Safmarine AGULHAS

26 June 2006

Stranding

VESSEL & Interveners

Vinnen FA

Altenwall 21

28195 Brement

Germany

17 - Hull Underwriters :

Lampe & Schwartze

Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty (50 %)

London Market (50 %)

18 - Cargo Underwriters :

SMIT SALVAGE

SvitzerWijsmuller

Triton

NB : Information 1 to 14 are extracted from the database EQUASIS. Information are updated at the date of the casualty.

Information from 15 to 20 were found on public websites

The 26 June 2006, Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas ran aground moments after leaving East London on Monday night. Despite the efforts of the salvors, the vessel cannot be removed from the jetty. The vessel broke in two the 7 August 2006. Vessel had to be removed.

 
Agrandir le plan

The 26 July 2006, while she was near the Alaskan coasts, the COUGAR ACE suffered a problem with his ballast system and the vessel suffered a listing of 85°. The strinken vessel was towed by TITAN, in charge of the salvage and towage operation. All the operations were under the survey the US COAST, as the Alaskan coast is a highly environmentally sensitive area. At this time, there is a fear regarding the state of the cars onboard the vessel.....Some clients will have to wait a little bit more...

Date :

London, Aug 17 -- A press report, dated today, states: Four international companies submitted tenders to remove the wreck of Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas from the western breakwater of East London harbour. Tenders closed yesterday and according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) bids have been received from SMIT Salvage, SvitzerWijsmuller, Titan Marine.and Mammoet Salvage. SAMSA said it would take several weeks for the tenders to be evaluated before one of the bidders is awarded the contract. In terms of the contract the wreck has to be removed right down to seabed level with a February 2007 deadline set for the completion of the contract. This will however be regarded as flexible in the event of adverse weather.

London, Aug 7 -- A press report, dated today, states Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas has finally broken in two on the western breakwater of the East London harbour. South African Maritime Safety Association (Samsa) spokesperson Captain Peter Kroon said the ship's final death-knell was signalled at 0700 on Saturday by "an almighty bang that could be clearly heard. The ship is now in two pieces. There is probably a good three to four metres between the forward and aft section, the latter clearly listing to port. In other words towards the open sea. The forward section seems to be remaining fairly upright," Kroon added. Kroon said the break occurred amidships opening up holds two and three to the sea. "We have been extremely lucky so far. There has been very little pollution. We are aware of one container which washed out of the ship on Saturday, probably because its contents were buoyant, but it drifted towards the stern and sank." Tenders for the wreck removal close on Wednesday. Kroon said yesterday he was aware of at least four international marine salvage groups showing interest in the job. "To my knowledge Smit Salvage itself is interested. Another company is the SvitzerWijsmuller. Triton, an American group, is also showing interest and then there is a fourth company the name and details of which I am not yet fully acquainted with," he said. Kroon earlier said it could be expected that the ship's underwriters would require a large financial guarantee "possibly as much as $50 million" from the potential wreck removal contractor. He said he had no idea how long it would be before the wreck removal contractors would be on site. "But we have set the end of February as deadline for the wreck to be gone and the site cleared," Kroon said, adding that the contract would in all likelihood involve the dismantling and stripping of all remaining valuable equipment and materials and then the cutting and breaking up of the vessel's superstructure and hull. "Samsa will monitor the work. Our bottom line is for the wreck to be removed entirely right down to the keel," Kroon said.

London, Aug 4 - The owner and liability insurer of container carrier Safmarine Agulhas that is in danger of breaking up off the coast of South Africa are working to a tight timetable to organise its removal. Salvage companies have until next Wednesday (Aug 9) to tender for the contract to clear the vessel, which ran aground at the end of June as it left East London for Durban. After several failed attempts to refloat the vessel, the South African authorities decided last Friday that the vessel was a wreck and ordered it to be cleared as it was becoming a risk to navigation. Hull and machinery insurers have since declared the Safmarine Agulhas to be a constructive total loss. The vessel is insured in the German and London markets, which have 50% each. The risk is led by Bremen company Lampe & Schwartze together with Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty, the industrial and marine insurance arm of the German insurer Allianz. German market sources estimate that the loss amounts to around Euro27m (US$31.5m) in total. Liability cover is provided by Gard P&I club. The vessel is owned by a German single ship company in which manager F.A. Vinnen has a shareholding and was offered to the capital markets in co-operation with Hansa Treuhand of Hamburg. F.A. Vinnen would not confirm the insured value but said yesterday that the amount would enable any remaining bank loans to be repaid and investors to be adequately compensated.

London, Aug 2 - A press report, dated today, states: The marine inquiry into why and how Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas ran aground at the East London harbour entrance 36 days ago has been completed. But the investigating officer has returned to Durban to compile his report, said Captain Peter Kroon, the South African Marine Safety Association principal officer in East London. All fingers point to engine failure as the cause, but whether negligence played a part would still have to be established, he said.

Date :

London, Jul 31 - Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas, which grounded a month ago outside the port of East London, has almost broken in two and must be removed from the site, the South African Maritime Safety Authority and National Port Authority ordered at the weekend. They have effectively by-passed insurers who have not yet declared the vessel a constructive total loss. However, insurance sources said this would not be uncommon in such cases where underwriters might be reluctant to act first because of the potential liabilities attached to a decision. No further attempt will be made to refloat the vessel. The onus is now on the vessel's owner and P&I club, Gard, to act fast to minimise further liabilities during the wreck removal. It was carrying 469 loaded containers, including 21 refrigerated boxes and 112 empties, at the time of the accident. Most have been taken off, but all further salvage work and removal of the remaining 100 containers still on board has been halted because of the dangerous condition of the cargo holds and the vessel itself. The Safmarine Agulhas is now considered to be past saving and never able to return to service. "The vessel is a write-off," said Capt Peter Kroon, principal officer for the maritime authority in East London. It is to be removed in its entirety in order to ensure there is no risk to navigation should the hull break up and parts start to drift in to shipping lanes. That message has been conveyed to the owner and insurers, who must submit a plan to the authorities within a few weeks explaining how the vessel is to be cleared. The wreck clearance contract will be put out to tender and in the meantime salvage company SMIT Salvage has been appointed caretaker to watch for and deal with any pollution from the vessel. The whole clearance exercise could be protracted on the basis of recent experiences.

London, July 29 -- South African authorities have decided Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas is so badly damaged that it is now officially a wreck. They have effectively over-ruled insurers who have not yet declared the ship a constructive total loss. No further attempt will be made to refloat the vessel. "The ship is a write-off," said Capt Peter Kroon, principal officer for the maritime authority in East London. The ship is to be removed in its entirety, in order to ensure there is no risk to navigation should the vessel break up and parts start to drift in to shipping lanes. The wreck clearance contract will be put out to tender, and in the meantime salvors SMIT has been appointed caretaker to watch for and deal with any pollution from the vessel.

London, July 28 - A press report, dated today, states: Container

Carrier Safmarine Agulhas is to be removed from East London harbour. Peter Kroon, the principal officer of South African Maritime Safety Authority, says discussions are currently under way on how best to remove the ship. "Yesterday's meeting was one between the authorities and the owners of the ship together with the insurers and its lawyers. The decision is that the wreck must be removed, how they are going to do that is still under discussion, they have gone back to the insurers to discuss ways and means of removing that wreck totally. This meeting will be continued at a later time maybe next week when the insurers and the owners have studied proposal."

London, July 27 - A SMIT Salvage report, timed Cape Town 1400, July 26, states: Adverse weather and swell conditions since Monday have resulted in a temporary suspension of the Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas cargo removal operation. With the lightened vessel becoming lively in the high swell, it was deemed unsafe for salvage divers to enter the flooded cargo holds where the last of the containerised cargo is still to be removed. As and when conditions allow, the final phase of the cargo removal operation will resume. It is estimated that 100 containers are still to be removed from the grounded ship. Despite the high swell conditions of the past few days, the salvage team have been able to continue skimming oil in the engine-room and cargo holds and the last of the heavy fuel oil is in the process of being located, skimmed and removed from the vessel. Seven hundred and forty-seven tonnes of heavy fuel oil was onboard the vessel when it ran aground and the last few tonnes are in the process of being removed A decision will be made by the end of the week as to the future plans for the vessel.

No pollution has been reported to be emanating from the grounded vessel and the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourisms (DEAT) patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII remains stationed in East London and continues to overfly the casualty daily to monitor the situation in this regard.

London, July 27 - A press report, dated July 27, states: Further indication that the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas is nothing less than an undeclared constructive total loss comes with photographic evidence of a crack extending all the way around the ship, practically breaking the ship in two. A picture taken on July 25 shows a crack in the port side hull which runs right around the ship. On the deck plates a hand can be placed within the gap left by this crack. Expert opinion suggests that were it not for the strong hatch coamings the ship would have surely split in two by now.

London, Jul 26 - A press report, dated Jul 25 states: A decision on the fate of container carrier Safmarine Agulhas will be taken later this week, the salvage company said today. Cargo removal operations came to a 48-hour standstill yesterday and today, when bad weather endangered salvors. "A decision will be made at the end of this week as to the future of the vessel," said Smit Salvage spokesperson Clare Gomes. She said the cargo removal operations had been temporarily halted because of adverse eather. "The cargo removal was suspended because the vessel became lively, or moved a lot, which made it unstable for salvors to continue," she said. Salvors are removing the vessel's cargo containers. The containers were covered in oil and water when holds two and three were flooded. The vessel began to spill diesel oil last Monday (Jul 17). The spillage was quickly contained with the use of vessel Kuswag 4. Salvors were steam-cleaning containers to wash off oil before storing them at the harbour. Salvors attempted to re-float the vessel two weeks ago, but no more attempts have been made. Spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Affairs, Carol Moses, said: "In terms of the report we received, there is no official decision on whether it will be taken out to sea and stripped." She said the bulk of the oil on board the vessel had been removed and there were

only about 20 ton left on board. "At this point there is no spill threat. We have officials on site and will act if any environmental threat does arise," said Moses.

London, July 25 - A press report, dated today, states: A wreck removal meeting will be held on Thursday (July 27) by the Joint Operations Committee which is overseeing salvage operations at the site of the firmly grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas. Confirmation of the wreck removal meeting came yesterday from South African Maritime Safety Association (Samsa) principal officer Captain Peter Kroon, leaving little doubt the ship was likely to be declared a write-off". In another development yesterday morning the salvage tug Smit Amandla, left East London harbour for the Cape St Francis area to assist Brilliance. It is understood that Brilliance intends calling in Port Elizabeth for repairs and that Samsa had as a precautionary measure called for the salvage tug to standby as it approached Algoa Bay. According to Smit Salvage spokesperson, Clare Gomes, Smit Amandla would most likely return to East London as soon as possible to resume its standby position close to Safmarine Agulhas.

London, July 24 - A press report, dated today, states: Salvors suspended operations to remove more containers from Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas on Saturday (July 22), when rough seas hindered the process, said the National Ports Authority (NPA). "We stopped removing containers on Saturday, due to rough seas, but continued on Sunday," said Terry Taylor, the NPA spokesperson, today. He said there were "about 100 containers" left on board the vessel and the removal progress was steady.

London, Jul 21 - A press report, dated Jul 20, states: Only 150 containers remained on board the stranded container carrier Safmarine Agulhas the national ports authority (NPA) said today. NPA spokesperson Terry Taylor said: "There are only 150 containers left in holds two and three." Those already removed from the ship were being kept at a separate holding facility at East London harbour. They were not being emptied "because it's a custom-controlled issue", said Taylor. "Arrangements with various representatives will have to made before any cargo is moved." He said the steady deterioration of the vessel's structural integrity remained a cause for concern and was being assessed and monitored by the onboard salvage team.

London, Jul 19 - A SMIT Salvage report, timed Cape Town 1430, today, states: No pollution has been reported to be emanating from the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas in the last 36 hours and the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism's (DEAT) patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII remains stationed in East London and continues to overfly the casualty daily to monitor the situation in this regard. A team of experts from DEAT has been stationed in East London since the vessel ran aground and oil spill abatement equipment is on site and will be utilised if necessary. The team is conducting daily beach patrols to monitor any impact on the environment. With the vast majority of the heavy fuel oil off of the vessel, the risk that Safmarine Agulhas now poses to the marine environment has been significantly reduced. Of the 747 tonnes of heavy fuel oil onboard the vessel when it ran aground, all but approximately 20 tonnes remain unaccounted for, with 727 tonnes having been removed from the vessel in a fuel removal operation undertaken by the team from SMIT Salvage. Efforts to skim heavy fuel oil from the engine-room and holds in which water ingress has been reported continue. All deck cargo as well as containers located in two of the vessel's four holds have been removed and the salvage team is now focussing on removing the remaining 199 containers from the two cargo holds open to the water. Thirty-two of these containers had been removed from the vessel thus far. This phase of the cargo removal operation is more challenging than the removal of deck cargo and is being conducted with due concern for personnel safety. Tug Smit Amandla remains on contract to the Safmarine Agulhas salvage operation and is currently in the port of East London where it is on 20 minute standby. It will be utilised in the operation as and when required.

London, Jul 19 - A press report, dated today, states: Salvors will continue off-loading containers from container carrier Safmarine Agulhas today, the National Ports Authority said. "The vessel is stable, there are no oil spills into the sea," spokesperson Terry Taylor said. He said once all the container were off-loaded, the salvors, owners and the insurers would have to decide on the next step after assessing the damage.

London, Jul 19 - A press report, dated today, states: The removal of cargo from on board container carrier Safmarine Agulhas is proceeding slowly, said National Ports Authority spokesperson Terry Taylor yesterday. By 1600 hrs salvors had only managed to off-load seven of the containers still in the holds, bringing the total number of containers off-loaded from the vessel since Saturday to 32. "It's been a slow process, but we're winning," said Taylor, adding it was difficult to give a specific date when all the cargo is expected to have been removed. Off-loaded containers were being stored at a specially allocated area on the West Bank side of the port, Taylor said. He also said that salvors managed to discharge further fuel from the ship. Meanwhile, tug Smit Amandla together with Kuswag 4, has been moved into port where it has been placed on 20-minute standby notice for any problems that might arise.

London, Jul 18 - A SMIT Salvage report, timed Cape Town 1700, Jul 17, states: Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas remains firmly aground. Subject to grounding forces and the continuous powerful action of the sea, the deterioration of the vessel's structural integrity remains cause for concern and is being assessed and monitored by the onboard salvage team. Following a fuel removal operation that has seen some 720 tonnes of heavy fuel oil being removed from the vessel in the last 17 days, today light oily sheen was reported to be emanating from the vessel, as spotted by the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism's (DEAT) patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII. The patch of sheen was spotted moving away from the coast in a southerly direction and the oil pollution abatement vessel Kuswag IV is on the scene and working to great effect to assist in breaking up the light sheen. The situation with respect to sheen emanating from the vessel is being constantly monitored and the DEAT's patrol aircraft is stationed in East London and overflying the casualty daily. A team of experts from DEAT has been stationed in East London since the vessel ran aground and oil spill abatement equipment is on site and will be utilised if necessary. The team is conducting daily beach patrols to monitor any impact on the environment. With the vast majority of the heavy fuel oil off of the vessel, the risk that Safmarine Agulhas now poses to the marine environment has been significantly reduced. All parties are working together to expedite the completion of the fuel removal operation and the cargo removal operation. Of the 747 tonnes of heavy fuel oil onboard the vessel when she ran aground, all but 20 tonnes remain unaccounted for. The salvage team continues efforts to skim heavy fuel oil from the engine-room and holds in which water ingress has been reported. All deck cargo as well as containers located in two of the vessel's four holds have been removed and the salvage team is now focussing on removing the remaining 199 containers from the cargo holds open to the water. By this evening 24 of these containers had been removed from Safmarine Agulhas. Should the vessel's structural integrity deteriorate, a decision will be made as to whether any future refloating attempts will be possible. Tug Smit Amandla remains connected to Safmarine Agulhas. Adverse weather conditions on July 14 resulted in master, officers and crew of Safmarine Agulhas as well as the salvage team from SMIT Salvage being evacuated from the ship as it became more lively due to its lightened condition and the high swells. Operations onboard the vessel were suspended overnight and by Saturday morning the salvage team and ship's crew were back onboard and the cargo removal and fuel removal operation continued in improved conditions.

London, Jul 17 - A press report, dated today, states: Marine salvors were attempting to remove the remaining 20 tons of heavy fuel oil from Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas, after a crack on the port side of the vessel started leaking diesel oil this afternoon. Environmental affairs representative Nazeera Hargey said officials were unsure about the quantity of oil leaking from the crack but were dealing with the matter. She said that the Kuswag 4 was ready to contain the spillage, before it got to the beaches. "The situation is also being monitored by the Kuswag 8, and by taking aerial photographs," she said. Inclement weather during the past weekend made it difficult to remove remaining containers and further compromised the structural integrity of the vessel. "There are still about 180 containers and 20 tons of heavy fuel oil left. As the vessel gets pummelled by heavy seas, it puts pressure on the structural integrity of the vessel. The longer it remains out there, the vessel is taking strain and a slight seem of diesel oil is leaking into the water. The situation is being treated," National Ports Authority spokesman Terry Taylor said. He added that the operation to remove the remaining containers was going well at the moment, and there was no environmental risk.

London, Jul 17 - Folowing received from Cape Town MRCC, timed 0835, UTC: Container carrier Safmarine Agulhas: Salvage operations continue. Cargo and fuel have been offloaded.

East London, Jul 17 - Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas is still aground off East London Western Breakwater. All deck cargo removed, 97% of fuels removed and discharge of underdeck containers commenced. - Lloyd's Sub-agents.

London, Jul 13 - A press report, dated today, states:The discharging ofcontainers from Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas is continuing with more than half of the original boxes now cleared and ashore. These include all those loaded above the deck and those in holds 1 and 4. Holds Nos 2 and 3 have however become contaminated by both seawater and oil which may haveseeped into the containers. The extent of the damage to these boxes andtheir contents will not be known until they have been discharged but theslippery nature of the containers affected by the oil contamination willmake their handling more difficult. Once cleared of the ship¹s holds eachbox will have to be drained and steam-cleaned before being taken away fromstacking and eventual examination. Meanwhile the Joint Operations Committee overseeing the salvage has confirmed that there will be no further attempts at pulling the ship clear untilall the cargo and the fuel oil has been discharged ashore.

London, Jul 12 - A SMIT Salvage report timed Cape Town 1700, Jul 11, states: Good progress continues to be made with respect to the removal of cargo from the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas. The salvage team has removed all deck cargo as well as containers stacked below deck in two of the four holds. The vessel was carrying 469 loaded containers containing varied cargo and 112 empty containers when it ran aground. The removal of the remaining containers onboard, located in the two holds affected by water ingress, also began today. The fuel removal operation continues and thus far approximately 580 tonnes has been removed. The vessel had approximately 662 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board prior to the fuel removal operation commencing. The structural integrity of the vessel continues to be monitored and internal assessments are continuously being undertaken. Future refloating attempts have been delayed in order to ensure that the fuel and cargo removal operations are completed. A number of proactive environmental protection measures remain in place.

London, Jul 11 - A press report, dated Jul 10, states: Salvors are making "steady progress" in the removal of fuel and cargo from container carrier Safmarine Agulhas, aground off the coast of East London, the National Ports Authority said today. Spokesperson Terry Taylor said almost 500 tons of bunker fuel had been discharged and about five containers of cargo remained above deck. There are about 300 containers below deck. Salvors will now remove the hatch covers to establish conditions below deck and set about discharging cargo from the holds below. "It could take a couple of days, there are several factors such as weather that the salvors are relying on. Holds two and three are flooded, which could be a challenge," said Taylor. He said once all the cargo was off, and any pollution threat had been eliminated the situation would be reassessed and a decision would be taken on what to do with the vessel.

East London, Jul 10 - Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas still aground off East London Western Breakwater, 90% of deck cargo removed, 80% of fuels removed. - Lloyd's Sub-agents.

London, Jul 7 - A press report, dated today, states: Salvors are "racing against time" to save the grounded container carrier Safmarine Agulhas from "a watery grave". A predicted cold front approaching from the south, accompanied by gale-force winds and swells of over five metres over the next few days could seriously hamper round the clock salvage operations off the East London harbour wall. Yesterday, for the first time, the salvage team voiced concern about the vessel's structural integrity, 11 days after she ran aground on the breakwater. "The grounding forces acting on the vessel, combined with the effect of the continuous action of the sea on the Agulhas in its exposed location, is beginning to have a detrimental effect on the vesseløs structural integrity," said a spokesperson for the Joint Operations Committee. "There is water ingress in two cargo holds and the engine room. The structural integrity of the vessel is under constant observation and, should it deteriorate any further, future refloating attempts may have to be delayed in order to ensure that the fuel and cargo removal operations are completed." Last night, bilge pumps were coping with the flooding but National Ports Authority spokesperson Terry Taylor admitted that the approaching bad weather was a concern for the salvage team. Taylor added that, while weather permitted, discharging of container cargo and heavy fuel oil was given priority. But "safety of personnel is paramount. Operations will stop immediately it becomes too dangerous to continue". South African Maritime Safety Association principle officer Captain Peter Kroon said contingency plans were in place to handle any potential oil spill. These preparations included stationing specialist oil abatement vessels, the Kuswag lV and the Victoria Mxenge, close to the Safmarine Agulhas. Both vessels are carrying dispersing chemicals. An aircraft was also on hand to monitor the situation from the air. Up to last night no signs of a spill had been spotted, but ashore the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism also had a specialist team on standby. By last night 175 of the 277 containers had been brought ashore. The ship was carrying a total of 469 loaded and 112 empty containers. Discharging the vesseløs 660 tons of heavy oil fuel was progressing slowly with about 230 tons removed by late yesterday.

London, Jul 6 - A SMIT Salvage report, timed Cape Town 1400 today, states: It has been nine days since Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas ran aground shortly after exiting the port of East London en route to Durban following engine failure. During this time, personnel, specialist equipment and other resources have been mobilised and utilised in an effort to ensure that the vessel and its cargo are saved, the environment is protected and that safety of life remains a top priority. A Safmarine Agulhas Joint Operations Committee met for the first time 14 hours after the vessel ran aground and have continued to meet daily in an effort to ensure consistent communications and a well managed response. Following a number of refloating attempts last week, authorities including the South African Maritime Safety Authority, National Ports Authority and Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism and salvage company SMIT Salvage have focussed their efforts on protecting the marine environment from pollution by removing the fuel oil from the vessel, an operation that continues. This remains a top operational priority in addition to the removal of cargo from the deck of Safmarine Agulhas, where a total of 277 containers were located. More than half of the containers on deck have been discharged from the casualty thus far. The grounding forces acting on the vessel combined with the effect of the continuous action of the sea on the casualty in this exposed location is beginning to have a detrimental effect on the vessel's structural integrity. There is water ingress in two of the cargo holds and the engine-room. The structural integrity of the vessel continues to be monitored and should it deteriorate any further, future refloating attempts may be delayed in order to ensure that the fuel and cargo removal operations are completed. The impact of water ingress on cargo will be determined by surveyors and salvors continue to monitor the situation in the cargo holds and engine-room, utilising submersible pumps as and when necessary. Both the fuel removal operation and the cargo removal operation continue on a 24 hour basis, as and when operational conditions allow.

London, Jul 6 - A press report, dated today, states: Two of the stricken Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas's four cargo holds are partially flooded but marine architects who assessed the grounded ship yesterday were satisfied with the vessel's structural integrity. National Ports Authority spokesperson Terry Taylor said the flooding was being monitored closely but that the situation was not affecting the removal of container cargo and bunker fuel oils. By last night, 80 of the 277 containers on the upper deck of the 17000-ton ship had been moved ashore by the ship's cranes working in concert with the huge 400-ton crane brought from Gauteng. Taylor said cranes on the 184m long Safmarine Agulhas had first moved containers stacked towards the ship's bow, putting them in position to be swung ashore by the giant quay-side crane. "Now the operation is moving slowly astern," he said. "It is a painstaking operation and safety of personnel remains the top priority." Weather permitting, the operation would continue around the clock, Taylor said. "The salvage tug Smit Amandla is maintaining its holding station off the Safmarine Agulhas with a towline attached to the grounded ship," Taylor said, adding it was too early to comment on another attempt at floating the vessel.

London, July 6 - A press report, dated today, states: It will be at least a week before there's another attempt at pulling the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas into deep water. The mobile crane, brought by road from Gauteng, has gone to work and is lifting containers from the ship at an average rate of seven an hour. At the same time the ship, which has recovered the use of its engines is pumping fuel oil ashore into rail wagons. The intention now is to lighten the ship as much as possible and then on next week's spring high tides an attempt will be made to pull the vessel clear. Salvors hope the spring tides will be accompanied by strong swells to further assist the operation. The ship is reported to have developed several leaks and a number of small compartments are flooded. This is not considered as being too serious at this time but is being monitored closely. The ship has also lost its bulbous bow. No pollution into the sea has been reported but the Department of Environmental Affairs has several vessels and an aircraft on station to monitor this closely. Meanwhile the owners of the vessel have declared general average and a German average adjuster is expected to be appointed for this task.

London, July 5 - A SMIT Salvage report, timed Cape Town 1600 today, states: Efforts to remove the fuel and deck cargo from Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas continue. To date, 80 containers have been removed from the casualty in a cargo removal operation that began yesterday morning. A total of 277 containers are on deck and a crane on the breakwater and capable of lifting 33 tonnes at the required reach is being utilised in this operation. Under current operational conditions, the teams onboard the vessel and on the breakwater are able to lift seven containers an hour off of Safmarine Agulhas and this operation is proceeding well in favourable weather conditions. Deck cargo will continue to be lifted off of the casualty both day and night but will be halted should working conditions be deemed unsafe. Containers removed from the casualty are being transported by road to a secure area in the Port of East London. While salvors have reported water ingress in two of the cargo holds, the ingress is being monitored by the salvage team and this is not affecting the progress of the cargo removal operation. The impact of the water ingress on the cargo will be determined by surveyors. The structural integrity of the vessel continues to be monitored by the salvage team and their naval architects and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourismøs oil pollution patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII, stationed in East London, reported no oil pollution after it over flew the casualty this morning. The fuel removal operation continues day and night, with fuel being pumped from Safmarine Agulhas into rail tank cars located on the Western Breakwater. The vessel had a total of 662 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board prior to the fuel removal operation commencing and this operation is proceeding well.

London, Jul 4 - A SMIT Salvage report, timed Cape Town 1500, today, states: At 0830 this morning, the removal of containerised deck cargo with respect to the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas, with a specialised 400 tonne crane, capable of lifting some 33 tonnes at the required reach, lifting the first container off of the casualty and onto the breakwater. Under current operational conditions, the teams onboard the vessel and on the breakwater are able to lift seven containers an hour off of Safmarine Agulhas and this operation is proceeding well in favourable weather conditions. Containers removed from the casualty are being transported by road to a secure area in the Port of East London. To date approximately 200 tonnes of fuel have been pumped from Safmarine Agulhas into rail tank cars located on the Western Breakwater. The vessel had a total of 662 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board prior to the fuel removal operation commencing and this operation is proceeding well. Safety of life and the protection of the marine environment remain the top priorities for the Safmarine Agulhas Joint Operations Committee, which meets daily. A number of proactive environmental protection measures are in place: The Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism's (DEAT) oil pollution patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII is stationed in East London and continues to overfly the casualty daily. DEAT's Inshore patrol vessel Victoria Mxenge remains on site. DEAT has mobilised oil spill abatement equipment and a team of experts to East London. This team is conducting daily beach patrols to monitor any impact on the environment. The SMIT oil pollution abatement vessel Kuswag IV is on site as an additional precaution. Tug Smit Amandla is connected to Safmarine Agulhas and is holding it off of the breakwater. The vessel's structural integrity is being monitored by the SMIT Salvage team, who remain on the casualty with the Safmarine Agulhas' master, officers and crew.

London, Jul 4 - A press report, dated today, states: About half of the bunker fuel from container carrier Safmarine Agulhas, stuck on a sandbank near the East London harbour, has been removed in an attempt to refloat it. The National Ports Authority said today that almost 200 tons of bunker fuel was discharged overnight and the salvage team are continuing with the pumping this morning. NPA spokesperson Terry Taylor said containers on board the vessel are also being discharged. The vessel was carrying 662 tons of heavy fuel, 88 tons of diesel and 37 tons of lubrication oil. The fuel will be pumped into 10 Spoornet rail tankers waiting on the railway line on the breakwater. Taylor said the vessel had moved about 15 metres out to sea since Thursday (Jun 29).

London, July 3 - A press report, dated today, states: The owners of Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas have declared general average. The ship is carrying a cargo of 469 loaded containers and 112 empties. Salvors from SMIT Salvage said yesterday they hoped to commence with the cargo removal operation later in the day. This was made possible following the arrival from Johannesburg of one of Johnson's 550-tonne mobile Liebherr cranes. Once the crane has been erected on the breakwater it will be possible to begin removing the containers onto either road or rail transport, which will then be taken to a secure area within the port. According to Smit Salvage a total of 180 tonnes of fuel oil has been removed from the ship by early yesterday and loaded into rail wagons brought onto the breakwater alongside the ship. Safmarine Agulhas had a total of 662 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and a smaller quantity of diesel on board when she sailed from East London. The ship has developed a small leak which is however not considered serious at this stage and is being controlled by the salvage team.

London, Jul 3 - A press report, dated today, states: A salvage team will today attempt to remove containers from container carrier Safmarine Agulhas, the National Ports Authority (NPA) said. "We are going to discharge containers from the vessel on to shore," said spokesperson Terry Tailor. A 400-ton crane arrived in East London yesterday to help with the exercise, Taylor said, adding that the rescuers had made "fair progress" to refloat the ship since Friday's (Jun 30) attempt. Today, when a heavy lifting crane arrives in East London, the ship's cargo would be removed. Taylor said the vessel was still intact and there was no pollution.

London, Jul 3 - Following received from Cape Town MRCC, timed 0930, UTC: Container carrier Safmarine Agulhas is still aground. Lightering operations are still progress.

London, Jul 3 - A press report, dated today, states: With a cold front heading their way, salvors are working at full speed to remove fuel and cargo from container carrier Safmarine Agulhas, which ran aground last week at East London harbour's breakwater. Although the vessel's crew are still on board, and there are no signs yet of serious damage to the vessel, further attempts to refloat it will resume only after the load has been removed. The vessel has 469 loaded containers and 112 empty ones on board. About a quarter of its 662 tons of heavy fuel were pumped out yesterday. "The cargo removal is reliant on good weather and sea conditions and will continue only while it is safe to do so, because safety of the salvage team remains a top priority. It is difficult to say when another attempt will be made to pull the vessel off. Salvors had a good weather window yesterday and today, but there is a cold front moving in, so we have to assess the situation," Clare Gomes, spokesperson for salvors Smit Amandla Marine said yesterday. She said the vessel was connected to tug Smit Amandla and National Ports Authority harbour tugs were on standby should the sea conditions deteriorate. A Department of Environmental Affairs patrol aircraft continued to monitor the situation for any pollution.

London, July 3 - A press report, dated today, states: With Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas resting on a sandbank barely five metres from East London's western breakwater, salvors this weekend began removing the fuel and diesel oil as the first step in lightening the ship before making any further attempts at pulling her clear into deep water. By 1100 yesterday about 120 tonnes of fuel had been removed from the ship into rail cars propelled onto the breakwater, which fortunately possesses railway shunting lines. The ship remains connected to tug Smit Amandla which is holding it from being subjected to excessive wave action against the breakwater. Harbour tugs from the port remain on standby to assist Smit Amandla should weather conditions deteriorate. Yesterday morning Smit Salvage said it hoped to begin removing some of the containers within 24 hours, making use of a giant crane that was expected in East London later today. The crane when placed on the breakwater will have the required reach across the ship and will be able to work the cargo onto the breakwater. This cargo lightening operation remains subject to good weather and sea conditions and will continue only as long as it is deemed safe for those involved. The safety of the environment also remains a priority and several anti pollution vessels remain on standby. In addition overflights by a patrol aircraft are taking place each day. In the meantime the structural condition of Safmarine Agulhas is being closely monitored by the salvage team, who remain on the ship with the vessel's master, officers and crew. Shipping operations are continuing as normal in the port and are not impacted on by the current situation.

London, Jul 1 - A press report, dated today, states: A multi-million plan to offload the fuel and cargo from container carrier Safmarine Agulhas has commenced as the ship remains firmly grounded behind the East London harbour wall. The man in charge of the operation, Captain Okkie Grapow, SCR (Special Casualty Representative) yesterday said the costs would run into "many millions" but he had an "open chequebook". "We are talking US dollars here... it's impossible to do the maths at this stage. Not because I don't want to, but because I simply cannot," said Grapow, who represents the interests of all key role players - owners, insurers and salvors. "If the ship and its cargo is valued, at, say, $30 to $35 million and we spend another $10m in the salvage attempt... it's still worth the effort and the expense," Grapow said. At a media briefing hosted by the National Ports Authority at East London Port Control yesterday it was disclosed that about a dozen railway tanker trucks, each capable of holding 30 tons of fuel, had been secured to begin taking on as much of the Safmarine Agulhas's 800 tons of heavy fuel and diesel oil as soon as possible. The ship's own pumps will be used to discharge the fuel. A massive 400 ton crane with a 33-ton lifting capacity and a boom "able to reach over the ship from the breakwater" was also on its way to East London from Johannesburg yesterday. This involved first getting special permission for the massive piece of equipment to be moved by road. Government agencies required a R40 000 deposit before a road-use permit was issued. The crane is expected to reach the salvage site on Monday (Jul 3). Once the cargo is off, fresh attempts will be made to refloat the ship. According to South African Maritime Safety Association principle officer Captain Peter Kroon, the fuel is being discharged ønot so much to lighten the vessel, as to minimise potential pollutionø. Kroon said adequate precautions had been taken, both on land and at sea to deal with any possible pollution threats. The issue of "hazardous cargo" was again addressed by Kroon who said there was no cause for alarm. "Of course the authorities are concerned... about life and any form of pollution. But we've had sight of the ship's manifest and have had experts on board checking out everything. We know exactly where every container is and what it contains. There are no explosives or radio-active materials on the ship. What is on board ... in containers we have identified, are some small canisters of nitrogen - the stuff the automotive industry uses to inflate airbags in cars," Kroon said, adding that the entire area was also being regularly patrolled and observed from the air. Grapow said the salvage operation was being done in terms of a Lloyd's Open Form "No cure - No pay" clause. "Basically this means that the salvors - Smit Salvage - are picking up the bill. The contract has a special "scopic" clause related to environmental issues. The more the salvors do in terms of preventing pollution, the more they will benefit both financially and in prestige." Smit Salvage's Dutch salvage master, Captain Piet Sinke, said the 17000 ton ship had sprung a small leak but its pumps were holding their own in keeping the engine-room dry. He said the structural status of the ship was not a major concern. Sinke is conducting the salvage operation from the salvage tug Smit Amandla. The Smit Amandla and East London harbour tug, Impumzi, are maintaining their stern and bow towlines to the stranded ship. Sinke said that since Thursday (Jun 29) night the stern of the 184m freighter had been "pulled about 10m away from the harbour wall", and she was no longer bumping up against the dolosse. The German captain of the stranded vessel and his crew of 22 have remained on board since their ship ran aground on Monday (Jun 26) night after losing engine power as it was leaving the harbour, bound for Durban.

Date :

Lloyds List

London, June 30 - A press report, dated today, states: Pictures taken yesterday afternoon, ahead of the first attempt by the salvage tug Smit Amandla to haul the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas from its rocky and sandy perch outside East London harbour, indicate just how the position of the ship has been worsening by the hour. Earlier pictures showed the ship several hundred metres off the western breakwater but the latest available images, taken at 1500 yesterday show the vessel's stern to be firmly wedged in among the dolos making up the breakwater. Other images show that the bulbous bow has been broken off sometime since Tuesday evening when the vessel lost all power and began drifting towards the beach. Bad weather en route delayed the arrival in East London of Smit Amandla and preventing any thought of attempting to pull the vessel away at high tide on Wednesday evening. As a result the salvage team decided to make the first attempt on yesterday's high tide at approximately 1800 hrs. In a statement the salvors said that the attempt would be made with the assistance of one or more harbour tugs. Should this attempt fail the structural integrity of the ship would be re-assessed and consideration given to lightening the vessel including taking off the 662 tonnes of heavy fuel and 88 tonnes of diesel on board. SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) has also arranged for the presence of a Sikorsky S61 helicopter to assist with operations and the coastal patrol vessel Victoria Mxenge is on station along with one of the older Kuswag oil pollution abatement vessels. In addition a coastwatch aircraft, Kuswag VIII has transferred to East London and is undertaking daily flights over the casualty to monitor for any pollution. Because the grounding took place on the outer side of the western breakwater, shipping operations are able to continue normally in the port. Safmarine Agulhas is owned by FA Vinnen & Co Gmbh of Bremen and is on charter to Safmarine on its intermediate South Africa Europe container service. The ship was en route to Durban with 469 loaded containers and 112 empties.

London, Jun 30 - Following received from Cape Town MRCC, timed 1405, UTC: Container carrier Safmarine Agulhas is still aground. Further attempts to refloat will be made tonight and tomorrow. Tug Smit Amandla remains on scene and another tug is proceeding from Saldanha Bay to assist. Some containers may be taken off. London, Jun 30 - Following received from Cape Town MRCC, timed 0950, UTC: Container carrier Safmarine Agulhas remains aground, with tug Smit Amandla attempting to refloat it. High tide is this morning.

London, Jun 30 - A press report, dated today, states: Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas moved a few metres in a salvage attempt at high tide on Thursday afternoon (Jun 29), said the National Ports Authority (NPA). "We have had limited success," said NPA East London spokesperson Terry Taylor. Two tugs attached to the bow and stern of the 16800 ton container vessel would keep a steady line overnight. This meant there would still be a pull on the Safmarine Agulhas and it was possible the vessel could move off the sandbank overnight, said Taylor. He emphasised that circumstances were changing all the time.

Date :

Lloyds List

London, Jun 29 - Following received from Cape Town MRCC, timed 1740, UTC: Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas remains aground in the same position. A refloating attempt is likely to take place again tomorrow morning.

London, Jun 29 - A press report, dated today, states: An attempt to refloat the stranded container carrier Safmarine Agulhas at East London has been postponed. After putting cables in place on Wednesday afternoon, the salvors, Smit Amandla Marine, delayed the attempt so that connections between the salvage tug Smit Amandla and the ship could be made in daylight, said company spokesperson Clare Gomes. The attempt would go ahead at high tide today, she said. A team of salvors on board would monitor the structural integrity of the vessel overnight. As they were not in danger, the crew of 22 had not left the vessel, which ran aground on sand off the East London harbour breakwater on Monday night. East London National Port Authority spokesperson Terry Taylor said that Smit Amandla, a Transport Department pollution standby tug managed by the South African Maritime Safety Authority, had arrived from Cape Town at 1430 hrs, on Wednesday. Gomes said the safety and protection of the marine environment were the priorities. The environmental affairs department's patrol vessel Victoria Mxenge and its oil pollution patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII were monitoring any pollution threat. The German-owned Safmarine Agulhas is on charter to Safmarine Container Lines.

London, Jun 29 - A press report, dated today, states: Container carrier Safmarine Agulhas remains firmly aground behind the East London breakwater, but with salvage tug Smit Amandla having attached a line to her last night and two East London harbour tugs set to take up tow lines this morning, it's all systems go for an attempt to free her to be made late this afternoon. Yesterday's rescue attempt of the Liberian registered freighter, which ran aground just off the breakwater on Monday night after losing her engines as she was leaving for Durban, was called off as fast-approaching darkness overtook the operation. People thronged the Esplanade to watch, but left, disappointed. If the ship is freed today it will be moved about 10km offshore, where experts will assess the ship's condition. Then she is likely to be brought into port.

London, June 29 - A press report, dated today, states: Salvors are waiting for the afternoon high tide to try again to pull the grounded Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas free, the National Port Authority (NPA) said today. "They're preparing everything again for high tide this afternoon. From 1500 hrs onwards they'll try again," said NPA East London spokesperson Terry Taylor. High tide is at about 1800 hrs. Smit Salvage teams started attempts to pull the ship free this morning after attaching cables to three tugs. Taylor said there was still a "light pull" on the cable from salvage tug Smit Amandla to the ship. "The first full attempt will be made this evening," said the spokesperson for Smit Salvage, Clare Gomes of Smit Amandla Marine. She said the salvage team had decided to "reconfigure" the tugs, moving them to different positions. Taylor said weather conditions were still good and the ship remained in good condition.

Date :

Lloyds List

London, Jun 28 - A press report, dated today, states: Hopes of refloating the firmly grounded container carrier Safmarine Agulhas from its precarious position just behind the East London harbour breakwater hinge on the world's most powerful deep sea salvage tug, Smit Amandla, which is expected to reach East London tonight. Safmarine Agulhas remains intact and salvors already on board say there are no signs of pollution, according to a statement issued last night by a joint operations committee set up to drive the rescue/salvage operation.

London, Jun 28 - Following received from Cape Town MRCC, timed 0949, UTC: Container carrier Safmarine Agulhas is still aground. A refloating attempt will be made later today, at high tide. London, Jun 28 - A press report, dated today, states: Attempts to salvage container carrier Safmarine Agulhas, which is stranded off East London harbour, will only begin tomorrow. Terry Taylor, the National Port Authority spokesperson, says this is because the salvage tug Smit Amandla will only arrive in East London late today after leaving False Bay in Cape Town last night. He says nothing will be happening this morning except to prepare for the actual towing tomorrow. The ship's 22 crew remain on board.

London, Jun 28 - A press report, dated Jun 27, states: The grounded container carrier Safmarine Agulhas is not causing pollution and three vessels are heading to East London to help it, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said today. "There is no pollution from the vessel at the moment and a close watch is being kept so that any pollution may be detected early," said Samsa's general manager: operations, Captain Saleem Modak, from Pretoria. He said a salvage tug and two pollution abatement vessels were heading to East London for the salvage operation, which is being coordinated by Samsa in East London. National Port Authority spokesperson in East London, Terry Taylor, said earlier there were 22 crew on board and they were all fine. Modak said removing the vessel's fuel was a priority, together with refloating the vessel. He said there were 662 metric tonnes of fuel oil, 88 metric tonnes of marine diesel and 37 metric tonnes of lube oils on board. "The ship's cargo includes some containerised hazardous materials and marine pollutants. At the moment these cargoes are safe on board but plans are being put in place for landing this ashore should the need arise," said Modak. He would not identify the hazardous materials, but said a wide range of substances, including paint and aerosol spray, was defined as hazardous. "It's not radioactive and it?s not explosive, not heavy toxins." Modak said Samsa had ordered the Department of Transport's contract pollution prevention standby tug, the Smit Amandla, to go to East London from False Bay, Cape Town. It was expected on Wednesday afternoon (Jun 28). "In the meantime the East London harbour tugs and equipment are being used to mitigate the incident." The Safmarine Agulhas's owners have awarded the salvage contract to Smit Marine South Africa, which operates the Smit Amandla. Smit Amandla is also sending the pollution abatement vessel Kuswag IV from Mossel Bay, which is expected on Thursday. Smit Marine?s Clare du Plooy-Gomes said from Cape Town that a salvage team travelled to East London on Monday night. Modak said the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism was sending an anti-pollution vessel to help deal with any pollution and this would arrive on this afternoon. The department was also sending equipment and a team.

Date :

27 June 2006

Lloydslist

London, Jun 27 - Following press release received today: Safmarine confirms that container carrier Safmarine Agulhas, a 1,706 nominal TEU container ship owned by F.A Vinnen & Co Gmbh & Co and deployed on the Europe/South AfricaIntermediate service, ran aground in rough seas at approximately 2115 hrs, on Monday Jun 26, while leaving the port of East London, SouthAfrica. The vessel is currently on charter to Safmarine Container Lines N.V. All persons on board are unharmed and the vessel is sound. No oil spill has been reported and all relevant authorities have been informed of the incident. Immediate attempts were made to refloat her. Regrettably, these attempts have been unsuccessful due to rough seas, which are preventing the National Port Authority (NPA) tugs from getting close enough to get the lines on board the vessel. Safmarine is working closely with the vessel owners, Vinnen & Co., the NPA, SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authorities) and the appointed salvors, Smit Marine,providing all appropriate support to the salvage operation. The salvors will begin operations to remove bunkers from the vessel this morning. The vessel has 662mt of heavy fuel on board (HFO), 88mt of diesel oil (DO) and is carrying 469 loaded containers and 112 empty containers.

London, Jun 27 - A press report, dated today, states: Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas is still aground off the East London harbour, said National Port Authority spokesperson Terry Taylor today. "There's no change. She's still aground about 50m off the breakwall," said Taylor. He said the ship was apparently aground on sand. "We're awaiting a salvage crew from Cape Town which will work with our harbour craft. - They will go aboard by helicopter and assess the situation." Safmarine Agulhas ran aground shortly after leaving harbour at about 1830, local time, last night, about two hours after high tide. The ship lost power and ran aground off the harbour's western breakwall. She was on her way to Durban. East London harbour tugs tried to pull her off but the line snapped and the tugs could not get close enough again due to heavy swells of up to 5m, said Taylor. "They tried on numerous occasions after that but there were huge sea conditions." The crew of 22 are still aboard the Agulhas."They're all fine." High tide is at about 1600, local time, and salvors may wait until then to make another attempt to pull the ship free.

London, Jun 27 - A press report, dated Jun 26, states: Container Carrier Safmarine Agulhas ran aground moments after leaving East London on Monday night (Jun 26). Port spokesperson Terry Taylor said the 184m-long vessel was nearly a kilometre offshore when it lost power and strong onshore winds pushed it towards the western breakwater. It ran aground on a sandbank 200m from the breakwater. There were two tugs trying to attach lines to the vessel and tow it off the sand bank when the tide had come in. "The two tugs are changing their towlines and will attempt to pull her off," he said. The crew was not in any immediate danger and power had been restored to the engines. He said the damage, if any, was not known and the vessel was not taking on water. The vessel’s next port of call was Port Elizabeth. Taylor said the vessel did not have a full load when it left port in three-metre swells.

Hull :

Sources :

If I have accidentally breached a copyright attaching to any of the photographs on this page, please e-mail me, and I shall remove the photograph immediately