On the night of Sep 8, 2024, the 'Sormovskiy 3063', en route from Mersin to Severomorsk, suffered an engine failure off the Kepez coast during the transit of the Dardanelles Strait. The tugs 'Kurtarma 13' and 'Türkeli' sent to assist along wiht a strait pilot. The ship was taken in tow and safely moored at the Karanlık Liman anchorage under the coordination of the Çanakkale GTH Center. Report with photos: https://x.com/kiyiemniyet/status/1832995129470181564 https://x.com/kiyiemniyet/status/1832979634595463311
News
DALI
The 'Dali' is due to leave its repair yard in Norfolk, Virginia and head to China on Sep 17, according to filings made in a federal court. Once in China, the ship is likely to undergo extensive repairs, including adding a new bow. A bill introduced into the US House of Representatives in August aims to make the owners of the 'Dali' pay up to 10 times more for the damage the ship caused when it crashed into the bridge. The vessel is managed by the Synergy Group and on charter to Maersk.
SALVAMAR MIZAR
On the morning of Sep 10, the crew of the 'Salvamar Mizar' accompanied a cayuco, which had been located near La Restinga, with 59 sub-Saharan migrants aboard, safely to the port. The operation was coordinated from the Tenerife Centre of Salvamento Maritimo. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1833404822965326120
TOG MOR
Helicopters from the Transportes Aéreos Pegaso, hired by TC Energy, had to rescue the 135 crew members from the 'Tog Mor' in Coatzacoalcos near Villa Allende on Sep8, where the pipe laiyer had drifted aground due to intense winds and high waves caused by the interaction of a cold front and tropical storm in the southern Veracruz region. it took approximately 24 hours to pull all non essential personnel off the barge safely. The responders also rigged a liferaft connected to the ship and the shore by lines, and then pulled some personnel through the surf zone in small groups. The flat-bottomed barge, was in the process of laying pipes for the Puerta al Sureste gas pipeline, which will transport gas from Texas, USA, through Veracruz to Tabasco. As the storm intensified, the vessel broke lose from its three tugs and got stuck just 1,200 meters from the shore while attempting to reach the Coatzacoalcos port for safety. he harsh conditions prevented success. Finally, helicopters. Seven workers remained on board to ensure the vessel’s security and oversee future operations to refloat it. The salvage work on the 'Tog Mor' was to resume on Sep 10, when the port of Coatzacoalcos reopened to large-scale navigation. Specialized personnel were hired by the company TC Energy to carry out the towing maneuvers. On Sep 9, maritime personnel from Houston Texas carried out an investigation of the situation of the barge and were preparing the salvage plan. Reports with photos: https://maritime-executive.com/article/allseas-pipelay-barge-goes-aground-off-mexico https://www.eldictamen.mx/labores-rescate-barcaza-tog-mor-coatzacoalcos/#google_vignette
DALI
The Singaporean ship owner and the ship manager that operated the 'Dali' when it struck and destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge have filed a petition seeking court protection from liability. Grace Ocean, the owners of the vessel,, and the ship manager Synergy Marine, through their lawyers Duane Morris and Blank Rome, alleged that they were not responsible for the accident. The petition also aimed to consolidate all litigation in Baltimore's federal court, and asked the court to impose a Sep 24 filing deadline for claims. “The Casualty was not due to any fault, neglect, or want of care on the part of [the] Petitioners [Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine], the Vessel, or any persons or entities for whose acts Petitioners may be responsible,” read the filing. Additionally, the companies asked that if the Maryland District Court did find the vessel owner and operator liable, that any liability should be capped at the value of the vessel and the freight due from its cargo owners. The owner and operator submitted the filing under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, legislation that enables vessel owners to limit liability for certain claims to the value of the vessel and its cargo at the end of its journey. Limitation of liability will only be afforded if the owner and manager can show that the accident occurred without their “privity or knowledge” and that future litigation is expected to focus on whether the owner and manager had any prior knowledge of factors that caused the accident. Insurance cover had been renewed the vessel’s hull and machinery just three days before the accident, and the policy valued the vessel at $90 million. However, with vessel repairs estimated to be at least $28 million and salvage costs expected to reach $19.5 million the value was eroded. Court documents revealed that the estimated value of the ship was $42.5 million, while its income from the curtailed voyage, amounted $1.17 million giving a combined total $43.67 million.