March 2016
INTERNATIONAL SALVAGE UNION
Modern Express - disaster averted, Place of Refuge granted
EU Places of Refuge Operational Guidelines ISU has welcomed the EU Declaration supporting the implementation of new Operational Guidelines on Places of Refuge. ISU past President, Leendert Muller, speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels, congratulated the Commission and officials on the initiative and thanked them for involving ISU and other shipping industry bodies in the development of the guidelines. ISU has been campaigning on the issue for many years and joined forces with the International Chamber of Shipping; the International Union of Marine Insurance and the International Group of P&I Clubs to press for improvement internationally.
Picture: © French Navy
The car carrier, MODERN EXPRESS, needed urgent assistance in the Bay of Biscay in January. She was listing more than 40 degrees to starboard and drifting in severe weather with winds at gale force 10 and wave heights in excess of 11 metres. Smit Salvage immediately mobilised the AHTSs RIO DE VIGO and CENTAURUS to the reported position of the drifting casualty whilst a salvage team with two salvage masters was flown to France. The crew recovery operation was carried out by Sasamar and the salvage operation was coordinated from Brest by the French Prefecture Maritime. Given the initial position of the casualty, the French tug ABEILLE BOURBON was not initially deployed by the authorities but dispatched later in the operation. The seriousness of the situation meant that a vessel with capabilities such as a helicopter landing deck and medical facilities would also be needed. Once the salvage plan was formalized, the helicopter-equipped French navy frigate PRIMAUGUET joined the salvage operation and was used as the base for the salvage team. A four man inspection team was winched onto the casualty by the French navy helicopter but the sea state meant it was not possible to make a towage connection. Some of the salvage team sustained injuries.
With the strong winds and vessel’s unfavorable condition - rolling from 20 to 80 degrees list - the possibility of the vessel being driven ashore was more likely with each passing day.
Mr Muller said the EU Operational Guidelines will “go a long way to improving the situation in the important and busy waters of the Member States of the European Union”. In particular, he said, “salvors welcome the statement
On 01 February, just 20 miles off Cap Ferret near Bordeaux, the salvors managed to get back on board and connected a towing line to the CENTAURUS. Once the towing line was secured, the car carrier was towed away from the shore line. Close cooperation between the salvors, P&I Club and the coastal states of France and Spain, supported by the new EU Operational Guidelines for Places of Refuge applications, meant a port of refuge was swiftly agreed. Bilbao was considered to be the best option by all parties and on 03 February the salvors where able to safely moor the still heavily listing car carrier. A detailed plan was designed to right the vessel using her own tanks and with the use of specialized salvage pumps the vessel was stabilised, towed, brought in and brought upright in 17 days and then safely re-delivered to her owners. Richard Janssen, Commercial Director Smit Salvage said: “This case was a good demonstration of the early and successful use of the new EU operational guidelines on Places of Refuge supported by the countries involved”. 1
ISU General Manager, Mark Hoddinott, left, and past President, Leendert Muller.
that ‘unless unsafe, there should be no rejection of a casualty vessel without inspection’ ”. The guidelines have already been used successfully in several operations, including the MODERN EXPRESS see story, left. ISU is encouraging the EU to take a global leadership position on this issue: salvors frequently experience difficulty with regard to Places of Refuge in other parts of the world and it hopes the influence of the EU will help progress.