After the sinking of the 'Kepejora' on the morning of July 25 on the banks of the Sambre in Auvelais, in the municipality of Sambreville, work was on to remove the 1,400 tons of scrap in the cargo holds by the scrap metal dealers of Comet in an attempt to quickly reopen the waterway. Since the sinking, river traffic has been completely suspended. Several barges were at a standstill, forced to wait for the operations to be completed. Any delays will have to be covered by the vessel's insurance. During the night, two cranes were workionng to extract the cargo. Nearly 800 tons of scrap metal have already been removed in around 50 trucks, while almost as much remained to be removed. The grapples go into the water, fishing, with long crane arms to find the scrap metal wherever it is, especially since the barge has sunk even further. Only once the scrap metal has been removed, the barge can be raised, which was expected to take place on July 29 or 30. The authorities will then have to establish the exact circumstances of the sinking. The accident may have occurred during the loading operations at the Comet Sambre dockside facility in Châtelet. An impact was remarked during loading. Another concern esd s hydrocarbon pollution. Thefuel tank has suffered a hole. Firefighters were lowered directly onto the water by a crane to install a floating boom. The objective was to prevent the fuel from spreading into the Sambre. The master and his crew, originally from Flanders, have returned home for the time being. Reports with photo and video: https://www.rtbf.be/article/une-peniche-chargee-de-ferraille-coule-a-auvelais-1400-tonnes-a-extraire-la-sambre-bloquee-11580804 https://www.sudinfo.be/id1021490/article/2025-07-26/naufrage-dune-peniche-auvelais-les-secours-tentent-de-colmater-une-fuite-de https://www.gva.be/binnenland/binnenvaartschip-kepejora-zinkt-in-de-samber-reddingsoperatie-mislukt-ondanks-massale-inzet/80056130.html
News
HEIN
On the afternoon of July 25, 2025, the 'Hein' allided with a quay at the port of Brake. The dredger veered off course before striking the quay and coming to rest along the riverbank in pos. 53° 21' N 008° 30 E. The 'Hein' suffered significant bow damage with multiple hull breaches. A quay-mounted crane was also knocked down, crashing onto the dredger's deck and rupturing several hydraulic lines. The relevant authorities confirmed that a minor quantity of hydraulic oil leaked into the water, but stated it was minimal and expected to evaporate quickly. The cause of the dredger's deviation remained unknown, and an investigation was underway. The ' Hein' was stationary at the North Quay as of July 26. Photos: https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3866610?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3866605?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest
ICON OF THE SEAS
According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), the unidentified male crew member who died after going overnoard, allegedly stabbed a female co-worker during a dispute. “Shortly before 7:30 p.m., a 28-year-old South African female crew member was allegedly stabbed multiple times by another crew member, a 35-year-old South African male. Following the incident, the male reportedly fled from the scene and jumped into the water. He was retrieved unresponsive and pronounced dead by onboard medical staff. Despite immediately launching a search and rescue mission and finding the crew member in less than an hour, he could not be saved. His alleged victim, despite receiving multiple stab wounds to her upper body, was in stable condition after being attended to by the onboard medical team. An investigation into the attack was underway, and an autopsy will be conducted to determine the deceased crew member’s exact cause of death. Despite the circumstances, the up to 5,610 passengers onboard the world’s largest cruise ship were not in any danger. This was not a random attack, but rather the assault appears to be the result of a disagreement between two crew members. As the 'Icon of the Seas' only had to briefly backtrack to recover the crew member’s body, there was no significant impact to the itinerary.
CORSO MARINE
Beached at Alang 25.07.25 https://www.facebook.com/intractibleren/videos/751805084470106?idorvanity=6884293942
CALEDONIAN ISLES
The 'Caledonian Isles' has left the James Watt Dock of the Dales Marine in Greenock on the evening July 25, as the ferry operator tries to find a solution to technical problems that have kept the ship out of service for more than a year and a half. The ferry was bound for dry dock in Leith, for repairs which could take between eight weeks and four months. Thge mechanisms that control the pitch of the propellers will have to be removed for further investigation. If that doesn't work, the retrofitting of a new system to improve the accuracy of the pitch control will be tried. This would take four more months. The 'Caledonian Isles' went out of service for its annual overhaul in January 2024. A hull deformity was discovered after repairs at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside, which has had a knock-on effect on the ferry’s return to service and prompted CalMac to seek to recover some of the almost £11 million in costs from the Birkenhead yard. CalMac intended to publish winter timetables soon and aim to give communities and customers certainty about service levels and vessel deployment during that period.
KEPEJORA
On the afternoon of July 25, 2025, the ' Kepejora', carrying 1,400 tons of scrap metal, sank near the Auvelais lock. The barge had departed from Comet in Châtelet and bound for Ghent, was damaged during or shortly after loading. The crew only noticed later that the barge was taking on water. A large-scale rescue operation involving pumps, cranes, and dozens of trucks commenced with trucks waiting in queues at the quay to take the cargo. The operation was complicated by the difficult-to-access quay and the volume of the cargo. A total of 78 trucks would have been needed to unload everything.The firefighters of the Val de Sambre area, who started operating the pumps at 3 p.m., had to call the Crisnée Civil Protection Department. All efforts could not prevent the barge from sinking at a water depth of around 4,5m metres at around 6:05 p.m. The wheelhouse and parts of the starboard side remained above water, but the cargo holds were completely flooded and submerged at port side. An oil boom was laid out around the wreck by the fire brigade as a precaution. The SPW's Inspector General of Waterways has been dispatched to the scene. Reports with photo and video: https://www.gva.be/binnenland/binnenvaartschip-kepejora-zinkt-in-de-samber-reddingsoperatie-mislukt-ondanks-massale-inzet/80056130.html https://www.lavenir.net/regions/sambre-meuse/2025/07/25/accident-fluvial-a-auvelais-naufrage-dune-peniche-chargee-de-1400-tonnes-de-ferraille-video-CRU2FNSQHVCAFEAJXCXUQPFXPE/
HEIN
On July 27, the sheerleg 'Athlet' (MMSI: 211523490), which had just raised the tug 'Orca' in Bremen, proceeded to Brake to remove the wreckage following the crane collapse of a port crane onto the deck of the 'Hein'. On July 28, experts from NiedersachsenPorts and a salvage company were planning the next steps for the removal of the debris and the dredger, which had broken through the wood and steel quay and was now partially resting on rocks. No water has entered the ship so far, but there has been damage to the bow and parts of the hull. The ship was therefore not allowed to continue sailing; The quay was closed, but passing ship traffic was not restricted. Oil booms were laid out as a precaution. A hydraulic line had ruptured when the crane toppled over, and a small amount of oil leaked into the port basin, while most of it spread onto the deck of the dredger. Why the dredger deviated from its course and allided with the quayside, remained unclear and subject of investigations.
IDA
On July 26, 2025, at 5.42 p.m. the fire department responded to a fire on the 'Ida' en route to the port of Bogø. The South Zealand and Lolland-Falster Police was notified of flames coming out of the smokestsck. The crew still managed to bring the ferry to the dock. When the emergency services arrived at the scene, they found that there was a fire in the engine room. Due to the quick reaction, the emergency services gained control of the situation, On July 27,there was still no overview of the damage, and it was unknown, whether a replacement ferry or buses would be deployed by the Vordingborg Municipality. A decision was to be maked once there was a more precise overview of the damage and if there was an indication of when sailing could be resumed. Damage service has been called in to repair some of the results of the fire, and on July 28 personnel of the Stege Shipyard attended to investigate what needed to be repaired.The ferry sails between Bogø Harbour and Stubbekøbing harbour during the summer months. Reports with photos: https://www.tv2east.dk/vordingborg/brand-pa-faergen-ida-2ada8?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLyPFNjbGNrAvI8UGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeojeg1CyobCadmwpYD7EPnDCPxyIJP9ia0s3QLjn7ac89KDcHz5tDQ4L8ZHU_aem_qh3qIjIl3fqZuvFB4OXtdw https://www.avisen.dk/brand-saetter-gammel-traefaerge-ud-af-spil-paa-ukend_806040.aspx https://www.folketidende.dk/nyheder/efter-brand-pa-faerge-det-skal-der-ske-nu/4990216 https://www.tv2east.dk/vordingborg/brandskadet-faerge-skal-undersoges-2826d?fbclid=IwY2xjawL0DU1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHsNEi7Ndlu4tvrEFGmXxCNXtpKfXZMWo7PfhjIqEPw0HmqvGqAgWvitAlnaQ_aem_ggIg6jqZ9ILa5Y9vWRHWOw
AZUREA
Orcas have rammed the ''Azurea', with two French crew members on board, off the northern coast of Spain on July 21, 2025, at around 2 p.m.. The yacht issued a mayday call after the attack left its steering disabled just north of the town of Deba in the Spanish Basque Country. The two sailors, one of whom was aged 60, were rescued by the Spanish Coastguard, and taken with their boat under tow to the port of Getaria. Sailors were urged to be cautious in the Bay of Biscay.
ORCA
On the morning of July 26, the sheerleg 'BHV Athlet' (MMSI: 211523490) with a lifting capacity of 100 tons brought the heavily damaged 'Orca' back to the surface. Divers had previously attached slings to the vessel, which the crane used to pull it to the surface. The next step was to pump out the water-oil mixture in the vessel, check the vessel for buoyancy, and tow it away. The leak in the hull had previously been temporarily sealed. The drilling crane was cut off and removed during the night of July 25. The heavily damaged tug was moored at the quay of Nehlsen in the Industry Port of Bremen. Report with video and photos: https://www.butenunbinnen.de/nachrichten/bremen-industriehafen-schlepper-gesunken-bohrkran-100.html https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3867513?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3867092?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3867091?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest
HEIN
On the afternoon of July 25, 2025, the 'Hein' allided with a quay at the port of Brake. The dredger veered off course before striking the quay and coming to rest along the riverbank. In the incident, the 'Hein' suffered significant bow damage with multiple hull breaches. A quay-mounted crane was also knocked down, crashing onto the dredger's deck and rupturing several hydraulic lines. The relevsng authorities confirmed that a minor quantity of hydraulic oil leaked into the water, but stated it was minimal and expected to evaporate quickly. The cause of the dredger's deviation remained unknown, and an investigation was underway. The ' Hein' was stationary at the North Quay as of July 26. Report with photo: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/119277/6084453
HOLIDAY ISLAND
The fire on the 'Holiday Island' in Prince Edward Island on July 22, 2022 has led the Transportation Safety Board of Canadato launch a national investigation into ship fires and the responses to them. The board announced its investigation as it released a report, in which, the independent agency said that the crew helped passengers safely down the ferry’s two evacuation slides and into life rafts where they were picked up by local boats. The fire had started in themain engine room after its fuel injection system, whch had been repaired a day before, failed and caused fuel to spray onto the hot engine and ignite. The crew shut down the engine, attempted to close the fuel supply valves and beached the vessel on a nearby sandbar. The crew believed they had activated a carbon dioxide fire suppression system from the ship’s bridge; however, the instructions were unclear and the system was not actually engaged. Initially this went unnoticed, allowing the fire to grow and it wasn’t until 15 minutes later that the crew manually released the CO2. By then the fire had intensified. Despite efforts, it couldn’t be extinguished and the vessel was abandoned until the fire burned out two days later, leaving the ferry damaged beyond repair- A report released nearly one year ago on vessel safety included three recommendations related to crew training, passenger evacuation procedures and the need for accurate passenger counts. But many of these same issued were identified on the 'Holiday Island'. For example, the ship’s captain initially reported 182 passengers on board when the final count was 236. The agency’s report found that the crew aboard the ferry had varying levels of training, and of familiarity with the life-saving equipment, and that it was unclear who was legally responsible for the ferry’s safety. The ferry was operated by Northumberland Ferries but on behalf of Transport Canada. In a statement on July 23, 2025, Mark Wilson, president and CEO of Northumberland Ferries, said the company welcomes the safety board’s findings, adding that 16 corrective actions have already been taken dating back to 2022 to improve the ferry’s performance. These actions included enhancing the emergency training, revising and updating procedures and strengthening operational protocols. The company will work with Transport Canada to ensure that the report’s findings are implemented in a timely and effective fashion. The board recommended that Transport Canada provide better guidance on who is responsible for vessel safety. The board said its national investigation will include consultations with marine operators, firefighting services and ports to improve systemic safety gaps related to ship fires. Over the past 35 years, the safety board has issued nine safety concerns and 10 recommendations related to fire safety, while in the last 10 years nearly 400 fires on commercial vessels have been reported to the agency.
