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On the afternoon of March 11, the 'Donald James' was towed from Bremen to Bremerhaven by the tugs 'VB Pioneer' (IMO: 9190614) and 'Fairplay 31' (IMO: 9416575) without its rudder. The damage occurred when the ship's stern got stuck on the oppsite embankment of the Weser at Hasenbüren while casting off from the Steel Works Bremen in the Weserport on Feb 17, damaging the steering gear. It had arrived on Feb 16, en route from Narvik. On March 12 the ship was docked at the Lloyd Yard in Bremerhaven for repairs of the damage. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y14nlma8rEo

On March 12, 2025, the 'Montes y Sabino' caught fire about 3.5 nautical miles northeast of Gando. The offshore vessel 'Amber G' (IMO: 9731274) was nearby, and assisted the three crew members, who had deployed the life raft and abandoned ship. The SAR boat 'Salvamar Nunki' (MMSI: 224049950) also attended and took them aboard. The castaways were transported to Las Palmas in good chealth ondition. The SAR helicopter Helimer 202, the SAR vessel LS 'Escila' ((MMSI: 224349860)) and the tug 'Heroínas de Sálvora' (IMO: 9960112) were mobilized to the scene too. The Maritime Captaincy put the National Maritime Plan in the alert phase. The fishing vessel was completely gutted by the blaze and sank at 10:18 p.m. Due to the lubricants and fuel on board, there were concerns about an oil spill about 10 to 15 kilometers from the port of Taliarte. The Helimer helicopter and the 'Salvamar Nunki' thus were monitoring the sinking site on March 13 amd found a slick measuring between 100 and 150 meters in diameter and one mile length approximately four nautical miles from the coast, east of Puerto de Arinaga. The municipalities that could be affected by the remains of the burning boat are Telde, Ingenio, Agüimes, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The fishing vessel's fuel content was estimated at two tons of diesel and 50 liters of oil. The diesel and oil slick was being monitored. Dispersal efforts were underway. There was also concern that the weather situation could lead to the slick's further expansion. The wind in the area was expected to be from the north-northwest throughout the day with moderate intensities (between 20 and 30 kilometers per hour). During the day, the wind was likely to decrease to light and its direction will be variable. The swell is from the northwest with wave heights between one and two meters throughout the day. Reports with photo and video: https://www.kanarenmarkt.de/294161/schiff-vor-gran-canaria-in-flammen-matrosen-gerettet.html https://www.canariajournalen.no/nyheter/2025/03/advarer-om-forurensningsfare-pa-strender-pa-gran-canaria https://www.antena3.com/noticias/sociedad/alerta-gran-canaria-riesgo-contaminacion-hundimiento-pesquero_2025031367d2a7ab9d5e6500016847c7.html https://www.canarias7.es/sucesos/incendio-barco-frente-costa-telde-imagenes-20250312190736-ga.html https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1899909520479948889 https://x.com/i/status/1899909520479948889 https://x.com/DgCanarias/status/1900164056255803466

On March 13, the German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation presented the investigation report on the fire in the engine room of the "Huckleberry Finn" on Aug 16, 2023. The exact cause of the accident could not be determined during the investigation. However, three possible errors were identified: What is undisputed, is that the non-fully functional pneumatic remote control system caused the clutch to slip while the main engine was running. It can also be assumed that the oil from the cylinder oil lubrication system, which was extensively distributed in the area of ​​the main engine and particularly under the clutch cover, ignited due to the heat generated by the slipping clutch. During the first two inspections by the the investigators, the condition of the 'Huckleberry Finn' was acceptable, but not good. This was also communicated to the responsible inspector of the shipping company. During the course of the investigation, the shipping company remedied the deficiencies mentioned as well as various deficiencies that had not been communicated. This extensive work, the implementation of which was not mandatory, included the following points: − The cylinder oil lubrication systems of all four engines were replaced with new models. − All engines were largely resealed, and oil leaks there were stopped. The engine room floor was generally restored to good condition. − At the end of April 2024, the coupling of main engine No. 2 was completely replaced or overhauled. − The separator area was cleaned, and defective electrical connections were repaired. − Defective pressure and/or thermo-manometers were replaced. − The engine room and its adjoining spaces were completely repainted. − The engine crew's changing rooms were renovated. The Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation considered the shipping company's measures to have improved the general safety of the 'Huckleberry Finn' to be appropriate and assumed that the shipping company's focus has been sharpened on the coupling system as a whole and that such accidents will not occur again in the future. Therefore, safety recommendations are unnecessary. Full report: https://www.bsu-bund.de/SharedDocs/pdf/DE/Unfallberichte/2025/Summarischer_Untersuchungsbericht_437_23.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1

The 'Solong', en route from Grangemouth to Rotterdam, and the tanker 'Stena Immaculate' (IMO: 9693018), en route from Agio Theodoroi to Killingholme with a cargo of A-1 jet fuel for the US defence department, were in allision on the North Sea, about 13 nautical miles off the coast of Lincolnshire, on March 10, 2025, at 9.48 a.m. The 'Solong' hit the 'Stena Immaculate' at a speed of 16 knots, having maintained the same course over nine hours. It was foggy, but visibility was about half a mile. The 'Solong' did even not immediately stop and drove into the tanker's side, coming literally out of the blue, for what seemed like 10 minutes. It appeared nobody was on the bridge of the 'Solong' at the moment of the allision. The container ship knocked the tanker 40 ft, but the 'Solong'’s engines had not stopped and it hit the tanker again, bouncing off the tanker, the third allision was not such a hard hit, the engine power had been reduced by then. Two crew members on the 'Stena Immaculate' had been at the bow of the vessel changing a light bulb, when the container vessel ploughed into the mid-section of the tanker, causing an explosion and fire. The two crew had to run passed burning debris as explosions of jet fuel were erupting behind them, to get to the lifeboat. There were multiple explosions and a massive fireball following the impact. Both ships were soon ablaze. The flames immediately began erupting from a ruptured tank, and the crew jumped into action, putting on protective gear to battle the blaze. Ater moments of fighting the inferno, they knew it was a lost cause, and a decision was made to abandon the ship and get into a lifeboat. Some of the sailors even had singed hair because the flames were so close. Some of the crew scrambled to the life rafts taking only what they had on them. Other crew members went to their rooms to gather essential belongings, also grabbing life jackets and emergency gear. The crew went to the mustering point and a warning sound was made for all crew members. When it was verified that everyone was onboard the freefall lifeboat, they launched. The captain was the last person to leave the tanker. They couldn't have waited any longer to get off the vessel, and the whole incident from impact to evacuation lasted about 30 minutes. The HM Coastguard was co-ordinating the emergency response. The Humber Coastguard broadcast a radio call asking for nearby ships with firefighting equipment, or which could help with search and rescue operations. A helicopter took off from Humberside and headed to the scene alongside the RNLI lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes, and an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The 'Svitzer Josephine' (IMO: 8919219) was the first to answer the Mayday call and accepted responsibility to proceed at best speed, with FiFi 1 capabilities. On the whole, three of Svitzer'S emergency response vessels responded, besides the 'Svitzer’s Josephine' the 'Svitzer Harty' (IMO: 9366861) and 'Svitzer Madeline' (IMO: 9127368), arriving simultaneously on scene. By 11.40 a.m. the Cleethorpes boat had been stood down while the boats from Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts. The 'Stena Immaculate' was anchored in pos. 53° 44' N 000° 24' E, when the container ship ran into its side. It is not clear if any has entered the water or been burnt, but jet fuel has been released from the tanker into the sea from a ruptured tank. The 'Stena Immaculate' had come from a refinery in Corinth and did not to have delivered its oil before the allision. The ship was laden with about 142,000 barrels when it left Corinth, in support of the US Department of Defense. The crew of the 'Stena Immaculate' abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. On the whole 36 mariners have been brought ashore in Grimsby. One member of the 'Solong 'crew was still missing as night fell, according to the ship's Hamburg-based owner, Ernst Russ. The search is still underway. 13 of the 14 crew members of this ship were among those who have been brought safely ashore. The first ship, the high speed craft 'Windcat 33' (MMSI: 235103062), arrived with 13 people on board. The offshore windfarm vessel had been in the vicinity when the allision took place. It was followed by 10 casualties on a pilot boat operated by Associated British Ports, which owns the Port of Immingham, and a third vessel - a pilot boat - with the remaining casualties. There was a line of ambulances in Grimsby, waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital. The.emergency crews assessed 36 people at Grimsby's North Quay. obody was required to go to hospital. The 36 mariners of both crews are safe and accounted for at 2.30 p.m. Set up in 2023 under the Biden Government, the US Maritime Administration agency’s Tanker Security Program (TSP) has a number of commercial ships that are guaranteed to be available for US Government work at short notice. The 'Stena Immaculate' was one of three vessels made available to the scheme in 2023 by American company Crowley, which manages the ships’ day-to-day operations through a joint venture with the Swedish owners Stena. The ship’s managing agent is the US company Crowley , which operates the vessel in a partnership with Stena Bulk. Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel. A three mile air exclusion zone has been put in place over the site of the collision off the Yorkshire coast. The Government issued a restriction that effectively bans pilots from flying over the accident site, which is a short distance north-east of Spurn Point on the northern bank of the Humber estuary. Pilots are forbidden to fly within the designated area without the permission of the Coastguard, said a notice to airmen. The zone extends up to 2,000ft above sea level. All four of the ports in the Humber have closed while rescuers and firefighting vessels carry out their duties. Associated British Ports are assisting the HM Coastguard and other relevant agencies with the response to the maritime incident in the North Sea. All vessel movements are currently suspended in the Humber. P&O Ferries said its departure times for scheduled sailings were unconfirmed. The company intends to operate those ships once the port is re-opened to traffic. Wildlife rescue groups are preparing for the impact on an oil spill along the east coast of Yorkshire. The Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue committee had met to discuss preparations to rescue oiled wildlife, particularly birds and are currently adapting the oil spill response protocols – originally designed for factory spills – to ensure to be prepared for the incident and have set up a dedicated oiled wildlife hotline for reporting affected animals in Cleethorpe. The group also urged locals to report sightings of oiled birds. Greenpeace UK was monitoring the situation. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to conduct a preliminary assessment, Preliminary reports suggested that poor visibility may have played a role in the allision. The 'Stena Immaculate’s heading was approx around 065⁰ when she was hit on her port side by the 'Solong' at 9:48:07 a..m. between the rear half of the 'Stena Immaculate’s length. After the collision, the tanker’s heading turned to heading 131⁰ (T) and took all of the 'Solong’s speed away. Both ships appeared to have remained in contact for around four minutes dragged south-east until 9:52:42 a.m. Maritime security sources said there was no indication of any malicious activity or other actors involved in the accident. Reports with photos and video: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cgq1pwjlqq2t https://bridlingtonecho.co.uk/major-shipping-incident-on-north-sea-off-bridlington-after-vessels-collide/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI7yUZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHUcbXuiYQMpLIczmEkMDD_-qLUGjeO_oMbyRv1VstFSFcXUpopLnBn7Tdg_aem_nTIyWjk22xLIlCy9IrM0JA https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/north-sea-stena-immaculate-oil-tanker-cargo-collision-yorkshire-b2712260.html https://www.offshore-energy.biz/foul-play-among-suspected-reasons-behind-oil-tanker-cargo-ship-north-sea-collision/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/10/oil-tanker-cargo-ship-collide-north-sea/ https://news.sky.com/story/what-we-know-about-north-sea-oil-tanker-and-cargo-ship-collision-13325883 https://uk.news.yahoo.com/live/oil-tanker-crash-north-sea-latest-news-122624396.html

On 'March 12, the 'Loch Alainn', serving on the route Barra-Eriskay, completed the repairs of its main engine and commenced sea trials, following which it turned out that the ferry required to carry out a further repair.The 'Loch Alainn' remained sidelined in Barra. As a result, the ferry 'Loch Bhrusda' (IMO: 9129483) was inserted by CalMac to operate the timetabled service. After the repairs to the 'Loch Alainn' have been completed, the ferr resumed service at 1 p.m. departing from Eriskay. All sailings were now scheduled to operate to timetable.