MAERSK VILNIUS

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Container ship adrift after fire

The 'Maersk Vilnius' suffered a fire and was disabled in the morning of April 26, 2020, east of Guadeloupe, France, while en route from Freeport to Port Elizabeth. The offshore tug 'Alp Defender' (IMO: 9737242) was contracted for the resppmse and sailed from Trinidad to assist. The tug reached the container ship and commence towage as of April 29 and started towing it to Panama for repairs. The crew of 22 succeeded in restoring the power supply aboard, so that electricity can again be delivered to the refrigerated containers on board. The crew was in good condition. Danish report with photo: https://maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=43460

Container ship assisted distressed catamaran

On June 11, 2016, at 11 a.m. the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) received a Mayday distress call at 11am, from the 66 foot sailing catamaran "Michelle Rose" with eight crew members on board, six women and two men, who reported their sailing craft was taking on taking water. Initially believed to be only a few nautical miles from Durban’s Port, and the Mayday distress call intercepted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services, MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) requested Durban TNPA to activate NSRI Durban while Telkom Maritime Radio Services relayed the Mayday distress call alerting all vessels in the area to divert to the casualty position to assist if possible. It was then determined that the catamaran was some 20 nautical miles South of Durban and approximately five nautical miles off-shore in a 4 to 5 meter swell and 20 knot South Westerly winds – off-shore the vicinity of Umkomaas. The catamaran, sailing from Cape Town to Richards Bay and then on to the Seychelles, had stopped at Simonstown and East London during the voyage and was now flooding in some bulk heads and compartments. The crew were using their water pumps to bail water but it appeared that the catamaran was flooding and in rough seas she risked sinking or capsizing and the skipper sent out a Mayday call. NSRI Durban duty crew launched the lifeboat "Eikos Rescuer II" and directed the "Maersk Vilnius" to the scene while an NSRI shore team was dispatched to stand-by on the land side. A TNPA Ports rescue helicopter was placed on alert. The yacht crew was geared to abandon ship if necessary. The "Maersk Vilnius" arrived on the scene and stood by at the yachts side while the NSRI craft battled through rough sea conditions and NSRI arrived on the scene at 1.33 p.m. The boat was found low in the water, and one female crew suffering from motion sickness and the crew were treating that with rehydration. The yacht was taken under tow by NSRI Durban. To assist with lightening the weight of the casualty boat the crew of the catamaran dumped their fresh water. The Subtech tug "Indongeni" was placed on alert to assist in the tow but NSRI pressed on with the tow effort. Despite the rough confused sea state, the NSRI Durban towed the "Michelle Rose" into the Port of Durban at 7.33 p.m. The sea rescue craft "Megan II" was launched assisted with the maneuvering of the casualty catamaran to a mooring. Because of the size of the craft a berth was provided by TNPA at the container terminal where the boat was moored for repairs. The operation was completed at 10.30 p.m with all crew of the casualty craft safe and well.