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As of April 19, the destroyed container cargo has been removed from the burnt-out hulk of the 'Solong' at the quay in Aberdeen, more than one month after the collision with the 'Stena Immaculate'. The gutted wreck was now waiting for disposal. Photos: https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3829812?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest

On April 21, 2025, several migrant boat departures were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which initally deployed the PSP 'Cormoran', which was later relieved by the 'Abeille Normandie', to locate a boat in the Blériot beach area. Once on site, the emergenvy tug made contact with the boat, which appeared to be in difficulty. After investigation, the boat was found to be stopped due to an engine failure. The tug then recovered the 42 occupants of the boat before heading to Boulogne-sur-Mer to drop them off at the dock, where they were taken into care by the shore-based emergency services. At the same time, the CROSS engaged the 'Cormoran' to locate and assist a migrant boat in the Walde lighthouse area. Once there, four of the boat's occupants requested assistance from the patrol boat, which rescued them. The remaining occupantsof the migrant boat refused assistance and continued on their way, while their crossing was monitored. Once near Calais, the people rescued by the 'Cormoran' were taken into care by the patrol boat 'Platoon' of the Calais Maritime and Port Security. They were disembarked at the port of Calais and taken into care by the shore based authorities. In total, 46 people were recovered and taken into care by government resources.

FBCCI would like CTG port’s capacity increased After completion of some development projects like Bangabandhu Industrial City a s nd other economic zones of the country within years, the pressure on Chittagong Port will increase several times. Against this backdrop, the capacity of the port needs to be increased to cope with increasing demand As the economy recovers from the Covid, leading business leaders of the country have emphasized on increasing the capacity of Chittagong Port to cope with increasing export and import in the coming days. President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) Jasim Uddin made the remarks at the first meeting of the FBCCI Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping on Thursday afternoon, according to a press release. He said that Bangladesh will become a member of developed economies by 2041 as set by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the capacity and service of the Chittagong Port need to be improved like the developed countries. He u rged the standing committee to find short, medium and long the problems regarding the Chittagong Port.term solutions by identifying After completion of some development projects like Bangabandhu Industrial City and other economic zones of the country with in years, the pressure on Chittagong Port will increase several times. Against this backdrop, the capacity of the port needs to be increased to cope with increasing demands, said FBCCI boss. "If the capacity of Chittagong port is increased, it will be poss ible to reduce the cost of doing business in the country by at least 5%. At the same time, the interest of foreign entrepreneurs to invest in this country will also increase," he said. "At present, the speed of cargo vehicles on the Dhaka hour. If this speed Chittagong highway is 40 kilometres per d is doubled, the competitiveness of the export sector will increase by 6%," FBCCI boss further said. FBCCI vice-president Amin Helaly said that some more ports would be opened in the future. “If we can work according to the plan, the progress of the count utilizing the potential of these ports,” he said. FBCCI vicery can be further accelerated by president Habib Ullah Dawn alleged that importing vehicles through Chittagong port would cost double the fare as compared to Mongla port. He remarked that different fares in diff Standing Committee Directorinerent ports in the same country is unreasonable. Charge AM Mahbub Chowdhury said the profit of Chittagong port has increased several times in the last few years. Despite being a nonprofit service organization, it was taking increase the amount of profit, he added. steps to increase the tariff again to The Chairman of the committee Dr Pervez Shazzad Aktar called for not increasing the tariff in order to create a business friendly environment. He said most tariffs have to be paid in dollars. If tariff increases, the cost of also increase. foreign exchange will Moreover, foreign ship owners can also increase the fare in this opportunity. In that case, there will be fear of an increase in the price of imported goods. In the open discussion, the members of the standing committe port and customs officials to speed up the import hoped for the cooperation of the export activities.

Fifth X-Bow cruise ship for SunStone Ships US-based SunStone Ships are having innovative Infinity class expedition cruise ships with X-Bow built in China, and things are happening in quick succession: The GREG MORTIMER (IMO 9834648), which was completed in 2019, was followed by the OCEAN EXPLORER (IMO 9883194) in July 2021 and the OCEAN VICTORY (IMO 9868869) in October 2021, which will also be followed this year by the SYLVIA EARLE (IMO 9872327). On November 9, 2021, the fifth Infinity class ship was already launched at China Merchants Heavy Industries in Haimen: the OCEAN ODYSSEY (IMO 9880673). Like the OCEAN EXPLORER that has already been delivered, she is intended for the charterer Vantage Travel and is scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter 2022. The further ships of this class currently under construction are the OCEAN ALBATROS and OCEAN DISCOVERER. Full article + images: https://www.cruisedeck.de/stapellauf-der-ocean-odyssey/

On April 9, 2025, the 'Okeanos Explorer' left Pearl Harbor on a NOAA Ocean Exploration which is running 28-days charting the Papahanaumokuokea Marine National Monument, the protected archipelago that stretches westward from Kau'i to Midway Atoll. The area is home to historic WWII wrecks from the Battle of Midway in 1942, including the aircraft carrier USS 'Yorktown'. The research effort is focused on areas of interest in waters deeper than 200 meters, where ROVs are essential for access. Commissioned in 1937, the 'Yorktown' h began her first Pacific patrol just months after Pearl Harbor and saw immediate action in the Marshall Islands and the Gilberts. She played a key role in the Battle of the Coral Sea, destroying the Japanese carrier 'Shoho' and damaging the carrier 'Shikaku'. In early June 1942, the 'Yorktown' helped lead the defense of Midway, her bombers destroying carrier 'Soryu' early in the battle. The 'Yorktown' sustained multiple bomb and torpedo hits, and after taking on a heavy list, her commander ordered abandon ship. She did not sink, however, and a salvage crew initially returned to try and right her for a tow back to Pearl Harbor, but a Japanese submarine attack on June 6 damaged her further, and the list increased. The ship sank on the morning.´ of June 7. The 'Yorktown' was discovered by Robert Ballard in 1998, and the NOAA mission returned in April for a closer look at the ship - including some daring interior footage. Entering the number three elevator shaft and looking forward, the ROV crew spotted a vehicle located forward on the starboard side of the hangar deck. It had a square back, curved fenders and a now-shredded soft top. The NOAA's team surmised that the car could be Adm. Frank Fletcher's flag vehicle, since USS 'Yorktown' was his flagship. This would be consistent with a flash of chrome on the bumper and on one visible fender. Plenty of four-wheel-drive jeeps were carried aboard the 'Yorktown' and other Navy carriers in the Pacific theater, either as cargo for troops or for use as aircraft tugs - but this particular vehicle's chrome trim showed a level of flair not found on a typical GI-issue jeep. The vehicle's true identity remains to be confirmed, and the NOAA has asked for the public's help in confirming whether it may indeed have belonged to Adm. Fletcher. The NOAA believes it to be a 1940-41 Ford Super Deluxe "Woody, a civilian car with distinctive wood body and a unique combination of trim on the fenders. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/noaa-finds-a-flashy-car-inside-the-wreck-of-wwii-carrier-uss-yorktown

On the evening of April 21, the Port Authority of Syros was informed by the captain of the passenger 'Blue Star Myconos', which was operating a scheduled route from Thessaloniki to Lemnos, Agios Efstratios, Mytilene, Chios, Vathy, Karlovassi, Fournous, Evdilos, Mykonos, Syros and Piraeus, of the existence of passengers who, while holding a ticket with a destination to the port of Syros, were going to remain on board in order to disembark at the port of Piraeus. Upon the arrival at the port of Syros, a team of the Syros Port Authority, in the presence of ship officers, conducted a ticket check on the ship as well as a count of disembarked and embarked passengers, while prior to the arrival, relevant announcements had been made to inform the passengers. During the check, it was found that 290 passengers disembarked with a final destination of Syros and 985 passengers embarked with a destination of the port of Piraeus. The ship sailed at 11:05 p.m. instead of 9.50 p.m. as scheduled, for the port of Piraeus with a total of 1,862 passengers on board. The Ministry of Merchant Shipping and Island Policy granted approval, and the ferry 'Blue Star Paros' set sail from Syros to Piraeus on an emergency basis, to cover the coastal ferry needs of the passengers of the “'Blue Star Myconos', The ship embarked 155 passengers for the port of Piraeus.

On November 18, the first steel cut for the SILVER NOVA for Silversea Cruises was celebrated at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, and the construction phase officially began. The SILVER NOVA will be hybrid driven: LNG is to be used as the main fuel, fuel cells and batteries are to be used in ports so that the ship can stay there without emissions. The SILVER NOVA will be measured with approx. 54,700 gross tons and designed for 728 passengers. Delivery is planned for summer 2023. Full article + image: https://www.cruisedeck.de/bau-der-silver-nova-hat-begonnen/

Fourth Edge class ship under construction. The first steel cut for the CELEBRITY ASCENT was celebrated on November 17, 2021 at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint Nazaire, France. It is already the fourth Edge class ship for Celebrity Cruises – after the CELEBRITY EDGE, CELEBRITY APEX and CELEBRITY BEYOND. The ships are each 306 meters long and measured with approx. 130,000 gross tons. A special feature of these cruise ships is the so-called Magic Carpet, a vertically movable deck on the starboard side. The CELEBRITY ASCENT is expected to be completed by the second half of 2023. Full article: https://www.cruisedeck.de/erster-stahlschnitt-fuer-celebrity-ascent/

On April 21, 2025, several migrant boat departures were reported to the CROSS Gris-Nez, which initally deployed the PSP 'Cormoran', which was later relieved by the 'Abeille Normandie', to locate a boat in the Blériot beach area. Once on site, the emergenvy tug made contact with the boat, which appeared to be in difficulty. After investigation, the boat was found to be stopped due to an engine failure. The tug then recovered the 42 occupants of the boat before heading to Boulogne-sur-Mer to drop them off at the dock, where they were taken into care by the shore-based emergency services. At the same time, the CROSS engaged the 'Cormoran' to locate and assist a migrant boat in the Walde lighthouse area. Once there, four of the boat's occupants requested assistance from the patrol boat, which rescued them. The remaining occupantsof the migrant boat refused assistance and continued on their way, while their crossing was monitored. Once near Calais, the people rescued by the 'Cormoran' were taken into care by the patrol boat 'Platoon' of the Calais Maritime and Port Security. They were disembarked at the port of Calais and taken into care by the shore based authorities. In total, 46 people were recovered and taken into care by government resources.

On April 19, 2025, the 'Lite Ferry 5' ran aground near the port of Jagna in Bohol. The Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7) responded to a distress call from the ship, which got stuck enroute to Cagayan de Oro City. It was maneuvering to depart when it drifted into shallow waters due to low tide, approximately 200 meters from the port. The Coast Guard immediately conducted rescue operations, together with Philippine Navy, Jagna Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Bantay Dagat, and local fisherfolks, which lasted the entire night. By the morning of April 20, they have accounted all 506 passengers and crew members aboard, and brought them back to shore on the Port of Jagna. In the meantime, PCG officers have conducted initial inspections on the vessel and found no internal hull damage. The authorities have also dispatched a tug from Cebu to refloat the vessel. Reports with photos: https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/633824/506-passengers-rescued-after-ferry-runs-aground-in-bohol?fbclid=IwY2xjawJyQFtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHtO-zqL1wWSOn8A4q5poWpw1l2u2349a9JkJ6Ja-0f3pYAu0r7SBgBDd416v_aem_xflaVjhZYDVtr5R_-thNXA https://metrocdodev.com/2025/04/20/random-shots-all-506-passengers-rescued-as-cdo-bound-lite-ferry-5-runs-aground-near-jagna-port/

The Port of Kiel has launched a three-step plan that puts the port's 'Blue Port' concept into concrete terms, as a framework of its effort to completely reduce all of its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030. "The port will be climate-neutral by the end of this decade," noted Dr. Dirk Claus, Managing Director of Port of Kiel. The port's three-step plan envisages covering 60% of the energy requirements of ships calling at Kiel with green electricity as early as next year. This figure is expected to reach 80-90% by 2025, before climate neutrality is achieved for all activities of the German port in 2030, through a range of measures to supply port facilities with 100% climate-neutral green electricity that have already been implemented. The port is also planning to further decrease nitrogen oxides emissions. According to an environmental report, the Port of Kiel already avoided more than 6,200 tonnes of CO2 in 2020, while almost 18,800 tonnes were still emitted. The energy demand at the terminals has already been sustainably reduced by switching to economical LED technology and increasing energy efficiency, while photovoltaic systems provide around 290,000-kilowatt hours of solar energy every year. The port in the Baltic is also gradually converting its own vehicle fleet to electric drive and offers incentives to customers to promote the decarbonisation process. Moreover, the port has invested in on-shore power to reduce emissions. After the first system for shore-side power supply was connected to Norwegenkai in 2019, a second larger one was commissioned at Ostseekai in June, earlier this year. In the meantime, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is funding the establishment of a digital test field in the port to make the processes at the freight terminals even more efficient. Operational processes will therefore be optimised and made more sustainable on the basis of a 5G campus network. In this way, climate-neutral growth in port handling is expected to be supported by innovative information technology (IT). Measures towards zero emissions by 2030 in the German port also include electrification of the vehicle fleet, such as industrial trucks, digitalisation of operational processes for increased efficiency, as well as tariff-based environmental discount as an incentive for climate-friendly transformation.

BMF Port Burgas EAD is a private-owned port operator of terminal Burgas East 2 and terminal Burgas West, part of the national public port of Burgas, Republic of Bulgaria. On June 5 2019 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria decided to expand the duration of the concession term of both of the terminals from 35 to 46 years and 8 months each. A couple of days ago, we took an opportunity to talk with Mr. Boris Balev, CEO of BMF Port Burgas EAD, who provided us with invaluable insight into the company’s business and development plans and their most important projects on the horizon. Mr. Balev, how much money and in what directions are your investments in the development of BMF Port Burgas since 2012? The investments that will be realized for the 2021 amount to nearly 8 million euros. With them, the total amount of investments since 2012 is approximately 158 million euros. I dare say that with these funds we have completely transformed the two terminals of the Port of Burgas since they were given to us for management and operation. We have talked many times about the facilities we have built and modernized in the port in the past, so I will focus on what is new for this year. We have put into operation a new installation for discharging oil bitumen from ships to railway cars and tank trucks. We strive not only to constantly increase the number of available equipment, but also to modernize it to such with modern technologies for energy efficiency. We are constantly working towards expanding and modernizing the storage areas in the terminals. The project for expansion of our silo complex is going well so far. This year we built 2 more silos, 5,100 m3 each. The construction of another 2 is forthcoming. The total capacity of the complex after the completion of the construction activities will be 119,000 m3. The implementation of this project allowed us to mark a number of strong months in the processing of cereals this year. Interview in English: https://maritime1.com/65710/