- Drone strike causes fire aboard two tankers docked at Damietta Port in Egypt
A fire broke out aboard two LNG tankers, the Energos Winter and the GasLog Salem, while the vessels were docked at Damietta Port in Egypt on 29 July. All crew aboard both vessels are safe with no casualties reported.
Citing Reuters, three trading sources familiar with the incident said that a drone struck the Marshall-Island floating storage tanker Energos Winter, causing a fire that later spread to the Bermuda-flagged LNG tanker Gaslog Salem. Two security sources said that preliminary assessments indicated the explosion was likely caused by a drone strike.
Although the Egyptian government confirmed fire aboard both the vessels at the Damietta Port, but it did not mention a drone attack or identify the cause of the incident.
The crews of both vessels and emergency services including the firefighting and security team responded quickly, and the fires aboard both ships were extinguished with limited damage.
- Seafarers aboard vessel trapped amid drone and missile threats in Ukraine
Thirteen Indian seafarers aboard the Tanzania-flagged general cargo vessel Amir 1 are facing heightened security risks as the ship remains at Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port amid repeated drone and missile attacks near the Black Sea harbour.
The vessel has 15 crew members, including 13 Indians living under a constant fear of attack on the vessel. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) described the situation as terrible and life-threatening, stating that drone and missile attacks were repeatedly being carried out close to the vessel.
The video recorded from aboard the 5,300-dwt cargo vessel and shared by FSUI on social media platforms on 28 July shows thick black plumes of smoke rising from areas surrounding the ship. The footage also illustrates the deteriorating security situation near the strategic Black Sea port.
- Cargo vessel grounded in St. Lawrence River successfully refloated
The cargo vessel Onego Otra, which had remained grounded in the St. Lawrence River for about a month, had been pulled free on 26 July. The vessel is now undergoing inspections for any potential damage to the hull.
The vessel ran aground after veering off course due to a rudder problem. It had initially departed from Montreal, Canada, on 20 June after loading a cargo of grain and ended up firmly stuck outside the shipping channel on 30 June.
After the first attempts to pull the vessel free failed, around 2,270 tons of cargo was removed on 12 July to lighten it. Despite this, three tugboats again failed to free the vessel on 14 July. A further 2,400 tons of cargo was then removed, and another fresh attempt was made on 26 July which was successful.
The vessel refloated and was escorted by two tugs via the St. Lawrence channel to Sorel. The Canadian Coast Guard reported that there had been no pollution from the vessel and no injuries to the crew.
- Drone attack damages Turkish-owned cargo vessel near Chornomorsk
The general cargo vessel Ata 2 came under drone attack and sustained major damage in the Black Sea near Odesa after it departed Chornomorsk Port, on 30 July, amid Russia targeting shipping serving Ukraine.
Azerbaijan media reported that the Ata 2, owned by Turkish shipping company Albatros Corporation, is reported to have been among at least three ships that came under Russian drone attack.
The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed to have hit military airfields, defence-industry plants, a dry cargo vessel in the port of Pivdennyi, and two cargo vessels east and south of Odessa, which it claimed were delivering military equipment. It is not clear if the Ata 2 is among the vessels that were claimed to have been hit.
The videos circulating on social media platforms show the vessel sustained damage to the living quarters and bridge.
All 13 crewmembers, comprising 12 Azerbaijani and one Turkish seafarer, are safe with no injuries reported. Despite the attack, the vessel continued its journey bound for Yalova Port in Turkey.
