A SvitzerWijsmuller team of firefighting specialists equipped with chemical suits and breathing apparatus boarded the vessel and fought fires in No2 hold, some involving hazardous chemicals.

With the main fires extinguished, they continued to deal with hot spots and smouldering containers.

The vessel made for Fos in France, where damaged containers were removed, then continued to other planned discharge ports before being redelivered.

SvitzerWijsmuller was awarded a Lloyds Form on 30 January after the 43,342dwt bulk carrier Ian Madani grounded off Casablanca.

The tugs Groningen and Neftegaz 51 were mobilised along with additional local tugs. The salvage team found the bulk carrier heavily damaged, with many ballast tanks breached when driven onto a rocky bottom by strong winds.

Three tugs with a combined bollard pull of 120 tons turned the casualty's bow to the sea and it was trimmed forward prior to refloating the next day. Extensive damage was found to the vessel's bottom, rudder and propeller and it was prepared for tow to the Lisnave repair yard at Setubal, which took five days.

Another January operation provided salvage assistance to the ro-ro ferry Envoy following a grounding between the breakwaters at IJmuiden. The grounding occurred on sand and there was no damage or leakage. Two tugs and a salvage team attended the vessel, which was refloated the same day, with local partner Iskes involved in the response.

February opened with another Lloyds Form involving the 6,500dwt Turkish general cargo vessel Alican Deval, which was left high and dry on rocks on the south east coast of Sicily.

MJ Information No: 21633