News

On June 19, 2025, at 5.10 p.m. the 'GH Pathfinder' was boarded by 12 perpetrators at the Kakinada Anchorage, where it was anchored in pos. 17° 0.3' N 082° 19.51' E. No one was injured, and nothing was reported stolen.

The Philippines authorities were working with local crewing agencies and others to resolve a pay dispute and release a crew that had been stranded on the 'Hirman Star', which has been anchored in the Iloilo Strait off off Iloilo City in pos. 10° 42' N 122° 36' E. The crew, which had been signed on on April 3, 2025, was in a standoff with the owners who were refusing their pay, and provisions, until the ship departed, while the crew contended the vessel was unseaworthy. A newly elected representative for Iloilo City, Julienne “Jam Jam” Baronda took an interest in the crew’s plight and intervened to negotiate the resolution. Six Filipino crew were removed from the vessel on June 30, and taken to a hotel. They were debriefed and received medical evaluation before their repatriation. Among the Filipino crew members, three were from the Iloilo towns of Tigbauan, San Joaquin and Estancia. The seven Indian crew members were due to leave the vessel on July 1. The crew was signed on at the start of April by apparently a new owner of the ship, which was operated by Chinese owners until possibly 2024. The owner is now in the UAE, and the vessel has been registered in the Comoros. The shipl had arrived in the Philippines in Aug 2024, carrying a cargo of bags with rice from Vietnam. The Philippines undertook a Port State Inspection and listed 27 deficiencies in a broad range of categories and issued a detention order. They even questioned the seaworthiness of the vessel and found expired certificates. The crew was changed twice, with the current crew coming aboard on April 3 and havomg beem told to prepare for a voyage to Singapore. The Philippines lifted the detention order in April, and the Port Authority granted port clearance on May 7. The vessel was preparing to depart when the gyro compass malfunctioned. The captain contended the owners told the vessel to sail using just a magnetic compass, but the master refused, citing concerns. The crew also reported the vessel was listing, and attempting to rectify the list, they found a crack in the bulbous bow causing a water ingress. The standoff began with the crew refusing to sail saying the ship was unseaworthy. The owners stopped the delivery of food and water on May 12. Further, they only paid partial wages in April and none in May, saying the crew would not be paid until the vessel departed. The crew sought assistance from the office of Iloilo City Lone District Rep. Julienne Baronda on June 28. Baronda convened a meeting with the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureaus of Immigration and Customs, and MARINA on June 30. She also spoke with the crewing agencies and the vessel's owner, who had a representative from the UAE in the Philippines. An agreement was reached to settle the pay issues and to immediately provide provisions to the vessel. Baronda and other officials went to the ship to meet with the crew. The Philippines was also providing financial assistance to the crew members and assisting with the repatriations for the Filipinos. The Indian Embassy was assisting the Indian crew members. Report with photos: https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/02/regions/13-stranded-seafarers-rescued-after-2-months/2141308

The 'Lord of the Isles', serving on the route Kennacraig-Islay, will be removed from the route from July 9-11 for essential repairs of the cylinder heads. As a result, an amended timetable will be operated during this time with the ferries 'Isle of Arran' and 'Finlaggan'. The 6 p.m. sailing from Kennacraig on July 8 will divert to Port Askaig and not Port Ellen as timetabled. The 'Lord of the Isles' will then reposition to Kennacraig at 8:30 p.m. There will be no traffic carried on this sailing. On July 12 the 'Lord of the Isles' will operate an amended timetable, while the sailings of the 'Finlaggan' will operate as scheduled.

arrived Xin Hui Scrapyard 10.06.25

The commissioning of the LNG terminal in Stade continues to be delayed with the "Energos Force" chartered by the German government, having set course on June 24, 2025, en route to Gibraltar with an ETA as of July 1. Over the past few months, it has been waiting off Skagen, waiting to enter Stade. Nevertheless, there were initial signs that the two parties to the conflict are slowly moving closer together. The differences between the federally owned Deutsche Energy Terminal (DET) GmbH and the project developer Hanseatic Energy Hub GmbH (HEH) are about the construction of the superstructure. This jetty ensures that the cryogenic liquefied natural gas regasified from the ship can be transferred to land and distributed to the gas grids there. The superstructure could go into operation by the start of the heating season, as iit had previously been confirmed by the responsible approval authorities. First signs of rapprochement The DET has not yet considered the facilities to be operational. HEH has apparently also determined that the technical work on the superstructure facilities and the documentation to be handed over for the safe operation of the superstructure facilities in compliance with German and international safety standards are still outstanding. The plant could be put into operation once the outstanding issues named by Uniper have been resolved. The DET was currently "intensively examining a sub-charter of the 'Energos Force'. The ship would generate considerable costs even without active use, and subchartering would reduce the costs for the federal government. The sub-chartering must not impair the possibilities for a timely commissioning of the site, which are also currently being examined.

The 'Møkstrafjord', serving on the route Hufthamar–Krokeide, suffered a problem with the hydraulic systemson June 30, 2025, at 12.40 p.m., and was unable to dock in Austevoll. because the bow port could not be opened. As a consequence, the ferry service had to be cancelled at 12.41 p.m. by the operator Fjord 1. Fjord1. At 5.40 p.m. the ship was operating normal again.

The 'Trondenes', serving on the route Nesna - Nesna Islands, had to cancel the scheduled departures from Tomma starting on July 1, 2025, at 08.45 a.m., and until further notice, The ferry had suffered technical issues.

On July 1, 2025, sz 8.50 a.m. the 'Jackie Lee Anderson' and the towboat '775' capsized on the Ohio River near the Olmsted Locks and Dam in Illinois. The 'Jackie Lee Anderson' was listing on the Illinois bank of the river. the '775' has capsized below the dam.The Ohio River was closed to navigation at Olmsted Locks and Dam in Olmsted, Illinois, (Ohio River Mile 964.4). The authorities from multiple local agencies and the US Coast Guard responded to the incident. All crew members were rescued. The incident was under investigation. The name of the other towboat was suspected to be the workboat 775. The 'Jackie Lee Anderson' was assigned to the Olmsted Locks and Dam as a workboat. Report with photo and video: https://www.paducahsun.com/news/accident-prompts-multi-agency-response-at-olmsted-locks-and-dam-no-injuries-reported/article_be7bf1df-e900-5c4a-b8ce-95c86c75c375.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_t5QE0c7Q&t=33s https://www.kbsi23.com/news/crew-members-safe-after-boat-overturns-in-ohio-river/pic/5001556/

On June 30, the 'Wan Hai 503' was in pos. 07°52.60' N, 074°50.09' E, maintaining a steady course of 290° with a speed of 0.8 knots, approximately 130 nautical miles off the Indian coastline, outside the EEZ boundary. The vessel's drift remained controlled through coordinated towing operations. Light smoke continued to emanate from the area forward of the accommodation block, indicating residual smouldering within cargo hold no. 4, though no visible flames have been reported. Structural evaluations indicate localized heat-induced buckling between Frames 103–113; however, independent assessments by T&T Salvage, DNV, and naval architects confirmed that the vessel retains structural strength and remained stable. Dewatering operations commenced at 0730 a.m. with four pumps (150–250 m³/hour each) deployed to remove water from the flooded engine room. Dewatering operations were ongoing with five pumps actively discharging water from the flooded engine room and interconnected compartments. The source of water ingress was suspected to be linked to interconnected compartments between the engine room and cargo hold no. 3. The water quality remains relatively stable, with minimal oil traces, suggesting no significant new ingress. The multi-agency response continues with effective resource deployment on-site. The 'Water Lily' has been engaged in personnel and material transfers, successfully receiving salvage equipment from ‘the 'Saroja Blessing' earlier the day. The '‘Saksham'’ remained prepared for further support, and ‘the 'Saroja Blessing was on standby for firefighting and material supply operations. Salvage teams on board the vessel has resumed equipment installation and pump operation, with five pumps now functioning continuously to extract water. ‘The 'Offshore Warrior' wais maintaining towage operations, keeping the vessel clear of the Indian EEZ, with current power utilisation at 75%. Preparations were in place to maintain uninterrupted dewatering overnight. The salvors aimed to stabilise internal flooding to facilitate safe boarding and enable further fire suppression measures, including enhanced boundary cooling and application of additional firefighting agents as weather permits. Additional assets, including ‘the 'Atlantis Virgo' and ‘SCI Panna’, were en route to the site with firefighting equipment and Pyrocool (7000 litres), expected to enhance fire suppression efforts within the next 24 hours. Preparations for continuous overnight pumping operations are were , with emergency evacuation plans in place to ensure personnel safety during night-time activities. The intention is to sustain 24/7 dewatering using both hydraulic and submersible pumps, supplemented by emergency power from the vessel's own systems and portable generators. The sustained operation of five pumps has shown positive results in managing engine room flooding, but full dewatering remains essential to assess damage to machinery spaces and restore emergency power systems. Over 5,000 cubic meters of water were successfully pumped out from the flooded engine room, reducing water levels by approximately 1.75 meters. Further attempts to access the forward sections of the vessel for additional firefighting and structural assessment will be undertaken once dewatering sufficiently reduces on board risks. The Port of Refuge discussions remained focused, where positive initial engagements have occurred. Formal submission of the required document package to authorities is in progress, though final approvals were contingent upon demonstrating thevessel'sstability, extinguishment of smouldering, and safe dewatering. Alternative ports options remained under evaluation. The vessel remained in a high-density shipping corridor, necessitating continuous traffic warnings to passing vessels. The Directorate has directed enhanced navigational warnings to prevent incidents in this critical route between Sri Lanka and the Gulf of Aden. Indian Coast Guard assets continued to provide aerial surveillance and maritime monitoring, with readiness to intervene if necessary. Continuous inter-agency coordination, including with MPA Singapore, ITOPF, and Indian authorities, is ongoing to manage the situation effectively and prevent environmental or navigational hazards. Offshore oil removal remains unsafe under current conditions, with preferred options being defueling alongside a wharf at a Port of Refuge. The salvage team continued the preparations to transition from soft to wire towlines, advance dewatering, and monitor the vessel's integrity.

Arrived Liepaja scrapyard 23.04.25

The investigation into the fire in the 3500 tons of scrap aboard the 'Altay' will continue the next few days, with the ship remaining stationary as of July 1. The fire fighters were looking at it as an accidental cause. The Humberside Fire and Rescue Service was called to Albert Dock in Hull on June 27 at about 10:20 a.m. BST. It took crews until June 28 at 05:00 a.m. BST to put the deep seated fire out. Report with photo: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cargo-ship-fire-in-port-likely-to-be-an-accident/ar-AA1HHITz

On June 29, 2025, at around 11 a.m. the tug 'Cala Gullo' (IMO: 9791509 sank in the Port of Barcelona after the collision with the 'Cape Sounio'. The three crew members were rescued unharmed by the port pilots with a pilot boat. The accident happened during a turnaround maneuver alongside the container ship, while the tug was supporting it, when leaving the Hutchison Port Best terminal. The 'Cala Gullo' then started to list and went down stern first, with the bow tip sill protruding from the water. The container ship left the port again on July 1, next headed to La Spezia with an ETA as of July 2. The incident prompted the activation of the Maritime Interior Plan (PIM) in the alert phase to assess any oil spill in the water, which was later ruled out. Work was commenced to refloat the tug. Report with photo: https://infopuertos.com/un-remolcador-se-hunde-en-el-puerto-de-barcelona-tras-una-colision-con-un-buque-de-msc/ https://portalportuario.cl/remolcador-termina-hundido-tras-impacto-con-portacontenedores-en-puerto-de-barcelona/

The mast of the 'Bayesian' was salvaged using inflatable lifting balloons and delivered to the port of Termini Imerese in Palermo on June 25, along with loose items that may have moved away from the vessel during the 10 months since the sinking. Remote-controlled submersible equipment was used to locate the debris in the vicinity of the sinking site. The salvage was thus concluded two days after the wreck itself was lifted into heavy steel supports on the quayside, which had tarpaulin underneath to prevent pollution. The materials have been delivered to the Italian authorities, and salvage personnel and equipment have subsequently left Sicily. About 70 salvors had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation. Report with photos: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14861579/New-photos-enormous-mast-Mike-Lynchs-doomed-Bayesian.html

The 'Wan Hai 503' continued to be towed on June 28, exiting the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). At noon the vessel was located in pos 08° 34.86'N, 074° 22.43'E, approximately 129 nautical miles from the Indian coastline, proceeding on a southerly course at a speed of 2.9 knots. The 'Offshore Warrior' remained engaged in towing the vessel with approximately 54 nautical miles remaining to exit the Indian EEZ. The vessel continued to experience moderate to rough sea conditions with winds ranging from 25 to 28 knots, gusting up to 42 knots during squalls. On-board conditions remained challenging. The cargo hold No. 4 continued to emit mixed smoke, with intermittent flare-ups observed. Thermal imaging conducted by the 'Saksham' indicated persistent elevated temperatures within hold No. 4, particularly in areas affected by collapsed containers and compromised deck hatches. Direct access to the casualty by salvage personnel remains limited due to heavy rolling, pitching, and prevailing swells. A salvage team transfer attempt by the 'Saksham' was aborted earlier the dday due to unsafe conditions. Firefighting operations were ongoing with the 'Saroja Blessing's maintaining boundary cooling and fire watch. The salvage team has confirmed that approximately 500 to 800 cubic metres of water have been pumped out of the flooded engine room using portable equipment. Further dewatering was subject to improved weather and safe boarding conditions. Two soft towlines remained in place for the casualty, with replacement by wire towlines pending a suitable weather window. The vessel’s draft remained largely unchanged, with portions of the port midship markings obscured, likely due to paint peeling in the fire-affected areas. The salvage team on site remainedequipped with FiFi systems, portable pumps, and firefighting resources. The 'Atlantis Virgo', carrying Pyrocool fire suppressant, was expected to arrive on site by June 30 to support targeted firefighting efforts. The 'Water Lily' has been tasked with logistical runs for fresh water, bunkers, and was also transporting the ship’s VDR to port for handover to the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) Kochi. The Indian Coast Guard has been actively supporting the operation with aerial surveillance from Kochi and has mobilised the ICGS 'Sujit' to assist with medical evacuation for salvage divers suffering from seasickness and exhaustion. The salvage logistics base was being shifted to Trivandrum to facilitate easier support as the vessel progressed southward. The vessel remained in a structurally compromised but stable condition, with primary risks stemming from the persistent smouldering fire in cargo hold No. 4, the residual flooding within the engine room, and unpredictable weather patterns. High winds and swells have severely limited boarding operations, complicating firefighting and dewatering efforts. The exposed opening on the forward section of cargo hold No. 4 continued to channel airflow into the hold, exacerbating flare-ups and making containment difficult. The ongoing boundary cooling remained the primary fire mitigation strategy, with additional efforts to initiate dewatering of the engine room using available portable equipment. CO₂ has been release in hold No. 5 using 126 cylinders from the CO2 Bank. Efforts were underway to secure a Port of Refuge, pending formal clearance. The vessel was expected to exit the Indian EEZ within the next 24 hours, after which only routine updates to MPA Singapore will continue unless further Indian support is requested. The priority actions were focusing on continued towage beyond the EEZ, enhanced fire suppression upon the 'Virgo’s arrival, safe dewatering of the engine room, and securing approval for port shelter. All agencies remained on high alert to ensure the situation did not escalate further. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/wan-hai-503-is-structurally-compromised-and-moved-out-of-indian-eez

A VDR transcript has emerged with a series of conversations between the master of the 'XPress Pearl' and shoreside managers. The document was filed by Sri Lanka's government in a case before Colombo's Supreme Court; the shipowner disputes the document's accuracy and completeness, and was contesting it in court proceedings. It appeared to confirm initial accounts of a slow-rolling catastrophe that began long before the 'XPress Pearl' reached Sri Lanka in May 2021. It providd new details of the crew's attempts to respond to a leaking container of nitric acid, and Vitaly Tyutkalo. the Russian master's growing frustration with the lack of a solution: "About one liter an hour [leak rate from the container]. Remain the same. We're washing deck continuously by fire pump, seawater, because main deck too much corrosion . . . very strong chemical, very strong chemical If you will read my email, I sent to everybody, right, already three days fire pump running. But leakage remain on deck and maybe more and more corrosion." After the call with the home office, he complained to a crew member on the bridge that "they don't take any action, don't give me any advice," and claimed that company officials wouldn't take responsibility. Port officials at Hamad, Qatar and Hazira, India refused to provide a port-of-refuge service to unload the leaking boxes from the 'Xpress Pearl', so the ship sailed onwards to Colombo, Sri Lanka, a voyage of some 1,000 nautical miles southeast from Hazira. After the arrival off Colombo, a container on deck caught fire, but local authorities refused to allow the 'XPress Pearl' to berth for firefighting operations. The master was facing criminal charges in connection with the disaster and remained in Sri Lanka at least as recently as last year, free to live on the island but unable to leave until court proceedings have finished.

The 'Glen Sannox', serving on the route Troon-Brodic, suffered an electrical issue impacting the ship's firefighting system on the morning of July 1. As a consqeuence, the scheduled departures frrom Troon at 06:30 a.m. and from Brodick at 08:40 a.m. were cancelled. While the issue could be resolved., in order to allow sufficient crew compensatory rest following overnight repairs, the ship returned to service with the 10:50 a.m. sailing from Troon.

The 'Caledonian Isles' will not return to service by July 7, the date when the 'Alfred' comes off-service for essential maintenance until July 21. Last week, deployment plans were shared for the whole network based on having thf 'Caledonian Isles' and on the basis of not having her. Now CalMac will be implementing the deployment plan which accounts for not having the vessel in service. This plan covers the two-week period July 7-21, when the 'Alfred' is off service, taking into account the 'Lord of the Isles' being off service for between July 9-11 for cylinder head works on her main engines. These works are essential to reducing the risk of a serious failure in the engines which would take the vessel out of service for much longer than three days and cause further disruption. Potential deployment from July 22 onwards will be shared at a later date and are subject to further developments with the 'Caledonian Isles'.

The sinking of the 'Morning Midas', carrying 3,048 Chinese vehicles, including 750 electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids, is costing the industry an estimated $560 million, according to the Anderson Economic Group. This incident, the third major EV-carrying ship loss in three years, highlights growing risks in EV shipping. The 'Morning Midas' was transporting vehicles from Chinese automakers like Chery Automobile Co. and Great Wall Motor Co. Combined with the sinking of the 'Felicity Ace' in 2022 and the fire aboard the 'Fremantle Highway' in 2023, these incidents have racked up an estimated $1.8 billion in losses, highlighting the risks of shipping EVs in closed containers. These figures excluded the additional expenses like environmental cleanup, medical costs, or replacing the ship itself, meaning the true impact could be even higher. For EV manufacturers, these losses strain budgets and disrupt supply chains, potentially delaying deliveries to markets like Mexico, where demand for affordable EVs is growing. Ship crews, often limited in size, lack the specialized training needed to handle EV fires. Most crews receive only basic firefighting training and may not even know where EVs are stored on board. This gap in expertise and resources complicates emergency responses. Better fire monitoring systems and increased spacing between EVs” could help control fires. Spacing EVs farther apart could slow fire spread, though it would reduce the number of vehicles per ship. These changes could raise shipping costs, as fewer vehicles per trip mean higher per-unit expenses. Automakers and shippers must balance efficiency with safety. Enhanced monitoring, better crew training, and revised cargo layouts are regarded as critical steps towards preventing future disasters.

The "Belenos" was surprised by the surfacing of a Russian submarine off the coast of Brittany on June 28, 2025.T he Breton fishing vessel had left Roscoff in Finistère the same morning and was sailing off the coast of Côtes-d'Armor. The incident occurred not far from the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. The submarine had been tracked for some time by the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture. The French frigate 'Normandie' escorted it during its southbound transit. The escort was then entrusted to the British Navy. Report with photo: https://lemarin.ouest-france.fr/defense/au-large-de-la-bretagne-le-chalutier-belenos-surpris-par-la-remontee-dun-sous-marin-russe-24faa928-5590-11f0-8d7d-49e18ac65051

The 'Independence of the Seas' had to skip the call at Alesund on July 1, 2025, during the current Norway voyage from June 29 to July 6, due to ongoing maintenance work, making the ship currently unable to reach the necessary cruising speed to dock in the western Norwegian coastal town on time at 4 p.m. The ship required a second day at sea en route from Southampton to Norway. The first Norwegian port of call will therefore be Molde, which will be reached on July 2. Calls in Olden and Haugesund are then planned, before returning to Southampton for a third day at sea on the North Sea. Already in recent weeks, there have been slight itinerary changes due to maintenance work on the 'Independence of the Seas'. Royal Caribbean International is was working hard to complete the maintenance so that the ship can return to full cruising speed and operate its upcoming cruises as scheduled. Original itinerary for the Independence of the Seas from June 29 to July 6, 2025: Southampton – Sea Day – Sea Day & Ålesund – Molde – Olden – Haugesund – Sea Day – Southampton Adjusted itinerary for the Independence of the Seas from June 29 to July 6, 2025: Southampton – Sea Day – Sea Day – Molde – Olden – Haugesund – Sea Day – Southampton