- Bahamas-flagged car carrier suffers engine room fire off German coast
A fire broke out in the engine room of the Bahamas-flagged car carrier Thames Highway on 26 January. All 18 crewmembers aboard the vessel were safe with no injuries reported.
The incident occurred after the vessel departed the port of Emden when it became disabled and anchored as a precaution outside the fairway of the Ems estuary, after losing manoeuvrability.
The crew aboard the vessel responded and immediately sealed off the engine room, successfully preventing the fire from spreading. The sea rescue cruiser Hamburg was dispatched by the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS), secured the scene, and remained on standby to provide assistance.
At around 00:10 on 27 January, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies assumed overall coordination of the response. A six-member specialist firefighting team was deployed aboard the vessel by Federal Police helicopter.
- Cargo vessel loses rudder after grounding Off Figueira da Foz
The Dutch-flagged general cargo vessel Eikborg lost rudder function due to a brief grounding while departing the port of Figueira da Foz, Portugal, on 26 January. Although rough weather was present at the time of the incident, port authorities believe a recent dredging operation is the more likely cause.
The Eikborg reportedly encountered problems shortly after leaving the port, having traveled only a few miles in heavy seas. The captain reported complete loss of rudder control and stated that the vessel was being navigated astern (backwards) to maintain better control in adverse conditions.
A tug from Leixões was dispatched to tow the vessel to either Lisbon or Setúbal.
The vessel is believed to have grounded near the port entrance, in an area where a $33.7 million dredging project had recently been completed. The project removed three million cubic metres of sand but is suspected of failing to eliminate navigational hazards, possibly leaving unstable sandbanks.
- Iranian cargo vessel rescued after distress call in Caspian Sea
The Russian news media on 29 January reported that the general cargo ship Caspian Shiva was rescued after the vessel issued a distress call due to an unexplained hull breach that led to rapid water ingress in Caspian sea.
The Caspian Shiva had departed the Iranian port of Amirabad bound for Makhachkala, Russia, when it suddenly developed a hull breach for reasons that remain unexplained. The engine room and cargo hold flooded quickly, and the ship subsequently ran aground.
After the crew sent a distress call, two Rosmorport tugs were dispatched. The tugs successfully refloated the vessel and towed it to safety in Makhachkala port, Russia.
All 10 crew members are reported safe and uninjured. The vessel was travelling from Iranian ports to Russian ones along a route regularly used to transport goods including sanctioned items and weapons from Iran to Russia.
- Engine failure triggers emergency response for livestock carrier off Italy
The livestock carrier Blue Ocean A, with 33 crewmembers, suffered an engine failure on the night of 28 January while navigating off the southwest coast of Sardinia, Italy. The incident occurred while the ship was en route from Aqaba, Jordan, to Cartagena, Spain.
The livestock carrier encountered severe weather conditions, with strong winds and high waves, and began drifting uncontrollably towards the rocky coastline near Punta Spalmatore di Fuori, off San Pietro Island, near Carloforte, raising concerns of a potential grounding.
The Carloforte Port Authority responded to the situation and dispatched patrol boats and the tug Portesvine to assist the distressed vessel. However, the adverse weather conditions hampered the operation. An initial attempt to drop anchor failed, and four towing cables broke during efforts to secure the ship, prompting authorities to request assistance from a larger tug.
After much effort, the vessel managed to drop anchor approximately 100 metres from the cliffs, narrowly avoiding grounding. As a precaution, all crew members assembled on the upper deck, while two helicopters were placed on standby in case an evacuation became necessary.
Later in the night, the tug Vincenzino O. arrived and assisted the vessel to stabilise. The vessel is scheduled to be towed to the port of Sant’Antioco, escorted by a Coast Guard patrol vessel.
