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The "Kjerringa", which sank at the quay of the Hammerfest Industri sometime between Christmas Eve and Dec 27, 2024, was raised again on Jan 6, 2025. The weather was very bad in the area when the accident occurred. On Christmas Day the wind was blowing at a speed of 25 m/s. The exact time of the accident is not certain. On Christmas Eve afternoon, the m/v "Seiland" had docked behind the "Kjerringa" without discovering any damage, an accident report stated. The vessel was moored there since Dec 11. The news of the accident reached the shipping company shortly before 1:00 p.m. The Hammerfest Fire and Rescue was contacted and came to put bilges in connection with the accident to prevent the spread of the oil and/or diesel spill, without any spill being reported. An attempt was also made to raise the "Kjerringa" as quickly as possible, but there was no equipment or crew available for such an operation.When the ship was raised, a hole in the hull could be seen. According to the report, this was due to repeated hits to the stern.

The Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is said to have evaded millions in taxes in Germany and other EU countries, according to leaked documents that are available to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and have now been analyzed by the "Standard" together with media such as "Spiegel", ZDF, "Guardian" and BBC. The focus is on the "Eclipse" owned by Abramovich and allegedly part of a complex tax avoidance model. The ship is said to have been officially handled through various letterbox companies. Offshore companies were used to conceal the real owner and avoid paying taxes. Abramovich's advisors designed a network of companies that was supposed to simulate the commercial use of Abramovich's yacht fleet. The "Eclipse" was probably part of the structure until at least 2012. According to this, the yacht was officially rented to a company in the British Virgin Islands in order to avoid VAT obligations - although Abramovich demonstrably used the "Eclipse" privately, for example for an exclusive New Year's Eve party in the Caribbean in 2012. There is also said to have been a trick when refueling the yacht. Commercially used ships are exempt from fuel tax in the EU. Internal emails show that those responsible were trying to obtain the necessary evidence. When a rental agreement was not submitted on time, an employee warned that this would jeopardize a tax saving of 44,000 US dollars for filling up the tank once. A particularly lucrative tax loophole arose during the construction of the "Eclipse" in Hamburg. Since the ship was built in what was then the free port, the location was not considered to be German territory for tax purposes. Therefore, no VAT was apparently due on the purchase. The costs are estimated at around 300 to 800 million euros. For a long time, Abramovich and his advisors managed to fend off official inquiries. In Italy, tax proceedings threatened in 2014 after the yacht had been refueled in Trieste, but the investigation was discontinued. There were also disagreements in Cyprus: in 2012, the authorities there demanded around 14 million euros in taxes on chartering. Abramovich's lawyer later withdrew his appeals, but it remains unclear whether the sum was paid. Since the imposition of Western sanctions against Russian oligarchs, Abramovich has avoided the EU in order to protect his assets from being accessed. The "Eclipse" is now off the Turkish coast, beyond the reach of European authorities. In Germany, the alleged tax offenses may now be time-barred. The statute of limitations in Germany is usually only five years, but in particularly serious cases it can be 15 years.

After a submarine cable used by the Latvian State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC) was damaged in the Baltic Sea, Latvia has reported initial progress in the investigation. The Latvian Navy, in cooperation with Swedish partners, has received initial video footage from the seabed, said Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, on Jan 28. According to this, it is very likely that the damaged part of the cable has been located. According to Navy Chief Maris Polencs, a torpedo-like device with acoustic sensors is being used for the investigation, which is lowered to the seabed to determine the location of the cable and also film it. However, visibility is very low at a depth of around 100 meters. Specialists and investigators will therefore continue to analyze the information received. Latvian naval divers and experts from the LVRTC have made their way to the site of the damage, which is located around 130 kilometers off the Latvian coast. The authorities in Stockholm are investigating possible "serious sabotage" and have detained the suspicious 'Vezhen'.

The'Amelie', with three crew members on board, was left without electricity or wind three nautical miles southeast of Fuengirola on Jan 28, 2025, and requested assistance. The CCS Tarifa of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR boat 'Salvamar Alnitak', which took the boat in tow and safely pulled it to the port of Malaga. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1884310589230780569

The Italian Coast Guard has ordered the detention of two ships in the port of Genova, among the ten inspected since the beginning of the year, as part of the environmental and safety control activities conducted by the Port State Control personnel on foreign vessels transiting Italian ports. The detention orders were issued against the 'Commander' and 'Salammbo', which had serious shortcomings in terms of navigation safety and environmental protection. The 'Commander', which had arrived in port on Jan 21, 2025, was selected thanks to the targeting system developed by the General Command of the Coast Guard. The system, in line with the objectives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, analyses a series of data relating to ships, considering elements such as the company's performance, the flag and the results of previous inspections (https://www.parismou.org/detentions-banning/white-grey-and-black-list). The analysis of the data, in particular the low performance of the company and the shortcomings already reported in a previous inspection, allowed the ship to be identified as a priority for control. After three days of detention, the ship was authorised to leave again following a re-inspection which verified that the technical, operational and documentary shortcomings had been resolved, in collaboration with the flag State and the monitoring Classification Society, and left the port on Jan 24 en route to Samsun with an ETA as of Feb 3. The 'Salammbo' was inspected for its high risk profile. Serious deficiencies were also found on this ship, which remained moored at the Genova Port Terminal, including problems with the collective lifesaving equipment and the waste water treatment plant, in violation of current environmental regulations. At the moment, the ship remains detained, awaiting resolution of the reported critical issues.

The 'Northern Endurance', which had run aground near Little Priest Rock on the morning of Jan 23, about three miles from downtown Unalaska, was successfully pulled off again on the morning of Jan 24 by the local salvage company Resolve Marine. The City of Unalaska Fire Department responded to the incident the previous afternoon, but handed operations over to the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit shortly after arrival. “The on-scene commander contacted the vessel's captain and confirmed there were no injuries to the crew members aboard, as well as no additional hazardous conditions. The ship was pulled from the rocks around 9 a.m. and has since been docked near Unalaska’s spit for evaluation. The Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the grounding as part of its standard protocol for commercial fishing vessel incidents. The investigation showed that the vessel’s track line appeared relatively straight as it approached Dutch Harbor, but the grounding could have resulted from various factors, including mechanical failures, human error, or navigation system issues. Report with photo: https://www.nationalfisherman.com/fv-northern-endurance-freed-after-grounding-near-unalaska

The crew of the 'ASL Bauhinia' has abandoned the vessel in the southern Red Sea early on Jan 28. A nearby vessel rescued the crew with no injuries reported. Thick smoke was reportedly seen emanating from the forward section of the ship. The 'ASL Bauhinia' remains adrift, while investigations into the cause of the explosion and fire were ongoing. The securiy firm Ambre suggested that the fire may have been caused by an explosion involving hazardous cargo. The vessel was en route from the Jebel Ali commercial terminal in Dubai, scheduled to make a port call in Jeddah on Jan 29 with an ETA in Aqaba as of Jan 31, operating on behalf of CU Lines, on a regular rotation between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the port of Aqaba.The vessel is classed by Japan’s Nippon Kaiji Kyokai and is insured by the UK Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association. Vespucci Maritime chief executive Lars Jensen suggested that the next stage would be organising salvage and the likely declaration of General Average on its cargo. However, he also questioned whether shippers insured against General Average would be able to claim, given the location of the casualty. Report with photo: https://theloadstar.com/crew-abandons-chinese-feeder-vessel-on-fire-in-the-red-sea/

The 'Kriti Captain', which suffered a fire on the night of Jan 25, while it was right next to the port at the underwater pipeline for the unloading of its cargo of 33,000 tonnes of diesel, was taken in tow on Jan 28 at 3 p.m. by the tug 'Abeille Méditerranée' after meeting all the safety conditions necessary for the transit, and was now heading at low speed towards the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer and the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille. The towing operation was being closely monitored by the CROSS Mediterranée and the semaphores of the French Navy. The convoy should arrive at its destination on Jan 29. During the afternoon, the casino car park on the seafront was closed to parking, and several cars were removed with the help of the municipal police and the gendarmerie. A helicopter was used to transport firefighters from Marseille to check the condition of the ship, restart the last of the three generators to ensure a power supply and raise the anchors. Subsequently, a pilot boat took on board three firefighters from the center of Port-La Nouvelle to come to the aid of the firefighters on the tanker. Report with photos: https://www.herault-tribune.com/articles/port-la-nouvelle-le-kriti-captain-remorque-vers-le-port-de-marseille/

The '50 Let Pobedy', en route to the Ob Bay, suffered significant damage to its port side foreship in a collision with the bulkcarrier 'Yamal Krechet' (IMO: 9202041), en route from Arkhangelsk to Sabetta, the port where Novatek's Yamal LNG production facilitates are located, while operating on the Northern Sea Route., opening a deep gash near its bow on the night of Jan 26, 2025, in the Kara Sea. The accident happened while maintaining winter shipping lanes and escorting a cargo vessel. The condition of the bulkcarrier, which was hit at port side ahead of the accommodation block, was unknown. According to Russia’s operator of nuclear icebreakers, Atomflot, the '50 Let Pobedy' remained seaworthy and continued operating in the Ob Bay. The damaged section was not proximate to the vessel’s nuclear reactor and the power plant continued operating normally. It was, however, unclear if the vessel will complete its regular stint of winter icebreaking services or will return to Murmansk early to undergo repairs. Reports with photo and video: https://gcaptain.com/russian-nuclear-icebreaker-sustains-damage-in-arctic-collision-with-cargo-ship/ https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-russian-nuclear-icebreaker-damaged-in-collision

The 'Alfred', sailing on the route Troon-Brodick, suffered a technical issue affecting the sewage system on Jan 28, 2025. The issue has impacted the crew's compensatory rest. As a consequence, the scheduled departures from Brodick at 3:45 p.m. and from Troon at 6:00 p.m. had to be cancelled.

The catamaran yacht 'Amelie' (MMSI: 249407000), with three crew members on board, was left without electricity or wind three nautical miles southeast of Fuengirola on Jan 28, 2025, and requeste assistance. The CCS Tarifa of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the 'Salvamar Alnitak', which took the boat in tow and safely pulled it to the port of Malaga. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1884310589230780569

On the morning of Jan 26, the Port Authority of Igoumenitsa was informed that, during the departure of the 'Lefka Ori' from the port of Venice, a mechanical failure was detected. The ship berthed in the port of Igoumenitsa with 88 passengers, 92 trucks, 60 private cars, two trailers and five campers. An inspection was carried out by officers of the Local Inspection Team of the Central Port Authority of Igoumenitsa and then, upon presentation of a certificate of class maintenance from the classification society that monitors it, it was allowed to continue sailing.

The Russian nuclear icebreaker '50 Let Pobedy' (IMO: 9152959), en route towards the Ob Bay, suffered significant damage to its port side foreship in a collision with the 'Yamal Krechet', en route from Arkhangelsk to Sabetta, the port where Novatek's Yamal LNG production facilitates are located, while operating on the Northern Sea Route., opening a deep gash near its bow on the night of Jan 26, 2025, in the Kara Sea. The accident happened while maintaining winter shipping lanes and escorting a cargo vessel. The condition of the bulkcarrier, which was hit at port side ahead of the accommodation block, was unknown. According to Russia’s operator of nuclear icebreakers, Atomflot, the '50 Let Pobedy' remained seaworthy and continued operating in the Ob Bay. The damaged section was not proximate to the vessel’s nuclear reactor and the power plant continued operating normally. It was, however, unclear if the vessel will complete its regular stint of winter icebreaking services or will return to Murmansk early to undergo repairs. Reports with photo and video: https://gcaptain.com/russian-nuclear-icebreaker-sustains-damage-in-arctic-collision-with-cargo-ship/ https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-russian-nuclear-icebreaker-damaged-in-collision

On Jan 28, 2025, at around 9 a.m. a fire broke out in the engine room of the 'Firuze G', which was berthed at the Sanayi Pier in the port of Samsun. Firefighters tried to tackle the blaze aboard the unloaded ship from the shore, and two firefighting tugs of the Port Authority assisted from the sea. The fire brigade attended with 15 vehicles and 50 personnel. Besides the fire department, the police and Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate (AFAD) teams were deployed to the scene too. The fire could be brought under control within 2,5 hours, and the cooling operation was started. The fire was believed to have been caused by a generator failure. All 33 people aboard the ship were evacuated in good health. Reports with photo and video: https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/samsun-limaninda-bulunan-gemide-cikan-yangina-mudahale-ediliyor-7293334 https://www.denizhaber.com/samsun-limaninda-firuze-g-adli-ro-ro-gemisinde-yangin-cikti/123631 https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/samsun-limaninda-bulunan-gemide-cikan-yangin-kontrol-altina-alindi/3464066 https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/samsun-limaninda-gemi-yangini-mudahale-ediliyor-42673140 https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/samsun-limaninda-bulunan-gemide-cikan-yangin-kontrol-altina-alindi/3464066 https://oxu.az/tr/gundem/samsun-da-kuru-yuk-gemisinde-yangin

The fisherman Are Strand died when he fell overboard from the "Øyværing", which then ran aground at Kabelvåg on March 1, 2024. Now the accident report from the Accident Investigation Board Norway is ready. The accident most likely occurred when the lone fisherman on board the"Øyværing" was setting the third net link and fell overboard. The vessel continued on autopilot and grounded north on the island of Kreta at Kabelvåg. People on land observed the vessel and reported it to the emergency services, and a search was launched. The fisherman was later found in the area where the fisherman's third net link was set, and died as a result of the accident, writes the Accident Investigation Board. No recommendations have been made after the investigation, but the Accident Investigation Board wrote that they emphasized the importance of following up on the action plan with the vision zero for the number of fatalities and serious injuries at sea, which was adopted by the Storting in 2022. A large proportion of the accidents in solo fishing that the board investigated have shown that fishermen have fallen overboard in connection with the operation of the vessel. It is the actual conditions that mean that a lone fisherman must be physically located close to the rig in an exposed position during some parts of the setting and hauling process, which is the main challenge. For smaller fishing vessels with one person on board, it is therefore challenging to identify good measures that can eliminate this danger completely. When the fisherman fell overboard, no one immediately noticed that he was in distress. He had no opportunity to warn, and the fisherman did not use a flotation device, wrote the Accident Investigation Board Norway. A review of previous accidents involving lone fishermen that SHK has investigated has shown that very few lone fishermen used flotation devices. The Accident Investigation Board believes that the consequence-reducing measures such as personal alert devices, flotation devices, electronic emergency stops and ladders, individually or in combination, would increase the likelihood of saving lives in accidents where a lone fisherman falls overboard. In the action plan prepared by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate in connection with the work on the zero vision, several measures have been proposed for, among other things, smaller fishing vessels. Some of these measures are particularly relevant in view of the accident with the ««Øyværing»». Reports with photos: https://www.vaganavisa.no/nyheter/i/zEdax4/undersoeker-doedsulykken https://www.kystmagasinet.no/sikkerhet-statens-havarikommisjon-ulykke/alenefiskere-er-ekstra-utsatt-for-a-do-pa-jobb/1885601

The work on the Müden lock to put it back into operation has almost been completed. The two new gate wings are currently being connected to the control and drive technology. The first tests with the new lock gate were scheduled for Jan 30. The first test locks will then take place onJan 31. Among other things, the entire process of automatic lock control with upper and lower gate movements will be tested. If large ships are already waiting to be locked at this time, this would be an advantage for the test locks and the ships could be locked as part of the test locks. The 'Regina K' remained stationary in Haren/Ems as of Jan 29. Report with photo: https://www.blick-aktuell.de/Berichte/Probeschleusungen-beginnen-am-Freitag-617017.html

The "Calimero Sampa" ran aground on Jan 28, 2025, shortly before 6 a.m. on the reef protecting the beach to the west of the port of Cesenatico, about 250 meters from the coast, for reasons currently being investigated. After the Rimini Harbour Master's Office Operations Room received a radio distress call from the crew, the Coast Guard of Rimini and Cesenatico sent the patrol boat 'CP 842' to provide assistance, along with the RHIB 'GC B142', given the shallow waters in that stretch of sea. The four crew members, one Italian national and three Tunisians, had in the meantime taken refuge on the deckhouse of the vessel, now lying on its starboard side. The rescue operations, complicated by the shallow water, the increasing swell, the proximity of the embankment and the drifting debris from the fishing vessel itself, lasted for about 45 minutes. All fishermen were embarked on the Cesenatico Coast Guard dinghy. Medical personnel who intervened in the meantime found them to be in good health, but were transferred as a precaution to the Cesena Hospital for more in-depth checks. Reports with photos: https://risveglioduemila.it/2025/01/un-peschereccio-resta-incagliato-a-cesenatico-equipaggio-salvato-dalla-guardia-costiera/ https://www.cesenatoday.it/cronaca/incidente-mare-peschereccio-ricostruzione-guardia-costiera.html https://www.corrierecesenate.it/cesenatico-un-peschereccio-ribaltato-in-acqua-a-ponente/

The Italian Coast Guard has ordered the detention of two ships in the port of Genova, among the ten inspected since the beginning of the year, as part of the environmental and safety control activities conducted by the Port State Control personnel on foreign vessels transiting Italian ports. The detention orders were issued against the 'Commander' and 'Salammbo', which had serious shortcomings in terms of navigation safety and environmental protection. The 'Commander', which had arrived in port on Jan 21, 2025, was selected thanks to the targeting system developed by the General Command of the Coast Guard. The system, in line with the objectives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, analyses a series of data relating to ships, considering elements such as the company's performance, the flag and the results of previous inspections (https://www.parismou.org/detentions-banning/white-grey-and-black-list). The analysis of the data, in particular the low performance of the company and the shortcomings already reported in a previous inspection, allowed the ship to be identified as a priority for control. After three days of detention, the ship was authorised to leave again following a re-inspection which verified that the technical, operational and documentary shortcomings had been resolved, in collaboration with the flag State and the monitoring Classification Society, and left the port on Jan 24 en route to Samsun with an ETA as of Feb 3. The 'Salammbo', which had arrived in Genova on Jan 19, was inspected for its high risk profile. Serious deficiencies were also found on this ship, which remained moored at the Genova Port Terminal, including problems with the collective lifesaving equipment and the waste water treatment plant, in violation of current environmental regulations. At the moment, the ship remains detained, awaiting resolution of the reported critical issues.

On the afternoon of Jan 27, 2025, the Central Port Authority of Piraeus was informed of a man, who was lying on the ground, in a semi-conscious state, in the area of ​​gate E2 in the port of Piraeus. Immediately, Port Authority officials and an ambulance arrived at the scene, which transported the 51-year-old to the University General Hospital Attiko for medical treatment. Following investigation, it was determined that he was an engine driver on the 'Dionisios Solomos', which had set sail to carry out the scheduled route Piraeus – Serifos – Sifnos – Kimolos – Folegandros – Sikinos – Ios – Thira. After the submission of a request by the Master and approval by the Sifnos Port Authority, the ferry was allowed to continue its route (in accordance with articles 88 and 89 of the Public Maritime Law Code) with 84 passengers, 17 trucks, 22 private vehicles and three motorcycles on board. A preliminary investigation is being carried out by the Piraeus Port Authority.

Pictures have been released which show how the National Task Force boarded the 'Vezhen' by helicopter. They parachuted down from one of the Swedish Armed Forces helicopters in order to be able to take control of the ship as quickly as possible. After the Coast Guard had approached the ship out at sea and escorted it towards the Swedish coast, the police's National Task Force took over. After the master heeded the call to take the vessel to anchorage, the police chose to board the vessel from a helicopter. The weather conditions were difficult with strong winds and rough seas combined with darkness and cold, which meant that resources were required from the task force for safety reasons. The personnel from the task force went up to the ship's bridge, They had police dogs and other equipment with them. One of the police tasks on board has been to secure various types of evidence on behalf of the Security Service, which is handling the preliminary investigation, and it was confirmed that the anchor was of interest in the investigation and will be examined by forensic experts. A number of other investigative measures will follow in the future, where the police support the Security Service with cutting-edge expertise in areas such as IT forensics, forensic technology and interrogation management. The weather continues to be a challenge and the work environment perspective is important to take into account. The police are working closely with the Coast Guard and the Armed Forces. Reports with photo and video: https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/har-stormas-fartyget-av-insatsstyrkan-efter-misstankta-kabelsabotaget https://polisen.se/aktuellt/nyheter/nationell/2025/januari/polisen-bordade-fartyget-under-svara-vaderforhallanden/