BLUE News
Tracking device law
photo: Emperor Divers
All safari boats operating at the Brothers Islands or any remote site
further south must carry a diver-tracking system on board by law as
from July 2010. The Egyptian Minister of Tourism issued the decree
following recommendations put forward by the CDWS in a bid to help
prevent cases of lost divers in remote and current exposed areas, such
as the southern-most dive sites.
Such systems are already being used by some safari boat operators
in remote areas as an extra safety measure to prevent problems of
missing divers at the surface. Remote areas are currently defi ned by the
CDWS as the Brothers Islands and any site further south.
All safari boat operators have now been given until then end of June
2010 to implement the new system. Any tracking device that meets the
following criteria is approved under the new law:
- Those approved by the NTRA (National Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority):
www.ntra.gov.eg
- Those tested and approved by CDWS
To date only the SeaSafe system has completed the approval process,
with two other products currently undergoing a series of tests. The
results of the latest approvals will be announced to CDWS members
once completed.
The SeaSafe system is tested to accurately pinpoint a diver who is lost
within an 18km radius of the boat. All divers wear a transmitter on their
arm, with which they can also activate an alarm to signal a diver in
distress.
Ship owner fi ned for reef smash
The owners of
the cargo ship
that smashed into
Woodhouse Reef
off the Strait of
Tiran have been
ordered to pay
up to fi ve million
US Dollars by
the Egyptian
government for
damages to the environment. The 260m-long CSCL Hamburg collided with the north side of the popular diving reef on 31 December 2009.
There were no injuries or leakage from the Hong Kong fl agged vessel, but the South Sinai National Park offi ce said signifi cant damage had
been caused to the reef.
Director of the South Sinai National Parks offi ce, Dr Mohammed Salem told BLUE: ‘The damaged area is almost 700m-square because of
the slope. To 35m there is 100 per cent damage, which we estimate will take around 100 years to recover. Between 35m and 40m the coral
community at this depth is not so dense, with an almost entirely sandy bottom.’
The ship remained stuck on the reef for nine days, while damage to its hull was repaired. Once repairs were complete, the CSCL Hamburg
was able to make its way to the Gulf of Suez with its cargo. It was then impounded by Egyptian maritime authorities.
According to reports, just prior to the collision, the ship received a warning from the navigation centre north of Ras Nasrani. It was veering
off -course, approximately 1,200m from the shipping lane.
‘With GPS and all the navigation systems on board such vessels, this shouldn’t be happening,’ Dr Salem added. ‘Thousands of ships pass
through this area each year without incident. It looks like the ship changed course 2,000m before it should have done, leading to the
collision.’
Underwater videographer Tom Osborn fi lmed footage of the damaged reef following the collision. He said: ‘The entire reef in the area of the
collision has been destroyed. It resembles a chalk quarry with fresh white lumps of rock scattered everywhere. At 35m you can clearly see a
large slab of reef plate that used to be near the surface.’
The fi ne will supplement funding for environmental projects run by the government throughout Egypt.
6
www.cdws.travel
Issue 5 March - April ‘10
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