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The 'Ambience' has once again been blocked from sailing into Amsterdam by climate change protestors, this time with 170 delegates attending the Advantage Latitude cruise conference amongst the 1,400 passengers onboard. 120 Advantage members and 50 of its suppliers, including UK cruise line representatives,were aboard the ship for the consortium’s annual three-day Latitude cruise conference. The captain made the announcement that the ship would be diverted as it set sail from London Tilbury for a three-night round-trip cruise. Instead of docking in the city centre, the ship docked at IJmuiden on Oct 25, 2024, which was a 45-minute drive away, and passengers could travel by shuttle bus to the city centre. The ship had received advanced information that Extinction Rebellion protestors planned to chain themselves to the locks on the approach to Amsterdam on Oct 25 and 26 , preventing ships from going in and out.

The US Coast Guard medevaced an ailing man from the 'Pacific Dragon II' 78 miles off Kahului, Maui, on Oct 22, 2024. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center watchstanders received a medevac request aon Oct 21 t 4:57 p.m. from the ship, stating that a crew member was experiencing abdominal pain. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point launched and rendezvoused with the Pacific Dragon II about 78 miles northeast of Kahului. The helicopter crew arrived on scene at 4:03 a.m. and transported the 35-year-old man to Maui Memorial Medical Center in Wailuku, Hawaii. He is reportedly in stable condition. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3942491/coast-guard-medevacs-ailing-crewman-from-fishing-vessel-78-miles-offshore-kahul/

The care and maintenance of the alleged drug trafficking 'Matthew' in Cork has cost the State €5.3 million over the past 12 months. The bulk carrier was seize following a dramatic inter-agency operation, involving members of the Army Ranger wing, off the south east coast. Gardaí and Revenue Customs officers found 2.2 tonnes of cocaine worth an estimated €157 million. Under the provisions of the Customs Act 2015, the ship was seized by an Officer of Customs on OIct 19 following the alleged seizure of drugs on board.Since its seizure, the ship has remained tied up at the Port of Cork's Marino Point berth, shifting occasionally to Passage West to facilitate other ship deliveries. In June, eight men charged in connection with the seizure were given a trial date of Jan 13, 2025 at the Special Criminal Court. The vessel is now forfeit to the Revenue Commissioners. It is the Revenue's intention to dispose of the vessel as soon as the legal position allows.

The US Coast Guard medevaced a 71-year-old man from the 'Carnival Jubilee' off Galveston, Texas, on Oct 26. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a medevac request at 5:19 p.m. from the ship, stating the passenger presented symptoms of a heart attack aboard the vessel. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac. Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot boat and coordinated with the Galveston Fire Department to assist with the medevac. The response vessel crew arrived on scene, embarked the passenger and transported him to Station Galveston and into the care of emergency medical services personnel.

The 'Moliva', carrying hundreds of tonnes of possibly toxic industrial waste returned to Durres on Oct 28, 2024, months after setting sail to dispose of the material in Thailand. It has on board around a hundred containers filled with suspicious waste, and was set to be tested by Albanian authorities. The 'Moliva' left Albania in early July and according to documents its cargo consisted of industrial waste, specifically iron oxide, whose export is authorised. However, information of a whistleblower suggestedthe cargo actually contained electric arc furnace dust (EAFD). Classified as toxic waste, this dust must be stored and transported under very strict conditions. Ultimately rejected by Thailand, the ship turned back and returned to Albania with stopovers in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Turkiye. The Durres prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the smuggling of prohibited goods and has indicated it planned take samples of the samples for analysis upon the ship's arrival at Durres to determine whether the containers indeed contained toxic waste. The Durres prosecutor's office, which is working in cooperation with the European anti-fraud office (OLAF), ordered on Oct 27 the seizure of the containers upon their arrival to prepare for their opening under safe conditions. Report with photo: https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/28/10/2024/ship-with-suspected-toxic-waste-returns-to-albania