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The container m/v 'Solong' (IMO: 9322554), en route from Grangemouth to Rotterdam, and the 'Stena Immaculate', 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. Luckily, the forward tanks were empty, which allowed the collapsed tanks to expand into the void space. The flames immediately began erupting from the 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 the 'Soliong' 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. Nobody was required to go to hospital. 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

The S.S. 'Badger' will head to Door County for some sprucing up before its sailing season begins May 16, 2025. The ferry will be placed into dry dock of the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, where it will undergo a propeller shaft bearing repair. The 'Badger' is tentatively scheduled to leave Ludington on April 29, making the 12-hour journey under its own power. It takes two or three weeks of work’ prior to the season, which involves getting the engines and machinery ready. Rather than sailing through the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, the 'Badger' will take a northern route to the tip of the Door Peninsula and Washington Island from Lake Michigan into the Bay of Green. It will then travel south back to the city of Sturgeon Bay. The repairs to the propeller shaft bearing requires taking the ferry out of the water and removing its 13-foot, 10-inch starboard propeller. This repair is different than the 'Badger''s routine five-year dry dock inspection, which last took place over the winter of 2021-2022. The 'Badger' is expected to return to Ludington, Michigan, around May 10 before its spring season begins.

On the morningof March 12, 2025, a worker died in an accident on board the "Island Ocean", which was docked in Hareid at the Ulmatec Handling Solution. Health personnel were quickly on site, but that the man's life could not be saved. The deceased was not an employee of the shipping company, but of a company that performed work on the vessel. The police have been on board for investigations and confirmed at 2:30 p.m. that the man died. The next of kin have been notified. The company's management has been present to support the crew, and that they received assistance from the Norwegian Seamen's Church.

The 'De Gallant, sank off the coast of the Bahamas on May 21, 2024. after it was caught in a stormy supercell. The BEAmer investigation citesdunpredictable weather and the lack of modern maneuvering systems as factors leading to the loss of the vessel and two crew members. According to the BEAmer report published on March 11, 2025, the 'De Gallant' was impacted by strong winds of up to 70 knots while traveling at low speed, loaded with 22 tons of cargo. The crew consisted of four professional sailors and four passengers. Due to thunderstorms on the leeward side, the captain was supposed to prepare the halyard and the clinfoc halyard to be able to perform a quick jib maneuver in an emergency. The formation of the thunderstorm supercell had not been accurately predicted by the weather models. At 3:15 a.m., the first drops of rain fell, and five minutes later, a violent gust tilted the sailing ship 90 degrees, causing water to enter the engine room. The second, even stronger gust completely filled the engine room and condemned the ship to sink stern-first in less than ten minutes. The captain reacted immediately, gave the order to abandon ship, and activated the emergency radio beacons. The rafts were inflated using the hydrostatic buoyancy required by the Merchant Navy. Without this equipment, the crew's chances of survival would have been very slim. Six people managed to reach the rafts, one of which was upside down, but two crew members, likely entangled in the ropes or sails, failed to surface. The six shipwrecked survivors were rescued by helicopter by the U.S. Coast Guard several hours after the sinking. The parallel search efforts failed to locate the two missing sailors. The report, which was not approved by the ship's owner, highlighted how difficult it is to maneuver an old cargo sailing ship without modern tools. Unlike other modernized traditional ships, the 'De Gallant' had neither winches nor furling systems, making maneuvers lengthy and arduous, especially with a small crew. Furthermore, the deck drainage devices were undersized, further increasing the sailboat's instability in gusts. BEAmer recommended modernizing commercial schooners with the installation of remote control systems and improved safety precautions. It also emphasized that cargo sailing ships must be equipped with a sufficient and experienced crew to withstand extreme weather events.

On March 12, 2025, four Dutch crew members of the Van Oord dredger 'Vox Maxima' (IMO: 9454096), that caused a major oil spill off the coast of Singapore on June 14, 2024, have admitted to failing to perform their duties properly before a Singaporean judge. Richard Ouwehand, 49, Martin Hans Sinke, 48, Eric Peijpers, 56, and Merijn Heidema, 26, pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 for their role in the oil spill. They had worked on the dredger, which was disabled due an engine failure and allided with the 'Marine Honour', causing a breach, and a large amount of fuel oil then leaked from the bunker ship. The oil spread to a beach park and a nature reserve in southern Singapore, among other places in the largest oil spill in Singapore in the past ten years. According to the prosecutor Regina Lim , the clean-up took two months. One of the crew members on trial was the captain of the dredger and another was the first mate. The other two crew members were engineers. The prosecutor has demanded fines of between 20,000 and 50,000 Singapore dollars, which is the equivalent of approximately 14,000 to 34,000 euros. On the morning of June 14, the circuit breaker of the outgoing feeder of the high-voltage switchboards to the step-down transformer on the starboard side of the 'Vox Maxima' was opened to allow for maintenance works. The circuit breaker controlled the flow of electrical power from the main generator to the step-down transformer on the starboard side, and when it was in an open state, no electrical power would be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards. Prior to taking over the engineering watch at noon, Peijpers and Heidema did not check the status of the circuit breakers, which would affect the distribution of electrical power on the vessel. By law, they are required to be satisfied with the condition and mode of operation of the various main and auxiliary systems, including the electrical power distribution system, before taking over the engineering watch. During their watch, Peijpers and Heidema prepared the 'Vox Maxima' for her departure from the Western Anchorage to ST Engineering Marine’s Tuas shipyard. Just after noon, Peijpers and Heidema were notified by the officers from the preceding engineering watch and the officers on the bridge for the afternoon watch that the main engines had to be ready for the voyage by 1.30 p.m. The two men then stopped the auxiliary generator and started the main generators, which comprised the starboard generator and a second main generator on the port side. As the circuit breaker on the starboard side was open, no electrical power from the starboard generator could be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards, and they were thus powered by the port generator. While on the way to Tuas shipyard, two of the 'Vox Maxima'’s hydraulic pumps that drew power from the low-voltage switchboards were started as part of the planned operations, increasing the load at a circuit breaker on the port side. This circuit breaker tripped as it was overloaded when the second hydraulic pump was started, leading to a loss of electrical power for all low-voltage equipment, including rudders and controllable pitch propellers. Upon the loss of steering control, both Ouwehand and Sinke were responsible for, among other things, engaging emergency steering, but they failed to do so. During this time, the 'Vox Maxima' approached the 'Super Hero', which managed to alter its course and speed to avoid a collision. A minute later, the dredger hit the starboard side of the 'Marine Honour', which suffered damage to at least six water ballast tanks, 10 cargo oil tanks and the slop port tank as a result. The 'Marine Honour' is still undergoing repairs of the damage in Singapore, and the cost of repairs is estimated to exceed $6.6 million. The prosecution is seeking fines of between $20,000 and $30,000 each for Ouwehand and Sinke, and fines of between $40,000 and $50,000 each for Heidema and Peijpers. For the offence, each of them can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. They are scheduled to be sentenced on April 2.

On March 12, the Spanish flagged 12,05-fishing vessel 'Segundo María Isabel' (built 1995), based in the port of Corme, struck a rocky outcrop and suffered water ingress and started listing to port side about 0.5 nautical miles north of the Arnela beach in Muxia. The crew activated the EPIRB at 2.15 p.m. The CCS Fisterra of Salvamento Marítimo activated the emergency protocol and mobilized the 'Salvamar Altair' from Camariñas to the scene. The crew of the fishing vessel 'Playa de Lago', which was in the area too, started an attempt to patch the leak, but this proved impossible given the damage sustained by the fishing vessel at its starboard side., The two fishermen of the Segundo María Isabel'were then taken aboard and transported them to Camariñas in good condition. The fishing vessel was already low in the water and eventually sank after the arrival of the SAR boat, and the crew of the 'Salvamar Altair' recovered floating gear and equipment. Reports with photo and video: https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/carballo/muxia/2025/03/12/rescatan-vida-dos-tripulantes-pesquero-corme-hundido-frente-muxia/00031741789417117635348.htm https://www.elcorreogallego.es/concellos/2025/03/12/salvo-tripulantes-pesquero-segundo-maria-115223470.html

sold to Chittagong Breakers

Video footage provided by the British company Orca AI shows the moment when the 'Solong' rammed into the side of the 'Stena Immaculate' off Hull. I't was recorded by a SeaPod unit, mounted on board the tanker 'Ionic Aspis' (IMO: 9523287), which was anchored off Grimsby. The video shows the accident, the foggy conditions and the moment the two ships allided. The preliminary information suggested that the 'Solong' had maintained the same course and speed for almost nine hours until it crashed into the tanker. The British authorities have launched an investigation into the accident together with the flag states involved. The fire on the 'Stena Immaculate' seemed to be finally out on March 12 with no visible signs of smoke or flames. However, Boskalis salvors could not yet get on board, as the weather conditions did not allow it. The option to send the team on board by helicopter was deemed too risky either, as kerosene fumes were measured near the ship, and they did not want to be hanging over that. As the ship is already at anchor there was no need to take unnecessary risks. Even if salvors go on board now, they only have a short time, preferrings to be on board only during daylight. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said that small pockets of fire continued to burn aboard the 'Solong', with the intensity and size of the fire having decreased considerably last night. The operational response to fully extinguish the fire and stabilize the container ship were continued. While the fire activity onboard had diminished, the vessel continued to emit smoke with occasional reports of flames. The vessel is charred from end to end. It was held in a safe position offshore by a tug with additional support vessels remaining in the area. The ship was on an almost even keel and efforts will focus on addressing some smaller fires on board which keep reigniting and to enable safe boarding at some point in time for a comprehensive damage assessment. The captain of the 'Solong', a 59-year-old master remained arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. A spokesperson for Ernst Russ commented that the master and its entire team wereactively assisting with the investigations. They confirmed that the master is a Russian national and the rest of the crew are a mix of Russian and Filipino nationals. There have been no further reports of pollution to the sea from either vessel beyond what was observed during the initial incident. Report with photos and video: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/03/12/britse-kustwacht-deelt-nieuwe-beelden-van-smeulende-solong-en-stena-immaculate-boskalis-nog-niet-aan-boord/ https://www.soefart.dk/article/view/1151828/se_video_fartoj_filmer_skibe_i_sekunderne_inden_kollision https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K4JQ0VxLIQ

The 'Elite Navigator', that sank off Newfoundland on July 17, 2024, with the seven crew members being rescued after nearly 48 hours in a life raft, was said to met safely requirements and had extensive fire safety equipment onboard - beyond what the industry regulations required for that type of vessel. The crew survived days adrift in a life raft after their vessel caught fire and sank, thanks to their adherence to strong safety protocols, according to an investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), published on March 12, 2025. The ship was operating about 130 nautical miles east-northeast of Fogo Island, when a fire broke out in the engine room, quickly spreading and forcing the crew to abandon ship. The TSB concluded that the crew's commitment to safety procedures was crucial to their survival: "The crew's compliance with safety procedures, including the proper use of life-saving equipment, played a crucial role in ensuring their safety during the abandonment and subsequent rescue." the TSB stated. The cause of the fire remained unknown and no way to determine, also the vessel crews had no way to seal off the engine room at the time.

After the 'Dreamland' was safely berthed in Mariehamn,, personnel ofthe Åland Coast Guard Station carried out a ship inspection in cooperation with the customs. How long the 'Dreamland' will remain in the port is unclear. The technical problems were now being investigated. In the meantime, the Åland Coast Guard Station was monitoring the port area with environmental protection in mind. If necessary, they are prepared to act with oil booms. Report with photos: https://alandsradio.ax/nyheter/sjobevakningen-overvakar-dreamland-i-hamnen

The probabilioty that the 'Guang Rong' will be declared a 'wreck' by the shipowner is becoming increasingly concrete. The costs of removal would amount to over 1,5 million euros. A recovery would not be economically viable. The Municipality would then be forced to dialogue no longer with the owners, but with the insurance company, called upon to resolve the problem of disposing of the ship. On the morning of March 7, rumors took this decision by the shipowner for granted, but the mayor of Massa, Francesco Persiani, could not yet confirm this information. The emptying of the starboard side tank inside the sludge room was completed on the evening of March 6. The operations to empty the diesel and oil tanks of the wheel loader and the crane, also inside the sludge room, have also been completed. The latter will was sucked up on the morning of March 8. On March 7, a pontoon was positioned on the starboard side of the ship and after having secured the area, the operations to remove the oil drums located between the cargo and the coaming will begin. The operations to unload the material in drums onto the barge moored to the starboard side of the 'Guang Rong' have also started. The lateral cranes of the lifeboats and free fall have been cleaned, the recovered oils will be conveyed to the sludge room and sucked up by Canal jet. Reports with photos and video: https://www.lanazione.it/massa-carrara/cronaca/guang-rong-relitto-vhzu2vmn https://www.iltirreno.it/massa/cronaca/2025/03/08/news/marina-di-massa-la-guang-rong-rischia-di-diventare-un-relitto-1.100672988 https://www.noitv.it/2025/03/guang-rong-il-giallo-del-relitto-e-i-timori-per-lestate-651578/

On March 12, 2025, four Dutch crew members of the Van Oord dredger 'Vox Maxima', that caused a major oil spill off the coast of Singapore on June 14, 2024, have admitted to failing to perform their duties properly before a Singaporean judge. Richard Ouwehand, 49, Martin Hans Sinke, 48, Eric Peijpers, 56, and Merijn Heidema, 26, pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 for their role in the oil spill. They had worked on the dredger, which was disabled due an engine failure and allided with the bunker tanker 'Marine Honour' (IMO: 9422811), causing a breach, and a large amount of fuel oil then leaked from the bunker ship. The oil spread to a beach park and a nature reserve in southern Singapore, among other places in the largest oil spill in Singapore in the past ten years. According to the prosecutor Regina Lim , the clean-up took two months. One of the crew members on trial was the captain of the dredger and another was the first mate. The other two crew members were engineers. The prosecutor has demanded fines of between 20,000 and 50,000 Singapore dollars, which is the equivalent of approximately 14,000 to 34,000 euros. On the morning of June 14, the circuit breaker of the outgoing feeder of the high-voltage switchboards to the step-down transformer on the starboard side of the 'Vox Maxima' was opened to allow for maintenance works. The circuit breaker controlled the flow of electrical power from the main generator to the step-down transformer on the starboard side, and when it was in an open state, no electrical power would be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards. Prior to taking over the engineering watch at noon, Peijpers and Heidema did not check the status of the circuit breakers, which would affect the distribution of electrical power on the vessel. By law, they are required to be satisfied with the condition and mode of operation of the various main and auxiliary systems, including the electrical power distribution system, before taking over the engineering watch. During their watch, Peijpers and Heidema prepared the 'Vox Maxima' for her departure from the Western Anchorage to ST Engineering Marine’s Tuas shipyard. Just after noon, Peijpers and Heidema were notified by the officers from the preceding engineering watch and the officers on the bridge for the afternoon watch that the main engines had to be ready for the voyage by 1.30 p.m. The two men then stopped the auxiliary generator and started the main generators, which comprised the starboard generator and a second main generator on the port side. As the circuit breaker on the starboard side was open, no electrical power from the starboard generator could be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards, and they were thus powered by the port generator. While on the way to Tuas shipyard, two of the 'Vox Maxima'’s hydraulic pumps that drew power from the low-voltage switchboards were started as part of the planned operations, increasing the load at a circuit breaker on the port side. This circuit breaker tripped as it was overloaded when the second hydraulic pump was started, leading to a loss of electrical power for all low-voltage equipment, including rudders and controllable pitch propellers. Upon the loss of steering control, both Ouwehand and Sinke were responsible for, among other things, engaging emergency steering, but they failed to do so. During this time, the 'Vox Maxima' approached the 'Super Hero', which managed to alter its course and speed to avoid a collision. A minute later, the dredger hit the starboard side of the 'Marine Honour', which suffered damage to at least six water ballast tanks, 10 cargo oil tanks and the slop port tank as a result. The 'Marine Honour' is still undergoing repairs of the damage in Singapore, and the cost of repairs is estimated to exceed $6.6 million. The prosecution is seeking fines of between $20,000 and $30,000 each for Ouwehand and Sinke, and fines of between $40,000 and $50,000 each for Heidema and Peijpers. For the offence, each of them can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. They are scheduled to be sentenced on April 2.

The Operations Manager Anders Tøsse of Torghatten Nord met with the Transport Committee on March 12 regarding the operations on the Brattvåg–Dryna and acknowledged that there have been far too many cancellations with the reserve ferries on the service. From May the ferry 'Fykan' will be used as a reserve ferry on the service instead of the 'Røsund'. The vessel will provide more predictable operation together with the main ferry 'Haram'. The reserve ferry has mainly weakened the regularity of the connection. In 2023, the regularity was 98.9 % , in 2024 it was 99.0 %. In 2025, there have been many cancellations, most of them as a result of problems with the reserve vessel.

arrived Chittagong Anchorage 11.03.25

Video footage provided by the British company Orca AI shows the moment when the 'Solong' rammed into the side of the 'Stena Immaculate' off Hull. I't was recorded by a SeaPod unit, mounted on board the tanker 'Ionic Aspis' (IMO: 9523287), which was anchored off Grimsby. The video shows the accident, the foggy conditions and the moment the two ships allided. The preliminary information suggested that the 'Solong' had maintained the same course and speed for almost nine hours until it crashed into the tanker. The British authorities have launched an investigation into the accident together with the flag states involved. The fire on the 'Stena Immaculate' seemed to be finally out on March 12 with no visible signs of smoke or flames. However, Boskalis salvors could not yet get on board, as the weather conditions did not allow it. The option to send the team on board by helicopter was deemed too risky either, as kerosene fumes were measured near the ship, and they did not want to be hanging over that. As the ship is already at anchor there was no need to take unnecessary risks. Even if salvors go on board now, they only have a short time, preferrings to be on board only during daylight. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said that small pockets of fire continued to burn aboard the 'Solong', with the intensity and size of the fire having decreased considerably last night. The operational response to fully extinguish the fire and stabilize the container ship were continued. While the fire activity onboard had diminished, the vessel continued to emit smoke with occasional reports of flames. The vessel is charred from end to end. It was held in a safe position offshore by a tug with additional support vessels remaining in the area. The ship was on an almost even keel and efforts will focus on addressing some smaller fires on board which keep reigniting and to enable safe boarding at some point in time for a comprehensive damage assessment. The captain of the 'Solong', a 59-year-old master remained arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. A spokesperson for Ernst Russ commented that the master and its entire team wereactively assisting with the investigations. They confirmed that the master is a Russian national and the rest of the crew are a mix of Russian and Filipino nationals. There have been no further reports of pollution to the sea from either vessel beyond what was observed during the initial incident. Reports with photos and video: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/03/12/britse-kustwacht-deelt-nieuwe-beelden-van-smeulende-solong-en-stena-immaculate-boskalis-nog-niet-aan-boord/ https://www.soefart.dk/article/view/1151828/se_video_fartoj_filmer_skibe_i_sekunderne_inden_kollision https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K4JQ0VxLIQ

On March 11, the first container of fruit from the 'Maersk Saltoro' was destroyed, which took approximately two hours. On March 8, the Chinese customs had completed the inspection process of the fruit, and then private inspections were being carried out. To destroy the fruit, the wooden pallets from the loads at customs had to be removed. Then, the 20 tons of cherries were transferred to a hopper truck to be sent to the destruction site. More centers awere being sought to dispose of the fruit. In the first destruction, private inspections were added; given the volume. The destruction was done in a place approved by customs, under the supervision of Chinese customs personnel. The fruit was transported in trucks after the pallets were removed. The Chinese authorities deliver inspection times and define places to destroy the fruit by order of request to perform private inspections. The exporter would receive a document of the customs inspection and the certificate of rejection of the fruit. Customs is still developing the destruction process and protocol as the first destruction was an initial test.

A federal court in New York has rejected the Russian businessman Eduard Khudainatov's challenge to the U.S. government's efforts to confiscate the 'Amadea'. The decision brings the United States closer to taking ownership of the yacht through a legal procedure known as civil forfeiture. The ruling likely represents the biggest victory so far in plans started under former President Joe Biden’s administration to seize assets of sanctioned Russian tycoons and use them to support Ukraine’s war effort. On March 10, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the Russian businessman did not have standing to challenge forfeiture of the yacht because he was not its owner. And because no one else has claimed ownership, the U.S. Department of Justice will now pursue a judgment of forfeiture by default. U.S. prosecutors believe the superyacht that is valued at over $230 million, belongs to Kerimov, a senator, businessman and ally of Vladimir Putin. The court also concluded in legal documents that the evidence suggests that after September 2021, Kerimov or his family exercised ownership of the vessel. In 2018, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on Kerimov. The government later alleged he or people acting on his behalf made payments for repairs and upkeep of the yacht that passed through the U.S financial system, which is a violation of those sanctions. The U.S. law enforcement seized the 'Amadea' in 2022. But in 2023, Khudainatov, who is not under U.S. sanctions, claimed ownership interest, setting the stage for a legal battle. In May 2024, U.S. taxpayers have spent more than $740,000 a month on the yacht’s maintenance. Last December, The Washington Post reported that servicing the yacht had cost the country roughly $30 million.

The 'Daniel Tarr' and the Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crews, in coordination with Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command Center watch standers and Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, detected and interdicted a total of 16 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line (MBL) in the Gulf of Mexico on the night of March 12, 2025. After interdicting four lanchas, the Coast Guard crews took the fishermen into custody, brought them ashore, and transferred them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing. Coast Guard personnel also seized an approximate total of 2,500 pounds of red snapper, along with fishing gear and equipment found on board the vessels. Two of the lanchas were also seized, while two were marked and left adrift due to flooding and instability. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4117490/coast-guard-detains-16-mexican-fishermen-seizes-2500-pounds-of-illegally-poache/

A cayuco was located nine nautical miles from La Restinga on March 12, 2025. The 'Salvamar Adhara' was mobilized to assist and accompanied the boat to the port, where its 86 occupants, including 20 women and 10 minors, were safely disembarked. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1899805749703840031

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