Recent activities for Tsavliris Salvage have highlighted that complexities often extend beyond just sending a tug to tow a vessel to safety.
Earlier in 2020 the bulk carrier Ourania Luck was on passage from San Lorenzo, Argentina to Oman and Kuwait via Necochea when it grounded in the Parana River while laden with 44,834t of maize. The vessel blocked the navigation channel and Tsavliris was engaged to assist.
A salvage master was dispatched with agents, an oil spill response company and a sounding boat engaged along with two tugs, the 72tbp Brutus from Rosario and the 78tbp Ranquel from San Lorenzo. A dive boat with divers was also engaged for underwater inspection.
After preparations had been made the salvage operation commenced involving scouring around the casualty along with pulling and pushing by the tugs. The casualty was successfully refloated and anchored the next day at General Lago Roads, the tug Brutus remaining with Ourania Luck providing standby services until the coastguard finalised inspections and the salvage concluded. A dive inspection was later carried out at Necochea.
On the same day that the Ourania Luck operation was concluded another bulk carrier Dino, laden with 27.500t of maize and soya bean meal grounded nearby at Rosario. The tug Brutus was once again called into action with a salvage master assigned from Buenos Aires and Dino was refloated the same day.
Around the same time Tsavliris was engaged for an operation slightly different to the norm when it became necessary to unload drilling equipment from the drill ship Discoverer India before it went into lay-up; the work was necessary in order to reduce the vessel’s draught for it to berth at Platygiály Port, Astakos, Greece.
The 17,400dwt deck cargo barge AMT Venturer was engaged to transport the equipment to the port for discharge ashore and during a three-week period, some 15 trips were made to and from the ship to the port by AMT Venturer under tow transporting cargo and transferring personnel.
Following completion of the cargo handling work Discoverer India was berthed alongside at Platygiály Port, the operation successfully concluded. Tsavliris’ Patras-based tugs Proteas (45tbp) and Hermes (43tbp) undertook the work and the latter tug was in action again later assisting the cruise ship Aegean Majesty berthed at Katakolo Port, Peloponnese, Greece.
By Peter Barker
