Spanish Authorities Chase Tug That Attempted to Sneak Away from Detention
The captain of the port of Las Palmas and the Maritime Authority in the Canary Islands reported that they had to chase down a tugboat, which was towing an offshore supply boat, when the tug decided to depart despite being under a detention order since December. The tug named Sylvia M ended up breaking down once again and having to be towed back to port, and is now facing the potential of a hefty fine.
The Maritime Authority reports the tug and its tow were detected on Monday, March 2, at 1915 local time outbound leaving through the mouth of the harbor. They did not have a pilot aboard, and the vessel had not yet completed an inspection to lift the prior detention order. Further, it was attempting to go to sea in what the officials termed a severe storm.
The port’s control center contacted the tug and ordered it to return to port, but the order was ignored. They said the tug refused to cooperate. At that point, the patrol boat Rio Ara and a tug were sent to chase after the departing tug and tow.
The Sylvia M had caused a previous incident on December 3 when it requested assistance while it was about three miles offshore. The 149 gross ton tug registeredi n Tanzania was towing the offshore service vessel K-Marine IV. The tug reported that one of its engines was not working and that its other engine was at half capacity. Further, it said it did not have enough fuel.
A rescue boat was able to secure a new towline to the K-Marine IV and ordered the tug to cut its towline. The Sylvia M was escorted to a berth in Las Palmas. A port state inspection identified issues, including that its towing winch was inoperative. A detention order was imposed. Recently, the Spanish authorities said the flag representative had informed them that repairs were completed and the vessel was properly certified. However, it had not yet been inspected, and the detention remained in place.
After sneaking away on March 2, the tug soon began experiencing propulsion and steering problems. The authorities reported the rescue tug they dispatched was able to bring the ship back to port at around 0330 on March 3.
A sanction case has now been opened against the wayward tugboat. The Maritime Authority reports they are facing potential fines of up to €180,000 (US$209,000). The tug, of course, is also under a detention order, again.
Glamox to Light US Navy’s Latest Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship
[By: Glamox]
Glamox has secured a contract from Austal USA to supply exterior and interior LED marine lighting for the future USNS James D Fairbanks (T-ATS 13), the latest Navajo-Class (T-ATS) Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ship being constructed for the US Navy (USN). This new contract brings the total to three T-ATS ships that Glamox is lighting for Austal USA. Previously, Glamox was awarded contracts to light five T-ATS vessels from Bollinger Houma Shipyards.
For the future USNS James D Fairbanks, Glamox will supply 914 lights. They include navigation lights, floodlights, explosion-proof lighting, deck lighting, and lights for the interior of the vessel – from rooms, corridors and stairwells to crew quarters. The lighting will be delivered in Spring 2026 and fitted by Austal USA at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
“We are proud to be supplying lighting for this workhorse of the seas, which will enter service in 2028. This latest order, along with orders from navies worldwide, highlights Glamox’s marine defence lighting capabilities, which range from lights for inshore rescue boats to large aircraft carriers,” said John O’Driscoll, General Manager of Glamox in North America.
T-ATS vessels will provide ocean-going towing, salvage and rescue capabilities to support fleet operations. They have a multi-mission common-hull platform capable of towing USN ships and will combine the capabilities of the retiring Rescue and Salvage Ship (T-ARS 50) and the Fleet Ocean Tug (T-ATF 166) vessels. The T-ATS series will be able to support current missions, including towing, salvage, rescue, oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide-area search and surveillance.
The T-ATS vessels may also enable future rapid capability initiatives, such as supporting modular payloads with hotel services and appropriate interfaces. Their large, unobstructed 6,000 square feet (557 square metres) of deck space allows for the embarkation of a variety of stand-alone and interchangeable systems.
In addition to the T-ATS series, Glamox worked with Austal USA to supply lights for the auxiliary floating dry dock medium (AFDM) and navigation lights for the USN’s Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700-class vessels.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
No comments:
Post a Comment