The 'Seven Seas Explorer arrived in Vancouver, British Colombia, on May 14, 2025, after a repositioning journey across the Pacific Ocean, during which 22 of the 666 passengers and two members of the 545 crew membersbecame victims of a gastrointestinal outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received word from the ship’s medical team after the ship pulled into port. It had departed from Tokyo on April 26, with passengers beginning to fall ill to symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting. The cause of the outbreak was unknown, but norovirus was a likely cause. The affected passengers and crew members were isolated and deep cleaning procedures commenced.
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BORGENFJORD
En route from Myre to fish farms, the 'Borgensfjord' ran aground in pos. 66° 21' N 012° 47' E off Lurøy on May 16, 2025, at around around 8 a.m. The ship was coming from the west side of Aldra and ended in a shallow area west of Stokkvågen, south of Lurøya. According to the Central Rescue Center, there was no emergency situation, neither for the crew nor the environment.
Balboa
The government of the Panama has officially approved the modification of the Panama Canal tolls structure, following a recommendation from the Panama Canal board of directors and a period of consultation with shipping line clients. The approved modifications include the tolls charged to neopanamax dry bulk vessels carrying iron ore, neopanamax dry bulk vessels transiting in ballast, the vehicle carrier/roro segment, and for the liquid bulk segment (including oil and product tankers, chemical tankers, LPG and LNG vessels).
Charleston
Due to Hurricane Dorian, the South Carolina Ports Authority’s marine terminals in Charleston and Georgetown will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. All terminals are open and operating normal hours Tuesday, South Carolina Ports reported early Tuesday. Charleston and Georgetown terminals will reopen Friday at 9 am EDT. The Wando Welch Terminal (WWT) and the North Charleston Terminal (NCT) will operate normally on September 7. WWT and NCT will also be open September 8. The South Carolina Ports Authority’s inland ports will be open and operating under normal hours throughout the week.
JULIE
On May 15, 2025, shortly before midnight, the 'Julie' caught fire near the Remanso Bridge over the Paraguay River. The violent fire, which started n the engine room and spread rapidly, caused multiple explosions due to the presence of flammable materials on board. It completely destroyed the pusher tug, owned by the Brazilian company LHG MINING, near the Remanso Bridge over the Paraguay River. The Paraguayan Volunteer Firefighters were mobilized and managed to evacuate the ten crew members unharmed. The ship had approximately 250,000 liters of fuel in its tanks, as well as oil drums and electronic equipment. The fire was only contained during the early morning hours after extensive fighting efforts. Firefighters continued their cooling operations to prevent a possible re-ignition, given the characteristics of the remaining cargo. The vessel was recently undergoing repairs on a floating dock in Villa Hayes. The Authorities started nvestigate the cause of the fire. Reports with photo and video: https://dataportuaria.ar/nota/21606/el-remolcador-julie-fue-consumido-por-el-fuego-en-remanso-rescate-exitoso-de-su-tripulacion/ https://www.npy.com.py/noticias/nacionales/incendio-en-remolcador-del-rio-paraguay-rescatan-a-toda-la-tripulacion
RIGHT
Beached at Alang 15.05.25 https://www.facebook.com/746795035/videos/g.6884293942/586753417771870
Fos-sur-Mer
Among a string of new eco-friendly initiatives, the Marseille Fos port authority is to spend €20 million over the next six years to extend shoreside electrical connections for berthed vessels to every ferry, cruiseship and repair quay within the Marseille eastern harbour, the company said in its release. Already available on the Corsica ferry quays, the network will be expanded in two phases to cover North Africa ferry quays and the shiprepair hub by 2022 and the cruise terminal between 2022 and 2025. The zero-emissions investment - backed by national and regional government – recognises the need to maintain the port’s value to the economy while improving the city’s waterside air quality.
Zeebrugge
Affiliates of Qatar Petroleum and the Belgian independent natural gas transport company Fluxys Belgium signed a long-term agreement for LNG unloading services at the Zeebrugge LNG Terminal. Under the agreement, Qatar Terminal Limited (QTL) -a subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum- will subscribe to the full capacity at the terminal from the expiry of the existing long-term unloading contracts and up to 2044. The transaction follows a competitive evaluation process as well as the approval of the Belgian regulators. QTL is already a party to an existing agreement under which approximately 50% of the terminal’s capacity is utilized for delivery of Qatari LNG into Belgium under long-term LNG agreements.
MAERSK SANA
On May 15, the tug 'Sea 1 Ruby' (IMO: 9413444 ), which had left Bergen on May 4, has reached the 'Maersk Sana', which has been adrift in the Atlantic Ocean after an engine room explosion on April 28, approximately 354 nautical miles east of Bermuda, in pos. 33° 27' N 064° 47' W. The tug is due to tow the ship to the Bahamas, where it is expected to arrive in the last week of May. The explosion had injured three crew members one of them seriously, who remains in critical but stable condition in a U.S. hospital. Despite the explosion, the vessel has retained auxiliary power and can use its thruster for limited maneuvering. The tug was dispatched on May 4 with the aim of towing the container ship to a port of refuge in the Bahamas by the last week of May. Maersk defended its decision to use a distant tug, stating it prioritized finding the right vessel for the job rather than the nearest one. Calm weather has thus far prevented the situation from worsening, and Maersk’s monitoring teams continued to track conditions to ensure safety.
Salalah
Last month, an investment of USD 31 million in asset replacement and capacity improvements over the past year at the Port of Salalah paid off. The Port recorded the highest productivity ever achieved in the region, APM Terminals said in its release. The Port of Salalah is Oman’s major regional gateway port and transshipment hub, located on the Arabian Sea. With an annual capacity of around 5 million TEU, the port set a new productivity record this month, delivering 412.97 Port Moves per Hour (PMPH) on vessel Cap San Tainaro. The Port handled 3,820 moves in a port stay of 9.25 hours.
Benghazi
The commercial port in Libya’s second city Benghazi is working round the clock three years after reopening, attempting to raise revenues for its restoration and expansion. The port was caught in the crossfire as rival factions battled for control of Benghazi from 2014 in a conflict that left parts of the eastern Libyan city in ruins. It suspended operations as the main gate and some buildings were destroyed and the roads strewn with shells. Forces led by Khalifa Haftar eventually declared victory in Benghazi in 2017. Repairs and reconstruction have been limited — two out of three damaged tug boats are still out of service. But the port is now doing brisk business and trucks loaded with cars and containers carrying foodstuffs, motor oils and other goods can be seen streaming out of the main gate near the city center. Port manager Yzaid Bozraida said monthly revenues stood at more than seven million Libyan dinars ($4.9 million) before the war, though the income had not been used to develop the port.