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On jan 13, 2025, the military authorities of Venezuela have detained the 'Four Plus', with a crew of Chinese nationality on board, accused of violating the country's sovereignty, in the Port of Guamache, Nueva Esparta state. The ship did not have the required authorization to navigate in Venezuelan territorial waters. A joint commission was formed, made up of Captain Jackson Bacallao González, commander of the Pampatar Coast Guard Main Station, personnel assigned to the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim), the Regional Anti-Drug Intelligence Unit 71, Migration of the Bolivarian National Police and the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA), carrying out the relevant inquiries. Following the seizure, the Maritime Administration Department of Guyana reported that the tanker was not registered in Guyana and flying a false flag, which was not an isolated incident; five oil tankers with ties to Syria, Iran, and Venezuela were sanctioned earlier by the US Treasury Department for false registrations. The general issue is set to be discussed, and measures to be developed against it at the 112th session of the International Maritime Organizations Legal Committee which is to be held in March 2025.

On Jan 15, 2025, P&O Ferries cancelled the scheduled sailing of the 'Norsky' from Zeebrugge to Tilbury at 11 a.m. and Tilbury to Zeebrugge at 10 p.m. due to an engine failure. The ship remained sidelined for troubleshooting.

On Jan 9, 2025, the 'Rustem' was detained in Bartin with 20 deficiencies: 1) Certificate & Doc - Oil record book Not as required 2) Certificate & Doc - Fire safety operational booklet Not as required 3) Certificate & Doc - Garbage record book Not as required 4) Certificate & Doc - Document of compliance Not as required 5) Certificate & Doc - SOPEP Not as required 6) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Auxiliary machinery Not as required 7) Radio communications - MR Radio Installation Inoperative 8)) Pollution Prevention - Ballast Water Management System Not as required 9) Pollution Prevention - Garbage Management Plan Not as required 10) Cargo Operations - Atmosphere testing instruments Not as required 11) Fire safety - Remote Means of contol (Machinery space) Inoperative 12) Fire safety - Fire fighting equipment and appliances Not as required 13) Emergency systems - Emergency fire pump and its pipes Inoperative 14) Emergency systems - Means of communication between safety centre and control stations Not as required 15) Living and working - Heating Not as required 16) Life saving Appliances - Rescue boats' Not ready for use 17) Safety of navigation - Charts Expired 18) Safety of navigation - Voyage or passage plan Inoperative 19) Emergency systems - Enclosed space entry and rescue drills Not as required 20) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The last detemtion was on Aug 6, 2024, also in Bartin, with 26 deficiencies. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

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An American Boeing P-8A and an Italian ATR P-72A are conducting observations of the 'Yantar' off the coast of Tunisia. For several days, the aircraft have been conducting intensive observation missions near the southern coast of Sicily and the northern coast of Tunisia. The purpose of these activities is to track the Russian spy ship. The analysis of the aircraft's movements and speeds rules out the presence of Russian submarines in the area. The ATR P-72A cannot detect such units, further confirming these assumptions. The 'Yantar' was previously observed near an American base in Georgia and in the Irish Sea, where its presence raised concerns. Currently, its activities in the Mediterranean Sea are being monitored due to potential threats related to the sabotage of underwater infrastructure. The vessel had left Alexandria on Jan 3, 2025.

The 'Philipp Bay' has left Le Havre in tow of the tug 'Abeille Horizon' (IMO: 9178410) en route Aarhus, the original destination of the bulk carrier, on Jan 13 at 5.30 p.m,. The ship had arrived in Le Havre on Dec 27, 2024, in tow of the tug 'Abeille Liberté' after having suffered a fire on Dec 26at midday 40 kilometers north of Cherbourg. After an assessment, towing to Le Havre had been decided. The convoy was proceeding with just over four knots actually and is expected to reach Aarhus on Jan 20. Reports with photos: https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/marine-marchande/le-vraquier-philipp-bay-a-quitte-le-havre-en-remorque-de-l-abeille-horizon https://lemarin.ouest-france.fr/shipping/le-phillip-bay-victime-dincendie-a-quitte-le-port-du-havre-remorque-par-l-abeille-horizon-30e20fe6-d1d4-11ef-a962-9f592df81cd5

Two incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia (one CAT 21 incident and one CAT 32 incident) were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. Both incidents occurred onboard bulk carriers while underway off Pulau Cula in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Straits (SS) on 8 Jan and 9, 2025. The 'Anabela was boarded by four perpetrators, armed with guns, six nautical miles west of Pulau Cula on Jan 8 at 4 a.m. in pos. 1°3.95' N 103° 36.83' E. Nothing was reported stolen.

The 'Viking Vela' remained stationary in Ålesund as of Jan 15 following the problems with the propulsion. Passengers had got the impression that it was the stabilizer system that had failed amid rough seas and wind speeds of around 45 meters per second. The captain kept coming over the loudspeaker with updated information to make the passengers feel safe. The passengers were told to stay in their cabins and that the ship would turn around and head for Ålesund. They were only allowed to leave at 6.15 a.m. After turning 180 degrees, the ship was guided into the port of Ålesund by the Coastguard vessel 'Hopen' and several tugs. However, the ship iproceeded under its own power, without towing assistance, and docked at Stornespiren. The “Viking Vela” was actually supposed to be in Narvik on Jan 14, before continuing to Tromsø and Alta. There, the plan was to turn south again, before the cruise would have ended in Bergen on Jan 22. What happens next was still uncertain. Report with photo: https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruise-ship-viking-vela-has-steering-problem/71591/3

The public prosecutor in Møre og Romsdal has brought charges against two people in connection with the collision of the 'Tyrhaug' on its scheduled route from Kristiansund to Trondheim, which had 31 passengers and five crew members on board, with the service vessel 'Frøy Loke' with a crew of four, on June 28, 2023, just outside Ringholmen in the Aure municipality in Nordmøre. The two are charged under Section 356 of the Criminal Code, cf. §355, for negligently causing damage at sea, which could easily have led to the loss of human life. The weather was fine and there must have been little sea and good visibility on that day.The collision occurred because the the wheelhouse of the 'Tyrhaug' was not manned in accordance with the current procedure, and because the helmsman of the 'Tyrhaug' was not sufficiently observant of other traffic, the indictment stated. Both ships had suffered hull damage in the accident. Several people were sent to hospital after the accident, including two crew members of the 'Tyrhaug', one of whom having been seriously injured and two of the passengers. One of the crew members of the 'Frøy Loke' was also injured. In the aftermath of the accident, one of the passengers on board the fast ferry said that they kept getting closer and closer to the work boat. The case will be heard in Møre and Romsdal district court in January. Four days have been set aside for the case. None of the lawyers for the two defendants have so far commented on the indictment. In February 2024, the National Accident Commission issued its report on the accident, according to which the crew of the service boat did not perceive it as abnormal that the speedboat was coming directly towards them, as this was usual, and they were obliged to give way. On board the work boat the crew saw that the fast ferry was approaching on a steady course and that they were going to pass close by. They assumed that the speedboat saw them and wanted clearance to pass. The crew of the service vessel then kept the same speed and course. When it became clear that this did not work, everything happened so quickly that they did not have time to take remedial measures to avoid a collision. The navigator on the 'Tyrhaug', however, was focused on a passing sailboat and the support navigator was in another room behind the bridge. None of them should have perceived the risk of collision, the report stated. If there had been two navigators present on the bridge, this would have increased the chance of observing the 'Frøy Loke'. Furthermore the crews of both of 'Tyrhaug' and other fast boats experienced that the procedures were clear that there should always be two navigators on the bridge when sailing. At the same time, the crew must have experienced an expectation to complete administrative tasks and to answer questions from the management team quickly. They must also have felt that the time in port was not enough to get everything done. For the support navigator, it made more sense to have other administrative tasks completed than to carry out the task as a support navigator. As the situation was on this day, it was not considered an increased risk to be only a navigator on the bridge. Mariann Grønseth, managing director of Torghatten Midt, said that both the management team and the occupational health service have followed up the crew closely in the aftermath of the accident. eEport with photos: https://www.nrk.no/mr/to-personar-er-tiltalte-etter-at-hurtigbaten-tyrhaug-kolliderte-med-arbeidsbaten-froy-loke-1.16995341

The 'Eventin' is to be further inspected by customs and other authorities and has not received the permission to continue its journey. The ship and its cargo are in the customs territory of the European Union and are therefore also subject to customs supervision. The tanker was carrying 100,000 tons of Russian oil, which was illegal in purely formal terms. In addition to customs, the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control is now also to check whether the oil cargo violates EU sanctions. When and whether the tow to Skagen will happen is unclear. All systems on board the tanker had failed.

Beached at Chittagong 12.01.25 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1129241852208796&set=pcb.10164203801233943

The investigation into the allision of the 'BBC Iceland' on Dec 11, 2024, continued in the South Bay area of ​​the Port of Veracruz,. The ship had broken free from its moorings due to strong winds, which that reached up to 110.8 kilometers per hour, hitting the Veracruz seawall and causing damage to five Mexican Navy interceptor patrol boats. Port authorities and the Navy had coordinated efforts to control the situation and secure the ship back at its mooring point. The vessel was still inside the Port as of Jan 14, 2025, but was moved to the North Bay where it is being held during the process of determining responsibilities, and it has not yet been released. The investigation was also important to guarantee safety in port operations and prevent similar future accidents. It seemed that the ropes were not reinforced as they should be in such cases, as a strong north wind was expected, and the bow moorings were released. Report with photo: https://www.meganoticias.mx/veracruz/noticia/sigue-investigacion-por-accidente-de-barco-en-puerto-de-veracruz/584873

On the night of Dec 7, 2024, the "Gåsø Odin", ran aground in Hitra og Frøya. The well boat was on its way from SalMar's slaughterhouse Innovamar on Frøya, to a breeding facility on Hitra. The ship berthed in Vågsneset on Dec 8.

Two incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia (one CAT 21 incident and one CAT 32 incident) were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. Both incidents occurred onboard bulk carriers while underway off Pulau Cula in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Straits (SS) on 8 Jan and 9, 2025. The 'Trinity Island' was boarded by six perpetrators, armed with knices, 6.4 nautical miles northeast of Pulau Cula on Jan 9 at 5.44 a.m. in pos. 1°8.11' N 45° 81' E. The intruders stole engine spares.

Marine investigators have released a statement on the Holyhead port incident that halted ferry services. Terminal 3 at the port - used by Irish Ferries - was damaged in Storm Darragh on Dec 6-7, 2024, with Terminal 5 - used by Stena Line vessels - also closed. This saw ferry services to Dublin cancelled until Jan 16, when sailings will start from Terminal 5. Two berthing incidents had occurred affecting the Terminal 3 berth used by Irish Ferries - resulting in part of the berth structure collapsing and rendering it unusable. The 'dolphin' platform collapsed as the 'Ulysses' was leaving the berth. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch started making enquiries to better understand the circumstances which may have contributed to the incident. The MAIB has completed its preliminary enquiries into the maritime aspects of the incident at Holyhead. The information gathered does not indicate any significant safety issues that would necessitate further investigation at this time. Ferry services from Holyhead port will restart from Jan 16 with eight daily departures from Terminal 5.

The public prosecutor in Møre og Romsdal has brought charges against two people in connection with the collision of the 'Tyrhaug' on its scheduled route from Kristiansund to Trondheim, which had 31 passengers and five crew members on board, with the service vessel 'Frøy Loke' with a crew of four, on June 28, 2023, just outside Ringholmen in the Aure municipality in Nordmøre. The two are charged under Section 356 of the Criminal Code, cf. §355, for negligently causing damage at sea, which could easily have led to the loss of human life. The weather was fine and there must have been little sea and good visibility on that day.The collision occurred because the the wheelhouse of the 'Tyrhaug' was not manned in accordance with the current procedure, and because the helmsman of the 'Tyrhaug' was not sufficiently observant of other traffic, the indictment stated. Both ships had suffered hull damage in the accident. Several people were sent to hospital after the accident, including two crew members of the 'Tyrhaug', one of whom having been seriously injured and two of the passengers. One of the crew members of the 'Frøy Loke' was also injured. In the aftermath of the accident, one of the passengers on board the fast ferry said that they kept getting closer and closer to the work boat. The case will be heard in Møre and Romsdal district court in January. Four days have been set aside for the case. None of the lawyers for the two defendants have so far commented on the indictment. In February 2024, the National Accident Commission issued its report on the accident, according to which the crew of the service boat did not perceive it as abnormal that the speedboat was coming directly towards them, as this was usual, and they were obliged to give way. On board the work boat the crew saw that the fast ferry was approaching on a steady course and that they were going to pass close by. They assumed that the speedboat saw them and wanted clearance to pass. The crew of the service vessel then kept the same speed and course. When it became clear that this did not work, everything happened so quickly that they did not have time to take remedial measures to avoid a collision. The navigator on the 'Tyrhaug', however, was focused on a passing sailboat and the support navigator was in another room behind the bridge. None of them should have perceived the risk of collision, the report stated. If there had been two navigators present on the bridge, this would have increased the chance of observing the 'Frøy Loke'. Furthermore the crews of both of 'Tyrhaug' and other fast boats experienced that the procedures were clear that there should always be two navigators on the bridge when sailing. At the same time, the crew must have experienced an expectation to complete administrative tasks and to answer questions from the management team quickly. They must also have felt that the time in port was not enough to get everything done. For the support navigator, it made more sense to have other administrative tasks completed than to carry out the task as a support navigator. As the situation was on this day, it was not considered an increased risk to be only a navigator on the bridge. Mariann Grønseth, managing director of Torghatten Midt, said that both the management team and the occupational health service have followed up the crew closely in the aftermath of the accident. Report with photos: https://www.nrk.no/mr/to-personar-er-tiltalte-etter-at-hurtigbaten-tyrhaug-kolliderte-med-arbeidsbaten-froy-loke-1.16995341

Sold to Breakers 477 USD/TO

Beached at Alang 11.01.25 AS Enzo https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10161086834970036&set=gm.10164204056163943&idorvanity=6884293942

The barge 'AMT Challenger', which had been lost by the 'Boka Glacier' and ran aground on the beach of Sotteville on Dec 8, 2024, and was refloated on Dec 28 by the salvage ship ' Multrasalvor 5' (IMO: 8871625), which had been deployed from Dieppe, withing four hours, and towed to Le Havre, escorted by the tug 'Abeille Horizon'. has left port again on Jan 10 under tow of the tug 'En Avant 26' (IMO: 9985277). The convoy was headed for Gdansk with an ETA as of Jan 18, where the barge of the Maltese company Augustea Maritime Transportatio will undergo repairs. Report with photos: https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/marine-marchande/la-barge-amt-challenger-est-partie-du-havre-pour-etre-reparee

On the morning of Jan 13, 2025, the "Baronessen", en route from Nesoddtangen ,ran aground at the Lysaker Pier in Oslo. There were no reports of injuries. The ship managed to refloat without assistance and then docked outside of the Lysaker pier, assisted by the 'Trygve Braarud'. The ship has suffered some damage, but was stable. There were just under 100 passengers on board, and all of them have safely disembarked as of 8.45 a.m. A blackout was probably the cause of the accident. Technicians and others were on their way to examine the ship on the afternoon, and it will eventually be transported to a shipyard for repairs. The shipping company Norled launched an investigation into the accident. A smaller reserve boat was inserted to cover the route Nesodden-Lysaker. Reports with photos: https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/nybdBQ/ferge-har-kollidert-i-brygge-ved-lysaker https://www.nrk.no/stor-oslo/hurtigbat-gikk-pa-grunn-i-oslo-_-ingen-passasjerer-skadet-1.17203570