Salvage Tug Arrives To Tow Maersk Ship Adrift For Weeks After Explosion

A salvage tug from Norway has reached the containership Maersk Sana, nearly three weeks after the vessel was left drifting in the Atlantic Ocean due to an engine room explosion that injured three crew members.

The explosion occurred on April 28 when the Maersk Sana was sailing from Newark, United States, to Singapore. At the time of the incident, the vessel was located around 254 nautical miles east of Bermuda.

The explosion caused significant damage to the engine room, disabling the main propulsion system. Since then, the ship had been relying on auxiliary power and had limited ability to maneuver using side thrusters.

The blast left three of the crew members injured. One was treated onboard, while the other two were transferred to another Maersk vessel en route to Bermuda. Of those two, one was treated and later released in Bermuda.

The third, who was critically injured, was later airlifted to a hospital in the United States. As per Maersk, this seafarer is still in critical but stable condition and receiving advanced medical care.

The 8,450 TEU container ship, with a deadweight of 102,000 tonnes, was reported as “safely adrift” by the company during the time it was waiting for assistance. Maersk stated that the vessel remained under continuous monitoring and that calm sea conditions had helped manage the situation.

The vessel had undergone a regular inspection in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 16, just twelve days before the incident. According to the United States Coast Guard, no deficiencies were found during that inspection.

After several days of uncertainty and growing public concern, Norwegian salvage tug Sea1 Ruby reached the disabled Maersk Sana early on May 16.

The Sea1 Ruby, a 3,800 deadweight ton anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel, is operated by Sea1 Offshore (formerly known as Siem Offshore before its 2024 rebranding).

The tug departed Bergen, Norway, on May 4 and made a stop at Ponta Delgada in the Azores before continuing its journey to the container ship.

The Sea1 Ruby was selected despite being over 3,000 nautical miles away. Maersk faced criticism for not choosing a closer tug from the U.S. East Coast or nearby ports. However, the company defended its decision, saying it prioritised finding the most suitable vessel over the nearest one. A spokesperson stated that the approach was focused on getting it right the first time, rather than rushing the operation.

The tug has now begun towing the Maersk Sana to Freeport in the Bahamas, a distance of around 900 nautical miles. Based on current conditions and a towing speed of about 5 knots, the journey is expected to take about seven days. Maersk expects the vessels to reach port by the last week of May.

Earlier reports suggested that technicians and spare parts were also being brought aboard via the Sea1 Ruby as part of the recovery efforts. The tug is equipped with 28,000 brake horsepower and a bollard pull of 310 tons, making it capable of handling large towing operations like this one.

Maersk confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the explosion and fire is underway. The company is in contact with all relevant authorities and stakeholders and has stated that safety will be a top priority throughout the investigation. They also mentioned that updates are being provided to customers to help reduce the impact on their supply chains.

The Maersk Sana is one of several similar-sized vessels operating on routes between Asia and North America under the Gemini Cooperation, a shipping alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.

Source: Maritime Shipping News