News

A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Thai crew members of the 'Chayanee Naree' for trafficking 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria from Brazil through the Apapa seaport. The convicted sailors are Krilerk Tanakhan, Boonlert Hansoongnern, Jakkarin Booncharoen, Thammarong Put-tlek, Worrapat Paopinta, Marut Kantaprom, Werapat Somboonying, Urkit Amsri, Panudet Jaisuk, and Amrat Thawom. They were arrested alongside nine Nigerian suspects on Oct 13, 2021 and arraigned in February 2022 on charges bordering on conspiracy and the unlawful importation of narcotic. On May 15, 2025, the trial judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, delivered the judgment following a plea bargain agreement entered into by the convicted crew members with the NDLEA. Justice Osiagor convicted the vessel under Section 11(a) of the NDLEA Act and imposed a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent for its role in smuggling the illicit drug into Nigeria. The convicted sailors opted for a plea bargain agreement with the NDLEA and as a result, Justice Osiagor delivered his ruling at the resumed hearing of the matter. Among other penalties, the judge convicted the 'Chayanee Naree' for unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria and ordered to pay a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent. The 2nd – 11th defendants were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act for permitting the use of the vessel for the unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants were ordered to pay N100,000.00 each as punishment for the offence and in addition restitution in the sum of $50,000 each or its equivalent in Naira to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The 5th – 11th defendants are to pay N100,000.00 each and restitution in the sum of $30,000.00, bringing the total amount payable to $4,360,000.00. Justice Osiagor adjourned the trial of the nine Nigerian suspects to June 25.

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.

The Port of Los Angeles has announced a development opportunity for an Outer Harbor Cruise Terminal at Berths 46 and 50, with plans to release a Request for Proposal (RFP) later this fall. The proposal is intended for cruise lines, terminal operators, and real estate developers interested in creating a new state-of-the-art cruise terminal in a prime location for expansion of west coast cruise travel at America’s busiest port. Located on the south end of an extensive LA Waterfront development, the proposed 13-acre site offers unique panoramic views of the coastline and Catalina Island. The area is currently used as a concert venue, special event site, and temporary berth location for cruise ships.

The Chinese Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) sees its order intake for ro-pax ferries further increase following a long-awaited double order from P&O Ferries for a next-generation of Dover-Calais shuttle ferries.

The Invictus', which was disabled and adrift in the Indian Ocean after an engine room fire on April 23, is being towed to safety by the tug 'Advantis Virgo' (IMO: 9276676). On May 16, the ship was towed at a speed of 3.7 knots towards Dubai to undergo repairs at the Gulf Emirate and moored in pos. 25° 23' N 055° 05' E on May 16. One Filipino crew memberhad suffered burns in the fire and received emergency medical assistance from an Indian Navy vessel, but was not evacuated. The tanker was then drifting for about a week, in good weather and at a safe distance from the Somalian coast, before a tug arrived to pick it up. Though the ship remained without power, it was largely cables and panels that suffered the brunt of the blaze. The reason for the fire was not yet known.

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

With the successful start an important milestone has been reached in the execution of the contract to operate the tugboat fleet for Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue) in Port Hedland, the world’s largest bulk export port on Australia´s west coast. The fleet consists of eight new ART 85-32W and one RT80-32 Rotortugs®. Six of them are Fortescue owned, three are owned by KOTUG, which are chartered directly to Fortescue. KOTUG manages the entire contract.

The Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran is going to sign a contract with the private sector on Tuesday for the construction of Iran’s biggest mechanized mineral terminal at Shahid Rajaee Port, the deputy head of PMO announced on Monday. Ali Hassanzadeh added that the contract is worth 50 trillion rials (over $430 million). The terminal’s capacity will reach 50 million tons per year upon the completion of the project, which will be carried out in three phases, covering 180 hectares of land, each spread over 60 hectares. It will be the biggest mineral terminal in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, and mark a major development in Iran’s mining industry, considering its considerable mineral capacity, Mehr News Agency reported.

On May 12, a passenger was suffering from an urgent mecidal issue and needed to be medevaced from the 'Disney Fantasy', while the ship was heading toward Lisbon, during the ship’s 13-night sailing, a one-way transatlantic cruise from Port Canaveral to Barcelona. On May 14, a military helicopter approached the ship in the early evening. An emergency responder was loweredon to the foreship. The patient was loaded onto a lift basket, and both were raised up to the helicopter. Once the basket had been safely loaded into the helicopter, the aircraft took the affected individual to more extensive land-based care. Report with video: https://www.cruisehive.com/amazingly-efficient-operation-to-airlift-guest-from-disney-ship/173983

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.

Gas infrastructure along Russia’s Northern Sea Route is set to get a Japanese upgrade with news Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have signed a cooperation agreement with Novatek to develop LNG transhipment projects in Kamchatka and Murmansk. The projects will construct floating storage units (FSUs) to tranship LNG cargoes from ice-breaking LNG ships to conventional LNG ships. The FSUs will be located in Kamchatka and in Murmansk and will be used for the transhipment of LNG cargoes produced by Novatek’s Yamal LNG Project and Arctic LNG 2 Project, two of the largest gas developments in the world.

Port of Antwerp has ordered construction of a tug powered by hydrogen, the first in the world. This unique “Hydrotug” is driven by combustion engines that burn hydrogen in combination with diesel. The motors also comply with the very strictest standard, the EU Stage V, making them the lowest-rated for emissions on the market. This ultra-low-emission tug is being built by Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB), a pioneer in the field of hydrogen power for shipping. With this world first Antwerp is making an important step in the transition to a sustainable, CO2-neutral port. By lending support to this promising technology Port of Antwerp hopes that the shipping industry will follow. The port is systematically pursuing a policy of making its entire fleet eco-friendly by incorporating the most environment-friendly technologies available on the market.