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Beached at Alang 10/2018

Tanker under tow to Maputo

On May 9 at 9 a.m. the "Order" was under tow of the "SA Amandla" 163 nautical miles from Durban, in pos. 32 34 S 31 19 E, bound for Maputo, course 041 deg, speed 4.9 knots, ETA May 14.

Tanker broke lose from tug enroute to breakers

On May 4, 2018, at 7.30 p.m. the NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew was alerted by the tug "AHT Carrier" which had become disabled while towing the decommissioned tank m/v "Order" to breakers in Maputo. The towage from Gabon had started in early February. The towing rope had separated and fouled the tug's propulsion. The crew was unable to recover the tow rope to re-attach a towline to the casualty vessel and both were drifting shorewards in the currents at least 15 nautical miles off-shore. The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), NSRI St Francis Bay, NSRI Jeffreys Bay and NSRI Port Elizabeth were placed on alert and, while no lives were in any immediate danger, with the two vessels tethered to each other the sea rescue stations remained on high alert to respond if an emergency developed. The tug's crew investigated all possibilities to detach herself from the casualty vessel and to re-attach a towline. At 11.50 p.m. the NSRI assisted to gather detailed information from the ships agents. It was reported that salvage divers had been activated from Cape Town but it would take quite some time to reach the scene. It was then confirmed that there were 14 crew members onboard the "AHT Carrier" and no crew onboard the MT "Order". On May 5 at 5 a.m. they were four miles off-shore, and the tug "SA Amandla" was activated but they were only due to arrive on the scene at 2 p.m. At 5.10 a.m. the NSRI made the decision to activate an emergency, and the NSRI St Francis Bay lifeboat "Spirit of St Francis II" and the NSRI Jeffreys Bay lifeboat "Eddie Beaumont II" launched. On arrival on the scene we found both vessels approximately five nautical miles off-shore and in the current drift they were approximately two hours from running aground. All crew onboard the tug were safe but they were helpless without a tender boat to recover their towline from the water and with rope fouled around one motor leaving the "Order" at risk of running aground. The rope fouled around the propulsion of the "AHT Carrier" had meanwhile been loosened, but one engine was still not operational. On investigation the NSRI found a cable lying in the water off the stern of the casualty vessel. The NSRI lifeboat maneuvered around the ship and followed that cable lying over her stern into the water and we found a chain attached to that cable and then thick rope attached to that chain. The thick and very heavy rope was hauled with great difficulty but successfully by the NSRI rescue crews onto the lifeboat, and as much of the thick rope as was possible was recovered. The NSRI then rigged a patent line, using NSRI normal towing rope, and was able to feed that patent line that they had rigged to the crew of the tug boat. The tug recovered their towline and stern to stern, on one engine, the tow ropes integrity was sound and the tug was able to hold the "Order" by using her one operational motor from drifting and stopping their drift towards shore at 08.18 a.m. The NSRI boat remained on the scene and only returned to re-fuel. The tug, with her one engine operational and tow-line rigged stern to stern, was able to gently head further out to sea. The NSRI met the "SA Amandla" on her arrival at 1 p.m. and remained on standby while the salvage tug took over the tow of the casualty vessel from the "AHT Carrier". Once the tow was safely taken up, the NSRI returned to the base. Later in the afternoon it was requested again to take the salvage divers out to the "AHT Carrier". At this stage the "SA Amandla" towing the casualty ship further out to sea and no further NSRI assistance has been requested. During the operation Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with communications and Disaster Risk Management had also been placed on alert and SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) assisted with coordinating this operation. The NSRI St Francis Bay, NSRI Jeffreys Bay and all involved in this operation were commended for averting a disaster at sea. Reports with photos: http://www.nsri.org.za/2018/05/nsri-assist-vessels-at-sea-off-st-francis-bay/ http://www.nsri.org.za/2018/05/nsri-assist-vessels-at-sea-off-st-francis-bay/