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arrived Bhavnagar Anchorage 28.02.25

After more than eight months, the salvage of the "Bayesian" has been scheduled to begin on April 20. The specialist company commissioned to do the work is expected to have raised the wreck by mid-May. Apart from the 75-meter-high mast, all parts of the "Bayesian" will be salvaged. In November, it was reported that neither the mast would be cut off nor fuel and oil drained from the tanks in order not to destroy evidence. After the salvage, the ship will be brought to the port of Termini Imerese near Palermo, where the responsible public prosecutor's office is also based. The public prosecutor's office hopes that the salvage will provide information about the cause of the sinking. Investigations have been launched against the captain and two other members of the crew. But there is also the question of whether the Italian shipyard is to blame for the sinking of the yacht.

The salvage operation of the 'MSC Baltic III' at Lark Harbour is getting bigger in scope and more complicated, wizh weather and sea conditions continuing to hamper the assessment and salvage efforts. and possibly the timeline in removing the grounded ship could extend into years. Safely refloating the ship is impossible due to the severe damage under water. While an inspection of the hull showed extensive cracks and holes, the 1.700 tons of heavy fuel and gas remained contained within the vessel's tanks. The focus now was on removing that fuel from the vessel, which means much of the cargo on board has to be removed first by the salvors of T&T Salvage. Also eight containers with polymer beads (nurdles) have been marked as a priority for removal. There are materials aboard considered dangerous goods in shipping terms, such as the nurdles as well as flour and whiskey. Nothing aboard however is hazardous under normal conditions. Discussions were currently underway and involved, among other things, road access to the site. There is an existing road that goes out there to a couple of different locations, but it wouldn’t be enough to get tractor trailers out there. The existing road extends from the main road through Lark Harbour near the Canadian Coast Guard base. Part of it is maintained by the town, but most of it is maintained by the local ATV trail committee. Right at the beach, the salvors want to put access out to the bow of the vessel. A proposal is being developed to address that. Once the fuel is removed, the focus will shift to the removal of the vessel, but because of the damage to the hull, refloating the ship was deemed unlikely. The wreck might have to be dismantled, a process that could take an extended period of time. A couple of staging areas have been set up as the operation continued. Local harvesters may be affected by the increased activity. Reports with photos: https://vocm.com/2025/02/26/263808/ https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/salvage-crew-may-fix-old-road-access-grounded-cargo-ship

On Feb 27, 2025, the Spanish flagged 10-m-fishing vessel 'Foque Uno' wiith two crew members on board, requested urgent assistance due to water ingress in Sant Antoni (Girona). The CCS Barcelona of Salvamento MArítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Sirius' to the scene, which helped bail out the vessel and tows it to the Port d'Aro dry dock for repairs.

On the afternoon of Feb 25, the 'Finlandia Seaways' left the berth in Gismarvik with assistance of a number of BB tugs. The ship then started its final voyage under tow of the tug 'BB Ocean' (IMO: 9196503). The ship arrived at the Smedegaarden 'A/S in Esbjerg on Feb 27, where the ship will be recycled now.

On Feb 27, 2025, the inland tanker 'Nazar' (MMSI: 244750356), en route from Nieuwegin, was in collision with the 'Alja', which was pushing a barge, from behind on the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The tanker then partially pushed the 'Aja' under water, the stern submerged. The crew was not injured. Both the pusher tug and the tanker proceeded to Amsterdam after the incident. The tanker berthed in the Sonthaven. The tug left the port again at 3.40 p.m. en route to Urk. Report with video still: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/02/27/bemanning-duwboot-alja-in-orde-na-aanvaring-met-tanker/

The Canadian Coast Guard was notified on Feb 19, 2025, at around 3:15 a.m. that the 18-m- aluminium fishing vessel 'Western Gambler' had grounded near Napier Point, about three kilometers south of Bella Bella, BC. The vessel had been taking on water prior to the sinking and was attempting to transit to the small port of Shearwater, southeast of Bella Bella, for an emergency haul out when it ran aground. The Canadian Coast Guard’s lifeboat of the Bella Bella station was tasked to assist. The CCGS 'Cape Farewell' and the Fast Rescue Craft arrived on-scene and rescued the four fishermen onboard. No injuries were reported. The 'Western Gambler' then capsized and appeared to be leaking, as there was some initial sheening and other debris on water. The local Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team responded the same morning and deployed a containment boom around the vessel and a deflection boom along the shorelines to protect the McLoughlin Bay hatchery. A Unified Command has been established to oversee the incident and ensure an appropriate response. The owner of the fishing vessel was actively involved in the response. The 'Western Gambler' was submerged near the coastline with the foreship still sticking out of the water, and partially encircled by a yellow spill containment boom. The spill response equipment was deployed by the Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team, which is operated by the local First Nation, to protect the shoreline and the nearby McLoughlin Bay fish hatchery. The 'Western Gambler' was carrying more than 7,500 litres of diesel and 1,100 litres of hydraulic oil when it sank. Additional containment booms were placed around the fish pens at the McLoughlin Bay hatchery as a preventative protective measure. Mariners who were not part of the response efforts are asked to refrain from transiting the area. The Heiltsuk Nation issued an urgent notice to boaters just before 1 p.m. The vessel is co-owned by Randolph Enterprises Ltd. and Jim Pattison Enterprises Ltd., with the latter serving as the authorized representative for the craft. Multiple layers of boom have been deployed around the vessel, as well as deflection boom to protect the shoreline and the McLoughlin Bay hatchery. The boom is regularly being repaired and maintained by the local Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team (MERT) and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC). Preliminary assessments of the casualty vessel were conducted by a dive team on Feb 24. A crane and barge have been contracted by the owner and arrived on-site on Feb 25 with salvage work due to start on Feb 26. The MERT, Canadian Coast Guard and WCMRC will all be on the water during the salvage operation, in the event of a sudden release of pollution. An Emergency Zone of 0.5 miles has been established around the incident site in Lama Passage. A Navigational Warning is still in effect requesting mariners to minimize wake in the area. Report with photo: https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/fishermen-rescued-after-boat-sinks-spills-fuel-on-bc-coast/

The 'Brilliance of the Seas' has rescued 11 people adrift in the Gulf of Mexico between Cuba and Mexico on Feb 26, 2025. The ship had departed New Orleans on Feb 22 for a seven-night cruise. Five days later, the crew spotted a precarious boat in the distance that appeared to be in distress The captain immediately turned around and investigated. They sent a boat to the stranded vessel, which had 11 migrants on board, who started waving a white distress flag and were bailing water out of the boat, which was taking on water. They had been adrift for one to two days. The people were taken off three at a time after being given life jackets. The migrants were malnourished and exhausted, and cared for on board. The 11 refugees disembarked in Cozumel on Feb 27. The U.S. Coast Guard was involved in determining next steps. Reports with photo and video: https://es-us.noticias.yahoo.com/crucero-rescata-11-personas-deriva-233249260.html https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/27/travel/video/vacaya-cruise-ship-boat-rescue-refugees-digvid

On Feb 27, 2025, the Swedish Accident Investigation Board has completed its investigation into the grounding of the 'Vipan'outside Saltholmen, on Nov 9, 2023. At 06:00 a.m. the passenger ferry had departed from the Saltholmen ferry terminal in Gothenburg, Västra Götaland County, en route to Vrångö. There was only a crew of three people on board. It was a rainy and windy morning and it was still dark outside. After leaving the illuminated harbor and the ship entered the dark fairway, the master thought that the light from two instruments to his left was dazzling. He began to dim the instruments and at the same time the ship went off course. At 06:03 a.m., the ship ran hard aground at a speed of just under 16 knots at Lerholmen, only a few hundred meters from the ferry terminal. No people were physically injured. The rescue operation ended at 07:27 a.m. The accident was caused by the fact that the risks at the helm station, in terms of the location and user-friendliness of the various instruments, had not been identified and thus not managed. In connection with the handling of the instruments, the master lost attention to the operation of the vessel. A further reason was that the automatic steering did not provide any clear feedback that alerted the master when the operating mode switched between automatic and manual control. The measures taken by the shipping company after the accident were considered sufficient, and the commission therefore did not issue any recommendations. Report with photo: https://www.sjofartstidningen.se/brister-i-forarmiljon-orsakade-grundstotning/

On the morning of Feb 28, the crews of the 'Salvamar Adhara' and 'Salvamar Acrux' escorted two cayucos with 70 and 76 sub-Saharan people on board, among them eight women, to the port of La Restinga. The assistance was coordinated by controllers from the Maritime Rescue Centre of Salvamento Marítimo in Tenerife. And with the collaboration of the LS Mike 02 of the Cruz Roja Tenerife. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1895388674386215310

On Feb 27, 2025, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has issued an investigation report into the grounding of the 'Corsair', retrieving the pilot from the outbound container m/v 'Rio Grande, on Point Lonsdale Reef after misinterpreting its course on the evening of Oct 5, 2023, after it had departed Port Phillip. The transfer of the pilot to the launch took place offshore, about 4.2 km south-west of Point Lonsdale. Port Phillip Sea Pilots (PPSP) was the pilotage service provider and operator of the pilot launch, which commenced its return to the entrance of Port Phillip at about 11.07 p.m., intending to return to the pilot station at Queenscliff, inside the bay. At about 11.10 p.m.,, about 2.3 km south-west of Point Lonsdale, the coxswain commenced a slow course alteration to port of about 18º. The 'Corsair' was about 760 metres from Point Lonsdale Reef when it steadied on a course towards the reef. The 'Corsair' was west of the location intended by the coxswain and subsequently ran aground on Point Lonsdale Reef at 11.13 p.m.., sailing at a speed of 24 knots. It was found that the coxswain of Corsair misinterpreted the leading lights marking the entry to Port Phillip and navigated to the west of their intended course through the entrance. The return to Port Phillip following offshore pilot transfer was a routine activity which had been performed by the coxswain on many occasions. On this night, their perception of navigational lights on Shortland Bluff was probably influenced by their expectations of what they would normally observe. The likelihood of human error can be reduced by using protective systems of technology, other crew resources, and procedure. In this instance, the coxswain’s navigation of the 'Corsair' back to the entrance was predominantly visual with limited reference to onboard equipment to confirm the vessel’s approach. The other crew member, a deckhand, was also not actively involved with the vessel’s navigation. A vessel’s safety management system provides the structures and guidance to support a consistent approach to vessel operations. It was found that the pilot launch safety management system and procedures could be improved with guidance to the launch crew on operational practices for navigation through the entrance to Port Phillip and the effective use of the launch’s equipment and deckhand. It was also found that training material for launch coxswains contained limited detail on course content and assessment criteria, and training records were incomplete. There was also no refresher crew training in navigational practices. Although not considered to have influenced this occurrence, additional findings were made on the potential for review by Safe Transport Victoria of the local knowledge certification requirements for masters of domestic commercial vessels operating in Port Phillip Heads. Full report: https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ATSB-Grounding-of-pilot-launch-PV-Corsair-2025_02.pdf

The Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism (CRIET) examined the case of the 'SPSL Udeme', stranded in Fidjrossè, on Feb 27, 2025. During this hearing, the State Judicial Officer (AJE), representing the Beninese State, made his requests for compensation for the damage suffered. The Beninese State is claiming 300 million FCFA in damages. This sum epresents the compensation for the financial losses, the violation of territorial sovereignty and the effects on national security caused by the incident. In addition to this compensation, the AJE asked the Court to order the confiscation of the petroleum products transported by the ship and the three boats seized during the operation. In Aug 2024, the CRIET had ordered the dismantling of the stranded ship and granted provisional release on bail of one million FCFA to seven crew members. A total of 18 people were prosecuted in this case, including 14 crew members for navigation without a title and violations of maritime regulations, threre agents of the defense and security forces (FDS) for abuse of office, one smuggler for trafficking in petroleum products. On June 30, 2024, the ship had run aground on Fidjrossè beach, revealing an alleged petroleum product trafficking operation. The Court is expected to render its decision in the coming weeks.

On Feb 27, 2025, the 'Nazar' was in collision with the pusher tug 'Alja' (MMSI: 244710776), which was underway with a barge, from behind on the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The tanker then partially pushed the 'Aja' under water, the stern submerged. The crew was not injured. Both the pusher tug and the tanker proceeded to Amsterdam after the incident. The tanker berthed in the Sonthaven. The tug left the port again at 3.40 p.m. en route to Urk. Report with video still: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2025/02/27/bemanning-duwboot-alja-in-orde-na-aanvaring-met-tanker/

Regarding the fruit onboard the 'MAersk Saltoro' , the Chilean Cherry Committee executive director Claudia Soler has been in contact through the office in China from the beginning to provide information to the producers and exporters and send daily updates on the situation to the associates They have met at a general assembly to provide information and learn about the companies' situation. The objective was to be as coordinated as possible and informed to make decisions correctly and timely when necessary. Moreover, since last week, when the ship arrived in Nansha, the general manager of Frutas de Chile went to that market, together with professionals from the Agriculture and Livestock Service, and has held important meetings with the Chinese authorities to date to collaborate and coordinate the unloading and inspection activities of the more than 1,300 containers, mostly of cherries, which arrived at the port of Nansha. The Chinese authorities are very willing to ensure that the process is carried out in the best possible way and in compliance with the country's standards for commercializing the fruit. About 10% of checked containers did not meet marketing standards The CCR continued monitoring the entire process on the ground to continue supporting our partners and safeguarding the image of the category in the market, The cargo is estimated at more than $130 million, mainly in cherries. Other products, including blueberries, some containers of avocados, raisins, and other goods, were in transit to other Asian destinations such as Vietnam and Thailand. Containers were still being checked and the fruit has not been found fit to enter the market. Therefore, it was agreed to destroy all containers that do not meet the market quality and condition requirements. 800 containers had been unloaded from the vessel as of Feb. 25. The ship's unloading was completed by Feb. 26, and the ship continued to Hong Kong.

A container with 500 kilos of cocaine was seized in the port of Antwerp, which had been scanned in the port of Montevideo. However, the 'Grande Nigeria', that transported it and stayed in port from Feb 16-19, 2025, had called at several other ports before arriving at Antwerp, where the drug was finally found. According to the Attorney General's Office the container could have been filled with the drugs in other ports, since it was proven that the seals were violated. The scanned images at the port of Montevideo confirmed that the illicit substance was not in the container at the time of its departure. In addition, the seal with which it left Montevideo was not the same one with which it arrived in Anwerp, although it did remain intact when passing through Zárate, according to Argentine Customs. Three other seals were found inside the container in a plastic bag, one of which had been reported missing by the MSC shipping company in 2023. The ship already had a history of being used to transport illicit substances, so it was not ruled out that the crew was involved.

The 'Tjøtta', sailing on the route Tjøtta - Forvik, suffered technical issues on Feb 28, 2025. As a consequence, the scheduled departure from Tjøtta at 11:00 en route to Mindland and Tro as well as the return sailing from Tro at 2:55 p.m. to Mindland and Tjøtta had to be cancelled. The sihp was expected to be back in normal operation starting with the 3:30 p.m. departure from Tjøtta, where the ferry was sidelined for troubleshooting.

On the morning of Feb 28, the crews of the 'Salvamar Adhara' and 'Salvamar Acrux' escorted two cayucos with 70 and 76 sub-Saharan people on board, among them eight women, to the port of La Restinga. The assistance was coordinated by controllers from the Maritime Rescue Centre of Salvamento Marítimo in Tenerife. And with the collaboration of the LS Mike 02 of the Cruz Roja Tenerife. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1895388674386215310

Court proceedings over the death of 36-year-old Antonis Karyotis, who drowned after being pushed off the 'Blue Horizon', now sailing as 'Lefka Ori', in September 2023, concluded on Feb 27, 2025, after 17 sessions. A verdict was expected later in the day. Karyotis had been attempting to board the ferry as it was about to depart from the port of Piraeus, bound for Iraklio, when he was allegedly pushed by three crew members into the sea. The ship then sailed off, leaving Karyotis to drown in the swirling waters created by the ferry’s propeller. The vessel did not return to port until 40 minutes later, when ordered by the prosecutor. The prosecutor has recommended a guilty verdict for all four defendants – the captain and three crew members –, stating that their actions were inhumane, and emphasized that none of them attempted to help Karyotis, and accused the crew of deliberately pushing him into the water. One crew member faces homicide charges with possible intent, while the others are charged with aiding the crime. The captain is also charged with breaching maritime safety regulations and abuse of power. The trial gained attention thanks to a viral video filmed by passengers, which contradicted the defendants’ attempts to downplay the incident. The video, showing Karyotis being pushed into the sea, played a crucial role in bringing the case to court.

The crew of the 'Eleen Armonia', en route from Port Klang to Durban, has rescued 34 crew members of the burning fishing vessel 'Hasil Abadi 28', 224 gt, about 800 kilometres off the coast of Sri Lanka on Feb 26, 2025. The crew had issued a distress call after the stern of their ship caught fire. The crew of the bulk carrier noticed thick smoke clouds rising on the horizon. Upon receiving a distress signal from another passing cargo ship, the master Todor Todorov diverted to the scene and approached the charred, drifting wreck with the crew in desperate need of rescue. They had huddled together at the bow and were waving frantically for help when the bulk carrier approached. It pulled alngside, and the crew employed their hoses to try to put out the flames and salvage whatever they could from the vessel. After a few hours, the fire was extinguished, and all fishermen were rescued. They did not even have life jackets. The Bulgarian shipping company has established contact with the owner of the fishing vessel. It turned out that they have three other fishing vessels nearby, and vessels have been sent to pick up the castaways, who will then be returned to their homeland Indonesia. Report with photo: https://fakti.bg/en/world/953211-bulgarian-ship-rescues-34-fishermen-from-burning-vessel-in-indian-ocean

On the morning of Feb 27, 2025, the 'Friends RS 1' was in allision with the cargo m/v 'Jessica B' (IMO: 9262534), in the port of Gemlik, when she was maneuvering to depart from the port stern ahead, and hit the 'Jessica B' at its berth with the port side aft. The 'Jessica B' suffered a puncture at starboard side above the waterline, leading to the discharge of ballast water into the sea under pressure. Authorities initiated a damage assessment on site. The 'Friends RS 1' dropped anchor off Gemlik at 8.50 a.m. UTC in pos. 40° 25' N 029° 05' E. An investigation was launched regarding the extent of any environmental impact and assess potential pollution in the surrounding waters.