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[José Menéndez Oliva]

Hi, Today's local newspaper "La Nueva España" informs that Gijon port`s authority refuses to accept the entry of MSC Flaminia in their new and completely empty instalations.

It looks like Prestige's history...

[Captain Ted]

Thats what I mean,,just the spaniards should have lerned from the Prestige disaster,,but nothing,,Same old story,,and when the beaches are full of oil again it,s all the crew again
not the total inompetent authorities !!!
They should put some of the idiots in jail for a while and not the capt,s !!!!

[Tuomas Romu]

Well, at least the container ship has much less oil onboard than a fully-laden tanker, and it might not even leak out...

Anyway, I thought that they came up with new rules and regulations regarding safe anchorages etc. after the Prestige disaster. I guess not, or that they only apply to tankers.

[Patalavaca]

Hi Tuomas, the stability factor is surely the most serious factor.
No Port Authority wants such a badly damaged vessel within it's confines.
Whether she can be intentionally grounded to facilitate container removal & eventual salvage is perhaps the only sound possibility..?
But then again, which country wants this potential major polluter on her shore?

Once again, in NW Europe, we have the recurring problem for distresed vessels of a lack of an accepted port of refuge &/or salvage area.

I am behind the news at the moment , so will see what are the latest developments.
Regards, Rick

With the now known amount of structural damage to the hull, I surmise that the owners & salvors are expecting her to sink, or to be scuttled.

With a nearly intact engine room and a large number of undamaged containers? I doubt it.

[Patalavaca]

Thank you Brian, I replied to Tuomas before reading your message, and you have replied in a manner of which I was thinking.

Without a co-ordinated pan European (EU?) plan for major salvage refuge(s) then seriously damaged ships will always face intentional scuttling or stranding, when hull integrity and stability prevent towage to safety.

In the case of the 'MSC Flaminia', which I understand is under tow, then to a suitable & authorised bay, port or location where she could be dealt with in situ.

Very deep international waters are the worst possible place to deal with a casualty of this magnitude - again, the 'Prestige' springs to mind, as Spain &, was it not France too, refused to allow her to berth or even enter their waters and this resulted in the later impossible containment of the oil cargo and bunkers.
The result being expensive contamination of both coasts.

Common sense and applied logic usually dictate that a contained emergency is going to be easier to deal with, in all aspects, than the opposite!

Let's see what the next step is.
Regards, Rick

I am inclined to agree with you Rick. I would be very surprised if any Uk port would accept the vessel into their waters in her current stability condition with such a hugh risk of pollution. . .just look what happened when they tried to tow the MSC Napoli to a safe haven !!!!. . .Brian

[Patalavaca]

Exactly, Captain Ted.
Succintly put!
We can hope that our negative speculations are wrong, full salvage is far preferable to dithering authorities and another wreck on the seabed, leaking contaminants for aeons.

Regards, Rick

Stan
that might very well be.
no country will give now permission to enter a port. This is somehow understandable. But one of the main problems is that too much authorities will be involved. Everybody has a say but nobody will take responsibility. Does that sound familiar ??!!!

Most problably best, burn out,, break up and sink. Insurance pays. Case closed.
Bad enough,,but reality

[Ian Horsfall]

I would like to suggest if no European country wants this vsl on there shores,Rather than sink it. Send it to Haiti,if the salvage people deem it will make the voyage, The people  of Haiti will gladly show us how to Salvage the Containers and the Vsl. ,and be glad of the work, every one gets a free TV,new running shoes and a track suit. every ones happy.
This will happen again and every country will say the same  " Not in my Backyard "

[stantheman]

Yes, burn out, break up and sink would be the best for some of the people involved but then what about all the Salvage Companies that have worked hard and long to save this ship?
Will all their work be in vain?
If they don't want it salvaged why do we have salvage companies rushing to scenes such as this?

[Kelvin Davies]

This morning, one of the tugs involved, Carlo Magno, is showing up on AIS approximately 200 miles west of Brest and heading in a west north west direction.
Looking for a deep trench perhaps?
Oh hello!
Since I started writing this, Anglian Sovereign has also shown up in the same area.
Carlo Magno shows Off Shore UK as a destination (look out, it's behind you!) the Anglian Sovereign shows Salvage Mid-Atlantic
Kelvin

[Tuomas Romu]

I don't see any damage in the stern. In fact, the first stack of containers forward from the superstructure seems to be largely intact as well.

[ChasB46]

Hi Toumas, my mistake. I thought all the photos were of the same ship. I have removed my entry. Thank You.

[Tuomas Romu]

No problem.

It appears that even NSB is now concerned about the fact that the stricken container ship has not been allowed to enter any European port.

[Captain Ted]

my solution
Every country with sea shores, depended on their length and exposure should set aside a bay/area where a stricken vessel can be handled. When a Capt announces emergency or in the is case, abandonment of the vessel, a person (I call him now Emergency Capt) takes over charge for the area in question. This person is in charge of (will say) the entire coast of Spain, never mind where the ship is as long Spain is involved. Only @@@@@ HE @@@@ and only HE !!!! decides in what area/bay the ship is towed/whatever. No president/queen/chancellor/ or any other authority has any say in this. All agencies which will be involved are in that moment automatic under the command of this person. When he says,,authority soand so move,,then they move,,that,s it !!!  HE/She does not have to be necessarily a Capt,, could be, but also a manager of a salvage company or towing company,,but a he/she has to have background with ships. BUT ONE THIN he/she can not be an employee of any authority and/or
a politican,,it would be s sure thing that it will not work !!!
But I am fully aware,,this is illusion, no authority ind no country of this world will relenquish their power to someone else.  Or anyone saw/heard already in any country that a auhtority (Customs/Coast Guard/Immigration etc etc) gave away its decision making power.

Best example is ISPS,,the biggest joke ever invented,,gladly paid for by millions of taxpayers, giving unprecendented powers to their own governments, about the powers otherwise of authorites in ISPS we better don,t talk,,because then we have to abandon the constitutions of a lot of countries, which virtually under ISPS are abolished.

 

[Kelvin Davies]

It seems one of the tugs involved, Anglian Sovereign, has given up at least temporarily and is now berthed in Falmouth.
If you look at Marine Traffic and zoom in on the tug's tracks since yesterday, it appears to have been all over the harbour like a bad rash! Or maybe the AIS is playing up?
Kelvin

[Lexor]

Owner Wants MSC Flaminia Towed to Port

“I consider it shocking that in this situation a ship under German flag does not receive a permission from the European countries to call at a port,” said Helmut Ponath, CEO of Reederei NSB.

Link: http://www.joc.com/container-lines/owner-wants-msc-flaminia-towed-port

Regards Lexor

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