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During the recent days, the Russian trawlers 'Kapelan' and 'Saami' sought shelter in the fjords in North Troms and have been sailing back and forth on the Ullsfjord for at least over a day near Laukøya raising concerns. There are currently 10 Russian trawlers that have sought refuge in Troms. In addition, three are docked in Tromsø. The situation is the same further north. In the lee of Sørøya. The Russian trawler 'Yagry' was anchored at Laukøya east of Arnøya. This came after a yellow warning has been issued for wind, and storms, high waves. The Norwegian defense stated that the trawlers had been given permission to seek shelter from bad weather. The Norwegian authorities allow fishing vessels to seek shelter during storms, and the vessels are assigned safe harbors. The defense assured that they have a good overview of vessels along the coast.

On the evening of Feb 3, 2025, the 'Musse' , which had set off from Strandby on Feb 2, caught fire 18 nautical miles east of Skagen. At 7:47 p.m., the Skagen Rescue Station received the report of the fire, and a major rescue operation was launched. The lifeboat 'FRB 08' was deployed to the scene as well as an SAR helicopter of the Danish Armed Forces. When the rescuers arrived at the position, the only fisherman aboard the cutter had already been rescued by a nearby cutter. The 'Musse', hiowever, was completely engulfed in flames. The rescuers had to stay at a distance for fear of an explosion. After some time, the flames began to subside, and in cooperation with the Danish Armed Forces Operations Center JRCC, it was decided to send the lifeboat 'Lars Kruse«', which is equipped with powerful fire pumps that could try to extinguish the fire. At the same time, the 'FRB 08' returned to the port of Skagen. While the fire raged, the cutter slowly drifted into Swedish waters, after which the Swedish coastal rescue service took over and continued the effort. After several hours of extinguishing work, the burnt-out cutter was finally towed to the port of Skagen. On Feb 4 at 6.54 a.m., the North Jutland Emergency Service was called to the port, after heavy smoke had been observed from the "Musse". It was decided to send smoke divers aboard to locate the new fire and at the same time ensure that the fire was completely extinguished. Some of the extinguishing equipment melted, and the North Jutland Emergency Service was in action for almost eight hours to finally put out the fire. The damage was to such an extent that the cutter must now be scrapped. Reports with photo:s https://thefishingdaily.com/danish-fishing-industry-news/burning-fishing-vessel-drifts-into-swedish-waters-near-skagen/ https://fiskerforum.dk/fisker-reddet-fra-kutterbrand-i-skagerrak/?_gl=1*4udesr*_up*MQ..*_ga*NjEyMDUzMzkxLjE3Mzg2NTczNjg.*_ga_Y9J8VY7CKN*MTczODY1NzM2Ny4xLjAuMTczODY1NzM2Ny4wLjAuMA. https://www.soefart.dk/article/view/1145503/langvarig_brand_i_en_fiskekutter_noget_af_vort_slukningsudstyr_smeltede

The 'Raymond Evans' has repatriated 16 migrants to Cuba on Feb 11, 2025, following an interdiction approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Gun Cay, Bahamas. A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 aircrew had detected the 25-foot makeshift vessel on Feb 7 and notified Coast Guard Sector Miami command center watchstanders, who diverted the Coast Guard Cutter 'Manowar' to interdict the vessel. Once aboard the Coast Guard cutter, the migrants were processed to determine their identity and were provided food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention before repatriation. Report with photos and video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4062601/coast-guard-repatriates-16-aliens-to-cuba/

On Feb 11, 20254, the 'Salvamar Algenib' rescued 31 Moroccan migrants from a precarious boat, which had been located 19 nautical miles east of Garrucha at 5:38 a.m. The castaways were disembarked at the port of Almería at 8:30 a.m. local time. The emergency response was coordinated by the RCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Almería. The 'Deltagracht, en route from Agadir to Gandia, collaborated in the rescue mission. https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1889233842340254081

On Feb 11, 2025, at 5.40 a.m. LT, the 'Salvamar Diphda' rescued 71 people about 69.3 nautical miles northeast of Arrecife. At 8.05 the boat disembarked in Arrecife. Report with photos: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1889233842340254081

The NTSB has published a report on the allision of a crane, towed by the 'Nickelena', with the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, which caused $665,000 in damages to the crane as well as $145,000 in damage to the underside of the bridge. The tug was regularly employed to move barges transporting construction equipment to sites around the Great Lakes. In May 2023, they were hired to tow a barge transporting a 160-foot-long boom crane and 5-foot rooster sheave on a deck barge from Escanaba to a construction project at Sault Ste. Marine, Michigan. It was a standard assignment, including the fact they would have to transit under the Mackinac Bridge, a roadway suspension bridge that connects the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan. The crane was secured on the barge on May 6, 2023, and the tow commenced. After leaving the port, the captain ordered the tow line increased to 500 feet, and they proceeded. He left the bridge to rest but planned to return before 2 a.m., when they were due to pass under the roadway bridge. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration determined there was no traffic and minimal wind effect at 2 a.m,. and the tow was moving at a speed of eight knots within the marked channel. The first contact with the bridge was with the stiffening truss below the roadway, at the top of the truss’s bottom chord (about 155 feet above the water). Given the configuration of the crane, the wires securing the crane boom hit first, and then when they parted, the boom contacted the top of the chord. As the barge continued forward, the boom was pushed backward, and its angle and height above the water thus increased, leading to damage higher up on the bridge. At some point, the boom contacted the upper diagonal truss, about 183 feet above the water, before folding back and collapsing on the barge. The engineer aboard the 'Nickelena' was on deck while there was a crew member at the helm. They did not report hearing the contact, but said when they looked aft, they noticed they could not see the crane’s boom. The investigation showed that the captain and the managers of the barge company did not attempt to verify bridge clearance and instead accepted the word of the managers supervising the loading of the crane, who told the captain, “Everything’s secured, ready to go.” The NTSB determined the managers made a visual evaluation that the angle of the crane boom was between 50 and 60 degrees, and the boom was 140 feet. The Load Moment Indicator on the crane was not working, so they relied on their judgment. They decided against lowering the boom to decrease the angle because they thought it would reduce the stability of the barge. Towing vessel operators are required to have a towing safety management system (TSMS), and voyage planning would have been part of the process. The company operating the vessel, Basic Towing, told that they had a TSMS, but the NTSB said that no documentation was found that a navigation assessment was conducted and no attempt by the captain to verify the tow was safe for the intended route. The water level under the bridge was higher than average, with clearance at about 153 feet instead of the normal 160 feet. However, it did not matter because the analysis showed the boom was at approximately 62 degrees, which equated to a height of 162.3 feet. The report says the boom needed to be at about 55 degrees to pass under the bridge at the center of the channel. The visual evaluation also underestimated the length of the boom by 20 feet. The boom was 10 feet too high for clearance. The erroneous estimates provided by the managers set off the chain of events. However, the captain, who was responsible for ensuring the safety of the transit, did not confirm the boom height, nor was there an attempt to verify the bridge’s vertical clearance. Report with photo: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ntsb-ineffective-voyage-planning-caused-towed-crane-to-hit-mackinac-bridge

The 'Pampus' navigated without safe margins, and the crew relied on charts that lacked relevant information about how deep the water was on the route. These were the reasons why the ship ran aground at Norrbyskär, outside Umeå, on Feb 12, 2024, the Swedish Accident Investigation Board has concluded in its final report. The Accident Investigation Board is now recommending that the shipping company work more on maritime safety. The Swedish Transport Agency is being recommended to disseminate more information about safety to shipping companies with work vessels. Report with photo: https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/statens-haverikommission-darfor-gick-pampus-pa-grund

During the recent days, the Russian trawlers 'Kapelan' and 'Saami' sought shelter in the fjords in North Troms and have been sailing back and forth on the Ullsfjord for at least over a day near Laukøya raising concerns. There are currently 10 Russian trawlers that have sought refuge in Troms. In addition, three are docked in Tromsø. The situation is the same further north. In the lee of Sørøya. The Russian trawler 'Yagry' was anchored at Laukøya east of Arnøya. This came after a yellow warning has been issued for wind, and storms, high waves. The Norwegian defense stated that the trawlers had been given permission to seek shelter from bad weather. The Norwegian authorities allow fishing vessels to seek shelter during storms, and the vessels are assigned safe harbors. The defense assured that they have a good overview of vessels along the coast.

A case of armed robbery occurred onboard the 'Haima' on Feb 1, 2025, while the tanker was underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Strait (SS), en route from Singapore to Jamnagar, in pos. 1° 7.8' N 103° 47' E. The ship was boarded by five perpetraors. There were no reports of injured crew members or on stolen items.

On Feb 12, 2025, the 'Lurøy ', serving on the route Stokkvågen - Onøy - Sleneset - Lovund, had to cancel the A-route until further notice due to a leak on the car deck. Further investigations were to be carried out on the extent. The 'Herøysund' continued tol operate as normal in the B-route with a departure from Stokkvågen at 09:30. a.m. The 'Lovund', covering the Træna route, made an extra call at Onøy after the departure from Stokkvågen at 09:05 a.m.. New information was to be provided when the damage to the 'Lurøy' has been investigated further in the port of Stokkvågen.

On Feb 11, 20254, the 'Salvamar Algenib' rescued 31 Moroccan migrants from a precarious boat, which had been located 19 nautical miles east of Garrucha at 5:38 a.m. The castaways were disembarked at the port of Almería at 8:30 a.m. local time. The emergency response was coordinated by the RCC of Salvamento Marítimo in Almería. The cargo m/v 'Deltagracht' (IMO: 9420801), en route from Agadir to Gandia, collaborated in the rescue mission. https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1889233842340254081

On Feb 11 at dawn, the 'Guardamar Caliope' rescued a total of 180 people from three precarious boats. The three rescue mssions were been carried out about 33 nautical miles east of Arrecife. The migrants were disembarked in Arrecife at 7.32 a.m. local time. Report with photos: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1889233842340254081

A cargo of contraband cigarettes was seized bythe French customs authorities aboard the'Kokoo' by the Nouméa Customs Authority with assistance from the Australian Border Force (ABF) on Feb 5, 2025, after the ship had berthed in the port of Nouméa. The search by customs agents yielded around 76 tonnes of contraband cigarettes, which were found in five containers. The Australian Border Force (ABF) has stated that the investigation and surveillance of the vessel had been ongoing for a while and that they were monitoring the suspicious route of the vessel near the Australian coast. Along with the contraband, two speedboats were also found to be stowed aboard the vessel, fitted with four 300-hp-outboard motors., an arrangement typical for boats used in smuggling operations. Around 10 tons of gasoline were also found,, presumably to fuel the speedboats. The 'Kokoo' probably served as a mother ship to smuggle cigarettes, with the final leg of the delivery being made using the speedboats. On Feb 7, the master appeared at a criminal court in Noumea and was sentenced to 10 months in prison and a fine of $350,000 and confiscation of the entire cigarette cargo, along with the speedboats. The value of the seized tobacco is estimated to be about $35 million on the legal market. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/new-caledonia-busts-a-mother-ship-used-for-cigarette-smuggling

Security authorities are currently dealing with a suspected act of sabotage on the "Emden". According to this, the Hamburg State Criminal Police Office has taken over the case. The Inspector of the Navy, Jan Christian Kaack, confirmed that saboteurs had even caused targeted damage to warships in Germany in more than one case. There was "destruction, i.e. sabotage, on more than one unit". Appropriate measures have been taken in the shipyards. Unknown persons have dumped dozens of kilograms of metal shavings into the propulsion of the "Emden". This was discovered during an inspection of the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg shortly before the first departure from there on Jan 13, 2025. The ship has been cleaned before it went into operation. The shipyard has not yet handed the ship over to the Navy. According to naval experts, such pieces of metal can cause considerable damage to the ship if they are not discovered - and possibly delay delivery to the German Navy for a long time. The background to the sabotage attempts is still unclear. The 'Emden', however, is to be used for maritime surveillance, an important task, especially at a time when NATO is warning of an increase in hybrid attacks by Russia, including in the Baltic Sea region.

White solidified lumps of cooking fat, animal fat and vegetable oil have washed ashore on several of the beaches of Hanko at the end of Jan 2,025, and probably came from the 'Sten Bergen', which was in Porvoo from Jan 24-26 and had washed its tanks at sea. The MARPOL Convention and its Annex II establish the international rules for the discharge of harmful liquid substances into the Baltic Sea and classify them into four different categories. The Coast Guard is investigating whether a crime may have been committed in connection with the discharge of the fat residues. The ship may have at least on paper remained within the framework of international law. It was believed to have pre-washed its tanks in the port of Sköldvik in Porvoo, after which it continued washing its tanks at sea. For the type of cargo the ship was transporting, under certain conditions, washing water can be discharged into the Baltic Sea, if it is a second rinse. Marine expert Vanessa Ryan from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) believes that there is reason to investigate whether the laws regarding the discharge of washing water should be stricter, as it is difficult to know how big an environmental impact the discharge of wash water into the Baltic Sea has. Liquid substances transported in bulk by tanker are divided into four categories depending on how harmful they are considered to be to people and the environment. According to international regulations established by the MARPOL Convention, a ship carrying truly dangerous substances, i.e. X-cargo, must always pre-wash its tanks in port after unloading the cargo. For the following class, i.e. category Y, the restrictions are somewhat lighter. Pre-washing in ports also applies to Y-cargo, but not for all types of chemicals. The wash water must then be disposed of in the port. After this, the ships can continue washing after they have left port. After a pre-wash of the tanks of a ship that has transported a Y-cargo, international regulations allow a second rinse at sea, but under certain conditions. Among other things, the wash water must be sufficiently diluted,. A tank in a ship built in 2007 or later may contain a maximum of 75 liters of liquid substances after emptying when it is an X-, Y- or Z-cargo. The rules for how concentrated a substance can then be and how much wash water can be released into the sea differ for different substances. In order to release wash water, the ship in question must also be at least 12 nautical miles from the nearest shore, the water depth is at least 25 meters and the ship is moving at a speed of at least seven knots. The Coast Guard is currently investigating whether a crime could be behind the fat lumps in Hanko. If they conclude that a crime can be suspected, it could be a matter of something called an environmental protection offence in shipping. The city of Hanko is not currently planning to file a police report regarding the fat accumulations. Neste has taken responsibility for them and promised to cover the costs of the cleanup Reports with photos: https://yle.fi/a/74-20140453 https://yle.fi/a/7-10072004

The Coast Guard Cutter 'Raymond Evans' has repatriated 16 migrants to Cuba on Feb 11, 2025, following an interdiction approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Gun Cay, Bahamas. A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 aircrew had detected the 25-foot makeshift vessel on Feb 7 and notified Coast Guard Sector Miami command center watchstanders, who diverted the 'Manowar' to interdict the vessel. Once aboard the Coast Guard cutter, the migrants were processed to determine their identity and were provided food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention before repatriation. Report with photos and video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4062601/coast-guard-repatriates-16-aliens-to-cuba/

On Feb 9, 2025, at 1.41 a.m. the 'Seokyung 22, 139 gt, capsized and sank in the East China Sea, about kilometers east of Habaek Island in Samsan-myeon, Yeosu, with 14 crew members, including eight Koreans and six other nationalities on board, due to bad weather. The Korea Coast Guard launched an SAR operation along with nearby fishing vessels, who were able to pull seven fishermen rom the water. Three crew members, including the captain, were found floating unconscious. Attempts to resuscitate them were unsuccessful. The other four crew members were found in a life raft. They were rescued and taken to Chukjeong on Narodo Island for medical treatment. They were suffering from hypothermia and non life-threatening injuries. The authorities conducted a five-kilometer search around the area where the fishing vessel sank The Coast Guard deployed 19 vessels assisted by four aircraft while divers were used to see if the the missing fishermen were trapped inside the vessel. Testimony provided by the survivors stated the missing crew members were most likely below deck when the ship sank, after it had departed Gamcheon Port in Busan on Feb 8 at 12:55 p.m. and was sailing off the coast of Heuksan Island in Sinan County to its operational area. During the search, a 5-ton rescue boat from the Yeosu Coast Guard 516 capsized due to high waves, but the officers on board were unharmed. Search authorities planned to mobilize 31 ships and seven aircraft to conduct a sea search on the fourth day of the accident, but they were struggling due to poor weather conditions. The scope, which has been widened to 107km wide and 74km long, will be divided into six areas to search. The wreck was located in an upright position on the seabed 82.8 meters deep in the sea east of Habaekdo Island in Samsan-myeon, using side scan sonar. The families of the missing requested a search on board and a timely salvage. Underwater searches using the Navy's Underwater Unmanned Vehicle (ROV) also remained suspended until the weather has improved. Reports with photo and video: https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20250210/5440672/1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=43&v=-bS6fz5rbkI&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fshipwrecklog.com%2F&source_ve_path=MTM5MTE3LDIzODUx https://www.mk.co.kr/en/society/11239232

On Feb 11, 2025, the 'Salvamar Nunki' rescued 32 migrants of Moroccan nationality, among them 16 men, four women and 12 minors, from a wooden boat, which had been spotted in the Arinaga area, in Risco Verde with a notice of arrival at midnigh)t. The migrants were disembarkation in Arguineguín at 5 a.m. LT. The Helimer 202 SAR helicopter also participated in the emergency respnise, which was coordinated by CCS Las Palmas of Salvamento Marítimo. Report with photos: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1889233842340254081

The 'Guardamar Polimnia' has assisted two precarious boats on the afternoon of Feb 11. The first one was located 47 kilometres east of Lanzarote, with 60 people on board. A merchant ship had sighted the second one in the same area, and the 'Guardamar Polimnia' embarked the 37 people on board. All have been transferred to Arrecife, where they have been attended by the health and security devices. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1889348506093035913

arrived Bhavnagar Anchorage 11.02.25