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On Feb 13 a number Russian ships carrying military equipment was entering the English Channel, among them the 'Sparta', 'Sparta 2' and 'General Skobelev' and the oiler 'Yelnya', the cargo ships carrying military equipment from Syria, where the country was forced to close its naval base following the recent fall of dictator Bashar al Assad. Both ships are owned by Oboronlogistika LLC, a company that operates on behalf of the Russian Ministry of Defence. In 2022, the US government sanctioned both vessels. While passing through the strait, they have been closely shadowed by the British naval vessel RFA 'Tideforce', which began tailing the ships on Feb 12. the Russian Naval ships RFS 'Aleksandr Otrakovskiy', and 'RFS Ivan Gren', both Ropucha class ship, which are armed and designed to facilitate beach landings, accompanied the 'Sparta' and 'Sparta 2'. Also the HMS 'Iron Duke', HMS 'Tyne', and a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron reported on every move of the ships, RFS Aleksandr Otrakovskiy and , and merchant vessels Sparta, Sparta II and Reports with photo and video: https://news.sky.com/story/russian-ships-filmed-carrying-military-hardware-through-the-english-channel-13309518 https://www.forcesnews.com/services/navy/watch-footage-hms-iron-duke-shadowing-russian-task-group-english-channel

An officer of the 'Matthew' was involved in a group effort to disguise the vessel's true position, the Special Criminal Court has heard. The Filipino Harold Estoesta, aged 31, and Iranian Saeid Hassani, aged 39, have denied having the cocaine for sale or supply on board the ship. The 2.25 tonnes of cocaine has an estimated value of more than €157 million. The court previously heard that while the 'Matthew' was sailing under the flag of Panama, it was owned by a Dubai-based company known as 'Symphony Marine'. It departed from Curacao, off the Venezuelan coast and sailed across the Atlantic before arriving in Irish territorial waters. The Prosecution counsel, Sean Guerin SC, said there would be evidence that the men had given direction to others in the preparation for the physical transfer of the drugs from the the 'Matthew' onto 'The Castlemore'. The State alleges both accused were in a Deck Officers WhatsApp group and the case against them relates to communications about the transportation of the drugs and the concealment of those activities from others. At the Special Criminal Court on Feb 13, the evidence continued of Gary Delaney, a retired naval officer with 40 years’ experience in land and marine surveying. The court previously heard that he inspected the systems used by the 'Matthew' to work out the ship’s navigation and route. The Counsel for the State, John Berry SC, referenced a phone taken from Mr Hassani that contained messages to the WhatsApp group known as The Deck Officers. Mr Delaney confirmed that these messages showed that Mr Estoesta was aware of efforts by people on board the ship to use the AIS to simulate the vessel’s position. As the ship approached Irish waters, there was no actual evidence of a simulated position but an absence of any position. The AIS did not provide any information, which he attributed to an uncertainty by those on board about which route to take. There was an update on Sep 23, 2023, to the AIS records showing a change of destination from Gdansk to Belfast. Just after midnight on Sep 24, the AIS sent a message that the ship was "NUC". Two hours later, the AIS status was changed to indicate the vessel was underway using its engine. The vessel’s destination was then changed from Belfast to Cork. Mr Delaney previously gave evidence that in Aug 2023, there was a divergence between where the 'Matthew' actually was and what it was broadcasting its position as. From Aug 22 to Sep 7, the vessel reported itself as doing a perfect circle off the coast of Guyana, but the ECDIS showed it was off the coast of Venezuela. Mr Delaney said that in the real world, ships do not do perfect circles without dynamic positioning systems, something that the 'Matthew' did not have. Mr Hassani and Mr Estoesta are charged that on Sep 24, 2023, on board the vessel within the territorial sea of the State, they had in their possession controlled drugs, namely cocaine, for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying the drug to another in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, 2017 to 2023, made under section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 and at the time while the drug was in their possession the market value of the controlled drug amounted to €13,000 or more. They are also charged with the possession of cocaine for sale or supply to a value of €13,000 or more between September 24 and 26, 2023, both dates inclusive, at locations outside the State, on board the vessel- Each man also faces a third charge that on Sep 24, 2023, within the State, with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, he participated in or contributed to activity intending to, or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could, facilitate the commission of a serious offence by that criminal organisation or any of its members. The trial will be continued on Feb 18. Four co-accused — Ukrainians Mykhailo Gavryk, aged 32, and Vitaliy Vlasoi, aged 32, Iranian Soheil Jelveh, aged 51, and Dutch national Cumali Ozgen, aged 49 — last week pleaded guilty to similar offences connected to the seizure. Report with photos: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41574157.html

On Feb 9, 2025, the 'Atu' was etained in Aveiro with 21 deficiencies , six of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Radio communications - Satellite EPIRB Inoperative 2) Fire safety - Fire detection and alarm system Inoperative 3) Emergency systems - Emergency lighting, batteries and switches Inoperative 4) Safety of navigation - Charts Not updated 5) Safety of navigation - Nautical publications Not updated 6) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Feb 14 and left the port en route to Szczecin with an ETA as of Feb 22. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

A 37-year-old crew member of the 'Mein Schiff Relax' from Bangladesh has died of a heart attack while the ship was docked in Trieste on the night of Feb 13, 2025. Emergency medical services were dispatched to the ship after the onboard medical team provided initial first aid. Despite their efforts, the man,, who worked as a cleaner, could not be saved. The 'Mein Schiff Relax' is a recently delivered ship that has not yet begun passenger sailings. Its first scheduled voyage with paying guests is expected to start in early March.

On Feb 12, 2025, the 'EXplorer' was detained in Jiangyin with six deficiencies, rhree of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Fire safety - Fire prevention structural integrity Not as required 2) Structural conditions - Decks - Corrosion Corroded 3) Pollution Prevention - Oil filtering equipment Not as required. The vessel was released again on Feb 13 and left the por enroute to Cam Pha. The last detention was on April 26, 202, in Changshu, with five deficiencies for two days. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591