Vestvind

The 'Vestvind', en route from Portsmouth, UK, to Nakskov, allided with the middle wall of the southern chamber of the Kiel Canal locks in Brunsbüttel on March 2, 2025, at 9.13 p.m. LT, ahead of its transit of the waterway. The ship remained inside the lock for more than two hours, before the two tugs 'Grossnordsee' (IMO: 9067271) and 'Fairplay-57' (IMO: 9036246) towed it out and pulled it to the Navy dolphins in the canal port of Brunsbüttel, where it remained stationary until March 3 at around 10 a.m. It finally arrived in Nakskov on March 4 at around 9.30 a.m. UTC.

Two Syrian illegal immigrants, suspected of being terrorists, have been on board the 'Vestvind' since June 13, 2023, off the coast of Ionian Calabria, while the ship was en route from Izmir to Swinoujscie. The alert was given by the crew who noticed the hidden and injured men, one of them seriously, among the cargo. The immigrants' cell phones were inspected by the garrison, who had access to photographs in which the two were carrying Kalashnikovs, increasing suspicions that they were terrorists. The Syrian authorities confirmed on June 21 that the suspicions about the two men, as well as the fact that they were wanted in Syria for terrorism. When they were first discovered by the crew last week, captain Maximiliano Zidekter assessed that they needed urgent medical assistance. As a result, he requested permission from the port of Messina to hand the men over to local authorities. Messina's authorities replied that they did not have the specialised personnel for this type of operation. The owner of the 'Vestvind' has appointed lawyer Enrico Mirti della Valle to help him unblock the situation. On June 21 the application was sent to the Municipality of Messina, the police headquarters, the Public Ministry and the Port Authority to request authorization to dock the ship and then disembark the two illegal immigrants. It did not have a decision. A request made directly by the Portuguese government to the General Command of the Port Authorities of Rome is required. In case of a positive response from Italy, the 'Vestvind' could reach the port of Paraíso and there, with the support of a patrol boat from the Captaincy and the Messina Police Headquarters, the two Syrian terrorists could be disembarked.

IHS Maritime 360: Chinese-built Vir Varenya can load modules up to 8,500 tonnes. An Indian-owned heavy-load vessel, completed in June by a Chinese shipyard, has bolstered the fleet under the commercial management of Hamburg-based company United Heavy Lift. The 10,000dwt Vir Varenya is a 130m-long deck carrier.