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Simushir

Simushir

Container Ship Simushir Adrift off Canada
Photo: Maritime Forces Pacific

The 134 meter long container ship  Simushir became disabled off Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), Canada. The vessel had lost power and had gone adrift.  The Simushir was just 14 kilometers off shore in bad conditions with waves reaching 4 metres in height.

Container Ship Simushir Adrift off Canada
Photo: Maritime Forces Pacific

The crew contacted authorities who dispatched vessels to the scene.  The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Spar and Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir Wilfrid Laurier arrived on scene, but were not equipped to tow the Simushir to away from shore.   Another Canadian Coast Guard vessel Gordon Reid arrived a short time later and was equipped to tow the container ship.  The Reid attempted to attached lines to the Simushir, but each time the line snapped.  After the third attempt, the Gordon Reid halted further attempts.  The Simushir had shifted location and was an additional 30 kilometers further away from shore.

The tug Barbara Foss was requested and was reported to be heading to the scene to take the Simushir under tow. Reports state the Simushir was carrying 268 containers with mining equipment from Everett, Washington bound for Russia.  No reports of injuries to the 10 crew on board.

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Lybov Orlova

Lybov Orlova

Lyubov Orlova
Photo: thetelegram.com

On January 24, the decommissioned 220 meter long, 1465 dwt passenger ship Lyubov Orlova went adrift in the North Atlantic near Cape Race, Newfoundland. The 29 meter long tug Charlene Hunt departed from St. John’s, Canada with the Lyubov Orlova under tow.  The vessels were en route to the Dominican Republic when the towline broke in bad weather.  The tug’s crew attempted for several days to attach the towline, but were unable to attach a towline in the worsening weather.

Charlene Hunt

Reports forecast the storm to increase with waves to reach upwards to 20 meters high.  Authorities have ordered the Charlene Hunt back to port due to safety concerns for the vessel and crew.  The Lyubov Orlova was last reported adrift and not a hazard to shipping as it was away from navigation routes.  Several reports predict the former passenger ship will not stay afloat in the storm.  The Lyubov Orlova was to be dismantled at a scrapyard in the Dominican Republic after sitting docked for two years in St. John’s.

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Ryou Un Maru

Ryou Un Maru

The 164 foot long fishing vessel Ryou-Un Maru was sunk in the Gulf of Alaska by the Coast Guard.  The fishing vessel went adrift from Hokkaido during the 2011 tsunami in Japan and floated across the Pacific Ocean.   The Coast Guard determined to sink the vessel rather than to attempt to tow it to port.   The Coast Guard fired shots into the vessel.   The Ryou  burst into flames then listed over and sank.  An unknown amount of diesel fuel was released when the fishing boat sank.

Interesting Note

Just before the Coast Guard could fire the first shot, a Canadian fishing vessel claimed salvage rights to the Ryou-Un Maru.  The 62 foot long fishing vessel Bernice C. attempted to tow the vessel, but failed and left the area.  The Ryou-Un Maru was to be scrapped before the tsunami struck.

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