Salvors are refloating an offshore support lift vessel that suffered a heavy list in the Gulf of Mexico and ships grounded in Greece and Turkey.
The crew on Aries Marine’s Ram XVIII offshore support liftboat were rescued after the vessel listed at least 45˚ while operating in the Grand Isle area off the US Gulf coast on 18 November.
US Coast Guard said all 15 crew were evacuated, with six rescued by offshore support vessel Starfleet Guardian and the other nine on Station Grand Isle boat.
Prior to the rescue, Ram XVIII crew reported control complications due to a power loss, while located 23 nautical miles west of Southwest Pass, Louisiana.
The liftboat then listed 45˚ due to water ingress. A continuing loss of power loss meant the crew were unable to right the vessel. According to local reports, a salvage company was contracted to refloat the vessel.
Meanwhile in the eastern Mediterranean, salvors have also been active in refloating ships and containing oil spills. Greek tug Christos XXXIV refloated general cargo ship Koravi that had ran aground on Lefkada island on 15 November.
This ship was damaged on the bow and suffered water ingress from its grounding on rocks while carrying a cargo of 1,900 tonnes of steel while en route from Volos, Greece to Albania.
Salvors were also required in Turkey to contain pollution in the Yilport Port in Izmit when a container ship struck a quayside. MSC Katyayni allided with the dock during its mooring at the Yilport Gebze terminal.
This collision damaged fuel tanks and oil leaked from the ship into the port. According to Fleetmon, tugs Med XXVI and Efesan Port were assisting in pollution control operations. Mare Deniz Temizliği teams were brought in to contain the spill and surrounded the ship with oil barriers.
Turkish Coastguard were also called to assist disabled passenger ship Akçakoca on 18 November after it suffered an engine failure. This ferry sails between Bodrum and Kos island.
Akçakoca was returning to Turkey from Kos with 169 passengers when it was disabled and lifeboat Kiuyem-2was sent to assist. This lifeboat towed the ferry from the outskirts of Karaada to Bodrum where the passengers were safely disembarked.
Elsewhere in Turkey, two freighters grounded on the Yalova coast in the Marmara Sea on 19 November. These ships were moored unmanned in preparation for demolition in Turkey when strong winds dragged their anchors and the ships drifted ashore.
In the South China Sea, Chinese cargo ship Hongta 16 sank on 17 November after listing. Local reports said the ship capsized in Huilai County waters, off the eastern coast of Guangdong province, China. Guangdong Maritime Rescue said 11 crew went into life rafts and were rescued by a search and rescue helicopter.
|
