News

The 'Rui Ning 21' was stuck for nearly 24 hours at the exit of the access channel to the Port of Rio Grande, loaded with more than 68,000 tons of soybeans destined for China. It got stuck between buoys 2 and 4, just behind the Barra Piers on the afternoon of Sep 13, 2025. The accident mobilized a major rescue operation, coordinated by the Navy's 5th Naval District Command, in partnership with private towing companies. Five tugs were deployed, the 'WS Polaris', 'Crater' and 'Vitória LX' of Wilson Sons, the 'Caripuna' of SAAM and the 'Genaro' of Svitzer Salvage. During the refloating maneuver, inbound and outbound traffic at the port was temporarily suspended, although loading and unloading operations at the terminals were continued. After the successful refloating, navigation was restored in the early afternoon of Sep 14. There were no reports of pollution or risk to the crew, and the port was operating at full capacity again. The ship dropped anchor in pos. 32° 17' S 051° 57' W, where it remained stationary as of Sep 15. An administrative inquiry has been opened to determine the circumstances of the incident. Report with photos: https://www.terra.com.br/noticias/navio-graneleiro-chines-e-desencalhado-apos-operacao-no-porto-de-rio-grande,c6be6140c51d75d30711e20cf6f28a36aqe14e5m.html?utm_source=clipboard

The 'Tafra 3' with 26 crew members on board, and the factory ship 'Grey Whale' (IMO: 7703962) were in collision on Sep 12, 2025, at 8.40 p.m., in Mauritanian waters, opposite Nouadhibou, in an area where joint ventures with Galician-Mauritanian capital and other Spanish joint ventures normally are fishing. The 'Tafra 3' suffered a large breach in the starboard side and sank quickly. 21 people, including three Spaniards - the two skippers, Javier Gestido and José Manuel Diz, both residents of Morrazo, and the chief engineer from Huelva, were rescued. Among the survivors, in addition to the five Spaniards, one Ghanaian, one Senegalese and 14 Mauritanians have been identified. Seven crew members were injured, one of them seriously. Diz had a cut on his head that required stitches. The rescued arrived at the port of Nouadhibou , on Sep 13 at 6 a.m. Those who were well, were accomodated in a hotel, Five Mauritanians, including one officer, remained missing. Two crew members of the factory ship, a Spaniard and a Russian, were taken into custody in the city of Nouadhibou as part of the investigation. A patrol boat of the Mauritanian Coastguard was dispatched to the scene to coordinate the SAR operations, being supported by several fishing boats, among them the 'Tafra 2' and 'Rimbal 5', as well as a Spanish helicopter, which was deployed to the scene at the request of local authorities. The 'Tafra 3', owned by the Galician Genaro Martínez, with capital from Vigo, which until 2001 operated under the name 'Praia de Loureiro', was fishing in Mauritanian waters at the time of the accident alongside other ships, including the 'Tafra 2', also owned by the company Baipesca, based in the port of Vigo. Reports with photos and video: https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20250913/desaparecidos-naufragio-pesquero-gallego-mauritano/16727798.shtml https://www.elcorreogallego.es/galicia/2025/09/14/tafra-3-fondo-rapidisimo-abordaje-121555041.html https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/somosmar/2025/09/14/tafra-3-dos-gallegos-salvo-viraba-aparejo-abordadoel-antiguo-playa-loureiro-buen-barco-recuerdan-marin/0003_202509G14P32991.htm

The 'Golden Mind', which had left the port of Bluff on Sep 8, 2025, suffered steering difficulties and got stuck west of the coast of Stewart Island on Sep 10. The owners of he tanker have contracted the ocean-going tug 'MMA Vision' (IMO: 9548627) to provide towage assistance. Towage arrangements have been made between the commercial parties involved The 'MMA Vision' set off from Wellington on Sep 12 and was alongside the tanker on Sep 15. As of Sep 15, the 'Golden Mind' was NUC in pos. 47° 30' N 165° 10' E. The weather conditions would determine when the two ships could connect. Weather stations on Rakiura were recording gale-force winds. The plan was to tow the tanker to Timaru.

The Calmac ferries 'Glen Sannox' and Loch Shira' assisted the HM Coastguard, responding to the 10-m-fishing vessel 'Spitfire' in distress, on Sep 10 at 11.35 a.m. Also the Troon RNLI all weather lifeboat, Largs RNLI inshore lifeboat and the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 199 were mobilized to the scene just north of Little Cumbrae Island. Coastguard rescue teams from Cumbrae, Greenock and Largs were also sent to assist. The helicopter winched the two people on board from the sinking trawler and flew them to Largs Yacht Haven, where they were checked over by ambulance crew and released. The ferry was stood down by the Coastguard and resumed service with the 1:30 p.m. departure from Cumbrae. The RNLI lifeboat 'R.A. Wilson', with a four member volunteer crew on board, capsized during the response in the Firth of Clyde.. The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat overturned on its way to the accident site, sending the rescue volunteers into the water. The crew was able to quickly right the lifeboat and get back onboard. They were then escorted back to the lifeboat station by other crews attending the emergency. The four RNLI volunteers were assessed paramedics and no injuries were reported, however the lifeboat was damaged. The RNLI has sent a relief lifeboat to the area while the original undergoes repairs. The RNLI started carrying out an investigation in conjunction with the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) into the incident. A notice to mariners (NTM 26/2025) has been issued by Peel Ports, advising vessels not to anchor or fish in the area until the wreck’s exact location has been confirmed. Although it’s not yet known what caused the 'Spitfire' to sink, it was feared one of its wooden planks may have given way, leading to water ingress. The 'Spitfire' was launched in 1974 at Dunbar in East Lothian, and was the second last boat to be built at the town’s boatyard, Weatherhead and Blackie, before it closed two years later. The trawler remained at the harbour for 50 years until being sold in 2024 and then sailed north and through the Caledonian Canal on its way to new owners on the west coast. It was trawling for prawns in waters north of Little Cumbrae island on its last voyage.

Due to a mechanical issue, the scheduled departure of the 'Ala'suinu' from Argentia to North Sydney was at risk to be delayed on the night of Sep 15, 2025.