On Oct 29, 2026, the Algerian Coast Guard addressed an urgent request for a medical evacuation from the captain of the 'Haci Ali Sari', enroute from Ceyhan to the Russian port of Ust-Luga, which was located 28 nautical miles north of Azeffoun (Tizi Ouzou). The request concerned a 20-year-old Turkish crew member who had sustained a serious back injury after falling while on duty. He was transferred ashore for treatment in a hospital.
News
NACC POROS
The 'NACC Poros' was detained on Oct 26, 2026, again at the Fraser Wharves, Vancouver, with six deficiencies, one of which being regarded as serious and a ground for a detention: 1) Emergency system - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Not as required The vessel was released again on Oct 27 and left the port on Oct 28 enroute to Seattle, where it arrived on Oct 29. The last detention was on Aug 19, 2025, at the Fraser Wharves with ten deficiencies for three days. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A2Nywg1o7/
CAROLINE BEZENGI
The salvage operation at the 'Caroline Bezengi' to recover its remaining cargo appears to have achieved its first major success. Even the slight traces of oil that were leaking from the wreck last week appeared to have disappeared, on the basis of analysis of satellite imagery covering the scene on Oct 26. Wind and sea state had been perfect for salvage operations with light seas, a wind speed of 2.34 m/s blowing to the northwest, and with a moderate swell, and the prevailing conditions looked set for the coming week. The oil leakage was likely to have been brought under control by pumping oil out of leaking tanks into those on board that were still intact. Oil pumps had been dropped off onto the deck of the tanker by a helicopter of the Royal Air Force of Oman.The wreck remained firmly stuck on the rocks off the southwest tip of Jazirat Al Qibliyyah, having been hit while off the coast of Yemen on June 8 by what was believed to have been a limpet mine attack. The shadow fleet tanker was sanctioned by the EU, the UK, and the US (OFAC), and had had a past association with Russian state shipowner Sovcomflot.
ODYSSEY
When the 'Odyssey' suspended its three-year voyage at the port town of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand on Oct 23, it was carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members. The current voyage was originally planned to last 3,5 years, setting sail from Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024. A second cruise was tentatively scheduled to wrap up in August 2030. With fuel costs rising around the world due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, the monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which prior to the February 2026 war with Iran averaged at $1,800, have reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. While the Florida-based operator Villa Vie Residences tried to cut fuel use by slowing the ship’s pace and extending stays in port, those changes weren’t enough to keep up with rising costs. Passing the full increase on to residents was not a realistic solution. The focus now was on supporting residents, crew, and employees. The company was working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements, it stated on Oct 27. The ship was now expected to refuel and depart Sihanoukville on Oct 31, though the ship’s operator had yet to publicly announce a departure date. Several people onboard the cruise expressed their frustrations amid the disembarkation, with one blogger claiming Villa Vie Residences wasn’t helping them at all and has left them stranded in Cambodia as they sorted out their flights home. Report with photos: https://globemagazine.com/passengers-who-paid-more-than-200k-for-luxury-3-year-cruise-stranded-in-cambodia-due-to-soaring-fuel-costs/
COMMANDANT CHARCOT
The 'Le Commandant Charcot' ran aground one meter from the quay in Breivika in Tromsø on the morning of Oct 29, 2026. The ship was scheduled to arrive in Leknes on Oct 30 and in Narvik on the weekend of Oct 31/Nov 1. Photo: https://livecenter.norkon.net/frame/lofotposten/23033/default?p=lc-12726387-23033-lofotposten
SUNNY FAITH
On Oct 9, 2026, at 4.53 p.m. the 'Sunny Faith', enroute to Skikda with 19 crew members on board, went adrift in stormy weather conditions in storm Felicia amid wind speeds of up to 27 m/s, and finally ran aground in the Kaliningrad Region close to the village Yantarni. Officials believed the crew had misjudged the strength and direction of the hurricane-force winds as the storm moved through the area. There was no distress call either. Instead residents watched the vessel punded by the surf, until it firmly sat aground near the tourist town of Yantarny. No pollution was observed, and no one was injured. Once the weather has improved, the port authorities of Kaliningrad would develop salvage plans for the unloaden ship, which had arrived in the bay on Oct 6, in cooperation with the owner. Authorities reported no structural damage, injuries or oil spills to date. Russia’s North-Western Transport Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into maritime safety and environmental compliance following the grounding. The crew was expected to remain on board until tugs have freed the vessel. The captain stated that the conditions were fine, and they would contact the authorities if they required assistance. Further surveys involving divers would probably be needed to determine how to refloat it. The grounding sent crowds of onlookers to the beach the following days, so that even a nearby spa was affected by the masses, and refunded its guests. As of Oct 25, the situation of the ship remained unchanged. In the same storm, the 'Geoizol' platform near Svetlogorsk sustained damage, when the cyclone-force winds caused the platform's wooden deck and all superstructures to break away, followed by the detachment of the floating module and hydraulic supports. The platform drifted in the coastal waters off Svetlogorsk before eventually washing ashore. The platform sustained extensive damage, with losses estimated at over one million rubles. A criminal case was initiated under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: "Violation of safety rules for the operation and movement of maritime transport." Investigators have examined the scene and are establishing the full circumstances of the incident. Initial visual inspections revealed no environmental damage and detected no threat of water pollution. According to the regional government, the platform was not regional property. The asset was currently under seizure as part of the criminal proceedings. Reports with photos and video: https://uz.kursiv.media/en/2026-10-12/storm-grounds-130-metre-cargo-ship-sunny-faith-off-kaliningrad-coast/ https://incidentia.ru/news/sudno-sunny-faith-proshlo-v-opasnoy-2026-10-09 https://m.kaliningradnews.online/fn_1966432.html https://m.kaliningradnews.online/fn_1966382.html https://klops.ru/kaliningrad/2026-10-09/392678-pryamo-na-beregu-ogromnyy-korabl-suhogruz-vyneslo-na-mel-ryadom-s-yantarnym-foto-video https://kgd.ru/news/society/item/119263-k-beregu-yantarnogo-pribilo-gruzovoe-sudno/amp https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/12/after-a-storm-stranded-an-enormous-cargo-ship-off-russia-s-baltic-coast-locals-turn-it-into-a-tourist-attraction https://kgd.ru/news/incident/item/119274-posle-zatopleniya-platformy-geoizola-v-rajone-svetlogorska-vozbudili-ugolovnoe-delo https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4027773?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4027772?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4027771?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4027770?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4029178?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4029177?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4029176?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4033613?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/4033614?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest
ZHONG CHANG 528
The 'Zhong Chang 528' was detained on Oct 16, 2026, in Constanta with six detainable defiencies: 10112 - Safety of Navigation - Electronic charts (ECDIS) - no responsibility of RO; 1308 - Certificate and Documentation - Documents - Records of rest - no responsibility of RO; 13105 - Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - UMS - Ship - no responsibility of RO; 18203 - Labour Conditions-Conditions of employment - Wages - no responsibility of RO; 4109 - Emergency Systems - Fire drills - no responsibility of RO; 5108 - Radio Communications - Performance standards for radio equipment - no responsibility of RO. The ship was released again on Oct 26 and left the port on Oct 28 en route to Port Said with an ETA as of Nov 1.
MSC MATERA VI
The 'MSC Matera VI' was detained on Oct 17, 2026, in Vancouver with 56 deficiencies, 20 of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Certificate & Doc - Other (Certificates) Other 2) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Auxiliary engine Not as required 3) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Propulsion main engine Not as required 4) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Insulation wetted through (oil) Damaged 5) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Gauges, thermometers etc Not as required 6) Safety of navigation - Voyage or passage plan Missing 7) Safety of navigation - Nautical publications Not updated 8)) Safety of navigation - Estabilishment of language onboard Not estabilished 9) Pollution Prevention - Oil filtering equipment Not as required 10) Pollution Prevention - Sewage treatment plant Not as required 11) Fire safety - Ready availability of fire fighting equipment Not properly stowed 12) Fire safety - Other (Fire safety) Other 13) Labour conditions - Cleanliness of engine room Not as required 14) Labour conditions - Protection machiners/parts Not as required 15) Water/Weathertight - Machinery space openings Not as required 16) Emergency systems - Crew familiarization with Emergency systems Not as required 17) Emergency systems - Emergency towing arrangements and procedures Not as required 18) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Other (Machinery) Other 19) Structural conditions - Steering gear Not as required 20) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Oct 22 and left the port enroute to Ningbo with an ETA as of Nov 7. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CebvP9f94/
NACC POROS
The 'NACC Poros' was detained on Aug 19, 2025, at the Fraser Wharves, Vancouver, with ten deficiencies, three of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Certificate & Doc - Evidence of basic training Not as required 2) Life saving Appliances - On board training and instructions Lack of training 3) Pollution Prevention - Oil filtering equipment Inoperative The vessel was released again on Aug 21 and left the port enroute to Seattle, where it arrived on Aug 23. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EtUjR7aSP/
TUGBERK IMAMOGLU
On Oct 2, search teams have found an unidentified man’s body off Silivri, Istanbul, 56 days after the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' sank in the Sea of Marmara collision. Forensic Medicine Institute tests will establish his identity, cause of death and any crew link. Captain Yaşar Kayhan’s body was found 5 kilometers from the collision site on Sep 14 and identified on Sep 15. The nine other crew members had remained missing. The ship, carrying 4,199 tons of steel coils from southern İskenderun to the Black Sea port Karadeniz Ereğli, collided with the tanker 'Alsu' on Sep 2 at around 3 a.m., while the tanker was sailing from northwestern Kocaeli to western Aliağa. The Navy vessel TCG Akın located the wreck at a depth of 720 meters on Sep 4. The 'Alsu’s captain Ahmet Erarslan and the 3rd officer Murat Evciman were remanded on Se. 3. A preliminary report cited failures of supervision and collision avoidance, respectively. Four other suspects were facing judicial supervision.
AGIOI FANENDES
The 'Agioi Fanendes', which designated as the first carrier of Russian diesel to the United States under an agreement between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, was no longer listing New York as its destination. The change came amid political pressure and potential legal issues related to importing Russian energy into the United States. The tanker had departed Primorsk, Russia, on Oct 22 with approximately 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low-sulfur diesel and was scheduled to arrive in New York on Nov 7. However, the tanker was at anchor near Skagen on Oct 26, with a "for orders" status. On Oct 27, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Thanassis Martinos, CEO of Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, the Athens, Greece-based shipping company that owns the vessel. He asked the company to recall the ship if its shipment was destined for a U.S. port and to cease similar transactions involving Russian diesel in the future. Blumenthal argued that the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, passed in 2022, prohibited the entry of this cargo, regardless of the General License (General License 135) issued by the U.S. Treasury Department. This license authorizes transactions involving Russian diesel until April 7, 2027. A government license does not automatically make a transaction legal if it violates existing law. The power to legalise the transactions remained with the Congress. Blumenthal gave the company until Oct 31 to disclose the identities of the seller, the buyer, the ship's charterer, the insurance companies, and the terminal operators involved in the shipment.
PROFESSOR MOLCHANOV
An attempt by the state-owned Russian company Trust Arcticugol to lift the arrest of the 'Professor Molchanov' in Svalbard was rejected by the Senja district court. The company, which operates in Barentsburg and Pyramiden, was affected by the fact that the ship has been arrested, since it has been transporting goods to Svalbard. The ship was taken into custody by the Governor of Svalbard on Sep 2, following an order from the district court, which followed a legal request from the Ukrainian gas company Naftogaz, and ordered to dock in Barentsburg. The background for the request is a judgment in The Hague from 2023, in which Russia was required to pay a compensation of 5 billion dollars to Naftogaz for seized values in Krym. In dealing with the claim from Trust Arcticugol, the court pointed out that Russia was originally the defendant in the case, and that Russia had every opportunity to pursue the claim for the lifting of temporary protection. The Trust Arcticugol was sentenced in the district court to pay NOK 2.9 million in legal costs.
OCEAN SAFE
The 'Ocean Safe' was detained in Xiamen on Oct 27, 2026, with five detainable defiencies: 07114 - FIRE SAFETY - Remote Means of control (opening,pumps,ventilation,etc.) Machinery spaces (no responsibility of RO) 07113 - FIRE SAFETY - Fire pumps and its pipes (no responsibility of RO) 07114 - FIRE SAFETY - Remote Means of control (opening,pumps,ventilation,etc.) Machinery spaces (no responsibility of RO) 11101 - LIFE SAVING APPLIANCES - Lifeboats (no responsibility of RO) 03110 - WATER/WEATHERTIGHT CONDITIONS - Manholes/flush scuttles (no responsibility of RO).
BROTHERS WAY
The 'Brothers Way' was detained in Bartin on Oct 24, 2026, with four detainable defiencies: 10111 - Safety of Navigation - Charts - no responsibility of RO; 13105 - Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - UMS - Ship - no responsibility of RO; 15150 - ISM - ISM - no responsibility of RO; 8108 - Alarms - UMS - alarms - no responsibility of RO. The ship was released again on Oct 27 and arrived in Navodari on Oct 29.
MSC MATERA VI
The 'ZIM Europe' has turned back and was heading around Afric following three attacks on vessels linked to Israel, rather than transiting the Suez Canal and passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen. The 'Zim Europe', en route from Boston to Port Klang, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean on Nov 24, 2023. It continued due east until it was between Oran, Algeria, and Cartagena, Spain, then did an about-face in the afternoon of Nov 25. It headed back out to the Atlantic and down the west coast of Africa. As of Nov 27, it had passed Casablanca, Morocco, and was headed south at 16 knots. The voyage from the Strait of Gibraltar to Port Klang via the Cape of Good Hope is 56% longer than via the Suez Canal. “In light of the threat to safe transit of global trade in the Arabian and Red Seas, Zim is taking temporary proactive measures to ensure the safety of its crews, vessels, and customers’ cargo by rerouting some of its vessels. As a result of these measures, longer transit times in the relevant Zim services are anticipated, though every effort is being made to minimize disruptions,” the company confirmed on Nov 27. Social media and the Arab press have featured numerous false reports of Houthi attacks on Zim vessels over recent days. “We have seen several fake reports on social media. All Zim vessels are safe and accounted for. The Israeli liner operator has three services that transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait: ZIM India Israel (ZII), ZIM India Turkiye (ZIT) and ZIM Mediterranean Premium Service (ZMP). The ZII service uses space aboard vessels of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The ZIT service also uses space aboard MSC vessels, plus one CMA CGM ship. The ZMP service is more problematic from a security perspective, as it uses multiple vessels with the word “ZIM” painted on the hull, including the 'Zim Europe'. The ZMP service also uses chartered vessels that are not as easily identifiable as Zim tonnage.
MEIN SCHIFF 3
The Lloyd Yard has been awarded the contract to repair the 'Mein Schiff 3'. The cruise ship was expected to arrive at the shipyard in Bremerhaven on Nov 1. The Maritime Safety Authority has granted the necessary permit. The final confirmation from the Rönner Group, which included the Lloyd Yard, was still pending. However, the group had already expressed interest in the repair work. The 'MSC Victorine', which was also severely damaged in the allision, will not be going to a shipyard, but will be repaired directly at the Strom Quay and has been turned around for this purpose with the damaged port side towards the quayside for better access.
CONTSHIP JET
The 'Contship Jet', enroute from Haifa to Constanța with 421 containers on board, was hit by three sea drones on Oct 28, 2026, at noon, while sailing off Bulgaria’s northern Black Sea coast. The attack took place approximately 21 nautical miles off the coastal town of Shabla, 16 nautical miles off Cape Kaliakra, which would place it in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, but four miles outside the country’s territorial waters. The ship caught fire and developed a list to starboard side, and the 18 crew members - among them 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians - took to the life rafts. A tanker was also dispatched to provide assistance. Meanwhile, another drone approached over the water, endangering the lives of the sailors. Before the incident, the Navy received a signal from a French Navy's Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft. The aircraft crew initially observed two unmanned aerial vehicles, and then another, which were heading towards several ships north of Cape Kaliakra. It was assumed that the ships would be attacked, the information was immediately disseminated to the Maritime Traffic Management with a request to warn vessels of the danger of a drone attack. The corvette 'Resolute', the SAR ship 'Proteo“ and a 'speedboat with the ship number 223 were sent to the risk zone. The first strike was carried out at around 12:00, followed by two more. After a signal that the crew was starting to leave the container vessel, rescue teams were directed to the site. All 18 sailors were taken aboard the 'Proteo'. During the inspection, it was found that the ship was hit on the starboard side in the waterline area. The vessel remained afloat and continued to drift at the site of the attack. The attacking drones were moving at a speed of about 26 knots. The attack took place within about an hour and was carried out in international waters. The incident was the latest in a series of drone attacks on merchant ships off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, and came as the defence ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye were meeting on Oct 28 to discuss maritime security in the Black Sea. It was widely believed that Russia was behind the attacks. Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey adopted a joint statement strongly condemning attacks against civilian shipping. The Bulgarian defence minister Stoyanov emphasised the shared responsibility of the three Black Sea countries, all NATO allies, to ensure the safety of maritime transport. The three defence ministers also agreed to organise further meetings in the near future to continue their cooperation. The tanker 'Khoryv' had caught fire after an attack on Oct 23. There were 13 people on board, including 10 Ukrainian and three Azerbaijani citizens. Nine sailors were rescued, one was killed and three remained missing. Other ships attacked during the recent days included the 'Alfa Watan', 'Able', 'Chelsea 3' and 'HS Dignity'. The 'Alfa Watan' and 'Able' were struck inside Bulgaria’s EEZ on Oct 6, 2026, at around 3 a.m. Report with video: https://www.novinite.com/articles/241335/Sea+Drone+Attack+on+CONTSHIP+JET+Captured+on+Video
SARA KARIN
The 'Sara Karin', with nine crew members on board, got its purse seine caught in the propeller amid bad weather in the Barents Sea 50 nautical miles northwest of Bjørnøya and had to be assisted by the Coast Guard on Oct 18, 2026. The patrol vessel 'Bjørnøya', which had been moored behind Bjørnøya with a crew consisting of 24 permanent employees and 35 conscripts, was deployed to assist by the Coastal Administration and took the 'Sara Karin' in tow towards the shore at a speed of 5-6 knots at 8.15 p.m. At 3.30 a.m., the towing connection failed, when the attachment points in the bow of the fishing boat gave way to the forces of the storm. In strong gales with around eight meters wave height, the Coast Guard vessel had to back up close to the casualty to shoot over a new tow line. Three hours later, the tow was finally secured again, and the course was set towards the east side of Bjørnøya. The conditions in the lee of Bjørnøya also presented challenges, with currents and swells from different directions that forced the Coast Guard to go in a continuous figure-eight pattern with the casualty in tow. Several other fishing boats in the area also sought refuge at the island to ride out the storm. On the night of Oct 20, when the storm center passed at its worst, thetowing wire broke once again. The 'Sara Karin' immediately began to drift eastward, out of the lee and towards the open sea with ten-meter waves and wind gusts of up to 60 knots. The casualty was drifting fast, and the margins were extremely small. If there would not have been the shielding from Bjørnøya astern, it could have developed even more worse. Once again, the crew managed to establish a new connection in the demanding conditions. On the way to the mainland, the tow cable broke for the fourth time, but reserve lines were quickly connected from the Coast Guard. North of Nord-Fugløya in Troms, the 'Sara Karin' was finally handed over to a civilian tug, which pulled the vessel the last distance to Hamnes in Lyngen for repairs to the propeller. By then the rescue mission had lasted four days. The response was coordinated via the Maritime Traffic Central Service in Vardø, which was following up on the incident. Report with photos: https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/kystvakten-kjempet-i-fire-dogn-i-uvaer-i-barentshavet-for-a-berge-fiskebat-1.18064185
EIDSVAAG MARIN
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority has published its findings on Oct 27, 2026, into the death of a crew member aboard the 'Eidsvaag Marin' on Oct 29, 2025. The man was killed while replacing a hydraulic component on the vessel's cargo-handling machinery, while it sailed from Stavanger to Røvær. The investigators found out that disconnecting a hydraulic hose caused the machine's lifting frame and the operator's cab to move backwards, trapping the worker against a hydraulic oil tank. Other crew members attempted to free him, but were unsuccessful. The vessel returned to port of Dusavik, where emergency services released him. He subsequently died from his injuries. The investigation found that the machinery lacked a physical safeguard capable of preventing the uncontrolled movement. Although the manufacturer's operating manual specified a locking device to prevent crushing injuries during maintenance, the component was not included in the standard equipment supplied and was not available aboard the vessel. The investigators also found that Eidsvaag's safety management system did not adequately address the risks associated with hydraulic maintenance. There was no specific procedure, risk assessment or safety analysis for the work. Training was limited and depended heavily on individual crew members, while neither internal audits nor external inspections had identified the shortcomings. The authority also questioned the machinery's design, finding that its arrangement could make the safest maintenance position difficult to access. Following the accident, the Eidsvaag company, specialising in the transportation of fish feed from factories to salmon farms along the coast, ordered locking devices for vessels with similar equipment and introduced stronger training requirements and revised safety procedures. At the time of the accident, it operated 19 vessels, including four fitted with the same type of cargo-handling machinery. The Norwegian Maritime Authority has carried out an inspection, issued an order and announced plans for a safety notice covering vessels fitted with similar machinery. Proposed regulations covering lifting equipment and operations aboard ships were also under consultation, including more specific training requirements for cargo-handling equipment. The investigation did not identify a technical fault in the machinery itself. The Safety Investigation Authority issued no additional safety recommendations, citing the measures already introduced or planned by the operator and maritime authorities. Full report: https://havarikommisjonen.no/Sjofart/Avgitte-rapporter/2026-05
LEFU
The 'Lefu' was detained on Oct 19, 2026, in Tianjin on Oct Oct 19, 2026, with four detainable defiencies: 14104 - POLLUTION PREVENTION - MARPOL ANNEX I - Oil filtering equipment (no responsibility of RO) 07117 - FIRE SAFETY - Jacketed high pressure lines and oil leakage alarm (no responsibility of RO) 07114 - FIRE SAFETY - Remote Means of control (opening,pumps,ventilation,etc.) Machinery spaces (no responsibility of RO) 07109 - FIRE SAFETY - Fixed fire extinguishing installation (no responsibility of RO). The ship was released again on Oct 21.

