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Phillip Bay

Phillip Bay

Phillip Bay
Photo: SNSM

On the afternoon of December 26, the 180 meter long, 38683 dwt bulk carrier Phillip Bay (IMO: 9714757) caught fire in the English Channel some 40 kilometers north of Cherbourg, France. The fire started in the living quarters aboard the bulk carrier and sent out a distress call. French authorities dispatched a Navy helicopter with a response team including two fire fighters and a nautical expert. The tug Abeille Liberte and SNSM lifeboat were deployed assisted by an United Kingdom patrol boat. A few hours later the fire fighters extinguished the blaze. No reports of injuries.

Phillip Bay
Photo: SNSM

Reports state there was no damage to the cargo of food on board. The extent of damage to the living quarters was not disclosed. The Phillip Bay was escorted to Le Havre where it undergo inspection and repairs.

Larus

Larus

Larus
Photo: French Navy’s Atlantic Maritime Prefecture

On the night of December 7, the 100 meter long, 5720 dwt tanker Larus (IMO: 1065289) went adrift off the French coast in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc. The Larus had been at anchor since late November after it suffered a technical fault. The tanker dropped anchor in Bay of Saint-Brieuc waiting for a commercial tug to tow to a shipyard in Estonia for repairs. Before a tug could arrive, the heavy weather from Storm Durragh caused the Larus‘s anchor to drag.  The tanker requested assistance from French authorities as the vessel drifted towards the shoreline.  Authorities dispatched the rescue tug Abeille Bourbon which reached the Larus around midnight.

The tug attempted to pass a towline to the Larus but it was not successful. Authorities decided to dispatch a response team to assist with the recovery. A helicopter flew the team out to the tanker and lowered them onto the deck. With the team onboard, the towline was established allowing the Abeille Bourbon to tow the Larus to the protection of the port at Brest.  No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.

AMT Challenger

AMT Challenger

AMT Challenger
Photo: premar-manche.gouv.fr

On December 6, the 122 meter long, 19,129 dwt barge AMT Challenger (IMO: 9557721) ran aground in the English Channel on the French coast and Sotteville-sur-Mer, France. The barge was proceeding under tow by the 75 meter long, 3567 dwt tugboat Boka Glacier (IMO: 9344796) from Rotterdam bound for Portsmouth when the towline broke as a result of storm Darragh.  With rough conditions, the Boka Glacier was unable to reattach a towline. The following day two tugboats were dispatched to assist, but 40 knot winds made it impossible to reconnect the towline. The morning of December 8, a team was hoisted onto the AMT Challenger to attempt to drop the barge’s anchor, but the anchor didn’t hold. The AMT Challenger eventually ran aground on a sandbank some 300 meters off shore. The barge’s ballast pumps were engaged to keep the vessel stable.

Boka Glacier

Reports state the owners of the vessel have drawn up a salvage plan. Authorities are currently monitoring the vessel. No reports of injuries or pollution released.