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MSC Cruises has named the actress Drew Barrymore as Godmother for the 'MSC World America'. The vessel is set to debut on April 9, 2025, in Miami. As godmother, Barrymore will be on hand at MSC World America’s christening, cutting the ribbon and breaking a bottle of champagne alongside Bloom at the event taking place at the cruise line’s new MSC Cruise Terminal. The ship is gearing up for her debut by wrapping up final stages of outfitting at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, where she has been under construction since 2022.

On March 6, 2025, the 'Sagar Violet' has been detained in Nakhodka due to three months of debts and of shortages of food on the vessel. The tanker called at the port of Kozmino (Nakhodka) on March 5, en rouite from Sikka. According to the crew, their wages have not been paid since Dec 2024. The amount of debts to some workers exceeded 154.900 euros. The Nakhodka Transport Prosecutor's Office has organized an inspection of the ship, which belongs to Lagosmarine Ltd and flies the convenicence flag of Palau. It should be noted that along with Sagar Violet, another tanker, the 'Caroline Bezengi', was also subjected too for delayed wages for crew members . However, the debts to the crew were paid in full at the end of February after the intervention of the Russian Seafarers' Union (RSUM) . They had amounted to 179.000 euros. The money has already been delivered on board and distributed among the crew. The sailors who signed off have received a full payment for three months. Already in October 2024, the Togo flagged m/v 'Winner' was detained in the port of Nakhodka. The amount of unpaid fees had exceeded $20,000.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew medevaced a 9-year-old girl from the 'Disney Magic' 170 miles offshore of Galveston, Texas, on March 3, 2025. The Air Station Houston responded to a medical emergency aboard the vessel, successfully airlifting the child to UTMB Health - University of Texas Hospital in Galveston for further treatment. The girl was reported to be in stable condition. The 'Disney Magic' had departed from Galveston on March 2 for a four-day Western Caribbean cruise. Report with photo: http://crew-center.com/9-year-old-girl-airlifted-disney-cruise-ship

On March 4, 2025, the customs and federal police have raided the 'Tiger South', which had arrived from the port of Aratu on March 4, for suspected drug smuggling in the port of Brake. Among other things, divers examinied the sea chests. The operation was apparently successful. 280 kg of cocaine were found attached to the hull. The drugs were confiscated. Six people, aged between 38 and 60 years, were arrested. The suspects were caught when three of them, as divers, wanted to recover the cocaine packages from the hull of the freighter and bring them ashore. The men were coming from Romania, Albania and Colombia. Arrest warrants have been issued for four of the six men. The police are awaiting further decisions from the magistrate. In addition, several apartments were searched on MARch 3. Investigators from the Joint Narcotics Investigation Group (GER) have tracked down the suspects. The bulk carrier left the port again on March 6 for orders.

The 'Baltic Leader' has transited the English Channel on March 3-4, 2025, and according to security services, the ship is packed with military equipment that comes from Tartus, Syria, where the ship sailed on Feb 13, and may soon be used against Ukraine. The 'Baltic Leader' is on the international sanctions list because it transports prohibited goods. It was already the third large ship in a month. In the coming weeks, two more of such shipments will transit along the coast. The 'Baltic Leader' was escorted and secured by the Russian warship 'Boikiy'. HMS 'Somerset' and a Belgian navy ship followed the Russians at a short distance as part of ongoing efforts to safeguard UK national security and critical infrastructure. The Russian equipment is disappearing from Syria at an increasing rate. The ships sail through the Mediterranean Sea past Spain and Portugal through the North Sea towards a safe Russian port. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, ships have the right to sail through the territorial waters of another country. Ukraine has become increasingly adept at sinking Russian ships in the Black Sea, so now Russia takes its cargo the long way around Europe, through the Strait of Gibraltar, Dover and the Great Belt between Sweden and Denmark. Reports with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/uk-tracks-russian-roro-carrying-arms-from-syria-escorted-by-warship https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/world/russian-officer-brandishes-machine-gun-on-warship-in-the-channel/ar-AA1Amibt https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/uks-royal-navy-monitors-russian-warship-latest-to-sail-through-channel