seems to trade mainly along the Red Sea.

m/v Farah I

IMO number: 7602314
Name: Farah I
Ex names: Trust (2015, Sierra Leone), Swift Trader (1999), Swift (1985)
Vessel type: General cargo vessel
Flag: Tanzania
Gross tonnage: 1072 tons
Deadweight: 2621 tons
Length: 79 m
Breadth: 13 m
Year of build: 1977
Builder: Bodewes Shipyard, Hoogezand, Netherlands
Classification society: Isthmus Maritime Classification
Home port: Freetown
Owner:  Trust Marine Shipping, Suez, Egypt

Here as Swift Trader

Credit: Jan vanden Bos (shipspotting)

Looking at Equasis she only has 8 inspections from 2013 to 2021 but deficiencies on all of them except one. The last port state control on Dec 2021 in Kenya, Mombasa has her down for 11 strikes in the record.

Accommodation: Ventilation heating accommodation 
Fire Safety measures: Fire fighting equipment and appliances 
Fire Safety measures: Ready availablity of fire fighting equipment 
Food and catering: Freeboard marks 
Food and catering: Manholes flush scuttles 
Life saving appliances: Inflatable liferafts 
Life saving appliances: Rescue boats 
Maritime Security: Access control to ship 
Safety of navigation: Lights, shapes and sound signal 
Safety of navigation: Signalling lamp 
Working spaces and accident prevention: Winches and capstans

Looks very easy to rectify. Her Class seems to have been withdrawn in 2023 but she's still trading. 

Here as Swift at Schiehaven Rotterdam, 1985

Credit: simonwp (shipspotting)

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Here is another German masterpiece by the German Sietas yard, she's been a dear child judging of the amount of ex names she's had. Naturally she's been converted into a livestock carrier and is still in traffic. Nevertheless she's a thorn in the side of animal welfare organisations and listed in the Robin de Bois & Animal welfare foundation e.V.'s report compiled and published in March 2024 re: 64 approved EU livestock carriers.

m/v Pacific M in Suez

IMO number 7041053
Vessel Name: Pacific M
Ex names: Almahmoud 3 (until 2013 Feb), Yesser (until 2008 Feb), Gerard Patrick Purcell (until 2004 Sep), Deichtor (until 1984 Feb), Lubbecke (until 1983), Ibesca Belgica (until 1980), Ibesca Britannia (until 1978), Lubbecke (until 1977)

Ship Type: Livestock Carrier
Flag: Togo
Builder: J. J. Sietas Werft, Germany, 1970
Length Overall: 88.51 m
Beam: 13.85 m
Draught 5.9 m
Gross Tonnage 2987

DWT: 2568 t

m/v Pacific M in Suez

Short summary of the 64 approved EU livestock carriers from RdB's & AWF's report dated in March 2024: The report on 78 EU-approved livestock carriers written by Robin des Bois in 2021 drew the following profile: the average EU-approved livestock carrier was a 41-year-old vessel, 99 m in length, converted from general cargo ship at the age of 29, detained 5 times throughout her operational life, classed by a non IACS classification society and flying a flag of convenience black-listed by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU). 

In other words, she was a substandard ship. 3 years later, this new report studies the profile of 64 livestock carriers currently EU-approved. 53 of the vessels considered in the 2021 report are still EU-approved. The average EU approved livestock carrier is now older (43 years old), smaller (97 m in length), converted from general cargo ship at the age of 30, detained 5 times throughout her operational life, still classed by a non IACS classification society (67%) and flying a black-listed flag (48%).  EU-approved livestock carriers ships transport between 1,000 and 3,800 cattle or up to 14,000 sheep. They are manned by crews of 20 to 70 sailors. The 2024 average EU-approved livestock carrier is more than ever a substandard ship. 

The Pacific M entry from page 141 of the report

Credit: Robin des Bois/ Animal Welfare Foundation e.V.

I had a look in Equasis and she has had a total of 63 inspections between 1998-2025 with 3 detentions. Her last inspection was in Varna, Bulgaria in Oct 2024 where she got a total of 8 deficiencies.

Certificate & Documentation - Documents: Signs/indications 

Emergency Systems: Muster list 
MLC, 2006 Accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering: Lighting accommodation 
MLC, 2006 Health protection, medical care, social security: Protection machines/parts 
MLC, 2006 Health protection, medical care, social security: Winches and capstans 
Safety of Navigation: Compass correction log 
Structural Conditions: Closing devices watertight doors 
Water/Weathertight conditions: Railing cat walks 

Her last detention was in Feb 2017 in Midia, Romania where she got 17 deficiencies. The detention before that was in Slovenia, 2016, and  before that in Croatia, 2011.
Certificate & Documentation - Crew Certificates: Certificates for masters and officers 
Emergency Systems: Emergency fire pump 
Fire safety: Inert gas system 
MLC, 2006 Accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering: Cold room, cold room cleanliness, cold room temper 
MLC, 2006 Accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering: Hospital accommodation (Sickbay) 
MLC, 2006 Health protection, medical care, social security: Cleanliness of engine room 
MLC, 2006 Health protection, medical care, social security: Electrical 
Pollution prevention - MARPOL Annex V: Garbage 
Safety of Navigation: Lights, shapes and sound signal 
Structural Conditions: Decks corrosion 

The grounds for detention were as follows.

Certificate & Documentation - Crew Certificates: Endorsement by flagstate, expired 
Certificate & Documentation - Crew Certificates: Seafarers' employment agreement (SEA), invalid
Emergency Systems: Fire drills, lack of training 
Fire safety: Ready availability of fire fighting equipment, inoperative 
ISM ISM, related deficiencies: Not as required 
MLC, 2006 Accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering: Heating, air conditioning and ventilation, inoperative 
Water/Weathertight conditions: Other load lines

As Lubbecke sailing Goole

Credit: pwr (shipspotting)

As Lubbecke sailing Goole

Credit: pwr (shipspotting)

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Here I clocked another Dutchman, she has had a colorful history as documented by their historical society as seen below, few happenstances like a fire in engine room and killed engineer in a tank she was lengthened and re-engined before sold to Middle East. She still seems to be going good.

m/v Nour

IMO number: 8411657
Name: Nour

Owner: El Moez Maritime Company, Egypt
Ex names: Pergamon (2012), Pergamon (2011), Yannis (2006), Constance (2001)

Builder: E. J. Smit & Zoon's Scheepswerven B.V., Westerbroek, Netherlands, 1985

Yard number: 830
Launched: 1985.03.09

Completed: 1985.05.10

Classification society: Lloyd's Shipping Register

Home port: Freetown
Type: General cargo ship
Length overall: 81.90 m
Beam: 15.00 m
Depth: 8.11 m
Draught: 6.67 m
GT: 2816
NT: 1681
DWT: 4417
Engine: Wärtsilä, nr. 3283, type 6R32 (320x350), 750 rpm
Power: 1840 kW
Speed: 12.0 kn

As Constance on Oterdum anchorage-River Ems near Delfzijl the 10th October 1987

Credit: Frits Olinga (shipspotting)

Below is her early recorded history from the Dutch Stichting Maritiem Historische Databank:

Configuration Changes

Date 00-11-1992

Type: Lengthened

Description: Lengthened at Shipyard Niestern Sander in Delfzijl: Brt 3259, Nrt 2034, Dwat 5105. Loa 91.88 Ll 87.24. Grain 7301 - Bale 7018 m3.

Date 00-06-1993

Type: Propulsion/engine changed

Description: New main engine: 4tew 6 cyl 1840 kW Wärtsilä Type 6R32E (320x350) 750 rpm 12 Kn.

At her launch in 1985

Credit: Stichting Maritiem Historische Databank

Ship Events Data

1985-03-12: NvhN 12-03-1985: M/s Constance launched. At the shipyard E. J. Smit en Zoon B.V. in Westerbroek, the m/s Constance was launched, the third ship from the C-series of the shipping company Wijnne en Barends in Delfzijl. 

The Constance has a carrying capacity of 4250 tons, a length of 82 meters, a width of 15 meters, a draft of 6.70 meters and a hold of 52x14x8.10 meters (volume approx. 210,000 balefeet). The main engine is a Wärtsilä 6 R 32/1840 and this should give the ship a speed of 12 knots per hour. The ship was built under the supervision of Lloyds, classified +100 AI Ice IC. The Constance will be delivered in May. (Baptized by Mrs. D.Wiljes-Schouwstra.)

1985-03-27: As Constance, hull number 830 of shipyard E.J. Smit and Zoon's Scheepswerven B.V. in Hoogezand, being a motor cargo ship under construction, not yet measured, lying in Hoogezand, provided with her brand mark by K. Rozema, official at the Ship Measurement Service in Groningen, by chiseling 5465 Z GRON 1985 on the aft ship on B.B. side in the aft wall of the deckhouse, 3.82 m. from the stern plate, 1.30 m. from the longitudinal axis, 1.65 m. from the deck.

1985-05-15: NvhN 15-05-1985: Constance in service. Westerbroek — After the sea trials on the Eems, the shipyard E. J. Smit & Zn in Westerbroek transferred the motor coastal vessel Constance to the Rederij Wijnne & Barends in Delfzijl. The ship has a carrying capacity of 4250 tons, is 82 meters long, 15 meters wide and has a depth of 8.10 meters. A main engine of 2500 hp type Wärtsilä 6 R is installed in the engine room. During the sea trials, a speed of 14 miles per hour was measured.

(Sea trials: 08 and 10-05-1985)

1990-06-13: On the way from St. Michael to Canada 20 miles from Pico Island (Azores) damage sustained by fire in the engine room. Arrived on 01-07-1990 towed by the tugboat “Viking” in Delfzijl. 

"General information

L.L. 14//06/1990 - Constance. Agents at Ponta Delgada, St. Michaels, reported June 12: understand Dutch motor vessel Constance, 2,826 tons gross, built 1985, on ballast voyage Ponta Delgada for Canada, had fire in engineroom about 20 miles south of Pico Island. Fire presently extinguished and vessel needing to be towed Ponta Delgada. 

L.L. 15/06/1990 - Constance. Ponta Delgada, June 13. Constance now bound Horta in tow or ro-ro m ferry Cruzeiro do Canal. - Lloyd's Agents.

L.L. 20/06/1990 - Ponta Delgada, June 13. Mv. Constance left St. Michael's June 11 for Canada. - Lloyd's Agents.

L.L. 28/06/1990. Horta, Fayal, June 17.-Mv Constance arrived June 13 from St. Michael's. - Lloyd's Sub-agents.

L.L. 05/07/1990 - Horta, Fayal, June 24. Mv Constance sailed June 21 for Delfzijl in tow of tug Viking - Lloyd's Sub-agents.

Delfzijl, July 3. - Constance and Viking arrived July 1. Lloyd's Sub-agents."

1991-00-00: Note from Hein Braam: In the spring of 1991, shortly after departure from Singapore, a loose fuel line caused a fire in the engine room. Towed to Singapore and repaired at Keppel in April, March and June.

1992-07-15: Owned by Boven Textiel B.V., established in Winschoten, with offices at 9934 CR Delfzijl, Oude Schans 6.

1998-07-20: En route from Belem to Mobile, Alabama, USA with a load of sawn timber, an accident occurred during welding work in a deep tank, in which the second engineer was killed.

2001-07-24: During a voyage from Fowey to Beirut (Lebanon) and Alexandria (Egypt), collided with quay no. 11 while mooring in Beirut, causing hull damage and fuel leakage. On 30-07-2001 the journey to Alexandria could be continued.