Eduard Khudainatov, the former CEO of the Russian state-owned oil conglomerate Rosneft, has filed an appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit over his claim to the 'May Amadea', which US authorities seized in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The development came after a US judge ruled in March that Khudainatov could not plausibly claim ownership of the luxury yacht, effectively granting the US Justice Department permission to sell the vessel at auction.
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LUCKY BROTHER
On May 6, 2025, thd 'Lucky Brother' was detained in Gemlik with 25 deficiencies, 15 of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Certificate & Doc - Oil record book Not as required 2) Safety of navigation - Charts Expired 3) Structural conditions - Decks, cracking Damaged 4) Structural conditions - Bulkhead - corrosion Damaged 5) Fire safety - Fire doors /openings in fire resisting division Unsafe 6) Fire safety - Jacketed high pressure lines and oil leakage alarm Inoperative 7) Fire safety - Other (Fire safety) Other 8)) Life saving Appliances - Buoyant apparatus Not as required 9) Life saving Appliances - Lifeboats inventory Not as required 10) LIving and working - Cleanliness of engine room Insufficient 12) Water/Weathertight - Ventilators, airpipes and casings Cracked. 13) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Bilge pumping arrangements Not as required 14) Emergency systems - Emergency fire pumps and its pips Not properly maintained 15)ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on May 12 and dropped anchor off Pendik in pos. 40° 52' N 029° 12' E. It showed the destination Kartal with an ETA as of May 13 and remained stationary as of May 14. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591
PUSHPA
The sanctioned 'Kiwala', which was detained in Estonia for operating without a valid flag state registration, being suspected to be part of the Russan “shadow fleet” used to circumvent international sanctions, was released, after Djibouti agreed to register the vessel temporarily. The ship weighed anchor on April 26 and headed to the Russian port Ust-Luga, where it arrived on April 29.
MSC VIRTUOSA
On Maa 3, a 60-year-old man died on board the 'MSC Virtuosa', and another was arrested in connection with his death. Around 8:30 p.m.,2,5 hours after the cruise ship had departed from the port of SouthamptonUK, an altercation reportedly broke out between several passengers, A 60-year-old British man attending a stag party reportedly died during the altercation. Another British man, aged 57, was reportedly arrested on suspicion of murder and later released on bail. The 'MSC Virtuosa', which had departed Southampton around 6:00 p.m. for a two-night voyage to Bruges, Belgium, finally returned to the British port on May 5. The relevant authorities have been contacted and the company was cooperating fully with their investigations.
BLINT
There was a major incident off the coast of Estonia in the Gulf of Finland on May 14, 2025, as the Estonian Navy attempted to detain the'Jaguar', operated by the Russian shadow fleet and sailing under the flag of Gabon. With the Estonian Defense Force and Border Guard deploying an AgustaWestland AW139 Helicopter, M28 Skytruck Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and an EML Raju Patrol Boat to intercept and halt the ship, which refused to follow orders to halt or change course towards Estonia. The Russian Air Force eventually deployed a Su-35S to fly over the tanker in an attempt to scare away the Estonians, who in the process violated Estonia’s Airspace over the Gulf of Finland. The tanker appeared to be anchored near the Island of Gogland in the eastern Gulf of Finland and subsequently proceeded to Russian waters and anchored near Gogland Island before proceeding towards Primorsk with an ETA as of May 15. Report with video: https://gcaptain.com/russian-jet-buzzes-estonian-forces-in-gulf-of-finland-shadow-tanker-showdown/