Shifting cargo punctured ballast tanks on board the Eemslift Hendrika after which it developed a list while sailing off Norway. Smit Salvage had to step in to tow the ship to safety. Since April, the ship has been undergoing repairs at Damen Shiprepair Harlingen, but now the ship is deemed seaworthy again.

Disaster struck when the Eemslift Hendrika was travelling from Bremerhaven to Kolvereid, Norway, on 5 April. Thrusters stored in the ship’s cargo hold started to shift and punctured the vessel’s ballast tanks. As a result, the ship started listing and the crew had to be evacuated. On 7 April, Smit Salvage managed to get a crew on board and secured tow lines, after which the ship was towed to safety to Ålesund.

Also read: Norwegian Maritime Authority finds holes in ballast tanks Eemslift Hendrika, DSB launches investigation

Ready for the water, crane still missing

After some emergency repairs were carried out in Norway, the Eemslift Hendrika was allowed to leave the country on 21 April. The ship then arrived in Harlingen, the Netherlands, on April 23 where it has since been undergoing final repairs at Damen Shiprepair. On Monday 19 July, the ship was finally launched, reported its owner Amasus Shipping from Delfzijl, the Netherlands. Below a picture of the ship just before it was launched/

While the ship is in the water again, the crane on the stern is still missing. According to Amasus, the crane is still undergoing repairs and will be installed on the ship again very soon.

Also read: Norwegian Maritime Authority releases photos showing damage Eemslift Hendrika

Picture (top) by the Norwegian Coast Guard/Stig Jacobsen.