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A 55-year old Filipino crew member and the 59-year old Chief Engineer of the 'Heroic' were contracted with Covid 19. The Filipino crew died in his cabin, the Chief Engineer was airlifted to hospital. Immediately after its arrival at Kaloi Limenes, the ship was boarded by medics, and samples were taken. Nine of the 19 crew were tested positive for the coronavirus.

U.S. Seafoods issued an apology to Unalaska residents after crew members from the 'Seafreeze America' breached isolation protocols to visit a crowded local bar last weekend. The resulting widespread exposure forced the city to move from the “medium” to “high” coronavirus risk level after nearly a month and a half at the lower threshold. Dozens of locals who visited the Norwegian Rat Saloon have been asked to quarantine and test for the virus, if they haven’t been vaccinated. U.S. Seafoods were still trying to figure out exactly what happened that night, shortly after the 'Seafreeze America' arrived in port. The vessel was fishing for yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea last week when a few of the 51 crew members on board started feeling COVID-19 symptoms. The company tested them on board, and rerouted the vessel to Dutch Harbor to confirm the results and be closer to medical care. The ship was last in Dutch Harbor in late March when the company brought a group of new crew members on board. By the time they’d boarded, they had tested negative for COVID-19 two separate times, and gone through nearly 20 days of quarantine — though most of the quarantine was what’s known as “self-monitored,” without guards or security personnel ensuring compliance. The ship reached Unalaska on April 10, 2021, about 20 hours after crew members initially developed symptoms. Eight people onboard had tested positive at that point. All eight went immediately to Unalaska’s isolation bunkhouse while the rest of the crew stayed put. It appeared as many as four of the COVID-positive crew at Unalaska’s isolation facility decided to head to the bar just before midnight. Initial estimates from video footage indicated as many as 60 people could have been exposed at the Norwegian Rat that night. But some may not have been in close contact long enough to be considered at risk for catching COVID-19, and others may have been vaccinated. In the night of April 13, contact tracing from the bar was only about 40% complete. It was still too soon after the exposure to begin testing. The entire crew of the 'Seafreeze America' was ultimately tested or retested at the local clinic; 26 came back positive. Two were presumed positive but refused retesting. The U.S. Seafoods employees who breached isolation effectively fired themselves. The fishermen could face up to a $500 fine and even prison time. While the majority of COVID-positive crew have been flown on medical charters to Anchorage, the company was still working to figure out what’s next for the vessel and the crew still on board. Company officials are having almost daily calls with state and local officials to make a plan and keep them updated on the health status of remaining crew. They were also working to continue vaccinating the ship's crew. To date, just two of the 51 crew have been fully vaccinated and 14 have their first dose.

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The trial transshipment of goods from India to its northeast, via the sea route, started on Tuesday after four containers bound for the region were unloaded from a merchant vessel at Bangladesh's Chittagong port, officials said on Tuesday. India and Bangladesh had signed an MOU for goods for northeast India transiting via Bangladesh's ports - a small but significant opening up of both Bangladesh's ports under the broader economic relationship between the two countries. Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruk told on Tuesday: "The first ship under the trial run of transshipment of Indian goods to its northeastern states through Bangladesh arrived at Chattogram (Chittagong) port on Tuesday morning. "MV Shejyoti, carrying back to Chattogam 4 TEUs (20-feet equivalent unit) with 221 containers full of transhipment goods from India's Haldia port, reached the NCT-1 Berth, the outer anchorage of Chattogram port at around 1.25 a.m. But as night navigation is restricted in the port, that is why we started the navigation at morning," he said. MV Shejyoti had left the Syama Prasad Mukherjee port of Kolkata on July 17. Handling of the containers was completed before midnight and the container trailers started for Akhaura with an escort provided by Bangladesh's customs security. Shipping agent sources said the four containers under the trial transshipment contain iron rods and pulses. Those will head to Agartala through the Akhaura Land Port. The consignment of rods will be brought to West Tripura's Jirania from Agartala, while the pulses will go to Assam's Karimganj. Habibur Rahman of Mango Lines, the agent for the merchant vessel, had said that offloading may begin also on Tuesday after completing the formalities. Indian transshipment goods would enjoy a 28-day free-stay after offloading at the port as per the international transshipment agreement. Bangladesh will earn 254 takas from the scanning of each container loaded with transshipment goods. Bangladeshi importers also pay the same charge. Similarly, 30 takas document processing fee for each consignment of Indian goods will be levied, the same amount charged on Bangladeshi importers. Joint Commissioner of the Customs House S.M. Shamsuzzaman said the transshipped goods will have to pay police 50 takas per tonne as escort charge to reach the Indian border in Tripura from the port by road. Usually a 20 feet container carries a maximum of 30 tons of goods. According to this estimation, Bangladesh will realise around 1, 500 takas as escort charge for accompanying goods of a container to the border. Akhaura Customs Officer Harunur Rashid said they have taken necessary preparations for the transportation of the Indian goods, under the trial run. India is transporting goods to its northeastern states, using Bangladeshi ports, as per the agreement on "The Use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for Movement of Goods to and from India" signed between Dhaka and Delhi in 2018 and a standard operating procedure (SoP) signed in October 2019. Earlier, the Indian government used the Ashuganj river port to transport goods for the Palatana Power Plant in Tripura through the Akhaura land port. On the new chapter in connectivity with Bangladesh via container shipping, India's Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the transit route will open new opportunities for both countries. He said that it will provide an alternative and shorter route to connect the northeast region through Bangladesh, reducing distance and time taken in transportation of goods for India and is a win-win for both the economies. On the other hand, job creation, investment in the logistical sector, enhanced business services and revenue generation are advantages that will accrue to Bangladesh. Bangladeshi vessels and trucks will be utilised to move the Indian cargo, the Indian government said. India and Bangladesh have enhanced cooperation in shipping and inland water trade in recent years. Under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, in addition to the six existing Ports of Call, five more in each country have been added recently. Dredging of inland waterway routes is ongoing under an MoU, signed by the two countries on development of selected stretches of Bangladesh waterways. The trial transportation of goods to the northeastern states by road, via Bangladesh, had started earlier.

The transshipment of the thousands of containers stranded on the 'Ever Given', detained by the Suez Authority, are onto smaller vessels was now being considered in order to transport them to their final destinations as quickly as possible. The Evergreen Marine Corporation was currently thinking about sending empty container ships to the Bitter Lake, where the 'Ever Given' is detained, or letting ships on their way take containers from the vessel. "The possibility of moving containers to other ships and delivering them to customers in Europe is now on the table." The 'Ever Given' is loaded with about 18,000 TEU. The Egyptian authorities are demanding a compensation totaling 916 million Dllars. The ship, after thorough investigations, was approved for further sailing towards the destination in Rotterdam.

On April 18, 2021 at 3:10 a.m. the CROSS Jobourg was informed by the Toulouse maritime medical consultation centerthat a crew member of the 'Mont Saint-Michel' was injured at the shoulder. The ship was 32 nautical miles north of Barfleur in the bay of the Seine. The CROSS then initiated a conference call with the maritime medical consultation center in Toulouse and the maritime medical coordination service in Le Havre. A medical evacuation was recommended. The CROSS ideployed a Cayman helicopter of the French Navy base in Maupertus to carry out the operation. At 4:57 a.m., the victim was hoisted aboard the helicopter and dropped off at Le Havre hospital at 5:16 a.m. where he was taken care of by medical teams.

A powerful explosion rocked Beirut port on Aug 4, 2020, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. There was no clarity yet with regards to the cause of explosions, and what triggered it. The talk was of a firework factory which blew up. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR88CECmTso&feature=emb_title

A total of 12 units of fire fighters brought the fire under control The blazing fire at the Chittagong port was brought under control on Wednesday evening 15 July 2020. Meanwhile, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has formed a five-member probe body, headed by Zafar Alam, Member (Administration and Planning) of the CPA, to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of damage. The CPA Secretary Omark Faruk confirmed the matter. “Although the fire has been brought under control, smoke is still billowing from the gutted goods,” said the Secretary, The blazing fire originated at Shed No 3 of the maritime port at around 4pm on Wednesday, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room in Agrabad, Chittagong city. A total of 12 units of fire fighters brought the fire under control. According to the CPA, goods like foam, fabrics, machineries, papers, and soda meant for destruction were stockpiled at the No.3 shed of the port. AIS/Station/ BDCGP

The 'Karar' which was boarded 300 miles from Lisbon and 400 from miles Vigo in April 2020 with 3,824 kilos of cocaine on board, remains idled in the port of Vigo. The ship has not moved from the berth next to A Laxe and occupies a complete side of the dock. With the judicial investigation completed and the indictment issued some weeks ago, there is still not the slightest hope that the 'Karar' will sail again, not even the Ría de Vigo, in the short or medium term. IT could be sought to determine whether the shipowner, or the owner company, would have a share in the transportation of the 3,824 kilos of coca. This possibility, since the indictment has already been issued and the instruction is finalized, was unlikely. The other option was that neither the shipowner nor the owners take charge of the hull. Both the new owner company and the shipowner are located in Panama. The omission of responsibilities of the shipowner and the owner was already clear a few weeks after the boarding of the ship. The crew, from Nepal and Bangladesh, entered the A Lama prison, after testifying before the judge without the legal cover of their bosses. They even turned to their respective embassies in Spain to find shelter. Meanwhile, the 'Karar' continued to deteriorate.

On April 18, 2021, the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed by the ferry 'Spirit of France' that a migrant boat is in difficulty off Escalles. The 'Athos' was tasked to bring them assistance. The boat was located three nautical miles west of Cap Gris-Nez. The six castaways are taken care of by the 'Athos', which dropped them off at 2:29 p.m. in Boulogne-sur-Mer where they were taken care of by the border police.

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