As a result the 322 gross tons Burcht rolled over and came to rest upside down on a nearby sandbank. MSC Noa was able to continue on passage and berthed in Antwerp docks. The cause of the incident is being investigated.

Burcht is an azimuthing stern drive tug built in 1987 and owned by Union de Remorquage et du Sauvetage of Antwerp, the major provider of shiphandling services in the Antwerp-Schelde area.

The deep-sea tug Smit Hunter has been declared a total loss after a serious fire broke out aboard the vessel on Sunday, 29 June. The blaze broke out during maintenance in the engine room and expanded rapidly to the accommodation quarters.

Fortunately nobody was injured.

Smit Hunter was docked at a shipyard in the Pastoriestraat in Pernis (Rotterdam) for routine maintenance. Smit Hunter is a 51m an ocean going tug of 6000bhp, built in 1978, and operated by Smit International under the Bahamian flag.

The vessel has been sold for scrap and has been towed to Gravendeel.

Major Norwegian oil company Norske Hydro has extended its contract with Ostensjo Rederi AS of Haugesund to supply towage and escort services at their Sture terminal until 2009. This important contract will eventually result in the construction of a new escort/tanker handling tug to replace one of the existing vessels, Audax or Vivax.

The Damen Marine Services multipurpose 'Dredgehelper' DH Alpha has been chartered to Multraship and renamed Multra Salvor. It is understood that the 1260bhp vessel is being employed to assist with the Tricolor salvage operation. Multraship are a major partner in the consortium carrying out the wreck disposal task.

BP has invited notifications of interest for the provision of towage and marine services at their Sullom Voe terminal. Such services will be effective from the 1 January 2005. The decision to go to tender has caused some concern in Shetland where towage services are currently provided by Shetland Towage, a company wholly owned by the Shetlands Islands Council Charitable Trust.