Weekly Maritime Regulatory Digest

Subsea operations are being conducted in the Central Aegean Sea between Evvoia Island and Chios Island. Vessels navigating this area should give a wide berth to any vessel displaying the appropriate signals for underwater operations and confirm the current exclusion area with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service before approaching.

A navigation light at Karystos Harbour in the South Evoikos Gulf has been reported unlit. Vessels approaching Karystos should update their chart annotations and exercise caution on night approaches until the light is confirmed restored.

A navigation light at Akrotiri Point, Amorgos Island, in the South Aegean Sea has been reported unlit. Vessels navigating the approaches to Amorgos should update their chart annotations and exercise caution on night approaches to this coast.

A navigation light at Georgioupoli on the north coast of Crete has been reported unreliable. Vessels navigating this stretch of the North Cretan Sea should not rely on this light and should verify its status before making night approaches.

Works are underway to establish new lightbuoys in the Thrakiko Sea in the northern Aegean. Vessels navigating this area should be aware of works vessel activity and confirm the current status and positions of the new aids to navigation with the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service.

A navigation light in the South Evvoikos Gulf has been reported unlit. Vessels navigating this Gulf should update their chart annotations and exercise caution on night approaches until the light is confirmed restored.

Navigation, anchoring, bathing, and diving restrictions have been established off Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer on 28 July 2026 for the treatment of an explosive device. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer on this date should maintain clear of the restricted area until the operation is confirmed complete.

Navigation, anchoring, bathing, and diving restrictions have been established off Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer for 29 July 2026 in connection with a military exercise. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer on this date should maintain clear of the restricted area and confirm timing with the French Maritime Prefecture before approaching.

New regulations governing navigation, anchoring, diving, and high-speed water sports within the 300-metre coastal strip off Villeneuve-les-Maguelone on the Hérault coast have been established. Vessels and tenders operating close inshore along this coastline should review this order for the applicable conditions before approaching the beach areas.

A marine scientific research campaign by the company SENSEA GROUPE has been authorised, with a derogation granted from French Maritime Prefecture orders 201/2023 of 23 June and 133/2026 of 13 May for the duration of the campaign. Vessels navigating or anchoring in the affected area should give a wide berth to any research vessel displaying the appropriate signals for a vessel engaged in underwater operations.

New regulations governing navigation, anchoring, diving, and high-speed water sports within the 300-metre coastal strip off Saint-Tropez have been established. Vessels and tenders operating close inshore off Saint-Tropez — a popular superyacht anchorage — should review this order for the applicable conditions before approaching the beach areas.

New regulations governing navigation, anchoring, diving, and high-speed water sports within the 300-metre coastal strip off Sérignan have been established. Vessels and tenders operating close inshore off Sérignan should review this order for the applicable conditions before approaching the beach areas.

A one-day derogation from the standing 300-metre coastal strip order at Saint-Cyprien (Order 64/2026) was granted for the arrival of traditional Catalan boats on Rodin beach on 25 July 2026. Vessels that had noted the standing restriction should be aware this derogation applied for that date only.

Navigation, anchoring, and diving restrictions will apply off Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer on 6 August 2026 for the open-water swim event "La Traversée à la Nage", with 7 August held as a weather backup date. Vessels navigating or anchoring off this stretch of the Var coast on either date should maintain clear of the swim course.

Navigation, anchoring, bathing, and diving restrictions have been established off Ajaccio for the "Napo Swim Cup" open-water swimming event. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Ajaccio during the event should maintain clear of the swim course and confirm timing with the French Maritime Prefecture.

Navigation and diving restrictions applied off Bastia on 25 and 26 July 2026 for the "Aldilonda Swim" open-water swimming event. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Bastia on these dates should have maintained clear of the swim course.

The French Maritime Prefecture has abrogated Order 278/2026, which had restricted navigation, anchoring, diving, fishing, and bathing off Olmeno beach in Corsica following the discovery of explosive devices. The clearance operation is complete and the area has reopened — vessels that had noted the earlier restriction may treat it as lifted.

Temporary zones prohibited to navigation have been created within the Bassin d'Arcachon. Vessels navigating or anchoring in the Bassin d'Arcachon should review this order for the precise boundaries and duration of the restricted zones before entering the basin.

Maritime activities are temporarily regulated around the electrical connection cables of the Banc de Guérande offshore wind farm for a maintenance campaign running from 24 July to 30 September 2026. Vessels navigating this area should be aware of works vessel activity and review the order for the applicable restrictions.

Maritime activities are temporarily regulated around the electrical connection cables of the Yeu-Noirmoutier offshore wind farm for a maintenance campaign running from 24 July to 30 September 2026. Vessels navigating this area should be aware of works vessel activity and review the order for the applicable restrictions.

Maritime activities near the port of Portsall are being temporarily regulated for a helicopter winching training exercise conducted by the French Navy and the National Sea Rescue Society (SNSM). Vessels navigating in the approaches to Portsall during the exercise should maintain a safe distance from the training area.

Maritime activities off Anglet were temporarily regulated on 25 July 2026 for the "Anglet Uhaina Sauvetage" sea rescue demonstration event. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Anglet on this date should have maintained clear of the event area.

The Croatian Maritime Authority has published its updated list of vessels of third-country nationality approved for cabotage authorisation for chartering purposes in 2026, current to 30 June 2026. Managers and captains of non-EU flagged charter vessels operating in Croatian waters should confirm their vessel's authorisation status against this current list.

A fireworks display has been authorised off Vico Equense on the Sorrentine coast for 28 July 2026, with navigation restrictions in force in the launch and fallout area. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Vico Equense on this date should maintain clear of the restricted area and confirm timing with the Castellammare di Stabia harbour master's office.

The "Memorial Scurpena" regatta for traditional lateen-sail boats has been authorised off Calasetta on the southwest coast of Sardinia. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Calasetta during the event should maintain clear of racing traffic and confirm course boundaries and timing with the Sant'Antioco harbour office.

Works on the hydrocoupler for Sealine 36 at the Sarpom offshore oil terminal buoy field off Savona have been extended, with navigation and diving restrictions remaining in force around the works area. Vessels navigating or anchoring in the approaches to Savona should maintain clear of the terminal buoy field and confirm the current works timeline with the Savona harbour master's office.

Urgent works are underway at the Molo Angioino in the port of Naples, with navigation restrictions in force around the quay and pier head. Vessels navigating or berthing in the port of Naples should review the ordinance for the applicable exclusion area and confirm current arrangements with the Naples harbour master's office before approaching.

A fireworks display has been authorised at La Fratta, Terracina, with navigation, bathing, diving, and fishing restrictions in force in the launch and fallout area. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Terracina should maintain clear of the restricted area and confirm timing with the Terracina harbour master's office.

A religious sea procession has been authorised in the waters off Alì Terme on 8 August 2026, with navigation restrictions in force in the affected area. Vessels navigating or moored off Alì Terme on this date should review the ordinance for the applicable exclusion zone and confirm arrangements with the Messina harbour office.

A religious sea procession has been authorised in the waters off Santa Teresa di Riva on 1 August 2026, with navigation restrictions in force in the affected area. Vessels navigating or moored off Santa Teresa di Riva on this date should review the ordinance for the applicable exclusion zone and confirm arrangements with the Messina harbour office.

An open-water swim crossing of the Strait of Messina has been authorised for 3 August 2026, with navigation restrictions in force within the crossing corridor. Vessels transiting the Strait of Messina on this date should maintain clear of the swim course and confirm timing with the Messina harbour master's office.

A bathymetric survey of the port and the Arena Sub stretch of coastline at Roccella Ionica began on 28 July 2026, with navigation restrictions in force around the survey vessel and equipment. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Roccella Ionica should give a wide berth to the survey operation and confirm its current status with the harbour office.

A beginners' sailing regatta has been authorised in the waters off Porto San Giorgio on the Marche coast, with navigation, bathing, fishing, and diving restrictions in force within the race course area. Vessels navigating or anchoring off Porto San Giorgio during the event should maintain clear of racing traffic and confirm course boundaries and timing with the harbour master's office.

A marine aquaculture installation south of Puerto de Santa Pola and southwest of Isla de Tabarca has been abandoned and is now marked only by a single buoy in poor condition with no topmark, constituting a hazard to navigation. Vessels navigating or anchoring in this area should give the installation a wide berth and exercise maximum caution, particularly at night or in reduced visibility.

The light characteristics of three aids to navigation in the Ría de Santoña, on the Cantabrian coast, have been amended — flash patterns have changed at each position. Masters navigating the approaches to Santoña should update their chart annotations and verify the current light characteristics before making night approaches.

The light characteristics of the light and directional sector light at Cabezo de San Juan in the Ensenada de Baiona have been amended, with reduced nominal ranges now in effect. Masters navigating the approaches to Baiona should update their chart annotations and verify the current light characteristics and ranges before making night approaches.

The light characteristic of the aid to navigation at Puerto de Portocubelo in the Seno de Corcubión has been amended, with a reduced nominal range now in effect. Masters navigating the approaches to Portocubelo should update their chart annotations and verify the current light characteristic before making night approaches.

The light characteristic of the aid to navigation at Puerto de Barbate, on the Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltar, has been amended. Masters navigating into or out of Barbate should update their chart annotations and verify the current light characteristic before making night approaches.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency has published draft MGN 711, implementing the Paris MoU port state control framework for foreign-flagged seagoing ships calling at UK ports or anchorages. Ships are risk-classified (high, standard, or low) to set inspection frequency, with expanded inspections for older tankers, bulk carriers, and passenger ships; vessels with repeated detentions face progressive, potentially permanent, port access refusal. British-registered vessels, fishing boats, warships, and pleasure vessels are exempt — recreational yachts fall outside these requirements, but commercial charter operators should confirm their vessel's classification and risk status.

Lloyd's Register has published its summary report on the twelfth session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III 12), covering the key outcomes and forthcoming regulatory developments discussed at the session. Owners, managers, and technical superintendents should review this summary to understand which future IMO requirements may affect their vessels and forward planning.

The EU Council has amended its restrictive measures regime targeting Iran over its military support to Russia's war against Ukraine, its support to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and Red Sea region, and actions undermining freedom of navigation in the Middle East. Owners, managers, and compliance teams should check that sanctions screening lists reflect the updated designations, particularly for vessels or counterparties with exposure to Iranian-linked entities or Red Sea/Gulf transits.