Mare Jonio (rescue ship) explained

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 [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]

2024

The crew of Mare Jonio was attacked by the Libyan Coast Guard while conducting a Search and rescue operation in international waters, approximately 95 miles north of Libyan coastline.[19]

Awards

The Mare Jonio together with the Maersk Etienne were given the "Seafarers’ Award" 2021 at Copenhagen.[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MARE JONIO Tug IMO: 7222669 . www.marinetraffic.com . 16 June 2021.
  2. News: Tondo . Lorenzo . Italian-flagged migrant rescue boat defies anti immigration minister . 18 April 2024 . The Guardian . 4 October 2018.
  3. Web site: 2020-06-11 . Rescue ship Mare Ionio back at sea for eighth mission . 2020-11-15 . InfoMigrants . en.
  4. Web site: Aktuelle Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio . Current Mission / Partner: Mediterranea / Mare Jonio . Sea-Watch . de . 21 July 2019.
  5. News: Tondo . Lorenzo . Italian authorities order seizure of migrant rescue ship . 18 April 2024 . The Guardian . 20 March 2019.
  6. Web site: From Social Worker to Social Ship Owner: Interview with Alessandro Metz . read.dukeupress.edu . 16 June 2021 .
  7. News: Salvini bans another migrant ship from Italy . 17 June 2021 . Insurance Marine News . 3 September 2019.
  8. Web site: MARE JONIO, IMO 7222669, Flag Italy . directory.shipfix.com . 17 June 2021 . en.
  9. Web site: MARE JONIO - IMO 7222669 . www.shipspotting.com . 17 June 2021 . en.
  10. Web site: Photos of MARE JONIO (MMSI: 247536000) . www.marinetraffic.com . 17 June 2021.
  11. News: Caccia . Sandro . Mezzadra . Beppe . What Can a Ship Do? . 17 June 2021 . Viewpoint Magazine . 7 January 2019.
  12. News: Mare Jonio ship seized - TopNews - Ansa.it . 18 April 2024 . Agenzia ANSA . 3 September 2019 . it.
  13. News: Mediterranea esulta: "Tribunale ordina il dissequestro della nave Mare Jonio" . Mediterranea rejoices: "Court orders the release from seizure of the Mare Jonio ship" . 4 February 2020 . Agenzia DIRE . 22 July 2020.
  14. News: 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 . 19 March 2020.
  15. News: 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 . Andrea Gagliardi . 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 . . 12 June 2020 . 22 July 2020.
  16. News: Migranti, a Pozzallo i 67 salvati dalla Mare Jonio. Resta senza "porto sicuro" la Sea Watch 3 che naviga al largo della Sicilia . Fabio Albanese. 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. 20 June 2020. 22 July 2020.
  17. News: Mediterranea salva 43 naufraghi, ma il bimbo nato nel naufragio è ancora in Libia . Alessandro Puglia . Mediterranea saves 43 shipwrecked, but the child born in the shipwreck is still in Libya . Vita . 29 June 2020 . 22 July 2020.
  18. Web site: 1 December 2020 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and legal proceedings against them . European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, fra.europa.eu . 18 May 2021 . 18 December 2020.
  19. News: Shocking video from the attack against the "Mare Jonio" rescue ship . 5 April 2024 . Syntakton Newspaper, efsyn.gr . 5 April 2024.
  20. News: "Seafarers’ Award" 2021: gli equipaggi della MARE JONIO e MAERSK ETIENNE premiati a Copenhagen . "Seafarers' Award" 2021: the crews of the MARE JONIO and MAERSK ETIENNE awarded in Copenhagen . 17 June 2021 . archivio.unita.news . 28 May 2021.

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