FEBRUARY 1, 2016 — France seems to have averted what might have been an environmental catastrophe. A Smit Salvage group has succeeded in getting a line aboard the drifting automobile service Modern Express, which has been itemizing closely.
The crew have been evacuated from the vessel final week (see earlier story) and since then it had been drifting in the direction of the French coast, with all French clean-up sources totally ready to take care of a significant air pollution incident as earlier efforts to get the vessel beneath tow failed.Now, although, France 24 and different media report that the vessel is being towed away from the French coast.
The tug “managed to rotate it, to put its nose out to sea and started towing and the convoy is currently headed west at 3 knots ” France 24 quotes Commander Louis -Xavier Renaux , spokesman for the Atlantic maritime prefecture, as saying at a press convention in Brest.
The intention is outwardly to get the vessel to a secure distance from the French coast in case the towing cable breaks. Five vessels are at the moment concerned within the salvage operation: the French navy frigate Primauguet and its helicopter, two Spanish tugs beneath constitution to Smit, the French tug L’Abeille Bourbon, and an antipollution vessel.
According to authorities, any spill wouldn’t be on the size of the 2002 Prestige catastrophe because the Modern Express is barely carrying some 300 tons of diesel gas in comparison with the 50,000 ton cargo of crude carried by the Prestige.
The Prestige catastrophe is extensively seen by the maritime business as the results of authorities’ refusal to permit the ship to be taken to a spot of refuge. The European Community a couple of days in the past launched new tips on locations of refuge (PoR), developed collectively with the delivery business. The tips are aimed toward avoiding a repeat of the errors made throughout the Prestige incident.
According to French media, the Spanish authorities have agreed to simply accept Modern Express in Bilbao, and it’s set to reach there Wednesday morning if issues go in accordance with plan.
Meanwhile, the marine business continues to be outraged by a Spanish courtroom’s determination to condemn the now 81 12 months previous grasp of the Prestige, Capt Apostolos Mangouras, to a two 12 months jail time period.
Intertanko’s feedback on that case are notably value studying.
