Marine accident round-up : 9th June 2017

General cargo ship Windsor (IMO 9128879) has been detained by naval officials in Djibouti port after their captain left the ship two months back, reports Vessel Tracker and Hindu Times. The 20 crew members claim that they have not been supplied with basic amenities and have not been paid for the past two months and they are stranded in the middle of the sea with no option to return home. The crew comprises 14 Indians from different states, two Bulgarians, two Ukrainians and two security officers from the Philippines. The crew members have alleged that the ship was in bad shape when they reported for work in January. Garbage began to accumulate. The crew members eventually sent a collective letter of protest because no food or drinking water was being provided. 1996-built, 5,953 gt Windsor is owned by Oarsan Maritime Co of Istanbul, Turkey, and managed by Parsan Energji Yatirim AS of the

same city. ISM Manager is unknown. It is entered with Swedish Club on behalf of owner Parsan Maritime Co. http://www.navhindtimes.in/goan-youth-stranded-on-merchant-ship-in-djibouti/

Feeder container vessel F. Arslan V (IMO 9139115) broke down off Lavernock Point in the Bristol Channel on the night of June 6th, while en route from Cardiff to Avonmouth. It tried to anchor off Lavernock Point in high winds and heavy seas, during which her two anchors tangled together, rendering them unusable.

Two local tugs were called to tow the vessel back to port – but first had to free the fouled anchors. The vessel by now was close to a reef of underwater rocks. The Bristol Channel pilot on board the F. Arslan V and the tug skippers all advised the ship’s captain to sacrifice the anchors and cut them free, but the captain decided that he needed to radio the shipowners for permission.

Eventually the tugs managed to tow the container ship away from the rocky outcrop and out towards Flatholm Island with her anchors still knotted together beneath her keel. Finally it was agreed that both anchor chains would have to be cut, released into the sea and abandoned, in order to enable the ship to be towed back into port. The ship’s crew eventually cut through both anchor chains and allowed them to run out into the sea.

The tugs now faced strong NW winds and were against the tide stream, causing the ship to be swept back towards Lavernock Point. The tugs attempted to turn the vessel towards Cardiff, against the tide and the strong wind, but one of the tow lines snapped. There were then problems in getting another line passed from the ship to the tugs. With the tide falling rapidly and the northerly winds pushing the ship down channel back towards Lavernock Point and the Wolves Rocks, Milford Haven Coastguard declared an emergency and alerted local lifeboats. Eventually the stricken ship was moved to Cardiff Roads off Penarth – with the prospect of the tugs motoring all night to keep her in position until the next tide allowed her to be brought back into Cardiff Docks. A third tug was called in from Newport. The Barry Dock lifeboat remained on standby as night fell on June 6th. On June 7th at 04:00 F. Arslan V finally docked in Cardiff.

1996-built, 3,854 gt F. Arslan V is owned by Firat Schiffahrts of Flensburg, Germany, and managed by Burak Schiffahrts of the same city. ISM Manager is Pasa Intl Technical of Gaziantep, Turkey. It is entered with Hanseatic Underwriters https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/tugs-set-out-to-aid-disabled-container-ship-off-lavernock-point/

Bulk carrier Iolcos Vision (IMO 9425148) ran aground on June 6th on the Paraná river in northern Argentina at the 341km mark while proceeding downstream. The ship was refloated early on June 7th and resumed its journey to Imbituba. 2010-built, 47,984 Iolcos Vision is owned by Baltic Anthem Shipping Co of Athens, Greece, and managed by Iolcos Hellenic Maritime of the same city.

RoRo passenger ferry Ostfriesland (IMO 8324622) allided with a loading bridge in the port of Emden, Germany during the afternoon of June 6th. During manoeuvring in the basin the ferry was caught by sudden strong wind gusts which pushed her into the bridge. Two bollards fixed to the bridge were torn off and the bridge was rendered inoperable. The ferry suffered slight damage. The water police at Emden have launched an investigation. `985-built, 2,506 gt Ostfriesland is owned by EMS & Co Schiffahrts of Emden-Ostfriesland, Germany, and managed by EMSAG of the same address. It is entered with Standard P&I Club on behalf of EMS.