Oceanwide Expeditions can confirm that the planned deep cleaning and disinfection of m/v Hondius has been completed in Rotterdam. On 29 May, the vessel was assessed, and was cleared on 30 May by Dutch health authority (GGD) officials to return to full operations. The vessel will now undergo an annual survey and scheduled maintenance in Rotterdam, before her planned departure to [Read more...]
On 18th May the BBC reports “MV Hondius, the Dutch cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, has docked at its final destination in Rotterdam. Only the ship's crew were aboard for the last leg of the journey, as all passengers docked off the [Read more...]
Abigail Nicholson Content Editor at The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/ reports that several cruise lines have introduced new passenger rules in 2026 - and if these are broken, passengers could be fined, removed or even handed a lifetime ban from the ship. Several cruise companies have introduced a [Read more...]
The following news item is from BBC News by Lana Lam in Sydney on the 30th October about “The daughter of a woman who was left behind by a cruise ship on a remote island and later found dead has accused the operator of a [Read more...]
Every cruise ship visiting Bahamian ports, including private island destinations, must be now guided by a trained Bahamian marine pilot. This new regulation, a milestone in the country’s maritime history, is poised to reshape the industry, boosting local employment and reinforcing the Bahamas as a [Read more...]
The recent fall of a young girl from the fourth deck of the cruise ship ‘Disney Dream’ has renewed pressure on the cruise industry to adopt lifesaving man overboard (MOB) detection technology that experts say is now both available and proven. The girl, who survived [Read more...]
The precise recording of passenger numbers is essential for transport companies - it helps to optimise timetables, make better use of capacities and organise local public transport more efficiently. One solution is camera-based passenger counting. Intelligent image processing systems automatically and precisely record how many [Read more...]
As EV-related fires continue to challenge the maritime industry – with incidents like the ‘Morning Midas’ blaze and eventual sinking in the North Pacific – operators are urgently seeking more effective solutions. A new brine-based firefighting system, developed by Skansi Offshore in close co-operation with [Read more...]
Paris-based classification society Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) has issued a formal review attestation for Survitec’s Seahaven evacuation system. This confirmed its status as a novel life-saving appliance (LSA) under IMO Resolution A.520(13). The attestation recognised Seahaven’s position as an innovative safety evacuation solution [Read more...]
Maritime survival technology company, Survitec has called on shipowners, shipmanagers, and shipyards to prepare for a significant change to international fire protection regulations. From 1st January, 2026, fixed water monitors will be required on the weather decks of ro-ro and ropax vessels under amendments to [Read more...]