News

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 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

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.