News

The NTSB has issued an investigation report into the allision between the fishing vessel 'Papa Rod' and the 'Appaloosa'. On May 2, 2024, about 09.30 a.m. LT, the 'Papa Rod' was underway 25 miles south of Venice, Louisiana, when it collided with the bulk carrier, which was anchored east of the entrance to Southwest Pass. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. The damage to the vessels was estimated to be about $223,000. While the fishing vessel was near Southwest Pass, it was on autopilot. The deckhand on watch (deckhand 2) stated that he fell asleep at the helm. The toxicology results for deckhand 2 indicated that he had used the stimulant drug methamphetamine and a psychoactive cannabis product. The high levels of methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine in his urine (over 10,000 nanograms per milliliter) generally increase the likelihood that methamphetamine had been abused. However, this is not definitive, and urine toxicology results generally cannot be used to determine the precise timing of last drug use or the details of associated impairment. Therefore, whether deckhand 2 was impaired by the effects of his methamphetamine or cannabis use at the time of the allision could not be determined. Effects from methamphetamine abuse follow a typical pattern, dominated by central nervous system stimulation in the early phase, with features of central nervous system depression emerging later as initial drug effects wear off. Such features of central nervous system depression may include sleepiness, which can be intense. Additionally, methamphetamine and amphetamine use may also interfere with proper sleep, causing sleep loss, which can lead to fatigue. Similarly, cannabis use can contribute to drowsiness in some individuals, either through acute drug effects or interference with restful sleep. The investigators could not determine the amount of sleep deckhand 2 received before joining the 'Papa Rod'. Although deckhand 2 reported getting seven hours of rest/sleep before taking watch, he stated that deckhand 1 had to “holler” at him two or three times before he awakened, indicating he had difficulty waking up. Given deckhand 2’s urine results, his difficulty awakening and drowsiness could have been an effect of his drug use or a related sleep debt. However, whether deckhand 2’s drug use increased his drowsiness at the time of the allision could not be determined. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the allision was the on-watch deckhand falling asleep while operating the Papa Rod. Possibly contributing to his drowsiness were effects of his drug use or a related sleep debt. Full report: https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NTSB-Collision-between-Fishing-Vessel-Papa-Rod-and-Anchored-Bulk-Carrier-Appaloosa-2025_04.pdf

Total loss since 26.05.23

Gautam Adani is looking to expand his ports empire by closing in on buying a 65-70 per cent stake in Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd, the entity promoted by Hyderabad-based CVR Group to run a private deep-water port at Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s biggest private port operator, is expected to pay more than ₹5,500 crore to buy the stake which will give it access to the country’s largest waterfront area (for a port) of 12.5 km and a transit storage area of 6,800 acres. It started operations in 2008. Currently, the port has a draft of 18.5 metres, a depth that can accommodate full-loaded Capesize vessel of 200,000-tonne capacity.

Chinese city-gas distributor Shenzhen Gas will launch next week in southern China its first fully-owned terminal to import liquefied natural gas (LNG), a company executive told Reuters on Friday. This will make Shenzhen Gas the second city gas distributor backed by a local government that owns an LNG import facility.

The NTSB has issued an investigation report into the allision between the fishing vessel 'Papa Rod' and the 'Appaloosa'. On May 2, 2024, about 09.30 a.m. LT, the 'Papa Rod' was underway 25 miles south of Venice, Louisiana, when it collided with the bulk carrier, which was anchored east of the entrance to Southwest Pass. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. The damage to the vessels was estimated to be about $223,000. While the fishing vessel was near Southwest Pass, it was on autopilot. The deckhand on watch (deckhand 2) stated that he fell asleep at the helm. The toxicology results for deckhand 2 indicated that he had used the stimulant drug methamphetamine and a psychoactive cannabis product. The high levels of methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine in his urine (over 10,000 nanograms per milliliter) generally increase the likelihood that methamphetamine had been abused. However, this is not definitive, and urine toxicology results generally cannot be used to determine the precise timing of last drug use or the details of associated impairment. Therefore, whether deckhand 2 was impaired by the effects of his methamphetamine or cannabis use at the time of the allision could not be determined. Effects from methamphetamine abuse follow a typical pattern, dominated by central nervous system stimulation in the early phase, with features of central nervous system depression emerging later as initial drug effects wear off. Such features of central nervous system depression may include sleepiness, which can be intense. Additionally, methamphetamine and amphetamine use may also interfere with proper sleep, causing sleep loss, which can lead to fatigue. Similarly, cannabis use can contribute to drowsiness in some individuals, either through acute drug effects or interference with restful sleep. The investigators could not determine the amount of sleep deckhand 2 received before joining the 'Papa Rod'. Although deckhand 2 reported getting seven hours of rest/sleep before taking watch, he stated that deckhand 1 had to “holler” at him two or three times before he awakened, indicating he had difficulty waking up. Given deckhand 2’s urine results, his difficulty awakening and drowsiness could have been an effect of his drug use or a related sleep debt. However, whether deckhand 2’s drug use increased his drowsiness at the time of the allision could not be determined. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the allision was the on-watch deckhand falling asleep while operating the Papa Rod. Possibly contributing to his drowsiness were effects of his drug use or a related sleep debt. Full report: https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NTSB-Collision-between-Fishing-Vessel-Papa-Rod-and-Anchored-Bulk-Carrier-Appaloosa-2025_04.pdf

On the morning of April 11, 2025, the Estonian Navy detained the 'Kiwala', a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" that exports Russian crude oil and oil products to third countries, en route from Sikka to the Russian port Ust-Luga. Estonia began preparing for the operation on the evening of April 10, and the operation itself began on April 11 at 3 a.m. At 4:19 a.m., the tanker entered Estonian waters. The vessel is now east of Aegna Island, with two warships alongside it. The vessel was under sanctions in connection with its previous activities in the European Union and was heading to Ust-Luga. The tanker had no flag, and such vessels are not allowed to move. During the detention, the technical condition of the vessel and the crew's documents were checked. A helicopter was involved in the operation. There were 24 people on board the tanker. The captain of the vessel is a Chinese national, who is cooperating with the investigation. Recently, the vessel has been flying the flag of Djibouti. The tanker was anchored in pos. 59° 35' N 024° 49' E. Report with photos: https://censor.net/en/photonews/3546274/russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-kiwala-detained-in-estonia

In the morning of Aug 17, 2019, around 7 a.m. a fire broke out aboard the Namibian trawler "Ocean Tide", 296 gt (IMO: 7220839), which was moored at the jetty of the Seaworks Fish Processors. One of the 20 crew members on board, was found dead following the fire. The deceased was identified as 40-year-old Hausiku Mathews Sivambo. It was believed he became trapped inside the vessel and burned to death. His body was removed the next morning. The family of the deceased was present at the scene. A police investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing. Report with photo: https://www.nbc.na/news/one-dead-after-vessel-caught-fire-walvis-bay.21902

Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) announced a series of projects, totaling over $170 million of capital investment, that will increase efficiency, add product liquidity, and enhance blending capabilities at its Pasadena and Galena Park terminals, part of its best-in-class refined products storage hub on the Houston Ship Channel. In response to growing customer demand, KMI’s liquids terminal platform now boasts 10 ship docks, 38 barge spots, 20 inbound pipelines providing connectivity to 10 regional refineries and chemical plants, 15 outbound pipelines, 14 cross-channel lines, and approximately 43 million barrels of storage on the Houston Ship Channel, North America’s leading port for energy exports.

The Seoul authorities have sanctioned the 'Sunrise 1' for illegal trade of North Korean goods. They said that the unflagged ‘Sunrise 1’ had transported 5,020 tons of North Korean iron ore in violation of UN sanctions. South Korea has designated a Hong Kong-based shipping company, its operators, the “Sunrise 1” and its Russian consignor, under unilateral sanctions for their involvement in trading prohibited North Korean goods, the government announced on April 10, 2025. According to Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the 'Sunrise 1' is owned by the Xiangrui (Xiang Rui) Shipping Co Ltd,, a shipping company based in Hong Kong. The sanctions were related to an incident that happened in June 2024, when South Korean authorities detained the 'Sunrise 1' in their territorial waters. Upon inspection, they found that it was carrying 5,020 tons of iron ore. According to South Korea, the ship had recently departed from North Korea's Chongjin port. UN Security Council resolutions ban such trade with Pyongyang. Russian company Consul DV was listed as the sender of the cargo. South Korean authorities conducted an investigation into the matter. As a result of the sanctions, South Korean companies must now receive permission from the authorities of the Republic of Korea to do business with the individuals and legal entities named. The 'Sunrise 1' must also gain permission to enter a South Korean port.

The 'Mersin Express', which had been seized in Livorno with 2,000 kilos of cocaine, unloaded 1,400 tons of bananas and pineapple in Vigo. The ship which transported the cargo from Ecuador, made its usual stop in the port to unload refrigerated containers. Most of the product arriving in Galicia was banana, the most commonly used by drug trafficking groups to conceal drugs. The ship that operates the regular route between South America and Europe through the Port of Vigo, unloaded approximately 1,400 tons of fruit on its last visit to the Guixar dock on March 12, mostly bananas but also pineapple. The ship was carrying at least 2,000 kilos of cocaine, which were seized on March 22, 2025, when the vessel made a stopover in the port of Livorno by officials from the local customs anti-fraud unit and financiers of the Livorno group. The huge amount of drugs, divided into 1,800 loaves of bread, was hidden in a container of cocoa powder and loaded onto the ship at the port of Guayaquil. The ship was released again on March 24 en route to Barcelona.

Australia’s New South Wales government said on Wednesday it will fast track its review of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at the port of Newcastle, proposed by a South Korean firm, as the state urgently looks to beef up gas supply. The $430 million Newcastle GasDock LNG project, planned by South Korean firm EPIK, was declared “critical state significant infrastructure”, which means the project will not have to go to the state’s independent planning commission for approval, saving several months in the review process.

Germany’s largest universal port remains on a growth course, achieving a distinct 4.1 percent advance to 69.4 million tons in seaborne cargo handling in the first half of 2019. Especially good growth trend in the general cargo segment, up 6.1 percent at 48.4 million tons, was the main contributor to the excellent figures for total and container handling. The total for bulk cargo handling was just 0.3 percent lower than for last year’s first half at 21.0 million tons. Germany’s largest universal port remains on a growth course, achieving a distinct 4.1 percent advance to 69.4 million tons in seaborne cargo handling in the first half of 2019. Especially good growth trend in the general cargo segment, up 6.1 percent at 48.4 million tons, was the main contributor to the excellent figures for total and container handling. The total for bulk cargo handling was just 0.3 percent lower than for last year’s first half at 21.0 million tons.