Special Purpose Ship NAUTILUS Detained in Istanbul

The special purpose ship NAUTILUS (IMO 9223708) was detained at the port of Istanbul following a Port State Control inspection conducted under the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding (Med MOU). The inspection, carried out on 02 Feb 2026, recorded a total of 12 deficiencies, two of which were assessed as detainable, resulting in the vessel being held in port. The NAUTILUS is a Vanuatu-flagged vessel with a gross tonnage of 2,367. The ISM Company responsible for the vessel's safety management is TDI-Brooks International Inc. Port State Control authorities have not released further details regarding the specific nature of the deficiencies identified during the inspection. Detentions under the Port State Control regime occur when inspectors determine that a vessel's condition, equipment, or crew certification pose risks to safety, security, or the environment that are serious enough to prevent the ship from continuing its voyage until corrected. Vessels flagged to Vanuatu and operating as special purpose ships are subject to the same inspection regimes as other commercial vessels calling at Med MOU member ports. The vessel will remain in Istanbul until the detainable deficiencies are rectified and verified by Port State Control officers, after which it may be cleared to resume operations. No further information on the vessel's release status has been provided at this time.