After reaching the MSC Flaminia on 17 July, the tugboat Fairmount Expedition immediately started firefighting operations. However, these operations had to be aborted during the following night after a second explosion erupted in bay 47 of the vessel. To ensure the safety of the tug’s crew, the vessel had to assume a stand by position approximately one nautical mile off of the ship.
The firefighting tugboat reached the MSC Flaminia on 17 July around 11.00 am after Reederei NSB’s MS Hanjin Ottawa had already reached the site in the early morning hours. The second engineer of this last vessel was transferred to the tugboat to support the salvage team and to accompany the ship’s transport back to Europe. He is tasked with reactivating the fire fighting systems on board the MSC Flaminia. Meanwhile, the Hanjin Ottawa has continued its original voyage to the Suez Canal.
Firefighting on Hold
After the second explosion and evaluation of the situation on site by Reederei NSB experts, the danger of continuing the firefighting operations was too high due to dangerous goods onboard. A team of firefighting experts and the emergency team of NSB are checking the further proceedings. The tugboat is supposed to resume the firefighting operations soon. The search for the still missing crewmember should resume as soon as possible.
Third Tugboat on Its Way
The second firefighting tugboat Anglian Sovereign is expected to arrive on the site of the incident at midnight on July 19. In addition, a third tugboat was ordered to the site. Tugboat Carlo Magno is now on its way from Rotterdam. It is currently planned to hold MSC Flaminia’s position with one tugboat while the two others proceed with the firefighting operations.
Damage to the Ship
Referring to the pictures transmitted by Hanjin Ottawa, the damage to the ship and its cargo cannot ultimately be estimated. It becomes clear, however, that neither superstructure, engine room, the stern section nor the forecastle of the ship are directly affected by the fire or the explosion.
Crew Members Safely Arrived
The eighteen crew members and two passengers rescued from the MSC Flaminia safely reached Falmouth, UK, on 18 July with the oil tanker DS Crown that picked them up. They are expected to be repatriated as soon as possible.
This is an update to an earlier news post about the MSC Flaminia. https://www.swzonline.nl/nieuws/artikel/1159_Smit_Salvage_En_Route_to_Salvage_Fire_Struck_MSC_Flaminia[Read it here on SWZonline].
Picture: The MSC Flaminia on 17 July (source: https://www.reederei-nsb.de/site_en/index.php?node_id=2281[Reederij NSB])
