On March 12, 2025, just before 11.30 a.m. the police, an ambulance and three fire appliances were called out to a fire on board the 'Armada 78-01', which was berthed in Lerwick at the Greenhead Base. The small fire in the galley of the ship was already extinguished by the ship’s crew, consisting of Ukrainian,-Croatian-and Filipino nationals, but but there was still some smoke in the galley. Two of the crew members were treated on scene by the ambulance service but were released with suspected light smoke inhalation. The vessel was in Lerwick mobilising for work in the Brent oilfield North-East of Shetland. Reports with photos: https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2025/03/13/fire-service-called-offshore-ship/ https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2025/03/13/emergency-services-called-to-small-fire-on-offshore-support-vessel-in-lerwick
News
RONGGOLAWE 09
A fire broke out aboard the 'Ronggolawe 09' while conducting an unauthorized fuel transfer in the waters near Lamongan on March 13, 2025. Four crew members went missing and were still being searched for. The tanker was sailing from Gresik to Lamongan with 11 crew members on board and started the STS of 25 tons of high-speed diesel (HSD) fuel to the tug 'Rosalyn 08' (MMSI: 525700087) without official authorization at 05:30 a.m. WIB, At around 06:00 a.m. an explosion occurred, followed by massive flames in tank no. 3 and engulfing also the 'Rosalin 08 and the TK 'Joecline 08'. All crew members were forced to jump into the sea, while the 'Ronggolawe 09' drifted eastward with the fire still raging. The fire on the tug was eventually extinguished at 10:00 a.m. by the tug 'Pinguin 02'. By 12:30 p.m. the fire on the 'Ronggolawe 09' was beginning to be brought under control. The KSOP Class III Tanjung Pakis immediately coordinated with the Lamongan Police Water Unit (Satpolair Res Lamongan), the ship’s agency, and other relevant stakeholders. Several assistance vessels were deployed, including the tug 'Prameswari 01' from PT Pertamina EP Sukowati, the CB 'Manta' from the Tersus Tuban Marine Terminal, the 'Etzomer 504' from the ExxonMobil Cepu Ltd. and the tug 'Servewell Stable' from the PT Lamongan Shorebase. The tugs 'Tanjung Bahari' and 'Servewell Stable' successfully put out the fire on the 'Rosalina 08', which was towing the TK 'Joecline 08'. The KSOP also took charge of evacuating victims and searching for missing crew members while monitoring the 'Ronggolawe 09', which was drifting at a speed of 1-2 knots. Rescue teams continued to search for the missing crew members and investigating the cause of the explosion and the extent of the damages resulting from the incident. Report with photos: https://hubla.dephub.go.id/Indonesianmaritimesafetyinformation/page/news/read/25043/kebakaran-di-mt-ronggolawe-09-saat-transfer-bbm-empat-abk-hilang-fire-on-mt-ronggolawe-09-during-fuel-transfer-four-crew-members-missing
OLAVO BILAC
On March 12, 2025 , at 11.20 p.m., the 'Olavo Bilac', carrying 50,000 tons of fuel oil, lost rudder control while manoeuvring at the port of Santos, near São Paulo, when the ship was leaving the port bound for Angra dos Reis. After the rudder was jammed, the ship first crashed into the quay and then into one of three docked Brazilian Navy patrol boats, the 'Guarajá P-44' and 'Guaporé P-45' of the Grajaú-class) and the 'Maracanã P-72' of the Macaé-class. The tanker suddenly veered to starboard side and first hit the quayside before turning to port while scraping along the pier, pushing one of the patrol boats into the two others from astern. One Navy officer suffered minor injuries and has been treated in hospital, since having been released. The tanker was brought back to the the Alemoa 1 pier with the assistance of tugs. On March 13, the Port Authority inspected the vessel and confirmed a large scrapes and dents at port side at the height of and above the waterline, but no leaks nor signs of an oil spill nor pollution. The pier it hit is controlled by the Brazilian Navy, which was conducting an inspection to determine the extent of the damage. The companies were waiting for permission from the navy to enter the site. The tanker was detained after the accident. The port of Santos remained operational. Reports with video: https://www.twz.com/sea/out-of-control-tanker-plows-into-docked-brazilian-navy-vessels https://www.naval.com.br/blog/2025/03/13/navio-tanque-perde-o-controle-e-atinge-tres-embarcacoes-da-marinha-no-porto-de-santos-sp/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP-PT57XhsY
ALESSANDRA LEHMANN
On March 3, 2025, the 'Alessandra Lehmann' was detained in Szczecin with 23 deficiencies, five of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Alarms - Engineers alarm Inoperative 2) Life saving Appliances - Line-throwing appliance Incomplete 3) Radio communications - VHF Radio Installation Not as required 4) Water/Weathertight - Ventilators, air pipes and casings Not as required 5) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on March 11 and left the port en route to Riga, where it arrived on March 13. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591
DONALD M JAMES
On the afternoon of March 11, the 'Donald James' was towed from Bremen to Bremerhaven by the tugs 'VB Pioneer' (IMO: 9190614) and 'Fairplay 31' (IMO: 9416575) without its rudder. The damage 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 repairs of the damage. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y14nlma8rEo
MONTES Y SABINO
On March 12, 2025, the 'Montes y Sabino' caught fire about 3.5 nautical miles northeast of Gando. The offshore vessel 'Amber G' (IMO: 9731274) was nearby, and assisted the three crew members, who had deployed the life raft and abandoned ship. The SAR boat 'Salvamar Nunki' (MMSI: 224049950) also attended and took them aboard. The castaways were transported to Las Palmas in good chealth ondition. The SAR helicopter Helimer 202, the SAR vessel LS 'Escila' ((MMSI: 224349860)) and the tug 'Heroínas de Sálvora' (IMO: 9960112) were mobilized to the scene too. The Maritime Captaincy put the National Maritime Plan in the alert phase. The fishing vessel was completely gutted by the blaze and sank at 10:18 p.m. Due to the lubricants and fuel on board, there were concerns about an oil spill about 10 to 15 kilometers from the port of Taliarte. The Helimer helicopter and the 'Salvamar Nunki' thus were monitoring the sinking site on March 13 amd found a slick measuring between 100 and 150 meters in diameter and one mile length approximately four nautical miles from the coast, east of Puerto de Arinaga. The municipalities that could be affected by the remains of the burning boat are Telde, Ingenio, Agüimes, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The fishing vessel's fuel content was estimated at two tons of diesel and 50 liters of oil. The diesel and oil slick was being monitored. Dispersal efforts were underway. There was also concern that the weather situation could lead to the slick's further expansion. The wind in the area was expected to be from the north-northwest throughout the day with moderate intensities (between 20 and 30 kilometers per hour). During the day, the wind was likely to decrease to light and its direction will be variable. The swell is from the northwest with wave heights between one and two meters throughout the day. Reports with photo and video: https://www.kanarenmarkt.de/294161/schiff-vor-gran-canaria-in-flammen-matrosen-gerettet.html https://www.canariajournalen.no/nyheter/2025/03/advarer-om-forurensningsfare-pa-strender-pa-gran-canaria https://www.antena3.com/noticias/sociedad/alerta-gran-canaria-riesgo-contaminacion-hundimiento-pesquero_2025031367d2a7ab9d5e6500016847c7.html https://www.canarias7.es/sucesos/incendio-barco-frente-costa-telde-imagenes-20250312190736-ga.html https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1899909520479948889 https://x.com/i/status/1899909520479948889 https://x.com/DgCanarias/status/1900164056255803466
GULF PETROLEUM 4
The Maritime Captaincy of Almería, under the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, have imposed a €70,000 security deposit on the 'Gulf Petroleum 4', which was detained in Carboneras on March 7, 2025, after detecting 29 safety deficiencies during an inspection carried out under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In order to resume its voyage, the vessel must pay the security deposit and correct the detected deficiencies, which were related to navigation safety and the well-being of the crew, most of whom are from India, regarding hygiene, nutrition, and safety conditions at work on board; the prevention and control of pollution, both maritime and atmospheric; lifesaving and firefighting equipment; as well as the operational management of the vessel and maintenance of critical equipment on board. Following the inspection, the Maritime Authority has prohibited the vessel from sailing until it pays the €70,000 guarantee to the General Treasury Deposit Box and has corrected the deficiencies detected in all areas. The ship remained stationary in Carboneras as of March 13.
MSC BERANGERE
The 'MSC Berangere' left the port of Klaipeda on March 11, 2025, at 12.30 p.m. UTC, with an apparently bent foremast, which seemingly has resulted from an allision, possibly with a gantry crane, and scratch lines on the port side foreship. The mast was fixed with steel cables in its position. The ship had arrived in the port on March 10, en route from Hamburg, and was next headed to Gdynia, where it berthed at the Baltic Container Terminal on March 13. Photos: https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3816196?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3816197?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3816198?navList=moreOfThisShip&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest&perPage=8&imo=9930947&lid=3816197
JORDANIA
On March 6, 2023, the 'Jordania' was detained in Novorossiysk with 11 deficiencies, nine being seriously: 1) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Auxiliary machinery Not as required 2) Labour conditions - Access/structural features (ship) Not as required 3) Life saving Appliances - Fast rescue boats Not as required 4) Life saving Appliances - Line-throwing appliance Not as required 5) Life saving Appliances - Lifeboats Not properly maintained 6) Life saving Appliances - Rescue boat inventory Not as required 7) Safety of navigation - Voyage data recorder Not as required 8)) Pollution Prevention - Other (Marpol Annex V) Other 9) Emergency systems - Emergency lighting, batteries and switches The vessel was released again on March 7 and left the porton March 8 en route to Ambarli, where it arrived on March 11. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591
AMBER SPIRIT
On Feb 28, 2025, the 'Amber Spirit' was detained in Szczecin with 17 deficiencies, five of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Fire safety - Jacketed high pressure lines and oil leakage alarm Missing 2) Alarms - Engineers alarm Inoperative 3) Life saving Appliances - Lifeboats Inoperative 4) Safety of navigation - Voyage data recorder Not as required 5) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on March 10 and left the port en route to Russian Vyborg, where it arrived on March 13. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591
HUCKLEBERRY FINN
On March 13, the German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation presented the investigation report on the fire in the engine room of the "Huckleberry Finn" on Aug 16, 2023. The exact cause of the accident could not be determined during the investigation. However, three possible errors were identified: What is undisputed, is that the non-fully functional pneumatic remote control system caused the clutch to slip while the main engine was running. It can also be assumed that the oil from the cylinder oil lubrication system, which was extensively distributed in the area of the main engine and particularly under the clutch cover, ignited due to the heat generated by the slipping clutch. During the first two inspections by the the investigators, the condition of the 'Huckleberry Finn' was acceptable, but not good. This was also communicated to the responsible inspector of the shipping company. During the course of the investigation, the shipping company remedied the deficiencies mentioned as well as various deficiencies that had not been communicated. This extensive work, the implementation of which was not mandatory, included the following points: − The cylinder oil lubrication systems of all four engines were replaced with new models. − All engines were largely resealed, and oil leaks there were stopped. The engine room floor was generally restored to good condition. − At the end of April 2024, the coupling of main engine No. 2 was completely replaced or overhauled. − The separator area was cleaned, and defective electrical connections were repaired. − Defective pressure and/or thermo-manometers were replaced. − The engine room and its adjoining spaces were completely repainted. − The engine crew's changing rooms were renovated. The Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation considered the shipping company's measures to have improved the general safety of the 'Huckleberry Finn' to be appropriate and assumed that the shipping company's focus has been sharpened on the coupling system as a whole and that such accidents will not occur again in the future. Therefore, safety recommendations are unnecessary. Full report: https://www.bsu-bund.de/SharedDocs/pdf/DE/Unfallberichte/2025/Summarischer_Untersuchungsbericht_437_23.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1
SOLONG
The 'Solong', en route from Grangemouth to Rotterdam, and the tanker 'Stena Immaculate' (IMO: 9693018), en route from Agio Theodoroi to Killingholme with a cargo of A-1 jet fuel for the US defence department, were in allision on the North Sea, about 13 nautical miles off the coast of Lincolnshire, on March 10, 2025, at 9.48 a.m. The 'Solong' hit the 'Stena Immaculate' at a speed of 16 knots, having maintained the same course over nine hours. It was foggy, but visibility was about half a mile. The 'Solong' did even not immediately stop and drove into the tanker's side, coming literally out of the blue, for what seemed like 10 minutes. It appeared nobody was on the bridge of the 'Solong' at the moment of the allision. The container ship knocked the tanker 40 ft, but the 'Solong'’s engines had not stopped and it hit the tanker again, bouncing off the tanker, the third allision was not such a hard hit, the engine power had been reduced by then. Two crew members on the 'Stena Immaculate' had been at the bow of the vessel changing a light bulb, when the container vessel ploughed into the mid-section of the tanker, causing an explosion and fire. The two crew had to run passed burning debris as explosions of jet fuel were erupting behind them, to get to the lifeboat. There were multiple explosions and a massive fireball following the impact. Both ships were soon ablaze. The flames immediately began erupting from a ruptured tank, and the crew jumped into action, putting on protective gear to battle the blaze. Ater moments of fighting the inferno, they knew it was a lost cause, and a decision was made to abandon the ship and get into a lifeboat. Some of the sailors even had singed hair because the flames were so close. Some of the crew scrambled to the life rafts taking only what they had on them. Other crew members went to their rooms to gather essential belongings, also grabbing life jackets and emergency gear. The crew went to the mustering point and a warning sound was made for all crew members. When it was verified that everyone was onboard the freefall lifeboat, they launched. The captain was the last person to leave the tanker. They couldn't have waited any longer to get off the vessel, and the whole incident from impact to evacuation lasted about 30 minutes. The HM Coastguard was co-ordinating the emergency response. The Humber Coastguard broadcast a radio call asking for nearby ships with firefighting equipment, or which could help with search and rescue operations. A helicopter took off from Humberside and headed to the scene alongside the RNLI lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes, and an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The 'Svitzer Josephine' (IMO: 8919219) was the first to answer the Mayday call and accepted responsibility to proceed at best speed, with FiFi 1 capabilities. On the whole, three of Svitzer'S emergency response vessels responded, besides the 'Svitzer’s Josephine' the 'Svitzer Harty' (IMO: 9366861) and 'Svitzer Madeline' (IMO: 9127368), arriving simultaneously on scene. By 11.40 a.m. the Cleethorpes boat had been stood down while the boats from Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts. The 'Stena Immaculate' was anchored in pos. 53° 44' N 000° 24' E, when the container ship ran into its side. It is not clear if any has entered the water or been burnt, but jet fuel has been released from the tanker into the sea from a ruptured tank. The 'Stena Immaculate' had come from a refinery in Corinth and did not to have delivered its oil before the allision. The ship was laden with about 142,000 barrels when it left Corinth, in support of the US Department of Defense. The crew of the 'Stena Immaculate' abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. On the whole 36 mariners have been brought ashore in Grimsby. One member of the 'Solong 'crew was still missing as night fell, according to the ship's Hamburg-based owner, Ernst Russ. The search is still underway. 13 of the 14 crew members of this ship were among those who have been brought safely ashore. The first ship, the high speed craft 'Windcat 33' (MMSI: 235103062), arrived with 13 people on board. The offshore windfarm vessel had been in the vicinity when the allision took place. It was followed by 10 casualties on a pilot boat operated by Associated British Ports, which owns the Port of Immingham, and a third vessel - a pilot boat - with the remaining casualties. There was a line of ambulances in Grimsby, waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital. The.emergency crews assessed 36 people at Grimsby's North Quay. obody was required to go to hospital. The 36 mariners of both crews are safe and accounted for at 2.30 p.m. Set up in 2023 under the Biden Government, the US Maritime Administration agency’s Tanker Security Program (TSP) has a number of commercial ships that are guaranteed to be available for US Government work at short notice. The 'Stena Immaculate' was one of three vessels made available to the scheme in 2023 by American company Crowley, which manages the ships’ day-to-day operations through a joint venture with the Swedish owners Stena. The ship’s managing agent is the US company Crowley , which operates the vessel in a partnership with Stena Bulk. Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel. A three mile air exclusion zone has been put in place over the site of the collision off the Yorkshire coast. The Government issued a restriction that effectively bans pilots from flying over the accident site, which is a short distance north-east of Spurn Point on the northern bank of the Humber estuary. Pilots are forbidden to fly within the designated area without the permission of the Coastguard, said a notice to airmen. The zone extends up to 2,000ft above sea level. All four of the ports in the Humber have closed while rescuers and firefighting vessels carry out their duties. Associated British Ports are assisting the HM Coastguard and other relevant agencies with the response to the maritime incident in the North Sea. All vessel movements are currently suspended in the Humber. P&O Ferries said its departure times for scheduled sailings were unconfirmed. The company intends to operate those ships once the port is re-opened to traffic. Wildlife rescue groups are preparing for the impact on an oil spill along the east coast of Yorkshire. The Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue committee had met to discuss preparations to rescue oiled wildlife, particularly birds and are currently adapting the oil spill response protocols – originally designed for factory spills – to ensure to be prepared for the incident and have set up a dedicated oiled wildlife hotline for reporting affected animals in Cleethorpe. The group also urged locals to report sightings of oiled birds. Greenpeace UK was monitoring the situation. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to conduct a preliminary assessment, Preliminary reports suggested that poor visibility may have played a role in the allision. The 'Stena Immaculate’s heading was approx around 065⁰ when she was hit on her port side by the 'Solong' at 9:48:07 a..m. between the rear half of the 'Stena Immaculate’s length. After the collision, the tanker’s heading turned to heading 131⁰ (T) and took all of the 'Solong’s speed away. Both ships appeared to have remained in contact for around four minutes dragged south-east until 9:52:42 a.m. Maritime security sources said there was no indication of any malicious activity or other actors involved in the accident. Reports with photos and video: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cgq1pwjlqq2t https://bridlingtonecho.co.uk/major-shipping-incident-on-north-sea-off-bridlington-after-vessels-collide/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI7yUZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHUcbXuiYQMpLIczmEkMDD_-qLUGjeO_oMbyRv1VstFSFcXUpopLnBn7Tdg_aem_nTIyWjk22xLIlCy9IrM0JA https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/north-sea-stena-immaculate-oil-tanker-cargo-collision-yorkshire-b2712260.html https://www.offshore-energy.biz/foul-play-among-suspected-reasons-behind-oil-tanker-cargo-ship-north-sea-collision/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/10/oil-tanker-cargo-ship-collide-north-sea/ https://news.sky.com/story/what-we-know-about-north-sea-oil-tanker-and-cargo-ship-collision-13325883 https://uk.news.yahoo.com/live/oil-tanker-crash-north-sea-latest-news-122624396.html
ROSALYN 08
A fire broke out aboard the tanker 'Ronggolawe 09' (MMSI: 525501884), while conducting an unauthorized fuel transfer in the waters near Lamongan on March 13, 2025. Four crew members went missing and were still being searched for. The tanker was sailing from Gresik to Lamongan with 11 crew members on board and started the STS of 25 tons of high-speed diesel (HSD) fuel to the 'Rosalyn 08' without official authorization at 05:30 a.m. WIB, At around 06:00 a.m. an explosion occurred, followed by massive flames in tank no. 3 and engulfing also the 'Rosalin 08 and the TK 'Joecline 08'. All crew members were forced to jump into the sea, while the 'Ronggolawe 09' drifted eastward with the fire still raging. The fire on the tug was eventually extinguished at 10:00 a.m. by the tug 'Pinguin 02'. By 12:30 p.m. the fire on the 'Ronggolawe 09' was beginning to be brought under control. The KSOP Class III Tanjung Pakis immediately coordinated with the Lamongan Police Water Unit (Satpolair Res Lamongan), the ship’s agency, and other relevant stakeholders. Several assistance vessels were deployed, including the tug 'Prameswari 01' from PT Pertamina EP Sukowati, the CB 'Manta' from the Tersus Tuban Marine Terminal, the 'Etzomer 504' from the ExxonMobil Cepu Ltd. and the tug 'Servewell Stable' from the PT Lamongan Shorebase. The tugs 'Tanjung Bahari' and 'Servewell Stable' successfully put out the fire on the 'Rosalina 08', which was towing the TK 'Joecline 08'. The KSOP also took charge of evacuating victims and searching for missing crew members while monitoring the 'Ronggolawe 09', which was drifting at a speed of 1-2 knots. Rescue teams continued to search for the missing crew members and investigating the cause of the explosion and the extent of the damages resulting from the incident. Report with photos: https://hubla.dephub.go.id/Indonesianmaritimesafetyinformation/page/news/read/25043/kebakaran-di-mt-ronggolawe-09-saat-transfer-bbm-empat-abk-hilang-fire-on-mt-ronggolawe-09-during-fuel-transfer-four-crew-members-missing
NISSOS RODOS
On the evening of March 12,, the Port Authorities of Piraeus, Saronic Gulf, Lavrio, Rafina, Kea and Karystos were informed by the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center (EKSED) of the Greek Coast Guard Headquarters, that a 61-year-old passenger of the 'Nissos Rhodos' fell over board, while the ferry was sailing in the sea area between Piraeus and Karystos. The ship was operating a route from the port of Piraeus to the ports of Chios and Mytilene at the time of the incident. Immediately, under the coordination of the EKSED. searches were launched to locate the passenger by three patrol boats of the Coast Guard and passing ships, while a Navy helicopter also took off. The searches were continued by four patrol boats, passing ships and supported by a helicopter and a plane of the Coast Guard with negative results so far.
NORTH MOON
On March 7, 2025, the 'North Moon' was detained in Bartin with 14 deficiencies: 1) Safety of navigation - Charts Not updated 2) Safety of navigation - Nautilcal publications Not updated 3) Safety of navigation - Gyro compass Inoperative 4) Pollution Prevention - Control of discharge Not as required 5) Pollution Prevention - Pumping, piping and discharge arrangements Not as required 6) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Auxiliary machinery Not as required 7) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Propulsion main engine Not as required 8)) Life saving Appliances - Lifeboats Not properly maintained 9) Living and working - Electrical Unsafe 10) Radio communications - MF/HF Radio Installation Not as required 11) Radio communications - Facilities for reception of marine safety inform Not as required 12) Certificate & Doc - Signs, indications Not as required 13) Emergency systems - Emergency lighting, batteries and switches Not as required 14) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel sailed from Bartin on March 13, next headed to Taganrok with an ETA as of March 17. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591
STENA IMMACULATE
A team from the maritime services provider Boskalis boarded the 'Stena Immaculate' on March 13 at around noon on Thursday. Five salvors were involved, including gas experts. Various inspections were carried out, and a small fire was extinguished in a storage area at the front of the ship. Boskalis will be carrying out further inspections of kerosene tanks for explosion hazards in the coming days. The power supply on board is still working. Boskalis wants to prepare the ship in the coming days to pump out kerosene and bring the vessel to a port. The detention of the Russian captain of the 'Solong', who was arrested on March 11 and is suspected of serious negligence resulting in death, was extended by 36 hours on March 13 by a British court. This gives more time to him to be questioned, There were still small fires on the upper deck of the 'Solong'. The multi-purpose vessel 'Mellum' and the sensor aircraft DO228 have completed their deployment off the British coast. The United Kingdom Coast Guard informed the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies on the afternoon of March 12, that it would be able to release the two units from the operation during the course of the evening. The DO228 headed home after a final surveillance flight and landed at the naval air base in Nordholz on the evening. The 'Mellum' arrived at its home port of Wilhelmshaven on the afternoon of March 13. The Mellum' was tasked by the British Coast Guard with, among other tasks, monitoring the tanker and being ready in case of an oil spill. The crew also surveyed the stricken vessel with the aid of an onboard drone. On March 12, it was dispatched to the container ship. There, the crew launched the drone again and provided the Coast Guard with detailed images of the situation on board. The British authorities also sought advice from a ship firefighting expert from the Bremerhaven Fire Department, who was assigned to the operation on board the 'Mellum'. The DO228 conducted several surveillance flights on March 11 and 12. The aircraft operated from Humberside Airport. The flights provided high-resolution images of the two parties involved in the accident, helped the Coast Guard's decision-makers assess the situation, and relieved the crews of the British surveillance aircraft. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has launched an investigation into the allision,which occurred on March 10 at 09.47 a.m. UTC when the 'Solong', traveling at 16.4 knots, struck the anchored tanker, which was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel and awaiting berth at the Port of Killingholme, near the entrance to the River Humber. The vessel was operating under charter to the Military Sealift Command when the incident occurred. At 01.30 a.m. UTC, the 'Solong' had passed to the east of the Longstone lighthouse and altered course onto a heading of approximately 150° at a speed of about 16.4 knots. Initial reports indicated the 'Solong', which regularly traveled between Grangemouth and Rotterdam, did not take any evasive action before the allision. The MAIB investigation involves collaboration with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, U.S. Coast Guard, and Marine Safety Investigation Authority Portugal. The UK branch will lead the safety investigation, with Portugal and the United States serving as substantially interested states. The tanker’s operator, Crowley, is working closely with UK authorities on salvage operations while prioritizing crew welfare and environmental protection. The MAIB investigators are currently focused on gathering witness accounts and digital data, including Voyage Data Recorders from both vessels. The investigation will examine navigational practices, manning and fatigue management, vessel condition and maintenance, and environmental conditions at the time of the allision. Reports iwth photos: https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250310_94435008 https://www.havariekommando.de/SharedDocs/Aktuelles/DE/2025/20250310_Internationale_Hilfe_KollisionUK.html;jsessionid=9F22A62EC2816B85C9EA1490422E0AAE.live21324?nn=1461832 https://gcaptain.com/uks-maib-leads-multi-national-investigation-into-north-sea-ship-collision/
LOCH ALAINN
On 'March 12, the 'Loch Alainn', serving on the route Barra-Eriskay, completed the repairs of its main engine and commenced sea trials, following which it turned out that the ferry required to carry out a further repair.The 'Loch Alainn' remained sidelined in Barra. As a result, the ferry 'Loch Bhrusda' (IMO: 9129483) was inserted by CalMac to operate the timetabled service. After the repairs to the 'Loch Alainn' have been completed, the ferr resumed service at 1 p.m. departing from Eriskay. All sailings were now scheduled to operate to timetable.