“Portland Bay’s” ordeal has come to an end as as salvage tugs successfully brought it into port in Australia.
Namely, after days of heavy weather along the southeast coast, authorities reported a break on June 6, which they believed provided a window of opportunity.
Two tugs remained with the stricken bulker since they had been able to put its into a more sheltered area after efforts to tow it out to sea failed. However, with the use of a more powerful salvage tug, authorities decided to raise the bulker’s anchors and tow it into port.
The operation lasted several hours but by mid-afternoon, they were safely alongside. The 21 crew aboard the Portland Bay is safe, but the engineer on the first tug to assist did suffer a leg injury and was hospitalized for further examination.
The vessel’s owners Pacific Basin thanked the Australians for their efforts in protecting the crewmembers, and said that it will cooperate with the authorities and support the investigation into what caused the vessel to lose power.
Earlier, following the incident in which ‘Portland Bay’ handysize lost power in a storm, AMSA, as Maritime Emergency Response Commander, issued a legal direction to the ship’s master of the MV Portland Bay and salvage team that the vessel must be moved to a berth in Botany Bay.
