UPDATE 3 July: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced that the towing line has been reconnected to the fore section of the MOL Comfort and the tow has resumed.
Previous:
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced this morning (2 July) that the fore section of the MOL Comfort has broken free from it’s towing wire while in “adverse” sea conditions.
It’s a bit of a setback for the salvors, however considering the situation, it’s perhaps not all that unexpected.
I spoke with veteran tugboat sailor Paul Berdy this morning to get a bit of perspective. He notes that, “When you make up the tow from a salvage operation, the tow points don’t actually exist, so you’re kind of shooting from the hip. It’s not like you have ABS-inspected towing bits installed on the vessel, so you’re rigging on the spot to make this happen.”
MOL didn’t mention how or where the towing wire became disconnected, but Berdy brings up a valid point. The fore-part of the MOL Comfort is being pulled from it’s stern, if you can really call it that, which is really nothing more than a bulkhead that used to be inside the ship.
The salvors, when they came on scene, had to find the strongest part of that bulkhead, and either cut in, or install towing padeyes on to the port and starboard side of the vessel and then rig up a towing bridle to that.
It’s not like these guys were rigging up a towing bridle for a small barge, they had to tow 500 feet of containership, plus cargo, backwards through heavy seas. The gear needed for that is heavy and awkward, and had to be installed on a ship with no stern, or crane.
“With something that massive, and with that much windage, it’s a shit-fight,” notes Berdy. “You have to run slow, and then then next thing you know you’re getting snatched backwards.”
Snatching is where the tow gear is stretched out to its maximum length before it pulls the tug backwards, loading up the engines and the towing gear. It typically happens when the tug and the tow are out of phase in a wave train, that is when the tug is going down a wave and the tow us going up a wave. “It’s a dangerous situation and things can, and will fail,” adds Berdy.
Why not tow it from the bow?
Some are questioning why the tow wasn’t conducted from the bow, where there are suitable bits to rig a towing bridle to, and in a manner in which the ship was originally designed.
At first glance, it seems odd that the salvors chose to tow the ship backwards, but it’s likely that the bow, in its present downward trim, is likely acting more like a rudder. Towing the ship from the bow, with the stern out of the water, may likely make the ship extremely difficult to maneuver in a straight line.
The following is a graphic depicting the current sea conditions in the Indian Ocean.
(Bloomberg) — Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion has entered a new phase, pitting homegrown drone technology against a 2,000 kilometer (1,200 mile) swathe of largely Soviet-era oil facilities. At least...
March 19 (Reuters) – Tanker company Euronav will exit Belgium’s blue-chip Bel-20 index after just two days of trading, as it no longer meets the membership conditions after its takeover by Compagnie Maritime...
MOSCOW, March 19 (Reuters) – The new head of Russia’s Navy was formally presented in his new role for the first time on Tuesday at a pomp-filled ceremony, the state RIA news agency reported,...
March 19, 2024
Total Views: 2483
Why Join the gCaptain Club?
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.