Sold to Breakers
News
ANDROS KING
Sold/Decommissioned
The Greek crew of the Golden Star Ferries shipping company that was on board the 'Volcán de Taburiente' of Naviera Armas to close the purchase and take it to the Aegean Sea, has abandoned the ship on Sep 23 by order of the Greek company. The ship has been docked for over a week at the Nelson Mandela dock in the port of Las Palmas, waiting for the Greeks to take it, but there have been complications. Apparently, the buyer shipping company has requested that a team of divers went down to check the underwater hull. Different sources of the crew that has sailed on board the ferry in recent years explained that the ship has been having a problem of cracks in the hull for years, due to the fact that four engines were installed instead of the two that should have been mounted according to its design, which were producing strong vibrations in the stern.
BORKUM
Sold/Decommissioned
On Sep 17, 2024, the 'British Guardian has arrived in the naval base of Kiel in order to replace the decommisoined tug "Fehmarn". From 2025, it is to be used as the "Borkum" in Kiel. The fleet currently has no suitable deep-sea tug for maneuvers and emergencies, as the old tugs of the "Spiekeroog" and "Fehmarn" classes are no longer usable. In 2022, the Ministry of Finance released 24 million euros for the procurement of two tugs. In May 2023, the "Rügen", built in 2003, was bought in Turkey and is now in Wilhelmshaven, where it is awaiting conversion as it still needs many improvements. The 'British Guardian' set off from Abidjan to Kiel on Aug 28.
