Welfare and rightsShip detained at Safaga as ITF steps in for seven Egyptian seafarers without wages or foodThe ITF says seven Egyptian crew on a ship in Safaga, Egypt, report delayed wages and no food, provisions or medical care. Egypt's Maritime Authority has detained the ship while a settlement is sought.
Rescues and medevacsCruise ship AIDAnova picks up four fishermen from a liferaft after fire in the SkagerrakFour crew of a Danish-flagged fishing vessel escaped a fire in the Skagerrak on 18 October 2026 by liferaft and were picked up by a boat from the cruise ship AIDAnova. Norwegian rescuers said none was injured.
Rescues and medevacsAll 26 crew rescued after engine-room fire on cargo ship off Bengkulu, IndonesiaIndonesia's search and rescue agency says all 26 crew of the cargo ship KM Prima Sentosa are safe after a fire broke out in its engine room off Bengkulu, Sumatra, on 16 October 2026. Eleven of them were first reported missing.
Jobs and wagesUK keeps its Seafarer Deck Rating apprenticeship after plan to scrap itSkills England has dropped a proposal to withdraw the Seafarer (Deck Rating) apprenticeship, a key UK training route for new deck ratings. Other maritime apprenticeships, including Officer of the Watch and Marine Pilot, are also staying.
Welfare and rightsITF calls for release of chief officer jailed in Türkiye over cocaine found on his shipThe ITF Executive Board has asked Turkish authorities to review the case of chief officer Ali Albokhari, in prison for three years over cocaine found on the bulk carrier Phoenician M, and to free him unless there is credible evidence he was personally involved.
Welfare and rightsITF's Mind At Sea campaign brings mental health talks into ship visitsThe International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is running Mind At Sea, a mental health and suicide prevention campaign for seafarers, until early December 2026. Its inspectors will hold short wellbeing talks with crews during ship visits.
Certificates and trainingPhilippines: seafarers on board get up to one year's extension for expiring record books and IDsMARINA says expiring or expired SIRBs and SIDs of Filipino seafarers already on board are extended for up to one year from expiry while its SRB/SID system recovers. It has asked manning agencies, shipowners and port State control to accept stamped extensions.
Visas and crew changesAustralia: a possible port State control inspection is no reason to deny shore leaveThe Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has told masters and operators not to delay or deny shore leave because a port State control inspection might happen. Crew being ashore during an inspection will not, in itself, count against the ship.
Lessons from accidentsInterManager: 354 enclosed space accidents in 30 years, and seafarers say procedures don't fit realityShip managers' association InterManager has recorded 354 enclosed space accidents between 1996 and 2026. Its survey of more than 900 seafarers points to complex paperwork, too little time and staff, and one-off training.
Rescues and medevacsIndian Coast Guard brings ill engineer ashore from LPG carrier off KeralaA junior engineer on the LPG carrier Nexor fell seriously ill off the south Indian coast on 18 October 2026. The master alerted MRCC Mumbai, and an Indian Coast Guard boat from Vizhinjam took him ashore to hospital, Indian newspapers reported.
Lessons from accidentsCrew member crushed in lift shaft on cruise ship Arvia: lessons from the MAIB reportAn electrical technician on the cruise ship Arvia died in October 2025 when a passenger lift moved while he was in the shaft. The MAIB report, published on 8 October 2026, points to poor communication, no positive control of the lift and a permit that no longer matched the job.
Certificates and trainingMalta switches to a digital-only Seaman's Record BookMalta now issues its Seaman's Record Book only in digital form. Seafarers apply on the Seafarer Portal, receive the book in a phone wallet, and send sea-service entries to the master for digital authentication. Employers and port State control can check it with a QR code.