News

One crew member of the 'Vikan', Abdulrahman Ali Mazrabi, was killed when the bulk carrier was struck during the shelling of the Yemeni port of Ras Issa on Oct 13, 2026, when airstrikes were conducted on Yemen’s western Hodeidah province by Saudi Arabia. Also the 'RSM Blessed' (IMO: 9071155) was hit. In this strike, the crew was safe. Two air strike campaigns were conducted on the Ras Isa port, targeting Yemeni oil storage tanks and on an oil station in the Houthi-controlled Hodeidah province.

On Oct 11, 2026, at 6.12 a.m., the 'Ty Noem', while at anchor, sank in the port of Erquy (Côtes-d'Armor). After its EPIRB was activated, the CROSS Corsen was alerted and mobilised the fire brigade. 14 firefighters of the local fire brigade, including divers, responded, but no one was aboard the ship at the time, and no pollution occurred. The vents of the tanks, which contained about 350 liters of diesel fuel, were plugged, and an oil boom laid out as a precaution. On the afternoon of Oct 12 divers refloated the 'Ty Noem', which was then towed to Le Légué in Saint-Brieuc for repairs. Report with photo: https://www.letelegramme.fr/cotes-d-armor/lamballe-armor-22400/le-ty-noem-renfloue-a-erquy-apres-son-naufrage-7136997.php

75 individuals of Bangladeshi nationality were rescued from a precarious boat by the crew of the vessel 'Sidra Ahlam', enroute from Beghazi to Ceyham. They were provided with food and water and subsequently handed over to the Greek Coast Guard. Special thanks to the 3rd Officer Hassan Nashat Abu Al-Lail, the ship's Master, Captain Mostafa Abdel-Razek, and the entire crew.

A drone struck the 'Omskiy 121' in the Russian port of Rostov-on-Don on the morning of Oct 11, 2026, and caused damage to the superstructure. According to preliminary information, no fatalities have been reported. It remained unclear whether anyone was injured. The vessel’s crew was made up of 12–13 people, including Azerbaijani citizens. Report with video: https://en.axar.az/news/world/1138269.html

On the morning of Oct 9, 2026, the Port Authorities of Zakynthos, Katakolo and Pylos were informed by about the fall into the sea of ​​a 44-year-old El Salvadoran woman from the Bahamas-flagged cruise ship 'Odyssey of the Seas' 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. The local emergency plan was immediately activated and searches were launched to locate her, with the participation of a rescue vessel of the Greek Coast Guard, a Coast Guard Patrol Vesseland passing ships, as well as a Super Puma helicopter of the Air Force. During the investigation, a tipped-over lifebuoy was initially located. On the morning of Oct 10, the woman was found conscious, inside the lifebuoy, by the crew of the 'MSC Rossella III', that was participating in the SAR operation. She was subsequently picked up by the rescue vessel, where she was provided with first aid. The boat then sailed to the port of Katakolo, from where the woman was transported by ambulance to the Andreas Papandreou General Hospital of Pyrgos for medical monitoring and medical examinations. A preliminary investigation was conducted by the Katakolo Port Authority. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3hMejy5mZc

On Sep 25, the 'No. 5 Elbe' set sail again for the first time since 2019. The initial sea trials were primarily intended to thoroughly test everything and find out what still needed to be adjusted or optimised. Because the ship was still far from finished, in the coming months, work was to be continued on the ship, which sank on the Elbe on June 8, 2019. The pilot schooner had only just returned to Hamburg after spending several months in dry dock at Hvide Sande. A refit with new outer planks, a new stern, a meticulously restored hull structure had cost 1.5 million euros. There were 43 people on board as the ship was sailing on the Lower Elbe. At 1.54 p.m., near Stadersand, two headsails came loose. Whilst the crew were busy dealing with this, the ship was, according to the subsequent investigation report. on the wrong side of the fairway. The oncoming container ship 'Astrosprinter' was unable to change course, and a collision occurred. The badly damaged 'No. 5 Elbe' still managed to reach the mouth of the Schwinge, ran aground just before the pier and sank. The accident was followed by the salvage operation, then a return to the shipyard in Hvide Sande. The keel was broken, several frames had to be replaced, around 130 metres of hull planking renewed and the port bulwark repaired. According to the Friends of the Pilot Schooner No. 5 Elbe association, the total cost of the salvage and restoration amounted to over two million euros, funded in part by the federal government, a grant from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and private donations. Since then, volunteer members of the Friends’ Association have reconstructed the interior fittings, the rigging and the ship’s engineering systems. Whilst the report of the Federal Maritime Accident Investigation Bureau set out the sequence of events leading up to the accident in detail, the question of liability has not yet been conclusively resolved. Built in 1883 by H. C. Stülcken’s widow in Hamburg, the gaff schooner served for three decades as a pilot tender in the Elbe estuary and the German Bight. After being decommissioned in 1924, the ship passed through several owners before coming into American hands, where it was renamed the 'Wander Bird'. Skipper Warwick M. Tompkins crossed the Atlantic 13 times with the ship and rounded Cape Horn in 1936–37. His children, Ann and Warwick, aged four and six, were part of the crew. In 2002, the Hamburg Maritim Foundation brought the schooner back to Hamburg from Seattle; in 2016, it was added to Hamburg’s list of listed buildings. The NDR documentary ‘Phoenix from the Elbe – The Seven Lives of the Hamburg Pilot Schooner’ From the series “Die Nordstory” has been available since Oct 9, 2026. It traces both the eventful history of this historic ship and the long process of reconstruction following the accident. Reports with photos: https://lotsenschoner.de/aktuell/zum-ersten-mal-wieder-unter-segeln-seit-2019/ https://www.yacht.de/en/yachts/classics/a-comeback-on-the-elbe-the-pilot-schooner-no-5-elbe-is-back-under-sail/ https://www.yacht.de/en/distress-at-sea/pilot-schooner-no-5-elbe-investigation-report-published/

On Oct 8 at around 3:30 p.m., the 'Welt ahoi!' started drifting to starboard en route from Travemünde to the Priwall. The ferry 'Travemünde' came to assist and escorted the hybrid ferry to the Travemünde dock. There were no injuries or further damages. The latest failure of the propulsion system led to a temporary restriction of the vessel's maneuverability. The installed redundancy systems functioned as intended. The cause of the malfunction was currently being investigated, and a subsequent test run proceeded without incident. However, the service remained suspended for further technical investigations. The €5.1 million newbuild has repeatedly experienced problems and had to be removed from service. As of Oct 13, it was still unknown when the 'Welt ahoi!' would be able to resume regular service. Until then, passengers were advised to allow for longer waiting times for crossings between Travemünde and the Priwall. Report with photo: https://www.hl-live.de/text.php?id=182476

On Oct 13, the 'Sonangol Namibe' made a U-turn after allegedly being intercepted by the IRGC in the Strait of Hormuz. The Suezmax tanker went dark and briefly changed its AIS callsign to 'Gol' after an STS transfer off Fujairah.

Filipino crew member of the 'Acers' was injured in the drone attack in the Persian Gulf on Oct. 7. He was receiving treatment at a hospital in Doha. The other 24 Filipino crew members were safe and en route to Dubai, according to the manning agency.

The Chinese-linked DP3 dynamic positioning system vessel 'Tidebon 801' was back on sale barely a year after changing hands, carrying a $52.9m opening bid after its reported $14.1m acquisition. The former 'Bourbon Evolution 801' was to be offered through Chinese auction platform Shipbid on Oct 29, 2026.

No drone parts shedding light on the origin of the attack were found during the inspection of the 'Able' in the Black Sea on Oct 9. Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated this during a briefing at the Chaika naval base in Varna. The minister emphasised that no assumptions regarding the drone's origin should be made without evidence. Both the Ukrainian and Russian sides denied an involvement in the attack. Two servicemen from the 24th Air Base were lowered by a Cougar helicopter to inspect the vessel and remained aboard for more than 30 minutes. The 'Able' was severely damaged by the fire, the engine room was partially flooded, but the vessel remained afloat for the time being. It was determined that the ship was carrying wheat. As of Oct 13, it remained about 60 nautical miles from the Bulgarian coast, out of radar range. The chief expert at the Coastal Center – Burgas, Evgeni Mavrodiev, said that the location of the 'Able' was confirmed by a ship that passed near the point. The currents were currently moving the wreck away from Bulgarian waters. Only if it approached Bulgarian waters, the Coastal Center would react. Reports with photos and video: https://www.24chasa.bg/bulgaria/article/23722900 https://www.vesti.bg/bulgaria/pokazaha-obsledvaneto-na-koraba-ejbyl-6272759

A 44-year-old woman, a citizen of El Salvador, went overboard from the 'Odyssey of the Seas' on Oct 9, 2026, at 6 a.m., 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos, when the vessel was sailing through the Ionian Sea, having departed Mykonos as part of a seven-night Greek Isles itinerary that began in Civitavecchia on Oct 4. The 'Odyssey of the Seas' changed course and began searching the surrounding waters, with assistance reportedly provided by the Greek Coast Guard, a helicopter and nearby vessels. She was rescued by the container ship 'MSC Rossella III' (IMO: 9320025), which had participated in the SAR operation, on Oct 10 at 10 a.m., from a tipped-over lifebuoy, which was initially located. She was subsequently picked up by the rescue vessel, where she was provided with first aid. The boat then sailed to the port of Katakolo, from where the woman was transported by ambulance to the Andreas Papandreou General Hospital of Pyrgos for medical monitoring and medical examinations. The woman had been able to walk independently after being brought ashore by rescue boat. A preliminary investigation was conducted by the Katakolo Port Authority. The 'Odyssey of the Sea' had spent approximately 14 hours participating in search operations before abandoning its scheduled visit to Naples and heading directly towards Civitavecchia. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3hMejy5mZc

The 'Merna 2' was forced to enter the Port of Ostend on Sep 22, 2026, following an inspection that revealed a series of deficiencies on board. The Port of Ostend was currently hosting the ship, which did not comply with regulations. In 2025, it also spent a considerable amount of time in detention in Antwerp. It was not known when the ship would be allowed to sail again, and it remained stationary as of Oct 13. Report with photos: https://focus-wtv.be/nieuws/groot-roll-on-roll-off-schip-merna-2-al-bijna-20-dagen-aan-de-ketting

South Korea has completed its first commercial round trip to Europe via the Arctic alternative shipping route with the 'PanStar Acro', which docked in the port of Busanon Oct 11, 2026, after the 50-day test voyage. The voyage took slightly longer than the planned 45 days. The freighter had departed Busan on Aug 22 with significantly fewer containers than its intended capacity for the test voyage through the so-called Northeast Passage. Later, the ship, carrying cargo including chemicals and used cars, stopped in Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Gdansk. With this test voyage, the South Korean government had assessed the feasibility of the Arctic route for commercial shipping. Seoul was aiming to establish the Arctic Passage as a new trade route in the long term and develop Busan into an international logistics hub.

On Oct 12, 2026, the French military has boarded the 'DF Peak' on the Indian Ocean, about 450 nautical miles to the south of the department of Réunion, in perhaps the most remote, far-removed interdiction of a Russia-linked tanker since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Feb 2022, using a French Navy AS365 Dauphin N3 helicopter operated by Flottille 34F, from one of the Floréal-class frigates based at Port-des-Galets naval base in Réunion under the Armed Forces in the South Indian Ocean Zone (FAZSOI). The boarding was executed under the framework of Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which grants warships the right of visit on the high seas under suspicion of statelessness or fraudulent flagging. The 'DF Peak' was now under escort and being furthter inspected. While the vessel was far outside of French territorial seas, the legal authority for command of the boarding fell under the regional prefect of Réunion. The ship was suspected of flying a false flag and conducting illicit fuel transportation activities. The action was carried out in accordance with international maritime law, demonstrating the determination to uphold the rule of law and combat all illicit trafficking, wherever it occurs. The prosecutor’s office in the French city of Saint-Denis on the island of Réunion has launched an investigation into the captain of the 'DF Peak'. The investigation concerned the inability to confirm the vessel’s nationality during the inspection. The offense with which the captain was charged, carries a sentence of up to two years in prison and a fine of €300,000. The vessel may also be confiscated. “The investigation, in particular, aims to establish the vessel’s operating conditions and identify its owner and operator, who may also face criminal charges,” noted the prosecutor from Saint-Denis. 21 crew members of various nationalities remained on board. Restrictive measures and detention have been imposed on them for an initial period of 48 hours, which a judge may extend. The tanker served in the state-owned Sovcomflot fleet as 'NS Captain' until 2024, when it was renamed 'Kaliningrad', taking its current name in 2025. The ship was part of the SCF-linked, Dubai-based Sun Ship fleet in early 2022, and was managed by a company in Hong Kong. It was falsely flagged in Benin, a national register once known as a haven for the Russia-linked shadow fleet. Benin has taken steps to deregister noncompliant tonnage and push back against the fraudulent, unauthorised use of its flag, a persistent pattern for sanctioned vessels. The vessel was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2024, then subsequently by the EU, Switzerland, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has also sanctioned one of the vessel's former captains. Report with photos: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/10/french-navy-intercepts-and-boards-shadow-fleet-tanker-df-peak-south-of-reunion/

75 individuals of Bangladeshi nationality were rescued from a precarious boat by the crew of the vessel 'Sidra Ahlam', enroute from Beghazi to Ceyham, on the nightof Oct 12, 2026. They were provided with food and water and subsequently handed over to the Greek Coast Guard. Special thanks to the 3rd Officer Hassan Nashat Abu Al-Lail, the ship's Master, Captain Mostafa Abdel-Razek, and the entire crew.

The tanker shipping company Stena Bulk announced that the 'Stena Imperator' has been officially registered under the Swedish flag. This followed the reflagging of the Suezmax tanker 'Stena Superior' in Shenzhen in September 2026. These were the fourth and fifth reflaggings completed under the program Stena Bulk announced in July 2025 to bring vessels into the Swedish Register of Shipping. The 'Stena Imperator's reflagging was completed on Oct 11 in San Francisco. The product and chemical tanker was built by the Guangzhou Shipbuilding International (GSI) and delivered in 2017. It was the first vessel of Stena Bulk's IMOIIMAX design to join the programme, which was designed to strengthen Sweden's maritime sector and its competitiveness as a flag state, support the country's national preparedness and strategic resilience, and create opportunities for Swedish seafarers. It followed recent reforms that have made the Swedish register more competitive, including the removal of stamp duty, a competitive tonnage tax and an improved Ship Register. Report with photo: https://www.marinelink.com/news/stena-bulk-registers-fourth-fifth-vessels-543622

Fishermen from Varna have boarded the 'Emil', which was drifting off Shabla, and filmed it. The footage showed that the bridge burned out completely and everything was stolen from the ship. No one was on board, its systems did not work and it could not be steered. The fishermen were out in their own boat off Shabla when they saw the 'Emil' and managed to climb aboard. Captain Nikolay Dobrev believed that the strikes on the 'Emil' were very precise. Five or six drones hit the ship for certain. The ship, which was drifting inside the Bulgarian Exclusive Economic Zone, has been taken under tow by a Turkish company. On Oct 13 at 8:30 a.m. the ship was located 65 nautical miles from the Bosphorus. The vessel's movements continued to be monitored by the Coastal Center in Burgas. Reports with photos: https://burgasmedia.com/amp/news/varnenski-ribari-se-kachiha-na-dreyfashtiya-kray-shabla-korab-emil?lang=en https://fakti.bg/en/bulgaria/1089412-the-ship-emil-has-been-removed-from-the-bulgarian-economic-zone

On Oct 6, 2026, two fishermen from Dasol, Pangasinan, were rescued by the passing 'Atlantic Affinitiy', enroute from Hong Kong to Geraldton, about 67 nautical miles west of Masinloc, Zambales, after drifting at sea for two days. Their fishing boat 'Judy Mark' was struck by a dolphin on Oct 4 at around 10 p.m., while they were fishing about 80 nautical miles west of Dasol, Pangasinan. The castaways were identified as Carman Aday, 32, and Luwie Cencio. The dolphin strike caused their boat to partially submerge and left the fishers adrift at sea until they were spotted by the cargo vessel. Report with photo: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2322413/cargo-ship-rescues-2-pangasinan-fishers-adrift-for-2-days

The 'Driade', with 115 passengers aboard, ran aground in the port of Procida on the afternoon of Oct 12, 2026, during docking maneuvers. The vessel, which was en route to Ischia, was pushed against the outer breakwater by strong winds and got stuck for about an hour and a half. At around 8 p.m., it was it able to free itself and shortly thereafter safely docked at the quay in the port of Procida. The island's port authority ordered the ferry to be impounded. The passengers and vehicles bound for Ischia were subsequently transferred to another Caremar vessel that had arrived from Naples and by then reached Procida. Report with photo: https://www.ilmattino.it/de/caremar_fahre_driade_strandet_im_hafen_von_procida-9820629.html