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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

This is the 22nd marine port in Yilport Holding’s portfolio, and its first terminal in Italy. The company, ranked 12th among international container terminal operators by Drewry, targets to be ranked among the top 10 by 2025. Chairman Robert Yuksel Yildirim made the following remarks at the signing ceremony: “We have a strong presence in the Mediterranean. We are in Malta and operate seven ports between Spain and Portugal. Being able to enter Italy and work here in Taranto is like filling in the missing piece of a puzzle that we are building globally. The infrastructure was there but there was no one to take care of it. Our intention is to create another success story in Taranto. From today until the end of this year, we will be fixing cranes to ramp up business, visiting potential customers, and promote the container terminal. The project also aims to cooperate with local operators to improve cargo and ro-ro traffic.”

Palma de Mallorca, Marseille, Barcelona are a few of the European ports that the President of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority, Pino Musolino, has sent a letter to in recent days, inviting his colleagues to meet in Venice to discuss the economic and environmental impact of the cruise industry and to draw up guidelines for a new sustainable approach to maritime tourism. The ports mentioned above have already accepted and other replies are expected in the coming days. A date will soon be set for a seminar on the issues, to be held in the Venice area.

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.

PSA International Pte Ltd (PSA) has completed the acquisition of Halterm Container Terminal (“Halterm”) in the Port of Halifax, Canada, from Macquarie Infrastructure Partners,a fund managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, following formal approval by the relevant regulatory authorities. Halterm is the only container terminal in Eastern Canada that can serve mega container vessels.

There is currently limited supply of marine gasoil at the Turkish port of Istanbul, sources said Friday, August 2, owing to limited cargo deliveries in the region.

Total loss since 26.05.23

Juan Sanhueza, 58, a lookout of the 'Cobra', was found dead in the Bosques de Quiñenco area of Coronel on the morning of April 10. He had been missing since April 4. The discovery was made during the search led by the PDI's Homicide Squad, following a complaint filed by the crew member's family. The man was considered a key witness in the investigation into the sinking of the boat "Bruma," which still leaves seven fishermen missing. The head of the Concepción Homicide Squad, Enrique Guzmán, explained that during the investigation, they were able to "obtain this location of criminal interest, so detailed investigations were carried out with this specialized equipment, which finally allowed to locate a person. "It is part of the examination and forensic process to be able to categorically establish the date of death, which would correspond more or less to the period of disappearance," The Biobío regional prosecutor, Marcela Cartagena, reported that the identity of the body was confirmed by the Criminalistics Laboratory through a fingerprint examination. Third party involvement was ruled out and a suicide presumed. Sanhueza, who was serving as a lookout the night before the sinking of the "Bruma," disappeared after attending a psychological support session organized by the company Blumar. He was later scheduled to appear before the Investigative Police (PDI), but decided to travel on his own instead of using the company's transportation and missed the summons. Sanhueza's last record indicates that he boarded a Ruta del Mar bus, where, according to the driver, he displayed nervous behaviour and changed seats several times. He got off at Vega Monumental, and his whereabouts have not been known since. The widow had told prosecutor Hugo Cuevas that Sanhueza intended to cooperate with the investigation and testify. Report with photos: https://www.adnradio.cl/2025/04/10/fiscalia-confirma-que-cadaver-encontrado-en-coronel-corresponde-a-juan-sanhueza-testigo-clave-del-barco-cobra/

The Croatian government said it would help a troubled shipyard owned by Uljanik, the country’s largest shipbuilder, resume production. The government, which owns a 25% stake in Uljanik, said in March that it would not back a proposed restructuring plan for the group due to the financial burden it would place on the state. However, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday that the government was willing to support 3.Maj, which is located in the northern Adriatic port of Rijeka and is one of the group’s two shipyards, because it did not have as big a debt burden. “Unlike Uljanik, the 3.Maj is not an overly indebted company and there is an interest in the construction of new ships,” Plenkovic told a televised press conference after a government meeting. He said the government expected 3.Maj to draft a plan for its future operations.

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