Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Maersk-Rio-India

The departure of the imposing Maersk Rio de Janeiro, measuring 286.5 meters in length and 40 meters in width, from Timaru has encountered a setback due to unfavorable heavy swells. The container ship docked in Timaru on Sunday evening, with plans for its departure scheduled for Monday morning. However, Phil Melhopt, the chief executive of PrimePort, confirmed that the vessel's departure would be delayed. 'It’s not uncommon for deep draft container ships like this to face such disruptions caused by swell conditions,' Melhopt explained.

In a significant operation led by the Italian Guardia di Finanza from Reggio Calabria, authorities intercepted a major drug trafficking scheme involving the container ship RIO DE JANEIRO. On October 18, 2023, information was received concerning a shipment of cocaine intended to be offloaded during the vessel's transit from Spain to Gioia Tauro. Monitoring efforts by Italian law enforcement, including the Coast Guard, successfully located the illicit cargo approximately 17 nautical miles off the coast of Gioia Tauro. The cocaine, packaged in 17 bags tied to buoys and discarded overboard, was reportedly set to be retrieved by members of the notorious 'Ndrangheta mafia. The operation yielded a total of 350 bricks, amounting to 385 kilograms of cocaine. Upon the RIO DE JANEIRO's arrival at Gioia Tauro on October 20, the entire crew of 24 was subjected to thorough searches, both of their persons and their cabins. As a result, nine crew members, all of Kiribati nationality, were arrested after evidence uncovered indicated their involvement in the illicit scheme. Following the completion of the necessary procedures, the vessel departed from Gioia Tauro on October 21 and resumed its service schedule. This operation underscored the continuing vigilance of Italian authorities in combating drug trafficking in the region.