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. 1 2 MARE JONIO Tug IMO: 7222669 www.marinetraffic.com, accessed 16 June 2021
  2. 1 2 Italian-flagged migrant rescue boat defies anti immigration minister 4 October 2018
  3. "Rescue ship Mare Ionio back at sea for eighth mission". InfoMigrants. 2020-06-11. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  4. "Aktuelle Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio" [Current Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio]. Sea-Watch (in German). Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  5. Italian authorities order seizure of migrant rescue ship 20 March 2019
  6. From Social Worker to Social Ship Owner: Interview with Alessandro Metz read.dukeupress.edu, accessed 16 June 2021
  7. Salvini bans another migrant ship from Italy 3 September 2019, insurancemarinenews.com, accessed 17 June 2021
  8. 1 2 MARE JONIO Tug 1972 IMO 7222669 Italy shipfix.com, accessed 17 June 2021
  9. 1 2 MARE JONIO - IMO 7222669 www.shipspotting.com, accessed 17 June 2021
  10. Photos of MARE JONIO (MMSI: 247536000) www.marinetraffic.com, accessed 17 June 2021
  11. What Can a Ship Do? 7 January 2019 viewpointmag.com, accessed 17 June 2021
  12. Mare Jonio ship seized  3 September 2019
  13. "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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. "Seafarers’ Award" 2021: gli equipaggi della MARE JONIO e MAERSK ETIENNE premiati a Copenhagen 28 May 2021 unita.news, accessed 17 June 2021
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