- Two feared dead as tanker collides with fishing vessel off Kerala, India
Two fishermen are feared dead after the chemical tanker Solis struck the locally registered fishing trawler St. Joseph in the Arabian Sea. The smaller fishing vessel was heavily damaged and sank within minutes.
The incident occurred on March 8 as the fishing trawler was anchored around 120 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala. The Panamanian-flagged tanker Solis struck the vessel at around noon.
Two crew members from the smaller vessel are missing and feared dead, while the remaining nine were rescued by the Solis.
The Indian Coast Guard vessel ICGS Anagh arrived on the scene shortly afterward and delivered the survivors to Vizhinjam Port. The Coast Guard is continuing its search for the missing fishermen.
The Indian Directorate General of Shipping has stated that an investigation has been opened into the incident.
The Solis is a Panamanian-flagged chemical tanker built in 2003. The vessel has a length of 145.5 meters, a beam of 23.73 meters, and a gross tonnage of 11,573.
- Two commercial vessels hit by projectiles off UAE Coast
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has reported two separate maritime security incidents involving commercial vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on 11 March.
According to Reuters, the vessels involved were the container ship One Majesty and the bulk carrier Star Gwyneth.
In the first incident, a container ship One Majesty sailing under the flag of Japan, was struck by a suspected projectile approximately 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah. The captain of the containership reported at 01:58 UTC to the UKMTO about an impact caused by a “suspected but unknown projectile”. All the crew are reported safe and accounted for.
In a separate incident, the Marshall-Island flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth at around 02:05 UTC was reportedly hit by an unknown projectile about 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai. No injuries or environmental pollution were reported from the attack.
One Majesty sustained minor damage and is currently sailing towards safe anchorage while Star Gwyneth suffered hull damage in the incident.
Authorities have urged vessels in the area to maintain heightened vigilance and report suspicious activity to UKMTO during the ongoing investigation.
- Containership “OOCL Sunflower” loses 57 containers in North Pacific storm
A global marine insurance and claims management company reported that the containership OOCL Sunflower lost around 57 containers while transiting south of the Aleutian Island Chain in the North Pacific Ocean on 3 March.
The containership departed from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 23 February and experienced extreme weather conditions in the North Pacific. In heavy seas, some containers were lost overboard, while additional containers on deck were damaged or shifted by violent vessel motion.
Due to safety concerns amid the rough conditions, the crew was unable to assess the extent of the damage. A full inspection is expected to be carried out once the ship arrives at Long Beach, United States, on 12 March.
OOCL Sunflower is a 2025-built containership sailing under the flag of Hong Kong. The vessel measures 366.99 meters in length, 51.04 meters in width and has a carrying capacity of 16,828 TEU.
- Panama-flagged bulk carrier refloated running aground in Çanakkale Strait
The Panama-flagged bulk carrier Nota App refloated after it ran aground in the Çanakkale Strait on 11 March. No injuries or pollution were reported in the incident.
The vessel carrying grain from Russia to Egypt, experiencing engine failure during a turning manoeuvre and subsequently grounded in the strait.
Rescue units from Turkey’s General Directorate of Coastal Safety were dispatched to the scene, including the tugboats Kurtarma 21, Kurtarma 4, and Kurtarma 15, along with the KEGM-8 rescue boat. Divers also conducted an underwater inspection as part of the salvage operation.
Following the response, the vessel was successfully refloated and escorted by Kurtarma 4 and Kurtarma 15 Tugboats to Karanlık Liman Anchorage, where it safely anchored for further inspection.
- Two fuel tankers attacked in iraqi waters amid Iran conflict
Two fuel tankers were hit by Iranian forces in Iraqi waters early morning of Thursday, 12, amid Iran’s ongoing war with the US and Israel. According to Iraqi port officials and maritime security firms, two fuel tankers were reportedly attacked by Iranian boats carrying explosives, leaving both vessels ablaze in Iraqi waters.
The two fuel tankers targeted were the Safesea Vishnu, registered in the Marshall Islands, and the Zefyros, registered in Malta, as identified by Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Company.
Iraqi officials told Reuters media that the Zefyros was loaded with condensate from the Basra Gas Company. Both vessels were attacked in the ship-to-ship loading area within Iraqi territorial waters.
Twenty-five crew members from both vessels were rescued, and the search for the remaining crew members is still ongoing by the Iraqi rescue team. The body of one crewmember was recovered from the water, confirmed by one of the port officials. Both vessels are on fire, according to the latest reports.
Following the assaults, Iraqi oil ports have been shut down, although cargo ports are still operational.
- Fuel Tanks Ablaze After Drone Strike at Port of Salalah
On 11 March, a drone attack was reported on Port Salalah, Oman. The fuel storage tanks were in flames, and some terminals were closed at the Omani port of Salalah after an attack by Iranian drones.
According to Oman News Agency, the officials in Oman are monitoring the situation and are making efforts to counter these attacks. No casualties have been reported among port workers or residents, and merchant vessels are docked at the Port of Salalah.
This incident marks a further escalation of the regional conflict, which has rapidly expanded beyond Iran, Israel, and the United States to threaten Gulf energy infrastructure and key maritime trade routes.
