The Epaminondas: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On April 22, 2026, a dangerous incident unfolded in the Strait of Hormuz when the container ship 'Epaminondas' came under fire from an Iranian gunboat belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). At 6:55 a.m. Greek time, the vessel was targeted approximately 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman, leading to substantial damage to its bridge. Alarmingly, the gunboat approached without any prior communication via VHF and opened fire, although fortunately, there were no fires or environmental incidents reported. All crew members onboard the 'Epaminondas' were confirmed safe following the attack. Before the incident, the ship had been granted permission to transit the strait, but authorities are currently investigating the legitimacy of this passage approval, including the possibility of fraud. Following the assault, the 'Epaminondas' was seized and is now slated to be taken to Iran, currently anchored at coordinates 26° 57' N 056° 22' E as of April 23. In a related incident that same day, the container vessel 'Euphoria' (IMO: 9235828) was also fired upon around 6:38 a.m. UTC, located roughly eight nautical miles west of Iran. Having begun its outbound transit through the Strait of Hormuz at 01:10 a.m. UTC with Jeddah as its destination, the crew of the 'Euphoria' was reported safe, and no damage was found on the vessel. By April 23, it was anchored at position 25° 25' N 056° 37' E. Another ship, the 'MSC Francesca' (IMO: 9401116), similarly faced aggression while heading southward into the Gulf of Oman, being hailed by the IRGC about six nautical miles from the Iranian coast and ordered to anchor. The vessel reported damage to both its hull and accommodation, and like the others, was also seized, anchored at 26° 29' N 056° 55' E as of April 23. In light of these escalating tensions, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has urged vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities.

The 'Maersk Kalmar' is back on the move following successful repairs after its collision with the 'Conmar Avenue'. The vessel underwent a thorough repair process at Schiedam Yard in Rotterdam, which was finalized on July 3. After departing Wilton Port at 10 a.m., the ship arrived at Europe Port at 1:30 p.m. On July 4, at approximately 6 p.m., it made its way to the APM Terminal before embarking on its journey toward the Suez Canal. This marks a significant milestone for the 'Maersk Kalmar', ensuring its return to operational status.

The container vessel Maersk Kalmar departed from Bremerhaven on May 12 at 10:20 AM and made its way to the APM Terminal in Rotterdam, arriving on April 13 at 10:15 PM. Following the offloading of cargo, the vessel is scheduled to arrive at Damen Shiprepair's Schiedam Yard for essential repairs on May 16 at 10 PM, primarily focusing on addressing damage sustained from a collision. Meanwhile, the Conmar Avenue is currently under repair at Bredo Shipyard located in Bremerhaven. This repair work emphasizes the ongoing commitment to maintaining fleet safety and operational efficiency.

On the afternoon of May 7, at approximately 4 p.m., the 'Maersk Kalmar' collided with the 'Conmar Avenue' while navigating the Weser River. Following the incident, the 'Maersk Kalmar' successfully docked at Strom Quay in Bremerhaven at 5:20 p.m., with all 28 crew members reported safe and unharmed. The Cuxhaven casualty command took charge of the situation by 6 p.m. Meanwhile, an oil surveillance flight monitored for potential pollutants, but thankfully, no contamination was detected. The 'Conmar Avenue', which had run aground due to the collision, was subsequently assisted by tugs and refloated at 6:30 p.m. The vessel, which was en route from Kotka, reached Strom Quay by 9:30 p.m., with its crew of 15 also remaining unharmed. During the incident, the 'Conmar Avenue' lost multiple containers from its deck, prompting a coordinated effort by five tugs to manage the situation. The anti-pollution vessel 'Neuwerk' established a security zone to safeguard the area, while the emergency tug 'Nordic' was dispatched for further assistance, arriving at 1 a.m. on May 8. Recovery operations for the lost containers were planned for daylight hours. However, throughout the night, strong currents caused six containers to break loose from their rescue tugs. Fortunately, two of these were recovered by the 'Neuwerk', while the remaining four drifted into the wetlands, where they were monitored via radar. The sonar ship 'Zenit' from the Bremerhaven Shipping Authority was deployed to survey the Weser fairway, ensuring safe navigation for vessels up to a draft of 9.5 meters.