Crude Carrier Read Online Free PDF Page B

ship’s island. A raked smokestack rose above the topmost bridge—the navigation level—whose open wings protruded as far as the sides of the ship below. An accompanying page described a single-screw, diesel-powered motor ship of 40,377 tons deadweight, built in 1979 to carry ore, bulk freight, or oil; speed rated at 15.5 knots.
    The history of the ship’s last voyage listed its owners—Hercules Maritime—and flag—Cyprus. Departed Fremantle, Australia, 17:00 (GMT) 6 November, last year; cargo, bauxite; destination, Abu Dhabi, Arab Emirates. Master, Capt. Kenneth Minkey. She dropped her pilot at 17:56 off Rottnest Island. Made routine Telex reports to the Hercules home office at noon (local time) over the following eight days. Average sailing speed: 14 knots. At 11:53 (GMT) 15 November, she reported that she was in heavy seas and her cargo had shifted. At 14:40 a severe list to starboard brought water through number three hatch. At 17:54 water entered the fuel bunkers. The engines failed at 18:17. That was the last transmission. At 06:00 (GMT) 16 November, Hercules Maritime notified Marine Carriers Worldwide underwriters and asked all ships in that area of the Indian Ocean to report any sighting­ of the MV Golden Dawn . At 12:00 (GMT) Hercules­ Maritime called for a search. No contact with vessel or survivors. Assumed lost with all hands. Location of last transmission: Long. 83' 21" east, Lat. 9'14" south. Claim for lost vessel and cargo filed Friday, 23 November.
    Last was an abstract of the underwriter’s report. The ship’s documents as well as harbor and port authorities had noted several problems with the vessel: the condition of the ship’s pumps (low p.s.i.), the thickness of the plating on the starboard bow encompassing holds one and two (corroded and pitted sections), and the presence of hairline cracks in the forward collision bulkhead. She underwent repairs at the Malacca Dry-dock and Shipyards, Singapore. An invoice and diagrams detailed the hull samples and repairs, and a stamped document from a certified marine inspector in Singapore verified the repairs. A Marine Carriers Worldwide agent, Dorothy Fleenor, declared the vessel insurable on February 10, and coverage was issued beginning 00:01 (GMT) 11 February, last year. A final page in differing type noted that the bodies­ of two oriental males wearing life vests bearing the name Golden Dawn had been picked up at sea on 21 December by the MV Dirk Pitt at longitude 97'08" east, latitude 11'22" south. No identification. Buried at sea.
    Julie placed a call to Marine Carriers Worldwide and asked for Mrs. Fleenor.
    â€œYes, I was the agent on that transaction.” Her voice was cautious.
    Julie explained her connection to Herberling and the Rossi case.
    â€œI don’t understand what that death has to do with the Golden Dawn claim.”
    â€œIt’s hypothetical,” Julie admitted. “But Mr. Herberling was asking about the Rossi incident just before he was killed, and I’m picking up the pieces of his investigation. Can you tell me what kind of insurance the Golden Dawn had?”
    â€œLet me pull it up.” It took a minute or two, then the woman’s voice came back to tell Julie that the cargo insurance­ was for one voyage, which wasn’t too unusual because single-­voyage­ was the cheapest policy. However, and this was aberrant­, the hull was insured against total loss.
    â€œWhy is that unusual?”
    â€œMost owners limit the liability to a partial value of the hull to lower costs. Since this policy had no deduction from the hull’s value, its rate was appreciably higher.” In fact, Mrs. Fleenor admitted, the coverage came to nine hundred US dollars a day. “But the Golden Dawn had recent dry-dock repairs and passed her safety survey, or we wouldn’t have insured her.”
    â€œThen why pay for full coverage?”
    A brief silence. “It does