Container vessel abandoned mid atlantic.

[Mad Pad]

Do you all remember the oil tanker that began breaking up off Galicia a few years ago AND REQUESTED TO GO INTO PORT?Ship could well have gone into HARBOUR and the situation controlled,but NO the idiot Spaniards..it may have been the Mayor of Corunna or another port in the vicinity..said NO WAY!...so it broke up and sank out in the Atlantic pollutiong most of north west Spain(serves them right) and the into French Biscay.This incident has rattled me for years AND COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED.
Bring the Flaminia in and address the situation before she sinks offshore,
NIMBY's not wellcome here...

 

[z1ppy]

Do you all remember the oil tanker that began breaking up off Galicia a few years ago AND REQUESTED TO GO INTO PORT?Ship could well have gone into HARBOUR and the situation controlled,but NO the idiot Spaniards..it may have been the Mayor of Corunna or another port in the vicinity..said NO WAY!...so it broke up and sank out in the Atlantic pollutiong most of north west Spain(serves them right) and the into French Biscay.This incident has rattled me for years AND COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED.
Bring the Flaminia in and address the situation before she sinks offshore,
NIMBY's not wellcome here...

100% agree. It was the Mv Erika I think your referring to and exactly my thoughts I read this earlier! Let's learn from the mistakes or others!

 

[NorthUp]

Do you all remember the oil tanker that began breaking up off Galicia a few years ago AND REQUESTED TO GO INTO PORT?Ship could well have gone into HARBOUR and the situation controlled,but NO the idiot Spaniards..it may have been the Mayor of Corunna or another port in the vicinity..said NO WAY!...so it broke up and sank out in the Atlantic pollutiong most of north west Spain(serves them right) and the into French Biscay.This incident has rattled me for years AND COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED.
Bring the Flaminia in and address the situation before she sinks offshore,
NIMBY's not wellcome here...

The 'Prestige'

 

[z1ppy]

The 'Prestige'

Of course. Well corrected!

 

[maxi77]

Whilst I understand fully your concerns and respect your viewpoint, the last thing I believe needed is a 'nimby' view taken by all ports of refuge that results in her sinking. (Not accusing you of that as your original post was questioning if we should, not saying would shouldn't allow her) I'd think however that once inshore the fire can be contained and ship secured. We are also probably closest and best equipped? Whilst there may not necessarily be 'reward' for this other than perhaps a few hours of local work and revenue, life isn't always about reward - or at least shouldn't be! You probably wouldn't get a fiscal reward for plucking someone from the sea either, but hopefully would still do so. Just because the French or Dutch might be self-serving, does that mean we should too? I'd personally be satisfied with the knowledge that a few hundred containers aren't floating about waiting to sink another vessel... Sometimes vessels sink and there's nothing we can do about it, but when we can, I think we should. All IMHO of course...

No it's not NIMBYISM rather a growing dislike of us being continually 'taken a len off' by others for their own financial gain which is just why many other nations are far more robust with potentially dangerous shipping trying to enter their waters. The fire is under control according to reports so she doesn't need shelter to achieve that.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

As the shipping company announced that the ship is now pulled by tugs to Great Britain. .

I'd translate that as being towed in the direction of GB, rather than specifically to GB. German's a pretty pedantic language so it's more or less saying we know we don't have permission to go there yet I think.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Do you all remember the oil tanker that began breaking up off Galicia a few years ago AND REQUESTED TO GO INTO PORT?Ship could well have gone into HARBOUR and the situation controlled,but NO the idiot Spaniards..it may have been the Mayor of Corunna or another port in the vicinity..said NO WAY!...so it broke up and sank out in the Atlantic pollutiong most of north west Spain(serves them right) and the into French Biscay.This incident has rattled me for years AND COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED.

+1

Ideally it wouldn't be Britain, but someone needs to give it a berth or it'll just be towed around until it sinks or weather drives it onshore somewhere.

Maybe the 6 nearest countries should throw a dice for the responsibility.

Leaving it at sea is clearly not a sensible option.

 

[maxi77]

Do you all remember the oil tanker that began breaking up off Galicia a few years ago AND REQUESTED TO GO INTO PORT?Ship could well have gone into HARBOUR and the situation controlled,but NO the idiot Spaniards..it may have been the Mayor of Corunna or another port in the vicinity..said NO WAY!...so it broke up and sank out in the Atlantic pollutiong most of north west Spain(serves them right) and the into French Biscay.This incident has rattled me for years AND COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED.
Bring the Flaminia in and address the situation before she sinks offshore,
NIMBY's not wellcome here...

I have no problem with her being brught into the UK to be fixed, but I do object if she is brought in for free parking whilst the deal to fix her is arranged elsewhere. That puts the UK at great risk for no return. One hopes the owners are being very frank with the authorities about what was in her cargo that couls have caused the explosion and fire.

 

[Giblets]

One hopes the owners are being very frank with the authorities about what was in her cargo that could have caused the explosion and fire.

As alluded to further up the thread would they actually know?

 

[z1ppy]

I am sure MSC will have released the cargo manifests to the relevant parties which should show what was declared as being on board.

I dont think theres any suggestion that the vessel will be given free berthing. its not like we are dealing with a 1 ship company here or someone exploiting the flag of convenience loop holes.

MSC are in the top 5 in terms of largest shipping companies in the world... if a Swiss Air aircraft was experienceing technical problems on a transatlantic crossing do you think we would be having the same questions as to if we should allow them to land?

 

[maxi77]

I am sure MSC will have released the cargo manifests to the relevant parties which should show what was declared as being on board.

I dont think theres any suggestion that the vessel will be given free berthing. its not like we are dealing with a 1 ship company here or someone exploiting the flag of convenience loop holes.

MSC are in the top 5 in terms of largest shipping companies in the world... if a Swiss Air aircraft was experienceing technical problems on a transatlantic crossing do you think we would be having the same questions as to if we should allow them to land?

If it was an aircraft there would have to be repairs carried out with appropriately certified engineers before the plane was allowed to fly on. In this case the ship can be anchored in shelter and the local community put at risk then the tow recomenced if the ship survives. If the ship goes in for repairs to make it seaworthy then that is fine but even big companies are sharp with their cash, that was how they got big. If anchoring in shelter for a week got them a better repair deal thats what they will do.

 

[Kukri]

MSC pay plenty of taxes in Britain; some of their ships fly the Red Ensign, and as regards this particular ship, should she come here, far from getting "free parking" she will be slapped with Light Dues as well as port dues, so she will be paying for your navaids whilst she is here (it's a LOT of money, by the way...)

Incidentally the salvage tug ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN, subcontarcted to Smits, flies the Red Ensign and is owned by JP Knight Limited, who are a household name in UK towage, so a British company IS making money out of this job.

 

[Twister_Ken]

If it was an aircraft there would have to be repairs carried out with appropriately certified engineers before the plane was allowed to fly on. In this case the ship can be anchored in shelter and the local community put at risk then the tow recomenced if the ship survives. If the ship goes in for repairs to make it seaworthy then that is fine but even big companies are sharp with their cash, that was how they got big. If anchoring in shelter for a week got them a better repair deal thats what they will do.

Don't worry, the man in the dory will be along asking for "'Arbour doos, m'dears".

 

[Kukri]

If it was an aircraft there would have to be repairs carried out with appropriately certified engineers before the plane was allowed to fly on. In this case the ship can be anchored in shelter and the local community put at risk then the tow recomenced if the ship survives. If the ship goes in for repairs to make it seaworthy then that is fine but even big companies are sharp with their cash, that was how they got big. If anchoring in shelter for a week got them a better repair deal thats what they will do.

Ships are not that different to aircraft, a ship willrequire a Certificate of Seaworthiness from the Classification Society; MSC could not "pay with the mainsheet", even if they wanted to, because they have container ships in British ports continually.

 

[lenseman]

UPDATE 1200UTC:

It looks like they are holding station at Ten West just off the continental shelf. No real movement in the past 12 hours. Wind from the NE at 10 knots.

Fire is 'under control' so I presume they are now negotiating for a harbour to take them in for assessment?

 

[lenseman]

The owner of the container ship "MSC Flaminia, Reederei NSB asked the British government or the ship temporarily in a quiet location off the British coast could be stationed.
The 'MSC Flaminia (6,732 TEU) which on 14 July when a major fire broke in the middle of the Atlantic was, was taken in tow and is now at 170 nautical miles from the British coast.
Yesterday the rescuers were again on board. They have own fire suppression system of the vessel deposited. For an inspection of the state in the hold is still much too hot on board.

Before the ship may be approaching the British coast, all containers should be checked to ascertain whether there is still smoldering cargo. It is not yet clear when the rescuers will be able to do that.

According Reederei NSB improved the situation on board. The fourth and fifth well is now not much more smoke. The heel is a little bigger. The 'MSC Flaminia "leans now about 11 degrees to starboard.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

De eigenaar van het containerschip ‘MSC Flaminia’, Reederei NSB, vraagt de Britse overheid of het schip tijdelijk op een rustige plek voor de Britse kust gestationeerd kan worden.
De ‘MSC Flaminia’ (6.732 teu) waarop op 14 juli een zware brand uitbrak toen het zich in het midden van de Atlantische Oceaan bevond, is op sleeptouw genomen en bevindt zich intussen op 170 zeemijlen van de Britse kust.
Gisteren konden de bergers opnieuw aan boord gaan. Zij hebben het eigen brandbestrijdingssysteem van het schip afgezet. Voor een inspectie van de toestand in de ruimen is het echter nog veel te warm aan boord.

Vooraleer het schip de Britse kust mag naderen, moeten alle containers gecontroleerd worden om na te gaan of er nog smeulende lading is. Het is voorlopig nog niet duidelijk wanneer de bergers dat zullen kunnen doen.

Volgens NSB Reederei is de toestand aan boord verbeterd. Uit het vierde en vijfde ruim komt nu niet veel rook meer. De slagzij is wel iets groter geworden. De ‘MSC Flaminia’ helt intussen 11 graden over aan stuurboordzijde.

 

[bbg]

I have no problem with her being brught into the UK to be fixed, but I do object if she is brought in for free parking whilst the deal to fix her is arranged elsewhere. That puts the UK at great risk for no return. One hopes the owners are being very frank with the authorities about what was in her cargo that couls have caused the explosion and fire.

Nothing that happens to / for this ship will be for free. As Minn points out, not even anchoring.

 

[maxi77]

Nothing that happens to / for this ship will be for free. As Minn points out, not even anchoring.

Anchoring is free outside port authority limits which is why so many ships do anchor off.

 

[Roberto]

xxx

David (or others),

I will sail from the Azores towards south brittany in about one week, weather permitting, have you or are there any updates as to the approximate position/area of the lost containers ?
Even a very rough estimate would help

regards
roberto

 

[Seajet]

David,

I will sail from the Azores towards south brittany in about one week, weather permitting, have you or are there any updates as to the approximate position/area of the lost containers ?
Even a very rough estimate would help

regards
roberto

Roberto,

seems a jolly good question to me and I hope you get a useful answer.

As for the question " how would an aircraft be treated ?" well OK it wasn't a passenger job, but...

A Test Pilot I knew recounted how he had a fire warning in his Harrier, and requested an emergency landing at a nearby Italian airbase; he was refused, " you goa crasha somewhere else " !