The Multraship salvage team was concerned to prevent oil spilling from Eclips into the harbour. Oil booms were placed as a precautionary measure to help contain any possible spillages.

In the event, Multraship deployed its 600 tonne floating sheerlegs Cormorant, which was able to lift the tug out of the water intact and without spillage of any oil.

The busy Cormorant had only just returned from the Danube, where its services were instrumental in clearing wreckage of Zezelj Bridge, which had been impeding navigation on the river ever since it was bombed during the war in Kosovo. The ?7mcontract had been awarded to the Danube Consortium, a group founded by Multraship's managing director Kees Muller.

The self-propelled Cormorant, aided by pusher tugs, successfully removed 40,000 tonnes of concrete, asphalt and steel which had been blocking the Danube Fairway at Novi Sad.

MJ Information No: 18108