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The captain of the 'Loitador has been arrested by the Caleta Olivia Prosecutor's Office, in the province of Santa Cruz in Argentina, after being investigated in Argentina accused of human trafficking, specifically of Senegalese sailors from his crew for the purposes of labour exploitation. The case dates back to June 5, 2017, when a crew member was medevaced in a coma 135 nautical miles from Puerto Deseado. The 56-year-old detainee was arrested for these events after a red notice was issued through Interpol. The health condition of the Senegalese sailor and his subsequent statement in court allowed the Public Prosecutor's Office to move forward on the criminal hypothesis of human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, given that the sailor maintained that he performed exhausting work of up to 22 hours a day, seven days a week, all of this in unhealthy conditions, without adequate clothing and poor food, for which he received a salary below the minimum established by international standards. The employment contract had a duration from a few months to two years. According to the indictment, the captain had accepted and housed a Senegalese sailor on February 15, 2017, among at least three others, whose vulnerable situations were abused. The victims were previously contacted through the shipping company, which paid for their plane ticket from Senegal to Cabo Blanco, from where the ship sailed, to exploit them. All of this was done by depositing a sum of money less than the minimum wage, working around 22-hour work days from Monday to Monday in the filleting area in the hold of the vessel, without rest or appropriate medical assistance. They also had no place to rest or recreation, nor appropriate clothing, nor healthy conditions of hygiene and adequate food. All of this caused the evacuated sailor to suffer from malnutrition, hypothermia and dehydration, until the urgent disembarkation of the victim had to be ordered. He arrived at the hospital in a coma, not located in time and space and with sensory motor impairment (hypothymic), despite having entered the vessel in a fit physical condition. For these reasons, the arrest of the captain of the vessel was ordered on Nov 13, 2024, by the Federal Court of Caleta Olivia, with the man being arrested on Dec 18 in Spain. On Dec 20 the court requested the extradition of the accused. Already in 2019, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested the summons to give a statement from the captain, with a summons order being issued on Dec 26, 2024 and, finally, an arrest warrant. At the end of 2023, the Government of Spain reported the sanction of 25 vessels, most of them Galician companies, for deactivating AIS transmitters while fishing on the high seas near the coast of Argentina, among which was the 'Loitador', from the Vigo shipowner Profesionales Pesqueros. In June 2021, the European Commission sent the Spanish Administration a letter accompanied by a report from the NGO Oceana, which denounced practices on Spanish fishing vessels regarding the switching off of the automatic identification system for illegal fishing purposes. Thus, a serious infringement was detected on the vessel 'Loitador' for sailing during time intervals between 2020 and 2021 without keeping the AIS in operation at all times. The fine imposed was 15,000 euros, with a reduction to 12,000 euros when the company recognised its responsibility and paid it in April 2023. Among these sanctioning files of the General Directorate of the Merchant Navy there was also a fine of 150,000 euros to Grupo Nores, owner of the Villa de Pitanxo, for deactivating AIS.

On Jan 28, 2025, the 'Gal' was detained in Antalya with 15 deficiencies, three of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Structural conditions - Wheelhouse, door-window Cracked 2) Emergency systems - Emergency lighting, batteries and switces Inoperative 3) Emergency systems - Public adress system Inoperative The vessel was released again Jan 29 and left the port enroute to Rhodes with an ETA as of Jan 31. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

The 'Iris I' was banned from operating and leaving the port of Halmstad following a port state control of the Swedish Transport Agency after its arrival from Falekenberg on Jan 10, 2025. Around 15 deficiencies were discovered, including working conditions and fire protection, and some of them being regarded as serious, so that the ship had to remain at the quay in the port of Halmstad. while these were addressed. The Swedish Transport Agency carried out a re-inspection of the ship on the afternoon of Jan 29. The deficiencies that were previously discovered were found to have been remedied, so the ship was free to leave the port of Halmstad. The departure is currently scheduled for Feb 4. The 'Iris I' currently has no cargo and does not plan to load anything before departure.

On Jan 27, 2025: the 'Gerda S' was detained in Batumi with 12 deficiencies: 1) Certificate & Doc - Garbarge record book Not as required 2) Certificate & Doc - SOPEP Not as required 3) Life saving Appliances - On board training and instructions Not as required 4) Living and working - Anchoring devices Not as required 5) Living and working - Winches & Capstans Not as required 6) Living and working - Clealiness of engine room Not as required 7) Water/Weathertight - Machinery spaces openings Inoperative Water/Weatherthing - Cargo and other Hatchways Not as required 9) Safety of navigation - Meands of escape Inoperative 10) Fire safety - Jacketed high pressure lines and oil leakage alarm Not as required 11) Fire safety - Fire control Not as required 12) Safety of navigation - Nautical publications Not updated The vessel was released again on Jan 28 and left the port en route to Tsingeli with an ETA as of Feb 3. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

The Greek shipping company Eurobulk Ltd. has pleaded guilty to having violated the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and having falsified records to hide the facts, after the 'Good Heart' was found to have discharged oily bilge water on at least two occasions directly into the sea, when it was inspected by US Coast Guard officials on April 29, 2023, in the port of Corpus Christi. The chief engineer of the vessel had also directed the crew to flush the oil-water separator with fresh water, effectively deceiving the meter on the OWS so that it showed that the oil content was within the limits. In addition, the Oil Record Book (ORB) was not updated with the discharges, which is a legal requirement for all ships under the APPS and MARPOL regulations. Eurobulk has been ordered to pay a criminal fine of $1.125 million and to serve a four-year probation, where the company will have to adhere to an environmental compliance plan. The chief engineer of the bulk carrier also pleaded guilty and was sentenced for failing to record the in ORB. He has been ordered to pay a $2000 fine.