The ship Mare Jonio was originally constructed as a tugboat in 1972.[1] Operating on behalf of Mediterranea Saving Humans (MSH), Mare Jonio has been active in a Search and Rescue (SAR) role rescuing shipwrecked refugees in the Mediterranean Sea since October 2018.[2][3] The project also has the support of the German association Sea-Watch and the Spanish Proactiva Open Arms.[4][5] The ship is owned by Alessandro Metz[6] through Idra Social Shipping SRL and is managed by Augustea Imprese Marittime e di Salvataggi SpA of Genoa, Italy;[7] Mare Jonio sails under the Italian flag.[1]
Specifications
Mare Jonio is 37m long (some sources give 38m, more specifically 37.55m in one source[8]), with a beam of 9m and a draught of 3.2m.[9] The ship has a maximum speed of 13knots.[8]
Earlier history
Between 2007 and 2018 the ship operated largely on the western side of Italy.[9][10]
SAR history: Selected events
2018
Mare Jonio began SAR operations by setting sail on 3 October 2018.[2][11]
2019
Mare Jonio was seized by the Italian authorities in September 2019 over a dispute regarding the legality of landing shipwrecked refugees at Italian ports.[12] The ship remained confiscated until February 2020, when a jury accepted Mediterranea's appeal, immediately releasing the ship from seizure.[13]
2020
During March 2020 MSH announced that its two ships, Mare Jonio and Alex would suspend their navigation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] Operations resumed in June 2020,[15] and sixty people were rescued on 19 June,[16] followed by another forty-three on 29 June.[17]
The ship was declared to be subject to mandatory maintenance work and has been in the port of Chioggia, Italy, since November 2020.[18]
Awards
The Mare Jonio together with the Maersk Etienne were given the "Seafarers’ Award" 2021 at Copenhagen.[19]
References
- 1 2 MARE JONIO Tug IMO: 7222669 www.marinetraffic.com, accessed 16 June 2021
- 1 2 Italian-flagged migrant rescue boat defies anti immigration minister 4 October 2018
- ↑ "Rescue ship Mare Ionio back at sea for eighth mission". InfoMigrants. 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
- ↑ "Aktuelle Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio" [Current Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio]. Sea-Watch (in German). Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ↑ Italian authorities order seizure of migrant rescue ship 20 March 2019
- ↑ From Social Worker to Social Ship Owner: Interview with Alessandro Metz read.dukeupress.edu, accessed 16 June 2021
- ↑ Salvini bans another migrant ship from Italy 3 September 2019, insurancemarinenews.com, accessed 17 June 2021
- 1 2 MARE JONIO Tug 1972 IMO 7222669 Italy shipfix.com, accessed 17 June 2021
- 1 2 MARE JONIO - IMO 7222669 www.shipspotting.com, accessed 17 June 2021
- ↑ Photos of MARE JONIO (MMSI: 247536000) www.marinetraffic.com, accessed 17 June 2021
- ↑ What Can a Ship Do? 7 January 2019 viewpointmag.com, accessed 17 June 2021
- ↑ Mare Jonio ship seized 3 September 2019
- ↑ "Mediterranea esulta: "Tribunale ordina il dissequestro della nave Mare Jonio"" [Mediterranea rejoices: "Court orders the release from seizure of the Mare Jonio ship"]. Agenzia DIRE. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ↑ Alessandra Benignetti (18 March 2020). "Migranti, Ong annunciano stop alle missioni: "Ce lo impone la pandemia"" [Migrants, NGOs announce stop to missions: "The pandemic forces it to us"]. Il Journal. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ↑ Andrea Gagliardi (12 June 2020). "Tornano in mare le navi delle Ong, sbarchi in aumento già ad aprile e maggio. La Mare Jonio e la Sea Watch 3 si trovano nell'area di ricerca e soccorso davanti alla Libia. A maggio e aprile sbarchi raddoppiati rispetto allo stesso mese del 2019" [The ships of the NGOs return to sea, landings increasing already in April and May. The Mare Jonio and the Sea-Watch 3 are located in the search and rescue area in front of Libya. In May and April landings doubled compared to the same month in 2019]. Il Sole 24 Ore. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ↑ Fabio Albanese (20 June 2020). "Migranti, a Pozzallo i 67 salvati dalla Mare Jonio. Resta senza "porto sicuro" la Sea Watch 3 che naviga al largo della Sicilia" [Migrants, in Pozzallo the 67 saved from the Ionian Sea. The Sea Watch 3 that sails off the coast of Sicily remains without a "safe haven"]. La Stampa. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ↑ Alessandro Puglia (29 June 2020). "Mediterranea salva 43 naufraghi, ma il bimbo nato nel naufragio è ancora in Libia" [Mediterranea saves 43 shipwrecked, but the child born in the shipwreck is still in Libya]. Vita. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ↑ December 2020 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and legal proceedings against them 18 December 2020, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, fra.europa.eu, accessed 18 May 2021
- ↑ "Seafarers’ Award" 2021: gli equipaggi della MARE JONIO e MAERSK ETIENNE premiati a Copenhagen 28 May 2021 unita.news, accessed 17 June 2021