During the voyage from May 20 to May 29, 2025, the MSC Fantasia encountered technical problems that limited the maximum cruising speed. The port call in Kerkyra on the island of Corfu, planned for May 27, had to be canceled at short notice. The ship sailed from Istanbul to Bari, with two days at sea. Guests on board were informed of the port cancellation the evening before via a cabin letter. The port call in Corfu could not be realized because more time was needed for the voyage from Istanbul back to the Adriatic. The costs for canceled MSC shore excursions on Corfu have been credited to the guests' onboard accounts. Each guest received a non-refundable onboard credit of €100 to compensate for the inconvenience. The reason for the route change were technical problems on board the ship. The engineers on board were working to resolve the issue. Whether this has been resolved in the meantime or whether route changes might occur on subsequent voyages is currently unknown.
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ALPHA PEACE
On May 22, 2025, at 2.20 a.m. the 'Alpha Peace' was boarded by four perpetrators, armed with knives, about 3.5 nautical miles off Pulau Cula in pos. 1° 3.58' N 103° 39.38' E, while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of Singapore Strait (SS). Nothing was reported stolen.
Novorossiysk
A large-scale overnight drone strike by Ukraine struck Novorossiysk on May 3, 2025. damaging the country’s largest grain terminal and several apartment buildings.The attack triggered fires and forced authorities to declare a state of emergency in the port city, which is also home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Local authorities in Russia’s southern Krasnodar Krai confirmed that drones damaged three grain storage reservoirs at the KSK terminal, one of the region’s most important export facilities. The attack sparked a fire at the site. The terminal, which can store up to 220,000 tons of grain and handled over 10 million tons in 2024, is operated by the Moscow-based Delo Group.Delo Group, which assured that the terminal was continuing to function in line with internal procedures and guidance from authorities. Drone strikes had also caused fires in nearby areas, including Taman and Anapa. Russian electronic warfare systems had jammed the drones, causing them to fall into residential areas. Public transportation in Novorossiysk was suspended after the strikes, Drones also targeted the Rostov Oblast.
Bandar Abbas
The fires caused by the huge explosion in the commercial port of Bandar Abbas on the morning of April 26 were still spreading two days later. Heat and fire detected by the NASA FIRMS system on the morning of April 29 still showed no signs of any retreat, with the area affected now having spread from the container park to the quays of the port itself. The firefighting services have been overwhelmed, even though reinforcements have been brought in from as far away as Tehran; two days after the initial explosion, some areas of the fire were not being tackled at all, and in other areas confused port workers who should have been evacuated were still wandering around or sheltering in empty containers in what was clearly still a dangerous area.
LEONID LEONOV
On May 25, 2025, the ' Leonid Leonov' was detained in Karadeniz Eregli with ten deficiencies: 1) Dangerous goods - Personal protection Not as required 2) Structural conditions - Decks - cracking Cracked 3) Structural conditions - Beams, frames, floors corrosion Corroded 4) Fire safety - Fire pump and its pipes Not as required 5) Emergency systems - Fire drills Lack of training 6) Certificate & Doc - Minimum hours of rest Not as required 7) Pollution Prevention - Other (Marpol Annex I) Other 8)) Pollution Prevention - Marking and labelling Not as required 9) Living and working - Lighting (Working spaces) Not as required 10) Living and working - Obstruction/slipping etc Not as required The vessel was released again on May 27.
LIGARI
On May 25, 2025, at 02.32 a.m. the 'Ligari' was boarded by three unarmed perpetrators, about 0.6 nautical miles off Helen Mar, Racon, in pos. 1° 7.96' N 103° 45.99' E, while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of Singapore Strait (SS). Nothing was reported stolen.
Hodeidah
One person was killed, and around 35 were injured in an Israeli airstrike on Hodeidah Port on May 5, 2025. The airstrike was in direct retaliation for a missile strike by Yemen's Houthi rebels that landed near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. Around 20 Israeli fighter jets participated in the airstrike, targeting sites that were being used to support Houthi military activities. The targets included the port of Hodeidah and a cement factory near the port, which has been alleged to be used by the Houthis for the construction of tunnels.
Houston
On April 22, 2025,at 4 p.m. a gas leak on a barge on the Houston Ship Channel prompted community alerts. but no air quality threats have been detected. A vapor release occurred aboard a barge of the Kirby Inland Marine at the Targa Resources dock in Galena, Greater Houston, at the at 12510 American Petroleum Road. The leak released an unspecified quantity of butadiene, an industrial gas used for making plastics and synthetic rubber (like car tires). 1,3-butadiene is an EPA-listed carcinogen, an inhalation irritant, and highly flammable, but breaks down quickly in the atmosphere, limiting the time in which it can have an effect. The leak occurred because of a broken valve. It was contained at 10 p.m., and the barge was towed to a safe location belonging to the Kirby Inland Marine for further evaluations. The Targa Resources dock on the Houston Ship Channel has reopened to full service by the U.S. Coast Guard on April 23 at 3 a.-m. No injuries were reported from the gas leak. Report with video: https://www.click2houston.com/video/news/2025/04/23/chemical-leak-contained-after-barge-incident-at-houston-ship-channel/
LAURUS
On May 19, 2025, the 'Laurus' detained in Venice with 15 deficiencies, nine of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Water/Weather - Ventilators, air pipes and casings Damaged 2) Life saving App - Inflatable liferafts Not properly stowed 3) Life saving App - Embarkation arrangement survival craft Not properly maintained 4) Emergency systems - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Inoperative 5) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Propulsion main engine Not as required 6) Fire safety - Fixed fire exthinguising installation Inoperative 7) Fire safety - Ventilation Inoperative 8)) Radio communication - Reservce source of energy Not as required 9) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on May 26 and dropped anchor off Venice. The last detention were only on Feb 3 in Brindisi with eight deficiencies for nine days and on March 15 in Tekirdag with 34 deficiencies for nine days.
PETREL PACIFIC
On May 23, 2025, at 1.56 a.m. the 'Petrel Pacific' was boarded by four perpetrators, armed with knives, about 1.8 nautical miles off Helen Mar, Racon, in pos. 1°6.9' N 103° 44.67' E, while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of Singapore Strait (SS). The intruders stole engine spares.
Port Sudan
Drone strikes caused explosions in the of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. The attack caused a blaze near the maritime port of Port Sudan, causing a massive plume of black smoke. No casualties have been reported in the incident. The drone strike targeted the main maritime port, the international airport, and a military base within the city.
Ras Isa
Another airstrike was made by the US armed forces on the Houthi-controlled fuel port of Ras Isa on April 17, marking a major escalation of the US administration against the Houthi forces for their attacks on passing vessels in the Red Sea. The strike has destroyed multiple oil storage tanks, cratered a jetty at the port, and wrecked many tanker trucks. The Houthis have reported a casualty count of around 70 to 80 people and injuries to around 150-170 people, including port workers, truck drivers, and paramedics.