GRANDE BRASILE

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Latest news

Damaged vehicles carrier towed back to Antwerp

The fire damaged ‘Grande Brasile’ was towed back to the port of Antwerp on Feb 23 as a dead ship by the tugs 'Multratug 35', 'Multratug 33', 'Multratug 36' and 'Multratug 32'.The authorities hadgranted permission for the salvage tugs to bring the ship to port during daylight hours. The convy passed Terneuzen at 09.00 a.m. The tugs 'Multratug 3' and 'Brage Viking' escorted the transport on the Wester Scheldt. The ship was safeöy berthed at the Antewrp Euro Terminal. The fire is believed to have been extinguished and contained to a small section of the RoRo sector. Scorching from the fire was visible on the vessel’s superstructure near the funnel. Blistering was visible on two or more decks. Salvage crews were expected to board the vessel after it had returned to port to ensure the fire has been extinguished. Then inspectors will begin searching for the origins. The Grimaldi company has indicated it would be fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigation into the fire on the 'Grande Brasile'. Photos and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-3741rM27c https://www.tugspotters.com/app/content/2025/02/grande-brasile-veilig-onderweg-naar-antwerpen-mbv-diverse-multratugs/ https://www.tugspotters.com/app/content/2025/02/grande-brasile/

Four tugs gathered at disabled vehicles carrier

On Eeb 19 also the tug 'Bear' (IMO: 9185932) sailed from the port of Rotterdam to the position of the disabled 'Grande Brasile', and on Feb 20 she joined the tugs 'Multratug 35' and 'Multratug 36', which had been sent from Flushing, and the 'Kamara', which had left Rotterdam on Feb 19, in pos. 51° 46' N 002° 16' E with the status "Restricted Movement". The emergency tug 'Abeille Normandie' returned to Boulogne-sur-Mer on Feb 20.

Fire flared up again - crew taken off

On Feb 19 also the tug 'Multratug 36' (IMO: 9985289), coming from Flushing, has joined the 'Grande Brasile', which was still adrift, as well as the 'Kamara' (IMO: 9322607) of Royal Boskalis, which was called from Rotterdam. The other two tugs remained on scene too. The salvors of Smit Salvage have established a towing connection to the ship in the Dover Strait, about 30 nautical miles off the port of Felixstowe. The fire seemed to be under control earlier, but has flared up again on Feb 18 at 4.25 p.m. The Ramsgate and Dover RNLI crews, a Coastguard helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft as well as a Belgium Coast Guard helicopter were called to the second fire. The 28 crew members have been taken off by the UK Coastguard. The crew evacuated onto the lifeboat of the 'Grande Brasile' at 10 p.m., about 12 nautical miles off Ramsgate, and were picked up by a tug that had been assisting. The crew were transferred from the tug onto the Ramsgate lifeboat and taken to Ramsgate where they were met by the South East Coast Ambulance Service. The crew was accounted for and no injuries have been reported. Paramedics checked them upon their arrival in the port, as they were exhausted after fire fighting for hours.The Deal, Folkestone, Langdon and Margate Coastguard Rescue Teams attended as well as Kent Fire and Rescue Service and UK Border Force. The focus was now on cooling the ship by spraying water against the hull, using the fire pumps of the salvage tugs, which wee directed from overhead by the Coast Guard fixed wing plane. Report with photos: https://kustwacht.nl/incident/internationale-reddingsactie-voor-brandend-schip-in-het-kanaal/