Stricken boxship is towed to Germany
MSC FLAMINIA and her accompanying tug boats have left her holding position 20 miles south of Lands End and is now being towed to German territorial waters, the container ship owner German company Reederei NSB press release said.
After all fires had been extinguished on board the MSC FLAMINIA by the salvage company Smit Salvage and after the stability and floatabilty as well as the solidity of the hull of MSC FLAMINIA had been confirmed once more by classification society GL Germanischer Lloyd, all involved coastal states of the English Channel (Great Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands) had granted permission for the passage on Friday respectively on Saturday. At the moment the firefighting tugs FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION (Fairmount Marine), ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN (L. P. Knight) and CARLO MAGNO (Augustea S.A.) were prepared for the passage.
On site represantatives of Reederei NSB in cooperation with the salvage company and the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies Germany (Havariekommando) have re-established the stearing gear and energy supply on board the MSC FLAMINIA. Superstructure of the vessel is intact and usable. Precautionary measures for a safe passage have been taken jointly. Engineers of managing owners NSB and the salvage company will be on board the MSC FLAMINIA during the passage of the English Channel in order to ensure a fire watch and the operational readiness of the fire extinguishing device of the vessel at any time.
At 12.30 lt (UTC + 1 hr) tow connection had been handed over from CARLO MAGNO to FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION. They will reach their first waypoint at 13.45 lt.
The passage of the English Channel is expected to take five days.