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The norovirus outbreak aboard the 'Queen Mary 2' has left over 224 passengers and 17 crew members ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The ship was en route from Southampton, England, through New York and the Caribbean before returning to the UK, having departed on March 8 and being set to return on April 6. The sweeping norovirus outbreak was reported to the CDC on March 18. In response to the outbreak, the ship and crew increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, collected stool specimens for testing and isolated people who had fallen ill.

On March 19, 2025, the 'Alina' was detained in Tulcea with 24 deficiencies, eleven of which being regarded as seriously annd grounds for a detention: 1) Safety of navigation - Charts Not updated 2) Safety of navigation' - Nautical publications Not updated 3) Safety of navigation - Lights, shapes and sound-signals Missing 4) Fire safety - Means of escape Blocked 5) Fire safety - Remote Means of control Inoperative 6) Fire safety - Fire detection and alarm system Inoperative 7) Fire safety - Ready availability of fire fighting equipment Inoperative 8)) Certificate & Doc - Fire safety operational booklet Missing 9) Emergency system - Emergency lighting, batteries and switches Inoperative 10) Emergency system - Fire drills Lack of training 11) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on April 1 and remained anchored in Tulcea. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

Seven castor containers filled with illed with highly radioactive nuclear waste were transferred from the 'Pacific Grebe' to train in Nordenham for transport to Bavaria, after the ship docked in the port on the morning of April 1, 2025, amid protests and a heightened police presence. The nuclear waste is being transported from Sellafieldto a temporary storage unit in Niederaichbach. The waste left the port of Barrow-in-Furness on March 26. The nuclear waste was what remained after the reprocessing of fuel elements from decommissioned German nuclear power plants. The first of the containers, which are four meters long and weigh over 100 tons, was lifted off the "Pacific Grebe" by a large crane and underwent inspection to measure radiation levels and ensure they matched those taken in Sellafield. The port in Nordenham remained sealed off and guarded by heavily armed police, who have thus far reported no incidents, despite a number of protests by anti-atomic energy groups. Further protests are planned along the presumed route of the train carrying the waste over the coming days, including in the cities of Bremen and Göttingen. Report with photo: https://www.dw.com/en/nuclear-waste-returns-to-germany-amid-protests/a-72108958

The 'Carnival Sunshine' received an inspection score of 89 during a routine health check conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 8 as part of the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), flagged 26 violations. Among the most serious were reports of a food service employee continuing to work while experiencing symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, insects found in food service areas, and refrigeration failures that compromised safe food storage. The CDC noted cockroaches and fruit flies in multiple galleys and food preparation areas, including sightings beneath equipment and near dishwashing stations. In a detailed inspection report, the CDC cited several equipment issues, including malfunctioning refrigeration units that allowed potentially hazardous foods—like sandwiches and raw meatballs—to rise above safe temperature thresholds. Additional problems included worn gaskets on ice machines, leaking water lines, damaged flooring, and disrepair of food-contact surfaces. While the ship did pass the inspection, it still must submit a corrective action plan to the CDC.

The 'Hanseatic Spirit' with approximately 200 passengers aboard got stuck in the ice on March 30, 2025, after leaving the port of Kemi afterup to 70 centimetres of ice accumulated in the Bothnian Bay. Seven icebreakers are currently in operation to support the merchant ships on their journeys to the Finnish and Swedish ports. Although the "Hanseatic Spirit" also has Polar Class 6 certification for ice navigation, it was unable to cope with the ice barriers off Kemi and Oulu. The Finnish Maritime Administration therefore sent the icebreakers "Kontio" and "Polaris" to the cruise ship, which opened up a channel in the ice and then escorted the "Hanseatic Spirit" southwards out of the ice zone at ten knots. After a transit of about 200 miles, the ice-free part of the Baltic Sea was reached near the port of Lulea. The ship is now on its way back to Hamburg. It is scheduled to pass through the Kiel Canal on April 4, which will also mark the end of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' last winter cruise of the 2024/2025 season. Report with photos: https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-ship-rescued-after-getting-stuck-in-the-ice/167582