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Beached at Alang 24.04.25

The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has awarded crew members of the 'Potomac Express' and the 'El Coqu'i with the Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Awards. They were recognized for their heroic efforts in ensuring the safety and security of others while at sea. The crew of the 'El Coqui', led by Capt. Kurt Breitfeller, played a pivotal role during the rescue operation of four people forced to abandon their sailboat after it was damaged in the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside the U.S. Coast Guard and the fishing vessel 'Bonanza', they worked to successfully locate, retrieve and transport the four to safety. In another case, while serving aboard the' Potomac Express', zjr Second Mate Kevin Zapolski displayed bravery when he swiftly responded to a distress call after a fellow crew member fell into the water between the dock and the vessel. Zapolski deployed a life ring, provided critical support and coordinated with the crew, terminal staff and emergency responders to rescue the crew member. The award recognizes those whose actions prevent harm and protect lives on the water each day. Report with photo: https://www.ajot.com/news/crowley-mariners-honored-for-heroic-rescues-by-american-waterways-operators

The National Prosecutor's Office has authorized the Prosecutor's Office to finance this service of taking the 'Cobra' to dry dock and, together with the Investigative Police and their experts, to conduct a series of studies of the vessel's operation and of evidence that may still be there, in order to advance investigative conclusions that are fundamental to this investigation. The hearing will take place on May 2 and will last 24 hours. For his part, the 'Blumar's lawyer, Alejandro Espinoza, stated that a request has been submitted to the Public Prosecutor's Office to have the 'Cobra' taken to a dry dock at the company's expense so that all necessary forensic examinations can be carried out and any doubts surrounding the incident can be cleared up. Initial accounts from the ship's crew indicated that they heard nothing on the day of the accident (March 30), and later, some crew members said they heard a noise attributed to an internal door.

English fisheries inspectors arrested and inspected five Belgian beam trawlers in the Bristol Channel. The trawlers had to stop fishing and procered to an English port. There, computers were confiscated. The crews were also arrested. A One of the trawlers inspected was the 'Z-26 Avanti' of Steve Depaepe from Damme. Skipper of the beam trawler is Clancy Snauwaert. The ship had to sail eight hours to Newlyn. The hard drives of the on-board computers were confiscated there. The fishermen were placed under arrest and considered suspicious, but they were not told what we were suspected of. Eventually, after a long wait, they were released again, but did not get the hard drives back. Without them, you cannot fish regularly. Because they did not have any spare drives on board, they had to return to Zeebrugge. All in all, there were three days of fishing loss which cost then at least 40,000 to 50,000 euros.’Minister Crevits took the matter very seriously and has visited the crew of the trawler in Zeebrugge.

The US Coast Guard interdicted and detained 12 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing and seized approximately 1,400 pounds of fish in federal waters off southern Texas, on April 21, 2025. The Coast Guard Cutters 'Alert' and 'Jacob Poroo' along with the Coast Guard Station South Padre Island, and the Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, in coordination with Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command Center watch standers, detected and interdicted a total of 12 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line (MBL) in the Gulf of Mexico. After interdicting three lanchas, Coast Guard crews took the fishermen into custody, brought them ashore, and transferred them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing. Coast Guard personnel also seized approximately 550 pounds of red snapper, 850 pounds of shark, along with fishing gear and equipment found on board the vessels. The lanchas were seized/towed back Station South Padre Island. Report with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4162139/coast-guard-detains-12-mexican-fishermen-seizes-1400-pounds-of-illegally-caught/

On April 10, 2025, the 'Multratug 17' was detained in Valletta with nine deficiencies, eight of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Certificate & Doc - Endorsement by flagstate Missing 2) Certificate & Doc - Tonnage certificate Not properly filled 3) Certificate & Doc - International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate Entries missing 4) Certificate & Doc - Ballast Water Management Certificate Missing 5) Certificate & Doc - Cargo Ship Safety Radio (incl exem)' Invalid 6) Safety of navigation - Nautical publications Missing 7) Pollution Prevention - AFS Supporting documentation Missing 8)) Emergency systems - Fire pumps and its pipes Insufficient pressure The tug was released again on April 21 and left the port en route to Tripoli via Marsaxlokk with an ETA as of April 24. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

The salvage of the "Bayesian," which was due to start on April 20, has been postponed. The highly complex operation to raise the yach off Porticello is now scheduled to begin on April 27, one week later than planned, due to unfavourable weather conditions. However, the question also arises as to whether the Perini Navi shipyard bears any responsibility for the sinking of the yacht. The salvage operation is scheduled to be completed by mid-May. After being raised, the ship will be brought to the port of Termini Imerese near Palermo, where the public prosecutor's office is also located. The cost of the salvage operation is estimated at around US$30 million and will be covered by an international insurance consortium. On April 19 the Dutch crane vessel 'Hebo Lift 10' (IMO: 8010506) left the Port of Rotterdam. If weather conditions are favourable, it will arrive in Palermo on May 4, after which it will move to Porticello on May 5. Preparatory work on the wreck, including the dismantling of the rigging, is scheduled to begin as early as April 28. The yacht is considered structurally sound, and the 75-meter-high aluminum mast with six rows of spreaders is still firmly in place. The yacht is lying approximately 49 metres below the surface, which is a challenging depth for divers, likely requiring specialist equipmen, such as a saturation diving system. After dismantling the rigging, the hull will first be righted and secured against possible fuel leaks. Once the mast is removed, the divers will drain the fuel on board - approximately 18 tons - and rig the sailing yacht to the 'Hebo Lift 10', which will then perform a controlled lift to remove the 'Bayesian' from the water. Authorities plan for the wreckage to be completely recovered by the end of May. The Bayesian will then be transferred to the port of Termini Imerese, where it will be made available to the judiciary for technical and legal investigations. The salvage operation is considered crucial to determining the causes of the sinking. The Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating British Captain James Cutfield and two crew members for negligent average and negligent homicide: Chief Engineer Tim Parker Eaton and Deckhand Matthew Griffith, who was on watch on the bridge at the time of the accident. At the same time, the British Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has also launched its own technical investigation, which is currently suspended until the Italian judiciary completes its investigation. Technical experts from both countries will be granted access to the wreck to examine possible structural damage, human error, or technical defects.

a crew member of the USS 'Nimitz' has gone missing in Guam, and his ship has sailed without him. Sailor Gabriel D. Holt was off base when he was last seen late on April 18, 2025, after tje 'Nimitz's arrival in Guam. At around midnight, he was spotted in the Tumon district, in between Hotel Nikko and Gun Beach, about 10 miles northeast of the base at Apra. He was reported missing on April 19. The search for Holt is still active, and the local police are looking for public tips. All available agencies are actively engaged in efforts to locate the missing sailor. On April 21, USS 'Nimitz' sailed from Guam to resume her deployment in the Western Pacific, accompanied by the destroyers USS 'Gridley' and USS 'Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee'; the Zumwalt-class destroyer USS 'Michael Monsoor' also deployed as part of the carrier strike group, and called at Guam on April 17.

The China Maritime Safety Administration (CMSA) has released a report on its findings into the explosion and fire which occurred on the 'YM Mobility' at the Ningbo Port on Aug 9, 2024, starting in a container loaded with dangerous goods close to the ship’s bow. The CMSA revealed in the report that the cargo in the reefer container included tert-Butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPB), a compound that has thermal instability and can self-decompose at room temperature, and release large amounts of heat and produce gas or vapour. According to the shipper’s declaration, the container in question was a reefer unit used as a substitute for a dry container, without requiring power connection. The container was used to store TBPB despite having poor heat dissipation properties, with the heat generated by the TBPB self-decomposition reaction therefore accumulating in the container. The continuous increase in temperature accelerated the self-decomposition reaction, which resulted in thermal runaway and the subsequent explosion and fire. The incident occurred during a period when summer temperatures in Shanghai where the product was packed, were higher than usual. From July25 to Aug 9, Shanghai and Ningbo saw high temperatures, with daytime temperature reaching a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius. The investigation showed that the operator failed to exercise sufficient care when reviewing the cargo transportation plan. In particular, the operator failed to conduct a full safety assessment of the stability of the cargo and the risk of thermal runaway with respect to the conditions such as high outside temperatures, self-separation of the cargo, and thermal insulation of the unplugged reefer unit. The operator failed to conduct a full safety assessment of the stability of the cargo and the risk of thermal runaway with respect to the conditions such as high outside temperatures, self-separation of the cargo, and thermal insulation of the unplugged reefer unit. The operator agreed to use the unplugged reefer to transport the dangerous goods and did not consider the temperature changes in the container during transportation. The CMSA found no abnormalities in other steps throughout the cargo transportation process. The investigation found both the operator and the shipper to responsible for the incident.

The company RN Salvamento assisted the 'Papu Mar' and the barge '240-4' on a complex and challenging rescue operation, responding immediately after the tug sank on the night of April 17 near Banco Chico, at kilometer 77 of the Punta Indio Channel. The barge, carrying 140 containers, had remained conncected to the sunken tug, posing a significant risk to the stability of the vessel and its cargo. RN Salvamento deployed the tug 'Ona Don Lorenzo' (IMO: 9328388) with technical personnel to assess the situation and assist the barge. Despite strong winds that complicated the operation, the team managed to secure the 'Papu Mar's mooring lines. Subsequently, after the tug completely sank, the tug 'Ona Triunfo' (IMO: 9274604) was deployed with rescue personnel to rehabilitate the barge's anchoring system. The barge was uncoupled from the sunken tug and towed to the port of Buenos Aires, where it arrived undamaged and with all its cargo intact. The company is currently finalizing contractual details for the refloating of the 'Papu Mar'. Report with photos: https://comexonline.com.ar/noticias/val/62541/operacion-de-rescate-exitosa-rn-salvamento-asiste-al-remolcador-papu-mar-en-apuros.html

The Zr.Ms. 'Groningen' has intercepted three drug shipments in the Caribbean in one week. According to a report from Defense on April 23, 2025, hundreds of kilos of cocaine and marijuana were seized. The interceptions took place in the first week of April, but have only now been made public. A total of 1653 kilos of narcotics were seized, of which almost 600 kilos were hard drugs. Last week, the 'Groningen' left her temporary base in Curaçao. Although the Ministry of Defence no longer makes any statements about this ‘for security reasons’, the naval vessel has reportedly set course for its home port of Den Helder. It had served as a station ship in the Caribbean since Jan 23, 2025. Since then, it has intercepted almost 3,500 kilos of cocaine. The largest catch was made on Feb 2, when almost 2,820 kilos of cocaine were intercepted. The smugglers were forced to stop by targeted shots from an on-board helicopter that disabled the engine of their vessel. Five suspects were arrested and handed over to the American Coast Guard with the drugs. The Zr.Ms.' Friesland' will take the place of the Zr.Ms. 'Groningen'. Due to the same 'security considerations' it has not been announced when this sister ship will dock at the Parera naval base in the capital Willemstad.

The US Coast Guard interdicted and detained 12 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing and seized approximately 1,400 pounds of fish in federal waters off southern Texas, on April 21, 2025. The Coast Guard Cutters 'Alert' and 'Jacob Poroo' along with the Coast Guard Station South Padre Island, and the Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, in coordination with Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command Center watch standers, detected and interdicted a total of 12 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line (MBL) in the Gulf of Mexico. After interdicting three lanchas, Coast Guard crews took the fishermen into custody, brought them ashore, and transferred them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing. Coast Guard personnel also seized approximately 550 pounds of red snapper, 850 pounds of shark, along with fishing gear and equipment found on board the vessels. The lanchas were seized/towed back Station South Padre Island. Report with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4162139/coast-guard-detains-12-mexican-fishermen-seizes-1400-pounds-of-illegally-caught/

The police bomb squad was called out to Nedstrand in Rogaland on April 16, 2025, at 6:32 p.m., after a suspicious object was found on the 'Ryfylke'. On the toilet wall was an object that looked like a bomb, a box with a timer and wires. It was connected to a wall socket. The passenger who found it contacted the ferry crew, which checked the object on the wall and then called the police. 20 minutes later the ferry docked. The police then showed up, and the police bomb squad came from Oslo in a helicopter. The police evacuated several residents near the ferry location, among other things. The bomb squad was not ready until late at night. The 12 evacuees were able to return to their homes on April 17 at 03.18 a.m. The object was taken to Haugesund police station and the case will be investigated further. A young man has reportedly been arrested by police on suspicion of setting off the “alarm clock bomb”. The police believed it was placed on the ferry to create fear. He was charged with making serious threats. The person was first questioned as a witness on April 17. The police investigation has led to the man now having the status of a suspect, Repprts with photos: https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/KM9EK7/bombegruppen-paa-vei-mistenkelig-gjenstand-paa-ferge https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/73A7lw/helge-38-hittade-vackarklockebomb-pa-farja?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ2MM5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHiqeUcEL3bRbhMjXhHYsNr03wUY_k3koLC1doY6VJI4hpljBM9nI8RNXeQ51_aem_NsGHNwtsaGwZkiNNXqFFWA

The unloaded 'Invictus', en route from Beira to Fujairah, went adrift in the Indian Ocean after an engine room fire which broke out 508 nautical miles east of Mogadishu on the evening of April 22, 2025. The fire was extinguished on April 23 by noon. The state of the engines was unknown due to engine room flooding.An Indian Navy vessel sailing nearby has provided emergency medical assistance to a Filipino crew member of the 'Invictus', who suffered burns. The naval ship, however, did not medevac the man, and the vessel’s managers were looking for ways to get him off the 'Invictus'. The other crew members remained on board as well. European Union naval forces in the area were monitoring the situation. As of April 3, the tanker was NUC in po. 02° 06' N 053° 33' E.

The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has awarded crew members of the 'Potomac Express' and the 'El Coqu'i with the Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Awards. They were recognized for their heroic efforts in ensuring the safety and security of others while at sea. The crew of the 'El Coqui', led by Capt. Kurt Breitfeller, played a pivotal role during the rescue operation of four people forced to abandon their sailboat after it was damaged in the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside the U.S. Coast Guard and the fishing vessel 'Bonanza', they worked to successfully locate, retrieve and transport the four to safety. In another case, while serving aboard the' Potomac Express', zjr Second Mate Kevin Zapolski displayed bravery when he swiftly responded to a distress call after a fellow crew member fell into the water between the dock and the vessel. Zapolski deployed a life ring, provided critical support and coordinated with the crew, terminal staff and emergency responders to rescue the crew member. The award recognizes those whose actions prevent harm and protect lives on the water each day. Report with photo: https://www.ajot.com/news/crowley-mariners-honored-for-heroic-rescues-by-american-waterways-operators

Thousands of Moroccans took to the streets of Tangier and Casablanca on April 20, 2025, protesting the planned arrival of the 'Maersk Detroit', which was believed to be carrying US fighter jet parts to Israel. In Tangier, over 1,000 protesters gathered at various locations, starting their march around 4:30 p.m. LT from the Iberia Palace in the city center. Protesters held signs and chanted slogans like “The people want the ship banned” and “No genocidal weapons in Moroccan waters,” calling for the vessel to be denied entry. The activists said the boxship was carrying F-35 warplane parts from the USA to Israel. The cargo originated from the US Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth and was en route to the port of Haifa between April 5 and May 1. The shipment was expected to be transferred at Tangier Med port to another Maersk vessel, the 'Maersk Nexoe', before reaching its final destination. The 'Maersk Detroit' docked at the Tangier Med Port on April 21. Moroccan dockworkers and groups supporting the Palestinian cause released separate statements claiming the cargo included F-35 jet parts bound for Israel. A similar protest took place across the Strait of Gibraltar in Algeciras, Spain, organised by a group called Cádiz for Palestine. They condemned Maersk’s alleged involvement and called on Spanish authorities to block suspected weapons shipments to Israel at ports including Algeciras, Valencia, and Barcelona. Meanwhile, Maersk has denied transporting weapons or ammunition to Israel. The company acknowledged it holds a contract with the US government and sometimes ships military-related equipment under US-Israeli security cooperation but insisted this specific shipment was not headed to Israel. Instead, Maersk said the cargo was destined for other members of the international F-35 fighter jet program. A statement from Morocco’s CGT General Union of Dock Workers and Port Personnel of the Gulf of Fos confirmed that all containers aboard the Maersk Nexoe had been inspected and showed no signs of carrying weapons or jet parts.

On April 24, 2025, at atound 6 a.m. a fire broke out in the cargo of scrap fire on the 'Federal Tweed', which was berthed at the the Amerikahaven Way in the Western Port Area in Amsterdam. The fire was releasing a lot of smoke. The alerted fire department advised local residents to close their windows and doors. A burning smell has been reported in Amsterdam-Geuzenveld, Osdorp, Badhoevedorp and Lijnden in particular. The scrap was being removed from the cargo hold with a crane and deposited on the quay. The fire department extinguished the burning scrap on the quayside. It was expected that the extinguishing would take some time. The patrol vessel ''PA 1 Castor' (MMSI: 244650483) was on site. Reports with photos: https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/347935/veel-rook-bij-schrootbrand-op-schip-in-westelijk-havengebied https://112nieuws.net/2025/04/24/enorme-rookontwikkeling-door-brand-op-schip-omwonenden-moeten-ramen-en-deuren-sluiten/#google_vignette https://112inbeeld.nl/forse-rookontwikkeling-bij-brand-op-schip-met-schroot

On April 23, 2025, at noon, the Volos Port Authority was informed following a complaint that the 'Express Jet', which was about to sail for the ports of the northern Sporades, had exceeded the load line. Following an inspection by a “Paris MOU” inspector and information from an authorized organization monitoring the ship, it was determined that the ferry was exempt from the load line. The ship was carrying 227 passengers and 16 crew members, while according to the safety certificate its capacity is 430 people. The ship was scheduled to depart at 2:30 p.m. and finally sailed at 3:51 pp.m.

The "Bremerhaven" will not be repaired. A fire in the engine room of the bucket-chain dredger, which had resulted from a technical damage, severely damaged the vessel on Nov 21, 2024. The fire department was deployed with a large contingent to Neustadt Port on that morning. The cause was a cable fire on a dredger. According to the fire department, 28 vehicles, including several boats, were on site. According to an expert's estimate, the repairs would cost at least €2.5 million. This expenditure is also justified given the age of the vessel, which will be broken up. Photos: https://www.brv-zeitung.de/Nachrichten/Eimerkettenbagger-tt510398.html

The 'Sea Panther', sailing more than 100 nautical miles south of the Nigerian coast, was boarded on April 21 by four perpetrators. They approached the vessel at high speed in a black-hulled craft and remained aboard for nearly four hours, taking personal property and equipment from the tanker, before fleeing. The captain and crew were well-prepared and followed mitigation recommendations, quickly fleeing to the citadel, where they remained during the incident. The perpetrators may have tried to enter the citadel, or it was a possible attempt at kidnapping because the pirates remained aboard for nearly four hours. The crew was unharmed. The vessel had departed Lomé on April 20 and arrived on April 23 at Douala.