Armour Rock, a vessel of 23,000dwt, loaded with 17,000 tonnes of rock, was drifting in a 3 knot tide and south-westerly winds of force 10-11 towards a number of ships at anchor in the Downs. While on passage Anglian Monarch monitored the position of the barge and was eventually informed by the Coastguard that the barge was considered a serious threat to the sheltering vessels.

On arrival, the tug succeeded in making a connection to the unmanned barge and finally took it in tow just one mile from the anchored ships. The high winds and a heavy swell prevented work on deck or the transfer of personnel, and forced tugmaster Captain John Reynolds to manoeuvre very close to the bow of the errant barge in order to grapple the barge's anchor cable.

The incident and the extreme weather conditions closed the port of Dover completely for some hours creating considerable media attention. As no other suitable tug was available in the area Anglian Monarch was then contracted under a Lloyds Open Form to take the barge to a safe anchorage.

East Kent Sector Manager for the Coastguard Andy Roberts said; 'This was the second time the barge had broken free from its moorings.

Armour Rock dragged its anchor and drifted to the East and narrowly missed Dover harbour wall before eventually being taken in tow by the Coastguard tug, the Anglian Monarch. A vessel this size and deadweight adrift in the Dover Strait in storm force conditions was, potentially, a grave threat to shipping and the Coastguard Tug, using excellent seamanship, averted possible disaster by taking her in tow to the Downs Anchorage."