Bulk carrier Pindos anchored in position lat 000 14 20S, long 117 39 40E, at the Muara Berau anchorage, Samarinda, Indonesia, was boarded by armed robbers with knives, at 1915 hrs, on Sep 18. According to reports, the robbers boarded the vessel two times in three hours. On both occasions, the duty watchman noticed the robbers on the forecastle deck and raised the alarm. Despite the alarm being raised, the robbers managed to steal the vessel's stores, and escaped.

Fully cellular containership Ayatt, en route from Alexandria, Egypt to Novorossiysk, Russia, in ballast condition experienced technical failure and sheltered at Cesme Anchorage under its own power at 1100 hrs, today. Repairs have commenced by the crew. The vessel remains stationary at anchorage position as of 2300 hrs.

London, Sep 19 -- A press report, dated today, states: An earthquake of magnitude 5.8, struck the Western Province of Solomon Islands, just before midnight, local time, on Sep 18. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake's epicentre was located at a depth of 10 kilometres, about 48 kilometres east-southeast of the provincial capital Gizo. No Tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. There are no official reports of damages, as of now.

The Coast Guard assisted in the rescue of four crewmembers from a shing vessel after it capsized near Sabine Pass on Tuesday morning. Eighth Coast Guard District watchstanders in New Orleans received an emergency position indicating radio beacon signal from the 65-foot shing vessel Captain M&M, which provided an approximate location of the vessel, and launched an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew. Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders launched a Station Sabine 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew and sent out an urgent marine information broadcast with the vessel’s location.