News

The 'David Duren (WPC 1156)' interdicted 19 migrants aboard a 25-foot cuddy cabin cruiser approximately 23 miles west of Oceanside, California, on April 22. At approximately 2:15 a.m., the 'David Duren’s boarding team intercepted a cabin cruiser, matching the description of a suspected human smuggling boat and discovered 18 adult males and one adult female, all claiming Mexican nationality. All passengers aboard the cuddy cabin stated they had not had food or water for two days and were medically evaluated. No major medical concerns were discovered during the evaluation, and the migrants were given water. The Coast Guard brought them to Oceanside where they were transferred to U.S. Border Patrol personnel. An urgent marine information broadcast has been issued by the Coast Guard, urging all mariners in the area to safely navigate around the unmanned and adrift cabin cruiser.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that debris in an engine’s lubrication oil system caused a serious engine failure and subsequent fire aboard the 'Ocean Navigator'. now sailing as 'Victory II', while docked in Portland, Maine, on Oct 18, 2023. When the vessel’s no. 2 auxiliary diesel generator engine sustained a mechanical failure, one crew member suffered serious injuries in the following engine room fire. The vessel, which had 128 passengers aboard at that time, sustained an estimated $2.4 million in damage. The Investigation findings revealed significant maintenance oversights. The crew had operated the engine for more than 5,000 hours without changing the lube oil, which was five times longer than the manufacturer’s recommended interval. The last complete lube oil change was performed in September 2022. Additionally, the oil filter elements, which should have been replaced after 1,000 hours of operation, had been in use for over 3,000 hours since their last replacement in May 2023. Post-incident inspection by third-party technicians uncovered extensive damage to critical engine components, including the crankshaft, main bearings, connecting rod bearings, and the no. 14 fuel injector. Further examination revealed abnormal wear on various bearings, showing signs of cavitation erosion and debris-related damage. The NTSB concluded that the engine failure resulted from debris accumulation in the engine’s lube oil system, attributing this to the crew’s failure to follow manufacturer-recommended maintenance intervals. The contaminated oil system led to catastrophic mechanical damage and ultimately caused the fire when atomized lube oil ignited after being released through the engine’s ruptured crankcase. Only the crew’s quick response prevented the situation from escalating. By promptly securing the engine room ventilation and fuel sources, they successfully contained the fire, which self-extinguished. The NTSB emphasized the importance of following manufacturer maintenance schedules. The report also highlighted the particular vulnerability of engine rooms to rapidly spreading fires due to multiple fuel sources and mechanical ventilation. It stressed the importance of crew familiarity with machinery, fuel oil, lube oil, and ventilation shutoff systems to effectively contain and suppress engine room fires. Full report: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2513.pdf

Crew change have resumed at the port of Chittagong, albeit to a limited extent. In case of joining, covid negative certificate is required. In case of sign off, the crew will have to undergo a covid test at a local government approved hospital. Which takes a total of 3 days to stay in a hotel. Then he has to show immigration and airlines authorities when he gets on the plane.  We've learned from talking to a crew service provider that this process is safe for all parties. NC Shipping's operations manager said Chittagong port service is now much more efficient and less time consuming. All rules are governed by international standards. "Even in the covid pandemic lockdown, we get international quality service from Chittagong port which has played a positive role in the operation of our ships and maintaining the dynamism of the maritime trade," he added. He thinks crew change approval is part of a continuous process. This is a valiant decision of the government and port authorities 

Ships

The US Coast Guard medevaced a crewmember from the 'National Geograhic Venture', en route from Pichilingue to Seattle, approximately 15 miles offshore of Coos Bay, Oregon, on April 20, 2025. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River watchstanders received a report from the cruise shp at 6:38 a.m., stating, that a 30-year-old male crewmember was suffering from excessive vomiting and shortness of breath. The watchstanders consulted with the Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac via helicopter. At 8 a.m. a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from the Coast Guard Air Station North Bend rendezvoused with the 'National Geographic Venture' west of Coos Bay, and successfully hoisted the patient to the helicopter. He was transported to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay in stable condition. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4163239/video-available-coast-guard-rescues-man-from-cruise-ship-off-coos-bay-oregon/

On April 21, 2025, the 7-meter-fishing boat 'TLA', with four people on board, suffered engine problems near Denia and requested towing assistance. The. CCS Valencia of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Fénix', which took the wooden boat in tow and safely pulled it to the Denia Marina.

The Cochin Port Trust handled a record 3.20 million tonnes of cargo in December 2020, a monthly record volume for it. The volume is a 10.55 per cent growth over December 2019, said Cochin Port Trust chairperson M. Beena, in a message to the employees and officials of the port trust. Container movement too touched a consistent 60,000 TEUs consecutively in the four months leading to December. The surge in the movement of cargo is being looked upon as new shoots in the port business after the plans of 2020 were washed away in the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth in cargo movement is “charting a new growth trajectory. However, we need to find new vistas for revenue generation by optimum utilisation of resources available to us,” the chairperson told the port community. The port has been recovering from the losses, which had affected it for the past decade. But the pandemic and resultant loss in business had pushed the port into the red. But the port was expected to make a recovery by the end of 2021, the chairperson said. There was optimism stemming from the fact that though there was a substantial fall in cargo movement in the first half of the current financial year, there was some recovery in the second half. The port trust was also optimistic that the inauguration of the Kochi-Mangaluru LNG pipeline earlier this month would pave the way for more gas volumes and revenue for the port. Meanwhile, figures from the Indian Ports Association showed that ports across the country suffered owing to the pandemic and its impact on the global economy. The average fall across the major ports in the country is nearly nine per cent for the period. Mumbai suffered a fall of more than 17 per cent and the Momugao traffic fell more than 23 per cent and JNPT traffic was down by over 12 per cent. Haldia Dock Complex, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, and New Mangaluru suffered lesser falls in business.

The inauguration of the new shore power facility in Kiel on Dec 9, 2020, meant that Stena Line now have the possibility to connect 14 vessels at seven terminals with on-shore electricity during port stay. The new connection in Kiel will reduce the CO2 emissions from the two vessels Stena Scandinavica and Stena Germanica with 2,700 tonnes per year. In total Stena Line reduce its CO2 emissions with shore power with 13,000 tonnes per year. The new shore power facility in Kiel provides 100% green electricity, thus also avoiding NOX-, SOX- and particle emissions during the port stay of the 'Stena Germanica' and 'Stena Scandinavica'. Aside from Kiel, Stena Line have the possibility to connect to shore power supply at its two terminals in Göteborg, as well as in Karlskrona, Norvik, Trelleborg and Hoek van Holland, thus saving 13,000 t of CO2 per year in its network. Of the 36 vessels in the Stena Line fleet, 14 are now equipped with High Voltage Shore Connection systems (HVSC). “Shore power supply is important for us for two reasons: First, we want to have an immediate positive impact on the air quality in the ports we use. Secondly, we expect an even higher share of electrification in ports in the future – at cars, trucks, port vehicles and not the least at ships. With our battery and power bank projects, we develop our ferry services further in that direction constantly and we learn something new each day. In 2030 we expect to launch a 100 % battery powered and fossil free vessel”, say Niclas Mårtensson, CEO Stena Line and member of the Swedish Government Elelctrification Commission. Kiels mayor Dr. Ulf Kämpfer inaugurated the new façade of the shore power facility, which has been specially designed and illuminated. The inauguration marks the offizial start of the on-shore power supply for Stena Line in Kiel. The facility was co-funded by the state government of Schleswig-Holstein (8,9 m Euro) and the EU (1,26 m Euro). In addition, Germany´s federal government recently agreed on a political package to decrease the user prices for on-shore electricity significantly. “We are very grateful for the political support on various levels. The planned decrease of user prices for shore side electricity is an important step for the competitiveness of environmentally- and climate-friendly technologies in Northern Europe. At the same time, we are very happy about the continuous positive dialogue with our partners at Port of Kiel and the city of Kiel”, says Ron Gerlach, Managing Director, Stena Line Germany.

In response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after the allision of the 'Dali' on March 26, 2024,, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has revealed that the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bay Bridge (aka the Chesapeake Bay Bridge) does not meet current vessel collision risk standards, prompting the development of comprehensive safety measures in the frame of the of MDTA’s response to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) interim accident report and urgent safety recommendations. The NTSB report found that the Key Bridge had a risk level nearly 30 times above the acceptable threshold for critical bridges. Despite the Bay Bridge’s compliance with its federal permit and annual inspections confirming safe conditions for over 30 years, MDTA voluntarily initiated a $160 million project in spring 2024 to evaluate bridge protection. The authority has already invested more than $175 million in bridge safety and security infrastructure over the past decade. The MDTA engaged Moffatt & Nichol (M&N), a leading firm in vessel allision design of bridges, to conduct the risk assessment. The firm’s staff includes the principal author of the AASHTO vessel allision requirements and previously taught Federal Highway Administration courses on vessel collision analysis. The assessment evaluated both the eastbound and westbound spans of the Bay Bridge, constructed in 1952 and 1973 respectively, using the most current AASHTO Bridge Design Specifications and Guide Specifications for an allision. In response, MDTA was developing both immediate and long-term risk reduction strategies. Short-term measures may include new communication protocols for vessel pilots, reduced vessel speeds, one-way transits, and enhanced traffic management. Long-term solutions could involve physical protection measures such as dolphins and pier fenders. The timing of these safety measures coincided with the MDTA’s ongoing study of potentially replacing the existing Bay Bridge spans. The authority has confirmed it will ensure current safety improvements don’t interfere with future replacement plans. The evaluation was part of a broader national safety initiative following the Key Bridge collapse. The NTSB identified 68 other bridges nationwide frequented by ocean-going vessels that were constructed before the 1991 AASHTO guidance and have not undergone recent vulnerability assessments. The MDTA will coordinate its risk reduction measures with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ensuring alignment with the interdisciplinary team approach recommended by the NTSB.

The 'Holi', with two crew members on board, was caught in a fish trap late on April 22, 205, off Barbate, and required assistance as it was unable to free itself. Divers of the installatin were mobilized on the early morning of April 23 and managed to free the yacht again. The SAR boat 'Salvamar Enif' was mobilized by Salvamento Marítimo to the scene and escorted the boat to the port of Barbate, one it was freed from the traps. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1914932546581696889

Ships

Debido a la ola invernal y el paso del huracán IOTA, las vías al interior de la región de la alta guajira quedaron en mal estado, lo que no permitió el tránsito de camiones con alimentos y ayudas a la población indígena de esta zona. Por este motivo, a través de Puerto Brisa S.A. se llevó a cabo cargue de estos productos alimenticios y kits de ayudas humanitarias al buque de desembarco anfibio de la Armada Nacional, ARC GOLFO DE MORROSQUILO. De esta manera contribuimos al bienestar del pueblo guajiro, con la organización de los delegados del Programa Mundial de Alimentos de la ONU y ONG locales.