How the MSC ZOE lost its containers (Simulation by Marin.nl)

On the night of January 1, 2019, MSC Zoe lost approximately 290 containers in heavy weather on the journey from Portugal to Bremerhaven. The loss of so many containers is an exceptional event and is the second largest known container loss of a ship due to heavy weather.

Recently, Svitzer took an important step towards strengthening its presence in Africa by signing a five-year contract with Nacala Logistics in Mozambique for harbour towage, occasional pilot transfer and potential salvage work in the port of Nacala. At the same time, Svitzer also secured a five-year extension of its current contract with Egyptian LNG assisting the land-based Idku LNG plant with four tugs, two mooring boats and one pilot boat.

On the back of the long-standing success of the Yellow-Mag ll Pilot Ladder Magnet worldwide, Serpent & Dove—Applied Magnetics is introducing its patented Yellow-Mag lll Switchable Pilot Ladder Magnet.

The Bahamas has imposed a compulsory maritime pilot rule for all vessels, including cruise ships, at its ports since September 2025.

The latest edition of the ISPO Code and Control Manual has just been published: From January 1st 2022, the new ISPO Code and ISPO Control Manual will come into effect.

Here’s a nice video of the recent sea trials with ‘South Esk’, a new Interceptor 48 pilot boat for the Montrose Port Authority in Scotland. It was fairly rough during our sea trial days with a fair bit of wind, and although it was touch and go flying the drone, we managed to capture some wonderful video of her and Ederra 7 at the entrance to Cork Harbour in a gale.

Med Marine and IBK Ltd. signed a two-vessel contract for MED-P16 series last November for Nigerian Ports Authority’s operations in Lagos, Nigeria. A year after that, Nigerian Ports Authority takes the delivery of the two high- quality pilot boats. Both units have been despatched on a specialised transport vessel to Nigeria from Turkey.

Welcome back to the Fluctus Channel for a feature on the important role of tugboats in navigating the bigger vessels in harbors and canal, as well as the open seas.

Ships in Freeport of Riga