Reviews & Ratings for the Celtic-Mariner

In a significant enforcement action, a substantial consignment of armored military vehicles was intercepted aboard the vessel 'Meerdijk' near Libya's coastline. The interception, carried out by the EU maritime mission IRINI, highlights a breach of the existing UN arms embargo on Libya, initially imposed in 2011 to avert renewed conflict among rival factions. The operation took place on October 10, 2022, close to Benghazi. During the inspection, officials discovered BATT UMG armored all-terrain vehicles both on the deck and within the hold of the ship. Notably, the 'Meerdijk' did not originate from the Netherlands; prior to arriving in Libya, it made stops at various ports including those in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Although the recovered vehicles lacked weaponry, they are capable of supporting military operations such as troop transportation and reconnaissance missions. It is believed that these vehicles were manufactured in the Middle East and intended for military use by General Khalifa Haftar's forces. Following the inspection, the vessel was redirected to Marseille, where the unlawful shipment was unloaded. The future of the seized armored vehicles remains undisclosed. For further details, including images of the incident, visit: https://africaports.co.za/#6031

On August 26, 2021, a medical emergency unfolded at sea when a crew member aboard the Dutch vessel 'Meerdijk' fell seriously ill, approximately 315 kilometers southwest of Lanvéoc-Poulmic. The situation prompted the JRCC of Den Helder to notify CROSS Corsen, which quickly escalated the alerts. At around 3:40 p.m., the coordination of the response was transitioned to CROSS Étel. By 5:24 p.m., a medical consultation indicated that immediate evacuation of the stricken sailor was critical. In response, CROSS Étel dispatched a Cayman helicopter from the 33F flotilla based at the Lanvéoc-Poulmic naval air station, along with a medical team from the Finistère emergency medical aid service. With challenging weather conditions including reduced visibility, rough seas, and wind force 4 coming from the East-North-East, the helicopter successfully reached the scene around 9:16 p.m. Upon arrival, the medical staff from Samu 29 promptly administered first aid to the crew member. The helicopter crew also performed a vital refueling operation aboard the nearby frigate 'Bretagne' before safely extracting the medical team and the patient. By 11:25 p.m., the ill crew member was transferred to the CHRU de la Cavale-Blanche in Brest for further medical care. Meanwhile, the 'Meerdijk' continued its journey from Gabès to Bromborough, with an estimated arrival date of August 28, 2021. For further details, a French report on this event is available with an accompanying photo at the following link: https://actu.fr/faits-divers/finistere-evacuation-medicale-d-un-membre-d-equipage-d-un-navire-hollandais_44426067.html