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The captain and crew of the 'Galaxy Leader', who were held for more than a year by Houthi terrorists, have been nominated for shipping’s top bravery award. The nomination of Lyubomir Chanev and his crew for the IMO’s Exceptional Bravery at Sea award is part of a list notable for acts of seafarer courage during the Red Sea crisis in 2024. The men from Bulgaria, the Philippines, Ukraine, Mexico and Romania were released in Jan 2025, after the start of a Gaza peace deal briefly reduced tensions in the region and led to a halt in the Houthi campaign. Other nominations on the 60-strong list include the Greece-nominated Captain Dimitrios Flouris and his crew from the tug 'Aigaion Pelagos', who played a key role in the operation to remove crude from the burning suezmax tanker 'Sounion', which was carrying a cargo of Iraqi oil from Basrah when it was attacked on Aug 21, 2024, off the port of Hodeidah. After the crew abandoned the ship, Houthi operatives detonated explosives on the deck of the ship, sparking fears of an environmental catastrophe. The cargo was not removed for another three months. Also nominated was Captain Sharad Sinsunwal and the crew of the Indian warship INS 'Kolkata'. The vessel was involved in the rescue of the surviving crew from the Houthi missile strike against the 'True Confidence', who were plucked from the sea and given medical treatment on the warship. The vessel was also involved in the rescue of 17 crew members who had been held hostage for four months fromthe 'Ruen', which had been hijacked by Somali pirates. The 'Kolkata' cornered theship in a 40-hour operation and coerced all 35 pirates into surrendering in March 2024. The nominations will now be scrutinised by an assessment panel chaired by IMO secretary general Arsenio Dominguez before being submitted to a panel of judges. The winners will be announced later this year.

The 'Carnival Paradise' saved five men who were drifting in a small makeshift raft south of Cabo San Antonio off the coast of Cuba on May 14, 2025. The ship provided food, water and fuel to the men on the boat. The cruise line's medical staff also evaluated the boat people. The cruise ship continued its course on to Jamaica. It remained unclear where the group originated or their intended destination. It was also unclear when the people will be transported back and where exactly they will go next. The five people who requested rescue were part of a larger group on board the small boat. The other occupants did not wish to join the ship but were given food and water by the ship's team. The US Coast Guard was notified, and a transfer was coordinated. Report with video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-cruise-ship-saves-people-drifting-sea-small-raft

Ships

A powerful explosion rocked Beirut port on Aug 4, 2020, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. There was no clarity yet with regards to the cause of explosions, and what triggered it. The talk was of a firework factory which blew up. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR88CECmTso&feature=emb_title

On May 16 at around 6:30 a.m. the Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received a distress signal from the missing 'Lucky Harvest', pinpointing its location. At approximately 9:30 a.m., one crew member was successfully hoisted to safety by a U.S. Navy MH-60 Knighthawk helicopter crew from helicopter sea combat squadron 25. The U.S. Coast Guard’s HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawai’i, was overhead, monitoring the vessel and the remaining man aboard. The 'Myrtle Hazard' proceeded to the position to bring the second mariner aboard and tow the 'Lucky Harvest' to a safe pport. The cause of the vessel’s disablement and drift was under investigation.

The Indian Coast Guard rescued the six crew members of the 'MSV Salamat', which sank 60-70 nautical miles southwest of Mangalore, on May 14, 2025. The vessel had departed from Mangaluru port on May 12, carrying a mixed cargo of cement and construction materials, and was expected to reach Kadmat Island on May 18. However, on May 14 at around 5:30 a.m., the ship encountered a huge wave, resulting in its sinking. On May 15 at 12:15 p.m. the Coast Gzard received an emergency alert from the LPG tanker 'Epic Susui' (IMO: 9713612), en route from Duqm to Chittagongwhich reported spotting a small boat with six people on board, which was floating about 52 nautical miles off the coast of Suratkal, Karnataka, The Coast Guard deployed the patrol vessel ICGS 'Vikram', already on routine surveillance nearby, to the location. The rescue team evacuated all six men safely from the dinghy and took them to New Mangalore on May 15. The rescued crew members were: Ismail Sharif, Alemun Ahmed Bhai Ghavda, Kakal Suleman Ismail, Akbar Abdul Surani, Kasam Ismail Mepani and Ajmal. Reports with photos: https://www.thejbt.com/india/msv-salamat-sinks-indian-coast-guard-rescues-6-crew-members-news-285395 https://www.udayavani.com/english-news/cargo-vessel-bound-for-lakshadweep-sinks-off-mangaluru-coast-all-crew-rescued

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The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) responded to an oil spill from the 'Aroyat', which was moored alongside the Demerara Sugar terminal (DST), Ruimveldt, after entering Port Georgetown on May 15, 2025, to load a cargo of rice. The MARAD was informed about the incident at approximately 5 p.m. The National Emergency Response Team including, MARAD, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard (GDF-CG) was immediately mobilised, and mitigating efforts were underway to stop the leak and contain the spill. An investigation into the cause of the incident was launched.

Estonia has accused Russia of creating a serious threat to the NATO after a Russian fighter jet disrupted operations by the Estonian Navy to inspect the unflagged 'Jaguar', which is believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet that Moscow is using to avoid international sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine. The vessel refused to cooperate when asked to stop on May 15. Russia sent a fighter jet to check the situation, which violated NATO territory for close to one minute. Russia has not commented on the incident.

Ships

The trial transshipment of goods from India to its northeast, via the sea route, started on Tuesday after four containers bound for the region were unloaded from a merchant vessel at Bangladesh's Chittagong port, officials said on Tuesday. India and Bangladesh had signed an MOU for goods for northeast India transiting via Bangladesh's ports - a small but significant opening up of both Bangladesh's ports under the broader economic relationship between the two countries. Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruk told on Tuesday: "The first ship under the trial run of transshipment of Indian goods to its northeastern states through Bangladesh arrived at Chattogram (Chittagong) port on Tuesday morning. "MV Shejyoti, carrying back to Chattogam 4 TEUs (20-feet equivalent unit) with 221 containers full of transhipment goods from India's Haldia port, reached the NCT-1 Berth, the outer anchorage of Chattogram port at around 1.25 a.m. But as night navigation is restricted in the port, that is why we started the navigation at morning," he said. MV Shejyoti had left the Syama Prasad Mukherjee port of Kolkata on July 17. Handling of the containers was completed before midnight and the container trailers started for Akhaura with an escort provided by Bangladesh's customs security. Shipping agent sources said the four containers under the trial transshipment contain iron rods and pulses. Those will head to Agartala through the Akhaura Land Port. The consignment of rods will be brought to West Tripura's Jirania from Agartala, while the pulses will go to Assam's Karimganj. Habibur Rahman of Mango Lines, the agent for the merchant vessel, had said that offloading may begin also on Tuesday after completing the formalities. Indian transshipment goods would enjoy a 28-day free-stay after offloading at the port as per the international transshipment agreement. Bangladesh will earn 254 takas from the scanning of each container loaded with transshipment goods. Bangladeshi importers also pay the same charge. Similarly, 30 takas document processing fee for each consignment of Indian goods will be levied, the same amount charged on Bangladeshi importers. Joint Commissioner of the Customs House S.M. Shamsuzzaman said the transshipped goods will have to pay police 50 takas per tonne as escort charge to reach the Indian border in Tripura from the port by road. Usually a 20 feet container carries a maximum of 30 tons of goods. According to this estimation, Bangladesh will realise around 1, 500 takas as escort charge for accompanying goods of a container to the border. Akhaura Customs Officer Harunur Rashid said they have taken necessary preparations for the transportation of the Indian goods, under the trial run. India is transporting goods to its northeastern states, using Bangladeshi ports, as per the agreement on "The Use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for Movement of Goods to and from India" signed between Dhaka and Delhi in 2018 and a standard operating procedure (SoP) signed in October 2019. Earlier, the Indian government used the Ashuganj river port to transport goods for the Palatana Power Plant in Tripura through the Akhaura land port. On the new chapter in connectivity with Bangladesh via container shipping, India's Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the transit route will open new opportunities for both countries. He said that it will provide an alternative and shorter route to connect the northeast region through Bangladesh, reducing distance and time taken in transportation of goods for India and is a win-win for both the economies. On the other hand, job creation, investment in the logistical sector, enhanced business services and revenue generation are advantages that will accrue to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi vessels and trucks will be utilised to move the Indian cargo, the Indian government said. India and Bangladesh have enhanced cooperation in shipping and inland water trade in recent years. Under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, in addition to the six existing Ports of Call, five more in each country have been added recently. Dredging of inland waterway routes is ongoing under an MoU, signed by the two countries on development of selected stretches of Bangladesh waterways. The trial transportation of goods to the northeastern states by road, via Bangladesh, had started earlier.