News

The 'Loch Portain' has returned to Oban from an annual overhaul in Greenock on Feb 25, 2025,, but its passenger lift is still out of action almost two months after breaking down. The fault developed in Jan, and it was hoped that contractors would fix it within two weeks. However, this did not happen, and there was an expectation that the lift used by passengers with mobility issues would be repaired while the vessel was away for its annual overhaul, but the lift was still out of order, leaving those affected without access to the toilets. As part of the Emergency evacuation procedures, a limited amount of reduced mobility passengers may remain in their cars on the car deck for the duration of the crossing. The emergency evacuation procedure requires passengers to exit via the lounges that are two flights up from the car deck, which may not be suitable for those with limited mobility. CalMac recommended that passengers with reduced mobility book their travel in advance and inform them of their support requirements to confirm that they can be accommodated.

Nearly 200 nautical miles southwest of Penmarc’h, the' Teliri' suffered a leak as well as propulsion problems after having left Calais on Feb 28, 2025, en route to Trapan. The tug 'Abeille Bourbon' left Brest on the morning of Feb 2 to assist the cable layer 200 miles southwest of Penmarc’h, after having entered into a commercial assistance agreement with the Boluda company. The 'Abeille-Bourbon' set sail from Brest at around 7 a.m. and was expected to reach the casualty on the afternoon. The convoy reached the Ponant port on March 4. Report with photo: https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/marine-marchande/le-cablier-telliri-arrive-a-brest-en-remorque-de-l-abeille-bourbon

On Feb 6, 2025, the NTSB has issued an investigation report into the Chalmette Refinery dock collapse on April 25, 2023, at approximately 00.04 a.m. local time, The 'Ovide J' was maneuvering two loaded crude oil barges to the Chalmette Refinery crude oil dock near mile 89 on the Lower Mississippi River in Chalmette, Louisiana, when the starboard barge contacted the dock. This resulted in the collapse of about 150 feet of the dock into the water. There were no injuries or pollution reported, but the dock’s pipelines, bridges, and pilings were extensively damaged, with an estimated repair cost of $7 million. The experienced relief captain had successfully docked at this location nearly 20 times that year, including earlier that week. He stated, “If I had to do it again, I would do it the same way over again. I would not change a thing.” The Ovide J‘s approach was at a controlled speed (under 0.5 mph) and at a shallow angle. The tow did not break up as a result of the contact, and the onboard recording showed no jolting movement, indicating no large impact on the towing vessel. No damage occurred to the fendering timbers or the pilings from the barge EMS 348’s contact. A 2017 inspection report had identified major deterioration of several horizontal braces between dolphin no. 3 pilings, noting severe deterioration of two pilings and shifting of all pilings toward the shoreline. A 2021 visual structural inspection revealed damage such as disconnected joints and corrosion at the dolphin no. 3 transfer platform. Although a complete inspection was recommended, the dock owner had not acted on the recommendation by the time of the collapse, which occurred about 1 year and 5 months after the 2021 inspection. The observed deterioration indicated the dock’s structural integrity had been severely compromised. The collapse, resulting from what appeared to be a low-impact docking contact, suggests that the dolphin no. 3 transfer platform could not sustain the forces of a typical docking. The dock owner was aware of the structural issues before the collapse but had not taken steps to address them. Since the collapse, the dock owner has initiated measures to more closely monitor dock integrity. Probable cause The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the collapse of a section of the Chalmette Refinery crude oil dock during the docking of the 'Ovide J's tow was the degraded condition of the no. 3 dolphin transfer platform structure. Full report: https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/NTSB-Collapse-of-Chalmette-Refinery-Dock-Section-2025_02.pdf

On March 4, the 'Aurora' has rescued 32 people from the oil platform 'Miskar ' in the Gulf of Gabes in the central Mediterranean, where they had been stranded since March 1. Despite the imminent emergency, informed European authorities had not launched rescue operations, although the people were in international waters, on the border of the Tunisian and Maltese search and rescue (SAR) zone, despite appeals to Maltese, Tunisian and Italian authorities, The castaways were picked up by the German humanitarian ship and received first aid on board. Everyone was in pretty good health. The ship has not yet been assigned a safe port. A reconnaissance aircraft operated by Sea Watch first spotted the group on the oil platform on March 1, with an empty rubber dinghy floating nearby. The 32 people, including women and children, had set off from Libya. The Miskar platform is owned by the British gas supplier British Gas. In recent days, NGOs have complained that, no one has organized the rescue of the migrants on the platform. Report with photo: https://www.tunisienumerique.com/les-32-migrants-bloques-sur-une-plateforme-gaziere-au-large-de-la-tunisie-ont-ete-secourus/#google_vignette

Kimberly Burch, 56, the fiancée of Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe, has died on March 2, 2025, at 11 p.m., after falling off the 'Adventures of the Seas' shortly after getting into a heated argument with Downe, whom she had been with for six or seven years. The couple was on the ship for it’s ’80s-themed cruise, which set sail out of Miami on Feb. 27, and is set to return on March 6. It was unclear whether Kimberly jumped or accidentally fell from the room balcony. The crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, was working with local authorities, and was providing support and assistance to the guest’s family. Taime Downe was performing with his band on the cruise, and Burch tagged along on this seven-day cruise.