Friday, June 20, 2025

Recycling Firm Buys Astoria, Famous 77-Year-Old Liner Turned Cruise Ship

Astroia cruise ship — Liner Stockholm turned cruise ship Astoria seen in 2017 for her last operator, the UK's CMV (Niels Johannes photo - CC BY-SA 4.0)

A Belgium recycling firm confirmed that it was the sole bidder at the June 17 auction for the famed liner Stockholm which spent its final years operating as the cruise ship Astoria (15,000 gross tons). The ship which earned a place in history for its 1956 collision with the Italian passenger liner Andrea Doria, is expected to leave its final port, Rotterdam, as early as next month.

An auction was held in the Netherlands on June 17 and Galloo was the sole bidder. Reports are the company offered the minimum opening bid of €200,000 ($230,000) and it was accepted. The company however must also settle outstanding port fees before it will be able to remove the ship.

The Astoria was towed into Rotterdam in December 2020 months after the ship was laid up during the COVID-19 pandemic. It had been operating under charter to a UK firm, Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), which filed for bankruptcy during the pandemic. The ship reverted to its Portuguese owners which by that time had also gone bankrupt with the ship controlled by the banks. It was sold to investors who called for restoring the famed ship.

Built in 1948 as one of the first post-World War II passenger liners, her size was limited by the available shipyards. Introduced as Stockholm of the Swedish American Line she was a workhorse passenger-cargo ship that filled an important gap till larger liners could be built in the 1950s and 1960s. However, it was the faithful night of July 25, 1956, that sealed her fame as she was outbound from New York to Sweden. Off Nantucket in patchy fog, she collided with the Italian luxury liner killing more than 50 people and causing the Andrea Doria to sink hours later.

Stockholm although badly damaged survived and in the 1960s became an East German holiday ship for the working classes. Retired in 1985, she was in nearly original condition and cheated the scrappers instead being sold for an extensive reconstruction in Italy. She was stripped to the steel and returned to service as a cruise ship in 1994 operating during the following years as Italia I, Italia Prima, Valtur Prima, Caribe, Athena, Azores, and finally in 2016 Astoria. It was rumored on several occasions that she was scheduled for retirement including in 2020.

Acquired in 2021 by an investment group, the ship languished as they sought to develop a plan and then offered it for sale. Sale to scrappers had been rumored more than once. In 2024, two YouTubers snuck aboard the ship and videoed her condition which showed decay from a lack of maintenance as well as the historic bones of a now 76-year-old ship.

Galloo reports it plans to move the ship as early as July to a recognized recycling yard in Ghent. It notes the ship which is 160 meters (525 feet) in length with accommodations for over 500 passengers will account for more than 12,000 tonnes of material, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, wood, glass, and plastics. It expects 97 percent will be recycled into renewable raw materials.

Top photo by Niels Johannes - CC BY-SA 4.0

Lost Superyacht Bayesian Will be Raised This Weekend

The lost sailing yacht Bayesian is on track to be raised back to the surface this weekend, ending a complex salvage process that claimed the life of a diver last month.

Bayesian suffered a knockdown and sank off Sicily in a severe squall in August 2024, claiming the lives of billionaire owner Mike Lynch, his daughter and five other people. A criminal investigation into the cause of the casualty is under way, and as part of that process, the vessel is being raised from the bottom at a cost of about $27 million.

To bring Bayesian back up, salvors are using a crane barge, dive teams and ROVs. The team has passed slings underneath the vessel and plan to use this rigging to hoist the yacht to the surface as early as Saturday.

The operation was expected to take longer, but when salvors removed the yacht's gigantic mast with a diamond wire cutting tool, the wreck - which was resting on its side - rotated partly upright on its own. This made it easier to pass messenger lines under the hull and run through steel lifting slings to prepare for hoisting.

Once the vessel has been hoisted out of the water, it will be delivered to nearby Termini Imerese and placed in a storage cradle. After it is drained, prosecutors and plaintiffs' attorneys will be able to inspect it. Among other details, the authorities will be looking at whether the vessel's hatches were closed before the sinking - which may have bearing on pending criminal cases against three crewmembers.

The operation has been challenging - and tragic. Diver Rob Huijben lost his life during an operation to remove the yacht's boom, and officials suspect that a hydrogen explosion from an underwater cutting torch may be to blame. The fatality forced a one-week stand down, delaying operations and prompting salvors to use ROVs instead of divers where possible.

HAUGHTY HEGEMONY

Op-Ed: U.S. Seabed Mining Order Could Undermine Protections for Antarctica

Antarctic icebreaking — File image courtesy USCG

[By Doaa Abdel-Motaal

An executive order by the United States in April authorizing expanded engagement in seabed mining reflects shifting approaches to the governance of critical mineral resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction. As legal frameworks evolve beneath the sea, questions are likely to follow about their implications on land.

The order was framed as a response to supply chain and energy security concerns, but it may also influence how other internationally governed spaces—particularly Antarctica—are viewed in the context of long-standing prohibitions on mineral extraction.

At the heart of this issue lies the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the legal bedrock for maritime governance. Among its provisions is the creation of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), charged with regulating mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond national jurisdiction. To date, the ISA has issued more than 30 exploration contracts, authorizing states and companies to scout for minerals including cobalt, manganese and rare earths.

Crucially, no commercial mining has begun. That next step hinges on the adoption of a long-debated mining code: a comprehensive legal and environmental framework still under negotiation.

The US has not ratified UNCLOS, though it did sign a 1994 revision designed to address concerns about seabed mining. But it has not been ratified, despite bipartisan support from defense, business and environmental stakeholders.

Nevertheless, on 24 April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to facilitate seabed mining activities by US entities. The order invokes domestic legislation, such as the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, to streamline exploration and permitting processes. The rationale is rooted in securing critical minerals for energy and economic resilience, especially in light of supply chain competition.

China has raised objections. The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed concern that the move could be inconsistent with international legal norms and might affect the broader negotiations underway at the ISA. China, itself an ISA exploration contractor, emphasized the importance of maintaining a collaborative approach to shared global resources.

This brings us to Antarctica. The continent is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, whose 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection explicitly bans mineral resource activity ‘other than scientific research’. Article 7 sets the prohibition, while Article 25 carves out a conditional ‘review clause’. Article 25 provides that the mining ban may be reviewed after 50 years from the protocol’s entry into force—that being in 2048, but only if certain stringent conditions are met. These include a request by any consultative party and agreement by three-quarters of the consultative parties to convene a review conference.

This clause, often referred to as the US’s walk-out clause, was included to accommodate US concerns about long-term access to resources. It offers a mechanism for future reconsideration, should geopolitical or economic priorities evolve. Recent developments in seabed mining may offer a precedent—intended or not—that determine the future of the mining ban in Antarctica.

The point is this: if unilateral actions become the norm in managing global commons such as the deep seabed, how resilient is the consensus that protects Antarctica? Both are areas beyond national jurisdiction, governed by international or plurilateral agreements that rely heavily on political cohesion. When strategic imperatives dominate, cooperative stewardship may come under strain.

In both domains, the environmental risks are significant. Deep seabed ecosystems remain largely uncharted; mining could cause irreversible impacts. Antarctica, already vulnerable to climate change, could face similar uncertainties if its protections are re-evaluated. Moves that prioritize resource access over multilateral process could reshape global expectations.

In essence, a shift in undersea mining approaches may do more than just loosen seabed regulations—it could recalibrate the norms that have long shielded Antarctica as well.

Doaa Abdel Motaal is visiting professor of polar studies at Sciences Po, Paris.

This article appears courtesy of The Strategist and may be found in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

First Large Boxship Transits Suez Canal in 15 Months

The Suez Canal Authority is highlighting the transit of the CMA CGM Osiris (15,536 TEU) through the Suez Canal on June 18 as the first large containerships through the canal in more than a year. The authority is calling it a new phase in its efforts to restore mega containership traffic through the canal.

The vessel which is 156,000 dwt and 366 meters (1,200 feet) in length was reported to be the largest to transit the Suez Canal since March 2024. It is traveling from Singapore bound for Europe and followed two smaller CMA CGM containership which made the transit the day before. The CMA CGM Aquila and CMA CGM Callisto (each 11,400 TEU) made the transit on Tuesday bound for Jeddah.

CMA CGM has quietly maintained a limited number of transits in the Suez Canal for some of its Middle Eastern routes. It has been spotted transiting the Red Sea with escorts from the EU’s Aspidies operation, although the company said it was challenging and required coordination with the navies.

Admiral Ossama Rabiee, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority said that CMA CGM currently “tops the list” for the number of vessels and tonnage transiting the Canal during the first half of 2025.

CMA CGM plans to increase its transits of the Suez Canal (SCA)

The authority is working to bring back more traffic to the Suez Canal. In May, it launched a 15 percent discount on fees for containerships over 130,000 net tons transiting either laden or in ballast. The promotion is scheduled to last 90 days and follows a marketing meeting with the major shipping companies and their representatives held in May.

The move comes as most major shipping carriers remain skeptical of a quick return to the Suez Canal. The sentiment this week during the presentations at Marine Money Week in New York is that the risk is high. Several shipowners said insurance premiums remain higher for the Red Sea versus transits of the Straits of Hormuz even with this week’s escalation between Israel and Iran.

Security consultants Ambrey also reiterated this week the increased danger for shipping in the Red Sea. It notes that the Houthis have continued to threaten attacks on any ship associated with Israel and also stepped up in May calling for a blockade of the Port of Haifa. While there have not been any recent attacks targeting merchant ships, the Houthis previously targeted ships with questionable associations with Israel.

The Suez Canal, however, is a critical source of income for Egypt. In March, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi estimated the monthly loss in revenue at around $800 million due to the 60 percent decline in traffic through the canal. For all of 2024, Egypt reported the disruption in Suez Canal transits represented a decline of $7 billion in revenue.

With Flights Disrupted, Cruise Ship Creates Lifeline for Israeli Travelers

With most international flights to Tel Aviv disrupted due to the conflict between Israel and Iran, a cruise ship has become a lifeline for those who want to get in and out of the country. The Israeli-operated Crown Iris recently delivered more than a thousand foreign visitors from Israeli shores to Cyprus, then took aboard an estimated 1,800 Israeli citizens for the return voyage back.

On Tuesday, Crown Iris got under way from Israel, carrying about 1,500 foreign nationals who had been visiting under the Birthright program. Under Israeli Navy escort, the vessel made the short crossing to Limassol, completing the 14-hour transit uneventfully.

Crown Iris also has thousands of passengers waiting to make the crossing in the other direction. When flights to and from Tel Aviv were suspended last week, Cyprus' Larnaka International was the nearest safe location for midflight diversions. An estimated 6,500 returning Israeli nationals found themselves unexpectedly in Cyprus, or chose to go there in search of another way into Israel, prominent Cypriot rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin told AP.

On Thursday, hundreds of these returnees boarded Crown Iris to make the 140-nautical mile voyage from Limassol to Ashdod. YNet estimated the passenger manifest at 1,800 people, and reported that the cruise ship planned to make two more voyages by Monday in order to accommodate the demand from returning Israelis - some of whom are military reservists.

“We acted as quickly as possible to implement the plan to bring Israelis home from abroad, which we view as a vital national mission during wartime,” Mano Maritime Chairman and owner Moshe Mano told Ynet.

The Crown Iris' AIS signal has been received only intermittently over the past three days, indicating that either the crew temporarily disabled it for security purposes or it was jammed by electronic warfare systems.

Demand for a maritime transportation lifeline may wane in the coming days as air travel resumes. Outbound flights from Israel for select groups - young foreign visitors, sports groups, tourists, diplomats and others - are expected to restart next week. In the inbound direction, national airline El Al has already begun operating repatriation flights out of Cyprus, Greece, Italy and elsewhere in Europe, and is on track to resume intercontinental repatriation flights for returning Israelis by the end of this week.

Top image: Crown Iris (file image courtesy Chalkis Sotiris Boutsaxis / CC BY SA 4.0)

A Known Iranian Arms Ship Heads Home Just in Time

MV Elyana off Tobruk at 32.0791N 24.0617E on May 27 (Sentinel-2/CJRC) — MV Elyana off Tobruk, May 27 (Sentinel-2/CJRC)

A known Iranian arms smuggling container ship has been spotted in the Red Sea on its way home after spending three weeks loitering outside the Port of Tobruk, Libya.

The MV Elyana (IMO: 9165827) is linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) which as an entity is subject to secondary sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, the MV Elyana has been specifically sanctioned by name.

The ship has an established history of use by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for shipping arms. In June 2024, the Elyana unloaded cargo in Latakia, in Syria, which had been taken on in Bandar Abbas. Hitherto, when President Assad was in power, the IRGC used Latakia as a hub for their arms imports, IRGC cargos destined for Hezbollah and the Syrian regime were shipped into the port of Latakia, or flown in by Boeing 747 cargo aircraft flights using Latakia International Airport.

On its latest journey, the Elyana set off from Bandar Abbas on April 18, making a port call in Jebel Ali - notwithstanding the ship’s sanctioned status - from whence she departed on April 21.

It is not known what cargo, if any, the Elyana took on at Jebel Ali. But the ship then took a leisurely 13 days to reach the southern end of the Suez Canal without making any declared port call. As it is equipped with deck davit cranes, the Elyana would be capable of off-loading cargo at unsophisticated ports en route, potentially being able to do so in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, or in Sudan. A transit from Jebel Ali to the Suez Canal normally takes six days.

After transiting the Suez Canal, the Elyana made for Tobruk, where she anchored for three weeks. The port of Tobruk is managed by the forces of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who controls Eastern Libya and Libya’s oilfields. The UN-recognized and Islamist-inclined national government controls Western Libya and the capital Tripoli.

Haftar is supported by the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the rebel RSF faction in Sudan, not normally regarded as Iranian allies. But Haftar is also supported by Russia, which - until last week - was considered a close Iranian ally.

The main backers of the recognized government in Tripoli are Turkey and Qatar. France and the United States are ambivalently neutral, Italy resolutely so. Who therefore is sponsoring the Elyana’s cargo, or working to enable its delivery, is thus a complete mystery.

The MV Elyana left the anchorage off Tobruk on May 30, possibly having come into the port briefly on the day of its departure. By June 5 the MV Elyana was stationary in the Suez South Anchorage after a southerly transit of the Suez Canal. On June 15, MV Elyana was heading down the Red Sea adjacent to territory controlled by the Houthis, and is expected to arrrive in Jebel Ali on June 22. It remains to be seen if it cuts short its journey or stops off en route, and whether it will head home for Bandar Abbas or perhaps wait awhile in the Northern Arabian Sea.

Oil Slick in Gulf of Oman Near Shadow Tanker as Greenpeace Calls for Action

Oil slick spotted on the satellite images (Planet Labs PBC / Greenpeace)
Published Jun 19, 2025 1:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

An analysis of satellite images from the Gulf of Oman shows a potential oil slick forming in the hours after the tanker Front Eagle and the shadow fleet tanker Adalynn collided about 24 nautical miles off the coast of the UAE. Environmental activists from the Middle East and North Africa section of Greenpeace are calling for action to increase the monitoring in the region based on the increased tensions and dangers of an environmental disaster.
“Satellite imagery indicates a large plume of oil stretching up to around 1500 hectares (3,700 acres) from the site of the crash between two vessels, Adalynn and Front Eagle, in the Gulf of Oman, approximately 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, near the Strait of Hormuz,” reports Greenpeace. It is using satellite images from Planet Labs PBC.
Further, the group cites data from Veson Nautical and Lloyd’s List Intelligence to assert that Adalynn was carrying approximately 70,000 tons of crude oil “despite being officially listed in ballast condition.” This is based on an analysis that reportedly shows the tanker currently with a 9.3-meter (30.5-foot) draft.
“Greenpeace MENA urges all concerned authorities to act swiftly to contain the spill and assess its ecological impact,” the group said in a statement from Farah Al Hattab, Campaigner at Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa. “We call on shipping companies, governments, and oil industry actors to commit to full transparency regarding environmental consequences of oil spills and the measures being taken for cleanup. Additionally, we urge governments in the region to increase investment in maritime monitoring, early-warning systems, and contingency plans to effectively respond to future oil pollution incidents. Environmental security must be treated as national and regional security.”
The statement contradicts information from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in Abu Dhabi which said the incident, “resulted in minor surface damage to the outer hulls of both ships, a small oil spill, and a fire.” The ministry is saying that it continues monitoring and assessment of the situation to ensure navigational safety.
The Russian news outless TASS is quoting an official from the consulate general in Dubai saying the crew of Adalynn is now in a hotel in Fujairah. It says the crew includes seven Russian citizens, including the vessel’s captain.
The collision happened at approximately 0130 local time Tuesday, June 17. The Ministry is saying that preliminary information indicates the incident was caused by a “navigational misjudgment” by one of the vessels.
Lars Barstad, CEO of Frontline operator of Front Eagle, made a similar assertion on Wednesday speaking at Marine Money Week in New York describing the encounter with a "dark fleet" tanker. He said the company had “no information” regarding the media reports of GPS jamming. He also asserted that “ships have redundancy for navigation” meaning the officers on the bridge would have better information than the AIS signal data relayed by sites on the Internet.
The maritime AI data analytics firm Windward issued a report saying “Front Eagle experienced sustained electronic navigation interference. Persistent GPS and AIS jamming that preceded the tanker’s collision signals a new and growing maritime security threat in the region.”
Windward acknowledges the statements pointing to no relationship between the collision and the current tension in the region. It however also asserts that GPS jamming in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz has impacted as many as 970 ships a day over the past four days.
The authorities in Abu Dhabi are saying that the fire has been extinguished aboard the Adalynn. Barstad told the audience in New York that despite dealing with a dark fleet tanker the incident had “went well” and they avoided a far worse disaster.

Australia Imposes Its First Shadow Tanker Sanctions Following UK’s Increase

tanker at sea — Australia joins the UK, EU, Switzerland, Canada, and the US in sanctioning shadow fleet tankers (file photo)

The efforts continue to target the shadow tanker fleet as a means of choking off Russia’s oil exports. As the G7 leaders and other countries' representatives met in Canada this week, Australia launched its first sanctions on shadow tankers while the UK again expanded its efforts.

Australia joined with the other countries in calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine and a withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlights that Australia has imposed over 1,400 sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and now it is also targeting tankers.

A total of 60 tankers were listed with the ministry highlighting that under Australian law the vessels are not required to be owned, registered, or flagged in Russia. Also, under its sanction regime, a vessel cannot escape the sanctions with a name or flag change. Australia can direct a sanctioned vessel to leave its ports and not to enter a particular port.

“These sanctions reinforce Australia’s consistent commitment to ensuring Russia, and those enabling its illegal invasion of Ukraine, face consequences,” said Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

While speaking at the G& Summit, Sir Kier Starmer, the UK’s Prime Minister, also announced his country’s latest package of sanctions. He said the new round includes 30 entities across Russia’s financial, military, and energy sectors.

“We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws,” said Starmer. “His repeated refusals to engage seriously in peace has redoubled the UK’s resolve to apply a stranglehold on the Russian economy.”

The UK listed 20 additional tankers. This followed what it called its largest package launched in May which targeted up to 100 tankers. The UK had also previously listed 133 tankers, while the EU has now listed over 300 tankers.

Beyond tankers, the UK also listed two firms involved in crewing and managing the shadow fleet. It said that Orion Star Group and Valegro were helping to enable Russia’s oil trade with their efforts supporting the shadow fleet.

During the talks at the G7, the EU and UK were both advocating for a lowering of the price cap imposed on Russian oil exports. The $60 per barrel was challenged in the spring when oil prices receded but now with tensions in the Middle East oil has jumped to over $75 a barrel. Oil markets remain very nervous waiting for a possible U.S. action against Iran.

Denmark is Tracking Stateless Tanker as it Transits Straits

tanker in Danish waters — Stateless tanker is making its way west through the Danish EEZ (L-BBE -- CC BY 3.0 Deed)

Danish authorities confirmed that they have identified a tanker that they believed provided false information regarding its flag and possible insurance coverage. The vessel which is laden with Russian oil is being tracked as it makes its outbound transit but so far Denmark has taken no action against the vessel.

The tanker which appears to be identifying with the name Marathon, or previously Udaya, (IMO 9288746) was first identified as a suspect vessel on its inbound transit to the Baltic on June 10. According to the outlet Danwatch, the Danish patrol ship Freja approached the vessel, but there was no apparent attempt to intercept or stop the tanker. The Danish patrol boat was sailing alongside but changed course away from the tanker.

The Danish Maritime Authority told Danwatch, “During radio contact with the Defense Command, the Udaya/Marathon reported that it was flying the Comoros flag. However, during subsequent checks with the Comoros authorities, we received confirmation that the vessel was not registered in the Comoros registry.”

The vessel’s AIS signal shows it departed Primorsk, Russia on June 16 with a declared destination of the Suez Canal. Tracking data from today, June 19, shows it is transiting the Danish straits at a speed of 12 knots. The AIS signal warns its navigational status is constrained by draft. The reports suggest the vessel is carrying 100,000 tons of Russian oil likely bound for India.

Denmark, like the other nations of the region, remains on high alert monitoring shadow fleet tankers. Estonia and Germany have challenged some of the tankers based on suspicious activity or likely false flag operations while Denmark has said it also would consider intervention. Speaking on Danish TV 2 Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen at the end of May called for tightening controls on the shadow tankers. He said legally it was difficult but that “I do not rule out the possibility that we may have to intervene to a greater extent. If you cannot show the correct insurance papers and do not have a flag state, then it is legitimate to intervene,” said Rasmussen. In February 2025, Denmark reported it would be increasing its inspection program targeting tankers.

This tanker is an example of the worst of the shadow fleet. In addition to the accusation that it is sailing without a flag state, the vessel has reported at least three other flags (Djibouti, Gabon, and St. Kitts and Nevis) in the past three years since 2022. The ship was sanctioned by the UK at the end of 2024, and the EU, Canada, and Switzerland in early 2025.

The tanker has been tied to repeated calls in Russia, India, Lebanon, Egypt, and other ports. Equasis lists the flag as unknown and since March 2024 ownership associated with a company in Mauritius. Management is listed in India.

The tanker according to Equasis had not undergone a Port State inspection between July 2022 and April 2025. Its most recent inspection was in Russia, where the authorities cited it for a lack of fire patrols and issues with its inflatable liferafts. The ship was not given a detention.

Danwatch reports this is at least the second vessel Denmark recently identified as being stateless sailing through its waters. The Danish Maritime Authority did not respond to media inquiries regarding the outbound passage of the tanker.

Top photo by L-BBE in 2013 -- CC BY 3.0 DEED

Barstad: Owner of Shadow Fleet Tanker Couldn't Be Found After Collision

Adalynn ablaze, June 16 (Ed Finley-Richardson) — Adalynn ablaze, June 16 (Ed Finley-Richardson / social media)

After the tanker Front Eagle collided with the "dark fleet" tanker Adalynn in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week, operator Frontline couldn't even find a way to reach Adalynn's owner to talk about the casualty, boss Lars Barstad said at a panel at Marine Money on Wednesday. The Adalynn's anonymous controlling interests made no response.

“This was the first time Frontline was exposed directly to the dark fleet," Barstad said. “It is an insane situation that we cannot conduct contact."

Adalynn and the tanker Front Eagle were in collision at a position about 22 nm off the coast of Khor Fakkan, UAE early Tuesday morning (local time). The impact sparked fires aboard both vessels; Front Eagle's crew was able to extinguish the blaze aboard their ship, but Adalynn's crewmembers did not have success in containing the fire. They abandoned ship, and all 24 were safely rescued by first responders.

All told, the response to the casualty was successful, Barstad said, and it was not a worst-case scenario. He said that time will tell when it comes to the root cause of the collision, and suggested that it could have been a mechanical casualty aboard the Adalynn. Barstad denied that AIS jamming played any role.

After the collision, Frontline attempted to get in touch with Adalynn's owners, but found that it could not find an individual to talk to. Frontline had to find out from a local agent - not the shipowner - that Adalynn's crew made it safely ashore and were lodged in a hotel.

The Adalynn's listed operator has an address in an older office complex in Navi Mumbai, India. The building is home to multiple logistics, seafarer training and ship management firms, but has no public directory to confirm whether the Adalynn's operator is a tenant.

The Indian company operates two aging tankers - Adalynn, flagged in Antigua, and Carcharodon, which is sanctioned by the United Kingdom for moving Russian oil. Both Adalynn and Carcharodon are sanctioned by the government of Ukraine for involvement in Russia's shadowy oil trade.

Samsung Terminates $3.5B in Orders from Russia’s Zvezda and Plans Lawsuit

The fight between Samsung Heavy Industries and Russia’s Zvezda shipbuilding is continuing with the South Koreans now saying they have terminated the contracts and plan to seek compensation. The dispute has been developing as Western sanctions mounted against Russia including Zvezda and ends what had once been hailed as the largest contract in the history of Samsung Heavy Industries.

In stock exchange filings on June 18, Samsung Heavy Industries reports it notified Zvezda that it was terminating two contracts, one for blocks for 10 icebreaking LNG rankers and a second for blocks to assemble seven icebreaking shuttle tankers. The first of the contracts was awarded in November 2020 valued currently at $2 billion and a second in October 2021 valued at $1.5 billion. As part of the notices, SHI says it plans to retain $800 million in advance payments.

The problem is that Zvezda backed out of the contracts a year ago citing what it said were the failures of Samsung Heavy Industries. It demanded repayment, with interest, on the advance payments. SHI launched an ongoing Singapore International arbitration process but has now decided to take additional steps.

The problems began in February 202 as the United States and South Korea began imposing increased strict sanctions on Russia and its companies. One of the first limited the ability to pay for work but in April 2022 Samsung reported it had been able to complete the delivery of a new Aframax shuttle tanker to Russia’s state-run shipping company Sovcomflot. Samsung had total contracts calling for the blocks for 22 vessels with a combined value of approximately $5.7 billion.

Five vessels under the 2019 contract were delivered, but the 2020 and 2021 agreements were hampered by the increasing sanctions. Samsung was designing the vessels when the first sanctions were imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. Competitor Daewoo Shipbuilding canceled three contracts with the Russians in 2022 citing failure to make installment payments while initially, Samsung Heavy Industries sought to continue its projects.

Samsung Heavy Industries reported in 2022 that it invoked Force Majeure, suspending the design work for 10 LNG carriers and seven shuttle tankers. It said the companies were discussing future implementation plans for the contract. However, when Zvezda was designated by the U.S. in February 2024, Samsung said it was blocked from working with Zvezda. Both companies are claiming a breach of the contracts.

The vessels were part of Russia’s ambitious plans to expand its oil and gas sector in the Arctic. With the sanctions, Russia has said it would shift the production work domestically with a plan to invest more than $6 billion to build more than 1,600 commercial ships over the next decade. The yards however have struggled to even complete the assembly process using the blocks from South Korea for these highly technical vessels.

Maritime NZ Charges KiwiRail Over Ro/Ro Grounding

Aratere refloat — Aratere aground, 2024 (MaritimeNZ)

New Zealand’s inter-island ro/ro ferry operator KiwiRail is facing charges following accusations of endangering the safety of passengers after one of its ferries grounded in June last year.

Maritime NZ said it has filed two charges against KiwiRail after completing investigations on the grounding of ro/ro ferry Aratere north of Picton on June 21, 2024. At the time of the incident, the ferry had 47 people on board. Luckily, all the passengers and crew were safely returned to shore with the ferry being refloated the following evening using two harbor tugs.

Following the completion of what it is describing as “comprehensive and wide-ranging” investigations, Maritime NZ highlights that it has filed charges against KiwiRail under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The charges relate to alleged failures by the operator to keep crew and passengers safe while onboard the ferry.

Though Maritime NZ said it cannot talk about what its investigation found, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) released its interim factual report on the incident in October last year. The report indicated that the 25-year-old Aratere grounded because the crew did not know how to turn off the vessel’s autopilot when they realized she was heading towards the shore.

The incident occurred just weeks after Aratere had received a new steering control system to work with the ship’s autopilot and integrated bridge navigation system. On the day of the incident, a master who was re-familiarizing himself with the ferry after commanding other vessels was controlling the engines and piloting.

“This was a complex incident and an important investigation given it focused on KiwiRail bringing in new systems to older vessels and broader safety management. It required us to look at systems, policies and procedures, culture, within KiwiRail in relation to the incident,” said Kirstie Hewlett, Maritime NZ Chief Executive.

The lawsuit is the latest facing KiwiRail. In September last year, the operator was ordered to pay US$266,000 in fines and costs in relation to a January 2023 incident involving its ferry Kaitaki.

KiwiRail is facing Aratere-related charges at a time when it is planning to take the vessel out of service. In May, the operator announced that the ferry will retire in August after a career spanning a quarter of a century. Having entered service in 1999, Aratere has been Interislander’s only rail-enabled ferry-making 24 crossings on the Cook Strait route per week. The 184-meter (604-foot) ferry has a capacity of 600 passengers, 30 trucks or 230 cars, and 28 rail cars.

The 17,816-tonne ferry has had a troubled career characterized by technical problems, engine failures, and the grounding in June last year. Due to her troubled history, some suggest that the ferry is jinxed, resulting in the nickname “El Lemon.”

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