Murcia-Carrier Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On February 6, 2026, the Chilean Navy sprang into action to support the 22 crew members of the refrigerated cargo vessel 'Frio Naruto', which experienced a loss of propulsion while making its way from Balboa to Tema. This maritime incident unfolded in the perilous waters of Cape Horn, approximately 90 kilometers south of Puerto Williams. At 6:10 p.m., the ship issued a distress signal as it drifted due to powerful winds. In response, the Third Naval Zone activated a multi-faceted response operation, launching Naval Helicopter 56 alongside reconnaissance aircraft P-111 and Naval 256 to ensure ongoing surveillance of the situation. Additionally, the AHTS 'ATF 66-Galvarino' (IMO: 7382419) and the Patrol Boat 'LSG 73 - Isaza' were deployed to provide necessary assistance. Fortunately, by the morning of February 7, the 'Frio Naruto' managed to regain its propulsion and continued its journey on its own power, with an expected arrival at its destination port on February 22. To ensure the vessel's safety, the Chilean Navy offered a preventive escort aboard the 'Galvarino' as it navigated out of the Beagle Naval District's jurisdiction. For more detailed coverage, including photographs, visit: https://www.24horas.cl/regiones/zona-sur/magallanes/cabo-de-hornos-armada-de-chile-desplego-operativo-para-auxiliar-a-buque-sin-propulsion.

Valerii Georgiev, a 42-year-old Russian national and the former chief mate of the Panama-flagged reefer vessel MV Murcia Carrier, has received a three-month prison sentence for breaching the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) through improper oil record-keeping. The ruling was issued by Honorable Joseph Rodriguez from the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division in the District of New Jersey. Evidence presented during trial revealed that on April 27, 2014, Georgiev instructed crew members to discard several barrels of hydraulic oil overboard while the ship was operating in international waters off Florida as it made its journey from Costa Rica to New Jersey. Although Georgiev contested the quantity of barrels dumped, the government claims roughly 20 barrels of hydraulic oil were improperly disposed of into the sea without being documented in the ship's oil record book. Additionally, during a Coast Guard inspection, Georgiev not only denied the dumping occurred but also directed the crew to refute any allegations of the incident.

Norbulk Shipping UK Ltd, a shipping company headquartered in Glasgow, UK, has been ordered to pay a hefty $750,000 fine after pleading guilty in a US federal court for illegal discharges from one of its vessels. The case centers around violations committed by the reefer cargo ship M/V Murcia Carrier while operating off the coast of Florida. The company admitted to failing to accurately maintain an oil record book, contravening the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). Additionally, Norbulk Shipping provided false information to the U.S. Coast Guard regarding the vessel's garbage record book. Following the ruling by Honorable Joseph H. Rodriguez, Norbulk will also face three years of probation. This announcement was made by the Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.