Dutch officials are investigating an explosion aboard a river cruise ship docked in Amsterdam as a likely malfunction of the vessel’s battery power system. The newly launched Viking Gymir, which was introduced by Viking for river cruises on the Rhine in 2022, features a new hybrid propulsion system that was developed in place of solely diesel propulsion on Viking’s other Longships.
According to reports from the Amsterdam fire brigade, they were summoned to the vessel Monday, July 25 around 6:30 p.m. after reports of an explosion in the engine room followed by a small fire. Continue reading “River cruise ship evacuated after suspected battery explosion”
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published a list of revisions to various documentation from 8 June to 15 July 2022.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a product recall for 11 models of life jacket sold via the Amazon online platform. The products are being recalled from end users and the listings will be removed by the Amazon platform.
On 22 August 2020 at 1011, the commercially operated high speed passenger craft Seadogz collided with the North-West Netley buoy in Southampton Water at a speed of 38.4kts. On board was the skipper and 11 passengers. During the collision two passengers were ejected overboard into the water where their lifejackets inflated. The remaining passengers and the skipper suffered varying degrees of impact injuries. A 15-year-old girl, was fatally injured when she was thrown against the handrail directly in front of her bench seat. 
River Canal Rescue has published its 2021 statistics and reports it responded to 171 major incidents during the year with emergency situations either involving submerged, partially sunken or grounded craft, plus salvage work.
The Cruising Association has announced that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has followed through its proposed positive change to the application of Returned Goods Relief (RGR) for recreational craft resulting in many boat owners no longer becoming liable to pay VAT on the return of their boats to the UK.