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Wan Wenguo, aged 43, the Chinese captain of the 'NewNew Polar Bear' has been remanded in custody by a Hong Kong court over accusations that his vessel caused serious damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and a nearby telecoms cable while passing through the Gulf of Finland on Oct 8, 2023. He appeared in Eastern Court in Hong Kong on May 8, 2025, where he was charged with one count of criminal damage and two charges related to marine safety violations under Hong Kong laws The pipeline damage occurred within Finland’s economic zone, while the telecommunications cable was damaged in Estonia’s waters. The prosecutors in Hong Kong accused Wan of being responsible for the damage caused during the ship’s voyage between October and December 2023. They claimed thatr he failed to ensure the vessel had enough anchors and also failed to submit required daily reports to the ship’s owner.These actions have violated safety provisions under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance, including regulations concerning navigational equipment and vessel maintenance. The court hearing concluded with the captain being remanded in custody, as he did not submit a bail application. The next court session has been scheduled for early July, giving the authorities more time to continue investigations. The case has drawn global attention due to the strategic importance of the damaged infrastructure and ongoing tensions in the Baltic Sea. The Finnish police is believing that the pipeline was damaged by a dragged anchor and later confirmed that the vessel was missing one of its front anchors. The Chinese authorities have conducted their own investigation and concluded that the damage was accidental, caused by a strong storm. The Estonian officials have stated that China’s findings were not legally valid as official evidence in their case. China’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued in May 2024, acknowledged that the 'NewNew Polar Bear' was involved in the incident, but denied that the damage was intentional. They also said that China was willing to cooperate with Estonia. The Estonian prosecutors reported they had not received any response to a formal request for legal assistance from the Chinese authorities. The Prosecutor’s Office in Tallinn stated that they could not yet determine what data China might have collected or how it could influence further legal steps. After the incident, the ship had switched from the Hong Kong flag to the Panamanian flag. ´It s operated by the Hainan Yangpu NewNew Shipping and is insured by the Longon P&I Club. Under Hong Kong law, authorities have the power to prosecute crimes committed on board Hong Kong-registered ships even if the incidents occur in international waters,

Worn-out mooring lines that were not replaced on time were the reason that the 'Endurance' broke free from its dock and hit a pier and dry dock at the Port of Bremerhaven on March 13, 2021,, the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU) found out. The investigators have determined that the main cause of the line breakage was the worn mooring lines that were not replaced in good time due to an inadequate safety management system. Owing to the conditions of the mooring lines, coupled with offshore winds with gusts reaching speeds of up to 50 knots, the accident was most likely to happen despite preventive efforts by the ship’s master. The 'Endurance' was moored starboard side when the lines parted at about 09 45 a,m,. Investigators were able to establish that the master was aware of the weather forecast and conscious of the potential danger of mooring line failure. For this reason, he had taken appropriate precautionary measures against line failure by requesting tugs. 19 minutes before the incident at 09.24 a.m., the master had gone to the bridge because of the prevailing wind conditions at the berth. At 09.30 a.m., he requested tug assistance and instructed two of his deck officers to inspect the lines. When the lines failed, he issued instructions to drop the starboard anchor, start the main engine, and raise the lowered vehicle ramp. Before the arrival of the tugs, the 'Endurance' had drifted toward the Lloyd Werft dockyard. The first two tugs arrived about eight minutes after the line failures and before the main engine was running, but could not prevent the allision. It was determined that the vessel was only about 120 meters, meaning the tugs did not have enough time and space to prevent the contact. The damage on the ship included a crack above the waterline in the shell plating on the port side, a hole in the bulbous bow, and a dent and paint abrasions at the stern on the starboard side. The vessel’s operator, ARC, had also arrived at the same conclusion in its internal investigation, determining that the condition of the lines may not have been consistent with requirements. The lines were damaged to such an extent that only two of the 14 lines met the requirements for mooring lines. Following the BSU investigation, actions have been taken to prevent similar occurrences. They included the procurement of berth analysis software by the Port of Bremerhaven. Expected to be deployed this year, the software is designed to trigger alerts that would help the port inspect a vessel's mooring arrangement. As of Jan 1, 2024, new internationally binding guidelines for the inspection and maintenance of mooring equipment, including lines, came into force. In particular, the vessel operator is now required to introduce a procedure for mooring operations, as well as the inspection and maintenance of mooring equipment, including mooring lines. A maintenance procedure must be implemented on ships so that worn lines are identified in good time before they fail. Maintenance must be carried out and documented on board.

Currently, more than 4,000 TEUs of import containers can be unloaded every day allowing vessels to complete loading and unloading goods at a faster rate, which helps reduce the vessels' stay time at jetties. Vessels' berth occupancy time that had reached 6-7 days last month came down to 3-4 days now, port officials said. The vessels' waiting time at the outer anchorage for getting berths has also dropped to 13-14 days from 16-18 days. Subsequently, the number of vessels waiting at the outer anchorage declined to 24 yesterday though the number hovered around 36 before the steps were taken. AIS Station -BDCGP

22 and 36 nautical miles Northwest of Libreville the latest acts of piracy occurred in positions 00° 30.50’N 009°06.21’E and 00° 55.24N 009° 08 09E and involved two fishing trawlers named 'amerger II' and 'Amerger VIIÄ – the first taking place 20 nautical miles off Libreville and the second 36 n.miles off Libreville. Both incidents involved a single speedboat described as a skiff powered by three engines and having 13 pirates on board. The pirates were reported as being English-speakers which gives rise to suspicions of them being of Nigerian origin, despite this being some distance from Nigeria. The boarding of each trawler resulted in three of the crew from each vessel being kidnapped. The nationalities of those kidnapped are reported as three Indonesian, two Senegalese, and one South Korean.

A commercial salvage team from Seattle is on scene developing a plan to recover the 'Captrain Raleight' from a water depth of 40 feet near the bar at the entrance to Grays Harbor, after the Coast Guard suspended a search for its missing captain, who was last seen inside the ship. The Coast Guard immediately issued an “Urgent Marine Information Broadcast” and actively searched for the captain for several hours, but called off the search at 8:40 p.m. Rescuers transported the three crew members to Station Grays Harbor for evaluation by EMS .On May 10, a dredging ship operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also arrived to help locate the sunken ship. At around 11:45 a.m., they pinpointed the location of the wreck. A U.S. Navy dive team brought in by Navy helicopter from Air Station Whidbey Island was also deployed to the area of the sunken vessel. Divers were unable to access the wreck site until around 6 p.m. They attempted to approach the vessel, but failed to penetrate it due to debris, poor visibility, and strong currents. The Coast Guard was working with the Washington Department of Ecology to monitor pollution and mitigate impact to wildlife. So far there ws no damage from fuel to the shoreline around Westport and Grays Harbor.

On the morning of May 9, 2025, the 'Captain Raleigh' sank in Grays Harbor off Westport, Washington. The captain contacted the U S Coast Guard that the vessel had sprung a leak, and requested assistance. The Coast Guard rescued three of the four crew members. The 'Captain Raleigh' continued to flood until it capsized and sank. One crew member was reported missing. The Coast Guard conducted a search for the crew member with an aircraft from Astoria, while divers searched the sunken vessel. The Coast Guard called off the search the following morning without finding the man. The Washington State authorities have also deployed a response team to manage the pollution. Ab oil pollution was spotted where the 'Captain Raleigh' sank, as diesel fuel was leaking out. Due to strong currents and the search operation, no booms were deployed to contain the spill. Authorities stated there were no traces of pollution along the shoreline .

The Department of Shipping (DoS) has asked the shipping lines not to realise container detention charge on import and export shipments during the lockdown period, spurred by COVID-19 outbreak. The shipping lines are also advised not to impose any new or additional charges until May 5 when the 41-day shutdowns end. The department issued the advisory on Wednesday, which sparked resentment among the shipping agents in the country. Usually, containers get free time for 14 days after the common landing date and thereafter charged between $5 and $10 per day as detention charge until the importers return those to the port or off-docks. Associate director of Transmarine Logistics Ltd, the local agent of Yang Ming Line, Mohammad Ahsanuzzaman told the FE on Thursday most shipping lines operate their fleet on a leasing basis and pay for the rental daily. Due to the prolonged congestions at the Chittagong port, the containers now have to stay for 15 days at the outer anchorage and at berth, compared with a minimum of three to four days in recent past, he said. During the shutdown period, the containers are lying at the Chittagong port for several weeks when the designated free days expire. "The shipping lines will have to pay container rent besides the opportunity cost, but now the shipping department is asking us not to charge detention fee on importers, which is a mere cost recovery for the liners. This is not acceptable at all when you consider the impact of COVID-19 has on us," he said. "Shipping lines will incur huge financial losses if the order is implemented," said Mr Ahsanuzzaman. Chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) Ahsanul Huq Chowdhury told the FE on Thursday vessels are staying at the outer anchorage and berth for weeks and counting millions of taka as demurrage. Deptt order angers shipping agentsA few days back, shipping agents had requested the government to waive some charges like port dues, pilotage fees, berthing and unbreathing tariffs, quay gantry crane, loading or discharging the container, storage charges, container and non-CPA equipment, and store rent for containers at off-docks. "The government paid no heed to our appeal rather issued an order not to realise the detention charge," Mr Chowdhury said. He said the department issued the advisory in line with the measures taken in Indian ports. But the reality is there is no such congestions in Indian ports and vessels there enter and leave in time while at the Chittagong port an additional two weeks are required in ship handling, he said. After the shipping department's advisory, he wrote that the imposition or waiver of detention charge of containers depends on foreign principals. "The principals may not consider the waiving of the container detention charge unless the government waives or reduces port tariffs for vessels," he noted. AIS station, Chittagong

On April 30, 2020, at 11.15 a.m. the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were alerted by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) requesting assistance to evacuate a Filipino crew member of a bunkering tanker at anchorage off-shore of the Port of Port Elizabeth. The man required transportation to a dentist as soon as possible and considering the Covid-19 lockdown the Port Health Authorities advised the tasking of NSRI to carry out the operation, taking into consideration that NSRI are well prepared for all Covid-19 Department of Health protocols, regulations and precautions. At 1 p.m. the sea rescue craft 'JLT Rescuer' was launched and rendezvoused with the tanker thre miles off Port Elizabeth in calm seas. The patient was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and he was brought to shore and transported to a dentist appointment by the ships agent. At 3.30 p.m. the patient returned to the Port of Port Elizabeth and he boarded our sea rescue craft JLT Rescuer and we transported him back to the ship and returned to base without incident.

After the sinking of the 'Muchlisa', surface search efforts continued on May 7, and a Basarnas dive team was deployed to the site for a search and recovery mission within the vessel's interior. Both missing crew members were recovered deceased, and the search has been suspended, The ferry Muchlisa was under way on a short voyage from Balikpapan to Penajam and approaching its destination when the port engine failed. The crew discovered that the vessel's propeller shaft had broken, resulting in hull damage, and it was taking on water. Attempts at an emergency patch repair were not successful. The 'Muchlisa' contacted another nearby ferry and requested help in intentionally grounding the vessel to prevent it from fully sinking. The 'Muchlisa' successfully stranded on a sandbar, but later drifted free and sank about 600 feet offshore. The passengers were evacuated, with assistance from first responders. Police have questioned the crew, including the captain and the helmsman, and an investigation is underway. The precise number of passengers and crewmembers on board was not immediately known, and the official count grew as the response operation went on. Initially, local authorities believed that there were no casualties. After assembling a list of 23 passengers and 21 crew members who were aboard on the voyage, the rescue agency Basarnas identified two missing crew members.

On April 16, 2025, the ' Rix Sapphire' way detained in Port Sutton Bridge with 16 deficiencies, two of which being refarded as seriouslyand gronds for a detention. The ship had attempted to enter the port on the afternoon tide on April 14, but ran aground in pos. 52°50,57.32 N 000°12,47.53 E. It was refloated and berthed in port on April 15 at 08.10hr a.m. to unload the cargo of bulk sand from Esbjerg, During the subsequent inspections, two ofcdefiencies were found, causing the detention: 1) Fire safety - Remote Means of control (Machinery spaces) Inoperative 2) Emergency systems - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Not as required The vessel was released again on April 24 and left the port enroute to Rostock, where it arrived on April 27.

The Mexican tank m/v ’Irmã Dulce’, 72900 dwt (IMO: 9548691), which was under construction at Estalairo Maua in Rio de Janeiro, suffered water ingress in the engine room and aft peak in the night of May 4, 2020. The stern came to rest on bthe bottom at a water depth of four to five meters. The accident was apparently caused by a leaking valve. In the afternoon of May 5 divers managed to stabilize the ship. It was the second of a series of four for Transpetro and was launched in 2014. The order for all three ships still under construction was later canceled. The Panamax had currently been 95% completed. Report with photo: https://splash247.com/near-complete-brazilian-tanker-newbuild-sinks-at-pier/ .

On May 2, 2020, at 08.50 a.m. the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew and EC Government Health EMS were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to respond to rendezvous with a bulk carrier approaching Port Elizabeth from Cape Town to attend to a 52 year old Iraqi crew member onboard the ship suffering an emergency medical condition, not Covid-19 related. The sea rescue craft 'Spirit of Toft' was launched accompanied by an EMS rescue paramedic and rendezvoused with the ship seven miles East of Cape Recife. The EMS rescue paramedic and an NSRI rescue swimmer were transferred onto the ship and the patient was found to be in a critical condition. The paramedic took over emergency medical treatment from the ships medical crew and the patient, secured into a stokes basket stretcher, was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and the EMS paramedic and NSRI medics continued with medical care onboard the sea rescue craft while the patient was brought to the NSRI Port Elizabeth sea rescue base and in the care of paramedics he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance. Despite extensive efforts by hospital medical staff the patient passed away.