News

The improper compensation of the pilot of the 'Kpe B. Wyatt' for a river cross-current resulted in an allision with a bridge at Fort Madison, Iowa lon May 9, 2024, according to a report, released by the National Transport Safety Board on July 10, 2025. The tug was pushing 15 barges down the Mississippi near Fort Madison on that day. As the pilot rounded Dutchman Island and lined up on the main span of the Fort Madison Bridge, an old swing bridge with a 200-foot-wide main channel, he intentionally steered to starboard of the charted sailing line. Based on 24 years of experience and 15 transits of this particular route, he expected to encounter a cross-current from around the other side of the island, which he believed would set the tow to port. The effects of that cross-current did not materialize, leaving the tug off course and headed at eight knots for a bridge piling protection cell. The pilot had about 1,900 feet of forward travel distance remaining to react. He increased power and attempted to swing the head of the tow to port, back into the center of the channel. Though he avoided a head-on allision, which could have seriously affected the two deckhands up at the head of the tow, the maneuver was not quite successful, and the third barge on the starboard side hit the protection cell fendering system. The tow broke up and about a dozen barges drifted off downriver, with two deckhands aboard. One barge eventually sank and was later refloated. No injuries or pollution were reported. Damage to the bridge fenders, the barges and the 'Joe B. Wyatt' was estimated at about $3.3 million. The report stated that there was no evidence that the pilot was fatigued, impaired, or distracted before or during the casualty. Given the vessel’s speed at the time, the following current, and the number of barges, there was likely not time for the pilot to prevent the contact with the protection cell by backing the tow. The agency concluded that the pilot overcompensated for the expected crosscurrents. It advised that a charted sailing line is a safe route when used as a guide, "along with the mariner’s own experience and assessment of the existing circumstances. Report with photo: https://maritime-executive.com/article/ntsb-experienced-towboat-pilot-hit-a-bridge-on-the-mississippi

Five years after the 'Wakashio' ended up on the reefs of Pointe-d'Esny on July 25, 2020, the ecological and social wounds have beem remaining open. Fishermen and coastal workers, heavily affected by the oil spill, were still waiting for proper compensations. Temporary aid and partial compensation have been paid by the authorities and the ship's insurer, but these amounts were considered insufficient by the victims. Since then, no significant progress has been reported. More than seven months after an initial questioning in Parliament, MP Tony Apollon was asked whether the report of the commission of inquiry into the disaster will be made public., while the Attorney General's office continues to examine available legal avenues. From August 2020 to March 2021, 999 people (professional fishermen, holders of recreational boat licenses, and street vendors working along the beaches in the area) received 10,200 Mauritian rupees per month, or approximately €191 per month. The funds paid out represent 7% of the sums disbursed by insurers and the government. Following the accident, fishermen have noted a decline in biodiversity. Professionals are seriously considering retraining in the agri-food sector. Fishing is no longer profitable, and in winter, weather conditions do not allow for offshore fishing.

On July 27 a passenger of the 'Icon of the Seas' accidentally fell from the Hideaway Pool on Deck 15 into the pool gutter while attempting to retrieve his sunglasses. The crew responded immediately. Fortunately, the guest was not injured. A second safety railing at the outer edge of the pool prevented a more serious oucome. Below the pool is a narrow maintenance corridor, secured by an additional glass barrier. The man hit this barrier and merely fell into the gap – he remained on Deck 15, albeit in an area not normally accessible to the public. Meanwhile the South African female crew member, who was stabbed multiple times by a 35-year-old South African man on July 24 off the coast of San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, was recovering at a Miami hospital and in a stable condition. Following the incident, which was a personal dispute, the man then fled the scene and jumped off the ship, being later found deadin the sea. The cruise operator Royal Caribbean confirmed the incident and has pledged its full cooperation with the Bahamian authorities.

On the evening of July 28, 2025, the 'Saint Philippe' sufffered an engine damage with subsequent electrical failure, which deprived of its navigation instruments, off the coast of Fort de l'Heurt. The trawler requested assistance, and from the SNSM station in Boulogne-sur-Mer. the all-weather lifeboat 'Président Jacques Huret' was launched to assist the ship. The trawler was taken in tow and returned to the Loubet dock in Boulogne-sur-Mer in order to fix the damage. Report with photo: https://www.nordlittoral.fr/255819/article/2025-07-30/boulogne-sur-mer-les-sauveteurs-en-mer-ramenent-au-port-un-chalutier-de-100

On the afternoon of July 29, 2025, the 'Ever Feat', en route from Navegantes, berthed in the port of Montevideo with two container bays being heavily affected, with between 30 and 40 units crushed, bent, or dislodged. At least two 40-foot containers were left hanging precariously over the vessel’s port side, risking loss overboard, after encountering forceful winds and high waves near Rio Grande do Sul. The structural damage included twisted lashing bars, crushed container walls, and visibly distorted fittings on deck. Work was started in order to secure the cargo to allow the ship to sail again. The National Port Authority (ANP) was in charge of the planning, along with the shipping company and the corresponding port operators. The Coast Guard issued a series of recommendations for prevention during the handling of containers, due to the fact that they contain fertilizers, which are classified as toxic or polluting. The cargo was being handled by the company Monteco. It was currently unknown if any of the containers fell into the water. Due to the damaged containers, each client's insurance policies were activated. As a precaution, containment and clean-up protocols were triggered alongside a full cargo review. The nature of the collapse suggested internal system stress caused by extreme rolling and pitching, possibly exceeding the vessel’s designed stability limits. Classification society surveyors boarded the ship early on July 30. Their work includes verifying hull integrity, checking for leaks of hazardous materials, and examining damaged lashing equipment. Reports with photos and video: https://www.subrayado.com.uy/buque-contenedores-danados-y-punto-caer-esta-el-puerto-montevideo-accidente-brasil-n983820 https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nacional/llego-al-puerto-montevideo-barco-que-sufrio-danos-una-tormenta-mas-20-contenedores-resultaron-danados-n6010550 https://www.elpais.com.uy/maritimas/buque-se-accidento-frente-a-rio-grande-y-llego-a-montevideo-con-los-contenedores-a-punto-de-caer-al-agua