The 'Wan Hai 503' was being towed to Jebel Ali with an ETA as of Sep 10, weather permitting. Discussions between local authorities and vessel owners on berthing approval were ongoing. The stability and safety requirements were met, and the tow was being closely monitored for a secure arrival. As of Sep 5, the vessel was located 177 nautical miles off Colombo, close to the Indian EEZ boundary. There were no visible flames, but minor smouldering was still observed.
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AWADI
24 hours after the start of the extraction work, the contaminated water that had accumulated in the hold and engine room of the "Awadi" during the firefighting operations, was completed on Sep 4. 100 tons of the mixture of oils and hydrocarbons, and the foam used to extinguish the flames, were removed in addition to a total of 35 tons of fishing gear, fishing equipment, and other items from the ship's deck and other areas. These items were now stored on a gated property in the town awaiting a decision on their disposal. With the reduction of 150 tons of weight, the ship could gradually regain stability. The list has dropped from 40 degrees to eight degrees, and everything indicates there was no risk of sinking or causing any pollution in the Arousa estuary. The fire was declared under control but remained active, with a small fire in the bow and another in a storage room on the bridge. However, the fire was confined and posed no danger. By mid-afternoon, the Fire Department and the General Emergency Management Agency (GAEM) withdrew from the area but remained alert to any eventuality. Security personnel was on hand as a deterrent measure and to intervene if necessary. The Port Police have been in charge of this security issue in recent days, while the Local Police took over at night. Report with photos: https://www.diariodearousa.com/articulo/o-barbanza/retirada-100000-litros-agua-contaminada-35-toneladas-aparejos-logra-estabilizar-buque-awadi-incendiado-ribeira-5416612
MEDITERRANEA
The Italian government has levied a heavy fine and a two-month detention on the 'Mediterranea', following its decision to disobey orders and disembark migrants in Sicily instead of an assigned port over 1,000 kilometers away. The ship had rescued ten people, including three unaccompanied minors, from the Mediterranean. The Italian authorities had directed the vessel to the distant port of Genoa for the disembarkation procedure. Defending its actions, the NGO stated that the survivors were exhausted and traumatized, and that forcing them to endure a several-day journey through dangerous waves up to three meters high would have been inhumane. The NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans described the decision to dock in Trapani on Aug 23 as necessary to provide urgent medical and psychological care. In response, the Trapani Prefect issued sanctions including a 10,000-euro fine and a 60-day detention of the ship.
BOMLO
The operator Torghatten Nord had to cancel several departures between Sandvikvåg and Halhjem on the morning of Sep 4, 2025, due to technical problems with the "Bømlo", serving on this route. After troubleshooting, the ship was operating the route again as scheduled. .
HIGH FIDELITY
On Sep 3, 2025, at noon, the Port Authorities of Agia Galini, Kala Limeni, Chora Sfakia and Paleochora were informed by the Unified SAR Center (EKSED) of the Coastal Maritime Police about a boat with 38 people on board, among them 35 men and three minors, in a difficult situation, in the sea area 51.8 nautical miles southeast of the island of Gavdos. They were picked up by the "High Fidelity", which was nearby on its way from Algeciras to Aqaba. The Italian Coast Guard and the 'P.04 Osum' of the Guardia di Finanza, which was participating in a patrol mission in the Aegean Sea, collaborated in coordinating the operation. The latter vessel reached the 'High Fidelity' shortly after the rescue, which was carried out amid challenging weather conditions, and escorted it to the end of the route to ensure operational support and safety throughout the rescue phase. The tanker proceeded to the Messara Bay, From there, the migrants were transferred to a rescue vessel. of the police and safely transported to the port of Agia Galini. They were then takento Rethymno to a temporary accommodation facility. The Rethymno Port Authority, which conducted the preliminary investigation, arrested a 26-year-old Sudanese national) as human trafficker for violation of article 83 of Law 3386/2005 (Illegal entry into the country), article 25 of Law 5038/2023 (Facilitation) and article 306 of the Criminal Code (Report). The boat had set off on the afternoon of Aug 29 from the Tobruk region of Libya. The migrants had paid sums of money of 3,000-13,000 Libyan dinars for their transport to Greece.