ATLANTIC TRADER

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Atlantic Trader traced off Cap Finisterre

The "Atlantic Trader" was located 170 km off Cape Finisterre on Sep 7, 2011, at 9.45 p.m. by the Spanish Coastguard (Sociedad de Salvamento y seguridad maritima). A contact was made by radio. The crew reported they were sailing with no problems and that their destination was the port of Lagos, Nigeria. They would not stop halfway.

Atlantic Trader proceeds to Lagos

The drift of the foreship of the Dutch tank barge "Vestland", 1414 ts (EU-No. 02314410) was monitored by the tug "Courbet" after the French Navy called back the salvage tug "Abeille Bourbon", closer to the Ushant traffic separation scheme, while the weather deteriorated on Sep 6. The frigate "Primauguet" was also nearby. The "Atlantic Trader", 3559 tons (Eu-No.: 2312205) continued the voyage to Lagos on her own. Photo: http://www.premar-atlantique.gouv.fr/galeries/Vestland/TRADER

Atlantic Trader and Vestland in trouble off France

On Sep 5, 2011, at 0830 a.m. the tug "Courbet" required assistance from French CROSS (Regional Operational Centre for Surveillance and Rescue Atlantic), reporting trouble with one of the two tank barges in tow, being in pos some 80 nm S off Penmarch. The tug was towing the self propelled barges "Vestland" and the "Atlantic Trader" from Rotterdam to Lagos Nigeria, and experienced problems, but reported control of the situation. Nevertheless, the tug was ordered to proceed to rendezvous with salvage vessel "Abeille Bourbon", and at 6.30 p.m. it was decided to tow the troubled "Vestland" to safety by the "Abeille Bourbon". Towage started at 7.25 p.m., but at 8.10 p.m. the barge broke in two and the aft part sank, with presumably, 7 mt of fuel oil, on a water depth of 2000 metres. The drift of the "Atlantic Trader" was still being monitored.