- Four dead after fishing vessel collides with cargo ship off Japan
Four crewmembers of a fishing vessel were found dead after it collided with a cargo vessel. The fishing trawler capsized in the collision.
The incident occurred at 1:15 a.m.local time on March 17 around 20 kilometers off Misawa Port in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The 749-ton cargo vessel Suehiro Maru collided with the 140-ton fishing trawler Kofuku Maru No. 65.
Nine crewmembers were rescued shortly after the collision. The remaining four were discovered dead by 7:00 a.m. by the cargo vessel and other fishing vessels that had stopped to assist. All the Suehiro Maru were reported safe.
Following the incident the fishing boat capsized, and it rapidly sank while the bow of the cargo vessel sustained a large vertical scratch.
The weather was clear at the time, with winds of around 26 km/h and waves of around 1 meter. An investigation has been launched into the incident.
- Two ships struck by unknown projectiles near UAE and Qatar
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre has reported two maritime security incidents involving commercial vessels struck with unknown projectiles in the Gulf region on 18 and 19 March.
In the first incident, a vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile approximately 11 nautical miles east of Khawr Fakkan, UAE, on 18 March. The impact reportedly caused a fire onboard. No further details on damage or casualties were provided.
On 19 March, a vessel was hit by an unknown projectile about four nautical miles east of Ras Laffan, Qatar. All crew members were reported safe and well.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been linked to a series of recent maritime incidents.
- Tanker targeted off UAE coast; all crew reported safe
The British maritime monitoring security agency, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre, received a report that the captain of a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile off Fujairah, UAE, on 16 March.
The security firm Vanguard identified the vessel Gas Al Ahmadiah. The incident occurred 23 nautical miles east of Fujairah, UAE, while the vessel was at anchor. No major damage or pollution was reported. All the crew remained unharmed.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and have advised vessels to transit the region with caution.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been linked to a series of recent maritime incidents following its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.
- Oil tanker changes destination from China to India
According to Bloomberg news media, the Cameroon-flagged tanker Aqua Titan, transporting Urals crude from Russia’s Baltic Sea, changed its course from China to India and made a U-turn after initially heading toward Mangalore.
The re-route is part of a larger shift, with at least seven tankers changing course from China to India.
India has aggressively increased its purchases of Russian oil following the temporary US waiver, driven by supply instabilities in the Middle East. Indian refiners recently imported more than 30 million barrels in a single week to offset supply risks from conflicts involving Iran. All major Indian refiners are now actively sourcing Russian oil.
Another tanker, the Zouzou N sailing under the flag of Liberia, has also changed course. It is carrying Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend crude and is due to arrive at Sikka Port in India by March 25.
