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On Feb 15, the SS 'United States' has started her final journey, leaving her long-time dock in Philadelphia.After nearly three decades at Pier 82, the ship was moved in preparation for a 14-day tow to Mobile, Alabama, where she will undergo environmental remediation before being sunk as an artificial reef off Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Tugs carried out the complex manoeuvre, timing the movement with the midday high tide on the Delaware River.The ship’s stern was first pulled across the slipway, followed by the bow, before she was resecured at Pier 80 on the north side of the slipway. The tow, which is planned for Feb 19 now, will take her past several key bridges, including the Commodore Barry Bridge (U.S. 322), the Delaware Memorial Bridge (I- 295) and the Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76). The bridge closures will be coordinated as she passes, The tow will be led by the 'Vinik No.6'. The ship will begin moving south down the Delaware River at low tide at 12:51 p.m. Tugs will begin to position her off of pier 80 two to three hours before low tide, Okaloosa County, the ship’s new owner, has stated that real-time route adjustments will be made every six hours, taking into account weather conditions and currents. Once the ship arrives in Mobile, she will be docked at the Modern American Repair & Recycling Services facility. The remediation process will involve removing hazardous materials, including loose paint, PCBs, and fuel from her tanks. Additionally, all windows and portholes will be removed. Her funnels and radar mast will be carefully dismantled and handed over to the SS United States Conservancy, which plans to incorporate them into a future museum and visitor centre in Destin-Fort Walton Beach. The entire preparation process is expected to take one year before the vessel is finally sunk to create the world’s largest man-made reef. As a farewell to the city, volunteers boarded the SS United States on Feb 14 to set up special lighting. At nightfall, her bridge was illuminated in green, paying tribute to the Philadelphia Eagles, who recently won the Super Bowl. The city was also hosting a championship celebration for the team Loyal fans gathered at the pier to witness the ship’s movement. The 'United States' set a speed record for transatlantic crossings in 1952, averaging 36 knots. She remained in passenger service for over a decade and later operated on occasional pleasure cruises before being retired in 1969. Since then, the ship has changed ownership multiple times. Between 1980 and 2024, various attempts were made to restore her for commercial use or transform her into a tourist attraction. However, these efforts were unsuccessful. The SS United States Conservancy owned the ship from 2011 until October 2024 but was forced to relinquish control due to a legal dispute with the pier’s operators. A court ruling ordered the ship’s removal, leaving the non-profit unable to relocate her. She was sold to Okaloosa County for $1 million as part of a $10 million plan to repurpose her as an artificial reef. Once deployed off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, the ship will become a vital marine habitat, attracting fish, coral, and other marine life. The site is expected to be an attraction for divers and anglers from around the world.The county is working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies to ensure all environmental and safety regulations are met. Report with photo: https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-ss-united-states-completes-first-move-as-final-journey-begins

Authorities in Nador have detained the crew of the 'White Eagel' at the city’s port. The ship, which flies the flag of Sierra Leone, was suddenly diverted to Morocco en route to Lebanon. The crew was not allowed to leave the ship and remained under strict surveillance. They were being provided with food daily, while medical teams were on standby to provide assistance if necessary. The ship’s cargo, reportedly around 6,000 tons, remained a mystery. The ship had no clear destination in Lebanon, which only adds to the questions about the purpose of the journey. The ship turned off its AIS while in international waters near Morocco during the voyage . This is a well-known tactic in smuggling operations to avoid detection. Furthermore, the coast of Sierra Leone is known as a base for arms trafficking networks, which makes the situation even more suspicious.

The Kerala government is set to hand over the provisional completion certificate for Vizhinjam Port, marking the beginning of its commercial operations. Kerala government will issue the provisional completion certificate for the Vizhinjam international seaport on Wednesday - 04/12/2024. The Directorate of Customs has assigned a new port code, "INTRV01," for Vizhinjam International Seaport. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has also officially recognized "INTRV01" as the designated port code for Adani Vizhinjam Port. This development reflects the growing prominence of Vizhinjam International Seaport as a strategic hub for maritime trade in South Asia. The recognition by UNECE ensures compliance with international standards, reinforcing the seaport's status as a key player in global shipping networks. Vizhinjam International Port has made waves in the shipping industry by achieving a historic milestone—handling 300,000 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) of cargo in just six months of its trial run! This phenomenal growth cements Vizhinjam’s status as a world-class transshipment hub, attracting some of the biggest players in global shipping. MSC Brings Shipping Titans To Vizhinjam! The world’s leading shipping giant, MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), is making a bold move by introducing Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCV) to Vizhinjam by the end of this month. As part of MSC’s elite Jade (Premium) Service, which bridges Asia and Europe, a massive cargo ship will now dock at Vizhinjam every week—which will be a game-changer for international trade.

The 'Pontica' was subjected to a Port State Control in the port of Uddevalla after its arrival en route from Barranquilla on Jan 5, 2025. No fewer than 40 deficiencies were discovered during the inspections. The ship must now ensure that the deficiencies are rectified. The Swedish Transport Agency will then carry out a new inspection before it can be allowed to leave Uddevalla again. It left the port again only on Feb 10, next headed to Kiel. Report with photo: https://www.sjofartstidningen.se/tva-fartyg-halls-kvar-i-uddevalla/

On Feb 14, 2025, the 'Seabreeze II' was detained in Trabzon with 17 deficiencies: 1) Certificate & Doc - International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate Missing 2) Certificate & Doc - International Ballast Water Management Certificate Missing 3) Certificate & Doc - Log-books/Compulsory entries Not as required 4) Life saving Appliances - Rescue boats Not properly maintained 5) Life saving Appliances - Inflatable liferafts Not as required 6) Life saving Appliances - Rigid liferafts Not as required 7) Life saving Appliances - Lifeboats inventory Inoperative 8)) Living and working - Gangway, accommodation ladder Not as required 9) Water/Weathertight - Freeboard marks Not as required 10) Fire safety - Fire doors/openings in fire resisting division Not as required 11) Emergency systems - Emergency lighting, battieries and switches Not as required 12) Pollution Prevention - Ballast Water Record Book Not as required 13) Safety of navigation - Voyage or passage plan Inoperative 14) Safety of navigation - Voyage data recorder Not as required 15) Radio communications - Operation of GMDSS equipment Not as required 16) Structural conditions - Decks - Corrosion Corroded 17) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Feb 15 and left the port en route to Rostov-On-Don. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591