The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced that Antiqua Barbuda registered vessel, that suffered engine trouble and risked running aground off the eastern coast of South Africa, on March 15th, has been successfully rescued and docked at the port of East London, on March 17th.
Captain Daron Burgess, technical manager for SAMSA’s southern region in Port Elizabeth, said a Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) tug, “SHASA”, hooked up with the vessel, shortly after 20h00 lon, Thursday night, off Mbashe Point and towed it to the port of East London at 05h30 in the morning.
The successful rescue followed a dramatic and tense 56 hours, after the vessel, a 4 900 tonne general cargo ship, named BBC Shanghai, registered in Antiqua Barbuda, reported being in trouble with its engines, while sailing off the Indian Ocean, about a few hundred nautical miles south of Port St Johns towards East London, in the Eastern Cape.
The BBC Shangai was believed to be travelling from Durban to Lagos in Nigeria. It had left the port of Durban on Monday and was scheduled for Lagos on or about 28 March.
After receiving a distress call, the Cape Town based SAMSA Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center (MRCC) immediately mobilized support and rescue for the stricken vessels, while efforts were also made to ensure safety of its crew and cargo – the latter, to guard against possible spillages that would lead to ocean environmental degradation.
SAMSA notes that the situation remained under firm control on Friday, while the vessel on tow of the TNPA tug, berthed at the port of East London.
Source & Image credit: SAMSA
