On the morningof March 12, 2025, a worker died in an accident on board the "Island Ocean", which was docked in Hareid at the Ulmatec Handling Solution. Health personnel were quickly on site, but that the man's life could not be saved. The deceased was not an employee of the shipping company, but of a company that performed work on the vessel. The police have been on board for investigations and confirmed at 2:30 p.m. that the man died. The next of kin have been notified. The company's management has been present to support the crew, and that they received assistance from the Norwegian Seamen's Church.
News
DE GALLANT
The 'De Gallant, sank off the coast of the Bahamas on May 21, 2024. after it was caught in a stormy supercell. The BEAmer investigation citesdunpredictable weather and the lack of modern maneuvering systems as factors leading to the loss of the vessel and two crew members. According to the BEAmer report published on March 11, 2025, the 'De Gallant' was impacted by strong winds of up to 70 knots while traveling at low speed, loaded with 22 tons of cargo. The crew consisted of four professional sailors and four passengers. Due to thunderstorms on the leeward side, the captain was supposed to prepare the halyard and the clinfoc halyard to be able to perform a quick jib maneuver in an emergency. The formation of the thunderstorm supercell had not been accurately predicted by the weather models. At 3:15 a.m., the first drops of rain fell, and five minutes later, a violent gust tilted the sailing ship 90 degrees, causing water to enter the engine room. The second, even stronger gust completely filled the engine room and condemned the ship to sink stern-first in less than ten minutes. The captain reacted immediately, gave the order to abandon ship, and activated the emergency radio beacons. The rafts were inflated using the hydrostatic buoyancy required by the Merchant Navy. Without this equipment, the crew's chances of survival would have been very slim. Six people managed to reach the rafts, one of which was upside down, but two crew members, likely entangled in the ropes or sails, failed to surface. The six shipwrecked survivors were rescued by helicopter by the U.S. Coast Guard several hours after the sinking. The parallel search efforts failed to locate the two missing sailors. The report, which was not approved by the ship's owner, highlighted how difficult it is to maneuver an old cargo sailing ship without modern tools. Unlike other modernized traditional ships, the 'De Gallant' had neither winches nor furling systems, making maneuvers lengthy and arduous, especially with a small crew. Furthermore, the deck drainage devices were undersized, further increasing the sailboat's instability in gusts. BEAmer recommended modernizing commercial schooners with the installation of remote control systems and improved safety precautions. It also emphasized that cargo sailing ships must be equipped with a sufficient and experienced crew to withstand extreme weather events.
STRAITS NOMURA
On March 12, 2025, four Dutch crew members of the Van Oord dredger 'Vox Maxima' (IMO: 9454096), that caused a major oil spill off the coast of Singapore on June 14, 2024, have admitted to failing to perform their duties properly before a Singaporean judge. Richard Ouwehand, 49, Martin Hans Sinke, 48, Eric Peijpers, 56, and Merijn Heidema, 26, pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 for their role in the oil spill. They had worked on the dredger, which was disabled due an engine failure and allided with the 'Marine Honour', causing a breach, and a large amount of fuel oil then leaked from the bunker ship. The oil spread to a beach park and a nature reserve in southern Singapore, among other places in the largest oil spill in Singapore in the past ten years. According to the prosecutor Regina Lim , the clean-up took two months. One of the crew members on trial was the captain of the dredger and another was the first mate. The other two crew members were engineers. The prosecutor has demanded fines of between 20,000 and 50,000 Singapore dollars, which is the equivalent of approximately 14,000 to 34,000 euros. On the morning of June 14, the circuit breaker of the outgoing feeder of the high-voltage switchboards to the step-down transformer on the starboard side of the 'Vox Maxima' was opened to allow for maintenance works. The circuit breaker controlled the flow of electrical power from the main generator to the step-down transformer on the starboard side, and when it was in an open state, no electrical power would be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards. Prior to taking over the engineering watch at noon, Peijpers and Heidema did not check the status of the circuit breakers, which would affect the distribution of electrical power on the vessel. By law, they are required to be satisfied with the condition and mode of operation of the various main and auxiliary systems, including the electrical power distribution system, before taking over the engineering watch. During their watch, Peijpers and Heidema prepared the 'Vox Maxima' for her departure from the Western Anchorage to ST Engineering Marine’s Tuas shipyard. Just after noon, Peijpers and Heidema were notified by the officers from the preceding engineering watch and the officers on the bridge for the afternoon watch that the main engines had to be ready for the voyage by 1.30 p.m. The two men then stopped the auxiliary generator and started the main generators, which comprised the starboard generator and a second main generator on the port side. As the circuit breaker on the starboard side was open, no electrical power from the starboard generator could be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards, and they were thus powered by the port generator. While on the way to Tuas shipyard, two of the 'Vox Maxima'’s hydraulic pumps that drew power from the low-voltage switchboards were started as part of the planned operations, increasing the load at a circuit breaker on the port side. This circuit breaker tripped as it was overloaded when the second hydraulic pump was started, leading to a loss of electrical power for all low-voltage equipment, including rudders and controllable pitch propellers. Upon the loss of steering control, both Ouwehand and Sinke were responsible for, among other things, engaging emergency steering, but they failed to do so. During this time, the 'Vox Maxima' approached the 'Super Hero', which managed to alter its course and speed to avoid a collision. A minute later, the dredger hit the starboard side of the 'Marine Honour', which suffered damage to at least six water ballast tanks, 10 cargo oil tanks and the slop port tank as a result. The 'Marine Honour' is still undergoing repairs of the damage in Singapore, and the cost of repairs is estimated to exceed $6.6 million. The prosecution is seeking fines of between $20,000 and $30,000 each for Ouwehand and Sinke, and fines of between $40,000 and $50,000 each for Heidema and Peijpers. For the offence, each of them can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. They are scheduled to be sentenced on April 2.
SALVAMAR ALTAIR
On March 12, the Spanish flagged 12,05-fishing vessel 'Segundo María Isabel' (built 1995), based in the port of Corme, struck a rocky outcrop and suffered water ingress and started listing to port side about 0.5 nautical miles north of the Arnela beach in Muxia. The crew activated the EPIRB at 2.15 p.m. The CCS Fisterra of Salvamento Marítimo activated the emergency protocol and mobilized the 'Salvamar Altair' from Camariñas to the scene. The crew of the fishing vessel 'Playa de Lago', which was in the area too, started an attempt to patch the leak, but this proved impossible given the damage sustained by the fishing vessel at its starboard side., The two fishermen of the Segundo María Isabel'were then taken aboard and transported them to Camariñas in good condition. The fishing vessel was already low in the water and eventually sank after the arrival of the SAR boat, and the crew of the 'Salvamar Altair' recovered floating gear and equipment. Reports with photo and video: https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/carballo/muxia/2025/03/12/rescatan-vida-dos-tripulantes-pesquero-corme-hundido-frente-muxia/00031741789417117635348.htm https://www.elcorreogallego.es/concellos/2025/03/12/salvo-tripulantes-pesquero-segundo-maria-115223470.html
STENA IMMACULATE
The captain of the 'Solong', a Russian national, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, after a missing crew member from his ship is believed to have died in the flames that erupted on board both ships immediately after the collision. The crew consisted of Philippinos and Russans. The British authorities have launched an investigation into the accident, together with the flag states involved. .A preliminary information indicates that the 'Solong' maintained the same course and speed for almost nine hours until it crashed into the 'Stena Immaculate'. Despite the severe damages to both ships, there was no longer a risk of sinking. The 'Multratug 36' has established a towing connection on March 11 to stop the southward drift, with the 'Multratug 35' and 'Eems Wrestler' attending. Information that the 'Solong' was loaded with, among other things, 15 containers containing the toxic chemical sodium cyanide has proven to be incorrect. However, four containers have previously contained the dangerous chemical. The anti pollution ship 'Mellum' has arrived at the 'Stena Immaculate' on the morning of March 11. The tanker remained stationary at its mooring as of March 12. The Maritime service provider 'Boskalis' will board the 'Stena Immaculate' with a small team on March 12, if the weather conditions allow it. The team, including a gas expert, will check whether it is safe to board the ship and whether there are no concentrations of toxic substances or explosion hazards. An alternative is to put people on board by helicopter, but that is not yet an option. The team will check for any damage, whether there is water in the engine room and whether there is still power on board. The ship will then be assessed to see whether it is capable of pumping kerosene. If this is the case, it will be decided in consultation with the local authorities whether the kerosene will be pumped on site or whether the ship will be taken to a port to remove the kerosene there. Because the ship became extremely hot due to the fire, it is questionable whether all the kerosene tanks on the ship are still safe. It is not yet known exactly how much kerosene leaked. On the morning of March 11, the HM Coast Guard also accepted the German Central Command's offer to provide a surveillance aircraft. The Dornier 228 (DO228) took off from the Nordholz naval air base in Lower Saxony at around 12:30 p.m. and arrived in the affected area at around 2:30 p.m. German time. Equipped with powerful cameras and sensors, the DO228 can obtain an overview of the situation and also detect pollutants on the water surface. Both the 'Mellum' and the DO228 were receiving their on-site orders from the British Coast Guard. The 'Solong' has failed steering-related safety checks in July 2024. The emergency steering compass was one of 10 deficies when the ship was subjected to a PSC in Dublin. The nine other deficiencies aboard the ship included problems with fire doors, alarms in the engine room and with life-saving appliances such as lifejackets, lifeboats and related equipment. A subsequent PSC inspection at the port of Grangemouth, carried out in Oct 024, revealed two deficiencies, including one relating to the vessel’s lifebuoys. Reports with photos and video: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/03/11/bemanningslid-solong-filmt-vlammenzee-vlak-na-aanvaring-lord-lord-help-us/ https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/03/11/britse-kustwacht-verwacht-dat-containerschip-solong-gaat-zinken/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14486787/man-arrested-manslaughter-oil-tanker-crash.html
DREAMLAND
After the 'Dreamland' was safely berthed in Mariehamn,, personnel ofthe Åland Coast Guard Station carried out a ship inspection in cooperation with the customs. How long the 'Dreamland' will remain in the port is unclear. The technical problems were now being investigated. In the meantime, the Åland Coast Guard Station was monitoring the port area with environmental protection in mind. If necessary, they are prepared to act with oil booms. Report with photos: https://alandsradio.ax/nyheter/sjobevakningen-overvakar-dreamland-i-hamnen
GUANG RONG
The probabilioty that the 'Guang Rong' will be declared a 'wreck' by the shipowner is becoming increasingly concrete. The costs of removal would amount to over 1,5 million euros. A recovery would not be economically viable. The Municipality would then be forced to dialogue no longer with the owners, but with the insurance company, called upon to resolve the problem of disposing of the ship. On the morning of March 7, rumors took this decision by the shipowner for granted, but the mayor of Massa, Francesco Persiani, could not yet confirm this information. The emptying of the starboard side tank inside the sludge room was completed on the evening of March 6. The operations to empty the diesel and oil tanks of the wheel loader and the crane, also inside the sludge room, have also been completed. The latter will was sucked up on the morning of March 8. On March 7, a pontoon was positioned on the starboard side of the ship and after having secured the area, the operations to remove the oil drums located between the cargo and the coaming will begin. The operations to unload the material in drums onto the barge moored to the starboard side of the 'Guang Rong' have also started. The lateral cranes of the lifeboats and free fall have been cleaned, the recovered oils will be conveyed to the sludge room and sucked up by Canal jet. Reports with photos and video: https://www.lanazione.it/massa-carrara/cronaca/guang-rong-relitto-vhzu2vmn https://www.iltirreno.it/massa/cronaca/2025/03/08/news/marina-di-massa-la-guang-rong-rischia-di-diventare-un-relitto-1.100672988 https://www.noitv.it/2025/03/guang-rong-il-giallo-del-relitto-e-i-timori-per-lestate-651578/
VOX MAXIMA
On March 12, 2025, four Dutch crew members of the Van Oord dredger 'Vox Maxima', that caused a major oil spill off the coast of Singapore on June 14, 2024, have admitted to failing to perform their duties properly before a Singaporean judge. Richard Ouwehand, 49, Martin Hans Sinke, 48, Eric Peijpers, 56, and Merijn Heidema, 26, pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 for their role in the oil spill. They had worked on the dredger, which was disabled due an engine failure and allided with the bunker tanker 'Marine Honour' (IMO: 9422811), causing a breach, and a large amount of fuel oil then leaked from the bunker ship. The oil spread to a beach park and a nature reserve in southern Singapore, among other places in the largest oil spill in Singapore in the past ten years. According to the prosecutor Regina Lim , the clean-up took two months. One of the crew members on trial was the captain of the dredger and another was the first mate. The other two crew members were engineers. The prosecutor has demanded fines of between 20,000 and 50,000 Singapore dollars, which is the equivalent of approximately 14,000 to 34,000 euros. On the morning of June 14, the circuit breaker of the outgoing feeder of the high-voltage switchboards to the step-down transformer on the starboard side of the 'Vox Maxima' was opened to allow for maintenance works. The circuit breaker controlled the flow of electrical power from the main generator to the step-down transformer on the starboard side, and when it was in an open state, no electrical power would be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards. Prior to taking over the engineering watch at noon, Peijpers and Heidema did not check the status of the circuit breakers, which would affect the distribution of electrical power on the vessel. By law, they are required to be satisfied with the condition and mode of operation of the various main and auxiliary systems, including the electrical power distribution system, before taking over the engineering watch. During their watch, Peijpers and Heidema prepared the 'Vox Maxima' for her departure from the Western Anchorage to ST Engineering Marine’s Tuas shipyard. Just after noon, Peijpers and Heidema were notified by the officers from the preceding engineering watch and the officers on the bridge for the afternoon watch that the main engines had to be ready for the voyage by 1.30 p.m. The two men then stopped the auxiliary generator and started the main generators, which comprised the starboard generator and a second main generator on the port side. As the circuit breaker on the starboard side was open, no electrical power from the starboard generator could be supplied to the equipment connected to the low-voltage switchboards, and they were thus powered by the port generator. While on the way to Tuas shipyard, two of the 'Vox Maxima'’s hydraulic pumps that drew power from the low-voltage switchboards were started as part of the planned operations, increasing the load at a circuit breaker on the port side. This circuit breaker tripped as it was overloaded when the second hydraulic pump was started, leading to a loss of electrical power for all low-voltage equipment, including rudders and controllable pitch propellers. Upon the loss of steering control, both Ouwehand and Sinke were responsible for, among other things, engaging emergency steering, but they failed to do so. During this time, the 'Vox Maxima' approached the 'Super Hero', which managed to alter its course and speed to avoid a collision. A minute later, the dredger hit the starboard side of the 'Marine Honour', which suffered damage to at least six water ballast tanks, 10 cargo oil tanks and the slop port tank as a result. The 'Marine Honour' is still undergoing repairs of the damage in Singapore, and the cost of repairs is estimated to exceed $6.6 million. The prosecution is seeking fines of between $20,000 and $30,000 each for Ouwehand and Sinke, and fines of between $40,000 and $50,000 each for Heidema and Peijpers. For the offence, each of them can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. They are scheduled to be sentenced on April 2.
ROESUND
The Operations Manager Anders Tøsse of Torghatten Nord met with the Transport Committee on March 12 regarding the operations on the Brattvåg–Dryna and acknowledged that there have been far too many cancellations with the reserve ferries on the service. From May the ferry 'Fykan' will be used as a reserve ferry on the service instead of the 'Røsund'. The vessel will provide more predictable operation together with the main ferry 'Haram'. The reserve ferry has mainly weakened the regularity of the connection. In 2023, the regularity was 98.9 % , in 2024 it was 99.0 %. In 2025, there have been many cancellations, most of them as a result of problems with the reserve vessel.
MJ PINAR
The 'MJ Pinar', with 12 crew members on board, which was loading 30,000 tonnes of wheat for export, was damaged at the port side stern by a Russian ballistic missile, on the evening of March 11, 2024, in the commercial port of Odessa. The fire, which broke out on the ship after the strike, caused the deaths of four crew members, three Syrian and one Ukrainian nationals, aboard the bulk carrier. A pilot service employee, who was also on the vessel was injured in the incident as well as another Syrian crew member. An air raid alarm was declared in the port town at approximately 8:15 p.m. LT, followed by a powerful explosion moments later, caused by a ballistic missile strike which impacted the intersection of berths 34 and 35. and caused extensive damage to the ship as well as the port infrastructure, including the quay and the terminal's grain gallery. The strike was alleged to have been carried out using Russia’s Iskander-M ballistic missile, equipped with a cluster warhead. Emergency services attended on site to asses the damage and ensured safety measures. Reports with photos: https://www.seanews.com.tr/missile-attack-at-odessa-port-4-seafarers-died-on-bulker-mj-pinar/202746/ https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/03/12/7502458/ https://kathmandupost.com/world/2025/03/12/four-killed-in-russian-strike-on-grain-vessel-in-odesa-port-ukraine-says
HMNZS MANAWANUI
The government of Samoa sees no need to salvage the sunken HMNZS 'Manawanui'. Since mid-January the NZ tug 'Kurutai' and the barge 'Cronus' have been operating between the port of Apia and the wreck site outside Tafitoala on the South Coast of Upolu, removing the fuel and other pollutants. Now the Samoan Government wants the wreck to remain off the coast, which could eventually become a tourist attraction on a water depth of 35 metres as an excellent diving spot and become a part of the reef. The Samoa Conservation Society has backed the idea, provided all environmental hazards are removed. Corals will grow up on the wreck very fast and it will be claimed by nature. The owners of the Sina PJ Beach Fales in Tafitoala have also welcomed the idea. For them, this would mean an increase in business. The business is based on surf operations. but the area where surfing takes place is inside the restricted two-kilometre zone to safeguard the salvage works that is being currently carried out. The NZDF will not replace the 'Manawanui'.
MY AMADEA
A federal court in New York has rejected the Russian businessman Eduard Khudainatov's challenge to the U.S. government's efforts to confiscate the 'Amadea'. The decision brings the United States closer to taking ownership of the yacht through a legal procedure known as civil forfeiture. The ruling likely represents the biggest victory so far in plans started under former President Joe Biden’s administration to seize assets of sanctioned Russian tycoons and use them to support Ukraine’s war effort. On March 10, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the Russian businessman did not have standing to challenge forfeiture of the yacht because he was not its owner. And because no one else has claimed ownership, the U.S. Department of Justice will now pursue a judgment of forfeiture by default. U.S. prosecutors believe the superyacht that is valued at over $230 million, belongs to Kerimov, a senator, businessman and ally of Vladimir Putin. The court also concluded in legal documents that the evidence suggests that after September 2021, Kerimov or his family exercised ownership of the vessel. In 2018, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on Kerimov. The government later alleged he or people acting on his behalf made payments for repairs and upkeep of the yacht that passed through the U.S financial system, which is a violation of those sanctions. The U.S. law enforcement seized the 'Amadea' in 2022. But in 2023, Khudainatov, who is not under U.S. sanctions, claimed ownership interest, setting the stage for a legal battle. In May 2024, U.S. taxpayers have spent more than $740,000 a month on the yacht’s maintenance. Last December, The Washington Post reported that servicing the yacht had cost the country roughly $30 million.
CG DANIEL TARR
The 'Daniel Tarr' and the Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crews, in coordination with Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command Center watch standers and Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, detected and interdicted a total of 16 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line (MBL) in the Gulf of Mexico on the night of March 12, 2025. After interdicting four lanchas, the Coast Guard crews took the fishermen into custody, brought them ashore, and transferred them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing. Coast Guard personnel also seized an approximate total of 2,500 pounds of red snapper, along with fishing gear and equipment found on board the vessels. Two of the lanchas were also seized, while two were marked and left adrift due to flooding and instability. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4117490/coast-guard-detains-16-mexican-fishermen-seizes-2500-pounds-of-illegally-poache/
SALVAMAR ADHARA
A cayuco was located nine nautical miles from La Restinga on March 12, 2025. The 'Salvamar Adhara' was mobilized to assist and accompanied the boat to the port, where its 86 occupants, including 20 women and 10 minors, were safely disembarked. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1899805749703840031
SOLONG
The captain of the 'Solong', a Russian national, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, after a missing crew member from his ship is believed to have died in the flames that erupted on board both ships immediately after the collision. The crew consisted of Philippinos and Russans. The British authorities have launched an investigation into the accident, together with the flag states involved. .A preliminary information indicated that the 'Solong' maintained the same course and speed for almost nine hours until it crashed into the 'Stena Immaculate'. Despite the severe damages to both ships, there was no longer a risk of sinking. The 'Multratug 36' has established a towing connection on March 11 to stop the southward drift, with the 'Multratug 35' and 'Eems Wrestler' attending. Information that the 'Solong' was loaded with, among other things, 15 containers containing the toxic chemical sodium cyanide has proven to be incorrect. However, four containers have previously contained the dangerous chemical. The anti pollution ship 'Mellum' has arrived at the 'Stena Immaculate' on the morning of March 11. The tanker remained stationary at its mooring as of March 12. The Maritime service provider 'Boskalis' will board the 'Stena Immaculate' with a small team on March 12, if the weather conditions allow it. The team, including a gas expert, will check whether it is safe to board the ship and whether there are no concentrations of toxic substances or explosion hazards. An alternative is to put people on board by helicopter, but that is not yet an option. The team will check for any damage, whether there is water in the engine room and whether there is still power on board. The ship will then be assessed to see whether it is capable of pumping kerosene. If this is the case, it will be decided in consultation with the local authorities whether the kerosene will be pumped on site or whether the ship will be taken to a port to remove the kerosene there. Because the ship became extremely hot due to the fire, it is questionable whether all the kerosene tanks on the ship are still safe. It is not yet known exactly how much kerosene leaked. On the morning of March 11, the HM Coast Guard also accepted the German Central Command's offer to provide a surveillance aircraft. The Dornier 228 (DO228) took off from the Nordholz naval air base in Lower Saxony at around 12:30 p.m. and arrived in the affected area at around 2:30 p.m. German time. Equipped with powerful cameras and sensors, the DO228 can obtain an overview of the situation and also detect pollutants on the water surface. Both the 'Mellum' and the DO228 were receiving their on-site orders from the British Coast Guard. The 'Solong' has failed steering-related safety checks in July 2024. The emergency steering compass was one of 10 deficies when the ship was subjected to a PSC in Dublin. The nine other deficiencies aboard the ship included problems with fire doors, alarms in the engine room and with life-saving appliances such as lifejackets, lifeboats and related equipment. A subsequent PSC inspection at the port of Grangemouth, carried out in Oct 024, revealed two deficiencies, including one relating to the vessel’s lifebuoys. Reports with photos and video: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/03/11/bemanningslid-solong-filmt-vlammenzee-vlak-na-aanvaring-lord-lord-help-us/ https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/03/11/britse-kustwacht-verwacht-dat-containerschip-solong-gaat-zinken/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14486787/man-arrested-manslaughter-oil-tanker-crash.html