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The Georgian captain Davit Vadatchkoria of the 'Eagle S' for the first time he has given his version of events on board the tanker after Estlink 2, an important power cable between Finland and Estonia, had stopped working. When the ship was boarded, Davit Vadachkoria says he did not know about the cable breaks. Earlier in the evening, the Border Guard vessel 'Turva' had approached the 'Eagle S' outside Porkala, made contact and reported that the anchor chain was out. Vadatchkoria then decided to stop his vessel and haul up the anchor. Then he noticed that it was gone, describing it as one of the worst things he had experienced during his career as a tanker captain. He asked the commander of the 'Turva' for permission to continue the route westward, towards the Danish Strait and on to Egypt, which was the destination for the unleaded gasoline and diesel oil in the cargo. According to Davit Vadatchkoria, the 'Turva's commander refused to budge, who wanted to continue talking and repeated that the 'Eagle S' should steer into Finnish waters to anchor. Vadatchkoria knew that he was in international waters, and that Finnish authorities only had limited rights to command merchant ships out there. He chose to follow the order anyway. At the new anchorage, he had expected port authorities and insurance representatives to board the 'Eagle S' calmly and safely with the help of the 'Turva's inflatable boats. Instead he received orders to gather the entire crew except for the three highest officers in the mess. Then the tanker was boarded with helicopters, and the boarding team confiscated electronic equipment such as computers, cameras and phones.According to the captain, they had spent two nights sleeping on the floor of the mess. During that time, each crew member was questioned. After that, one crew member needed psychological support, and another was taken to hospital for treatment of a blood clot. A few days later, the ship was ordered into Sköldvik outside Porvoo to undergo a port state inspection. After initially refusing, Davit Vadatchkoria claimed that he was forced to comply with the authorities' demands at gunpoint, otherwise he would have been arrested, and then he would have completely lost control of the ship and the crew. By this point, it was clear that the 'Eagle S' was singled out as the ship that had not only severed an electrical cable but also four communication cables, and a total of eight people on board were suspected of crimes. Suspicions remain against three officers, Captain Davit Vadatchkoria and the first and second mates. Indictments have been brought and the trial will begin in the Helsinki District Court on Aug 25. The three are suspected of aggravated sabotage and aggravated disruption of postal and telecommunications traffic. The indictment contains alternative crime categories that are milder, such as aggravated damage and causing public danger. Jukka Rappe, Deputy Prosecutor General, believes that the actions were intentional. Jukka Rappe brought charges last week and the next step is the trial, which is expected to take a couple of weeks. Jukka Rappe has said that there is not necessarily any conspiracy behind it, which can be interpreted as the fact that no money transfers from the Kremlin have been found and no conversation that proves that the 'Eagle S' had a secret mission to tear up cables in order to destabilize the Nordic countries. Together with his lawyers, Davit Vadatchkoria has gone through the entire preliminary investigation on hundreds of pages. Captain Davit Vadatchkoria believes that it was an accident and that a detailed technical and structural investigation would now be required. He also points out that the severe weather exposed the ship to extra stress. The question whether the crew should have discovered that the anchor had gone out and dragged the ship for 90 kilometers, was answered with yes by prosecutor Jukka Rappe and no by captain Davit Vadatchkoria, who claimed that he could prove that there were no heeling movements or course changes that would have caused an alarm from the autopilot, nor were any increasing vibrations, impacts or bouncing movements noticed that would have indicated that the anchor had been dragged. No abnormal noises from scraping chain or smoke were detected from the anchor windlass. According to Vadatchkoria, there were no visible dents or distortions and no traces of soot, which would usually be the case when the anchor has been lowered uncontrolled. Eagle S lost a couple of knots of speed just before 12.26 on Christmas Day when the electric cable broke. This could be explained by the anchor starting to drag at that time. But according to Davit Vadatchkoria, the change in speed was not something they reacted to. The wind had picked up, the wave height increased and other nearby ships also lost speed. Davit Vadatchkoria and the two other suspects have been held in Finland with a travel ban. They have been living in Helsinki since. Report with photos: https://yle.fi/a/7-10082866

Investigations of the 'Nordstjernen' showed that a minor technical problem had aused the stern to touch the pier. A diver was deployed on the evening of Aug 19 and discovered no structural damage to the ship. There were only a few scratches on the hull. The technical cause of the incident was found and remedied. The classification society boarded the ship on the morning of Aug 20, checked its technical condition, and finally released the ship shortly after noon. On the early afternoon, the 'Nordstjernen' left Rostock, one day late en route to Skagen with an ETA as of Aug 21. The Nordstjernen had to shift to the port of Rostock during the night because its berth in Warnemünde was needed with the cruise ships 'AIDAmar', 'Viking Sky' and 'Rotterdam' approaching.

The 'Slowsat', en route from Palamos, was damaged by a storm 26 nautical miles from Barcelona on Aug 20, 2025, and requested assistance. The SAR boat 'Salvamar Mintaka' (MMSI: 224520520) was mobilized from its station in Barcelona by the CCS Barcelona of Salvamento Marítimo. It took the yacht in tow and safely pulled it to the Marina Vela, where it was safely moored on the morning of Aug 21.

Russia launched a series of drone and missile attacks on the Odessa region on the night of Aug 19, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m. LT, and continuing into the early hours of Aug 20, targeting oil storage tanks of the Triton oil depot, port infrastructure at Izmail, and the 'Excellion', which was docked at the facility, carrying petroleum products, The attack, conducted with 20 Geran drones, triggered a series of about 30 explosions. The tanker suffered heavy damage to its starboard superstructure. Preliminary reports indicated that the ship has been damaged beyond repair. The strike also destroyed two of the six diesel storage tanks, each with a capacity of about 5,000 cubic meters, Infrastructure used for fuel transfer, including a high-pressure pumping station. One civilian was injured. The 'Excellion' had arrived from Sulina on Aug 19 and was unloading when the attack took place. Report with video: https://www.maritimedanmark.dk/tankskib-ramt-ved-russisk-droneangreb-pa-izmail-havn

The "Helen H" was detained on Aug 4, 2025, in Marseille with 22 deficiencies, four of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Safety of navigation - Charts Missing 2) Safety of navigation - Nautical publication Missing 3) Emergency system - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Not as required 4) Water/Weathertight - Scuppers, inlets and discharges Not as required The vessel was released again on Aug 20 and left the port enroute to Gemlik with an ETA as of Aug 27. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

On the afternoon of Aug 19, the Port Authority of Amorgos was informed by the Captain of the “Super Jet 2” about a strong vibration in the outer port side engine, due to the inflow of an obstruction, upon its arrival at the port of Katapola. The ship, coming from the port of Koufonisi, sailed safely to the port of Amorgos, disembarking the 35 passengers, who were then transported to their destinations by the ship-owning company, with the Cyprus-flagged “Express Jet. The “Super Jet 2” was initially banned from sailing from the Amorgos Port Station. After presenting a certificate of seaworthiness from the classification society that monitors it, it was allowed a single voyage, without passengers, to a shipyard in Salamina.

The Canadian Coast Guard has reached a milestone in the salvage operation for the 'MSC Baltic III'. The bulk of the oil has been removed from the internal tanks, and nearly three-quarters of the containers have been offloaded. Fuel has been and remained the largest concern for the vessel.. The weather and grounding caused cracks in the hull, and the vessel has been weeping small amounts of oil, with a few tar balls found along the shorelines. There were 1,600 metric tons of heavy fuel oil and Marine Gas Oil aboard as fuel and approximately 475 containers, more than half were empties. A total of 333 containers have been offloaded as of Auig 19, with a further 142 boxes remaining on the vessel. With the fuel tanks largely empty, the focus was now on the approximately 10 % of residual oil aboard. The Coast Guard considered the remaining fuel oil equally important because if it were to leak, it could still cause significant environmental damage. No plans have been announced for the hulk.

The 'Donald M. James', which had been drydocked at the Lloyd Yard in Bremerhaven since March 11, following its rudder loss, has left the port after damage inspections on Aug 19. No repair contract was completed, and now the ship was being towed by the offshore tug 'Abeille Horizon' (IMO: 9178410) to Setubal with status NUC and an ETA as of Sep 6 for permanent repairs.

Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region personnel, in coordination with partner agencies, remained engaged in salvage planning on Aug 20 in order to recover the hatch cover that detached during the explosion aboard the 'W Sapphire' in Baltimore port. A draft restriction remained in place, limiting the maximum navigational draft to 46.6 feet for vessels transiting within a 500-yard radius of the hatch cover's location. An intermittent safety zone covering all navigable waters within a 500-yard radius of the hatch cover's location were to be reactivated during future dive and salvage operations. Updates on the safety zone were to be provided via the Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. The 'W Sapphire' remained anchored north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in pos. 39° 02' N 076° 22' W as of Aug 21. The vessel has enacted its vessel response plan and was in stable condition. Following a joint boarding conducted with other investigative entities, a comprehensive plan was to be developed to safely clear the vessel from the port.

On the morning of Aug 19, the “MN Kostas” has partially sunk, with only its bow still visible above water, a few weeks after running aground on a mapped reef in the Kypriamadi area three nautical miles west of Cape Sidero, en route from Sitia to Beirut with a cargo of gypsum. On Aug 20, the tug 'Agaian Pelagos' (IMO: 9477012) remained at the sinking site. The ship had suffered serious damage, causing a water ingress and a list. The crew of 14 abandoned the vessel in time and were rescued with the assistance of the Coast Guard, local fishing boats and private vessels, without any injuries. No marine pollution was observed. The authorities proceeded to immediately pump out fuel and lubricants, unload the gypsum cargo and seal the critical points of the ship, limiting the risk of environmental impact, using towing and salvage vessels, floating cranes, and another cargo ship. They contracted the salvage company SEAGATE, which managed the pumping and recovery effort, deploying the two tugs 'Kaptain Dimitris IV' and 'Kaptain Dimitris III',. both equipped with environmental protection and pumping systems, along with the salvage vessel 'Aigaion Pelagos' to safeguard navigation safety throughout the operation. In total, approximately 37 tons of diesel fuel were removed, alongside hydrocarbons, lubricants, paints, and other hazardous substances. Most of the gypsum cargo was also offloaded. During the works, a floating boom was placed around the ship and additional anti-pollution equipment was put on standby in the sea area of the grounding and in the port of Sitia, while no marine pollution was observed. The case is under investigation by the Sitia Port Authority, while the master and the bridge officer were taken into custody as part of the preliminary investigation, based on criminal provisions relating to causing a shipwreck and violations of maritime regulations. The Sitia Port Authority, which was conducting the preliminary investigation, convened the advisory committee of article 9, paragraph 7 of Law 2881/2001 (Regulation of shipwreck salvage issues and other provisions), which characterized the "MN KOSTAS" as a shipwreck and decided to remove it under the responsibility of the ship's management company, as due to its location and condition it constitutes a shipping hazard. The company has been informed accordingly. Reports with photos: https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1278546/cargo-ship-sinks-off-northeastern-crete/ https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/08/21/cargo-ship-mn-kostas-sinks-crete-sitia/ https://www.tovima.com/society/mn-kostas-half-sunken-cargo-ship-off-crete-to-be-removed/

In the middle of the night of Aug 19, 2025, the 'Silja Serenade' unexpectedly turned sharply between Åland and Helsinki, causing it to list significantly and passengers became worried. The turn was stronger than planned due to a too large rudder angle, but that it did not pose any danger. Passengers expressed criticism for the lack of information about the incident, while the shipping company explained that the night was not considered appropriate to announce details and risk waking more people. China and glass in the ship's restaurants had crashed and broken. Hans Friberg, operations manager at Tallink Silja, was notified of the incident during the night. Report with photos: https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/EyG3dK/silja-serenade-fick-kraftig-slagsida-trodde-vi-skulle-kantra?fbclid=IwY2xjawMTqYFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkdZB27JIUR_ZrTAJp_VsfgJGeOSsJ1Ahp_nDtxNkWNV7LlCawlAYQwuJfd4_aem_z0_uRIpRbOWkLV8Va8caHA&utm_medium=share&utm_source=androidapp

The 'Wan Hai 503' remained stable and under close monitoring. The vessel was still being towed by the salvage team and is located in waters near the India-Sri Lanka maritime boundary as of Aug 15. The salvage team was in the process of liaising with potential ports of refuge. Decisions on the final port of refuge will take into account the overall suitability for the vessel as well as the handling of fire-damaged cargo. the The ship was 130 nautical miles from the Indian coast off Cape Comorin. The plan was to move it further out to sea, while discussions continued on a port of refuge. This has continued, although the area is subjected to monsoons at this time of year. There was no clear determination for the direction of the ship and a potential resolution. It has been suggested it might be towed to the Middle East. Hapag-Lloyd, which shared cargo aboard the ship, confirmed on Aug13, that the request for a port of refuge in Sri Lanka has been declined by the authorities.

on the afternoon of Aug 19, 2025, the captain of a charter yacht informed the Sassnitz Water Police that his boat had been hit by the 'Binz' near the Sellin pier. While departing from the pier, the passenger ship backed too close to the anchored charter yacht, causing damage to both vessels. Both ships were later able to dock at the port of Sassnitz, where the Water Police began their investigation. They subsequently informed the relevant authorities of the incident and initiated criminal proceedings against the captain of the 'Binz'.

One year after the sinking of the 'Bayesian' in the night of August 19, 2024, at around 4 a.m., in the waters of Porticello between Casteldaccia and Bagheria, in the province of Palermo, the investigations were ongoing. Most likely, a downburst – a sudden, violent downdraft – struck the anchorage at Porticello. At 03:50 a.m. the 'Bayesian’s anchor began to drag. At 04:00 a.m., a blackout occurred: water had reached the generator. Three minutes later, the yacht disappeared from local radars and cameras. At 04:10, after drifting 358 meters, the vessel heeled beyond its Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS) and sank. The stark contrast with the fate of the nearby vessel, the Dutch schooner 'Sir Robert Baden Powell', anchored just 100 meters away and left unharmed, remained one of the most debated points. Among the still-open hypotheses is the possibility of water ingress through the yacht’s stern doors, never definitively confirmed. The Prosecutor’s Office of Termini Imerese immediately opened a case for shipwreck and multiple counts of manslaughter, placing three crew members under investigation: The Italian Coast Guard compiled a 42-page report reconstructing the events, confirming that the combination of extreme weather and insufficient countermeasures proved decisive. A controversial element remained the captain’s decision to stay in Porticello, despite advice to seek shelter in the port of Marina di Villa Igiea. In parallel, the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) launched its own technical investigation. The preliminary report, published in May 2025, revealed that the yacht’s AVS that night was only 70.6° in the given configuration (sails down, engine on, keel retracted). This meant that a lateral gust exceeding 63 knots could trigger irreversible capsize. Crucially, this information was missing from the vessel’s Stability Information Book, leaving the crew unaware of its vulnerability in those conditions. On the financial front, the sinking triggered a dispute of enormous proportions. Two insurance policies have been involved: Hull & Machinery, covering material damage, and Protection & Indemnity (P&I), covering civil and environmental liability. While the yacht’s estimated value was around €30 million, total compensation could exceed €400 million, with some sources suggesting coverage as high as €2 billion. However, the outcome will largely depend on the investigations: potential design flaws or documentation gaps could shift liability from the captain to the shipyards involved.

On the afternoon of March 11, 2025, the 'Donald M. James' was towed from Bremen to Bremerhaven by the tugs 'VB Pioneer' (IMO: 9190614) and 'Fairplay 31' (IMO: 9416575) without its rudder. The damage had occurred when the ship's stern got stuck on the oppsite embankment of the Weser at Hasenbüren while casting off from the Steel Works Bremen in the Weserport on Feb 17, damaging the steering gear. It had arrived on Feb 16, en route from Narvik. On March 12 the ship was docked at the Lloyd Yard in Bremerhaven for inspections of the damage. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y14nlma8rEo

The 'Ciudad de Medellin' allided with the Guillermo Gaviria Bridge on the Magdalena River in Barrancabermeja on Augf 17, 2025, at 6:15 a.m. The tug lost control while attempting to turn and hit the structure of the bridge due to the force of the current, which pushed it against one of the bridge's piers. Several crew members jumped into the river and swam to nearby boats. Locals attempted to aid the crew by throwing life jackets into the water. Although no injuries were reported, the magnitude of the impact raised concerns about possible damage to the infrastructure. The tug was heavily damaged, the wheelhouse partially torn off, and it partially sank with a list to starboard side, while floating away from the bridge. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Witnesses have stated the water levels on the river were high due to heavy rains. There was some speculation that the tug had steered out of the navigation channel before striking the bridge. Naviera Río Grande will investigate the causes of the incident. The authorities have begun the respective verification and inspection of the condition of the bridge structure. Reports with photos and video: https://www.laopinion.co/colombia/grave-choque-en-el-rio-magdalena-remolcador-se-estrella-contra-un-puente https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/otras-ciudades/grave-accidente-en-el-rio-magdalena-remolcador-se-estrello-contra-el-puente-guillermo-gaviria-en-barrancabermeja-3482159 https://caracol.com.co/2025/08/17/asi-fue-el-momento-en-el-que-un-remolcador-medellin-se-estrello-contra-un-puente-en-barrancabermeja/

On the night of July 24, 2025, the 'MN Kostas', with 14 crew members on board ran aground off the northeastern tip of Crete, en route from Sitia to Chekka with a cargo of gypsum. The ship got stuck on a reef about six nautical miles off Sitia, and about three nautical miles west of Sideros in pos. 35° 19' N 026° 15' E. It suffered hull damage and water ingress. The Greek Coast Guard deployed three patrol boats to the grounding site. All crew members were safely evacuated aboard the f/v 'Anna Tasia', with the assistance of nearby fishing vessels and private crafts. The castaways were taken to Sitia. There were no reports of injuries. The authorities were monitoring the area for any signs of pollution. An oil boom was laid out around the ship. The three tugs 'Achilleas', 'Captain Dimitris IV' and 'Mentoras' were initially deployed from Heraklion to assist. A fourth tug was expected to arrive to provide further technical support. On July 28, the offshore tugs 'Captain Dimitris III' (IMO: 9515072) and 'Aigaion Pelagos (MO: 9477012) were stationary at the grounding site, joined by the 'Captain Dioitris IV' (IMO: 9998236) on July 29, which remained on site as of July 31. Divers inspected the hull for damage. The Sitia Port Authority sent personnel aboard the 'Anna Tasia'. and launched a preliminary investigation into the grounding. The ship’s captain and the acting bridge watch officer have been arrested. They were being investigated under Article 277, paragraph 2 of the Greek Penal Code for causing a shipwreck, and Article 225 of the Public Maritime Law Code for violating regulations aimed at avoiding collisions, in this case, with a reef. Earlier in 2025,, the ship was cited for labour-related violations. The International Labour Organisation reported that the crew had only received half of their wages for four months, with a total of nearly $18,500 owed. The issue was later resolved. Report with photo and video: https://www.hcg.gr/el/epikairothta/prosara3h-fg-ploioy-sth-shteia-entopismos-kai-diaswsh-113-allodapwn-notia-ths-gaydoy/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv0PixBdXAI

The "Sea Star Lindos" was detained on Aug 19, 2025, in Fethiye with 18 deficiencies, four of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Safety of navigation - Signalling lamp Inoperative 2) Pollution Prevention - Oil and oily mixtures from machinery spaces Lack of familiarity 3) Emergency system - Emergency fire pump and its pipes Inoperative 4) Fire safety - Fire fighting equipment and Appliances Not as required The vessel was released again on Aug 20 and resumed its service between Fethiye and Rhodes. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

The 'Newnew Polar Bear', known for damaging the Balticconnector pipeline and communication cables in the Gulf of Finland, was the first Chinese container ship to arrive in the port of Arkhangelsk in 2025. It arrived on Aug 15 and delivered 497 containers, marking the start of the season under the expanded Arctic Express N1 service. The service connects the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo to Arkhangelsk, offering a shorter shipping option compared with the Suez Canal route. Arkhangelsk is a federally significant transport hub managed under Russian jurisdiction, handling container, general, and bulk cargo. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is a Russian state-administered shipping lane that runs along the Arctic coast of Russia, from the Kara Sea to the Bering Strait. The route is regulated by Russian federal authorities, with access requiring official permits.

Iraqi authorities have released the 'Liliana', which was intercepted on July 6 in Iraqi waters of the Arabian Gulf at a side-loading platform of Basra’s oil terminal. The tanker, carrying 93,000 tonnes of fuel oil, failed to present sufficient documentation for the oil at the time of inspection. Iraq’s port authorities had granted the crew 48 hours to provide the required paperwork. A court ordered the vessel’s release, ruling that no violations had been committed. The 'Liliana' has resumed its voyage in the Persian Gulf, en route to Khor Fakkan.