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On Feb 21, 2025, the 'Suez Canal' was detained in Qingdao with 12 deficiencies, five of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Life saving Appalinces - Embarkation arrangement survival craft Not as required 2) Life saving Appliances - Lifeboats Not properly maintained 3) Fire safety - Fixed fire exthinguishing installation Inoperative 4) Water/Weathertight - Ventilators, air pipes and casings Not as required 5) ISM - ISM certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Feb 23 and left the port en route to Shanghai, where it arrived on March 1. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

The 'Mito', while berthed in the port of Jakarta on March 8, 2025, was boarded by six perpetrators at 01.45 a.m. in pos. 06° 5.8' N 106° 53.01' E. The intruders stole spare parts of the generators and escaped. No injuries were reported. The ship, which had entered the port the previous day, sailed again on March 10, next headed to the port of Fremantle, where it arrived on March 16.

The 'Joseph Doyle (WPC 1133)' rescued 30 migrants who were stranded on the uninhabited Mona Island between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, on March 15. They were transferred to U.S. Border Patrol Ramey Sector agents in Mayaguez for processing and removal. A good Samaritan had notified a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew of people signaling distress from the uninhabited nature reserve on the afternoon of March 14. The Air Station Borinquen aircrew diverted to investigate the report and notified Sector San Juan that they observed a landed vessel covered in foliage and people scrambling to hide as the helicopter passed overhead. Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders diverted the 'Joseph Doyle' to respond, which took on board the 27 Haitian nationals and three Dominican Republic nationals, with the assistance of park rangers from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4122221/coast-guard-removes-30-aliens-from-uninhabited-mona-island-transfers-to-border/

On March 17, 2025, at 5 a.m. the 'Provincia del Azuay', which was docked at pier number 2 on the east side, located within the Port Authority of Veracruz, started sinking at its berth. Emergency protocols were immediately activated with the support of the First Naval Region, Remafe, firefighters, ENSAR, the tug 'Reylaver', UNAPROP, and other units.The Navy deployed personnel in coordination with the Veracruz National Port System Administration (Asipona) and the Veracruz Regional Port Captaincy, in order to protect the marine environment after the sinking. The two crew members had managed to escape in time after an audible alarm was raised. Only a small part of the wheelhouse and the mast of the tug remained visible above the water surface. Firefighters from the Veracruz Asipona (National Fire Brigade of Veracruz), personnel from the Veracruz Regional Port Authority, and personnel from the Veracruz Naval Port Protection Unit and the Departments of Coordination of Programs Against Marine Pollution and Marine Environment Protection of the First Naval Region attended the scene. The tug only had reserve fuel in its service tanks and oil in its propulsion system, which were being contained using booms, dispersant liquids and absorbent material. These measures were being taken as prevention. The cause of the sinking was currently unknown. Reports with photos: https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2025/03/17/estados/se-hunde-remolcador-de-bandera-ecuatoriana-en-puerto-de-veracruz https://veracruz.quadratin.com.mx/se-hunde-remolcador-en-el-puerto-de-veracruz/ https://www.clarinveracruzano.com/la-embarcacion-permanecio-inmovilizada-en-la-bahia-sur-del-puerto-sin-recibir-mantenimiento/ https://imagendeveracruz.mx/veracruz/asipona-descarta-lesionados-por-remolcador-hundido-en-el-puerto-de-veracruz/50652199 https://www.milenio.com/estados/barco-remolcador-ecuatoriano-se-hunde-en-el-puerto-de-veracruz

The chief mate of the 'Tyrhaug', who was sentenced to prison after the speedboat accident in Edøyfjorden 2023, will have his case heard at the Frostating Court of Appeal. At the Møre og Romsdal District Court, the man was sentenced to 90 days in prison on probation and a fine of 30,000 Norwegian crowns.The court found that both he and the master, coming from Trøndelag, had acted grossly negligently on the crossing between Kristiansund and Trondheim. The chief mate has appealed the sentence and the liability for reparation.

The 'VB Seal' was in collision with a Marshall Islands flagged chemical tanker on the Caland Canal near the Europoort of Rotterdam on Feb 23, 2025, at around 2 a.m. After the accident, and suffered a leak with ensuing water ingress, The tug started to list to starboard side. The seagoing vessel and two other vessels pushed the tug against the quay in the Europoort to keep it afloat. They had to accelerate considerably, which released a lot of CO2. The exhaust fumes entered the ship, and six people on board became unwell due to the high carbon dioxide concentration. Four ambulances rushed to the scene, and four of the victims were taken to hospital. They were doing well under the circumstances. The two other injured people were checked on site by emergency services. The tugwas ventilated after which further action could be taken. To prevent the tug from sinking, pumps were also placed on board to drain out the water, and the ship could be stabilzed. The emergency services attended with large contingents. The Port Authority and HEBO Maritiemservice with the 'Hebocat 7' were on scene. The cause of the collision was being investigated. On Feb 24, the ship was moored in pos. N 51° 58' N 004° 07' E with the tug 'VB Tiger' (IMO: 9454888) alongside to stabilize it, later joined by the 'VB Beagle' (IMO: 9816359). Reports with photos: https://mediatv.nl/nieuws/nieuws/28090/sleepboot-lek-na-aanvaring-6-mensen-onwel-bij-hulpverleningsactie-calandkanaal-europoort-rotterdam https://www.tugspotters.com/app/content/2025/02/vb-seal-vb-tiger-vb-beagle-hebo-cat-7/# https://www.dehavenloods.nl/nieuws/algemeen/57284/zes-personen-onwel-na-botsing-sleepboot-met-zeeschip-bij-euro

On March 16 at noon, the Port Authority of Patras was informed by the Captain of the 'Superfast II' about a failure in the water cooling system of the generators in the southern port of the port. The ship was to carry out a scheduled route to the ports of Igoumenitsa and Bari with 165 passengers, 56 vehicles and 65 crew members on board. The passengers were informed by the ship-owning company about the departure of another ferry to the port of Ancona. The Central Port Authority of Patras banned the ferry from sailing until the damage was repaired and a certificate of class maintenance was presented by the classification society that monitors it. As of March 18, the ship remained stationary in Patras.

The 'Scillionian III', serving on the route Penzance - Isles of Scilly, will not return back to service on March 19, 2025 as originally anticipated. Since March 10, the vessel had to undergo repairs in Falmouth, with essential work still ongoing to address a port-side propeller shaft misalignment. Additional time was required to complete these repairs to ensure the vessel’s long-term reliability. Engineering teams, alongside specialist contractors, were working to complete the repairs as quickly as possible. All affected passengers were contacted directly by the Passenger Relations team and getting offered the following options: - Skybus Upgrade – Passengers can transfer to a Skybus flight at no extra cost. - Rescheduling – Passengers may choose to move their booking to a later sailing. - Day Trip Cancellations – Regrettably, all day trip bookings will be cancelled. Our team will be in touch to arrange a full refund or assist with rebooking for a future date. For those transferring to a Skybus flight, transport between Penzance and Land’s End Airport was provided where needed.

The 'Prisma', while transiting the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait on March 11, 2025, was boarded by six to seven perpetrators, armed with gun-like objects, at 02.40 a.m. in pos. 01° 5.6' N 103° 43.03' E. Nothing was reported stolen, and no injuries were reported.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has secured a legal victory after the Gladstone Magistrates Court fined the Universal Shipping Alliance Ltd. AUD with $63,000 for failing to comply with a safety order after the 'KMAX LeaderÄ' had entered the Port of Gladstone in Oct 2023, reporting engine room vibrations. Despite initial claims that repairs would take eight to ten days, the propulsion issues remained unresolved following extensive work in Nov 2023. The AMSA issued a written order requiring a towage and fault rectification plan, citing concerns about the approaching cyclone season and the risks posed by a disabled vessel near the Great Barrier Reef. However, both the vessel’s captain and its Australian agent failed to respond to repeated requests. The vessel was eventually towed from Australian waters in Feb 2024 and received a six-month ban from Australian ports.

After the grounding of the 'Rønvikbuen' near Honningsvåg in the Magerøy Sound on the early morning of Feb 13, the skipper has sent a report to the Norwegian Maritime Authority, stating that he was locked in the toilet when the vessel ran aground: "I went to the toilet about 10 minutes beforethe grounding. I couldn't open the door again before it slammed. Then the crew came and unlocked it. The ship had landed on the rocks," the description of the accident said. Both the crew and the fishing boat were rescued.

There are still small pockets of fire on board the 'Solong', but there is no longer a risk of the ship sinking. However, large amounts of microplastic have been observed in the sea, believed to originate from containers on board the ship. The RNLI identified the pollution reporting on March 16, that a sheen had been spotted on the water. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) carried out an aerial survey and confirmed the pollution which has now been identified as plastic nurdles (small plastic pellets). On March 17, observers have found the first clumps of burnt pellets washing ashore at disparate locations along the shore between Old Hunstanton and Wells-next-the-Sea. Microplastics have a size of between 1-5 mm, and are part of the production of plastic. They are typically transported in containers, but the 'Solong's owner has not yet confirmed that there were containers with microplastics on board. Microplastics pose a major threat to marine life, as they normally float on the surface of the water, where many species find their food. They are easily mistaken for fish eggs, and when eaten, plastic gives the feeling of being full, which ultimately leads to starvation and death for many species. The Coast Guard announced that something was spotted in the water on March 16, that turned out to be plastic pellets. Surveillance flights confirmed this. Plastic particles were also found on the beach at Wash Bay, the Coast Guard confirmed on March 17, and the recovery began that day, As of March 18, the tugs 'Brage Viking' (IMO: 9475791) and 'Svitzer Castle' (IMO: 9316397 ) were attending at the accident site, where both the ''Solong' and the 'Stena Immaculate' remained stationary as of March 18, with the latter moored in pos. 53° 44' N 000° 24 E. The salvage experts from SMIT Salvage were continuing with their detailed onboard assessments of the tanker.

The Dutch Safety Board has launched an investigation into the collision between the 'VB Seal' and a chemical tanker on the New Waterway in Rotterdam on the early morning of Feb 23. The flag state of the tanker is the Marshall Islands, the investigation body of the Marshall Islands acts as a ‘state with a significant interest. The tug was hit by the tanker in dense fog, sprang a leak and started to take on water in the accommodation area. To prevent the tug from sinking, the crew turned on the emergency fire pumps and, as a precaution, the ship was pushed onto a shallow by other ships. Exhaust fumes from the emergency fire pumps developed in the accommodation block, causing six people to feel unwell. As a precaution, four people were taken to hospital for observation, after which they were allowed to go home.

The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Mr Arsenio Dominguez, has issued a statement following the Russian attack on the civilian seafarers aboard the 'MJ Pinar' in Odesa on March 11: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of seafarers in the recent attack in Odesa, which has claimed the lives of four seafarers. My thoughts and condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives, as well as those who were injured. Seafarers ensure the continuous flow of essential goods that sustain communities worldwide. They must never become targets in conflicts beyond their control. We must reaffirm our collective commitment to their safety and well-being. I reiterate my call to all parties involved to work together to ensure that such acts of violence against innocent seafarers and shipping do not continue. International shipping should never become a casualty in the broader geopolitical landscape. The IMO remains committed to supporting efforts to improve the safety of all those who work in the global maritime industry.”

Armed pirates boarded the 'Bitu River' off West Africa on March 17, 2025, at 9 p.m. GMT 41 nautical miles southeast of Santo Antonio, Sao Tome and Principe, and opened gunfire. The bitumen tanker was en route from Lome to Douala. The raid may have been a kidnapping, with as many as 10 seafarers abducted, but this remained unconfirmed. The ship was drifting in the area for about an hour when the attack took place. The crew had retreated to the citadel. The shipowner has lost contact with the master. The vessel's onshore security officer reported that the perpetrators were still on board, indicating that there are five pirates on the vessel. The tanker is controlled by the French Rubis Energiand managed by the Indian Maritec Tanker Management.

While the 'Bonspeed 10' was towing the barge 'POE 2502' on the approaches to the westbound lane the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait on March 16, 2025, the latter was boarded by an unknown number of perpetrators at 08.56 a.m. in pos. 01° 29.03' N 104° 30.4' E. The intruders stole scrap metal from the barge. Only one day later, on March 17, the barge was again boarded by three perpetrators at 05.32 a.m. while sailing five nautical miles off Tanjung Piai in the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait in pos. 01° 12.28' N 103° 34.03' E. The robbers also stole scrap metal from the barge. No injuries were reported.

The 'Pico Tresmares' with 19 crew memberson board, sank in the South Pacific, approximately 1,000 miles west of La Serena, Chile, after a fire broke out in the vessel's engine room on the morning of March 18. It spread rapidly and beyond control. The fishing vessel requested assistance from the RCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Madrid. The Chilean rescue was in charge of coordinating the SAR operation, which alerted vessels in the area during the stormy night. The Portuguese fishing vessel 'Avo Músico' (IMO: 9280043), which was four sailing hours away, diverted to the scene and rescued the entire crew, who were in good condition and had already boarded the life rafts. Their longliner had capsized and sunk. The castaways remained aboard the "Avo Músico" awaiting the transfer in the coming hours to another vessel belonging to the same company, the 'Illa Gaveira' (IMO 9098268), which was 960 nautical miles north-northwest of the scene. Photos: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1901973745675432136

The chief mate of the 'Tyrhaug', who was sentenced to prison after the speedboat accident in Edøyfjorden 2023, will have his case heard at the Frostating Court of Appeal. At the Møre og Romsdal District Court, the man was sentenced to 90 days in prison on probation and a fine of 30,000 Norwegian crowns.The court found that both he and the master, coming from Trøndelag, had acted grossly negligently on the crossing between Kristiansund and Trondheim. The chief mate has appealed the sentence and the liability for reparation.

Beached at Chittagong 17.03.25 https://www.facebook.com/reel/1191354639267685

There are still small pockets of fire on board the 'Solong', but there is no longer a risk of the ship sinking. However, large amounts of microplastic have been observed in the sea, believed to originate from containers on board the ship. The RNLI identified the pollution reporting on March 16, that a sheen had been spotted on the water. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) carried out an aerial survey and confirmed the pollution which has now been identified as plastic nurdles (small plastic pellets). On March 17, observers have found the first clumps of burnt pellets washing ashore at disparate locations along the shore between Old Hunstanton and Wells-next-the-Sea. Microplastics have a size of between 1-5 mm, and are part of the production of plastic. They are typically transported in containers, but the 'Solong's owner has not yet confirmed that there were containers with microplastics on board. Microplastics pose a major threat to marine life, as they normally float on the surface of the water, where many species find their food. They are easily mistaken for fish eggs, and when eaten, plastic gives the feeling of being full, which ultimately leads to starvation and death for many species. The Coast Guard announced that something was spotted in the water on March 16, that turned out to be plastic pellets. Surveillance flights confirmed this. Plastic particles were also found on the beach at Wash Bay, the Coast Guard confirmed on March 17, and the recovery began that day, As of March 18, the tugs 'Brage Viking' (IMO: 9475791) and 'Svitzer Castle' (IMO: 9316397 ) were attending at the accident site, where both the ''Solong' and the 'Stena Immaculate' remained stationary as of March 18, with the latter moored in pos. 53° 44' N 000° 24 E. The salvage experts from SMIT Salvage were continuing with their detailed onboard assessments of the tanker.