On April 20, 2025, at around 5 a.m., the 'MSC Tara III', was boarded by three perpetrators who were spotted when the ship was underway approximately 5.4 nautical miles off Pulau Cula, in pos. 1° 3.2' N 107° 37.13' E, in the eastbound traffic separation lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait. The master raised a general alarm and mustered the crew, after the three individuals were seen on the upper deck of the vessel. They reported that the perpetrators appeared to be carrying gun-like objects. The crew was safe, and nothing was reported stolen.
News
NAT GEO VENTURE
The US Coast Guard medevaced a crewmember from the 'National Geograhic Venture', en route from Pichilingue to Seattle, approximately 15 miles offshore of Coos Bay, Oregon, on April 20, 2025. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River watchstanders received a report from the cruise shp at 6:38 a.m., stating, that a 30-year-old male crewmember was suffering from excessive vomiting and shortness of breath. The watchstanders consulted with the Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac via helicopter. At 8 a.m. a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from the Coast Guard Air Station North Bend rendezvoused with the 'National Geographic Venture' west of Coos Bay, and successfully hoisted the patient to the helicopter. He was transported to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay in stable condition. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4163239/video-available-coast-guard-rescues-man-from-cruise-ship-off-coos-bay-oregon/
SALVAMAR FENIX
On April 21, 2025, the 7-meter-fishing boat 'TLA', with four people on board, suffered engine problems near Denia and requested towing assistance. The. CCS Valencia of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Fénix', which took the wooden boat in tow and safely pulled it to the Denia Marina.
SALAMA
On April 21, 2025, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has detained the offshore ship 'Sea Ranger' (IMO: 7230410) and the 'Salama' on charges of smuggling heavily subsidized oil from Iran. near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. The vessels were attempting to leave Iran's territorial waters. The IRGC claimed to have found approximately 1.5 million liters of diesel fuel on the vessels, along with 700 billion Iranian rials, and apprehended the 25 crew members. Both ships were escorted to Bushehr. The seized oil was to be handed over to the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, in order tol redistribute it into the local Iranian supply chain.
SEA BEAUTY
On April 10, 2025, the 'Sea Beauty' was detained in Porto Nogaro with 18 deficiencies, six of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Fire safety - Fire pumps and its pipes Inoperative 2) Fire safety - Evaluation of crew performance Lack of training 3) Emergency systems - Abandon ship drills Insufficient frequency 4) Safety of navigation - Electronic charts (ECDIS) Not as required 5) Life saving Appliances - Launching arrangement for survival craft Seized 6) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on April 18 and left the port on April 19, enroute to the shipyard area in Elefsis, with an ETA as of April 24. The last detention was on June 24, 2024, in Port la Nouvelle with five deficiencies for four days. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591
ARATERE
Two scheduled sailings of the 'Aratere' have been cancelled due to an electrical fault on April 22, 2024. The 4 p.m. crossing from Wellington to Picton and the return journey scheduled for 8.50 p.m. ave been cancelled to give engineers time to fix the fault in a hydraulic pump. Affected passengers were being moved to the next sailings, which have space available.
GIOVANNI VENTURI
On April 18, 2025, a 42-year-old crew member of the 'Giovanni Venturi' was medevaed by helicopter in the Punta Indio Channel of the Río de la Plata, after collapsing, hitting his head, and beginning to experience seizures. The rescue operation was coordinated by the Argentine Naval Prefecture, which deployed a helicopter and an airplane from the Mar del Plata Air Station to assist the victim. The incident occurred more than 100 kilometers from the city of La Plata when the ship's captain requested immediate assistance due to the serious medical condition of the victim, who was showing signs of possible respiratory arrest. The crew performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), stabilizing him while a radio consultation was established with the air force's medical team. Given the severity of the condition, the medical evacuation protocol was activated, and an aircraft with specialized personnel and a doctor on board was dispatched to the scene. The patient was lifted into a medical basket and transported by helicopter to land. During the flight, the man received initial medical attention, and upon landing at Buenos Aires Air Station, he was taken by ambulance to a medical center for further treatment. Report with phot and video: https://pescare.com.ar/prefectura-aeroevacuo-tripulante-descompensado-en-un-buque-frente-a-la-costa-bonaerense/
AQUARIS
On April 21, 2025, the crew of the 'Aquaris' spotted three perpetratos on board, when the tanker was about 2.5 nautical miles off Pulau Cula in the eastbound lane of the of the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait in pos. 01° 4.93' E 103° 42.34' E. The intruders, armed with knives, were spotted while entering the engine control room. The crew was not injured, and nothing was reported stolen.
DALI
In response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after the allision of the 'Dali' on March 26, 2024,, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has revealed that the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bay Bridge (aka the Chesapeake Bay Bridge) does not meet current vessel collision risk standards, prompting the development of comprehensive safety measures in the frame of the of MDTA’s response to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) interim accident report and urgent safety recommendations. The NTSB report found that the Key Bridge had a risk level nearly 30 times above the acceptable threshold for critical bridges. Despite the Bay Bridge’s compliance with its federal permit and annual inspections confirming safe conditions for over 30 years, MDTA voluntarily initiated a $160 million project in spring 2024 to evaluate bridge protection. The authority has already invested more than $175 million in bridge safety and security infrastructure over the past decade. The MDTA engaged Moffatt & Nichol (M&N), a leading firm in vessel allision design of bridges, to conduct the risk assessment. The firm’s staff includes the principal author of the AASHTO vessel allision requirements and previously taught Federal Highway Administration courses on vessel collision analysis. The assessment evaluated both the eastbound and westbound spans of the Bay Bridge, constructed in 1952 and 1973 respectively, using the most current AASHTO Bridge Design Specifications and Guide Specifications for an allision. In response, MDTA was developing both immediate and long-term risk reduction strategies. Short-term measures may include new communication protocols for vessel pilots, reduced vessel speeds, one-way transits, and enhanced traffic management. Long-term solutions could involve physical protection measures such as dolphins and pier fenders. The timing of these safety measures coincided with the MDTA’s ongoing study of potentially replacing the existing Bay Bridge spans. The authority has confirmed it will ensure current safety improvements don’t interfere with future replacement plans. The evaluation was part of a broader national safety initiative following the Key Bridge collapse. The NTSB identified 68 other bridges nationwide frequented by ocean-going vessels that were constructed before the 1991 AASHTO guidance and have not undergone recent vulnerability assessments. The MDTA will coordinate its risk reduction measures with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ensuring alignment with the interdisciplinary team approach recommended by the NTSB.
HOLI
The 'Holi', with two crew members on board, was caught in a fish trap late on April 22, 205, off Barbate, and required assistance as it was unable to free itself. Divers of the installatin were mobilized on the early morning of April 23 and managed to free the yacht again. The SAR boat 'Salvamar Enif' was mobilized by Salvamento Marítimo to the scene and escorted the boat to the port of Barbate, one it was freed from the traps. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1914932546581696889
SEA RANGER
On April 21, 2025, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has detained the 'Sea Ranger' and the tug 'Salama' (MMSI: 677021600) on charges of smuggling heavily subsidized oil from Iran. near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. The vessels were attempting to leave Iran's territorial waters. The IRGC claimed to have found approximately 1.5 million liters of diesel fuel on the vessels, along with 700 billion Iranian rials, and apprehended the 25 crew members. Both ships were escorted to Bushehr. The seized oil was to be handed over to the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, in order tol redistribute it into the local Iranian supply chain.
TENACIA
Almost ten months after the fire aboard the"Tenacia," owned by Isabella Grimaldi's Grimaldi Investments, is back at the disposal of its charterer, GNV, and will return to service next summer. The ship has been repaired and modernized in the affected areas at the Nuova Meccanica Navale shipyard in Naples, in which MSC holds a shareholding. The fire broke out in the engine room on July 8, 2023, while the ferry was sailing north of Ibiza.
QUEEN OF COQUITLAM
The 'Queen of Coquitlam' had to be assisted into Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver by the tug 'Ospresy' (IMO: 9623128) after suffering a mechanical failure on April 21, 2025, at 1 p.m., a short distance from the Langdale Terminal. The operation took 40 minutes. The breakdown led to disruptions on the busy Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route and stranded passengers for approximately three hours as it resulted in the cancellation of multiple sailings.The passengers and vehicles were off-loaded around 3:30 p.m. BC Ferries reported that the pitch control issue had been repaired by 2:20 p.m. The vessel was to undergo sea trials with the assistance of a tug, while awaiting final clearance from Transport Canada to resume service. The company aimed to restart sailings with the 4:20 p.m. departure from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale- The ferry company hired three 12-person-water taxis to shuttle travellers who were booked on other sailings. Two round-trip sailings of the ferry between Langdale on the Sunshine Coast and Horseshoe Bay had to be cancelled. Report with photo and video: https://www.msn.com/en-in/travel/news/easter-monday-ferry-fiasco-aging-vessel-breaks-down-between-sunshine-coast-and-vancouver-passengers-stranded/ar-AA1DnR5V https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypd1lARwBbI
PAPU MAR
The Argentine Naval Prefecture responded to an emergency declared by the captain of the 'Papu Mar', which was navigating at kilometer 77 of the Paso Banco Chico channel on April 20, 2025. Due to the ingress of water, the nine crew abandoned the vessel and took refuge on a barge, where they were later rescued by the National Maritime Authority. They were safely transferred to the Port of La Plata for medical attention. The 'Papu Mar' remained partially sunken and did not pose a danger to navigation on the main shipping route. The barge, carrying 153 containers, remained attached to the tug, and no cargo losses were reported. The Prefecture was conducting inspections and verifying possible environmental damage through an overflight. Meanwhile, the tug 'Ona Don Lorenzo' was assisting the barge to prevent it from drifting into the navigation channel. Report with photo: https://portalportuario.cl/prefectura-naval-argentina-rescata-a-tripulantes-de-remolcador-que-decreto-emergencia-en-canal-paso-banco-chico/
CGC DAVID DUREN
The 'David Duren (WPC 1156)' interdicted 19 migrants aboard a 25-foot cuddy cabin cruiser approximately 23 miles west of Oceanside, California, on April 22. At approximately 2:15 a.m., the 'David Duren’s boarding team intercepted a cabin cruiser, matching the description of a suspected human smuggling boat and discovered 18 adult males and one adult female, all claiming Mexican nationality. All passengers aboard the cuddy cabin stated they had not had food or water for two days and were medically evaluated. No major medical concerns were discovered during the evaluation, and the migrants were given water. The Coast Guard brought them to Oceanside where they were transferred to U.S. Border Patrol personnel. An urgent marine information broadcast has been issued by the Coast Guard, urging all mariners in the area to safely navigate around the unmanned and adrift cabin cruiser.
VICTORY II
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that debris in an engine’s lubrication oil system caused a serious engine failure and subsequent fire aboard the 'Ocean Navigator'. now sailing as 'Victory II', while docked in Portland, Maine, on Oct 18, 2023. When the vessel’s no. 2 auxiliary diesel generator engine sustained a mechanical failure, one crew member suffered serious injuries in the following engine room fire. The vessel, which had 128 passengers aboard at that time, sustained an estimated $2.4 million in damage. The Investigation findings revealed significant maintenance oversights. The crew had operated the engine for more than 5,000 hours without changing the lube oil, which was five times longer than the manufacturer’s recommended interval. The last complete lube oil change was performed in September 2022. Additionally, the oil filter elements, which should have been replaced after 1,000 hours of operation, had been in use for over 3,000 hours since their last replacement in May 2023. Post-incident inspection by third-party technicians uncovered extensive damage to critical engine components, including the crankshaft, main bearings, connecting rod bearings, and the no. 14 fuel injector. Further examination revealed abnormal wear on various bearings, showing signs of cavitation erosion and debris-related damage. The NTSB concluded that the engine failure resulted from debris accumulation in the engine’s lube oil system, attributing this to the crew’s failure to follow manufacturer-recommended maintenance intervals. The contaminated oil system led to catastrophic mechanical damage and ultimately caused the fire when atomized lube oil ignited after being released through the engine’s ruptured crankcase. Only the crew’s quick response prevented the situation from escalating. By promptly securing the engine room ventilation and fuel sources, they successfully contained the fire, which self-extinguished. The NTSB emphasized the importance of following manufacturer maintenance schedules. The report also highlighted the particular vulnerability of engine rooms to rapidly spreading fires due to multiple fuel sources and mechanical ventilation. It stressed the importance of crew familiarity with machinery, fuel oil, lube oil, and ventilation shutoff systems to effectively contain and suppress engine room fires. Full report: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2513.pdf
MT ZUGA
On the early morning of April 23, 2025, the medical evacuation of a Turkish crew member from the 'Zuga', en route from Port-de-Bouc to Aveiro, was requested about 20 nautical miles east of Alicante. The CCS Valencia of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR vessel 'Salvamar Leo', which took the patient off and transported him to the port of Alicante, where an ambulance was waiting for further transport to a hospital.
PETROBRAS I
Following an explosion, a fire broke out on one of the production decks located below the cabin area of the 'Petrobras' Cherne 1 (PCH-1)' in the Campos Basin, Brazil, on April 21, 2025. at 7:25 a.m. LT., One of the oil workers who was on site had left shortly before to go up to the cabin and heard a loud explosion. He noticed that the floor was heating up and the alarm started to sound. The corridor was filled with smoke. Oil workers managed to get through the smoke and reach the meeting point, where they remained until disembarking. From the deck where the oil workers were waiting to disembark, it was possible to see the deck hit by the explosion with the twisted installations. All 176 non-essential workers from the platform were evacuated, and 32 of them were taken to the hospitals in Campos dos Goytacazes and Macaé for medical attention.14 of them had suffered burns, and the others have been admitted to hospitals for smoke inhalation. In the chaos of the rescue operation, one worker fell into the water, but was quickly rescued by the 'Locar XXII'. He was alive and conscious, but had suffered burn injuries. Another worker reported that, during the escape, he found a route intended for emergency exits that was blocked, and had to take another route, amid the flames. Emergency vessels battled the fire for around four hours, and by 11:25 a.m., was brought under control. The gas flow from the platform was stopped at the time for safety reasons. Petrobrás continued unloading the unit on April 22.. The goal was to keep only those oil workers essential to the operations of habitability, safety and food on board. The estimate was that less than 100 would remain on the platform. The 'Chern-1' platform has not produced oil since 2020 and was sold to the Perenco Oil and Gas of Brazil Ltd., in April 2024. However, the handover of the platform to its new owner has not been completed yet, and it still remains under Petrobras's management. Petrobras has formed a commission to thoroughly investigate the incident and determine its cause. Reports with photos: https://sindipetronf.org.br/pch-1-primeiros-relatos-de-trabalhadores-mostram-a-gravidade-da-explosao-e-rota-de-fuga-interditada/ https://www.correiodopovo.com.br/not%C3%ADcias/economia/explos%C3%A3o-em-plataforma-da-petrobras-deixa-11-feridos-segundo-sindicato-de-petroleiros-1.1600860 https://jovempan.com.br/noticias/brasil/explosao-em-plataforma-da-petrobras-deixa-11-feridos-diz-sindicato-de-petroleiros.html
VIKING POLARIS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak aboard the 'Viking Polaris' during the voyage from April 11 to April 23, 2025. Out of 355 passengers, 28 reported symptoms consistent with acute gastroenteritis, including vomiting and diarrhea. Additionally, four crew members out of 260 were affected. The causative agent of the outbreak has not yet been identified, and stool specimens are being collected for testing. In response to the outbreak, Viking Expeditions implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols, isolated affected individuals, and consulted with the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) regarding sanitation procedures and illness reporting. The VSP is remotely monitoring the situation, including reviewing the ship's outbreak response and sanitation measures. The 'Viking Polaris' was scheduled to arrive in New York on April 23, concluding the 12-day voyage through Canada.
WAN XIANG 699
The death toll of the sinking of the 'Hoing Hai 16' hjas risen to nine, while two others were still missing. The local government of Rizal town in Occidental Mindoro confirmed the number of fatalities on April 20, after one more body was recovered at 9:11 a.m. in the vessel's accommodation area. The identity of the victim has not been disclosed. One body was recovered from the wreck earlier the same day, one more on the afternoon of April 19. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in coordination with partner agencies, recovered two more bodies on the afternoon of April 18 during the search, The dredging company Bluemax Tradelink Inc., said it will comply with the cease and desist order that will be issued by the provincial government of Occidental Mindoro. The company has all the necessary permits for the dredging operation, which is one of the ways to ease flooding in the area. The area had been dredged by different vessels three to four times before the 'Hong Hai' 16 arrived.