Rapid

The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure organised the removal of 35 cubic meters of fuel from the 'Rapid' onto a workboat, which was moored alongside the grounded ship. The oil was pumped into small tanks, which were then transferred onto the smaller ship. There was no leakage into the sea at any stage of the process. As of Oct 1, the operation was successfully completed. Video: https://x.com/i/status/1974120280424673480

On Sep 18, 2025, at 05:55 a.m., the 'Rapid', en route from Bartin to Chornomorsk with seven crew members on board and carrying a cargo of plaster, ran aground off Pembe Kayalıkla in Kefken, Kocaeli. The patrol boat 'TCSG-910' of the Turkish and the TCSG-504 Coast Guard Helicopter respondedas well as the Diving Safety Security and Search and Rescue Team-21, Diving Safety Security and Search and Rescue Team-04, TCSG-71 Command, and the Kandıra Law Enforcement Support Team Command for land response. The General Directorate of Coastal Safety, Kocaeli Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate, Fire Department, and Gendarmerie teams were informed. The Coast Guard Marmara and Straits Regional Command conducted the evacuation of the seven crew members. There was no environmental pollution caused by the grounding. According to initial assessments, the vessel struck thr reef while navigating close to shore. The exact cause of the grounding remained under investigation by the relevant authorities. Reports with photos and video: https://www.virahaber.com/kocaelide-kargo-gemisi-karaya-oturdu-74968h.htm https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9qrvcw https://www.sondakika.com/politika/haber-kocaeli-de-kuru-yuk-gemisi-karaya-oturdu-19060852/ https://www.politikam.com/kocaeli-kandirada-kuru-yuk-gemisi-karaya-oturdu-7-murettebat-kurtarilmayi-bekliyor https://www.sabah.com.tr/yasam/nefes-kesen-kurtarma-operasyonu-7427324 https://www.kocaelibarisgazetesi.com/gundem/kocaelide-ticari-gemi-karaya-oturdu-h138429

Vessel RAPID (IMO: 8919233) has been reported to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) for abandonment. Details: - Flag: Tanzania - Port: Kefken - Country: Turkiye - Owed Wages: 3 months - Number of Seafarers: 7 - Seafarer Nationalities: Ukraine, Iran - Reported to ITF: 01 Sep 2025 - Status: Open This information is sourced from the ITF Seafarers abandonment list, which tracks cases of crew abandonment worldwide.

The "Rapid" was detained once more on Aug 14 in Kocaeli with 30 deficiencies, in this case 13 of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Certificate & Doc - SOPEP Missing 2) Life saving Appliances - Rescue boats Not ready for use 3) Life saving Appliances - Launching arrangements for rescue boats Not as required 4) Life saving Appliances - Rescue boat inventory Missing 5) Life saving Appliances - Emergency equipment for 2-way comm Batteries expired 6) Life saving Appliances - Distress flares Missing 7) Safety of navigation - BNWAS Inoperative 8)) Fire safety - Fire detection and alarm systems Inoperative 9) Fire safety - Fixed fire exthinguishing installation Not as required 10) Fire safety - Division - decks, bulkheads and penetrations Not as required 11) Water/Weather - Ventilators, air pipes and casings Not as required 12) Radio communications - Other (Radio comm) Other 13) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Aug 27 and left the port en route to Reni with an ETA as of Aug 31. The last detentions were only on April 11 in Poti with nine deficiencies for three days, on Feb 13 in Karasu with 24 deficiencies for also three days and on Sep 18, 2024: in Karadeniz Eregli with 33 deficiencies for a week. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

On April 11, 2025, the 'Rapid' was detained in Poti, with nine deficiencies, eight of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Emergency systems - Emergency lighting, batteries and switches Inoperative 2) Emergency systems - Emergency fire pump and its pipes Inoperative 3) Emergency systems - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Inoperative 4) Pollution Prevention - Ballast Water Record Book Not as required 5) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery - Auxiliary machinery Not as required 6) Alarms - Engineers alarm Not as required 7) Certificate & Doc - Other (Certificate) Other 8)) Living and working - Steam pipes and pressure pipes Not as required The vessel was relased again on April 13 and left the port en route to Batumi, where it berthed on April 13. The last detention was only on Feb 13 in Karasu with 24 deficiencies for three days, more recent detentions were on Sep 18, 2024, in Karadeniz Eregli with not less than 33 deficiencies for nine days and on Sep 12, 2023, in Bari with 22 deficiencies for 17 days. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

On Feb 13, 2025, the 'Rapid' has been detained in Karasu with 24 deficiencies, 19 of whioch being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Certificate & Doc - Log-books/compulsory entries Not as required 2) Certificate & Doc - Other (ship certificate) Other 3) Emergency systems - Emergency source of power - emergency generator Inoperative 4) Emergency systems - Fire drills Lack of training 5) Emergency systems' - Emergency towing arrangements and procedures Not as required 6) Emergency systems - Emergency fire pump and its pipes Inoperative 7) Fire safety - Means of escape Blocked 8)) Living and working - Lega documentation on work and rest hours Not as required 9) Living and working - Ropes and wires Not as required 10) Living and working - Safe means of access Unsafe 11) Living and working - Obstruction/Slipping etc Not as required 12) Safety of navigation - Nautical publications Not updated 13) Safety of navigation - Magnetic compass Inoperative 14) Safety of navigation - Voyage or passage plan Missing 15) Safety of navigation - Signalling lamp Inoperative 16) Safety of navigation - Other (Navigation) Other 17) Structural conditions - Decks - Corrosion Corroded 18) Structural conditions - Beams, frames, floors op-damage Not as required 19) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Feb 15 and left the port en route to Constanta Anchorage. The last detention was on Sep 18, 2024, in Karadeniz Eregli with 33 deficiencies for five days. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591&locale=de_DE

The 'Hunkar' suffered an engine failure at the southern entrance of the Canakkale Strait on Jan 1, 2020. Repairs could not be carried out by the crew and the tug/icebreaker 'Yumurtalik' was appointed to tow the vessel to Tuzla. Following the completion of towage approval formalities, the towage operation commenced in the morning of Dec 3. A Coastal Safety tug provided the escort service for the convoy during the Canakkale Strait passage. The ship was moored in pos. 40° 50.49' N 029° 14.97' E off Tuzla on Jan 5 at 7.10 a.m. Repairs commenced on Jan 6. She left the yard again on Jan 26 at 9.20 a.m. and headed to Illichivsk where she arrived on Jan 28 at 5.25 a.m.