The salvors, Resolve Marine, have reported that the 'Morning Midas' sank in international waters in the North Pacific. The damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the vessel to sink on June 23 at around 4.35 p.m. LT (UTC -9) on a water depth of approximately 5,000 metres, 360 nautical miles from land. The vessel was transporting 3,048 vehicles, including approximately 70 fully electric and 681 hybrid models. The fire reportedly originated on a deck housing electric vehicles. The vessel also had on board 350 metric tons of marine gas oil (MGO) and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO)- The Coast Guard has concluded its response to the fire after it received notification that the vessel had capsized at 5:35 p.m. There were no reports of visible signs of pollution at this time. The Coast Guard was monitoring the situation and remained in close contact with the Zodiac Maritime, the manager of the 'Morning Midas'. The two salvage vessels 'Garth Foss' and 'Salvage Worker' remained on scene and were conducting continuous assessments of the area with pollution response equipment onboard to respond to any potential signs of pollution. The oil spill response vessel 'Endeavour' was en route from Dutch Harbor and expected to arrive on scene on June 26, being equipped with additional pollution response equipment including an oil spill containment and recovery system. All operations continued to prioritise the safety of personnel and the protection of the marine environment in order to ensure a swift and effective response to any potential signs of pollution.” There were no reported injuries during the response. Zodiac Maritime’s public information spokesperson can be contacted at media@navigateresponse.com or by phone at 44-207-283-9915 or 65-6222-6375.
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KMP.GERBANG SAMUDRA2
The KMP 'Gerbang Samudra 2', serving in the Bali Strait betweenKetapang, East Java and Gilimanuk, West Bali, ran aground in bad weather on a coral reef in pos. 08°09'23.99" S 114°26'13.56" E, 100 meters from the landing pier at the Gilimanuk Ferry Terminal on June 22, 2025, at around 5:00 a.m. The ship had departed the Port of Ketapan at 4:20 a.m.. Tthere were 269 passengers, fouorsmall vehicles, three large buses, four medium sized buses, one pickup, nine motorbikes and six medium trucks on board. The ferry lost its bearing in bad weather and strong currents. initial attempts by the sister vessel ('Gerbang Samudra 5' to tow the ferry off the reef were unsuccessful. The accident was reported to the Navy and the Denpasar SAR Office at 8:40 a.m. Eight personnel from the Jembran SAR Post were quickly dispatched to the grounding lposition under the coordination of the Indonesian Navy and the Gilimanuk Port Master. The SAR team deployed the (RIB '01 SAR Jembrana' and a Patrol Boat from the Water Police, the KP 'Tanjung Rening XI-2006' to assist in evacuating passengers from the ferry . At 11:35 a.m., all 76 passengers had been safely transferred to the landing pier in Gilimanuk and the Gilimanuk Ferry Terminal. The rescue operation involved members of SAR Jembrana, the Indonesian Navy, the Water Police (Polair), the Gimilanuk Port Master’s office, the ferry operator (ASDP), the Department of Transportation (BPTD), Mobile Police (Brimob), and the State Insurance Provider (Jasa Raharja). The 24 crew members oremained on board the grounded ship to assist in freeing it. On June 23 at around 06.00 a.m. WITA, the effort to tow the 'Gerbang Samudra 2' was started by the KMP 'SMS Swakarya' and the KMP 'Gerbang Samudra 5'. After two attempts, the ship was pulled off the reef at 07.30 a.m. It docked at the MB I Pier, Gilimanuk Port, Jembrana, at 8.15 a.m., and unloading commenced, which was completed at 8.40 a.m. Reports with photos: https://www.balidiscovery.com/java-bali-ferry-runs-aground-near-gilimanuk/ https://www.detik.com/bali/berita/d-7977556/kmp-gerbang-samudra-2-berhasil-dievakuasi-setelah-kandas-di-selat-bali https://www.balitravelnews.id/opini/105615402307/kmp-gerbang-samudra-2-akhirnya-lepas-dari-kandas https://www.balitravelnews.id/opini/105615395624/kmp-gerbang-samudra-2-kandas-di-selat-bali-ini-penyebabnya https://www.denpost.id/bali/105515401213/kmp-gerbang-samudra-2-akhirnya-lepas-kandas https://patroli86.com/home/2025/06/22/kmp-gerbang-samudra-2-yang-membawa-269-penumpang-kandas/ https://www.baliberkarya.com/berita/202208159620/terseret-arus-dan-kandas-di-selat-bali-kmp-gerbang-samudra-2-akhirnya-bebas
RED ZED 1
The Suez Canal Authority handled the emergency situation of the 'Red Zet 1' successfully and professionally. The ship was transiting the Canal as part of a northern convoy on June 20, when it had a sudden steering failure, causing it to deviate at the El-Qantara West passenger ferryboat. The pilots on board prevented a vertical and direct allision of the vessel with the ferry dock, rather ensuring a parallel allision to prevent serious damage. The supervisors of the El-Qantara Navigation Control Station, observed the vessel's deviation from its course and notified the El-Qantara ferry staff of the need to evacuate passengers and maritime units at the site in record time to prevent any injuries or serious losses. Three of the Canal Authority's tugs, the 'Misr Al Gadeeda', 'Mosaed 4' and 'Suez 1' were immediately deployed to deal with the emergency. The tugs were able to position the vessel in the middle of the waterway and secure it after its crew conducted repair works. The tugs proceeded alongside the vessel to the El-Balah area and then to the Great Bitter Lakes. Navigation in the Canal was not affected by the incident, as the incident was fully managed in a record time of 60 minutes. The transportation of passengers between the two banks of the Canal was not affected either, as the affected ferry was immediately replaced with another one, and the necessary measures were taken to assess the damage and repair the damaged parts by the relevant Authority-affiliated committees. A report prepared by the Authority's maritime salvage team after conducting an initial inspection of the vessel confirmed the overall safety of the vessel's hull and its ability to resume its transit after temporary repairs were made to a small hole in the vessels's bow above the water line, and immediately after all administrative procedures and investigations related to the incident were completed. As of June 24, the ship remained moored in pos. 30° 22' N 032° 22' E in the Great Bitter Lake. Report with photos: https://x.com/SuezAuthorityEG/status/1936463748983644284
NIKITIS
On the evening of June 23, 2025, the Port Authority of Thassos was informed by the Captain of the 'Nkiitis' about a failure of the starboard side main engine after its arrival at the port of Prinos, en route from the port of Kavala. The 75 passengers were safely disembarked from the ship and the 14 vehicles were unloaded. The 1st Port Department of Thassos of the Central Port Authority of Kavala prohibited the departure of the ferry until a certificate of seaworthiness was presented by the monitoring classification society. 46 passengers and 11 vehicles were waiting to board at the port. The passengers were forwarded to their destination with the care of the ship-owning company.
AQUINNAH
One day after its debut, the 'Aquinnah' was forced to cancel several trips on the Vineyard route on the morning of June 22, 2025, due to a clogged plumbing system. Four sailings were canceled due to the issue. The ship's women's and ADA restrooms were not draining properly, both due to the plumbing configuration issue that was exacerbated by paper towels and other non-flushable items found in the plumbing, After the drains were clogged, a plan had to be developed to address the issue. Ppassengers with vehicle reservations were placed on other ships on a space-available basis. Bookings for new trips on June 22 were blocked so the ferry could accommodate the displaced passengers. The 'Aquinnah' also experienced some delays on June 23 as vehicles were loaded. The 'Aquinnah' had joined the Steamship’s fleet for the first time on June 21. The first of the new freighters, the 'Barnstable', had missed its inaugural trip on the Nantucket route earlier this year, and the Steamship Company had to fix problems with the ship, including installing a block heater to circulate lubricants. The last of the cargo ferries, the 'Monomoy', is scheduled to complete its stability test on Aug. 20, one of the final steps before a sea trial.
FAIR LADY
The "Fair Lady" will no longer be able to depart for Heligoland in 2025. After starting the Heligoland season from Bremerhaven on April 11, the technical defect has forced the ship into the Mützelfeldt shipyard in Cuxhaven since May 28, and the extent of the repairs is still unclear after the transmission failure. The scope of the damage was not entirely clear yet, but it certainly seemed to be significant. Captain Thorsten Diekmann and his crew had been scheduled to make nearly 50 sailings from Bremerhaven through the fall. Wilhelmshaven and Hooksiel, as well as the island of Langeoog and trips from Norddeich were also on the agenda.
COXSWAIN
The court in The Hague has fully acquitted the crew of the 'Coxswain', the couple Jeremie and Natacha Bourdon from Douai, France, of guilt for the collision with the tanker 'Somtrans' on May 26, 2018. on the Dordtsche Kil. The ship had sunk and was later declared a constructive total loss. The Bourdon couple was rescued. The court in Rotterdam had previously ruled that the 'Coxswain' was 20% partly to blame, which meant that they would not get paid all their damages and might even have to pay extra. The court had initially ruled that they had taken action too late to prevent the collision. However, the court of appeal has now come to a different conclusion. The skipper of the 'Somtrans' was fined 2500 Euros because he had initially seen the barge, but had not kept it sufficiently in sight.
MSC ARIES
The 'MSC Aries', which was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz, was released from detention and is back in Europe. The vessel was detained on April 13, 2024, due to alleged violations of maritime regulations. Following its capture, the vessel was taken to the Port of Bandar Abbas where it remained under guard. In May 2024, Iran allowed the crew. which was comprising mostly Indian nationals, to disembark on humanitarian grounds. However, the vessel itself remained impounded for an extended period, as part of ongoing judicial proceedings in Iran. During the prolonged detention, diplomatic efforts for the vessel’s release were undertaken by multiple stakeholders, including Switzerland, which represents US interests in Iran, as well as indirect backchannel communications involving several Gulf and European states. After its release, the ship finally departed from the port on April 17. It arrived at Antwerp on June 21. Chartered by Mediterranean Shipping Company, it is owned by Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, which is owned by Monaco-based Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. No formal charges were ever made public.
SPIRIT OF TASMANIA 4
After the Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Construction has managed to rectify the issue which was detected with the liquid natural ga system of the 'Spirit of Tasmania IV'', and the ship has been undertaking sea trials, the Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff on June 22 revealed that the ferry was expected to leave Scotland and make its way to Australia in 10 days' time. The journey would take about six weeks, with the predicted arrival in Hobart in August, where it will receive final fit-outs. Its berth in Devonport is not expected to be completed until at least Oct 2026. It is unclear what will happen to the ferry until it can be used to transport passengers between Tasmania and the mainland. The two new ferries have a dual fuel system, meaning that they can run on both diesel and LNG. Upgrading the LNG facilities in Devonport will trigger more that $70 million in private investment and create 150 construction jobs and 15 ongoing roles. 50,000 tonnes of carbon emissions are to be saved by switching to LNG.
ILIDA DOLPHIN
On the morning of June 23, 2025, the Port Authorities of Corfu and Paxos were informed by the Greek Coast Guard about a mechanical failure of the starboard side main engine of the 'Ilida Dolphin', while it was sailing 2.2 nautical miles southeast of Corfu. The ship was operating a scheduled route from the port of Gaiou, Paxos. to the port of Corfu, with 97 passengers and six crew members on board. The hydrofoil reached the port of Corfu unassisted, where it safely disembarked all passengers. The Central Port Authority of Corfu banned the ferry from sailing until the presentation of a certificate of class maintenance from the monitoring classification society.
CUAUHTEMOC BE 01
The first stage of the repair work has been successfully completed aboar the 'Cuauhtémoc' at the GMD Shipyard in Brooklyn, and the ship will soon be transferred to the Caddell Shipyard in New York to continue the next phase. The fatal allision has put a pause on the training cruise "Consolidation of Mexican Independence 2025," which the 'Cuauhtémoc' had begun on April 6 from its base in Acapulco. This voyage, with 277 personnel on board, was scheduled to visit 22 ports in 15 countries, including Jamaica, the United States, and France, reaffirming its diplomatic role. The Semar has expressed optimism about the ship's speedy repair, stating that the ship may soon sail again. Report with photos: https://notigram.com/internacional/en-el-mundo/buque-escuela-cuauhtemoc-en-reparacion-tras-accidente-en-brooklyn-20250623-1512145
SEAWAY VENTUS
The 'Seaway Ventus' ran aground on a breakwater at the mouth of the Sloehaven in Flushing on June 23, 2025, at 8.15 p.m. for reasons still unknown when it was about to enter the harbour. Two tugs managed to pull the ship off again around 8:45 p.m. The patrol vessel 'RWS 78' of Rijkswaterstaat came to the scene to provide support. It was not yet known whether the ship suffered damage in the incident. Report with photo: https://www.112vlissingen-souburg.nl/2025/06/23/38145/schip-loopt-vast-op-strekdam-bij-sloehaven-losgetrokken-door-sleepboten/
FELICITY ACE
On July 2, 2025, proceedings into the sinking of the 'Felicity Ace' have been scheduled to begin at the Braunschweig Regional Court. The ship, fully loaded with thousands of luxury cars from Porsche, Audi, and others, was en route from the port of Emden to Davisville, when it caught fire on Feb 16, 2022, in the Atlantic south of the Azores. Around two weeks later, the "Felicity Ace" sank despite all firefighting and salvage attempts. The damage is estimated at around €400 million. The Volkswagen Group was particularly hard hit. Its destroyed vehicles had been worth around €200 million. The ship also carried lithium-ion batteries and other hazardous substances on board. There were many plug-in hybrids and even purely electric vehicles on board. The Captain quickly had claimed that batteries for the electric cars werwere the cause of the fire, Batteries from the VW subsidiary Porsche were particularly suspected. Porsche is said to have sent around 1,000 vehicles onto the ship. So far, the cause has never been determined – but the suspicion remained. Therefore, the ship's owner was now taking legal action in Braunschweig, together with the shipping company and marine hull insurers. There are a total of seven plaintiffs. The two defendants are companies of the Volkswagen Group. They, in turn, deny responsibility for the fire, claiming that If the crew had acted more prudently, the "Felicity Ace" would not have been lost.
CGCBENJAMINBOTTOMS
The US Coast Guard interdicted 10 migrants aboard a 25-foot white Sea Ray vessel in the vicinity of Point Loma on June 22, 2025. At approximately 10:55 a.m., the 'Benjamin Bottoms (WPC-1132)' monitored a vessel displaying suspicious behaviour. A small boat was launched from the Coast Guard Cutter with a boarding team aboard to interdict the vessel. The boarding team discovered 10 people aboard the vessel, all claiming Mexican nationality. The Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) Los Angeles–Long Beach arrived on the scene to assist with the operation. The vessel was brought to Ballast Point, where the mirgants were transferred to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol Imperial Beach Boat Station Unit. Report with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4223709/coast-guard-interdicts-10-aliens-in-the-vicinity-of-point-loma/
BONITA
The 'Bonita' requested assistance on June 20, 2025, at 05:20 a.m. after suffering an engine breakdown five miles north of the Guernsey. The fault could not be fixed at sea, and a French emergency tug was sent from Cherbourg to assist. Another tug was later dispatched from the south coast of England to tow the ship to St Peter Port harbour, where it arrived on June 21 at 03:15 a.m. and dropped anchor in pos. 49° 28' N 002° 31' W. The ship was enroute from Terneuzen to St Sampson's, Guernsey, with a cargo of sand when it broke down. It remained stationary as of June 24. There were no injuries and no pollution was caused.
USKO MFU
Ukraine is planning to sell the 'Ussko MFUÄ, which has been confiscated in 2024 on charges of looting grain from the temporary occupied Crimea, in an attempt to sell seized ships and raise funds to boost its war efforts with Russia. Ukraine’s National Agency for Tracing and Asset Management (ARMA) is trying to find someone to organise the sale of the vessel, which has significant investment potential and is attractive for future commercial use, and for companies which specialise in ship repairs or recycling. The agency will accept proposals until July 4, 2025. It will then choose an auction organiser who will obtain an independent valuation and organise the ship’s sale.
SUPERSTAR
On the morning of June 23, the Port Authority of Volos was informed by the Captain of the'Superstar' about a failure in the cooling system of the generators, which occurred during the preparation for the execution of the route to Skiathos-Skopelos-Alonissos, with 438 passengers, 19 trucks, 91 cars, 7 motorcycles and two buses on board. The Central Port Authority of Volos prohibited the departure of the ferry until the repair of the damage and the presentation of a certificate of class maintenance from the monitoring classification society. Passengers and vehicles, except trucks and buses, were transported to their destination by the ferry 'Iolkos'.
MARTHAS VINEYARD
The 'Martha’s Vineyard' had to cancel a morning return trip from Woods Hole on June 23, 2024, because a valve between the fuel storage tank and the daytime fuel tank needed to be replaced. The normal procedures for refueling vessels for daytime use have had to be modified and were taking longer than normal. As a precaution, the trip was canceled to ensure there was sufficient fuel for the crossing. Work was underway to procure a replacement valve.
BAYESIAN
The 'Bayesian'' was lowered into a metal cradle in the port of Termini Imerese on the morning of June 23 to allow Italian prosecutors to inspect the wreck as part of their ongoing investigation. The prosecutorsannounced a criminal inquiry into potential anslaughter and negligent shipwreck, describing its outcome as completely unpredictable. They made clear that recovering the Bayesian was essential for the investigation. Now the experts for the prosecution will be able to examine the physical evidence. The yacht will be left to dry out before any formal inspection or forensic tests can be conducted. In the meantime, salvage teams will retrieve the giant mast and the rigging from the seabed and do a final sweep for any other materials that may help the enquiry. Three crew members including the captain are under investigation. The Italian prosecution team will explore whether the accident was due to human error or potential design flaws on the yacht. Only after analysing the wreck they will understand what happened, where the water came in, whether there was enough water to cause the ship to sink or whether some other factor was involved, according to prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano. An interim report by the British MAIB, found that the 'Bayesian' with its enormous single mast was vulnerable to very high wind speeds. The report suggested neither the owner not the crew were aware of this. Statements given also suggested that all the relevant hatches and doors had been shut as the storm built. Now the MAIB experts will also get access to verify and refine that information and consider all the factors that may have contributed to the accident. They will finally be able to see which parts of the boat allowed water in, causing it to sink. Report with photo and video: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrq0w8evnjo
WAN HAI 503
On Juen 23 at noon, the 'Wan Hai 503' remained under tow at position 10°03.17'N, 074°58.16'E, approximately 72 nautical miles from the Indian coastline, making a course of 350° at 1.5 knots. The vessel continued to emit grey smoke from Bay 14 and thick white and grey smoke between the Bays 27-33, with light white smoke observed near Bay 38. Boundary cooling operations and fire watch were ongoing, carried out in rotation by the tugs 'Boka Winger', 'Saroja Blessing' and 'Water Lily'. The tug 'Offshore Warrior' was maintaining position through the primary tow arrangement. Thermal imaging conducted earlier the day recorded temperatures peaking at 64.7°C between Frames 93 and 103, correlating with intermittent flare-ups observed during the recent days. Two of the forward hatches remained open, with Hold No.4 partially opened for ventilation and access. Draught measurements indicated that the vessel remained stable with forward draught readings at 10.6 metres (port) and 10.4m (starboard), while the midship markings were submerged at approximately 12.6 metres. The aft draught remained submerged but unchanged. Despite visual perception of increased trim aft, onsite assessments attribute this to weather conditions, with no significant structural changes reported. The salvors have confirmed that the engine room atmosphere was gas-free, allowing safe access for ongoing inspections and future dewatering operations. Emergency generator activation remaineds pending due to non-functional batteries; replacements have been dispatched onboard the tug 'Saksham' and were to be delivered shortly. Firefighters and salvage teams were coordinating to access the vessel’s forecastle via multiple routes, with ongoing discussions regarding safe boarding options. Yokohama fenders have been mobilised to facilitate safe personnel and equipment transfer. The process to reinforce tow arrangements remained underway. The salvors were planning to replace the current tow line with more robust towing gea, which has been stored onboard the 'Saksham' andwas expected to depart shortly. The 'Offshore Warrior' will complete bunkering operations at sea to sustain extended towage. Simultaneously, dive inspections of the hull were planned to assess potential ingress points and enable engine room dewatering. The 'Atlantis Virgo', carrying critical fire suppression materials (Pyrocool) and additional tow gear, departed Fujairah and is en route, with an ETA as of June 29, to enhance onboard fire management and long-term stabilisation efforts. The vessel' had a slight list of approximately 4°, confirmed through bridge-level inspection. Intermittent flare-ups within the cargo holds were attributed to residual burning of stored commodities as advised by fire experts. Boundary cooling remained the primary firefighting strategy to minimise additional water ingress and manage heat build-up. A complete extinguishment of internal fires is considered viable only upon access to port facilities equipped for container removal and deep access. Environmental concerns persisted due to onboard heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas oil (MGO) inventories. ITOPF assessments indicated a risk of persistent oil pollution affecting adjacent states should containment fail. The Directorate has reiterated to salvors the urgency of finalising dewatering operations, reinforcing tow arrangements, and moving the casualty a minimum of 100 nautical miles southwest, off Trivandrum, within the next 48 hours. This directive prioritises reducing coastal environmental risks during the monsoon period. Port of refuge options continued to be explored. Salvors were instructed to formalise this within 48 hours while progressively relocating the vessel further offshore, as a precautionary measure. Preparations for potential oil removal operations were to commence immediately, aligned with weather conditions and vessel stability. A structured salvage timeline and comprehensive risk mitigation plan remained awaited from the salvors. The Directorate will enforce necessary measures to safeguard Indian waters and coastal interests should these actions not progress satisfactorily within stipulated timeframes.