SPM NEEL PRATAP 180

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Second tug deployed to assist SPM Neel Pratab 180 in refloating grounded Ocean Valiant

Regional authorities will begin implementing the salvage plan for the grounded oil rig Ocean Valiant', 27149 gt (IMO: 8753330), off El Houichet, Bizerte, next week, and dispatched a second Turkish tug, the 'Rota Salvor' (IMO: 7931894), to assist in refloating the grounded rig. The 'SPM Néel Pratab 180' is currently near the rig with a crew of 20 on board. The second tug has obtained navigation authorization and sailed from Aliaga on March 8 after the finalization of certain administrative procedures by the authorities, including the notification of regional and security authorities. It anchored in pos. 37° 19' N 009° 32' E on March 16. On Jan 12, 2025, the Tunisian forces assisted the 'SPM Neel Pratab 180' and its crew off the Houichet region of Bizerte after the towing cables to the rig broke due to adverse weather conditions off Bizerte near the coast of Ras Angela. The intervention allowed the vessel to dock without damage. The present situation was posing no environmental risk due to the absence of any petroleum or other substances harmful to the marine environment aboard the rig. Report with photo: https://www.leconomistemaghrebin.com/2025/03/16/operation-de-sauvetage-la-plateforme-petroliere-sera-remorquee-vers-la-turquie/

Divers deployed to grounded oil rig

After the grounding of the 'Ocean Valiant', no leaks have been detected so far, and the incident has not caused any casualties. The authorities were currently assessing the material damage. Tunisia, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, would contact the country of origin of the tug 'SPM Neel Paratab 180' to request the necessary assistance to recover the platform. A working meeting was held on Jan 15 at the Presidency of the Government, where it was decided to call on the company responsible for the towing to carry out this operation. A plan is underway to transport the platform to Aliaga, its original destination before the incident, which occurred due to the breakage of the towing wire between the tug and the platform. The Minister of Transport has ordered an investigation, and divers went to the grounding site on Jan 16 to carry out additional checks. In addition, Tunisian rescue teams intervened on Jan 12 to assist the crew of the tug and secure the platform. The rig was formerly owned by the New York-listed offshore drilling contractor Diamond Offshore which was bought by Noble in 2024. Before the acquisition was closed, the compay sold the 50-year-old semisub rig 'Ocean Monarch' for scrap and announced that the same would be done with the 'Ocean Valiant' which hasn’t had a contract since 2020. Reports with photos: https://realites.com.tn/fr/bizerte-plateforme-petroliere-echouee-aucune-pollution-detectee-jusqua-present/ https://www.leconomistemaghrebin.com/2025/01/16/retour-circonstances-lechouement-plateforme-petroliere-a-bizerte/ https://splash247.com/semisub-drilling-rig-runs-aground-off-tunisia/

Offshore tug lost rig en route to breakers, which ran aground near Bizerte

The decommissioned oil rig 'Viking Valiant' (IMO: 8753330), which was being towed by the 'SPM Neel Pratab 180', en route from Invergordon to breakers in Aliağa, broke lose from the tug in stormy weather and ran aground on the beach of El Haouichet, 20 kiloometers east of Bizerte. Due to bad weather conditions, the towing wire broke, and the platform started drifting towards the shore. No pollution or other environmental damage was reported, The current value of the oil rig was 323 million US dollars. Reports with photos: https://www.lessentiel.lu/fr/story/en-tunisie-une-plateforme-petroliere-echouee-sur-une-plage-103257518 https://www.leparisien.fr/economie/une-plate-forme-petroliere-sechoue-sur-une-plage-dans-le-nord-de-la-tunisie-13-01-2025-NKHHNCHR4BGZPBMNLIL76DRB3Y.php https://www.mosaiquefm.net/fr/actualite-regional-tunisie/1366780/une-plateforme-petroliere-echouee-sur-une-plage-a-bizerte https://www.voaafrique.com/a/une-plateforme-p%C3%A9troli%C3%A8re-%C3%A9chou%C3%A9e-sur-une-plage-dans-le-nord-de-la-tunisie/7935037.html