Storms cause ship groundings and collisions in Europe

Salvage roundup: storms cause ship groundings and collisions in Europe
Martyn Wingrove 25 Feb 2019 https://www.tugtechnologyandbusiness.com/news/view,salvage-roundup-storm...

Storms in the Mediterranean led to ship groundings and ferry collisions, while a fire in Indonesia destroyed 35 vessels.

A general cargo ship was grounded and two ferries struck each other as storms lashed Italy, while ships grounded in Belgium and Denmark over the last five days.

Tugs will be required to refloat cargo ship Efe Murat, which beached on a breakwater at Bari, Italy, on 23 February. This Turkish-flagged, 1977-built ship was caught in a storm in the Adriatic Sea and headed to Bari for shelter.

The master was unable to control the vessel and it was swept on to the breakwater by the wind and swell. There was no report of any pollution from Efe Murat and the 15 crew on board were safe, according to Fleetmon. It is expected that Efe Murat will be refloated in calmer weather this week.

Also in Italy, ferries Don Peppino and Benito Buono struck each other in in stormy weather conditions in Ischia port. Both ships reportedly sustained damage from the collision on Ischia island in the Gulf of Naples. Don Peppino continued its voyage to Naples despite bow damage. It struck Benito Buono on the stern as this ship was berthing.

Elsewhere in Europe, tugs were required to tow a DFDS roro cargo ship off the side of a major seaway after the vessel ran aground. Tugs helped refloat roro ship Primula Seaways on 22 February after it grounded in Terneuzen’s Massagoethaven, in the Ghent-Terneuzen canal.

Primula Seaways was en route from Sweden to Ghent, Belgium, and completed its voyage despite sustaining damage from the grounding.

This is the third accident involving Primula Seaways reported by Riviera Maritime Media since 2015. On 3 March, 2018, 2004-built, 37,985 gt Primula Seaways sustained damage from a collision with 2011-built container ship MSC Madrid near Vlissingen, in the Netherlands.

In December 2015 Primula Seaways collided with Fairmount Shipping’s car carrier City of Rotterdam on the Humber estuary in eastern England.

In Denmark, general cargo ship Eems Carrier ran aground on 21 February, south of Spodsbjerg, as it sailed to Liepaja, Latvia. Its crew refloated the ship without assistance and it sailed to a safe anchorage for inspections.

In Indonesia, a fire destroyed 35 vessels moored in Muara Baru, Penjaringan, North Jakarta. Fire-fighters tackled the flames on 24 February in the harbour. The majority of vessels damaged were local fishing vessels and research ship Baruna Jaya I.