News

Harbour Cruises, the owner of a long-running Vancouver cruise company doesn’t know why the 'Harbour Princess' ran aground on a dining cruise and sightseeing tour east of the Point Atkinson lighthouse near the Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver on Aug 3 at around 11:30 a.m. Transport Canada will to look into the reason why the ship struck a charted rock,.The officer in charge of the vessel was highly experienced. The ship was to be lifted out of the water tod make sure that the damage is repaired if there is any. The vessel will be out of service for up to 10 days, and undergo inspection by a third party. The Transportation Safety Board continued to investigate.All passengers had their fares refunded.

Walid Gomaa, 467, a failed asylum seeker drowned on April 28, 2025, after he attempted to jump onto the ramp of the 'Tannhauser' at the Southampton docks in a bid to get to Canada, an inquest heard. The man was denied asylum status when he arrived in the UK in 2021. He told a friend that he intended to travel across the Atlantic, having lived illegally in the UK for four years. The Egyptian national was spotted by members of the crew of the 'Tannhauser', attempting to reach the ramp's articulated extensions at the end of the vessel, as it was being raised ahead of sailing, the Winchester inquest was told. The operator paused the raising and saw Gomaa walk away, but as they started lifting up the ramp again, he ran and jumped towards the ramp despite a crew member of the ship, which was due to set sail to Halifax, shouting at him to stop. Gomaa then hit his head and fell into the sea at the Empress Dock at the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal, where he drowned before a rescue boat could reach him. Gomaa came to the UK in 2021 and was not given status in this country and disappeared for a period of time. He initially claimed asylum, but that was denied in 2021, and it was not until April 2025 that Gomaa was heard of again.

On Aug 5, 2025, at 6.50 p.m., the 'Panaghia Paravouniotissa' ran aground in Nea Stira, Evia, in the Euboean Gulf off Mikro Kouneli Island, en route from Styra to Agia Marina with 105 passengers and nine crew members on board. The ferry remained firmly stuck on the reef in pos. 38° 11.10' N 024° 10.50' E and developed a slight list to port side, The Greek Coast Guard deployed two ships to the scene. The local emergency plan was activated at 6:58 p.m., and the transfer of passengers began at 7:10 p.m., using private boats, as well as the tender of the patrol boat 'Gavdos' (IMO: 9768356), which arrived at 8 p.m., and the ferry 'Kanaris' (IMO: 7824493). A total of five private boat were mobilized. All passengers were safely transferred back to Nea Stira. There were no reports of injuries. Due to a lack of accommodation in the Nea Stiri area, the authorities organized the transport of 47 passengers by coach to Marmari and Karystos, where they spent the night with the care of the ferry company. Four passengers chose to spend the night in the lounge of the ferry "Apostolis", which had a scheduled morning itinerary, while others chose alternative ways of returning by boat or taxi. The 'Panaghia Paravouniotissa' suffered a small leak with ensuing water ingress, which could be controlled by pumps. A diver was called to inspect the hull. The Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy informed the competent Prosecutor about the non-response of the ship-owning company regarding salvage operations more than 14 hours after the incident. The Captain did not inform the competent authorities about the grounding either. The Unified SAR Coordination Center (EKSED), which was notified at 6.51 p.m., only managed to contact him after repeated attempts by phone, Passengers complained that there was no information from the ship's loudspeakers after the grounding. The captain has been brought to the port department that has undertaken the investigation of the case and was expected to be brought to the competent prosecutor. Reports with photos and video: https://www.hcg.gr/el/drasthriothtes/anakoinwsh-ypoyrgeioy-naytilias-kai-nhsiwtikhs-politikhs-gia-peristatiko-prosara3hs-eg-dr-ploioy-sta-nea-styra/ https://www.tanea.gr/2025/08/06/greece/prosaraksi-feri-mpot-sta-nea-styra-to-yp-naytilias-stelnei-ston-eisaggelea-tin-ploioktitria-etaireia/ https://www.tanea.gr/2025/08/05/greece/to-ypourgeio-naytilias-kaiei-ton-ploiarxo-gia-tin-prosaraksi-sta-nea-styra-den-enimerose-os-ofeile-tis-arxes/ https://www.skai.gr/news/greece/eyvoia-ploio-pou-ektelouse-dromologio-nea-styra-agia-marina-epese-se-ksera https://www.koutipandoras.gr/article/nea-styra-paramenei-kollimeno-to-feri-bot-panagia-paravouniotissa-ti-katangelloun-epivates/ https://govnews.gr/ellada/296588/ston-eisangelea-i-ploioktitria-tou-feri-pou-prosaraxe-sta-nea-styra-kamia-energeia-gia-apokollisi-14-ores-meta/ https://en.protothema.gr/2025/08/06/the-ferry-that-ran-aground-on-a-reef-in-styra-remains-stuck-questions-about-the-captain-that-demand-answers/

A 29-year-old man has been convicted of attempted sabotage after starting a fire aboard the 'Viking Glory' in Dec 2024, when the ferry was at sea with over 1000 people on board. The man set fire to a garbage can inside a closed restaurant. The incident was caught on surveillance video and discovered by staff after it began to smell burnt. The fire went out on its own before it could spread, but the Åland District Courtcourt found that the act was likely to cause a general danger to life and health. “It was more likely a coincidence that there was not so much flammable material in the garbage can that the fire went out on its own. Despite the fact that fire surveillance rounds are carried out on a regular basis, a fire could have taken hold between rounds,” thecourt wrote in the verdict. The man was arrested later that night by staff on board. During the trial, he admitted the crime but said he did not remember the incident because he was heavily intoxicated. He was on board the ship for a Christmas party. The Åland District Court sentenced the man to six months of suspended imprisonment. He must also pay a victim surcharge and reimburse the state for the costs of a witness examination.

From Aug 6, the Ukraine officially has restored trhe passage through the Bystre Canal for vessels with a draft of up to 4.5 m., about two weeks after the 'Ingulskyj', with 11 people on board, exploded on the evening of July 23, during scheduled work at the mouth of the Danube. Three employees of the Sea Ports Administration of Ukraine died as a result of the explosion. Other crew members were injured and hospitalized. This decision opens up new opportunities for shipowners who previously faced restrictions due to the temporary closure of the canal. During the closure of the Bystre Canal, many shipowners were forced to increase their freight rates to compensate for the additional costs. However, the prices offered by the carriers turned out to be unacceptable to charterers. After the resumption of the Bystre Canal, market participants predict a partial revival of freight traffic on the Danube due to more balanced conditions for negotiations between sellers and buyers.