On the night of July 29, the CROSS Gris-Nez was notified about the departure of several migrant boats from the coasts of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. First, a boat was reported leaving the Aa Canal in the middle of the night. The 'Minck' was deployed to monitor the boat. Once on site, the 'Minck' launched its operational drom boat (EDO). During the surveillance, several people on board the boat requested assistance. On the morning, the 'Minck's crew rescued a total of 33 people. The remaining occupants refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. On the foremidday, the rescued people were taken to the port of Calais and taken into care by the land authorities. At 3:00 a.m., another boat was reported departing from Dunkerque. The 'Abeille Normandie' was deployed by the CROSS to monitor the boat. Following an engine problem, several people from the boat requested assistance. The crew of the emergency tug launched an inflatable boat and rescued 23 people. The remaining occupants of the boat refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. All rescued people were taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Finally, on the morning, a third boat was spotted off the coast of Le Touquet. The CROSS deployed the 'ESMP 03' for surveillance. The 'ESMP 03' reported that the boat was taking on water and began rescuing the people. The CROSS broadcast a Mayday relay and engaged a Dauphin helicopter of the Navy base in Le Touquet as well as the lifeboat 'SNS076-Président Jacques Huret' from the Boulogne-sur-Mer SNSM station. A total of 36 people were rescued, including one with minor injuries. All rescued were immediately dropped off by the 'ESMP 03' on the beach at Dannes for treatment by the firefighters. The remaining occupants of the boat refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. During other coordinated operations throughout the day, two people were also rescued by the RIB 'SNS 7-034-Notre Dame des Sables' of the Berck-sur-Mer SNSM statio and the RIB 'Ouranos' of the Calais Gendarmerie. A total of 94 people were rescued and cared for by French maritime assistance and rescue resources.
News
SUPERSTAR II
On the evening of July 30, 2025, the Port Authority of Patmos was informed that upon the arrival of the "Superstar II" at the port of Patmos en route from Mykonos, a Greek crew member felt unwell and needed to be medevace. The assistant was transported by an ambulance to the Patmos Health Center, for the provision of first aid, while the ship continued its scheduled route for Leros, Kalymnos and Kos.
Kerch
The Crimean Bridge across Kerch Strait suffered an explosion and fire in the morning of Oct 8, 2022. Two spans of the motorway bridge collapsed and fell into the water, the railway bridge above the motorway witha cargo train including railway car tanks with fuel, was on fire. All bridge traffic was suspended. The Crimean Bridge was more than a Bridge, both for Russia and Ukraine. For Russia it was a symbol of the Russian “victory” and historical justice. For the Ukraine, it was a symbol of the Russian aggression and Crimea occupation. The navigation span of the Bridge is yet undamaged, and therefore, the Kerch Strait Channel remained navigable. The Kerch Strait Transit is from now on, however, a risky undertaking, so all ship owners are advised to calculate risks and probably, change their ships voyages, avoiding Azov sea calls.
Felixstowe
Workers at Felixstowe have decided to go on a strike for the first time since 1989. Shipping firms and union leaders have warned that the actions could heavily impact the supply chains and also leave buyers waiting for their necessary goods and other commodities. Nearly 1,900 members of the Unite at Felixstowe have walked out in a dispute regarding pay in the most recent outbreak of industrial action to hit some sectors of the economy. Workers, including machine operators, crane drivers, and stevedores will take action after voting by more than nine to one in favor of strikes. The union said that the eight-day halt is likely to have a significant impact on the port that typically handles almost 4m containers in one year from about 2,000 ships. Felixstowe handles about half of the containerized freight that enters the country and the actions could indicate that vessels have to be diverted to ports in other places in Europe or the UK. Haulage majors have warned that the strike could have a serious impact on business, while trade organizations have said that the consumers could be affected by price increases. All through Suffolk, the bill could run into millions and all over the country a lot more. It is not going to impact the food supply chains as all fresh produces are in stock, but it will impact the supply chain in terms of fences, furniture, and bits and bobs. Maersk, one of the largest container shippers in the world, has said that the strike may cause delays and force it to make changes to its vessel lineup. In the meantime, consumers may be hit with price hikes and shortages of some products. Consumer prices are already rising owing to the increases in the shipping rates experienced since the middle of 2020. Further disruptions in the UK are going to add to the cost pressures, even though the temporary unavailability of some commodities may be the first noticeable impact on the consumers.
ABEILLE NORMANDIE
On the night of July 29, the CROSS Gris-Nez was notified about the departure of several migrant boats from the coasts of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. First, a boat was reported leaving the Aa Canal in the middle of the night. The 'Minck' was deployed to monitor the boat. Once on site, the 'Minck' launched its operational drom boat (EDO). During the surveillance, several people on board the boat requested assistance. On the morning, the 'Minck's crew rescued a total of 33 people. The remaining occupants refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. On the foremidday, the rescued people were taken to the port of Calais and taken into care by the land authorities. At 3:00 a.m., another boat was reported departing from Dunkerque. The 'Abeille Normandie' was deployed by the CROSS to monitor the boat. Following an engine problem, several people from the boat requested assistance. The crew of the emergency tug launched an inflatable boat and rescued 23 people. The remaining occupants of the boat refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. All rescued people were taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Finally, on the morning, a third boat was spotted off the coast of Le Touquet. The CROSS deployed the 'ESMP 03' for surveillance. The 'ESMP 03' reported that the boat was taking on water and began rescuing the people. The CROSS broadcast a Mayday relay and engaged a Dauphin helicopter of the Navy base in Le Touquet as well as the lifeboat 'SNS076-Président Jacques Huret' from the Boulogne-sur-Mer SNSM station. A total of 36 people were rescued, including one with minor injuries. All rescued were immediately dropped off by the 'ESMP 03' on the beach at Dannes for treatment by the firefighters. The remaining occupants of the boat refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. During other coordinated operations throughout the day, two people were also rescued by the RIB 'SNS 7-034-Notre Dame des Sables' of the Berck-sur-Mer SNSM statio and the RIB 'Ouranos' of the Calais Gendarmerie. A total of 94 people were rescued and cared for by French maritime assistance and rescue resources.
OSTE
On July 22, 2025, the 'Oste' left the Naval Base in Eckernförde to observe the Russian manoever "July Storm", a surprise event, during which over 150 Russian Navy units were forced to depart. The press service of the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the "July Storm" exercise was intended to "test the readiness of the fleet and flotilla forces to solve non-standard operational tasks, the comprehensive use of long-range precision weapons, unmanned systems, advanced and modern weapons, and military equipment." Images of a new type of underwater drone attacking a target ship off Kaliningrad with an explosive charge and missile launches from ships in the Baltic Sea were also shown. The "Oste" also appearedin the Russian television report.The destroyer "Vice-Admiral Kulakov" also had to leave Baltiysk for the Skagerrak. The ship transited the Great Belt and the Fehmarn Belt on July 29 for the fifth time since May. One reason could be the canceled naval show on July 27 in St. Petersburg, which was terminated at short notice due to fears of Ukrainian drones. Instead, tthere was only a short film clip from an anonymous barracks yard in St. Petersburg, where Putin welcomed a delegation of marines. The reason for the voyage of the destroyer may be a new strategy of the Russian Navy. At the end of May, the Russian Navy brought the ship from the Northern Fleet to the Baltic Sea. After the last destroyer of the Baltic Fleet was out of action with an engine failure, the Russian Naval Command sent the "Vice-Admiral Kulakov" from its base in the Kolafjord to the Baltic Sea, whiere it has been regularly patrolling the Danish and German coasts since in order to demonstrate that, despite the problems within the country, the Navy is capable of conducting such patrols, according to Sebastian Bruns, an expert in Maritime Strategy and Security at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University. Report with photo: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/russland-schickt-zerstoerer-der-nordflotte-regelmaessig-nach-fehmarn-AZOJXZR465AYHP4YSSYTAGKBGQ.html
Odessa
For the fourth day in a row, Iranian-made drones attacked Odesa on Sep 26 in the morning, this time against military targets and without civilian casualties. On Sep 23, two civilians were killed during Russian drone attacks on the port city. On Sep 25, Odesa was attacked by three drones, one of which was reportedly shot down by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has not officially identified the drones, but from the video footage below it appears, according to experts, that they are Iranian-produced Shakhed 136 drones.
Odessa
Russian missiles struck the port of Odessa on July 23, 2022, violating a deal signed a day earlier to curb grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strike as blatant "barbarism" and that Moscow could not be trusted to implement the agreement. The Ukrainian military said that the missiles had not caused any significant damage and that preparations were underway to resume grain exports from Black Sea ports. The deal, signed by Moscow and Kyiv on July 22 and brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, has been hailed as a breakthrough after nearly five months of punitive fighting since Russia invaded its neighbor. By allowing grain exports from Black Sea ports, including Odessa, it is seen as crucial in curbing rising global food prices.
MINCK
On the night of July 29, the CROSS Gris-Nez was notified about the departure of several migrant boats from the coasts of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. First, a boat was reported leaving the Aa Canal in the middle of the night. The 'Minck' was deployed to monitor the boat. Once on site, the 'Minck' launched its operational drom boat (EDO). During the surveillance, several people on board the boat requested assistance. On the morning, the 'Minck's crew rescued a total of 33 people. The remaining occupants refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. On the foremidday, the rescued people were taken to the port of Calais and taken into care by the land authorities. At 3:00 a.m., another boat was reported departing from Dunkerque. The 'Abeille Normandie' was deployed by the CROSS to monitor the boat. Following an engine problem, several people from the boat requested assistance. The crew of the emergency tug launched an inflatable boat and rescued 23 people. The remaining occupants of the boat refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. All rescued people were taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Finally, on the morning, a third boat was spotted off the coast of Le Touquet. The CROSS deployed the 'ESMP 03' for surveillance. The 'ESMP 03' reported that the boat was taking on water and began rescuing the people. The CROSS broadcast a Mayday relay and engaged a Dauphin helicopter of the Navy base in Le Touquet as well as the lifeboat 'SNS076-Président Jacques Huret' from the Boulogne-sur-Mer SNSM station. A total of 36 people were rescued, including one with minor injuries. All rescued were immediately dropped off by the 'ESMP 03' on the beach at Dannes for treatment by the firefighters. The remaining occupants of the boat refused the offered assistance and continued on their way. During other coordinated operations throughout the day, two people were also rescued by the RIB 'SNS 7-034-Notre Dame des Sables' of the Berck-sur-Mer SNSM statio and the RIB 'Ouranos' of the Calais Gendarmerie. A total of 94 people were rescued and cared for by French maritime assistance and rescue resources.
MN KOSTAS
On the night of July 24, 2025, the 'MN Kostas', with 14 crew members on board ran aground off the northeastern tip of Crete, en route from Sitia to Chekka with a cargo of plaster. The ship got stuck on a reef about six nautical miles off Sitia, and about three nautical miles west of Sideros in pos. 35° 19' N 026° 15' E. It suffered hull damage and water ingress. The Greek Coast Guard deployed three patrol boats to the grounding site. All crew members were safely evacuated aboard the f/v 'Anna Tasia', with the assistance of nearby fishing vessels and private crafts. The castaways were taken to Sitia. There were no reports of injuries. The authorities were monitoring the area for any signs of pollution. An oil boom was laid out around the ship. The three tugs 'Achilleas', 'Captain Dimitris IV' and 'Mentoras' were initially deployed from Heraklion to assist. A fourth tug was expected to arrive to provide further technical support. On July 28, the offshore tugs 'Captain Dimitris III' (IMO: 9515072) and 'Aigaion Pelagos (MO: 9477012) were stationary at the grounding site, joined by the 'Captain Dioitris IV' (IMO: 9998236) on July 29, which remained on site as of July 31. Divers inspected the hull for damage. The Sitia Port Authority sent personnel aboard the 'Anna Tasia'. and launched a preliminary investigation into the grounding. The ship’s captain and the acting bridge watch officer have been arrested. They were being investigated under Article 277, paragraph 2 of the Greek Penal Code for causing a shipwreck, and Article 225 of the Public Maritime Law Code for violating regulations aimed at avoiding collisions, in this case, with a reef. Earlier in 2025,, the ship was cited for labour-related violations. The International Labour Organisation reported that the crew had only received half of their wages for four months, with a total of nearly $18,500 owed. The issue was later resolved. Report with photo and video: https://www.hcg.gr/el/epikairothta/prosara3h-fg-ploioy-sth-shteia-entopismos-kai-diaswsh-113-allodapwn-notia-ths-gaydoy/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv0PixBdXAI
Yaizu
Yaizu Port is one of the leading fishing ports in Japan. In August 2022, the VesselTracker AIS receiving station opened at Yaizu Port.
Chittagong
A fire at a container depot in the town of Sitakunda about 40 km from Chittagong led to a chemical explosion in containers that killed at least 49 and injured more than 300 people on June 4, 2022. Among those killed in the blast that could be heard several miles away were several firefighters. Dozens of dead were scattered among the burnt-out containers and many of the wounded were in critical condition after the huge explosion in the depot containing about 4,000 containers. Hundreds of firefighters, police and volunteers quickly arrived at the depot as the fire broke out around 6 p.m. LT. The extinguishing work had started when the violent explosion threw parts from containers and people into the air. At least five firefighters were killed and even more injured. Many were still missing on June 5. The container depot serves as a staging post for the goods - primarily clothing - to be exported via Chittagong, and contained millions of dollars worth of clothing that was to be passed on to businesses in Western countries. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLiyBU7RKIc&feature=emb_title