On March 15, 2025, at noon , the Port Authority of Mykonos was informed of a failure of the port side main engine of the 'Fast Ferries Andros' which was moored in the new port of Mykonos. The ship had a scheduled itinerary for the ports of Tinos - Syros - Piraeus with 71 passengers on board, who were transported further under the company's care- The Mykonos Port Authority initially prohibited the departure of the ferry. After the presentation of a seaworthiness certificate from the classification society monitoring it, it was permitted to depart for the port of Piraeus without passengers and cargo.
News
RED FALCON
Red Funnel has cancelled more cross-Solent vehicle ferry services on March 17, six from East Cowes and six from Southampton. It follows a raft of cancellations over the past week, including March 16, following technical problems with the 'Red Falcon'. On March 17, the sailings from Southampton at 7.30 a.m., 10.30 a.m., 1.30 p.m., 4.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. and from East Cowes at 9.a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. were cancelled due to a delay with ongoing contractual repair work with the 'Red Falcon's FWD engine. Red Funnel was running the 'Red Osprey' and, to increase available deck space, the company will also run additional sailings with the freight ferry 'Red Kestrel' while its teams was working around the clock with external contractors to address the issue, with further works necessary, including realigning of the engine timings, before sea trials can be completed.
HS WISDOM
On March 15, 2025, at around 7 p.m. GMT; the 'H&S Wisdom' could be refloated after lightering was carried out by the Dutch salvage company Hebo Maritiemservice about two weeks earlier than expected, involvcing the 'Ella F' (IMO: 9813498) as lead tug. The ship had run aground outside the shipping lane at high tide on March 2. Cranes were used to remove a large quantity of the steel cargo from the vessel. The Humber Rescue was assisting with the transfer of surveyors to and from the ship since March 13. The H & M Wisdom' refloated without any intervention when the tide came in. She was towed into the port of Kingston upon Hull and berthed in the King George Dock at 9 p.m. UTC. Reports with photos: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/gallery/pictures-rescue-grounded-cargo-ship-10027872 https://ca.news.yahoo.com/cargo-ship-stuck-humber-refloated-110747301.html
SPM NEEL PRATAP 180
Regional authorities will begin implementing the salvage plan for the grounded oil rig Ocean Valiant', 27149 gt (IMO: 8753330), off El Houichet, Bizerte, next week, and dispatched a second Turkish tug, the 'Rota Salvor' (IMO: 7931894), to assist in refloating the grounded rig. The 'SPM Néel Pratab 180' is currently near the rig with a crew of 20 on board. The second tug has obtained navigation authorization and sailed from Aliaga on March 8 after the finalization of certain administrative procedures by the authorities, including the notification of regional and security authorities. It anchored in pos. 37° 19' N 009° 32' E on March 16. On Jan 12, 2025, the Tunisian forces assisted the 'SPM Neel Pratab 180' and its crew off the Houichet region of Bizerte after the towing cables to the rig broke due to adverse weather conditions off Bizerte near the coast of Ras Angela. The intervention allowed the vessel to dock without damage. The present situation was posing no environmental risk due to the absence of any petroleum or other substances harmful to the marine environment aboard the rig. Report with photo: https://www.leconomistemaghrebin.com/2025/03/16/operation-de-sauvetage-la-plateforme-petroliere-sera-remorquee-vers-la-turquie/
SEVEN STAR
The "Seven Stars" with cargo of scrap was detained in Salerno upon its arrival at Salerno, on Oct 9, 2017. The cargo of hazardous ferrous waste was to be offloaded in port and the ship put under arrest at the Salerno Container Terminal. The vessel’s next port of call was to be Oristano, Sardinia, where the cargo initially was to be offloaded. Sardinia, however, doesn’t have waste processing or recycling factories and facilities. The Italian authorities suspected either illegal dumping in Sardinia or the island’s waters, or further transshipment of waste to other countries.
COOL EAGLE
While passing through Danish waters, the 'Cool Explorer' and 'Cool Eagle' have dumped a total of 1,636 kilos of cocaine, which were then to be collected by different recipient groups. This was claimed by the National Unit for Special Crimes in two criminal cases that are headed for the district courts in Holbæk and Svendborg. Both ships were sailing with refrigerated goods from South America to Russia, when the illegal cargo was dumped into the water off the Danish coast in the spring and summer o 2024, according to two indictments. On March 15 at 1.30 a.m., 818 kilos were dumped from the former near Samsø from the 'Cool Explorer'. Exactly one month later, the "Cool Eagle" delivered 120 kilos near Romsø, and when the same ship was again near Denmark on July 23, a similar quantity was dumped into the sea off the northern coast of Langeland. The "Cool Explorer" then passed by the same place on Aug 24, and here, according to the indictment, 578 kilos were dumped into the water for the recipients. Each time, it happened in the dead of night, the indictment stated. Two groups of men were targeted, almost all of whom, according to the indictment, had come traveling to Denmark to complete the task. In two cases, the recipients managed to get away with 120 kilos, it is claimed. But on two other occasions, things went wrong. The authorities were alerted to the case from Samsø when hikers on the beaches of Sejerø Bay discovered one mysterious package after another. According to the indictment that has been filed, a great effort was made by the group that was sent out to pull the many valuable kilos out of the water. One ship was chartered in Höganäs. The group then sailed over to Samsø to look for the drugs in the cargo ship's route. In a van, a man drove to the port of Aarhus to receive the goods, and the same man bought a remote-controlled drone from Elgiganten in Horsens, which he allegedly used on Samsø in an attempt to find the cocaine. But it was all in vain. The many kilos drifted onto the beaches in Sejerø Bay. In the case of the 578 kilos at Langeland, an Albanian man has chosen to confess. He had been given the job in Belgium, he told the court in Dec 2024. Five other men, who are also Albanians, but who have pleaded not guilty, were waiting for their cases to be decided. As in the case from Samsø, the processing was quite substantial, as is apparent from the description of the indictment. Two of the men were also - according to the claim - involved in the cases of the two times 120 kilos. Here, a passenger car and a van with German license plates were rented, a summer house in Tranekær was rented and a boat trailer was driven to Langeland. One of the defendants is said to have taken photos and videos of coastal areas, including Bøgebjerg Strand, and he and another were accommodated at Camp Hverringe in Dalby. The two district courts in Holbæk and Svendborg must decide whether the defendants are guilty. In Holbæk, the case against two men will begin in September. When the court in Svendborg will start with the five defendants has not yet been determined.
LAMBOUSA 2
Five years after the sinking of the first two vessels in Larnaca’s Marine Protected Area (MPA), significant improvements have been observed in the previously barren seabed near Oroklini, which is now showing signs of regeneration. The addition of the 'Lambousa II' last month by the Department of Fisheries has further enhanced these conservation efforts while simultaneously increasing the area’s appeal to diving enthusiasts. The protected zone, which includes three sunken vessels and amphoras deployed by the Larnaca Tourism Development and Promotion Company, now spans an area of 2.2 square kilometres. What distinguishes this site from Cyprus’s five other artificial reefs is that it houses the largest sunken vessel, the 'Elpida', and features the only wreck suitable for free diving, the 'LEF 1'. The development of the protected area began in Dec 2019 with the sinking of the 'Elpida', followed by the 'LEF 1'. The former rests at a depth of 29 metres, measures 63 metres in length and 10 metres in width, and was built in Germany in 1965. It operated as a cargo ship in Greece before its final journey to Cyprus, where it now serves as an artificial reef. The 'LEF 1', submerged at 14 metres and measuring 15.5 by 4 metres, was constructed in 1955 and donated by Lefkaritis Brothers Ltd. It represents Cyprus’s only artificial reef accessible to snorkellers. The 'Lambousa II' was sunk at a depth of 20 metres between the two other wrecks. The vessel was built in Romania in 1995 and registered in Cyprus. Initially a trawler, it was later converted to a tugboat before being donated to the Department of Fisheries by Brasal Marine Services. The area has limited natural reefs and seagrass meadows, with most of the seabed covered by sand, resulting in relatively poor marine life. The gradual enhancement of the MPA with artificial reefs provides additional development, feeding, and protection spaces for marine organisms and increases fish stocks. Due to the Eastern Mediterranean’s particularly low productivity, colonisation and development by marine organisms is a slow process requiring years to yield results. A period of about five years is needed for the interconnectivity of the artificial reefs placed to date with the three sunken vessels, combined with the area’s protection measures, to produce visible and tangible results, Protection measures include a complete fishing ban, information signs along the coast, marker buoys, and patrol enforcement where feasible. These efforts appear to be bearing fruit, as the past year has seen increasingly frequent appearances of more species in greater numbers. Report with photos: https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/marine-life-reappears-at-larnacas-protected-seabed-five-years-after-artificial-reef-project-began/
FINLANDIA SEAWAYS
arrived Esbjerg Breakers 27.02.25 https://www.maritimedanmark.dk/smedegaarden-skal-ophugge-dfds-faerge https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3817726?navList=gallery&imo=9198721&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest&page=1 https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3817727?navList=moreOfThisShip&imo=9198721&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest&page=1&perPage=8&lid=3817726
GLEN SANNOX
On March 14, the 'Glen Sannox', serving on the route Troon-Brodick, has been removed from service due to a crack on a weld seam on the vessel’s hull close to the waterline. The ferry was sidelined in Brodick. A small amount of water had entered part of the rear of the ship near the steering gear. The damage required the support of a dive team to assess, and the earliest this could be arranged for is the morning of March 15. A third-party team attended to carry out a full assessment. Affected were the departures from Brodick at 1:00 p.m. and 5::20 p.m. and from Troon at 3:10 p.m. Due to the issue and to provide an additional sailing, the sailings of the 'Alfred' were amended as follows: - Departuure Brodick – 3:45 p.m. departed at the earlier time of 3:20 p.m.; - Departure Troon –*6:00 p.m. departed at the earlier time of 5:05 p.m. There was an additional sailing departing Brodick at 6:50 p.m. These sailings may be delayed due to volume of traffic. Sailings on March 15 have also been cancelled. A shuttle service was operated between Lochranza in Arran and Claonaig in the Kintyre peninsula. The welding work was carried out on March 15, following an assessment by divers. After repairs and testing have been successfully carried out, the 'Glen Sannox' returned to service on March 16 at 2:50 p.m. with a departure from Brodick to Troon. The previous scheduled sailings from Brodick at 10:30 a.m. and from Troon at 12:40 p.m. had to be cancelled. The 12:40 sailing, offered by the 'Alfred' from Brodick, departed at 11:20 a.m. instead. Report iwth photo: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cddyny75q8lo?fbclid=IwY2xjawJBZ3hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdrL9mT_kcBxOGyh4NGP0KqvJ_1_mPOamcf1ZZUsp97pOKLWrc91YyXRsg_aem_mZE6Y99kDBmmI4cTHHWJfw
HANOEY
The 'Hanøy', which operates the high-speed ferry route in Hadsel, had to cancel all departures until further notice on March 16 at 3 p.m. and sidelined in Stokmarknes for repairs. The cause was a technical fault with the engine. About a month ago, the 'Hanøy' had its engine replaced at a shipyard in Svolvær, after previous technical challenges with the main engine. This led to both a bus for the boat and the acquisition of reserve vessels on the route.
SEVEN STAR
As of March 16, the 'Seven Star' was in a sunken state in the port of Augusta, with only the wheelhouse and the masts still sticking out of the water. The ship has been idle in the port since Sep 19, 20219. On July 8, 2001, the ship, then sailing as 'Laura', had berthed in the port of Marseille with a collision damage at the starboard side foreship and amidships above the waterline. Photo: https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3817707?navList=gallery&category=61&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest
STENA IMMACULATE
The captain of the 'Solong'', the Russian national Vladimir Motin, appeared at the Hull Magistrates’ Court on March 15, charged with gross negligence manslaughter, over the death of the Filipino national and crew member Mark Angelo Pernia, 38. Prosecutor Amelia Katz said that the 'Solong' was sailing at a speed of over 15 knots, when it hit the 'Stena Immaculate', which had been anchored in the same position from the evening of March 9, before the collision occurred. Motin was the only person in charge of the 'Solong' at the time of the collision, having taken charge about three hours before the incident. For a period of over 40 minutes before the allision, the 'Solong' was on a direct route for impact with the 'Stena Immaculate'. There were no communication attempts from the 'Solong' to warn of the impending collision and the vessel did not adjust its course or speed at any point. All 23 crew members of the 'Stena Immaculate' and 13 of the 14 crew members on the 'Solong w'ere rescued. Attempts were made by some of the other crew members on the 'Solong' to locate Mr. Pernia, but they were unable to. Motin did not make an application for bail and was remanded into custody. Assessments have meanwhile showed that the jet fuel of the tanker had mostly burned off and that there was no sign of other leaks from either ship. The crew of the 'Stena Immucalate' had heroically limited the fire damage after the ship was allision. Before they were forced to abandon ship, the crew had the dedication and presence of mind to activate the fire monitors and cool the adjacent cargo tanks. Their actions limited the damage to just a tank with aviation fuel and a tank with ballast water, Of the around 220,000 barrels of fuel in the tanks, at least 17,000 barrels were lost in the allision and the subsequent fire. The rest of the cargo is safe.
QUEEN OF NEW WEST
BC Ferries returned the 'Queen of New Westminster' back in its operational fleet on March 14, 2025,, just in time for the spring peak travel season. The vessel, which servestheroute between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay, had been out of service for nearly 200 days due to extensive repairs and scheduled maintenance. It had been pulled from service in September after experiencing a significant failure in its propulsion system, where structural fatigue caused the propeller shaft to detach. The extensive repairs included the replacement of both propeller shafts on the vessel, additional rudder system fixes, hull repairs and protective coating applications, totaling to $5.5 million in addition to the scheduled refit expenses, resulted in roughly $8.5 million in lost revenue from the ship being out of service.
MONTES Y SABINO
The diesel and oil spill caused by the sinking of the 'Montes y Sabino' off the coast of Telde (Gran Canaria) on the evening of March 12 was drifting southward, parallel to the island, was is not expected to affect beaches or the coastline unless conditions changed. No navigation restrictions have been imposed, and the conditions remained favourabl for the spill to continue drifting away from the coast. Constant monitoring was to be continued to ensure there is no unexpected impact on the shore. The spill spanned a stretch of sea between 100 and 150 metres wide and 1.8 kilometres long. The dispersion was being facilitated through mechanical intervention by Maritime Rescue vessels near the coast of Arinaga. The authorities remained on high alert. A risk of contamination alert has been issued for five municipalities: Telde, Agüimes, Ingenio, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana, where surveillance teams have been deployed.
ROTA SALVOR
Regional authorities will begin implementing the salvage plan for the grounded oil rig Ocean Valiant', 27149 gt (IMO: 8753330), off El Houichet, Bizerte, next week, and dispatched a second Turkish tug, the 'Rota Salvor', to assist in refloating the grounded rig. The main tug 'SPM Néel Pratab 180' (IMO: 9388613) is currently near the rig with a crew of 20 on board. The second tug has obtained navigation authorization and sailed from Aliaga on March 8 after the finalization of certain administrative procedures by the authorities, including the notification of regional and security authorities. It anchored in pos. 37° 19' N 009° 32' E on March 16. On Jan 12, 2025, the Tunisian forces assisted the 'SPM Neel Pratab 180' and its crew off the Houichet region of Bizerte after the towing cables to the rig broke due to adverse weather conditions off Bizerte near the coast of Ras Angela. The intervention allowed the vessel to dock without damage. The present situation was posing no environmental risk due to the absence of any petroleum or other substances harmful to the marine environment aboard the rig. Report with photo: https://www.leconomistemaghrebin.com/2025/03/16/operation-de-sauvetage-la-plateforme-petroliere-sera-remorquee-vers-la-turquie/
KRISTA RUD
On March 16, 2025, the 'Krista Rud' suffered water ingress at its berth on the Lower Trave in Lübec, triggering a major response involving the environmental agency, the fire department, and the water police. During the pumping operation, fluids also threatened to enter the Trave. The environmental agency informed the fire department at around 12 p.m. and requested assistance. No oil had yet entered the water, but further pumping could have led to a water pollution. The fire department responded with the hazardous materials unit, which consists of Station 3 of the professional fire department and the volunteer fire department. The emergency services placed oil booms around the ship. A specialist company took over the pumping of the water. The fire department was stood down at around 2 p.m. The owner and the environmental agency had to decide on the next steps. Report with photos: https://www.hl-live.de/text.php?id=171627
COOL EXPLORER
While passing through Danish waters, the 'Cool Explorer' and 'Cool Eagle' have dumped a total of 1,636 kilos of cocaine, which were then to be collected by different recipient groups. This was claimed by the National Unit for Special Crimes in two criminal cases that are headed for the district courts in Holbæk and Svendborg. Both ships were sailing with refrigerated goods from South America to Russia, when the illegal cargo was dumped into the water off the Danish coast in the spring and summer o 2024, according to two indictments. On March 15 at 1.30 a.m., 818 kilos were dumped from the former near Samsø from the 'Cool Explorer'. Exactly one month later, the "Cool Eagle" delivered 120 kilos near Romsø, and when the same ship was again near Denmark on July 23, a similar quantity was dumped into the sea off the northern coast of Langeland. The "Cool Explorer" then passed by the same place on Aug 24, and here, according to the indictment, 578 kilos were dumped into the water for the recipients. Each time, it happened in the dead of night, the indictment stated. Two groups of men were targeted, almost all of whom, according to the indictment, had come traveling to Denmark to complete the task. In two cases, the recipients managed to get away with 120 kilos, it is claimed. But on two other occasions, things went wrong. The authorities were alerted to the case from Samsø when hikers on the beaches of Sejerø Bay discovered one mysterious package after another. According to the indictment that has been filed, a great effort was made by the group that was sent out to pull the many valuable kilos out of the water. One ship was chartered in Höganäs. The group then sailed over to Samsø to look for the drugs in the cargo ship's route. In a van, a man drove to the port of Aarhus to receive the goods, and the same man bought a remote-controlled drone from Elgiganten in Horsens, which he allegedly used on Samsø in an attempt to find the cocaine. But it was all in vain. The many kilos drifted onto the beaches in Sejerø Bay. In the case of the 578 kilos at Langeland, an Albanian man has chosen to confess. He had been given the job in Belgium, he told the court in Dec 2024. Five other men, who are also Albanians, but who have pleaded not guilty, were waiting for their cases to be decided. As in the case from Samsø, the processing was quite substantial, as is apparent from the description of the indictment. Two of the men were also - according to the claim - involved in the cases of the two times 120 kilos. Here, a passenger car and a van with German license plates were rented, a summer house in Tranekær was rented and a boat trailer was driven to Langeland. One of the defendants is said to have taken photos and videos of coastal areas, including Bøgebjerg Strand, and he and another were accommodated at Camp Hverringe in Dalby. The two district courts in Holbæk and Svendborg must decide whether the defendants are guilty. In Holbæk, the case against two men will begin in September. When the court in Svendborg will start with the five defendants has not yet been determined.