Oil spill disrupts Belgian waterway The semi-autonomous Belgian barge River Drone 4 released around 10,000 litres of fuel #oil into the Albert Canal after sustaining hull damage near Olen Lock on 20 August. The #spill, extending across several kilometres, forced a temporary halt in shipping until specialised teams contained the oil by midnight. The incident highlights operational and environmental risks linked to inland shipping, particularly as semi-autonomous vessels play a growing role in Eur

Fire on ship near Baltimore prompts rapid coast guard response An #explosion aboard the W-Sapphire, a 751-foot cargo vessel en route to Mauritius, interrupted her departure from #Baltimore near the Francis Scott Key Bridge. #MarineTraffic data show the vessel departed at 2025-08-18 21.55 UTC, with tug support ending at 22.15 UTC. The BRIDGET MCALLISTER tug vessel resumed towing within 30 minutes, while at least five other vessels joined the operations. Emergency services established a 2,000-yard