Tugs will be in demand in the United Arab Emirates after five ships were beached during a storm at the end of last week. According to local reports waves up to 8m in height and high winds drove five vessels aground at Sharjah’s Al Hamriyah shore, Al Hira beach and Umm Al Quwain shore.
The UAE Coast Guard rescued the crews from these ships over the weekend, but the vessels remain beached. Three vessels ran aground in Al Hamriyah, one vessel at Al Hira beach and one vessel in Umm Al Quwain.
One report said another ship was sunk during the storm and the bodies of dead seafarers were recovered. The bodies of three Indian crew were recovered from the sea in Sharjah, but the Sharjah Coast Guard rescued four other seafarers to fly them to Khalifah hospital in Ajman.
Elsewhere, a tug was deployed to assist Russian trawler Altay when it suffered engine failure in the Barents Sea. Tug Murmanryba assisted the trawler and towed it into the port of Murmansk. Another fishing vessel needed tug assistance over the weekend in Norway. According to reports, Andrea struck a reef in the Varanger Fjord. It was refloated with the assistance of vessels Dansken and Robis.
Also in Norway, water tanker Tonny ran aground on Brottøy, north of Raftsundet. Reports said tug NSO Crusader dislodged the tanker from rocks and assisted the vessel to Harstad after the accident.
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Source: Tug Technology & Business
