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The 'Emerald Princess' has failed a routine US public health inspection after officials identified numerous food safety and sanitation problems, including mouldy produce, contaminated kitchen equipment and failures in food temperature controls on Oct 16, 2026. The ship received a draft score of just 78 out of 100 following an inspection by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Long Beach, California, as part of the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which assesses hygiene and public health standards aboard cruise ships operating in US waters. The inspectors deducted a total of 22 points across eight categories, with the most significant concerns involving food preparation, storage, cleanliness and the effectiveness of onboard food safety management. The findings also included failures involving drinking-water monitoring equipment following a power outage aboard the vessel. One of the more concerning discoveries involved the ship’s crew dining facilities, where inspectors found three visibly mouldy or rotten oranges on the serving line during lunch. Additional spoiled produce was discovered elsewhere aboard the vessel, including mould on peppers, a cucumber and several avocados that had already been washed. The inspectors also identified several instances where raw or partially cooked food had been stored incorrectly, creating potential cross-contamination risks. Raw pork chops were positioned above thawed hot dogs, while partially cooked roast beef was stored above cut boiled eggs. In another refrigerated area, sushi containing raw tuna had been placed above ready-to-eat food. The pork chops were moved to an appropriate location while the inspectors were aboard. Several plates, bowls, pans and other kitchen utensils remained visibly dirty after being washed. The inspectors also documented blocked or contaminated spray nozzles in dishwashing equipment. Meanwhile, ice machines contained accumulations of black, brown and pink debris in their water trays. The findings raised concerns about the effectiveness of routine cleaning procedures and the checks intended to ensure equipment was suitable for use. Food temperature management was another major issue, accounting for five of the 22 points deducted. On the portside buffet lines, inspectors discovered that almost all cold food items were missing the required coloured time-control markers. These markers are used to establish when food displayed without temperature control must be discarded. Affected items included deli meats, cheeses, sandwiches, grilled vegetables, salads and dressings.According to the inspection findings, all affected food was discarded. The inspectors also observed problems with the cooling of prepared sandwiches. Several trays had been covered while their contents were cooling, potentially preventing food from reaching safe temperatures quickly enough. Ham and cheese sandwiches dropped by only 3°F over three hours, while tomato and mozzarella sandwiches cooled by just 5°F over 2,5 hours. Further concerns emerged at the International Café, where mortadella and cheese sandwiches were found at temperatures exceeding 41°F, approximately 5°C. Crew members provided conflicting information about when the sandwiches had been prepared, with some indicating they had been made that day and others suggesting they were from the previous day. The inspectors also identified an entry in a cooling log written in different ink. The chef confirmed that he had not reviewed the entry. Together, these issues contributed to the inspectors’ concerns about the reliability of food safety monitoring and the level of understanding among crew members responsible for handling food. The inspection also identified a problem involving the ship’s drinking-water monitoring system following a blackout on the morning of Oct 16. A chlorine analyser had stopped recording measurements, while an alarm was sounding in the engine control room. The relevant crew members had not been informed about the problem. Separate manual testing confirmed that chlorine was present in the water supply. The finding therefore concerned the failure of monitoring and communication procedures rather than evidence that the water lacked disinfectant. The CDC’s assessment highlighted weaknesses in managerial oversight and crew knowledge as contributing factors to several of the more significant deficiencies. In addition to the five-point deduction for food temperature controls, inspectors removed three points each for inadequate food safety management, improper storage and cross-contamination, dirty food-contact surfaces and utensils, and pest control failures. A further two points were deducted for problems with dishwashing equipment and washing facilities, while another two were lost over staff knowledge and the response to drinking-water monitoring problems. The remaining point was deducted for deficiencies involving the condition and cleanliness of floors, walls and ceilings. Some issues were addressed before the inspectors left the vessel.

A 40-year-old passenger died after he leapt off the 'Virgen de Peñafrancia XVI', enroute from Lucena City in Quezon to the Port of Balanacan in the town of Mogpog in Marinduque on the evening of Nov 8, 2026, at 5.23 p.m. Passengers and crew alerted authorities after seeing the man jump into the sea, prompting an immediate rescue operation. THe Seaman First Class Galicia, the onboard Coast Guard sea marshal, spotted the passenger in the water, but rough conditions prevented the vessel from safely approaching the man, a resident of Barangay San Rafael, Burdeos town in Quezon. Galicia pulled the passenger from the water at around 5:37 p.m. Coast Guard personnel from Coast Guard Station Marinduque and Bureau of Fire Protection responders immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and provided emergency medical assistance while the vessel proceeded to port. The Coast Guard Sub-Station in Mogpog also coordinated with the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office to prepare an ambulance and medical team at the dock. The vessel arrived at the Port of Balanacan at around 7:25 p.m. The passenger was transferred to an ambulance and brought to the Marinduque Provincial Hospital, where an attending physician declared him dead at around 7:48 p.m. due to asphyxia by drowning. A review of the Coast Guard and vessel master’s closed-circuit television footage reportedly confirmed that the passenger intentionally climbed over the portside guardrails. The Coast Guard Station Marinduque coordinated with the Coast Guard Station Northern Quezon to notify the victim’s immediate family and assist with necessary arrangements. Report with photo: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2338474/passenger-dies-after-jumping-overboard-from-marinduque-bound-ferry

The CCS of Salvamento Marítimo in Tenerife coordinated the assistance for three cayucos on Nov 9. They werw carrying 74, 221 and 35 people. The 'Salvamar Acrux', 'Salvamar Diphda' and 'Salvamar Navia' took part in the response.

The 'Danstar' had to anchor in the Los Lagos Region for safety reasons and will arrive in the regional capital this week to enter the ASMAR shipyards. Adverse weather conditions along the southern shipping routes forced the cargo ship to make an emergency technical stop in Puerto Montt, temporarily postponing its voyage to the Magallanes Region. The maneuver was strictly due to nautical safety concerns given the bad weather prevailing in the Los Lagos Region. The 'Danstar' was to resume its southward journey to dock in the regional capital sometime this week. The operational schedule remained unchanged. Upon entering Magallanes waters, the vessel will be taken to the ASMAR Magallanes shipyard to undergo outfitting and technical inspection. The shipyard work will prepare the vessel for its final departure to Port Stanley, scheduled for December. This extra time will help mitigate the delay caused by the storm and facilitate the completion of customs and financial procedures.

A bomb threat that prompted the evacuation of 875 passengers from the 'Blue Star 1' at the port of Piraeus on the evening of Nov 9 has proved to be a hoax. The ferry was scheduled to depart for Rhodes at 6 p.m., calling at Syros, Patmos, Leros and Kos along the way. An unidentified person telephoned a passenger on board and warned that a bomb was about to explode. The passenger alerted the crew, who subsequently notified port authorities. Following the evacuation, Coast Guard officers searched the vessel with the assistance of a specially trained explosives detection dog. No explosive device was found. The ferry was also carrying 83 crew members, 89 passenger cars, 12 motorcycles, 110 trucks and a minibus.