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On Nov 26, 2024, the "Jomfruland" lost its steering. The voluntary crew on the NSSR-lifeboat "Uni Kragerø" responded quickly and assisted to geth the vessel with the passengers on board safely to the berth in Kragerø. The ferry carries resident islanders for free. Photo: https://x.com/NSSR/status/1861705417417441583

The “Isle of Inishmore” was detained on Nov 25, 2024, at 9.30 a.m. in the port of Calais, after its arrival from Dover. During an inspection. the bilge pump did not work. On the whole four defiencies were found. The ferry was back on the run on Nov 27 at 5.30 a.m., although running behind schedule due to Storm Condal.

Work on the removal of the last batch of loosened parts of the wreck of the 'Elke M', that ran aground near St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape in January 2024, has resumed. The removal of the loose steel parts of the vessel began on Nov 21 and continued this week. Resumption of the work, halted since May 2024 due to a hostile wintry weather characterised by strong winds and huge waves along the Cape of Good Hope Ocean corridor, began following the completion an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under Section 30 of National Environmetral Management Act (NEMA) by an expert environmentalist and scientist, Dr Warwick Sauer, of the faculty of Ichthyology and Fisheries Sciences at Rhodes University. The reduced steel structural portion of the vessel, which was left on the coastline at Shark Point, near St. Francis Bay, had since firmly settled on the rocky shoreline at a much faster rate than had been anticipated. The steel was divided into three parts. The grounding ihaad occurred on theevening on Jan 6 on a rocky coastal area of the Cape coast in the Eastern Cape, about two kilometres southeast of St Francis Bay. TNSRI had assisted in the evacuation of all 22 crew members aboard the vessel. Salvage work was initiated shortly thereafter to reduce and remove the vessel’s 35 tons of marine fuel and approximately 2000 litres of lubricating oil. In May 2024, after additional evaluations of its disfigured and torn bare structure, which was divided into three sections, it was determined to be temporarily safe during the stormy winter months that began that month. In the intervening period, a services provider procured by the vessel owner’s insurers remained posted to monitor the vessel remains’ condition. The monitoring company also collected debris found in the area, and most of which did not emerge from the bare and broken structure of the 'Elke M'. The vigilance would continue through to February 2025 by which period much of what remains of the wreck will possibly have been completely removed. The wreck removal team utilised a helicopter to lift and dispose of loose steel parts of the wreck that were ripped off its skeletal structure by the pounding of sea waves during the winter months. The operation process initially concentrated on reduction of the wreck to the waterline level, followed by a process to split the sub-sea section into multiple sections for scuttling. Report with photos: https://blog.samsa.org.za/2024/11/27/wreck-removal-of-grounded-fishing-trawler-fv-elke-m-underway-in-st-francis-bay-samsa/

arrived Chittagong Anchorage 25.11.24

Beached at Alang 26.11.24

On Nov 25, the 'Yantar' was intercepted while crossing the Strait of Gibraltar towards the Mediterranean, which heightened concerns in Europe about espionage activities near critical infrastructure. This ship, officially classified as an "oceanographic research vessel", has been the subject of increasing attention since it began to carry out maneuvers in strategic waters of Europe after leaving from the port of Severodvinsk. It is equipped with advanced spy technology and has the ability to deploy mini-submarines that can dive to depths of more than 6,000 metersm, allowing it to operate near undersea cables, vital infrastructure for global telecommunications and international finance, which has raised alarms about possible espionage activities in the submarine communication networks that connect Europe with North America. The ship was first spotted in the Irish Sea on Nov 15, when Irish authorities escorted it out of their waters after it was detected near submarine cables key to international communications. Its presence in this area was especially disturbing given that days earlier, an underwater cable between Finland and Germany suffered a rupture, which increased speculation about a possible link to the ship's operations. Throughout its journey, the 'Yantar' has been closely monitored by British naval forces, who suspected it could be involved in espionage missions related to telecommunications cables and other strategic infrastructure. The 'Yantar' continued its journey south, being reported in Portuguese waters days after its passage through the Irish Sea, before reaching the Strait of Gibraltar. Its route now takes it towards Algeria, where it is expected to arrive on Nov 27.

On the evening of Nov 24, 2024, a rescue mission on the "Lazurnyy", which was lying west of Lofoten, by the HRS Nord-Norge had to be aboarted. A rescue helicopter from Bodø was dispatched on the afternoon to the trawler for a medical evacuation after the ship asked for assistance a little after 1 p.m. A crew member had life-threatening conditions that required specialized hospital services. The SAR Queen landed at Røst to refuel, but then set course for the trawler, which was approximately 300 kilometers from Røst. There were wind speeds of 4-6 m/s in the area and a wave height of 2.7 metres. The bad weather prevented the evacuation, and the ship- has set course for Tromsø to drop the man off.

On Nov 27, 2024, at around 8 a.m. UTC, the 'Anglo Marie Louise" suffered an explosion in the cargo hold area east of North Carolina, en route from Baltimore to Singapore, loaded with up to 133,669 cubic meters bulk cargo. The vessel was 150 nautical miles from the coast of North Carolina (Lat. 35.7350 Lng. -73.6517) at the time of the incident. The vessel has suffered damage to its No. 1 and No. 2 cargo hatches. The vessel turned around and was capable making its way to the Chesapeake Bay after the incident. On Nov 28 short before 3 a.m., it dropped anchor off Virginia Beach in pos. 36° 57' N 076° 01' W.

The investigation into the cable damage in the Baltic Sea continued to focus on the "Yi Peng 3". The German Federal Police has sent two ships to the bulk carrier. On nov 27, material was landed in Kiel after the observation. The patrol boat "Bad Düben" headed for the Kiel naval base, where the crew dropped off material. The investigators had specifically chosen the sheltered berth at the Oskar-Kusch-Jetty" of the naval base to drop off the items.The ship had previously spent three days with the Chinese freighter in the Kattegat. The Chinese ship is the focus of the investigators. What exactly was carried off the "Bad Düben" in large boxes was still a secret. The Federal Police Headquarters in Potsdam only confirmed the use of the "Bad Düben"."The Federal Police have initiated preliminary investigations in connection with the damaged deep-sea cables, supporting the Finnish authorities in this process. The "Bad Düben" was in operation from Nov 23 to Nov 25 with the "Yi Peng 3". On the evening of Nov 26, the "Bad Düben" set course from Kiel again too the Kattegt. A considerable number of emergency personnel have gathered there. In addition to the "Bad Düben", the emergency ship "Bad Bramstedt" was also there. Denmark has the frigate "Hvidbjörnen" and the patrol boat "Rota" on scene, and Sweden the Coastguard ship "Poseidon". The cable ship "Cable Vigilance" has been in operation at the site of the cable damage since Nov 25. The ship, which was brought in from France, is now to repair the "C-Lion 1" data cable. The work should be completed in a few days. When examining the break point, investigators also secured initial traces on the seabed. However, details are not being given because of the ongoing investigation. The Finnish National Investigation Bureau (NBI) is investigating the damage to the submarine cable as serious property damage and serious disruption to communications . To secure the criminal investigation, the NBI asked the Finnish border guards last week for support in examining the crime scene. The Finnish Border Guard's Coastguard ship "Turva" has equipment for exploring the seabed and securing evidence. On board the 'Turva' are NBI employees who are gathering information on the results of the crime scene investigation.

The 'Breizn Nevez I', sailing between the island of Groix and Lorient, had one more passenger when it arrived on the continent on Nov 27, 2024. Having left Port-Tudy at 6:50 a.m., one of its passengers gave birth on board the ferry during the 45-minute crossing. The mother, who was on the island, went into contractions around 3 a.m. and had alerted the emergency services late in the night. She was taken care of by the Groix firefighters who transported her to the port in their ambulance. As the weather conditions were very bad, the CROSS did not send an SNSM launch to ensure the mother's repatriation to tLorient. The ambulance and its team drove onto the ship at 6:50 a.m. The birth took place inside the ambulance during the crossing. Upon arrival at the Lorient ferry terminal, the mother and her child were then taken care of by a team from the SAMU to be transported to the maternity ward of the Scorff hospital. In the morning, the Compagnie Océane got news from the mother of her baby, a boy named Bastien. They are doing well.

arrived Chittagong Anchorage 25.11.24

On Nov 23, the 'Martyna' was in collision with a tank barge on the upper water of the lock of the Wesel-Datteln Canal in Hünxe. The tanker suffered a crack of about one meter length at the bow above the waterline. The fire bridgades Hünxe, Bruckhausen and Drevenack were alerted at 7:49 p.m. After an inspection, no further action was required by the fire department. The 'Martyna' waswas damaged under the waterline. The bow was severely deformed, causing water ingress. The hole was spread open with hydraulic rescue equipment in order to be able to use the ship's own submersible pump. The pumpe could cope with the water ingress, and the water level was kept constant. The site was handed over to the water police, who have begun further investigations. The fire department's work was completed after about two hours. Report with photos: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/50510/5917470

The 'Aita Mari' has rescued 33 people of Syrian origin on the morning of Nov 27, including two women and three unaccompanied minors, in the Mediterranean Sea in the Libyan SAR zone. According to the NGO Maritime Humanitarian Rescue (SMH), the operation has been marked by moments of tension and panic among the people on board, with a Libyan Coast Guard ship that approached dangerously to the boat. All the people were saved and were receiving medical attention, food and water then. The 'Aita Mari' was now heading to the assigned port of Salerno. two days from navigation, despite the fact that there are safe ports much closer.

The 'Sea Watch 5', with 49 migrants on board, whchi were rescued near Malta on Nov 22, had been assigned the port of Ravenna but had to stop on Nov 25 at the port of Palermo due to health issues of some of the migrants on board. The Court for Minors in Palermo called for the disembarking of the minors on board. On the afternoon, six minors, five of whom were unaccompanied, were disembarked by order of the Juvenile Court of Palermo. The other migrants remained on board. Non-governmental organizations, in particular Sea Watch, have launched a sincere appeal, calling the partial landing "inhuman and discriminatory." The NGO called for all migrants on board to be immediately brought ashore, pointing out the difficulties and insecurities faced by migrants in these conditions. The living conditions on board the 'Sea Watch 5' have become a subject of public discussion. Migrants, already exhausted by the long journey, fpimd themselves in a stalemate with limited access to medical care and psychological support. The presence of unaccompanied minors on board is a further cause for concern, as these vulnerable young people need adequate protection and assistance. NGOs are urging that the competent authorities intervene to ensure the well-being of all migrants.

In the case of the 'Yi Peng 3' it has emerged that the ship had a,ready carried out suspicious maneuvers on its way into the Baltic Sea across three Danish cables on the bottom of the sea between Læsø and Sweden. On Nov 2, the ship carried out suspicious maneuvers when it passed over several Danish submarine cables at Læsø, while heading towards the Russian port Ust-Luga on Nov 7, 10 days before the vessel passed over two cables in the Baltic Sea, which were probably hit by sabotage. On that day, the 'Yi Peng 3' slowed down from a speed of 13 knots to 0.5 knots, just as it passed three submarine cables, two power cables and a data cable, between Læsø and Sweden, which a merchant ship would not normally do. The ship may have deliberately dragged its anchor along the seabed for more than 100 miles. The port side anchor does show signs of damage and is noticeably bent in several places, although it is not possible to say with certainty how and when the damage was caused. In a possible interrogation, the master should explain this as well as the erratic movement of the ship. The 'Yi Peng 3' was still at anchor in the Kattegat on Nov 28, surrounded by naval and Coastguard ships from several nations. Report with photos: https://www.demorgen.be/oorlog-in-oekraine/chinees-vrachtschip-sleepte-meer-dan-160-kilometer-met-anker-over-bodem-van-oostzee~b69cd8ed/?referrer=https://www.google.com/

The 'Samantha-RI 159', 61,7 gt (built 2003), ran aground off Rømø in pos. 55° 08' E 008° 28' on Nov 26., 2024 The Danish lifeboat 'Niels Iversen' (MMSI: 219001959) was deployed from Esbjerg. The Rømø Rescue Station sent  the 'Kyst FRB 18' (MMSI: 219019014). Together with a German rescue vessel they tried to pull the ship off, but wihout success. The efforts were continued on Nov 27 and succeeded at around 11 a.m. The ship was safely berthed in Havneby at noon.

scrapped at ship breakers in Santo Domingo / Dominical Republic,

arrived Alang Anchorage 27.11.24

The 'Glen Sannox' still needs a permanent solution to a problem with its anchor system, with managers at the Ferguson Marine shipyard saying that it was very disappointing that the issue was not spotted earlier. The most recent delay in the delivery of the vessel was due to a problem with part of the ship’s anchor system called the gypsy, which is used to hoist the anchor chain. The ferry will receive a long-term fix to its anchor system in the coming weeks. The initial round of sea trials in February had not identified the issue. A safe solution which had been signed off by the ship classification society was in place.

The Council of State has rejected the appeal filed by the captain of the "Shtandart", after the prefectural ban imposed on him in July 2024 from entering the ports of Finistère to participate in the Brest Maritime Festival. Vladimir Martus - who publicly displays his opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin but whose ship is accused of serving his propaganda - had brought an interim relief to the administrative court of Rennes: his ship, which no longer flies the Russian flag but the Cook Islands flag since June 6,, had "signed a contract" to participate in "a huge number of events" during the Maritime Festival. In particular, its captain was to "transport 1,500 passengers" and participate in the parade from Brest to Douarnenez, which required "significant logistics" and was to earn him "a significant sum of money". Vladimir Martus therefore simply had "the misfortune of being Russian" even though he has been living in Europe since 2009, his lawyer had lamented. Before the Council of State, Vladimir Martus argued that the Rennes judge had committed a double "error of law" on July 11, 2024: the ban on Russian ships accessing European ports since the war in Ukraine was "applicable only to replicas of historic ships flying the Russian flag on June 25, 2024", which was not her case. The order of the Breton magistrate also amounted to violating the "principles of legal certainty and legitimate trust" in the commitments of public authorities: "replicas of historic ships" such as the Shtandart were not covered by the provisions of the European Union regulation. But "none of these grounds are such as to allow the appeal to be admitted", the Council of State ruled in a judgment on Nov 18.