News

Due to the ongoing technical issue with the main engine of the 'Loch Frisa' on April 8, the following sailings were cancelled: Departure Craignure - 07:10 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.; Departure Oban - 08:30 a.m. and 11:25 a.m. The ferry remained sidelined for troubleshooting. Also the departures from Craignure on April 9 at 07:10 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. as well as the sailings from Oban at 08:30 a.m., 11:25 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. were cancelled.

Salvage operations aboard the ‘MSC Baltic III’ were gaining momentum and progressing well due to better weather conditions with the heating and pumping of the fuel. No oil or fuel has yet leaked from the vessel. The Canadian Coast Guard continued on-water and shoreline assessments of the gronding site. Ongoing tank soundings have reduced the original estimate of heavy fuel and marine gas on the vessel from 1710 metric tons to 1600 metric tons. As of Aoril 4,184 cubic metres of fuel has been pumped into frac tanks onboard the container ship. MSC is planning to pump the fuel from the frac tanks onboard the 'MSC Baltic III' to frac tanks onboard a barge for removal from the site. This is because once the frac tanks onboard the vessel are full, they will be too heavy to lift onto the barge. The fuel isn't being pumped from the 'MSC Baltic III' directly into the frac tanks on the barge because the heating and pumping is a time-consuming process and requires the barge to be alongside the vessel for an extended period of time. This is challenging with the weather and sea conditions in the area. Environment and Climate Change Canada has installed a mobile weather station at the site to help provide improved weather service in the area. Floating docks have been installed to accommodate Canadian Coast Guard assets to reduce vessel congestion in the area. The Canadian Coast Guard maintains oversight of the operations to ensure a reasonable and appropriate response as there is still an on-going risk that pollution could enter the marine environment. Officials from the Coast Guard wanted to build a road to the vessel, which has to be taken apart and removed since there is too much structural damage to tow the ship. the Mayor of Lark Harbour, Wade Park, stated that plans to construct that road have hit a hurdle and they were trying to find out who owns a piece of land they need to cross. It is not owned by anyone in the town. Reports with photos: https://en.flows.be/shipping/2025/04/salvage-operation-msc-baltic-iii-gaining-momentum-due-to-better-weather/ https://www.frequencynews.ca/news/plans-to-build-a-road-to-a-stranded-cargo-ship-in-cedar-cove-have-hit-a-hurdle/

The 'Loch Alainn', serving on the route Barra - Eriskay, suffered a Technical issue with the toilet on April 8. As a consequence, the scheduled departure from Barra at 3:45 p.m. and from Eriskay at 4:35 p.m. had to be cancelled. After the technical issue has been suceessfully resolved, the vessel will operate the additional sailings from Barra at 7:15 p.m. with an arrival at Eriskay at 7:55 p.m. and from Eriskay at 8:00 p.m., arriving at Barra at 8:40 p.m.

The 'European Causeway’ suffered a technical failure on April 5, 2025. She has a problem with her starboard rudder. After repairs, she started a trial in the afternoon, but had to return to Larne and berthed stern in. As of April 8, the work continued to try and sort the issue out. The ship remained stationary in Larne as of April 9.

On April 8, 2025, at 05:30 a.m. LT the 'Hosel Crown', en route from the Chua Ve port (Hải Phòng) to the Philippines, was in collision with the Vietnamese fishing vessel 'Thanh Hoá-TH 92686 TS' in the Gulf of Bắc Bộ off Hải Phòng, causing it to sink. The wooden fishing boat had been collecting goods (buying fish at sea) since April 8 and was on its way back to Thanh Hoa. The crew was sleeping in the ship's hold when they heard the captain shouting that the ship was sinking. Everyone quickly jumped up and ran to the deck, put on life jackets, grabbed whatever they could and called for help so that the 'Hosei Crown' could hear them. The ship sank so quickly, that they ended up in the water. Upon receiving the distress information, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (VMRCC) instructed the cargo ship to deploy buoys and begin the immediate search and rescue of the 12 crew members of the fishing vessel, and depöoyed the rescue ship 'SAR 411' from Haiphong to the scene. Nearby vessels were mobilized to assist in the the SAR efforts. In addition, local forces were asked for coordination and the National Civil Defense Steering Committee along with the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration notified to oversee and direct the ongoing SAR operation. At around 9:10 a.m., the search team rescued eight fishermen and recovered the bodies of four deceased crew members of the 'Thanh Hoá-TH 92686 TS', among them the captain. All were transported aboard the 'SAR 411' to Hai Phong’s Central Pier and handed over to the local authorities. The VMRCC has launched an investigation in collaboration with relevant agencies,in order to determine the cause of the collision. There were southeast winds of 3–4 Beaufort and foggy conditions in the area at the time of the incident. Reports with photos and video: https://vtcnews.vn/tau-ca-bi-tau-nuoc-ngoai-dam-chim-4-ngu-dan-tu-nan-ar936414.html https://vtcnews.vn/ngu-dan-thoat-nan-ke-phut-sinh-tu-khi-tau-ca-bi-dam-chim-4-nguoi-thiet-mang-ar936475.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24MB3tB7Mpo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s62eLs7J2fs&t=80s