- Spanish salvors Salvamento Maritimo were busy providing emergency towage for two ships.
- They were a tanker and a livestock carrier, in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
- The month did not end well for Panama- and Liberia-flagged tonnage.
- The ships of all ages suffering from engine failure, fire, cargo loss and damage.
A news article published in Riviera written by Martyn Wingrove reveals how a tanker is towed, container ships are grounded and three bulkers are damaged.
Panama-flagged vessel
Search and rescue vessel 2010-built SAR Gavia, and a port tug, towed Panama-flagged, 97-m 2004-built product/chemical tanker Sukran C to Coruna for repairs on 28 November. Local reports said this tanker was disabled by an onboard fire while in the Bay of Biscay.
Russian search and rescue vessel
Initially Sukran C was assisted by Russian search and rescue vessel Spasatel Demidov, which towed the casualty towards the Spanish coast. Salvamento Maritimo took over the tow in Spanish territorial waters.
One more vessel in trouble
In the Mediterranean, another Spanish search and rescue vessel assisted Panama-flagged, 1983-built livestock carrier Nabolsi I after it suffered engine problems.
The 156-m ship was on its way to Sete, France form Tenes, Algeria when it suffered the breakdown in a storm. According to Fleetmon, it sheltered from the storm at Formentera anchorage, Balearic islands, but could not restart its engines after the adverse weather passed.
It was towed by the Spanish rescue vessel to a safe anchorage on 27 November.
Tug assistance
Tugs also assisted an ultra-large container ship after it grounded in the Suez Canal. On 26 November, Malta-flagged Al Muraykh grounded while transiting southbound near Al Ismailiya.
The 2015-built container ship, operated by Hapag-Lloyd, was refloated and towed by tugs to a Bitter Lakes anchorage for inspection.
Tug assistance for one more vessel
Another container ship will need tug assistance after it ran aground in Indonesia. Panama-flagged, 2018-built KMTC Surabaya reportedly grounded on 27 November on Belitung islands, in the northern Java Sea, while enroute from Jakarta, Indonesia to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Vessel lost 27 containers
In the Atlantic, another Panama-flagged ship lost at least 27 containers, east of Azores, on 20 November.
This occurred on 2011-built Seroja Lima as it was sailing from King Abdullah Port, Saudi Arabia, to Newark, US. According to Fleetmon, this 316-m ship has another 90 damaged containers on board.
It was diverted to Freeport, Bahamas, where it berthed on 26 November.
Three Liberia-flagged bulk carriers damaged
In Brazil, three Liberia-flagged bulk carriers were damaged during a port collision in Brazil. Ultra-large ore carrier, 2019-built NSU Carajas, crashed into two Capesize bulk carriers berthed at Ponta da Madeira maritime terminal, in Sao Luis on 28 November.
It crunched into 2010-built Star Janni and 2011-built Korona D after the master lost control of the vessel.
According to Fleetmon, all three Liberia-flagged ships suffered damage and were moved to anchorages for inspection and repairs.
Other salvage requirements
- Other salvage requirements will come from a drifting drilling rig off India and after two vessels sank in east Asia.
- Drilling rig Olinda Star broke its anchors during its lay-up in the Bay of Bengal.
- It was drifting 40 nautical miles south of Kakinada, India.
- A landing craft sank off Palawan, Philippines, on 25 November with two crew still missing.
- It developed a list and capsized after water flooded the cargo deck.
Off Japan, a fishing vessel partially sank after being hit by a general cargo ship on 28 November. All 12 crew were rescued, but one died after the accident.
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Source: Riviera
