The Nordic-Italia: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On May 31, 2026, a maritime allision took place near Brunsbüttel on the Kiel Canal, involving the heavy lift transporter 'UHL Fresh' (IMO: 9972505) and the container ship 'Nordic Italia'. The 'UHL Fresh', making its way from Eemshaven to Mukran, encountered the 'Nordic Italia', which was en route from Antwerp to Helsinki, at approximately 5:43 a.m. The incident occurred at the northwest anchorage when the heavy-lift vessel, while approaching the anchored container ship at a slow speed, was affected by the outgoing tide. This led to a collision where the port stern of 'UHL Fresh' collided with the starboard bow of 'Nordic Italia'. Fortunately, both vessels sustained damage located approximately six meters above the waterline, with no injuries reported and no fuel leaks detected. In response to the accident, the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BG Verkehr) imposed a sailing ban on both vessels pending clarification of their classifications. The water police subsequently initiated an investigation into the incident. By 6.20 p.m., the 'Nordic Italia' was cleared to continue its journey, with an estimated time of arrival in Helsinki on June 3. The 'UHL Fresh' followed suit, departing for Mukran at 9:30 p.m. on June 1.

In the early hours of March 10, 2026, at precisely 6:18 a.m., the cargo vessel 'Nordic Italia' encountered an unfortunate incident while navigating the Kiel Canal. The ship, which was making its way from Riga to Hamburg, allided with the guided wall as it approached the new southern lock in Brunsbüttel amidst foggy weather conditions. At the time of the incident, the full extent of the damage to the Nordic Italia remained undetermined. Following the allision, the vessel was required to submit a report at the lock before being granted permission to resume its journey. By 8:00 a.m., the ship continued toward Hamburg and successfully berthed at the Eurogate Container Terminal in the Waltershof Port in the late morning hours.

On March 26, 2022, the Gabinete de Investigação de Acidentes Marítimos e da Autoridade para a Meteorologia Aeronáutica (GAMA) based in Lisbon reported an incident concerning the vessel 'Nordic Italia'. This event led to the ship's unintended incursion into a designated traffic separation scheme zone. In response, GAMA promptly notified the European Commission via the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP) and initiated a request for essential evidence from both the ship and its operating company for further investigation and analysis.

Unifeeder has successfully secured a new charter commitment for a period ranging from 34 to 36 months. This strategic agreement focuses on trading routes between Continental regions and the Baltic, with a daily rate set at $20,000. This move underscores Unifeeder's commitment to enhancing its service offerings and operational capacity in these vital maritime corridors.

On August 5, 2021, the 'Nordic Italia', a cargo vessel traveling from Rotterdam to Southampton, encountered engine issues while navigating the southwest lane of the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme. The vessel, carrying 17 crew members and a cargo of 2,563 tonnes of containers, anchored at coordinates 51°37′35.0″N, 2°05′20.0″E at 8:50 PM after reporting the problem to the Dover Coastguard earlier at 6:35 PM. The urgent repair involved a replacement of a component in the lube oil cooler. Following the necessary maintenance, the ship set sail again at 1:20 AM and successfully reached Southampton by 5:05 PM.