Weekly Maritime Regulatory Digest

Sailing races are being held in the waters between Paros and Antiparos islands in the central Aegean Sea. Vessels navigating or anchoring in this area should maintain clear of the race course and confirm the course boundaries and active time windows with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before approaching.

Scientific sampling operations measuring seawater parameters, plankton, and sediment are being conducted in the Saronikos Gulf and Elefsina Gulf. Vessels navigating or anchoring in these areas should give a wide berth to any research vessel displaying the appropriate signals for a vessel engaged in underwater operations.

A research mission is being conducted in the Thrakiko Sea and North Aegean Sea. Vessels navigating in this area should be aware of research vessel activity and confirm the operational area and schedule with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before transiting.

Firing exercises are being conducted off Fleves Island in the Saronikos Gulf. Vessels navigating or anchoring in the Saronikos Gulf should maintain well clear of the exercise area and confirm the active time windows and exclusion zone boundaries with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before approaching Fleves Island.

The navigation light at Stavros Point on Sifnos Island in the South Aegean Sea has been reported unlit. Vessels navigating the approaches to Sifnos Island should update their chart annotations and exercise caution on night approaches until the light is confirmed restored.

A seismographic survey is being conducted in the Ionian Sea. Vessels navigating this area should be aware of survey vessel activity, give a wide berth to any vessel towing survey equipment, and confirm the operational boundaries with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before transiting.

A navigation light on Mykonos Island in the Kyklades has been reported unlit. Vessels navigating the approaches to Mykonos should update their chart annotations and exercise caution on night approaches until the light is confirmed restored.

A second navigation light on Mykonos Island in the Kyklades has also been reported unlit this week. Vessels navigating the waters around Mykonos should be aware that two aids to navigation are currently defective and exercise appropriate caution on all night approaches until both lights are confirmed restored.

Cable laying operations are underway in the North Aegean Sea between Limnos Island and Thasos Island. Vessels navigating this area should give a wide berth to all cable lay vessels and their associated equipment, avoid anchoring along the cable route, and confirm the current operational zone with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before transiting.

Submarine cable installation operations are underway in the North Ionian Sea. Vessels navigating this area should give a wide berth to all cable lay vessels and their associated equipment, avoid anchoring in the vicinity of the operations, and confirm the current operational zone with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before transiting.

Navigation, anchoring, diving, and nautical activity restrictions have been established along the coastline of the commune of Torreilles in the Pyrénées-Orientales, following the discovery of explosive devices. Vessels navigating or anchoring along this stretch of the Languedoc coast should maintain clear of the restricted area and verify with the French Maritime Prefecture whether the disposal operation has been completed before operating in these waters.

A derogation has been granted from the standing 300-metre coastal strip order off Antibes (Order 211/2024) to allow supervised introductory diving sessions on 27 June 2026 during the Fêtes de la Saint-Pierre celebrations. Vessels and tenders operating close inshore off Antibes on this date should be aware of organised diving activity in the coastal strip and review this derogation for the applicable conditions before approaching.

Navigation, anchoring, and diving restrictions have been established in the coastal waters off Antibes–Juan-les-Pins for a waterskiing demonstration on 27 June 2026 during the Fêtes de la Saint-Pierre celebrations. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Antibes–Juan-les-Pins on this date should confirm the applicable exclusion boundaries and time windows with the French Maritime Prefecture before approaching.

A temporary derogation has been granted from three standing coastal strip orders governing navigation, anchoring, diving, and high-speed water sports off Antibes Golfe-Juan and Villefranche-sur-Mer for three separate periods: 29 June to 4 July 2026, 18 to 23 July 2026, and 7 to 18 September 2026. Vessels and tenders operating close inshore along these stretches of the Alpes-Maritimes coast during these windows should review this order for the specific applicable conditions before approaching.

Navigation, anchoring, bathing, and diving restrictions were established in the coastal waters off Marseille for the Mc Swim Challenge 2026 open water swimming event on 20 June 2026. Vessels that had noted this restriction should confirm with the French Maritime Prefecture whether the order has been fully lifted before operating in the affected area.

Navigation, anchoring, bathing, and diving restrictions were established in the coastal waters off La Seyne-sur-Mer on the Var coast for the Aqua Relais 50 relay swimming challenge on 20 and 21 June 2026. Vessels that had noted this restriction should confirm with the French Maritime Prefecture whether the order has been fully lifted before operating in the affected area.

Navigation, anchoring, bathing, and diving restrictions have been established in the coastal waters off Cannes for a drone display show on 22, 23, 24, and 25 June 2026. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Cannes during these dates should maintain clear of the restricted area and confirm boundaries and timing with the French Maritime Prefecture before approaching.

Navigation, anchoring, and diving restrictions were established in the coastal waters off Grau du Roi for the Fête de la Saint-Pierre maritime celebrations on 21 June 2026. Vessels that had noted this restriction should confirm with the French Maritime Prefecture whether the order has been fully lifted before operating in the affected area.

Navigation, anchoring, and diving restrictions were established in the coastal waters off Ramatuelle on the Var coast for a drone display show on 21 June 2026. Vessels that had noted this restriction should confirm with the French Maritime Prefecture whether the order has been fully lifted before operating in the affected area.

A derogation has been granted from the standing 300-metre coastal strip order off Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone (Order 137/2019) for the Swimrun La Belle Maguelone swimming and running event on 19, 20, and 21 June 2026. Vessels and tenders operating close inshore along this stretch of the Hérault coast on these dates should confirm with the French Maritime Prefecture whether the event and associated restrictions have concluded before approaching the beach areas.

Navigation and maritime activity restrictions have been established around the WAVERUBY wave energy platform deployed by the association CELADON in a designated sector of the Baie de Douarnenez on the Brittany coast. Vessels navigating or anchoring in the Baie de Douarnenez should review this order for the applicable exclusion zone dimensions before approaching the platform, and give a wide berth to all associated mooring and anchoring equipment.

Works to complete the positioning of maritime signalling aids in the lagoon channel at Sant'Antioco in southwest Sardinia are underway, with navigation restrictions in force around the works area. Vessels navigating the Sant'Antioco lagoon channel should review this ordinance for the applicable exclusion zones and timing before entering, and confirm current signalling arrangements with the Sant'Antioco maritime office.

The Argentario Sailing Week 2026 offshore sailing regatta has been authorised in the waters off Porto Santo Stefano on the Tuscan coast, with navigation restrictions in force within the race course area. Vessels navigating off Monte Argentario during the event should maintain clear of racing traffic and confirm course boundaries and timing with the Porto Santo Stefano maritime office.

Seabed cleaning works are underway at Molo Garibaldi in Porto Santo Stefano on the Tuscan coast, with navigation restrictions in force around the works area. Vessels navigating or manoeuvring close to Molo Garibaldi should maintain the applicable safety distance and confirm current access arrangements with the Porto Santo Stefano maritime office before approaching.

Routine maintenance works on mooring chains and berthing pontoons are being carried out at Isola del Giglio off the Tuscan coast, with navigation restrictions in force around the works area. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Giglio should review this ordinance for the applicable exclusion zones before approaching the affected moorings, and confirm current access arrangements with the Porto Santo Stefano maritime office.

A seagrass habitat mapping survey using multibeam sonar equipment is being conducted in the coastal waters of the Terracina maritime district on the southern Lazio coast between 22 and 30 June 2026, with navigation, diving, fishing, and bathing restrictions in force around the survey area. Vessels navigating or anchoring in this area should maintain clear of the survey vessel and its equipment during operations and confirm the current survey boundaries with the Terracina maritime office.

Navigation, bathing, diving, and fishing restrictions have been established in the coastal waters off Bagnara Calabra on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria for a fireworks display. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Bagnara Calabra during the event should maintain the applicable safety distance from the designated area and confirm timing with the Reggio Calabria harbour master's office before approaching.

An explosive ordnance disposal operation is being conducted in the sea area off Gallipoli on the Ionian coast of Puglia, with navigation, diving, bathing, and fishing restrictions in force around the disposal area. Vessels navigating or anchoring in the waters off Gallipoli should maintain well clear of the restricted area and confirm with the Gallipoli harbour master's office whether the disposal operation has been completed before approaching.

Helicopter live firing exercises have been authorised in military exercise area T833B in the waters off Taranto on 22, 23, and 24 June 2026. Vessels navigating the Gulf of Taranto on these dates should confirm the active time windows and the precise boundaries of area T833B with the Taranto harbour master's office and maintain well clear of the designated exercise area while helicopter firing is in progress.

The Regata dei 4 Porti — Trofeo Memorial Andrea Patacca sailing regatta has been authorised in the waters off Porto San Giorgio on the Adriatic coast of Marche. Navigation restrictions apply within the race course area — vessels navigating off Porto San Giorgio during the event should maintain clear of racing traffic and confirm course boundaries and timing with the Porto San Giorgio maritime office.

The Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator reiterates that all activations, deactivations, and alterations of Inmarsat terminals installed on Marshall Islands-flagged vessels must be submitted through a Point of Service Activation provider that has been specifically authorised by the Administrator — submissions made directly by a Land Earth Station Operator or any other non-authorised entity will not be accepted. Authorised providers remain responsible for coordinating accounting arrangements with the Administrator; there is no fee for deactivations or modifications. Masters and owners with queries should contact the Administrator at radio@register-iri.com.

Following a January 2025 explosion and fire in the hospital of a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel — caused by a resuscitator attached to a medical oxygen cylinder that held a valid inspection certificate at the time — the Administrator has issued ten specific reminders covering pressure regulator compatibility, component servicing intervals, humidifier cup management, contamination prevention, seal ring replacement, cylinder valve protection (including a prohibition on using tape), and record-keeping requirements under the Safety Management System. Masters, chief officers, and ship managers of Marshall Islands-flagged vessels should review this advisory and assess their current oxygen system maintenance regime against the requirements set out in Marine Notices 2-011-2 and 7-042-1.

Amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships Annex VI, adopted at the Marine Environment Protection Committee's 84th session, establish the North-East Atlantic as a new Emission Control Area for nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, and particulate matter — entering into force on 1 September 2027. Owners and operators of vessels trading in the North-East Atlantic should assess the impact on their fuel strategy and exhaust gas treatment arrangements ahead of the implementation date.