Two Days, Two Dramatic Rescues: V. Crews Save 32 Lives at Sea

Chief Operations Officer, Ian Trebinski personally acknowledged the actions of two separate crews of V. managed vessels this month after successful rescues of fishermen whose vessels had been lost.

M/T SEAWAYS KENOSHA successfully responded to a distress call involving a fishing vessel that was on fire with 27 persons onboard. The following day, MV BELAFONTE rescued five fishermen after their boat capsized and sank in heavy swell in the Panama Canal.

The rapid response of both crews to save the lives of others at sea exemplifies the duty of care shown between seafarers, regardless of circumstance, and all involved should be highly commended for their actions.

The first incident involved the fishing vessel La Pena, operating approximately 500 miles north of the Galapagos Islands in the Eastern Pacific, which caught fire, forcing the crew to abandon ship. La Pena coordinated with the US Coast Guard, and an AMVER (Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue) query identified M/T SEAWAYS KENOSHA, located about 100 nautical miles from the scene. The vessel volunteered to divert and recover the survivors.

The crew safely recovered all survivors from La Pena, after which the ship resumed her commercial voyage to Peru to return the survivors safely to shore.

The following day, within the Bilbao anchorage of the Panama Canal, the duty officer aboard MV BELAFONTE observed several people in the water and sounded the alarm. Using onboard rescue boats and life belts, the crew successfully recovered all five fishermen. Exhaustion and minor injuries were treated onboard before the fishermen were transferred to a coast guard vessel. An investigation based on the fishermen’s statements revealed that they had been fishing when heavy swell caused their boat to capsize and sink approximately 1.3 nautical miles from MV BELAFONTE.

Both successful rescues highlight the training and systems in place that ensure the safety of our crews and their ability to assist others in distress. Congratulations to all those involved, both onboard the vessels and within the management offices supporting them.

Last call for entries for the 2026 Photo Contest

The V. Photography Competition for 2026 closes at the end of March so there is still time to capture some of your daily lives at sea. We continue to receive some inspiring images from across the V. seafaring community and look forward to gathering the judges together in April.

This year’s contest focusses on our three key themes of Culture and Community, Safety and the Environment, or Innovation and Learning.

• Culture and Community – Capturing life and interactions onboard of friendship, humour, teamwork, collaboration, recreation, multicultural celebrations
• Safety and the Environment – safe working practices, marine life, clean protected waters, good seamanship in practice, drills, spill prevention, etc.
• Innovation and Learning– the future of maritime, digitisation, new technology, smart ports and terminals, cadets, mentoring, etc.

The 2026 photography competition is open to both seafarers and onshore staff.

Safety and wellbeing are paramount so any images that are not compliant with V.Group policies and procedures cannot be shortlisted.

The winning picture from each category will receive a travel voucher to the value of USD 250, to be used on tickets purchased from Global Marine Travel (GMT).

All shortlisted pictures that meet our safety guidelines will be posted on our social channels.

A judging panel of colleagues across V.Group will decide the winner in each category.

The winner will be announced in Q2 2026.

Entries should be sent to v.photos@v.group by 31 March 2026.

Recognising the Safety Catch Winner for January 2026!

As we open the 2026 Safety Catch winners’ cycle, we recognise a clear example of situational awareness, courage to intervene, and proper use of Stop Work Authority during a high-risk operation.

Please join us in congratulating Fitter Nelson C. Dumol of SEAWAYS MYSTERY (N. Europe & Americas Cluster) for being selected as the January 2026 Safety Catch Winner. His decisive action during bunkering operations in Cristóbal, Panama prevented a potentially serious fire and spill hazard.

In recognition of this contribution, Nelson will receive a certificate of appreciation, a personal commendation letter, and a $200 GMT Travel Voucher.

Safety Observation – What Happened

During manifold connection for bunkering, Fitter Nelson observed bunker barge personnel moving a grinding machine on deck. On checking, he identified that the barge had a leaking hydraulic line and intended to carry out repairs involving hot work while bunkering was in progress.

Recognising the serious fire and operational risks, Nelson immediately reported the situation, stopped the hot work and escalated the case to the bridge. The Officer of the Watch contacted the barge, and the Master enforced the ship’s strict no-hot-work during bunkering requirement.

Thanks to his quick intervention, the unsafe activity was stopped before it began, allowing operations to continue safely.

This action prevented a credible fire and spill risk at a critical stage of bunkering.

Key Safety Learnings

This observation reinforces several important principles:

• Hot work and bunkering must never take place simultaneously
• Third-party activities require the same level of scrutiny as onboard activities
• Hydraulic leaks significantly increase fire and slip hazards
• Early reporting and clear authority prevent escalation

A short Lessons Learnt video based on this submission is available. Please review it along with related materials in the Learning Library to strengthen awareness of bunkering and related safety risks.

Stop Work Authority in Practice

This is a textbook example of Stop Work Authority used correctly. The hazard was identified early, communicated clearly, and addressed decisively with work stopped until safe to continue.

Stop Work Authority is not limited to vessel operations — it applies equally to office teams, contractors, terminal staff, and anyone involved in our activities. Such mindset and actions protect not only those on the front line but the entire organisation.

Building Safety Through Action

A strong safety culture is built by what we do—not only by what we say.

Reporting observations, questioning unsafe acts, and taking early action, particularly during high-risk operations, prevent incidents before they take shape. Nelson’s actions reflect the standard we strive for across the entire fleet.

Let’s continue to support this mindset and encourage everyone to have their say when something doesn’t look right.

#StopWorkAuthority    #HaveYourSay

Advancing Alternative Fuel Readiness Training Launched in Mumbai

The Training and Development team are proud to announce the successful completion of the pilot batch of “Methanol as Dual Fuel (Advanced)” training at our Mumbai Training Centre at the end of January.

Developed in line with Maritime Just Transition Task Force standards, the programme combined classroom learning, practical demonstrations, and simulator exercises—covering methanol safety, bunkering operations, and engine start‑up procedures. Batch was attended by five Chief Engineers, Officer Assessment Superintendent, Assessment Director and the Global Head of Shore Based training.

Excellent feedback from Chief Engineers and the Assessment Team highlighted the value of hands‑on training in translating theory into operational readiness and Assessment Framework for seafarers assigned to vessels using Methanol as fuel.

Kudos to Paresh Redkar for delivering a high‑quality Training Session, and Sujit Vaidya for enabling Assessment team's participation.

The next pilot will be based in Manila utilising their new Green Fuels training facility.

Continuous Learning Library

Within HSSEQ, a video library has been developed and populated with a range of topics related to our company and industry. Within the library you can find topics in relation to:

• Incident reviews
• CI learnings
• Safety Catch of the Month winners
• Educational topics – the IMO Codes and Conventions Series
• CI Information
• PSC
• Training – Control of Work
• Coaching

The list goes on and the topics being developed are increasing. These short bite size videos, based on real life incidents and brought to life using AI software. These videos can be used onboard our vessels directly from the Vimeo channel.

Stay tuned for 2026 as more features will be developed and available.

Oceanic Healthy Corner: Keep Your Heart Strong

A strong heart is the foundation of good performance. Taking care of your cardiovascular system ensures you have the energy and resilience to handle whatever the day throws at you, and for your overall wellbeing.

1. Maintain a balanced diet!

A well-balanced diet and healthy habits play a significant role in heart health.

• Season food with herbs, spices, lemon, or vinegar instead of salt.
• Limit smoked, pickled, or instant meals.
• Eat well-balanced meals with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and less processed food.
• Limit salty snacks and check food labels when possible.
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily, and more under hot conditions.
• Reduce sugary or high-caffeine beverages.

2. Stay physically active!

Physical activity supports cardiovascular health and boosts energy levels. Prioritise these 3 styles of exercises to maintain heart health:

• Bodyweight exercises such as squats, push-ups, or planks require minimal space and no equipment.
• Walking laps on deck or climbing stairs provides cardiovascular benefits.
• Brief stretching or mobility sessions during watch transitions can reduce muscle stiffness and enhance circulation.

3. Manage stress effectively!

Chronic stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which can damage the heart over time.

• Practice deep breathing or meditation to regulate your heart rate during high-pressure shifts.
• Aim for 7–9 hours of rest (slip into shorter naps if needed) to help your heart recover, whenever possible.
• Take short breaks to relax whenever possible.