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Dutch captain Pim de Rhoodes, his wife, and the entire crew of the 'N 35' held without charge in prison

The Dutch captain Pim de Rhoodes, his wife, and the entire crew of the 'N 35' are being held without charge in a Venezuelan prison. Their vessel was seized in June by the Venezuelan navy. The crew is suspected of espionage, terrorism, and inciting riots, but official charges are not yet pending. The crew is being held in two prisons. The seven men are being held in the El Rodeo complex on the outskirts of Caracas, and the two women are being held in a women's prison in La Guaira, about 30 kilometers north of the Venezuelan capital. Consular Visit Captain Pim de Rhoodes and his wife, also Dutch, have since received a visit from a consular officer from the embassy in Caracas. They were doing well under the circumstances. Five other crew members also received a consular visit. These include a Spanish and Hungarian sailor, as well as three Honduran crew members. The ambassador of their country visited the latter after the trio's family traveled to Tegucigalpa twice with a request to take action. According to the Dutch ship's manager of the 'N 35', the Maritime Authority of the flag state of Panama has been promising for three months to send someone to provide consular assistance to the crew. The crew is currently not receiving legal representation. The Venezuelan navy refused to allow a lawyer hired by Captain De Rhoodes to board the former offshore supply vessel. It was intercepted on June 13 during a search for a World War II shipwreck and detained in the port of Guamache on Isla Margarita. The remaining two crew members, a Panamanian oiler and an Indonesian cook, have not yet received a consular visit. The 'N 35' is operated by Seatec NV, the Belgian-registered search and salvage company founded by Pim de Rhoodes. The Panamanian Maritime Authority (AMP) reported on July 8 that the Republic of Panama, as the ship's flag state, was committed to complying with national and international regulations to protect the labour and social rights of all seafarers on board the 'N 35'.

Panama Maritime Authority taking action to protect rights of detained crew

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) announced that it was taking action through its General Directorate of Seafarers (DGGM) to protect the labour rights of the crew of the 'N 35'. which was detained by the Navy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on June 13, 2025. The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (BNAF) of the Chavista regime intercepted the vessel in waters that Venezuela considers its own, while it was allegedly conducting scientific surveys. Due to doubts about its true intentions and the possibility that it was conducting espionage, the vessel, along with its crew, was placed in preventive custody. The General Directorate of Seafarers (GDoS) of the Panama Maritime Authority has taken action to safeguard the labour rights of the nine crew members. The AMP demanded that the ship owners fulfill their responsibilities to the crew and has been monitoring all actions taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE) in this regard. The Department of Maritime Labor Affairs of the DGGM obtained a court appearance for the MIRE to meet with the family of one Panamanian crew member, and the national coordinator of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), Vladimir Small Ortiz. The vessel's operators have confirmed that they have provided legal assistance to the arrested crew, because diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Panama were reestablished on June 19 and will be effective starting this week, when the personnel return to their offices. The AMP hopes that, with the regularization of these international ties, official information will be obtained from the crew members and the proceedings against them. The vessel's flag state, the Republic of Panama, is committed to ensuring compliance with national and international regulations protecting the labour and social rights of all seafarers on board the 'N 35'.

Dreifa Energy to purchase the platform supply vessel Blue Betria

We are pleased to announce that Dreifa Energy Limited (“Dreifa Energy” or the “Company”) has entered into an agreement to acquire the platform supply vessel Blue Betria from Blue Star Line A/S. The Blue Betria was built in 1983, extensively upgraded in 2015 and is currently trading in the North Sea. Dreifa Energy is developing mid-scale floating regasification terminals for LNG imports. The terminal concept consists of regasification equipment and related utilities on a suited floating structure (“FRU”), operating in combination with a standard LNG carrier providing floating storage. The large deck space and excellent condition make Blue Betria an ideal candidate for conversion to an FRU, consistent with Dreifa Energy’s strategy of providing prompt, flexible and cost efficient solutions for prospective LNG importers targeting initial throughput of up to 1.5mtpa.