Tugs have shown their worth to the shipping industry after a string of successful emergency towage and salvage jobs
At least four ships encountered hazards and required emergency towage this week, with tugs mobilised to prevent possible disaster for the vessels, crews, and the environment.
Kotug International sent two of its Rotortugs to assist container ship EM-Oinousses after it was devastated by an engineroom fire off the East African coast, while sailing from Maputo to Mombasa.
The ship’s crew extinguished the fire, around 80 km off the coast of Nacala, Mozambique. But the distressed ship became uncontrollable in high swells. Kotug’s Rotortugs RT Spirit and RT Magic were mobilised to assist. They made quick connections to the ship on 20 January and started the salvage. EM-Oinousses was towed with all 25 crew members safely and without injury to the Port of Nacala.
Kotug chief executive Ard-Jan Kooren said he was proud of the well-trained crew on these two tugs. “We are glad we were able to bring EM-Oinousses and its crew to a safe haven and prevented a possible disaster for the vessel, its crews and the environment.”
In the Aegean Sea, general cargo ship Ades required emergency towage following a mechanical failure on 23 January. It attempted to find shelter from a storm south of Levitha island, but was drifting southwards. When the master requested assistance, tug Pothitos was deployed from Kalymnos. It towed Ades to a safe anchorage out of the stormy seas. Ades was en route from Haifa, Israel, to Tuzla, Turkey.
Tugs also assisted general cargo ship Pollux on 23 January after it ran aground in Lake Vänern, Sweden. It was transporting a cargo of bentonite from Gibraltar and was approaching the port of Hallekis when it grounded. Pollux was refloated with assistance from tugs after several unsuccessful attempts and towed into port. There was no damage or injuries, according to Fleetmon.
In southeast Asia, a post-Panamax container ship needed emergency towage in Malacca Strait. Northern Jupiter needed towage after suffering an engineroom fire while en route from Singapore to Port Klang. Tugs were dispatched and towed this distressed ships to a safe anchorage off Singapore.
Other ships required emergency towage this weekend after sustaining damage from mechanical faults and fire.
UK-flagged Capesize bulk carrier BW Acorn was reported disabled and drifting in Gulf of Aden following a fire in the engineroom on 23 January. Crew have extinguished the fire, but it is still drifting and needs emergency towage, according to Fleetmon.
Off India, a bitumen tanker is abandoned and drifting in the Arabian Sea. Reem 5 was en route from Basra, Iraq, to Hazira, India, when it suffered a flooded engineroom on 23 January.
Indian coast guard organised evacuation of the 13 crew, who were rescued by passing nearby cargo ship. Reem 5 was drifting around 185 nautical miles south west of Karachi, Pakistan, at a speed of around 4 knots,.
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